Fallout Equestria: True Skies

by Acespadez1134

Rating: teen
Tags: Crossover, Gore, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Dark, Alternate Universe, Other, Original Character, Adventure
Length: 90841

Splitstream was a proud Pegasus who was out for his own selfish gain. This all changes once his team is sent to the waste.

Wonderbolt in training Splitstream is a cocky Pegasus who has everything laid out for them. Everything changes one day when when his chain of command sends him and his team to the wastelands where he learns he isnt the best, but for a special little filly he needs to be.

This is a remake of my original story!!! Please support Kkat and read the original Fallout Equestria story!
Edited and Co authored by
https://www.fimfiction.net/user/Spartan082
Lukington17
Hunter Steel

SORRY... I am going to be deleting this and restarting the story over... I noticed many mistakes and I want to try again with this story... thanks for understanding

ACE

Published 2015-08-04 13:50:02 UTC
Last updated 2018-09-16 14:16:42 UTC

chapter 2

“Captain Steel Wing…” I said, rolling my eyes, reiterating it to Solar Flair for the third time. “He told me I am going to be in charge of the team.” I was stomping my hoof so that the leg piece of my new Enclave armor would feel more comfortable. Since I was a Wonderbolt in training I got access to armor that others didn’t. Mine was lighter with strong blades along the edges of the wings. I had two close ranged magical energy pistols, a pocket for multiple magical grenades and my tail, which because of the armor, looked like a manticore's tail.

Solar Flair looked at my armor, a bit envious, “Well as I said, you may be in charge, but we are supposed to be getting another Captain.” He dropped his visor over his eyes. I dropped mine down too, and my E.F.S started to boot up, going through it’s system checks, before everything cleared except my energy count on my pistols, a compass and a geiger counter. I turned to head to the meeting place before we headed to the cloud opening.

“Do you know who it is?” The shake of his head told me all i need to know. I was getting a surprise… and I hated surprises.

I finished making sure my armor was ready to go, before turning to face him. As I did so,the compass in my E.F.S. swiveled around, and a green line on it stopped, showing that he was not hostile towards me. A few other green lines around me showed me where everypony in this building was. Well, a general location,anyhow.

He glanced at me from behind his orange eye shields in his helmet. “Ready?” I gave a nod and he smirked, “Then lets go! We’ll look badass when we arrive together.”

I rolled my eyes, luckily, my eye shields were the same color as my eyes. I knew when he said ‘we’, he really meant himself. I was already badass and I didn’t need him to help me with that.

I turned and walked out of the room, still fascinated with my new armor. I knew it was an advanced piece of Enclave hardware , and all, but it was incredibly light. It almost felt as if I was not wearing anything at all. I chuckled at the mares watching me as I walked by, knowing Solar Flair was trying to act cool behind me, but they wouldn’t even give him a second glance.

“What?” He asked, trotting up next to me.

I shook my head, “Oh, nothing…” I smiled knowingly. I already knew I could get under any mares tail that I wanted. All I had to do was tell them I was a Wonderbolt. Solar, on the other hoof, was… just not as lucky.

I huffed on ahead, opening the door to the barracks, and we stepped out into a bright, warm, sunlight. I looked up at it and smiled. I wasn’t sure what it was about the sun ,but it took away anything negative from me, and filled me with pleasant thoughts. I looked ahead to my team, and thought I saw Sunny waiting for us, and smiled and trotted forward, only to stop my mouth hanging open a bit.

“Steel?” I felt a small ping of something in my gut as I realized Sunny wasn’t going to be there anymore.

He turned and smiled brightly, “Ah, Captain Splitstream, I will let it slide this time, but you must call me Lieutenant Steel Wing.” His smile turned into a smirk and I felt my blood boil.

Something in my head was screaming, saying, “WHAT?! HE GOT PROMOTED FOR TURNING SUNNY IN?!” I just stood there, glaring at him, but he turned to the rest of the team, which, now that I noticed, was rather small now.

I trotted up, angry and confused. “Excuse me, Sir?” The show of proper rank gave me a bad taste in my mouth, but he glanced at me, so I cleared my throat. “What happened to the rest of the team?”

His smiles faded a little, “I decided that they were not cut out to be going down to the wasteland.” He gave me a stare that told me I was better off not knowing the true reason.

I thought about it for a split second, before shrugging and looking back at the remaining soldiers, “I agree Sir. I understand it’s better to travel in smaller teams, anyhow.”

A smile returned to his muzzle again. “That is true, Captain. It will keep locals from taking notice if only a few of us are going down.”

I felt like I needed to ask why would we care about locals, but I was interrupted by the Cloud Gate Team. They walked up to Steel and I with very serious faces, almost like they knew something I didn’t.

The mare in the front looked at Steel, “Is your team ready… Lieutenant?” With her rough voice, it was hard to make out what she was saying, but her calling him Lieutenant looked and sounded like it hurt to say.

Steel gave a confident nod, “Let’s crack this sky open and go down to clean up our Communications Tower.”

I spun at Steel at a loss, “Clean up? We were training for a reconnaissance mission.” I didn’t realize it at first, but I was shaking. Was it fear, anger, or excitement? I couldn’t tell. All I knew was that I was not liking the feeling of this drop more and more.

He turned from the mare, and gave me an even stare, “It was a last minute change of plans. Some measly thugs went into one of our communication towers and turned it into a nest.”

The mare turned and walked to her team, and they went to work, opening the clouds. Steel turned to face me, “We can’t let those degenerates turn one of our only ways to communicate with ground teams into a hell hole, now can we, Captain?”

I felt the uneasiness leaving the pit of my stomach, and being replaced with a small, burning flame of anger. “Sir, we will take it back one way or another.” I lowered my head, narrowing my eyes, “Even if I have to peel them apart piece by piece.”

Steel turned back to the now pegasus sized hole, “Excellent, Splitstream. An attitude like that will take you far in the Enclave.” He turned to the Drop team, “All right, everypony! I want you all following me, double time!”

Everyone saluted, and with a salute back, he turned and dove through the hole. I decided to wait to be the last, to make sure everyone made it down. Plus, I wanted to have a bit of fun on the way down.

When the last soldier jumped down, I felt a smile spread across my face as I stepped to the circle. I looked down, and was a bit shocked at the lifeless color of the land below. Suddenly, I felt something else, some unknown feeling build up inside my stomach that I couldn’t quite make out. I shook it away, and with a small jump, I dove into the hole, keeping my front hooves close to keep myself aerodynamic. I stopped, abruptly covering my nose once I flew out from the bottom of the cloud veil. The clean and crisp air I was used to smelling had been replaced with stale dead air that made my eyes start to water.

I coughed a little, “How can there be so much dust this high up?!” I looked around, expecting to see a burning building. There were mountains in the distance, one with, from what I could see, had a city with a pink haze around it. “That must be Canterlot,” I assured myself, having heard all the horrible stories of how the Princesses of Day and Night died there. “What were their names again? Celestia and… Moon someth-”

BANG!

I felt the round hit my chest plate with enough force to ensure a bruise was going to form. I glared at the ground to see a pink mare looking up at me, along with a white stallion holding up a rifle, which was aimed at me. Admittedly, it surprised me that the rifle was working at all. I narrowed my eyes, and as he shot another round at me, I dove down, feeling the round bounce off my tail. My E.F.S labeled them as Survivors. I chuckled as I raced in their direction. “They won’t be Survivors for long.”

I decided to take out the mare first, she didn’t seem to have any weapons, so I didn’t want to find out what weird mutations she had that could hurt me. I flew up to her, making her back step when I stopped, inches from her, glaring down at her. She looked up at me with eyes that told me she knew she was going to die now, and she was terrified at the thought. I smirked and she slowly looked down at the two magical energy pistols pointed into her chest. She looked up, “Bub-!”

ZAP!

The beams of magical Energy cut her short as they burned into her chest. I was rather surprised as she suddenly started disintegrating into a pile of ash. I stepped back as the heat was also a bit much.

“CHERRY?!” I jumped back, as the Stallion ran by me to the pile of ashes and ran a hoof through them. I could hear his sobs, and looked back to see his rifle on the ground. I smiled and walked to it, and bent down, lifting into my mouth. I felt the vile build up in my throat as my mouth closed over the mouthpiece, causing me to drop it. I looked back at the stallion who was waving at somepony. “Bubble Gum! Run and hide!”

My eyes narrowed at him, and I started walking towards him. He looked back at me, and with a low growl, he stood up and charged. His hoof came up, and I side stepped, causing him to stumble to my side.

“You fool…” was all I could say, as my wing opened up, and the clean, sharp blade, easily slid under his chin and with only gravity pulling him down was driven into his neck. This was all in slow motion, as I felt every muscle sliding over the blade, and soon a metal-on-bone scrape, as my wing blade removed his head cleanly.

I stood there for a few moments, letting the blood drip from my armored wing. Drip, Drip, Drip. I just killed two ponies and… what was this feeling? “Why do I feel like I did something wrong? They were just Survivors…”, my mind kept telling me.

“MOMMY, MR. BOLT!” Came a shout, a few feet away, which snapped me from my turmoil inside. I took a battle stance, as a small pink filly came racing out from behind a large rock at me. I stood frozen as she ran to the ash pile and the dead stallion in tears.

‘You killed a young filly’s mother and probably soon to be father!!!’ my brain told me. I felt a knot twist in my stomach, ‘You're a murderer!!!’ I dropped to my knees, grabbing my head, “NO! It was self defense!” I yelled, trying to make myself believe the words flowing out of my mouth, but my brain and stomach knew that if I had seen them first, I would have killed them without remorse.

“You found the three that got away, Captain Splitstream, good job,” I looked to see Steel Wing and two others of the team walking up. He looked at the the pony to his right, “I don’t care which of you takes care of the filly just hurry up so we can-”

“WHAT?!” I looked up at him stunned. These ponies were the ones staying at the Tower?” His look told me all I needed to know, and I felt something touch my back leg.

I looked back to see the filly hiding behind me.

I looked at her in shock, as what Steel had just told one of the other ponies sunk in. “And… and you plan on killing her? A FILLY?!” I looked back at Steel who was frowning with narrowed eyes. My anger with him was matching the look he gave me.

He let out a breath, “Would you rather her walk around this wasteland alone? We are giving her mercy, we-”

“MERCY?!” I found myself shouting, my body shaking with a mixture of rage and guilt, “We could find her help! We could take her to a nearby town! We-”

This time I was the one being interrupted, as he slammed a hoof on the ground, “I don’t like your tone, Captain! NOW! Get out of the way so we can remove any witnesses from this location!!”

I stood, rooted in the spot, ‘This wasn’t a clean up, it was an extermination!’ I felt sick, ‘And you are part of this slaughter Splitstream… you were played like a fool…’ I moved my leg back and hit something. I turned and looked at the filly who was looking at me with a mixture of fear and heartache. My heart dropped, ‘You killed her parentsm and now you are going to let this innocent little filly die?’

“No,” I heard my voice say.

“What?” Steel questioned back.

I looked at him taking up my battle stance, “I will not let you hurt this filly anymore than I already have.”

The last thing I expected was a smile to spread across his face, but it wasn’t a comforting smile, it was a ‘you just made a wrong move’ smile. “You want to know what I like more than catching ponies breaking rules?” He took a battle stance, along with the two ponies on either side of him, “Finding ones who are willing to die because they don’t follow the rules.”

I felt sweat drip down from under my helmet onto my muzzle. I could take one, maybe two of them, but two and a probably well trained officer was a different story. I had one last option that I knew would get me out of this. I close my eyes, and lowered my head, “Catch us if you can, then.”

I spun around, and grabbed the filly by the scruff of the back of her neck, and lifted her up into my front hooves, cradling her. Her small cry was drowned out as I sped off in a random direction. I saw the beams of the magical Energy weapons whizz by me, so I started trying different movements to make me a harder target. A blast came dangerously close and I feared… wait… I feared for… the filly? I shook my head, ‘What is wrong with me?’ Another beam shot grazed my leg near the filly. I had to think fast. I reached up and took my helmet off, and put it over the filly.

She tried to push it off, “I don’t-”

“KEEP IT ON UNLESS YOU WANT TO GET BLASTED!” I shouted, both getting annoyed and so she could hear me over the rush of the wind. She stopped fighting just in time as a blast struck the back of my neck. I felt the heat of the beam burn through my armor and burn my neck. I cursed under my breath and turned up the speed. I had to lose them, and now, with a small crack of speed, I left a trail of lighting behind me, preventing them from following behind me. I sped on well after the beams stopped, and turned randomly to keep them off my trail, before spotting a small shack.

I landed next to it and rushed inside, closing the door, and setting the filly, who had my helmet on still on the ground.

She peered up at me. “What are we doing here?” I heard her ask the question, but all I could do was breath heavily, exhausted. I needed to sit. The room started to spin, and then everything went on it’s side. As the room started to fade into black, the filly pushed the helmet off, and rushed over to me.

Author's Note

sorry for the grammar XD

Chapter 3

“Splitstream?” A soothing voice called out me. It was familiar, and somehow painful. “Splitstream… what’s wrong sweetheart?” The voice cooed softly.

I could feel tears burning in my eyes, and I squeezed them tightly shut, “Why did he have to leave mommy…?” I heard myself talking, but the voice was higher pitched, my voice when I was much younger.

I felt myself being lifted up and cradled, and a gentle hoof ran through my mane as a soft wing wiped the tears rolling down my cheek, “Splitstream… you know that your father loves you and-,” her voice cracked a little. She was trying not to cry, to keep me calm.

I remember this…This is when he left us and my life started to go down hill…

She sniffed a little, I wanted to open my eyes, I wanted to see my mother. “Honey…your daddy left to make sure you could grow up happy and safe.”

I didn’t want to believe her, I don’t think she believed herself, “But… but I want him to stay!” I heard myself whine.

She hugged me tightly, and I could feel her tears on my cheek, “I know sweetheart… I do too.”

Open my eyes, dammit, why can’t I see my mother? Why can’t I remember what she looks like? Why is this bothering me? M… Mommy… please…. tell me everything will be ok… tell me…

******

CRASH!

I woke with a start jumping to my hooves as fast as I could, which was not the best idea I had because the wooden beam that was above my head was far harder than my unarmored head. I groaned as I wrapped my hooves over my head and slowly sunk back to the ground, “ow… what in the deepest pits of,” I sucked a breath through my clenched teeth and looked at my hoof. My vision focused on it for a second before I noticed what was behind it, “earth?” I poked the dirt floor with a hoof and watched as the special padding on the bottom of my armor left a clear mark in it. I felt myself grin, ‘this is the coolest thing I have ever seen!’

The air going through my nostrils was stale and musty, nothing like the air above the cloud veil which was clean and cool. I didn’t care this dirt and the air was filling me with a feeling I haven’t felt since, “No Split… not here and not now,” I willed myself not to remember anything about my past. That dream was bad enough to get me feeling emotional at a time like this.

“Wait a minute…” as I looked at the ground something clearly stood out to me that took a minute for my groggy and still stinging head to comprehend. I brought my hoof along side the tiny hoof print, “the filly…” I looked up finally taking in my surroundings. It was a small shack that was falling apart, and judging by the creaking I was guessing a good buck would topple this thing right over. A couple metal boxes were in one corner of the shack and very dirt and old looking bed stood another.

I slowly stood up and inched out from under the board that was leaning across the middle of the shack. The multiple popping of my joints told me that I should stretch as soon as possible or I will become sore, but first I needed to find the filly I saved, ‘and damned,’ I told myself as a knot twisted in my stomach. Damn it Splitstream, you are more than just a jerk now… you're a, “murderer,” the taste of the word was as bad as the truth in my mind.

My ears perked up at the sound of a soft sob causing me to focus back on the bed with a pair of large violet eyes looking out at me. I didn’t know what to do so I just smiled feeling like an idiot, “Hi,” nice one Splitstream. Let’s make a list of the top dumbest things to say to someone after you murder their family. As expected the eyes disappeared under the bed followed by a whimper. I knelt down to look under the bed, “um… my name is Splitst-”

“YOU KILLED MY MOMMY!” Her scream was filled with so much sadness and rage that it dropped me onto my haunches. I could barely see her with the blanket hanging over the bed. She was curled up in a small ball with her tail up under her chin which was soaked with tears. She glared at me and I could see the hate in her eyes, “why did you save me and kill her you… you-”

“It was self defense… it was them or ME!” I roared feeling my own emotions boils inside with a mix of self loathing and anger. The fillies eye changed from anger to fear instantly and I didn’t think she could look any smaller but she shrank down her eyes not leaving me. She whimpered something that was hard to say so I took a deep breath to calm myself a little, “what?”

“Are you going to kill me?”she asked in such a small and scared voice.

every bit of anger flooded out of me and I found myself sinking back to the ground. Of course I wasn’t going to hurt her but for her to ask me that was worse than getting stabbed by an energy lance. I closed my eyes, guilt building up inside of me and shook my head, “no… no i’m not.” Why was I feeling this? Was it because it was I who killed the ponies who took care of her? Or was it the thought of what was going to happen to her when Steel gets ahold of her? The thought of Steel and the burn of anger that washed away with her came back with a vengeance, “but… I do have an idea of who I will kill.” My voice was more of a growl and I could feel my armored hoof crushing a small rock under it into the ground.

The filly poked her head out from under the bed, “is…” She wiped her eyes smearing dirt across her face, “is it that pony that was going to… to hurt me?” I looked dumbfounded at her. She crawled out from under the bed and sat up. She turned her head away and rubbed her leg, “B- because I was scared of what you did but…” I leaned my head down closer to her and she looked back at me with a mixture of fear and dead seriousness, “But I was more scared of what he was going to do.”

I couldn’t believe what i was hearing, “Is that why you hid behind me? Because you were scared of Steel more than me?” Her nod got me thinking a little more, like why would a filly be scared of somepony over the one that killed her mother right in front of her? Or was there something about him that I was missing? I shook my head as the questions began to build up more and it started to hurt my head. That or I was getting dehydrated. I reached back to a small compartment beneath my wing and pulled out a bottle of water.

The filly leaned up looking at the bottle licking her lips a little. I looked at it then to her and back, “thirst huh?” She shrank back and nodded looking down. I sighed softly and put the bottle on the ground in front of her and reached back for my other one.

She looked at it, “w… what? I… You… you’re giving it to me?”

“Yes now drink up,” I heard her grab the bottle and start drinking instantly. I however was not so lucky as it appeared that one of those bastards shooting at me got a lucky shot. I groaned and opened the compartment which had a small black scorch mark on it with a hole no bigger than a pre war bit. I pulled the bottle out and I was right as the bottle had an equally sized hole in it. I lifted the bottle to my lips and drained the last half swig, “whelp… I guess we should find someplace to find some drinkable water.”

She looked at the rest of her bottle and held it out to me, “here.”

I was surprised and dumbfounded, “I… what?!”

She held it up higher, “you're still thirsty right? then here… you can have the rest.”

I took the bottle from her looking at the last of the water which was still about half of the bottle. I shook my head feeling guilty for what I did to her already that I wasn’t going to take something as important as this from her, “no thank you… um… you need it more since you are still growing.”

She pulled the the bottle back to her chest and looked into the bottle. I watched as she stared into it and her ears slowly folded back and finally look back up to me, “what are you going to do with me?”

The question caused me more than a moment's pause as I thought, “well… I guess we should find you somepony who can take care of you. Do you have any famil-” she slowly looked down at the ground and her eyes started to fill with tears again. I hit myself a bit harder in the face with my hoof than I meant to but I guess I deserved it. I brushed the bit of dirt off my face and looked for something to change the subject, “ uh… what was that crash from earlier?”

She instantly looked up into my eyes then over to the metal boxes in the corner, “I was… trying to see if I could find anything useful.”

I looked at the boxes then back, “ok… first… Why are you looking for anything useful? and second how did you make a crash that loud?” I sat looking at her for a minute then frowned, “and…. where is my helmet?”

She looked at the ground and nudged the dirt with her hoof, “I um… dropped it into the box on the top before it fell down onto the ground… and… well…” She trailed off not looking up at me.

I swallowed hard feeling like I already knew the answer, “and… something happened to it…” I stood up and walked over to the boxes lifting a few empty ones off another that was in not nearly as good condition anymore. I lifted the horribly dented and curved lid and see the black paint of my helmet. I smiled feeling, “it's not as bad as I-” I was wrong as I lifted it out and the visor fell back into the box with smash. I looked at the head piece for a long moment then to Bubble Gum who looked a bit worried, ‘was she afraid I would hurt her because of this?’ I thought to myself.

I dropped the helmet back into the box and she looked up at me oddly as I smiled at her, “a… are you alright?” she asked raising an eyebrow.

I chuckled, my insides felt like a monster growling in annoyance that it was broken so easily, but I continued to give her a smile, “It was always in the way anyhow and between you and me… I hated wearing it.”

for the first time since we have seen each other she smiled. Not a forced one but one of a sweet innocent little filly, “I like you better without it anyhow.”

I returned the smile and mentally stomped the monster down that was annoyed for my broken helmet, “yeah… me too.” I looked to the door back into the wasteland knowing I was in for one hell of day.

Chapter 4

I could not help but feel that this was a horrible idea. In fact, I am sure that walking through the wasteland with a bright pink filly was asking for trouble. I look back to make sure she was still following me to notice the sudden absence of my little companion. Stopping dead, I start scanning the area for her hastily. “Bubble Gum?” I call across the road expecting her to pop out from behind one of the many broken down wooden wagons littering the deserted road. A pressure suddenly starts building up deep in my chest growing heavier by the second. “Bubble?!”

What was this feeling inside of me suppose to mean and where is it coming from? It felt familiar like during a challenging combat drill, but it cannot be fear? Why would I be feeling fear for not being able to find a little filly? Especially one that turned my life into this whole mess. The thought crossed my mind, and I stopped in my tracks, “Why do i even care?”

“What?” came from a high pitched voice off to one side of me. I turn to see the little light blue haired filly staring up at me with a slight confused expression on her face. She was sitting next to the skeleton of a pony that was mostly crushed under a large motorized wagon made of thick metal. It appears to have fallen on it side turning the pony into half a pancake. At least, it look to be a quick dead with only his head and shoulders sticking out.

I open my mouth to answer her, but she ignores me pushing something under the skeletons skull. I had to admit my curious of what she is trying to do. So, I walk around the rest of the way of the wagon to see. The little filly had put together a couple of dead leaves into a sorta mat to lay the skull on. Raising my eyebrows in confusion, I point my mood at the skull looking down at her asking, “what are you doing to the skeleton?”

I felt a small pang of guilt when she let out a soft sigh before looking at her hooves. “I was just…” She begins to say pointing to the pile of dead leaves. “It just seems like nopony even cares that these skeletons were ponies once. They just died out here alone without even a proper burial. No one even thought it be decent to move the bones to the side of the road…. So I just thought I would be nice to give it some comfort.”

I shook my head in disbelief, “I… but… Why?” I could not comprehend what I just heard. “He’s dead… he… she… IT! doesn’t feel comfort anymore. It doesn’t even-”

“I KNOW!” The sudden outburst from her made me stop my attempt to make sense of it. I didn’t even realize while I was talking that I was now looking up at the depressing grey clouds. I slowly looked down at the filly who was now shaking as she looked at the ground. I could see tears dropping from her muzzle to the ground, “I… I just thought… I just wanted to let him know that somepony is here, and he isn’t alone anymore. Because no one deserves to die alone in such a horrible place.”

I felt a pit in my stomach at her last few words. I looked down at my hooves lifting one up to look at the metal, “I'm… Sorry Bubble..” out of the corner of my eye I could see her lift her head, but I could not meet her gaze, What about me? Is there anyone who will actually care if I just died out here alone? A question weighing heavy on my mind after all this shit in the past few days. I could see the reflection of my eyes in the metal of my leg. “I’m alone..” I mutter letting the the word fall on a memory of Sunny. I lower my hoof and head to the dusty ground. ‘I never gave it much thought before but… I…. I can’t even go back to see any of my fri-’ I felt my heart sink. I did not have any friends back home. After all, I did not need friends because of my career but that is no longer even a possibility. The truth was hard to stomach now that I have given up everything. I am down here far from anyone who cares about me. Yet maybe not as alone as I thought.

I barely felt her touch against my leg through the armored plating I wore. the thickness of the suit prevented the soft warmth of her hooves from reaching my chest. Finally I look down to meet her gaze feeling something click in the back of my mind. Her tiny hooves wrapped around my realize that there is someone who cares about me down here. Yet, I felt a painful knot of guilt get tied in my stomach because I knew I did not deserve such affection for what I did to her parents. Two people who cared for her more than the world gone forever. “I don't deserve this Bubble.. I'm the reason your life got all screwed up. First you parents. Now traveling endlessly in this hellhole.” I manage to say half choking on a knot in my throat.

She shook her head, “No… I know you… you killed my mommy… but… I also know… that.” She looked down looking frustrated, like she wanted to explain why she was speaking to me but could not find the right words.

I sighed, “Thank you Bubble” I stood up, and she took a step back to look up at me with an expression of hurt and confusion. I turn away feeling a bit of guilt building back up in my stomach. I let out a small breath without realizing I was holding it. Turning away, I tried to let my wandering off what just happened. I mean it’s not like I couldn't make friends at all. Hell even those guys over there are making fri- “Shit!” I duck down and pushing Bubble’s head down with me. Then I slowly peeked up over the wagon to see a line of ponies being lead to a large desolate building.

Bubble squirmed, “Hey… stop! You idiot. Let me go!” She finally manages to pull her head from under my hoof glaring up at me, “What is-”

I quickly covered her mouth with my other hoof as I watch a small filly fall to the ground. She looked weak anod battered after a long journey, but the ponies leading the herd did not care. As they walk over and started shouting in her face. I could barely make out what they were saying, but I am sure it was along the lines of get up or rot in the dirt. I tightened my jaw hearing the end much more clearly, “Just lie there and die you pathetic little bitch.” Of course, I knew she would fight to get up and keep moving. Amazing what will power can do to keep a pony going. I could hear them laugh before returning to move the rest toward the building. I let my breath out sliding down the side of the wagon. Bubble looking up at me with a stare that could send chills down a Minotaur’s spine.

She nudged me a little, “Get up come on!”

I barely move at her attempts to push me, “No… we should wait for them to leave before-”

“NO!” I flinch at her sudden burst in her voice taking a uncomfortable step back, “We need to help those ponies!” she says with a small growl mixed with a bit of something else, something too familiar.

I roll my eyes and looking away from her. Personally it was not any of my business what happened to any of them. “Why should I?” A question that felt cold even to say.

Her expression quickly changed from anger to one of pleading, “B… because… it’s the right thing to do.”

Watching that filly sit there and tell me it was the right thing to do really made me feel like I was the bad guy. After all, Split… you killed her mother right in front of her. My stomach tightened in knots, but I stood up to look over the side of the wagon at the building again. “Fine but you stay close to me and do exactly what I tell you ok?”

“Wha- r… really?” she half squeaked, “I… I mean yes sir! Of course sir!”

I crouch low saying, “Then stay right next to me and don’t make a sound.” Noticing her head nod in agreement, I made my way around the wagon and closer to the building that the group of ponies entered. My heart started racing the closer we got. Am I really going to do this? I stop in my tracks. “No,” I whisper catching a confused look from Bubble, but before she could say anything. I lifted her up and set her into the seat of a carriage. She looks at me with eyes that would make even the toughest wonderbolt tear up. I gently pressed her down into the seat out of sight whispering, “Stay here and I promise i will be back with all of them. I just can’t save everyone if I have to worry about you.”

“But… what if you don’t come back?” she asks with a tiny whimper.

Is this what having someone care about you felt like? I smirk giving her a confident look saying, “Don’t worry Bubble… I’ll be back, I promise.” This seem to be good enough for her, as she nods and curled up in the seat. Is this what it feels like to protect someone I care about? Because I am not sure if I like this feeling of paranoia.

I drop back down and began to crawl my way into the building. Now I felt like I could take on anyone or anything without Bubble Gum here…You could just leave her. I stop shaking my head, “No… I could never do that to her,” I whisper to myself. do you think she will be better off with a half assed Wonderbolt like you? I look to my right and saw my reflection in a wagon door glaring at myself. Opening my mouth to say something but nothing came out.

My reflection smirked saying, “You know it’s true. You can’t take care of anypony including yourself.”

I jab my hoof out slamming into the metal dented the door before glaring at it. My heart raced thumping inside my chest with rage. As my last thought whispers in the back of mind, your anger proves that you're nothing but a wonder wanna be.

I look up at the building narrowing my eyes muttering, “I need to vent a little.” Smirking, I spot a open window on the second floor perfect for an entry point. When I mean open, I really mean big freaking hole where a window used to be. Quickly scanning the surrounding area, it was clear enough of prying eyes that I could take off into the air and through the gaping window.

As soon as I land, instantly I knew I was in a place of death. Gagging I shove my hoof into my muzzle trying to block the thick stench of rotting flesh and any other disgusting waste mixed with it. “I’m glad I choose to keep Bubble out of this.” I half whispered half choked scanning the dusty room. It was a small office at least in comparison to officers back home. I turned looking out the hole I just flew in from the street below. Looking along the ground, I noticed that what made the hole in the side of the building was a large skycart. It must have crashed into the side of the building and tumbled to the street below in a crumpled wreck.

It landed almost too perfectly along the side of the building creating a makeshift gate for the… the… ponies? I cock my head to the side in confusion. As I watched one walk along the far side of the skycart. He was levitating something in front of his face snacking on it. Odd considering, I could not see a horn under his helmet at all. I squint a little to see what it was he was eating, but I felt my stomach lurch at the realization that it was just a leg… Wait a pony's leg! I backed up into a desk and slid under it clutching my stomach.

My mind swirled in utter disbelief, “but… but it was.. pony's leg,” I repeat to myself. What the fuck was wrong with these ponies? I took a steadying breath thinking this over. Wait… just because it was a hoof doesn’t mean it was from a pony… right? I nodded my head trying to reassure myself and stop the shaking throughout my legs. Unfortunately I did not realize how far under the desk I was, and that I did not have my helmet on anymore either. As my head smacked into the edge of the desk. I could feel the desk shift with the force my head hit it, but i could only focus on the surge of pain shooting through my head. Dropping to the floor, I wrap my hooves over my throbbing head.

“Son of a… Ow!” I half whisper half shout. I open my eyes seeing a bit of blur through the tears forming in them. I brought a hoof around to check it for blood, but I knew there would not be any. Still, I felt like I needed to check just to reassure myself. Slowly, I move out from under the desk and gingerly lift my head. Because at this point, who knows what else I could slam it against in this tiny office. Looking back at the desk, the urge to smash it to pieces came over me, but I stop dead looking at the picture on it. Dusting off the front a bit, I could see a white beautiful white unicorn smiling in a eloquent sapphire dress. Her very light purple mane with a strand of white though made her deep blue eyes pop out against the background of the picture. I had to pry my eyes away from her because I still had a job to do.

I shot another look back at it, and I smirked at the unicorn. Who seemed like she was winking back at me. I… I could take it, but I do not really have anything I could. “Oh!”

Next to the picture lay a beautiful set of black saddlebags looking to be made of thick fabric. Lifting them with my hoof, I felt surprised at how light they were. I could tell that they would have been really expensive cause the leather, which was still in very good condition, had a spell of some kind on to keep it from fading. I open it to my surprise that a space distortions spell on it which means that this bag has a lot of room inside of it. It would not make things lighter, but I could carry a full building in these.

Swinging the saddlebag over my flank, I buckle them down to the armor plates to keep them from flapping about. Scooping up the picture, I give it a smirk and dropping it into my new saddlebags. Lifting up my left hoof, I slide the metallic cover on my fore leg up to access the hidden built in pip-buck. The pip-buck was an amazing tool that could help with many things during combat such as guiding shots and allowing a pony to think as it could dramatically slow events around the user to a crawl. There are some pip-bucks that could outright freeze time around you or what seemed like it while activating the targeting spell. The pip-buck had so much memory for inventory, messages, and files that could store years information traveling the wasteland not even filling in a fraction of capacity. The other part of the pip-buck that is extremely helpful is it constant monitoring of my health and status. I turn a dial with my teeth to show a rather cartoony pony figure standing there with a smile. All my limbs still nice and healthy, except a small notch taking out of the bar pointing to my head.

“Yeah… I guess with how hard I hit my head I would be a little hurt.” I lower my hoof to the floor and turn to a closed door, “Ok, time to kick some tail.” I move over to the door and opening the door. Looking up and down the empty hallway, I head down the hall to the stairwell. I looked down at the landing of the stairs, or what was left of the stairs. After the first two steps down there was a drop to the bottom which, from what I could see, the ponies who lived in this building have not tried to repair. I opened my wings and glide down to the pile of rubble. As I landed, I could see that a pony had been coming down the steps when they collapsed. The skeleton was crushed between the wall and the falling stone stairs right along it's back. Swallow hard I see that his free hoof was horribly worn away, and the scraps cut into the stone was a sign that he was alive for a little bit after it fell.

I reached out touching the door handle of the door out of the stairwell, when I remember the last and probably most important thing my pipbuck had. The EFS, or Eyes Forward Sparkle, could allow me to see how many possible threats I had to deal with by indicating them on the pip-buck’s compass with a little red dot. Mentally I bucked myself in the head for not remembering to use it in the first place. So, I quickly power it on.

My ears dropped back at all of the red dots muttering, “Oh… well… damn.” I let my hoof drop back to the rubble not wanting to open the door to cluster of hostiles like that. “I… I’m not sure I can take that many on.” I say taking a step back, “That’s just…” The spine tingling scream suddenly bursts from inside tore the doubt from my mind. Without thinking, I slam my shoulder into the door, not bothering to check, knocking it open.

When the door burst open the nightmare truly began. I wish I had just left right then as the horror of this places stench of rotting meat and what pony outside had been eating sank in. It paled in comparison to seeing what these ponies were using to decorate the hall. Hardening my heart, I trotted forward into this pony made hell, and I knew that however lucky I may have been before. It was going to take something more than a miracle to get me out of this alive.

Author's Note

Sorry for the long break everyone... I've recently been doing more writing on this so more chapters to come soon.

Chapter 5

I couldn’t begin to describe the amount of fear I was feeling. I stood transfixed on the pony corpses that hung from the walls and ceiling, the graffiti in pony bodily fluids that were everywhere made my stomach lurch, while the smell made it so i had to swallow down the bile that was ready to erupt from my stomach . I turned, not wanting anything to do with this place anymore, but as I turned the pony that had screamed, causing me to run head first into this hell party, yelled at the top of her lungs again.

I swallowed hard and turned, only to step onto the mostly rotten intestines of one of the ponies hanging around me, causing my hoof to skid away from me a few inches. I thanked my stars that I was able to catch myself before I fell face first into the horrible mess that was the floor. I truly did not want to be here anymore, but I knew I was hoof deep in trouble, and however easily I could get out, I had already entered this wasteland by screwing everything up, I might as well see if I can help out something.

I straightened myself up and began down the hall, locking my eyes ahead, not wanting to get anymore detail of the deceased ponies hanging around me. So, I distracted myself with a thought of how much pride Enclave took in their armor designs. Well, at least for the Wonderbolts, anyhow, because every step I took was fairly, muffled which helped me at strolling around rather silently. Or, when I was trying to be stealthy, I could walk without making a sound. I mean, yes, it was harder than cloth in protection, but to keep a pegasus mobile, they had to cut its weight. And that in turn made it a little more than wearing small plates of metal over vital points.

As I moved down the hallway in this… well, what seemed to be an office of some kind, many of the doors I passed were closed, but some however were open -- if you call a half a door hanging off its hinges, “open”. I looked down the hall, stopping next to one of the half-doors. I closed my eyes, and held my breath to try and hear anything from down the hall like… well… anything. The halls were deadly quiet and I could feel, and hear, my heart quicken cause I knew the silence was either a good sign or a bad one.

“How long ago was that scream?” I asked myself trying to put a time limit to my walking. “Maybe about 5 minutes?” I looked to my right into the small office. I had to admit I felt a build up curiosity as I noticed a green glow on the wall on the other side of a terminal.

I pushed the door open with a hoof and stepped inside, ‘if they are still alive they can wait a little bit’, I told myself as I moved around the desk to see the terminal glowing on it. I have to admit that I was really surprised to see an operational terminal in a building this ransacked and defiled. Feeling my curiosity growing I reached a hoof out and pressed one of the keys. The screen jumped to life with a flurry of numbers, letters and random symbols. I guessed it was because of the lack of care was my guess before the screen went black with only one word on it asking for a password.

“locked,” I snorted but unhindered as I lifted my leg with the pip-buck built into it. It was not everyday I got to use this feature but it was part of training that we learned how to hack pre war tech. I pushed one of the buttons and waited as the pip-buck somehow connected to the monitor. The monitor screen flashed with the numbers, letters and symbols again before sliding neatly into 2 columns. I looked around the screen clicking on some of the words to see if one of them was the password. This was not easy because you only had a few chances before the security of the computer would lock you out of it, of course you could just back out of the hack attempt but that meant starting over. I however felt a little relieved when I got it on the second try.

I felt my eyes narrow at the password “Dash…” I muttered. “Dash the drug or Dash the traitor?”

Honestly it was very possible it could be another kind of Dash but the chances of that seemed slim. I figured it was the drug because who gave two flying shots about that back stabbing whore Rainbow Dash? It was poetic justice that she was killed soon after the Megaspells destroyed Equestria. Honestly I felt more remorse for the zebras than her. Anyone who could just turn their back on their friends in a desperate time of need deserved to die.

The screen sprang to life but to my disappointment it seemed to only be reports… lots of reports. I sighed, “well at least they are audio logs,” and randomly clicked on one a couple from the top as my pip-buck downloaded the rest.

“I caught those damn kids in the bathroom sucking on more of them Celestia damned inhalers. Don't they know that if they are caught by any higher ups the entire building would probably be either fired to help keep the image of the place or at least a drug test to see who is on the drugs?”

“I confiscated the contraband and locked them away into my desk. I probably should get rid of all of this so I don't seem like I'm holding onto all of the different drugs for myself. I don't know how someone came across Party Time Mentals, my only guess is that she was close enough to the big boss that she took her to one of the Ministry of Morales parties. I have to admit that going to one of them, even if it's set up for our department, does not make me feel very comfortable. Though… I do have to say I would like to see our Bosses Wife or even the big boss Rarity in something nice.”

Slam

“If anyone heard you talk about either mare like that you'd been out on your flank Cross Check… still… I'm not the only one who thinks Fancy Pants’ wife would look good in some nice-”

The audio cut off quickly and I found myself glancing back a little at my saddlebag. “Yes… I can definitely agree she would look good in anything but I suspect she'd look better wit-”

As I shifted my hoof stepped onto something hard… well something hard enough to make a loud snap when my hoof pressed down onto it. I looked down and my heart skipped a beat. The pony skeleton under the desk was curled up under the desk and one of his… hers? Its… hind legs stuck out from under the desk.

“Must have tried to be comfortable when he died.”

I felt myself nod both to calling it a he since the pony speaking into the terminal was a buck. Plus the empty inhalers around him suggested he was going to die anyhow so he was going to try out the drug so I felt confident that this was the pony from the terminal. I reached down with a hoof and grabbed one of the inhalers that was in his hoof. This one still seemed to have some of the drug left in it.

I turned it around looking it over my mind still only focusing on a memory from my basic training days when we learned about these drugs. “This here is called Dash,” my drill sergeant told my team, “this will give you a speed kick like you have never felt before.”

A mare raised her hoof, “Sir?” he turned to look at her and I face hoofed knowing the question, “If it makes us faster… why don't we use them?”

The drill sergeant smirked, “because…”

My thought of what the drill sergeant told us faded when I heard the disturbing giggle and hoof clops of what I could only assume was a mare. I froze mentally bucking myself for not paying attention to the moving red bar that gave a basic location of the threat on compass.

“Hello?” called the mare in a mocking sweet voice, “don't worry… if you come out I promise to kill you…” her head looking into the room at me and our eyes locked, “quick.” finally escaped her mouth as her mouth turned into a wicked smile.

I swallowed and lowered my head ready for anything… or so I though, “please stay where you are, or so help me i’ll…” when I went to open my wings my left smacked hard into the heavy metal desk and my other hit an old filing cabinet. I looked to both and swallowed hard with a rather loud Gulp

The mare whose mane was shaved off except a little on the sides of her head that she spiked out to look like wings smiled and what looked like some pony stuck something to her forehead. Her horrible yellow teeth were cracked and badly taken care of. “Or you will what exactly?” Her tone was like that of a predator ready to end it's prey. She gave that sadistic giggle again as she moved into the room fully. The… outfit she was wearing was nothing but some rags that may have been just tied to her with bits of tire swung over her shoulder. I felt a shudder when I noticed the 2 hooves dangling front her waist as she moved slowly closer.

“S… Stay back!” I half pleaded half demanded drawing more giggles from her as a soft amber light glowed from the top of her head.

My eyes widen at the realization… ‘a unicorn!’ I mentally called out then mentally kicked that pony in my head for not paying attention to my E F S which clearly showed that she was hostile by the red bar, but just in case I needed a little more proof of her intent she reached her muzzle to her shoulder and pulled a rusty looking knife from a sheath holding at first in her teeth then letting her magic envelope the blade so she could smile at me.

‘This… this isn't like last time Split… if you don't defend yourself...’

The blade drifted between us and she was close enough now that I could smell that she hasn't bathed in… scratch that… I don't think she's ever had a bath. She giggled again, “what's wrong fly buck? Never seen a mare as sexy as me? Tell you what,” The blade moved up next to my cheek resting against my face as she purred that made me want to gag, “I won't kill you right away. I will just take those wings off then keep you as my toy.” she licked her lips making me shut my eyes for a second, “If you can please me then I'll kill you quick. The last buck that tried just kept crying so I had him finish then let the boys tear him apart for fun.” She was now almost muzzle to muzzle with me and I was physically forcing myself to not puke for several reasons. She smiled at my expression, “you can't fight back… so what do you say?”

I took a deep breath not through my muzzle, “two things… first… I have standards for mares I buck and second…” My scorpion tail swung over my head and just before it slammed deep into her back the blade sliced a gash on the side of my face. Her eyes went wide as the poisoned tip dug into her spine.

My eyes also went wide when I saw the condition of my scorpion tail. A good chunk of my weapon was melted away, which I guess makes sense with all the beams of energy that was shot at me. However to my disappointment and shock, the force of the tail swinging over my head and hitting the mare caused the weakened metal to snap loudly breaking off just at the base of my tail.

“Well… shit,” I muttered as I touched a hoof to my bleeding cheek and pulled it back. From the blood on my hoof it was a nice cut but since the condition of the blade was questionable at best the most I'd have to worry about is some sort of disease from the blade.

A gurgle from the mare tore my attention away and caused my gaze to fall down to her. She was reaching a hoof to the knife as blood oozed from her mouth and back. This… this crazy bitch still wanted to fight me even though she was all but dead. I looked to her cutiemark and took a step back at the scars across it as if someone was trying to erase it with barbed wire. I looked to the mare who was now looking back up at me her teeth bared but… the tear rolling down her cheek… this…

‘This psycho doesn't deserve any kindness,’ the pony in my head growled.

“You don’t deserve a quick death,” my mouth echoed my mind.

The mare closed her eyes tightly sending more tears down. She opened her mouth but only blood come out. I closed my eyes and stepped over her stopping as she gurgle again. I turned and pointed my last good magical energy pistol at her stopping when I realized it was all but useless without my helmet on. I sighed and walked over opening my wing and resting the blade tip against her temple. She looked at me then closed her eyes and with the clean sharpened metal I drove it deep into her skull with little effort.

“What you deserve and what I choose to give however…” I said as I pulled the blade out and wiped it on her clothes, “are two very different things.”

My attention was snapped back to finding the ponies they captured. If this little bundle of giggles was a show of what those ponies were up against, then I needed to get there quick. I stepped back into the hallway and let out a long breath that I only just realized that I was holding. Breathing back in however was a mistake as the stench of rotting meat mixed with the stink of that mare made me reach a hoof out to the wall to steady myself.

“This is the dumbest decision I have… I should have taken Sunny’s offer… I would have…” I stopped before I could finish my sentence. ‘No,’ I, mentally argued, “these ponies need someone to step in and help,” I lowered my hoof and looked back into the room, “sure as shit won't be these ponies,” I turned lowering my head my game face on as I made my way towards the rest of the red bars on my E-F-S, “might as well be me… right?” I asked myself feeling a small turn in my stomach of nervousness.

As I drew closer I could hear the sobs of a couple ponies and the sadistic laughter of a few others. My E-F-S told me that there were four ponies who were ready to throw down with anything that came in. There was also three blue bars which indicated to me ponies that were being contained some how. Why else would they not be fighting back?

I crouched down and slowly made my way closer to the laughing. My heart sank when one of the ponies laughing stopped, “hey, hehe, why don't you see how many hooves you can stand on before his little head pops,” The buck laughed. The blood in my veins turned to ice and I peeked around the corner.

My heart wanted to stop both for the mare crying while reaching a hoof out through the cage, and the other by the very young foal rag dolling through the air between two of the stallions. I didn't need the mares cry or the stallions pulling her into a hug to know that the foal was dead… but… what the fuck…

“What… The… Fuck,” I said in a low voice as I stood up and moved into the room. A mare was off to my left but the shock of what I was watching was being overcome by rage and I was far from caring. The mare started to say something but my wing snapped open and her words were drowned in gurgle and gasps as she tried to cover her throat that was cut more than halfway into her neck. “WHAT… THE… FUCK!” I roared at her spinning to plan a hind kick to her chest. Even through the armor on my hooves I felt every rib crack like twigs.

I heard the small pop and felt a small burning in my right shoulder. I turned to see one of the stallions pointing a pistol at me as the other was fumbling with a shotgun. I knew what the weapon was by pictures and books only and I knew I didn't want to test it against my armor if a pistol found its way into my shoulder. I dove back through the door just in time for the shotgun to pepper the area I was standing and my now exploded tail.

I skidded to a stop and slid around the corner and bumped hard against it. My gun shot shoulder hit the wall harder than I expected and caused me to growl in pain. I heard them stallions laugh, “hey! Come out! We won't kill you,” he laughed again, “I promise.” I cursed under my breath as I watched their red bars slowly move to the door, and I knew I didn't have a lot of time.

I pulled up my pip-buck hoof and looked at its screen. I knew I had some healing potions or something I could… my eyes lingered on the little name Dash in my aid menu for a few seconds. I felt a smile spread across my face, “I guess I'll make me some time.”

With a click of a button I felt something shift in my saddlebags and was shocked to find the dash was right where I could reach it. I… I mean… I was the last item I put in there so made sense… right? I saw the barrel of the shotgun slowly move into view, “well… now or never,” I said before taking the inhalers into my mouth and pressing down while I took a deep breath. There was nothing at first but when I let the breath out.

“Whoa…” The stallions were now moving like they were stuck underwater and to my amazement my movement seemed unhindered. I ignored the pain in my shoulder for now and crouched low bracing myself then as the stallions very slowly turned to me, I sprang. My front hooves connected against his throat and I felt something crack as he flew back against the wall. I looked back to see a shocked expression spread across the last stallions face as he turned to point the pistol at me. I gave a chuckle and waited until he had the shot and dove to the side as he shot three rounds into his friend's head.

His eyes widened and I moved up behind him and placed the edge of my wing against his neck. I slowly pushed the blade against his flesh then with a quick jerk pulled it away just as the temporary effect of the Dash started to wear off. Almost like everything was held back until that moment the point whose windpipe I crushed, slumped against the wall half his face now missing from the pistol. Then the other stallions’ neck squirted some blood onto the faceless stallion. He gasped for air but I heard the gurgling of blood as it seeped into his lung. I bent down lifting up the pistol.

It was in horrible quality and as I took it the grip in my muzzle I instantly regretted it. I placed the barrel against his head and lightly pressed the trigger down with my tongue sending a shot through his head and into the wall next to him. I then dropped the pistol and whatever was left in my stomach. The smell and the taste were too much and I heaved, but not a lot came out because it was a while since I ate anything or drank anything.

“Goddesses… are you alright?” I looked up to see the stallion, hooves pressed against the cage to see me better. He looked dirty and worn out but apart from some minor cuts and bruises looked fairly ok. The filly who was now watching me with big wet eyes looked physically fine, and the mare… I sighed as she looked like she just wanted to run to the dead foal. She glanced at me pleadingly. I stood straight feeling awkward about the movement of everything again and nodded, “yeah… now how do I get you out?”

The stallion pointed to a small table close by where a screwdriver and a few bobby pins lay on it, “the Raiders didn't have a key so they used those,”

Lock picking… I sighed and moved over to the screwdriver and lifted it up. It was a simple one, flat head with a red plastic handle that had grooves so it would not slip in one's mouth. I took it in my teeth and a bobby pin in my hooves and using my wings gently hovered over to the lock. I pushed the bobby pin into the lock and the screwdriver under it. I listened carefully which, to my surprise, did not require a lot of concentration as I moved the bobby pin around adjusting all of the tumblers. I heard a few clicks from inside and turned my head. I smiled as the lock turned only to stop just before it would unlock. I relaxed letting the screwdriver back and adjust the bobby slightly and tried to turn my head again. My heart gave a leap of joy at the soft click of the lock.

I put the screwdriver and bobby pin into my saddlebag and took a step back before I grabbed the cage door and opened it with a high pitched metallic screech. “there you go.”

The mare pushed past to me and to the lifeless foal stopping next to it then gently, as if he was sleeping, lifted it in her forelegs cradling him. She shook with sobs a little before her heartbreak took over her, causing her to howl with grief. The stallion ran to the mare, pulling her into a comforting hug.

I cleared my throat and turned away because I really was not in the best condition to deal with somepony else's pain. I scanned the room hoping for something that could help with the burning pain in my shoulder and on my cheek. My eyes caught the tiny form of a red filly shivering in the back of the cage. She looked at me, terrified, cowering back into the cage.

I looked to the grieving couple, “hey… what about your little filly?”

The mare and stallion stopped for a moment, looking a little confused, “filly?”

The filly looked between them and me, shaking while tears fell from her deep blue eyes. She was dirty and very skinny and I realized that this filly was the one who fell outside. I moved to slowly reach a hoof out to her and she let out a cry that I could only assume she was holding just so she would not be targeted. “M… MOMMY… MOMMY… I… I WANT… I WANT MY… MY…” She yelled between sobs as she shook. She covered her face with her hooves and cried into them.

I felt the mare brush past me again as she entered the cage. She reached out a gently lifted the filly up and cradled her. I looked back to the stallion who was trying to hide his pain as he found a somewhat clean blanket of some kind and wrapped the foal in it. He looked up at me and making a sling with the blanket he had the foal cradled in front of him as he moved over to me.

“Thank you…” he said in a low voice that betrayed his attempt to hide his pain even more. “i… I wish you were just… just a few minutes faster… then… then maybe…” he looked down at the bundled foal a tear dropping from his nose to the blanket.

I felt my stomach seize and my heartbeat quicken, “w… when did they… you know…” I looked to the foal swallowing hard.

The stallion sighed, “only a minute or two before you showed up,” I felt my breath stop but he didn't seem to notice my reaction or misinterpreted it as he continued, “that mare took him from my wife saying that she always wanted a foal of her own.” he glared down at the mare's dead body. He looked away closing his eyes tightly, “she… she killed him because he wouldn't stop crying, then tossed him to those… stallions to do what they liked with him.” He gave a wet sniff rubbing a hoof across his muzzle before looking at me, “Then you showed up and ended them. I mean it was a bit late but you still saved us.”

The mare made her way back to us the filly still looked broken hearted but world's better. The mare smiled to me, a smile I note I didn't deserve, “she lost her parents to them back before they captured us. We will take her and hopefully… we can…”

I raised a hoof nodding, “Yes i… I understand… what will you do now?” I asked standing up as I spotted the small yellow medical box with small pink butterflies on it. I sighed as I opened it as was rewarded with two healing potions, a still clean bottle of water and a small tin of mintals. I looked down at my shoulder and saw the small hole which had some now dried blood that dripped down my leg. I took one of the healing potions and drank it down giving a sigh as the healing magic slowly started to work on my leg and face.

The stallion looked to the mare and I couldn't help but smile at them. She was a soft purple with a red mane and deep blue eyes. The buck was green with a dark brown mane and soft brown eyes. What made me smile however was their cutiemarks. Her cutiemark was a simple bottle of water while his was an open chest and for some reason i had to chuckle thinking how well that seemed to go together. The filly was a deep red with brilliant purple eyes and a soft blue mane with a pink streak through it. Her horn that I missed because of how she wore her mane stuck up when the mare ran a hoof through the filly's mane which told me she was a unicorn.

I watched her for a moment smiling at the thought of magic. I couldn’t do magic and the fact that I couldn't fascinated me so much. My eyes were torn away for a moment when the stallion took the bundled up foal and gave him to the mare and moved over to me. He smiled the best he could, “tell me… uh…” He cocked an eyebrow trying to think of a good way to address me.

“Splitstream,” I said as I stood up straight snapping my wing out and over my eyes with a salute, “Wonderbolt in training with the En-” I stopped more because since I knew that I was here I was no longer part of the Enclave.

The stallion chuckled, “My name is Ammo Crate and my wife is Clear Water.” I gave the mare a small nod. The stallion looked back, “the filly is…” The mare smiled up at us, “Sweet Cake,” she said putting a hoof on her back and turning her smile to her. Ammo turned back smiling, “as for what's next I really have to ask you that.”

I moved my shoulder around looking at the hole in my armor, “Me? Why's that?” I set my hoof down and looked at him curiously.

He sighed, “I don’t have to be the smartest buck in the wasteland to know that you stick out like a sore hoof,” I folded my ears back and looked away. He chuckled softly, “thought so… I can’t give you much advice other than check containers of all kinds. You’d be surprised what you could find in them. Many items will get you some good caps… caps are healing potions and ammo,” He looked me up and down then stopped a few moments on my wing blades, “though it seems you are good on weapons.” I shifted my wings a bit, “next there is a place where you can get some food and something to drink just up the road a ways called Lucky’s Bar. it… it's not what it used to be anymore but it’s still worth a stop by.”

A beep on my pip-buck caused me to lift my hoof up and look at it. I opened the map and noticed that it showed my location which was called “Lucky's Bar” sure enough only a few hours down the road. I looked up half contemplating if they knew of a place I could drop off an orphan filly, but stopped myself thinking that they had enough on their plate with the death of their foal, being kidnapped and the new unicorn filly.

I nodded, “I uh… thanks… let me look around then head outside to take care of those last few… uh…”

“Raiders…” he said flatly, “I can say that if you hadn't of come by at all… my son would have been the only one to get off lucky with those freaks around.” he looked both hurt and dare I say… angry? He looked to one of the bodies, “They take a sick pleasure in torture and killing ponies. Some even eat other ponies,” he said with a motion that made me think he was gonna vomit.

I looked towards the way I came, “from what I saw coming in… you were on the menu alright.”

He looked horrified and a bit shocked, “i… uh… well…” he stammered before giving his head a shake and stood up and walked over to a small container. He kicked the lid off and smiled, “still got it,” he bent down and grabbed a small pouch in his teeth and tossed it at my hooves, “I don't know how much is in it… but consider it thanks.”

I reached down grabbing the string in my teeth and pulled it open. The pouch contained… “s… soda bottle caps?” I looked to him in confusion.

He gave me a weird smile, “yeah, it's what most ponies use as currency nowadays.” He started to turn as I lifted the pouch and tossed it back. He looked at it then to me with a mixture of disbelief and concern.

“You need it more than I do… plus I have a few things I'm sure I can sell for a good price.” yeah right… I was the reason that foal was dead so you shouldn't reward me…

He looked at me for a few moments then smiled and lifted the pouch, “thanks… means more than you realize.” I gave a nod then turned and walked out of the room. I stopped just outside the room. I did it to look back because at that moment, I couldn't as I spoke, “give me a few minutes to take care of the raiders… then you're free to head out.” I didn't wait for an answer and headed back down the hall I came from.

I stopped for a moment and stood in front of the door that was now propped open by one of the dead raider mare's legs. I looked into the room and sighed, “that family lost their foal because you didn't think you needed to rush, “I said to the dead mare but was directing the question to myself. I looked in to the room and noticing something I must have missed before. A small locker just to the right of the desk.

I moved inside careful as to not step on the mare. I move up in front of the chest and using a wing I test the lid.

“locked…” I sucked air in through my teeth sharply and gave my tail a quick snap to one side. “of course it was locked,” I hissed. I sat down pulling out the screwdriver and one of the bobby pins again. I smiled as this lock opened without much fuss of any kind. Chuckling, I pushed the lid open and my jaw dropped. Inside was more Dash and unlike the one I took before… these were still quite full. There was also a small knife, a box of some caramel apple cereal a couple of Sparkle Colas and…

I reached inside and grabbed the small glowing ball. I turned it over in my hooves confused, “why would a random pony no-one would care about have a memory orb in a locked chest?” I asked the ball.

Memory orbs are pieces of a ponies past that were either recorded for viewing later or more often than not… ripped out of a pony's head. They took many ponies from before that destruction of Equestria that may of had any information about Zebras or any of their allies in hopes to keep one hoof ahead of them. I refer to the Ministries as they. The Ministry of Morales, the Ministry of Image, The Ministry of Wartime Technology, the Ministry of Peace, the Ministry of Arcane Sciences and finally… The Ministry of Awesome.

The Ministries were created not long after Princess Celestia stepped down from power and appointed her sister Princess Luna to take over as ruler of Equestria. I don't really know what Ministries did what other than Wartime Technology made weapons, Peace did everything they could to help injured ponies, Image was propaganda, Arcane Science was… well Science and Magic… stuff… Awesome created many things that helped the pegasi from being dragged down into the same fate as the rest of Equestria allowing us to stay strong so we could come down and help when we knew it was time to. Morale however… they specialized in parties and new ways to get information from ponies, and from the textbooks I read, they were quite good at it.

“Well… not good enough,” I countered my thought as i moved the contents of the locker into my saddlebags. Feeling I wasted enough time I made my way back up to the office with the hole in its wall.

I peered over the edge seeing the one buck who was eating the mystery meat while talking with another crazy looking mare. I calmed my breathing as I readied myself and with a leap I jumped from my little perch and dove down aiming between them. The stallion looked up just in time for my wing blades to hit him in the face which cause my blades to cut a clean line down the middle of his head and face and deep into his chest. The mare jumped back just in time but my blade managed to slice a deep gash in her cheek.

To my horror she started to laugh and pulled an old looking double barreled shotgun from a side holster. So I quickly moved towards her trying to close the gap which luckily wasn't that big. I brought my hoof back and swung it across her face knocking the gun from her jaws. I then swung my tail at her quickly realizing that the scorpion tail was stuck in another mare inside the building. She took the break as a golden opportunity and charged me. She hit me hard shoving me back and causing me to stumble over the dead buck.

I then… did something I never thought I could, as I fell back I opened my wings and threw a hoof down to catch myself. When most of my weight was on my hoof, i beat my wings and felt the world spin as I flipped my back legs over my head and landed them on the wall behind me. The mare looked to me with shock and awe but I just smirked and using the wall as I kick off, i charged into her. I wrapped my hooves around her and beat my wings taking us into the air. I felt her try and bite my leg but her teeth just cracked against the armor. When I became even with the building's roof I opened my hooves sending her back to the ground screaming. I didn't hear her hit with my heart beating in my ears loudly but I could see Ammo and his wife and new filly looking up at me in surprise. I smiled and gave a half hearted salute before I turned in the air and shot off back to find Bubble Gum.

When I landed next to the carriage I felt my heartbeat jump into my throat as the place I left her was empty. I turned frantically scanning the area around me, “Bubble Gum?” I called trying not to shout. When I heard nothing I started to panic, “BUBBLE GUM?”

I felt everything relax instantly when she poked her head out from under it, “Split? You… you came back!”

I sat down had with a long sigh, “yes…” I said hanging my head for a moment. I then looked at her with all the seriousness I could muster, “I told you to wait in the seat… don't scare me like that!”

She flinched back but recovered quick looking up to me with a small smile, “you were scared for me?”

“I… you… but…” I stammered making her giggle. That giggle, I don't know what it was, but it made a smile spread across my face. The pony in the back of my head smiled too, ‘I could easily listen to that little fillies giggle all day,’ I said to myself. I stood up tanking the nagging little negative pony asking what it has to do with me and telling me that she's nothing but a nuisance and pushed him into a closet. I then locked that closet and pushed a bookcase in front of the door.

She watched me stand up my back popping from the flip I pulled causing a groan, “are you ok? You have stuff on your face… did you save them?”

I nodded, “Yes Bubble… I'm fine I just got a small scratch, and yes I saved…” I swallowed at the negative pony called from that closet, ‘most of them!’ I shook my head, “Yes i saved them and they went on to their home.” her face brightened into a delightful smile and I felt myself smile a that.

I placed a hoof gently on her head, “Ok Bubble… let's go… we have a place that's close where we can get some food and hopefully some decent sleep.” I scooped her up onto my back glancing back to make sure she was all set. She gave a nod and another smile and I trotted of to find Lucky's Bar.

Chapter 6

The distance from the building where I saved those ponies and this so called bar we were heading to was a lot further than I thought. Then again I don't normally walk to all of my locations, this time however the little pink filly curled up in a ball on my back. Sleeping made it hard to fly since I was using my wings to keep her from falling off my back. She had been awake I realized for quite a while and only a few moments ago collapsed from exhaustion.

I glanced back at her feeling an uneasiness stir in my stomach, ‘what are you doing Split?’ I heard the pony in my head ask me. I looked over noticing a cargo carriage with a long trailer on its side and started towards it. The pony kept at it, ‘you are a soldier and you were on your way to glory and fame… now… you're a glorified foal sitter,’ he sneered.

I gave a chuckle kicking the thought from my head. Foal sitter or not, it was my fault she was alone and it will be my responsibility to get her somepony that she can trust. I glanced back at her with a sigh, “so… why do you trust me?” I said quietly.

I reached the trailer and checked the door to see it maybe it was still something I could open. It groaned but started to move as I gave it some force. The door creaked and shuddered loudly as it opened then crashed hard against the trailer with a bang. I winced as i looked back to see Bubble still asleep. I sighed again and looked inside and my ears drooped, “pillows?” boxes upon boxes of pillows lay scattered all over the trailer. I looked about at the ruined carriages, wagons, and chariots scattered across the road. Something caught my eye a few vehicles away that made me want to go explore. I looked into the trailer and back to Bubble and a smile spread across my face.

After I made sure Bubble was laying on a small mountain of the best conditioned pillows I could find I started to walk out of the trailer. I froze as I heard her yawn and looked back to see her looking up at me with tired eyes, “S… Split.”

I smiled and turned walking back to her, “awww… it's ok… I'm just gonna make sure everything is safe around us and I'll come right back,” did I just say aww? And… why was I running a hoof through her mane?

She laid her head back down with smile and was quickly back into a deep sleep. I stood watching her a cold stabbing pain in my chest. As I turned and walked back out I noticed that it was cooler and I felt a small tingling in my wings. I looked up, “rain?” no sooner had I said it a drop hit my nose. I backed up back into the truck and sat down as I watched the rain steadily become stronger. I looked at the ground as a small puddle started to form at my hooves.

“She didn't deserve any of this…” I said to the growing puddle that now had my reflection looking back at me. My eyes widened at the dried blood from the cut on my cheek was still there. I reached a hoof up and rubbed it the best I could. Eventually I gave up and looked back at the water, “I haven't even been down here a full day yet and I have ruined two families.”

‘Then fix one,’ a sensible part of my brain countered.

“Yes… but…” I slammed a hoof hard against my face, “and now I'm trying to make arguments with myself to solidify what I did was bad…” I let out a low groan, “what happened to me?”

My ear twitched and I turned to look back at Bubble Gum who was squirming around. I stood up and walked over to her noticing the pained expression on her face. She was having a nightmare… about what I couldn't be-

“M… Momma…” She she called in a whisper that made my heart sink. She was having a nightmare about losing her mother and I was the cause of it. “Momma… n… no… Split?.... Split… h… help…”

I stood stunned… she… she called for me? “But i…,” I watched as tears started to build up at the corner of her eyes. I watched for only a second before I sighed and reached a hoof out to her and gently ran it through her mane again, “shhhh… you're safe… I'm here,” almost at once she started to calm down.

I moved away from her once I felt she was peacefully sleeping again, and walked carefully back to the door. I reached over grabbing the strap on the door and pulled the door closed… well as far as it would go anyhow. When it was closed to a point where I felt a bit safer I moved som boxes in the way of the hole to block any view of us. I then took a step back and using the, accurately named, clothing menu turned the armor from on to off making it hiss open. I stepped out of it making sure to keep the Pip-buck on for quicker access to my armor if need be and the E.F.S was always helpful.

Once out, I gave my wings a stretch with a groan, “oh… that feels much better,” I smiled as the joints in my wings popped nicely. I then pushed my front legs forward to get feeling back in them. As I slowly stood up I looked at my leg where the bullet hit me. I reached my hoof up and gently touched the spot of skin frowning. Yes the coat would grow back slowly but still.

I gave myself a shake, “uhg… I was thinking it might be a part of me now,” I sighed before pulling a few more of the pillows out and making a soft spot to lay down. I flopped onto the pillows when I noticed a blue bar on my E.F.S. Standing up and walked to the door squeezing past my box blockade, lifting the door a bit.

“Hello?” I called out.

“What are you doing here and why are you dragging a filly around with you?” came a voice that sounded like it was coming from a cheap speaker inside a coffee can.

I continued to stare at the direction of the blue bar for a moment before giving a snort, “what do you care? You won't come out to talk to me face to face why should I tell you anything?”

The little metal ball with small buzzing wings and huge camera built into its huge bright eyes. I cocked an eyebrow as it growled at me… or maybe it was just weird static but whatever it was it stopped and spoke again.

“Listen here! If you plan on hurting that filly I'll…”

I rolled my eyes, “you caught me… oh no… what am I to do about my pink filly lunch with a FLYING TOASTER threatening me?” I narrowed my eyes at the bot as it floated there for a few moments letting the sarcasm of what I said work it's poison.

It gave a cough, “i… I can see you don't plan on hurting her… why are you with her?” it asked sounding a bit calmer now, “I saw you two walking for sometime now and I never suspected Enclave would help a filly that young without the promise of something.”

I turned my head away in disgust and glared at the wall, “who are you?” was all I could ask because my mind went to her screaming for her mother as she turned to ash at my hooves.

It bobbed for a few seconds before saying, “call me Watcher… now… why?”

I sighed still not looking at it, “i'm… looking after her because I… I killed her parents.” As I said that I looked back into the truck at her feeling a small pang of guilt drop into my gut like I swallowed an ice cube.

Watcher was silent for several seconds before he calmly, a bit too calmly, asked, “please… explain…”

So I told him everything that happened once I left the cloud curtain. I even told him my mess up with the foal which made me feel a bit better about it because I was able to tell somepony about it.

When I finished he said, “wow… i… uh… you… you are looking after her because you feel you should?”

I nodded, “it's obviously what I should do… I killed her parents following orders from my twisted command and I ran off to keep her from being next… I'm stuck down here anyway…” I looked back at her again, “plus…” I watched her sleep for a few moments.

“Plus?” Watcher asked waiting for an answer.

I shook my head, “never mind.” what was I supposed to say? Yeah I'm starting to enjoy her company or I am starting to care for the filly? I grabbed my head with my hooves, “what the hell is wrong with me?

“What are you talking about?” Watcher asked sounding a bit surprised. “are… are you upset that you have feeling?”

I looked up, “no… i-”

“I don't want to hear it! Do you know what ponies go through everyday?”

I growled as I put my hooves down and glared that the little bug bot, “yeah I do! If you recall I saved a family from being a main course. Sure as hell seems to be a lot more that what you're doing!”

“Why you son of a-” The bot broke off and started to bob away playing some kind of instrumental that was heavy on the tuba.

I watched it vanish into the rain feeling very confused and quite pissed now. When the music finally died down I took a step back and closed the trailer door again and headed back to my makeshift bed.

“No bastard-ass hovering metal egg is going to lecture me on what ponies are going through!” I hissed as I laid my head on my crossed hooves. I let out a long breath as my eyes traveled to the little pink ball curled up across from me. I was the ass and I knew it. How could I get so mad at myself for wanting to help her? Judging by Watchers reaction though, I'd guess that not many pegasi are helpful to anyone let alone an orphaned filly.

******

I woke with a start my head covered in sweat and my heart pounding in my chest. I looked around the trailer my eye darting around trying to find…

“What was that?” I grabbed my head and tried to hold onto the dream I had. There was some raiders, the foal and… “ugh!” I groaned. I looked up noticing the holes in the side of the trailer and many of the boxes I set up are soaked now. I looked to Bubble Gum and froze at the sight of the empty pillow, “Bubble?” I waited but no answer, and my heart went from pounding to thundering.

I put much hooves under me to stand and something stopped me. My left side had something against it just under my wing. It was warm and… and moving...

I slowly turned my head and looked down to see Bubble Gum curled up in a ball under my wing. Questions started to buzz through my head, like why was she sleeping next to me? Doesn't she hate me? How out of it was I for her to crawl next to me and fall asleep? Yet the biggest question was smothering all of them was, “what caused this filly to trust me that she could easily fall asleep right next to me?”

I lifted my wing and smiled which caused her to reached a hoof out, as the cooler air hit her, to pull my wing back down. She opened an eye and looked around then up to me lazily before she jumped up and shook her hooves at me frantically.

“S… Split! I… I was… it… i…” She stammered clearly thinking I was going to be upset but I just calmly sat watching her waiting for an explanation. Seeing that I was not getting upset she took a deep breath in and let it out slowly, “i… I got cold… i… didn't think you would mind,” as she said that she looked down and poked at the pillow she was sitting on with a hoof.

I shook my head which made her look up, “I don’t mind… just… please warn me next time.” She slowly smiled and I stood up stretching my fore hooves out in front of me and my wings out to their full length. Her eyes went wide as she looked at my wings, which when I caught her expression I lowered one of my wings so she could see it better, “what… never seen a pegasus wing before?”

She shook her head and reached a hoof out and gently touched some of the feathers which made me smile a bit. She looked to me her expression still full of awe, “can we go flying?”

I closed my eyes and tucked my wings back. I turned and headed to my armor stopping to look at the black metal then let out a sigh as my ears folded back, “probably… probably not anytime soon…”

Her drawn out, awww,” was followed up by the the question I was anticipating which was, “How come?”

I turned and look back at her and something in my expression made her head lower and her ears fold back. I looked down knowing full well that we would be a target the instant we got too high. I didn't mind so much if I was alone but I was not going to risk her life after sacrificing everything to make sure she was safe.

I didn’t realize right away that she managed to move right up in front of my face, however when I did she was looking me in the eye inches from my face. I took the surprise very well. By well I mean jumping back and tripping over a pillow and slamming my head against my armor with a loud Bang!

I grabbed the back of my head and sucked air in through my teeth, “that fucking hurt,” I hissed pulling my hoof from the back of my head to look at it.

“I'm sorry Split… I tried to call your name but you didn't say anything,” I heard her say as she moved up next to me, “you seemed sad for some reason… is it because you saved me that you can't fly?”

Her tone caused me to stop worrying about myself and look to her. She had her ears folded back and an expression had me feeling guilty, which was annoying with my head pounding like a drum.

I sat up slowly still holding my head, “I can fly Bubble Gum… but I don't feel safe bringing you with me.” As I expected her head started to lower down. I caught her chin with my hoof and lifted so she was looking me in the eye, “it's not your fault… I would love to show you the real skies beyond those clouds… but… right now a flying pony would be an easy target for the Enclave to find so we have to stay grounded for now. Or… at least you do…”

She nodded though her expression remained hurt which in turn caused me to sigh deeply. I felt guilty… me… I felt guilty that I could not take her flying, ‘why was she making you feel like you did something wrong?’ The pony in my head asked starting to get heated. I shook my head to get the pony to shut up.

“What's wrong?” Bubble asked looking up at me cocking her head to one side causing her ear to also flop over as her head turned.

I shook my head again stopping quickly, realizing my head still pounded even if slightly, “nothing Bubble… how about something to eat?” I asked rising to my hooves and opening the saddlebags that I claimed. I pulled out the box of cereal and looked at it cocking my head, “full apple flavor without the farm… Now with a caramel kick.” I looked to Bubble who was looking at the box as well, “well… ladies first.”

I held the box to her which she grabbed and opened with experienced hooves making the cardboard top pop open without a sound. She then grabbed the bag and pulled it out tossing the box to the floor. She took the top of the bag in her teeth and her hooves and pulled it open. She closed her eyes and smiled, “Mmmm… that smells so good.”

I was reaching into my saddlebags when the sweet smell hit my nostrils. I turned my head following the scent of apple with another sweet smell that I was not familiar with, but I was not disappointed with. I watched as she poked her head into the bag and began to eat which caused my stomach to growl with hunger. I turned and focused back on my saddlebags pulling out the 2 Sparkle Colas I found. I grabbed the cap in my teeth and with a quick twist of the bottle it popped open with a satisfying sound.

Bubble looked up from the bag at the sound sugar covering her muzzle, “you found Sparkle Cola?” A small smile spread across her face, “I love Sparkle Cola.”

I couldn’t help but chuckle as I slowly, and with practiced balance, set the bottle on the tip of my wing and spread it so that it sat in front of her. Her eyes widened with a small gasp. She temporarily dropped the bag of cereal and grabbed the bottle and popped the whole mouth of the bottle into her own mouth and began to chug. I cocked an eyebrow, “hey… slow down Bubble… or you'll-” to late. The filly dropped the bottle from her mouth and gave a rather deep burp which caused her to wrinkle her nose and lift a hoof to rub it.

“Ahhh it tickles… and not the fun kind!” She squeaked letting go of the bottle altogether and now rubbed her muzzle with both hooves tears forming in the corner of her eyes.

I popped open the other soda and smiled, “I told you to slow down didn't i?” I tilted my head back and took a swig. The delicious carrot flavor mixed well with the still quite carbonated tickle as it slid down my throat. As I continued to drink I found myself thinking that this was a drink I could get used to.

I stopped as something clicking caught my attention. I glanced around for a brief second then to my pip-buck which stopped clicking the moment I could see the screen. I cocked an eyebrow confused and lifted the bottle to my lips again. When the liquid hit my tongue the pip-buck clicked to life again. I put my hoof down again and looked at my bottle of Sparkle Cola, “radiation? In a drink?!” I shrugged and downed the rest of it.

“Don't forget to keep the caps,” Bubble said setting her bottle down and looking up at me.

“Say what now?”

She rolled her eyes, “even I know that ponies use bottle caps for trading,” she poked her head back into the bag of cereal.

I looked to the bottle caps I spit onto the pillow in front of me. I scooped them up and dropped them into my saddlebags, “well… alright then…,” I looked to my pip-buck again and was surprised that in the inventory there was a spot for currency and it now said caps with the number 2 next to it. I sat staring at it for several moments confused at how it did that, ‘Did they use caps before the war?’ I shook my head, “no… i have seen prewar bits.”

“Wha?” came the little voice of a filly whose mouth was quite full.

I shook my head and put my hoof down, “nothing…,” glancing down at her my stomach reminding me I was still hungry, “hey… can I have some yet?”

She looked down into the bag swallowing her mouth full then up to me with a nod as she held the bag to me. I silently thanked her and took the bag, watching as she picked up her soda and began to down the rest of it when I noticed something I haven't before, “haven't found your cutie mark yet huh?”

She stopped slowly lowering the bottle from her lips then glanced down at her flank and without a word slowly looked back up and shook her head no. I smiled, “don't worry kid, I didn't get mine until I was a bit older than you.” I grinned as a smile spread across her face.

My muzzle was just about in the bag of cereal when I heard her ask, “so… what is your cutie mark and… how did you get it?”

The question caught me off guard and I froze for a second. I was looking up at the ceiling of our makeshift room noticing light, dull as it was from the cloud cover, was shining through them. I lowered the bag from my face and looked to her. Her expression was one of curiosity and was quite innocent having not yet received hers.

I sighed, “well… it's quite a long story,” my gaze traveled to my flank sporting my lightning bolt arrow splitting a cloud in half. After a few moments of staring I slowly turned back to her, “well first… I have to explain how a pegasus colt or filly learn basics. I don't suppose you have been to a school have you?”

She thought a moment sticking her tongue out slightly and closing one eye as the she looked up in thought. She finally shook her head, “no… i have heard of them… slavers use many as traps.”

I took a mental note to remember that and pressed on, “well what a school is supposed to do is teach young Colts and fillies things like reading and writing… math and in my case flying.”

“Wait… you had to be taught how to fly?” She asked recoiling back in confusion, her face screwed up with an expression showing as much.

I couldn't help but smile, “well flying basics… how to turn and stop things of that sort.” She nodded a little finally catching on so I kept going, “more often than not pegasi get their cutie marks in school or before… a few sometimes get their cutie marks after schooling.”

“When did you get yours?” She asked interrupting me leaning forward on her fore hooves while still remaining in a seated position which I thought was rather odd.

“During school,” I said giving her a small smile.

“Awww,” she whined with disappointment, “I thought you were gonna be special and be one of the few who got it after.”

I didn't let my smile fade as I looked at her, “who said when I got mine it wasn't special?” that got her attention and quieted her. I looked up at the light pouring in through the holes again smiling, “it was my first day at school and I was supposed to be playing outside,” my smile faded a little, “but I was very shy and after my father left my mother and me to fend for ourselves. I didn’t get many chances to make friends before then. So during the play time I sat alone while the others played and chased each other around the small flight track we had.”

I started to realise I was not the best at stories but when I glanced at her to say as much her expression told me that she was hanging on my every word. I sighed knowing I had to finish now, “well… a few of the other Colts were challenging each other to races. One colt in particular got his cutie mark during the races.”

“Did he challenge you?” Her eyes were big and her growing smile suggested that she was putting together a story far better than me flying away from them to stop the teasing. She jumped up and leaned close, “I bet you got challenged and he was being cocky!” She swiped her hoof through the air, “and then you left him in your dust!”

My stomach twisted a little, “yeah… something like that…” She turned and sat back down watching intently, “as I flew I noticed I was able to push myself faster and faster until,” I turn to show her my cutie mark better, “the friction of me flying through a cloud caused me to create a streak of lightning behind me.” Her eyes widened more in awe and I gave her a winning smile, “because of that I was hoof picked for special training to become part of an elite Enclave group called the Wonderbolts!”

Her expression screwed up into one of confusion again, “the whats?”

I deflated with a sigh, “nothing… especially now,” I looked at my armor, “everything I worked for… everything I did to become what I am… it… it,” I glanced down at the small hoof gently touching my forelegs then to Bubbles face who looked back with those big purple eyes. I felt something in my chest as her touch, something that I almost forgot. I was going to say it was all for nothing but in truth it was to save her life. Yes I was down here in the Equestrian Wasteland now but I wasn't alone.

I nodded, “Ok Bubble Gum… let's go and see if we can find some trouble to get in,” she jumped up with a big grin and nodded. I stood up and with the use of my Pip-buck, stepped back into my armor. When the hydraulics hissed close I wiggled to get comfortable in it tapping my hooves on the floor and giving my wings some small flaps. Once I was done I opened my pipbuck checking my inventory noticing for the first time that there were some items I hadn't put in there. ‘Then again why wouldn't there be items from the pony that these belonged to before I found them,’ the pony in my head dead panned. The few prewar bits and a note that I was getting ready to read but the creak of the door cause me to look up and see that Bubble Gum was pushing it open… well… trying to. I sighed with a small grin and walked over and pushed it up letting her out into the street.

I was not sure about what was in store for me but I wanted to get her to someone more reliable than I, so that meant finding this bar so that maybe I could figure out a good place to take her.

Chapter 7

I have to say I have never been a curious pony and even as I hid over the top of Bubble Gum as the multi limbed robot scooted by the office room we hid in, i wondered how I ended up here, but I knew the answer. As we left the trailer and continued on our way my EFS told me that there was a location between us and the bar we were heading to. As we passed by the factory that my Pip-buck named Flim and Flam’s Auto Carriages, Bubble suggested that we take a look inside because finding things to sell would probably help with supplies.

I looked down at the pink shaking ball as she cowered under me, ‘she did mean well…,’ one side of my head told me. The other however felt a twang of annoyance scratching at my insides, ‘she also lead you right into a death trap… again!’

I shook my head and poked it up over the desk to look out the door that the robot glided past once again. We needed to get out before I could say anything to her, but the turrets and the few robots patrolling outside in the showroom were also keeping ponies from wandering in too far, which was also keeping us from leaving. I glanced around the room noticing that the office was once a light blue colored not only in walls and ceiling but in the carpet that covered the floor. Of course the walls were now a sickly gray blue and the carpet smelled of rot and created puffs of dust every time somepony touched it let alone walked across it.

There was a painting on the floor that must have fallen due to the condition of the wall. What was interesting was the small safe that the painting would have hid was looking tempting and had me itching to see what was in it. Considering we haven't had much luck being able to look around apart from the lobby, I was willing to give Bubble the benefit of the doubt that maybe we can get something good from this. I slowly rose and started to creep to the safe feeling my heart pace quicken at the thought of what I could find.

“What are you doing?!” Bubble whispered frantically at me her eyes wide with horror.

I lifted a wing to my lips to shush her. Her expression looked pained and she carefully looked around the desk to check the hallway. I glanced back to it as well and when I noticed the bar on my EFS was still green I knew I was ok, Bubble however didn't know what I did.

‘Think you should have told her idiot,’ the pony said to me as I crept to the safe pulling out the screwdriver and the bobby pin that i had been lucky with so far . I grinned as I started to work the bobby pin but the clear
of the pin had told me my luck was up. I moved to the desk and started to pick through the drawers hoping for something.

Inside were a small box of bobby pins, a set of keys and about 5 bottle caps. The box of bobby pins had 3 left inside which I hoped would be enough. The keys I figured would not fit the safe but I'd try I kept in my muzzle. The caps confused me, “They didn't use caps before the mega spells hit did they?”

Bubble looked as confused by the question as I was by finding caps in a desk that I assume was never gone through since before Equestria was erased. I slid the caps into my saddlebag and quietly crept back to the safe. I tried the key first and surprise surprise… it didn't work. With a aggravated sigh I lifted the screwdriver up and took one of the bobby pins and started to play with the lock. The snap of the bobby pin caused me to grab my head and I felt the growl deep in my throat.

I glared at the safe, “you will not win… surrender to me!” I growled through the screwdriver in my teeth.

“Surrender Zebra scum!” the multi-limbed robot said to me with a boom from its internal speaker. It floated sideways into the room blasting fire at me and as a reflex I stuck my wing up to shield myself. Luckily I was wearing my armor otherwise the fire would have burned deeply. Unlucky that the metal of the armor conducted the heat of the flamethrower almost too well, and in only a few seconds I could feel my skin on my wing starting sting as the metal began to burn it.

Bubbles scream causes the robot to turn and face her, it's buzz saw limb in full view of the filly, which caused her to back peddle under the desk. I had to act fast and I bent down and leaped at the robot, my nicely cooked armor wing hitting the metal and cutting deeply into the bot. My teeth chattered as I felt the metal on metal as my wing slid from the robot causing it to spark and pop. It however didn't go down as its final limb turned to me. I gulped and ducked as the glowing green ball of energy blasted from the energy weapon. I shot a prayer to Celestia as I dropped and spun onto my fore hooves and bucked back with all my might. The power of my kick along with the armor made the robot fly back slamming hard against the wall back into the hallway with a metallic crunch.

I hissed in pain as I quickly moved to pull the armor from my wing to inspect my still stinging wing. The metal heated up enough to cause my skin under my feathers to blister and a few of said feathers to fuse together. It wouldn't hinder my wing but the next time I got to rest I would need to preen and get rid of the dead feather to replace the old ones.

“You are an idiot!” Bubble said poking her head out glaring at me and giving a small stomp of her hooves, “he almost k-” she noticed my wing and trotted over, “are… are you ok?”

I felt the concern radiating from her as she moved close to inspect it, “yeah… it stings but it should be fine… nothing more than a small burn.”

“A… burn?” She asked with a cock of her head before running over to a small personal bathroom. She pointed up behind the door, “hey… help me.”

I rose to my hooves and made my way over and pulled the door just enough to see behind it. I raised an eyebrow at the small yellow medical box with its pink butterflies on it showing that it was from the Ministry of Peace. I then slowly looked down at the filly feeling an odd confusion building up inside me, “how… did you know this was here?”

“Explain later… get now!” She said with a firm tone. I nodded and pulled it down and set it on the floor for her. She instantly moved to the latch and poked it open and pulled out a bundle of medical bandages, a small needle and a red bottle. The bottle I knew from taking one earlier was a restoration potion. She lifted the bandages up and unrolled it, “ok… give me your wing.”

Cocking my head I held out my wing to her laying down so I could do it without straining. To my surprise she began to wrap the bandages around the burn on my wing. I winced but I continued to hold still as she wrapped with ease. When she was done she tied off the ends and I lifted my wing to my face in awe, “How did you…”

“Do that?” She finished setting the supplies back into the medical box. She closed it, her expression falling as she stared at the box, “m… my mommy told me it would be a good idea to learn how to take care of injures.” I winced but she pressed on, “she even found a doll for me to practice on before she let me practice on her when she got minor injuries.”

I could hear the pain in her voice as her eyes started to fill with tears and I felt the guilt growing inside me again, like a monster ready to rip me apart from the inside. I let out a deep long sigh, “Bubble… i…”

She looked up and shook her head, “no… i know what happened, what would have happened if you had not saved me,” she rubbed her eyes with her hoof which, as I watched, made the guilt threaten to burst from my chest. Then, almost like flipping a switch grinned at me, “don't think I missed that prayer to Celestia!”

I stared at her the guilt almost melting away instantly and replaced with a small not in my stomach and a burning on my cheeks, “i… I don't know what you're talking about!” I said gruffly crossing my fore hooves and looking away from her giggles. Her giggles died away and we sat there in silence for a few seconds before she finally broke it with a low but confident tone, “I believe in her as our Goddess… well her and Goddess Luna.”

I knew that the Princesses were just that… Princesses. They died over 200 years ago during the attack on Canterlot. I knew basic history about Canterlot and the attack due to Pegasi and their problem with losing Cloudsdale. I remember something about a pink cloud that melted ponies but I honestly didn't learn much since I was told that there would never be a need to go there. I also heard about using the Princesses as deities that are looking down on us guiding those who believe in them. I however never had any real belief and I have to admit I was confused why I said a prayer to Celestia, but at the same time I knew why I just didn’t want to admit it. I believed that ponies that powerful like the Princesses would not just fade away and be nothing, they instead would become a guiding light for ponies.

I sighed, “so what if I did too?” She looked up her eyes going wide. I looked down and poked a hoof into the musty carpet, “look… I'm not a hard believer but I like to think that there is a reason why we are still around.”

Before Bubble could say anything I moved away and back to the safe. Admitting something like that was pushing my limits of trust. I looked at the safe my mind wandered back to my last talk about religion. I was coming back from a day of training when I noticed my mother walking out of the house with several Enclave officers and the last thing she told me was, “Honey… I believe in you and you need to believe in yourself. If you don't please find something to believe in. I won't be around very much because I'm being called for a special mission.” naturally she couldn't tell me what so that was the last time I spoke to her before my graduation from basic training. Then the only thing I got was a congratulations… I think…

I grabbed my head as I tried to grasp a hold of that memory. No, she told me to become the best and prove that I was her son and not my father's. I stopped and looked at the safe again, “I am the best,” I told it as I slowly set my hooves down.

‘what would she say to what you did?’ the pony asked in my head.

My stomach clenched tightly at the thought but as I turned to look at Bubble who was watching me both concerned and curiously the knot loosened. I couldn't smile at her but I nodded, “she would have told me to run… I'm sure of it.” I looked away from the confused filly and picked the screwdriver up from the floor where I dropped it from the fight and one of my last 2 bobby pins. I worked slowly with the lock and slowly cocked my head taking my time. The click of the safe drew a smile from me and I dropped the screwdriver into the saddlebag along with the bobby pin.

“Who would have said run?” Bubble asked moving up next to me.

I moved my hoof to open the safe but sighed letting my wings droop, “my… my mother…” I was not ashamed or anything for my mother, in fact I loved and looked up to her and her position in the Enclave. It was more of that I still had my mother and I took Bubble’s away without even a goodbye. I tensed at that thought knowing I would never get to talk to my mother again either. What would she think, what would she do?

“You lost the ability to see your mommy too huh?” She asked making my head snap to look at her. She had her head down running a hoof over the medical box she dragged with her. Her hoof gently traced one of the pink butterflies on the yellow metal box. I could feel my guilt and sadness welling up inside me and I felt for the filly. I watched as a tear drip from the tip of her nose onto the medical box with a small
“because of me… huh?”

I didn't care about what I thought or what I felt like anymore, what happened next was me moving without thinking. I scooped the filly up like when I took her to save her life making her
softly. I cradled her and she looked at me with an expression of regret and hurt and I softly smiled at her.

“Bubble… let me be clear…” I began slowly watching her sniff but she listened. I closed my eyes trying to figure the best way to put this, “My relationship with my mother would have been a lot worse if you had gotten hurt because of me.”

‘There was a mare who was going to have your foal,’ an angry voice in my head cried out.

I winced enough that it hurt and slowly set her down and she looked to me, “Split? What's wrong? Is it your wing?” She moved to the medical box, “i have a shot of painkillers in here that should-”

“No Bubble…” She stopped and looked at me and I leaned forward and pressed my head against the safe feeling the cool metal. There was a pain alright as I looked at the situation from a new view, “yes… I'm in pain bu-”

“Better wiped than striped!” the second multi-limbed robot bellowed as it moved into the room.

I didn't give it the time as I spun and jumped at it using my wings to push me faster. I slammed hard into the bot with both hooves as its buzz saw cut into the chest of my armor. The saw stopped spinning just as it hit because the momentum of me and the power of my strike with my hooves into the bot caved in the circular casing enough that I felt a small shock as the life evaporated from the bot. As it slammed into the wall with equal force I felt my guilt building to my heart, “I’m not a good pony!” I slammed another hoof into the bot as the emotions began to build up.

I dropped the bot to the floor and slammed both fore hooves into the bot crushing a few vital components out of it as Bubble watched, “Split… yes… you didn't know… you were lied to.”

I sat hard looking at the crumbled mess of metal, ‘what do you care? You admitted that she meant nothing to you. She was going to ruin your career,’ the pony in my head pointed out.

I grabbed my head, “Because of me her foal will die!” I heard Bubble gasp and I kept going paying her little attention intent on making this pony in my head understand, “She came to me hoping for safety and I shot her down… my career was more important than my unborn foal… and it was not only for nothing but it took me saving a filly to realise what I did!” I felt like the lowest thing in the wasteland placed someplace just above a raider. My jaw clenched and I shut my eyes tightly, “why did i…” My eyes snapped open at the realization, “he played me!”

The way he brought her out treating her like a criminal and putting me on the spot. He knew I'd turn her down to follow my goal without really thinking. I clenched my teeth hard, ‘yeah right… make excuses to make yourself seem like the good guy’ I heard my voice say in my head dripping with venom.

“No… no i…” I was arguing with myself and losing.

‘You didn't want to lose your precious title so you had a mare that needed your help carrying your unborn foal more than likely killed!’ the voice in my head growled.

That was it… i lost… my wings dropped to the floor as my body began to feel like lead. My insides hurt as the gravity of what I had done weighed down on me like the wagon that had crushed that pony we passed on the road. I wanted to be sick, I wanted to hurt myself, I wanted to…

I felt the touch on my exposed wing and I turned to look at Bubble. Her expression of understanding written across her face, “Split…” I was not expecting the tone. I knew deep down that she didn't know the pained I felt but she was willing to listen and at the very least not openly judge me. She leaned on my wing, “Split… if it makes you feel better… if you didn't care… why would you be beating yourself up?”

I stared at the filly for several minutes my emotional storm quieting down and the pony in my head becoming silent. She was right and once again it took a filly I hardly knew to tell me that. I lifted my wings folding them back against my sides. I sighed and smiled to her placing a hoof on her head, “Thank you Bubble… you are right,” I slid my hoof from her head and back to the floor standing and turning to the safe, “let's go see what's inside.”

“Split…” She stood up watching as I made my way to the safe, “are… are you ok?”

I grabbed the safe but didn't pull it open, her question freezing me in place. I looked at my hoof for several seconds before finally getting out, “no Bubble… but… with time and a… friend like you…” I slowly looked back to her watching as she took a surprised step back at that her eyes once again wide, “i will be…. Sooner rather than later hopefully,” I finished giving her a wide grin. I chuckled as she slowly sat down her eyes still wide and turned back to the safe and pulled it open.

Inside the safe was a device that recorded ponies voices and other sounds onto a cassette. Judging by this audio recording, as I have heard them called, it was from before Equestria was destroyed. That was not the only thing however as my eyes noticed the sack of prewar bits, a picture and… my eyes widened and I reached into the safe and pulled out a black case with a lock on it. Written on the case in elegant gold writing it said

I set the case down, seeing a letter written in similar writing on the case that had only one name on it…
… I took the letter noting that it still hadn't been opened yet.

I looked to Bubble who sniffed the case then cocking her head confused, “what the!? It smells… clean… like… clean clean.” She looked up at me then with an angry pout she pushed it, “don't believe me? Smell it yourself!”

I looked at the, now noticing, extremely clean black case then to the letter which was definitely looking like it was over 200 years old. I smelled the letter and instantly regretted that as the stench of time was not kind to the paper. Confused at what Bubble would consider clean coming from this safe having the letter smell like it did I lifted the black case with my armored wing and held it in front of my face and sniffed. I was used to clean air and polished clean steel and this case smelled like it was just bought.

I wanted to open it and I licked my lips pulling my screwdriver to have Bubble pick up the case and bring it to my saddlebag and drop it in. I felt my lower lip stick out and I gave a heartbreaking whimper. I never wanted to open something so badly in my life, even more so than the few gifts I got on my birthdays.

She looked to me frowning, “it's small enough to fit into your bags-”

“I think I could fit a car into these bags,” I interrupted.

Her glare cause me to draw back, “you can open it when it's safer!” She stomped a hoof making me flinch, “not before then Mister!”

I lowered my head, “fine…” I spoke in a low tone that made the sound barely audible even to my ears.

“What was that?!” her head turned and her ears swiveled to me.

I groaned, “I said fine!”

“Good!” She said turning in place and trotting back to the medical container that I noticed she was tying a strap to.

My head snapped up and I looked around confused, “wait… what just…” Her giggle caused me to look at her as she worked. I felt my cheeks burn with embarrassment at what she did. I reached a hoof up and slapped the safe closed grumbling under my breath sweet promises to ground her or something. I slipped the rest of the things into my saddlebags as well before getting up and looking to the robot I demolished.

I moved over to the robot and started to pull some scrap metal and the spark batteries from it. I grinned as I found the flamethrowers fuel source and popped it out giving it a soft shake before noticing the fuel level gauge on it. It was still quite full so I dropped it into my saddlebag as well.

Satisfied that we got everything in this room that we could I turned to Bubble who was shrugging the strap of the medical box on so that the strap went across her chest and under one leg as the medical box dangled on the opposite side. The box was rather large compared to the young filly looking like a lopsided shell than a box of medical supplies.

I walked close and started to wiggle my wing armor back onto my wing wincing as the stinging as it rubbed uncomfortably inside, “you sure it's a good idea to carry around a big yellow target?”

She looked at it then back, “think of it as armor more than a target… I don't foresee you carrying much in terms of medical supplies.” Her smirk made me glare, “thought so.”

I huffed, “brat…”

She stuck her nose up and trotted to the door, “idiot…” realizing what she was doing I moved quick and dropped my wing in front of her causing her to bump muzzle first into the black metal. She recoiled back rubbing her nose angrily, “ow! W… what was that-”

I put a hoof to her muzzle cutting her off as I crouched low and slowly peeked out around the corner. The hallway to the left which we came from was still empty minus the first robot I took out rushing in carrying Bubble. I got a lucky hit and was able to cut the top of it cleanly off. I knew the door back out into the showroom was the first on the left if we went that way. The hall went further down a little longer and I could see another door on the right. There was supposed to be a way to get to a set of stairs down that hall but the lack of care to the building caused the ceiling to collapse down into it halting any way past.

I slowly swiveled my head to look right past the robot I bucked into the hall which lay in a crumbled smoking heap across the room we were in and took note of a long hallway that seemed to just stop with a large poster of a rather cute yellow pegasus modeling for my new favorite drink looking, what I was sure, like she would rather be doing something else yet still managed to make it look only delicious.

I slammed my head into the door frame as my mind chuckled, ‘she does look delicious doesn't she?’

As an extra precaution I looked at my compass and took note of the 3 blue lights signaling to me that the showroom still had the 2 turrets and one more of the robots in it were not hostile as long as I was not in view. I turned to Bubble the blue light of my compass showing her obviously not hostile as well and gave her a nod, “stick close,” I whispered.

She nodded looking determined and I turned and started to creep out into the hall stopping by both of the downed robots to get the parts from them before continuing on past the door that lead into the showroom and to the door that was on my right. I could still make out the plate on the door that said
written on it when a thought struck me. I looked to Bubble and spoke quietly, “hey… have you noticed a lack of… well… dead?”

Bubble opened her mouth to answer then closed it and looked back seeming confused. After several seconds she looked back concern replacing the confusion, “yeah… you're right…”

I checked the door and like the office we hid in it wasn't locked. I gently pushed her up against the wall with my right wing and pulled my left up to shield myself from anything.

I pushed the door open quickly and held my wing up going tense. Feeling like I was being a bit foalish at my actions but seeing how much this place was trying to keep a bunch of pony free carriages protected I didn't want to take a chance. I slowly peeked up over my wing into the break room noting the size of it and how empty it was.

Bubble peered around the door-frame and looked in as well before smiling, “hey! They have a Sparkle Cola machine!” She ran in and I folded my wings up and followed inside starting to get a feeling like I was missing something and I wasn't sure I wanted to figure out what. This place was lacking in any dead and if I didn't get a great look of the showroom floor, the fact that no pony was dead and just running in gave me a bad feeling.

I went to one of the two refrigerators in the room and pulled it open as Bubble turned to kick the machine only to fall face first when her back legs hit and she moved and the machine did not. Inside the refrigerator was a couple bottles of water, a stable-tech lunchbox and a box of that cereal that Bubble Gum had. My stomach growled and I growled at the realization that I never ate any of the cereal and not only that but I left the rest back in that container.

I reached in and grabbed the box and popped it open instantly. My wing prevented any mess from pulling the bag apart letting the sweet sugary smell in go the air. I plunged my muzzle into the bag and began to eat greedily.

It took several bites for me to realize how good the cereal was. Even with how old the box of cereal was the sugar was just as sweet and the flavoring was mouth-watering. I was guessing by the amount of preservatives in the cereal that it was only a bit stale and still quite good. The artificial caramel flavoring was still quite strong and I was fairly sure I was going be quite strung up until the sugar wore off.

It took me several moments to realize that Bubble was hitting my leg. Prying my hungry muzzle from the bag I glanced down at her trying to give her a questioning look. She sat hard and pointed to the machine, “i can't get anything from it… you have to get it open.”

I swallowed down my mouth full, the pony in my head crying now that half the bag was already empty, and licked my lips, “open it? I have prewar bits remember?”

She frowned raising an eyebrow, “wow… you really are an idiot huh?” I was only half paying attention my muzzle back in the bag. She sighed, “who is going to care if you break it open to get what's inside?”

I was by this point holding the bag up over my open mouth getting every last bit. With my hunger sedated, though not completely, I crumpled the bag up and tossed it over my shoulder landing it into the trash can. I gave my lips another lick and I was thrifty so gently moved Bubble to the side before walking to the machine and looking it over. It was made of mostly steel except the plastic buttons with faded pictures of my favorite drink and a few other flavors I haven't yet seen but wanted to try.

I noticed the hinges on one side of the machine had rusted a bit, while on the other side, which had a lock, required a special key to open. I smiled a little but I wanted to teach Bubble a little lesson first, my thirst could wait a bit as I pointed to the lock putting on my best confused expression, “how. Clearly you need a special key to get it open… I don't have such a key and I can't pick this.”

Her expression fell and her ears drooped, “and… the power isn't working right huh?”

I sighed and jammed the specially crafted blade of my wing into the slight gap between the main part of the machine and the door right next to the lock. I felt the blade cleanly cut into the metal and I pushed shoving my weight into the wedge I created with my wing. With a metallic protest the rest of the door gave and swung open and crashed against the wall swinging on its hinges.

Bubbles looked up about halfway through the process and she gave a happy squeal of delight when it crashed open showing many unopened Sparkle Colas and a strange glowing red bottle. I grabbed the bottle in my teeth and tossed it spinning into the air catching it with my hoof to read it, “Sparkle Cola Rads…” I squinted ,” it's like a buck to the face… with Radishes?”

I glanced to Bubble who just shrugged putting a Sparkle Cola into her medical box, “i don't get why anyone would drink radiation.”

Looking back at it I nodded, “i… agree… but,” I slid the bottle into my saddlebag bag and took the rest of the bottles putting them into my saddlebags bag, “i do want to try it.” after finding a few cans of corn and beans and several cans of applesauce and the couple of bottles of purified water in the refrigerator, I picked up the lunch box with my wing and glanced to Bubble.

She shook her head and I tossed it back and closed the refrigerator door and turned to take in the rest of the room. It seems that the room we managed to get into was kind of a kitchen area with a door that lead into a small cafeteria with another door back into the same hallway we came from but hopefully it would be past the collapsed part of the hall. I moved into the cafeteria and stopped as the skeleton of a pony leaning up against the door like it was trying to keep it closed was the first sign of death so far, and it was unsettling.

Bubble, seeing the skeleton, quickly dashed to it and started to move it so that it looked like it was laying down asleep. The feeling that was building from the lack of dead and only now finding our first sign of dead died away as I watched her. I realized this little filly had more compassion for the dead than I had for any pegasus that I knew.

The memory of Solar Flare and our talk about Steel Wing surfaced. Solar Flare was my only friend back up… no… was he a friend? I had to sit as I pressed a hoof to my head trying to remember any time we talked about anything besides our job. I placed my hoof down a cold feeling deep inside my chest grabbing at my heart and lungs told me that he was nothing more than a pony I talked to. He was always friendly to me but I never gave him the time of day unless it meant our group or giving him his workload for the week.

I looked back to Bubble who was sitting with her eyes closed and lips moving in some kind of prayer, a prayer to Celestia and Luna as I watched her lips move picking out those 2 names. I sat and waited until she finished and walked back to me cocking her head, “what's wrong?”

“how… how can you make me look like the worst pony in the world with just a simple act?” I heard my voice say with a soft grumble.

She took a timid step back, “Split I-”

I stood up and walked past her making the sentence die on her lips before she could finish, “let's keep going.” I moved to the door and pulled it open looked into the hallway and looked to see that on my left was the impossible but the right lead to a stair case. I took a step into the hall and the turret in the ceiling dropped down and turned.

I yelled in pain as I dove back into the room just as the turret opened fire at me. I felt a few rounds bounce off my armored wings and a few off my armored chest but a bullet sank deep into my back leg just under my cutie mark. Standing up and trying not to put weight on my leg I peeked back out into the hall and spotted the turret in the middle of the ceiling just beyond the door.

I heard Bubble Gum whimper slightly at the hole in my armored leg which was oozing blood. She set her med kit down as I looked at her noting that her face was a mix of fear and concentration. I sighed, “No Bubble,” she looked up ready to argue but I cut her short, “the bullet needs to come out first,” the filly closed her mouth instantly and listened. I looked back out into the hall waiting for the turret to spin away from our room to try and get a good shot at it, “being as good as you are I'm surprised you didn't know that.” I shot her a small smile trying to ignore the pain.

Her voice was a little shaky as she spoke, “i… I do… b… but...,” she shook her head to get rid of the shakes, “i have a shot of painkillers that you can use for now,” I looked back to her and she she stared back with big heartbreaking eyes, “please…”

I really wanted to use it, my leg was burning like… well… somepony shot it. I set my hoof down and shook my head but gave her a confident smile, “save it for now tiny.” I turned and crouched low getting ready to spring out, “we may need it for something more serious later.”

Before she could argue anymore I shot out into the hallway heading straight to the wall across the hall and jumped. I gritted my teeth as my injured leg shot me forward and I hit the wall and pushed off it at the turret. My plan was to force the turret to make a complete circle in order for it to get another shot at me. I smiled as it was just bringing it's barrels to bear a little too late. I twisted in the air opening one of my wings and cut the turret down the middle making it spark as my bladed wing cut deep into the metal.

I finished my spin and landed on the tiled floor just as the turret sparked a few more times then popped with a small explosion. I smiled and looked up at the smoking remains of the turret but just as quick as my smile spread it disappeared, “turrets here… I don't like this.”

“This is not the first building I've seen with crazy defenses,” Bubble said walking out and glancing up at the smoking hole.

I spun around at her my eyes going wide, “wait… you mean other buildings are still standing like this and they are still armed?!” her expression told me that she wasn't buying into my act and I chuckled, “sorry…” She rolled her eyes and trotted ahead and up the stairs. I followed behind her holding her back just long enough to peak at the top floor and make sure it was safe.

She trotted ahead of me and i followed behind her, watching what she would do. My attention was drawn away from her however to the large square desk in the middle of what looked like a waiting room. I guess it was a waiting room anyhow by the old rotting couch on either wall and the several comfy looking chairs around small tables with old destroyed magazines and books on them. There were many old and fading pictures on the walls that I supposed were to try and make ponies feel comfortable while they waited.

Bubble managed to wander over to the desk as I picked up a book and cocked my head at the cover, “Increasing your sales figures…,” I said as I read.

I saw Bubbles head pop up over the desk, “what?”

I hold up the book with a smile, “found an intact book,” my inner pony chuckled as her eyes lit up and she jumped down and ran around the desk to me.

I was already lowering the book down to her when she stopped in front of me, “I can have it?” She looked up at me with hopeful eyes, then to the book and back to me. I nodded and she gave a happy little squee trotting on the tips of her hooves before taking the book from my muzzle.

I couldn't help but smile at her as she opened the cover, “like to read huh?”

She nodded excitedly and held it up to me, “can you hold onto it for me?” I gave a small nod and bent down, grabbed the book and dropped it into my saddlebag. As I started to look back she spoke up again, “Split… the thing on the desk is locked.” she said pointing a hoof.

I looked to the desk, “thing?” I could see the soft green glow coming from a terminal facing the 2 heavy wooden doors behind it. I was curious why a receptionists terminal would be locked. I trotted over to and around the desk. I then lifted my leg with my pip-buck and tapped a few keys to start hacking into in.

Bubble moved around the other side and jumped up into the chair looking over me before finally asking, “how can your wings cut into metal so easily?”

I tore away from my work having to shut the terminal down to prevent it from locking me out and lifted a wing so she could see the curved 2 inch light blue sand silver blade along my wings outer edge. She went to reach a hoof up to it but I jerked my wing back, “the blades are special… and… very sharp.” Folding my wing back up I opened the terminal back up for another go, “I'm not exactly sure on the specifics of what they are made from, but from what I have been told it's a magical fusion of steel and… something… very sharp.”

Her eyes widened, “like what?”

I smirked as I found the password to get into the terminal… Hearts… ok. I shrugged and started to scroll through the options but continued to talk to the curious little filly, “well to be honest… I'm not sure.” I watched her face scrunch up in a displeased pout so I smiled and shook my head, “rumors are they are made from a dragon's claws or a special magical metal,” at least that is what I was told when I asked about them.

Scrolling down the random files of meeting times and other appointments, clearly this pony was not very organized as that all of the files were just dumped onto the main screen, I found a selection that opened the doors behind me.

“Which one do you believe?” Bubble asked looking back at my wing.

I clicked the button and stood up tall looking down at her, “personally… I'd like to think that they are made from a metal that was accidentally created and made into these blades. They couldn't reform them so they used them for pegasi with strong enough wings.”

Cocking her head to the side, “strong enough wings?”

I sighed, “Sweet Celestia's sun girl… you really are curious one huh?” She nodded smiling and I shook my head smiling a little myself. I leveled my wing out in front of her and gave her a nod, “go head…,” she looked nervous but gingerly stepped onto my armored wing. Her eyes widened as she fully walked onto my wing and I stepped away from the table holding her up. I couldn't help but laugh at her, “many pegasi say they have strong wings but in truth,” I leaned close with a smirk, “They have nothing compared to mine.”

I turned and gave her a little bounce which caused her to flop onto her flank. I chuckled at her dirty look and angled my wing slightly and slid her down off my wing making her giggle until she came to the floor. She looked up smiling, “can… can I get a ride sometime?” Her tone was innocent but being careful at the same time.

I sighed and lifted my hoof and gently set it on her head and smiled, “we'll see.” I took my hoof off and lifted it up and pushed the doors open and instantly felt a little dizzy at the room in front of me.

The room was shocking to say the least as on one side was a wooden desk with a big picture of this odd looking machine with 2 identical looking unicorn ponies on it. The only difference between the 2 of them was one had a neatly groomed red mustache. There was a broken terminal on the desk with large comfy looking chairs behind it. The chairs on either side of the desk were flanked by 2 large vases with wilted plants in them. Close to the center of the room was a large couch facing a square table. The odd part from that table back the other way was an exact replica of the left side. It looked like someone had a mirror set up between the 2 in the dead center of the room.

Bubble Gum stared at the room, “t… that's… that's normal… is it?”

I swallowed and walked into the room expecting to see a reflection walking beside me as I glanced to my right, “n.. no… it's not.” My attention was caught by something at the desk that was different from the one to my left. I could see the glow suggesting the terminal was working as it illuminated the skeleton of a unicorn laying it's head on the desk.

I swished my tail to the other desk, “Bubble go check that desk out and anything you can find that may help.”

“Right!” She said trotting in that direction.

I moved over to the desk with the skeleton and the working terminal. I glanced down at the skeleton slightly as I moved up beside it, noting the sharp looking vest that he wore reminded me slightly of a certain…

I slowly looked up to the identical picture behind him as the other side of the room and nodded as 2 and 2 equaled one of those twins brothers. Well I assumed brothers anyhow because how often did ponies have identical twins that were not related.

I gently pushed the skeleton to the side to look at the terminal trying not to think about what could have happened to his brother and where he was if both looked as close as the 2 did in the picture. The terminal was unlocked drawing a small groan of annoyance from me as I felt that I could have improved my skill if I had more access to locked terminal. The terminal had an audio file on it along with… I smiled wide at the “shut down security” option and quickly pressed it and waited listening. Thinking that I couldn't hear anything because of most of the security still being a floor below I just shrugged and looked at the audio file for a long moment before giving a small sigh and clicked it.

The voice that came through the terminals speakers sounded raspy, “Flam… I… I'm sorry,” he coughed and waited before drawing a deep raddled breath, “I'm not going to be able to leave here… the… the zebras… they… they did it,” he chuckled slightly, “to think we wanted to put that Applejack out on her tail and take over the Ministry. Even when she sent that gift as a peace offering that,” he broke off for more coughing and I glanced down at Bubble as she walked up and tapped my leg to let me know she was there, her ears back. The silence was long and I thought it was just recording a dead pony before I heard his sigh, “Flam… please… don't be angry with her… or… anypony… we…. I didn’t… help. If anything i… I think we… we made it worse… please forgive me for…. For seal…” he broke away coughing badly, even worse than before.

The audio log cut away during the fit of coughing and I sat down frowning, “it… it was easier when he was just a dead pony…” Bubble leaned up against me and I slid a hoof around her as she looked at the skeleton sadly.

“Th… there is a…” I glanced down at the filly who was pointing at the other side of the room to a door that I couldn't see before and now I noticed was on the other side of the side of the vase. I turned and noticed a similar door on this side which was slightly open. It lead into a small personal bathroom and knew that she was talking about another medical box as I had seen one hanging on the wall by the toilet.

I sighed and scooped her up and with an easy motion slid her onto my wing and tilted her back so she slid onto my back. She gave a small eep when she landed and I looked back, “are you ok?”

Her expression was still heartbreaking as she pawed a hoof at my armor, “its… kinda cold.”

I glances around and smiled and trotted over to a coat hung on the back of the chair of the skeleton pony. It was quite old but as I lifted it I could tell it was built to last. It was a deep brown leather with a felt inside and a picture of a rather cute aqua green mare sitting on top of a carriage that needed no pony to pull it.

I tossed the jacket over my shoulder and smiled, “here… lay it down and lay down on it… should make it more comfortable.” she was already making a small nest with the jacket which used my wings to keep from sliding off. Satisfied with how it looked she stepped into it and curled up.

I went to the first bathroom and opened the medical box and smiled at the 3 health potions inside. The other medical box had another but it also contained a couple magical bandages and a brown bottle with a bold word on it, “Buck.” I placed the Buck into my saddlebag letting Bubble rest up, after hearing the last words of a pony that was dead in front of her she was taking it quite hard.

I was just about to go down the stairs when she finally spoke up again, “Split?”

I glanced back slightly at her, “you ok?”

She gave a small nod, “yes…” She then hung her head and shook it, “n… no…”

I stopped at the bottom of the stairs and waited, my head turned as far as I could so I could see her. ‘When had she started crying,’ the pony asked in my head.

She sniffed and looked up, “that… that reminded me of… of my mommy,” the guilt hit me in the stomach like a kick from an instructor during hoof to wing combat. A tear rolled down her cheek as she continued on, “Split… are you going to leave me alone?”

My eyes widened at the question and I shook my head, “Bubble… no… I'd never leave you alone. When we find someone that I trust to look after you… then… then you will be safe and happy becau-”

“NO!” She shouted and my ears flattened back as she started to shake closing her eyes sending tears rushing down her face. She gave a small sniff, “I…. I want to stay with you.”

I stared for a few seconds just blinking at her as my stunned brain started to comprehend what she said. I was definitely the one pony who was least qualified to look after her.

‘Well no,’ the pony in my head said with a sad tone, ‘them raiders would be even less qualified.’

I grimaced and Bubble looked at me confused before I hung my head, “Bubble… I… I am one of the last ponies who should look after you.” Even as I said it I could feel something breaking deep inside me and I continued my head starting to hang down, “I’m not a good pony,” I said and before she could say anything I spilled it all. I told her everything about how I treated ponies when I was selected to become a Wonderbolt, how I didn't care about a mare or the fact that her foal was going to end up dead because of me and she was probably going to be arrested and least because of me. I told her of my training and how and why I was cocky and what the Enclave told us about everything below the cloud. Finally I told her about the foal that died because of me when I went in to save the ponies in the raider nest.

By the time I was done I found that I was sitting down and Bubble was sitting below me looking up to me her eyes wide with… with what? Horror? Please let it be horror… I didn't deserve to have her pity me. I closed my eyes tightly as she stared, I couldn't look at her after everything I said and part of me wished the family I saved would wander in and find her and take her someplace safe.

I felt something push against my nose and opened my eyes to see her hoof gently pushing against my nose. She moved her hoof away and then pressed my nose again and gave me a sad smile, “there…,” I looked at her confused and she closed her eyes while her smile spread, “I reset you… like… like the terminal you hacked…” My eyes widened, “when you shut it down and turned it back on to try again. So now you can try again.”

I have to say now that I thought of myself as a strong soldier that would be able to shake of anything… I was wrong as my vision blurred. I gaped at her my voice small, “w… why… I… I did.”

She shook her head gently, “I can't forget what you did to my mommy… but… but you gave me 2 things in return.” I sat listening as she smiled a tear rolling down her cheek, “you… you gave me your life to save mine… and you gave me another chance at being alive.” That was it… she couldn't hold it back as her smile faded and she started to sob softly, “and… and I… I want to… Stay with… with you be… because… because.”

I didn't need to let her finish and reached out my hooves to her. She looked at me for a few seconds shaking and sobbing softly, but it lasted only a few seconds before she let out a heartbreaking wail and ran into my waiting hooves. Not wanting her to press her face into my armor I gently lifted her up so she could cry into my mane and neck.

I couldn't help but smile as she cried loudly and I just held her and comforted her. My mind and heart felt better that I was able to come clean to the filly and even the pain in my leg was just an annoyance now because I was feeling like a weight had been lifted from me. I made up my mind that I was going to find her somepony that could keep her safe better than I could but, even though I still wanted to find someone better than me, I was going to take my time in searching until I found the perfect pony.

When she finally started to quiet down I lowered her down to the floor where she grabbed her slightly curly magenta tail and dabbed her wet purple eyes dry with small hiccups coming from her. I lifted her medical box up and dropped it into my saddlebag and reached a hoof down and brushed her mane back causing her to look up at me.

“You gave me a lot to think about and while we find you somepony to look after you,” she opened her mouth to argue I raised a hoof to hold her from interrupting and gave her a smile, “i will be making sure that who ever it is, is perfect… that… may be a very long time,” her eyes and smile started to widen and I nodded, “i will not leave you for anyone to just take… I will keep a close eye on you and make sure you're safe until then.”

She leaped forward and hugged my pip-buck leg, “Thank you... ,” Her voice sounded relieved and she let go as I slowly stood up.

I started to walk back into the break room with her at my side, “let's go into that showroom floor and see if…” As we exited back into the hall I turned left and my eyes caught the door at the end of the hall that was strangely missing before.

‘Wasn't it a poster of a Sparkle Cola advertisement?’ the pony in my head asked.

“That… door wasn't there before,” Bubble said moving behind my front legs and peaking out at it.

I didn't know why she was hiding under me but as I looked at the door I felt equally uneasy. I swallowed and started forward, taking care to step over Bubble who moved up to my side. I slowed down letting her move around the downed robots so she could stay close to me as we approached.

Looking at the door more closely now I could see that it was an elevator door and it seemed to only go one way from here… down. With an armored hoof I reached out and pressed the button and the door instantly slid open which caused me to to drop into a defensive stance and put a wing up in front of Bubble to shield her but the elevator was empty and eerily inviting with a warm light which filled the wooden walls inside. The red carpet was on but seemed to be quite clean despite the rest of the building and I don't know why but this made me want to go into it less.

I moved into to elevator and Bubble whined, “d… do we have to go?” She was crouching low as she moved into the elevator with me.

Once we were both inside I lifted a hoof and pressed the button to go down, “I want to make sure we get anything that can help us,” I told her not feeling very confident.

The door closed slowly and the elevator started down which gave me a brief moment of dread as the tight closed space was something I really was not used to. I closed my eyes and took slow steady breaths to keep from going into a panic. I was a pegasus and as far as I knew we liked bug open places to spread our wings, and were a tiny mare like Sunny could open her wings in here easily I could get maybe one wing open to its full length if I moved to one side of the elevator.

The elevator stopped and I heard the doors start to open in which case I opened my eyes. At first I saw nothing but darkness so I glanced up at my EFS and noticed a few red bars directly in front of me. I stepped forward out of the elevator and stretched my wings out taking note of the long and quite wide hall that I stepped into. I waited to see if and robots came at me so I could maybe use their predictable movements to my… my…

My eyes widened as lights flickered to life illuminating the hall all the way down to a door on the other side several wards away. Between that door and me where ponies or at least what I assumed used to be ponies that died and for some fucked up reason now shambled around the hall… or they had until the lights came on and I stepped out and stood there like an idiot.

Every head turned to face me and what came from their muzzles, which was like a scream filed by hunger, was nothing that should have come from them. I took a step back as my brain tried to wrap my head around this, but they were not going to let me and charged.

Bubbles scream snapped me from the terror in front of me and told me I needed to stop them from getting and closer, “BUBBLE! HIT THE BUTTON AND GO BACK UP!” I shouted and charged back.

The first crouched down and jumped at me trying to get a good hit on me before I could react. I however was focused to keep them from getting past so my wings snapped out and I jumped and twisted in the air. Their horrible rotting flesh didn't stand a chance against the blades on my armor as I cut the front legs off of the one that jumped which caused him to fall face first into the concrete floor with a meaty thud. I tried to look and see if he was going to get up but the others were not far behind and I was tackled hard by the next zombie pony.

I normally would have been able to take the hit and fall back with a good recovery but my hind hoof landed on the fore leg of the zombie pony's leg I cut off and I lost balance. The loss of balance was both a blessing and a curse because as I started to fall back a zombie pony bit down onto each of my wings and a third grabbed one of my forelegs into his jaws and tried to crush the metal and leg. I continued back and landed hard onto my back my head hitting the concrete with a smack that sent stars through my vision. I yelled as the zombie ponies tried to bite and rip my limbs apart as a fourth grabbed one of my hind legs and began to try and bite through the armored leg.

I was pinned… I… I was going to die. Sooner or later they would be able to get something off and get to the chewy insides under the armor, but I managed to get Bubble Gum some time to get out and…

“SPLIT!... H… HELP!” came her screen from behind me.

I strained my neck back to look down the hall and I noticed the one I cut the legs off of was wiggling towards the open elevator while Bubble stood leaning next to the controls crying. One more moved around me and started at the crying filly and as I watched in horror I realized she couldn't reach the button.

“No,” I said quietly.

She was going to die.

“No,” my imagination started to imaging what I would have to watch when they reached her.

You failed her.

“NO!” I roared and with my free forelegs hit the one chewing on the other with enough force that he stumbled back and fell onto the one chewing on my back leg. With my legs free I jerked hard and spun to a standing position my wing blades slicing the heads of the 2 biting at them cleanly from the corner of their mouths and straight back down cutting most of their chest open and making them drop, no longer moving. Once I was on my hooves I shot back down the hall and jumped then landed hard onto the crawling and much slower pony turning his head into a mess of goo, brains and blood. I didn't waste time and ran to the other who was now almost into the elevator and I could see Bubble crying frantically, curled up against the far corner. As I got up behind it he turned to look at me with unfocused dying eyes just in time for the my hoof to slam hard into the side of his head and drove him into the wall of the clean elevator.

I continued to slam my hoof over and over against his head until I heard something break and blood and brain matter started to ooze from its nose and ears, then it became still. I drove my bladed wing into the side of his head just for good measure and spun to face the last 2 in the hall, who were now standing and heading in our direction. I growled as my adrenaline was still running through my veins, my heart beating loudly into my ears and charged. I may have took pride in the fact that they stopped and took a step back before I flew between them my wings taking their heads off with ease and sending them to the floor with a flop.

I stood there for a few seconds panting heavily as sweat and blood dripped from my head down my face to the floor. My head was hurting badly and I was shaking more than I thought I could but I saved her… I saved Bubble Gum…

‘Did you?’ the pony in my head asked sending a strong fear through my heart.

I turned quickly and darted the elevator, “Bubble!” I called trying to shout but my breath caught as I seen her curled up facing the corner and I couldn't shout.

Slowed to a stop just before the elevator, ‘no… Celestia no,’ I said moving slowly in, ‘you… you wouldn't take her like-’

She jerked a little and turned to face me her face wet with tears and her eyes growing wide, “Split!” She shouted with relief at me and I grabbed her into a hug. I held her for several minutes letting her cry out the last few minutes of terror so she could calm down. I also needed to calm down myself because after everything I had seen or done the thought of watching her get ripped apart like a cheap birthday present scared me more than anything.

When she finally managed to stop crying, though she shook quite a lot still, she looked up to me, “Split… you're bleeding again,” she moved from my embrace and around to the saddlebag on my side and poked her head into it. After several seconds she pulled out the rest of the roll of healing bandages and pointed to the floor with a hoof, “down.”

I didn't argue and settled myself down and she climbed onto my back and began to wrap the bandages around my head tightly. When she finished she slid off and waited for me to stand up next to me, but I didn't want to as I reached a hoof around and pulled her back into a hug so I could feel her against my cheek. The surprise hug made her jump but she didn't fight or protest, in fact she gladly nuzzled against the side of my head and I could her soft sobs again.

The sensation of fearing for her still lingered inside of me but the overwhelming feeling that she was safe and next to me felt better and stronger than that. I finally managed to force my voice to speak in a low quiet voice, “don't worry sweetie… I won't let anypony hurt you.”

She gave a small squeak and I felt her nod against the side of my head and she sighed softly, “I know Split… thank you.”

We stayed like that for about a minute or so longer until I finally stood up and looked back into the hall, “what are these things?” I asked lifting a hoof and gingerly touching my head. I winced and could feel the bandages were a bit damp by this point. My head swam a little from the hit and I needed to sit down for a second.

“Momma said they are ghouls.” Bubble said moving back from the dead one in the elevator, “ponies that died when Equestria got blowed up but came back from the magical radiation that came from the Mega thingies.”

“Megaspells,” I told her feeling like my head was going to let me stand now and did so. I lifted my Pip-buck and glanced at the radiation detector built into it and took notice that it was still lying quite still in the green. I frowned, “but… there is no radiation here…”

She shrugged and pointed to the opposite door, “maybe… maybe something inside there did it?”

I swallowed hard and looked to her, “think we should continue?”

Her expression told me that she wanted to go back up now but she looked ahead and started towards it, “yes… if… if only to stop anymore from getting out.”

I followed behind her casting glances at the dead ghouls as we passed by them until we reached the other door. When we stood before it I reached a hoof down and gently moved Bubble back behind me before reaching up and opening the door and walking inside.

The room on the other side was massive and filled with all kinds of machinery that I had never seen or heard of. The catwalk that extended out from the door I opened and dropped halfway to what looked like an office having its support wires snapped and dropping it onto what looked like a conveyer belt with odd looking robots with broken glass bowl like things on them with… I swallowed and took a step back as I noticed one of the intact domes still had a brain inside it as it dangled inches from being placed onto the next robot.

I lowered myself down and gestured for Bubble to climb on which she did without complaint, but first reached into my saddlebag and grabbed the jacket so it was a bit more comfortable for her. My idea was going to fly us over the gap to the office and get inside and see if anything was worth taking and possibly see what this was. I wasn't going to leave her as the moving forms of ghouls below told me that I wasn't going to leave her behind again even if it didn't look like they could reach us, that was something I was not going to chance.

When she was settled she gently tapped my neck to signaling she was ready and I opened my wings and just as I was about to jump, my pip-buck started to click softly. I back peddled instantly, “shit!”

“what's wrong?” She asked.

“Well 2 things,” I said sliding her off as I sat making her squeak briefly turning and lifting her up in my fore-hooves along with the jacket wrapping it around her, “first there is magical radiation down there so I need to move a bit faster.”

“And… the second?” She asked curiously.

“That was kind of both,” I said as I lifted into the air, “i need to move fast or you may fall off which I don't want and I don't want either of us to get sick from too much radiation exposure.” She nodded and I took a deep breath and started across the room making my pip-buck click at me. I gave my wings a few good flaps to push myself faster across the room which I glanced down at every now and then to see the assembly line in full. The conveyer belt snaked through the building with robots in different stages of production.

“Could this be used to make more robots?” Bubble asked as we flew over to room looking down at the robots.

I frowned looking ahead now feeling a bit uneasy still, “i don't think I want robots like this to be made,” noticing her confused expression I nodded back to what seemed the end of the production line, “these robots use brains to work.”

She gasped and tried to look back but I pulled her close and hurried across and landed gently on the rest of the catwalk just before the door. She trotted to the door and reached up and tried for the door handle. Clearly whoever made this lower part had not wanted young fillies and Colts to access them. I reached over and opened the door and we went inside.

“Welcome to our robobrain factory!” the voice of a ghoul almost sang as we entered. I pulled Bubble under me and took a battle ready stance as the skinny unicorn-ish ghoul moved past a complete but inactive robobrain with what I could see was a unicorn skull strapped to it. The ghouls didn't seem hostile in fact a glance to my EFS told me he wasn't as he waved a hoof around the room, “production is a little slow recently, but I assure you that we will have our workers moving with some enthusiasm with our…” he half danced over to the robot with the skull and draped a hoof around it and waved his other hoof out, “PRODUCTION GRAND PRIZE!”

I looked lost for several moments then glanced around the room to see what he was talking about. Bubble below me gave a soft squeak and I looked under me at her. She looked terrified but swallowed hard, “s… sometimes ghouls are still ok… well… sort of.”

I looked back at the ghoul pony who was still posing with the robot and cleared my throat, “G… grand Prize?”

He looked at me cocking his head, “oh? You don't know?” he looks to the robot and gave a smile and nods, “quite right! I agree fully Brother!” he let's go of the robot and trots over to a picture on the wall. His horn lights up with a sour apple green color and the picture on the wall becomes enveloped with the same glow and is lifted away and set down. I didn't quite realize I was watching with interest and awe at the magic until Bubble poked my leg. When I looked to her she just rolled her eyes and I gave a weak smile.

I sat down feeling like we were in no immediate danger and put a hoof around Bubble to keep her feeling safe as the ghoul pony worked the safe to open it. I cocked an eyebrow frowning slightly as the pony in my head asked, ‘haven't you seen him before?’

Ghoul pony frowned slightly, “oh… it's not here anymore…,” he looked to the robot for a few seconds and smiled and nodded, “an now excellent idea Flim! An excellent idea!” his horn glowed and something inside the safe illuminated and out floated a weapon that made my eyes go wide. He smiled grinning ear to ear, “this little beauty,” he chuckled as he levitated a sleek black pistol with a long barrel. The grip looked comfy and the trigger was pressed by the tongue. At least that is what I could see from my point of view when it levitated up in front of me, I could see the gold writing on the side of the pistol, “Secret…” the ghoul pony said smiling at my reaction.

I held my hooves up and he lowered it into my hooves where I could see more. The attachment was a silencer and from what I could see the weapon was a 10mm pistol, had a simple clip,which I smiled at as I slid it out and checked that it was not fully loaded, and the condition compared to anything else I have seen was beautiful.

The ghoul pony smiled as well, “this little piece is from our personal collection that we have been building and creating. We will use this one instead of what we were going to use. It was one of our first weapons we received, but Flim thought it best to continue on.”

“Flim?” he nodded and pointed to the pony skull. I looked at it for a long few seconds before my heart sank. I glanced at Bubble who seemed to have come to the same conclusion. I looked back up, “Flam… that's… that's not your brother…”

Something changed in his expression but I couldn't tell as it passed almost instantly, “what are you talking about?” he trotted over to the robot and dropped a hoof over it again and in a song like tune he said, “He's Flim.” he glanced at the robot which I was thinking he could hear it sing to and really thought it was his brother. He opened his mouth yelling in a sing song style again, “AND WE ARE THE AMAZING FLIM FLAM BROTHERS!”

the song was one sided for us and didn't make sense. I felt a little sad as I watched as he started to converse with the robot about certain ponies who may win the beautiful pistol. I looked to Bubble who looked up for a second and I knew what I needed to do. I needed to bring him to his real brother but I wasn't sure how to do that with the way blocked but I had to… I needed to give him real closure.

I stood up and walked to the pony and placed a hoof on his shoulder, “Flim… please… can you meet me back at you original office?” seeing him looking a little confused I stalled, “alone… it's… it's important.”

His face slowly fell into a small frown but he nodded, “yes… give me a moment… I have a way to get up there from here but others are not allowed to know about it.” he levitated the gun up and turned to the singular desk in the room and reached a hoof under it and I heard a click. A door slid open showing a much smaller looking elevator. He turned, “normally this is for my brother and I but he agreed to let you up as well since you seem serious.”

We stepped into the elevator and Bubble ran to me and stood under me as the door closed and it started to rise. I noticed the pistol was still in his levitation field but something was nagging my head, “why haven't you used this until now?”

He chuckled, “well the lock down keeps anyone from going up or down until it's ended and it seems that it was finally lifted by someone since you arrived.”

I didn't want to tell him yet that it was I who lifted it, not until he saw what happened to everything in that time and the thing he really needed to see. When the door opened again we stepped back into the mirror room and he moved into it frowning a little, “this place is a mess… Miss Duster will be getting a letter of complaint for her inability to keep things clean.” he set the pistol on the table in the center of the room before turning to me and frowning, “now… what did you need me for?”

I sighed lowering my head so Bubble could nuzzle under my chin her expression heartbreaking. She gave a sniff and I lifted my head, “could… could you please look over at the desk…” I said pointing a wing to the desk with the working terminal and skeleton.

He glanced over to it then back cocking an eyebrow. He didn't say anything but slowly looked back before walking over to the desk. When he reached the desk he took a step back at the sight his eyes going wide, “w… what… who…,” his tone was scared and was looking for an explanation.

I sighed nudging for Bubble to get onto the couch which she walked to and jumped up into before laying down and curling up into a small ball. I gave her a soft smile and then walked over to the nice ghoul pony my smile fading. When I reached him I could see emotions fighting for a proper place and when I placed a hoof on his shoulder he jumped and looked at me I didn't want to tell him or to show him but if not me then who… Bubble Gum? I'd never put her through that if I could help it.

“Flim… this… this is Flam…” I said in a quiet voice.

The ghoul pony stepped back away from me shaking his head, “n… no… that's,” he looked back to the skeleton. He stared for several minutes before he walked slowly to it his tone telling me his heart was breaking but her couldn't cry because his new body wouldn't allow him to, “I… I guess I always knew.” He slowly reached the skeleton and rested a hoof on its head just under its horn, “so… so the zebras won did they?” he asked me giving a small glance.

I shook my head sitting down, “no… from what I understand from my history books the zebras destroyed Equestria… well most of it and we did equal to them and their lands.” I swallowed hard, “that… that was 200 years ago.”

His eyes widened in shock, “ev… everything is gone? Everypony is dead?”

I shook my head once again but this time I gave a small smile, “no again… ponies have been able to survive if barely… there are ponies out there who that I have seen are fighting with the Equestrian Wasteland to survive along with the horrors that came from its creation.” he looked ready to die as he hung his head close to his brothers skeleton. I frowned but I stood back up and walked over to him, “Flim… he left a message on the terminal for you,” I watched him glance at it, “he told you not to be mad with his or anyone else as his last request and I think I know why.” His gaze turned to me and I placed another hoof gently on his shoulder, “because if you managed to get out and survive the attack he wanted you too…” Looking at his expression I sighed, “well… I'm not sure… to go on? I can only give what I think and thats-”

“No…” The tone was not mad and it wasn't quite sad, full of a hurt that would take years to go away, but not quite sad, “i know fully well what and why he did what he did,” he turned to me and gave a sad smile, “but thank you… Mr?”

I felt a smile spread across my face despite my insides telling me it was not quite the time to be happy, “I'm Splitstream,” pointing to the couch, “the filly is Bubble Gum.”

She peeked up over the back of the couch and he gave her a small smile and a nod before looking back to me his horn glowing, “Well Splitstream!” he said masking his heartbreak rather well as the pistol levitated between us, “i think you have just helped me more than anypony has… you win!”

I looked at the gun then back, “are… are you sure? It was both you and your brothers first gun.”

He nodded and pushed it into my muzzle smiling, “after all… no… we have done… I may not use a weapon for the right reasons. I have much to do now that I am free and much to learn and I fear that a weapon will make that dramatically short.” His tone carried a promise of something that I both felt he deserved but at the same time he thought his brother would not appreciate if they met again. He stepped back and headed to the open elevator door and glanced back, “i have a few ideas… and I will do what I can from here on out.” He turned to face me a small smile on his face, “please come by and visit sometime.”

I took the pistol from my muzzle and gave a sharp nod, “make sure you impress me when I get back.”

He gave a small chuckle and swept into a low bow with a swing of his hoof, “Good sir!” he smiled and looked back up at me, “i always impress.” With that he pressed the button again and the door closed back hiding the elevator once again.

I walked over to Bubble Gum who was not leaning on the back of the couch watching since I mentioned her. I lowered my wing down and allowed her to climb back up onto my back noticing that she had tied the jacket around her as to not lose it. She fixed herself a comfy spot to lay down and I started back out holding the pistol in my teeth.

The gun was light and it's mouth guard grip felt comfortable in my teeth. I only had the 10 rounds in the clip so I didn't want to test the accuracy of the weapon yet, but I really wanted to see how well it shot and if I could even hit anything.

“Will he be alright?,” Bubble asked her tone small and a little shaky.

I turned and gave her a small smile, “you know what… I think so,” she gave a small smile of her own. I looked back into the room as I started to descend the stairs, “it will take him a little while to cope… but I think he can and will pull through.”

She sighed softly, “yeah… I think so too.”

We made our way down to the showroom floor and I got to take a good look around now that the security was down, ‘This would have made a nice place to visit and look around,’ I thought as I exited the door back into the wasteland, ‘but… it still could be… with time,’ the pony in my head said making me smile, “yeah… i guess it could.”

Chapter 8

The spine of the little bug thing that shot at me, bounced off my armored wing as I raised it to block the projectile. I didn't want to know if that dart would do anything more than sting but I wasn't about to find out as I gripped Secret in my teeth and took aim and gently squeezed the trigger. The slight pfft the gun made was misleading as the bullet struck the little bug and popped it into little pieces of green gore.

“Is it dead?” Bubble called from behind a small mound of rubble, what used to be the face of the building we wanted to look into.

We had only just made it out of Flim and Flam’s factory, but already we decided to check out some of the nearby buildings, which I was glad for having found an old pistol holster that, with a little work, I managed to fit Secret for now so I had easier access to my new gun. The police station that I found it in was ransacked heavily except for some more rounds for my pistol and miscellaneous junk that Bubble suggested would be worth something to somepony. So we got a few hoof cuffs, some scrap metal and something that I was surprised to find intact, a spark battery.

The building next to it, which by my best guess, was or used to be a corner store, which had bugs all over it. The flying ones reminded me of the metal thing that Watcher guy was talking to me through but horribly mutated, but luckily they didn't seem very strong and their main and only tactic was float around and shoot weird darts at living things.

I holstered my pistol and turned to face her, “yeah sweetie… come on out.”

Things between Bubble and I had changed dramatically since our adventure inside Flim and Flam’s. I wasn't sure if Bubble being with me is a good idea still… but I did not want to leave her alone or with anypony I personally didn't trust.

I smiled as she made her way over the rubble carefully as to not slip and fall. She glanced up at me and frowned, “what's so funny?”

I shook my head, “just thinking…” I turned to walk into the corner store but found myself muzzle to plate… grill… face thing of another one of those stupid little floating robots. To my credit I felt quite proud to not have jumped back from the surprise but at the same time I was feeling annoyed now.

It sat hovering with tiny wings just staring at me not moving or doing anything for several seconds before the voice of Watcher crackled from the sprite bots speakers, “well… I am impressed… you and the filly are not dead.”

I could tell, even with the lack of tone from the robot, he was being quite sarcastic and I was not in the mood for this. I glared at the robot, “and you're still useless… shocker,”

Bubble moved up next to me eyeing the Sprite bot clearly confused, “uh… Split?”

The bot gave me a static-y growl before pulling back and floating down to Bubbles level, “are you ok littl-”

Bubble moved away and behind my forelegs to try and hide from it. She peaked out at it frowning, “what's going on Split? Why is it talking?”

I felt my muzzle spread into a confident smirk and bent down a little and gently stroked her mane, “it's ok sweetie… there are some ponies out there that try to act tough but they can't really do anything,” I stood up straight as she looked to me as I shot the sprite bot a glare, “he is such a pony.”

The sprite bot advanced on me but I stood my ground and the speaker crackled, “such a tough little buck aren't you? Ok… ok… let's see what kind of thoughtful little buck you are shall we?”

I cocked my eyebrow before it backed up slightly and turned to face past the buildings, which was south according to my EFS compass. I frowned, “what are you talking about you little bug?”

“If you walk South from here you will find a small slaver camp. They have cages with ponies in them,” he said before turning back to me, “I tried to… um… I tried something else to a much better pony and she was quick to figure it out so I'm going to be straight with you. Can you save them?”

I sat there staring for a little bit, “are… are you fucking insane?!” I took a step forward and was surprised to see the sprite bot back peddle, “you want me to go into a slaver camp…”

“So you are a cowar-” he tried to interrupt me but I cut him off pointing to Bubble.

“You want me to go into a slaver camp with a little filly?!” I frowned deeply, “I'd love to go save them… but you don't seem like a great foal sitter right now.”

The sprite bot hovered for a few seconds before finally saying, “I… I'm sorry… I'm not used to seeing a pony that would help a filly…”

I growled, “bullshit!” The sprite bot shifted back as my eyes narrowed, “you don't want to get your hooves dirty so you want me to… and if she ends up captured, hurt or worse then you can blame me fully!” I took a step forward, “why don't you he-”

The sprite bot made a static popping noise then turned and bobbed away with its overly happy and bouncing tuba. I watched it before pulling out my pistol and taking aim and sending a round into it. I was surprised when it sparked, popped then exploded but I felt better and slid my pistol into my holster.

Bubble tapped my leg and I looked down at her, “we are still going to help though… right?”

I smiled, “don't worry sweetie… I'm not letting ponies get away with selling other ponies.” I looked into the corner store and sighed, “hopefully no one finds this place before we get back.”

With that I lay down and let Bubble climb onto my back and get comfortable before standing and started off at a quick gallop. Bubble held on tightly and I felt her lean her head so she could see ahead, “who was that Split? I have seen a lot of those Sprite bots but they never talk.”

“I wish I knew…” I said frowning a little, because honestly I really wish I did.

She leaned forward pointing a hoof suddenly, “there!”

I skidded to a stop feeling very exposed in the open as I spotted the fires and the large wagon type cages of the camp. I quickly glanced around looking for something to hide me from view and spotted the shack off to the right. I hurried over to it, jumping over small islands of rotting and brittle plants, my hooves clattering on broken concrete.

“Wait….” I looked down at the concrete for a second then around taking the area in more now that the shack at least blocked my view from the camp. Glancing down at my pip-buck and noticed on the map that it had another location marked right where I was standing, “New Gardens…” I said with a frown, “wow… informative.”

Bubble slid down off my back and onto one of the raised islands and looked at the dead brown grass in it, “don't gardens grow food?” She looked back up to me confused, “why is this one special?”

I nudged her to the shack with a hoof and then followed behind, “back before the war… ponies had all kinds of plants grown so others could see what they looked like,” I said almost robotic like thinking from the books. As she neared the shack, she reached up and opened the door and trotted inside.

I stopped short as a memory hit me…

“What's this mommy?” a younger me asked sitting with my mother curled up on the floor. My hoof reached up and pointed at the picture of a cartoon pony walking down a trail with all kinds of beautiful flowers.

I looked up at her and she smiled gently, her deep blue eyes, much like mine, filled with kindness and love, gazed back down at me. Her violet mane tied back in a tight bun made her look very professional but still quite pretty. She wore her stress well as her job made time like this hard, as she had to be a pony that was looked to for guidance as well as being a loving mother. The soft bags under her eyes showed that she was tired but she wasn't about to leave me alone again so soon.

She gave a soft giggle and ran a hoof through my spiked back mane, “that's a garden sweetie… ponies love to grow flowers not only to eat but to look at.”

I smiled, “can I see one?”

She opened her mouth to answer but the door opened suddenly, “Ma’am… it's urgent… it's about your husband.”

******

“SPLIT!” Bubble yelled, pushing on my forelegs, sounding worried.

I shook my head and focused on the filly, “what's wrong Bubble?” I instantly started to look around taking a battle stance, “somepony coming?”

“You… you were crying… and just staring…” She whimpered softly causing me to slowly look down at her. She looked up at me with big wet eyes, “I… I thought...”

I sighed and put a hoof behind her and guided her into the shack… or better described from what I could see… a shed… with a bed in it.

‘Must be for quick naps,’ the pony in my head guessed.

I leaned down and scooped the filly up and set her on the bed. She sniffed a little and I could still see that her face was wet. I brought my leg up and rubbed my face then looked back at her, I took notice of the wet streaks on the metal of my armor. I sat down and tried to put together why I had stopped.

Finally I looked to her, “I lost my mother when I was young too,” Bubble’s eyes widened with surprise but I smiled and shook my head, “nothing like how you did sweetie… I lost her because of my dead beat dad and her job. She always juggled between being my mother and helping the pegasi.” I hung my head so I didn't glare at her as the next part was my least favorite memory, “my father choose to leave and drop down below the cloud and become a Dashite instead of caring for his son and wife. When he did that everything went to hell for me and my mother… she did what she could but ended up giving me to close family to be cared for as she focused her time in finding and punishing Dashites… I… I was not much older than you at the time.”

I looked to her with a sigh as she rubbed her eyes, “and… you started crying because you were thinking about her?” I nodded and she looked down. She shifted uncomfortably before looking up, “so that means she loves you still right?”

I winced and felt something cold grab my heart, “I… really don't know… if I had to guess after what happened… probably not.”

Bubble shook her head, “mommies always love their foals… that's what my mommy said.”

I gave her a small smile, “yeah… I guess you're right,” but I really didn't believe it… she sacrificed much to get me the best training and schooling and I repaid her by… no… I shook my head I don't think my mother would have liked to have heard that I killed a filly orders or not… but it was moot point as I would never gotten the chance to ask her personally again.

I stood up tall and glanced around the room at all of the crates, gardening equipment and the single bed in the room. Many of the tools seemed too rusted to even look at without it breaking. I could guess that the boxes held only rotting gardening supplies and with a flick of my wing my guess was confirmed as the nearest box had a couple bags of very old fertilizer.

I shook my head and glanced around taking note of the lack of windows before looking back to Bubble Gum, “ok sweetie… you're not gonna like wh-”

“You want me to stay here while you save them?” She said with a grin, “just hurry back and… and be safe.”

I nodded and turned, walking to the door, stopping to look back at her, “can you hide until I get back… just in case… and don't say anything or come out until I get back.”

She nodded and hopped down from the bed and wiggled under said bed, sliding behind a crate under it. I saw her peek out slightly and I nodded, feeling confident no pony would see her until I came back. I turned and walked back into the dead garden, closing the door behind me. I glanced skyward when a rumble from the darkening clouds threatened rain soon. I stuck my wings out and jumped into the air climbing quickly until the moist kiss of the clouds touched my face. A smile spread across my face because I have to admit, I missed the feel of the clouds and the air under my wings but right now… I had ponies to save.

I looked down at the camp seeing 6 ponies moving around going from cage to cage and a final pony close to a large fire. I tilted my wings and lowered down slowly to get a better look. It seemed that they never expected anyone to attack from above as they looked around the horizon waiting for something. I could now make out 5 of the slavers were stallions and the last was a mare… I think… ponies in the cage were of all ages and genders and seeing the foals in the cages made me see red… no really… the pony by the fire now that I was close enough was a red mare tied to a post. She kept looking to the slavers and to the ground letting her braided white with a red striped mane drop into the dirt. Her tail was equally as braided and was covered in dirt as she laid by the post. I could also see that she was a unicorn and I must say… very attractive.

Her ears folded back and she looked up at me her beautiful emerald eyes going wide at my sight. She stood up and I raised a hoof to my lips and pointed to the slavers wandering around obliviously. She looked to the then back with a small nod then slowly sat back down and lifted her hoof like it was hurt and gave a squeal of pain.

The slavers moved to her… well most of them as two stayed back and watched. I grinned and dove down heading to one of them landing with a soft thump behind a stallion with a light gray coat and ugly green mane, which was slicked back with grease from the lack of care. His cutie mark was a pair of hoof cuffs crossed and I almost thought that the other lines on his flank were part of it too but I reasoned instead that they were whip scars as they were spread almost from the back of his hooves to his mid back and probably further if his vest didn't cover it. He was wielding a pistol like mine except in such horrible condition I'm sure it would blow up in his face if he shot it.

His ear twitched after my landing and he slowly looked back in time for my wing blade to stop inches from his eyes that instantly widened. I gave a smile and spoke low, “you want to walk away from here?” he nodded quickly so I continued, “drop the pistol.” His mouth opened and it fell to the ground with a small clatter. I lowered my wing, “get the fuck out of-”

BOOM!

His head spattered over my face and chest making me stagger back in shock. I could feel hot sticky blood dripping into my mouth and eyes as the other stallion held a large two barreled gun floating in a red glow. He was a unicorn and was almost black with a dull purple mane and tail. His deep red-orange eyes narrowed at me as he snarled, “traitors don't get to walk away… and neither will you!”

The gun roared again as I lifted my wing to block some of the hit. I felt many hits on my wing and legs but luckily there was not much power from the weapon even from the lack of distance we had between each other. I lowered my wing when I heard the weapon snap as he tried to hurry and load it again, ‘two shots… reload…’ my head pony smirked. I smirked as well and leveled my pistol, his eyes went wide just as the weapon snapped close.

I didn't want him to get another two shots on me so I activated my S.A.T.S (Stable-Tech Arcane Targeting Spell) and time slowed to almost a halt instantly. This allowed me to target different body parts of the pony, such as head legs torso, and gave me chances of hitting where I aimed. It also kept track of how long the spell would last between each shot and with my pistol I got 4 solid shots into his face… well I got 2 of the shots in as I targeted his head and fired the 4 shots. The first shot bounced off the gun he had and the next went wide but the third dug into his left eye and the last created a small hole that drove through just under his horn and out the other side.

I saw three more stallions running in my direction as the one I shot fell. Another unicorn pulled up a long rifle and took aim so I scrambled, diving behind one of the empty caged wagons…. Wait… I looked up into the cage and my eyes widened, the bullet that sparked off one of the bars made me drop back down.

“Empty?” one of the stallions peered around the side of the cage a baseball bat in his jaws and I popped into SATS and fired two rounds into his head. As he dropped the next ran around levitating a sledgehammer up before I could react. The hit from a bigger pony might have broken my back if it weren't for my armor, as he slammed it down, making the metal on my back spark with a small flash, but I just sucked a breath in through my teeth and spun, bringing my wing around to block another swing. The handle hit my blade and the head rolled down my wing and fell to the ground with a dull thud. He roared and tried to tackle into me and I ran at him, a smile spreading across my face. If he wanted to go hoof to hoof he would soon learn what my specialty was.

Just as we reached each other he struck out with a hoof that had a shoe on it that came to a sharp point like a wedge. I ducked to the side while I turned my body to face the blow and with a fluid motion I punched a hoof up just below the joint and held the pointed hoof with the other. There was a loud pop and then his scream filled the air as I pushed the joint to bend the wrong way and then separate. I turned away not letting go of his leg and with a kick of my back leg and pulling on the limb, flipped him up and over and slammed him hard onto the ground. I winced as a loud crack made the final stallion stop and stare at the buck.

The buck stared into the sky wide eyed, “I… I…”

The other buck ran up next to him, “Hammer!” I backed up realizing what I slammed his spine on and probably snapped it like a twig. He looked at me as the final stallion and the dirty mare peeked around the wagon as well. They looked at me and I lowered myself down to a fighting stance but they just walked to the paralyzed buck.

Why was I feeling bad as I watched them try and tell him to not move, promising they would get him to safety as soon as they could. I would wince when he screamed in pain when they tried to move him and I bent down and lifted Secret from the dirt and set one of the potions, a syringe of pain killer and the bottle of buck on the floor. The mare glanced at the supplies and then to me but I just closed my eyes and moved away and to the mare that was tied up.

I could feel it deep inside my gut that something was not adding up right and as I moved to her I glanced at the other two caged wagons noting that only one had ponies in it and that there were no foals of any age in them. The stallions and mares looked dirty but quite healthy as they watched me almost sadly.

‘Probably given up hope,’ the pony in my head guess which I figured had to be the case but I had to get to the mare first.

She was laying on the ground with a bridal around her muzzle and tied to the stake. She had fresh bruises on her cheeks and tears rolling down her face. She looked to me her eyes going wide with hope, “a… are… are you real?” She asked with a small country drawl.

I looked to her horn which had a soft green glow around it with a thick black band around it. I ground my teeth in anger, “I guess that prevents you from using magic?” Her eyes glanced up as she tilted her head back slightly, she then looked back with a nod. I moved up to her smelling a sweet smell of mint coming from her and looked at the band. I swallowed hard, “how do I get it off?”

‘Please tell me how to get that thing of-’ I slammed my head against the stake my cheeks turning bright red.

She cocked an eyebrow looking both worried and confused, “are you okay?”

Even her country accent made my heart skip a beat. I lifted my hoof to rub my head where I hit myself, “y… yeah… just… something on my mind… wrong place wrong time.”

She cocked her head confused but then shook her head, “al’right… it's a ring… it jus’ slips on an’ off… it's a bit stuck so you may have to pull it off for me.”

watched as her cheeks grew a bit brighter in red as she said so. I looked at the horn and looked at my hooves, ‘too big….’ I lifted a wing and glanced at it, ‘not strong enough to pull that off…’ I looked and swallowed, “only one option…” I glanced at her and she looked a little scared, “are… are unicorn horns sensitive?” I leaned close and she lowered her head so that her horn was pointing at me. She gave a small nod and swallowed hard, “i was afraid of that…”

I opened my mouth and took the horn into my mouth. Not wanting to bite down I felt for the metal with my tongue and when I slid it down her horn she gave a small shudder and whimpered. I couldn't tell right away if it was out of fear or…. Something else. I felt the metal on my tongue and gently lowered my teeth onto the metal ring.

I stood with my legs apart and said around her horn making her shudder again, “ready?”

She gave a weak and timid, “mhmm.”

I swallowed and took a deep breath, “one…. Two….” I felt her tense up and I but down hard on the metal ring, “THREE!” I the started to pull back. She let out a scream as she pulled back.

The ring was quite stuck but it suddenly jarred as she fell back, the band letting her horn free. I felt something shoot into my mouth that had a minty after taste as I fell back landing on my butt hard. I spit the metal ring to the ground and licked the inside of my mouth looking at the end of my nose. I opened my mouth to say something but whatever was on my mind flashed away as she pressed her mouth to mine. I felt her work my tongue for a few seconds as mine eyes were wide.

It took me a few minutes for my brain to catch up and by the time she did she had separated from me and lowered her head slightly, “s…. Sorry… I… I just… didn’ think anypony would save me.”

I rubbed my tongue in my mouth as the minty taste lingered after the kiss, “no… that… that was…” I looked up at her and my head swam. I shook my head to steady myself as I felt a smile spread across my face. I looked at her, she looked amazing as she gazed back with her braided white mane drooped over her shoulder and her brilliant green eyes looked longingly back at me. I could see the small freckles that spread from one cheek across her nose to the other cheek. The bridal covered some of them and I felt a twang of anger at that. I lifted my wing as she looked at it in surprise and awe.

“Wh… wha’ are you…” The blade of my wing gently brushed against her cheek making her eyes go wide but she relaxed before she tensed as I brought the bridal off with an easy pull. She wiggled her nose cutely before giving me a stunning smile, “Thank you…” She pawed a hoof in the dirty glancing down at it, “um… I…” She looked at me with only her eyes, “I'm Peppermint Candy.”

I chuckled slightly, “yes you are.” she giggled and I felt that I could sit and listen to that giggle forever. I shook my head a little, “uh… Splitstream…”

Something in my head was telling me something that I almost forgot, ‘the slaves!’

I stood up suddenly and swayed a little, “I… I almost forgot!”

She stood up and her horn lit up and held me steady, “are you al’right?”

I swallowed and pointed in the direction of the shack, “there… there is a building over there… meet me there… I'll be right back.”

Her eyes went wide, “you haven’ finished off the slavers yet!” She stood and looking in the direction I had come from, “I… I need to hurry!” She looked at me, “please… please end their evil… please!”

I gave a small nod and she took a few steps back then turned and ran in the direction of the shack. I stood there for a few seconds watching that sweet flank run until she was out of sight. With a deep regretful sigh I walked to the cage that the slaves sat in watching me. I lifted up a bobby pin and looked at the… three… three… locks… I grimaced because I knew if I failed too many times… they were screwed.

“Hey!” a stallions voice called from next to me and I looked to see the one stallion I had yet to fight standing there with his legs spread. I stood and faced him lowering my head ready to fight… I just wish he stood still enough for me to go after him. He reached back and pulled out a pink tin and a yellow tin and threw them down at my hooves. He glared, “you helped my brother and my sister said we needed to return the favor… take the yellow one first.” he said pointing at the tins with a hoof. Was he blue? No green… purplish maybe? He lowered his hoof, “we are square… just… leave us alone.” he gave a snort, clearly wanting to fight but he turned and walked to the waiting mare.

I stood watching them as the mare fully lifted the injured buck onto one of the cages and walked off. I looked at the tins frowning, “fixer?” I didn't need to be fixed… did I? I walked over and opened the tin and sniffed then smiled brightly, “Minty!” I took one of the tablets into my mouth and chewed before swallowing, “wow these tasted…” My vision focused almost instantly and my taste fixed itself and what I thought was a minty tablet now tasted like I just licked the bottom of my armored hoof. I licked my lips wanting to get rid of the taste.

“We didn't get a chance before we got hit with the same spell… she uses different techniques for each pony she lures in.” I looked up at where the voice came from and noticed one of the bucks was leaning his hooves out of the cage looking at me with simmering anger. I guess I looked as confused as I felt as he pointed to the pink tin, “take one of those and we can talk.”

I looked down at it and read, “Mintals?” and lifted the tin opening it and looking at the tablets that looked a little like chalk. A minty smell reached my nose as I held it in front of me and I wrinkled my nose not sure about this.

“She learned how the mints worked and was able to create a spell that was basically the opposite… the only way to get it to work is having a pony swallow the spell… that's why Fixers… well… fix it,” he said watching me.

I frowned and looked back, “i don't need these… do i?”

“You do if you want to be able to fool her so you can get close enough to get back at her.”

I sighed and licked up one of the tablets and chewed quickly and swallowed. What happened next was nothing short of amazing. I could taste the difference in the chemicals in the tablets and my wings tingled as the clouds boomed closer signaling my brain that we had maybe 20 minutes before it was going to rain. I also knew in my head that I was going to get her back with her own ability… but first.

I looked to the cage and with my drug enhanced brain was able to see that these ponies were quite healthy looking and strong, ‘the perfect slaves,’ my brain teased and I went to the single lock and lifted the bobby pin and smiled.

As soon as they were out they went to the dead ponies I had killed and began to take the things they had as the stallion that was talking to me stood before me. He was about my height and looked like a buck I could go hoof to hoof with and the winner would be questionable. He had a Sandy colored mane and tail with hard teal eyes and a drake brown coat. He held a hoof out and I bumped a armored hoof against it as he smiled, “Thank you friend… my name it Tow Cable.”

I grinned back, “Splitstream… or Split.”

“Well Split… we owe you quite a bit… you gave us a chance that many do not.” he looked back at the other four ponies, two mares and two stallions as they looted the dead ponies.

I watched as they picked up the supplies that seemed hardly worth a single pony to take and frowned, “no… not yet.” he looked at me confused and I pointed my wing back to the direction of the corner store, “i just cleared out a small store that looks like a good place to get supplies… go for it… you could use it.”

He looked at the direction and then to me cocking an eyebrow, “why?”

I shrugged, “because… I have a little filly that would tell me to.”

I stared at me for several moments before one of the mares came up next other him, “hey Tow… let's go!”

He stared at me, “lets… go this way… I have a feeling it may be worth it.”

He slowly started to walk away heading in the direction I came the mare following. The 2 stallions and the other mare trotted by with everything the dead ponies had. The mare stopped her light purple mane cropped short and her pink eyes popping with a silver gray coat as she smiled at me, “when you’re done with her I can make you happy handsome,” she finished with a small wink and trotted off after the others.

I sat watching my face feeling a bit warm now and I had to cover my face as my head was matching her hip sway. I sighed and stood looking to the shack and I narrowed my eyes, starting to walk towards it. As I walked my mind wandered to why I was watching her flanks as she walked away. I frowned and looked up, “she was cute but… but I wasn't desperate… was I?” I shook my head, “No… that's not it… but… why was I suddenly so deeply wanting to please a mare?”

‘In more than one way,’ I thought frowning and shaking my head. Peppermint was an obvious reason why… she was a unicorn… I never seen magic like what she could do…, ‘Did do,’ the pony in my head reminded me.

I nodded with an anger growing inside and I shook the thought from my head as I reached the door. I could hear her on the other side talking to herself suggesting she didn't know Bubble was under the bed. I wanted her to pay for tricking me and I smirked as I thought about taking her horn off with my wings blades, but I think she needed to have a taste of her own medicine.

I opened the door and she looked back over her shoulder with her front hooves on the bed. I looked down from her back tracing her spine with my eyes right to her flanks. There was no doubt she was extremely attractive and I would have loved to show her how high I could have taken her, but I was basically drugged to probably be next in the cage. I walked in as i closed the door with my tail.

She slipped her hooves down and smiled at me as she turned to face me, “you had me worried… I thought they might have hurt you.” Her words were full of honey and promised that would have made my heart flutter but I could see something in her eyes that said I was in her Web. Her horn lit up and I felt something slip through my mane and down my neck that made me close my eyes and sent a shiver down my spine. Her magic traced my armor once it reached the spot on my neck where the armor began, “why don't you climb out of that armor and…” She gasped as she noticed the hole in my armor, “my poor baby… did you get shot recently?” She cooed softly and I saw her horn light up then a sharp pain come from my bullet wound. I hissed in pain as she telekinetically pulled the bullet from my leg making it bleed once again.

“Split!” Bubble shrieked as she wiggled from under the bed and ran over to me.

I sighed, “I'm fine Bubble.” I looked to Peppermint as she back peddled from Bubble Gum like she was a bomb.

Bubble looked at Peppermint glaring, “stay back you bitch!” my eyes widened and I looked at Bubble. Her ears flattened back and she looked up sadly, “she said she was going to make you work!”

“Y… you have… a filly?” Peppermint said with a small whimper. She backed into the bed and slowly backed up onto it.

I leaned down to nuzzle the filly, “don't worry… I'm not going anyplace,” I lifted my head and glared at the mare, “as for you… why does it fucking matter if I have a filly or not? You capture ponies to sell them to-”

She glared at me, “I DON'T CAPTURE FOALS!”

My eyes narrowed dangerously, “so… you leave them to die in the wasteland?”

She recoiled like I struck her her eyes wide, “I… no… no…”

I took a step forward and she backed against the wall, “tell me… how sure are you that every pony you capture doesn't have a foal hiding like I had Bubble hide?”

She shook her head, “no… I… I don't hurt foals… I… I can't,” her eyes began to fill with tears, “I… I know wha’ it's like… to be used at such a young age,” she looked at me pleadingly, “please… don’ kill me…”

I stood there my breathing surprisingly calm after having been almost caught. I thought for a moment, “who were the slavers? A couple of them didn't seem to want any to get away but the last few… seemed close… and the slaves you had… who are they?”

She swallowed, “half of the slavers… they were part of my crew… they knew how to work around my abilities, but they don’ take kindly to cowards and traitors. The rest of them were a family trying to get into something for caps to live on.” I tightened my jaw as I thought that maybe I should have just needed them, but at the same time maybe they would try for another line of work. She continued, “the slaves were ponies like you who tried to help slaves from slaver's. My magic allows me to create illusions so they think that the cages are full. When they seem one defenseless mare tied up in the open they try to help her first… that's when I use my Slave Down spell to make them dumber until we get them locked up.”

“And that's what you did to me… until one of the family I helped gave me a fixer to counter your spell,” I said my eyes narrowing. Her eyes went wider, “One of the slaves told me that you could make a spell that was pretty much the opposite of these mints called Party Time Mintals. So he and the slavers figured that a thing like fixer would counter its effects.” I could feel my senses dulling around me as the PTMs began to wear off, which I was not exactly minding much considering I felt too amazing for it to feel natural.

She looked down at Bubble Gum and then back to me, “so… so what are you going to do?” She still had that country drawl and despite her capturing ponies and not knowing how many families she's destroyed I was torn.

I thought for a moment before looking up with a glare that made her recoil back again to where she was small ball in the back corner of the bed. I growled low and dangerously, “On one wing I want to slice your horn off and take you to the slaves I set free and let them do what they want to you… and considering they know you're here I could just cuff you to the bed and leave you… it's more than what you deserve.” Her pupils shrank as her eyes began to fill with tears but I just glared down at her I'm disgust, “on the other wing,” my wing snapped out with a metallic Shink, “I want to just end you here and now.”

She tried to push back further tears flowing down her face looking like she hoped she would pass through the wall somehow, “please…. Please…” She whimpered over and over.

I folded my wing back up and reached down and gently lifted Bubble Gum in one hoof and held her there looking at the mare on the bed. I then, with a snort of anger, turned and opened the door. I glanced back slightly, “If I find, see or hear about you capturing ponies to sell to other ponies again…” I turned my head more so she could see my face better and so I could see her reaction. I growled with promise, “Celestia and Luna won't be able to put you together again.”

She lowered her head down looking close to wetting herself, and with the sudden smell that hit my nostrils I guessed she had. I didn't wait for a response as I walked out and closed the door with a snap with my tail.

I started to walk back in the direction of the corner store glancing back slightly to see Peppermint sneak out and run back in the direction of the camp. I frowned as I watched her disappear as a sudden BOOM! Shook the wasteland. There was a bright flash and another loud BOOM that made Bubble Gum curled into my chest as I held her and half walked and fluttered my wings to keep her close. I could hear the rain starting to fall around me and when a rather large drop fell onto my nose I decided now was a good time to hurry.

I had just started to get a good gallop in when a red beam of energy struck down in front of me hitting the side of one of the concrete plant holders and scorching it black. I skidded on the wet stone to a stop and looked up. The lightning flashed in time for me to see the sleek black armor of an Enclave pegasus and he had just shot at me. I swallowed hard but he just hovered there staring at me for a few seconds before he dove down at me.

“Shit!” I said in a low voice as I kept my head over Bubble to keep her from getting too wet. The rain was coming down thick and cascaded off my armored wings. The water leaked down the back of my neck soaking my back. My mane hung down soaked with rain water so keeping Bubble Gum dry was almost impossible but I was doing it.

He landed on the ground in front of me but I could not hear the armor hitting the concrete over the rain. He walked up slowly, “why Split… tell me why before I turn you into mud.”

I frowned not taking my eyes off him, “Solar Flare?”

He took a step forward, “yes Split… I was given your position after you betrayed the Enclave… I was then tasked to take you out.” He shifted slightly the rain running down over his visor as he glared at me with his yellow eyes, “I just want to know why you decided to turn your back on…” he looked at my hoof holding Bubble Gum and his eyes went wide. He pointed a wing at her, “Split… who.. what's that?”

I growled, “she's the reason I ran off,” he looked to me shocked, “If I didn't save her Steel was going to have her killed… she was innocent… in fact I'm pretty sure by this point everypony slaughtered at the transmitter was innocent.”

“She's… she's contaminated Split… its… it's a mercy.” he said but his tone didn't carry enough weight for me to believe that he believed that.

I snorted, “answer me… why would I have just given everything I had up to just save a random filly?” he just stared at Bubble so I continued, “Steel is up to something… something that he was either going to use me for or he needed me out of the way for. I don't know what but I'm not just going to kill a filly because he tells me to. She has meant more to me than anyone I knew above the clouds so if you want to try and hurt her or kill me to leave her to her fate,” I lowered her down under me and took a battle stance and he took several steps back, “Then I will end you for trying.”

He looked stunned for several seconds and I took a chance and glanced at Bubble. She was cowering under me holding onto on of my hooves as she looked out at him. Finally he hung his head, “Split… I…” he shook his head then looked up, “fine… I will look into your claims carefully,” he reached back and pulled something out of a saddle pack and tossed it to the ground, “i had a feeling… but I wanted to hear it from you…” he didn’t smile or anything, only continuing to glare, “but if I find out there was nothing and you just lied to me… I'll come find you again and end you.”

I nodded, “Thank you Solar Flare… and… before I can say or do anything… for everything… I… I'm sorry.” he took a step back but gave a sharp nod and with a flap of his wings, took to the air. He stopped just outside of my vision and watched me for a second, then looked up and flew off into the sky.

I sighed and looked down to Bubble, she looked back up, her curly mane drooped back, soaked. I smiled and lifted her up and held her close before moving over and lifting the case up in my teeth. I looked back to the shack looking for a fast way out of the rain and turned to head to it.

Once inside I put Bubble down and she shook sending water all over the place and making me shield it with a wing. She looked up at me and giggled, “hey idiot! You are already wet.”

I lowered my wing and raised an eyebrow at her frowning. Her smile faded at my expression as I looked down at her, “idiot… huh?”

She lowered down and her ears folded back, “Split… I… I didn't mean-” I sat and detached one of my armored boots and held it over her head, turning it over and dumping a good amount of water onto the filly's head. She squealed putting her hooves over her head, “ HEY! S… stop! You big idiot!”

I put my waterless boot back on and gave her a smile as the soaking wet filly just glared up at me. She however smiled back as she started to giggle. I dropped the case to the ground and climbed out of the armor. Every part of me was soaked from my shoulders forward. I took my other boot off and emptied it into the crate I opened before.

Bubble walked over to the case and poked it with a nervous hoof, “so what's in this?”

I looked to it and shrugged, “pop it open… I doubt he would booby trap something if he planned to find me again later.”

She smiled as she worked the latches and I watched carefully just in case. When she finally popped the lid open she took a deep breath in looking at the supplies inside. There was enough rations for several days for a single pony and around 8 bottles of water. My eyes widened as she began to pull things out of it my mind trying to figure out if he had planned for several days out or was he trying to help me. Under the supplies was a compartment that had several spark packs for energy pistols and… and…

Bubble pulled out a circular piece of metal with a cloud and lightening bolt on it and a couple of vials with some kind of chemical inside. She looked at it for several seconds before looking to me, “Split… what’s… this?”

I swallowed hard seeing the metal circle, “remember when I told you about Dashites?” She nodded once and I sighed, “well… this is their mark… either he wants me to burn off my own cutie mark and brand myself or… or he was going to do it himself.” she gasped dropping the brand to the ground with a thud. I looked at it for several seconds before looking back to the box, “anyhow… anything else.” she just looked at me horrified and I sighed again and sat down, “back when the Megaspells destroyed Equestria the pegasi took cover behind the clouds to protect other pegasi and to ensure that we could keep from being attacked. We planned on coming down to save Equestria once we deemed it safe but Rainbow Dash didn't have patients and decided to buck all of us and came down here to save ponies on her own.” I looked at the filly taking a breath, “so anyone deemed a traitor is branded with her cutie mark and often either hunted or just banished.

“But… was she not right in all things considering?” She asked innocently.

I opened my mouth to argue but as I continued to look at her I could see she was right. I was fine and ponies were living even if just. I sighed, “yes but… how good can things be?”

She smiled, “why not turn on the radio and see?” at my confused expression she walked over to a small box with a dial on it close to the bed on the boxes. I looked at it with a confused frown having thought it was just another container with a weird design but she lifted a hoof and hit a button and with a small pop and a static hiss.The room suddenly filled with a beautiful sound of a mare signing about home. I felt a pain in my heart as each note sung seemed to show me something I was missing.

I almost cried for more as the song ended having caught it close to the end, which made my ears drooped. Suddenly a stallions voice came through the speakers in a way that made my ear perk up, “Good Evening! This is DJ pon-3 how is everypony doing? Before I set you up with your nightly music some last pieces of news for you. I can't say I have anymore about the mare that cleared out the raiders in Ponyville and saved the ponies inside but I do have a little news about something out west. Ponies talked about a odd lightning flash streak across the sky a few days ago. Could it be an odd storm? New weapon? Who knows my little ponies but the small settlement made in the transmitting station out that way went completely dark. Nothing there but a few glowing piles of ash. So I want you ponies out close to Las pegasus to be careful. Now… don't think I'm going to give you bad news without a little good! Apparently there is a black metal winged pony out there who has a little bit of a conscious. He went into a raiders home only to save the captives they had from a fate worse than death though I guess it would eventually be death for them if he hadn't come by. The story goes that he had saved them without any reward and even yelled at the raiders that they were messed up. Well Metal Wings… I won't disagree and please… keep on fighting for ponies who need it and I will help by spreading the truth for everypony to drink up and help keep a smile on their faces. That's all I have for now my little ponies and I hope I will have more for you in the morning so stay safe and I will let the sweet melody of Sweetie Belle start off tonight's stretch. Stay safe Equestria and Goodnight!” the radio then started to play a song that made my head bob from side to side.

Bubble switched it off with a smile, “looks like you might be getting a fan!”

I snorted, “he said a pony with metal wings,” I held up my wing with a smirk, “clearly which I do not have.”

Bubble frowned and trotted over to my armor then turned to face me. She frowned and raised an eyebrow before lifting her back leg and kicking it making the closest wing armor slide open. I looked at it for a long second then face hoofed, “damn it!”

She trotted over, “what's wrong?” She leaned her hooves on my leg to lean closer, “it was all true.”

I rolled my eyes, “yes… but it missed the part that I got their foal killed because I wasn't taking it seriously.” I sighed deeply, “They could… no… they should have told him the whole story.”

“But… but you got the a filly who needed a family and making you out to be a hero gives ponies hope!” She said with a big smile.

I let out a deep sigh, “I am still hardly a hero… hell you heard Solar Flare.”

She smiled a little, “you saved a bunch of ponies just now… and back at the raider camp… and… and me.” I flinched a little my ears standing up straight looking at her in surprise. She was right and I knew she was right but I didn't want to feel like something special when any pony should be helping others out.

I looked to the ceiling, “Then again… ponies are not suppose to be selling other ponies against their will to other ponies.” I hang my head in defeat, “I guess you're right…”

Bubble then walks over and nuzzles against my leg making me look at her. She looks up her ears back, “Is it a bad thing?”

‘Well is it?’ the pony in my head asked.

I give her a small smile and shake my head reaching a wing around and letting her nuzzle against the feathers she likes, “no… I suppose not,” my ears swiveled around as I listened for the rain and it sounded like the rain at least let up for us to get to the bar so I stood up and walked to my armor.

I frowned looking at it as it was now quite scratched and dented now. It had a few holes where it should not have any. It also had dark red and brown streaks from blood streaking the black metal. The blades of the wings were the only part that should have had dried blood on them but they looked as new as the day I got the armor. I lifted a hoof and rubbed my chin thinking how expertly crafted they were.

I shrugged and using my pip-buck got back into my armor which was still damp but there were no small lakes in my boots. It should be dry in a bit if the rain was only a slight drizzle. I then scooped up the supplies and slid them into my saddlebags and before I turned to walk out and glanced down at the Dashite brand. I stared at it for a long time before sighing and lifting the brand and dropped it into my saddlebag. Looking to Bubble I smiled and opened the door and held a wing over her as I gently pushed the filly out with a hoof.

“Come one Bubble… we have to get going. I don't trust this place as a place to rest,” she nodded and walked out, keeping under my outstretched wing. With that we made our way back to the corner store and took a peek inside. The slaves… well ex slaves cleaned it out and already left.

I smiled and turned to head in the direction of the bar when the note caught my eye. I smiled at it and picked it up as it read, Split… we owe you a lot more than you realize. I have a feeling you let that bitch go but for some reason I can't help but trust your decision on this. If you ever need help come by Friendship City and ask for Flack I'll be waiting to hear from you. P.S. Sugar Sweet said you better look her up if you come by too. Said she wants to thank you personally. You Lucky Buck… anyhow thanks for everything, Flack.

I couldn't help but chuckle as I slid the note into my saddlebag and turned and lead Bubble back onto the road where we started heading to the bar, hoping that it was the last thing we would find before we get into anymore trouble. However with my luck I was either going to run into a super deadly monster pony or the bar was going to be some kind of death trap, but we would not know until we got there.

Chapter 9

I stood on the wet road looking at the rather large 2 story building with a sign that was covered with small lights, “Lucky's Tavern?” I said looking up at it. Most of the letters were from other signs as the big L was fancy but U and the C were these small yellow letters. The K and Y looked like they were hoof written in and the S was just spray painted on a large piece of wood with a light shining down over onto it. The Tavern part of the sign suggests that either he found a sign with an instant Tavern painted on it with a big 4 leaf clover on it, that was nicely outlined with some kind of lights, or this may have been a Tavern at one point. The building seemed to be made with some level of love because it only had minimal patching and only a couple of border up windows on the top floor.

I looked to Bubble who was standing on the back of a wagon with its wheels completely destroyed. She looked to me and gave a small half smile then looked back to the entrance, “so what do we do?”

I looked back as well as the large light gray earth pony leaned against the wall next to a screen door. He hardly moved except to occasionally glance at somepony walking in through the door. I swallowed a little, “ok… here's the plan,” I looked to her as she looked back listening closely. My brain did not like the plan I just came up with, but it was best I could do. My heart however hoped she would accept it, “you… you are my daughter and we are just looking for a quick rest and maybe a drink.”

‘Please Bubble… we need to-’

She gave a small nod with a smile, “that sounds like a good idea!” I gaped at her for several seconds and she cocked an eyebrow at me, “what?”

I closed my mouth and shook my head a smile spreading across my face, “n… nothing,” I leveled my wing out to her, “climb on… it will look better if you are riding on my back.”

She climbed onto my wing and before getting onto my back pulled the jacket from my saddlebag. I really never noticed her putting it back every time she got down but somehow she did. She laid it down and then curled up into it carefully dripping her tail over her muzzle and looking up at me innocently. My ear folded back and I smiled at her, “that's my girl.”

She lifted her head a little looking at me, her mouth opening a little but almost instantly closed it and slowly lowered her head back down and covering her muzzle. I watched her for a moment feeling like she wanted to say something, but seeing that she was ready I lifted my wings a little to keep her both steady and well protected. With a deep breath I put my best, don't fuck with me face, and started towards the door.

As we approached the stallion glanced at me. He had a very dark gray almost black mane and tail. His eyes were dark brown and his cutie mark was a… a gate? A door? With a red line across it. He looked to Bubble Gum as I approached and his ears folded back, “you are really going to bring a filly in there?”

I lowered one of my wings showing the blade along it. He gave a small whistle as his eyes traced the blade and I glared at the door, “If anypony wants to touch her… they will have to walk out carrying the limb they used to do that with.”

He actually managed to give a small grin and looked at her his hard eyes going soft, “good… she's… she's adorable.” I leaned down to try and look into his face to read what was on it but almost instantly his face hardened and he looked back to me, “ok… head on it… and be careful newby.”

I looked at him for several seconds but he just looked away. I turned to face the door, not quite taking my eyes off of him until I reached my wing out and pulled the door handle to pull the door open. A second wooden door was propped open with a can of black paint suggesting I was right about the sign being painted and once inside the strong smell of smoke and alcohol was so overpowering that I staggered. I shook my head and turned to the left and walked into the main room.

There was music that I guessed was something other than what DJ Pon-3 was playing as it was more instrumental. The room was full of ponies of every shape, size and gender drinking, laughing and getting high on drugs of all kinds. I turned to see one mare being laid onto a table, a stallion was enjoying the position as she wrapped her hind legs around him. I swallowed and lifted my wing to keep Bubble Gum from seeing as I continued to scan the room. There were a few wooden pillars with lights hung on them keeping the place lit, but the lingering smoke gave a deep gray haze throughout the room all except far past the tables of drunk ponies, a well lit cage stage stood. The inside of the cage was lined with barbed wire and had large amounts of blood on the floor and on the crude thick metal grating that made up the cage. A single large pillar of steel reached the ceiling from the middle of it and from floor to about half way it was brown with rust and dried blood. There was a small cage in the back of the larger stage like one that held a small door and what looked like 2 entrances on either side of the stage.

To my left there was a long barrel with lights hanging from the ceiling and shining lights down onto the bar. A few of the stools had ponies leaning on the bar drinking quietly except one mare who I guessed was the large bucks twin sister. She was just as big and her coat was a dark gray almost black and her mane was a light gray. She was wearing a leather outfit that covered her cutiemark as she looked around the room. She had a large weapon of some kind laying up against the wall next to her.

She took one look at me and gave a small smirk, “well… I guess I can get some eye candy once in awhile,” she gave a small wink, “looking to relax a little flyboy?”

I looked to her and gave a nod, “my daughter and I need some directions and something to drink.”

She mouthed the word daughter and looked around before noticing the pink filly. Her eyes softened instantly, “aww… you poor thing.” she leaned back and slammed a hoof on the bar and yelled back, “HEY LUCKY! YOU GOT A NEW CUSTOMER!”

A gruff stallions voice rose from a room behind the bar, “Celestia's sweet smoking flanks Cedar!” a light yellow unicorn stallion walked out looking at the mare. He had a thick orange mane and tail that was hidden by a beret, he had wisps of orange going down the sides of his head and traced along his jaw line to a short yet well groomed pointed beard. He had a very sharp yet kind looking blue eye, his left eye was closed which had a thick pipe made from some kind brass hanging out of the corner of his teeth that was the same side as the closed eye. He looked to me and his one eye went wide, “well Celestia take me away and nuzzle my nethers… a pegasus huh?” His accent was thick but it didn't hinder his communication… in fact it gave him a rather rough tone.

I looked to him taking not of the nice suit he was wearing but I could still see his cutie mark which was a glass of some frothy drink with a 4 leaf clover by it. I gave him a smile, “yeah… my daughter and I would like something to drink.”

He eyed me skeptically the noticed Bubble laying on my back. She looked up to him and his jaw dropped and the pipe fell to the floor with a clatter his eye wide, “you… you brought a filly here?!” he glared at me, “have you blown a gasket there Lad?” he leaned on the bar not taking his eyes off me, “this is no place for a filly that young!”

He eyes glanced at something behind me and I turned my head slightly to see a few bucks talking while they looked at me. I frowned and looked back to the older looking buck, “If anyone touches her… they will be carrying out the limb they used to touch her back to their tables.”

The stallion just glared at me silently causing me to narrow my eyes as I stared him down. After a few moments a smile broke across his face, “well alright then!” he patted at a couple of empty stools across from him, “take a seat and I'll get you something to drink.”

Cedar tapped the bar to get the stallions attention, “Hey lucky! Anything the filly wants is on me!”

I let Bubble Gum walk onto my wing, slipping the jacket into my saddlebags, onto the stool. She looked to Cedar with a small smile, “t… thank you ma’am.”

She waved a hoof smiling back, “oh don't you worry about it sugar.”

Lucky levitated a Sparkle Cola with a long straw down in front of Bubble. The water that slid down the side of the glass bottle told me it was nice and cold making the fillies eyes widen along with her smile. She leaned her front hooves on the bar and took the straw in her mouth and began to drink.

He then set a glass down in front of me with a bottle of some kind of brown liquid in a fancy shaped bottle. He smiled and pulled out another glass and poured 2 glasses, “this will take the chill from your bones lad.” he took a swig as he looked to the happy Bubble Gum with a smile, but almost as fast as he smiled at her it faded, “oh shit…” he said in a low tone.

I took a sip of the liquid that sent a burning sensation down my throat that I loved and looked back turning my head slightly. A cocky looking buck with a dark red tailcoat was walking to the bar. He had a dirty blue mane and piss colored eyes as he looked to Bubble Gum. As he got closer I could see his coat was a light blue and he grinned as a cigarette was held in his dirty teeth, “well… isn't she just a pretty little thing!” Bubbles ears swiveled back. She glanced back to see the stallion lifting his hoof up towards her grinning, “If you want… I'll take her off your hooves for a-” he suddenly fell backwards gripping his hoof with his other hoof with a scream.

My wing snapped out cutting deep into the outstretched hoof. I also shaved the front of his muzzle to show off his pale pink skin under his coat and the cigarette butt was the only thing in his teeth now as he held his bleeding leg. He glared at me for a moment until I started to slowly fold my wing making the metal sing as it closed.

I held the drink in front of me as I looked down at the stallion with a glare of my own promising that the next time I did that I wasn't going to miss. His eyes went wide and he swallowed hard which caused his buddies to hurry over to help him up. They took one look at me and quickly fumbled out of the bar much to the pleasure of many of the bar ponies who watched the show. Many ponies laughed and clopped their hooves on the table at me.

I felt a small smirk on my face as Lucky chuckled, “don't supposed you want a job eh?”

I chuckled myself, “is it safe enough to keep the filly here while I do?” I looked to the stallion who looked back with a grave and slightly sad expression. My ears folded back, I have a bad feeling about this, “what did I ask stupidly.”

Before I could get anything from him the lights in the bar went dark with a bang, all lights except the ones over the bar and the few around the caged arena type thing. Loud cheers and yelling greeted a skinny and greasy looking unicorn stallion, a smirk that made me want to just buck him in the face out of principal. He walked to the cage with a pony wearing a cloak behind him. I could tell it was a she and a small chain came from the hood of the cloak and out to the unicorn who was flapping the end in a yellowish glow. The last pony to follow them was a very large buck. He smiled waving to the crowd with a scared goof. When he stepped into the light of the cage I could see she was an ugly dark green color with a dark, almost black, green mane and tail. His mane was slicked back with some kind of grease and he stood with a small patched cloak over his right shoulder. With each step I could see a bear trap latched to his right leg with a thick chain wrapped around it to keep it in place.

The unicorn stopped in the middle as the mare walked behind him almost obediently. His deep yellow mane was neatly groomed and his suit was even nicely kept as he grinned to face the crowd waving a hoof gesturing the stallion. The room erupted with delight at his presence as the stallion flexed a very muscular foreleg.

The skinny unicorn's horn grew brighter and he spoke with an amplified voice, “YES! IT'S THAT TIME AGAIN!” the crowd roared again and he chuckled, “well tonight we have a prize most fine!” his voice called out over the crowd and he pulled the mare forward.

Bubble Gum gasped as she sat watching with her Sparkle Cola in her hooves. I looked at her for a second before looking back. Just then he pulled the cloak off revealing a mare like which I had never seen. Her soft sea green coat made her brilliant lilac mane and tail pop. Her mane was thick and hung down over her right eye almost covering the side of her face completely, and it was tied with some kind of mane tie about chest level. The rest of her mane dragged slightly on the ground. Her tail was similar with some kind of tie and the tail just dragged on the floor because of its length. Her deep pink eyes were almost cat like as they looked out across the crowd in fear, well the one I could see. Her wings, which were belted together and to her side, were leathery with a single claw also were a midnight purple in color.

I remembered reading about them in books during school but I thought they were just made up. I leaned forward setting my glass down, “Bat Pony?” I said in a low voice.

I could almost hear her whimper over the crowd as he gestured to her, “Isn't she just the sexiest mare you have ever laid your eyes on?” The crowd agreed with hollers and whistles at her. Her ears folded back and she took a step back. The announcer laughed, “now who wants to take the champ on to have her and his kingdom?!”

The whole place went silent as both he and the large buck inside looked over the crowd. The announcer just laughed and looked to the stallion. He let out a loud cold laugh, “that's because no pony is stupid enough to take me on” he looked to the mare grabbing her chain and pulling her forward with enough force she stumbled and fell. He moved around behind her as she tried to stand back up. He placed a large hoof in the middle of her back between her shoulders and forced her front half down smiling at the crowd, “normally I'd take her up to my room and break her right but…” he looked down at her his smile widening, “this time I'll have a first go… then I'll pass her around the whole bar for everyone to have a turn!”

The whole bar erupted with cheering as he laughed. I just stared at the mare as she looked around frantically, tears rolling down her face as she wiggled to get free. Suddenly our eyes meet and I could see her mouth asking me to help.

I gritted my teeth hard and stood up and roared over the crowd, “I CHALLENGE!”

The room instantly went quiet and slowly all eyes turned to look at me. I was breathing heavily as I felt every fiber of my being wanting to pull that disgusting stallion apart.

The announcer smirked, “well then… first… you need to have something worthwhile to give up… what will it be?”

I swallowed and opened my mouth to answer but I was cut off by Bubble Gum yelling back, “YOU CAN HAVE ME!”

I felt my heart sink as I looked at the little filly, “Bubble…” I looked to Lucky who looked as stunned as me. The announcer waved for her to walk up and Bubble hopped down and went to the caged arena. I looked to Lucky, fear building up inside of me, “if… if anything happens,” he looked to me and his expression became hard but he nodded. I sighed and nodded back before turning and walking to the cage.

The announcer was locking both the mare and Bubble Gum into the back part of the cage before turning to me, “Oh! By the way… no armor… he isn't wearing any so you cannot.”

I raised an eyebrow and lifted my leg, “what about a pip-buck? Only fair since he does have some protection on his leg.”

The unicorn looked to the large stallion who gave an amused smile and nodded. The announcer smiled back, “sure thing kid! Like it's going to matter much to you eh?” he started to laugh along with many of the other ponies around me. That lasted until I got out of my armor.

I stepped back out of my armor and tensed my muscles and flexed my wings. The unicorn looked impressed at me and I made my way to the other cage door and into the arena. It looked a lot larger on the inside and even with my build I could get some wing and hover space. The announcer took stood between us and raised a hoof but stopped as he looked out from the cage. Lucky held a piece of paper in front of the cage glaring at the unicorn, “alright… I am putting my half of the Tavern if you put your half up. I'm putting towards the fly pony.”

The unicorn gave a cocky smirk, “alright then Lucky… you're on!” he pulled a piece of paper from a pocket and the took the other. He levitated them into the locked cage which Bubble Gum took and held. The unicorn smiled at her, “Thank you for holding them for me sweetie.”

She frowned giving him a glare of pure ice, “I'm holding them for when Splitstream wins asshat.”

The chuckles around the ring made him falter a little, even the large buck laughed. He turned back and gave Lucky a smirk, “start packing… I'll see you out when the pegasus is dead.” I felt my insides tighten at that but he made his way out of the cage and the doors locked leaving both the large buck and I alone. He was a bit larger than me but I held my glare and he just looked at me amused. The unicorn yelled as soon as he was out of harm's way, “WHEN YOU'RE READY! FIGHT!”

Before either of us even moved a mare's voice called from the crowd, “don't break him too bad King! He's a cutie!”

I felt my skin crawl as I seen the mare who said it and was utterly shocked that it wasn't a mare. He looked and dressed like one but there was no missing obvious signs the way he sat on the stool.

I gave a shiver and the stallion King chuckled at me, “don't worry… I won't keep you alive for that.”

I smirked back lowering myself a little, “thanks… and after I kill you… I'll make sure he doesn't get to have your corpse… because he kinda seems the sort.”

He gave a hearty laugh tossing the Cape over his shoulder and kicking at the floor, “that's it! Let's make this a fun one for me!”

With that we ran each other both with intent of ending the other, him for the crowd and me for a mare I didn't know and now Bubble Gum. I had to win now and I was not going to mess around.

Just when we were about to collide I kicked off the ground and with a sharp flap of my wings I dodged right sharply. He stumbled a little expecting to run headlong into me but when I was not there he had to adjust and get his balance. I wasn't going to let that happen as I beat my wings and ran as fast as I could, gave a small jump, did a somersault and just before I got to him I struck my back leg out and gave him a kick right in the side just behind his ribs. He coughed as the wind was knocked out of him and I dropped. He staggered but only slightly allowing me a second to get to my hooves and crouch down readying another go.

He turned his head to look at me and was… smiling… crap…

“I gotta say… it's been awhile since any pony has managed to get a good hit on me.” he slowly turned dropping his head down, “with a guy like you… I may have to even the playing field.” I cocked my head confused and to my horror he turned and walked to his cape. After flipping it over with a hoof I could see the drugs he had in it taped to the inside. The crowd hissed and booed him as he took a brown bottle and lifted it to his mouth and downed the rest of the bottle of buck.

I swallowed nervously as he then pulled out a needle of something I had never seen before and injected it into his flank. His pupils dilated and he gave a low primal growl and charged. I tried to dodge again but this time he flicked his head and hit me just hard enough to knock me from landing properly and I landed with a roll. I looked up then to the announcer glaring, “Isn't this cheating?!”

He just looked at me with a smug grin, “no rules in a fight to the death.”

I glared at him, “when I'm done killing your pet… you're next.”

He gave a cold chuckle and pointed a hoof. I looked back in time to see a large hoof just before it slammed into the side of my head sending me sprawling. I held the side of my face feeling like I was hit by anything but a pony, and if I had seen this guy in a dark alley… I would have said he wasn't one.

He laughed as his eye twitched, “how did that feel little guy?” he had a thin silver strand of drool slowly oozing from the corner of his mouth.

I rubbed my face and worked my jaw, “If that is the best you got… this will be quick.”

He laughed, “I'm not done yet!” he started to stomp the hoof with the bear trap on it on the floor.

I wasn't about to see how he was going to cheat this time so I gave my wings a hard flap and took off towards him. His eyes widened at my sudden speed burst just before my hooves slammed hard into his muzzle. I shivered as I felt and heard several teeth crack, but once again he just staggered back. I landed on my hooves and he spit several teeth and blood to the floor and just glared at me with a wicked smile. It was then I noticed something coming off his hoof and looked down to see the chain was loose. I followed the chain to my left hoof and swallowed.

I tried to move but he yanked the chain and the slack snapped up wrapping around my leg from hoof to the top of my pip-buck. He was so strong as he swung me around and slammed me hard into the metal beam in the middle with a resounding Bong!

Pain erupted from my ribs and I was sure if my head wasn't ringing and the loud sound of the beam I would have heard a few crack. I hissed as I slowly tried to get back up and he laughed, “well it looks like the computer thing saved your leg,” I staggered to my hooves and he grinned blood oozing from his mouth, “but I have other ways to break you!” and he pulled with his unreal strength.

I felt my hooves leave the ground again but this time I was a little more prepared and just before I slammed into the barbed wire cage I flapped my wings and stopped myself. I started to fly up to get away, then the chain went taut and my leg started to pull back. My eyes went wide but it was far too late as he yanked hard on the chain. I stopped instantly as my shoulder gave a sickening pop, and I dropped back to the floor hitting the ground grabbing my shoulder screaming.

My head and vision were swimming as pain radiated from my very dislocated shoulder. I could hear sounds but everything sounded like I was under water, the pain keeping me from being able to focus on anything. I opened one eye and noticed the cap and a bright red inhaler sticking out inches from me.

King slammed a hoof into my back and pressed me down hard as he put most of his weight down on me. I groaned as he leaned down, “pathetic!” I tried to look at him but everything was swimming still. He focused my head straight and then I saw something that hurt worse than my shoulder. Bubble Gum was watching from a hole in the gate tears running down her face. She was yelling something but her voice was just mixing with everyone else's. The mare was trying to comfort her but she was not holding it together either.

He just laughed, “I have to thank you… now I can give that mare bat to everyone in this room to play with because,” he gave a cold spine tingling chuckle, “because I will have that filly of yours.” My eyes widened as I looked at Bubble Gum. He leaned close so I could smell the blood and reek of his breath as he said slowly, “I will let her know… every night… that you failed her and let her become my new plaything.” I started to shake as my vision began to focus and I gritted my teeth hard. He chuckled, “want to tell my little… what are you doing?” I was pushing myself up so he pushed harder onto my back, “stay down…” I pushed more so he leaned back and pushed both hooves into my back now, “Stay Down!” he bellowed. My wings and my good legs continued to push. I was growling deeply as he lifted off his hooves to slam down on me, “I SAID ST-”

I took my chance a with a snap of my wing pushed myself forward and landed on my good hoof curling my body up as I balanced and the inhaler of Dash between my teeth. I heard his hoof smash the ground where I was and as I looked back into his eyes of complete surprise. I growled around the inhalers my eyes glaring holes into his, “Fuck off you piece of pony shit!”

My body was now a coiled spring that I let loose with a staggering amount of force sending my back legs back with a kick and I pushed with my wings and my good leg sending my hind legs into his muzzle. I heard the sound of snapping as my hooves hit with enough force that he was driven up onto his hind legs in a daze. Using my good hoof I pressed the plunger down and took a deep breath in taking all of the Dash into my lungs then slowly let the breath out. Almost instantly the room began to slow to a crawl and I looked around for something. The chain swung in front of my and I got an idea as I grabbed it in my jaws and I worked my wings hard to pull me past the dazed monster. The Dash was wearing off rather fast as my speed pulled the chain taut but this time it was my turn to make his shoulder pop loudly. He screamed as he fell back his head slamming against the metal beam with another Bong!

I didn't stop and I pulled the chain around the beam banking enough to keep my speed up. The chain wrapped around his throat once then twice and I didn't have enough of the chain to continue so I stopped. I planted my hind hooves against the beam and wrapped the chain in around my good leg and pulled with everything I had. He continued to kick and flail with his hoof that wasn't wrapped horribly around his back. I looked down into his eye as I pulled the chain, cracking enamel. He looked to me as the bulged with hate as his face started to turn a sick blue.

I glared, “Fuck off and die.” I gave the chain a hard yank and something in his throat collapsed. I continued to hold tightly as his body began to still and when he finally stopped moving I continued to pull. I stopped when I felt something touch my leg and looked to see Lucky next to me. I dropped the chain and landed weakly on my hooves… well most of them and I dragged my dislocated leg. Lucky cut the chain from around my pip-buck and it fell to the floor with a clatter. I looked out over the crowd my vision starting to become dark and gave a bellowing scream. The shout of a certain pink filly yelling something behind me caused me to turn slowly. I smiled as she started to run to me crying but my legs stopped working now and I fell to the floor. I watched as Bubble raced to my side but before she did, everything went dark the only sound was Bubbles crying, the last thing I remembered.

******

I slowly opened my eyes and everything and everyone was gone I was alone in a dark room with a single light over the top of me. I slowly stood up and looked around spinning around in place, “hello?” My voice sounded high which cause me to look down at myself. I was a foal for some reason. I felt my heart begin to race, “h… hello? Bubble Gum!”

“You don't deserve to know where she is.” came a familiar female voice that seemed to come from all around me.

I spun around looking, “Momma? Where… where are you?” a light came on a little bit aways from me with a single pony hunched over. I slowly started to walk towards the pony as fear started to spread through me for leaving my light to go into the darkness, like the darkness was going to just end me. I reached the edge of the light when I started to hear crying.

The pony whose coat was a soft pink with a tied back purple mane was crying hunched over. Her wings drooped by her like she lost all of the will to go on and just sobbed. I could see something in her hooves as I moved closer, “a… are you ok?”

Sunny Storm turned and glared at me, “you killed our foal! You monster!” I stumbled back as she held up the limp form of the little colt from the raider nest.

I shook my head as I backed up, “no… no that wasn't me!” my hoof hit the edge of the light and slid back off the edge. I started to slide back more into the hole making me glance back to see a factory floor with a bunch of ghouls looking up at me hungrily. I looked back into the light to see an older mare standing next to the mare comforting her as the dead foal turned into the limp form of Bubble Gum. I looked to the mare in desperation as I tried to work my wings but to my horror I didn't have any. I called out to the mares but nothing came from my mouth.

Suddenly a chain wrapped around my hoof and I heard the evil laugh of King, “say goodbye to everyone you know and love!”

I tried to call for help but Bubble Gums lifeless for just asked me, “why Split?... why,”

The chain pulled and I was yanked from the edge to the waiting maws of the ghoul ponies as I fell.

******

I woke with a start as a wet cloth gently dabbed my brow. A soothing voice that was as smooth dark chocolate and delicate as a feather in the wind gently cooed to me with a sweet accent, “please… calm yourzelf Splitstream…”

I slowly lifted my head because the pounding in my skull made fast movements unbearable and looked to see the teal Bat pony smiling sweetly at me. She had a wet cloth in her hooves as she gently dipped it into a bucket of cool water and wrung it out before patting my head with it. I blinked slowly at her, “a… am I dead?”

Her eyes went wide in surprise as she looked back at my disbelieving expression. She then raised a hoof to her muzzle and giggled, I felt something stir in my chest that I had never felt, “no… at leazt I think not.”

I started to try and lift myself up, “what… happened?”

She placed a hoof on my shoulder to keep me still, “you zaved me and your little filly but-”

My eyes snapped open and I shot upright looking around frantically, “Bubble Gum! Where is she? Is she ok?!” we were in a large room that had 2 other doors that were in front of me and one to my right. I was on a rather clean mattress in front of a fancy but ragged looking couch. There was an end table with a shameless lamp on it giving a soft glow of light as the window behind the couch was very dark. Off in the corner of the room was a stove, a dirty sink and a refrigerator that hummed softly.

She lifted a hoof to calm me and as soon as it touched my cheek I felt my butt slide to the floor. She smiled again her one eye that I could see full of kindness and warmth as she cooed again, “she is zafe and happy that you are well… she is down with Cedar and Lucky,” sensing another jolt inside me she quickly added, “after you won Lucky clozed the bar and kicked out the other poniez.”

I sighed and started to lower my body and aching head back down. She adjusted herself and gently lowered my head onto a pillow. Now that I knew she was safe I took a deep breath in through my nose as she placed the cloth into the bucket. I could smell a sweet and soothing scent coming from her as she looked me over. She gently lifted my wing that I had burned and it sent a tingle down my spine.

I recoiled my wing and looked at her in shock, “w… what are you doing?”

She cocked her head, “your wing… it haz damaged featherz in it. They need to be properly preened for them to grow back.”

I felt my cheeks burn and my eyes widened, ‘oh... oh she doesn't know what that… oh boy…’

I cleared my throat, “I… I can do it myself…”

She frowned a little, “no Splitstream… you can hardly hold your head up, let alone turn it to your wing…” She gently with a soft grip lifted my wing, “do not worry… I know what I am doing.”

“D… Don't!” I said suddenly my body tingling as she held my wing. I clenched my eyes tightly to calm myself, “preen… preening is… normally left for pegasi to do by themselves u… unless they… are umm…” I seen her confused expression as I opened my eyes slightly. I swallowed hard, “pegasi have very sensitive wings and preening is often used as… um… f… foreplay.”

Her eyes went wide in shock as her cheeks glowed brightly, “Oh! Oh my! I…” She let my wing go and closed her eyes lowering her head a little, “I… I am zo zorry Splitstream.”

I sighed letting out a breath that I was holding to keep myself calm. I closed my eyes, “i… it's ok… you didn't know…” I looked back at her as she opened her eye to look at me, “you… you never told me your name yet.”

She raised a hoof to her muzzle in shock again, “I… I didn't did i?” She politely cleared her throat and cocked her head giving me a heart melting smile, “My name iz Serenity.”

I stared at her something thundering in my chest as I looked at that face smiling so sweetly. I swallowed hard as the thundering was making breathing a bit hard and slowly started to sit up, ‘what is happening to me?’ the pony in my head asked.

I looked to Serenity and echoed my brains question, “what happened to me? How badly am I injured?”

She shook her head, “Iron Gate and Lucky pulled your leg back into itz socket then they managed to get a few healing potionz into you to heal you up well…” She leaned close, “iz something wrong?”

I leaned back from her the thundering becoming louder as she did so, “n… no… i… its…”

She leaned closer her eyes scanning me, “you look nervous and your face is quite red.” she placed a hoof behind my head and tilted my head down and gently pressed her lips to my forehead. I wanted to melt and I wasn't sure why as she pulled back, “you are quite warm too… are you sure you are ok?”

I panted looking at her lips that just touched my head, I was being a little colt because she was unlike any mare I had ever seen. I felt juvenile, even after everything I had just gone through, this beautiful mare was making me feel like I had never seen a mare. She leaned in close almost muzzle to muzzle looking into my eyes now, “this… this look… I… I know this…”

I whimpered softly not wanting to admit I was being weak for her, “what… what is it? Help me!”

She smiled softly, “then… forgive me being zo abrupt.” she leaned back and pulled the wet cloth from the cool bucket and wrung it over my face.

I swung my head back gasping for breath as my mane dripped water. I sighed a little feeling a bit relieved, “t… thanks”

She gave a small nod smiling, “my pleasure master Splitstream.”

I froze then slowly looked up to her, “pardon?” please tell me I heard that wrong…

She frowned a little, “well…” She fidgeted with the end of her mane, “you… you won me so… you own me an-”

“NO!” I shouted making her almost fall back as she recoiled. I was standing on my hooves glaring at her, and when I realized what I did I took a breath to calm myself and offered her a hoof, “I'm sorry… but no… I saved you so you can be free.”

She gently took my hoof and I brought her in front of me noticing she still had the collar on with the blinking light, and her wing were still belted together. My ears folded back as I felt a twang of annoyance.

She followed my gaze and waved her hooves, “pleaze don't be mad at anyone… I… I told them not to take them off… I… I did not want you to be upzet because they took them off,” she reached back picking up a remote, “after Lucky took my chain collar off this one made him nervouz zo he forced the zkinny unicorn to give thiz up. He zaid the zwitch to turn it off waz on here.”

I looked at the remote with a big red blinking button that pulsed in time with her collar and a small switch below it. Without a word I reached a wing over and flicked the switch off making the light die on both the remote and collar. Her eyes went wide as I took the remote and set it down on the floor and with a stomp smashed it to pieces. I could see her eye as fresh tears began to well up inside them feeling anger to every and any pony who would do this to anyone. I used my wing to tilt her head back slightly and leaned in close grabbing the clasp of the collar in my teeth. She smelled amazing and I could feel her trying to choke back sobs… or something as I worked it. With a small snap it came off and I grabbed it in my teeth and gently slid it off her.

I watched as she reached a hoof up to her neck and gently rubbed it with the tears in her eyes that started rolling down her cheeks, “I… I am a free pony?”

I set the collar on the end table and looked back to her with a soft smile, “yes… you are your own mare… no pony should or will own you as long as I am around.”

She gave a small hiccups as the emotions flooded out of her. The lifetime of being treated like a thing instead of a pony finally ended. She leaned forward her hooves covering her face as she began to cry, but I would not let her cry on the floor as she started to slowly sick to it, so I grabbed her and pulled her close letting the stunning mare cry into me. I gently stroked her mane as she sobbed openly, I could feel my chest becoming wet with tears but she needed to let this out. My physical pain was nothing to her emotional pain so I could wait.

After a few minutes she finally started to calm down and leaned back rubbing her eyes with her hooves, “t… thank you Splitstream.”

I nodded when she looked at me her smile grateful, “you are welcome…” I stood up and moved to her side, “now… about these belts,” I reached my muzzle out to her wings.

She moved a little and placed a hoof to my muzzle smiling, “If I don't get to help with your wingz… no helping with mine.”

My jaw dropped as stammered, “bu… wha… this… that isn't… but.” she just smiled gently at me and I swallowed hard and laid down lifting my wing, “f… fine!”

She laid down next to my face the other way looking back a little. I cocked my head as I saw something wrong with her teeth as she spoke, “open your wing pleaze.” I timidly opened my wing and she guided it with a hoof and gentle nuzzles with her muzzle. Even the slight touches should be nothing to me, but because it was just her and I and she was being very careful and… and I really really… I think… I liked her.

She looked back, “ok… I will be gentle.” she turned her head back to my wing.

I closed my eyes and tensed up, I had never let anypony, including Sunny, do this and now I was about to let a gorgeous mare that I just met and saved do it. I felt her muzzle press into my wing and gently nuzzle against the dead feathers as her teeth gently grabbed them and pulled them from my wing. I lowered my head and pressed my face into the pillow as my face began to burn and tell sensation. Her slow and careful movement's sent tingles down my spine. I bit the pillow as her teeth gently raked against the fleshy part of my wing.

She whimpered softly speaking in a low tone as she turned to look back at me. The light catching her eyes just right making it glow, “z… zorry… d… did I hurt you?” I just shook my head and closed my eyes tightly. I could hear the smile, “a… all right…” I felt her move away from my side then heard her hooves gently move in front of me, “Splitstream…”

I opened my eyes my face burning from ears to my chest as my heart thundered in my chest. I looked up at her and she gently placed her hooves under my chin and lifted my head. Even though she wasn't using any force my head moved like it wanted to… closer to her face… closer… closer…

I had been kissed by a few different mares in my life, only two came to mind which was Sunny and Peppermint. This however was something more as her lips pressed against mine. Every fiber of my being felt like it was sparking and I felt explosions going off in my head. My eyes were wide open for a few seconds before they closed, like i had seen these explosions. It was nothing as deep as the other kisses I received but it was everything that they were not and I wanted to just stay like that forever.

The pony in my head wanted to scream when she finally pulled away. It was only a few seconds but it felt like a lifetime as she smiled to me. She looked over my back and giggled, “don't ztop that giggle… pleaze…” I heard my mouth say in a daze.

She looked at me again her face still red but eyes wide with surprise, but she smiled and giggled again. I sat up my fore hooves feeling like jelly as I looked to the mare my heart letting my eyes see her like I had never seen a mare before.

I took a deep breath in closing my eyes, “can I be honest with you?”

“Yez…” She said with a tone of innocence.

I let the breath out, “you… you are the first mare that has ever done that to me…”

She smiled at me, “which part? Preen your wingz or make them stick out straight?”

My head snapped around with a crack of my neck and sure enough my wings were out stretched back completely stiff. I groaned and lowered myself down to the mattress covering my face.

She giggled again and I felt her nuzzle the side of my face, “juzt zomething I will have to get uzed to huh?”

I dropped my hooves and looked up at her in disbelief, ‘did… did I hear that right?’ I thought.

“Did… did you just…” I asked feeling like maybe my mind was messing with me because of my crush.

She nodded, “I am free… zo… I wish to try a real relationship on a pony who haz earned it.

My ears perked and my eyes went wide, “re… relationship… but… but we just met and… and we hardly know each other and…”

“And you zaved my life at almozt the cozt of yourz… I can clearly zee that even if we just met that you have zome kind of feelingz for me and after everything you have done for me,” she layed down and nuzzles the side of my head, “I would be crazy to at leazt not try.”

I felt my heart skip a beat and for a second I thought it would stop and I nuzzle back, “how did you manage that which no other mare has and work right into my heart?”

She giggled again, “to be honezt… I only reached you after Bubble Gum did and they wanted uz to be alone and become friendz. Bubble however… she told me to just kizz you becauze you needed one from a pretty mare.”

I felt a chuckle, “of course she did,” I felt her move a little angling her body so her wings were by my face, “w… wha…”

She looked back with an expression that made her look edible kinds of cute and she said in almost a whisper, “y… your turn… and yez… my wingz are just as zenzitive.”

I looked to the thick belts binding her wings closed and swallowed, “alright…” I took a breath and leaned to the first belt which held her wings to her side and began to pull the strap out being careful as I did so. My ear swiveled as I heard a small sound come from her and felt her tremble slightly but I finally managed to get it off and pull it free. The belt that held her left wing to her side was a different color, was quite tight and was a bit stiff as I pulled it free. The small whimper that escaped from her made my cheeks burn. The last belt which held her right wing was not as tight but was much thicker. It came off a bit too easily but it didn't make her feel uncomfortable. I gently used a hoof to help her open and stretch her wings.

She whimpered this time in pain as her wings opened little by little making me fold my ears back. I know a hurt wing is one of the worst pains ever and with how long it seemed like she was wearing these it probably hurt to even move them.

I looked to the bucket and pulled out the cool damp cloth and draped it over joint and gently massaged it. She squirmed giving a small sob of pain at first but she calmed down after a few seconds looking back to me her cheeks red with blush.

I gave her a smile, “I had my wing in a cast for a long time… this was the only way I was able to recover quickly.”

She looked longingly at me but gave a small, “Thank you Splitst-”

I shook my head, “you can call me Split… just Split.”

She gave another smile and nodded, with that I leaned down and planted a soft kiss on her wing. Her eyes went wide and she let out the most adorable moan. She looked back at me with a mixture of surprise and a bit of longing. I gave her a small smile and stood shakily to my hooves.

“Let's get down stairs before we jump right into bed with each other,” I said before looking down at her with her outstretched back legs and her tail softly draped over then in a slight curvy pattern. I swallowed as I reached her flank that looked like a heart that was mostly outlined by a crescent moon.

They lingered there and for several seconds I really want it to jump to that but I bit my tongue and shook my head. I looked to her and maybe it was me but I think she wanted it too but she shook her head, “yez… I agree… let uz head down together.” I helped her to her hooves and when she winced as trying to fold her wing back up I smiled and let it drape over my back. She looked at me with a thankfulness then we walked to the door. I opened it and let her walk out first before following and taking my place next to her.

I did not know if this was real relationship but for the first time I was happy. I also realized, as I looked at the beautiful mare smiling back at me, I want to keep both her and Bubble Gum safe and that was not going to be easy. Then another idea blossomed in my mind at the thought of Bubble Gum and Serenity and deep down in my heart… I wanted to hope that maybe… there was a chance at happiness for both of them.

Chapter 11

I stood in front of a metal door frowning at the oddly-clean gray metal before looking up at the rest of the building. The broken glass of the greenhouse, leaving an odd skeleton of a building in front of me, whistled in the wind.

I swallowed hard and looked down to my pip-buck, “yup… Stable 7,” I said, not wanting to walk into a building that read “Exotic Plants”; it did nothing to make me feel good.

“Iz… iz there a way to get inzide?” Serenity asked, walking up behind me.

I looked at the stunningly-beautiful bat pony mare. She herself looked at the door then up to the glasses frame. Her eye was still puffy and slightly red from crying, and I could still see the traces of tears on her cheeks. I frowned as my stomach clenching tightly at what happened… or rather, what almost happened.

Inside the shack, Serenity wanted to attempt a romantic moment between us, but after she started to shake and cry, we didn't get very far. I hadn't even removed my armor before we realized that - despite how she felt and what she wanted - her mind and heart were not ready yet. She had been beating herself up for letting me down ever since, but I was disappointed not with her but myself. I knew she would not be ready to get that deep into our relationship, but after what happened I was not thinking straight; I did know that I was not about to help myself and hurt her more.

I had no idea what to say to her or what I could do to help so I looked to her and gently placed a hoof on her back. She flinched hard and looked to me a bit worried but I didn't move my hoof as I slid it over her side and pulled her close. She whimpered; I could tell she wanted to cry or push me away again, but I wrapped a wing around her as well and just held her tight.

She stood against me shaking for several minutes trying to hold back her tears, which was not going well, but after a while the tremors subsided. She took a deep breath and sighed moving her head up under my chin which I gently rested my head on hers, “you are mad…”

I shook my head and she didn't move only listening, “My body wanted it but my brain and heart told me it was going to be a bad idea,” I chuckled making her head move a little as she tried to look up at me, “you'd think I would have more self control after being above the clouds… but even up their I got it when I wanted…” I felt her head slowly lower, “but…” her head stopped and her ears twitched, “this was the first time I was denied… and… I'm not mad at you…” I leaned back to look into her eyes, using a hoof to gently move her mane back out of her face, “I am mad at myself…”

Her eyes went wide, “y… yourzelf?! But… but why? It waz my fault waz it not?”

I shook my head, “you were happy after what I wanted to do and you wanted to thank me. You thought you were ready but deep down,” I touched her chest lightly with my other hoof, “the wounds here don't heal so easy.”

She placed her hooves on my hoof against her chest, “but… when… when can I open my heart and myzelf to you?”

I shook my head, my smile soft, “do not rush it… when it's time… only you can know… until then…” I lowered my head and nuzzled the side of her head, “let's just get used to being close.”

She gave a small nod and I let her go letting her mane fall back over her face. She reached a hoof up to rub her eyes as I walked to the door and pulled it open. I frowned feeling like it should have been locked but then again I guess ponies didn't worry about other ponies getting in when they were rushing to get into the stable. Pushing the door open I had to blink a few times to get my eyes to adjust to the darkness as the broken dead trees inside still managed to keep much of the inner greenhouse quite shaded.

I let a breath out as every plant inside seemed quite dead… unless brown to grossly black is alive. Walking inside I was able to get a better look around and for the first time… I felt… trapped.

I could feel my heart starting to beat harder in my chest and sweat began to bead on my brow. My eyes darted around the further I moved inside from dead tree to dead tree. I looked up to the sky with a few of the square frames of the greenhouse only slightly visible from the branches stretching over me between me and freedom.

I felt my chest heaving heavily as I tried to get air in as I looked for a way out but now all I could see were trees reaching over me and surrounding me and… and…

Serenity grabbed my face and held it still as she looked into my eye a her muzzle pressed to mine, “Split! Look at me!”

It took me only a few moments for me to focus on her eyes… wait… her… eyes? My breathing calmed and I was able to notice that she had pulled her mane back so I could see both of her eyes. I panted my heart still thundering in my chest, “S… Serenity?”

She never took her eyes off mine, “Split… do you truzt me to put a blindfold on you?” I slowly nodded and she pulled back a little, “close your eyez.”

I couldn't… if I did i was going to be trapped forever and I would be stuck here until I… she lifted a hoof and placed it over my eyes blocking everything and making me, out of reflex, close my eyes. Now that I could not see anything I was beginning to calm down instantly, “wh… what… happened?”

“Probably zomething zimilar to how I have no issuez with them,” she said as she removed her hoof and I felt some kind of cloth pulled over my eyes and and then tightened, “where you have no problem inside of a building because you know you only need to go outzide a door or window… here,” she says nuzzling my neck which calms me more. I always thought she smelled so good but now… she was intoxicating as I turned and pushed my face into her mane. I could almost hear her smile as she continued, “you feel like you are outside but at the same time you are not.”

I shrugged, “it's possible… I honestly have no idea why I felt like that so… yeah…” I lifted my head letting her move and look around, “what now?” My ears swiveled around trying to listen for her. She was very quiet almost like…, “Serenity?” nothing and I stood up, “S- Serenity?!”

I felt a hoof run along my mane and I relaxed, “I am here… I juzt wandered over to a small building nearby to zee if it was were we needed to go.”

I felt her lower my hoof down, “I think thiz may be a better time to try thiz,” I felt her silky tail wrap around my neck and I instantly felt my ears and cheeks burn. Before I could comment she tugged, “I know what you zaid… but this allows you to walk more carefully,” I then heard her giggle and that giggle was spreading the burning my body now, “it will alzo help you with following every movement will it not?”

I swallowed, “you are evil,” I said in a low shaky tone as she began to lead me.

We walked for a bit Serenity stopping and helping me step over or onto different things until we reached… something that made my armored hooves clack with each step. Serenity's hooves made no sound as she walked ahead of me and…

‘Sweet Celestia!’ my mind pony cried. I could smell her tail and knowing very well it was her tail was torture. There had to be an easier way to do this that was not putting pictures of Serenity using that tail to guide me to…

Slam!

I fell face first as I tried to step over something in my path but I was only half paying attention to her as my mind went wild about her. I was sure at this point or at least I was pretty sure that I liked Serenity enough that I could say that I at least really wanted her a lot.

I felt her tail slide from my neck and then her hooves as she tried to help pull me to my hooves, “are you alright?”

“Yes,” I groaned as I lifted to a sitting position lifting a hoof to my nose and rubbing it gingerly, “I only broke my face,” she giggled and again my cheeks burned but this time it was because I was feeling quite stupid.

“We are inside the building now,” I heard her say as she moved behind me, “this should be okay for you to see now.”

The cloth fell and I had to blink again as the building still had power and there was a fairly bright light in front of me. When my eyes adjusted again to the light I looked around. It looked like it was supposed to be a shed of some kind but there was a large open door that lead deep down into the earth. I could see with the light that the concrete floor of the shed stopped at the door and it was a rocky bath into darkness.

I frowned, “this is promising,” I glanced at Serenity who was sitting looking down the tunnel as well but she was sitting under a light. The way the light brightened her and the way she sat made her look stunning.

She looked over, “what?”

I frowned, “Serenity… do you… really like me?” She was expecting many questions but I was sure not that one as she looked at me stunned. I just sat there for a long time, “think on it…” I said standing watching her head drop and she looked down. I couldn't deal with the torture I was putting myself though and I didn't want to hold her back.

I walked to the entrance to the tunnel and glanced down through the darkness. The tunnel went on for quite some time and the light from behind me died away before reaching anything. I huffed and began down the tunnel giving my wings small flaps as the uncomfortable feeling of going underground swam over me. The tunnel was like that of a cave except in some spots I could see were some kind of cutting… things like marks into the rock.

There was some kind of pointed rock both rising from the bottom of the cave and hanging from the ceiling like wicked teeth made of wet solid rock. I remembered reading something about how they are made but right now I could not think as I looked back.

Serenity was following behind looking unsure of everything as she slowly walked. I didn't want to push this kind of decision on her like this but I couldn't keep having moments of wanting her and being upset all the time. I felt horrible for making her decide on something like this now but hopefully it would not be too bad so she could think.

When it became too dark I activated a function on my pip-buck that made the screen light up like a small torch filling the cave with a dull blue-ish light. Ahead was a wall with a huge gear shaped slab of steel that was the stable door, with a big number 007 painted on it. On the left side of the door was a control panel that I trotted over to and after giving a quick glance found a place to link my pip-buck so I got to work. I flipped the switch and heard some kind of siren from the other side of the gear shaped door and unhooked my pip-buck and sat waiting.

Serenity sat close by and looked to me, “Split… why would you azk me that?”

I closed my eyes hearing a metallic scream from the other side that made my teeth ache and sighed, “I like you… far more than you realize I think,” when I opened my eyes to look at her she looked both surprised and quite stunned but I went on, “you are beautiful and… well you smell incredibly sweet.” I stood up moving to the door as it began to move and looked back at her, “I can't keep having moments of pure lust and then upsetting regret that I cannot do anything… so… I want you to think about what we can do in this relationship to make it so we don't drive each other crazy if you…”

I could feel and smell the stale air flow from inside as the door rolled to the side. But before I could look or finish my sentence I heard a series of pats and sharp pain running up my side. My ears picked up a scream and more of the rapid gun fire as the room swayed and the fell to one side. I could taste something coppery in my mouth and each breath made a bubbling noise in my chest. I could catch a couple flashes but just barely as my vision began to darken and I felt cold. I was dying and I had not been able to keep any promise to either Bubble Gum or Serenity, I tried to work my mouth to say something before the darkness took over.

OK so I wasn't dead as I thought as I felt a sharp pain in my side then something pressed into my muzzle, “Drink… pleaze,” Serenity's fragile and terrified voice pleaded. I swallowed as a sweet taste ran over my tongue and began to fill my body with a warm feeling. The pain in my side began to subside and the chill in my body was now limited to one side. I opened my eyes and took in the room that was sideways.

I was on a steel table with a large bright light over me that stung my vision but it was pushed away and Serenity's beautiful face came into it. I looked at her for a long time before I smiled, “for the love of Luna herself… if I'm not dead show me…” My tone was alien to me. It was weak and low like all the strength I had was gone. Her wet eyes sent fresh tears down her cheeks and she gave a small sob and I felt her kiss me.

“I will let you two love birds be alone,” came a mechanical voice and I heard the sound of something slide away then slide back down with a hiss.

I couldn't move as she pulled away, she reached over me and grabbed something. When she leaned back down sitting in front of me she popped the cap off of another healing potion and pressed it to my lips, “drink…” I did as I was told and relaxed with a sigh as the potion worked it's magic. She set the empty bottle down and then took my head in an embrace and held me close. I could tell she was still crying as she held my head, “I… I almost lost you…” I think I would have tensed if I was in better condition but I just listened to her soft voice.

I had enough energy I found to give her a nuzzle, “Serenity… I-”

“I love you!” She said with more strength cutting me off. She sniffed and I could see a tear rolling down and dripping from the tip of her nose, “I do…,” she sniffed again, “I thought about it and wanted to tell you that I did but… but when the door opened the stablez defenzez targeted you inztantly… I watched az… az…”

She started to shake violently and I moved my wing that was being stretched behind me over and pulled it around her. I could tell that she was scared and the scare was too much for her. The thought that she may not have actually had feelings for me had me wanting to feel the pain of being shot all over again. Her head was breaking and it was my fault because I was sick of being teased and not getting any.

“I'm sorry…” I said my voice cracking. I remembered when Bubble Gum and I had a moment and became so close was a teary eyed moment, but the last time I cried… that was ages ago… until now… my heart did my name sake and split as warm wet tears rolled down my muzzle and to the floor. I was scum for everything I had said and done and I knew it. Then everything came out as all the things I had done and the realization of its effects pushed into me. Killing Bubble Gums mother in cold blood and leaving the filly with no pony but me in the world. Killing a foal not even old enough to have had a second birthday because I was cocky. Having to tell a ghoul that his brother that he was talking to was not his brother but just a dead pony's skull and that his brother was dead. Then the thought of Sunny hit me and that hurt the worse. I had almost died and almost left the most important ponies… no… the two most important things in my life alone like I left Sunny alone. It's hasn't even been a week and I felt like the biggest scum.

“I zaved you… just like you zaved me,” her words pushed the clouds in my heart back and I looked up into her eyes. She brushed a hoof through my mane, “I don't want to loze you Split… and I can zee you hurt more than phyzically,” she nuzzled my cheek, “get zome rest zo we can talk…”

“Don't,” I rasped with a hiccup, “don't leave me alone.”

She leaned back and smiled sweetly, “never…”

I sniffed feeling my heart bleed out, ‘was I a bad pony for what I have done?’ I thought, ‘Did I deserve to have the love of Serenity and Bubble Gum?’ I clenched my eyes shut, ‘Did I deserve to be saved?’ I could feel the embrace of sleep sneaking up on me as the last thought kept playing in my head and I wondered if I really did.

******

I sat up in a circle of light like last time except I was not a young colt.

“Hello?” I heard a colt call out and I spun around. I could not see anything in this darkness.

“Hello?” I called back straining my ears for any sound.

“Who's there?!” came the small voice from all around me.

I sat down and looked up to the light shining over me, “I… I am Splitstream… who are you?” The voice went quiet for a second and I feared that I had scared the colt so I smiled wide, “don't worry… I won't hurt you.”

“You're lying…” The voice said back the voice said back with a tone of certainty. I felt a little uncomfortable as I shifted, “why do you hurt?”

“I…” I rubbed my leg feeling deeply put out now, “I hurt ponies because I am not a good pony… ponies that do not deserve it… but… I try to only hurt ponies that do… like slavers and raiders and…”

“No… why do you hurt?” The question was simple but still floored me.

“I… I'm not…” I began but was once again cut off.

“You think yourself tough and strong, and physically you are but…”

A light flared to life a little ways away from me and I could see a colt sitting by himself as he read a book about using your wings in a fight. A tiny filly walked up next to him, “Hey Split! Wanna come play hide and seek with us?”

The little me looked to her not setting the book down, “playing a foalish game like that won't help us get anywhere in life.”

The filly just scoffed, turned and left as I watched as I went back to reading, my mouth open in protest. I didn't remember doing something like that but then again I didn't remember much of the time of me being in school.

“You know when you started to act like this don't you?” the colt asked.

“No… I… I never was like that I…” I didn't want to believe it.

“Mommy!” my young voice called out, “Mommy! I got my cutiemark today!”

My ears drooped as the memory came flooding back, “No… I… I don't need to hear this…”

The colt continued on, “Mommy… where are you I got my…” there was a small gasp, “who… who are you?!”

A stern male voice answered, “your mother assigned me to look after you while she is off taking care of things… she won't be back for some time so… here…”

“I… I want… I want my mommy,” the colt began to cry

“Stop!” the voice carried through the emptiness, “you are a strong colt and your mother heard about you getting your cutiemark… she wants you to continue with your schooling and start your training… I am here to see that you grow to be a strong and confident young stallion.”

That last word continued to echo in my head over and over again making me lower my head. The colt spoke again, “you saw your mother every now and then but she could not raise you the way you should have so you made things up as you went and started to believe that you were the best because of the training. You mother tired to help where she could but…”

“But because of me not having her around… I… I lost…”

******

I began to wake up feeling my body, noting my armor was no longer on, and I was feeling much better. I was on a comfortable bed that smelled clean, which was odd. I opened an eye and looked around, moving slightly. The room was made into a normal square with steel gray walls and a metal floor. There was a vent on a wall by the strange door that, from what I could see, was split in the middle allowing the top half of the door to rise up and the lower half to drop down. Even in the low light I could make out a sign that warned about high pressure so I figured that it was a hydraulic door of some kind.

Since I could not see the rest of the room I began to stir to try and sit up but something cause me to freeze and my heart to pound. My hoof pressed onto something warm and soft… something… breathing. I also now felt something over my neck pinning my head down so I slowly tilted my head and looked down to see Serenity's head laying on my neck fast asleep. Her cheeks were still damp suggesting she was crying on me and ended up falling asleep. I felt my heart cry out to her and I felt a strong wave of guilt slam inside my chest as I looked at her.

I lifted a hoof and brushed her mane from her face, “I really don't deserve you…” I said to the sleeping beauty in such a low tone that I didn't even really hear it.

She however must have heard something because I watched as her eyes fluttered open and slowly her head shifted to look into my eye. I could not help but stare as the little bit of light coming from… someplace hit her eyes and made her good eye shine. Her eye asked the question I knew she wanted to and in truth… I was physically better but I was far from fine now and I think she saw it.

She lifted her head and gently using her hooves and wings made me roll over to face her. She then laid on her back and pulled my head onto her chest and gently stroked my mane, “what iz it?” She asked looking at me. Her voice was soft but seemed to shake like she had spent too much time crying.

I looked into her eyes my ears folding back, ‘she's hurting because of you,’ the pony in my mind said, ‘just like your cutiemark got rid of your-’

She tapped my the tip of my muzzle with a flick of her wing making me wince, “ztop it!” She said her smile turning to a frown, “what iz wrong Split?”

I wiggled my nose as the sting died away from the snap and I looked to her, “Serenity… I'm sorry…” I felt her breath catch as I turned my head laying on her chest. I could hear her heartbeat as I lay there. It was hard to believe that I was part of that beat given how selfish I have been to her. I swallowed, “I never meant to hurt or scare you… I'm… I was selfish and incredibly stupid.” I was shaking now as her hooves tightened around me, “why… why do you love me? I don't deserve a pony as good and sweet as you.”

She sniffed but lifted my head to meet her gaze, “because… you zaid you loved me… juzt before you lost consciousnezz… that was the only thing you zaid… you loved me,” she kissed the tip of my nose and looked back into my wide eyes. I was stunned at myself.

“But… but why?” I asked my brain running on everything I did to hurt her. It didn't make sense to me… she should be pushing me off her and the bed and telling me to leave.

“Split…” her tone caused my ears to snap up and she had my full attention, “you may not zee it… but take it from an emotionally broken mare,” she took a deep breath and let it out slowly closing her eyes, “you… are a good pony… and you were right about the teazing…,” she swallowed, “zo… pleaze…”

I watched as her cheeks became a soft rosy glow and she pulled my face closer and once again our lips met. My eyes widened in surprise as she made a simple kiss a lot more passionate as the kiss deepened with her tongue. She smelled wonderful and felt amazing against me, I wanted her more than anything. Our lips parted and I leaned my head down and kissed her neck softly and the way her breath escaped from her muzzle I started to burn from wingtip to wingtip. I was going to be with her in heart and body, I was going to show her how much I loved her I was…

“No…” I tried to pull myself off but her wings wrapped around me. I wanted to get off but I didn't have the strength to pull from her.

“Split… pleaze… I need thiz… I can zee that I do… and you…” her hoof touched my cheek making me look to her face. She was still smiling softly her eyes kind but she could not hide the fear of what was happening, “my body needz to show my mind and heart that you are ok to open up to.”

I did not necessarily disagree with her line of thinking but jumping into this wings first was not the way to do it. I did not want to scare her by pushing her away but I did not want to take the chance that I would hurt her by doing this now like this.

I closed my eyes and shook my head, “I… don't know what to do!” I looked to her and I could see her ears folding back, “I do love you… I do want this… but… I think this is too much too fast for both of us…” I closed my eyes, “is… there has to be something… some way to make this better for both of us so we don't mess things up.”

OK I was in the need of something to happen here or I was going to pop and when she pulled my leg out from under me and pushed me over onto my back I was just a little caught off guard, But when she pulled herself onto me sitting on my chest and looking down into my surprised eyes, caught off guard was an understatement. She was looking down at my face her breathing heavy and her mane hanging down in front of her face.

I swallowed hard as she slowly started to push her hips back lowering her face to mine and smiling her eyes narrowing, “then… I have an idea… do you truzt me?” Honestly that was a dumb question as I didn't trust myself right now but I nodded dumbly, “good.” Her tone curled my wings as she slid off me and walked to a nearby door. My head twisting from side to side as I watched her hips. She lifted a hoof and pushed a button and opened to a room that I could see a sink and mirror in and she looked back to me, “follow me my love.” and she walked in and soon I heard water running. I was stunned for a few moments but only a moment for my ears to catch a sound that she made that had my to the door in milliseconds and closing the door.

After being cleaned in a really hot shower by the mare I loved more than my own life was simply more than I expected but easily worth every second. Then me getting to return the favor by cleaning her allowed me to make her almost sing. It was something we both needed and I feel it was a right direction for our relationship to go in.

When we walked out of the shower and rest room I could still taste her as I helped her into the bed. She was smiling from ear to ear but very tired after the emotional roller coaster ride and I wanted her to rest while I looked around for the water talisman.

I ran a hoof through her mane as she looked to me her eyes looking very hard to keep open, “I admit I did not think of that.. it allowed each of us to… well…”

She sighed softly and I smiled, well to be honest I could not stop smiling even if a small part of my mind kept asking me if I was happy now how happy would I be when we finally decided to fully open up to each other. She closed her eyes, “I love you… pleaze be careful.”

I kissed her head, “I love you too… now get some rest… I will be right back,” with that I left the beautiful and wonderful mare sleep.

I lifted a hoof and pushed the switch to open the door which gave a loud hiss and lifted open into a hallway. I looked to my left as I stepped out hitting the button again making it hiss closed. The hall went on for a while then turned and I could not see the sign at the end of the corridor to make heads or tails of which way I was supposed to go. I then spun and looked right and there inches from my face was one of those multi-limbed hovering robots.

I believe any pony with my recent interaction with bots like this would have reacted as I had. I screamed and stumbled back falling to my rump and lifting my wings to cover the attack. I clenched my eyes because my lack of armor, which Serenity told me was in the medical bay while we cleaned up after our time together, was going to hurt a lot. I sat there waiting… and waiting… and waiting… I finally peeked through my wings at the hovering robot who had not moved.

The robot moved a claw like appendage up under the weird eye like camera that was in front of me and made a odd speaker like cough, “are you done?” It asked in an artificial tone.

It was talking to me and not shooting me… progress… I stood up keeping my distance and cocked an eyebrow, “sorry… I was… surprised.”

The robot waved the claw like arm, “well I should say so… oh please forgive me,” swept the claw around in a weird motion and tilted the three eyes forwards, “I am a personal robot butler… you can call me Safehands Sir! And might I say I am glad you pulled through the surgery! Well not as the Miss but still quite glad!”

“Wait… what surgery?” I asked sitting down. I knew it was probably something to do with me being shot but…

“Well the stables automated turrets made a right mess of you. I had to pull many bullets out of your side before we could properly heal you… but to stop you from dying I had to give you a high strength restoration potion then cut them out of you,” I jumped to my hooves and looked at my side.

I flattened my ears back at all of the little scars on my side. I really was close to death and seeing the aftermath I truly felt for Serenity. Something did not make sense as I looked to the bot, “what about my armor? It should not have been that bad!”

“I'm afraid that armor piercing rounds do not stop for simple armor,” he said flatly.

I felt my eye twitched, “w… why does a stable… made to save ponies…” I stood up and stomped a hoof hard, “HAVE FUCKING ARMOR PIERCING BULLETS IN IT'S TURRETS?!” I roared at the robot who faulted back a little.

He recovered and straightened up, “Sir! Shouting will not change things… but as for why it was to keep ponies from getting in.”

“I… wait… what?” I stammered as a mental fuse popped inside my head at that. Stables were built to keep ponies alive but this one was to keep them out?

He made a cough like sound as he tried to clear a non existent throat, “well it was built to save ponies but if a pony could not get inside they did not deserve to stay,” he lifted his claw and tapped his weird casing, “though… not many tried to get in… I guess they didn't have much chance to get here.”

I groaned, “so why are we here?” I swear there was not enough face hooves in Equestria.

“Simple… the Miss asked to be let in then asked for us to save you,” his tone was so matter of fact that I was expecting some kind of joke or something a single looked to him. I guess he didn't get my expression so he continued, “then she asked to have a room with you so you could recover… though… I must say the way you two washed each other was not very useful. I was fighting my programming of listening to the Miss by leaving you both alone of running to her aid as she became quite loud. The cameras showed that you can clean that part of her without your muzzle and it would be more productive!”

Ok… it was a robot and I could see my hooves were red, “y… you have… cameras… in… in the…” I was shaking with embarrassment and a burning anger inside me. I'm sure I was going to break and probably would have if Serenity was standing here.

“But of course! We have cameras throughout the stable and the building outside.”

I just face hoofed with both of my hooves and my wings and groaned loudly. As our relationship evolved we would have to be careful of future adventures. I lowered my wings and took a breath, “ok… that aside!” I shot the robot a glare, “since you have no need for it… can we have the water talisman here?”

“The water talisman is property of Stable Tech and removal of it will take place as soon as all proper papers are filled,” he said sounding like a recording.

“Why can't I ask for anything and get it?” I said standing up and moving away from the pain in the bot.

It took me several minutes to find the medical bay and once inside I quickly found my armor. I stiffened as I saw the crimson coating one side of the armor along with many small holes. I frowned as many holes were under my wing and it took me several seconds to remember that I was moving my wings out of discomfort for being in the cave. I sighed and looked to the blood covered table. It looked like somepony had attempted to clean it but couldn't.

I swallowed, “how did she get them to stop?” I asked touching the dried blood with a hoof, “I guess no pony ever thought to ask them to stop firing…” I shrugged as I activated my pip-buck and climbed into my armor.

I checked the rest of my things on my pip-buck and frowned to discover my energy pistol that was just fixed was broken beyond repair and sparking slightly. I lifted a hoof and using the pip-buck to open the slot pulled the pistol from it spot and dropped it into my saddlebag. I frowned as I stood looking at the empty weapon slot. I felt… off balance now and it was not a great feeling.

I looked around the medical bay and smirked, “I'm armored… happy and itching to settle a few things… but first… I need some stuff,” I said as I began to empty every drawer, medical box and cupboard into my saddlebag and turned and walked to the door, “want to play paper work? I have a pass that will get me into anything,” my smirk widened and my wing snapped at my side and I opened the door and walked out. I made my way back to Serenity's using the auto map on my pip-buck to retrace my steps. I dragged a blade along the wall happy to see it leaving a deep gash in the steel walls as I moved along.

I came up the landing to the hallway and turned and watched as Serenity was talking a couple sapphire gems on silver chains being handed to her by the hovering robot. I sat hard enough to make a loud Bang from my butt hitting the floor as I stared at her in disbelief, “I… but… wha…”

She looked to me when I sat and smiled and waved at me. She turned back to the robot and said something and gave a small bow of her head and turned and trotted towards me, “I cannot believe you didn't azk for the talizmanz yet,” she said looking quite proud, and I could not help but notice, livelier.

Seeing her smile not only on her muzzle but in her eyes as she wrapped the chain around the sapphires and slowly stuck them into her saddlebag. I sighed, “I felt naked without my armor.”

She giggled, “zilly… we are normally naked,” she leaned over and placed her muzzle against the tip of mine, “zo are we done now?”

I nodded, “I want to get out of here… it was a death trap… shooting at ponies trying to get in and only letting them survive if they made it.”

Her smile vanished instantly, “oh… um… yez… we muzt be going… zoon,” she said glancing back to the robot.

I pushed her gently with my nose and she started walking in front of me as I glanced from empty room to empty room, “this is far creepier than I want to think about…” we quickly made our way back to the entrance and I stopped as suddenly as she did as I looked over her at the large closed door, “this isn't good,” I looked around and noticed the door controls. A quick flap of my wings and I was next to them Serenity landing at my side as I started to hook my pip-buck to it, “come on!”

“we need a get out of here!” Serenity said looking to the still inactive turrets skeptically.

My pip-buck then instantly was given access and I grinned, “Must have the access from outside still!” I didn't wait and flipped the switch and looked as the giant drill like arm swung down to the door.

“I don't zuppoze you can get accezz to the turretz?”She asked as the turrets swung and pointed to the open door.

I was already looking for the appropriate code when she asked me and smirked at my luck as I hit the first password and instantly got access, “Trinity?” I said cocking an eye at her. She just shrugged shaking her head. I wasn't in the mood for guessing either and instantly moved the cursor to the “shut down turrets” button and clicked it. The turrets soft hum died and the barrels pointed down, “let's go!” and we both did not hesitate and flew out the giant door. She stopped halfway up the cave like tunnel and looked back. I landed close to her and looked back as well because the door gave a loud metallic scream and started to slide back into place. Just before it fully closed I watched as the turrets swiveled to life and I shuddered, “ok then… let's hope if we need to come back they remember who we are.”

I looked to her and she nodded and we moved up the tunnel back to the shed. I was glad that I was out of the Stable thinking Lucky needed to tell me more about how he knew and answer for almost getting me killed that when I reached for the door Serenity pushed it away causing me to stumble and slam face first into it.

My face slid down the heavy wood door as I looked to her with a frown. She put a hoof to her mouth, “Oh! Split I am zorry! I juzt… thought you would want thiz,” she said pulling up the cloth blindfold.

I sat up and rubbed my nose, “it's ok… you didn't hurt a vital organ…” I looked at the cloth, “no… but I will close my eyes and you can lead me,” I said standing and then quickly added, “put your wing over me! Not by tail…”

Celestia drop the sun on my head… she had the look of disappointment on her face that made my ears burn and my wings tingle. I was quite affiliated with her body now after what we did and now that we opened up a little to each other the thought of being lead by her tail opened new things. Being lead through a place where I had panic attacks so easily made that possibility a bit unnerving.

She walked over and swung a wing over the back on my neck and she leaned close to my ear, “do you think I cannot have fun like thiz?” She purred softly.

I was prepared for this and my tail snapped on her flank making her yip and look back as I smirked, “I can play equally unfair sugar flank,” I said giving her as much sweetness as I could muster while being a bit cocky.

Her eye went wide and her cheeks were bright red, “you… you juzt!” but she caught my eyes and smiled sheepishly, “I guezz if I can be mean you can be a bit too…” She pushed the door open and I closed my eyes. My ears twitched as I felt her breath on my ear, “I will have to play a bit more unfair then, won't i?” The promise on her tone was driven home as she gently bit down on the lower part of my ear.

I groaned… well… no I moaned… that nibble was something no pony has ever done to me in any relationship and I was not expecting it. I remember while in the shower she had unintentionally shown me that she had fangs which made me nervous about what she planned to do, but to be honest it made no difference for anything. Heck in fact knowing that she had them gave me fun fantasies of being one of those old movie vamponies. That thought when I asked about it caused me to get a snap of her wet tail across my ass that stung quite a bit. Now as her teeth gently moved along my ear, it gave a sensation that sent a tingle down my spine that I was bent down and my head tilted to the side.

As sudden as she started she stopped leaving me low to the ground and my head bowed, “oh? No come back thiz time?” She purred as her tone told me she had accepted her victory.

I let out a low breath and stood up and my eyes opened and I looked out into the greenhouse with its dead skeletal trees reaching out to grab me. I stepped forward the corner of my eye watching as her smirk instantly faded and became scared. As soon as I was clear of the shed I felt my heart begin to thunder and my eyes darted around at the dead trees. I could feel my chest rising and falling rapidly as I struggled to catch a breath I felt like I was losing but I kept walking forward.

Serenity's wing dropped over my face and she said in a shaky and hurt voice, “Split… w… why? I… I thought…” She stopped as she saw my smirk, “y… you…” She growled a little, “you cheater!” and she moved her wing and walked ahead of me her nose up.

The effects of my attack came back in force and I sat down hard, “S… Serenity! Please… you win! Come back!” I called in desperation.

When we were outside the greenhouse and I was panting and sitting just outside the door she sat next to me frowning, “no more cheating like that… I was zcared!” her tone carried a hurt in it that made me look to the dirt and my ears fold back. She stood up and walked forward, “let'z uz hurry it iz getting late.”

I rose and followed behind her my head still hung low. She was mad and had a right to be so. She had nibbled on my ear and found something about me that I didn't even know and what I did was… scare her…

Snap!

Her tail cracked across the tip of my nose Making me jump back and raise a hoof to my nose. I looked to her through the tears in my eyes from the sting and she glared back, “you don't need to pout… you need to make it up to me.”

I frowned, “but… but how?” I asked dumbly. Her eyes didn't let up as she burned holes into me. I lowered my head, “I'm sorry… I wasn't thinking about how you would take it,” and it was the honest truth. I need to think more about my actions before I do something next time.

She tilted her head not taking her good eye off me, “zorry iz not going to cut it Split!” I sighed and closed my eyes. I was about to say I know until she gave me a small kiss and I looked at her. Her eyes softened a little now showing a bit more sadness and love than pure anger. She gave a smile that matched her eyes, “but it'z a ztart.” she thought for a moment then smirked the sadness in her eyes vanishing, “I know the perfect punishment!” and I swallowed hard… I was in trouble.

We soon walked back into the bar which had ponies in it finishing up the take down of the cage and adding a few more lights. Everyone stopped as we walked in and there were murmurs and pointing as she lead me in with her tail wrapped around my neck to where my head was over her flank. She was grinning from ear to ear and gave Cedar a small wave with her wing as Cedar held her stomach laughing. I was no longer a white pegasus… I was a very deep red pegasus. The embarrassment and the predicament I got myself into was driving me crazy now.

She finally let her tail go and looked back with a smile, while I looked away pressing my lips together. No i wasn't pouting… I wasn't… I was just… being difficult. She giggled and turned and lightly kissed my cheek then gave a small wink. I watched as she turned and walked over to Cedar and Lucky who was watching her with a smile that I imagined a father would give to their foal after overcoming a something difficult which filled him with pride. Cedar… was the crazy sibling that seemed to enjoy the torture that she did to her lover.

I groaned as I felt like if I took my armor off it would hiss letting steam out like a portable sauna. Luckily I didn't have to think much about it as a strong hoof draped over my neck and pulled me into a headlock and I looked into the annoyed eyes of Iron Gate, “ow!” I said realizing that he was no pony I wanted to tangle with wincing as he gripped tightly, “what is it already?”

His eyes narrowed, “seriously… I just repaired that armor for you and you go and get that kind of damage?” he nods to the holes in the armor and the empty weapon slot.

I pulled my head free, I think there was a popping sound as I did it, and reached up to see if I had ears still, “well I was denied some seriously needed to know… information!” I hissed as my eyes slowly moved to the old stallion walking over to us.

His smile faded instantly and he had the nerve to look a bit ashamed, “I'm sorry lad… I figured you would be careful with my warning,” he moved up in front of me and looked at my armor and his eyes went wide, “Celestia's holy asscheeks!”

I frowned, “yeah! I almost died… hell I probably would have is Serenity hadn't thought to do what no pony else had and asked them to stop!”

Iron Gate lead me over to a small pair of what looked like engine block holders spaced apart enough to hold up my armored wings and had me get out so he could look it over. Serenity walked over dangling the water talismans on her wing, “where is Bubble Gum?”

I looked to Lucky as the question was just about to come from my mouth and he levitated the talismans from her, “I put her to bed just before you got in,” he held the sapphires in the air while he spoke to her.

She smiled, “I am going to go check on her and make sure she'z azleep,” and she turned and walked to the stairs.

I smiled at her as she glanced back at me, “I will be up in a bit,” she nodded and ascended the stairs. I watched until her tail left my vision and I looked to Iron Gate, “by the way… did you fix her that rifle?”

He looked back to me, “yeah… many weapons in the wasteland can converted to be shot left,” he instantly looked suspicious as he added, “why… did you break that too?”

I glared and pulled out the lever action rifle from my pack and held it out to him. I was glad she gave me a second to look over the ponies we took out when we left for the stable and I got a decent weapon out of it. He looked at it then to me cocking an eyebrow and I sighed, “this caliber of rifle is a bit more powerful than the other one she had… and… she is an amazing shot.”

His eyes widened at that, “wait… she what?” He looked to the stairs and then back, “I… I can see what I can do…”

“I will be right back… gonna go check on on the girls and I'll come back and help,” he just waved a hoof as he looked at the rifle setting it on a table. I looked to Lucky who shrugged and walked past the bar and straight to the door where his room was. I gave Cedar a glance but she was talking with another one of the bucks in the room and I shrugged and started up the stairs.

When I got to the top I could hear Bubble’s tired voice, “but… I want to see him… I want to see if he is,” the word okay was stretched out with a long yawn.

I smiled and reached a hoof to the door and pushed it open slightly to peek in. Bubble was curled up in Serenity's fore hooves as she laid with the filly on the couch. She gave Bubble a soft motherly smile and twisted her head and pulled a blanket over the filly, “he is talking businezz with the otherz downstairz but he will come up to wish you goodnight zweetie.”

Bubble snuggled into the mare, “but… but I can't sleep without him here… its… it's weird but…”

Serenity reached up and ran a hoof through Bubbles mane and the filly looked like they wanted to drift off the sleep then and there, “how about a lullaby?” Bubble looked up to Serenity and gave a small nod. Serenity closed her eyes and took a breath in, what came out was her singing the most beautiful sound I have ever heard. Her song floated through my heart and I could feel every note, “Hush now quiet now it'z time to lay your sleepy head, Hush now quiet now it'z time to go to bed,” the end of the simple line rang through me as I watched her.

Bubble shifted and smiled, “I… I know this one!”

Serenity giggled at her and smiled tilting her head, “would you care to join me?” Bubble nodded and took a breath too and they continued in an almost perfect unison, “Hush now quiet now it's time to lay your sleepy head, Hush now quiet now it's time to go to bed,” I watched and my vision blurred. My chest clenched as I watched and I blinked sending fresh tears rolling down my cheeks, “drifting off to sleep… exciting day behind you, drifting off to sleep let the joy of dream land find you,” Bubbles voice slowly died away as she drifted off to sleep. Serenity finished up with only some humming as she lifted Bubble in her wings and slid off the couch and walked her into the room with the bed.

I hung my head as the effect of the simple song hit me harder than I ever thought possible. Listening to her sing to the filly brought back a memory I had all but forgotten of the day my father left. I was confused and scared and to calm me down my mother sang me that song, or when I was scared of something she would comfort me with its simple tune. I had suppressed the memory so deeply that when she sang it and it came up it was physically painful.

“Split?” Serenity said surprised and I slowly looked to her. Her eyes went wide at my face and her ears folded back. Instantly she moved close and placed a hoof to my cheek, “Split… what iz wrong?”

I closed my eyes as I tried to calm myself, “I…” She waited as I took several breaths, “that song… it… it brought back a memory of my mother that… that was…” She didn't need to hear anymore as she smiled softly. She then pulled me into the room and onto the couch where she curled up next to me and just listened as I talked. I told her about everything and anything I could. My dreams, my mother, my training and my guilt and she just stroked my mane and listened.

By the time I was finished I was feeling exhausted and mentally drained. Serenity stopped petting my mane and lifted my face, “better?” I nodded and she smiled and kissed my nose, “well if anything it explainz a lot but pleaze do not feel bad for the thingz you did,” she slid from the couch and stretched giving a small and cute yawn before looking back to me, “you are a good pony Split… do not think of yourzelf as anything lezz’” she turned and stretched her hind legs with a small groan, “I am going to go to zleep with Bubble,” she glanced at me, “you better come into the room thiz time,” and with that she entered through the door to the bedroom and closed it.

I stared at the door for several moments wondering what she thought of me now, but at the same time I kind of knew when she told me to join her when it was time to go to bed. However I was feeling quite hungry so I stood up and gave my legs and wings a small stretch and opened the door to head downstairs and almost ran into Lucky who was levitating a tray of some kind of noodles and some water.

I smiled the him, “you read my mind!”

He trotted in and set it down on the end table by the couch, “figured you would be hungry after getting back… I'm surprised Serenity is already sleeping,” he said looking to me raising an eyebrow.

I walked to the table and lifted the water to my lips. It was clear and cold which was one of the best things I have ever tasted. Well was one of the best things I ever tasted which made my cheeks burn and me look to Lucky. I watched as his skeptical look slowly turn to one of surprise and my cheeks burned more and more, “it… it's not what you think… we… we had a… moment… and things got intense… and we wanted to get closer and…”

His cheeks slowly turned red, “I… don't think I need details lad…” he smiled though, “but I'm glad you are able to help her out of her shell,” his smile faded, “but please… do not rush it… I'm surprised she wanted to do anything after her life but… anything is possible.”

I had started to eat the noodles when he started talking, more to keep me from talking. By the time he was finished the noodles were gone and I was finishing the water. If I got anything from my basic training up above the clouds was the ability to eat fast. I set the bottle down and looked to him, “I don't plan to but we felt we need to do something to open up to each other,” he thought about that for a moment then gave a small nod. I stretched my wings and looked at the scars on my side, “by the way… was that explosives expert here yet?”

He looked to the door, “yes… he was exhausted and needed to get some sleep. He will be getting her out in the morning.”

I yawned and stretched again, “that's good… what are you going to do with her?”

He shrugged as he levitated the tray up, “she won't make it far on her own… might send a message to a couple places to see if they can help or something. Until then I may just keep her safe and happy,” he watched me for a few seconds then stood up straight, “that unicorn is dead isn't he?”

I looked to the window and nodded as the thought of what I was going to do made me feel… well honestly I didn't know what it made me feel. He walked in front of me with a flat expression and I sighed looking away again, “I… was going to let him live but… that choice was taken from me and the chance was taken from him.”

“He didn't deserve to live… he had ponies killed slowly by King and reaped the rewards,” he said flatly, “he bought Serenity and was going to give her to him to-”

“I KNOW!” I snapped glaring at him. He took a startled step back and that caused me to push, “you can’t get any good from a pony if they are dead to make up for what they did!”

“But the word of what you have done has spread without him!” he said frowning.

“I…” I stopped… “wait… what?” He smirked and I slowly looked down to my pip-buck, “that DJ Pon-3… huh?” he nodded and I sighed and went to turn it on and he stopped me which caused me to look at him confused.

He shook his head, “DJ Pon-3 doesn't do the news this late at night.”

I nodded having remembered his closing news caste before he went off the air for the night. I also remembered something else, “what about that mare?”

“Who… the Stable Dweller?” I nodded and he chuckled heading to the door, “I'll let you find out yourself,” he opened the door, “well… goodnight lad,” with that he closed door behind him.

I watched the door frowning, “what? Did she die… blow up a radio tower… fly a train? Come on!” I stood up and started to the bedroom door, “and what's up with the Stable Dweller for a name?”

I pushed open the door and pulled up short as Bubble was curled up next to Serenity both fast asleep. I couldn't help but grin and really wanted to let them just sleep but I didn't want another torture session with Serenity so i closed the door with a swish of my tail and climbed into the bed next to Serenity, curling into a ball close to her. Bubble instantly woke up and pulled herself from Serenity's hooves and wings and half walked half wobbled over to me. I lifted a hoof and she curled up next to me laying her head on my other hoof and letting out a breath and closing her eyes again. I lowered my hoof over her and held her and used a wing to stroke her mane. She gave a tiny groan and curled her face into my chest.

Something caught my eye and I looked to see Serenity watching me and smiling softly. I cocked an eyebrow, “what?” She just shook her head and moved closer and curled up close to me laying her head close to Bubble. I watched her and Bubble for a long time until sleep pulled my head down along with my eyelids and I soon found myself drifting off into a peaceful sleep… or so I thought.

Chapter 12

Chains wrapped around my hooves and began to pull while I was inside of a cage. I tried to scream but no sound came from my muzzle as the chains pulled my limbs out spreading them out. A strange popping sound came from each joint as they threatened to pull them off.

“I thought you could take more than that?” a familiar voice asked me with a sickening cold tone. I slowly looked down to see the smirking face of… myself looking up at me with a thick chain wrapped around his hoof. He looked filthy and scared as he grinned wickedly back, “I never realized how much of a pussy I was!” he pulled the chain making me scream in silence.

“Split… ztop playing with your food,” came another familiar voice that dripped with affection. I watched as Serenity walked onto the stage holding a dead foal in her wing like the baby was still alive. She was equally filthy and bruised in several places and… and… i swallowed as I my eyes widened at her missing wings. She held up the dead foal to the other me, “Bubble Gum broke thiz one too… zo we need to get to making a new one.”

‘Ma… making?’ my brain pony said horrified as she walked in front of the other Split and bent over and lifted her tail. The pain in my limbs dulled to a slight throb as the other Split mounted her, still smirking at me and pulling more at my limbs. I could do nothing but watch as he violateed her with that disgusting smirk and when he finished, Serenity stood up, already fully pregnant and ready to burst. She walked the way she came looking back just in time to lower her head.

“Things could not be better for me… after I took that Lucky out for using me to run his errands I decided to bring back the cage… Serenity is my breeding mare and Bubble soon will be both a fighter and a breeder,” he laughed and I felt ice in my veins as I glared, “I just need to get rid of…”

I stopped listening and started to pull my legs together. It was slow and the other me was not making it easy but I was getting my strength back as I glared back. The other Split looked panicked as he started to pull with all of his strength. I roared and my hooves snapped together. The chains broke and I landed on the floor and looked up.

My eyes went wide as I looked around down the hall in stable 7. I took several steps back and looked around frantically until a robotic sound came from behind me and I spun to see Dr. Safehands pulling up his machine gun like arms and pointed them at me. I swallowed, trying to move but the walls of the stable melted away and became a tangle of the tree branches which instantly wrapped around me and pinned me down. I tried to scream again but I still had no sound.

Serenity walked up next to the robot wearing my armor. Her mane was tied back into a tight bun and she looked to me with disgust, “will you pleaze end hiz mizerable life!”

‘Serenity! Please!’ I cried in my head but the sounds in my head died away as the guns opened fire and began punching holes through me.

******

I woke with such a start Bubble Gum who was shaking me fell back onto the bed with a shriek. I sat up quick and… realized that sitting up quick was not something I could do wrapped in the blankets like a mummy. I wiggled and squirmed and Bam! Fell onto the floor landing on my chest and chin. Well the bright side was the blanket was loose enough for me to lift my hooves to my head but that's where it stopped. My chin now throbbed and I am quite sure I chipped a tooth.

I curled onto my side holding my chest as having cracked or broken a rib or two, it felt like I did it again or at least something similar. Bubble landed on the floor next to me putting a hoof on my head, “are you ok Split?”

“Morning Bubble,” I groaned as I clenched my eyes tightly. As my mind cleared a little from the nightmare and the pain I figured I didn't break any ribs but hardwood floor and gravity was not great combination for them.

I opened an eye to see Bubble sitting and tapping her hooves together looking at me with concern, “you… were having a bad dream so… I tried to wake you up.”

I sat up wincing slightly, if this was a premonition to my day I was staying in bed, and reached a hoof out and gently stroked her mane, “yeah… sorry about that sweetie… happens from time to time.”

She looked up and smiled, “not when you're around. That's why I like to sleep next to you,” I flinched looking at her wide eyed. She hasn't had any nightmares since I started letting her sleep next to me? She stood up and smiled, “Serenity made breakfast again!” her smile faded as she looked past her tail to the living room, “but there is a big stallion downstairs… Serenity is quite scared to be around him.”

My ears perked and I found my way onto my hooves faster than I realized. Bubble was telling me something but I wasn't listening. Serenity was scared and I needed to help her.

I quickly made my way downstairs and looked and saw Serenity sitting behind the bar half watching and half cowering at a… whoa… when Bubble Gum said big stallion I was not picturing this. He was huge, I was big for a pegasus, but I barely came up to his shoulders. He was a steel gray earth pony with a light blond mane and tail that were cropped to give him a military like appearance. Well okay the military coat he wore with the sleeves rolled up gave him that too but who was really paying attention to that. He had kind green eyes that looked to the explosives collar in his hooves with several different kind of tools on the table beside him. Lucky was walking the mare from the bedroom over to Serenity and talking.

When I approached I heard Serenity, “yez I have no problem helping her clean up,” she looked to me and the worry on her face instantly melted away as she smiled. She then moved from behind the counter and helped the mare to the stairs. Her velvet like wings brushed my cheek as she walked by and I leaned into it until she passed. I then heard her quietly ask Bubble if she wanted to help which Bubble was all too happy to do.

I walked to Lucky as he walked back to the large buck, “so this is the guy?”

Lucky glanced at me as we reached him and he set the collar down smiling to me. Lucky raised a hoof to him, “Split… this is Pineapple Grenade,” he then swung his hoof to me and looked to the stallion, “Pineapple… this is the crazy stallion I told you about.”

He held out an enormous hoof to me, “nice to meet you,” his voice was deep but kind and I reached a hoof out and bumped his. He chuckled as he lowered his hoof, “not very trusting of me?”

I frowned my eyes narrowing slightly, “you were scaring my marefriend…” if he wanted to dance then we would. I could take him even if it meant my nicely bruised ribs got broken.

He reached a hoof back and rubbed the back of his head, “yeah… all I did was wave and say hello but she looked like I was about to attack her,” he lowered his hoof and sighed looking quite apologetic, “tell her I am sorry for scaring her. I really didn't meant to.”

My jaw hung open in disbelief, “I… um… will…” I hadn't expected a pony this big to be such a softy. I cocked my head and moved to a tray of food that Lucky levitated over to me and began to eat. He chuckled, “your mare has a talent with cooking.”

I nodded as I ate the… emergency rations I got from Solar Flare mixed with some canned applesauce. The rations if I remembered correctly never tasted this good before and before I knew it my bowl was cleaned. I licked my lips as I set the bowl down and looked back up to the other two. They just sat smiling and I frowned feeling my cheeks burn, “what… it was good…”

My ears twitched and I heard Bubbles voice as she squealed and then a splash. I chuckled as I was sure Serenity took the opportunity to bath the filly. Lucky and Pineapple glance up at the ceiling and chuckled as well before Lucky looked to Pineapple, “so you are willing to talk to them for me?”

Iron Gate tapped my shoulder holding the lever action rifle in his hooves looking quite good now with the mouth grip on the other side. I grinned, “how much do I owe you?”

He set the rifle on the table his face still stern, “did i ask for a price? Besides…” he turned glancing back over his shoulder, “I have a debt to pay off for you getting this place back under Lucky's hoof and the help with the water talismans. Otherwise,” he smirked sending a shiver went up my spine. He just turned and walked away leaving me feeling a little lost yet somehow grateful. Lifting the rifle up and staring down the barrel I... quickly lowered it down and set it on the bar remembering I was never one for firearms. My ear spun as I caught Lucky and Pineapple talking next to me.

“So you just want me to head to Stable 20 percent cooler and ask the Dashites for some help with the mare?” Pineapple asked.

My head snapped around instantly and Lucky looked to me surprised. He sighed and face hoofed, “Great job Pineapple… just announce it to the one stallion who probably should not have heard it.”

I was not listening to him however, “wait… there is a stable with Dashites in it?” I am pretty sure my tone was a bit more menacing than I intended but I could worry about that later. I wanted answers about this stable and I wanted them now.

Pineapple looked a bit ashamed at first but at my tone he looked a bit curious and nodded, “well it has Dashites and other ponies in it… but it was founded for Dashites around the area to to have a safe place to stay.”

I shot a glanced to Lucky who was watching me with a frown then turned to face him, “I want to see… I'm as much as a dashite by this point as any of them without the brand,” I tried to sound sincere and in truth I really was despite how much I didn't believe it.

Lucky looked down to the rifle for a long moment but then I caught his gaze travel to my scarred up side and he sighed, “fine… you haven't done anything for me to not trust you so… I will give you this one lad.”

I grinned at him, “thank you Lucky!” I looked to Pineapple, “care for some company!”

He chuckled, “as Lucky would say… Celestia's sweet dock yes!” Pineapple and I shared a laugh at Lucky tried to argue that was not what he said, but soon joined in the laugh as he levitated out a couple of glasses and poured the three of us a glass of Whiskey.

My laughter died when a soaking wet pink ball of fuzz dove into my chest, “Split help! She's trying to get me to… to…” I looked down as she pointed at her clean brushed mane, “be girly!”

I smiled, “but it looks nice,” okay… I was floored that she could be even cuter. I mean it wasn't completely brushed yet which gave the other half of her head was spiked out in all directions from being dried.

She frowned, “really? I was told that it didn't matter… in fact if I looked messy I was less likely to be-,”

I cut her off, “somepony has to get by me first Bubble,” she beamed at me and I gave her a small nuzzle before nudging her to go back up, “now let her finish up… we will be leaving soon,” she looked back with a stare that would have broke my heart but I smiled, “yes you are going too,” she cheered and bounced up the stairs on the tips of her hooves.

Lucky frowned, “you're taking her?” His tone telling me that he may be questioning trusting me now.

I turned to face him, “yes.. I am not about to leave Bubble Gum out of everything I do… with her with me I won't be looking for a fight.” Lucky thought about it for a moment and conceded my point. I looked to Pineapple, “when are you heading out?”

He chuckled, “when ever you are ready,” he stood up pocketing the collar and sliding the tools into his saddlebags, “I will go get things ready to go. Meet me outside when you are ready,” and he turned and walked to the door and disappeared outside.

I turned to Lucky, “gonna need some supplies,” Lucky nodded with a sigh getting up. I stood up off the stool and walked to the stairs to talk to Serenity.

She was taking a brush through the white mare's mane who seemed much better now that she was clean. She still looked very weak and unsteady but she smiled as the brush made her sliver grey and still quite damp mane shimmer. Bubble was sitting in front of a mirror looking at her mane that Serenity put a bow into and tied into a neat pony tail. She stuck her tongue out and pulled the bow free letting her mane fall and shook her head making it poof a bit then settle into organized chaos.

I shook my head with a chuckle then turned to Serenity who was watching Bubble with a mixture of disappointment and silent defeat turned to me and shot me a glare... a glare that caused me to take a step back… a glare I had seen before… in a dream.

Her glare softened as she gave Bubble the brush and asked to brush the mares tail. Bubble nodded and did so. I swallowed as Serenity glared to me and walked past, “room… now!”

Bubble looked to me with her ears down but did not say anything. I swallowed hard again turning to follow Serenity into the room like a foal in trouble for breaking something expensive. She waited by the door as I walked past her into the room my eyes locked onto my hooves before i slowly lifted my gaze to the couch. We needed a new one… if you could find anything that counted as new in the wasteland.

The door snapped shut making me flinch and slowly look back at her. She had her head down frowning, “what are you thinking!” She asked with a venom that I the last time I heard was telling a robot to kill me. She hissed, “bringing a filly with uz as we travel to another ztable!” I wasn't looking at her anymore as I hung my head breathing heavily. I never had the memory of a dream effect me so much but then again I never had a dream hurt so bad. She walked forward, “Split?” Her tone was soft and filled with concern a she knelt next to me placing a wing over me, "Split... I... I'm zorry... I... I didn't-"

I flinched hard enough that my bruised chest sent a painful sting up my side, I slowly lifted my head and eyes and I looked to her. I was shaking and my vision was blurry not to meantion I could fell my heart thumping heavily in my chest, “a dream… it was a dream…”

I watched as her eyes widened with realization and she leaned forward wrapping her wings around me, “Split… what happened?”

I took a breath breathing in her sent, “you… you used the trees to keep me down and then ordered the robot to kill me… you hated me… I don't know why but,” it was only a dream but I felt that any second I was going to see trees reaching for me to hold me down. Wait… I was being held down!

I tried to struggle a little and only Serenity's soft voice and her hoof gently stroking my mane stopped me from moving. She gently pressed her head against mine and I could see her eyes as she gazed into mine, “Split… I'd never hate you…” She smiled and I felt her shrug, “dizagree and get upzet… yez… but never hate.”

I sighed as the shaking began to die down, “w… what happened?” I was at a loss and a little worried about what happened.

She took her wings off me allowing me to stand, “I… don't know… have you ever had anything like thiz before?”

“No,” then I thought, “maybe…” then I sat as memories began to blend and blur together, “probably…” I stood up shaking the feeling and memories away, or at least tried to, I glanced at her, “anyhow… as for why I want her to go,” Serenity stiffened but I didn't stop, “we are going to see Dashites and Lucky trusts me enough to talk to them without me getting angry… having Bubble with us I won't be inclined to start anything in fear of her getting hurt.”

She thought on the for a long couple seconds then frowned, “and… the zecond thing?” She asked like she knew it was coming.

I smiled to her and pointed to the door behind her as Bubble peaked in looking curiously, “you want to tell that face she can't come?” instantly Bubble looked to my her eyes wide then to Serenity. It was like magic as her eyes became big and her lower lip popped out and quivered.

Serenity took a step back as she looked to Bubble in surprise, “I… I didn't…” Bubble walked in further and lowered her ears back. Serenity hung her head in defeat, “fine…” her tone carried the loss which made Bubble cheer jumping into the air.

Bubble ran over and we bumped hooves before she ran to the door, “Cedar has saddle bags I can have so I will get them and meet you downstairs,” she bounced down the stairs hopping from one side of a step to the other side of the step below it happily singing, “I get to go! I get to go!”

I started to laugh but my eye caught Serenity's eyes and I bit my lips closed. She stood up and moved in front of me, “pleaze Split… don't let her get hurt…”

My suppressed laugh turned into a confident smirk, “That will never happen!”

Serenity looked at me skeptically but sighed, “I guezz you are right… we can't juzt leave her if we are going to raize her into a lovely and rezpectable young mare,” she smiled as she walked past the the door following Bubble down the stairs.

I nodded smiling, “yeah we…” My ears sprung up and my eyes widened as I watched her tail fall below the top step, “wait… raise her?” Okay I admit the thought was not as bad as I thought but that would mean I would have to… well raise her. I was no father and as much as I loved the filly I don't think she would see me as one. Serenity was on a different level as she was caring and fantastic and... and... well, she was still emotionally hurt beyond anything I could imagine, but our time at the stable helped me see that she is trying to get over it.

Then something in my mind kicked something else causing a riot to start. A voice rose up above the rest and said, ‘she wants to be in a family with you!’ everything in my mind stilled. I felt a smile spread across my face a the thought of Serenity holding a newborn while Bubble came running to me calling me… ‘Murderer…’ something in my brain said which sent a chill up my spine and shattered the mental image.

I lifted my hooves to my head and shook my head, “stop!” I hissed through my teeth, “I could have a family if I worked hard for it!”

‘Like Sunny worked for hers?’ the thought said.

I shook my head, “no… she… she was using me to have one and…” that wasn't true as the memory of when we had finished one of our… extra lessons she sat on my lap as she cuddled against me, “do you want a family?” I could hear her voice so clearly in my head I clenched my eyes closed tightly.

“Maybe someday,” I said thinking of the memory.

“Does it matter which mare?” The memory asked… I could remember her smell and her look as she looked to me.

I shook my head, “I guess it's…” My wings fell to the floor along with my hooves as the warmth drained from my face. I felt like I just swallowed an ice cube as I spoke softly, “what… what ever mare I got pregnant…”

I felt my blood freezing as I sat staring at nothing. I knew she hated me because of what I did but now I truly knew why. She wasn't using me she was doing what any mare wanted… to be a mother… and she wanted a pony who would love her…. Me… I didn't love her, like maybe, but not love… I was sure of it because every time I looked at Serenity she took my breath away and her smile made my heart skip. Sunny was just… well… a mare who found a stallion who wanted a family for the first mare he got pregnant… she got pregnant with his foal and… he… I… left her to…

Bubbles head poked up from the stairs smiling, “Split! Come on we're waiting for you!” She caught my look and her ears folded back, “what's wrong… you are not leaving me are you?”

‘Split… you can think about Sunny later… give Bubble a smile and follow her down… oh and give her a good lie,’ my mind told me.

I stood up and smiled, “just thinking about what kind of armor I can get a little pink filly!” It was not the best lie but it would be good enough for her.

She stuck her tongue out at me, “why do I have to have armor? Serenity doesn't wear any!”

I bent my head down as I walked to her and she put her hooves on my head and with a small hop jumped onto my head. I lifted my head up and tilted my head back sending the filly laughing down the back of my neck to my back and started down the stairs, “because… I won't have any filly around me not protected with the best I could provide,” I wanted to say my filly but I held my tongue for now, “and I will find something for her too when I can.”

Bubble huffed for a second, “maybe… but I don't have to like it…” She looked up the stairs and then down, “Split… can I ask you something?” I stopped before I got to the bottom and looked back to her. She was tapping her fore hooves together lightly and looked incredibly nervous.

I cocked my brow and nodded, “sure sweetie… what is it?” The thoughts and guilt from what I did to Sunny momentarily vanishing.

She swallowed hard, “it's just that… I was wondering if… if I can call…” She looked to me for a long moment. Her eyes locked onto mine and I could see a pain in her eyes and small tears begin to form in the corner of them. Suddenly she looked away with a disappointing frown, “never mind…”

My ears dropped back and I frowned flatly at her, “oh no young lady!” I lifted a wing and began to tickle her side, “what is it? Tell me!” I said as she started to squirm on my back and started to laugh and giggle.

After a minute or so I managed to get her into my wing and was holding her close as she wiped her eyes trying to calm the giggling. She looked up smiling but the smile faded, “please Split… I… I'm not ready to ask yet…” She looked down at my wing her ears folding back.

I was going crazy for wanting to know but I gave her a soft smile, “ok sweetie,” I pulled her close and gently kissed her head, “I can answer anything for you when you are ready…”

She looked up and smiled softly, “thanks Split…” She leans against me and tries to wrap her tiny hooves around my neck. I lowered my head over her and hugged her close.

“Split?” I looked up to see Serenity at the bottom of the stairs looking up with concern. I smiled and shook my head and she smiled, gave a nod and walked away.

I lowered Bubble down to the steps as she looked up with a smile. I gently ran a hoof through her mane, “go help Serenity with getting ready… I got to get my armor on and a few other supplies,” she gave a single nod and bounced the rest of the way down the stairs. I followed her and watched as she talked with Serenity and they walked outside. Instantly I sighed and walked to my armor hanging my head.

As I began to step into it Lucky walked over, “what's wrong lad?” he was levitating a orange pouch of, what I knew all too well, Rad-A-Way. I looked to it confused then thought back to how much magical radiation I have taken and allowed him to pop the tip of the built in straw off and I sucked it down. It was tart and tasted like someone wanted to give it some kind of flavor but it just tasted like crap.

I looked at the dial on my pip-buck drop down and I let out a slow breath from my nose, “I just remembered something I did to a mare that… I am not proud of,” Lucky sat down his eyes looking at me without judgement. If anything he looked patient and willing to hear me out. So I told him how I got a mare pregnant and had her turned over when she wanted me to be a family with her. I told him how she was most likely forced to get rid of the foal and imprisoned at best and then the icing on the cake that I told her that I was willing to setting down with the first mare I got pregnant.

He looked at me for a long time or at least I assumed he was looking at me as my eyes never left my hooves. I was feeling bad for remembering what I did and while he silently judged me I was starting to feel worse. He however lifted a hoof and set it on my shoulder, “Split… I can't say what you did was good… in fact that was downright despicable,” whatever I needed to hear that was not it and I began to deflate but stopped when he spoke again, “however… the Split who did that seems to be different from the one beating himself up in front of me,” I looked up at his comforting smile, “am I wrong?” at my confused look he clarified, “do you think you would have said or done that now?” I slowly shook my head, “good… and with that I can say that even if you remember doing it and even if you did… it wasn't you, it wasn't the Splitstream I know.”

I felt my smile spread, “thanks Lucky…” I hung my head and then stood up and looked to him, “do you mind if we set some time to talk every now and then?”

Lucky looked a bit stunned but gave a kind smile and nodded, “sure lad… I'd be happy to,” then he started to laugh, “might have to start charging for therapy sessions!”

I chuckled as well and started for the door stopping to look at the mare who was sitting in the corner where I saw Cedar sitting when we first met. She looked to me and flushed a deep red and looked away. I looked to Lucky who shrugged and turned and walked up the stairs towards my room.

I walked close to her and smiled at how much better she looked, she was still very skinny and didn't seem to be able sit still, but better. I stopped close to her and smiled softly, “never got your name…” I placed a hoof on my chest, “I'm-”

“Splitstream…” She said as I watched her cheeks grow a deeper red. She swallowed and quickly glanced at me, “I'm… Hey You…” The sound of her tone made it seem like that is all she knew either by the drugs and being called it she had forgotten.

I shook my head, “not while I'm here you won't be,” she lifted her head as I leaned back to think.

Her tone sounded skeptical but had a hint of hope, “you… are going to give me a name?”

I looked down at her and took her appearance in and smiled, “Diamond...” I have to admit that my mothers name came to mind as well for some reason, but it seemed to fit.

I was thinking of something more but she grinned, “Diamond…” She held up a small necklace with gold heart shape on it, “Locket!”

I smiled and gave a nod, “Diamond Locket... it suits you,” she giggled and then flung herself wrapping her hooves around my neck. I was scared that she was going to kiss me, like I needed that in my life, but she just hugged me weakly.

I hugged her back and gently pat her back, “make sure Lucky knows and get stronger. We will be back when we can.”

She let go and I helped her back into the stool and leaned her against the wall, “Thank you Split… and… I will.”

She leaned on the bar weakly and I gave her a small wave before I turned and trotted out the door into the wasteland, which seemed to be a little brighter. My eyes scanned the area taking in Pineapple talking to an excited Bubble Gum who was sitting on his back as he tightened straps to a large wagon. Serenity, predictably, was waiting by the door with her flank pressed firmly against the wall staring at the enormous stallion.

I smiled noticing that she had not yet noticed me and lifted a hoof and gently ran it up her spine. I watched as she shivered and turned to glare at me but I just smiled, “you will be fine… he is quite nice and very polite.”

I watched as his ears swiveled to us and his eyes glance over as her glare melted into a look of shy fear, “I… I know but… the… the thingz stallionz have done to me…” She started to shake as her wings pulled to her side tightly. I could hear the tremble in her voice.

I placed a hoof on her cheek and the shaking subsided almost instantly, “remember that I am here… and I won't let anything hurt you or that little filly… I promise,” she relaxed as she smiled back. I leaned forward teasing her with a kiss in which I kissed the tip of her muzzle, “why don't you ride with Bubble for now?” She nodded and turned to walk to the cabin.

I grinned as she glanced back slightly, ‘ha! I win this round!’ She smiled sweetly and the her tail brushed against my cheek and slowly under my chin. I felt my face split in a wide grin as the sent of her filled my nostrils. It slowly started to pull away as she walked and I didn't want it to go yet so I leaned forward to keep it against me but it kept moving so I leaned more and more and… BAM! I slammed my chin onto the ground hard. my eyes watered as she smirked back to me as I lay on the ground with my back half in the air, ‘you will never win Split…’ my pony said.

I growled, “sure… when we win it's we but when we lose…” I slowly pulled myself to my hooves and watched as Pineapple said something to Serenity. She backed up with worry but he also flinched and lowered his head and I heard something like an apology.

I moved forward in time to catch him say something about a mare. He looked to me then back to her, “so… I left the Steel Rangers to find my mare… I planned on marrying her and it hasn't changed.”

Serenity didn't look scared anymore… if anything she looked sorry a reaching a hoof out and gently placed it on his shoulder. He looked at it surprise for a second before his face broke into a sad smile. I stood next to Serenity, “what happened?” I asked feeling an odd anger swell up inside as I watched the huge stallion close his eyes to hide the pain.

He let out a breath, “she… she was taken…” he eyes opened and became steel and that moment I was glad it wasn't me who took her, “those damned winged fucking parasites.” His tone made Serenity take a step back and instantly his eyes softened as he looked to her, “Sorry about that…”

I cocked my brow, “winged… parasites?...” My mind went to a bunch of parasites carrying off a unicorn mare as she screamed. Then my eyes slowly traveled to my black armored wings and my heart dropped.

“Alicorns,” he said with disgust, “They are evil and highly dangerous,” I must have been wearing my expression like a mask because he cocked any eyebrow, "you ok?" feeling my heart calm down now that I knew it wasn't more pegasi and gave him a nod.

He straightened up as Serenity gave her wings a few flaps lifting into the air and then landing gently into the back of the wagon with Bubble Gum who sat between her front hooves as she laid down, I walked up beside Pineapple. I glanced up to him my confusion skyrocketing, “Alicorns! Like… the Princesses Celestia and Luna?”

“Goddesses!” Bubble Gum said frowning at me, “you even said they were goddesses!”

I nodded to her, “They may be now but before the wasteland they were Princesses.”

Bubble opened her mouth but Serenity put a wing to her mouth and nodded, “he's right zweetie.” Bubble slumped. Serenity smiled and gently pet Bubble Gums mane as she looked to Pineapple, “anyhow… Alicornz?”

Pineapple frowned to Serenity, “you seem very…” She cocked her head and I found it looking rather adorable as Bubble cocked her head too. He shook his head, “never mind… anyhow yes… there are three color of Alicorns but apart from that not much is known. They talk like they are one like they share experiences and follow something they call the goddess.” The sound of the word Goddess was like me tasting the Rad-A-Way after eating a mintal.

Serenity cocked her head, “the… Goddezz? That zoundz… pretentiouz.”

I smiled at her accent with that sentence making my feather curl with delight. Pineapple looked to her and nodded, “most of the Steel Rangers would agree with you,” he said looking to the east as the road split in two directions. One went to the east and the other went west. A sign had a white arrow pointing right with a white Las Pegasus with a number 25 on it and the 3 arrows pointing the other way had Ponyville, Manehatten and Canterlot in respective numbers of 50, 75 and 90.

I looked at some of the graffiti on the sign and frowned, “so… why did you leave the Steel Rangers?” I glanced back as he folded his ears back, “what?”

“The… they told me that I should just give up on her and focus on my mission to securing technology that would help us with securing our place in the wasteland,” he closed his eyes, “that's not why I signed up.”

I cocked a brow and my head and Bubble Gum spoke up, “my Momma told me that Steel Rangers are raiders with bigger guns and better armor!”

I flinched a little at Bubbles bluntness and slowly looked to Pineapple. He… just smiled at the filly and gave a nod, “many of the Steel Rangers have lost their way… I want to talk with the pony who helped me make my decision to sign up to see what I should do… until then,” he looked to the back of the wagon which had a large dirty white sheet over something. Serenity was laying on a few sacks of something with Bubble next to the sheet. She looked curious and lifted it and I could see the clean metal beneath.

I looked to Pineapple and smiled, “which way to Stable 20? And which way to see that pony you need to talk to?”

He pointed to the left, “it's not far from here… the stable I mean,” he looked at me raising an eyebrow, “the pony I need to talk to… he is quite a ways off… between Ponyville and Canterlot.”

I winced, “that's a lot of ground to cover…,” I looked to Serenity who just rolled her eyes smiling and Bubble gave me a happy nod, “well then… let's stop by the stable so we can help you find him!” I said grinning up at him.

His eyes widened in surprise, “say what now? You want to help me? Why?”

“Bored,” I shrugged.

“I'm sticking by him,” Serenity said with a nod to me.

“Because you shouldn't have to travel without friends!” Bubble said with a big grin.

Pineapple looked at the filly, “friends?” he looked to Serenity who just nodded and then to me, “really?”

I lifted my hoof, “I know how much it sucks to work on your own,” I looked to Bubble and Serenity then back, “so you're stuck with us,” I chuckled, "well for now at lest."

He looked at me and my hoof for several seconds before he smiled and shook his head, “you're an odd one Split…” he lifted a hood and bumped mine, which I think made me skid back a little, but he chuckled and looked to Bubble Gum, “Thank you tiny…”

She huffed puffing her chest out, “who you callin’ tiny!”

Serenity giggled, “you sweetie!” She then leaned close and blew a raspberry on her side. The filly let out a breath which she was holding to puff out her chest and fell to her side laughing while trying to keep Serenity from doing it to little effect.

“Well ain't this cute?” came a greasy voice from behind us.

Bubble Gums laughs died away instantly and I slowly looked back to see several ponies walking from behind overturned wagons and huge rocks. The inner me smirked as I noticed none of the had any kind of firearms, then one buck walked forward. He was a ugly brown with a yellow mane and equally yellow eyes. Serenity stiffened next to me and my eyes narrowed. I don't normally care too much about a stallion but you remember the one who tried to worm your mare from you.

Pineapple started to pull the straps as I walked forward dropping my metal wings to the ground making the blades sink into the asphalt with ease and cutting deep lines as I walked. I passed a filthy pink mare with blue eyes holding a pipe of some kind in a yellow magical aura and gave her a smirk and a wink. Her magic faltered and the pipe fell to the dirt and she backed up. I turned my smirk to the stallion as my thoughts played out fun ideas of what I could do to him.

The metal on my wings rang as I lifted them from the road and held them up showing the blades still as sharp as I had gotten them, “are you fast enough?” if he wanted to play I was sure I could get one of my Dash inhalers and take it before anypony moved.

I flinched as I looked down, ‘wait… since when did I need Dash to win?’ I thought, however as I tried to think about it something hard slammed against the side of my head staggering me to the side and making my ear ring. The pain was incredible and I am sure i blacked out a little at some point because a warm wet sensation on my neck and shoulders had not been there before.

I could not hear anything from that side of my head and I swayed as my balance felt like I was trying to stand on a floor with water under it. My other ear on the other hoof clearly heard the scream of Bubble Gum from behind me and then a bang from a rifle. The pony next to the stallion who I was walking to dropped with a bullet between his eyes and a moment later a loud blast that knocked me over peppering me with little rocks and pieces of ponies.

I opened an eye to see a the stallion lifting a huge hammer over me with a wicked grin on his face. He said something but my ear and the screams, gun fire and explosions did not make it clear and the hammer came down to smash me in the face. I rolled to my side and thrust my hind hoof out. My good ear heard the clatter of the wooden handle soon after the metal head smashed into the road breaking a small chuck of the road, spraying debris all over. I looked to see the stallion bent over holding his stomach a look of pain on his face. I started to pull myself to my hooves when a flash caught my eye and I looked to see the mare I winked at tackle another stallion with a hoofball bat in his jaws with splatters of blood on it.

I lifted a hoof to my ear and realized what it was and who had hit me. The mare was small and with a swing and a clear sound of breaking ribs the mare fell to her side trying to scream but that hit pushed the wind from her lungs. He reared up to smash her head in but I was already pushing the plunger of the Dash inhalers down and breathing in deeply. The world slowed to a crawl and I became a bullet with blades.

I flung myself to the stallion and using my momentum and a good push of my fore hooves hit him in his side. Before he fell away I spun and bucked him in the side of the head with all I could muster changing his momentum from a slight fall to an unconscious flop. I looked to the mare who was curled up holding get her side with her eyes tightly closed groaning with pain. I then looked up to the stallion who brought all of this turning to run away.

I shook my head, “not if I have anything to say about it!” my wings snapped and I was flung forward with incredible force. Before the Dash wore off I was already in front of him and was in the middle of a buck as he tried to stop. My rear hooves smashed into his muzzle making a loud crack and blood sprayed from his nostrils as he reared up and fell back. Pineapple was walking over to me but I could hardly make it out as my heart thundered in my bad ear and my head.

When he reached me he placed a large hoof on the stallion and said in a careful tone, “Bubble has a healing potions ready for you… hurry… she's scared.”

I wobbled and panted as i hung my head trying to give some kind of movement to show him I understood. Moving my head at the moment was not a very good idea so he walked over to my saddlebag and after a second of searching he pulled out a needle and jabbed it into my neck and pressed the pain killing drug into my system. The pain began to subside and little and I started to walk to the cart. I glanced around the best I could to the carnage that my new friend and lover caused. If it was a whole pony it had a single bullet hole in its head… if not then… well… I hoped Bubble was out of sight.

I was almost to the cart when the mare who saved my head from another hit started to rise and… Serenity's eyes looked to her with daggers and her rifle began to lift to aim at her. It was like I was in the effects of Dash as I sprang forward and hit the gun away to try and save the mare. The gun fired and I new fierce pain burned from my ear as the round hit it and luckily grazed it taking a small chunk from my ear if I wasn't bleeding before I was now as the side of my head was now soaked with my blood.

I hissed in pain grabbing the side of my head and Serenity dropped the gun in horror. I could barely hear her quivering voice as she quickly moved putting her hooves around me as she frantically tried to apologize the high pitched ringing in my ear took over my ability to hear much at all. Bubble Gum hurried over and held out a healing potion to me and as I took it she pulled another and began to work the cap off. I guzzled the potion down and began to feel the sensation of something being moved back into place. With a sudden and awkward feeling pop in my ear I could hear Serenity crying as she held me tightly as she continued to say she was sorry it was still muffled but i could at least hear again and was getting better.

I blinked as the vision in the eye on the side of my head I was hit began to focus, ‘damn that hit messed me up worse than I thought, and I took the other potion from Bubble and began to drink.

Serenity was shaking as I slowly pushed her back and lifted her wet and scared face. She looked to the side of my head and whimpered, “Split… I…”

I cut her off by placing a hoof over her muzzle and shook my head, ‘whoa ok… after a head trauma like that… not fast head movements while healing’, I thought and grabbed my head.

Before I could gather my thoughts a soft thump of something landing next to me caused me to look away from Serenity to see the stallions both bound and gagged tossed to the ground as the mare stood next to a very angry looking Pineapple. I looked to Pineapple, “she saved me,” was all I could manage as the swimming feeling began to subside.

Apparently that was all I needed to say as Bubble Gum pulled a healing potion for her which she took and began to drink looking to us her ears back and very skeptical. I groaned and leaned back against the wagon and sliding down to sit. I closed my eyes which Serenity took the opportunity to lean her head against my chest. I made her wince as my wing wrapped around her, being careful to keep my blades away from her. She relaxed and started to cry again softly mumbling as she sobbed. I then winced myself as I felt Bubble take a cloth and touch it to the side of my head.

Pineapple looked to me then to the two stallions, “okay… first question… what do we do with these two assholes?” His tone suggested they would make a fine road paste and I was certain he could do it.

I looked up, “were you… Bubble or Serenity hurt?”

He shook his head then took a long worried look to Serenity, “not… physically…” I nodded knowing Serenity and I would have to have a talk about what happened.

I looked down to the sobbing mare and kissed the top of her head making her look up her face wet with tears, “get in the wagon and keep Bubble out of sight,” her eyes shrank but I smiled, “trust me.”

She gave a weak smile and stood up wiping her face with her wings. Her voice was frail and full of regret but she smiled to the filly, “Sweetie… can you move back to the front with me?”

Bubble must have nodded because she didn't say anything, at least I hope she didn't and I didn't have some kind of permanent damage to my hearing. She hopped up into the wagon as I slowly stood. Pineapple used a hoof to help steady me as I looked down to the stallions the world was still a bit like trying to stand on a storm cloud, “I have plenty of ideas of what we should do,” I said with as much venom as I could muster which must have been something because the stallion I kicked in the face recoiled in fear as the ground around him began to darken. I snorted, “untie them… give them 20 seconds to run… if you still see them… they are fair game,” I leaned against the wagon for support as Pineapple moved and started to slap the other stallion awake.

I looked to see the stunned expression of the mare who saved me watching as he began to stir. Pineapple looked the stallion in the eye and said with a promise of unimaginable pain, “I am going to untie you… you have to the count of 20 to get the buck out of here… got me?” The stallion nodded and Pineapple began to untie him and he looked to me. Pineapple snorted, “yeah… thank him while you can… if it were up to me I'd use you to fill in the holes on this road.” I watched as the stallions ears pasted back as he looked to me. I just smiled and managed to straighten up a little. The swimming feeling was almost gone, now what I was feeling was… an incredible headache.

Once he was untied Pineapple started on the other buck while he took off like a bat out of hell not even glancing back as he ran. The other followed when he was released but he glanced back a small frown on his muzzle but something else in his eyes.

Pineapple stood up and walked to the mare and I realized how tiny she was when he stood before her. She shrank back with a small squeak her ears flattened against her head as he looked to her then to me, “what about her?”

I shrugged, “what about her?” I took a breath and trotted over the clack of my armored hooves sounding like gunshots in my aching head. I stopped before her and bent down, “why did you save me?” She had pretty eyes… nothing like Serenity's… when she was not looking to kill… but pretty soft red eyes.

She squirmed a little, “be… because I felt… felt like it!” She said trying to sound tough but the shake in her tone gave away her fear.

I looked to Pineapple who just glanced back and shrugged. I sighed and smiled, “I'm not about to hurt somepony who saved my head from anymore brain damage… please… why?”

She fidgeted with her hooves for a moment before she looked up, “be… because you… you're the first pony to look at me like a mare and not… not something else,”

I frowned, “you… are a mare though… aren't you?” as I said it my eyes started to wander over her features. I was sure, without being rude or perverted, that indeed she was.

She however shook her head, “not to most ponies… I'm… I'm just some…”

A pair of aqua green hooves wrapped around her making her flinch but Serenity just held the mare, “whatever they zaid to you… or however they treated you… you are a mare… a strong and beautiful mare,” the mare looked ahead of her in shock then slowly the tears began to form. She started to slowly lowered into Serenity's embrace and began to sob openly. Serenity looked up to us, hurt and fear still in her eyes but she smiled, “give uz a moment alone pleaze?”

I watched the mare who so easily had captured my heart for a few moments and felt my muzzle break into a soft grin, “help her love…” Serenity took a quivering breath at the word love and looked like she wanted to cry again but nodded. I stood up and with some support from Pineapple we began back to the wagon and the waiting Bubble as the mare cried into Serenity.

As we walked back to… ok him walk me swaying like a drunken sailor… to the wagon I looked to Pineapple, “what did you use in that fight?” I asked feeling small next to him.

He pulled out a small metal apple and smiled at me, “I'm a bit of a demolitions expert. I am very good at calculating where I need to toss something like this for the full effect.”

I looked around at the mess and nodded, “yeah… I'd say so…” when we got to the wagon he pushed a hoof on it, it tilted back allowing me to climb on without much difficulty. I groaned as I slumped onto the sacks putting a hoof over my eyes and face, “okay.,. The world can stop spinning now…”

Bubble moved up and tilted my head to the side a bit, “you're lucky that the healing potion was able to fix the damage inside your ear… you're going to have a bit of a weird looking indent in the side of your ear,” she pulled out another healing potion, “take it… we can't have you unbalanced because the inside of your head is lopsided.”

I frowned at the filly who just looked back holding the potion up to me. I let out a sigh and drank the potion and she gave me a big smile. Celestia the things I will do to make that filly smile… including but not limited to taking healing supplies that we may need in the future. Despite that thought though the spinning finally subsided enough and the headache dulled to a tolerable throb allowing me to sit up and see that Serenity and the mare were walking over.

The mare looked at me and flushed a deep red before looking to Serenity, “you are one hellava Lucky mare to have a stud like him!”

Serenity's ears folded back but I grinned to the mare, “please… I'm lucky to have a mare like her!” Serenity's eyes went wide and she looked down bashfully. I would deal with that when we had our own privacy right now I wanted to make sure the mare was set. I looked to the mare, “so what are your plans now?”

She shrugged, “to be honest… I'm not sure. Wander around until something happens?” She sounded like the thing that would happen would not be preferred.

I thought for a moment, “why not going to Lucky's Saloon and seeing if he will hire you?” She looked to me like I was crazy and I shrugged, “tell him I sent you… he shouldn't have an issue with some help from anypony just mention i sent you,” I gave her a smile.

She looked at me for a long moment, “you're… serious… me? Why help me?”

Bubble looked to her, “why not?” The mare looked to the filly like she wanted to argue but Bubble smiled, “you are a nice pony… and you helped Split… so it's the right thing to do to help back.”

She looked from her to me and back then with a soft sigh a tiny smile spread across her face, “fine… I will try,” she turned to Serenity and the two of them hugged. A small part of me had some interesting thoughts but I took that thought and stuck it into a cannon and launched it to the moon. When they parted she smiled at the mare, “Thank you…,” she looked to me and then Bubble, “all of you… for a second chance!”

Pineapple cocked an eyebrow, “well… don't blow it okay?” She nodded and with one final look she turned and trotted back the way we came from.

We watched until she crested the small hill and then Pineapple started working on the straps again to hook himself back up. I looked to Serenity who carefully picked her rifle up from the ground and set it on the wagon with an expression of regret. I leaned my head back to look at Bubble and Pineapple, “hey.., you guys wanna check the fallen to see if they have anything we can use.”

Pineapple looked at me with the question of why on his lips but then his eyes wandered to Serenity and he nodded and picked Bubble Gum up much like a mother cat would do to kitten. She curled instantly as he turned and set her on his back and began to trot off saying something about teaching her something cool.

Once they were out of earshot I looked to Serenity and patted the sacks next to me and with a deep hurting frown she climbed up next to me. I grabbed her before she could find a place to sit and pulled her onto me. She squeaked, “Split! Ow you're armor!” but she didn't fight as I held her close and started to stroke her mane.

I spoke softly and carefully, “tell me… you shot the unicorn after I caught him didn't you?” She was quiet for far longer that it took to say no. I gently leaned her back and looked her in the eye, “Serenity… did you?”

She closed her eye sending a fresh tears down her cheek, “yez…” her voice was barely a whisper when she spoke.

I lifted a hoof and brushed her mane from her face to see both of her eyes. She may be scared but I loved to see her full face. I didn't smile but I kept my tone soft, “why?”

She sniffed and gave a small sob, “I… I don't know… it'z… it'z like I want to end him before he can hurt me again… and when I zaw Cherry Cola… before I knew what she was I thought she waz going to… to…”

I looked at her in confusion then almost face hoofed, “I never asked her name… did I?” Serenity blinked at me in surprise and then shook her head no with a warm smile. I sighed, “give a mare a name and forget to ask another her's…” The look I got from that and I smiled, “the mare from the room next door… she didn't have a name so I gave her one… Diamond Locket.”

Serenity smiled at that, “that's a pretty name!” but then she lowered her head and looked at the rifle, “I… I don't want to shoot again… I… I can't take shooting you again… you're the one who got hurt and I felt every bit of it in my chest.”

With my hoof again I made her look at me as I placed it under her chin, “Serenity… it was my fault for being at the wrong end to begin with… and was the only thing I could think of…,”I frowned and looked to the side, “Am I happy you shot the unicorn buck? No” she deflated a little, “should you have told me how you felt… yes” she deflated a bit more, “am I upset with you because of what you did?” I watched as she closed her eyes tightly waiting. I smiled, “no…” She opened her eyes and looked to me in disbelief. I shook my head, “with what you have been through… I'm lucky I can touch you at all… and with how we… um… improved… our relationship… I was both happy and impressed.” She gave a small smile and I leaned up and kissed her head softly, “just… let's try and talk to each other more about problems we have… okay?”

She gave a small nod making her mane fall back over her face. I sighed and kissed her forehead and she sniffed, “what do I do now?”

I thought about that for a long moment then looked down to a rifle, “keep the rifle on you…” She shook a little and I patted her head. She looked up to me and I pointed to Pineapple and Bubble which she followed my hoof to look at them, “we need to keep her safe… and I can't do it alone… I need your help,” she watched the pair as Bubble watched as Pineapple crushed a rock under his hoof to Bubbles amazement which she tried but the filly could easily stand on the rock she wanted to crush with no effect. She gave a small bounce and with surprising speed he hit the rock and it broke and the filly looked down at it then up to him with a huge smile.

Serenity sat up watching her as a warm smile spread across her face, “I… I won't let anything happen to her…” She looked down to me, “you're right…” She lifted her rifle and slung it over her back, “but… I have a favor to azk…” I tore my eyes from the bouncing excited filly and looked to her. She frowned, “don't get hurt like that again… what happened?”

I swallowed and looked away knowing she meant why i suddenly stopped while i was in front of the group, ‘wait… why are you ashamed?’

I cleared my throat, “I uh… trying to think of a quick way to end it and my brain fizzled out…” She looked to me concerned and I laughed, “hey… I would like to joke that the hit to my head was not a vital organ… but… that hurt.”

She looked at me flatly, “you don't zay?” She then lowered herself down onto my chest and touched her muzzle to mine and looked into my eyes, “promize me you won't get hurt like that again…”

I swallowed, “I can't promise I won't… but I will promise I will be a lot more careful.” I think she was fine with that because she pushed her lips to mine. I was pulling my hooves over her when I heard a sound next to me and I opened my eyes and looked over.

Pineapple was leaning on the side of the wagon with his head in his hooves with Bubble doing the same on his head. They both sighed and simultaneously went, “aww…”

Serenity quickly looked to them and went bright red and I was sure I was too but all I could tell was my face was burning as I glared at them, “no fair being that big and quiet!” I sat up helping Serenity off me, “and what do you mean Aww?”

Bubble just giggled and Pineapple shrugged and went to start hooking up the straps again. I glanced at Serenity who looked up from under her mane with a small smile… damn she was cute… Bubble was helping pull straps over the massive stallions back to make things a little easier, however by the looks she was making it more difficult but he just smiled and continued to let her.

I was watching them for a few moments when something caught my eye past the sign. I cocked my head and slowly hopped from the wagon and wandered over to… to… it was a body… a body in some weird metal box. I shivered and looked around noticing nothing around the area to suggest where the box came from. As I looked inside my recently healed ear gave a weird high pitched whistle that went away almost as soon as it came but I rubbed it with a small wince. I really hoped it was not going to be serious and permanent. I looked down at the bones in the box and frowned, “somepony must have dumped you here… huh?” I muttered softly.

Serenity walked over next to me, “Split… are you okay?” She looked down into the box, “zomepony you know?”

I reached into the box and pulled a glowing orb from inside, “no but… maybe this could shed some light…” I sighed, “provided I can get a recollector…”

“I got one,” I heard Pineapple call from the wagon making me look back. He pointed a hoof into a deep green duffel bag, “inside…”

Serenity and I began walking back when she leaned forward to look at me, “are… you okay? You seem… off,” her tone sounded worried which made her look even worse.

I smiled feeling a bit odd myself but just shrugged, “was smacked upside the head with a hoofball bat… so…” I wasn't sure if that was the reason or not but seemed to be the best excuse I could come up with.

We got back to the wagon and I hopped into the back and began to rummage through Pineapples saddle bags not exactly sure what a earth pony recollector looked like, “so… you look through memory orbs?” I asked him as I pulled out a weird looking suit and set it aside.

Serenity hopped up next to me and laid down and Bubble snuggled up next to her and he began to start walking to the left and down the road. He looked back over his shoulder at me and grinned, “nah… tried it once and don't like the feeling of being helpless while inside one.”

I pulled up the familiar crown and looked it over in my hooves at the beautiful gold trimmed and sleek black metal. It had a circular slot that you placed the memory orb in and then the recollector would allow you to see what was inside a memory orb. Memory orbs held a pony's feelings, sights and smells to see what or why the memory was worth taking. It also allowed a pony to maintain their own thoughts while you rode, goddesses that sounded wrong, the pony in the orb.

I looked at my pip-buck and using my inventory sorting spell I was able to pull out the memory orb far faster than having somepony fish it out. I handed the orb to Serenity, “can you set the orb inside once I get the crown on?” She nodded and I started to strap the crown on, “okay… I will be out for a bit so keep me covered.” She and Bubble nodded and soon I was ready for her to set the orb inside.

I laid down and suddenly felt very worried considering this was my first time inside an orb, but the thought of turning back dashed as she placed the orb into the slot and when she lowered a small arm that keeps the orb from slipping out and the crown started to hum and then my world swirled to black.

******

As I started to become aware of my surrounding… well more of the pony I was… the more I started to realize that maybe memory orbs were not such a bad idea. I was a stallion who was quite large. My wings felt odd and my body felt heavy but my hoof steps were light. I was walking through a dark hallway with light marble floor and large windows on either side of the hall. I could see it was night outside and if I could shrug I would having seen the stars and moon before however…. With the city and the smaller town in the distance it made the view breathtaking.

My host walked to a large set of double doors and lifted a hoof to push them open without knocking. He walked into… I think my physical jaw dropped as he walked into a large room with banners hanging from the ceiling. Large pillars went around the room and lined the red rug that lead to a large golden throne. Sitting upon that throne was… nopony… my host walked to the throne and looked into the polished gold so I could see a little more of who I was. My cut and styled back deep blue mane had a single red bang dangling down in between my eyes. My clear blue eyes reminded me of Serenity's with a slit like pupil.

I placed a hoof on the throne and ran a hoof along it, “he's late…” My voice was firm and sounding irritated.

"I'm not late son…” My host turned to see a unicorn stallion walking along the red carpet towards me. He was a light gray coat with a platinum blond mane that was slicked back. His steel colored eyes were soft as he looked to my host from behind a pair of small square glasses. He had an odd cutiemark of a thin sword like thing holding a crown on its tip. He strode forwards, “you are just early.”

My host chuckled and walked down to meet the stallion. When they came face to face they embraced and I felt my host ask in a soft tone, “how is mom?”

The stallion sighed, “the way things are going… I feel that she may outlive you and I.”

The two shared a laugh for a few seconds before they walked to the throne and sat down. My host looked to the throne and back down to the stallion, “so why did you want to meet me here? Could you not just come to my shop?”

He shook his head, “with what I want to ask I feel your wife would kill me,” my host cocked his brow and tensed ever so slightly. The stallion then slowly looked into the eye of my host, “Things are getting bad… real bad… could you-”

My host stood up and started to walk away, “We are done here!”

“Ace!” the stallion called and trotted up before me, “Ace please… we need all of the help we can get… you need to-”

Ace turned and pressed his muzzle to the stallions face with a glare that made the stallion step back in fear, “I need to care for my family! Nothing more nothing less… you forget that I stepped down to keep from the Princesses from using me!” as he spoke I felt a heat rising in his throat that made me want to cough or puke or something.

The gray stallion nodded, “yes I am aware… but Ace… I would not have considered it if things were not getting out of hoof… Li… Littelehorn… it… it was attacked.”

Ace stepped back his eyes going wide and back peddle is shock, “y… you lie!” he steadied himself as I felt a cool sensation like he just swallowed an ice cube got rid of the heat, “why… why would they attack?”

The stallion stood up frowning running a hoof over his head soothing his mane, “I wish I knew… but even I cannot set a hoof on the grounds due to some cloud. It eats away at you from the inside…” I watched as the stallion shivered which made my host and I worried. The stallion calmed himself with a sigh, “Celestia is devastated… Luna… I haven't even seen her,” he said looking to the empty throne, “I feel… things are about to get worse… a whole lot worse so… I came asking for your help,” he looked back to me and my host.

Ace stood for a long time but then slowly shook his head, “I cannot fight or leave my wife and foals in this time… I can't and won't… you know that better than anypony,” the stallion lowered his head. Ace continued, “however… I have been working on a few new projects… things to make pegasi dangerous without carrying swords or firearms… things that make earth ponies worthy opponents… and unicorn's the ability to wield better weapons.” The unicorn looked to him skeptically but then my host snapped open his wings with a familiar metal on metal Shink and smiled as the stallion looked at them, “wing blades… for starters… gives armor and a deadly blade without costing speed.” he folded his wings up, “I have to talk to a few ponies about a few ideas for them but in the end I have working on mass production… just give me some time. It's not the best but it will help.”

The stallion sighed, “I'm not so sure anymore… I'm really not.”

I felt Ace smirk, “just relax Platinum… we have one of the best tacticians in Equestria to help if things get out of hoof,” Ace turned to leave the smirk fading from his face.

Aces ears picked up Platinum as he spoke softly, “in Equestria maybe… but… things are far beyond that now…”

My host sighed and lowered his head, “I am not sure what to do… if I go I hurt my family… if I don't… I hurt everypony…”

******

As I came to I felt confused and a little down at what I witnessed. I also felt very uncomfortable as I realized several things about my current predicament. First I was hoof cuffed on my back to a ragged and worn bed in a dark room. There was a little light coming from a window over the top of me which showed little dust particles floating in the room. It had a heavy smell of must and a damp feel about it. I was out of my armor and feeling very naked and beginning to panic until I looked to one side and seen one brilliantly glowing pink eye looking at me.

As I looked to it I swallowed hard, “S… Serenity?” I am not sure why I was feeling scared but I could see she was mad, “what's… what's wrong?”

I watched as her eye closed a little and dropped then I felt something land on my stomach. I looked to see the picture of the mare I found in the office I found the saddlebags. She spoke with a sweetness that made my heart race and sweat beading on my forehead, “have picturez of marez on you all the time?”

I pulled against the hoof cuffs as my dream started to come back and I could now start to hear my heart in my ears, “Serenity… let me out… this… this is not funny…”

She walked forward and when I could see her face I saw… pain… she looked down at the hoof cuffs and lifted a key, “I'm zorry… I juzt…,”

I slumped, “it's nothing to worry about… I found it when I found the saddlebags. I felt that I should keep it both because she was attractive at the time I found it and because of how good of condition it is.”

Serenity looked to the image and cocked a head then slowly looked to me, “really?”

I nodded, “She's attractive but… nothing compared to you.”

I smiled as her face lit up from that compliment and I wiggled my hoof for emphasis to get me out. She looked to my hoof and the to the keys that now dangled on the little claw like thing on her wing. She then looked to me and I watched as her smile spread and she flicked the keys onto my chest which slid down and settled on my stomach. I suddenly began to worry until she licked her lips, “oopz… I will have to get thoze now won't I?” I swallowed hard as my face began to burn and I watched her slowly walk to the foot of the bed where my hind hooves were locked spread apart. Her cheeks turned a bright red, “conzider thiz payment for putting you like thiz…”

I felt her kiss and gently grab the keys and set them aside then another lower kiss and my eyes rolled back and I relaxed as I knew the payment was a very nice trade.

Chapter 1

War. War never changes. As Equestria was swallowed up by powerful and terrible magic, we Pegasi did everything we could to help the land below. The damage was so severe, magical radiation from augmented spells was so intense, that we had to close up the sky to keep it at bay. As the Megaspells ravaged the land below turning the once beautiful Equestria into a horrible wasteland, we sat up above the clouds and bided our time until we could return. To help the ponies that lived in the large underground Stables as the emerged.

That was 200 years ago, and there have since been many attempts at seeing if the land below is liveable still, all of which have proven to be disappointing. That is why you and your team is being sent down…

I looked up at the mare who was briefing my team as we prepared to head down below the clouds. The Enclave never had a problem with making the right ponies with the right skills have a proper standing in its ranks. This mare was young, about the same age as I was. And without the scar that went from the bridge of her nose to under her left eye, she would have been extremely cute. She had her deep purple mane tied back so that her Enclave Armor's helmet would fit better, despite sitting in her Wonderbolts jacket. Her green eyes looked down at the list of supplies we would need and her yellow coat glowed in the light. She was a favorite for any stallion who saw her, but I knew who she had eyes for.

I was a large build for a pegasus and as a result my wings were also well built. They could carry me easily, despite my large size, at very high speeds. This allows me to create a trail of static from the friction of my wings passing over and through the clouds. It's actually how I got my cutie mark, a cloud in the shape of a circle with a lightning bolt across the top.

I cleared my throat, “Ma’am?”

She blinked up at me raising an eyebrow as she folded her hooves on her desk, “Yes, Splitstream?” Her tone told me this had better be important.

I didn’t flinch as I looked back, “I was curious... This doesn’t say anything about what we could run into down there, and with as many teams that have been lost, wouldn’t there be something?”

She gave a smirk that made one of the stallions visibly shiver, “They don’t want little colts wetting themselves and chickening out before they get down there.”

The rest of the team started whispering amongst themselves. One mare behind me whimpered, “W- what could be down there that could take out a team of our finest?”

I looked back, then at the book, calmly, “Nothing.” I caught out of the corner of my eye many heads looking at me, which caused me to smirk with growing confidence, “Because if they were taken out, then they weren’t the finest.”

A mare next to me looked as if she were about to argue, then looked back to the mare in charge, “Captain Sunny Storm… Is that true?”

Sunny Storm gave me a glare, then smirked again, pushing herself back and dropping to the floor before walking around in front of her desk. “I guess you can say it is, because this team is the finest we have.”

My ears perked at my name behind me as a colt behind me mumbled, “Yeah, because we have Splitstream, who has been Wonderbolt training.” The murmurs around him told me that everypony had heard him.

I turned and smirked, “Yes, and because of that, I will help keep you from getting hurt again.” He jumped up from his chair, glaring at me, as the class and I laughed.

Sunny frowned, “ALRIGHT, THAT'S ENOUGH!” The class died down instantly as she glared at me. “I want everypony to go and make sure they have everything ready to go tomorrow. Splitstream, you can stay behind.”

I rolled my eyes and leaned back in my chair, as the stallion behind me chuckled. The team gathered their things and moved out of the room, and Sunny followed them, locking the door as the last stallion trotted out. As she walked back to her desk, I couldn’t help but smirk knowingly, “You know we are going to get caught one of these times, right?”

She got to the front of her desk, did a small hop, and spin, getting on it and giving me a look of pure lust, “Shut up and get the buck over here.”

I stood up and moved in front of her, propping my front hooves on her desk on either side of her flank. Her back legs wrapped around my back, and pulled me close. She ran a hoof through my aqua green mane, and once her hoof reached the back of my head, she pulled me into a deep, passionate kiss.

Every month for about a year has been like this, when she gets on her cycle she finds a time and place for me to help her with her needs. I had to admit, for a quick buck, she was as good as I was going to get, but to her I was everything she wanted. The only problem was that, if we were caught, I could lose my chances for the Wonderbolts, and the consequences would be much worse for her. Mares are not allowed to have foals unless they are not in the military or given the opportunity to, and even then, most don’t come to the Enclave to look for the foal's father.

When we both had finished she was sitting on my lap in her chair. She was panting hard as she leaned back, her jacket open as she looked deeply into my deep blue eyes, “Would you retire with m-”

I lifted her up and set her on her desk, then dropped to my hooves and gave myself a shake, “Don’t you think it’s a little early in both of our carriers to be asking for such things?”

`A bit of pain shot through her eyes, “But… I was thinking of quiting after this last run to the wasteland and I was…”

I cut her short again, “I need to go and make sure I have everything set for tomorrow.” Without a glance back at her, I gathered up my saddle bags and put them on, making my way out of the room. As I walked back to my room, I cursed under my breath, “Why would she even think I would give up my chances to be a Wonderbolt for a family?” The question slowly turned over in my mind, but the more I thought on it, the more the question turned into “Why did she ask me to give up my career?”

I stopped in front of the door to my room and slowly opened it because I wasn’t sure if the other 2 stallions that I shared the room with were in there, and I didn’t want to explain why I smelled of sex. Once I saw it was clear, I gathered my shower supplies and took a fast shower. The Enclave took care that you got the most out of your day, and a fast shower was a good way to make sure you could get more things done. I stood in the shower, letting the warm clear water drip off my light grey coat after I had finished washing, thinking to myself about Sunny. The only thing I did during that time, however, was annoy myself. I turned the water off and grabbed the towel I had hanging nearby.

As I started drying myself off, I heard my fellow Wonderbolt trainees walk into the room. I dried off as quick as I could, and trotted back out into the room. I decided to push everything from my mind about the Captain. Solar Flare, a light red stallion with a head of hair like fire, smiled at me, “Oh Split is here!” He trotted over and put a hoof around my neck, “Hey, did you hear?”

A knot twisted in my gut at the thought of whatever I was about to hear about. I swallowed a little more than I should have, and shook my head pretending to be ignorant, “No, hear what?”

He chuckled, “They are thinking about letting one of us be in charge of the team heading down to the wasteland this time.”

The knot loosed instantly, and replaced itself with excitement and confidence, “I wonder who that pony would be then, huh?” I stopped and thought, “Wait… what about Captain Sunny?”

He shrugged, “Not sure. One of the EP I overheard talking about it said something about her not being qualified anymore.”

I cocked my head, feeling a bit confused, “Not qualified?” He nodded, and I had to admit that with the way she acted during our private session, doubled with this, had got me feeling a bit worried. “I’m going to go talk to her and see what’s going on...” I said finally feeling like I needed to break their stares on me.

Solar Flare nodded, “Let us know, so we can prepare for any big changes to the drop.”

I didn’t bother giving a response as I trotted out the door and back down the hall. I gritted my teeth, “she better not mess up my chances of getting into the Wonderbolts,” I growl to myself.

As I turned the corner to the room that Sunny and I shared, I stopped and the knot returned, tighter than ever. I swallowed, as 4 Enclave Police officers were standing outside the office, talking to a Stallion who I had never seen. One of the officers spotted me and motioned for me to move on which was cut short by Sunny’s cry, “Splitstream!!! Please, you have to help me!!!” She was being held down by one of the officers, her mane draped over her eye, looking very mistreated.

The stallion spun around and gave me an even look, as I looked around at them, “What is going on with the Captain?”

The stallion raised a hoof, stopping one of his officers from advancing on me. He walked up to me raising an eyebrow, “Tell me… uh… Splitstream, right?” I nodded, and he gave me an empty smile, “Good, good, now... tell me… you know of our rules and why we have them right?”

I felt myself swallow again, “Yes… what does that question have to do with Ca-”

He gave a short chilling laugh and placed a hoof on my shoulder, “Calm yourself, Splitstream. You are not the one in trouble, she is.” He placed his hoof down and turned to face her walking slowly, “This little slut went and got herself pregnant.”

I knew if he turned around my expression would have given away my fear but he just locked eyes with her. I managed to push the fear down a little, “W- what of the father of the unborn foal?”

He stop and glanced back at me with a knowing smirk, “Well… that all depends on who it is and what he means to her.” I lowered my head, not taking my eyes off him. He was tall and a deep green, his orange eyes seemed calm, but void of any emotion. He ran a hoof through his blue mane, “Do you know who the father is by any chance?”

I stood there, knowing there was no point to lying, she probably had already told him, anyhow. I took a breath, and took a stance to prepare myself for an attack, “Yes… I am… most likely.”

He nodded with a smile, “Honesty? That’s good.” I could see Sunny’s expression brighten from behind him, looking at me, a light of hope shining in her eyes. He took a couple steps towards me, “Now… what does she mean to you?”

The question caught me off guard, and I stood there processing it for a second, “I… Wait, what?”

He chuckled, “Well we are willing to let her and you retire in peace and liv-”

“NO!” He stopped a bit, startled at first, then smiled at me. I stood my ground, glaring, “She means NOTHING to me. I am on my way to being a Wonderbolt... and I don’t have time for a foal, or some mare.”

I glanced at Sunny, her expression fading from hopeful to hopeless, she looked as though everything had just fallen apart for her. I could see the tears rolling down her cheeks as she looked at me in disbelief. The stallion gave a short, sharp laugh, “Well then that settles it,” he looked at the officer holding her, “Take her away.”

He gave a nod, and suddenly, she found her voice as she glared at me, “YOU WORTHLESS PIECE OF SHIT! I HAVE YOUR UNBORN FOAL INSID-” Her outburst was cut short, as the Stallion dashed at her, punching a hoof hard into her stomach. She coughed and slumped over.

The unnamed lead stallion smiled, as the officer and one other dragged her away, “Don’t worry, Splitstream, your position won’t be jeopardized.”

I watched Sunny and the stallions disappear around a corner, “How? She’s still pregnant.”

He gave me a look that sent a chill down my spine, “Not for much longer.”

It felt like I had swallowed an ice cube, but I shook it off, as a new concern for her came to mind. He looked at me, and it was like he read my mind as he shook a hoof, “You have to get your team ready for tomorrow's drop,” he smirked, “You're in charge now… Captain.”

I felt the smile spread across my face, “Yes… uh… who are you again?”

He chuckled, “Oh right… you can call me…”

Author's Note

More to come... working on it slowly this time.

Chapter 10

Lucky’s tavern was in a bit of a chaotic mood as Serenity and I descended the stairs. A few ponies were using old tools as they cut the cage apart and threw the pieces into small wagons and boxes. Larger ponies, including the guard at the door whom I guessed was Iron Gate, pulled, lifted and pushed the boxes out of the Tavern. A few ponies were talking to Lucky as he sat at a table nodding every now and then.

Despite the chaos my eyes caught sight of the pink filly sitting on the table. She was cocking her head looking at the stage with a red crayon in her teeth and a large piece of paper in front of her. I noticed Lucky's gaze flick to me for a second. He smiled and nudged Bubble Gums flank and when she looked to him he pointed to me.

When she looked to me everything came to a stop at her scream, “SPLIT!” everyone watched as she scrambled from the table sending the crayons and papers flying, which were caught in Lucky's soft magical glow. Serenity groaned in pain but manage to fold her wing up and I sat down and held my forelegs out just as Bubble leaped into my chest. I felt her shaking with sobs as she kept saying over and over, “you're ok!”

I hugged and gently stroked her mane, “yes sweetie… thanks to you… I'm fine.”

She sniffed and looked up at me with big wet eyes, “m… me? But I…”

I shook my head stopping her feeling a pain in my chest for seeing her this scared, “it was because of you that I was able to push myself and win… you Bubble Gum.”

Her face scrunched up and she let out a heart breaking sob and pushed her face into my chest, “I… I thought you… you were going to…” I started to rock her back and forth slowly as my, now that I realized was still quite stiff after being set back into place, injured leg held her tightly, my other hoof gently stroked her mane. I just held her until she finally managed to cry out all of her fear and heartache.

She leaned back rubbing her eyes dry and I tilted my head down smiling at her softly, “better?” She didn't look up but nodded, “that's my girl,” I said and gently set her down.

When her eyes were dry she looked up, “h… how are you feeling?”

I looked to Serenity who was waiting patiently behind her. She glanced at her too as she smiled down at her. Bubbles eyes glanced at her wings and her throat then back as I smiled softly and sighed, “a lot better now.”

Bubbles eyes went wide, “did… did you two kiss?!”

I felt my cheeks burn again and I glanced to Serenity whose face bright red. I gave the filly a smile, “yeah… we did… problem?” I cocked my eyebrow at the filly.

She grinned smiling brightly and shook her head, “nope!” She then looked back to the ponies working on the cage and shouted, “TOLD YOU HE WOULD KISS HER! NOW PAY UP!”

My eyes went wide and my ears flattened as I glanced at all of them as they all groaned and pulled small sacks of, what I assumed, caps and dropped them onto the table. Lucky just chuckled as he took half the sacks, “never bet on a filly,” he said to the last buck with a smirk.

The buck just grumbled until his eyes caught the sight of Serenity then his face busted into a bright grin. He ran a hoof through his mane and held out his chest as he approached her taking her hoof in his, “why hello gorgeous,” his tone trying to be smooth.

She however reacted far differently than anypony expected as she recoiled back her eyes wide with fear at the buck. She shrank down giving a terrified whimper than made me raised and before I could think and slammed my hoof hard into his chest making him stagger back gripping his chest.

I stood on my hooves my head low and something inside me growling with a deep hateful rage as I glared daggers at him, “leave… her… alone,” I said with a tone suggesting the promise of something that he would not be walking out of here if he didn't.

He looked up to me his own glare trying to beat mine, “why should you be the only one with a chance at getting her?” he took a step forward.

What happened next was a blur, and despite my sudden burst of rage at what he said my wings snapped open to block both Serenity and Bubble Gum who were behind me. Everypony who had a weapon was now wielding it… and they were all pointed at the stallion's head.

I saw Lucky's magical glow around a particularly beautiful rifle which was levitating in front of the stallion pointed between his eyes. I looked past him to the older buck leaning back with his hind hooves propped up on the table in front of him a warm smile on his face but his one eye was sharp as the blades on my armor, “I would highly recommend you leave the pretty mare alone Lad.”

The stallion swallowed hard sweat beading down his head and face, “why… why does he get her and no one else does? Why does she want him… he’s… he's just a pegasus.”

Lucky gave a chuckle, “well… there are a few reasons… first and foremost is it because it's her choice, second he risked his life to save her and finally,” he pulled his pipe out of his mouth letting out a breath of light gray smoke before giving the stallion a wicked grin, “I'd be willing to bet me Lucky Charm,” he nodded to the rifle, “that that pegasus there… doesn't even need us to stop you.” The stallion's eyes snap to mine and my eyes narrowed dangerously. Lucky stood up, “so do us all a favor would ya,” he moved in front of the stallion his eye locking onto his, “make like a tree… and get the fuck out of me Tavern.”

Slowly all of the weapons that ranged from a simple lead pipe to a double barreled shotgun similar to the one I was shot with but in far better condition moved away from him. He took a few steps back glaring, “I will get you…” with that he turned and walked out of the bar followed closely by Iron Gate who had a weapon I had yet to see or use… or to be used on me. I whispered softly a thank you to Luna and Celestia for the latter. It looked like a shotgun and a rifle had made a baby and it grew up into a long multi-shooting heavy shotgun of overwhelming joy.

I heard a soft sniffle and my attention snapped to Serenity who was shaking hugging herself as fresh tears rolled over her cheeks and fell to the floor with soft pats. Bubble Gum touched her leg softly as her ears folded back and the simple touch made her flinch like Bubble touched her with a heated knife.

Bubble recoiled feeling a little scared but Serenity closed her eyes, “I'm… I'm zorry zweetie… I... I just…” she stopped talking as I gently wrapped my hooves around her and pulled her into a hug. I thought it as a good sign as she relaxed in my embrace a little as she whimpered, “I thought… if I was with a pony I liked… I would be able to deal with my fearz…”

‘Her… fears?’ the pony in my head questioned.

I admit I wasn't the brightest pony that came from above the cloud curtain but I wasn't stupid either. I gently ran a hoof over her mane, “you were treated who knows how badly for Celestia knows how long by Lunas guess anything resembling a stallion.” she looked to me and I noticed something from under her mane that boiled my blood but I wanted to see it better before I acted so I smiled to her, “being scared of certain ponies is only natural.”

She leaned back up and using her wing, which I figured she did to get used to using them again, to wipe her eyes dry, “Thank you Split… I am zorry if it feelz like I uzed you to try and beat my fearz,” her eyes widened and she quickly clarified, “not… not that I'm zaying I still don't want to try and be with you it's juzt-”

My wing covering her mouth as I gave her a smile. Honestly I was not worried that she would just leave me because I wasn't the answer for her fear, but I was curious about something now. I cleared my throat, “why… if that stallion scared you do Lucky and I not?”

She looked to Lucky as he listened as he levitated his rifle with memorized ease back behind the bar as he listened. She sighs, “well… to be honezt for Lucky itz becauz… well… he remindz me of my father…” Lucky just gave her a smile and chuckled. She then looked to me lowering her head and peaking at me slightly, “you… it waz different…”

I felt my heart skip a beat when I looked into her eye, ‘how could she be this cute?’ I asked myself swallowing hard and feeling my face start to become warmer.

Lucky stepped forward a little, still seeming a bit unsure if he will make her cower, “what made him different?” he asked in that odd accent.

She looked to him then back to me and just smiled. I sat staring at her for several seconds before she spoke, “well… it'z hard to be zcared of zomepony when they rizk their life,” she grabbed her mane and stroked the end of it softly, “I admit I waz a bit nervouz…” She said looking away, “but… I guezz nurzing you back to health helped a lot too while you were unconsciouz…” She gave a tiny grin and I laughed a little.

Lucky moved up next to me smiling at her, “would you mind taking Bubble someplace so I can have a word with Split?”

Serenity nodded cocking a brow but lowering her head down to the filly and whispering something to her. The question had quite the effect on Bubble as she bounced up looking more excited than I had ever seen her, “a bath! Yes yes yes!” With that Serenity led the excited filly upstairs.

The rest of the ponies in the room started packing up and were heading to another set of stairs that I had not seen because of how crowded it was or just walking out giving Lucky small nods. Iron Gate was one of the ones that went upstairs telling me that he and his sister lived here which I admit made me smile.

There was still a lot of work needing to be done to take the rest of the cage down but the place, now that I could see it better, looked quite nice. The hardwood floor was only slightly worn and broken and still had most of its original color. The walls were a bone white with a bunch of prewar pictures all over the walls. One was the Sparkle Cola picture with the cute yellow pegasus on it. Another was one of a pink pony who was looking over the bar room with wide grin and equally wide smile.

I backed up feeling kind of guilty as her eyes seemed to be watching me no matter which way I turned my head, “I guess Pinkie is still watching me… forever…”

I turned to look at Lucky as he moved back to the bar. He lifted up a portion of the bar counter and let it slowly fall back down in place as he pulled out the bottle of amber brown liquid and poured 2 glasses. I licked my lips and trotted over and picked it up with a hoof and took a sip. I never was much of a drinker but I had to admit that I loved how it burned so good going down.

I looked to Lucky who was looking at me with a frown. What made me squirm was his blue eye staring at me. I could almost feel his stare looking into my heart and soul so I swallowed and looked back trying for my best stare, “w… what?”

He continued to silently judge me, I could feel sweat starting to bead on my head when he closed his eye with a sigh, “alright lad… I can normally figure out a pony by reading their expressions and actions,” he leveled his gaze to me his glass levitating to his lips and taking a sip. He then lowered his drink, “so… want to tell me why I got me a pegasus soldier who isn't a marked pegasus traitor, and who is walking around with the sweetest filly I have ever seen?”

I almost forgot about my glass as I stared at him dumbfounded, ‘how the hell did he…’ I stared at him then slowly looked behind the bar to my armor which was just sitting there. I frowned as 2 and 2 began to make pie, ‘he wasn't stupid and you are an idiot for thinking all ponies you meet would be.’

“Ok… I admit this story is going to be a little hard to swallow,” so I took a deep breath when a thought popped into my head. I focused on his eye and frowned, “before I continue… how much do you know about the Enclave?”

I smiled a little as he recoiled in surprise at the mention of Enclave. He swallowed hard looking very uneasy, “y… your Enclave?” he glanced at my armor over his shoulder then back, “that armor doesn't look like any Enclave armor that I have seen.”

I nodded, “that is because I'm special… I was being trained as a Wonderbolt,” upon seeing his confused expression I knew he didn't know about them so I knew a place to start. I pulled myself onto a stool and folded my hooves in front of me, “ok… Wonderbolts are the best of the best in the Enclave. Special tasks and…” I thought on that for a moment not really wanting to go more into that than special task. I cleared my throat, “and basically… they do everything from recon to high target assassination so special task is just that,” this seemed to make him uncomfortable and so I went into everything from my last training class to now.

By the time I was finished he had filled my glass twice and his… several more times. Bubble and Serenity came down for good night's, the latter improving my mood with a goodnight kiss, around the part where I just came down from the clouds. He was sitting on a stool behind the bar that I hadn't seen until he levitated it over and sat down. He was rubbing between his eyes with an expression of mixed disbelief and overwhelming relief. I sat sipping my drink feeling calm and my head was relaxed if a little buzzing. He seemed like he had been drinking this stuff since he was born and now it's just slightly burning water.

He finally took a deep breath and looked to me, “so… you felt like you were being used for something and after killing her mother you couldn't bring yourself to seeing her hurt so you sacrificed everything to save her. Then after saving a family and taking the blame, on your own might I add,” he said pointing his pipes mouth piece at me, “you started to think. After your run through the auto wagon shop of Flim and Flam’s you had wanted to help the filly more than just dumping her on somepony. Before you came here you saved a few ponies from being sold into slavery from an enchantress of sorts then when you got here you risked your life to save another mare of unknown origin from a horrible life leading us to now… all because… you A. can't go back home. B. You feel guilty and C… you actually love that little filly.”

I coughed making the burning liquid that I was drinking go up and out my nose. My eyes watered badly as I coughed to try and breath. Finally I looked at the old buck who was grinning at me with a small smile, “WHAT?!”

He just chuckled, “your reaction tells me all I need to know… I know you know that you do but,” he placed his elbows on the bar and gently tapped the tips of his hooves together and looked over them with an expression that I feel like a father would give their son on a big talk about something life changing, “why haven't you told her?”

I sat down and looked back to the stairs my ears folding back, ‘why haven't I told her?’ the tiny Split asked in my head. I really did care for the filly but…

“She… I think she deep down inside still hates me… and I am scared that if I did she would turn away and never look back,” I looked back to him feeling though as some kind of clamp was in my chest was squeezing hard against my heart and lungs.

He just continued to smile, “maybe… but there is no denying that filly cares for you,” he took a long drag from his pipe and as he breathed out the gray smoke curled from his mouth and nostrils, “there is a time for everything so be careful for when you mention it to her.” I nodded and he levitated the mostly empty bottle to his lips and drained it in one gulp before wiping his mouth with a hoof and shaking his lips. He gave me a soft gaze, “that room you were in is yours… you helped me get me bar back so consider this place your home or a place you can rest your head. He levitated out a pair of keys and gently set them in my hoof, “now… go get some rest… I have something for you to do for me if you're up for it,” he dropped to his hooves and then lifted a hoof to his shoulder and moved it around a bit. It popped softly and he glanced back, “oh… the room on your right is the bathroom…,” he chuckled, “enjoy.”

With that Lucky walked back to his room behind the bar and just before his door closed I heard a click and something shut down and the door leading outside locked with a much softer click.

I sat there for a few moments thinking about what I had told him and what he asked me staring at my reflection in the rest of the drink I held between my hooves. I looked like a mess now that I was looking at it, even with Serenity giving me a sponge bath of sorts. My ears snapped up at the thought of her and what happened since I woke up from the horribly one sided fight. I should not have won that and almost died to do so and as a result I got a marefriend. I looked up at the ceiling like somehow the alcohol gave me the ability to see her through the ceiling. I think I knew I was no where close to where we should or would be but I could not help but stare and smile.

Serenity was beautiful, kind and… an emotional wreck… I closed my eyes and looked back down at my drink. I wanted to help her and I want to earn the right to her affection and trust but I feel that may take some time. I drained my glass I mentally thought that it would be probably even longer before I got laid.

I then slammed my head hard into the equally hard bar counter, “DAMN IT SPLIT!” I half hissed and half shouted to myself. She was a slave for Celestia knows how long and was used for… my jaw clenched tightly and my body went tense, “she didn't deserve any of that,” I said to no pony, “If I find the fucking bastard who did that to her… I'd be sure to give them a new kind of flying lesson.”

It was then that I realized a couple things… first was somepony was awake and I was sure who it was because of the second thing, as she gently ran a hoof down my spine my wings sprang open sending one of the stools flying across the bar room.

I looked back to see Serenity smiling at me even though she was quite tired looking. Instantly all my anger subsided and my ears drooped, “I woke you… didn't I?”

She nodded and before I could speak she leaned forward and nuzzled under my chin. Her mane was still a little damp but was smooth and cool feeling against me. She spoke softly as I slid off my stool so she didn't have to strain to nuzzle, “yez… but not becauze of your talking or shouting,” she pulled back and placed a hoof on my cheek which I leaned into, “it's becauze you are ztill awake.”

I pulled my head up confused, “because I was awake?” I cocked my head as my buzzed brain tried to figure out what she meant. I was also willing to bet that me getting tired was another part of it so I just asked, “we… are not sleeping together yet… are we?”

“Not unless you wan…” She caught my look and swallowed lowering her head a little, “no… no we are not,” she pawed at the wood floor watching her hoof.

I must have looked quite annoyed at what she was going to say but seeing her like this I couldn't feel angry because I knew that going from slave to free was not as easy as flipping a switch. I reached a wing out and lifted her so she was looking at me and I gave her the best smile I could, “If winning that fight allowed me to win your heart… then allow me to win more than that in time,” I could see the tears building in her eye and I slowly moved my wing around and brushed it from her eye without even making her blink, “I know for you it is not easy to separate what you think will make me happy from what should make me happy, but I am not in a rush… you are the first mare that has made me feel anything like this so I don't want to mess it up.”

She smiled her eye looking at me with a warmness that made my knees weak. She looked to my my muzzle torn between listening to my advice and wanting to lean in for something. She looked back to my eyes, “do… we kizz now?”

I wanted to… sweet Celestia I wanted to taste that kiss right now, but I wanted something else more and with my hoof started to gently pushed her mane to the side, I want to se-”

She jerked her head back turning her head so all I could see from behind her mane was the tip of her muzzle sticking out, “pleaze… no… I… I'm hideouz,” she started to tremble and even in with several glasses of whatever alcohol that was and being tired I could see she was afraid. She gave a small whimper, “I… want you to continue to look at me like you do without…” She stopped and looked at me her eyes going wide.

I was just smiling at her and she turned her head to look directly at me and I put my hoof on her cheek under her eye looking at me, “there is nothing that change the way I look at you,” her eye went wide and to prove it I slid my hoof around to the back of her head and leaned forward as I pulled her into a soft passionate kiss. I held my eyes open slightly and watched as her eye slowly closed as our lips touched. After a couple seconds I leaned back making her lean in more until she had to stop and pull away. Her eye and body telling me she needed more even if it was just me holding her she needed it but I needed something to and lifted my other hoof again my smile still warm, “please… let me see.”

She swallowed and hung her head a little but did not turn her head away so I slowly moved my hoof under the side of her mane dangling over most of her face and began to slowly push it away. I was just starting to reveal her cheek when my heart sank and a monster inside of me roared in rage. I could see the tip of a pink scared slash mark that started on her cheek and knew this was bad. I felt her tremble and her eyes tightened as she waited for a rejection. I pushed her mane to the side of her face and could see the horrid scare was only the tip as it had several tips that went diagonally across her eye and over her eyelid. It didn't look so much as something slashing her eye as it did like something tried to hit her with something jagged and ripped most of the skin down and off. Some kind of healing magic must have saved her eyelid but that was it for it was still pink with scarring. When she opened her eye to look at my expression I wanted to cry as her left eye was a beautiful light pink in color with a slit like pupil. The other eye was glassed over with a dull gray color.

I swallowed and lifted my wing up on the right side of her face and she didn't even glance at it and as I lifted my other wing she quickly looked at it. Her right eye was blinded from the damage she received and now she was looking to me the hope in her eyes starting to fall. She didn't have anything and she thought she was losing me so I did what I needed to. I leaned forward and made her close her eyes and kissed her scarred eye softly.

I heard her voice catch in her throat as tears started to build in the corner of each eye, “but…”

“I'm sorry I was too late to protect you from this… but I promise I will never let anything like this happen again,” I could see the tears rolling down her cheeks so I kissed the tip of her nose and she slowly opened her eyes looking at me with eyes that made me want to hunt the bastard down now and beat him into a brightly colored smear. I was mad… no I was furious but I was going to be there for her as I smiled, “you don't need to hide anything from me… because,” she was sobbing softly as she looked at me, “because you are and always will be the most beautiful mare to me.”

It was not was she was expecting to hear but it was what she needed as the sobs turned to a heartbreaking wail. I pulled her close and she lifted her hooves to my side and held on desperately as she pushed her face into my chest crying that little bit that was always bottled up out. I knew there was going to be many more of these as I helped her and slowly opened her up to me but I was always going to be there.

She finally managed to stop crying and I wanted to get her up to sleep before I decided to try and sleep myself, “feeling better?” I asked looking down at the top of her head. She didn't answer and I leaned over a little, smiling more, “hey are…” I stopped as I saw that she had cried herself to sleep or had just felt safe enough to fall asleep against me. Either way I was now set with getting her upstairs without waking her and Celestia damn me if I did.

Picking her up and cradling her in my hooves was not the hard part. She was very light and tiny without being too short. The hard part was going up the stairs on my hind legs as the stairwell was a bit too small for my wing span. I however leaned against one side and used my wing on the other side to hold myself against the wall. It was a wobbly and slow climb but when I reached the top I had to let a breath out that I was holding the whole way.

On the upper landing I glanced to my right and took note of the sign that said bathing room, “public bath?” I guessed. Then my gaze slowly shifted to my left to the closed door. My door was straight ahead so what was this room?

I moved forward and opened the door to my room with a wing, i guess she must have kept it open a little since I just pushed it open with my wing. Once inside I noticed Bubble was curled up on the couch snoozing soundlessly which caused me to smile, and now that I had more room now I flapped my wings enough to get me across the room to one of the closed doors. Twisting my body and my head I turned the handle with my teeth and pushed it open. The room was quite nice and the bed was huge! It had a semi tarnished brass frame bed with a large only slightly used mattress. The blanket on it was red and rather silky looking. I awkwardly walked in and fluttered over to the bed and laid Serenity on it. I was amazed that the pillows were nice white and fluffy still as her head sunk into it. I dropped the blankets over her and gently kisses her forehead. I then had an idea and moving quickly and quietly, i soon had Bubble curled up next to Serenity.

Feeling much better about Serenity and Bubble sleeping soundlessly together I went back out onto the the upper landing of the stairs and looked at the other door. I tried the door handle and frowned as it was locked. I sat hard looking at the door thinking of how I was supposed to get in when I mentally bucked myself, “the keys,” with that I quickly made my way downstairs and grabbed the keys from the bar and back up to the door. I tried one key and figured it was my room key as it did not open the door. It would be kind of pointless to lock the room to the bath so the other key…

Click

I turned the handle and pushed open the door and recoiled back at the smell of chemicals and something horrid that made me bring my wings over my muzzle. When the door fully opened from the momentum of my slight push my eyes widened and ears drooped back, “dear Luna…” I slowly walked into the room.

There was a lamp in the far corner that was giving off a dim orange light over a single room with a bed in the center that made the one in my room seem like a cot. The bed was horribly stained and with the straps and chains on it made my skin crawl. A small cabinet on one side of the bed held many bottles of alcohol which many seemed to be empty and I was not sure why but I didn't want to touch any of it. The table next to the cabinet had all kinds of chems on it, all which seemed to be used, all scared over it and a few on the bed and the floor.

“Who… who are you?” came a voice near the bed.

I slowly moved around to see a young mare chained to the bed her white coat stained and bruised. She was sitting on the floor with her legs out to one side and leaning on her fore hooves as she tried to focus on me. She had blue eyes that had small pin prick pupils. Her matted mane was so dirty I could not tell if it was purple or brown. She smelled horribly and I felt a pit in my stomach, ‘was she here the whole time?’

“I'm Splitstream…” I said looking at the chain around her neck.

She swayed a little, “where is… King?” She said in a slight daze.

I frowned, “he’s-”

“Dead came a voice from behind me,” I jumped and spun around lowering my head to fight. I instantly relaxed when Lucky walked in with a tray of food and some water levitating beside him. He sighed, “was hoping to get her out of that chain and cleaned up before you found her… unfortunately… I don't think he had a key.”

“He?” I asked dumbly, it took me a second then the realization hit me like a huge green buck. I looked around suddenly, “this… this was…” My stomach felt like it wanted to fall out as I slowly looked back to the mare. The empty feeling in my stomach clenched and I wanted to bring the dead stallion back to life so I could rip him apart.

Lucky just chuckled as he walked by pushing a spoon of… something into my mouth, “I know that look… bringing him back will only leave you like last time.”

The taste of the mush was… exquisite… did I just use a big fancy word? Anyhow I pulled the spoon out and licked my lips, “what… what is it?”

He knelt down by the mare and using another spoon slowly scooped up the steaming gray stuff from a bowl and blowing onto it and then slowly fed her. He looked back, “just some oats with some canned apples mixed in.”

I was going to have to remember that but right now all of could do was look at the mare being fed by the kind old buck. My eyes lingered on his kind eyes as he watched her carefully and I tossed the spoon to him landing it onto the tray making him look back to me, “I'll be right back.”

I ran down to my armor and found what I needed and ran back up. He was helping her drink when I came back in holding a bobby pin in my lips and a screwdriver. His eyes went wide, “Lad… you need to be careful!”

With his magic he lowered the thick chain to show the beeping collar and I gritted my teeth, “I…”

He shook his head, “that's why I haven't even tried… she is fine but without someone who knows explosives… I will have to keep her here and just keep her happy and healthy.”

Fight a giant buck to win the freedom of a mare?… sure… battle a half dozen zombie like ponies from killing and eating a filly?… no problem… spit in the name of the Enclave and throw everything I worked for away?… I'd happily do all of it again for some more practice with explosives.

I threw my head down hard sending the tip of the screwdriver into the floor almost to the handle, “damn it!” he glanced down at the screwdriver then to me calmly. I looked down at it now really confused. Why was I angry that I could not get her out? It was not expected of me or even asked I just assumed I could help and when I couldn't I got mad. I sat looking at the screwdriver, “s… sorry… I… just.”

The screwdriver's handle glowed and pulled from the floor and slowly laid onto the floor against my hoof. Lucky just gave me a small rather sad smile, “for what it's worth… I know exactly how you feel.” He levitated up one of the empty containers from the table and the mare saw it and started to paw at it with a dreamy smile. I couldn't tell if she was easily entertained by it or was trying to grab at it as he looked at it, “all I could do was watch the horror that they did… I never had the ability to fight them off or anyone stupid enough to take them on,” he glanced up looking a bit guilty, “no offense.”

I cocked my head, “offense? What… me stupid? I couldn't let him do that to Serenity…”

“Why?” His question was simple and rather blunt but it rocked me back to reality. He must have seen my confusion so he asked again, “why help somepony you don't know?”

“I…” a twang of annoyance began to burn inside as I stood up, “what do you mean why? No pony should be sold to another pony to be worked or beaten or… or fucked to death!” I said my voice rising as I pointed a hoof at the mare who was now looking back at me swaying. I stomped a hoof, “how can you asked why?! It's wrong and… and…”

I looked to him as he smiled back, “I don't disagree Lad… I just wanted to hear why… I know now that you have a thing for saving ponies from the way you saved the other from that unicorn mare you told me about… I just want to know why it bugs you so.”

I sat down again and thought, ‘why did it upset me so much?’ I mean Bubble Gum said it was wrong but even I knew that… if I was in that situation I would probably take my chance with my head exploding with a bomb collar than be worked to death… if Bubble Gum was…

My eyes widened and my blood ran cold at the thought. My breath caught for a second and Lucky patted the mare's head as he raised to his hooves and walked over to me, “she may not be your filly… but you see it don't you… and to be honest it is a bigger problem than you might think with fillies and colts of all ages to be used in slavery. They are beaten and raped on a daily basis but no one even bats an eye… well… most don't…” he nudged me up and out of the room as the mare climbed onto the bed and curled up to sleep. I felt like I swallowed an ice cube as I watched her but I knew I couldn't do anything without endangering her. Lucky closed the door behind us and placed a hoof on my shoulder, “don't worry… I have a friend on his way to help her get it off… just please be patient and get some sleep. I have a task for you to do for me.”

He waited as I opened my door and stood there feeling a bit confused. I looked to him, “can I ask you something… what should have I done with Bubble Gum?”

He just chuckled, “Lad… if you don't know now… then you may never figure it out.” With that he headed down stairs.

I closed the door as my head spun from the alcohol… Serenity's reveal about her eye… the mare next door… and now what was really pushing me to save ponies from slavers, ‘don't forget Solar’s hello,’ the pony in my head reminded me as he mentally picked through the files.

“Shut up…” I groaned and slowly dragged my hooves to the couch and climbed into it. I rolled onto my back and looked to the ceiling at the dead ceiling fan over me and sighed, “ok… so let's be honest Split… Bubble was a good distraction and surviving this long and saving ponies was taking my mind off things but…” I stretched with a yawn, “why was Steel Wing so intent on having me silenced?”

I yawned and closed my eyes and my mind began to come up with simple reasons like maybe he hated me from something I did a long time ago, too complex things like not wanting me to get into the Wonderbolts because he did something wrong and that I would have to take him out because of said thing.

I sighed as my body started to relax and I rolled onto my side to get comfortable when I heard something from the bedroom that caused me to open and eye and look to the door. Bubble was standing in the doorway with the corner of a pillow in her mouth looking like she was about to fall back to sleep standing like that. She looked at me and started to move towards me stumbling slightly over the pillow as she moved to the side of the couch. She dropped the pillow and tried to climb onto the couch but her sleepy like stake she was having obvious issues as she placed her fore hooves on the couch and tried to lift her hind legs onto it but didn't quite have the energy to. I smiled at her and grabbed her with my hooves and pulled her up onto the couch where she instantly curled up and nuzzled under my chin laying her head on my leg. I sighed and using a wing lifted the pillow up and put it under my head before adjusting so that she was comfortable and so was I. She then grabbed my wing and pulled it over herself and sighed softly.

‘Splitstream… the pony blanket,’ the pony in my head said making me grin.

“Maybe…” I yawned before my eyelids became too much and I drifted off to sleep.

When I finally awoke there was a dull gray light pouring in from the cloudy window. I sat up stretching my fore hooves up and my right wing out with a groan, “ok… no more couches.” I rolled off the couch and leaned forward stretching my hind legs and my left wing giving another long groan. I was rested if a bit stiff from sleeping on the very old couch and truth be told… I kind of missed that trailer of pillows.

I licked the top of my mouth and winced at the bad taste and sandpaper feel of my tongue. I needed a drink and preferably not anything alcoholic, so I opened the door and made my way downstairs stopping briefly to peak into the room on my left. The mare was snoozing soundly on the bed with her head on her hooves.

When I reached the bottom Bubble was the first to run up to me happily, “morning Split!” She smiled up at me.

I leaned down and nuzzled the top of her head, “morning Bubble… how are you this morning?”

She bounced on her hooves, “Serenity made breakfast!” I looked up and watched as Serenity carried a tray of something that was steaming with a Sparkle Cola. I looked down at Bubble and she just smiled, “I ate already… it was good!”

I looked to see Lucky and Iron Gate looking at my armor making me frown. I trotted over to the bar, “what's up?”

Lucky looked up and grinned, “ahh… you're awake now are ya?” he nods to the armor, “it's seen better days so Iron Gate is giving it a once over for ya… he had to rig up your energy pistol to a trigger system so you don't have fancy decorations now.”

My eyes went wide, “you know power armor?”

Iron Gate turned and grinned, “i have taken many steel Rangers power armor apart and even got my hooves on a beam rifle or 2… consider it payment for freeing this place up,” he steps back and points a hoof to some of the damage from the back, “luckily this was defended against energy weapons so you didn't turn into a glowing piles of ash, but that being said you lost your scorpion tail… how?”

My mind reeled, “how do you know about Enclave armor?”

I felt a chill as he glanced down my side at my flank and his eyes narrowed as his eyes snapped back to mine, “it's… just a hunch,” my eyes narrowed as did his. I could feel the atmosphere beginning to tense around us as Bubble took a step back and Lucky looked between the 2 of us.

I spoke carefully, “you have seen it… haven't you?)

He turned to fully face me his legs spread apart, “why is a pegasus Enclave here if he doesn't have a brand?”

“Dashites…” I muttered making him flinch. I let a breath out and then sat down my eyes locked on his, “I had a friend of mine meet me yesterday who's job was to hunt me down and brand me and kill me… or kill me then brand me… He left me his supplies and inside was the brand and the stuff that they use to melt away cutiemarks.” Lucky took a staggering step back but I just stared at Iron, “I'm as much as as Dashite as anyone with a branded flank…, “I'm just smarter and faster so they didn't get a chance.”

He looked at my armor and something seemed to click inside him as he looked at the melted metal where my scorpion tail was hit, “you were being shot at when you ran? He relaxed a little but looked skeptical, “why?” I lifted and pointed my wing down at Bubble who looked up at my wing then to him. She saw his look and she moved under me peeking at him from behind my forelegs. He looked at me, “so she isn't your daughter?”

I felt Bubble Gum touch my leg as she tried to look up at me, and I caught Lucky's look as he looked down at her then to me. I didn't want to hurt her or scare her so I gave the best answer I could, “she is not blood related to me… that's all.”

“That's not the question I as-” he began but Lucky cut him off.

“Nor is it any of you business Iron… he obviously cares for the filly so that's all you need to know for now.” Iron gave a small snort but turned back to the armor as Lucky moved up to me, “sorry about that… he has a few… good friends.”

I looked to Lucky, “he knows a dashite?” I didn't mean to growl like that to the kind buck but my feelings to Dashites pushed out.

Lucky frowned, “you sound like Dashite should be something that needs to be squashed?”

His tone shocked me and I glared, “A Dashite is somepony who turned their back on the Enclave for their own selfish reasons! I was going to be branded for saving a fillies life! There is a big difference…”

Lucky just shook his head and I wanted to make him understand. I didn't turn my back on the Enclave I turned my back on Steel Wing who wanted me to murder an innocent filly. How was that the same but when he looked at me he looked… sad… my ears and wings drooped but my eyes glared at him.

He motioned us to walk over to the table where Serenity was waiting with the tray of food. I picked up Bubble Gum and half flew half walked on my hind legs over to the table. I set Bubble in the chair and looked at the similar oats that Lucky made last night and my stomach growled loudly. I hadn't eaten anything for some time and this was smelling like heaven. I glanced to the smiling Serenity who was watching and waiting for me to try it so I shrugged and leaned down and took a bite.

The slightly mushy oats were similar to the bite I got from Lucky but the flavor was different… better… the apple taste was still there but there was a sweeter taste. There was a slight crunch that was oddly familiar with an aroma that had my muzzle buried into the bowl eating every bite. Bubble took my Sparkle Cola taking a sip as I finished and licked the bowl clean then licked my muzzle equally clean.

I looked to Serenity, “you used…”

She nodded, “Bubble told me you liked that cereal so when Lucky taught me how to make the porridge and apples I had the idea to try and use crushed Caramel Apples Bombs.”

“She's quite the cook,” Lucky said with a chuckle. But then he looked serious, “Lad… Dashites… are not what you think… in fact I know a Dashite who helps caravans on a daily basis.”

That didn't make sense to me… according to higher ups Dashites were selfish pegasi who wanted more or just didn't agree with the Enclaves rule. I frowned not believing him, “that's not what I was lead to believe…”

He cocked an eyebrow, “how about you talk to one before you judge them?” I looked away not wanting to hear it… I was right and I knew it. He however changed the subject, “now… ever been inside a stable?”

I turned to look at him cocking my brow, “you mean those underground bunkers from before the war?” He nodded and I shook my head, “never thought they were still even a thing…”

He leaned back in the chair and Serenity lifted the tray from in front of me and moved it so she could lean on the table to look at him as well, “yes they are a thing… and not many are good places to be… but I need something out of a nearby one… a… water talisman.”

I frowned my ears going back, “ok… why haven't you gotten it?”

He took a long drag from his pipe then looked up and let the smoke swirl to the ceiling, “for the same reason I couldn't save anypony from King…”

I sigh and Bubble Gum whimpered, “If it's that bad… why ask Split?”

He smiled to her, “because little one… Split is the only one who I believe has a chance at it… and before you ask,” he says looking up to me, “many ponies come here dying of thirst… having that talisman would allow me to save ponies by giving them water without worrying for pay.”

“You… you… are willing to help ponies… for free?” I asked surprised.

“I had to watch many ponies like that mare upstairs be turned into prizes for that monster… and I could do nothing but sneak her food… then you showed up and gave me a chance to try something… I just… need a bit more help.”

I sat for several minutes as I thought about what it meant. I really didn't have a reason to mistrust Lucky but on the other wing this place was bad enough that he couldn't get to the talisman… but… I had to admit… I was curious.

I smiled, “I'll do it as long as Bubble can stay here while I'm gone.”

Bubble opened her mouth to argue but I put a wing over her muzzle and Lucky nodded, “I would rather her be here instead of going there anyhow… it's much too dangerous for her.”

“Split!” Bubble Gum whined making me look at her. She gave me the big eyes and her bottom lip trembled, “I don't want you to go without me… who will help keep an eye out for you?”

I bent down setting a hoof on her head, “Bubble… I don't want you getting hurt… if I can do this without worrying about you getting hurt I can do this faster and safer!”

“Pluz I will be going with him to help watch over him,” I swallowed hard and slowly turned back to see Serenity smiling at me, “no argumentz…”

“No?” I said rising and her smile didn't even flinch, “I have several… like-”

Lucky chuckled, “i think it would be a great idea.”

Why was everyone against me? I groaned as Serenity lowered down and nuzzled Bubble Gums cheeks softly, “would that make you feel better?”

Bubble smiles and gave a happy, “Mmhmmm!”

I face hoofed, “fine… no matter how I look at this I am losing this battle.”

Serenity lifted her head up to my ear and she whispered, “it will give uz zome time to talk more… and… get to know each other better,” the tone of the last part of her sentence made electricity shoot up my spine. She gave a small sniff, “however…” She walked in front of me, “zomepony needz a bath before we do anything,” she spun in place and her tail wrapped around my neck and that was all it took for me to follow blindly into hell.

Well after how I was lead here you'd think I would be enjoying a nice hot bath with an equally hot mare… however… I sat leaning back in the tub my ears back and only half of my muzzle to the top of my head was poking out of the warm water. My pip-buck was not clicking so this water must be coming from a talisman to be pure enough to soak in like this.

Serenity leaned over the lip of the rather large tub smiling sweetly, “oh what'z wrong Split?”

My eyes slowly moved to look at her as I glared. I felt like I was just used into being lead into a bath, even though she could have just asked, by using my deep attraction to her. I blew a few bubbles and turned my head and looked away my ears folding back.

“Split?” She moved around to the side I was facing her smile gone and looking a bit concerned, “what… what did I do?”

I lifted my head out of the water, “really? You are asking that?” Her ears pasted back instantly and she looked stunned but nodded. I put a hoof on the side of the tub, “you cant have not seen how much I like you and how much I… I want you… and you do that with your tail to get me into a bath?!” the snap of my words made her recoil back and I could see her shaking. I slumped into the tub, “just get out and I will finish up… make sure you are ready to go.”

She was sniffing now and I could see tears rolling from her eyes, “Split… I… I'm zorry…” but with that she covered her face with a wing and quickly trotted out the door.

I sighed feeling the water cooling down rather quickly, “damn it Serenity…”

It didn't take me long to finish washing and my coat was still damp and my mane was hanging down as I got downstairs. Serenity was being helped into a pair of saddlebags with Cedars help as Lucky was walking her through a specially custom built rifle. I say custom because the mouth grip and trigger were on the other side. She nodded as he talked until she caught my eye. Her eye went wide then turned away looking ashamed.

Bubble walked up next to me and hit my leg, “what did you do you idiot!”

I looked down into the rather upset eyes of Bubble Gum. I looked to Serenity whose ear was swiveled towards us and then I looked down, “let me ask you something Bubble… what would you do if I told you I had a special kind of Sparkle Cola on me and I was going to let you try some if you followed me upstairs. I then told you to take a bath and when you did I said only have a normal Sparkle Cola?”

Her face screwed up and her ears folded back, “I… would be upset that I was tricked… upset with you… why?”

“That is what happened… not exactly but same concept…” My eyes looked to Serenity who was now looking completely away and her ears were folded back. I snorted and moved to my armor and looked it over. Many of the scratches and holes were carefully patched and the broken beam pistol was, badly, repaired. With a tap of my pip-buck it hissed open and I stepped in adjusting my hooves when Cedar walked over. I looked to her, “don't have any armor for her?”

She shook her head, “nothing that would help…” She glanced back to Serenity who was waiting patiently by the door then back to me, “please… don't be mad at her… it was my fault.”

My ears twitched and I lifted my head enough to look at her, “what?”

She swallowed, “I… told her that to get a buck to do something she wants to gently use wrap her tail around someplace on the stallion… or mare if they like her enough… but with looks like hers it would be simple.”

My eyes narrowed at her and I wanted to shout and scream because what Serenity did was a bit hurtful, “She could have asked me to take a bath and I would have easily went and did so… but because of that…” I looked down focusing on making my boots fit, “I told her I didn't want to have sex with her until she was comfortable with the idea and it was her choice… then she does that…”

I glared at Cedar and despite her size and the weapon she had across her back she took a step back looking ashamed, “Split…”

I shook my head and walked by her, “don't help… I need to concentrate on getting the talisman safely.” I moved across the bar room towards the entrance stopping by Serenity who just hung her head looking away. I looked to her, “ready?”

She sniffed and nodded and despite how I felt I did feel guilty. I had a right to be annoyed at best but I was being downright foalish to her all because I couldn't get any. I put a hoof under her chin and lifted her face to me. Her eyes went wide and her ears sprung up, “Split!”

I kissed the tip of her muzzle, “let's go” she gave a tiny sad smile and nodded.

With a wave of my wing to Bubble, who waved back looking a little scared, we walked out into the wasteland. The last time I was out here it was quite dark and was still raining a bit, Now it was mid morning and I could see quite well. I could see the tall buildings off in the distance where Bubble and I came from to one side along the road and to the other it went further along and I could see some low mountains. The road looked ripped up like something tried to pull it apart and left small craters in it all along the road as far as I could see. There was a rather good intact metal wagon sitting in front of the Tavern missing only it's wheels. This particular model was pulled by a pony but had a small motor inside that so the pony didn't have to work as hard to pull.

I glanced back at the Tavern seeing an old long dead tree a slight distance from the door inside. I could see a small hill rising behind the tree with a broken swing set on top, other than that I could not see anything worth seeing. I glanced skyward but it was just it's silvery layer of clouds like any other place.

Serenity moved up next to me and asked in a timid voice, “where are we going?”

“Well… I hope…” I looked down at my pip-buck and smiled as a marker back in the direction Bubble and I came from. It was close by the garden and I tilted my pip-buck to show her, “we are heading that way.”

“Oh! That thing iz quite helpful huh?” She asked with some amusement.

“More than you realise sweet cheeks!” I smiled and started to walk.

She fell behind but I heard her mutter confused, “zweet cheekz?” She shook her confusion away and trotted up next to me looking at the ground as we walked. I knew what she wanted but I was going to let her start which didn't take very long. She looked at me, “Split… I… I'm really zorry.”

I nodded, “I know… and… I'm sorry for snapping at you,” I looked to her as she lowered her eyes to the road. Oh no missy… I was not about to let you pout like that! I wrapped my armored wing over her and pulled her close then kissed her on the cheek, “no pouting after we apologize.”

“Why… why are you making it zeem like thiz will be a normal thing?” She asked finally managing a smile.

I looked ahead and frowned, “let's be honest… we just met and you are still learning… as well as I.”

“Split?” I turned my head enough to glance down at her as she looked up at me curiously, “why… why did we inztantly become a couple?”

‘Yeah… why did we?’ the pony in my head asked with a frown. I thought about it for a second but that second turned into minutes and I could see her ears lowering the longer it took me to think.

I stopped when a sad kind of hurt was spreading to her eyes, “no! Listen to me!” She took a step back from me in surprise. I lifted her hoof and held it to my face making her blush as I sighed, “it's not me trying to think of why we are together… it's me trying to think of how I want to phrase it properly.”

She relaxed at that, “Split… tell me… I do not care how blunt it iz… I want to… no I need to know,” her tone comforted me and she moved forward and sat in front of me. Her other hoof lifted and took my other cheek and she leaned in and kissed the tip of my nose. I felt a tingle from the little kiss through my body to the tips of my wings and I felt a smile spread across my face.

I knew how to tell her now so I took a deep breath and…

Blam!

The bullet hit the armored part of my wing and then the lump of metal fell to the road with a soft pink…

Instantly my wings shot up to protect Serenity as more bullets began to whizz past from the cover of a couple overturned wagons. I could see 4 shooters and a very familiar unicorn levitating a lever action revolver. His voice boomed as he cried out to me in a dramatic tone, “JUST THE CHEATING SON OF A BITCH I WAS HOPING TO SEE! I TOLD YOU BOYS THE MARE HE HAD WAS WORTH THE PAY… NOW KILL HIM AND HELP ME TAKE THE TAVERN AND SHE'S ALL YOURS!”

“Serenity! Stay…” I felt a movement near me and she pulled her rifle from her back and with a quick flap of her wings she went into the air. My jaw fell as she effortlessly leaned back and crossed her hind legs setting the barrel of the gun in the crook of her crossed legs and took aim. With a succession of 3 Bangs 3 of the firing ponies dropped and my heart leap, “Goddesses I love you!” I said in awe.

She looked down at me, “Split! Zic Em!” With that my head snapped to the attackers. The unicorn was looking at Serenity in baffled amazement.

I grinned as he slowly looked down at me and started to charge. He let out a scream that I was sure Serenity couldn't do and dropped the rifle turned and ran. The last buck looked back to see him running away then turned to see my hooves slamming into his face and drive his head into the asphalt with a cracking sound. Something in my stomach turned a little at the sound but I just laughed.

The unicorn, as I closed the distance rapidly, was very dirty and his mane looked like he hadn't seen a brush. He looked back and screamed again as I slammed into him sending him sprawling. He rolled onto his and tried to kick his way back babbling and crying. Serenity landed next to me and even I had to take a double look at her. Her normally kind soft eyes were staring daggers at the unicorn.

“Serenity?” I asked touching her shoulder slightly. She took a deep breath in and I could feel her shaking through my armor. I gripped her shoulders and shook her a little, “Serenity!”

Her eyes snapped to me and instantly became fearful, “Split! I… I…” She pushed her face under my chin and I held her gently stroking her mane.

The unicorn tried to stand up but I gave him a look that froze him in his place. After a few seconds Serenity finally calmed down enough for her to lean back. I looked into her eyes and kissed her between them before I stood and walked to the unicorn.

He squirmed back quickly, “s… stop! Leave… leave me alone!”

I snorted, “like that's going to happen…” I glanced back at Serenity and frowned, “sweetie… wait right here,” she cocked her head confused. OK she was cute with that look and I smiled, “I'm going to show him something,” she nodded and I grabbed the unicorn in a headlock and took off straight into the air.

He started to kick and as amazing as it sounds his screams became even more high pitched as we climbed higher and higher. I was not worried about poking up through the cloud curtain because it happens more than pegasi were willing to admit. The only time they cared if it was something bigger than a large buck with a skinny worthless piece of meat. When we popped up on the other side of the clouds he went silent and I smiled as the warm sun beat down onto me.

“Is… that?” he asked in a stunned awe.

“The sun?” I finished for him, “yes… and I want you to remember this…”

“Why?” he asked looking around at the light blue sky with its fluffy white clouds that stretched as far as the eye could see.

I wanted to just let him go and was not sure if I still was not going to. I looked around, “that feeling you have right now…” he glanced back at me and I glared at him with steel in my gaze, “that mare down there gives me this feeling everytime she smiles at me… but because of you…” I drop down below the clouds and stop just below the curtain, “you made her a bag of emotions that are like me letting you fly right now,” I felt him tense and I growled, “you start to fall… you flail around worthlessly… and you hope and pray that I come and save you…” I let go.

I watched as he fell screaming as he reached a hoof up to me. He had a long way to fall and scream and I felt a wicked emotion inside me laughing at him and thinking of what would happen to his body when he hit. Something however smacked that thought and I dove after him with blinding speed. The air around me crackled with electricity as I caught up to him and grabbed the back of his dirty suit stopping him.

He shook panting heavily as he looked down at the dots of the buildings below then he lifted his face to me wet with tears and red from the whipping wind. I just glared, “now… you know how she feels every time some asshole like you reminds her of what she used to be… and what I am willing to do to save her.”

“I… I'm sorry… I… I won't do it… it again,” he sobbed desperately.

I didn't know what to do at this point… on one hoof I could drop him and just let him die… it's more than what he deserved… on the other I could let him live and hope that he took my… uh… little talk… seriously.

He read something on my face because he whimpered in such a pitiful voice, “please… don't kill me…” I knew now that he was not worth killing and started to lower to the ground.

The bullet ripped through the back of his head coming from under his chin startling me and dropping the very now dead unicorn followed by a soft bang. The stallion who I slammed head first into the asphalt was holding the rifle in his jaws. He said something but I looked and watched Serenity spin around and splatter his head behind him on the wagon behind him.

Serenity looked up to me and I watched her for a long moment before looking down at my hooves as I lowered down to the ground. I had not wanted to kill him because he was not worth but that choice was not given to me this time because I had not killed another equally horrible pony. They both deserved to die, more so the unicorn who used ponies loves for entertainment and prizes. Even Serenity who I would rather have, like Bubble, have my wings pulled off in the most painful way possible than to see hurt, should have seen me kill him so he could not hurt anypony again.

So why… why was this effecting me so hard? I should be rather happy the scum was dead… I knew I should so when I landed I gave Serenity a smile, “where did you learn to shoot like that?”

She looked at me sadly and carefully slung the rifle over her back, “Split… what'z wrong?” I opened my mouth to lie and she shook her head, “don't lie to me… pleaze… what's wrong?”

I flinched feeling a bit guilty that I was going to lie to her and I didn't have to say anything for her to catch me. My wings slumped, “how did you know I was...?”

“Going to lie?” I nodded and she sighed and walked to me, “becauze you juzt told me…” I looked at her in disbelief. She just sighed hanging her head, “why would you lie to me after what happened to uz thiz morning?”

‘Ouch…’ I mentally cried now hanging my head.

I felt her hoof run through my mane and I looked back to her. She smiled, “zo… what'z wrong?”

I stood up and and she did likewise pulling up next to me closely as we continued on. I frowned looking down, “I don't know,” I lifted my head enough to glance at her, “I intended on letting the bastard live with the fear that if I found him doing anything like what he did to you or others again I was going to smash him into jam,” I glanced back at the dead buck that killed him, “but…”

“Why not end him?” She asked looking curious… not upset I noticed but curious.

I shrugged, “I told him what you meant to me and what I believe I mean to you. I wanted to see if he would be a better pony if given a chance.” I looked to her and caught the question and cut it off, “yes… maybe I was wrong but… I feel that not getting a fair choice would have been cruel…” I looked forward seeing the shack in the far distance, “I guess I feel that I was given a choice to let him live or to die and then the choice was ripped from me.”

She leaned close and nuzzled my neck, “pleaze don't let it bug you too much,” I looked at her and she pointed to the shack with a wing, “we need our headz to get in and out zafely.”

She was right so I shook my head and went back to my earlier question now that it was overwhelmingly curious, “now… where did you learn to shoot like that?”

She looked to me and then down a little sadly, “my… father,” my ears flattened instantly, “I was but a filly but… he zaid I had a gift with shooting… that was.. before I was sold into…”

I felt a sadness for her and a deep raging anger, “do you know who it was who sold you?” Celestia please.. don't let it be her father.

She nodded, “it waz… My brother…”

‘Well shit…’ the pony in my head thought with a face hoof. It then bucked something in my brain, ‘good job wishing it was not her father! Thank Celestia for small miracles!’

I swallowed, “why?” She looked to me and I clarified, “why would he do that?”

She shrugged slightly, “Luna only knowz… apparently marez from my village ztarted to come up mizzing for no reazon.”

Yup… now we had to go see her village and have a nice talk with her brother. I looked ahead, “I think we will schedule a trip to your village in the very near future to see if we can help out someway.”

Her eyes light up and she gasped raising a wing to cover her mouth slightly, “you… would take me to my village… and help uz! For what? Why?!”

I smiled as she leaned close her eye that I could see filled with hope, “could you do me a favor?” She cocked her head confused but my smile just widened, “could you give me that smile that you made when we decided to become a couple?”

Her eye wet wide but she smiled sweetly, “of courze… but why?”

I looked at her for a long moment feeling my heart slam in my chest at the smile. I then looked ahead, “that smile is why I want to do it.”

Now I am not a small buck, in fact as pegasi stallions go I am rather big. My armor also legs with taking hits and makes me a bit heavier despite it being made lighter with a magical core that allowed it to be even lighter. Despite all of that she tackled me over with ease her lips locked to mine with a kiss that had more tongue than I ever thought possible.

She gave a soft sweet moan into the kiss before pulling away, a loving smile on her face and her eyes filled with admiration, “Thank you Split.” she slowly moved off me and with some difficulty I got to my hooves as my wings were locked out stretched. She giggled pointing at me, “Oh my… that is a new look!”

“Huh?” I squeaked my whole body feeling like I could melt my armor. I lifted my wing and looked at the polished metal underside and my mane. It was sticking up like I just tried to make love to a spark battery. I glanced at my tail and it too was straight as a gun barrel, “what the!”

She giggled as she walked over and with a hoof started to brush my mane back down to its slicked spike back look and then worked my tail down the best she could, “I will have to remember this,” her tone and look sent a shiver down my spine and my knees shook… wait… my knees shook… I didn't know they did that!

“Let's,” voice squeaked again so I cleared my throat and tried again, “let's get going so we could get back.” we started walking again.

I looked to my compass and noticed the arrow was still pointed ahead as we passed the shack. She glanced around at the broken stone path curiously then to the shack, “what'z in there?” She pointed the the shack.

I looked at it cocking my head, “not much… a few old tools… a couple crates, broken radio… a bed… um… I cannot re-,” I blinked as she started to walk towards it, “where are you…” She opened the door and didn't say a word as she slowly glanced back over her shoulder. That look in her eye made something in my brain snap and I could smell something burning. She slowly walked into the shack her tail giving a couple small flicks telling me to follow. I stared at the open door hungrily, “she… she want to… to talk… to…” I stared for several long seconds before my wings snapped open, “TO HELL WITH IT!” My wings snapped to my side and I was at the door in second and I peeked inside. The last thing I saw was Serenity's hooves pull me in by my head, her lips pressed to mine in the dark shack and all remaining fuses blew in my head.

Author's Note

Sorry for the delay... got a new tablet and haven't gotten around to posting my finished chapters. There should be more chapters to come in the near future.