Fallout Equestria: Dance of the Orthrus

It only took me an hour to get to Valley Port Station, and ten more minutes to catch my breath. Though, it wasn’t like I had a choice. Orthrus just locked down the tunnel, making entering through the train stop a no go, so I had to find an alternative way in.

I’d tried to use a maintenance door on my way here. It had likely been built as an alternate way into the station, or maybe a way up to the surface, but I founded welded shut. Actually, any pathway meant to be used by a pony would have be blocked by Orthrus or the Republic, as both sides were taking their security seriously.

But there was one thing that normally didn't get guarded, and couldn't be blocked, and that's the ventilation system. It was the biggest complaint that almost all Maintenance ponies in Orthrus had other than the aging cables and pipes. The ventilation system was the biggest source of most radroach infestations, and will probably continue to be for generations because without the vents, the Metro would be filled with carbon dioxide dead zones.

Trotting along, I easily found a maintenance ladder going up to a vent. The thing was clearly too small for the average pony, but just big enough for someone not much bigger than a foal, and definitely big enough for radroaches. As for me, it was going to be tricky, but I could get it to work.

Undressing, I opened the vent, and placed the jumpsuit and bomb inside. Then I tugged at the straps keeping one of my arms on, detaching one of my front legs, and placing it inside, doing the same with a back leg on the same side. With everything of mine inside, I slid the rest of my body into the vent, pushing my stuff ahead of me on top of the jumpsuit so to keep things mostly muffled. Pushing on, I slowly made my way into the station, keeping my knife in my mouth in case I needed to stab a radroach.

“What's with this lockdown? I know this emergency maintenance is bullshit, and the civilians are also not buying it.” I heard a regular sounding confused and concerned.

“Maybe a Republican caused a scene on the other side, and the bosses are just being cautious.” Another regular replayed. “Who even knows. It's only going to make things worse if the ponies hear about shots being fired.”

“Still, I don't want to be here when this powderkeg goes off, you get me?” The first regular stated.

A groan came from the second regular. “I feel ya, completely. I didn't join with Orthrus just to have an equalist mob rip me apart into equal itty bits.”

I kept going, looking to find a safe place to exit. But as annoyingly was to be expected, the station was a crowded mess. Through the vent slits, I could see that many ponies were crowded together to get onto the train, all held back by a checkpoint made up of well armed Orthrus Regulars. The sound of the angry crowd drowned out almost everything, giving me the confidence to push on without fear that any pony would hear me.

“Keep calm, the train will be open shortly. We just have some light damage to the tracks that needs to be fixed, so keep calm!” A formal dressed Orthrus mare shouted into a megaphone. She ducked as a soda bottle flew over her head. “Please, the train will be running soon, just hold on a bit longer!” I didn't envie that mare in the slightest.

Pushing along, the angry yelling was slowly replaced by worried murmuring, and then a new kind of yelling.

“Don't give in to the Capitalist hogs! Join us sisters, join us in unity, hoof in hoof, freed from the slavery of debt! They have convinced you to with chains of bits, and all you must do is throw them off, their chains and yours.” A mare with a megapon stood as part of a group of equalists that had had isolated themselves from the rest of the crowd. They all had pink cloth mask over their muzzles, holding up anti-Capitalist banners. One mare among them was even waving a pink flag that had a gold “=” boldly in the center. “Help us end their theft of what belongs to every pony! End their slavery of the poor, their terrany! You have nothing to lose but your chains! You have nothing to lose but your chains!”

Not wanting to see more I continued on, the noise of the ponies slowly fading, though never going away completely, just becoming more like a background white noise. Finally after passing by a few busy rooms, I found a bathroom not currently not in use.

*Clank*

I pushed on the vent cover, and it didn't budge. Groaning in frustration, I began to hit the cover to try brake it open, yet it still didn't budge.

“Stuck?” a voice whispered, causing me to jumped… well more juried back, and hitting my horns on top of the vent. The voice came from a little filly in front of me, whose eyes were peeking from behind the case. I just nodded back at her, unsure why there was a foal here, and not wanting to spook her in case some pony might hear her. “Come on. Two vents down, the playroom is there.” She then disappeared behind the case, and the sound of small hooves faded away from me, ending in the clank of metal hitting metal.

With no other way out, I pushed forward again, heading two vents down, where I could hear an irritated mare’s voice complaining.

“Your ponies said that they would get the foals out of here, not turn them into your spies!” An angry mare shouted.

“Now I'm sure my predecessor had plans and contacts, but situations change.” It was the voice of Xianzi, sounding board. “Here, as long as you, and your foals are useful to us, we will make sure you all get out of here.”

A groan came from the other mare. “More empty promises. Were right next to the train stop, yet it feels so far away.”

“As is the nature of this place.” Xianzi said with a sigh. “The republic has spies all over this station. I'm actually surprised that you haven't been found yet. So, silver linings and all...”

Reaching the vent, it had a cloth covering it, preventing me from looking inside. Though I was confident that Xianzi was on the other side, I still had to be weary of any traps Phobetor may have sent out, maybe even Xianzi might have fallen into the nightmares clutches. Shaking my head to rid myself of such thoughts, and taking a deep breath to calm down, I opened the vent and let myself slip out.

I only just stopped myself from falling, my hoof cating a step that was a bit too small for me. Looking around, Xianzi sported a black eye, and was standing in front of a thin, pale pink mare in a lab coat with overly thick glasses over her face. Around the two were at least twelve foals, some with little horns, some with little wings, all with spots covering their legs and faces, and all still had their four limbs as flesh and blood.

They were the Republics new generation mirage pony foals, which immediately filled me suspicion. Those foals were held in the deepest, darkest part of the Republic. This was not right, but I couldn't reveal that I knew something was off, so I had to play it cool.

“Foal napping now Xianzi?” I said with a fake smile, trying to not scare any of the foals.

Xianzi glared at me. “Bitch, a stunt like that was not in the fucking deal. What were you even trying to do?”

“I just needed to pick up my secret weapon.” pulling out my stuff from the vent, I got my limbs on, and quickly got dressed, not wanting to keep exposing myself to the young. Feeling comfortable, I put the case on the ground. Cracking it open, I slid it over to Xianzi. “Luckily for everypony, I got to it just before the Republic was able to run off with it.”

The veteran Syndicate agent looked down at the case, and peeked inside at the megaspell, her mouth agape for a moment before her shut the case. “Who the fuck are you?”

Putting my scarf on, and adjusting it for easier access to the throwing knives, I then looked Xianzi in the eyes. “Just think of me as somepony who likes to make sure a pony is dead when I kill them.”

“Your a mad mare, that's for sure.” A sigh came from Xianzi, as she passed the case back to me. “This changes things. I was hoping to leave a few less important agents and informants behind, but if your just going to that, then fuck it, full evacuation.”

“You better not leave us here then!” The lab mare spoke up, stomping her hoof on the ground. “The little ones must be saved, and if you don't, then I'll… I'll… I will go back to the republic, and report you!”

“Say again bitch? If you want to be dead in this shithole in the next two minutes, then keep talking!” Xianzi said in a less elegant toan as she pulled out a knife from her dress. “Maybe I should just have the little shits run the tunnel, take bets to what kills them first.” The Lab mare froze, folding like paper to Xianzi’s threat. Clearly she meant well, but on any other day, that’d get her killed.

I stepped in, getting in between the two mares. “If all you need is to get the foals on the train, than just pack them into suitcases. The syndicate should have an easier time staying under the radar that way.”

The Lab mare frowned at me. “I will not just treat the little ones like luggage!”

“Yes, you will.” Trotting over to the mare, I looked into her eyes, and focused on the pain and suffering I had endured. “I'm going to be killing a lot of ponies real soon, and a few extra foals is the least of my worries right now. So I advise you take my advice, and get out of here.” breaking eye contact, the lab mare stumbled back, and I looked over at Xianzi. “Would it be possible to smuggle the foals out of here as luggage?”

Xianzi looked a bit disturbed, avoiding eye contact with me. “Well, we have smuggled organs out that way, so we could do something similar with foals. The main problem is the logistics, and getting them past Orthrus. That aside, why do you even care?”

I paused for a moment at her question, and she had a point. “Let's just say that I'm not entirely heartless... yet.”

“I get it, even I have a soft spot for foals, as they always do sell for a good price.” Xianzi said with a shrug. “If I do go with that luggage idea, then it could work, but only if Orthrus is too distracted to check anything passing through.”

“So I’ll just do what I was here to do, and you do what you were here to do.” I responded.

Xianzi nodded. “Correct, but thanks for the idea, having to haul the foals will be a lot easier than herding them. Now, let's get you geared up for the mission.” She trotted over to her saddlebags that was left next to the wall, and pulled out stable barding, an old world assault rifle, a 10mm pistol, and another holotape player.

The stable barding was of stable 50, and it was in less than pristine condition. It had security armor padding modded onto it, making it look just like the uniform that Orthrus regulars used.

“So I don't get to keep the jumpsuit then?” I asked.

“No, you’re going to need to be as noticeable as possible. That's also why your getting this assault rifle, it's been modded to be more reliable and stable when firing. It's also going to be firing 5.56mm hollow point from a drum magazine, making every shot excessively deadly to non armored targets.” She then pulled out a holotape from her pocket, and put it in the player. “This disguise talasman will last you at least an hour, so I advise that you not waste your time, understand?”

“I hit them hard, fast, and loud. Then once you have your agents, you'll turn the chaos up several notches, and get me out of there.” getting out of the jumpsuit, I passed it to her, and took the stable barding.

Xianzi pulled out three drum magazines, and two 10mm magazines. “Just don't go shooting any pony in a station maintenance jumpsuit, otherwise you might kill your extraction team.”

“Noted.” I grumbled.

The stable barding was a bit tight on me, but I managed to squeeze in. The barding had a holster attached to my right back leg, in which the 10mm was placed, along with a few pouches that its magazines when into. The rifle was just slung onto my back, somehow finding a balance. I was about to put my scarf back on, but Xianzi took it from me, shaking her head.

“Fine, I get it.” I sighed. “So which target am I hitting?”

“The Republic recruiting office.” Xianzi pulled out a paper with a photo attached. “From what my contacts here have relayed to me, the Republic has been stockpiling weapons there, and arming any pony who hates Orthrus. Attacking that office will gain you a big response, as the Republic will have to protect it, or find themselves low on energy muskets when shit hits the fan.”

“Also by having a place like that hit, it would make ponies less likely to want to go near the recutting office.” I added.

“Correct.” Xianzi pulled out a lighter, and set the document on fire. “Though, the Republic heads will likely see it as a setup, and not want to take the bait. But they will conveniently be too slow in issuing their commands.” Dropping the document, it slowly fell to the ground as it turns to ash. “So about that case?”

“Yeah, hold onto it for me.” I pushed the case back to her. “I'm going to use it to...” I stopped myself from saying more, the less ponies know of what I'm doing, the less likely Phobetor will find out… I then looked over at the lab mare who seemed to look confused. Something didn't sit right with me about her. “Miss, sorry for prying, but why are you leaving the Republic?”

She stiffened up. “I… I wanted to help the little ones, give them a better life than living in a lab. That's all.” I trotted up to her, getting a tingling sensation in the back of my head. For a pony to get out of the heart of the Republic, where most ponies were part of the… C.C.N. and thus, connected to Phobetor. “Is everything alright…”

I sent a swift left hook connected with her jaw, the mare hitting the ground with a thud. Following it, I jumped onto the mare, and began hammering her head with humor in hoof until I hit concrete, all while the screams of foals assaulted my ears. Finished with the murder, I then heard the spark of a lighter, and turning, Xianzi was now calmly smoking a cigarette.

“Care to explain?” She said, only sounding mildly annoyed.

“Something Vibraphone Echo told me about the Republic. Almost all the ponies in their capital are part of the C.C.N., making them connected. If the pony she went through was discovered, it was likely through her.” I explained.

Xianzi took a long drag of her cigarette. “And you don't think we wouldn’t check for that?”

A smile crept onto my face. “Trust me, there are ways to cheat any system, especially when there's powerful magic involved.” I stepped away from the lab pony’s body, leaving bloody hoofprints behind me. “As for the case, just don't tell anypony about it, it's supposed to be a surprise for a special somepony.”

She finished off her cigarette, and let it drop to the ground. “You know that you have gone from creepy stoic, to creepy psychotic. But whatever, the bitch was pissing me off anyways.” She pulled out and passed me a pair of sunglasses. “Now let's get moving, time is money, and I'm not in the business of losing money.”

___________________________________________________

Xianzi had guided me to an under the station secret tunnel, It originally made by the Ministry of Moral, and until recently, used by the changelings. It was the closest way to the target without needing to activate the disguise talasman, otherwise I might have had to fight my way there, and give the republic the time to set an ambush for me. I got to the end of the tunnel, only a ladder going up to direct me, I climbed only to come across a door blocking my path. There was a switch to open it, and when I flipped it, a red light turned on, that blinked a few times before turning green, and the door hissed open.

Climbing up and out of the secret passageway, I found myself in some sort of dim cylinder with only one working light that illuminated the words ‘Ponloski Preservation Shelter.’ After a moment of standing in the shelter, the door below me closed up, and mesh grating slid into place underhoof, hiding the door.

Everything was set, though Phobetor may have gotten a hint to what was about to happen. Luckily, I didn't say any of the important parts outloud, but still, I had to act under the impression she’d know something was up at least. Activating the holotape player, magic enveloped me, and a countdown started on the device. For one hour I’d be Chime Catbell once more, this time on a rampage, instilling terror and rage into the Republic citizens. If everything goes as planned, then the C.C.N. should become emotionally overloaded, and force this war to start.

Ready to begin, I pressed an open door button on the shelter, and it hissed before sliding to the side, letting the light of the station in. “What!” A mare stumbled back in surprise when the door opened. Looking down, she had been relieving herself, not seeming to care about any pony else who could see her. She glared at me, getting closer. “Don't look at me like that, not when bitches like you are hogging the…”

I silenced her with a backhoof slap. She fell to the ground screaming and grasping her now bleeding nose. It was too bad I was no hoof to hoof fighter, as my iron hooves were turning out to be nasty weapons themselves.

Stepping over the downed mare, I quickly observed the area. The place not as packed with ponies as the area around the train stop, but ponies still lined the walls here. The recruitment office was down to my left, something made obvious by the different recruitment posters pointing with arrows in its direction. The posters were not as bad as the ones further in the Republic, ‘Together Stronger’ being common, with only a few being outright anti-capitalist.

Trotting to the recruitment office, most ponies quickly got out of my way. I’d like to think it was just because of the guns, but it was probably the fact that I had some ponies blood on me. That, and that bitch I slapped did make a lot of noise.

I did notice however, that there were at least two ponies following me. Their hoofsteps were measured, trying to match my own, but the sound of my hollow iron hooves on the cement made a far different sound then their thin and solid steel cybernetic hooves. This was good, I was already on their radar, and likely Chime’s face was already being looked into on the C.C.N..

There was a small line of ponies outside the recruitment office, the poor fools looking either half starved, battered, and bruised. Seeing that getting in line would be a waste of time I just pushed passed them, not caring who I knocked over. One mare tripping over her own hooves after she saw me, and my rifle.

From what Xianzi and Eden had shared with me, I was walking into an old train maintenance stop. The tunnel had been repurposed into the Republic recruitment office, though, all anypony outside the republic would ever see was a waiting room and a hallway. Inside the waiting room, the pro-equalist posters were everywhere, as though desperately trying to convince everypony that they weren't some brainwashing political cult.

“heh.” I chuckled to myself as the dull pain from the branding behind my ears reminded me of the other mad cult I had been inducted to.

“Next!” Said a pony behind a desk. She wore an overly pink suit with pink tinted glasses, and her mane and coat were even the same painfully pink color. Another pony, who she had been talking too was lead away to the back by a solder, disappearing behind a heavy looking metal door. Another pony stepped for words, and I cut her off, the thin pony simply backing up when her eyes met mine. Stepping up to the desk myself, the pink mare lowered her pink tinted glasses to get a better look at me. “Thank you for choosing to join us, Comrad. What’s your name?” She said in a cheerful tone.

“Chime Catbell.” I put on the sunglasses that Xianzi gave me. “You might have heard of me.”

“Right, I'll check our system...” The pink mare turned her attention to the terminal on her desk, then froze, her face going blank. “Here you are. Would you kindly follow the soldiers to the back?” Her voice now lack any emotion, it now just one flat tone, like a robot without a personality.

Two Republic soldiers trotted out from the back, armed with energy muskets, and the two ponies who had been following me had finally entered. Both of them wore the same, matching pink suits, and both were equipped with the pistol equivalent of the energy muskets. None of them said a word, glanced at each other, or did anything but stare at me. I was surrounded, but at least it was clear that the C.C.N. had its eyes only on me for a moment, and it knew my name. Now I just had to figure out how to start this fight without being turn to ash a second after, as their hive mind would make them highly coordinated...

I chuckled as I thought of a weapon that might be what I just needed to fuck them over long, and give me the time to really start some chaos. “Can I ask you one thing ma’am?” I tipped down the sunglasses and look at the pink mare. “Do you have any gum?”

The mare slowly opened her desk and pulled out a single stick of gum, passing it over to me without a word. Taking the gum, I unwrapped it, and the smell of stale sugar hit my nose.

“Thanks. And here I thought all I was going to do was kick some flank.” I popped the gum into my mouth, and began chewing, the taste of over two hundred year old gum being unsurprisingly flat. “But that aside, I did want to test something else. Hold still, please.”

I looked into the pink mares eyes, focusing on my fear, on my pain, and more importantly on my hatred. The mare didn't seem to respond, but she also didn't move, so I focused harder. My hate, focusing on it felt like a deep bubbling geyser ready to bust. What they did to me, forcing my free will away, selling me to Blackspot, to Phobetor, and being dogged by Theremin from within my own mind.

Actually, if it was not for them, this whole mess would never have involved me! Why the fuck were they even at the old radio tower in the first fucking place? If they’d just left me alone then… then… then I would not have had to kill Vibraphone. I would still be Vibraphone. I would be alive, Harp would be alive, Turnip Soup, Rufus, Sorrow, Stratus, Clarinet, and my sister would be alive!

My eyes felt like they were on fire, forcing me to break eye contact, and wipe off the bloody tears from my face. Pushing my sunglasses up to hide my now bleeding eyes, I looked back at the pink mare. She sat still, unmoving and seemingly unphased. I then looked at the four other republic ponies, all frozen.

*Thud*

It came from the pink mare, and I turned to look at her, her face touching her terminal. She then leaned back, and then thrusted herself forward into her terminal with another loud thud. Again she leaned back, blood flowing from her now crooked nose. She smashed her head into the terminal, the thud came with a crack. Again she leaned back, even more bloodied. Again she smashed her face into the terminal, finally shattering the screen, and causing it to spark and crackle loudly. The pink mare convulsed violently as the smell of blood, burnt wires, and pony flesh filled the air. Then she went limp, and everything when quiet.

Even I was a little shocked, but I also couldn't deny how effective that was, or imagine how much it must have fucked with the C.C.N.

The pause was short lived as I saw that the two soldiers were slowly began to move, like some machine booting back up. Then they both buckled over onto the floor and puked up a mess of pink sludge. One then looked up at me, and I could feel the hatred radiating off of her. Pulling out my rifle, I held it steady with one flame, and another flame on the trigger, I fired a spray of bullets at the two soldiers before they could fight back. Turning around, the two pink suited ponies had already gotten up from puking themselves, and had their energy pistols aimed at me, magic glowing.

Before I could fire, two blasts of energy hit me in the chest, and the feeling of intense heat waves through my body. But for as powerful as the magic those guns channeled was, it was not strong enough to take me out. In response, I fired at the two with my rifle. One dyed immediately as a round punched through their face. The other pony attempted to dive for cover, but found nothing to protect her from the led I sent her way. Three shots punched through the flimsy wood paneling of the small table in the waiting room, and the pony slumped and ceased to move.

I knew it was in my own head, hearing the sound of last last of the brass casing bounce on the floor. The ringing in my ears was almost deafening, drowning out all but the nerely muted sound of an alarm, and the screams of the ponies who’d been looking to join. Looking down at my chest at the two black scorch marks on the stable barding. The two hits had struck the armored modifications, which while they’d been destroyed, they absorbed the worst of the hits.

As the ringing faded and the alarm grew louder, I took a deep breath, trotting passed the reception desk. Stepping over the two dead soldiers, I pushed further into the recruitment center. Blocking my way into the main part of the recruitment center were ponies taking hastily prepared defensive positions. Like before, they were armed with various small and larger energy muskets, using wooden tables and filing cabinets as barricades.

I smiled at them and spoke loudly “If any of you got a smoke, best start smoking them right now, as It’s going to be your last.”

With limited cover, I dashed to the side as they opened fired. I gasped as one bolt singed the tip of my tail. The two shots from the energy pistols may not have been enough to take me out, but I at least knew better then to test my luck with even one shot from a energy musket.

A second group of ponies aimed at me as the first group recharged their rifles. I fired first this time, unloading my magazine into them. My chattering shots filled their barricades with holes, but surprisingly I didn’t get all of them. One managed to get a shot off at me, but missed by a few inches, it’s heat feeling even more intense than those from the pistols.

Not giving them time to counter attack, I charged as I reloaded my rifle. I was on a clock with phobetor, so I didn’t have the luxury to take things slowly. Being as quick and violent as possible, I jumping over the makeshift barricades, and with a quick spray, finished off the remaining defenders. Pushing forward, I aimed to continue my rampage further inward.

I was now in the recruitment offices main ariea, which looked like a dirty two level barracks. Two of the ponies that had fled the previous area were dragging a badly shot third pony away. They glanced of their should as they scrambled to get her to another room, but panicked as they saw me. They tried to get their weapons aimed at me, but with a short burst from my rifle, the two were dead. The already injured mare clenched at a wound that squelched as she breathed, and she gave out only a whimper as I brought the barrel of my rifle up to her face, and finished her off with a single round.

Scanning the large tunnel the best I could, I counted at least five more of the equalist scrambling to get into a better defensive position. I’d expected a bit more organization from the C.C.N., but they seemed quite confused and scattered. One of them peeked out from the second floor, rifle out and ready to fire. I charged forward, forcing their shot to go high over my head. I retorted with a shot of my own, missing as well, but forcing them to take cover.

Getting under the second floor, it prevented any more ponies from firing down at me from above. But there was a new problem as I ran right into a large mare armed with a heavy looking wrench in her mouth.

She reared back, swinging the wrench and striking low at my legs. The heavy strike almost knocked me off my hooves, but with the help of my meteoric plate, I managed to stand firm. Hit by the vibration of her own strike as it reverberated back up to her muzzle, the unfortunate mare’s eyes had become unfocused for a moment as she tried to shake it off. I responded by putting three shots into her chest, killing her.

Don’t bring a wrench to a gunfight.

At that, an energy bolt glanced my shoulder. It only did minimal damage to the stable barding, but the heat sizzled through and burned my skin. The pony that shot at me dropped his rifle, and picked up another, it's magical energy already glowing bright pink.

Dropping my own gun, I rolled over the large mare I had just killed, and lifted her body up as a shield. Within an instant, the dead mare cracked and glowed pink before turning to ash. The offending pony dropped the second rifle, grabbing a third charged rifle. Seriously!? I know Sweet had long ago gone over the merits of a Manehattan reload, but this was just getting excessive.

This time I was ready, and with the large wrench grasped in my magic, I tossed it at the pony. Like anypony who had a hunk of metal flying right for his head, he panicked, shooting at the airborne wrench. It took their eyes off me long enough for me to grab my rifle again. With another burst of the trigger, I sprayed led in the ponies direction before they could take cover, and was rewarded as a few wounds opened up in their chest.

Trotting over to my latest kill, my head on a near litrale swivel now. I had a feeling that their weapon stash was nearby, mainly because ponies don't just carry three energy muskets on them. I passed by a set of stairs as a pony jumped into view. It was the one tried to shoot me from above before, but she was just as surprised to run into me.

This time I had the jump on her, and spraying led in her direction. The mare was actually quick on her hooves, and managed to avoid a fatal hit. She was fast, but not enough, as a shot struck her in the flank, and another few sparked of her rear prosthetic legs. I left her be for now, knowing that she wasn’t going far with a wound like that, and that I’d have a bit of time before she patched it up and came at me again.

Pushing on to what was likely the back of this place, I caught sight of two more ponies at a large armored door. Both sat at the ready with three energy muskets each at their sides. Armored door with a truly excessive amount of muskets next to it? Yeah, I think I found their armory.

The two looking over at me as I raised my rifle again, their eyes widened with fear. Like smart ponies, they bailed and jumped into the armory.

I rushed to the door before they could close it, managing to stick my hoof in between it and the frame. One of the mares kept on pushing the door as the other stumbled back and grabbed an energy musket from inside, aiming it at my hoof. I don't know why, likely curiosity, but I let her do it. The muskets glowed brightly pink, then fired at my hoof. The bright flash of the point blank energy shot blinded me for a second, but when my vision returned, the mare that was holding the door was gone, and only an ash pile remained.

Without a pony to push the door, I slowly opens it, rifle ready. The reaming equalist dropped her gun, her eyes wide with terror. “Pl… please don't kill me, I only just started, I was just hungry… like the others.” The mare pleaded.

I quickly looked about the surprisingly large armory, seeing over at least twenty magical energy muskets and pistols, plenty of knives, clubs, and other makeshift melee weapons. What really sought my attention however, was the nine unconscious ponies in the room. One of them was currently belly down on a bloody table with several mechanical arms hovering over her head. The mare on the table had a few small incisions in her head, and one of the mechanical arms was sticking something inside. So, this was what it looked like when a pony was being added to the C.C.N., this is what happened to me. While they were likely prepped to be dominated by Phobetor, I on the other hoof, would never bow to her.

“It's a free medical procedure!” The equalist mare squeaked. “Because we're all equ…” I shot her in the head to shut her up. That, and to put the republican drone out of my misery.

Taking a quick, but closer look around the room for anything useful, I found a box labeled ‘explosives’. Inside was a whole bunch of old Magical Fusion Cells, the kind Merit used in his rifle. The MFC's were tied in bunches of four, and had wires sticking into it, along with some electronics and two switches attached to the top of them.

It was clear they had been rigged as bombs, but not in any way I’d ever seen. Lucky for me, the bomb came with an instruction drawn on one side of it. As crude as it was, it looked like flipping the first switch armed the bomb, setting it to overcharge, then flipping the second switch will cause it to explode after a couple of seconds. Naturally I took three for myself, and armed the rest. Backing out of the room with one bomb in my magical grip. I flipped the armed bombs second switch, and shut the armored door, dashing away.

There was a disappointing pop, but then the armored door blasted off its hinges with a deafening boom. It shot past me, trailed by rainbow colored smoke that dissipated as it slammed into the wall. I did feel bad about the ponies I’d left inside, but it was better than wasting my bullets on them, and I’d arguably saved them from a worse fate. Though I did wish the explosion didn't leave me deft, as the ringing in my ears was slow to fade.

Taking me by surprise, a beam of bright pink light and intense heat shot passed me. Turning to see where it came from, I raised my gun, ready to fire. I saw the equalist mare that I’d spared earlier.

She looked pale, likely due to blood loss that was evident by the long trail of blood behind her. The energy muskets in her hooves weekly glowed as they unsteadily swayed left and right in her weak grasp, unable to be held straight. Here mouth moved, but her voice was muffled from the ringing in my ears, preventing me from hearing her properly.

“Say again, can't quite hear you, my ears are ringing!” I said as my hearing slowly recovered.

“You... you’re a monster!” She yelled out at me.

It got a chuckle out of me. “There's no point in stating the obvious. Now, is there anything else you have to say?”

The mare slipped a little, dropping her rifle, but managing to keep herself upright. “W… Why are you…” With a bright red flash, and the sound of a deep zap, the mare then glowed red right before turning to ash.

From around a corner, trotting into view with a heavy swagger was the reaver queen bitch herself, Blaster Beam. The two energy muskets wings on her back were glowing red, while the one on the end of her tail charged, steam trailing from the barrel.

“Chime Catbell.” She said as her face shifted to anger, one of her eyes twitching as though she had lost control of it. “Or was it Vibraphone Echo?”

I shrugged, giving her a coy smile. “Take your pick... bitch.”

One of the guns from her back wings twitched ever so slightly, and I dashed to the side, ready for the attack. A red beam of hot magical energy grazed my backside as I got out of Blaster Beams line of sight. Running around a corner, I found a small break room with a metal table in the center.

Sliding under the table, I flipped it over to give myself a barricade. Just in time too, as another energy blast hit it, turning a small spot of the table red with its heat.

“Thought you had gone and died,” She shouted with a light hearted laugh. “you must be as tenacious as Theremin was!”

I bit my tongue, knowing that she was trying to taunt me. It would also be a bad idea to confirm to them that it is me, and keep enough doubt over who was actually here. Lifting my assault rifle, I blindly fired back a few shots at her. As the brass bounced across the floor, I was left in relative silence again.

“Speaking of pains in the head, how's that pony doing!?” I shouted. “Dead I hope!”

“Don't fucking play games with me, cunt! You know she's dead, and just as much of a dead mare trotting!” A red beam shot over my cover, hitting the wall past it. “You're boxed in, bitch! I have several soldiers blocking the only exit, so there’s nowhere to run. Now, come out and let me kill you!”

Good, their attention was on me, though I could do without the psychotic reaver. I blind fired again, then took peek from behind the table. Blaster Beam had not taken any cover, choosing to slowly walk my way, her hooves making a tap sound with each step. She was like a tank from the great war, sporting a few dents, but nothing that look like it had any effect on her.

“Your a cybernetic freak, you know that, right?” I shouted loudly, this time aiming my rifle at her and unloading the rest of the magazine on the bitch. The bullets made contact, tearing up her uniform, a denting her metal plates, but not one seemed to bother her. I even managed to tear of a bit of skin from her face, yet she didn't finch. Instead she aim one of her back wing attached guns at me right before they finished charging. Ducking back behind the table, and several small red spot appeared on the on the metal over my head.

“Unlike the others, I am invincible! Your weak projectile weapons will do nothing to me.” Blaster Beam boasted. “But I do enjoy the hunt, and our new leader has even let me indulge in it. She’s been keeping me busy doing other… things. But thanks to whatever your Orthrus friends did to block us from the rest of the C.C.N., I am free to hunt unrestricted. And you’re the best target I could dream of.” The sound of her hoofsteps stopped, replaced by a static like sound, and the air smelling of ozone. “I’m going to make you hurt, so much. And your pain will make my numbness fade. Yes, die for me my little trator, die and make me feel real again!”

Having a real bad feeling, I dove from my cover, and saw Blaster Beam now close to the table. All three of her energy muskets aimed at it, and with a bright flash, she shot the table. With a blinding sizzle, the combined shots melted a hole through it and scorched the floor.

With all three of her guns used, I now had a window of attack. So I pushed myself up and charged at her, but changed course when I saw a bit of fire escape her mouth. She spat a gout of fire at me, like some dragon from an old fantasy book. The flames scorched the ground near my hooves as I retreated and pulled back again.

“Oh your going to have to try harder then that, traitor.” She lifted her hoof, and pointed it at me, a red glowing light coming from its base. Diving to the ground, the most intense bolt of magical energy I had ever felt passed over me, hitting a cement wall, and making a chunk of it explode. “Your a bit too good at not dying, you know that? And you say I’m the freak!”

“Well it's easy when your such a bad shot!” I shouted reloaded my rifle and slunk it back onto my back.

An energy beam hit me in the leg, and the beam bounced off as a scatter of smaller beams, harmlessly spraying the floor with magical energy. Unfazed, I dove around a corner, not wanting to stay in her line of sight long enough for her to try a headshot. Pulling out one of the two energy explosives I had, it was the only thing I could think of that might damage the Reaver, if not outright kill her.

“Stop hiding, and come out. I'll promise to make sure you die quickly!” She yelled, her metal hoof steps tapped on the floor as she walked in my direction. I armed one of the bombs, flipped it’s switch, and ran. After a few moments, a loud explosion rang through the building, followed by a beam of energy ripping through the wall a few hoofsteps away from me.

“Not good enough!” Blaster Beam again yelled. Seriously, what was it going to take to fucking kill this bitch!

Near me was the stairwell to the next floor, and as the Reaver came into view, I ran up. Where at the top, I armed the second bomb and waited for her. I could hear her hooves tap on the floor, getting closer. Looking down, she came into view, the only damage she’d suffered was a few burns. She didn't bother looking up at me, just trotted up the stairs, which for me was just fine as I flipped the second switch, and cooked the bomb. After a few seconds, I tossed it, ducking as low as I could before the explosion went off, shaking and sending cracks through the floor I was on.

Taking a deep breath, I peeked over the railing, and saw Blaster Beam looking back at me, her face partially blown off, revealing the cybernetic skull underneath. But as I looked at her, her face began to repair itself, along with the rest of the damage. Even her tattered and burning clothes were sewing themselves up.

The reaver rolled her eyes. “Like I said, not good enough. I got a pretty nice repair talasman in me, the kind used in those old models of power armor. Real useful when your nearly made of all metal.” Her eyes then started twitching again, and she hit herself in the head, hard enough to make a clang sound. “Stop, you all need to stop screaming in my head! I can't focus if you all keep screaming!” She yelled as she shook her head violently. She then stopping, slowly looking up at me with a scowl on her face. “I gotta know, tell me this before I kill you. How did you you manage to fuck with the C.C.N? You got them all infuriated, confused, and just fucked up like nothing else we’ve ever seen! Their screaming is driving me Celestia damned crazy!”

Well it was good to know that my evil eyes had a bigger effect then I thought it would, but it might also have something to do with this station being cut off from the rest of the C.C.N. either way, I still had a weapon.

“If you really want to know, I can show you.” I lowered my glasses and looked into her eyes, focusing on fear and pain.

Her own gaze locked with my own, and the pain in my own eyes told me the magic was working. But the guns on her back, and her tail twitched, slowly aiming themselves, aiming at me. Worse, a smile crept on Blaster Beam’s face. Again, I dove off to the side, breaking my gaze, but more importantly, avoiding the three bolts of energy that she shot at me.

“Is that it, some sort of signal, or spell? Some sort of arcane ocular information transference maybe?” Blaster Beam said then hit herself in the head again. “Fffffucking shut up you ffffucking worthless cogs, shut up or I’ll find you and gut you myself!” She slammed the same hoof on the ground, and then began walking up the stairs. “What you have, whatever that arcano tech you possess is, I want that. I want to make a ponies squirm and shit themselves with a glance. Watch them shrivel up, make them die inside. I want that! Now give it to me, give it all to me now!” She screamed.

I backed up, not knowing what to do. “You’re fucked up!” Pot calling the kettle black, but then again I’m actually going to save ponies by killing the ones here.

Blaster Beam stopped at the top of the stairwell, her eyes glazing over for a second, then she laughed. “You’re not the first to say that, and you won’t be the last.” She shot at me with her tail gun, hitting the floor under me. “I mean I’ve already called myself that too many times to count.” She paused looking in the distance, zoning out. “Poor miss whiskers, I just wanted to know how long she could hold her breath. I didn't actually mean to kill her, I swear! But then again, how else was I ever to find out?” Her gaze returned to looking at me, and she laughed again as she fired another bolt at my hooves. “I once had a little sister, adorable, but would not stop crying all the time. So I made her stop. Mama was so upset about it, and she would not stop screaming at me, saying I was fucked up. So you know what I did? I made her stop too.” She then scowled, firing yet another bolt of energy near me. “It was actually really fun, but it was a mistake. I ended it all to quickly. I wanted more, but a pony can only die once, gurgle like that once.”

“Then what, you when on a killing spree?” I spat at her, eyeing as her blasters articulated carefully. The metal parts of her face had fully healed, meaning that I was out of options, other then keeping her talking as I came up with a plan.

She paused for a moment, twisting her hoof before slamming her head again. “Not at first no. I just stayed home where it was quiet, which was fine for a time, but mama and sis were starting to smell, so I left.” as though she were acting like a bashful foal, Blaster hid her face with a hoof. “Found a place that took me in, though I did have to work as a prostitute there. How shameful that I hadn't even hit puberty yet, but I became quite popular among the older mares. Though, never the most popular .” She peeked from behind her hoof. “Then maybe that was do to with my clients finding themselves dead every few days.”

Looking at her hoof, I watched as she charged them up with energy as well. Shit, they were muskets as well? Still, that got me thinking of doing something really stupid, but that something could work, and it was all I had at the moment. My first step was to stop backing up, and get closer to the mad reaver.

“Then you eventually got caught.” I smirked as I stood in place for only a moment.

An annoyed sigh came from Blaster. “Fucking government spooks. How was I to know I just beat to death some perverted agent? And just my luck, I may have stolen some classified documents of his and tried to pawn them off. The next day I got dragged off to some dark hole, experimented on, maybe had a kid? My memory was fairly fuzzy at the time, you know, from all the drugs they pumped me with. Then I was experimented on me some more before they dumped me in some nowhere station and forgot about me… just like everypony always did.”

“Well until the C.C.N. found me and the others.” She smiled, wiggling the guns attached to her back. “The voices in my head are annoying, but I get to kill, and kill, and kill. And there’s a euphoria to it that bitches like you can just never understand.” Her eye began to twitch, and she hit herself in the head again, causing her to wobble a bit, and leaving a slight dent. “But now they're too confused, too angry, each voice screaming in my head. It’s like their all shouting and none are listening, and I'm left alone to deal with em all by myself. I need the C.C.N. to make all of them calm, and to keep me feel again. But their not helping, and I feel numb, far too numb. It’s like I’m not real anymore, why don’t I feel real?” She bashed her head again, denting it for a second.

Blaster was getting crazier by the second. It clear that the psychosis of having a fully cybernetic body was finally coming in hard. It made me remember something Theremin told me once, about how they solved this problem by using the C.C.N. to stabilize their minds. I was witnessing a complete phycotic breakdown before my eyes, likely accelerated because of the use of my evil eyes.

This also meant that she was unlikely able to think straight, and I could use that to my advantage.

Taking a step closer, I gave Blaster a smile. “You said you wanted this ability I have, to make others feel pain and fear through eye contact? I might be able to, if you show me something first.”

Blaster Beam paused, the dent in her head already repaired by her talisman, but one eye was twitching at an unnatural rate.

“A pony always wants something.” She sneered back at me.

I rolled my eyes. “Nothing in life is for free, but at least I can make it cheap.”

She grimaced. “Fine, but tell me this, why do you kill? Are you like me? Like him? Is that what Theremin saw in you.” She chuckled to herself. “Are we simply a family of fucked up murders?” She asked before biting onto her hoof, her mettle teeth grinding on her mettle hoof.

I… I couldn't help but glare at her, burning with contempt.

Blaster just laughed at me and trotted closer. “Whatever you did to that receptionist, filling her with your hate, with your malice, I could feel all of it. But unlike the others, they who only know conformity, it made me feel at home. Over and over again, kill, kill, kill, hate, hate, hate!” Trotting over herself, she had gotten close, so close that she was able put her hoof right on my head, the inbuilt leg musket glowing with magical energy as it slowly reached to its full power. “To bad you rejected us, Vibraphone. Now, how do I extract that ocular technology?”

Taking a deep breath, I remembering that the pony she was talking about was dead, and I calmed down. “Sorry to tell you this, but I’m not who you think I am. Though your assumptions are close. I am a killer, and I plan to kill a whole lot of ponies real soon. But..” I gave her my own toothy smile, showing her two rows of sharp jagged teeth. “Unlike you, who was born as a broken killer, I was forged into what I am. You truly want to know how I do it? To fill them with fear by simply looking at them, well it’s because I’m a real monster, something a broken and fabricated pony like you can never be!”

The glow from Blaster’s leg intensified, and I took that moment to shove my hoof in its way. The move both knocking my own head off, and clamping my hooves onto hers. A bright red flash blinded me and an explosion defend my ears, and leaving me in a red void for a few seconds.

As I regained my sight and hearing, my body picked up my head, placing it back onto my neck, though I had to wait a few more seconds before I had full regained my barings. Blaster Beam was now on her back, one of her musket forelegs having exploded, leaving nothing but the shoulder, and a pool of boiling white liquid under her. The reaver looked like she was knocked out cold, but I was unsure how long that would last, and even with three legs, I didn’t feel like fighting her again.

Turning around, I trotted over to a balcony, the spot where I had been shot at before, and peeked over. Below, and blocking the exit, their was at least twelve republic soldiers, armed with energy muskets, full body armor, and metal shields. Once more, I didn’t have the time to take this slowly, my time with the illusion was nearly halfway done, and I knew if I took my time picking these ponies off, my cover would eventually be blown. So another stupid idea crossed my mind.

Picking up Blaster Beam’s body, I dragged her to the balcony, and unceremoniously threw her over. The Reaver made a satisfying a wet crunch when she hit the floor and folded in half. Standing up with my rifle out, I made sure they all could see me.

“Any of you think you can fight me, go and fucking try. But I will kill you all and turn this place into a tomb!”

Looking down at the republic soldiers, some seemed to back up, but one aimed her musket, it shaking in her grasp, and fired. I didn’t move, not even flinching as the beam passed close to my head. Aiming my rifle back down at them, I opened fired, forcing the ponies to cower behind their shields. None of my shot connected, leaving me a bit annoyed, so I jumped off the balcony. I landed squarely on Blaster Beam, causing some of her white synthetic fluides to spurt out. Another musket shot was taken at me, missing me by more than the previous shot, only making me more annoyed.

A third pony attempted to actually aim at me this time, her barrel tipped a bit high, so I ducked. The beam flew over me, and I avoid what would have been a clear head shot. Kicking into a gallop I dove into the formation of soldiers, tackling one of them down to the ground. Pulling the trigger on my rifle, I managed to blast two of the soldiers before another jumped on me. She tried to use her musket to hit me in the back of the legs, but it had no effect on me. In response, I reared back, throwing her off me, and bucking her right in the face. The now bloodied mare slammed into the standing shields, knocking them over, and revealing six soldiers ready to fire a volley of energy bolts.

Reverting to an old, but reliable strategy, I grabbed the pony from under me, and used her as a shield. The volley came, turning the pony I was using into ash. In response, I fired at the six, but the had quickly scattered, and I only managing to kill one before they lifted their shields for cover again. My eyes darted about, looking for the other ponies that ran off before the volly attack, and caught one trying to get a sneak attack on me. Their bolt of magical energy had been shot a bit to late as I dashed to the side, just avoiding its burn.

Another shot caught me by surprise, setting my barding on fire. I rolled as pain traveled through me, putting out the sudden fire. They had gotten me in a pincer maneuver, but I’d thankfully managed to avoid getting vaporized.

Looking down at the pony who shot me, she quickly dove under cover, so I ignored her. Instead, I ran for the ponies holding up the shield from earlier. These guards were certainly coordinated than the recruitment center employees, so I had to be as unpredictable as possible.

So instead of seeking cover, I just rammed the shields, causing the two ponies behind to stumble back. Spinning, I bucked the shield with all my might, knocking them over. But that was just part one of the attack, and as a pony in front of me peeked out to take a shot, I was already aiming in their general direction. With a short burst the top of one of the ponies head came off as the spray of led hit them. Before another pony could get a counter shot at me, I dashed forward to the now dead pony.

Grabbing the dead pony, I again used her as a shield, aiming my rifle back at where I was before. A beam of energy shot the corpse, but I ignored it. Aiming at the two ponies I knocked over, I fired as they pushed the shields off of them. As soon as they went limp, I rolled to the side, and dove behind a still standing shield just as another bolt nearly hit me.

“Capitalist Scum!” A pony screamed, catching me off guard as she charged in close, hitting me with the butt of her gun, and nocking my rifle away from me.

She flipped her rifle around to fire at me, but I slapped it away just as the bolt of energy shot passed my head. Drawing my pistol, I rapidly shot six bullets into her, causing the mare to slump over as she quickly bled out. My eyes darted around catching another soldier just as jumped she out, her rifle ready to fire. Unloaded the rest of my pistols magazine into her, she fired wide above my head as she fell to the ground.

Reloading the pistol, I put it back in its holster, and ran for my rifle. Two soldiers were already waiting for me, forcing me to jump to the side just as the fired at me. But I had managed to grab my rifle, and after a roll, I counter attacked. Both soldiers scrambled for cover, and I managed to fill one with led, outright killing him.

Charging forward, I managed to catch the second solder before she could recharge her rifle, and unloaded my rifle into her at point blank. Another bolt of energy grazed me as soon as the second solder hit the ground. Lucky, the shot didn’t set my barding on fire this time, but the burning heat that transferred through to my skin still hurt like a bitch.

The pony was out in the open, so I aimed and pulled the trigger.

‘Click’

I was out of ammo, just my luck. The soldier mare smiled at me and began recharging her musket. I smiled back and threw away my rifle, pulling my pistol out again. Without hesitation, I unloaded all twelve shots into her smug face.

With the last of my bullets spent, and the way cleared for the most part, I dropped the gun and began to trot to the exit.

A noise perked my ear. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the solder I had kicked earlier, laying with a heavily bloodied face, but they were still alive. I had another dumb idea, but also very cruel. Trotting up to the mare, I removed my sunglasses, and forced her to look me in the eyes.

“I want you all to know this, and I will make it clear! The C.C.N. will fall. You will all fail, and your utopian dream will be reviled for the scam it is. Even if I have to kill every last one of you to do it, I will. So come and get me if you dare, but be prepared to fight through all of Orthrus first!” I focused as much hate, pain, and all of my sorrow into the mare. I stopped as she began to convulse, and my eyes began to feel like they were ready to explode. Satisfied, I left the recruitment center, bodies in my wake.

Stepping outside, I found the metro in this area predictably clear of civilian ponies.

“Halt!” Yelled a Republic solder with a megaphone, she stood with well over twenty others, energy muskets lined up, and ready for me. “Come out and surrender, and we will not be forced to kill you!” The soldiers looked less… connected than the others, most of them were likely not part of the C.C.N. yet, though knowing for curtain would be a hard call to make.

I sighed, even with my current killstreak, this was too many ponies to fight in such a wide and open area. That, and I was now unarmed, so even killing one would be hard.

“I surrender.” I announced as I trotted into the open.

“Smart move, comrad.” the pony yelled back, and four of the soldiers ran over to me. Jumped onto me, they held me down as the rest of them rushed forward. “You have been charged with acts of terrorism agenda the Ponies Republic of the Valley Island! Your trial will be held shortly, as will your execution!”

*Tink… Hiss*

The tunnel quickly filled with smoke, causing the republic ponies to start panicking. Shots from energy muskets went off, lighting up the smoke, and only causing more panic.

“Were under attack!” Yelled on of the ponies on me just before she jumped off, followed by a loud thud hitting the floor. The other ponies holding me down let me go as energy gunshots rang out over me. Soon after I felt a pony pull me up.

“Time to go. By the way, you did an excellent job for us.” it was Xianzi, she had a gas mask on and armed with an old world energy rifle. “I don’t know what you did, but the equalists are flipping their shit right now.”

“Then my end of our deal is done.” I said loudly. “Take me to my stuff, I got a lot of killing to do.”

“About that.” Xianzi’s voice sounded less than certain. “You remember that case you procured? Well... it’s on the train.”

. . . . . . fuck.

_______________________________________________________________________

Footnote:

Quest Finished: This Means WAR!

Faction Alignment Changed: The Republic (Hated Enemy.)

Faction Alignment Changed: The Syndicate (Trusted Client)

New Quest: Special Delivery