Fallout: Equestria - Neo Fantasia

by PrinceUniversa

Rating: teen
Tags: Horror, Adventure, Crossover, Sad, Dark
Length: 101629

Journey as we view the world from Zodiac's perspective in a blasted, poisoned land... The light will shine into the hearts of many ponies freeing them from the darkness of post-apocalyptic Equestria.

In the darkest of histories, where the last shred of hope seemingly has disappeared. There is always that one beacon of light that shines through the darkness giving everybody newfound hope. Now that beacon has awoken bringing hope for the future. Time will tell if the beacon will forever shine bright or fall into the shadows… And I will be there to see it pave its way to a new. bright beginning…
Zodiac, Angel of Darkness

In the darkness of post-apocalyptic Equestria, many had lost all hope of seeing the light and paved their way into the darkness never to be seen ever again. The Princesses from an alternate universe came upon this world in hopes of searching for Luna's memories. To see the broken world in front of their eyes, it broke their hearts to see this as a possible outcome. To see the hope in this world restored, they called upon their parent's guardian.

The three went on their own journeys to set the world back in its true path. As the Princesses search for the Night Princess's lost memories, their guardian and friend, Zodiac, bid farewell to the princesses. To see if it was possible to return this world back to the light, he would have to traverse the barren lands and learn. Journey as we view the world from Zodiac's perspective as he enters into the unknown. Many unanswered question will linger throughout history, sacrifices will be made, and a war that once started will reach its conclusion. In a blasted, poisoned land… The light will shine into the hearts of many ponies freeing them from the darkness of post-apocalyptic Equestria.

Special thanks to Kkat for Fallout: Equestria
Somber for Project Horizons
mimezinga for Pink Eyes
and all of you amazing Fo:E authors! May we all shine through the darkness!

Published 1970-01-01 00:00:00 UTC
Last updated 2016-01-12 19:46:41 UTC

Prologue: From Another World

Prologue: From Another World

Alternate universes, fragments of the original timeline that split from certain major events never able to connect again. Once a myth, now it is a reality...

Time is of the essence now and I really don't have the time to explain my life. But knowing that time slows can also be a good thing. To be frank, I'm not one to tell to any stranger about my personal life at all. Especially since most would be shocked to find out whom I truly am. I only tell this to select ponies, zebras, griffins, anybody that I trust that can keep it a secret. It's very personal and it hurts me for even thinking about remembering the past. What I will tell you is that I was an alicorn, gone pegasus upon entering this alternate universe.

My life as an alicorn can be summed like this. I was one of those that wanted to be left alone. Never liked to speak with others due to my trust with them being very low. My past was pretty much the result of my trust with others around me to be weak. It was like that for one millennium until I met the parents of Celestia and Luna. Before they were born, their parents were the ones to control the Sun and Moon, but it wasn't just the Sun and Moon themselves. Pure alicorns have the chance to become what they call Concepts. Basically, these are alicorns that go beyond godhood. For their case, they can not only control the Sun and Moon, but also control the cosmos and galaxies surrounding the world.

Amongst the alicorns they wanted to pick, they saw me amongst all the others alicorns to pick as their personal bodyguard. That very much caught me off guard when they picked me as their personal bodyguard. I was reluctant to accept them when they told me that they discovered who I truly was. I stood there for a long time that they discovered about me. The action did make me mad, but they had rightfully earned my respect. With that done, I took upon their offer. After the... whatever is it that they do to knights, I became their personal bodyguard and it was to be an amazing experience.

An amazing experience gone horribly wrong... One millennia after that, a war broke out between the alicorns' old enemies that spread beyond Equestrian borders. Casualties were racking more on the alicorns than their adversaries. I can already imagine the battled going on in my head already…

Watch your ground don’t let them get the king and Queen! Don’t… Silence as the leading commander was stabbed through the heart with a blade. All of us alicorns who were fighting for our lives scrambled for the commanding officer was done. I was with the King and Queen watching the alicorns fall to our enemies. There was so much carnage going on, I was not so sure on what to do.

Seeing the death toll, I was commanded by the King and Queen to carry their two fillies to a secret area within the Eclipse Sanctuary. I obeyed their commands and bought them with me there alongside the King and Queen. As they had planned ahead and laid out the foundation for this area, they commanded me to stay behind and keep watch over Celestia and Luna. At first, I thought they hated me for what I had failed to do and putted me for punishment even though it was for a good cause. Then with a smile that broke through my hardened heart, they embraced me knowing that they might not live to see their children grow.

I stood still for a moment before hugging them back, tears escaping from my eyes. They released their hug and looked one last time before telling me to promise that I would keep watch over them. I was still in tears there, but I promised them. Before they left, they introduced themselves formally to me, remembering that they haven't introduced themselves fully to me and hugged me one more time before they left for the battlefield sealing the door.

I was left alone with the sleeping filly Celestia and Luna and knowing that this was well-hidden decided to go into an eternal sleep as well. Before I casted the spell, I placed myself in between the two cribs getting myself comfortable. I casted the spell and I begun to get a little drowsy, I looked at the two fillies one last time. They were smiling in their dreams despite what was going on. I smiled myself and fell asleep waiting until the victor was finally chosen.

That's all about my life from there on out. I still can hardly remember their names, but I knew that their memory was still going strong if I remembered who they looked like. From there on out, I watched over the little ones, not leaving their sight until they reached adult age. They decided to rule Equestria in honor of their parents. My promise was fulfilled and I left the world knowing that they will shape the Equestria I had loved back.

It would have been very much true had it not been for certain events happening while I was gone such as the banishment of Luna, the fight against King Sombra, and the chaos spirit Discord. I felt ashamed of not being there for them. In the end, it was six ponies that managed to do the many feats that both Celestia and Luna would do and I could not be more proud of them.

That's all I will be willing to tell you, I don't want to spoil the rest of my life with you curious ponies. Heh, suddenly it doesn't seem all that bad. Back to the current situation at hand, both Celestia and Luna left to other worlds due to Luna losing all of her memories and them being scattered through those said worlds. I know that they can handle themselves, but I can't help but worry for them.

While they were gone, I decided to take the reigns of ruling the kingdom for now until they get back. It was fun, but it gets repetitively boring with all of this paperwork. I'll be happy to just wander around the world freely looking for an adventure. I don't mind all this paperwork, but I like to just walk around, smell the roses, do all those normal stuff a pony would do...

Who'd ever thought though that the wish I truly wanted would come to be true in an alternate universe though? It's surprising but, not crazy for me. Well, time is running short for me as I said. I've got to get going or they'll probably be waiting impatiently for me then start ranting me over waiting. I wonder what world is it, that they need my personal attention? Whatever it is, it might be worth it to check...

Chapter I: Adaptation

Chapter I: Adaptation

To adapt to a new setting... It can be difficult at times...

“Once upon a time, in the magical land of Equestria…”

Do we really have to use this cliché right now?

War. War never changes. It had consumed our home, a war fought by foreign aggressors until great and terrible magics had been unleashed to burn the entire world to ash and dust. Only our constant devotion to the Princesses had carried us through that terrible war, just as our unwavering faith in the Overmare maintained our continued survival within the earth. Trust in the Overmare; obey the Overmare

Or at least that would have been if it weren’t for the fact that I’m new to the world. My name is Zodiac. I was originally in Equestria (Well, my Equestria) taking over as royalty temporarily when Celestia left with Luna asleep to regain Luna’s memories. However, they called upon me saying that the last world they were in deserved my full attention.

My friends here could handle me being gone for a while true, but I didn’t want to leave yet. I took a chance to visit all of my known friends, telling them the news about me having to go to a world that Celestia and Luna wanted me to see for myself. Of course their reaction was to be expected as they did not want me to leave my duties.

I wasn’t an idiot on the subject matter there though. I managed to make a copy of myself thanks to the Mirror Pool (I wonder how the Mirror Pool came to be…) allowing a perfect copy of me to stay here. Not easy but it is a good thing that it’s a perfect copy not an imperfect one otherwise I’d be going through crazy things leaving my clone to lead while I was gone.

With everyone knowing about this, I went to prep items that were necessary for the journey ahead. From Applejack’s apples, about ten of them to be exact, to my only weapon being a special sword, and then finally some medicines. I created a portal to the dimension that Celestia and Luna were in. I said my farewells to them as I walked through.

When I arrived at the dimension, me being surprised was very much an understatement. The world I came to see was very barren of life. All trees the dominated the lands were now decaying, the grassy plains once full of life were now gone replaced with the cracked earth, and the clear, blue sky was forever coated with gray clouds.

I felt like I walked into the Equestrian version of hell itself… and that’s not even counting Tartarus itself which was underground. I had did a bit of research about this world thanks to a few watching friends as I shared with my little knowledge, telling them every bit I could give to them about the current world.

I was torn seeing Celestia so broken upon giving her this information, but it was for the best as they have no knowledge of the world. Me? I decided to stay behind and see to it that this crapsack world gets its happy if not bittersweet ending. With the knowledge that alicorns are extinct here now, I stripped myself of alicornhood.

How you say? Well, by cutting my own horn off. I withdrew my sword ready to do what I promised. The princesses saw the glint of steel wondering what I was doing. In almost an instant, I sliced off my own horn as a scream of unimaginable pain pierced the sky. Their reaction was of shock, wondering why I would do such a thing when I can simply make it disappear.

Blood was falling freely from the cut horn as I applied pressure on it to prevent it from bleeding out further. I had a smile as I explained about why I did it. They thought I was crazy to do such a thing when both remembered that I’d do something a bit extreme to fit in the world not fit by the rules. They still did not like my decision, but what’s done is done.

It hurt like hell, but I wanted to be a normal pony to the ponies here not to be praised and berated like a God for very good reasons. Sure, I could hide it with some invisibility magic as they said, but that wouldn’t be enough to convince me otherwise. After that ordeal, Celestia and Luna said their farewells and we went their separate ways as I went north.

I needed more information about this world and the best place for me to learn it was at Canterlot. So far, the only information I shared was that a war broke out here and as a result turned Equestria into this wasteland. I wanted to learn before I begin doing what I came here to do. I just pray that Canterlot was at least in okay condition for me to do my research.

==========

I’m starting to regret removing my magic beforehand now. I was walking my way to Canterlot, not utilizing my pegasus wings. I’m not so sure why, but I wanted to walk for the moment before flying. Maybe I wanted to keep myself to the ground, I don’t know, I just walked.

I unsheathed the sword I had hidden looking at the design of it. Fittingly, he calls the sword ‘Heaven’s Light’ as he likes to name his weapons after what their user represents. It was to be his last but greatest sword he ever created as old age finally caught up to him.

In memory of him, I enchanted the blade with latent magic that prevented the sword from ever tarnishing so that his last gift would forever be remembered. The result from that gave it a blue hue with red enchantment marks going from the hilt to the tip of the blade. I’d always bring it with me, in case things go awry. Right now, it was dark and I needed to rest for the night. Well at least I think it is night, with the clouds blocking the Sun from shining; I can’t tell whether it’s day or night.

As I was walking further up the path towards Canterlot, I see a small cave on the cliffside. My legs were getting tired and I needed the sleep. I flapped my vigorous wings as I soared to the cave. The cave was small but it was big enough for me to sleep in for the night. I landed at the entrance of the cave and put my saddlebag down and try to cozy myself on the rocks.

Cold as they were, it didn’t bother me by the least. I look outside to see a few rays of sunshine disappearing as the clouds covered them up. I suddenly wondered how Celestia and Luna are doing and how well are they adjusting to the world. I pray that should we ever meet, they succeeded in gathering the final piece of Luna’s memory.

I was just about to go to sleep when I heard some music playing. It was annoying, yet at the same time couldn’t help but wonder where it was coming from. As I peeked around my surroundings to find the source, I see a robot (From my knowledge, I think they were called sprite-bots) playing the said music I was hearing. I breathed a momentary sight of relief finding out what was making the music.

I was just about to go to sleep once again, when I heard a voice, “Hey...” Okay, I think I’ve gotten crazy at this point. I looked back at the sprite-bot once again, only realizing that it wasn’t playing any music. I approached it cautiously, wondering if it was going to explode on my face. After a few awkward moments of silence, I shook my head, saying to myself that I was going crazy. I looked at the bot again wondering if this was getting to my head, “Hey, you okay?”

That time I heard the bot say it and for me to be surprised would be quite a feat. I breathed again as I let my mind calm down from this sudden knowledge. At least I’m not crazy yet, “Yes I’m fine asides from a bot being able to talk to me.” I cleared my throat and looked at the bot floating in the air, “Hello and may I ask who are you?”

The voice from the sprite-bot sounded familiar to me, but I couldn’t put my tongue on who it reminded me of. Anyway, the voice responded back to my hello, “A friend.” I raised my eyebrow, “Okay, a passing acquaintance. But one that means no harm to you.”

“Considering that your voice is coming from a bot that can’t attack, I’m inclined to agree.” The sprite-bot laughed, which to be honest, was very weird to hear. I couldn’t help but laugh alongside the sprite-bot.

As the laughter died down for a moment, an awkward silence came about only lasting a few seconds before finally he spoke, “Call me Watcher, oh and the sprite-bot isn’t actually me. I just learned to hack into one of these things so I can communicate, I’m somewhere else.

I whistled, being impressed by the engineering to hack into something from a distance, “Impressive, took you a while to hack into one of these things?”

If the sprite-bot can give off an emotion right now, I’d say that it would be proud to hear that compliment, “Thanks, being around nerdy ponies may be annoying, but it does have its quirks.”

I tried to stifle a laugh there when I heard the comment. I was quite the nerdy pony myself too; I just wasn’t too comfortable with ponies knowing about it even if I did let it slip from time to time. Back on topic, I just remembered. Why was he talking to a complete stranger such as myself? I was curious about it and I asked away, “Why are you talking to me anyway? I’ve no idea who you are or where you are at.” I was about to add more to the sentence but thought better of it and stopped the question from there.

Watcher made from my guessing, a snap. Guess he got off-topic as well, “Oh yeah. Look, there are a few things you’re going to need if you want to survive out here.  A better weapon then the current one you have, armored barding, a bit of guidance... and most importantly, you need to make some friends.”

I dropped my head down upon hearing that I needed a better weapon. I already know how to survive well considering the many battles I was in so that’s not of concern. Armor would make sense considering what was going on here. The last part however caught me off guard a bit, I didn’t question it for now, but it was a bit random for someone to be making friends in this wasteland. Watcher saw my head droop wondering if he did something to offend me, “Hey what’s wrong?”

I looked at the sprite-bot. Even with the artificial voice, I smiled knowing that he was concerned about me, “Nothing really, it’s just...” I was silent for a few seconds more before answering his question, “I don’t like the fact that I need a better weapon then my own sword.” I removed from sheath showing Watcher why I treasured it so much. He was silent, probably surprised that he never saw a weapon like the one I have on hold, “A friend of mine made me this as a gift. I treasured it for a long time not wanting to soil it with blood... However, my friend also told me that it was to be last creation...”

The sprite-bot did nothing but stare at it. Clearly, Watcher was in awe at seeing such a blade, “Why did he say it was to be last creation?”

I smiled hearing that he was curious about my friend, “Time was catching up to him, and he couldn’t beat the one foe that he eluded for so long.” Watcher was silent. The silence lasted longer than I expected, I actually wondered if I did something to offend him this time.

He spoke as I was just about to speak, “Sorry for the long silence. Just a few memories popped up.” The sprite-bot he was controlling backed away from the blade, “Sorry, but I don’t have a lot of time to chat. Maybe we can continue this in another time?”

I smiled as I looked at the sprite-bot. I was beginning to lose faith that this world could be restored, that it had lost all of its light. Talking to Watcher restored that faith, although I knew that he was of the rare bunch. I looked at the last rays of sunshine, then back at the sprite-bot and with a smile nodded, “Yes, I’d like that…”

I can tell that Watcher was smiling despite only looking at the sprite-bot. Suddenly, I just remembered a question I wanted to ask but before I could, the sprite-bot burped static and began playing the music again.  It flew lazily away; as if it didn’t care I was there. I was a little let down for forgetting that question, but it didn’t faze me at all. I walked back into the cave and getting myself cozy again, dozed off into a deep sleep.

==========

Sunlight was beaming through the clouds as a new day (I think its day) begun. I was about to stand on my hind legs and yawn, when my head hit a wooden roof… Wait, a wooden roof? I look up and sure enough, I did hit one. I look ahead to find two ponies carrying me in a carriage. I tried to move to the presumed windows when I can’t move and I hear metal clanking.

I turn around to see that I was hoofcuffed, Great, just great. I can make a guess that they saw me while I was asleep and decided to haul me in this carriage. How I was not awoken from that, I wasn’t so sure. Further inspection at the two ponies bringing me revealed that one of them was a unicorn. Figures, must have used a telekinesis spell to carry me. I was very annoyed to find out about this after I awoken, this was going to stall my time to get to Canterlot huh? I sat down, metal clanking again. This time, one of the ponies looked behind me to see me awake.

The ponies were really dirty, yellow teeth, foul odor, ragged clothes were the least of it. The pony motioned his partner and she looked at me as well, smiling with malign glee at seeing me awake. I covered my nose as a reaction to smelling them. I never am going to get that smell out of my nose now, “Well now! The cursed pegasus wakes up from his slumber!”

Cursed pegasus? What did I do to get hated almost instantly? Pushing the question aside, I wanted to know where I was going and was somewhat praying that it wouldn’t get me farther away from Canterlot, “Excuse me, but where are you taking me?”

They looked at me then laughed like crazed maniacs, I was not liking where this was going, “Why, we’re taking you to Old Appleloosa!” Old Appleloosa? When did the city decided to get an Old in its title?

Regardless, I’m getting further away from Canterlot. Since Appleloosa was south from Canterlot, this was going to be a long trek going there again. But something else bugged me besides my distance, “Why are you taking me there?”

Of course they laughed harder this time and looking at me like I was an idiot, “Are you an idiot or something? You’re going to be a slave or better yet our plaything you go-for-nothing pegasus!” I was frowning upon that. I was going to be a slave? There is no way I am going through slave labor if that meant anything. If it’s one thing I hate the most, it was slavery. Again, why did they hate my preferred race so much?

Ahead, I see a camping site where other slaver ponies were there. My guess was that we were at the halfway point to Old Appleloosa. They decided to stop for the moment to rest up for the day. As they untie the bonds, a pony from this checkpoint came to see their new pet (Ugh, I hate myself for saying it like that) and a malicious grin formed on his face, “Well if it isn’t a pegasus! What’dya know! We get to torture a pegasus into slavery!”

Okay seriously, why is the pegasus race so hated right now? I couldn’t help but ask that despite my current condition. Better to learn from at least something, “I don’t understand right now, why am I hated by all? I did not do anything terrible…”

The pony in question gave a maniacal laugh. Something tells me I might regret asking that question as after he stopped laughing he became angry, “Yer got t’ be kidding ‘ere! Yer no-go Enclave pegasi closed off the sky an’ left us to rot that’s what!” The pegasi did what and what is this Enclave? Great I got more questions than answer now.

The pony tilted his head curiously looking at a strap. Seeing what was left in the carriage, the slaver pony here rants at the two, “Are ya bozos idiots!? Y’all left the sword with the slave!” I took offense to that. They looked at each other for a split second before facehoofing hard forgetting that they left my sword with me. Or better yet, they’re plain lucky that I can’t use magic at all thanks to what I did.

They walked back to my holding cell, unlocked the door and pulled me out. These shackles were going to hold me back hard since I can’t move my forelegs easily. Of course, I couldn’t help but put up a little prank, “Try if you might, you can’t get my sword off me…” They laughed at me while one of them delivered a hard kick to my left side. Ouch, at least it was bearable compared to other kinds of injuries I’ve received in the past.

They removed my sword laughing still thinking that I could fool them. They were about a few inches far before… Wait for it. Pop goes the sword! The slaver who had that in his mouth bit his tongue as the blade returned to my vicinity.

I admit, the reaction from that slaver was worth the little bit of pain on my abdomen. He turned around quickly to see that it was back where it originally was, around me. He had that look of bewilderment as he looked at me hoping that I would explain it. All I could do was shrug pretending to not know about it. My answer resulted in me getting bucked from the flank. Again, ouch… One of the other slaver ponies tried to pick it up with her telekinesis.

Big mistake. The result made her telekinesis pop like a bomb pushing her back against the wall. They all looked at me and all I had was an emotionless face. In my mind however, I was laughing like crazy seeing them trying to pick up my sword. After what, fifty tries? They gave up and left it with me. Sometimes, I just love to think ahead of the game and most times, it saves my skin.

So, with that short-lived hilariousness over, they bought me to one of their jail cells, or least it would be if it wasn’t so busted. The wall behind was blasted, from my guessing, a bomb of sorts leaving a wide open field for ponies. Of course they blocked that said hole, but it was something.

They unlocked the jail cell where I was going in. With the gun still pointed on my head, they moved me to the entrance. Not surprising, they bucked me in hard before I had the time to check my surroundings. Closed the door and I was left lonesome in the cell. I look at my forelegs to see the shackles binding me. I noticed that these shackles were old and worn, possibly to the point where if I can just…

With enough strength in me, the shackles split in half. Guess I still had earth pony strength with me. I caught the metal bits that were falling to the ground before they made the clanging sound. I poked my head out to see two guards sleeping. They really need to step up their security. I sneaked past the two sleeping guards grabbing my saddlebag they so happily left exposed for me to grab. I head towards the back where the office would be.

There was a hallway leading to the back entrance. I could easily get out if not for the fact that they barricaded it with a bunch of random junk. I tried the windows and they also barricaded them with metal plating as well. They were not going to make this easy on me were they? There was one window that was barricaded with wood. The wood was rotting away making it easy for me to cut through.

I withdrew my sword and made a clean cut but facehooved immediately when I suddenly remembered that my sword can cut through metal albeit not cleanly. By the time I made the cut, I heard commotion going on in the jail cell, Damn, they woke up… I opened the window and slipped through the window as the security ponies alerted everyone that I escaped.

I originally was planning to fly out of the town as quickly as I can, but though better of it as they can see me in the air if I were to take off. So I took off running, hoping that they can’t see me with no way of me hiding in the expanding wasteland.

As I continued running, the other slavers were alerted and immediately went to the search. I kept on running trying to put the distance from them to the best of my abilities. When I was confident that the distance was good enough, I went flying away from the town. One of the slavers saw me, but it was too late as the distance established even a sniper rifle (at least I think they have rifles) can’t fire that far. I continued flying away flapping my wings going for Canterlot.

==========

I’m not sure how long was I flying, but after what seemed my hours, my wings needed the break they deserve. I landed on an unknown area as I looked at my saddlebags ready to eat. I grabbed one apple and chewed on it. Good thing it was of Applejack’s delicious apples, any apple is fine, but hers were delicious beyond my imagining.

As I stood there eating, I looked upon the landscape. Desolate, dark, and empty, it was like everything was almost nothing as it surrounded the wasteland. It made me sad to see such a world in its current state… Which reminded me, why hadn’t she touched upon this world yet? I remember that she went to every possible dark versions of Equestria to give them a happy if not bittersweet ending to them all. Why was this universe left out? I finished my apple tossing it away, deciding to forgo that question for now.

I wandered around a bit wondering where I was. I saw some dilapidated buildings as I trekked around the place. My mind was telling me that something about these buildings were familiar. After a few seconds of looking around the place, my mind clicked as I knew exactly where I was, Sweet Apple Acres.

The farm was dilapidated beyond all hope of recovery. Signs that once told everyone about this place swung back and forth from the wind, the buildings looked like they got radiated with some kind of nuclear bomb, which I find that hard to believe.

It was heartbreaking to see this farm go downhill the moment the war started and only getting worse from there. I wanted to pay respect to the Apple family members somehow if they were dead, but I had no idea on how to be honest. All I could do was give my blessings to the farm. Knowing that I was at Sweet Apple Acres, I had a sense on where to go now.

Normally, I would fly right now to Canterlot, but my mind was wondering how Ponyville was faring. I knew that the town would be broken by this point in time, but I couldn’t help but check up on it. I looked over the horizon, seeing Ponyville from the distance. I flew over their slowly knowing that going in absent-minded would probably screw me over. Over the course of the journey, I learned one thing about the wasteland, it was not merciful to its residents and I was one of them.

Flying over the hills, I saw the foundation of the Ponyville school dilapidated and braking down. The poor building, I wonder how Cheerilee would react to see the condition now. I stopped flying for a moment, landing at the entrance of the school. I’m not so sure why but something about it pulled my attention.

Upon opening the door, I got a whiff of a smell I was all too familiar with had my battles meant anything, the smell of rotting flesh. I immediately covered my nose from the smell. Goodness, the smell was so strong, it made my eyes water for a bit. I opened the door fully wondering if my mind was ready to face where and what was making this horrendous smell.

Looking through the school, I saw some blood trailing somewhere. I followed the blood trail slowly as my mind was thinking of how stupid this idea was. All the other rooms I scanned so far were rather clean for the most part. That only made my worries escalates as I continued to follow the trail.

The blood trail was getting more blood to coat. Instead of a single stream of blood, it was now coating the floor as I continued to follow it all the while, the smell of rotting flesh was beginning to get more pronounce and stronger. I am seriously wondering why I can’t turn around and just leave this school be!

The blood coating the floor now became a pool as it ended in a single room. I was trembling already not wanting to see the scene in front of me, just wanting to look down on the pool of endless dried blood. My body and mind unfortunately did not obey that command as I raised my head to look at the scene. What I saw was something I never thought to imagine.

The scene in question was piles upon piles of dead ponies both young and old dead in front of me. The ways some of them died were so visceral, I’d think they were getting gruesome ideas from a nightmare getting worse.

One of the young ponies was split in half, no clean cut from a weapon, just split in half through brute strength, its organs spilled across the floor. Another pony, a mare to be exact, had a big cut from the anus to the vagina as its insides were spilled and its carcass eaten. A pony was beheaded and shoved inside the chest area while another next to it had its chest cut opened with its intestines taut on its neck suggesting strangulation. And that’s just many out of all the things I can see…

I made about five steps back from the scene looking at it with abject horror. What kind of sick and cruel twisted monster would do this to so many ponies? I felt the contents within my stomach being almost forced out. I did not release the contents and held them back in. So disgusting to do, but I did not want to puke in front of these ponies.

I wiped a few of the tears that fell from the unbelievable smell. Looking at the deceased ponies in front of me, I did not want to leave their corpses like this. Burying them would only take much more time from me so the next best option was to burn them. This was going to be nasty and will take a while to do but for them, I might as well let their bodies ascend into heaven.

Lack of magic is going to make this very difficult to accomplish. About I believe an hour has passed since I started carrying the dead bodies out in the courtyard of the school. The sky was getting a bit dark as I saw the Sun about to set. I look upon the pile of dead bodies. So many innocent ponies dead in front of me, this is just cruel…

There was just one more body to get and then I can burn them. I went back inside the school ready to pick up the last body. As I entered the now empty room, I looked at the final body. This body, of a mare, was surprisingly the least damaged of the numerous bodies I found. No visceral death or anything, just a simple bullet wound on the forelegs. A rather preserved jacket with holes where the wings would go through covered her body.

I checked out the body seeing what the cause of death was. Scanning the whole body bore no results as the exterior body was rather well, save for the bullet wounds. Just what had happened to this mare? I shuffled through the jacket she was wearing. Each pocket was empty and I was losing some hope here. Upon the last pocket, I felt something.

From the texture, it felt like paper. I grabbed whatever I felt and pulled it out and sure enough, it was paper. It was folded with some intricate design. I opened it and looked upon the context within the paper or rather, a letter. The letter had a few splotches of red on it but for the most part, it was rather clean. I decided to read this letter wondering what information lay inside.

To whoever is reading this,

I’m not feeling good and my time is coming to an end. I have but one request to anyone who finds this letter. Save and take care of my only child. She’s found in a working Stable hidden within a special location in the mountains. My body is getting tired and radiation is overwhelming me… Damn, fuck this radiation sickness! No Rad-Aways or Rad-Purges for me to use… That’s all I can say, please… I… I don’t want her to… face her fate like this… I’m so sorry mommy couldn’t make it dear. I’m truly sorry…

Your loving mother

Sky Lightning

I saw a few splotches that were dried, presumably from the tears that this poor mother shed. My own tears mixed with the dried marks. I looked at the corpse of the body. Looking closely now, I saw the wings of a pegasus. She must have flown from where this Stable is to wherever she was heading to. I glanced at the letter and then to her again. This… is not fair for the mother at all.

I’m not so sure on what to do now with this new knowledge I learned. I… no I’m going to find this Stable and take care of her child. I pulled the jacket from the body and decided to wear as my tribute to her memory. I decided to bury her instead of burning her along with the others. I carried her on my back as I walked out of the school.

I set her aside as I looked at the stack of bodies. I shuffled through my inventory to find some oil and a match. The oil was little, but it was enough to coat the whole pile. Once I was done with that, I lit the match and tossed it at the pile. As soon as it touched the oil, the whole stack was set ablaze.

Seeing the ashes of the dead rise to the sky, I shifted to make a burial for the dead pegasus mother. After finishing digging the grave, I went to put the pegasus in gently. I closed her eyes as I lowered her down and buried her body. After I was done, I put a wooden marker on it. I went and etched her name on the marker. I hope I can replace with a better marker soon.

Here lies Sky Lightning

Carefree, Loving, Brave

A loving mother to her young child, may she be in peace in the afterlife…

I never thought my first visit to Ponyville would end up in heartache for discovering this and the dead bodies. I looked at the burning bodies and at the grave before leaving for the town. This will always be seared in my memories forever.

As I was nearing my destination, a bullet grazed my flank. I cringed in pain from that shot, I’m lucky that it didn’t hit a vein. I’d be spilling blood right now if it did. I took cover as the sniper took another shot at me. The bullet missed me thankfully.

I only wanted to see Ponyville and to see it being watched by a sniper was making me think otherwise of going there. I looked back at Ponyville to find it overrun by hostile ponies. Damn it all, I might have to give Ponyville a pass for today… It made me sad to see Ponyville like this, but… Ugh, my head just won’t stop going on with the memories.

I decided to leave the town for another day. I sneaked pasted the sniper knowing that it will shoot me down should I fly. Confident that I was out its range, I took flight and head to Canterlot.

==========

Been flying for a long time seen my departure from the town, I was easing up on the flying when I saw Canterlot from the distance. I really do wonder, with the changes to Equestria, did new landmarks were made from the war? What about the other countries, did they try to support Equestria during the war? There were so many unanswered question coming in my head, it got my brain racking like crazy. I was focused on my thoughts; I didn’t pay attention to the condition of Canterlot. As I finally reached my destination, I had a look of shock and horror at Canterlot up close and personal…

Footnote: Level Up.

New Perk: Awareness - Examining a target shows hit points, weapons, and ammunition count

Chapter II: Harmony

Chapter II:Harmony

Harmony… A word foreign to the Wasteland, there are a rare few who know of such a word

Shocked beyond all comprehension…

I was looking at Canterlot, now in ruins from the war. Most of the city was built from stone carved from the very mountain Canterlot embraced.  Celestia had wanted to build the foundation of the city with the mountain. It was smart, considering I’ve seen houses built with the landscape at their disposal. Canterlot was a marvelous city, until this war started… Cobblestone streets had been lined with elegant structures formed from stone and mortar or magically molded rock.

Most buildings of stone still stood, although cracked and crumbling from the weight of unnatural ages. A three-story tower, once an upscale inn from my guessing, collapsed with a deep-throated rumble, sending up curling swirls of pink-tinted stone dust.  Everything more susceptible to the entropy of… Whatever this cloud was, had been reduced to rust and rubble, smears and stains that once signified objects, and decrepit structures stained pink and falling apart at the seams.

Some of the most preserved things were those which had once been alive. The sight of the once alive ponies within this cloud terrified me almost made me want to retch and believe me when I said this, it is very difficult for me to even taste bile in my mouth. The black and twisted forms of dead trees lined streets filled with dark, pink-rotted bones, many of which had partially sunk or merged into the discolored cobblestones.

The only other place that looked eerily preserved was the cluster of buildings that had once formed the heart of Equestria, from a scattering of white-stoned towers to the royal castle itself… This was just the starting point where the war was escalating to levels were it was never going to heal… I flew down around the parameter of the city, just far enough from the cloud itself sitting down as I wondered how one war could get to this point of no return… It was enough to break my heart.

I looked at Canterlot wondering what to do now… A sprite-bot came nearby with the music playing. It didn’t help at all with wondering what to do, that is until it stopped playing the music. I looked at the sprite-bot and I heard Watcher’s voice coming through, “Never thought to see you here of all places…”

I drop my head down, grief-stricken about this new knowledge in front of me.  The sprite-bot landed on my shoulder trying its best to mimic someone’s hoof going on my shoulder. It eased my pain, but it still lingered. I looked at the sprite-bot hoping that Watcher has something for me to do. I asked him what I should do right now at the moment, well besides the friendship part, “What do I do Watcher? I was hoping to come here for me to catch up on what happened during my absence, but that chance went up in smokes…” I was silent for a long time.

Watcher was silent as well, possibly wondering on what to do. I didn’t care right now; I just prayed that Watcher has at least something for me to go after seeing Canterlot. Call me lucky, because he does know of a location that could help me grant some knowledge, “There is a place just south from where you are. It’s called Tenpony Tower and, as of the moment, has a library that has access to some history you could get your hooves on. Sorry, that’s all I got.”

I smiled at the robot, glad that at least there is another location for me to learn what happened here, “No Watcher, you did well.” I stood up looking back at Canterlot and turning around to where presumably Tenpony Tower was, “So Tenpony Tower is at this direction? If I assume you are correct…”

“Yep, just straight ahead from where you are…” Watcher was silent again. I’m starting to wonder if that’s becoming common of him now, “Hey, first off where did you get that jacket and secondly, did you make any friends along the way?” I looked at him bewildered about the second question. My reaction was enough for him to know that I didn’t make any friends at the moment, “Oh you didn’t…”

I smiled trying to be the optimist for Watcher, “It’s all right Watcher, I’ll have some friends in time, just you wait and see.” I chuckled at the end of that realizing that I may be pushing it a bit. Watcher laughed as well. Definitely lightened up the guy’s mood… Suddenly, my question I’d forgotten popped up in my head, “Secondly to your first question, I found this on a dead mother's body. She had this letter in one of the pockets." I showed the letter to Watcher, I do wonder if those things can see.

That answer came forth as I heard his response to the latter I held out for him, "Wow... this... I'm truly sorry for you to find this. It's not easy to accept this at all is it?"

I shook my head seeing how much this mother was going through, "It never is easy is it?" I let out a sigh from just remembering the scene playing out in my head. I decided to change the topic, hoping to not dwell in the moment right now, "Hey Watcher, if I may ask, why do you want me to have some friends?” The bot was silent for a long time. I thought I asked a question that seemed a bit off and was about to ask him again until the bot reverted back to its music and flew off. I looked at the bot flying away wondering if he wasn’t able to keep the connection for long enough.

I looked at the spot on the ground where the sprite-bot was to find a weird contraption left there. I picked it up wondering if Watcher left it behind. The sprite-bot was already too far for me and even if I can catch it, I doubt I can make contact with him again. I decided to keep it for now and possibly return it back should I run into him again.

I begin to fly off and head to the direction where Watcher said Tenpony Tower was. During my flight there, I felt odd, but I went singing for some reason. It was awkward but I let it go and sung. The song I was singing was picked randomly by my little pony in my head. It chuckled to hear me sing; in my head I gave it a whack with an imaginary hammer. It growled at me and all I could was just smile from that. I continued singing the song it decided for me to sing,

(Is it me?)

Is it me, or can you see through my walls

As if they’d never shown?

(Could it be?)

Could it be, all because of my lies

I’ve broken all my own bones

(No more throwing stones)

I loss focus flying for a split second there as I got into singing the song. It was a song I recalled meant for a specific pony, but wasn’t so sure who was it for or who made it. All I knew was that it was meant to tug at the hearts of some ponies and it does to an extent. I looked at the ground below me seeing the vast wasteland. My wings were getting tired for a moment. I descend to the ground as I let my wings rest for the time being. I walked over to Tenpony Tower hoping that I could get there before nightfall.

==========

I had to somewhat jinx the moment… Night was beginning to come and Tenpony Tower was still a far distance away from where I was. My body wanted to get some sleep but the pony in my head did not want to after the last time I fell asleep. Ugh, my body was arguing to get some sleep now but until there was an area where I can sleep fine, it was a no-no for me.

Ahead, I saw a campfire with some tents. My little pony went giddy for a minute seeing that there are ponies here, but suddenly went cautious remembering the slavers. I agreed with my head, decided to slowly enter the camp. I was close to their parameters when I got hit with a stench that made me cover my nose immediately. It was foul beyond my imagination; in fact I don’t even want to imagine what made that stench. I look to see some ponies really dirtied to the point they really needed a bath badly.

My instinct did not trust these ponies one bit as they were eating something. I didn’t want to even know what the stuff they were eating was. I decided to leave them be considering that no good will come if I stay here long enough. I left the camp undetected slowly walking past them.

The stealth lasted for a good minute until I stepped on a piece of wood causing it to split and make a sound. Sanguis gehenna… That’s probably the first time I used the old alicorn language to swear there.

I turn around to see them spotting me and then giving chase while giving a maniacal laugh that would have made me wet myself. I decided to fly away, not wanting to go through unnecessary fights.

Things went well until… BOOM!, A gunshot rung through the night hitting my right wing. I recoiled upon that as I was falling to the ground. I see the ground closing in on me noting that I was going to be a splatter on the ground. I closed my right wing to show off another wing allowing myself to glide safely, For once, having six wings saved me today… I see them catching up to me and I ran decided to check my shot wing later. I looked everywhere and seeing no place to hide and run, flying was better off not available if they shoot me again. Gunshots were roaring through the night as each missed me a lot.

You know, if they had guns, they should at least have some decent accuracy! My little pony said, and honestly, they were terrible marksmen. Seeing that the situation calls for a bit of violent action, I stopped and turned around taking on whatever these ponies were. Years of being on the battlefield were beginning to pay off.

The ponies still were shooting, of course, missing me still. Some shots did graze my hide but nothing too serious. I moved out of the way of the bullets as I neared them going in. I got close to one of them and whacked him with my hoof on his spine, I’m not so sure if I paralyzed it, but it did go unconscious for the most part.

I looked at the four other ponies that were charging at me guns and melee weapons akimbo. Their technique was very sloppy as I dodged each one of their strikes.  I disarmed those with guns to make the fight easier on me. Dodging each one was much easier than I had in mind, but I was wary of my skills. I went behind each on them striking their spinal cord paralyzing them in the effort. I did not want to kill them at all.

I was about to carry one of them when all of them went dogpiling on me screaming crazy like animals. One of them proceeds to bite me, which resulted in me freaking out and getting them off me quickly. I looked at my bitten hoof and the bite was deep as blood was oozing from it. I looked at them shocked that the pony just freaking bit me there, “ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR CRAZY MIND!?”

They all try to dogpile on me again only to meet the end of my blade as I pulled it out of its scabbard cleanly slicing their heads off. Their blood was all over me as their bodies went limp from the decapitation. My mind was freaking out from two facts.

One, I HAD KILLED FIVE PONIES! I had many years of horrifying things to encounter mind you, so why was I bothered with me killing a pony!? It was in self-defense! This shouldn’t be bothering me and yet it does! Ugh, my mind is freaking out like crazy from the deaths of these five!

Next to come to mind was the bite… What in the actual fuck caused it to go cannibalistic and try to bite my leg completely off!? Aw great, now I’m getting vulgar. I rarely ever swear at times, but this… This just brings a whole new level of what the fuck!? My mind was beginning to clear up as I looked over myself covered in my enemies’ blood. My mind was still going crazy over seeing that, trying to think of a reason why one of them just bit me.  Even my little imaginary friend was having a brain overload from that.

My mind managed to remember my priority as I checked on my damaged wing. I was lucky to see that all it did was leave a singed mark on it. It hurt still but some fresh air should ease it I hope. I was going to have to deal with me being blood-soaked; I pray at least some rain could remove all of this blood on me.

I looked back at the dead bodies that I killed. Just seeing a dead pony right now, it was foreign in Equestria for murders to even occur… Now, they are common here in this Wasteland. I was going to have to majorly remind myself that this occurs now yet even then, I do not want to kill ponies at all. I didn’t want to leave the bodies like this though.

I dug five holes big and deep enough to hold the ponies here carrying each one of them into the holes and buried them. Despite what they did, I paid them my respect as a moment of silence closing my eyes in return. After a few seconds, I opened my eyes and returned to their camp hoping to scavenge anything of use.

Rain begins to settle in as I was scavenging whatever I could find useful. Good thing for me, as the rain cleaned off the blood. From I could scavenge from the camp, I found some awkward stuff here going by the name of Dash, some Stampede, and Party Mint-Als… Since when did they decided to make drugs in Equestria? (I wasn’t so sure if they were drugs but I had to be certain) Some live ammunition; doubtful I might use this but I could sell it though, and a rather interesting pistol…

I checked out some of the features of this gun, it was clearly made to fit in a pony’s hoof with the design to the holster and it design looks are like that of the M1911 Colt. I even see a casing for the gun to fit in for a quickdraw. What caught my eye though was the insignia on the holster. I recognized the insignia as the emblem of the Cutie Mark Crusaders. I see that there was a blood-stained letter attached to the gun. I removed it and read the letter,

Howdy girls, how y’all doing? Ah’ve been through worse than before if ya know what Ah mean. Anywho, Ah almost finished with building Stable Two at mah home. As soon as that’s finished, we can get together just like old times right? Ah’ve been wondering if the war is ever going t’ end. Ah’m sick and tired o’ this war! Ah just want us t’ be able t’ be with each other, but this damn war just keeps getting worse! Its like it’s trying desperately t’ separate us apart! Ugh, this is getting out o’ hoof here and Ah just…

Sorry, that was not right o’ me t’ say such a thing. Well, Ah doubt this war is ever going t’ end, but if it and only if it ever does, y’all wanna hang out with each other? Ah already miss your company and Ah just want t’ celebrate our last moments together… Ah know this letter doesn’t explain why Ah asked Sis t’ make it, but Ah made the Righteous Crusaders as a reminder o’ our times together… Y’all can use it as a way o’ protecting yourself, Ah’ve made three fer each one o’ us and Ah kept one fer mahself. Ah just wish this war could end now… Well, Ah got t’ get back t’ finishing the last touches t’ Stable Two, see y’all soon, Ah hope…

Former Cutie Mark Crusader,

Apple Bloom

I felt a few tears escape from my eyes. This pistol meant so much for those three, that in the end, they probably never got the chance to see each other ever again. I wrap the casing around my belt holding Heaven’s Light and putted the pistol in the holster.

I hoped that I can find the other two to complete the set as a way for them to be together again. The ammo I collected was made for the gun at hoof so there was some happy thoughts. I checked the other weapons to see if they can be used.

Unfortunately, most of them were rusted and ran out of ammo so there was no particular use to them. I putted them in my saddlebag for now hoping that maybe I could use them.

Night was still here as the rain settled down. My body was getting sleepy and to be honest, my head needed some sleep as well. I went into one of the tents, and stench was all I could smell. I covered my nose for the second time only to stare in shock at what I was seeing. A pony whose torso was cut open with a serrated knife.

Its organs were scattered across the floor from its heart to lungs, intestines were pulled out by force some left out hanging from its body. So many cuts all over its body, it was like something straight from a grimdark book and that’s just some of the details I can visibly see. Upon closer inspection of the pony, it was very clear that it was a mare.

The position she was in suggested that she was raped… Did I really suggest that? I’m beginning to wonder why I thought of that and how come I never noticed this. I went outside utterly sick that those five did that to a single pony. This was getting beyond the pale, seeing stuff like that tells me that the long road to recovery was slim.

I’m beginning to see why Apple Bloom ranted about this war. I went to do the same like what I did with the other five except away from them and at an area that seemed perfect for the poor pony.  Repeated what I did again leaving behind a possession of her as a marker. I go into the tent the body was in, cleaned it up of its content including the stench and slept for the night.

==========

I wake up struggling to forget what I just went through. The images were made more vivid by my little friend. Yeah thanks a lot my imaginary friend… It chuckled and gave a big Cheshire cat-like grin to me. I manifested a hammer to whack it. It was not pleased with that, but that was the least of my worries. This was going to be difficult for me to accept, but I need to continue forward to Tenpony Tower.

I pack my things and ate another apple I had stocked up. The taste of Applejack’s apples was divine as ever with me chewing it slowly… I don’t know why but I’m going to miss these apples once I eat them all. I keep the seeds within them, hoping that I could grow them when this is over, although I’m pretty sure that I can’t compete with theirs.

I shuffled through my bag checking if I missed out on anything and pulled out the thing that Watcher left behind. I was very curious when I first saw it wondering what the heck the thing does. I did notice that it looked like it could fit around the wrist on my forehooves.

I was tempted to put it on, but decided to wait until Watcher or at least anypony can give me information about it. I did play around with it, checking out what things it can do, its function, the usual stuff.

I saw that it had a radio channel and curious enough, played it to see if there was any news. Before hand, music was playing through before it died away. A voice begins to play through and from the sound of the pony, it sounded to be a stallion, “This is DJ Pon3, and that was Sweetie Belle, singing about that one great truth of the wasteland: every pony has done something they regret.  And now, my little ponies, it’s time for the news!  Now you ponies remember when I told you ‘bout those two ponies who crawled themselves out of Stable Two?  Well, I’ve been gettin’ reports that one of those little ponies took out the raider nest in the heart of Ponyville, and saved several pony captives -- including the beloved author of The Wasteland Survival Guide, Ditzy Doo!  Hey kid, thanks!  From all of us!  And now the weather: cloudy everywhere, with a chance of rain, gunfire and bloody dismemberment...”

I didn’t hear the rest of it… I was stunned to hear a familiar name. Hold on, what? That was mostly it a part of why I was stunned, the DJ Pon3 I remembered was a mare so why is there a stallion roleplaying as DJ Pon3? The other part was that this specific pony managed to beat a nest of raiders (I have no idea who those were, but if I was to make a guess, it would be the ponies that attacked me earlier…) in Ponyville… I was there before! How did I miss that pony? In any case, just hearing that somepony did that… I’d be happy to actually meet whoever this mysterious pony was.

I was listening to the rest of the news, “This just in, some reports just came by! Apparently some raiders are infesting the path from here to Canterlot! To those who are within the vicinity, you might want to get out of there lickity-split because no one wants to meet up with a raider!” My body went stone cold for a second there; I was within that area he mentioned… “And more news! Yesterday, a pegasus just escaped from her captive slaves without even killing them! While that would be silly to not execute somepony, I call that dedication! If any of you ever meet him, tell him DJ Pon3 says hi!” I doubt anypony saw me blush considering my royal blue coat hides it well.

I almost forgot the fact that he saw me escape. Speaking of which, how did he see me escape? It lingered in my mind for awhile but I put that question behind me for now as I still need to continue to Tenpony Tower. I left the camp and flew to my destination.

==========

How long have I been flying? I’ve been nowhere closer to the location than I remembered. I was beginning to lose a bit of patience considering I’ve been flying for what, six hours? I landed, clearly not pleased with myself. I shuffle through my saddlebag to pull out another apple and began to eat.

Halfway through my apple, I heard gunshots from where I was. I finished my apple and tossed it to the side following where the sounds of gunshot was coming from. Over a cliffside, I see about four raiders chasing a single mare shooting at her while screaming random junk.

The mare in question was a unicorn with a violet coat with a white mane and tail each with a golden ribbon tying the ends making a ponytail of sorts. She was calling for help as loudly trying her best to outrun her captors. Her body was in terrible condition; her horn was losing blood as there was a small cut, some areas revealed muscle, and she was limping while running suggesting that she has some broken or dislocated bones. She tripped from her limping as she looked at her captors terrified.

I immediately went into the fray trying to close the distance quickly. I heard her scream as one of the raiders begins to pounce on her. Time felt like it slowed down as I delivered a solid punch to the raider’s face. At the speed I was going, the punch likely broke his face completely. The force sent him flying crashing into a rock. I heard an unnerving crunch meaning that I also now broke his spine. I looked at the mare that fell unconscious as the pain overwhelmed her.

I ducked as gunshots were fired on me this time as the raiders tried to close their distance. I carried the unconsciousness mare onto my back and ran. As bullets shred through my coat, I jumped over a rock using that as cover for the time being. I wanted to pull the Righteous Crusader out as I looked back at the enemy raiders coming in but I still did not want to kill at all.

The mare was losing her battle to stay alive and will soon be dead if I don’t do something about these raiders fast enough! I looked at her first scanning her body for any injuries that would be deemed fatal. Seeing only a few, I worked fast as I patched those wounds first. I heard the crazy cackling from the raiders as they closed on us.

Damn it, not enough time to patch them all! I looked back seeing them dangerously close to where we were. I still did not want to kill these ponies here. Why am I being difficult with myself? I ran away from the spot hoping to lure the enemy to me. The tactic did work (Thank the heavens!) as they averted their attention to me.

They were closing the distance quickly as I turned back to look at them. I didn’t want to get too far from the mare due to her condition. I turned around and recklessly went charging at the raiders. I might be able to cripple them enough for them to not move for a while but that’s easier said than done! One raider unsheathed his blade as he went for me.

I ducked under the slash as I tackled at the raider. He was struggling to get out of my grip as we both went down on the ground. Tumbling on the ground trying to get at each others’ throats, I delivered a hard hoofstrike at the two forearms as he screamed bloody murder. It was enough to immobilize him for the moment.

I looked forward seeing if the two were nearing me. Big mistake on my part… They were near enough to leave a fatal wound on me. Even as time felt like it slowed down, I did not react in time as one of the blades dug into the side of my body eliciting a loud scream from me. Thank goodness it did not hit my wings or I’d be having nightmares about losing the ability of flight.

The looks on their faces contorted to an expression of maniacal glee when they heard my scream. I shrugged the pain aside as I took down the raider that made the wound. I aimed for the forearms again. A sickeningly loud crack was heard as I broke his one good foreleg.

The raider came on my back as yet another knife dug into my body this time almost hitting the spine. I am going to have to rethink about being reckless next time if I don’t want injuries like what I’m getting. I grabbed his foreleg as I tossed him over me. Another hoofstrike to the foreleg and he screamed.

I backed away from the crippled raiders breathing heavily. I only killed one and that was an accident of me not knowing how much force was put into that punch. I looked at the two blades that were digging into my body. I put a hoof on the blade on my back as I pulled it out of my body. So much pain erupted from my body as I tossed it to the crippled raiders. I was stumbling as I reached for the other blade and pulled that one out.

Tossing that one to the side, I looked at the three raiders sprawling on the ground. I still did not want to kill even with them like this. Ugh, I seriously hate my ethics right now. Their bodies can heal over time anyway, so that gave them a second chance.

I limped to the injured mare hoping that I was not too late to save her. I arrived at the spot only to see her limp. Immediately, the first thing that popped into my head was that I failed to save her in time. That thought perished as I saw her chest moving, she was still breathing. I put my head on her chest counting the heartbeats.

Pound… Pound…Pound… Pound…

My reaction was almost instantaneous as I got working to save her life. Her heart was slowly dying and I had to be quick. I am very thankful I bought medical supplies with me as I begun. Through the pain of my own, I slowed down the blood loss on her horn first using some bandages to close some of the small wounds. While I was slowing down the blood loss, I began to heal the small cut on her horn. (The horn is going to be the one to have the longest recovery time).

As I was done with the horn, I went to covering the exposed muscles using some of her skin grafts. I carefully pulled on some of her skin as I used them to cover the muscles. This part took longer than expected but I managed to finish it. I relocated her bones after covering the stitched wounds with bandages. Please don’t die on me now!

I sat there looking at the mare wondering if I succeeded in saving her or not. My own body wanted to collapse from the pain but I was adamant in wanting to see just one sign of life from the mare. A few minutes have passed yet to me, it felt like an eternity. I did wrap my wounds in some bandages hoping to slow down the blood loss.

Slowly as I finished wrapping the wounds, I saw her chest rising and falling as her mouth opened to draw in some air. I let a sigh of relief as I collapsed; I didn’t even know I was holding my breath until now. I opened my eyes to see her looking at me for a good long five seconds before smiling. She wanted to ask me question but what came out of was some coughing. I putted a hoof over her head trying to comfort her.

She let out a yawn as her body wanted to stop moving and rest for now. She then fell into a tranquil sleep as her eyes closed fully. I smiled; I needed to get us out of here and into a safe area. Too many raiders infesting the place… I carried her onto my back. I scanned the area around me looking to see if any of them were surrounding us. Besides the raiders I crippled, none as of the moment.

Before I left though, I walked to the raiders sternly gazing at them. These poor ponies, pathetic as their life must be, I do not want to see them doing this again. I was really doubtful on them reforming, but who knows? Might be able to convince them somehow… I leaned in and eyed them, “I’m allowing you three a second chance… If I see you trying this again, I might not be willing to give another chance in life again.” I kept my eye on them as I continued my walk to Tenpony Tower.

==========

Night was beginning to descend on the Wasteland as I continued walking. My body was still recovering from the wounds sustained as I was struggling to even stand. I really hope those knifes weren’t coated in poison or were tarnished… Then again I’m doubtful the raiders were smart to coat their knives in poison, so them being tarnished was the better possibility. I’d hate to be unconscious in the middle of fucking nowhere with no way of protection. Aw great getting vulgar again…

I looked around us wondering if there was at least a safe area for me and my guest to lie down. What am I saying? I’m not so convinced that I might find even one area deemed safe around here. I was not very pleased with myself at all, “Stupri gehenna! I am not helping myself here!”

My loud swearing said in the old alicorn language almost woke the mare on my back. I silently cursed myself for saying that loudly, I could have attracted anyone within my vicinity. You know, now that I think about attracting someone, I’d be very happy to chat with Watcher right now… too bad, he’s not around right now.

I glanced around me, silently praying that I find an area at least. Looking to the right, I saw a rather decrepit and abandoned shack. Well, better than out here that’s for certain. I tried to hasten my steps but that only made the pain worse. I do not like this feeling of dread I’m having right now. I limped as fast as I could hoping to get out of prying eyes.

I turned around me wondering if anyone was watching us. No sounds and a single sight before me. That’s not a good thing at all. I finally reached the door as I opened it. I cringed in pain a bit as I entered the shack and closed the door. With us out of sight of any raiders, I felt relieved for the most part. Okay, we’re in here, now where’s a good resting spot?

I scanned the house wondering if there was anything that will do. Nothing good here on the main room sadly. My first thought was to head upstairs first, probably nothing up here but you can never tell though unless you checked. I looked into some of the rooms finding nothing of importance although I did find a few occasional bottlecaps.

If I recalled from the slavers, this was to be the current currency here on the Wasteland. I’ve seen and heard weirder things before but this was beyond weird. Aw well, better than nothing… I picked up the caps left on the floor as I looked for the rest of the other rooms. I was beginning to lose some hope of finding something at least of decency.

At the last room, a smile formed on my face as I saw two mattresses lying on the floor. They were a bit dusty and dirty but it was nothing a simple cleanup would do. I patted off some of the dust lingering on the bed. A few of the dust went to my nose as I coughed and sneezed from it. After quite a messy cleaning, it was clean enough for me as I laid her down gently. I went to clean up the other mattress of its share of dirt.

Again with another sneezing and coughing fit and the mattress was spiffy enough. I sat down on the bed as I pulled out an apple from the saddlebag and went to eating it. I sat there for some time deep in thought as I was eating away at the apple. I began to wonder how things are going for Celestia and Luna. I’m confident in their skills but I can’t help but be worried since this is something that had not dealt with in a long time.

I really do wish to meet them again throughout my journey someday. I yawned quietly hoping to not disturb the sleeping mare. My eyes were beginning to close on themselves as I lay down and drifted off to sleep, hopefully to see another day.

==========

The sun was shining on my face making me wake up a bit annoyed from that but was happy to see another day. I stretched my body and delivered a loud yawn as my hoof was covering my mouth in a one second interval. I look to my left side to her still there. I let a small smile form on my face seeing her sleep peacefully.

I got ready to stand before my body twitched in pain. I looked at the wounds to see them still bleeding, soaking the bandages. The wounds themselves were closing but they were clearly infected and were still bleeding if the ever-growing red was to mean anything. Damn it, I knew I forgot something… I reached for my saddlebag hoping for something to clean up the wounds.

Nothing I found could disinfect the wounds well enough. This was not good, if I can’t clean these wounds, I am going to be facing some serious trouble. I tried standing again but the pain still lingered. I endured it as I stood up, my face grimacing from this. I limped across the hall to the stairway.

I looked down at the base of the stairs as I descended. Things went well there, until I slipped, literally on my own bandages. I tumbled down the stairs causing a loud ruckus as I landed on my back. I was groaning in more pain as I was clutching my head. Should have flown down instead and checked on my bandages again…

I tried to get up from my painful blunder again for I believe the third time right now, but my whole body was not willing to cooperate with me here. Too much pain from the wounds getting infected despite them only being exposed for so little time, has really hampered me here. Damn, those fucking blades were rusty if I’m feeling this sick already. I feel freaking useless right now; just listening to myself bemoaning is starting to get a bit silly…

I just laid there for Gods know how long pondering on how I got into this mess despite it being rather obvious for me. I looked at the ceiling of the shack where a hole was made showing the gray sky.

The Grand Pegasus Enclave… I heard the slavers I was with mentioning it to me. They said they hated the pegasi for leaving them to rot while they lived cozily up there. While they lived a comfy life of peace, below them, they were struggling. What had happened for them to close up the sky and not be involved in helping the ponies below?

As I was pondering about it, a magical aura surrounded me as I was lifted to the air. Wait what? I looked in front of me to see the unicorn mare trying to lift me to her. Her face was contorting with pain as she lifted me to her side and away from the stairs. She was struggling to not only stand on all fours but keep the spell going. I did not struggle for fear of draining more of her magic.

As she limped to the room with the mattresses and set me down on the bed, she looked at me breathing heavily. She went to my side as she went to check up on my wounds. I put my hoof on her outstretched hoof. She was a bit shocked by my reaction. I would be too if I wasn’t in a state of pain, “Before I let you do what I think you’re doing, tell me, why? You were injured and yet you still did it…”

A smiled formed on her face as I let go of her hoof, “Because you saved my life out there. I wanted to do something nice in return for what you did and the least I could was check up on your wounds…” She looked at my eyes once and a sad expression formed to replace her smile, “I can see that you do not trust me yet… just please let me at least check up on your wounds, I know you wanted them checked and cleaned.”

Damn she got me there. I allowed the mare to check up on my wounds as I relaxed and laid down on my front side revealing my back and side wounds. I can feel the bandages being unwrapped and my body twitching a bit in pain as my wounds was exposed. She made a gasping sound as the wounds were fully shown. Damn my temptation, I looked at the side and back wounds.

I regretted that decision for a long time. My mouth was gaping as I looked at them. Instead of the wounds closing themselves, they were swelling as pus was forming within the wounds. Some hard crust of sorts was being made around them and the smell of those wounds, goodness the smell was retching.

I felt sorry for the mare as she went out of the room and let out her breakfast in a nearby trash bin. I honestly wanted to barf out my food as well but I was immobile for a long while. She was wiping her mouth as she returned back, “This is not good, these wounds need to be disinfected now…”

“You don’t say miss?” That was me trying to be sarcastic there but failing. She rolled her eyes as she went to cleaning up the wounds. I laid there as I felt her magic do the removal of pus and cleaning of my wounds. I did see some blood escape from the wounds but it was nothing a simple gauze pad from my bag could close.

Hmm… I think it might be a good time to ask about her. It’s not like we’re going anywhere yet right? “Say, I never got your name ma’am. Would you kindly tell me your name?”

She was silent for some time as she continued cleaning my wounds. She continued her smile as she looked at me, “Harmony… Naturia Harmony. I’ve told my name, would you kindly tell me yours please?”

I let a light chuckle escape from me just hearing her use that phrase against me. I didn’t mind though, “Zodiac… a pleasure to meet you Harmony, wish we met under… different circumstances…”

The both of us shared each other’s laughter. The laughter died down as she finished patching up the wounds, “Okay I cleaned out your wounds Zodiac… they should be able to heal now. Goodness though, what weapon have you been hit by?”

I’m not so sure on myself. I knew that it was knives but knives normally don’t do this to a pony or person unless a few things came to mind, “Knives, and I think they were either rusty or coated by other ponies’ blood that were infected.”

I saw Harmony putting her hoof up her chin pondering about the idea, “Hmm… both seem like a very high possibility since you had to against raiders.” She put her hoof as she lay down on the mattress feeling exhausted, “I feel tired today, I think the both of us deserve a good night sleep.”

I nodded my head in approval; we both needed some rest again before we move. Before the two of us did sleep though, something was bothering me. I looked at Harmony wondering what was she doing out here alone. I couldn’t help it; I poked her body trying to get her attention. Her body shook a bit as she turned to look at me miffed that I ruined her about to go to sleep, “Sorry if I am bothering your slumber but… Harmony I got a question for you.”

Her ears perked as she eyed me cautiously. I have to be cautious with my question here or else things might get complicated, “Harmony, what are you doing out here alone?

I saw Harmony’s ears droop as her expression went down. Damn I hope I did not hit a sensitive topic here. She let out a sigh as she gazed at me, “I… really can’t describe yet, I can still see you’re still suspicious about me and I don’t think you’ll believe my answer.”

A snicker escape me as I looked at Harmony, “Harmony, I’m going to believe you in this case. You saved my life as I saved yours, which gains both our trust correct?” I winked at her proving my point.

She covered her mouth as a chuckle came forth. Her expression still bore a trace of sadness but she was nonetheless happy to hear me say that, “Perhaps it does Zodiac. I guess I can explain then…” She fell silent for some time as she gathered her thoughts. After a little sigh escaped, she looked at me, “I came out here… looking for my brother Epsilon.”

That got my attention no doubt, “Your brother? He’s out there alone?” She nodded as she looked out the window. Her thought I guess were occupied by her brother out there fighting for his life. The poor pony here. Her brother’s life was at stake, out there fighting and alone.

Without me even thinking for a second I asked her if I can join in her journey to find her brother. She looked at me with a look of shock and utter happiness. I gave a smile as she gazed at my eyes. She gave a kind smile back but the answer was rather unexpected, “I am happy to accept your offer, but I don’t want to stop you from going to your destination.”

I still continued my smile, “Harmony, I’m only going to Tenpony Tower. I have all the time with me, I’m not in a rush or anything to go there.”

A single tear escaped her eyes as she lunged for me and hugged me. I cringed in pain from the sudden hug, but I hugged her back from that, “Thank you Zodiac, I’m happy to have you with me. I do hope we get along more, we just met and I bet the bond of trust is rather weak.”

“I can see that being true…” I wondered, since we just got a trust bond, why not make a bit stronger right now? “Harmony, will you tell me about your life?” She looked shocked to hear that request which would be out-of-place in this case. I still continued my smile, “You said it yourself that our bond of trust is starting rather weak, why not make it stronger with me telling mine and you telling yours?”

She was silent. Probably was pondering on such an idea since the request was rather sudden if I do say so myself. After some tense moments, she finally answered with a smile, “I will gladly tell you my part of my life. You saved my life from those raiders; it’s only fair for me to share my part as well. But you must be truthful to your retelling okay?”

I was taken by that. Truthfully tell her about my life? It would be easy if it weren’t for the many things that would set off many alarms about it, “Well?” She was waiting for my answer. I am starting to hate the situation I was in right now. I could probably change some of the details about my life, but it still won’t be easy otherwise. She was willing to strengthen our bond of trust even though the request was sudden at most. I can’t help but smile at that.

It wasn’t easy for me, but for her sake and her brother, it was worth a shot, “Sure. I’ll promise on that…” I don’t know why, but the sudden idea of me doing that kind of promise was lingering in my head. For better or for worse I went with it anyway, “In fact, I’ll Pinkie promise it.” She looked baffled trying to understand what a Pinkie promise is. Of course she doesn’t know what a Pinkie Promise is, go figure. I smiled, perhaps I might be able to give a lecture about it just this once though, “It is a special promise by Pinkie Pie, you do know her right?”

Her brain was wracking wondering if she had heard that name before until it clicked on her, “Oh that Pinkie Pie? You mean the head of the Ministry of Morale right?”

There were Ministries? Since when were there Ministries made in Equestria? Forget that question; I forgot that this was probably established during the wartime effort which would make sense, “Yes that Pinkie Pie…” How awkward can I be right now? I did the Pinkie Promise, performing the gestures with each phrase said by the promise, “Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye.” I wonder if Pinkie can tell I broke a Pinkie promise even if she is dead… I’d rather not know for the sake of my sanity.

She did a light chuckle upon me finishing the promise. Apparently, she found the Pinkie Promise a bit funny, “That’s a Pinkie Promise? That’s seems something the head of the MoM would do alright…”

I too let a light chuckle escape as well, “Trust me, even her fellow heads of the other ministries do this as well.” I wasn’t so sure if I was telling the truth considering I’ve never been in the ministries. She believed me though she finds that hard to believe to an extent. I would be too if I didn’t meet Pinkie Pie.

She stopped laughing there and asked a question about the Pinkie Promise. Because everypony has questions about the promise itself, “I know promises so breaking one would be bad, but what would happen if you broke a Pinkie Promise though?” I shuddered at the idea of breaking one. She saw me shudder there and another question about me shuddering this, “Why did you shudder there?”

I answered her question obviously with a bit of fear after knowing what happened to the last pony that broke one specifically Applejack, “Well, let’s just say that Pinkie Pie gets really angry and gets a new voiceover.” That only made the mare more confused than ever, “Okay try it this way, she’ll relentlessly stalk you until you apologize or she does something rather… disturbing.”

Her head turned at the idea of Pinkie doing something disturbing, “Disturbing? What would the head of the MoM do that would be considered disturbing by any standard as of now?”

I fell silent upon hearing her response. Just pondering about it, I suddenly realized that she had a point there, “Huh, now that I think about, her disturbing thing would not be out of place here now…” I couldn’t but let a small grin form just imagining her doing her thing right now.

From out of nowhere, both of us heard a quiet yet long dramatic word that seriously made me reconsider what Pinkie can do. And she was doing this even though, I think, she was supposed to be dead! “FOREVER!”

Both of us shuddered at hearing that. I really need to consider on what to Pinkie Promise from now on… She was scared out of her spine from hearing that, “O-Okay um, what was that I just heard?”

I just looked at her with so much shock and confusion in my eyes; I think I might consider myself insane. This was extremely difficult to explain because, well, this is Pinkie Pie I’m talking about here. How do I explain her antics? I had to change the subject right now, this was driving me nuts, “Let’s just change topic here please? Explaining this is not easy for me to do…”

She agreed with me as she cleared throat while shuddering again. This was something she was not going to forget in a long while and frankly, so am I.

==========

Both of us exchanged every bit of our life to one another. Her life I find was very tragic, almost similar to mine if not for the alicorn bit being left out from my life. Her parents were veterans of the war leaving her to be taken care of her brother Epsilon. They both knew that they would not live through this should they face death so one of them decided to stay with her, the one that chose was the mother. Despite the war, they lived a somewhat happy life having learned their magics early on, playing around with the other fillies and colts.

It was when they received news that the father died, their life turned to the worse. Their mother was really depressed from hearing that, and as a result went to drinking alcohol to relieve herself of the pain. I knew where things were going with mention of that. After that, everything spiraled downward and only they took care of each other keeping each other safe from harm. Then the war escalated and they would all be one of the new generations to make it here.

It saddened me to see her own brother be in trouble when she relied on him so much for support. I was going to be very happy to rescue him and reunite them again. I told her my part and she saw the connection like I did. At first she did initially freak out at the fact that I was the only pegasi to have six wings. She thought that it was mutation or something. I did tell that I was born with this, no crazy experiments whatsoever.

I checked up on her injuries to see if they have healed. Good thing for her, they healed for the most part, but I still wanted her to be careful to not push herself, “Good news, your injuries have significantly healed for the most part… But I suggest you don’t push yourself okay Harmony?”

“Okay…” She looked a little let down a little but cheered up from that. I went outside for a sec checking if there were any nearby raiders. No raiders for now… Good. I let her go outside to let herself relax a bit. She tried to walk again hoping that she can go so far without needing my assistance. I watch her walk around the safe area for now. She didn’t trip up being a little cheery that she is able to walk again.

I smiled seeing that, one I made a new friend and two, to see her happy for a while. I sat down eating an apple as I was preparing all needed equipment. During my preparations, I looked upon the contraption I pulled out. My mind was still curious as to what this is.

I wondered if Harmony could use this better than I could. I called her in hoping that she could answer my question. Her face showed signs of pain as she made to the door. I caught her as she fell. She was still not feeling well for the most part, “Perhaps we should rest a bit longer before we go?”

She nodded her head as I assisted her getting back up. She looked at the contraption I had in hoof. Her eyes widened as she reached for the thing in my possession, “Is that a PipBuck?”

I looked to her in surprise, apparently she knew about this. Well that’s a start, “Yes, why are you looking at it like you’re seeing a ghost?”

She shook her head from that trying to get out whatever trance she was in, “Sorry, it reminds me of Epsilon. He wears one when he became a war veteran…”

That got me interested. The idea of offering it to her would be good on my part, I’m not so sure if I needed it for myself, but she definitely needed more so than me, “You can have this you know. I really don’t have much use of it.”

She looked at me like I was crazy from saying that, “Are you sure? You might need it more so than me…”

I won’t deny and admit that this ‘PipBuck’ might actually come in handy. The main problem to that was that I have no idea on how to use it, “I would Harmony, but I have no idea on how to use this PipBuck. I just found it by chance.”

She seemed shocked at hearing that, then smiled afterwards. Why do I get the feeling that she might try to do something funny with it? “Well, if you want to know how to use it, I could give a few beginner tips about it…”

Learning how to use this? That I can’t deny about, “Really? I’d like that a lot. I already know some stuff about it but not everything.” Her smile gave off a feeling of warmth, probably like that of Celestia herself if she were around. I wonder how well they’re doing on adjusting to this place and getting Luna’s memories…

I gave it to her as she gave a lecture about everything I needed to know about the PipBuck. This was going to be one long session as Harmony went into lecture mode, “Okay so you know some of the functions of a PipBuck right?”

I nodded to her answer. She continued to smile as she explained the intricacies of this PipBuck, “So far, everything I learned about the PipBuck… was that it was made from the blending of unicorn pony magic and science.”

She tapped on the screen as a display opened. A balloon came forth and popped revealing a digitized Pinkie giving a smile. I can’t but smile seeing that in the contraption, “The PipBuck will keep a constant measure of your health, which admittedly does have its perks…” I whistled hearing that. A machine that checks up on your health conditions? Now that’s something I’d like…

She chuckled a bit as she continued her lecture, “It help administer some healing poultices and other medicine, track and organize everything in your saddlebags, assist in repairs, and keep all manner of notes and maps available at a hooftap.” She tapped the screen to prove her point. Everything that was happening within the machine was all as she said.

I can’t help but say that I’m a bit jealous that my Equestria doesn’t have this kind of technology yet. I mean sure, we’re getting advanced now with airships, but that’s nothing compared to this. I‘d say I’m a bit jealous, “Plus, it allows you to listen to the Stable broadcast whenever you would like as it can tune into and decrypt just about any radio frequency.”

“You mean like the radio I found out about?” I wondered if the radio and this Stable broadcast were similar to one another.

She scratched her chin seeing the analogy I made, “In a way, yes… but that’s not all it can do! A pony’s PipBuck generates an E.F.S. or Eyes-Forward Sparkle for short. It will indicate direction and help gauge whether the ponies or creatures around you are hostile or not.”

A way to tell whether the people in front of you are whether good-intentioned or not? I’d rather trust my own judgment instead of the machine, but still, I’m amazed at such a capability. At least it does help in warning of locating enemies so there’s something I can count on. I was still listening to Harmony going on about the Pipbucks. I will admit, I think she might be a bit too excited about telling me about them, “Oh and perhaps the most impressive part of a PipBuck, a PipBuck can magically aid you in a fight for brief periods of time through use of the S.A.T.S. or Stable-Tec Arcane Targeting Spell for short.”

“And what does it do precisely?” I will admit all of this knowledge is something for just a simple wrist watch.

Her smile was even bigger than I imagined. Yeah, I think she’s becoming Twilight in terms of giving lectures, “Well, this might be a bit hard to describe, but basically it allows you to go into what my brother calls it, bullet-time.” This spell slows down time whenever possible? Now that is an achievement I would have never expected unicorns to be able to do.

I wondered if you can use it as many times as possible. Apparently that thought was answer by Harmony as if she read my mind, “You can use as many times as possible but only in short bursts. After a single burst, the spell needs to recharge.” Okay, so they can only use it in short bursts comparing to actually slowing down time as long as you need. Still, to be able to do something close to slowing down time is quite a feat.

I think that was everything about the Pipbuck I had to learn. I was looking at Harmony doing something to it. For this S.A.T.S., I’m not so sure if it is only available to unicorns but that’s something I can test hopefully not in battle.

I heard a beep sound as I looked at the PipBuck seeing a marker of sorts on it. I looked at Harmony wondering what she did. A small chuckle escaped her as she tapped her head. I guess she forgot something important, “Silly me, I forgot about this fact! The PipBuck can keep track of the location of tagged objects or people, including the wearers of other PipBucks.  So if a pony somehow got lost, then anypony who knew the lost pony’s tag could find them instantly. I put my brother’s tag on here…”

Well that explains that. Harmony managed to put the tag of her brother Epsilon on the PipBuck. Now we have an idea on where to go. The direction of Epsilon’s PipBuck was just northeast from where we are. I wanted to get to Tenpony Tower, but the history lessons can wait. I smiled to Harmony as I extended my hoof holding the PipBuck to her, “You need this, you deserve it better than me.”

She looked away with a slight blush on her face as she rubbed her left foreleg with her right. I guess she never had a stallion act like such a gentlemen to her if her reaction meant anything. She looked at me still wearing her smile, “Thank you Zodiac, but you deserve it. You found it and I’m giving it to you as a thank you gift.”

I’m not so sure on how I should react to this, I was a bit silent on her response. I continued my smile as I pulled it away from her and stared at it for some time. Eventually, I accepted it as my own, “Thank you Harmony, I’ll treasure this. Say can you help me put this on at least?”

She smiled as she did my request. She went through some of the intricacies as the clasp opened. She put it above my right hoof. A sound of a popped balloon came forth as she closed the clasp around my right foreleg. Oddly enough, it was rather comfortable to wear.

I looked at, officially now, my PipBuck and see a bunch of digital balloons popping in succession as a digital Pinkie popped forth though the balloons and pointed at me, “Welcome new user of our beloved PipBuck! We hope that you enjoy as being the newest addition to the PipBuck party! Hooray!” Digital streamers fell from the ceiling as Pinkie was hopping around like crazy blowing on a party horn.

The both of us chuckled seeing this. I’m a bit happy to see her in something like this even if she is gone into the afterlife. Then again, she would always try to make everyone’s lives as happy as possible. I looked to see the Sun setting as night falls upon the Wasteland. I heard Harmony yawn as she covered her mouth a few times.

I was yawning as well. Yeesh, were we this tired already? I don’t remember us moving around a lot. Regardless, we decided to rest for the night. Our bodies weren’t ready to brave the Wasteland yet; they still needed some time to recuperate. As Harmony was the first to sleep, I looked outside seeing the setting Sun give way to the night. Had it not been for the cloud cover, I would have seen the twinkling stars.

Cloud cover… My mind was still thinking about the Enclave. From the way the slavers absolutely had my preferred chosen race, it’s as though everyone on the Wasteland hates the pegasi in general. But, there were a few pegasi that aren’t terrible right? I’m one of those few pegasi mostly because I never even heard of the Enclave until those slavers mentioned it.

Ugh, so many questions to answer, so little time. I truly cannot wait to get to Tenpony Tower after this whole ordeal of saving Harmony’s brother. I yawned as I lay down on the mattress. Tomorrow, things take a turn for the interesting.

==========

I was the first to wake as the Sun shone on our faces. I heard Harmony groan as her eyes opened slowly from the Sun. I couldn’t help but let a small laugh out seeing her struggle with trying to wake up. I went to my bag checking if we had everything we needed to go to where Epsilon’s PipBuck is supposedly is. After checking through our inventory thanks to my PipBuck (I still think Harmony deserves it better than I do…), we were ready to go out.

I saw Harmony checking out both hers and my wounds. Seeing that they were healing fairly well, we set out to the PipBuck’s location. I took another look at Harmony seeing if she was doing fine. She was walking just fine and she was her cheery self, though I can’t tell if she has any internal conflicts.

I gave her my last apple I had been holding. She looked at it for a long while gazing at the red apple in front of her. She took one small bite on it. Immediately, her face lit and she did another bite this time much bigger than the last one. Betting she never had food that good for a while. She was still eating the apple as she eyed me, “Thank you Zodiac, I’d never… had food that delicious in a long while.”

Called it on the food part! I was beaming with joy happy to make her happier than usual, “Of course what are friends for?” Well, rather acquaintances but she took it rather well. She chuckled lightly there as I just stood there smiling. During our journey, I wanted check on her condition one more time just in case, “Are you truly okay? I see that you can walk fine but I want to be certain.”

She finished eating the apple I gave to her and gave the core to me, “I’m fine, thank you for the concern Zodiac. Honestly, you’re sounding a little bit like my overprotective brother right now…”

I was silent there, though in my head, I was laughing like crazy hearing that statement. I only just shrugged not really finding anything odd about that, “Hey I can’t help it, you’re a good ally and I want to be certain that you are fine…”

She looked at me weirdly for a moment, then let out a little chuckle hearing that, “You really are becoming like Epsilon right now…” Her ears lowered a bit from the sudden memory of her brother.

I mentally slapped myself in the head for making her remember her lost brother, “Sorry for reminding you of your brother…”

She gave a warm smile to me as she went to hug me. She backed away from me still continuing her smile, “Thank you Zodiac for helping me here. I really wish I met more ponies like you. This Wasteland deserves more ponies like you helping others out.” I nodded my head and gave a smile of my own to her as we continued on.Already our bond of trust is growing huh? I wonder how Watcher is reacting to seeing us like this?

Footnote: Level Up.

Zodiac:

New Perk: Friend in Need – When protecting an NPC, your defense increases by 25%.

Naturia Harmony is now a Companion!

Naturia Harmony:

Harmonic Rhythm: Harmony's carefree nature for all things gives her some love! She gains +5 in Charisma but loses -2 in Strength

Tagged Skills: Tech-Savvy Lvl 2, Determinator, Cheerleader

New Perk: Moving Forward - With a new friend, life doesn't seem all that bad, you grant +2 Action Points to allies around you

Chapter III: A Will to be Freed

Chapter Three:A Will to be Freed

One wonders how far a family will do to reunite... and how far will I go to free the oppressed...

I really hate myself for jinxing the journey with that prayer!

You’re probably wondering what I meant when I said that right? Well, you know how things get a bit chaotic whenever someone or something jinxes a moment? It went like that when things were starting to get calm. We were walking to the destination where Epsilon’s PipBuck was supposedly at, emphasis on supposedly.

Now you wouldn’t imagine anything wrong here right? Wrong, because we’re running away from lots and lots of raiders, “C’mere now! We’re only want t’ play with ya ‘till y’all are dead!” See what I mean?

Our old injuries were healed, but now we might get new ones from the raiders behind us. We jumped over a rock and continued running away as fast as possible. My PipBuck beeped as it told us we were in a new area. Oh, now you tell me about it now while we’re running away from raiders, jeez that’s helpful! The area in question was called Ironshod Firearms.

Raiders were still tracking behind us and I was beginning to tire out from continuous running. From the way Harmony was breathing heavily, she too was tired. I poked her as I pointed a hoof to the building. She looked where my hoof was pointing at. She looked back at me and nodded her head. We both suddenly turned for Ironshod Firearms.

The raiders did not expect our sudden turn and skidded to a stop for a few seconds before turning to our direction. The two of us kept on going as the raiders kept shooting at us. I was rather a bit surprised that we did not get hit with a single bullet there. They’re rather lousy sharpshooters if I say so myself. We managed to get to the door as Harmony went in first. I came in second as I went to the door.

I heard a ricochet of bullets hitting the steel door as I quickly tried to close the door on them. Harmony came up and assisted me in closing the heavy door. We heaved and pushed the door with all of our strength. I can hear the crazed laughter getting close as we kept on pushing. By the time we had closed the door on them in time, we heard a loud BANG! sound and the both of us jumped away from that.

I’m guessing that sound suggested someone ran headlong into the door there. That would have hurt and yet I suddenly found myself using cartoon logic as I imagined a body-shaped imprint on the door itself. I don’t know why but I found that really funny. After a few minutes of us breathing heavily, we got up to look at the interior of the building.

The building was very much something if I say so myself. The metal walkways seemed sturdy for the most part but they still looked a bit rickety. Almost everywhere, metals were used to create such a building. I looked to the right and noticed a catwalk broken down on a conveyor belt. Whatever happened here, someone else beat us here.

Harmony, being the curious one, went further ahead to check it out. I was going to regret following her but I admit I was curious myself. She looked fascinated by the numerous technologies here and wondered if there were anymore saying stuff that, although I understood, was hard to understand fully due to her speaking fast.

I expected her to be the technological genius but to talk like that would put Twilight to shame that’s for certain… We down a set of stairs to the basement floor looking at all the technology present here. We split up for the time being. While she went to look at some of the few techs, I went to check out the broken catwalk.

Harmony’s hoofsteps were getting quieter as I reached my destination looking at what caused this. Scanning the broken catwalk, I saw some of the railings that detached from the ceiling. Just seeing those broken rails made me realize an interesting detail. Something, or rather someone, walked on this and somehow made it collapsed. Whether by weight or the structure being weak, I do not know.

I heard Harmony’s hoofsteps get louder as she came forth from the corner. Her eyes were beaming with excitement as she gestured me to come forward. This was at most bizarre seeing her like this, but I had done enough looking into the fallen catwalk. I followed her as she was running ahead. She was so giddy; it was as if her energy was brimming around her body like a magical aura.

We went farther than usual, which made me slightly worried. She looked at me chuckling that I was getting nervous, “Come on! We’re almost there; don’t be nervous on me please!” I had to admit, her energy was possibly infectious as I couldn’t help but laugh hearing her like that. Continuing on ahead, we finally reached our destination as she was looking at a piece of machinery.

I was next to her side looking at what she was looking at. I was tilting my head in confusion pondering on what I was looking at, “Uh Harmony, what am I looking at precisely?”

I think I saw her mouth gaping from my question. I raised my right eyebrow in confusion as to why that was reaction. She pointed a hoof at it scowling over the fact that I do not know it, “You don’t know what this is!?” I shrugged much to Harmony’s shock. Of course, that reaction prompted her to go into lecture which while fun to hear her like that, can get very annoying…

Surprisingly, she did not go into lecture mode. She again gestured to venture further into the building. Of course, I was nervous about overstaying our welcome here. Harmony tried to push me forward as she wanted to satisfy her curiosity, “Come on Zodiac, I want to see the entire tech here! What could possibly go wrong?” Of all the times she had to say that specific phrase…

A blast of lightning fired past us, frying an old clock behind us. We were very lucky that missed us as we turned around to see a psychotic robot trying to fry us. We hightailed it out of the basement Ironshod Firearms. This whole place was a death maze full of omnicidal robots and automated turrets as we tried to retrace our steps back to the entryway.

Instead we got ourselves trapped in an office at the basement. Of course these things weren’t as smart as they expected if not for the fact that their glass dome housed real brains! I refused to think that the ponies who built them might have used other ponies’ brains in the construction. And it was very clear that years of continuous operation had a severe detriment in their sanity.

Come on out, we only want to kill you for trespassing!

I shot a glare at Harmony for a few seconds before returning my attention to the robot. She saw that glare and mouthed a simple what. I facehooved hearing her response before immediately ducking for cover as the office was filled with a rush of flames. Harmony patted her tail trying to smother the flames.

I looked forward to see it looking for us as it turned around. Weighing our options, of course the best one I can think was run to the next safest area. The robots were still looking for us leaving me to do the work. I wanted to save the ammo for the Righteous Crusader considering how scarce the stuff is.

I unsheathed my sword and immediately charged at the robot. I know I did say that I do not like to kill at all, but this is a non-sentient being (save for the brain that is) so this I don’t have to worry about my morals. The moment it saw me, it the robot raised a pulsing green weapon that looked like a unicorn’s horn.

Eldritch fire erupted from it, shooting past me close enough to singe my cheek. Harmony ducked for cover as the fire came beaming over her head. I slashed at the torso of the robot cutting through the circuitry that connected its brain. I checked back at Harmony to see if she was faring well. Before that, I saw what the eldritch fire hit. The blast hit the old clock again; it glowed a luminescent green before proceeding to… melt!?

As I stared at what I witnessed, I hear the sound of a buzzsaw. I turn to see a multi-limbed guard robot that looked like a giant spider equipped with said buzzsaw and a flamethrower… Does every guard bot here have a flamethrower in their arsenal!? I moved out of the buzzsaw attack, narrowly avoided getting burned by the flamethrower.

Harmony threw a piece of metal at it distracting it and now focusing its sights on her. I slashed from the moment it was distracted and the bot shuddered as it landed. Damn thing can fly, great. What did feel was off was Harmony. From the angle of that trajectory, it looked like she was trying to hit me instead of the robot. Could just be imagining things though.

I went to Harmony seeing if she suffered any injuries. Luckily, she only attained a burnt tail, but nothing else critical. Before she moved though, an apology came forth, “Sorry about that.”

I turned to see her rubbing her right foreleg with her left. The apology was rather sudden but I did accept if I was not baffled as to the reason behind the apology, “What are you apologizing for? I see no point in apologizing…”

She shook her head in denial, “For almost hitting your head there… I’m not so great on the throwing or firing department.” A little late there? This is rather a bit suspicious of her to apologize like this but as of our current situation I had to ask her later, we needed to get out of here.

We moved immediately to the next safe haven as the robots spotted us shooting us with lightning and that eldritch fire. The flying robots tried to move in only for them to get a bullet from my pistol. Surprisingly, S.A.T.S was working for me as time slowed down managing to one shot many of the incoming robots. Of course, it had to charge thanks to me using it up. Guess I still have a bit of unicorn blood flowing in me.

We found a big metal door that looked like it was sturdy enough to survive a bomb. Harmony rushed ahead and tried to open the door to the best of her abilities. I turned around shooting at the incoming robots, slashing at those that were a bit too close for my comfort.

Struggling to open the door, she decided to use telekinesis to open the door, it was straining considering her horn hasn’t fully healed. She managed to open it enough for a few ponies to enter. She entered first as I was shooting down five robots while they were shooting electrical blasts at me. I entered quickly before getting shocked by the lightning blast as Harmony closed the door on them.

==========

Quick realization once we were done hyperventilating, made me realize that if this room did not offer another way out of the place we were in serious trouble. I looked to see that compared to the bright colors that Ironshod Firearms has, this one was duller like somepony abandoned this room. There was some metal that rusted which I find weird considering that metal only rusted if air from outside was penetrating this room, that gave some hope of escaping this room.

Harmony was already on the case when she saw the rusty metal trying to find if there was a secret passageway out of here. As I looked around the room we were in, I see an oversized logo in deeply tarnished bronze. The phrasing was one I was all too familiar with:

IRONSHOD FIREARMS

How do you like them apples?

I snickered there. It felt good to read and imagine that in Applejack’s voices. It bought many fond memories of her. The room we were in had a broken-down terminal that was surprisingly still working, a safe, and many others hunk of junk this room had. Harmony had given up looking for our exit for now and decided to open the safe, then the terminal later. I decided to look for the exit as she was doing her thing. I heard a click from the safe being unlocked as she was checking through it, “Ugh, rubbish! Nothing here would be helpful to… Oh will you look at that?”

I went to the safe as she pulled out two odd hoof-strapped arcane-tech devices. It looked like they were meant to interface with the PipBuck I have. I slid it on the first one on my PipBuck as it analyzed the contraption.

StealthBuck. Invisibility Spell. One charge

Our luck was rolling on our side today!

The other one was rather interesting. The shape of it suggested that a spherical object had to be put on it for it to work. I slid on that as well letting my PipBuck analyze it.

Recollector. Allows access to memory orbs.

This one baffled me. I asked Harmony what a recollector does and she happily answered that question, “That’s easy! A recollector allows viewing of the memory orbs such as your own or others. They extract your memory and put it into a spherical orb. Unicorns can gain access to the orbs by simply using telekinesis on them. For pegasi and earth ponies however they need a recollector to access the memory orbs. Kind of like a bank.” That caught my interest there. I wonder if I could find such memory orbs from other ponies…

As I continued looking for the exit, Harmony proceeded to the terminal. I putted a hoof over my ear as I tried to see if the wind might give it away. Immediately, I heard some rustling from behind a wall. I went closer to it putting an ear on it. Eureka, I heard the sound of a gentle breeze from outside. I unsheathed my sword again and cut through the wall. Harmony jumped from surprise as the wall collapsed making a resounding thud. She scowled wondering how come she never noticed that while she was looking. All I did was shrug much to my amusement.

Harmony was aborting the terminal a few times to prevent herself from getting locked out. As she continued to crack at the terminal, the terminal opens and she delivered a squeak of joy that probably would rival those I’m familiar with. I went to her side as we discovered a mess of very old notes and messages. In addition, the terminal here had the ability to shutdown all of the guard bots. We rolled our eyes, thanking the universe for giving us this when were running from said bots themselves.

Harmony decided to leave finding nothing worth value in this terminal. I came forth and asked the terminal to open the display case. Doing so prompted a message from a mare I knew. Harmony came to my side upon hearing the message.

Is this thing working? If it isn’t, Ah going to have to report this. Hey y’all, been awhile since Ah last heard from ya gals. How are y’all doing? Remember the Righteous Crusaders Ah gave y’all? Ah hope you kept them well preserved.

I putted my hoof over one of them. Clearly one of them slipped out of their possessions, but who though is the question. The message pretty much answered that question.

If y’all did, yay because Ah lost mine. Sucks ain’t it? Ugh, this blows, Ah hope Ah can find the damn thing. Anyway, Ah’ve been keeping this a secret between just the three o’ us but there’s something very special about them pistols Ah gave you. Ah got the schematics about it an’ Ah did not want them in the wrong hooves. Who knows how much Discord it would cause… Heh, me and mah cheesy puns. Honestly, Ah doubt we’ll live through this war. It’s getting worse by the second and Ah do not have the patience fer waiting. Ah’ve decided t’ save the schematics in this ‘ere terminal due t’ obvious reasons. Ah really wish we can live our last moments together. If anyone beside my three friends finds this, y’all better be on the winning side ‘ere! Find them the other Righteous Crusaders an’ depending on y’all mood ya can create the weapon Ah’ve made fer those three and put it t’ good use. Please, Ah want t’ be together and finding those three is mah only hope that we’ll always be together. They’re mah most irreplaceable friends and Ah want us t’ be together in spirit. Well, that’s wraps this up. See y’all soon!

I looked at Harmony whose eyes were welling up with tears for a moment. I went and wrap three wings around her comforting her, “I heard about the three heads of Stable-Tec but I didn’t know that they were going through this kind of crisis, reminds me a lot of my brother lately…” Poor Harmony, I put a hoof on her shoulder.

As we stood there for awhile, the schematics that she promised appeared. Harmony looked upon it very baffled was this weapon was. Me, I was deafly silent. No… No way… Apple Bloom you did not… *WHAT!?***

Harmony looked at me noticing that I was stone cold upon seeing the schematics. She waved a hoof in front of my face. I shook my head upon that action, “You okay Zodiac? You spaced out on me there…”

I put my hoof on my head rubbing it like I was in serious pain, “Yes Harmony… I’m fine.”

“You don’t sound fine to me Zodiac.” I am being awkward there aren’t I? Regardless, I looked at the schematics one more time trying to assess whether what I’m seeing was true or not. The design, the workings of the weapon, the destructive power, sure enough, Apple Bloom achieved the impossible. Harmony looked at the design still baffled, “I’ve never seen a weapon with this kind of design before. What is it? Do you know Zodiac?”

Again, I was deafly silent. I did answer her question though about it, “Yeah, I know this weapon.”

That raised a few question from Harmony herself, “What? But I thought that this was kept secret from any outside sources, how do you know what it is?”

“Let’s just say that rumors began to spread about it.” I lied. In truth, this weapon was already known to me thanks to my past. Technology like that was kept a secret for fear of what the enemy might do with it. Very understandable considering how destructive it was.

Why did you think that Equestria kept itself to medieval weapons slowly growing until they wanted to release this at the right moment? I do have to give props to Apple Bloom and Applejack herself. That probably took a lot of trial and error to create this weapon. I uploaded the schematics into my PipBuck while erasing the data from the terminal so that no one finds it and uses it for evil intents.

She saw the data being deleted. She could only sigh seeing the work being deleted in front of her, “Sad to see that gone, even though it’s in your PipBuck.” She gazed at the PipBuck of mine (Again, I still think she deserves it better than me) before shifting her attention to me. She still wanted her question answered despite her bewilderment, “Hey, you still haven’t answered my question. What was that weapon?”

I stopped for a moment then looked at her. My look made her back away a bit terrified of seeing my expression. I softened a bit, knowing that she wanted it answered. I only told her a part of it not wanting to tell her the full truth about it, “I can’t go into specifics Harmony, but what I will tell you is that this weapon was known to be powerful beyond any ordinary weapon. Probably even more powerful than the balefire bombs that wrecked both Manehatten and Canterlot, at least that’s what I think...”

She was clearly terrified of hearing such a weapon. How can I blame her? She wanted to ask more questions about but I put a hoof over her mouth. She pushed eyed me as I put my hoof away from her mouth. She spat on the floor as she wiped her mouth. I did not want to tell her about it for fear of the enemy knowing it, “No more questions about it okay? I don’t want the enemy finding this out if I happen to tell you this right now. Who knows if they gain the knowledge by simply extracting the memory from your head?” She was beginning to see the picture now seeing that learning it right now could be bad news for them.

I smiled hearing that we are in agreement with the weapon at hand, er hoof... Damn it, I still got the races of hands and hooves mixed up! I did want to tell her it but not right now, “Listen, I know you’re curious so how about this? When we are confident that enemies will not know about this, I’ll tell you what this weapon is capable of?”

Her eyes gleamed at learning such knowledge but she quickly disagreed there, “As much as I want to know, I’ll pass, but thank you Zodiac.” I smiled as we double checked the whole room just in case. Having done with the search, we both left the room through the secret passage way. She still grumbled over the fact that I found it easily while she didn’t. I chuckled and we continued on to find Epsilon.

==========

We managed to get out of the passage and outside the complex of Ironshod Firearms. I checked on my PipBuck as it pointed us to the general direction of where Epsilon’s PipBuck supposedly is. After the little adventure we had in Ironshod, we were fairly confident that we can handle it now. Not over confident though, that would be a bad idea.

I got onto the radio channel on my PipBuck to see if there was any news at the moment. So far, nothing from DJ Pon3 as of yet except for music which was somewhat soothing and has a bit of sorrow mixed in there. I was kind of hoping that she might have news that might help but otherwise nothing as of late. I looked at Harmony seeing if she was faring well. She was being her usual self meaning that she was handling the problem well or so I think.

We walked for a long while getting to our destination. I was lucky to have some fresh water here instead of the radiated water. She took a sip of water satisfied with the amount she drank. As we were at the halfway point to our destination, my PipBuck was alerting us of some activity going on.

We hid under some cover as I checked my E.F.S. There was… a lot of red. She saw it too and was a bit shocked to see that many reds. I check ahead to see a lot of slavers and slaves alike at one area. That was not reassuring for me. And sure enough it held true to the location.

I looked at Harmony who was clearly tense seeing the slaves like this. She looked at me and asked a question, “Are you thinking about it?” I looked at her trying to understand why she asked that question. She asked it again this adding more to it, “Are you thinking about rescuing them? I know you enough that you’d be willing to do so…”

She’s got a point right there. I looked back at slave camp eyeing any important details that may help. So far the buildings looked rickety looking they could collapse with enough weight. Even the reinforcing proved fragile. Many ammo boxes everywhere. Having seen enough of the camp, I looked back at Harmony. This was her decision, as much as I want to save them, I wanted to know if she agreed with me or not decision, “I want to yes, but Harmony, this is your decision.”

She looked back at me and then back at the slave city. A smile formed on her face as she returned her attention to me, “Let’s free some slaves…” Harmony, you have no idea how much am I proud of you, “But…” Damn it, she had to use that word… “How do we rescue them?” She pointed a hoof at the town seeing the condition of it. At least this question has a point with the usage of that word.

We both stared at the city for some time thinking of a plan to set the slaves free. I heard and saw Harmony facehoof, “I am such an idiot!” I looked at her quizzically wondering why she said that. She gave me an eye of deviousness as she looked at me, “I’m going to need you to be my slave for this to work.” I backed away from the now mischievous mare, oh dear this can’t be good.

==========

I can’t believe I signed myself up for this… I was as she said herself, a slave in chains and shackles (Where did she get the chains and shackles?) following the master. Ugh, I still did not like me playing the role of a slave even if we are doing this to free the slaves actually captured. I kept my head down hoping to not get the slavers attention.

We were nearing the gate of the town when one of the guards noticed the both of us. A brown-coated stallion walked forward seeing Harmony, “Halt! I’ve never seen a slaver like you? Who are you?” The other guard, a mare to be exact, was next to the stallion looking at Harmony.

I heard a light chuckle from Harmony. Both readied and aimed their guns at her ready to shoot her. Harmony just what are you trying to do here? She eyed them both as she pulled on the chain as I was lurched forward. Ouch, did that hurt... “I’m here on transport to Fillydelphia, my transport got ambushed and me and this slave are the only one’s alive.”

The guards still had their guns locked onto her but they did look back at each other contemplating on letting Harmony in. They looked at her and me one last time before they lowered their weapons seeing that I was a pegasus. They chuckled seeing me in this condition, “Well what do ya know! A pegasus enslaved now that’ll be the day!” They kicked me hard as I fell on y back clutching my body in pain. They laughed as I looked at Harmony. Her expression was still as hard as steel but underneath all that, she was concerned for me, “Alright we’ll let ya in, but we’re going to check if yer are what’cha said. Follow us…” She gave a rather creepy smile as she was led by the two guards. The gates opened forth as the four of us entered the town. Everywhere I looked I saw the expression of the many slaves here.

Some looked to be malnourished as I can see their ribcages on their skin, their expressions showing only the loss of hope. They looked upon me with a sad expression seeing yet another joining in their torture. As sad as it was to see them like this, I kept my best expression of being mournful as possible. The sound of chains and shackles clanking with another and the occasional cracking sound of a whip was tormenting my very psyche.

The guards showed us to a prison where more slaves were gathered. The sounds of groaning were piercing my ears. So many of them here, it was… damn it, I still disliked the idea of being enslaved right now, “Alright now you two stay, we’ll go check up to see if you are a slaver or not.”

After they left and closed the door, I saw Harmony’s expression soften a lot as she returned to her helpful persona. She pulled some keys for the shackles binding me, “Sorry for all of that, hate the ponies that treat the pegasi race like trash.”

“You don’t hate the pegasi race?” I found that surprising for both me and Harmony. I still did not understand why were the pegasi so outright hated upon the people here.

She shook her head in denial, “I may hate them, but I don’t hold onto a two hundred year old grudge with them. What’s the point of it anyway?” I smiled seeing that someone doesn’t hold onto something as petty as an unsolved mystery for me.

I looked at her as she was getting to unbinding me, “Say, I’ve never ever seen you like that before when I was roleplaying as a slave. Tell me, what did you do there?”

Her face was blushing a bit from hearing that question, “Oh… um, I had to… kick in my other persona there.” Her other persona? Apparently my body language was noticeable as she answered the question, “It’s my other me, the kind when I get serious. I think my cutie mark might explain that for me.”

Her cutie mark in question was a heart with one side black and the other white with music notes of the sides respective color floating. To be honest, it does kind of answer my question but another came in place. What was her special talent to gain a cutie mark like that? I can probably guess singing if the music notes mean anything but I’ll have wait on that.

The slaves in the jail cells noticed Harmony unbinding me from my shackles. The chains fell to the ground and I was able to move freely. Goodness, never in my entire life did I realize how good was it to move your wings a lot even if it was only a tiny movement. Okay, returning back to the task at hand, I turned to see the slaves eyeing me.

I moved to their direction in front of the jail cell. They saw my sword and their first instinct was to back away from me. Figures, they think I’m an executioner. I stood where I was and extended a hoof for them to grasp onto. I decided to let them do what they believe is right. One of the slaves noticed and was looking at me. I stood there with a smile as bright as the Sun (at least enough for them to perceive me as friendly). I heard the sound of clanking metal as she came close to me eyeing me cautiously. As soon as her hoof touched mine, I was still bearing my smile.

I looked at her two front forelegs to see shackles binding them. Harmony was already on her way to helping the other slaves, healing and helping them up from the chains. I looked at the slave who was touching my hoof. Her eyes were pleading, calling me to free them. I obliged as I lifted up the chains. I unsheathed my sword and again was scaring the slaves including the one I was holding onto the chains.

I put a hoof on her head trying to comfort her as I calmed her down. She opened her eyes seeing my sword down and my hoof on her head. As her body calmed itself, I pulled my sword to me and above the chains, slashed at them, cutting through the chains. The metal went taut as some of the metal pieces fell to the ground making a clanging noise. The female slave, seeing what I did, looked at her hooves first before rushing to me and hugging me, “T-Thank…you kind sir...never has my hope been restored… like this…thank you…” I comforted her as her tears streamed down her face.

Other slaves who saw that went forward showing their shackles to me. I let go of the mare as she backed away allowing me to cut the others free. After cutting nine chains and them thanking me for staging a rescue, I gestured Harmony to come here and help these slaves out. I went to check out the slaves Harmony was helping and they too revealed the shackles to me. The same thing happened and we have managed to free some slaves but not all of them.

I looked through the window checking to see if the same guards were coming back. I did indeed see them coming back and that made me worried, “Harmony, might want to be quick because those guards are coming back!” She heard my response as she came to the window. Most of the slaves were panicking about the situation. An idea came to me but we had to be quick about this, “Harmony I got an idea but we need to calm the slaves fast!”

She nodded in agreement and went to calm the slaves as best as possible. I looked upon the chains and shackles on the floor. Ugh I am going to hate myself but at least I can loosen them enough for me to strike them down. I put them back on as Harmony managed to calm them down. I looked to see the guards coming within the vicinity. I had no time to tell Harmony my plan!

I poked her back motioning to the two guards coming in. She fell silent as I went to a corner roleplaying as a slave. I was sitting down on the floor and drooping my head as they had arrived to the door with Hamony in front of them. My one eye was opened seeing the conversation, “Well, we were supposed to have a transport here according to the schedule, if you are indeed from it, then I guess you are qualified as a slaver.”

They turned to look at me. Again they kicked at me at the chest and I was reeling in pain from that, but it was nothing I can take. They snickered seeing me in pain, “Ha, that’s what you get you stupid pegasus. So tell us, how’d you nab something like him?” They turned around as they were speaking with Harmony. Good, that’s give me some chance were I not in pain right now.

I struggled to get up from the aches as I stood up enduring the pain. No sounds were made as Harmony saw me getting up. A smile formed on my face as I pulled on the chains around my forelegs tight. Her eyes widened a bit in realization as he gave me a small smile of her own to match mine. One of the guards caught on to the smile but was too late as I hopped on him and put the shackles on his neck trying to choke him to submission.

The mare reacted and was reaching for a pistol but Harmony reacted as well and tackled the mare down making her drop her weapon. Slaves who were freed saw the opportunity of what we were doing and joined in. Obviously, the guards were outnumbered and were overwhelmed easily.  That was two down, how many left though? Never thought that the StealthBuck I have would help today. I opened the door slowly seeing the outside perimeter of the building we were in. No sign of guards coming in, good. I looked at Harmony who was binding the struggling guards with their own shackles. Heh, irony at its finest, “I’m going to go out and scout the place, never thought the StealthBuck would come in handy now…”

The guards stopped resisting as Harmony knocked them out cold. She looked at me with a sorrowful expression, “What? They deserved it for kicking you just because of your race. I don’t like seeing the pegasi race being hated just because of what happened two hundred years ago…they need to let go of the stupid grudge.”

True to her namesake, I can’t believe I found a good friend like her so easily. Suspicious I know but I can’t help but not like her somewhat for her morals if they are a bit skewed. I smiled as my head comes a few inches out of the door checking out my surroundings to see if any guards above or in front of me might pop up.

Seeing no incoming guards, I looked at the slaves and Harmony one more time before leaving. The town is relatively small but I can never tell what goes on. I heard the sounds of whips cracking the air as the sounds of groaning slaves came forth. Guess I know where to go first. I followed the sound of the whip to the central area of the town.

I hid behind a wall next to a window. I looked out through the window seeing where most slaves but all slavers gathered. Okay managing to find the rest of the slaves and where all the slavers checked. Not how do I deal with this? Obviously I could be wrong about all slavers being here, but the town is small and I doubt there’s much area in front of me to be used.

Getting off-topic here, I looked around the area scanning for anything of importance. Like what me and Harmony noticed, the structure here was rather weak, just one well-placed buck could tumble the buildings the slavers took refuge in. Guess I got my plan though I’m worried if the slaves will get caught in the debris.

My mind went into overdrive as I went to see the chances of it hitting the slaves. Wait, nobody said there’d be math! Ah whatever, I calculated the chances of the slaves being caught, from the height of the building to the power of the buck to the direction of the falling debris, my mind was going through a moment of intellectual craziness. A smile formed on my face as I finished my thought process. Okay, the chance of the slaves there getting caught would be around a ninety percent chance of nada so I got my plan then.

I felt a tap of a hoof on my back. Oh dear God, please tell me I did not get caught so quickly! I slowly turned around to look at the eyes of Harmony. Not scary in the least but that caught me by surprise, “Harmony? What are you doing here? Aren’t you supposed to be with the slaves?”

She put a hoof over her mouth chuckling a bit, “Oh I am Zodiac, they’re right behind me…” She moved out of my way and turned with a hoof outstretched showing the slaves or rather, freed ponies standing behind her.

While I will admit that seeing them there is interesting, it begged one question, “Why are they all here?” I was looking at Harmony as I asked that question giving her a questionable gaze.

One of the slaves went to answer the question. The freed slave in question was the same mare that reached out for my hoof and hugged me after I cut the chains, “We’re here because we want to help…we want to make the slavers here pay for what they did.” Okay, that did not help me much. As much as I can understand why, I did not want them to senselessly kill them.

I looked at Harmony who eyes were pleading to let them do what they wanted to do. I let out a sigh as I looked at the freed slaves, “Alright, just don’t kill please… I know that they deserve such a fate but…” I turned my attention away from all of them looking at the slaves caught, “Once you do so, it will forever stay with you for the rest of your lives.”

I felt two hooves on my shoulders. I looked to see both the freed mare and Harmony smiling to me as they nodded in agreement to my plea. I returned their smile back. The mare in question tapped her head with her hoof. Apparently ponies here like to tap their heads if they ever forget something important, “I almost forgot, what are your names so we can remember them?”

Both me and Harmony looked at each other before shifting our attention to her still bearing our smile, “I am Zodiac, and this mare and friend here is Harmony.”

Many of the slaves whispered to one another once our names got announced. I hope news of my actions wasn’t being spread being so quickly. They stopped whispering many of them nodding their heads in agreement and looked at us with smiles. The mare leading them extended a hoof, “Welcome Zodiac and Harmony, Crescent Moon at your service.”

I grabbed her hoof and shook it. As introductions got pass with each of the freed slaves, I wanted to know a bit more about Crescent Moon but that would have to wait until this town is liberated.

==========

I had explained the plan with the freed slaves and Harmony. Now all they had to do was wait it out until I gave my signal. That signal, being obvious, is the falling building. I had already gone ahead and was behind the building where the slavers are inside. Inside the building, I picked up sounds that I’d wish I didn’t hear.

Ignoring the sounds, I looked at the building seeing the structural collapse coming at any moment. I looked to see if any of the captured slaves have moved from their original position. Seeing them in the exact spot as I recalled, I decided to initiate the plan. I tapped the building once and saw the building sway a bit from that one touch. I turned around and delivered a solid buck to the building. The force of the buck was enough to send the whole building to collapse on itself as debris fell on the slavers inside.

They saw the collapsing building and ran out of the building in time before it fell on top of them. Slaves both caught and freed saw that. A roar of the slaves freed came forth as they charged at the slavers that escaped. I joined them trying to cripple the few slavers quickly before they withdrew their guns.

Many of the captured ponies were being freed by Harmony. As soon as they got freed, they joined their fellow mates and tried to take down the slavers. I saw Crescent Moon dispatching their weapons as they fell to the surge of the slaves they commanded.

I heard a sound of a gunshot as I turned around see more slavers coming in the direction. Many of the slaves seeing that hid away from the weapons wanting to not be caught in the crossfire. I charged at the slavers as they focused fire at me. Comparing to the raiders I fought before, these at least were good with their weapon of choice as I did get a few bullet wounds.

From the rooftops of one of the buildings, I saw Crescent jump off and land on top of one of the slavers by surprise. Many who saw that switched their targets onto her. That gave me a small opportunity as I quickened myself to close the gap between her and me. I heard gunshots as Crescent dodged the incoming fire and charged at the one shooting her first. Other slavers not focused on her were shooting at me.

She’s rather athletic and quick I’ll give her that. I dodged a few shots as I closed the gap pouncing on one of the slavers. I aimed at the forelegs crippling him from using his weapons. Crescent dispatched those using battle saddles as she removed some of them with brute strength and punched them on the face.

Getting off the slaver I pounced on, I ducked under incoming fire as they opened fired. I leaped forward as they begun reloading landing on their heads. Enough force was put into the hits to render them unconscious. A sound of clanking metal reached my ears as I looked below the both of us. Both me and Crescent reacted quickly as we tried to get out of the blast radius of the grenades.

The grenades exploded behind us as we were pushed forward, our backs hurting from the explosion. My ears were ringing as my vision was getting blurry from the intensity of the boom. Filius canis, I hate grenades so much. In my dazed stupor, I heard a barely audible sound of a gun readying itself as it reloaded.

My body was still hurting from the grenades and I couldn’t tap into S.A.T.S with a hurting body. I look to Crescent’s direction and she two was struggling to move. My vision and hearing was slowly returning as I heard a gunshot. To my amazement and horror, the slaver did not fire. I looked to see Harmony holding a lot of guns with her magic and waving a dismissive hoof as freed slaves urged forth on the slavers behind us. Harmony put the guns in her saddlebags as she came for me and Crescent, “You can thank me later for stopping that bullet in time and disarming them as well.” She gave the both of us a smile.

The three of us couldn’t help chuckle a bit from that. She lifted one of my forelegs in the air and wrapped it around her neck as she did the same thing with Crescent, “Oof, you are heavy for an Earth Pony mare Crescent.”

“And yet you’re not arguing that with Zodiac?” We laughed quietly as she carried us away from the fight. I turned my head seeing the slaves getting their wishes as they beat down the ponies they wanted to get their hooves on. Although the beating was brutal, they kept true to their promise and kept them alive albeit with a lot of physical injuries to boot, I hope. I felt my body tucker out as I closed my eyes and fell asleep.

* * * * * *

“Wake up sleepy head!” Ugh, did I have to be woken up by Pinkie Pie of all ponies? Wait… I got out of my bed almost instantaneously seeing the pink bubbly pony hopping in front of me. How did she get in here I will never know…

I smile formed on my face seeing the active pony, “Thank you for waking me up but why did you wake me up anyway?”

Pinkie gasped hearing my question. Okay, why was she gasping about my question? From that gasp, it then turned into her adorable laughter as she looked at me with a big grin and eyes as big as the ball itself. Goodness, how does she do all of this? “Because silly, I just wanted to see you wake up is all! I got to get going and prepare for something important!” She left in a pink blur as I was about to ask another question.

Silly Pinkie Pie, I can never understand her antics well enough. Well at least she did wake me up so there’s something I should thank her for later. Getting out of my bed, I stretched my body letting myself a bit loose as I heard a few sounds of bones popping. Satisfied that I was at least active today, I looked upon my calendar seeing what today’s got in mind for me. A smile formed on my face, seeing that I get to visit Twilight today. I raised my wings up in the air as my horn glowed with magic. Surrounding myself in a magical sphere, I imagined the location of the Golden Oaks Library. As the image became vivid, the sphere around me glowed as my body moved from my home to the front of the library house in seconds.

I lowered my wings seeing the front of the tree library and house. Letting a few breaths out, I knocked on the door. I heard Spike’s voice going through as I heard his footsteps getting louder, “Just a minute!” I heard the door being unlocked as it opened. Spike was relatively surprised to see as he was just about to bow to me. He stopped himself mid-bow there as he chuckled a bit there, “Sorry, habit of mine whenever around Princess Celestia.”

I put a hoof on Spike’s head and rubbed it. He laughed as he put a hand on it and put it down, “No worries Spike, I can understand why it would be normal, so where’s Twilight? I’ve been wanting to chat with her ever since she… ascended shall I say…”

I heard a scream from up above. I moved out of the way as Twilight came crashing down next to me. Oh dear, is she still having trouble flying today? I heard her groaning from the pain as I assisted helping her up, “Thanks Spi--” From seeing me assisting her instead of her number one assistant, she too almost bowed to me before stopping the transition, “Ehehe, sorry about that.”

I did the same thing with Spike to Twilight this time. She just chuckled seeing that I did that, “No worries Twilight, guess Rainbow’s lessons are giving you trouble?”

“Actually, I was practicing myself, I’ve gotten the hang of it, but it’s still difficult to get it right.” I know the feeling there. She eyed me weirdly wondering why I was here. Before long she reacted and almost went into freak-out mode remembering what I was here for, “Oh my Celestia! I forgot that you were coming here today!”

She was about to run back inside and prep herself, but a magical aura surrounded her stopping her in place. Her eyes darted to me as I came forth with a smile, “Tranquillitas teipsum Twilight, don’t start going crazy on me please.”

I dispelled my spell as she did the breathing exercise that Cadance taught her. After calming herself enough, she let out a small embarrassed chuckle, “I almost did it again didn’t I?” I nodded while Spike snickered a bit from me stopping Twilight before she went crazy, “Sorry, you know me Zodiac…”

“I do, now let us chat, I need to be at the terrace of the Canterlot Castle at some time, you know, for a pair of alicorns as patient as they are…they can be annoying when they’ve waited for too long.” Twilight chuckle as she set herself up to begin our chat.

* * * * * *

My eyes opened slowly as I saw a wooden ceiling above me. My eyes darted to different directions seeing that I was alone on a bed. I moved my legs to the left side as I sat up on the bed. I rubbed my face and scratched my head as I gave out a loud yawn. My body twitched in pain as I tried to stretch. Ouch, looks like my body was still recovering from the grenade.

I heard hoofsteps as I turned to see Harmony bringing up some medical supplies up. She saw me sitting with a smile. She returned her smile as she set the medical supplies in her saddlebag and checked my back, “Well looks like your back is recovering well, tell me how was your sleep?”

“Eh been better I suppose…” After she checked out my back and let me move. I stood on all four legs checking if I can at least walk. For the most, save for a few moments of pain, I can walk just fine, “So how’s every freed slave, did they keep my promise?”

I saw Harmony ears droop a bit from that question. Oh dear… “They did, but now they’re out calling for blood upon the slavers… Crescent has been trying to talk some sense into them but it’s not going well.” I let out a sigh hearing this turn of events. I knew that going through this would make anyone hot-blooded but this was making things difficult if this Wastelands moral of kill or be killed was etched into everyone’s minds.

The both of us walked out and to the central area. Already I can hear the screams of the slaves calling out for blood as we neared our destination. I saw all the slavers unconscious and brutally beaten as the freed slaves came to finish the job. I saw Crescent trying to calm the citizenry of its wrath but it was not working well. I looked at Harmony one time before I flew off.

I was over the slaves as Crescent saw me coming. Many of the slaves saw me flying over them. Any were deafly silent for finding out just now that the pony who saved them was a pegasus. Weird, they did not see my wings or something? I landed to Crescent seeing her. Her eyes were sorrowful seeing how much pain was hidden behind them and the slaves, “Zodiac, you saved us and I trust you but…”

Almost in instinct, they were beginning to rant at me for the sheer that a pegasus saved them from their fate. Crescent lowered her head seeing this coming. I only gave a smile to her as I put a hoof on her chin as raised it to my face, “Do not worry, this is something I can handle well.” I looked at the slavers seeing the condition. Looks like Harmony was generous enough to heal them as well.

Shifting my attention to the slaves, they were beginning to get a bit vulgar in their rants almost to the point of being stupid in their language. I just shook my head in shame for the fact that despite the fact that I rescued them, they cannot let go of a simple grudge. Harmony was right, ponies here will not let go no matter what. Funny, it kind of reminds of my Equestria…

I let the insults continue as I carried the slavers to my back. One insult however got to me as I stopped still, “You’d murder and banish your own kind and family just to keep your paradise!” I was silent. Was that true? The pegasi would literally banish and then kill their own race, their own kindred, just to be in paradise? Crescent saw me absolutely still. She was smart and backed away from me as far as possible because my blood was boiling right now.

Vivid memories of my past resurfaced as I slowly put down the slavers and slowly walked back to the entrance of the building that collapsed. I did not like remembering my past at all, not now, not ever again, but there are times where it would resurface and I’d have to deal with it again. I looked over the slaves, my eyes burning with hatred from that insult. Many who looked into my eyes although were deafly silent, still barraged me with insults. One stomp on the ground and the ground reverberated from the impact. That made many of the slaves quiet as they eyed me. I did not want to wait any longer, I got to the point, “I can deal with insults fine, but I heard one insult that sent my blood boiling and I want to be certain. Is it true? Would the pegasi banish and kill their own kind just to be left in peace?”

Many went still seeing that I asked that question. My blood was still boiling yet I never became angry or was calling out for blood. No I was calm and I wanted to be certain and their silence was almost close enough of an answer. Harmony came forth to answer my question. She looked terrified seeing my calm yet resolute fury. She let out one deep breath as she answered, “Yes, Zodiac that is true. They are called the Enclave and they would do that to those who help the slaves and ponies in trouble on the ground here or are traitors in general.”

So I finally found out what is this Enclave now. My body went limp yet my rage still lingered. I wanted to vent my rage on something, but it was not so easy to do so. Whether by verbal or physical release, I had to let go of the festering hatred inside me. I turned around seeing the rubble of the building I bucked down. Every slave and friends was silent seeing me walk to the center of the rubble and stop there as I stood there for Gods know how long.

My mind was thinking of the pegasi killing their own families, their own kind, without remorse. Just the thought of them doing all of that was…unbearable. I raised my head to the sky and let out a scream to the heavens and laid waste to the already destroyed building. As Crescent got the slavers away from my rage-induced destruction, many ponies were shocked to see a pegasus like me react this way from discovering what the pegasi would do. It changed many of their minds that I was one of those Enclave ponies.

My wrath still continued growing as I laid waste to the building tossing wood, breaking down some railings, and destroying concrete. The rage continued unabated for so long until I stopped and lie down on the floor letting a few tears escape. This is just not fair. Why did the pegasi have to go that far off the old Equestrian ways just to keep their so-called peace? Why…? Why…?! Stupri gehenna! WHY!?

This was just too much for me to bear! I stomped on the floor each hit getting weaker as the rage is slowly dissipating until it was gone and I was left a weeping wreck of my former confident self. I felt two hooves on my shoulders. I looked to see both Crescent and Harmony trying to comfort me. Looking to the slaves, they too wanted to comfort as they were around me.

I’m a crybaby I acknowledge that as of now, but perhaps it was best to shed my tears here. I pulled the two under my wings as I let the tears fall slowly from my face, “I… I just don’t get it… why would they do that…to their own kindred…just…why?” The answer to that question may never be answered…

==========

After that moment of anger and grief subsided, the slaves who originally were calling out for blood and ranted about me being a pegasus, were in deep thought of my reaction to the Enclave and decided to spare the slavers if only because of my reaction.

Me and Harmony were heading out when Crescent came to see us leave. She was tired from the running but was smiling at us, “I know I said this once before, but I’m going to say it again, thank you for rescuing all of us you two. I’d never thought to have a second chance at life ever again.” Her smile was something I might never forget in a long while, “We’re going to be leaving town and for somewhere safe, I just wanted to tell you two that.”

That caught us off guard if only a little bit. We don’t know Crescent a lot so I was doubtful on her being able to lead the slaves to somewhere. Harmony mimicked my thoughts in her question, “Why would you leave this town, you could use this to your advantage. To leave it would be a waste right?”

Crescent Moon was a bit down hearing that. Her reasoning for leaving came forth when she answered, “As much as I would love to stay behind and use this town, I can’t. More slavers might come here and you know that it’s risky to stay should they come. We all agreed to leave town for now and try to relocate elsewhere, maybe Tenpony Tower if they allow us.” She continued her smile as her breathing was beginning to normalize, “Should we end up having enough forces, then we might try to take it back, but otherwise, we’re leaving.”

My mind was processing on whether this was the best plan of action or not. I can understand the concept and it making sense to an extent. I looked at Harmony wondering if she agreed to the idea or not. She eyed me and nodded her head in agreement. I looked back at Crescent and smiled, “Alright looks like we both agree. I do wish you a safe journey.” We were both turned around and were ready to leave before something came to my head, “Oh and before I forgot, the next time we meet, I want to know you full Crescent Moon.” I winked at her as we both left the town and continued on our journey. Things went very well for the two of us yet… why am I dreading the next moment?

==========

Who would have thought that the immense feeling of dread I felt before would end up being true? We neared the destination of where Epsilon’s PipBuck is. Looking at Harmony; she had been tenser than before when we were nearing the destination. It was worrying me little by little. My PipBuck was beeping loudly as I was looking ahead. Checking on my PipBuck, there was some red ahead of us.

I showed Harmony and almost immediately tensed up even more. I’m beginning to get a foreboding feeling of dread overcome me when she finally talked, “I…I don’t want to go on ahead, maybe we should go away from the red?” In this case, I am very inclined to agree with. We did not have time to deal with more trouble than we bargained for. We turned around and were ready to leave before voices came forth, “Well, well, what do we have here?”

I looked up seeing more slavers. Oh come on! We had to run into more of them now? I pushed Harmony back a bit away slowly as more slavers came and noticed the two of us. I could probably a few rounds but the ammo was rare and I wanted to conserve it. I can’t charge at them quickly enough. Even if I did, others may catch up and we’d be surrounded in no time. My thought process was interrupted by the slavers chatting with one another, “Well will ya look at, a pegasus that will soon t’ be a slave. I’d say this is a sweet for me but somepony else already got dibs on the pegasus… Isn’t that right…Harmony?”

What? Did I just hear that right? I looked at Harmony who was sweating like crazy hearing that. Seeing her like this was enough of an answer that what that slaver said was true. But… she helped me freed slaves, that can’t be true… I was looking at Harmony’s eyes; they were desperate to deny the claim, “Harmony… please tell me honestly… are…you a slaver?”

She looked away immediately her own eyes tearing up from the knowledge being known to me. I stood as time felt like it slowed down. Her body language, the way she was reacting, all of them were telling me that yes, she was a slaver true to it all. I was deafly silent seeing her and myself like this.

She was guilty of not telling me as I can tell from her holding back her emotions in check. I too was still. I looked at one more time before she did what she wanted to. She pulled up a stick and looked at me her eyes welling in tears, “I…am so sorry Zodiac, I truly am…” That apology was the only I remember before I meet the blunt end of a stick.

==========

I woke up from that hit to find myself in a carriage. I look everywhere to find Harmony alongside some ponies carrying me in the said carriage. She took all of the gear I had with the exception of my sword (Preparation at its finest) and the PipBuck as they were still strapped on me. I looked to see that they were talking thinking that I was still knocked out, “He sure is a mighty fine stallion you got there Harmony, never thought he would trust you so easily.”

She was very much silent, she did not want to acknowledge that I was in the carriage or even think of me being betrayed right there. I tried to stand up and talk to her but my four hooves were shackled to the floor of the carriage. The metals clanked and all three heard it. Harmony gave one glance at me before turning away from me, her eyes still wishing it never came to this. Her other slavers on the other hand were rough with me, “Well looks like the pretty pegasus woke up.” He spat on my face when he finished.

I was silent not wanting to argue back. I was too broken to hear that Harmony was a slaver, yet her reaction to her discovery was of genuine shame not of joy. In that moment, I wanted to reach out for her and ask why is she doing this, but I didn’t want to do it in front of them. I looked at her after she looked away asking them where were they taking me. It was a repeat of the last time I went through this except this time I was not going to escape so easily, “Are you three taking me to Appleloosa?”

They looked at me, back at each other, then back at me not laughing though they still had that cold stare. Harmony answered that question for me. She was clearly regretting putting me in this situation as her voice was trembling, “No… we… aren’t taking you to Appleloosa…” That perked my ears, Not taking me to Appleloosa? Then where? She answered that question again still regretful of my situation, “We’re taking you… somewhere else. Originally we were planning to take you to Fillydephia, but we changed our mind and… we’re taking you somewhere else.”

I looked away from her eyes for a sec pondering about all of this before asking another question, "What truly happened to your brother?"

She continued walking but her mind seemed to wanted to find a way to answer that question, "I…I don’t know truly... as the war intensified, he joined the army leaving me behind." I was distraught hearing that. She was not finished with her statement though, "He promised to reunite with me when after the war ended, but... they sent me a letter telling me that he was considered M.I.A."

Her brother was missing in action? But then, the war… "How are you still alive? Shouldn't you be dead considering the years?"

"During the war, I volunteered to be of one of the ponies to help in the war effort after I received the letter." From the way she looked she did not look happy to remember it at all, "Apparently it was a project that the Ministry of Arcane Science was getting ready to do. It allowed extended lifespan to ponies by putting them into a state similar to that of petrification."

I was a bit silent for myself, extending a ponies lifespan through something similar to petrification? From the ministry doing it, I can clearly tell that Twilight was the head of that one. While petrification was a bad way to face fate, it does have its perks such as a pony not aging and if one can unpetrify them, then it has its advantages, "And did it work out as expected?"

She gestured the other two to go on ahead. They went ahead as she requested. She stopped pulling the cart for now as she looked at me, "It did, but only one pony lived through it..." I did not even need to guess who the one pony that succeeded was, "I was left alone, I wanted to find my brother but… I didn’t want to give up all hope but the amount of chaos the war did, it pained me to think that my brother may no longer be alive even with your PipBuck."

I stared at my PipBuck seeing the connection, "From there on out I had to take care of myself, I wanted to stay alive for my brother’s sake, I’d know him enough to hate me see me crying to sleep knowing that he was gone." I didn't bother to look at her as she looked at me, "Do you… wish to ask any more… questions because I still am allowing you to…" I was silent. She took that as a no and looked away a few tears escaping her eyes, “I truly am sorry to put you like this... please…forgive me…”

I didn’t heed her question only thinking about what they were going to do with me; I checked the data on my PipBuck. Everything that I uploaded into it was still there lucky me. I decided to check out the radio station. It doesn’t help me much but it at least kept me busy. I shuffled through each radio station and heard DJ Pon3’s voice again talking about the usual stuff.

He didn’t give any important news, but he did help ease the pain. He was beginning to finish his part as he started up some music. Despite my current situation, I found some solace in the music chosen. Apparently it was sung by a mare though she was I’ve no clue as I was not able to hear the name of the singer.

Through the lone and lonely nights

To the dark and stormy days

From the mountains to the prairie

For every word I say…

Hearing the words for the first time, there was a hint of joy in the singer’s voice, yet there was also some sadness there as well. The song itself made me want to shed my tears right then and there as it was clearly meant to pull at the hearts of many ponies. The piano and violin didn’t help me at trying to hold back the tears.

No matter what the trouble

No matter what’s at stake

Even if the problem doubles

And I’m not so sure what to make

I’ll have you

Why did DJ Pon3 have to pick this song for me to listen to? It was out of place for his choice of music, but I didn’t care. I wanted to take out my earplugs out but the song pulled me in as soon as it started and I couldn’t resist hearing the rest of the song.

I see you flying over mountains

Leaving obstacles at bay

Living life without no worries

No matter what’s at stake

Your my all, my everything

Exactly what I want to be

One day I will fly up mountain

One day I’ll reach my peak

And I’ll have you

I was so absorbed into the song that I sang along with the mare in question. A few tears were shed but the two slavers didn’t pay attention to me as I quietly sang to the beautiful song. Harmony heard me and joined in my singing.

I looked at her and she looked at me when the song started. Was she truly honest and wanted to be my friend? Her eyes still had traces of tears as she sang. If she was lying about not wanting to be my friend then she was being terrible at it. She truly wanted to be my friend. I… I am so sorry Harmony for ever doubting our friendship.

Listening back to the song, I slowly begun to realize was that this song was made for a pegasus. There were many pegasi sure, but there was only one with wings that don’t function. I surely wondered if throughout this war, those two managed to meet up with each other one more time before they faced their demise. The last lyrics of the song proved that this song was made for her and her role model.

Soaring through the sky with the birds

In the soft embrace of clouds

With my wings stretched to the Sun

The silence roaring loud

In my mind, I’m clearly there

Reaching out to you

I open up my eyes

And I swear I flew

And I had you

Tears were being shed faster than I can hold them back as the song was reaching its conclusion. I truly wonder who the artist that made this wonderful song was. If I should ever find out, I may pay him or her tribute to it because I was weeping like a little colt at this point.

Even Harmony who was singing with me could not hold on to the waterworks as well. I… guess we both needed a song to lighten our pains huh? As the song was reaching its conclusion and we were still singing with it, my body wanted to sleep on me. I did not disobey it as my body went limp close to sleeping peacefully as the song reached its conclusion. I looked at Harmony as she was wiping her tears away.

When night is almost over

To find reality

My wings cannot be yours

But in my dreams

I can fly besides you

Together we can soar

And just ‘til I wake

I’m alone no more

My eyes closed on me as went into a peaceful sleep knowing that more trouble will brew again once I’m awake again. I was ready to face the challenges that this damn world is going to give me, and by then, it will have a hard time to break me. And hopefully, I can rekindle my friendship with Harmony once again.

For I have you…

Footnote: Level Up.

Zodiac:

New Perk: Sisters at Heart - After hearing the song bought up by DJ Pon3 you have been enlightened with the pains of the world and are ready. When critical, your defense will increase by 99%

Naturia Harmony has left your side...

Chapter IV: Truth or Ideals

Chapter IV:Truth or Ideals

To choose between the truth or ideals of a single pony, sometimes it's best to pick neither of them...

Glorious day for me to go crazy…

I was suddenly woken up with pain on my head as the wagon was getting very rickety from a bumpy ride. Rubbing my head, I looked ahead to find we were nearing our destination. My PipBuck named the destination we were heading for, Baltimare. The city was worn down from age and comparing that to other cities that seemed to have collapse, this city looked rather untouched by the ravages of war.

As we begin to pass through the front gates, the guards check up on their new addition to the slave pit. Of course, they ranted to Harmony. She explained well enough about why she can’t pull the sword from me. She didn’t mind the idea of leaving it with me though as she shot a small smile at me. I returned it in secret.

This was leading to some hilarious moments again… One of the guards removed the belt around my sword as he pulled it away. He was beginning to mock on Harmony until it dematerialized from his mouth and back to my side. Both of us chuckled seeing their reaction from that. The other guard tried as well and the same thing happened. Unlike the last slavers I had to deal with, they realized fairly quickly that they weren’t able to keep it away from me. Deciding to leave it be, they put hoofcuffs on me. They didn’t want any nasty things happening around me with a dangerous weapon and she pulled the carriage inside.

Outside, you would rarely notice it but when you get inside it tells a different story. There were many slaves hanging around Baltimare. Apparently, here it was a mining town as I see a large pit with slaves working on the mining probably days until they gave out or died. Many landmarks of the city were broken down, such as a plaque foretelling the creation of Baltimare, to the Baltimare hospital known to treat soldiers during the war or at least I think it would have.

Harmony pulled the carriage to the town jail, now being used as a slave holding facility. Guards came by to pick me up from the carriage. They were about to ask about leaving my weapon but seeing the hoofcuffs, they decided to forgo the question, “Come on slave, we don’t have all day.”I looked back at Harmony who waved back at me with a smile and gave a wink. I’ll be honest; I truly want to rekindle our friendship if she is doing this to me. I waved back and went ahead with the guards.

I followed them to the interior of the building. They opened the doors as I walked ahead with them behind me. Looking at the town jail, the inside was eerily clean of gunk. Some of the wood holding the walls were starting to rot but that was the only thing the building has. No stench, no blood stains, no anything to compare it to the outside. It was starting to creep me out. They bought me to my designated cell as I entered it. They closed it as I turned back to look at them, “Tomorrow, your shift starts…” They left me be as they returned to their duties.

The cell I was inside again was eerily clean like the rest making me wonder why keep it clean when you run a slave business. I sat down on the bed as I shuffled through my PipBuck looking for anything to keep me busy for today. Finding only the schematics for the weapon that Apple Bloom somehow took time and effort to make, I decided to drift off into sleep for now. Tomorrow is the big day…

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Why did this have to happen? My name is Naturia Harmony though all of you probably already know this. I did fell into a state of stillness for two hundred years having been a part of the project with the M.A.S. I’d just never thought that not only that I’d be the only one to survive the whole two hundred year sleep but also find the Equestria I remember the same years back to not ever be the same again.

It broke my heart to see the Equestria I knew to be like this. My brother would agree with me that I am for certain. Back to the current situation at hoof, I just got my first friend in this forsaken Wasteland sent to be a slave for his life. You have no idea how much it pains me to get my first friend like Zodiac to be a slave. I had no choice when those two discovered me with him, I wasn’t thinking straight.

That said, after hearing him sing (I’d never thought to find another singer like him…), we both made eye contact and even after what I did he still trusts me. I…I don’t want to ruin our friendship like this. I want to help out somehow but what can I do?

I bet you’re all wondering why I’m a slaver aren’t you? Well, it’s rather complicated but… “Hey! Come over here Harmony and get busy!” Darn it, can’t speak about it right now then, don’t want to rouse suspicion on me. I walked to where the voice was coming. Apparently she was checking on attendance and I was a little bit late there. Not that it matters much here, “You’re late, get going and get those slaves to push the cart; we ain’t got all day here!”

Well, time to kick in my other persona then. I cleared my throat as I let my persona control my actions for now, “Don’t remind about it Whiplash! I don’t need to be told about it or would you like a little chat with Bloodedge here?”

Whiplash as I called her was one of those slavers who would utilize whips. Every slaver uses whips yes but her? She gets a sadistic glee with using hers to the point where I think she might rut with one. Yeah, call me crazy with I said there but I honestly think she does so, “Just because you’re Ace Bloodedge’s second-in-command doesn’t mean you get to boss me around Harms! Now get to it!”

“Tch, fine, but I’m not forgetting this Whiplash…” Whether I managed to intimidate her or not, I got the message delivered. I can hear her grumbling to herself as I got far enough to not hear her. A smile formed on my face from just hearing her grumble. She and I have a bit of a rivalry going though I don’t acknowledge it much.

I went to the mine pits and towards my section. You know that slaves tend to fear their oppressors like what me and Zodiac went through when we rescued that town? Well… let’s just say that I’m not one of those oppressors. As I neared my section which is underground by the way, the slaves who saw me rejoiced in seeing me again, “Miss Harmony is here! The kindest slaver in the Wasteland is here!”

Perhaps I’ve got a bit of explaining to do? Yes, I am a slaver but comparing to others, I’ve earned a title that only Ace Bloodedge and Red Eye himself knows. I did hear that Red Eye took upon someone to take under his guidance, an apprentice I think. I believe his name was Protégé (isn’t that a convenient name?). If it is true that he does have an apprentice like Protégé, then he too would know about my little secret which I don’t mind, he is under Red Eye’s watchful protection and knowing Red Eye, he taught him well.

Anyway back on topic, you heard the slaves call me the Kindest Slaver in the Wasteland right? That title could not be more true to me than to them. I am indeed the kindest slaver you might ever meet probably enough to rival the Head of the Ministry of Peace, Fluttershy, at least in terms of kindness. I give the slaves a well-deserved break should their bodies be at their breaking point, I give them good food within their breaks, and I help them with their injuries so they keep on going. All of this is done in secret so only the two I mentioned (and Protégé, but I’m not so sure if that’s true or not… I’d have to meet with him to believe it otherwise) know about this and they accept it.

I do admit that I find it very suspicious that they’re willing to allow what I’m doing with the slaves of my choice but if they allow it, I’m not arguing. As the slaves cheered died down, I pulled out some of the food I had scrapped giving it to the slaves. One of the slave children came forth and hugged me, “Thank you Miss Harmony! You are the best slaver ever!”

I know that idea of being the best slaver would be a bit misleading but you know now so I suppose it makes sense in a way. I put a hoof on the child’s head rubbing it, “You welcome but don’t say that out loud, we wouldn’t want the other slavers to know and be jealous about it right?” The filly nodded to the question as she returned to her mother.

It’s sad to see children like this at least here, but in Filydelphia they’re away from their parents and in a location where they don’t see all of what’s happening. While that’s nice of Red Eye to seclude them away from all the strife, taking them away from their parents… I don’t like that idea at all. Immediately my thought process by Whiplash screaming, “What is taking those slaves so long Harms!? I ain’t got all day maggot!”

You always say that you dope… I looked at the slaves gesturing them to hurry up and finish their food. Many of them did finish their food and went ahead of me. They acted the part of hating this well thanks to me teaching to do their acting well. By the time all of us were ready to go; I had already kicked on my other persona of mine as I grabbed my whip.

Whiplash was about to scream one more time before she heard the sound of the whip cracking the air as the volunteered slaves came out sluggishly like what they would do. I came out last cracking my whip at them, “Come on you sluggish maggots! Get moving or no food for any of you at all!”

“Harms! What took you so bloody fucking long to get them out!?” She cracked a whip on her slaves as they were struggling to push their cart up. The poor slaves that are not under my jurisdiction, I pity anyone’s life if they were living their lives in this condition.

Getting off-topic here, need to keep up my part of the play, “Blame the fucking slaves here Whiplash, not me you idiot!” I whipped at them, hard enough to draw a bit of blood. Good thing I learned how to utilize telepathy because I was apologizing to them in their minds, I’m sorry for the hard lashing there!

While the slaves were still playing the part on the outside, in their minds, they were laughing with my apology there, No worries miss, this is something we have to deal with, no need to apologize.

My persona was still going strong but my heart was fluttering hearing that remark, Thank you, come on everyone! We can do this, just keep it up! “Come on you fucking faggots, get moving!” Probably was a bit much with my language there but I had to keep going. All the slaves kept on pushing the cart to the best of their abilities as I kept up the façade.

We were the first to push our cart up to the top. The slaves were tired and needed to be healed up but for the most part, we did it. I saw Whiplash coming to our direction. I hope she isn’t going to say a really weird remark, “Harms, you’re needed by Bloodedge’s office stat… ya know he doesn’t like to wait on ya.”

This was rather a bit surprising. I looked back at the tired slaves and secretly gestured them to return back. They did not nod as to avoid being caught in a ruse but they did as I suggested. After they left, I returned my gaze at Whiplash, “Sure I’ll be there then, good luck on yours Whipster.”

That nickname of hers was something she hated being called by. I only use it once a while but I do love to see her reaction every time I call her that, “Don’t call me by that nickname you…!” I had already left the scene and headed for Bloodedge’s office. That sent anger boiling as she was ranting like crazy; you can find fun in the most unexpected of things.

The walk to his office was rather uneventful save for a few sounds of whips cracking the air. I managed to find the building I was looking for. The building in question wasn’t so different from the others. The only noticeable thing about it is the fact that it has guards around so that’s a giveaway.

The guards looking at me moved out of the way and then saluted to me as I entered. I was walking through the doors heading through the main hallway to the office. The lighting was a bit faulty though what would you expect from a building that’s very old? I was in front of the door to the main office. I let out a deep breath as I opened the doors to the office, “Sorry that I’m a bit late sir…”

The chair turned around to reveal a rather young looking pegasus stallion. He was wearing an armor I’m not familiar with. The colors dulled from being aged. He didn’t don a helmet but how should I know if this armor had a helmet to begin with? His coat was a light brown with a white and black mane and tail in a checker pattern. The cutie mark was a sword coated red from the tip almost to the hilt, leaving the remaining white there, “You can relax around me Harmony, do not worry.”

I did indeed relax around him. I can’t help but be tense at times even when I’m around Ace; his metallic wings were probably my main concern. As someone who is decent with tech, I’d say that the wings are amazing. Having been made after he lost his wings during a fight, he couldn’t be able to fly until Red Eye used cybernetics to give him the ability of flight again. Again, Red Eye sure gains some respect from me to give Ace back the ability of flight once again, “Sorry if I were to call you in the most unexpected of times Harmony but I have a question for you.”

My ears perked as I looked at him, “I saw you bringing in a pegasus, one I’ve never seen before during my time in the Enclave. Now you know that I have photographic memory of all current members of the Enclave, so let me ask you, where did he come from?”

I fell silent. I’d never thought where he came from only that he managed to save me from the raiders and I was happy about that, but now that Ace bought it up… I honestly have no idea where he came from. The way he reacted when I told him about the Enclave definitely tells me that he’s not a part of them, “Ace, I have no idea where he came from in all honesty. I just met him after he saved me from some raiders. I owe him my life for saving me…”

Okay, maybe not really, but he saved my life once. I do want to be with him but the ponies here… I don’t want them to suffer at the hooves of a different slaver. I looked at Ace who was scratching his chin possibly pondering upon what I said, “So… this pegasus just happened to save you from the raiders and you asked for his assistance not bothering the fact that he could be a new Enclave?”

I actually expected that question to come from him. He is one to always be certain of things he might have missed, “No sir, he’s definitely not Enclave. A pony from back when I was with him mentioned about what the Enclave did.” I shuddered seeing the rage being held back when I looked into Zodiac’s eyes. Rage formed into a still calmness like that terrified me the minute I begun telling him about the Enclave, “He was very curious about what that pony said and I described to him what the Enclave are. His reaction was something I did not expect from him, one of absolute fury.”

I saw Ace’s ears perked from that. Apparently he caught on to it as well, “He reacted to what he learned with anger? No pegasi would react with rage to the Enclave unless of three things, one would be how I found you in a stasis pod, the other would be that he’s from somewhere not Enclave, and the last is that he’s a Dashite.”

No he’s definitely not a Dashite. I did not see the mark of one on him; I found the possibility of him to be from somewhere else to be more so then the other two, “Ace, I think him being from somewhere else seems more possible than the other two. I mean if he was to be in a pod, he would have been found with me but I was the only one alive within the pods. That and I did not see the mark of a Dashite on him so he’s not a traitor, at least he doesn’t know about the Enclave until now.”

I saw Ace coming out of the chair and walking back and forth. He looked upon a picture of the old days where the Enclave was proud of its tradition and did initially help out the ponies on the ground. When he discovered that they strayed from the old Equestrian ways, he separated himself from the Enclave, “I miss the old days of the Enclave.”

I came up and put a hoof on his shoulder. I looked on his flank seeing the sign of a traitor to the Enclave, the cutie mark of Rainbow Dash. He gave a smile as he returned back to his seat, “I am sorry about that, some fond memories came to me…” I waved a dismissive hoof at him. I did not mind it at all for him to recall memories. He chuckled and we returned back to the topic at hand, “So this pegasus, it seems you have grown a liking to him Harmony.”

I looked away as my face begun to have some traces of red showing up. I heard Ace chuckle again seeing my reaction to the statement. I’d forgotten that he noticed these kinds of things fairly quickly. I let myself laugh a bit, “I guess you could say that…”

A grin appeared on Ace’s face. Oh dear, please tell me he’s not thinking about it right now, “So you admit to liking him what? In an intimate kind of way?”

I looked back at him, my mouth gaping that he would suggest such a thing. I think I might have felt my face gain some new shades of red alongside me being shocked, “W-Why would you suggest that? I-I only like him as a friend!”

“Ho ho ho, oh sure you would…” Ace put me in the most embarrassing situation I could be put in. I covered my face as he continued on; my face getting hotter from this. Please don’t continue this further Ace… That was never answered as he went on, “He has the qualities of a fine stallion just from seeing him. He helped you without needing anything in return, he looks rather handsome if I do say so myself, and he’s has a rather nice charm… I’d say I’m a bit jealous he found you in need of help.”

Oh my goodness, Ace why? I was curling into a ball of embarrassment rocking back and forth on the chair I was sitting on. I can imagine Ace with that devious grin of his etched on his face as he saw rock back and forth. Through my state, I heard him talking, “But enough of that, I think we strayed off the topic now.”

I stopped and sat normally even with my face still blushing from the moment. It took me a while to look at him properly without me going into a ball again, “S-sure what did you need me for?”

“I need you and that pegasus, Zodiac was his name right? Anyway, I need you and Zodiac to check out the Stable we have here.” This request was rather sudden, but a chance to talk it out with him does help me out. I did initially give out a smile before he continued on, “This task will be done by tomorrow and Harmony… if you have knowledge about his life, I suggest you tell some of it to me before we start…” Well, I did gain Ace’s trust and bond of friendship during my stay at Filllydelphia, might as well. Tomorrow is something I don’t want to ruin for me and Zodiac.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I wake up relatively well for the most part. The Sun was shining through the windows as it brightened the cell. I get up scratching my eye as I see two guards waiting for me, “Today is the day slave, you were originally planned to work at the mining pit today but the boss looks interested in you…” Hearing that did not help me in the slightest. They opened the door allowing me to leave. I was still hoofcuffed and compared to the last one, these were well-polished and not rusty. Doubt I can simply brute-strength it this time.

The walk to wherever this boss was went relatively quick as we reached the destination. The building in question was a tall building that didn’t stand out from the others. The only noticeable difference was that this one has guards all over it. The other guards saw me and eyed me cautiously.

The ones that were escorting me were showing me the way to the main office where the boss was supposedly was. Lights were flickering, each one broken from something. They bought me in and left me in the room. The office was rather spacy, there was décor I was familiar with such as the Equestrian emblem, the armor knights used during the medieval times, and much more. Again the room was rather clean creeping me out. Sure it was an office but it still didn’t feel right to see a clean room at all. As I stood there for a while, the ‘boss’ finally spoke, “So you’re finally here…”

The voice was rather young, but clearly had an air of authority to it. The chair turned around to reveal a rather young looking pegasus stallion. He was wearing an old Knights armor (old in this time at least) with colors that dulled from being aged. He didn’t don the helmet to complete the set but he seemed uninterested to wear it. His coat was a light brown with a white and black mane and tail in a checker pattern. The cutie mark was a sword coated red from the tip to almost the hilt, leaving a bit of a white color on the hilt, “I’m here, what do you need of my assistance?”

He pointed to my PipBuck, “That thing you have there allows you to see the enemies’ location and how hostile they are correct?” I nodded. Please tell me it doesn’t involve what I think it is… “I’m going to need some assistance…”

And it does go where I thought it would be, damn it all, “Why me though? Wouldn’t anypony else do it for you mister…?”

“Bloodedge, Colonel Ace Bloodedge…” Well he answered that question for me, “I am one of the high ranking members of Red Eye’s Army assigned here to keep watch of Baltimare. Of course, sooner or later these slaves will rebel in time comparing to Fillydelphia…” He seemed confident about the rebelling despite the few numbers of slaves here. I was more focused on who this Red Eye is.

He stood up and I got to see that he had some cybernetic upgrades to his body with metallic wings. Cybernetics? That’s something you don’t see everyday… “You’re rather silent today…” He looked at his metallic wings noting that I was rather in awe of them, “Impressed by the cybernetics?” I can’t deny and admit that I am impressed with the technology. Seeing this made me want to go through the process if out of morbid curiosity.

He walked up right to my side as he was showing off the cybernetics, “Yes I will admit the process was very painful, but for all its worth, I’m glad to be able to be able to fly again.” Okay, take that back about going through the process if it involves a lot of pain, I’d rather be able to go away from it without pain please. I looked at him still as we walked out of his office, “Come with me…”

During the walk to the destination, I was curious as to why he thought he thought that these slaves will rebel, “Colonel Bloodedge, why do you think the slaves are going to rebel?” He was leading pass the mining pit where a few of the slaves were eyeing me. Did I really draw that much attention? My wings would answer that but they were folded so not a biggie.

Colonel Bloodedge only chuckled from hearing that question. He clearly was not so surprised to hear that question, “Don’t ask why because I already know they are going to rebel.” That rubbed me off the wrong for some reason, “I can see it in their eyes, they want to rebel but they don’t know when to strike. Comparing myself to my leader Red Eye, I lack his charisma with his slaves at Fillydelphia.”

A charismatic leader where even the slaves like the pony? Seems a bit farfetched for me at least, I would only believe it until I actually see him. We entered from behind the mines. It struck me as odd to have to walk around the mine itself. As were out of the line of sight of the miners and guards, I was met with a huge metal door. I looked at it weirdly wondering what it was. Of course Bloodedge answered that for me, “This is a Stable, specifically Stable 150.” There were that many Stables? Just what are Stables is the better question…  “The reason I’m specifically asking you is because of what you have.”

I looked at him then back noting the craftsmanship to creating one of these, “Red Eye sent me here to originally get something of importance here but unfortunately many of his forces did not make it out of this stable.” I gulped a bit from hearing that. How was I supposed to go through this? “He didn’t give up on this stable revealing its secrets but decided to put it on hold for the moment.” I hated where this was going right now, “That’s where you come in, if you can reveal the Stable’s secrets I may let you go free.”

Yeah that may is not going to happen ever, but again with my morbid curiosity I wanted to know what was inside this Stable. I reluctantly accepted his offer, “Sure, but if I’m going in this… I’m going to need better utility.”

He gave a smile. Interestingly, this smile was rather genuine, “Of course, we’ll give you back everything but not only that you’ll have someone to join you.” I raised my eyebrow, who would this pony be per chance? I saw Ace turn around and gave out a whistle as someone came forth. The color of her coat and the mane and tail very much gave away who was joining with me, “You already know my second-in-command and friend Harmony correct?”

I nodded to his answer and although was not quite pleased that Harmony was joining with me; I couldn’t help but smile back at her. She returned the smile back. Ace chuckled seeing us doing that, “So I was correct, Harmony, he does look like a fine stallion.”

I saw her face blushing as she retreated a few steps away from Ace Bloodedge, “Ace! I thought you wouldn’t bring that up again!”

He covered his mouth as he snickered a bit from that. This was rather odd of me to see this kind of interaction between higher-ups. In any case, Ace returned back in the topic at hand, “Ahem, yes, Harmony is coming with you to assist. I hope you don’t mind that?”

“No not at all, I’d like a few extra set of hooves to help me here.” I get the chance to chat with Harmony and ask her a few questions of my own. That and I get to rekindle our friendship; at least I hope I can before the two of us die in the Stable.

==========

Some decent barding, an energy weapon to which I have no knowledge of how to use though Harmony does, and some grenades, I’d think this might help prepare for the worst until we took our first step into the Stable… I was beginning to hate Stables right now if they’re all like this. I slashed at one of the messed-up parasprites that was trying to eat me. These things now were carnivorous!? I am going to hate this a lot now… Thanks to my E.F.S., I was able to tell where the nasty buggers were hiding for the most part.

There were some turrets on the main hallway entrance aiming for me as the two of us were within their range. We retreated back for cover as beams of bright magenta magical energy lanced through the Stable entryway. It didn’t blast through the entrance as they now went rouge aiming at random spots. I unsheathed my sword and tossed it at the first turret before I got hit by the beams. I touched my face finding only a burn on it. Thank God that I was evasive. Sparks were flying as the first turret went down.

The second turret was gaining some intelligence as it shoot at where I was taking cover, the beams disintegrating the table with each new hole made. I bucked the table to the turret hitting it square on. It didn’t faze but it sure gave me time to move.

I saw Harmony pull out the laser weapon and fired at the turret. She missed three times the shots as the fourth one hit it directly as it sputtered. I went to the other turret and pulled out my sword. I was not skilled in energy weapons as of yet, hopefully I can get accustomed to them sooner or later so that I don’t have to rely on Harmony to use them. “We’re in trouble here…”

Harmony just glared at me for saying that as she countered that back, “Oh you don’t say Zodiac? It’s not like it couldn’t get any worse can it?” Oh Harmony why did you jinx this again? Ever since entering Stable 150, parasprites were coming in more and more. My E.F.S. noted about a hundred of these critters roaming around and soon more was coming here thanks to the smell of burnt flesh I was emitting. Harmony tried to make it go away but the scent was already in the air.

So far we managed to take out thirty of them leaving seventy more to go. I needed to go to the main room but that area was infested with them. I saw Harmony checking the magical spark pack of the energy weapon. She only had about twenty shots left, “Uh oh, major trouble…” See what I mean when you jinxed the moment Harmony?

Five parasprites flew into the room, drawn by the smell of burnt flesh. “I hate the Wasteland!” Harmony nodded to my rant there. I slid into S.A.T.S slowing down time as I made minced meat of three of them. One was wounded as one of its wings was cut off. The other dodged and proceeded to get one bite on my torso. I screamed out of unbelievable pain. I rammed the parasprite that bit me onto a wall squishing it until it was mush.

Overkill for me but the amount of hurting I was in now just got doubled. I checked the bite mark and froze in pain as the flesh was gone revealing only muscle and ribcage while it was bleeding to add insult to injury for myself. The thing literally ripped my coat and flesh off and the barding did not stop the fully stop the bite from sinking in. Harmony saw the condition of the bite and went to try to patch it up as quickly as possible.

That did not help me in the slightest. That’s not good… Checking on my PipBuck, it alerted me of the condition of the bite mark as critical. Considering I just felt it, that was believable. My E.F.S. alerted that many were drawn by my burnt flesh and now my blood. I stood still hoping that Harmony can patch it up fast enough.

As soon as she was done, I went to check out the cabinets to see if any medical supplies were here. Only five bottlecaps throughout my search… Not really in the mood for this! I did see Harmony gather those five which confused me there. She my expression and answered it somewhat for me, “What? You didn’t know that bottlecaps are the currency now?”

Seriously? They were? Wait... Damn it, I just remembered that they were the currency here now. Regardless, I was having difficulty breathing from the bite as two flew in slurping their mouths seeing me bleeding. Not in their dreams are they all going to have another bite of me! “You critters want my hide badly!? You’re going to have to get me!” They went charging, wanting a bite out of my hide. I proceeded to slash at them leaving the main room with the critters.

Harmony moved out of the way of my crazy slashing at the parasprites. I do hope the situation is over, I really don’t want to deal with these guys.

==========

I was getting worse with each passing second. The bite seemed to have hampered me more than I had intended as I was now limping from the pain. Through the way to the main room many parasprites came at me trying to get a nibble out of us. So far, more major injuries besides the bite, from my wings having a hole a size of a close-range shotgun, to my stomach almost chewed open, sooner or later I was going to pass out from blood loss or a stroke. Harmony tried her best but she was running out of medical supplies. She got bitten but not by much comparing that to me.

We managed to kill forty more of the nasty buggers alongside a few out-of-control turrets leaving about forty if I was keeping track. No luck on finding the medical room and especially no luck on finding more bandages to slow the blood loss or cover my wounds.

I check on the PipBuck seeing that the last forty or so of the parasprites are in the main room. I told Harmony of this news and she nodded. I still have the grenades with me; I might be able to end it quickly. I look in the window of the main to see all of them gathered there eating a corpse.

Nausea fuel there, I was sick seeing that. Harmony backed away and proceeded to empty out her lunch seeing that. My vision was getting blurry and soon, passing out was creeping up to me getting closer and closer. I pulled out a grenade slowly getting to the main room entrance. It was closed, but I didn’t want these critters swarming over me once I opened the door. I gestured Harmony to get ready as she was done emptying her lunch.

As she readied herself, I pulled the pin of the grenade and she opened the door immediately, “Eat this you sick parasprites!” I tossed the grenade as she closed the door immediately once they noticed me. The grenade exploded making a very loud bang.

There was enough force in the grenade that I was sent flying from the recoil hitting the wall. I was really in pain now and was getting ready to pass out. I checked on my PipBuck to see if there was any more left from that explosion. My PipBuck checked out that all of the parasprites were taken cared off.

I went all smiles as my vision was going dead on me, “Well, at least that takes cares of the pest problem… Haha…” I passed out as Harmony tried to patch up my wounds right now. I’d be happy going to one of those extra-special parties that Pinkie gives out on rare occasions.

** ** **

I stood at the terrace of the Canterlot Gardens overlooking Equestria. The view here was simply marvelous. The wind was flowing through my mane, birds were chirping and attending to their young ones, foals playing around the park with one colt playing a game of tag with a filly, and Twilight and her friends eating a picnic on their special hill. The terrace was a perfect area for me to relax and take in the world surrounding me.

I had received a letter that Pinkie was going to throw one of those extra-special party for everyone. Twilight and her friends warned me about her drinks on these kinds of parties which made me more and more curious. Pondering about that, I heard two voices coming at this direction and I smiled as they sat beside me, “The terrace here is perfect for seeing the world we struggled to build isn’t uncle?”

I was taken a bit from that. I was still not use to her calling me uncle. It passed but I thought that now might be a good time to talk about it, “Celestia, you don’t have to call me uncle you know. I’m not born from your bloodline…”

The sun princess chuckled hearing that from me. I only smiled turning my attention to the world, “Even so, our father and mother called you family ever since you accepted their offer to be their personal guard. It is only fair that we call you uncle since they treat you as family, right Luna?”

Luna smiled to that as well having a rough road to recovery, “Tis true, you treated us like family when they left to end the Great Alicorn War. You were our only alicorn that we trusted truly due to our mother and father treating you like family.” I already knew about this many times and sometimes it made me happy to have them as something more than ponies I need to protect, “Besides, calling you by your name does not roll with our tongue uncle.”

I tried to stifle a laugh there when she said that. Luna took that with stride, “Huzzah! I have made uncle laugh with joy!”

Celestia did a light chuckle hearing that as well. She was truly happy to have a real family as we were, “Congratulation Luna. Now if only I can make him laugh…” She was smiling clearly wanting to do it badly.

Not on my watch Celestia! “Oh really? Then let me see if I can make you laugh harder than your usual light chuckles!” Celestia immediately flew away smiling at playing a bit of a game. I followed her trying to get her. Luna followed me as we were playing a game of run away, “Come back here Celestia!”

We were all laughing as we flew around like crazy avoiding some objects and some ponies here. The gentle wind was blowing at our manes as we continued to chase each other back at the terrace. We were acting like silly kids playing around as we crash landed onto the garden, “Haha! Well that was fun while it lasted…” I stood up using my wings to clean myself up.

The two princesses followed as well and we returned to our original seating spot. Both Celestia and Luna began doing their duties as they lowered the celestial bodies of the Sun and Moon. I smiled seeing the beauty of the sunset and the raising moon, “It is very beautiful to see the two of you doing your duties.”

I wrapped them in my six wings as they finished raising and lowering the Moon and Sun. They scooted next to me putting their heads on my shoulders. Luna spoke first before Celestia had a chance to speak her part, “Tis was a fun dusk. With you around as our family, we truly do not feel lonely here.”

Celestia smiled hearing those coming from her sister, “Yes Luna. You are right; we do not feel alone any more. But do not forget that you have friends now besides uncle.”

Luna stood up raising her hoof in the air, “Huzzah, I almost forgot! Uncle, are you planning on attending Pinkie’s party?”

Both Celestia and I were surprised about her knowing about that party although I didn’t see Celestia’s reaction until she spoke, “How did you know about it? I was going to ask him that!”

Luna sticks her tongue at Celestia smiling that she caught her off guard, “Too late, the moon princess beat you to it!” Definitely got that from Trixie no doubt about that…

Celestia, however, saw this as an opportunity to tease, “Really, did Trixie tell you about it? Or were you eavesdropping on uncle when he first received that letter?”

Luna was abashed from that her face blushing from that, “I-I did not eavesdrop on him!” The way you are looking Luna, you’re not hiding that fact well, “I-I just, happen to stumble upon the letter is all…” She looked away clearly forgetting that Celestia liked to tease at times.

I was just watching the events unfold as they continued getting at each other. It was fun seeing them be like this despite their age, “All right, I wanted to tell all of you about it but since both of you already know, I can just say that I am planning to bring you girls with me.”

Both smiled hugging me as a response to hearing me say yes. Of course, it ended awkwardly for the three of us, “You all are coming to the party!? Eek, I better get going and get special drinks for the three of you!” She left the garden through unnatural means leaving us bewildered as to how she got here. After a few seconds, we laughed like never before thanks to Pinkie Pie being Pinkie Pie. Tonight was going to be great…

** ** **

I was alive! I woke up taking a deep breath of air jerking out of my bed as I was surprised that I was very much alive! I looked around to see that I was in the medical center of the Stable. I looked at my PipBuck noting me that I was in stable condition. I saw Harmony sleeping by my side as her hooves had some medical supplies on them. I couldn’t but smile seeing her sleeping like that. She saved me again. I really should try to not be reckless now.

I looked at where the bite was and found that it was stitched back together with my flesh while covered in bandages. Same thing with my almost chewed abdomen, stitched back together. She managed to stitch the wounds and heal me to normal? Well, normal enough… Well if I want to leave might as well wake Harmony up, “Harmony? You awake? Harmony…”

I saw her eyes flutter a bit seeing me awake, she gave a smile to me as she let out a yawn covering her mouth a few times, “Hello Zodiac…” She went back to sleep again her head resting on the pillow. I was about to wake her up again until her eyes opened suddenly and she jerked herself back up, “Oh my goodness! I fell asleep next to my friend and patient!”

That was the most unexpected reaction. Yet still I can’t help but be happy for her to be worried about me, “Harmony, don’t fret, I’m fine for the most part thanks to your efforts.”

She looked back at me seeing my smile there. I heard her sniffling as she hugged me almost immediately and although I cringed a bit in pain, it was the kind of pain I can deal with. I hugged her back with my forelegs and my wings, “Zodiac! Don’t ever scare me like that ever again! I thought I might’ve lost you when I started doing medical procedures to help you recover! You had very serious injuries on you!” She tightened her hug and again I cringed in pain from the strength of her grip, “Don’t do that again please.”

I let a smile form on my face again as she let go wiping a few fresh tears on her eyes. I put my hoof on her shoulder, “I can’t promise that I might not do that again, but I’ll promise to try my best to not be reckless again.” She returned her smile as she stood back and let me stand. She assisted me on getting on all four of my legs. It was a painful experience but it was worth it.

We left the clinic and went to the office again. I double checked to see if there were any more of those carnivorous parasprites left. My PipBuck confirmed that there were no more. We both felt a slight bit of relief. I did not want to go through one death experience again. As I went inside the office, my PipBuck gave me a name of the office, Overstallion’s Office What the hell is an Overstallion?

Harmony answered that question for me, “An overstallion is basically the one who’s in charge of the Stable they were assigned to. But…” Again with that word, does everything have to have something I don’t know about? “Normally, it’s an overmare that’s take control of the Stable not a stallion.”

Really? Were they gender concerned or something? I let that pass as I looked at the terminal. Harmony went ahead and tried to unlock the terminal. I was watching Harmony, learning how to crack at a terminal. She won’t be around for so long so I might as well learn how to open one. From just seeing Harmony trying to open one, it’s to close the terminal every now and then to be certain that I don’t get locked out.

I was about to pull an apple out only for me to remember that not all of my gear was with me including the apples. I silently cursed myself for that. My stomach was growling at me for the lack of food lately. My mind was suddenly flooding itself with the images of delicious food… Okay got to stop before I get crazy for food…

After about fifty tries of Harmony trying to guess the password, she finally got into the terminal. Her body froze as she finished the password. The password was Harmonia, “That’s… what my brother would call me…” Oh no… Checking through the terminal, there were recorded messages in the terminal. I decided to hear through them seeing if there was anything important and so that Harmony might hear her brother’s voice again. What I didn’t expect was that this was these were going to be one of those that might tug at our hearts.

Day 1: Being an Overstallion

Hello is this working? Damn it, I was supposed to be at the battlefield but instead I’m stuck here. Aw well, at least the stable is home to many an injured soldiers who can’t fight due to permanent injuries, not that I blame them, them calling this paradise which is true to an extent. The nurses are treating the wounded well and many wanted to stay here for a long time. I just hope they find a replacement for me to get back on the battlefield, I’m itching for some action! I also heard rumors that there was some experiments going on down in the basement where the Ministry of Arcane Science are making some pods that allows ponies to extend their lifespan allowing to live almost forever. I could use that! That way, me and my sis could see the world recover from this fucking war! Wonder if it might be a success?

Pods that allow ponies an extended lifespan? Twilight was really stepping up her a-game if she were to try something like that. That feat itself would be very difficult for a normal intelligent pony to give up immediately on. Twilight was not one of those ponies. If I knew her, she would continue to research day and night until she can finally get it working… And possibly be sleep-deprived and going crazy from the amount of failures she racked up. I really hope she at least managed to relax a bit from time to time when she started that project.

I looked at Harmony who put a hoof over her mouth hearing her brother’s voice through the terminal. She was trying to hold back her tears hearing her lost brother’s voice coming through, “So… he was here when… I got the letter that he was M.I.A.” I stretched out a wing and pulled in my embrace. She put her head on my body as she was absorbing this knowledge. I continued with the messages.

Day 2: Stuck here forever…

I call bullshit on the message I was given. Apparently the Ministries could not find a suitable replacement for somepony to replace the Overstallion or Overmare’s spot. Are you fucking kidding me!? There are like a bunch of ponies I can think that can fulfill this role than me! Ugh, I’m missing out on the action out there! This is my country I’m fighting for and they’re leaving me here! Stupid Ministries, can’t find a good pony to replace my spot… Okay, I think that rant was a bit much. I almost forgot that the head of each Ministry are the Bearers of the Elements of Harmony. I shouldn’t be thinking low of them. They’re a good bunch of ponies and I respect their choices, just I really want to fight out there… My sis is my only family I have and I want to protect my family with all I got. *sighs* Well, decisions been made already and I can’t go against their orders.  Just wish there was a better decision than this…

There was a bit of heartache in his voice. To stay here leaving behind what you are fighting for, it was a very understandable moment of anger there. Suddenly, I felt some tears on my body as I looked at Harmony who was crying hearing her brother’s concern for her. She reached out a hoof touching the terminal, “I…want…to see you again…just this once…”

Damn it, now I’m not so sure on whether to continue the messages or not. My body went on to continue as my mind was pondering on what the next message was.

Day 3 : About the Rumors

Remember about the rumors I mentioned about the Ministry of Arcane Science making pods that expand your lifespan? Well those rumors ended up becoming true! I managed to get private access to the basement of Stable 150 where I saw many engineers working on the pods. Even better, the head of the Ministry working on these pods, Twilight Sparkle, came to check up on it! I was probably having a fangasm upon actually seeing the Twilight Sparkle! God fucking damn it; everypony noticed my fanboying even Twilight Sparkle! I’ve become the laughing stock for today damn it! Despite my embarrassing moment, I saw that Twilight Sparkle didn’t even laugh at all. I found that odd, I know she’s a bookworm but to not laugh? It didn’t feel right for me. Anyway, I heard that they’re going to move some of these pods to Stable 112 and leave a few here should they work properly. Color me curious but I want to try them out!

I was stifling my laughter when I got to reading Harmony’s brother having a fanboying moment upon seeing Twilight Sparkle. Harmony too was stifling her laughter hearing that, “Haha, that’s my brother there alright… Stable 112 was where I woke up within the pods…”

I looked back at Harmony and then back at the terminal. I was able to make the connection fairly quickly about the pods. Interesting… but back on the topic of Harmony’s brother fanboying, guess even during the war, there are going to crowning moments of funny even if the situation has gone dire. Twilight not laughing did throw me off. I wouldn’t be surprised if she was treating the war seriously or as a way to please Princess Celestia despite the circumstances. I continued reading the messages from the terminal.

Day 8: A Break!

I pulled off my best impression of Luna’s voice while saying huzzah! Why, because I get the chance to see my little sister! The Ministries decided to cut me some slack and allow me to see my sis for one day! One day is enough for me to do all the things I want to do with her! I never felt so happy in my entire life! My sister on the other hand does not share the same sentiments like me… She should be happy to see me for once! Why isn’t she happy to see me? I want to talk it with her once I see her. I just hope it is not permanent…

A broken family bond… I’d seen the result of that with Celestia and Luna. A bond like that broken will have a very hard time recovering even with time. It may never even be repaired if the abyss separating them is too wide for them to jump over to their side.

I looked at Harmony who was visibly hurting hearing that, “I remember that day… I was so silent that even my brother coming home did not ease my pain. I was so detached from my own brother that I rarely talked with him but now… I miss him so much…” She was hugging my body tightly again as she tried to fight back her emotions. I pressed the button and the last message came forth.

Day 15: Balefire Bombs…

**Shit, the explosion from Manehatten managed to reach to Baltimare spreading the radiation to the nearby city. Many of the ponies managed to get inside Stable 150 in time as I closed. Some were not as lucky as the radiation was getting close and I had no choice but to close the door on them. I regret that choice but for the safety of the others here I had to do so. My sis is still out there and I fear that she has radiation sickness if she was within the vicinity of the balefire bombs. Please let that not come true, I don’t want to lose my only family member… Remove that, and I would have lost all reason to continue my fight and I can’t allow that. Please, if anyone out there manages to read this, I want to know the condition of the current world out there and to know if my sister is still alive. Her name isbzzzt *and I’ll probably in one of those pods just to keep myself alive.** bzzzt Aw shit, the thing failing on me… I hope those things work because if not, well, I’m out of options… Wish me luck because this will probably be my last message.*

Although I did not get the name of the sister and the Overstallon, I was able to connect the dots fairly. Harmony’s reaction upon hearing that her brother was using one of those stasis pods filled her with newfound hope as her cheery disposition in her voice can attest to, “My brother used those pods!? He…he could still be alive!”

I stored the messages into my PipBuck. I checked to see if there was anything else important in the terminal. Besides the use of pods like that, nothing else that might be useful. Returning my focus to Harmony who was all giddy at the possibility of finding her brother alive and well, I stopped her giddiness with my hooves, “Alright, I agree that this is amazing news for you, but remember, let’s prioritize over the current mission. We’ll find him Harmony, I know it.” Just saying that to her made all the happier, I was doubtful I can find the pod that were left here but who knows?

We left the Overstallion’s office and did a thorough check of the whole Stable 150 seeing if there were any hidden rooms or something that the PipBuck did not track on. In fact, I checked up on my PipBuck once to see if Epsilon’s signal that Harmony put in here. Unfortunately the signal was being scrambled by the underground walls so I can’t use that to my advantage.

==========

After a full three hours scouring every room wondering if there was a secret room, no such luck there. I felt a bit distraught about that. Harmony was more distraught about not finding it but she had hope that we can find it. We were retracing our steps heading back to the entrance of Stable 150. I inputted the code that Bloodedge shared with me pulling on the switch with all of my strength.

A loud clanging filled the air, followed by a hissing of steam and a great rumble that shook the room.  As we watched, the massive bolt that held the door from Stable 150 shut slid back.  A huge hinge-arm swung down attached itself to the door, and with a teeth-hurting squeal, pulled the massive steel door out and away. If I came from a Stable itself, this would be the point of no return. I took my first step out of the Stable and into the broken world.

The light was very bright as my eyes were adjusting to the Sun. In front of me was Bloodedge with a pack of guards. They were sure patient, as they stood here for six hours if I was right? Bloodedge moved forward with a look of curiosity etched on his face, “Well? Were you able to find anything useful in there? Is there anything that was worth our attention?”

I looked at Harmony wondering whether it was right to tell him or not. She gestured me to tell him everything we discovered so far. As much as I hated all of this, if Harmony trusts this guy then I should trust him as well, at least for now, “Yes we did but we had trouble finding anything about it, all I found there was a bunch of carnivorous parsprites trying to bite me.” I lifted my wings to prove my point.

Bloodedge backed away absorbing the current knowledge we attained, “So… you two did indeed find something of importance but you are having trouble finding it right? And the carnivorous parasprites, were they any trouble?”

I fell a bit silent upon mention of those fiends but Harmony answered that question for me, “They gave Zodiac a lot trouble as you can tell from his injuries, it took me probably the whole night to patch them up. I’d thought I lost him when I finished.”

I looked at Ace Bloodedge and surprisingly again, he had a genuine smile. Was he concerned for me and Harmony’s well-being? If so… goodness I might be meeting ponies that may end up being my friends in the most unexpected of places, “I see, I’m very glad to see Zodiac alive and well, I’d like to speak with the both of you privately actually. But first…” He called upon his guards commanding them to check inside the Stable to see if they can find anything off. They saluted as they opened the Stable door.

Ace was in front of the both of us as he gestured to us to follow, “Come, we do not have all day here.” We followed him back to his office. He gestured me to sit down as Harmony closed the door behind us. I wonder what he wanted to chat with us. I saw clear his throat as he eyed me carefully, “I’m going to cut to the point. Harmony has told everything about your life.”

That threw me off; I looked at Harmony who looked away with guilt in her eyes. She expected this to come when she had told Ace of all of my life. This was a stab behind my back yet I did not mind. I smiled back to her once before returning my focus to Ace, “Alright, so you know about my life, anything else?”

He fell silent as he put his two hooves down from his face onto the desk, “Yes there is something else…” He gazed steeled itself as he looked at me with concern, “This private chat I’m having with you involves your reaction to the Grand Pegasus Enclave…” My body felt like it stopped functioning for just a second. This whole chat was involving my reaction to the Enclave? I was silent for some time as he continued, “I can see in your body language that you did not expect this so I will cut again to the point. Tell me; are you a new member of the Enclave?”

Almost from out of nowhere even for me, my anger boiled right then and there. Harmony saw me in this state and looking at Ace, was ready to take me down should I go there. I did try my best to be calm but it was not so easy, “Why would I be a part of any race that would banish and then kill their own kindred? I find the idea of doing such a thing repulsive.” The words I said were said with a venomous hatred for the Enclave above the cloud cover. Not all pegasi are like them true but it still did sit idly by with me, “What about you? Why are you asking this question?

He let out a sigh as he stood up. He looked at Harmony and motioned her to calm herself. She did oblige but she was still tense about this, “Look at my cutie mark… that will answer your question.” I raised my eyebrow there. How can his cutie mark answer my question? I did indeed look at it and the anger I had somewhat subsided replaced with confusion over what I was seeing. There was a scar branded over and covering his cutie mark showing that of… Rainbow’s cutie mark.

I looked at him with a questionable look wondering what this had to mean for me. He looked at me once and I saw for the first time, I saw a swirling whirlpool of emotions within his eyes when he looked at me. Anger, grief, melancholy, and sadness were all the predominant emotions within that whirlpool. He looked away from me, “This mark you see is the mark of the Dashite. To the Enclave, being branded a Dashite means you are a traitor to them and their morals.”

I was agape seeing what this mark meant to the Enclave. But something did throw me off, why base it after Rainbow? Almost immediately an idea to me and I did not like it one bit, “This Dashite mark, was the cause of it from Rainbow Dash herself?”

He fell silent for some time before answered my question, “Yes, this mark was the result of Rainbow Dash, the first Dashite to the Enclave. She left because she called out on the pegasi race for closing themselves off the face of the world after Cloudsdale got blasted with a balefire bomb.”

Despite that small information, I was able to connect the dots with the cloud cover above us and why the people on the ground hate the pegasi. Cloudsdale gets caught in the balefire explosion, Dash calls them out, everything from then on out went from bad to worse and as a result made the Enclave. I sat down on the floor a look of surprise etched on my face. All of this happened because of that fated day and of Rainbow calling them out (I did find that funny but it did not ease my shock).

Both Harmony and Ace saw my reaction to all of this newfound knowledge. Both put their hooves on my shoulder trying to ease my shock. I appreciated their efforts but it did not help me in the slightest, “I thank you two for helping but this newfound knowledge is a lot to consume.”

“I can understand why…” Ace returned back to seat deep I thought, “You reaction was genuine, you’ve never heard of the Enclave or learned about anything about what happened two hundred years ago. That though makes me curious.” He put a hoof down on the desk with one on his chin as he was eyeing me, “Where did you come from? Having no knowledge of the past, I can only see that if you’re from somewhere not within the Wasteland.”

Damn it, he caught onto it. Harmony was also curious about it as well. What do I do? I don’t want to tell them where I truly came from or what my true origins are. I’m doomed; I’m caught in an inescapable situation. I looked at the both of them contemplating my thoughts. I let out one sigh as I glanced at Ace Bloodedge. There was one idea but even I’m not so certain if it might work, “Let me ask one more question before I answer…” Both were gazing at me curious, “Are there any other countries besides Equestria?”

Though the question was rather an awkward for Ace, he answered the question for me, “Yes there is actually, besides the Zebra and Griffon Empire though, there’s not another in my head that I can recall.”

That gave some sense of hope of keeping my origins a secret, “Truly? Are you sure there isn’t another country beside the two you mentioned?” Both thought about for some seconds before shaking their heads. I think I may have found a way to keep my secret, “What about Concordia? Henosis? Any of those ring a bell?”

Though Ace shook his head in disagreement, Harmony actually thought about it for some time before responding, “Actually, I’ve heard of those countries before…” Both me and Ace looked at her. She knew the look well enough as she continued, “Zodiac is right, there are other countries but not a lot of ponies in Equestria know about them, only like a select few know of it.”

Now Ace was curious about these other countries, “And what of these countries Harmony? How come you know about them?” I hate to say it but thank you Harmony for unintentionally saving me there though I too was curious.

She was scratching her head sheepishly, “Because…I took a chance to visit these countries, well, before this whole war begun.”

The high-ranking Ace scratched his chin. Clearly he was connecting the dots seeing the possibilities of me being in a different country. After pondering about it, he stopped scratching his chin and looked at me, “Is it true? Are you from a faraway country?”

I raised myself up standing on all four legs proud that I was able to save my secret, “Yes I am from outside Equestria. I wanted to take a visit to the country, but I didn’t expect this mostly because they cut off all contact with Equestria before the balefire bombs launched.” I hope I was correct on that, but that seemed very likely now that I think about it.

Both looked at each other for some time before accepting what I said, “Okay, we’ll trust you on that knowledge. It at least explains how come you do not know of the past and present events of Equestria. What is doesn’t explain are the griffons that come here.”

Harmony waved a dismissive hoof at her leader, “Come on Ace, I think that’s enough for Zodiac now. We can come up with many possibilities as to why griffons are here anyway.”

Ace let out a sigh and just shrugged from all of this, “Fair enough, I do think that this chat went well for the most part and besides…” He looked out the window seeing that the Sun was on the horizon, “It’s getting night time and I believe our guest here needs some sleep. Harmony as much as I hate to say this but can you take him back to his cell?” She nodded to his question as she led the way back.

Night was falling upon the Wasteland as Harmony escorted me back to my jail cell. She pulled out the keys for my hoofcuffs on me as I entered the jail cell, “Sorry for all of that, I hope you can forgive me for what happened the day before yesterday.”

I gave a smile to her as she unlocked my hoofcuffs. I think I can forgive her now after today, “I am willing to forgive, after what you did when we were together, I think that deserves my forgiveness.”

She returned my smile back as she closed the door of my jail cell, “Goodnight, Zodiac. I…hope to see you again.” She left the cell as her hoofsteps got quieter. A smile formed on my face seeing that today went well surprisingly. I checked on my PipBuck to see if the message was there still. Happy to see that it was still I was about to fall asleep when I decided to check up on the radio station. Switching through each radio was annoying as I found DJ Pon3’s radio station.

There was some news as I listened to the DJ, “Good evening wastelanders! How’s every pony doing out there? Got some amazing news today! I just got word that somepony saved a little quaint town from slavers not far from where Tenpony Tower was at! And guess what!? The pony who rescued those slaves happened to be the pegasus that escaped the slavers! Looks like Stable Dweller and Security got some competition here!" Wow, he managed to see me do all of that again. How does he do that? And when was there another pony who does saving ponies? I continued listening to her news, "Well that's all I got I do wonder if I might get the chance to see those three together or something? This is DJ pon3 signing off the radio waves! Here's some music for all of you to listen too!" She left the radion wave leaving just the music choices from her. I still wonder how the heck does he see all of what I was doing...

I was about to fall asleep when I heard some sounds coming from behind me. I turn around seeing nothing and was going to sleep again when those same sounds came back again. I got up this time to check it out. I soon as I neared the back wall, a piece of brick fell out of its foundation leaving a small hole. I looked through it to see a pony looking back at me, I I jumped from that going back a few steps from seeing him. He saw me and was a bit too happy to see me, “Sorry there mate! Ah was afraid that Ah got the wrong cell!”

I looked behind me checking if there were any guards. None whatsoever around the perimeter as I went back to the pony that was trying to rescue me, “Who are you and what are you doing?”

The pony gawked at me like he was offended from the question, “What am Ah doing? Boy, do ya see what Ah’m trying t’ do here!?”

Case in point, “Sorry there, I’m just a little sleepy is all.”

He smiled giving a quiet and hearty laugh, “’Ey no worries there mate, just let me widen this ‘ere hole an’ then after we escape, then we can talk.”

I smiled as he did his thing widening the hole little by little. With time, he managed to make it big enough for me to crawl through with relative ease. I squeezed through the hole as silently as possible hoping not to attract any guards. As I moved my back legs through, I looked at my helper who left ahead of me as I was about to thank him, “Well, ya coming mate? Ah ain’t got all day…”

I chuckled and followed him to an inaccessible area of Baltimare. As he stopped I was about to ask until he knocked on a rock. I was baffled as to why he did that until the rock moved much to my surprise. An earth pony was behind it as she moved the rock, “Took you long enough to get him…”

He smiled as he motioned me to enter while talking to the mare, “Ey, at least Ah rescued him right?”

She punched him on the torso just happy to see him. I just watched as they talked. As we reached the deepest point of the cave we were in, I saw many slaves here gathered. It surprised me to see this many of them here. I looked at him and he smiled back at me, “Welcome to the Slave’s Cave!” The same mare punched him in the torso this time putting more force into that. He rubbed it as a reaction, “Ow, what you did that for?”

She was giving my rescuer a look of disappointment, “A bit much on the greeting there don’t you think and really? That's the name you decided to give our hideout?”

“What, were ya expecting me t’ be formal? Hay no! Ah’d rather be speaking in ‘ere dialect than being formal!” He stared at her for quite some time, She gave him a look that suggested otherwise before laughing heartily, “Ey, don’t give me that look…”

She just shook in disagreement shifting topic to me at hand, “Sorry about Lycan there, he likes to be informal a lot when he should be with ponies.”

Lycan as the mare named him took offense to her response and began an argument, “Ah should be saying the same with ya Liberty!”

Liberty as Lycan named, looked at him sternly, “You take that back Lycan!”

Another slave decided that enough is enough and decided to split them up for now, “Now, you two, we can settle this dispute later. Honestly I don’t even know why or how you two got married.” He looked back at Lycan thankful that he did his job well. Lycan saluted to the supposed leader with a smile. He looked back me. He has a pure white coat with a glamorous purple mane and tail. I almost mistook him for a male version of Rarity. His cutie mark was a sigil of the Royal Guard with the Sun and Moon as the centerpiece. He has an aura of supremacy with a gentle kindness for his allies to boot. You rarely ever find a rare combination like that nowadays, “Sorry about that, those two can get into disputes so easily…”

The both of them took that as an offense screaming at him for saying that leading to some hilarious moments and they were saying this simultaneously. “We do not bicker! You bicker! No you do! Shut up, you take that back!” They charged at each other fighting each other. If I was in a show that put emphasis on the reaction of people right now, I’d be having one huge sweat drop slipping from my head seeing them fight and bicker.

The de facto leader facehooved hard there probably regretting his choice of words involving those two, “Could someone here separate those two apart please?” Other of the supposedly free slaves obeyed his command and tried to separate the two lovers apart. Some received injuries from that requiring their two doctors to help them out from a black eye to somepony here having their ballsacks bucked hard. Admittedly, that poor pony must be in a whole world of hurting, trust me I’ve been through it more times than I can count and boy does it hurt like HELL. He put his hoof on his face shaking his head from that, “Again I am very sorry for them, it is hard being the de facto leader of this here group.”

“I can relate there,” was all I said as I see the two of them finally breaking it up. The one pony that got his ballsacks bucked was apologized by Lycan for that. Shifting my attention to the leader, I introduced myself to him, “I am Zodiac, please to meet you.”

I stretched a hoof in acceptance. He reached for it and shook my hoof as he introduced himself, “Please to meet you Zodiac, I am Luminescence Star, a pleasure to make your acquaintance.” He introduced me to the numerous slaves here that decided to take upon, whatever they were here for. So far, I managed to learn two members those being Liberty and Lycan.

Liberty was an Earth pony mare with a brown coat. Her mane and tail were a luminescent gold with red stripes from the head to the tip of the end. Her cutie mark was a hoof holding a torch. She was a feisty mare as she loved to be a part of the action much like her husband Lycan. But comparing each other, she was the brains of the battle couple.

Lycan on the other hoof used brawns over brains. I can see why they get along so well at times. He has a turquoise coat with a brown mane and tail. He wore his name well as his cutie mark was two wolves howling to the moon above them.

The many others introduced themselves to me looking pleased with introducing themselves to me. The last ones to introduce themselves were the doctors that were attending to the slaves that got hurt during the separation. They were twins as they were unicorns, their coats matched each other having a light red and their mane tail having the exact shape and color being a bright yellow color.

Their cutie marks is what separated them. The first twin, Gemini, has a syringe with what looked like space oozing out. I don’t know what to say about a syringe oozing that. The second twin, Pisces, has two stars orbiting a medical symbol of the plus. It strike me that their names are after the two constellations where both have two entitles representing the constellations. I find it quite fitting for them.

As introductions passed, Luminescence bought to his room where he and I had a private chat. The room was no different from the rest of the cave, though it was carved from the rock itself. Before I went ahead with his plans, I asked him if he was worried that I might betray considering that I helped Ace Bloodedge. He looked at me oddly only for him to chuckle which I found odd, “Ace? No worries, he’s actually a friend of mine.”

That caught me off guard by a lot, “Wait, he’s your friend? Then how do know where I was or who I am? Does Ace even know all of this?”

He rubbed two hooves together seeing what I was saying, “To answer your first question, remember those slaves that were eyeing on you?”

Suddenly I remembered to yesterday with the slaves eyeing me, "You mean...?"

He nodded to my almost finished question, “Yep those were the slaves I've recruited no thanks to Harmony. To answer you second question, yes he does know this. ”

Don’t ask why because I already know they are going to rebel. I can see it in their eyes, they want to rebel but they don’t know when to strike. Comparing myself to my leader Red Eye, I lack his charisma with his slaves at Fillydelphia. So he knew about this rebellion thanks to his friend Luminescence… They had this all prepared in mind. As much as they gain my respect for this, I had to ask, “While gathering all these freed slaves is something, why did you not attack?”

“I can explain that in a few words, we’re not prepared yet.” I was confused on what he meant until he pulled out the schematics of Baltimare with pins on them, “Since now you managed to get yourself acquainted with everypony here. I wanted to ask something. See these pins?”

I nodded eyeing the pins; there were certain areas that I did not go to but I can make a few guesses where some of them are. I pointed to the big one at the center of the town, “That right there… That’s where Ace Bloodedge’s office is, am I correct?”

Luminescence smiled seeing that I was learning, “Yes, that’s where Ace’s office is. The other pins are key points.” He pointed to the one farthest away looking like it was on the border of the city, “That right there is the communications tower. If we can take that we might have a chance, but there a problem.”

I was not liking the sound of that, “According to Lycan, that place is heavily protected. Most of Red Eye’s best guards are there. We’re all skilled but we do not have the chance against his best guards. That’s where you come in Zodiac…” My ears perked upon hearing that. This ought to be good, “Since you seem to have the most battle experience and are leaving, you have the chance to attack the tower without you drawing suspicion.” I still did not want to kill the ponies here... damn it all why did my non-killing moral was so difficult to keep here?

Luminescence continued his plan as he described the rest of the key points, “Our numbers are few so they have an advantage in numbers, but we do have the advantage in agility and surprise.” I looked at him wondering how they were able to train in speed. He saw me looking at me oddly. He smiled noting that I was silently asking a question, “You’re wondering how we trained ourselves huh?”

My smile was enough of an answer for Luminescence as he pulled out two books from his saddlebag. I eyed the books, one was called Zebra Infiltration Tactics. I open it to see that it teaches various kinds of fighting style alongside things such as stealth and what not. Some of the fighting styles scared me such as the Fallen Caesar Style.

What caught me off guard was that there was apparently a fighting style called the Doombunny Style. I tried to stifle a laugh seeing that there was a name called that, it even showed a picture of the supposedly Doombunny. To my amount of laughter I had in me, the picture was that of Fluttershy’s pet rabbit Angel Do zebras seriously fear Angel that much they gave decided to create a fighting style of him and give him the nickname Doombunny?!

I gave the book to Luminescence quickly as I was rolling on the floor laughing myself until I was almost out of breath. He smiled seeing the page that I was on was of that specific fighting style. Both Lycan and Liberty barged inside wondering what was causing me to laugh. Luminescence showed them what made me laugh. They chuckled seeing that, and left knowing what made me laugh my ass off! I pulled up on the table breathing heavily, “You’re enjoying this aren’t you?”

All he did was shrug with a smile, “Hey, you’re not the only one to laugh at that. Many of the ponies who saw that laughed their asses off until they were heavily breathing much like you.”

I pulled myself up sitting on the chair as I wiped a tear away from all of that. I’m going to have to give credit to Angel if he can literally make the zebras fear that little rascal. I pulled out on the next book he showed conveniently called the The Wasteland Survival Guide. It detailed about the many things about the Wasteland itself from the raiders to cities, to the effects of radiation and taint (which scared me reading the effects of taint) and more. This book literally has everything a beginner would love. When I closed the book and checked up on the author, I was stunned.

Upon reading who the author was, I probably had a BSOD for a second there before getting my act together, Ditzy Doo!? She’s alive!? What in Equestria!? I gave him back the book as I was changing topics in my mind, “I’m very impressed… With just those two books, you probably learned every essential thing you needed to learn.”

“Thanks for the praising. Now where was I?” He pointed to the original pin he was pointing at, “That’s the Baltimare hospital, Stable 150 was used as a secondary hospital when the main one had too many wounded. According to our twins Gemini and Pisces, there is a lot of healing potions here that can benefit a while cities worth. Take that and we can assist in healing the wounded.”

==========

After the whole briefing with Luminescence, we had boiled down to one thing, whether I agree to this or not, “I told you our whole plan so now it is your turn. Will you side by us and take back Baltimare?”

Of course I wanted to side by them, their plan was well-thought out and they actually might have a shot at succeeding, but there were a few things that gnawed at me. I asked them the two questions that lingered in my head, “I’ll gladly accept, but first, two questions…” Luminescence was all ears as I asked him, “How long did it take to prepare for this? If you had this planned out by now, you could’ve taken it back now so why the wait?”

Luminescence looked away for a second as if pondering on how to answer this question, “The answer is rather complicated Zodiac, but…” He was silent for a few seconds more before going back to his saddlebag and pulling out something as he putted it in front of me. It was a picture of a mare and stallion with a young Luminescence in between them. They looked very happy despite the conditions happy to have a family, “The last time us slaves rebelled, I lost my parents during the rebellion.”

Those words made me go cold. I hadn’t expected this rebellion to be a personal one with Luminescence but with the picture at hoof, it was made very clear, “When I heard the news of my parents’ deaths from some of the slaves, I was devastated.”

Tears were beginning to well up in his eyes. I really wished I hadn’t asked him that question but it was already done, “After that rebellion, many of the slaves did not want to rebel ever again. But me, I continued to hone myself to avenge my mother and father.” He pulled out the two books I read, “I eventually found these books and learned everything from these.” He put them away and wiped away the tears as he finished his discussion, “From then on out, I gathered slaves that were willing to rebel again in the hopes of having a free Baltimare. It’s nothing comparing to the Wasteland, but it is a small step to that goal.”

As he was wiping the tears away, I embraced him in a hug with my forelegs and wings as he bawled quietly on me. I rubbed his head trying my best to sooth him. He backed away sniffling, but he was smiling, happy that he shared this knowledge to somepony so that he they can understand his pain. I putted my hoof on his shoulder as I gave him some encouraging words, “I don’t know about this, but I know one thing. If your parents were to see you now, they would be proud to have you as a son.”

He gave himself the biggest smile he can offer to me. Seeing that bright smile on his face was worth all of the pain. He went back to his serious self as he recovered, “Now, that’s all and done, what was the second question?”

I let out one deep breath, “Is your friend Ace Bloodedge and Harmony joining in this rebellion?”

He fell silent with that question. After some time has passed, he answered, “As much as I would love to have my friend to join in this rebellion, he told me that he’s going to stay with Red Eye and slowly but surely free the slaves inside Fillydelphia.” I backed away a bit from that. The decision was at most bizarre for Ace but I can understand why, “As for Harmony, she hasn’t decided yet…”

Okay then, I can see that but I wanted to learn more about Luminescence. I was about to ask him more questions but he already left ahead of me. Guess this will have to wait then.We walked out of his private quarters to address the ponies here. I was on standby as he delivered his speech, “My fellow ponies! I am here today to deliver a message!” Everypony stopped what they were doing paying attention to their leader. He was exuberating a charm that many would dream of having including myself, “I stand by to tell you that tomorrow! Tomorrow, we will begin our rebellion!”

Everypony cheered loudly hearing that as I smiled to see him do his speech, “After a year of training learning every essential thing from the two books I obtained… It is that time to strike back at Red Eye’s forces. No longer will be enslaved by Red Eye’s Army, together, we will be free!” Everypony stomped the ground applauding their young leader, “But we all know that liberating ourselves will be a daunting task. I ask that everypony give their best to the cause even if it is only a little.” He looked at me as I walked up to him looking over the audience, “We have a pony that is willing to help us in our time of direst need, as he fights to regain the communications tower.”

There were many ponies whispering to each other about me if I have what it takes to take the communications tower. One of the ponies raised their hoof in the air. Luminescence called that pony as she asks her question. Surprisingly, it was Lycan, “Leader, I do not want to judge your plan, but we lost many of our ponies trying to retake the communications… Are you certain that this one pony can take it back alone?”

There were many agreements to the question. I gestured Luminescence to allow me to take the stand. He moved out of the way as I made my way to the stand, “Lycan is it? To be fair, even I don’t know if I can take it back so easily.” Many ponies whispered to each other again.

“But…” They immediately stopped whispering as I said that word, “I will not hold back on those ponies should they try to fight back. Before, I lacked the knowledge of what happened to my homeland. I was gone to a different country living in peace for the time, but this was before I learned of what happened.”

Though I lied from there, the rest of the speech was the absolute truth of how I felt about the Wasteland, “When I saw the Equestria that I strived to protect gone into this condition, it broke my heart to see it like this. I had almost lost all hope of seeing this rebuilt until a fellow friend of mine restored that faith that I continued to fight. I was a pacifist; I did not like to kill ponies because it was against my nature only maimed.” I remembered the one pony who I buried. It was a stigma I will never forget, “Ever since I saw the deaths of many killed in the vilest ways possible, I decided to forgo my no killing code and kill only those with evil intentions.” Everypony was listening to my speech beginning to see why I struggled to fight, “The task will not be easy as Luminescence has said but do I fear it? Yes, I do but the fear will be conquered if you rise up to it!” Everypony was stomping the ground applauding my speech now. I smiled as I looked at Luminescence.

I let him get up as he finishes the last of the speech given by me and himself, “As Zodiac has said, we all fear the idea of facing the challenge head-on but that’s what makes us special. Each one of us is willing to reclaim our lost city from Red Eye even if all perish. That is why I rise! Now we shall all rise as we reclaim what was rightfully ours!” He raised his hoof in the air as the others slaves applauded while raising their hooves in the air as well. He looked at me as he asked the question he wanted to know answered, “Then I ask you Zodiac, will you fight by our side!?”

I was about to answer his question when I heard some rocks moving. I looked at the crowd wondering where that sound coming from was. It wouldn’t be much of a worry but it was rather out of place. Luminescence was asking me again when he noticed me alert, “Zodiac, what’s wrong?”

I unsheathed my sword and tossed it at the entryway. Many of the ponies were wondering what caused me to do that. I flew above the ponies and in front of the entrance pulling my sword as I ponypiled on from the ponies’ perspective, just ground, “Zodiac what has gotten into you?”

I looked at the ground as I shut my mouth on it Knew it… I pulled the cloak my mouth felt and revealed  to everypony what I saw. Everypony gasped when they saw a spy, “A Spy!” said Luminescence who was shocked like everypony else. Liberty and Lycan ponyplied on the spy as I moved out of the way. This prevented him from escaping or using his weapons.  Luminescence walked to the spy clearly pissed off seeing one here, “Talk! How did you know about this place and how much do you know!?”

Stupid question aside at least for the spy, she groaned from the weight of the battle couple, “Like I’ll tell you anything slave!”

I pulled up the cloak he used. Liberty almost instantly recognized the cloak, “That’s a zebra stealth cloak!” There are cloaks like this? I looked at the cloak, it was designed to fit to a mare’s body which made me sad to see it, but it also didn’t cloak anypony. It was also heavily armored despite it being a sleek dress giving the wearer protection as well. I gave it to Liberty who seemed interested with it, “Thank you Zodiac.”

I smiled at her then shifted my gaze to the spy, no expression of anger on my face. I grab the pony on the neck letting Lycan and Liberty get off the spy. I withdrew my sword putting it close to her neck “I don’t like to kill my opponents, but I will not hesitate to do so if they do not cooperate. Talk or I’ll cut that neck off.”

This was very much out-of-character of me to do something like threaten a pony, but there are times where it is best to be out-of-character, “I will not tell you anything slave. Go kill me, I won’t tell you anything…”

I tossed the pony to the wall almost breaking her spine. She was still breathing heavily from that collision coughing out blood as she tried to get up. I neared her again with a grenade in my hoof. She saw it as I looked at her, “Now, you will talk or this grenade goes into your stomach.”

She was terrified of me. She tried to back away as I got closer and closer to her. I was like death looming over a poor pony, “Get away you freak!”

I laughed a bit hearing that from a spy, “I am not the freak here. I am being brutally honest here…” I loomed over her head as she was whimpering, looking like she was begging for life, “Talk or you will perish here.” She was coughing blood as I got close looking like she was going to pass out. I backed away from the spy, “Gemini, Pisces, think you can heal her?” As I asked that question, she went limp. I checked her pulse only to find out that she is dead, “Damn it, she’s dead.”

All the ponies looked at each other realizing that one dead pony not returning was a very bad sign for them. I looked at Luminescence, she too realized what will happen if one pony did not return. However, what everypony saw as a panic attack, he saw it an as an opportunity. I saw the glimmer in his eyes. Those kinds of glimmers I've only seen in smart ponies and I smiled see that glimmer, "You got an idea Luminescence?"

He looked at Liberty who was cherishing the cloak. She looked to see her leader looking at her and was baffled as to why he was staring at her. Luminescence gave a smile that Liberty knew that all too well and she was enjoying whatever idea he hatched up, "Yeah and it involves our lovely Liberty..."

==========

Lycan bought me back to my jail cell. I crawled through the hole he put back together when we escaped. He looked back at me as he was closing up the hole, “Thanks Zodiac, for helping us slaves you know…”

I smiled as I was getting ready to sleep preparing for tomorrow, “It is alright Lycan no need to thank me yet.” He smiled as he closed the hole. Before he left I asked him a question about his wife going into the fray, "Hey Lycan, how do you feel?"

"Come again?" He asked.

I thought about this for a sec before asking it away, "About Liberty doing the... you know..."

He went silent. I thought that he hated the idea of leaving her ahead, but all I saw was a smile, "No worries mate. I've seen my wife do crazy things and this would definitely come as one of them." He turned his back as he was about to return back to the hideout, "Ah am a bit worried about her but... it is her choice and if she wishes t’ go for it, then all Ah can do is support her decision as a loving husband."

I smiled. Love goes both ways huh? I put my hoof on him as what a friend would do, "You are a loving husband Lycan and I respect you for that."

He smiled again, "Eeyep, everypony says that about me! But... thank you Zodiac." I move my hoof from his shoulder as I see him running back to the hideout. I fell asleep with music chosen from DJ Pon3.

==========

I woke up somewhat drowsy from the sleep. Ace was in front of the jail cell waiting for me to wake up. I stood up looking at him. He opened the door as he came in, “I’m going to escort you personally. No worries friend.”

The walk was long as I reached the front gate of Baltimare. He unlocked my hoofcuffs as the guards gave me my saddlebag. I checked to see if all of my belongings were there. Each one was accounted for and no sneaky tricks involving like say a mini explosive. I looked at him one last time wondering if he had a question. I was right about the question, “Say do you know what happened to one of our guards? I sent her to check up on some slaves but apparently, she has not returned…”

I stood there eyeing him, “No, and I really do not care about your worries Bloodedge.” I saw Harmony connecting our thoughts as she used telepathy, In truth Ace, she perished in the hideout of Luminescence.

Although he acted as if he was rather taken by my bold comeback there, his mind was still shocked as well, Shit, if that’s true…Harmony, connect me to Luminescence, I want to speak with him in thought She nodded as Ace backed away as the gate closed on me. He acted as if he looked disgusted for being talked down. I left the perimeter of Baltimare putting enough distance between the lookout towers. When I was confident that I was out of their line of sight, I flew to where the communications tower was. A beep sound occurred on my PipBuck. I checked to see an objective was on it, Take control of the communications tower and liberate Baltimare from Red Eye’s control That was the signal Luminescence said she would give. The Battle for Baltimare has begun...

Footnote: Level Up.

Zodiac:

New Perk: Liberation – Assisting the liberating slaves, you do 10% damage to slavers

Naturia Harmony has rejoined the team!

New Perk: Telepathic - With the ability to contact each other in thoughts, you can utilize stealth much easier. Three points added to sneaking skills

Chapter V: La Nascita di un Sogno

Chapter V:La Nascita di un Sogno

A birth of a dream made a reality by the freed slaves that fought here...

What is it like to be free? Free from corruption, free from suffering, free from all things dangerous?

For slaves, freedom is a dream that many would wish to die for. They cherish the one day where they can roam free of oppression and live their lives without any repercussions to themselves. It is like a wellspring of life that is empty. Empty of all of its wondrous water that would satisfy many old and new taken away by greed.

They have lost all hope of freedom like Gods abandoning them to endless suffering. Yet many have not lost their touch of the Gods. They still hold true to the light in the infinite darkness as they pave the way to their freedom.

There are many paths that ponies take most of them leading to nothing but blackness. There is only that one razor thin path that is hidden in the darkness. These paths are not just limited to slaves; there are many ponies that stray from the true path of freedom turning away from the light as darkness consumes them. Those like raiders, slavers, any pony gone to the darkness are doomed to endless suffering. They relish in the pain of others not caring for theirs or their own well-being.

Those who do not stray from the path of light are given a chance of the afterlife in heaven. They are not without fault though; many will sin even though it will harm them afterwards. Yet even with their sins, they will rectify their sins hoping that they have done enough good to counteract the amount of evil. These ponies are very rare here in the Wasteland.

Those who do try to reach the light have faced the darkness often become consumed by it as the Wasteland tries every effort to break them. If taken too much and alone, they will break and succumb to the evils of the land. With friends however, they gain something that most that are in darkness will never receive, friendship. Friends that are willing to take the pain with each other will support their cause fighting for what they believe is right. They will succumb to the darkness as well, but they will not be alone to take it on. It is with an unyielding dignity that I see to it that every pony does not stray from the path to the light. Even if I must succumb to the evils of the world to see it comes to fruition.

==========

In Baltimare, silence was dominant as no sounds were made. The rebellion was setting itself ready as Ace made contact with Luminescence. I was flying to the communications tower as the signal was delivered. Harmony managed to connect with the leader of the resistance and already the thoughts of the four of us were communicating with one another, Luminescence? Can you hear my thoughts? This is Ace here

I’m beginning to wonder why I was not disconnected from the telepathy. I feel like I was intruding in their conversation, I can hear you my friend. If you made contact, that means that you know about what happened right?

I am afraid so, you realize that this very much compromises everything to this rebellion even with Zodiac taking over the communications tower right?

From out of nowhere came a third voice. It caught me off guard as I stumbled in my flight almost crashing onto the ground, What!? Zodiac you can’t be serious! Taking back the communications tower is like committing a suicide!

Of course she might disagree with me. I’ve only known her for such a short and already she treats me like a friend. I mean sure we helped those slaves but that’s the only we did together. After all of that, our bond grew and suddenly she treats me like someone she could never replace, next to her brother. It’s odd, but it nonetheless makes me happy for her concern, I appreciate the concern Harmony, but none of you have the battle experience I have. You’d be surprised how my battles were like, there was much carnage going on the battlefield.

Many of them fell silent as I was getting close to the communications tower. I was surprised though that an alarm for my presence did not go off. Were they lazy or did they not notice me? Regardless, it was time to begin the fight, I’m going to cut off the telepathy guys, I wish you all the best of luck…

Please be careful Zodiac… I gained one new friend, I don’t want to lose you so early… The telepathy was cut off and I was smiling hearing that. In front of the entrance lay ahead many guards from the inside and outside. Normally, stealth would be the best option for me to undertake but with the ponies trying to rebel, I’ve decided to draw their attention to me. I simply trotted forward as I was within eyesight of the guards.

One of the guards moved forward stopping me from going ahead, “Now, what’s a pegasus slave doing here? This area is restricted, go back to work you worthless…” He was cut by my hoof hitting his spine paralyzing him.

I’d taken the time to learn some of the fighting styles from the Zebra Infiltration Tactics since there is going to be a time where even with my sword, I’m going to be stripped of my weapons. The specific style I learned was the Fallen Caesar Style seeing that it was accustomed to my kind of fighting.

The guards saw that as an act of rebellion and fired multiple volleys at me. I moved out of their line of sight behind cover as. The morals of kill or be killed were etched in my thoughts yes, but I’m still hesitant in killing the people here. It will be difficult since not only will I leave them alive but crippled, they could come back to bite me hard. As a result I had to fight up close and personal and pray that they don’t do that.

I jumped over the cover as I flew towards them dodging some bullets along the way. Some stray bullets hit me but not my vital organs. Closing the distance, I hopped over a guard and delivered a hard buck to his chest area. It was enough to render him unconscious. The other tried to fire his gun at me, but I disarmed his weapon before he can fire. I delivered another Paralyzing Hoof on him leaving him there. I heard the sound of bullets whizzing through the air as I moved out of their volley of shots.

I caught them by surprise as I circled around them and paralyzed one of them. The two turned around hoping to get a shot on me, only for me to disappear from their sights and deliver a solid buck to their backsides. I look up seeing the tower, the objective was not finished.

Suddenly an alarm was blaring through the speakers as the communications tower gave an alert. At first I thought that the slaves were discovered until word from the tower confirmed it, “Alert! There is a slave that killed five guards outside the perimeter of the communications tower! Use lethal force and take him out!” I did not kill these ponies here! Regardless, I entered inside the tower ready to take down the slavers here. These ponies were relying on me to take control of the tower and I will not fail on them.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

We were all heading for our chosen destination when we heard the blaring alarms. Hearing that made me worried almost immediately. Lycan was the first one to freak out upon hearing the alarm and took precisely what made me worried, “Shit! Did they spot our allies!?”

The words from the communications towers confirmed our answers and although thankfully not our allies, the alert was much worse than I had anticipated, “Alert! There is a slave that killed five guards outside the perimeter of the communications tower! Use lethal force and take him out!”

Zodiac was pulling all of the guards’ attention to him? Just what is he trying to do here? “Looks like Zodiac is trying to pull all the guards attention to him only…” My words made everypony’s worries escalate including those I still had telepathic connection to.

Already I can hear Harmony’s voice screaming at Zodiac even though he disconnected the telepathic connection, “What are you doing Zodiac!? You’re going to kill yourself!

Harmony, he can’t hear your thoughts. He disconnected the telepathic connection remember? I heard her screaming and groaning in pain and despair from Zodiac’s choice at hoof.

Lycan was shaking his head like crazy trying to imagine whether I was joking or not. I truly wished I was joking, “Is he crazy!? Ah mean, with most o’ the guards paying attention t’ him, it makes it easy on us but…!”

Liberty finished Lycan’s sentence as they share the same opinion with me about his choice with pulling the guards attention, “He’s basically calling a death sentence upon himself with that many troops on him!”

“Yeah what she said! Why didn’t he tell us about this!? Ah don’t like this ‘ere idea of Zodiac’s one tiny bit!” Lycan was not happy with my choice at the moment. I was not happy with the choice as well as I looked at the swarm of troops heading for the communications tower.

However, while I do see it as an idiotic choice, I also see it as a glimmer of hope for the slaves here, “Because it was his choice.” I looked back at Liberty and Lycan, my expression agreeing to their opinion, “I agree with you two and that this is stupid for a single pony to handle…” Looking back at Gemini and Pisces, I saw how worried they were for Zodiac. I returned his gaze at the tower bearing that concern on my face, “But if he is willing to do this for us, then we must be prudent in our action and make it quick so that we can help him in any way possible.”

Liberty and Lycan looked at each other trying to find a way to counter it, but were left short of any arguments, “Ugh, alrighty then. We better make this quick fer him then.”

Ismiled seeing that they were willing to agree to this. I turned my attention to the two doctors of ours, “Gemini, Pisces, I need you two to come with me and take control of the hospital.” They saluted to me as I shifted my attention to the battle couple, “Liberty, Lycan, think you can gather weapons from the armory?”

Liberty pulled the zebra stealth cloak from her saddlebag, excited to start this operation, “With this baby, we can get them in ten seconds flat!”

I chuckled a bit from hearing that. She had some inspiration from the first Dashite if she were to come up with that phrase, “Then let us not waste anymore time then!” We clapped each other’s hooves as we scattered heading to our chosen destination. Focusing on the task at hand, I led the three of us to the hospital utilizing stealth to the best of our abilities.

Soldiers were galloping and griffons were flying to the communications tower as fast as their bodies can carry them hoping to quell the fight going on there. It looks like Zodiac is managing to attract their attention indeed. Of course they were smart enough to leave behind soldiers in the hospital just in case. I looked at the two doctors who nodded their heads. I looked back at the soldiers watching them carefully.

As they left their posts for a few minutes, we used the chance to run. We passed the two guards without drawing ourselves. Opening the front door and entering quickly, we hid ourselves again as more guards came forward. Their heads were turned to our general direction as I saw their ears perked, By the Goddesses, don’t come here please… The three of us tensed up as one of the guards came close eyeing where we were hiding carefully. What felt like an eternity, he backed away and turned around as he walked with her partner.

The three of us let out a sigh of relief as we continued moving forward. I do hope we can find the supply room fast enough before we get caught.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I ran into some heavy resistance from the guards inside as they bombarded me with bullets. Five bullets grazed my coat leaving a singed mark on them. The heat from the bullets was painful but nothing I can deal with. I sped past them as they turned around to fire at me again. I kicked in S.A.T.S as I closed in the distance delivering three paralyzing hooves to the guards.

I hear the sounds of wings bristling as griffins tried to ambush me from above. I moved out of the way hitting them with a Paralyzing Hoof. I left them and continued my ascent to the spire. Bullets fired through the wall as I was ascending. One hit my right hoof as I tumbled down the stairs. The griffons heard me tumbling alerting the other guards that I was down but not out.

I struggled to get up as I looked at my right hoof. The bullet tore through the flesh and was left next to the muscle. I pulled some tweezers from my saddlebags and pulled the bullet out. A scream of agonizing pain erupted from me. I wrapped magical bandages around the wound slowing the blood loss. I tried to walk on my injured right hoof, but another agonizing scream came. I was left with my left hoof to be able to cripple ponies. I might end up having to kill ponies now with me in this situation.

I begin flying through the hall as more guards came from behind firing at me. One of them threw a grenade as I was flying. I grabbed the thrown metal apple and threw it back at them. “Grenade!” They screamed and headed for cover as I continued my push forward. I flew as fast as my wings can allow me to. More guards were in the next room releasing a barrage of bullets at me. I moved sideways hiding from the stream of bullets. They ducked behind covers allowing me to move behind them.

I managed to hit their leg bones hard making a loud and unnerving crunch sound. They let out an agonizing scream as I got off them. A bullet passed by my head as I turned around to see more guards coming. I went behind the tables as bullets riddled the table with lots of holes. One of them tossed a grenade to my side (idiotic much?). I grabbed it and tossed it back. They took cover from the grenade as I exploded leaving shrapnel in its wake. I moved to a sturdier cover as the table was about to crumble on itself.

A griffon tossed a grenade to me. I grabbed it and tossed it back (again why?). Before he could react, it exploded in front of that poor griffin’s face blowing his face completely off. I was going to be sick upon seeing a griffon’s face blown off.

I looked behind quickly to see four griffons firing... goddamn freaking miniguns!? I moved out of the barrage of bullets. Four bullets missed, two hit their allies taking them down. Friendly fire much there? Regardless, they were outside and I can’t go out for risk of being torn to shreds.

I went behind a pillar of stone as I threw a piece of rock at them. They dodged the rock looking at the object what I was doing throwing a simple rock. Big mistake to lose your focus, I flew above them as they turned around see me charging at them. I delivered a solid kick to the back of one of the griffons momentarily paralyzing him.

One of the griffons caught him as he, alongside the others, fired at me. I felt four bullets tore through my skin as I grimaced in pain, flying away from them and ascending to the spire. I saw the griffon carrying his paralyzed friend back down as the other two chased after me. Despite the condition, I couldn’t help but smile seeing that even bad people care for their allies. No one is truly evil, a friend told me that and I’m inclined to agree there.

I broke through a glass window surprising some of guards that were coming down the stairs. They pulled their weapons out of their holsters and fired. I spread my wings as I flew above them. Many of the bullets did go through my wings. As much as it was terrifying to have my wings riddled with holes and to the fact that my wings got shot, I had to deal with the pain.

I was over their heads delivering a paralyzing hoof to one of them. They turned and were ready to fire at me but not before I disarmed them and crippled their forelegs preventing from using their weapons. I ascended up the stairs right as the two griffons following me came barging in seeing the down guards.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Zodiac, you’re making me more worried for you every second. He was probably at the halfway point of the tower during my allies’ liberation. Liberty and Lycan fired at some guards that were at the armory. While Lycan was doing cover fire, Liberty was wearing the stealth cloak as she was behind the enemy.

I saw her cripple the enemy as her hoofstrikes resonating through their armor pulverizing internal organs. Lycan was almost downright shocked to see the style in action. I too was had no one known that I was helping the resistance. Lycan walked forward looking at the down enemies, “Ah never thought that Fallen Caesar Style would be this deadly. Remind me t’ never get on yer bad side Liberty…”

She chuckled hearing that from her husband. I have to admit though, Fallen Caesar Style would probably scare any pony if used right, “Aw no worries darling! At least we get the benefit of the doubt!” She began to pick the lock as she pulled a pin from her mane.

Lycan scoured ahead to see if there were any more guards. I diverted from their attention looking at the communications tower. I saw a lot of guards gathered there trying to diffuse a single stallion. As amazing as it was that he was giving them that much trouble, it still did not ease my worries. I saw Lycan coming back. He delivered the news to both me and Liberty, “No more guards here. I guess Zodiac’s attention grab is working…” My expression was still as forlorn as it can be. I did put up a happy façade to hide my worries but it was not helping me.

At least they did not pay attention to me yet, “I’d rather be safe than sorry, but you are right. Now come on darling help me get these weapons to the others!” I saw Lycan opening his saddlebag as he begun to fill them to the brim with weapons of all kind. Liberty filled hers as well. I checked to see if anymore guards were coming. I saw some guards coming to the armory. I gestured the two to hurry up as fast as possible.

They finished packing the weapons as they heard the sound of wings flapping. We took a different way out and left immediately just as the front door was opened. I heard the both of them chuckle as we were far enough from the armory, “I can’t wait to see their faces when they find out that we stole their weapons!”

Lycan was snickering from the response. I couldn’t help but smile a bit thinking about that right now. Lycan pretty much said what I had in mind. “I agree there honey, now let’s get back quickly! We got a city to free!” We were heading for the cave right as I saw them leaving the building as multiple injured soldiers were coming to get healed. Luminescence surprised reaction matched mine. To see so many injured soldiers coming from the tower, this is a feat that I’d find impossible. Zodac sure was not lying when he said that he had the battle experience to back up his claim.

I saw him smiling seeing that Zodiac’s gamble was paying off if he left that many soldiers hurting and running. We were out of their line of sight as they entered the hospital. The three of us were right behind them as we ran back to their hideout. Luminescence knocked on the rock three times. A slave came by and opened the rock seeing the five of us with our supplies.

He immediately went back inside and delivered the news as we entered. Slaves cheered loudly seeing that we managed to do get all of what they need leaving the enemy empty of everything they need. They prepped up for the fight ahead quickly hoping to end the current situation.

My thoughts were still preoccupied with Zodiac trying to take back the communications tower. I felt a hoof on my shoulder as I looked into the eyes of Luminescence. He noticed my concern as I looked away from him. The words he chose left me gawking, “Go, I know you are concerned about Zodiac. We won’t hold you back.”

I felt a few tears well up in my eyes (I am such a sensitive pony today) as I hugged them there. He let go as he nodded to me. I turned around and left for the communications tower. As I was at the exit of the cave, I saw Ace in front of me. We were both surprised by meeting each other so suddenly. I saw Ace was smiling at me, “You’re thinking about joining with Zodiac on his journey aren’t you?”

The question was out of nowhere yet… Yes, that’s what I was exactly thinking. I looked away from Ace and at the tower. He got to the point and I acknowledged it for him, “Ace… as much as I would love to help you liberate the slaves in Fillydelphia, I have a feeling that Zodiac’s journey will be much bigger than just liberation from slavers in the Filly, even if the numbers are big. So please forgive me but I…”

My sentence was cut off by his lips making contact with mine. My eyes widened in shock from the sudden kiss. He pulled away as I put my hoof over my mouth in shock of what just happened. He continued his smile as he looked at me, “Why would you think I fell in love with you in the first place when we first met?” That question left my face burning. I let a light chuckle escape as I looked away rubbing my right foreleg with my left. He too chuckled as he went to the entrance, “I’ll miss you but…” He turned around looking at me for possibly the last time, “I know you’ll do great things Harmony… I do hope to meet each other again after all of this is over.”

My blushing face brightened but I gazed at him giving my best smile I could give, “I hope so but one more thing…” He stopped looking at me with curiosity, “When you did that kiss, did you seriously love me there?” A smile formed on his face as he winked at me. That was enough of an answer for me as he entered the cave meeting his friend.

I think my face was still feeling hot. Even during all of this, he does right then and now. Why couldn’t he do it when I was with him before? I’m going to have to think about that for another time. I turned and galloped for the tower. I hope that Zodiac is still alive, injured most definitely, but alive.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I was getting more battered with each passing minute as I was making my way to the spire. More and more guards were coming through as they tried to stop me. Admittedly, I found myself laughing that for such an army that Red Eye has, they can’t defeat a single pegasus stallion.

During my ascent, more guards kept on popping up trying to kill me. They were running out to options to stop me weren’t they? Many of the guards were beginning to get desperate as they tried many ways to take me out. I was injured beyond my imagining, they thought they were seeing a ghost in front of them. A bleeding right hoof, four of my wings filled with holes, and cuts deep enough to reach bone were just the many injuries I’ve sustained. And I had no luck running into a single guard with a healing potion so I was a walking corpse to their eyes.

As I was reaching the pinnacle of the tower, an alarm was blaring through the speakers. The words being said warmed my heart as I stopped to listen, “Alert! Slaves are rebelling in the central area of Baltimare! All guards that are up and able, shoot down the riot!” I took my first step on the top of the tower where the ponies here were watching the riot. I made one noticeable sound for them to see me coming. They withdrew their weapons and fired at me.

I swiftly dispatched each one of them with a Paralyzing Hoof momentarily stopping their movements. I carried each one of them to the floor below me. I was heavily breathing as the severe injuries were taking a toll on me. I scavenged through their paralyzed bodies to find no healing options. They were swearing at me as I left them not heeding their words. I pressed the button allowing my voice to be projected to the slaves below, “Communications tower is ours for the taking!”

The slaves at the central plaza were screaming joy for me as they begun their liberation. My PipBuck made a beep sound as I checked up on it. The objective was marked with a green check. I smiled seeing that I successfully retook the communications tower.

I was going to lie down and relax there when I heard the sound of hoofsteps rushing to the top of the tower. I turn to the stairs groaning over the fact that someone is trying to stop me here. Even then, it might end up being true with me being very injured. The hoofsteps got and I got to see who was climbing. To my surprise, it was Harmony. She was breathing heavily as she was looking down on the floor, “Why couldn’t they… install an elevator… to the top floor?”

She raised her head to me and elicited a gasp as she saw my body’s current condition. I tried to wave hello to her but my body was in so much pain that just raising my forelegs hurt so badly. I did smile back at her but my whole body wanted to collapse there. She came to my side as she putted my foreleg over her shoulder, “You are probably the most reckless pony to ever exist to have injuries like these…”

I was trying my best to make myself be positive but my body was just not going to me there. That of course was not working as I was wheezing when I would normally laugh. She was worried and yet at the same time couldn’t help but chuckle seeing me struggle right now, “I seriously think you and my brother would get along very well with you two being so reckless of your actions…”

I disliked being compared like that, to be honest, but I did not want to fight it as I let myself chuckle hearing the comparison there, “Haha, and the people who I know say that I’m crazy and think that I’m a masochist for hurting myself when doing crazy quests...”

She looked at me oddly at first wondering about that. She put me down for now as she got to getting me at least healed up. She gestured me to spread my wings. I obliged as I spread my six wings open showing her and the extent of my injuries, “Goodness, this might take a while to do. We’re going to have to do all of this in the hospital.”

Despite my condition, I put my left hoof on her left shoulder. My body wanted to fail on me right then and there as I was overexerting my body to its very limits, but my mind was not allowing me to stop as I wanted to say something to her, “Harmony thank you for helping me here, but…” I let myself be silent for a few seconds before asking, “If you are still here does that mean…?”

I saw Harmony give a smile to me as she put her right hoof on my left, “I’m here to stay. I know that I still have a lot of explaining with the slavery at hoof and everything else but let me say that I’d be happy to join your cause Zodiac.”

For the first time in my entire life, I think I might have gain something worth fighting for. Where I came from, most of the fights were handled by those six and I was but a simple observer to their many amazing feats. I still did my best to help but for the most part, they handled most of the problems themselves.

I felt ashamed to admit that I wasn’t of much use there comparing to here. I was tired, I wanted to rest so badly but my brain would not allow me until it was finished. I disliked the adrenaline rush that my brain was undergoing.

I tried to stand but my body collapsed yet again. Harmony lifted me up again as we turned around to the exit. I looked at her first before shifting my gaze to the slaves that were rebelling. Many soldiers that were fighting back were retreating to the front gates as despite have numbers with them, they were too injured to fight back. From the front gate, I saw Ace leading the retreat back to Fillydelphia. He turned to the tower, nodded and smiled as he left.

I was smiling seeing him doing this. I do hope that he does manage to help in freeing the slaves back at Fillydelphia even if it is only a tiny effort. The slaves were cheering, free from the control of Red Eye as their city was back at their hooves. I smiled seeing them cheering.

I looked back at Harmony who was smiling. We limped forward to the exit and descended down the flight of stairs. We managed to get all the way to the base floor of the tower. I was beginning to black out as some of the freed slaves arrived to the tower to take over for me. I heard Harmony piercing the silence as he told them to take me to the hospital. Some of them were calling for Gemini and Pisces as they came up to carry me. I smiled to see them alive as I vision faded to black and I drifted off to unconsciousness.

* * * * * *

Tonight was going to be a great night… Alongside the Royal Princesses and the bearers of Harmony, this was going to be a doozy according to Pinkie Pie herself. I was put in a random spot by Pinkie being very close to the stage that she set up with Vinyl Scratch as I see her DJ booth on the stage. The others were moved to a specific area as well. Every pony here was getting along when loud dubstep music was emitting from the stage itself. Pinkie gave every pony the drinks that Twilight and the rest warned me to drink lightly. Pinkie Pie was on stage with a microphone, “Alright every pony are you ready to party!?”

A cricket sound was playing as silence answered her question. Every pony was reluctant to drink theirs considering what happened the last time they had this kind of party, “Uh Pinkie, can we have this kind of party without us getting drunk?”

Pinkie opened mouth shocked to hear that from Twilight. She did not like that answer but still kept her bubbly attitude, “Aw come on, why not?”

Applejack answered that question though I really wished I unheard her answer, “Because the last time we went through one, Ah ended up sleeping in Fluttershy’s Cottage with Fluttershy next to me!”

“Darling, I admit that these kinds of parties are fun but can we not get drunk please?” Rarity clearly did not want to go drunk. I take it back about this going to be a great night if every pony here did not want to go drunk.

Pinkie clearly was not happy to hear that kind of answer from her own friends, but then she perked up when she sees Luna taking a drink of her specially made drink, “Oh Princess Luna just drank my juice!”

Every pony but Celestia and I had their mouths opened wide out of shock seeing that the night princess drank her specialty. Luna noticed that every pony was staring at her much to her confusion, “What? Tis a fine drink that Pinkie Pie concocted, I do not see what is wrong… with…it…”

“Oh no…” was every pony said as they backed away slowly from her. Me and Celestia looked at her curious as to what happened to her. Celestia looked at her cup and was about to drink it as well, but I stopped her as I pointed at Luna who was shuddering like crazy. Her eyes were like pinpricks as she gave her biggest smile I’d ever seen from her.

We both backed away as well, wondering what was going on. As a few seconds pasted, she goes hyper from the drink as she flies around screaming in the Royal Canterlot voice, ”COME EVERYPONY, LET US CELEBRATE THIS MOMENTOUS OCCASION! DRINK EVERYPONY, DRINK!” She telekinetically grabbed everypony’s drink but mine and Celestia and forced them to gulp them down. Every ponies reactions was that of them saying in their thoughts and expressions, Oh crap.

After every pony forcibly drank their drinks down, it all end up becoming a crazy party of hyperactive ponies. Fluttershy was up on the stage singing with Pinkie Pie literally head-banging to the song they were singing. Rainbow was drinking every cup she can find and she zoomed through the sky creating a lightning path. Applejack was riding on Rainbow Dash as she was zooming literally screaming ‘YEEHAW’ as they were getting more wild. Rarity was with Twilight casting spell after spell of continuous madness. Luna was creating many creatures of the nights allowing them to celebrate in the festivities.

We both looked at each other concerned on whether to drink Pinkie’s special drink or not. With every pony like this, we were certain that us being drunk was a bad idea. We were about to dump our drinks when Pinkie came in and putted them in another cup as she putted them on the table, “No way are you lonely birds missing out on the party!” She gave us the drinks again her eyes locked onto us, “Drink it you two and let’s celebrate!”

“Pinkie, I would much love to enjoy this party, but do you realize how dangerous it is for the both of us to be drunk?”

Despite Celestia’s plea to not drink it, Pinkie was not having any of it, “Aw danger shmanger! Drink it up and celebrate! Because I am not leaving this spot until you drink them!” She gave her biggest smile that sent chills up both of our spines.

We looked at each other clearly realizing that we were not going to be able to get away from this. Though despite this, I couldn’t help but smile a bit. She too smiled; she wanted to have a party like this, just not with her drunk. We tipped our cups and reluctantly drank the cider. At first nothing abnormal happened, but within a mere second everything changed.

* * * * * *

I woke up to find myself in the Baltimare Hospital, or at least I think it is. I look around to see a heart monitor beeping normally to my heart and both Harmony and Luminescence sleeping to my right side. I chuckled seeing both of them sleep next to me.

I poked both of their heads to wake them up. Luminescence woke up with a few snorts before finally getting back to reality, “H-Huh? I-I’m awake…” He gives a big yawn as he rubbed his eyes looking at me, “H-Hey there Zodiac…” He delivered yet another yawn before suddenly realizing what just happened, “Oh my Goddesses! I fell asleep on the duty!”

I kid of chuckled seeing that he had the same reaction like what happened with Harmony. I did raise my eyebrow in confusion upon hearing that, “What duty? You mean watching over me?”

He slightly blushed a bit while rubbing his two hooves together, “That and to assist some of the slaves that are injured.”

“Did… we do it? Did we manage to liberate Baltimare?” I was asking because despite the numerous injured soldiers, I was worried that we have fallen short of a victory.

Luminescence’s smile was enough of an answer for me, “Yes, even better, we managed to get no deaths. We did suffer a lot of injuries as expected but no deaths.” He hugged me in my bed as I cringed a bit from some of the pain. He loosened the hug a bit but was very happy regardless, “Thank you Zodiac, for giving us this chance.”

I hugged him back, no questions asked. He deserved this freedom and so do the others. His mother and father would be proud. I let go of the hug as a question lingered in my mind, “So considering that I’m in bad shape, how long will it take for me to walk again?”

“According to Gemini and Pisces, about three days top. Your recovery rate is fast I must say.” I smiled glad to hear those kinds of news.

I needed the rest today and three days doesn’t seem all that bad of a resting time. I still needed to go to Tenpony Tower but it can wait. Still, I wanted to brush up on my knowledge at the time and reading and listening to the radio was better than just laying doing nothing but stare at the door or ceiling, “Hey Luminescence, think you can grab me those two books you showed me? I want to refresh my knowledge of the Wasteland…”

He pulled them out of the bag and left it to my side. Better prepared earlier than never… I took the books and thanked him for the books, “No problem Zodiac, it’s the least I can do. Now, I got to set some rules here now that they’re gone. I’m still the de facto leader here and they need a good leader.”

I patted him on the shoulder as he was about to leave, “You’ll make a fine leader Luminescence.” He smiled as he left to do whatever is needed. Well, I was left alone here; I decided to listen to the radio as I was reading.

I went to DJ pon3’s station as I was reading the Wasteland Survival Guide when news about the Stable Dweller came up, “Good evening wastelanders!  How’s every pony doing?  Got some great news for you today!  Remember that little Stable Gal who took on the slavers of Appleloosa and saved all those ponies?  Well don’t ask me how, but she survived takin’ a nosedive off a cliff in a speeding train.  That’s right, fillies and gentlecolts: she’s back! And what’s she been up to now, I hear you ask?  Well, sit down an’ put on your listening ears, cuz it’s time for DJ Pon3 to tell you a story.  Ready?  Good.  This is the story of a little filly named Silver Bell…”

Appleloosa? I wasn’t there when I was heading to Tenpony Tower, when did this occur? If I were to make a guess, I’d say this occurred around a week or so if I were keeping track of my time. Still, she was at it again. With the gender at least confirmed by DJ Pon3, I can safely call her by her true gender not an it because that’s just rude.

I did look over to Harmony who was still sleeping peacefully. I wanted to wake her up but I did not want to ruin her slumber, she deserved a good rest. A smile formed on my face as I was listening to the radio while reading.

==========

After hearing the story behind Silver Bell, I gained a newfound respect for her. Not only for talking down Silver Bell in a gentle way but for saving many ponies from slavers at Appleloosa. I smiled seeing that I may have found the one beacon the shines through the infinite darkness. She was a calm storm willing to strike if some pony was being threatened and a force that will not be hesitant in saving ponies lives even at the risk of her own life. Someday, I’d like a chance to meet her personally.

I yawned loudly as night was beginning to rise. I continued on with reading the Wasteland Survival Guide hoping for more good information. I kept the radio station on for tonight as I tried to catch up with the book on the many areas I did not know about. One interesting tidbit I found was something concerning about Fillydelphia, the city where Harmony worked before as a slaver.

Fillydelphia, situated in southeastern Equestria, was a pre-war metropolis and the center of Equestria's manufacturing industries. According to some friends of mine, the city once laid in ruins after it suffered from a long range bombardment from megaspells just like Canterlot. It has been occupied by many factions though most of the control goes to Red eye’s Army. Many of the factories that were once destroyed were rebuilt to serve the purposes of Red Eye’s Army, allowing the usage of deadly weapons at their arsenal. The restored factories are also now used to make books and other essentials for Red Eye. He established himself as the slave master of the Wasteland, with Fillydelphia as the slaver capital. To those that want to go to Fillydelphia, please don’t, you be in a world of suffering worse than death…

I was rather surprised by Ditzy’s choice of words here considering her reputation. It did warm my heart with her for a second before shifting back to the reality at hoof involving Fillydelphia. Fillydelphia, that’s a city I want to avoid at all costs I thought to myself. And then there’s the bombardment of Canterlot. It was somewhat conflicting consider I did not see any blown up houses or buildings only a rotting things and the weird cloud itself. I looked up whatever that cloud and sure enough I found it.

Pink Cloud is an entropic, necromantic, pink-hued gas that was originally released by bombs deployed by the zebra empire during the Great War to strike Canterlot and eliminate the two Princesses, Celestia and Luna. It has a deadly effect on living beings, seeping into flesh and lungs, rotting it and melting it, and potentially liquefying bodies into heaps of organic matter. Oh Goddesses, don’t let me be a part of that! Even slight exposure can lead to severe complications, including organ failure and the permanent fusing of skin to objects in close contact, including clothes, PipBucks, jewelry, and even the ground or a chair if a victim remains still for an extended duration of exposure. It is almost always lethal, though in rare instances a victim can be turned into a particular variant of ghoul known as a Canterlot Ghoul.

I shivered immensely upon reading what the Pink Cloud could do. While the name was somewhat repetitive, the effects were not so laughable. The zebra empire used it to kill the two ponies I was meant to protect here in this world? The amount to necromantic magics used to kill off a whole civilization in Canterlot… I wanted to not think about it ever as I putted it in a great deep hole filling it up with dirt and putting a pedestal on it.

I decided to stop reading for tonight as I drifted off into sleep hoping that the three days in the hospital will be a great time. Some news did pop up every now and then to wake me up but for the most part, it was a good and a bad sleep. Good for the comforting beds, bad because to the new knowledge I learned.

==========

Two days have passed since the liberation of Baltimare. Both Harmony and other doctors came to check upon my injuries checking if they healed or not. They were surprised to see that my injuries healed almost completely. With that note, the doctors of Baltimare checked me out since my injuries were not prevalent anymore, but they suggested to not strain myself should the pain resurface. Harmony came with me keeping watch of me as I stepped into the fresh outdoors… Well fresh enough…

I looked around the city seeing slaves who lost their hope of freedom cheerfully getting to some reconstruction of some parts of the city. Everypony was doing their best to support Luminescence, their new leader they all voted on. He took on the position proudly as he was giving instructions to the free ponies here, “See if any of you can take over the communications tower, we need to spread word that…”

“Ahem…” I said as I got Luminescence’s attention. Harmony chuckled hearing me do something like that. I looked at her in confusion and she just shrugged to her amusement.

I saw him turn around as he saw me walking and healed to an extent. He finished the rest of what he was saying and motioned those he chatted with to go along. They saluted and went off to do what they were assigned to do. He smiled as he returned his attention back at me, “Well hello Zodiac, surprised you’re walking with Harmony… How are the injuries?”

I moved my wings, forelegs, every single body part to prove my point although I did get a bit of pain from moving some of them a bi. Harmony just shook her head seeing me do that. What? It was better to do something like that to check right? “More or less well. I can at least walk so there’s that…”

“Well that’s good wouldn’t want you walking if you were still injured.” He returned his attention to some of the ponies that needed his help as they were calling him. Before he left he had almost forgotten the interesting fact one of the ponies recently bought up to him, “Hey Zodiac, I don’t know if you heard this but apparently some of the ponies that are at Stable 150 have been having weird occurrences happen to them.”

Both me and Harmony’s ears perked upon that. Harmony beat me to the question as I was just about to ask, “Weird occurrences? Like what exactly?” Aw come on, I got beaten to the question I was about to ask! Anyway, the last time the two of us were in that Stable trying to survive getting killing by those carnivorous parasprites, we did not have any weird things happen to us. This was some rather interesting knowledge given to us.

I saw Luminescence scratching his chin pondering about the rumors, “Depends honestly… some ponies said they hear what sounds like something from a heartbeat monitor, others hear like breathing through the speakers. It was real quiet though so they probably were either next to the speakers or that the sound is closer than expected….” I saw Harmony’s eyes widened hearing this news. The two of us never heard a heartbeat monitor or breathing during our raid through it… Then again, I was so busy staying alive that I probably never noticed it at all with all the noise coming from the guns and parasprites running amok. Jeez, do I like to repeat myself a lot?

I saw Harmony getting real close to Lumin (got to think of a nickname for him, too long of a name to say) her eyes boring into his with an expression mixed with glee and concern, “Luminescence, please don’t joke with me here but are you sure?”

Lumin was sweating here but he remained calm, “Remember Harmon, these are just rumors but if you want to check, I’d say go for it. Who knows, they may end up being true…” Seeing an agreement there, we left Luminescence with the ponies here as we went to Stable 150. During our walk there I began to ponder about those sounds.

Was the Overstallion or better yet, Harmony’s brother still in the Stable alive? A sound of a heartbeat monitor would not mean that he was alive, heck, he could be dead just with that hint. With the breathing portion, however, he might still be alive. Maybe not well, but possibly alive… I stopped at the entry of the Stable as I stared at it for quite some time.

After hearing DJ Pon3’s news message involving the Stable Gal as she calls her and now a newcomer by the title of Security (I wonder if she was from a Stable as well…), I began to wonder… How was life in a Stable like? It hadn’t dawned at me at the time I first entered into one but now that I think about, it was making me curious now. What was it like to be in a Stable? Did all Stables work as expected? Did they have different functions depending on the Stable itself?

So many questions about Stables in my head, it was hurting my head. I saw Harmony waving a hoof in front of me trying to get my attention, “Hello? Equestria to Zodiac respond please!”

I shook my head for a second looking at Harmony, “Sorry about that, my thoughts just had questions lingering about.” She smiled as she pressed the code for me. I put those questions in a shelf and neatly organized it from top being the questions I want answered most to the bottom where those questions don’t truly matter much.

She finished inputting the code again as the door opened with a hissing sound of steam released as the door gave out a draconic roar as it opened slowly. I slowly entered being a bit cautious… In fact, I might be a little too cautious what with Harmony chuckling a bit and that the place is already empty according to my PipBuck. I almost forgot that I had the thing on if it didn’t make a beep sound. I checked on it to see it has an apparently two objective on it.

Head for Tenpony Tower

(Optional) Investigate the mysterious sounds

Well that seemed a bit much for me. The first objective was I presumably guess was the main one as it doesn’t have the optional on it. Me and Harmony spilt up as she went left and I took right. I looked in the Stable wondering where the sound originated from. Damn it I should have asked some of the ponies out there before entering in here…  Well, I can leave but since the Stable was safe now, I decided to go on ahead.

I put my right hoof over my right ear as I was trying to hear out where the sound was coming from. Speakers generally don’t count as they are in every direction but I wanted to be certain. As I was trotting around, I ended up in the clinic again. I looked at where I originally was. Suddenly, I was imagining the scene of Harmony saving my life being played in front of me.

Don’t you die on me Zodiac! I promise to keep you alive until my last breath! The vivid scene ended as I heard Harmony’s hoofsteps coming forth breaking my thoughts, “You know, I never thought to be back here again…”

“Neither was I Harmony.” I smiled there as we returned back to the task at hand. We lingered around Stable 150 using our sense of hearing to see if we can find the source of the sounds. So far, I only heard the sounds from the speakers as expected now that there was little to no sounds. The speakers were not helping us somewhat finding out the noise. I headed to the Overstallion’s offices as Harmony went elsewhere trying to scout out any areas as I turned off the speakers. I stood still listening for the heartbeat and breathing sounds.

Sudden realization came to me with the speakers itself. If the sound was quiet yet the speakers can hear it, maybe it is in the office I was in since only one microphone can be found here. The room was so small though, how can a pod fit in here? I tapped on the wall behind me first. The sound was normal if you were hitting a hoof on a rock so that. Same with the floor and the ceiling above. I scratched my head in confusion how in the word was a heartbeat monitor sound coming from this area?

I kicked at the base of the terminal in agony of this. I did stop hearing the sound of the kick again. I kicked it again noticed from hearing it that it sounded rather hallow. I ducked to the base seeing it was screwed shut. It was to be expected yet something behind the cover was pulling my attention. As I stared at it for a while, I noticed a small red button through all the wires tied up. I didn’t have a screwdriver with me though.

I left the office for the time being to look for a screwdriver. My PipBuck beeped as another objective was added on it. It was after the original optional objective as I read it.

(Optional) Find the screwdriver

Well that’s repetitive to have that written don’t you think?I thought to myself. I did a thorough search of Stable 150 as I was looking for the screwdriver. My PipBuck luckily gave a map of the Stable so searching for it should be easy, right? NOT!

I saw Harmony at the PipBuck Technician’s stall (I did not know about this, my Pipbuck told me about it). I poked Harmony on the back hoping to get her attention. She jumped and bumped her head on the ceiling of the stall ash she turned around to see me, “Zodiac! Don’t scare me like that please! I’ve already had a heart attack once. I don’t want another please.”

I chuckled hearing that from her, “Well you were going to get jumped either way Harmony no matter which way I try to get your attention.” She let out a sigh as she stood up and decided to return to the Overstallion’s office. I was scavenging through the box she looked upon checking to see if there was anything else she missed.

All I found was some useless junk and some magazine called Wingboner Magazine which I can tell was one of those magazines. You’re all thinking that I peeked into the magazine aren’t you!? Well too bad for you stallions and mares but I did not take a gander at it! Ugh, what’s with everypony here being kinky today? I put that away very much not interested in reading such a magazine and headed back to the Overstallion’s office with no screwdriver in hoof.

During my walk to the destination, I put in my headphones and went onto the radio station of DJ pon3 wondering if he had any news, “Good evening wastelanders! How’s every pony doing out there? Got some amazing news today!  Apparently Stable Gal and Security aren’t the only one freeing some slaves out there! That’s rights folks, the same pegasus I mentioned upon before has done it again! What did he do you all ask? Why not only did he free slaves, but also liberated Baltimare from Red Eye’s Army! While singlehandedly taking on almost the whole entire army as he was taking the communications tower! He’s in the hospital as the now freed ponies said but golly to take on an army that big alone… That pegasus must be made of iron don’t you think?”

I was seriously wondering how was he able to get knowledge about me without going into the location… He did mention that the ponies managed to tell him about so that’s answered that. There was also those sprite-bots so there’s that as well. I’m not so sure why, but I was blushing hearing the praise I was given.  Really didn’t need all of that praising but… Well, it was everybody’s choice.

She was still speaking of the news about Baltimare, “Some of the ponies slash griffins that escaped his onslaught said that he spared almost all of them as a way to deliver the message to them that if he’s around and you are causing trouble, he will not hesitate to judge you there… Heck I even got a recording of one of the ponies saying it! ‘That pegasus is crazy I swear! He took on the whole army while still injured! No healing potions, no outside help, just him! He’s like the judge, jury, and executioner of the Wasteland!’ Well I’ll be, that soldier sounded scared out of his wits! I think I might end calling this pegasus the Bringer of Light since the Pegasus says he does all three! Yeah that sounds cool! Oh wait, the Stable Gal already has that title! Then how about the Angel of Darkness? Yeah, that would be perfect for him!”

I blushed again. I really didn’t need all of this credit from DJ Pon3 to be honest, I just did what I thought was right… The nickname Angel of Darkness did have a nice ring to it and admittedly was a bit close to my origins than expected, “Well, then it is settled then. To any evil pony out there! Threaten a life if our Angel of Darkness is within your vicinity and you will be in a world of hurting! Well DJ Pon3 is running out of time so here's Sapphire Shores with singing the song, 'called ‘Guardian Angel’.”

Although I didn’t deserve all of this credit, I will admit that I feel proud of myself. I went to the next possible area where there might be a screwdriver, the clinic. Silly as that sounds, you can never tell if they have one with them. I checked through the cabinets of the clinic finding nothing but some paperwork involving some of the soldiers that were here. Some were a bit creepy as I was reading through them, others were damn hilarious if I say so myself.

No luck finding a screwdriver throughout my search in each and every room in the Stable. I headed back to the office seeing Harmony listening to the messages on the terminal again. I put my hoof on her shoulder as she stopped reading the messages. I saw something protruding just behind the terminal. I reached to it out of curiosity. Immediately, I found a screwdriver behind it. I facehooved so hard right there, I think I might have broken my nose there.

Harmony looked upon me in confusion as to why I did that. I lowered myself and unscrewed the screws on the metal cap. She lowered herself seeing that I was doing. After all of that, we saw a red button behind all the wires. I moved the wires out of the way with my left hoof. I was about to push the red button but Harmony stopped me there, “Are you sure you want to push that? I’ve heard of the phrase, Pushing the big red button is a big no-no and I’m a bit scared.”

I looked at it for a while before responding to her question, “Well what choice to we have? This is the only thing throughout the whole Stable that we’ve yet to check.” She let a sigh as she motioned to get it over with. My right hoof pushed the red button. I backed away next to Harmony waiting for something to happen. The office I was inside was shuddering like it was in an earthquake. I kept my balance while Harmony used me as support as the room was shuddering. The shuddering continued going on until it immediately stopped…

Uh, what? I was baffled as I was waiting a full minute when it calmed down. I looked at Harmony first then inside finding no significant changes at all. Was that button meant to be a prank on the Overstallion or something? I was steaming there as I was not pleased with what that button did. I just sighed there as the both of us were getting ready to leave the office. As I took one step outside the office, the room sealed itself with metal doors. Those doors almost chopped of my legs had I not noticed it quickly.

Harmony turned around seeing the other door close as well. The room shuddered one more time, this time we couldn’t escape what was coming. We braced ourselves for what was coming only to find out that… the floor opened below suddenly. I looked down into the black pit, then to Harmony, and then the both of us looked into whatever cameras this room had as we were suspended in the air for three seconds before we fell down.

==========

“Ow, ow, ow, ow, ouch…” was all I was saying as I was recovering from the fall there. I didn’t have time to fly to slow down as it was very sudden and I wasn’t thinking straight with me screaming for dear life. I stood up moving my body parts checking for any bones dislocated or something. None were dislocated though a few bones did pop.

I checked up on Harmony seeing if she was feeling fine. She too of course was repeating what I said as she was rubbing her head, “Ow, ow, ow, ow, ouch… who would do that without somepony knowing about it?” I just shrugged there much to my confusion as well.

We were in a tiny hallway as I led us walking through the hallway. The walls were uneven like normal rocks as we was walking through it. A tiny light source was at the end of the hallway. If I learned anything from my experiences, it is that small hallways with a light at the end are either me hallucinating, I’m in an endless hallway, or I’m in one of those hallways that shrink the longer you are in one of them. Surprisingly, it was not one of them as we made it to the light.

Inside the room, there was much clutter around the place as I looked at the room. Harmony saw the mess of the room as well wondering what happened here. Our ears perked as we heard the heart monitor. I looked to find one behind me. The heart rate was stable as I was seeing it. So this was where the heartbeat sound was coming from… Harmony seeing that was ecstatic, “Does…does this mean what I think it means?”

I sure it does mean what I think it means. We turn around moving out of this whole mess. Apparently something happened here as closer inspection of the clutter revealed they were actually pony bones. That send chills up both of our spines and they were numerous.

The room was rather big and wide for something holding a single pod. My guess was that I stepped into the basement where Twilight was conducting the experiments involving the pods. All the pods that were here would be in Stable 112 if I remember right. Even Harmony agreed with me on the idea as she pointed it out, “This is probably where Twilight Sparkle held the pods before…”

We went on ahead and at the end of this humongous room, there were ten pods shaped in a circle. Harmony gasped loudly as she rushed ahead looking in each one of them. I came shortly as I glanced at each one of them. All of them had some pony in them but they died of age, possibly meaning that those pods failed on them.  Looking through one to nine, each one died. At least they died of age rather than whatever is out in the Wasteland.

Harmony was at the tenth when she sat there still, a hoof over her mouth and another reaching for the pod. I arrived at the tenth one looking below me to find some rather interesting things. There was a battle saddle with a weapon that I swear looks familiar. Some ammo for the weapon and what surprised me is that they looked like miniature rockets! I looked at the weapon and sure enough, the weapon I was looking at was a rocket launcher. How’d that exist in here, I don’t know.

A Royal Guard chest plate was here. I can tell by simply seeing the insignia of the Royal Guard. Looking at ten, what I saw made me go stiff like Harmony. For within the number 10 pod, my mind was shocked and was processing seeing what I was seeing… A living pony inside the pod breathing.

Footnote: Level Up.

Zodiac:

New Perk: Life Giver – Discovering the origins of the heartbeat sound has given you +30 to Hit Points.

Quest Perk: Welcome to Reality – Finding Harmony's supposedly deceased brother has granted you unique dialogues with certain characters.

Naturia Harmony:

New Perk: Life Giver – Discovering the origins of the heartbeat sound has given you +30 to Hit Points.

Quest Perk: A Reunion Made Real – The brother you supposed lost is alive and well in front of you. You have gained hope for the future ahead. This gives +3 to Charisma

Chapter VI: Epsilon

Chapter VI:Epsilon

Where am I? What happened during my stasis?

All sense of understanding just flew right out of my shelves in my head…

My eyes and mind could not believe what I was seeing in front of me. A living pony! His body has not aged over two hundred years of stasis and his heart was steady. I can’t believe this… Twilight actually managed to do the impossible…I was looking at Harmony whose reaction would pretty much answer my question but I had to confirm it.

I shifted my attention to the pod seeing a name written on it. It was rusty and some of the letters were faded but closer inspection revealed his name and what role he was. Epsilon, Overstallion of Stable 150. My mind was reacting to this like it was on sugar load. This was Harmony’s supposedly deceased brother. He was alive all this time in a pod.

Epsilon was an earth pony having a brown coat with a lavishing blue mane and tail. His cutie mark was two swords behind a shield with the Sun and Moon motif as the centerpiece of the shield. He looked to be within his twenties, but with the pod, he’s actually much older than that. Looking close through the small pod, I noticed that he too has cybernetic upgrades! Though it was only on the back legs it looks like.

Harmony instinct was banging on the door of the pod trying to wake her brother up, “Brother, it’s me Harmony please wake up!” I wondered on how to open this pod and wake him up… I’ve never seen this before in my entire life and I did not want to mess it up if there were some consequences.

While Harmony was still banging on the pod, I looked at the mechanics of the pod wondering on how to open one. So much wiring and advances in technology, why am I not so smart with these kinds of things? I looked at what seemed to be a terminal with a fancy big red button on it. Being the idiot (At least in technology) I am, I was about close to pressing the big red button until Harmony stopped me again. She repeated what she had said to me before. I repeated what I said back; with no other options I pressed the big red button.

The pod released scalding steam burning my face there. I backed away cooling my face as the pod let out a loud hissing sound as it opened slowly. The gears were turning loudly resonating through the room, prompting me and Harmony to cover our ears shut. As the steam dissipated and the door opened, I was about to walk in front of the pod seeing the young pony but Harmony pushed me aside and was in front of him first. Goodness Harmony, a bit worried much?

Epsilon as what the nameplate said slowly opened his eyes as he saw her sister in front of him. The image in front of him was blurry as he rubbed his eyes asking a question in his dazed state, “What happened? Where… Where am I?” He tried to get up from the pod but fell. I saw Harmony grabbed him as he fell down. She putted her brother on my back since I can fly.

I wasn’t so sure on how to answer his question but right now, he needed a little medical attention. I’m not worried if he was able to last this long, but a check-up would be better than nothing. I saw Harmony being a bit jittery from seeing her supposed deceased brother alive and well. He groaned as he tried to move looking at me again, “Where are… you taking… me? Who are… you?”

A smile formed on my face as I looked at Harmony first, then to Epsilon, “Just a friend of Harmony helping out.” He was about to say something but it was incoherent as he clutched his head. The two of us looked around the room seeing if there was a way out of here. Epsilon was very tired from the sounds of him groaning and trying to move. A bright light blinded me as I moved out of the way. A metal ladder came down as the light brightened.

Seeing no other way out, I gestured Harmony to climb the ladder. She obliged as she climbed with me not far behind. I flew up with Epsilon as we were outside of Stable 150 and outside. As the light enveloped the three of us, Epsilon covered his eyes as the light blinded him for a moment. He moved his hoof as he looked to see that he was outside, “I’m… outside?” I nodded to his answer.

I looked at Harmony who was standing on the edge of the cliffside. Tears were falling down her cheeks as she looked back at me with her brightest smile, “My… brother… is…he’s truly…alive…I’ve never felt this elated before…” I pulled her in my embrace as she put two hooves on my chest letting her tears fall on me.

After a heartfelt if not noticeable reunion, I began my flight to the hospital. My wings were not fully healed yet as I was straining myself to keep myself aloft. With Epsilon on my back, it was more demanding to my wings as they struggled to keep flying. In the end, I had to walk to the hospital as my wings could not keep up. Harmony caught up to me as she was smiling seeing her brother every few moments.

The walk there was demanding to my body but it was not that hard. During my return to the hospital, some of the ponies began to wave to me and Harmony before stopping as they noticed Epsilon on my back. They eyed him curiously as I went into the hospital. They all followed me (stalkers much?) as I bought him to the hospital room with Gemini and Pisces looking at me weirdly with me laying Epsilon down, “Can you two check up on him to see if he’s okay?”

They looked at each other debating on whether to accept my request or not. Harmony pleaded with them with the magic word, “Please?” They looked at once, and then saluted to her. I took that as a yes as they went to check up on him. The other ponies that saw and followed the two of us left, either to tell Luminescence about this or to head back to do their duties. Probably the former if I think about it.

Both me and Harmony followed Gemini and Pisces to the designated hospital room. Harmony went to a chair next to Epsilon as I pulled out the Wasteland Survival Guide and continued where I left off. I really should return this book back to Luminescence when I get the chance.

I left off where I was reading about the Pink Cloud continuing from there. I put up the headsets of mine clicking to DJ Pon3’s radio seeing if there was any news. According to DJ Pon3, no important news about the Stable Dweller’s various actions or anything else from the outskirts of cities such as Manehatten or Fetlock. I looked back at the two siblings seeing them bond even if Epsilon was dazed. It made me smile to see a family bond like this.

Returning my focus to the book, most of the things in the book were stuff I was familiar with. There were a few noticeable exceptions I needed to learn like Taint. I only learned partly about it decided to refresh myself about it. Reading about it was not easy once I got to it.

Taint is a mutagenic agent invisible to the naked eye. It is unknown as to what it actually is but caution must be made for this. If exposed to the effects of Taint, it can caused mutations to occur as it has already happened for several species around the Wasteland, such as bloatsprites, floaters, and hellhounds. There are areas confirmed to be seeping with Taint so be best to avoid those areas at all times readers! Those areas include Splendid Valley and Old Olneigh.

Taint is not shielded by air filters, and professional medical care is required to purge it from one's body after exposure. Any effects and mutations that have already taken place, however, are not easily reversible with post-Apocalyptic medical procedures.

An invisible mutation agent that once exposed once will likely change your biological structure… The idea of such a mutagenic agent was barbaric and abhorrent. I looked at both Harmony and Epsilon who was still dazed.  Looking through the window, it was still noon if the positioning of the Sun were to be true. I was ready to leave the room when I heard Epsilon groaning. I looked to see Epsilon holding his head and blinking his eyes.

I was next to Harmony as I saw the first signs of life returning to Epsilon. He opened his eyes looking at the two of us. He blinked once and then twice as he extended a hoof to his sister touching her face, “Harmony… you’re…” I saw fresh tears well up in Epsilon’s eyes now as a smile formed on his face, “You’re still alive… by the princesses, you’re still alive…”

I saw Harmony put her right hoof on her brother’s hoof as she too had tears in her eyes, “I should be saying the same thing to you…brother of mine.” She embraced her lost brother in a tearful hug that admittedly would break any hardened heart, “I…miss you…Epsilon. I truly missed seeing your beloved and annoying self…”

Epsilon wrapped his sister in his free foreleg as he put his head on hers, “I missed you as well sis. I missed your beautiful singing voice Harmony.” I smiled, I did not want to ruin this for them. I heard a few long sounds of ‘aw’ as I saw a few of the freed slaves smiling. They saw me returned their smiles as they shared my idea and left them be.

Before I did leave though, I pulled out the Wasteland Survival Guide and put it in front of him. He looked at me oddly seeing why I left the book. I only smiled as I looked at the two siblings, “For you Epsilon, you wanted to know what happened while you were in stasis and this book will answer your question….” I looked at the both before deciding to leave them, “I’ll leave you two be…you can read that anytime you desire.”

I looked at my PipBuck as two were still embracing each other. Checking through m inventory, I realized upon seeing it that I left all of Epsilon’s things back at the Stable. I facehooved on front of them right then and there as I forgotten his own inventory. I glanced at them one more time (how many times have I looked at them?) before leaving to get his inventory.

Leaving the hospital door, I end up walking right in front of Luminescence as he looked at me, “Heard that you found somepony from the Stable.”

So the liberated slaves did go and tell him. Even then he deserved to know this, I looked back and returning my attention to him as I answered his supposed question, “Yes, I did find some pony in the Stable. He’s in the hospital rekindling back with his sister as we speak.”

A smile formed on his face hearing the news from me, “That’s great! I’ve heard from the slaves how they all went…” He put two hooves on his face as he made an expression of someone loving the scene and going in awe of what they’re watching. That face elicited a chortle from me, “Aw from seeing the two of them together. Honestly though, who wouldn’t?”

Again I let a small laugh escape hearing this from him. This was rather unexpected yet it threw me off guard actually hearing it from him. I looked back at where the Stable was. I did not want to delay a bit longer, “I appreciate you loving and respecting those two’s privacy but I must return back to Stable 150 to gather Epsilon’s inventory. Goodness knows how they did not rust when he was in a pod though.”

Luminescence looked shocked to hear that from me. I’d be shocked as well if I didn’t know about it ahead of time, “Wait, wait… So you mean to tell me that… he’s from the past? As in a pony from the beginning of the war two hundred years ago?” I nodded to his answer. He looked like he was dreaming, like he wanted to either pinch or slap himself in the face to wake up from it. It almost ended up becoming true before he stopped himself, “Can I see him?”

“Not if you want to interrupt him rekindling with his sister.” He scratched his head forgetting that soing that would be rather rude of him.

He looked a little sad about it but soon changed topic since he can see him any time after he’s done hugging it out with his sister, “Well if I can’t see him, can I see those pods?”

“That I can do…” I lowered myself down as he went on my back. It does feel weird having a pony on my back at times. I began my flight to where Epsilon and I exited. The flight was rather difficult as I was having trouble staying aloft with the extra weight from Luminescence.

I managed to exhaust myself as I made it to the entrance of the pods. He went off my back as he climbed down the ladder. I flew down to the big room where Luminescence was in awe of the pods’ design. I can hear him whistle as he was looking at the technology used for the pods, “Well Luminescence?”

He looked at the pod where Epsilon was originally was in admiring the amount of work used to create and make these pods work, “I’ve got to admit, this is some advance stuff even with the current technology. Guessing this was made from the Ministry of Arcane Science?”

I nodded as he looked back. I went to where Epsilon’s inventory was and put them in my saddlebag. My PipBuck named each of the items I put in and apparently gave a price tag for each one. What surprised me even more was the currency used, Bottlecaps? Of all things used for currency, they’re using bottlecaps? I just shook my head much to the confusion of the currency.

I looked at Luminescence as he was looking through the pods. He was vividly checking through the one working pod sightseeing all the details of the pods. I liked the fact that he was curious, but… “Don’t your ponies need you right now Luminescence?”

He stood there for a few seconds before realizing that. He chuckled lightly in embarrassment forgetting about that. I smiled to see that he cares for them. We both climbed out of the pod chamber. He went on me again as I flew down to the entrance. I suggested that we take a walk to the hospital instead of me flying due to my body not fully healed. He obliged and we both walked there.

Some of the ponies waved back at the both of us as they were getting settled to this freedom they obtained. I found a liking to seeing ponies giving others the respect they deserve. I looked at the whole army of freed slaves and was curious about something, “Hey Luminescence, have you thought of a name to give to your own faction now?”

“Aw great, not you too…” I raised an eyebrow much to my confusion, “Sorry… Everypony here has asked me that question after the liberation. I was thinking up on it, but everypony kept asking it for the last two days! Ugh, can I take a break from it for once!?”

“Well, you can’t blame them there. You’re the one leading this new faction now and they’re curious about the name for this…” I raised my hoof waving around us putting emphasis on it for Luminescence’s sake.

He groaned from me waving my hoof around him much to his chagrin, “I know Zodiac… It’s just getting on my nerves is all...”

I had a big grin on my face that made Luminescence worry about me for a minute there. I let the grin go replacing it with a gentle smile and a rather pleading look that made him curious, “I got a name for this faction…”

Now Luminescence was interested from hearing that as I saw his ears perked, “Oh? Do tell me so that I can get ponies to stop asking me this…”

I rubbed my chin wondering if the name was suitable for this. That action made Luminescence not happy as he was scowling at me for that. I had a teasing grin on my face that I swear I was putting it up just to annoy him more. After I stopped rubbing my chin, I gave him my suggestion, “How about the People’s Liberation Army?”

He looked at me in both gladness and bafflement. He was scratching hea head wondering if the mname of that title sounds good for this small but expanding army. A smile formed on his though not without a question, “I like the name but why People? Shouldn’t it be Ponies?”

I expected him to ask that question when I bought the name up. I gave him my best explanation for him to understand, “Listen, I know that the name is confusing, but think about this for a moment…” I gave Luminescence some time to think as he was pondering about it. He shrugged at me having no idea about it at the moment. I just chuckled seeing that he had no clue, “I know that ponies are the only inhabitants here but sooner or later more inhabitants of the Wastelands will probably aid you if they think it is right…” I let myself for a few seconds as Luminescence’s eyes had the glimmer in his eyes. I smiled as he saw the picture in his mind finishing the sentence, “Including griffins and other races…”

He looked at all the ponies he garnered to help his allies in the liberation. There were a few other race members that are not griffins he saw that did go through slavery now that he thought about it. These other races were unheard of in the Wasteland as they were often not in it at all, yet sometimes there was a rare few of them you would see. One of the slaves freed looked to be a hybrid of a dragon and a pony. He shook it off as probably just his imagination, but closer look revealed that the freed slave was indeed a hybrid. She, from the guess of her facial structure with a pony head, waved at the both of us.

Both of us waved back at her, “I… never thought of it that way…” He gave his best smile as he decided to keep the namesake for this newly made faction, “All right Zodiac, you win… From today and onward, this faction shall be called the People’s Liberation Army.” He hugged me as his way of saying thanks for the name. I just stood there glad to help some pony out even if it is just a small feat. He let go as he left me heading for the communications tower, “I want to deliver this to DJ Pon3 as soon as possible so that everyone that thinks we’re right can join in. I want us to be known to everyone here. ”

He left for the tower immediately hoping to spread this to every corner of the Wasteland starting with Manehatten. I smiled as I shifted my attention to the hospital walking the rest of the way there. I checked on my PipBuck, checking if I did get the inventory beforehand. Seeing them there, I continued my walk.

I turned to see the Sun illuminating the Wasteland a bright and beautiful orange as it was over the horizon. I stopped for a while letting myself bask in the Sun. Ever with the cloud cover, at least you can’t stop the Sun from showing the beautiful sight. I passed the double doors of the hospital as I continued on to Epsilon’s room.

I got worried for the soldier as I stood to the side of the entrance. There was nothing but silence in the room. I was worried that he read the book and he’s suddenly not rekindling his sister again. It’s unlikely but you can never know. I took a peek inside the room to find it clean.

I went inside to see him there. I saw Harmony sleeping next to him with a smile as I saw Epsilon lying down. Surprisingly, he too fell asleep with the book opened to the halfway point. Fast reader… I thought to myself as I around the bed to him. I placed his entire inventory on the table at the back of the bed. Looking at the two sleeping siblings, I wondered how strong how will their bond will be. Will it be able to stand the test of time against so many things here?

Looking back at the book and Epsilon, I was very worried on whether to leave the book here or not. I was concerned now about the knowledge in that book at hoof for the brother. On one hoof, him not learning about this now will lead to major problems and it is best for him to learn. On the other hoof, to learn about all of what happened will likely shock him so much that he can’t act out there.

This was probably the most difficult choice for me to decide upon. Leave the book to him to finish or not let him learn the horrors of the world we live in now? I let out a small sigh; this was not easy for me to decide. I looked at the two siblings and decided to let these two decide on letting him read.

I knew that there was going to be a lot of pain once he fully learns of what happened to Equestria. But this was a decision for the both of them to decide. I pulled out a piece of paper from my saddlebags and wrote a note to them. How should I word it? I wrote it down making it as blunt as possible for the soldier.

I left the note under the book as I saw the two smiling in their dreams. I did not want to leave them alone, but seeing the two like that… it made me smile. I pulled my saddlebag and left the hospital in good terms with myself for now. I looked to see the Sun setting and dusk beginning to settle in.

Night was upon Baltimare as I went to a room that Luminescence decided to give me as my temporary living quarters. I was thankful for him to give me this as a gift. I threw my saddlebag onto the floor as I collapsed on the bed. I needed to sleep badly to get all these events out of my head for now.

Small things wouldn’t normally affect me much, but today’s was different. So much has happened, I wondered how crazy my life in here would be like from here on out? Again my mind would not allow me to sleep; I just wanted to sleep so badly. Blame my stupid brain preventing me from falling asleep in my nice and rather comfortable bed.

I put on the headphones and turned on DJ Pon3’s radio station wondering what music choice he chose this time. He was telling some news not related to the Stable Dweller but of another pony that managed to garner some attention, “And for all you folks out east who feel like you don’t have a ‘Stable Dweller’ of your own, here’s a little heads up on what Security’s been up to. Yes, Hoofington, she’s been busy busy busy. If you thought cleaning up the Manehattan Highway was impressive you should see what else Security is doing for the Hoof. It looks like the Fluttershy hospital is open for business again, courtesy of… whoa, can this report be accurate? It must be! Looks like Security actually got the Eggheads and the Bluebloods working together. Talk about a miracle. And it seems like she’s got a bone to pick with the slavers in Paradise. Let’s play the audio!”

I listened to the audio. She was a mare no doubt about it with the way her voice sounded, “Get the fuck out of here. Find another line of work. Tell every slaver you know to find another line of work. I see you doing this shit again and I will turn you into paint! Do you understand me? Do you fucking understand me?!” Followed by a cry of ‘Yes!’

“Looks like the Security Mare is just reminding Paradise that ponies selling ponies to ponies who work ponies to death is wrong. And Security doesn’t like wrong. So in light of that, Hoofington, this is just for you from Sapphire Shores’s hit…” A smile formed on my face, looks like there are now three ponies going around freeing ponies and doing some rather interesting events. First the Stable Dweller, then Security from Hoofington, and now me as the Angel of Darkness to add to the list of people doing grand events. This was a rather interesting turn of events… Wonder if I might get the chance to meet both the Stable Dweller and or Security… The news was cut to the music. It didn’t help much but it made me relax as I dozed off to sleep.

* * * * * *

All of us were enjoying our lives as the day was going well. I was with Twilight and her friends as we were playing with each other. The day was to be glorious, until the sky blackens and everything went wrong from there. We all looked all around us as an entity was covering the world in nothing but black. Ponies that were caught in it were consumed by it and gone forever never to be seen again.

“Run my friends! Get away from it!” All of us were running away from an entity we cannot banish or even kill. It was creeping its way towards us as it seemingly moves without life consuming every known species without question. It was not sentient as well as it did not care who it consumes, it will devour the entire world no matter what it takes. We were running desperately, not stopping at all as it crept closer to us as it swallowed many ponies and cities that were not so lucky to escape it.

We stopped going as another scream pierced my ears. I turned around to see Twilight being consumed by the monstrosity. She was screaming for help as the being was pulling her in. I went to her as I tried to pull her out of the grip of the darkening. It was useless as the fiend was stronger than I was as she tried desperately to get loose.

I heard more screams as the other five were caught by the fiend as they were being pulled by it. I used my telekinesis as I tried desperately to pull all six of them away from it. My magic was dissipating as I struggled to pull it away. The fiend managed to make contact with the six of them as it began to crept its way to them. They struggled and screamed as they tried to get whatever it was off them. They were calling for my help wanting to get free from it. I tried to the best of my abilities but in the end, it was all for naught as they were consumed by it.

My magic dissipated as they became a part of the fiend. I stared as their bodies seemingly merged with the darkness no unnerving sound of a crunch or any blood at all. As it finished them off, it sets its sights on me being the only living being left, “No! No! Get away from me!” I ran away from the impending darkness as it crept its way towards me.

Everyone that I cared for was gone, tears escaping my eyes as I tried to escape it. I began to fly away from it, but it was more agile than me as it appeared in front of me. I maneuvered out of its way as I went to a different direction fearing for dear life as I tried to hopelessly escape. Each time it went in front of me I maneuvered out of its way hoping to escape it. I was only prolonging the inevitable as it kept up with me each turn I was making.

I was getting extremely tired and I was faltering in my flight almost running into the black abyss numerous times. I was breathing heavily, my body was aching, and my mind was beginning to fail on me. It was going to tire me out as I futilely tried to escape it. In the end, my body failed on me as I crashed onto an area where the black entity did not cover.

I struggled to gain air as I reached my limit. My body would not allow me to fly as the creature crept closer to me. All of my closest friends were consumed by this thing and soon I was going to join their numbers. I had failed them and the pain was too much for me to bear. The entity made contact with me and began to slowly creep its way on me.

I pulled my hoof from the thing. It was like a sticky residue as it tried to keep my hoof still to the ground. I pulled it away as it detached from the ground but it did not do anything as it still continued to crawl up my body slowly. Despite my tired body, I struggled to escape its grip as it crawled up my body. Pain erupted through my entire body as the black fiend continued to crawl covering about half of my body. The thing was giving me a slow and painful death as it slowed down and pain beyond my imagining swept through my body. I screamed the loudest I ever did as it felt like my flesh, muscle, tendons; everything was being forcefully ripped off my body.

Continuing my futile struggle proved to do nothing as I was only prolonging the inevitable as it reached my neck closing on my face. I looked at the thing creeping up my face as it slowly crawled up me. I looked upward reaching up for the tiny speck of light that was in the sky. The fiend covered the light as I was consumed by the entity and my vision became black.

* * * * * *

I screamed from the top of my lungs as I woke up from that heavily breathing. Just what kind of crazy nightmare did I dream of for whatever I dreamt of could do that!? (Goodness, I used dream three times there, that’s an academy record) I looked out the window seeing that it was morning as the Sun was beaming through the clouds.

I was clutching my head as I began to wonder what could cause a nightmare like that. Was this world end up getting to me? Had I lost my mind with the consequences even when I did not kill any ponies at all during my raid on the tower? As of now, even I was not so sure on what I was thinking…

I wanted to calm myself down, try to relax so that no pony here thinks that I was going nuts or thinking of suicide from that nightmare. I opened the door to the bathroom as I hopped into the shower hoping the water might sooth me for the time being.

I turned the faucet as lukewarm water cascaded down on me. It had been a long while since I was soaked in the wonderful warm water. Maybe it was a few weeks, but a few weeks of not being soaked in water like this was not on me. That and I needed a shower badly considering how I smelled right now. Maybe I should let myself soak in a bath for the heck of it… I put the plug in the drain closing it off as the water filled itself.

I lay on the tub as it begun to fill itself from the water pouring over my body. I picked up a bar of soap with my hooves. Soaking the soap bar in the water, I rubbed it over my body in between the hooves, to my wings, getting all spots that would be difficult to clean. Not so sure on how long was I cleaning myself, but I think I’m clean enough for the most part.

Even then I stayed inside the bathtub a bit longer. The water was so warm I did not want to ruin this moment. The shower did indeed ease my thoughts as I lay in the bathtub filled with pure water. It being not irradiated did perplex me a bit, but the lukewarm water made me forget about that. I let out a breath; I’d never felt this relaxed in a long while.

A knock came to my door during my state of bliss. I went out of the bath as I pulled the plug letting the water drain itself. I dried myself up as I was walking to the door, I opened the door to meet both Liberty and Lycan at the door, “Hello you two…”

“Hey, say how’s it going?” Liberty was eyeing me curiously as I tossed the towel on a coat hanger.

In all honesty, I was fine for the most part, but I was still shaken up by the nightmare. I did not want them to be worried for me. I put my best façade feigning good health, “I’m good Liberty… Why are you two here?”

“Well we heard that you were leaving Baltimare Zodiac, so we wanted to see you. If that’s all right with you that is…” Wow, role-playing Fluttershy much Lycan?

I chuckled from that response from Lycan of all ponies. Never thought of him to try to impersonate Fluttershy herself, “It’s alright with me Lycan but please do not do that response again, you sounded like the head of the Ministry of Peace there.”

Liberty punched him on the gut laughing from that response, “See Lycan! And you thought that I was joking about that impression!”

Lycan could only shake his head and just shrug from her response, “Alright you got me there Liberty, now can we get back now?”

Another punch to the chest as Liberty chuckled, “You’re so impatient you know that right Lycan?”

“Well, if you two are going to bicker again, I’m just going to leave you two be and go to the hospital…” I left just as they began their bickering over each other again. Seriously, how do they get along so well?

The walk to the hospital was rather calm today. With the exception of the rising bickering from the battle couple as ponies tried to split them up again, it was a rather nice walk. I passed the double doors of the Baltimare Hospital walking to where Epsilon’s room was, “Hello? Epsilon, are you there?” I entered to find Gemini and Pisces right next to the bed. He left his entire inventory at the table. I looked at Gemini who had a look of concern. Pisces shared the same concern as her twin, “Gemini, Pisces, what’s wrong?”

They gave me a letter that was apparently on the bed. The handwriting was definitely Epsilon’s. How I can tell? Well, that’s hard to explain really well without giving you ponies a headache.

To those that are reading this letter, I’m out of the hospital for the moment and taking a walk outside. Please don’t follow me, I want some time alone and to contemplate things around me especially no thanks to the book that Harmony’s friend left behind, I appreciate the help there.

Signed,

Naturia Epsilon

This was rather worrisome even with the thank you. I asked the doctors where he was taking a walk and shook their heads in confusion. Apparently they don’t know either. I saw the book I left was all the way to the end. He did manage to make it to the end of the book. This new knowledge for Epsilon was now making me worried.

That worry escalated as I saw Harmony running inside the hospital room screaming out her lungs, “I can’t find my brother!” I shot her a look of concern. She only glanced at me once and it was enough for her to almost go into lecture mode. She pointed to the book, “I’ll explain that while we’re searching my brother Zodiac! Just please help me here! I just found him now and I don’t want to lose him again!” I nodded my head in agreement as I followed Harmony. She explained while we were searching…

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I was yawning loudly covering my mouth a few times in rhythm. I looked to see me brother stirring awake as he opened one eye looking at me. I gave a smile to him as I put a hoof on his shoulder, “Good morning brother, how was your sleep?”

I saw that his expression was mixed with emotions, curiosity and worry, a bunch of emotions both positive and negative. To his side I saw that the Wasteland Survival Guide was under his foreleg. He pulled it out and put it in front of him. He was looking at me first before returning his attention to the book. I saw him pull out a note from within the book and gave it to me. Curious I went to read it…

Hey there, how’s it… No, that won’t do. Okay let’s try this again,hello the two of you, how… Aw come on I should be able to do this! Ugh, never mind I’ll just get to the point. The book you see in front of you Epsilon, like I said, will answer all current questions you have in your mind. But…

The information you’ll find in the book will likely, no, will very much shock you beyond all your thoughts. The reason I’m writing this is to give a warning about reading this. You have your sister with you who knows all of what’s written in here so you can ask Harmony to confirm all of what’s written. I’m worried about giving this vast knowledge to you so early which is why I wrote, if you feel like you don’t want to know all of what’s written, you don’t have to read the book. The decision falls upon you, just remember, what you will read will be in your thoughts for long.

Signed,

Zodiac

P.S. Let Harmony know this as well… oh, and good morning to you two by the way.

I stared at the letter for some time before I looked at Epsilon who was staring at the book. I let out a sigh seeing what he was thinking of right now, “You want to read the book don’t you brother?”

He pulled the book to himself as he opened to the first page, “Will you be willing to stay by my side until I reach the end?” A smile formed on my face as I put my head on his lap looking at the book. This action was enough to make my brother smile as we read the book together.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

“From there on out he asked me questions concerned many of the important stuff like ‘what happened to Canterlot’ the usual questions. It’s when we reached the end that he asked for me to leave.” I saw the tears welling up in her eyes (She is a sensitive mare no doubt). She blinked them away as she gazed at me, “I obliged because I knew he needed some time to think about this, I just didn’t expect him to leave. I did wait but he was gone for an hour.”

He was gone for that long? Who knows if he was even still alive? For someone to be gone that long… no, no negative thoughts right now. If he is still alive, then we have to stop before he does do what I fear he might do. Even I had to tell her about it, “If he’s gone for that long, and we can’t find him, you know as well as I do what this means…”

I saw Harmony shaking her violently. Her eyes had a fire burning intensely both from the anger and the love of her brother, “No! I refuse to believe that! I will not go there until I see him!” I backed a few steps away from her in precaution. After her outburst, she went off on her own possibly to keep on looking for brother.

I let a small smile form on my face seeing her determination. I looked to the setting Sun seeing the ethereal orange expand upon the horizons. Form the corner of my eye; I saw a figure on the cliff overlooking the Wasteland. The cliff has an extremely steep drop which made me worry that whoever was there was going to commit suicide.

I squinted my eyes a bit to see who the pony was. Upon seeing the coat and mane color of the pony, I almost froze… Oh no… No, don’t tell me he is going to…! I immediately gained a head-start run and flew as fast as I can. Time felt like it either sped up or slowed down as I raced to save the brother of Harmony from committing suicide. I know that living in this harshness is not worth it, but I swear, I will not let one die of suicide as a way of escape!

Everypony saw me sped as I was closing the distance as fast as I can. They saw who I was reaching to and they realized that I was saving a suicidal pony. I swear, I felt like I was about to do a Sonic Rainboom In front of every pony here based on my speed alone. I was getting close to him as I hastily sped myself up. Nopony deserves this Epsilon, but I’m not allowing you to go through this! Come on, don’t fail on me now body!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Just one step, just one step and I’ll be away from this hell. Even with the knowledge that my sister is alive and well, my whole country is destroyed from the two hundred years I was in the stasis pod. Why, why did the war end up leading to this? I don’t want this to be true, but look at the world we’re in now. I don’t want to be a part of it. I’m sorry Harmony but I won’t be with you for long.

I took one step off the cliff as the Sun was beginning to set pass the horizon. I didn’t feel the ground below me as I fell down the cliff ready to embrace death’s calling.

I felt the wind buffeting me as I was falling down, speeding up as the ground felt closer and closer to me. Looking at the setting Sun, I felt at peace seeing the Sun shone for one last time on me. Looking I saw something coming for me. Was it an angel here to bring to heaven? I don’t know what it was, but as I closed my eyes for the last time, I felt light like a feather. Am I in heaven?

==========

My body feels rather light and I felt like I was on a bed of sorts. A rather familiar feeling for odd reasons that I can’t seem to fathom. I tried to open my eyes but all I saw was blackness. My ears did pick up on the sounds of voices, ones that I was familiar with, “Harmony calm down, he’s gotten through one such experience and I don’t want to make it worse.”

No… was I saved? I…I didn’t want to be saved, I wanted out of this world. I don’t deserve to be in it! In my indefinite hatred for the pony that saved me, I can hear Harmony’s voice in the background. Her voice was hoarse and frail like she had been screaming to the heavens and kept continuing it until her last breath, “I don’t care Zodiac! He was about to commit suicide there! Had you not saved him, I…I would have lost the one thing that keeps me going no matter what…”

She…she treated me like an idol? Oh how idiotic of me, of course she does. I was the only pony she could go to whenever trouble was brewing around her. But…that last day when we met in a long while, she was acting different. I’ve wanted to know about why she was acting different from her usual self, but I was too much of a coward to even ask. I shifted in my bed looking away from them. I now know that I was blindfolded but I can tell where they were form the voice. What I did not expect was to hear Zodiac acknowledging the fact that I was awake, “Harmony, your brother’s awake.”

I felt the blindfolds being removed as looked at Harmony’s eyes. Her eyes were bloodshot, she’d been crying for so long, so worried about me. I was about to say something, but I felt a punch to the face by my own sister no less, “You have got to be the biggest idiot ever to try something like that! Why would you do that!? I was worried sick about you when I saw Zodiac carrying you and telling me that you were committing suicide!”

I didn’t even want to look at my own sister’s eyes. In the advent of me thinking about leaving this broken world of Equestria, I’d forgotten how much my own sister would be hurting to hear that me, her own flesh and blood, committed suicide out of grief and left her alone in this rotting world. I felt so ashamed at myself for allowing negative thoughts to cloud my judgment.  I looked away from her blaming myself for making her feel worse. I feel two forelegs wrap around me. Surprised to get this such reaction, I looked to see my sis hugging me. Her tears were falling from her face as she was muttering her words to me, “Please…don’t leave…me again… I don’t’ want what happened to our last meeting to be like this again…please.”

I rubbed her head trying to comfort her and myself. I looked at Zodiac who was watching the both of us with a smile. I couldn’t help myself but ask and thank him, “Thank you for saving me Zodiac, but why do you continue living in this Wasteland knowing what happened to it? I can understand my sister but why you?”

I saw him look away for a bit. He was scratching his chin possibly pondering on how to word his answer right. He still continued his smile as he answered my question, “Because I chose to Epsilon. You do everything you can to make up to it, knowing that you’ll never succeed in getting rid of the guilt. You devote yourself to spending every second trying to do better despite the fact that it will never be enough. And you pray that with every single good act you do, somehow when your life is over… within your lifetime, all the good you’ve committed comes close to making up for the wrongs you committed.”

The speech that Zodiac gave to me managed to reach to my battle-hardened heart. I can just imagine the shell of my own heart shedding from the speech he gave. I looked at me for a long time before finally speaking, “I… I need some time alone…with my sister that is.”

He still continued his smile as he left. He stopped for a moment before he turned around looking back at me one more time, “Don’t go suicidal on us again please. I’m allowing you this because you deserve this, but please think over what I said…” I was silent as he turned around and left the room. I looked to the setting Sun as I pondered on what he said.

I felt Harmony move a bit as she looked back at me. I rubbed her head and for the first time in a long while, I smiled back at my sister, “I am very sorry for putting through all of that again.” A smile formed on her face as she laid her head on my lap. I let the both of relax as I felt sleepy. Comparing to the suicide I did, this truly felt like I was at peace.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I was at the entrance for some time listening to the conversation with the two siblings. Only one line was elicited as everything else beyond that fell to silence. I checked up on them and they were in the same position like before except this time, I saw a genuine smile from Epsilon. I let a smile curl as I went back to the guest room.

Before I did leave though, I heard a few ‘aws’ from some of the people here. I only chuckled hearing that so suddenly there. I was back at my guest room as I looked out the window seeing the sunset. I was very concerned about him, but with Harmony with him, I was not as worried as before. I packed my things for tomorrow’s journey to Tenpony Tower.

I needed to go there soon and sooner because even with the newfound knowledge I learned from the Wasteland Survival Guide, I still had questions left answered. That and I wanted to meet DJ Pon3 so suddenly now… I wonder if both Harmony and Epsilon will stay behind in Baltimare… perhaps it’d be better for them to stay, they’ve already went through so much trouble, I don’t want them to go through more now that they truly reunited. As dusk settles and the stars glimmer in the blanket of the sky, I went to sleep hoping that this time I don’t have a nightmare.

* * * * * *

I was in my room seriously dazed from the extra-special party that Pinkie gave. Ugh, my head was throbbing and in need of another major rest. Note to self; never drink that cider that Pinkie made ever again… I looked around my room seeing that I somehow made it here relatively clean. That is until I felt a wing on my back. I looked seeing the wing and finding… Ah! Finding Twilight next to, no, sleeping with me!

I backed away immediately from the shock of seeing her next to me on my bed; my face was red upon seeing this really wishing that me and Twilight did not go through with the… Oh crap, I checked on her back quarters (don’t ask about it because I’m concerned!) seeing no sign of an intercourse. I sighed calming down that at least we did not go that far.

Twilight yawned and rubbed her eyes as she wakes up getting up from my bed. She goes pass me saying ‘hello’ to me before immediately stopping walks backwards and sees the situation, “Oh dear Celestia I am so sorry Zodiac! I did not mean to…!”

I put my hoof on her mouth silencing her in her freak out. Looks like the two of us had the same reaction from our recent discovery, “No worries about it, you are fine.” Well, almost fine, “I can’t seem to remember what happened after the party ended, Twilight do you know?”

She shook her head in disagreement. Clearly she doesn’t remember what happened during or after the party either. She then blushed having realized what she was about to say, “So… Um, did we go through, you know…?”

Oh God why did you have to ask that question Twilight, “No Twilight, we did not go through what you are asking with each other.” I really need to remind myself double time to not get drunk anymore especially with Pinkie’s parties.

She rubbed her hoof in embarrassment having asked that question out of nowhere, “Sorry Zodiac, it’s just that party can really…”

I cut off Twilight’s sentence finishing what she was going to say, “Drive every pony there crazy to the point they can’t think straight?” She just nodded to that answer. She did not like the situation she was in that’s for certain, “Look just go back home right now and let’s pretend this never happened okay? I’m sure Spike is missing you.”

She smiled as she hugged me from out of nowhere again. I didn’t oblige though as she let go of me going back to her library. I looked back at my home situated in Gaia Falls where nature was blossoming. I took a breath of the fresh aromatic air as I looked over Equestria itself seeing the country. It was a beautiful scene to take in.

* * * * * *

Well, at least it wasn’t a nightmare this time; it was one of those dreams where I really wished it never happened. I woke up seeing the Sun rising from the barren Wasteland. A new day was beginning and it was time for me to leave soon.

I had already packed my things when I was at the front gate of Baltimare. All of the ponies were there to say farewell to me. Their looks told me that they were going to miss me greatly. I smiled at each one of the liberated ponies hugging mainly the five I knew. They hugged back as well glad to have me around to be of help.

The front gates began to open as I turned around waving farewell to the ponies. They waved back as I passed through the gates and back into the forbidden Wasteland. The gates begin to close behind me as I took the first few steps. I was sad by Epsilon and Harmony not coming along but this was their decision and I will not argue against them. I began walking ahead ready to brave the journey. About a few meters away from the gate, I saw and heard the sound of the gate opening. As I looked back at the closing gates, I saw two forms hastily going through them. I pulled some binoculars from my saddlebags to see both Harmony and Epsilon coming to me both screaming, “Wait!”

They managed to get to my side as they wer heavily breathing. Epsilon was now wearing his old Royal Guard chest plate as well as bought some stuff he needs bringing his whole inventory with him. Harmony, though had no physical changes, was tied from her saddlebags being stuffed with something.

They were hyperventilating, gasping for some air. I gave them some water. Epsilon happily drank it first then gave it to his sister as she took some gulps from the bottle. He managed to calm himself down as he looked at me, “I thought about what you said and you were right, that speech gave me some to rethink my decision. I’ve decided to come with you!”

I smiled seeing that he begun to think about it. I looked back at Harmony who was eyeing me as she returned the bottle to me, “What about you? I’d expected you to stay behind even with what you told me at the tower.”

She let out a chortle as she looked at me, “And miss out on our little misadventures with you and my brother? No thank you, besides you two are reckless, I’d be better to stay with you two should you try something stupid.”

“Hey!” I couldn’t help but join in harmony’s laughter when he screamed that out loud.

We stopped laughing as I got up wiped away my tears and cleared my throat, “Does that mean you trust me already Epsilon?”

He shook his head although he had a smile that suggested otherwise, “No, I still don’t trust you yet. But Harmony trusts you and in due time, the trust will build itself as we take on these challenges… I want somepony, someone, to guide me right now. Even with the guidance from my sister, I’d still get lost and I need someone who at least knows about this Wasteland more than I do…”

I saw Harmony lightly punching her brother’s chest from his words. I was beginning to see the picture before he even finished his sentence, “That’s where me and Harmony come in… Alright then Epsilon, the two of us will be your guide temporarily. Soon you won’t need me or your sister as a guide and be able to learn yourself.” I pulled out the Wasteland Survival Guide and gave it to Epsilon, “Here you’ll need it more than I do right now…”

He looked back at his sister first before looking back at me, “Are you sure Zodiac? I mean you might still need to learn some things in here.”

I returned the book to him knowing that he needs the knowledge, even though he probably already knows, “I read that book during my two nights at the hospital, I think I learned enough for today…”

He smiled as he putted it in his inventory, “Thanks, I’ll read it in time.” He was curious of the current objective at hand as he reloaded his rocket launcher, “Say, what’s your current objective?”

I pulled up my PipBuck as I read the objectives at hand, “Well from the main objective, I’m still planning to go to Tenpony Tower…” Harmony just shrugged not minding the fact that the three of us have to go there.

I saw Epsilon scratched his head. I was wondering what he was thinking about. He ended up giving into it as he asked me about it, “Hey Zodiac, think you can hold off on going to Tenpony Tower for a sec? I want to visit a certain place…”

The way he said that threw me off a bit. Even Harmony was suspicious as she beat me to te cuestion. Why do a lot of people beat me to questions, “Oh? What’s this certain place you want to visit so badly Epsilon?”

“It’s my… our home Harmony…” I was listening to all of what Epsilon was saying about it. Harmony already knew what this was about but he let her brother do the talking, “Our home is close to Manehatten and since Tenpony Tower is in Manehatten. I’d thought that maybe we might make a stop there if you want.” My PipBuck uploaded an objective as it made a beep sound.

(Optional) Visit Epsilon’s home

Visiting their home doesn’t seem that bad of an idea. In fact, I was curious what their home looked like to be honest. I looked at both Epsilon and Harmony with a smile, “Sure, when we get there that is…” The three of us chuckled as we began the journey to Tenpony Tower.

==========

Stupid fucking raiders! Okay, not all of them are idiots but these ones are sure acting like they are fucking stupid! We saw a raider encampment ahead as we were walking to Manehatten. Normally, we would probably go into the fight and take care of them since we had time, but Harmony suggested we leave them be. Me and Epsilon looked at each other before agreeing and tried to sneak pass them, emphasis on tried. It was working fairly well, until I crushed a can of Sparkle-Cola making a crunch sound. The Wasteland just hates me using stealth doesn’t it?

After that, all hell broke loose. We probably got, if I was estimating it right, about fifty or more raiders coming at the both of us, in vehicles no less! There was no way the three of us were able to outrun a fucking vehicle! I call utter bullshit on raiders having freaking vehicles (Aw great, I’m getting vulgar and without using the old language as well)! I still did not want to kill them even if they’re minds aren’t right.

I flew off to the air pulling as I kicked in S.A.T.S. with time slowed down, I went charging at the drivers and paralyzed them. As the result of that action, the vehicles were swerving uncontrollably rolling to their sides crushing those unlucky to not have escaped the cars.

Raiders fired at me as I dodging each of their bullets. Some of the bullets grazed my hide leaving an open wound, but it was nothing a simple bandage can deal with. I see Epsilon charging at one of the vehicles with his rocket launcher to his side. He was speeding up as the vehicle was getting closer to him, the passengers firing at him. When he was confident with his range, he… pointed the rocket launcher at his back legs?! “What are you doing Epsilon!? Don’t do that, you’ll…!”

What I hadn’t expected to both mine and Harmony’s unending surprise was that as he fired the rocket, he jumped flying at the direction opposite of where he fired the rocket soaring through the sky. He turned around with the rocket launcher on his shoulders, the vehicles, set in his sight, “O-fucking-rah motherfuckers!” He fired three rockets on three out of the four vehicles out on the battlefield directly hitting them as they exploded burning the raiders first, before they exploded into a burning heap of bits. He did a safe roll as he landed distributing all the force he gained.

The two of us were very much shocked to see him do a freaking rocket jump! Now I’m beginning to see why he had cybernetic implants on his back legs. A stray bullet passed by my head shaking me out of the trance as I turned around to see more vehicles departing their camp firing at us. A vehicle could very much ease the need of walking. Epsilon ran forward trying to gain some speed so that her can rocket jump again. Harmony was right besides her brother as he gave him a tip for us to enjoy, “Epsilon, take all but one vehicle out!”

He was smiling as he got the picture gaining enough speed to begin the jump, “With pleasure!”  Harmony moved out of the way as he fired at his back legs. He soared through the sky again firing another rocket stray from the vehicles as he reloaded. He backlegs landed on the rocket exploding sending him higher and closer to the vehicles. I grabbed Harmony and putted her on my back as I caught up to him as he fired four rockets again on the vehicles exploding them. This time, the raiders were being smart as they exited quickly.

Four out of five vehicles destroyed by the rockets leaving just one for us to take. He safe rolled again as he reloaded his rocket launcher. Raiders were shooting at us as he was reloading. Harmony dropped off of me clutching her head in dizziness. She shook her wildly as she glared at me, “You know if you’re going to let me ride you, do it not on the battlefield please!”

We didn’t have time to chat as I went ahead getting close to them. Dodging a few bullets on me while getting hit by stray bullets, they were within close proximity as I jumped over them. I dodged some bullets directly fired at me hitting into a few stray bullets as I paralyzed each one of them.

I hear the sound of an exploding rocket as Epsilon was above my head with a shovel at hooh hitting one of the raiders directly at his head. Enough force was put into that hit as the head was literally ripped off its body. We managed to dispatch the last of the remaining raiders leaving behind a blood-soaked, burnt battlefield. I really did not want to go through this again, even if the death toll was small thanks to me not killing them.

Before I could get to some of the crippled raiders, Epsilon fired a rocket pass me as they exploded into tiny giblets of confetti. I looked at him shocked for doing that, “Why did you do that Epsilon!? I was sparing those ponies!”

Epsilon looked at me oddly when I said. He let a little laugh escape as he eyed me, “You’re joking… you’re joking right?” My gaze hardened as I glared at him for long. His expression changed to a surprised yet stern reaction, “You’re not joking? Zodiac, I’ve read the book enough and I know that these ponies don’t deserve to exist. What they do is unforgivable, why let them live in the first place? For all I know killing them would allow them peace they want.”

“I…I don’t care! I wanted to spare them even with that knowledge. I don’t want to kill ever…” I looked at the scattered body parts. I can’t blame him, I would do that same as well, but… I can’t accept the moral of kill or be killed. It’s just not right at all!

I heard Epsilon ask a question as he interrupted my thoughts, “And why’s that? What other reason is there to not kill those with evil intentions?” I glared at him again before softening. I didn’t want to continue this argument right now, and I don’t want to delve one of my secrets to them.

After that heated debate the three of us went to the vehicle that we managed to not explode during the fight. The smell was retching as both Harmony and Epsilon backed away from it. Harmony let out all of her lunch in a rather long puke. Epsilon was covered his nose from smelling it, “Ugh, never thought that the Wasteland Survival Guide was serious about the smell of them, fucking sick…”

As Harmony stopped barfing, she wiped her mouth and eyes. She clearly never went through this before if she ever let out all of her lunch like that, “Welcome to the Wasteland Club, brother.” I looked inside seeing nothing but piles after piles of corpses of victims eaten by the raider, their intestines pulled out by force and eye sockets with no eyes just the brain left out. I backed away as I put one of my hooves over my stomach first and then my mouth. Now it was my turn to puke all of my lunch out.

Epsilon looked inside the vehicle sickened seeing the brutality of the raiders eating their own kind. Harmony was about to check inside, but Epsilon stopped her, “Stop, you don’t want to see this.” He removed each one of them one by one feeling very sick from just pulling them. Harmony almost let her lunch out but she held it back for now. She helped her brother in burying the corpses.

They wanted to give them some closure like I would do. He put some markers as he buried them. Returning back as he saw me wiping my mouth of all of my lunch, he went back to the vehicle on the driver’s seat. Harmony went to check to see if everything was in okay condition. I went to clean out everything the raiders left behind in this vehicle, no smell, no blood, no anything.

As I was cleaning out our transport now, she came out from under the car looking pleased, “Good news, our transport is in good shape for now. We’ll need to bring it to Tenpony Tower for repairs, but otherwise, it should be able to get going before it goes out.”

I went down the vehicle as I cleaned the outside. She went back to the underside of the car fixing some of the stuff she could fix, “Epsilon, mind helping me fix the underside of this car? Could use an extra set of hooves here…” I saw Epsilon hop off the driver’s seat as hr crawled under the vehicle.

I continued cleaning out the outside of all the muck and grim this thing went though. Epsilon pulled out of the underside as he got onto the driver’s seat. Luckily, they left the key in the starting ignition as he turned it. The first two times, the engine did not want to start. I heard the sound of clanging metal as Harmony was getting everything almost done. She came out of the underside as she nodded to him. He revved up the engine a third and final time.

The engine began to whir and fizz as it spewed smoke in front of my face. I backed away as he turned around seeing that I was behind it. He turned it off quickly, “Sorry about that Zodiac, did not know that you were behind it.”

I was now all black from the smoke as I pulled up in front of him not pleased. They chuckled seeing me all black, “Next time you two, tell me when you’re starting the engine so that I don’t get smoke blown on my face.” I shook out of the smoke particles as my coat returned to its original blue color. I went to the back of the passenger seat alongside Harmony as he started the engine again.

I’m not so sure but something about him rocket jumping was getting to me as I asked without me even knowing that I asked, “Epsilon, since when did invent the insane idea of you rocket jumping?”

He looked at the both of us with a look of glee at first, then to confusion, “I’m not so sure myself; the idea just came to me as I was mowing down some enemies. Some of the enemies were too far from my range and most of my allies would not be able to reach them in time. So then I thought, ‘What would happen if tried jumping with the rocket?’ And now, here we are.”

Harmon just shook her head hearing this from her own brother, “No wonder you got cybernetic backlegs, you are crazy brother, crazy…”

He chuckled as he began to drive the vehicle, “Well what did you expect from me Harmony?” The three of us laughed as we headed for Manehatten. We continued to talk about the rocket jumping as we drove, “Considering that I blown my own legs off after the first one, the Ministry of Wartime Technology or M.W.T. for short decided to give me some cybernetic legs for me seeing the amount of bravery to save my allies out there. I’d been proud of these legs ever since as I could rocket jump as many times as I can now, the rocket launcher they even gave me was a specialty as it runs on unlimited ammo never running out.”

That perked both of our ears. Harmony asked the question first before me, “Let me guess, the M.W.T. had some help from the M.A.S. to make that rocket launcher for you?” Let the smart pony of technology ask that question first huh?

I saw Epsilon nodding is head in agreement, “Uh-huh, they gave to me as a gift and I couldn’t be more proud of it. They said that I can name my weapon whatever I want since it’s a one of a kind weapon meant for me…”

I beat Harmony to the question this time, “And what did you name it per chance?” She looked at me angrily and all I did was shrug much to my amusement.

He pulled out the rocket launcher basking it in the sunlight as I was in awe with the amount of work needed to create his special weapon, “I named it Justice Bringer…” We smiled seeing that the name was oddly fitting for a bazooka like that. As we were on the way, my PipBuck beeped alerting us that we were in a new destination, “That beep better be something good…”

I only let a small laugh escape as I waved a dismissive hoof, “No worries Epsilon, it just told me that we are in a new area.”

Harmony asked the question as she was checking out her saddlebags, “Great so where are we?”

I looked at the PipBuck reading the name of the new destination. Well this is interesting, “Apparently someplace called Route 52…”

Footnote: Level Up

Zodiac:

New Perk: Nerd Rage! – 50% DR and Strength increased to 10 when ever health is below 20%... What, the guy’s a nerd, what did you expect?

Special Perk: Interrupted Suicide – Preventing a suicide has given you 5 points to Charisma.

Harmony:

New Perk: Trauma Conga Line – Having gone through some of the worst events to have ever happened has only hardened you for battle but for future endeavors as well. You gain +2 to survival.

Footnote: Naturia Epsilon is now a Companion!

Epsilon

Soldier of Equestria: Epsilon has awoken from his slumber retaining his sharp mind for battle, he gains +10 in action points but loses -2 to survival.

Tagged Skills: Tank, Cybernetics, Tech-Savvy

Epsilon gains a Perk:

Learning Curve: Epsilon has much to learn about the post-war event, he gains +2 in intelligence.

Chapter VII: Ghost of 52

Chapter VII:Ghost of 52

Who would have ever thought that the Ghost of 52 is just a filly that is looking for her lost mother?

I was looking in the Wasteland Survival Guide wondering about this Big 52 with Harmony while Epsilon was driving us. He had to ask a few times wondering which direction was Manehatten at hoping that we won’t get lost. We were heading south away from Canterlot. It made Epsilon sad to hear that we were going further away from the city, but knowing what happened to it did not make any easier for him. Harmony was with her brother trying to cheer him up. Heh, family love, you can see how strong their bond is already.

I managed to find a chapter about Route 52 and read it out loud for both Harmony and Epsilon to hear,

Route 52 is a major highway that runs through Equestria. The route dear readers, begins near Canterlot and goes on for many miles. Walking to the end by hoof would take many days as it goes on and on for miles. Honestly I don’t even think there’s an end to Route 52 itself my readers!

As I finished it, Epsilon was looking ahead pondering about someone who he was familiar with. His sister shared his thoughts, “I never thought to see Ditzy Doo become an author and live through the two hundred years, you think she was in one of those pods?” Epsilon was a bit surprised when he first read the book that the mailmare of Ponyville was alive and wrote a book intended to teach ponies the horrors of the Wasteland. Harmony was too although this was not new knowledge to her.

In all honesty, I would not be surprised if she did indeed went to one of those pods and possibly was put in stasis, however, another idea popped in my head and Epsilon would probably not like the idea. Harmony looked at me first seeing my sorrowful expression. She let out a sigh as I returned my attention to the book while she answered for me, “As much as the two of us would agree with you brother, I think she might have become a ghoul…”

Epsilon did not like what she had to say, yet can see the reasoning behind considering what happened to her. She managed to write out her bio in the book and reading that made it a possibility, “Yeah, forgot that option was there.”

Continuing the drive on Route 52 so far, no activity good or bad, at least came to be. It was a calm drive there for the most part yet the three of us were still cautious about it, maybe a little too cautious for my taste. While reading, I turned on the radio station hoping that I can hear something from DJ Pon3. Surprisingly, it was a different radio station specific to this route that I was hearing.

Well, now, uh, Lancelot, Galahad, and I, wait until nightfall, and then leap out of the rabbit, taking the Prench by surprise - not only by surprise, but totally unarmed!

Good evening my beautiful herd! This is Lonesome Pony and you're listening to Radio 52, the frequency that gives you all the essentials about Big 52 and nothing else!

The evocative tinkling of Dueling Banjos filled a brief intermission.

Let’s get to work. Have you ever wondered what the sun looks like? Ask the White Apples! Last night a gigantic ball of light exploded ten kilometers east of Salt Cube City bringing thunder and devastation in its wake. Luckily enough, along said wake there were mostly radigators and abandoned shacks, but the light could be clearly seen even from Tunnel Town, Badlands and the Redtrotters territory. If you think this is crazy, I must warn you that it was just the last act of a night of follies! First we had the launch of a balloon full of ghouls, yes the very same ghouls that threatened the caravans in the area! The take-off was accompanied by a light and magic show offered by a certain Puppysmiles. Weird name, isn't it? This is not the first time I’ve had something to say about this gal. Good old L.P. Asked some more questions here and there and guess what he discovered? Yes, she's the same filly from the Carnival!

A trumpet erupted in a triumphant fanfare.

So, Lonesome Pony, where's the interesting part? Here it is for all those grumpy ‘too long didn't listen’ busy ponies on the road: no more feral attacks between Badlands and the Cube!

There was the sound of a reloading lever action rifle followed by pair of gun shots and a very manly voice saying “Hasta la vista, filly.”

Oh yes I love this one! Two tribes get their problems solved by a foal stuck in a radsuit! Now I don't need to be a shaman to say that she's heading south, so... what's next? Is she going to reopen the Tunnel? Well kid, if you happen to stop by trade station Badlands on the Marshes detour, pay a visit to your number one fan! We'll get to know the filly inside the helmet! Till then, have some music from the best radio station you can find along the Route.

A filly by the name of Puppysmiles managed to save a town called Salt Cube City… Sweet merciful Celestia, now we got a filly doing the rescuing? First Stable Dweller, then Security, then myself being the Angel of Darkness, and now we got a filly who happens to be called the Ghost of 52 helping people out, what next a caped superhero or something?

During my crazy mind session, and me looking into the book, I saw Harmony looking behind us and was rubbing her eyes like she was dreaming. She poked Epsilon prompting him to stop. He slowed down the vehicle as he looked at her, “What is it Harmony?”

“You may want to turn yourselves around….” She pointed at the form that was approaching us. Me and Epsilon saw it fast approaching. He pulled his bazooka as the form neared us wondering if it was friend or foe. I checked on my PipBuck to see… no green or red dots? But it’s ahead of us!

I got interrupted in my thought process as the form nearing us revealed to be a filly. Okay, call me crazy but a filly in a radsuit nearing us seemed a bit farfetched even for me. I looked at the two siblings seeing if they ever sharing my thoughts. They bore looks of confusion on their face meaning they too were wondering about it. A voice cut us off our thought process as the filly was at our right side and waved at us, “Hi I’m Puppysmiles! Have you seen my mom?” All three of us looked at each other clearly baffled. I was in a state of shock and utter disbelief that I was seeing the rumored Ghost of 52 in front of me. That DJ was not joking with the heroine of route 52 being just a filly! We were silent for quite some time until she asked us, “Mister? Miss? Are you alright?”

I shook my head wildly after that trying to get my mind out of its stupor, “Uh yes I’m fine, what was your name again young filly?”

She repeated the same introduction for us, “Hi I’m Puppysmiles!” She waved at us gleefully bearing the innocence of an eight year old. This young child was as energetic as most fillies can all come. It was so welcoming to see her so bombastic moving around freely despite the horrors of the Wasteland. It gave me a sense of hope to see some pony like her. As she was zooming around on her red scooter, she stopped for a second asking us the same question, “Have you seen my mom?”

“Your mom?” Harmony asked. She looked at us surprised about this revelation. This was rather some upsetting news for me. I would definitely love to bring her back to her mother if time allows it. I looked at Epsilon who looked to be on the verge of tears.

Harmony noticed it too as she heard him sniffing. We were about to ask him about why he was about to cry, but Puppysmiles beat me to us, “Mister, why are you crying? Did I do something to offend you?”

Out of what I call was a reflex, he pulled her up alongside her scooter cuddling her. It did come out of nowhere there but the sincerity in Epsilon’s voice made me forget what made it someone jarring. Harmony put a hoof on her brother’s shoulder seeing him like this, “No, you just remind of my sister when she was young…”

Harmony could only chuckle hearing that from him, “That’s because she sort of does…” She took Puppy form Epsilon’s embrace as she put her on her lap, “I like this filly…and we can be your friends as well if you want little Puppy.”

Puppysmiles gave her biggest smile I had ever seen from a filly very much happy to see that she made a friend from her perspective, “Yay! I made a new friend!” She was hoping around like crazy almost like Pinkie Pie as she was saying stuff. I can’t help but find it a bit funny, “Did you hear that mister Voice? I made a new friend!” The three of us looked at each other again wondering what who or what she was talking to. She stopped bouncing being pouty to whatever this mister Voice was, “Aw boohoo! You’re no fun! Where’s miss Voice?”

Okay this was getting awkward very fast. Even the two were giving her weird looks. I poked Puppysmiles as she was talking to something wanting ask her a question. She stopped and looked at me with those big pink eyes of hers. To be fair, if I had a moment where I might have died of something in the Wasteland, I think I almost died of cuteness seeing her like that...

I coughed myself trying to regain my composure. Both Harmony and Epsilon chuckled a bit seeing me lose my composure there. Puppy laughed as well though she only did it to join, “Puppy, who is this mister Voice you are referring to?”

She tilted her in head in confusion wondering what the question meant, “Refern…? Re… Refre…”

Damn it, I forgot that she’s just a little filly! I was about to do a facehoof for that tiny blunder there but I resisted it repeating the question to a more simpler term for Puppy to understand, “Who was this mister Voice you were talking to?”

Her eyes gleamed at that. Thank goodness that she was at least able to understand that, “Oh…! That’s easy! Mister Voice is the voice in this suit talking! But he’s all grumpy right now and left… Now I got miss voice to talk with! Yay!”

“That suit talks?” Damn it now Epsilon beat me to the question. Why is it that almost everybody beats me to the one question I was just about to ask? I looked at Harmony who only shrugged eyeing puppy still.

She nodded her head like one of those with a spring. It was kind of funny seeing her do that, “Yep! Do you want to say hi to Miss Voice?” Epsilon just smiled, politely denying her offer of asking to which she was sad about, “Aw, but I wanted you to talk with Miss Voice!”

I don’t know why but seeing her just seems like a sunshine that the Wastelands needs, one full of hope for the future. To the point I might say she’s Hope Incarnate. It does seem a bit off that a filly was one of them but it made me smile nonetheless for that a filly has a positive outlook in the world despite the horrors she has to face. She was still pouty that we decided to not talk with her voices in her suit, “Waah, you guys are meanies for not being friends with Mister and Miss Voices!”

“Wait, us being meanies and not being friends with Mister and Miss Voices?” We looked at each other for quite some time before going into an uproarious laughter.

She was stll pouty at first but let a loud laugh as she joined us. Though she joined in the laugh because she was confused as to why we were laughing, “Why are you three laughing?”

I stood up for a while trying to get some breathing down, “I am very sorry but we cannot hear your friends, only you can.”

She was not happy to hear that, “What!? Aw!” Harmony comforted her to the best that she can be. I would be crazy to talk with them, but I wanted Puppy to be happy for just a while. As I was about to ask her to see if I can talk with them, she got shot by a stray bullet meant for us three. The force of that shot sent her flying off the seat and on the right side of the car.

Harmony was shocked out of her mind that the filly was just shot. That sent so many warnings in my head that we may have just lost one of those inspirational ponies. I looked behind us to see a few raiders from the last raider camp we emptied. Or so at least we thought, turns out there were a different set of raiders. Me and Harmony looked at Puppy to see her still alive as she gets up spewing… pink cloud!? The suit had a tear yes, but I don’t think a filly was suppose to emit pink cloud! I looked at Harmony who was shocked as well to this.

Epsilon acted immediately getting his rocket launcher as he rocket jumped over us and to them. Puppy managed to get up as she saw that and was in awe seeing that trick in front of her. Her radsuit fixed itself of the hole made by the gunshot as the pink cloud dissipated. Seeing the pink cloud made the two of us realize that the filly is deceased. It was rather painful for me and Harmony to discover this fact even though we only just known her.

I heard the sound of a fired rocket as I looked to see it closing in on the raiders. Harmony covered Puppy’s eyes from the spectacle as Epsilon made quick work of those that fired at us turning the raiders into tiny giblets of gore. He safe rolled as she allowed her to see again. Puppy was very much sad to miss out on the gore-fest, but it was for the better that she did not see that. I saw him returned back seeing out eyes. It didn’t take him long for him to realize that something was lingering in our thoughts, “Is something bothering you two?”

“Epsilon, we need to talk now, just the three of us.” Puppy was again, not happy about being left out. Seeing her sad expression, I told of something that might lighten her up, “I have some toys in the vehicle if you want to play with them Puppy…” With a big smile and a simple ‘yay’, she was at the back of the vehicle playing with the toys that I stashed. I had a forlorn look on my face as I told him about the newfound knowledge, “Epsilon, while you were shooting, you say that Puppy got shoot right?”

He nodded yet was trying to understand what I was referring to besides the probable injury she attained, “Yeah, I don’t see why you have that forlorn look on your face… Well besides the injury itself.”

“I can see that, but…” Epsilon did not me using that word one bit. I would be too considering that many times that word comes up you know things just got bad, “Well how do I put this gently…?”

Harmony came forward as she got tot eh point for me. It did not ease myself but it least our reasons for our shock came clear to him, “While she was shot and her suit was fixing that hole, I saw her spew some pink cloud.”

Epsilon’s eyes widened as he took a second look at Puppysmiles again then to his sister, “Wait, she released pink cloud? As in the gas that covers most if not all of Canterlot?” The two of us nodded to his answer. He looked at her again clearly not happy with this knowledge we gave him, “How is she spewing pink cloud though?”

“I’m not so sure, but maybe my PipBuck can tell me that.” I moved to Puppy to see her playing with the toys happy as she will ever live to an extent in her short life. Damn it, this is just not fair… I poked her as she was playing. She looked at me with the most beautiful smile a filly can give to me. I adored that smile of hers yet also was saddened knowing that smile could be the last smile of Puppy’s I will ever see, “Hey Puppy, can I interfa, uh…” I corrected myself remembering that I was talking to a deceased filly here, “Connect I meant, my Pipbuck to your suit please?”

She smiled again as she stood up to my height, “Sure mister! I, uh, don’t know how…”

I smiled back at her, “No worries, I know Puppy… Let me handle it while you play…” Yet another smile as she played with the toys while I connected my PipBuck to her suit, getting the interface of the suit. The screen showed me the condition of her from the inside. I was met with shocking results as I see her body or rather lack of to speak. Lacking a skeleton, a heart made from the Pink Cloud itself, just how was she able to survive with nothing but a heart and a few bits of bones? Looking through the suit revealed a backup talisman, this one seemingly activated when the main one failed to comply. What caught me off guard was that this talisman has workings of a necromantic spell.

I called both Harmony and Epsilon over as I showed them what was going on inside the suit. They too were shocked seeing her condition. Harmony beat her brother to the question, “How is she living!? She’s not even a ghoul at all more like an abomination…” As much as I did not like the usage of that word, it was the only word that made sense at the time being.

I pointed to the backup talisman telling them how she was still alive, “If I was reading this correctly, the main talisman failed when it was trying to add injections to her. With that failing, the backup activated and it managed to keep her alive to an extent.”

Harmony was scratching about this. Epsilon looked at the interface trying to connect the dots, “I see that now, but how though? The only way to do that with her in this condition is by…”

I answered his question and left Harmony gasping, “Necromancy…” I cut off his sentence pretty much finishing his agreeing with his sentence. They didn’t like it though. No matter how we looked at it, we did not like it one bit. I disliked it all the more but that was how she was surviving to this day.

Epsilon had a look of concern wondering whether if we should tell her about this or not, “Do we tell her about this? I don’t want her to live on like this…” He looked at Harmony who was eyeing the filly seeing her emotions conflicting with her.

“I want to tell her as well Epsilon but, look at her…” We both look at her. She was brimming with energy as she was playing with the toys. It broke the three of our hearts to tell her especially when she is just so happy living in this world, “She doesn’t even know about it and if we do tell her about it… It will just break her fragile heart. I want to give her peace, but now is not the perfect time to tell her…”

I pulled the cord connecting my PipBuck to her suit as we backed away. As we see Puppysmiles playing with her toy, she had a look of surprise as she banged her head repeatedly, “I almost forgot my mom! Stupid, stupid, stupid Puppy!’ She went out of the and onto the red scooter as she was beginning to take off but not before seeing us again, “Thank you mister uh… What are your names?”

We looked at each other with a smile. We told her our names so that she can remember us. I silently prayed that her journey to find her mother would be well Gods, please watch over this young fillies’ soul, “I’m Zodiac, this is Epsilon and the lovely mare is Harmony.” I did wonder about what she forgot with her banging her head on the glass dome, “Puppy, what are you trying to do and where are you going?”

“I want to meet my mom! Mister Voice says that she is at that direction." She pointed south from Canterlot where the landscape reaches out to the ocean. “I’ll tell my mom how nice you three are! Thank you for the playtime!” Damn it, now I had tears in my eyes when she said that thanks. I wiped them away as she came back to me wondering if she did something to offend me, “Did… Did I do something mean to you mister Zodiac?”

I looked at her teary-eyed. Of course she did something mean… Mean that my own heart broke seeing her go away. I embraced her as tightly as the waterworks did not stop, my own tears falling from my eyes onto her helmet. Harmony wiped away her own tears as she looked away. Puppy looked at me with such innocence; it just made me glad to see such fragile innocence during my time here. I let her go as she looked at the both of us mostly focusing her attention on me as I wiped the tears away, “No, you did not do anything mean Puppy, I’m just… glad to have met you personally.”

She hugged me despite not even knowing me for a minute after I let go of her. She backed away with a smile as she was about to leave. I grabbed her as I wanted to make a lasting impression on at least this one filly, “Puppy, you don’t mind if I share just one tip right? You have a lot of time with you…”

She gave her most wonderful smile as she sat there listening to every word I have to say. I smiled back to her as I preformed a gesture that only I knew, a cross on her head, “Don’t lose sight of what you are Puppy. So long as you hold to your faith… In the end of your journey, you will find your mother Puppy. And as long as you continue reaching for that light, there is nothing that will stop you achieving that dream.” I wasn’t so sure if she was able to shed tears, but her hugging me one more time was enough to know that she managed to understand what I said even if it was a bit complex. The other tow behind me joined in as we shared one big group hug.

We let go of her as she went on her scooter as mister Voice told her where to go with the pink arrow pointing her way. She looked back with her signature smile as she waved bye at us, “Bye! I’ll tell my mom how nice you are!” We waved back as she waved one more time before leaving to her destination.

She was getting smaller and smaller as she was zooming past us line of sight. Epsilon went back on the vehicle as he started the engines.Harmony in next watching the filly get smaller until she was but a pinprick. I got on the back wiping some of the ears that still lingered on my eyes. Epsilon did not shed a tear but his heart was in the right place as he looked where Puppysmiles disappeared off into. We drove off to our destination not wavering from the experience we had, “A little bit much on the waterworks there, right Zodiac?”

I blushed a bit as I looked away from Epsilon. Harmony was too although she did chuckle as well hearing that, “S-Shut up… You know that I get teary-eyed for almost anything inspirational or sad.”

He chuckled not wanting to forget this meeting, “I know, I know, I think that fate gave us the chance to meet some pony like her…”

My ears perked from that and a wide grin came upon both me and Harmony’s face. He saw that and realized that he might have immediately regretted his choice of words. Harmony poked his chest as he she said what I had in mind, “Oh really, you into religion or something?”

“N-Now, just because I said that does not mean that I’m into religion!” Suddenly, he remembered the gesture I did on Puppysmiles. He couldn’t turn but the question was definitely meant for me, “In fact I should be asking that question to you, what was that gesture all about?” Harmony looked at me curiously silently agreeing with her brother.

I probably regretted doing that, but it was done already. I might as well tell them about if only part of it being truthful, “That cross was a hoof gesture of a prayer that alicorns do. It is a forgotten art for alicorns, only a select few know of it.”

That caught both Harmony and Epsilon’s interest as he continued driving, “Really? What does that gesture mean to the alicorns?” Harmony asked as his brother was concentrating on driving safely.

I smiled remembering the meaning behind the cross gesture. I was glad to be able to share this knowledge to at least somepony hopefully, the old generation arts will be remembered, “It means this, ‘May the God and Goddess watch over your soul’. I learned it a long time ago, when? I don’t know…”

Epsilon, although had no physical expression on his face, was smiling in his heart hearing that. Harmony let a small smile form though. Curiosity did get to them with the God and Goddess motif, “So who do you think are the God and Goddess? I was thinking of Celestia and Luna but they are mares…”

“I guess the closest thing I can think of would be the father and mother of Celestia and Luna.” Since the   alicorn race going extinct, alicorn stallions were a rarity leaving only the alicorn mares to thrive with no way to reproduce. I wonder if the race might thrive again with time…

Harmony looked at the cloud cover wondering about the Goddesses, “Do you think that they’re watching over some of us?”

I looked above past the clouds seeing the shining Sun beaming through the clouds, “I know that they are watching over us. I can feel their presence in the stars…”

Epsilon found some discomfort in my phrasing of words there, “You realized that you just said something that the Zebras argued over… right?”

“Yes I did, I learned about that as well…” We went silent after that as we head for Manehatten. Tenpony Tower was just a short distance drive from here and I prayed... No, no prayers, only those who are active to purge this world will be watched by the Gods and Goddesses of Equestria.

I felt the vehicle slowed down to a stop as I looked ahead seeing a dilapidated building, “We’re here Zodiac, me and Harmony’s old home.” I stepped out of the vehicle seeing the home. As I noted, the building was dilapidated. I saw Harmony entering through the front door first as epsilon followed behind her.

Entering the building I got a strong whiff of mold and other rotting materials. The building had been through so much seeing the condition of the interior. I looked around as Epsilon went off somewhere. Harmony was in the kitchen eyeing everything that was here. She let one chuckle escape, “This home meant so much for me. I’d like to rebuild this house from scratch after this whole fiasco with the war.”

“You and Epsilon love this home that much huh?” I glanced at Harmony who was still smiling as she walked around the place. I saw Epsilon coming out of wherever he was at holding a metal and small safe within his hooves, “What is in that?”

A smile formed as he was rotating the metal knob getting the combination, “Something you should have Zodiac, you deserve it better then the two of us.” I was about to deny about on his offer but he opened the safe. He gestured me forward as he moved out of the way. I shot them a curious look as I was at the side. They smiled and motioned me to look inside. I didn’t oblige as I looked inside.

Inside the safe was a figurine of… Fluttershy. Her pink and wondrous mane seemed to flow with the wind, her cutie mark was as ever as beautiful as it was, and her face was smiling showing the look of kindness I was familiar with the mare. I grabbed the statuette and suddenly I felt something surge inside. I felt like I could be kind to almost all living creatures both good and bad and face the challenges with a heart as warm as the Sun. I looked at the statuette seeing words engraved on it, Be Pleasant.

I let a smile form as I looked at the two of them. They smiled as I put the statuette in my saddlebag, “I’ll treasure this gift you to, but I have to ask where you got this?”

They looked at each other first before Harmony answered that question for me, “We got that from our mother before she… you know.” I did know but I gestured her to continue. She still gave her smile as she explained, “Our mother got that from the head of the M.O.P. The head told her to keep it safe until it was right to show it.”

“And you two thought of it being the perfect time to give it to me?” They nodded as we stood there for some time. I let a smile form, “All right, like I said, I’ll treasure this. Let’s get going to Tenpony Tower yes?” We left the house as we hopped onto the vehicle and drove off. I looked at the Fluttershy statuette one more time with a smile before looking ahead. The meeting of Puppysmiles and getting this, it felt like I was ready for the world.

Footnote: Level Up.

Zodiac:

New Perk: Child at Heart – Unique dialogues with children achieved. Never thought to hear someone chat with children.

Special Perk: Hope For The Future – Fate has allowed to meet one of many beacons of light, you now have a chance to be able to bring ponies into your side if certain requirements are achieved

Harmony:

New Perk: To Love a Filly – Meeting Puppysmiles has given her the hope to continue the fight, he now gains +5 to Intelligence but lose -2 in Strength

Epsilon:

New perk: Memory Lane - Meeting Puppysmiles has lifted Epsilon's spirits, he now gains +5 to Charisma but lose -2 in Durability

Chapter IX: A Lesson of the Heart

Chapter IX:A Lesson of the Heart

I originally had thought to have no need of further lessons since I had learned many things about Equestria and what-not… It seems I still have a long way from understanding myself

The Sun was rising and it was time for us to move.

After a week of resting, we packed our things up as we left to see and possibly kill Razor if they did indeed killed Monarch’s daughter, Dawn. With that conversation I heard outside though, the Blades don’t seem likely to be vicious killers as Monarch pointed out. Luckily, our jeep was repaired fully as well has having some upgrades to it which Epsilon absolutely fanboyed over. Both me and Harmony were chuckling a bit seeing this right now, “Told you he’s like that….” It was very funny to see him go out like a little girl.

The upgrades in general though… Our jeep had an armor plating covering most of the jeep making it bulletproof, not laser proof although that would make things easier for the both of us. Surprisingly, they added a mounted machine gun to the back of the jeep. I don’t think this was absolutely necessary, heck if I know though; it could help in the long run… My PipBuck pointed north as we got in the jeep.

WE hopped in the jeep as Epsilon revved up the engines as we departed for our destination. What? I don’t think you want to know the details on our way there, it would bore you people. Seriously, you all want to know what we were doing even if the details bore you to death? You really sure about this? Are you reallysure? Are you absolutely positively really sure about this? I’ll take that silence as a yes then. Then let us continue our discussion then.

The ride to where the arrow was pointing was a bit boring. We did run into a few hellhounds along the way. Alone, we can handle them, but as a humongous pack, I’d rather avoid them at all cost. I turned on the radio station seeing if there was any news on Stable Dweller or Security. No news on Stable Dweller as of the moment but there was some news from Security, “Can’t beat Sapphire Shores for sass and spunk. That was ‘Ain’t gonna hang my head’. Well, if you were listening earlier you probably heard Security Mare’s little declaration of war against Paradise Mall. It looks like Paradise has responded in kind by putting a big bounty on Security.

“Now I know times are tough. I know a number like that is bound to turn anypony’s head. But given where the money’s coming from I just gotta ask: what’s to stop ‘em from turning around the second you step out the door, taking the money back, and tossing your tail into Brimstone's Fall? Even if they do let you walk away, enjoy spending every day of your life keeping an eye out for bandits and slavers. Oh.” There was a shaking of paper and a conspicuous clearing of his throat, “And I got a little memo from the Tenpony Tower management: those caps count as raiding activity should you collect, so don’t plan to come here with ‘em.

“We’re never gonna do better if we kill everypony trying to do the right thing. Ponies selling ponies to ponies who work ponies to death is just wrong, no matter how you buck it. So with that in mind,” the music began again, “here is Sweetie Belle with ‘Priceless’.”

I was beginning to warm up to the DJ. Spreading the news about both Stable Dweller and Security’s actions was one way to keep the fire going. Adding me to the fire and well, we probably have one hell of an inferno. A declaration of war to Paradise Mall huh? The drive there again was boring as all hell. I really needed something to do besides blowing heads up. Oh Goddesses, did I seriously thought about blowing heads up? I really needed something now to get my head out of the gutter.

I looked through my saddlebag hoping to find something that will at least relieve me of my boredom. I really hate getting bored at times especially with those board meetings. Shuffling through my inventory, I discovered that… I had the ‘Wingboner Magazine’ in my inventory!? Since when did this get in my inventory!? I swear I thought I put this back where I found it not in my bags! I pulled it and wanted to throw it out to the Wasteland or even better it for me at least, burn it to ashes.

However, for some very oddly, disgusting reason that I cannot comprehend, I was very curious about the contents inside the magazine. Ugh, my perception was going through a major mess-up if I’m thinking of looking inside the magazine… In the end, curiosity got the better of me as I looked through the contents of the magazine, much to my regret.

Looking through the magazine, my reaction was… odd to say the least. I wasn’t bothered by the contents inside the magazine at all though this reaction of mine was to be expected. I wonder how much was in here though. I scoured through the magazine looking through all of the contents in this. Now mind you, I’ve not bothered by all of this or even care. To those fanatics, all of this in here is just for the enjoyment and questionable liking. Me? I treat this mostly as just a sort of ritual shall I say, I don’t do it for the sake of fun. Oh sure I had some fun, but not the intimate kind of fun, mostly because I never understood how and why going through intercourse was considered fun… when one knows that you reproduce younglings like so… my thoughts on this is rather complicated anyway.

One of the pages seemed seldom awkward until the mare in question was one I was very much familiar with and it severely caught me off guard. The mare in question has a pink coat with a puffy mane and tail with three balloons as a cutie mark. Normally, I’d understand that she would want to be a part of anything she deems fun but her going through this… it was quite a shocker. And she’s clearly enjoying it as well, huh. The stallion in question was also very much happy to have her sucking on his… Oh goodness, she’s sucking on it excitedly, with so much glee in her eyes.

As much as I was kind of caught off by this, I should’ve seen this coming. I mean they are mares living their own life; of course they would go through this. I closed the magazine letting out one sigh. I heard Epsilon snicker as I looked at him eyeing me though the mirror hanging on the front window, “Well now… since when have you been interested into that stuff?”

I titled my head in confusion at that question. I’m not so sure on how to answer this question but I’m leaving him with no answer, “Since when? I’ve never been interested in this kind of thing since forever. I don’t get how…” I raised the book up and shook it a bit with no expression shown on my face, “The contents in this book would be considered fun. Arousal perhaps I can see but fun? I don’t see the point of it.”

The jeep screeched to a sudden stop as I finished my sentence. Thank goodness me and Harmony were holding onto something because otherwise, we’d be sent flying away. I received a quizzical look from both of the siblings as I was looking at the both of them, “What seems to be the matter?”

Both of them were looking at each other acknowledging what I said before. They looked at me again in disbelief over what I said. Harmony was the first to speak about my thoughts though it kind of surprised me that she’d be the one to first respond, “How can you not be interested in all of that? I mean sure I’m not, but even I have a bit of a liking to read something from that.”

I was groaning hearing that right now. Do I really need to bother with this subject? I looked back at the two not pleased with them asking about this, “Look, I don’t give a care about this okay? If people like this, that’s on them. I’m not going to argue about this and I don’t want to delve as to why I don’t even care about all of what’s in here, can we just not talk about this?”

“Nope…” came the answer from Epsilon. Oh my goodness, why am I having to deal with this right now? I glared at him still not wanting to continue with this pointless subject matter, “Look Zodiac, the only ponies that wouldn’t give a crap about what’s within the magazine would be those that never had a love life.”

“Yeah, and I’m one of them…” Both looked at me clearly surprised about this. I put two hooves on my face. I truly did not want to continue this right now. I just want to get to the Blades and get this topic out of the way, “Look does it matter whether I have a love life or not? Can we just get to the location right now? I’d rather not delve into this topic now…” They indeed decided to not push this topic as we went ahead.

The Sun was reaching the horizons as we were nearing our destination to where the Blades were supposedly were. Of course things were not so easy when a pack of hellhounds came at us again. Seriously, these dogs are starting to annoy me now than ever. What, were they respawning somewhere or something? Apparently both Harmony and Epsilon agreed with my thoughts as they sighed.

I looked away as he fired a rocket at the small pack, ending them fairly quickly. I was still not use to killing living beings like them. Sure I did do it once, but it was in self-defense and I was still steadfast on my no killing moral. That kind of moral is going to get me killed in the Wasteland but I’d rather have a hold of that instead of mindlessly killing.

After that little upstart, it was relatively calm for the most part. A sprite-bot came buzzing through in front of us playing the annoying music. Did I forget to tell both of them about Watcher? Well, that almost got answered as the sprite-bot’s music stopped abruptly, “Yo.”

I was lunged forward to the front of the jeep as Epsilon suddenly stopped the jeep. My face was sticking on the window. I pulled my face off the jeep as I as clutching my face in pain. Both Harmony and Epsilon were looking around wondering where that came from. Harmony asked first while her brother was searching, “Zodiac, did you hear that or was it just me?”

“Ugh, my face… Look at the sprite-bot while I try to check for any broken bones…” We seriously need some seatbelts on this jeep so I don’t get sent flying to the front of the jeep again. Why didn’t Harmony get flown anway? Ugh, my poor face… I looked at the general direction of where the sprite-bot is and I heard some sounds coming from the machine which I can tell was Watcher snickering, “Sanguis gehenna! Not funny Watcher!”

“Oh I am so sorry! I find that smack to be damn hilarious!” Watcher was laughing like crazy while the two siblings could only stare in confusion as to what was going on. I managed to hurl a rock at the thing out of rage causing the thing to fizz like crazy. That got Watcher’s attention as he slowly stops laughing and fixed the bot itself, “Sorry… Sorry, I can’t help it. I hadn’t had a good laugh like that in a long while.”

I was still rubbing as they were just looking at the both of us wondering how to discern all of this, “I’m just going to leave you to be okay? Call me when you two are done…” He got out of the jeep for a second before running away about five meters away from us.

I’m with Epsilon, I’m going to leave you two be…” She got off the jeep and joined with her brother in the ensuing confusion. The both of us just watched the scene play silent for a few seconds. We looked at each other for a while before laughing out loud.

I was banging on the floor of the jeep as the sprite-bot was moving wildly around like a crazed animal. We both slowly died down our laughing before returning to the conversation, “Okay, that sure went well…”

“It sure did Zodiac.” He cleared his throat (At least from the way it sounds) as the two were beginning to return back, “I see that you made a new friends, that’s a good start.”

I scratched my head in a slight bit of embarrassment, “Gratia vos Watcher.”

The sprite-bot jittered a bit much to my confusion, “Okay two things right now. First off, what are you and your new friends planning to do right now? Two, what language are you speaking?”

Damn it I let that slip didn’t I? Oh well, it’s not that bad to explain it to him I guess, I mean it’s not that bad right? “Sorry guess, I’m slipping to the old language again.”

“Old language?” All three had synchronized that question wondering what I meant.

I let out a breath as I explained the language to the best of my abilities, “Well, the old language I’m referring to is the original language of the alicorns. I kind of learnt some of it when I was a bookworm.” All three gave out an exasperated ‘oh’ sound which was weird in retrospect, for me at least. I told them every tiny bit about the language.

After a few finishing sentences, Watcher spoke up, “Wow, I did not know you were interested in some alicorn history! Sad that not everyone is here to listen…”

“Hey no worries Watcher, we’re here for you… oh I almost forgot! We’re going north from here to see someone.”

The sprite-bot shuddered for a second before as Watcher’s voice returned back, “Sorry about that, this thing is about to die on batteries soon, so you’re meeting someone?”

“Yes we are…” I scratched my chin wondering if this was a good time to ask this question. Well better than nothing since he’s here, “Say Watcher, why do you need me to have friends so badly?” The sprite-bot stopped swaying for a second there. Before I got the answer, the sprite-bot shuddered violently as the music came back and it moved on like it never noticed us, “Qualis gehenna? What just happened?” I looked at the two of them wanting to confirm what he just saw. All they did was shrug, much to their confusion as well.

With that awkward meeting with Watcher over, Epsilon started the jeep and we drove off north. At least the distance to our destination is shortening now thanks to our patience (Although to be fair, Epsilon wanted to blow something up because he was getting bored, crazy much?).

Night was beginning to fall as darkness surrounded the Wasteland. We were at the halfway point and decided to stop and rest for the night. I volunteered to take over the night shift. Epsilon was about to object but when he delivered a loud yawn; he changed his mind and decided to sleep. Harmony laughed a bit loudly while I could only sit there. Harmony said her good night as she joined Epsilon in sharing the bed.

I looked at the bonfire we managed to make as its sparks soared to the sky only for them to disappear. Woods were such a rarity in the Wasteland; I was a bit surprised to even find some wood at all to make the fire. My mind was still pondering about The Boneyard. A valley filled with corpses stretching almost to the horizon, like what Epsilon said himself, what the ever living fuck happened there? My mind would not go at ease now that we’re in it. I putted it on the top of my shelf as one of my high priority questions.

I looked upward at the blinking stars out there enjoying the wonderful sight. Some of the clouds did not block the endless space showcasing the beauty of the night. Tonight would have been a great night if I was not cautious in The Boneyard. It was going to linger in my mind for quite some time.

I shifted my attention to the dying fire as I put more wood in it. The night was getting a bit boring even with the radio on. I had wondered if anything was going to happen now… Really wished I hadn’t jinxed that moment… As I was getting more rotting wood, my head suddenly undergo a major headache as I was clutching it, “Wh-what in the world!? When did my head started to throb!?”

{{AT LAST, THE GODDESS CAN SPEAK WITH YOU! SPEAK! WHO ARE YOU?}}

I was still clutching my head from this sudden telepathic intrusion, What in Celestia’s name? Who is this speaking!? Show yourself!

{{DO NOT DISTRACT YOURSELF WITH YOUR THOUGHTS! ANSWER THE QUESTION THAT THE GODDESS SPEAKS!}}

Aw great it can read my thoughts… this is not going to be easy for me. So thinking about my ideas is out of the question with this so-called Goddess… I had to try to not think about something vital or else this might complicate things. This still hurt though, All right, so you want to know me? Tell me why do you want to know about me anyway?

{{I DISCOVERED YOU AS TIME PASSED. I DID NOT BOTHER AT FIRST AS I THOUGHT YOU WERE A PART OF UNITY. IT IS NOT UNTIL NOW THAT I TOOK A LOOK AT YOU AND REALIZED THAT YOU ARE NOT PART OF UNITY WHAT WITH YOUR COAT COLOR, NO HORN, AND UNIQUE WINGS. NOW DO NOT TEST MY PATIENCE MYSTERIOUS ALICORN. WHO ARE YOU AND WHERE DID YOU COME FROM?

Unity? What is the Unity? This is going to be very difficult… Add question number three onto the top of my bookshelf now. All right mysterious Goddess, you want to know about me? How about you start by telling me who you are? I’m not going to comply until you at least tell me who you are. I don’t like to share my secrets with someone I do not even know…

I’m not so sure right now but I think the so-called Goddess was actually pondering if her making a ‘hmm’ sound meant anything, {{ YOU ARE RATHER CALM DESPITE MY INTRUSION INTO YOUR THOUGHTS…TELL ME STRANGE ALICORN, WHAT MAKES YOU THINK I WILL SHARE MY SECRETS TO YOU?}}

This Goddess is starting to somewhat surprise me a bit. It does seem kind of awkward to have a conversation with a being that I don’t even know. I did not want to waste this opportunity though and just kept talking, Why not? You want to know me and I want to know more about you. Why not share about our life to know each other a bit more? It helps to strengthen a bond of trust if only a little bit…

I really hoped that worked because I’m beginning to worry. I heard her making sounds of her thinking. It made me calm down for a bit seeing that I managed to get to her like this, {{YOU ARE A VERY INTERESTING PONY… HMM, PERHAPS I WILL WATCH OVER YOU BECAUSE YOU HAVE THE GODDESS’S CURIOSITY PIQUED}}

Really? I don’t think I need someone who I don’t even know looming over my head because I got their interest piqued. That sounds rather unnerving for me at least if I think about it And I was not joking when I say that it is a bit unnerving to have something looming over your head and watching you. Well, ignoring that, at least I managed to handle this stressful situation peacefully.

{{DO NOT WORRY; YOU WILL NOT BE CONCERNED ABOUT ME… FOR NOW, I STILL WISH TO KNOW MORE ABOUT YOU BUT YOU WISH TO KNOW ABOUT ME. I SHALL BE WAITING FOR YOU AND WE SHALL BE SEEING YOU SOMEDAY AND BE CONTINUING THIS DISCUSSION.}} She disconnected her telepathy from my mind as I took one heavy breath from that. That was one experience I did not want to go through today or ever again. I never wanted to think it with this Goddess connected to my mind, but my body tensed up throughout that chat.

So many questions now emerged in my thoughts, like how did this Goddess know that I was an alicorn even if she did not see me having only wings? I looked back at the fire, its flames getting weaker from the lack of oxygen for it to feast on. I threw on some more wood as I looked to the stars again. Unity… I wonder what this Unity that this so-called Goddess calls it. So many questions, too little answers…

I heard the sound of rustling as I turned around checking out who was it from. I look at Epsilon who was waking up during the night hours. He got out of the jeep giving out a big yawn as he rubbed his eyes looking at me, “Hey Zodiac…” He sat next to the fire stretching his hooves out relieving in the calm fire, “Say, I managed to get some sleep. I’ll take over the fire if you want me too.”

I stood up with a smile. Clearly, I needed the sleep as I gave out quite a yawn. I also wanted to drift off from the conversation with the so-called Goddess still lingering in my thought, “Thanks Epsilon, I do need the sleep…”

I walked over to the jeep ready to sleep, “No problem, get yourself some good sleep.” Yeah, having good sleep was going to be somewhat of a problem with what happened. A beep came from my PipBuck as I entered inside the jeep. I was lucky that Epsilon or Harmony did not hear that as I looked to see that the objective updated

(Optional)Visit Splendid Valley and meet up with the Goddess

Well, I wonder if I’ll get the chance to even visit that place? I’d rather focus on the task at hoof and besides this did say optional so it’s not that important yet. I slip under the cover of blankets next to Harmony who was sleeping peacefully. I smiled as I let myself drift off to sleep.

==========

The rays of the Sun bathed the whole Wasteland enveloping us. I opened one eye to see Harmony awake and sleeping on her brother’s lap as he was tending to the fire. Guess she decided to take over the shift but was getting tired there. I got out of the blanket and stretched my body a bit letting out a yawn. Epsilon turned to my direction with a smile. I returned it as Harmony was delivering quite a yawn herself, “Did…Did I fall asleep again?”

I saw Epsilon covering his mouth as he snickered a bit, “Yeah, you kind of did sis, had to take over since you fell asleep.” I flew over there to their location seeing to the fire. I put my hoof on my chest as I heard my stomach growling a bit. I hadn’t eaten did I? My ears perked to the two laughing from my empty stomach. I scratched my head in a bit of embarrassment.

Well we couldn’t go on an empty stomach now can we? I went to the jeep pulling some of the provisions we gathered at Maredytum. Good thing those hydroponic farms were working like a charm. I pulled three apples tossing two apples to them. They caught it and chewed into it. Both Epsilon and Harmony were making sounds that would probably suggest that they never ate an apple this great before. Epsilon acknowledged that fact well, “Sweet Celestia, these are the best apples I’ve ever eaten!”

I let one small laugh escape, “Thanks, those apples were once grown by Applejack herself. Too bad there are not a lot of those apples nowadays…” I chewed into the apple I was holding letting the succulent flavors overwhelm my taste buds. The savory texture, the overwhelming taste, goodness do I miss these apples.

Harmony looked at me with a curious look in her eyes, “Those you gave me while we were together…” She let the silence dominate for a few moments before finishing her question, “Were those Applejack’s apples?” I nodded to her answer while still chewing mine. She looked at the apple pondering about something but what? I saw a sort of glint within her eyes; she must have caught on to how I saved Applejack’s apples. The next question though, “Were you friends with the Ministry Mares?”

I stopped chewing on my apple hearing that question from out of nowhere. Epsilon partly did the same thing as the two of us were eyeing her oddly. I was rather nervous about this suddenly though Epsilon had different ideas as to why, “What makes you say that sis? I’m not so certain I agree with you there.”

“I know but still…” Harmony’s gaze was focused on me trying to flush me out of any sudden movements. I was best to keep myself calm under this kind of thing preventing anything that might give me away. I have to admit, Harmony did initially caught me off guard. What was like a few seconds of silence felt like an eternity, until she finally responded, “You know more about the Ministry Mares then anypony I know. The Pinkie Promise, Applejack’s apples, and then Fluttershy from Liberty and Lycan… Please be honest, are you truly friends with them?”

They told her about how Lycan was acting like Fluttershy for a moment there? I let out a sigh of defeat there. Of course they did, she’s a friend to them. As much as Epsilon wanted to deny the possibility of me actually being friends with them, he too can’t be helped but be curious now. What choice is there right now? They’re suspicious of me now and I don’t want to ruin the bond we made already even if the foundation is small.

Another sigh escaped from me as I averted my attention from the apple I was eating to them, “You’re right about one thing Harmony, I do know a bit about the Ministry Mares more so than expected…” I let the silence drag on for some time before answering, “That’s because I do know them well… only from true statements from others and what-not…” I chewed into my apple as the two looked at one another, their expression matching to their confusion and really, why wouldn’t they be baffled about this? I’d be too if I were to be in their position.

Of course, that bought up more questions than answers from the two which was to be expected, “But how do you know about the Ministry Mares? You said that you were from another country yet how and why do you consider them your friends when you haven’t even met them?” Her brother shared her understanding of my knowledge of them.

I finished eating my apple and put the seeds in a plastic bag for the return trip as I shifted my attention at the two siblings again. As much as I wanted to be truthful, I did not want to explain my true heritage. With time I will deliver the full truth but the time was not now, “Well, I tend to treat everyone including those deceased as though we were once friends. The answer is a bit complicated beyond that…”

They were looking at me like I was crazy for saying something like that. I had to resist rubbing my face a bit. This was going to be difficult to convince them otherwise, “Look, I said that my answer would be complicated…” I was clearly not helping myself if I said that as I looked away a bit. I really need to try my best to hide the fact that I knew the ponies before, “But… I can’t say the truth right now...”

“So when Zodiac? ‘Cause I still don’t understand why you’re being shy of telling us some details…” While I showed no change in expression, my heart agreed with him in all aspects.

I looked at the dying fire as the flames began to become sparks ascending into the sky. The small life these flames emit gave me a sense of confidence despite my current situation. A small smile formed on my face as I turned my attention to my two friends, “In time Epsilon, I--” I performed the gesture of the Pinkie Promise, “Pinkie Promise that I’ll tell you about it, just not now okay?”

He looked at his sister who nodded in agreement to my response, “He can’t break such a promise like that brother. I know it as a truth.” Epsilon shifted his attention to me whom I nodded to Harmony’s statement.

He looked to the both of us for some time before letting out a sigh, “Alright if Harmony agrees, then I’ll agree as well.” I do wonder when was the perfect time to tell them or any more allies we gather about my origins? Whatever or whenever the time comes, I’ll be ready to bring out the truth.

About a few minutes have passed and our stomachs were satisfied for now. We went back on our armored jeep as we set off for the northern part of the Boneyard. Thoughts about the Blades and the Regulators were swarming in my mind. Just what was going on between those two? The idea of them hating each other this long, it was almost as cruel as when I learned about the pegasi.

Speaking of the pegasi, the idea was still shocking to me even as time passed. I truly do hope that there are at least a few pegasi out there that aren’t a part of the Enclave or if they are, are rebelling because they see the wrongness of what they’re doing to the people below them like Ace. I wonder how Ace is faring right now? I looked at Harmony and poked her. I managed to get her attention as she turned around, “Yes Zodiac? You need something?”

I checked on my PipBuck wondering how close we were to our destination. We were still a far distance from the base; it seems this was the appropriate time to ask before we reached the location. I shifted my attention from my PipBuck to Harmony, “Say Harmony, how are things going on with Ace right now? I’m rather curious since I never saw him anywhere during the Baltimare Rebellion…”

Harmony’s reaction was expected before becoming baffling. Her reaction was of surprise upon my question then of her looking away a bit with a hint of red on her face, “Um… he…he…oh dear…” Stuttering? Now this I can make a guess as to why.

I heard Epsilon snicker a bit as he pretty much answered about the stuttering Harmony, “Harmony’s stuttering? I know that sign well enough to know that she just went through something embarrassing or something amazing, sometimes both.” I saw Harmony’s face gaining new shades of red as she put her hooves over her face.

Epsilon let out a loud laugh that I swear would be able to echo all the way to Tartarus. I was never going to be able to have my question answered if this was to be the expected outcome. I was checking on my PipBuck, we were nearing the base of the Blades. I alerted the both of them about it telling them to be cautious just in case of civilians. That managed to get them out of their state albeit slowly.

Looking over the town ahead, it looked rather dilapidated but was surprisingly flourishing and teeming with ponies. I looked at our jeep seeing the mounted machine gun of ours. Oh shoot, how are we supposed to hide that?! I don’t want the ponies here being suspicious or terrified because of that! I went up on it as I tried to find a way to hide.

To my endless shame, I found out now that you can dismount it. I let one facehoof come as I went to dismounting the weapon. I looked ahead as I was about finishing dismounting the gun and the three of us were met with suspicion. Welp, there goes the suspicious part.

We were driving through a market of sorts that stopped all activity as they all eyed us. Okay, this was getting creepy right now. How are we supposed to find Razor if everypony here was looking at us with caution? I know that my PipBuck tracked to her location but everypony here watching us was not going to make this easy.

Passing through the market never felt so relieving for me. Apparently the two siblings agreed with me about it as well, “Goodness, that was rather unnerving… I never thought to have a bunch of ponies eyeing us like that.”

“I’d have to wholeheartedly agree with you Harmony. I’m having second thoughts on killing this Razor now if everypony was eyeing us like that. Zodiac, what do you have in mind?” I looked at Epsilon who was looking to me for an answer.

I gazed at my PipBuck seeing that we were nearing where Razor supposedly is. Well, all of us are having second thoughts of not killing her so that’s a start. I looked ahead to see a tower standing proudly and teeming with what I can presume to be members of the Blades. Well, all else aside, why not try to be diplomatic about this? I lowered my PipBuck as I gave my thoughts, “How about we try to talk with Razor and see from her perspective. We can try to be diplomatic about this.”

Harmony looked at me, worry etched onto her face as she was looking at the tall building, “And if that doesn’t work? What then?”

Damn it, she got right to it… I was actually hoping to not get anything beyond killing her and settle this diplomatically. If that doesn’t work, I’d hate to resort to killing right there and now. I just shook my head letting all these thoughts go away for now, “It will work, I know it Harmony.” Please let this work for us.

Epsilon stopped at the entrance of the entrance when two Blade guards came up. Their equipment was rather poor and their armor looked like it wouldn’t last in a prolonged fight, I’m starting to get the feeling that the Blades are ill-equipped. Yet for their lack of good equipment, they exuded in confidence and bravado, “Halt! Who comes forth to the base of the Blades? Only members are allowed inside.”

I moved out of the way as Harmony stepped out of the vehicle. She stepped forward as she did the explaining for us, “We are here to meet with the leader of the Blades. We would like to speak with her please? It is of utmost urgency…”

Both of the guards looked at each other first before returning their attention to Harmony, “Normally we would allow entry if the topic is urgent, but we’ve never seen you three before. All Blade members have been known to know everypony within the city old and new and well, you are new.” They were clearly pondering about how to handle this situation.

One of the guards came to his fellow guards as she neared her and whispered something. How I was able to discern her gender? She had the mare’s shape and her walking style was of mares. That and she’s a unicorn. The male guard in question looked at her, his eyes looking like they were conflicted, “Are you sure about that? We’ve never done it before to new ponies and I don’t want to…” The mare nodded as she went inside. The three of us were looking at each other confused as to what was going on. The stallion let out a sigh as he looked at us and gestured to follow, “Follow me.”

We eyed each other one more time before deciding to follow the male guard. We followed him to the interior of the Blades base. Despite the exterior of the building looking dilapidated like the rest of the town, the interior was surprisingly well-kept. It was clean inside, the structure was reinforced safely, water was fresh (although it is still a bit irradiated if only a small trace of it), and the guards were conversing with one another well. This was not what Monarch had said to me before. Instead of vicious and murderous thieves, the Blades were ponies who respected each other and ponies both old and new. Seeing the difference raised many alarms about the Regulators almost immediately.

While I was in the middle of my thought process, I must have missed a conversation as I heard Harmony and the male guard chatting, “...not so sure about all of this.” I looked at Epsilon who was eyeing the guard carefully. What kind of conversation did I miss?

I noticed that we had stopped and reach our destination. The three of us were in front of a single wooden door, “I know but there’s no time to argue about this.” The stallion walked to the door and opened it looking at us, “Only one of you is allowed inside, the other two have to wait until the pony inside is done. So…who’s going in first?”

I saw the two back away from the door leaving me at the front. I turned around clearly not pleased with them doing that since I knew that trick, “Oh hardity-har-har you two… Fine, guess I’ll go first then.” I heard the two of the holding back their laughter as I entered inside the room. The door closed behind me and I was left in darkness.

Okay, this is kind of suspicious right now. A single light lit in the center of the room penetrating the black room. Saying it again, very suspicious about all of this. Left with little choice, I walked to the light. I was under the light looking around the room wondering what was going on or what was going to happen. I heard hoofsteps echoing in front of me each step louder than the last. I looked ahead to see the same mare that whispered to the stallion, “You’re…that mare who whispered…to the stallion…”

The unicorn nodded as she looked at me, her eyes filled with both a sense of determination and regret for what she was about to do. Even with her eyes showing that, her voice was a bit cracked as well, “I’m sorry, please forgive me for what I’m about to do sir…”

“Forgive you? Forgive you for…?” My question got interrupted as her magic touched enveloped me. I was not being floated in the air like the usual telekinesis. I looked at her getting nervous about what she was trying to do, “What…are you trying…to…?” My words were getting quieter as I felt my eyes closing. My body was beginning to feel numb as I wobbled around. Was I… getting… drowsy?

* * * * * *

I was in the middle of an inky black void as I stumbled to pick myself up. What just happened with the unicorn there? Wait… I can hear my own thoughts in my dream, that’s not normally possible right now. I looked around seeing what was going. Everywhere I looked was all just an inky black void stretching beyond the horizon. Just what is going on?

“Zodiac…” I heard my named being called in the unending void. I looked around wondering where it coming from, “Zodiac.” It came a second time and I was searching frantically now, “Zodiac.” The third time it came I was getting nervous. Six forms manifested themselves in front of me slowly. The color of their coats and their cutie marks were forming. I can already make a guess as to what is being formed.

The dust solidified as the six came to be. Not surprising, I was looking at the Bearers of Harmony. My mind was questioning why m mind was thinking of them. My thoughts were cut off almost immediately as I heard the voice of Twilight, “Why?”

I looked at her bewildered by what she had meant when another voice spoke after her, “Why did ya leave us t’ our fates Zodiac? Ah thought ya honestly cared fer us…”

My bewildered expression changed slowly to one of fear as I slowly understood what they were talking about, “W-what are you talking about Applejack? I’ve never…”

“You big meanie…” I looked to the next voice seeing Pinkie with her hair having lost her poofiness and now it was all a straight mane. Her pink coat and mane color even dulled a bit, “You left us alone to face the challenges…when you could’ve helped us…”

“Pinkie…I…I don’t know what you girls are…” My sentence got cut off by another voice. Bombastic as ever, I can recognize it almost a mile away.

“Yes you do know! You left us to face the war! You left us to handle the challenges when we needed the help badly! You could’ve done something to prevent all of this!” I felt the weight of all of this on my body. Even though I was not a part of this universe, I felt like I was guilty in preventing all of this.

I looked at Fluttershy who looked away in shame of seeing me. Her tears were falling from her face. It was hurting me more to see her like this, “Fluttershy, not you too…”

“You will not talk to her Zodiac…” I looked to see Rarity in front of Fluttershy as she blocked me from seeing her, “As much as I want to see our friendship not go down this road, I’m afraid that you are too late to fix all of this.”

I was backing away from them. I did not want to hear their accusations. I hit a wall as I turned around. Behind me were Celestia and Luna who looked angry beyond their truest imagining. While Luna’s was more profound, Celestia’s was more serene yet still bore anger at me. I was hearing the Royal Canterlot Voice from Luna as she was seething with anger, “You betrayed us to the ravages of war! You could have supported us in the war effort but you left in shame seeing us go down this road!”

I saw Celestia put a hoof in front of her sister holding her back from attacking me, “Do not bother Luna, he is not worth the trouble.” Her eyes bore into me, a fiery rage burned behind them wanting nothing more than to burn me. I was so helpless, I couldn’t even argue back at their accusations. My body felt so weak from all of this. I heard one more message from Celestia as my mind was flooding with thoughts, “You have a lot to think of… I do not want to see your face until you have learned.”

Out of her calm self and of her character as it was for me, it still pained me to hear it. I looked onto the ground in shame from hearing all of that. They left me in the darkness as I felt my tears falling. I looked ahead in my state to see them walking when I saw it. In my state, I saw my eyes only with blackness surrounding two red pupils… those eyes formed… when I sank into that feeling of helplessness. My eyes widened in fear as I immediately stood up letting out an outstretched hoof as I tried to call out to them to stop, “Everyone! No!”

I was too late as I saw the glint of the material from my blade cleanly slice through their necks. I stood there in shock as my words echoed through the void. Their heads slowly slide off their bodies, their heads turned to me looking at me with unabated anger. Their bodies fell down on their heads as they bleed profusely. Their blood covered the whole floor as my hooves were soaked in them.

I took about five steps back looking at their bodies. My body was trembling with fear of seeing them die like that even if it was a quick and painless death. I sat down on the freshly-coated blood floor lifting two blood-smeared hooves in front of me. I stared at them for a long time before I let out a piercing scream.

I covered my face as tears welled up in my eyes before releasing them as a stream. In my condition of what felt like an endless weeping, I heard an indistinguishable laugh. I looked up to see myself in front of my bearing the same soulless black eyes with red pupils. Before I even got the chance to react, I was immediately coughing out blood. I looked down to see my own self stab through my body with my own sword. I looked at my doppelganger who showed no sign of any emotion as he whispered to me, “You can never escape the feeling of betrayal…ever…” He pulled out the sword from my chest painfully as he was looking at me with a fixed gaze. I was clutching the wound as I stumbling back before my legs felt weak and I collapsed onto the floor. I felt my conscious slipping away as I looked at my dark self. My own self was left with no emotions as he left one last message for me, “You can never escape the sins of your past…”

* * * * * *

I jerked up from my slumber looking into the same black void of a room that I forcefully fell asleep in. I was looking around hastily, panting like a madpony. I heard the sounds of groaning as I turned my attention to the mare. The same mare that casted whatever spell was befell upon me. In my unbridled and out of nowhere rage, I launched myself at the mare holding her down. She was desperately struggling to get out of my grip as she pleaded with me, “Please… let…me…go.”

My judgment and thoughts were all clouded as anger overcame me, “Why? Why would I when you burrowed your way into my mind and then showed me betrayal beyond my imagination!? Why should I let you go!?” My voice was seething with venomous fury. She deserved to face the consequences in the most painful possible! I rose my left hoof high wanting to deliver exactly what I intended for her.

Her eyes widened in fear of what I was about to do. I saw her eyes welling up in tears as I bought down my hoof. In my angered state, I managed to hear her words before I made a direct hit to her face, “Please… have mercy.”

I stopped my hoof at the exact moment it was about to hit her face. Her eyes closed when she begged and as she opened them, she saw my hoof just inches away from her face. She let out a small gasp from the sight. My grip was weakening but it still held her still. My thoughts were going through a surge of thoughts both positive and negative. It was in this state that I hear a voice inside my head, You pathetic, blinded fool…

My head jerked up from hearing this voice. Oh no, not this again! I don’t want this to happen now! But it was too late as the voice resounded in my thoughts, Don’t want this to happen hmm? You are very much too late, for your actions have called me forth, now… This voice managed to manifest itself in spirit form and appeared next to me. While my body remained the same, the only known difference was the eyes I saw in my dream…no, nightmare, that’s a better word. My eyes were still focused on the mare but spiritually, I locked eyes with my darkness, Finish what you were about to start, Zodiac…

I looked at the victim of my rage seeing her looking at me scared. This was not much comparing to many other horrible things I’ve done, but this was enough. I looked to my dark spirit, my eyes showing no sign of anger anymore, No, I will not end her life here. You on the other hoof, don’t deserve to be here.

I heard his laugh resonating in my mind as I turned my attention away from him. He clearly was having fun toying with me despite his face showing no emotion, It would not matter what you do Zodiac, I’ll always be here waiting for you to make that single mistake. You know as well as I do is that I am a part you concealed away. Remember what I said in your current nightmare?

My body stood still and almost shuddered upon him recalling that. He saw my reaction and took upon it with no empathy for me, Ah, so you do remember about it. To feel your blood on my hooves as I ended your life even if it was only a dream. The fear etched on your face when you faced the betrayal of the worst kind. To see your life snuffed out there when you were at most vulnerable. It was so satisfying, don’t you think?

I truly wanted to buck my own doppelganger right now, but I knew how stupid that would make since I can’t even touch him physically or mentally. All I can just do is listen to his rabble and just continue on with my journey. However, something made me curious. If he was involved in it, then what about my last nightmare back in Baltimare? I looked at my dark self with some regret having to ask him of all things, If you were involved in my current nightmare…

Which I was Zodiac, if you were trying to deny that fact… I again, so wanted to buck him so badly now. Him showing not a single bit of happiness, just a blank expression also tempted me but I did not give in.

I let out one small deep breath from his interruption, Continuing on, what about my last nightmare? The one that occurred during my stay in Baltimare?

My blank, emotionless husk of a doppelganger was actually bewildered about what I meant. That kind of reaction seemed to somewhat made me worried now. He saw my expression and returned back to his emotionless state, You are referring to the nightmare involving the mysterious black monstrosity that consumed Equestria correct? I only answered him in silence mostly from me pondering about it, I will take that silence as a yes. Now, about the nightmare, no I was not a part of it. It was you that concurred it up.

Now I was the one bewildered about what he meant, I concurred it up? What do you…? At that moment, my body again froze but not of fear. It was a sudden realization that the nightmare may or may not be what I think it could be, You mean to tell me that this nightmare could very well be a premonition?

I saw looking away at first. This was the first I’ve ever seen my own darkness look away from me with a topic in mind. He turned his attention back to me, his…my… oh my goodness, our eyes filled with a fire burning in them. That being a good thing or a bad thing, I don’t know, Perhaps, but whether it would be happening in the current universe or back home, the two of us do not know of that answer yet.

This was seemingly questionable right now. Since when has my own darkness ever decided to help me in the long run? Last I recalled was almost never so why now? I couldn’t help but ask it about that, Why are you helping me out here? Aren’t you supposed to oppose me?

Again his expression did not change to even show a hint of emotion. He closed its eyes, whether from the question or not, I can’t say. Wait, didn’t I say this before? You would think that wouldn’t you? In my own thoughts, I heard his question and that raised elicited me to raise an eyebrow in confusion wondering what he was meaning. He opened his eyes, the same fire burning strongly within them, I do not oppose you Zodiac. I am a conduit of every sin you have committed yes, but you have forgotten that darkness cannot live without light.

Was he using my own words against me here? I was not going to let him use my own words against me here! But every time I commit many immoral cases, I get consumed by you and I go on a bloody massacre! I was not about to let this get the better of me even if I wanted to charge at him badly.

Yes that is true. Such is the nature of darkness, but you also forgot another thing about darkness… I just stood there trying to not slip into my anger. His next answer though threw me off by a long shot, Darkness doesn’t always equate to being evil Zodiac. Take for example, Princess Luna. She is the embodiment of the night and as thus can utilize magics related to the shadows. Does that make her evil? No, it was by unfortunate luck with the Nightmares that she did become evil. ] I couldn’t believe myself; my own dark doppelganger was teaching me something I had long forgotten. It was almost unreal for me, Many allies have committed sins yes, but they also try to rectify for them. In the end, while darkness still lingers in their hearts, they also accept that they are not perfect… He stepped up and put a hoof on my heart. His eyes though still had the red pupils, loss the black surrounding, replaced with the white of normal eyes, You have tried to rectify for your sins and that is a wonderful thing, but you have not accepted the darkness within your heart… Until you have accepted it, all you will cause is endless suffering if you keep on resisting it.

My whole body was still from this single lecture. Had I forgotten what it was like to have this kind of talk from a friend? I lowered my head and put my doppelganger’s hoof down with mine as I looked away, I appreciate what you are doing, but… I walked back to my physical body looking at the anger etched on my face. I did not want to accept this path ever, I can’t… I don’t want to accept this. Not now, not ever

My doppelganger could not believe what I was saying as he was shaking his head and sighing. He was not surprised that I was not going to accept change in the long run, Zodiac, look at yourself right now. Even after my speech, you are rejecting the darkness that’s already been made in your heart. I was silent from his response. I did not care for this conversation at all and I did not want to continue it. He saw the message as he closed his eyes, You will regret this decision when the time comes. I will see you when the death of someone you cared for comes forth during your journey…

The being dissipated into dust and I was left alone in my thoughts. How can I accept the darkness when all I’ve ever seen or done was nothing but endless bloodshed everywhere? I just can’t… I let my thoughts about it go away from now as my spirit returned back to my physical body. My body felt stiff from being in this position for so long. I looked at the mare who now bore a look of bewilderment as I backed away from her. I let out a sigh, “I’m sorry for the way I acted but please tell me next when you are about to do that so that we don’t have to repeat this again.”

The mare wiped off some of the dust that gathered over her body. She looked at me with a sad look seeing my head lowered to the ground, “I’m also sorry for not telling you about this but I had to otherwise. It was more of a test that Razor came up with.” I raised my head from this revelation. I looked at her wondering about what kind of test would do something like I went through. She saw my look of confusion and answered for me, “It was a test to see how one would fare against betrayal.”

My head gears were grinding for a bit as I was processing this information. After some time processing the information and putting the pieces together, now I understood why such a test. Of course, she caught on and answered it for me, “Quick learner eh? Yes, this test was mostly to see how one would react to betrayal, if the reaction was genuine like yours then they officially are a part of the Blades. Of course we try to help them cope with it as well.”

I let a smile form. It has been a while since I lasted smiled, “You are all not bad but let me ask something, why aren’t you scared of me now?” I saw her chuckle as she explained for me. Apparently, I was in that position for a goof five minutes during my chat with my own darkness. I did let a weak chuckle escape from me from all of that but otherwise I understood.

She moved forward and led me back out. Before she opened the door though, I couldn’t but ask for her name, “Hey, what is your name per chance?”

She looked at me for a second before letting a smile form on her face, “My name is Mind Reader. I hope that somewhat explains my trick there.” Of course it does, why wouldn’t it?

As she opened the door, I got charged upon by Harmony as she tackled me down and embraced me in a rather tight hug, “Zodiac! Thank the gods; I thought they did something horrible in there!” I was struggling to get out of her hug as I losing a little bit of my breathing. She noticed and let go of me while scratching her head in a bit of embarrassment.

I got from that and wiped myself of any dust. I saw Epsilon walking forward with a smile as he delivered a light jab to my side, “Hey there, how goes the… whatever happened in there?”

I couldn’t tell them what happened during my time in there. For one it would ruin the test in mind and two, my own secret should be kept from them at least until they were ready. I just let a smile form as I gestured one of them to enter, “It’s better for one of you to take it then for me to explain it.” They looked at each other for a moment before shrugging. It was Harmony who came in. The door closed as both Harmony and Mind Reader entered leaving us two outside the door. I was a bit restless and I wanted to take a walk. Deciding to do just that, I told Epsilon about and he just nodded.

I walked through the hallway out of the base and outside. I looked above the sky seeing the clouds blocking them still. I truly these clouds would just go away so I can see the starry sky once more, but that’s just wishful thinking. And so I begun to walk, taking a little bit of looking into the town. Going through the marketplace again, I was expecting the same treatment we had the first time we went here. Instead of that though, many were seemingly concerned about me.

As pleasing as it was to have the people’s concern here, I did not really need it at all. I was fine, or at least I think I’m fine. Regardless, I went to find a secluded area of this town hoping that I have some time to think to myself. I asked the town folk if there was one such area. Many did answer, but with concern in their voices again. Why is everyone concerned about me? All I needed is just some time alone with my thoughts.

I went ahead to one suggestion that many could agree on. An area north of this town called the Horizon was known before the war for the beautiful sunrise setting there. Makes sense since it is called the Horizon for a reason. The walk was rather uneventful save for my thoughts lingering on the subject of my inner darkness. Its words still lingered as it repeated in my head constantly.

Arriving at the location just in time as the Sun was setting. It was a beautiful sight to behold. Even with all these clouds, you can’t hide the beauty of the sunset. I laid down there for awhile admiring the view. The orange light illuminating the Wasteland made it seem beautiful in comparison to the reality itself. It made this scene all the more heart-wrenching to me.

I heard hoofsteps from behind me as I continued to gaze upon the setting Sun. I did not heed the hoofsteps getting closer to me for some time before a voice broke me out of my stupor, “A beautiful sunset isn’t it?”

I never heard of this voice before but I couldn’t but smile for a bit and answer the question, “Yes, it is quite a sight huh?” I turned to see Harmony sitting next to me. How come I never knew that was her voice? Darn my short memory. Still, she was done rather quickly comparing to mine even if I didn’t have to count the chat. I couldn’t help but be curious, “You were a bit faster than I expected, did it go well for you Harmony?” Harmony looked away from me and the setting Sun. Guessing that it must be affecting her a lot. I nudged myself closer and covered her with my three left wings. She took it in comfort as she lowered her head to me, “That bad huh?”

I saw Harmony about to shed a few tears. She wrapped her forelegs around me tightly as she let the tears go, “It was so horrible Zodiac, I never thought to have felt so helpless in stopping my own brother from leaving me.” So she went through something else differently instead of mine. I put my left hoof on her head and comforted her.

I heard some hoofsteps behind us. I turned my head to see some of the townspeople in awe of the two of us. While I do appreciate them being there oddly, I also do hope that they’re not thinking that we’re a couple or something. I cleared my throat and that was enough of a signal for them to leave us be. They responded nicely ad returned back. I had to admit, them being concerned did leave a happy note.

Hoofsteps were being heard from behind me heading to our direction and this time it was a lone pony. I turned to see Epsilon coming here as well. He bore a look mixed with two main emotions, anger and sadness. He came up and sat next to Harmony as he comforted her with me. Feeling the hoof of her brother, Harmony turned to see Epsilon comforting him. She let go of me and went to hug him now. She was stuttering her words but were still understandable, “Epsilon… please don’t…leave me alone…”

In response to that, the brother hugged the sister and admittedly, I couldn’t but be in awe of the scene in front of me. The setting Sun just amplified the wonderful scene by a long shot, “I won’t Harmony… until we make to the end of this journey, I’ll always be with you.”

I stood up from where I was and scooted myself in between the two siblings as they released their embrace themselves. I wrapped the both of them in my wings while bearing a smile, “Do not forget me you two. I’ll always be with you two as well. This tiny set will continue to grow don’t forget so we may end up having a few more friends to join in the parade.” They chuckled from my response. We looked at the Sun as it illuminated the Wasteland. After a whole slew of events that came to us, I think the three of us friends deserve a good time to relax for once and enjoy the view.

Footnote: 100/200 experience left until the next level…[size]

[size=0.75em]Zodiac:

New Trait Unlocked: Dark Rising - This trait is exclusive to Zodiac: Darkness flows inside you waiting to be unleashed upon all those who stand in your way! When you are within the evil karma, you gain +2 to Strength and Durability for every 10 points in the evil karma, but also hamper Intelligence by -1 for every 20 points in the evil karma

Karma Meter: 75/100 Good

Harmony:

Karma Meter: 70/100 Good

Epsilon:

Karma Meter: 65/100 Good

Chapter VIII: A Past Remembered

Chapter VIII:A Past Remembered

My past is not so happy, there are many painful memories I’d rather not remember…  And then there are those memories I would love to remember…

The drive to Manehatten seemed like it was going on forever…

After our meeting with Puppysmiles, many questions lingered in my mind. So many questions, my mind was going an influx of chaos wanting these questions answered. Looking at my PipBuck, we weren’t even at the halfway point to Manehatten. Harmony was reading through the Wasteland Survival Guide refreshing her memory as she said herself. I checked up on the radio wondering if DJ Pon3 had anything to say currently.

So far no news on either Stable Dweller or Security today, probably haven’t done anything grand as of the moment. But there was some news involving the P.L.A., “Good morning Wastelanders! This is DJ Pon3 speaking! Sorry to disappoint as there is no news on the action of either Stable Dweller or Security, but there is something awesome! What’s that awesome thing you viewers say? Well, remember our Angel of Darkness saving Baltimare? Well, looks like the freed slaves there decided to become their own faction! How cool is that!? Their leader, Luminescence, recorded a speech and gave it to me. He said he can’t leave Baltimare which is understandable, hear is the speech he recorded!”

The speech was grandiose as he was speaking, noticeable from the numerous cheering ponies being the background noise of the recorded speech, “Ladies and gentlecolts, please settle down please!” The crowd calmed themselves down as he was beginning his speech. This was somehow nostalgic for me if I remembered some of the famous speeches, “Thank you. Now as you all know, today we managed to liberate ourselves and claim Baltimare as our own thanks to our Angel of Darkness as DJ Pon3 said.”

Great, the news about my title was spreading to their ears now. My face was getting traces of red. Why was I getting embarrassed about my title…? I wonder how Stable Dweller and Security feel about their titles, are they embarrassed like me? I kept on listening to the radio with the crowd being very quiet. It was kind of eerie, “But this is just one step to truly be free… We can still do more!” The crowd was deafening even if it was a recording, “As of the moment, our faction now known as the People’s Liberation Army is expanding. Many say that we are few numbers but I’d say let them come and test our mettle! We will have a fully functional faction that can assist those in need of a freed life!” Again the crowd was deafening as they roared and cheered for their leader.

I felt proud of this new faction as they felt determined to assist anyone who needs help, “My brothers and sisters! Now is the time to prepare ourselves for the fight ahead! No longer will we stand by idly while the three ponies are risking their lives out there helping! Let us help the Stable Dweller, Security and our Angel of Darkness as we free our fellow ponies!”

The recording ended as it returned back to DJ Pon3 speaking, “Well isn’t that something!? So now were got a faction that focuses on freeing ponies! So if any of you want to join in the People’s Liberation Army, we got a recruiter here in Tenpony Tower that is looking for volunteers! So what are you all waiting for?! Join in the freedom fighters if you desire it! Well, that’s all I got to say, this is DJ pon3 giving out the truth, sometimes painful and sometimes inspirational to ponies. Here’s Sweetie Belle with her song, ‘Gone is the Wind’.”

The radio cut off as Sweetie Belle took over the radio. Her voice was very sweet, makes me very happy to hear her sing even if she was deceased. Epsilon heard the whole speech with the radio from our jeep as he was driving, “Damn, never thought to hear a crowd go wild over Luminescence…”

I will not lie and admit that a crowd going wild like that was something I did not expect at all. Guess the speech itself managed to get quite an uproar from them. Even Harmony acknowledge the fact for me as her ears perked, “Me neither… Considering what he did though, that kind of reaction was to be expected…”

I looked behind me first and then to the front checking our surroundings. I heard Epsilon asking the vehicle was speeding up a bit, “You think both Stable Dweller and Security heard that speech?” To be honest, I did not expect that question at all to be thrown at me, but them hearing that speech was a bit on a fifty-fifty chance.

“I am not so sure…” I thought about whom both Stable Dweller and Security was and what do they look like. Silly as that was, I was curious about their looks. And to anyone who has any funny ideas about me thinking of going through you-know-what with them, I am going to deny on you thinking about it at all. Seriously, what is with you ponies wanting me to have a love life? Don’t you think they already have a love interest that’s not me?

As I was pondering in my thoughts, the jeep went to a sudden stop. I was shot off the backseat into the front of the window. Harmony jumped a bit from seeing me at the front from the stop. I got up from that clutching my head in pain from that, “Ow… What was with the sudden stop Epsilon?”

He pointed ahead with an expression of shock on his face, “Look ahead and you’ll find out.” Harmony looked first and her eyes widened.

I did not like that but I heeded his warning looking at where he was pointing and my surprise matched Harmony’s, what was up ahead would make a raider scream in joy or even pale in comparison to their gory festivities. My PipBuck beeped as it gave a name to what we were presumably passing, The Boneyard. That did not help the three of us in the slightest.

Upon this landmass, piles upon piles of dead ponies covered much of the land. Their heads decapitated and put on stakes paving the road as their marks for turning points. Some of the ponies’ torsos were brutally forced open from the inside. A sudden idea of mine, which I really wished I hadn’t thought about it, suggested that whatever was inside forced itself out from either the torso or, for the poor dead mares out on this land, out of the cervix. Some of the heads were chewed from the face right to the bone leaving the flesh from behind left. Most of the ponies have little to no flesh at all leaving just the bone and leaving no entrails at fucking all. There wasn’t even a smell of rotten flesh at all or if there was, it was small and hardly noticeable… And that’s just some of the details I’ve noticed, who knows how many details I missed from the endless row and column of corpses or just plain skeletons…

The sight of all these dead ponies made me want to gag my lunch out again. Both Harmony and Epsilon let theirs out immediately. Harmony barfed from the sickening sight and Epsilon from just the smell itself. Harmony was still releasing her lunch as I saw Epsilon wiping his mouth. He looked at me very disgusted from seeing this gory spectacle of a graveyard, “I’m a battle-hardened soldier, and I’ve seen my fair share of violence but this? This is just a mass genocide. What the ever living fuck happened here?”

Harmony managed to stop puking as she looked away from the sight. I stood there frozen seeing all of this in front of me. Epsilon was confused when he saw me not responding to his question. He waved a hoof in front of me trying to get my attention, “Hello? Equestria to Zodiac! Are you there?”

Harmony wiped her mouth from her lunch looking at me. She too waved a hoof in front of me trying to get my attention, “Zodiac, are you okay there?”

I did not heed their questions as I continued to stare out into the many dead bodies. Echoes from the past began to resurface to my mind as the screams of many who died by my hooves, both friend and foe, were resounding through my mind. I was clutching my head as my body was shaking, wanting to not remember my past. I went down on the floor of the jeep whispering to myself as the past pains were coming back to me. I chanted words that I never thought to repeat ever again, “I’m not a killer… I’m not a killer… I’m not a killer…”

Both of the siblings were very worried when my whole body was shaking and I was chanting those words. Harmony shook my body hoping to get me out of this psychological trance, “Zodiac! Are you okay? Please, don’t go doing this to us!”

The effort was in vain as I was still stuck in the trance vainly trying to tell myself that I did not do what I did in the past. My mind was refusing to not think about the suffering of those from when I was a young child, vividly showing me all the things I’ve done to everyone around me. I was doomed to remember my past. My dark… past…

I jerked up quickly as the sound of an explosion woke me out of the trance. Harmony jumped from the sudden explosion as she turned to see that her brother fired a rocket onto the ground. Although she was scowling a bit from the sudden surprise, she was nonetheless happy to see me somewhat okay, “Zodiac, what just happened to you there?”

I saw Epsilon release a breath of relief when he saw me return to normal. He smiled for a second there before shifting his attitude pondering about my psychological mishap, “I agree with my sister… In my entire life, I’ve never ever seen somepony go like what you’ve went through… Tell us honestly, what did you do in your past?”

Harmony looked at her brother shocked he would ask such a question, “Epsilon! You shouldn’t ask that question to Zodiac! He could’ve had a traumatizing past for all we know!”

Epsilon shook his head in disagreement hearing that, “Now I know that he could have a terrible past, I can understand why no one would want to remember it, but it would be better to tell us now so that he doesn’t go through this again. In that state, he’s a hindrance…”

As much as I hate to say it, he was right, I would be a hindrance should I go through that. I did not want to tell them about it at all, I didn’t even want to remember it at all. My past was a massacre of everyone dead from left to right, even if some were evil and they deserved death. It was a catastrophe not meant to be shared by even my friends, “I’m… sorry Epsilon… As much as I can agree with you, I’d agree with Harmony, I’d rather not dwell into the past… The things I’ve done during my childhood… I’d rather not remember it at all…”

Much to Epsilon’s chagrin, he did not want to be denied of what was bothering me. But he respected my choice and left the question behind if I was truly bothered by it. Harmony helped me get up as I was clearing my head of all things I do not wish to recall ever again. I asked Epsilon again what his original question before all this drama started, “I’m sorry, but what was your original question Epsilon?”

I saw Epsilon letting out a small sigh. He was wondering whether to not ask him again for the sake of not repeating this again. He went on to ask me again his last question, “Please don’t do that on me again, but I asked what happened here… I included that this was a mass genocide…”

I looked back at it sharing Epsilon’s sentiment. Harmony still did not want to look at it for her sake. This was a mass genocide, but who in the right mind would cause this much wanton destruction? “I don’t know, I don’t think it mentions this in the Wasteland Survival Guide at all. If I were to guess, this was either recent or Ditzy Doo did not want this in the book at all…”

I’d go for the latter any day. This was something that should be known to everyone out there. I wonder if Ditzy was very shocked from the sight of this when or if she was here. Harmony looked at me with concern. I can definitely tell what was lingering in her mind and her question confirmed what I was thinking, “Do we have to go through this?”

I checked on my PipBuck to see if there was an alternative route we can take. Unfortunately, there was no alternative route for us to take. If I should ever meet Ditzy Doo, I should ask her to see if she saw this or not, “No Harmony, no such luck on our side… I hate to say this, but we’re going to have to go through that…”

I can clearly tell in her expression that she did not like this. Either way, the three of us knew that this was our only option to get to Manehatten whether we like it or not. Epsilon revved up the engine and we began our drive through the Boneyard. Once we got inside the skeletal valley, surprisingly, there was no smell of rotten flesh. Yet not a single whiff of something made all of us worried. Looking through some of the skeletons revealed that some of them were charred to the bone. Were there dragons in here?

We went only a few feet of this desolate land as my ears perked hearing scuffling from the strewn bones scattered, “Heads up you two, I think we got company…” They too heard the sound of clattering bones.

“Harmony, can you take over the wheel for now?” Harmony obliged as Epsilon stood up and moved allowing her to take the driver’s seat. He grabbed his rocket launcher checking his surroundings. I scouted above as I looked over the field of white checking to see any movement.

No movement as of yet… Either the enemies we are dealing with are stealthy or were waiting it out. I got my answer as something hopped onto my back with a roar trying to slash away at me, “Hey! Get this thing off me!” I was flying around like crazy trying to shake this thing off me. It managed to land a few good slashes on my chest emitting a scream of agony from me.

Both of them looked above me to see a… whatever that was trying to claw me apart was... I pulled my sword as I decapitated the monster, oozing its blood right on me. Hated the fact that I killed it right then and there but, one I had no choice and two, at least this was not a pony… It fell limp on to the ground as I was clutching onto the claw wounds.

I went down to the jeep wrapping my claw wounds with bandages as more of those monsters tried to jump on us. I heard an explosion behind me as I turned around to see Epsilon his rocket launcher at the pack exploding those caught in the blast radius to tiny gory giblets of confetti. I checked on my PipBuck seeing a bunch of reds surrounding us. My PipBuck alerted me that the slash marks was infected and that it needed to be cleaned out now. Great, more to add to my worries, like us being surrounded by these monstrosities wasn’t enough for me…

Epsilon took over the back seat and fired three rockets at the charging monsters. Most of them narrowly avoided the blast radius as they were sent flying away from us, “Harmony, think you can drive us out of here!?”

“I’m trying my best here brother!” Epsilon continued blasting through the incoming pack as waves of them were coming for us. Harmony revved up the engines as she pushed the thrusters hard, plowing the zombies in front of us and gaining some speed. That was not enough as some landed in the backseat and began to charge at Epsilon.

I pulled Righteous Crusader and fired at the few of them getting a few shots. One bit onto my arm eliciting a loud scream from me. Epsilon whacked it away with a shovel. He screamed in agony as two slashed at his chest, whacking them away again while clutching on to his chest. They clawed away the flesh of it revealing some muscle as it was bleeding. He wrapped them with some bandages as I took care of the others.

I heard a hard crunch as I turned to see Harmony punching the daylights out of one of the hellhounds that latched onto the door. She returned her focus back to driving. Epsilon finished patching up his wounds as he picked up his rocket launcher again and fired at the oncoming hellhound waves.

They were beginning to get smart of their attacks and resorted to… using energy weapons against us!? That is so not fair! I ducked under one of the beams as it barely singed both me and Harmony’s head. She put one hoof on her mane and pushed on the thrusters harder as we sped up the jeep.

Looking at my PipBuck, it was showing a never ending red field surrounding us. I was beginning to regret making the decision of driving through this white valley. She sped up our jeep as more of them were coming from every single direction. One jumped over our heads trying to pounce on Epsilon. It was met with a bullet to the head, exploding it, spreading bits of gore to its fellow hellhounds.

There was no end to the hellhound infestation. More and more would keep on coming filling up those we killed. My body and mind was getting tired as we continued plowing through some of these dogs. I looked at my PipBuck as it alerted me of contagions invading my body. Epsilon was suffering through the same problem. I switched it to the map. I felt like my prayers were answered as there was a town up ahead that was not blotched in red. As wrong as that was, it was better safe than sorry!

I turned around looking at the town. It was fortified to hold against all of the hellhounds swarming out here. Barging through the gate was a major bad idea obviously. I saw a broken ramp from outside. My body was beginning to fail on me right now.

Left with little choice, I gestured Harmony about the ramp. She saw what I was thinking and was looking at me like I was crazy, “Are you crazy!? We can’t do that!”

“It’s that or the packs chasing us Harmony!” She did not like this one bit but she sped up the jeep as we tried for the jump. Epsilon was clutching onto his slash wounds when he saw what I was doing. He tried to argue with me for the crazy idea but he passed out from his injuries. She ramped up the speed as zombies were being plowed through. She managed to make to the ramp and we made the jump.

Time felt like it slowed down as we made the jump. The acceleration was fast enough for us to make it over the fence. As we landed, Harmony pushed the brakes stopping the jeep from crashing onto a building. Everypony who was within the town heard the sound as they went out to search what caused the ruckus. They saw our jeep and bought their weapons to our heads being cautious about us.

They discarded the weapons though as they heard Harmony’s plea to attend to the two of us as both of our conditions were getting worse. Two unicorns carried us with telekinesis. I looked at the ponies here first then to the two siblings before passing out from the infections taking over my body.

* * * * * *

I was a young child living a great life. I had a family siblings and a life worth ahead of me. It was to be great as my parents would say for me. But… That shining life did not last long. I had my innocence taken from me when some people cruelly punished my father and mother right in front of my eyes. I could only stare in abject horror as I watched the punishment continue, never ceasing even when I plead them to stop. My sister was very lucky to not witness the punishment as she stayed behind in our hidden bunker.

My eyes were beginning to tear up as the unending pain that my parents had to suffer continued on, each of their screams worse than the last. They pleaded with them as well to not end my life there as they wanted to see me live. They were willing to take the pain for me to live. I wanted to reach out for them. I wanted all of this to end; I wanted to share their pain as well, just to die with them together.

And even that was taken away from me as they decided that they had enough of torturing my parents in front of me. They gave a sadistic grin as they exchanged their whips for a serrated blade. They began to cut my parents body, sawing their bodies to give them the slow and painful death. Their screams of unimaginable pain ringed through my ears as tears escaped my eyes begging them to stop.

My mother and father looked at me even through the sheer pain one more time and mouthed a silent prayer to me, begging that their God and Goddess would watch over me. The light within their eyes was snuffed out as their heads went limp. They were dead… They were... No, please… Please don’t die on me… The sadistic killers unchained them as their upper body fell to the ground.

I sat there frozen in shock and denial from what I’ve witnessed. My parents were not moving… The murderers could only laugh at their sadistic joy of killing my parents. They were all smiling at what they called their workmanships. All eyes went on me as they wondered what to do with me. They decided to finish me there as well. They did not care about me going to the afterlife or my endless sobbing of being alone now. They just wanted to end me with a maniacal glee.

Their laughter resonated through my ears as one of them came with the serrated blade they used to kill my parents, ready to end me right there. I looked at them through my teary-soaked eyes as they inched closer to me. All of my emotions simmered down leaving one emotion burning through my body, an unending hatred for these murderers.

As he raised his weapon high into the air, I charged at him, my eyes burning with anger beyond my control. The others charged at me with their melee weapons. I looked at them with a cold glare that froze them there for a second before charging at me again. I dodged a machete as I bit onto his hooves. He screamed as he released the machete pulling his bitten foreleg away from me. I grabbed the machete in my mouth as I looked at the killers charging at me.

I moved hastily, avoiding their slow and heavy strikes as I went under them. I stabbed one of them through the back as the blade popped from back to front. He was breathing heavily as he tried to grab me off. I pulled the blade sideways spilling his intestines to the floor. He looked down at the floor seeing his intestines spilled. He faded into unconsciousness falling down on his intestines.

All charged at me mad about me killing one of their brethren. I moved out of their ways as I climbed myself onto one of their backs again. This time, they were smart about it as they tossed me over and I hit the wall hard. I was coughing out blood from that as they charged at me again.

I was weak from that, but still managed to speed past their strikes as I charged at another ramming her onto the floor. I stabbed her stomach first and then to her eye sockets as I was screaming. She was already limp upon the first stab, but I wasn’t even thinking straight as I stabbed at the eyes ruthlessly. I stopped there breathing heavily as I looked back at the other three there. My eyes still had the flames of hatred burning as I slowly walked to them as they stared at me, fearing for their life as they slowly backed, blade covered in my enemies’ blood held at my mouth.

One of them stumbled from his feet as he was on his back. He looked at me slowly walking and tried to crawl away only for me to be on top of him. I glared at him as I pulled the blade from my mouth into my hoof raising it into the air, “No please! Get away from me! Get away…!” His screams of plea were garbled by his blood as I stabbed at his neck. He went limp as I pulled out the serrated machete. The other two stood there terrified at what I’ve become. I got up and looked at them before they began running away from me.

I was right on front of them at their only escape route as they stood there shaking to their core. One fearfully attacked me as I just sidestepped stabbing at his foreleg. He screamed as he tried to pull the blade out only to meet another blade stabbing through his face from the chin to the head.

The other tried to run but the door was locked from the outside. He banged on the door trying desperately to call for his fellow members to save him from me. I walked slowly as he continued banging on the door desperate for someone to save him. No one heard his pleas as I climbed onto him pulling him back. He struggled to get me off as I continuously stabbed at him not stopping even if he was dead. His blood splattered on the door and the walls as I continued to stab at him. Only when he was filled with holes all over his body did I stop.

My body was tired from all of what I’ve done as I looked upon my actions. I had killed five people without mercy and as a young child. I fell limp next to my dead parents as my vision began to blacken. I tried to deny what I had done within my uncontrollable rage but my mind knew what I had done, “I’m not a killer… I’m not a killer…” I repeated that sentence as many times as possible to rectify what I did.

I cuddled my dead parents’ bodies as I cried myself to sleep wanting to forget whatever travesty occurred to my life. I wanted it to all return to normal, all to the way it all happened before this occurred. With my body soaked in the blood of my killers though, I knew that my life will never ever be the same.

* * * * * *

I woke up from that nightmare screaming my lungs out. I clutched my chest as I was breathing heavily trying to not hyperventilate from it. I looked around to find ourselves in a medical facility. I saw Epsilon and Harmony sleeping peacefully. His injuries seemed to heal as his condition told by the computer linked up to him was stable, no infections at all.

I looked at mine seeing that I was cleansed of infections as well alongside visible injuries. I look to see that it was night still. I looked at my PipBuck seeing that it has given a name for the town we were in, Maredytum.

I put on the radio to see if there was any news. No news on Stable Dweller or Security… I looked through the window seeing the clouds blocking the night sky. I had wondered if they were handling their situations well. I wanted to get some shut-eye but that nightmare was making it uneasy for me. In the end, I had to use some sleeping pills on the counter to fall asleep.

==========

Day had begun to rise as the rays of sunlight beamed through the windows bathing me in its warmth. I gave out a powerful yawn as I stretched out my body flexing some of my body parts as they made a pop sound. The town was bristling with activity, no doubt from our unannounced entry into the town as everypony in here was eyeing me leaving their clinic.

I saw Epsilon chatting with this town’s supposed leader talking about our entry. The leader did not sound so pleased of our emergency entry, “I did not expect you to come in unannounced like so, but with you two injured, we had to resort to helping strangers…”

Harmony was groaning hearing this over and over again. Her brother shared her sentiments, “And we appreciate you for that! Jeez how many times do we have to tell you!? We were chased by hellhounds mister!” Epsilon was en route to being pissed off and quickly too might I add. I went up to the two of them as he was looking like he was close to exploding and I meant that in a literally way… They saw me come to his direction, thankful that they have me to do the diplomatic stuff, “Thank the Goddesses you’re awake… Can you do all this for me? I need to blow something up to vent my anger…”

He left me to the diplomacy as he went to the outskirts of Maredytum to do some something. I glanced at Harmony who was ready to leave as well. She left with her brother and I was left with the leader in charge. I returned my gaze to their supposed chief of the town wanting to thank him for the assistance, “I thank you for the assistance kind sir…”

“You welcome, but that much kindness is all you’re getting from us. Now if you would be so kindly and leave our town already…” I raised an eyebrow from the suddenness. That threw me off a bit.

I know we unintentionally entered their town but that was enough for us to make leave right? “Sir what seems to trouble you? The way you’re saying that tells me that you have trouble trusting three strangers…” Which is understandable to a certain degree, but I didn’t say that out loud for him to hear.

“Look you all seem nice and all, but I’d rather be cautious especially if you are one of the Blades…” Again my eyebrow rose from that but I did understand why.

Taking precautions I see… Good thing we’re not one of those Blades he referred to us. Speaking of the Blades, “Who are the Blades precisely?”

His ears perked from hearing that. He looked at me like I was a crazed maniac for saying something like that, “You’re joking… You’re joking right?” I shook my head in denial. He was very much surprised that the three of us did not know anything about the Blades at all. Considering that we’re new here would not be a surprise to anyone in all honesty. Guess the barricade surrounding the city was good enough of an answer for anyone out there.

He looked around the city out of caution as he bought me inside the office probably wanting a private conversation with me. He closed the door and turned on the lights as I entered looking at a mayor’s office. He sat down in the chair as he pulled out some papers, “Before I give you these papers, are you sure you don’t know who or what the Blades are?” I again shook my head in denial as he gave me the papers.

Details about the Blades were written in here. A detail I noticed was that these were written by a group called the Regulators. I looked at him as I pointed out this detail. He answered about the Regulators when I pointed it out, “The Regulators was just a group I hired to defend the peace around the Boneyard. We have only a handful of guards to protect this city so I had to hire some guns to defend Maredytum and the Boneyard. Their leader is named Guillotine, where he is? I don’t know”

I listened to his whole conversation about the Regulators as I was reading the papers that the Regulators wrote about the Blades. Apparently, the Blades were thieves known for their murdering sprees at the northern part of Maredytum. As I was reading the casualties on here, my ears perked when of the casualties was named by the mayor, “My own daughter, Dawn, was one of the casualties. I can never forgive them for killing my daughter.”

That hit me hard as I got to her name on the casualties list. The mayor’s own daughter dead by a group of vicious thieves. I gave him back the papers having learned enough about the Blades, “I’m very sorry for your loss mister…?”

“Monarch… My name is Monarch…” He raised a hoof as an apology. I shook his hoof in return, though I can tell that he still has trust issues with the both of us. He wanted trust us for something but he can’t for the sake of the citizens here.

An idea popped up in my head as a way for Mayor Monarch to trust us, “Mister Monarch, why don’t you send me to do something for you? As a way to trust us I mean…”

He was silent as he bought a hoof up to his chin wondering about the idea I suggested. He smiled as he liked the idea, “That is a good idea and I have just a request for you.”

I relaxed my body as I was listening to Monarch’s request. I hope that this will be able to resolve his trust issues with me and Epsilon, “Okay then, we have a pony out there who is handling a problem as we speak. See, we have some hydroponic farms but they are not functioning. He’ll fill you on the rest of the details involving the request. His name is Miles; he’s noticeable as he’s always at the hydroponic farms.” He gave an easing smile as he finished his sentence.

I raised my eyebrow from that but it didn’t really bother me much, “So, all I have to do is talk to this Miles and he’ll fill me in?”

“Yes, I’ll tell him that you’re coming to assist him.” He moved out of his chair and opened the door as I left the mayor’s office. He gave a reassuring smile as he closed the door leaving me to do his request. A beep came to my PipBuck as I checked on it. It updated on my objectives giving me two main objectives. One of them of course was us going to Manehatten, the other involved finding Miles and speaking with him.

The PipBuck gave us the location of where he was by an arrow pointing the way. I was about to walk until I heard an explosion from the outskirts of the city as Epsilon and Harmony (who was clutching onto him tightly) again rocket jumped over the barricade killing some hellhounds along the jump. He landed next to me with a big smile very much happy to blow something up, “Phew, now that managed to vent my anger! Want to fill me in on what’s happening?”

Harmony got off her brother trying to get use to the land now again. She glared at him very displeased about that, “You know Epsilon, the next time you go through one of your killing sprees don’t bring me please.” He could let out a loud laugh hearing his sister.

==========

We were walking on our way to meet Miles as I finished up telling them about my conversation with Mayor Monarch. Both of them bore a downer look upon hearing that his daughter died from the Blades. Harmony was sympathetic for him, “Poor Monarch, I’m beginning to see why he doesn't trust us yet.”

Epsilon shook his head looking around the town, “Why wouldn’t he? I sure as damn would be like that as well if I were to be in his situation, the poor fella…”

I do like it when my friends understood the pain but… “I know… But something seems off about the Regulators he hired though…” I looked around us seeing them on the outpost towers of Maredytum eyeing us. Their written report on the Blades was written like they had personal problems with them. Epsilon seems to share my opinion as he was eyeing them. Harmony was a bit indifferent but her eyes did wander to them as well.

We had reached the broken hydroponic farms hoping to see Miles. However, he seemed rather busy as he was screaming in rage with the broken farms, trying desperately to fix them without the much needed parts, “Fuck me with Celestia’s flaring-orgasms! This is getting ridiculous!”

I heard Epsilon laughing a bit while Harmony simply looked abashed. That last part he said I did not want to hear ever again. Really, putting Celestia’s name like that was a really cruel way to disrespect her right? I knocked on the door as he stopped his ranting opening the door to meet us. He bore a smile as he saw me, “You’re the pony that Mayor Monarch sent to help me right?”

Looks like the mayor was keeping to his promise about sending information about me, “Yep, that’s me so mind filling me on the details he left out?”

“Sure, please come right in.” He opened the door showing us the broken hydroponic farms that he was fixing alongside a working pony, “Sorry about that, we were trying to get these farms working but without the major components we need, these farms are just kaput…”

Epsilon chuckled from some pony using the word kaput there, “Well that’s a first I hear a pony say kaput in my life…”

“Hey I can’t help it; I’ve had that word stuck in my head throughout my time here in Maredytum. Might as well say it right?” The both of us only shrugged, not really disagreeing with Miles.

Harmony came forward looking at the somewhat broken hydroponic farms. A smile formed on her face seeing the idea of these farms, “So these farms allow you to farm your own fruits and vegetables right?” She was eyeing the farms curiously, rubbing on the windows. I can imagine the gears in her head turning right now seeing the possibilities of these farms.

A smile formed on Miles’s face this time, “Well aren’t you a clever lass there?” I saw Harmony blush a bit from the praise. He went on about the details concerning the parts about the farm, “Anyway, we need the parts to make these works. If we can make these farms work, we won’t have to worry about trading with other cities for food. We can grow our own here.”

“Okay, I see the basics but where are the parts?” I was beginning to regret asking that question.

“Yeah, well you see…” And now I officially regretted asking that damn question. Me and my big mouth, “The pony who was supposed to deliver the parts to this town got ambushed by hellhounds… If you want some info on where the parts you may need to ask the chemist here.”

“Wait, you don’t know where the parts are?” Epsilon beat me to the question. How many times has someone beat me to the question I was about to ask?

He shook his head much to our chagrin, “Only my chemist friend knows where they are. His name is Morning Star… He’s…” As if on cue, the chemist comes in with a look of concern on his face, “Right here!”

“Huh?” His look of concern changed to that of confusion when he heard his friend say something. Miles gestured to the three of us. He immediately was able to figure out what he meant as he said a long ‘oh!’ sound. He looked at us now with a look of both certainty and a bit of worry? That bit of worry made me worried now, “So you two are the ones Mayor Monarch sent?”

This time I beat Epsilon to his answer as he was about to open his mouth, “Yes we are, is there seem to be a problem?” He looked at me with a look that clearly said ‘Did you just interrupt me?’ All I did was shrug with a big grin on my face. Harmony could only groan seeing us like this.

“No, no problems at all! I’m just happy to have some ponies helping me get the parts for me.” That set off some warnings blaring in my head.

“You’re not coming with us?” In all fairness, I think I know why he wouldn’t come with us in the first place. I just wanted to hear his answer from Morning Star himself to confirm my thoughts

“Hell no! You realize that those hellhounds are out there where the parts are?! I am not going out there only for me to get mauled by hellhounds!” Well that pretty much answered my second question and my thoughts I was about to ask. I closed my mouth in response as he continued on with where the parts are, “Anyway, the parts we’re looking for are at the hellhound warehouse northeast from here. That place is infested with those dogs and of course we don’t know how to fight.”

“That’s where you guys come in…” Miles added as he continued on where the chemist left off, “So if you managed to get the parts, we’ll give a decent paycheck for your efforts alongside report what you did to get them, how’s that?”

The both of us looked at each other wondering whether to agree with this or not. Of course the both of agree with the request, but sometimes, it was better to hear one’s opinion before accepting one. For Epsilon, he wanted to know the paycheck first before going in the warehouse, “What’s the paycheck you’re giving us?” That earned him a look from Harmony. He just stood there not paying attention to her.

He made some motions as his head was calculating the paycheck, “Oh about six stimpaks and two hundred and fifty bottle caps, sounds like a fair deal?”

It was fair enough for me, I wasn’t one to brag about such a paycheck. Epsilon was not quite with the paycheck and was about to argue until two glares from me and Harmony made him shut his mouth. He just backed away slowly as I accepted their paycheck, “Fair deal, we’ll accept the offer.”

They smiled as a beep went on my PipBuck. I checked on my PipBuck to see a new objective was added replacing the original one.

Go to the hellhound warehouse and retrieve the parts.

With the request accepted, the both of us went on our way to the hellhound warehouse. I looked back to see Harmony busy eyeing the hydroponic farms. I whistled for her attention as I asked, “Harmony you coming?”

She looked at me for a moment before continuing her smile, “No thanks, I’m going to stay and see how these farms works if that okay with you two?” I didn’t mind it at all. I looked back at Epsilon who just shrugged.

I returned the smile to Harmony, “We’re fine. You can stay here then.” She waved as I left the farms. The PipBuck was pointing the way to the warehouse as we packed up our weapons. Epsilon was grumbling about the paycheck as we were heading there. I resisted facehoofing there for my companion’s lack of complete understanding at the moment, “Epsilon, stop grumbling about the paycheck. Be happy that at least we got something to do while being here.”

That lifted his spirits a bit but he still grumbled about the paycheck, “I don’t like that payment. We should have gotten something more so for what we’re doing.”

I believe this to be the third time I raised my eyebrow, “Since when have you been one to whine about paychecks?”

“Since right now… and I’m not whining, I’m complaining!” I truly did not understand my friend right now as I now facehoofed there. The both of us continued chatting as we walked to the warehouse not caring that we were getting unwanted attention from some ponies. Luckily, none of our subjects we chatted about were about the Regulators.

==========

It felt like a long walk as we finally reached the northeastern area of the Boneyard. We ran into a few hellhounds along the way, but it was relatively an easy walk there. Our jeep was in repair when we arrived at the workshop first prompting a long annoyed sigh from Epsilon. I guess he liked driving there instead of walking our way to the hellhound warehouse.

The warehouse looked abandoned and dilapidated from years of wear and tear. The whole building looked like it was on the verge of collapsing. The pillars holding the building have slash marks from the hellhounds physically weakening the structure. And we were supposed to go inside it to get some parts? Epsilon shared my sentiments looking at the condition of the building, “Maybe we should check outside the parameters first before going inside?”

“Yeah, I agree. Let’s check outside instead of the collapsing building in front of us. That will make things so much easier…” He was trying to be snarky about us searching the outside which he was failing at doing. We wanted to make this quick hoping to not get any attention from the hellhounds. That would be very stupid as they can sniff us out, but it was easier than facing a pack of them even with a rocket launcher.

We moved slowly avoiding anything that could potentially give our location away. This time we carefully checked our surroundings. I stopped Epsilon immediately when he almost stepped on a can of Sparkle-Cola. I stopped him again as he backed a step from almost crushing another can of Sparkle-Cola. This was not going to be easy for us.

Every step we took trying to survey the area almost ended with us being revealed. The Wasteland was probably laughing at us right now as step by step; we almost gave away our location with cans and a few mines seeing if we can find those parts. We got to the northeastern part of the hellhound warehouse to find… an abandoned playground. Of all places, why did one have to appear here?

Past memories began to flashback to my first time playing through a playground with my siblings as our mother and father was watching over us. It was not a dark memory luckily, but it still left my heart broken. I can hear my siblings’ voices as I stared at the playground as image after image of us playing through the playground was being played in my mind. We were so happy playing around, having fun with our parents; I’d never thought to have all that disappear in a matter of days.

Tears began to well up in my eyes as I wiped them away. Epsilon saw me shedding some tears as he was surveying the area. He came up close to me and put a foreleg around my body comforting in my time of need. I put my head on his shoulder happy to have him, “Thanks Epsilon, I really appreciate it.”

Epsilon smiled as he comforted me, “Painful memories coming back?” He shifted to an expression of pain and sadness.

It threw me off to see this but the Wasteland was known to sometimes break some ponies even if only a little bit, “The same ones, why are you sad about this?”

He was silent as he looked at the playground. He spoke with a hint of grief as he answered, “This playground was my sister’s favorite playground. We would always play here whenever our parents were not around.” He walked to a location he remembered taking his first step into the playground. Where he stood was a single tile signed by both Harmony and Epsilon. He pulled out the tile with a smile seeing that something was still under it.

Underneath the tile was a small box from under all of that rubble. The box itself had aged well but was still able to keep its shape. The design was rather simple, a square box with some sort of curvature at the top of the box. He pulled it out and opened it pulling out a locket holding a picture of Epsilon’s mother and father with Harmony and Epsilon all of them smiling at the camera, “This picture was to be our last picture depicting us together happily.”

Their last picture… Epsilon held on to the picture tightly letting a few tears escape. This time I was the one comforting him in his time of need. I can tell that he wanted to give this to Harmony who stayed behind but why would the family split after that last picture? A sniffle from Epsilon broke me out of my thinking bubble, “Thanks Zodiac, I really appreciate what you’re doing…” He wiped the tears as he returned back to his normal self, “Now shall we continue looking for the parts?”

I let a smile form on my face, “Couldn’t have said it better myself.” We checked out the playground searching for those parts that Miles needed to repair the farms. Outside the parameters of the playground, we saw a corpse laying there. We examined it and found out that this was the supposed pony to deliver the parts after finding said parts. His body has slash marks matching that of the hellhounds, Looks like they weren’t kidding about the deliverer being mauled by hellhounds…

I put them in my saddlebag as my inventory updated telling me the price and information of the parts. Weirdly, it was just called junk despite it not looking like junk and of course the amount sold for it was one bottle cap. That was just a bunch of baloneys right there. Now that we managed to get the part for the hydroponic farm, we were about to head back to Maredytum only for me to step on a can of Sparkle-Cola.

Aw fuck me with the Goddesses’ cunt… Oh my goodness! Forgive me there Celestia and Luna!

The world just hates the both of us right now with stealth doesn’t it? We began to run immediately away from the building as the sound echoed through the warehouse. The sound despite it being only a quiet crunch was heard as the roars of the hellhounds erupted through the area. Already, they were on their way trying to get to us as they fired their energy weapons. Some of the beams of saturated magic singed our hides as we hasten our run.

Epsilon pointed his rocket launcher onto the ground and fired as he jumped soaring ahead of me. He turned around in the air and released a barrage of rockets at the hellhounds. The hellhounds scattered as rockets bombarded them exploding some of them into smithereens.

I continued running as I pulled out Righteous Crusader and kicked in S.A.T.S. Time slowed down as I aimed for the heads of the hellhounds firing at Epsilon. I do hope that this doesn’t screw my morals. Five bullets were fired, three missing their heads but did hit their arms leaving them crippled; the others fell limp as the bullet pierced their heads.

Epsilon landed and did another rocket jump as he ascended into the air releasing another barrage. One of the beams hit him squarely on the right foreleg as it began to disintegrate. I saw the hit and reacted quickly as I soared to the air applying some wards on it stopping the disintegration. Thank goodness for magical medical wards made for non-unicorns.

I descended alongside Epsilon as we ran not wanting to continue the fight, too many to fight at once… Epsilon was slowing down as he was limping thanks to his right foreleg. I carried him onto my back as I hasten my run. The town was much further away than I had anticipated as I was beginning to get tired from the running.

The town was alerted by the roars of the hellhounds as they see me with Epsilon on my back running away. We were still far away from getting some assistance as some of the ponies inside Maredytum scrambled to help us. The hellhounds fired their energy rifles at us trying to kill us before we entered into the safe haven. Some of the ponies at the outpost towers saw us running away and assisted us by firing at the charging hellhounds.

The ponies opened one of the gates as they threw grenades at the hellhounds. I ducked under the lobbing grenades as they exploded behind me making a gory buffet that the raiders would be proud to feast upon… maybe. I spread my wings ready to fly away as they continued raining down bombs upon the hellhounds. I made a serious error in judgment as one of the rifles beamed right through three of my wings on my right side. I applied the medical wards stopping the disintegration; no pain was felt thanks to some of my pain receptors being disintegrated there (though that’s a bad thing).

I furled my wings not wanting to repeat this mistake as I ran towards the gate. Some of the ponies came out of the gate to assist me inside as their allies continued firing their grenades. How they had that much grenades though, I might have to ask them about it. They saw me pass as they closed the gates as the hellhounds fired at them. The beams did not pass through the gates possibly due to magical wards.

I was tired and wanted to pass out there but I needed to first get myself and Epsilon to the hospital hoping that they can fix our disintegrated wounds. Our allies noticed our wounds and carried us to the hospital. This was what, like the third time I passed out right now? I’m beginning to think that me passing out constantly might end up becoming common for me.

* * * * * *

I was waking up from my slumber as I looked around to find myself in a military encampment. I tried to move but my body was aching like crazy as I tried to move even a single inch. I stopped moving and laid my head down. I looked to my left to see my little sister, Aurora, sleeping with her favorite doll.

I felt a bit of happiness seeing her alive and well after my incident with the… No, I don’t want to remember that at all. Please for the love of all things good, don’t make me remember it. I heard a sweet voice as I was clutching my head. It made me smile as I looked at Aurora again, “Brother…?”

“Hey there Aurora…” She got up, stretched and yawned. She rubbed her eyes as she blinked a few times as she had a wonderful smile. She was my ray of hope in this grim world we all came to create.

I looked ahead to see a doctor in a soldier’s uniform checking up on me. She looked at me surprised to see me awake, “Oh! You’re awake!” She let out a breath of relief as she putted the papers away, “Goodness, for a minute there we thought we lost you after finding you in you-know-where.”

“Doctor, am I going to be okay?” Please let me be okay to at least live my life with my sister.

She smiled as she pulled the papers and gave it to me. I tried to read it but my body was hurting like crazy trying to move it. She moved it close to me as she told me about my condition, “Well right now, you’re in okay condition at most. Your body had to go through some extensive surgery to heal some of the ruptured organs but otherwise you are fine for the most part, but...” I hated the usage of that word right now. Please let this be something that doesn’t affect my sister, “Unfortunately as a result of replacing some of the major organs, you have a shortened lifespan. Roughly about twelve or so years I’m afraid…”

I felt like my heart just fell to the pits of my stomach hearing that. My sister looked at me with a worried expression as she asked the doctor, “Ma’am, what does it mean for my brother to live twelve years?”

I’m not going to be able to live with my sister that long? The doctor explained to the best of her abilities with a tone of sadness. My sister was on the verge of tears as she heard of it all. She hugged me during my thought process tearfully refusing to believe what she just heard. I looked at her and despite my body in pain; I comforted her trying to make calm her down. She looked at me grief-stricken with the news. I was hurt, but if I have that much of a life left, then I want to make it the best for my Aurora, “Listen Aurora, I know you don’t want to believe but if the doctors says that I have a short life then you and I have to accept it.”

She shook her head still refusing to believe that I will not always be with her after this God damn war, “No! I… I don’t want to lose you; you’re the only family I have!” She was weeping on my body as she hugged me tightly not wanting to let me go.

That caught me off guard. I looked at the doctor who explained it that she told her what happened to our parents. She did not want to tell her about our parent’s fate but she was so adamant on wanting to know what happened, she had no choice but to tell her. I can’t argue with the doctor there, I comforted her again trying to stop her crying.

She looked at me with those tear-filled eyes. It was basically begging me to continue living on and I couldn’t help but shed a few tears for her as I shared in her pain. She wept again as I rubbed her head gently, “Hush now, it’s alright.”

* * * * * *

I woke up to find myself on the bed in the hospital. The beeping sound of a heart monitor was heard as I looked around. I saw my right wings in casts unfurled. I saw that the wound seemed to have healed albeit slowly. Looking at Epsilon who was sleeping to my left, his right foreleg has healed as well. I saw Miles coming in with a smile, “I’m not so sure on what to say but… Thank you on helping me…”

I chuckled on that remark, “It is nothing, but you do owe us for almost getting us killed with these…” I moved my wings a bit and that delivered a jolt of pain through my whole body. Ouch, this is going to hurt badly…

He gave a weak laugh as he looked upon our injuries a little crestfallen for the simple request. He returned back to his original attitude with the paycheck in hoof, “Here’s your paycheck, six stimpaks and two hundred fifty bottle caps.” I smiled as I put them in my saddlebag, “Thanks to you, we managed to get the hydroponic farms working. Of course we had to get our engineer and your friend Harmony to help with fixing the parts but otherwise we now have our own supply of food!”

He was bouncing back and forth with so much glee forgetting that he was being watched by me. I think everybody has a little bit of Pinkie Pie with her bounces… He stopped midway, blushing a bit from all of that. I could only laugh there seeing that somepony beside Twilight (When she’s excited at least…) and Pinkie Pie doing those bounces.

I stopped laughing out loud like a crazed maniac when I was beginning to losing my breath from all of that laughing. I never thought to run out of breath for a second there as I was clutching my chest breathing heavily. I looked back at Miles who looked like he had something in his mind when he was rubbing his chin. He clapped his two hooves together as he remembered, “Oh yeah I almost forgot, the doctor says that your wound is healing but she suggested not to strain it.” I got that memo when I trying to furl the wings into place, “The other is that Mayor Monarch wants to see you.”

Now? Out of all the times he decides to speak with me it’s now? Well, if the doctors say that my right wings are fine then maybe meeting with him wouldn’t be so bad. I got up from my bed trying not to strain my wings. Miles assisted me in getting up as I got on all four hooves. Well, at least I can still walk.

I looked at Epsilon who was sleeping with the locket in his hoof. It was nice to see something of personal value back at one’s possession. Miles lead me out of the hospital as I breathed in the fresh, radiated air. Goodness, radiated air? What is with me today? “Well I got to head back to the hydroponic farms and see if Harmony is doing okay. I think you know how to get to the mayor’s office right?”

I looked at my PipBuck as it pinpointed where the mayor’s office was in here, “I think my PipBuck knows the way.” I said that with a smile.He smiled as he left me to go there returning back to the farms.

I went to the mayor’s office as I passed some of the major buildings. Most of the citizens here warmed up to me as they gave some food for me to help myself on such as carrots and other kinds of vegetables. It looks like the hydroponic farms are going to help a lot, maybe I should plant those apple seeds I still have? I shuffled through my saddlebag as I pulled out the apple seeds I kept with me. It would be a good way for every pony here to try out Applejack’s apples.

I put them back in the bag as I reached the office. I knocked on the door hoping that he was here now. The door opened as Monarch saw me. He smiled as he moved out of the way allowing me to enter. I turned for a second looking at the outpost towers. The ponies there stared at me for a long while before shifting their gaze elsewhere. Did the Regulators have something to hate against me now?

I entered and sat as Monarch pulled up some papers and sat down, “I heard that the townsponies are beginning to warm up to you, if the ponies here like you then that’s enough to gain my respect and trust.” I was proud of myself hearing that from Monarch himself. He extended a hoof of appreciation and I shook it back in return. He backed away as he looked out the window seeing all of the ponies out there, “I never got your name when we first met. Tell me, what is your name?”

Oh shoot I never told him my name? Well, there’s something I missed, “Zodiac, Mister Monarch. The others I think you can ask them…” I let a small smile form.

“Please, you can just call me Monarch, the ponies here trust so you gained my trust now.” He motioned me over to the window. I was next to him as we looked out the window seeing the children out there playing around. It warmed my heart seeing all of them playing despite the dangers out there. Monarch shared my opinion as well, “When the war ended, this town was empty of all life and many of the families here were starving. They got ambushed from time to time by raiders, slavers; you name it, anything that could harm us.”

He returned back to the table as I looked through the window watching the children, “With no system here, I thought, Hey, maybe I could lead them and here we are. Maredytum was a town I was proud to be mayor for and all of the ponies, but even then, everypony know that I may end up dying.”

He pulled out the spreadsheet of possible candidates for mayor. One of them was scratched out as I was looking through them, I wanted to ask him about it but I decided to let him finish his talk first, “I wanted a worthy successor for me when I die. As a result, I made this spreadsheet of the possible citizens here that are worthy of being mayor. So many to choose from, I can’t decide, but that’s not what I called you here for.”

I was looking at the scratched out citizen on the spreadsheet. I looked at him seeing what and why he scratched out this one, “This one scratched out, guessing he’s the leader of the Blade?”

Monarch was silent for some time as he looked at his picture of the daughter Dawn. He put the picture his voice having a tone of fear and hatred while also correcting me, “She and yes, her name is Razor.” I gave him back the spreadsheet as he put it back shifting his attention northward, “You don’t know them yet, but you read the info about them so have at least enough knowledge about them. They are ruthless and bloodthirsty. The Blades are the worst of them all in Maredytum, I’m afraid.” I can hear the fear in his voice as he continued about the Blades themselves, “Have you ever dealt with a group of vicious murdering band of thieves before?”

I’m not so certain if the both of us have ever faced such a group before. The only thing I remember fighting were some raiders, slavers and now hellhounds to add to the list, “Sorry, the only thing I can think of are slavers, raiders and now hellhounds.”

“It won’t matter, I was just wondering. We’re a humble, goddess fearing town that is only trying to survive and these… these… monsters… prey on us…” He went a little bit too close to me as he whispered under his breath, “And our children…” He backed away as he looked at his picture of his daughter, a few fresh tears building up inside his eyes.

I wanted to accept his request but something in my clicked, “Ma… Monarch, I’d like to accept the request for me to avenge your daughter, but I want to speak with this Guillotine first before I do.”

He wiped the tears away looking at me with a saddened expression, before shifting to a happier expression, “I’m sorry, but he’s out at the moment. He’s not around at all in Maredytum in case you’re wondering.” Damn, I was hoping to have a little chat with this leader. Still even with that I was willing to accept his request. He asked me about the request immediately as I was about to agree, “Will you kill Razor for me?  For my daughter Dawn?”

I looked outside the windows seeing the children playing. I smiled as I changed my focus to Monarch’s request, “Yes, I will take upon it Monarch, for your daughter.”

He jerked out of the chair and hugged me tightly, “I thank you for accepting my request. I may finally be at peace once she is bought to me alive or dead.” He let go of the hug as he remembered a little tidbit from the radio, “In fact, you sound like you could one of the three heroes of the Wasteland, Stable Dweller, Security, or the Angel of Darkness.”

I blushed a bit hearing that DJ Pon3’s message about me managed to get here as well. I might as well tell him about the fact that I’m the Angel of Darkness, “Well, I’m not clearly Stable Dweller or Security, but I am the Angel of Darkness.”

Monarch’s eyes widened hearing that, “You’re joking… You’re joking right?” Isn’t that the second time he said that? Regardless, I shook my head in denial. He hugged me again tighter this time.

I felt like I was being squeezed by Pinkie Pie considering how tight her hugs are…! I was beginning to struggle to get out of the bear hug, “M-Monarch, n-not so… TIGHT!”

He let go me as I was breathing heavily and wincing in pain from that. He blushed a bit and helped me get up, “Sorry! You should’ve told me that you’re the Angel of Darkness!”

“And would you believe me if I had said that?” I got up stretching my bones from the tight hug. Ouch, my wings were still hurting and now I think the pain worsened a bit.

He looked away embarrassed from what just happened. I was right about one thing as he stuttered his lines about believing that I was the Angel of Darkness, “N-No, I-I wouldn’t believe y-you there for a second…” He rubbed his hooves together, clearly embarrassed about this situation.

I just stood there as he was rubbing his hooves together. My little imaginary friend inside my head did all the laughing for me as I watched him. I put a hoof on him trying to calm him down, “It’s alright, this event never happened okay. It’s just between us deal?”

He gave a weak laugh as he stopped rubbing his two hooves together. He regained his composure as he looked at me with a big grin, “Deal, just between the two of us.” Why did I find that grin uncomfortable? He opened the door for me as I left looking at some of the Regulators that were eyeing me. I did not trust these ponies one bit if they keep on staring at me like that. I looked at Monarch who reminded of the request at hand, “Remember, kill Razor for me okay?” My PipBuck beeped as a new objective was added.

Kill Razor

I smiled at monarch showing off my PipBuck as it showed mu current objective, “No worries, my PipBuck never forgets…” He chuckled hearing that as he closed the door leaving me outside. I would want to tell Epsilon about this new objective but there was a place that I needed to visit. Now where were the hydroponic farms again?

Thanks to the map provided by my ever-so useful PipBuck, I was able to locate the farms. I see the ponies were already beginning to make the farms lively as they now have a garden. Harmony saw me and waved as I entered, “Good morning Zodiac, I heard what happened while you two were running away. I swear, I think you two are magnets for trouble you know?”

I let a small laugh escape as I was looking at the fruits that were bearing. So many of them here, I feel like I was walking into someone’s garden here, “I know what you mean, but back on topic. Have you seen Miles? I’m trying to find him…” She pointed to the direction of where Miles was located. I thanked her as I left.

I came to where Miles was as he was planting a potato. Jeez, suddenly I feel a little bit hungry. Miles saw me coming and waved before looking at me wondering why I was here, “Hey there Zodiac, so why are you here?”

That snapped me out of my food trance as I pulled out some of those apple seeds giving them to Miles. He took it and suddenly got the picture of what I was here. He smiled as he begun to plant those seeds. I felt glad that Applejack’s apples will be growing for a long while here. I looked at Harmony seeing that she was checking to see if the farms will still function for a long time. Good thing we have an engineer huh? I left the farms and head to the hospital.

The walk to the hospital was relaxing. The ponies here waved at me happily as I waved back at them. Even a few of the children wanted to play with me. Of course I had to deny on their offer which made them sad, but I promised that once I’m done I may play with them. They cheered as they left playing. It was sad that under all this happiness, there was fear involved with the Blades.

I made it to the hospital where Epsilon was eating away at the food given to him by the doctors. They were surprised that he was eating a lot of food. Guess hunger gets everypony crazy for a moment. He saw me enter and swallowed his food as he ate it waving at me. The doctors turned around seeing me and let a sigh of relief as they left me with my friend, “Goodness Epsilon, you are a voracious eater you know that right?”

He finished the food in his mouth as he gave the rest for me to eat. At least he remembered that he has a friend that hasn’t eaten either, “I know I am, I haven’t eaten good food like this on a long while so of course I’m hungry!” He lay down on the bed as he looked at his foreleg. He was thankful that it was healing, because he sure did not want to go through the cybernetic upgrade to his foreleg like his backlegs, “So anything new to talk about Zodiac?”

I looked at him with a look of concern. I shouldn’t be this concerned considering what we were doing but something about the Regulators doesn’t add up, “Oh yes, we have much to talk about. But first, let’s eat and wait for Harmony, she need to know…”

“Know about what precisely?” Speak of the angel, she has arrived. I turned around seeing her at the doorway looking at us curiously. I motioned to come and eat up first. At least the whole gangs here now.

==========

Both Harmony and Epsilon’s reaction was something I did not expect. They bore a look of concern like mine hearing that we were being sent to kill Razor, “Wow, we’re being sent to kill a leader of vicious thieves. Why am I concerned about this?”

I looked at the both of them each looking to see if their thoughts were in agreement with each other, “Does it bother you a bit?”

Harmony looked out the windows seeing the lights on the towers off, “Kind of… Have you ever had any of the Regulators stare at you oddly?”

She too was being glared at by the Regulators? They really must hate us or something to be giving us the cold shoulder, “Yes, I’ve had them eyeing me suspiciously.”

Epsilon was shaking his head confused about all of this, “I want to kill Razor too for Monarch but them staring at me makes me think that they’re the bad guys, not the Blades.”

“So we share the same opinion…” This made things probably either harder or easier depending on how this might go, “All right, we’ll make a move to the northern area of Maredytum, sounds good?” They agreed with me as we finished up our dinner. Goodness, Epsilon was right; I never had food this good in a long while since the last of Applejack’s delicious apples.

As Epsilon was down to his last food, he stopped and was choking for a bit. Harmony was right behind and was about to do a Heimlich maneuver before he swallowed his food. Letting out one breath out, Epsilon looked at his sister with the locket in his hoof, “Harmony, remember the playground back there we use to play at?”

Harmony’s ears drooped a bit and her eyes closed from hearing that. Of course she knew about it and its condition but even then, Epsilon still kept his smile. He pulled the locket out and put it around Harmony’s neck. She opened her eyes and was shocked to see the locket worn around her neck. He opened it showing the last family picture of them together happily. A few tears welled up in her eyes as she embraced her brother, “Thank you for finding this locket of mine, I’ll treasure it forever Epsilon.”

Her brother embraced her as well while saying something that made both well up in tears, “No, we’ll treasure that locket forever.” I smiled as I left them be, they needed some time alone.

==========

Night was ascending upon the Wasteland as we decided to sleep for a few weeks until me and Epsilon’s injuries have full recovered. Harmony slept next to her brother. As I was about to go to sleep, I heard some voice going on outside. I pulled myself out of the bed as I neared a window listening to the voices, “You think those three might cause trouble?

“I hope not, in fact they might help us…”

“Help us how?” I was asking that question myself. I was curious about their conversation as I was listening to them.

“Remember that they’re going to meet Razor at the northern part of Maredytum, right?’

“Yeah so? What’s your point?”

“Do you think he’s suspicious of the Regulators by this point? They have been eyeing him a lot…”

I was beginning to realize that the ponies talking here were of the Blades. They didn’t sound like they were distraught with our appearance. In fact they sounded joyful, almost pleased that we arrived, “Right… Good point there, they would have been suspicious about them looking at them oddly… Stupid Regulators, doing that probably gave them away.”

“Yeah, and two things popped up in my head…”

“Go on?”

“One, we might be able to oust Guillotine out of his hiding spot and get him…”

“That’s a mighty big If there.”

“Yeah, well who knows, he might pop up if these three ends posing a threat to him.”

“Good point and the second?”

“He might be one of those tree heroes mentioned in the radio.” Aw come on really? Even the Blades know about my title? At least they also know Stable Dweller and Security but this is just embarrassing for me.

“As if! I don’t know if he is even any of them. For all we know he might just end being a normal stallion saving ponies for the heck of it!” A bit rude there, but I’d probably agree with her about rumors coming from a radio station, “We should probably head back to Razor and report this, who knows she might be pleased…”

“I’d say she will definitely be pleased. Come on let’s go back, I don’t want the Regulators spotting us.”

I saw their shadows shrunk as they left the side of the building returning back to the northern area of Maredyum. From the way they sound, the Blades themselves sound a lot better than the Regulators. Epsilon may be right after all… Well, until we actually meet this Razor, it is just a theory he thought of. I went into the bed sleeping for the night. I know now that we are going to have quite a chat with the Blades soon.

Footnote: Level Up.

Zodiac:

New Perk: Gunslinger – You are now 20% more accurate in S.A.T.S with one-hoofed weapons, how cool is that?

Harmony:

New Perk: Botanist – Learning about the hydroponic farms has given you the ability to cultivate gardens of your own, not that it might help in anyway mind you though…

Epsilon:

New Perk: Anger Management - Venting your anger managed to calm yourself, you now deal 20% more damage to enemies with explosives