Fallout Equestria: Winter's Wrath

Chapters

Prologue: Filly of Stable Eighty Six
Chapter 1: Security Breach
Chapter 2: Opening of Stable 86
Chapter 3: Whitetail Wood Raiders
Chapter 4: Fluttershy Cottage
Chapter 5: City of Cantal
Chapter 6: Learning the hard way
Chapter 7: Attack
Chapter 8: Brax
Chapter 10: New Saddle Tower
Chapter 11: Into the Ministry of Arcane Science
Chapter 12: Water Talisman
Chapter 13: To New Appleoosa
Chapter 14: Trip to the Everfree
Chapter 15: Illusions and Confusions
Chapter 16pt1: Mountain Full of Jealousy
Chapter 16pt2: Depths of Stable Twenty Three
Chapter 17: Of Life and Death
Chapter 18: Hospital Again?
Chapter 19: DJ Pon3's Assistant
Chapter 20: The Luna Line
Chapter 21: Dijoneigh
Chapter 22: Bittersweet Birthday
Chapter 23: The Mutation
Chapter 24: The Coup
Chapter 9: Stable Twenty Three

Prologue: Filly of Stable Eighty Six

I should probably start by introducing myself. My name is Amethyst and I'm a unicorn mare that resides within Stable Eighty Six with five hundred ponies and about fifty zebras. Our ancestors took refuge in Stable Eighty Six when the great war came to a close. Balefire Bombs were dropped and the ponies stuck on the outside were doomed to the decimation of the land and blanketed in lethal radiation where they were left to die an agonising death.

This story may be a long one but before I tell you about the fun I had getting shot at, sliced at, chased, threatened, frozen, and a whole bunch of other things that I cannot really explain, I do need to tell you of how I came to be and my sweet, easy, carefree and boring life in Stable eighty six.

As a young filly I grew up with my mother. My father had passed away from a work place accident when I was a very young foal and I don't remember him. My mother was tasked as personal assistant to the Overmare so she had very little time for me growing up.

As a unicorn I was expected to learn magic. Unicorn ponies were taught separately to Earth ponies, so as a result, there were two different schools for each. I attended the Stable Eighty Six school for Unicorns. Subjects from magic to literacy and numeracy were taught. I excelled at most things, except magic. Of all my peers I was last to learn my first spell (Telekinesis), last to earn my cutie mark and last to get a Pipbuck.

Typically as a rather different filly/mare I had a hard time with getting along with my peers. Last to learn magic followed by last to get my cutie mark were sure things to doom my entire childhood. To put it simply, I was the class punching bag and it only got worse when I entered adolescence and everypony learnt that I was attracted to other fillies.

Mother found out about this of course and like the ignorant pony she was, it seems that she was still absolutely certain I'd marry a stallion, have foals, grow old and die like everypony else.

I took extra-curricular activities after school before I got my cutie mark to stray from boredom. Mother was too busy keeping in touch with the “Important Ponies” and getting drunk to even spend any time with me. As such I spent most of my time learning medical to follow my dream of becoming a medical pony, I even got a certificate to show I passed basic medical and attempted to move onto Unicorn Medical Training. I failed as I could not perform the spells given to me.

I got my cutie mark well after any of my class mates and had to endure some twelve months of torture, half the class gave me the nickname “Blank Flank” until I finally got it. The late appearance of my cutie mark was probably my own fault. As I wanted to be a medical pony, everything I tried or did was to get the right cutie mark so I could become a medical pony within the stable. Due to this I did not want to do anything else.

When I finally got my cutie mark I was extremely disappointed. It was like opening a gift and you did not get what you wanted. I didn't know how I got my cutie mark until my mother pointed it out. I went from shock to joy to disappointed in ten seconds flat. It was a purple gem with a thin purple quarter circle line to the bottom right of the gem. I guess whenever I forget my own name I can just look at my flanks. Unlike other ponies who knew what their special talent is, I have no idea what my own is. I guess my body said “Well Amethyst since you don’t have a cutie mark and at this rate you will never have one, let’s just give you a random one.”

It wasn't until my second week after I got my cutie mark that I noticed something strange. The half circle part glowed very softly. I guessed it was part of my talent. Even still, I had no idea what was on my flank, perhaps it was a reference to my shield spell. I don't know.

After we get our cutie mark we get a PipBuck. Each pony gets a pipbuck at his or her Cute-Cenera (Normally the first weekend day after the cutie mark appears). Like everypony else, my Pipbuck was given to me by the Overmare of our stable, a fierce pink coated and blank maned mare. This also meant that I was assigned to certain tasks within the stable, even though I already knew I wouldn't be, I was still hoping to be placed in the clinic working with the medical ponies.

When my pipbuck was presented to me I was ecstatic and had the overmare bind it to my right leg just above my hoof. The Pipbuck displayed everything I could think of. I have worked with terminals before but never been able to access a Pipbuck before.

And with a sink of my heart a note pined on my pipbuck. I was due to start my first shift first thing in two days. I was assigned to what unicorns do best.

Maintenance.

My placement was disappointing but I soon excelled as technology was something I loved playing with. While I worked in maintenance I tended to most terminals in the stable, my natural talent was recognised and I was assigned to working on, fixing, changing terminals and basic robotics in the stable. Something of a talent of mine.

By the age of thirteen and nearly two years after I got my cutie mark, I lost interest in becoming medical pony and simply honed my skills on where I knew I did well. Computers and Technology.

I was also assigned to mundane tasks such as changing bulbs and testing equipment as well but normally only during downtime when there was nothing else for me to do.

That’s me in a nutshell. Not that it explains much.

Here’s what happened…

Chapter 1: Security Breach

Chapter 1: Security breach

BeepBeepBeep.

I reached a forehoof and shut my alarm off from my pipbuck.

“Urgh” I groaned and rolled out of bed. I hit the floor the floor with bang. “Ow.” It was time to get up so I could prepare for my shift. I got up off the floor and looked around my basic, small but comfortable room on which I had all to my own. After nearly ten years of doing this since my cutie mark came through I would have thought getting up would be a lot easier than it used to, clearly it was not.

I levitated my stable maintenance uniform and a towel onto my back and proceeded into the corridor of stable eighty six. The walls were of a dull grey and the lights made that forever humming sound that they have always done. It was still quite early.

I walked down the corridor into the mare’s wash room and levitated the towel and uniform onto the bench and stepped into the shower. I turned the hot water on and stepped into the nice hot running water and allowed myself to fall half asleep as the water ran beautifully warm over my white coat.

I stood there for a good three or four minutes before putting my head, neck and mane into the hot shower facing down at the floor watching the water flow into the drain. I finally snapped out of my tiredness and flicked my black mane out of my face and began to wash myself.

After stepping back out into the bathroom nice, clean and refreshed, I dried myself off and brushed my mane; the tips curling as they had always done. I then got dressed into my maintenance uniform.

I proceeded back out into the corridor which was now starting to fill as everypony began to awake. I walked in through to the atrium, a large area where over five hundred ponies could comfortably fit.

I went up to the long table where breakfast had been prepared which was lined up against the far wall of the atrium and gathered my food (Diced apples and Hay) and sat down at a table which was currently empty. I sat and ate my food alone as I watched everypony else begin to come through after a night’s sleep to enjoy some food before starting work.

“Hello young one” said a soft exotic voice next to me. I jumped in such surprise I banged my knees on the table top

“Oww” I panted.

“I do apologise” said the voice again. I looked to my right and a middle aged zebra mare was sitting next to me. It came as quite a shock when I was younger when I first saw a Zebra. However our stable has a very small population of Zebra and they are not seen at all often. There were plenty more in our stable over one hundred years ago, however they fought the ponies in the stable and killed a number of us in a bid to take it over. Since that incident they were not allowed to have a stable population any higher than ten percent. Most Zebra don’t mix with ponies, within our stable they tend to work in other areas that I don't normally go to. They also sleep in a different part of the stable and due to these reasons is why it is rare to see a zebra even in a stable with such a small population.

“Hello” I gasped my eyes streaming,

“Hello, I am Zenzith. I am in need on a unicorn to touch magic on a project of mine” said the Zebra. “You see I have been working on this project for a while and I have become stuck. I need the magic of a unicorn before it is complete.” Zenzith pushed a hoof forward and pushed a small black orb in front of me.

“What is it?” I asked.

“This is what I call the orb of desire. It will show you your true heart’s desire.”

“What do you need me to do?” I asked,

“Focus your magic on it” she advised.

I levitated the orb and the moment my magic sheathed around the orb it went from black to clear. I put it back in front of the zebra.

“Try it out first” she pushed the orb back to me. “Stare into the orb” she whispered into my ear.

I stared into the clear depths of the small orb. Slowly revolving inside was a three dimensional life like image inside, It swirled and became a clear image. I saw myself hoof deep in a snowing park near a lamp post. I was nuzzling a peach coloured pegasus mare with a white mane who stood next to me. I was leaning against her, I saw the two of us embrace, after a few moments they broke apart and began to walk through the snow. I pulled my eyes away, my heart aching and eyes watering.

I looked back at the zebra mare that had pulled out a second blackened orb and pushed it towards me. She pulled the clear orb away from me and whispered “you can keep this one. “She looked at her pipbuck and mumbled something about “need to get to work” and left me sitting alone at the table.

I stared after her as she disappeared through a door on the side of the atrium. I picked up the blackened orb and levitated it, it went clear just like the last one. Is this thing safe I thought to myself? Is this some kind of crazy zebra magic or something? This thing is crazy and I’m sure that it's not safe. What if I just did nothing but stare into this orb for the rest of my life?

I waved my thoughts away believing that I am just being paranoid and sat staring into the orb for a while and lost track of the time as I watched myself and the peach coloured Pegasus frolicking about the snowy park.

“Amethyst are you ok” asked a light green unicorn who sat down opposite me.

I snapped out of it and looked up at the mare that was my only friend. “Oh hi Berry, how are you?” I asked.

She smirked, “Answer a question with a question.” After a short pause she said bluntly “You’re crying” she pointed a hoof to my face.

I wiped my eyes with my forehoof, “I’m fine” I said giving her a convincing smile. I levitated the orb into my stable barding

She asked pointing a hoof at it “What is that.”

I stammered, “It’s a… umm, Memory Orb” I smiled. She looked at me suspiciously. I looked at my Pipbuck and only had ten minutes until I had to be down in the maintenance office. “I have to go down to maintenance I’m running late” I stated. I left her at the table by herself as I made my way down to work.

* ** ** ** *

Today I was tasked with swapping out all the spent light bulbs in the orchard where we grew our apples, hay, and other verities of food. I dimmed the lights so I could see what I was doing and went about my work. One by one I unscrewed a blown bulb and placed a fresh one in replacement using levitation. There were only fifteen blown bulbs and after refreshing all bulbs I turned the lights back on to full power to continue growing our food. I began to walk back to maintenance with the Orb of Desire on my mind.

I knew what the orb showed. I’m very lonely, I wished for companionship and love. My interest in mares was a setback. I’ve never wanted to be with a stallion and the thought of it made me shudder. I sighed as memories of being laughed at not but a few years ago when I was caught checking out a mare in the atrium by none other than Glenda, that stupid bitch who picked on me through my childhood and adolescence. Oh the shame. I remembered it clear as day.

She jumped on the table and screeched “Everypony, Amethyst is checking out Lily, Looks like we got ourselves a FILLYFOOLER” this followed by a look of disgust from the mare I was looking at and being laughed at in the entire atrium. I cried myself to sleep that night. I sighed once again and my heart ached as I carried myself back to the maintenance wing thinking about the orb once again.

* ** ** ** *

I awoke the following day in a surprisingly good mood and much more graceful than the day before.

After showering, I went to get some food before starting shift once again thinking of my day ahead. I left the orb in my room after watching it last night. I sat down opposite Berry with my food at the same bench I do every day. She seemed to have awoken early. She was staring at the table near us at a blue unicorn stallion who was talking to his five other friends.

She did not notice me.

“Hi Berry” I said enthusiastically.

She snapped her head to me so fast I thought I heard her neck crack. “Oh hi” She said looking a little embarrassed.

“Who’s the stallion?” I asked.

“Oh that’s Jack” she informed, “he’s simply the most stunning buck in the stable don’t you think?”

“Uhh if you say so” I mumbled looking at her in an odd kind of way. “Why don’t you go talk to him then?” I asked.

Her eyes widened, “Oh I can’t do that, he has half the mares in the stable hanging off him. What on Equestria makes you think he would like a mare like me?”

“Well” I began.

“Talking about boys are we girls” came an all too familiar voice from behind me. I turned to see a white unicorn mare with a pink mane streaked with grey.

Oh goddesses why?

“Hello mother” I said in a falsely bright voice,

She looked at me clearly addressing me “The overmare has requested that the Talisman’s need to be looked at today. Head of Maintenance is in the clinic today recovering after he had a big night and he drank just a bit too much. So I am conveying the message to you.”

I fought to not roll my eyes. Of course, maintenance has the monthly party in the chambers below where everypony gets drunk. “Ok I’ll do it” I said scowling. My mother trotted away. I looked at Berry and sighed, “Want to swap mothers?”

She gave a little giggle “Not in a million years.”

I looked down at my Pipbuck and lump formed in my throat “sorry, but if I don’t start this early I might not be able to do the terminals today.” She nodded; I then left her alone at the table.

On my way out I met none other than Glenda herself, a much taller unicorn with a sky blue coat and a baby blue mane heavily laden in makeup.

I side stepped her as she smirked at me before putting a hoof out to try to trip me as I walked out the atrium. Too familiar with this trick and not stupid enough to fall for it again I avoided it and trotted away as if nothing happened.

* ** ** ** *

Great... A long boring task which involves doing tests on the talismans that keeps the stable running.

Running through each talisman took about thirty minutes which was done from a control room in the belly of the stable. I was the only pony in here. We do these sorts of tests once a year to ensure our talismans are working okay and to carry out any repairs if they are not running at the right capacity. I’ve only done this once before a few years back, but I knew the gist of it.

I tested the air talisman and it was running at one hundred percent, I tested the healing talisman and it was still at fifty percent. I made a note to have it re-enchanted by the medical ponies. After testing five other talismans all at one hundred percent I ran the test on the water talisman and waited for the test to complete.

When the test was complete I looked up at the terminal flashing all kinds of errors at me. ‘Water talisman damaged, water talisman running at ninety two percent. This time last year running at ninety six percent, replacement of water talisman required. Estimated time before water talisman depleted: five years.’

I pulled open the cabinet to the water talisman, I heard the rumble of flowing water from the pipes as everypony was using water above and visually inspected the talisman bound to the largest pipe. I glanced at it and saw a jagged crack across the surface of the water talisman.

I stared at it with slight panic starting to creep inside of me. The water talisman is dying. It is physically damaged. If we don’t replace it everypony and zebra is going to die. If we cannot keep the stable watered the orchard will die. We’ll run out of water.

I closed the cabinet and plugged my pipbuck into the terminal. My Pipbuck screen is now pink changed from green as a personalised choice.

I downloaded the data from the terminal to my pipbuck and went straight to the overmare’s office. I hesitated outside the door. The Overmare is not very nice and she is such a control freak. I held my breath and pushed the button on the side of the door.

The door swung open to reveal a pink earth pony mare with a black mane. She looked unimpressed.

She glared at me and said impatiently “This better be important. Have you finished with the tests to the talismans?”

“Y-Yes” I stammered, my heart beating hard against my breast, “I discovered quite a problem. M-may I come in and show you?”

She considered me for a moment then let me pass over the threshold. She closed the door.

“What is this about” she demanded “I am very busy.”

“Well, you see I did the tests as asked” I stated, then as fast as I could I continued “The water talisman is busted and we need a new one”.

“WHAT!!?!” She shouted. She looked furious. I showed her the data on my Pipbuck and her eyes narrowed and her mouth became thinner and thinner as she read the data.

“I have done a visual check and the water talisman has a crack through it. At the rate it is degrading the stable will run out of water and we will either starve or die of thirst” I told her.

My mother walked through the door and looked rather shocked to see me with the overmare. I have not actually talked or acknowledged her since my Cute Cenera. “Amethyst? Overmare?” my mother trotted up to the two of us. “What is this about” she whispered as the overmare was looking at the data on my pipbuck.

“SHH” snapped the overmare.

After she was done, she concluded, “The water talisman is indeed dead according to the data, if we can limit water to limit degradation of the water talisman we may be able to get up to three times more life out of it.”

I stared at her. She wasn’t planning on getting a new one?

She continued “I will inform head of maintenance once he is... Better”.

“You’re not going to replace it?” I blurted out.

It was her turn to stare at me “How? We have no spare water talisman” she barked,

“Send somepony out to procure another one” I stated.

Both mother and the overmare looked shocked. The overmares shock quickly turned to anger. She looked positively livid “Nopony, NoZebra, No ONE will leave my stable EVER” she screeched.

It was my turn to shout “So you’re going to let our water talisman die and in turn kill everypony and everyzebra because you don’t want to open that door?” I hoofed over the line. I could see it in the overmares reddening face. As a last ditch effort I stated “I’ll do it then.”

The overmare inflated with rage. She turned to my mother and shouted as she pointed a hoof to me “Get that filly OUT of my sight right now”.

Mother wrapped me in a telekinetic sheath and dragged me out the door.

“What do you think you’re doing” she hissed. “You embarrassed the shit out of me in front of the overmare”.

I looked at my mother feeling disgusted that that’s all she can think about. “I’m trying to save the stable. I don’t want to see us all die. The overmare and you will just sit there and watch everyone die. If we just sit here and do nothing then frankly. We are all doomed.”

“That is not your job” mother hissed,

“Fine” I shouted at her.

I galloped back to my room and started to get things ready, my head swimming with what had just happened, I wanted to buck the overmare and I wanted to buck my mother. I had to come up with a plan, a plan to get a water talisman. We have no spares. Stable Tec supplied just one water talisman. What an oversight I thought. Well somepony has to do something about it and that somepony is me.

* ** ** ** *

I had a plan all prepared. I had packed all my essentials into two saddlebags; food, healing potions and bandages that I raided from the bathrooms, my toiletries, some of my books, my orb given to me by Zenzith. I placed my two saddlebags and my canteen onto my bed next to my hacking tool and my bobby pins and screw driver. I would need them for my plan, after which I will pack them as well.

I waited in my room until it was very late. I put on my stable barding and slipped my hacking tool and lock picking tools into my barding pockets. I pushed the door open carefully, keeping an eye out for security as it was way past curfew.

The lights were dimmed and it was quite dark. I checked my flanks and the line of my cutie mark glowed softly. As long as I don’t see anypony in the corridors I should be fine. I prayed to Luna that nopony would see me.

I crept through the corridors to my mother’s and once our room. I levitated a bobby pin and the screwdriver and proceeded to pick the lock. It took me a few minutes to get the tumblers into place, unfortunately I was not very good with this specific art and have had little practise.

I levitated the screwdriver and bobby pin back into my pockets and snuck into my mother’s pitch dark room and made my way to where she keeps her keys. I knew my way around. After all I lived a vast majority of my life in here. I snuck to the counter and levitated her keys carefully so they did not jingle and wake up mum.

Once I got the keys, I snuck out into the corridor again then proceeded to the overmare’s office a floor up.

I started up the stairs as silently as possible and into the corridor above. Just as I turned a corner I saw the flanks and tail of a security pony slip around a corner. That was close.

I continued up the corridor then turned left and snuck up to the overmare’s door. I pulled out my mother’s keys and attached was a swipe card. I levitated the card and slipped it through the slot.

The door clicked followed by the powering down of the turrets in the overmares office.

I levitated the keys back into my barding and stepped through the door. The lights were off and all the light in the room came from a terminal at the end of the room. I snuck up to it and connected my hacking tool to my pipbuck then to the terminal and proceeded to hack as I have done many times before as part of my job, and a talent I picked up as a filly.

It took me a minute or so but I had managed to get in quite easily and laughed silently under my breath at the password ‘Stable86’. I downloaded the stable door password as well as some of the overmare’s notes. Why not?

I unplugged my hacking tool and pipbuck and slipped the tool into my barding. I crept out into the corridor and quickly and silently made my way back to my mother’s room to put the keys back. This did not go as smoothly. I almost got caught by security but managed to slip away, I locked my mother’s room and proceeded back to my own room to get prepared for phase two of my plan.

Footnote: Level Up

New perk: Sneaky Filly -- Your Sneak and Locking Picking skills increased by 5

Chapter 2: Opening of Stable 86

With my saddlebags packed, I levitated them with each bag on each side of my body and my canteen was tied off onto the strap of the right saddlebag.

I was ready.

Just one last thing to do, I levitated out a blank sheet of paper, a quill and some ink. I began to write.

To Berry:

I am leaving the stable behind in a bid to find a new water talisman for the stable. During my work I discovered that our water talisman is damaged and degrading. The stable population will probably be dead or dying within 5 years’ time. The overmare has refused to send somepony outside to procure a new one. I am going outside to gather a new talisman. I wish to write this to you as you are the only pony I can trust and the only friend I have ever had. I hope it will not take too long to get the talisman. I will send a message to you from my Pipbuck when I come back and I am at the stable door.

I will send you the password to open the door when I come back. Please do not tell anypony about the talisman, I don’t want to cause panic.

P.S: The overmare will probably freak when they discover what I have done. I apologise for leaving and hope to be back as soon as possible.

Your Friend: Amethyst.

I re-read my note twice and was satisfied. I took one last look around my small yet comfortable room and snuck out into the corridor once again. I slipped the note under Berry’s door and continued up to the top floor.

Once at the top floor I preceded to the steel door I have never used before and it opened with the touch of a button. As the door was closing I heard somepony shout “stop, what are you doing out of curfew?”

I galloped through the next door just as the door behind me opened. I locked the door behind me and turned to the room I was in. I stood in a dark room with a large mechanical pin on swing arms connected to a device in the ceiling.

Bang, bang.

Somepony was banging up against the steel door I had locked.

I booted up the terminal and punched in the password it requested “CMC=ScABSB”.

The door mechanism swung into the gear shaped door and with a loud squeal and sound of metal on metal, the door was pulled in and swung to the side revealing a dark tunnel that sank into the darkness.

I gulped as I stared into the dark cavern. Maybe the rumours were true that there was just nothing outside the stable, just a great dark void.

I was terrified at the prospect of going outside. I stood there trembling when the door behind me lowered with a clang to reveal a single security pony with a Taser levitated.

I panicked and activated my only other spell apart from Telekinesis, a simple shield spell that enveloped me in a dome of thin flowing energy. The Security pony said in a worried yet powerful voice “Amethyst? What are you doing?”

I looked into his eyes “saving you and the other five hundred ponies that live here.”

He just stood there and blinked.

Deciding that he wasn’t going to do anything I turned to walk through the stable door to the “outside” leaving the perplexed unicorn stallion standing there stunned at what I have just done.

“Good bye” I muttered stepping over the threshold of the stable door and collapsing the shield spell as I went.

I was preparing to shut the door behind me when I heard the security door open and close. I assumed he had gone off to tell the overmare.

I sighed as I allowed the door to close once again making an ear splitting screech as it pulled into place, echoing loudly throughout the dark cave as it plunged me into pure black darkness. The only light was coming from my cutie mark from each flank which gave off a very soft glow as the stable barding did not cover my flanks. My pipbuck was also illuminating slightly.

Heart pounding against my breast, I activated my pipbuck light which illuminated enough so I could see where I was going and set off deeper into the caverns, my hoofsteps echoing with each trot.

The earth was very rocky and the ceiling very low. My breathing began to slow as my panic began to subside. It was very quiet. No hum of the lights and generators, no banging of doors or the sound of hooves on steel. The air was humid and smelt very musty and dirty.

* ** ** ** *

I wandered deeper and deeper into the cave for what felt like an hour or so, the cave was perhaps a little wider and higher than it was at the stable door and I could hear the sound of running water.

I was just wondering where the water was coming from when the cave opened up into a massive black cavern. I couldn't see the walls or the ceiling of the cavern.

I wandered aimlessly wondering where to go when an old decaying wooden bridge loomed into view, a small stream gushing under it with the sound of rushing bubbling water filling my ears. I crossed the bridge carefully taking note of the heavily decayed wooden batons that held the bridge in place.

With a sudden lurch I was plunged into the ice cold water below. I could hear my pipbuck clicking at me as I fought to stay afloat. I felt myself get swept away, my head slipping below the water before resurfacing for just enough time to draw another breath, the sound of the bubbling water filling my ears. I used all the strength I could muster to prevent myself from slipping into the watery depths below. I couldn’t swim as there was no need to learn to swim growing up in a stable.

Just as I was running out of energy to stay afloat I hit something extremely hard and felt jagged rock hit my underside. I held onto the slippery rock as hard as I could, coughing out the water I had breathed in before looking around at what to do. The water was moving much too fast for me to let go and hope to not drown along the way. The water’s edge was too far for me to try and jump from this partially submerged rock. I held up my left foreleg, my pipbuck which was still clicking softly while maintaining a grip on the slippery wet rock to light up the cavern.

A sudden idea struck me when I laid eyes on a large boulder a few meters away from the water’s edge.

I used my magic to attempt to lift the heavy rock; my magic enveloped the boulder which in turn let off a soft purple glow that partially illuminated the cavern. A shot of overglow burst from my horn. The boulder lift partially off the ground and with extreme effort I dragged it towards the water’s edge until, with a huge final heave it came crashing into the water sending a wave of freezing water over my head.

Breathing heavily after shifting the heaviest thing I had ever moved, I looked at my work. The boulder was large enough to only just jut out of the water. This was enough for me to clamber onto the rock I was sitting on and make a small leap to the large rock I had just pushed into the water. With another small leap I was on the water’s edge, water streaming from my mane, tail, stable barding and my saddlebags.

I sat on my haunches coughing out the remaining water and recovering from the exertion from pushing the boulder into the water. I looked at my pipbuck and found that the water was slightly radioactive and I had absorbed a small amount of radiation. Shivering slightly I got back on my hooves.

* ** ** ** *

I set off along the slippery wet rocky ground deeper into the cavern praying to the goddesses I was going the right way.

I began to wonder what would happen in the stable once the overmare found out what I had done. What would she do to my mother when she found out I got in using her pass card? Dragging Berry into all this, I hoped she would hold her tongue and not tell anypony what happened with the water talisman. The overmare would probably lock down the stable or do something incredibly stupid to make the lives of everypony/zebra more difficult.

I sighed, thinking about what my actions would bring to everypony back in stable eighty six. Shaking my head I said aloud “I’m being a stupid pony, I’m saving everypony and zebra in the stable.”

Even as I said it my mother’s voice came looming into my head “That is not your job.”

Well, I thought savagely, no pony else is going to do anything about it.

The cavern wall came into view and a new cave entrance in the wall of the cavern appeared.

I slipped into the cave thinking how selfish my mother was. All throughout my childhood it was all about the overmare and her “friends.” She was never at home, she was always working or she was at one of the Overmare’s party functions drinking and gambling in the Overmares suite.

As for me I was always at home as I had no friends, well... apart from Berry, but she had things to do as well. Normally I just read books, studied medicine (At least until I got my cutie mark), modifying my pipbuck or doing anything else that could stave off boredom.

Not that I disliked my mother. Even though she could be a neglecting, not caring bitch she is after all my mother and as much as I hated to admit it I loved her as my mum. After the incident in the atrium she comforted me when she realised I had been crying in my room; even though it offered little comfort, she was very against my sexuality.

The ground slopped upwards quite steeply and as it did I could see light ahead. I galloped towards the light hoping that it was the end of the cave.

I slowed to a trot; I stepped out of the cave into the fresher, cooler air that still smelt quite musty with a hint of decay. I looked around and could see I was standing in what had once been a densely wooded forest.

I could tell due to the amount of trees that were just blackened husks. The trees that were still alive however were covered in dead leaves. A gust a cold wind blew through nipping the skin beneath my coat causing me to shiver. Cold was probably an understatement, it was freezing. The wind howled causing the leaves to blow off the trees, it gave off a heavy rustling sound as massive amounts of leaves blew across the ground.

I took a few steps forward wondering where to go. I checked my pipbuck as an icon appeared that showed my location as ‘Whitetail woods cavern entrance’ and underneath that said ‘Stable 86.’ My pipbuck picked up a new radio station.

Radio station? I thought. Well at least there are other ponies out here.

I looked left then right then straight ahead, I had absolutely no idea where to go. I had spent all my time planning on actually getting out of the stable that I didn't have any plan on what to do when I actually got out. I looked up and saw nothing but great massive mats of swirling dark grey clouds.

I looked back at the ground as my vision swirled, my head was spinning and I felt sick. I fell to my haunches and vomited onto the ground as my head continued to spin. I wiped my muzzle and floated my canteen and took a sip of water to wash the acidic taste of bile away.

When my head stopped spinning I got back up still feeling quite ill. I saw a barn a few hundred meters away. I decided to head towards it, I needed some rest and to lie down before I continued. I also needed to find out where it is I should be going. I didn't dare look up again. All through the entity of my life I had known a ceiling that was just there, the walls of the corridors. I was not used to this massive expanse of open space, it was very alien to me, hell the whole outside was alien to me from the sounds of the rustling dead leaves to the cold wind against my coat to the smell of the air.

* ** ** ** *

I reached the barn which was in a heavy state of decay. The paint was peeling off, windows were shattered and the wood looked like it was beginning to rot. I stepped inside to the smell of rotting timber and decay.

I took a look around the barn which contained a bathroom, a kitchen and a bedroom. In the bedroom was a bed with a dank old mattress, an old wooden wardrobe and an old wooden duchess on which the mirror was shattered.

I took off my saddlebags and unstrung my canteen and put them at the foot of the bed, then lay on the mattress and played the messages I had taken from the overmare starting with the latest message.

23 hours ago:

Entry made by: Overmare

“Turns out that damaged water talisman has begun to degrade. That moron maintenance pony kicked it in frustration when the water went out two years ago, I asked my assistant to send her daughter down to have it examined. She managed to perform the task as asked, much to my surprise and reported that the Water Talisman is failing.

“Which is true, but the stupid filly wanted to send somepony outside to collect a new water talisman. The outside is poisoned. I would never allow anypony to open the stable door

“Needless to say I had an argument with her and wanted to have her given to security for even daring to address me the way she did with such disrespect.

“Opening the stable door would risk the life of everypony in this stable, the poison possibly or maybe somepony will discover that this stable is still operational and try to kill us all.

“These risks are not worth taking at least until the water talisman is dead. We have a water purifier and could possibly bring that online to recycle water. I will put this onto the head of maintenance. If we can limit the degradation of the talisman then it may last up to fifteen years or so.

“I have told Sunrise to tell her daughter Amethyst to hold her tongue. That pony has hardly any respect for myself or her mother. I’ve seen it firsthoof myself. Mind you that could be because she never spends any time with her”.

My stomach twisted at this message. Stupid filly? I felt a rush of anger at the Overmare. She has no idea I thought savagely. Even if we did recycle water, eventually we will run out and fifteen years seems the most amount of time we may get out of the talisman. I do not show disrespect for my mother.

I scoffed. If anything it was the other way around.

Most of the other messages were filled with stupid rambles about specific ponies the Overmare or my mother had spoken to about silly little things in the stable, complaining about maintenance, complaining about security, complaining about the orchard. Those messages were quite boring.

I found a random message from my mother while scrolling through the junk. It was labelled ‘Amethyst Cutie Mark’ the date was a while ago. I hit play.”

9 years 3 months 12 days ago

Sunrise – Assistant Overmare

“Amethyst finally got her cutie mark yesterday and we have arranged for the Cutie mark Ceñera on the Saturday. The overmare wishes to move Amethyst into maintenance as per protocols that once a filly or colt gets his or her cutie mark they get their first stable jobs.

“I know Amethyst wishes to be a medical pony, however with her magical skills as poor as they are, I cannot recommend for her to be a medical pony for one, and two her cutie mark does not show anything to do with the medical profession anyway. She has trained, I am sure she can strap a sprained ankle or bind an injury but to be a doctor she needs to be able to do so much more and she just does not have the aptitude, talent nor discipline to be in the medical profession.

“I knew from the moment she told me she wanted to be a medical pony that she did not have what it takes. I let her be a foal and keep herself busy. I’m sure it was just a phase.

“I think she is too young to understand.

“Maintenance is perfect for Amethyst anyway as she needs to practise her telekinesis which is at best mediocre and she shows a degree of enthusiasm when exposed to technology.”

I switched it off.

My mother never told me this, tears began to run down my face but I ignored them. She lied to me, all those years ago. She told me I’d be a great medical pony and to continue studying. She knew I would not make it and yet she told me to waste my time for her own damn benefits. She just wanted me busy so I wasn’t in her mane, so she could have the time of her life sucking up to the overmare and drinking cider in the “lounge” with her stupid stuck up friends.

I rolled over onto my stomach. I let out a sigh wiping away my tears and put my head down on the mattress. I began to drift to sleep, the dark coolness enveloping my eyes, and I fell into an uneasy sleep.

* ** ** ** *

I was standing in a familiar snowy park with a single lamp post. I could see the familiar peach coloured pegasus and I galloped towards her. Coming to a stop in front of her, she smiled at me. I smiled back lifting a hoof to touch her, my hoof sank through her like a hologram and she vanished.

The dream changed. I was standing outside the cave that leads into stable eighty six. The dead trees bent at scary angles with dying and grotesque faces imbedded in the dead husks. I tried to run away from them but I couldn’t, I turned to the cave that led back into stable 86. I saw red demonic eyes coming through towards the entrance of the cave, the pink coated overmare trotted out of the cave with those demonic eyes and blood dripping from her mouth. She then shrieked “Nopony, NoZebra, No ONE will leave my stable EVER.”

I felt the ground turn upside down and I fell, the air rushing around me as I slammed into the massive swirling mass of grey.

Footnote: Level Up

New Perk: Heavy lifting -- Your telekinesis is now 5% stronger when lifting heavy objects.

Chapter 3: Whitetail Wood Raiders

Chapter 3 Whitetail Wood Raiders

I jerked awake, I was breathing heavily, it was just a nightmare. I lifted my head off the mattress and could see that it was dark, I was feeling rather cold. It must be night time, something I had never experienced before. At night in the stable the lights would just dim in the hallways and when I went to sleep I would just turn the lights off. Now it was just dark and gloomy. I could hear all kinds of noises such as the rustling of grass in the wind and night insects making noises around the barn I was sleeping in.

I levitated my canteen over and took a sip of water then put it back at the foot of the bed with my other possessions.

I laid back down on the mattress and pulled the mouldy covers over myself thinking about what I was going to do the next day. After thinking for a bit I decided just to wing it and hope I stumble across somepony who will give me some directions. I closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep once more.

* ** ** ** *

I awoke to the familiar sound of a shower accompanied by a drip, drip sound. I pushed myself out of bed into the freezing yet dank air and stretched looking around the room. Water was leaking through some cracks in the ceiling. I wandered up to a broken window to look outside where the sound of water was filling my ears. My jaw dropped to the floor at what I was seeing.

Water.

Tonnes and tonnes of water was pouring from the sky like some monumental shower causing small streams to appear on the ground flowing no doubt to the nearest river.

I decided to stay in the barn to wait it out. I levitated an apple out of my saddle bags and began to eat it while viewing my orb, the beautiful pegasus and I playing in the snow made my heart melt every time I saw it. I clearly long for companionship. I hate being all alone.

Once I had finished my apple, I packed my orb back in my saddlebags before switching on the radio of my pipbuck to a song that we had in the stable playing. It was Sweetie Belle my favourite singer, not that there were many singers to choose from. This song would occasionally play on our stable radio among a few other Sweetie Belle songs and a few others. I sang along to it.

“Coming out here, the bombs raining down

The blood of the ponies, all the ponies

I just want it to stop, all too stooooppp”

When the song finished the DJ popped up so quickly and suddenly I started.

“Helllo Children, this is DJ Pon-3 master of the airwaves giving you Sweetie Belle, singing for hope that so many of us wish for out in the Equestrian Wasteland.

“Now it’s time for the news;

“Seems another town west of Manehattan has gone quite, rumour has it that it was taken out by those Alicorn monsters that have only very recently began showing up in numbers all around Manehattan. We have had some sightings around New Saddle and Trottingham as well. But as I have told you more than a millions time, stay away from Trottingham. Its more dangerous than Splendid valley and Fillydelphia combined. And that’s damn dangerous

“Remember children to be vigilant around Manehattan and do not approach these monsters. Those around New Saddle remain vigilant otherwise you may end up dead. They tend to hunt in small groups and will kill anypony who gets in their way.

“I can report exclusively from a reliable resource that another has joined our number in the wasteland. Yes children it looks like a young mare has stepped out of a stable into this hellhole. Why she’s out here who knows? I wish her luck because she’s going to need it.

“Now I give you Sapphire Shores.

I clicked the radio off stunned. How did he know that I got out of the stable? I only got out yesterday and I have come across no pony or even monsters. From the sound of the DJ the Wasteland seems like it’s going to be tough. These Alicorn things wiped out a population of ponies, a whole town. It made me chill as to why they would do that.

Shaking my head to clear it of what I just heard, I decided to take a look around the barn, as I walked into what had once been the living room. Water was pouring through a gap in the roof and causing water to pool in the middle of the room. Old rotting furniture laid smashed or broken throughout. In the corner of the living room was an old desk which had collapsed under the weight of the safe lying in the wreckage. I walked back into the bedroom and levitated out my screwdriver and some bobby pins before returning to the safe and began to pick at the lock.

* ** ** ** *

After about 10 minutes of picking and 2 broken lock picks, I was considering leaving the old safe. Lock picking was a skill I just was not good at and the only thing that kept me going was curiosity. I decided my third bobby pin to be my last, not wanting to waste the pack I had bought from the stable.

Finally a soft click told me that the lock had finally unlocked. Pulling out the bobby pin which was now very bent from my amateur lock picking skills, I pulled the safe open.

It was filled with a variety of items. I found some pre-war coins, a metal tin that was quite heavy for its size and some other pre-war items. I looked inside the metal tin which was filled with what appeared to be bullets. I did not have a firearm but I would keep them anyway in case I did come across one.

While holding the tin I realised how stupid I was to come out here without a weapon. I had no idea what kind of creatures or monsters lived out here. If there was a radio out here, it must mean that there are ponies out here too. If ponies were out here so are all kinds of creatures and monsters that might look upon me as nothing more than a yummy snack.

Setting the tin aside, I continued to search the safe and found a book called ‘Guns today.’ I set this aside as well with the bullets and coins and levitated out the last item in the safe. It was a heavily degraded poster revenged by silverfish. I unfolded it carefully to an image of a pretty yellow Pegasus mare with pink hair and a few lines of grey flecked throughout. The poster read ‘War, Fear? Death? We must do better’ on the bottom of the poster. Between two pink butterflies were captioned ‘Ministry of Peace’. I folded the poster back up and levitated all my new treasures and put them back in the saddle bags in the room.

I don’t know why I kept the Ministry of peace poster; it’s a relic of the past from the war and was not in the best condition. It is a treasure from the past and part of me wanted to conserve the image of the yellow mare.

I checked the kitchen of the barn which still had an old and very rusted fridge. Inside was spoiled food and tins of nearly 200 year old food. I left it all alone. I wouldn’t eat that or the tins of 200 year old food if you held a gun to my head. The bathroom had a medical supplies box that had already been raided by somepony else. I left the bathroom as there was nothing of worth inside.

* ** ** ** *

I was lying on the old mattress reading the book I found. If I was to find a weapon I will need to know how to use a gun and how to put the bullets inside. I found in the book that most guns don’t use the same ammo and some guns spray pellets instead of a single bullet. To fire a gun it had a trigger that needed to be pulled back to fire a bullet.

After an hour of reading I put the book back in my saddlebags. I wandered over to the window, the rain still coming down thick and fast. I came to the conclusion that the rain would not stop any time soon. I levitated my saddlebags and strapped them back into place and strung my canteen and set off to the front door of the barn.

I stepped out into the freezing rain, the wind blowing quite strong matting my mane and drenching me to the skin beneath my coat. Head bowed in wind I decided to head towards the east, sloshing in the muddy water on the ground. I would activate my shield spell to reflect the rain however maintaining it more than a a few seconds or so was difficult so there was no real point. Even if I did get attacked, I would daresay the shield is so weak that it would probably collapse after a single buck. “Goddesses why am I even I unicorn” I sighed. I only know two spells, one of which can be performed by any unicorn. Why can’t I be like mother who had ten spells at her disposal, or Berry who had five spells and can freeze water or turn it to steam at will?

I was the least magical unicorn at school. I was the last to pick up telekinesis. My lack of magical skill led to my downfall in being a medical pony when unicorns are expected to mend bones magically, have aesthetic spells among other things. When I did my medical course as a blank flank I had to wrap my bandages manually by mouth, set a brace on a dummy with a broken foreleg by mouth and do everything the “Earth Pony way”.

To add to insult, mother had taken me to the clinic to have me checked as to why I could not perform magic. It turned out I was just late in my magical prowess, or lack of to appear. I could only do telekinesis until I was able to perform a second spell which I had learnt only last year. Not that the shield was any good. If I walked into a wall with it on it would collapse and it was taxing to keep it up for long anyway.

* ** ** ** *

Sloshing my way through rain with poor visibility due to the thickness of the downpour, blinking water out of my eyes, I could make out the silhouette of a building not too far away. I began to slosh my way towards it wondering if somepony might be there.

A loud crack sounded through the air like a crack whip. Something hit the water at my feet sending muddy water all over me.

BLAM BLAM

My Eyes Forward Sparkle, automatically came up with 8 hostiles. I could see the silhouettes of ponies around the building I had started to walk towards not long ago. I could see light glowing from three horns of unicorns whose magic seemed to wrap around the very items I had seen in my book a mere few hours ago. I could only just make out the magic through the thick rain at the building that I had approached.

Panic surging within me I screwed my face up in concentration to activate my only defence. My transparent shield slowly rose in a dome around myself.

Just as the dome closed off, a loud “BLAM” cracked through the air. I saw a bullet strike the surface rippling the shield. It punched a hole through and with a scream of pain I felt the bullet hit me in my right shoulder, blood soaked into my already soaking wet coat. I then heard another “BLAM” and felt little prinks of what felt like glass spray my side. Pain bursting through my body I looked and found that the entire right side of my body was blossoming crimson.

My vision began to swirl as the pain of my body was screaming agony. I hit the ground in extreme pain, my blood mixing with the water on the ground. I could feel the rain get colder and stinging my wounds. I began shaking uncontrollably and was going into shock. Fighting to remain conscious I floated out a healing potion and drank it. The bottle fell into the mushy ground with a plop. Darkness finally overcame me and I lost consciousness on the soaking wet muddy ground.

* ** ** ** *

I came round to the sound of silence. I opened my eyes without attempting to get up, I was looking through the bars of a cage. The smell of the place made me gag. I propped my head up, stars popping up as I did so. I was in some kind of administration building judging from the smashed desks and chairs.

The place was rank of faeces, urine and death. From the ceiling hung copses of dead ponies, some were missing limbs, some were missing heads and some had been skinned. The walls were covered in heavy graffiti, most of it was obscene. Heavy swear words and pornographic images filled the peeling paint on the walls of the building.

There was a pile of rotting corpses in the corner surrounded by blow flies filling the air with heavy buzzing. The smell combined with the sound of blowflies and the thought of what kind of ponies could possibly do this caused my stomach to release my breakfast onto the floor of the cage.

The cage I was in was barely large enough for me which hung from the ceiling from a chain, so when I moved the cage would rock. I looked at my coat and found I was stripped of my barding and my belongings. My white coat was matted with my own blood staining it black-maroon. My wounds were partially healed thanks to the healing potion I had taken just before passing out.

A scary looking unicorn mare walked through the door to the left. She was so dirty that I couldn't tell what her original coat colour was. Her mane was set into a spiky and terrifying style. She wore blood matted spiny armour that made her look fierce. Her eyes were bloodshot.

She walked up to my cage and smiled at me with rotting teeth. I cringed. I could smell her through the blood and death that filled the room.

She spoke to me with a deep rusty voice “Looks like we have ourselves a fresh young mare”.

I let out a squeak, “wh-who are you and what do you want” I asked softly.

“You don’t know who we are or what we are?” she let out a bark of a laughter that made the hairs on the back of my mane stand up. “We dear girl are central whitetail raiders, and you wandered into our midst.” she considered me for a moment before adding “You would already be dead if the bucks here didn’t take a liking to you” she pointed a hoof at me.

“Wha-what do you mean” I whimpered. She laughed even harder, the sound echoing in throughout the building.

“Well let’s see.” she put a hoof on her chin in mock thinking. “We are going to feed you and make you our queen… What do you think? We’re going to fuck you, then kill you, then dismember you, then skin you and then we will hang you up with the rest.”

Her laughter held no remorse. These ponies are crazy.

She walked away leaving me in this cage. I looked around for any keys or hope for escape. If I didn’t get out, I was going to suffer a slow cruel death and what would happen before I died scared me. I was blinking back tears. I needed to get out.

I looked around and saw two small cages near mine. Both had a pony inside. From what I could tell there was a mare, she looked older than myself and next to her in another cage was a young colt. My heart tore for them as well.

* ** ** ** *

The smelly raider mare had returned. She stood around before pacing every few moments, eyes on the surroundings, and on us. She looked like she was keeping guard. She had a large firearm with two barrels hovering just near her head pointing forwards.

I cleared my throat and asked “Why are you all doing this? What’s with the dead bodies? Why did you kill all these ponies?”

The raider mare stopped and looked at me bewildered “Because it’s fun, why do you care anyway? You’re a stupid fucking bitch for even walking into here.”

“Well-“I began but she unsheathed a cruel looking knife from her barding and pushed it into the cage to my throat.

“Shut that fucking hole or I’ll cut your tongue off”

I nodded vigorously backing up. She withdrew the knife and I let out a small sigh as the raider paced around.

I looked around and hoped to find something to assist with my escape. With all these flayed bodies everywhere I hoped to find something sharp or pointy.

I leaned against the cage to get a better look around when the cage turned forwards and rocked causing me to fall over inside, landing in my own sick. I tried again and tried to even my weight to not cause the cage to rock.

I saw on a bench next to a bloody butchered pony corpse, a pointed serrated knife about midway through the room a few desks away directly in front of the guard raider. It was quite far away and if I levitated it, I risked the raider mare would see it and blow me to bits with that gun. I came up with an idea that could go so totally wrong.

Just before I executed this totally crazy plan, I sent a prayer to the goddesses to help me survive this horrifying nightmare I was in. I opened my eyes when I finished my prayer and levitated an old pot that was sitting on a table behind the guard raider. I then smashed the pot against the wall at the back of the room letting out an ear smashing crash that made the guard jump and turn around pointing her gun.

“Come out you fucker” she yelled through the stillness. I wrapped the bloody knife in a telekinetic sheath and pulled it into the cage as fast as I could.

I put the knife on the floor of the cage and I dropped to the floor of the cage, the knife under my belly.

The raider mare was searching the back room yelling out obscenely to the apparent “intruder” that had waltzed in. After a minute or so she muttered something about “must have been a radroach.”

She looked at me and laughed again saying “Buff will be with you soon pretty filly, when he is done with the others”.

I began to feel serious anger at what I was seeing. From what she was saying there were more of these ponies in this place. I remembered my EFS lighting up with no less than eight red lights and realised that there were quite a number more in here.

I had no choice. Stay here and get raped, killed and possibly tortured like the ponies that resembled nothing but slabs of meat hanging from the ceiling. I got up slightly, wrapping the knife in my magic.

I hesitated, I did not want to kill a pony and I had never killed anything before, except for perhaps a few insects.

I grasped the bloodied rusty knife in my magic and slid it through the bars. I held the knife just behind her neck, holding my breath I sent a prayer to Celestia to forgive me for what I was about to do. I closed my eyes and drove the knife as hard as I could into the back of her neck. I heard her scream and the gun clatter to the ground. I pulled the knife out and opened my eyes levitating it back into the cage.

I, I just killed. I cannot believe I just killed somepony. I began to weep, my eyes filling with tears as I heard the mare trying the breath through the bloody hole in her neck making gurgling sounds, blood pooling around her dying body.

She then went quite.

The other two ponies in the cages were awake and were staring at me in total shock.

I levitated the double barrelled gun but it would not fit into the cage.

“Daisy what the fuck is going on in here. I’ve been hearing you shout shit for the past ten fucking minutes.”

A black stallion in raider armour and a small pistol in his mouth came clattering into the room on spiked steel hoof shoes. He stood stunned at the bloodied corpse next to my cage. He fired a shot at me as I picked up the shotgun and slipped into SATS (Stable-Tech Assisted Tracking System), I shot him twice with the fierce looking gun.

I was a terrible shot. My first shot missed, striking the wall next to the black stallion, my second shot hit him causing his body to erupt in red crimson as his body was sprayed with pellets.

Just before he dropped to the ground, he let off another shot skimming my right shoulder and causing me to bleed a fresh from the gash like wound. He was still breathing and trying to get back up. I pulled the trigger again manually and missed again, I tried again and the gun clicked and nothing happened. I dropped the gun and pulled out the knife I had. Cringing at what I had done, I slit his throat causing his ragged breathing to become gurgling until he finally stopped.

* ** ** ** *

I was crying as I tried to find a way out of the cage, the heavily rusted padlock not possible to pick or break without any tools. I sniffed, breathing in the stench of the room and gagged. Once again I vomited on the floor of my cage looking at the blood of the two ponies I had just killed.

Shaking, I looked around and found an old piece of pipe. I levitated the pipe over and slot it into the gap of the rusting padlock.

With all the strength I could muster on my telekinesis, I pushed the pipe against the rusting metal of the padlock. I could feel the metal buckle and with a very loud BANG the padlock broke and it clattered to the floor.

I swung the cage open and attempted to get out gracefully. Instead I fell out and hit the ground with a thud. The wound to my shoulder searing in pain I got back onto my hooves.

My saddlebags and canteen were stashed on the desk no doubt ready to be looted once I was killed or being killed. I levitated them back onto my back and strapped them back in place. I looked around the bloody horrifying place, splayed with pony corpses, blood and graffiti and felt a fresh wave of sick coming up. I held it down. My eyes set on the mare and the colt.

The earth pony mare whispered out to me “Save us, please.”

I looked at her and hesitated. I felt myself shaking in fear and wanted to leave really badly. I gulped and looked at her “okay” I whispered, I gave her what I hoped to be a warm smile. I will save them as I wouldn't be able live with myself leaving these ponies here.

* ** ** ** *

I was just about to open my saddlebags to get my screwdriver and bobby pins to pick the lock as I did not wish to encourage more raiders to come.

As if somepony was listening to my head I heard several loud bangs and the roar of a buck came closer. Three hostiles shot up on my EFS.

I could hear him screaming in rage as he got closer “What the fuck are you doing down there Kelp, I told you to go check on Daisy you fat fuck”.

Just as I thought it would be a good idea to hide, the door banged open, swinging from its hinges revealing two stallions and a mare. All were wearing heavy raider armour, all were earth ponies.

The stallion at the front froze over the threshold staring at the dead mare to the dead stallion. His eyes hovered on the cage then he shifted his gaze to me in the middle of the room. He let out a bull roar through the gun that was held in his mouth.

I dived behind a steel table and turned it on its side as a makeshift shield. Bullets embedded on the metal and some managed to punch through the table. A large metal apple hit me quite hard on the side of my body. I levitated it up knowing that it could not be good and lobbed it back. True to my suspicion an explosion ripped not far from my metal shield.

One of the lights on my EFS went out, two were remaining. Braving a peek over the top of the heavily dented table I laid my eyes on some wreckage. The metal apple had exploded, judging from the third raider pony I had killed. He was missing limbs and part of his body had been ripped away.

BLAM BLAM.

The remaining two raider ponies were standing side-by-side firing back at me. I ducked and bullets sprayed my metal cover, a few punctured through the metal table top. I felt searing pain strike me in my left hind leg, blood flowing out of my fresh wound. Tears of pain filled my eyes. I had to do something or I may end up dead. I very quickly braved another peek over the table; the two ponies appeared to be reloading their weapons.

I levitated my makeshift shield slightly off the ground. I then got gingerly to my hooves, my left hind leg screaming in protest. I pushed the table as hard as I possibly could against the two raider ponies that opened fire on the table before a huge crunch told me I had hit them.

I didn’t stop there, I pushed the table against the wall and pushed as hard as I could, attempting to crush them. I could hear the crunching sound of breaking bones.

I then fell to the floor dropping the table with a clang, my hind leg not willing to co-operate. I levitated out my final healing potion and drank it. The bleeding wound on my left hind leg and the gash on my right shoulder began to heal, skin stretching over my wounds.

I got back to my hooves. I could feel myself trembling, out of fear or shock, probably both.

I shifted the table finding the still alive but very broken raiders I had just crushed with the table which were unconscious.

I looted the weapons they had, one had a small pistol like gun, I put this in my saddlebags. The other had a cruel long gun that must be some kind of rifle. This was the gun that I guessed had managed to punch through the table. It was quite long so I strapped this one to my side tucking it under my left saddlebag for easy access. I also took the ammo they had.

The third raider who had been blow up had a gun too. But it was unrecognisable, it was damaged beyond repair.

I slit the unconscious raider’s throats for good measure to ensure they cannot do this again.

I slipped up to the first cage and attempted to pick at the lock the aqua mare was in. Inside the cage was filled with her own waste. She was very thin, her ribs visible and she had several wounds on her body and a daffodil for a cutie mark.

The lock was of poor quality and was aged with rust which gave up easily, she was however bound. I levitated the serrated knife over and cut the rope binds and let her out of the cage.

I moved onto the young brown colt. He was a blank flank and he looked quite ill. I picked this lock as well and once again due to the poor quality of the lock and sheer luck the tumblers fell into place.

I levitated him to the ground as he was too small and too sick to get out himself and joined the aqua mare. “Thank you” she said weakly and they both dashed out the door of the facility.

I started towards the door when a thought struck me. What if there were other hostages? I did not check the facility. I closed my eyes and turned away from the door to the outside.

My eyes were swimming with tears. I wanted to get out so badly yet I could not leave the other ponies in here. I walked through the door my enemies hammered through and found a staircase that lead upwards. I stumbled up the steps, my legs feeling like lead jelly. When I reached the top my EFS came up with two hostiles behind the door directly ahead.

I levitated the rifle and telekinetically open the door. The moment I opened the door, the two raiders were both in battle stances and began to fire.

I slipped into SATS and hit one in the neck causing her to scream and she hit the ground in a bloody thump. I missed the second unicorn stallion raider. He had a thick gun that looked like the barrel was roughly sawn off. He turned it right at me and pulled the trigger, his gun exploded in a loud bang letting off large puffs of smoke filling the air with the stench of roasted flesh and gun powder. The unicorn was missing part of his face.

I retched, unable to vomit any more as my stomach had already released all its contents. All I could smell was cooked pony.

The earth pony mare that I shot in the neck had stopped breathing. Her gun was a shorter and smaller version of the rifle I had. I fumbled with the rifle I had, trying to get the ammo out. I did not know how to get the ammo out of the gun. I pulled a small clip and three bullets fell to the ground, I levitated these bullets and remembering the book I read about loading guns. I managed to put the three bullets into the smaller rifle which seemed to still have some ammo in it.

I levitated the new rifle and discarded the long one. I turned a corner to an incoming raider galloping towards me with an axe.

My EFS telling me he is the only enemy, no doubt drawn by the gunfire and of the gun that had exploded. I entered SATS, my first shot missed. My second hit his horn and embedded into his head causing him to skid in a line of blood along the stained floor, dropping the axe as he did so.

A door to the side burst open revealing two more raiders. One of the raiders ran at me with a nail board and another threw one of those metallic apples at me which I wrapped in my magic and lobbed it back.

“Fuck” one of them yelled.

BOOM

An explosion ripped through the corridor sending bits of concrete, heat and shrapnel into my face and ruffling my mane.

I blinked once a little shocked. The two raiders were both dead slabs of meat that were completely unrecognisable. The corridor smelt strongly of gun powder and cooked meat. At the end of the corridor was one door, my EFS brought up one hostile and two friendly.

As I approached the door I could hear a mare screaming followed by a loud thump and a grunt. I approached the door, gun ready before wrapping a field of magic around the door knob and opened the it to find a buck on top of a screaming and crying mare that looked like she had been tortured. She was filthy and very skinny. At the back of the room I noticed a blank flank filly tied to the bedpost crying.

He had no time to react. Before he could get off her I had the gun pointed to the side of his head.

I pulled the trigger.

Click.

Pushing the mare away he back hoofed me across the face and once again stars popped inside my vision.

I stumbled, the telekinetic sheath on the gun almost slipped away. I gripped the gun and as he charged at me a second time, I brought the gun over his head. I smashed his head a second time causing him to pass out with a small bleeding wound on his head.

After knocking out the raider, the green mare then stomped and bucked his head until the sound of his skull cracking began filling the room. After it was clear he was dead she yelled at his corpse “take that you fucking sick bastard”

I fell onto my stomach beginning to cry again. Today was robbing me of me, of my innocence. I will remember this gruesome day for the rest of my life. I had killed nearly ten ponies in an act of self-defence and to save innocent ponies. Killed the ponies that captured me. Ponies who intended to rape me and torture me every day until I was dead.

After I had pulled myself together I untied the little and very dirty yellow filly. She gave me a hug around the neck and said in a tiny voice “thank you miss.” I pulled her into a small embrace tears filling my eyes as I did so.

Pulling away she looked up at me and said in the same small voice “please don’t cry, it’s alright”. This poor child had been through so much and yet it was her telling me not to cry. I cringed at the thought that this filly was telling me it’s going to be okay. I looked her in the eyes and gave her a small smile.

“I’ll be alright. You should get going” I said pointing to the green coloured mare that was clearly waiting for the filly.

Footnote: Level up

New perk: Combat that -- You gain 20 points to small guns, in addition your shield spell is also 20% more powerful

Chapter 4: Fluttershy Cottage

It was still raining outside and the rain once again soaked me to the skin. I was freezing as blood washed from my coat into the water on the ground which was carried away by the small streams of water on the ground.

I had just left the raider compound, in all I had rescued four ponies, but that was wiped away from my mind as I trudged through the heavy cold rain by the images of the ponies I killed.

My tears returned as I began to cry. I am a murderer. I killed those ponies and no matter how evil they may be I have committed not one but eight of the greatest sin. The only reason I could stand to live with myself is that I did it out of necessity and self-defence but that still did not make the fact that I just killed eight ponies any easier.

* ** ** ** *

From the raider compound, I had looted the few medical supplies they had. I found a few bandages and two healing potions. I also found food, as I only had one apple left. The raiders had meat in the fridge which I did not want to touch (I don’t eat meat). I also found some cans of corn.

I also found some ammo for the rifle that was now in my saddlebags as well as some smaller ammo that might fit the pistol. I would only use my guns if my life was threatened. I would not kill somepony unless I absolutely had to. I do not want any more blood on my hooves.

* ** ** ** *

I was still trudging in an easterly direction and was still horribly wet and shivering. The wind was blowing quite violently and could almost hear a distinct howl through the air, the trees had lost all their leaves that they had making them look like wet brown skeletons looming from the greyness of the rain, light seemed to be fading.

I turned my pipbuck light on when my pipbuck let out a long beep. My pipbuck was now telling me that my body temperature was dropping. Ignoring this information for now I looked on as it began to get dark causing the water on the ground and the trees to reflect the light from my pipbuck.

I wanted to find some shelter but my visibility was so poor that I could not see much more than forty feet ahead and the only hope of finding shelter was if I walked headlong into it. I was tired from physical and mental exertion, hungry, cold, windblown and wanted a place to lie down. I also needed to clean myself; my coat was still a reddish pink colour and still red-maroon under my barding. I stopped and sniffed myself causing me to gag. I smelt horrible.

* ** ** ** *

Darkness closed around me leaving everything black, the only sound filling my ears was of water hitting the ground, the slushing sound of my hooves and the howl of the wind causing my mane to be horribly knotty as it continuously blew into my eyes.

My ears perked. I could hear rain on metal faintly and turned towards the sound hoping for shelter. The sound was getting louder as I got closer and proceeded with caution being as stealthy as I could.

Looming into view was an old cottage; the yellow paint was heavily faded on the walls and the steel roof was quite rusty. I could only just make out the symbol of three pink butterflies painted on a rusted steel sign with heavily faded lettering. All I could make out of this sign was; ‘Fl t r hy wh t ti wo d ani l shelt r.’ A large water tank stood next to the cottage.

The cottage had a wooden picket fence that was heavily decayed built around the back yard. Dead tree stumps were poking through the ground inside the fence. Judging from the old bird houses and cages that were lying around, it looked like an animal shelter or farm of some sorts.

I navigated to the front door and reached out to turn the door knob with my magic but it was locked. I looked through the grimy but intact window, my breath fog causing the window to fog slightly. It was dark inside and it did not look like somepony was living here. I pulled out my screw driver and attempted to pick the lock.

The lock did not want to give in and I struggled to get the tumblers into place. Every time I got close, one would snap back down again.

After struggling with the lock for about five minutes the door budged open. The door felt extremely stiff and heavy. I walked into the cottage, puffs of dust appearing with each hoofstep with lots of cobwebs on the ceiling. It didn't look like anypony has stepped a hoof in here since the war. Everything was still intact and unbroken but covered in a mat of dust.

First things first I really wanted to wash and prayed to the princesses that the shower was still working. I pulled out my soaps and shampoo and stepped into the bathroom and turned on the water of the shower. The shower groaned and shuddered before water began to pour out the showerhead. I took off my saddlebags and my bloody stable barding which was now quite damaged from when I was shot and stood into the cold shower which was as cold as the rain outside. My pipbuck clicked softly telling me that the water was slightly radioactive.

I washed myself thoroughly with the soap I had, taking full advantage of being a unicorn. The water hitting the shower floor was crimson with the blood that was coming out of my coat.

Once my coat was clean I moved onto washing my mane and tail which were quite filthy as well.

When I was squeaky clean and only had absorbed a small amount of radiation I looked into the cracked mirror to check I did not miss anything. My wet coat was gleaming white everywhere and my mane and tail were sleek black and dripping so I could not actually tell I got my whole mane and tail. I gave my mane and tail and small whiff and smelt the apple scented shampoo. I never realised how much of a luxury cleanliness was until I got that filthy. I smiled. I hadn't felt this good since I was back at the stable.

I dried myself off with the towel, amazed that my saddlebags had managed to keep dry and brushed all the knots out that were in my mane and tail.

Nice and freshly clean and dry I made myself at home by eating my final apple and drinking one of the sparkle cola’s I had found in the refrigerator.

After finishing my apple and the carroty drink I felt very woozy. Stomach satisfied, thirst quenched and finally clean I stumbled upstairs into the bedroom and collapsed onto the soft mattress that smelt a little of mothballs and fell asleep instantly.

* ** ** ** *

I awoke the next morning still tired. I slept well enough despite the disturbing dreams of the raider compound.

I shifted out of the musty bed realising it was very quiet. I trotted over to the grimy window and discovered the source of the stillness. It had stopped raining however it was still very wet outside.

I sighed, turning away from the window and proceeded down the stairs. What I would give for a civilised conversation with somepony right now. Just for the company even if it was my mother. Realising this as a sign of boredom I decided to try and find something to do.

Decision made I checked around the cottage to see if I could find anything of value or anything that may assist me. I started with the terminal on a desk. Pulling out my hacking tool I set to work getting into the terminal.

The terminal was not hard to break into (Password was dragon)

<>Good Morning Fluttershy

It has been 197 years, 6 months, 15 days and 18 hours since you last logged in. What would you like to do today?<>

The terminal mostly had tabs of animals that were looked after in the animal shelter, these ranged from manticores to rabbits.

One file I noticed was an audio file.

I played it.

The voice that came from the file seemed strained with tiredness but nonetheless excited.

Entry 56:

“Hey Fluttershy its Twilight

“I know your busy caring for your animals at the moment and did not wish to disturb your break but I really need to ask you a favour?

“The M.A.S and M.W.T has just finished a new project on manipulating stealth cloaks that the Zebras have been using and turning it into a spell that can be used on the battle field.

“We call them a stealthbuck and they are completely pipbuck compatible and can be used by anypony and not just unicorns.

“They are just prototypes at the moment however we need to run a live test on them and what’s better than running them with the Ministry of Peace. These Stealthbucks render the user completely invisible for a few minutes allowing stealth work to be played out. They have been tested in a controlled environment and are completely safe

Please consider this Fluttershy, with these stealthbucks we can get help on the battlefield while completely invisible so your medics will not worry about being shot while tending to the injured.

The only other audio log was corrupted and could not be played.

I have never heard of these stealthbucks before and have never used one or seen one.

Using the terminal I unlocked the safe having no desire to attempt to pick the lock.

With a click I pulled open the safe door telekinetically and found a small variety of items. The first item I saw was a strange looking device that could slide into my pipbuck. I let my pipbuck check what it was and simply came back as

StealthBuck prototype

Spell Duration: 2 minutes

Ohhh so that is what Twilight had discovered. She must have sent one to Fluttershy as an example. Still 2 minutes wasn't very long on a battlefield I thought.

I then put the stealthbuck in my saddlebags and continued to search the safe.

Other items I found were some pre-war coins, a memory orb, some documents that were heavily faded and not eligible as well as heavily faded photos of ponies and a white rabbit.

The final item inside was a small figurine at the back of the safe.

I levitated it out and held it in front of my face. It was a figurine of the very same pony on the poster I had in my saddlebags, except in the figurine she was a lot younger and was roughly my age.

She stood with her wings outstretched with some butterflies hovering around her head and a white rabbit that looked awfully similar to the photo in the safe. She looked positively cute.

She was in perfect condition and had not a speck of dust on her. In gold lettering at the base read “Be Pleasant”.

I smiled at her and slid her into my saddlebags as a mere keepsake, as I did so I felt a rush energy. I felt as the insignia said, more pleasant.

I moved on from the terminal and safe and rummaged through the medicine cabinet and found some more bandages which if I don’t start using will have enough to mummify myself. All the other medicine was for animals and could not and will not use animal medicine. In the kitchen I found two cans of corn and a can of beans, they were two hundred years old but as I was now out of food I had no choice but to put them in my saddlebags. I will only eat these if I find no other food.

* ** ** ** *

I wandered into the patched grassy back yard of the cottage which was littered with skeletons of long dead animals to a large shed that was out the back. The door was unlocked and the inside was filled with all sorts of cages that housed all kinds of animals.

Most bore a skeleton inside the cage. I assumed that once the war was over the owner (Which from the terminal I was guessing to be Fluttershy) must not have been able to return. I thought sadly that she was more than likely killed.

I looked around the shed however found nothing of interest as everything seemed to have already been looted.

I trudged back to the cottage and decided to wash my still bloody stable barding. I was still going to wear it despite the holes that it had, it offered little protection as it was just thick cloth but it was still better than nothing at all. The raiders back at the compound had some good armour plating but I for one could not loot a corpse of its clothing or armour. Also the only armour that would fit me was so gross and dripping in blood that I would have vomited my organs out of my mouth just attempting to put it on.

I fetched my bloody and very smelly stable barding and filled the sink in the kitchen with soapy water. I then levitated it and began to clean it telekinetically until the water turned a sickly red colour.

Once it was clean and rinsed I wrung it and put it on the dusty bench to dry.

* ** ** ** *

I decided to use the time to wait for my barding to dry by taking out the memory orb I found in the safe. Remembering the study we did back when I was a filly in school I set the orb down in front of myself and wrapped it in magic. I felt the world tip away.

========OooO…OooO========

The world righted itself and found myself in a very pristine building with a heavily polished stone floor and chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. I could make out streamers floating from the ceiling as though enchanted.

The first thing I realised was that I couldn’t move at all, I quickly became claustrophobic within my host, but this quickly receded when I felt her move. I decided it would be best to just ride my host, do what she did, and feel what she felt.

The room was full of all kinds of ponies of many different colours. I could see a white unicorn mare who appeared to be the DJ behind some turntables, her blue streaked hair in a very eccentric hairstyle and she was bobbing her head in time with the beat from the music.

Tables adorned the entire room with all sorts of food I could only dream of. Ponies gathered around the tables to get something to eat, other ponies were dancing, and others were standing around talking to each other.

My host moved up to an elderly yellow Pegasus who looked very familiar. She seemed to be avoiding everypony else and she looked a little out of place. It took a second for me to remember where I had seen her, if I had control of my host I would have clopped myself over my head. She was the very same mare I had the statuette as well as the poster.

I felt my Host open her muzzle as she addressed the yellow pegasus. “Hello Fluttershy”.

She gave a small jump before replying “oh umm hi Twilight” she smiled at my host.

I felt my muzzle open again as Twilight began the conversation. “How are things going in your ministry? I hear you have been busy.”

Fluttershy considered for a moment before replying in a quiet and scared tone “Umm well, yes. Our unicorns are developing some sort of new magic. I cannot really discuss it he- here in public but well umm. I think it may, I mean might end the war.” She stopped looking uncomfortable before adding “at least that’s what I hope”

I felt my host sigh “that’s what we all hope to achieve”.

If I was in my own body I would have jumped about ten feet in the air as a pink pony with an even pinker but grey streaked curly mane appeared two inches in front of my hosts muzzle so quickly and swiftly it would have defied physics. However my host did not even twitch as she said in an almost icy tone “Hello Pinkie.”

“Hello Twilight, Hello Fluttershy” she said rather quickly in a really high pitched and rather annoying tone. She went on “It’s almost time to bring out Gummy’s cake.” She pointed a hoof at an Alligator at least 3 meters in length wearing a party hat and no fewer than twenty balloons tied to him.

If I was in my own body I would have hit the floor laughing at the sight. Not far away from Gummy was a massive pink and white birthday cake made with absolute precession, adorning it was some twenty plus candles.

My host suddenly snapped her head at the pink pony as she drew out a tin with a Zebra on the front. I could not read the writing on it as the pink pony was too quick to draw and open the tin.

I felt my host clench her jaw and scowl at the pink pony as she pulled out a mint and put it into her mouth before saying even more brightly “gotta prepare for Gummy” before trotting over to the toothless alligator and a cyan coated, rainbow maned pegasus who stood nearby.

My host growled through clenched teeth towards Fluttershy “She is still taking them, I’ve told her so many times to stop and she stands in front of me so casually taking those, those things as if they were nothing more than candy. I don’t even know why I bother”.

Fluttershy put a hoof on Twilights shoulder “You bother because Pinkie Pie is our and your friend. You care for her so much so that you do not want to see her hurt. She has a problem yes, but remember though she is different, she is still the same pony you care and love on the inside”.

I felt my host hang her head and she closed her eyes tears beginning to form and burning the corners of our eyes before saying in a strained voice “I miss the old pinkie pie, the funny fun Pinkie Pie.” She choked before adding “not this obnoxious version of Pinkie Pie”.

Twilight opened her eyes and propped her head up looking at Fluttershy who looked at my host looking rather sad.

She moved up to my host and wrapped her forehooves around my host. I felt Twilight lean into the hug as Fluttershy said softly into her ear “you work to much Twilight, you need to get more sleep and you need to worry less”.

I felt my host nod slightly tears leaking down her cheeks.

Fluttershy and my host broke the hug and looked up to where the Pink pony was as she begun “Listen up everypony its time for Gummy to have his cake” sang Pinkie Pie. She was standing on a table next to the monolithic and gorgeous cake. She began the happy birthday song as everypony sang happy birthday for Pinkie’s Alligator.

When the song ended she pulled out a knife and cut the cake so quickly and expertly I was literally shocked. She then pulled out a plate and set the cake on it before placing it in front of the Toothless alligator.

To my surprise gummy ate the slice of cake in one move of his gigantic maw at which point Pinkie Pie pulled out a large cannon and pulled the string on the cannon with her teeth causing enchanted confetti to blow out of the end with a loud BANG.

Everypony clapped there hooves and as they did so the sides of my vision blurred and went blank as the scene dissolved.

========OooO…OooO========

I found myself on the dusty floor with the memory orb right in front of me. I got up my head reeling with what I just saw. Poor Twilight I thought sadly, she obviously loved Pinkie Pie as a dear friend and she seemed torn with Pinkie. The relationship was obviously strained and it seemed to have something to do with that tin of mints, at least that’s how it was put across in the memory.

I tried to think of what those mints were and why it seemed Pinkie was dependant on them and could not come back with anything. They looked harmless enough and looked like nothing more than mints that I would have back in the stable. I sighed as I walked over to my saddlebags checking to make sure they were all packed.

I rummaged through the items on my pipbuck to check everything when the statuette came up. I pulled her back out and looked at her again. So this is Fluttershy, the mare who owned and possibly ran this cottage and animal shelter.

She looked so sweet and innocent; she had comforted Twilight in such a compassionate manner in the memory when she was upset about Pinkie Pie. I could understand the insignia “be pleasant.” Fluttershy seemed certainly a very pleasant and very kind pony. I wanted to be a pony like Fluttershy, but I lacked the compassion and kindness that Fluttershy had.

I remembered my savage thoughts at my mother when I left the stable and bitterness towards my peers when I was a filly. A pony from the back of my mind whispered to me “They deserved it, they were not nice or compassionate towards you. Those ponies did not deserve kindness and compassion”, I tried to push that voice out of my head that was bad thinking and told myself. “I am a good pony” I said out aloud.

* ** ** ** *

Saddlebags packed, barding cleaned and dried and all ready to continue, I stepped out of Fluttershy’s Animal Shelter into the cold air outside.

The ground was a little mushy from all the rain but today’s visibility was good and hoped to come across somepony who did not want to shoot my brains onto the ground.

Breathing in deeply taking in the dank and dusty air I set off in an easterly direction once again.

The trees in this area I noticed were a lot thicker here, all the trees had no leaves on them however; shrubs and sickly plants grew along the muddy ground clearly not doing so well in this harsh landscape.

I was still just wandering and still had no idea where I was or what I was doing.

The only ponies I had come across wanted nothing more than to use me as a toy before gutting me and stringing me up. I had not seen one civilised anything whether it be a pony, zebra, griffin or any animal.

My ears perked as I heard some music to my left. I looked and amongst the trees was a robotic ball thing with four wings, a grill on the front and an antenna.

I had never seen anything like it before. My EFS came up with “friendly” but I did not want to trust that notion just yet. It was playing a song that was heavy on the tuba, harmonica and drums. I crouched low and stealthily moved as quickly as I could to get away from the robotic device should it pop up red on my EFS and melt my face off.

The music stopped and I casually but cautiously kept moving in my original direction.

I heard a pop then “Hi there.”

I almost jumped out of my skin, I turned extremely quickly to find myself face to face with the winged robotic ball

“Gah” I screamed, “what the? Who the? What in Luna’s name are you?” I asked in a rather rusty voice from lack of talking for the past few days. I heard the whisper in my head “are you really a kind pony?” I changed tact “uhh sorry. I mean, who are you?” I asked attempting to sound like I had not just jumped fifty feet into the air.

A small tinny and neutral robotic voice sounded from the grille of the machine “Sorry I startled you, my name is Watcher. I can see that you are not used to the presence of sprite bots, I did not mean to frighten you”.

I was a little taken aback so I asked “So you are a spritebot?”

“No” he replied “I am Watcher and I can see and look through these spritebots. These are merely machines that I can take control of”.

“Oh I see now” I felt a little embarrassed for being so rude “I’m sorry I was so rude I did not know”.

“I can see that you are from a stable,” he stated. You are forgiven”.

Trying to be more polite I let him know who I was, so I said to him “My name is Amethyst and my home is Stable Eighty Six”.

He seemed to consider me a moment due to his silence before he spoke “Well Amethyst what brings you out into the wastes? This is a very dangerous place and the few stables that are still in operation remain locked up and likely not to open anytime soon.”

I digested this bit of information he gave to me but pushed that to the back of my mind for later. I hesitated then said “My stable has a damaged water talisman. I broke out to get a new one.”

Watcher remained silent as I told him my story. “As you can probably guess I am lost, I've been out here for three days, I have no food except for three cans of two hundred year old food, and I am almost out of fresh water”.

I took a deep breath before continuing unable to stop talking “Just yesterday I was caught by raiders and thrown in a cage” my eyes began to swim as I continued “I got away by killing them and saving the ponies inside.” I could feel tears run down my face as my voice began to break “I got out and an-” I choked as I burst into tears “ I killed eight ponies, I had no choice they were going t-to r-rape me an-and kill me, I am a bad pony I am not like Fluttershy, I am a murderer.”

Watcher waited for me to get a grip on myself before telling me in his mechanical voice “You are not a bad pony, what I can tell you is that you are a very lucky pony”. He paused then went on “If you did indeed come across raiders and became their prisoner then I am nothing short of shocked that you are still alive. “The ponies you killed deserved it, somepony has to stand up to these monsters and you showed them that when your life is put at risk, that you will do what it takes to survive.”

I stuttered before half choking the words “I don’t want to kill, I don’t want to maim. I’m not that kind of pony” I said sadly.

Watcher let off a faint pop and the spoke again “If you are to survive out here. You will have to learn that sometimes it will be necessary to kill or maim”.

Before I could reply Watcher quickly added “As for you to be like Fluttershy, I’m not sure how you came to know Fluttershy but I can assure you that she is an incredible pony. Possibly the kindest pony to ever live, you would be hard pushed to find anypony who has lived since the war that could match the kind heart of Fluttershy”.

I pulled out my statuette and showed it to Watcher. I then asked “This is Fluttershy isn’t it? I saw this pony in a memory orb but she was a lot older.”

Watchers tinny voice broke out once more “Yes, that is Fluttershy. That is quite a statuette you got there, do you mind if I ask where you found that?”

I stammered slightly before saying “I found it in a safe along with the memory orb in an old animal shelter a few kilometres to the west” even as I said it I couldn’t help but think I had not found it and that I had actually stolen it.

“Ahh right” replied Watcher in that same monotone robotic voice. He gave another pause before continuing “well I don’t normally give directions to wanderers but I can tell you to continue to go east. There is a town on the mountain range there.” He gave another small pause as he added “Now I want you to do me a favour.”

I nodded thanking the goddesses that he gave me a direction for a town and would most certainly do Watcher a favour. “Make some friends.”

I did a double take and gasped “Me? Make friends?” I tried not to laugh at him for suggesting something so stupid. “That’s rather daunting” I finally said unable to gather the right words.

“Well,” he said. “You will find that you will get so much farther in your adventure if you made some friends, unless of course you think you can gather such a rare and valuable item on your own without getting killed. I can assure you that those raiders are not the most frighting things in the wasteland, especially with winter beginning in a few weeks’ time.”

I couldn’t find anything to say to that. I knew I could not do this on my own.

Watcher finally added, “And for peek sake get yourself some armour. I’m surprised you managed to get this far wearing that torn cloth barding.”

“Uhh, well you see,” I began .

But Watcher seemed to think our conversation had come to an end as he cut me off saying “Well I have to go. Take care of yourself Amethyst.”

With a pop and the sound of heavy orchestra music the sprite bot drifted away leaving me standing stunned in the forest of dead trees.

* ** ** ** *

I set off continuing east as Watcher advised. I could not yet see mountains as there were too many trees blocking my view of the horizon. I thought about what Watcher said earlier. Apparently only a few stables remained while most of them had… What? Well I didn’t know what happened to the other stables, maybe the residents moved out? Or maybe the stables failed or something bad happened?

Then there was the issue on making friends. Assuming of course that there were friendly ponies out here, I would be hard pushed to make friends out here when I could not make friends in my own stable amongst the same ponies I had spent my entire life with. I sighed and as I did so my stomach gave a small rumble, “Uh, I’m hungry” I mumbled to myself. I had not eaten today.

“There we go,” I said aloud, “First sign of going insane. Now I’m talking to myself.”

I walked up to a tree and sat on my haunches and pulled up my pipbuck automatic inventory spell and found one of the tins of corn. I floated it out and pulled the O-Ring on the top of the can revealing the contents. I looked inside and it looked like corn. I gave it a small sniff and it smelt like corn. I then gave it a taste and it tasted like corn albeit a bit stale but nonetheless it would satisfy my hunger. I ate the whole can feeling very content and perhaps a little tired.

I didn't however rest as I knew I would have to continue and hope my luck would hold out and find another building to shelter in. I really did not want to sleep under a tree in the open. I got back up and continued, happy for the food that was in my stomach.

My happiness did not look like it was going to last as I heard a rustle in the tall dead grass not too far from where I am walking. My EFS popped up with a single hostile, the grass moved suddenly and a huge scorpion broke out of the grass and made its way right to me with amazing speed.

I barely had time to pull out my rifle when it bowled me over causing me to loose grip on the rifle as it struck out with its poisonous stinger which I only just managed to avoid. I levitated the rifle and slipped into SATS and aimed at what I could assume to be its head. My shot hit the creature in the head on target but it did not keel over and die as I expected.

I let off a shot unassisted by SATS and missed my target, instead hitting the monster in the tail taking out a chuck and causing the tail to hang limp. The scorpion thing rushed at me once again and before I could slip back into SATS it was on top of me crushing me into the ground. I thanked the goddesses that my rifle had a short barrel as I pointed the tip at the soft underbelly of the monster and pulled the trigger as many times as I could.

BANG

Click

I felt ichor and blood seep onto my clean body, barding and matting in my tail. I felt the creature go limp as it emptied its internal juices over my body. I attempted to push it off but couldn’t and almost facehoofed as wrapped my field of telekinesis around its body and lifted it easily.

I got back up and looked at myself, once again absolutely filthy dripping in blood and ichor the smell making me gag. I attempted to shake off some of the gunk which in part was successful, except for what was still left in my coat It was stained a gross reddish/yellow colour.

Other than the mess and a few scrapes and bumps I was otherwise unharmed. I put my rifle back in my saddlebags and continued as if nothing had happened albeit a little pissed off that I was dirty again.

I pulled out my canteen and tipped it into my mouth and felt the last little bit drain from it. I was officially out of water and I would need to find some more that could be consumed safely.

* ** ** ** *

It was late afternoon and had been travelling the entire day, feeling quite thirsty. The sound of a running river nearby had not made my bid for clean or even semi clean water any easier. The river water that I had checked a while ago looked undrinkable. It was muddy and gross.

This time I cracked and was now in a pissed off mood. I was all sticky from dried ichor, blood and my mouth dry from thirst. I galloped over to the river wanting to throw myself into it. I looked into the water and it was still as frothy and looked quite unpleasant to drink.

I want to wash the stickiness off me so I pulled off my saddlebags and I jumped into the water causing my pipbuck to click quite rapidly. I knew this was a mistake the moment I hit the water. It was like ice and was freezing my very nerves and my muscles. I could feel the freezing ice water touch my very heart. I jumped out with lightning speed as if I had fallen into lava shaking uncontrollably from the cold. That was the stupidest thing I had ever done.

I was now soaking wet, night was about to set in and the air was cold enough for my breath to fog slightly.

Attempting to get a grip on myself I stepped out of my barding so I would dry quicker and was now completely un-armoured with nothing but my own hide to protect me.

I pulled out my towel and dried my body off the best I could without causing the towel to become drenched. I would need it still. I wrapped my mane and tail in my telekinetic sheath and wrung it leaving it cold and damp but not dripping.

I floated my canteen and filled it with the foaming water. My pipbuck was clicking at its mere presence. I held my breath and drank it, the taste making me gag as my mouth was filled with the taste of muddy silt and decay. My Pipbuck gave a quick series of clicks then alerted me that I was drinking poison. I looked at it and what I saw was not going to make my night any easier, I had minor radiation poisoning and could already feel a horrible headache coming on.

* ** ** ** *

I decided to camp the night near the river hoping for its protection on one side. My headache now raging I laid down on the bare ground crossing my forelegs next to some bushes hoping to shield me from sight. I pulled the damp towel over as much of my body as I could, hoping it would at least limit the wind shear from freezing me. I set my head between my forelegs praying to Luna to get me through this night and praying to Celestia that I would make it until morning.

I put a hoof to my forehead, biting back pain from the biggest headache. I was shivering from the cold watching my breath mist in front of me. Night closed around me like a big black blanket that obscured everything. I could barely see and I did not dare turn on my pipbuck light, I did not want to attract any unwanted attention. The towel also covered my cutie marks which glowed too much in this dense darkness to not be noticeable.

So I laid on the ground listening to the night, rustling of grass, the freezing wind, the insects buzzing through the night air making my ears ring. I wanted to cry but couldn't, I want to sleep but I couldn't.

After a few hours of laying there, my pipbuck gave a soft warning beep. I lifted my left foreleg, my pipbuck told me that I was slipping into hypothermia. I dropped my head into my forehooves, my numb face feeling cold against them. I could feel ice building in my mane as the moisture froze. I closed my eyes seeing images flash past since my first day out here; Watchers tinny voice entered my head “I am nothing short of shocked that you are still alive”. I moaned and finally felt warm tears leaking down my cold face as I pushed my face harder into my forehooves causing stars to pop in my vision as cool darkness overwhelmed me.

* ** ** ** *

I opened my eyes after drifting off and could see light in the grey swirling clouds on the horizon “thank Celestia” I murmured. I was going to get away early and with luck make it much farther than yesterday. With a push I got to my hooves and as I did so did the realisation of how far I was hoping to get crashed around me. I felt a sudden illness take hold of me. I retched, nothing but a breath of mist came out. My headache was burning my numb cold forehead as I levitated my still damp barding and put it on, It felt like it was made out of ice.

I strapped my saddlebags back on and turned to leave as a little joy from all this did come out. I survived the night albeit freezing, sick, without shelter and out of clean water. I didn't feel like eating at that moment. My stomach was twisting with nausea so I set off into the still semi dark as morning began to set in. I let out a sigh filling the air in front of me with fog from my breath before setting off once again.

* ** ** ** *

I hung my head, I moving slowly due to sickness, fatigue and now once again thirst. I could see a small mound of earth on a clearing and immediately set for it hoping for a vantage point to try and spot this “town on the mountain range.” I stepped onto the slippery, strange and slightly soft earth and trotted carefully to the top. I could only just see over the trees and almost bowing to vertigo as my head swam, I saw a mountain range in the distance at least another days trot away.

The earth underneath me began to move and before I could move off the mound I was thrown to the ground and hit the earth face first. I got up feeling warm sticky blood beginning to run out of my now bruised nose and looked at the mound of… of…

I could not scream at the sight I was taking in. Where the mound was just a second ago stood a behemoth pony-thing, except it was almost twenty feet tall, the moulted and scabbed skin gave it a look that it decayed in water, its eyes were glowing green with green ooze leaking from the things mouth.

My ears tilted back as adrenaline washed through my body removing all feeling of cold, thirst and sickness. I just stood there and before I could react it looked at me then gave a massive

RRRRRRAAAAAAWWWWWWWWRRRRRRRRRRR

I cringed as my pipbuck let out very quick click sounds. I pulled out my rifle and slipped into SATS knowing that this gun was useless against a 20 foot monster thing.

Click

“Aww damn” I cried. I forgot to reload the gun. Instead I threw it into the beast’s mouth and ran for my life firing the little pistol I had blindly behind me, I could feel the earth shake as the beast pursued me the roars and snaps of its jaw following.

I tripped as something grabbed hold of my hind leg and turned to see the beast had wrapped one of its five tongues around my left hind leg as another shot out and wrapped around my right foreleg. I began to scream kicking and a flailing to get it off me as another wrapped around my right hind leg.

I tried to activate my shield but all it did was flicker and die. I tried shooting the tongues with the pistol but I may as well have been shooting at the stable eighty six door as the bullets glanced off the tongues.

The beast applied pressure to the three of my legs and I began to scream in pain, I felt another tongue wrap around my body. The beast then squeezed me as it gave another roar sending my pipbuck into rapid clicking.

I felt a little faint as the pain peaked and in one quick movement the beast pulled hard and I screamed as hard as I possibly could as I felt three of my legs break all at once letting off a loud CRACK that echoed almost as loudly as the beasts roars.

Tears were steaming in my eyes as I saw a black figure move above. I thought I could hear gunfire unless that was the sound of my body breaking as the beast squeezed me around the middle. I couldn’t scream anymore, I could not breathe. I felt my ribs break as I heard an explosion and blinding light obscuring my vision.

I felt the bands on my body release as I dropped from the tongues that lifted me into the air and hit the ground with an excruciating thud. I felt something or someone put something in my mouth which dissolved inside. The arms that wrapped around me carefully must have been that of death. Before I could do anything my vision swirled as I blacked out.

* ** ** ** *

I woke up in my room back at the stable, It took me a moment to realise I was in my room at my mother’s residence. I moaned and got out of bed thanking the goddesses that this was all but just a dream, a very realistic dream.

I wandered over to the mirror and looked into it. I was a filly again. I had no cutie mark. I gasped and clopped my head. It hurt; well this must be real then. Maybe my whole life was a dream?

I began to get ready for school. Mother was once again out at the earliest hour she could get away with.

Once I was ready I headed to the atrium. I clenched my teeth as Glenda called out from a table nearby “Hey blank flank, you want me to draw your cutie mark on? It’s the only one you will ever get.”

I tried to ignore her as I made my way past.

She wasn’t going to give up that easily “Blank Flank Amy,” she sang out in a mocking sing song voice.

I felt heat rise around my neck as anger began to set in.

“Talentless nerd can’t even levitate a pencil yet,” she said loudly to her friends.

I didn’t even know what made me do it. All I knew was that I was on top of her beating her face up with my forehooves. Unable to perform any magic I threw myself into a melee with the larger filly. She pulled me up by my hindhoof with a glow of her horn as her friends laughed at me, I struggling to break away from her magic, a bruise to my immense satisfaction rising on her left eye. I hung there upside down feeling the blood rush to my head feeling waves of anger crash over me.

She giggled at me saying “Daww, wittle filly blank flank Amy can’t even perform simple magwik,” she said in a baby tone.

“FUCK YOU” I screamed at her “Fuck you and your friends.”

“AMETHEYST DAYS.”

I was dropped to the ground.

I got up looking at my mother with contempt. From the look on her face and the use of my last name I could tell that I was in big trouble.

She looked at Glenda “Why did you have her strung up like that?”

“She hit me” she replied pointing a hoof at me then to her bruise.

“But-“I began

“No buts,” my mother snapped picking me up in her telekinetic sheath and dragging me away.

I gave Glenda a look of pure venom as I was floated away back to our room.

Once back in my room my mother kept me floating in the air like she always did when I was disciplined.

“Explain” she said dangerously.

So I explained what happened, “she called me a blank flank and told me I am skill-less and have no magic.”

“So you hit her?” my mother said in that dangerous tone. “You lost your temper and you resorted to a melee because, she called you a blank flank?” She looked at the height of pissed off “Even I thought you were more decent than that Amethyst. You are so difficult sometimes.” She seemed to inflate a little more as she said in a very icy tone “May I ask where you got such foul language from as well? This is not how I brought you up.”

“No” I murmured without thinking “I’ve had to bring myself up,” and rolled my eyes.

“What. Did. You. Just. Say?” She asked her eyes flashing dangerously.

Oh damn. “Nothing,” I said quickly

“No T.V and no radio for a week,”

I gasped “What Mum no,” I said desperately unable to beg while floating.

Her eyes narrowed “Don’t make me take your books.”

I shut up feeling really angry as my mother dropped me to the floor.

“Now get to school and for the love of the goddesses, could you stay out of trouble for just one day?”

Clenching my jaw I followed the familiar path to school.

* ** ** ** *

I suddenly screamed in pain and all I could see was light, I felt a prick on my forehoof and everything fell back into place.

* ** ** ** *

I fell back and found myself in the atrium and this time I felt different. I looked at myself. I was an adolescent. I had my cutie mark and I was sitting at a familiar bench eating apple and hay happily by myself when a pretty peach coloured mare walked passed. She was a little older than myself and I looked at her flanks and quickly looked away heat rising from my neck.

“PFFhahaha.” knowing that laugh, I turned around to see Glenda on the table pointing a hoof at me.

I felt my face burn.

Glenda shrieked at the top of her lungs “Hey, Everypony. Amethyst is checking out Lily, you should have seen her face, she was getting so HOT over her.”

My face was burning with embarrassment as Lily turned around and looked at me with a disgusted look on her face. I could feel tears developing before they began to run down my cheeks warm and sticky.

She then shouted “Amethyst the egghead is hawt for mares, we have a FILLYFOOLER.”

Most of the atrium laughed at me as I attempted to dash out the atrium. Glenda telekinetically tripped me causing me to skid three yards along the metal floor.

I got back to my hooves, still flushed with embarrassment and anger.

Berry came up to me and gave me a helping hoof as she glared at Glenda. I looked at her, crying silently as she guided me through the doors and into the corridor as I broke into sobs.

Berry hugged me telling me quietly “don’t listen to her, you are who you are and don’t let her get you down like that.”

I nodded, tears still tracking down my face as she smiled to me.

“It matters not if you are attracted to mares or stallions. All that matters is the pony you are. Don’t listen to Gilda. She is a bitch who thinks she is above everypony else.”

I nodded again before gasping “I am not a good pony. Mother Keeps telling me I’m no good, Glenda certainly keeps reminding me I’m no good, everypony hates me,” I sobbed.

“Now that’s not true” she said softly. “I don't hate you, your my friend, you are a kind and sweet pony and you have been through a lot. Take it from me. I don't like to see you hurt.”

She hugged me and this time I fell into the hug breathing in her sweet flower scent making my mind swirl.

* ** ** ** *

My vision faded as I found myself in a dark room under a spotlight chained to a chair. A skeletal winged, unicorn pony walked up to me through the darkness wearing a heavy black hooded robe floating out a huge scythe. He looked at me before saying in a deep reverberating voice. He looked as big as Princess Celestia but far more scary. He pointed a hoof at my chest jabbing it. “I will have you next time. Take this as a second chance.”

The scene vanished.

Footnote: Level Up

New Perk: Fluttershy’s Aura -- Unlocks unique dialogue in unique situations where you can use Flutterhys kindness to persuade certain ponies.

Chapter 5: City of Cantal

I was suddenly aware of being in the present as memories of the past few days flooded back into my mind. I could hear a soft beep-beep-beep and the whine of generators. I could feel that I was lying in a soft warm bed.

I felt horrible, my whole body ached painfully and I felt really ill. I just wanted to lie in this warm comfortable bed forever.

I opened my eyes, my vision rather blurry and I attempted to sit up only I could not sit up, my body would not let me.

I heard a soft gasp and a kind voice say quietly as I saw a white blur move in front of me, shielding me from the light “Oh I see that you are awake.” I felt her hoof touch my forehead and cheeks as I moaned feeling the worst I have ever felt. “How are you feeling?” she asked.

I tried to talk but nothing came out, I tried again only managing to slur, “I feel like.” I paused feeling nauseous, “Like I’ve been bucked a thousand times.”

I was starting to feel confused as to where I was or how I got here as she said quietly, “You are very lucky to be alive. You're lucky that Midnight saw you when she did and flew you straight to us.”

I really felt confused now, “Who?” I croaked feeling a fresh wave of nausea overcome me as I retched and felt my stomach acid burn my throat as I spat out some yellow liquid into a little dish near my head.

The mare put a hoof on my head replying, “I'll let her in once you are feeling a bit better.”

She levitated a glass of water in front of me which I sipped on before she put it back on the table beside my bed. “You should be getting some rest” she said kindly.

She left me there in this bed trying to remember what happened. I let out a sigh and turned over, I closed my eyes thinking about what had happened. I could remember a mound of earth and something big and scary. Then I remembered the pain as I was squeezed almost to death.

Then I remember the very realistic visions I had of my life feeling so raw once again as though they just happened. I closed my eyes and felt the warm stickiness begin to build and leak down my cheeks. I shuddered and drifting back to sleep.

* ** ** ** *

I awoke feeling nice and warm to the same sound of Beep-Beep-Beep. I opened my eyes and saw curtains drawn around my bed. I still felt like I had been struck by something very heavy. I felt really sick and very thirsty. I attempted to levitate the glass of water on my bed side table. I focused and nothing happened. I focused again much harder to the point I felt faint and my horn gave a soft pop and again nothing happened.

Oh goddesses. What happened? What happened to my magic? I gave a soft cough attempting to stop my head from swimming. I saw the curtains draw and a light pink unicorn mare with a white and pink mane came through.

She smiled kindly at me before asking “I see that you are awake. Would you like some water?”

I nodded glumly feeling hollow from not being able to get my own water. She levitated the water to me and I drank deeply before she removed the empty glass.

“Are you feeling any better?” she asked.

I cocked my head unsure whether I was feeling any better than before but I nodded slightly anyway.

I then asked in a still slurry voice, “Why could I not levitate the water myself when I woke up?”

She looked at me in a puzzling way before replying, “You're very sick, very injured and can barely move. Your magic has shut down at least until you are better.” She bustled away but returned quite quickly levitating a clipboard. She moved up to my bed before saying “Right I think you deserve the right to know what your medical condition is.” She took a breath before reading my list of injuries “hind legs – two breaks, right foreleg – two breaks, four broken ribs, three fractured ribs, one fractured vertebrae, moderate radiation sickness, bacterial sickness from ingesting polluted water and hypothermia .” The medical mare shook her head “It’s a wonder that you are still alive.”

She looked at me severely as I felt my head reeling from all those injuries and how I had survived. She levitated a familiar canteen. My canteen. She looked at me sternly before saying rather accusingly "You did not boil this before you filled this canteen did you? Or for that matter before drinking it?”

I shook my head.

She facehoofed, "Why?” She asked.

I felt confused again, "Why do I need to boil the water?" I asked. The look she gave me was as if I was being stupid on purpose. "Sorry," I mumbled "I'm from a stable, when I was attacked I was only out for four days. I don't understand how to live out here."

Her expression softened. “So you’re the pony that DJ Pon3 has been going on about, he’s been raving since you took out that band of raiders.”

My eyes widened, “How the hell did he know I was captured and… and…” my voice tailed away.

The doctor shrugged. “Goddesses only know. DJ pon3 is a mysterious pony.” She put a hoof to her chin before saying. "We can bring Midnight in if you feel like you are up to talking to a guest.”

I nodded wanting to meet my saviour. I tried to sit up but my body just would not let me move much more than a few inches.

I looked out the curtain to the wall of the room which adorned an old poster. Fluttershy was on the front looking through the poster with a happy look on her face. She had a swath of doctors around her adorning the pink cross with yellow butterflies on coats. Written on the poster was written, "You don't need to be a combatant to make a difference. Join the Ministry of Peace today."

I smiled at the poster shifting into a daydream that I was part of the Ministry of Peace performing medical spells way beyond my magical ability.

The nurse returned.

If I was sitting in an upright position my jaw would have hit my bed at the pony that followed.

A white Pegasus mare followed the medical pony, She looked a little nervous and uncomfortable, her wings were drooping slightly. She had a silver mane and tail; her mane had a fairly short fringe and fell to a medium length down her neck. She looked at me with piecing red eyes and smiled at me. I felt heat rise in my neck. I glanced at her flank and saw her cutie mark of a black splotch with two white wings opposite each other and spread. Only words I could describe her were probably, hot, sexy, beautiful and awesome all in one.

I looked into her red eyes as she approached my bedside and whispered, "Thank You".

It still did not feel it was enough so with some effort I spread my forelegs to signal a hug and she leaned into the hug telling me in a husky but soothing voice, "You’re welcome.”

Breaking apart I thought I needed to introduce myself, “My name is Amethyst,“ I slurred to the white pegasus.

She opened her muzzle pointing a hoof at herself as she said, “Midnight Rain,” in that same husky voice. She flexed her wings and smiled. “But most people just call me Midnight”.

I could not help but notice how beautiful she was, I just sat dumbfounded. I snapped out of it as she continued, “You have been out for almost three days.”

“Three days?” I croaked. I lifted my left foreleg and checked my Pipbuck. It had been a week since I left the stable and the fourth day I was attacked.

I slumped in the bed and remembered the reason why I was here, so I asked, “How did you kill that thing?”

Midnight looked a little confused then said, “The irradiated behemoth?”

“Yeah that thing” I replied.

She looked a little shocked before saying, “I’m not that good, I did not kill it. I distracted it then gave you some RAD X and flew you to safety before applying all your bandages to your injuries.”

She took a deep breath filling me in on what happened while I was out, “I brought you here and Doctor Hart here fixed you up. You lost a lot of blood and the breaks you had were serious. Not to mention your radiation poisoning.”

“I’m sorry,” I mumbled. I felt bad for the worry I caused her, “I’m sorry I didn’t know,” I said sadly.

“I could tell you didn’t know,” she finally said after considering me a moment. “You were wearing torn cloth barding. You are from stable eighty six; it is imprinted over half the material. You are that pony that DJ has mentioned a few times.”

Ponies keep going on about this DJ so I asked “Who is this DJ pon3?”

Midnight raised an eyebrow. “You don’t know who DJ Pon3 is?” I shook my head slowly, “Don’t those Pip thingos have a radio?”

I nodded and replied “I heard DJ pon3 once and he said that a new mare was freshly out of a stable. How could he possibly know?”

Midnight shrugged “All I know is that DJ pon3 operates in Manehattan at the Tenpony Tower, he must have some way of looking over the wasteland, for some reason the news he reported only happened minutes previously. He is almost like a phycic. Best radio station in Equestria.”

The doctor came bustling over, “okay Midnight I think we should leave Amethyst to get some more rest.”

She looked at the doctor and nodded, then turned back to me, “I’ll be back tomorrow,” and with that she trotted out the door nearby into the corridor outside.

I let out sigh thinking about Midnight. She was beautiful, kind and my saviour. Like a filly dream come true and she was coming back tomorrow. Why? I thought, she saved me and all she has to do is walk away.

My thinking was broken when the Doctor announced me again, "Time for you to take your medicine. Let me warn you this does not taste very good and will make you rather drowsy.”

I nodded as she levitated a glass of orange liquid to my mouth.

I drank it and almost gagged. It had a very syrupy texture and was extremely bitter. My throat burned on the way down. She took away the glass and gave me a glass of water which I drank. I closed my eyes as my vision swam and fell into the darkness.

* ** ** ** *

I awoke feeling a little stronger with a still stinging headache as I opened my eyes to the same sounds. I gave a sniff as I attempted to push myself up and managed to sit up against the back of the bed in a half sitting half laying position and rubbed my eyes with a hoof which felt like lead.

The curtain drew and the doctor stuck her head in saying, “Oh good your awake. Do you feel ready to try something to eat?”

I nodded happy to finally get some food into me as she floated a slightly rusty tray with some corn and sliced canned tomatoes.

I attempted to float the food over to my mouth. My magic wrapped around one of the tomato slices and as I concentrated on bringing it to my mouth it just twitched and my magic cut off.

I clenched my jaw. I hated not being able to use my magic. I then tried to eat with as much dignity as I could without mashing my face into the food as I ate like an earth pony.

When I was done I wiped my mouth with the back of my forehoof feeling satisfied with my fill.

Once the medical pony had taken away my tray I became bored and wished I had my books and saddlebags with me.

I became suddenly worried I had lost all my possessions, I hoped to the goddesses that Midnight had picked up my saddlebags. My books, my Fluttershy Statuette, my Fluttershy poster and my orb all came to my mind, my most important possessions.

* ** ** ** *

The doctor came back up to my bed before she asked “Do you mind if I ask you a question?”

I nodded.

“Your cutie mark is very peculiar. When I was cleaning you while you were unconscious I noticed that your cutie mark, the curved line near the gem glows in low light. Has it always done this?”

I nodded once again and told her “I noticed that it glowed not long after my cutie mark came through.”

She gave me a soft warming smile before asking “Do you mind if I take a look at it?”

I nodded again feeling a smile break across my muzzle “Yes you may”.

The doctor threw the covers back telekinetically revealing my bare and clean white coat. I turned on my side facing her while lying down. She leaned over examining my left flank thankful that my doctor is a mare especially when she touched my cutie mark with her hoof which sent a chill down my spine.

“Ok I am done” she told me.

“Is everything ok?” I asked.

“Oh yes everything is all ok,” she replied with a little smile and at that moment I heard a hoof clop the door.

The medical mare wrapped the doorknob in her magic and pulled it open to reveal a white pony wrapped in about three layers of clothing, her fluffy black scarf had white tangled in it.

Midnight gave a little shiver before saying, "Ohh its cold today." Her wings were not visible beneath her thick brown winter coat.

The doctor bustled into her office leaving Midnight and myself alone.

"Hey" I said in a slightly sickly yet still bright voice.

"Well. Look who is feeling a bit better huh."

I smiled as a question struck me, "Why are your wings covered, don’t you find it hard to fly like that?"

"What?" she stammered. "Ahhhaha," she lifted her wings which had part of the coat visually merged to the coat. I realised I had not been looking properly.

I blushed feeling stupid.

“Getting the full check-up are we?” she asked glancing at my naked body and the sheets pulled back.

I hesitated. Feeling embarrassed before deciding to tell her. “Umm not really,” She looked confused “She wanted to examine my cutie mark.”

She blinked before saying looking a little confused, “Right.”

Silence fell between us. I felt myself going red with the awkwardness in the air.

"So?" she asked. "Once you are all better where to?”

"Uhh" I stammered. "I need to ask around. I’m looking for a water talisman."

She looked a little concerned. "Uhh. Those are really rare," she told me. "Those that are left are either in dead stables, guarded by steel rangers or in Tenpony tower". She considered a moment and advised, "Well. Some towns have a water talisman. But you do not intend to thieve one do you?"

I had not considered that but replied, "Of course not."

"I think you may need to ask around," she replied.

She put a hoof to her chin before saying, “Mind I ask why you need a water talisman?”

I hesitated. I then told her “My stable’s water talisman is damaged and I brok-left to find a new one.

“That’s something,” She said. "I’m sure somepony might give you some information especially if they realise you’re the pony who took out the White Tail Raiders." Midnight looked a little nervous as she asked, "Do you mind if I come with you? You look like you might need some help out there. And well. Being cooped up here all winter is kind of boring."

I felt exasperated as I said, "you mean it?"

She looked a little taken aback. "Well if you don’t mind, I just thought y'know?" she said hesitantly.

I waved a hoof for her to be quite.

"Yes you can come with me." I paused before saying, "and just so you know what you are getting into, I have no idea where to go or what we are doing."

She nodded looking quite enthusiastic. "I understand, we'll figure it out".

Silence fell between us again as I silently squee'd that Midnight was coming with me to find the water talisman.

I was brought back to my senses as she said, "we will need to do some shopping for you as well. You have no weapons and no armour. But first we will need to get you some clothes because I will tell you now. It’s damn cold outside.”

I nodded then squinted at her saying "Let me get better first." She laughed and petted me on the head which sent a shiver down my neck causing me to blush slightly. I put my hoof up to my face as I pretended to hold a hoof to my headache to disguise my blushing.

Midnight glanced at my pipbuck as I moved my hooves away from my face. She then said, "I have some errands to run if you don’t mind I’ll be back when I am done."

I nodded as something else came to the front of my mind, "wait" I half shouted. She stopped and I asked concerned, "Did you grab my saddlebags?" She nodded and I felt a flood of relief. “Could you please, please grab my books out for me? Being in this bed is boring.”

"I could tell you were of the reading type,” she said as she found my saddlebags and rummaged for my books.

“What do you mean by that?" I asked.

"You read books. Like an egg head." She replied smiling evilly.

I scowled. "Reading is great" I replied. "I love books".

“I cahn fhell” she spoke through a mouth full of books. She spat them out onto the bed covers and with a sink of my heart I saw the familiar front cover of a pegasus mare in a netted outfit and in a suggestive position. I made to grab the book.

Midnight was quicker than me and snatched it up with one swipe of her hoof. I felt the blood drain from my head and felt heat rise up my neck as I sunk into the covers and hid my face with my hooves as I heard her cackle.

She had my wing boner magazine.

Her laughter subsided as she wiped the tears from her eyes before tucking it back in my pile of books, "Amethyst you have an odd taste I’ll give you that." She paused then continued, “and before you get any suggestions I am into stallions. My barn door don’t swing that way.” She began to leave and while at the door she turned back to face me. “But even I cannot deny. You are very cute when you blush,” and with a flick of her tail she rleft into the corridor leaving me dumbfounded, embarrassed and glowing red. I tucked the magazine under my pillow.

My heart sank a little but not that it was unexpected. She was into stallions like every other mare I’ve met, how is that not surprising.

* ** ** ** *

Midnight came back after about four hours, still in her thick winter jacket and neck wrapped in a black fluffy scarf which looked like it had dandruff all through it. “So how was the book reading?” she asked giving me a small smile, I saw a twinkle in her eyes.

I grabbed the book I was reading in my mouth and set it in front of her “I read this book,” It was a small story with a brownish pegasus mare swinging from a rope.

I extended a hoof and scratched my muzzle as she shook her head.

“Can I take a look at that?” Midnight asked pointing at my pipbuck.

I looked at her confused, “Why?”

She shrugged and I extended my left hoof to let Midnight take a look at my pipbuck and she looked at it unable to take much of it in. “Why is the screen pink? I mean I have seen a pipbuck before but most I seen have a green or a blue screen.”

I gave her a little laugh and told her “I used my mother’s terminal. I used the pink interface that can be set on a terminal and copied the files over to my Pipbuck. As my Pipbuck only has two colour options Blue and Green I had to copy over pink from the terminal, delete green and renamed pink to green.”

She looked at me as if I just spoke to her in a different language, “Okay you lost me,” was all she could say. I facehoofed and replied “Simple version. I made my pipbuck pink by tricking it into thinking it was green.”

“Right, now I got you” she replied. “So did you do this?” she asked pointing a hoof at my little bird I had drawn onto my pipbuck when I was a filly. I nodded and told her the story.

“I painted the birds and the vine on when I was a filly” I replied, “Couldn’t help myself.” I giggled softly. She nodded smiling at my art work.

The doctor came back with a familiar cup of that horrible liquid. “Ok Midnight I think it might be time to leave Amethyst alone now. She needs to take her medicine and get some rest,” the Doctor told her.

Midnight nodded turning to leave, as she did so she turned and told me, “I’ll be back tomorrow to pick you up.”

Wait, did she just say to pick me up?

I addressed the Doctor as she came bustling over with the medicine. “When do you expect that I can be discharged?” I asked softly.

“I think if you are lucky, tomorrow perhaps,” she replied. “But. Do not think you are out of the woods yet. You will still need to rest for at least another three days before you get your magic back to a reasonable capacity.” She paused as she busied herself getting a glass of water to wash the medicine down. She continued, “you will still feel rather sick but I am sure Midnight will offer you some accommodation once you're discharged to rest back to full health. “

I nodded as she put the glass of water down and levitated the medicine to my lips. I gagged on the bitter medicine as she levitated the glass to drink. My head hit the pillows as I drifted back into a nice cool sleep.

* ** ** ** *

I awoke the following day as the doctor came through the curtains, “Right, I think you might be ready to be discharged today, we have Midnight coming down soon to come and pick you up.”

I sat up and as I did so she levitated a thermometer into my mouth and she felt my forehead with her hoof, then checked the thermometer before pulling it out and making a note.

“Can you please try to get out of bed? I want to check how you are faring” She asked.

I rolled out of bed and hit the floor with a sickening crunch, “owie” I gasped.

She picked me up telekinetically saying, “now who’s a silly pony.” She set me on my hooves and released her magic causing my knees to almost buckle under my own weight. “I want you to walk to the door and back” she asked me.

I began to walk slowly, my hooves feeling like lead and my muscles burning and aching. I got half way to the door when my hind legs fell away causing me to fall to my haunches, my front legs then gave way leaving me sprawled on my stomach on the cold floor. I felt myself be levitated once again as I was pulled back to my hooves and asked to once again try to make it to the door.

I walked to the door and turned, my knees shaking.

The doctor then said, “okay that’s enough for now I think.” She picked me up and floated me back onto the bed. She levitated my belongings and said, “here are your saddlebags and canteen which I filled with drinkable water.” She looked a little stern before adding “Make sure you boil your water if you're unsure of the quality.” She then added, “I incinerated your barding as it was so gross and so contaminated I would class it as ‘un-clean-able’.

I nodded.

I heard a knock and she said, “Ah this must be her now.”

The door opened and Midnight laden in her usual thick winter clothes came in wearing saddlebags.

She spotted me laying on the bed, “We ready to go?” she asked.

“Uhh hold on.” I grabbed all my books and shoved them into my saddlebags; I reached under the pillow and extracted the Wing Boner Magazine and shoved it in as well. Midnight assisted me with clamping my saddlebags to myself.

I addressed the doctor, “If I can’t walk more than 5 meters without collapsing, how I am going to get to Midnight’s place?”

She turned around and asked Midnight if she needed to borrow a wheelchair.

Midnight waved a hoof “Nah I’ll just fly her there, no biggie.”

I gulped. “F-fly?” I stammered. She looked at me, “N-nothing it’s ok” I told her as confidently as I could. “I’d prefer to fly.” I was so not going to make this trip I thought privately remembering the swirling clouds in the sky when I first stepped out of the cave to stable eighty six.

“Ready?” Midnight asked. I nodded and she threw the blanket over me saying “it’s cold outside and I don't own any clothes that you can borrow that would fit as you don’t have any wings.” She gave a little laugh and told me, “we want to get you to my place without you frozen to me.”

I carefully got out of the bed and stood on all four hooves a little wobbly but a lot more gracefully than my last attempt. The blanket was wrapped around me and Midnight flew a few feet into the air and lowered onto my back wrapping her forehooves around my breast and her hindlegs just to the front of my hindlegs.

I felt her warm body against my back as she tightened her grip.

Oh sweet Celestia, I had a hot mare on top of me and now could feel heat rising around my neck and I blushed as she flapped her wings and lifted me into the air.

“Thank you for everything,” I told my doctor and she gave me a smile.

“You’re welcome dear. Please be careful. And boil your water.”

I waved a hoof goodbye as Midnight flew into the corridor.

The front doors of the hospital opened automatically to reveal a scene of a rough but clean looking town. A cobblestone street covered in a thin layer of snow, the town structures were made of old cracked white towering spires that rose high into the air, some were cracked enough to reveal the steel re-bar beneath the concrete structures, some towers had partially collapsed, some of which were rebuilt with rusty metal cladding. It was snowing lightly and clouds of mist drifted through the town lowering visibility somewhat. Shadows of ponies moving through the street made the scene slightly creepy with the rolling cloud and mist.

Before I could get a better look at the town I felt Midnight tighten her hold onto me making me blush a little more and flew me out into the iron cold street. She shot up into the air extremely fast and I quickly. I closed my eyes not wanting to vomit all over Midnight, I felt her make a heavy turn and I screamed causing me to open my eyes while looking down. I saw the street below all the way down there, clouds of mist moving among the streets. I snapped my eyes shut as my head began to spin wildly, vertigo taking hold.

I kept my eyes shut as I felt Midnight slow down, as she did so I felt warmth rush over my body. I opened my eyes to be in a fairly small looking shack with a queen sized bed at the back, a couch and television on the right wall and two doors on the left wall.

She set me on the bed and landed beside it looking at my windblown mane to me shaking in fright and cold, "Uhh. Sorry, I’m not used taking passengers."

I laid on the bed still shaking mostly from the chill I got, "it’s not that." I told her "I suffer bad vertigo and the wind-chill was cold, I was not expecting the heavy turn and how quick you went, I screamed and opened my eyes."

She laughed and apologised again.

I waved a hoof at her, "don’t worry about it".

She took off all her clothes and hung them up on the coat hanger. She then bustled over to the front door and closed it to prevent the wind from blowing into her warm house, “seeing as you don't like heights I don't recommend you go outside,” she told me.

“Why not? “ I asked curiously.

“Well, you see this place is on top of Cantals highest tower. This is a pegasus house and there is no other way up than down and there are no rails on the landing area out front.”

I nodded happy as she told me this. I for one did not want to go outside into the freezing cold let alone plunge to my death.

I unbuckled my saddlebags and tucked myself into the cyan coloured covers of the bed. Midnight went through one of the doors nearby and a few seconds later popped her head around. “Would you like something to eat?” she asked me. I nodded and she smiled at me warmly before turning back through the door.

I slumped against the pillows and let off a sigh. I was almost better at least, but still had no clue on what to do once I was moving around again. I only hoped that somepony in this town knows of someplace to find one of these water talismans.

After about fifteen minutes of thinking, the only thing I could come up with was if nopony knew anything in this town, I would need to go to Tenpony Tower and ask if I can buy one or swap something for one. If that failed maybe this DJ could tell me where I might be able to find one.

* ** ** ** *

Midnight came back into the room with a tray of cooked food in her mouth and set it on the side of the bed. I sat the tray on my lap and saw that Midnight had cooked me some canned apples and some corn. The delicious smell wafting into my nose. I thanked her and she bustled over to the table to eat her fill. I concentrated on the apple slice hard and my magical field wrapped around the slice and with some effort floated it into my mouth.

I tried some corn and levitate five pieces of corn and with the same difficulty, floated into my mouth determined to finish my food magically rather than mash my face into the food like I could see Midnight doing at the table.

By the time I finished my food I was exhausted. Beads of sweat had formed on my forehead and I was breathing heavily from the magical strain.

Midnight bustled over looking at me slumped against the pillows breathing heavily. “You look like you have just run a marathon” she told me “I hope my food wasn't that tough.”

I shook my head and replied still gasping for air, “I ate it magically.”

She tutted. “Try not to over-exert yourself Amethyst. You must be as well as possible for tomorrow so we can do some shopping for you.”

I knew she was scolding me.

“Yeah I know your right.” I sighed then went on, “I just want my magic back.”

She smiled then put her forehoof on my shoulder, “Just take it easy ok?”

I nodded. “Okay.”

“Uhh. How many caps do you have?” she asked me.

I looked at her utterly confused “Caps?”

She nodded ,“caps.” I just looked at her and she facehoofed and then said “Money? Currency? Caps?”

Why didn’t you say so? I thought to myself. Instead I replied, “I... Yes I got money.” I pulled up my pipbuck inventory spell and concentrated hard as my horn flared and floated two small pouches of coins out of my saddlebags and passed them to Midnight.

She looked inside the pouches and sighed. “These are pre-war coins but they will do.” She looked at me then said, “you have a lot to learn. Caps are what we use for money”

I nodded personally feeling that the use of bottle caps was a rather fucked up version of currency, but then again, this is Equestria, the whole place is all fucked up.

Midnight began to explain the following day’s plans to me. “Well we'll first take you down to get some warm clothes for you, I think we should then visit the armoury and get you something to keep you protected, and then we'll also get you some weapons and ammo as well as some more healing supplies.

I nodded again, secretly wanting to get out of this bed and go now to pre-occupy myself.

She smiled at me and said as if reading my mind. “I will take you around town when we are done shopping to have a look around town.” I nodded feeling a smile break across my muzzle.

** ** ** *

The next day I was able to walk a lot better however still a bit wobbly and my magic was still not at its best. I could levitate books and similar sized items with some concentration but I ate breakfast magically without over straining myself.

After doing some paces around Midnight’s house I asked her, “do you mind if I use the shower? I would really like to clean myself.”

She nodded and said, “sure, just make sure you dry yourself properly. Going outside bare coat is tough enough without being damp.”

** ** ** *

When I stepped out of the nice warm shower I wrung my mane and tail free of water leaving them damp and towelled my coat dry. My mane and tail would not dry very quickly so I looked for something that may help speed up the process. I saw a blow-dryer in the cabinet. I stuck my head out the door and asked, “do you mind if I borrow your blow dryer?”

“Yeah sure,” she shouted from the lounge.

With effort I levitated the blow dryer and attempted to blow dry my mane and tail which took an agonising long amount of time than what it should have taken. The combination of levitating my mane or tail while maintaining grip on the Blow Dryer was taxing. By the time I was done I was exhausted and almost collapsed to the ground from exertion. I took a look at the blow dryer wondering how Midnight used it. I facehoofed when I saw it had an attachment so it could be used by hoof.

When I stumbled out of the bathroom still exhausted Midnight peeked over the lounge and raised an eyebrow.

“You did not just do that by magic did you?”

I nodded falling onto the lounge next to her. “Amethyst you’re supposed to be taking it easy, you don’t have to do everything by magic you know?”

I looked at her. “I've always done everything by magic,” I told her “I'm a unicorn.”

“Yes but you're sick and you're not supposed to be over exerting yourself,” Midnight advised.

I nodded seething.

I wanted my full magical ability back. This weak telekinesis sucks. Remembering what the doctor said, I should have my full magic ability back very soon. It was getting stronger each day but now I could use my magic again, trying to continue to use it as I always had done.

I sighed.

“You ready to go shopping?”

“Yes” I said enthusiastically, wanting to get out into town and see the snow and the street and the other ponies. I levitated my saddlebags on, leaving most of my belongings behind except for the two pouches of pre-war coins. I looked to the bed and saw my towel and levitated this around my body hoping to at least keep me a little warm than if I was to go bare-coat.

Midnight put on her winter things and wrapped her scarf around my neck to keep me at least a little, “warm.”

She floated over to me and again wrapped her hooves around me as she did last time, feeling warmth spread through my body as she did so. As she lifted me slightly to prepare to go outside I told her, “please take it easy. Just get to the ground and fly ‘slowly’ about three feet above the ground ok?”

She nodded and floated out the front door into the cold outside. Shutting my eyes so I could not see, I felt Midnight take off a lot slower and carefully than last time. As we flew I felt flecks of snow hit my face which was rapidly feeling numb from the cold.

By the time we got to the ground I was freezing, my teeth chattering as she quickly but carefully flew me along the street. I saw glimpses of ponies on the street in heavy warm clothing as we flew. The streets looked aged like the buildings but the ponies here maintained them well.

Midnight flew through a set of doors into a small dusty shop. The ceiling was sagging slightly and the walls had cracks through them, however it was kept beautifully warmed by a fire in the grate behind the old wooden counter. Midnight put me down and I took a quick glance around the shop. It was filled with coats, scarves, beanies, ear muffs, woollen socks and many other varieties of clothes.

A middle aged grey unicorn mare greeted us from behind the counter. She wore a small black jacket and a pink and black striped scarf. She announced behind the counter, “hello dears, is there anything I can help you with?”

Midnight addressed the mare behind the counter. “Yeah we're looking at getting Amethyst here some winter clothes suitable to wear with armour.”

The mare took a look at me and bustled over as she telekinetically pulled out a roll of measuring tape. She wrapped the tape around my middle and took a measurement with a floating clipboard and pen. She then wrapped the tape around my hind leg, then my right foreleg and finally she measured my length.

She looked at me before asking. “What style are you after dear?”

I took a quick look around the shop and walked over to a brown coat that caught my eye. I felt the coat and it felt leathery but very soft at the same time. The neck, forelegs and back of the coat revealed fluffy white woollen fabric however the coat did not cover the flanks. I moved the coat with a hoof and saw the inside which had the same fluffy white wool which I touched. It was so soft, much softer than wool. I had made up my mind. The coat had an inside pocket that allowed armour plating to be slotted into the coat.

“Do you have this coat in white with the black inside and collar?” I asked the seamstress.

“Yes we do” she advised, “I will be right back, I’ll just go and find one in your size”.

I fought back a squee as she bustled out the back to find the coat I wanted. “I love this shopping thing,” I whispered to Midnight.

She gave me a smile. “Yes, I do too. Only problem is money”.

I nodded hoping I had enough for clothes, armour, weapons, medical supplies and ammo.

The seamstress returned floating my desired coat and it looked fabulous. She walked over to me and said, “you will need to try it on just to make sure it fits well,” and as I nodded she took the towel I was wearing off and assisted me getting into the new coat.

Once the coat was on I immediately fell in love with it. It was silky soft and warm. I felt the fluffy black collar around my neck, middle and forehooves, it fitted perfectly. I nodded at the seamstress “It’s perfect.” She took the coat off and put it on the counter.

The seamstress behind the counter looked at me and said “I can sew your cutie mark onto the coat if you wish?”

I nodded and asked her to place it on the left shoulder.

When she was done I also bought a black scarf with my cutie mark sewn into the end. I also bought fluffy black hoof socks and a white fluffy flanker which would cover my flanks; this too had armour pockets for armour plates.

When I was done she added all the items on the till before finally saying. “That comes to 200 caps.”

I levitated my bag of coins out of my saddlebags and placed it on the bench “I... Umm... I only have pre-war coins” I said nervously hoping this was ok.

She peered at me before saying. “Right, pre-war coins I do accept but I have to charge you 15% more.”

I waved a hoof “No problem.”

I tipped the coin sack upside down and gold and silver bits poured out. The seamstress took 20 gold bits. I levitated the rest of the coins back into my coin purse and put them back in my bags which were now considerably lighter.

I put on all my warm winter clothes including my woolly black winter socks and looked in the mirror of the store feeling happy about my purchases. Midnight and I walked out of the shop, the doorbell tinkling as we left the store. We were now standing in a cobble stone street layered with a thin layer of snow. I looked in awe as I saw the snowflakes drift in front of my face and getting caught in my fluffy scarf, cuffs and coat.

Midnight waved a hoof in my face to get my attention. “Hello Amethyst you there?”

I shook my head, “uhh sorry.” I blushed as she pointed a hoof down the street

“We are going to the armoury now, it’s only a few stores away.”

I nodded as I followed Midnight up the street towards the armoury looking at everypony walking in the street, all the old bent lamp posts, the buildings and snow.

“Not far” advised Midnight as we went through a dark alley between two towering structures. Ahead through the misty alley I saw two ponies and that moment my EFS blared two hostiles.

I quickly whispered to Midnight as they took battle stances, “they are hostile; I think they are going to attack us”.

We turned wanting to avoid a fight as we were completely unarmed, only to find another two ponies on the other side of the alley which my EFS read hostile as well.

I dived behind a waste bin as I heard the cracking sounds of gun fire. As Midnight took refuge behind a dumpster, I came up with a plan that didn't involve her as I could not communicate with her. I heard bullets hit the bin I was hiding behind. I levitated out my stealthbuck as I saw Midnight’s green dot on my EFS move behind me, I slotted it into my pipbuck and activated it. The stealthbuck hid me from even my own eyes as I levitated a loose piece of cobblestone from the ally floor.

I looked behind me to see Midnight dodging through the air trying to fly at her attackers. The other two were trying to find me as I they began to get closer. They could no doubt see the rock I had levitated.

Fighting to keep the rock levitated I snuck forwards so they could not hear me and ensuring my rock was not too close to me as the ponies began to fire automatic rifles through the ally hoping to hit me where-ever I had gone.

When I was close enough to see the two stallions in armour barding and assault rifles in mouth, I slipped into SATS and threw the rock with as much force as my weakened telekinesis could muster. The rock flew through the air and struck him clean on the forehead causing the gun to drop to the ground with a clatter followed by its owner who hit the ground with a bloody lump rising on his head. I tried to levitate the gun but all it did was glow, shudder, and then nothing.

My stealthbuck wore off and the remaining pony started shooting wildly at me as I dived behind an old crate and miraculously did not get hit.

I levitated another rock then dived out from my cover and slipped into SATS again, throwing the rock as hard as I could. I hit him in the side of the face slightly off target. He stumbled and lost grip on the gun in his mouth and fell over. He shook his head as he tried to stand as I swiftly and carefully snuck up to him. I didn't know how I was going to forgive myself for what I was about to do but I would worry about that later.

The pony that I hit had problems trying to get himself together as I turned and bucked him as hard as I could into the jaw feeling a shot of pain in my newly mended legs at the same time.

The stallion assassin fell to the ground beside his unconscious companion. Ahead I could see that Midnight had taken out a one of her attackers unarmed and saw one remaining enemy on my EFS. I picked up one of the guns in my teeth and as fast as my newly mended and slightly sore hind legs could take me, I made my way over to the pony fighting Midnight as she weaved above while the pony on the ground fired his assault rifle.

Tut tuttuttut filled the air as he fired upon Midnight. I attempted to position the gun in my mouth having no idea how to fire it without magic. The gun fell to the ground with a clatter and the pony firing on Midnight chanced a glance as he clearly recognised the sound of a gun hitting the ground

WHAM

Midnight flew into him with a sickening crunch as his gun flew through the air and landed with a clatter.

The pony Midnight had struck was still conscious as she picked up the assault rifle in her mouth and pointed at his head “Who sent you? Who do you work for?” She asked aggressively.

The buck let out a gravelly laugh, “yeah I’m really going to tell you”.

Tut tuttut

I recoiled, shocked that Midnight just shot him in the head. She then went to the other three ponies and likewise shot them all dead before placing all the rifles in her saddlebags.

I could not believe she just killed them like that and so casually. She looked at me before frowning. “is something wrong?” I shook my head, “ok then let’s get going” she said, pointing a hoof to the end of the ally.

* ** ** ** *

After our walk to the park, not that it really resemble a park, as it had no trees, no grass and the playground for little fillies and colts was broken, Midnight took me to the town pub to meet the local ponies and the publican who might know something about someplace that might have a water talisman.

Midnight started the night with an Apple Cider, I asked for a Sparkle Cola which attracted a stare from Midnight

“I don’t drink” was my reply.

As the publican rummaged through the fridge he asked, “I aint see ya round here before, where ya from?”

I stammered before answering, “I'm from a stable, I only just got out last week.”

“Ahh, new meat to the wasteland.” He slammed down the cold Sparkle Cola in front of me before asking, “you don’t happen to be tha’ one filly from White Tail Woods that DJ said took out them raiders would ya?”

I felt a little embarrassed as I nodded before hastily saying, “he bent the truth I think. I’m not a hero; I got caught and thrown in a cage. I just managed to get out.” I scratched my mane with a hoof then levitated my Sparkle Cola taking a sip.

Midnight just sat there listening while drinking her Cider.

“Ya saved four innocent ponies. I think ya’ll are been modest”.

I shook my head “Anypony would have done that. I couldn't leave those ponies behind”.

The look he gave me suggested that I thought wrong.

He gave a sigh as he began to fill a glass with whiskey for a mare at the other end of the bar. “Ya stable folk never change,” was his reply. He bustled over to pass the mare her drink then returned, “Not many ponies would have done that. And that is why DJ is fond of you.”

He considered me before moving over to the radio and turning it on to the sweet voice of Sweetie Belle. “Ah think we need some music, bit quite in here” he said. I took another swig of my drink. He finally asked, “what brings you to Cantal anywho? How did ya meet Midnight here?”

Here I didn't think he needed to know the whole story so I told him. “I had an accident on the way here and Midnight took me to the Medical Mare who fixed me up.”

He nodded as Midnight asked for a second Cider. She got through that quick I thought, especially as I only had drunk half my Sparkle Cola. As the publican got her another drink I continued, “reason I am out here is to find a water talisman for my stable.”

“A water talisman?” he said looking surprised.

“Yep” I said nodding, “You don’t happen to know where one might be would you?”

“Ahm afraid I cannot be sure,” he replied scratching his chin with a hoof. “But I can give ya’ll some possibilities”.

“Anything please,” I looked at him clearly begging him to tell me.

“Ahh ok uhh” He looked thoughtful before saying, “there could be one in an old Ministry of Arcane Science hub a few day’s trot east of Canterlot over these here mountains. An’ probably a few round Splendid Valley. Bu’ don’t go there tha place is mighty dangerous, oh an there is an old stable north of New Appleoosa but I think tha might be taken by them steel rangers, or did Red Eye take that, I’m not sure.”

I lifted my pipbuck up to the Publican, “could you please mark the locations?”

“Ah aint good with them pip thingos,” he said looking at me with a confused look.

He showed me on my pipbuck using the map feature and marked each location with my help. He refused to show me splendid valley telling me, “ah aint wanna see you get yerself killed.”

Midnight was on her third cider when I took my second Sparkle Cola.

“Don’t get too drunk,” I told her. “I don’t want you flying back up to your house with me when you can barely stand.”

“Sure last one,” she told me.

A stallion who was quite a bit older than myself sidled up to me leaning very close. “Could ah get you a drink miss?” he asked, the smell of alcohol and stale tobacco on his breath.

I tried not to gag as I leaned back because he was way too inside my personal space. “Umm I think I’m alright,” I replied looking over to Midnight for help.

She looked at him telling him sternly, “She’s into fillies’ old stallion and I’m sure she would appreciate some personal space.”

He seethed but trotted away leaving the slight smell of his breath behind.

“Thank you Midnight” I told her.

* ** ** ** *

I was back up at Midnights place with all my shopping, I bought some armour plating which was infused to my jacket and flanker now causing it to weigh a bit more. Midnight sold those rifles she took from the assassins and bought some bullets for the guns she already had. I bought myself a scoped but low calibre rifle for long distance shots as the sniper rifle costed too much and at the insistence of Midnight I bought a shotgun for closer range as well as some matching bullets for the two guns.

For medical supplies I bought some healing potions, some healing poultices and some healing bandages.

I exhausted all my money and had to borrow some caps from Midnight to pay for my medical supplies.

We had decided to try out this so called Ministry of Arcane Science hub, turns out that the Hub was in an abandoned city called New Saddle over the mountain range on the other side of Cantal to the east.

I remembered the Ministry of Peace poster. I was now aware that there were two ministries who worked towards the war effort. Curious to know if there were more I asked Midnight what she knew.

“What ministries are there beside the M.A.S and M.O.P?” I asked

Midnight still a little tipsy from the Cider she drank earlier looked at me and thought for a moment. “Uhh, Ministry of Morale and umm Ministry of Awesome, there are more but I don’t really remember them”.

“Ministry of Awsome?” I snickered.

“Run by Rainbow Dash” said Midnight “Best pony to ever live if you ask me. Mighty war hero, Perfected the Sonic Rainboom, leader of Wonderbolts and Shadowbolts and holder of the element of loyalty.”

“Wow you know a lot about her,” I replied.

“Yeah well from my upbringing I would,” she said looking a little sad.

“What do you mean?” I asked as kindly as I could.

Her voice turned icy as she replied “I don’t want to talk about it.”

I nodded knowing not to push the matter.

* ** ** ** *

By the time we were ready to go to sleep we had a viable plan to get to New Saddle. We would be leaving the following day. Fully packed and very sleepy I slumped on Midnight’s bed next to her and fell asleep.

Foot Note: Level up

New Perk: Using the environment -- Opens up new abilities in unique situations

Chapter 6: Learning the hard way

“Can you please remind me why we are going through this dark death-trap rather than just flying with me over the mountain range?” I asked mist pouring out my muzzle, as I stared into a massive rocky tunnel with train tracks that led into the velvet black inside.

Midnight sighed. “We can’t fly over the mountains as they go above the clouds.”

She was wearing what she called a “Battle Saddle,” some contraption that Earth and Pegasi ponies used that strapped the guns on either side of the body so they could hold larger guns and be fired by the mouth bit.

I stomped my forehoof on the gravelly ground as I asked, “Why do you say that as if it’s certain death up there?”

She didn't reply just like the last time.

We had found an old wooden carriage with broken wheels. It was not in very good condition and Midnight wanted me to get into it while she flew through the tunnel blindly. She hinted that there were these creatures called “zombies,” inside and to make the trip as fast as possible.

“So you want me to shoot these things if we are attacked right?” I asked for the third time ensuring I was completely prepared.

“Correct” said Midnight. “Use the shotgun, it’s better for close range. Just don’t shoot me.”

I had a mounting worry as I looked at the partially rotten and damaged carriage before getting into it which was already strapped to Midnight. I finally asked “How long is this tunnel?”

She put a hoof on to her chin thinking before replying “Uhh, a few kilometres I think.”

I felt like I was hit by something heavy. “A few kilometres!?!” I said loudly.

Midnight looked at me as she neighed. “Yeah a few kilometres.”

I put my hooves together before saying in prayer, “please Luna get me through this tunnel alive.”

Midnight did a double take, “what now? Luna?”

I shook my head and mumbled, “nothing.”

“Ready?” She asked.

I tightened my Scarf and gulped. “Yes.”

* ** ** ** *

Midnight took off from the ground causing the carriage to swing into the air with me holding onto the back with my combat shotgun levitated beside me. I turned my Pipbuck light on when we entered the tunnel as the blackness enveloped us, the only light coming from my Pipbuck. I kept an eye on my EFS which showed just one green light and no red.

I heard a high pitched gurgling screaming sound come through the darkness as a red light appeared on my EFS. A large scabbed and rotting pony shaped thing latched onto the side of the cart, its eyes misted white and glaring at me baring rotting teeth. The thing was so horrifying I shot it point blank without thinking.

BANGGGG

The shot echoed horribly in the tunnel as the zombie pony's head exploded, its body falling off the side of the carriage.

My EFS flared red and hundreds of red lights exploded onto my EFS. I shouted to Midnight “lots of hostiles.” I need not to have bothered as I heard her battle saddles automatic machine fire begin.

Pftata tat tattat was all I could hear from the front as Midnight tried to fly at top speed while shooting the ones attempting to jump onto her and into the carriage.

Another zombie jumped onto the carriage, it opened its mouth and let out a big “SCRAHHHH” baring its teeth as it tried to snap at me.

I slipped into SATS

BLAM

I took a chunk out of its head off but it was not dead as it tried to push itself to me. I took aim manually.

BLAM

I missed the head and hit the side of the old carriage causing the side of it to break away in a shower of splinters causing the zombie to fall into the mass of zombies below us.

“Amethyst” Midnight shouted over her shoulder “Can you levitate some grenades out of my bag and let them loose on these. There are too many of them to shoot and at this rate we won’t make it.

I blew another zombie apart as she said this.

“What are grenades?” I shouted back.

I heard her grunt before she yelled back, “Little metal apple things with a pin in them. Pull the pin and throw it.”

I levitated these things out of Midnights bag which she kept in the carriage. It was one of those metal apples that explode. I did as she said and pulled the pins on three and lobbed them over the edge of carriage. I watched them sink into darkness before me.

BOOOOM

The light from the explosion lit up the tunnel momentarily, the explosion was ear-splitting loud, Sure enough my ears began to ring after the massive echoed explosion.

Midnight was still shooting as another zombie jumped into the carriage with me. I fired at it causing it to fall in a mess of ichor and rotting flesh at my hooves, as it did so three more began to scale into the carriage.

I slipped into SATS and fired into two of them before the last one jumped onto me knocking me down. It pinned me down so I smacked it with the butt of the shotgun. It tried to bite me savagely but my barding protected me from the horrible thing. I bucked the zombie off me and slid into SATS and fired into it.

I was out of bullets so I pulled out some shells to put into the gun when another one jumped onto Midnight causing the carriage to sway heavily as she tried to get it off her.

“Amethyst?!!”

I turned the shotgun onto this zombie only semi-reloaded and slipped into SATS to get off a shot that did not hit Midnight.

BLAM

The zombie turned into a shower of ichor that sprayed over Midnight, I caught a little bit of it in the face. It smelled horrible.

I finished reloading at good time because when I was done I felt the carriage sway heavily again due to four zombies that were climbing into the tiny carriage with me. I shot two but two more replaced them. I could not keep them away from me.

I screamed as I became overwhelmed. I let off all my shots until I ran out. Another stupid plan entered my head, I didn't know if this was going to work as I began to fight the zombies with the shotgun itself trying to keep them off me. I could feel Midnight slowing down due to the added weight. But it was worth a try. I only hope I don’t kill Midnight while attempting to articulate this plan.

I stuffed the shotgun in Midnights bag and levitated it onto me, I then pulled out the knife telekinetically and shoved the handle in my mouth and with extreme concentration wrapped my field of telekinetic energy around myself then jumped from the carriage and onto Midnights back which almost caused her to fall out of the air.

“Amethyst?! What the fuck are you doing?” she screeching swaying heavily.

“Nuffing” I shouted at her through the knife in my mouth. I then wrapped my hooves around Midnights neck attempting to stabilise myself which was proving quite difficult due to the wing motion on either side of her body. I levitated the knife from my mouth and cut the reins to the cart causing the cart of zombies to fall to the bottom of the tunnel with a horrible smash.

I felt Midnight less encumbered as I felt her speed up and fly so close the ceiling of the tunnel I could almost feel my mane brush against it. I put the knife back into the bag trying to keep the telekinetic sheath to lighten myself up which was proving far more draining than anything I had done so far with my magic.

“FLY!!!?!” I screamed over the screeching and gurgling noises that the zombies were making. My magical field slipped and died around me and I felt Midnight drop slightly.

“Sorry” I told her as she flew.

Midnight continued to fly at break neck speed as I shot at the zombie things from her back, the movement of her wings on either side made it incredibly difficult to get off a good shot. I put the shotgun back changing tact.

I braced myself knowing that this would be taxing and rather than focusing to lighten myself I focused on my least used and most useless of my two spells. Face screwed up in concentration a thin transparent barrier slowly formed and spread from the tip of my horn until it enveloped us completely in a ball of magical energy.

It was working better than expected. The zombies that were jumping up at us hit the shield causing it to ripple, that was until my concentration began to slip. I began to breathe deeply and closed my eyes to try and maintain the concentration which didn'r last very long.

Once again the downfall of my magical skills, lack of concentration and discipline. I could not maintain the shield for long and it broke when a zombie hit the shield causing it to fade away. Exhausted and hardly managing to cling onto Midnight I levitated my shotgun out.

Midnight shouted back at me “Put that shield thing back on”

“I... I can’t” I gasped. I felt beads of sweat leak down my forehead but maintained grip on the gun. Another zombie jumped up and grabbed onto my hind leg which I attempted to kick off with no success. It started to bite and thrash at me showing rotting teeth and foam forming at the mouth. I shot it manually without thinking as I felt myself slip slightly from Midnights back.

BLAM

It fell to the ground and at the same time I felt it bite down just below my barding above my hoof of my hind leg but not before I heard Midnight scream as she dipped from the air slightly.

“Fuck! Amethyst you fucking hit me” She shouted sounding quite hurt and panicked.

My heart dropped as I looked at her leg. I had hit her in the lower part of her hind leg and blood was leaking from just below the protection of her barding.

“I’m sorry” I shouted back, I began to feel a burning sensation around my eyes.

I could not believe I just shot her. If she was injured or hurt, it was my fault.

No more zombies seemed to be coming at us and the red blips on my EFS were now behind us and they were fading away. I saw light at the end of the tunnel just over Midnights mane and with relief we burst into fresh air. However Midnight didn't drop to the ground straight away but flew a few hundred meters away from the tunnel entrance before dropping down and landing on the ground next to an old tree that looked long dead.

I jumped off her back and she collapsed onto the ground breathing heavily. She looked exhausted. I panicked when I saw blood all over her leg; my eyes began to leak tears.

I levitated out a small bottle of antiseptic which turned out to just be a bottle of pure alcohol and clumsily poured it onto the wound.

“Ahhhh Owwww” cried Midnight still lying down, her cries of pain muffled from the ringing of my ears.

I poured a healing potion into her mouth and she coughed on it, but that did the trick. I could see the wound healing.

I looked at the bite mark on my leg then gasped. It was not a bite mark; I had also shot myself but not as badly as Midnight.

I tended to my own leg which involved pulling back the woollen socks. I cleaned it and wrapped a healing bandage on it not wanting to waste healing potions.

“Sorry,” I said to Midnight again wiping my forehead with a hoof.

I sat on my haunches gasping for air still exhausted from the struggle through the tunnel.

This was my fault I thought. I shot her and myself. I couldn't maintain the shield long enough and almost took Midnight out of the air twice. Poor Midnight was so exhausted she was still lying on the ground on her stomach gasping for air and coughing.

I sidled over to Midnight and gave her a hug causing my heart to leap a little, “I’m sorry,” I whispered again but into her ear.

She shook her head “No- Thank-You” she gasped, “You did good Amethyst.”

I looked at her stunned “B-but I shot you and shot myself.”

She nodded, “You made a mistake. We all do, but you kept me and yourself alive and you did well for such a novice," she said

“Thanks,” I mumbled knowing I didn't deserve this praise.

Midnight pushed herself up and took a drink from her canteen. She put the bottle away then asked, “that shield thing you did. Why couldn’t you keep that up for longer?”

I paused knowing that now was the time to get laughed at for my mediocre magic.

I took a deep breath before saying, “my magic skills suck.”

She looked a little stunned at my reply before saying, “Oh come on I’m sure you know lots of spells. After all you are a unicorn.”

Great now she’s silently laughing at me. I gritted my teeth but opened my muzzle to tell her, “I only know two spells. That shield that you saw is one that I can't maintain very well. It is incredibly weak and is taxing to keep it up. I don’t even know why I cast it when I can’t keep it up for longer than twenty seconds.” I scowled and went on, “my only other spell is telekinesis which seems a little stronger than when I got out of the stable but a spell that we learn as fillies.”

I didn't tell her about my lateness with learning any magic or my mother’s abilities or go any further. I didn't want to make myself look weak in front of Midnight.

Something must have shown on my face as Midnight said, “Look Amethyst, if that’s the best you can do then that’s ok. As long as you try your best that’s all that counts.”

She put a hoof on my shoulder as I looked up to the older mare and nodded, “Yeah I know.”

“Up you get” she pushed. “We have to continue. We can’t stop here.”

* ** ** ** *

We continued to trudge in the direction of New Saddle, the land was covered in sickly trees all missing leaves. The woods here looked a lot thinner than in white tail wood. Every now and then the cold wind would make the branches and twigs rub against each other which added to the overall creepy scene.

I heard something over the wind and rustling, my ears perked. I heard old fashion music with a harmonica and drums. A green light popped up on my EFS.

“Watcher?” I called out loudly. I saw the spritebot come out from behind a tree.

“Amethyst what?” asked Midnight.

I ignored her running up to the spritebot and wrapped it in a sheath of magic and dragged it towards me in front of my face. It still played music.

“Watcher?” I called out again shaking the spritebot magically.

It popped and a tinny voice came out, “Amethyst? Is that you?”

I nodded and pointed at Midnight. “Watcher this is Midnight, Midnight this is Watcher,” I then pointed a hoof at the spritebot to indicate Watcher.

“So?” Watcher said. “I see you found yourself a friend.”

I nodded, but Watcher continued, “Where are you off to now?”

“New Saddle” I informed, “Somepony in Cantal thinks there might be a water talisman in the M.A.S hub out there.”

Watcher didn't seem to acknowledge this information and instead asked, “You didn't just use that tunnel over there did you?”

“Yeah we did,” I said feeling a growing dread thinking of the place. “Never again” I told him taking a glance at Midnight.

“You do realise that you could have just used the valley nearby right? The one that is safe,” he said matter-of-factly behind the robotic tone.

I looked back at Midnight and judging from the look on her face she didn't know about this either.

Watcher went on as if in a hurry, “You don’t happen to know your virtue, do you Amethyst?”

“A whaty what what now? I asked flabbergasted by the use of a small word that I had not heard of before.

“A Virtue” he said again.

“And what’s that?” I asked trying hard not to facehoof.

His robotic voice broke out, “Well. Let’s use Fluttershy as an example as you clearly already know about her. Fluttershy’s virtue is kindness. There are other virtues as well; laughter and honesty are a few other examples.”

“Oh right. I already have one.” I said confidently before scowling. “My virtue is failure. After all that is all I’ve been good at all my life.”

“That’s not true” Midnight said to me.

“You as well” Watchers voice rang out, “Find yourself a virtue as well Midnight. Anyway I got to go see you two.”

“Watcher wait,” I shouted at the spritebot.

With the sound of static music flared back into the spritebot. I grabbed it telekinetically and shook it again, but Watcher did not return. The music faded out and somepony began to speak.

“Hello Equestria. This is Red Eye. Together with unity, we will rebuild Equestria...” The voice that was speaking had a boring learnt-by-heart speech. My attention waned.

Midnight said, “Do you really want to listen to Red Eye?”

“Not really,” I replied.

Midnight facehoofed as she pushed me away from the spritebot breaking my levitation field on it as it zoomed away.

“He did that last time as well.” I said feeling a little pissed that Watcher just cut me off like that.

Something else came to mind though so I asked, “Who’s Red Eye?”

“Some slaver stallion that has a base in Fillydelphia. Thinks he rules Equestria or something like that,” Midnight replied. “His radio channel sucks, all he does is drone on about how he can make Equestria better and in between his speeches horrible tuba music is all there is to listen to. Nopony listens to it.”

“He uses slaves?” I asked horrified.

Midnight nodded.

“That’s. That’s vile.” I said. Yet it made me wonder. How would you rebuild Equestria to its former glory using slave labour? How could you rule as well as Luna and Celestia when everypony at your rule hates you?

Midnight went on, “ponies are sold to slave camps like his. It has turned into a major trade and earns quite a few caps.”

I felt my skin crawl at the thought and I didn't reply.

* ** ** ** *

As we made it into the former outer suburbs, old houses that resembled nothing but wooden skeletons on streets, some with bent and rusted mailboxes began to appear. On the skyline I could see tall dark buildings resembling nothing but dark skeletal structures in the fading light.

“We should find some shelter soon,” Midnight mentioned. She echoed my thoughts as I began to shiver a little in the dropping temperature. “We don't want to be out in the open during the night.”

I nodded and said, “been there, done that, never again,” thinking of my freezing night by the river.

Crack

BLAM BLAM

My EFS flared three Red Hostiles as bullets struck the gravelly ground near our hooves.

Midnight took to the air as I looked at who was firing.

The hostiles were in a small house that was still intact somewhat, patched together with wooden batons and steel sheeting. I could see a unicorn aiming a gun through a shattered upstairs window.

BLAM BLAM

I felt a bullet hit my left shoulder with an iron fist punch. It didn't penetrate the barding but I could feel a bruise coming on.

I pulled out my rifle and I galloped a little closer weaving in an S formation to make myself harder to shoot. I slipped into SATS and almost took the shot when a memory came to my mind freezing me to the spot. A memory of the raider compound and the feeling of killing another pony, I gritted my teeth and killed SATS.

BZATTTZZZ

I was hit by something. Something that made my nerves light up on fire causing me to hit the ground in agony.

BLAM

I felt a bullet pass through my hind leg as I heard

Rtatataattatatata followed by a scream.

The agony stopped but I could feel the searing pain in my hind leg as I got up. A unicorn stallion ran out of the front door pointing a gun at me. I slid into SATS as I heard another round of

Rtatatata

He then collapsed in a bloody heap.

“AMETHYST!”

Midnight landed next me and she looked thunderous. My ears perked back as she lifted a forehoof.

WHACK

She backhoofed me across the face then grabbed me aggressively. “Do not fucking do that again” She screamed at me, “Do that and you fucking die!”

I was shaking from the pain in my leg and how angry Midnight was at me.

“Now look at your leg,” She said less aggressively. “That could have been avoided.” She looked at me sadly and said in a sympathetic voice “Amethyst. If they shoot at you, you shoot back. That’s the rules out here. Don’t follow the rules and you die.”

I nodded feeling upset with myself. “I don’t want to kill,” I finally managed to say quietly.

Midnight shook her head. “And you think I do? If you want to survive out here then you’re going to have to get used to it.” Midnight took a breath then finally said, “Now take off that barding so we can fix your leg up.”

Midnight helped me out of my comfortably warm barding exposing the lower half of my body to the freezing air as it penetrated my wound causing it to go numb.

I poured some of the alcohol onto my wound, I gasped at the pain and almost dropped the bottle. The alcohol felt like liquid ice.

Midnight grabbed it and put the lid back on and pushed a healing potion at me which I drank. The wound healed quite well leaving my skin raw and slightly scabbed where the bullet hole was, leaving my white coat stained maroon around the wound. I then put my lower barding back on, once again feeling warm.

“Time to loot this place I think,” Midnight said looking at the small yet damaged two story house.

Midnight pushed the front door open and I followed her through the door feeling deflated after being scolded. I could still feel where she struck my face. My thoughts were extinguished when we walked into an abattoir.

The house smelt of death and pony corpses were strung up, defiled and skinned. Blood stained the floor and I almost vomited when I looked at a pile of meaty rotting bones piled in the corner.

“Midnight?” I asked softly trying not to breathe. She looked at me indicating I was allowed to talk to her despite what happened outside “Can we be quick in here please?”

She nodded and pointed a hoof at a safe under the stairs next to a terminal.

I went up to it and plugged my pipbuck in at top speed wanting to get out of this horrifying place. I hacked the terminal easily and I downloaded all the information it had. I then unlocked the safe being done in less than 30 seconds.

“Wow Amethyst. You have an eye for these terminals” Midnight stated.

I nodded and levitated the entire contents of the safe into my saddlebags. Midnight went off upstairs to loot up there. I looted the downstairs area and found a few locked ammo boxes and a locked first aid box, the yellow butterflies stained with dry blood. I floated these into my saddlebags as well without pausing to unlock them. On the bench I found a small gun and some bullets and put these away too.

Midnight came downstairs, her saddlebags bulging and we both left the building gasping for fresh air when we exited the building.

“Let’s find someplace to settle down for the night, “I said as we finished our little break for fresh air.

“Agreed,” Midnight replied, “before more raiders show up at this place.”

* ** ** ** *

“This isn’t much shelter but it'll do,” Midnight said happily, steam pouring out of her mouth in the cold. She was pointing a hoof at a small rusted metal garden shed with an intact but grimy window, the rusted door hung from the top hinge. The shed was located in what had once been the back yard of a house that was nothing but a concrete slab with twisted metal re-bars poking out of the concrete.

It wasn’t much but it was the best we could find so we sidled inside and closed the door. I turned my pipbuck light on and we took off our saddlebags. I laid on my stomach and crossed my hooves before letting out a sigh and wiped my forehoof across my forehead.

Midnight was lying on her stomach as well, her wings dropping a little. I could see on her face that she was exhausted.

Stomach aching with hunger I pulled out an old tin of carrot, corn and pea soup along with a spoon from my saddlebags now laying in the corner of the shed. I pulled the top of the tin from the O Ring magically to reveal the contents. I had gotten used to eating this old food and it wasn’t too bad.

I levitated the spoon and began to spoon the contents into my mouth hungrily in a way that would probably have caused my mother to pass out.

“Wantchshum?” I asked through a mouthful of food.

Midnight smiled at me amused before saying, “Sure.”

She pulled out a bowl from her saddlebags and I tipped some of mine into it and she started to eat as well.

When we were finished, Midnight gave a little hiccup before telling me in a tired but amused voice, “Every time I’ve seen you eat. You eat like a lady. It’s funny seeing you eat like that” she gave a little giggle.

I smiled at her before saying, “I was hungry. But I think you’re cute when you eat despite the mess you make around your muzzle.” I clopped my hoof to my mouth. I said it without thinking and felt myself go red. I attempted to correct what I said but when I opened my muzzle nothing came out but a little squee. This made it worse.

Midnight laughed so hard tears leaked from her eyes. Gasping for air she said, “Amethyst you, you are an adorable thing, you know that. I could cook an egg on your face it’s that red.”

I felt so embarrassed and I didn't dare open my muzzle again until I no longer felt that burning sensation around my neck and face.

“Let’s put some music on,” I said to Midnight thinking I needed some music just to distract me. I turned my radio on to the soft mellow tunes of Sweetie Belle humming along to the mellow beat.

The song ended and DJ Pon-3’s voice sounded through the radio.

Goooood Evening Equestria.

This is DJ Pon-3 bringing you the soft tunes of Sweetie Belle all the way from Manehattan.

Let’s start with the news shall we…

Seems some Steel Rangers are pilfering through stable forty one and some ponies got caught in the crossfire. I’d recommend everypony to stay away from stable Forty one. If you don't know where this is it is south of Manehattan. Do not approach the steel rangers, especially if you have any technology that they might want.

We also have some sad news from north eastern Equestria that saddleshore was hit by a freak storm that caused much of the town to fall from the cliffs and into the ocean. There are some casualties and the remaining town is currently inaccessible due to eight feet of snow falling in a single night.

We have some happier news.

That bright white mare from stable eight six is on the move again everypony. She seems to be heading into New Saddle and she single hoofedly took out another raider house a few hours trot from the old train tunnel near Cantal.

Anypony who sees her say hi from me.

I facehoofed when DJ Pon-3 said this. All I managed was to get shot. I opened my muzzle to protest but Midnight put a hoof to her muzzle indicating for me to hold my tongue

-to tomorrows weather.

To the north of Equestria from Trottingham to Stalliongrad we have reports of falling snow and a possibility of Blizzards. Cantal is expecting about an inch of snow overnight, New Saddle expecting thick fog and possibility of snow or sleet, New Appaloosa will be cold and cloudy…

I stopped listening to the weather after this. I didn’t really care if it was snowing in Stalliongrad or if it was raining in Manehattan.

How did DJ Pon-3 got this information about me? We have seen no ponies except for the raiders. And they were dead. The only other explanation I could think of was that I had an extremely cunning and sneaky stalker.

I couldn’t hold what I wanted to say to Midnight so my muzzle burst open as I said, “Where is this DJ Pon-3 getting this stuff from. I didn’t ‘single hoofedly’ take out those raiders. All I did was get shot while you saved my hide.”

Midnight nodded then said, “Yeah but you’re the hero. Not me.”

I shook my head. Midnight couldn't be any more wrong. I tried to protest but Midnight interrupted me.

“You are the mare from the stable, innocent and kind. You took out that raider compound with no combat experience and saved the ponies inside and now ponies think you are something to look up to. Something that everypony should be doing. I think DJ is pushing you into the limelight as a beacon of hope. This wasteland is tough Amethyst and really I am not expecting any praise from anypony for saving you. The only thing I do expect is that somepony learnt from it.” She gave me a glare with her stark red eyes.

I cringed and said even though I disagreed with most of what she said, “Yeah I guess so.”

“Well we better get some rest so we can get up nice and early tomorrow to make better time,” Midnight advised.

I knew she was exhausted so I nodded and turned the radio off halfway through another Sweetie Belle song. I was going to sort my saddlebags tonight to get rid of the junk and keep the useful stuff I gathered from the raider house. I would just do that tomorrow morning before we leave.

I found myself the softest patch of dirt in the shed I could and curled up before turning my pickbuck light off which plunged us into complete darkness. I did one last scan of my EFS and only found Midnights green blip near me. I looked at Midnights green blip for a few seconds before turning off my EFS thinking; My companion, my saviour, the mare I like a lot, the mare that I could love, the mare that could never be mine. I sighed and turned off my EFS and fell into the darkness of sleep.

* ** ** ** *

I felt somepony’s hooves on my side shaking me, “Amethyst?” whispered a voice, “Amethyst wake up.”

I jerked awake. “Midnight?” I groaned and looked through the darkness. Her scarlet eyes looking down at me, I saw a smile break on her muzzle.

“You were really asleep,” she said laughing a little before continuing, “It’s time to get going.”

I pushed myself to my hooves and turned my pipbuck light on, feeling the burning of the eyes as they adjusted to the sudden light. I sidled over to my saddlebags and mumbled to Midnight, “Just need to sort my saddlebags from the items we got yesterday.”

I heard Midnight snicker before saying, “I think you need to sort your mane as well.”

I levitated my mirror from my saddlebags that I kept in my toiletries bag. My mane was a bird’s nest. I facehoofed then levitated out my brush and started to attack my mane pulling out all the knots.

When I was done I started shifting through my saddlebags sorting junk from useful items.

Most of the things I pulled from the safe were old decrepit paper documents that I threw away. I found another memory orb that my Pipbuck read as being “Summer Sun Festival party at Bon Bon and Lyra’s.”

I found ammo for my shotgun and rifle as well as some for Midnights assault rifles. The rest did not fit any of our guns. I found some of those metal apple things that Midnight and my pipbuck called, “Grenades,” and a Stealth Buck that read differently than the prototype I had before “Renders the user invisible for five minutes.” I also found some caps, pre-war coins and a spark battery.

I checked my pipbuck for the information I downloaded from the terminal and found some documents from the raiders. I would read these later as Midnight clearly wanted to get away so quickly.

Midnight pushed a memory orb to me saying, “I think you should have this. It’s quite useless to me.” I picked it up and put it in my saddlebags reading what the memory was from my Pipbuck, “Amethyst Star, trip to Canterlot for interview with Twilight Sparkle.” I looked at the name. She had my name. Amethyst.

Levitating and strapping my saddlebags in place I finally said to Midnight, “ok let’s go.”

We stepped out of the shed into cold, humid and grey nothingness. I could only see about eight feet in front of me and nothing else.

“What’s going on?” I asked Midnight. “What is this, why can’t we see. I looked through the heavy grey and could see hundreds of thousands of tiny particles floating through the air.

Midnight looked like she tried hard not to facehoof. “This is Fog. You haven’t seen fog before?”

I shook my head.

Midnight sighed as I led the way guided by the arrow on my compass, “Fog for a better word is basically clouds on the ground.”

“Right, so this is water?” I asked as I waved a hoof in front of me seeing the tiny droplets of water move fast as they were blown from the wave of my hoof.

Midnight nodded before saying, “you should keep your EFS up so we can see enemies before they see us.”

“Right” I said. I activated my EFS with the only light being Midnight. I privately thought it didn't really matter if it was on or off and it only gave us a slight advantage as we couldn’t really shoot much with this fog clouding our vision like this.

I felt something catch my forehoof and I fell into the dusty ground smacking my chin on the asphalt hard causing stars to appear in my vision, “owie,” I squealed tasting the coppery blood in my mouth.

“Gee Amethyst, your so clumsy,” Midnight muttered offering a helping hoof.

“Thanks,” I muttered wiping my grazed chin with a hoof and looked at what I tripped on, which turned out to be a pot hole.

I floated out my canteen and drank some water to wash the blood away. Midnight and I continued as I thought scathingly, stupid fog, stupid road, stupid me, stupid wasteland.

* ** ** ** *

After a few hours the air seemed to get darker yet the fog seemed a little thinner. I was just about to ask Midnight if she was up to taking a fifteen minute break when a red blip popped up on my EFS.

“Midnight hostile ahead,” I whispered as I floated out my rifle and pointed it into the grey mist directly at the direction as Midnight took to the air.

I fired once and the red blip went out.

I blinked, was it gone? Did I hit it? I couldn’t have hit it. I was a bad shot even with my EFS let alone hitting it manually or blind.

“Amethyst?” called Midnight from the mist, “How the hell did you hit that? Was that a lucky shot or?”

I trotted over to where Midnight was. I found a tusked beast looking thing lying on the ground with a bullet hole in its forehead.

“Lucky shot,” was all I could say.

I did a double take as I saw Midnight take out a knife and started to skin the thing I killed.

“What in Luna’s name are you doing?” I asked shocked as she began to cut meat away from it.

“Collecting the meat for food,” she replied.

“You’re going to eat that,” I asked shocked. “Ponies don’t eat meat.”

The look she gave me showed that she was a little sympathetic at my ignorance and a part of the look she gave me also told me I was wrong.

“Rad Hog is good, it's quite delicious” she replied. “You will eat it because food is scarce. We take what we can and if it’s edible and safe then we eat it.”

I shook my head telling her, “I’m not eating that”

She looked at me and scowled. “Fine, you can starve tonight while I eat double helpings.”

I gritted my teeth adamant that I was not going to eat it.

Midnight finished cutting up the meat and put it into a plastic pack before tying it and putting it in her saddlebags. She then looked over to me and sighed.

“I’m sorry Amethyst but you're not going to eat all our good food because you’re too squeamish to try something new. I have eaten this before and I can assure you. It is not poisonous and will not make you sick.”

I trusted her but still it was meat so that’s what I told her, “Its Meat. I’m not eating it.”

“Amethyst you’re as stubborn as a mule,” she said starting to look a little irritated.

“No I’m not,” I said stubbornly. “I’m not eating it.”

Midnight just shook her head and we continued without rest.

* ** ** ** *

After a few hours we decided to take a rest at an old fuel station. It had started to snow outside and thought it would be worth taking a breather.

The fuel station was a mess. The walls were cracked and were covered in graffiti, the ceiling inside sagged, the tiles were broken up, and the tills were smashed. The place had been thoroughly trashed.

It was not the best place to take a rest, but it was better than a tin garden shed with four squared meters of room.

* ** ** ** *

Midnight lit a fire in the grate in the office at the back and used broken chairs and paperwork to fuel it.

I opened the door telekinetically and stepped out of the door as Midnight looked back, she said “Where are you going?”

I poked my head back in the office telling her a little defensively, “looking for stuff of value.”

“Ok be careful,” she replied as I stepped back out into the very messy and damaged hallway.

I went through to the counter. I saw that the tills were smashed to oblivion and looted. Under the counter was a safe that had dents and scorch marks on it. It looked like somepony had attempted to blow it open.

The curiousness of this enticed my curiosity. I took a quick look around to make sure I couldn’t get into it via terminal, however the terminal was smashed.

I sighed and pulled out my lock picking tools. I began to pick at the lock with the bobby pin with little luck. I tried to carefully move the pins but they kept getting jammed or my bobby pin would slip against the tumblers causing them to snap back down.

Finally the bobby pin broke. I levitated the broken pin out and slid a second in and tried once again until it broke. I tried with my third and tried to not break it but that too snapped. My curiousness pushed me to keep trying so I pushed a fourth one and gritted my teeth feeling extremely frustrated.

I tried a different tact. I pushed down hard on the screw driver putting a very large amount of pressure on the chamber of the lock and pushed the bobby pin inside and raked the bobby pin extremely hard against the tumblers. I felt and heard a soft rush of clicking but the lock did not move. I withdrew the bobby pin and looked inside to see one tumbler at the back. I couldn't move it with the bobby pin and I didn't want to take pressure off the chamber. Instead I doubled the pressure of the screwdriver, putting strain on my magic almost to the point that I did in the tunnel when levitating myself.

I prayed to Celestia for the lock to give as I began to breath deeper to maintain pressure until finally

BANG

The lock gave way as the tiny tumbler inside broke causing the lock to give way and the door to swing open.

I looked inside curiousness welling inside me. I was hoping my efforts would pay off but when I looked inside it was completely empty. I felt extreme anger whip up inside me like a storm.

“Fuck you” I bellowed at the safe and I slammed the door of the safe telekinetically which let off a massive BANG that echoed throughout the fuel station.

I bucked the safe letting off some of the steam but missed and my hind legs sank through the decayed wooded counter instead causing me to almost fall face forward onto the broken tiles.

My hind legs became wedged in the decrepit counter and I attempted to pull them free. Unfortunately they were jammed. Feeling incredibly pissed I wrapped a levitation field around the counter to lighten it and pulled forwards and felt my hind legs come free. The counter teetered, causing the extremely heavy safe to land on top of me which knocked the wind out of me. I then felt the counter smash over the top of myself and the safe.

I heard Midnight shout, “Amethyst? What the fuck are you doing out here?”

“I’m ok,” I shouted at Midnight from under the safe still squashing me into the ground.

I levitated the safe off me. I then levitated the counter and pushed that off me as well and stood on my hooves. Midnight was already in the room.

Midnight flew over to me looking stern, “Can’t you even loot things without hurting yourself?” she asked.

I scowled at her then said, “I’m ok. The safe just didn’t have anything in it.”

Midnight looked at the wreckage that I just made. She pointed at it saying “It looked like you tried to murder the safe and what it was sitting on.”

I then gritted my teeth and said, “I’m going to look in the bathrooms” thinking of medical supplies.

Midnight tagged along with me.

* ** ** ** *

We went back into the office after looting and found a single healing potion in a locked medical box I picked open.

The fire had made the room nice and warm.

I took off all my barding and clothing allowing the warmth of the flames to lick at my coat which had bruises beginning to well up. My right flank was still crusted with blood from the previous day.

Midnight uncorked the healing potion making me look up at her. She pushed the bottle forcefully into my muzzle which I drank causing my bruises to heal.

“Don’t make me waste another one Amethyst,” she said stiffly. Her expression softened before saying, “I’m sorry. I just don’t want to see you hurt.”

Without further ado Midnight left the room to “gather some things,” leaving me feeling guilty for wasting the only healing potion we managed to find. We still had a few left but I didn't like wasting them.

So to distract me I laid in front of the fire on an old torn hearth rug absorbing its warmth and throwing in a chair leg telekinetically every now and then.

Midnight came back through the door with a rope tied around her pulling a verity of objects strapped around an old sheet that was being dragged behind her. The objects were what looked like junk. A few bricks, a sheet of metal, a cooking pot, it looked like she went through a lot of effort just to get them here.

“You know,” I said looking at her. “I could have just levitated all that stuff and brought them in here in 10 seconds flat. If you need help just ask.”

Midnight whinnied, “You need some rest so I thought I would...”

But I cut her off, “I need rest? You’re the one doing all the work,” I pointed out getting to my hooves.

She just shook her head then said, “okay you want to help, set these up like a hotplate,” she pointed to the bricks and sheet of metal, "and put it in the fire.”

I did as she asked.

“Take this,” she said passing a hoof with an old rusted spatula.

I levitated it and said, “What?” but my question was answered as Midnight pulled out a bag filled with meat and blood.

I facehoofed.

“Oh Amethyst, Come on,” said Midnight, “its food, if you don’t want to eat it then fine. But you're cooking it.”

I gritted my teeth floating out the glutinous dripping meat and placed them onto the hotplate with a loud Tssss.

“Now just cook them until they are brown. Then we... I mean. I eat,” said Midnight.

She then sat back and watched me cook while I shot dirty looks in her direction.

When the meat was cooked my own stomach aching with hunger, I threw them in Midnights bowl and passed them to her scowling as I watched her eat the meat. She was pulling faces of pleasure at eating in front of me making groaning and umm yum, omnomnom sounds.

So I pulled out a memory orb at random and waved a hoof at her as I let myself be taken inside it.

========OooO…OooO========

The feeling of hunger and the wafting smell of food left me as well as the hot warmth was replaced by a fresh and flowery scented air, the air was warm but a different warm that I left behind. It was a pleasant fresh warm, not a dry hot warm from the fire. I was standing in the backyard of somepony's house over two hundred years ago. The grass was green, flowers grew in the garden beds and birds flew across the sky that was bright blue and a great ball of light high in the sky. Celestia’s sun was high above me. Ponies had gathered for some kind of get together. My host was once again a unicorn mare.

“Ohhh Lyra,” called a pastel yellow earth pony with a blue and pink mane.

“Yes?” my host called out.

“Could you grab the potato from inside please?” she asked.

“Sure thing,” my host said and she wandered up to the door, opened it telekinetically and dragged out the bowl of potato and put it on the table with all the other food.

I was glad my host was not overly hungry. If I saw all this back with Midnight my eyes would pop out and my stomach would demand I eat some.

My host sat down next to the yellow earth pony who then nuzzled her cheek and gave her a little kiss when she sat. I myself felt a little excited but my host didn't think much of it. They must be a couple was the first thing that came into my head.

Everypony at the table was gathering food and drinking alcohol, a purple pony with an even purpler mane looked tipsy as she chatted to a stallion next to her.

My host began to pile food onto her plate and she leaned over and whispered in the yellow pony’s ear, “Do you want some bacon Bon Bon?”

Bon Bon shook her head as she ate from her own plate.

My host levitated some charred looking meat onto her plate and judging from the amount of meat still on the platter not many ponies had chosen to eat it.

Oh no no no I thought. Please no. I entered this memory orb to get away from this, not to eat it.

My host levitated the meat with some green food and ate hungrily, the meat was a little chewy and salty but not unpleasant.

Somepony next to my host that was not Bon Bon leaned over and said in a mare’s tone, “Princess Celestia really out did herself this year at the celebrations didn’t she?”

Lyra nodded still eating before the same pony continued to speak

“And your skills on the lyre are truly amazing the way you performed at the sunrise this morning. Don’t be surprised if the Princess herself invites you to the Grand Galloping Gala this year,” She said clearly thrilled with Lyra’s ability on this instrument.

My host swallowed and I felt a hoof touch my hosts face as Bon Bon turned Lyra’s face to her before saying softly, “That’s because she’s my Lyra, the music you make makes my heart melt,” before planting a kiss on my hosts lips.

If I was in my own body I would have taken off in excitement at being kissed by another mare but all Lyra did was smile and say, “I love you too Bonnie.”

When everypony had eaten their fill I felt my host rise to her hooves.

She filled her lungs with air before saying loudly so everypony could hear her, “hello everypony, thank you for eating at out little function here at our home. I would like to play for you and have given it some thought before deciding to do so. I have come up with a new tune and I would like to treat you to it. Nopony except for Bon Bon has heard this yet, so I hope you all like it.

I felt my host tense and heat up with nervousness as she levitated a lyre that was sitting on the table. She levitated it so it was in her view but at head height. The yellowish telekinetic sheath then applied to all the strings on the lyre as she began to play.

The tune was seemingly beautiful. I felt the music tug at my heartstrings, I felt it penetrate my soul. The beauty of the music echoed through my ears. I felt my host bob her head once at a brief pause then continued. I had never heard something so beautiful. Everypony at the table had fallen completely silent listening to the resonating beauty of the music.

The music ended with a magnificent long final note and everypony clopped their hooves. I felt my host wipe her forehead with a hoof and a smile broke across her muzzle.

My vision dissolved into blackness as the memory ended.

========OooO…OooO========

It took me a second to realise I was back in my body. I felt a salty taste in my mouth as I got up. Midnight was looking at me with a huge smirk breaking across her muzzle.

“Whuat?” I asked suspiciously and a piece of meaty something fell out of my mouth. I scowled at her “What did you do?”

She laughed and said, “put a piece of meat in your mouth,” she said snickering. “I mean I can do anything I want to you while you’re in those memory orbs, you don’t notice anything.”

I scowled and as I did so my stomach gave a huge rumble. I gritted my teeth and I snatched the bowl of meat away from Midnight and telekinetically ate the meat. It tasted a little salty and bitter and was a little chewy but I didn’t care, I was hungry and I practically ate meat in the memory anyway.

“Well look who’s decided to eat the meat. You see, I told you that you would eat it if you were hungry enough,” said Midnight looking very amused indeed.

I squinted at her giving her a death stare, “I'm only eating it because you were the one wafting it around and eating in front of me while I’m starving.” I then pointed a hoof at her, “And also because you thought it would be funny to fill my mouth with it while I was out.”

When I was done I laid on my back clutching my belly. The meat was like a dead weight and I didn’t know if I liked it very much. But at least I wasn’t hungry anymore.

“What was in the memory orb?” asked Midnight curiously.

Still lying in my back I responded, “Some mare that played the lyre during a function they call, ‘the summer sun festival.’ She reminded me a little of you for some reason,” referring to the eating of meat.

“Amethyst, are you ok?” asked Midnight as I rubbed my aching belly.

“Belly ache” I said to her, “No doubt from that meat you made me eat.”

“It’ll pass” said Midnight confidently.

* ** ** ** *

Seeing as we would be staying the night I decided to use the spare time to read through the material I took from the terminal at the raider house.

Entry 42:

“Them slavers passing through make good caps when we charge the earth for passage to New Saddle. Just yesterday we made two thousand caps from threatinin them and the slaves they had.

Had a few fight back a week back and they had fifteen thousand fucking caps on them as well as the ten slaves they had. All the slaves we got as an added bonus once we killed em.

“More caps fer us. Got them slaves and made ‘em fight in the little ring we made out back. Put a colt an filly together and tha’ filly killed tha’ little colt. Couldn’t believe it but so we put ‘er up with Bard who taught ‘er a lesson tha’ colts are king, so he killed her. Good job too. Not that it mattered we just killed most of ‘em and sold the biggest stallions away to passing slavers.

I stared at this shocked. This monster talking of killing innocent ponies and boasting about it and putting foals into a ring and make them fight. My stomach rebelled as I imagined a filly and colt with guns or knives fighting with each other all bloodied and injured.

I moved onto the next entry

Entry 44:

“Fucken dickheads up at New Saddle directin’ travellers through a new fucking route half a day’s trot to the north, we are goin’ broke cause of them assholes. Haven’t made any caps fer over a fortnight. Had Berk go send up five of us an leave three of us behind. Says they be back with twenty k caps when they get back in a few days. Better fucking hurry up or we might have to move.

I moved onto the next one

Entry 45:

“It’s been ten fuckin’ days and Berk and his mob still haven’t returned. It’s almost fucking winter and he is still out there. Maybe they got killed. We will need to wait out winter than move on to another post. We livin’ off scraps already but we should be fine. We migh’ get couple of stragglers come past and if so then we loot the food they have fer more and cut them up fer food.

Argh yuuuk they eat ponies. Argh these raiders are sick. Celestia damn them I thought.

But then I remembered. We killed them anyway so they cannot kill any more ponies.

I looked over to Midnight who looked content while sorting her things in her saddlebags. Maybe she’s right. Maybe these ponies did deserve to die.

I looked at the other data which were all images.

I opened the first one which showed a defiled pony corpse, in my haste to get rid of it I moved to the next one which was even worse. It was a blank flank filly bound and beaten. She was bleeding heavily and was crying, a mustard coloured buck was standing over her with an evil grin.

I felt a tear leek down my cheek as a cold wave a fury erupted through my body that lit my nerves on fire. I gave a sniff and looked away.

“Amethyst are you ok?” asked Midnight.

“Yes I am,” I replied more aggressively than I was supposed to.

“No you’re crying,” she said, “What’s wrong?”

I bit my lower lip and showed her my pipbuck thinking privately that she would not want to know.

Midnight recoiled at the image. “Amethyst delete that shit. That’s fucked up, where did you get that?” Midnight asked shocked.

“I got it from that place we went to yesterday, that raider place, from that terminal” I replied. I exited the folder that contained the images and found that it had about seventy eight inside. I hit delete.

My anger starting to ebb away leaving me feeing hollow.

I finally told Midnight, “There. Gone.”

Footnote: Level Up

New Perk: Precision -- You now have improved aim outside of SATS!

Chapter 7: Attack

The following day, Midnight and I left the old fuel station to a much clearer and more visible day. It was rather dark still with the heavy cloud cover however we could see the buildings begin to come into greater perspective as we could see the city of New Saddle come into view. Between us and the tall buildings were elevated highways that were collapsed in many areas leaving huge expanses of road on towering concrete pillars.

The ground was covered in about half an inch of snow from the previous day as we trudged towards New Saddle while I kept an eye on the EFS.

My EFS began to show lots of red blips showing all kinds of random “Hostiles” most of which were just radroaches and other insects that could be bucked or hit which would be enough to kill them. Most of the hostiles were not even hostile unless we walked within two feet of them. I turned the radio on and listened to beats from Sapphire Shores, Sweetie Belle and Fleur De Lis.

Midnight kept getting me to sing and I just shook my head. I couldn’t sing in front of other ponies. Not even Midnight.

Midnight could hold the tune quite well but sounded scratchy at times. I laughed when her voice slipped or broke and she kept nudging me moaning “Aww Amethyst sing with me. C’mon”

“Argh, Midnight. Really?” I moaned.

“Yes, sing… come along.

“We all live out in Equestria

In this homeland we call Equestria

Oh the love we give for our princesses

For the Luna of grace and of Celestia the noble”

I cringed and joined in.

“We all live out in Eques—“

Midnight broke off looking at me a little stunned.

“I-I’m not that that bad am I?”

Midnight shook her head a said, “continue, by yourself.”

“But I’m bad” I moaned.

“No you’re not. Sing please. For me?” she whinnied “Please.”

Ugh “Fine.’ I grunted

“-love we give for our princesses

For the Luna of—“I felt my voice slip and facehoofed.

“Amethyst, you are actually an alright singer” Midnight advised.

I looked at her waiting for her to laugh, or to make a joke. But she didn’t.

“You’re kidding aren’t you?” I told her, my eyes squinting at her suspiciously.

Her face held straight and she shook her head.

“Really?” I asked feeling a little light. Singing was fun in my opinion. I never did it in front of anypony, normally while alone in my room or when at work.

She nodded “really. You should sing more Amethyst.”

“Nah not now thanks” I muttered. Even still I was too shy to sing in front of anypony. Not even Berry.

Thankfully too, three green blips appeared on my pipbuck as we walked and took a look at who it was. A single pony with a giant two headed cow and a small flying robotic phoenix were approaching us.

“Ahh, a merchant” Midnight told me as she approached. Midnight then flew up to the ragged earth pony mare with me picking up my pace.

“Howdy” the mare said saluting us. Midnight landed in front of her and extended a hoof which the blue earth pony mare took “Hey. Whatcha got for sale?” Midnight asked looking at the two headed cow.

“How much is that?” I interrupted pointing a hoof at the robotic phoenix.

“Oh, she’s not for sale. Can’t sell mah pets can I? Only thing that keeps me sane” the merchant told me.

I expected that and the merchant turned back to Midnight.

As Midnight bartered, I took a look at the two headed cow. What a mutation I thought. Why does she have a two headed cow? I mean I could see it carries the merchants stuff.

I looked up at the merchant “You don’t happen to have any guns?” I asked.

“Ahh… No sorry. I sold them all to a town just over there.” The merchant pointed a hoof behind her.

“Oh. Ok” I muttered. I wanted to see if I could pick up some better guns for cheaper. But that idea blew away in the wind.

“Anyway” she said turning to Midnight, “Ah’ll catch ya’ll later. Great doing business”

“Bye” I murmured watching her walk away with her pet robot and cow.

“What did you get?” I asked as Midnight as she packed tins into her saddlebags.

“Food, for your squeamish stomach.” She advised

“Hey that’s not fair” I mumbled.

“Feel like more meat tonight?”

“No” I mumbled. “Thank You” I added as an afterthought.

“Why do you want another gun?” Midnight asked me curiously

“Well… The shotgun is good when close. But it’s still a little big for my liking.” I told her, “a smaller gun, like a powerful but small gun.” I felt dumb. I did not know enough about guns to know what kind of gun I was after. It was probably a good thing that the merchant had no guns. It would have saved me the embarrassment.

Midnight put a hoof to her chin “I suppose we can take the day off? Head into town, spend the night? Have a wash?”

Now that was an idea. “I’m in” I said giving Midnight a hug before quickly withdrawing flushing slightly. “Which way?” I asked in a bid to not stray into awkwardness.

“Merchant says this way” Midnight advised pointing a hoof in the direction the merchant was moving from.

* ** ** ** *

Sure enough, after a 30 minute trot we found ourselves through the security gate and in the town of Hoofling. This town lacked the majesty of Cantal. Unlike the spires and cobblestone streets, this town was mostly made of train carts, trucks and scrap metal. Some were piled on top of each other to create two or three story buildings. The ground was mostly just dirt.

The town’s ponies however were bustling between shops, or else talking or working.

“I think we should probably find the tavern first. We’ll need to grab ourselves a room” said Midnight. I nodded taking in the town’s atmosphere but received a clop to the head “Pay attention Amethyst.”

Rubbing the back of my head I asked “Where’s the tavern?”

“Dunno?”

“Excuse me?” I asked a passing peach mare, “Where can we find accommodation?”

She put a hoof to her lip then told me “That building over there.” She pointed at a rough four story building mostly composing of box cars piled on top of each other and held together with sheets of metal. It was towards the back of the town.

“Thank you” I replied turning to Midnight “it looks a bit rough, but it’s got to be better than spending the night inside a tiny metal garden shed.”

* ** ** ** *

After checking into a room it was time to check out the merch’ here. I wanted to go to the gun shop rather badly. I did not know what spurred me on to buying guns, or being interested in tools designed to kill.

When we entered the shop which was laden with all kinds of firearms, I took a look around with Midnight at my hooves.

“Can I help you?” asked a young stallion from behind the counter.

“Uhh…” I mumbled “What kind of small firearms do you have?”

The stallion bustled around the counter and showed me over to a cabinet laden with pistol sized guns “These are our smallest guns. If you are after a small but powerful firearm then you are best to go with the magnum.” He pointed a hoof at a small gun with a large barrel. The scope on it was almost as large as the gun itself.

“How much is the magnum?” I asked looking at the rather mean looking and rather sexy firearm. Wait, did I just think a gun was sexy?

The shop keeper put a hoof on his chin before saying “I think 175 caps is more than-“

Midnight shook her head and told him “175 caps is a bit much, we’ll take it for 125 caps.”

The stallion shook his head “Sorry. I’m not letting it go for that low.”

“I’ll buy it for 140 caps” I piped up looking at the gun “I’ll buy bullets for it too.”

He looked at me biting his lower lip “I’ll give it to you for 150 caps.”

Smiling I nodded as the shop keeper pulled out his keys and unlocked the rusty lock on the cabinet and pulled out the rather large and mean looking pistol.

“What bullets do you want for it?” he asked me placing the gun on the counter and pulling out a variety of boxes containing bullets.

“Type? Don’t all guns just have bullets?” I glanced at Midnight.

The shop keeper sighed “This gun supports .44 bullets; we have a variety of ammo types. Standard, Armour Piercing, Explosive, Poisoned…

The armour piercing ones sounded nice so I asked “How much for the armour piercing rounds?”

He looked up at me and said “13 caps each.”

Fuck that was a lot I thought so I asked Midnight “is that right?”

She nodded “That’s actually quite cheap. Armour piercing rounds are expensive.”

I looked back at the shop keeper and asked “I’ll take twenty five standard rounds.”

He nodded placing a box of twenty five .44 bullets next to the gun I was buying. I then hesitated and finally asked “How much are the explosive rounds?”

“5 caps” he mumbled.

I nodded and told him “I’ll take 10 rounds of them too please.”

He pulled out 10 individual red ringed bullets and placed them on the counter “Is that all?”

I nodded and he grunted “That’ll be 275 caps.”

I pulled out a little sack of caps and placed them on the counter. He began to count and I turned to Midnight “Are you buying anything?”

“I’ll be fine” she replied “I have plenty of rounds.”

“Ok” I intoned as I strapped my new gun to my barding in the leather holster it had come with.

* ** ** ** *

“You’re going to get drunk aren’t you?” I asked when we went back to the tavern and went to the bar for some drinks.

“Probably” Midnight responded as she started drinking her cider.

I couldn’t help but facehoof as I took a sip of my sparkle cola which filled my mouth with the carroty deliciousness.

I still hadn’t had the chance to bath yet and was reluctant to go to the bar but Midnight pointed out most of the ponies there smelled anyway. “And I smell too remember?” she pointed out.

She didn’t smell as bad as I did. In fact her aroma turned me on if anything.

Midnight and I talked over our drinks until a burly looking buck sat himself right next to me. He turned and started “Howdy... New in town?”

I nodded and struck a conversation “Yup, just passing through really and staying for the night.”

The stallion ordered a whisky from the bartender and took a sip before smacking his lips “Where you two gal’s off ta? Mighty dangerous fer two young mares like yerselves out in the wasteland.”

I glanced at him slightly offended that he didn’t think mares could hold their own in the wasteland “we are doing fine. We’re off to New Saddle.”

“New Saddle ehh?” He murmered “Mighty posh that place, kinda like Tenpony I guess, best be getting there quick, its cold out.”

“Yeah, it’s been a bit cold.” I muttered thinking of the tin shed we slept in.

“Where ya from?” he grunted

“Uhh, I’m actually from a stable” I murmured.

“Stable ehh? Which one?”

“Eighty six, it’s… uhh, near Ponyville I think” I told him

He glanced at me with the corner of his eye “Ah heard ya on the radio bout a week back, DJ says you took out some raiders.”

“Well…. Yeah I did, but it was to save myself see. I didn’t do anything noble.” I told him.

“We’ll ‘s been nice meetin ya white mare. The stallion then trotted away.

I blinked as Midnight mumbled “asshole.”

I just shrugged and ordered another Sparkle Cola.

* ** ** ** *

After a few drinks and some conversations later, a group of ponies began to play live music. I simply listened, soaking up the music as Midnight slowly but surely got more and more drunk.

“Hey everypony” Midnight shouted to everypony in the tavern which was now about twenty or so, “Let’s get Amethyst up to sing, y’know the mare from the radio who saved those ponies.”

Everypony went quiet and I tried to hide “Midnight no, please.”

The band had stopped playing and was resting so Midnight began to push me up to the stage. I dug my hooves into the ground to try and resist. She lifted me and placed me onto the stage. In front of a microphone.

“Midnight” I moaned, “I can’t. I’m dirty and I can’t sing”

Midnight just shrugged as she told the bartender to put on Ode of Equestria, by Sapphire Shores.

The music began to play and I was frozen on the stage. All the ponies behind tables, drinking or smoking, some stopped playing cards to look at the white filly on the stage who was apparently going to sing for them.

My eyes watered… I knew the words to this song and the first part was about to start… I just gulped and sang to save me embarrassment of just standing there to playing music.

“We are all ponies from the land of Equestria

“We are the fighting nation

“We must be quick, swift and here… we will sing the ode of Equestria

“Ode of Equestria

…….

With the final note “Ode…. Of... Equestria….”

I looked at the ponies and many of them clopped their hooves, some of them gave me a whistle causing me to blush. That went better than expected I thought.

That still didn’t stop me from jabbing my hoof on Midnights chest telling her “I will get you for this.”

* ** ** ** *

The band was playing again and I started to soak up the atmosphere. As most ponies were doing, I was clopping to the music as Midnight steadily drank next to me. The band finished with a final strum of a guitar and the band members all nodded at each other before starting a new upbeat song.

I ordered another sparkle cola and continued to listen to the music. “Midnight you ok?” I asked glancing at her.

“m’fine” she mumbled

“I’m going to take you up to the room soon. You have drunk way too much.”

Midnight shook her head and smiled at me “m fine Amethyst, ‘onest”

I shook my head “thirty minutes then we are going up ok?”

She nodded sipping her drink.

BANG

My ears perked and everypony in the tavern froze. The band stopped playing. Some ponies pulled out guns while others looked at each other.

BANG

Booom

It was getting louder. Some ponies rushed up the stairs and the band members stepped off the stage.

The bartender pulled out a rifle in his teeth and dashed out the door.

“Whats going on?” I shouted, “Midnight?”

I shook Midnight but she didn’t move. She was breathing heavily. I thought she might have passed out.

The doors to the tavern burst open and about 10 mean looking ponies entered the tavern, they all had guns.

“Everpony freeze or I’ll blow yer brains out” the stallion at the front shouted.

I froze my heart pounding. I glanced at all the ponies. They were all heavily armed.

“Now… Hand over all yer valuables, caps or anything of worth. Refuse and we’ll take yer life.”

I still had my new gun with me. However it was not loaded and the glow of my horn would probably prompt them to shoot me.

The bandits went around to everypony in the tavern and robbed them of everything. While they were robbing everypony I could still hear gunshots in the distance. Some bandits also took items of worth from the tavern as well as the ponies.

“Is this all ya have? Worthless slime”

BLAM

They shot an elderly stallion sitting at the table in the head right in front of us. I began to shake, my heart pounding. Finally they moved onto me.

The stallion looked at me. A mean smile appearing on his muzzle “Give me all ya got, all yer money or any valuables.”

I nodded still shaking and found my pouch. It only had 50 caps in it. I grabbed it by hoof and passed it over not looking at him.

“Whats this?” he growled “The little filly outside had more caps than you.”

“It’s all I got” I mumbled shaking still “I don’t have any more money.”

He glanced at Midnight “Well then… We’ll just take yer friend instead.”

“NOO!” I shouted throwing myself on top of Midnight.

“Get back bitch… and don’t move.” I felt something metallic push against the back of my head. I knew exactly what it was. Still shaking, I withdrew from Midnight and another stallion picked her up and took her away. Tears began to form as I watched Midnight get taken away. All alone again.

* ** ** ** *

I dashed outsite pulling my magnum out of its holster and loaded it with explosive rounds. Anger spurred me on as it came crashing down in waves, my eyes streaming with tears as I saw a bandit rob an elderly mare. I aimed my new weapon and fired. The gun was about three times louder than my shotgun and with a heavy jolt, the bullet hit the bandit in the side of the head. The bullet exploded upon impact showing the ground in gore.

I felt no remorse as I looked at my EFS for the next bandit.

Bang

I heard a bullet strike the ground near my hooves. I looked for the culprit. It was a unicorn mare who was roughly my age. I did not care as she shot another round at me. She was as responsible for me loosing Midnight as the ponies who took her away.

I felt a bullet hit my barding with a punch, slightly bruising my breast. I shook it off and entered SATS. I fired twice. My first shot missed only just and hit a barrel causing water to go everywhere. My second hit her in the foreleg and it stood no chance. It had severed completely and she hit the ground bleeding out. I turned away and was now facing four bandits against me alone.

I slid into a battle stance and growled. The one in front laughed at me “four on one? Are you some sort of hero?”

“Maybe I AM!!” I screamed at him. “Give back my MIDNIGHT, You took her… give her back or… or… I’ll”

They all laughed again and I took advantage of that.

Bang

The first bandit hit the ground as I jumped back and wrapped my magic around the very dirt on the ground and flicked it up to obscure myself. Unfortunately that worked both ways. I couldn’t see them and they started firing blindly through the dust.

I ripped a sheet of metal from the side of a building and pulled it up like a shield. I then wrapped my magic around all the little dust particles and threw it further up into the air, bringing the remaining ponies back into view.

I pulled my sheet of metal up as they fired then threw it at one of them like a Frisbee which sliced at his neck in a burst of blood. He hit the ground partially decapitated. I pulled up SATS and fired an explosive round at the second mare which hit her in the breast. It blew away part of her barding which took most of the impact but left her mortally wounded. She collapsed onto the ground breathing deeply.

I fired at the final bandit who had dared face me. Face me when I lost the pony I had come to know, the pony that had a special place in my heart. My gun only clicked and I felt my rage increase tenfold. I had finally cracked.

I screamed while tears fell as I ran at the final bandit. He fired but missed. I bowed my head and drove my horn through his breast. I felt the blood and gore splatter the top of my head and felt the warm ooze of blood leak down my forehead into my face. I pulled him off me telekinetically then drove my hoof into his face repeatedly screaming until I felt his face cave in from my blows. I threw his body away from me and it hit the wall of a building with a bloody crunch.

I reloaded my magnum with five standard shots before looking through dark streets screaming out for Midnight.

“Midnight, where are you? Midnight? Midnight?”

I fell into the dirt and cried, banging my hoof into the dusty ground. “Midnight!” I screamed feeling my voice tear.

I heard a voice from behind me “Excuse me missy but are you looking fer a white Pegasus mare? I saw her get taken away not too long ago.”

I turned and the old mare that I saved from getting robbed was standing before me.

I threw myself at her hooves “please, where did she go? I need to find her. Please… Please…”

The elderly mare said croakily “I saw her get taken thata way” and she pointed a hoof behind me, “towards the old train station. That’s where they came from.”

“Thank you… Thank you so much”

She shook her head “Thank you… for helping me, for helping us.”

* ** ** ** *

After collecting my own saddlebags and filling them with Midnight’s medical supplies, I dashed back out and towards where they had been seen. I ran as fast as I could with a stitch building in my side however I ignored it.

I ran up to a train station where a large train was pulled into. Bandits were loading it with their loot and there were way too many for me to get onto the train without being noticed. I pulled the trick once again, wrapping my magic around a large amount of dust and dirt. I threw it across the train station imitating a temporary dust storm. I dashed up to the train wrapping myself in my own field of magic to lighten my weight and jumped into one of the carriages. My only hope was to get to Midnight as they were getting off the train so I waited. It was the longest wait of my life until the train began to pull away from the station.

* ** ** ** *

The train only travelled for about half an hour before it began to slow down. Finally with a lurch the train stopped. I felt my heart quicken as adrenaline began to feed into my body making me feel jumpy. Bandits were beginning to unload the train of their stolen goods. I jumped from the train and dived beneath it waiting. I checked my EFS and could only see red. I waited, watching pony hooves bustle around the platform with boxes, sacks and other larger items.

Finally my EFS picked up a single green light. I poked my head around the wheel and caught a glimpse of a pony surrounded by a group of other ponies carrying a white figure, a tuft of white mane dangling inches from the ground. My heart jumped. Midnight, she was here. I watched carefully and they took her into a warehouse. I couldn’t risk leaving the underneath of the train, I would surely be caught. The train was pulled up at a concrete station and I could not use the dust as a distraction.

A group of ponies stopped right next to the carriage I was lying under. They were talking and laughing. I could smell cigarette smoke. The putrid smell made me want to gag, but I could not make a sound. I would get caught.

“Bah, that town was easy feed, should get some good caps for the lot.”

“Yeah as long as that idiot doesn’t sell our loot for cheap like last time. Fucking idiot.”

I felt my throat constrict and I coughed, my lungs just could not take it anymore.

I jumped behind a train wheel as ponies looked under the train. A pony poked his head around the metallic train wheel and looked right at me. I screamed. He screamed too however I pulled out my gun and shot him. I crawled along under the train as other ponies screamed out.

I rolled out at the opposite side of the train and dashed around the back of the train. I locked on with SATS and shot the three remaining ponies dead before reloading. I then dashed across the platform and into the warehouse where I saw them take Midnight. The warehouse was a maze of wooden crates twelve feet high. My EFS was blazed with red across my compass.

I snuck around the boxes as ponies loaded or shifted boxes trying to be as stealthy as possible. But as inevitable as it seemed, I came face to face with a bandit as I turned a corner and jumped out of my skin when I saw him. Before he could pull out his gun I fired, blowing a hole into his head.

The whole warehouse fell silent. I could still hear the echo of the magnum reverberating on the walls of the warehouse. Before I knew it, I was locked in combat with six ponies. I pulled a box down with my magic and used it as a shield while I fired around it, utilising SATS as I killed each pony that would dare stop me. Stop me from rescuing Midnight.

* ** ** ** *

Finally, I reached a corner and on my EFS a green light was visible. I looked around the corner and saw Midnight in a cage, still unconscious. I prayed to Celestia that she was still ok and jumped around the corner where two guards stood next to the cage. I entered SATS and shot them both.

“Midnight” I wailed “Oh Midnight.”

She did not respond. I looted the two guards of ammo and the keys. I unlocked Midnights cage and found her on the concrete floor. She was bruised and had a few cuts. Her feathers were sticking out at odd angles. I felt rage swirl in my head as I saw that she was hurt but was thankfully still breathing. I let out a sigh of relief.

“Stop right there” a mare bandit shouted “Don’t move.”

I stepped in front of Midnight and fell into a battle stance, “Or what?” I shouted, “You’ll just let me go?” I noted that there were four of them and one of me and I was now in a cage. I could not leave Midnight in case they would shoot her.

“No… we’ll sell ya to Red Eye, or Zenzorth. Whoever gives most caps.”

I stomped and levitated my magnum into position “Fuck no.”

I hit SATS and shot her twice, both bullets hit the target and the moment I left SATS I pulled up my shield which instantly took three bullets and faded. I levitated Midnight and ran out of the cage and dived behind some crates and put her down.

I swapped to my shotgun and rolled from my cover and fired at the next pony twice manually. Both shots missed. I dived back into the cover of the crates. I was such a bad shot when aimed manually. I needed to wait for my SATS to recharge but it was too slow so I jumped back around and fired again. This time I hit my target, only just but it was enough to render his hind leg unusable.

“Stupid bitch. Come out and face us, face your fate, we will have you. And we will get you. We’ll get you and fuck the both of you until you both bleed. Who knows? We might get some foals and we can sell them too.”

“Fuck you” I bellowed, “You’re sick, you lot deserve to be put down.”

“What are you some kind of hero, some kind of pony of the light, you will make no difference.”

I dived around the crate, this time with my magnum and shot the stallion who was shouting at me. I missed his head but it hit him in the breast.

I ran up as fast as I could and entered SATS and killed the other two ponies.

The pony that was shouting was still alive. I pulled out my shotgun and shot him in the head.

* ** ** ** *

I wrapped a bandage around Midnight’s sore leg and patted her feathers down. I sat on my haunches and pull her into a hug attempting to seek comfort from her limp form than anything. I cried with relief that Midnight was back with me and I was no longer alone I was with my friend again. I felt myself draw more strength before pulling her away and giving a small kiss on her nose before tying her onto my back.

I dashed out looking for more bandits. I was by no means done. The pony responsible for hurting Midnight and kidnapping her was going to face my wrath.

I saw a red blip appear on my EFS and saw that it was a stallion lurking around. He was in bandit armour and had a gun levitated next to him. I snuck up on him before wrapping my magic around the gun and overpowered his own magic before pointing it in his face. I faced him, my nose less than an inch from his.

“Who is responsible for this? Who is your leader?” I growled through gritted teeth. I withdrew and pointed my gun between his eyes.

“In-in the building out back, the taller one, top floor.” He gasped looking scared. I looked into his eyes.

BANG

I dropped him and galloped outside to the building “out back.”

I ran into the other building. It was an administration building judging from the old office layout inside. From the outside I could see that this building was about three stories high and the top floor wouldn’t be too hard to get to only if it wasn’t from the red blips on my EFS radar.

I snuck through the ground floor with Midnight on my back. I had proven quite stealthy I thought. That was until I slipped over and with Midnight throwing out my balance I hit the floor with a yelp and before I knew it I heard an alarm go off.

Jumping to my hooves with my magnum levitated in front of me, I dashed towards the stairwell. Only problem was that ponies were in there. Lots of ponies which all had guns. I jumped back and almost lost my balance, Midnight was rather heavy and I was not very swift with her tied to me. The option to put her down was not on the table. I would not let her further away from me than against my own body.

I activate SATS and shot the first three ponies that came into the ground floor before hiding again.

“Where is the intruder? She shot dead three of our ponies.”

“Search the place, let’s go.”

I had no idea how I was going to get out of this, but I wanted this operation to be shut down. I wanted these bandits done, I wanted them gone so they could not steal another pony away from anypony else.

I looked around to see what I could do to fend off these ponies. There were way too many for me to fight. All I could see was terminals, desks, lamps, and dust bins, everything that would otherwise be useless. Then I looked up and saw turrets which turned out to be powered down. They were not shooting at anypony either, at me or them.

I dashed up to a terminal and plugged my pipbuck in and hacked the computer before bringing up the console. I wrapped my magic to the desk nearby and pulled it over for better protection. I then activated the turrets and dived for cover.

The air exploded in gunfire from the turrets. I could hear ponies scream and yell out. I sat under my desk listening to the sound of all the ponies on this floor die, sounds of gurgling, crying and screaming. I suddenly felt a wall crash over me. What had I just done? I had just ended the lives of over 30 ponies. I looked at my forehooves. I had just killed ponies that were just doing as they were told, all in the name of surviving. They didn’t kidnap Midnight. The pony at the top of this building deserved to die. But did these ponies deserve to die as well?

I began to cry as the realisation of what I had done crashed over me. I gasped, trying to remove the sounds of screaming ponies from my head. I then turned the turrets off again. I never meant to kill or hurt, I was trying to survive as these ponies were trying to do. I felt like I had just lost part of myself, part of me, and part of my soul. What else would this wasteland throw at me?

Getting a grip on myself I said out loud “No. I am saving Midnight, I am a good pony. Some things just… have to be done.”

“A-Amethyst…” Midnight groaned. She had finally come round. “Thank you… Thank you for saving me.”

“Wait how do you know you were kidnapped” I mumbled quietly

“I woke up in the train and they beat me up for not having many caps.” She mumbled back to me. “And don’t beat yourself up about killing these ponies Amethyst. You did the right thing.”

I looked at the ground feeling slightly better. But it still could not drive the screaming ponies out of my head.

I telekinetically threw the desk aside revealing a scene I was not prepared for. Pony corpses everywhere. I tried to ignore them as I made my way to the stairwell and made myself up to the third floor. There were few ponies on this floor which thankfully I could just shoot with my gun once and not a thousand times while listening to their screams.

Finally I pulled the door to the main office so hard the hinges broke and the door came off. I threw it aside as I saw the pony I had come for. The pony behind the desk was a trussed up stallion. He was quite old, who wore a rich black tuxedo and a monocle.

“Why what do we have here?” he said in a rather high pitched voice.

I pulled him up telekinetically and pushed him against the wall “Who are you, why are you doing this?”

He gave a little laugh “I am Count Jasper. I am the owner of the company here. I supply numerous goods to various towns and hamlets. And why… What I am only doing? Making a living of course.”

I pushed my magnum against his head “You are a vile slimeball. You deserve to die, how dare you attack a town and rob it. How dare you steal my Midnight from me. You dare, you should die.” I pushed him harder into the wall and pushed my gun harder into his head.

“Some things must be done dear girl” he said without an ounce of fear in his voice, “You talk as if what you have seen my ponies do is an uncommon occurrence out here. It is not. We must do what we must to survive. Survival of the fittest.”

“Survival of the fittest?” I asked exasperated “You are living like a king” I snarled taking note of the golden furnishings, clean carpet and crystal chandelier “You are a monster.”

He smiled at me “Haven’t been out here long have ya dear girl. The wasteland’ll eat ya out from the inside. I assure you that what I have done is nothing to what other ponies have done.” He gave a little cough and finished “Do ya really think killing me is gonna fix anything. The wasteland will be the same, ponies will be the same. No one except for the ponies at my employ will feel a thing.”

I stared at him. He was right. Raiders were worse. But ponies like him steal ponies and goods from other towns to sell it right back to them. That did not make it right. Killing him would not make a world of difference.

I felt a pit of anger begin to rise as I found a source of blame. I needed somepony to blame for what happened down there. I could not live with myself as a mass murderer. I growled at him “Those ponies down there, your ponies… They did not need to die. They died because of you. For you. You are the pony at fault for their deaths, not me. I’m sorry mister Jasper but you are a snake, and the snake must have its head cut off.

BANG

He fell to the floor with a thud. I breathed a sigh of relief as I collapsed onto the ground bawling my eyes out. Why? Why do ponies do this? Why must this place be so cruel?

“Amethyst. Stop crying, it’s ok” Midnight cooed.

“No it’s not” I moaned, “I just killed over 50 ponies out of revenge.”

Midnight shook her head as she untied herself from the bundle of ropes “You did well. You couldn’t have saved me and those ponies.”

I gasped and nodded. I knew many of these ponies deserved to die. That one who threated to rape myself and Midnight certainly did. But for the rest? They might have had foals or families and I had just slain their source for caps, for survival.

“I feel like shit, I’m sorry for putting you through this” Midnight mumbled, “I should not have drunken so much.”

“It was nothing” I mumbled “I thought I lost you. I could not handle the thought of being alone again. I would have died trying.”

* ** ** ** *

Midnight and I were now on the train platform. We had to battle to stragglers who had remained behind on the platform while Midnight rested nearby. It did not take long and the last few bandits fled leaving my EFS free of red. By the time I was done I almost collapsed due to exhaustion. I checked my pipbuck, it would be daybreak soon and I had not slept a wink. My body ached and I wanted nothing more than to sleep. Instead of falling asleep on the platform however I trotted over to Midnight and asked “How are we going to get this train back to Hoofling?”

She pointed at the front of the train “The train ponies of course”

“They are not going to do that for free surely?” I mumbled “If they don’t try to attack me for killing their employer.”

Midnight shrugged “Point a gun at them and demand them to take you to Hoofling?”

“I am not going to do that” I growled

“I dunno, offer them a sack of caps?” she suggested

“They are not our caps to give” I told her blatantly

“Does it matter? Give them the caps and give Hoofling the train” Midnight suggested

That actually made sense. I wandered up to the group of train ponies with a large sack of caps. “You lot, take us to Hoofling and I’ll give you these caps.” I said in a would-be confident and demanding tone.

“How much is there?” the front stallion asked

“uhh… 10,000 caps about” I told him, “Share them amongst yourselves.”

“Sure thing, get on and let’s go” he neighed.

* ** ** ** *

We were back on the train and we were both in the passenger wagon. I was resting on a passenger seat with Midnight next me. I felt so tired and Midnight kept asking me questions on how I found her and what I went through to find her. Though, inevitably I ended up drifting off to sleep.

* ** ** ** *

I was walking through the corridor of Stable eighty six. The buzz of the lights filled my ears and the clop clop sound of my hooves echoed on the metallic floor. I knew exactly where I was and where I was going. I turned into the filly’s bathroom and walked in. Three ponies were already there. One had a large paintbrush and was writing on the wall. It was Glenda. I turned to leave but the door shut magically.

“Well, well, well… look what we have here girls” Glenda sneered “the pathetic excuse for a unicorn.”

I looked at what she was writing on the wall. In large foot long letters across the back of the bathroom she had written ‘Amy Days is a Lesbo Bitch’

“Like my message do you? Yeah you are a lesbo bitch Amethyst, you need some stallion. Oh wait… you can’t get any.” She laughed and her friends laughed with her.

I could not believe the length that this pony was going through to make my life a living hell. Seriously.

I just shook my head and told her coolly “I didn’t know that message was about me. My name is Amethyst, not Amy. You can’t even spell my name right.”

Glenda just laughed “You and I know who we’re talking about here, so does everypony else who steps into this bathroom. Maybe you should just run off to that slag you call a friend and go cry to her. You are a little filly after all”

I turned to leave. I didn’t have time for this but Glenda locked the door shut. I turned to her “Let me out.”

“No”

“Let me out” I demanded

“Why would we do that? It’ll ruin the fun.” She said smirking at me.

“What’s your problem Glenda? What have you got against me? Just spit it out so I can move on with my life.” I growled at her “Too bored to do anything else?”

“Not really, you’re just a door mat. As a door mat your job is to be walked on”

“What?” I said exasperated “Are you stupid?”

She gave a giggle “No that’s you Amethyst… So is it true you got caught in the bathroom having sex with Berry?”

I felt taken aback. For one I had no feelings for my friend and would not have sex with her even if she asked me to. I stammered “Excuse me? No… And shut the fuck up… I’m not the one who sleeps with everything that moves. That would be you Glenda. You’re the slut here. You must have done every stallion in this stable by now.”

“Ohhhhhhh” her friends gasped as Glenda inflated before me. Her horn glowed and I dashed to the door but not before being lifted into the air.

My horn flared too and I tried to break it but her magic was a lot stronger than mine so I fell limp before saying “ok, let’s get this over with.”

Once again my head was in the toilet as Glenda pushed me face first into it laughing and giggling like the stupid mule she was. Once she and her friends were bored they dropped me on the bathroom floor crying and once again the punching bag. I could not believe I was fifteen and still got my head dunked and picked on as if I was in grade school. I picked myself up off the floor and looked at the writing that Glenda had written in scarlet blazing letters across the stainless steel wall ‘Amy Days is a lesbo bitch.’

I finally went to the toilet for what I had come here for, then left feeling deflated and upset. I took some comfort that the smooth stainless steel wall would not let the paint stick to it and next time I entered the bathroom it would be gone.

I exited the bathroom and found Berry in one of the corridors “Afternoon.” I mumbled

Berry looked at me “You cannot be serious Amethyst. Not again.”

Wow I thought. She didn’t even ask. “It’s nothing” I mumbled “really.”

She just shook her head and said sternly “You need to stand up for yourself Amethyst, Glenda just walks all over you. You’re like a door mat.”

“I know” I mumbled “She told me that already.”

“So she dunked your head in the toilet? Again? What was her excuse this time?” She asked

“I called her a slut” I told her, “for asking if it was true that I had … well… had sex with you in the bathroom” I finished

Berry shook her head “she is doing this because you react to it Amethyst. Just ignore her.”

“But… she gets on my nerves, what I would do to get her just once” I growled “Just once.”

Berry facehoofed “Just look out if you are seeking revenge, just don’t do anything stupid.

I had no desire for revenge. It was just empty words.

Berry and I then walked into the atrium. Instantly all the ponies inside vanished including Berry.

“Berry? Where are you, where did you go?” I whispered panicking.

A deep rumble came from far away, as though through mist “Just a memory Amethyst, nothing to be afraid of. Unfortunately we have to cut it short here.”

“What? Who are you?” I shouted as the lights in the atrium dimmed leaving me in semi darkness. Mist began to fill the humongous room and a dark figure appeared. I could see the shadow of a tall pony like Princess Celestia. He came into sharper proportion. His wings were extended out however they were just bone with ripped black material flowing from them. A dark skeletal pony came into view. He had a horn as well and a scythe levitated in front of him. I could not see his face behind his robe which fell to his hooves.

I heard his dark voice rumble “You have been such a bad pony Amethyst. Those ponies you killed, you gave them to me. They were such a great gift. However you have blood on your hooves now. Not all those ponies were bad you know. Several of them were young mares or stallions who had foals to care for. You took them away.”

I quivered and shook my head “No. Those ponies were bad. They took Midnight, they stole from innocent ponies. I am a good pony.”

He laughed before telling me “You have a heart Amethyst but after what you have done, not even you can deny that part of your heart has become corrupted.”

I felt tears run down my face. My heart ached as if it had suffered recent pain. I knew what he was talking about and I shook my head saying desperately “No. That Jasper guy is at fault. He made me kill them.”

“No” he growled “You killed them. You are using him to blame, to make an excuse to maim or kill. He is guilty of crimes but you are too Amethyst and like his little blame game you, like bandits, like raiders, like slavers are finding an excuse to committing sins. You sinned and you seek to find blame, to find a way to live with yourself.”

“NO!” I shouted “I am a good pony. I am not bad.”

He twitched his wings before saying “You will be judged when the time comes Amethyst. But I will let you know that you must find yourself before you destroy yourself.”

He faded and the doors to the atrium opened and a maroon glutinous substance started to seep into the atrium until it finally reached my hooves. It came in quicker and quicker until I was standing knee deep in blood. I could feel it staining my coat and the coppery smell hit my nose. Before I knew it I was swimming in blood. Before my head went under I saw Midnight’s face appear in my vision “You did good Amethyst. You are a good pony.”

I began to cry as I struggled to keep myself above the sticky and thick blood. Berry’s face appeared “You need to be careful when you are seeking revenge Amethyst.” My face slipped under the blood.

* ** ** ** *

“Ahhhhhh” I woke up. I was staring at a ceiling with a soft light glowing above me.

Breathing heavily I looked around. I started to panic as I had no idea where I was. I screamed out, my heart hammered against my breast and I threw myself out of the bed.

“Whoa there girl, calm down” I heard a stallion say. I saw that it was a pony who was wearing a cow boy hat and brown barding.

I activated my shield “Who are you? Where am I? Where is Midnight?”

The stallion looked a little taken aback “Dear girl I am the mayor of Hoofling, you are in my house; your friend is down stairs eating a heartening meal.”

I closed my shield off as my panic subsided “Sorry” I mumbled “I didn’t mean to almost attack you.”

“Nah, no problem, you were scared; I would expect ya to after what ya went through. I have to give you my big thanks for helpin us out. Not many folk would be so kind.”

“Can you please take me to Midnight?” I asked. I felt I did not deserve any gratitude for what I did. That dream I had, although partially real had truly scared me, that skeleton thing was right. I was a bad pony, I killed for revenge. The very thing Berry wanted me to not seek. I did a stupid thing, I was a bad pony.

“Sure thing” He said brightly taking me down stairs to Midnight who was shovelling food into her mouth.

“Hey Amethyst, how are you feeling?”

“Fine” I grumbled sitting down.

“You don’t look fine, you look like you have seen a ghost” She told me looking concerned.

“I heard you mumble stuff in ya sleep” the mayor told us “look Amethyst, you are a good pony, you saved our town. You collected our things and gave it back. What’s more, ya scored us a train, we can trade proper now thanks to you. DJ pon-3 will be raving tonight I think.”

I shook my head “I killed lots of ponies. I am a killer, I killed. I am bad.”

“Amethyst” Midnight sighed “You are a good pony, these were bandits. What they did is wrong, what they do is bad. It matters not why they do it, the matter of fact is they threaten pony’s lives and kill for money.”

“Ya did good ah think” the mayor piped up.

I nodded half listening. My dream swam back, the humiliation from Glenda so raw again in my head, followed by that bone Alicorn thing, and the blood. It made it all the more real.

“Amethyst are you ok?” Midnight asked sadly.

“I’m fine” I repeated.

“When do you want to leave?” Midnight asked after a long pause.

“Today” I grumbled. I wanted to be gone from this town, the town I helped. I wanted rest but I could not rest. My head was filled with the screaming of ponies, my dream and blood.

“You sure? Don’t you want to rest?” Midnight coaxed “You need rest Amethyst, what you did last night has scarred you. I can tell. You need to rest.”

I shook my head. “I am fine, I want to go today.” I said in a more demanding tone.

Midnight got the message and continued to eat.

“Ahh Amethyst, do ya want something to eat too?” the mayor asked

“I’m not hungry” I mumbled

“Look. Ah want to thank you fer what ya did las’ night. So I got you some more ammo fer your new gun Midnight her was telling me about. And some caps”

The mayor put some bullets in front of me and a small money bag. Great… Exactly what I needed right now, more bullets to kill more ponies. “Thanks” I mumbled putting the bullets and caps in my saddlebags. I did notice that he did give me a small box of 10 armour piercing rounds and some new explosive rounds.

* ** ** ** *

On the way out of town I got waves and salutes from ponies in the town. I had many “Thank You’s” and “Please come back again.” The town’s ponies were so nice to me but I felt down and out. I felt mentally exhausted. While happy to have Midnight back I felt that it came with the expense of part of myself. I felt an open hole in my heart and it did not want to go away, no matter how many ponies who would tell me that I did good, I could have done better. The phrase ‘war, fear, death we must do better’ came to my mind. I did what the ponies did 200 years ago. Fluttershy would be disappointed in me. I knew it. I was disappointed in myself. I could have saved Midnight without needing to kill so many.

As we stepped out of the gates Midnight clopped me over the head “Snap out of it Amethyst, you are not bad. You are a good pony. I don’t care what you say. You are just freaking out. Those ponies were as bad as raiders. You saved this town more bloodshed. Those bandits would have returned and killed more, taken more.”

The bandit who took Midnight away swam into my head as he said “The filly outside had more caps than you.”

He robbed a little filly of her caps, they robbed an elderly mare. I took a deep breath and finally said “I know. I am just freaking out a bit.”

I felt a little better remembering what the Bandits did rather than what I did. Midnight was always good at comforting me and she gave me a hug which cheered me up a little.

Footnote: level up

New perk: I love small guns – You now do 10% more damage with small guns, in addition you are 10% more accurate with scoped small guns.

Chapter 8: Brax

As the day wore on mist began to settle in lowering visibility somewhat, causing the dead city of new saddle to vanish from the skyline mixing with the heavy grey cloud that made up the sky.

While we walked in silence my eyes still glancing at my EFS I saw a friendly pop up, followed by 8 other friendlies and then a whole mob of friendlies amongst all the red that was already plaguing my EFS.

“Hey Midnight we have a huge group of friendlies ahead” I announced sounding thrilled that civilised ponies were out here too.

“How many?” she asked

“Uhh about fifteen” I said confidently even though it was just a guess.

She looked shocked as we heard hoofsteps quite close and I ran up to an intersection which had an old graffitied stop sign and saw a line of ponies on the road to the right. Midnight flew up behind me as I took a closer look.

The line of ponies had shackles on and all wore almost no clothing and the ones that did wore rags. I could see a filly and a colt also shackled. It must have be freezing without any clothing on I thought.

The ponies that lead them looked cleaner and well-kept than raiders but still looked quite fierce; they wore armour and warm clothing.

I felt sickened looking at the filly that was being half dragged along the ground.

“Slaves” whispered Midnight.

I saw a slaver whip one of the mares that was slowing the group down and she trotted up faster. I felt white fire lick my insides as anger clouded my judgement. I pulled out my rifle.

“Amethyst what?” Midnight whispered.

“We’re going to save the slaves” I whispered to her.

“Hey” I yelled out to the slavers “How much for your slaves?”

The slavers all jumped pointing weapons at us and I suddenly realised I made a mistake. There were four of them and two of us.

“Well boys looks like we gots ourselves a pretty unicorn and a pegasus” said the large and angry looking unicorn buck that wore thicker and warmer clothing than the others and who I could only guess was the leader “we will get good caps fer these two I think”

He looked over to us “Drop yer weapons and nopony gets hurt” he called at us as his goons and himself had their guns pointed at us.

“We fight” I whispered to Midnight.

She nodded once and I fell into a fighting stance as they began to shoot at us.

I slipped into SATS firing at the pony that whipped the mare and hit him in the head just as Midnight took to the air and started firing from the sky. I then turned and ran behind an old concrete fountain which had a unicorn mare in the centre sitting down with her horn in the air, in what was once someponies front yard.

I took a peek around the fountain and slipped back into SATS, my rifle on the Big Buck unicorn and fired. I missed and hit his friend in the foreleg who let out a howl but did not drop to the ground. The slaves stopped and sat huddled in the middle as the slavers returned fire.

I could hear fire from Midnights battle saddle as I aimed through the scope of my gun as bullets hit the fountain sending dust and bits of concrete raining down on me. I took a peek around to get another shot when I felt a bullet penetrate my barding and hitting me in the side which sent pain bursting through my body. I took an un-aimed shot and quickly ducked back behind the fountain. This was followed by the screams of the slaves.

I tried to refocus trying not to hit the ground or pass out as I felt another shot glance from my barding and another strike the fountain I was hiding behind. Chancing another peek Midnight took down one of the other slavers but she was now grounded with her left wing hanging on one side. The remaining slaver who I thought was a stallion was actually a mare covered in thick clothing. She had a whip like thing in her mouth. She struck Midnight with the whip and she seemed to convulse as I heard a heavy crackling sound fill the air as it wrapped around her body.

Ignoring the pain in my side the best I could, I galloped out from the safety of the fountain, and aimed the rifle at the mare attacking Midnight. I slipped into SATS and fired three times. Two of my shots hit her causing her to hit the ground. The weapon was still attached to Midnight as it electrocuted her.

The Big Buck pulled out some of those grenade things, pulled the pins and telekinetically threw them at me. As quickly as I could, I pulled off the electrocution whip from Midnight as the grenades flew through the air. Midnight did not get back up.

In the time I spent getting the whip off Midnight the Grenades landed next to me. With no time to pick them up and hurl them back I activated my shield and as soon as it closed over

BOOOOOM

I felt pain erupt over my entire body as the shield around me collapsed and launched me into the air. It felt like I was just smashed over my whole body with a sledge hammer before hitting the ground with a heavy thud onto the asphalt.

I struggled to my hooves feeling blood run from my forehead and into my eyes. He pointed a gun right at me and fired however my barding took the hits feeling like hard punches on my painfully injured body. I redirected my rifle at the stallion and activated SATS and fired three times. All three found target and he hit the ground with finality.

I coughed and tasted copper as blood came out. My pipbuck gave all kinds of warnings from mostly internal soft tissue injuries and internal bleeding. I took out three healing potions and drank them feeling bad for using so many. My pipbuck started to calm down a little as my injuries mended but my body by no means was feeling any better.

I galloped as fast as my legs would take me to Midnight’s side. She was lying face up and was still not moving. I half lifted her up, her wings drooping on each side with her left one extremely bloodied. I shook her with my hooves as I started to cry “Wake up Midnight! Wake up Midnight. I put my hoof to her heart and felt it beating. I let out a small sigh of relief but tears continued to drift down my face as I shook her once more her head lolling on her shoulders.

I pulled myself together and pulled out four healing potions and tipped them down her throat causing her to cough, her wing began to mend as well as a bullet wound to the right foreleg. I hit her chest a few times for her to cough out some of the potion that ended up in her lungs and laid her on the asphalt as she came around.

As she got up I threw my hooves around her. “Oh Midnight you’re ok” I squealed before giving a small cough and a sniff.

“Argh Amethyst” Midnight said rubbing her head “Oww”. She then sat up onto her haunches before saying “thanks Amethyst”

I nodded; glad she was going to be ok. I turned to the slaves all of whom were still chained together and all who looked at me looked extremely frightened.

I tried to smile reassuringly at them; I finally told them “I’m not going to hurt you. I’m going to free you”. Most did not look convinced.

I pulled out my screwdriver and bobby pins before I began to pick the locks on each shackle. As I continued I got quicker and quicker. I reached for the light brown filly that was on shackle number 12, she was too young to have her cutie mark, she was bloody and she was not moving.

“Excuse me” I said in my kindest voice as I put a hoof on her side and shook gently “are you ok?”

She did not answer. I put my hooves around her and picked her up slightly off the ground. She had a bullet hole through her head. It matched the bullet holes that I put in the slavers. At that moment a memory of just a few moments ago almost caused me to drop her.

The un-aimed shot that missed followed by the screams of the slaves. I began to feel the crashing realisation that I just shot this filly. I killed her. She was dead because of me. I fell to my haunches and felt tears build once again in my sticky and bloodied eyes as I began to cry in front of these slaves. I pulled the dead filly into an embrace and cried for I don’t even know how long. I was a monster, I was murderer. Time to add this filly to the mass of other ponies I had killed.

“Amethyst, pull yourself together” Midnight said as she pulled the dead filly from my forehooves and placed her onto the ground gently. “Let’s finish this off then we can cry, these slaves need to be released.”

I wiped a hoof across my eyes and gave a hiccough and took three deep breaths before nodding. Midnight pulled me to my hooves, I felt tears leak down my cheeks.

I unshackled the little colt behind her, then the stallion behind the colt, then the mare behind him.

I turned to all the slaves and croaked “There you’re all free to go”

“How?” called out a light blue mare with a green mane who had scars on her body.

I looked at her confused as Midnight spoke.

“Oh of course they have them on” she said sounding defeated.

“Have what on?” I asked, but when I looked at the slaves they all wore some kind of collar. “What are those things?” I asked

Midnight answered my question “They are explosive collars” she said not sounding too happy. “If the slaves escape and go too far away from the slavers they all detonate killing everypony wearing one.”

I looked at the slaves and the devices looked quite rusty and old.

“Can’t I just pick them or use a key?” I asked Midnight

“No” she replied “They are locked via code by the slaver wearing the bracelet that controls them”.

I wandered over to the dead leader and looked at his right forehoof. He had this bracelet that Midnight was talking about. What’s more it had a connection for a pipbuck. I plugged my pipbuck in and it seemed compatible. I attempted to hack the bracelet which had a six number PIN rather than a password. After a few minutes of trying to hack the device I was beginning to think that I could probably not do this one. After backing out of the device for the eighth time I began to lose some composure and started to get frustrated as all my feelings whirled like a cloud over my head.

I finally got through on the twelfth attempt and deactivated the collars. I then unlocked them all. I heard them hit the ground as they fell away from the slave’s necks.

I then fell to my haunches as images of Midnight lying unconscious and the memory of me shooting the filly filled my head. My eyes burned as I heard the slaves begin to trot away.

Midnight pulled me up onto my hindlegs and pulled me into an embrace. The floodgates opened and I began to cry into her breast while she held me.

“It’s ok Amethyst” she whispered. “Get it all out.”

I felt my tears begin to soak into the woollen jacket over her barding as I cried quite loudly. My nose began to leak mucus which I then gave a huge sniff.

She petted my mane and felt myself begin to calm down and my breathing slowed as I breathed in the sweet smell of her sweat.

“There, there Amethyst. It’s going to be ok” she continued to whisper to me holding my head to her.

I felt another emotion begin to overtake my despair as my heart began to fill like a balloon. I felt myself begin to get emotionally attached to her as she cradled me. I could no longer deny. I have fallen in love with Midnight and I wanted her more than anything. I shuddered trying hard not to nuzzle her or do anything that might suggest that the comfort she was providing was delivering this unintended emotion.

I heard somepony with a rather deep voice clear his throat. I broke away from Midnight seeing green on my EFS. I was looking at quite a large earth pony stallion. He was one of the slaves. He had a dark grey coat, a short light blue mane and his cutie mark was a blue lightning bolt, he looked nearly double my age.

“Can I help you” I croaked still feeling tears leak out of my eyes. I felt a little intimidated by his sheer size. He towered over Midnight and I. Midnight looked up at him suspiciously.

“Are you girls heading into New Saddle?” he spoke in a very deep and very calm, trusting kind of voice.

I nodded and gave off a small sniff and wiped my nose with a hoof.

“Ok I’ll be going along with you two then” he said as if this decision was his.

“Hang on” piped up Midnight “Who the ruddy hell are you?”

“I am a pony” he said with finally as he stomped a forehoof “I wouldn’t say I’m a good pony but I can assure you that I am no risk to you.”

“I don’t know Amethyst” Midnight whispered to me as I nodded.

I whispered to her back “You heard Watcher. We need to make friends. The more the merrier and even though I can hardly trust him we ought to give him the chance”.

Midnight nodded still not looking convinced.

Giving a small sniff I reached out a forehoof and told him my name “Amethyst”. He looked at my forehoof and did not touch it. I quickly drew it back and couldn’t blame him as it was covered in snot and blood, so to prevent awkwardness setting in I pointed it at Midnight and said “She’s Midnight”.

Midnight looked at him not trusting him one bit. I sighed but he opened his muzzle again, “So I take it that you’re the leader” he asked in his deep resonating voice pointing a hoof at me.

I was taken aback. Me a leader? I almost laughed but it was Midnight who answered.

“Yes she is.”

What? Since when was I leader I thought.

I blubbered before asking quietly “What makes you think I’m the leader?”

Midnight tapped her hoof on her chin with mock thinking “Well... Remember I’m the one travelling with you not the other way around, you’re the one who makes most of the decisions such as when to rest or sleep.”

I opened my mouth and then closed it again. Nothing came out because I knew it was true. But that didn’t stop me from arguing.

“Your older, more wiser and know a lot more than I do out here” I told her. “Why can’t you be leader?”

They grey stallion said nothing as Midnight raised an eyebrow at me.

Midnight shook her head “You are the one DJ Pon-3 goes on about, this is your journey not mine. You lead your way to destiny not me.”

I looked up at him feeling very small “Your right I’m the leader.” The big blubbering baby filly leader who had no fucking idea what she was doing I added in my head.

“You’re that mare that DJ Pon-3 goes on about?” he asked curiously.

I felt like shaking my head but gave one single nod instead.

* ** ** ** *

I took a deep breath as I looked back to the filly I shot and tried not to break down again. My purple magical sheath enveloped her as I levitated her to the front yard of one of the houses.

Midnight and the grey stallion followed me as I put her on the ground and focused on the ground.

I poured all my focus and used all the strength driven by grief and anger at myself and levitated compact earth completely by magic from the ground leaving a rough three foot deep hole.

Midnight and my new companion just stood there watching as I levitated the filly into the hole and pushed the mound of dirt back into the hole leaving a small bump of a mound. I then levitated a small cracked stone Pegasus statue and placed it on the top of the mound and pushed it into the dirt so it would not fall over.

I felt tears leak out of my eyes as I looked at the makeshift grave and felt Midnight put a hoof on my shoulder causing my heart to jump a little.

The deep voice from behind said “You are a very unusual pony, you know that?”

I turned to face him, “What do you mean?” I asked.

He shook his head before replying “You risked your life to save ponies unknown to you, you dug a grave for somepony that died during the fight and shedding tears over somepony you never knew.” He then looked at me like he had never seen anything like me “You are an unusual pony” he concluded.

I didn’t know what he was talking about and I did not really care. I didn’t even know his name.

This thought jumped to mind and found it coming out of my mouth before I could stop them “Who are you? I did not get your name?”

After saying it I felt stupid. It came out rather aggressively than I intended it to.

He said in a low voice “They call me Brax and I have already told you I am a pony.

* ** ** ** *

Midnight and Brax looted the copses we had killed, something that I felt a bit squeamish doing. He took their clothing, armour and weaponry and put them on.

The clothing and armour looked quite small on him but he simply said “It’s cold and this is better than nothing at all. Anyway we need to swing by my shack on the way there so I can collect my things.”

I did not want any distractions on the way to New Saddle so I asked him “How much off course is it?”

He looked at me surprised than simply said roughly “We will lose maybe an hour or so.”

I nodded happy for losing only one hour before saying “ok no problem. “

So once again we continued our journey to New Saddle with our new companion through the outer suburbs.

* ** ** ** *

We arrived at Brax’s steel shack; it had begun to snow lightly. His little one bedroom shack was thrown together with steel cladding and sheeting that was welded together around a huge concrete pillar under an elevated highway to create what was his home. When we walked up to the door I noticed two strange looking turrets with green gems embedded in the casing point in our direction. They did not fire at us as we walked over the threshold into his shack.

His shack was small and cluttered. He collected a lot of stuff. He had a fireplace, two doors that led into other rooms, the concrete pillar in the Middle and a kitchen to the far side.

Curiosity leaping at me I slithered away over to a shelf of ordainments and looked at the little figurines. All kinds of pony figurines lined the top shelf and I scanned them all. One caught my eye, it was a little toy unicorn mare. She was aqua in colour and had a medium length aqua and white mane and her cutie mark was a lyre. Her fringe was similar to Midnights I noticed.

I wrapped my magic around her and pulled her closely examining her. She was kind of cute I thought as I ran my eyes over her little body.

“Don’t touch” sounded a deep voice from behind me. I jumped, causing me to almost drop her.

“S-sorry” I mumbled placing her back next to the pastel yellow earth pony with a pink and blue mane. My eyes darted to this figurine then back to the aqua mare.

“Excuse me umm Brax” I said in a small voice, “Is that yellow mare Bon Bon?” I asked.

He looked at me a little shocked that I would know who she was. He then nodded, and asked “How do you know Bon Bon?”

I pointed a hoof at the aqua unicorn ignoring his question “Is this Lyra?” I asked curiously.

“The one that you were drooling at? Yes that is Lyra” he said.

I wasn’t drooling at her I thought. I opened my mouth, heat rising over my face and clopped myself on the forehead.

He continued as if there was no awkward silence “Lyra and her wife Bon Bon travelled Equestria so Lyra could perform. She became the best instrumentalist in Equestria.”

“Lyra and Bon Bon were married” I asked looking back at the two figurines.

“Yes they were” he said nodding.

I felt my heart flutter at the thought as I imagined myself and Midnight getting married. It would be so magical, so beautiful being with the special pony I loved in beautiful white dresses walking down the aisle.

I heard Midnights voice as if from far away “Amethyst? Hello?” I saw a white hoof wave in my face.

I blinked and shook my head “Sorry I-?” I mumbled coming back to earth.

Brax continued as if I had not just fallen into a stupor.

“Lyra ended up playing personally for the princesses at events such as the Grand Galloping Gala, balls at the princess’s schools and for the ministry mares.

“Princesses?” I asked curiously “Princess Celestia and Luna?”

“Yes” he nodded “and the mares they had full trust in, the trust of the war, which they ultimately failed.”

“Who are the ministry mares?” I asked wanting to know more.

“The ministry mares were great friends who accomplished huge feats together” he said in a slow growl.

Midnight sat on her haunches bored and clearly not listing.

I nodded listening intently wanting to know more.

“They ran the six ministries” he said.

“Like Fluttershy?” I asked.

He nodded then said “Enough about this let’s get ready for tomorrow so we can arrive at a decent time.”

* ** ** ** *

Midnight and I laid on the old mouldy couch in the main room while Brax went about collecting his “Things.”

We were both exhausted from the long day. My barding was in need of repair, the steel underneath was now torn and the shredded leather sleave that held it in place was showing and some parts of the steel had shrapnel imbedded into it.

I mentioned this to Midnight but she just waved it off as normal and we would just repair it at New Saddle. I checked my guns and ammo as well. My rifle had taken quite a beating at the last fight and that too might need to be repaired.

Midnight had taken off her Battle Saddle and barding before lying on the sofa. She was lying next to me and she had her eyes closed. She looked so peaceful lying there asleep. I let my eyes pass over her bruised body, the light from the fire that Brax lit for us flickered over her white coat and feathers. My eyes found her cutie mark on her right flank where the coat turned from white to black and the wings that formed in the middle. My eyes lingered over her flanks for a little longer than necessary before they slid to her wings which were more brown than white from dirt. I then looked up into her face, her red eyes cutting into mine, her eyes narrowed before she opened her muzzle.

“Are you checking me out?” she asked suspiciously.

I felt myself blush before stammering “N-Noo-maybe” I paused before my muzzle opened involuntarily “Yes.”

I looked into the fire not wanting to see her face. I expected her to scold me or to laugh. What I did not expect was her voice to sound kind and sweet.

“Amethyst, look at me” she said kindly.

I looked at her, my face felt boiling hot, my heart felt like lead and horrible butterflies developed in the pit of my stomach. I looked into her beautiful piercing scarlet eyes. She did not look angry or upset. She looked a little worried if anything.

“Amethyst” she said in the same kind and perhaps a little sympathetic voice, “Amethyst, you are a beautiful, smart mare and I do not wish to hurt your feelings.” She took a deep breath as I braced myself “I am not the mare for you, I am too old, too different and I’m not really interested in mares, in fact I’m not really looking for a relationship either and I’m not really the kind of pony wanting a relationship.”

I nodded listening as I felt my heart sink a little and felt a little upset, trying hard not to show it on my face.

One of the doors opened and Midnight poked her head over the couch telling Brax “Could you give us a moment? We’re having a mares talk”

I heard him back into his room again.

Midnight continued “Amethyst I love you a lot as a great friend but nothing more, I see the way you look at me and I see longing in your eyes and perhaps a little desperation.” She paused before asking “Have you ever been in a relationship before?”

I shook my head thinking back. None of the fillies throughout my adolescence liked me. I did have my crushes like every filly but none of them ever turned into anything.

She smiled sympathetically before saying “Your heart is not mine. It belongs to somepony else, sometimes it takes time to find the pony you love.”

I nodded but Midnight continued before I could say anything.

“All I am trying to say is that I don’t have the same feelings for you as you do for me and for you not to expect me to fall in love with you.”

I nodded again before saying in almost a whisper “I’m sorry Midnight.”

“For what?” she asked “You can’t control who you fall in love with, it just happens.”

I smiled feeling a little better, not that I was over Midnight, in fact what she just told me probably made me love her even more.

“I know” I said softly “I’m just used to. You know,” I gave a sigh before saying “The other fillies back at the stable just.” I shrugged then I thought of being laughed at, the memory of Glenda, the stupid things I had done at the stable looking for somepony to give me happiness and love only to get laughed at or teased. I felt a tear leak down my cheek.

“Oh Amethyst don’t cry” Midnight told me in a sweet voice.

“I’m not” I said softly, “just memories that’s all.”

“You understand?” she asked.

I nodded and gave her a weak smile.

“Good” she said nodding, “just don’t get upset or beat yourself up ok?”

I nodded again and said “I won’t.”

“Ok Brax were done” Midnight called.

I heard the door open and Brax came into the main room.

“What was that about” I heard him say in his low growl.

Midnight got up and trotted over to him leaving me on the lounge all by myself.

I heard Midnight whisper something inaudible to him, I hoped she was not telling him everything we discussed, or maybe she was just telling him quietly it was nothing for him to be concerned about? “I think she is” my consciousness said. “Does it matter?” no it does not I thought. I shrugged it off.

Midnight came back and flew herself back onto the lounge as Brax walked in front of me saying “I am ready to go but it is dark outside so we should stay the night. You fillies got food?”

We both nodded and he walked back over to the table where he had a bowl of beans and corn. I levitated out some tins of banana and pineapple and some bowls and wandered over to the table with Midnight at my hooves. I then telekinetically opened the tins with the can opener and poured them into bowls for Midnight and I.

“Amethyst why are you still in your barding?” came the deep rumble of Brax’s voice, “Aren’t you hot in that?”

“What?” I stammered “oh umm” Now I’d thought about it, I could feel a layer of sweat between the woolly lining of my barding and my coat. The fire in here had made it quite stiffly and it was indeed warm.

Before I began to eat, I took off all my clothing and armour including my socks and scarf. I cringed, my coat damp with sweat, blood and dabbed with bruises that the healing potions did not heal. I could smell myself and it wasn’t what I would call a nice smell.

I sat up at the table and unlike Midnight or Brax I began to eat telekinetically filling my hungry stomach.

We all ate in silence until we were all done. It was I who broke the silence “Brax do you happen to have a bathroom I can use? I feel very icky and dirty.”

He frowned at me before rumbling “My water is not to be used for bathing. I do not waste precious water. You wait until we get to New Saddle”

“Oh” I mumbled.

He looked at my coat before saying “Besides you don’t look very dirty.”

Wow I’d hate to think of what he would call “dirty” I thought. He had a point though so I just nodded.

“What’s your story?” asked Brax

“Who mine?” I said taken aback. He nodded looking a tad curious.

“Well” I started “I am from a stable in white tale woods. I spent my whole life in there and I have been out for what? Nine or ten days”

“You have only been out here for ten days?” he asked shocked “and you and her took out them slavers” he said pointing a hoof at Midnight and I.

“Well yeah” I said before adding “I spent a few days in Hospital at Cantal though”.

“Why did you leave the stable?” He asked in his grumbling voice.

“My stable has a failing Water Talisman so I’m trying to find another before we run out of water” I said.

“You’re looking for a water talisman?” he looked shocked before laughing “Oh good luck with that.”

I looked at Midnight and she looked as confused as me.

“So why are you going to New Saddle? Are you planning to steal it?” he asked accusingly.

“What? No” I said desperately “I’m going to the M.A.S hub to see if we can find a spare there” I said loudly.

“M.A.S Hub in New Saddle?” he balked “You will probably find it has already been looted by the steel rangers unless it is too dangerous to go in there. They more like the M.W.T areas but they will loot M.A.S hubs especially for Water Talismans.

This information hurt but I remained confident, so I told him “I don’t care, I’m going anyway”

He nodded before pulling the conversation back on track “So what is it like in a stable?” he asked curiously.

“I love it inside the stable” I told him “It’s safe, clean and there is plenty of water and fresh food. The daily routine gets boring but if you learn to keep yourself occupied its better than getting shot at, seeing defiled corpses and-” I stopped as the image of the buck standing over the injured filly who was crying flooded into my mind, the memory of the colt and mare in the cage as I laid trapped in a cage and finally of the filly I killed today. I felt my eyes burn but no tears came. I shuddered as I let out a wine and finally tears formed and spilled.

I bawled trying to finish “This place is twisting me, I want to go back to the stable, I hate this place, and I want my mum. I want Berry back” I gasped trying to get a grip on myself, taking huge breaths.

“Amethyst don’t cry” Midnight said softly, “I know it’s hard but remember you chose this and you must be strong to continue.”

I nodded taking a huge breath and wiped my eyes. Midnight was right, I needed to be strong if I was to lead and succeed even if it does tear me apart. Five hundred ponies relied on me to return with a new water talisman.

“She do this often?” asked Brax pointing a hoof at me looking at Midnight.

Midnight looked at him confused as did I.

He facehoofed “You have cried like what? Three times today?”

I glared at him through my puffed up eyes but it was Midnight who told him “Do you have to be so insensitive about it? Amethyst is new out here and has only known the comfort and safety in her stable since the day she was born.”

He looked at me and grumbled “My apologies.”

I waved a hoof at him and mumbled “don’t worry about it.”

He turned to Midnight “What’s your story Pegasus? Your kind is a rare sight out here”

I did not notice this until now. I had not seen a single pegasus since I met Midnight or in fact since I left the stable. Unless you count the book in my bag.

I turned to Midnight. “Yeah, I would like to know too” I told her.

I saw her shift in her seat clearly uncomfortable and mumbled “I don’t want to talk about it.”

Brax narrowed his eyes “You’re not enclave are you? I can see you have a cutie mark so you can’t be a dashite”

“What’s a dashite” I asked curiously “And what is ‘enclave’?”

I looked at Midnight and she shook her head and clearly looked uncomfortable. This was the closest that I had seen Midnight to crying, her jaw was clenched and she let out a sigh.

“Fine, I was born in Friendship City, both my parents were dashites and I was their only foal.” She continued, her face set on his “I am not enclave and I am not a dashite, both my parents were killed when I was ten, which is all you need to know.”

“What’s a dashite?” I asked softly clearly feeling the atmosphere was as thick as mud.

Midnight looked at me before saying in a ‘I don’t want to talk about this’ kind of voice “A dashite is a pegasus who openly disagree with the enclave. Traitors more or less who defy enclave orders and try to help the pony folk on the ground, ponies like you unicorns or earth ponies” she waved a hoof at Brax before continuing “at least that’s how my parents explained it to me when I was a filly”

She stopped talking before eyeing Brax “So big stallion. What’s your story?”

Brax looked almost as uncomfortable as Midnight but he spilled “I used to be a slaver. I was born into it, both my parents ran the New Saddle to Trottingham slaver route. I gave it in when I was about your age” pointing to Midnight “because my morals were being pushed each and every day which despite being necessary out here I could not continue the work “

I piped up cutting him off “It isn’t necessary to enslave ponies to survive, there are other avenues.”

“That may be so but you are forgetting that is all I knew, I was born into it. It’s what my parents did and it’s what I was to do”

Seeing the look on my face which was probably of hatred he simply shook his head “Look, I understand if you do not like me or think I am vile because you are likely right. Did I not tell you when I first met you that I am not a good pony?”

This was true I thought “b-but you were caught and became a slave” I asked stammering slightly.

He remained silent before saying “I would have deserved it. I was caught due to complaisance; I have not seen slavers wander around my hut in over five years and due to stupidity ended up caught. I think that is enough about my past for now.” He concluded.

I let off a sigh then said “I wonder if DJ pon-3 already knows about our rescue today?”

“Probably” muttered Midnight “Find out tomorrow I daresay” she added, she too let off a sigh and rubbed her eyes before saying “I might get some sleep. I’m so tired” and she stifled a yawn.

Brax left his seat and looked at the two of us “you two can sleep in the sitting area and do not touch anything please” his eyes lingered on me.

We both nodded and left our seats to the sitting room. Midnight curled up on the rug and she looked over to me saying “You can take the lounge if you want I’m ok down here.”

“You sure?” I asked wanting Midnight to be comfortable.

She nodded and I climbed up onto the mouldy sofa.

I pulled out the last memory orb labelled “Amethyst’s Trip to Canterlot” out of my saddlebags and concentrated on it. I felt the world tip away.

========OooO…OooO========

I was walking to the counter of a very flash atrium, the floors were highly polished, crystal chandeliers hung from the high carved ceiling. The counter that my host was walking up to was made of a dark highly polished wood along with highly polished brass around the edges of the counter.

When my host reached the counter, the mare behind the counter said in a very posh accent “Name and business reason?”

My host stammered slightly but held her composure “I-I am Amethyst Star, I am here for a scheduled meeting with miss Twilight Sparkle.

The mare behind the counter levitated the phone to her ear before speaking “Amethyst Star for Twilight Sparkle? Send her up? Ok”, she looked at my host before saying “level 7” and she pointed a hoof at the elevator as the door opened.

“Thank you.” My host muttered as she stepped into the highly polished wooden and brass elevator and hit the number 7 with a hoof.

I caught my host’s reflection. She was wearing a very elegant purple dress, she like me was a unicorn, her coat was a very light purple with a dark and light purple streaked mane, and her eyes were light purple, much lighter than my own. My host checked her reflection in the mirror and with a ding the doors slid open and my host walked out into a comfortable looking office. The office only consisted of one desk behind which a deep purple pony with a deep blue mane with two streaks of grey appeared to be working, rather hard by the look of it.

With a clatter, my host looked and saw a light purple reptile with green spikes. It took me a moment to realise that this was actually a young dragon. My host did not flinch as the Dragon walked over to my host and waved a claw saying in a surprisingly good natured voice “Hey, how can I help you?”

My host cleared her throat before saying “I’m Amethyst and I have been requested to see Twilight Sparkle at the next available opportunity.”

“ahh yes the receptionist downstairs mentioned” motioned the purple dragon.

“Hey Twilight” the dragon yelled across the office.

“What is it Spike?” Twilight replied without taking her eyes off her work, her voice sounded extremely familiar, quickly realising this was the very same mare I had been riding when I lost myself in the first memory orb.

The dragon facepalmed with his claw before replying, “Guest? Amethyst is here to see you.”

Twilight looked up at my host with her dark purple eyes that were a very close shade to my own, “Amethyst? Oh good to see you, I really need to speak to you about those gems”

I felt my host tense, she was very nervous as she approached Twilights desk.

“Take a seat” Twilight insisted kindly levitating a chair and putting it down in front of her desk.

My host sat and Twilight smiled at her kindly “Cookie?” offered Twilight. She levitated a tin of cookies to my host and she took one in her own magical field and took a bite. It tasted very nice. Twilight then continued “I called this meeting with you as I understand that you are good with finding gems”

My host nodded and Twilight went on “My friend Rarity is very busy at the moment and I need a pony who can find gems en-masse. I understand that you are a geologist yes?”

“Correct” my host advised.

“Excellent” she beamed, Twilight looked relieved.

“We need a new gem mine. The one in splendid valley has been… Exhausted.” Twilight was speaking in a business like tone. “And we need to seek out a new gem mine to continue the supply for the war effort.”

Twilight pulled out a map with five circles and she announced “We have five survey locations currently and should we fail to find any, I will find backup survey locations. Princess Luna has advised this to be of utmost importance and has hence asked you to start immediately.”

My host frowned before inquiring “What’s the pay?”

“Of course, money” Twilight said looking apologetic. “Princess Luna believes it more than fair that the pay is one hundred thousand Bits for the urgent start of this work up-front and seven hundred thousand Bits for the successful find of a Gem mine.”

My host frowned thinking about the deal and she seemed set on a compromise “Throw in a suite in Canterlot and you have yourself a deal” I felt my host say nervously.

Twilight smiled then reached a hoof out to my host “I am sure that can be arranged” Twilight assured.

My host touched hoof with Twilight then I felt her muzzle smile before saying happily “Nice doing business Miss Sparkle.”

Twilight nodded before telling my host “Meet me down stairs this time tomorrow and we will discuss over lunch.”

My host nodded as the memory deteriorated into blackness

========OooO…OooO========

I sighed and put the memory orb away. All I learnt was that Twilight was my first host and the place that the publican in Cantal said where there might be a water talisman but to stay away from Splendid Valley.

I then laid down on the lounge and curled up closing my eyes and had the most comfortable sleep since I was in Cantal.

* ** ** ** *

“Amethyst, no sleeping in, it’s time to wake up” a voice from faraway said to me. I felt a hoof touch my side and I opened my eyes.

Midnight was shaking me awake. She was already in her barding with her battle saddle in place and saddlebags on.

I jumped out of the sofa and saw Brax standing around. He was in his gear too. I could not recognise him beneath his heavy black armour nor his helmet which looked incredibly bug like, the black stinger on his tail covered his actual tail. He wore a battle saddle like Midnight but the guns I could not recognise. They looked alien and deadly with no visible barrel and nothing but an indent where the barrel was supposed to be.

“What guns are those?” I asked him.

“Energy rifles” he replied in a more robotic voice I assumed generated by the armour he was wearing, “Midnight and I are ready and you are still standing around naked. Do you want to get ready or not?”

“Oh right” I muttered realising that I was dawdling.

I pulled on my smelly, torn and bloody barding and put my woolly socks and scarf back on before levitating my saddlebags back in place. I then filled my canteen from the tap and finally said to my now two team members “Ok let’s go.”

* ** ** ** *

BLAM

PTTZATTZ

Gunfire pelted through the air at us as I accidentally led us into a raider camp that consisted of large vehicles and carriages.

I had my shotgun out dodging gunfire. A raider mare in woollen clothing jumped out in front of me with one of those electrified whips.

I attempted to aim my shotgun at her but my armour prevented me from being as swift as I could potentially be. Instead, I activated SATS but before I could pull the trigger the whip wrapped around my middle. As it did so I felt my muscles tense, I dropped my shotgun and extreme pain burst from my middle. I saw a beam of red light hit the mare holding the whip and she disintegrated into dust before my eyes. I levitated the device off me and picked up my shotgun noticing it had been Brax who’s alien like weapons had done that.

Shaking my head I jumped back into the fray shooting every hostile I could see.

“Kill them motherfuckers” yelled a stallion from one of the trucks. My EFS was dotted with quite a number of hostiles. I felt a bullet glance my barding and saw somepony with a small gun in her mouth. I aimed my shotgun at her and shot, causing her body to explode in a mix of gore.

I saw another pony with a huge gun levitated. The gun was similar to my rifle but was much larger in size; it matched the gun I saw in the gun shop in Cantal.

I heard a bullet wiz past my head and I dived under the nearest carriage. I heard a bullet pass through the carriage I was under.

“Come out little filly girl, I promise ill make your death nice and slow” cooed the raider.

I then rolled back out of the carriage and activated SATS again. I fired twice killing the pony with the sniper rifle.

“Amethyst look out” Shouted Midnight

Too late, I felt several bullets pierce my hind legs and pain burst through them.

I rolled back under the carriage feeling hellish pain building in my hind quarters and the warm sticky blood trapped between my barding and my coat.

I chanced a peep from under the carriage and spotted the sniper rifle. I wrapped my magic around it and pulled it to me. I put my shotgun away and rolled back out aiming at the pony that had shot me. But he was already dead. Midnight must have shot him.

I spotted just a few hostiles left on my EFS and I rolled out from my hiding spot and slipped into SATS aiming at a pony Midnight was fighting. My accuracy with this gun was much better. With two shots I took out the pony attacking Midnight when four more hostiles popped up onto my EFS. I glanced at them and rolled back under the carriage, my heart pounding.

There were three raider ponies and some winged unicorn thing that was about four times taller than a normal pony. She was surrounded by a sickly green shield. The same colour as her coat.

I took the chance and rolled back out and fell into SATS once more.

BLAM

One raider pony dead.

BLAM

Second raider pony dead.

BLAM

Third raider pony dead.

BLAM

The bullet glanced off the winged monsters shield.

I rolled back under the carriage.

I heard her laugh. It seemed to echo slightly, “You foals dare disrupt our plans? I will have you little ponies.”

I took a quick glance and saw some red beams of light hit the shield with no effect. She laughed again. “Your puny weapons are no match” she said in a shrill voice that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end.

I rolled back out still lying on the ground activating my own shield which unlike hers was a thin clear film. I then shot at her but my own bullet just smashed my own shield which collapsed.

“You filly girl entertain me”, her emerald eyes were set on me with malice. She was grinning. “You have a lot of fight in you but you fight like a foal.”

I gritted my teeth and shot at her again and with a small spark the bullet just glanced off. Her shield was like a super powerful version of my own and I could not break it.

“You don’t give up do you? Well it’s time to end you filly and your friends” she said in the echoing voice.

Her horn crackled with electricity and her shield collapsed. The bolt of light was not aimed at me but at Midnight who fell out of the sky as she was struck.

Brax who had somehow managed to sneak behind her in his stupidly heavy armour let out bursts of red light which caused the winged goddess thing to turn. Her horn flared again to strike down Brax. I activated SATS and sent out two shots to her head but not before her horn sent a bolt of lightning at Brax.

BANG

Click

Her head exploded as the bullet hit the back of her head and she fell to the ground as did Brax.

I couldn’t get up or for that matter walk with my injured hind legs so I dragged myself to Midnights side and saw that she was breathing. A piece of her barding at her breast had melted away, burning her coat and scolding her skin beneath. She had passed out. I pulled out some burn ointment and applied it to her burnt skin. It scabbed over but did not do the same job as expected by a healing potion of which we had none left.

Brax was not what I could call close to me so instead I concentrated a field of magic on him and lifted him towards me hoping I wasn’t going to injure him further. I dropped him next to me and I heard him speak inside the armour “Amethyst, the armour spell matrix has crashed. Can you reboot me from your pipbuck? I am uninjured” he added.

Where the bolt of lightning had hit Brax it left a scorch mark on the armour but nothing more. I spotted the slot for my pipbuck device and plugged it in. From here I could see all kinds of information from the advanced armour suit. I rebooted it and heard all the systems come online.

From my pipbuck I could see Brax’s heartbeat, breathing and everything else that my pipbuck could otherwise tell me about myself.

I unplugged it and he got to his hooves.

Midnight came round as he did so.

“Ow. That hurt” she moaned looking at her injury, “what was that thing?” she asked.

“Celestia only knows” I muttered privately thinking she looked like a dark evil version of Princess Celestia herself.

I began to notice that I felt a little giddy and lightheaded, my vision began to swirl and I saw Midnights blurry face above me, “Amethyst are you ok” she asked from far away. I saw black enclose my vision and felt myself slip away into unconsciousness.

* ** ** ** *

I came round my head feeling like lead. I opened my eyes and sat up “ohhh” I moaned stars popping in my vision. I felt strangely naked as cold bit my lower body. My barding and clothing had been removed on the lower part of my body and I could feel pressure around my hind quarters, they had been bandaged up.

“Careful Amethyst, take it easy and don’t get up” came Midnights voice.

I laid back on the ground where I saw a metallic hoof on a plastic bag filled with blood, a small surgical tube connected to it. I suddenly became awake of a needle in my forehoof.

“You lost a lot of blood Amethyst” Midnight said softly.

“You should be up in no time” came the deep rumbling voice behind the armour. I felt the needle in my arm get removed causing me to gasp.

I floated out my canteen and took a sip then put it back.

“Do you know much in medical?” I asked Brax.

“No” he grumbled “I’m just winging it.”

I clambered to my hooves looking at my body which was half mummified. I found my barding which was lying on the ground near me. I levitated it up and put it back on feeling the blood that was soaking them soak into the bandages. I cringed a little feeling very dirty.

* ** ** ** *

Once I had gotten myself together and recovered enough to move around I moved over to the truck which the raiders were using for storage.

Here I found some locked boxes. I picked them all easily enough as the locks were of poor quality. I found some healing poultices, healing bandages and a single healing potion. I put these away wanting to keep the healing potion for emergencies.

I also found some Med X painkillers, a pack of Rad Away, some filled syringes of a substance I did not know of and a tin of Mints with a zebra on the front. I did a double take as I recognised this tin from the memory. On the front it read “Party Time Mintals.” I opened the tin and found some mints inside. They looked no different than the ones I ate in the stable. I levitated one out wanting to try it but I heard a clop clop sound as Midnight came into the back of the truck with me.

“What are you doing Amethyst?” Midnight asked.

I turned around, the tin and the mint both levitated in front of me.

“I found some sweets” I said to Midnight showing her the box of mints.

Her eyes narrowed when she saw them. “You haven’t eaten any of these have you?” She asked looking very concerned.

I was just about to pop it in my mouth when I took a look at her and said “No. why?”

She knocked the mints out of my field of levitation with a hoof, causing the little mints to scatter across the metal floor of the truck before saying aggressively “They are not mints. They are drugs”

“Drugs?” this piece of information made that memory of Pinkie Pie a little clearer “These mints are drugs?” I asked curiously.

“Yes Amethyst that’s what I just said” Midnight grumbled “Are you sure you did not take any?” she asked in a kinder voice.

I nodded.

She smiled, her face softening “ok good” she said with relief.

I looked back inside the box of chems which were filled with all kinds of tablets from headache tablets to Rad X to a bottle of something called Buck and emptied them into my saddlebags.

I left the truck to find out where Midnight and Brax had gotten to.

I found them in a makeshift hut with a running generator. Inside was the most amount of technology I had ever seen in such a tiny hunt. Brax had his armour connected to the maneframe computer that seemed to run all the devices.

Midnight laughed as Brax backed out of a lock down.

“Leave this to the expert Brax. Amethyst will get into it.” Midnight gave me a little wink which made me smile.

Brax’s head turned looking at me through those orange bug eyes before saying “Your telling me Amethyst can get into this?” his voice was filled with doubt, “I’ve been working on these things for years” Brax said as he unplugged his connection and I plugged mine in preparing to hack it myself. Are you telling me some mare barely of age can –“

Beep

“Welcome to the XI Maneframe. What would you like to do?” the machine said in a cool female computer voice.

I could almost see Brax’s stony face as he fell silent. He blubbered “Tha- That machine had a very strong password and a heavy firewall. How-?”

I replied feeling very smug “You said you have been working on these for years. I’ve been working on these for most of my life.” I smiled at him widely showing teeth and a squee came out.

Brax facehoofed and Midnight had shoved a hoof in her mouth to stop herself from laughing as I turned my attention to the XI Maneframe.

I pulled up logs of a file called “Slaves” they were numbered, not named. Each number had a ‘Destination, Status before arrival, type be it earth pony or unicorn, gender and Caps paid.’

So these were slavers not raiders I thought wildly. I looked through the tabs and roughly 20% of all ponies died on the trip to the ponies that had paid for them.

Most of the ponies were sent to either Trottingham or Fillydelphia I noticed and the “Client” name that came up most often was “Red Eye” for Fillydelphia and “Xenzorth” for Trottingham. They took up roughly 90% of the slave trade. The rest went to random areas such as Old Apploosa, Hoofington and a few other towns I did not recognise.

“Wow there are a lot of slaves” Midnight was saying, looking at the data as well. I nodded looking at the data out of curiosity than anything.

“Why are Unicorns worth so much more than earth ponies?” I asked curiously taking note that a unicorn was fetching nearly three times the caps as an earth pony.

Brax answered the question “Unicorns can do magic and are able to lift heavier weight than earth ponies. Earth ponies are normally used for pulling”.

I searched through the data on the Maneframe and found that this base was operated by somepony called “Fritter.”

I looked through the logs and found the last one.

Entry 259

Trade’s been good and with the recent opening of Trottingham which is run by a huge nut down there called Xenzorth, our demand has picked up by almost 50%, he pays slightly better than Red Eye but the slaves are quite harder to get to Trottingham alive.

Shame he has no use for foals but Red Eye has a high enough demand for them.

Xenzorth wishes to write a contract for 700 new slaves with 500 being Unicorns. Red Eye has a huge demand for Unicorns as well.

I’ll be heading to Trottingham to meet Xenzorth to solidify our relations and sign this new contract. This contract is worth almost 1.5 Million Caps so this contraction has to be perfect. I’ve left this place in capable hands while I am gone.

I blinked and gritted my teeth as rage began to take hold. I could not contain it and burst out “Fuck these ponies, 700 fucking ponies, 500 of them Unicorns” My voice finally shrieked causing Midnight and Brax to take a step back as my horn flared and I screamed out “Unicorns like ME, Ponies like YOU.” I did not care about the rest of the information on the machine. I wrapped my telekinetic field around the Mainframe and reefed the mainframe off its footings, breaking wires with loud electrical bangs and threw it against the wall of the hut. It went straight through the wall and smashed into a truck.

Midnight remained silent but Brax spoke up “Wow you take anger to a whole new level.”

I rounded on him “Don’t make me throw you either, after all ponies like you are responsible for this.” It was a low blow but I did not care.

Brax shut his mouth. Midnight and Brax left me inside the hut as they left through the door. I remained inside looking at where the Mainframe used to be, now just broken wires and smashed equipment. Stupid fucking ponies I thought wildly. Almost every pony I had met out here was thieving, pony slaving, and torturing monsters. It almost made me feel ashamed of being a pony. Midnight and Brax acted as if this was all normal. Then I thought of Brax. He had been involved in this, responsible for the enslaving of ponies, rape and murder of foals and other ponies.

I wanted to scream in frustration but instead I just clenched my jaws and pulled the door open so hard it came off the hinges. This did not ease my anger so I threw the door as hard as I could and screamed “Fuck you Celestia” I didn’t usually use bad language or for that matter blasphemy but I was hurt and I needed to blow off the steam.

I saw Midnight and Brax waiting for me both choosing to wait for me to calm down. This was wise. If Brax opened his mouth I would have probably thrown him so hard he would end up on the moon.

As I walked past them I told them “Let’s get out of here” and put ourselves back on the right track.

* ** ** ** *

A few hours later when I had calmed down a bit, the sky began to grow dark and it became very windy indeed. We were still not far from New Saddle however the buildings vanished as it began to snow.

“I think we might be set for a blizzard” I heard Brax say over the wind.

“What’s a Blizzard?” I asked.

“Big Storm with lots of snow and cold, we ought to seek shelter” Brax replied.

I blinked “What’s a Storm?” I asked feeling stupid especially after Brax facehoofed.

Midnight told me instead “A storm has lots of wind or rain or snow or two of each, normally accompanied by lighting.”

“Lightning?” I asked.

Brax interrupted “Are you being stupid on purpose?”

I looked at him maintaining my cool “No, how about you spend the first nineteen years of your life underground, I can’t even look up at the sky without bringing my last meal all over myself”.

“That’s lighting” Midnight interrupted.

She pointed a hoof but all I saw was fading light.

“What?” I stammered but not before I saw a bolt of white crackling something streak out of the clouds and hit the ground. I blinked still seeing the bolt in my retinas; I had never seen anything like it.

BAAANNNG

I jumped and screamed really loudly and pull out my shotgun and looked at my EFS in less than two seconds. There were only two green blips.

“Where’s the fire” I said stupidly.

“That was thunder” Midnight said coolly, “the lightning did it.”

“Oh I,” but another bolt of lightning flashed on the horizon followed by another

BAAANNNG

I jumped about a foot into the air.

Midnight giggled “Oh Amethyst you so funny.”

Footnote: Level Up

New Perk: Winging the medical profession – When you drink a healing potion it is 10% more effective.

Chapter 10: New Saddle Tower

“All most there” Brax grumbled as we were walking through central New Saddle.

Most of the buildings had no windows left, some were half collapsed and some roads were blocked off completely by a collapsed building and everything was covered in a layer of snow.

“Almost there?” I asked exasperated “all these buildings are unliveable, let alone a pony settlement being here.”

“You’ll see” Alyshia chipped in “I’ve lived in New Saddle for a long time and I can assure you that it is comfortable.”

I looked around and all I could see was smashed buildings, destroyed road signs, the occasional subway and graffiti layering the walls of most buildings.

A poster that was in poor condition was plastered to the brick wall of one of the buildings. It showed a very familiar pink pony with a pink and grey candy cane mane, she was quite old but the photo caught the pony well. Through her eyes it looked like she could see into your very soul yet she looked very energetic. The poster was captioned in large letters “Ministry of Moral” and below that in slightly small font “Pinkie Pie is always watching.”

“Amethyst why did you stop? What are you looking at?” Alyshia piped up.

“Oh sorry” I half shouted. I didn’t even realise I had stopped, “Just saw a poster that… never mind” I tailed off realising that nopony was listening to me anyway.

* ** ** ** *

After an hour or so we all agreed to take a quick ten minute break in the inner city park, which was really just a field of snow and a set of play equipment for fillies and colts. While everypony else was talking I decided to go take a little look. There were no play grounds in the stable so I had never really used one or gotten a proper look at one.

When I was about half way there I heard Alyshia shout “Amethyst, get back here. There is a lake there.”

I looked around and all I could see was ice “I’m fine” I shouted back.

“No… Thin ice” Alyshia shouted, “Get back here.”

I looked at the ground I was standing on. It looked solid enough in fact it looked no different than everywhere else.

Instead I continued over to the playground. I wanted to play on it but like I could, I was too big and the playground was too rusty and would likely buckle under my weight. The steel slide had holes all through it and the plastic tunnel that fillies and colts would crawl through had warped. Some parts still had graffiti and one which was etched into the steel pole was heavily faded dated back to two hundred and thirty years ago. I looked inside the warped plastic tunnel which contained the skeleton of a filly. I withdrew and felt a tear leak out of the corner of my eye. Did she die there when the bomb went off?

So instead I sat in the snow and looked over to my friends three hundred meters away. They had continued whatever they were talking about as they were not looking over to me. I looked up to all of the buildings around the park and imagined what it must have been like before the war, all the ponies that lived and worked here. The fillies and colts that played here, the ponies that had lived normal lives until the great bombs destroyed everything.

I got so lost in thought that I was not paying attention to my surroundings and what I did not expect was to turn and see a giant Radscorpion scurrying over to me with lighting fast agility. I had no time to take out any of my weapons, or for that matter move at all. The thing bowled me over and it lashed at me with its stinger. I heard my companions scream out “Amethyst” but as they did so I felt the stinger strike me in the stomach and sink through my barding and into my flesh with extreme pain before withdrawing for a second shot. I rolled over and the stinger struck right where my head was two seconds previously.

I jumped to my hooves and levitated the huge monster off the ground. I then levitated my magnum from my saddle bags and as I did so I heard some pony scream “Brax!!”

I panicked and my horn sparked causing the scorpion and gun to fall into the snow with a soft thump. I tried to levitate the gun but my magic wouldn’t wrap around the handle, without enough time to try again I instead picked it up in my teeth and shot at it five times, only hitting the Radscorpion twice making it fall into the snow which it did not move.

I looked to where my companions were and could only see two ponies, Midnight and Alyshia. Alyshia’s horn was flared and she was concentrating on something that had clearly fallen through the ice. My heart had lodged in my throat when I realised where Brax was.

Amidst the pain in my underside I galloped over to the broken ice and peered down into the watery depths. I saw a purple outline slowly move towards the surface. Alyshia had her face screwed up in concentration as she lifted the large stallion out of the water.

* ** ** ** *

Fortunately Brax was fine when Alyshia had pulled him out. It turned out his armour had a small air tank for breathing when his normal supply for oxygen was cut. He said the armour didn’t leak so he didn’t need to be dried off. I did not realise until now just how resilient my heavily armoured stallion companion was with his high tech enclave suit. As for me I gulped a healing potion to heal the painful wound on my underside.

The lifting on Brax had caused Alyshia some strain and she was quite exhausted, “Sorry Alyshia” I muttered knowing this was once again my fault.

“Quite alright dear” she panted, “Just please listen next time.”

“Amethyst you are really stupid you know that?” Midnight spat.

I was taken aback “Why?” I asked hurt.

Midnight shook her head and said “You just wander over thin ice and get yourself attacked and we nearly loose Brax, you’re like a little filly Amethyst, we have to keep an eye on you or you’ll wander off and do something completely and utterly stupid.”

I shrunk away feeling tears build. I hated when Midnight was angry at me. It made my heart sore and being called a little filly hurt too. It meant that Midnight was comparing me to a child rather than a grown mare who loved her.

“Well” I argued “I’m sorry then.” Brax was fine, I was fine and everypony else was fine I thought. “I’m not a filly” I finished in a mumble as an afterthought.

“Well act like one and we’ll treat you like one” Midnight scolded.

My ears perked back and I walked a full pony length behind my companions so I couldn’t be seen.

“Look Midnight, it’s all good” Brax grumbled “I’m fine don’t take it out on her.”

Midnight neighed and said “Well really? Sometimes with Amethyst, you’ve got to be. She is stubborn as a mule.”

I gritted my teeth as Midnight went on a rant about how many stupid things I’d done since I met her.

* ** ** ** *

“Here we are” Brax announced about forty five minutes later.

I looked around and all I saw was more damaged buildings. I felt a little groggy but I couldn’t help but ask “Your pulling my leg aren’t you Brax?”

“No he’s serious” Alyshia advised. “In there.” She pointed a hoof at the entrance of a subway terminal.

We went down through the Subway entrance to find a gate flanked by about six ponies. I was in front and I announced the ponies “Uhh, can we go through?” I asked the stallion nervously who was at the front.

He eyed me pointing a gun between my eyes. He then told me aggressively “Raiders are not welcome in New Saddle. Give me a reason not to blow your brains over the concrete…”

“Uhh” I stammered, my ears perked back but Alyshia came to the rescue.

“Boys, Amethyst here is no raider. She’s a beacon of hope in this wasted land, so would you be a darl and not point that gun in her face?”

The gun withdrew and the buck looked apologetic “Ahh sorry Alyshia, didn’t see you there” He said sincerely.

“Sorry kid” he muttered to me, “Be sure to take your barding off before you enter the tower.”

I nodded, personally not wanting to walk into a populated area wearing this torn horrible thing.

“Alyshia you know the drill, we need all your ammo before you can enter” A yellow stallion advised.

We all pulled out our ammo, which in my case it turned out to be just fifteen shotgun rounds and a few .44 bullets and handed them over. Brax on the otherhoof did not use ammo but he still handed over what looked like batteries that must be used to fire his guns. Midnight handed over a number of clips and Alyshia handed over some grenades and a few flat things I had never seen before.

The gate then opened and we proceeded into the subway, it had no tracks, it was just a path.

When we got through the gateway I pulled off my horrible barding and felt a wave of odour hit my nose and I gagged.

My coat was beyond disgusting. I could almost swear it had insects living in the blood that caked it.

“Oh my gosh, Amethyst you look horrible.” Alyshia said in a concerned voice “are you ok?”

I smiled at her. “Yeah, as ok as I could be I suppose.” I cringed before adding “I would really like a bath.”

Alyshia looked at my coat tutting. She then advised “We will book a suite when we get in and have some baths. I think you should go first Amethyst. I don’t want you to stink the room out.”

I cringed, and I looked at Midnight who tutted before saying flatly “you smell like a dead rat.”

Say it the way you feel I thought wildly. I just hoped I wouldn’t get looks from the other ponies.

I decided to change the subject as we moved along the passage, “Why can’t you take your armour off Brax?” I asked.

“This armour is not what I would call light” He growled, “I am not carrying it, I’ll take it off when we find someplace to stay… Unless you want to carry it miss unicorn?”

I shook my head saying “I ain’t carrying it. You can just keep it on then.”

“That’s what I thought” he concluded in a growl.

No need to be such an ass about it I thought madly.

* ** ** ** *

We reached a final set of gates where several guard ponies flanked either side.

“We require to search you of contraband before you enter the tower” The stallion wearing dark vicious armour advised of us.

I levitated my saddlebags to the smaller unicorn stallion who began to search my things. He pulled out my armour, guns, and books. He caught one book with an eye and smiled. He looked at me with my porn magazine floating in a field of his levitation “This is an odd condiment to find in a mares bag.”

Despite the embarrassment I merely shrugged.

He levitated my healing potions, poultices, bandages, painkillers then some syringes which I did not know of their contents.

“Sorry” He exclaimed. “No stampede allowed in. I’ll have to confiscate this.”

I felt my companions eyes fall on me. Midnight chided “I didn’t know you use Stampede Amethyst.” She gave me a very stern look “This would explain why your anger is out of control.”

“What” I stammered “I don’t use this, I found it and... What’s stampede?” I asked.

“We’ll talk about this later” Alyshia whispered who had already been searched.

I looked up at the stallion and nodded. He put these in a box with the label “Confiscated.”

He pulled out my orb of desire which for some reason I had completely forgotten I had and then pulled out my photo album.

I heard Midnight hiss something but Alyshia merely hissed back “Can we please save this for later?”

I hung my head as our bags were repacked and we walked into the building.

The atrium was beautiful. It was filled with polished brass fittings, beautiful clean chandelier lights, highly polished wood surfaces some which seemed a little scorched and the walls were hardly cracked. Ponies in suits and dresses bustled throughout the atrium. Before I could get a good look, Alyshia guided us through the automatic glass doors at the back.

My head spun as we walked into a massive space filled with tables and chairs and shop fronts with hundreds of ponies in elegant style clothing. I then looked up, the building was hollowed out with balconies looking down from each floor, it must have been about forty stories high at least. This caused my head to spin even worse and made my stomach churn which caused me to fall to my haunches.

“Up you get Amethyst” Alyshia said as she pulled me back to my hooves.

“Sorry” I muttered, “Open spaces make me sick.”

Midnight rolled her eyes at me.

As we made our way through the ground floor towards the elevators that would take us up to the temporary accommodation, I was starting to get looks from the other ponies. I tried to hide behind Alyshia but this did not work. I kept getting glances from some of the ponies which were saying in carrying whispers “Look at that mare over there, has she ever heard of a bath.” and “Oh my, I cannot believe ponies like her would exist. How has she not yet died in her own odour?” and “who bought that filthy rat in?”

This lasted until we were in the reception to the suites on level twenty five. I sank away into the shadows while Alyshia booked us a room for four.

* ** ** ** *

Our room turned out to be quite nice. It was very open with two bedrooms, a bathroom and a window that looked over the outside, the buildings began to darken as night began to set in.

Alyshia trotted over and told me in a knowing voice “You sleep next to me. Midnight is sleeping next to Brax.”

“Why can’t I sleep next to Midnight” I whined.

“You know why” She said sternly.

“M’kay” I muttered, I levitated one of the soft slightly yellow towels that were folded elegantly on the bed spread and muttered “I’m taking a well-deserved shower.”

“Good, because you stink” Alyshia acknowledged.

When I stepped into the bathroom I had a sudden vision float to my head, Midnight pulling me out of the red blood bath into her arms before making out with me. Oh how I wished that would happen right now. But as they say I thought, that can only occur in my dreams.

Rather than taking a bath, I decided to take a shower, not wanting to be laying in Blood Soup. Unfortunately my magic seemed to have cut out again and I could not even levitate the bar of soap, so I used the hoof attachment. Not that it made much difference. It took me forever to wash myself and by the time my coat was pink the bath tub looked like I had murdered somepony in it, minus the body.

After a bit more scrubbing my coat came out beautifully white once again and after washing my mane and tail they felt silky smooth and not all knotting and glutinous like they did before. I felt better knowing that I could see my cutie marks once again rather than thick blood caking my flanks.

I washed the bathtub not wanting to disrespect my companions. Especially with one who is already pissed off at me for something so stupid.

I stepped out of the bathroom feeling very light and refreshed, the towel wrapped around my mane. Only Alyshia seemed to be in the main room at the moment.

“Hey Amethyst” Alyshia piped up, “Oh wow you look great clean.”

“Thanks” I muttered before throwing myself onto the lounge causing my towel to loosen slightly.

“What’s up?” She inquired, “You look sad. Actually you look sick.”

“It’s nothing” I mumbled.

“You don’t take stampede do you?” Alyshia inquired.

“No I do not” I said heatedly.

“Okay” Alyshia said looking relieved, “Well I’m going to take a shower.”

“Wait… where’s Midnight and Brax?” I asked curiously.

“They hit the pub” Alyshia said simply.

“Without taking a shower first?” I asked stunned.

“This is Midnight and Brax were talking about here? Wow Amethyst, you have been travelling with them much longer than I have and I seem to know more about them then you do” Alyshia laughed.

“Uhh… well…”

Alyshia merely shrugged “Brax is a big manly stallion. I honestly don’t think he cares what anypony thinks of him.” her mouth twitched before going on “Midnight is… well, she’s a boisterous mare who wouldn’t be what I call a lady. She’s like a tomboy I think” Alyshia concluded. “They don’t care much for cleanliness.”

Alyshia was just going into the bathroom when I shouted at her “Alyshia, can we go shopping together tomorrow?”

She turned her head and looked at me. She gave me a small smile before saying kindly “Of course. We aren’t going to be taking you around this tower without wearing anything.”

She then closed the door.

I laid on my back on the nice comfortable cushiony lounge caressing my stomach which began to churn even worse. I felt a headache coming on as well. I thought of my bags contents and the drugs and hoped that Midnight would believe me but my mind quickly wandered. The orb of desire floated to the forefront of my mind.

I levitated it out of my saddlebags next to the bed and gazed into it. I saw the image form and become sharp. I found myself quickly, my tail and mane striking against the white snow. I could not see the peach Pegasus. I looked harder and with a shock of amazement I saw Midnight instead. She and me… Together.... My mouth dropped and I could not stop staring. Finally I realised that this did not show the truth nor possibility and gazing into it for hours on end would not do my sanity any good. I put it away and floated out my photo album.

I opened it to the front page to an image of me as a foal, my father who was a white stallion with a brown mane and my mother. The only picture I had of my family, now in tatters. My mother and I were separate. We could not be any more apart. I felt tears leak down my cheeks as I flicked to the next page. It was Berry and I. We were both blank flanks probably around the age of six. We both wore our school scarves and Berry had a hoof around my neck. We were both smiling happily at the camera.

I looked to the next image, which my mother was cuddling me when I was too young to remember, my tiny horn poking out of a tuft of black mane, my eyes stark purple as I giggled.

The next was another image of me as a foal playing with a stuffed white unicorn mare with a purple curling mane and tail. The plush I still had at home in my stable.

I flicked over to the next image. Berry and I once more, she had her cutie mark which was of icicles. She had her pipbuck and maintenance barding on and I was a blank flank still wearing my school scarf. I remembered this image well; it would have been nearly two years since this was shot for my own cutie mark to appear despite Berry being my age.

I closed the photo album hugging it. My memories of my stable, of my previous life, of the easy boring life I had lived and the ponies I loved; my mother, my dead father, my friend Berry. I plopped the album back onto the lounge and it fell open to a much more recent photo, almost two years ago. The day I turned eighteen, Berry and I had cake levitated and we had a party with streamers, sweets and caffeinated drinks. Unusual for an eighteen year old as most ponies threw massive eighteenth birthday parties with tonnes of alcohol, popular ponies and sex. My Birthday was very quiet. I only had one friend and my mother.

I pushed the page back to the front with our complete family and let out a moan wanting my family, wanting a girlfriend, wanting to belong and be loved. Something I had lacked for a majority of my life.

Alyshia came out of the bathroom all clean and she saw me sobbing on the bed. She bustled over dripping a little and she asked in a concerned tone “Amethyst, what’s wrong?” she caught sight of the photo I had in front of me. “Oh dear” She whispered, “Oh Amethyst come here.” She sat on the lounge and pulled me into an embrace. “You didn’t lose your family did you?” She whispered, I let out a moan and tears came fresh.

“I might as well have” I bawled, “my father is dead, my mother is a stuck up cow in the stable, I am out here, Midnight is not talking to me and I wanna go home…”

Alyshia pulled away, her hooves on my shoulders, she looked me in the eyes “Amethyst, you are a tough mare, you are going through a lot. I have heard of your deeds on the radio. You are not alone, you have us.”

I sobbed before telling her weakly “DJ pon-3 over-exaggerated a lot of that.”

She shook her head “No I don’t think he did, you are being modest.”

I let out a sniff.

Alyshia pointed a hoof at my photo album and she levitated it in front of us as she said warmly “Would you like to go through this with me?”

I nodded, feeling a little shocked that somepony would even want to look at memories of my past.

“This pink pony is your mother right?” Alyshia asked noticing some of the images when I was a foal.

I nodded.

“Aww you’re so cute.” Alyshia pronounced pointing at me with my stuffed toy.

I felt a smile break across my muzzle as I looked at myself playing with it.

“Who is this pony?” Alyshia asked pointing a hoof at Berry, “She is with you in almost every picture.”

“That’s Berry” I advised “She was my only friend.”

“Friend?” Alyshia glanced at me before asking “She wasn’t something… more?”

I shook my head. Truth be it, I never had feelings for Berry, then I told her “I loved her like a sister. She was the only pony there for me.”

“Ahh ok” Alyshia said flicking the page “Oh wow you were late” She announced pointing an image of me at my Cutie Mark Party.

I put a hoof behind my head turning slightly red “Yeah I was... Just a little”

She looked sideways at me when she reached the image of my eighteenth birthday party before asking cautiously “Amethyst? Do you mind if I ask? How old are you?”

“Uhh I’m nineteen, I turn twenty in two months” I shrugged.

“Oh wow, you are still very young.” She frowned then asked “Tell me about your feelings for Midnight.”

I rubbed my foreleg with a hoof feeling a little uncomfortable. But then again, I just told her about my family and she was very good to talk to. I didn’t think she was the kind of pony to judge me.

I opened my muzzle and told her “Midnight is a beautiful pony. I have loved her since I met her back at the hospital in Cantal. At first I didn’t think I did and maybe it was just admiration. But when I think about Midnight my heart feels fluffy and I feel funny right here.” I pointed a hoof at my breast, “Midnight has saved me lots of times and she is always great comfort. She has a shoulder I can cry into, eyes that I can look into and when I am in her hooves, I feel all goo-y. My orb shows Midnight and me together.” I wrapped the orb and showed it to Alyshia.

“Where did you get this?” Alyshia pronounced looking into the orb.

“Some zebra from my stable gave it to me. She was quite nice but slightly creepy” I advised as I remembered the Zebra who ninja snuck up on me while eating.

Alyshia nodded as I withdrew the orb. “What are you doing outside of your stable?” she inquired.

Oh no here it comes. So I told her my story of why I left the stable. When I was done she looked concerned.

“Oh Amethyst, that is so much burden. You poor dear” She said sadly. She then frowned as if making a decision. “Uhh, Umm.” She looked quite uncomfortable but I merely waited. “If you don’t mind, is it ok if I come with you? You could really use the support… I mean, there is nothing really stopping me from leaving so it wouldn’t be interfering with my life. I am quite handy with medical spells and can help out in battle. I promise I will not be a burden…”

I felt some relief wash through me. The addition of an actual medical pony with me was like finding gold. She looked to me with desperation in her eyes. I waved a hoof for her to be quite and smiled at her “Of course you can come with me. I would love for you to come with me.”

“Oh thank you Amethyst.” She beamed at me then she gave me a strong hug. I wrapped my hooves around her and returned it feeling some of the weight fall off my shoulders.

I heard the door open and we broke apart. Midnight and Brax had come back.

“Age is no barrier, is it Amethyst?” Midnight sneered from the door frame.

“Midnight…” Alyshia said. She looked abashed and quite offended, “are you suggesting that I would lead Amethyst on like that? Or for that matter date somepony ten years younger than myself and the fact that I’m strait.”

Midnight sneered and left the apartment again leaving Brax to start ruffling through all his junk in his saddlebags nearby, most of which was still wet.

I felt myself getting upset. I loved Midnight and seeing her angry at me like this over something so small made me feel even sicker to the point I wanted to vomit.

Finally I couldn’t contain it “Midnight will never love me” I howled, “I don’t deserve her.”

“Come on Amethyst, calm down” Alyshia cooed, “You are a good pony.”

“No I’m not” I bawled.

“Yes you are. You saved me; you have saved all those ponies out there” she intoned, her voice soft and understanding “Midnight is tough, she’ll be ok.”

I felt my stomach suddenly contract and I vomited all over my underside.

“Amethyst!” Alyshia half shouted looking worried, “are you ok?”

I coughed the sick out and gagged. Alyshia then wrapped her magic around me and marched me into the bathroom. “Come on Amethyst, pull yourself together, Midnight doesn’t hate you, she is just a little upset, she is old enough to not let a petty squabble get in the way of your friendship.”

“I’m feeling sick” I mumbled holding my forehooves to my stomach; my head was also hammering with the worst headache. I decided to let Alyshia mother me. She had placed me on the shower matt as she filled the bathtub with water. I took two big breaths and finally I managed to pull myself together. “Thank you Alyshia” I croaked from the ground.

“No problem” she said. She then smiled at me, “I would give you a hug, but you are covered in sick.”

When the bath was full Alyshia placed me into the tub. “I think I can wash myself” I piped up feeling a little uncomfortable.

She let out a little laugh, “oh I don’t think you can.”

“Why?” I tried to grab the soap telekinetically but as expected nothing happened.

“Burn-out Amethyst” She said simply, “you used up too much magical energy when you were out in the wasteland.

“I didn’t use that much energy” I told her. I began to feel weak, like I did when I was a filly and couldn’t do any magic. I used little energy, how could I have burnt out?

She held me in the water with her magic and began to attack my coat with the bar of soap.

“How are you feeling?” She asked.

She turned me onto my stomach and washed my back. I opened my muzzle to talk and water went in my mouth causing me to cough. “Ops sorry dear.” Alyshia said apologetically before continuing my wash.

I tried again “I feel sick” I mumbled again, “and I want to say sorry to Midnight.”

“You have nothing to be sorry for Amethyst” Alyshia told me as she looked into my eyes. “I am sure Midnight will forgive you, she just needs some time alone I think.”

“What about Brax?” I asked, “He has said very little.”

Alyshia shook her head “That stallion doesn’t care I don’t think, he just doesn’t want you ponies fighting.”

Alyshia then pulled me out of the tub causing my mane, tail and coat to stream water everywhere. She then towelled my coat then wrapped a dry towel on my mane and tail. She then took in my body as if looking for something. I just stood there unsure what she was looking at. Her horn then flared and all the nicks, bruises and spots where the fur had been taken out healed.

“Whoa” I gasped.

“Well I am a medical pony” Alyshia said proudly.

Something must have been off in my face as Alyshia asked “Something wrong Amethyst?”

I gave a small fake laugh and said “No nothing, it’s just that as a filly I wanted to be a medical pony. I just… didn’t fit the requirements.”

“Oh ok. So what did you end up doing in your stable?” she asked curiously.

I gave her a weak smile and told her “I worked in maintenance. I mostly worked on terminals, robotics, stable lights and the like. I know I’m not good at much, but technology is something I’m rather good at. I don’t know why my cutie mark isn’t a robot or electronic cabling or something.”

Alyshia smiled then said knowingly “your cutie mark is unique Amethyst, besides, never let your cutie mark dictate your true goal in life.”

I nodded and then followed Alyshia outside the bathroom. Without warning my legs gave out from under me causing me to fall in a heap to the ground.

Alyshia ran over to me and screamed “Amethyst what’s wrong?”

I felt tears leak from my eyes as the pain doubled in my stomach, I felt my heart clench unpleasantly before it too began to ache with pain and finally I shook my head. “Alyshia, I got stung” I mumbled, “By the radscorpion.” I didn’t think they were venomous; in fact I would have thought if they were venomous that when I had taken the healing potion it would have cured the poison too. But this would be the only reason I would have gotten ill so suddenly I thought.

Alyshia’s eyes widened with shock. “Brax” she yelled, “Amethyst is sick.”

“So?” he shouted from the bathroom, he was clearly taking a shower.

“No you- never mind” she finished; Instead Alyshia levitated me onto her back and ran out the door. Along the way to where ever it was she was taking me I lost consciousness, where I did not know.

* ** ** ** *

When I came round I was experiencing instant deja vu, the soft sound of ‘beep, beep” filling my ears and my heart sank. Not again I thought. I opened my eyes and the first thing I noticed was that I wasn’t feeling sick or unwell. I felt a little stiff but overall I felt quite good.

I quickly noticed my companions, all of them were around my bed in what appeared to be a hospital room. My curtains were open and I noted that there was at least another six beds, most had their curtains drawn except for the one opposite mine which had a injured green stallion resting in a bed like mine.

My companions were whispering to each other so I gave a small cough to indicate that I was awake. “Amethyst” Alyshia almost shouted, “Sorry” she whispered when Midnight put a hoof to her mouth to indicate for her to be quiet.

“How are you?” Brax inquired.

“I feel good” I muttered “What happened to me?” I asked knowing the answer already.

“Poisoned” Alyshia said automatically. “Radscorpian as you indeed told me when you were on the brink of passing out.”

I noticed that Midnight was hanging slightly back looking a little uncomfortable but I gave Alyshia my attention, “Yeah sorry” I muttered “I should have told you sooner.”

Alyshia shook her head “It’s ok dear, just make sure you tell somepony when you get hurt ok?”

I nodded and as I did so Midnight threw her hooves around me sobbing “I’m sorry Amethyst, I didn’t mean to be so narky, you could have died and I would have been angry at you.”

Wait what? I was expecting Midnight to scold me again but instead I pet Midnight on the top of her head awkwardly, “Don’t be” I muttered “I can be a bit naïve sometimes, perhaps a little stupid and lacking in common sense too.”

“A bit naïve?” Brax snickered.

“Fine, a lot naïve” I corrected, “Don’t be sorry Midnight”

Midnight withdrew, she looked a little angry with herself. I just smiled and told her “I still love you Midnight, don’t beat yourself up, I deserved it.”

“You nearly died” she said weakly.

“Not really” I giggled, “Alyshia got me here on time, s’all good.”

* ** ** ** *

After being cleared to go by the doctor during the afternoon of the following day I headed back to my room with Alyshia and Brax as Midnight had gone “Shopping” by herself apparently.

When we got back I saw Alyshia quickly dash into our room. I followed but the door was locked. “Uhh, Alyshia?” I stammered knocking on the door.

Alyshia ignored me and about twenty seconds later she came back out. “What was all that about?” I asked.

Alyshia gave a little laugh before saying “No nothing dead, nothing at all. Now lets take you for a shower shall we?”

“What?” I stammered “can’t I go for a shower myself?”

Alyshia then said “Fine, but you might be a while.”

“Why? I asked. She facehoofed and I understood “Right my magic” I said glumly.

“Oh that reminds me” Alyshia muttered fiddling with her bags before levitating out a little bottle of pills, “Take these, they will bring your magic back faster.”

I took the little bottle and nodded.

I then went for a shower by myself.

* ** ** ** *

After my shower, which took longer than normal, I took my tablets and left the bathroom to Alyshia who was waiting patiently while tapping her hoof on the ground. When she saw me she smiled and said “about time. It’s time for you to get changed.”

“Changed?” I blubbered after Alyshia requested me to get changed into something nice, “I haven’t any clothes.” Unless she meant my defiled barding I thought to myself. I wouldn’t put that on if you paid me.

Alyshia trotted into our room and came back out with the most stunning deep purple dress I had ever seen levitated in front of her.

“Midnight bought this for you, she knows your size you see” she piped up “I think it goes great with your eyes.”

“Thanks” I muttered. I didn’t deserve this dress I thought, I felt that Midnight was trying to make something up to me, she didn’t need to buy me that dress, her time with me last night was plenty.

Midnight had somehow mysteriously disappeared while I was showering, “where’s Midnight?” I asked looking for my beautiful white pegasus friend.

Alyshia shook her head and said nothing as she prepared the dress to put on me.

* ** ** ** *

After five minutes of Alyshia telekinetically getting this dress onto me I finally stood in front of the mirror looking at my reflection. The dress was the same shade of purple as my eyes, the seams were silvery, the dress was heavily layered and it was also quite heavy. It came with a brilliant purple and silver laced saddle that matched the dress perfectly.

She tapped my flank “Turn around dear. We should add some make up as well” Alyshia muttered as she levitated some mascara and eyeliner and did my eyes. When she was done she then smiled and told me quietly “You are a beautiful pony Amethyst. I can see how you got your name. You really shine like a gem.”

I looked at myself in the mirror and for the first time for who knows how long, I saw a legitimate smile break across my muzzle. I actually felt good about how I looked.

“Thank you Alyshia” I cried and threw my forelegs around her neck, “Thank you for being such a nice pony to me.”

She pulled me away smiling, “You don’t’ need to thank me. You need to thank Midnight for finding you such a beautiful dress.” Alyshia then looked at the door before adding “I think I might need to start getting ready myself, if you will excuse me for about twenty minutes, I need to take a shower.”

I nodded “Sure thing.”

* ** ** ** *

Alyshia was getting changed when the suite door opened. I was laying on the lounge reading my book on ‘telekinetic tricks’ by hoof and I looked up from the sound of the door. Midnight and Brax came back in. I got up and walked over to Midnight. She took a look at me and her mouth gaped open. Brax looked a little shocked as well.

I looked at her directly in the eyes and apologised for the way I behaved “I’m sorry for being such a moron Midnight; I don’t deserve a friend like you.” I took a breath and finished “This is a beautiful dress by the way.”

Midnight walked up to me and gave me a hug “I am sorry too Amethyst. I should have talked to you rather than cold shouldering you.”

When we broke apart Midnight pulled out a thin silver necklace with a dark purple stone. The stone gave off a very hardly noticeable glow. “You didn’t spend all our bits – I mean caps on me did you?”

“Nawww.” Midnight professed “We got the caps from the shit that Brax has been collecting.”

“Brax supplied me with these?” I asked shocked that the stallion would be so generous.

“Supplied the caps” Midnight corrected.

* ** ** ** *

Turns out that we were all going out for dinner, Alyshia was wearing a lavender dress that went well with her coat and mane, Midnight a simple black dress and Brax a brown suit type thing. It felt awkward on the way downstairs to the restaurant, I was way over dressed, I outshined my companions and ponies kept glancing at me.

“I think I’m overdressed” I muttered to Alyshia.

“Nonsense. You are stunning Amethyst, this is your night.” She said loudly.

“Besides, you’re making these rich snobs jelly.” Midnight piped up

I felt like I had a big spotlight on me when we arrived in the very splendid restaurant, where we were served expensive and slightly better tasting food that we ate in the waste land. Bananas cut in elegant styles or peas cooked in a different way.

Very full with my fill, Midnight and Brax dragged Alyshia and I to the pub where they wanted to have a drink. It was dingy inside and smelt of smoke. If I was over dressed in the restaurant I didn’t know what I qualified for in here. There were also quite a lot of sleazy stallions checking me out making my stomach twist, “I ‘m not going to stay for long” I muttered.

“Oh Amethyst don’t be such a chicken” Brax grumbled, “Pubs are great, good chatting, great place to get the ins and outs, nice and relaxing.”

“I beg to differ” I muttered. Alyshia looked uncomfortable here as well but Midnight looked at home.

Midnight and Brax ordered drinks and Midnight pushed a bottle of Vodka in front of me. “I don’t drink” I mumbled pushing the bottle away.

“You do now” Midnight laughed putting a straw in the bottle “This is very light Amethyst. Alyshia is drinking the same thing.”

I nodded and sipped the alcoholic beverage, it was sweet and the taste that alcohol had was very mild, it was quite enjoyable.

I looked around the pub and noticed that stallions were looking at me. I sunk low trying to hide behind the brim of the table.

“Amethyst?” Midnight hissed, tugging on my hoof. “What has gotten into you? “

“Creepy old stallions keep looking at me.I shuddered unable to finish.

Midnight looked around before getting up and said loudly looking at a group of stallions who were looking at me “What are you lot looking at?” They turned away.

After my second vodka I decided it was time to head back to the room, I had enough of being stared at. All three of my companions nodded as I left into the cleaner air outside the pub.

Rather than heading up to the room I decided to take a look around. Most of the shops were closed as it was rather late, so instead I stepped into the Elevator and pushed the number ‘45’ button that was the highest it would go. With a lurch of my stomach the elevator began its trip to the top of the building.

With a ding I stepped out onto the top floor and walked up to the side of the balcony that looked down to all the floors all the way to the ground floor. When I looked over the side I quickly withdrew feeling nauseous, I still had this issue with heights and open spaces.

I walked along the top floor and found that most of the doors were residence of ponies that lived here. I knew Alyshia lived here and it made me wonder what floor she lived on, if only to see the door number. These doors were all marked in the 900s.

I saw a gruff stallion stick his head out the door and he waved at me. I tilted my head and pointed a hoof at my chest and he nodded. I came a little closer to him cautiously.

"Come in" he whispered

The curious side of me wanted to go in but it was over-ridden by worry. I shook my head, my ears tilting backwards. This stallion looked very similar to the stallions from the pub, he smelt of alcohol and stale tobacco. I knew that in his house was not a safe place for a young mare like me, especially when wearing this dress and makeup which was making me look ten thousand times better than I actually looked.

He started towards me and I turned tail and ran. I had no magic or anything to protect myself and would never have believed anything to happen inside the tower. He might not have been harmful but I had difficulty trusting some ponies since I entered the Equestrian Wasteland.

I went back to my room where I waited around for my companions to get back.

Alyshia came back after about an hour and she seemed rather good despite having a few drinks. I myself felt a little strange and I assumed I was a little tipsy from the drink I had.

Alyshia pulled me into the bathroom and helped me out of my dress and clean up my makeup. This took almost as long as getting it on. By the time I was done I felt tired enough to crash.

“I’m heading off to bed” I muttered to Alyshia as Midnight and Brax returned.

I entered Alyshia and my room and threw myself into bed laying on my back staring up at the ceiling for a long time. We needed to move soon I thought. We had already stayed here for too long already.

The bedroom door opened and to my surprise Midnight came in, she was wrecked. She stumbled into the room and turned the light on before closing the door and locking it.

"Something wrong?" I asked her.

She said nothing and flapped her wings and flew up and crashed into the bed next to me. She crawled over to me. I looked in her face and I could tell she had way too much to drink.

"Midnight are you ok" I asked her.

“ah'm fighn Ametsthys" Midnight slurred.

She then crawled on top of me and before I could say anything she stuck her muzzle very close and planted a kiss on my mouth. Everything else did not matter at that very moment, I returned the kiss very passionately and Midnight did not relent, she worked her tongue around mine. I could taste the alcohol inside her mouth and yet I loved every second of it. Her mane fell into my face and I could smell Midnight’s beautiful aroma, a beautiful flowery yet sweaty smell that made my mind fog.

She withdrew and her body then slumped on my chest, I felt horny yet I began to feel guilty. I could not let Midnight do this, she was so drunk, normally she would not do this and I allowed her to. If she found out tomorrow, I would be so screwed that I returned her kiss and if it went further. I shuddered to think. I would not let this go any further or for that matter want her to go any further unless she professed that she loved me for the pony I am. I did not want to lose myself to somepony who did not love me. I wanted it to be special.

"That’s enough Midnight” I said sternly. But she did not move. “Midnight?” I moaned “I don’t want to do this, I c-cant.” But she just laid there and did not respond. So with a heave I pushed her off me and she just slumped on the covers. She seemed to have passed out. I wiped my forehead, I felt very hot particularly between my hind legs.

I let off a sigh and I heard a knock on the door. I sat bolt upright my heart hammering in my chest as Alyshia spoke through the door “Amethyst, are you in there? Why is the door locked?”

I jumped up, my mind working slowly. I looked at Midnight who was still asleep or passed out on my and Alyshia’s bed. This would look very awkward if Alyshia saw Midnight in the same bed as me so I tried to push Midnight off the bed. But she was too heavy. I could not use my magic.

“Amethyst what are you doing in there? Are you ok?” I heard Alyshia again.

“I’m fine” I called back and I trotted over to the door and pulled it open sticking my head through the crack and holding it so Alyshia could not come in. “Uhh could you wait a moment?” I asked her awkwardly.

“Amethyst why are you all sweaty? You look like you have run a marathon.” Alyshia advised me looking slightly shocked. “What are you doing?” She asked suspiciously.

“Nothing” I said perhaps a little too quickly.

She pushed the door open telekinetically and barged in saying “What are you hiding from…” she looked at Midnight and finished “Me.” Alyshia blubbered a bit then looked at me sternly.

“I swear I didn’t” I started.

“Amethyst you didn’t just have sex with Midnight while she was blind drunk did you?” Alyshia asked harshly.

“No I didn’t” I told her defiantly.

“Then what is she doing in our bed with the door locked and you looking all tired and sweaty?” She asked.

“Look nothing happened” I lied. “Midnight came in, locked the door, and fell asleep on our bed.”

“You are a bad liar Amethyst” Alyshia said sadly, “You could just tell me the truth?”

My ears perked back and I scowled. “Fine” I grumbled. “She came in, locked the door, jumped on top of me, we made out for a minute or two and I then told her ‘no more’ and she passed out on top of me.”

“That’s all that happened?” She asked suspiciously.

“Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye” I sung. “Anyway how could we have sex? I am a virgin who has no idea what to do, Midnight is so drunk I doubt she would know where to look, she might start caressing my mane rather than-“I stopped, knowing that was way too much information for Alyshia.

“Ok I believe you” Alyshia mumbled, “But” She said harshly, “I feel sorry for you in the morning.”

“Why?” I asked.

“If Midnight remembers this, she will see this as an act of betrayal, she would never have kissed you if she was sober, and she likes you as a friend Amethyst but no more than that. The fact that you let her kiss you and that you didn’t try to stop her… You have to remember that she is your friend, you are supposed to look out for her when she is drunk, not use her when she is in a completely different mindset. You effectively used her.”

I nodded feeling bad. I really did enjoy the kiss but will that all be worth it I thought? Would risking my friendship with Midnight be worth a two minute kiss? No. I must be more. I wanted Midnight as a friend. She does not love me. She was my friend, not my special pony just for me. As much as I wanted that, I was Midnights friend, not fillyfriend, not girlfriend, not marefriend, just my best friend.

I then decided to make a pact. I looked up at Alyshia and nodded before saying confidently “From this day forward I will pretend to have no feelings for Midnight so she can be my friend.” I stopped then began to wonder if I could do it.

Alyshia raised an eye brow before saying “So you are going to keep your muzzle from between Midnights hind legs then?”

“Wait what?” I stammered “I-I’ve never… been?”

“Yeah, you have Amethyst.” Alyshia sighed, “Well I’m going to put Midnight to bed so I can get to sleep.”

* ** ** ** *

After Alyshia came back and fell asleep next to me, I too tried to get to sleep, but all I could think about was Midnight. I kept reliving the kiss, the smell of Midnight, her beauty, the feel of her tongue with mine, all this did nothing but increase the pressure inside me and I grew hot all over, I was way to horny to even think about going to sleep, I needed to relieve the pressure but not next to Alyshia, not in the same bed, that would be way to awkward and what if she woke up? I could not stand the smug look on her face as it came swimming into view. I considered leaving the room but what if I woke Alyshia up? She would get suspicious. What if I took too long, time was never a problem before, and I’d always been in the privacy of my own room.

Fuck it I thought wildly as the pressure became too much to handle. I didn’t care so I snuck up to the door and opened it very slowly and silently before pushing the door closed but not latching it. Everypony else was asleep. Thank Celestia. I dashed to the bathroom and pulled the door open and slid in before locking it. Finally I thought raising my hoof armed with my thoughts of Midnight.

* ** ** ** *

I woke up the following morning with a slight headache and feeling very sleepy still. I rolled out of bed and hit the floor. “Damn” I mumbled rubbing my forehead. “What a night.” I got to my hooves and saw that Alyshia was already up. I looked around and trotted slowly to the door and pulled it open, hoping to the goddesses that Midnight was still asleep. “Thank you Celestia” I mumbled when I saw only Alyshia in the main room.

When she saw me she waved a hoof over to me. My heart sunk hoping she did not notice me leave the room last night. I was in the bathroom for way too long to make any kind of excuse as to why I was gone. Although Alyshia made no mention of it as she smiled at me and said quietly “We need to go shopping today for supplies, new armour and clothes for yourself, food, ammo for Midnight and… oh geez we have a lot to do today.” She then glanced at me before asking “When are we expecting to go?”

I thought for a moment, I really enjoyed the stay here but we were stretched thin on caps already and we couldn’t afford to stay for much longer. I took a breath and said confidently “We leave tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow?” Alyshia inquired, “Don’t you want to go to the spa and get a massage?”

I nodded. Going to the spa would be great and I was really looking forward to it when Alyshia told me she wanted to go with me. We needed to get going so I told her “We will go to the spa on the way back, if I have my water talisman I still hold my promise. If not then why not?” She began to look a bit down so I said “Alyshia we don’t have much caps left and I don’t want to stay here for too long.”

She nodded looking a little disappointed. She then put her hooves around my neck into a hug “Oof Alyshia? What?” I tried to break out of her hug fearing my neck might break.

“Thank you Amethyst, I will hold you to that.”

“Ok” I muffled, “Can you let me go please?”

She let me go, then said looking at my body “I think you’re going to have to go bare coat Amethyst. You haven’t any clothes.”

“Don’t I?” I grinned, I pulled my freshly laundered black fluffy socks onto my hooves non-magically.

“You cannot be serious Amethyst?” Alyshia goggled.

I looked in the tall mirror trying to strike a sexy pose “Why not?” I said seriously “Don’t you think I’m sexy in socks?” I then threw my flanks up in the air causing my tail to flick up.

“Oh Amethyst” Alyshia facehoofed but stifled a giggle, “you can be a funny pony sometimes.” Alyshia then levitated and strapped my saddlebags to my back before she magically pulled my socks off causing me to hit the ground as she then folded them again and placed them on the bench.

“I’m going to buy more socks today” I said to Alyshia as we walked out the room. I really liked the socks I thought to myself, I didn’t know why but I liked socks for some reason.

“Why isn’t Brax or Midnight coming with us?” I asked already knowing the answer.

“They have hang over’s, they drank too much” She said matter-of-factly. “Not that any of us took advantage of that” She seethed.

My head dropped slightly feeling guilty “I’ll apologise. I promise” I muttered.

Alyshia then changed the subject “We need to take you back to the doctor as well. We need to get your magic checked out”

* ** ** ** *

Alyshia and I burst back into our room, saddlebags packed with merchandise. We had spent almost all our caps.

I myself bought new barding which was quite lighter than the other set I had, this barding did not cover the flanks which I believed to be better, I would be able to move much swifter in this new barding. I bought a very similar set of winter clothing that my barding was woven into. This set was anti-tear I was advised by the Tailor, magically infused material. This would make sure that this set did not become a torn mess like the set I had discarded.

I bought a new sniper rifle and sold my almost busted one as well. I bought some magical rounds for the sniper rifle too, which were enchanted to be armour piercing and to explode once they entered the body. I told myself not to use these unless I had to. I also bought a novel which I took to be the first in a series “Daring-Do and the quest for the sapphire stone.” And six pairs of socks, I bought another black set this time with my cutie mark embroidered into them as well as a purple set, striped set, as well as a Luna set which had moons and stars embroidered.

I dumped my saddlebags and checked the time on my pipbuck. It was nearly five pm. I sighed and pulled out the tablets Alyshia gave me and took one.

Midnight bustled over making me feel uncomfortable as our last encounter swam to the forefront of my mind. “What did you get Amethyst?” She asked.

I showed her my merchandise and she simply laughed at all the socks I had, one for each hoof, 6 sets of 4 plus the set I already had. I had 28 individual socks. “I never knew you were into socks Amethyst.” Midnight laughed. I simply shrugged.

“How are you feeling?” I asked nervously.

“Uhh… bit of a headache I can tell you that, I remember jack all from last night. I think I did something stupid but I don’t remember” She advised.

“I didn’t see you do anything stupid” I lied.

“Don’t you lie to her Amethyst?” Alyshia called over to me, “If you won’t tell her I will. I think it’s better if it comes from you.”

Midnight looked confused, “Uhh what did I do or whaa?”

Fuck. I looked at Midnight who still looked confused. I took a deep breath and told her what happened “Midnight. I am really really REALLY sorry, I didn’t mean to. I should have done something but…” I said the rest very fast “While I was in bed, you came in and started making out with me, I didn’t stop you and I took advantage of you and I returned the kiss very passionately. Nothing else happened because I wouldn’t have allowed that. But you passed out on top of me and Alyshia walked in and that led to an awkward night.”

“What?” Midnight looked confused and clearly had not taken what I said. I simply blubbered unable to repeat myself.

Alyshia came to the rescue “What she is saying Midnight is that you went into our room while Amethyst was asleep and you started making out with her, she then returned your kiss and very passionately at that. Nothing else happened.”

“I… k-kissed Amethyst?” Midnight blubbered looking stunned “No... Way. You guys are pulling my leg.”

“I’m not pulling your leg Midnight” I told her seriously “I am very sorry.”

“Amethsyt you don’t need to be sorry.” Midnight told me, “This is my fault. I should not have gotten that drunk, I played with your heart Amethyst, It should be me who’s sorry.”

“Y-You?” I asked stunned. “No Midnight, you were drunk and I took advantage of you.”

“Of course you did Amethyst. There is no way you could resist being close to the pony you love. I played your heart.”

“No you didn’t. I could have stopped myself, I could have stopped you. I just didn’t because I‘m selfish.” I said defiantly

Alyshia cut in “let’s just share the blame, Amethyst you are sorry for using Midnight, Midnight is sorry playing with Amethyst’s heart. We are even. So no sorry needed?”

“No sorry needed.” Midnight and I said in unison. We then hugged saying sorry to each other anyway.

Level up

New Perk: Poison Resistance: Your exposure to Radscorpian poison has given you a 15% resistance to all poison effects. In addition you now have a 15% chance to not be poisoned at all when stung by a venomous animal.

Chapter 11: Into the Ministry of Arcane Science

Dressed in my new set of barding, armed with my new sniper rifle and my old shotgun, we left the Tower of New Saddle and weaved through the snowy, yet rubble filled streets of New Saddle. Alyshia now had herself a new set of barding and a nice white and pink jacket as well.

“Why aren’t you carrying any guns?” I asked her while we were walking.

“I can’t shoot very well” She advised us.

“Doesn’t mean you can’t help us shoot” Brax growled through his heavy metal armour.

Alyshia sighed. “What I mean is; I’m not able to shoot well enough to not accidentally hit Amethyst or you or Midnight let alone hit my target” She then told us. “I however am able to help quite efficiently. I seem to have a talent with explosives.”

“Explosives?” I inquired.

“Yes Amethyst, explosives, you know? Like mines and grenades”.

“What’s a mine? Does that mean it belongs to you?” I asked confused.

“You mean you have been out here for what? Over two weeks and you don’t know what a mine is?” Alyshia said exasperated.

“Nope” I said shaking my head.

“This is a mine” Alyshia told me holding up a metal disc with a dark dot on the top of it, “I have quite a few of these as well as grenades. But I prefer using mines. Its sneakier you see.”

“What do you do? Throw it?” I asked, unsure why it was shaped like a disk. I could only assume that it was used like a Frisbee to enable it to fly further than a grenade.

Midnight and Brax cackled and Midnight tried to gasp as she choked “Throw a Mine. Oh my Amethyst, you are funny.”

Alyshia facehoofed then told me like I was a learning student, “You put the mine on the ground and cover it slightly and when somepony stands on it, it explodes.”

“Ohhh ok” I said imaging a pony standing on the device to see their legs get blown off. I felt myself shudder.

* ** ** ** *

My Pipbuck gave a beep and I looked at it. A new icon came up on my map reading “Stable-Tec Building, New Saddle.” I looked at the building. It had partially collapsed while the first four stories remained and the rest of it was just a pile of rubble on the side of the building.

Without further ado I trotted up to the door and felt the delight of having some of my magic use back, I pulled the door open.

“Amethyst? Where are you going? That building looks dangerous” Alyshia said concerned.

“Uhh yeah Amethyst, I dunno?” Midnight said looking up at the building.

I merely shrugged telling them “ok wait for me out here then?” I wanted to look inside the building, especially because it was a Stable-Tec Building.

I trotted inside the building and it was a mess on the inside. The floor above had partially collapsed into the atrium and all the walls and door handles were covered in green rust. The wood inside had rotted, the tiles were smashed and the desk that would have been the reception had a massive wooden beam leaning across it.

I knew that Stable-Tec had always made things to last but this building was fucked I thought. Maybe the building had received a horrible knock when the Balefire bomb went off?

“Amethyst?” Midnight whispered through the darkness “I think we should go. This building is dangerous.”

I shook my head without looking at her and turned my pipbuck light on, which threw everything into more perspective. If I was lucky I would find a terminal to see if Stable-Tec had anything on a water talisman warehouse.

Amethyst?” came the deep voice of Brax but before he could say anything else I cut across him.

“If you want to go, there is the door” I said aggressively as I began to lose my patience pointing at the door with a hoof.

“It’s not that” He grumbled, “Stable-Tec has proven that they have good anti-intruder systems.”

“So?” I grumbled walking towards the stair-well.

When I stepped over the threshold of the doorway into the stairwell a red light popped up on my Pipbuck.

“We have a hostile” I heard Brax mutter.

“What you don’t have a pipbuck” I shot at him, “how do you know?”

“Comes with the armour baby filly” he grumbled.

I simply coughed as I pulled out my magnum and began to scale the broken and chipped stairwell. We reached the second floor and I stepped out over the threshold and felt that the floor did not feel very stable at all.

I held out a hoof signalling everypony to stop. They stopped as three more hostiles popped up on my EFS. “Brax do not step any further.”

“Why?” he muttered. “Don’t tell me—“

But I cut him off advising “In that armour you will probably just fall strait through the floor.”

He put a hoof on the floor and I heard a groan and the snap of a baton beneath the floor. He stepped back grumbling “Ok then…”

Looking around the room which resembled a demolished office with holes in the floor and batons from the floor above lying everywhere, I decided to go alone. I was just about to explain what I wanted to do when three robotic ponies with brains floating in green liquid connected to their heads came around a wall divide. With guns extended from their sides, they then began to fire at us.

I hit SATS and fired at the first one, taking out the brain thing on its head, the glass shattered and the brain inside exploded with a mix of red, green and shards of glass. Midnight then hit a hostile spritebot I didn’t see as it fired red beams of light.

I saw Alyshia pull a pin from a grenade and lob it at the ponies which landed on the unstable floor.

“No Alyshia!” I shouted, but too late. With a resounding explosion and a sudden jerk I fell through the floor and hit the reception desk beneath with a painful thud. I heard the floors above fall as well with a resounding roar. I thought I heard somepony cry “Amethyst?” and from here I felt a heavy thud on the back of my head and everything went black.

* ** ** ** *

The world swirled back into place. I was back at stable 86, from the decorations in my room I would have been around fourteen or so. I was in my old room in mother’s place and I felt an all too familiar pressure inside me as I was reading my Wing Boner magazine.

The door suddenly opened and with haste I stuck it telekinetically under my covers. Mother was standing in the doorway.

“What?” I asked looking up trying not to look guilty.

“What were you doing?” she asked suspiciously.

“Nothing” I said perhaps a little too quickly.

Mother pulled back my sheets which revealed the book I was reading. I felt myself heat up as she snatched the book up.

She took a glance at it but not before I snatched it back with my own magic and levitated it into my bookshelf.

“Where did you get that?” She asked angrily, “Amethyst you are fourteen, and... Do I have to ask why you are looking at mare porn?”

I knew this day would come, so I told her simply and perhaps a little aggressively “I’m gay mother… I like mares.”

“Don’t be stupid Amethyst. You are not gay.” She snapped at me.

“Yes I am” I snapped back, “I knew you would have a problem with this. That’s why I don’t tell you these things mother.”

“Don’t speak to me like that” She thundered.

“I will speak to you the way I want” I sneered.

She simply shook her head “We will get this straight Amethyst. You will find yourself a stallion and have foals and live a happy life. The life I was meant to live, the life you will live.”

I got out of bed onto my hooves and shouted at mother feeling tears residing down my cheeks as I shouted “I am not YOU mother, Stop trying to live your pathetic life through me, it’s not my fault dads dead and you let your life pitter away. I am a fillyfooler, lesbian, gay… whatever other fucking word you can think of. I like mare’s mother, not stallions. I will live my life the way I want to, that includes me finding my happiness not you finding your happiness through me.”

I saw mother inflate and my ears tilted back as she exploded “Somponies grounded for a month. Don’t you DARE speak to me like that or for that matter your father like that.”

I didn’t care that I insulted her. I never meant to insult father, but right now I did not really care. I wished mother was supportive of me. I threw myself back onto the bed as she left me alone to cry. Mothers’ are supposed to be supportive of their foals, not cut them while they are down. Mother cannot change me, change who I like or love or my thoughts. The only reason I could think mother would be refusing to believe I was a lesbian would be because she could not stand the thought of producing a fillyfooler or at worst would think that I was an abomination of my father’s memory.

My vision swirled and felt myself land in a black eerie and familiar room.

“Well, well, well Amethyst.” I heard a scary voice say from the shadows, “Welcome back.”

“NO!” I shouted and turned tail to run. I just ran into the darkness as I heard laughter ring in my ears with the whisper of “Amethyst, Amethyst, Amethyst” following me. I ran until I fell through an invisible hole and from here I just kept falling and falling until…

“Ahhhh.” I woke up and my horn struck Alyshia on the chin.

“Ow” she cried.”

I was breathing very fast as I looked around. I was in the stairwell inside the Stable-Tec Building.

“Oh Amethyst, you’re ok.” Alyshia said happily hugging me.

“Oww” I muttered feeling the back of my head with a forehoof. I felt a heavy lump on the back of my head.

“You are suffering some concussion but you should otherwise be ok.” Alyshia piped up.

“Thanks” I muttered getting to my hooves shakily.

“Amethyst you gave us a scare there” Midnight told me as she gave me a hug.

“Sure did” Brax grumbled, “I vote that we should get out of here?”

I nodded looking through the door to the rubble on the ground floor. Floors one and two had collapsed.

“I’m sorry Amethyst” Alyshia muttered to me, “This is my fault.”

I shook my head and told her “No. you did good Alyshia, I should have listened and not entered the building.”

We then left through the door and clambered over all the rubble to the front door. We were about twenty feet from the door when a bright cyan something glimmered in the rubble catching my eye amongst the grey. I levitated it to me and looked at it. She was a cyan coloured, rainbow maned pegasus pony. I had seen this pony before in the Fluttershy memory and the very same pony Midnight had shown me.

“This is Rainbow Dash isn’t it Midnight?” I asked showing her the pristine figurine.

“Sure is” she said stunned at the condition of the statuette, “oh look, she has something jammed between her wings.”

I looked at her wings which had a cracked memory orb wedged between them. I levitated it out and placed it in my saddlebags.

“C’mon lets go” Alyshia crooned pushing my flanks.

“Ok, ok” I muttered keeping Rainbow Dash levitated by my side and moving out the door of the building back into the cold snowy outside.

We then began to make our way to the Ministry of Arcane Science as I looked underneath the statuette. It had writing on it. I read it “My Favourite Fan… Scootaloo, your friend Rainbow Dash.” In golden lettering it read “Be Awesome.”

I smiled tucking it away in my saddlebags. At that moment I felt a rush of energy much like the time I put Fluttershy away. But this time it felt like I could do anything, be more awesome, I felt better as we walked down the steps away from the Stable-Tec building.

Booom…..

I jumped about five feet into the air as did my companions. My head snapped behind us looking for the source and from the rising dust where the Stable-Tec building was just a moment ago, was a pile of rubble with debris rising into the air. The building had collapsed. “Whoops” I said out-loud blushing slightly, “we just destroyed a building built over two hundred years ago.”

Midnight let out a gaffe of laughter and Alyshia smiled slightly. I could not see Brax’s reaction from behind that helmet.

* ** ** ** *

For the past hour I had been fighting a horrible head-ache, random blurriness to my vision and halfway through conversations I just zoned out. Alyshia said that this was the result of the concussion.

“Can’t you fix this?” I begged her.

“No. Concussion will pass over a day or so.”

Great… So now I was magically weak and I had concussion. “What’s next” I thought savagely.

“How much further?” Brax grumbled.

I looked at my pipbuck, my vision blurring as I glanced at the pink light showing the map. “Uhh” I mumbled, I shook my head to clear it and squinted at the map, “About twelve kilometres I think?”

“You think? Or you know?” Brax mumbled.

“I dunno, twelve kilometres give or take two or three?” I muttered feeling stupid.

I could hear music in the distance.

“Shhh” My ears perked and I muttered to my companions “Wait here.” I galloped towards the sound. A green dot appeared on my compass and I followed. Brilliant, a spritebot. “Watcher” I shouted grabbing the spritebot with my magic. My companions trotted up behind me as I shook the spritebot but it just continued to play the heavy tuba music.

“Amethyst? Alyshia asked with concern, “Are you feeling ok? You’re talking to a robot?”

But at that moment the spritebot popped and a tinny voice filled the air. “Why hello Amethyst. Long-time no see.”

I cut to the chase “Watcher. Do you know much about the Ministry of Arcane Science?”

He considered me for a moment before replying slowly, “Yes. I do know a bit about the Ministry of Arcane Science.”

“Amethyst what is this?” Brax interrupted.

“Shoosh” I told him but Watcher became distracted as he floated over to Brax.

I heard the tinny voice say what could almost be aggressively “You!! What are you doing travelling with this pony Amethyst?”

“Brax?” I replied now slightly pissed off that he changed the subject.

“Amethyst. This pony is bad. Why are you travelling with him?” Watcher asked angrily.

“Bad?” Brax grumbled, “I’m not a good pony and I have done many regrettable things in my life, but I assure you...”

“Amethyst… This pony is responsible for the slavery of thousands of ponies, rape and torture of foals. Why is he travelling with you?”

“He seems ok” I mumbled to Watcher, “He has proven that he can be trusted, I do believe in redemption of ponies.”

Watcher’s voice sounded from the spritebot saying “Amethyst, you are not in a stable anymore. Someponies cannot be trusted out here. And he is one of them.”

I turned to Brax, my face expressionless before asking “Have you ever raped a pony before?” it was a question that made my skin crawl. The thought of being held down while some stallion bigger, stronger and heavier than you forced himself onto yourself rushed into my mind almost making my eyes water.

“Brax looked down in shame. “Yes I have” he muttered. “I’ve killed innocent ponies. Sometimes I wish I was dead for what I’ve done.”

I felt tears fall from my eyes as I asked one last question “Have you raped foals before? Fillies or colts?”

Brax shook his head “To that I can say no. I’m not a savage. That is a great sin in my eyes. I’ve seen children die, I’ve seen my fellow slavers rape foals. Yet I didn’t do anything about it. I’m as bad as they were.”

“As much bad as Brax has done” I told watcher my voice breaking “I will give him one chance alone.” I looked at Brax saying coldly “If you dare touch either of us. I swear I will end you myself.”

Brax nodded then looked away.

“Right Watcher... Now that is out of the way I need to know about the M.A.S Building we are heading into.”

“Yes” Watcher said robotically.

“What awaits us in that building?” I asked him “What danger awaits us in there?”

Watcher seemed to grunt but then said “All I can say is that the building is near the blast zone of the balefire bomb that hit New Saddle. It is about a three hour trot from here. What lies inside I do not know.”

I nodded expecting that. Silence fell between us and it was Watcher who broke the silence “Who’s the new mare?” He asked robotically.

“That’s Alyshia. She is our medical pony and our good friend.”

“You have gathered yourself a few friends here Amethyst. You must stick with them. You could probably lose the stallion though. But with these two stick with them no matter the cost. You will find that without one friend you will be wounded. Without any friends. I am sure you remember when we first met how well you were faring?”

I nodded remembering the compound in White Tail Woods, the radscorpian and the behemoth thing.

“Well if that’s all Amethyst?” Watcher started but I interrupted him.

“Watcher? Twilight Sparkle was the mare for the M.A.S wasn’t she?” I asked desperately remembering the memory of Amethyst Star.

“Yes… She was.” Watcher said stiffly behind his robotic tone.

I remembered Fluttershy being the ministry mare of the Ministry Of Peace. I then remembered Pinkie Pie being another Ministry Mare for Morale and knew there were six ministries and two of the mares were Twilights best friends. This begged the question from the memory.

“Do you know who Rarity is? Is she a Ministry Mare too?” I asked curiously.

“Rarity was a beautiful gorgeous white Unicorn Mare.” Watcher exclaimed “Not unlike yourself Amethyst.” he paused then said “Rarity was indeed a Ministry Mare. She ran the office of Ministry of Image.”

“She would have been Twilight Sparkle’s friend then?” I asked excitedly.

“Yes” Watcher said. “I’m sorry Amethyst I have to go” Watched finished.

Red Eyes voice then filled the Air.

“--I am not unlike you, or the pony next to you.

What makes me different than the simple ponies of Equestria is that I am sacrificing everything I have to make sure Equestria rises from the Ashes stronger than she was before. Most ponies in the wasteland are thieving, soul sucking fiends. I can assure that we will arise once again. I am building schools, hospitals, generating electricity and giving everything I have to see this vision for Equestria come true.

That’s right children. I have just given a water Talisman to a town in great need. I can do more for us fellow Equestrian ponies, under me we can water every town, ensure fresh food for all, safe Havens for all. Together with the help of Unity and our new Goddess we can make Equestria shine like it once did those many years ago…”

I watched the spritebot float away with a pit in my stomach. Red Eye had Water Talismans and was giving them away to townsfolk. Yet this guy was a hard core slave machine buying out unicorns by the bulk.

Brax was still skulking around trying to not be noticed. So I rounded on him. “Brax… I will say that no matter what you do, no matter how good you end up, your deeds will always remain. I agree that you are not a good pony. I’m now hesitant to bring you along, especially with your past. I want you to remember that I trust you and if you touch Midnight or Alyshia then this is my fault for endangering them.”

“Amethyst we can look after ourselves” Midnight announced.

“I know but I’m responsible” I muttered.

“No you’re not Amethyst. We are responsible for ourselves.” Alyshia piped up. “We trust Brax has changed.”

I nodded and smiled at Brax. “Let’s keep moving.”

* ** ** ** *

“This is it?” Midnight asked me as we looked up at a towering building.

“Well that’s what my pipbuck says.” I advised them, “Anyway it must be, it’s the only standing building we have seen in ten kilometres.

That part was true. All buildings were collapsed and destroyed except for this one. The building had cracks running through it and my Pipbuck was clicking very slowly advising us of present radiation.

I climbed the steps with my companions just behind me as my heart hammered. I was afraid of going inside. The M.A.S name sounded scary and the amount of experiments that they may have been conducting might have made some super behemoth thing, or something really gross, or maybe a disease.

I gulped and stepped through the shattered glass doors. My Pipbuck lit up with hundreds of red hostiles.

I whimpered as I heard Brax mumble “Holy fuck, that’s a lot of red.”

“We might be here a while.” I whimpered imagining what all these hostiles would be. Robots? Genetically enhanced beasts? Turrets? Mutants?

“What makes you think the M.A.S did experiments or made diseases Amethyst?” Alyshia asked softly as we snuck into the atrium carefully.

“I don’t know” I whispered back, “It only sounds right.”

“Not really?” Alyshia whispered back, “They could have just been making spells or enchantments?”

“Normally that involves testing” I whispered back to her “Normally on beasts or ponies? And what happens if they fail, or the test subjects were exposed to radiation after the tests. The balefire bomb hit just over there” I told her pointing a hoof out the broken doors.”

“Shhhh.” Midnight snapped.

I saw roughly 10-20 red hostiles move suddenly on my EFS.

BANG

The door to the stairwell bust open and roughly fifteen scabbed and rotting zombie ponies burst into the atrium.

I pulled out my shotgun and started to fire into the hordes of Zombies coming out of the doorway. I could hear the crackling of Brax’s battle saddle, the rapid pfft pfft from Midnight’s battle saddle.

The zombies slowly went down as they made their way towards us.

I saw two objects fly through the air then

BOOM

The remaining six or seven zombies splattered as well as the corpses on the ground leaving heavy scorch marks on the ground.

“How do ya like them apples.” Alyshia said confidently stomping her front hoof and whipping her mane back.

I saw more movement on my EFS. This time I could not tell how many were coming.

“More coming” I whispered to the rest.

Alyshia levitated out three disks and placed them around the stairwell. She then pulled out another three grenades which levitated around her before falling into a battle stance.

I reloaded my shotgun, Midnight kicked her Battlesaddle to reload and I spread my legs ready.

Bang… BOOM… BOOM… Bang… BOOM

I felt the heat of the explosion touch my face as well as shrapnel and ichor. I then saw no fewer than twenty Zombie ponies burst through the burning flame and smoke.

I hit SATS and aimed at random zombies, hitting each one with a spray of flesh and ichor. When my SATS was exhausted I just started firing at random.

Scrahhhh… I felt myself get knocked to the ground and two inches from my face was the rotting scabbed zombie snapping its teeth at me which I could see through the sides of its decayed mouth. I hit it in the side of the head with the butt of my shotgun then shot it in the middle of its head spraying ichor all over the ground

“Amethyst are you ok?” I heard Alyshia call through the chaos.

“I’m fine” I shouted back as another Zombie jumped onto my back. I hit it with the butt of my gun then aimed to shoot, but it sank its teeth into my woollen flanker and felt its teeth penetrate the skin beneath. I entered SATS not wanting to miss and it and hit myself and blew it off me showering the lower half of my body in Ichor and rotting flesh.

Once everything hostile was dead I fell to my haunches, pain increasing on my lower back.

Alyshia bustled over and magically pulled back my lower warm woolly clothing, exposing my white coat with droplets of blood oozing out. It felt more painful than it looked.

“Ohh that’s not good Amethyst, take the healing potion” Alyshia said levitating the little bottle in front of me.

I shook my head, “we use healing potions for emergencies not for healing cuts…” I muttered.

Alyshia piped up “Are you the medical professional?”

I knew enough about medicine to know that a healing potion for this was over the top. I shook my head saying “No, you are… but.”

“Then drink it” Alyshia crooned.

“No” I said stubbornly, “Bandage it… Please.”

Alyshia shook her head… “Fine, I’ll bandage it if you promise to take a healing potion regardless of how injured you are when we get out of here.”

I nodded telling her truthfully “I promise.”

Alyshia then bound my lower back in bandages wrapping around my body. She then pulled out a needle magically from her healing supplies pouch.

“Hang on” I babbled, “What is that for?”

“Painkiller.” Alyshia hissed jabbing it near the wound with a sharp prick of pain. “If you just took the healing potion...”

I just shook my head as the pain around the wound lessened leaving it slightly numb.

“Wow that stuffs works good” I said shocked. I got to my hooves easily and was able to trot around quite well. Even my headache seemed to lessen.

“Where to?” Midnight asked as we looked around.

“Up” I said pointing towards the door where the zombie ponies came through with a hoof.

* ** ** ** *

When everypony was ready we entered the stairwell. I was determined to search every floor for some sign of Water Talisman even if it was only information.

The concrete stairwell was cracked and crumbling and the lights inside flickered as we climbed the steps. My EFS still displayed hundreds of hostiles inside the building. The stairwell seemed clear for now so we started up the steps until the door to the first floor appeared. I wrapped my telekinetic sheath around the handle and pushed.

Rat-tatatatta

I quickly withdrew seeing bullet holes appear in the door. I then pulled out my sniper rifle and levitated it by my side.

“I’ve got this” I whispered, Midnight and Alyshia nodded and Brax jerked his head.

I pulled the door open and jumped to the side facing the turret and slipped into SATS. I put two bullets to the casing and it sparked and then exploded with a shower of metal and sparks.

“Hows that” I grinned flank bumping Midnight and Alyshia, “I’m getting better at this.”

“Someponies in a good mood?” Midnight said dully giving me a grimace.

I nodded before asking “Is something wrong Midnight? Or everypony?” noticing that Alyshia did not look happy to be here and Brax seemed to be uncomfortable.

“I don’t know.” Brax interjected “Maybe it’s because we are in a building filled with I-don’t- know-how-many things that want to eat us alive?”

“Sorry” I mumbled, “I guess I just want the Talisman badly.”

“It’s ok Amethyst, but no compliancy ok? And don’t get too confident.” Alyshia muttered looking around the entrance to the first floor.”

I nodded not believing that I was feeling too confident anyway. So I led my friends to the first office door on the right where the glass window pane on the door was shattered. I pulled the door open and saw a blood stained robot pony extend two large barrels from the side of its body.

I took aim and hit it in the breast plate which caused a small electrical surge and a spark shot from the breast plate.

Pfttatata

Midnight shot it with several of her automated rounds, leaving the thing smoking on the ground.

My attention was diverted to a large maneframe computer with wires the size of a ponies leg that led into a wall where a small room with a small door was located in the corner of this office.

I opened the door and trotted inside the small room, Midnight trotting in after me. It was empty except for a small device on the wall and was surrounded in thick wires and cables.

“Anything in here Amethyst?” Midnight asked looking around.

“Nothing but this thing here” I muttered. I spotted a button and pushed it. The door we entered through shut automatically locking us inside.

“Amethyst what did you do?” Midnight babbled looking scared.

“I-I don’t know” I stammered starting to feel scared. So I hit the button again.

BOOOM…

I blacked out.

* ** ** ** *

I opened my eyes. I felt completely wrong and felt prickling around my sides and I could smell Midnight quite strongly.

“Midnight are you ok?” Alyshia asked looking at me.

I looked taken aback “I’m Amethyst” I said exasperated and my voice sounded a little deeper and not like my own.

Alyshia looked concerned as she said “No your Midnight, Amethyst is there.” Pointing a hoof at another pony that looked just like me laying on the ground.

I almost screamed.

“Am I dead?” I asked starting to shake. This was wrong. I could see myself unconscious.

“Midnight are you sure you’re ok?” Alyshia asked again.

“I’m not fucking Midnight, I’m Amethyst…” I screamed my wings throwing out to full extension.

Wait I had wings? What’s going on here…? Fuck no, I’m in Midnights body and I’m staring at me, what must be Midnight but unconscious.

Alyshia levitated a mirror in front of me, I could see scarlet eyes staring back.

“That machine… That machine must have swapped our bodies” I concluded to Brax and Alyshia.

“A machine like that exists?” Brax asked in his deep growl that seemed to show some sign of concern. “We must put you two back inside and swap back.”

I nodded but as I did I saw myself stir and sit up.

“Uhh… my head… I don’t have concussion do I?” Midnight asked hearing my own voice leave her and my mouth.

Midnight reached her forehead but her hoof hit the horn and quicker than I could imagine saw her jump to her hooves.

“What’s happened to me? What’s going on?” Midnight shouted. She looked at me who was now her.

I looked into my own deep purple eyes and felt a tear leek down my cheek. Midnight’s eyes were full of understanding.

“Amethyst? You… are you in my body.

I nodded telling her croakily “And you are in mine.”

“Ok everypony.” Brax grumbled, get in the damned machine so we can swap you back and find this damned object.

Brax pushed the both of us into the chamber and I hit the button on the wall twice.

Bttttzzzzz…….. Pop

And with a shower of sparks, a device built into the roof popped and nothing else happened. I pushed the button again and nothing happened.

“Fuck you Celestia.” I shouted angrily.

“For Fuck Sake.” Midnight said in my voice, “Amethyst why the fuck did you have to push the damn button in the first place. Now the machine is dead and we’re going to be stuck like this forever.”

“I can fix this” I said starting to panic. I pointed to the strange looking device on the ceiling. “Levitate that down for me.” I asked trying to not allow my anger to show.

“How?” Midnight asked aggressively.

“Concentrate on it, pretend that it is an extension of yourself, allow yourself to be one with the object.” I replied forgetting she did not know how to use magic.

I saw Midnight concentrate and nothing but a small spark shot from her horn.

“Ok… I’ll fly up and pull it down.” I muttered and I flapped my wings to get up to the device. It did not work very well. I lifted a hoof off the ground then flew sideways into the wall hitting my head painfully. “Owww”

I cringed knowing I would need Brax and Alyshia to help. I trotted over to the door and pulled it open, I then stuck my head out and asked “Can you two please give us a hand? We have a… umm… Problem?”

“What’s up now?” Brax asked

“The machine decided to not work anymore, something blew up and we’re trying to take it out to see if we can fix it.” I replied.

Alyshia looked concerned as she said “I hope you two aren’t going to be stuck like this?”

I shook my head. “We can fix this.”

When we were all inside I pointed a hoof at the funny looking device “Can you levitate this thing down?” I asked Alyshia.

She nodded and wrapped it in her sheath of levitation and unscrewed the screws magically before placing it on the ground.

“Thanks.” I muttered looking at the device.

It looked like two funnels welded together at the widest end. The two small ends were made of glass. There was a smoking hole right where the device was welded. I tried to identify it but could only find a device number.

“We’re going to need to find one of these things” I said feeling stupid.

“Great.” Midnight snapped “Another thing to find.”

“What’s up with you?” I asked looking at her who was me.

“I don’t know Amethyst. Maybe you should use that thick head of yours to figure out how to fix this?”

“Midnight don’t talk to her like that.” Alyshia snapped.

I felt a sliver of rage surface “This brain is yours Midnight.” I said coldly pointing a hoof at my forehead “Watch who you call stupid.”

Midnight remained quite as we left the small body swapping room and I examined the Maneframe. It was password protected.

“Midnight can you please connect the cable in my left saddlebag to my Pipbuck then to this slot on the Maneframe.” I asked politely pointing at a small USB Slot in the Maneframe.

Midnight looked sour as she pulled out the cable and connected it to my pipbuck on her foreleg.

“Pass me your left foreleg please. I need to hack this thing.” I muttered trying to not piss off Midnight any more than she already was.

Midnight lifted her foreleg and I took it in a hoof. I then proceeded to hack the machine. This one was quite difficult. I had to back out six times before finally getting the password “PCLUNA5%#.” I then used the search function to find the item code “76235” and found it in a list. I then downloaded some audio logs on the maneframe for later use.

“Ok” I said to my friends looking at the information on the device. “We need to find something called a ‘Magical Energy Proton Collider’. According to the stock information there should be 25 on the third floor.”

Alyshia looked more relieved and Brax mumbled “Excellent let’s get us some of these Proton colliding things.”

Midnight looked no happier about this and said sourly “I won’t believe you will fix this until I see it. Anyway how can I shoot? I have no battle saddle.”

“Here have your Battle Saddle back. I’ll shoot by mouth.”

Midnight threw her head back not looking happy “I haven’t got any wings, remember? Look at how the battle saddle is built.”

I lifted my wings and saw that they were held up near the wing joints. “Sorry” I mumbled aggressively “looks like you’re going to have to wait here then.”

“Oh by the wasteland, would you two just shut the fuck up” Brax growled, “You’re both like a married couple fighting over spilt milk. Midnight, just take the damn shotgun in your mouth and stop being a baby. Amethyst, just shoot and don’t be stupid, or for that matter get Midnights body all shot up before giving it back to her.”

“Ok” I mumbled my ears tilting back. I then whispered to Midnight “How do you use this thing?” pointing a hoof at the battle saddle.

She whispered back her voice still icy “bite the bit in front of your mouth to shoot, kick the leaver on the side to reload.”

I nodded as we left the office and went back into the Stairwell.

* ** ** ** *

Once on the third level we ran into more zombie ponies. I fell into a battle stance as I bit on the battle saddle piece and the guns on both my sides opened fire on the zombies. Even with my auto fire not even 1/7 of my bullets hit their target. I was just wasting Midnights bullets. I had no SATS to use, I had no EFS and Midnight had no idea how to use the EFS or SATS. I felt completely naked without my Pipbuck or my magic.

“I think there are more coming” Midnight exclaimed, “If that’s what the uhh, red moving things are?”

“The EFS doesn’t tell you if the enemy is up or down. Chances are they are on the floor above, or the floor above that or the floor above that” I replied quietly.

“It’s alright” Brax mumbled, “I’ll keep my EFS up and tell you if there is any danger.”

I nodded knowing that Brax knew how to use his Techno Metal armour.

With a sudden sink of my heart I realised that I needed to use the fillies room. But I could not do that to Midnight, going to the toilet is a personal matter and I for one would not go in a corridor let alone in front my companions not counting the fact I was in Midnight’s body and not my own. I would be invading her privacy if I did. So for now, I would just try to ignore it.

* ** ** ** *

The first door we tried to enter was locked. I knew we would run into this problem. I could not do magic and neither could Midnight. I had never picked a lock without magic before and Midnight had never picked a lock ever. I turned to Brax and Alyshia “Can either of you pick a lock?”

They both shook their heads.

I let off a sigh then asked Midnight “Screwdriver and Bobbypin please?”

She passed them over with a hoof. I then gripped the screwdriver in my mouth and pushed the bobby pin in with a hoof. I had no idea how to do this and no doubt would fail. I then turned the screwdriver while applying pressure to each pin to pull them upwards. I managed to get two pins up but fumbled with my mouth as saliva built up and slipped and the pins came back down.

“Fuck” I grunted, picking up the screwdriver and trying again, and again, and again. Until “Fuck this fucking shit, let me in” I screamed bucking the door. I felt the door give as the hinges broke and the door fell with a crash.

“That seemed to work ok” Brax exclaimed as we stepped into the room. The moment I did I regretted it. The room was filled with ponies in a brownish liquid, they looked grotesque. Some had a horn and wings with several eyes, some with a single wing and no eyes, some with two horns. A screen was lit nearby and I really wanted to hack it. But I had no pipbuck and Midnight would probably not want to snoop around for more things however the curious part of me vanished as desperation for my own body back crept in.

“Not this room” I proclaimed backing out of the room. As I turned tail to exit the door I heard a heavy smash followed by pouring water. I felt liquid touch my hooves. Before I could say or do anything I heard a thump and something behind me screamed.

I looked over my shoulder and I almost screamed as well. A two horned, one winged pony thing got to its hooves and let out an ear splitting blood curdling scream.

“Amethyst what are you…” I heard Brax say, and then paused, clearly frightened of what he saw and heard. I went to gallop away from it when I felt myself lift into the air. I heard the other tanks burst and saw liquid run all over the floor. The other pony things got to their hooves and one threw tentacles at me binding me. I was now levitated in the air and bound. I could feel the thing squeeze me as my companions opened fire.

I saw Midnight in my body jump in front of the one that bounded me. She screamed through the mouthpiece of the shotgun “Gef yu feticles ofa ma bofy.” She blew the things head off at point blank. I felt myself hit the slippery wet tiles as Brax hit the two horned one with a double green lazer.

The final monster was almost un-shootable. It kept jumping like an extremely quick insect, with agility like I had never seen before of something that large. It bowled me over and began to smash its hooves over me.

BANG…

I felt gore splatter my face and run into my mane with the coppery smell of blood and flesh filling my nose. I felt sorry for Midnight. She would be the one wearing this when we got back into our bodies. Midnight was caring for my body much better than I was caring for hers. I didn’t know what kept happening. I always made stupid mistakes and got myself into trouble, only to be pulled out by my companions.

“Urgh Amethyst… You are gross.” Alyshia announced.

“Thanks for stating the obvious” I muttered as I trotted out the door of the mutant pony room.

* ** ** ** *

We started for the next room which was unlocked. As I stepped over the threshold of the door my wing struck it sending more pain through it “Owww” I moaned turning the wing and petted it hoping to ease the pain. It felt funny, it was smooth, silky and the quills were wiry. These things were a pain in the ass. They got in the way of gunshots, door frames. What’s next?

This room was empty as well and when I turned my wings brushed glass bottles and cups off a table causing them to smash.

“Amethyst” Midnight growled “Just keep them by your side so they don’t get in the way.”

I put them by my side, but when I took my focus off them they sprung back out again. “These wings are driving me insane, how do you…. argh” I put my hooves over my head and couldn’t feel my horn. I felt alien inside Midnights body, it felt wrong.

“Calm down Amethyst” Alyshia advised “We’ll get you in your body soon.”

“These wings won’t stay down”

“You have a wing boner” Midnight laughed.

“No I don’t, my wings are extended, I’m not hor-“

Midnight facehoofed and told me “You are tense and your wings are out as a result, either relax or fly.”

“I can’t fly” I said stupidly.

“Then relax” Alyshia told me.

“How?” I growled at her “We are in a building filled with mutants that want to eat our guts and use our bones for toothpicks. I can’t relax.”

Midnight growled and launched herself at me and despite being in a more built and stronger body, Midnight was able to hold me down as I struggled against her.

“Midnight get off her what are you doing?” Alyshia screamed.

“Fixing this fucking pony” she growled through a mouthful of rope.

Before I knew it I had rope binding my wings to my body.

“You had to didn’t you?” I groaned looking at the ropes.

“Sure did, I’m getting a little over your whining” Midnight told me.

“I’m not whining” I growled at her “I’m complaining.”

“No I’m pretty sure your whining” She exclaimed.

“That is not whining” I told her flatly. I changed my voice to a moaning, moping whinny voice and continued “Aww Midnight, your wings are annoying, I wanna cut them off. Midnight your body feels weird it doesn’t feel right. Midnight your battle saddle is annoying I don’t want to wear it. Midnight why won’t you date me? Is it cause I’m a filly? I’m too young?”

I looked into Midnights eyes and they rapidly changed from dark purple to an almost black. I back peddled “Sorry I didn’t…”

Midnight roared in anger “Amethyst I don’t give a fuck, harden up for fuck sake. You are soft, like a fucking marshmallow…”

“Midnight stop” Alyshia cried “Stop the both of you.”

“Stop defending her Alyshia” Midnight snapped.

“I’m not” Alyshia snapped back.

“Can we just...” I started quietly

They both looked at me and snapped together “Shut up Amethyst.”

“Shut… The Fuck UP!” came a deep and loud voice. It was Brax, “Stop bickering. It’s driving me insane.”

“Sorry” I squeaked shutting my muzzle.

Everypony else shut their muzzles as well.

This room however was empty and as we left the room I took the ropes binding my wings off as it was starting to feel uncomfortable. If Midnight’s wings were to fall off due to not enough blood circulation I had a feeling Midnight would blame me for not taking the ropes off.

The next room was a kitchen and for some reason it also had a turret. Brax took out the turret with a double laser shot and the casing melted leaving bubbling goop on the floor.

There were tins of food in the cupboard and I forced Midnight to scan them with my pipbuck. They were much more radioactive than the normal food we consumed but Midnight insisted with pack them anyway.

I went up to the tap and turned it on hoping to see fresh water flow from it. Nothing came out leaving me a little disappointed “The plumbing is probably damaged” Brax told me but this did nothing to boost my morale. Maybe I need Pinkie Pie here to cheer us up.

* ** ** ** *

Six rooms and five dead turrets later we entered a storage room filled with locked cabinets, safes and computers. A heaven for me if I was still me.

Most of the cabinets had cheap and rusty locks. I got Midnight to blow them out with my shotgun. We pulled open trays of random magical devices, some with gems, some others I could not recognise. I found three memory orbs in one cabinet but the rest were filled with rubbish.

I pulled another open and something jumped at me. Something metallic which started to claw at my face, leaving scratch marks. I jumped up and stomped on it causing it to spark and smoke. It was a robot spider thing roughly 10 inches long.

“Can you not do anymore damage to my body” Midnight said through gritted teeth.

“Sorry” I mumbled feeling a burning sensation around the small cuts on my face.

I hacked the terminal in the corner. Midnight had her hoof out with my Pipbuck in my hooves. I hacked this one much more easily than the last one and pulled up the console. I unlocked the safes in the room. I heard a beep, then a red alarm go off.

Ra-tatata-tatata

No fewer than five turrets opened fire on us. I felt bullets hit my barding and felt another strike my wing painfully.

“Owwww” I screamed. I shook my head as my companions screamed and I deactivated the turrets but not before Midnight let out a scream and she hit the ground gasping.

Midnight lay in a bloody pool of my own blood. She had taken four shots in the flanks and another shot in the left shoulder.

My own pain in my wing seemed to vanish as I panicked, seeing Midnight so injured in my body. Alyshia who also took a bullet in the lower part of her leg limped over to Midnight. She then knelt in my body’s blood and her horn flared no doubt making preparations to apply what I believe would take a few healing potions to fix. Sure enough Alyshia then tipped three healing potions down Midnight’s throat before taking one herself. She then passed one to me which I drank and the wound on my wing healed nicely.

“Sorry I don’t have any bloodpacks Midnight” Alyshia moaned as Midnight got to her hooves swaying slightly.

“S’ok” Midnight slurred, “I now have concussion and I’m low on blood.”

“You will be ok Midnight” Alyshia cooed petting Midnight’s curly tipped black mane that was actually mine.

“Ughh… Alyshia, I’m not Amethyst. Amethyst is the one who is the baby here remember?”

“Oh yeah” Alyshia laughed.

I scowled knowing that it was in fact true that Alyshia tend to mother me sometimes.

* ** ** ** *

“Amethyst?” Alyshia cried, “There are none of those proton things, in the safes.”

“Have you checked that one?” I asked, pointing a hoof at the one closed safe hidden on a shelf in the corner of the room. This safe was huge; the door was at least ten times larger than any of the other safes in the room.

“Oh no I haven’t” Alyshia mumbled. She then attempted to levitate the gigantic safe down from the shelf so it could be accessible. Her magical field wrapped around the metallic safe and it quivered. She let it go shaking her head. “I don’t know if I can levitate this one. It’s too big” Alyshia said looking crestfallen.

“No it’s not” I said to her, “I’ve levitated things larger than that quite easily.”

“Well I’m not you am I Amethyst?” she snapped at me.

“Ok, I’ll try then” I murmured concentrating on the large safe. But my levitation field did not wrap around the safe. Then I realised I was not in my body and I had no magic.

I facehoofed as Midnight groaned “You are not in your body, remember?”

“I am aware of that” I shot at her.

* ** ** ** *

“Finally” I beamed “Here we go.” I then pulled out the double funnel proton collider thingo out of the safe we opened after Alyshia dragged it off the shelf, unfortunately smashing most of them when it hit the floor but fortunately there were still about five good ones left. I was astounded that it did not fall through the floor.

“Finally.” Midnight slurred, “I want to get back my body.”

Looking at Midnight, I did not feel the same way. Once this fiasco was over I would be with concussion again and now blood loss.

“Take two Amethyst” Brax grumbled. “In case we blow one up by accident.”

I nodded adding a second to Midnight’s belongings.

I began to dance as a fresh wave of pressure applied to my bladder “Aahh I really really need to pee” I gasped dancing on my hooves.

“Then go?” Brax scoffed. “Whats stopping you?”

“Me” Midnight slurred “Amethyst, can you wait until we swap?”

I shook my head and moaned “Sorry” and ran back out into the corridor leaving my companions in the room before dashing into a room we checked earlier.

Even though I don’t normally pee on a carpet in an office, this was one exception as I relieved myself in the corner. I let out a sigh of relief. The release was so good it was almost as good as an orgasm.

Once done I made my way back into the room and Midnight scoffed “I hope you respected my body when you went?”

“Of course” I replied truthfully “I went as if I went using my own body.”

* ** ** ** *

Once back on floor one I had Alyshia put the new device back where the damaged one was ensuring it was in properly. Brax then examined the equipment from his armour and gave the all ok. Brax and Alyshia then exited the room and Midnight fell to her stomach from exhaustion and blood loss. I gulped knowing that I was going to be sick and lightheaded afterwards.

I hit the button once and the door sealed itself. I hit the button again.

BANG

Once again I passed out.

* ** ** ** *

“Ohhh… I dun feel so good” I moaned as I came back round to Alyshia fretting, my stomach kept convulsing, my head pounded and I felt sick.

“Amethyst? Are you ok, how are you feeling?” Alyshia spoke up worried.

Her face blurred in front of me as I moaned “I feel like shit Alyshia. How’s Midnight?”

“She hasn’t come round yet” she replied.

I let my head fall back onto the hard ground and I stared up at the ceiling. I touched a hoof to my head and felt my horn; I had always taken my own body for granted, as sexy as Midnight was, I couldn’t leave my own body again. I always thought it would be awesome to be her. Now I realised how much I took my own body for granted. Being a Pegasus sucked majorly, I couldn’t do any magic, having wings seemed to be a pain in the neck and they always got in the way. One thing that did surprise me was that I never got horny over Midnight’s body or being her. Maybe I was getting over her? I thought.

“Uurghh” I heard Midnight stir and she sat up. I turned my head towards her and smiled.

“Yay” Midnight burst out looked ecstatic as she jumped to her hooves and flapped her wings. “My body and my wings.”

I grinned at Midnight whose face and mane was all bloody courtesy of me. She then looked at me and smiled before saying “I’m sorry for being all angry and sour at you over this.”

“S’ok” I moaned.

“No it’s not okay” Midnight said looking disappointed in herself, “Being you has taught me a great deal. Being you isn’t easy.”

I nodded telling her “being you isn’t easy either.”

“But…” she continued “I now realise that I’m best at being me, while you are best at being you.”

I nodded to what Midnight was saying, it made sense after all.

Midnight put her hooves around my neck and pulled me into an embrace which I returned “You are a great friend Amethyst, I’m sorry.”

My heart filled with emotion and I tried desperately to fight it “I lov- I mean you are a great friend too Midnight.” I stammered. She seemed to miss my slip up. She pulled back and looked into my eyes. I looked back into her red eyes and looked away as a sudden urge to kiss her surfaced but I remembered my pact. I guess I wasn’t over her I thought to myself.

“Hey Amethyst?” Midnight grinned “At least you didn’t get stuck in Brax’s body.”

I had a sudden image of me in a stallion, with extra parts. I then imaged what a Stallion would do in my body. I gagged before telling her “bad images Midnight, please don’t.”

Once Midnight had withdrawn I asked Alyshia “Where’s Brax?” noticing the stallion was not with us.

“Scavenging” she replied, “says he won’t be long.”

I tried to get to my hooves, but in vain. My body seemed to have given up on me. I felt tired, sick, sore and giddy. I tried again and stood for a moment before falling to my haunches, my front legs then gave out and I fell to my stomach.

“Looks like we’re going to have to rest in here overnight then” Alyshia stated looking at me sadly.

“Nooo” I moaned, “let’s find what we’re here for and get out”

Alyshia nickered “and what are you going to do should we come across some other murderous beast? Snore them to death?”

“I’m fine” I moaned attempting to get to my hooves again but falling flat on my face instead.

“Are you?” Alyshia said sympathetically, “We will look for this thing tomorrow.”

I clenched my teeth and nodded.

“That body swapping room is out-of-bounds as well” Alyshia said matter-of-factly.

“What are you my mother?” I muttered.

“What was that?” Alyshia asked kindly.

“Nothing” I murmured.

* ** ** ** *

Brax returned about an hour later laden with junk.

“From what I’m gathering, we are staying the night” he grumbled, “Wood for fire, boards to reinforce the door, cushions.”

Alyshia took the largest cushion and laid it on the ground then took a mouldy old pillow and put it on the cushion. I then felt myself lift into the air.

“Hey…” I said loudly to Alyshia “What gives?”

“You need rest if you are to be fit for tomorrow, recoup your blood loss and your concussion” She replied placing me on the large cushion.

I felt my damp flanker being pulled off and I grumbled holding my hooves over my flanks so Alyshia couldn’t pull it off “I can undress myself thanks.”

“Okay then” Alyshia muttered allowing me to start pulling off my own clothes until I was just in my own skin and fur. The lower half of my body was reddish-maroon. Partially healed bullet holes laden my flanks, as well as the bite mark on my back. Alyshia then put a hoof on my rump and pushed me onto the cushion saying firmly “Down”.

“ok ok” I muttered lying down on my stomach. I felt Alyshia wipe something wet over my wounds. Curious, I perked my head up only to feel a hoof push my face back into the pillow.

“Down” Alyshia repeated. This time I laid on my stomach feeling whatever Alyshia was doing with a wet wipe on my wounds, causing me to shudder a little as she applied the ointment. I squirmed a little my legs feeling sore. “Amethyst, for Luna’s sake stay still.”

“Ok sorry” I mumbled.

“Ok this may hurt a little” Alyshia warned.

I nodded expecting her to pour some stinging liquid on my wounds but instead I felt a prick and I let out a yelp. “Owww” I gasped, my head perking up only to have a hoof shove it back down.

“Sorry Amethyst, but stay still.” Alyshia advised.

I grumbled keeping my head on the pillow. I saw Alyshia pull out a pair of tweezers in the corner of my eye and with a shot of adrenaline I was on my hooves “What’re they for?” I demanded. I did not want Alyshia putting tweezers in my wounds.

“Get back on the bed Amethyst. You’re being silly” Alyshia said with a hint of frustration behind her voice.

“What are you using them for?” I demanded.

“You have bullets stuck in your flesh Amethyst, unless you want to keep them in and let them cause infection, then be my guest” Alyshia shot at me.

“Fine” I muttered lying back on the bed. My head now throbbed worse than ever combined with the pain in my lower stomach making me feel nauseous.

“Is Amethyst going to be ok?” Midnight muttered.

“She’ll be fine as long as she doesn’t continue to be a royal pain in the flanks” She told Midnight. She then looked at me before saying to me kindly “You are not a very good patient Amethyst. You need to trust me.”

I nodded before muttering “Sorry.”

Getting the bullets out was a very painful process, she tweezed out all the bullets in my flanks that did not pass through and with minimal blood loss at that. I had even asked Alyshia to use her anaesthetic spell to kill the pain. But she would not hear of it, she said if she did, I will not be able to move for several hours, she had used Med X to numb the pain. Not that it felt like she administered it.

* ** ** ** *

After twenty minutes of excruciating pain she declared that all bullets were out and it was time to move onto cleaning the wound the zombie gave me. Apparently they carried all kinds of diseases so it would be good to clean it up.

“Alyshia?” Brax grumbled “You should take a bre—“

“No Brax” Alyshia said defiantly.” I will fix Amethyst right back up before I do anything else.”

While Alyshia was caring for my zombie bite, Brax lit a fire nearby, sending warmth through my body. I did not realise how cold I had become after taking off my barding.

“Can I move now?” I asked politely.

“Not yet Amethyst” she mumbled pulling out some bandages and bandaging the wound.

Once she bandaged the wound she asked me to turn over onto my back which I did keeping all my hooves close to my body.

She grabbed my forehooves and checked for any more wounds on my chest. She checked thoroughly which begged the question so I asked “Alyshia don’t you have a spell for checking wounds?”

“Yes” she replied “but I must always be sure and can never trust it one hundred percent. I have already run it over you but I am just making sure.”

I nodded as she let go of my forehooves. She then grabbed my hindlegs which were together and she attempted to pull them open “do you mind?’ I asked her coldly.” I don’t want nopony checking me there.

“Actually I do, if you want the care you need, then you need to co-operate” She told me with finality.

“Fine” I grumbled allowing her to open my lower legs.

I had a small gash on the inner part of my left flank that Alyshia did not pick up and she cleaned it up and patched it.

She then let go of my hindlegs which I snapped shut again and rolled onto my side.

“Not so fast” Alyshia growled, pulling me back onto my back looking at me.” You still seem unwell. I know you’re carrying a small concussion and have lost a significant amount of blood, but I need to know if that is all. Are you feeling sick? Do you have a head-ache?”

I mumbled to her “I have a head-ache, my back is sore, my flanks are stinging and I feel sick.”

“Sick where?” Alyshia inquired.

“Here” I mumbled placing a hoof just below the indent of my coat that was my belly button.

“Here?” Alyshia asked placing a hoof just above, I grabbed her hoof and moved it down slightly.

“Here.”

“Hey Amethyst? You sure you don’t hurt further down than that?” Midnight snickered. I heard Brax let out a laugh as well.

I blushed shaking my head.

“Don’t worry about them” Alyshia cooed.

“Sorry Amethyst, just pulling your hoof.” Midnight said loudly.

Alyshia put her head next to mine and whispered “It’s not that time is it?”

I looked at her confused. “Time?” I mumbled.

“Time of Year? You’re not having period pain are you?” Alyshia asked quietly.

“No” I said a little defiantly.

“Ok” Alyshia said kindly.

“You don’t have a runny nose do you?” she asked.

“No.”

“Hmm” She thought for a bit. “Any pain elsewhere?” She asked.

“No” I grunted, “Done?”

She nodded and I then turned over onto my stomach and laid down, my head spinning slightly, glad that Alyshia was done checking every tiny bit of my body.

Alyshia was a little overprotective I thought, but she meant the best. I still don’t get why she was caring for me so much more than Midnight or Brax. Maybe it was because they didn’t get shot as much? Or maybe it’s because to her I was still a little filly in the wasteland and that I didn’t know what I was doing?

As I fell into thought my eyes began to grow heavy from exhaustion and blood loss. I then fell into a light sleep.

* ** ** ** *

I began to stir hearing voices talking. I opened my eyes. I was facing away from everypony else, my back felt warm from the fire.

“What do you mean that her leadership skills are poor?” I heard Alyshia ask.

I heard a low rumble reply “well, it’s just that this didn’t exactly go the way we wanted it. Amethyst knew this place was dangerous and she waltzed in as if she was buying a cup of coffee. She hardly knows about the Ministry of Arcane Science. I didn’t even know this machine existed. She led us in here knowing we may all die here.”

I felt my heart shrivel slightly. Are my companions questioning my leadership? Will they leave me? I felt the pit in my stomach grow worse and I clutched my lower stomach in both hooves. I imagined being alone again, in the rotting barn, in Fluttershy’s cottage, sleeping under the stars freezing cold and alone. I didn’t want that. I felt my eyes water and I blinked them away.

“That’s not fair” I heard Midnight say much to my relief. “Amethyst would have had no idea what was in here. I didn’t and neither did Alyshia. Amethyst is from a stable Brax, she has been out here for not even a month. She has gone from a shy mare that wouldn’t even shoot a raider to somepony who has guts and sticks up for who she cares for, without thinking twice before pulling the trigger to save somepony. She would not have led us in this building if she thought we would all die.”

“Oh really?” I heard Brax grumble “In my experience, when ponies want something bad they tend to go to any length to get it. If getting this water talisman was as important as she says it is, I’m sure she would happily lay our lives to get hold of one.”

“No. Amethyst would not do that” Midnight said trying to sound quite.

I sighed and levitated out the cracked memory orb from my saddlebags not wanting to listen to the conversation, I needed to escape, escape reality into somepony else’s memory when times were better. I looked at it without focusing on it and wondered if it would be safe to go inside a damaged orb? I decided that if it was too damaged it wouldn’t work anyway. So I focused my magic on the memory.

I knew something was wrong the moment I touched it with my magic. I screamed. It felt like I was thrown into lava. I felt my body whither before everything went cool and dark. The memory then surfaced obliterating all pain.

========OooO…OooO========

First thing I noticed when the memory surfaced was the prickling around my sides. I instinctively knew I was in a pegasus mare. I was walking next to two ponies, one a yellow earth pony filly with a bright red mane and a huge red bow and another filly who was a white unicorn with a curly pink and purple mane. Both of which were both blank flanks. I was in a pegasus filly I realised knowing that they were both about my host’s height.

“So what are we goin’ to do today to earn our cutie marks?” The yellow earth pony with a bow asked in a rich accent.

I felt my host open her muzzle “Sorry Applebloom, but I’m off to meet Rainbow Dash for flying lessons.”

“Awww” the white unicorn moaned “Can we come?” she asked suddenly looking excited.

My muzzle opened again “Sure, you guys can watch me fly with the best pony ever.”

“if ya can get inta the air” Applebloom snickered.

“Not after today, I’ll be flying like a pro with Rainbow Dash’s help” I felt my host say confidently.

“Maybe ya c’n get some magic lessons from Twilight, Sweetie Belle?” Applebloom asked her “If Scoot is gettin’ flyin’ lessons? I’m sure Twi-“

Oh my Celestia, that pony was Sweetie Belle as a filly. I was in her presence. Oh my Celestia I can see Sweetie Belle. If I was in my own body I would be beside myself and so excited.

“Yeah… And read every book in that damn library” Sweetie Belle said as she rolled her eyes before saying “Rarity just tells me that I’m taking longer than usual.”

Wait, Sweetie Belle was late in her magic too I thought? I felt for the little unicorn. I was in her hooves, blank flank filly with no magical ability. By her age I would still most defiantly be a blank flank with no magical ability and for another year or more at that.

“Hey, kid, you ready for this?” asked a familiar cyan coloured, rainbow maned pegasus who appeared out of nowhere.

My host nodded franticly as Sweetie Belle advised “we’ll sit over there,” pointing a hoof to a tree nearby.

My host looked up excitedly into Rainbow Dash’s magenta eyes as she asked “So you have never flown before?”

Scootaloo just shook her head telling her “Nope, never.”

“Ok ill teach you what you need to learn how to fly, Rainbow Dash style.”

Rainbow Dash then said in an overly confident sort of way “Now there are three things that try to burden your flying. In other words try to prevent you from flying well, or flying at all. Do you know what these are?”

I felt Scootaloo shake her head as she said “Nope… Uhh, well. Me maybe?”

Rainbow Dash facehoofed saying “No, well, that’s kind of one.” She looked down at my host who was holding onto every word. Rainbow Dash merely smiled as she said “The three things that try to prevent you from fly are firstly, gravity. Gravity seeks to keep you grounded. You must fight the gravity with your wings, as in push down with your wings to prevent gravity from grounding you

“Two. Wind. Wind will slow you down, the more wind, the less speed. Less speed means less up-lift, too little uplift means. No flying. Three. Your body, more weight, means more gravity, more gravity means no flying, it also creates drag and that leads us back to wind.”

I must say. Rainbow Dash sure knew how to fly. I would never have thought of that on my own. When I was in Midnights body, I just flapped and kind of just propelled myself sideways. I must say though, I doubt Scootaloo managed to understand half of that.

“Got that filly?” Rainbow asked.

Scootaloo blubbered a little before saying “Sure thing Rainbow Dash.” My filly host then opened her front hooves into a lower aggressive stance with her wings outstretched.

“Hmm.” The blue mare put a hoof to her chin before saying “Flap your wings, show me how you try to fly?”

My host extended her rather short wings and flapped hard like a bee. I could feel the pressure from her weight drop from her hooves but she did not actually manage to get off the ground. When she stopped, my host was panting slightly and judging from the way she looked at the ground was slightly disappointed.

“Now Scootaloo” Rainbow Dash said bossily “You’re flapping your wings wrong. You’re not on your scooter. You’re wasting most of the uplift in propelling the wings backwards behind you, not actually focusing on getting enough uplift. To take off, flap down and push up, maintain flight by pushing up, then push backwards to move forward.

Scootaloo nodded as she unfurled her wings once again. I then felt Rainbow Dash adjust her wings telling her “Wings like this. Now flap down hard and slower, you are not going to take off taking little fast flaps.”

I felt Scootaloo give one heavy push up, followed by a second. I felt her hooves lift from the ground slightly. My host have a sharp intake of breath and she gave a squee of excitement.

“See, you’re doing it just fine. You just needed some of Rainbows tricks. I am the best aren’t I?” she said gloating a little.

“Hey Scoot, you’re flying” I heard Sweetie Belle bellow from the shade of the tree.

I felt Scootaloo touch back down and she hugged Rainbow Dash, sending a very nice sweet smell into my hosts nose, she smelt like Midnight, that arousing smell of Midnight.

“Oh my Celestia. Thank you, thank you, thank you Rainbow Dash. I’ve never been able to fly like that without my scooter.

“No problem. Now if you want to move, just do that again so you are air borne.

Scootaloo once again levitated off the ground and felt her muzzle smile happily as she had done it a second time.

“Now” Rainbow Dash advised, “If you flap your wings like this.” Rainbow dash held her wings slightly on an angle and flapped slowly for demonstration. “You should move up and forwards.”

Scootaloo did just that and with a flap of her wings propelled forwards about twetny meters sending a random view of sky, grass, trees then grass before smashing into the ground. I felt my host gasp as a sharp pang of pain lashed at her wing. I could feel the pain as Scootaloo did and it felt quite sore.

Rainbow Dash flew over and asked looking a little worried “You okay kid? Sore wing?”

Scootaloo nodded holding a hoof on her sore wing and Rainbow Dash shook her head telling her “Best fliers hurt themselves someday. Especially when learning. I think that might be enough for today.”

I felt Scootaloo’s ears tilt back and she looked up at Rainbow Dash. I could feel her passion for wanting to fly, and how much this little filly looked up to this mare.

“We’ll do more next week ok?” Rainbow Dash told her smiling and ruffling my host’s mane with a hoof. I saw Rainbow Dash lift slightly into the air and put herself on top of Scootaloo, just as Midnight did for me when I was in Cantal. “Ready for a ride filly?”

“Hell yeah Dash” Scootaloo said feeling my muzzle smile even wider.

With a heavy jerk, Rainbow Dash shot into the air with such speed that I was absolutely amazed. I felt Scootaloo tense as adrenaline rushed through her body, she blinked once and the ground was hundreds of feet below. The tree Applebloom and Sweetie Belle sat under reduced to a pin prick.

If I was in my own body, I probably would have passed out by now. And with a lurch Rainbow Dash did a few barrel rolls holding onto Scootaloo tightly before pulling into a dive. I felt Scootaloo tense even more as the air rushed through her mane and breathing became difficult as the ground rushed into greater perspective before levelling out with a lurch of the stomach and landing softly on the grass in front of Applebloom and Sweetie Belle.

She let go of Scootaloo and my vision spun as Scootaloo tried to walk over to her friends before collapsing onto the grass laughing. “That was so awesome” She screamed.

“Ya did good Scoot, ya actually flew” Applebloom piped up looking at her friend with a big smile on her muzzle.

“Yeah Scoot, you were all like hovering and then like, you flew forwards and you did ok for a bit then you crashed on your side” Sweetie Belle said looking excited for her friend.

I felt the memory fade out in blackness.

========OooO…OooO========

I came back with everypony around me, “Amethyst? Are you ok? Are you hurt?” Alyshia babbled.

I turned over and vomited next to the cushion I was lying on.

“I’m fine” I moaned wiping my muzzle.

“No, you were shaking and thrashing around screaming. It looked like you were having a seizure. And you just vomited” Alyshia said concerned.

“I entered a damaged memory orb” I mumbled turning over and facing away from my companions. At that moment I did not feel like talking to anypony “I’m fine.”

“Ok” Alyshia said softly as she cleaned up my sick.

“You didn’t hear wh-?” Midnight began but I cut across her as aggressively as my weakened body would enable.

“Yes I did fucking hear.” I turned back over, pointing a hoof at Brax, who was no longer in his armour “You. If you don’t trust me, or you have issues with me, there is the door.” I pointed the same hoof at the barricaded door.

He just sat there and said nothing. I then rolled back over facing away from everypony. I levitated out my canteen thinking of just kicking Brax out of the group. I took a sip and placed the bottle next to me. What would Fluttershy do? Would she kick him out?

I heard a voice in my head answer that question “No.” I knew he was a troubled pony, knew that he was not very nice. His attitude was always sour and he laughed at me when I was in embarrassing situations. I was aware he was not laughing with me but at me unlike Midnight. What would Midnight think if I kicked him out? She at least seemed to get along with him best. I made my mind up. I was not going to kick Brax out. Not unless he gave me a reason to.

I sat up and hit my head with a hoof trying to clear it so I could go back to sleep.

“Would you like something to eat?” Alyshia asked me kindly bustling over.

“No thank you” I mumbled still feeling nauseous.

I laid back on my stomach. My companions seemed to have nothing to say to each other so I rolled onto my side into a more comfortable position and laid there pretending to sleep to see if my companions would say anything else.

Nopony said anything and finally after ten minutes Alyshia piped up “Well I’m going to bed.”

“Same” I heard Midnight mumble.

I heard movement and somepony set their bedding right near me. I felt the wind of the cushion ruffle my mane as it was placed. “Good Night Amethyst” I heard Alyshia say quietly, I then felt her touch my forehead, run a hoof through my mane and finally gave my horn a little kiss.

I felt some of the anger and pressure ebb away replaced by a bizarre emotion that I didn’t think I have had since I was a tiny foal. I ignored it, having no idea how I was feeling anyway. With a small sigh I finally managed to drift off to sleep as everypony else was doing.

Footnote: Level up

New Park: I am you, and you are me – Your Charisma is increased by 1

Chapter 12: Water Talisman

I awoke the following morning to a wet sensation over the lower part of my body, I then felt a wet something touch very close to…

I sat up. I was lying on my back, a very unusual way for me to sleep normally. Alyshia was sponging the blood from my coat and was working my inner flanks.

“Good morning Amethyst” Alyshia piped up “Feeling any better?”

I felt my head and the headache was gone, the sickness in my stomach was also a lot less, but I still ached all over. “Yeah a bit” I murmured, “What are you doing?”

“Cleaning you up” Alyshia told me. “The caked blood will get uncomfortable and you don’t want to ruin your new armour now do you?”

I shook my head before saying to her “Alyshia. You do know I am a grown mare right?”

“Oh darling… of course I know that” She started.

“I can clean myself” I told her looking at the bloody sponge, and then to my half white half maroon lower body.

She raised an eyebrow “Can you? Like when I first met you? Amethyst you stank so bad I couldn’t stand near you.” She paused before asking with a slight smile on her face “Would you have cleaned yourself if I didn’t do it for you, or would you have just put your armour back on for the blood to rot and for you to smell like a dead pig?”

I cringed. I probably would have done just that. As much as I loved being clean, I tend to lack in the sanitary department when out in the wasteland.

“See what I mean? “She said without an answer from me.

“Alyshia. Amethyst is right. She’s her own mare. You’re treating her like a filly” Midnight said as she trotted up to me holding a tin of corn in a hoof. She then sat next to me and asked “feeling ok?”

I nodded as Alyshia seethed “No I’m not, I’m helping her. You like me helping you don’t you Amethyst?”

I would have to say that Alyshia had been very helping. She had cared for me better than other ponies would have ever cared for me. She helped me bath when I had no magic, helped me into the dress and made me look beautiful. I kind of just cocked my head rather than nodding or shaking my head but it seemed Alyshia took that as a ‘I’m not going to say yes in front of Midnight’ motion.

Midnight merely shrugged and asked me “Corn? Mushed Apples anypony?”

“Corn please” I asked not knowing how hungry I actually was and wanting to steer away from this subject.

As I started to spoon the corn into my mouth hungrily I noticed we were missing a pony. “Where’s Brax?” I asked curiously, noticing that I had not seen the stallion yet this morning.

“I’m here” Brax grumbled from the corner.

“What are you doing?” I asked cautiously not forgetting what he said last night.

“Getting ready for today, I think it might be a rough one with all those hostiles up.”

I checked my EFS and still hundreds of red lights blazed across it.

He did seem to have a point on that one.

* ** ** ** *

Back in my barding, combat ready and slightly sore I was ready to go.

“Do you know where we’re going?” Brax questioned me. He was still in bare coat and the grey stallion looked at me knowingly.

“Uhh” I stammered. I had no idea where the water talisman in this building was kept. I glanced at my pipbuck and checked the files I took from some of the terminals yesterday.

“You don’t know do you?” he asked coldly.

“Hold on I’m getting there” I told him. I prayed to the goddesses that the map was in here. With a leap from my heart I had come across MAS fire emergency evacuation plan. I scrolled through all the rubbish such as “Do not use elevators in fire” and “proceed to stairwell during fire and meet the fire warden on the courtyard at the front of the building.”

Finally I found the map of the building. I looked on each floor and it was just offices, testing chambers, Spell Networking. The top floor was reserved for important ponies and across the floor plan was written “Offices of Ministry Mare Twilight Sparkle”

I was really curious what was on the top floor. Pulling my eyes away from it I tried in vain to find where the talisman was located. I found the final floor plan and facehoofed. Of course it’s in the basement, why would you put the water system in the building. It is under the building.

“Found it” I muttered to Brax with a smirk.

“Ok everypony hurry up, let’s go” I said hoarsely to Alyshia, Midnight and Brax; Alyshia and Midnight were ready but Brax wasn’t.

* ** ** ** *

We left the warm room that we had settled in and stepped into the stone cold corridor, my breath fogging in front of me.

“Sweet Celestia its cold” I mumbled feeling the cold bite my muzzle.

“You aren’t wrong there” Midnight mumbled tucking her wings into her coat which made her look like an earth pony again.

We wandered down the stairwell back onto the ground floor and stepped back into the atrium which if possible was even colder. I could hear the front doors of the building rattle coupled with a muffled howl. I looked outside; all I could see was white. It must be a blizzard outside I thought.

“I think we might be stuck in here” Brax announced looking outside “We would surly die out in that weather.”

“Don’t worry about that now” I told him seeing the mist rise from my mouth “Let’s find the water talisman first.”

We walked across the floor towards the door to the basement. I was paying attention to my EFS and ensured all hostiles did not detect us. I felt something hard catch my hoof and I fell flat on my face. I got to my hooves and brushed myself off looking at what I tripped over and rubbed my sore nose. It was a zombie corpse from yesterday, it was frozen solid.

“You ok Amethyst?” Alyshia asked.

“I’m fine” I mumbled still looking at the corpse I had tripped over.

I felt a little worried now. I didn’t want to freeze to death in here and I didn’t want my friends to freeze here either. I shook my head and mumbled “Bad thoughts Amethyst. Don’t think of that.”

“What was that?” I heard Midnight say.

“Nothing” I mumbled feeling a little embarrassed for talking to myself.

Following the map I had on my pipbuck I guided my companions to an office out the back. It was a large office. Broken terminals littered on the floor and pony bones laid in various positions all over the floor. It seemed the balefire bomb hit during office hours and killed all those within the building, no doubt due to radiation poisoning.

Alyshia and I stepped carefully around the pony bones not wanting to disrespect the dead ponies that died here and Midnight had taken flight.

CRUNCH CRUNCH CRUNCH

I looked to see Brax stepping through the pony bones as if they were nothing more than stones. I looked at him offended.

“What?” he grumbled.

“Show some respect” I spat at him feeling disgusted “Those are ponies you’re standing on.”

He looked down at the bones that had been shattered by his heavy steel hooves, “no, those are bones.”

“Of dead ponies” I finished for him.

“Yeah Brax that’s not very respectful to go trudging through bones like that” Midnight said scornfully as Alyshia nodded

“Ok, sorry” Brax mumbled quietly.

“Don’t apologise to me” I seethed “apologise to them” I then pointed a hoof at the crushed bones.

* ** ** ** *

After making our way through the office we had come to a door with ‘Basement’ blazed across it.

I attempted to open the door. It was locked.

Of course it was I thought, nothing out here just gave me what I wanted. I pulled out a bobby pin and screwdriver from my saddlebags and slot them into the key hole. I then attacked the lock, pushing and banging on it. It did not want to give.

“Arghh” I roared bucking the door when I broke my bobby pin. “Why am I so bad at this.”

“You’re doing it wrong Amethyst” Alyshia advised, “You are being too rough.”

I looked at her “You know how to pick locks?” I asked curiously. Alyshia was not the type of pony I would have thought to have picked up this skill.

She however shook her head. I looked at her confused “How do-“I began but she shook her head and went on.

“My brother is the locksmith for Tenpony Tower, I’ve seen him work and he is gentle with the locks. He listens for the right noises and such. He says each lock is unique and you must treat it with respect. If you do then it will open for you.”

I blinked, it was just a lock I thought but it was worth a go. I slid in my second bobby pin and tried again, this time feeling for the pins and applying slight pressure to the chamber with the screwdriver. I felt each pin lock into place but the last one did not wish to go in. I loosened the chamber and from the magic around the bobby pin I could feel the pressure of the pins. I pushed the final pin up and it slot in. The lock turned and the door opened.

“See” Alyshia told me as I scowled “Sometimes you just need to be gentle instead of just forcing the lock.”

The door opened to a corridor that looked similar to a stable corridor except the ceiling was missing and you could see the pipes and electrics in the ceiling. The inside was very rusty, it was still very cold inside but slightly humid and everything within was covered in a thin layer of ice, including the floor.

I stepped in with my companions at my hooves. My socks were sticking to the icy floor and made it hard to walk; I knew the floor would be slippery if I wasn’t wearing them. I was about to tell everypony to be careful when I heard a brief scream and turned just in time to see Alyshia bowl me over after she slipped on the ice.

The slightly taller unicorn then fell on top of me sandwiching me into the cold icy floor. All I could see on top of me was Alyshia’s pink barding. The mare tried to get off me but she slipped again and fell on top of me again with a burst of pain to my side.

“Alyshia get of me” I squealed “you’re hurting me.”

“Ow sorry Amethyst” she babbled as she got shakily to her hooves again. She helped me back up. Midnight flew over not needing to touch the icy floor and Brax did not seem perturbed by the ice as it cracked beneath his hoof steps.

I rubbed my side with a hoof my eyes streaming “That hurt Alyshia, please be careful” I advised looking at her.

She looked apologetic “sorry Amethyst” she mumbled as she took a step forward and almost fell over again.

I pulled up my pipbuck inventory spell and found a set of socks, my standard plain black ones. I didn’t mind if these got damaged so I levitated them to Alyshia “put these on” I advised her.

The purple unicorn looked at them and sighed “Amethyst, I don’t know if I can. I can’t put these on.”

“Why not?” I asked curiously. I personally thought the older unicorn would look pretty hot in those socks. “You think I’m going to be ogling at you in them don’t you?” I asked suspiciously.

She shook her head “It’s not that, it’s just that… These are normally worn by- I mean”

I felt a small pick in my heart as I questioned “Worn by? Ponies like me?”

“No Amethyst, in the tower the... Uhh”

“For crying out loud Alyshia just put them on so we can keep moving” Midnight burst out while flying upright with her forelegs crossed and looking impatient.

I looked at her and levitated them to Midnight who looked confused as I told her “Hold these.”

“What are you do- Ahhh Amethyst put me down” She squealed as I levitated her into the air.

“Put them on her Midnight” I told her with a smirk on my face. To be honest I was kind of enjoying myself. Midnight slid the socks onto Alyshia’s hooves and I placed her back on the ground.

“I’ll get you for this Amethyst” she grumbled lifting a hoof with some difficulty as the socks were sticking to the ice.

“You already did” I laughed “when you fell on me.”

Alyshia scowled as we started down the staircase into the underside of the MAS Building.

* ** ** ** *

“-As long as I don’t have to wear these outside this building” Alyshia argued as we walked through the icy corridors.

“I’m not saying you have to” I told her, “The floors are icy and slippery. It’s for your safety and ours” as I pointed a hoof to myself and Brax.

“That’s all fine but if I’m seen like this…” Alyshia looked concerned as she lifted a hoof and cringed slightly.

“Why don’t you like wearing them?” I asked, “I find them comfortable and quite appealing.”

“Well I don’t Amethyst, I don’t want to look like a slut” she said coldly.

“What?” I stammered “You don’t-“

“Yes I do” she snapped, “These are worn by the prostitutes who live outside the tower.”

“Are you saying I’m a –“I began angrily.

“No. But it’s an odd dress sense Amethyst. I mean I can understand if you want to wear them when in bed or when getting intimate but as a general fashion sense?”

I felt abashed. I liked them and wore them as part of my barding set. My barding does mostly cover them as does Alyshias but I didn’t see why she would not want to wear them.

“It’s not like you’re wearing them with nothing on-“I began.

“Ok Amethyst just shut it. Who cares” Midnight groaned, “there only socks”

“That’s what I’ve been trying to tell her” I pointed out.

Midnight facehoofed and I dropped the subject.

* ** ** ** *

I could tell we were heading the right way. The further we went in, the more ice we found. We finally turned a corner and came face to face with a rusted steel door with about an inch of ice over the entire thing.

“Ahh” I stammered, “what now?” I touched a hoof on the ice and banged it against the ice sending ice shavings onto the icy floor.

“Step back” Brax grumbled as he turned facing away from the door preparing I would have assumed to buck the door.

I stood away from the door and Brax smashed his back hooves against the door. The Ice cracked as he bucked it again and ice fell to the floor. He gave a third buck and the ice shattered and it all fell to the ground.

“That’s how you do it” he said confidently looking at the door.

The door had no lock on it and in almost inaudible letters it said ‘Push.’ This was just a swinging door so I pushed on it and it was still frozen shut. I wrapped my magic around the door and attempted to push the door open and nothing happened. “Buck the door again” I suggested taking a step back as Brax prepared to buck the door again. He sent five bucks to the door and it still did not budge.

I started to get frustrated as I wrapped my magic around the door again and still nothing happened. I was sure if I was angry like the time I threw the door back at the slaver camp I would rip it off completely but I was not in an angry mood. I tried to get angry by clenching my teeth together and thinking of Glenda and my mother but it didn’t work.

I started to buck the door myself but if Brax couldn’t do it who was a much larger and much stronger pony than was. What hope did I have?

“Amethyst maybe we should work together?” Midnight suggested.

“How?” I asked, looking up surprised that somepony actually had a plan.

“You use magic. Alyshia, Brax and myself push on the door and hopefully it opens.”

I had nothing else to try so I nodded and said “in positions everypony let’s do this.”

I wrapped my magic around the door and pushed as hard as I could against the door telekinetically. Midnight, Brax and Alyshia then pushed against the door as hard as they could. With a leap of my heart I could hear ice shifting and breaking. I could feel the door move with my magic and finally with a loud bang the door opened to reveal a small control room in which the side door was thankfully open. It led out to a catwalk.

We all walked in. The ceiling had icicles forming and the terminals were layered in ice. Our breaths fogged in front of us as we looked at each other. Nopony said anything so I walked over to where the catwalk began. With a sink of my heart, I saw the catwalk which was also iced up. It looked very fragile and in some places it had partially collapsed. There was no way Brax would be able to walk on this. I looked over the side and felt a familiar sickening effect take place, so I looked away. There was a ten meter drop to a huge white icy floor, I gulped and backed out back into the room.

“What’s wrong Amethyst? You’re pale as a ghost?” Alyshia commented.

I put a hoof to my face and it was cold. “Nothing” I mumbled “Just cold.” I gave a small cough then told them “I think only Midnight and I should go any further.”

Alyshia looked at me suspiciously and Brax threw his head up in disgust.

“Look” I told them. “That catwalk will hardly hold me” I said pointing a hoof to the other door “it won’t hold you two” I said looking at them.

Brax trotted over to the catwalk and backed up “Right. Amethyst is right” he grumbled “Sorry kid” he muttered to me “I thought you were looking for an excuse to leave me behind.”

I shook my head as Alyshia looked as well but she said “I can understand if Brax has to stay but why do I have to stay?”

“It won’t hold you” I advised noting that Alyshia was about half a horn taller than I was and therefore heavier. “You’re too heavy” I concluded.

She blinked and she looked affronted “I- Are you saying I’m fat” Alyshia shot at me “I am not too heavy –“

“I didn’t mean that” I said quickly, “You’re bigger than me”

“Hardly” She shot back “Half a horn – if that”

“Sorry I-“

“Don’t Amethyst” she told me “I’ll stay – you obviously don’t like being around fat mares.”

“You’re not fat” I argued, “It’s just with the two of us-“

She was ignoring me. How could she do this to me? She was of a light build like me. I didn’t have time to argue. Midnight stood waiting patiently and I turned tail and wrapped myself in a magical field to lighten my weight and with Midnight taking flight I stepped onto the delicate frozen catwalk.

Utilising my magic I could make myself almost weightless with rather little strain. I was glowing a soft purple as Midnight flew just in front of me. I could see the catwalk extended across the massive room and down flights of steps. Some parts of the catwalk had partially collapsed and I had to levitate them back into place so I could walk across them before carefully placing them back without breaking the catwalk any more.

I saw a red hostile flare ahead in front of Midnights green. I took a step back as I heard a roar from nearby. Midnight turned tail and flew strait into me causing my magic to implode.

All I could hear amidst the confusion was a roar, the sound of wrenching metal and the next thing I knew I was hurtling towards the icy floor. All that went through my head as I screamed was that I was falling to my death and I would be dead in less than two seconds. I looked up and Midnight was fighting a huge winged something. I looked down just in time to see my hooves hit the ground which gave way the moment I hit it.

Next thing I knew I was in a freezing underwater world, sinking slowly. I opened my eyes and it was slightly blurry. My breath held, I looked up and saw at least five meters above me a hole. I had fallen through what appeared to be a sheet of ice. I tried to move my legs to attempt to swim but all I did was sink a little more.

The water was freezing and I could feel it soak into my barding causing me to shiver uncontrollably. I kicked around and nothing I tried sent me towards the surface. I was distracted by a hum that started to make my ears sore and with some shock I saw what appeared to be a reactor albeit blurry from the water but it gave a similar shape to one. My pipbuck was clicking quite rapidly. The water was quite deep and I could see tables and work benches on the bottom rotting away after being inundated with water for over a century.

I shook my head and attempted to swim again. I started to panic as my body yearned to breath. I wrapped myself in magic and started to push myself upwards but I was too slow and I was not strong enough, my soaking barding and saddlebags were weighing me down.

With a final push my magic imploded and I opened my mouth expelling all the air in my lungs and I sank like a stone, my ears searing with the water pressure and the hum of the reactor. I kept my eyes open and with a small bump I felt my rump hit the ground. I was going to drown before I froze to death. I couldn’t move at all and I could do was sit on the bottom of this freezing pool trying to not breathe in any water until I became unconscious and died.

I felt the back of my head hit the ground as I rolled over staring up at the ice sheet above. The hole I made clearly visible over five meters above me. I felt blackness begin to enclose my vision as I suffocated with the sounds of my pipbuck in my ears. Finally I thought. Now I could die, now I could stop holding my breath. As blackness enclosed my vision I saw part of the ice sheet break and a figure fall into the water as well, the figure began to move in my direction. I stopped trying to lose consciousness but it failed. With finality I blacked out.

* ** ** ** *

I was sitting at a desk in school. Our teacher who was a yellow unicorn mare with a lemon coloured mane was lecturing us about magic. I wasn’t really paying attention as the teacher was explaining complicated charts and ways to do magic.

“Amethyst pay attention” the teacher snapped. I jerked my head in her direction and some of the other students laughed. I felt my face burn and I paid a little more attention.

“You should all know that most unicorns are limited to the use of magic. Most unicorns have anywhere between four and six spells at generic disposal. Some common examples are Telekinesis and the ability to light the horn. Of course the other spells are normally determined by ones special talents which brings us to cutie marks.”

I fell back into a stupor. I knew all this already and it wouldn’t help me do magic any sooner. All the other fillies and colts in my class could do magic but me. I sighed and felt a jab to my back. I looked behind me and there was a colt with a note floating next to him. I held out a hoof and he passed it into my hoof not able to grasp it magically myself.

I held it under the desk and opened it and started to read,

‘I’ll take you over all this after class. Most of this is just crap but I’ll tell you without the all the shit.

‘-Berry”

I looked over to Berry and smiled but not before I heard a bang on my wooden desk “Passing notes Amethyst?” the teacher said dangerously.

“I-Well…” I stammered “Not really.”

“Well Amethyst… Just because you have good grades in other classes does not mean you can neglect mine. I see that you’re the only pony in this room without her cutie mark nor able to do any magic. You of all ponies should be paying the utmost attention.” The teacher then said quieter “You need to understand Amethyst. These ponies around you contribute to the stable through work after school. You cannot work yet because you don’t have your cutie mark or do any magic. It is your job to contribute and that includes growing up and not passing notes in class.”

“Yes ma’am” I mumbled looking down at my books again.

“Yeah blank flank, listen to the teacher” Glenda barked from the back row.

“That’s enough Glenda” The teacher said.

I looked down at my flanks which were just flat white then to everypony else who had their cutie marks. I’ll study my books more I told myself, get my cutie mark.

After a few minutes the bell rang for the end of the day. Everypony got up to prepare for their work shifts while I left for my room. Berry caught up to me and gave me a sheet of class notes.

“Thanks” I said slipping it into my saddlebag. “I’ll need these for sure. I pray to Celestia I do well in the magic practical next week. Nopony would ever let me forget otherwise.”

“I’m sure you’ll do ok” Berry told me.

“Hey blank flank” came a voice from behind.

“Ignore her Amethyst” Berry suggested.

I turned around facing Glenda “come to gloat?” I shot at her.

“I think you’ll need to do more than pray to Celestia to do magic, not even licking her hooves will you pass.” She laughed “You should just snap your horn off and start school with the earth ponies.”

Berry put a hoof around my neck and guided me away. I left with her as Glenda shouted “Good luck in the magic practical.”

* ** ** ** *

I felt a hoof slap across my face and I opened my eyes. I felt like ice and I was shivering uncontrollably. Midnights muzzle came into view as I blinked. She too was shaking heavily. It took me a second to realise what had happened. I gave a cough and some water came out which I spat onto the ground.

Midnight started to talk, her voice shaking “Are you ok Amethyst? I thought you had drowned. You were under the water for so long. I’m so glad that you’re still alive.”

“I thought I had too” I said quietly as I got shakily to my hooves. We were standing on the layer of ice and no doubt Midnight had rescued me. Again.

Midnight pulled me into a hug which I returned. She was soaking wet as was I. I felt the warmth of her against my breast as her mane fell forwards and started dripping icy water onto me which I ignored. When Midnight pulled away I saw that her wings were all water logged and dripping still. She had not yet had the chance to shake off yet.

“Sorry” I mumbled.

“Why?”

“For fucking up again” I replied dully as fog escaped my mouth.

“It’s not your fault” she told me, “I should have caught you.”

“No” I told her shaking my head “I should have been paying more attention.”

Midnight cocked her head and then facehoofed. I could tell she knew that no matter what she said that I wouldn’t let up.

“We’re going to die aren’t we?” I asked finally as I started to shiver hard my teeth chattering together.

Midnight looked at me shocked “No of course we aren’t.”

“’I’m freezing” I moaned.

“So am I Amethyst but we have something to do so pick yourself up and lets go” Midnight advised shaking herself and her wings to get rid of any water on her coat and feathers.

I shook my coat and emptied my saddlebags before wringing my coat and mane magically and emptying my saddlebags of water. My porn book was soaking but I kept it, my photo album which was protected by a spell my mother put on it was fine. I let off a sigh of relief as I threw out books and paper that had been ruined.

* ** ** ** *

I had indeed picked myself up as my pipbuck told me I had minor hypothermia. I ignored this message because I did not need my pipbuck to tell me that I was cold.

“Which way?” I asked Midnight through my numb lips.

“Not sure” Midnight stammered.

I checked my pipbuck which had mapped this part of the building itself. I found the part that we were supposed to be going and started in that direction.

I heard a roar followed by Midnight swearing. The roar echoed around the large area.

“I thought you killed that Midnight” I asked turning to her.

“No, it vanished when I dived into the water to save you. It must have returned” she replied.

I looked up and saw a smallish dragon like thing. It had a wing-span of roughly five meters; it had two large back legs, two tiny arms and huge black leathery wings on its sides.

“A Dragon?” I squeaked “A Dragon?”

“Not a dragon, I think that’s a blastwing” Midnight told me matter-of-factly.

“It’s a dragon” I screamed pulling out my sniper rifle wanting maximum punch.

The blastwing swooped down and hung in mid air near us. I looked at it and it opened its huge maw. I pulled Midnight to me and activate my shield. I heard a roar and a rush of fire hit my shield. The heat from the fire radiated through the shield that made me feel temporarily warm, then hot, then it felt like my skin would blister.

The blastwing attempted to land on the ice sheet without success. The ice broke under its weight and it began to split as it took flight again. I collapsed my shield and took two shots at it from SATS. My bullets went off and both bullets struck the leathery wings. It didn’t even seem to feel it. The blastwing turned around and let out another belch. I broke into a gallop as I felt fire lick at my tail. I looked behind me and Midnight had taken flight.

When at a safe distance I entered SATS again and took careful aim before sending two shots to the head. The bullets hit the target but all it did was enrage the monster. It made for me and took another belch as I ran, the heat causing me to feel faint. I felt the ground tip as the ice broke apart from under my hooves. The ice was melting and breaking apart. I stood on my little island of ice and swapped out my magnum with armour piercing rounds. I took two unassisted shots at the blastwing which was now doing battle with Midnight. She was moving through the air taking shots here and there and in general her skills in the air were superb. One of my bullets hit it in the hid leg which looked like it penetrated the thick hide and the second shot by mere chance hit it in the eye.

The blastwing nearly fell out of the air and Midnight sprayed its face with bullets. Its face was now all red and bloody. It took a beeline for me and I shot at it again and missed. It took a breath of flame which I dodged by jumping on a nearby ice island. I looked at where I was standing and all that was left was water. I gulped and turned just in time to see fire searing right for me. I activated my shield which popped into place for about five seconds then collapsed but was up just long enough to absorb the fire.

I felt the ice around my hooves thin and crack. I then concentrated with extreme will and force and I wrapped myself in magic and levitated myself off the ice which vanished. I had no ice close enough to go to so all I could do was keep myself floating here until I ran out of energy.

“Midnight help” I screamed as the blastwing prepared to open its mouth and turn me into roasted pony. I felt myself get taken in Midnights hooves just as a rush of flame came out of the beast’s mouth. With relief I let my levitation field drop and I clambered onto Midnights back, my Magnum levitated. Midnight flew between pipes, catwalks, collapsed machinery and icicles as I aimed my Magnum at the pursuing dragon like thing.

The beast opened its mouth again and I tried to activate my shield again. My horn lit then sparked, the spell could not be cast anymore. I instead entered SATS and drained the entire spell by firing into its mouth. I ended up putting five armour piercing rounds into its mouth causing it to roar and screech. It stopped and smashed into a catwalk which fell through the ice below before flapping its wings and smashing into icicles which shattered against its leathery body causing the whole inside to shake sending ice from the ceiling. It did not let up and with added fervour it came up at us and with surprising speed was right behind us again.

I saw it roar and with a searing heat of fire licked at my body which singed my barding and coat. Midnight’s right wing caught fire and she screamed which caused my heart to tear. I pulled out my soaking wet towel and doused the flame. I could see tears in Midnights eyes as she tried to keep a flight.

Shooting from here was useless so I decided to do something stupid. After all I was a stupid pony and this was for Midnight. I wrapped myself in my magic and jumped from Midnight and landed on the blastwings head before collapsing my magic.

The thing was not as smooth in the air as Midnight was and it made me sick as it bobbed up and down with each wing stroke. I tried not to look down knowing my vertigo would surly unseat me. The blastwing clearly did not feel me as it continued to pursue Midnight who was twisting and weaving between objects to try and keep a distance from the monster. She looked back every so often to see if I was still on top of it.

I knew what to do. I put my final six armour piercing rounds in my magnum then pointed it down at the beasts skull knowing that surly at point blank it would kill it. I closed my eyes and emptied the entire barrel into the blastwings head. All I heard was the echo of my shots in the large chamber like place and before I knew it all I could hear was rushing air. I opened my eyes and saw I was in free fall on the now dead monsters head. I wrapped myself in magic and my falling slowed and finally I came to a stop with sweat now running around my horn as I concentrated on not falling.

Finally Midnight was in front of me and she wrapped her hooves around me allowing me to thankfully drop my levitation field. I kept my eyes closed as Midnight flew knowing that if I opened them I would be staring down at a great fall and I would probably vomit.

The heat from the dragon had managed to dry much of my coat, socks and flanker but my barding was still damp to wet and with the wind chill of Midnight flying I began to shiver again.

* ** ** ** *

Midnight and I remained silent as we landed on a platform that led into the door that would take us to the water maintenance area of this building. The sheer size of the ‘basement’ of this building made me wonder why it was so large, and why there was a dragon thing in here. All I could think of was this place was a secret facility to even the standard MAS Employees that worked in the top part of the building.

“This the right way?” Midnight whispered.

I checked my pipbuck and we were indeed heading in the right way. I nodded and guided us through a small icy corridor. I could hear running water which struck me as odd considering how cold it was in here.

My question was answered when we came up to a catwalk where liquid water was ripping about a meter below it. The sound of running water was from a large burst pipe in the ceiling causing a crashing waterfall into the water sending freezing mist over the catwalk which was slippery of ice.

The catwalk led into another room with no lights. I lit my pipbuck light allowing its luminescence to illuminate the room we were in. I saw terminals and I hoped to hack one. I plugged my pipbuck in and found the computers had no electricity and attempting to hack one would be about as stupid as trying to hack a tree.

We moved on into a corridor which also had no electricity as no lights were on. This didn’t help and after a few trots my EFS blazed red. I stopped and Midnight kept going before stopping about five meters in front of me. “What’s wrong Amethyst?” she asked.

“Uhh, lots of bads” I muttered to her.

“How many?” she inquired.

“Too many” I replied.

Midnight landed and crouched low for me to get onto her back. I clambered onto the hot white pegasus and she lifted me into the air. We continued at a slow pace with my front hooves around Midnights neck with my magnum hovering at my head.

When we entered the next room my pipbuck brought into perspective some thirty young blastwings jammed into the room. They all saw us enter and still too young to fly they started breathing fire at us from the ground sending waves of heat into the room. Midnight flew fast across the room without colliding with anything. I shot at them, some of my bullets landing on target and some that didn’t caused them to explode against the ground. Fire licked at our tails as Midnight shot up to a door and I telekinetically threw it open thanking the goddesses that it was unlocked.

Upon going through the door I felt Midnight hit something followed by a loud crack and next thing I knew I was hurtling face forwards through the air towards the steel floor. I wrapped myself in magic and managed to stop myself smashing my face into the ground.

I dropped to my hooves and heard a scream, a terrible blood curdling scream. I turned to see Midnight screaming in pain.

“Fuck” she screamed, “My fucking wing.” She had tears in her eyes and was cradling her left wing. I saw to my horror that the main bone that held the wing in place had split and skewered through the skin. I could see the bloody bone poking about half a foot through the skin. I felt the blood drain from my face.

I ran towards her but not before about five baby blastwings came through the open door, hobbling on their two back legs with their little arms held out. I wrapped Midnight in my magic and pulled her to safety before pulling out my shotgun and fired at the little bastards. They went down easy enough but the gunshots had brought more through the door. I wrapped the door in my magic and slammed it shut before firing at the remaining ones.

I felt something slash me across the muzzle and turned to see one had jumped forwards and physically attacked me. I jumped back and wrapped it in my magic. The little blastwing was about three feet in length and was quite heavy as I could feel it strain my magic slightly. I levitated the shotgun to it just as it opened its mouth to breathe fire at me. I shot it in the head and dropped it.

I turned to Midnight who was now sobbing on the ground. “Are you ok Midnight” I asked feeling stupid. I looked at her wing which was now beginning to soak with blood. The feathers dying a vibrant red, I could obviously tell that she was not alright.

“N-No” she gasped. “Can you fix this?”

I pulled my head back shocked. There was no way in hell I could fix an injury like this. Even if Midnight was unconscious I would not be able to let alone with her screaming in pain. I shook my head “I-I’m sorry Midnight, there is no way I could fix this. I’m not a medical pony.”

“You fixed Alyshia leg” she gasped.

“This is different; her injury was a basic break. This will need a lot more. I don’t know if even Alyshia can fix this” I told her feeling tears leak out of my eyes. The pony I had come to care about and loved was injured before me and I couldn’t fix it. Instead I pulled out three filled syringes, needles and painkillers.

I levitated them to her and as I did so I whispered “this will numb the pain, we will get you back ok?”

Midnight nodded and I injected the three doses of med X. Midnight relaxed as the painkillers did their job. I checked through my pipbuck spell to see if I could find anything else. That was when I came across a small bottle of buck. I read the description ‘will make you stronger, add endurance and will keep you fighting longer and harder.’ It was a drug, like Party Time Mintals and Stampede. But this was for medical purposes I heard myself say in the back of my head. I shook my head and administered the drug to Midnight.

The drug did the job. She managed to get to her hooves, her left wing bent at an odd angle and the bone still poking sickly from the wing. I cringed thinking how much that must have hurt. It would be like doing that to my leg and Midnight who depends on her wings to fight and live couldn’t use them.

Midnight collapsed back to the ground with a moan. I levitated her and placed her on my back causing a slight shiver up my spine as my heart welled inside my chest. I ignored this, determined to get Midnight to safety. But not before getting to the Water Talisman.

I felt Midnight tighten her hold around my neck as I galloped down the dark and silent corridor. A red blaze lit my EFS as the ratatata sound of a turret filled my ears and the sound of bullets striking concrete. I slipped into SATS and shot it with my magnum. The casing of the turret exploded and I continued on, pipbuck lit with Midnight on top of me.

I stopped and placed Midnight carefully onto the ground and levitated my canteen and took a drink. I gave some to Midnight and she thankfully drank in silence.

“How are you going?” I asked quietly.

“Sore” Midnight murmured, “I feel like my bone has speared through my wing” she muttered.

I facehoofed because that was exactly what had happened and that was not what I meant, “you know what I mean” I muttered to her.

“I’ll live” she responded, “thanks for the water.”

I levitated my canteen back into my bag. I checked my pipbuck and saw a little room labelled ‘Armoury’ just up ahead. I put a hoof to my head and scratched it. Why was the armoury all the way down here? Surely it would be at a place that was easily reachable by the guards but in a place that not anypony could get to. I sighed and levitated Midnight back onto me.

I decided to check the armoury. My shotgun was low and my magnum was low on specialised bullets and would soon be onto my regular ones which I had few of anyway. I snuck through the corridor and picked the door open. I used Alyshia’s advice and it clicked open in less than a few minutes and that was one of the more complicated locks I had tried.

I stepped inside the room and heard the familiar sound of turrets powering up. I slipped into SATS before any could fire at me and despite it being dark I took out two of them before my gun clicked to indicate I was out of bullets.

Ratat-atatata

I felt a bullet strike my barding but it did not penetrate through.

“Amethyst watch it” Midnight growled, “please don’t get me killed.”

“You’re in safe hooves” I muttered to her.

I heard her scoff but ignored it. I reloaded with standard bullets and dived around the corner and fired at the final turret three times. The third bullet punctured the casing and the turret powered down.

This part of the building must have had its own electricity I thought. If these turrets were to come to life that would mean that there was electricity to power them. I needed light. My pipbuck wasn’t bright enough if I was to look for ammo or guns. I found the light switch but it did not turn the lights on, instead the soft glow of emergency lighting filled the room, at least enough to see everything well enough.

That made sense. The turrets were on emergency power and the lights were off because they weren’t. Well at least with the dim emergency lighting I could make out what I needed.

I looked around and all kinds of weapons adorned the grey walls of the room, benches lined the entire room and I pulled open all the drawers to look for ammo. I was disappointed to find that most of the ammo was gone. At least until I found a draw that held boxes of bizarre looking bullets.

One box which said held ‘.44’ bullets had in fact held purple and very pointy looking bullets that were indeed a similar size to the bullets I used in my magnum.

“Hey Midnight have you seen these bullets before?” I asked knowing she was the expert with ammo and weapons and levitated them to her. She held them in her hooves and shook her head.

“No I’ve never seen these before” she replied.

I shrugged and loaded my magnum with these bullets instead and shot at the blank wall. I was shocked to find that a purple beam shot from my gun and exploded in a puff of purple smoke against the wall which had melted the steel wall partially

“Holy fuck” Midnight mumbled, “What are those bullets?”

“I don’t know, but I’m keeping them” I said jubilantly.

I stashed three boxes of these funny looking bullets into my saddlebags and had also found some other bullets that would not match any of my guns. It was quite large and the bullet had a distinctive hourglass shape to it apart from the tip which was rounded.

I put these in my saddlebags too intending to sell them. I put Midnight onto my back again and trotted up to a cabinet that had caught my eye. I looked inside the glass top which was locked and saw a small gun inside. The gun was lavender much like Alyshia’s coat with a deeper purple line running through the centre. Written on the base was ‘Unicorn’s lavender rifle.’

This made me scratch my head again. This gun was too small to be a rifle. It was slightly larger than my magnum and much smaller than my last rifle or my currant sniper rifle. This ‘rifle’ didn’t have a scope on it.

I smashed the butt of my magnum on the glass but it did not yield. Instead I picked the padlock and with a satisfying click it opened to reveal the lavender rifle.

I picked it up in my levitated field and was shocked to find that the gun was light as air. I couldn’t feel any strain on my magic at all holding it; in fact, I could probably levitate it with my magic power exhausted. I pulled the trigger and it clicked. It obviously was not loaded. I found where the bullets went and I tried all my bullets and found that my sniper rifle bullets were indeed the right calibre.

I pocketed lavenders rifle and pulled my magnum back out knowing at that moment this was my most reliable gun.

I exited the armoury and crept through the dark corridor quietly until I came across a heavy iron door. Breathing heavily, mist fogging from my mouth; I attempted to push the door open by hoof, then by magic. It did not budge. I checked how this door opened and found it was opened by an eye scanner. Which unfortunatly had no power anyway. No doubt nopony but ponies like Twilight Sparkle or the princesses could have gotten through this door and if it was powered it wouldn’t matter anyway.

“Grr” I grunted trying to think, “any ideas Midnight?”

“Well. Yeah I do” she murmured, “pull it the other way?”

I looked at her confused “What?”

“Pull, not push” she said.

“What difference does it make? The door is locked” I told her.

“Well the door has no power. If it has no power what is holding it closed?” she asked looking slightly amused.

I pulled on the handle of the door and with a grind it opened. I opened my muzzle, and then closed it again.

With Midnight still on my back I trotted inside. Much of the inside was coated in what appeared to be spider’s web. The room was filled with a familiar humming sound.

Last time I heard this sound was in my stable testing the water talisman. The room was of similar design but with a lot more unicorn magical contractions I could not recognise. A huge hole in the side of the room led into what looked like a cave. It was filled with spider webs and likewise when I checked my pipbuck I saw signs of enemies. Not wanting to waste any time I trotted to a cabinet and pulled the door open and the humming sound grew.

With a leap of my heart I saw it. The beautiful and perfect water talisman, shaped from a sapphire into a necklace wrapped around a large pipe that was emitting a loud hum. Unlike the talisman in the stable, the surface of it was flawless yet slightly dusty from being inside the cabinet for two hundred years.

I wrapped my magic around the necklace and pulled. The chain morphed through the pipe and the humming stopped filling the air with eerie silence, the water talisman was now mine. It was in front of me. I could finally go home. I felt a smile break across my muzzle.

“Midnight I got it” I said enthusiastically, “finally I can take this home and proov-“

I stopped and heard a rustling sound and the red lights on my EFS were moving. No doubt whatever was up there had noticed the humming sound came to an end. I put the Talisman on my horn and dashed to the door we came through. But not before about a dozen large spiders the size of a small carriage burst through the open hole in the wall.

I closed the door behind me telekinetically as I dashed out of the room into the dark corridor. The spiders pushed through the door as if it was made of paper. I aimed my magnum over my shoulder and fired. I hit one in the face and with a flash of purple light and its face melted away. I could hear its screech echo down the corridor along with the scuffling and pincers gnashing together of the other spiders.

“Amethyst run” Midnight screamed from above me as I felt a stitch begin to develop on my side.

“I’m trying” I gasped as I ran. Normally I didn’t do exercise, my build had never really required it, even when I ate junk food at the stable I had no need to burn it off. I was paying for it now. I was not very fit and it was clearly showing.

Gasping for air I dashed into a push door and ran inside to what appeared to be the little colt’s room. The stainless steel urinal was rather grimy but nonetheless smelling like the rest of the building, the bathroom ceiling was caved in slightly. I dashed into one of the toilet cubicles and closed the door crouching. I could see the red lights on my pipbuck move around before stopping.

One was moving and I heard the bathroom door open and close, the rustling sound of hairy legs on tiles filled my ears. My heart hammered as I stood frozen, Midnight did not say a word or for that matter move at all. Still tired from all the running, I tried to limit my breathing and tried to make it slower even though it made my vision fog.

I heard it move up to the toilet cubical and I held my breath. I could see its hairy legs under the door. I wanted to shoot it but all my guns were really loud and I didn’t want the other ten to be drawn in here too. It stopped. I could hear the click of pincers and heard the door beside me get pushed opened. The spider outside however seemed to think that we were not in here and with a leap of my heart it scurried away.

I heard the door to the bathroom open and close. I let out a huge sigh before falling to my hauches.

“Owwww… FUUUUC---” Midnight yelled as she slid off me. I turned around and shoved my hoof into her mouth.

I jumped back up and found that the bone sticking out of her wing had struck the cistern of the toilet. Midnights eyes had welled with tears of pain.

“Sorry” I mumbled before removing my hoof from Midnights mouth which was now covered in her saliva. I blushed and wiped it off on my barding.

“Owww” Midnight moaned, “Amethyst pl-“

I pulled her into a hug silencing her “I’m sorry Midnight. We’ll get you back to Alyshia and fix you up ok.” She nodded and I smiled at her before pulling her back onto my back.

I raided the medical box on the wall and found a syringe of Med X and a healing potion. I administered the painkiller to Midnight.

When I had given her the dose I asked her, my heart hammering in my chest “When we get back, I was wondering. Do you want to… uhh, come back with me. To home, I can share my living quarters with you.”

Midnight looked confused “Come with you? Where?”

“My stable, to live” I replied, “I’m hoping Alyshia might take up on th-“

“No Amethyst” Midnight moaned “I am not going to live in a cage with you”

“Oh.”

I felt deflated and felt tears build of which I blinked away. I could not imagine returning without Midnight. I couldn’t return without her.

“It’s not a cage” I told her, “It’s rather comfortable and-“

“No Amethyst. I’m not going.” She said harshly “You need to get out of this fairy tale land you live in Amethyst. I am not going to shut myself in a cramped underground chamber. I will not live like that.”

I felt more tears form before telling her “I-How… How can I return without you or-“

Midnight looked angry and she looked quite pale as well as she drained herself of energy “The world does not revolve around you Amethyst. If you want to stay with me or stay with Alyshia or Brax then you have to make the choice to return to your stable with the talisman and stay there, or return the talisman and leave.”

“I-I can’t do that” I moaned “ Berry and-“

“What about me Amethyst? I’m a pegasus who needs air. I can’t live in a tiny little place where the ceiling is hardly two meters high. I’m a pony, not some cage rat.”

I felt my heart split slightly and I shut up tears running down my cheeks. Now I have to choose, the ponies in my stable or my friends?

* ** ** ** *

We reached the door to the blastwing room and I was rather apprehensive about dashing through it with Midnight on my back. I took a deep breath and opened the door magically. I then activated my shield spell and with heavy strain I dashed into the room filled with the small yet still large blastwings. All I could see was fire licking at my shield as I ran. Some clawed it and others gave chase.

When I reached the other door my shield collapsed as I opened it. Several blastwings smashed their way through the door with fire licking at our tails. I turned my magnum on one and fired. I missed and struck the door which caused part of it to melt. I pulled out my lavender gun instead and slipped into SATS sending one shot each to two blastwings.

The bullet struck the first one. The blastwing became half frozen, encasing its body and one of its wings in ice. The blastwing then burst into blue frost fire. It screeched flapping its other wing. It was clearly in deep agony, I could see tears forming in its eyes as it stopped struggling and died.

My second bullet struck the metal wall which encased part of it in ice before it too caught fire.

With the lavender gun levitated I turned tail and dashed out onto the icy catwalk with about half a dozen blastwings on my tail. I replayed the scene when I shot that blastwing, the lavender gun was a cruel weapon. If I had of known what it would do I would never have shot the blastwing with it.

I didn’t have time to think about that. As I was being pursued by these murderous beasts, unfortunately I did not remember the catwalks were not very stable and when the blastwings stood on it, It teetered throwing me off balance. I attempted to regain footing while still running but it tripped sending me face forwards into the catwalk and Midnight over my shoulders.

I heard a roar and heat encased my hindquarters which singed my flanker and tail. I grabbed Midnight in a field of levitation before she was thrown over the edge. The lavender rifle broke from my field of levitation and it too was throw over the edge. My Water talisman flew from my horn and landed on the catwalk with a small ‘tink’ and began to slid off the catwalk.

I levitated it back onto my horn as the catwalk fell away. I wrapped myself in magic and floated myself over the huge drop to the icy depths below. I tried with all my might, thinking of Midnight as I slowly levitated myself with Midnight on my back to the intact catwalk nearby. I could still see the flame from the blastwings as they continued to breathe fire from near the door that led into the dark room.

Finally I landed on the following catwalk and still with my levitation field on enough to keep my weight low, I dashed as quickly as I could away.

* ** ** ** *

We had made it back. I stepped over the threshold of the door, magically, emotionally and physically exhausted. I collapsed with Midnight still on my back and Alyshia dashed over.

“Amethyst, Midnight. Are you-“Alyshia began, I heard her gasp “Midnight what happened here?”

“She broke her wing-“I muttered, “a-a while ago before we got the talisman.”

“You can fix it can’t you?” I heard Midnight moan.

“I think so” I heard Alyshia say, “but I’ll need to anesthetise you which means you won’t be able to move for a while.” I heard Midnight moan and Alyshia then addressed me “How long ago did this happen Amethyst?” she questioned.

“I don’t know, a few hou-“

“A few HOURS” Alyshia roared, “Amethyst, this injury is severe. Her blood has frozen to her bone feathers. Why did you not bring her straight back?”

I cringed. I should have done that but instead I said “I wasn’t going to leave without-“

“Amethyst how could you? Your friend needed urgent medical care and you decided your needs were greater than hers.”

“It’s not like that” I argued from the ground.

“Yes it is” Alyshia retorted, “how would you like it if you broke your leg and you were bleeding out and I decided I needed to go to the toilet, or I needed to do something else?”

“I gave her painkillers and buck to keep her going” I mumbled, “I did my best to get her through till we got it.”

“Maybe you need to not talk and let the doctor do what she needs to do?” Brax advised.

I shook my head to clear it feeling the water talisman whack my forehead.

“So did you get it?” Brax asked.

I nodded and levitated it off my horn and showed him.

Behind that helmet I couldn’t see his expression. What I didn’t expect him to say was “I thought we were here to get an in-tact water talisman, not one that’s broken.”

“It’s not broken” I mumbled, “It’s beautiful.”

Brax shook his head “no its not.”

I held it up to my own eyes. I felt the world tip away. The beautiful sapphire within was shattered. The talisman was fucked.

“No” I moaned, “No, No… NO!”

Alyshia turned around. She was clearly working on Midnight who was now anesthetised.

“What’s wrong?” Alyshia asked still clearly a little cross with me.

“My water talisman is broken” I yelled, I then collapsed onto the ground, I beat my hoof on the icy ground “Fucking broken.” I felt tears develop as I blubbered “I put Midnight through this for what? For a fucking broken talisman.”

“Calm down Amethyst” Brax advised, “C’mere” he muttered holding his heavy metallic hooves out. I got up and hugged the huge metallic pony. He was stone cold and it didn’t make me feel better. I was indeed shocked that Brax had hugged me. “Look filly. We’ll sort this out ok? Where can we find another?”

I nodded still sobbing a little and he pulled me closer, I attempted to push away as I felt uncomfortable having him hug me. I was personally glad that my barding prevented his cold armour from leaking into my skin “Alyshia is right. I should not be so harsh on you sometimes.”

“What did she say? I asked.

“Never you mind” he grumbled before thankfully breaking the hug. Brax seemed to have been talked to while we were away but Alyshia was too busy and Brax trotted over to watch Midnight get fixed.

I poked my head up and what I saw made my stomach clench. Midnight was bleeding heavily from the wound as Alyshia had to unstick the ice from her feathers before doing anything.

I sighed and walked into a corner before lying down on my stomach. I hovered the broken talisman in front of me. I knew where next. To New Applesooa to find the stable that was near there. I looked at the gem that was now nothing but a shattered blue stone. I placed it in my saddlebags merely as a token or trinket rather than for anything useful, for me to at least remember what it had cost for this journey. If Midnight could not fly ever again because of me, I don’t know what I could say to her.

To distract me from my own thoughts I pulled out my earbloom and plugged it into my pipbuck and played the first audio file I got from the body swapping room.

Entry 71

“Twilight Sparkle is beside herself.

“Just now she was summoned all the way from Manehattan to cover up the crisis of the body swapping machine that she herself had designed. It killed both the testers when we powered it up.

“I dunno if anypony will lose their job. I for one am quite shocked the machine malfunctioned during testing. Miss Sparkle was sure the machine was safe but upon further investigation somepony did not carry out maintenance properly and it killed the occupants.

“I dunno if this machine will ever be used now.”

I clicked next

Entry 72

“Twilight has just given the go ahead for testing once again. She has had to go back to Manehattan to attend to an injured friend.

“Vallete has been tasked as manager and she is almost as much of a control freak as Twilight herself. I only hope nopony gets hurt during the next round of tests.”

I mashed the next button again,

Entry 73

“Round of tests was successful. The information was sent to Twilight and Luna. I have been advised that Luna will be visiting the site before giving approval of the use of this device. I sought council with Twilight with what is intended for this machine. I was advised that it is part of the war effort.

“I can understand why a machine like this would be a great weapon. Body swap zebra prisoners with our saboteurs and send them to the zebra lands.

“Twilight would not tell me what they were doing with the machine and proclaimed it to be top secret.”

Next…

Entry 74

“Luna is expected in a week. Twilight has visited and advised that this machine must not have any flaws. She says her integrity is on the line and would not want to the princess to be disappointed. This is after all her project, but I think she is being a bit narky to throw all her burden onto us the way she has been doing.

“Tests have been run daily and the machine works perfectly. Yet Twilight insists that it be tested each day. MOM Prisoners are currently the test subjects and none are showing any sign of injury or damage.

“Can’t wait till Luna approves the damn machine so she can get off my teams back.”

Next,

Entry 75

“Luna has approved the use of the machine on our most heavily trained ponies. We expect the Zebra Prisoners in a week to perform the body swap. While under the swap it has been agreed that once the Zebras are in our pony’s bodies that they are put to sleep until our soldiers return to take their bodies back. The Prisoners will then be euthanized.

“I was quite thrilled when Princess Luna addressed me directly and thanked us on behalf of Equestria. Even Twilight gave me a smile. I guess hard work does have its merits.”

I unplugged my earbloom. At least I knew what the machine was intended to do and very thankful that we had gotten it working again.

I trotted over to my friends and saw Midnights wing coated in blood and Alyshia had the piece of bone levitated in front of her outside Midnights body, before pushing it back into the wound. I felt my stomach grow weak as I saw blood spill from the wound, the feathers soaking up the blood.

I saw Alyshia’s horn go out before reigniting. The water talisman at that moment didn’t really matter. Not now that my friend was in surgery and unsure if she will ever fly again. I took a deep breath and let off a huge sigh causing Alyshia to look at me.

“Are you ok?” she asked.

“I’ll live” repeating what Midnight told me earlier.

I took out a memory orb wanting to get away from reality. Not wanting to look at Midnight or Alyshia and see the blame in their eyes. The world tipped away as I focused on the orb.

========OooO…OooO========

I felt my vision come back suddenly and sharply. I felt different, yet I still had a horn. I felt stronger and larger. I felt something bizarre between my legs.

The room I was standing in was the body swapping room. But two lumpy white sheets lay nearby. The door was intact, the floor shiny, the machine pristine. The whole room was very well kept as it would have been all those years ago.

I felt my host speak and in a rather deep voice “Calm down Kiln, I’m sure Twilight will understand.”

I suddenly realised I was in a stallion and yearned to instead be stared to death by Alyshia and face her disappointment. My own thoughts filled with sick images so I tried to instead concentrate on the matter at hand.

I saw the other Stallion shake his head. He was clearly the supervisor “You don’t und-“

An intercom message cut him off “Kiln I have sent Twilight Sparkle up to the room, she has just arrived and wishes to speak to you immediately. She will seek council with you and your ponies.”

The stallion hung his head before snapping it straight back up as the door burst open to reveal an aging purple unicorn that I had seen a number of times in previous memories. She looked pissed as she stepped over the threshold. She took a look at the lumpysheets on the ground. I suddenly realised these were the bodies of ponies from the shapes of the lumps.

I heard Twilight neigh before turning to Kiln. “What in Equestria happened?” she asked in a rather soft voice.

He stammered clearly trying hard to find something to say “I-Umm, the machine malfunctioned”

Twilight looked angry and she shook her head before asking heatedly “What do you mean malfunctioned? What happened that killed these ponies?”

He trembled slightly before saying “We don’t know yet. Something inside gave up the ghost when we turned it on and-“

Twilight stomped her hoof and looked back at the bodies before turning back to Kiln “The machine has never been in use… Tell me how a part ‘gave up the ghost’ as you so put it? What part?”

“We don’t know yet.” He stammered “I will try and-”

Twilight stepped forward looking thunderous “You damn right better fix this Kiln, you have no idea what I have to do to cover this up. What am I going to tell Luna? What am I going to say to the families of these ponies?”

Kiln nodded vigorously and the ponies under his charge backed up slightly afraid to get in trouble too.

“You’re on probation” Twilight thundered, “Find out what happened. Find out how to fix it. I want to know everything. I want this machine so perfect that I can grantee that this does not happen again. You will not play with the lives of my ponies. I want a report on my desk in three hours. Don’t you dare stuff this up Kiln or I swear to Celestia and Luna that you will be out” She concluded pointing her purple hoof out of the door.

I felt my host tense as Twilight gave heaps to his supervisor.

Finally Twilight turned to my host who gulped “I am going to ask you to deal with the removal of the bodies while I seek solace with the families of the test subjects.”

My host managed to say “Aren’t they prisoners Miss Sparkle? Does is really?”

Twilight narrowed her eyes before telling the pony I was riding “It does actually. They are ponies and they are still under our care. Yes I want them taken to the morgue. Thank You… Uh”

“Rusty” my host finished.

Twilight then trotted out of the room and my vision faded out.

========OooO…OooO========

I opened my eyes and sighed. I was right, that machine was used for the war. I personally wouldn’t have wanted to be on the receiving end of Twilights anger. Her reputation could be tarnished and she would look bad in front of Princess Luna.

I for one would do anything to meet one of the princesses and to meet one alone would make me squee so hard I would probably pass out. I did think Twilight had a point. The machine cannot malfunction. What if it went live and it killed Equestrian soldiers?

I now had a realisation that Midnight and I were lucky to be alive when one of the parts in the machine blew. I could have killed myself and her. I suddenly realised I was probably a danger to my friends after all. Maybe Brax was right? Maybe I was a pathetic leader, leading myself and my friends to their deaths?

Still lying on the cold ground I looked at where Alyshia was still fixing Midnight with Brax next to her. I was a bad leader. I put Midnights wing and life on the line. I had indeed gone down the path of greed and used my friend to get to the water talisman. Maybe Midnight should have just let me drown in the water. At least she wouldn’t have a broken wing and bleeding half to death.

I let myself stew in my own thoughts in the corner all alone. I closed my eyes and sighed. From pure exhaustion I felt blackness take over me

* ** ** ** *

Midnight was on the dusty ground bleeding heavily from a wound in her wing. Her wing bone had speared through the skin and was clearly visible. Midnight was crying in agony as Alyshia tended to her. I walked up to Midnight and Alyshia turned around to face me. She didn’t look very pleasant at all.

Alyshia then said in a very rude tone “Midnight doesn’t want you Amethyst, none of us do. Leave us now.”

I looked at her shocked “What? But… Midnight is my friend. I love Midnight, she –“

Alyshia laughed at me as Brax came through a nearby door.

“Midnight doesn’t love you Amethyst. Get your head out of the sand. Midnight hates you for what you did to her what you have done to her. You used her like you used her back at the Tower, anything to satisfy your needs. Sexual Pleasure? Yeah Amethyst I saw you leave the room to go fuck yourself in that bathroom. “

I saw Brax look at me with disappointment in his face. I heard him grumble “she’s right you know.”

I felt my heart break slightly as tears began to track down my face. Somehow I managed to find my voice “I do love Midnight. I love her so much it hurts. You have no idea. I didn’t mean for Midnights wing to break or to cause any damage.”

Alyshia scoffed “Yeah right… You love her? You just want her to get you off. You want her to fuck you and that’s it. Once you’re done, you will throw her away like you have done just now.”

“I don’t like you Amethyst” Midnight intoned. She looked bloody but well even though her wing was bent at a funny angle “I want you to go away and never come near me again. You will get me and us killed.”

“Anyway” Brax cut in “Midnight is mine.”

I watched in horror as Brax lowered down his muzzle down to Midnights and they kissed passionately. I felt as if my whole world had tipped upside down. I felt tears falling. I let out a moan as I collapsed to the ground and beat my hoof against the icy and dusty ground.

“What’s wrong Amethyst?” Brax mumbled jubilantly “can’t stand the fact that Midnight is actually strait? Why would she date a little slime like you, pathetic in comparison to everypony else. What made you think she would ever love you? You’re as stupid as a thirteen year old filly.”

“Don’t” I screamed, “Shut up.”

“What are you going to do about it little Amy? I’ll sit here and make out with Midnight in front of you until you split emotionally. I love to see you cry after all” Brax mumbled smiling happily. “You are pathetic. Go home.”

I stood up as Brax started kissing Midnight. I stood my ground despite being emotionally destroyed. I levitated my magnum and pointed it to Brax’s forehead. “Fuck you… You dare mess with my feelings. You dare mess with the pony I love?”

Brax smiled before laughing “You are a hypocrite girl. You tell me you’re a good pony over and over again and this is what happens? You get jealous and pull a gun on somepony? Pull a gun because your feelings got hurt?”

I shook my head pulling my gun away crying, before gasping “I am a good pony.”

“Are you?” Midnight proclaimed, “are you going to shoot me too Amethyst? For loving a stallion and not you? I’m not into little fillies Amethyst. I am into strong sexy stallions. You cannot compare. The thought of even touching you makes my skin crawl. You are nothing but a horny little girl.”

“I AM NOT” I yelled, “I love you Midnight. I would do anything for you. I would take a bullet for you. I would throw myself in harm’s way to save you.”

“Would you?” she laughed before moving her damaged wing slightly “This is proof that you’re nothing but words.”

My friends all got up and looked at me standing side by side “Sorry Amethyst” they all said together “We are done with you.”

They all turned away and walked through the door which sealed shut behind them leaving nothing but a blank wall.

“Noooo” I screamed, “Noooo… Midnight, Alyshia, Brax. Come back.” I banged my hoof on the wall and heard nothing but echo. I felt the walls around me close in leaving me trapped. I cried and screamed but the walls came closer and closer.

* ** ** ** *

I jerked awake to total darkness. My heart was pounding and my eyes were leaking tears. I thought I was alone and at first I panicked but I felt a hoof on my head. I relaxed and shifted to see Alyshia’s silhouette behind me. As I shifted her hoof hit the ground and she opened her eyes.

She looked worried “Are you ok Amethyst?”

I looked at her and felt tears fall down my cheeks. I said quietly and rather shakily “I’m fine. I just had a bad dream, a really bad dream.”

“It’ll be alright darling” Alyshia mumbled as she pushed herself towards me and pulled me into a hug.

“I’m sorry Alyshia” I whispered, “I never meant to hurt anypony.”

“Midnight’s going to be ok. And please don’t apologise” Alyshia said.

I nodded and Alyshia ran her hoof through my mane, Alyshia’s warmth radiated through my barding and into my coat. I felt myself shudder as the image of Brax and Midnight kissing entered my head. I felt fresh tears fall. I sighed and closed my eyes ridding the image from my head. With a small cough I went back to sleep.

Footnote: Level Up

New Perk: Frost resistance increased by 10%

Chapter 13: To New Appleoosa

The following morning I found it hard to sit up as all my muscles and joints ached with pain from the day previously. My body had obviously not agreed to all the running, freezing, shooting and drowning I did the day before. Everypony else was already awake and talking.

Instead I sat in the corner and isolated myself with last night’s dream still hanging over my head. Alyshia seemed to have forgiven me but that didn’t leave the nagging reminder that my friends were probably going to leave me after what I did the day before. I pulled out a tin of corn and sprouts then levitated a spoon and started to eat by myself while sitting on my haunches.

When I was done I did not know what to do with myself. Why was I so fucked up? I thought to myself, why was I so clumsy? Why was I so switched off? Why couldn’t I be like Alyshia, Twilight or Fluttershy?

I hung my head feeling tears bead. I felt a hoof on my shoulder and I jumped slightly.

“Are you ok?” Alyshia asked softly.

“Yeah I’m fine, just angry at myself” I grumbled. I did not dare say what I had on my mind. Instead I got up and walked over to Midnight who was eating, her wing in a splint, bloody but normal. She looked up to me and she cocked her head with a mouthful of beans. I told her “I’m sorry about yesterday. I didn’t mean to hurt you more. I should have taken you straight back here instead of using you… Again.”

Midnight swallowed and looked confused “Huh?”

I shook my head and I now felt confused “I didn’t mean to… Ahh, you know. Drag you through all that and…”

Midnight shook her head “none of that’s your fault Amethyst. What in Equestria gave you that idea? If I wanted to go back I would have gone back. I nearly let you drown remember. I made mistakes too.”

“Amethyst nearly WHAT?” Alyshia barked looking from me to Midnight.

Midnight gave a nervous laugh “Yeah Amethyst fell from the cat walk and fell through the ice while I… Umm… you know what, don’t you worry Alyshia. Everything went fine.”

Alyshia blubbered looking to Brax who merely shrugged.

“Leave it” I told her. I felt my heart lighten somewhat. Midnight didn’t blame me at least. But that still begged the question was Brax and Midnight secretly together? Surely not I thought, Brax was a lot older than Midnight and Midnight was the one who kept telling me I was too young for her despite our hardly five year differences in age. Midnight and Brax would be more than double the difference and if she was seeing Brax that would make her a hypocrite.

I shook my head clearing it. Midnight wasn’t even a fillyfooler. Why did I keep thinking about her like that? She was out of bounds, sure she was beautiful, soft, warm and her kiss tasted like sweet apple whiskey. How could I not want her?

“Amethyst, are you alright?” Midnight inquired.

“What? I” I said stupidly, I felt drool leak down the side of my mouth which I quickly wiped with a hoof.

“It’s just that you have been staring into space for so long that you began to drool” Midnight said “You sure you’re alright? What’s on your mind?” she asked kindly.

I saw Alyshia take a glance at me from the corner of my eye and I saw Midnight’s eyes bore into me. I flushed and said “Nothing really, just stuff.”

“Just stuff?” Alyshia laughed, “What stuff?”

“Nothing” I said quickly, “just filly dream stuff really. Nothing for anypony to worry about.”

It wasn’t lying, it was just avoiding telling the truth, I did still have feelings for Midnight but I was not going to act upon them. Just push them to the side.

“Let’s go” I said getting up and strapping everything in place.

Without further ado everypony else got up and followed closely behind.

* ** ** ** *

The blizzard outside had stopped which left about a foot of snow on the ground. We left the building and walked down the steps, my pipbuck clicking softly again due to being so close to the New Saddle balefire bomb crater.

I saw a red blip appear on my EFS but it vanished as quickly as it had come.

I stopped and felt Alyshia walk into my rump “Ooff. Sorry Amethyst” She gasped.

“Why have we stopped” Brax asked “What’s wrong?”

“I saw a hostile” I replied, “but it vanished.”

“I didn’t see it” Brax replied “probably just a radroach.”

That same sentence reminded me of the raider at the place I got caught. She died only seconds after she said that.

Bang

All I saw was two bullets pass through Brax from above and he keeled over and hit the snow with a ground shaking thud.

I looked up, my heart pounding and saw three griffins with large guns held in their claw like talons. I pulled out my Magnum and slid into SATS.

SATS did not recognise the griffins at all. My EFS was blind. I attempted to shoot them manually but they were as agile as Midnight despite their size. Unfortunately Midnight was grounded due to her injured wing and couldn’t fly up there to shoot them.

I saw that Alyshia was attempting to tend to Brax but she didn’t know how to open his armour.

Crack

A shot missed Alyshia by about an inch and she jumped back. I instead pulled out my shotgun and sprayed the air with bullets. I emptied the gun into the air and a male griffin hit the snow all bloody. I looked up and I missed the others, or maybe their barding stopped the bullets.

I heard the sound of a series of extremely high pitch sqeeks and the rustling of snow. It sounded kind of like a bat from behind. I turned to see an insectoid looking pony thing. It had holes in its legs, it was black and had moth like wings. It fell into a battle stance and bared its fanged teeth. It then blurred and morphed. I shook my head and blinked.

I was looking at a carbon copy of myself.

“Gahh” I shouted, “What the fuck is that?”

I saw my other self’s horn flare green and a livid green shield envelope my doppelganger which was not unlike my own, except mine was transparent and clear.

“Whoa Amethyst there is two of you” Midnight shouted running to my side. Midnight blubbered before saying “What the hell is that?”

I heard the crunch of snow and the two remaining griffins landed behind me and Midnight.

“Well, well well…” The older lady griffin said “If it isn’t the stable mare that has pissed off half the equestrian wasteland.”

“Who the fuck are you two?” Midnight asked rudely “and what the fuck is that?” she said pointing a hoof at the second me.

The male griffin with amazing speed and agility drew a gun and pointed it at my head.

I felt a push and I fell into the snow as the gun fired. I got up, Midnight had pushed me away from the gun and, thank Celestia had avoided the shot herself.

The doppelganger me however levitated me into the air and the griffin then pointed his gun at me with a smirk on his face “Its payday Christine” he said jubilantly.

I braced for bullets to pass through my body. What I was not prepared for was the explosion that followed, I saw light flow through my eyelids and shrapnel sprayed my face followed by the feeling of fresh glutinous blood run through my face and mane. I felt myself drop to the ground and I opened my eyes.

The griffins were gone and all that remained was a hole where snow was, blood stained snow nearby and Alyshia standing about thirty feet away. She grinned and shouted “How do ya like them apples.”

I laughed and as I did so I heard a loud bang, followed by the feeling of a bullet enter and exit my body. I felt myself collapse onto the ground and there I saw who shot me. It was me, my other me who still had her fluorescent green shield up.

Ratata tatatata

The shield broke and Midnight filled it with bullets. It was probably a good thing that my shield wasn’t all that powerful. I saw it flash between me and the insectoid thing it was before. It then flicked back into the insecoid and fell into the snow with a soft crunch.

Somepony was tending to me but I shook my head attempting to get up “Brax? Is he going to be ok?” I asked worried “He is going to die.”

“Shut up Amethyst, were tending you first” Alyshia muttered attempting to push me down. I could feel blood leaking through my side which felt extremely painful.

I shook my head and I fell over again. “No” I shouted “Brax first, me second.”

I saw Midnights face loom into view above me “No you first, you are- most important“Midnight paused. I saw her look away.

My heart filled with emotion, but I shook my head “No, Brax… He has been hurt longer” I felt myself beginning to shout.

My vision began to swirl and as it did so I heard a heavy hoofstep followed by the loud grumble “I’m fine.” Everything then went black.

* ** ** ** *

I sat up my head spinning slightly. I was in Alyshia’s hooves and she was smiling at me “See Amethyst, your fine” She said happily.

“What about-?” I began.

“Fine” came a grumble to my left. There was Brax, he was indeed fine. He looked normal in his heavy enclave armour “Armour like this comes with special features” he advised.

“You might want to take a look at this” Midnight said looking worried.

“What?” I inquired.

Midnight hoofed a piece of paper into my hooves which I wrapped in magic and held it in front of me. It was some kind of contract. I read it out loud:

This is a Private Contract;

Xenzorth has requested for the destruction of the white stable mare who is known for taking out the whitetail raiders, assaulting the bandit station near Hoofling and killing of Xenzorth forces at the slave drop off point in New Saddle.

Twenty thousand Cap reward for the head of the White Stable Mare also known as “Amethyst,” last seen leaving New Saddle Tower.

No caps to be paid until her head is on my desk.

-Xenzoth

I gasped. I had a bounty on my head, which was worth twenty thousand caps. All I knew was that was a lot more than what we all had combined.

“Is that a lot of money?” I asked hoofing the figure on the page.

“Yeah” my companions said together.

“Twenty thousand is about twenty five slaves” Brax advised “It’s quite a haul.”

“Great” I mumbled “Now I have to look out for some crazy pony who wants my head on his office desk.”

“Don’t worry, Amethyst” Alyshia mentioned, “If this is the best they can do?”

“I guess” I surmised.

* ** ** ** *

Back in New Saddle Tower, Alyshia booked us a room for two nights before we headed off to New Appleoosa. Apparently we could use a zeppelin which went to Manehattan and Alyshia advised that she could probably get the stallion that operated it to take us to New Appleoosa along the way.

I for one would love to take the zeppelin; my hooves were sore and a little cracked from all the walking. Exercise was not my forté, not that I had ever really needed it being of a lighter build.

“Amethyst, would you like to come to the spa with me honey?” Alyshia piped up while looking for an appropriate dress to go out in the tower in.

“Would I ever” I burst out, “Coming Midnight?” I asked looking at the white pegasus lounging on the lounge.

She put a hoof in the air “Nah, I don’t do hooficures, or for that matter anything involving mud, gets stuck in the quills.”

“Aww, come-on down Midnight” Alyshia begged, “I’m sure Amethyst would really love you to come.”

“I’m sure she would” she said looking at me suspiciously “thanks but no thanks.”

Alyshia finally got dressed and I followed her around while she got ready to go. “You’re not going naked are you” she asked looking at my bare coat and fixing a glance on my cutie mark.”

“I have no clothes, remember?” I proclaimed, “unless I go in that extravagant dress.”

“What about your barding?” she suggested.

“It’s dirty and needs to be cleaned”

“Oh right, anyway are you ready?”

I nodded laughing silently that I did not need to do anything anyway.

* ** ** ** *

I felt a little nervous when I first got to the spa, it was filled with mares and many of them were my around my age. I focused on Alyshia and kept answering her questions and talked to her so that I would not get caught looking.

“Amethyst are you listening?” she questioned as I was looking at a mare across the spa getting her hooves done.

I shook my head “uhh, sorry” I mumbled sinking into the steamy water until my chin touched the water. Alyshia and I were soaking in the hot water bath and we were talking about our favourite gems and jewellery but I had clearly lost my train of thought.

Alyshia glanced at where I was looking and giggled “Oh Amethyst, you remind me of me when I was your age.”

“What?” I stammered, “What do you mean?” I felt myself going red.

Alyshia merely smiled kindly “Well, when I was your age I used to check all the good looking stallions out, looking for my own special pony.”

“Oh” I said glumly, “What happened?”

Alyshia shrugged “love seemed to never find me, I’ve been with a few stallions but none of them charmed me, none of them were what I could consider special.”

“Yeah… I know the feeling” I murmured.

I felt a hoof touch me and Alyshia pulled me into a hug which broke when I slipped on the bottom of the spa tub.

“I love her” I advised Alyshia. She looked over to where I was looking before clearly confused, “Midnight” I intoned.

“Oh, right, sorry” Alyshia said, “Yes Amethyst, you told me before. But-“

“Her barn doors don’t swing that way” I finished for her “Yeah I know. Like every other mare.”

Alyshia stuttered at first but continued “Well… that’s one way to put it Amethyst. But, maybe there is somepony out there for you? Somepony you could settle down with?”

“Yeah maybe” I said shrugging as I ran a hoof through the water.

* ** ** ** *

After the Spa, we were going to have a massage, this was the part I was looking forward to the most and probably rather nervous about too. My muscles were tight and sore from all the walking, running, falling, not to mention the things that had fallen on top of me. What I was nervous about was getting touched up by a mare without getting all flustered.

I need not to have worried as it was the most relaxing thing I had ever done before. The masseuse mare worked her hooves over my forelegs and back.

“This feels sooo good” I told Alyshia who was on the table next to me. Remind me to come back sometime.”

She laughed before saying “I knew you would love this part. Your body must be ever so sore.”

I nodded shivering slightly from the release of pain as she passed her hooves over the middle of my back.

Before I knew it the masseuse was rubbing her hooves over my hind legs and for the love of Celestia I felt so uncomfortable that I fought not to move my hind legs away.

“Are you ok dear?” my masseuse asked me “you look tense and you’re sweating a lot.”

“Yeah I do that” I muttered, propping my head up slightly; when I have ponies touching my ass I finished in my head.

“Yeah, she does that when you touch her flanks” Alyshia advised.

“Would you like me to stop?” the masseuse asked me.

I shook my head and rested it back down and relaxed a little, allowing my head to clear and thought of the day ahead.

That was until the masseuse started to massage the base of my tail. My head propped up and I gasped.

“Stop it Amethyst” Alyshia told me “Relax.”

I put my head down and she continued to massage around the base of my tail which was a place I would deem nopony to go unless they were either me or my special somepony.

I relaxed a little but that did not keep the distraction away. By the time she was done I felt hot, horny and uncomfortable at the same time. Alyshia and I then went into the sauna; this did not help me in the slightest. Inside were about five other mares all around my age, each were giggling, playing with the towels in suggestive ways and pushing each other.

Alyshia just tutted and I felt more heat build inside me. I tried to ignore them but could not help but glance. The steam made me all woozy and I felt my mind blur and I saw Midnight on the forefront of my vision. As if an optical illusion I saw Midnight come out through the steam walking as she moved her flanks in a sexy way.

“Amethyst? Snap out of it” Alyshia said tapping my cheek with a hoof. I felt drool run down the corner of my mouth. I coughed and wiped a hoof across my muzzle. The other mares were no longer playing; some of them glanced at me awkwardly. I did not know what caused them to glance at me but when I looked at them they looked away and sat on the benches doing what they are supposed to be doing…. relaxing.

I buried my face in my hooves in shame. I felt so turned on at that moment that I turned to Alyshia “Alyshia I want to go” I whispered to her.

“What why?” she asked shocked.

I dropped my voice and said through gritted teeth “I don’t know about you, but getting my ass touched up, my hind legs rubbed and seeing cute mares whipping each other with towels is like…” I broke off unable to make any comparisons, “I’m a fillyfooler” I whispered to her feeling ashamed “How do you think I feel?”

“You should still be able to go to a spa and not feel uncomfortable” she hissed at me “If you don’t like being touched there then tell them.”

I looked away and nodded.

“Come on Amethyst, at least let us get our hooves done” Alyshia said reassuringly.

“Ok” I muttered.

* ** ** ** *

After having a shower which I kept short so as to not allow myself to release the pressure that had built up inside me, we went to the hooficure mares and they began to file and tend to my cracked, dry and sore hooves. Alyshia said it was very relaxing and she proved that right, I even felt the pressure ebb away to nothingness.

When the filing was complete they moisturised my hooves which tickled a little as they rubbed the ointment on before sealing the work with a lather of substance that hardened, leaving a thin film of protection over my hooves.

Alyshia and I paid for our day at the spa. When we were done I left feeling more satisfied than I would have been if I had left when I was in the sauna.

When we got back to the room, it was to Midnight still lounging around, her now clean white wings out on either side of her. When she saw us she jumped to her hooves and trotted over “How was the spa? I expected you two to be gone for another few hours.”

Alyshia glanced at me “Amethyst got nervous.”

I facehoofed and felt my face heat up. Midnight said glumly “Nervous? How can you get nervous at a spa?”

I merely scowled and didn’t say anything but Alyshia came to my rescue “Look Midnight, she was uncomfortable having ponies touching her around her… well-“

“-Ass” I finished for her, “Anyway where is Brax?” I inquired steering the conversation out of dangerous and embarrassing waters.

“Gone to get laid” Midnight advised casually.

“What” I barked, “You don’t mean?”

Midnight just shook her head and said “Yeah, said he’s going to the brothel.”

“You mean-“I began.

“Yes, the place you pay caps to have sex. And I’m not showing you where it is by the way” Midnight said looking at me.

“Like I would go” I told her rolling my eyes.

Midnight snickered but Alyshia put a hoof on my shoulder “Amethyst is too smart to pay caps for sex Midnight.”

I grinned and gave a little laugh, “I’m not that desperate Midnight, my hoof is still in working order.” I held up my right forehoof and gave it a little wave.

“Oh Amethyst, that is way too much information” Alyshia babbled, Midnight had collapsed onto the floor laughing.

I looked at Alyshia and she put a hoof over her eyes and shook her head. I looked at her glumly and shrugged before letting off a little giggle.

* ** ** ** *

Later that night we began our preparations for the next day. Our plan was to get to the zeppelin platform tomorrow morning, Alyshia advised that it left every Saturday at dawn so we made sure we were at least a little early. Alyshia knew the pilot and believed she could get him to land in New Appleoosa.

Brax finally returned, very late at that. He stepped over the threshold and made his way over to me.

“How was your- uhh day?” I asked. Brax looked tired but nonetheless relaxed.

“It was good” he mumbled scratching his blue mane. “I need to talk to you” he advised.

“About?” I inquired.

He shook his head and trotted into Alyshia and I’s room, I followed him and he shut the door, looking out the window over the destroyed city he said “I’m done. I’m leaving.”

I blinked before I asked “Why?”

“Because” he growled.

“Because? Why?” I pressed. I had a feeling if anypony was going to leave it would be the stallion before me. And I knew why, I just wanted him to confess it.

Brax sighed and he turned to me “You’re not a very good leader Amethyst, you don’t know what you’re doing and now you have ponies hunting your hide and I’m not going to go down with you.”

I knew it was a leader issue but this I did not expect. I scoffed, “if that’s the best they can do-“I began.

Brax stomped a hoof, his voice rising “Best they can do? Amethyst, you are acting like an eleven year old filly. Even after a few weeks out here you should have some idea what to expect, to at least show the wasteland some respect.” He pointed a hoof out the window “If you think the best they can do is send four griffins and a fucking changeling then you are stupid and you will die. You have no idea. You walk out there like it’s a day in the park; you get shot, then saved by your friends and you laugh in the face of death.”

He took a deep breath and look back to the window before saying “The wastes corrode ponies, I see it with you already Amethyst, and I can see your kind heart being eaten from the inside out. Like a lump of concrete dissolving in acid.”

“What?” I babbled. I felt my heart constrict slightly “No-”

“Yes” Brax surmised looking across the wasteland over to the tower and crater on the horizon, “I have seen much, you have seen nothing compared to what I have seen, yet you doubt me. This is exactly what I’m talking about Amethyst.”

“But, were friends” I mumbled. As much as I doubted Brax, as much as a pain in the ass he was, he was still my companion and friend.

Brax looked at me with an odd expression “Friend?”

I nodded and told him “You’re our friend Brax, what about Midnight and Alyshia? And we need your combat expertise.”

He shook his head and said “I will not continue to travel with you Amethyst, I value my life and I won’t be risking my life for a filly who’s barely an adult yet, a filly that can’t make basic decisions that doesn’t involve getting everypony killed.”

I felt my mouth go agape then I closed it again, I felt some anger edge slightly in my chest. I opened my muzzle and told him with some fury on my tone “Excuse me? Are you saying that I don’t value my own or my friend’s lives?”

“Yeah, maybe I am” he retorted.

I heard the door open. I turned to see Alyshia and Midnight trot in “We thought we heard raised - voices” Alyshia tailed off glancing at me. Only now did I notice that I was in an aggressive stance and Brax was snarling at me.

“Brax is leaving” I announced.

Midnight glared at Brax “Why?”

“Ask Amethyst” he interjected looking out of the window again.

Midnight turned to me and I glanced into her scarlet eyes which were starting to weal. I looked away before saying “I’ll tell you later.”

Alyshia finally said “Why were you not going to tell us Brax? Why only Amethyst?”

“Because” he grumbled, “Amethyst is the reason I’m leaving, she is also the reason I stayed and I cannot and will not travel with a pony that has a bounty on her head, especially from him.”

“What?” I stammered “Xenzorth? I don’t even know who he is.”

Brax’s face filled with lines and he sighed “Exactly.” He then turned and left through the door with a swish of his blue tail.

Midnight charged after him as she yelled “Get back here you, don’t leave. Come back!”

Midnight returned, her head held down and tears forming in her eyes. Finally she stopped and faced me; her face was filled with anger as she growled “What did you say to him?”

“What?” I said shocked “I said nothing, he just-“

Midnight unfortunately looked devastated and she just shook her head. Alyshia however piped up “Well. I’m personally not at all surprised Brax left to be perfectly honest.”

Midnight looked offended but I was clearly shocked. Alyshia must have seen the signs as well. “What makes you say that?” I asked trying to spare Midnight.

Alyshia merely shook her head and said “Oh Amethyst, please don’t even try to lie. You are so bad at it.”

I scowled then said “Fine. I have noticed that Brax has been cold shouldering me a lot, problem is he never talks and was always questioning my ability to lead.”

Midnight finally spoke up, “He had that right Amethyst, you are a woeful leader but-“

“Not you too” I said heatedly “I thought you knew what you signed up for. I told you that I didn’t know what I was doing.”

“I didn’t say that” Midnight said looking apologetic, “Brax was special in his own special way. All I’m saying is that you suck at leading and he didn’t wish-“

“No” I retorted “He left because I’m being hunted by somepony I don’t even know.”

“Really?” Alyshia and Midnight inquired together.

My stomach squirmed and my fears had been confirmed. My companions thought I sucked at leading. I was a follower not a leader.

“I’m not that bad am I?” I asked timidly.

“No” Alyshia advised.

“Yes” Midnight retorted.

“Come on now Midnight” Alyshia cooed “Amethyst is not-“

“Yes she is. She lost Brax” she snapped.

“Look, I’m sorry for losing your boyfriend Midnight but I-“I began

“Excuse me Amethyst?” Midnight growled “What the fuck did you just say?”

“Ame-“ Alyshia began but I cut across her as my anger finally began to increase.

“You heard me Midnight, don’t think I thought otherwise. I’m not stupid, how could I not have noticed.”

“How dare you suggest that” Midnight roared “How dare you even think… He’s like, old enough to be my father.”

“Exactly” I told her feeling a smile break across my muzzle “You spend more time with him than me, how can I not notice?”

I saw Midnight facehoof before saying “I’ve had enough. I’m going to bed.” She then turned tail and stormed into the room she now had all to herself.

“You shouldn’t have said that” Alyshia told me.

I merely shrugged and said “Well. It’s true isn’t it?”

Alyshia gave me a look that told me I was wrong.

Alyshia sighed, “Sometimes Amethyst you need to hold your muzzle. I for one haven’t seen them up to anything at all.”

“Haven’t seen?” I asked “It could have been secret?”

“What does it matter?” Alyshia inquired “Who cares?”

“I do” I responded “It makes her a hypocrite.”

“No it doesn’t” she said reasonably “She could be making up that excuse to not hurt your feelings.”

Alyshia was right, I knew it. Once again, I was made out to be a dumb filly who could not act like a grown mare.

“Alyshia, can I ask you something?” I mumbled to her feeling tears weal in my eyes.

“But of course dear, what is it?” she responded.

“Is it normal to hate yourself?” I asked trying to make it sound as innocent as possible.

Alyshia look at me quite concerned “No dear, why do you hate yourself?”

I sighed and told her “Why can’t I be more like everypony else, why can’t I be mature like you? Good at making decisions, or awesome like Midnight? Why can’t I just be… Normal.”

The purple unicorn pulled me into a hug and said “You told me that you were late in getting your cutie mark, late in learning magic? Correct?”

I nodded resisting the urge to cry.

Alyshia said to me reassuringly “Well, let’s just say that maturity sometimes comes later for some ponies. But really Amethyst, you are so very young and in such a horrible position, you have shown maturity beyond with what I would expect from a nineteen year old filly.”

“Nearly twenty” I corrected.

Alyshia nodded before she continued “I mean, I could not dream of doing what you are doing when I was your age.”

“Why what were you doing at my age?” I asked curiously.

Alyshia looked down at me with a smile “Sex and Alcohol, just like every other filly at my age.”

I let out a little laugh that sounded almost like a gag despite my teary eyes “That’s what everypony was doing in my stable too.”

Alyshia giggled too but advised “You are mature Amethyst, in most ways. In others you need some work. As for Midnight, she has no interest in somepony like you, and getting jealous with her being with any stallion will do nothing but tear the two of you apart.”

I nodded and Alyshia pulled me closer before saying “You are a good girl, you know that right?”

I scowled “Alyshia you do remember I’m not six? Right?”

“I know. I’m just playing” she replied “Now it’s off to bed.”

I nodded and threw myself into bed levitating the sheets onto me, as for Alyshia she got into bed like normal and with a glow of her horn the lights went out.

* ** ** ** *

I felt somepony shake me awake. “uhh” I groaned, “it’s four o’clock in the morning” I moaned and looked at my pipbuck, my eyes stung with the light, “Why do we have to get up so early?”

“Because” Alyshia croaked, she sounded tired too, “the zeppelin leaves at around 5am.”

Alyshia went off to wake up Midnight. When she came out she acted as if I was invisible. After a few minutes though she started to shoot me vicious looks whenever I came near her, my only hope was that her anger at me would wear off by the time we got on the zeppelin. I had no intention of hiding from Midnight for the eight hour trip.

When we were all ready we took one last glance at our room, I placed the keys on the table and I led my companions to the door. I pulled it opened and stepped forwards. My forehooves caught something soft and warm and I fell face forwards, face planting the floor of the corridor outside our room.

“Amethyst are you—“ Alyshia began but she stopped.

I got to my hooves and looked at what I had tripped over while rubbing my nose. The thing I tripped on was actually a middle aged grey pony who was stirring. It took me a second to remember who it was.

“B-Brax?” Alyshia stammered.

I heard Midnight squeal “Brax” and she helped the stallion to his hooves.

Brax looked very tied and he shook Midnight off him who was attempting to give him a hug. He straightened up before saying “Heh, I’m sorry about last night you guys, I didn’t mean to be such an ass. I’ll go with you lot… That is, if I’m still welcome,” he glanced at me and I smiled back.

I nodded and said “you’re forgiven.” I then gave the grey stallion a hug and he wrapped his forehoof around my neck.

“I sometimes forget what it is like to be young” he mumbled, but I have never been as innocent as you Amethyst, I can still learn a lot from you.”

* ** ** ** *

Once Brax had gathered his things and put his heavy armour back on we made our way to the roof of the building via Elevator. We all stepped out to the freezing darkness; the sun did not show any sign of rising, it was snowing lightly with not a hint of a breeze, perfect weather for flying.

Tethered to the huge spire of the building was an extremely large brownish armoured balloon with what looked like a huge rusty ship hull tied to the balloon with massive thick steel rope. “What the hell is that?” I whispered to Alyshia, “We can’t fly that. It’s just a big steel balloon.”

Alyshia shook her head and whispered back “this has been flying since I was a filly, I can assure you that it is safe.”

When we approached our ride an elderly brown stallion was seen to be loading the zeppelin with freight with a large crane.

When he saw us he stopped and clambered down the ladder, “Ahaha Alyshia my dear girl, good to see you.”

“Good to see you too Mr Grain” Alyshia said happily, “So you can take us to New Appaloosa in this?”

“Ahh Yes” the elderly earth pony said looking at his air ship, “You did mention. Big Betty here’ll have no problem with a little detour, might need to take the Cantal route, the South West Mountains are blowin’ from what DJ said.”

“Which way do you normally go?” I inquired of the old stallion.

“Who are you?” he asked rudely.

“I’m Amethyst” I said simply.

“Sorry” Alyshia put in, “Mr Grain, these are my friends. Amethyst,” she pointed to me, “Midnight and Brax.”

“Ahh” he nodded “A friend of Alyshia’s is a friend of mine as I always say. Anyway girl, I normally take the splendid valley route to Manehattan which is where most of my stock goes, then to Friendship city and then I do a loop around the coast picking up supplies. But y’know how it goes during winter, weather can fuck up some trips.”

“Oh right’ I said glumly. He talked to much was what went through my head. But finally he finished “Let me get the last of the load on and we’ll jump aboard the old girl.”

* ** ** ** *

Once Mr Grain had finished loading all his supplies he activated the ramp into the hull of the ship and we all stepped aboard. The inside was much like a normal ship that would float; everything was made of rusting steel.

“Make yerselves at home, trip might take a few hours” Mr Grain barked as he went off no doubt to the control room to fly this giant balloon.

“The deck might be a bit cold” Alyshia mentioned, “We can always stay inside?”

I nodded; it was too cold to be on deck. Alyshia guided us into a sitting room. The floor was made of steel with a torn square of rug, the walls were all made of steel and had a single circular port hole which looked out onto the edge of New Saddle Tower and a fire place also made of steel. A small fire was already crackling in the grate, in the corner was a pool table and I could see Brax eyeing it off already. We all took a seat on the faded lounge.

“How did you come to know Mr Grain?” I asked Alyshia.

Alyshia replied “My father used to work on the Zeppelin with him; I used to live in Tenpony Tower when I was a filly and my father would always be doing his rounds with Mr Grain, I used to live with mother while my father worked. He retired a while ago but Mr Grain here says he doesn’t want to retire. Here he is still doing his supply rounds.”

“Oh” I said glumly, “So where are your parents?” I asked cautiously, mostly because I hated it when ponies ask me the same question.

Alyshia gave a little laugh “They still live at Tenpony tower, I visit them from time to time, and that brings us back to Mr Grain, he normally can get me a ride there.”

“Oh” I mumbled, “that’s very nice of him.”

All of the sudden I felt a little lurch and I jumped to my hooves; I was the only pony to do so. “We’re just moving, sit back down Amethyst” Alyshia laughed.

“Up for a round of pool?” Brax finally asked Midnight.

Midnight shrugged and said “Why not.”

I sighed and pulled out my collection of memory orbs. I had a vast collection and I kept the ones I viewed separate to the ones I hadn’t viewed. I still had three memory orbs I had not yet seen.

“You have quite a collection there” Alyshia piped up.

I gave a forced laugh and said “Yeah well, I can’t really help myself. The lives these ponies lived were a lot better than the life I have lived, so it’s like an escape from reality, like reading a book but more real.”

Alyshia cocked her head, “Why do you say your life sucks? You have lived peacefully without the stress of war hanging over your head.”

I looked at her slightly offended, but I didn’t get angry, I merely said “Well, I doubt they have been picked on and laughed at for their whole lives, as for me…” I sighed and said “I know many ponies, especially ponies like Twilight Sparkle and Fluttershy had it hard because of the war. I’m sure ponies gave them a hard time too. But it just gets me away from my own life.”

“Look Amethyst” Alyshia said, I braced myself for a lecture but all she said was “If that’s what you need to do to keep yourself going, then by all means go ahead. Just don’t get yourself lost with those memory orbs ok?”

I nodded and said “Well, I’m going to view some now, I have only seen four so I can get through these ones while on the trip.”

Alyshia nodded as I pulled out the first orb. I put it on the cushion and allowed my magic to touch it. I felt myself get sucked away.

========OooO…OooO========

The moment the memory came into view I knew something was terribly wrong, my vision was all colourful and exaggerated, I felt that my host was brimful of energy, so much energy in fact that she must have been on some kind of drug.

I felt my host open her muzzle as she was talking to a very pretty, or should I say stunning white unicorn mare with a curling purple mane. “So anyway Rarity I saw Twilight last night and she was all like” I heard my host put on a whining voice as she said “Oh Pinkie you are too high on mintals, blah blah blah, I’m Twilight Sparkle and I know everything and those drugs are going to screw you , you take way too much.” Her voice changed to being its normal high pitched tone “if it wasn’t for the Mintals I would never have stopped those meany zebras from opening fire within that school in Fillydelphia or many other things.”

The beautiful white unicorn then said in a very posh like accent “Well Pinkie, I think that you ought to watch what you put in your mouth; I agree with Twilight, you need to watch how many of those awful things you take.”

“Not you too” Pinkie said in her high pitched tone “Why doesn’t anypony understand that I need these to enhance my pinkie sense? I need to do this to save ponies.”

“Well Pinkie, I can’t stop you from taking them. I’m just trying to give you some good general advice from a friend. The mintals make you all… Funny and messed up.” Rarity sighed and said “do what you want Pinkie, just try to understand that Twilight dear is just trying to help you.”

“Well, I don’t need any help” Pinkie snarled before storming off.

The memory faded out

========OooO…OooO========

When I was back I shook my head, this was clearly the memory orb of the pink pony who took the Party Time Mintal drugs, but it wasn’t her that I was interested in, it was the white unicorn. She would have been about Brax’s age but she looked very hot for such an old mare. Not only that but I swear I had seen her before, somewhere at my stable. But I still could not quite put a hoof on it.

“Amethyst are you ok?” Alyshia inquired “You are starting to drool.”

I wiped my muzzle and shook my head “Sorry I-“

“Lost in thought?” Alyshia asked.

I nodded.

I finally put the memory orb aside and picked up another. I wrapped it in magic and I fell into its depths.

========OooO…OooO========

The first thing I saw was a white hoof moving some furry and familiar feeling material through a sewing machine. My host was humming merrily to herself as she sewed, every so often cutting some thread or adjusting the pitch of the needle. I could tell she had done this many times before.

“Raaaaaarity” came a whining and annoying moan from the stairwell. Rarity looked up to find a pretty, or should I say HOT white filly that would have been in her late teens with a bubblegum pink and purple mane, “When are you going to make my prom dress? You have been working on that all day.”

“Not now Sweetie” my host snapped “this is for our Aunty Pearl, she’s about to have a foal and I absolutely must have a gift ready for her.”

Sweetie Belle had come over to take a look. She merely sneered at her sister and looked down at the toy. She said in a rude tone “You’re giving her a stuffed toy… of yourself?”

“Oh Sweetie, look what you made me do” Rarity moaned pulling the stuffed toy out and showing a piece of stitching which ran off the edge at the hoof.

“Well, sorrrrrey” Sweetie Belle moaned, “I forgot that you must always be perfect Rarity.” She then rolled her eyes and stormed up the stairwell assumedly to her room. Rarity sighed and continued her work. My host started muttering “She has no respect, I will get to her dress when I’m done this. Her prom is in two weeks. It can surely wait.”

Sweetie Belle came back down the stairwell and said flatly “I’m going to Applebloom’s.”

Rarity muttered “Good.” She then looked down at the stuffed toy which I could instantly recognise and said “I can’t concentrate; I have to take a break.”

Rarity got up and the memory faded away.

========OooO…OooO========

I emerged from the memory orb dumbfounded. That toy Rarity made was the same toy I owned at home. It even had the stitching mistake on the hoof, in the same spot.

“You’re drooling again Amethyst” Alyshia giggled.

I wiped my muzzle with haste and asked Alyshia, trying not to sound too excited “Would it be possible for me to be related to Rarity?”

Alyshia looked dumbfounded at the question I was asking her “Well, I don’t see why not? But really Amethyst, the chances that you are related to her is so small. What in Equestria makes you think that?”

I shook my head and told her what I saw “In this orb” I pointed at the orb I just entered; it has Rarity making a stuffed toy of herself. I have a stuffed toy of Rarity at home. In the memory she made a mistake on the hoof. My toy has the same mistake on the same hoof.”

Alyshia still did not really look convinced “I s’pose but, did she say who it was for? She could have sold it.”

“She said it was for her Aunt Pearl” I responded remembering what was said.

Alyshia thought for a moment. “I don’t know Amethyst; it could have been given away. I guess you could have the genes, you have a white coat for one and I guess you could say that your cutie mark is a gem stone.” Alyshia shook her head “Why are you asking me this? This is a question for your mother.”

I scowled, and Alyshia sighed, “Well fine. But I don’t know.”

I pulled my third memory orb in front of me and I was taken away by a touch of magic.

========OooO…OooO========

My host was lying on a bed on her stomach, reading a magazine. She was reading the part on making a certain type of sweet. There was a knock on the door.

“Come in” my host said in a bored tone and the door opened.

She looked up over the magazine and to my surprise was a mint coloured unicorn filly, she would have been in her late teens, around my own age. But that was not what surprised me. She was wearing a set of frilly socks and a beautiful white and gold flowing dress. Her mint and white coloured mane was done up to perfection and she had a beautiful sapphire necklace and earrings in the shape of a lyre.

“L-Lyra?” my host stammered “W-what are you doing? Why are you dressed like that?”

Lyra’s face turned a shade of red and she moved over to my host with a strut, swinging her flanks in an exaggerated manner and as she did so she said “because you’re playing hard to get and because I want you to be my marefriend that’s why.”

“We’ve discussed this” my host said flatly. Despite her saying this I noticed that heat was rising around our neck.

“Yes” Lyra said nervously, “I want to take you out for dinner.”

My host put the magazine down and looked into Lyra’s yellow eyes, “Look Lyra. I don’t know if I can do this. You’re a mare and… What would other ponies think?”

Lyra looked a little hurt but she didn’t give up “Look Bon Bon” she said “I love you. I don’t care what other ponies think. Who cares, as long as I’ve got my beautiful yellow coated Bon Bon.”

I felt Bon Bon blush and she said nervously “Lyra I really like you too, but-“

Lyra looked up and before Bon Bon finished she asked hopefully “You do?”

“Yes I like you, in a romantic way. But I’ve always been afraid of what other ponies would think” Bon Bon mumbled.

Lyra moved up to my hosts face an inch from her muzzle “Bon Bon, it doesn’t matter what other ponies think. As long as we’re in love, I would do anything for you. Please Bon Bon?”

My host looked down clearly thinking. She finally looked up to Lyra and said softly “close your eyes Lyra.”

“What?” Lyra looked a little perplexed but she obeyed. Bon Bon moved closer and planted a kiss on Lyra’s muzzle which she returned with her eyes still closed. When my host and Lyra broke apart she said softly “I love you Lyra.”

Lyra looked extremely cheerful and she said happily “So does that mean were going out for dinner?”

Bon Bon shook her head and Lyra deflated “It means we are going out with each other.”

Lyra’s jaw dropped and Bon Bon moved closer for another kiss. But as she did so the memory faded away just as their lips locked.

========OooO…OooO========

When I came out of the memory I myself felt a little hot around the neck but I wasn’t thinking about Lyra or Bon Bon. I was thinking about Midnight. Maybe I could try the same thing? Maybe I could seduce Midnight to give her my love? Maybe Midnight was just worried what other ponies would think of her? I must try something I thought.

“Amethyst you’re-“Alyshia began but I wiped my muzzle before she could finish. “Why are you looking so pleased?” Alyshia asked curiously.

“Umm… Nothing” I replied thinking about how I could win Midnight over.

“Up for a game of pool?” Midnight and Brax asked me noticing that I was finished with my memory orbs.

I shrugged and got up to join them. Unfortunately I was terrible. I had more control over the pool cue being a unicorn but I made clumsy shots and after about four games I gave up and sat back down on the lounge with Alyshia again.

I sighed and laid down resting my head on the cushion, the tip of my horn only just touching Alyshia. I drifted off to sleep.

* ** ** ** *

I was running around my room in my stable as a six year old filly. I had my Rarity toy on my back, her forelegs tied around my neck. I pounced on another stuffed pony, a pegasus. I picked her up and pretended that she was flying. My leg caught the bed side table and knocked the alarm clock off. It read 10:00PM, I couldn’t tell the time, all I knew was bed time was when it read 7:30PM. Mummy wasn’t home yet, she said she would take me to get some food that night so I thought I would wait in my room.

At that point, I heard the door open and close. My ears perked and I said hopefully “Mummy?”

I pushed the door open and stuck my head out “Mummy?” I asked quietly, I saw her but she was with a stallion and was wobbling around like she did a lot after work. She then kissed the stallion and I closed the door again and withdrew. Mummy would sometimes bring a stallion home after work and kiss or hug him a lot before going into her bedroom. I had never met one of mummy’s stallion friends and she would normally bring a different one each time.

I felt my stomach rumble, I was really hungry and the only source of food was normally mummy. I opened the room and pranced out to her, “Mummy!” I shrilled, “Mummy I’m hungry.”

Mummy looked at me and she swayed slightly, “Amethyst go to bed” she snapped.

My ears perked back and I felt my tummy rumble again. I went back into my room as mummy said “Let’s go into the bedroom so we don’t get interrupted.”

When I was back in my room I opened my school saddlebag and found an apple from two days ago. It was a little soft but I ate it anyway. I then gave a little sigh and picked up a glass from the table. It was empty so I took it outside and attempted to get a drink of water. One problem, I could not reach the tap.

No problem, one pony in here could get me water and mummy was tall enough for that so I went to her bedroom door and reached a hoof to the knob and opened the door. “Mummy I’m thirsty” I told her, but mummy looked preoccupied. Her stallion friend was on top of her and was doing something completely weird.

“AMETHYST” Mother shirked, “I told you to go to bed!”

“But I’m thirs-“I began but she got up and wrapped me in magic before marching me into my room and placing me on the bed. She tapped my flank with her hoof and shouted “BED, NOW.”

“Y-Yes Mummy” I stammered and she left me in the dark on my bed making me wonder what I had done wrong.

I felt a hoof touch my face and I woke up.

“Ops sorry Amethyst” Alyshia apologised.

“No it’s ok” I muttered, my eyes felt a little wet and sticky so I rubbed them.

“How long was I asleep?” I inquired of her.

“About two hours” Midnight said aiming her pool cue at a ball while hovering above the pool table and whacking the ball into the socket.

I sighed and rubbed my eyes again.

“You ok?” Alyshia asked.

“Yeah I’m good” I replied, “Just a nightmare.”

Now did I realise that I missed my mother a lot less at that point. She was not a very good mother, she always seemed to look at me as a liability, even when I left my mother and lived by myself, sometimes she would knock on the door and order me around like I was ten.

* ** ** ** *

About eight hours later the zeppelin began to slow down. I looked out the porthole and it was dark outside. We would likely have to find someplace to stay for the night. I checked my pipbuck and it was just 5:30pm. I smiled slightly knowing that night I could execute my plan. When I was done and I had Midnight in my hooves, I would thank Bon Bon and Lyra for such a brilliant idea.

Footnote: Level up

New Perk: My little companion – When you are with all your friends you deal 10% more damage.

Chapter 14: Trip to the Everfree

When we all got off the Zeppelin we bade Mr Grain goodbye and watched him take to the air once again. The snow in New Appleoosa was only about an inch thick but that would be because we were further south than we were at New Saddle.

When we got through the gates it turned out that New Appleoosa was a pokey little town built of box cars and trains. There were a few ponies still about despite the cold and the darkness with only a few fog lights lighting the town.

“Where’s the accommodation?” Alyshia inquired. We all looked at each other, from what I could tell none of us had ever set hoof into this town ever. I however spotted a boxcar that might have been promising. I walked up to it and saw a sign that read “Absolutely Everything.”

“You think they sell accommodation?” Alyshia whispered.

“Not likely” Midnight laughed jabbing a hoof at the trading hours sign on the door. “It shuts at five pm” she finished.

“Well, I dunno about you guys but normally accommodation in small towns like this would be at the pub?” Brax whinnied, “personally I would be up for some beer.”

“Of course you would be” I muttered and I rolled my eyes.

“What was that?” Brax said kindly.

“Nothing” I corrected, “I just want to find someplace to stay.”

* ** ** ** *

We found a place to stay at the New Appaloosa pub, unfortunately each room only had one bed so we had to book four rooms. I wasn’t too upset about this; it would have just meant that I had more privacy to get ready. Brax went to the pub by himself as Midnight felt a little too tired to go; she said she had some stuff to catch up on. Alyshia on the other hoof wanted to sort out her medical things to ensure we had enough for the journey ahead.

As for me, when I got into my room I pulled out my dress that Midnight had bought me. I also pulled out my sexiest set of frilly black socks, my fluffy saddle and my necklace, the purple gem glowing ever so softly.

I began to get ready by firstly brushing my mane to try and straighten the ends a little which didn’t really work so well so I gelled them to make it set just perfectly. I did the same with my tail and added a cute little bow on the end; I then pulled on my frilly socks.

After fighting the dress magically I managed to get it on. I tied the saddle in place and put my necklace on. I then added as much make up as my face could possibly hold before grabbing a cloth and wiping my horn to ensure it was perfectly clean.

I looked at myself in the mirror and did absolutely everything to absolute perfection, ensuring I was looking my absolute best. Finally when I believed I could not look any better, I tried some face expressions to try and look cute to Midnight, and try to win her with my adorableness.

“They say I’m innocent? I’ll give her just that” I said aloud.

* ** ** ** *

I was outside Midnights room, room number ’12’. I looked up at the number and gulped, my heart thumping in my breast as adrenaline ran through it. I was scared, scared of rejection, scared of being laughed at. What if she said no? Would I be able to take that? What if she laughed at me? All my thoughts converged into more and more sinister things as I stared at her room door.

Finally I gulped and raised a hoof. I knocked three times.

“Come in” I heard Midnight say in a bored tone.

Shaking like a leaf I wrapped the handle in magic and walked into certain doom. I shut the door behind me and Midnight was reading a wonderbolts magazine. Well I thought. At least she had started to read like I told her to in Cantal.

I now felt what Lyra had felt when she stepped into Bon Bons room. Midnight looked over the top of her magazine which she dropped and her mouth fell open. I gave her a nervous smile and she just looked at me stunned.

“W-why are you dressed like that Amethyst?” She asked still quite stunned “It looks like you’re about to attend a wedding.”

“I-umm” I stuttered, “I was just wondering y’know, if umm.” I felt heat rise in my neck as I made mistake after mistake, “would you like to go to dinner with me?”

Midnight looked at me and it took her a while to answer. I trotted up to the bed next to her and looked pleadingly into her eyes. I never wanted her so badly. “You mean? As friends?” she inquired looking a little nervous herself.

I shook my head slowly “No Midnight, I want you to be my marefriend.”

I gulped and looked away my eyes filling with tears, this was way too much, it felt like my heart was about to bounce out of my chest, Midnight could surely hear it.

I moved closer to her and my muzzle was just inches from hers “Please Midnight? I love you so much. I love you to the point that I would die without you. I want you Midnight.”

What happened next was something I didn’t plan. Something that was just completely and utterly stupid. I leaned forwards and kissed her and the moment I did I knew I had made a terrible mistake. Midnight put her hooves on me and pushed me back quite hard “No Amethyst, I can’t do this. It feels wrong” Midnight said harshly “I’m not gay, you need to find somepony else who is willing to kiss another mare.”

I felt my stomach twist unpleasantly. “No” I moaned, “we can make it work we-“

“Amethyst” Midnight said angrily, “I’m not gay, I don’t do what fillyfoolers do. I have no problem with you liking mares; just keep me away from it. I like stallions, not mares. You’re a fillyfooler and I’m not.”

“No, please” I pleaded, I felt my eyes building tears. I felt my haunches hit the floor as my hind legs gave out from under me, “Midnight I love you” I moaned.

“Amethyst I’m sorry but I don’t. Can you please get out of my room?” Midnight told me pointing a hoof at the door.

I got up shaking and upset. I felt like I had been stabbed in the heart, it felt like it was bleeding from the inside. I left and closed the door behind me. When it swung closed I collapsed onto the ground crying. I shouldn’t have done it. Why wouldn’t Midnight love me? I was just Amethyst the stupid gay filly from a stable.

I held my hooves to my eyes and rubbed them causing the makeup to smear across my face before looking at my own hooves which were now covered in mascara. Finally I got up and went back to my own room.

When I got back I magically slammed the door shut hard enough to make the whole room shake. I was quivering with distraught. I just wanted to run and never stop running. Midnight just rejected me. It hurt so much, so much in fact that it brought back memories of myself being picked on at school, being left alone at home while mother was away, being rejected by my peers and of the horrors the wasteland had thrown at me.

I threw myself into my bed still crying. All that went through my head was how shit my whole life had been. My mother hated me, dad was dead, Berry was not here, Midnight didn’t like me and the wasteland was so fucked up. I’ve had enough; I just wanted to die at that moment.

I gasped and rolled onto my stomach and buried my face into the pillow and screamed as loud as I could, I felt none of the pressure dissipate. I sat up and magically threw the pillow against the wall. It did nothing. I wanted to just trash my room and smash everything but that wouldn’t do anything and I knew it. I threw myself back onto my bed and gritted my teeth wanting to scream as loud as I could. To alleviate this, I bit my right foreleg as I tried to not scream again. I bit until it hurt, however it had an unexpected effect. It felt… Good. The pain felt good.

I grunted and rolled back onto my back and held my foreleg in front of me, I could see my teeth marks under my coat turning maroon, the skin unbroken. It felt good and it gave me an idea, was I really that messed up? I rolled out of bed and wrestled the dress off myself with my saddle still on. The saddle and dress dropped to the floor and I pulled off my socks.

Finally I went to my saddlebags and levitated my knife out and held it up to the light, the blade was near blunt but that didn’t really matter. I had cut myself by accident on a sharp knife when I was a filly and didn’t really like that very much.

I felt my heart tighten again knowing what I was about to do, it would have the same effect wouldn’t it?

Finally I walked over to the sink with the knife and looked at myself in the mirror. What I saw was a mentally and physically drained filly with makeup smeared across her face, her pupils were dilated, her eyes were bloodshot and tears tracked down her face and snot ran from her nose. I closed my eyes and looked down. I felt fresh tears form as I grasped the knife in my magic. I held my right foreleg out and ran the blade across the inside of the leg about four inches above the hoof horizontally.

The sharp sear of pain was over in less than half a second and replaced by another feeling. It felt good as the pain throbbed from the wound; it felt better than when I was biting my leg. It felt like my problems were bleeding out with the blood that came with it. Everything I had gone through, everything that I suffered, my neglect, the teasing and laughing, the hundreds of head dunkings and the many times I had been beaten up by Glenda and mother not caring. Nopony cared about little Amethyst who sat in her room late at night crying while her drunk mother fucked a stallion two rooms away. All I wanted was all my mental pain to drain away leaving me at least content with the pony I was. I wanted to be happy, how could I be happy if I was reduced to slicing up my own foreleg?

When the good feeling wore off I ran the knife across about half an inch above the one I just made. This one actually hurt quite badly, it caused me to drop the knife into the sink. The good feeling came but it wasn’t as good as the last. I felt the warm sticky blood matt the coat fibres of my hoof. I looked into the sink and blood started to pepper the inside. It felt good but I didn’t care at that point in time, the pain I was feeling was nothing compared to the pain I had suffered, not only in my stable but out here too.

* ** ** ** *

I had finally stopped crying and decided to clean up the mess I made. I washed the knife and put it back in my saddle bags then washed out the sink and washed my bloody hoof with soap. The cuts were quite prominent and I didn’t want them to scar so I opened my saddlebags and found to my surprise that I had no healing potions. Alyshia had taken them.

That’s ok I thought, I’ll just bandage it; they’ll prevent scarring and heal the wounds quite quickly. I found a roll in my saddlebags and wrapped my hoof with the bandages. My companions knew I had always worn socks so I slipped them all on which hid the evidence.

I sudden horrible thought entered my head. What if my companions found out what I did? My stomach clenched even worse. Then again it was really none of their business what I did to my body, kind of like when I touch myself, no pony was supposed to know but me. Anyway, if I keep my socks on which I did nearly all the time except when I was not wearing my barding, nopony would ever know.

I looked over the side of the bed and picked my dress and saddle back up magically and put them back in my saddlebags. Finally I levitated my pillow back onto my bed, my head then hit the pillow and with a flash of my horn the lights went out. Unfortunately sleep did not really want to come. It was still early and I was still quite upset. I didn’t want to talk to anypony at that point. When I was like this I just wanted to be alone, all by myself.

What I did not expect or particularly want was a knock on the door. I pulled the sheets to my chin magically and said “come in” trying but failing to sound normal.

My horn flared and the lights turned back on. The pony that came in was not Midnight, it was Alyshia. “Amethyst, you’re going to bed alrea-?” but she paused when she looked at me. I might have managed to keep everything else looking normal but my face was a dead giveaway that I had been crying for some time. “Dear what happened? Why have you been crying?” Alyshia asked caringly.

“Nothing” I mumbled and I slipped lower into the sheets but Alyshia being the pony she was sat on the bed next to me.

“It doesn’t look like nothing” she muttered, “I see a young filly who looks troubled, who looks like she’s about to crack.” She gave a small pause before asking “This isn’t about your family is it?”

I nodded and I mumbled “kinda.” It wasn’t lying. That was a partial reason as to why I was so upset, Midnights rejection was just a spark to an already unstable me.

Alyshia grabbed my right foreleg right where my cuts were. I felt sharp pain grip my foreleg and I tugged it out with a little “ow.”

“Did you hurt your hoof?” Alyshia asked looking down at it, I scowled and nodded. To cover my tracks I then said “I whacked it when I was trying to get into bed.”

“Right” Alyshia said looking at my hoof, “Why are you wearing socks to bed?” she asked curiously, “I mean I know you like them but you don’t normally wear them to bed.”

“I do now” I told her tucking my hooves under the blanket.

Alyshia looked very concerned as she said “Would you like to talk? You have clearly been at the height of upset.”

I shook my head and said quietly “I’m fine.”

“You sure?” she whispered caringly.

I nodded.

Alyshia then smiled at me and leaned over. She gave me a hug and pulled the sheets onto me properly. She then kissed the tip of my horn and said, “ok then Amethyst, but remember I’m always here for you and if you need somepony to talk to, just come and see me ok?”

I nodded and she left. I sighed. I dodged a bullet there. I felt an ache grow in my stomach. I felt guilty for lying to her, I was wrong about nopony caring. Alyshia cared, she cared for me better than my own mother ever could have hoped to imagine. Mother never put me to sleep for as long as I could remember or for that matter kiss my horn and request that I talked to her about my problems.

I regretted what I had done at that point. I should have talked to Alyshia; I knew she wouldn’t have laughed at me. She was a reasonable pony, a pony I could trust and I kept pushing her away. All I could say was that I loved Alyshia. Not in the same way as I loved Midnight, but in a different but bizarre kind of way, the kind of way a filly should love her own mother, a feeling that I did not have for my own.

I started to cry again for a reason I did not know, probably guilt? Probably anger at myself for taking such extreme measures to keep myself cal, I felt weak and vulnerable. My tears leaked down my cheeks and into the sheets. I couldn’t sleep and all I could do was lie there and cry.

* ** ** ** *

Some hours later I heard my door open and close. I pretended to be asleep, I knew who it must be but I just lay still and closed my eyes. I felt the bed sag as somepony sat on it. I smelt Alyshia nearby and she ran a hoof through my mane and whispered “Oh Amethyst, you poor dear. Whatever has happened for you to be like this?” I felt her hoof brush my face and run through the sticky tears that were left in the coat fibres. I could still feel the wetness of my tears on the sheets.

I felt the bed move again and Alyshia had crawled into the single bed with me. She was behind me and I could hear her breathing. She wrapped her forehooves around me and then fell asleep, her warm body against my back. I felt a bizarre emotion take hold of me. I felt the piece of glass wedged in my heart melt away leaving a bleeding feeling behind instead and it almost made me cry again. It felt better than when I cut myself, it released some of the pressure that had built inside my head and inside my breast, at least enough for me to fall asleep.

* ** ** ** *

Thump

I opened my eyes and came to realise my head was resting on Alyshia’s shoulder. The thumping sound was clearly her heart coupled with her slow breathing. I could see the wastelands dim clouded light coming through the curtains. It was clearly morning, so I raised my head and looked at the lavender unicorn sleeping peacefully on my bed. Alyshia provided me so much comfort the previous night; she had done more than my mother ever did for as long as I could remember anyway. The memory of me as a little foal that I did not realise I had, had been an indication but at some stage between that memory and of my first actual memories she had turned sour.

Alyshia began to stir. She then sat up and rubbed her eyes and looked at me who was looking at her. I smiled but Alyshia said groggily “Oh Amethyst, I’m sorry. I know I shouldn’t be treating you like a foal but-“

I cut her off and said croakily “No Alyshia. Thank you so much for coming in, I really needed your comfort.” I then leaned over and hugged the older unicorn who hugged me back.

“You’re welcome Amethyst” Alyshia mumbled, “If you need to talk to me about anything, anything at all just let me know.”

I nodded, my chin on her shoulder but as I did so I felt my stomach squirm, as much as I wanted to tell Alyshia about my problems I privately thought that it would be best if I told nopony at all. They were after all my problems and why should I drag somepony else down with them?

I broke away from Alyshia and rubbed my nose with my right hoof, I gave a small gasp as a slight jab of pain jarred across it. It didn’t really hurt it just shocked me more than anything.

“You really hit that hoof hard didn’t you?” Alyshia laughed.

I forced a grin, “Yeah… Well…” I didn’t know what to say because I couldn’t come up with anything but Alyshia shook her head.

“It’s ok Amethyst, I understand.”

* ** ** ** *

Alyshia left my room not long after and I started to get ready to go. I had to repack my saddlebags as I had completely unorganised everything the previous night. When I pulled my dress back out to fold it something rolled out and hit the wooden floor.

I wrapped my magic around the glass spun ball. It was the orb of desire. I looked into it and it showed Midnight and I hugging, we were happy. I felt tears leak down my face again followed by a flare of anger. This stupid orb kept telling me I was going to be with Midnight, but everything I tried was not working.

Losing control I threw the glass spun orb against the wall and it merely bounced off the steel with a small ‘tink.’ I picked it up and looked at it; the orb was not damaged at all. Instead it just continued to show Midnight and… well… myself. I sighed then placed the orb back into my saddlebags, it was after all a gift and I should keep it in case it would change.

I heard a knock on the door and I said flatly “It’s open.” The door opened and expecting Alyshia I said “Hi Alysh-“I felt the blood drain away from my head when I looked up. It was Midnight who looked a little abashed that I just mistook her for Alyshia.

I felt my heart clench tightly and I found it hard to look at her without throwing myself into her hooves. I took a breath and said trying not to cry again, “I’m sorry about last night” I mumbled, “I shouldn’t have kissed you. It was stupid.”

Midnight blinked and then sighed. She trotted over to me and put a wing around my body. I felt a leap of my heart. I looked into her eyes and felt the pressure in my heart build, “I’m sorry for pushing you away” Midnight mumbled, “so, you ok?”

I nodded. It was a lie, I wasn’t ok. I was screaming inside, I wanted her so badly. I gave a small sniff and said quietly “You’re beautiful Midnight.”

Midnight shook her head, “No I’m not, and you are the only pony to really say that. Not including my parents of course.”

I looked at the floor; the only pony to say I was beautiful was Alyshia and that’s including my parents. Well… I couldn’t speak for my father, I was sure he thought I was beautiful before he died.

“Midnight?” I asked timidly, “Can I ask a favour?”

“Depends on what it is” she responded.

I took a deep breath and said “Can you promise me to never tell Alyshia or anypony what happened last night?”

Midnight smiled and nodded, “To be honest, I’d rather forget last night happened as well. I won’t tell a soul.”

* ** ** ** *

Later that day we regrouped and left the pub we stayed at. Brax had a slight hangover but was otherwise all good. I had swapped my socks to my normal barding socks which were thicker and stronger than the flimsy ones I wore last night.

Problem was now we stood in New Appleoosa with no idea where to go. We could just leave town but we didn’t know the conditions or if there was any danger beyond the gates so we decided to meet the town mayor.

“You have never been here either than Brax?” I inquired of the old stallion.

“Nope” he said simply, “Ain’t never been south of the Canterlot ranges.”

“Oh ok” I said. “Midnight, you lived in Cantal, this town isn’t that far away, you’ve never been here either?”

“Nah” she mused, “Nothing here for me, I mean why come here when Cantal has all I need?”

I nodded; I agreed with her, Cantal was a much better town than New Appleoosa. So far if I had the choice of permanent residence it would be Cantal.

“Uhh... So where does Cantal get its name from?” I asked thinking I already knew the answer.

Midnight answered “Cantal is a satellite city of Canterlot, It was built during the war.”

“Hey, you lot look new to town” a bucks voice sounded from nearby.

We all turned and found ourselves face to face with a young light brown stallion around my own age. He was an earth pony and wore a red bandanna around his neck.

“Uhh… Hi” I said awkwardly.

“Yeah we’re new in town” Alyshia piped up seizing the opportunity for help, “we’re looking for somepony to tell us the conditions and what to look out for outside the town gates, you see we got here last night on a zeppelin and we have never been here before.”

“Where ya’ll headin off to?” the stallion inquired, “Ah might be able ta’ help, fer the righ' fee o' course.”

“You want paying?" I asked him, "Forget that."

"How much do you charge?" Alyshia asked.

"Where ya off to?" He asked first.

I scowled "Stable three” I muttered looking at my Pipbuck, “and probably stable two and four.”

“Ya’ll stable trekkin’ now are we?” he asked excited, “Ah could help, ah’m good at navigatin’, ah know the New Apploosa – Ponyville area like the back of mah hoof. Oh an' I charge fifty caps a day or two hundred caps a week.”

“Okay” Alyshia said looking happy, “Thank-“,

I cut her off, “Who are you?” I asked not catching the stallion’s name,

“Amethyst!” Midnight snapped, “Don’t be so rude.”

Midnight smiled at him, “Don’t mind her, we just didn’t catch your name.”

“Ah apologise, Mah name is Lionel” he said looking apologetic.

“So you know where to go then Lionel?” Alyshia inquired.

“Ah sure do” he said confidently, “As ah said ah know this place like the back of mah hoof.”

* ** ** ** *

Lionel had to collect his barding and guns from his boxcar home, turned out he too had a battle saddle like Midnight and Brax, his were two rifles, they were not fully automatic like Midnight’s ones.

He looked at Alyshia and I, we were both unencumbered from the need of Battle Saddles. He then said with a little laugh, “Damn you unicorns don’t need these battle saddles, wish ah could jus’ float mah gun and shoot.”

I pulled out my magnum magically and did a few flips with it in mid-air, my magical sheath broke and my gun hit the ground. I blushed then picked it back off the ground magically.

* ** ** ** *

We left New Appleloosa and were on the way to Stable four which was near Ponyville almost a day’s trot away. Lionel said that Ponyville was no longer safe as raiders took over the town a few years ago so we couldn’t stay in the town itself. As for me I wouldn’t mind some raider blood. It would let me unleash some of the steam that had caused me to cut my leg.

“Do we have to go through Ponyville?” I inquired of the younger stallion.

“Yeah probably” he stated, “if ya want ta avoid the raiders then we have ta go in stealth like, problem is there is snipers there.”

His accent was really starting to throw me off but I said “Well then, I’ll pick off the snipers than we can sneak through town and… Where’s stable four?”

He replied “Stable four is wes’ of Ponyville, I think near the everfree forest.”

I checked my pipbuck and saw the marker for stable four; It was in the everfree forest but not far in. The everfree forest on my pipbuck was marked with a pony skull. This was ominous, Whitetail woods was on the other side of Ponyville yet it wasn’t really that scary, well… Unless you counted that behemoth that I came across.

“Is the everfree forest dangerous?” I asked as we continued to walk along the road that would take us to Ponyville.

He gave a laugh “Yea’ Everfree forest was feared even b’fore the war, the taint an’ radiation has made it worse.”

“Should we skip this one then?” Alyshia inquired, “We want to remain safe do we not?”

I facehoofed, “Alyshia” I said matter of factly, “if we’re going through a town full of raiders, then we are obviously not going to remain safe are we?”

“You have a point Amethyst, but who knows what lives in there. There could be an Ursa, or Manticores, or dragons.”

“Ursa’s are just an old pony tail” I muttered, “They don’t exist.”

“But you don’t know that Amethyst” Midnight put in, “I mean, I’ve never been in the Everfree forest but who knows? What about you Lionel?”

“Ahh. Ah’ve been around the entrance of the everfree, bu’ I ain’t seen no Ursa or Dragons, but the plants are fearsome ah must say.

“Plants?” I laughed, “Oh what are they going to do, leaf us to death?”

“Ahh, Amethyst, don’t underestimate tha everfree forest. The poison joke is no joke” he said gloomily.

“Right” I muttered as I rolled my eyes.

Lionel and Midnight then started to talk about the everfree forest which didn’t really interest me, I just facehoofed and continued walking.

* ** ** ** *

“m’kay ‘eres Ponyville” Lionel finally said as we reached the top of a ridge looking down at an old and very busted up town below. My pipbuck gave three quick beeps and I glanced at it. My pipbuck had picked up three new locations; one was “Ponyville” the other was “Sweet Apple Acres and the other “Stable 2” which was at Sweet Apple Acres.

“Do you all want to check out Stable two first?” I asked my entourage, “it’s closer.”

“Nah” Midnight said “Check stable four first.”

I scratched my head then said “Well, if we are going to stable four we’ll have to pass through the outer parts of town.”

“I agree with Midnight” Alyshia said, “let’s get the harder stables first because chances are they have the talisman.”

I nodded and bought up a map of Ponyville on my pipbuck to plan the route. I knew that there were raiders in town and would prefer to avoid them if possible to keep my friends safe. “Ok” I finally said, “The everfree forest is that way” I pointed a hood over yonder, “so we’ll go via that building over there.” I pointed a hoof at a rusty old building that would have once looked magnificent. I looked at my pipbuck and read the name, “We’ll go by the Carousel Boutique, that way we don’t go into town unless we have to.”

Everypony nodded and finally I smiled, “All good then, now let’s just get rid of some raiders before we go shall we?” I said pulling out my sniper rifle.

“Wait what?” Alyshia babbled.

“I can see ponies on the rooves of some of those buildings, they might be snipers” I replied.

“Oh” she said simply.

I cracked the gun open and put some of those purple coloured bullets that I got from New Saddle. When I was done I pulled lever and said “let’s do this.”

I leaned onto a large rock and rested the rifle on it. I put my eye to the scope and found my first target. I was just about to shoot when I heard Lionel say “Ya’ll sure ya know how ta handle that gun?”

I pulled my eye away and said confused “What? Of course I know how to handle the gun.”

He shrugged “Ya look funny with that it is all.”

I looked at Alyshia confused and she gave a small jerk of her shoulder and head. I then said “Does it matter how I look with the gun?”

“Not really” he replied, “Just seein’ a cute lil’ filly with a gun looks… funny.”

I raised an eyebrow as a slight stab of annoyance hit my breast, “what are you implying little colt? You would hardly be any older than I am” I shot at him.

“Ah don’ mean it like that” he said realising his error.

“Are you saying a mare can’t shoot?” I asked with slight venom on my tongue.

“What?” he said, “Of course not, I’ve seen many mares shoot way better than most stallions, I wouldn-“

“Just drop it” Alyshia said with a sigh.

I turned away and looked through the scope, I had lost my target. I found him again and shot.

BANG

I saw my bullet hit the target and he melted into a purple blob. “Sheesh those bullets are mean” Midnight said. I looked up at her and she was flying with a pair of binoculars. Clearly I was the only one shooting. I was the only one with a gun that had a scope and could shoot so far.

I found another pony on the roof with a sniper rifle mounted on a tripod.

BANG

She melted too.

I seeked out another target and found another pony with a sniper rifle too. I found my target and aimed on his flank. I was just about to shoot when I noticed that my target had no cutie mark. I found his face and it was a colt. He would have only been around eight or nine.

I moved my focus to another pony. Even though he would grow up to be a rapist and a murderer I couldn’t shoot a colt or a filly of that age. I found another mare nearby and shot her instead.

“Amethyst why didn’t you shoot the colt?” Midnight asked exasperated.

“How did you know I was aiming at him?” I asked.

“Your gun was pointed in his direction” she muttered, “why didn’t you just shoot him?”

“I couldn’t shoot a foal” I growled, “That’s something I just couldn’t do.”

“Weak” Brax said, “That colt will grow up to be just like the rest of them, why not just end it now?”

“I couldn’t” I muttered again.

BANG

Midnight had my sniper rifle; she put it down on the rock. “There… Done.”

“Y-You shot a colt” I said shocked, “You just shot a foal”

“He’s hardly innocent” Midnight said, “Stable filly will always be a stable filly.”

I looked at Alyshia and she said “I probably wouldn’t have done it either to be honest.” Well at least somepony agreed with me.

“Told ya tha’ ya couldn’t handle the gun” Lionel mentioned.

“You don’t say” I mumbled aggressively.

I felt bad now; I wanted to show Midnight I was my own mare and not a shy stable filly still. Maybe just being me wasn’t working. Berry’s voice echoed in my head “You’ll never find a special somepony if you be somepony you’re not.”

I sighed. She was right; I needed to just be myself. Problem was, being myself was not what Midnight wanted, she was plainly after somepony more mature than she was, somepony who would look after her and not the other way around. I knew I was I submissive pony. I wanted to be dominated and I looked at Midngiht as being a dominant pony. The thought of her standing over me but being kind and helpful to me and looking after me made me want her even more.

“Hey Amethyst are you ok there?” Midnight asked from the air.

I shook my head and said “Yeah I’m fine. I just, I should have shot the colt.”

Midnight nodded, “we still have a lot to learn don’t we? But don’t worry Amethyst, I’ll teach you what you need to know.”

“But I already know” I said heatedly, “I know how to shoot, I know who to shoot.”

Midnight flew above my head and ruffled my mane with a hoof, “No you don’t filly.”

“I’m not a filly” I mumbled.

“Prove it” Midnight laughed.

I scowled, once again made out like a little filly who needed somepony to hold my hoof.

“Yea, ah think ya’ll need to stop that, Amethyst is lookin’ a little pissed” Lionel piped up.

“You don’t say?” Midnight said from above, “It’s all fun and games.”

I pulled my sniper rifle up with my magic and reloaded it as I said “Come on let’s just go.”

My bad mood persisted as we climbed down the hill we were on which was quite steep to the road that would take us to where we needed to go.

* ** ** ** *

When we reached the outskirts of town I felt apprehensive. I saw two ponies who saw us approach the town open fire. I shot one and Lionel shot the other with his rifles.

“Hey” Midnight barked at Lionel, “You stole my shot.”

“It was mah shot” he replied, “Ah shot ‘im first.”

When we entered the borderline of Ponyville all that adorned the town was barbed wire, forts and wooden stakes with pony heads stuck on the end.

“Okay that’s just gross” I muttered as I looked at one encased in flies.

Every now and then we would come across a raider patrolling a path or coming out of a building. Every time we saw one we shot them. I was quicker than the rest as I could manoeuvre my sniper rifle much faster than Midnight, Lionel or Brax. Not long after I needed to reload my sniper rifle.

“Shit Amethyst, you shoot quick” Lionel complemented.

“Why thank you” I replied chancing a glance to Midnight who scowled. Maybe I could impress her with how quick I had picked up shooting?

“How long you bin handlin’ guns fer?” he asked curiously.

“I picked up my first gun about a month ago” I replied looking for more raiders as we walked through the outskirts of Ponyville.

“No way?” he asked shocked.

I nodded “told you I could handle my gun.” A raider all by himself appeared nearby, he saw us and ran but before I could shoot him Midnight got him.

“Need to pick up the pace a bit I think” Midnight laughed.

* ** ** ** *

When we approached Carousel Boutique I saw how magnificent the building had once been. There was a sign on the outside saying that it was a dress shop. I broke away from my companions and trotted over to the door. It looked safe enough so I pushed the door open with a hoof and the little rusty bell rang indicating a customer. I stuck my head through the door but didn’t enter the building. The inside was trashed, mannequins lay smashed and torn fabric littering the floor and shit was dabbed on the walls. It smelt worse than a public toilet that had never been cleaned.

“Amethyst what the fuck are you doing?” Brax shouted, “get that flank back over here.”

I ignored him as I noticed the stairwell at the back of the boutique, it looked familiar. Before I could pinpoint where I saw it I felt somepony grab me around the flanks.

“Hey” I shouted, “You’re touching my-“I paused. It was Midnight and I finished softly “Flanks.”

“C’mon Amethyst” Midnight said, “stop holding us up.”

“You touched my ass” I said scornfully.

Midnight scowled, “didn’t you like it?”

“No” I lied, “I hate it when ponies touch me.”

Midnight rolled her eyes, “I thought you liked getting touched up by mares.”

“Fine I liked it” I spat, “I only liked it because it was you.”

“Gee no need to get so cranky” Midnight said looking a little perplexed.

When we reached the others who were waiting, I merely followed them lost in thought about the Carousel Boutique. The staircase looked familiar, I tried to pin point this from my memories but I could find the right one. It wasn’t until I imagined a white teenage filly with a curly pink and purple mane that was in a sour mood just like I was currently in, storming down the staircase to her sister Rarity.

That memory had taken place in Carousel Boutique which must have been Rarities house and Sweetie Belle must have been staying over. It looked so nice back then. Now it was just a horrible defiled place with nothing in it but shattered memories of the past.

“What’s that sound?” Brax grumbled from nearby.

My ears perked and it was coming from a two story building nearby. Curiosity got the better of me. The once pretty garden was nothing but dirty snow and frozen pony bodies. The front door had a stallion sexual organ nailed to it. “Ewwww” I moaned but Alyshia shoved a hoof into my mouth making me muffle.

I heard the grunt of a stallion and the moan of a mare. I facehoofed then bought up my EFS. This house had four hostiles. I wrapped my magic around the doorknob as I heard a mare scream “That’s right bitch, fuck me harder.”

“Amethyst, what are you doing?” Alyshia moaned quietly.

“Going to put these ponies down” I whispered back.

“They didn’t do anything to you” Alyshia muttered.

“They did stuff to other ponies” I whispered back.

Grunt

“I’m going in” Brax muttered and he pushed Alyshia out of the way to join me as did Midnight and Lionel.

I snuck through the entrance hall; the floor marked with blood and proceeded to the sitting room. The sitting room was a mess of pony shit and defiled copses. I heard another pleasured grunt but from directly above. “They could at least try to b-“I started loudly but I felt a hoof enter my mouth again.

“Shhh” Midnight hissed. The grunting and banging stopped. “I think they heard Amethyst’s huge mouth” Midnight shot at me in a whisper but I couldn’t reply because Midnights hoof was still inside my mouth.

I heard quiet hoof steps and my ears perked. Midnight removed her hoof from her mouth and I turned to the stairwell to see a khaki green stallion that had just come down the stairs. I turned to shoot him but Midnight hit him first. The mare then came down the stairwell who was of a dirt colour and her left forehoof was missing below the knee which was replaced by a wooden prosthetic.

When she saw us she put her wooden hoof to her face and pleaded “please don’t shoot me.”

She was clearly a raider and would have been the one that the stallion was having sex with as I could recognise her voice from a few seconds ago.

BANG

Midnight shot her. I looked at her reproachfully, “Why the fuck did you shoot her?” I shouted, “She didn’t need to die.”

“She was a raider” Midnight scoffed, “of course she needed to die.”

I opened my mouth to argue but Alyshia this time shoved a hoof in my mouth. “Did you hear that?” she asked.

“Ear waf?” I asked through her hoof.

“Amethyst shut up” she snapped. I scowled with her hoof still in my mouth.

I heard hoof steps followed by a door opening and closing.

“Waf if zat?” I muffled.

“Ah think we’re in trouble” Liden whispered, “Must ‘ave been more in the house.”

I checked my EFS when Alyshia finally removed her hoof from my mouth. There were no hostiles. I remembered there being four before we entered this house, where were the other two?

“I saw four hostiles on my EFS before” I whispered. “There’s none now.”

“Fuck” Brax mumbled, “Great, now the whole fucking town knows there are intruders.” He rounded on me, “Why the fuck did you come in here again?”

“I- I” I couldn’t answer it, not without contradicting myself especially after I told Midnight off for killing the mare. Brax sighed but did not say anything else; I made him angry again so I tried to regain control of everypony. “Okay then everypony” I said confidently, “let’s just… Go to the entrance of the everfree forest.

We all exited the house and quickly made our way across Ponyville. We must have shaken them off I thought. I gave a sigh of relieve.

BANG

A spark came off Brax’s armour followed by Alyshia squealing in pain. The bullet had ricocheted of Brax’s metallic armour and hit Alyshia in her leg.

“Fuck”Alyshia yelled as she collapsed onto the ground cradling her foreleg. It took me a second to process what had just happened. I’d never heard Alyshia swear in my life. I blinked and saw some blood oozing from a wound in her right foreleg. Alyshia seemed to be panicking.

“Alyshia calm down” I shouted as I dropped down to take a look at the wound. I let off a sigh of relief when she let me look at it. The bullet had only just entered her leg; the butt of the bullet was jutting out of her leg. “Hold still” I mumbled. She sat stock still as I wrapped the bullet in my magic and pulled it out. She gasped but didn’t yell, fresh blood oozed out and I wrapped the wound with a bandage. “Well, at least I could handle that one” I laughed.

Alyshia smiled and got shakily to her hooves. “Th-thank you Amethyst” she said quietly.

“No Prob-“

BANG

Another bullet hit the snow at my hooves. I saw my EFS light up with several red signalling me to pull out my magnum. “Umm” I stammered looking for someplace to run or hide. I really wanted to avoid a fight if we could, I wanted to try the dust flick trick but the problem was, the ground was covered in a layer of snow and the frozen melt had made the ground hard.

More red hit my EFS and before I knew it raiders were pouring into the streets around us which made us run into a nearby house which was like the last was used as some kind of prison, slash torture chamber place, slash execution room.

BANG BANG, rtattatttaatta.

Bullet holes were appearing in the walls as the raiders began to turn it into Swiss cheese hoping to kill us. We all ran into the back room and out the back door into the back yard. There were raiders here too.

I slid into SATS as Lionel, Brax and Midnight filled the air with shots. I targeted each pony and used the entire spell in one go.

I felt a bullet hit my barding at my shoulder and felt it bruise causing me to limp slightly. I focused on that raider and fired causing him to melt into a blob.

I saw Alyshia pull out a mine and was preparing to set it however three raiders climbed the wooden fence and she instead lobbed it at them armed which exploded when it made contact with one of them showering the air with gore.

Alyshia instead pulled out some grenades and threw them over the fence. The ensuring shouts and the splatter of meat on wood told me there were more over the fence.

I saw Midnight take flight and fire upon the hordes of raiders that seemed intent on defending the town that they stole, the town we did not really intend to fight for.

“I’m just going to go back inside and make sure none of them is going to ambush us” I shouted over the gunfire. Nopony seemed to hear me so I dashed inside anyway and found ponies starting to enter the house. I swapped to my shotgun and with SATS recharged I blew them apart showering the already bloody floor in more gore.

BTTTZ

A green double lazer shot one that was sneaking up from behind me. It was Brax, “get on filly” he growled lowering to allow me to scramble onto his back. He dashed outside and together we fought anypony intent on killing us.

I swapped back to my magnum and I spotted a pony who was screaming as she ran; she was ragged and bloody and she was being chased by another mare who shouted “get back here meat” she pointed a gun at the mare and I acted with haste, forgetting SATS I shot manually and hit the pursuing mare.

“Where are the others?” I shouted with my hooves around Brax’s neck.

“Dunno” Brax shouted as he shot another pony.

Brax took off with me on his back; he then turned into an alleyway between two houses. That wasn’t the right move. About twenty raiders were pouring down the other end and as Brax came to a halt another fifteen or so followed us in trapping us.

Brax backed up as ponies opened fire on us. I bought up my shield to protect myself however it was just large enough for Brax to be within it as well. It didn’t really occur to me until now that Brax wasn’t only big, he was huge. I shook my head clearing it because I knew my shield wouldn’t stay up for very long.

I focused my magic once again but this time wrapping Brax and myself in a levitation field and with huge effort that was enough for my horn to spark and overglow, I managed to lift myself and Brax up and onto the roof of the house nearby. I collapsed my shield and looked to see if I could spot the others, I thankfully saw a white Pegasus flying around shooting with a purple pony on her back which just meant that Lionel was missing.

Brax took one step and fell through the roof and into the house we were on. I felt something whack my head causing stars to burst into my vision but I still maintained my grip on the metallic stallion. “Run” I yelled “before the raiders come in.” Brax galloped to the front door which he ran through rather than opening and galloped down the street to where Lionel was running from perusing raiders.

I grabbed him in my magic and levitated him; Midnight spotted us and flew closer down. Brax ran out of town and just ahead I saw the opening of a dark and dank forest. “Run” I yelled again as the dark green forest loomed into view. Brax ran in followed by Midnight and Alyshia who were flying. I looked back and the raiders had stopped at the entrance of the forest. One of them yelled “Have fun in there fuckers.”

Brax collapsed from under me and I dropped Lionel when my muzzle whacked Brax’s steel neck. Midnight landed and placed Alyshia on the ground. I noticed that Alyshia didn’t get up. “What’s wrong with Alyshia?” I panted still exhausted.

“I got shot again” Alyshia muttered lifting her foreleg to show a bullet wound right at the base of her foreleg, she was lucky it wasn’t further up.

“Have you taken a healing potion yet?” I asked her.

“N-Not yet” she mumbled.

I felt sick that Alyshia was hurt, for some reason I felt that her being hurt had hurt me too. I shook my head “you should take one.”

Alyshia nodded and drank the healing potion. The wound healed but she still did not get up. I walked over to her and sat next to her. Alyshia shifted into a sitting position and gave me a hug, I leaned into her soaking up her warmth, but Alyshia said “as much as I have grown to you Amethyst you can be a really stupid pony sometimes.”

“W-what?” I asked dumbfounded and I withdrew from her hug feeling hurt.

She shook her head and said “I told you not to go in and you went in anyway, you went in with the idea of killing the ponies and then got angry at Midnight for shooting one.”

“She yielded though” I said quietly. Getting scolded by Alyshia was different than getting scolded by the others, I felt disappointed in myself every time Alyshia told me off.

“Not the point” she said, “Just listen to me that’s all.”

I hugged Alyshia again and she hugged me back, “Aww” Midnight cooed.

I rolled my eyes and scowled; Alyshia let out a loud snort and shook her head saying “Purrlease.”

“Ahm, you guys, it ain’t very safe lyin round the everfree forest ya know” Lionel said helping me and Alyshia to our hooves. “Ain’t no time ta be jokin’ around.

“Right you are” Midnight giggled. She landed next to him and hoofed his side before she said “I agree, let’s go everypony.”

I blinked and I felt a little monster claw in my stomach. Is Midnight flirting with him? I shook my head, no way. They had known each other for what? Four or five hours?”

I checked my Pipbuck and the stable was nearby, a few hundred meters away. I gave a sigh of relief; this forest was creepy enough without needing to traverse for several days through it.

I heard a sudden rustle of leaves and the movement of wood, I was just about to look behind myself when without warning I felt something grab my front hooves and I fell into the dusty ground, the snow had failed to permeate through the canopy of the forest so this filled my mouth with dust and dirt. I gagged and got back up wiping my muzzle but as I did so I felt something woody grab me around the middle, “What the f-“ I turned and saw a tree had extended a wooden claw like hand and wrapped it around my middle.

I screamed at the sight of it, the tree had a face, its sunken eyes fixed on me like some kind of demon. “Amethyst?” Alyshia bellowed. I felt her magic wrap around me but the tree simply lifted me into the air and Alyshia’s magic broke. “Midnight” Alyshia screamed, “Get Amethyst down.”

“HELP” I yelled trying to pry the wooden fingers off me, my physical strength clearly nothing to the tree.

“Pony is yummy” the tree growled in a very deep and delighted voice, “I like pony.”

I felt Midnight grab me but the tree shook me very hard and Midnight flew off. When the shaking stopped I vomited all over myself and the hand holding me. I moaned feeling motion sickness take hold.

“Ow” the tree yelped in the same reverberating deep tone, “I want to eat pony, you get off me or I eat you too.”

“Not a chance ya piece o’ wood, let ‘er go” Lionel yelled. I saw Lionel had scaled the tree and was attempting to hack it off with a mini saw. I saw the tree try to snatch at Lionel with the other hand. “Ge’ back ya cur” he bellowed, “Alyshia throw me a Grenade.” The tree moved its arm wildly and I felt a branch hit me in the side of the head and felt it gash just under my right eye.

I saw Alyshia throw Lionel a fresh grenade and he put it in a crevice he made with the saw. He then pulled the pin and jump for cover; this left me exposed to the blast. I tried to pull my shield up and it had only half formed when the grenade went off. The shield took most of the impact but that didn’t stop the shrapnel digging into my barding with the feeling of a thousand knives into my flanks.

The tree’s arm that held onto me had severed causing it to scream very deeply indeed, “pony hurt, pony hurt.” This caused me to fall to the ground and squashed under the heavy branch which landed on top of me.

Lionel took a step and shouted “Come at me then you useless block o’ wood” while facing the tree in an aggressive stance, the tree froze and its face vanished. “Good” he muttered.

I was on the ground trapped beneath the aggressive tree’s arm. I was shaking with fright still and I could smell the sick that was on me. In addition to this I had noticed that at some stage I had lost control of my bladder as I was lying in a pool of my own urine.

I got up shaking; no pony seemed to want to come near me. I felt my legs give way and I fell back into my own urine, my barding slowly soaking it up. Alyshia finally stepped forwards and levitated me back to my hooves. I felt dirty at that point, I could smell the urine mingled with sick and it made me gag.

Alyshia tutted then lifted me up into the air and pulled off my flanker which exposed my hind quarters to the bitter cold air. “Thank you” I muttered to Alyshia but that still didn’t remove the sticky warm feeling between my hind legs or the pee that my barding had absorbed. My flanks were a little bloody but otherwise better than I expected after having a grenade planted three feet before me.

“Was’ your cutie mark mean?” Liden piped up looking at it.

“Why are you staring at my ass?” I asked angrily.

“Ahm not” he said looking taken aback.

“Well then let’s keep it that way” I seethed.

“Amethyst” Midnight said harshly, “he just saved you.”

“No” I corrected, “He blew a grenade up in my face.”

I felt embarrassed, embarrassed for being covered in urine and sick. Midnight went over and comforted Lionel who still looked like I had clopped him across the face. Good I thought, fucking moron shouldn’t have attempted to blow me up.

“Hey Amethyst…. Are you alright?” Alyshia asked.

I wiped my eyes with a slightly bloody, smelly hoof and nodded, “I just feel dirty, that’s all.”

Alyshia smiled weakly and said “we’ll just keep your flanker off for now; it’s wet and we don’t want you to get cold.”

* ** ** ** *

We had managed to find where stable four was, we found it behind a large boulder that had hidden a cave near a flowing stream. Getting there was hard enough after being chased by several swarms of bloatsprites and even a pack of what Lionel called “mutated timber wolves.”

Alyshia insisted that we should wait till morning before we went behind the stable door. We set up a camp inside the cave after closing the boulder to prevent whatever other critters the everfree forest had up its sleeve.

I however was still in a sour mood after being ignored by Midnight for the remainder of the trip. Brax had lit a camp fire and we were all sitting around it. I was sitting between Alyshia and Brax but Alyshia had left some space between us because I smelt. I indeed did smell, my inner flanks were dyed yellow and my barding had dried sick still on it.

“Amethyst could you take your barding off please?” Alyshia muttered holding a hoof to her muzzle.

I sighed and magically pulled off my barding and threw it against the cave wall which just left me in socks which were damped with urine. It felt good to get out of it, but it made me feel vulnerable.

“And your socks?” Alyshia asked.

I shook my head and said “I’ll keep them on, my hooves are cold.”

“You know your newly manicured hooves will go all pruney if you keep them on all the time?” Alyshia said.

Lionel and Midnight we sitting together on the other side of the fire and I saw Lionel whisper something to Midnight. The both snickered.

I clenched my jaw, I couldn’t help myself; “What’s so funny?” I asked trying to not sound angry.

“Nothing” Midnight laughed, “You wouldn’t get it.”

I felt left out; I wanted Midnight to be playing around with me, not with him, why was she playing around with him?

* ** ** ** *

Later that night after everypony went to sleep I was having another sleepless night, dark thoughts kept entering my head. I kept hearing my friends talking in my head, talking about how stupid and useless I was. I was crying again but silently, even though Alyshia was a foot away from me I felt like I was alone all by myself again. I felt the shard of glass wedge in my heart and it hurt.

I curled up on the dusty ground and wiped my eyes with a hoof and looked up to see Midnight’s sexy rump a few feet away. She was sleeping nearby her tail brown from the dusty ground, her left wing drooped on the ground, her feathers ruffled and pointing at an odd angle.

I felt guilty for checking her out while she was asleep but it made the voices go away, at the same time I felt the shard of glass in my heart build as did the heat between my hind legs. I looked away from her, my eyes still streaming slightly and curled back into a ball, all I had managed to do was make myself horny. The voices returned telling me how pathetic I was and how Midnight didn’t love me. These were occasionally punctured be the sound of Glenda laughing the words

“Fillyfooler, Fillyfooler, Fillyfooler.”

I pushed a hoof between my hind legs with a vision of Midnight loving me, kissing me and holding me; it had been a while since I last attended to myself. After about five minutes however I pulled my hoof away. It didn’t feel very pleasurable, if anything it hurt, like I was rubbing sandpaper over the most sensitive part of my body. “Can’t even bring yourself to orgasm” I heard myself say in my head, “Oh Amethyst, even after doing this for years, you suck at that too.” The only way I managed to deal with this thought was to say to myself that I wasn’t really in the mood for it anyway.

Instead I pulled my knife out of my saddlebags and took the sock and the bandages off my right foreleg. I looked at the cuts I made last night; they were partially healed, accelerated by the magic of the bandages. I felt guilt pit in my stomach, I could just talk to Alyshia but she was asleep, I couldn’t disturb her. Instead I held my leg out and made a single cut, the Blood oozed out and as it did so the shard in my heart melted away leaving a more bearable hollow feeling behind. I didn’t make it very deep but the pain that it supplied was satisfying enough. I wanted to do it again but I told myself that one was enough, I put my knife back in my saddlebags and wrapped my hoof back up and put my sock back on.

I guiltily shifted over to Alyshia and laid next to her, wanting the comfort of her mere presence. With the voices gone, the shard in my heart gone and the heat inside me waning I managed to drift off to sleep.

I woke back up, but it wasn’t to the cave I slept in, the floor was black yet shiny and I couldn’t see the walls or the ceiling of the room. Very little light lit the area I was in. I got to my hooves and looked around. I was alone.

“H-Hello?” I asked the room. My voice echoed around the wall-less and ceiling-less room. I felt a hoof touch my shoulder and I jumped. I turned to see the skeletal alicorn who haunted me before while unconscious. “Why hello Amethyst” he said his voice creepy yet angry, “How have we been keeping?”

“Wh-Who are you?” I asked feeling scared.

“That doesn’t matter” he said harshly. “So” he continued, “this is how you repay my kindness?”

“Your kindness?” I asked trembling, “I don’t even know who you are, why do you keep entering my head?”

“Yes Amy… My kindness” he shot, “remember that time when you almost got killed by the behemoth? The first time I saw you? I told you to make the most of your second chance did I not?”

I said nothing, this wasn’t real. I knew it wasn’t.

“Yet this is how you repay me” he said aggressively. He lifted me by my right hoof in a field of fluorescent green magic which was free of any clothing or bandages, my cuts were clearly visible. “You go and cut yourself because your idiot friend won’t like you.”

I felt the tendons and muscles stretch which held my entire weight. “I didn’t cut myself just because of that” I yelled at him. I felt angry which drove away my fear, “If you knew me you would know.”

“Oh really?” he said slowly, “does anypony but yourself know about these reasons?”

I said nothing. I felt guilt creep into my chest and plaguing it.

I looked up into the death pony’s hood and saw his decayed mouth grin. “I thought not” he whispered, “Look at me trying to council a teenage filly. You know what Amy, go do whatever you want. I don’t really care if you end up dead, ponies die all the time.”

“Why did you give me advice then?” I asked aggressively.

His response was of one I was not expecting “You know Amethyst; maybe you should listen to your friends, because it is with them where the answer lies.”

I woke suddenly with sweat beading around my forehead and in my mane around my horn. I gave a soft sigh of relief, it was only a dream, I knew it couldn’t be real but that didn’t stop me from being scared. I shifted and rested my head on Alyshia’s shoulder, her hoof shifted slightly and she placed it on my shoulder. I didn’t feel scared anymore, I felt safe with Alyshia once again and I didn’t want her to leave my side.

Footnote: level up

New Perk: Shell Shock – You deal increased damage to raiders, bandits and slavers when using a high powered rifle.

Chapter 15: Illusions and Confusions

I started to stir to the sound of an argument.

“It’s not healthy” Midnight argued, “She’s nineteen Alyshia. She’s not a filly anymore; you’re just wrapping her in cotton wool and teaching her to be soft.”

“She’s hurting Midnight, can’t you show some compassion? Amethyst has never known the feeling of being loved, I want to be there for her” Alyshia argued back.

“When was the last time Amethyst slept by herself without you half a foot away?” Midnight put in sounding like she won the argument.

I pretended to still be asleep wanting to know more about what they were arguing about.

“Not since I met her” Alyshia shot, “Amethyst needs somepony to keep her company.”

Midnight moaned, “And what makes you think that?” she asked heatedly.

“She’s depressed” Alyshia put simply, “I can tell she is Midnight because I’m the only pony who bothers to talk to her.”

I squinted as I wanted to take a peek; I could see that Lionel and Brax were both still asleep however I could not see Midnight nor Alyshia as the voices came from behind.

“No she’s not” Midnight put simply, “She’s just having a hard time dealing with the new environment.”

“It’s a bit more complicated than that” Alyshia said sounding resigned to Midnights ignorance.

Midnight seemed intent on continuing however “All I’m saying Alyshia is that Amethyst isn’t five, she doesn’t need to sleep in your lap.”

“I think you would find that she prefers to sleep next to me” Alyshia said with finality.

“Well… It should be discouraged” Midnight said, “It isn’t normal for a fully grown mare to be needing to sleep next to an older pony for comfort, unless she has the hots for you that is.”

I felt my heart constrict, even though Midnight said I was a grown mare which was something I had wanted her to say for ages, she was making me out like I was unstable or not normal.

“No” Alyshia said pointedly, “it is you who Amethyst is infatuated with; I’m surprised you’re not complaining about it.”

I held my breath, if Midnight was going to tell Alyshia about the night in New Appleoosa it would be now, so I shifted and got to my hooves.

“M-Morning” I muttered as I rubbed my eyes.

“Good Morning Darling” Alyshia smiled.

I saw Midnight scowl and when I looked at her she rearranged her facial expression and said happily “Morning Amethyst, what’s the plan for today?”

“Bit keen are we?” I croaked, “Let me wake up first.” I felt relieved that the discussion had stopped and that danger had been averted.

Midnight jumped onto Lionel causing him to jump about three feet into the air, “Sweet mother o’ a gun” he shouted, “Why’d ya do tha’ fer?” he said massaging his shoulder where Midnights hoof had hit him.

“Heh, sorry” Midnight said playfully, “But it’s time to get up.”

His shout had caused Brax to wake as well, “Uhh, what a night” he mumbled scratching his blue mane with a hoof and giving off a sigh. “I swear I’m getting too old for this” he mumbled.

“Nah you’re not” I said, “up you get old stallion.”

He scowled but said nothing.

“Well how are we going to get through this door?” I asked looking at the huge cog shaped door.

“Who knows you’re the egghead when it comes to this shit” Midnight said casually.

“Gee thanks” I muttered.

“Ahm sure ya c’n do it gorgeous” Lionel whispered to me. I put a hoof on his chest and pushed him away.

“I’m sure I can” I told him flatly.

I walked up to the stable door control at the back of the cave and looked at it. This one was distinctly different from stable eighty six as well as stable twenty three. It had no button, nothing except a USB Slot for a pipbuck. I facehoofed, I doubted I would be able to get in but nonetheless I plugged my pipbuck into it and my pipbuck picked up the device okay.

It gave me a variety of options such as “Open stable door” and “set alarm” etc. I hit “Open stable door” and a red “Access Denied” message flashed up on my pipbuck screen. I felt somepony breathing down my neck and turned to see Lionel looking over my shoulder. “Can you not?” I said scathingly.

“Sorry” he muttered and he back away to leave me to do my work.

I pulled out my hacking tool to try and break into the system, knowing stabletec this particular system would be hard to get into. I set my hacking tool up to my pipbuck and bought up the command system which instantly requested for a password. This password was twenty eight characters long. I felt my face heat up. Sweet fuckery, this was exactly what I needed. I shook my head and attempted to hack into the security system. I failed miserably on the first attempt of which I had to back out, as did the second attempt; third attempt was pure failure as well.

* ** ** ** *

After two and a half hours Midnight walked over and asked “Amethyst maybe you sh-?”

“Shut up please’ I said trying for what felt like the four hundredth attempt. “Fuck” I shouted, I banged my hoof on the device, I missed by one character. I took a deep breath and continued with my tongue between my teeth. I tried everything and no matter how hard I tried, with all my expertise I could not break into the system.

“Amethyst?” Lionel muttered.

I turned and shouted “Shut up for fuck sake. Can’t you see I’m trying to work?”

* ** ** ** *

After another thirty minutes my blood began to boil as my anger bubbled close to the surface and I could feel my veins in my forelegs throb as my heart clenched. I was getting worse with each attempt now. After failing yet again I bucked the control device and shouted “Fuck it. I’m a total failure.”

I then collapsed into the dirt and began to cry, I suck at what I do best I thought. I could not break into it; this was my job, if I couldn’t do this than how could I ever succeed? I had never been denied access to anything in my life.

“Come here hon” Alyshia said as she trotted over and wrapped her forehooves around me as I moaned “I can’t get in. I can’t it’s too hard.”

“Alyshia” Midnight moaned.

I saw Alyshia shoot Midnight a scathing look, “Come on Amethyst, we can do it. Maybe I can help?”

I looked into her purple eyes, a shade lighter than my own. “D-Do you know anything about computers?”

“I know what a mouse is” Alyshia smirked, “Does that help?”

I couldn’t help but suppress a giggle, “Maybe” I said smiling slightly at her.

“Now why don’t we have another crack at it then?” Alyshia said. She let me go and I stood back up.

“I’ll help too” Brax stated.

I nodded and with the help of Brax and Alyshia I was getting better. After fifteen minutes I had come across a possible word and had gotten twenty six out of twenty eight correct. I had one attempt left and if I didn’t back out now we would lock it down.

I was about to restart when Alyshia pushed my forehoof away. I looked at her, “We’ll lock it down if we try again.” Alyshia shook her head as she looked at my pipbuck and glanced at all the possibilities.

“Nah” Brax muttered, “Let’s give this one a go.”

I nodded, I felt myself tremble slightly, if we failed we would lock the stable out and nopony would be able to get in unless we knocked the door down.

I gulped. Alyshia guided my hoof over to one word that could be the answer to my prayers to Celestia. “How about this one darling? We could try this one?”

I looked at all the letters and it contained all 26 characters that we knew were right, problem was, there were three others words with the same combination of characters in different orders. I looked up to Alyshia’s violet face and nodded. I closed my eyes and pushed the password

‘W3ar3th3CMCFr13ndsf0rl1f3SSA.’

I heard a beep and gave a sigh of relief as the console on my pipbuck lit up with “Access Approved.” I hit the option “Open Stable Door.”

The alarm sounded to indicate the door was being opened. I heard the door swing arm take hold of the door and with a loud and familiar squeal the door was pulled inwards and rolled to the side.

I let off a huge sigh and mumbled “sorry I lost my temper guys.”

“’s ok” Lionel said, “so long as we git inside ‘m happy.”

“Lead the way” Alyshia said happily indicating with her hoof that I lead the way. I walked through the stable door and up to the security door. I pulled out my magnum and loaded it with normal .44 bullets. I opened the security door which slid open quite smoothly. Without warning a metallic flying thing zoomed right in front of me and let out a loud screeching “MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEPPPPPP.”

I shouted out and without thinking or looking at my EFS I shot it. It hit the floor with a metallic clang. “Wha’ the fuck was that?” Lionel shouted from behind.

“I don’t know” I muttered. I wrapped what appeared to be a flying robotic thing in my magic and levitated it into view. It was indeed a metallic dragonfly; it was about two feet long and had four wings, each wing was lined with a solar panel that ran almost length of each wing. If I wasn’t mistaken it was made out of a combination of Aluminium and Titanium. I looked at its face; it had huge lens like eyes and a cute little face. The tail was long and divided into two pieces towards the end. The machine was made with precision. I had worked on many robots but this was amazing, each detail was beautifully executed, from its face, to its six metallic legs to its tail, I would have guessed that it was made by hoof or horn.

Unfortunately I shot it, the bullet having passed through its body.

“Amethyst? What is it?” Alyshia whispered to me.

“It’s a robot” I replied as I pulled my pipbuck cable back out of my saddlebags.

“What are you doing?” Brax asked from the threshold of the door.

“I’m going to try and reboot it” I replied, “I don’t think it’s hostile.” I plugged my pipbuck into the slot in the tail and tried to reboot it. Nothing happened. As I expected, so I pulled out my screw driver and put my cable back.

“What’s she doing now?” Brax asked more heatedly.

“Don’t know” Alyshia replied.

“I’m pulling him apart so I can fit him in my saddlebags” I replied calmly as I unscrewed the wings and cut the wires so I could fit him in my saddlebags.

“Him?” Brax replied, “It’s a robot.”

“Yeah I know” I said, “I might be able to salvage him.”

“Eugh” Brax facehoofed.

* ** ** ** *

After about ten minutes I managed to fit the entire robotic dragonfly into my saddlebags which was more difficult than it looked, the body and the wings were two foot long each and could barely fit long-ways.

“Can we go now?” Lionel moaned from behind Brax.

I zipped my saddlebags back up, “I don’t know where we’re going” I replied as I pulled up a map from my Pipbuck.

“What this one’s different too?” Midnight and Brax questioned in unison.

“Uhh yeah” I said before facehoofing.

“Ah though’ you was from a stable? How do ya not know where ta go?” Lionel asked pointedly.

“This stable is built differently to mine” I told him while trying to find out where the water talisman was kept.

After about five minutes which seemed unbearable to Brax and Midnight both of whom were complaining that I was taking too long, I finally found what I was looking for; “Third floor down, second corridor to the right and third door to the left.”

“Finally” Brax growled, “Can we now move?”

“Everypony ready?” I asked.

“Yes, yes we’re ready” Midnight said loudly as she pushed on my flanks, “Just… Let’s go.”

We set off down the forward corridor which just like the last stable did not contain the Overmare’s office. Eyes on my EFS I wondered why there was no security system, my EFS was completely free of red. Happy that our luck was changing we made our way down the stairwell to the correct floor; every now and then Midnight or Brax had to coax me past rooms that I wanted to check out. A pony skeleton lay here and there in the stable making me wonder what had happened in this stable.

When we past the maintenance office I attempted to slip through the door for parts so I could fix my new robotic friend but Alyshia caught me by the tail and pulled me back.

“I need parts” I said hotly as I put a hoof to my head because of a headache that was coming on.

“We need to get in then out” Brax said, “remember what happened last time?”

I scowled and nodded remembering the last trip into the previous stable, how I got injured and the large room of dead ponies.

* ** ** ** *

Once we reached the third floor I began to feel kind of funny, my head began to spin slightly with stars appearing in my vision. It wasn’t until I felt quite sick that I decided to say something, “is anypony feeling… funny?” I said with a slight slur to my voice.

Alyshia looked confused, Lionel was drooling slightly, Midnight was no longer with us and Brax said “Nope.”

I felt my vision go all cloudy and I almost fell over, “Whoa you alright there?” Brax asked concerned. I shook my head but didn’t say anything.

Alyshia began to talk to herself merrily; “Why yes big brother, I went to the spa with Strawberry Lemon, it was a fine day; I wish I could have stayed for longer. Did you know that Sugar Stars is dating Rocket? Nah it was quite the scandal, rumour has it her little sister walked in on them, ‘hugging’ each other tightly.”

I tried to clear my head but once again it clouded. I felt my legs give out from under me but instead of losing consciousness like I was expecting to, everything came clear again. Brax, Alyshia and Lionel were missing though; the stable floor and walls were no longer rusty they were shiny clean like my own stable. I looked around and called out “Brax? Alyshia? Anypony? Where are you?”

I saw ponies, familiar ponies walking through the corridor. I felt confused. So was this stable actually operational? The sounds of pony voices filled the corridors, the lights were buzzing over my head. I felt at home again.

“Amethyst!” called a very familiar voice.

I turned to see a green unicorn galloping towards me “Berry!” I screamed, I galloped to her and we embraced, however just as we did my vision went all cloudy again and I found Brax shaking me.

“Amethyst, what the fuck?” Brax growled.

“Brax” I shouted, “What’s going on?”

“Oh thank-“he started but his voice was drowned out by the white fog smothering my vision again. Everything went all clean and the sounds of ponies filled my ears again. Just as my vision revolved and became clear everything became misty once again and Brax reappeared in front of me.

“Amethyst? Wake up” he shouted into my face, this was followed by my vision going blank accompanied by a feeling of being sucked through an incredibly tight tube, it felt like my head was about to explode, I then lost all feeling.

* ** ** ** *

“Hey Amethyst, you ok?” asked a stallions voice.

I lifted my head from the metallic bench that I was working on; I had fallen asleep at the workbench where a large cleaning bot with five arms lay. “Sorry” I muttered, “Just tired.”

My mentor put a hoof on my shoulder and asked “You want to go home Amethyst? I could get somepony else to finish up for you?”

I shook my head and said “I’ll just finish this and then I’ll go home.”

He pet my shoulder and said “Good girl.” He then left me at the work bench. I flicked through the workbook to the correct page for this make and model. I then levitated the soldering iron and continued to work on repairing this robot. After soldering the new socket for the CPU onto the motherboard I got to my hooves and checked the store cupboard for a new processor. I opened the supply drawer and it was a mess like always. I searched through the multitude of RAM chips, wires, memory chips and many other things but couldn’t find a spare CPU.

“Excuse me sir?” I asked my mentor who was sitting at his computer, “Do we have any spare CPU’s?”

“None in the supply drawer?” he asked looking up at me. I shook my head, “Let’s check in the back room shall we?”

I followed him into the back room which was filled with all the newer stock. He levitated a drawer open and pulled out a new shiny CPU. I took it in my magic and said “thanks.”

I trotted away and when I reached the threshold my mentor said “Amethyst?”

I looked back at him and said “yeah?”

“You’re a good apprentice, you know that right?”

I smiled, “thank you sir.” It was uncommon for me to get praise anywhere, it made me feel good.

He gave a little nod and followed me out the room and went back to his computer. I went back to the work bench to continue my work on repairing the robotic device.

* ** ** ** *

When I was complete my mentor went over my work as always. “Not bad at all Amethyst, just remember to use thinner wiring between the power supply and the motherboard okay? These don’t really use much electricity and this wire is more for the larger bots.” I nodded and made a note in my apprentice log to use thin wire for class C robotics. “You’re good to go Amethyst” he finished.

I nodded and said “thank you sir” and left.

* ** ** ** *

I went to the sweet shop after work as Berry was still working. I entered the little shop and sat on the stool at the counter. Mrs Glutose came into view and spotted me on the stool ready to be served. “Hello deary” she said kindly, “Where’s Berry?”

“She’s still working” I sighed, “Could I please get a large double chocolate sundae?”

“Sure thing dear” she said preparing the ice-cream machine, “You know” she continued, “I still remember when you and Berry used to come in with Berry’s mother when you two were only four.”

I smiled remembering the good days “That was a long time ago” I muttered.

“Not really to this old mare” she replied, “You two have always been inseparable, like two peas in a pod as I always say.”

She placed the sundae on the counter in front of me and I pushed two bits in her direction. She took one and gave me the other back “I’ll give you a discount.”

“Thanks” I said taking a spoon and placing a scoop of chocolaty goodness into my mouth.

“So how’s it going at work?”

“Yeah… I fell asleep” I murmured.

“Deary me” she said, “well, let’s hope my Sundae wakes you up then, with that much sugar I hope so.”

I couldn’t help but to laugh as I stuffed my face with chocolate sundae causing the chocolate to smear into the fur around my muzzle.

Mrs Glutose put some face wipes on the bench. “Thanks” I said wiping my muzzle.

The bell tinkled and Berry walked in. I looked at her and she smiled, “Thought you’d be here.”

I gave a hazy laugh, “How was work?” I inquired.

“The usual” she said.

“The same?” Mrs Glutose asked Berry.

“Just a small for me thanks” Berry said before turning to me. She facehoofed and levitated a face wipe and wiped the side of my mouth, “there much better.”

I blushed and gave a little giggle “Ops I guess I missed some.”

“Work was alright I guess” Berry sighed, “What about you?”

I gave a laugh, “I fell asleep at the work bench.”

Berry looked a little worried, “You didn’t get in trouble did you?”

I shook my head, “Nah my mentor understood, he even said that I was a good apprentice.”

“Ahh, well… That’s good” she replied, “So you got your work all done ok?”

I nodded, “Yeah all finished okay.”

Berry’s sundae arrived in front of her and she took a spoon in her magic and started to eat. Mine was almost gone already. “So… Any plans tonight?” She inquired after she gulped down her first spoon.

I shrugged and said “not really”.

“We’ll… its Friday night, want to stay round my place?” Berry inquired.

I nodded. “I’d love to; I don’t really feel like spending the night by myself to be honest.”

My vision all of a sudden blurred and I reached a forehoof to my temple. “You ok Amethyst?” Berry asked worried.

I nodded “Dunno, just a headache I guess.”

* ** ** ** *

When we got round to Berry’s place we decided we would play some games on the computers, I’d never been too much of a gamer but I always enjoyed the odd game here and there, some of the colts in maintenance played hardcore co-op games over the Stable LAN. Some of the mares there played too but every time I tried I got beaten.

“What game do you want to play?” Berry asked of me. “Not sure” I said, “Anything you want.”

“D3?” Berry inquired.

“I’m stuck” I laughed, “and I’m out of gold.”

At that point everything went all hazy again; I heard a distant voice calling my name. It was so very distant that it was less of a whisper. “You sure you’re ok Amethyst?” Berry asked of me.

“I just heard a voice calling my name” I told her.

“Did you get any sleep last night?” She inquired, “or did you stay up all night reading?”

I blushed. “I went to sleep at two am” I told her guiltily.

She sighed “You need to sleep more Amethyst; anyway do you want to-?”

My vision faded into pure white as if I was about to pass out, I heard my name again but it was a lot louder this time, I then heard Berry call my name too. Everything then went back to normal again.

“Amethyst maybe you should go to the clinic?” Berry advised, “You look horrible.”

I shook my head and said “No. I’ll be fine.”

“Maybe we shouldn’t be playing video games then if you’re feeling like this?” Berry suggested, “Let’s do makeovers instead?”

I nodded in agreement; I didn’t really feel like playing games anyway.

* ** ** ** *

“So anyway you gonna ask her out?” Berry mentioned while she was straitening my mane with her mane straightener.

“I dunno” I said, “She’s pretty but I’m not sure she’s really my type y’know, anyway I doubt she likes mares.”

“It can’t hurt to ask really thought can it” Berry continued, “The worst she can say is no.”

“Yeah I know” I mumbled, “It’s just that… Rejection hurts.”

“Of course it does Amethyst, I’ve been rejected loads of times but you can’t really find happiness with somepony you love without trying.”

I nodded; Berry always had a way with words. “Yeah I know” I finished.

Without warning everything went bright white again but even more so. Berry’s voice drowned out and I saw a purple pony through mists of my vision yelling my name. I didn’t know what was going on, everything swirled, as if through bad reception I heard Berry ask “Amethyst are you ok?”

However the purple pony was clearer. I felt something brush my face but I couldn’t really feel it properly. “Amethyst” she boomed.

“What” I screamed, “get out of my head” I held my hooves to my ears trying to block it out but it didn’t help in the slightest. I felt my heard spin, it span so fast that I felt my stomach contract and vomited into the unknown white mist. “Berry” I screamed, “Help me, take me to the clinic… please.”

Finally I passed out.

* ** ** ** *

I felt myself become aware; I felt a warm body next to mine. I jerked awake concerned that I was in the same bed as Berry. I awoke to not to the ceiling of Berry’s room but one of that which was rocky. I looked down at Berry and it wasn’t Berry at all, she was some random purple unicorn. Nearby were three other ponies; one was a pure white albino pegasus mare, the other two were earth pony stallions, one young and one old. I couldn’t help but scream.

All the ponies around me jerked awake. I jumped to my hooves and backed up against the cave wall looking for a way out. “Who are you ponies” I said in a scared voice “Where am I?”

“Amethyst” they all shouted out in shock. The purple unicorn pounced on me and gave me a hug. I prised her off with surprising strength which I did not know I had. “Get off me” I screamed, “Who are you all? Where am I?”

“Amethyst” the purple pony mentioned, “are you ok?”

“How do you know my name?” I asked trembling; I felt fear grip my heart. “Where am I?” I repeated.

All the other ponies looked at each other confused, “Amethyst we’re your friends” the purple unicorn said, “Midnight, Alyshia, Brax and Lionel… Don’t you remember?”

“Remember?” I stammered, “I remember enough that I only have one friend. Her name is Berry. Where is she? And why am I not in my stable?”

The purple pony who said her name was Alyshia came closer, “Amethyst you left your stable a number of weeks ago.”

“What?” I barked, “No I didn’t, why would I do that?”

“To find a water talisman” the pretty white pegasus said matter-of-factly.

“Why would I be looking for a water talisman?” I asked rudely, “You’re all mad… The lot of you.”

The purple pony looked sympathetic even motherly but I refused to accept this madness. The white pegasus landed next to me and asked “What day is it today?”

“Saturday morning” I replied.

She facehoofed, “It’s Monday evening” she said as if she was talking to an idiot.

It was my turn to laugh “No it isn’t.”

“Check your pipbuck then” said that elderly grey stallion.

I checked my pipbuck and it was indeed a Monday and it was indeed night time. I checked the date and shouted out “Sweet mother of Celestia, it’s almost January already!?”

“You see Amethyst” Alyshia said kindly, “you’re our friend; you left your stable a while ago.”

I stared at her, I still had no idea who she was “I’m sorry but I still don’t know who you are” I said sadly.

Alyshia looked like she was about to cry, “Amethyst” she said on the verge of tears, “Your from stable eighty six, you’re a fillyfooler-“

Lionel cut in “Amethyst’s a fillyfooler?”

Alyshia gave him a stern look but she continued “I met you in New Saddle; you saved me from some raiders and mended my leg. You were poisoned by a radscorpian, you were saved by Midnight when you were attacked, and you helped an entire town.”

I looked down at my own forehooves and yet still refused it, but Alyshia still hadn’t given up, “You’re a lovely pony Amethyst and you are a bright little sunshine when you put your heart to it even when you can be a depressed mess from time to time.” She pulled out a little glass spun ball and shoved it under my muzzle “Your true heart’s desire is love with the pegasus before you Amethyst” she said desperately. I saw the pegasus shift uneasily and the younger earth pony looked exasperated. I peered into the orb and I saw the same pegasus and I falling in love with each other.

“I don’t-“I began but I couldn’t say it, everything made sense but nothing could be drawn from my memories. “Alyshia?” I finally managed to say.

“Yes hon?” she asked with a little smile on her face.

“I believe you” I gasped, “It makes sense, but I still don’t remember.” I felt tears building in my eyes, I felt even more trapped now. Alyshia pulled me into a hug and held my head to her breast, somehow this felt familiar but still nothing could be brought from my memories. I cried into her breast silently, “I c-can’t remember” I murmured.

* ** ** ** *

All through the afternoon my apparent friends went over many of the things that we had shared together since I left the stable in a bid for my memory to return. They said that they believed that some kind of gas in the stable in this very cavern was what caused it.

“Do you remember Amethyst?” Midnight piped up.

“I don’t know” I said uncertainly, I raked my brains to try and remember things but everything was still very hazy. Familiar feelings kept crossing my mind as if in Deja Vu but nothing I could form into solid memories of the ponies around me.

Alyshia moved forwards and said nervously “I think I should try a spell, although it’s risky.”

“You have a spell to give my memory back?” I asked bemused.

“Well, kind of, it’s more to fix short term memory loss after severe concussion” she replied. “I’ve never cast it before” she admitted “I’m not really sure what would happen if I were to get it wrong.”

I nodded then said “what are you waiting for?”

Alyshia shifted nervously and said “You’ll probably pass out though.”

I nodded and told her “Do it please.”

She nodded and gave a small sigh before asking “Can you please lay down for me?”

I laid down as requested. “How’s this?” I asked when I laid on my side.

“I’ll need you to lie on your back dear” Alyshia said kindly.

“Oh.” I turned onto my back with my hindlegs together and my forehooves raised to my muzzle. I caught the smell of urine waft into my nose and I gagged.

Alyshia then stood over me and for some reason this aroused me. “Hawt” I said with a little giggle looking up to the older mare.

She scowled and raised a hoof to her face but it was Midnight who commented “at least we know she hasn’t changed.”

“This is true” said the grey stallion in a low grumble.

“Here goes then” Alyshia said in a worried tone and with that her horn flashed white and everything went all foggy before going black.

* ** ** ** *

I awoke feeling more whole but with the worst headache, one of which rivalled the one in the MAS building. I opened my eyes and saw a purple pony above me, she looked worried. “Amethyst?” she gasped.

“My head hurts” I moaned reaching a forehoof to my temple.

“How do you feel?” Alyshia inquired urgently.

“My head hurts” I repeated.

“Yeah but do you remember anything?” Brax asked impatiently.

“Uhh” I stammered.

“What happened to Midnight at the MAS Tower?” Alyshia asked of me.

“Uhhm” I put a forehoof to my chin and racked my brains for the right memory. “She broke her wing didn’t she?” I asked remembering.

Alyshia gave a huge sigh of relief “Thank Celestia” she sighed wiping her forehead with her front hoof. Alyshia then levitated my canteen over and pushed it into my hooves; I sat up and took a draught of water.

I gave a sigh and levitated my canteen to my side and placed it onto the rocky ground. A sudden thought entered my head “What happened in the stable?” I asked “did we get the water talisman?”

It was Brax who answered “Uhmm… You all went crazy. Alyshia, you, Lionel and Midnight.”

“Why?” I asked but I was met with stares so I shut my muzzle and let Brax continue.

“Alyshia was talking about random stuff, you kept blabbering about Berry, asking somepony out and your stable work, Lionel just drooled and Midnight passed out in the bathroom. But it wasn’t only Midnight who passed out, you all did after a while and I remained unaffected, that’s why I could only guess that it was some kind of gas in the stable that had done it. Anyway I bought you all back here and got Alyshia to wake up first. To begin with she was very confused but she came round well enough. I then left her to wake the rest of you and I went back inside.”

“And?” I blurted out unable to contain myself. This had earned a hoof in the mouth from Alyshia.

Brax grimaced and from the look on his face I knew he didn’t have it “I’m sorry Amethyst but this stable did have a water talisman but it had been exposed to some kind of acid that had destroyed it.”

He passed over a milky white and cracked sapphire; the remnants of the casing were fused to the gem. ”Damn” I muttered feeling disappointed while holding the sapphire in my hooves. I put it in my saddlebags with the robotic device that I forgot I had and the other broken water talisman. I put a hoof to my temple again as my headache throbbed, things still didn’t seem that clear and even now I was forgetting what Brax had told me.

“I think we should all head back to sleep then?” Alyshia yawned.

I nodded and right where I was sitting I laid back down on my stomach, my hind legs splayed behind me. I noticed that my socks were giving off the smell of urine, why was I even wearing these? I thought to myself. I magically pulled my left sock off, the cold air biting my foreleg and then removed the right sock and bandages covering this leg. I didn’t really remember why I had bandages on; it wasn’t until I saw three cuts and a bite mark on my leg that I remembered. I quickly re-wrapped my leg in the bandages and put my socks back on.

I noticed that everypony had gone to sleep, so I did the same.

* ** ** ** *

The following morning we left the stable and galloped to the edge of the everfree forest to avoid the horrible things that inhabit it. Thankfully we didn’t have to enter Ponyville to get through to stable two which was our next target.

“How’s yer memory at the moment?” Lionel inquired of me as we walked onto an old apple farm, the decaying wooden sign read in heavily faded letters ‘Sweet Apple Acres.’ I looked back at him and noticed that the stallion was looking at my hindquarters but I ignored this.

“Bit hazy still” I mentioned “I can remember okay I just have to think about it a bit that’s all.”

“That’s good” Alyshia said heavily, she was clearly exhausted from the walking today.

“My pipbuck thinks stable two is next to the barn on top of that hill” I said pointing a socked hoof at the barn. The apple trees on the farm had no leaves no doubt due to the fact that it was winter and the radiation that lingered in the soil. A few disgusting, diseased looking apples still hung from a few trees. Snow covered the farm lightly, an old rusted plough rested nearby no doubt never used for nearly two centuries.

“Thank Celestia” Alyshia panted.

“You want to rest first?” I asked her.

“N-No I’ll be fine” she gasped.

I felt a little tired but all this walking around lately had made me a lot fitter than I had ever been in my life.

After a few minutes we reached the old barn at the top of the hill which had a view of Ponyville, I could see a windmill blowing in the wind which was shaking heavily as it was missing a blade.

Alyshia gasped and finally said “okay, can we have a rest?”

I nodded, my own hooves were quite sore too and I needed to rest so I sat next to a large barrel that was next to the barn and gave out a huge sigh. “Tired too huh?” Alyshia gasped.

I nodded and placed a hoof on the barrel, it was then I felt something large and cold hit the side my face followed by two howls of laughter nearby. Midnight or Lionel had thrown a snowball at me. I wiped my face and scowled in their direction.

“Hey Amethyst?” Brax began but at that point another larger snowball hit me in the side of the face again. This one had actually hurt, it was Lionel. Fuming I magically scooped up a snowball almost as large as his head and ran my hooves over it to melt the outer surface; I turned around and faced Midnight and Lionel. I slid into SATS and threw the hardened snowball as hard as I could at Lionels head.

WHACK

It nearly knocked him out. “Fuck you Lionel” I roared.

I had to admit that did make me feel better, I’d wanted to do that since I met the stallion.

* ** ** ** *

We found the entrance to stable two well enough. It was in fake cellar and like the stables before it had a cave that led to the stable door. This cave however was very ominous. It was littered with pony skeletons, some of those whose hooves were cracked or split.

My pipbuck gave a soft beep but I ignored it, “How’re we gonna get inta this one” Lionel asked quietly.

“Not sure” I replied. I moved up to the control panel at the door, I noticed a camera mounted in the ceiling was following me around. I bought up the consol of door control device. It requested for a password, unlike the last stable this one didn’t have any slots for my pipbuck so I couldn’t hack into it.

I checked my pipbuck and noticed it had bought up a new radio station labelled “Stable two radio.”

I allowed it to play, the reception was not the best but that would be because we had a twelve inch steel door separating us from the inside.

“-and remember fillies and gentlecolts that our very own Velvet Remedy will be playing live in the atrium at ten thirty tonight, the curfew is lifted for this event. Now please enjoy a piece that you will be expecting tonight. This is your overmare speaking. Thank You.”

A song then began ,a song that rivalled the beauty of a Sweetie Belle song. How long it went for I don’t know, I just listened and allowed the song to tug at my heart. What was more was that it was a song I had never heard before.

It finally ended with a high note; I then turned my radio off. “Amethyst what now?” Lionel asked.

“This stable still has ponies in it” I told him, “on to stable three.”

We left the cave through the fake cellar door. Red lights lit my EFS and next thing I knew I was being tackled into the ground by something unknown. I felt adrenaline surge through my body. “Get off me” I yelled through a mouthful of snow struggling in vain to break its claw like grip.

“Got her” my captor yelled, “then let’s get out of here” another yelled.

“No Amethyst” I heard Alyshia yell.

Rtaatttaata

BANG

“Let ‘er go ya big pigeon.”

BANG

I felt a claw grab me around my neck and l finally got a view of what I had missed. A griffon laid nearby dead, another two griffons were pointing shotguns at my companions, Lionel had been shot and Alyshia had a cut below her eye. I felt a gun barrel press to the side of my head, “Try anything and I’ll blow her brains out.”

My hind legs were dangling in mid-air as the griffon had me held a foot off the ground, the muscles and tendons in my back stretched and pain seared around my throat.

I let off a whimper and the gun was pushed harder against my head “shut up pony” he growled.

“What do you want with Amethyst?” Alyshia yelled.

“None of your business bitch” one of the other griffons barked.

I felt the Griffon tighten his grip and my breathing became strained as he squeezed my windpipe. I didn’t know what the griffons were waiting for, that was until.

“Good” stated the one of the other griffons,” now hand over all of your caps.”

It seemed that they were intent on robbing my friends before taking me away, however the claw around my neck was digging into my skin and with the pressure applied I would suffocate if I didn’t do anything. The griffon holding me did not seem to be paying any attention to me as he barked at Alyshia who was putting the caps in one by one “Just put the fucking caps in the bag you purple slut we haven’t got all day.”

Alyshia dumped her whole bag in the griffon’s bag and backed away looking hurt. I seized my advantage.

My horn flared and in one swift and powerful move I pulled the gun from the griffon’s grasp and activated my shield. The shield caught the griffon’s body and with a yell he released me of his grasp. I fell to the bottom of my shield which hung in midair as it was still being held above the ground by the griffon that was now partially inside my shield. Blood began to foam as the shield spell cut into the griffon in an attempt to become complete.

The griffon that had me screamed in pain, his companions opened fire on me and that left them vulnerable to my companions. A double green laser struck one griffon who turned to green ash before my very eyes and Midnight struck down the other griffon with ease. My shield collapsed and I fell into the snow on the ground with a dull thump.

I then shot the griffon with his own gun. I took note of his barding which my shield had cut through, blood still oozing from the large wound.

I noticed that these goons wore the same black barding as the goons that attacked us in New Saddle. This time however I noticed that their barding had a symbol emblazed on their chest. The symbol was a white X with the small o in the centre of the X; this was coupled with a single red vertical line that ran through the centre.

“Are these Xen-whats-his-name’s goons?” I asked.

“Yeah” Brax growled, “Stupid idiots.”

* ** ** ** *

“So anyways, ah moved from Old Appleoosa ta new Appleoosa when I was a bite sized colt cuz the slavers took over tha town.” Lionel was going over his history to Midnight who listened intently, no pony else was talking so I just eavesdropped on their conversation. “Mah mum was lookin’ after me and mah sis. Mah father worked the train between New Appleoosa and Old Appleoosa.”

“How old is your sister?” Midnight asked.

“She’s eighteen now, she’s two years younger‘n me. Wha’ bout your family?”

“Only foal” Midnight said casually.

“Ya parents?”

“I-I don’t really want to go over that” Midnight sighed.

“Suit yerself” Lionel said. “What bout you Amethyst?”

“Only foal too” I muttered, “Dads dead, Mums useless, all you need to know.”

“So why’re ya a fillyfooler anywho?” he asked curiously, “Ah dunno why ponies go like tha’ ya see, kinda lifestyle ah jus’ don’t get ya know.”

I felt anger bite my insides at what he said but I maintained my cool, he was probably just ignorant. “Being lesbian or gay isn’t a lifestyle choice” I told him simply, “I was born like it; I wasn’t given a choice.”

“Well ah think ya missin’ out, ya’ll a good lookin’ mare Amethyst. Ya got a cute ass too.”

Midnight snorted and I blushed, I still didn’t have my flanker on.

“Well Midnight ah dunno bout you mares bu’ y’know checkin’ out mares is wha’ we do y’know and ta be hones’ we have three foxy mares righ’ here. Ya agree Brax?”

“Yeah” he murmured.

“I thought I told you to stop looking at my butt” I said seriously.

“Dunno Amethyst, ya’ll probably git checked out by lot’s of stallions an’ ya don’t even know it” he laughed.

“Only because they want under my tail” I said scathingly.

“Yeah we-“ he began but I was done with this conversation.

“Where are we actually going?” I said loudly as we were just walking in some random direction.

Lionel sidled over to me very dramatically and put a hoof around my neck, he then pointed his other hoof at a large mountain in the distance, one of which penetrated the clouds. “There” he said dramatically.

Midnight laughed at him but I scowled “You’re not serious are you?”

“Ah’m dead serious” he laughed, “Stable three is up there?”

“How in the hay do you know that?” Alyshia barked, “Have you been up there?”

“No but-“ he began but once again I cut him off.

“Then how do you know?” I asked.

“Ah’ve lived here mah ‘ole life” he replied, “Ah hear things.”

I checked my pipbuck not believing a word he was saying. I found the stable icon and it was indeed in the middle of a mountain.

“It is” I gasped, “Is it on the top or is it on the bottom.”

“Ahm a say it’s up tha’ top” Lionel said confidently, “Ah’ve been round tha’ mountain an’ ah ain’t seen no stable.”

“It might not be at the top” Brax announced. He had been so quite I had almost forgotten he was there, “It might be half way up or even underground.”

“Maybe” I mumbled.

“Tha’ mountain has snow on it even in tha’ summer time” Lionel said, “Ah dunno if we can climb it.”

“Sure we can” I replied.

“It goes above the clouds” Midnight stated in a scared voice.

* ** ** ** *

After some debate it was decided that we would climb the mountain and hope my pipbuck gave some kind of indication to where the stable might be.

I had fallen slightly behind my companions and Midnight had landed wanting to rest her wings, this gave me a fairly good view of her hind quarters. I really liked the way her silvery tail would swish as she walked.

“She’s has a cute ass tha’ one” Lionel said smirking at me. I coughed and looked at him reproachfully.

“Who does?” I asked covering myself.

“Midnigh’ o’ course” he muttered trying to not let his voice carry, “Ahm enjoyin’ the view.”

I scowled. “Do you not have any standards?” I growled.

He grinned “course ah do, bu’ dats one fine flank, I’d totally do her.”

I felt flame bite my stomach and for a second I wanted to attack him, he was talking dirty about my special somepony but instead I said nothing.

I trotted faster and caught up to Alyshia before looking up at the mountain we were approaching. “Hey Amethyst” she said smiling.

“Hey” I said dully.

“What’s up?” she asked softly.

“Nothing” I murmured.

“Amethyst really?” Alyshia shot.

My ears perked back “I just- It feels like Lionel is trying to take Midnight from me” I muttered.

I looked back and Midnight had dropped back so she could talk to him, I then looked at the snowy ground and felt myself feel sick.

“Alyshia I love Midnight” I whispered, “I don’t want to lose her to some sleazy colt that won’t look after her.”

“They seem like just friends to me” Alyshia said pointedly, “anyway Amethyst; you need to watch yourself.”

“What do you mean?” I asked timidly.

“If you start playing the jealousy card you might scare her away” Alyshia said quietly.

“I’m not jealous” I muttered.

“I know Amethyst I’m just warning you that’s all.”

“Alyshia can I ask you something else?” I murmured.

“Sure you can dear.”

“When was the last time you dated?” I asked feeling myself blush slightly from awkwardness.

“About three years ago” she replied, “he broke my heart like the stallions before him.” Alyshia sighed and continued “I’m not cut out for love; I don’t think I could have my heart broken again.”

“What do you do about-?” I whispered thinking I was taking the conversation too far into personal waters.

“About what dear?”

I laughed. “You don’t have to answer but…” I waved my hoof and pointed it down.

Alyshia just looked confused.

I blushed and muttered “never mind” thinking that Alyshia probably wouldn’t want me knowing such private information.

* ** ** ** *

We reached the foot of the mountain by late afternoon, no caves were to be found so it looked like we were sleeping out in the open. The place we decided to stay was near a creek that flowed nearby which was wooded with sickly trees, some of which had yellowing leaves.

“So we’re just going to sleep out in the open” I protested not wanting to do this at all.

“Yeah” Brax growled, “We are.”

“Nah we’re not” Lionel said jubilantly.

“What do you mean by that?” I asked annoyed.

“This” he said happily holding what appeared to be a small box that would hardly be large enough to fit a can of sprouts inside.

“Yeah I’m really going to fit inside that” I said sarcastically kicking snow out with my hind hoof with annoyance.

“Nah” he laughed, he then threw the box onto the ground and before our eyes a canvas like thing assembled itself, as it did so we all had to back away from it as it grew, and grew and grew. Eventually it was the size of a small train cart.

“Genius” Midnight laughed.

Alyshia smiled and clapped her hooves.

“What is it?” I asked curiously.

“It’s a tent o’ course” Lionel said happily, “Ah’ve had this one a few years bu’ it’s mighty comfy.”

“Whats a tent?” I asked stupidly.

“Look inside” Lionel replied, he opened the tent with the zip and I stepped inside. It was a sizable and comfortable home, it was larger than Brax’s place and it even had beds with foam mattresses and pillows.

“Oh Sweet Celestia” I moaned happily, “You have no idea how much I miss mattresses and pillows.”

“We last slept on mattresses and pillows in New Appleoosa” Midnight stated, “That was only a few nights ago.”

I turned to her and smiled, “I’m from a stable remember? I slept on a soft mattress and pillows for like… ever. Or have you forgotten I’m a stable filly?”

Midnight scowled then laughed “I thought you hated being called a stable filly.”

It was my turn to scowl “I do, I’m just saying - never mind.”

Midnight just totally burnt me to cinders with that. “It’s all good Amethyst” she said. Midnight then gave me a one hoofed hug which filled my nose with her beautiful and paralysing aroma; it made me forget about everything but her. If only I could bottle a cup of Midnight’s sweet aroma I thought privately.

Footnote: level up

New Perk: Shield Barrier – Your shield spell can now absorb 20% more damage and will no longer collapse when a living organism obstructs it from becoming whole.

Chapter 16pt1: Mountain Full of Jealousy

Chapter 16pt1: Mountain Full Of Jealousy

By the time evening set in, Midnight and Lionel had lit a fire that we were all sitting around. Lionel had a cooking pot and was preparing something “Special.” I personally would like some food that didn’t come from a can. I was over wasteland food and would gladly eat the boring food back at the stable. Lionel however seemed to have fresh food and I had no clue where he had gotten it, not that I had asked him anyway.

“So Amethyst?” Brax asked, “Where to if this stable has no water talisman?”

“I haven’t thought that far ahead yet” I replied coldly. I saw Brax scowl at my answer. “I’ll know where to go once we have finished this stable first” I finished.

Lionel sipped the soup he was making, “S’almos’ ready” he said happily, “Probably needs just a few more minutes.”

Alyshia assisted him with preparing to serve while Brax, myself and Midnight remained by the fire.

“How’s your memory now Amethyst?” Midnight inquired softly.

“It’s pretty much back to normal” I replied with a sigh. I was exhausted after such a long walk and all I wanted was to eat then go to bed.

“You okay? You seem down” she said looking concerned.

I looked into the pretty pegasi’s face and felt my face burn. “I’m ok” I lied, “I’m just exhausted from today that’s all.” I felt the cold night air blow softly across my face and with it wafted Midnight’s scent. I breathed it in slowly and exhaled through the mouth.

“You sure you’re ok?” Midnight asked again, “Maybe you should go to bed?”

I snapped out of my reverie and shook my head “N-No I’m fine, really.”

* ** ** ** *

Once Lionel and Alyshia had filled our bowls with soup I levitated my spoon and began to eat. It was surprisingly good if only slightly vinegary but it was much better than the food I had been eating.

“Where did you get the fresh food?” I asked curiously as I put some kind of white flesh like plant thing in my mouth. It was soft and it broke away in my mouth.

“It ain’t really fresh, more like preserved in vinegar” Lionel replied. “The radigator is fresh though and the cold air keeps it cool at this time of the year.”

Alyshia gagged and spat out a white fleshy thing that I took to be some kind of plant. “You could have told me this had meat in it” Alyshia spat at Lionel.

“What?” I babbled, “Isn’t meat tough and salty?”

“That’s radhog Amethyst, radigator is more soft and tender” Midnight told me.

I gagged too and pushed my bowl away feeling queasy, “I think I’m done too actually” I mumbled placing my bowl next to me.

“Aww come on, that’s good food you fillies are wasting” Lionel moaned. “Ah spent a lot o’ time cookin’ that.”

“Well Lionel, Amethyst and I don’t eat meat, we’re ponies not griffons” Alyshia stated impatiently. “Thanks for ruining my appetite Lionel, now if you don’t mind I am going to bed.”

“Fuck” Lionel whispered under his breath.

Brax leaned over and asked quietly “You done with that?” He pointed a hoof at my bowl.

I nodded and he grabbed my food and ate it. Alyshia’s left over food was then consumed by Lionel.

“You two are pigs you know that” Midnight stated as they ate the leftovers.

Brax and Lionel looked at each other and shrugged, I facehoofed.

“Well I’m going to bed” Midnight sighed and with a flap of her wings she flew into the tent. I glanced at where she was sitting and spotted a single white feather she had left behind. I levitated the feather to me as both Brax and Lionel agreed it was time to go to bed as well. This left me by the fire all by myself. The feather still in my levitation field I raised it to my muzzle. I sniffed the feather. It still had Midnights scent on it, the smell was amazing but this left me feeling like some kind of creeper.

“What kind of pony sniffs discarded feathers” I mumbled to myself, “I’m so fucked up.” I dropped the feather to the ground and sighed before looking into the fire thinking about Midnight. Her touch, her smell, her everything made my mind jam. I would trade a thousand water talismans for her.

I got up and decided it was time for bed but first I needed to relieve myself. I turned my pipbuck light on then trudged through the snow to the creek nearby and weaved through the wooden trees. The sound of the bubbling water was very peaceful and it was then that I sat down without my bare haunches hitting the snow and listened to the sound of the water, the sound of insects and the rustling of twigs and leaves as the wind blew ever so softly.

I checked my EFS quickly then stood back up and trotted over behind a tree to relieve myself. I had only just finished when I heard a tinny voice say “Amethyst?”

“Fuck” I shouted and I nearly fell over as I came out of my squatting position. “Watcher, I was going to the toilet.”

“Sorry Amethyst, I didn’t see” he stated robotically. “Anyway what are you doing out here by yourself?”

“I was just going to the toilet before bed” I replied heatedly.

“Sorry” he said again. “How are your friends?”

I attempted to say good but it didn’t come and instead I felt tears build.

“Oh no, Amethyst what’s wrong?” Watcher said.

I took two deep breaths and said trying to not cry “Watcher have you ever been in love?”

Watcher took a while to answer but he finally said “Yes I have.”

I told him while still trying to not let tears fall. “Watcher, we have this new pony with us, his name is Lionel and he is weird and whatever but… I feel that he is… He’s trying to take my special somepony from me Watcher.”

“Amethyst I am confused” he said flatly, “This pony is a stallion. Is he gay or-?”

I shook my head trying to make him understand “No Watcher, I’m lesbian and I love Midnight, but he’s wooing her and I can’t, I love her Watcher.”

I walked over to the creek and looked into the water at my reflection; my face was so dusty that I couldn’t tell my natural coat colour was white. “Is she like you too?” Watcher asked.

I looked at the spritebot and sighed. “No.”

“I’m sorry Amethyst” Watcher said robotically. “I was in love, with a pony. She was the most beautiful pony, very caring. She wasn’t romantically in love with me.”

“W-why?” I asked very quietly.

“It doesn’t matter” Watcher said, “It was a very long time ago.”

I looked back at my reflection then closed my eyes. I felt sick, sick that Lionel was going to steal Midnight from me. I felt tears burn around my eyes. “Watcher?” I croaked.

“Yes?” He said clearly unsure what to say.

“Have you met any other mares in the wasteland that like other mares too?” I asked.

“Well, probably. It’s not like anypony parades who they love?” he responded. “I’m sorry Amethyst. I have to go.”

I opened my eyes and nodded looking into the water, my tears leaking down my face and falling into the irradiated creek.

With a pop Watcher cut out and that stupid tuba music started to play.

The spritebot drifted away leaving me next to the creek, the sound of water and the wind filling my ears. I wiped my nose and almost gagged again. I pulled off all four of my socks magically and washed them in the flowing water. When I was done I wrung them and placed them on the clean snow.

I placed my forehooves in the icy water and my pipbuck began to click. I washed my forehooves and rubbed my cuts to ensure they won’t get infected. I then dumped the spent bandage into the river and glanced at my cuts. The first cuts were healed save for thin lines that remained, the bite mark was gone and the single mark I made the other night was scabbed.

I picked up my socks in a levitation field and walked back to the campsite.

* ** ** ** *

When I got back to the tent I left my socks near the fire to dry and went inside the tent. Everypony was asleep. I snuck up to my saddlebags and levitated my knife out and a roll of bandages. Next to my saddlebags was Alyshias saddlebags, her left one emblazoned with the medical cross. I hesitated. I bit my lip and opened her medical saddlebag. Inside contained quite a lot of things; painkillers, buck, antibiotics, Radscorpian Antidote, high strength/waterproof bandages, tampons, five bottles of healing potions and a single extra strength healing potion.

I took a healing potion and closed her bag. I went back outside to the fire and held my right forehoof out and made three cuts. I gasped and tears leaked out of my eyes from a combination of initial pain, relief and grief. Once the pain had subsided I drank the healing potion in a single swig and watched the cuts I made mend. My first cuts vanished completely as did the one I made the other night. The three I just made healed to be just visible beneath my coat.

I then threw the vial and stopper into the fire which gave a soft pop. I then went back inside and collapsed onto my bed feeling guilty. I just wasted a healing potion, something I was completely against.

I rolled onto my stomach and pulled the sheets over myself magically, I then fell away into the darkness of sleep.

* ** ** ** *

Midnight and I were in Midnights room in New Appleoosa, Midnight had said yes after I asked if she wanted to be my marefriend. We had only just returned from dinner.

“That was good” I said smiling.

“I liked how they cooked the apples” Midnight said with a grin, “very soft and tender, much like your tongue.”Midnight attempted to push me onto the bed, my hind hoof catching the hem of my dress which caused me to hit the side instead and I hit the floor. “Ops” she giggled, she then assisted me out of my dress. Midnight picked me up in her hooves and laid me down facing up, she then landed on top of me gently where her muscular yet feminine body pressed against my weaker yet just as white body.

She then pressed her lips to mine. I parted my lips slightly and she slid her tongue inside. I played with her tongue until she subdued it with hers; the taste of sweet apple whiskey filled my mouth while Midnight’s beautiful flowery yet musky scent filled my nose. I felt heat build down below as she kissed me passionately. Midnight broke the kiss and planted a kiss on my neck, her hoof reached down and rubbed my cutie mark causing the heat increase, she planted little kisses around my neck as her hoof trailed from my cutie mark and eventually to my…

I jerked awake and sat up, I went to reach my temple with a hoof but hit the tip my horn instead sending a chill from the tip into my brain. I felt myself deflate as I came to realise it was all but just a dream. It wasn’t me Midnight liked, I knew it yet I still followed her like she was on heat wanting her to hold me and make me feel loved. Somehow I didn’t think it was yet a lost cause. The warmth between my inner flanks ebbed away as I lied back down and closed my eyes. I mouthed the words “I love you Midnight” before falling back asleep.

* ** ** ** *

“Wake up sleepy head” came a voice from afar.

I jerked awake and Alyshia’s lavender face came to view.

I smiled and held my hooves out to indicate I wanted a hug. Alyshia leaned into the hug as she asked “How did you sleep?”

“Alright I s’pose” I replied untruthfully.

When we broke apart Alyshia looked at my forehooves. “I see that you have finally taken your socks off” she observed.

“Yeah they got pretty smelly” I told her. “I washed them in the creek last night.”

“Okay, that’s good” she said. “We might wash your flanker for you too before we go.”

I nodded wanting to get into the warm flanker, I personally didn’t like having a freezing ass all the time.

“Well then up you get hon, we need to get ready to go” Alyshia said backing away so I could get up out of bed.

I followed her out of the tent to where the fire had been restarted. Brax was breaking up some wood and Midnight and Lionel were sitting together next to the fire. I felt my heart clench and anger flare at the sight of him sitting next to my fillyfriend.

“You ok Amethyst?” Midnight asked, “You look horrible.”

I rearranged my facial expression and smiled a fake smile. “Yeah I’m great” I replied.

Midnight smiled and nodded before looking back into the fire. “Want to go for a walk?” Alyshia asked.

I nodded and Alyshia and I trudged through the snow towards the creek nearby, Alyshia filled her canteen with water and said “I will be boiling this.”

I nodded knowing what would happen if she was to drink the water. Alyshia then pulled out my flanker from her saddlebags and washed it. I sat on a rock nearby and watched. “Amethyst?” Alyshia asked.

“Yeah?”

Alyshia looked over her shoulder to look at me. “What were you doing last night? I mean you were gone way too long to just wash four socks.”

“I bumped into Watcher” I advised her, “when I was going for a pee. Did you hear me get back?”

“No I fell asleep before you did. What did you two talk about?” she asked.

“Not much really, just… About love” I finished.

Alyshia sighed and looked into the water, “Amethyst?”

“Yes?”

“Why don’t you look for some other mare other than Midnight?” Alyshia asked me.

I shot her an offended look but answered the question “I love her Alyshia, I don’t love any other pony.”

“Fair enough” she replied as she wrung my flanker dry, “Just don’t be surprised if she never returns your feelings.”

I looked down into the snow; will she ever share my feelings?

Alyshia then dried my flanker magically and passed it over for me to get into. Once it was back on it felt relieving to not have a cold ass anymore. As we walked back I asked the question “Alyshia?”

“Yes darling?”

I looked up into her face which was filled with attention “If you don’t like stallions anymore and you don’t like mares either, does that make you A-Sexual?”

Alyshia blinked then said “I guess maybe? I mean technically I still find stallions attractive, although I never want to be with one and my standards are not reduced to needing to have sex while not within a relationship. Why do you ask?”

“Merely curious” I replied, “You’re a pretty pony.”

“Thank you Amethyst” Alyshia said with a smile.

* ** ** ** *

Once Alyshia and I were back; Midnight, Lionel and Brax had already packed everything up and the tent was no doubt back inside its tiny box can thing.

“Wha’ took you two?” Lionel asked when we joined them. “Havin’ a rump in tha bushes ‘ey Amethyst?” he said so only I could hear.

“No” I mumbled, “Fucking sleazy asshole” I said under my breath.

“Ready to go then?” Brax growled. “If we don’t get going soon it’ll be dark before we get to the top.”

“Yes, we’re going” I said impatiently, “Lionel… Just lead the way.”

“Righ’ you are lil’ miss” he said confidently as he adjusted his bandanna.

“Just need to boil my water” Alyshia said, “then we can go.”

* ** ** ** *

It didn’t take long and we were traversing up the relatively steep mountain. I didn’t dare look up; my Agoraphobia would surely cause me to pass out.

As we ascended the mountain the snow became thicker and deeper and the path that lead up the mountain became thinner and more treacherous.

“Fuck” Brax growled as he slipped on hard snow, “I better not fucking fall.”

“You won’t I” I said casually, “and if you do I’ll catch you.” I could tell Brax was having the most difficulty traversing up the thin path; his large build coupled with his heavy armour seemed to put him at a disadvantage.

“Right” he growled, “I’ll keep that in mind and if I fall to my death it’s your fault.”

“Okay” I laughed. At that point a snow flake drifted and landed on my nose. “Hey it’s starting to snow” I said happily noticing more snowflakes drifting from the sky.

“Not a good thing” Lionel said seriously, “Keep moving no resting.”

“Okay” I said flatly.

* ** ** ** *

By the time we were roughly half way up the mountain the snow was falling thick and fast, yet there was not a breath of wind. I was exhausted, as was Alyshia. “C-Can we stop?” I gasped.

“No” Lionel said seriously, “If the weather turns we could die, keep moving.”

“Okay” I gasped. I looked at Alyshia and her face was sagging and she was gasping. It must have been the thin air and our lack of fitness that was causing our exhaustion. Lionel seemed intent on getting to the top of the mountain as soon as possible and hardly looked tired at all and Midnight just used her wings and therefore didn’t need to walk. Thirsty, I levitated my canteen and tipped it into my mouth, a few drops of cold water landed on my tongue but nothing else came out. “Hey what gives” I growled at my canteen. I shook the canteen and nothing. I looked inside and my water had frozen. My ears tilted back disappointed.

“H-Have some of m-mine” Alyshia gasped. Her purple field of magic grasped an object underneath her barding, my field of magic took the bottle as Alyshia’s horn went out and I tipped the water into my mouth. The water was warm from Alyshia’s body heat. I only drank a little so she didn’t run out and passed it back.

“Thank You Alyshia” I gasped, “You’re awesome.”

“N-no problem darling.” She put her water bottle back beneath her barding and wiped her nose with a hoof.

* ** ** ** *

“Not good” Lionel said in a raised voice as the wind began to pick up, “Amethyst is there a cave nearby?”

I brought up my map and looked. There was nothing to suggest that a cave of some sort was on the mountain. I highly doubted that stabletec would bother with placing icons of random caves on their pipbucks.

“Can’t tell” I said in a raised tone.

“Why not?” He snapped.

I facehoofed but didn’t bother to answer his question.

“Well?” Lionel insisted.

It was my turn to snap. “Do I look like the head of stabletec to you? I thought you knew what you were doing.”

Lionel whinnied but said nothing.

“Sooner he’s gone the better” I said to Alyshia in an undertone.

“I don’t really like him either Amethyst but you could at least try to get along with him” Alyshia suggested.

“Yeah, when hell freezes over maybe” I mumbled savagely. I glanced at the hindquarters of Lionel hating him. I could just grab his tail in a field of magic and push him slightly and off the mountain he goes, then I never need to worry about him again. I suddenly realised what I was thinking and scolded myself. That’s madness, I couldn’t do that.

* ** ** ** *

I wanted to find shelter now; the wind was howling and made the walking all the more treacherous. Midnight had to land to avoid being blow away and we could no longer converse over the howling of the wind. I was cold, numb and my nose was now leaking, my eyes were also fogging up so often that my eyes were closed longer than they were open to blink away the fog.

I saw the path open up ahead and hoped that we could possibly set up Lionel’s tent and wait until the weather cleared. When the path opened up Lionel and Midnight stopped. I took a quick glance behind me, Alyshia was standing at my rear and Brax was still catching up, clearly the mountain was taking its toll on the elderly stallion. Lionel pointed a hoof at a cave, it was dark inside and completely void of any snow. We walked inside and the air was thick yet rather warm, the cave also seemed to be making its own low rumbling sound.

“Whats that noise?” Brax said in an almost inaudible low gasp.

“Prolly jus’ the cave” Lionel said. “We’ll wait it out in ‘ere then continue when tha’ weather clears.”

I looked into the deep blackness of the cave and trotted a little deeper inside.

“Amethyst where are you going?” Alyshia barked.

“Taking a look” I said casually. From here I could hear a loud rumbling. I was curious as to what the rumbling was from, it sounded like the cave itself was breathing.

I turned back and before my eyes hundreds, if not thousands of dim purple lights began to pop into view.

“Whoa” I gasped glancing at the purple lights. I turned my pipbuck light on and the purple lights dimmed, replaced by a tower of gems, all kinds of gems; from rubies to diamonds to amethysts.

On top of the pile of gems was a gigantic red monster with leathery wings and a huge tail that ended in bronze coloured spikes. I did a double take. It wasn’t a monster. It was a dragon. If I thought the blastwing was big, then I was wrong.

I took a sharp intake of breath as I fell to my haunches.

The dragon began to stir no doubt dazed by the light of my pipbuck. I decided to turn the light off and hoped to Celestia the dragon didn’t notice that there were five highly edible ponies in its cave.

I ran away from the dragon as fast and as silently as I could. When I reached my companions Alyshia was the first to notice that something was wrong, “Amethyst whatever is the matter? You’re white as a ghost.”

“D-D-Dr-Dr” I couldn’t say it.

“Spit it out” Brax growled.

“D-Dragon” I moaned pointing a hoof into the cave. Right on queue the dragon let off an almighty ROOOOAAAARRRR.

My ears perked back and I fell to my haunches. The dragon had seen us, I’m sure of it.

I saw the mighty dragon approach us, his face looming through the darkness. I remembered Spike from the memory and hoped this dragon was nice like him and not about to eat us.

“What are you ponies doing in my cave” He growled in a very aggressive and very intimidating growl.

“We… We…” I stammered.

“We came into your cave hoping for shelter” Alyshia said bravely, “We don’t mean you any harm mister dragon.”

“No Harm?” the dragon said angrily. “Why was this one snooping near my gems?” he growled pointing a clawed finger the size of my body at me.

“I-I” I couldn’t say anything, I think I had dragonphobia.

“We’re sorry Mr Dragon” Alyshia said, “Amethyst was exploring; we don’t want your gems.”

“Likely story” the dragon said dangerously. “And you just so happen to be climbing this mountain? What are you lot doing this high if you’re not after my gems?”

“We’re on our way to the top” Alyshia said trying to keep the talk peaceful, “We need something from the stable at the very top.”

“Stop making excuses” the dragon growled. “You’re after my gems, everypony who climbs this mountain is after my gems because there is no stable or any settlement that is on this mountain. Ponies have not settled this mountain and there is no population of ponies that inhabit it.”

“We’re not after your gems” I yelled suddenly.

“You pony” he growled, “You made my purple gems glow, you were using magic.”

“I didn’t I swear” I said shaking, “they were already glowing.”

“Do not lie to me” he roared, “my gems do not just glow by themselves, when I caught you and you ran the gems stopped glowing. You used magic, you little thief pony.”

“I didn’t” I pleaded, “Please, we’re not here to hurt you or steal your gems. We’re just ponies, we mean no harm. Please let us go.”

The dragon looked insulted and if anything even more angry. “You see the world out there?” he growled pointing a claw at the cave exit. “You ponies did that, I saw what happened. Your pathetic war killed my children, killed my family. The bombs killed EVERYTHING. Your kind are pathetic, you’re nothing but a virus on this planet that kills everything. You and those striped beasts.”

“We didn’t do that” I said hurt, “that happened two hundred years ago.”

“No… It happened one hundred and ninety seven years ago. I remember it pony, and if you think I’m about to let a group of gem thieves go you have another thing coming.”

The blip on my Pipbuck that was the dragon went from yellow to red.

“Now look here” Midnight began.

“Run!” I yelled as a belch of fire rushed towards us. I grabbed Alyshia and activated my shield spell. The shield took all the fire then collapsed.

“Thanks Amethyst” Alyshia gasped.

“Not now” I yelled, “just run!”

“Oh yes, right.” Alyshia ran out of the cave with me to where Lionel, Midnight and Brax had come to a halt, unsure which way to go. This was not good, the weather had turned and it was quickly turning into a blizzard.

“Up” I yelled over the roar of the wind. We took the path that lead further up the mountain, however this was hardly easy. The path was incredibly thin and difficult to traverse let alone to run.

I turned, perhaps if we went down? This idea was driven from my head as the dragon emerged from his cave. He stretched his humongous red wings and roared, fire belched from his mouth. This dragon was clearly pissed.

I pulled out my sniper rifle and took aim right for the left eyeball. I slid into SATS for a more accurate shot and to give me more time. I then pulled the trigger.

BANG

ROOOAAAAARRRRR

The dragon turns its head to me, its left eye was nothing but a bloody eye socket but it seemed to not daze it at all. Instead I just pissed it off even more.

“Amethyst no point in shooting” Brax yelled from above, “just run.”

The dragon set its sight on me. I turned and ran up the mountain with my companions. I slipped in my haste and almost tumbled off the side, if it wasn’t for my magic I would have fallen off the sheer cliff to the side.

The sound of heavy beating wings filled my ears followed by another ROOOAAAAARRRR. I turned my head towards the sound and the shadow of the dragon was visible through the thick snow fall. The dragon had taken flight and was pursuing us by air.

My companions had gotten away quicker than me and I was starting to lag behind. I slipped and fell into the snow.

ROOOOOAAAAAARRRRR

I glanced at the dragon just in time to see a wall of fire hurtling directly at me. Without thinking I wrapped my field of magic around a large amount of snow and threw it up in front of me. In the blink of an eye I was covered in hot water.

The dragon drew another breath as I heard Alyshia yell “Amethyst!”

I threw my shield up and next moment another surge of fire raced towards me. The shield once again took all the fire, the sweltering heat causing the water on me to evaporate.

The ground that I was now standing on was nothing but rocky mud. I tried to run upwards towards everypony else. However the huge scaly monster landed on the side of the mountain, his back foot blocking the path.

I turn tail and went to run down. Out of nowhere a huge red tail with massive bronze spikes smashed in front of me causing the mountain to quake. The dragon’s tail had caused the path back down the mountain to collapse, trapping me next to the gigantic red lizard.

“Help!” I yelled but nopony called back, the wind was too loud.

I saw the tail pull back and this time aimed for me. I threw my shield knowing it was no good. I prepared for bronze spikes to penetrate my body.

BAAANG… Btttzzzz

The dragon’s tail had struck the shield which sparked and arched purple electricity, the surface rippled heavily and the shield collapsed as the dragon pulled its tail back for another shot. Surprised I threw my shield up again.

BAAANG… Bttzzzz

The shield had once again taken the impact, purple electricity again arched across the impact point. The shield however collapsed again.

The dragon took a third aim, I tried to activate my shield but it didn’t go. I tried again and the shield tried to form but it couldn’t complete. It collapsed as the tail came hurtling towards me. At the last second I wrapped myself in levitation and jumped.

Next moment I had my forelegs wrapped around the dragon’s tail. I was stunned to still be alive that when the dragon pulled his tail back I was thrown onto its scaly back. The dragon had noticed that I was gone; it didn’t however seem to notice that I was on it.

“Amethyst!” Alyshia bellowed from above. I looked up at the mountain braving my vertigo and saw Alyshia about sixty meters above me.

The dragon looked up and saw Alyshia. It spread its wings and launched itself away from the mountain to gain height.

“Alyshia” I roared over the howling of the wind, “Can you pass me some grenades?”

I almost lost my balance as the dragon flapped its massive leather wings to increase its height. I saw two purple glowing balls fly towards me. I grabbed them both in my field of magic. The dragon attempted to take a swipe at Alyshia.

BAAANG

Alyshia had started to throw her grenades at the monster to keep it away from her.

BAAANG

The monster tried to land, however this part of the mountain was too steep and the dragon pushed away. I levitated the grenades and pulled the pins on both. I levitated the grenades and remembering Midnight’s skewered wing I placed the grenades at the dragons right wing joint.

BAAAANG

I felt the dragon tilt heavily to the right as it roared in pain. Unable to grab hold of anything I fell from the dragons back.

Next thing I knew wind was whistling in my ears as I pelted back down the earth. I looked down; all I saw was rocks covered in snow. I threw my levitation field around myself and attempted to stop. I had managed to slow my fall but I was falling much to fast still. I saw a large red something fall nearby. I threw my shield over myself and with a loud smack my shield hit the rocks and I smashed into the bottom of my shield which collapsed instantly.

Pain erupted throughout my entire body, I knew I was dead the moment I hit the ground.

My pipbuck was screaming alerts. I was however was still conscious. My left upper foreleg bone had skewered through the skin upon impact. I couldn’t move my other legs. I assumed they were broken too.

I discovered that I was finding it very difficult to breathe. I coughed and blood sprayed the snow as the copper taste of blood filled my mouth. I knew it. I was fucked and I was going to die. I felt blood starting to pool around my body, all my legs were broken and no doubt at least one lung had collapsed. I just fell over a thousand meters, I was lucky to still be alive.

I looked to my right and the dragon’s body lay nearby. At least I saved my friends. Here I could at least die and go on to where my father was. I started to cry, I didn’t want to die. I wanted to be happy with Midnight. Crying hurt because my ribs were broken, more blood leaked out of my mouth as I cried, a blood bubble grew from my nose and popped. I laid my head on the bloody snow my tears falling, wanting Alyshia to cuddle me and Midnight to kiss me.

My vision began to swirl as I felt myself leaving the world, the world that I hated, however that also meant leaving the ponies I loved behind. I didn’t want to leave the world, I wanted to live and be happy. Happiness was something foreign to me, something that I had never had. I wanted to experience happiness before I died. I wanted to be loved. I always envisioned dying together with my special somepony, as an old mare. Not here on the side of a mountain in a pool of my own blood.

* ** ** ** *

I was in class; maths to be exact and I was sitting in my seat. I would have been twelve. I looked at the fractions we were doing and laughed slightly, the teacher gave us these challenges last week. I would ace this if it were a test but that didn’t worry me, if these appeared in the next test I would need to know them. I levitated my pen and sucked on the end thinking. This one was difficult, I couldn’t really remember.

I felt something soft hit the back of my head. It was a ball of paper, I looked at where it had come from and not at all to my surprise was it Glenda who poked her tongue out at me. I looked at her and rolled my eyes then looked back at my text book. I felt another paper hit my head “What?” I snarled quietly at Glenda.

“Nothing” she giggled.

I looked back down at my book again with my concentration lost. Just as I got my concentration back I felt another ball of paper hit my head. I looked at Glenda again and she was looking at her books “Would you quit it” I whispered at her.

“Amethyst” Berry whispered, “That one was me?”

I turned to face my best friend, “why?” I whispered.

Berry passed me a note which I took in my magic; I then laid it on my text book so the teacher won’t get suspicious. I unwrapped it and it read;

“Do you like me?

Yes

No”

I blinked and looked around the class wondering who the colt was, I then looked to Berry and she pointed at one of the more popular colts in the class.

It was Cosmel, a white colt with a tuft of blond mane that was gelled into a “Cool” style. I looked at him and he waved, I looked at the note again. I never thought anypony wound like me, but I don’t know, he was a nice enough pony I just wasn’t really attracted to him. In fact I thought. I didn’t really find any of the colts in our class attractive.

Berry and I would talk obviously and she said she thought he was cute. I don’t really know what she means by the definition of cute but was it that I was just twelve and I haven’t really matured enough to like colts yet?

“Amethyst are you ok?” the teacher asked, I snapped my textbook shut and shook my head, “I-Sorry miss but I have a head-ache.”

“Do you need to see the nurse?” she asked kindly but I shook my head, “I’ll be ok” I responded, “the class finishes soon anyway right?”

The teacher left me and all I could do was stare at my textbook thinking. He was a nice pony but… I just don’t know, I mean Berry says he had cute flanks but I couldn’t really understand what she means by cute, all my thoughts all ended in the same track, I’m probably too young still to like colts.

When the class ended I approached Berry but Cosmel had come over obviously to see if I had an answer for him. “So?” he asked.

I stammered but held my composure, “I think… I think I need some time to think” I replied. “I’ll slip my answer into you locker tomorrow.” He looked a little disappointed but I will hold my promise to him.

“What the hay?” Berry asked, “Why didn’t you say yes?”

“I dunno” I replied, “I’m not really attracted to him.”

“Not attracted too?” Berry blubbered, “He’s hot” she babbled pointing a hoof at him walking back down the corridor.

Berry looked at me weirdly “You’re not like a fillyfooler or something are you?”

“What?” I said defensively. “I’m not a fillyfooler, that’s gross and I’m offended that you would accuse me of that.”

“Sorry” Berry mumbled, “Well… we had better get onto our shifts then and get them out of the way.

I nodded, Berry and I parted our ways, I headed down to the fourth floor and clocked in. I then looked at my list of jobs, there was only one of them and that was just to wipe all the terminals of data. Reimaging was an easy yet boring job that involved hooking my pipbuck and simply formatting the hard drive of each machine. I found that I was to do this to about forty machines.

I sighed and set to work, my mind on the colt who had asked me out, once again I tried to find something about him that made him attractive but I couldn’t. My mind then went onto what Berry had told me. I can’t be a fillyfoller? There was no way, Mother always told me that two mares or two stallions cannot be together, she called them “Vile’s of slime who live a disgusting way of life.”

I really shouldn’t be listening to what my mother says though; she’s such a negative pony. I plugged my pipbuck into the computer and hit ‘format.’ I then continued thinking as the process of wiping data began.

I thought of the fillies in my class instead, I mean there are some fillies in class who are prett and that could be defined as “cute.” I thought Berry was pretty? Somehow I felt that maybe Berry was right, maybe I was a fillyfooler?

* ** ** ** *

Once my shift was finally over I went around to Berry’s place before I went home for dinner. I knocked on the door and Berry’s cyan coloured father answered the door. “Hi Amethyst, Berry is just up in her room.”

“Thanks” I muttered as I galloped over to Berry’s room and knocked on her bedroom door.

“Come in” Berry said in a bored tone from within. I opened the door and entered my friend’s room who like me had adorned her walls with pictures of Sweetie Belle. “Hey Amethyst” she said brightly seeing me. I noticed she was lying in bed on her stomach clearly exhausted.

“Rough day huh?” I asked.

“Yeah a bit” she muttered, “What about you?”

“It was alright, just had a lot on my mind” I replied.

“You going to say yes or what?” she asked with a smile, “He’s cute, why wouldn’t you date him?”

I felt my blood pressure rise, “I… I still don’t know Berry” I told her, “I just don’t like him like that.”

I looked at Berry who shifted in her bed, my eyes drifted over her body and I looked back into her face. “Well are there any other colts you like?”

I thought of the colts in class and shook my head. Berry put a hoof to her chin then said “Hmm. Maybe…” Berry then turned around and pushed the mattress which was right next to the wall, she then stuck her snout in the crevice obviously looking at something, her ass was in the air and at that point I shook my head, for a second I thought her butt was nice, at least better than my own.

Berry re-emerged and floated a book over me, “look at this” she told me.

I took the book in my own magic and without looking at the cover I opened it, the pictures were of young stallions around the ages of eighteen to twenty.

“Well?” Berry asked happily, “How hot are those stallions?”

I felt nothing when I looked at them; they just looked like big muscular stallions that seemed to care for themselves more than the normal stallion. I shook my head and said “I don’t get it?”

“You-“she laughed, “You don’t think their hot? These ponies are listed as the hottest stallions to live, how?”

I shook my head and gave the book back to Berry. “Maybe I’m just too young?” I muttered.

Berry blinked as if I insulted her, “We’re not too young” she laughed, “We’re fillies yes but we are like almost adult.”

Berry flopped back onto her bed again lying belly up. She scratched her stomach before looking over to me, “I still think you could be a fillyfooler.”

“Don’t I have to be attracted to fillies to be a fillyfooler?” I asked nervously. I knew she was right though. I was attracted to fillies.

“Well… yeah” Berry answered, “I think you’re attracted to fillies.”

“What makes you say that?” I asked a little too defiantly.

Berry levitated her magazine back up and flicked through the pages at high speed trying to find something. “I know it’s in here” she muttered. “Got it” she said loudly, “Look at this.”

I looked at the magazine. My mouth fell open. It was an image of a young unicorn mare in a tight black vest, long red and black socks and the most gorgeous blue eyes, her flank was turned with her tail lifted in a suggestive way that made my neck grow warm.

“She’s pretty” I muttered. That was a dead giveaway, that picture was hot. I was a fillyfooler, no doubt about that.

Berry raised her eyebrow. “Amethyst, do I look stupid?”

“No” I murmured looking at Berry.

I looked at the green mare lying on her bed spread, her body was nicely shaped and she had a cute butt. She was my friend however and the thought of being attracted my best friend would make things really awkward.

“Berry if I was a fillyfooler would you still be my friend?” I asked worried.

Berry laughed. “Of course I would still be your friend, I don’t care who your attracted to, I could even help you find a filly if you are.”

“I think I’m a fillyfooler” I finally told her. “I think fillies have nice shaped bodies, I think a mares butt is nice, that picture in that magazine is hot. I’m not like in love with you or anything” I added truthfully, “I’ve never been in love.”

Berry blinked then she smiled and gave me a hug. “Well at least that’s out of the way. You were brave Amethyst for telling me.”

I felt a little flattered but releaved.

“What am I going to do about?” I said feeling butterflies in my stomach. “I’ve never rejected anypony before and I don’t want to make him sad.”

“Just tick no and if he asks tell him that you don’t feel that way about him” she said.

“What don’t tell him I like fillies?” I said nervously, “shouldn’t I tell him the truth?”

Berry facehoofed. “Trust me Amethyst, just because I’m ok with you liking fillies doesn’t mean other ponies will. I think you should keep it quiet.”

“Oh right” I muttered, “If Glenda found out?” I shuddered at the thought. “What about my mother?” I asked, “She’ll find out sooner or later.”

Berry raised an eyebrow, “Yeah, tell your mother and get your flank kicked out of your house” she said.

“Right, yeah” I muttered.

I heard a knock on the door and Berry’s mother called through, “Berry hon… Time for dinner.” She poked her green head through the door and saw me, “Oh hi Amethyst, would you like to stay for dinner?”

I shook my head, “No thank you, I had better get back home.”

Berry’s mother closed the door and I got up. “Could I have that picture please? The one of the mare?” I asked embarrassed.

Berry nodded a smile on her muzzle. She wrapped the page in a levitation field and tore it out of the book. She passed it over with a huge smile.

“Why’re you so happy?” I asked as I took the page.

“No reason” she said clearly holding back giggles. “Have fun.”

I was confused, what did she mean by “have fun.”

I looked at the image again and felt I almost drooled. I shook my head and folded the image. I waved to Berry and went back home.

When I got back mother had just returned from work. I approached her with my heart pounding. “Mother?” I asked nervously.

“What?” she said looking at some work notes.

“Is it ok for two fillies or two colts to like each other?” I asked innocently. I knew my mother’s stance on same sex couples. I just wanted to know if this would be the same if her daughter would be an exception.

She blinked and looked at me “No” she said, “fillyfoolers and coltcuddlers are bottom feeders of society.”

“Oh” I muttered.

“Why do you ask?” she inquired.

I brushed a hoof through my mane and said, “What if… Hypothetically, I was a fillyfooler. What would you do?”

“Probably beat it out of you” she said matter-of-factly.“Why-?”

“Just curious” I lied.

I then went to bed without food. I felt trapped now, I felt horrible. I can’t be a fillyfooler. I just can’t, if anypony finds out I’ll be meat, meat that my mother and Glenda will use against me.”

I began to cry silently. I felt scared, scared of what my life faces. Berry and I always talked about our dream colts and now I feel all alone all alone because I’m not attracted to colts, are there any other fillies who could like me? I imagined myself with another filly and it felt right, it felt just right. The thought of kissing another filly made my heart swell, unlike the thought of kissing a colt which made my stomach squirm.

I looked at my posters of Sweetie Belle who was my idol. Sweetie Belle made beautiful music, not only the music she made was beautiful but she was also a pretty pony. I really liked her mane especially.

Was being a fillyfooler really bad like mother says it was? Does it really matter who I like? I could end up married to a stallion to please everypony around me, but leaving me with somepony I can’t be with. Or for me to marry a mare and to be happy with the pony I love but lose my mother and to have to put up with the prejudice that goes with it.

I levitated the image of the unicorn and unfolded it; my eyes looked over her pretty frame, from her tail to her flanks to her muzzle. I felt an unusual sensation develop between my hindquarters. I ignored it and placed the image in my drawer.

I sighed and rolled onto my back the unusual sensation waning. I stroked my belly with a hoof and dug it into my belly thinking. I finally rolled over and pulled out the piece of paper Cosmel gave me. I made my decision, I was my own pony and I want to be happy with my life. I levitated the pen and ticked the “No” box and wrote a little apology on the bottom. He doesn’t need to know why I said no. I then tucked it back into my school bag and went to sleep.

* ** ** ** *

My body felt spent. I felt sore and every fibre ached. For a moment I thought I was dead, but if I was dead how could I feel? I became aware that I could breathe and from that I gathered my sense of smell, I could smell dust mingled with blood.

My eyes flew open and I felt a hoof press to my chest. I saw Alyshia above me, her horn lit. “Shhhh” she hushed. Alyshia bent down and hugged me. I tried to move my forelegs but couldn’t. That didn’t really matter. Alyshia hugged me and that’s all I wanted, I wanted her embrace. My heart swelled, Alyshia’s love filling me up with happiness.

“A-Alyshia” I moaned, “How am I still alive?”

“Never you mind darling” she replied softly.

“Where is everypony else? Are they ok?” I asked worried.

“Everypony else is ok” Alyshia muttered, “Now Amethyst, im sorry but it’s time to rest.”

Alyshia’s horn went from white to purple. Sheer exhaustion struck me and I fell asleep.

* ** ** ** *

I awoke again but this time my body felt less sore and this time I could feel my legs. My eyes shot open and my ears picked up a conversation.

“Is she going to wake up?” Midnight whispered.

“I’m sure she’s fine Midnight” Alyshia assured, “She woke up a few hours ago but I put her back to sleep.”

“Is she still alive?” Lionel asked.

“Of course she’s still alive” Alyshia barked.

“How are our medical supplies?” Midnight asked.

“Exhausted” Alyshia muttered. “I have no healing potions left, I’m low on bandages and my own bandages need to be replaced soon as do Amethyst’s.

My heart constricted. Alyshia got hurt and we ran out of healing potions. I wasted one the other night. I felt guilt starting to plague my insides. The fact is that if I didn’t use the healing potions, Alyshia would have found my self-harm cuts. I was lucky I dodged that bullet, but dodging that bullet had also meant denying somepony else from being healed.

“Amethyst, are you awake yet?” Alyshia whispered from nearby.

“Yes” I muttered.

“How’re you feeling darling?”

“Sore” I muttered, “but otherwise lucky. I’m not sure how you did it Alyshia but you’re awesome.”

“You’re lucky to be alive” she told me. “I sometimes surprise myself. I had to cast spells that I’ve never used before.” She lifted a book that contained extremely difficult medical spells.

“Sorry” I muttered.

“Don’t be” Alyshia said. “You did nothing wrong.”

I nodded, my guilt spreading further into my body.

“How are you Amethyst?” Midnight said as she came to my side.

“I’m ok” I said faking a smile.

Midnight leaved forwards and hugged me. “I thought you were going to die Amethyst. When I saw you I thought you were dead.”

I fell into the hug, Midnights aroma drifting through my nostrils. “I’m alive” I told her. “I didn’t want to leave you guys behind.”

Brax grunted. “I- uhhh. I thought you were going to die too.” Brax was not in his armour and he looked uncomfortable.

I gave him a wry smile. Brax seemed to care for me. Lionel was the only pony that didn’t have anything to say.

* ** ** ** *

After a while everypony except Alyshia had left me on my own. I wanted to try standing so I shifted.

“No Amethyst, you shouldn’t be getting up yet” Alyshia told me.

I shook my head. “I need to get up. Sorry Alyshia.”

I got up onto my hooves and stood still for a few seconds. My muscles, tendons and bones ached but nonetheless I was able to stand ok.

“You okay dear?”

“I’m ok Alyshia” I responded. I looked at myself. My barding was blood caked as was my coat. My left foreleg was encased in bandages, as were both my hind legs.

I looked at Alyshia and her right foreleg was encased in bandages too.

“What happened Alyshia?” I asked pointing my bandaged forehoof at her leg.

“I got hit by the dragon’s tail” she replied. “It only just got me.”

I sat on my haunches and out of exhaustion I collapsed back in a heap on the dusty ground.

“Amethyst!” Alyshia cried.

“I’m fine Alyshia” I muttered, “just exhausted.”

“Oh” she said with a sigh of relief.

“Where are we anyway?” I asked noticing that we were in a dank and dark cave.

“Midnight found a crack in the mountain and we brought you in here. No stable door in here though.”

“How high are we?” I asked.

“Just below cloud level” Alyshia replied. “I’m going to go over with everypony else, I think you should get some rest.”

I nodded and with that Alyshia trotted away leaving sleep to grip me once again.

* ** ** ** *

I awoke with a feeling of being watched. I looked around and saw Lionel lying nearby; he was awake and looking at me.

“G’mornin’” he said with a smile. “Ya’ll mighty cute when you’re asleep.”

“Watching ponies sleeping is rather rude” I replied in a calm tone.

I looked around and nopony else was nearby. “Ya do know wha’ happened yesterday was entirely your fault” he said matter-of-factly.

“You don’t think I know that” I said seething.

“I’m just making sure you’re aware” he stated. “Anyway Midnight said it herself, she said that your jus’ a silly filly who makes idiot mistakes.”

“Midnight wouldn’t say something like that” I said starting to feel pissed off.

“Doesn’t matter though does it” he said. “Ah think Midnight is warmin’ up ter me, if ya get ma’ drift.”

I felt my heart pulse and jam. “What do you mean?” I asked trying to not sound concerned.

“Ah mean it won’t be long till ah mount tha’ lil’ white pegasus an’ tap her cute lil’ flank, she’s mighty cute an’ ah get why yer attracted to ‘er. She fuckin’ hot.”

I felt my blood boil. “What are you trying to make me jealous?” I spat. “It isn’t going to work Lionel.”

Lionel smiled. “Ah ain’t tryin’ ter make ya jealous. Ahm just makin’ sure ya know where ya stand.”

“Midnight’ll never date you” I said venomously.

Lionel snickered. “Ah think we’ll see ‘bout that, ahm up to tha’ challenge.”

“Who said anything about a challenge” I growled. “Midnight deserves ten times what you can ever offer her.”

“Doesn’ matter” Lionel laughed. “I ‘ave more than you can offer her.”

“Like what?” I growled.

“How ‘bout you use yer head Amethyst?” he snickered, “Ahm a stallion, nuff said baby.”

I felt anger pulse through my body, I wanted to hit him. Instead I called “Alyshia! Can you change my bandages?” I used this as an excuse for Lionel to get away from me, my bandages needed changing anyway but nonetheless I had never hated Lionel more than I had now.

Lionel got up and walked away smirking over his shoulder.

“Hey Amethyst” Alyshia said brightly, “how did you sleep?”

“Yeah I slept ok” I murmured.

“You ok?” she asked, “You look off colour.”

“I’m fine” I said with a smile. “I just… I’m ok.”

Alyshia’s horn flared and she levitated a fresh roll of bandages out of her saddlebag. Alyshia then gripped my left foreleg and unwrapped the bandages. The smell beneath was quite horrible, the coppery smell of blood was quite strong. Underneath the bandages was my coat stained maroon as well as a long yet mostly healed gash that ran across my foreleg.

“That won’t scar will it?” I asked rather concerned.

Alyshia shook her head. “No the healing potions and the bandages can heal these wounds without scarring. It’s magical weapons like Brax’s that causes scarring.”

“Thank Celestia” I sighed with relief.

Alyshia proceeded to wrap my leg up in a new bandage. “We’re leaving soon as well Amethyst” Alyshia mentioned as she wrapped my leg. “Midnight’ll be carrying you.”

“I can walk” I told her. “I’m fine.”

She looked at me in a serious yet motherly kind of way. “No” she said simply. “Midnight is carrying you. Even if you could walk you would slow us down. We need to get to the top before afternoon.”

I shrugged. I guess being carried by Midnight would mean spending quality time with her, time that I could use to try and get Midnight to like me over Lionel. I knew Lionel didn’t care about Midnight, didn’t care about her wellbeing or how she felt. I wanted Midnight to be happy, happy with me.

* ** ** ** *

It wasn’t long until I was secured to Midnight. Alyshia had insisted that I be harnessed so I didn’t fall. Midnight found it unnecessary but after what happened yesterday I allowed Alyshia to strap me to Midnights back with rope.

“You all good Amethyst?” Midnight asked.

“Yeah I’m good” I said brightly. I felt elated to back on Midnights back.

Midnight looked over her shoulder at me and smiled, “Just like good old times isn’t it?”

I giggled. “You mean the part in the tunnel where I shot you?”

“That hurt” she said with a grin, “but yeah. Actually” she put a hoof to her chin. “I can’t believe how far you’ve come Amethyst.”

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“Well…” Midnight seemed to be trying to find the right words. “You’ve grown, I mean… You stepped out into the wastes as a silly filly. You’re growing into a young mare. I think.”

“Thanks Midnight” I said brightly throwing my forehooves around her neck.

“Too hard’ she gasped.

I slackened my grip and blushed. “Sorry.”

I saw Lionel looking on nearby. I made sure nopony else could see. I then stuck my tongue out at him. His expression didn’t change but I didn’t care. I felt elated that Midnight thought I was growing, that I wasn’t just a silly stable filly.

Deep down though I knew I wasn’t a growing mare; I cut myself to help me deal with my problems, I stole a healing potion to cover my cuts. As much as I denied it Lionel was getting under my skin, I was still concerned he was going to try and take Midnight, more so now that he openly admitted it.

“Alyshia?” I asked noticing that I wasn’t wearing any socks. “Where are my socks?”

“Oh” Alyshia facehoofed, “Sorry, I didn’t say. The set that you were wearing were destroyed when you fell. I mean, they were no longer wearable. So we destroyed them.”

“Oh” I said a little deflated. I had more in my saddlebags but the ones I wore were best for the cold weather.

“Sorry” Alyshia said in a small voice.

I waved a hoof. “It’s okay, I can still buy more. Anyway I have others in my saddlebags.”

“Amethyst?” Alyshia said, “I don’t think you should be wearing socks until you’re healed.”

“Okay” I muttered.

* ** ** ** *

When everypony was ready we squeezed through the tight crack in the mountain wall to the freezing cold outside air. It wasn’t snowing and there was not a breath of wind in the air.

“Wow” I gasped, “Quite different from yesterday afternoon.”

“You have no idea how hard it was to get you here” Midnight said grimly. My ears perked back at hearing this.

“I cried all the way up the mountain” Alyshia admitted. “You were on Midnight and I had no idea what was going to happen. Midnight had to find someplace to put you then fly me up here. Brax and Lionel had to walk.”

“Oh” I mumbled. I was beginning to feel bad for being such a burdon.

“I was crying as well to be honest” Midnight sighed. “I thought I was carrying your dead body, but Alyshia said you were alive. I thought differently.”

“I’m sorry” I muttered feeling quite horrible at the thought. “I didn’t mean to get hurt. I didn’t mean to make you guys worry.”

“Don’t be sorry Amethyst” Alyshia told me, “the thing is. You’re alive.”

I felt a rush of affection for both my mare friends. I loved Alyshia and Midnight so much yet so differently.

“Are we going to go or what?” Lionel barked.

“Yeah, yeah hold your horses” Midnight laughed. “But really we should get going” she said spreading her wings. “Alright back there?” she added looking back at me.

“Ready when you are” I said wrapping my forehooves around her neck. Midnight lifted off the ground and flew at walking pace with everypony else behind us. As Midnight flew I could feel her wing joints move against my breast and my bandaged hind legs dangling on either side of her body. After flying silently for a few minutes I decided it was time to start a conversation, “Midnight?”

“Hmm?”

“What age did you learn to fly?” I asked awkwardly.

She looked over her shoulder and laughed “I was eight, same day I got my cutie mark. How old were you when you cast your first spell?”

I blushed. “I was almost ten” I mumbled. “I was very late, I got my cutie mark first and I was late at that too.”

“Ahh well.” Midnight said with a shrug, “Being late isn’t a bad thing.”

“Yeah I guess” I muttered. Unfortunately for me, being late meant being teased and laughed at for being a failure.

“Watch your head” Midnight warned. I looked up but all I saw was a huge amount of mist. When Midnight flew through the mist, freezing water began to bead on my body and on my barding.

“So these are clouds” I said looking into the white mist. I looked back and saw everypony else trotting through the thin snowy path.

“Sure is, just water” Midnight said simply, “Just hope none of them are on the other side.”

“None of what?” I asked.

“Just the Enclave, I’m not allowed above cloud level” Midnight stated.

“Why?” I asked confused as to why Midnight isn’t allowed high up.

“I’m a… well… I’m not allowed that high because I was raised from the ground” she stated, “Only pegasi from a pegasi city is allowed.

“Why?” I asked stupidly.

“You know Amethyst. I ask myself that same question every day” Midnight sighed.

I didn’t want to press the matter so I remain silent as Midnight drifted further and further up the mountain.

* ** ** ** *

I was now cold and very damp. We were still drifting through the clouds.

“Mother of Celestia” I muttered, “How thick are these clouds?”

“Quite thick” Midnight mentioned, “The enclave keeps the clouds thick.”

“But- why?” I asked once again. I was starting to feel like a four year old filly who kept asking ‘why?’

“I really have no idea” Midnight said. “The wasteland hasn’t seen sunlight since the war.”

“Oh” I said. “The pegasi up there don’t sound very nice.”

I saw Midnight look at me looking quite upset, “I would have to agree with you Amethyst. It makes no sense.”

I felt bad, I had made Midnight upset. “I-I’m sorry Midnight, I didn’t mean to-“

“No” Midnight sighed, “Don’t be. You’re just curious, I understand. I had the same curiosity myself. The thing is, my race does not make sense, the way the other pegasi work. I wish I could be proud to be a pegasus.”

“But we don’t mind” I told her, “We love you for who you are.”

“Amethyst, I have only seen like two other pegasi since my mum and dad-“Midnight stopped and continued her voice shuddering slightly “Ponies always think I’m from the sky.”

“You’re not from the sky” I told her, “You might be a pagasus Midnight but you are like us, like unicorns and earth ponies. I don’t know what the pegasi are doing but they don’t sound nice.”

“I know, I’ve been telling myself that for years” Midnight mentioned. “The other ponies think the same thing though and automatically assume I’m covering the sky in clouds and making their life worse.”

“Don’t worry about them” I told her. “You can’t please everypony.”

Midnight grinned. “Yeah I know.”

It was at that point we broke through the layer of cloud and for the first time in my entire life my body was bathed in warm sunlight.

“Whoaaaaa.” My mouth fell agape at what I saw. Rolls of white fluffy cloud for as far as the eye could see. It almost caused my vertigo to return but the beauty of it prevented it from occurring. The sunlight reflected beautifully from the surface of the clouds. I could see an occasional mountain top peaking through the fluffy clouds. I looked into the sky and a vast blue covered the sky, a bright orb that was the sun radiated down upon all of us.

Midnight landed on the clouds and gripped some in her hooves. She then flapped her wings and lifted so she was now floating on a bed of clouds.

“So fluffy” Midnight giggled.

“Can I touch?” I asked.

Midnight shook her head, “Unicorns and earth ponies can’t touch clouds.”

“Oh” I said a little crestfallen.

“What are you two doing” Lionel yelled, “keep moving.”

“Right you are” Midnight said loudly. With a flap of her wings we started ascending again though with Midnights little bed of cloud below her.

* ** ** ** *

After about an hour we reached the summit of the mountain. We knew we were in the right place. An old rusted “Fallout shelter” sign was perched nearby.

“So where is it?” I asked.

“Very good question” Lionel muttered. The summit of the mountain was quite rocky and likewise covered in snow.

“Maybe we should spread out?” Alyshia suggested.

“Good Idea” Midnight said. “Everypony spreadout.”

* ** ** ** *

After about twenty minutes of searching, it was Brax who found the cave. “In here” He growled from nearby.

A grey slate door was found that had camouflaged into the mountain that lead into what appeared to be a ponymade cave…

To be Continued

-No footnote as chapter is not complete. Chapter 16 part 2 will contain the footnote.

Chapter 16pt2: Depths of Stable Twenty Three

The inside was perfectly rounded; the walls of the cave had hundreds of spiralling lines, no doubt created by some gigantic earth boring machine. At the end of the cave was that of a familiar cog shaped door, emblazoned across the centre was the number “23.” I switched my pipbuck light on which threw everything into greater perspective. The stable door was missing chunks of steel that had been blown away completely; black scorches covered the door where explosives had been detonated against it.

“Wha? What happened here?” I gasped as I stood still.

“Probably enclave” Midnight whispered, “they probably want the items inside.”

“Looks like they got in too” Brax observed. He pointed a hoof at a portion of the door that had been blown away completely at the bottom of the door.

The hole was large enough for a large pony to fit quite easily. “What weapon did they use on it?” I gasped. The walls of the hole that was carved into the twelve inch steel door was blistered and black.

“Dunno” Midnight whispered.

“So are yeh gonna go in or what?” Lionel pushed.

“Yeah” I told him with a stab of venom. “We just didn’t climb this mountain to give up, unless you want to go first?”

“Ah’ll be fine” Lionel nickered waving a hoof.

I walked up to the hole, a cold draught coming from within. I lied on my stomach and with the help of levitation; I pushed myself through to the other side.

Rtatatata

The sound caught me off guard; I activated my shield just in time for bullets to spark off its surface. When my shield collapsed I was yanked back by an unknown force and found myself back in front of my companions.

“Amethyst” Alyshia barked, “Did you get shot? Are you hurt? Where did it hit you?”

“For the love of all things“ Midnight moaned a hoof over her eyes, “Alyshia she’s fine. Seriously.”

“I-I didn’t get shot” I stammered, “You pulled me back through, didn’t you Alyshia?”

She nodded with a blush appearing on her violet face. “Sorry” she muttered, “I didn’t mean-“

“Its okay” I laughed, “I mean. I probably couldn’t have pulled my gun out in that hole anyway.”

I pulled out my sniper rifle and pushed it through the hole. I followed. When I poked my head through the other side I activated SATS and fired a single round into the casing. The turret exploded, showing the ground in sparks. I pushed myself through the hole and into the freezing dry air within.

I took a quick look around and when I was adamant it was safe for everypony else to come through I called, “All clear everypony.” As I said it my breath fogged in front of me.

Midnight was the first pony through, followed by Brax, and then by Alyshia, finally and personally wishing he wasn’t, Lionel came through.

“Sweet Celestia, is it me or is it cold in here?” Alyshia nickered, a cloud forming in front of her muzzle.

“Yeah” I said absentmindedly not really caring about the temperature at this time. “Ready?” I called with my sniper rifle raised.

Midnight and Lionel kicked their battle saddles and said “Ready.”

Alyshia said “I’m ready.” And Brax merely grunted.

We made our way to the first security door. The bullet proof glass however was lying in fragments all over the tiled floor, the doorframe twisted and black.

We stepped through the door and into the stable. What I saw made my jaw hit the ground, the corridors were massive, the ceiling was at least four times higher than the one in stable eighty six and the corridors were at least three times as wide. “What’s the point of having such a high ceiling?” I burst out. “Why would stabletec do that?”

“Amethyst?” Midnight snapped, “Who cares?”

“I do” I seethed, “Our ceilings were so low that the larger stallions had to duck their heads so they don’t hit their head on the door frame. Why didn’t they give us high ceilings?”

Midnight facehoofed and didn’t say anything.

“Anyway” I said heavily, “and this time. We are taking our time.” I checked my pipbuck and saw a number of red blips. One of which was right in front of us. “Hold on, I just need to take out this turret.” I levitated my sniper rifle and put my eye to the scope. I scanned the high ceiling and found it. The turret was encased in about an inch of ice, I pulled the trigger.

BANG

The turret exploded, causing ice to splinter everywhere. I felt shards hit my face and a chunk struck my horn.

“And… We trust tha’ filly with the gun?” Lionel stated as he brushed ice out of his mane, “She’s gonna blow us up ah swear.”

I opened my muzzle to argue but Alyshia put a hoof on my shoulder. “Ignore him” she soothed. I bit my lip and didn’t say anything.

“Where to?” Brax growled.

I pulled up my pipbuck’s map and drew a route to the bottom floor, this proved difficult, the stairs were hard to find on the map and the stable had ten floors, not five or six like the stables we had been in so far.

“Ameth-“ Brax began impatiently.

I dropped my foreleg, a sudden stab of impatience and anger hit me. “I’ll be ready when I’m ready Brax” I shot. “I don’t care if you’re impatient; if we plan this properly then no pony will get hurt. We’re not doing your stupid, rush and die plan like last time. Understood?”

Brax took a step back, his stupid helmet hiding his expression. I lifted my foreleg again and plotted way points, if only the map could tell me where the turrets were. My hoof froze over my Pipbuck on the floor plans of level eight at the second turn off; it was a T Section with stairwells on either side. I looked at the quickest path.

“For the love of all things“ Lionel muttered to a pony I could not see, “What the fuck is she doing?”

My hoof came down on the tiled floor so hard it echoed throughout the corridor. I felt lava enter my veins; I turned to face the brown stallion. “Shut up Lionel” I growled, trying to not let my anger burst forth.

“Or what?” he snapped, “You’re just standing there like some statue. My legs are sore and I just want to-“

“Want to what Lionel?” I yelled, my voice echoing through the freezing stable. “Want to what exactly? You have a problem with me? I don’t give a shit Lionel. I don’t care, when we’re done in here I’m giving you your sack of caps, then you fuck off. Got me?”

“Come on Amethyst” he said calmly, “I don’t have a prob-?”

“Yes. You do” I shouted. “You have had a problem with me since the first stable. You have been no help. You’re useless, you’re lucky I’m even paying you.”

“Amethyst” Alyshia yelled, “Stop.”

I looked at her and sneered, “Why?”

“Amethyst” Midnight shot. “Enough.”

I gritted my teeth then opened my muzzle one more time. I then growled, “If any of you are going to complain, whine, belittle me or anything. I suggest you wait outside.” I pointed a hoof back at the security door.

Nopony moved.

“Good” I said, my voice breaking slightly. I then lifted my forehoof and continued my work.

* ** ** ** *

When we turned down the first corridor we discovered the ponies that broke in. They were wearing heavy armour similar to that of Brax, the only difference was that they had wings, and they were dead.

Black scorch marks covered the cracked floor.

“What happened here?” Midnight whispered.

“Not sure” I whispered back. “Doesn’t look good does it?” I checked my pipbuck and no hostile lights were showing. “Odd” I whispered. “No hostiles.”

“They didn’t just drop dead, did they?” Brax growled.

“You don’t think I know that?” I snapped, glaring into the dark visor that Brax was seeing through.

“Amethyst” Alyshia burst. “Enough.”

“Fine” I moaned. I stepped forwards and walked up to one of the mare shaped bodies. The armour was ripped apart at places; it looked like they were blown up. I pulled the visor back and it revealed a mare’s face. Frozen in place in an expression of pain, maroon ice had formed around the muzzle and her eyes glinted in the light. I shut the visor feeling a little upset.

wooosh

“Amethyst. Look out!” Alyshia bellowed.

I looked up in time to see a ball of fire coming right at me. My shield spell activated without much thought and I jumped away.

BOOOOM

White light obscured my vision as the missile hit my shield causing it to ripple heavily. The dry heat radiated through the shield and it felt as though I would catch fire.

As quickly as it had come, the light vanished, my shield collapsed and the freezing stable air returned to me. I adjusted my bandages as they had come loose; my leg began to feel painful again. I fell to my haunches.

“Amethyst? Amethyst are you okay?” Alyshia fretted.

“I’m- Fine” I gasped. “Sorry it was stupid.”

I picked up my sniper rifle in my levitation field but Alyshia pulled it away. “It’s fine. Midnight took it out” she advised. “Is there anything I can get you?”

“Some painkillers would be nice” I gasped. “And some Buck please”

Alyshia administered the painkiller without question causing the pain to subside significantly. She would not however give me any Buck.

“You forgot the Buck” I told her.

“I’m not giving you any drugs Amethyst” she snapped. “Buck is addictive.”

“What were the Pain Killers then? Injectable sweets? Just give me some” I moaned, “I can’t do this like this Alyshia, I’m a half dead pony as it is.”

“Buck isn’t that Addictive” Brax put in. “You need to take a lot, or take it over a period of time to become addicted to it.”

Alyshia gritted her teeth and pulled out the bottle. “Here” she said defeated throwing a tablet at me. “But you’re not getting anymore.”

I took the tablet and washed it down with my canteen. I felt my body power up the moment the tablet hit my stomach. I felt stronger and the lingering pain that the painkillers didn’t kill vanished. I got back up. “Okay” I sighed, let’s do this.

* ** ** ** *

“Really?” I said exasperated as I stared at a large square hole in the floor that was meant to be the staircase to level two. “Who in Equestria came up with this shit?”

“No stairs” Brax laughed, “Oh wow.”

If it was a normal stable we would have just been able to jump to the level below, however the higher ceilings didn’t make this possible for the majority of us to do that. “It’s okay” I said, “I’ll just levitate you lot down.”

Before anypony could say anything I wrapped myself in a levitation field and jumped down the hole. I dropped to the floor lightly and collapsed my levitation field. Midnight then flew down after me. I wrapped Alyshia in my glow causing her to squeal slightly. “I’ll be careful Alyshia” I reassured. I levitated her down and placed her on the ground. Next was Brax and his heavy steel armour.

I wrapped him in my magical field with strain; I levitated him and guided him down the hole hoping that I wouldn’t drop him. With relief I placed the heavy stallion onto the steel floor. As much as I wanted to leave Lionel up there, I wrapped him in my magical glow and levitated him down as well. For good measure I released my magic when he was still about a meter above the ground, he fell into heap on the freezing floor.

“Fuck you” Lionel said getting up.

“I could have left you up there” I said with a grin. “You should be thankful.”

“Fucking mares” he mumbled.

I ignored him and it seemed the others did too or they didn’t hear him.

“Is it me, or is it a little colder down here?” Alyshia stated as she tightened her scarf. I myself felt a little cold too.

“Yeah it is” I said. I glanced at my pipbuck and bought up the “Environment” Tab.

‘Temperature: -18.7C’

“Hmm, negative eighteen” I said out loud.

“That’s cold isn’t it?” Alyshia asked.

“It’s quite cold yes” I said putting my hoof back onto the ground. “Let’s go.”

* ** ** ** *

Level three was the top floor living quarters according to my pipbuck. I wasn’t prepared for what was seen on this floor. We turned along the first corridor on the third floor after having to drop down another stairless hole. What I saw made me freeze in my tracks. Pony shaped figures lay in groups along the wall; each group was under a heat vent. I walked as quickly as my sore and battered body enabled me to the nearest group.

“Amethyst stop” Alyshia called. “No Amethyst.”

I ignored her. I came to a stop before what appeared to have been a family, completely frozen to each other; they looked so peaceful, they could have been sleeping. All four were pegasi, this answered my question on the stairless floors, high ceilings and wide corridors. The mare was holding what appeared to be a foal, a little filly judging from the eyes, her little wings poking out from under her mother’s forelegs. The stallion was holding an older filly of around eight. She was deep green, almost the same shade as Berry. Her feathers were fused from the ice.

I felt a lump rise in my throat, followed by the sudden surge of tears that followed. My heart broke and I fell to my haunches. I looked up the corridor through my watering eyes and at every heat vent were other groups of ponies, doubles, singles, triples and large families alike.

I pushed my hooves to my eyes and I began to cry, hundreds of horrible thoughts buzzing inside my head. What about my home? What if I get back and Berry, mother and all the ponies I knew were dead? My stable was the same as these, it won’t be long and my stable will be a soulless cave filled with corpses.

“Amethyst?” Alyshia whispered. “We need to move on; it doesn’t do good to stay here.”

“No” I sobbed, my brain still whirring.

“But Amethyst-“ Alyshia began.

“I said NO” I shouted at the top of my lungs.

I didn’t care, a family sat before me dead. I had no family; my own family was shattered and gone. Just like these families. They froze to death inside a mountain, I can tell that much. My dad died, my mother has no soul and is as good as dead. I’m nothing but a filly that’ll die trying to prevent the fate of stable eighty six.

“Look Amethyst” Midnight said cautiously. “We can’t stay here.”

“I’m not moving” I growled, “Just… Can you all leave me alone?”

“What?” Lionel said, “What tha’ fuck Amethyst? What’s with this emotional shit, stop crying and get up.”

I ignored him, my tears leaking down my cheeks as I tried to calm myself.

“Is she on heat or something? Is tha’ wha’ this is?” Lionel asked.

I felt something give in my head, rage ignited inside me like a huge bonfire. Before I knew it I had launched myself at Lionel, knocking him to the ground, my strength increased from the buck I had taken earlier. I stood over him, my sniper rifle barrel inches from his face.

“Wha’ Wha’ the hell?” Lionel babbled. “You’re crazy.”

“Am I?” I roared. “Am I you fucking piece of shit. I should kill you right now for what you said.”

“Amethyst get off him” Alyshia screamed.

“No” I roared. “No. I’m sick of this. I’m sick of seeing this shit. I’m sick of being picked on and humiliated. I’m sick of seeing dead ponies everywhere, I’m sick of him.” I nudged the gun against his head.

“Don’t shoot me” Lionel gasped. I looked down at the brown stallion hating him.

“I’m sorry Amethyst” Alyshia said softly. I turned my gaze to her just in time to see her horn glow. I lost feeling to my entire body, my legs gave out from under me and I landed on top of Lionel.

Lionel pushed me off him and I slumped onto the floor. “Crazy Bitch” Lionel spat.

“Lionel” Alyshia scolded, “Don’t you dare speak to her like that.”

“She pointed a fuckin’ gun at me” he blabbed. “She cracked the moment we got here. She’s coocoo, crazy. Lock ‘er up ah say.”

“That’s out of line Lionel” Midnight said hoarsely. “Amethyst isn’t crazy, she’s just upset. You see those ponies over there? I think Amethyst is afraid her mum and friends are going to die. What’s more, you threw an inappropriate comment at her while she was crying and upset. She shouldn’t have pointed a loaded gun in your face though.”

Lionel muttered something inaudible, he was however ignored.

I tried to move but I couldn’t, I just lay on the icy ground wishing that I would just melt into the floor and never be seen again. I felt myself lift into the air as Alyshia picked me up and placed me onto her warm back.

“Seeing as Amethyst can’t move and won’t be able to move for a while, we should find someplace to settle down for the night” Alyshia stated.

* ** ** ** *

Alyshia found a room with no frozen bodies inside, the rooms were similar to the ones in stable eighty six, just with higher ceilings. The one we had taken refuge in was small, like my own room back in my own stable. The room made me feel horribly home sick. I could see the doors that lead into the bedroom and into the toilet; this room also had the same floor plan as my own. Unfortunately I still couldn’t move so I couldn’t get a good look around.

Alyshia placed me onto the cold couch that lay in front of an old dusty television, she allowed me to face them, but still paralysed I couldn’t do anything but stare straight ahead. Alyshia removed my saddlebags and placed them on the ground.

“Well then” Alyshia piped up, “Here we go.”

“How long will she be like this?” Midnight asked looking into my watering eyes.

“Few hours I think” Alyshia replied. “I think the spell I gave her was a little too potent.”

“Why? What did you do to her?” Brax growled from nearby.

“I… Umm. I shut the somatic nervous system down” she replied as she ran a hoof through my mane.

“Can you say that again? But in English” Brax grunted.

“Amethyst cannot make any voluntary movements” Alyshia sighed backing away from me, “I should have just stunned her instead.”

Alyshia walked out of my vision leaving Lionel’s tail and the TV in my line of sight.

“Where are you going?” Midnight burst out.

“I need to find some medical supplies, I almost have nothing left” Alyshia replied from somewhere behind me.

“Not by yourself” Midnight said, “take Lionel and Brax.”

“Umm, okay then” Alyshia said, “I guess I might need some protection.”

“Ah wanna stay ‘ere” Lionel moaned. “Mah hooves are sore.”

“I guess the colt can stay behind” Brax muttered, “I’ll be fine.”

“Wait jus’ a sec, Ah ain’t no colt” Lionel scoffed. “Fine ahm comin’”

With that Alyshia, Brax and Lionel left and Midnight remained behind. This was odd, I was surprised that she would stay behind, Midnight normally wanted in on the action. Instead she was going to stay here with a pony that couldn’t move or talk.

Midnight went off somewhere and left me on the lounge alone. Even in my paralysed state I felt my eyes burn as they began to tear up, I hated being alone. I felt so helpless in my limp body, I wanted to shout out to Midnight to come back, but all I heard was the sound of the buzzing lights and the air in the ventilation system.

It wasn’t long however until Midnight came back and sat in front of me, her eyes bloodshot which mixed terribly with her scarlet eyes. “Hey” she croaked.

I had a feeling that Midnight had been crying, not that I was in a position to comfort her. Midnight leaned over and despite being covered in blood she leaned over and hugged me. “Amethyst, I understand now” she sobbed. “I understand what you’re going through.” Naturally I did nothing as I couldn’t move. Even if I could move I didn’t really know what to say. “I want to let you know that I’m always here for you no matter what, I almost cried when I saw you with the dead ponies. I saw the pain on your face, it was horrible.”

Midnight pulled away, her eyes watering. Midnight let off a huge sigh and looked at me. “I’ve always avoided telling you Amethyst but… As you already know, my parents are dead. They were killed by the enclave right in front of me, before I could even fly.”

That I didn’t know. Midnight however ploughed on, “I knew the love of a family. When my parents were killed, I was moved to an orphanage in Friendship City. Even though the ponies were kind, they were not my parents and they never showed the love or compassion of my parents. I will always however be grateful to Friendship City; they allowed me to grow up in a safe environment away from the horrors and danger outside the city walls.”

I could see that what Midnight was saying was hurting her; she was trying her best not to cry. Midnight wiped away a stray tear with a hoof and continued; “When I met you, you were a young filly fresh out of the stable. You loved your home, you had ponies that you cared about and even though your mother wasn’t a nice pony or treated you as her daughter you still love her, you still love your friend and the ponies that you shared the stable with. You’re loyal to your home Amethyst and I want to help you in any way I can.”

Midnight paused and hugged me again. As much as my love for her burned inside me, I wanted to comfort her; I wanted to hug her back to tell her that I’m fine and not to worry about me. I wanted to tell her that I’m sorry for hearing about her parents.

“You’re my best friend” Midnight said during the hug. “Sometimes I treat you like a little filly, but it’s all fun and games. I don’t like seeing you upset.”

* ** ** ** *

Midnight had fallen asleep on the floor and roughly and hour later Alyshia and the stallions had returned causing her to stir. Midnight rubbed her eyes and yawned before asking “H-how did you go?”

“Good” Alyshia said happily, got ten healing potions and two extra strength potions. I also managed to get plenty of painkillers and bandages; I’ll need to fix Amethyst up a bit more now while she is still unable to move. She can be such a difficult patient sometimes.

I didn’t like the idea of being touched and prodded by Alyshia while not able to talk or move but it wasn’t like I had any choice, I couldn’t decline or consent either way.

“Isn’t it a little cold to be fixing her?” Midnight asked, “Won’t you have to take her barding off?”

“Yeah” Alyshia stated, “but it won’t be for long.” Alyshia moved in front of me with her medical bag bulging. “Come on Amethyst, up you get.”

I felt myself become weightless as Alyshia levitated me onto the hearthrug. Alyshia took my socks and bandages off, exposing my hooves to the cold air, she then took my flanker and my barding off before taking the bandages off my body which exposed me to the freezing air. For the first time in ages I could see my body and it was a mess. I was covered in blood, I had lost a lot of weight and my ribs were showing, I had lost fur in places and I had all kinds of wounds all over me, the worst being the one on my foreleg where my bone had splintered through the skin.

Midnight looked down at me and cringed. “She’s a mess Alyshia.”

“You don’t think I know that?” she snapped. “She’s lucky to be alive let alone walking through stables and getting shot at. Could you all please just make yourselves useful and leave me alone to deal with Amethyst. I felt myself begin to shiver as the cold dug into me. “It’ll be okay Amethyst, I’ll be quick” Alyshia whispered.

Alyshia began to dab ointments onto my wounds and bandaged them back up. Alyshia spent some time on one wound and sighed. She then bandaged it up and got me back into my bloody and torn barding. Alyshia sighed, “I can’t do anymore Amethyst. We need to get you to a hospital to bring you back to full health.”

I knew that much, but I wasn’t going to leave this stable without looking for the talisman first.

* ** ** ** *

About two hours later I had regained most of my movement and thankfully could talk again. When I was able to walk again Alyshia dragged me into the bedroom to “Ask me something.”

Alyshia turned to face me and said “I know this is a private question, however it is medical related and I need you to answer it okay?”

“Uhh okay?” I agreed.

“When is your next heat cycle?” Alyshia asked.

I stared at her. “Why do you need to know?” I inquired trying to not sound rude.

Alyshia sighed. “Well. It’s entirely possible that you may miss your next estrius, your body is… quite stressed, if your heat cycle is soon then don’t be surprised if you miss it.”

I blushed and answered the question. “In about four weeks” I muttered. Each heat cycle occurred once a year, for me it was fifty one to fifty three weeks and lasted about twenty days. Going on heat was an embarrassing process and I hated it, my emotions go all over the place and I get sick. I normally took time off work for most of it.

Alyshia grimaced, “Just don’t panic if it doesn’t happen okay?”

“Why would I panic?” I laughed, “Missing a heat is good for me. I don’t care.”

“Missing a heat is bad” Alyshia told me seriously, “It means your body is stressed, I don’t even know if your reproductive system would function given the stress your body is under. We’re taking you to Hospital in Manehattan the moment we get out of here.”

“Does it matter if my reproductive system is working or not?” I asked. “It’s not like I want any foals anyway, shouldn’t you be more concerned about my heart or how much blood I’ve lost instead?”

“Amethyst, you have to understand” Alyshia begged. “It’s you that I’m worried about; it’s the amount of pressure your body is under. I’m just warning you that you may miss a heat because of what has happened to you. If I had it my way, we would be on our way to Manehattan right now, you’re in a delicate situation and I don’t want you getting into anymore danger, one mistake Amethyst, even if you get shot once, you can die.”

* ** ** ** *

We continued our progress through the stable the following day, Alyshia would not allow me to walk at all so I was on Brax’s back today, Brax was barred from entering combat and Midnight, Lionel and Alyshia (With my sniper rifle) had taken the lead.

Alyshia was hesitant about taking the rifle claiming that she was bad at shooting, she was much better than she made out to be and when I questioned that she was good at shooting she merely said “This gun has a scope so I can shoot it okay.”

As we descended further into the bowels of the stable it got colder and the air became moist. By the time we were on the ninth floor the temperature had dipped to a chilling negative thirty and was causing me to shiver profusely; my barding not designed to keep me warm in this kind of cold, it didn’t help that Brax’s armour was like ice.

“How’re we getting to Manehattan” I asked, my heavily bandaged forelegs around Brax’s neck.

“I found an old carriage outside when we were looking for the stable door” Midnight said. “I should be able to pull it.”

“We got another turret up ahead” I mentioned taking note of another red blip that had appeared.

“I see it” Alyshia said. The little turret descended from its casing and began to fire.

Rtatatatata

Alyshia threw a shield up directly in front of us that took all the hits, when the turret stopped firing to reload Alyshia dropped the shield and Midnight took it out.

“I hope none of those rocket ones are here” Alyshia said worried, “I don’t think I could stop one of them.”

“If we come across one then run to me and I’ll throw my shield up” I suggested. My shield spell, while only very temporary had grown quite powerful. It was a shame that I couldn’t place it as Alyshia could with hers, or for that matter have it up for longer than a few seconds.

I checked the map and saw the maintenance wing was just to the left. “Can we please go to the maintenance wing for a sec, I need parts” I asked hopefully.

Alyshia looked at me with an impatient expression. “Okay then Amethyst but be quick.”

We took a left and under my guidance we made our way to the Terminal and Robotics section of the Maintenance wing, this was the office that I worked in at my own stable.

When we entered the wing, I found that it had a different layout, it was very organised. My mentor was messy but whoever had run this maintenance wing must have been very anal. The drawers were organised in alphabetical order, each containing parts for robotics and terminal computers.

I jumped off Brax and looked for the drawers for parts that I needed. I pulled open the drawer containing “electrical wire” and the box was divided. On the left was “New Wire” and on the right was “Used Wire.”

I pulled out a roll of new wire and put it in my saddlebags. I got a box with a new processor, a box containing ram modules, a nano spark battery as well as some large capacity memory chips.

“Is that it?” Alyshia asked patiently.

“Yeah that’s all” I replied as I clambered onto Brax’s cold back.

We left the maintenance wing with my saddlebags bulging.

“What’s the techno stuff for?” Midnight inquired, her wings flapping to remain airborne.

“I got a robotic dragonfly in my bag remember? I’m going to fix it” I replied.

“So. Like a pet?” Midnight asked.

“I guess” I chuckled, “Hopefully I can fix it, and if I can fix it, hopefully I can have it under my control.”

* ** ** ** *

“You alright back there filly?” Brax muttered as we continued to walk through bowels of the still, cold stable. I had not spoken at all for a while.

“I’m fine” I whispered, “Just a little cold.”

“I’m up for a mug of hot coca when we get out of here” Alyshia said from nearby. “My hooves are all icy.”

I couldn’t look at my hooves; they were in bandages with the rest of my legs, my hooves were however numb from the cold.

“Alysh-“ I began, however there was a loud bang followed by a sudden jerk. The ground beneath Brax and I had given way under the stallions heavy weight. Brax attempted to jump onto firmer ground before it gave way completely, but all it had managed to do was unseat me.

The feeling of weightlessness had taken me by surprise. I attempted to catch myself magically however before my levitation could activate, I hit the floor below with a sickening and excruciatingly painful thud. The sound of my breaking bones echoed throughout the stable. Brax landed next to me with a loud metallic bang.

I attempted to get up but my legs moved no more. My right foreleg had splintered again and the bone had breached the skin, but not as horribly as before, my left foreleg was bent at a strange angle. My breathing had become painful, as if I had something wedged in my side, I assumed I had either fractured of broken a rib.

“Amethyst” Alyshia screamed, “Amethyst are you okay?”

I tried to call back however the wedge in my chest caught me and nothing came out.

“Amethyst!?” Alyshia screamed again, her voice echoing. “Midnight fly down please. Please bring her back.”

Brax began to shift as he attempted to get up; he was clearly dazed after the fall.

Fwooosh… BAAANGGG

I heard Midnight scream and I looked up to see the white pegasus retreat back into the hole in the ceiling before a ball of fire erupted above, bathing my body in dry warmth.

“I got her” Brax yelled above, his deep voice reverberating through the stable.

“Is she okay?” Alyshia shouted. “Is Amethyst okay?”

I looked at Brax and he quickly examined me, he touched my right forehoof and I snatched it back and moaned “Oww.” I felt my lung catch onto something and I let off a loud and violent cough, bright red blood sprayed from my mouth and onto the shiny floor.

“Brax?” Alyshia shouted. “Tell me Amethyst is alright.”

Brax was looking at me and I blinked. “She’s uhh, she’s conscious” he replied clearly not wanting to tell Alyshia the full truth, “but bleeding heavily.”

“Get her to me Brax, please get her up here” Alyshia called desperately. I felt my heart tear for her. I wanted Alyshia to not worry. I wanted to shout out but the moment I drew breath I coughed again.

“Come on filly, don’t worry. On you get.” Brax growled. Brax lowered himself for me to get on, I however couldn’t move.

“C-can’t move” I coughed, my vision starting to tilt towards the side.

Brax got back up and put a giant metal forehoof around my body and painfully threw me onto his back. I howled and coughed up more blood.

“Midnight try go down again please?” Alyshia moaned from above.

“And get my face blown apart, no thanks” Midnight argued, “Brax’ll get her back.”

“Brax come to the hole please” Alyshia begged, “I have some medicine that will make Amethyst feel a little better.” Alyshia dropped something down the hole and it clattered to the floor. “Give her a tablet of Buck and two shots of Painkillers, it’ll keep her conscious. At least I hope it will.”

Brax threw the tablet down my throat, I swallowed it. My vision cleared and stopped spinning, but that’s all it did. He then administered two shots of painkillers causing most of my body to go numb, I could however still feel some of the pain in my legs.

“You ready?” Brax asked his face turned to me.

I nodded, my neck feeling very stiff. I gripped onto Brax’s neck with my left hoof the best I could and braced for him to move.

“Be careful with her” Alyshia called.

“Do you still want your water talisman?” Brax whispered so Alyshia couldn’t hear.

I nodded, despite my poor condition I wanted what I came here for, I wanted it even if it killed me.

Brax moved as quickly and careful as he could, I was trying to listen for turrets but his hoof steps echoed through the corridor so loudly it was impossible. I couldn’t talk, move, or for that matter concentrate on what was going on. All I could do was listen and hold onto Brax with my least broken forehoof.

Rtatatata

Bullets sparked off Brax’s helmet as a turret opened fire on the elderly stallion. Brax kicked his battle saddle into action and fired green lasers at the metal casing. The lasers hit the turret and the casing melted. I heard the turret reload and clearly Brax did not.

Rtatatatatata

I felt a bullet hit me in the flank and I screamed, my lungs feeling as if they were filled with glass.

Btttzzz

The rest of the turret melted and fell to the floor with a heavy clang.

“Amethyst you okay?” Brax asked concerned looking back at me.

My eyes were full of tears and I shook my head, pain throbbing from my flank. I began to shake, from fright or the fact that I was going into shock I did not know. I was in a bad way and I knew it, I needed to get out of here but not without my talisman.

Brax galloped forwards once again, pain now throbbing from my flank which now had a ball of metal inside it. I held on for dear life, I wanted this. I wanted the talisman from here and I had a feeling it was here.

Brax turned a corner and shot another turret before it could open fire on us. “Almost there” he mumbled, whether to himself or to me I had no idea. Brax then galloped down the corridor and barged into a large door, inside was the talisman room. Brax carefully trotted in, his heavy hooves audible over the silence, the water wasn’t running and that much was made clear by the fact the water pipe had icicles dripping from it.

Brax opened the cabinet and inside was the little water talisman, frozen to the pipe but in perfect condition. “I see it” Brax whispered. “I just need to-“

Brax cut off. I had heard it too, a robotic like sound. Almost like a turret descending.

Chhhhh FHWOOOSH

I tried to activate my shield but nothing happened, I was too injured to use magic. Brax jumped to the side just in time to dodge the missile.

BOOOOOM

The missile hit the cabinet which sent me flying from Brax’s back, flames licked at me as my body flew through the air. I felt my back hit the wall and my body exploded in unendurable pain. I slid onto the floor screaming, my head swimming uncontrollably. Brax lay nearby after narrowly missing the flying explosive projectile, he was unmoving. I felt the world rock around me and white began to obscure my vision. I tried to prevent myself from passing out knowing that there is the very real chance that I may not wake up ever again. My attempt to remain conscious was futile as I felt the pain leave me followed by the feeling of being sucked down a tight tube.

* ** ** ** *

I was lying in a nice warm bed, the sheets drawn to my chin and I felt very comfortable. I didn’t have the weight of my barding encumbering me, yet I could still feel that I had some form of clothing on.

“Amethyst?” a voice echoed, “Amethyst are you awake? Are you okay darling?”

I opened my eyes, the lights above blinding me. I felt panic surge through my body and I sat up, adrenaline surging into my veins. Alyshia’s hoof quickly pushed me back down again. “No Amethyst’ Alyshia said softly, “It’s okay, just stay down.”

I blinked, the sudden surge of panic ebbing away. I was in a small room with another hospital bed; It looked like a stable clinic. “Where am I?” I croaked, my ribs were still very sore but they felt mended.

“You’re in the stable clinic” Alyshia whispered. “Now just try and rest, we need to leave soon and get you professional medical treatment.”

“You are a professional” I gasped feeling short of breath.

“You are kind Amethyst; however I am not professional enough to deal with your injuries. It is my talent and I am qualified but I’m not a surgeon nor am I a professional hospital grade doctor. I’m just a medical pony Amethyst. I fix broken bones, moderate grade injuries and bullet wounds. I can’t fix serious injury and shattered bones.”

“I can’t walk can I?” I asked nervously.

“Your right foreleg is still broken because I can’t fix it” Alyshia sighed. “You still have serious injuries because I can’t give you healing potions.”

I raised my right foreleg and it was covered in thick blood stained bandages, as was half my body. “Where’s Brax?” I asked remembering that the stallion was hurt. “Is he okay?”

Alyshia nodded, “He brought you back, he has a sore leg but apart from that he’s fine.”

“Did we get the Talisman?” I asked hopefully, despite the fact that deep down I knew it wouldn’t have survived.

“Umm. No, Brax said it was destroyed” Alyshia told me dully. Alyshia’s tone changed to that of anger. “Can I ask why you didn’t come straight to me instead of going on your deathly mission of recovering a water talisman while your body is half dead?”

My ears perked back. “I- I didn’t want to come back without it” I replied.

“And what if you died?” Alyshia said angrily. “You can be so stupid sometimes Amethyst. I don’t know if that hot head of yours is caused by your teenage brain telling you to be stupid or if you are just plainly stupid. Do you want to die Amethyst?”

I felt offended. “I turn twenty soon” I gasped, “I’m not a teenager.”

“Then act like an adult Amethyst” Alyshia scolded. “This stupidity has to stop. And before you ask, yes I have had the same conversation with Brax.”

I looked down at my chest, one of the only parts of my body not covered in bandages. “Sorry” I muttered, “I didn’t mean to make you worry.”

“You’re not just saying that are you?” Alyshia asked seriously.

I shook my head.

“Good” Alyshia said a little happier, “get some rest because we need to go soon.” Alyshia got up; with a flash of her horn she turned off the clinic lights and left me to get some sleep.

* ** ** ** *

The sound of an argument caused me to drift out of my sleep. My ears perked and it sounded as though the argument was happening just outside the clinic door.

“-Told you before Alyshia, you get too involved” Midnight said in a raised voice. “She’s not yours; she’s not your daughter.”

“She’s as good as” Alyshia said angrily. “I don’t get too involved either Midnight, if anything I need to be more involved. She nearly died, what don’t you get about that?”

“It’s one thing fixing Amethyst from serious injury but to go as far as calling her your ‘baby’” Midnight argued. “She’s twenty years old Alyshia, at her age she would be looking for a lifelong partner, not an overprotective mother.”

“I’m not being-“ Alyshia started.

“Will you two shut up” Brax roared, “I bet five hundred caps that Amethyst is behind that door awake and eavesdropping on your argument.”

I dropped back into my pillows and pulled the blanket back up with my hooves and pretended to be asleep.

I heard the door open, a brief pause and it was closed again.

“She’s still asleep” Alyshia stated.

“Yeah right” Brax growled. “So are we going to go soon or not?”

“Yeah” Midnight put in. “I want to get to Manehattan before sundown; I don’t want to be flying at night.”

Alyshia said something but it was too quiet for me to hear. I sighed and looked around the dark room, the clinic was exactly the same as the one at stable eighty six. In fact I could almost imagine my doctor back in my stable to come out from around the corner and give me a lollypop, that however hadn’t happened since I was about twelve, but the thought was nice.

* ** ** ** *

Some ten minutes later Alyshia came in again. “Amethyst?” she whispered.

I decided it would be useless to pretend to be asleep, so I replied “Yes?”

“We’re going to go now hon, we need to get to Manehattan before sundown. Midnight will be carrying you until we get outside.”

Alyshia pulled back the sheets, the cold air hitting my body. I had what appeared to be Alyshia’s bath robe on for clothing. “Where’s my barding?” I asked.

“Gone” Alyshia said simply. “It fell apart when you got back, the barding had torn and the armour plates were falling out.”

“Right” I muttered. Why was it that I had gone through three sets of barding yet I wasn’t the one to dispose of it? “I’ll get another set in Manehattan then.”

“I hope you can afford it hon, it’s awfully expensive at Tenpony Tower” Alyshia stated.

“We’ll manage” I sighed.

Midnight and Lionel came through the hospital door. Lionel wasn’t looking very happy for some reason, but that would probably be because his journey with us was coming to an end.

“Ready?” Midnight asked.

I nodded. Alyshia levitated me from the bed and onto Midnights back. “Be careful with her” Alyshia said, “Her forehoof is still broken so she can’t grip very well. Just be careful until we get outside. That means no flying.”

“Aww come on Alyshia?” Midnight said, “Flying won’t hurt.”

“If you drop her Midnight… I swear-“ Alyshia said struggling to find a word to use.

“I’m kidding, really” Midnight laughed. “No need to get your socks in a knot.”

“But I don’t wear socks” Alyshia said confused.

Midnight facehoofed. “Never mind.”

* ** ** ** *

We managed to exit the freezing stable without any major issues; we managed to get the door of the stable open so I wasn’t forcefully squeezed through the small hole. We stepped out of the cave and into pure sunlight, it was clam and not a breath of wind was to be felt or heard.

“Okay now wheres that cart?” Midnight said. “I think it was over there.” Midnight galloped over to an area behind a large rock with me on her back and everypony else following.

An old rusty family cart lay in the snow, the windows shattered. The skeleton of a pegasus within the reins. “Creepy” I whispered, “You sure this’ll get us to Manehattan safely?”

“Yeah, I’m positive” Midnight said, “I just need to strap myself in, you four get in and-“

“Is Lionel coming with us?” I asked.

“Ah sure am” Lionel stated, “Midnight reckons if ah want ta come, then ahm comin’.”

I glared at Midnight and she blushed, “I thought you’d be okay with it.”

“We’re going to talk about this” I whispered to her. “Fine” I growled, “But I’m not giving you any extra caps, or for that matter you won’t be getting the caps till you leave. Got it?”

“Yeah, Midnight said ya migh’ say that but s’all good, s’long as ah get mah caps when ah go. S’all good.”

“We had reports of tribals above the cloud layer” an unfamiliar voice from behind said in quite a demanding tone, causing all of us to jump in surprise.

Three pegasus ponies in heavy armour stood before us, the larger pony on the left had large brown wings poking from his suit of armour, the top of his wings cased in steel. The pony in the middle was smaller but stood in a way that told me that she was the leader. The pony on the right was smaller than the other two and her wings were of a charcoal colour, the tips coloured white. She stood to the side slightly away from her leader.

When we had recovered it was Midnight who replied. “We’re not Tribals” she scoffed, “We’re from the ground.”

“Tribals are from the ground” the pony in the middle stated as if she was talking to children. “You are in the territory of the enclave.”

“Enclave? Midnight roared, “This is the ground, this mountain belongs to the Earth Ponies and Unicorns.”

“Midnight shut it” I hissed.

“That you are wrong-“

Midnight opened her mouth but Alyshia shover her hoof in it. “We’re awfully sorry for coming here, we didn’t know” Alyshia said innocently, “I’m trying to get my foal back down the mountain and to a hospital. She’s really injured.” Alyshia pointed a hoof at me.

“Captain” the pony on the right said, “may I speak?”

“You may” the pony in the middle said.

“I think they might be right, the pony on the back of the albino one is really injured. She’s covered in bandages and she-“

“I can tell corporal” the leader pony said dully. “How old is your foal?”

“She’s sixteen” Alyshia lied, “we we’re looking for food in the stable but she fell and got shot. Midnight here was going to use that cart to get back to the ground and fly us to a hospital.”

I personally thought Alyshia was doing very well, in reality our ages were less than ten years apart and yet she was pulling off the lie quiet easily.

“Look” the leader of the three pony squadron said, “we’ll let you off with a warning, just get the cart and fly below cloud level and get her to a hospital.”

“Which hospital are you going to?” the charcoal pony asked.

“Tenpony Tower” Alyshia replied.

“Corporal, do not talk when not instructed” the leader pony said angrily. “Move out.” The trio took off and left us…

“Fucking assholes” Midnight growled, “stupid fucking enclave.”

“I think they were nice enough” Alyshia stated, “they asked why we were here, we told them and they were okay with that.”

“This isn’t their land” Midnight growled, “They show up as if they owned the place and demand questions.”

“They were just doing their jobs” Alyshia stated. “They could have killed us if they wanted to.”

“I liked the one on the right” I said to nopony in particular.

“Not you too” Midnight moaned. “They were thick as a rock, who would honestly believe that you were Amethyst’s mother?”

“Amethyst is half hidden and heavily bruised, unless they actually took a closer look at her then nopony was going to question it” Alyshia replied scathingly. “You’re just prejudiced because they are part of the enclave.”

“I’m not prejudiced” Midnight started.

“Would you two please cut it out” Brax growled, “I’m sick of the arguing. Will you fillies just stop?”

Midnight and Alyshia looked at each other then turned away pissed off at one another.

“Can we go please?” I asked, “I thought we were in a rush.”

“Yes hon” Alyshia said caringly, “We just need to strap our taxi to the wagon.”

Midnight glared at Alyshia. “Yes we need to go, lest the enclave return.”

Alyshia rolled her eyes and opened the door to the cart. The seats were of leather, but they were patched, frayed and covered in glass. Alyshia levitated all the glass out as well as a pony skeleton, she placed the skeleton and the glass on the snow and levitated me off her, she then placed me onto the leather seat at the opposite end of the wagon.

“I just need to help Midnight into her harness” Alyshia informed.

I nodded and moved so I was more comfortable, the inside was still in rather good condition, the sides and the roof were decorated with timber, I looked into the back and there was plenty of room for Brax and Lionel. The cart had four windows and a windscreen; the windscreen had a single crack that ran half way across it. All four windows were shattered and had no glass left in them.

“It’s too tight” Midnight grunted from outside.

“Fine I’ll loosen it” Alyshia stated. “Would you two stallions get into the cart please?”

The back door opened a few seconds later and the two stallions stepped into the back of the cart before closing the door.

“Ya know, how is Midnight goin’ ta pull the giant chunk of steel with four ponies in the back?” Lionel asked.

I was wondering the same thing, Midnight pulled the old wooden cart near Cantal but this was quite different.

“These we’re built to be lighter, they use a spark battery and earth pony tech” Brax replied, “assuming the spark battery is still okay and the device built into this isn’t damaged then this will fly well.”

“Do we know that this is mechanically sound?” I inquired, “What would happen if it was broken?”

“If it was broken then Midnight will find it very difficult to fly” Brax replied simply, “Do we know if this is mechanically sound? I don’t know, maybe you should ask Midnight? She found it.”

“Hey Midnight” I said loudly so she could hear me.

“Yes?” Midnight replied loudly.

“Is this safe to fly?” I asked.

“Yes” Midnight replied, “I checked it when I found it. I’m not stupid.”

“Okay” I finished loudly.

Alyshia had finished getting Midnight into the harness; she opened the door and sat next to me. I could see Midnight outside the windscreen, her harness clearly visable on her body. She turned and looked through the windscreen. “Are you lot ready?” She asked.

“Yes” We all said together. Midnight turned away from up and extended her wings, she trotted forwards and the cart moved, probably for the first time in nearly two hundred years. Midnight built speed until she reached the cliff face of the mountain peak, when Midnight ran out of land she jumped off the cliff her wings extended and the cart quickly followed.

Foot Note: Level Up

New perk: Advanced cold resistance – You have additional resistance to the effects of the winter. You gain a further 15% cold resistance.

Chapter 17: Of Life and Death

It was late afternoon; Midnight was still flying in a southerly direction. I was too sore to move or for that matter talk. My legs especially ached, the bones still splintered but bound by the mare sitting next to me. The painkillers laced with morphine were doing a good job, but it still left me feeling incredibly uncomfortable. I was privately glad I was housed in this small carriage, it was spacious enough for me to lie down however the windows were small meaning I didn’t have to look outside and suffer crippling sickness.

“How much further?” I croaked not moving.

“Not too far now hon,” Alyshia said caringly. “We’ll arrive a few hours after dark; we’ll get you into hospital right away okay?”

I nodded and Alyshia ran her hoof through my mane before giving my head a brief hug. Luckily the only part of my body that wasn’t broken.

* ** ** ** *

It was dark, I had my pipbuck light on which was the only form of light in the small carriage, Midnight was now left navigating using the lights of a tower on the horizon. “Another twenty minutes,” she gasped from ahead.

“Finally,” Alyshia groaned, happy to almost be there. “Finally we can get some decent r-“

Bang

My head jerked upright as the carriage shook. I heard Midnight shout and all I saw was an electric green bubble shoot past the window. Midnight shouted out and before we knew it we were diving.

“What’s going on?” a deep voice bellowed. “Midnight are you-“

Bang

The carriage shook again and the carriage levelled out.

Midnight wha’ the hay is goin’ on?” Lionel growled looking out the window.

“Alicorns.” she screamed as a green bolt missed her by inches.

Midnight pulled into another dive again, the feeling of weightlessness filled me once again. I held onto Alyshia before glancing out the window. A purple and blue bolt soared through the window and hit the steel carriage, singing a hole in it.

“Fucken land” Brax yelled out. “Midnight, land the fucking thing before we die.”

Midnight screamed again as a purple hit the front of the carriage, once again missing her by inches. She pulled out of the dive sharply and the carriage smashed into the ground, the suspension buckling and all four of us in the carriage bounced around inside. My broken body screamed in pain again, but I lacked the strength to actually scream out.

Midnight struggled to get the reins off, but she came free and before I knew it she vanished as green, purple and blue shot through the air. Brax and Lionel jumped out the back; Alyshia kissed me on the forehead and said, “Stay here.”

“What?” I croaked. “No, I can help.”I pulled my sniper rifle out.

“No darling, you’re injured. You can’t fight,” she said sympathetically. Alyshia left me in the carriage on the seat. Instead I levitated my rifle at the ready and propped my head up out the window, three Alicorns, each firing different coloured magic, a purple one, a blue one and a green one.

Lionel threw a grenade at the green one whom had a poisonous green shield. The grenade exploded lighting the green up with red but the shield held. I saw a purple one as well; this one seemed to be blindingly fast, so fast in fact that it seemed to be teleporting. The blue one stood there, the thing’s eerie blue eyes visible in the dark. I took aim as it simply stood there, the thing not even trying to fight. I positioned the rifle to aim in the blue eye, the brightness almost blinding. My magic touched the trigger; before I could fire it vanished.

I pulled my eye away from the sniper rifle as I heard a female scream. Lionel had shot the purple Alicorn with a shotgun, the huge monster screaming. How he hit it I didn’t know, all I saw was the Alicorn hit the ground when Lionel shot it again.

He turned to the green Alicorn. “Come get some ya brutes” he yelled ecstatically.

He raised the shotgun as the Green Alicorn charged up a magical shot, ready for Lionel. “Look out” I screamed. Suddenly the blue Alicorn popped up behind lionel and wrapped him in a blue field. The yellow Alicorn blasted him with a huge charged up bolt. I ducked, unable to watch. I heard an explosion and another shriek. “Lionel!” Brax roared.

“That’s one more” Midnight yelled. “The blue one’s dead.”

I missed that too. I didn’t see. I glanced back up to see the final Alicorn standing. The green alicorn stood high on a large slab of concrete, its shield impenetrable. The green light illuminated the ground; its two companions were down. Lionel wasn’t visible but I couldn’t tell if he was alive or not.

I loaded my rifle with the special blue bullets. I had to do something, before it hurt anypony. I heard explosions and I saw Alyshia take shelter behind a piece of steel. The alicorn charged up another bolt of green lightning. I saw everyone take cover. I ducked myself and without warning a huge explosion sounded against the carriage. It shook hard, followed by wrenching metal. I tumbled to the ground, my magic vanished around the sniper rifle and it vanished into the dark. I hit the rough bitumen hard, my broken bones screaming as they shifted.

I looked up, feeling groggy. Everypony was still hidden, the pony was charging up another bolt aimed for me. How it knew I was there I had no idea but before I knew I had a bolt of green coming for my face. I activated my shield without thinking, knowing I stood no chance against a demi-god goddess alicorn thing. The green beam met my shield. The shield turned green itself, completely overrun by the massive spell. Rune symbols rippled the electric green shield and before I knew it my shield fell apart, as if it was paper burning felfire.

My companions did not come out, her shield was clearly too strong. I was however still unprotected. The Alicorn charged up her green beam again, I charged my shield up once again and before I was complete her shield collapsed and the spell thundered from her horn, meeting the surface of my half-finished spell.

The shield shattered and the green light hit me in the chest as if I was shot a thousand times in the same spot. Humongous pain hit my heart, followed by a melting feeling that spread from my heart and into my veins. I felt my body fly through the air and I landed hard on the ground.

“Amethyst No,” a female voice sounded from nearby through the confusion.

My head swam, unable to breathe. I then blacked out.

* ** ** ** *

Point of View Change

Alyshia

BANG

A huge green bolt of energy hit the old carriage in front of me. The carriage collapsed and I saw the a hint of purple wrapped around a gun before it vanished. Amethyst was in there. Fear crept from my heart. Please let her be okay I thought please don’t be… I looked around the sheet of metal I was hiding behind. The large green Alicorn was charging up another devastating spell from behind her shield.

I looked back at the carriage and a purple shield formed, the light casting the injured filly into perspective, her face gaunt and filled with pain and concentration. The green Alicorn collapsed her shield and shot Amethyst with a thick green beam. The beam connected with the shield, bathing everything in green light. Amethyst’s shield rippled and seemed to solidify as the green encased the purple. Finally the Alicorn released the magic and Amethyst’s shield, instead of collapsing as usual flaked away, the remanent as thin and light as paper and they burned with a green flame casting her with a green hue.

The Alicorn charged up again and I saw that Amethyst wasn’t ready. I panicked and shouted out, “Amethyst no!” But as I said it the filly’s shield began to form but before it was complete the green bolt shot through it as if it was vapour. Amethyst lit up brightly, her body green and she was thrown several feet through the air.

“Amethyst No,” I shouted, desperate. I jumped away from my hiding spot and almost got hit by a bolt myself. I jumped back and looked at where Amethyst was. I only found her because her flankers were torn, her cutie marks shone brightly in the darkness but without warning they waned before winking out.

My heart twisted. I didn’t care if I lived or died. I had to get to her, she can’t be dead. She cannot be dead. There is no way she’s dead. I jumped out from my hiding spot, my own pathetic shield encasing me and I dashed to the young mare. I heard a scream from behind me followed by a series of explosions, as if it was coming form an automatic grenade launcher. I didn’t look, I just jumped forwards and came to a stop next to the filly I had grown so fond of.

Amethyst was lying stomach down and was bleeding from the forehead; her pipbuck casing was also dented. I got to work strait away. I levitated a large chunk of concrete to put us out of harm’s way before tending to her. I flipped her onto her back as carefully as I could. When I saw the damage I almost wept, the barding on her chest was gone and her skin was left blackened. I placed my hoof to her neck to feel for a pulse but it was nonexistent. “No, no” I cried as I pulled out some tools and several syringes, as I did so Amethyst stopped breathing.

I ripped her barding off, the metal plates were full of holes and fell out as the material tore easily . As the barding fell away, Amethyst's patched dirty white coat was exposed. I pulled her socks off her forelegs, three syringes at the ready. Faint marks covered her forelegs but I gave it no notice, I injected her with adrenaline, then of morphine and then of steroids.

I heard another series of explosions and background noise of Brax and Midnight fighting, I thought I heard another female voice but this didn’t matter. All that mattered was bringing Amethyst back. I concentrated on the spell, the spell I always had issues performing. I closed my eyes and relaxed, allowing my mind to clear. Finally when calm enough I activated the spell. Amethyst jolted as my purple spark entered her chest and leaving behind another ball floating just above her coat. I levitated a breathing apparatus and squeezed it magically, my hoof on her chest. Her chest rose and dropped as I squeezed, my purple ball let off a spark again and her body jolted slightly. I felt her heart beat once then wane, another spark went off and again it beat once.

I began to cry out in frustration, tears streamed from my eyes as I tried to bring her back to life. I never knew how much I loved Amethyst until now; it would be like losing my only daughter. I couldn’t give up. “Come on Amethyst” I gasped. “Nineteen is too young, you need to come back.”

Jolt

BANG BANG BOOOM

Light lit up the entire area, casting Amethyst in light. I heard the shriek of the Alicorn followed by triumphant whoops. I felt Amethyst’s heart beat again, then again and again.

I let off a great sigh and the ball of light vanished. Amethyst however still couldn’t breathe on her own and I had to continue to breathe for her.

Amethyst’s cutie marks lit back up but dimly, the filly was still alive but only just. I looked towards Tenpony Tower, just a few kilometres away, its windows lit brightly.

“Lionel” Midnight called. “Lionel where are you? Alyshia? Amethyst?”

Of course, the colt was missing. He was hit by a spell and vanished in the dark. I didn’t see what happened of course but the fact he was gone worried me. I could have two patients. “Go find him and bring him to me,” I called through the darkness. “I’m over here tending to Amethyst; find Lionel and bring him back to me Brax and Midnight please.”

Midnight landed softly next to me as I continued to monitor our youngest member, her heart ticking softly and her chest rising and falling with each squeeze of the breathing apparatus. I heard another set of steel hooves clop onto the frozen bitumen. “Brax, can you go find Lionel,” I said turning to the stallion.

“I’m not Brax,” a female said through a thick helmet. She was a pegasus I noted, I glanced at her wings and she had the white tips as the pony on the mountain did. Was the pegasus following us? “My name’s Serine, but my friends call me Seerie. I saw what was happening and yeah. I helped.”

“Why are you here?” Midnight growled. “Go home. We didn’t need your help.”

“I’ve been sent on a mission. I can’t go home,” the pony said matter-of-factly. “And it looks like you did.”

“Why were you following us?” Midnight demanded. “Are there more enclave following us?”

Serine nickered. “No there isn’t. I’ve actually been sent to fix a relay tower that’s broken near Hoofington, my superiors have other missions that are of a secret nature to the enclave.”

Busy I turned back to Amethyst, unsure how to get her to hospital without risking her heart or for that matter without her breathing on her own.

“Secret to what? Go ho-“ Midnight began.

Losing my temper I cracked. “Midnight stick a horseshoe in it please, who cares. If she wants to help then fine but in case you haven’t noticed your best friend is on her deathbed, I have to breathe for her so could you make yourself useful or put a sock in it.”

Midnight looked down at Amethyst and cringed. Her head was still bleeding slightly but she had gained some colour since I got her heart going again. “Is she going to be okay?” Midnight asked, ignoring the enclave pony.

“I dunno, I thought she was dead before ,but we need to get her to hospital” I said sombre. “Brax where’s Lionel?” I roared remembering we were missing two ponies.

“I… umm.” He coughed. “He’s dead,” he said in a flat reply from the darkness.

“Are you sure?” I asked glancing into the darkness.

“I am sure” Brax growled. He came closer, into the light from my horn. “Is Amethyst okay?”

Midnight began to weep, my heart broke for her but I had to answer Brax’s question. “Not really,” I said trying to sound positive. “Least she’s still alive. You sure Lionel’s dead? Can you bring him here?”

Brax shook his head. “The alicorn hit him in the throat and it’s completely melted to the bone. He’s dead, no pulse and he’s not breathing. Which makes me wonder why she’s still alive?” Brax pointed a hoof at Amethyst.

“I saw her… She was trying to shield herself again but the shield didn’t form properly. Could it be that it negated the energy and it hit her lighter or something?”

“I’m not sure, but we need to get Amethyst to the hospital,” I said urgently.

“Where’s Lionel?” Midnight croaked.

“You don’t want to see him,” Brax growled. Midnight made to move but Brax caught her in his strong steel forelegs. “No Midnight, you can’t see him. Please.”

“I can take Amethyst to the Hospital if you want?” Serine suggested. “The tower is just over there and-“

“How’s she going to breathe?” I snapped, losing my patience at this unknown pony. “You can’t fly and breathe for her.”

“Midnight can help, if she want’s she can carry her and I’ll operate the breathing thing,” she suggested.

“I-“the idea was the best that had been suggested. I can’t fly nor can I get Amethyst to breathe on her own. The longer I waited, the less chance of Amethyst waking up again.

“Fine,” I breathed. “Midnight, stop struggling please.”

“I want to see Lionel,” she sobbed.

I sighed, “No Midnight please, we need to save Amethyst, we can’t do it without you. Lionel is gone, Amethyst is still here but only just. If she dies then she’s gone.”

Midnight stopped struggling and looked at me, her crimson eyes shining with tears. Finally she nodded.

* ** ** ** *

“So how do I use this?” Serine said, holding the breathing apparatus in her armoured hooves as Alyshia continued to squeeze it.

“Squeeze it, wait three seconds for her to breathe out then squeeze it again,” I said demonstrating with my own hooves. “Do not overdo it, and please don’t forget. Her life is in your hands.”

Serine nodded and took over; she did well for the first time but how well while flying. “Okay off with you two,” I said trying to remain positive. Midnight gave me a sullen look with Amethyst tied securely to her back, a tube in her mouth being pumped by an enclave pony. I prayed to Celestia and Luna that I would return to Amethyst alive and breathing.

The two pegasi took off together, slowly but carefully.

I looked over to Brax and broke down, fear tearing into my heart. I couldn’t let her go. My poor poor Amethyst, I wish I could have looked after her, protect her. Brax attempted to comfort me, his strong cold hooves wrapped around my shoulders.

“Hey,” he growled. “She’ll be fine.”

“No she won’t,” I cried. “She’ll be dead when I’m back, she’ll be gone forever, ripped from me before I could even know her properly.”

“Hey, this wasn’t your fault,” Brax said as softly as he could. “She’s a strong filly, she’ll live.”

“She was in the carriage all by herself. I told her to stay put,” I cried. “She’s dead because of me.”

“Hey, hey she’s not dead.” Brax said. ”She’s still alive Alyshia. She’s lucky to not be like Lionel.”

“Lionel’s dead.” I coughed. “I feel bad that I’m not sobbing because he’s dead. But Amethyst is… Amethyst is my life.”

It felt wrong to say it. A filly I’ve known for a fe, weeks. But I care so much, too much about the young white pony from a stable.

“Hey, I understand. It’s fine Alyshia, let’s go to the tower. Come on.”

“What about Lionel’s b-body,” I sobbed.

“I’ve. I’ve shifted a slab of concrete over his body. To hide it from view. We can’t make a grave for him here and he’s too big to carry. I’d be afraid his head would-“ Brax stopped unable to continue.

“We had best get to the tower.”

I nodded and together, cut and distraught left the scene.

Chapter 18: Hospital Again?

After over an hour of walking Brax and I turned up at the entrance to the familiar Tenpony tower. I was exhausted, worried, sick and on the verge of tears.

Brax passed over his laser batteries and I my explosives and a canister of shotgun shells that I didn’t even know I had to the guards upon entering the building. Finally we left the stiff cold air and entered the warm building, the warm air hitting my dirty, disgusting coat. It was hardly surprising as we made our way to the elevators that I had ponies staring at me. I would have thought these ponies would have gotten a grip on themselves, especially as travellers whom usually arrived were quite filthy.

When we entered the elevator I saw myself in the cracked mirror for the first time in days. My eyes were sunken and red, my face was dirty and my mane was filthy from dirty snow and dust. When the Elevator arrived on level 5 we trotted over the threshold, my heart beating fast. The hospital was clean as ever, yet I knew that this trip was different than the rest. I walked up to the counter, feeling as if I was sick. A mint coloured unicorn was behind the desk and she looked up.

“How may I hel- Alyshia?” the pony said startled. “What brings you here?”

I didn’t remember the pony behind the desk, it was but seven years ago I finished my training, part of it here at the Tenpony hospital. I nodded then opened my mouth. “Was a white unicorn, 19 years, black mane and female admitted here within the past hour or so?” I asked desperately.

The pony raised her eyebrow. “You know we can’t give out details of our patients Alyshia,”

I huffed my frustration. “The patient was under my care, she arrived with two pegasi as I couldn’t get her here myself. If you want confirmation, then by all means bring Midnight and Scerine here and they will tell you.”

I waited. The pony then picked up the phone. “Doctor, I have Alyshia wanting to know if a young unicorn of nineteen years by the name of…” she looked up to me expectantly.

“Amethyst,” I said quietly.

“Amethyst,” the pony repeated. “Apparently bought in by two pegasi.” The pony frowned then said, “Correct. I shall advise. Thank You.” She put the phone down and sighed. “We received Amethyst about fifty minutes ago; she’s undergoing surgery as we speak.”

“Sh-she’s alive,” I gasped.

“Yeah, see Alyshia,” Brax growled. “She’s tough.”

“Midnight and Scerine are in the waiting room,” the receptionist said, I was told they were waiting your return.”

“Th-Thank you,” I gasped.

* ** ** ** *

Brax and I entered the waiting room, the waiting room had a few ponies inside, some with bandages on their heads, others on their legs and others were in wheelchairs.Others were simply waiting with loved ones.

Midnight and Scerine were found near the back row on a large maroon cushioned bench. Midnight had fallen asleep, her muzzle and cheeks wet from tears. Scerine was awake, laying down a good meter from the other pegasus. “Hi,” I said in a still shaky voice.

“Hey,” Scerine said getting to her hooves. Her voice was clearer now her visor was pulled back. Scerine was younger than I thought, her charcoal face was tired but otherwise she was alert. She couldn’t have been any older than Amethyst was.

“I wanted to thank you, for everything,” I told the younger pegasus. I hugged her. Unsure if this was the right way to thank her, I pulled away.

“It was nothing,” Scerine said waving an armoured hoof. “You as the mother but be absolutely distraught.”

I blushed. “Truth be told, I’m not actually Amethyst’s mother, she’s nineteen not sixteen.” I sighed again and looked towards the surgery room.

“You’re not?” The pegasus said unsure.

I shook my head. “Amethyst was born in a stable. You know those lockups they had back before the war?”

Scerine nodded.

“Her birth mother resides in the stable and Amethyst has left to find a certain item. As I understand it. I’m more her carer.”

Brax coughed. “You mean you’ve taken her under your wing and mothered the living-“

“Yes Brax that’s enough,” I snapped. I could feel the stallions scowl behind his mask. My name’s Alyshia by the way,” I said blushing from the lack of an introduction. “That’s Brax,” I said pointing to the stallion that was now getting himself something from the vending machine. “And that’s Midnight,” I said pointing at the sleeping pegasus.

Scerine glanced at Midnight as Alyshia introduced the sleeping pegasus. I opened my mouth to ask how long she’s been asleep for but Scerine answered my question. “She’s been asleep for about twenty minutes.”

“Oh,” I said. “I hope she hasn’t been too rough on you,” I said sympathetically. “Midnight’s a nice pony really but-“

“She hates the enclave,” Brax said through a mouthful of chips, his visor pulled back. I glared at him.

“Wha’?” he growled. “It’s true.”

Scerine sighed. “I’m sorry for following you, it wasn’t my business. I was supposed to rest at Tenpony tower then head off to Hoofington. I saw your carriage about two hours after you left the mountain and I decided to follow you. I remembered that you had an injured pony and-“

“Scerine it’s fine. Amethyst would probably be dead without you,” I told the young pegasus. “I take it Midnight has already growled at you?”

Scerine didn’t nod or shake her head. That told me enough.

“I’ll talk to Midnight tomorrow,” I sighed. “That is assuming you have time to hang around until Amethyst wakes back up?”

Scerine nodded. “I have a week to fix the relay tower. I can hang around.”

“Great,” Alyshia said smiling. “I’m sure Amethyst would want to thank you.”

Scerine smiled, and then looked away. I assumed she still felt bad for stalking us. I let it slide; we had a long wait before Amethyst was ready to be seen.

* ** ** ** *

It was now 2 am. Scerine was still awake and Midnight still asleep, Brax was also still awake with the help of a strong coffee.

The surgeon trotted over in his light blue overalls. “Alyshia?”

I looked up to the surgeon praying the news was good. “Yes?”

The surgeon smiled. “Amethyst has come out of surgery and is in a stable condition.”

I felt relief surge through my body. “Thank goodness,” Scerine sighed, her eyes red from tiredness.

“Thank goodness alright,” Brax growled, “I know it’s sad that Lionel is dead but I’m glad Amethyst didn’t die.”

I nodded. “Amethyst is a better pony,” I managed to say. I looked back at the surgeon. “Can we see her?”

He smiled again. “Of course.”

“I’ll go wake Midnight,” Brax said quietly before bustling away.

I nodded. Scerine and I were lead into the recovery room by the surgeon, the faint Beep, Beep sound of the machine filled my ears. “She’s stable but still critical,” he said. “Her heart had a lesion, that’s now fixed and her respiration muscles are now responding.” He gave a slight cough before coming to a halt at the curtain. “Although one must question how she got into such a state? I was under the impression she was hit by a spell from an Alicorn. If that was the case, then why did she suffer two severely broken legs, a high radiation dose, a broken rib and a lesion to the head?”

“She already had those injuries,” I sighed.

“Amethyst also seems to suffer a degree of malnutrition. Is she eating?” he asked.

“I- I’m not actually sure,” I said my heart tearing. Now he put it like that, I took next to no care for the filly in our group. I didn’t even know if she was eating.

“She has cuts all over her forelegs as well,” he said drawing the curtain. They’re all mostly healed but still visible. Do you know how she might have gotten them?”

I shook my head, remembering that I saw these when I was tending to her. The doctor stood aside together, Scerine and myself stepped forward. Amethyst was lying face up; IV tubes connected her to multiple machines that measured her everything. The surgeon pulled the sheets back to expose her upper body. The sight of her almost made me burst into tears, her fur was missing in places and her ribs were showing. Apart from that, she was fixed but my eyes caught her forehooves. Pink lines laced them, visible from beneath her coat. Her left leg had more than her right.

“They look self-inflicted,” Scerine whispered to me.

“How do you know,” I whispered back.

“I-“ Scerine began awkwardly.

“I agree with the pegasus,” the surgeon said. “I believe the marks to be self-inflicted.” He pulled the sheet back over Amethyst to prevent her from getting cold. “I can’t really think how else she got them.”

Brax and Midnight walked in, Midnight rubbed an eye with her hoof. “How’s Am-Amethyst,” she yawned.

The surgeon gave a smile, tilted his head then left us with her. “She’s critical but she’ll be fine,” I said quietly even though I knew Amethyst wasn’t going to wake.

Midnight looked teary, but she held together to walk up to Amethysts bedside. “I’m glad she’s alive,” she managed to say. “I don’t know what I’d do if I lost two friends.” Midnight’s eyes watered up.

Scerine skulked away, leaving us to whisper how thankful our friend is still alive. I cleared my throat. “Scerine, you can see her too.”

Scerine shook her head. “I don’t want to intrude, really. I shouldn’t even be here.”

“Nonsense,” Brax growled, “You helped-“

Scerine gave a weak smile but stayed away. I was thankful that Midnight had stopped berating Scerine but I felt I owed the young mare for helping get Amethyst here. “At least stay till Amethyst wakes up. I’m sure she wants to meet you.”

Scerine nodded, glancing at Amethyst then she looked back at me. “I’m going to get find a room, I’m quite tired. I’ll be back to see Amethyst tomorrow.”

Scerine turned, flicking her armoured scorpion tail that was part of her enclave armour as she went. “If she didn’t help Amethyst, I would have killed her,” Midnight growled.

“She’s nice enough,” I told Midnight. “That’s really quite harsh you know.”

“Yeah, so is what they did…” she snapped. “I won’t ever forget.”

I knew she was referring to her parents. “Enough Midnight, let’s just get some rest okay?”

* ** ** ** *

The following day Brax and I went to visit Amethyst. Midnight didn’t attend as she wouldn’t get out of bed. The difference was that today I was clean and fresh. When the nurse took us to her, Scerine was already there.

“You’re early,” I said shocked that the pegasus would turn up so soon.

“I was lonely,” Scerine said with a grin. “I don’t normally get sent on solo missions, the enclave deem it a requirement.” I nodded, understanding this “enclave” had an odd way about things.

“How is she?” I asked.

“She’s sleeping,” Scerine said, “She’s been quite but sometimes she’d mutter something, I guess she’s just dreaming.”

I walked over to Amethyst on the right side of the bed and pulled her left forehoof from under the sheet. It felt good to feel Amethyst’s warm hoof against my own, knowing that she was still alive. I glanced down and beneath her coat were her marks. The marks the doctor believed were from self-harm. “Brax, do you think Amethyst is happy?”

Brax cocked his head. “I dunno, that’s something you should ask her when she wakes up.”

I held onto her, wishing my question could be answered. I knew that Amethyst was troubled. I knew she had a crush on Midnight, I knew that she had trouble at home. I put Amethyst’s hoof back on the sheet, my eyes catching her Saddlebags on her bedside. Perhaps my question could be answered. I levitated Amethyst’s saddlebags over and opened them magically.

“What’re you doing?” Brax whispered. “Are you going through her stuff?”

“I need to know,” I replied.

Brax gave me a dirty look. “This isn’t how you go about it,” he growled.

“I know how to go about it,” I replied. I started pulling things out of her bag at random. First thing I pulled out what looked like a dismantled robot and four pairs of solar panels. I placed them to the side and continued. Books, a towel, a small bag of caps, a tin of canned fruit, her water bottle, a small first aid kit, a large quantity of bandages, a rusty old knife… “I hope she didn’t use this,” I moaned. “It’s all rusty.”

“Stop making assumptions,” he hissed. “If you falsely accuse her-“

“I won’t be,” I growled so Scerine wouldn’t hear. “It’s pretty obvious, look at the cuts Brax.”

I continued to search her bags. I found a small glass spun orb, a few syringes of painkillers and about four healing potions, one of which had a faded number on it. I frowned. I’ve seen this healing potion before. I pulled it out of a drawer in the Stable in the Everfree forest. “She’s been stealing my things,” I gasped a flutter of anger pitting my stomach. “She’s been taking my healing potions. That’s why I ran out on the mountain.”

“You sure,” Brax whispered.

“I pulled this one out of that stable in the forest near Ponyville,” I levitated the potion to his muzzle. “I’ll be having a firm chat with her at any rate.”

“Excuse me Alyshia, I don’t mean to be butting in but. Should you really be going through her things like that?” Scerine said with a frown on her face. “I seriously doubt that-“

“When she’s been cutting her forelegs and hiding it behind her socks while guzzling my healing potions it becomes my business,” I said dangerously. “Especially when I am running dangerously low on them.”

“And you’re not concerned in the slightest about her mental health?” Scerine put in with a frown, her green eyes firmly on my own. “You’re worrying about her taking your healing potions when she’s been slicing her forelegs up?” Scerine extended her wings looking a little angry.

“Of course I’m worried about her,” I snapped a little hurt. “She should have told me what was troubling her.”

“Ponies just don’t tell others they’re having thoughts of hurting themselves,” Scerine snapped. “I don’t need to know Amethyst to know that she wouldn’t want you to see those cuts on her legs.”

I felt a pang in my heart. I was angry at Amethyst for taking my things, for her putting undue stress on me when healing her at the mountain without potions. But I also felt bad for her as well, what was causing her to self-harm?”

“I’m going for a walk,” I muttered walking out of the ward. “For now at least, I needed to clear my head.”

* ** *Two Days Later* ** *

Point of View Change

Amethyst

I felt comfortably and unusually warm; a soft beeping filled my ears. I didn’t want to wake up, I felt too exhausted and my mind felt at ease for the first time in a long time. I just wanted to sleep for a little more, not able to keep my eyes closed I opened them. I was staring at a cracked white ceiling and I felt groggy and lethargic, I raised my forehooves and I was connected to more IV drips than ever before, I even felt one in my nose. I raised my head, my left curtain was open and on the seat reading a magazine was a dark Pegasus with a snowy mane, her wings tipped white. The only thing familiar about her were the white tipped wings.

“Who’re you?” I said my voice slurring as I tried to keep my vision focused.

“Amethyst?” the pony jumped to her hooves. “How d’you know my name,” I said staring at the pony. “Where’s Alyshia and…” I tried to focus but instead slurred, “Everypony else.”

“They’re eating dinner,” she said. “Do you need the nurse?”

“Nurse?” I said confused. I squinted. “Are you a nurse?”

“No,” she said cocking her head. “I’m going to get the nurse for you.”

“Who are-“ I began but she left. I slumped against the pillow with nothing to occupy me other than the sound of my beating heart. My head was cloudy, it throbbed as if I had concussion and my limbs felt like lead. My memory before I blacked out was vague. All I remember is the crash, a beam of yellow then nothing.

A nurse pony entered the ward followed by the dark pegasus. The nurse looked surprised, “You weren’t expected to wake today,” she said. “How’re you feeling?”

I lifted my forehoof to my head. “Sore,” I muttered. I felt a hoof push my chest onto the bed. “What’re these for,” I said stupidly as I tugged the IV tubes.

“Your sustenance,” the nurse said simply. She tapped my forehoof, “Don’t play with them.”

“Sorry,” I muttered. I glanced at my forehooves, the fading marks still visible. I glanced at the rather pretty pegasus. “Do I know you?” I asked.

“Not really,” she said with an awkward grin. “I met with your friends in the fight and brought you here for treatment with Midnight.”

“Midnight’s here?” I asked my mind straying. “What’s your name?”

“I’m Scerine,” she said with a warm smile. “I’m from the pegasus enclave-“

“The enclave,” I gasped as the nurse wiped my forehead with a towel. “I take it Midnight doesn’t like you?”

“Well, I sometimes get that feeling,” she muttered. “I understand she’s a ground pegasus, I mean she isn’t a dashite. She has her cutie mark.”

“I’m going to get the doctor,” the nurse said. “He’ll be with you in a moment.”

I nodded then turned what little attention I could muster to Scerine. “Midnight’s always lived down here,” I said to her.

Scerine nodded. “I gathered that much.”

A stallion doctor came into the ward and strode over to my bed. “I’m sorry for breaking the conversation ladies but I need to run some tests.” He turned to me. “I’m Doctor Cascade. To be truthful we weren’t expecting you to wake today.”

“The nurse said something like that,” I muttered.

“Quite,” he muttered as he pulled out his stethoscope. “Now you’ve suffered a degree of trauma Amethyst and I expect you to be here for about a week or so.”

“A week,” I coughed.

I shivered as the cold metal made contact with the shaved fur on my chest. You heart is better,” he muttered. “And yes a week, you’re still in a delicate condition.”

“What was wrong with it?” I moaned.

“You suffered cardiac arrest and stopped breathing” the doctor said raising an eyebrow. “Do you not remember how you got here?”

“I was injured,” I said remembering my condition. “But I don’t remember how I got here.”

“That knock to the head was quite bad,” the doctor said taking comments. “We’ll need to get you in for scans on the brain but I think that much this is coming from the morphine used to suppress the pain and the fact that you’ve only just woken up.” The doctor took notes from the measurement on the machine before looking back at me.

“I’m going to get the others,” Scerine said quietly.

I nodded and turned back to the doctor. “I’ll need to ask a few questions however,” he smiled, “I think that can wait until you’re feeling a little better.”

I nodded, not really understanding by what he meant by “Questions.”

“For now though,” he added. “I’ll leave you to see your friends and some rest.”

“Thanks,” I muttered slumping against the pillows.

* ** ** ** *

“Amethyst, you’re awake!” Alyshia shouted delightfully when everypony finally visited me. She bustled over and gave me a hug, avoiding all my IV lines.

“Alyshia,” I mumbled through her rib breaking hug.

She pulled away, a smile on her muzzle. “How’re you feeling?”

“Sore,” I garbled. “But alive.”

I saw Midnight, looking happy to see me but the smile didn’t reach her eyes. “Something wrong?” I asked as audibly as I could.

Midnight nodded. “I’m fine, glad you’re awake,” she said.

I lifted a hoof and waved at Brax. Scerine was standing in the background as everyone greeted me. Everyone except… “Where’s Lionel?” I asked glancing around the ward. “Actually… I don’t care where he is,” I added. “As long as he isn’t-“

“Amethyst he’s dead,” Alyshia said her voice high pitched and full of concern. “Don’t you remember him getting hit?”

I blinked and shook my head, “No,” I said flatly. Personally I didn’t know if I should feel happy or sad that he was gone. It was horrible of me to think like that but in the back of my mind I was pleased. “I don’t remember anything after crashing.” I sighed, “How did he die?”

“He was hit, like you were but in the throat,” Brax growled. “It’s a mystery you’re still alive.”

“Midnight are you okay?” I asked noticing that the beautiful pale pegasus looked saddened.

Midnight rearranged her facial expression and gave a fake smile. “I’m alright,” Midnight said, “It could be worse. Anyway you’re alive and I’m glad.”

After a quick catch up the group dispersed for bed, all but Scerine left the ward. “Aren’t you going to bed?” I asked her in a soft voice.

Scerine shook her head, “I’m not that tired yet. I can stay for a little longer; anyway I don’t really know you yet.”

“So uhh,” I mumbled trying to break the ice. “How much longer are you sticking around?”

“I’ve actually got to go tomorrow,” Scerine said her face falling. “I need to fix a relay tower in Hoofington, it’s not giving off a signal and the enclave needs it to transfer signals and the like.”

“I’m quite good with stuff like that,” I said sickly. “I love playing with technology; it was my job back in the stable.” I remembered my dismantled dragonfly that I still had to put together and made a mental note to fix it when I was better.

“I learnt to deal with technology in the Enclave,” Scerine said. “I grew up with my father; he was in the enclave too. Father always wanted a colt but mother left him when I was born, she left me with him and he’s been pushing me into the enclave since I was a little filly, he was quite pushy and he would often make excuses why it’d be better if I was born a colt.”

“I grew up with my mum.” I coughed then continued. “She’s been pushing me to live the life she ought to have lived. She’s tried to tame me but in the end she didn’t really care. It’s more about her than me.”

“What of your father?”

“He’s dead,” I said simply.

“Oh, I’m so sorry-“ Scerine began.

“Don’t be,” I said with a smile. “I never knew him anyway; he died when I was only very small.”

“Do you know much magic?” Scerine asked steering the conversation away from family.

“No,” I admitted. “I only know two spells.”

We chatted about our daily lives when we were younger, shared our interests and enjoyed each other’s company for another hour or so before Scerine rubbed her eyes then said as if it had just come to mind, “Alyshia said you were out here looking for something? What is it?”

“A water talisman,” I sighed. “I can’t seem to find one.”

“It’s no wonder,” Scerine sighed. “They’re rare and the few that do exist are held by the steel rangers.”

“Steel Rangers?”

“Protectors of technology,” Scerine said surprised that I didn’t know. “We’ll, I really must get some sleep. I have an early morning tomorrow.” Scerine gave me a hug, her flowery yet slightly musky scent wafting into my nose. “It’s been nice meeting you Amethyst, if I come across a Talisman I will let you know.”

“How?” I asked as she pulled away, “We aren’t staying here.

“Uhh,” Scerine thought for a moment. “What’s your tracking ID on your pipbuck?”

I raised my left forehoof and found the ID on the dented casing. “13975b,” I said. Scerine wrote the number down. “I’ll be able to track you with it, if I come across anything I’ll let you know.”

“Thanks,” I said as Scerine leaned into a second hug. “I will hopefully see you again.”

“Seeya,” I said a little deflated that she couldn’t stay. I watched her leave the ward and with a flick of her white tail she was gone.

* ** ** ** *

The following day started horribly. It was wake up at seven in the morning for breakfast. “What is this?” I sneered at the meal that resembled mashed mud delivered to me by the nurse. “That’s your meal,” the nurse said offended. “If you want that tube out of your nose then it would be a good idea to eat it.” That stung, she had a point. Whatever the food was it was horrible, not only that but I had to eat it with fork in hoof as my magic wasn’t working again. It tasted like sour bread turned into liquid, the only thing that made it edible was the salt in it. I didn’t get far into the meal before I pushed it away feeling queasy. I took a drink of water but it didn’t wash the foul taste away. What was it with the ponies in the wasteland eating food from tins, meat and horrible food that tasted as if it has been sitting for two hundred years?

“You didn’t get through your food?” the doctor said as he came to my bed side.

I shook my head. “It’s hard to stomach,” I murmured.

Before I knew it I was carted off for a brain scan. I had to sit stock still for a full thirty minutes as they filled my head with radiation to take images of my brain. After this I was taken for further tests of the heart where they hooked me up to a machine to ensure my heart was pumping in rhythm properly. After this I was weighed

“Before today, when did you last eat a decent meal?” the doctor asked of me as he read my reading.

I racked my brains. “A week or so,” I guessed. Every time I’ve been offered food it was always in a rusty tin or it was meat. My last good meal would have been in New Saddle Tower and that was well over a week ago, or a fortnight? How long have I been out for again? I shook my head confused.

“Are you okay Amethyst?” The doctor asked.

“I’m fine,” I said bluntly hitting my head with a hoof in confusion.

“Do you need to lie down?”he asked.

My head began to spin. I nodded, wanting to get away from these tests. I was later escorted back to my bed, changed into a fresh grown and was placed into bed.

“Now if there’s anything you need, just call the nurse.”

I nodded again, preferring to just be left alone to sleep…

Chapter 19: DJ Pon3's Assistant

DJ Pon3's Assistant

It was my final day in Hospital, my severe headache had evaporated, my magic was returning and my sickness was mostly gone, I was however still connected to a drip and I still had my food tube in my nose. After having spent one week in this hospital bed, I wanted to leave and the only thing that had satisfied my boredom was my tinkering of the dragonfly robot.

My bed was covered in wire, screwdrivers, pliers, the dragonfly’s body, the wings and spare parts. I was working on replacing the burnt wire that the bullet had sliced, the dragonfly continued to astound me as I worked. It was beautifully made; the body was encased in titanium which branched out to a double tail, the hardware inside was nothing that I had ever worked on before, which was lucky as the bullet had missed crucial parts.

I had the dragonfly at eye level, working the wire into place with my weak magic when the doctor came in. I glanced up over my work and he said, “If you could put that down for a moment, I would like to talk to you.”

I put the machine down and looked up at him. I nodded and he shut curtains magically.

The doctor came to my bedside and said worried, “I couldn’t ignore this Amethyst. I’m not a councillor but could you tell me how you got those marks on your forelegs?”

I held my forelegs out, the bandages covered both self-inflicted and accidental; injuries. I felt a sickness rise within me, one that made me feel ashamed yet I remained defensive. “It’s not hurting anypony,” I muttered looking away from him. “They’re not even visible anymore,” remembering the last my bandages were changed the cuts couldn’t be seen unless looked at very closely.

“The cuts will vanish yes,” Doctor Cascade agreed. “But it’s not the cuts, its how they got there.”

“What about it?” I said getting defensive. “Its how I medicate myself, its how I deal with things. It’s not easy no, but…”

“Amethyst,” he said in a calm voice. “I will not disagree that things are often hard, especially in the wasteland and anything else that maybe happening in your life. But you cannot keep going like this; you need to talk to somepony, a councillor. Self-harm is a serious matter.”

“It’s not hurting anypony,” I repeated.

“”That is where you’re wrong,” he said solemnly. “You’re negative energy rubs off on your friends. Alyshia is absolutely distraught that you’ve resorted to this, and yes Amethyst. She knows.”

My ears moved back and for once, he managed to make me feel ashamed. “I’m sorry,” I cried bursting into tears. ‘I’m stupid, I don’t need this. I didn’t mean to hurt myself. It’s just that everything got so overwhelming.” I gasped for air, trying to hold back but it didn’t work. “Midnight n-not liking me and Lion-Lionel being horrible to me, afraid that everypony will just leave me and… I- I miss my home.” A bubble grew from my nose and popped. “I just want everything to be normal,” I finished, wiping my muzzle.

“Amethyst,” said a sweet, motherly voice.

“Alyshia?” I croaked, looking up to see her walk through the gap in the curtain. The purple unicorn trotted over to my bed and gave me a hug. It eased the pain a little. “I-“I looked up into her violet eyes. “I’m sorry,” I said, ashamed. “I didn’t mean… This.”

‘Do you need to see a councillor?” Doctor Cascade asked. “I can arrange one?”

I looked up to Alyshia. “I’m fine,” I sighed, looking back at the doctor. “I can talk to Alyshia. I looked into her face “That is, if you’re still want to talk to me.”

“Of course I do honey,” Alyshia said. “I still love you, even though you’re a little thief.”

I hung my head, my eyes on the sheets. “Sorry,” I repeated.

“Don’t be.” Alyshia gave me a hug, a huge motherly hug that I returned by placing my bandaged hooves around her neck.

“I might leave you to get some more rest,” Alyshia said as she broke the hug.

“How’s Midnight?” I asked before she could leave.

“She’s fine,” Alyshia reassured. “Actually I think she’s at the pub with Brax.”

I giggled. “Of course they are. She hasn’t changed one bit.” Alyshia smiled at me then left me alone with the doctor.

“When you’re done with this stuff, can you please pack it all away?” Doctor Cascade said. “I don’t need wires all over the floor.”

I nodded, levitating the metallic body back onto my lap.

“If you change your mind about needing to see a councillor, just let me know,” he finished.

I nodded and the doctor left me alone with my dead robot.

* ** ** ** *

My robotic dragonfly was all back in one piece, his four wings attached and he was ready to go. I plugged him into my pipbuck and changed the owner to me and his name.

His name… “Hmm,” I muttered. “His name?” I thought of when I first encountered the little contraption. He flew in front of my face and screeched “Meeeeeep,”

I smiled. It was the perfect name, so I put his name in the system. Meep... I ran a quick scan to ensure that the data was safe and it came up clear. I started him up from my pipbuck and his LED’s lit up, the titanium shutters over his eyes opened clockwise exposing his huge camera lens eyes and his wings jittered. I unplugged my pipbuck and Meep fluttered his wings and landed on the bed post.

I giggled. “Oh come here Meep,” I called to the dragonfly, my forehooves held open. Meep tilted his head and blinked; he spread his wings and fluttered over to me, and landed in my lap. He was quite large, but small enough to be somewhat of a lap pet. I pet his metallic back and he cooed. I had never had a pet before, robotic or alive.

“Hey Amethyst,” Midnight called coming through the curtain. “The doctor says-“I looked up and Midnight stopped mid-sentence. “You got that thing working?”

I nodded, smiling. “His name is Meep. I’ve fixed him up.”

“He?” Midnight chuckled. “Don’t you mean it?”

I shook my head. “He’s a he to me. I don’t know why, I guess I’m strange like that.”

Meep looked over at Midnight. “Meep,” he called. He flew up and over to Midnight and landed on her head.

I laughed. “I think he likes you,” I giggled.

Midnight pulled Meep off her head and held him in her hooves. He ogled at her with his huge eyes. “You know, I think I’m going to like you,” Midnight said smiling, petting his head.

“Midnight? Have you told her yet?” Alyshia called from somewhere up the ward.

Moments later, Alyshia burst in. “Midnight what are you- You fixed it?” Alyshia gasped, staring at Meep who clung onto Midnight’s horehooves with his six legs. She looked at me.

“His name’s Meep and he’ll be coming with us,” I told Alyshia. “He should do fine, he’s large enough to fly long distances and hold his own with high wind.” I paused. “At least so I think,” I finished.

“He’s adorable,” Alyshia giggled, petting his metal back. “Look at how cute his eyes are. He’ll make a cute companion for us.”

“Uhh,” I said glancing at my two friends. “What was it you guys were going to tell me?”

“You’re being discharged,” Brax growled, bursting through the curtains. “At least very shortly, it’s nice to see how all you girls get distracted over a little metal dragonfly.”

“He’s not that small actually Brax, his wingspan is roughly a meter,” I corrected him.

Midnight blushed. “Well,” she said. “At least he can fly with me, I wonder how fast it- I mean he can go?”

“Travelling with three fillies, what have I gotten myself into,” Brax sighed with a hoof over his face.

Ignoring the elder stallion, I looked at my bed covers. They were covered in bits of metal, copper, plastic and spare parts.” I should really clean this up,” I sighed. I attempted to wrap all the junk in my magic at once but I couldn’t. Not yet anyway.

“Let me get this for you Amethyst,” Alyshia said. With a flick of her purple aura, she lifted all the junk and pushed it into the left pocket of my saddlebag.

“Thanks,” I said with a weak smile.

“Okay,” Doctor Cascade said coming through the curtains. “Amethyst, if you could just hope on out of bed,” I pushed myself up and I still felt quite weak. Doctor Cascade wrapped me with his magic and guided me onto the floor, where I stood on my own my legs a little wobbly. “How’s that?”

“No pain,” I said, but my legs feel like spaghetti.

“They’ll be all good after a couple of days,” he reassured. “Now, if you could just step onto the scales.” I stood on the scales and he took my weight. “That’s looking a little better,” he said relieved. “We can take the tube out, but only if you promise me that you’ll eat properly Amethyst.”

My ears perked back. “Of course,” I stammered.

“You sure?” he said. “If you come back here as underweight as you were, I’ll keep you on the tube. Do you want to walk around with that thing in your nose?”

I shook my head. “No,” I told him.

Doctor Cascade turned the machines around my bed off before disconnecting the drip from my right hoof. I shuddered as I felt the needle leave my body. Next was the tube from my nose, this was uncomfortable. I coughed and spluttered as he pulled it out, but once free it felt relieving to not feel it in my nose anymore.

“Take care on your legs Amethyst, the bones are healed but they still take time to gain maximum strength. If you have any thoughts on self-harm, talk to Alyshia or come back to see somepony okay?” I nodded. The doctor smiled before turning to Alyshia. “No need to pay Alyshia, take it as an ex-student discount. Just remember to change Amethyst’s bandages every three days; the skin still needs the healing from the magic in the bandages. Alyshia nodded. “And ensure she eats, even if you have to force it down her throat.”

I will,” Alyshia said. “Thank you for everything Doctor Cascade.”

“My pleasure,” he said.

“Thank you,” I said to him as well. “Thank you for fixing me, and putting up with me.”

“It’s alright Amethyst. I just hope you’re not in here again.”

I laughed. “I’ll try not to.”

* ** ** ** *

“I need to see DJ Pon3,” I growled at Alyshia, attempting to get up from my new bed in our guest room. “He’ll have all my answers.”

“No,” Alyshia barked pushing me back into the covers as Meep fluttered past her head and landed on the bedpost. “Not until your better.” Alyshia pushed a plate of foul beans under my muzzle.

I sneered. “Can’t you do something with these? I dunno, cook them or salt them?” I pushed the plate away.

Alyshia sighed impatiently. “We don’t have a stove here, you’re not fit enough to come down to the eatery so we have to prepare you uncooked food.”

“Why can’t we go to DJ Pon3?” I asked impatiently crossing my still bandaged forehooves; I looked away from Alyshia to stare at the blank cracked wall.

“Sweet Celestia Amethyst, you’re acting like a child,” Alyshia scolded. “Eat your food before I get Cascade to reapply your food tube.”

“I don’t want to eat that,” I said pushing my plate away, still refusing to meet her gaze. “Get me an apple, or roasted pear or-“

“That food is expensive Amethyst,” Alyshia snapped. “We can’t afford it and it’s served in the restaurant. Which you are not fit to go yet.”

But-“I protested, snapping my head back to her.

“No,” Alyshia snapped. “Do you want to be wandering the wasteland with a pipe pumping food down your throat? Do you want a pack of mashed foodstuffs being pumped into you while you risk your neck? Be an adult for once Amethyst and look after yourself. I’m deadly serious, eat this or I’ll get Cascade in here right now to reapply your tube.”

I scrunched my muzzle and pulled the plate and fork to me magically. I began to eat. The beans were stale and soft, they burst under my teeth and the inside was like cold paste. My stomach did not like this food, it churned as it fell in and it was all I could do to hold it down.

“Don’t you think you’re being a little harsh on her?” Midnight asked coming into the room. “Sorry for eavesdropping by the way.”

“I need to be Midnight, “Alyshia sighed. “I feel like I’m looking after a foal, not a grown adult.”

“That’s not fair,” I shot at her. “I’m trying my best.”

Alyshia ignored me. But it was Midnight who spoke. “We’ll see DJ Pon3 tomorrow Amethyst, you can come with me.”

“What no!” Alyshia barked. “No she’s not going.”

Midnight shrugged. “If there’s somepony willing to help her, she’s willing to go. Alyshia, she’s an adult. She can make her own decisions. “

“No she can’t, she won’t even eat-“ Alyshia began,

“You can’t exactly stop her,” Midnight interrupted. “She’s a full grown mare, a mare that is but a week away from twenty.

“I-“Alyshia stammered. “Fine she can go. But I’m coming.”

“I want you to come Alyshia,” I said before swallowing another mouthful of those foul beans. “I need a level head like yours. I am however perfectly capable of looking after myself. I’m not a filly you know.”

“I know that Amethyst,” Alyshia sighed. “But sometimes, you act like a foal.”

“Gee thanks,” I growled.

“It’s true,” Alyshia shrugged. “Now how much have you eaten?”

“Enough,” I said pushing the plate away feeling queasy.

“Half, well that’ll have to do. I’ll put it in the fridge and you can finish it tomorrow.”

That was one thing I most defiantly was not looking forward to.

* ** ** ** *

I spent much of the day going through memory orbs to pass my time as Meep sat by the window, wings outstretched, soaking up what little light could penetrate the clouds. Alyshia and Midnight had gone shopping while Brax went to look at guns. Most of the memory orbs were just mundane information from other stables that didn’t mean anything. Some were cracked. These were ignored. I picked up another memory orb at random and focused my magic on it. I felt the familiar sensation of being sucked down a pipe.

========OooO…OooO========

The image that swam before me was that of a stable, similar to mine but in the medical ward. My host was a mare from her soft panting, lack of extra parts and she was a unicorn, my favourite type of host.

She glanced out the window and there was a group of ponies running from the stairwell that lead to the floor below.

“Father?” she called out, “Father, they’re coming from the bottom stairwell.” My host levitated a large gun into vision.

“It’s alright Silver, if they barge through the door, we got them,” came the gruff voice of an older stallion guarding the door with what appeared to be a massive fifty calibre rifle levitated.

My host, Silver looked back through the window in time to see a pony with frosted eyes, patched fur and rotting skin move so fast it defied reality. The pony jumped on an earth pony mare who screamed, the undead pony, or was it a zombie pony I didn’t know what. It bit her hard on the neck. She screamed and writhed on the ground as the pony jumped off her and made for another victim. The mare stopped moving. Suddenly she jittered and she was foaming at the mouth, after a full thirty seconds she got to her hooves with her foaming mouth. Her eyes frost and unmoving, she made eye contact with us and Silver screamed before ducking her head.

“Silver shush,” her father snapped. Too late, the pony gone zombie smashed her way through the door and made right for me, or my host, foaming at the mouth.

BAAANG

My vision turned red as gore showered my host, the zombie pony obliterated from the overlarge gun her father had fired. “Thanks,” and a gasp was all that escaped my hosts mouth. But it wasn’t time for rest, a second pony was drawn to the sound of the firing gun, but Silver had her gun ready and she fired, one hit the torso and did nothing, the second hit it in the leg causing it to skid across the floor, streaking the bloody floor with foam.

BAAANG

The pony exploded against the floor as the massive bullet tore it to shreds. “Aim for the head,” Silver’s father said.

My host was shaking with fright. “S-Sorry father, I’m just a little scared.” A shriek sounded from outside that made Silver’s hair stand on end. “The bite,” Silver whispered, “turns you into one of those… Things…”

“I know darling, I saw, we need to move, before more come,” her father told her. “C’mon,”

My host, still shaking snuck out after her father. Shrieks of the zombies and screams of the still sane could be heard down the corridor, of which was covered in blood. Some of the ponies didn’t turn and were instead mauled, the flesh and blood strewn across the floor. “Where to?” Silver gasped with a hoof to our nose from the scent of the air which was thick and coppery.

“To- to the…” Silvers father shook his head. “We’ll go to the orchard,”

“Right,” a brave voice sounded from our muzzle. Silver pushed her head up. “Let’s do this.”

We snuck across the corridor; my host’s ears perked listening for noises, her father in front. “Hold up,” he growled at an intersection. He stuck his muzzle around the corner. “All clear, c’mon.”

Jumpy, Silver rushed forward and I felt her left hind hoof slide out from underneath her. She slipped on the blood stained floor,

BANG

Silver’s heart jumped as her magic slipped on the gun after accidentally firing it and pain erupted from our rump as she hit the floor, her gun followed suit. “Silver look out,” her father roared. Silver turned, scared and a zombie pony was running at her at full pace, its milky eyes set on her, its foaming mouth trailing saliva. Silver screamed and her father fired his gun at it.

BANG

He missed and Silver lifted her gun in her magic just in time to hit it with the butt of her gun. The pony yelped and hit the wall, but as if it felt nothing it got back to her hooves and lunged at her. Silver blocked again but it knocked the gun from her hooves. Abandoning her gun, her wrapped her blue magical field around the zombie as it tried to bit her neck, it was too powerful to hold, Silver struggled with her telekinesis and just before her magical field collapsed she heard the a gunshot and I was once again reminded of how it felt to have warm gore blown all over you. Our vision went red from blood which Silver blinked out; gore however covered her silvery coat.

More shrieks sounded from nearby and Silver’s eyes became warm and teary, but she did her best to hold up. “C’mon darling, quick, they appear to be attracted to the sound.”

“Okay,” Silver said quietly. She got back to her hooves, gun in the air and quickly chased after her father. Silver kept glancing over her neck, scared of more zombies would arrive. A fear that came true, just as herself and her father turned the corner, Silver caught a glimpse of about three zombies coming up from the corridor they just left. “Father,” she moaned quietly. “There are more in that corridor.”

“Never mind darling let’s just…” RAAAAAAAHHHH

Father walked head long into a zombie pony which he hit with the butt of his gun. It tried to lunge at him and I raised my gun and shot it. The gunshot echoed through the stable.

Raaaaahhhh

The hooves of the three ponies from around the corridor clopped loudly as they ran up the corridor we just left. “Silver run!” her father roared.

Silver ran for her life, just behind her father. The ponies from behind were faster but we had a huge head start, we ran up the stairs into the next floor, cries of normal ponies could be heard from up here rather than those of the zombies. The shrieks of the ponies we left behind however became ever so audible as a stitch developed in Silver’s side, the sharp pain pieced her chest but she could stop. She ran as fast as she could up the corridor and turned left again before running up to the next level once again. My host looked back as she ran up the stairs and one of the ponies was at the foot. She raised the gun to our eye level and shot it, she hit it in the left leg which separated from the body but that didn’t stop it running up the stairs with three legs.

Silver looked back and she ran into her father’s soft rump unaware that she had reached the top, she stumbled and fell onto the stairs, the zombie pony was on top of her and she didn’t know what was going on. “Silver,” her father roared. “Silver no.”

I felt the adrenaline from Silver rush to her veins and she stuck out with a hoof, hitting it in the face. The zombie recoiled, its unseeing eyes locked on for the kill. Silver hit it with her gun and just as the zombie dodged and tried to bit her, she was covered in gore once again. RAAAAH!!!

The other two had arrived and that’s when Silver’s father levitated her to her hooves and pushed her behind him, his hooves forceful. We could see what was happening but Silver’s father blasted away with his guns, “Run Silver,” he roared, there are about ten down here, get to the Orchard!

BANG

Her father fired his gun with purpose. “Father, I-“

“RUN!” he roared. “Go!”

Silver turned and obeying her father, ran for her life. She skidded around another corner, gun ready she expected more but was lucky. We ran right and finally Silver ran for the large doors at the end of the corridor. Silver skidded to the door and tried to open it, but it was locked. Silver banged her hoof on the door “Let me in, please,” she cried. Silver’s heard was racing, her head was spinning and she was clearly scared for her father.

A ponies head appeared at the window of the door and nodded. It took a few seconds but they opened to allow her passage. The ponies quickly shut the doors and put a bar in the handles. Silver began to cry, “My father, I left him… I- He told me to run for it.” A stranger put their comforting hoof around our shoulders. “It’ll be okay,” she said. “I’m sure he’ll come, we just need to wait.” Silver looked around, there was about twenty ponies holed up here.

A shriek was heard and Silver had heard it. Her heard dropped like a stone, “There’s a stallion coming,” a pony said looking out the window. My host rushed to the window and Silver’s father as running for his life, gun discarded and being pursued by about eight zombies. “We can’t let him in,” a pony said, “He’ll let them in.”

“No,” Silver roared, Silvers magic wrapped around the bar wedged in the handles of the steel door.

“No you can’t!” A pony roared, “You’ll kill us all.”

Silver ripped the door open as her father closed in on it. “Everypony get ready to help me with the door when he comes in,” Silver cried. They waited and but a few seconds later, the stallion ran through the doors before and everypony in the room pushed the door shut.

The zombie ponies hit the door with a crunch and the steel bar was put back in place. Silver ran over to her father and hugged him, they were both very tired as my host and him huffed and puffed. “Well done Silver,” we were pulled into a fatherly hug that I would have yearned for back in real life. “I love you so much Silver, I’m really sorry about mum.”

Silver began to cry and as she did so, the memory blurred and my head span, I felt myself leave the memory and my host.

========OooO…OooO========

The coppery blood smell from the memory lingered when I exited the memory, my stomach turned and leaning over the bed I vomited onto the ground, the beans I had eaten ended up on the floor. The door to our room opened and my heart dropped as Alyshia and Midnight entered the room, laden with food shopping. Alyshia dropped the food onto the table and trotted over with a packet of something in her magical field.

“I got these from the shop; I know they’re not really…” Alyshia paused. “Amethyst, what happened?” she asked concerned glancing at my vomit.

“Sick,” I coughed. “I went inside the orb,” I held the memory orb up. “I kinda vomited when I came out of it.”

Alyshia picked up the container of orbs in her magic and put them on the bedside. “I’ll clean this up but, seriously Amethyst.”

I sank back into bed feeling a little shaken as Alyshia cleaned up my vomit. “Sorry,” I said as she came back to the bedside.

“Don’t be,” Alyshia comforted when she had finished cleaning up. “I got you some food that you should hopefully be comfortable with.”

“It better not be in a can-“I began.

Alyshia giggled. “No it’s not in a can,” she said. “I’ve bought some salted plums, some dried apricots and crystalized pineapple.”

“Crystalized Pineapple?” I asked perplexed.

Alyshia held up the packet in her magic. “They’ve been crystalized in sugar, but please only take them for a snack. They’re laden with sugars so they’re not that healthy.”

“Thanks,” I said relieved. “Hopefully they’ll taste okay.”

“I’ve also bought some salt, seasoning, herbs and sauce to add to your canned meals, just to add some flavour. Shame I’m a terrible cook,” she finished with a sigh.

“I think Brax can cook relatively well. As long as Midnight isn’t waving meat in his face,” I said a little too loudly.

“Hey,” Midnight grumbled from the table.

“I won’t forget that time you made me cook your food,” I growled.

Midnight scowled over her bags just as Brax walked in, his huge saddlebags bulging and a large sniper rifle tied in place.

“Where did you go?” Alyshia asked eying his bags. “You didn’t steal all that did you, we haven’t got the-“

“I sold things,” Brax said simply. “I sold all the junk I collected and all of Amethyst’s specialised ammo.”

“You sold my special ammo?” I shouted, “It’s not your to-“

“You didn’t have a gun to use them in, they were destroyed,” Brax sighed impatiently. “Unless you want to throw the ammo then I suggest you be grateful.”

He came to my bedside and placed the sniper rifle on my covers. “It’s the best I could find, twenty five calibre, perhaps a little big for you but you handled the other sniper rifle well so I thought you might want something a little bigger.”

I picked it up in my magic and examined it. The scope was much larger, the body shiny and almost new, the barrel was huge and from the LED number display on the side it held a maximum of fifteen bullets before reload.

“It can take a five ammo slot extension and a laser sight but that’s an overkill. Besides I couldn’t afford them,” Brax said simply. “Oh and I got fifty rounds of ammo for it.”

I looked through the scope and held it at eye level. The size was big but with some practise I thought I could handle it okay. “It’s a nice gun,” I said smiling at him. “I just hope it’s as good as my last one.”

Brax frowned. “Your last one was a piece of junk, this one can hit targets twice the distance and do five time the damage and hold three times the ammo.”

“True, I just think I might need to get used to it,” I sighed. “What of my other guns anyway, this thing is impractical for direct combat.”

“I got you a .44 magnum, scoped like your last one,” Brax said pulling out the small but powerful handgun. “I also got you this,” he pulled out a short double-barrelled shotgun that looked like it had barrel cut off.”

“No Brax,” Alyshia growled looking at that gun.

“Why not? She needs a gun that’s good at close range,” Brax said holding the gun up. “It’ll blow a pony’s head clean off.”

“Absolutely not,” Alyshia roared. “I will not let you give her a dangerous gun like that, not some home modified-“

“Alyshia,” Brax snapped. “The gun is perfectly sa-“

“I don’t care how safe it is,” she snapped back. “You will not give that filly a gun that could blow up in her face.”

My heart stopped. That filly?

“I could handle that gun,’ I said. “I mean it’s just a shotgun.”

“It won’t-“Brax began ignoring me. “It’s safe,”

“It’s safe until it backfires in her face,” Alyshia argued back. “No and that’s final.”

“What if I tested it first?” Brax asked. “What then?”

“No,” Alyshia said finally.

“I’m an adult,” I snarled impatiently from my bed. “I think I can handle this on my own.”

I was once again ignored as Brax finally said; “What if I modified it? Gave it a longer barrel, put new springs and clean out the housing? I can make it compact but safe, I’ll test it in the field myself before I give it to her.

Alyshia sighed. “Fine, but you need to prove to me that it’s safe. I wouldn’t mind a standard shotgun but… How much experience do you have with modifying guns anyway?”

“I specialise in laser weaponry but I can do normal guns too, I used to sell modified guns during winter when slave trade was low,” Brax said simply, “anything to make a living.”

Brax put the gun back and pulled out a box looking gun with three red LED lights in a straight line on the side. “She can take mine until I fix it,” he said. “Don’t overuse it though Amethyst, the batteries for this thing are expensive.”

“What is it?” I asked, still seething. “A laser shotgun, it shoots three direct lasers in a cone.”

I had never used a laser weapon before but I guess the time was now.

* ** ** ** *

The following day was dedicated to speaking to DJ Pon3 to find out whom or if the Tenpony Tower was willing to part with a water talisman, whether we had to do errands or earn more caps. I was willing to do anything. Alyshia was helping me get into a pink dress that she had loaned me, my recently mended forehooves proved a challenge to get into the hole of the dress.

“Owie,” I cried retracting my left forehoof. “Is this even necessary? Can’t was just go in coat?”

“Sorry dear,” Alyshia apologised. “I think it’s better to mingle with the ponies of the tower, I think its best if we made a good impression. I even doubt we’ll get to see the actual DJ Pon3.”

“Really?” I asked, “Why?”

“He’s secretive, doesn’t like ponies know who he is, most ponies speak to his assistant,” Alyshia answered.

“Who’s the assistant?” I inquired.

“A young mare by the looks of it,” Alyshia sighed. “His assistant left about a year ago the last I had heard.”

“By the looks of it? So he does or doesn’t have an assistant then?” I asked.

“He might do, I don’t really have many connections here anymore though,” Alyshia said anyway as she seized my forehoof and yanked the dress on. “There we, doesn’t that look nice?”

I looked in the cracked mirror. I kicked the dress at the back and sighed, “Pink doesn’t suit me, do you have another colour? It’s also too big.”

Alyshia facehoofed. “You’re a smaller pony than me, of course it’s not a perfect fit but it looks fine Amethyst.”

“Ready to go?” Midnight asked coming out of her room.

Midnight wore a black and white casual dress that complimented her colour. She looked very pretty. “Why can’t I have a dress like that?” I asked Alyshia. “That one actually looks good.”

Midnight giggled as Alyshia snorted. “Is that seriously your dress Alyshia?” Midnight snickered.

“Yes it is,’ Alyshia growled.

“Pink? I mean, I don’t have anything against the colour but it… Surely that couldn’t suit you; I mean you’re a purple unicorn.”

“It was given to me by my mother for my ball after I finished medical school, Alyshia seethed. “It was dark violet then.”

Midnight rolled her eyes, disbelieving. I couldn’t argue with her. What was Alyshia washing it in to go pink?

“Where are my socks?” I asked, changing the subject.

“No socks,” Alyshia said simply. “Not until I’m sure you’re not going to cut yourself again.”

“I already told you,” I growled. “I won’t.” My forehooves were still bandaged anyway.

“Anyway, we had better get going, our appointment is in ten,” Alyshia said beckoning over to the door.

I turned to leave, Meep fluttered over and landing on my back. “Meep no, you stay here with Brax, we’ll be back soon okay?”

Meep beeped once and his eyes went sad.

We’ll be right back. Meep beeped once again in understanding.

* ** ** ** *

“Okay,” Alyshia said standing in the corridor outside the studio for Tenpony Tower. “Let me do the talking first but it’s you that they need to talk to.”

I nodded and Midnight smiled. Alyshia knocked twice and after a brief pause the door opened revealing a short young unicorn mare with a blue mane. Actually I take that back, she was very short, even shorter than I by at least half a horn.

“Hi,” Alyshia began. “We’re here to see DJ Pon3, I made an appointment yesterday.”

The mare smiled warmly, even as she did so she looked a little saddened but she did well to hide it. “Hi,” she said, “The names Homage, DJ Pon3 did say something. He’s broadcasting at the moment, but do come on in.”

The three of us stepped into the large studio room. This room was very large, a large alicorn water fountain stood in the middle, pictures hung on the walls and two sofas lay nearby with a small coffee table. “Please do take a seat, make yourselves at home, I’ll get some refreshments.” The three of us looked at each other and nodded. We took a seat on the sofa and waited for homage. “Do you think she’ll know who I am?” I asked quietly.

“Not too sure,” Alyshia whispered, “She’s DJ Pon3’s assistant, and from what they were saying on the radio, they think you’re dead.”

“Why would they think that?” I asked stupidly.

“I wonder why?” Midnight hissed. “Maybe because you were attacked by a giant freaking dragon, had all your bones broken, attacked by three alicorns and-“

“Shh,” Alyshia growled.

Homage came back with a plate of biscuits, cups and a bottle of water levitated in her magical field and placed them on the coffee table. Midnight grabbed a biscuit the moment the plate hit the table. Homage took a seat on the other sofa. “DJ Pon3 will probably be a while but if you want I can relay anything back to him.”

“That would be nice,” Alyshia said. “Thank you Homage,”

“It’s alright,” she laughed. “Anyway what can I do you three for?”

That was my Que. “Hi, I’m Amethyst and I’m from stable 86. I left a few weeks ago-“

“Oh really?” Homage asked surprised. “We thought you were dead, I mean after that dragon attacked you, we never saw you after that.”

I frowned. “How did DJ Pon3 see me?” I asked curiously.

“Oh, DJ Pon3 can see most of Equestria,” Homage said. “He said it on the news and everything, I mean I saw the footage, it was pretty bad.”

I shook my bandaged forehoof. “You could say that,” I sighed. “What brings us here though is not my injuries or my tales. I’m actually out here looking for a water talisman, since I left my ponies are in danger of dying. That’s probably why DJ Pon3 can see me doing all kinds of things like entering stables and such.”

Homage listened intently and said, “That seems like a dilemma, I’m unsure how Tenpony Tower can help?”

I glanced at the fountain and saw a sparkle of blue, that familiar blue that I saw from the Talisman I held in New Saddle.

“The fountain’s water talisman is owned by the tower,” Homage answered. “They all are, even with the many towns going without water they do not give any of them away.”

I looked at her surprised. “But each one can. It can help ponies, my ponies other ponies out there.”

Homage nodded. “I agree with you Amethyst, but that’s the decision of the tower, even the residents here know. You’re not the first one to come here seeking one.”

“That doesn’t surprise me,” Alyshia sighed. “But I can see why they are held onto.”

“Why?” I asked, a little infuriated, “To power a water fountain while ponies die?”

“No,” Alyshia said. “The talismans are heavily sought after, give a town a talisman and then they’re a target for thieves. At least here they are protected.”

“I think that’s probably one of the reasons,” Homage sighed. “Although I do know of some places that nopony goes, or is unwilling to go, where you might have the best chances of finding one.”

“But this is different,” I argued. “Our stable is safe, it’s just got a broken talisman, the new one won’t be stolen.”

Homage poured herself a drink of water and took a sip. When she set the glass back on the table she said; “The talismans are not to be given away,” Homage said simply with a shrug. “If the Steel Ranger ever found out where you’re stable is, they will pilferage it, not only for the talisman but for any other object within that holds any kind of technological significance.”

“No one is going to find my stable,” I growled. “It’s hidden in a network of tunnels that not even I know-“

“Amethyst,” Alyshia interrupted. “We aren’t getting a talisman here. “The tower cannot offer us one.”

I looked at Homage and she nodded looking solemn.

I deflated and gave off a heavy sigh. I released that this task seemed to be impossible. “We’ve looked everywhere,” I growled. “Everywhere… And I still have nothing.”

“We got that one from New Saddle,” Midnight interjected. “But it’s broken.”

“And a load of good it’ll do us,” I snapped remembering the broken sapphire talisman that clung in my hooves.

“There are places,” Homage muttered. “Conveyed rumours, places that not many ponies go, not even the Steel Rangers.” Homage took a sip of water. “Would you like some water?” Homage asked.

Midnight nodded,

“Yes please,” Alyshia said politely and I didn’t answer. Homage poured all three of us water; Midnight and Alyshia thanked her and took a sip.

“Anyway,” Homage said placing the water back on the table before getting to her hooves. ‘I’ll just find the map, just give me a sec.”

I levitated my water and took a sip. “Amethyst, could you lighten up a bit?” Alyshia said quietly with accusation. “You’re sounding like a bit of a bitch at the moment.”

“What?” I burst. “No I’m not.”

Alyshia glanced at Homage who was rummaging through books and scrolls. “Just… Homage is trying to help us; the least you could do is listen to her and accept her help.”

“Fine,” I whispered shooting Alyshia a dark look.

Homage returned after a few seconds with a rather old map of Equestria. “So,”

Homage said laying the map out. She moved the bowl of biscuits and water bottle to keep the map flat. “We’re here,” she said pointing a hoof at Central Manehattan. “Here is Fillydelphia,” she pointed at a city in the south east. “Fillydelphia used to be abandoned by most ponies, but recently a pony that calls himself Red Eye has converted a portion of it to a… Well,” homage paused lost for words. “He keeps slaves there anyway,” she said. “He has pilferaged all kinds of things and he would have quite a stock of advanced stabletech.”

“So,” I said pointing at Fillydelphia. “I should go to a slavepen and rob it? Would he have a water talisman?”

Homage giggled. “No I don’t recommend you rob it, actually you should stay away from there is what I’m trying to say.’

“Right,” I said with a nod. “Where else?”

“Well, just another place that might have them. But you will most certainly die if you did,” Homage said with a shrug. “Maripony is a research facility on the edge of a megaspell crater.”

I raised an eyebrow. “The place where I found my last talisman was on the edge of New Saddle tower how is it dangerous?”

Homage shook her head. “True, but it’s not radiation you have to look out for. It’s the Alicorns and the Hellhounds.”

“Hellhounds?” I asked. “What’s a hellhound?”

“A Hellhound is kind of like a mutated dog,” Midnight said. “They have these long claws that can rip through anything, the can even rip through the armour of a Steel Ranger like it is nothing.”

“Oookay,” I said not liking the sound of giant dogs that can cut a pony to bits.

“But I think you might be better of here,” Homage said pointing at a sizable town called “Dijoneigh” which was a distance east of a place called “Old Oneigh,” and quite a distance from Manehattan.

“Why there?” I asked.

“Dijoneigh is an old mining town. Kind of like Old Oneigh but they farmed predominantly diamonds before the war,” Homage stopped to take a drink before continuing. “Anyway, it’s bigger than Old Olneigh and has two schools which might host a water talisman and it has a hospital which is still standing well.”

“Does anypony live there?” I asked.

“Umm, no,” Homage said truthfully.

“Why? I mean, if there are valuables there?” I began.

“Well,” Homage said hesitant. “I mean, it’s in the Splendid Valley.”

Alyshia and Midnight gasped lightly but I blinked. “So is it still Splendid?” I asked already knowing the answerer.

“No Amethyst,” Alyshia said. “Splendid Valley is like…” she paused. “Nopony goes there.”

“Oookay,” I said. “Why doesn’t anypony go there?”

“Taint,” Homage said simply.

“Taint? What’s taint?” I asked.

“It’s some form of something,” Homage whispered. “Nopony knows its origin. It like mutates things. They say the plants and animals are tainted too and can infect ponies. “

“How is this any dangerous than stealing from a Slave Trader or going to Maripony?” I asked inquisitively.

“Maripony is in Splendid Valley,” Homage sighed impatiently. “But… Red Eye has a fortress in Fillydelphia, and I highly doubt he keeps any talismans stockpiled.”

I looked at Alyshia and Midnight then back at Homage. I scratched my head with confusion before asking curiously, “Why does he collect them?”

Homage laughed. “You need to listen to the radio more I think Amethyst,”

I blushed slightly, covered my eyes with my hooves and shook my head out of embarrassment. I hadn’t really been listening to the radio recently. “No,” I confessed removing my hooves from my eyes.

“Red Eye wants to rebuild Equestria,” Homage told us, “but the way he goes about it is completely wrong. Red Eye uses the talismans to enable supporting towns to prosper; the ponies in turn support him for that. His use of slavery though is terrible; many die in areas of high radiation, exhaustion and trying to collect technology from stables. Although, it is winter and any talismans that he happens to have will of course not be transported until spring.”

“Thank you Homage,” Alyshia thanked politely. She looked at Midnight and I. “We have some thinking to do though, if that’s all.”

“No problem,” Homage said with a nod. “Just be careful, although Splendid Valley is less hostile in winter, it is prone to blizzards at this time of the year.”

“We’ll take note. Thank You,” Alyshia nodded. “Come on you two.”

Midnight grabbed two more biscuits. I thanked Homage and we made our way out of the studio.

“Well,” Alyshia sighed. “What now?”

“I’m not sure,” I said as we began to traverse the flashy corridors of Tenpony Tower back to our accommodation. “I mean Splendid Valley seems like the place to go. I mean it’s too dangerous for ponies to go there for no reason; therefore it’ll be more likely to have what we need. But at the same time-“

“’s too dangeroroush,” Midnight finished for me with a mouthful of biscuits.

“Swallow your food before talking Midnight,” Alyshia asked.

Midnight Swallowed. “Well, Homage is right, Splendid Valley is dangerous. I think we should go to Fillydelphia first.”

“It’s got a good chance of holding one too,” I sighed. “But that’s dangerous as well.”

“We’ll need to talk,” Alyshia piped up “We’ll talk to Brax as well,”

I nodded. “We leave in two days.” We rounded a corner and I sidestepped a half dead pot plant.

“Amethyst, you need more time than-“Alyshia began, but I cut her off.

“I don’t want to stay cooped up here,” I argued. “If it makes you feel better, three days.” We stepped onto the elevator to go down.

Alisha’s eyes narrowed; “Fine, we’ll assess you in two days and if I’m happy we’ll go.”

Midnight winked and whispered, “Don’t push it or we’ll be here for a week.”

I laughed. “I won’t let her keep me here that long,” I whispered back. “I’d rather eat an entire tin of off beans.”

Midnight snickered and Alyshia shot us a dark look. Midnight straightened her face and looked up at the ceiling as I tried my best not to laugh.

“For now anyway,” Alyshia said seriously; “we are to remain in Tenpony Tower until we know what to do.”

Chapter 20: The Luna Line

Knock knock knock.

My ears perked and I sat up from the couch.

“Meeeeeep”

Meep flew flat out to the door and beeped twice. “Coming,” I said loudly as I tried to dislodge myself from the uncomfortable sofa. Meep beeped again and flew onto my head. I wrapped my field of magic around the rusty doorknob and opened it. Standing on the other side was… Homage?

“Oh hi,” I said forcing a smile. I was still a little angry about our last encounter.

“Can I come in?” she asked returning the smile.

“Sure,” I said standing back to allow Homage inside. “Meep can you go wake Alyshia and Midnight?”

Meep beeped and flew off as commanded.

“I’m not too early am I?” Homage asked. “Sorry for intruding.”

“It’s fine really,” I replied with a wave of a hoof. “I should have woken them an hour ago.”

Homage cracked a smile and that’s when I heard the door. Alyshia and Midnight came out of the bedrooms, their manes messy and their eyes red; Meep quickly followed. I almost laughed as Alyshia blushed.

“Hold on Homage, do you mind if we just-“ Alyshia blurted out. Homage nodded and Alyshia dashed into the bathroom. Midnight casually flattened her mane with a hoof and sat on the lounge half asleep. A moment later, Alyshia came out of the bathroom her mane freshly brushed. “Sorry about that,” Alyshia sighed. “Maybe if Amethyst told us you were here herself instead of getting her pet to do it.”

Homage snickered. “It’s okay. Amethyst was making sure I was at home.”

I looked back at Homage surprised she sided with me.

“It’s okay,” Alyshia said steering the conversation into different waters. “What can we do for you?”

Homage pulled a book from her saddlebag and gave it to me. I took it in my magic and looked at the battered cover. “Wasteland Survival Guide” was the title. I frowned; I had surely proven that I could survive in the wasteland.

“It tells you all about Splendid Valley and the monsters that reside there,” Homage said answering my question. “Splendid Valley is far more dangerous than the rest of the wasteland. As I said, there’s taint and the book covers it all.”

“Thanks,” I said keeping the book in my purple magic field.

“I was also hoping you could do me a favour?” Homage asked.

“What kind of favour?” I questioned.

“There is an old radio tower in Dijoneigh,” Homage explained. “DJ Pon-3 doesn’t have much view in Splendid Valley as the tower in Old Olneigh went dark a few years ago. I was hoping if you could restore it. We could at least have some view of Splendid Valley again.”

I looked at Alyshia and she nodded. I was with her on this one. “Sure,” I said with a nod, “I mean we’re there anyway. Uhh, where is it?”

Homage smiled. “It’s a large tower near the Hospital, you can’t miss it,” she explained.

Alyshia and I nodded. “No problem,” I said.

“Thank you, DJ Pon-3 will have his thanks,” Homage thanked with a bow of her head. “Anyway, I have to get back to the station. Sorry for pulling you out of bed Alyshia and Midnight.”

“It’s okay,” Alyshia said as Midnight remained mute. “I shouldn’t have slept in so late anyway.”

“Stay safe and hopefully we’ll meet again,” Homage finished and saw herself out.

“Why’re you so quite Midnight?” I asked the immobile pegasus.

“Tired,” Midnight yawned. “Late night.”

“You should be going to bed early Midnight. When we go there will be no more comfort, and sleep will be difficult,” Alyshia scolded.

“I’ll be fine,” Midnight sighed. “I’ll go to bed earlier tonight.”

I giggled. I knew Midnight wouldn’t go to bed earlier. She’ll probably end up going down for a drink or six.

* ** ** ** *

It wasn’t until midday that Alyshia approached me while I was in my room packing. “Amethyst, we need to talk.”

I facehoofed. “Can’t it wait?” I said almost rudely.

“No it most certainly can’t,” Alyshia snapped. “Either you talk, or we take you back and get you a counsellor and you stay here for a few weeks to get your mental state sorted. It’s up to you.”

I gritted my teeth. I didn’t want to push Alyshia’s buttons. “Fine,” I growled. “Can we talk before bed?”

Alyshia smiled and nodded before leaving the room. I shook my head once she was gone. I really thought that this was getting ridiculous. “Can’t she give me some time? Can’t she understand that I don’t want to talk about everything?” I sneered as I threw my memory orbs back into my bag, “Isn’t that my business?”

Knock knock…

“Come in,” I sighed. I was expecting Alyshia but it was actually Midnight. I felt my cheeks go red. Did she just hear me talking to myself? “H-Hi,” I said stupidly.

“Hey, uhh… What was all that about?” Midnight asked. “Alyshia stormed out of the room looking angry and then she went on a mini rant about you.”

“Don’t worry about it,” I sighed with a flick of my tail. “She just wants to talk about things I would rather keep quite.”

“Take it from me Amethyst,” Midnight said as she placed a hoof around my neck. “If you’re having problems, you need to tell somepony. When I was fifteen, I was having issues dealing with my parents’ deaths. I went to see somepony and told them about everything; about how I felt and the things I was doing to deal with my troubles. They helped me so much.”

I looked into Midnights scarlet eyes and could see the horror of her past behind them; suddenly I felt my eyes water and I almost cried for her. Is this how I looked?

“All I’m saying is give it a go,” Midnight said with a smile. “You can even tell her things in small steps and not all at once.”

I nodded and Midnight hugged me. “Thanks,” I sniffed. “It’s just hard…”

“Of course,” Midnight agreed. “But you’ll feel better for it.” Midnight then left me with my saddlebags.

* ** ** ** *

That night after dinner, Alyshia accosted me once again in my room. “Hey,” she said kindly. “Are you ready?”

I gritted my teeth and wanted to say no. I knew that wouldn’t do. “Yes,” I sighed.

Alyshia smiled a sat on my bed. I followed suit, albeit a little grumpy. “So can you tell me what’s going on hon; everypony has been worried sick. “

I looked at the sheets of the bed not wanting to say anything. Alyshia however was patient and the silence grew. It grew so much that it became unbearable as emotion began to creep through me. “I’m having dreams about my father,” I said, fighting back the urge to cry. “It reminds me of home, my mother and the photos of him I have at home. I feel so homesick, I feel so love sick, and I feel like nopony cares.” Tears formed around my eyes and began to drip onto the sheets.

Alyshia hugged me but still the tears fell. I hadn’t even said a quarter of it yet and I couldn’t say anymore. “We care Amethyst,” Alyshia said caringly. “Me and Midnight, I think Brax does as well.”

“I know,” I choked, “and that’s why I feel so guilty that I want to go home. I love you all and what will I do when I get home? I don’t want to leave any of you… And M-Midnight, I c-can’t; I’m still in love.”

I shuddered and I continued. “When I was a filly, I was bullied by another filly called Glenda and a group of her friends. She used to tease me for not having a cutie mark, then she teased me for not being able to do magic and then for being a fillyfooler.”

Alyshia gasped. “Did you tell your mum?”

“No,” I snorted. “She didn’t care, she didn’t give a damn. She was too worried about her appearances. No, if anything, she was just as bad.”

“So why do you want to go home when you had such a horrible time there?” Alyshia asked.

“It’s my home,” I growled. “There are ponies I care about; I still love my mother despite her bitterness. It’s the place my father was born and where I was born, I have my things, my plush Rarity toy that I slept with each night; Berry as well. The walls, the lights, the food, the sound of my hooves on metal all call home. Sometimes I wish I was home again, in my bed with nothing but broken computers to worry about.”

Alyshia tightened her hug on me. It was a motherly hug, one of the many things mother never gave to me. “You’re more of a mother than my own,” I admitted. “My mother only gave birth to me. I don’t know why I still love her.”

“That’s not true,” Alyshia protested.

“My mother didn’t hug me,” I told her.

“Is this why you’ve been cutting yourself?” Alyshia asked.

“No, merely a contribution,” I said slowly and reluctantly. “I started cutting myself in New Appleoosa.” My eyes swelled with tears again and emotion crept through my chest threatening to suffocate me. “I t-told Midnight that I l-loved her, and…” I gulped. “I tried to kiss her Alyshia a-and then I begged her to love me. I’d never f-felt so stupid. Midnight kicked me out a-and I felt distraught and stupid. I felt like the world was collapsing around me. I felt so trapped.” I gulped. “I then cut myself with my knife and w-what’s worse, it felt good.”

I hung my head in shame. I just revealed my worst nightmare to Alyshia, the nightmare that actually happened and now it was up to her to judge me.

“Amethyst,” Alyshia said softly taking my left hoof, the one with the nearly invisible scars. “You need to learn that love can be found in other places. Midnight loves you, she really does but she doesn’t love you romantically, she’s you’re friend and that love is different. My love for you is also different. I don’t love you romantically but I still love you.” Alyshia rubbed my leg in a comforting way.

“I still flirt with her,” I said still feeling upset. “I know she doesn’t love me romantically, she’s just my friend and she doesn’t like mares either. I’m just stupid.”

“You’re not stupid,” Alyshia told me. “From what you’ve told me, you’ve grown up with little attention and a lack of love. You’re still discovering yourself. I understand.”

What she said made me think. Am I really finding it hard to determine the differences in love or am I just craving love so bad I’m appearing as a desperate idiot?

“What I’m glad about is that you at least understanding that Midnight is just your friend, even though your feelings are very strong. I’m glad you are at least holding them back,” Alyshia said.

I nodded feeling a bit better yet I was unsure on how I felt. I felt like I had just shifted some of the weight off my back.

“We’ll talk again sometime okay?” Alyshia said gently. “You were really brave for talking about it.”

I nodded, not sure how I felt still. “I might go to bed,” I sighed. I just need some rest.

Alyshia smiled and left my room. I was now a little confused. Alyshia was understanding and was completely cool, but I was unsure if she thought that I didn’t understand the differences in love. I knew the love of friendship; I knew what it feels like to love somepony special… But I didn’t understand the love of a parent and I only assumed that was the love that Alyshia gave me. Is that what it would feel like if my mother had loved me? Or is the love I have for Alyshia merely that of a friend?

Did I count Midnight as a friend? No, I counted her as more than a friend even though I have to keep the relationship friendship based. Did I count Brax as a friend? I do but he is quite different and my relationship with him is confusing. What about Alyshia? Our relationship is different somehow. Is this a mother/daughter relationship? Or is it a different type of friendship? It’s different from my relationship with Berry. Berry was my foalhood friend. My relationship with my companions was so very different.

I shook my head to clear it. Did it really matter? They were all my friends, even if our relationships vary. I threw myself in bed and with a spark from my horn the lights went out.

* ** ** ** *

It felt like I was asleep for not even an hour and the lights flicked on. “Come on Amethyst, it’s time to go,” Alyshia said. “Make sure you have everything.”

I got up and sighed. I was still quite tired and the time at Tenpony Tower had been decent time off away from the wasteland. With a glow of my horn I dumped the remaining things into my saddlebags including the Wasteland Survival guide (which I had not yet opened).

I pulled on my new grey barding. It was a little loose due to my weight but it fit nonetheless. The difference between this barding and my others was that it was a lot heavier and the plates were thicker. It wasn’t the most comfortable thing to wear but it would do the job. I just didn’t understand why Brax bought me such thick armour.

I put my saddlebags on and strapped my new sniper rifle to my saddlebags for ease of access and then I was ready to tackle the wasteland once again.

“Amethyst, are you ready?” Alyshia called.

“I am,” I replied back as I walked into the living room. Everypony was waiting for me.

“Okay let’s go,” Alyshia said bossily.

We followed Alyshia out the room and as we walked down the corridor I sidled up to Brax. “What’s with the bulky armour?” I asked the armoured stallion.

“You break too easy,” he growled.

I felt affronted. “No I don’t; I can deflect most bullets with my shield,” I argued.

“The shield that you can’t maintain for longer than five seconds; you’ve destroyed two sets of barding already,” he growled back. “Anyway Alyshia asked for it.”

I scowled at the back of Alyshia’s head.

“Anyway, it’ll toughen you up, carrying the weight around,” Brax told me. “You’re skinny and you need some muscle.”

I rolled my eyes. Now he was using my flaws against me.

“Have you read that book yet Amethyst?” Alyshia asked.

I felt my heart sink slightly. I was supposed to read “The Wasteland Survival Guide,” the part on Splendid Valley. “No,” I said honestly.

“Seriously?” Alyshia barked.

“I’ll read it tonight,” I said defensively. Give me a break I added inside my head.

* ** ** ** *

We were walking through central Manehattan on the Luna monorail line towards the east -- towards Splendid Valley. The line gave a great view of the city even though the buildings generally took away most of the view. Occasionally with sickening vertigo, I could see an entire street littered with carriages that were no doubt filled with the decayed remains of the poor ponies that were killed instantly by the megaspells all those years ago.

“This armour is so freakin’ heavy,” I complained as Meep sat on my head. “I can’t walk properly. How am I supposed to fight like this?”

“It’s to protect you,’ Alyshia sighed.

“You haven’t seen me fight?” I snapped. “I rely on speed and agility… Wearing this I might as well wear what Brax has.”

Alyshia shook her head.

“Come on, how often do I get hit by bullets?” I growled. “Imagine if I fell in water. Poor Midnight wouldn’t be able to get me out and I’d drown. It would be you and Brax’s fault.”

“She has a point you know,” Midnight piped up. “She does jump around like a pogo when fighting; now she can’t really do that.”

“Then she can take it off and have no protection,” Brax growled. “If she gets hit in the wrong spot, then she’ll die.”

“Then you should have bought me light gar- whaaa-“ My hind leg slipped on the loose snow on the track, and before I knew it, I was hanging from the line by my forehooves, my magic allowing me to weigh less.

“Amethyst!” Midnight and Alyshia cried.

“H-Help!” I screamed. I looked down and my stomach turned, my heart (which was already racing) felt like it was going to jump out of my chest. My head also span horribly. The carts and buses were small and I was so high up. My fear of heights and open spaces was clearly evident. Midnight grabbed me around the middle, Alyshia pulled on my forehooves and I was pushed back onto the slippery monorail. The moment I hit the icy rail I didn’t get up as I was too afraid to move and all I could do was shiver in fright.

“Amethyst,” Alyshia cried. “Are you okay?”

I shook my head feeling nauseous. “I want to get back on the ground, it’s too slippery,” I managed to say.

“It’s safer,” Midnight said. “We’re better off up here.”

“I agree,” Brax chipped in.

“I want to be on the ground now!” I roared, anger licking my insides.

Alyshia, Midnight and Brax looked at each other. Midnight then looked down at the ground. “How’re we supposed to get down from here?” she asked.

I looked down at the snow and Meep landed back onto my head. “I’ll levitate you all down,” I growled. “I just…”

“You’re not levitating me down,” Brax growled. “I value my life.”

“Amethyst, that’s at least fifty metres! You can’t levitate Brax down there… How the hell do you think?”

“Fine,” I snapped. “Does anyone have a rope?”

“You’re not doing that either,” Brax growled.

“No, it’s not for that,” I said heavily.

Brax went through his saddlebag and threw me a rope of about three metres. I tied it to my saddlebag strap and threw the other end at Midnight. “Tie this to your saddlebag strap please.”

Midnight nodded, understanding what I was getting at.

Once secure I got up. “Now if I fall I won’t die.”

“You wouldn’t have fallen if you were paying attention,” Alyshia sighed. “Instead of ranting about your barding. We’ll go down when we’re closer to the ground okay?”

I grunted, still pissed off.

* ** ** ** *

The walk along the Luna Line was hardly enjoyable. Alyshia was singing with Midnight and they both sounded dreadful. “Come on Amethyst, join in?” Midnight said at the end of their second song.

“No,” I said firmly. “I don’t sing.”

“But you sound good,” Midnight moaned. “Have some fun c’mon?”

“Meep can you play DJ Pon-3 radio station?” I told my robotic companion. With a beep he connected to the radio station. It was a classic Sweetie Belle song.

“There, you can sing to it,” I told them.

“Don’t make me untie this,” Midnight threatened. “C’mon you grumpy pony, join us…”

“Fine,” I growled with emphasis on the F.

“Okay, Hearts Strong as Horses,” Midnight said as the next song began. Alyshia and Midnight nodded before looking at me. I nodded in agreement.

“Okay,” Alyshia said. “One, two, three.”

“We're the toughest little ponies in town,” we sang. “Got the moves, got the mojo, no harder working ponies around.”

Brax growled and shook his head as we passed by a building with a platform built onto the side; I almost stopped out of embarrassment but I sang with Midnight and Alyshia hoping they could mask my singing.

“We get going when the going gets tough. We know our very best is just never enough. We’re kinda short, but so what? We don't get defeated. We could take a little break, but we don't need it.”

BANG

I broke off as something hit my flank with an iron clad punch. My hind hoof slipped on the ice, and before I knew it I was clinging onto the metal railing on the opposite side of the platform. Midnight flew down to grab me but my hooves slipped and I fell. The rope holding me to Midnight prevented me from falling to my death but my weight combined with my barding and saddlebags pulled Midnight down with me. She could hardly hold on and we both began to lose altitude.

Bang bang bang sounded from above followed by a zaaap from Brax’s laser rifles.

“Amethyst, do something!” Midnight growled as she pushed her wings as hard as she could. Eyes closed, I wrapped myself in magic to lighten myself. I then magically took my barding off. Barecoat, I kept the barding wrapped in my magic. By this time we had fallen over twenty five meters and Midnight had to haul me back up to the railing. Once back over the railing I pulled myself magically back towards the edge like a pendulum. I then pushed myself at the platform and activated my shield. The shield sliced the rope and I flew through the air and skidded across the platform. Bullets scattered across my bubble and, armed with my heavy barding, I threw it at the nearest raider hiding behind a bin. The barding hit the bin with such force that it crushed him against the wall and he moved no more. I ducked behind a pole as my shield collapsed and pulled out my magnum.

I heard shots from Midnight and Brax. I turned around and the pony that was about to shoot me from behind was a pile of glowing ash. “Close one,” I sighed.

BANG

The bullet aimed for me hit the concrete pole and took a chip out of it. I jumped out from my hiding spot and activated my shield. I ran at the grey mare and she unloaded her whole clip into my shield, which absorbed a majority of the shots before collapsing. I jumped behind another pillar and the rest of her shots were soaked by the concrete. I jumped back out from my hiding spot and activated SATS. I aimed a shot at her head.

BANG

The wall behind her was showered with gore as the shot rang true.

FFFFFchooooo

“Amethyst!?” Midnight and Alyshia roared. “Look out!”

I turned in time to see a rocket of some sort. It had a flaming tail behind it and I had never seen such a thing. I flinched and activated my shield just in time. The rocket hit the surface, plasma jumped from the shield on impact and the explosion was absorbed but my poor shield didn’t have time to strengthen and couldn’t take the whole thing. It collapsed and showered me in in the remaining flames and hot shrapnel. I shielded my face with a forehoof and jumped back behind the pillar. My face and hooves stung slightly but I ignored it; there was still another.

BANG BANG BANG

Btzzzz Btzzzz

FFFFFchooooo

I activated my shield again and moments later the rocket hit the pillar which collapsed on top of me. Concrete showered from above, my shield taking hits as I ran for another hiding spot.

BOOOM BOOOM

“Take that you foul bitch!” Alyshia roared.

BANG BANG

I didn’t really know what was going on. My shield collapsed and I jumped behind a waste bin. I had practically no protection but a gun. I regretted taking my barding off and now I was a sitting duck. I heard Midnight and Brax fighting vigorously but for me I was just a liability behind this bin. I had to get back to the others. I jump back out from the waste bin and made for my companions as fast as my legs would carry me.

BANG BANG BANG

The shots missed, I was almost there.

“Amethyst what are you doing?” Midnight cried.

BANG

A shot hit me in the foreleg, I skidded across the dusty floor and as I did so I activated my shield; it took some bullets before collapsing. Alyshia wrapped her magic around me and pulled me over to the cover.

“Oww,” I cried looking at my forehoof. It had hit about an inch from up from my pipbuck. It looked like it might have come from a 9mm.

“Stay there,” Alyshia growled as she unpinned a grenade. She waited two seconds and threw it.

BOOOM

I heard raiders cry out. Brax then stepped out from cover and bullets sparked against his heavy armour.

BTZZAAAPPP

Brax fired four times and stepped back behind cover, his armour dented from the bullets. “Pretty rough,” he growled “but we got all the worse ones.”

I wanted to fight. I wasn’t doing anything and my friends were doing all the work. I normally headed battle; instead I sat here like a child waiting for the adults to clean up the mess.

“Is that all of them?” Midnight asked.

“Dunno,” Brax replied. “Why don’t you take a look?”

“I’m alright,” Midnight replied.

“Here,” Alyshia said casting a spell. A small shield appeared around Midnight like a small bubble, the shield didn’t quite look like mine and it looked like the surface was covered in honeycombs. “It’s not quite like Amethyst’s but it’ll take a shot or two.”

Midnight nodded and flew across the platform, checking for survivors. Midnight however took her time; I think she might have been looting. “So Amethyst,” Alyshia said turning her attention to me.

“I know, what I did was stupid,” I sighed.

“Well, you did okay actually,” she replied. “You distracted that raider with the rocket launcher. But yes, it was utterly stupid.”

“I didn’t actually do anything,” I replied. “I felt kinda useless actually.”

Alyshia gave me a small smile and took my forehoof into hers. “We’ll just fix this one up,” Alyshia said. Alyshia levitated a pair of tweezers. “This is going to hurt,” Alyshia said grimly. “I’m sorry.”

I winced and she inserted the tweezers into the bullet hole. It felt like I got shot again, except the pain went for longer.

“Oww!” I cried.

Sorry,” Alyshia replied. This was taking too long and I couldn’t be more relieved when the bullet came free. Alyshia then pulled out a familiar bottle and I looked away embarrassed.

“Just don’t steal them this time,” Alyshia said.

“I said I won’t,” I growled.

“I’m joking,” Alyshia said with a giggle. “Anyway, that’s sorted.”

I looked down at my wound and it did the trick -- it was mostly healed and had stopped bleeding. “Nice,” I said as I moved my forehoof with no pain.

“Midnight, where are you?” Alyshia called. “We had better keep going.”

“Just... One sec,” Midnight replied. “Just getting these, almost… Done!” she called. Midnight returned with cases of ammo and a shotgun. “Amethyst catch!”

She threw the shotgun at me and I caught it. It wasn’t in the best condition, but it was in a lot better condition than the one Brax was about to give me earlier.

“Now that’s a bit safer now isn’t it Brax?” Alyshia said to the metallic stallion. “Now you can throw that other one away.”

“Pfft,” Brax growled. “As if, I’ll fix her up and sell it to the shop. Might as well get some more caps.”

Alyshia rolled her eyes.

“Well if anyone wants some ammo, just give me a shout,” Midnight said stuffing the cases into her saddlebags.

“We really should move on,” I said concerned. “It’s starting to get late and we’re behind.”

* ** ** ** *

“You know we could have just gone down the stairs at the last station?” Midnight sighed as we continued along the Luna Line. “It’s starting to get dark,” Midnight observed.

“We didn’t think of that at the time,” I sighed. “It’ll be dark in half an hour…”

Midnight rubbed my mane from above. “Well you should have thought of that, right boss?”

I blushed slightly and said, “It was probably full of raiders,” I made up. “Anyway, you think I want to stay on here?”

“Where’s the next station?” Alyshia asked. “We need to get there before dark.”

“Bring up your map on your pipbuck.” Brax growled to me. “We need to know so we don’t get lost in the dark.”

“Or fall to our deaths,” Alyshia chipped in.

I brought up the local map and found the Luna Line. A blip showed our location and a station was located about five or six kilometres away. “It’s about… forty five minutes to an hour away.” I groaned. That meant walking through the dark.

“Okay, so we need to be super careful,” Alyshia said to everypony. “Amethyst and Brax, do you think you can turn on your lights?”

“Can’t we just camp here?” I asked. Everypony looked at me as if I was mad. My ears tilted back. “Okay, maybe not,” I said quickly. “Sorry, stupid idea.”

We all continued on in the dwindling light. My pipbuck and Brax’s headlamps were blazing, providing enough light to ensure none of us made the wrong step. It was more difficult at night and that was made worse when it began to snow.

“Are you kidding me?” I burst out stomping my hoof. “Snow, now?”

“It’s winter,” Brax growled. “It can snow at any time.”

“But now?” I complained. “It hasn’t snowed all day.”

“We’ll manage,” Alyshia said. “The weather can throw anything at us, so long as it isn’t a blizzard.”

“I think you might be wrong there Alyshia,” Midnight said sounding a little scared. “Look.”

Midnight pointed a hoof behind us, we all turned around. While the sky in the direction we were moving was dark grey in the dying daylight, the sky behind us was almost black, cloud tops rolled across the sky, each layer a different shade of the deep grey. I hadn’t seen clouds like this before, the other blizzards had dark clouds but they were different, they didn’t look so… fierce.

A huge bolt of light erupted from the upper clouds and made contact with a building that was only visible due to the light from the cloud. “What in Celestia’s name was that?” I asked startled. Midnight and Alyshia covered their ears with their forehooves and winced.

BAAAANNNGGGG

I jumped out of my skin and almost fell again. “What the fuck was that?” I asked. “Are the pegasi attacking us?”

“It’s lighting,” Midnight said.

"Oh of course," I said remembering that bolt of lighting near New Saddle.

“It’s quite rare in winter" Midnight filled in, "but more common in summer. We had better get moving before we die.”

“Lighting,” I repeated as we headed off with faster pace. “So it’s just light? Where does the sound come from?”

“That’s thunder,” Midnight told me, “the sound is from the lighting. The lighting is electricity coming from the clouds.”

“Electricity?” I said flabbergasted. “That’s… That’s a lot of electricity.”

“You really are a stable filly aren’t you?” Brax said to me. “You really know nothing.”

“I do know stuff. I’m learning, I can do a lot more than I used to,” I replied.

“It’s just funny,” Brax growled. “We’ve grown up in the wasteland since we were foals; it’s just strange that you’ve never heard of such a thing.”

“Ever seen the sun?” I asked with a grin.

“Saw it on the mountain, seen in Cantal as well,” Brax said. “I’ve seen the moon as well.”

“I haven’t seen the moon yet,” I said saddened. “I’ve seen it in books, it looks pretty.”

“I’ve heard rumours of the moon and sun overlapping,” Midnight chipped in. “Not sure of how true it is though.”

“What, so the moon and sun are like overlapped?” I asked. “Is that possible?”

“Not sure,” Midnight replied. I saw another flash of lighting erupt from behind Midnight, this bolt appeared closer.

BAAAANG

I almost jumped again; the sound was scaring me and made my hairs stand on end. That wasn’t helped when the wind began to pick up; snow was now blowing in my face. Meep beeped as he was drifted by the wind. He quickly flew over to Midnight and sat on her head.

“How far now?” Brax called over the wind. “We have to nearly be there.”

“We have a bit over a kilometre,” I shouted back. The wind and snow cut threw my body like an icy blade and I was starting to shiver.

“Are you okay Amethyst? Alyshia asked loudly, “Are you cold?”

“A little” I called back. “But I’ll be okay.”

CLUNK

The rail rattled fiercely enough to be heard over the wind. We turned around and Brax had fallen over, although luckily not off.

“Brax, are you alright?” I asked.

He got back up and whinnied. “I’m fine,” he growled as if nothing worse had happened than slipping on the ground.

We trotted on, the thunder scaring me, the wind howling, and the temperature dropping. At last the station appeared and we made for it at a quicker pace, eager to get out of this storm. We entered the platform and sadly for us, the wind was blowing into the platform, snow building across the floor and on the sitting benches. This made it no better to rest than on the rail itself.

“Great,” Brax growled stamping his hoof on the snow-covered concrete. “Now were going to freeze to death.”

I trotted over to a door with a cracked window. It had a buzzer card like the ones in the stables except the light for it was off. I pushed on the handle and it opened without a swipe card, the room was small but enough for a small fire and all of us to sleep -- it appeared to be the office of the platform controller. “Here!” I called loudly. “There’s a room.”

The others came over to where I was and I stepped into the dusty and messy room. The wind howled through the room as the door was open but everypony followed me inside. I closed the door magically and the sound of the wind lessened, however, the door shook as the wind battered against it. Meep jumped from Midnight’s head, landed on the coat stand and shut down.

“Brilliant Amethyst,” Midnight chimed. “Good work.”

I flushed slightly and muttered my thanks.

“We’ll keep here for the night then?” Brax said as if this was a question. “Think I might start a fire to get us all warm.”

We nodded in agreement and Brax began to break up the furniture in the room for some firewood.

“What do you want to eat?” Alyshia asked me. “I can fry off some sprouts and beans, I’ve got some herbs too.”

I sat down, tired. “Sure,” I said looking up at her with heavy eyes.

“My wings are going to hurt tomorrow,” Midnight sighed. She glanced at the dark, cracked window on the rattling door. “I’m just glad I’m not out there.”

“So am I,” I agreed. A flash lit up the window and the crackling sound of thunder exploded outside. I nearly jumped again.

“It’s not going to bite you here,” Brax laughed. “It can’t get you here.”

“I know, I just… I don’t like the sound,” I replied.

Brax crushed a chair under his heavy hoof and threw the splinters into a pile with the broken desk. “M’kay Amethyst, light her up.”

I looked at the woodpile then back at Brax. “How? I don’t have a lighter.”

“With that horn you have,” he sighed. “You know… Magic.”

“She doesn’t know that spell Brax,” Alyshia cut in as she sliced the can of the mushy beans from its container. “Not every unicorn knows every spell.”

“I know that,” he growled. “Isn’t it a basic spell?” he asked. “I’ve seen lot of unicorns do it. Anyway, if Amethyst can’t do it, you can can’t you?”

“I can,” Alyshia told him, “whist it is a basic spell not every unicorn can do it.”

Alyshia’s horn flashed and a spit of fire landed onto the chair leg and caught fire. “Anyway, she probably hasn’t needed a spell like it yet anyway.”

“Right,” Brax growled, “typical stable filly.”

I scowled and Alyshia nodded as she levitated the frying pan. “Amethyst, are you reading that book tonight?”

“Oh yeah, I really should” I said. “I’ll read it after dinner.”

Alyshia began to sear the food. “Hopefully this turns out okay,” Alyshia told me. “I’m not the greatest cook in the world.”

“Either,” I yawned.

BAAANG

I flinched but didn’t jump. “I’m shocked you don’t freak out at gun shots,” Midnight said, “jumping at the mere bang of lighting.”

I shrugged. “Unexpected gunshots I do but it’s different even though the sounds are similar,” I said simply. I sniffed in Alyshia’s food which was starting to smell good. “That smells pretty good,” I complimented.

“Thanks,” Alyshia said with smile.

“Is there enough for all of us?” Midnight asked looking at the searing food.

“No this is just for Amethyst and I,” Alyshia answered. “Anyway you have your own food.”

Midnight scowled.

“Well Amethyst is having issues with eating so I need to cook it,” Alyshia told her firmly. “I’m sure you and Brax can understand.”

I looked away feeling embarrassed. I once again felt like a foal who couldn’t even feed herself, it was frustrating. I’m supposed to be an adult; I should be cooking my own food, I should be the one buying my armour and guns, I should be the one to determine what gun I use and when.

“I don’t need to cook my food,” Brax replied as he released himself from his armour. “As long as you can feed yourself and your adopted foal then we’re all happy.”

I looked up at Brax angry and embarrassed. “I can fend for myself. I am self-reliant,” I growled aggressively. “I don’t need anypony to hold my hoof.”

“Well you certainly do.” Brax replied. “You have your food cooked for you, your wounds healed, your bed made and you even take orders. You’re just a kid.”

What he said almost made me cry; enough to make my eyes water anyway, because I knew it was true.

“Brax that’s enough,” Alyshia snapped. “Amethyst is a capable young mare. She saved your hide, if it wasn’t for her, you’d probably be in Fillydelphia right now smashing rocks for Red Eye.”

Brax looked taken aback. “That’s true,” he said with a wince.

I smiled at Alyshia for backing me up but my thoughts lay securely on the fact that I’m being looked after and babied on this trip and if it wasn’t for my friends that I’d probably be dead.

“It’s fine Amethyst,” Alyshia told me. “Don’t look so glum.”

“I’ll be fine,” I said faking a smile.

“Anyway, dinner’s ready,” Alyshia said giving me a bowl and a spoon.

I took the bowl and spoon in my magic. The food smelt a lot better than the stuff strait out of the can. I took a bite and Alyshia had crisped the vegetables and made them taste better with seasoning. I managed to finish my portion but only just. I felt like I was going to explode yet I didn’t really eat overly much.

“Thanks Alyshia,” I said.

“You really should get a move onto the book by the way,” Alyshia told me seriously.

“You don’t need that book read for you do you Amethyst?” Brax teased.

“No,” I snapped as I opened the book. The book was detailed. It covered monsters, guns, areas and even Canterlot. I was surprised. The book, however, was hard to read as there wasn’t enough light. Our fire was small and my pipbuck was awkward to use as a lamp. “There isn’t much light,” I growled.

“There’s a spell for that,” Brax said though a mouthful of beans. “Oh wait…”

“Really Brax?” Midnight snapped. “I won’t blame her if she slices you in half with that insane shield.”

“Actually, it is unusual,” Alyshia sighed. “All unicorns should be able to light their horns, it’s like telekinesis.”

“Well I can’t,” I growled. “Shows how useless I am.”

“Well no,” Alyshia said as she rustled through her saddlebags. “You’re probably doing it wrong.” Alyshia pulled out a book titled “Foal To Experts Guide To Magic.”

“Great, now I’m in school again,” I said as I rolled my eyes. Alyshia glanced at me then back at the book.

“Here,” she said handing me the book.

The book had larger letters than the Wasteland Survival Guide and I was able to read it in the low light. The spell was under “Foal Magic,” which made me cringe but I looked at the spell rune, the same one that I had seen at school in magic class.

“You can cast that can’t you?” Alyshia asked.

I looked at the rune carefully. Magic was never my strong point. I knew telekinesis (which was amazing when I could first do it) and then there was my shield which I made up -- it wasn’t a real spell. “Just concentrate on the rune and channel your magic to your horn. It really is a basic spell,” Alyshia said attempting to encourage me.

I concentrated on the rune and repeated it inside my head. I then channelled my magic to my horn and, with a burst of purple light it ignited. My spell bathed the room in purple light. I looked at Alyshia and gasped. I just cast a spell I never did and it felt exhilarating. I can do magic, I can do things. I just need. Assistance... I shook that negativity from my head.

“You see, you can do magic. You just need to believe in yourself,” Alyshia encouraged.

I cut the magic to my horn and the light went away. I then hugged Alyshia. “Thanks for teaching me that,” I whispered.

“Good one Amethyst,” Midnight cheered. “But you should read that book before bed. If we get to Splendid Valley tomorrow we want to know what’s there.”

I lit my horn and flicked to the chapter “Splendid Valley.”

Of all the places in Equestria the most ferocious would have to be Splendid Valley. Monsters mutated from a form of taint have caused the area to become inhabitable. Simple insects can spit Taint that burst into flames if shot or killed. Not even raiders go to Splendid Valley.

Of the Valley it is inhabited by a two intelligent species. Hellhounds are mutated Diamond Dogs from the pre-war era. Exposure to taint has allowed them to be ferociously aggressive and their claws can cut through the toughest of armour and the strongest of shields. Alicorns from Maripony are hyper aggressive and incredibly difficult to slay. They are under control by an unknown entity said to live in the old Maripony Facility. If you so happen to meet an Alicorn death is almost a certainty as they tend to hunt in twos or threes and harness extreme magical abilities.

The greatest threat of Splendid Valley is Taint. Taint is rumoured to be experiments by the Ministry of Magic for the war effort. Nopony knows what the Taint was for but it is clearly a type of mutagen. It affects ponies and animals of all sorts and can turn a healthy pony into a ravaging monster with ten tentacles if the dose is sufficient. Taint is identified as greenish liquid that burns on contact; small doses need medical treatment at a hospital such as those at Tenpony Tower, New Saddle Tower, Cantal and various larger clinics around Equestria. Exposure to high doses of Taint can result in mutation that can range from minor to serious. Serious exposure to anypony is worse than death. Serious mutations may cause the individual to sprout extra limbs, lose the ability to recognise their friends, they may even become hyper aggressive and attack loved ones -- they could die due to exposure. Be mindful with Taint Exposure.

Despite these dangers it is said that Splendid Valley has a trove of supplies and goods due to the remoteness of the area. Those that risk their lives tend to never be seen again. It can only be recommended to stay away from this place.

I knew it was dangerous but I didn’t know it was filled with Alicorns. Homage mentioned the hellhounds but not anything else. The book also had a beast section.

Insects that spit taint, ones that combust into flames when shot, or others that explode when they get close, worms that live in the soil in summer and when they die leave pools of Taint on the ground. Tainted snow during winter from dead insects, giant scorpions with six pincers and that spits Taint. Hellhounds with claws that rip armour and shields to bits, Hellhounds even use weaponry, Alicorns that can destroy a whole party of ponies with ease. The list simply goes on. I was not looking forward to this trip to Dijoneigh.

I closed the book; I’ll read more the following evening. I extinguished my horn. Everypony else had gone to bed. I let myself drift off to sleep on the dusty ground, the howl of the wind and the cracking of the fire the only sounds to be heard.

* ** ** ** *

I felt something metallic land on my face.

Beep

I woke up and Meep was sitting on my face. “Off,” I grumbled as I lifted my head. Meep jumped from my face and flew into the air. The wind had stopped, the fire was smouldering ashes and everypony was still asleep. I checked the time on my pipbuck and it was already eight o’clock. “Hey guys,” I said quietly. “Shouldn’t we be going?”

Alyshia stirred. “Huh?” Alyshia then lifted her head and yawned. “It’s morning already?”

“Yep,” I answered. “It’s already eight. We need to get a move on.”

“Midnight, Brax, it’s time to get up,” Alyshia said.

Midnight stirred. “It’s too early,” she mumbled. “Bit longer.” Midnight tossed over and went back to sleep.

These two were hard to get up. “Meep, can you get them up?”

Meep beeped and landed between them.

BUUURRR

The sound rose Midnight who tried to swat the poor dragonfly with a hoof. Meep stopped and flew a safe distance from her attacker. Brax stirred as well.

“Was that necessary?” Midnight growled as she rubbed her red eyes. “My ears…”

“Actually, it was,” I replied. “So it seems you still rely on a mother to wake you up in the morning Brax?” I snickered as the stallion got up.

“Very cheeky Miss Days. I’ll remember this,” Brax announced.

“So will I,” I said with a smile to the old stallion.

“Anyway, everypony in their barding, get your things ready,” Alyshia called. “We got another long day ahead of us.”

I was the first ready as I had nothing to wear. “Well seeing as I’m barecoat,” I said. “I’m ready.”

“I really can’t believe you’re going into Splendid Valley without barding,” Midnight said concerned. “It seems like a suicide mission.”

I was actually starting to feel the same way. “Well, what do we do?”

“Hold on, I might have something,” Alyshia said digging through her saddlebags. “Here take this.” Alyshia threw me a leather winter coat. “I know it won’t really help,” she acknowledged. “But it should help somewhat. If we find any merchants or towns on the way we’ll buy Amethyst another barding.”

“I might have to go back,” Midnight said. “I really don’t like the sound of this.”

“We’ll send you back if we don’t find anything,” Brax growled to Midnight. “Who knows, we might find something along the way.”

“Okay that’s sorted,” Alyshia called. “Just be careful Amethyst, don’t get shot.”

“I won’t,” I said. I saw Midnight raise her eyebrows at me and I pretended I didn’t see it. She knew I was reckless but what can I do? If I’m in combat I’m not going to do nothing. I am supposed to be the leader of the party. It’s looking like Alyshia has taken that role from me.

When Alyshia opened the door about two feet of snow fell forwards and into the little office. “Wow that’s a lot of snow,” Midnight said bewildered. “That was quite a storm.”

“It was,” Brax sighed. “Just hope the rail is still fine.”

“Shouldn’t we try going back to the ground?” I asked as we pushed ourselves through the fresh snow and onto the snowy platform.

Midnight flew over to the bricked exit of the station and we followed her at a slower pace. “It’s caved,” Midnight said as she flew back out of the exit.

“Really?” I groaned.

“Yeah,” Midnight confirmed. “There’s no way we can get through.”

I walked into the exit myself and inside was a large pile of rubble that had caved from the ceiling and from the walls. Cables and pipes hung from the ceiling, brick, wood and concrete blocked the passage.

“Damn,” I growled. “We’ll have to walk the line.”

When we made it to the line it was only partially snow covered with a thin layer of ice. The wind had prevented the snow from caking the rail.

“Good to see the rail is good,” Brax said as he stepped off the platform and onto the monorail.

We began our trek once again along the Luna Line which, according to my pipbuck, wasn’t long. We only had two more stations until the line was a dead end. “Only two stations,” I relayed to my friends. “Not long and we’ll be on the ground.”

“With the raiders and the Radscorpians and the bandits,” Midnight sighed. “Nice.”

“Raiders are up here too,” I corrected.

Midnight nodded. “Yeah that’s true,” she replied. “Still, there is more threat down there.”

“Not as much as Splendid Valley,” I said with a shudder.

“What did you find out?” Midnight asked curiously. “Are there giant pony eating mutants that spit poison acid and flames at the same time?”

Alyshia raised her eyebrows at Midnight.

“Well, just trying to diffuse the tension,” Midnight shrugged. “Anyway Amethyst, what’s going to eat us?”

“There are the Hellhounds,” I told everypony grimly. “They are intelligent and they are good at using guns.”

“Rabid dogs using guns?” Midnight questioned.

“Heard a rumour of it,” Brax growled. “Heard they use laser weapons.”

I cringed at the thought but I ploughed on. “They have these claws that can break through magic shields and would tear Brax’s armour in two with a single swipe.

“Not good,” Brax agreed. “I knew that already but still not good.”

“They can dig really well and hide under the ground and can attack us from underneath so we need to be super careful,” I continued.

Everypony nodded and Midnight interrupted. “So I need to stay in the air?”

“Would probably be best,” Alyshia answered, “best to have as little ponies exposed as possible during battle with them.”

“Don’t go near the wildlife, even bugs,” I said steering away from hellhounds. “They can explode and the Taint will get you, or they can catch fire if you shoot some. There are also giant mutated Radscorians with six pincers that spit Taint.”

Midnight cringed. “I don’t like Splendid Valley already,” she replied.

Alyshia and Brax looked at her sternly.

“Sorry for interrupting,” Midnight said quietly.

“Uhh, the Alicorns. There’s lots in Splendid Valley.” I continued. “We already know about them. There’s also the Taint.”

“We know what Taint is,” Brax interrupted. “Sorry,” he added when Midnight glared at him.

“Oh, and look out for tainted snow,” I added. “That stuff can be nasty. Just don’t get any Taint on you and we should be fine.”

“Seeing as Taint is as common as snow in Splendid Valley, I’m not feeling very confident,” Brax growled.“

“Well not really,” I disagreed. “It’s mostly in the water and the animals; we just need to get to Dijoneigh without being attacked.”

Brax raised his eyebrows and I knew what he was thinking. “We will get attacked,” Midnight said darkly. “No doubt but we just need to be careful. Brax should be fine as he’s wearing armour but the rest of us need to be careful.”

“Did it say how long it takes for the Taint to do damage?”Alsyshia enquired.

“It depends on the dose,” I stated. “I’m not sure really, I’m not that far in yet.”

“Please find out tonight,” Alyshia requested. “If somepony is exposed I need to know whether to keep going or go back.”

“Right,” I said with a nod.

“Shouldn’t that be up to the pony who gets exposed?” Brax growled. “Low level dose of Taint takes a while to do anything assuming it does anything. If I get a drop on me I’m going bailing.”

“Well no,” Alyshia told the stallion. “I’m the medic, I decide to keep going or go to hospital if we have to.”

“Just don’t over react I think Brax is getting at,” Midnight said to Alyshia. “I agree, if I get a small splash then I’ll wait till we go back, but if I get a big hunk of it in the face then that’s a different story.”

“We don’t yet know how urgent medical attention is for low doses yet, so until we find out we won’t speculate on it,” Alyshia sighed.

“Okay,” Brax growled. “As long as- whoa!”

Brax slipped and fell forward onto the rail. Alyshia (who wasn’t watching) tripped over the fallen stallion and tumbled over the edge. I lunged forward and caught Alyshia by the hind hoof and I quickly slipped off with her. I lost grip from Alyshia and she fell. I suddenly realised that I was falling to my death as wind whistled through my ears. I wrapped myself in magic to slow my fall but I had lost my bearings and didn’t know what was up or down.

I felt something wrap around me and landed on something hard. I clung to it in dear life with my eyes closed; the wind however wasn’t whistling as it was. It felt softer. With a bump I came to a stop. Still I didn’t open my eyes nor move.

“You can get off you know?” A familiar voice asked me.

I opened my eyes and a Pegasus Enclave soldier stood before me. I was on her back and her wings were tipped white. “Scerine?” I gasped. I lost all ability to hold myself and I fell from her back and onto the ground before vomiting. My head span, I felt sick. The fall didn’t do me good. Despite my sickness and dizziness a sudden realisation came to me. “Alyshia?” I cried, “Where is she? She’s not-?”

“No, I’m fine,” Alyshia answered jumping from the back of Midnight. “Midnight got me.”

I looked at my best friend and she didn’t look triumphant as she normally did in a lifesaving situation. Midnight eyed Scerine with distrust and hatred. She didn’t even notice Meep land on her head.

“I take it you’ve finished your work?” Midnight said sourly. “What brings you here?”

“I thought you guys might like some help,” Scerine said. “Where’re you off to?”

“Splendid Valley,” I answered nauseous.

“We’re off to Dijoneigh,” Alyshia finished. “More help would be great.”

“Does the Enclave know you’re here?” Midnight asked. “I didn’t know they let their soldiers assist wanderers on the ground.”

“Midnight,” Alyshia hissed.

“Well… No they don’t know I’m here,” Scerine answered.

“So you’re disobeying your orders? You do know what they do to ponies like you, don’t you?” Midnight growled.

“Oi!” Brax roared from above. “Are you lot going to get me down or what?”

Scerine looked taken aback.

“Sorry,” I sighed.

Scerine turned her metallic head towards Midnight and looked back at me. I didn’t know what her expression was but I guess it would be one of anger or worry.

* ** ** ** *

The operation to get was easier now that we had two pegasi, even if one was reluctant to work with the other.

Midnight flew me up to the rail and Scerine followed suit. Once we reached the rail I levitated Brax and placed him onto Scerine, this proved difficult as Scerine wasn’t a large pony whereas Brax was. I had to keep the large stallion in my levitation field until we had him on the ground and off Scerine’s back.

“Sorry about the fall girls,” Brax apologised. “The ice was slippery and this armour…” Brax lifted a heavy hoof.

“It’s okay,” Alyshia accepted. “Luckily you got here when you did Scerine or Amethyst would have…” Alyshia couldn’t say the last word.

“It’s alright,” Scerine said with a wave of a hoof. “Midnight caught you too so it was a joint operation.”

Midnight looked like she would have preferred to save the two of us at once than complete a “joint operation” with Scerine. I could understand Midnight not liking Scerine but to look at her with blame and hatred?

“So, how’s the leg?” Scerine questioned me. “Or your whole body in general?”

“I feel good,” I said confidently. “I’m healed to full.”

“That’s good,” Scerine nodded.

“We should get going,” Alyshia called. “We don’t want to use too much more time.”

“Okay,” we said. We headed off towards Splendid Valley on the ground now, we left the building behind us and all that was left was the outer suburbs of Manehattan, this meant that we weren’t overly far away from Splendid Valley.

“So, Alyshia was saying you grew up in a stable?” Scerine asked.

I nodded. “I grew up in Stable 86,” I replied. “Left a few weeks ago and here I am.”

“How’d you go in the stable? Was it cramped?” Scerine continued. “I mean Stables are small.”

“They are, but it’s home,” I told her. “It’s just someplace that I can think that exists and call it home, if you know what I mean. What’s it like in the clouds?” I asked.

Scerine shrugged. “Everypony up there hardly thinks anything exists down here. Nopony really cares. I mean it’s nice, there is civilisation but the Enclave…” Scerine stopped.

“What about the Enclave?” I questioned.

“I grew up with my father,” Scerine told me. “He… he always wanted a son and when my mum died he knew that wasn’t going to happen.”

“Sorry,” I muttered.

“Don’t be,” Scerine said. “Anyway, my father wanted me to be a soldier, like he himself was when he was young. I never really wanted to do this, I’m not even sure I like the Enclave.”

“Likely story,” Midnight growled from behind.

“Sorry,” Scerine said looking at Midnight. “Do you have a problem?”

“Oh yeah,” Midnight snapped. “I have a huge problem, like the Enclave hunting down Dashites.”

“But… You’re not a Dashite?” Scerine said slowly. “You have a cutie mark.”

“No I’m not a Dashite,” Midnight snapped. “My parents were. They were taken from me, in front of me!” Midnight roared. “You just come here and act like there’s nothing wrong. Like you’d be accepted. But guess what Scerine, you love the Enclave, you wear their armour, you follow your stooges the moment they tell you, you don’t care about us! You just care about your little fluffy cloud home and the fresh food you all eat every day! If I flew above the cloud layer I’d get shot and what would you do about it?”

We all stopped and stared at Midnight. We hadn’t heard her go into details about what happened to her parents.

“I don’t support that,” Scerine said a little upset. “I just fix Enclave assets and patrol the cloud layer. I don’t hunt Dashites, the whole concept is stupid but if I said it…”

Midnight smiled. “You’d be branded and thrown from the cloud layer? Or killed… Exactly.”

“Midnight, that’s enough,” Alyshia scolded the white pegasus. “Scerine is here to help us; she didn’t kill your parents.”

“She’s part of the organisation that killed my parents,” Midnight snapped. “The Enclave are a bunch of cowards living in their cloud nest, their people brain washed and repressed just like you Scerine.”

“Enough!” I cut in loudly. “We’re not here to argue. If Scerine were like that we’d be dead but no. Let’s just keep moving.”

“But-“Midnight began.

“Stop,” I demanded turning to my friend. “Enough Midnight.”

Midnight’s scarlet eyes were redder than they were and I didn’t think that was possible. She was fuming.

Midnight scrunched her muzzle then sighed. “Okay, I’ll stop.”

* ** ** ** *

The rest of the day went relatively smoothly despite the friction between Scerine and Midnight. I had really hoped this would clear as Midnight was my friend and I was hoping for Scerine to be as well.

It was starting to get late. I had found a town to visit which is only a few hours from the border of Splendid Valley and our entrance to Dijoneigh and hopefully a water talisman.

“Least the weather is better this time,” I sighed as we walked in the near dark.

“You guys got caught in the storm as well?” Scerine asked. “I was caught out near Fillydelphia, had to see shelter in an old building.”

Midnight was going to open her mouth but she exercised self-control and kept it shut. “Yeah we got caught out on the line,” Alyshia was saying. “Amethyst found us a little train conductor’s office for us to ride it out in.”

We arrived in Bilneigh, a small town situated on the cusp of the Everfree Forest. The town was small but had electricity and a small bustling community. Brax found us a nice little motel to stay in for the night, however there were only two rooms left.

“Amethyst, myself and Midnight will take one room and Brax and Scerine the other,” Alyshia ordered.

Scerine looked at me then at Brax. “Amethyst can’t be trusted with mares her age,” Alyshia told Scerine answering the question on the tip of her tongue. “If you get my drift.”

“That’s not true,” I snapped at Alyshia. “I’ve just met Scerine.”

Sadly it appeared that Scerine had not a clue what we were going on about. “Okay,” Scerine replied with a frown but letting off an awkward giggle. “It’s okay, I’m fine with Brax. It might make Midnight a little happier anyway,” Scerine whispered to me.

After a bite to eat and some chat, Midnight thankfully didn’t mention how much she hated Scerine. We all put ourselves to sleep after the long two days of travel. If only we had a cart like the one from the mountaintop.

“Goodnight,” Alyshia called.

“Night,” Midnight and I said together.

Chapter 21: Dijoneigh

We awoke at first light to go shopping for supplies. Alyshia found some light barding that fit for me as well as a few more cans of food. Midnight bought new armour plates and Brax some batteries for his armour.

“Do you need anything Scerine?” I asked.

“We don’t even know if she wants to come along Amethyst?” Alyshia sighed.

“Sure, I’ll go,” Scerine said with a shrug, “And I should be fine for supplies,” she added with a pat to her saddlebags.

We had one more store left, the medical store. Here, Alyshia picked up some extra bandages as I mulled over the morphine stocks behind the grimy glass cabinet. This stuff’s a life saver and I need some, especially since Alyshia said she wouldn’t be giving it to me unless I was in extreme pain. “Can I have a pack of morphine please?”

Alyshia looked at me worried. “No Amethyst, I’m dealing with the medication.”

I was taken aback, “I have medical training you know,” I said coldly. “I know how to administer this stuff.”

The shop assistant was confused as he levitated a pack that I wanted to buy.

“She’s an addict,” Alyshia told the shop assistant..

I was the only pony who could say something at this accusation.“I am not…” I growled. “Where in Celestia’s name did you get that idea?”

Before she could answer I passed the caps onto the counter and was given the pack of painkillers.

“Thank You,” I said with a smile at the shopkeeper before frowning at Alyshia. “I can handle myself, I don’t need medication kept away from me, I’m not three years old.”

* ** ** ** *

Finally we were on the way to Splendid Valley, which was almost a day away, the snow was thick and those of us who couldn’t fly carved trenches through the snow.

“Is what Alyshia said true?” Scerine whispered to me so Alyshia couldn’t overhear.

“Pfft, as if,” I told her, Meep landing on my head as I said so. “I got into her medical supplies a while ago and stole healing potions,” I added. ”Might have something to do with it.”

Beep

Alyshia hadn’t talked to me all morning and I wanted to get to the bottom of it. “Alyshia?”

“Hmm?” she answered without looking at me..

“What was all that about at the drug shop?” I asked, “Do you still have a vendetta against me taking those healing potions?”

“No,” Alyshia sighed.

I felt unconvinced and it must have shown on my face because Midnight chipped in, “She doesn’t.”

“How do you know?” I asked curiously.

Midnight and Alyshia looked guilty for some reason and I heard Brax laugh. “Cat’s out of the bag now, you’re gonna have to tell her Alyshia.”

“Tell me what?” What’s going on?” I said starting to feel angry that something was kept from me.

Alyshia sighed before shooting Midnight a look of venom. “When you were in hospital and they took you off the morphine, you started having withdrawals.”

“And why don’t I remember this?” I asked roughly.

“Because you were just coming to,” Alyshia said, “they put you back to sleep and detoxified your body.”

“So why wasn’t I told this?” I snapped.

“Because I wanted to protect you,” Alyshia sighed.

“So you lied to me?” I said heavily. “You all lied to me…”

“Brax and I swore not to say anything,” Midnight cut in, “Alyshia and the doctor told us that if you don’t remember then you’re less likely to relapse.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” I snorted. I pulled open my saddlebag, took the Morphine pack out and threw it at Alyshia. “There… Happy?”

We all walked or flew in silence, the only sound was the rustling of half dead trees in the wind and Scerine’s wing beating in my ear.

After about an hour of silence, Brax spoke, “Can we have a break?” he asked, coming to a complete stop.

“Having problems keeping up old stallion,” Midnight mocked.

“Something like that,” Brax sighed as he sat down in the white powder.

We all sat in the snow, grey from the lack of sunlight. Everypony but me had something to eat, until Alyshia threw a small pack of biscuits at me. I got no food, because I can’t be trusted to eat, I can’t take medication or I’ll be accused of being a drug addict or cutting myself again. “You know,” I said matter of-factly. “If you took away my guns, I’ll just have a few keepsakes left.”

“Please don’t start,” Alyshia sighed.

“So how far away are we from Splendid valley?” Midnight chipped in clearly trying to avert an argument.

I checked my pipbuck. “We’ll be there by dusk,” I said after examining the distance.

“We’ll set up camp about an hour away from the border,” Brax growled. “That way, we can’t be jumped by anything sinister.”

We nodded in agreement. Every second we’re not in that place the better.

I took a bite out of a biscuit.

I couldn’t really think much more about the whole ordeal. Alyshia was being stupid.

* ** ** ** *

As light began to fade, we stopped and agreed to set up camp in a cluster of dead bushes. Brax setup the tent and Alyshia started the fire. As she threw in twigs and pieces of grass I sat beside her. “Sorry about before,” I sighed feeling deflated, “I shouldn’t have acted like such a jerk.”

Alyshia nodded. “I’m sorry too,” she said softly as she made eye contact, she considered me for a second before pulling out the Morphine pack. She took one syringe out and passed it over.

“I know you can handle yourself,” she said softly. I took the syringe. “Just please don’t use it on yourself unless you absolutely have to.”

I nodded.

I looked down at the snow before looking back into her eyes. “How did this happen Alyshia?” I asked.

“I gave you too much,” Alyshia said shakily. “My judgement was clouded when you got hurt, there was a few times where a lower dosage would have helped and times where I just shouldn’t have given you any.”

“How come you didn’t know until I was in hospital?”I asked, “Did they give me too much in Hospital?”

Alyshia shook her head, tears forming in her eyes.

“Are you meaning to say, that you got Amethyst addicted to Painkillers?” Brax asked.

Alyshia nodded, tears streaming down her eyes, the firelight making her eyes look ablaze.

“It’s okay Alyshia,” I said. “Its fine and I don’t remember it, so it’s all good.” I gave her a hug which she pulled me into.

“I’m sorry,” Alyshia cried. “I didn’t mean to lie about it, I was humiliated.”

We broke apart. “Forget it,” I laughed. Alyshia nodded and wiped her eyes.

“I’m being stupid,” she said with a hiccough.

“Where did you guys get this tent from?” Scerine asked curiously. “It’s like a house inside.”

“From somepony who was once with us,” Brax growled, now armourless and poking a stick in the fire.

“Where are they now?” she queried.

“Dead,” I replied.

“Oh, sorry,” she said sympathetically. She took a seat to my left, all she wore was a small woolen jacket, I couldn’t help but notice how cute she was. She let off a yawn and rubbed her eyes with a hoof.

“Tired?” I questioned, chancing a look into her green eyes.

“Bit,” she replied. She picked up a stick that Alyshia had left on the ground and poked the snow with it for a bit, tracing clouds and the sun.

“Do you miss it?” Alyshia asked softly.

“Not really,” Scerine sighed. “I’m glad to be away for a bit, I don’t miss my sergeant that’s for sure.”

She looked up at me and smiled. “Here, I’ll show you something.” Scerine placed the tip of the stick in the fire and let it catch fire, she pulled the stick out and blew out the flame. She then traced the air with my name. When she was done, the word “Amethyst” formed and slowly floated away.

“That’s cool,” I giggled, “I didn’t know you could do that.”

Scerine smiled but didn’t reply. Meep flew in front of her before landing on Alyshia’s extended hoof. Alyshia rubbed her hoof under his metal chin and he cooed.

“I like your little robot,” Scerine said. “He’s so cute.”

“He is, isn’t he,” Alyshia agreed. It appeared that Meep was cheering Alyshia up a little, even though she still had tears in her eyes.

“Beep”

“I shot him by accident and then repaired him,” I responded. “Are you sure you’re okay Alyshia?” I added.

“Yeah,” Alyshia said with a nod.

“Did you want to go for a walk?” Scerine asked me after ten minutes of silence. It was pitch black now and I couldn’t think of a worse time to go for a walk. “I need to go to the toilet,” Scerine said reading me.

“Sure,” I replied.

We got up and walked through the bushes, my horn flooding the area with light. “Sorry, I just don’t like the dark,” Scerine said.

“Fair enough,” I said. “Actually, Scerine, can I ask you a question?” I added, curiosity now getting the better of me.

“Sure,” she replied.

“Apart from your father, is there anypony else that’s special to you?” I said thinking I was pushing my luck.

“No,” Scerine replied. “I did have a girlfriend about two years ago but that didn’t really work out.”

My heart skipped a beat, I wasn’t expecting that. Another mare that likes mares?

WHACK

I walked headfirst into a thick branch and snow cascaded onto my head and my horn went out.

“Ow,” I cried.

“Are you okay?” Scerine asked through the darkness.

“Yeah,” I said reigniting my horn and throwing everything back into a purple hue.

I looked around and all I could see were branches. “Are you okay to go here?” I said rubbing my horn.

“Okay,” Scerine said with a nod. I turned around and let her go about her business. When she returned she was shivering slightly. “I think we should get back, I’m getting cold,” Scerine said with a slight chatter.

“So, do you have anypony special at home?” Scerine asked me.

“Just a friend,” I told her, ducking branches as I said so.

“That’s nice,” Scerine said. “I don’t really have friends, just ponies I like.”

We got back to the smell of food cooking over the open fire, it was a relief to feel the warm lick of the flames again.

“You two were gone a while,” Alyshia observed.

“Yeah, we talked for a while,” I answered. “Anyway, what's for dinner?” I asked curiously.

“Spiced Beans,” Alyshia answered as she stirred the pan with a wooden spoon.

“Amethyst is a baby,” Brax whispered loudly to Scerine who had leant in to smell the food. “She gets fed, put to bed, fixed up and comforted by Alyshia. You’ve seen it yourself.”

I felt fire build inside me, almost as hot as the fire I was in front of. “Excuse me?” I said loudly, “This shit again?”

Brax shook his head. “And you’d think, she would have gotten over her mummy to feed and bathe her.”

I stood up, quivering with anger. “You have no idea,” I roared, tears streaming down my face. “My mother was witch.” I drew breath and without looking back stormed into the dead forest that Scerine and I had just left.

I stopped once I was deep enough to not be heard and I burst into tears. It’s not fair, why was he acting like this? Why does he keep bringing up the fact that I was stable raised and not handling it out here? I longed to go home, back inside the dull grey corridors where I was safe. That was the problem though, it wasn’t safe back home either…

crunch crunch crunch

My ears perked and without thinking I lit my horn and the area was bathed in purple light, it threw a pegasus into view and it took me a second to realise it was Midnight.

“Hey, are you okay?” Midnight asked cautiously.

I scowled. “I’m fine,” I said heavily.

“Brax shouldn’t have said what he said,” Midnight told me as she sat down beside me. “It wasn’t fair.”

“He goes on and on about it,” I growled stamping my front hoof into the snow. “He doesn’t know me or my life.”

Midnight gave a weak smile. “That’s why I said it wasn’t fair.”

“Do I really act like a filly?” I asked, “Am I really just a dumb foal stuck in the wasteland looking for something that doesn’t seem to exist?”

“No,” Midnight said bluntly.

I wasn’t sure if the answer surprised me or not and I raised an eyebrow as if I was saying ‘really’

“I’m being honest,” Midnight said. “When I discovered you, you had already gone through a lot. You ran away from the safety of your home, you escaped capture and you got into a bit of a situation that I helped you out with.”

“Yeah, I s’pose,” I mumbled.

“Then when we left Cantal, you saved me and rescued Brax.” Midnight added. “And if it wasn’t for you, he’d probably be in Red Eye’s slave camp. All before you met Alyshia, and I hardly mothered you.”

“You did help me overcome my fears though,” I sighed.

“Of course you were scared,” Midnight said caringly. “You just ran away from home and were out in the unknown, you nearly lost your life.”

I gave Midnight a small smile as things began to make sense. “I guess,” I replied.

“Amethyst, look at me,” Midnight asked of me.

I looked at her, my purple light reflecting off those scarlet eyes. “You are a strong mare, don’t let anypony tell you otherwise, not Brax, not me, not Alyshia, not anypony.” Midnight pulled me into a hug and I hugged her back. I felt some of the pressure ebb away, hugs seemed to do this, I don’t know how but that was one of the magical things about a simple hug.

When we broke the hug Midnight smiled and said, “I notice that you don’t blush around me anymore.”

I gave a nervous laugh. “I’ve found out how to hide my feelings,” I replied.

“Love is weird, isn’t it?” Midnight sighed as she broke the hug.

I nodded in approval.

“Should we head back?” Midnight requested, “It’s pretty cold.”

“If I can push Brax into the fire,” I joked.

“I think we might give that a miss,” Midnight laughed.

* ** ** ** *

When we got back, Brax and Scerine weren’t anywhere to be seen. Alyshia sat by herself next to the fire eating. “Feeling better?” Alyshia asked after she swallowed her food.

“Yeah loads,” I replied taking a seat next to Alyshia.

“Here,” Alyshia said passing me a bowl of some kind of fragrant stew in her magic.

“Thanks,” I said with a smile as I took the stew in my magical field. “Where’s Brax and Scerine?” I asked with a mouthful of food.

“Brax went to bed and Scerine followed suit,” Alyshia answered. “Oh and Meep shut himself down as well.”

“Yeah I might hit the hay as well,” Midnight chipped in as she rubbed her eyes. “Pretty long walk today.”

“Night,” Alyshia and I said in unison as Midnight went inside the enchanted tent. Once Midnight was inside, Alyshia turned to me, ““What Brax said was not on,” she told me.

“Yeah I know,” I yawned, a hoof covering my mouth. “Midnight said so too, besides. I saved him.”

“I have a feeling he thinks he owes you,” Alyshia said matter-of-factly as she stared into the fire. “I dunno.”

“Maybe,” I sighed, never considering this to be why he was with us. I had the feeling he was wanting to get out and about again, not wanting to remain cooped up in his tiny house all winter.

Once I was finished my meal I washed up with the hot water Alyshia had on the fire and we went back inside the tent together, the fire still burning brightly.

* ** ** ** *

The following morning was bitterly cold, it was snowing finely, the fire from the night before nothing but coals glowing angrily next to the charcoal coloured rocks and powdery white snow.

It took us an hour to get ready to go and before we knew it we were standing on the edge of Splendid Valley. The Valley declined steeply downwards, the climb down was going to be tough. The other side of the valley wasn’t visible on the vertigo inducing horizon, I couldn’t tell what was down there from up here as it was still quite early and the terrain was too dark to make out any towns or structures.

The decent into the valley was not eventful, the rocks were covered in frost and the crevices were covered in hard snow that made it incredibly slippery. It didn’t take long until somepony slipped.

“Argh,” Alyshia cried as her hind hood slipped on ice and she fell sideways onto a large boulder. “Ow.”

“You alright?” Midnight asked as she assisted Alyshia back into a standing position.

“Yes I am quite alright Midnight,” Alyshia said scathingly as she brushed her jacket that had scuffed from the fall. ‘It’s only myself and Amethyst here are slipping all over the place while you, Scerine and Brax get a free ride.

It was true, the ice made it hard to descend for the two of us. Midnight and Scerine could fly and Brax’s armour crushed the ice he stood on. I hadn’t fallen yet as I was being particularly careful. I’ve fallen enough for a life time.

It was therefore a relief when we were finally in the valley, or was it?

Splendid Valley on the ground felt different. The air was thicker, it felt less humid, it was colder and the snow was nothing but a layer of ice over a sandy ground.

“Sooo,” Scerine started. “Where are we going?”

“Uhh, good question,” I mumbled as I brought the pipbuck map to my face. I pinpointed our location and the map linked a railway track that lead to a town near our destination on the other side of the valley. If the weather was good we should be there tomorrow. “We need to follow the tracks,” I said confidently.

“Where are the tracks?” Alyshia asked curiously as she looked around.

“Should be over there,” I said pointing to the north.

I looked up from my Pipbuck to find somepony was not paying attention. “Brax, are you even listening?” I asked bitterly.”Brax?” I said again turning my head the left.

What Brax was doing made my heart miss a beat. “Bran NO!” I yelled.

Btzzzzz

I activated my shield just in time for it to catch the flaming greenish liquid from coming into contact with myself, Alyshia and Midnight.

Once it collapsed I stormed up to stupid idiot, livid with rage. “You fucking cunt,” I roared pushing the stallion with both my forehooves. He stumbled, both from my push and shocked from my sudden outburst.

“Amethyst,” Scerine burst out, flying over to try to calm me. “Stop!”

I pretended her voice didn’t exist and I shook her off as I rounded on the stallion. “Don’t fucking shoot anything unless I tell you, you idiot,” I thundered. I’ll fucking douse you in that shit next time you fucking shoot one. Do I make myself clear?”

“Is that taint?” Midnight asked, allowing Brax to remain silent.

“Yes,” I growled. As expected a faint buzzing sound began and I facehoofed. “Nice, now there are more…”

About five of the ugly green, balloon shaped insects had come from a cluster of dead bushes about fifty meters away. I pulled out my magnum and entered SATS. I knew they were far enough away to shoot safely but I didn’t want to risk it.

Five well placed shots to the wings of the creatures and they fell to the hard snow with an odd squishy sound, still alive but immobile.

“I told you about these on the Luna line,” I reminded everypony. “Do not shoot if they are close, stay away from them, they spit taint. Shoot at the wings at a safe distance if you please.” I took a deep breath then finished “Let’s go find this track.”

* ** ** ** *

Hellhounds… It’s all that has been on my mind for the hour we’ve been walking along the track. They aren’t normally active on the surface in winter but it’s not uncommon for them to attack anyway. All they have to do is feel our hoofsteps, if only Alyshia, Brax and myself could fly.

“What’s up Amethyst?” Alyshia asked as I imagined myself being taken by a hellhound from beneath my hooves.

“Hellhounds,” I sighed.

Alyshia grimaced. “Me too, but the zombie ponies as well.”

“Remind me again how these Hellhounds track their prey?” Brax growled for the first time since I pushed him.

“They track their prey using the sound waves from us walking,” I said simply. “Our hoof steps send sound waves underground and that’s where they live.

“So tell me why are we all walking on the ground where we’re in danger of being killed?” Brax said impatiently. “You might have read that book but did you think on how we’re going to get across the valley alive?”

I felt confused. “We hope we don’t get killed,” I said simply not thinking of any other solution.

“So why are we walking again? Three ponies are sure to draw their attention,” Brax growled.

“You three can’t fly,” Scerine cut in for me. “If you could then you’d just fly over the danger.”

Brax facehoofed so hard that the metal clanged loudly against the soft wind.

I looked at Scerine and Midnight who looked as confused as I felt then looked at Alyshia and her purple eyes were alight.

“I see what Brax means,” Alyshia said. “What if we could fly? Scerine and Midnight are both pegasi, they can carry us.”

“Good luck carrying Brax,” I whinnied. “Let alone him and another pony.”

“You can carry him,” Alyshia said matter-of-factly.

“Good point,” Scerine said as she landed on the ground. “I’ll carry Amethyst. Midnight can carry Alyshia,” Scerine added.

“If you drop me, I’ll kill you,” Brax growled as I clambered onto Scerine’s cold metal back. “I swear it.”

Once Alyshia and I were seated, I lifted Brax from the cracked ice in my shroud of magic. Yes, he was heavy, yes I’d need to take a break every so often but no matter how much I hated Brax for last night, I had to admit, he was a smart pony.

The flight was quite slow, we flew about five meters from the ground and travelled about double the walking speed. If we flew any faster, I could lose grip of Brax. I was happy with the low altitude though, I didn’t feel nauseous so I could concentrate on lifting the heavy bulk of a stallion.

* ** ** ** *

About an hour into our flight, I had to rest. We tried to have Alyshia carry Brax but she couldn’t lift him for any longer than five minutes.

“Sorry guys,” I said when we grounded. “I just need fifteen minutes.”

“It’s alright,” Midnight yawned as she stretched and flicked her tail. “I need rest too.”

Scerine pulled her visor back and let the cool air touch her face. “It gets hot in this thing,” she said as she fanned air into her face with a hoof. She let her rump slide out from beneath her and sat down.

“I prefer to see your face anyway,” I said sitting down beside her. “I don’t like the armour.”

“Either,” Scerine sighed as she leant her head against my shoulder. I tensed. I wasn’t used to this type of closeness, or was it because a hot mare was leaning on me? I began to feel hot around my barding and I wanted to shift but I couldn’t. Nevertheless Scerine’s actions, or should I say mine didn’t go un-noticed.

“Scerine, you’re making Amethyst excited,” Brax growled.

I looked up at him, wanting to tear him up more than I did this morning. I looked for Alyshia and she was engaged in conversation with Midnight. “I am not,” I snapped.

“Am I?” Scerine asked lifting her head and looking at me. I felt embarrassed, I could feel my face heating up. “Amethyst, have you ever been told you have a cute blush?” Scerine snickered.

“Yes,” I squeaked, covering my face with my hooves to hide my blush. It was one thing with Midnight but this was ridiculous.

Scerine leaned towards me giggling, “Well, they were right,” she whispered.

“Hey,” Brax called to the other two mares.

Beep

Midnight and Alyshia looked over towards us and I sank to the ground. Brax was going to humiliate me, make me pay for my outburst.

Beep

“”You two have to check this out,” he called waving a hoof to come over.

Beep Beep Beeeeeeeeep

Meep hit me square in the head, beeping his little head off.

“Ow” I cried, “Meep stop, what is it?” I cried as I tried to swap the Dragonfly off me.

“Beeep,” he cried. “Beep.”

“What is it?” Alyshia asked Brax.

“Amethyst is-“ Brax began but Alyshia cut him off.

“Stop, Meep get off her,” Alyshia called to the Dragonfly. Alyshia pulled him off me in her field of magic but that didn’t stop the dragonfly from struggling.

“Meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep,” Meep shrilled loudly.

“What’s up with him?” Scerine asked. “Is he trying to tell us something?”

“Meep, communicate to my Pipbuck,” I ordered.

The struggling Dragonfly stopped struggling and the red light on his back began to flash. I opened the file he sent and it was an image, I couldn’t make out what it was, all I could see was a map and a red haze on it with a marker indicating our location. Scerine sidled up to me and analyzed my pipbuck.

“What is it?” I asked her.

Scerine’s eyes widened. “We need to go,” she said urgently.

“Why?” Midnight questioned, “I’m not done resting.”

“Just do it,” Scerine said. “There are enemies near us. I’ve seen this before on the enclave radar.”

It was then that I felt the ground move, just as the feeling began Scerine grabbed me and launched herself up into the air just as a huge hulk of a dog like creature burst to the surface, right where I was standing. Brax recoiled, shocked but Midnight filled it with bullets, just as they thought it was dead the Hellhound launched itself at Brax and took a swipe, Brax jumped to get out of the way but the huge claws just got him, tearing the armour like it was paper.

BANG

Alyshia held a high powered magnum in her field of magic, the Hellhound that was about to tear Brax apart fell to the ground.

BANG BANG BANG

Alyshia discharged the entire thing into its head as if it was something she had done multiple times.

I jumped off Scerine’s back before she landed and ran over to Brax whom Alyshia was attending to. His left side was shredded but the claws only just got him, thanks to his armour and quick judgment.

“Meep,” Meep chimmed urgently.

“We have to go,” I shouted, “Now.”

Alyshia jumped up and ran over to Midnight, I jumped onto Scerine and took off. Brax hadn’t yet moved so I tried to lift him off the ground but he screamed in protest, his body bent strangely as the armour plates that were damaged separated.

“We have to get him out of the armour,” I cried to everypony. “Scerine, put me down,” I requested.

Scerine dropped me to the ground next to Brax, my shotgun at the ready. I needed this in case for close combat. “Brax, we need to get you out of the armour,” I told him. He grunted approval from his lying position. This proved difficult as the armour had powered off due to extensive damage. I had managed to get his helmet off after about a minute but I had no idea how I was going to get it all off.

The ground shook again and three hellhounds burst onto the surface, throwing rock and ice everywhere. The nearest one had just surfaced about a meter away, I shot it before it got proper footing, the beast fell to the ground missing an arm.

Btrzzz

I activated my shield and the laser bounced off it, another hellhound charged me as the one with the gun began receiving fire from above .I was too slow with my gun and in deactivating my shield that the claw of the giant beast hit my shield hard.

I expected to feel the claws rip me to pieces but that didn’t happen. The claw sank into the shield up to the beast’s paw but the shield didn’t fail, the claw brushed my nose ever so slightly, causing a sting of pain as my shield rippled heavily from the assault.

The beast didn’t seem to expect this and was slow to come in with a second claw as I collapsed the shield

BANG BANG BANG BANG

I emptied the gun into the beast, gore splattering myself and the ice red from blood. I didn’t stop until the gun had nothing left, by which time my vision was tinted red.

The other Hellhound fell to Midnight and Scerine a moment after.

Scerine landed to help me get Brax out of his steel prison. It took about a minute for the back half to come off and another minute to take the forward half off. I lifted the battered, bleeding and now armourless stallion off the ground as I jumped onto Scerine.

* ** ** ** *

Today was not kind to us in the slightest. By early afternoon we had made it past the half-way mark however what concerned me was the darkening of the clouds on the horizon. They began to take on the form of the clouds from two nights ago.

I saw a small flash in the clouds but no thunder.

Scerine groaned. “Looks like we need to find somewhere to stay?” she cried. “Think there’s a storm on the horizon.”

“We’ll be fine,” Alyshia called from Midnight’s back. “We’ll find someplace if the weather goes bad.”

Alyshia was right, the ground was littered with places to bunker down. Smashed carts, trucks and even caravans that had fallen from the elevated highway, I saw a derailed train about an hour ago.

“I want to stay somewhere safe,” Brax growled. “We’ll just get eaten by zombies or hellhounds.”

The poor stallion still looked in pain but at least he stopped bleeding, we can tend to him when we stop for the night but nevertheless at least he’s still alive.

“We’ll find somewhere safe,” I sighed impatiently, glancing at the old stallion whose fur was stained maroon from blood. “We won’t let the hellhounds hurt you.”

Brax scowled. “Maybe if we didn’t need to rest,” he muttered.

“Don’t even try to blame this on me,” I snapped. “You’re the one who made all the noise, you should be grateful you’re alive.” Even as I said it though, I was lucky to be alive as well. Despite being covered in sticky hellhound blood, I knew some of it was mine and if it wasn’t for my shield.

Brax thankfully remained silent.

I wanted to ask Alyshia about it, the book said they can cut through shields like a hot knife through butter, but maybe it didn’t matter. My shield wasn’t the same as hers or anypony else I had come across. It was just a made up spell… It however seemed that the hellhound that had attacked me had experience with coming in contact with a magic shield before. It hadn’t expected the shield to hold up, I even thought I saw something on the hellhound’s face that seemed like confusion. I couldn’t be sure due to the heat of the moment. Those claws though, to cut through Brax’s armour like that, and the claw only just got him too.

* ** ** ** *

It was getting late, after taking so long to get to us the storm had begun to close in far too quickly. The clouds darkened, lightning was less pronounced than last time but still prevalent. We had decided to head for a piece of elevated highway a few kilometers away, upon it perched a small structure. The height enabled us to remain safe and assuming the dwelling was unoccupied we could settle there for the night and remain protected from the storm.

Visibility reduced far too quickly and before we knew it, it was gloomy, windy and it was now snowing and rapidly turning into a blizzard. Scerine found it hard to not be pushed off course, my main issue however was that Brax was freezing, he had nothing to protect him, the wind and ice would claim him if we didn’t get there soon. Meep meanwhile had dug his claws into my barding and hung onto with dear life.

“It’s there!” Scerine bellowed pointing in the gloom to a small spot of light a few hundred meters away. The light didn’t make sense, no one lives out here do they? We landed on the piece of road that was heavily cracked, the wind was unbelievable and made it hard to stand, Brax was still being carried in my field of magic as he couldn’t walk. Alyshia approached the red corrugated iron door and knocked.

I couldn’t hear movement over the sound of the wind, just as Alyshia was about to knock again, the door flew open and behind it was an old grey unicorn stallion, a shotgun pointed at Alyshia’s head.

“Wait,” Alyshia called desperately. “We come in peace, my name’s Alyshia, we’re just looking for a place to ride out the storm.” Alyshia gave a small bow of her head.

I hoped the old stallion would let us stay, my mane blew in the wind as it got tangled, my ears were freezing and my face was numb. He looked at the rest of us, his eyes lingering on me for a moment more than the others. His facial expression relaxed and he stood aside to let us in.

The house was small but warm, a simple window stood at the back of the cast iron wall, the wind battering against it. The house despite being small on the outside had two doors leading to other rooms. A stone fireplace stood against the right wall and a battered but clean sofa a few feet from it, the house had a small kitchen and relics hung from the walls including an old rifle. To top it all off a red patterned rug sat on the uneven wooden floor.

“Sorry to intrude Mister,” Alyshia said apologetically.

“Call me Newt,” the gruff stallion said roughly. “What’re you all doing out here anyways?” he said. “Too dangerous out here.”

“We gathered that,” Brax growled, now on the ground.

“We’re going to Dijoneigh,” I put in. “We have something to find.”

“Must be mighty important,” Newt grunted. “You’re lucky to have made it here, the storm woulda killed you all for sure. It’ll blow over by morning, in which case you can be on your way, meanwhile make yourselves at home.”

“Thank you sir,” Alyshia said. “We can’t thank you enough.”

“By the way, the white one might want to take a shower, the stallion said addressing me. “I don’t want blood over that sofa. It’s the door next to the fireplace.”

I blushed, not that anyone could see. I muttered “Be right back,” and walked through the door. The shower room was small and the ground was merely bitumen, the shower head was built into the back of the fireplace and I could only assume a tank rested in the roof that was heated by the fireplace. I took off my disgusting barding and turned the shower on. The water was warm and it cancelled out the draft that initially came out of the drain. I was disgustingly filthy, the blood from my head and torso stained my fore legs pink as the water ran over me, I put my mane through the water and it was surprising how much my black mane could mask the blood and dirt. When I was done I dried myself then placed my barding in my saddlebags and left the shower room relatively clean.

Alyshia was tending to Brax’s wounds, it appeared she was cleaning them before giving him the draught of healing potion. Scerine was sitting idly on the sofa out of her armour and Midnight had her back to the fireplace, her wings hanging lazily. Newt was busying himself in the kitchen. It appeared he was trying to start the firewood stove.

Scerine smiled at me as I exited. “How was it?”

“Nice, and warm,” I said as I settled down next to her.

“You look a bit tired,” Scerine commented. I did feel a little exhausted, my magic had been stretched today, carrying Brax for the rest of the way might have been a lot easier without carrying his armour too but I had to do it for hours without a break.

“Carrying Brax was tough on my magic,” I replied. “I’ll be alright.”

“You want to lie down?” Scerine asked, “Its okay if you want to.”

“It’s alright,” I replied. “I don’t want you to move.”

“No it’s fine,” Scerine said sitting back and offering for me to lie in her lap.

I felt like I shouldn’t, I didn’t want to be awkward, but I kind of wanted to. I laid down across the sofa and rested my head against Scerine’s warm belly. I instantly felt like sleeping but I went to look at the fireplace. Instead Midnight blocked it and she was facing us. It was then that she got up and moved over to where Alyshia and Brax were.

“Better?” Scerine said quietly.

“Mhmm,” I agreed. “Okay, I’ll close my eyes for a moment.”

* ** ** ** *

I woke up but I felt groggy. Scerine was stroking my mane slowly, it made me feel close to Scerine, my heart melted but I didn’t want her to know that. I opened my eyes. “Hey,” she said quietly. “Have a good nap?”

I looked up at her and nodded. “How long was I out?”

“Only about thirty minutes,” Scerine said. “I think Newt is making us tea.”

“That’s nice,” I sighed as I rubbed my right eye with a hoof. I yawned and then sighed. I wanted Scerine as a pillow more often.

When tea was served, we sat at the dining table with Newt. He didn’t talk much but I had a question for him, something that was tugging in my brain since we arrived. “Why do you live out here?” I asked curiously. “It’s so hostile, why not live in Bilneigh?”

Alyshia glared at me in that ‘You shouldn’t be asking that’ kind of way.

“It’s quite out here,” he answered. “Nopony to bother me, besides the monsters it’s nice. Also, I like to collect,” he added gruffly waving a hoof at the trinkets that cluttered his house. “Built the place meself twenty years ago, still go to Bilneigh for supplies but I get on fine by myself.”

“Where’re you from anyway?” he asked before taking a sip of tea. “Why’re you all out here?”

“I’m from a stable,” I replied simply. “We’re on our way to Dijoneigh, we’re looking for a water talisman.”

“Dijoneigh huh, well… There might be one, maybe in the hospital, ain’t gone in those places though.” he growled.

“Why not?” Alyshia asked.

“Creepy,” he said simply, “never been in in one, don’t ever want to.”

The hospital made sense, this would be a good starting point. The hospital would need to be self-sufficient after all, it can’t rely on mains water or electricity. It would surely hold a water talisman, so long as it wasn’t damaged or tainted.

After our tea, it was time for bed. Newt turned off the lights and headed into his room and left us to sleep by the fireplace. Alyshia got the sofa, we needed our medical pony in top condition for tomorrow. Brax had the foot of the sofa and Midnight, Scerine and myself had the carpet Scerine would be sleeping between Midnight and myself, I did notice that Midnight put some distance between herself and Scerine. I wished Midnight would get over her angst towards her. Scerine was lovely, cute and hot. What wasn’t there to love?

It took a little while to get to sleep. Apprehension and the howl of the wind outside made it hard to drift away, however after about half an hour exhaustion set in and I fell away into the darkness of sleep.

* ** ** ** *

I felt something warm touching me, it was nice and I didn’t want to move. I opened my eyes and saw Brax’s back facing the sofa, he was asleep. It was early morning and little light filled the room. My back was against Scerine and she had her hoof tucked around me like a foal would try to hold an overlarge stuffed animal. Her breathing could be felt against my back as her warm dark fur warmed me. My heart fluttered for a moment. If only this is something I could wake up to everyday. She probably wasn’t even aware that she was holding me. I relaxed, despite the day ahead I still had about an hour before everypony awoke and so I allowed myself to soak up Scerine’s warmth.

I fell asleep again but was awoken by Midnight. “Are you serious!” she cried. “Really?”

I felt Scerine move as she sat up. I opened my eyes and found my friend pissed off, her eyes glaring angrily at Scerine. Scerine blubbered but finally managed to say, “Sorry?”

Midnight laughed. “You getting all cozy with Amethyst, what’s going on?” she demanded.

Scerine blushed, it was obvious despite her dark face and this kind of made me blush a little too. “I didn’t even know I was doing it,” she replied.

Midnight scoffed. “I saw you with her on the couch, I see what’s happening. She’ll fall in love with you and then when you go back to cloud land, you’ll abandon her and hurt her and if you hurt her, I’ll hurt you.” Midnight said with a growl to the last three words, Midnight was now nose to nose with the charcoal pegasus who looked scared.

“It’s not like that,” Scerine said pulling her head back.

“Enough,” Alyshia snapped. “Cut it out, the two of you.”

Midnight glared at Scerine. “I’m a mare of her word,” Midnight finished before pulling away.

We looked at each other, unsure what to make of the situation. Midnight can’t seriously be reading Scerine as having an interest in me? I mean, I’m a skinny, runty looking unicorn with hardly any curves and an ugly mane. I’m not attractive, if I was then maybe. Scerine could have any mare or stallion she wanted. She was attractive, she wasn’t tall but she had the curves, the beautiful dark coat that rippled across her toned body and to top it off the snow white mane, green eyes and her tipped wings just made her all the more of a looker. Not to mention, she’ll want somepony from the clouds, somepony she can see every day without becoming a Dashite.

“Amethyst? Amethyst?” Scerine asked waving a hoof in my face. I zoned back in and shook my head.

“Sorry,” I sighed. “Just things on my mind.”

* ** ** ** *

We bade farewell to Newt and thanked him for his hospitality before we left. Brax was fitted in my old barding that was too big for me, which was rather small on him but it was better than nothing. At least he won’t freeze and will be somewhat protected.

The snow from the previous night hadn’t accumulated much on the piece of road, probably due to the wind. We took off around nine thirty to our destination.

It took about three hours to land in the outskirts of Dijoneigh. We sat atop a ridge close to town and looked down upon it. The town was desolate, a three story building in the CBD had partially collapsed and an old water tower was leaning precariously. Between the collapsed building and the water tower was a larger building. It was about four stories tall and I could just make out the faded cross atop the structure. The hospital was the best bet, if not then one of the nearby mining facilities. After all, the mining industry would have used a lot of water to wash the ores of impurities.

“So here we are,” Brax growled. “I’m shocked we’re alive.”

“Well it’s a hell of a lot dangerous down there than anywhere we’ve been,” I answered seriously. “Towns were full of ponies before the war broke out, to the ponies that didn’t actually die, what would they be?”

Brax sighed. “Zombies?”

“Yep,” Midnight mumbled.

“So that means,” I lectured. “We need to be sneaky, ninja quite, and that shouldn’t be as hard for Brax to do now that he’s out of that heavy armour.”

“Without that armour I’ll be half the fighter I was,” Brax snapped. “Now it’s gone, I don’t even have a battlesaddle.”

And there he goes… Blaming me once again. I didn’t take the bait this time and instead said “Okay, let’s do this.”

We snuck into town, my EFS was emblazoned with red but the zombies that were wondering around were pretty stupid. They seemed quite lethargic, maybe it was the storm last night, I don’t know. I just expected them to sense us by smell or by hearing but even when Brax knocked down a waste bin the zombie we had snuck past moaned stupidly.

The snow had however masked our hoofsteps making stealth easier. We were just one block from the hospital when I rounded a corner and walked headlong into something squishy.

“Amethyst,” Alyshia cried. I bounced off it and fell to the ground, it however did not. It turned its ugly eyes onto me.

SCRAHHHH

It’s saliva peppered my face as I made to round my Magnum on the zombie pony.

BANG

I shot it in the head and it crumpled to the ground.

SCRAHH

I heard dozens of hooves in the snow and my EFS was now blazoned with moving red blips. “Looks like we just woke the zombies,” Brax growled.

“Go,” Alyshia cried magically lifting me to the ground.

We all ran as fast as we could, Midnight took to the air and began shooting the zombies from above. I just hoped she wouldn’t hit us. We rounded another corner and I looked back to see about thirty of the things running too fast to be natural. I looked back and saw the parking area for the Hospital just ahead. It didn’t look like we were going to make it. I pulled out my magnum just in case but that just caused me to loose concentration and I tripped over the gutter of the medium strip and landed face first into the snow. I felt hooves grab me, I was surely about to be torn to bits, however a second later I found myself hoisted in the air by Midnight, my magnum still in my field of magic.

I slipped into SATS and aimed at the one that was at Alyshia’s heels, I then locked onto one that was too close to Brax.

BANG

All shots found their mark, right in the head and the three zombies fell to the ground. We were almost at the Hospital, it was just a few hundred meters away. I emptied my magnum into a further five zombies and switched to my Sniper Rifle. This thing wasn’t easy to use with the rise and fall of Midnight as she beat her wings and some of my shots missed as I discharged.

Click

I was out of bullets with this one as well.

SCRAHH

I only just caught a glimpse of a pegasus zombie as it crashed into Midnight and I, sending us into a horrible roll through the air.

CRASH

I felt myself thrown from Midnight and I hit a solid tiled surface hard. I skidded several meters across the dusty floor and hit something metallic that moved on impact.

BANG

I got to my hooves, Midnight had just shot the zombie that tackled us in midair and only now did it become apparent that we had crashed through the third story of the Hospital. The hospital was dusty, the light that flooded through the window we crashed through was full of dust, and very little light penetrated the windows that weren’t broken. I looked into the gloomy room. It appeared that we were in a ward where ponies recovered. Dusty beds lined the walls, some with a skeleton remaining, dusty machines and drips hung from each bedside and an ancient television was face down after it fell from its rack.

It was then that I noticed that my face stung a little, I must have been cut by the glass. I looked over to where Midnight was and she was looking out of the broken window, her face had two cuts.

“Did they make it?” I asked desperately from where I was standing.

“I think so,” Midnight sighed. “We can’t go down there though because there’s a horde of zombies at the entrance.

“Hopefully they’ve barricaded the door,” I said. “We don’t want them in here.” As I said it though, I feared that what could be in here could be just as bad, if not worse. I left Midnight to stare down at the ground and I went off to find my sniper rifle which had slipped out of my grasp when I landed. I found it under one of the old rusty beds, I wrapped my magic around it and pulled it out. That was when a thousand red blips appeared on my EFS.

I didn’t see anything, did that mean that whatever they were, were they behind that wall?

Bzzzzzz

It came from under the bed. I backed away from it and a large insect flew out from beneath the bed. It was yellow and black striped and two massive stingers on it butt. I pointed my sniper rifle at it and pulled the trigger.

Click

Fuck, it wasn’t loaded. The wasp flew at me quickly and it’s stinger made contact with my barding that had thankfully protected me against the attempted stabbing. I swung my sniper rifle at it and I had struck it with the butt of the weapon. It bounced off the rifle and hit the machine by the bed, this didn’t stop it and unexpectedly it regurgitated a greenish muck that struck me full in the face.

BANG

The wasp fell to the floor. Midnight had shot it. I spat some of the foul muck from my mouth, it tasted like somepony had mixed rotten fruit with petrol. It burned the inside of my mouth and my face.

“You alright Amethyst?” Midnight asked. “Sorry, I should have noticed you were in trouble sooner.”

“It’s alright,” I said as I pulled out a bottle of water. “It was just a wasp.” I opened the lid and poured some in my mouth before spitting it out, I then washed the muck off my face.

“Taint?” Midnight asked.

“Probably,” I replied now fuming I’ve been exposed to it. “I’ll have to get checked up back in Tenpony but I’ll be alright for now.” I reloaded my sniper rifle and my magnum before pulling out my shotgun. The shotgun will be better in the enclosed corridors. “We should probably find the others before we look for the talisman,” I suggested. “I don’t like the idea of it only being us two.”

“I agree,” Midnight said. “So to the ground level?”

I nodded and we left the dank dark ward through the aged hospital doors. Once the door swung closed we were both plunged into darkness.

“Brilliant,” Midnight sighed.

I lit my horn and the purple glow penetrated the darkness just enough to see the walls and directly in front of us. This unnerved me as my EFS was lit all over the place and I had no idea where they were. Sure enough as my first hoofstep echoed through the corridor I heard something squeal in the distance and then the shuffling of hooves. My heart began to race and I realised that we were in a really bad situation.

“I do not like this,” Midnight whimpered. “I do not like this at all.”

I looked at her, my purple glow on her scared eyes, realising that mine probably looked like hers. “I can’t see another way,” I whispered.

Midnight shook her head. “Me either.”

I took another step forward and once again my hooves echoed throughout the corridor. This place was clearly crawling with all sorts of mutants as I heard a gurgling sound.

“What was that?” Midnight whispered, scared.

“I don’t know,” I whispered back. “I need to find a terminal so we can locate the staircase.”

Midnight nodded and we preceded stealthily down the corridor. The first thing I saw was a vending machine that had fallen over face first, this caused me to come to a halt. Cans of cola littered the floor, the second vending machine was still standing, a crack ran through the glass running from the top left to the bottom, inside was chips, chocolate and peanuts. I ignored the machine, getting the food would make way too much noise.

I beckoned Midnight to follow and we made our way over to a door on the left, it was slightly ajar so it would make less noise to enter. Shotgun ready I pushed the door open magically and stepped inside, Midnight at my heels. What I didn’t expect was the stench of death. “Mother of Celestia,” I gagged.

I heard Midnight gag behind me as I spotted the source of the smell. My purple illumination lit up the bed in the room and on it was what appeared to be a zombie pony tied back down to the bed with straps, it had been opened up from rib cage down to the belly button. It appeared to have been disemboweled.

“That’s disgusting,” Midnight chocked. “It looks like it has been there for weeks… Who or what?” Midnight’s eyes became wide with fear. “You don’t think there’s something with intelligence in here do you?”

I looked at the dead zombie pony and my only guess was that somepony or something had done that to the pony, which made this whole place far more dangerous than what I thought it would be. I suddenly wished that Meep had followed us through, we could find our way back with his help, as a scout. Then I realised it was probably best for the others that they have him, Scerine could help communicate with him and send him to us.

“There’s a terminal,” Midnight said, her hoof over her nose to hold out the stink. I spotted it in my purple light.

“Can you watch my back?” I requested as I plugged my pipbuck in. Midnight nodded and turned around to ensure the coast was clear. I booted the terminal from scratch using the power from my pipbuck, it bathed the room in an eerie green light mingled with my purple. I then hacked into the system on the first go (Password was Cheese123) and I was in. I wanted out of this room before I vomit my breakfast onto the floor so I quickly scoured the folders and found the fire evacuation plans. I downloaded the files to my pipbuck and once complete unplugged my pipbuck causing the computer to lose power.

“Where’s the stairs?” Midnight asked as we left the dark room into the equally dark corridor. I stopped and pulled the files on my Pipbuck. I found the third floor and I checked the floor. I then matched my map up to the file and found that we were in the corridor, the room we crashed into was the recovery ward and the room were just in was the low risk isolation room. The corridor we were in ended in a T section. Left was a dead end with a mares ward, right went onto another corridor with what appeared to be outpatient surgeries, another T section with a left turn will take us to the stairs and elevators.

“It’s not too far,” I replied to Midnight’s question as I looked up. “Just follow me.”

Carefully we crept through the corridor, taking care to not allow our hooves to echo. My Pipbuck continued to show massive signs of red. After what felt like an eternity we were finally at the T Section. “We turn right up here,” I whispered to Midnight. Midnight nodded and that’s when I heard ragged breathing, it was close and it made me stop.

“What’s the matter?” Midnight asked, concerned.

“Do you hear that?” I whispered. I became aware of a foul odour that came with the breath, like the smell of something that had died in water. I waited a second and the little colour left in Midnight had drained from her face. I had an inkling and I looked up only to see a… a something dangling from the ceiling. I aimed my shotgun at it and shot just as it fell from it’s holding place. The shot didn’t seem to do anything. Midnight was frozen with fear, she hadn’t even attempted to shoot the… what looked like a tentacle/pony/monster hybrid. The thing appeared to be made out of rotten goo, the eyes were frosted and shone purple under my light and it had what appeared to be patched pink fur. I could only make out what were wings with a couple of remaining pink feathers. The grey tentacles were raised threateningly. I suddenly became paralyzed from fear, I hadn’t seen anything so disgustingly grotesque.

Midnight became aware of herself and she ran for her life. I got up and ran after her, I got four paces when something caught my left hindleg and I came crashing to the floor, my chin hit the ground hard. I heard my shotgun hit the ground and I was plunged into darkness as my horn went out. Stars filled my vision as I lit my horn again. I turned and the pony thing had wrapped a tentacle around me leg. I heard it groan and saw it’s disgusting mouth open as another tentacle wrapped itself around my body. I looked around for my Shotgun but it wasn’t within my light field and I couldn’t see it. It began to drag me across the floor and in a state of panic I screamed. “Midnight,” I cried, as I attempted to fight of the beast. “Midnight help me.” A flash of white streaked past me, the beast raised a third tentacle and swiped at her. It caught Midnight in mid-section and she hit the ground, the sound of a crack resonating through the corridor. She jumped up, tears in her eyes, her recently broken wing was left hanging, bent at an odd angle. She bit down on her battle saddle and emptied her cartridges into the beast. I felt the tentacles relax enough for me to squeeze out. The beast let off a final roar and fell to the ground with a thud.

The red lights on my EFS began to move erratically. As if they were all moving. I heard the sounds of hooves echoing along the corridor. It had called for backup in it’s final moment, the zombies were coming. “We need to hide,” I said quietly to her. Midnight nodded, the pain reflecting in her dilated eyes. We ran in the direction of the stairs, we had to find something, anywhere. If we could get into the stairs we might be okay. I turned down the bend and ran, Midnight at my heels down the dusty corridor. Finally we reached the second T Section. I turned left and saw a horde of zombies running straight for us. I turned back to run upwards and it too had zombies rushing quickly from there too, I had no choice. I pulled the door open opposite of the T Section and Midnight ran inside. I followed suit and slammed the door shut. Just as it latched a body had thrown itself against it with a loud BANG.

I levitated a heavy instrument against the door to ensure it’s integrity and sighed before turning to my companion. Midnight had fallen to the floor in pain, she was sobbing and shaking. I pulled my only painkiller from my Saddlebags and sat down beside her. Midnight looked up to me and I showed her the needle. “This will only hurt for a moment,” I told her softly. Midnight nodded and I jabbed her in the left foreleg and injected.

Midnight didn’t get up, her wing was still bent and I had nothing to help her. I began getting angry at Alyshia for taking all my medical supplies. I wouldn’t be in this mess if it wasn’t for her. I got up, considered the fact that this was a hospital and found a locked medical cabinet beside the bed. I pulled out my lock picking utensils and attempted to pick it. It wasn’t easy, the lock was rusty and I nearly broke my bobby pin but finally it snapped open.

The cabinet was full of all sorts of things, Morphine in both needle and tablet form, Codeine, Penicillin and other strong antibiotics, General and Local Anesthetics, Healing potions, including strong doses, Buck, Adrenaline, Rad X among other medications I hadn’t studied. I also found a titanium brace for thin broken bones.

I pulled out a box of forty painkiller needles (Morphine) three boxes in tablet form, several boxes of Antibiotics, a large amount of local anesthetic, all the healing potions, a few doses of adrenaline and Rax X and stuffed them all into my saddlebags.

I found a surgical knife which I needed to sanitise as well as the titanium braces before I could use them. “Okay I’m going to levitate you onto the bed, are you okay with that?” I requested of Midnight

Midnight nodded, she looked like she was going to be sick. I lifted her into the air and placed her carefully onto the dusty bed. “Do you have matches?” I asked. Midnight pointed to her Saddlebag which she had taken off and left on the ground with her battle saddle. I ruffled through her things and found what I needed. I pulled out a match and ignited it. I ran the blade carefully over the flame until it was hot and repeated the process for the brace. I shook the match out and blade cooling in my field of magic I pulled out a few shots of local anesthetic. I felt sorry for my friend at this point, I know these hurt like hell but I didn't know how to administer general and I might accidentally poison her.

“This is going to hurt,” I told her as I levitated the needle to her wing. It was now that I had a good look at the damage, the bone hadn’t quite skewered her skin but I could see bleeding beneath the skin. I injected the anesthetic to the wound and Midnight cried out in pain. I gave another dose to the same area and the poked it with the tip of the knife. “Can you feel that?” I asked.

“No,” Midnight croaked.

I placed the knife over the break and made a small incision so I could see the bone. The bone was hollow, that would make it easier to insert the brace but I also had to straighten the bone. I saw that Midnight was already biting into her forehoof. I couldn’t find a reason to delay this any further. I inserted the brace into the most visible bone. I sighed and wiped my forehead. The banging against the door still hadn’t stopped and it was affecting my concentration. “Okay, for the hard part,” I sighed. “Are you ready?””

Midnight nodded and bit hard into her forehoof. I magically pulled both bones apart and pushed them back together over the brace. Midnight howled in pain but thankfully she didn’t move so as to cause any further damage. As I held the bones in place I pushed the skin back together and finally I forced a full bottle of strong healing potion down her throat. The skin and bones healed instantly, leaving a small surgical mark behind.

I fell to the floor, covered in sweat and exerted by performing a surgery I wasn’t qualified to do. “That’s it,” I managed to say. “You might want to take some of these,” I sighed handing her a box of strong Antibiotics. “I can’t be sure the knife and brace was completely free of bacteria.”

Midnight took a tablet and sat up. “Geez Amethyst, you aren’t too bad with this healing stuff,” Midnight praised.

“It was crude,” I replied. “I’ve never done any training in surgery.”

BANG BANG BANG

On the third bang a zombie hoof appeared through the small glass window in the door. With each charge from the zombies the door was now shaking precariously. “Shit,” I sighed. “We need to find a way out.”

“Here,” Midnight said pointing to the air vent in the roof. Luckily Midnight was feeling alright, those painkillers mixed with the healing potion must have done the job. I pulled the vent open. It was large enough for Midnight and myself to squeeze through. “I think you should go first, as you have the light.”

Midnight got up out of the bed and put on her saddlebags and battle saddle. She unclipped the guns and put them away in her saddlebags. I hadn’t the slightest clue on how I was going to get up there. “Levitate yourself and I’ll push you through,” Midnight suggested. I did as she suggested and Midnight picked me up around the middle with her forehooves and threw me upwards. I caught the jagged sides with my forelegs and pushed myself into the dusty vent. I turned around and looked down at Midnight. “Good job,” she said with a smile. I picked her up in my levitation field and levitated her up to the vent as well.

It was cramped up here, without a doubt. My purple light reflected strangely from the metal clad vent that made it look like the walls were moving as I moved my head. “Are you okay?” I asked, turning my head to check on Midnight only to have my horn whack the side of the vent. I let out a gasp of pain and looked back forward.

“Yeah, I’m okay,” Midnight whispered. It was with that that I lead the way down the cramped vent. The dazzling purple in combination of our hooves clanging on the metal floor was disorientating. I could hear the bizarre sucking sounds from below and it really made me glad that I wasn’t down there. After about a minute of crawling, the vent it turned to a T Section. My Pipbuck indicated to go left, I turned left…

“Scrahhh!” Something the size of a cat jumped at my face, I threw my hooves up and grabbed it mid jump. The thing began to thrash around, I had nothing to shoot it with so I levitated it away from me where it withered violently. It was a giant six legged rat thing, it had no fur and scabbed skin, its eye sockets were empty and it grossed me out. Midnight passed over a knife where I slit its throat silently so as to not attract more of them. We crawled over the ugly rat and continued through our metal refuge.

Another one minute of crawling ended when we reached a blip indicating the stairwell and elevator shaft. I found a vent outlet about two meters ahead and wrapped my magic around it. I pulled and it didn’t budge, I pulled harder and the outlet appeared to be rusted to the ventilation itself. I jerked it upwards as hard as I could.

I heard the tear of wrenching metal and the floor beneath us tore as the outlet ripped from the ventilation. We both fell, my face grazing the serrated steel. I hit the floor and full of adrenaline jumped up as hundreds of red blips moved. I helped Midnight to her hooves and ran for the stair case. It was blocked with rubble. I turned and the corridor was full of zombies, there was too many to fight. Instead I wrapped my magic around the elevator doors and reefed them apart. It was then that a tentacle wrapped itself around me, I looked back at my captor and it was another of those bloated things, Midnight was already suspended.

“Good work my minions,” a ragged voice rang out. “Now we have some more test subjects.” I glared through the purple gloom and saw what appeared to be a zombie wearing a blood stained lab coat. Only this one can talk, that must mean that it’s a ghoul.

“Let us go,” I said shakily from my upside down position.

“But why would I do that pretty unicorn filly,” the ghoul said stepping into my purple light. “I need to know many things, I haven’t had any live test subjects before. This is a onetime occurrence that I just can’t resist.”

I had a feeling that this was the pony that had disemboweled that zombie, he was going to do the same to us. I felt a rise of panic overcome me. I activated my shield and sliced the tentacle holding me. I fell to the ground and picked up the knife that had fallen from my grasp in my magic and threw it at the ghoul’s head. He ducked and it hit a zombie behind him which crumpled to the ground. I pulled out my magnum and as I did I felt something sharp and painful hit my hind leg. I looked at what had hit me and it was a needle attached to a syringe. I pulled it out and looked at the ghoul who was holding a gun.

“What’s this?” I asked. The whole world swam before me as my body became weak. My head swam and overwhelming weakness overcame me. I hit the ground and before I could pass out I aimed my magnum at the ghoul.

I heard Midnight shout my name and then there was nothing.

Chapter 22: Bittersweet Birthday

Bittersweet Birthday

I opened my eyes to a dimly lit room, my eyes struggled to focus on the dank and grey celling above. I tried to move and found myself bound, naked and cold. I looked down my side and the sheets were stained with ichor. This room smelt horrible, mostly of decay and rot. I felt a rising panic inside I realised how I came to be here. Where was he? What’s he going to do to me? Where was Midnight? I glanced around the room and there were no other beds. I checked my EFS and a green blip was showing against a few red. That must mean that she’s alive and I had to admit that did make me feel a little better despite the predicament we were in.

I struggled against the bonds that bound me. I wasn’t strong enough and even my magic couldn’t snap them.

“Oh, you’re awake,” a gravelly voice said. “You gave up some fight didn’t you?”

I looked for the voice and found the same blood/ichor stained coated zombie. His fur had all but fallen out showing nothing but rough scabbed skin, the only part that seemed normal about him were his eyes.

“What do you want with us?” I asked trying to sound brave. In all honesty I was shaking with fear. “Let us go,” I demanded.

“Oh no I cannot do that,” he said with a smile. “All that trouble in capturing you simply to let you go? Oh no that cannot do, I’ve always dreamt of studying a live pony.”

“Why do you care?” I asked.

“Ahh,” he said as he wheeled a over small table with surgical instruments upon it. “With nothing but mutants to study I have been unable to find out why this ailment fell upon us. Why we turned into this and not died like the others.”

I looked precariously at the instruments, despite the fact that they had spent two hundred years inside this hospital they we’re still shiny. It seems this ghoul had taken care of them and even washed them to ensure their cleanliness.

“Why though?” I said with a quivering voice. “It’s not like you can reverse what’s happened.”

“You’re right,” he sighed as he picked up a scalpel. “But that doesn’t quench my curiosity.”

He walked up to me with the knife and placed it just below the breast bone. My heart was hammering hard and I could feel the pulse in my ears. There was no way this was happening, no way.

“Arghhhh” As he pierced the skin and tracked it down.

CRASH

The ghoul looked at the door to where Midnight was no doubt hold up before placing the blade back on the surgeons table. He then turned his back on me and went into the second room. Magically I grabbed the knife and cut my bonds loose. I then attempted to get off the bed, however I fell to the floor, my body not yet fully responsive after being tranquilized. It appeared the coast was clear, however I wasn’t able to stand. I looked around for my things however I couldn’t see them. I was in a bad position and I had to kill this crazy ghoul. I only had one chance and that chance presented itself when he came back.

“Hey,” He shouted before rushing over to me. In his confusion I threw the scalpel and it sailed right past his left ear. Shit, that now left me defenceless. He charged at me, a knife in hoof and just before he reached me I activated my shield. The ghoul bounced off it and fell into a heap on the dusty floor. My shield collapsed and in an instant he was on top of me, I felt the knife slash at my shoulder just shy of the neck. In one swift move I pulled the knife from his grasp magically and drove it into his skull. I felt him become limp and I pushed him off me.

With a sigh of relief I got shakily to my hooves, the knife still clutched in my magic all aware of the blood now running freely from the gash between my shoulder and neck as well as the wound on my underside. I walked slowly into the room that Midnight was in and found her tied to a bed similar to my own. She appeared to be semiconscious. I hauled myself towards Midnight, she had a lump on her head, a number of cuts and a gash across her face. She also had what appeared pressure wounds on her hind leg.

“Midnight,” I whispered shaking her slightly. “Midnight, wake up.”

Midnight didn’t move, her eyes rolled around in their sockets. I looked around the room for our things and found them thrown into the corner haphazardly. A few memory orbs had scattered across the floor and my magnum sat on the table about a meter away from our bags. I levitated my bad and memory orbs in one spell and brought them over to me before depositing the orbs and checking for my medication.

Inside the bags were just the shotgun, my figurines, caps, my zebra orb, a single painkiller shot and three small healing potions of which were hiding amongst the figurines, the sniper rifle sat on top. The little mutant pony had taken my supplies. I shook my head and levitated a healing potion and pushed it down Midnight’s throat. I waited a moment and she regained full consciousness after about a minute.

Relief washed over me as I saw those big red eyes stare at me. I cut the bonds holding her in place and she pushed herself out of the bed. Midnight was shaky but she seemed to be okay. “Amethyst, what happened to you?” she said quickly, pointing a hoof at my shoulder.

I glanced at the wound which was dark and seeping blood that ran down my leg and over my pipbuck. The blood was pooling at my hoof as it ran freely. “I’ll be alright,” I said weakly. I pulled another healing potion out from my saddlebags and drank it. The gash healed to a scab and I felt the pain in my abdomen lessen as well. As my adrenaline dropped I began to feel a little lethargic.

I checked our barding which had been randomly thrown into the corner like our saddlebags. I picked up my barding and it was sliced with a knife

“We had better go,” Midnight suggested. “The elevator is not far.” I helped Midnight get her saddlebags back on and attached her battlesaddle to her back. She clipped it in, I put my saddlebags on and ignited my horn. As I did so I noticed a safe on the ground. It was quite large and it had a dial. I couldn’t get into it if I tried. Ignoring it Midnight and I hurried to the door. I took a deep breath, pain shooting across my underside as I did so.

“Let’s go,” I whispered as I levitated my loaded shotgun. Midnight nodded, she then opened the door and ran down the corridor. I chased after her, red blips moving suddenly as they detected movement. Sure enough I had four zombies on my tail and they were running faster than I could. Midnight skidded to a halt so quickly that I slammed into her, pain burst from my shoulder but I managed to not lose my footing. I pushed the doors apart and horn lit, the inside of the elevator shaft was revealed and I could see our way out. An access ladder in relatively good condition was against the back wall of the shaft. I ran through first, I wrapped myself in my levitation field and jumped, just as I felt a zombie wrap it’s hooves around my hindquarters. I hit the ladder and grabbed on with dear life, the zombie still trying to kill.

BANG BANG BANG

Midnight shot the zombies before turning to me.

BANG

She then jumped and landed just below me.

I felt a sting of pain shoot through my right lower leg and I cried out, it echoed through the shaft. The zombie became limp and fell into the abyss. I looked down and Midnight’s bullet had grazed my lower leg, leaving behind an inch long gash that began to bleed. I bit down hard, trying to ignore the pain.

I looked up to see a mass of zombies at the entrance of the elevator, one slipped and fell into the dark abyss below. I heard it hit the ground below with a loud CLANG

“Are you alright?” Midnight whispered.

I closed my eyes for a second before replying with a nod. “Let’s go,” I managed to say. We began our decent, my purple light hardly penetrating the velvet darkness of the elevator shaft, the cables that carried the lift vanished into the darkness below. Normally I wasn’t afraid of the dark but today was very different. I began to fear that Alyshia, Brax and Scerine had perished, Taken by the unknown within this dark place, amidst my pain the thought of them being dead felt far more painful than a simple gash. If they were dead, it was my fault for leading them here. I felt my right hind hoof slip abruptly on the metal ladder, my heart jumped and I clung onto the metal with my forehooves, my body closer than necessary to the ladder itself. I repositioned myself and discovered my hoof was dripping blood that had run down from the bullet wound.

“You okay?” Midnight whispered again as she looked up from below.

“Yeah sorry, just slipped,” I whispered back.

I shook my head and told myself that Alyshia, Brax and Scerine were still alive and Meep was with them. They should be okay. We passed the second floor, the inside of the elevator doors thankfully shut as I could hear sinister screeches and other sinister noises beyond. We passed this door then we passed the first floor. Just one more floor to go. That was when my purple light lit the bottom. At least at first I thought it was the bottom, now I realised that it was the roof of the lift itself, a dead zombie lying crumpled on top.

Midnight stepped onto the lift and I jumped down after her. The hatch was in the middle, about a ruler length from the dead zombie pony. I opened the hatch magically, I looked down into the darkness and knelt on the side of the opening. I placed my hooves securely on the sides of the opening and swung myself down, still holding onto the opening I looked down and saw the floor a meter below my dangling legs. A drip of blood fell to the floor and I let go, for once in my life I landed softly and easily on the elevator floor. Midnight jumped straight after me and spread her wings to break the fall.

“Phew,” I sighed before looking at Midnight.

Midnight didn’t look so scared anymore. She glanced at me. “Can you see them?” Midnight asked quietly.

I scanned my EFS, the sound of a zombie snarling in the distance rattling my ears as I did so. I saw a lot of red but no green, that was when I was about to tell Midnight ‘No,’ when a single green blip appeared. I looked into the darkness and saw a single flashing red light slowly getting bigger followed by the soft sounding metal wings. The small metal dragonfly entered my purple light and sailed into the elevator before landing on my head.

“Hey,” I whispered to Meep as I gathered him into my hoof and held him up to my face. “Where’re the others?” Meep’s huge eyes shifted to focus on me and he let of a positive “Beep,” He flew off my forehoof and we made to follow him at a much slower pace than he flew to us, which was good because we had to be stealthy.

After walking down a corridor filled with old beds, bones, a vending machine and into an open room with many chairs and a front counter, I saw an additional three green lights appear in the sea of red on my EFS. We snuck towards the green and once across the room a closed door came into view. This must be it, they must be holed out here. Relief swept over me, they were here, and alive. I knocked on the door twice and after a second it opened. I saw a charcoal pony with big green eyes and she pulled me into a hug, I noticed that her right forehoof was bandaged. “You’re all okay,” Scerine said happily. She stepped aside to let us in, failing to acknowledge Midnight but that was probably for the best.

The small room was lit by a fire cracking in the corner, a single bed lay empty against the wall next to a blood pressure machine and a computer sat on a desk against the opposite wall.

Once inside I shut the door before turning to Alyshia and Brax. Both of whom were on the floor. Brax appeared to be knocked out, he had a gash on his leg and it appeared he had been bitten on his face and forelegs. “What happened to him?” I asked feeling a little concerned.

Alyshia turned to me causing me to recoil. She had an open gash against her temple, blood ran down the side of her face and she had a bruise rising on her left cheek. Her barding was still mostly intact. “Broken leg,” She replied before turning her attention to Brax.

“Shouldn’t you fix yourself first?” I blubbered, exasperated although not entirely surprised to see that Alyshia was putting somepony else first.

“No,” Alyshia replied without turning her head. “You’re next Amethyst, you’re bleeding. I’m not even going to ask what happened to your shoulder.”

I checked the gash in my leg, the blood flow had slowed somewhat however my shoulder had become irritated by the climb down and had started to swell. “What happened to you?” I asked Scerine as Midnight sat on the bed.

Scerine held her bandaged hoof. “I got knocked down and my hoof bent the wrong direction inside the armour,” She replied. “I’ve just strapped it for now, Alyshia will fix it later.”

I scratched my face and sighed. I felt tired and just wanted to be out of here. “What happened anyway,” I asked Scerine. “How did you all end up here?”

“Oh, I was flying near Alyshia and Brax. Alyshia noticed you two sail through the window,” she recounted. “Anyway, we got through the doors and we burst into a waiting room, once the doors were shut they didn’t come after us. It was pretty odd but anyway,” she rambled. “Once we were inside I used my EFS to try and track the zombies. But there were so many of them. We wandered around aimlessly wanting to meet up with you two so we tried to find the stairwell. We got lost and I accidentally walked into a zombie.”

I nodded to show that I was paying attention and I somehow knew what was coming.

“All hell broke loose,” Scerine continued. “The zombie I walked into jumped on me and I fell awkwardly causing this.” Scerine held her hoof to show. “I got back up and started firing at everything. Brax got jumped by three at once, in his attempt to throw those off he broke his leg. Alyshia hit her head on a fallen bed frame and was attacked by the zombies. I got them off her and she seemed a little concussed. Anyway. Somehow we managed to shake them off, Alyshia helped Brax and we came back into the waiting room.” She pointed to the door before continuing. “Then we found this place. We’ve been here for about an hour.”

“Wow,” I muttered. I looked over to Midnight who looked exhausted. “Are you okay Midnight?” I asked.

“Yeah, just tired,” she sighed.

* ** ** ** *

Alyshia managed to fix Brax, he however remain unconscious as Alyshia had clearly used her knockout spell on him. “Midnight hon, can you jump off the bed?” Alyshia asked. Midnight had fallen asleep on the bed and didn’t respond. I stepped over to assist. Rather than wake Midnight I levitated her off the bed and placed her on the floor near the warm fire. Alyshia then levitated Brax onto the bed with some difficulty.

Alyshia sighed. “That was the worst break ever.” She then levitated a bottle and took a long draught.

“That bad?” I said, “You were there a while.”

“His bones are quite brittle,” Alyshia said with a nod. “He’s aging, he probably hasn’t lived with the best diet and his leg snapped so badly I’m shocked it didn’t shatter or cut anything major.” I was taken aback at this and was about to ask if he was going to be okay but Alyshia must have seen this because she said, “He’ll be okay though. It splintered so I had to be careful but it’s mended now. “He should be good for tomorrow” she said with a smile. “Anyway, your turn,” she said suddenly.

I got up and laid on the dirty sheet on the floor as requested by Alyshia. She looked me up and down. “Knife wound, how did that happen?” she asked me.

“I have another on my stomach,” I informed. “I used a healing potion.” I circumvented the part about nearly being sliced up as I was sure Alyshia would probably freak out.

Alyshia’s horn lit and she examined me. “How do you feel?” she asked.

“I dunno, bit light headed and my face is a little itchy. My leg hurts the worst.”” I replied. “I got hit in the face with some taint like stuff so that’s probably it for the face. I also hit my head but it wasn’t that bad.”

Alyshia cleaned my wounds and applied a healing potion. My wounds healed more effectively, the bleeding scabs on my stomach and shoulder quickly scabbed properly as did my bullet wound on my leg.

Next to be examined was Midnight. She didn’t take to kindly to be awoken. “I’m fine,” Midnight grumbled as Alyshia ran her spell over her.

“You do appear fine,” Alyshia muttered.

“She re-broke her wing,” I said remembering it might be worth for Alyshia to examine.

“It doesn’t appear broken,” Alyshia said as she pulled the wing magically. It was then that she saw the healed mark that was clearly my own, I could tell as she stared at the mark. It wasn’t as well sealed as Alyshia’s but it did the job.

“Well it wouldn’t, I fixed it,” I said with an air of triumph. “So you don’t need to worry about it.”

Alyshia didn’t look pleased at all. “You operated on her?” Alyshia asked with a tad of venom.

“Yeah she did,” Midnight replied clearly wanting to advert a situation, she added, “She did a good job too, saved my life.”

“Amethyst, you could have done damage,” Alyshia said scathingly, her eyes filled with frustration. “You should have brought her straight here.”

“Enough!” Midnight snapped. “We’d both be dead otherwise. I’m fine, you’re not checking me over until you clam down and get some rest.” Midnight paused for a moment before shaking her head. She then returned to her sleeping spot as Alyshia signed angrily.

Scerine turned to me. “You alright?” she asked. I nodded and she leaned closer so her muzzle was in my ear. “I think she’s being unfair, she’s been pretty grumpy before you arrived so don’t take it to heart.”

I grimaced and gave her a nod. Alyshia had been in a bad mood since we left on this particular journey, it was starting to get tiresome. I let myself relax and felt tiredness engulf me, I pushed all the bullshit to the back of my head before giving off a huge sigh. Scerine put her wing around me and somehow this managed to comfort me. “It’ll work out,” she said quietly. We found ourselves a corner away from the door and I let darkness consume me.

* ** ** ** *

I felt warm and cozy. Despite falling asleep on the floor near Scerine I didn’t have any blankets to keep me warm. Despite the fact that I could feel slow breathing against my head. I opened my eyes and I discovered myself in a position that I didn’t remember getting into. My head was resting on Scerine’s shoulder which rose and fell with her breathing. Her wing kept my body warm which fell over my body in a warm yet protective sort of way. I closed my eyes again. In a way, it made me feel loved, it was a different feeling that when Alyshia cared for me and it wasn’t that crazy feeling like with Midnight, it was a soft fluttery feeling deep within my heart. I mulled over these feelings for a few minutes before…

“Okay everypony time to get up,” Alyshia said loudly, interrupting my thoughts. I opened my eyes again and everything was bathed in the deep blue of Alyshia’s magic. Midnight groaned as she sat up, Alyshia appeared above me with a smile on her face. “Up you get love birds,” she said happily.

I blushed. “We’re not love birds,” I mumbled as I sat up. Scerine stirred, she rubbed her left eye with a hoof.

“What’s the time?” she said groggily.

I got to my hooves and checked my Pipbuck. “Six am,” I yawned. Something soft hit me square in the face and landed on the floor.

“You two, hurry up, food is on the desk, and we best make with haste. Amethyst, put that on, it’ll keep you warm,” Alyshia urged. “It’s going to be a long day. I don’t want to spend another night here.”

I picked up the cloak with my magic. It was Alyshia’s old brown cloak, the one she wore when we first met her. I put it on before joining my friends at the desk.

We wolfed down the food quickly, Alyshia packed her things, Scerine got into her battle armour and I secured my saddlebags in place. Once we were finished I began a quick briefing on where we were going. “Okay,” “I began, my eyes scanning the plans I had downloaded the previous day. “We need to go back to the elevator and take it down to the basement 3. I’ve got the map up so we can take it from there.”

“How are we getting down the elevator?” Scerine piped up.

“I’ll levitate it down,” I said simply. I heard Brax mutter something to Midnight but I ignored it. “Any more questions?”

Everypony shook their head. “Good,” I said with a nod. “Meep, Shut down,” I ordered. Meep fluttered onto my saddlebag strap, secured himself to it and shut down.

All too soon we were leaving the safety of the bunkered room. Alyshia and I left first, our horns lighting the way, my rifle ready. “Watch your step,” Alyshia hissed, “be super quite. No talking until we get the elevator.”

I wasn’t even ten steps from the door when my purple light shone on an upright, unmoving zombie. My heart jumped into my throat and I took an involuntary step back. Alyshia grabbed my forehoof to move me on. Stiffly I marched by Alyshia’s side, adrenaline pumping as the zombie merely stood there with no clue of the five ponies in his midst.

On the way to the elevator we encountered two further zombies, as blind as the first and completely oblivious to our presence. “They must be blind,” I whispered as I magically closed the door behind us.

“What gave you that impression?” Midnight snickered.

“I was merely curious,” I said heavily as Scerine gave me a boost onto the roof of the elevator. I passed my rifle down to Alyshia and turned to the pulley mechanism, the dead zombie from yesterday was in the way so I shifted the body so I had full 360 degree access to it. I didn’t know how this worked. I could see the pulley and the rusty steel ropes, electric wires ran into a small box with a clamp on it. Focusing on the little clamp I opened it, the elevator didn’t move.

“What’s going on?” Midnight called, “Do you need help, help, help,” he voice echoed.

“I’m fine,” I hissed. “I just need to…” I saw another clamp and written in dusty writing was listed as “Emergency break.” I opened both clamps at once. Not expecting it I almost felt my breakfast leave my stomach and the elevator suddenly dropped. Alyshia screamed, which echoed up the elevator shaft. This reignited the waves of red blips on my EFS. I let the clamps go, their snapping shut causing the elevator to grind to a halt. “Alyshia” I hissed, “don’t wake the dead.”

“Sorry,” she whispered.

I looked down to ensure everypony was okay. Brax didn’t look too pleased to be on this death ride but I felt that he would rather be here than by himself in that room. Scerine was standing idly and Alyshia was being pried off of Midnight.

“Okay, ready/” I asked. “Phase two.” Everypony nodded except for Alyshia.

I put myself back into position and released the emergency break before slowly releasing the main break. The elevator shifted, squeaking slightly as it slowly dropped. The first elevator door passed, before the second, it began to get colder as we descended, we then passed the third door. I eased the break as we came to the final door.

“Stop,” I heard Midnight say over the grinding of the cables. I snapped the breaks shut and the elevator came to a grinding halt. I jumped down into the elevator and bought up my EFS. As I did so the date popped up over my interface to indicate an important day. It was the fifth of January, my birthday. “Wow, I almost forgot today was my birthday,” I laughed. I collapsed the date and glanced for red blips.

“Happy birthday Amethyst,” Alsyhia said happily. I looked up from my EFS and looked at Alyshia.

“Thank You,” I said smiling. “I haven’t heard that from anyone apart from Berry since I was eighteen.” When I thought about it, it was my mum that mentioned my eighteenth birthday, only because she didn’t want me to steal her grog.

“Yeah, made it to twenty huh?” Midnight said with a pat on the shoulder.

“Happy birthday,” Scerine chipped in.

“It’s downhill from here,” Brax put in. “You’ll blink and then you’re thirty,” Brax said with a wave of a hoof. “Then before you know it your old like me.”

“Well let’s hope I make it to your age Brax,” I laughed. “Anyway, we have a mission to complete.” I glanced back to my EFS and there were two blips on my EFS. Is that all? I thought. I levitated my rifle into attack position. “I’m opening the door,” I said quietly. Brax, Midnight and Scerine fell into a ready stance in case of unseen or inactive enemies behind the door, I wrapped my magic around the elevator doors and pulled them apart, my purple glow showing nothing but a dusty concrete floor and ceiling. The walls were rusting steel; there was nothing to suggest danger.

I stepped out into the corridor, my hoof steps echoing through the dead corridor. The two red blips only moved when I moved and they were some distance to the front right of me. Whatever they were, they were stationary.

“”Well, this looks better?” Midnight whispered. “Maybe we won’t get mauled this time.”

“Yeah, my EFS isn’t picking up much,” I muttered, my hoof to my chin. “Which is unusual, didn’t anypony die and turn to zombies down here?”

“The taint or radiation might not have been able to get down here,” Alyshia whispered as she looked around, her blue horn light washing over around her and mingling with my purple. “We must be underground and this floor is built like a fortress.”

I walked a few paces ahead and the corridor opened up into a small steel and concrete room, there was what appeared to be a check in desk, a secure steel door and a few chairs against the wall opposite the check in desk. “Why does everything have to be secure?” I moaned. “Why can’t I just walk through?”

“If life was that easy then we wouldn’t be here,” Brax replied.

“Wise words,” I sighed as I pulled out my Pipbuck hacking cable and opening the slot on the keypad. “Let’s get to it. Meep you can activate again.”

The little dragonfly woke and took to the air before settling atop Scerine’s back.

Once plugged in, I opened up the interface to begin. I poked and prodded the password; this was made all the way harder by the password being an eight digit number rather than a password. I backed out, trying to remember the numbers I saw before. Next screen showed a mass of numbers, time to rule out numbers. In two guesses I found that there were 2 fives and no twos. After ten minutes this had begun a puzzle. I have two fives, one three, three sevens, one nine and one eight.

At least this gave me a basis to work on. I went in again after backing out for what felt like the umpteenth time and was given six eight digit numbers with the numbers that I had but in different orders. I guessed twice before backing out, I went back in and one the second try…

Ding

The door clicked and with a push of magic the door opened.

“Yay,” I said cheerfully clapping my forehooves together.

“Impressive,” Brax commented. Although from the look on his face it appeared that he actually meant it.

I smiled, “It was my job back home,” I said with a small shrug, “Only most of the passwords were easy to break, this one was harder.”

We entered through the door, the ceiling dropped significantly, Brax’s head was almost brushing the open pipes on the ceiling. “This reminds me of the lower levels back home,” I said quietly, but loud enough for everypony to hear. “Just supply corridors for the pipes, I didn’t work down there but I’ve been down there a few times when my boss came to inspect the wiring.”

“Really?” Midnight muttered back. “This is bordering on claustrophobic, and you asked me to move into the stable.”

“Oh no, the main corridors are quite wide,” I replied, “and the ceilings were about three meters high, except in the atrium, that had massive ceilings.” I thought for a moment. “The orchard was so big you could fly in it. The light replacements though,” I shuddered, “they were annoying as hell. The bulb is big but it looks small so it’s hard to tell if they work or not.”

“Would be interesting seeing plants that are actually healthy,” Alyshia said with a little laugh. “Not to mention eating fresh food.”

“Oh you’ll get that when we go back,” I said confidently. “Assuming I get a water talisman on time. I’ll show you around the stable, you don’t have to stay but I’m sure when I get the talisman that you’ll want to stay for a few days.”

“You’re not going to live there permanently when you’re done are you?” Scerine asked, a hint of worry in her voice.

I looked at the ground, not sure of an answer. I missed home, it was dull, yes. But it wasn’t like the last two months or so have been uneventful, once I had the water talisman I wanted to go back and live that lonely boring life that I deserve. Not fight each day to live, to see more atrocities.

“Amethyst?” Scerine said a little more loudly. I might have even heard a sense of urgency from her voice.

“I don’t know,” I sighed. “I have ponies in there I care about too, but I love you guys, even Brax.” Brax grunted at this. “It’s true,” I muttered, “It’ll be a hard decision.”

“Live in Cantal,” Midnight suggested. “It’s a lovely town, hardly any raiders or incidents, clean water. It’s close to your home too.”

“Maybe, if the Overmare would permit me to come and go as I please,” I said feeling a little defeated at the idea.

“Well,” Alyshia piped up, “You can demand to come and go as you please, you have the water talisman. Think about it, you can demand just about anything.”

“She’ll still say no,” I sighed.

“Then kick her out,” Alyshia said. “I’m sure the other ponies at the stable would side with you.”

“I s’pose,” I said feeling slightly elated. “We’ll see how we go.”

It was then that we came to a T-Section. I lead the group right, my mind on home, my bed, my stuff. It made me think; was my stuff going to be thrown out? Would somepony else be there? What about my job? I didn’t like the idea of somepony sleeping on my bed. After all, it was my bedroom.

“Amethyst?” Alyshia called from afar. I stopped just in time as I was about five centimeters from a solid door. I took a few paces back to get a good look at it. The door was the size of the corridor, it was rectangular, grey and it looked like an airlock door. The door had a large steel dial lock on the front and secured firmly to the door was a yellow sign made of reflective material that was peeling.

Power, Water and Air Supply. Restricted Area. Authorised ponies only.

Below that sign was a smaller sign that was made hard to read by the peeled paint.

Ministry of Magic Security applied to this area.

“Let’s hope that the Ministry of Magic defences are dodgy,” I said with a nervous laugh. “If not let’s just hope they break as easily as a water talisman.”

“I really don’t like the idea of this,” Brax growled.

“Oh we went to that MOM building back in New Saddle remember?” I said. “We dealt with the stuff fine there.”

“Not really, we struggled more with your curiosity than the defences,” Brax replied clearly. “Anyway, those defences were made of turrets. That was made by the Ministry of War and Technology. We haven’t actually seen a weapon from the Ministry of Magic.”

“True,” I said agreeing. “This door though isn’t magic by any stretch though. It’s as basic as it gets.”

“Well if it’s mechanical, you aren’t going to be getting in,” Scerine put in. “Good luck picking that.”

I examined the lock. “It’s electric, but it’s also a fire door, like the ones back home.” I glanced at my Pipbuck, noticing a corridor that we had walked passed was actually a fire exit. “This is the only way out,” I said pointing to the door. “Which means, during emergencies the door unarms.” I wrapped my magic around the large dial and hoping I was right. It didn’t turn at first and for a moment I thought I was wrong. But after a brief shriek the dial turned and the door swung open. “Phew, I would have looked like an idiot if that didn’t open,” I said with a nervous laugh.

Behind the door the concrete floors turned into a spider web of steel catwalks. Some had collapsed into the depths below. I looked down and my purple light illuminated a large generator that was under water, the surface about five meters down. Whist it was cold the water was still liquid unlike that at the New Saddle MOM Building. Red blips floated over my EFS indicating enemies. The water rippled below as something surfaced momentarily.

“Let’s go,” Midnight urged, pulling me out of my reverie.

“Right, sorry,” I whispered as I turned to walk. My map still visible I was having issues deciphering the web of catwalks, I knew we had to go right at some point but not entirely sure where. I flicked through to the second floor of catwalks and found our prize. I stopped dead and someone walked right into my rump, almost causing me to land face first into the catwalk.

“Sorry,” Alyshia whispered apologetically. “What’s up?”

“We need to be up there,” I said as I pointed a hoof to the catwalks above. “The Talisman is on the wall on the far right.”

“We can fly up,” Midnight suggested. “I don’t know about you but I don’t want to spend the next twelve hours in here.”

“I agree,” Alyshia piped up. “You and Amethyst can go and we’ll wait here.”

“What about me?” Scerine chipped in. “I want in too.”

“I’m cool to stay here,” Brax agreed.

“Okay,” I said with a nod of my head. “Alyshia, Brax and Meep, stay down here. Meep, keep an eye for danger, if you see anything please sent off your alert.” Meep beeped to indicate the command. “Midnight and Scerine I will go to the next level and get this done.”

“How do we know if you’re in danger?” Alyshia asked with a step forward, concern etched on her face.

“Meep will know, I also have Midnight and Scerine, I’m sure we’ll be fine,” I said with what I hoped to be a warming smile.

Alyshia smiled. “Be quick and be safe,” she said before pulling me into a hug.

“Geez Alyshia,” I accepted her hug. Once we broke I clambered onto Midnights back and we were off.

The flight was short, I followed the map carefully as we ascended and told Midnight to bank right. We landed on a new catwalk, this one slightly wider than the one below. The catwalk ended against a wall with a small peeling cabinet. I squeed. “Our prize, for the taking,” I said out loud.

“Phew,” Midnight sighed. “Go for it.”

I made towards the cabinet, my heart hammering, hopeful that for once I will have the talisman. It’s in my grasp. Just a few more meters…

A flash of purple appeared before the cabinet causing me to take a step back.

“What the hell is that,” Midnight half shouted.

A small pop sound followed the light which faded away to reveal a purple unicorn mare. She had purple eyes, dark blue bane and her mane and tail was streaked with pink and purple. She looked very familiar.

“You are trespassing on Ministry of Magic property, please leave at once,” the mare said. My EFS was showing this pony as an orange blip. She wasn’t hostile but she was aggressive.

My mind clicked. “Twilight?” I said taken aback. Wasn’t she like dead two hundred years ago? She should be dead, this shouldn’t be possible. She didn’t look at age older than the posters. She looked solid, not transparent so that must mean that she’s real. I knew that I was probably screwed. Element of magic versus the one trick pony, I really didn’t want to fight Twilight.

“Aren’t you supposed to be dead?” I asked taking a step closer and glancing at Midnight to try and catch her attention. “It’s been two hundred years, yet you’re cooped up in the hospital. You shouldn’t theoretically exist.”

“I am an apparition set up to defend this place from thieves, terrorists and intruders.” Twilight stated “The fact that you see me is proof enough that I exist. Now heed my call, leave this place.”

I raised an eyebrow. “The war is over Twilight,” I replied with a heavy sigh. “This place belongs to no one; there are no thieves or intruders so you have nothing to be worried about.” I thought for a moment before adding; “If you truly are an apparition, then why are you solid?”

“This is property of the Ministry of Magic, in support of the Ministry of Kindness,” Twilight said simply. “It matters not if there is a war or not, this is still the property of the equestrian government.”

“Which is gone,” I said slowly and simply. “I need that talisman, if you really want to help ponies then let me pass, it serves no use here.”

I looked at Midnight and she caught my eye. I gave a little nod to indicate her to try and pry it from the box while I kept Twilight distracted.

“No,” Twilight said in an authoritarian tone. “You will not pass,” Twilight growled Midnight was at the box trying to pry it open. Her horn glowed and then she whipped around and shot an angry purple bolt of energy at Midnight. Midnight jumped at the last second, taking to the air. The blast hit the little box which left a sizable mark in the cabinet’s door.

My heart sank, Twilight tried to aim another shot at Midnight so Rifle in magic I entered SATS, Twilight turned to see me aiming at her and just as I shot, her shield went up which absorbed the bullet completely. Midnight swooped for the box again and Twilight aimed another spell. Taking caution to the wind I jumped on her back and covered her eyes with my hooves.

“Get off me,” Twilight shouted as she tried to buck me off. “You can’t take it.” I slid from her back, my forehooves slipped from her face and I grabbed onto her mane to prevent me from falling off. Twilight wrapped me in her magical aura and pulled me off of her, she didn’t seem too impressed and I didn’t blame her. Scerine swept through and she grabbed hold of me and took to the air, breaking Twilight’s hold on me. That was when she turned on Midnight who was now using a piece of pipe to break into the cabinet.

“Scerine drop me back down again,” I said loudly. “She’s going to blast Midnight.” Scerine turned and made for the catwalk again. She dropped me behind Twilight who was now facing Midnight. Scerine took to the air again I ran at Twilight, but it was too late, Twilight shot her spell and at the last second, Scerine landed in front of Midnight and took the full blow of the spell. She was blasted back and Midnight had to leap out of the way as Scerine hit the wall, her armour slanging loudly against the wall.

“How dare you hit one of my friends!” I roared. I launched myself at Twilight, wrestling the unicorn to the ground, her horn lit and she tried to melt my face off but I pushed her head into the steel. I felt a blow to my stomach as she kicked me in the gut. I tried to keep her head away from me so she couldn’t cast but my right forehoof became locked in hers. She wrapped me in her magic and threw me across the catwalk as hard as she could. Pain burst through the left side of my body as it hit the steel, acting almost like a cheese grater on it. I had not a second to react as I saw a huge bolt of magic surge towards me. I activated my shield and the spell hit the shield so hard that the outer layer of magic jumped from the surface before rippling like a tsunami.

“What?” Twilight shouted. “How did you block that?”

I dropped the shield. “It’s my special talent!” I shouted back, flashing my cutie mark. The words came naturally from my mind and somehow I felt that my shield was part of my special talent. .

“Makes sense,” Twilight said coolly. She didn’t aim at me again, instead turning back towards Midnight and Scerine who still hadn’t gotten up from her direct hit. Midnight grabbed the what I hoped to be unconscious Scerine in her hooves and jumped from the platform. I seized this opportunity to lift Twilight in my own field of magic but this hardly disabled her. Her horn burst to life and in an instant my magic on her dropped. She dropped to the ground and without warning a huge bolt of purple lightning surged straight for my face, I threw my shield up and turned my face away, the bolt hit the shield which shattered like it was glass. I felt my muscles seize as the spell struck me in the side of the face and I collapsed to the floor. I looked back at Twilight and saw that Midnight was at it again with the cabinet.

“You won’t kill me,” I growled. “You’re too righteous for that.”

“No, just enough to get you out of here,” Twilight said casually as she walked towards me. I saw Midnight break open the cabinet and extract what was within. When Midnight took to the air I jumped back to my hooves and without looking at Twilight I jumped from the catwalk. I sailed through the air and about halfway to the liquid surface Midnight caught me on her back and sailed towards the others.

“Go, go go!” I shouted as the green blips appeared. “Run!”

All my companions save for Scerine who was roped to Brax began to run back towards the safety door. Midnight landed behind Brax who was at the back of the group. I jumped from Midnight’s back and landed roughly.

POP

I glanced over my shoulder and Twilight, the magic of her teleportation spell fading was running from behind. Her horn charged up and just as I stepped over the threshold her spell fired. I threw up my shield and with an explosive BANG the shield absorbed a vast majority of the spell before shattering. I was blown forward by the remaining impact and smacked my chin on the concrete. Stars burst in front of my vision but I jumped back up and slammed the door in Twilight’s face. A loud, satisfying clang followed. My satisfaction however was marred as I heard the sound of wrenching metal. Twilight held the safety door in her field of magic, fire was in her eyes and somehow I could tell that now she was prepared to kill. She shrunk the safety door and threw it like a frisbee. I activated my shield again to protect not only myself but my fellow companions ahead. The shield took the door without collapsing.

I continued to run for my life, Brax about two meters in front, Scerine’s tail hanging over his. We made the turn at the appropriate turn and ran back through the security door with Twilight just meters behind. Suddenly my hooves left the ground, only about twenty meters from the elevator and I was hung upside down. I looked wildly about and saw Twilight charge another missile spell. I activated my shield, this time taking extra care to bind the spell to form my most powerful shield yet.

“Amethyst!” Alyshia screamed. I dropped to the ground and Twilight’s spell fired and hit the shield explosively. The surface of the shield jumped at the impact of the huge purple bolt, purple embers raining onto the ground but it didn’t collapse.

I only saw the look of shock as I ran back into the elevator, my shield spell still active until I reached the threshold. I slammed the elevator door shut and feeling incredibly jumpy from the adrenaline, I threw myself up to the opening to the shaft. Alyshia wrapped her magic around me and gave me a little push. I darted strait for the breaks and released them, the elevator dropping slightly as my telekinesis wrapped around the elevator itself. I pushed the elevator up, my magic straining as I pushed my magic to the edge. It creeped up one floor at a time, I wasn’t going to stop. We were going to have to go to the roof. I snapped the breaks shut as the elevator neared the ceiling itself before jumping down. I pulled the elevator doors apart. There was a small ledge we had to step on but the elevator was in a good enough position. Once everypony was out I slammed the elevator doors shut behind us. Alyshia gave an odd kind of laugh, as if she couldn’t believe we were alive.

I took a few deep breaths before asking Midnight; “So, did you get it?”

“Yeah I did,” Midnight said flashing the talisman that was wrapped firmly around her neck.

“Good,” I sighed. “Now we just need to figure out how to get out of here.”

“Is Scerine okay?” I asked Brax. I heard noise from Scerine but it was barely audible.

“Sounds like her armour shut down,” Brax replied

I un-roped Scerine from Brax and levitated her down, I opened her visor. Scerine was conscious. “Thank goodness you’re alive,” Scerine said, her charcoal face full of relief. “Err, my armour shut down,” Scerine said with a strange laugh. Do you mind rebooting me?”

I plugged my Pipbuck into her armour and restarted it. After about a minute she could move again. “Ow, my ankle” she muttered as she got shakily to her hooves.

“Are you alight?” I asked.

“Yeah, that spell kinda felt like being hit with a huge piece of hot metal, I think I did more damage to my hoof,” she replied.

“I’ll take a look at it soon,” Alyshia promised. “We just need to get out of here.”

“We can use that,” Midnight suggested pointing to an old carriage painted in white with a peeling red cross.

Alyshia blinked. “Is that an old pegasi pulled ambulance that I see?”

“Lucky,” I said with a grin. “We need to get going.”

“What about DJ Pon-3’s relay tower?” Brax reminded us.

“Oh fuck,” I sighed remembering the promise I made to Homage. “Yes we need to fix that first.”

“Relay tower?” Scerine asked. “I can do that, what’s it for?”

“The radio,” I replied. “Homage asked me to fix it while we were here, I couldn’t refuse as she gave us the information that lead us here.”

“I’m on it,” Scerine said. “Where is it?”

I looked at my Pipbuck and found the mark Homage had left on it. “Meep can you please take Scerine to the relay tower?”

Meep obeyed, taking the map from my pipbuck and the duo took to the air.

“Hey Scerine!” I shouted after she took off. She stopped for a moment looking back at me. “Thanks.” I said with a smile. Scerine simply saluted and left us.

Midnight and Brax were to be found under the ambulance, probably trying to determine if it still worked. “You were brave,” Alyshia suddenly said. She placed a hoof on my shoulder and I looked up at her. “You took that- those spells for us. You’re a faster runner than myself and Brax and you kept yourself at the back. That last one, I could see how much you cared when you threw that shield up.”

I looked at her, Alyshia’s face was bloody from the previous day, her blue eyes glassy and she looked pretty shell shocked. “I did what I had to,” I replied. “I couldn’t defeat her, she’s much too powerful.”

“You don’t realise how powerful you actually are Amethyst,” Alyshia said with a little smile. “Not in the way you’re thinking either. In the way you hold yourself, there aren’t that many ponies that would take a hit for another.”

“I’ve always put you guys first,” I said feeling confused.

“The power of friendship,” Alyshia told me. “Is the most powerful I have seen. Twilight wasn’t with her friends, she was by herself. Even if she’s an illusion, she was the shell of herself without her friends. You defeated her spell with your will to protect us.”

I shrugged. “I was protecting myself as much as you guys.”

“That might be true,” Alyshia replied. “But you still sought our protection.”

“She’s a go’er,” Midnight interrupted as she came out from the underneath of the ambulance.

“Now we just need to wait for Scerine to get back,” Brax put in.

* ** ** ** *

Scerine was back after about an hour. She landed awkwardly on the roof, her right forehoof not touching the ground. “Done,” Scerine said happily. “We can go now.”

“I’ll fly,” Midnight said. Midnight hesitated for a second before walking over to Scerine. “Look,” Midnight said. “I know I’ve been hard on you but…” she hesitated again. “I owe you one for what you did down there.”

“It’s no problem,” Scerine said.

“Amethyst might just be right about you,” Midnight finished before turning to me and handing over the water talisman, she then turned her back and strapped herself to the front of the ambulance.

It was then that we all boarded the ambulance, Brax having removed the useless stuff to make room. Once the door was shut Midnight took off. Scerine got out of her armour at the insistence of Alyshia to look at her forehoof. “Are you okay?” I asked the charcoal coloured pegasus.

“Should be,” Scerine replied as Alyshia scanned the injured limb. “So what now?” Scerine asked.

“We gotta take this home first,” I said holding the precious object in my magic to show it off. “Anyway, I should probably…” I placed the talisman in my saddlebags which were now on the floor.

Alyshia patched up Scerine and she was free to move around. I was half asleep at the back, trying to forget that place. The dark, the zombies, the dark illusion of Twilight Sparkle. I wanted to forget that place forever, despite finally having my prize it was marred by what I had seen. I felt Scerine’s foreleg wrap around my shoulders and she let my head fall on her shoulder. Darkness fell away and I slipped into darkness.

* ** ** ** *

I opened my eyes. My head was resting on Scerine’s shoulders still, she was awake and our eyes locked for a moment. Without realizing what I was doing I nuzzled her, in return she pushed a piece of stray manky black hair out of my left eye. I felt at ease with her here, her green eyes full of life and warmth. “How long have we been flying for?” I asked, my eyes on hers.

“About and two and a half hours,” Scerine replied. “Midnight’s going to drop soon as the light is starting to fade.”

I nodded, it would be nice once we got back to the stable but that won’t be till tomorrow at the very least. A hot shower would be first on my to-do list. I knew I had a huge decision to make soon, to stay or to go. I thought back to Alyshia telling me that I could demand to come and go in exchange for the talisman. It was defiantly an option and I could visit every now and then. I pushed the thoughts from my mind, which was a decision for later.

After about half an hour, Midnight began to drop, clearly finding a place to land. It didn’t take long and I felt a slight bump as the wheels touched the ground. Scerine and I got to our hooves and I strapped my saddlebags in place. Alyshia and Brax had fallen asleep on opposite ends of the carriage. I shook Alyshia awake. “We’ve landed,” I told her.

Alyshia yawned. “Goodie,” she replied, getting to her hooves. Scerine woke Brax and we all disembarked. I took a look around. We had landed near a steep incline, a large pony made cave imbedded within.

It was starting to get dark. I spotted Midnight stretching her wings. “I can’t tell you how glad I am that this trip to that Hospital is over,” Midnight said happily. “Never again…”

“I concur,” I replied. ‘So we’re sleeping here tonight?”

“Yep,” Midnight said. “Then tomorrow we’ll try and make the full leg to your stable.” I nodded and that’s when Midnight approached me. “So?” she asked. “Are you staying or are you coming to live in Cantal?”

I rubbed my left foreleg in nervousness. “I’m not really sure,” I sighed. “I’m leaning more on the coming to Cantal side butt I won’t know for sure until I get home.”

Midnight held a hoof to my shoulder. “I’ll support you no matter the decision. So long as you come visit.”

I smiled. “Defiantly.”

As the sky began to go from dark grey to black we entered the cave, it had a concrete floor but the rest of the cave was natural rock. Hanging from the cave ceiling about five meters high were light’s that no longer worked or had no electricity. Nothing on my EFS showed that something else lived here, which was a relief. Once we were about thirty meters in we stopped. Brax dropped lumber on the ground and proceeded to light a fire. It didn’t take long and a small fire was crackling away, providing warmth in this cold dry cave. I took my saddlebags off and dumped them to the side before dropping to my haunches.

Alyshia cooked some dinner, Brax was eating right out of the can. Midnight had a packet of jerky *Shudder* and Scerine pulled out a bunch of grapes and an apple. Scerine passed the apple to me. I hesitated, not wanting to take such luxurious food from her. “You can take it,” Scerine pushed.

I took the apple and bit into it. It was juicy, like the ones back home. I hadn’t eaten food like this for ages. “I missed fresh food,” I sighed as I polished it off, core and all.

“We can’t wait to taste some,” Alyshia said as she stirred herbs and beans together. “Does the stable have apples?”

I nodded. “They have many produce, the earth ponies do the growing. I think there are ten varieties of fruit and another ten of vegetables.”

The apple was by no means enough for dinner so Alyshia served up a portion of the cooked meal to me. It was a little spicy but that hid the taste of ancient food so it wasn’t too bad. Not as good as the apple though.

* ** ** ** *

After dinner I took a long draught of water before placing it back in my saddlebags. Scerine tapped me on the shoulder. “Do you want to go for a walk?” she asked nervously.

I nodded. “Sure,” I said before getting to my hooves, igniting my horn as I did so.

Scerine and I walked slowly to the mouth of the cave. She seemed to be going slow on purpose and she hadn’t said a word since we left. She looked nervous for one, but what, I couldn’t tell. What could she be so nervous about?

We exited the cave and that’s when she stopped. I looked Scerine full in the face and she looked like she was going to pass out. “Scerine, what’s up?” I asked.

She took a deep breath and tried to say something but nothing came out from her muzzle. She was starting to make me feel nervous too. She took another deep breath before finally saying. “Can you close your eyes for me?”

“Oh sure,” I said before closing my eyes. What was this about?

“I need to tell you something,” Scerine said nervously.

“Sure what is it?” I asked curiously.

“Happy Birthday.”

What? Is that it? She dragged me all the way out here to say Happy Birthday? I was about to open my eyes when I felt something soft touch my lips. I literally felt my heart jump a thousand miles into the air. Was this happening? I must be dreaming, this kind of stuff only happens in dreams. I kissed her back, it was the most wonderful thing I have ever felt. Scerine held a hoof to my temple to prevent my mane from flopping down in the way. After what felt like an hour we broke apart. I opened my eyes and Scerine was smiling. “I had to tell you how I felt,” Scerine finally said. “I’m glad you feel the same way.” I threw myself at her and gave her a strong hug. She placed her hooves behind my head and held me tight.

“I’m glad you found me,” I finally said.

“I’m glad too,” Scerine said quietly. “We had best get back though or they’ll begin to worry.” I nodded and we broke apart. I had a spring in my step as we walked back, as I’m sure Scerine did as well. I found my special somepony, finally I found her. I dipped my horn as we came back to the fire, Scerine and I sitting together.

“What are you two chirpy about?” Brax asked.

“Nothing,” I said in a squeak.

Scerine nodded to confirm. “Nothing.”

Alyshia was smiling in a knowingly sort of way, she knew what had happened and she struggled to keep her composure as a thousand questions were clearly on the tip of her tongue. Midnight didn’t seem to care as she chewed on her meat meal.

Alyshia shook her head and looked down at Midnight. “How in Celestia’s name do you eat that Midnight?” Alyshia asked.

Midnight shrugged. “It’s salty,” she said, her mouth full of dry beef.

Alyshia looked back and at me and finally she couldn’t contain it. “Do you mind if I borrow Amethyst for a moment?” she asked Scerine.

Scerine cocked her head as to why Alyshia was asking her that, she finally gave a single nod.

Alyshia pulled me to my hooves and marched me just beyond earshot of the others. “You two kissed didn’t you?” she asked, her voice full of excitement and hope.

I rubbed my foreleg nervously with the other. I finally said “Yes,” my mouth twisting into a smile.

Alyshia squeed. “How was it?”

“It was great,” I said excitedly. “Scerine really likes me.”

“Ohh I’m so happy for you,” Alyshia cried. “So you two are an item them?”

“Yeah I think so,” I said. “That’s how Scerine put it anyway.”

Alyshia managed to calm down. “Okay, let’s get back.”

“Actually, Alyshia,” I said. “Can you keep this quite, only until I get around to telling Midnight?”

“Sure, just don’t leave it too long,” she said.

I nodded and with that we returned. I sat back down next to Scerine. “What did she want?” she whispered in my ear.

“She knew we kissed, our faces gave it away,” I whispered back. “I told her to keep it quite though, at least until I can get around to telling Midnight. I’m not sure how she’ll take it.”

“Good idea,” Scerine whispered back.

The rest of the evening was spent recounting tales back at the hospital, everything from the zombies, to the elevator, to Twilight. Before we knew it, it was time for bed. "I just need to go to the toilet,” I said to Scerine. “I’ll be right back.”

I went deeper into the cave to do my business, the rocky walls of the cave however turned into towering columns of forty four gallon drums, their surfaces dusty. I stopped and glanced at a barrel at eye height. I placed a hoof on the label and ran it across the surface.

Impelled Metamorphosis Po-

My hoof sunk into the barrel, it was like it was paper thin. I pulled my hoof back and green sludge emptied at my hooves. I took a step back. My forehoof covered in the green stuff. Without warning the barrel I touched collapsed under the others and the barrels fell over me.

“Amethyst?” I heard Alyshia scream.

I was lying in the green muck, it began to burn and prickle violently, as if my skin was bubbling. It felt wrong, I tried to get up but I came crashing back to the ground in a dull slop. The burning sensation was getting stronger.

“Alyshia,” I cried out. “Help.”

I was finally pulled from the muck, I had no energy and the burning and prickling sensations were painful. Alyshia’s horn glowed and everything went black.

* ** ** ** *

I opened my eyes and was staring at a ceiling, the familiar beep beep beep sound filling my ears. I felt somepony holding my hoof. I looked to my right and Scerine was sleeping, her head against the bed and my hoof wrapped in hers. I remembered the kiss. That amazing kiss that she gave me. I was taken back to the strange and painful burning and prickling sensation. So that must have hospitalized me, I thought. I felt a strange sensation on my back but that could be from the exposure to that chemical. I pushed it out of my mind. “Scerine?” I pulled my hoof out of hers and placed it on her foreleg. “Scerine?”

Scerine woke up. It took her a moment to register that I was awake but once she did her muzzle spread into a wide smile. “Welcome back,” she said.

“Glad to be back,” I replied.

Chapter 23: The Mutation

Chapter 23: The Mutation

Scerine was playing with Meep while I watched. She admitted they nearly left him behind when they threw me in the back of the ambulance. I was yet to be seen by a doctor since I woke but it was pleasant to lay here and watch my marefriend pet Meep. “Where are the others?” I asked.

“Oh they’re asleep,” Scerine replied taking her eyes off of Meep to look at me. I checked my Pipbuck and it was one in the morning.

“Don’t you need rest too?” I said, glancing at her tired green eyes.

Scerine smiled warningly. “Maybe in an hour or so,” Scerine said. “I want to make sure you’re seen first.”

No sooner had she said it a familiar looking stallion doctor entered the curtained area. “Sorry,” he apologized. “It’s been pretty flat out and-“

“It’s alright,” I laughed.

“Well you made it past a week since I last saw you,” Doctor Cascade said. “At least the prognosis is a little better.”

“I’m sure you’ve already found out about the ahh, mutation?” the doctor asked as he was writing notes.

“Mutation?” I asked. “What mutation?”

“The ahh, wings,” the Doctor said.

I glared at the doctor; may be they were over working this guy. “Sorry doc but I’m a unicorn,” I said with confusion.

I felt the sheets pull off the top half of my body. My bruised body seemed normal enough. I looked at my sides and my heart jumped into my throat and not in a good way. I had a pair of feathery wings at my sides, they weren't as white as my coat, they had a grey underlay to them which made the colour a strange milky grey; the left was noticeably smaller than the other. My first instinct was to clap my forehooves to my forehead and they hit my horn painfully. “This can’t be happening,” I gasped and I began to hyperventilate.

Scerine placed a hoof on my shoulder. “It’s okay,” she said softly, rubbing my shoulder. I took a deep breath, trying to calm down. “Hey,” Scerine said. “Don’t painic, it’s okay. You’re alive.”

I nodded and shook my head. I was unsure if I was fine with this. “So I’m an Alicorn now?” I asked looking at the doctor.

“No, I don't think so” Doctor Cascade said. “We thought about that too but the Doc who helps in the Twilight Society ran some tests and you don’t seem to exhibit any magic qualities of either pegasi or earth ponies.

“Which means?” Scerine asked.

“It means that you can’t fly and you don’t have superior strength to any other unicorn.” the Doctor said. “Look, I don’t know much about the fundamentals of pony magic. I can have a meeting arranged with sompony from the Society if you wish.”

“Okay,” I responded, “please do, I want to know what happened to me.”

“I’m sure you do,” Doctor Cascade replied. “Now, as for everything else, it appears your body is functioning normally to say the least. To which you are relatively lucky. We’ll keep you for a day for analysis but I don’t recommend you go too far for at least three days.”

“Can you amputate them?” I asked.

The Doctor gave a smile. “We don’t amputate healthy tissue Amethyst, I’m sure you’ll get used to them.”

The doctor gave a little bow and left us.

“I think they look cute on you,” Scerine said as she booped my nose with a hoof.

I spread my wings out to attempt to imitate a mutant monster but instead Scerine copped a face full on wing. “Oops, Sorry,” I gasped as I quickly retracted them. Meep jumped up in alarm but he settled back down on the bed post.

“You’re going to need to get used to them,” Scerine said as she rubbed her nose. “Luckily I got the small one in the face huh?”

I gave a light snicker. I noticed that Scerine’s presence, the fact that she was here for me, made something that I would be angry and upset about funny. “You teally don’t mind them?” I finally asked.

Scerine waved a hoof. “Don’t be silly. Anyway, it’ll certainly make things a bit more interesting in the bedroom. I don’t know much about horn play.”

I felt my face heat up as the conversation went into that territory. I wasn’t sure if she was joking or was being serious. “I hadn’t- really thought about it like that,” I managed to say.

Scerine looked like she was going to laugh. “I could fry an egg on your face. I was kidding. I don’t care. I’ll love you no matter what.” I gave her a soft smile but my face still felt like a tomato. It would have been very awkward if Alyshia had heard that. “I might go and get some sleep,” Scerine said as she got up. “I’ll tell the others you’re awake in the morning.”

“Okay,” I said. “Thanks as well Scerine.”

She leant across my bed and gave me a kiss. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

“Okay, goodnight,” I said.

“Night,” and she was gone. It was now just me and Meep who fluttered onto my sheets. The dragonfly seemed happy; his wings reflected the light from the lights above. I pulled my sheets back over myself. With Scerine here, she made me feel better about myself, now I was starting to mull over how much my body didn’t feel like my body any more. If I had it my way I would just be me. “I guess it’s the price I have to pay for my idiocy,” I said out loud. I should never have touched those barrels. Rule 101 of the wasteland. Don’t touch unknown objects.

I sighed. I guess it would be a good idea to get some rest, lest I throw out my body clock out too.

* * * * *

I had Meep resting on my chest, the little dragonfly was enjoying a nice little pat. I tried to keep my thoughts from straying to my strange alteration. I didn’t have a lot else to do as I had been awake for an hour and nopony had shown yet. I checked my Pipbuck. It was eight am. Where was everypony?

“Oh Meep, how did I end up here? I’d be back home otherwise,” I said to the little dragonfly. Meep gave a sad beep. “Well, I spose I’ve made my mind up about that anyway but it still doesn’t make it any easier.” Meep blinked and shook his double tail. “The guys back home are going to get a kick out of seeing you.”

“Who me?” Scerine said as she popped through the curtains.

I laughed. “Good to see you,” I said looking up to the pegasus. The curtain moved again and Alyshia came into view. “Hey,” I said flashing her a smile.

“Hey you,” she said. “How’re you feeling?”

“I dunno really, just a bit shell shocked still,” I replied. “Where’s Midnight and Brax?”

“They’ll be in soon,” Alyshia said. “I’m sure that everything will feel right again soon,” she added.

I gave a half assed nod. “Well, more of me you have to patch together I s’pose,” I said hoping to make a joke of it.

Alyshia’s mouth twitched into a smile. “To be truthful, I thought you’d be angry and upset,” Alyshia said taking a seat.

“Well, I can’t be angry because you guys saved me,” I replied flatly. “If it’s the price I have to pay for the talisman than I guess I got off lightly.”

Alyshia shifted in her seat uncomfortably. Something was up. “What is it?” I asked.

“About that,” Alyshia muttered as she pulled something from her Saddlebags. “With the dim light and everything, we couldn’t see it. Midnight was checking it over the night we came back. But it’s uhh.” Alyshia passed it over in her magic and I collected it in my hooves. “It’s cracked,” she said with a flinch. Scerine was taken aback, she was obviously not shared this information either.

I held the talisman in the light and moved it from side to side. A hairline fracture glistened in the light that ran below the surface. I sat back against the pillow, losing the fight in me. I just couldn’t do this anymore. I passed it back over to Alyshia without saying anything.

Scerine rubbed my forehoof but I couldn’t feel anything. The talisman wasn’t useless, it just meant that the fight wasn’t over and I had to be honest with myself. I was exhausted already and the desire to give up was strong. I felt a sob coming on but I absorbed it as I refused to show weakness to Alyshia and Scerine.

Scerine must have seen my chin tremble because she said; “We might leave you to it.” She glanced at Alyshia for a second then turned her attention to me. “I have some news but I’ll share it with you when we come back.”

I nodded and they left me. I lasted about a minute but finally I broke down into uncontrollable sobs, my tears leaking down my face for the first time in what has felt like an eternity. This trip was stretching out more than it needed too. I just wanted the pain to go away; I couldn’t take much more of this. Meep fluttered down onto my chest and curled up into a ball. I touched his metal head, tears still streaming. “I don’t want to keep doing this,” I choked. How much more pain did I have to take? How much more danger did I need to put my friends in? Can this get any worse? I wiped my eyes on the sheets and I began to deep breaths to calm down.

No, I thought. It can be worse, I could be dead, we could have no talisman at all. Twilight could have killed Scerine. We were all alive. We’ll still go back to Stable eighty six; it’s just that the talisman isn’t exactly in the condition I was hoping it to be in. I bought the stable more time. I had to remain strong. Once we leave, it’ll be to Fillydelphia to steal one from Red-Eye. I gave off a huge sigh and fell back to my pillow, my eyes still sticky from tears.

* * * * *

Midnight and Brax came to visit about an hour after my little tantrum. “Howdy,” Midnight greeted.

“Good to see you awake,” Brax said.

“Hey,” I said looking up at the duo.

“Have you been crying?” Midnight asked as she leant over my bed to get a closer look at my face. I nodded, deciding it was best to be honest. “I swear if Scerine did this I’ll-“

“No, no,” I said waving my hooves. “Alyshia told me about the talisman being damaged,”

“Oh,” Midnight turned red. “Sorry.”

“It’s okay, hang on what made you think Scerine made me cry?” I burst out.

Midnight looked confused. “She didn’t tell you?”

“Tell me what?”

“She told me about you and her on the ride here,” Midnight started. “At first I was pretty pissed, especially that she had little commitment here and her background....” Midnight paused, her lips pursed but she continued. “But then when I thought about it, she was willing to take a bullet for me, so to what end would she go to protect you?” Midnight gave a small smile. "I thought maybe she did something to you to make you upset, like pay you out for your mutation or something. Midnight paused. "But I swear if she hurts you, I’ll make sure she regrets it.”

“Why though?” I asked. “I’m sure I can handle it myself,” I said raising an eyebrow.

“Well you see, I like to think of you as my little sister,” Midnight said as she ruffled my mane with a hoof. “And it’s my job to protect you.”

I blushed. “Well, I see,” I said with a laugh. I looked over at the stallion who was looking bored. “What say you Brax?” I asked.

“Don’t forget to lock the door,” the stallion said simply.

I facehoofed. Great, here come the jokes.

“Speaking of which, where is she now?” Brax asked. “I thought she was up here with you?”

I shook my head. “They left not long after they told me about the talisman. Truth be told, I’m glad they did,” I ended with a sigh.

“Must be a lot to take in eh?” Midnight said sympathetically.

“Yeah it is,” I said. “I’ll get over it, I’ll get used to these and we’ll find another talisman. “

Midnight smiled. “That’s the spirit.” She leaned in closer, her muzzle in my ear. “Any idea where we’re going to find another you know what? “She whispered

“I have ideas,” I mumbled. “I’ll tell you when we get out of here.”

Midnight withdrew. “Okay,” she said.

The curtain moved again and Ayshia and Scerine were back. Scerine facehoofed. “You beat me to it didn’t you?” She muttered.

“Yep,” Midnight replied.

Scerine deflated slightly. “It’s alright,” I said with a light laugh. Alyshia was about to say something when the curtain moved again and two stallions entered the curtains area. It was now very crowded around my bed. Doctor Cascade was back and by his side was a dark beige earth stallion. “Amethyst, this is Doctor Helpinghoof.”

“Uh hi,” I said to the stallion.

“I’ll leave you two at it then,” and with that Doctor Cascade was off.

“You probably don’t know it but we’ve met,” Doctor Helpinghoof said casually.

I raised an eyebrow. “He treated your morphine addition,” Alyshia chipped in.

“Oh, yeah, the one you didn’t tell me about,” I said heavily. “Is that standard practice here?” I asked the doctor.

“Quite,” he said lazily. “Anyway, I’m here to fill you in on your mutation, some of my information is confidential” he glanced at his clipboard. “So I’ll ask that your friends wait for you outside.” Alyshia gave a little smile and left, Midnight and Brax followed but Scerine didn’t move. “Madam, I’ll have to ask-“

“I’m not going anywhere,” Scerine said defiantly.

“What’s your relation?” Doctor Helpinghoof asked calmly.

“She’s my girlfriend,” Scerine said with a stomp of her hoof, a hint of anger in her voice.

“Right, fine you can stay but I ask that you please stay quiet and allow Amethyst here to answer and ask any questions,” he said. “So,” he began turning to me. “I take you know how you got here?”

“Yeah, I got covered in some impelled metamorphosis stuff,” I said. “A ton of barrels containing that stuff fell on me.”

“Well by any rate, you would probably better know it as taint,” Doctor Helpinghoof informed. “You’re friend Alyshia was quick to treat you, luckily too.”

“Where did the taint come from?” I asked, the question jumping from my mouth without thought.

Doctor Helpinghoof sighed. It was created during the war. It was a weapon to be used against the zebras. The intention was to transform unicorns into Alicorns, complete with Alicorn magic.” He paused. “Twilight Sparkle headed the creation of the Impelled Metamorphosis Potion, but the creation of such a potion resulted in many failed batches that were stored away in caves. Ultimately it got out into the environment as proven with Splendid Valley.” He looked at me intently. “You may look, but you are not an Alicorn,” he said. “Your magic aura is no different to any other unicorn, so you’re flightless, you’re just a-“

“Mutated Unicorn?” I finished heavily for him.

“Well, if you choose to use those words?” He said.

“It won’t be just me using those words, I could hear them on your tongue, and the others” I growled as I started to get angry.

“Hey, it’s okay,” Scerine said. “I’ll be by your side okay?”

I nodded, and crossed my hooves.

“As I was saying,” Doctor Helpinghoof continued. “You’re just a regular unicorn.” He waited for a few seconds for more questions but I had none left. I just wanted to go. “Well if that is all, I’ll prepare your discharge papers.”

“That’s all,” I said, “Thanks.”

* * * * *

I was finally discharged, the others were gone and Scerine began to walk me back to the place they were staying. Now that I was out of bed, I felt strange, Something just didn’t feel right, I could feel the weight of my wings at my sides, the right one being heavier than the left and it made me feel lopsided but I wasn’t sure if that was it, my pipbuck also felt slightly loose. I looked up at Scerine to ask how her wings felt but I stopped in my tracks. Scerine was taller, my shoulder came up to her the bow in her back, and the tip of my horn was barely extended above her brow level. Now I came to think of it, it wasn’t only the lopsided feeling that contributed to me feeling odd, the ground was closer as well.

Scerine stopped too. “Is something wrong?” Scerine looked at me full in the face and for a moment she looked taken aback. “Amethyst, you look-“

“Smaller?” I finished softly. “Great,” I said as I began to move again. “I was already small, now I’m tiny.”

“I’m surprised I didn’t notice when you got out of bed,” Scerine said. “But now I look at it, you’ve shrunk by at least half a horn length.”

“Please don’t,” I growled. Scerine backed off a bit. I wasn’t in the mood. She might mean the best but I was really not in the mood.

It wasn’t long and we were entering the room that we were staying. The room was a little larger than the last one we stayed at, Two lounged were placed around a long coffee table and a large dining table was set against the divider to the kitchen. Four doors led to different rooms. There was only one other pony in the room. It was Alyshia. “Hey girls, discharged I take it?” Alyshia beamed and then she looked at the two of us. Her smile faltered. “Amethyst what happened?”

“Yeah, glad to see you’ve noticed,” I snapped. “Not only will I get mistaken as a freak, I’ll be mistaken as a foal too. Exactly what I need.”

I stormed into the nearest bedroom and slammed the door shut before throwing myself into bed. I lay on my side, tears leaked down my face but no sobs came. Anger ebbed away leaving me feeling rather empty. I thought I felt alien in my body but that was an understatement. It felt like I was pushed through that body swap machine but this time it wasn’t reversible. I heard the door open and close before the weight of somepony sitting behind me. I wanted to tell them to go away but the words never formed on my lips. I felt my fringe part as a hoof shifted it; it was followed by a kiss just below the base of my horn. I saw the snow white mane of Scerine. She withdrew but she didn’t leave the bed.

“I’m sorry,” I finally said. “I shouldn’t be taking this out on you.”

“No you shouldn’t,” Scerine said. “I’m here to support you, I’m not going to laugh at you or think you’re a mutant.”

“Sorry,” I said again.

“Don’t be,” Scerine said. “I’d be upset too, just please don’t take it out on us.”

“I won’t,” I replied. I rolled over do my muzzle was centimeters from Scerine’s. “I know you love me, no matter what. You told me back in hospital.” Scerine wrapped a forehoof around my body and pulled me to her.

“I do love you,” Scerine agreed. “I just need you to be open with me.”

I nuzzled her neck. “I will,” I said softly.

* * * * *

Scerine and I left the room about half an hour later. Alyshia had my dress folded over the couch, my saddlebags lay at the foot of the coffee table. “What’re you doing?” I asked.

“We’re selling your dress,” Alyshia replied. “It won’t fit you anymore. We’ll need to go down later and get you some barding and some new clothes. We’re running a bit short on caps so if you can find anything to sell, please do.”

“Good luck finding something that fits me,” I sighed.

“We’re getting your stuff custom made if we can't find anything, it’s hard to buy clothes to accommodate wings so we really don’t have much choice, “Alyshia said sadly. "Unless of course somepony could modify something for us."

Nock Nock Nock

I turned tail and opened the door magically. Just beyond the treshold was Homage; she was wearing a simple deep blue dress. “Uhh Hi,” I said stepping aside so she could come in. I closed the door magically behind her.

“Hey,” Homage said. “I was just stopping by to say thanks for fixing the relay tower.”

“It’s no problem,” I replied. “Although I shouldn’t get the credit, Scerine fixed it.”

Homage glanced at the pegasus and gave her a nod of thanks. “Did you get what you need?” she asked.

“Well, not really. The talisman is damaged,” I said sadly.

“Damn,” Homage said sadly. “If you need more help, or if there’s anything you need, just let me know.”

“Actually Homage there is,” Alyshia piped up. “Where do you buy your clothes?”

“Oh, I get them custom made at Hamlet’s Dresses down stairs, it’s hard to find clothes in my size,” Homage said with a little laugh. "They do modifications as well."

“Yeah we were wondering, because Amethyst is well…” Alyshia said. “She’s small.”

Homage turned to me and I frowned. We were almost the same size; I probably had a hair strand on her still though. Homage didn’t say anything about how I looked; she probably held similar feelings to me regarding her size. “Yeah, Hamlet’s will do you fine,” she said with a smile. “I have a spare dress if you like; you seem to be about my size.”

“Sure, thanks Homage,” Alyshia said. “It would be nice to have something to work from.”

“I’ll be back after lunch then, DJ Pon-3 is probably wondering where I am,” she said finally.

“Thanks Homage,” I said as I let her out. “No problem,” she said with a smile. With that, she was gone.

“Well that was some good news,” Alyshia said.

I nodded. I decided to push those negative feelings about my transformation to the back of my head. Homage seemed content, why couldn't I?

* * * * *

I was down in Hamlet’s dresses; Homage gave me a black silk dress that ended in a point at the back. The dress was low cut at the forehooves and the front wrapped around my chest firmly. The seamstress was adding pins to the back to show where she’ll need to make the alterations as my wings were trapped beneath and this made the dress very tight around the sides.

“That’s a lovely dress,” Alyshia commented, “It compliments your mane and once the holes are in it’ll be more comfortable no?”

I nodded in agreement. “Dear, we’ll need to remove the dress now,” the seamstress asked. Alyshia helped me out of my dress; I got prodded by a pin which hurt. Once the dress was removed the seamstress looked over the pins. “I’ll be about twenty minutes. “The Seamstress then took the garment away. Alyshia and I were left to browse the store.

Many of these dresses were worn but some were magnificent. The wedding dresses in particular were absolutely amazing. “I wonder if I’ll ever be married?” I sighed.

“I’m not sure dear,” Alyshia said quietly. “Those dresses are amazing though.”

“I guess it doesn’t really matter, they’re all too big for me anyway,” I said moving onto the next rack which was full of dinner dresses.

“You can have them altered,” Alyshia said. “We could pick one of these for you if you like?” She suggested. “It’ll be cheaper than getting a whole new one made.”

I shrugged and I began sifting through the dresses, Alyshia was looking as well. Most of the dresses would have been in Alyshia’s size or Scerine’s size but I couldn’t find anything for me. Alyshia’s horn sparked to life and she pulled out a sparkling dark purple dress. It was simple like the black one but it was very pretty. “It’s in your old size,” Alyshia said, “you can try this one and have it altered if you like?”

Next thing I knew Alyshia and I were in the changing rooms, the dress pulled over my head and clearly several sizes too large. “This is bullshit,” I growled as I lifted a hoof, the sleeve hanging over the tip of my hoof by an inch.

“Oh no it’s not Amethyst” Alyshia sighed. “Do you like it?”

“Yeah, I do,” I said as I looked in the cracked mirror. The dress was nice, the silk glittered in the light despite being a very dark purple. It was just a shame that the dress fell around my frame. “We’ll just get it resized,” I said as I wrestled the dress off. Once we were done in the changing room the black dress was ready.

“Can we get this one sized to the same dimensions?” Alyshia asked as she paid for the alteration on the black dress. The seamstress nodded, she checked the dress size. “That’ll be fifty caps for that one.”

Alyshia nodded.

“Come back in about two hours, it should be ready then, you can pay then as well,” the seamstress said. “You’re welcome to use the changing rooms to change into your dress as well darling” she said addressing me.

I changed into my new dress, complete with two holes in the back. Alyshia helped me into the dress as well as to guide my poorly coordinated wings into the holes. Once I was in my dress it felt comfortable, light as air and it flowed well over my back, the dark silk reflected the light and matched my mane to a tee. I looked in the mirror and moved around. The dress fit perfectly, I stretched my wings out and back in and the feathers weren’t catching or preventing movement. I smiled at Alyshia. “Perfect,” I said.

“We should get your barding next, we should probably pick up Brax as well,” Alyshia informed. “He needs some barding too.”

* * * * *

We were on the way back down stairs after picking up Brax from our room. I was getting odd looks from other ponies but I did my best to ignore them. It was the first time I had seen Brax since I left the hospital. “I like your dress,” he said, “It really suits you.”

“Uhh, thanks,” I said with a smile. He hadn’t said anything else about my appearance. Maybe he already knew? “Where’s Midnight?” I asked.

“She’s looking for a new gun, her left one is shotty,” he replied. “We might see her while we’re there.” That just left Scerine but I knew where she was, she went out for lunch and a browse. Brax took us to the Gun and Armour shop, sure enough Midnight was browsing for weapons. I sidled up to her and tapped her on the shoulder. She went to look at me and then looked down. “I didn’t notice that your mutation included loss of height too,” Midnight said.

“”Apparently so,” I sighed. “But that doesn’t matter, what’re you buying?”

“Well, I dunno, I think I should replace both guns but I don’t want anything too powerful, it disrupts flight,” Midnight replied.

Oh,” I said as I glanced at the arsenal of rifles she was looking at.

“Amethyst, we’re here to buy barding,” Alyshia called. “Come on.”

“Oh right sorry,” I muttered, “Coming!”

Alyshia took me to the light weight barding section. I doubted anything here would fit but apparently I was wrong as Alyshia pulled out a small set of barding made of light grey cut soft leather, the brownish inner wool fur protruded slightly at the neck and cuffs for extra warmth. Alyshia measure it up against me. It looked about my size. Alyshia unzipped the barding and placed it around my body and zipped it back up. It felt comfortable around the legs and front but the thing was crushing my sides. I unzipped it. “It fits but not with these,” I said as I ruffled my feathers.

“That’s okay filly we can get that modified,” a gruff stallion said. I looked for the voice and it belonged to an earth stallion, he had let his facial hair grow a bit too much, he wore a grey Stetson and a brown vest. He took the barding, “It’ll only be an extra ten caps for the modification, total of eighty caps.”

“Sounds fair,” I replied. “When can we pick it up?”

He looked at the barding. “Should only take about ten minutes, otherwise, feel free to browse.”

* * * * *

We had finished shopping and were just about to enter the room when I heard a stallion’s voice. This was odd, considering Brax was right next to us. I then heard Scerine’s voice say angrily and loudly “So what, Brand me then, I’m not going.”

Alyshia looked at me and I shrugged,

“What’s going on in there I wonder?” Brax growled with curiosity.

“Let’s find out,” Midnight chipped in.

“Well,” Alyshia sighed as she inserted the key. The door swung open to reveal Scerine and a grey pegasus stallion with a greying blue mane in an heated argument with the younger pegasus. Scerine was red in the face and she was standing defiantly. The stallion turned, unlike Scerine he appeared calm and collected, he looked intimidating and that was made worse by the grey vest he was wearing that jangled with war metals. “So you must be Scerine’s friends,” the stallion said calmly.

“This is my father,” Scerine sighed. “Dad, this is Alyshia,” Scerine pointed a hoof at the purple unicorn, Midnight, Brax and Amethyst,” she said finally pointing to me.

“Well, it’s good to see you’ve been getting on so well with the ponies down here,” Scerine’s Dad said before turning back to her. “But you have to come back, the higher ups will begin asking questions and we can’t jeopardize your place in the team.”

“Oh Dad, all I did was patrol clouds and other mundane work, that wasn't helping anypony. At least down here I’m helping,” Scerine snapped back. “I’m not going back, and I’m not working under that stupid bitch, enlist me as ground crew or something, the only other choice you have is to brand me and I’ll be gone for good. The enclave isn’t doing Anything down here so I might as well do it myself...”

I looked shiftily at the others and as if we were all thinking the same thing we all moved into the nearest bedroom.

"You're thinking like a dashite," Scerine's dad said calmly with a shake of his head. "This is-"

Once the door was closed I cringed. “I didn’t realize that Scerines Dad was so…” I trailed off trying to find the right word.

“Uptight,” Midnight finished for me. “See him wearing those medals, what war were they from? The one he didn’t fight?”

“Probably family heirlooms,” Alyshia said quietly. “They were probably passed down from the great war all those years ago. It looks like they have a military background.”

“Except Scerine doesn’t want in,” I sighed. “Why would her father come looking for her? I thought she was assigned down here?”

Midnight smirked. “Well… I think she did have an assignment down here but she took off.”

“Why though?” Brax growled. “Why would she want to live down here?”

“Oh Brax, you really are a stallion,” Alyshia said sympathetically.

I was as confused as Brax was as well. “She checked up on Amethyst at hospital remember?” Midnight said casually. “Ever since, she’s had the hots for Amethyst, if she wasn’t on assignment she would have been with us on the Luna line, so that answers your question. “

I’d call bullshit on what Midnight said as lesbian mares won’t do something like that when they don’t know the sexuality of the pony they’re going after. But then I remembered that I had blindly gone after Midnight even though she wasn’t attracted to mares so my original statement was mute. I’d also remembered that my sexuality is hardly a secret and Scerine could have picked something up at the hospital from one of my friends. But I could still call out the fact that Scerine didn’t really like me until we were a Newt’s place.

“It doesn’t help when your father is that guy,” I said quietly, pointing a hoof at the door. “He’s the complete opposite of my mother. She didn’t give two fucks about most things I did unless it refected badly on her.”

“Yeah, he probably makes Scerine salute him each morning,” Brax chuckled.

The door opened and Scerine came in. She looked hot and bothered but happy at the same time. “He’s gone,” she said with a heavy sigh. “Sorry about that,” she added.

“It’s okay, wait till you meet my mother,” I said with a laugh.

Scerine suppressed a giggle. “Anyway, how did it go?” Brax asked.

“He’s going to see if he can redraft me on ground duties,” Scerine replied. “I have to go back in a fortnight to check if it’s successful. I get to stay down here for now at least though,” Scerine finished.

“What happens if they don’t redraft you?” I asked feeling a little concerned. Last thing I wanted was for Scerine to get hurt.

Scerine actually laughed. “I run as fast as I can,” she replied.

Midnight raised an eyebrow. “As much as I don’t like you being part of the enclave if you get yourself killed…” Midnight shook her head. “Just think of the damage it’ll do to Amethyst.”

Scerine glared at Midnight. “This whole thing is so I can be with her,” Scerine snapped. “If the enclave is on my side, good, if not, you said it yourself. If I vanish, you’ll kill me anyway.”

“Okay stop,” I snapped, my feathers standing on end in annoyance. “Stop trying to protect me, I’m not eight. Scerine, do what you must. Midnight, I can handle myself. I’d rather have Scerine here with me but for fuck sake. Don’t get yourself in serious trouble for me okay?” I said with a glare at my girlfriend.

Both mares were taken aback at my outburst.

Scerine nodded once. Midnight said “Right,”

“Good,” I said.

* * * * *

Alyshia and I were on the way to DJ Pon-3’s office to see if we can book another session with her. I was hoping her extensive knowledge of the wasteland could snag us a non-broken water taslisman this time. “You know, you need to stop jumping down our throats,” Alyshia said. “You know we’re just trying to help you.”

“Yeah but when it happens over and over again,” I whinnied. “No, Scerine is her own mare but she can't risk herself for me. Midnight was out of line, and if Scerine needs to leave me to avoid a lifetime of looking over her shoulder then so be it.”

“She loves you, you know that?” Alyshia said. “That’s why she’s willing to risk everything.”

“But I don’t want her risking everything,” I growled with a flick of my tail.

“Amethyst, she’s an adult too you know, you say you don’t want to be treated like a foal? It sounds like you need to take a leaf out of your own book,” Alyshia sighed. “Being in love means making sacrifices.”

I looked down at the tiled floor. “But I love her too and I don’t want her putting herself before me.” I said weakly.

Alyshia gave me a soft smile. “Amethyst,” Alyshia said in a motherly sort of way. “Putting your partner before yourself is what love is all about. The fact that Scerine is willing to put the relationship of her father, her home and her job on the line for you is Scerine showing her love for you.”

I began to feel bad; “I’m not worth it,” I sighed. “I don’t know how to love.”

“Not wanting her to go through with it shows that you love her too,” Alyshia said warmingly. “You want to protect her, and that’s okay, but you need to support her decisions and only intervene if you need to.”

I looked up at Alyshia and gave her a small smile. “So I’m not loveless?” I asked.

Alyshia snickered. “Don’t be silly, you express your love in more. Uhh” Alyshia blushed slightly, “in a direct way.”

“So I should have sex with her?” I asked.

“Huh?” Alyshia shook her head,” No. I mean, only if you want to. What I meant was that you throw your feelings around. Scerine is more... bottled in. Notice that she hardly ever gets angry, when she shows affection she's much more subtle that you about it, when she is criticized by Midnight she absorbs it and doesn’t crack back, she doesn’t get upset or cry. “

I hadn’t noticed this, now that Alyshia pointed it out it made sense. I practically threw my affections at Midnight, Scerine was really nervous about showing her love despite cuddling me in Splendid Valley and even after the kiss she wanted to get out of there as soon as she could. Scerine hadn’t been angry at me once, I’ve already snapped at her about three times in the last twenty four hours. “I shouldn’t get so angsty towards her. I’ve taken my anger out on her a few times already.” I told Alyshia.

“Yeah, you should cut her some slack,” Alyshia said. “Okay, we’re here.”

Alyshia knocked twice and we waited. After about twenty seconds the door opened, revealing a grey unicorn. “Oh hey,” Homage greeted as she opened the door to let us in. “If you can make yourselves at home. I have biscuits,” Homage paused and glanced at the biscuit jar. “Oops, I think I’ve eaten a bit too many,” she laughed. The jar had about five biscuits left. We sat down at the table we were at last time and Homage refilled the jar. “That dress looks nice on you by the way,” she complimented.

“Thanks,” I replied. “I have to thank you for giving it to me.”

Homage stopped filling the jar and smiled at me. “You’re quite welcome. Truth be told, the black silk didn’t go to well with my coat.” Homage sat down and I took a biscuit.

“We were hoping to make a time to sort out where we might be able to find…” Alyshia trailed off and looked at me.

“I have time now,” Homage replied. “Next news update’s at nine so I don’t think DJ Pon-3 will need me for a little while.”

Homage reached out for a map and laid it across the table. “Well… I assume you don’t want to go back to Splendid Valley?”

We both shook our heads.

“Well, you have a few choices, we might out the Ministry of Magic building in Canterlot because you’re not getting in there and you’re not getting to the one here in Manehattan because of the Alicorns and the fact the building is too unstable.” Homage scanned the map. “There are various stables but I can’t tell if they’re operational or not…“ Homage thought for a moment. “Steel Rangers have lots but that’s too much,” Homage muttered.

I smiled. “Steel Rangers? They’re the ponies that horde technology?” I asked. “I wouldn’t feel bad stealing from them. I only need one.”

Homage frowned. “They’ve armed to the teeth with all sorts of weapons from the Ministry of War and Technology, there might be once but for the others you’re better off in Splendid Valley.” She sighed. “There is no easy way to get hold of an undamaged water talisman. So I’ll mark off these points.” Homage made a large X near Fillydelphia, another large X near Friendship City and finally the last X on Canterlot.

“Now, I don’t recommend Canterlot due to the Pink Cloud,” she replied. “You may be able to get in during a blizzard but I warn against it. The main issue you face here is that Pink Cloud hemorrhages the lungs and fuses anything that touches you to your skin.” Homage moved her hoof to the X at Friendship City. “There’s a stable here near Friendship City, It’s on the coast and I believe it’s not operational.”

I nodded.

Homage moved her hoof to Fillydelphia. “There’s a small base out here for the Steel Rangers, they may have a Talisman here. I don’t recommend going beyond the large steel walls as that’s where Red Eye’s slave camp is. Unless you want to die there, I don’t recommend going in.”

I nodded again and looked at Alyshia. “Friendship City then Fillydelphia, then Canterlot if that doesn’t work out?”

Alyshia frowned. “I’m not sure about Canterlot,” Alyshia said. “I mean…”

Homage grimaced. “You don’t have to go there. I only pointed out the best places that’s doable and not in Splendid Valley. You could go during a blizzard or when it’s raining, but even then it’s a huge pull, if the weather stops you’d be in massive danger. So maybe it’s worth crossing it off.”

“No,” I burst out. “No, keep it, it’s a last resort, we’ll go back to Dijoneigh and check the mines prior to checking Canterlot.”

Alyshia nodded and Homage made an X on Dijoneigh Mines. “Well, so I guess it’s to Friendship City first,” she said. “We get to see where Midnight grew up.

I hadn’t thought of that. “That’ll be great, if a little sad for her,” I replied. We’ll make a quick stop before we go to the stable. “Any idea of the number?” I asked.

“It’s uhh,” Homage looked at the X. “Stable Eighty Five.”

I took a double take on the map. Stable eighty five was quite literally as far away from eighty six as Fillydelphia was, in other words, many days of walking. Yet Stable two was like, an hour’s walk away from eighty six. Who in Celestia’s name chose these numbers?

Homage sighed. "It's a tough take to get a water talisman but I'm glad to have been of some help."

"You've been more than "of some help," you're a real life saver," I praised. "I'd be wandering around aimlessly without your help."

"Well then, I'm always happy to help," Homage said with a smile.

"Is there anything else we can do for your help," Alyshia piped up. "After all, we can't take your information for free. We'd feel guilty for taking advantage of your help."

I looked at Alyshia, I guess she was right. Homage had been invaluable and if there was anything I could do?

Homage smiled. "Actually, you could do me a favor. There is an old station across town with old records that I could really get my hooves on. Just be careful, the Alicorns have been around that area recently."

"That sounds simple enough, compared with where we came from," I said with a shrug. "We can do that, We'll drop them by before we head back to Eighty Six."

* * * *

Alyshia and I arrived back at the hotel room at around eight thirty. Scerine was the only pony home. When she saw me she smired and trotted over, "Hey cute stuff," she greeted.

I blushed. "I don't deserve that," I replied. "Sorry about being a royal bitch to you."

Scerine laughed. "Well, you were but you can make it up to me," she said. "Want to go downstairs for a few drinks?"

"I'm not sure if we have the caps," I said sadly.

Scerine held up a small coin pouch. "We have enough. Well, this is the last of my caps anyway," she finished with a shrug.

"You sure," I asked. "I don't have two caps to rub together, are you okay to pay for me?"

"Hey, I said you're doing me the favour by coming down remember?" She replied.

I blushed. "Okay," I said.

We were on the way down to the pub which was on the ground floor. To be honest I was looking forward to a night out with Scerine. This was our first time on a proper date since we got together. We arrived at the pub with few issues. I only got a few stairs at my horrible wings but it didn't really bother me. When we stepped into the pub it reminded me of the one at Hoofling in the fact that it looked rustic but inviting, the only difference I could say was that it had an upper class touch to it. The stand where the band played was smooth oiled wood rather than rough wood, the counter of the pub was made of polished wood and the ceiling had down lights rather than hanging lights.

Scerine and I made our way to the bar. The publican was a rough looking, buck with black stubble and a black setson, his mane protruding slightly at the back. "What drinks are ya after fillies?" he asked. I squinted at the board. "I'd like some Applejack thanks, make it strong," Scerine asked.

I thought I'd go for an alcoholic beverage too. "Can I have a vodka and orange please," I requested. The rough buck nodded and drew two glasses; he filled them both with the requested drinks and passed them over. Scerine passed over some caps as I took a sip. I felt the strong taste of vodka sear my throat, it felt surprisingly good, the orange hid the most of the after taste and I could actually enjoy this drink somewhat. Scerine took a sip from her drink.

"So, it's good getting out a bit isn't it?" She said. "The music, the atmosphere,"

I nodded, "I really should get out a bit more," I told her. "Midnight and Brax go to the pub quite often and I can see why."

I listened to the band that was playing a covered version of the Sapphire Shores song "Serves her right." I enjoyed music but I just couldn't sing in front of other ponies. I can't stand the spotlight. "Do you do this much back home?" I asked Scerine. "I mean, go to the pub?"

Scerine shook her head. "Nopony to go with, it's kinda boring if you go by yourself." I nodded; it made me think if I should have made more of an effort to go to the monthly Maintenance Party in the Maintenance wing back home. My colleagues had always had really interesting stories the following day.

"Did you?" Scerine asked.

I shook my head. "My first time at a pub was in Hoofling, Midnight got drunk and then she was kidnapped," I said. "It was really quite full on."

I took a long draught of my drink and placed the cup back down. "Sounds it," Scerine said. "So how long have you been out now?"

I shrugged, "eight weeks I think, I'm not entirely sure though."

"Not long at all," Scerine said with a nod. "Looking forward to seeing your Mum again?"

I took another drink; I was already half way through it. "A bit," I sighed. "It's weird. I don't really like her but I do. Like, she's my mum and she's the only family I have left." I grimaced. "It will be nice to see her again but our relationship isn't exactly friendly. I might pop over and say hi by I won't be sitting down with her and having a conversation." I took another draught and sighed. "She won't like you at all," I said honestly. "She's that elitist type. Like Unicorns are the alpha race or something like that. She also hates the fact that I'm a lesbian. Not to mention she's borderline alcoholic."

Scerine frowned. "You're relationship with her seems quite strained," she finally said before taking a drink. "I'm not sure I want to meet her," she added nervously.

"You don't have to. As I said, my relationship with her isn't the best and she doesn't need to know about my love life," I said. I drained my cup and smacked my lips. The alcohol was starting to take effect and made me buzz a little. "Can I have what she's got?" I asked as the Publican came to collect my cup, he dropped a glass of Applejack on the bench and Scerine paid him.

"I'm looking forward to seeing where you grew up anyway," she said, I took a draught of the strong drink. It burned my throat but in a good way.

* * * *

After an hour and a half Scerine and I retired to the tables. I was on my fourth drink and was singing along to a good Sweetie Belle song near where the band was playing. I was no longer in my chair but I didn't care. I was drunk and having fun. Ponies had begun singing along as well, some looking at me rather than the actual singer. Not a fuck was given as I sang out the Sweetie Belle song. Scerine was nowhere near as drunk as I was and she kept trying to pull me back to my seat. I stopped singing and began to dance, I was bad at it, my vision was swirling slightly and my balance was off, my wings fell in odd directions around me and I must have looked strange.

I moved over to the table and took another swig of Applejack. The strong taste burned my throat. I placed the drink back on the table and took a step towards the stage once the song finished. "Mind if I give it a go?" I asked the singer on stage. She nodded and handed over the mic. I told the Band Members to start playing "She's a pony," by Sapphire Shores. I didn't care much for Karaoke, I did it in the shower at home but thanks to Applejack, I could do it now in front of this crowd.

I belted out the tune and I didn't really care if I sounded good or not as I sung the chorus. "She's a Pony, She's a Pony, never forget that..." The ponies in the crowd were clapping their hooves with the tune and never before had I had so much fun. All I needed was a few drinks to bring this new and improved Amethyst out of her shell. Once I was done I handed the microphone back with loud applause. I stumbled over to Scerine and picked my drink back up. "That was fun," I giggled.

Scerine couldn't believe her eyes. "I can't believe you just sung that, like... in front of a crowd," she said shocked.

"Was nuffing really," I slurred as I knocked back an eighth of a glass in one go. I went back up to the bar and got another. I stumbled back to the table and sat down.

"I think that might be your last one," Scerine said with a raised eyebrow.

"Aww come on," I moaned. "One more after this," I took a gulp and smiled. "It’s a good night, let me stay a little longer."

"Okay, okay one more after this," Scerine said before taking another sip of her own drink. She was a little tipsy but she was nowhere near as drunk as I was.

I leaned across the table and went to kiss her on the lips but I missed and hit her cheek before knocking her almost empty glass from the table. "Oops," I giggled. "Lucky it was almost empty."

"It's alright, I'll go get another," Scerine went back to the bar to get another drink and I began clapping to the music again. Scerine returned and she joined me with clapping to the music. I had a sudden idea. I got up from the table, "Let's dance," I said holding my forehoof out to Scerine. Scerine smiled and got to her hooves and we moved over to the dance floor. She pulled me close and we danced to the energetic tune. My hooves were all over the place as we danced. I stood on her hoof more than once but she was having fun and so was I. At the end of the song we stopped and I began to move back to the table to my drink. I walked right into a white pegasus who came out of no where.

I almost fell to the floor however I managed to avoid falling over. "Amethyst?" she gasped. It was Midnight. I giggled. "Hey Midnight," I said with a slur. "Did you err, shee me sing before?" I stammered. "Was amazing wasn't it?"

"No, I only just got here? Are you drunk?" She asked as Scerine came into view and I threw my forehooves around her.

"Scerine here hass been showing me how t-to have fuuun." I blinked. "I'm not dr-drunk," I stammered as I pulled away from Scerine. I took my Applejack from the table and sculled the last quarter. "I-I'm fine," I said after a pause.

"Wow Amethyst, you're wasted," Midnight laughed. "What's she been drinking?"

"A vodka and four-or five Applejacks," Scerine replied as she shook her head.

"That's no' even tha' much," I slurred. "I'm goin for ano-another drink." I made to go to the bar but the swirling in my head was building. I made it half way to the bar swaying before falling to the floor. Scerine helped me up and said. "I think that's enough Amethyst. Maybe we should go back?"

"Ohh come oonn," I moaned. "I'm only just starting to have fun." Brax came over with two drinks and handed one to Midnight nearby. He then turned to look at what Midnight was looking at. Brax looked at me perplexed then laughed.

"Is that Amethyst? Whoaa Scerine, what've you done to her?" He said gobsmacked."How'd you get her through her first drink?"

"I don't know, she just drank it," Scerine replied. "Come on up Amethyst."

I gripped onto her to prevent myself from falling. "I'll be gooood," I said slowly. "I'm right, I jushed uhh." I thought for a second. "Oh yeah, another drink."

"I think you've had enough," Scerine replied. "We should be getting you back to the hotel." she said. I let go of her, I stumbled for a moment then fell to the floor before vomiting.

Scerine facehoofed. "She's your girlfriend," Midnight said. "You deal with her." Midnight placed a hoof on Scerine shoulder before retracting it and leaving to find a table with Brax. Scerine sighed and lifted me from the floor before placing me on her back. "Aww noo," I whined. "Can we stay?"

"No," Scerine sighed. "We've had enough; we'll come back another time."

"Aww," I moaned from her back. The trip back was uneventful for Scerine.,I winged and whined. As we ascended the elevator I vomited into her mane. I coughed and spluttered but I still winged. When we got back Alyshia was writing something at the table. She looked up at us as if she was about to say hi when her expression changed to that of shock. I laughed at Alyshia, her head looked all funny, it moved like jelly as she moved towards us. "Haha Aly-Alshia, your head is foony," I laughed drunkenly.

"Is she drunk?" Alyshia said angrily.

Scerine dropped me on the floor. Sick covered her mane and coat and she didn't look too pleased. "Yeah she had a few too many," Scerine said flatly.

Alyshia looked livid. "Amethyst you just got out of Hospital," Alyshia said angrily. "You should know better as well Scerine."

“You can’ tell me wha’ ta doo,” I garbled. “I-I'm an Alicorn Princess!”

"Yeah I know," Scerine sighed as she ignored me completely. She helped me off the floor and took me to the bathroom. She sponged the sick off of my coat and the bits that had ended up in my mane. "I love you Scerine," I mumbled. "You so." I struggled to think of a word. "Sexy," I said finally managing to find the word.

Scerine smiled before sponging herself off as well. I tried to take the sponge of her like it was a game but my hooves were un-coordinated and I couldn't catch the sponge. Once she was done she guided me to the bedroom. The bedroom! Scerine placed me on the covers; I was still in my dress. I put my forehooves around Scerine's neck and attempted to make out with her. I wanted her so badly, I just couldn't think of a greater moment, in this feeling of euphoria that I was feeling. Scerine went to kiss me back but when she saw I was trying to take it further she pulled away. "Not while you're drunk," she mumbled. "Maybe some other time."

"Oh come oon," I slurred. "We showled do it righ’ here righ’ now. I'm was you so bad Scerineine."

Scerine blushed; she kissed me on the forehead, "Goodnight." My head was swirling so bad that I struggled to keep my head upright. I felt my head fall and hit the pillow before passing out.

* * * *

Light flooded my eyes and it stung. I threw the covers over my head to shield them but I couldn’t shield the massive headache that was so bad I could have sworn someone had driven an axe into it. “Amethyst, it’s past lunch time, I think it time to get up,” came Alyshia’s voice.

“Not yet,” I moaned. I felt the covers get pulled off of me, the light was blinding. I opened my eyes, my vision was slightly blurry and sensitive to the light. Alyshia was carrying a tray with a glass of water and some food. “Mega hangover?” Alyshia asked as she set the tray down on my bedside table. I noticed I stunk of alcohol and was still wearing my dress.

“Ohh, this sucks,” I mumbled. “Why did I have to drink so much?”

“Was pretty silly of you,” Alyshia scolded. “You got out of hospital just that day.”

“Yeah I know, I just…” I shook my head as flashes of memories from the night before came to my forehead. “Oh sweet Celestia, Scerine must think I’m delusional,” I moaned as I recalled some of the blurred memories from the night before. I buied my head in my forehooves.

Alyshia almost laughed. “Well, I’m surprised you remember much of anything. You should eat and drink plenty of water.”

I nodded and levitated the glass of water and drained it in one go. I hadn’t realised how thirsty I was. Alyshia left and I began to eat the greasy fried canned pepper. It was good and my headache abated slightly as I smacked my oily lips. I felt bad for Scerine as I levitated the tray back to my bedside.

I shook my head which still felt incredibly foggy and I got to my hooves and left my room. I walked into the living room; Scerine was on the lounge casually reading a stallions magazine with a suggestive mare on the front. She looked up and saw me before closing the magazine. “Well look who’s awake,” she said with a smile. “You got pretty wrecked last night.”

I rubbed my left eye with a forehoof. “Yeah I know, sorry about making you drag me back up here.”

“Surprised you remember that,” she said with a small laugh. “It’s okay, I love you. I have to admit though; you go waay over the top when drunk.”

I blushed. “Yeah, that was my first time being drunk,” I muttered.

“Really? That explains why you went downhill so fast,” Scerine said. “That and your…. well… smaller stature.” Scerine waved her hoof in front of her nose. “You might want to shower; you smell pretty bad, you might spontaneously combust at any moment.”

I did stink so I made my way to the shower; the sponge from last night was still sitting on the vanity. My blurred memory recalled the moment I tried to catch it. I chuckled to myself and took of my dress, this proved difficult as I struggled to get my wings through the wing holes. I managed to wrestle the dress off and it fell to the floor. I picked it up magically and placed it on the vanity next to the sponge and stepped into the shower. I turned on the hot water and let my body get soaked. My head continued to throb but it wasn’t as bad as when I woke. The water ran over my body. I levitated the soap and proceeded to scrub my coat clean. I proceeded onto my mane and tail. This went well. Only issue was that I didn’t think the soap nor regular shampoo was suitable for feathers. Now I came to think about it my wings were soaked, the feathers didn’t repel the water as Midnight’s did and the quills on mine looked very wirey. I just let the water pass over them and hoped that would be enough. I didn’t spill anything on them but they might have had sick in them.

When I was done I dried myself off, once my coat was dry I tried to attack the feathers with the towel but that made the quills stand on end and made them look like porcupine wings. I dried my mane and checked myself in the mirror. I didn’t look pleasant. My eyes were bloodshot, my face looked a little greyer than usual and I looked really tired. I left the bathroom and threw myself into the lounge next to Scerine. She glanced sideways at me then recoiled. “What in the hell did you do to your feathers?” She asked flabbergasted. “Don’t tell me you used hair product for them,” she said with a facehoof.

Well I was right about one thing. I shook my head. “I dunno, I just wet them, the water just soaked right through."

Scerine looked at my quills. “Yeah, yours might not have the oil in them. You body might not be creating that. I dunno. There’s product for replenishing oils but I’m not sure if they’ll work on yours. Midnight’s going to laugh at you when she gets back.”

“Where is she?” I asked curiously.

“She’s gone for a walk,” Scerine said with a shrug. “You can snuggle up to me if you want,” she added. I smiled and lay my head on her lap.

“Thanks,” I sighed. My head was still throbbing, “I’m never drinking again.”

“Yeah we all say that after we have a rough night,” Scerine replied. She pushed a damp piece of hair away from my forehead.

“Yeah but I mean it,” I growled. “I had tonnes of fun but that isn’t worth it for this headache.”

“You just drank too much, you need to drink a little slower,” Scerine said. “It isn’t like Sparkle Cola.”

“Yeah I know…”

* * * *

Midnight returned after a further twenty minutes. She closed the door behind her and turned around. She set eyes on me and grinned. “Haha, you look so hung over,” she observed amusingly. “So, how was she when you got her back?”

Scerine looked at her and grimaced. “She was interesting, she vomited on me, then I took her to the shower and she tried to take the sponge from me, oh my gosh,” Scerine shook her head. “She’s a handful but that’s why I love her.”

I’m glad Scerine left out the other part. I really felt embarrassed about that. “Thanks for not mentioning that other part,” I muttered just loud enough for Scerine.

“Quite alright hon.” I earned a kiss on my horn.

“So, Amethyst, when’s your next big night?” Midnight said as she took a seat to the left of us. “You were so wrecked, it was funny.”

“Never again,” I replied. “I can’t control myself so never again.”

“So what the hell did you do to your wings? You didn’t wash them in shampoo did you?” Midnight said with a shake of her head.

“No, they just did this with water, Scerine thinks my wings might not have any oil in them,” I replied.

“That’s strange,” Midnight said. ”But then again… You’re wings might not be able to produce their own oil.”

“Yeah Scerine was saying.” I shook my head; my headache was starting to get strong. “I might go back to bed,” I muttered.

“Okay,” Scerine said sympathetically. I pried myself from her and yawned.

“Might be a good thing,” Midnight said. “See you soon.”

* * * *

Our last day was proving to be quite uneventful. Brax had gone to the roof to make some modifications to the flying Ambulance, Midnight had gone out to stretch her wings. Alyshia was mulling over her paperwork as she struggled to keep our finances in check and I was quite bored. "We've overspent," she growled. "I can't afford any healing potions or anything."

"Where did the last of the caps go?" I asked from the lounge.

"Brax spent the last of his caps on renting that stupid cutting thing for the carriage," Alyshia said with a shake of her head. "Oh and alcohol, you and Scerine spent forty caps."

"I thought those were Scerine's caps?" I asked perplexed. I looked at her and she nodded.

"Yeah those were my caps," she piped up.

"Yeah but we need to pool them together," Alyshia whinnied. "We are after all a team, I can't spend all my caps on healing equipment or I'd be broke all the time."

"We'll get more in Friendship City," I reassured. "We'll do some scavenging and get our caps back in order."

Alyshia nodded, she looked exhausted."I have plenty of bandages still but I'm a little nervous about our healing potions," she said concerned.

"I'm sure we'll manage," I told her.

"I might go for a walk," Alyshia sighed. "I need to take a break."

"Oki doki," I said with a wave of my hoof, happy that she was finally taking some time off.

I heard the sound of the door shut behind her. Scerine leaned over me and touched my chest, then swirled her hoof from my chest to my belly. "Soo..." she purred. "We finally have the place to ourselves."

I blinked, my heart skipped a beat and I felt my face heat up. "Yeah I guess we do," I whispered nervously. Did that mean? Scerine placed both her hooves on my cheeks and kissed me. I kissed her back and it quickly advanced into no normal kiss, she slipped her tongue in to meet mine as my forehooves made their way into her snowy white mane. Scerine moved her hooves upwards into my mane as well and I could taste her fruity tongue on mine, her hair smelt like her apple scented shampoo, my mind jammed and I was moving on sheer instinct. My whole body was surging with want, I had never felt like this before, that spark that made all my worries vanish as the pony I loved made out with me. Scerine bit my lip and she began to breathe deeply, my own breathing slowed as nervousness left me.

Scerine wrapped her tail around mine as she kissed me further, my mane became messy as her hooves slipped through it. Finally she broke the kiss, but didn't pull away, her breathing was ragged as was mine, her hot breath was against my face before she shifted her muzzle to my neck. She pecked it just below the jawline and gave me a little bite that sent waves of pleasure through my body. My lower's began to feel hot as she kissed my neck, she bit ever so softly, it never hurt and it was just enough to make my mind spin, the third bite caused a squeak to escape my lips as my mind fogged with nothing but her. I rubbed her upper back and down to where her feather's met fur with my forehooves as that was all I could reach. Scerine shifted again and began to kiss slowly down my belly. She pecked me just below my navel before looking up at me seductively, her beautiful green eyes locked on mine. She gave me a smile before she moved down there.

I gave out a soft eep as her soft, expert tongue brushed against my nethers.

* * * *

I fell on top of Scerine, my breathing strong and slow, I was absolutely exhausted. I rose and fell on Scerine's chest with her heavy breathing. "I never knew you squirmed when you orgasm, or squeak when I..." She gave a huge exhausted sigh, "When I touch your bud."

"Neither did I," I said as I looked into her eyes. "My hoof could never do that. It was my first time."

Scerine was taken aback. "You could have told me that- or I would have gone slower and given you more attention."

"No," I purred as I pushed my hoof against her muzzle. "It was absolutely perfect, I never imagined my first time would be that good." I said quitely before resting my head against her chest. "You were amazing."

She pushed her hoof through my mane. "You weren't bad either. I mean, for your first time," she said. Scerine kissed my horn.

"Thanks," I sighed. I closed my eyes and I listened to Scerine's fast heartbeat and breathing begin to slow. I knew it would have been good but not that good. I heard a clicking sound and then the familiar sound of the door opening. Scerine and I looked up so fast that I wasn't aware either of could move so fast.

Midnight stepped into the room and looked at our guilty faces. The room smelt of sex and we were still sweaty. "Oh you two didn't?" Midnight moaned. Embarrassment began to creep into my veins, Scerine and I looked guiltily at each other.

"Well it was private until you came in," Scerine managed to say. "You could have knocked."

"You could have done it on the bed and not on the lounge," Midnight said. "Argh, I'll leave you two alone then." Midnight walzed into her room and closed the door. Scerine and I fell back onto the lounge. I felt so embarrassed but I was pleased that Midnight was able to give us a little bit of privacy.

Scerine smiled at me. "Oh well," she sighed. "It was still fun."

My mane was matted and messed,, I felt a hoof touch my head as Scerine tried to pat it down but it didn’t do anything. “Yeah it does that,” I told her. “I’ll brush it later.”

I rested my head back on Scerine’s chest and sighed, “Tired? Scerine asked.

I nodded. “Yeah,” she wrapped a hoof around me and I closed my eyes.

* * * *

I came out of my sleep, judging from the rising and falling of my body, I was still on Scerine, I opened my eyes and looked up at her. She too had fallen asleep. I got off of her without waking her, and looked up at the low mumbling. Alyshia was back and was sitting at the table eating lunch with Midnight, the two were talking. I sidled up to the table and took a seat beside Alyshia. “So, we’ll leave at about eight?” Alyshia asked. “I mean, can you get there by dark?”

“I doubt it,” Midnight sighed. I could be there by lunch time the day after, but not by dark.

“The later we get there the better,” I said groggily.

“Finally awake?” Alyshia said with a glance. “But no, I’d rather Midnight not fly around in the darkness.”

“Well, we might have a bit of a wait then because I can’t get Berry to open the door until the early hours of the morning,” I chipped in. “Why don’t we leave at the crack of dawn, get these records back by nine and get to Eighty Six on dusk.”

Alyshia snickered through my whole proposed plan. “What?” I said frowning.

She was looking at my mane. I blushed and tried to flatten it unsuccessfully. “Yeah, forgot about that.”

“Anyway,” Midnight piped up. “I’m still unsure if I can get from here to Ponyville in one day.” She shrugged. “If we don’t make it, we’ll just settle down the night and try again the next day.”

“Yeah, we’ll see how we go,” I sighed.

“So what happened?” Alyshia asked me. “It looks like you got caught in a blender. You’re hair looked good this morning.”

“Yeah, long story,” I replied nervously. Midnight was on the verge of laughing, she could so embarrass me right now.

I prepared for it and sure enough… “Oh I know what happened,” Midnight said through a snicker. “Okay okay,” she held a straight face but she didn’t say anything.

“What?” Alyshia asked curiously. My face was turning beetroot red and I hid my face with my forehooves.

Alyshia looked at me. “Oh, ohhh,” Alyshia facehoofed.

“On the lounge too,” Midnight laughed.

“Nice, really classy,” Alyshia said with a shake of her head.

“Oh come on Alyshia, where was your first time?” Midnight snorted.

Alyshia looked stony faced. “None of your business,” she said snobbily. She crossed her hooves and looked embarrassed.

“Oh come on,” I chipped in; Alyshia’s face was turning red.

“On my mother’s dining room table,” she muttered, her face tomato red. “Midnight?”

“On a bed,” she said with a shrug. “Boring right?”

“Well, I might take a shower and get my mane sorted,” I muttered before getting up from the table.

* * * *

Brax returned on sundown. He looked tired and he had metal shavings in his mane. “You didn’t cut our ride in half did you?” Alyshia asked as he strode across the room and threw himself in the lounge.

“Of course not,” he growled. “I added three windows for allowing us to fire at enemies from the sides and the back. I also added a flap on the top to allow somepony on the roof so we can fire from there too. In case of Alicorns and Griffons.”

“Sounds good,” Midnight said. “Hopefully it’s all clean.”

“Clean as I could get it,” Brax said with a shrug. “I didn’t touch any of the main parts so she should still be good to run.”

Midnight cracked a smile.

“What?” He growled.

“Nothing,” she replied. “Anyway- I’m going to finish packing.”

“Yeah I should probably do the same,” I sighed. I went into my and Scerine’s room and levitated my Saddlebags onto the bed. I brought up my inventory spell on my Pipbuck. I still had my Fluttershy Statuette; my Wing Boner magazine was squashed on the bottom, I had a spare spark battery, a collection of Memory Orbs, the orb of desire which had gone dark again, my photo album, two talismans, one ruined, the other usable but broken and the stealthbuck I had completely forgotten about. My other things needed collecting. I found my empty canteen which had rolled under the bed. I filled it in the kitchen and secured it to the Saddlebag strap. My coin pouch lay on the bedside; it had two caps in it. I threw it in my Saddlebag as well; I picked up my two dresses and packed them too. My magnum and shotgun were added; we still needed to get our ammo back from the guards so I couldn’t pack those. Meep was asleep and had mostly kept out of the way, I left him there, he’ll follow us in the morning.

I set my alarm on my Pipbuck for six am before settling down for dinner (Mashed canned carrots) Alyshia salted them and added herbs to make them taste better. She cooked for everyone tonight and we all ate at the table. “So,” Brax growled through his food. “What did you fillies get up to today?”

“Finances,” Alyshia sighed. “Oh and I went for a walk,” she added.

“I wehn ou’ to stretc’ my ‘ings,” Midnight said through a full mouth of mash. She swallowed. “I didn’t see much as it was snowing.”

“What about you two?” Brax asked mentioning Scerine and I, “getting ready to go or did ya just do nothing?”

“Well I was treated to lots of squeaks, squirms and a pony that can double orgasm," Scerine piped up.

She didn't? Oh mother of Celestia she did. "You might as well tell them a blow by blow of what happened." I muttered as I buried my head in my hooves.

Brax inhaled his food as he went to laugh and coughed loudly. "Oh fuck," he coughed as he recovered. "Sounds like fun," he said with streaming eyes. Midnight hit him on the back and laughed.

"Oh sweetie," Scerine giggled. "It's all fun, don't be embarrassed."

"I know," I squeaked. Celestia please take this embarrassment away from me.

"It took you how long exactly for you to lose your virginity?" Brax growled as he cautiously spooned more mash into his mouth.

My face fell. "Oh fuck oo 'rax," I said through my mouthful of food. I finished chewing and swallowed. “At least I didn't lose it to a nobody."

Alyshia nodded and Midnight smirked.

Alyshia coughed. "Anyway," she said more seriously. "If we don't make it to Eighty Six, where're we staying for the night?"

"I'd say we wing it," I suggested. "There isn't much..."

"Nah," Midnight replied. "I reckon we settle for either Dodge Junction or New Appleoossa. I'm starting to get sick of roughing it in the snow."

"If we can gather the caps we need then yeah," Alyshia said. "Either way, if we don't get the caps we'll just set the tent up."

"Uhh," Brax growled nervously "About that. It’s uuhh. It's gone."

I facehoofed. Now we really did have nothing. "What happened to it?" Alyshia asked.

"I think I left it at that place near Splendid Valley," Brax muttered. He shook his head. "I thought remember picking it up but it's gone. I can't find it anywhere."

Alyshia let off a long drawn out sigh. "That's okay, we'll be fine. Let's just do what we need to do."

* * * *

The Alarm went off way too quickly for my liking. I flicked the lights on magically and Scerine stirred next to me. Eyes heavy and sandy, I got out of bed and put my barding on. This proved difficult but after a minute of wrestling with it I was zipped up. By the time I was in my barding, Scerine was already in her armour and her saddle bags were in place. I levitated my saddlebags and put them on my back. I secured the straps just behind the wing joint and I had to pull the straps hard to tighten it. I levitated out my brush and attacked my mane and tail, once my bed hair was gone I placed my brush back and trotted out into the living room, Meep closely behind me. Alyshia was in her pink barding and securing her Saddlebags, Brax looked odd in his new bulking metal body armour; he kind of looked like a raider but without the spikes. Midnight was ready and waiting and Scerine was ready as well.

Once Alyshia had secured everything she led the way through the door and out into the corridor. None of us talked much as we were all still really tired from the early wake up. We ascended to the roof and walked out into the bitter cold air. It wasn’t snowing but it was pretty windy. I looked precariously up for a second and the sky was a deep grey, it was still very early. I lit my horn and made my way over to the silhouette of the Ambulance. Brax had made a number of modifications to it. I could see a window on the side that had a sliding door to shoot from. Brax opened the back and we all stepped in. I looked up and saw the new exit at the top, perfect for me to climb up onto the roof to fire at pursuing targets.

Once everypony was on board, Alyshia closed the door magically. Midnight strapped herself in and before we knew it we were taking off. “So, you guys like the mods that I made on this thing?” Brax asked as he puffed his chest out proudly.

“Yeah, hopefully we’ll avoid that disaster-“I yawned, “we had with the last carriage,” I finished.

“Yeah,” Brax growled. “So if any Alicorns or Griffins try to give us any shit. BLAM,” he said as he imitated shooting something out the window. I was much too tired to be paying attention.

We were only in the air for a moment before we touched down in the front "Gardens," of Tenpony Tower. Midnight collected our ammo from the gruff stallion and passed them out to us before taking back off. I put my ammo in my Saddlebags and spent the first few minutes of our flight reloading all my weapons. Sadly I was running low on Sniper Bullets, I still had about thirty Magnum rounds luckily and I had one full reload of shotgun rounds left.

I looked at Scerine and she was looking out the window. Her eyes were heavy and her eyes were watery from yawning. I levitated my canteen and I took a sip of water to wet my partially dry mouth before leaning my head against the cold steel wall.

After about fifteen minutes in the air Midnight touched down on top of a building. We traipsed off the ambulance carriage. I looked around and could see a building five stories taller than this one leaning precariously towards the street. I could just make out the sign that hung from the roof; “Manehattan Electrical Supplies.” Now that would be a store I’d love to go check out! Unfortunately we didn’t have time and even if we did the building didn’t look safe enough to go near. The roof of this building was adorned with broken air conditioner units, some of which had shifted from their original positions.

I checked my EFS and I couldn’t see any hostiles, the roof was clear. A door separated the staircase down from the outside. It was securely locked. I pulled out my screwdriver and a bobby pin and inserted it. The lock was rusty so I proceeded to jangle the tumblers into place, again like all locks I had come across, the final tumbler didn’t want to play ball. I toyed with the pressure and finally the door swung open. “Not too bad considering I hadn’t done that in a while,” I said as I pocketed the screwdriver and pin. Alyshia and I lit our horns as we walked into the very dark staircase. My eyes remained on my EFS as we descended down the dark concrete stairs. We came across our first door, well second if you could the one further up. Emblazoned across the door in peeling letters was “”Manehattan FM.” I wrapped my magic around the handle and it opened into a cold, draughty, dark office like room. A glass security door was to the right; a huge crack ran down the face of the panel, I could just make out the elevator behind the glass. On the left was a large black door with stick-on 3D letters; It read, “Recording Room.” On the far side was broken glass windows where the draft was coming from. Several collapsed desks were positioned near the windowed area and a corridor on the left lead about five meters beyond the recording room.

“We should probably search the recording room yes?” I said thinking it would be a good place to start. I made my way over to the door and opened it. The room was quite small as most of it was taken up by a large cabinet and the recording desk, as for the rest of the room a microphone lay sideways on the desk and the other was on the floor. It appeared the multi stack record player had survived mostly intact. However everything was covered in about an inch of dust. “Reckon they might be in the cabinet?” Brax growled. I opened it magically and the flimsy built-in lock snapped with a BANG.

Behind the doors were records. They were labelled by artist and in alphabetical order; some of the albums were so faded it was hard to know their names. I took some of Sweetie Belle’s music, some albums from Sapphire Shores; I saw a few from an artist called “Vinyl Scratch.” On the front was a picture of an eccentric looking unicorn mare. She wore DJ glasses and had a mane style similar to that of Homage. I decided to take some of these; I saw one from “Fleur De Lis,” another unknown artist who had a similar build to Glenda. Finally I grabbed some from an Octavia Melody, I had heard of this artist though; she played classical and was often played on stable radio. In all we ended up with about thirty albums. I divided them up amongst everypony to share out the bag space. “We should probably do some scavenging as well,” I said. We all nodded and split up. Brax went looking around the desks, Alyshia went off to the toilets, Midnight decided to rip apart the recording room, Scerine went into the corridor and Meep and I went to have a crack at the reception.

I tried to open the secure door but it wouldn't budge. I grimaced. Instead I picked up an old desk chair and threw it through the glass. I had to admit that it was oddly satisfying watching the chair sail through the glass. I walked through the broken door and stepped behind the reception desk. The desk itself was ordinary; a coffee cup lay on its side in a sea of paperwork that was strewn over the table. I found a safe beneath the terminal. I plugged my Pipbuck into the terminal and proceeded to hack. On the second go I cracked the password and brought up the terminal console so I unlocked the safe and downloaded the audio logs before disconnecting.

I opened the safe magically and was happy to see that it had stuff inside. I pulled out an old Microphone, to me that was worthless so I placed it to the side. I also found a small statuette not too unlike my Fluttershy one. It was made of a different material though and was slightly larger. On a pedestal was a statue of that same white eccentric unicorn with a blue streaked mane, glow bands were wrapped around her left forehoof. I shrugged and placed it in my Saddlebags. At the back of the safe was a small pouch of pre-war coins and a small revolver. I pocketed these and left the safe open. I couldn't find much more around the reception so I went to check out Scerine's area.

Scerine was looking through the cupboards of an old employee kitchen. She had a few cans of food on the bench but not a lot else. "Got some food?" I asked as I began to search the fridge.

"Yeah," Scerine said. "What did you find?"

"Not much," I replied as I closed the fridge filled with spoiled food. My keen eyes spotted an medical box between the fridge and a large food cabinet. I pulled out my screwdriver and bobby pin. I wiggled the first pin into the keyhole and attempted to pick the lock but I missed the mark and snapped the bobby pin. I inserted another and was more careful this time. The box popped open to reveal a shot of Med x, four bandages, two healing poultices and a single healing potion. I placed these in my Saddlebags. Scerine swiped up the food and threw them in her bags too. "Well that was a success," I said with a smile. "Alyshia, have you found anything?" I called.

"Yeah, I need you to open something for me," she called from the mare's bathroom.

"Okay," I called back. I turned tail and left the corridor. Brax was searching a cabinet near the door we entered through and Midnight was still rummaging through the recording room. I turned my head towards the Mare's room when a light of green erupted to my left. I looked to the left and a huge green bolt sailed through the large shattered windows. It missed by about a meter and slammed into the door that led to the staircase with a huge *BANG* the door blew apart and splinters blew everyone, one striking me across the cheek. It didn't hurt, just stung slightly. "What the hell was that?" I heard Brax yell.

A loud pop came out from behind, I turned my head and my EFS blazed two hostiles. A purple alicorn appeared behind me and without further warning a green one sailed through the window. I was too slow to pull out my Magnum and I dived behind an upturned desk just as a streak of purple flew from the alicorn's horn. "Guys, help," I yelled. "Alicorns!" I pulled out my magnum and came out from my hiding place. I shot at the purple one which teleported before the trigger was fully pulled. It appeared behind me and that's when Midnight flew out from the recording area.

I heard her battlesaddle fire but she was about as successful as me at hitting it. The green alicron shot a bolt of green at Midnight which missed by about an inch, grazing just above her left ear. I turned instead to fire at the green one, I slipped into SATS and fired at her head. It missed and grazed her neck. I was just about to go into SATS again but I was bowled over by Scerine. Purple light filled my eyes as the bolt smashed into the spot I was standing barely a second previously. Scernie picked me up soared just below the ceiling and dropped me over the green one. I spread my wings out for stability as I landed on her back. I was just about to fire into the back of her skull when I was pulled off by the purple one. A green bolt charged and I activated my shield cutting off the telekinesis, I dropped to the ground and the green alicorn shot her companion. The Purple one screeched as the green light struck her horn causing it to break with an almighty crack. I took advantage of this and slipped into SATS to ensure a quick kill in case she could still teleport.

BANG

Right on target, it hit her in the forehead. I dived just as she hit the floor to avoid the green bolt that was aimed for me. I turned to the green one, her shield rippling gracefully. I bit my lip as three more hostiles burst on my EFS. "RUN!" I shouted. All of us dashed back towards the gaping hole that was the staircase, bolts of green and purple shot after us. We ran upwards. myself at the front. I dashed through the opening and onto the roof and I ran headfirst into something invisible. A charge of blue appeared out of nowhere and I activated my shield just in time to absorb it.

"That one's invisible," Midnight shouted. "Back to the carriage!"

That wasn't going to happen as three more alicorns blocked the way back to the carriage. The only way we could do this was to distract them while everyone got on board. We backed up in a circle formation as we were outnumbered. "Oh fuck," Alyshia cried. "What're we going to do?" We had one purple, two green and one blue alicorn to deal with. It appeared that they were trying to tell what we were going to do.

I sidled up to Midnight. "Pick me up and fly on my count," I whispered. "We need to at least distract them." Midnight nodded.

"Alyshia, I need two grenades," I asked quietly. Alyshia passed over the grenades that were already in her magic. I took them and put them in my bags and levitated my magnum.

"One... two... three!" I counted quietly. Midnight wrapped her hooves around me and in one swift motion I was on her back and my shield was activated. Four bolts of magic soared straight at us. Two hit and the other two missed causing my shield to collapse. "Okay, where is she?" I muttered. My companions had scattered and in turn caused the alicorns to scatter as well. Scerine was being chased by a green alicorn, Brax was firing at the other green one from behind an air-con unit and Alyshia threw a grenade at the purple one which teleported in front of her, Alyshia pulled out her shotgun but I suddenly saw the blue one charge it's horn, still completely invisible. I entered SATS about fifteen meters above her. I aimed one at where I assumed her head was (By aiming just behind the glow) and the other at her body for a higher chance hit.

BANG BANG

The first missed and the second struck her back. Her invisibility broke and Midnight swooped down and filled her with bullets. The blue alicorn hit the concrete with finality. In the confusion the green one lost Alyshia who had dived behind an air-conditioning unit, the green one then took to the air to look for her. "Okay, let’s see if we can sandwich the one chasing Scerine," I whispered, "she won't fall for the shot in the back of the head trick again."

Midnight flew higher; Scerine looked back and saw us. The alicorn luckily didn't look back or up. Midnight got me about meter behind and about three meters higher than the alicorn. She collapsed her shield to fire at Scerine, her horn began to glow an angry green as I wrapped myself in magic and threw myself at her with my wings held out. They didn't do much for gliding but they got me that little bit of air I needed to land on her back without slipping off her rump. Scerine made a sudden turn upwards as the alicorn shrieked and didn't change direction, instead she attempted the throw me off. I saw Midnight and Scerine come in from either direction. "Nice meeting you," I said before wrapping myself in magic and jumping from her back. Scerine melted her face off and Midnight filled her will lead as I half fell/glided. Midnight swooped back and picked me up. "Woo good work," I said as we landed back on the roof.

I landed behind the green one that was looking for Alyshia, from the corner of my eye I saw a grenade fly through the air and land in front of the purple one who was looking for her. The other green one turned her attention on Midnight and me. I dived out of the way just as the purple alicorn picked up the grenade to lob back at Alyshia. I then pulled the pin on both my grenades and lobbed them at the purple one in turn. By the time Alyshia's one went off she was too late to pick mine up, she attempted to teleport away but just as her form went to vanish the grenades went off.

BOOOM

A loud pop followed but the damage was done, the purple alicorn's side had been blown away and she collapsed. In my moment of triumph I wasn't paying attention and a green bolt sailed through the air towards me, I activated my shield but it hadn't formed properly and it smashed through it and hit me just forward of my wing joint. I was blown backwards and my head hit the corner of an air-con unit. The grey barding and my shield had absorbed much of the shot. I saw stars in my vision and I attempted to shake them. They vanished slightly as I saw Midnight land between me and the final alicorn, Alyshia came out behind her hiding place in front of the alicorn and Brax and Scerine came in from either side of her.

She looked around and without warning her wings spread and she took off. "Okay, we better go," Alyshia cried, "before she calls for more."

"Agreed," Midnight said. "Let’s go, come on!"

We quickly clambered onto the ambulance and before we knew it we were taking off. "That was lucky," I sighed. I rubbed the rising lump on the back of my head. "Damn that's going to be one hell of a headache later," I muttered.

Brax suffered a burn to his flank and part of Alyshia's mane was melted but apart from that she was uninjured. "Hey Brax," I piped up. "Do you need a bandage?"

"It's not bad, It'll be fine," he said with a wince. Unlike his old armour, this one only covered the vitals.

BANG

The sound echoed through the carriage. "Oh fuck," I growled. I checked my EFS and sure enough, another three hostiles. "Fucking great." I opened the hatch on the roof.

"Here," Alyshia said, and she wrapped her magic around me to help me through the hole. I was on top of the carriage now, the wind and swaying of the vehicle made me feel unsteady as I pulled out my Sniper Rifle. Now I was low on bullets with this one so I had to be careful. Now I could only see two but the third one was showing up on my EFS, this would be the invisible one. When the trio saw me they scattered into different directions, I saw the invisible one move across the left of the carriage and out towards the front. "Look out Midnight the invisible one is nearby!" I shouted over the wind.

"Great," she shouted.

BANG BANG BANG

The shooting below reverberated through the steel and into my hooves. The purple one teleported a meter in front of me and just as it did I activated my shield. It copped a full blast and collapsed causing me to be showered in hot embers. Next thing I did was incredibly stupid, I threw myself onto her back without a plan, I hoped that maybe they'd shoot her like they shot the last one but they didn't fall for it. She teleported; for a fraction of a second it felt like I was sucked down a really small pipe but once I came to my senses. I realised I was some hundred meters away from the carriage with me unsecurely on her back and without warning I felt myself be levitated and then she vanished. before I knew it I was falling back down to earth. I wrapped myself in magic to slow my descent, "Scerine!" I screamed, "Scerine help me!" I attempted to beat my wings but they didn't do anything, I concentrated harder and made myself completely weightless, I then tried to propel myself by using my wings to displace the air but I moved so slow it wasn't worth it.

BANG

I heard the shriek of an alicorn near the carriage, the blue one got hit and was falling back to earth, Scerine then rose like a bullet into the air through the roof hatch.

POP

The purple alicorn was in front of me and she smiled. "Bye bye," she said evilly and her horn charged up. I felt my eyes widen as I threw my shield up which in turn caused my telekinesis to weaken around me. I began to fall again but in my bubble, a purple bolt struck it and it collapsed. I once again stopped falling.as my telekinesis power returned. Just on time Scerine grabbed me in her hooves and soared away from the alicorn. I then clambered onto her back. The ambulance was now over a kilometer away. Scerine flew flat out as I put my eye to the scope and looked back, I aim slipped into SATS but she was mid teleport so I dropped the spell.

POP

The purple alicorn appeared right in front of us. Without warning a huge purple bolt was barrelling towards us, I felt my stomach lurch as Scerine entered a dive; my forehooves instinctively wrapped themselves around her neck. I tried to pivot the sniper rifle upwards to try and get the shot but the stupid bitch teleported again. Scerine pulled up very quickly and my stomach almost dropped through my body, the alicorn appeared in front of us again causing Scerine to bank right in between two leaning buildings. The alicorn shot another bolt, I absorbed it with my shield, Scerine was coming to the end of the alleyway and the alicorn popped up right in front of us. Scerine didn’t have anywhere to go and she slammed right into the purple beast. Physics took hold and my rump left her back as I was thrown over her head, I wrapped myself up in levitation and was propelled horizontally into the huge building.

I curled into a protective ball as I slammed into the glass window which shattered against my weight causing me to drop my levitation spell; my hind leg caught a desk before being thrown onto the floor head first. I half crashed/half rolled on the dusty carpet and came to a halt, my left foreleg and face had suffered a cut from a shards of glass but the bleeding wasn’t bad. Sniper Rifle missing I pulled out my magnum and jumped onto the desk I had fallen over. Scerine grabbed the alicorn in her forehooves, she was very strong as she held onto the much larger pony, her scorpion tail twisted around wildly and she thrust it into the abdomen of her enemy, the alicorn howled and charged up a purple bolt, Scerine pushed herself off of her and landed inside the building about five meters from where I was, just as it the bolt went off, the alicorn followed suit, wounded but still alive. Her horn charged again and Scerine dived behind a pillar to avoid the bolt which hit a desk. The desk burst into flames. I entered SATS just as the alicorn began charging up her magic to fire at me instead. I aimed two shots at her head.

BANG BANG

Both shots met their target and showered the floor in gore but not before the magic bolt left it’s caster. I dived out of the way and the bolt grazed my right hind leg, it felt like hot iron against my skin. “Fuck,” I yelled. I lifted my leg and checked it, my eyes streaming in pain. It left a two centimetre long burn across the inside of my lower hindleg, the burn wasn’t deep but it had melted the fur to the wound. I jumped from the table and found my Sniper Rifle about five meters from the desk, the barrel poking out from beneath a large filing cabinet. “Are you alright?” Scerine asked as she trotted over.

I scrunched my eyes and pulled out a bandage. I quickly wrapped the wound securely but not too tightly. “It’ll be alright,” I sighed as I pinned the bandage in place. “Let’s just go,” I muttered. “We need to check the others as that green one is still out there. I clambered onto Scerine's back and she took to the air. We were only about three minutes from Tenpony Tower, as we came in to land and I was happy to see the ambulance was sitting on the roof and four pony silhouettes were visible.

Scerine landed softly on the roof and I dropped to the ground.

I let off a long drawn sigh of relief as Meep flew out of the ambulance and circled my head. “Meep, could you stay in the carriage while we drop these off?” I said to the little robot. He beeped and flew into the ambulance obediently.

“Let’s get these records to Homage,” I said as the adrenaline left my body.

* * * *

“Here you go,” we said as we placed the records on the table in Homage’s Office. “Ohh, you got some of Vinyl’s music,” she said with a squee, her eyes lighting up and bulging to the size of dinner plates, “we don’t have much of that.. “Couple of new Sweetiebelle songs and a new Sapphire shores album,” she said ecstatically as she ruffled through the albums. “Can’t say I’ve heard of this artist,” she said holding up the “Fleur De Lis” one. “Wow, thanks so much,” Homage said gratefully. “We have more music for the waves, thanks again.”

“It’s no problem really,” I said with a wave of a hoof. “It would have been a walk in the park if it weren’t for the alicorns.”

“Yeah, I saw,” Homage said waving to the closed door that led into the control/recording area. “Sorry for putting you through that, but you definitely have my thanks. You’re welcome to stay for breakfast if you like,” she offered. It was tempting but we were in a bit of a hurry.

“Thanks Homage,” Alyshia said with a smile, ” but we really should get going.”

Homage deflated slightly. “Oh okay, that’s alright,” she said. “I understand. Well, good luck and hopefully the alicorns leave you alone this time.”

“Thanks, we’ll be sure to take up your offer next time we drop by,” I said with a farewell.

And with that we set off to begin our trip to Stable Eighty Six to drop off this damaged talisman.

New Perk Added: Small Stature. You are now smaller and lose strength, and your limbs are crippled more easily, however you are more agile. -1 Strength, + 1 Agility

Chapter 24: The Coup

The Coup

We were an hour out from Tenpony Tower; luckily we hadn't been followed by anything sinister thus far. I had to admit that this form of travelling was far superior than walking; the only downside was that it was boring as fuck. Alyshia sat on the left side on the carriage, the shooting door Brax installed was open and she was watching whatever she could see below. Brax was trying to teach me to play a game called jacks. It was a simple game, bounce an old rubber ball and pick up as many of the various items Brax had scattered between himself and me. Scerine was watching as I listened. "So, whoever has the most amount of things is the winner. You can do best of three, five or however many," Brax said. "I played this as a colt so I hope you can get it."

I nodded. "Can I go first then?" I asked.

Brax nodded so I levitated the ball and dropped it about fifteen centimetres from the steel floor. I levitated all the objects on the floor and then caught the ball in my right hoof. "I win," I said with a smile. Brax snatched the objects from the air.

"That's cheating," he growled. "No magic."

"No fair," I moaned. "I'm not as nimble with my hooves as an earth pony or a pegasus," I complained.

Brax raised his eyebrow. "Really... Just give it another go." He then re-scattered the objects

I picked up the ball with my left forehoof and tipped it so the ball could fall. I then grabbed a plastic lid and rusty drill bit, my horn ignited instinctively and my magic caught the ball just before it touched the floor. Brax sighed. "Close enough."

He took the ball and dropped it from the same height. His hooves then swiped three objects and he caught the ball just before it touched the ground. "I win," he said happily. I frowned.

"Mind if I give it a go?" Scerine asked.

I nodded and moved over to where Alyshia was. I allowed the two to play as I looked at her before allowing my rump to meet the steel floor. "What's up?" I asked, noticing she didn't look too happy.

"Oh nothing," she replied without looking away from the window. "I'm just a little homesick I s'pose."

I placed my hoof on her shoulder. She looked at me and I gave her a weak smile. "I think we're all a bit homesick," I said. "Well, maybe not Scerine," I said with a glance over my shoulder at her.

Alyshia returned my smile. "I know it must be silly seeing me like this, after all you've been through out here. I can tell you're stoked to be returning, if but temporarily."

"It's not silly," I replied. I looked into her deep blue eyes. "It's that familiarity that I miss, Which I'm sure you miss too?"Alyshia nodded. I had a hunch that was it. "Eighty Six will always be my home," I told her. "I mean, I may not live there, and I might not live there again but it'll always be my home."

Alyshia hugged me. "You’re growing into a mature mare Amethyst," Alyshia said before breaking the hug.

I blushed. "Not really," I muttered. "Just, coming to accept things is all."

Alyshia glanced down at my flank for a fraction of a second but I didn't miss it. I looked at my left flank and saw nothing but my cutie mark staring back at me. "What's up?" I asked confused.

Alyshia shook her head. "I dunno… It’s just. You never told me what your cutie mark means."

"I think it has something to do with my shield spell, I dunno," I said with a shrug. "I thought that back when I was fighting Twilight, her element was magic but she was having a hard time breaking through my shield. Maybe that quarter circle line is a barrier, or shield of some sort. "

Alyshia glanced at it again, her brow furrowed. "Well, that Twilight wasn't Twilight but you do have a point, that security spell was a very complicated one." Alyshia bit her lip. "What if that Amethyst stone is you?" She asked.

I blinked. "Don't be silly," I said in a hearty laugh and wave of my hoof, "who has a cutie mark of themselves?"

It didn't deter Alyshia, "No I'm serious. What if your special talent is protection?"

"It can't be, I've been lousy at protecting everyone and myself," I replied, seriously doubting that Alyshia's hunch was correct.

"It makes sense to me," Alyshia pushed. "You can hack things really well because that involves breaching a protection, your spell is used to protect yourself and you've also used it to protect us. It would explain why you're so good with technology in that most technological items have a degree of protection on them that can be enhanced or broken down."

I was feeling a little overwhelmed by the information Alyshia was throwing at me. "It just seems so..." I said weakly. I was still unconvinced. "I dunno. I can't breach or break other spells."

"But you can," Alyshia said. "I've seen you use your shield to crush the shield of an alicorn, it appears to break spells like telekinesis as well."

I grimaced. "Maybe," I said. Alyshia's information had actually started to make my brain whirl. It was true all the things she said but "Protection?" really? The gem specifically didn't seem to indicate "Protection." I shook my head. I don't know, it did build on my hunch that my shield spell was related to it but it still seemed unlikely, it was such a broad talent that I didn't think that could be it, perhaps shields, or rock hard barrier.

I was so lost in thought that I had become completely unaware of my surroundings; my eyes were unfocused as my brain turned to mush. Suddenly I felt somepony's forehooves wrap around my neck. I jumped a thousand miles into the air at the soft touch of Scerine's hooves. I felt a small bump on my horn and Scerine jumped back.

"Oww," she said loudly, I turned quickly to see what had happened. Her muzzle cupped in the forehooves that had wrapped around me mere seconds ago.

"Sorry," I said quickly moving over to her to check what I had done.

"What happened? Alyshia asked, "Scerine are you alright?"

I guided Scerine's hooves away from her muzzle and saw what had happened, she had a small gash just left of her right nostril where my horn had clipped her. "It's alright babe," Scerine said wiping the blood with a hoof. I rubbed a hoof on Scerine's neck in what I hoped to be in an apologetic way. "Only just got me, I have a lot to learn about dating unicorns," she joked.

"Yeah you might want to look out," Alyshia said as she sidled over with some ointment. "Amethyst might accidentally gore you when you hug her."

"That doesn't happen," I growled. "I was lost in thought and jumped."

"Yeah, you just need to remember that your girlfriend has a huge bone jutting from her head," Brax growled from nearby.

Alyshia moved away from Scerine whose nose had stopped bleeding. "Yeah thanks for that Brax," Scerine muttered. "It's a bit hard to forget about that."

I craned my neck and kissed Scerine on the nose. "Better?" I asked cutely.

Scerine wrapped a hoof around my neck and kissed me on the cheek. "Better," she replied after pulling away.

* * * * *

Midnight landed the carriage in a clearing for Lunch at quarter past twelve. We disembarked into what appeared to be an old playground; the swings were bent at odd angles, their rusting form taking on more of a sculpture than swings. I noticed the remnants of a see saw and a slide where the bottom had rusted through. We settled under an old dead tree. Alyshia began prepping lunch for the two of us while Midnight, Scerine and Brax had pulled out old cans of food and began to eat.

After about ten minutes Alyshia passed me a small bowl of mixed corn, peas and carrots with herbs and I began to eat with everypony else. "I can take the next run if you like Midnight?" Scerine said through a mouthful of beans.

Midnight shrugged and cocked her head. "Mk, only if you want."

"Yeah I do, I feel lazy sitting in the back," Scerine admitted.

"I thought you wanted to get all cuddly with Amethyst," Midnight said before swallowing her food.

"Already have," Scerine replied. "Hugging unicorns is brutal," she laughed, her hoof pointed at her nose.

"Aww, she got you good," Midnight cringed. "You have to be more careful Amethyst."

"Hey!" I muffled through my food. "I said sorry."

"Nah, it's all good," Scerine said with a wave of her hoof. "It was more my fault anyways. Say what's that sound?" she added, her ears twitching.

My ears perked up and I heard it too, tuba music with drums and an accordion. I jumped to my hooves, my empty bowl landed softly in the snow as I looked around for the spritebot. Sure enough, there it was, just behind the slide.

"Hey Watcher!" I called out to the spritebot. It didn't respond. "Don't ignore me," I shouted.

"My girlfriend has lost her marbles hasn't she?" Scerine muttered with a facehoof.

"Oh no," Midnight said casually. "Watcher is a Spritebot that Amethyst talks to occasionally." The ugly looking robot popped and floated over to us.

"Watcher?" I asked as I grabbed the Spritebot in my magic and guiding it over to where I was.

"Amethyst!" the tinny voice popped. "It's been while hasn't it? He paused. “What happened to you?"

"Yeah it has," I responded. My face fell and I ruffled my wings. "Twilight Sparkle thought it was an awesome idea to place Impelled Metamorphosis Potion in a cave for anypony to touch," I growled.

"Hang on, you went to Splendid Valley?" he asked shocked. "It’s a wonder none of you were killed."

"The only thing killed was my height," I sighed. "Oh and several zombie ponies and a ghoul."

Watcher decided it best to change the subject. "So where are you off to now?" he asked curiously.

"I'm heading home to drop off the talisman we got," I said with a shrug.

"So you got it then? I'm quite shocked. May I ask why you're dropping it off rather than staying home?"

I gave a little giggle. "No, it's damaged but it's better than the one there," I replied. "The search is still on."

"Right," Watcher said. "So... Who's this?" He asked, "New friend?"

"Oh sorry, Watcher, that's my partner, Scerine," I said apologetically pointing a hoof at the grey pegasus.

"Howdy," Scerine said with a wave of her hoof.

"Partner?" Watcher said, his tinny voice failing to hide his confusion.

"Yeah," Scerine said with a smile. "Amethyst here has taught me a bit more than just friendship. if you know what I mean?"

I facehoofed but Watcher didn't seem to get the joke. "Isn't she part of the enclave? At least judging from her armour?" he asked.

"Yeah I am, but I'm part of ground crew," Scerine said. "I met Amethyst on some mountain with a giant, monstrous, fearsome dragon in it."

"Don't you feel that your job will interfere with your relationship?" Watcher asked. "I don't mean to pry but won't they brand you if they discovered you were in a relationship with an... ahh."

The spritebot turned to look at me. "Well I spose you aren't really a unicorn anymore are you?" Watcher asked.

"False," I corrected. "I'm still a unicorn. Apparently, according to the Twilight society or whatever they're called."

"Works for me,' Watcher said. "But yeah, my point stands."

"If they brand me as a dashite then so be it," Scerine sighed. "I've wanted out for a while anyway; the only thing stopping me is my father."

"And me," I said. "Don't make any rash decisions okay?"

Scerine gave me a smile. "Worst case scenario," she said with a wink.

"Well," he said. "I should best be going. See you."

"Seeya Watcher," I farewelled. The spritebot popped and was replaced with that terrible tuba music. "We should probably get going as well," I said. "Are we going to make it tonight?"

“Probably not,” Mdnight sighed. “There’s a bit of a headwind, I don’t think we’ll make it to New Apploosa either.

* * * * *

If we weren’t going to make it before, we most certainly weren’t going to make it now. The horizon had begun to darken as a huge storm developed ahead. There was the occasional flash of lightning but no sound yet; it must have been some distance away still. I checked my Pipbuck, Midnight was peeking over my shoulder. We were still hours away from the New Applaoosa, we might be able to make it to Dodge Junction but that was still an hour and a half away roughly.

“Yeah we might have to set her down soon,” Midnight said shaking her head. “We could try for Dodge Junction but I think the storm will be here in less than an hour.” I sighed. It was a huge setback but if the weather was good tomorrow we should make it to Eighty Six by sundown which would give us a few hours to get to the entrance and plan the way back to my place without being caught by security. It was hard enough with just me but sneaking six ponies including Berry through the stable undetected was going to be a tough pull.

After about forty five minutes the carriage began to sway and the lightning began to make noise. It was getting precarious however Scerine's pace had actually increased more recently and we weren't far out from Dodge Junction. No sooner had I made this observation we began to descend, I wasn't sure what Scerine was doing, we were only about five or so kilometers away. Once we landed I opened the back door and jumped out into the windy and dark outside. "What's going on Scerine?" I asked as I made my way to the front of the carriage. Only it wasn't only Scerine, three powerful Griffins in black barding surrounded her. "Hey what's going on?" I asked rather aggressively. My eyes fell on the large female, her long powerful body much larger than my own, her muscles rippled across her flank and her massive powerful wings had a wingspan much larger than that of a pony.

"No fly zone," the larger female growled, she turned to face me, the scar that ran over her eye on her rugged face didn't make her any less intimidating.

"What're you doing here?" The other Griffin snapped in a caw like way at Scerine.

"We were hoping to get to Dodge Junction to ride out this storm, we're on our way to Ponyville," Scerine said casually. She didn't seem afraid of the Griffins at any rate. By this time we were all standing in the cold bitter wind. Lightning flashed nearby and a resounding boom went off.

"You were never going to get there by sundown," the larger female said with a snap of her beak. "Never mind, jump back in and we'll escort you to town."

"Sure enough, we were back in the air but with our large griffin escorts with us this time, the carriage swayed in the wind but after about ten minutes it began to snow, luckily for us, Scerine landed before it got too heavy.

I clambered out of the carriage, Meep closely following. The wind caught my wings at my sides and it almost blew me over. Meep got drifted through the air so I levitated him onto my back where he dug his claws into my barding. A sign stood nearby that read “Junction R-7.” The buildings were nothing but stacked box carts, some two stories high, other’s three. The tavern stood easily visible by flashing neon lights that read “Junction R-7 Tavern.” We didn’t know if we had the bits to even stay.

The larger female griffin approached me and held out a claw. I held out a hoof and shook it. She had a firm grip. “Name’s Gawd,” she said gruffly before withdrawing her claw. “The Tavern can provide you with refreshments, and a bed.”

I smiled. “Thanks,” I said gratefully.

Gawd shrugged and with a flick of her brush tail she was gone. My teeth began to chatter as I blurted out; “D-do we have b-b-bits?”

“Let’s get inside,” Alyshia cried, “before we freeze.”

We trudged through the snow and wind, my mane quickly turned from black to white in the short walk to the tavern. Alyshia entered first and I quickly followed behind her. Warmth washed over me as I crossed the threshold into the stacked box carts. As expected, the tavern was very rough. A small bar sat in the middle, enough to fit five griffins, two female griffins sat on the bar stools and an older male was cleaning glasses behind the bar. The inside had been dressed with wood panelling; some panels were hanging precariously from the back wall. The floor was steel and the cold seeped through and into my hooves.

“How much is a room?” Alyshia asked the gruff looking griffin. He looked up at Alyshia and then his eyes moved over to each of us. “We don’t get much ponies ‘round here,” he said in a gravelly voice. “Ten caps, includes dinner.” Alyshia pulled out her very light coin bag and tipped it upside down. Four bits fell out.

She turned to us. “Okay everypony; empty your pockets,” Alyshia said politely. I pulled up my bag searching spell and levitated my two caps out and put them on the table. Six caps. Brax shrugged, he didn’t have any money. Scerine tipped her bag out and four caps clattered onto the bar top. The griffin took the money and gave us a very rusty key.

“Second floor, door on the right,” he said. “Oh, and dinner is in an hour.”

“Yay, I don’t have to cook tonight,” Alyshia said with a squee as we ascended the very steep stairs to the second box cart. The corridor on the second level was very narrow, a light bulb hung by the wire from the ceiling illuminating the peeling red pain on the walls and ceiling. The floor was just corroded steel. We entered the creaking door on the right; I followed Alyshia in and glanced around the room. It had a bed fit for two griffins, so three ponies could fit in it quite comfortably however the remaining floor space was quite limited. Thankfully an old mattress lay under the bed and could be pulled out, so we could all sleep but the rest of the room consisted of an old radio in the corner and the chimney from below ran through the floor and into the ceiling at the foot of the bed providing ample heat. That left about four square meters of room. "Well, we could listen to the radio," I said when Brax frowned at the size of the room.

"Geez it's small," Midnight sighed.

"Yeah but we get what we pay for," I replied. "Ten bits is a steal. Did you want to spend the night outside?"

"When you put it like that," Midnight said with a smile.

Lightning flooded in from the small cart window.

BANG

I jumped slightly. "I'm never going to get used to that," I muttered as I sat on the bed. Scerine cracked her armour open, revealing her beautiful self from that hideous armour and deposited it in the corner. She turned and her mane that normally curled neatly from her left to right was matted from helmet hair. She shook her head and her mane popped back into its usual position. Midnight collapsed onto the bed next to me. "Thanks for taking the final leg," Midnight said to the ceiling. "I don't think I could have made that last bit.

"No probs," Scerine said with a wave of her hoof. She let her rump meet the ugly grey carpet together with Brax and Alyshia.

I flicked on the radio magically. A new song was on that I hadn't heard before and it sounded like Sweetie Belle. "New song," Midnight yawned. "Glad their using those records. We busted our backs to get them."

"I concur," I murmured, not really paying attention as I let the mellow song wash over me. Initially after getting the records back to Homage, I didn't really think about what that could mean to other ponies in the wasteland, I just thought of it as another obstacle to getting back home and getting our flawless talisman. Now I understand the significance of any new music would be to anypony out here. It can change hearts.

The song ended rather suddenly and DJ Pon-3 popped up on air.

"Heeeeey everypony. That was a new Sweetie Belle song; Heaven, brought to you by our Bright White Mare. That's right everypony, she sourced these for none other than DJ Pon-3 himself, risking life and limb to get these songs to you! Seven alicorns, that's right everypony, she took down seven alicorns to bring this to us so make sure you remember her.

If I facehoofed any harder my nose would be through my face.

Okay, moving onto the weather. There's a significant thunder blizzard tearing through New Appleoosa, Ponyville, Junction R7 and is heading in a northerly direction, it is due to clip Manehattan tonight and reach Friendship City by morning. Another storm has left Cantal in six feet of snow so you all best shovel those streets in the morning. Elsewhere will be cloudy as always.

So there we have it, time to listen to another new one; Wub the dub dubz by the original DJ-Pon-3 – Vinyl Scratch."

The song that followed was a heavy party song with heavy bass and squeals. "it's nice to know that we get none of the credit," Scerine said with a shrug.

"He does it all the time," Midnight said.

"And it shits me," I sighed. "I took down, what two? Well three including the one Scerine got but that doesn't really count. Not to mention that seventh one got away. I'll need to let Homage know to tell him to tone it down a bit."

"He's just pumping you up to be some white knight," Midnight reminded me. "He wants ponies to look up to you as an example."

"Some example I'm setting," I muttered. "Notice that DJ Pon-3 didn't say anything when I killed that filly?"

"Hang on, you killed a filly?" Alyshia asked shocked.

"It was an accident," Midnight assured, "we were fighting slavers and Amethyst being a rookie at the time missed and hit one of the slaves."

"Yeah, the same one's that got me," Brax sighed. "She was pretty cut up about it."

"I really don't want to think about that," I said as guilt began to crawl back into my veins. Midnight put a hoof on my shoulder to reassure me. I gave her a fake smile then looked back at Alyshia who nodded.

* * * * *

We went back downstars at six thirty for dinner as promised by our host. On the final step of the stairs, the smell of cooking meat met my nose. It wasn't unexpected; I already knew that Griffins ate primarily meat so I wasn't really in a position to scoff at my food.

We made our way to the old wooden table in the corner, old china plates were placed around the table neatly between tarnished silver utensils. Not long after sitting down, a middle aged griffin deposited a tray of meat strips in the centre of the table. Midnight was the first to grab some meat, Alyshia followed suit, then Brax, I levitated some meat and took a close look at it before giving it a sniff, I then took a bite, tearing the strip in half. This meat was softer than the Radhog I had eaten before and it was still a little pink in the middle, I'd say it was better cooked as well; it was still salty but not as bad as I was expecting. I popped the second half in and shrugged before grabbing another.

Scerine still hadn't grabbed any. "Be'er eat up Sc-ine," Midnight swallowed; "before I eat it all."

"I dunno, I've never had meat before," she said looking queasy. "Ponies aren't supposed to be eating meat."

"If the fussy eater is eating it then it can't be that bad," Midnight said. I rolled my eyes, knowing that supposedly fussy eater was me.

"I don't usually eat meat either," Alyshia said with a shrug, "but it was expected, being a griffin town at all and we're running low on canned food."

Scerine grimaced and took a piece before putting it in her mouth. She chewed it more times than necessary before swallowing it. "Savoury," she said simply. "Tastes okay."

"You'll need your energy if you’re flying again tomorrow," Alyshia said seriously, "So make sure you eat."

Scerine merely shrugged. I took another piece and ate it. I could already feel the heavy weight in my stomach but I hadn't had breakfast and lunch was quite small so I was pretty hungry. I glanced out the window which flashed white for a moment but no thunder came. In the light I could see the heavy snowfall being blown in the high wind. I was really glad we weren't sleeping out in that.

Once dinner was finished we went back upstairs to sleep. I needed it after waking at the crack of dawn, Midnight looked like she was about to pass out and she did exactly that when we got back. "We can take the mattress if you like?" Alyshia said, "You two can sleep on the bed."

"Oh no," Scerine said shaking her head. "We can't do that."

"Its fine," Alyshia said as she got under the covers.

I got into the bed, my eyes as heavy and stomach sore, it didn't seem to agree with my meat feast. Since Midnight had collapsed on the right side of the bed I crawled into the middle and Scerine got in after me. Alyshia flicked the lights out and I was out as quick as the light.

* * * * *

I stretched my aching muscles and tightened the bandage on my leg after getting off just outside the gates to New Applaoosa for a break, the downfall of travelling by air, stiff muscles. In addition to our break we were going to barter away our goods, of course Brax would handle that, I didn't know how to barter for my life.

"Let’s get rid of these goods first," Brax piped up, "Then we can treat ourselves to brunch."

We all nodded in agreement before entering town, it looked the same as last time, except with an extra half foot of snow. Ditzy Doo's shop "Absolutely Everything," took on the appearance of a massive rusty coloured cake and the tavern looked like a chocolate éclair with cream. My stomach grumbled and I gave a nervous laugh. My thoughts were betraying me.

I was grateful once we reached the little door of the shop, no more dessert or sugar thoughts. I pulled the door open magically and walked head long into a rust coloured buck and was almost bowled over. "Fuck," I stammered, Alyshia caught me from behind and his brown setson landed on my head, the brim falling around my ears and my horn catching it just before my eyes were covered.

"Oh geez, Sorry 'bout tha'," the rusty pegaus apologised. I levitated the hat off and put it back on his head.

"Oh no, it was my fault," I reassured. "My thoughts were on cake," I admitted.

"Ah naw," he shook his head. "It's my fault," he gave a warm smile which faltered. "Say, ya look familiar," he said with a frown.

"Yeah, we were here not long ago," Alyshia said. "Not a big town."

He gave a shrug, "Anywho, ah best get going,. Sorry again miss," he said with a tilt of his setson and he was off.

"Interesting fellow," I said as he left.

"He was pretty hot," Midnight said with a light blush.

Scerine frowned, her visor pulled back to reveal her pretty face. "He was a dashite," she said casually as we approached the counter. "He was branded.”

"I didn't notice," I said.

"Yeah, you wouldn't have," Brax chipped in. "If he was mare you would have."

I punched him with a hoof. "You're an asshole sometimes," I growled. Brax shook his head before turning to the pegasus ghoul behind the counter that was clearly amused at our little chatter.

Brax chucked. "Sorry about that," he said to Dizty Doo. She gave him a wide smile as if to say "don't worry about it."

"We have some things to sell, and buy," Brax told her. "Everypony, drop everything you have to sell on the counter," Brax requested. I opened up my Pipbuck inventory spell and took our all the junk I had scavenged, not including my healing poultices, med x or bandages and placed them on the bench. Brax then began to barter; Ditzy Doo used her sketch board to write numbers for each item. Brax shook his head. "five more bits for the ammo," he growled. Ditzy frowned before nodding and modifying the number. Brax looked again and frowned, "if we got five tins of beans and two healing potions would you throw in two tins of food for free?"

Ditzy shook her head, she wrote something else on the board and Brax put his hoof to his chin. "Four bit discount?" he muttered. "Make it five and you have a deal." Ditzy shrugged and nodded. She counted caps out and passed them over to Brax before placing five tins of food and two healing potions on the bench. Brax scooped them into his empty cap bag and put the food and potions in his saddlebags. "Great doing business," Brax said with a bow of his head.

Ditzy wrote something on her board and held it up. "No Problem, please come again."

I smiled at her. "Thanks Ditzy," I said thankfully, she smiled back in a way that told me "You're welcome." With that we left the small shop. "So, how much did we get?" I asked.

"Hundred and one caps after the stuff we bought," Brax growled. "We managed to get an extra ten caps. I'll divide them when we get to Eighty Six." We nodded in agreement before moving over to the tables outside the tavern. Brax pulled out the cans and handed one to each of us. "I'm going to get a drink," Brax growled, "Don't want the publican getting angry at us.”

"Just an excuse to drink," I growled as I pulled the O-Ring off the canned peas magically. I took my fork out of my saddlebags and began to shovel the mush into my mouth.

"Howdy again," came that familiar voice from before. I looked up and that rust coloured stallion was back.

The pegasus looked from me to Scerine and gave her a dirty look. "Why does every pegasus down here look at me like some kind of monster," she burst out, her forehooves flailing in the air. "What I need to get branded to fit in around here?" Scerine got up and stormed away. I watched her go.

"Ahh, sorry 'bout tha'," the pegasus said with a nervous laugh.

"You know, she isn't that bad. She actually wants out of the enclave you know," I told him. The branding that Scerine noticed earlier had obviously given him a reason to hate the enclave. I paused. "Who are you anyway?" I finally asked, realising that this particular pony hadn't introduced himself.

"Name's Calamity," he replied. "Anywho, I didn' know 'bout yer friend there."

"It's fine, my names Amethyst, that's Alyshia and Midnight," I said, pointing at the two mare's on the far left of the bench I was at. Midnight gave him a weak smile and a wave of a hoof, her face red with blush. Alyshia just gave him a smile. Brax hadn't yet returned from getting his drink either.

"Nice meeting you lot, if ya need anythin' like help 'round town, just let me know," he said with a tip of his setson. Midnight waved goodbye.

"You're almost as obvious as me," I shot at her as he walked away. "I could fry an egg on that face," I snickered.

"Fuck you," she replied, failing to hide that snort of laughter. "He's really cute though."

"I don't really see the appeal," Alyshia said with a shrug before spooning more food into her mouth.

"You have no taste,' Midnight said exasperated.”You see how cut he is?"

Alyshia swallowed. "He's too..."

"Boyish and rough?" I said through my mushy peas.

"Thank you Amethyst," Alyshia said with a cough.

"Isn't boyish something you want?" Midnight cut over me, "not those prim, silver spooners in New Saddle Tower."

Alyshia scoffed. "No, I just prefer a more moderate mate," she said calmly. "Honestly, as long as I click with them I'd be happy, whoever it is, I'd want someone rather similar to myself, and I can appreciate a good looking mare as well.

"I didn't know you were bi," Brax said as he sat down with a beer.

"Uh, not really, umm, maybe only a bit," Alyshia said turning to him. "I do prefer stallions sexually."

My mind was quickly imploding with the information my brain was absorbing. I always thought Alyshia was straight as a board.

"I wouldn't mind getting a piece of him though," Midnight sighed.

"Eww," I said cringing as really bad thoughts entered my head.

"That pegasus in there?" Brax asked. "Serious?"

"What the hell is wrong with you all?" Midnight said loudly, her hooves thrown into the air. "None of you have any taste.”

"Well... I'm not gay," Brax said before taking a sip of his drink.

I shook my head. “I don’t care anyway, I’m taken, by the sexiest mare alive."

"Well, It's nice that somepony appreciates me," Scerine said as she returned. She gave me a kiss on the cheek and sat beside me.

"Tell me Scerine, is that rust coloured stallion good looking?" Midnight asked her curiously.

"He's alright I spose," Scerine said with a frown, "Aside from that look he gave me. Why?"

"Finally," Midnight said. "Thank you."

* * * * *

We began to drop down at Mid-Afternoon. My heart hammered slightly as I looked out the window and could see the barn I spent my first night in the distance, the only difference was that the ground was layered in snow. The barn itself was a bit a walk from the stable entrance so I hoped Midnight wasn't aiming for that. I checked my Pipbuck and the stable opening was about three kilometres away. "Meep, can you guide Midnight down?" I asked of my dragonfly companion. He gave a beep and flew out the window armed with my Pipbuck information. "Almost there," I told Alyshia, Brax and Scerine.

We landed about eight minutes later in front of the small cave entrance. I jumped out the back and landed in the fresh powdered snow. Luna fuck me with the moon, I was standing right out the front of my home. The cave entrance was rocky and some snow lay on the orange jagged rocks. I felt the wind blow softly and my ears perked at the very first sound I heard when I entered the wasteland, the sound of tree branches rubbing. It brought me back to when I was an innocent filly with nothing but stable maintenance for experience. I looked around and couldn't help but take it all in, I had to admit to myself. I was standing here again but I was a lot different than when I last stood here, the wasteland had changed me and still continues to change me, chipping away at my sanity and patience bit by bit and if it kept doing that, I feared I would become what I hate. I was honestly shocked at the difference made between then and now.

I shook my head, trying to shake those self-doubts. I've told myself this many times already but I'd say it again. "I am a good pony," I said inside my head.

"So this is where Amethyst lives?" Brax said audibly. "In a hole."

"It's not a hole you dick," I snapped at him. "It's the entrance to my home and Berry is in there, so is mum and my boss and all the ponies I grew up with." I shuddered. "Even Glenda. Anyways we should probably get going."

I lit my horn, as did Alyshia and Scerine turned on her fog lamp, we moved on to descend into the deep underground, Meep leading the way. "I look forward to meeting Berry," Alyshia said as darkness enveloped us. "You hold her in high esteem."

"She kept my head straight," I said, my voice echoing in the cave slightly. "She helped me through many rough times. We had many great times together."

"What does she do?" Midnight asked. "Is she in maintenance too?'

"No," I replied. "She works at the ice creamery; her magic is very unique so she was assigned there when she got her cutie mark."

"Did you get assigned to maintenance when you got your cutie mark?" Alyshia asked with a hint of curiosity.

"Yup," I said matter of factly. "At the time I wanted to be a medical mare but I got assigned to maintenance. Once I was there though, I enjoyed it so I don't really regret anything." I looked at my pipbuck which had my previous path on it, I just had to follow it, save for falling into the river which wouldn't do me any good.

With no one talking now I could hear the running water, the drip drip of the water seeping through the rocks. My purple horn light reflected brilliantly from the wet surface, the shiny rough rock compounding the light. It was also warm and humid in here, unlike the dry and cold outside. The cave looked more of a maze coming in than out. We had already taken two turns and to those outsiders who didn't know the path; it would be rather easy to get lost.

"I s'pose the deep windy cave would protect the cave from undesirables," Scerine said quietly.

"Yeah, probably a good thing, it took me a while to get out," I said with a rather quite laugh. "Not to mention nearly drowning." This reminded me, that bridge was unusable.

* * * * *

The sound of bubbling and gurgling water filled my ears as an old bridge came into view of our light. "So here it was that I fell in," I said pointing to the large hole in the mouldy old bridge, "so no point in trying to cross it."

"Levitation and flying?" Alyshia asked.

I nodded. "You first." I lifted Alyshia in my magic with a little strain; she sailed through the air, inches from the wooden boards. I deposited her on the ground. "Brax," I lifted the earth pony up with a bit more strain.

"If I fall..."

"I die, I get it," I said in a bored matter as he sailed over the creek like Alyshia. I levitated myself close to weightlessness and walked across the bridge. Even with my levitation the boards moaned under the little weight applied to them. I walked around the hole and dropped my levitation once across. Midnight and Scerine merely flew over it. "Perks of being a pegasus?"

"At least I don't have to worry about falling," Midnight said with a smile. "You on the other hoof? I'm shocked you didn't fall into the creek."

"Oh haha," I muttered with extra emphasis. "Now we just need too..." I looked at my pipbick, the line of my previous trajectory was all over the place. So I just followed it in a straighter line.

We walked for another ten minutes before the cavern shrunk back down to the final leg of our journey. The only sound was our hoofsteps on the soft sandy cave floor, the faint sound of running water and Meeps metallic wings.

Crack-ck-ck-ck

I stopped and looked down and I nearly screamed. I stood on the foreleg of a pony skeleton, my hoof retracted, the purple aura showing the skull half buried in sand.

"So it looks like somepony found their way in," Alyshia sighed. She levitated something out of the sand and it appeared to be a really old torchlight. "Pre-war" she muttered as she picked up some coins from the snow. "They died on their way to the door; you think the radiation got in?"

I shook my head. "It's too deep, they probably already had radiation poisoning. It's a fair way out and not at all like the entrance to Stable Two which was right on the doorstep to Ponyville."

"Sounds like the best possibility," Brax growled. "Anyway let’s keep going."

I nodded, a sick feeling in my stomach. I couldn't imagine running from the inevitable. I closed my eyes for a second and imagined the green balefire explosion, the mushroom cloud of death rising into the air as you ran, the shockwave consuming everything and the fallout killing all in its path. I shuddered. My ancestors managed to escape it; little did they know that their great times nine or something grandchild made it out.

I shook my thoughts away as the cave descended quickly, the sign that the door was nearby. Sure enough, five minutes later the massive cog door appeared in front of us, fitting neatly into the rock, the steel threshold barely showing. I looked at the door, the number "86" blazoned across it in massive yellow letters. My heart was pounding in my chest, nerves or excitement, I didn’t know, perhaps both? I sighed heavily and I could feel my eyes water. Berry was behind that door somewhere. I checked my Pipbuck which read "Five forty five." It was nearly dinner, a good time to message her. I pulled up my pipbuck SMS list and selected "Berry."

"Berry, I'm at the door. Password is CMC=ScABS."

I hit send. The signal was weak, so I hoped it would get to her. After about thirty seconds the pipbuck beeped to notify the message was sent successfully. I smiled and let my rump hit the sandy floor. Everypony else sat down too. "Now we wait," I said with a shrug.

Ding!

I checked my messages and Berry replied.

"Door should open at 1am. I'll get things organised."

Organised? Was she going to plan it? Well I guess she would, considering security. That made me think of how I was going to get five ponies back without detection. My heart was starting to pound faster as I struggled to find ideas to get everypony through undetected, should I tell Berry I have companions? Perhaps not, I don't want to make her plan any more difficult than it needs to be, If I was on the other side I could jam the turrets if I could get down to the maintenance wing. No that would take too long if I went in first, not to mention two stable door openings. What about stunning the guards? That wouldn't work either as the ones missed would alert everypony else.

Opening the door and getting out was one thing but getting everypony back in was going to prove a challenge. Perhaps I best luck it and hope Berry has some genius plan. I decided to do it. I hit reply.

"PS: I have four other ponies with me. Hope it won't make things difficult <3 Amethyst."

Send

"Let's hope this goes well," I muttered to my companions. "I have no idea how we're going to get in undetected but Berry says she'll have it open at one."

"What would happen if we got caught? Kick us all out?" Alyshia asked. "You're a resident."

"Oh no, they won't kick me out," I said with a hearty laugh. "No I'm sure the Overmare wants a piece of me." My stomach rumbled with nervousness. If she found out I was back, I'd be surprised if she didn't lock me up. Perhaps it's best to sleep off the night, install the talisman and get back out. That wouldn't work either. She'd be notified of the open stable door.

I pounded a forehoof into the sand angrily. “Is the Overmare really that bad?" Brax asked in a low voice. His face was barely illuminated so I couldn't tell his expression.

'If you crossed Nightmare Moon and Discord together, you get the Overmare," I said with wave of a hoof. "My mum is the biggest suck up to her too. It’s nauseating." Thinking of the Overmare made me think about mum. Whether she kept her job, if she cut back on the drink, which was laughable. No mum wouldn't have cut back on the drink, her life was work, cider, work, cider. At least she kept sober while she worked.

"That bad huh?" Scerine whispered.

I nodded.

"So Alyshia," I started, wanting my thoughts of the feasibility of breaking back in to vanish. "Why didn't you bring up the fact that you like mares earlier too?"

"Huh?" her head snapped over to me. "Oh, I- Not really," she stammered quietly. "It's only slight, like. I prefer stallions, she paused. "I wouldn't date a mare unless I really liked her. It's more of a romantic thing really," she said with a hearty laugh, "I can appreciate a good looking mare but stallions do it for me more. Does that make sense?"

“Yeah but you never really mentioned it,” I replied quietly.

“No real point,” she muttered with a shrug. “I don’t find mare’s that appealing in a sexual sense, but in a romantic setting I could.”

I nodded. “That makes sense,” I said. To be truthful, it made little sense at all.

The wait wasn’t eventful, having to wait seven hours for the door to open, I was getting anxious, self-doubt and worry filled my veins. The Overmare held power, she was a frightening individual and I couldn’t imagine how she’d react to my return. I closed my eyes and saw her face screwed up in anger. “No Pony or Zebra leaves my stable ever!” I wasn’t sure if those were the perfect words she used but they would have been pretty close, her expression at least I would remember. She would have gone mad after I broke out, security would probably be stronger, gag orders would be placed on those that knew of the talisman. She mentioned the emergency water supply. We didn’t have an emergency water supply and even if we did the sewerage would contaminate it and we had no other water purification facilities apart from the talisman. I didn’t work in utilities but even I knew the water talisman purified sewage so she had no idea how the maintenance wing even worked.

* * * * *

It was twelve forty five and I was getting really tired. Midnight had fallen asleep, Alyshia had her head against the rocky cave wall but her eyes were open and Scerine had her head resting on my shoulder, asleep as well, her drool seeping into my coat. Meep had shut down clutched to my saddlebag and Brax was awake but tired. “Nearly there,” I muttered.

I checked my Pipbuck where the clock slowly ticked up. Twelve Fifty, Twelve Fifty Three, Twelve Fifty Five, Twelve Fifty Eight. My pipbuck beeped at One O’clock. But One O’clock turned to five past One, Ten past One.

When it was quarter past one I was getting worried. “She’s running late,” I said nervously. I was getting worried that she got caught, wasn’t able to get to the door or forgot. No, she didn’t forget, and if she couldn’t get to the door she would have messaged me by now.

My ears perked at a metallic sound and my heart jumped. I heard something hit the door and then. Sheeeiiiiikkk. Midnight and Scerine jumped awake and Alyshia and Brax were alert as the Stable Door pulled in. I jumped to my hooves as the door rolled to the side causing light to flood into the dark cave. It revealed Berry, two security guards stood on either side of her, and the stable was as shiny as ever, not at all like the dead stables we had pilferaged. I extinguished my horn and preceded into the Stable, the clean fresh air washed over me as I crossed the massive threshold, cautious due to the guards.

“Amethyst!” she squealed. She threw her hooves around me so tight I couldn’t breathe.

“B-Berry,” I wheezed, “too tight.”

“Sorry,” she apologised as she broke the hug. “Sorry for being late too.” I waved a hoof. My other friends walked in cautiously, Midnight in particular looked really nervous. “So are these your friends?” Berry asked.

“Yeah,” I said my ribs sore. “Midnight,” I pointed at the albino pegasus. “Alyshia,” at the purple unicorn, “Brax,” at the grey earth pony. “And Scerine,” I said pointing to the charcoal pegasus.

"Amethyst has said a lot about you," Alyshia chipped in with a wave of hello.

“Oh really?" Berry said with a sideways glance at me. "So the more important question is, did you get it?” Berry asked desperately.

I bit my lip. “Kind of,” I said, knowing what was to come. “The one I have is broken but it’s better than we got. So I have to go again.”

Durr Durr Durr. Shrieeek The door shut behind us.

“So why didn’t you tell me? Why didn’t you let me go with you?” Berry asked, her voice full of hurt as I knew it would be.

“I didn’t think, I just thought this was my mission and I needed somepony to let me in,” I replied apologetically.

Berry raised an eyebrow. “I’m shocked you’re still alive, I don’t know what happened to you,” she said scanning my new body, “but at least you’re here now.” She gave me another hug that I returned. “But when you leave again I’m going too.”

I was about to protest and tell her no way but I felt that now wasn’t the best time. I couldn’t expose Berry to what I’d seen, would she understand? No, Berry wasn’t like that, she had her mind made up and there was no way I could change that. The best I could do was to make her understand what life was like beyond the door and if that didn’t change anything, I couldn’t force her to stay. She broke the hug. “We had better get going, you’re room is still untouched so you should be able to get in still, at least the resistance has bought us some time.”

“The resistance?” I asked curiously as the sliding door into the main corridors opened.

“The resistance was set up after I told the Overmare’s daughter that I knew the talisman was dead,” Berry replied.

“The Overmare’s daughter?” I asked, “Isn’t that risky?”

“No,” Berry said quietly. “She became estranged from her mother about a year ago, she says that she’s become too extreme, too authoritarian and has gone against the stable constitutional agreement multiple times, she’s been talking of a coup but she hasn’t had the opportunity yet to enact it. She set up the resistance and I joined it upon revealing the talisman information. When you left, the Overmare put in place a strict curfew. Out of corridors by seven pm, showers only once a week, Maintenance were put on gag orders and anyone aware of the talisman outside of maintenance had their memory of it wiped magically.”

“What!?” I said exasperated.

“Even your mother,” Berry sighed. “She got sacked the following morning; it was quite public so she’s been on admin duties.”

I wasn’t surprised yet I couldn't help but feel like a lead weight appeared in my stomach. “How’s her drinking?” I asked.

“Bad,” Berry replied grimly. Another non-surprise. Now I only needed to find out if she would ever talk to me again.

“The resistance knows your back so hopefully you can help us with the coup, Sunset thinks they can get the coup together very soon now you’re here,” Berry said excitedly. “Of course your friends are welcome to join too.”

I smiled. “Thanks, so they expect this to happen soon?”

“Yeah, Sunset has always been talking of a turning point," Berry explained. "To be honest, I can't think of a better time than now, not that you're back."

I was about to explain how I fit into this when Berry shook her head. "We really better get going," she said with a hint of desperation. "I’ll explain more but I don't want to be caught in the corridors, we're almost out of time."

I nodded and that's when we began to quickly navigate down to the rooms. No one talked, we were quiet and we met no guards on the way down. It wasn't until we were outside Berry's room that she spoke. "I can take two of your friends if you like; I don't think you’re going to fit five ponies in your room."

"Okay," I whispered, "good point. Who wants to stay with Berry tonight?" I asked. They all looked at each other but no one offered; even Midnight looked a bit shy.

"I won't bite," Berry said with a little giggle.

"I will," Alyshia piped up.

"Okay, I guess I will too," Midnight said quietly.

"Brilliant," Berry beamed. "Midnight and, uhh. Alyshia was it?"

They both nodded and the trio vanished as they stepped into her room and the door closed. "I guess it's just us tonight then," I whispered. "My room is just down there," I added. Two doors down I pulled the keys out from the bottom of my saddlebags and inserted it. My heart was pounding for some reason, I couldn’t be nervous about coming back to my old room could I? I opened the door and flicked the lights on magically.

My room was exactly the way I left it. The lounge cushions lay messy, the grey bed unmade, my Rarity plush lay across the pillow on the half of the bed I didn't use, DVDs lay messily on the floor near the TV, the door to the toilet was left ajar and my quill and paper lay on the bedside table, where I had left it when I gave the letter to Berry. Emotion crept through my chest and my eyes began to water and I didn't even know why.

"So this is Amethyysts room," Scerine said walking around me.

"It's as messy as her air," Brax growled as he walked over to the sofa.

If I could describe my emotions, it would be sad with a hint of disappointment. I felt I was mourning my previous life and my old self for the first time. I left this place shy, ditzy, ignorant and perhaps a little foolish. I've returned a killer, a mutant, and my shyness, ditzyness and ignorance have all but vanished, replaced by a damaged mare. The wasteland had changed me into something I'm not, I realised this outside the cave but it didn't really hit home until now. What will I be when I come back next time?

Scerine noticed that I was a little off. "Amethyst are you alright?" she asked putting a hoof around my neck.

"I don't know," I sighed sadly. "I guess... I've realised how different things were here, how different I was, how the wasteland has twisted me into, well into this," I said as tears formed thickly in my vision. "I'm not me anymore, I'm a monster compared to what I was."

Scerine hugged me. "You're not a monster," she said quietly and soothingly. "It might be true you've changed a little but the fundamentals that make you, well... you are still there." Scerione then placed her metallic forehoof against my cheek. "Do you think I would have fallen in love with you if I thought you were deranged, or a monster?" she asked of me.

I shook my head, tears leaking down my face.

"See, you're being a silly pony," she said with a weak smile. I returned her smile. Silly pony Perhaps I have changed but those fundamentals that make me who I was might just still be there. "So let’s get some sleep so we can tackle the next day."

I nodded; feeling a little reassured I made my way over to my bed where I sat down. Brax was sorting out the sofa to sleep on; he stacked the cushions for the pillow while Scerine was getting out of her armour. I levitated Rarity and pulled her into a hug, my forehooves wrapping around her. She was still soft and warm and she provided comfort as she had done since I was a little foal. Her embroided eye needed to be re-secured but considering her age, she was in very good condition. . When I leave, I'll be taking her this time, but I'll make sure she is well looked after. I put Rarity back down and took my saddlebags and barding off, I pried Meep from the Saddlebags as he was asleep and placed him on the bed head, his claws wrapped naturally around the metal where he now sat securely.

"Okay, I'm going to bed now," Brax growled from the sofa.

"Okay," I said as my own eyes began to fall due to exhaustion. Scerine got into the left side of the bed, opposite of where I was sitting.

"You coming to bed hon?" Scerine said quitely.

I nodded as I pulled myself into bed and threw the sheets over me. They had a "haven't been slept in for a while," smell to them but they were warm and far cleaner than anything I had used since leaving. I let my head fall onto my soft pillow before turning out the lights magically. I wrapped a hoof around Rarity and Scerine placed a wing around me. I was home, in my bed, it felt the same as it did before but this time I had my girlfriend here with me, her wing around me and in love with me. I smiled and closed my eyes, darkness enveloping me faster than ever before.

* * * * *

Nock Nock Nock

I woke up feeling groggy. "Coming," I croaked as I rolled out of bed. My hooves touched the steel floor and I made my way over to the door expecting Berry. I wrapped my magic around the handle and opened the door. A very angry, very frightening pink mare with slick black hair, stood before me. Two guards stood behind her. I felt all the blood in my head drain from it, my skin went very cold and I gulped. "O-Overmare," I stammered. I kept the door close to me so she couldn't see through.

"You have some nerve coming back here don't you?" she growled. "What did I say? I said NO ONE leaves the stable . So you go ahead, break into my office, steal the password AND open the door." She looked me up and down, the bandage was still on my leg and I had blood staining my face. "I'm not even going to ask what you've been exposed to." She shook her head. "Apprehend her and take her to the holding cells. I'll deal with her later."

"What?" I barked. "Why?"

"You broke the law, you're being punished," the Overmare spat. I bit my lip and sighed. I stepped out of my room and held my forehooves out to the guards to cuff them. I really had no choice, I wasn't armed and any resistance would just mean getting tasered.

"You know," I piped up. "With me in jail, you aren't going to get the water talisman I got, let me go and I'll install it."

She looked at me sheethingly through those crazy pink eyes. "You aren't poisoning this stable with something you think is a water talisman Miss Days. As I'm sure you've discovered by now, everything out there is poisoned, including that thing you got so don't try to fucking bribe your way out of here." She whinnied. "Now get her out of here, I don't want to look at this piece of filth for a second longer."

So I was led away. I was angry at the Overmare, she was delusional, as if any logic presented to her was meaningless. She appeared more deranged than before, calmer yes, but if anything, this made her seem even crazier. Once out of earshot of the Overmare I glanced at one of the guards. "So, do you think the Overmare is being ridiculous? I mean, I'm here with a new talisman, to save everypony?"

The guard on my left shrugged but didn't say anything.

"Fine, ignore me," I spat. They didn't say anything and they clearly didn't care because I was later thrown in the Holding Cell at the Master at Arms office. As the cell door slammed behind me a layer of magic ran down the door, clearly to prevent me from casting any spells. I looked around. The holding cell was just steel, the floor, the walls, and the cage. I could see into the empty adjacent cells and that was about it. I slammed my forehoof angrily against the metal cage. "You can't keep me locked in here forever!" I yelled. I shifted over to the mattress and sat down. I then sent a message to Meep and to Berry.

Overmare took me to the Holding Cells. I'm at the Master at Arms office, not sure if anything can be done. Talisman is in my bag; make sure the Overmare can't get it.

Send.

My Pipbuck beeped to indicate the message was sent. A moment later a message came back from Berry.

Message has been sent to Sunset, I have your friends at my place, just waiting on her reply, we'll get you out of there. I promise.

I then lay down. How could I let this happen to myself? Of course this was going to happen, it was inevitable. I just hoped they could get me out of here. What if the Overmare banished me, or if she had me executed. I knew that execution wasn't done here but the Overmare seemed capable of it, she had destabilised since I left, that much was adamant and I couldn't trust that pony as much as I could throw her. I looked up at the ceiling, wishing there was an air vent but all I could see was flat steel.

I couldn't do much; I was quite literally a prisoner in my own home. So all I could do was wait, wait for salvation, or wait for the Overmare to come.

After about two hours I was beginning to get restless. I hadn't been formally charged and I couldn't do anything, if anything I was going mad in here.

Click

My ears perked up at the barely audible sound. I sat up. Who was that? What was that? "Hand me the keys," A strong female voice said quietly.

"I am under the explicit order of the Overmare to keep this place secure," a stallion barked, "now leave or I'll be placing you in the cell too."

"Give me the god damn keys," the mare snapped.

"No!" the stallion growled. "Go see the Overmare, this is your final warning."

"I don't have time for this," the mare growled.

Btzzzz

It kind of sounded like a laser gun but it didn't. I wasn't sure what had happened but the Stallion didn't say another word. I heard hoof steps coming my way, getting louder and louder until a mare around Alyshia's age stood in front of my cell. Her coat was of an amber colour and her mane was sunset orange, her cutie mark bore a stable door, the sun rising or falling behind it, I couldn't tell which. "Amethyst?" the mare asked. I nodded and she inserted the key and opened the door. She looked at me through her pink eyes, similar to that of the Overmare but instead of showing madness, derangement and loathing they were much friendlier.

"Sunset?" I asked as she unshackled me, I was simply a guess from what Berry had said and the visual I was getting from this pony.

"Sure am," she said. "Right, we just need to get downstairs to the Maintenance Wing, we have an office down there. I'll explain more when we're there. I just need you to put this on, make sure it covers your whole body."

"Okay," I replied as she pulled out an old silky cloak. I ensured it covered every part of me which wasn't difficult; it was built to hide an entire stallion.

"Good, I can't see you," she said delightfully. "This is yours?" she asked holding a gun holster with a magnum in it.

I nodded and took that too and strapped it to myself. I won't use it, unless I absolutely had to, this isn't the wasteland.

"I just need to put this fellow in the holding cell so he doesn't wake up and ruin everything," she muttered. She then dragged the stallion magically and placed him in a cell before wiping his Pipbuck contact list. She then locked the cell behind her.

"What did you do to him?" I whispered as we left the facility.

"Just a shock, not a lot else," she whispered. "Anyway, be quite."

"Sorry," I mouthed but this was futile because I was invisible. I had to dodge out of everypony's way in the narrow corridors but then I learnt to just walk directly behind her. We entered the maintenance wing which was deserted, I checked my pipbuck and it was a Sunday, of course it was deserted. We walked past the terminal and robotics sub-wing and turned into the utilities sub-wing. Sunset checked her EFS, looked manually and then opened the door. I stepped in behind her and she closed the door.

I hadn't been in the utility sub-wing before; these ponies maintain electricity, water, sewage and the associated pipe work. The corridor was longer than the one in our section and the doors were labelled. Suddenly, I felt the cloak lift from me. "All good from here," she muttered. "We're just up in the head office, third door on the left."

We entered the door to head office and behind it were about twenty ponies in deep conversation. When Sunset entered they all stopped talking and stood. "No need my little ponies," she said professionally. "We have a job to do.” She paused. "May I introduce to you, Amethyst Days," she waved a hoof at me and I held up a hoof nervously. I still didn't know how I fit into all of this.

I spotted Berry, Alyshia, Brax, Scerine and Midnight at the far end of the table, they were clapping their hooves. I noticed that Alyshia, Scerine, Midnight and Brax were wearing stable barding and it looked rather odd on them. Everypony else was quite exasperated that I was standing before them. "Are you the Amethyst Days, the one who left the stable?" A light grey earth stallion piped up.

"Uhh, yeah," I said nervously. "That's me."

"So it's true, you got a talisman?" the mare next to him chipped in.

"Yeah, but it’s not perfect," I replied feeling very much in the spotlight. "I need to get another."

"I thought you were a unicorn," a blue unicorn mare said. "Why do you have wings?"

That was quite an invasive question and I wasn't sure I wanted to answer that. "I am a unicorn," I replied deciding to keep the answer simple.

Sunset must have sensed my discomfort because she said, "Okay everypony, I think we've bombarded her enough." She turned to me. "You can take a seat if you like," she whispered. Without further ado and to get away from the staring eyes, I made my way over to my friends.

"Welcome back," Berry whispered.

"Thanks," I muttered back.

"Okay everypony," Sunset said seriously. "We have a job to do; today we take the Stable back for ourselves, today we become united, today stability shall be restored."

Everypony cheered and clapped their hooves. I joined in because as much as everypony else, I wanted somepony else to be Overmare.

"So the plan," Sunset said turning to a whiteboard with maps of various stable levels. "Spark, we need you to kill the power to the Overmare's office after lunch, she's back in her office by one thirty so cut the power at one forty five."

"No problem ma'am," the unicorn stallion near the front said with a salute.

"Berry," Sunset said as she looked at my leaf green friend. "I need you to keep track of the Overmare, if she appears to delay or deviate from her usual routine you need to message me at once so I can modify other plans in time to storm the place."

"Yes ma'am," Berry said with a salute.

"Amethyst," Sunset said. I jumped up, not expecting my name to be called. "I need you to hack the main computer in the terminal wing and disable the turrets in the Overmare's office, which includes cutting her ability to reactivate them."

"That shouldn't be a problem," I piped up. "Consider it done."

"Oh, I almost forgot to mention, you'll need to take the cloak once completed and meet me in the atrium at one thirty," she added. "I'll need your assistance with talking sense into my mother."

I gulped. Negotiating was probably one of my weakest attributes. I nodded all the same but I doubted my presence would be of any help.

"Bullet and Poker, I'll need you two to accompany me, in case things get a little," she paused. "Out of control."

Bullet, a pale yellow stallion nodded and Poker, a white mare with red hair saluted.

"Everypony else, keep an eye on your messages in case I need you,"

"Yes ma'am," everypony else chanted. "Okay, everypony get ready, Spark, power needs to be out in an hour, let me know if there are any issues."

The stallion nodded and with that everypony except me, Berry and my other companions left. "Amethyst, I can't have you leave until you’re ready to cut the turrets, when you do leave. Use this." She passed me the cloak. "Be careful, it's pretty low on energy."

I nodded and took the cloak. "Well I should probably get going, I need to find the Overmare," Berry said nervously.

"Okay," I replied. "Goodluck!"

Berry nodded and handed me an apple “You probably haven't eaten yet, oh and this," she added. She passed me a set stable barding and without further ado she left. I let off a huge sigh. "I am so sorry about this," I said turning to the other four. "I didn't realise this was all happening and I didn't foresee getting jailed and-"

Scerine put a hoof to my mouth. "It's completely fine," she said with a smile. "It's your home and you have to do what you have to do." Everypony else nodded in agreement.

"Thanks," I muttered as I took a bite of the apple. "Have you guys eaten yet? Lunch will be at the atrium soon."

"Yeah, Berry got us some breakfast earlier," Alyshia piped up. "I've got to say," she said looking at the others before turning back to me. "After eating that food, it's no wonder you hate the canned food."

I shrugged. "I'm a bit of a pansy when it comes to that but seriously, I'm getting used to that old food anyway," I replied. "So are you guys going for lunch or?"

"We probably should," Alyshia mentioned, "just to keep out of the way."

The other three nodded. "At least we blend in a little more," Brax said looking down at his barding. "It's rather comfortable too."

"Says the pony with no wings," Midnight scoffed, her wings were jammed behind the barding. "When this whole coup thing is over I'm going barecoat for the rest of the stay here," she added with a growl.

"I concur," Scerine agreed.

"Anyway, we should probably get going," Alyshia said. She turned to hug me. "Good Luck hon, hopefully everything works out."

I wrapped my forehooves around Alyshia's neck. "Thanks Alyshia," I said sincerely. She broke the hug and Scerine pecked me on the cheek.

"Yeah good luck," she said when she pulled away. "Stay safe."

Midnight put an encouraging hoof on my shoulder and Brax nodded to me which I returned. "I'll meet you back in my room after two," I said farewelling them.

* * * * *

My Pipbuck beeped at one fifteen, indicating it was now time to disable the turrets. I got into my stable barding, it was a size too big but that was okay as it made room for the wings and then threw the cloak over myself. I wrapped my magic around the door knob and left, hidden from view. I was careful to not make any noise as I left the utility wing and proceeded down the main corridor of the maintenance wing. Luckily, I didn't encounter anypony. I checked my EFS before entering the terminal and robotics wing. Of course I had access to this wing as it was where I worked. The door clicked open and I walked in.

It looked the same as always. It was messy, things weren't organised. In the main area a dismantled robot with many legs lay strewn across the table and a terminal lay ready for repair next to it. The work benches had clutter all over them, metal shavings, chips, spare hard drives and the like. The main room and corridor had four doors. The office, to the right of the work tables was where my boss spent half the day doing who knows what (Probably Sleeping), the door on the left was where the spare parts were stored, (at least the parts that made it in there,) the server room and the final door was where our Pipbuck technician worked.

That reminded me. I had to drop my Pipbuck off to have the pads replaced and to have it tightened. I shook my head. I need those turrets disabled. I entered the server room door in the corridor and walked into the cold air-conditioned room. The room was humming with loud noises of the running servers. About five computers lay against the wall on the door side and server racks adorned the back walls. Sunset hadn't realised I was one of the administrators to the main server. I could just log right in but I didn't have access to the Security or the Overmare's applications or files from here so that's where I needed to do my hacking work.

I found a hacking tool nearby and plugged it into the server near the monitor that allowed direct access. I logged in using my userID and password and brought up to main console. I had access to file backups, degrees of account maintenance and records of what maintenance use and recycle. I brought up the security application which asked for a password. Of course only the high up security ponies had this access but I brought up my hacking tool and attempted to get in.

This was actually rather difficult as it was a twelve character password and it was full of letters and numbers. With each password I tried I wrote down the letters and numbers it contained on a piece of paper for me to keep track. After about ten minutes I was starting to stress, I had to be in the atrium in five minutes and still no password. Why did I leave this to the last minute? I bit my lip. "No, you got this Amethyst," i whispered to myself. "Just a walk in the park." I found a password that matched all my numbers and letters and it failed. Two attempts left and I had to back out again. That was when I spotted it. S3cu5ys4dm1n

Beep

I was in. I quickly navigated the security console and clicked on "Turrets." It brought up the entire stable turret system. There was even a turret outside the stable door but it was showing as damaged, probably by humidity or water. I quickly navigated to the Overmare's turrets. There were two in total and both were showing as "Standby." I clicked the drop down on them and shifted them into Offline. I then turned off their emergency battery system in case they were to come online after the power was out. I logged off, unplugged the hacking tool and threw it on the table and made a dash out of maintenance while not losing my cloak.

I made it to the atrium at one thirty on the dot. Setset was looking around for me, not that it would make any difference. "Turrets are offline," I whispered sidling up to her.

She jumped slightly and then addressed me. “Excellent, I knew you could do it," she praised. "I can take the cloak back now." I pulled it off me and passed it over and she stuffed it into her saddlebags. “Let’s go.” I followed her at her heels.

“Where are Bullet and Poker?” I asked thinking of where our security entourage were.

“You’ll see,” Sunset replied happily. “I just hope the Overmare doesn’t suspect them to be part of The Resistance.

We ascended the final set of stairs and flanking either side of the door was the Overmare’s security. It was Bullet and Poker. “She has security outside her door now?” I asked exasperated, “paranoid much?”

Poker winked at us, it was actually kind of cute. Sunset raised her Pipbuck to her mouth. “Spark,” she whispered. “Kill the power now!”

I heard a click on the door as the power was cut to the Overmare’s office. Spark and Bullet pulled out their guns and stormed in first; Sunset ignited her horn and went in immediately after, followed by myself.

The Overmare stood up from her desk, the emergency lighting could only just illuminate her cold eyes. “S-Sunset?” she blabbed. “What is the meaning of this?”

“Step down,” Sunset growled, “and nopony gets hurt.”

The Overmare looked taken aback.“And why should I heed your demands,” the Overmare shot at her. “I’m in charge here, not you.” The Overmare made eye contact with me and those cold eyes narrowed. “Or did she,” the Overmare snapped, “fill your head with damaged talisman rubbish?”

Sunset raised an eyebrow. “I’ve seen the old talisman for myself,” Sunset said calmly. “It’s fucked, so don’t try and make Amethyst the enemy here, she did an incredibly brave and noble thing to-“

“She left against MY orders,’ the Overmare roared, her hoof banging on the table. “Leaving this place puts us ALL at risk, don’t you see that Sunset? Or would you blindly offer Eighty Six to the poison of the outside?”

“I never said I was going to open the door,” Sunset sighed. “This discussion is pointless; you’re treating us all like rubbish while you sit on your high horse while the stable slowly runs out of water.”

“And YOU!” the Overmare roared, completely disregarding what Sunset had said and pointing an accusational hoof at me. “Filled my daughter’s head with the desire to overthrow me didn’t you?”

“What?” I yelped. “Me? I’ve been gone for the last two months, I only got back like twelve hours ago and I spent most of that sleeping and in jail.”

“ENOUGH!” Sunset roared. “You know that isn’t true,” she shouted at her mother. “You’re delusional, this is it. Step down now.”

“Over. My. Dead. Body,” the Overmare growled. Her horn ignited and she pulled something out that was all too familiar to my eyes and aimed it at Sunset. I pulled out my magnum fast but before I could pull the trigger.

BANG

Poker’s eyes widened and the Overmare hit the floor, her gun clattering to the ground a second later. Poker lowered her weapon looking shocked.

"Mum!" I heard Sunset shout and she ran over to her.

I ran over to the Overmare and quickly examined her; she had a single bullet wound through her lower neck. She was still breathing.

“She’s still alive,” I called out. I levitated the Overmare carefully from the floor; blood had pooled slightly where she fell, her blood loss while serious wasn’t going to kill her too quickly, so I placed her on my back.

“Be careful,” Sunset called. “Bullet, can you escort Miss Days to the hospital wing? I need to make an announcement; I’ll visit her when I’m done.” I didn’t know why I needed to be escorted but we both left without haste.

* * * * *

I hobbled through the doors of the hospital wing and Bullet stood outside. The much larger mare on top of me was heavy and she was bleeding into my barding but I had to get her medical treatment.

“Amethyst!” a mare in the stable doctor’s uniform called. She had a pale green mane and a mint green coat. I went to medical school with this filly when I was little. “What happened to the Overmare?” she said quickly pulling a bed over for this emergency patient.

“It’s a long story,” I replied, “please take care of her,” I mentioned as she was wheeled away. Once she was gone I began to feel guilty. What could I have said that prevented the escalation? I couldn’t think, I should have said more as that was the reason I was brought along. I began to hobble back to my room, a weight in the pit of my stomach; I was almost there where the PA system popped online.

“Greetings Stable Eighty Six, its Sunset calling from the Overmare’s office. I would like to start by announcing that the Overmare has stepped down and I have come in to replace her. I would like to thank the effort s of the resistance whose assistance in this matter has been invaluable, not to mention non-other than Amethyst Days for returning to us with a better talisman.” Sunset paused.

“My mother sought to keep a dark secret from you all. For the last few months the Stable’s Talisman was on its way out and we were all doomed to die in our own homes of starvation and thirst. Amethyst left the stable against my mother’s orders to get another some weeks ago. It may seem like a blessing however she isn’t complete in her journey. I had to take action against my mother and this is how I have become your Overmare. I would like to invite everypony to celebrate this occasion in the atrium on Tuesday evening, and no work on Wednesday for those that want to let their hair loose.”

The PA cut out as I walked down the corridor to my room. I hoped Sunset would visit her mother, as much as I hated the old Overmare I didn't wish she would die, I'm just glad she was removed from power and hoped she would get the help she needed.

I stepped into my room and everypony was waiting there for me. I threw them a smile as I walked in. "Good job," Berry said, happily clapping a forehoof against my shoulder. "What happened anyway? What's with the blood?"

"It escalated and Poker shot the Overmare," I muttered. "She's okay though, she's in hospital, I took her there."

Berry looked shocked. "Mother of Celestia," she said taken aback. "I'm glad you're okay at any rate," she said relieved.

Scerine came in next and she kissed me on the cheek before pulling me into a hug. "I'm glad you're okay too," she said caringly.

I looked at Berry as we broke apart, her eyebrow was raised. "So, are you two like, together or something?" She asked confused.

"Oh yeah," I said as I rubbed the back of my head with a forehoof.

"Nice of you to tell me," Berry said seriously.

"What? I only just-" I began but Berry began to laugh.

"I'm pulling your leg," she laughed. "You only just got back, I know. But sweet mother of Celestia you picked up a good one," she added looking up and down at Scerine's body.

"Yeah well," I said matter-of-factly. "How goes your love life?"

"We might go for a walk," Alyshia piped up as she glanced at Brax, Scerine and Midnight. "Leave you two some time to catch up."

I nodded and they left.

"Trash," she sighed as if nothing had happened. "If I keep going like this I'll end up lonely forever."

"Yeah I thought so too," I said in what I hoped to be a comforting way. "But then I met Scerine, it was such luck really."

"So," Berry began seriously as she sat on the sofa. "Have you two, you know? Done it yet?" She said without any hint of embarrassment.

"Yeah," I said with a smile. "Just the once so far."

"Really?" She said her head craning in excitement. "Well, give me some details?"

I smiled sheepishly at her.

"You don't have to," Berry said with a wave of a hoof. "But was it good?"

"You bet it was," I said with a wide smile.

'So about leaving, " Berry said changing the subject.”When are we going? Only I need to tell my boss tomorrow."

The smile was wiped from my face in an instant. "About that," I murmured nervously. Berry raised her left eyebrow but I wasn't about to tell her what I wanted to tell her. I had to make sure she knew exactly what she was getting herself into. "I'm not going to say you can't come but you need to understand what it's like beyond the door," I said. "I nearly died Berry, multiple times. I was even locked in a room full of decayed corpses; I was to become one of those corpses, when I was by myself."

Berry recoiled slightly. "I'm not going to sugar coat this," I said seriously. "The land out there if full of evil ponies, irradiated monsters, radiation, of... I ruffled by bloody wings. I pulled my saddlebags to me magically and levitated my last .308 round for my Sniper Rifle. It was the most imposing bullet I had used. I held up the brass coloured bullet to Berry's face, the tip shining angrily against the stable lighting. "Berry, by going outside you have to put these into the heads of ponies and monsters that turn red on the EFS," I mentioned. "It changes you, a lot. I'm not the same as when I left and neither will you."

"It's kay," Berry said nervously. "You're my best friend and I will never stay here while you go out, we stick together, we always have."

I pulled out my shotgun and unloaded it before passing the unused bullets and the gun to her. "This is yours then," I said passing her the gun. "We'll get you something a bit better in town."

She levitated the gun. "It's heavy," she commented.

"Not as heavy as this," I said holding up the much larger sniper rifle. "I can't stress enough though," I added as I put the rifle down. "If it shoots at you, or comes at you with a weapon, you kill it. I learnt the hard way but seriously, killing is hard the first few times. It's something to get used to." I couldn't believe I had just said that.

Berry still looked nervous. "How many ponies have you killed?" She asked sheepishly.

"A lot," was my only answer.

"I can do it," Berry said looking at the gun. "We can get the talisman together; I can't stay here with you out there, not like last time."

"You could die," I replied.

"I know," Berry sighed. "As long as I know you’re there, if you can do it, so can I, we can do it together."

I couldn't believe the loyalty Berry was showing me. Our friendship was strong but for her to throw the stable life away at a whim just to support me meant a lot. "We have the girls. And guy as well," I added. "We work well together, I'm sure you'll fit well into the team. Make sure you bring some extra warm clothes though."

"It's cold?" Berry asked her head cocked.

"Freezing," I said. "It's mid-winter so there's snow, and cold, and blizzards." I pulled out two books for Berry. "You might want to read these as well." I passed over "Gun's Today," and "Wasteland Survival Guide," magically. "Just make sure you read the parts on Raiders, Slavers, Monsters and Radiation. But yeah, we leave on Wednesday."

Berry nodded.

“Oh and I almost forgot,” I said with a little laugh. “The food is two hundred years old and the water is boiled before drinking. It doesn’t stop the radiation though.”

“Are you trying to stop me from going?” Berry said. “No matter what you say I’m going, even if that means becoming a winged midget.”

“Oh gee thanks,” I said heavily. “Anyway,” I said perking up. “I'm going to go for a shower, although, it’s usually my own blood that I clean off," I said with a hearty laugh.

* * * * *

Once I was squeaky clean and my leg bandage finally removed I wandered out into the corridors. The shower pressure was much lower than usual, an ominous sign. The walls of the corridors however oozed certain warmth that no other walls beyond the stable could accomplish. My eyes caught an air vent and a memory flashed before me. A dead frozen pegasus family. I shook my head and looked away from the vent. It would probably be a good idea to visit mum, I was putting it off but really I couldn’t do that anymore. She was my mum and Sunset said I was back so I couldn’t really dodge it anymore.

I came to a stop outside mum’s place. My heart was hammering in my chest, I was nervous and I wasn’t even sure she wanted to see my face again. I knocked twice and waited. After a few seconds the door opened and my mother appeared before me. She was a mess, she looked grey in the face and her pink mane was matted, her eyes were lacking colour and she smelt strongly of cider. The fact she was drunk wasn’t what was surprising but rather the time, she wasn’t usually this drunk until eight or nine PM. It was three thirty and she was already drunk.

I gave her a nervous smile. “I’m back, even if it’s for a short time,” I muttered. I could see around her body and into her room which was unusually messy. Cider bottles littered the counter, some were on the floor.

She looked shocked. “Amethyst?” she said slowly.

“Yeah?”

She blinked. “You look. Different, what are you doing here?” She didn’t seem at all pleased to see me.

“I’m here to see you, because you’re my mother and that’s what daughters are supposed to do?” I said slowly. “I’m back in the stable till Wednesday.”

“Well, you’re not welcome,” Mum said as she went to close the door but my magic overthrew hers and I held it open.

“What do you mean I’m not welcome,” I said coldly. “Do you know where I’ve been?”

“You’ve been doing whatever,” she said stupidly. “I don’t care, you stole my keys and.-

“It’s been months,” I cut over her, “and you don’t care about seeing me?” I asked feeling hurt. “I’ve been out there for you too; I missed you.”

“I don’t care,” Mother snapped venomously. “You’ve been the devil child since you were born, you’ve ruined my life and I don’t care anymore.”

“I’ve ruined your life?” I said my voice rising. “I took the bottle of Cider floating next to her out of her magical grasp. “This has ruined your life,” I half shouted as I held the bottle to her face. “You have a problem with alcohol, you need to stop drinking. This isn’t about me, I don’t give a rats ass if you don’t like me, that’s been pretty obvious since I was a little filly. It’s the fact that I still care, even if you don’t.

“Give that back,” she growled.

“Yeah, no,” I said shaking my head. “I think you’ve had enough, “

“Well then fuck off,” she shouted. “Go back outside and play out there like a big girl then, I don’t care.”

“Fine,” I yelled back pushing the bottle of cider back into her face. I let it go and she caught it. “I don’t care either. Drink yourself to death then, see what I care.”

“Fine, I will!” She yelled. “I wish I had never conceived you!” She then slammed the door in my face. That last sentence hit a nerve and my eyes began to water. I let my head hang and after a moment I walked slowly back to my room, my tail dragging on the floor, my wings drooping in sadness. I was harsh, yes. But I had to, because I cared. Nothing could stop her drinking problem. She didn’t care about me either; if I died out there she wouldn’t even bat an eye. That hurt, it hurt a lot.

I opened my door and ignoring Alyshia, Brax and Midnight I threw myself into bed. “Somepony has the blues,” Midnight sighed. “What’s up Amethyst?”

“It doesn’t matter,” I growled.

“Clearly it does,” Alyshia said. “Or you wouldn’t be upset.”

I sat up and closed my eyes as tears began to well up again. “I went to see mum,” I croaked.

Alyshia was taken aback. “What did she do?” She sighed.

“It doesn’t matter,” I said wiping my eyes again. “She doesn’t care about me; she wishes I was never born.”

Midnight and Alyshia looked at each other. “I doubt she meant that,” Alyshia said trying to comfort me.

“No, she did,” I replied. “I’m apparently the devil child, I’ve ruined her life and she wishes I was never conceived.” I rubbed my eyes. “Of course, she was drunk but that’s when she spills her thoughts without thinking.”

“I’m going to go talk to her,” Alyshia said. “Where does she live?”

“What?!?” I yelped. “No way, Alyshia you do not want to speak to her. Believe me.”

“Okay,” Alyshia said. “I’ll confront her at dinner.”

“You don’t even know what she looks like,” I said. “Good Luck.”

“Actually I do,” Alyshia said smartly. “She looks a lot like you but older and with a pink mane. You showed me your pictures in New Saddle, remember?”

Oh shit she did too.

* * * * *

Dinner began well enough in the large atrium. Berry gave me another set of Stable Barding that was modified to allow it to fit properly. We ate fresh rice and pepper curry. The flavours burst on my tongue.” Brax finished well before any of us.

“Damn that curry was good,” he said with a burp. “I can’t remember eating anything like it.”

“Yeah, I missed it,” I said before spooning more food into my mouth. I looked at Alyshia who was too busy looking for my mum than to eat her food. “You better look out Alyshia, Brax might steal your food.”

Alyshia waved her hoof at me as if to say “In a moment,” I saw a mess of pink mane enter the atrium and I lowered my head. I only hoped Alyshia wouldn’t notice.

“Mrs Days,” Alyshia called from her bench, her hoof held aloft trying to get her attention. I held my head down to the table to shield it.

“Who’re you?” I heard Mum say quite clearly for how much cider she had consumed.

“I’m Alyshia, I’m Amethyst’s friend and I’ve cared for her while she’s been out.” I felt Scerine’s hoof poke me, it was no use hiding so I sat up but didn’t look at her.

“So?”

“She was pretty upset this afternoon and I was hoping if it would be okay if we were to talk,” Alyshia said clearly. I chanced a glance and Mum didn’t look quite in the mood for a talk.

“I think we talked enough,” Mum said coldly. “Of course, it’s not unlike Amethyst to turn a mound into a mountain.”

“I don’t think she’s over exaggerating at all,” Scerine pipped up. “When I got back from Berry’s she was pretty cut, my dad is pretty hard line but would never tell me to get fucked. There’s no need to treat your daughter like that.”

“And who the hell are you to tell me how I address my daughter?” Mum barked.

Scerine looked affronted and she stood up. “I’m her girlfriend and I’ll stick up for her till the end, as should you,” she said angrily as she jabbed hoof at her chest.

Mum recoiled. I looked away but I could still feel her cold stare. “Hon, sit down,” I said trying to pull her down to her chair but Scerine shook me off.

“No Amethyst,” Scerine said seriously. “She’s supposed to love you unconditionally.”

I looked at Mum and then back at Scerine. “I don’t mind, it’s okay, please stop.”

“Amethyst?” my Mums voice finally said. “I didn’t mean what I said earlier, it wasn’t on. But. I think it’s best if we keep our distance.”

I looked at her and grimaced before giving her a curt nod. It wasn’t an apology but it was the best I could hope for. Perhaps one day our relationship could be restored, I wanted it to be, but I wasn’t the one I had to wait for. Though her eyes remained cold, I knew that once upon a time they shone. I had the pictures to prove it, perhaps they will shine again, and if they were she would have to cut back on the cider at least.

Mum walked around Scerine and went to another table. “Fuck, you weren’t wrong about your mother,” Scerine sighed as she sat back down. “What a piece of work.”

“She was drunk,” I mumbled. “Seriously, I was shocked she took back what she said.”

“I couldn’t tell,” Scerine said. “Must hold her drink well, but that’s beside the point. She’s your parent, and parents are supposed to love their kids.”

“She’s grieving still,” I said with a shake of my head. “Even though it’s been like eighteen years since Dad passed away.”

“Well, I can see a glimmer of hope,” Alyshia cut in. “She was able to take back what she said. Maybe when you come back she’ll be different?”

“Not likely but I remain hopeful, I just hope she doesn’t kill herseif with the drink first,” I sighed.

Alyshia thought for a moment. “Perhaps that’s why you got addicted to the painkillers so fast,” she mumbled.

“Why’s that?’ I asked.

“Her dependence carries over to you because genetics,” Brax piped up. “I could see it all the time with first users of Mintals and Psycho, when I worked in the Slave Trade. Those with alcoholic or drug dependant parents were usually hooked on the stuff first time while I could casually use them on occasion without issue.”

“So you can’t use Painkillers anymore?” Berry asked.

“Oh no, I can, just in moderation,” I said. “But, Mum wasn’t into the grog when I was a little foal, so I don’t know if that theory can hold.”

“Are you sure about that?” Alyshia asked. “She looked quite young when she had you.”

“Yeah, she was my age,” I sighed, “the dependence could have been growing, I might not have noticed.” When I thought about it, I couldn’t believe she had a foal at twenty, that’s like me having a foal now. I could barely look after myself let alone a foal. I probably inherited her parenting skills too.

"Amethyst?" Another voice said nearby. I looked to my left; it was Sunset, dressed in her new Overmare's barding and looking quite professional.

"Well look at you," I said with a smile. "How's your Mum?"

"She's fine," she replied with a smile. "She's awake now. She isn't pleased and she's pretty angry at me but she's agreed to speak to the doctors about her issues."

"That's good," I said happily.

"Anyway, I was hoping you could install the new talisman tomorrow?" Sunset asked of me. "I can schedule the water to be cut at eleven tomorrow."

"Yeah I can do that," I said, "easy, shouldn't take long."

Sunset smiled. "Thanks, now I just need to find some more ponies to perform on Tuesday night."

"Amethyst can sing," Scerine piped up.

"What? No, no I can't," I cut in. "Not here!"

"Yeah she can," Midnight cut in. "She's not bad, she isn't like Sweetie Belle good but she can hold her own."

"We have Melody performing, it would be nice to have a second singer to come on after her," Sunset said hopefully.

"M-Melody is playing?" I yelped, my voice jamming in my throat. "Oh no, oh no, oh no. I'm terrible compared to her." I didn't want to sing after or even with Melody, actually I didn't want to sing in front of the Stable at all. She was the pop goddess of the stable and I listened to her a lot.

"Who's Melody?" Alyshia asked curiously.

"She's the best performer the stable has seen in fifty years," Berry piped up. "She's very good."

"We can arrange for you two to perform together if it makes things a little easier?" Sunset said. "Or you can perform before her, it's up to you."

I grimaced and looked nervously at my food. I didn't like what I was getting myself into, but if I sang with Melody, maybe it would detract attention and my voice away from me. "Okay, I'll play a couple with Melody,"

"Excellent," Sunset said happily. "Of course, Melody will perform first and then you can come out on another few songs, but after that, it'll just be a band."

"Can I perform on that instead?" I asked hopefully.

"They already have a singer," She said. "I still need to ask Melody if she's happy to have you sing with her, if there are any issues I'll let you know."

I nodded.

"Thanks Amethyst," Sunset said with a grin. With that she was off.

I put my face in my hooves when she was gone. "I can't do this," I said. "Why did you have to suggest for me to sing?"

"I thought you liked it?" Scerine said apologetically. "You had fun at Tenpony Tower."

"I was drunk," I mumbled. "Of course I was having fun."

"Sorry," Scerine mumbled apologetically.

"No, don't be," I said. “You didn’t know.”

* * * * *

I was up early to have breakfast with Berry. So I left my room with Scerine and Brax still fast asleep. I walked down the long corridors before stepping into the massive atrium. Fried eggs, hay and toast filled my nose and made my mouth water. I was going to miss the food when we left, that’s for sure. Berry still didn’t know what she was in for. I spotted the leaf green unicorn at our usual table, a white mare with a tuft of red mane chatting with her. I made my way over and sat next to Berry, she already had my tray of food for me.

“Hey Poker, Berry” I said as I pulled the tray closer.

“Sup,” she said casually as she cut her toast and egg magically.

“Today will be my last day at work,” Berry sighed. “I’m going to miss my boss, family and this place in general.”

“Have you told your parents yet?” I asked as I forked some egg into my mouth.

“Yeah, I told them last night,” she said with a yawn. “They’re worried of course, but they understood.”

“I should say hi before I go,” I mumbled, I had totally forgotten about Berry’s family, whom enjoyed having me around. “Oh,” I said getting a sudden thought. “Do you mind if I pop over with the girls- and Brax, for ice cream? They’ve never had it before.”

“Yeah sure,” Berry snickered, “although, I don’t like the idea of no ice cream in the wasteland.”

“So, uhh,” Poker piped up. “What’s it like out there?”

“Hmm,” I said with a hoof to my chin. “You get shot at a lot, you have to kill to survive, the food tastes like shit, it’s barren and cold and everything is filled with Radiation, even the water.

Poker cringed. “I’m cool in here,’ she said with a nervous laugh. “You two have guts.”

“Not sure about me,” Berry sighed. “But Amethyst does.”

“I wouldn’t say that, I-“ I was cut off by a familiar and very unwelcoming voice.

“Look what the cat dragged in,” the voice sneered. “Oh, I see. A winged rat.”

I exhaled slowly through my nose as my anger began to bubble. “Get lost Glenda,” Berry said without looking at her.

“So you’re not the loner anymore now that Amy is back then huh?” She shot at my friend.

“Didn’t you hear the mare?” Poker sighed. “Leave her alone."

“I'm not going to be told what to do by a pony whose special talent is playing cards Poker, so shut it," Glenda snapped. "So, Amethyst,” said addressing me and ignoring Poker who was about to retort back. I bit my lip to prevent myself from doing anything. Ignoring Glenda was like trying to ignore a pony poking you in the eye. “Why’re you back? Get cold feet?”

“I got a spare talisman,” I said with gritted teeth. "You have no idea where I’ve been."

“Oh that must be some kind of achievement,” She said mockingly. “Have you learnt magic yet? Wait… Amethyst is a glorified earth pony. I forgot.”

I gritted my teeth as I tried to block her out.

“I saw you last night,” she said evilly. “I saw that you were rather close to that charcoal pegasus. I can’t believe you found another freak to date you. Actually.” She paused. “Figured that Berry wasn’t exotic enough? They should just throw your pretty pregasus girlfriend in with the Zebra’s.

“Oh fuck off,” Berry growled. “You're acting like a fourteen year old school bully, beat it Glenda."

“Oh, I’m only getting started,” Glenda snickered. She turned back to me “I see that your mum hates you now, has she finally realised the defect that she gave birth to? I don’t blame her, took her a while though, but then again, being slow is in your genes.”

Something cracked in my brain as the anger boiled over. I levitated my food tray and turning around I slammed it as hard as I could into the side of her face. I jumped up from the seat as Glenda staggered, I swung the tray back and hit her a second time. Berry yelled out but I didn’t know what she said. I brought the tray over her head and it skewered onto her horn and became stuck.

Glenda’s eyes were red with fury, to my satisfaction her face was already starting to swell, her horn charged up and I activated my shield. Her green beam of magic hit the shield causing it to ripple. Glenda was taken aback. “That’s right you stupid skank,” I roared. “Now look at who can't do magic!” She charged another beam and I absorbed it again. Her magic was rather weak compared to what I had absorbed before so the shield only rippled slightly.

"Oi," Poker said suddenly. "Enough Glenda, Amethyst, walk away."

Berry jumped up and put herself between Glenda and myself. I had no desire to fight Glenda, it would just end in a stale-mate as I had no offensive spells and she can’t break my shield. “I’ve had enough,” I spat; "I'm done with her." I turned around and sat back at the table.

WHAM

My head had telekinetically slammed into the desk hard, stars appeared in my vision and I felt disorientated. “Glenda!” Berry roared. “You fucking dog! “

Poker pulled out a pair of hoofcuffs. “Glenda, get out of here or I’ll arrest you.”

“Arrest me?” Glenda growled. “What for? She started it.”

“Actually, you did and you deserved it,” Poker said seriously. “Do it again and the Overmare will hear of it and you’ll spend the day in lock up.”

Glenda looked like she was going to explode, but finally she walked away. I rubbed my forehead, an egg was started to well up. “Argh, I swear,” I growled. “One of these days I’m going to shoot her.”

"She is a piece of work," Poker growled. "Seriously, at her age... I'd expect that behaviour in a schoolyard."

Berry snickered. "I have to say though, you got her good Amethyst."

"Well, I'm not a doormat anymore," I said heavily, "she's picked on me for years and I've had it,"

"I can certainly say you carry yourself a lot differently than you used to," Berry agreed.

I sighed. "I had to, if I didn't stand up for myself, I'd be dead."

* * * * *

I was down in the Maintenance wing with Meep and the first thing I needed to do was see the Pipbuck Technitian. "Yours has seen some action, that's for sure," Seria said as she took my Pipbuck of my foreleg.

Seria was a filly a few years younger than me. She had a grey coat and a green mane and her work with Pipbuck's was excellent.

"Yeah it has," I agreed as I looked at my bare but chuffed foreleg, scabs had formed from the constant rubbing. "You think you can run a scan on it too? I think it might have a virus on it."

"Yeah, sure thing," she replied. "I'll have to tighten it as well; it's a bit big for you."

"Yeah, after the accident it became quite uncomfortable,” I replied.

“Well, let me look after it for you. I'll do the pads, run a scan on it and make sure she's all good and new for ya."

"Cheers Seria,"

She waved a hoof. "I do have to say though, I love your dragonfly. Where did you find it?"

"Oh, I found Meep in a dead stable up north, I informed her. ”I had to repair him though; you can see the patch work on his belly."

Seria smiled. "Anyway, I should probably get to work." I nodded and backed out of the room. After this, I went to see the rest of my colleagues, mostly just to say hi as Meep balanced carefully on my head.

My boss, a large middle-aged stallion pulled me into a bone-breaking hug when he saw me. "My best terminal tech is back," he cried. "I've missed you Amethyst."

"I'm leaving in a few days again," I said through steaming eyes. "But it's good to see you too."

To my relief he let go. "How have things been?" I asked as I looked around the workshop. My colleagues saw me and waved.

"Oh things have been going alright," he said with a shrug. "Of course we've been down you so it's been pretty busy in that space. Oh and your apprentice started six weeks ago."

"Oh, that's right," I said remembering. A week before I left, my boss had told me that a filly got their cutie mark and would be working in the terminal space, I was supposed to train her."

I walked around the workshop and bumped hooves with everypony. I knew them all obviously. I worked with them; the best part about being in maintenance was that we all knew each other well. Finally he showed me a filly whom I did not know, she was working on a broken terminal. She was pale yellow with a baby yellow mane. "Amethyst, this is Sunny, she'll be taking your place once she's trained up enough."

"Hi," she said in a high pitched voice. "I'm nearly done as well boss," she added. The filly was only about eleven; her cutie mark was of a terminal with a smiley face on it. It was strange seeing this filly, just seeing her reminded me of myself in a way, the enthusiasm I had when exposed to technology, the puzzle behind breaking codes and passwords, the feeling of fixing something that was deemed broken and that feeling of praise when you get somepony into a document they thought was locked as they forgot their password for it.

"What's your favourite part about working here?" I asked Sunny.

She smiled at me. "I like everything," she said happily, "but my favourite would be rebuilding a computer. I'm not very good at it but I'm getting better. The boss says you were really good, so I hope to be that good one day," Sunny said.

"I'm sure you'll get even better than me," I said to her. Even as I said it, I would love to show her a few things, just to get her going. I did after all; unintentionally leave her to be trained by my boss who wasn't the best teacher. Only issue was that I didn't want to spend too long at home and get used to the old life. Not to mention my friends, Midnight didn't like to be cooped up, and Scerine had to go home soon to ensure her transfer to ground duties goes smoothly.

As much as I enjoyed being home, the food, my colleagues, the new Overmare and everything that made this place home. I felt that it wasn't going to do me any good staying here for too long. I loved being home and the longer I stay here, the harder it will be to leave.

I had Scerine, Midnight, Alyshia, Brax and now Berry by my side. These were the most important ponies in my life. Yes, the ponies of Eighty Six were still extremely important to me. I will install this talisman and find a new one for my home to prosper for as long as is needed before the ponies feel happy to leave.

But until it is time to leave, I'll enjoy the food, clean water and warmth with my friends until it is time to tackle the wasteland once again in two days.

Chapter 9: Stable Twenty Three

Brax was right. We needed to find shelter, the snow was very thick and the wind was very strong. It was hard to see and it was very dark despite there being four hours of the day remaining, the snow was hoof deep and my hooves were freezing from the snow that melted on my socks.

I spotted a well preserved building through the heavy grey snow blowing an almost 90 degree angle and pointed a woolly forehoof at the building to indicate we were going to shelter there.

I opened the door telekinetically and stepped into the smashed atrium of the two story building and the door closed behind Midnight who was the last come to through.

“Ohhh, its cold out there” Midnight muttered ruffling her wings.

I could hear the wind howling outside as well as banging of metal with the occasional rumble of thunder.

I walked over to the smashed reception. All the terminals were busted and no paper work or anything remained.

I assume this place was looted. However I took a quick look around anyway and found nothing. I walked over to a door behind the reception door and wrapped my magic around it. It was locked. I picked at the lock and it swung open.

I then took a peep inside and it was a rocky tunnel that led down under the building. Brax and Midnight were both behind me. I felt a familiar curious feeling rise in my chest and I started down the steps telling my companions “it doesn’t hurt to poke around while we wait the storm out?”

I went into the dark tunnel and turned my pipbuck light on. The tunnel walls reminded me of the tunnel out of my stable, which was funny enough when the tunnel came to an end with a huge Cog Stable Door with a big white “23” embedded in the middle.

“Ohh” Midnight gasped “Do you think that there are ponies inside?” She whispered in my ear.

“Could be” I said with a smirk, secretly wanting to leave the ponies alone. I most certainly would not want strangers entering my stable.

“Well I think we should take a look, who knows, your water talisman might be inside” Brax grumbled.

I rounded on him “Do I look like a thief?” I said through gritted teeth. “I am not robbing this stable.”

“You wouldn’t be robbing it. I seriously doubt the ponies inside are still alive” Brax said deeply.

“What makes you say that?” I asked.

“The fact that the stable door is unlocked” he whinnied and pushed a hoof to the device that was made to open the door from the outside.

A familiar whining sound filled the air then the sound of metal on metal and finally a heavy wrench as the stable door was pulled inwards then rolled to the side to reveal an extremely familiar stable opening area. Unlike my own stable however it was far from clean. The metal walls were covered in surface rust and were incredibly grimy.

We stepped inside and it felt like I had stepped back home. I could hear the hum of the lights, the clop clop sounds of our hooves on metal. I opened the security door then trotted forward to the next security door with Midnight and Brax at my hooves.

I stepped through this security door and when I did I noticed that something was wrong, the door that was the overmares office in my stable was just a flat blank wall, the forward corridor was longer than the one in my stable and the corridor on the right was shorter.

I started down the longer corridor with Midnight and Brax following from behind. Some of the lights in the hall flickered, they were very dim compared to what I was used to.

“Amethyst” Midnight whispered, “Do you know where you are going?”

I shook my head feeling a little bothered by the layout of the stable before replying “The layout is different to my stable.

I looked at my pipbuck; it gave a detailed map of the stable which compared to stable eighty six was completely fucked up.

The overmares office in my stable was on the top floor, the floor we were on. The overmares office was 5 levels down, one level above the bottom level. The residence was structured the same as stable eighty six but one level down putting two floors between the atrium and the residence.

I could not find where the talismans were kept. I looked on the maintenance wing on the bottom floor and unlike stable eighty six this stable had two reactor cores instead of just one. This made me wonder what the additional electricity was for.

I assumed the talismans to be on the bottom floor but on the way I wanted to stop by the atrium, clinic and my own room.

I needed to go to the atrium for reminiscence, the clinic for healing supplies and what would have been my room in my stable but I merely wanted to take another look.

“ok” I said to my companions. “We will go to the atrium to. Umm. Look for food” I made up wildly knowing that no food would be left anyway, “Then we will go to the overmares office to check on the status of the place, find out what happened here and check the talismans.”

They both nodded.

We went down a level and a red blip to my surprise popped up on my EFS, I then facehoofed thinking back to my stable which was filled with turrets, robots and other things that were capable of defending it. If I was not mistaken we were intruders and the stable would take the necessary measures to ensure we were killed.

“Stables have heavy defence, just a heads up” I whispered to Midnight and Brax behind me.

I felt Midnight tense as she walked into my hind quarters as I stopped abruptly.

“Owh sorry Amethyst” Midnight whispered as I peered around the corner.

I saw a robot similar to the ones that we utilise at stable eighty six. It looked kind of like a bin with a curved head, four arms and rolled around on wheels. We used them for cleaning and I used to do maintenance on them. This one was listed as hostile but I was never aware that they had weapons.

I pulled out the sniper rifle and filled it with some of the bullets that matched the gun. I dived around the corner, the robot’s head opened to reveal a small hole. I hit SATS and hit the bot right where I knew the CPU was as it began to shoot red lasers from the head piece. With a single shot the bot collapsed sparking.

“Nice shot” Midnight said looking at me.

“This stable filly knows how this stuff works” I replied smugly as I looked at my Pipbuck to ensure we were on the right track.

I trotted forwards and around the robot I shot and turned a corner. Four turrets aimed directly at me, four red lights on my EFS. I shot back around the corner as a bullet tore out a piece of metal from the corner of the wall which ricocheted and hit my barding with an iron punch against my sore hind leg. It did not penetrate but made me wobbly on my hooves.

“Amethyst are you hurt?” Midnight asked looking concerned.

“I’m fine” I replied as I put away my sniper rifle. “We are not going to take them out unless we shut them down” I told the two of them.

“I’ll take them out” Brax said confidently. Getting into a battle stance and diving around the corner. I could hear lots of energy weapon fire, the sound of rapid machine fire followed by little explosions. The red blips went out one by one until they were all gone. I looked around the corner to find Brax lying on the ground. His armour was pieced in several locations and his bug like eye casings were cracked. His armour began to repair before my eyes until it was as good as new.

Brax’s voice rumbled from the suit of armour “The healing potions in the armour are doing the work. I’ll be ok.”

Sure enough about a minute later he was on his hooves again. “Where in the blazes did you get that armour?” I inquired him, very curious as how he got such a high tech piece of equipment.”

His head turned towards me “Found it and modified it myself. It was actually built for a Pegasus.” He gave a small cough before he grumbled “Fuck, I’m out of healing potions.”

I pointed a hoof to indicate that we should keep moving as I told him “We will find some healing supplies in the clinic. But first we need to find the overmares office to shut down the security systems.”

* ** ** ** *

After sneaking down five floors and exhausting all my ammo for my sniper rifle and my standard rifle we reached the overmares office. There were five red blips inside which I assumed to be turrets. I picked into the overmares office which unlike stable eighty six had a conventional lock rather than a card swipe.

I did not want to take any chances so I concentrated on my shield spell asking Midnight and Brax to stay away as I could not envelope more than myself with the shield.

Confident in my shield, I opened the door and turret fire peppered my shield as I ran inside and skidded across the shiny floor to the back of the room towards the terminal. My shield collapsed as I darted behind the overmare’s upturned metal desk and levitated it as a shield which began to take the turret fire with loud clangs, peppering the table with indents. I then magically connected my pipbuck to the terminal and hacked it. This one I actually had to back out of before getting the password. I deactivated the turrets and four red blips went out.

There was still one red blip left. I looked from behind the table and saw a metal robot. It was quite large and I had never seen anything like it. It was pony shaped and was made of stainless steel. It was shaped to a mare however was larger than even Brax would have been.

I quickly downloaded the stable diagnosis and the last few vocal entries in haste, she turned her head towards me and she opened her steel muzzle “What are you doing in my stable intruder?” She was talking in a proper pony voice. It sounded like an actual pony. “Get away from my terminal you stupid pony” She screeched.

“I-I” I just stammered. I couldn’t come up with anything. I pulled out my shotgun as I saw the side of the pony open and a weapon expanded from her back pointing over her head. The barrel was as long as her body and as wide as a dinner plate.

My ears perked back as I heard the sound of charging. She then said in a wicked voice “Prepare to be annihilated intruder scum”

Midnight and Brax burst into the room and Midnight shouted “Amethyst who are you…” Her voice faded out as she fell into a battle stance and began to fire at the pony robot. Brax too fell into a battle stance and fired at her. The weapon fire did nothing to her. I ran as the charge completed and she fired. With blinding light and feeling of heavy heat I was blasted to the side and hit the opposite wall.

I got back up in haste and checked myself. I was not injured and my pipbuck gave no indication of any further injury. The table I was hiding behind no longer existed. And the wall where the terminal was nothing but a huge molten hole that led into the room behind the overmares office.

The huge laser gun then withdrew as I fired at her with my last weapon with ammo. As with Brax and Midnight my weapons did nothing.

I could hear the robot laugh as double miniguns expanded from her sides.

I threw my shield spell back on and ran at her as they powered up pulling out my pipbuck cable as I did so. The minigun fire struck my shield causing it to collapse as I dived under her. I felt screaming pain as bullets entered my forelegs, hindlegs and body. My body was on fire from pain as I plugged my pipbuck into the socket beneath her and shut her down from my pipbuck.

I felt her collapse onto me and I blacked out.

* ** ** ** *

I woke up crying to see my mother’s face. She was smiling at me in a way I did not think she could ever manage “Aww Amethyst” she levitated me up and held me close. I noticed that I was tiny. I would have only been about four. I do not remember this. Mother pulled out a little stuffed unicorn pony. She was white and she had a curly purple mane. Mother gave a little giggle and she pushed the pony into my hooves giggling “Here we go Amethyst. Play with Rarity.”

I grabbed the stuffed toy and held it close. I was no longer crying. Mother then levitated me into her room and slept with me as if I was a stuffed toy too. I too fell asleep.

I fell through darkness and hit a solid black floor in a familiar dimly lit room. I heard a clop, clop sound and saw a levitation field shaped in the shape of a scythe.

“So Amethyst. We meet again” came a deep scary rumble of a voice. A skeletal pony wrapped in black robes trotted through the darkness, his scythe levitated next to him.

“What do you want?” I asked.

He considered me for a moment before he advised “You of course. But not yet.”

“Let me go” I demanded.

“You don’t want to stay for a chat?” he moaned “Why don’t you want to talk to me?”

“Talk about what?” I inquired.

“Your father?”

I gritted my teeth “What about him?”

Even though I could not see his face I could tell he was enjoying himself.

“Well seeing as you don’t want to talk to me I’ll let you go then.” he advised jokingly. “See you next time Baby Amy” he then laughed harshly before my vision faded black.

* ** ** ** *

I felt incredibly sore. I way lying on a smooth cold surface and I felt pressure over much of my body yet the weight of my barding was not present.

I opened my eyes and my vision was slightly blurry. I was staring up at the slightly rusted ceiling with high tech machinery around me.

A scared voice came from my right “Amethyst? Are you awake?”

I lifted my heavily bandaged foreleg into the air to indicate I was indeed awake. My head felt too heavy to lift.

“Amethyst you crazy kamikaze pony, you nearly died” Midnight babbled.

“Sorry” I mumbled. I wasn’t sorry for getting hurt. I was sorry for causing them to worry.

Braxes voice came from nearby “You will be fine. We are just lucky this clinic is well stocked with Healing Potions and other useful healing things”.

“Was somepony talking about my father by any chance?” I asked in a small voice.

“No” Midnight advised “Why?”

“Nothing” I mumbled “Must have been a dream.”

“Isn’t your dad in the stable with your mum?” Midnight asked timidly.

“My Dad is dead” I replied “I never knew him.”

My eyes burned wishing I did know my father. The memory I had while I was out would have been after he died. Mum told me he died not long after I was born.

“I-I’m sorry Amethyst” Midnight said mournfully.

I shook my head my eyes feeling watery “Don’t be” I muttered.

That left me wondering about that skeletal pony. He seemed to know about my dad. Wait a second I thought. All this just happened inside my head, why was I worrying over fake thoughts generated inside my brain?

I wanted to get to my hooves, so I rolled off the gurney and hit the floor “Owie” I gasped.

Midnight helped me up “Gee Amethyst what is it with you and falling to the floor when your hurt?”

I shook my head as she helped me to my hooves. I looked at my body. About sixty percent of my body was wrapped in blood stained bandages. The wrappings were not what I would call professional but they would have stopped the blood loss well enough. I noticed that Midnight was covered in my own blood. It must have been her who got me to safety.

I levitated the wrappings off and found that my wounds were all healed. But my body was now caked thickly in blood. I looked in the cracked mirror and my face was bloody as well. It seemed that I was lying in a pool of my own blood after I lost consciousness.

I pulled my now very damaged barding back onto my bloody and smelly body. I left the socks and the scarf in my saddlebags. It wasn’t cold in here so they were not needed.

I did a double take on the mirror. With my ripped and damaged barding, my blood caked mane, tail, face and legs I looked almost indistinguishable from a raider. The only difference was that my eyes were kinder and brighter and I wasn’t wearing pony bones and my teeth were not rotten.

“Thank you for saving me” I muttered to my two companions.

“No problem” they both said in unison.

I felt ok for now and was ready to move but I still felt very stiff and exhausted.

“How many healing supplies do we have?” I asked nervously.

“Plenty” replied Midnight, “We looted everything that can help us in this clinic.”

I levitated out my shotgun and pulled the door open into a corridor near the atrium.

“Amethyst you should rest first” Midnight said following me out.

“I am fine” I replied wanting to finish what we came here for and get out.

At least the turrets were not of any worry.

Since we were so close to the atrium I made down the right corridor.

I heard Midnight burst out “Amethyst don’t go that way.”

“I turned around and inquired “Why?”

“Just don’t.” She whined “Please Amethyst you don’t want to see what’s down there.”

This did not make it any better. Now I had to see what was down there.

“Amethyst don’t!” a deep rumble spoke.

I stopped, about to walk through the automated atrium doors. It was most unlike Brax to recommend me something. But then again how well did I know him?

Midnights face was of concern. I turned and walked through the atrium doors anyway. The moment I stepped through I had wished I had listened to Midnight and Brax.

The atrium was filled with hundreds of pony skeletons. Some were huddled together. I could see the skeletons of fillies, colts and foals. The benches were positioned exactly how my own at home would have been. The atrium was the homely place where I would eat, play and have fun with Berry when I was younger. It was also the place where most of the bullying I had endured throughout my life occurred. Seeing it like this was wrong. These ponies were like the ponies I lived with at home. What happened?

I saw my vision go blurry as hot tears began to fill my eyes. My tears broke their banks I then felt the tears run down my face. At this point I could not look anymore. I turned and left back through the door into the corridor where Midnight and Brax were waiting for me. Still walking with a limp I said in a croaking voice “let’s go and finish up here. I don’t think I can stand being here much longer.”

This stable began to make me feel home sick even with its wrong layout.

“On second thought” I mumbled “I think I might take a quick rest” actually wanting to listen to what happened in the stable and look at the water talisman reports and location.

I crawled back onto the gurney which was stained with my blood ignoring it because most of my body and barding was covered in it anyway.

I then pulled out my ear bloom which I hadn’t used since I was in my own stable then plugged it in and played the first audio file which turned out to be the welcome message to the first overmare which I did not remember downloading.

“Hello!

I am Scootaloo and speaking as Vice President of Stable Tec. If you are hearing this message then that may mean that code red has been activated and...

“Umm

“The world has been rent apart and I will probably be dead.

“oh my. Goddesses, we lost the war…

“If… If you are hearing this. Fuck. I’m sorry…”

“Scootaloo?, Scoot?”

“Shush Applebloom I’m recording”

“Sorry!!”

“Right sorry about her and let’s not get into that.

“Stable Tec has appointed you backup Overmare. The currant Overmare may seem to look like a robot however she is very much alive. She is indeed an actual pony built from the hard work that stable tec has worked tirelessly for the best technology we can offer. She has successfully been migrated into a robot. She is made primarily of artificial material however still contains many biological functions. She does indeed have an actual pony running her. We did this to avoid any issues that may occur should an AI be placed as Overmare and to ensure that one single Overmare will always be the Overmare for the length of the time which you may be shut inside.

“Which hopefully will only be a few months or years at most.

“…

“This is where you come in. Should the Overmare become disruptive or threaten the livelihood of anypony in this stable, it is up to you to ensure she is deactivated, and you will assume the Overmare position. As backup Overmare it is your responsibility to ensure that should anything go wrong with the robotic overmare you take her position. Should this occur it will be your responsibly to run this stable to the best of your abilities. I have total faith in you and this is why you have been chosen.

“Sweet Celestia. I am sorry.

Please, and thank you. From all of us here.

I blinked.

Scootaloo must have been the mare that ran or assisted with running Stable Tec. Her speech despite being very unprofessional was touching. It was due to her hard work that I was alive in the first place. I loved my stable and still wished I was inside with its comforts. It’s just that in this one. Something had gone wrong.

That message also answered my question on the robot in the Overmares office. That was the Overmare. The reason she sounded like an actual pony was because she was indeed an actual pony. The mere thought of this made me feel sick. That was not technology. That was torture. I could not imagine being a robot, with my own feelings and everything that makes me, me. The Overmare survived whatever those ponies in the Atrium did not, and has been in there however many years? Probably in emotional turmoil. I was glad I shut her down. At least she did not have to suffer anymore.

Coming out of my reverie I opened the files on my pipbuck and went through to the earliest note I had downloaded.

Entry 1056

Entry made by Overmare Bot 1554A

“I have several ponies working on Reactor two. It seems to be having problems with keeping power up without overheating. We ran a test and could only pull it up to 40% before it began to overheat…

“Without the second reactor we will probably have to start sacrificing power to keep the stable watered”.

Reactor difficulties seemed to have been occurring. I thought of our own reactor. Even though I had been in maintenance I was never allowed near the reactor. Only the engineers worked with it. So I had no idea how they operated or ran. I went onto the next audio file.

Entry 1062

Entry made by Overmare Bot 1554A

“The Reactor core overheated again and we had to throw the emergency generators on to keep it cool…

“I have every maintenance pony currently working to keep it cool…

“We cannot risk the chance of a meltdown to occur. I have already written up evacuation plans should they be necessary, however the ponies supervising in the reactor room have advised myself that they have the situation under control. Should it get any worse I will need to order a cold shutdown which will put our water supply at risk…

This will only occur if absolutely necessary.”

I had a feeling of what happened to this stable already. What really stumped me was how it would put the water supply at risk. The water talisman we had back at the stable used almost no electricity as the pumps kept the water flowing.

Entry 1064

Entry made by Overmare Bot 1554A

“Code Red has been ordered. The fuel rods inside the number two reactor have melted and the outer chamber is in risk of breaching as temperatures soar inside the reactor core. All the ponies inside cannot be contacted. I fear the worst.

“I have ordered all ponies into the Atrium. I fear this will kill everypony should it get out of hand. We cannot evacuate the stable as it is still far too toxic outside…

“Shhhh

“Warning Reactor Two Outer-Core breached. Temperature inside reactor four thousand five hundred degrees Celsius – Warning Reactor Two…..

“BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMM

“Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh”

I pulled my ear bloom out. My eyes were damp and I realised why the clinic glass window was cracked.

“Amethyst? Is something wrong?” Midnight whispered to me carefully.

I nodded muttering “Just found out what happened in here.”

Midnight looked curious to know but I did not tell her.

I looked at my pipbuck map to see where reactor core two was and found it on the far side of the stable. Like my stable these were situated on the lowest level. I pulled up reports I downloaded from the overmare’s computer. The stable electricity was generally stable for most of the hundred years it was operational. However in the last twelve months of this stables operational time, the power fluctuated heavily and reactor two was having overheating problems.

I moved onto the other reports to try and find the water talisman report to see if it was still operational.

After about five minutes of scanning carefully I could not find the water talisman report. Instead I found “Water Production Report.”

I read the short description of what this meant.

“Water Production Report

“Water production from the desalination and rad-treatment plant located at level eight between reactor cores one and two.”

I facehoofed. This entire excursion was a complete waste of fucking time. Fuck the goddesses. I banged a forehoof on the gurney in frustration.

“What is it?” Midnight asked looking at my clearly angry expression.

I looked at her before once again letting all my anger out “There is no FUCKING water talisman. What a waste of fucking time “I bellowed.

I paced before raging on “This fucking stable uses a desalination and Rad-whatever the fuck it says to treat GROUND water”.

I clenched my teeth trying hard not to pick the gurney up magically and throw it out the clinic window.

“Amethyst… Calm down” Midnight demanded.

“No. I. Will. Not” I retorted. I wanted to rage and smash everything in sight.

Midnight looked like she was trying to fight something, but her face relaxed and she walked over to me before cooing softly “Amethyst. You need to calm down. You’re a very angry pony but please do not take it out on us.”

All I could think of was, what… the… fuck

Then Midnight pulled me into a hug and she pushed my muzzle into her breast as she held my head close. My vision fogged and I felt my body become limp in her arms. Her sweat smelt sweet and my vision swirled as all my anger seemed to dump away. My face flushed as my breathing slowed and my worries began to wash away. My heart seemed to flush with emotion as I was held by the pony I loved.

Brax grumbled from not too far away “Look out Midnight, Amethyst is getting hot over you.”

Midnight shot him a look that I could not see, but I was too sore, too emotionally exhausted to care what he thought. As long as I was held by Midnight like this I felt safe.

Once again I got the overwhelming feeling of wanting to nuzzle her. Midnight did not pull away as she petted me whispering “Keep calm Amethyst. We are your friends. You don’t need to get angry at us. We care for you.”

I couldn’t fight it anymore. I rubbed my muzzle against her neck and felt a release of emotion. I felt Midnight tense and I felt a little guilty of succumbing to my emotions but at this point I did not care.

“Ok Amethyst, that’s enough” Midnight whispered.

She broke away from me and I pouted and whined “A little longer?”

Midnight shook her head and Brax stepped forward whispering in a very loud and audible whisper “Are you trying to encourage her?”

Midnight moved to keep me out of the conversation and I heard her whisper something in-audible.

Brax replied his voice carrying quite well “That’s not the way I see it. Be careful Midnight.”

Midnight shook her head and turned. She smiled at me before she advised “So are you ready to keep moving?”

I nodded, thinking it was time to get out of here.

* ** ** ** *

We walked back over the threshold of the stable door. My head was hung in disappointment. I slammed a hoof on the control panel to shut the door behind us. I could not believe I almost got myself killed, and wasted all that time in that stable not to mention the emotional turmoil of stepping into a stable, to find all its inhabitants to be nothing but bones, killed after a radioactive explosion ripped throughout the stable to walk out with nothing but healing poultices, bandages and potions.

“Come now Amethyst, don’t be disappointed” Midnight coaxed “We took a chance and it didn’t pay off. We will get there next time right?”

She wasn’t pulling off the fake composure very well I thought.

I just sighed “Yeah. Well. Whatever, I guess” I always failed I finished inside my head.

It was dark outside but the blizzard had stopped leaving about a foot of snow outside. I was too tired to go wandering around in the dark so I confided in my companions. They agreed to stay in here the night. I was personally glad not to be sleeping inside the stable tonight. I could not and would not do that with hundreds of pony souls haunting that place.

We all huddled at the back of the building and gathered some scraps of paperwork for bedding. We all took off our armour and lit a small fire fuelled by a mixture of paper and broken furniture, which we were to sleep around to keep warm. My armour was so foul I was happy to get out of it.

After gulping down some food I curled up on the pile of paper and fell asleep.

* ** ** ** *

I was lying in a bathtub filled with hot water. The water was turning red from the blood matting my coat. I pulled out my bar of soap and began to telekinetically attack my maroon coat with the soap, causing the blood to come off and reveal the white coat fibres beneath, Using the soap telekinetically, I cleaned every inch of my body to try and take off all the blood.

I washed my mane and tail which hid the blood and dirt very well with my shampoo from my stable and by the time I was done I was lying in what looked like hot bubbly blood soup.

I heard the door open and my head perked up at the door. Midnight entered the bathroom.

“Midnight?” I asked shocked “I’m, I’m Bathing”. I tried to hide myself using the walls of the tub. But that did a load of good. She just walked up and put her forehooves around my forelegs and lifted me out of the bloody water causing my tail and mane to steam water everywhere. She was on her hindhooves and she had me lifted onto mine, water streaming onto the floor, my white coat shinning wet and matted to my skin.

“What? Midnight? What are you doing?” I babbled.

“You” She whispered.

“Wha-what?” I tried to pull away but she pulled me closer, my breast against hers and my wet coat soaking her own, she then planted a kiss on my mouth. I relaxed then returned the kiss as she slipped a tongue in.

Sweet Celestia! My heart jumped in triumph. When she broke the kiss, my head was swirling even more, “Midnight, I love you” I cooed softly.

“I love you too” Midnight whispered, planting a kiss on my horn.

I pushed myself against her nuzzling her neck “You are my special somepony?” I asked feeling pressure rising in my chest.

Midnight whispered “Always, my special pony.” She then put a hoof on my head and stroked my sopping mane.

“I love you Midnight” I repeated, “You are my special pony who will love me forever.”

“Amethyst?”

“AMETHYST?!?!”

I sat bolt upright and blinked. Midnight was in my face. Still in the old building next to the fire we lit before we went to bed. Aww I thought, it was only a dream. I now felt annoyed at Midnight for disrupting it.

Midnight looked concerned before asking “Are you ok?” she said very awkwardly and I could hear Brax snickering.

“What?” I asked suspiciously “Did he do something to me while I was asleep?” I grumbled squinting at Brax who had a hoof in his mouth to stop any sound from coming out.

“No” Midnight proclaimed, “You were muttering, I mean saying, stuff in your sleep.”

My heart sank. Oh sweet goddesses no. If they heard any of that? I felt heat rising in my face.

“Like what?” I muttered dreading what was coming.

But all I heard was Brax stifle and laugh really hard, “Oh my, Amethyst. You” He choked tears streaming out of his eyes. “You are the cutest. Thing. When you are dreaming.” He fell into a fit of extremely bizarre giggles that I would never have thought possible of grumpy old Brax.

When he got hold of himself he put on a high pitched and annoying tone “Oh Midnight. I love you, are you my special somepony?” He then laughed even harder.

I felt so embarrassed. This would have been close to the Lily Incident with Glenda. My eyes watered and I laid back down, and began to cry silently, hiding my tears and face from Midnight so she would not see.

“Amethyst?” Midnight said softly as she touched my hoof “Are you?” I felt it withdraw as she bellowed “Brax you fucking dickhead shut the fuck up. Amethyst is crying.”

Brax stopped immediately.

“What’s wrong?” Midnight asked kindly.

“Nothing is wrong” I choked. “Nothing but being embarrassed, no it’s always the same. I get laughed at for everything. I can’t even dream silently. I always fuck up.” I took a gasp of air wiping a forehoof over my bloody face “I’m sorry Midnight. I can’t control what I dream about.”

“I know that, I’m not the one laughing at you.” She told me. “I do agree with Brax that you are very cute when dreaming and muttering but we should not have been listening. And for that we…” She glanced at Brax “Are sorry.”

Brax grumbled “Yeah. Sorry Amethyst. I didn’t mean to… make you cry.”

I nodded but I knew more was coming as Midnight opened her muzzle.

“Was what you were muttering true?” She asked politely

I wanted to lie, but I couldn’t. I let out a sigh before telling her “Yes. Yes it is. I know you don’t love me Midnight. I accept that, as I said, I dreamt about it. I can’t control my dreams, or my fantasies. You are a true friend, I respect that. I’ll try not to make you feel uncomfortable.”

Midnight smiled and gave me a hug.

I hugged her back, “As long as were friends, I’m happy” I told her.

“Happy to be your friend Amethyst” she told me.

* ** ** ** *

We were now trudging through the icy snow from the blizzard the night before. My hooves were freezing as once again my socks were wet from melted snow.

The buildings were getting larger as we walked towards the centre of New Saddle. Brax was guiding us to the township as I did’t know where it was, and only had “MAS Building” marked on my Pipbuck.

My socks were now leaving pink behind in the snow as I trudged through it. The blood in the socks was bleeding out into the snow from them as I walked. It made me feel rather gross and unclean.

I could really use a break, I thought. I felt exhausted emotionally and physically after all I had been through just to get here. Winter hadn’t even set in yet and my hooves felt like frozen ice. Maybe I should see if I could find water proof ones when we got to New Saddle, I thought.

I turned to Brax to ask how much further we had to go when gunfire broke out down an alley way between two larger buildings. My EFS showed three hostiles and a single non-hostile. I heard the scream of a mare and I turned to the alleyway, my ears perked to pick up any noise and I heard another scream that tore at my heart. I ran into the alleyway. A side door ahead of me that lead into one of the buildings opened, and a light purple mare with a dark purple mane wearing a small woollen coat ran out screaming. I heard gunfire, her side peppered with blood.

She hit the ground and skidded across the asphalt. Two raiders followed but a third stepped back into the alleyway. I pulled out my Shotgun and slid into SATS. I fired on the first which hit on bullseye then turned the spell onto the second and missed. The stallion that I missed turned his gun on me and I activated my shield just as he fired. The shield sparked as the bullet glanced off causing the shield to collapse.

I pulled back into SATS and shot the second raider, which caused his body to splatter all over the poor mare that was lying on the ground. I turned my gun on the final raider but with a ptttattzz I watched her glow orange before turning to dust before my eyes.

I instantly turned my attention to the unconscious mare on the ground. I had notice that she was a unicorn, and that she would have been a few years older than Midnight, but quite a bit younger than Brax.

With haste I pulled off her woollen jacket and checked to make sure she had no obvious broken bones, my eyes swepped over her cutie mark. It was a Red medical cross with a white heart in the middle. I then looked at her hind legs. My heart sank as I saw that her leg was twisted at an odd angle.

“Amethyst, how are we going to heal her, she has a broken leg?” Midnight muttered to me.

“I know, I know” I moaned. I tried to remember what was taught to me those many years ago, when I wanted to be a medical mare. Mother was right. I never did have the patience, aptitude or brains to become a fully qualified medical mare. But I was taught how to put bones back into place.

I prayed to Celestia that she was out enough to not feel any pain. I telekinetically grasped her leg and pushed it back into position, as taught to me over ten years ago. I then pushed two healing potions down her throat and watched her wounds heal. I moved her leg and it mended. I hoped that my mediocre abilities were enough and that it had mended properly.

She was still unconscious but she had not lost what I would call a lot of blood. I had lost more in the past 24 hours.

She came round and I felt my heart leap. She let out a moan before feeling her mended leg and checked herself. She then looked up at me and her eyes filled with fear as she tried to get up.

“No” I begged “I’m not going to hurt you”. I realised I must have been rather terrifying with all this blood on me and my torn barding.

She looked at me, then at Midnight who shook her head, to Brax who was hidden behind that huge bug face mask.

I teetered; I really did not like blowing my own horn so I uttered “I’m the so called ‘bright white mare of stable eighty six, we saved you from those raiders.”

Her blue eyes filled with understanding and she smiled before saying in a rather kind voice “Thank you…uhh?”

“Amethyst” I finished for her.

I helped her to her hooves and she did a quick check of her body looking for injuries. Her horn then lit and she let out a sigh of relief before moving her injured leg.

“You did a good job on my leg” She advised me.

“Uhh yeah, no problem” I muttered, feeling a little awkward.

“My name is Alyshia by the way.” She advised. “Are you all heading into New Saddle? “She asked.

“Yeah we are” I told her feeling less awkward,” just to pick up some supplies and have a short rest before heading off again.”

We began to walk with Alyshia by our side, “I’ll come with you guys for now, I’m heading into New Saddle and you guys could use some help with the…” she seemed to have issues finding the right words “Poshness of the tower.”

I forgot to introduce my companions. I tried to find a way to introduce them but I stuttered a little before I managed to start speaking, “Midnight.” I pointed a hoof at the beautiful white Pegasus, “Brax.” I then pointed a hoof at the stallion in his armour.

She waved a hoof at my companions. Midnight simply waved back saying “Nice to meet you Alyshia.”

Brax just kept walking and did not say anything.

I sidled over to Brax and spoke to him in a baby voice “Aww Brax, you big grumpy pony, you could at least look excited, we have another companion.”

I could feel him glare at me. He finally retorted “Maybe she will distract you from Midnight?”

It was my turn to glare at him “She’s like ten years older than me Brax.”

He facehoofed. This left me confused.

Midnight butt in, “He’s making fun of you Amethyst. He’s saying if it’s a mare, she’s fair game… To you at least.”

“That’s not true” I grumbled.

“He’s only pulling your mane.” Midnight laughed.

“Am I missing something here?” Alyshia interrupted quietly.

Midnight and I looked rather uncomfortable and Brax now had his opportunity to embarrass the both of us in front of our new companion.

And it was Brax who spoke first. What came out of his mouth surprised me “let’s just say that there is some… romance going on between these two.”

“Hey that’s not fair” Midnight piped up, “It’s Amethyst who is doing all the romance.”

“Who is encouraging her?” Brax shot back.

Midnight coughed and Alyshia looked over to me and she smiled in a reassuring way.

Well that went better than expected I thought.

Footnote: Level Up

New Perk: Stable Filly – when in cramped conditions (Such as a cave or stables) your close ranged weapons deal 25% more damage.