Bring me to life, bring me the starlight. Bring me the sun, the moon, release the stars tonight

After dealing with the Enclave ponies who had confronted Nightfire and his own Guard fresh out of the Stable that his sister’s had built for him to keep him safe. Already losing one of their own within those minutes outside the Stable. The loss of Gallant Brawl and the injuries of many more of them, thankfully they were minor injuries. ‘They got hurt protecting me,’ Nightfire says as he looks back over his shoulder at the disheartened faces of his guard. ‘Just like Big Mac died for Celestia now Gallant Brawl did the same for me. This is why I didn’t want a guard like Luna’s or Celestia’s, seeing them all slowly dwindle away before my eyes as I continue living on,’ Nightfire thinks to himself as he looks at Warlord and Little Love, their mother close to them, locked in a private conversation. “Everypony,” Nightfire says as he comes to a stop just as they reach the bottom of the mountain. “I know that so early into the game we’ve lost one of our own, but we must keep going for his sake. Otherwise his life’s ambition will have been for nothing. From this day forth, any Enclave ponies we come across we at least try to negotiate with before taking action. He says turning back to face the remaining twenty seven guards. “If negotiations don’t work, then go for the kill shots.”

The Blackfire Guard nod, still feeling the loss of one of their friends and then the one who had been crying over him starts. “But what if we’re faced with the exact same situation?” She asks as tears stream down her cheeks.

Nightfire turns around and walks up to her and places a hoof on her left shoulder, right over her heart. “This spot was where Big Mac was shot when he died protecting my sister. My sister never let it go and she stepped down from the throne only to pass it along to our little sister. When I heard of Mac’s death, I personally set up the funds for his funeral. Applejack and their family all thanked me and I only said I was doing the right thing. All of you,” Nightfire says and then lifts her chin and looks into her eyes. “I want to see the same dedication that Big Mac had to keep our great kingdom safe. He may have died, but his death boosted our morale tenfold.”

“But what does that have to do with Gallant Brawl’s sacrifice?” She asks looking into Nightfire’s eyes sadly.

“He reminded me of Big Mac, in many ways. His death has hit us all hard, but it will boost our morale so much that we’ll be the most feared beings in this twisted Equestria!” Nightfire says, allowing his voice to ring out so that he was heard by all of the remaining members of the guard. “Never forget the past or what it teaches you,” Nightfire says softly, leaning down to look the mare eye to eye. “He did what he did to make sure the past I knew wouldn’t die. So don’t give up now.”

The mare named Night Star gives a small smile and then wipes her eyes slowly with a foreleg and then scoffs a little. “If you’re not going to give up… then neither will I.”

“That’s the spirit! Now let’s show the Wasteland that we’re not one to be beaten so easily!” Nightfire says as he flaps his wings to look down at his guard who started cheering loudly. ‘Just like the Guard from 200 years ago. Same spirit, but different ponies,’ Nightfire thinks to himself as he slowly descends back to the ground. “Now since we need to head toward Canterlot going north is going to be our best bet.”

“Why are we heading to Canterlot Your Majesty?” Night Star, the mare who had been crying her eyes out over the loss of Gallant Brawl asks while turning her attention to the north.

“Because I need to find my sisters. And the last place I saw them was my old home; Canterlot. One of the old homes of my family.”

“One of? You mean that you and your sister’s lived in another place aside from Canterlot?”

“That is correct. Can anypony tell me where else we lived?” Nightfire asks turning to his guard and gives a smile wondering who would answer first.

“That would be the castle in the Everfree Forest. That aside from Canterlot was where you and your two sisters lived,” A medium built mare says as she looks up into Nightfire’s eyes with a smile plastered on her face. Her light blue eyes looking into his while a gentle wind swept through the base of the mountain and blew their manes all astray. Her long black mane covering her right eye, adding to the mystery she had around her.

“That is correct, what might your name be?” Nightfire asks as he walks up to her and sees that she was a normal earth pony but she had no weapons aside from a single pistol and some gauntlets that were strapped around her four hooves.

“My name is Close Combat Your Majesty. By my name I’m sure you can guess what I specialize in yes?” She asks with a grin, before slowly looking to the top of the mountain.

“I know it’s hard to leave the place you’ve called home all of your life, but we must move on,” Nightfire says as he turns away from the others and looks to the direction of their first destination.

“You heard Prince Nightfire! Let’s move out!” Warlord and Little love both call out to the others, putting on stern looks while deep inside they were hurting from the loss of a friend.

As the group began moving, the mountain and their home inside it slowly becoming a dot on the horizon Nightfire looks down at his Pip-Buck and starts flipping through frequencies before suddenly some music started filling their ears. “This is quite wonderful, and it sounds like something I should know,” Nightfire says as he listens to each lyric that was sang. The style and the way the mare vocalized seemed as if she was singing as if she lived through some tragedy.

“It’s a beautiful song, but do you know who sings it?” Peaceful Heart asks as she and her two children stay close to him.

“If my memory is correct, that mare is one who was alive during and even before the war; Sapphire Shores. The Pony of Pop as she was rightfully called, her music was not my taste but it was good enough for Equestria.”

“What was your taste in music Your Highness?” Warlord asks as he looks at Nightfire with a raised eye brow as the music continues playing.

“My taste is a little dated, but I preferred string music. Violins, cello and acoustic guitar. I was even good at playing the violin, however during the war my playing became sorrowful,” Nightfire replies and just as his horn flares to change the station before the song comes to an end and then holds himself back for a moment. Suddenly a voice sounds on the station.

“Howdy my little ponies and this is DJ PON3 and welcome to your daily dose of Wasteland news and music,” The voice obviously belonging to a stallion but what Nightfire latched on to is how cheery he sounded despite the Wasteland. “Now what’s on the announcements today? Well first thing is watch out for any Slavers out there unless you’re looking to either work for Red Eye or become one of his slaves. Speakin’ of the Fillydelphia area, if you plan on heading out that way be very cautious of Hellhounds. Nastiest things to ever exist in the Wasteland, aside from those nasty Alicorns but hey; what are the odds of running into either of them? Not likely but with the Wasteland being the way it is to ponies and griffons alike who knows anymore,” DJ PON3 says then pauses for a moment. “Anyway to some recent news. A little birdy told me that a Stable Dweller had taken the opportunity to clean out Ponyville’s Raider problem for the time being, little old her verses a towns worth of blood-thirsty Raiders. I’ll give that mare some props for doing that fresh out of the Stable. Keep it up, and with that I think it’s time to get back to the music of the Wasteland. Here’s a classic for you all, another from Sapphire Shores,” He says then the song begins playing before Nightfire turned off the broadcast with bewilderment on his face.

“Did… he just say Alicorns?” Warlord asks looking at Nightfire’s PipBuck with wide eyes.

“Couldn’t be… could it? Other Alicorns?” Peaceful Heart asks as she looks down at the ground with uncertainty in her eyes.

“I don’t think I can believe it either,” Nightfire admits then looks down at his PipBuck. “Could he have been talking about Celestia and Luna? But I’m sure by now somepony here would realize they meant good.”

“I don’t think that he was talking about your sisters…” The guard who had two swords on her back says softly. “The way he was talking, there must be some other kind of Alicorns in the Wasteland.”

“If you really think so,” Nightfire says then looks at her and remembers those two blades. “If I remember right, those are the two blades of Captain High Velocity’s rival right?”

“Yes Sir, these are the blades of Golden Disc,” She replies with a smile.

“May I see them?” Nightfire asks as his horn begins glowing softly.

“Of course Your Highness,” She says and bows to him to allow the swords to be pulled from their sheathes silently.

“I’m surprised these blades held out as long as they have,” Nightfire says and then examines the blades closely. “Still look as sharp as ever,” Nightfire says as he shivers softly remembering the grueling use that those two blades had back before the end of the Great War.

“Thank you Sir. I’ve taken as great of care of them as my mother had before me,” She says with a smile on her face as Nightfire slides them back into the sheathes strapped across her back.

“You know, High Velocity’s rival was one of the most skilled ponies with a blade that I have ever trained. Luna was the only one able to outmatch me,” Nightfire replies and then his ears perk up. “Do you hear that?”

“What is it Sir?” Warlord asks as he looks around with his sister and his mother while the others start circling around Nightfire protectively.

“Sounds like… music?” Nightfire says as he strains his ears, the music seeming to get closer and closer. “Everypony wait here understood? I’ll check it out myself.”

“Of course Sir,” The ponies of his guards say and clear a path for him as he starts walking toward the source of the music with his sniper rifle starting to lift off of his back with his magic. As Nightfire clears the circle of guards he lifts it up to his face and looks through the scope trying to see where it might be coming from.

‘Where are you?’ Nightfire asks as he scans the area with his rifle and then spots something floating along as if it was carried by a strong breeze. Nightfire grins and then throws the rifle back over his back and secures the strap keeping it firmly in place. “Wait here, I think I can deal with this alone.”

Warlord and his mother and sister look between each other and then turn back to him and nod slowly.

“I won’t be long,” Nightfire says as he spreads his wings and flaps them and jumps into the air and glides to the shape that he had seen through the scope of his rifle. “That had to be a Sprite Bot, nothing else in the world it could’ve been,” Nightfire says as he glides and scans the area for it and sees a bright light in the distance not too far from where he had first seen it and angles his wings so that he would be put onto a straight path. After landing where he saw the light he sees the bot still floating in place and finally was able to take in the features it had; mechanical wings that looked frozen in place, a few antenna sweeping back over from the front to a few inches behind it. As Nightfire listens to the music that had been playing that once up close he recognized as some kind of music that Pinkie Pie played before the war and during it at some of the parties she planned.

As he listens to the music it begins turning to static and a voice takes its place. “Hello? Who are you?” The bot seems to ask while facing Nightfire, bobbing slightly. The voice was robotic but seemed as if who was asking the question was… meaningful.

“Hello, who are you?” Nightfire asks wondering if whoever was controlling it could actually see him.

“Oh, there you are,” The voice says as the bot turns more to face him. “So you must be fresh out of a Stable or something the look that clean.”

“That’s because I am. Only left it a few hours ago,” Nightfire says and then looks back to where the mountain that his Stable had been built into.

“Interesting, so care to tell me what your plans are? After all one wouldn’t leave their Stable unless something important is waiting for them out here, unless you’re not sure of what it is that you’re out here for,” The voice says as if trying to test the pony before it.

“I’m out here to find my sisters, nothing more and nothing less. If others require my help then I will give it to the best of my ability and maybe I can help this twisted Equestria back onto the light that it had before the war,” Nightfire says with steel in his voice, his resolve not wavering in the slightest.

“Your sisters?” The bot asks as it sways a little from side to side. “You’re an Alicorn… wait a second! Nightfire? Prince Nightfire?!” The voice asks surprised and shocked.

“How do you know that name?” Nightfire asks as he glares at it, keeping his shock hidden beneath an expressionless face despite his tone nearly giving him away.

“You don’t remember me do you?” The voice asks as the bot stops in front of his face.

“How would I recognize you behind the bot? I don’t claim to know who you are and I don’t claim to be Nightfire.”

“It’s me Watcher, or the name you might know me better for; Spike.”

“Spike? As in Twilight Sparkle’s assistant, the little dragon that she raised from an egg?” The Alicorn asks with a little doubt in his voice. “Can you prove that you really are who you say you are?”

“Twilight Sparkle was the Ministry mare of The Ministry of Arcane Science and the wielder of the Element of Magic and Princess Celestia’s prized pupil,” The dragon says telling Nightfire what only a select few would know.

“So… you really are Spike. I must say that I never thought I’d hear your voice again. I am Nightfire, I just wanted to make sure that you were somepony I could trust.”

“I don’t blame you for that Nightfire, and it is good to hear your voice again after all of these years. Celestia and Luna wouldn’t tell me or the Ministry mares where you had gone,” Spike says gently. “There is something Twilight told me to tell you if we ever met again. Would you like to hear it?”

Nightfire hesitates for a moment and then nods. “Of course I would.”

“She told me to tell you that in her words, ‘I believe in you and know that no matter what happens you’ll do what’s best for Equestria no matter how bad things get.’”

“She really believed in me that much?” Nightfire asks softly as he looks toward Canterlot.

“More than I think she ever said aloud,” Spike replies softly. “You know, I still think that she looked up to you and your sister’s more than even her own family.”

“That’s a surprise. Despite me telling her that her one project to create more Alicorns was a mistake?”

“Even despite that, she always wanted to prove she was a good pony, and if it meant ending that war sooner, I knew she’d follow through. Doesn’t help that she was perfectionist. Anything she set her mind to, even if it was a dark matter, she’d work at it till she knew everything there was to know about it.”

“Don’t I know it, that was I think the only time she and I bumped heads over something so changing,” Nightfire says then chuckles softly. “Oh Twilight, you silly foal…”

“So what is your current path? Where is this journey of yours leading you Nightfire?” Spike asks through the bot that digitized his voice.

“For now it’s to find my two sisters like I promised them when they sent me to hide in my Stable. For now my path,” Nightfire says and looks down at his PipBuck and sighs softly. “Is taking me straight to our two old homes, the Castle of the Pony Sisters and Canterlot Castle.”

“Are you crazy!?” Spike asks with shock. “Don’t you know what happened with Canterlot or the Everfree Forest? Going into those places are death wishes!”

“Then explain to me what I’m walking into, with each place. Otherwise nothing you can say is going to sway my path,” Nightfire says looking up from the PipBuck locked firmly around his left foreleg. “Canterlot and the Everfree castle were at one point my home.”

“To be honest… the Everfree Forest did avoid any Megaspell targeting from the Zebra, but the ambient radiation from Ponyville has changed so many plants and animals inside those trees,” Spike begins after remaining silent for a short while. “Canterlot… wa-BZZZ!” The bot then starts playing the music it had and started to fly off, bouncing almost as if it was in tune to the music.

“Dammit Spike…” Nightfire curses and watches the bot fly away till it was out of his sight before turning around and starts walking to his guard who must’ve gotten antsy while waiting for him, maybe even spying on the conversation with the scope of one of their rifles. “Well at least I know Spike’s alright,” He says softly aloud and then looks at the map of his PipBuck and sees a new icon pop up for a mountain a few days travel to the east of Canterlot and the Everfree Forest. “Thanks Spike, no wonder you were Twilight’s assistant.”

***Back with the Guards***

“What was that Sir?” Peaceful Heart asks as Nightfire walks up to them with a small smirk on his lips.

“It… was just an old friend,” Nightfire says after a moment to consider his response.

“Who was it Sir?” Warlord asks gently, his wings folded against his sides firmly, shuffling a little with the effort of keeping clam.

“Twilight’s assistant, Watcher.”

“Who in the sun and moon’s name is Watcher?” Night Star asks, she having taken her place near the edge of the group, separating herself from them all.

“It’s not my place to say, but for right now this is our path: first we go to the Everfree Forest to the castle there, then if they aren’t there we continue onto Canterlot. If they aren’t there then we go to this new location called…” Nightfire pauses and then lifts his PipBuck up and looks at the marker that was made from his encounter with Watcher. “A place called the Dragon Cave.”

“Dragon Cave? Don’t tell me that we have to fight a dragon,” The mare who had the blades of Golden Disc says, her shoulders sagging a little as the others began talking with each other quietly.

“I don’t think we will have to worry about that. When we do manage to work our way to that cave I want you all to keep your weapons down. I have a feeling we can trust whose there.”

“Why are you sure we won’t face any fighting there Your Highness?” Warlord and Little Love ask at the same time making Silver and her brother giggle softly, though Nightfire could still see the worry on their faces.

“Trust me, I just trust that whoever is there doesn’t mean us harm.”

“What if… you are wrong again?” Night Star asks softly, as she looks down at the ground, more tears leaking from her eyes and slide down her cheeks.

“I’m not wrong, not this time,” Nightfire says, gently, remembering his failure with Gallant Brawl.

“If you believe… then I’ll follow,” She replies softly and lifts her head with a faint smile.

“Thank you Night, I promise you that I’m right this time,” He says with a smile. “Let this be something for you all to know; I’m not perfect, and neither were my sisters.”

“We understand Sir,” Warlord says with a nod of his head as the other do the same shortly after him.

“Good now let’s get going,” Nightfire replies and looks up to the sky before he started walking toward Canterlot to the north of them.

***Twenty miles later***

“Sir… I need to stop,” One of the mares say as she sits down on the ground, panting heavily.

“What’s wrong?” Nightfire asks as the group comes to a stop.

“I… I didn’t want to say anything before…” She starts, as she holds her enlarged belly gently with a hoof.

“You’re pregnant?” Nightfire asks as she looks away while rubbing her belly gently. The tall Alicorn then slowly walks up to her and lifts her chin so she was looking into his blue eyes. “Warlord? Do you think there is a town somewhere close here we could rest at?”

“Well nothing’s come up on our maps, but I’m sure there has to be one somewhere here,” He says straightening up once his name was called, having forgotten to tell him of one of their own expecting.

“Until then, you rest and take it easy,” Nightfire says having not taken his eyes off of the pregnant mare. “How far along and whose the father?”

“I’m nearly due,” She starts softly, always having been a soft spoken mare while growing up and just as she was about to say who the father was a stallion steps up beside her and sets a hoof on her shoulder.

“I am Sir.”

“Name and occupation.”

“My name is Straight Shot, one of the best Snipers that your guard has seen.”

“I assume that you have some kind of fatherly instinct right?”

“Yes I do, otherwise I wouldn’t have slept with her,” He replies giving his partner a warm smile and then leans in and kisses her cheek.

Nightfire smiles and then nods his head. “Well, we can set up camp here for a few hours. Silver Gleam, do you think this is a safe spot?”

“Well… we have a high vantage point her-“ She began then Warlord interrupted her with raised hoof.

“Forgive me Sir, but for as good of a spot as this is, I’d prefer some kind of shelter, not only for you but also for her.”

“Understandable, I want you all to wait right here,” Nightfire says as he spreads his wings and looks up to the sky. “I’m going to check out the area around us, surly there has to be a small village or something close by.”

“Be safe Sir,” The pregnant mare says with a small smile.

“I will,” Nightfire says and slings her sniper rifle around so he could use it to look around. As he takes off into the air, holding the rifle with his magic as he starts slowly turning in the air, looking through the scope as he looks around before he double takes and sees a small village nearby.

As Nightfire makes his way back down to the ground, slinging his rifle back over his shoulders between his wings, looking down at the remaining members of his guard. ‘All of them have their dreams and life’s ambitions, and I don’t know what they are. I guess I have loads to learn about them before we get too much further in the Wasteland,’ Nightfire thinks with a small frown and then lands just in front of Warlord, Little Love and Peaceful Heart. “Well I did see a village not too far from here, but it looked deserted.”

“A deserted village? Doesn’t that seem a little odd to you?” Peaceful Heart asks looking up into Nightfire’s eyes.

“I guess it does, but as long as there is a place for her to rest and for us all to catch a breath, I’m not going to complain.”

“I think that you should have some of us go in and make sure it really is empty before we get to gun hoe about it,” Little Love says knowing that looking after her pregnant comrade would leave them vulnerable if it turned into an all-out firefight.

“Good call. Warlord, take yourself and four others and scope out the village, if nothing’s there let us know. Otherwise you have permission to go for kill shots.”

Warlord looks over at Nightfire and salutes him with a strange smile on his face. “Yes sir.”

As Nightfire walks away from Warlord and Little Love, Peaceful Heart comes over and stands beside him, unsure what would be on the Alicorn’s mind. “You know…” She began after a moment of silence between herself and him as they look over the rolling Wasteland before them. “When I first met their father, I never thought in a million years that he and I would marry and have our two children. But now look at what they have done with their short lives and how much more they could still do.”

“Yes that’s true,” Nightfire says as he looks back at his guard, seeing Warlord as he strode through the ranks looking for four others to go with him on a quick scouting mission, while Little Love tended to the pregnant mare alongside Straight Shot. “I may not remember as many of my older spells that I used to, but I know that your daughter has great potential for magic. I see it every time my horn alights with my magic; ready to study the spell in all it is. Something that I wanted before but never perused in the past; a student who I could teach magic and hope that they would do well with it.”

“Well you know that she has a sharp eye and eager mind, I know she’d be willing to be a student of yours along with Silver Gleam and her brother. Others, I cannot say but I know they’d jump at the chance.”

Nightfire looks down at her with a smile crawling onto his face. “You always know what to say don’t you Peaceful?” Nightfire asks softly and then Warlord walks up with three others of their guard, among them Silver Gleam, her brother Iron Sun and Straight Shot. “Straight Shot? Are you sure of this?”

“Yes I am sir, if I can help scout a place for my wife to rest then I’d do it every time in a heartbeat.”

“If you’re sure, then I trust you. Warlord will take point, Straight Shot will hold back as sniper and you two will join Warlord on point.”

Silver Gleam and Iron Sun bow and then turn to Warlord and give him a salute. “We won’t let you down!”

“I’d hope not, now get going. I don’t like being this exposed. Straight Shot, when you get back I want to speak to you and your wife in private.”

“Yes Sir,” He says giving Nightfire a nod and looks back at his wife who was still talking with Little Love.

“They’ll be safe till you get back, I promise,” Nightfire says setting a hoof on his shoulder.

“Thank you. Captain? Let’s go. The faster we can scope out that place the better.”

Warlord smirks and then looks over his small group. “Let’s go!” He says as they start walking toward the village, soon Straight Shot finding a spot perfect for sniping and still with enough cover as Warlord and the other two work their way to the village, weapons prepped and ready to draw in a seconds notice.

“I hope that they don’t have to use them, but it’s better than not being prepared at all right?” Nightfire asks as Little Love comes up with the pregnant mare.

“That’s true Sir.”

“You know, I never believed in using such weapons, I always see honor in dying when your opponent actually stands a chance at victory, like before when things were fought between those with blades,” Nightfire says as he draws his .357 and sighs.

“Blades to guns huh? Seems more honorable indeed,” Peaceful Heart says softly. “Still can’t imagine how dying either way is pleasant.”

“It isn’t, I knew that when my parents died when I was still fairly young myself. Young…” Nightfire begins then holsters his revolver again. “By Tartarus I was twelve when they gave their lives to save my sisters and myself from Discord’s kind.”

“Discord? As in the spirit of chaos and disharmony?”

“Yes, I see that the library in the Stable was more stocked than I knew,” Nightfire replies with a smile. “Yes, he wasn’t the only one but the others met their ends thanks to my mother, father, and the others that trained me while I grew up.”

The three mares look between each other and then the sounds of gunshots fill the air. “Was that Warlord?” Little Love asks as the other guards jump to their hooves, those that had taken the moment to take a breather.

“No, that was a powerful rifle, possibly Straight Shot or somepony in the village there,” Nightfire says and then slings his rifle down and stares through the scope hoping to see what was happening.

“What do you see?”

“It was Straight Shot, and it looks like… there were someponies in there that were hostel to our own.”

“Is he ok?” The mare asks, a hoof rubbing her belly slowly.

“Don’t worry, he’s ok and from the look of it so are Silver Gleam, but it looks like her brother got shot in the side. From what I can see from here it’s nothing fatal, just a flesh wound.”

“At least he’s ok,” Little Love says softly. “What about my brother?”

“He’s ok, he’s got some blood on him but I can’t tell it’s his or Iron Sun’s,” Nightfire says and adjusts the scope and gets a little bit of a better zoom.

“Mom? Do you think he’s alright?”

“I believe he is. To stubborn of a stallion to go down without a fight.”

“Everypony!” Nightfire calls out to the others and they rush forward. “We’re going down, keep your weapon ready in case,” Nightfire says as he draws his .357 and checks the cylinder.

“You heard Nightfire! Let’s go!” Little Love calls out, taking charge just as easily as her brother could causing Nightfire to smile.

As they start slowly walking to the village, they stop near where Straight Shot is, seeing him poised with his rifle ready to fire again. “Straight Shot! Let’s go check up on them.”

“Sir! Yes Sir!” He says and slings his sniper rifle over his back and draw his 10 mm pistol.

“Stay in formation and of you see anything, well I suspect that you’ll remember your training,” Nightfire says looks back at his guard with an emotionless face, not letting his fears show.

After closing the distance between the village and where Straight Shot had set down his sniping spot they approach Warlord and the other three who nodded their heads to Nightfire as he approached. “There was only seven ponies here, all of them were ragged and looked wild,” Silver Gleam replies after he stops before them.

“Really? That’s the first we’ve heard of them,” Nightfire says softly and looks around the beaten up village. “Interesting.”

“Is Iron Sun alright Silver?” Peaceful Heart asks softly as she steps up with a healing potion cradled in her magic aura as she kneels down and examines his bandaged wound.

“I’m alright ma’am…” He replies softly and winces a little as she slowly unwinds the bandage and looks at the minor bullet wound, the bullet having only just nicked his right foreleg.

“Nothing else to report Warlord?” Nightfire asks turning his attention from Peaceful Heart and Iron Sun and looks over the close together buildings that were worn down from time and the walls seeming to be riddled with bullet holes.

“No Sir. Those seven ponies were easy for us to handle,” He says wiping his forehead and looks into Nightfire’s eyes. “The building right here had some beds in it, but I wouldn’t sleep on them.”

“How bad are they?” The pregnant mare asks as she steps up to Nightfire’s side.

“Let’s just say that if you want bugs crawling in your fur, you’ve got it in spades,” Warlord replies with a sarcastic remark.

Nightfire looks at the buildings and then wonders what they might be able to find in them. “Warlord with me, you and I are going to do a little scavenging.”

“Yes Sir,” He replies quickly giving Warlord a salute after holstering his pistol.

“Let’s start with that building right there,” Nightfire says as he walks up to the building next to the one there were standing next to. “Might have something here for us to find.”

“What would you assume we could find here?” Warlord asks as he follows Nightfire up the squeaky wooden steps of the worn building.

“I’m not sure to be honest. But I have to guess that the ponies who you found here aren’t so feral that they wouldn’t think to have food and other supplies stashed somewhere,” Nightfire says as he looks around the room once stepping through the doorway. “Maybe some weapon, ammo and possibly some food with some medical supplies. How good of quality was their armor and weapons?”

“Not very good, one of them had a combat shotgun, but it was in such bad condition that it wouldn’t be worth it for more than temporary parts,” Warlord says as he starts walking close to the wall, seeing many torn and ruined books and other junk that was lying around. It wasn’t until he got to the bookcase that he saw a book that looked like it had escaped the wear and tear of the weather. “Nightfire Sir, I just found a book here that looks like you could still read it.”

“What’s on the spine or the cover?” Nightfire asks looking at the dresser in the corner opposite of Warlord’s position, finding nothing more than old dresses and suits.

Warlord pulls the book put from between the two ruined books and lets it fall onto the floor, the book landing with a quiet thump on its back. “Locks and Tumblers, looks like a book to help somepony learn to lock pick Sir.”

“Grab it, it will be of use to us at some point I imagine. Besides, I think we’ll need it right now,” Nightfire says lifting out from under the dresser a locked medical box.

“I’ll see what I can find to open it, they maybe had the key somewhere here.”

“No need Warlord, hand me the book, I’m going to give it a quick read and see if I can pick it using my magic.”

“Are you sure? Wouldn’t you want me to find the one in our group who can pick locks? That got her in trouble before but she said it was her specialty.”

“For now no, I want to see if this is something that I can do, and if I can then it’s another skill that can be added to my abilities,” He says as he walks up to a desk and sets it down gently. “Explore the rest of the building and see if there is anything worth scavenging, I think it’ll all come in handy later.”

“Of course Sir,” Warlord says as he turns and wanders down the hallway that was next to the desk leaving Nightfire with the book and the locked medical box.

“Alright, let’s give you a read, see if you can teach me something,” Nightfire says looking at the book that Warlord had set beside him before taking off to explore. His horn glows gently and then the books cover becomes encased in the glow and slowly opens revealing that the pages were slightly yellow but were still readable. “Some luck,” Nightfire says softly and turns the page and begins reading, the words sticking in his mind as if it was a trap for flies. “So since I don’t have any form of tool, this will have to do,” He says and then focuses his magic on the lock, the magic flowing inside and feel the tumblers of the lock and gently pushes against them. “Moving easily, and I think if I do this,” Nightfire says then starts pushing them up into some pattern a key would’ve had then hears the lock click open. “Yes… Going to need to find something to lock pick these with though, it may be easier in the long run.”

While talking aloud to himself he slowly opens the box and sees five different healing potions, bandages and something his PipBuck identified as Mint-als. “Interesting… these other medical supplies look like they’d help but these I’m not to sure. ‘Boosts one’s clarity. Warning highly addictive.’ I’ll keep these myself and if they are needed then I’ll reveal them, but for now these are going right into my saddle bags,” Nightfire says and without even having to undo the strap securing his saddle bags, slips them in and lifts the other supplies with his magic. Knowing that this next one would bring Warlord running as well, he decided to step outside onto the porch. “Medic? I got some supplies for you here,” He says setting them out on the old wood.

“Thank you sir. All Iron Sun needs is one of these and he’ll be back on his hooves in no time.”

“Good to hear, now all of you take a break, Warlord and I are going to do a little scavenging and see if we can find anything more that could be useful.”

“Yes Sir. You two stay safe.”

“We plan on it,” Nightfire says as he turns and walks back into the building and goes down the hall that Warlord had. “Anything?”

“I found some ammo for a .32 caliber weapon, an assault rifle and some ammo for your .357.”

“Nothing else to report?” Nightfire asks as he walks up to Warlord and then stops as he sees a hinge that was hidden. “See those?” Nightfire asks as he moves the small picture that was so faded he couldn’t make out the ponies on it. “A small wall safe.”

“I must’ve missed it, more interesting things on the ground.”

“I don’t blame you,” Nightfire says and tries pulling at the door and it comes open without resistance. “And… a statuette?” Nightfire asks softly and pulls it slowly out of the safe and sees the shape of a white furred unicorn mare with a long purple mane and tail that were curled and her blue eyes that seemed to look into Nightfire’s own while she seemed only to be nearing her later years. The three diamond Cutie Mark on her flank and the platform she seemed to be standing on had a small engraving on it. “‘Be Unwavering’… just like her.”

“Who is she Sir?” Warlord asks, becoming entranced by the statuettes beauty.

Nightfire slips the statue into his saddle bags and looks over at him. “That was one of the statuettes of one of the Ministry Mares; Rarity,” Then suddenly as it vanished, he felt some part of his body awaken with a strange feeling, much like when he found the two statuettes of his sisters.

“Rarity?”

“Yes, but I’ll talk about her once we are back with the others, understood?”

“Yes Sir. Shall we finish with these remaining rooms?”

“Yes we shall my Captain, there might be more that we can find that’ll be of use to us.”

“Might I suggest we look in the bedroom? There might be something hidden there like how that safe was hidden behind the picture.”

“Yes, let’s go on,” The Alicorn replies and looks at the faded hall.

***An hour and a half later***

“Everypony gather round,” Nightfire says as he and Warlord walk up to the others with what they had scavenged. “How is she doing Straight?”

“She’s doing fine, just needed to get her off of her hooves for a while. I think that we should stay here for the night so we can all take a breather.”

“I can’t agree more,” She says softly, rubbing her belly while leaning against her mate while he stroked her shoulders gently with his hooves.

“Well while we’re right here I want to tell you about one of the Ministry Mares. By name she was called Rarity and she was the figurehead of the Ministry of Image.”

“The Ministry of Image? Wasn’t that one the one that dealt with propaganda for the war?” Iron Sun asks as he flexes his wounded leg.

“I believe you’re right, to be honest I never paid her Ministry mind until she started working with other Ministries for better armor,” Nightfire replies and pulls the statuette out of his bag and shows them all what she used to look like.

“So… that’s what one of the famous Ministry Mares looked like? She looks very attractive,” Night says with a thin smile as she looks at it closely.

“Yes it’s true that each of them had control of one of the six major Ministries during the war and it is also true that there were appointed by my sister Celestia that she and her five friends were made the figureheads of each Ministry.”

“So… each of them was only put into their positions because they were friends?” Night asks then Little Love taps her shoulder gently with a hoof.

“That’s not the reason.”

“Do you know the reason Little Love?” Nightfire asks with a smile and looks at her with quizzical eyes.

“Yes Sir, it’s because they were the current wielders of the artifacts called the Elements of Harmony.”

“Elements of Harmony?” The pregnant mare asks as her mate kisses her neck softly.

As Nightfire opened his mouth to respond, he strained his ears and hears a low buzz filling the air. Quick as a flash of lightning he teleports himself into the center of his guards and calls forth his strongest shield possible as something large comes falling from the sky, smashing into his shield with such tremendous force that he had to force more magic into his horn to keep the glowing shield from shattering. Unfortunately the effort sapped much of his energy and he fell to his knees slowly, a hoof pressed against his temple. “Don-Don’t do anything foolish.”

“What do you mean?” Straight Shot asks as he quickly rushes to Nightfire’s side and lets him use him as a support.

“Exactly what I… mean,” Nightfire says softly as the glow of his horn fades and the shield fades away from the top down to the ground as he closes his eyes, falling into unconsciousness.

Footnote: Level up!
New perk: Dead Shot - Increases accuracy with a scoped weapon by 25% inside and outside of S.A.T.S.

Author's Note

With this chapter complete, I'd like to wish you all a merry Christmas, Happy Hearts Warming, whatever you want to call today. Enjoy the chapter and let me know what you think.

Disclaimer: I do not own My Little Pony, Fallout, or the lyric used below.