Fallout: Equestria - Dark Ages

by KinkeyPanCake

Rating: mature
Tags: Dark, Sad, Romance, Tragedy, Adventure, Crossover
Length: 95291

What looks like another bloody chapter in the Equestrian history... Isn't very far from the truth...

It is VERY recommended to read the Original Fallout: Equestria before! Most of the story revolves around it!

Dark Ages takes place in the foreign and cruel wastes of the once glorious Equestria, Gunner, an average lazy pegasus in stable 154, finds himself in the Wasteland after unknown mecrenaries were payed to attack his stable, this results in him getting caught between a seemingly endless war. Quickly after, Gunner learns about the current situation he's stuck in, and after making friends and foes along the way to his goal, the young pegasus goes on a journey to find out who he really is, and his life he never knew or wanted.

Note- Special thanks to Kkat for letting me use some of her original charcters in my story, this story does not considered canon in any means, most of the Original Characters in the story does not belong to me, so resembelnce or any kind of mention of charcter in other stories is completly possible!

Published 1970-01-01 00:00:00 UTC
Last updated 2016-02-12 21:06:17 UTC

Chapter 1 - Thank You For Choosing Stable-Tec!

Will I live to see the outside world?.. If there's anything left...

"All security pony guards please report duty to Security Head Quarters"

I woke up.

My PipBuck started the automated radio like every other morning, a regular alarm clock for Stable 154, I muted my PipBuck and buried my face inside the pillow, the boring news were the same buckshit everytime. I groaned into the pillow at the new day of the same boring work, but I jumped out of surprise to a familliar snicker.

"Good morning 'Hero'.." I heard a familliar mare's voice say.

"Very funny, Rose.." I replied in a tired and hoarsed voice.

"You better get up, you don't want to miss your shift... Once again..." Rose said in with a joyfull voice.

Why she was making my life harder? I had some time before morning shift is starting.

"Get up you lazy buck" My pillow was levitated and brought down on me quickly after, smacking the back of my head in the hope it'll make me get up.

"I have some plans for you today..." Rose said, a touched annoyed because I took my time with getting up.

I got on all four hooves, and walked slowly toward her, mostly of me still half asleep, but to look silly in the process.

I was preparing my lips for a 'good morning' kiss as I walked towards her .

Rose laughed and mouthed "In your dreams.." Then quickly poked the 'Lock' button next to my door with the tip of her horn and swiftly stepped backwards, making me bang my forehead at the metal door..

"At least the door shows love!.." I shouted over the vent above my door, I could hear Rose's giggle.

I quickly unlocked the door and looked to my left, there she was... Walking away... The most beautiful mare in Stable 154. Her black tail swinging behind her gorgeous light red-ish hide. I fetched my Stable utility barding and quickly walked after her. Trust me when I say it's very hard to put a Stable barding without looking at your own body and walking simultaneously.

As I finally succeded putting on my Stable barding I heard trotting getting closer behind me. But when I realized what was happening the gray pegasus with deep blue mane was already tackling me and pinning me down. I looked upwards toward the gray pegasus' golden eyes.

"Still having a crush are we, Shitface?" he said, grinning.

"Kiss my ass Shrapnel" I said back with my own grin.

"Bitter much?" he replied as he helped me to stand up, still grining.

Behind Shrapnel were a stallion and a mare following him slowly.

Caliber, a large blue earth pony with white-yellow mane, pair of bright green eyes and a Shield for a Cutie-mark. He was tall, almost two times my size. He was wearing his normal Security barding and a holstered gun on one side: A heavily modified holstered gun. Both the holster and the gun itself. Not just to be able to go around Caliber's massive body, but also to let him pull his gun with his teeth. I knew how it worked because I designed it...

The mare was Custard. A pale-white unicorn with a brown mane and a list for a Cutie-mark, she was writing notes on her Pipbuck. Of course she was. She had to take notes on her Pipbuck; She was a Rationing manager, that means she had to know on the fly every single drop of water in the Stable. And it's hard work in Stable 154...

The reason is that when we were foals. We were told our Stable is the biggest in Equestria. The Stable was designed to hold up to 2500 ponies! We were also told the standard Stable occupation was supposed to hold between five hundred to one thousand ponies. so we were the biggest Stable known. other then that there was another reason our Stable was so special; We're the only Stable known to hold Pegasi as dwellers. We're currently only 1500 ponies so alot of space in the Stable is unused, but in that huge number of ponies there are six hundered Earth ponies, six hundered Unicorns, and only three hundred Pegasi.

You see?... When I was younger, there were false rumors that caught tension between the the three races; Some Pegasi started to think that they don't have enough rights and it 'isn't fair' for the Overmare to be only unicorn. And that because of the ratio of them outnumbered one Pegasi to five Earth ponies and Unicorns they'll be exctincted in Stable 154 in short time. If it was to natural causes or if it will be the Earth Ponies and Unicorns destroying them, since then there are the 3 sections;

The unicorn quarters is the biggest. With the special thanks to Maintenance 1, Armory U and P and most of the generators, they're the major part of the the Stable.

The Earth Ponies quarters is the medium sized, it was designed to hold their own population even if the rest of the Stable was burnt alive, they have their own facillities and currency, Stable 154 is much like a town because of the massive size.

And the Pegasi quarter is smallest of all, though it supposed to be bigger by itself then a normal Stable. This was quite enough to shut the rebel Pegasi for good. Since then Pegasi are known to be watched more carefully, but are still equal dwellers of Stable 154, the reason that there are only 1500 ponies is that the Stable was sealed two hundred years ago when only three hundred ponies total made it to Stable 154. I feel like this is a great place to start telling what we know of the outside, but I'm really tired of this story by now... Radiation and this stupid pony-zebra war is the only things I can describe without getting into details.

"Gunner" I heard Shrapnel calling out for me. I suddenly realized I was walking super slow behined the three, head-deep with thoughts.

"Huh?" I called out back to him.

Shrapnel flapped his wings and then took off, landing next to me. Our quarters and stable in general was built to handle pegasi flight.

"Don't tell me you are still in love with her..."

...Wait? What? I wasn't even thinking about her!

"Wh-? I wasn't.." I mumbled as Caliber and Custard turned around, looking over their shoulders at me. Caliber was grinning. Custard just stared at me with her mane over her face as always...

Shrapnel tried to cheer me up, I wasn't even thinking about Rose! They are probably just trying to make me mad. They do that sometimes... That's how it goes between us, you have a card to embarrass your friend? Use it...

"Goddesses damn it you are in love" Shrapnel said with a mock-realizing look.

"Not this again Shrapnel... Just... Urgh... Do me a favor and"

"And what?" He cut me off with a hoof-smack to my chest "Let your little heart pound out of your chest until you realize you're a pegasus? And she is the fucking Overmare?!".

And there's that again!

"You know what Shrapnel? Fuck off!" I yelled at him, angry.

I pushed him aside and walked by as I took a big look at his Cutie-mark, an explosive device. He's the best with those, he can make a grenade out of an empty can of food and some gunpowder. No tools, not even a way to make an ignition. He was talented. Well... In his own way... With friends he's very awkward and he made others pissed without realizing. But we learnt that he had no control over it, he got his Cutie-mark after he lost his parents, as a foal...

He tried to help somepony with moving a cart full of supplies to Storage 2 in the earth pony quarter. Storage 2 is where the least fun things are stored: malfunctioning weapons and equipment, random scraps and some pieces of junk that could be recycled. When he found out that the storage room had boxes full of gunpowder wired to a bomb, he tried to warn somepony. He ran to his parents and they came quickly as they could, after they arrived they found the pony hiden deep inside Storage 2. They confronted the unicorn that stole the explosive device and tried to blame the pegasi for the damage he was about to do. He said that if they'll try to leave he'll blow the whole earth pony quarter, when Shrapnel sneaked around and found the detonator, he disarmed it and saved hundreds of lives. But the unicorn killed his parents before somthing could have been done. I was there, I saw his parents lie dead, he was mentally broken for months. He blamed himself for that, but after the incident he decided to use his talent for good, and good only. He's socially mute if you can call him that. We all know that he never means to make us mad... Well... When we know he isn't trying to make us mad..

"Damn... Don't take it so seriously Gunner..." Caliber said, trying to cool the mood a bit.

I walked away, angry. Each stomp was harder then the former. I went to the Cafeteria room, where Rose went. Trying to find somepony who understands me. I took a plate with my teeth, waiting in line, like everypony else. I had some time before my shift, so I decided to eat something: I'm rage itself on four hooves if I'm working hungry.

After I had what's called a 'breakfast plate' which includes two apples, canned oatmeal and water. I took an empty table as my new isolated fort. While eating I could see Shrapnel, Caliber and Custard entering the cafeteria. I turned around so they won't recognize me, but I'm sure there wasn't another light brown-ish pegasus with a Security-Maintenance barding in Cafeteria on morning shift, I put my tail on a bet they saw me but decided not to bother me, if you ask me? They chose good. As I walked out the cafeteria, I saw Rose eating with some other Ration and Security Superirors mares, some of which I knew. I never really made female friends, well with the exception of Custard. I don't think I ever wanted to get to know other mares. It's not that I'm shy or anything like this, I just don't want to for some stupid reason, I like my lonesomeness.

I walked my way to the Security-Tech elevator, although I could just fly through the pegasus access, I'm not a fan of flying. As much as it's fun I'm flying just for practice or working out at the gym, not as a way of life. I'm more of an earth pony than a pegasus, but that's just me and my laziness.

I entered the elevator and just wished it won't stop for others to come in, I really hate company when I'm pissed and I really don't want my superior seeing me bucking myself to death when I'm trying to be nice when I can't, especially not inside an elevator.

Fortunately the elevator didn't stop on it's way. I was relieved to see that I'm one of the first few to reach up here, being on Security-Tech means you are one of three kind of ponies, CC [Control Center], HQ [Head Quarters], or SM [Security Maintenance].

With my luck: I'M maintenance... CC are the bag and tag part, they made everything documented and organized behined the scenes. HQ were the field operation part, they had to make sure everypony is reporting twice a day every shift switch, and they knew everything happening on the field. Maintenance was keeping the guns and equipment top-shaped, but we have ten ponies at SM, seven of which are unicorns. So we spend most of our shifts tinkering with unused guns and building useless stuff out of boredom, sometime we get the pleasure to be deployed if we're lucky enough. I once built a security-bot in my 'free time' at SM as a self-achievement, first one in 120 years in Stable 154 but it's a tale for another day. I went to the SM room, looking about to make the walk more interesting, since I wasn't allowed to fly here I can't just skip over some of the operator desks, but like I said: I'm not a fan of flying.

"--And then he tried to hide behined a pillow!... What a retard?.."

Was the first thing I heard when I entered SM. It came from a light-blue earth pony mare, I was rarely in the same shift as her since only five of us were shifted every time while the other five had a free time period I was usually with the unicorns. But it's a refreshing change to work a shift with her. She did look cute, but I doubt she thought the same about me.

"The 'Hero' is here... Huh" Was the comment I got from one of the other mares after clearing my thorat so somepony will notice my existence. Before something destroys this moment, I want to make clear why ponies call me a hero; the way I got my Cutie-mark. I hate the way I got it and I hate it since. I basiclly stopped the pegasi from being marked as a kind of pony who have no right to exist at 154. How I managed to do that was the reason of my nickname. Some ponies are just using it to mock me of the previous Overmare's overreaction to my 'success', she didn't stopped declaring my heroisem until every pony in Stable 154 knew every piece of hair on my body. The majority of ponies, the mature ones, are taking that serious and thanking me for that. But there are the ponies who call me a 'Hero' just to get on my nerve or just to mock me, and it dosen't help that everypony knows who you are when you mess up... So it's more fuel for the minority. Talking about fuel, I listened to the story of the light-blue mare, and I must admit it was interesting.

"...You heard me? Fucking 5 gallons of pure fuel were stolen today, now I know the crime rate wasn't high since... Ya know" She whispered "... The 'Incident'.."

They were talking about Shrapnel's parents... I know how hard it can be for some ponies, so nopony has the guts to say it out loud. Shrapnel is a bit oblivious to his sorrunding sometimes. Don't get me wrong: He's a very smart and active pegasus, but the trauma has left him scarred in some mental places so he can be a bit weird sometimes. So I can't blame him on that, so why the hell I'm so mad at him for that?

"So I heard it's 500 bits reward for the pony who gets the fucker to the hoof of the law. We are the law, we can make quick cash and get to hit this stupid pony right up his ass!"

I sat at my stand, listening as I tinkered with an old project of mine. Suddenly, my PipBuck fired up a message, it was HQ!

"SM Gunner please report for duty at HQ, I repeat: SM Gunner please report for duty at HQ.."

My eyes widned as I looked at the voice pattern of the message on my PipBuck, I quickly jumped on my hooves and ran for the main lobby of Security.

I ran a bit too fast. So when I tried to run through the hallway, I bumped into a familliar-looking mare on her way to Control or SM. I turned around mid-fall so the mare'll fall on me instead of the floor, after the initial impact I shoved myself away from her and offered the mare a hoof.

"I'm so sorry. Are you alright?" As the mare got up I could see her deep-red eyes staring at me, and I noticed her dark-black mane and her light red-ish hide, I'm soooo doomed...

"Rose?... Umm... I meant... Overmare... I'm..." My gaze fell down in shame."...I'm so sorry. I'm just in a really big rush and..." she put a hoof on my muzzle to shut me up, and then raised my head to eye level with her as she looked at me. I could see my gray eyes through the reflection of her red eyes. She was smiling at me, why? I just bumped into you, and I'm pretty sure you're in 'Overmare-mode' right now, she always is, she never was 'Rose-mode' with me, not in a long time. She knows I hate it when she calls me a 'Hero' and she must be blind if she dosen't know my feelings for her, but today's morning... Why was she at my room? Wasn't she at her Overmare-really-important-morning-things? And can she please stop staring at me with her cute face like this?

My cheek were suddenly blushing. Rose giggled at my embarresment and my blushing face, she liked to make me feel like that...

"I'm very sorry Overmare. I promise I won't be a problem anymo--" She stepped towards me and kissed me.

Rose kissed me!

My wings flared in surprise. My eyes widned and I felt like they were about to pop out of their holes. It was ten seconds, maybe fifteen, but it felt like a lifetime and I enjoyed every single second. Rose disconnected from the kiss and looked at me with a smile as I was freezed out of surprise, my eyes following hers.

"Now don't you have a really big thing you were doing?" She said in a calm and sweet voice as she was stepping out of the way and gestured me with a hoof to keep walking.

"I... Uhh... I was..." I mumbled.

My mind was telling me to kick myself for the original and very confident answer to the Overmare.

"Don't you worry there Gunner. You'll be punished for your little accident. I can assure you that the punishment will be very unique" She winked, I blushed even more as she giggled.

"I hope you can take care of body parts as you take care of guns. Because it won't be very pleasent to some of your limbs" Rose added.

I just couldn't move. My heart's racing and I could feel my face heat radiating to my mane, my body just simply stood there as the Overmare looked at me and enjoying my moment of self destruction.

"You won't be dissapointed from me again Overmare.." Was all I could just say beyoned my burning face.

But I just stood there, not able to move like my body was under an anthestic spell of some sort. There was a sting on my flank and I felt my body getting covered by something that felt like a very thick fluid, then I was floating!

At first my thought was that I was injected with some sort of a very strong Med-X, but then I quickly realised I was being towed by unicorn magic. My body glowed red, similliar to Rose's telekinetic glow. A whisper was sounded from my left, where Rose was a second ago.

I could make out something that sounded alot like "Just relax..."

I felt another sting and a weird cold feeling on my left side spreading through my body. As my vision blurred and gone dark I heard her saying another thing to me, but I was too drugged to make it out before I blacked out.

I woke up, the first thing I noticed is the really bad headache I had.

The next thing I noticed was that I was in an unused living quarter. There were some posters of Stable-Tec such as 'Thank you for choosing Stable-Tec!', 'Everypony is important to us!', 'Stable-Tec! We will be there for you!' and this kind of crap. It was all over the Stable's corridors and never really changed something, we all lived here since we were born and taught to be productive and helpfull for the Stable. So the posters were just a useless reminder of how to live our lives, the boring and repetitive lives we had in Stable 154. Sure, we have some free hours and alot of ways to spent them. But after you get your Cutie-mark you have a routine that stays with you until you die.

On the other hoof... We were told that if you stepped outside you were turned into liquid within seconds, although I'm old enough to know it's just a way to make foals keep their distance from the Stable-door, it's still scares me sometimes that the only life in the world is inside a Stable or a hideout, nothing else left alive after the megaspells killed every single thing in Equestria, trees, grass, buildings, life... We were also told that the trees and grass down here are exactly like how it was two centuries ago, but in the books they look a lot bigger and also the leaves aren't yellow-brown colored, but green. And the apples here are just like smashed weird red balls, but softer and somehow edible, and don't make me even start about the taste of them..

After a couple of minutes I could feel my legs, when I tried to move them, I couldn't: I was tied from my hooves with my belly on the floor, I panicked and tried to scream for help, but my mouth was closed by a leather-rope around my muzzle: An improvised gag, I thought I was about to be killed, but for what? Or maybe it was Shrapnel's new way of having fun, but Shrapnel wouldn't go that down would he? Maybe it's some of the ponies who want to see how much of a 'Hero' I am? I tried to remember what happened before I ended up here, tied and with no barding, wait... I'm not wearing any barding? It must've been a sick joke of somepony having beef with me, but who would do that? If I lost my barding it's a 300 bits fee! I don't have more then 50...

What? I don't need bits anyways...

I suddenly heard a mare's voice "Oh... you're awake, thought you were weaker then you looked..."

I groaned in pain as I felt the cables holding my hooves getting tighter, I was held hostage... I can't reach my PipBuck, hell... I couldn't even scratch my already sweaty mane, I tried to talk, but all I could do was to groan behined the gag.

"I'm sorry for the painfull method, but a punishment can't be fun, not for you..." The mare said in a joyfull tone.

She sounded familliar but the drug effect can make it sound like anypony, I tried to get the gag out of my mouth and speak, but it was too tight. I was glad I was still half druged, I bet it'll hurt like hell to get this gag on my mouth with no drug effect or painkillers of some sort. I was sure I was under Med-X effect, though I could feel my headache... That part made it all seem too odd, but the situation was worrying me far more then the drug itself.

"Well, now that you are awake we can start punishing. Shall we?".

I looked to both sides, I didn't see her. She was somewhere behind me, but the drug was making it all sound distorted and underwater-like. I felt lashing on my back and tried to scream in pain, but the gag wouldn't let me, I could only wish she'ill be over soon. I felt another lash lower on my back, this one was hurting much more! Tears of pain started to form in my eyes. After a few more lashes I felt like I'm getting stabbed by a knife mutliple times in my neck and upper back. Groaning for help and tears of pain streaming I wiggled and tried to break free, then I felt a telekinetic force forming on my back, it was petting me? Was I her pet? I felt it going toward my lower back... And from there to my tail...

I started to panic as I felt it going to a place I wasn't a fan of getting hurt in, she was squeezing to make me wiggle in pain. She enjoyed it, I was dead certain the bitch enjoyed it.

She squeezed harder, I wiggled more and harder.

She was trying to make me suffer, what's that punishment she is talking about? What have I done?

My train of thoughts hit me so hard I could feel my head getting crushed under a large rock, and a Unicorn quarter-sized generator, and thousand Calibers ontop.

'Now don't you worry there Gunner, you will be punished for your little accident, but I can promise you that the punishment will be very unique'

My jaw would drop if the gag wasn't making my mouth to stay closed, it was Rose! But... Why?... Was she enjoying it?... My head's hurting just from being tortured in a warm room after being drugged, I didn't need the thought of the Overmare raping me! I heard her doing something behined me I wasn't sure was good.

"Your punishment is over... By the way?... I didn't even touched you... It was all a new drug we developed"

I felt another injection on my back. I slowly saw that I was never tied up. There wasn't a gag on my mouth. My headache dissapeared as it didn't happened. My barding was on me and I had no lash marks or stab wounds when I looked at the mirror levitated by me.

"What the hell just happened?!" I said in a shocked voice.

"It's the new drug of ours. It's making the victim to feel like he's being tortured, but we don't need to touch him. I know it was cruel and I'm very very sorry, but I knew you would understand this. After that I won't use this drug ever again" Rose said, sounding very guilty "At least not on it's current state"

"I forgive you. But next time? I prefer to be actually raped if I was told before..." I said with a grin as I rubbed my no-longer-aching neck.

Rose smiled weakly back "The kiss in Security? It wasn't a drug effect, nor a way to make you freeze yourself. It was the least I could do for you if I was about to 'torture' you... But you freezed and made it alot easier"

I blushed, looking down in embarresment. I felt a hoof on my shoulder, I looked upwards to look at Rose. She was smiling her usuall cute smile. Her black mane covering most of her right eye and her deep-red eyes looking straight at me. Tears were slowly forming in her eyes as she started crying.

"I'm so sorry!... I'm so so sorry Gunner!... I'm a stupid pony!" Rose whimpered.

"It's Okay Rose, I'm fine... See?" I said as I waved a hoof along my body to show her I wasn't hurt, although it sure did felt like I was.

"No Gunner!... It's not fine! It's everything BUT fine!" She cried out while I walked towards her and hugged her.

Rose really wasn't comfortable with the idea that the pony she had just tortured was embracing her and forgiving her. I could feel she was excpecting me to react alot more aggressivly for that. I wanted to... But I just couldn't... Could I?... I was glad it was over before anger washed over me, I was glad nothing really happened, but it was still one frightning situation to be trapped in.

"I can't understand how can you forgive me just like that! Is it because I'm your Overmare? If I wasn't would you react the same?.." She continued to whimper.

I placed a hoof on her shoulder "Look, don't take it so hard on yourself. You're the Overmare and you need to put your job before your friends, I know it's hard for you to understand how, but I forgive you... I can't be mad on you for that!... And take the situation in like that: If you didn't tested that on me?... Can you do that for another pony when you have no idea how bad the results are? Could you do that for me again when you know how bad it will be? If anything, I'm angry on you for putting Me before your position as the Overmare!"

Rose looked at me, her red eyes were now blood-shedded and tear-soaked. She was shaking and probably sick because of the sight of the drug. She knew it won't be pleasent for me but I knew for sure she wasn't ready for those results.

"I'm so so sorry Gunner!... I really really am!... I just didn't thought it would be so painfull to you!... I can't believe I even took that in mind!..." She was mentally broken.

Maybe I was the one being raped. But Rose is really sensitive when somepony She cares for's getting hurt, especially when she can change things up.

"I don't know if I can make it up for you... But please forgive me for that!..." She hugged me and cried into my mane, I hugged her back and sat down on my haunches as Rose curled up to a ball infront of me. Her forehooves were still hugging me and Rose just kept mumbeling for herself. I wasn't mad at her, not even a bit despite my thoughts of killing the pony who tied me up and tried to rip my privates off of me.

Rose's the Overmare, she is just doing her work as one. I can't be mad at something she would definitely avoid at all costs. But with increasing population of pegasi in Stable 154, I guess it was designed to replace shock bullets. Some pegasi can take a shock bullet or two without even slowing, yup... Wings can make your endurance increase if you workout enough. So my guess is that Rose needed a pegasus volunteer who she knows and would tolerate her. But after what happened I know that she would choose somepony else if she could spin the wheel of time backwards, a pony who would be mad at her.

Did Rose said she'll make it up in *ANY way?*

I should slap myself just for considering that, not to mention she is in no shape to even talk in full sentences. But if I would slap myself infront of Rose she would think it is an aftermath of the drug, or a reaction or something. I need to make myself a note on my PipBuck to slap myself everytime Rose isn't in the area for about two years just for the idea even reaching to my mind. But right now she's just hating herself for what she did, and I hate to see her like that.

"Rose..." I whispered... She was still crying out.

"Rose..." I said again a bit louder.

She stopped whimpering for herself that she is a bad excuse for a pony and looked upwards slowly towards me. I looked at her with a comforting smile. Her red eyes looking at me, sprakling in the mixture of light of the ceiling's lamps and the tears in her eyes. I wiped her cheek clean of tears with a hoof and helped her sit up.

Rose just sat next to me and had a hard time even looking at me. The guilt was visible on her about what happened that she didn't even wanted to touch me, she was shaking violently like she was being electrocuted with low-voltage pulses.

I hugged her hard, clenched my eyes and said slowly "I can't see you like that, I know how much you're hurt. But remember I accept it. And if you need to do more expirements, you can call me. Don't even hesitate about that, I prefer to suffer before other ponies. I know you can't see me suffer but can you hurt other ponies without knowing how devistating it could get?"

Rose hugged me back and said weakly "Thank you Gunner... But I can't hurt you, I won't disturb you anymore"

Rose tried to stand up, now twitching rather then shaking. After taking a few steps toward the bathroom she stopped to throw up, she was certainly sick because of that. I wonder how it looked like from her point of view that it made her so sick, did I actaully screamed? Did I reacted in the real world exactly like I did in the drug affected world? I then reailized I wasn't called for a real deploy mission in SM, and this was the 'unique' punishment the Overmare planned... I felt a bit sick as I realized she was planning it all along, but she never thought it would be like that, that's why she was at my room this morning...

Shit! how long have I been out?!

"Rose?" I said, sounding a bit worried..

"Don't look at me..." She replied with pure guilt taking over her voice.

"Rose, I know you are really sorry about that.." I started walking toward her "I did say I forgi--"

"NO!" she screamed at me and raised a hoof to stop me. I stood still, a bit stunned of her reaction, "Don't get close to me!... I'm a monster!..." I looked at her, thinking how to react to this

"I... You're not a monster Rosey.." I said

"Dont call me that!"

There was a slight break

"How can you forgive me just like that?! Even look at me?!... I'm getting torn apart here! The most mentally strong pony in Stable 154 who can handle some of the most messed up things others can't. And I'm throwing up of something I did when I just have no right to!... I knew it could be a bit strong! I knew the risk! And here I am! Getting torn apart when you are the real victim!" she gulped and panted heavily in anger.

I just stood there, feeling sad for her, although I was the real victim like she said, but I hate self-pity.

"How can I live like that? Knowing that I just hurted my best friend!?..."

Did she called me? Well I know how to react to that!

"....And I'm crying here like a little filly when I clearly have no right! I ca--" I jumped and kissed her. Not just to shut her up, but to show her I didn't care about getting hurt, it was for a better cause.

Her eyes were wide out of surprise, but slowly closed them as she accepted she wont get away from that kiss even with all the locked Stable doors in Equestria. Her horn started glowing bright red and I could feel her forehooves bounding gently around my neck. I didn't know why or what she did with her telekinetic glow until I heard the door in the end of the room closing, Rose wanted that kiss to last and nopony could tell her otherwise.

I acompanied Rose to her living quarter when I saw Caliber talking with a Yellow Security unicorn mare next to the Overmare's living quarter, they both jumped when they saw their Overmare pale and sick-looking, shaking and barely walking. They first looked at me weird as they apperantly knew I was held for an 'Expirement' in the unused quarters. But Rose said she isn't feeling too well out of building exhaustion on the expirement as she entered her living quarter. It was somewhat true, but I guess she just didn't want to answer on questions if she said simply 'I raped Gunner and it was too much for me, the drugs aren't what I expected and I'll stop working on them'. Yeah... I can see how this would end... Caliber said something into his PipBuck, probably a field report about Rose or just answering pager duty while the mare Security checked me up, probably thought I was sick too because of something the Overmare didn't tell them. She was half right, but I didn't need Security to know what happened there. The Security mare did found out I was all smeared in tears, I told her it was sweat but she didn't believe me after she saw tear trails on the back of my barding.

"ID?" She said.

"Umm?... What?" I asked simply.

"Are you fucking deaf? You heard me! ID?!".

Caliber stopped his report to look why the unicorn mare's so pissed.

"Gunner, SM" I showed her my barding with the Maintenance Personal logo on it,

"Right..." She said "Real ID?".

I looked at her for a second like she's trying to fool me, then turned to Caliber "Hey-hey, Cal... Tell her I'm not lying! you know me!... Come on.." Caliber looked at me suspiciously with his green eyes.

"Sorry Gunner, you're arrested for interrogation. Until we find out what really happened"

I was shocked at first, the Overmare just told them it wasn't my fault! They can't disregard what the Overmare said seconds after she said it!

The unicorn put on me hoofcuffs with a flash of her horn "Come on gas thief... This way" She said as she pushed me toward Security.

What?! Gas thief? Really? I was with Rose this whole time! she knew where I was since morning! Caliber saw me this morning! It's probably another sick joke or weird way to avenge me for something. But my luck wouldn't work like that, I'm sure it's real this time. Unlike Rose's punishment, this was going to be pretty messed up if she'll try to innerupt this out, then ponies will think she has a weakness for me and start using that, and I doubt ponies will hear the words 'I raped him when it happened' as a by the way alibi. I'm on my own then.

After limping with the damned hoofcuffs on my forehooves through the Stable, we finally reached Main Security Center. We passed CC and HQ. After we pass SM we're going to be at Intrrogation. I tried to think of reasons somepony will really think that about me. I have to consider they won't just lock me up at Interrogation just becasue a random filly said so. They probably have proofs, but unless somepony changed my PipBuck's settings so I was out twenty six hours and not actually out for two hours.

I couldn't be awake in this time, I barely woke up after the two hours or so. It can't be more than 3 hours in extreme cases, somepony could have framed me. But Security probably know that there are ponies who are searching ways to make my life harder then they are supposed to be, they need to have solid proofs.

I entered interrogation. My first time here because my security work was limited to gun modification and once or twice a year a field job that including telling foals not to run in the corridors and keeping the Stable quite as it could be, very exciting...

As I entered the interrogation room. An old buck sat infront of me, he had reading glasses ontop of his temples, a caramel colored hide and a silver-gray mane. He sat behined a raised table with a terminal on it and some documents labeled with random names. I sat on a chair infront of the raised table and he immediatly began talking.

"Where have you been this morning shift?" He said in a deep voice.

"Umm. The Overmare woke me up, telling me about the expirement she planned for me. I met Officer Caliber on the way to breakfast, I went to my morning shift at SM. After a while I was called for my expirement, sir.." He read something on his Pipbuck and typed a few letters on his terminal while nodding in aprroval to the guard behined me that it was all true.

"I see... So you have any idea why you were called here?" He leaned closely to his terminal screen "Mister... Ehmm... Gunner?".

I shook my head slowly "No sir" I was nervous. I knew they knew something I didn't knew, and they knew I knew they knew I didn't knew... Urrghhh... you got the point...

"Have you heard about the missing fuel incident Mr. Gunner?"

"Yes sir... Are you really suspecting I stole it?... I heard from another--"

"No Mr. Gunner" He cut me off, I blinked at the confusion that started in my head as he finally raised his face from the terminal and looked at me for the first time since I entered Interrogation, he said with his deep voice "But we need your help Mr. Gunner, for the sake of the Stable"

I was surprised. Why Caliber and Security was so sure I did something wrong? did superiors were good at lying to their seniors?

"Help? My help?... Wh-why?" I said, really confused.

"You see Mr. Gunner? We are at one of our best years since the Stable was sealed 200 years ago. But there's one problem; the Stable Door" he said with a 'Brace-yourself-for-your-jaw-getting-dropped' tone.

"The Stable door has been damaged by radiated creatures, 'Radroaches'. They are a common threat at the surface, but are very rarely appearing inside of a Stable. For our knowledge, they can't survive in un-radiated habitats. And they are destroying our supplies of fuel" I was shocked, life on the outside?! There was life on the surface? There was a surface?

"But... Sir... If the creatures can't survive in un-radiated habitats... Aren't we safe then?"

He laughed a dry and sarcastic laugh "I wish so Mr. Gunner" He said as he slided his glasses upwards on his nose. Wait... The Stable isn't radiation proof then?

"They have infected certain places of our Stable with their radiation, and we're currently working on eliminating them. But we need to prevent further damage to Stable 154" I nodded to his words, beggining to see the full picture "Here's the part where you're entering the plan Mr. Gunner" he said with a very uncertain voice "We need you to repair and re-seal Stable 154, after that you'll be returning to your normal Security Maintenance routine" he said. Something in his voice was very suspicious, like he wasn't telling me the entire plan, but I can't just say 'no', it's a serious business, the future of the Stable. I had to make my choice: Do I want to sacrifice my own life for something that may or may not be able to save Stable 154? Something that may kill me before I succeeded my mission? It was alot to think about, I knew I didn't have alot of time to think about that, but if they called me for this job they are really desperate, or they just want to put my 'Heroism' to a test for fun.

"I need to think about that sir" I said, worried.

"I know it's alot to ask Mr. Gunner, but for the Stable's sake... I urge you to think about that and reply ASAP... Understood?"

"Yes sir" I replied weakly.

I slowly returned to my living quarter, I made my way through the other ponies who just finished morning shift getting replaced by night shift. I opened my living quarter's door, got in and pressed the 'Lock' button next to my door. The door closed and the click of the locking mechanisem was sounded from the metal door behined me. I walked inside and looked at the mirror next to my door,but  instead of the light-brown pegasus I usually see, with the light-gray eyes and black and blue striped mane. I saw a tired bag of meat with wings.

I crushed on my bed and said to myself "Do I really want this?" And instantly fell asleep because of the messed-up day I had: Lost a friend, drugged and interoggated... Three things I never planed on going through, and all in the same day...

I woke up to the same regular morning radio of Stable 154 coming from my PipBuck, my barding was still on me, and I was still covered in sweat and tears. My eyes were hurting like after a harsh night... Because it was a harsh night.

I got up and slowly went to my living quarter's door, I pressed on the 'Lock' button that was in the same place as ever, the door opened and I saw Shrapnel curled into a ball and sleeping next to my door. I looked at his sleeping body, a bit surprised at first...

Maybe it's a drug hallucination?... No... Rose said she wouldn't let that happen... So why is he here? And why sleeping here?... Was he trying to wake me up last night and got tired of waiting?

"Shrapnel?" I said with my morning-hoarsed voice, he opened his eyes quickly after, his wings streching out and he faced me with his golden penetrating eyes."Wh-what are you doing here?" I asked with a yawn.

"Waiting for you to get up. I know what happened to you"

At first I thought that Rose published my 'Heroisem', but I quickly realized he was talking about the missing fuel and my interoggation.

"I'm maybe better at building explosive devices. But I want to help" he said with an insisting voice as he got up from the floor.

"Look... I am not even sure if I want to do that myself... But if you're so eager... At least I know I have someone I can trust"

Well... At least I didn't lost a friend I thought to myself Now how to make the interrogation and raping a bit more fun to remember?

"So? Let's get to work!" he said with his normally eager face.

"Whoa there... Cool your jets... We need to report Security and the Overmare's office about that, or they'll kick us out of there as soon as look at us" I said with a hurry before he could fly his way to the Stable's door.

Shrapnel nodded "So how are we supposed to report to them? Through a PipBuck message? Or a--"

"Just let me do the talking" I cutted him off, already sending a voice message transmission to Security.

"This is Security. What's you report?" I heard shortly after sending a pager transmission so I could speak with an operator at Control or at HQ.

"This is Gunner, Security Maintenance. The elder talked with me about the Stable's door problem... I'm ready to help" I said in the most Security-ish voice I could.

"Stay on the line for a second..." I heard from the Operator-pony on the other side of the transmission. I heard a re-addressing mechanical sound from my PipBuck.

"Mr Gunner?... Do you have an answer about our talk yesterday?" He asked with his deep voice.

"Yes sir. I'm ready to help and I hope you don't mind I bring help with me... Sir" I tried to say with a 'Proffesional' voice I clearly don't have.

"Very well Mr Gunner, very well... I'll meet you after the Stable door is repaired. If you have any personal equipment you think can help you on your task it'll be very much aprreciated. You're doing a fine job for you Stable's sake" He said and ended the transmission quickly after.

"Think you still have your hacking chip of yours Shrapnel?" I said with a sarcastic voice, clearly knowing the answer.

"If I have?! Can't stop upgrading it!" Shrapnel said with a smile, just continuing our little show of ours between us.

We advanced to Stable 154 door's room. Shrapnel was flying with his body hanged from his wings, still too tired to fly noramlly. He was tinkering with his chip and PipBuck mid-fly, unicorns can use a PipBuck when they're walking or running. But we, the pegasi can do that while flying. We finally reached the massive gear-shaped platinium door, the door was slightly rusty in some edges and the numbers '154' were printed backwards, to spell them correctly from the other side.

Last time this door was opened it was two hundred and whatever years ago, and I was about to be the first pony in 154 to see the outside world since then. I was nervous and excited like never before, I knew it could kill me out of radiation exposure or the massive door can crash me accidently, or I could get locked outside... But what are the odds?...

What really ARE the odds? my mind said.

"We need to open the Stable door, fix it's railing and the breach so it would close properly" the Security guard pony on duty said as an order.

"Yes sir" Shrapnel said and flew toward the control panel, activating his chip and prepearing to connect his PipBuck to the panel.

Shrapnel's Cutie-mark may be an explosive device, but that didn't meant he can't use a chip to hack them up from a safe distance. That was the original idea, but Shrapnel just kept upgrading his chip to be able to hack to almost everything in the Stable. Good thing he was a high ranked officer. Actually, the previous Overmare's personal assistant for sometime. But he was replaced because the accident's mental impact, since then he has no work... He made his place in the Stable, and he's in a mental state that can't allow him to work in a permanent and unchangeable working place.

"Are you ready Gunner?" Shrapnel asked with a skeptic voice, he was so eager before that to finally see the door up close and maybe even see the outside, but probably regreted his thoughts as soon as we walked inside the Stable's door room.

"Ready as I'll ever be buddy" I said with a very concerned voice, like I was about to change something major in my life...

Stable 154 door was massive, about twenty five times my size. It could let through an army of ponies in seconds! As I looked at shrapnel, he was pale more then ever, his gray hide became almost white as he was hypnotized by the Stable door's complicated mechanisem.

"I knew this would be a bitch to hack, but I didn't knew it would have more buttons then the entirety of the Stable!" Shrapnel said, clearly not knowing what he's supposed to do exactly, but if somepony could open this door it can be only Shrapnel.

The Overmare before Rose, her mother. Actually kept the Stable door's codes in an encrypted file that only she could unlock, and didn't had the chance to pass it on to Rose. So we're actually locked rather then locking ourselves inside.

After some mumbles of Shrapnel of technical nonsense I half-understood; I was an engineer-pony, not a hacker or a one of a kind programmer. I had a knowledge at firearms and I could build some impressive stuff, I was kind of good with hacking but not as good as Shrapnel or some other ponies at SM.

"...Anndd... DONE!" Shrapnel said after furiously clicking seemingly random buttons on the control panel and his PipBuck.

A weird mechanical large arm that was attached to the ceiling started moving and released steam in a worrying rate. The arm moved toward the door on railing that attached the arm to the Stable, the arm itself slowly started to strech out to the middle of the door. After getting assembled fully, the arm pulled the gear-shaped door inwards and put it on the door's own railing, the door rolled aside and uncovered the first sight of outside for all of the ponies in the room.

A technician mare fainted and was qucikly moved to recover in Medical, I blinked repeatedly at the weird light pouring from the outside world, I wasn't exposed to this kind of brilliant light in my entire life! But it was a very dark-like light, like it was the pony-reaper inviting you to your death, or Nightmare Moon welcoming her new army. Some ponies tried to tell us to close the door, but if we already opened it we better finish what we came for. I quickly saw what the Security buck said about the 'breach' that need to be sealed; a crack on the left side of the door-frame, about a pony size, was making the gear-shaped frame to look broken.

"I need a chunk of metal, about 5 kilograms. A blow-torch and some tools" I said to a Security pony next to me, he didn't moved his eyes from the inviting but scary outside and nodded, after a while he started trotting to bring me the tools.

"You know you can leave if you're afraid, helped me enough until now" I said to Shrapnel, that was still shocked of the outside view.

The outside was a weird horizon with some mountaines and hills around and some dead bushes and trees scattered all over, there were piles upon piles of pony-skeletons next to the entrance, they tried to enter but were too late... Did nopony heard them? Or was it too late to open the door after the megaspells fell?... I walked slowly to inspect the damage, but as I got close a weird creature walked in sight, with his two wicked antennas twitching more rapidly as I got closer. My Eyes-Forward Sparkle lit up, last time it lit up was years ago, when a bully tried to lock me inside Storage 3.

The PipBuck marked the creature as a yellow dot on my E.F.S and there was a grayed-out option of S.A.T.S [Stable-Tec Automatic Targeting System] flashing in red.

I wasn't bearing a weapon so I couldn't do anything to bring up S.A.T.S. I advanced slowly, realizing I was the only one who saw the creature, as his antennas stop twitching. E.F.S marked him a red dot and he charged at me. I tried to move out of the way, but the creature was too quick, it attached it's weird wet legs around my face and neck and revealed two weird teeth that tried to eat my face off. My PipBuck started clicking at me as I tried to buck the giant roach off with one forehoof and kept it away from my face with another forehoof whilst walking slowly backwards. I cried out for somepony to help me out, after it's teeth were almost scrathing my nose and already spat weird mucos on my face I heard a gunshot from my left and the giant bug screeched in pain and blew into pieces infront of my face. I quickly spat a few times and wiped my face furiously with both of my forehooves so I wouldn't swallow accidently his remains. I looked backwards and saw Custard with a smoking pistol levitated next to her. The glow of her horn was the same white color as around the gun, she panted like she held her breath for a good minute or two as she dropped the gun out of her levitation and trotted my way.

Custard hugged me "You stupid buck!"

I hugged her back and saw over her shoulder Rose and Shrapnel trotting for me, they were worried as hell.

"Who's the retard who planned that?!" Rose said as she hugged me hard, not letting me steady my breath after what happened.

"Who told you to do that stupid thing Gunner? And why did you stepped THAT close to the outside?!" Rose didn't stopped for a second with her questions, clearly can't stand to see me suffer even a pinch to the mane after yesterday.

"I'm fine, thanks... Geez" I said to Rose. Shrapnel hovered in place behined her, waiting for his turn to say his worries.

"You were supposed to stay clear from the door until the tools are here Gunner" He said as he landed, hugging me a short and friendly hug as he stepped back, feeling visibly uncomfortable of hugging me, he never was a huggy stallion.

"Never do that again!" Rose frowned at me, her deep-red eyes gazing at me with a sad and worried look on her face. We were walking toward Cafeteria after everypony said how stupid I acted and hugged me until I was sure I'm making hugs my number one enemy from now on.

I switched the conversation topic to the Stable door.

"Next time I get this close I'll bring a gun.." I said incidentally.

"You're not going near this door as long as it's up to me!" Rose said with her Overmare-ish angry tone. Shrapnel looked at me like I was crazy for even thinking of working on the door again. Custard stayed silent as she was most of the time. She was pretty mad that I forced her to shoot a living creature though, Custard is more of a pacifist mare, but she was the only one with a gun on the ready, I don't want to think how it would end if she didn't noticed I was in trouble in time.

Nopony talked after that, if looks could kill I was probably burning alive right now. I looked at my PipBuck to understand why it clicked when I was near the radiated-roach-thing... How'd the Security elder called it? A 'Radroach'?... Near the 'Radroach' creature. I had my usual bars of limb functionality, and the usual general health and my inventory sorter. But I had an extra bar now, 'Radiation meter' that was slightly filled, Celestia's mercy! Who the hell implemented that into a PipBuck? Well I guess it's somehow makes sense to be used in the outside. But it's still messed up that Stable-Tec knew that we will need those! They planned on releasing us to a radiated world? Or just as precaution? Either way this'll be handy to some ponies out there. I wish I wouldn't need to use THAT in the future! We were walking slowly in the corridors, I saw that everytime Custard and Shrapnel made eye contact they both blushed and looked away. Something have gone wrong when I was a lab rat or that something happened between those two?

"What's the matter with you two?" I asked Shrapnel and Custard after they made eye contact for the fourth or fifth time, they both stopped in their tracks simultaneously, Shrapnel shot his wings up in embarresment and Custard just blushed as a reaction. They both slowly looked backward over their shoulders with widened eyes and red faces. Custard didn't say anything like her usual behavior. Shrapnel started to mumble that he don't know what the hell I was talking about.

"Don't tell me that you two are together!" Rose said in a teasy tone that just made Custard look more red then white and Shrapnel to gaze down until his head was hanging and accepting that his secret has been revealed.

"Having a crush are we?" I said in a mocking voice that was supposed to remind him of how he acted when I had a crush on Rose, well... Still has...

"It's not like that!" Custard protested, looking at Shrapnel with a face that melted his cheeks into red blush.

"It isn't what you think, I just love her too much to keep it a secret" Shrapnel said as he tried to dig into the floor with a forehoof, probably trying to hide his shame from us.

"Shrapnel... I guess you have an apology to Gunner?" Rose said with voice that told me she knew something I tried to hide for years...

Oh NO!... Is she talking about my feelings to her?

"Sorry Gunner. I never knew how it was to fall in love" I blushed and smiled, I blushed because of Rose's way to get out an apology from Shrapnel, and because she knew I was in love with her. And smiled on the other hoof about that I didn't saw him that happy since we were little foals.

"I'm happy for you two guys. But it could have been alot less embarresing to you two if you just said it to us" I said, but then realizing that when your friend is about to get his face eaten it's not a very good time to declare you're a couple.

"And you two?" Custard said, clearly trying to move the embarresment to our side.

"What about us?" I asked with my best innocent-sounding tone I could make out of my mouth.

"Can we know what happened at the expirement?" Shrapnel asked. looking curious and having no idea that it will probably make him sick. He's maybe socially awkward, but he isn't a tough buck when it came to torturing.

"Just a new drug I worked on" Rose said, trying to help me to get out of the weird position Shrapnel put me in.

"Oh, what's the new drug's name? What have you made?" Shrapnel asked, not getting it that Rose tried to make him to shut it about the expirement, like I said: He wasn't good at communicating ...

"Oh you'll see soon Shrapnel, don't you worry" Rose said, leaning closer to him and whispering "It's a surprise" and making him shut up with a blink, he was so hyped about that though, last time Rose did an expirement it was a new kind of explosive powder that she was trying to make, we needed to mine into the ground to expand the Stable after all although we have plenty of spare space. Shrapnel made everything he could with it, he even checked if it was edible... The poor fellow was sick for a month... That pretty much summed up his releationship with said powder.

"Don't try to change topic. Something happened there, Caliber told me that" Custard said, being a bit more chatish then ever.

"Look... I don't want to talk about that... Let's just say that this drug won't be on the big screens" Rose said, clearly starting to recall the horrors she witnessed.

"Well... But what about you two?... How's things are with your little romance of yours?" Shrapnel asked.

I blushed, Rose was clearly less embarresed then me.

"R-romance?" I said with a tone so non-charismatic that I could do C.A.T all over again and still fail despite me knowing how to pass it by now...

You see? C.A.T [Cutie-mark Aptitude Test] Is a test that everypony in a Stable is doing after they get their Cutie-mark, the symbol on your flank that tells everypony what is your profession in the Stable.

Caliber's Cutie-mark is a shield for example, this says he is good at protecting, C.A.T is the test that 'simplify' your Cutie-mark. So if your Cutie-mark isn't obvious, like mine: It tells you what you are good at.

Everypony is doing C.A.T for another reason, 'S.P.E.C.I.A.L Test'. Everypony gets this sort of IQ test before they are assigned to their work. Seven categorys, each have numbers from one to fifteen: one is the least you can have and fifteen is the most you can have, every letter tells something else, but nopony give a crap about those, so not alot knows their meaning, I still remember what each is but I can't tell how it's supposed to impact your Stable life.

The 'S' in S.P.E.C.I.A.L stands for 'Strength', how strong the pony is, how much he can carry on his PipBuck sorting spell, and how resistant he is to injurys. Though I doubt somepony is counting on 7+ Strength to make him a god when your biggest threat in Stable 154 is getting your wing stuck in an air vent... Happened to Shrapnel, twice...

I'm really tired of S.P.E.C.I.A.L and the test have nothing to do with your life after that. So trust me when I say it's just a one time test,. After you finish it nopony cares about the results. It's a good way to show-off when you're a foal and the first and only in the stable's history to get Intelligent 14... Though no other foal really cared that I got this number...

"Gunner?" Rose asked, snapping me out of my wandering thoughts... I do that every so often.

"Umm... Yeah?" I said while trying to shake myself out of my thinking bubble, she rolled her red eyes and smiled.

"Come on 'Hero'. We got work to do with your face"

My face was hurting after the Radroach attack, but it was just some cuts and bruises and nothing that could kill me... At least I wished so... Is radiation more lethal with open wounds?

"Rose... I'll live.." I said with a sigh.

"So let's see for how long shall we?" Rose replied with an unamused voice, she wasn't in a mood for jokes... As ever...

"You don't need to act like my mother all the time you know, I can take care of myself like I always do!" I replied, getting annoyed of her mother-like behavior, though I'm actually a bit older...

"I may not be your mother, but you need somepony to watch for you!" She countered with her soft and quiet voice. "And I was your friend before I was assigned as an Overmare" Rose added, whispering under her sigh.

I looked down. I knew she just cared for me. She was sick after she saw the expirement's result... So I'll guess that as for now, Rose'll go nuts over every scratch on my hoof...

"Fine..." I said with a defeated stomp "Let's get me fixed up.."

"Nothing that a healing potion can't take care of" Rose tried to comfort me. She knew I wasn't a fan of needles or stitches, or even Medical in general, so she was probably going to do her Overmare-ish speech to get Medical to hand her over a healing potion and say that she 'Don't want to take even the slight risk of me getting radiation sickness'. This was probably Rose's real motive and not just as an excuse to keep sharp stuff off my face, but I doubt that a few scratches will cause Rad-sickness. Though my Radiation meter was rising when I was next to the 'RadRoach'. So I better just shut my muzzle and let her do the talking.

We arrived to Medical, Custard and Shrapnel didn't stopped nuzzling each other for a second. A bit too cheesy to my taste. But as long as they don't go too intimate in public I can live with that. Rose talked to a medical mare pony while Custard and Shrapnel still didn't stop their nuzzling on a bench in the corner, Rose smiled and thanked the medical pony as she levitated a bottle from a first-aid box, the box was yellow with three pink butterflies printed onto it.

"Drink up" Rose said with a warm smile as she opened the bottle and offered it to me. I took the offereed levitated bottle in my teeth and faced up to drink it. After only three swigs I could feel my face getting a bit warm and the wounds and bruises getting cured as they never existed. I felt much better and less sleepy then before. I never knew what this potions had inside, but they're artificial unicorn healing spells.

Sure, there were the stronger ones, 'Regeneration potion' that were better then any Unicorn-made spell. But they're rare. Infact they're so rare and expensive that our Stable couldn't produce them at mass production even with our limited technology; As good as it was, we could make one or two a month, and they were consumed within seconds by a pony that was injured enough to use them. They were in slightly smaller bottles, and I could drink three or four regular healing potions in under twenty seconds, so they were a compact but a very effective version.

"See? Was it worth all the arguing?" Rose said with a sweet voice. Shrapnel and Custard giggling at me for letting her act like my mother.

"Urrghh... Is everypony in this Stable having a better time then me?" I said with an annoyed deep sigh, Rose rolled her eyes with a chuckle. Shrapnel and Custard were still nuzzling on one of the benches in the corner of Medical. I just sat there with an empty potion bottle at my haunches, it all was quiet....

BOOM.BOOM.BOOM.

Three rapid explosions were sounded from the Stable door's direction. Rose jumped in alarm and looked at me with a very worried look, Shrapnel and Custard stopped nuzzling as Custard hugged Shrapnel out of fear... She's acting like a filly sometimes when she's scared. On second thought Custard's acting like a filly in general...

"What the hay's happening!?" Rose shouted over a Security pony who ran past Medical's opened door.

The guard stopped and shouted back at her "The door's breached! And those radiated creatures are inside!" And quickly trotted to help with the breach.

"Stay in here! Don't move unless you have to!" Rose ordered us.

She got an approving nod from Shrapnel who was hugging Custard and "I'm coming with you!" from me.

"No! Stay here and keep them safe!" Rose said as she levitated a key-card from her barding to me, I grabbed it with my teeth and sorted it automaticlly with my PipBuck as I reached out to my Stable barding and put it in one of the pockets.

"What's this key-card for?" I asked with a loud tone, mainly of Rose being in a bit of a shock.

"For the Pegasi armory! If stuff goes down. Go there and take some guns for self defense!" Rose ordered and trotted off out of sight, our Stable was attacked by radiated creatures... I guessed that they weren't the weird Radroach from earlier, because we saw that a well placed shot will kill them. With the normally twenty guard ponies near the door I doubt it was some roaches trying to make a home out of our Stable, I heard screams and gunfire, more then I would like.

"Fuck that. We can't stay in here!" I told Shrapnel.

"How're we going to get Custard to the armory? I bet they already disabled all of the elevators and I don't want to try and haul a pony for the first time when I can drop her accidently three or four floors down!" Custard looked at him with a worried face, she was a small pony next to Shrapnel, but he was a bit bigger then average anyways. He looked and embraced her to try and clam her down.

"I'll go, keep Medical locked no matter what, I'll come back when it's safe" I said to Shrapnel, he was visibly uncomfortable with me going alone, but he wouldn't leave Custard behined, we were friends a long time but he knew I could take care of myself, Custard was a very sensetive pony, she barely shot her gun earlier but she had too, in the same topic where the hell did she got that gun anyways?

"As I'm out, I want you two to find supplies. It may take me some time and somepony could get hurt. So be ready for everything... Got it?" I said in a surprisingly confident tone that came out of nowhere, but my charismatic skills can wait... I was about to run and be in a real danger.

A thought popped in the back of my mind.

Maybe it's still the drug effect and I'm still asleep?

But even if so I won't let my friends get hurt. Not even in my dreams...

Chapter 2 - First Steps

Pain and suffering isn't for me. But I'll take it to spare others

I ran down the hallway, screams all around me, everypony was panicking and running in random directions, all but the security ponies who were running towards the Stable door, I ran past Storage 2 as I looked at it...where Shrapnel's parents died...it reminded me that I cant let him down...he wont be able to lose me as well.

Gunfire of heavy firearms was sounded all over, battle saddles V3.01 for my knowledge... [What? my name's 'Gunner' after all]... A battle saddle is a heavy weapon that can be placed ontop of barding or even bare hide. It is designed to help Earth ponies and Pegasi to fire with their mouth-trigger or S.A.T.S weapons that normally can be used by Unicorn levitation or some super-talented non-unicorn. I had a special one made for me at SM... But it was the other way around and it'll take time to find it under the pile of unfinished and unused projects.

I was directly under Armory 3, all I had to do was to fly four floors above me. I stretched my wings and flapped them a couple times, took off and flew upwards. A buzzing came noise from behined me and my mind diregarded the sound as gunfire-buzzing at first, but it came from directly behined me, not inside my head like a normal headache or a ringing sound of a sudden loud noise. My head turned around and behined me I saw giant flying bugs, some had stuffed bellies and some had blood leaking from their weird pipe-like mouth. My gaze shifted back up just in time before I splatted against the ceiling. I quickly landed on the pegasi access that is built into Storage 3's and Armory P's connecting corridor. They were the top floored rooms, and basically only pegasi could go there like it was next door [Ehmm... Wings... Ehmm].

The weird flying bugs stared at me with a very hungry face, my mind thought for a second and realized they were giant radiated mosquitoes! We had some in Stable 154 that entered with my great-great-great-great [Add a few great] grandparents two hundred years ago. But those were almost a pony size! They were instantly marked as red dots at my E.F.S and the grayed out S.A.T.S option was blinking again with red, I had no weapon on me so I did the only thing I could do: Flee for my life.

I didn't knew how much blood one could suck, but they were thirty or so, and I was pretty sure they could suck my whole body dry of blood after a minute or two. I ran and took off shortly after to build some momentum. I was about to get to the armory when I remebered I need the key-card, my heart stopped for a moment when my hooves tried to catch it mid-air and almost failed.

I held the key-card in my teeth as I started slowing down the closer I got to Armory-P. I leaned my head sideways and slided the key-card with my teeth. Panic started to form inside me as my ears picked up the sound of the mosquitoes getting closer behined me. Finally the door opened and my hooves jumped inside Armory-P with their own mind. Quickly after I mashed the 'Lock' button until I was sure the door won't open, I jumped to the sound of the weird radiated mosquitoes banging on the door with their wicked body, they slowly lost their interest in me. I tried to settle my breath and turned around to what my mind thought is heaven: Armory-P had everything that I had dreamed in my dirtiest dreams and even more! Equipment. Ammunition. Rifles. Carbines. Sub Machineguns. Pistols. Revolvers. Light Machineguns. Heavy Machineguns. Sniper Rifles. Shotguns. Rocket launchers. Battle saddles. Armor. Tools. Modification benches and something that will give Shrapnel a heart attack--Explosives as long as the eye could see...

I just didn't know where to start, but one thing I knew for sure: I'm sooo coming back for more... I took three grenades. A battle saddle [The most advanced I could find, labeled under 'Non-Conventional Weapons'] and ammo belts for it. Full-body heavy pegasus armor and a backup pistol just in case. I was about to exit Armory-P after checking my PipBuck sorting spell for medical supplies: Of course I didn't have any.

I was making last adjustments to the battle-saddle when a loud roar was coming from the Stable's door direction. My body freezed in panic and I didn't know what to do for a minute or two...

"Relax Gunner... Even if this thing is inside the Stable. You're safe up here..." I said to myself.

When the Pegasi armory door unlocked. Three of the radiated mosquitoes were looking right at me with their blood thirsty face, literally.

S.A.T.S lit up with a clickable option for once. I slid into S.A.T.S for the first time ever against real enemies. Time slowed down almost to a stop and I got sometime to process my sorrunding, E.F.S tagged the giant radiated mosquitoes as 'Blood bugs'... How the hell my PipBuck knows that I have no idea: I never saw this bugs before! But it wasn't the right time to figure this out... S.A.T.S was depleting it's rechargeable battery pretty fast. And I'm really not in the mood to confront them without it, I tagged and aimed once for the head of the closest of the three, twice to the body of the blood-stuffed one and twice for the left wing of the farthest away, I didn't have enough battery to aim for another body part.

Time sped up as I excuted the shooting spell: And blew the closest bug's head off of his body with green slimey mess... It was disgusting but I prefer to keep my blood inside me in exchange. The second bullet missed but the third did the damage; The blood stuffed Bloodbug exploded into green and red slime all over the place. Some landed on me as I quickly tried to clean it off me... It was sticky and warm and gross... The third didn't even blinked after S.A.T.S missed his wing completely. My teeth bit down on the battle saddle's muzzle trigger and quickly sent some bullets downrange in the Bloodbug's direction. Note to myself: The Luna-damned bastards dont fear bullets.

But one random bullet did managed to tear his leg clean off and to make him crash out of the pure recoil of the battle saddle shot. No wonder it was labeled under 'Non-conventional weapons'... After E.F.S checked my sorrunding; I was clear for sometime. There were some red dots in the corner of the E.F.S map... But they weren't in my way back to Medical.

My pegasus armor was too heavy for me to take off and land four floors below me so I took it off. But I kept my other equipment on me. I also took out the S.A.T.S chip that was inside the helmet of the armor. It can be used sometime after... Maybe at SM for some of my projects? Or just to learn how it's working? But there were other concerns like helping Shrapnel and Custard out.

I jumped down and stretched my wings outwards to glide down instead of just fall down. My landing was swift and the second I touched the ground with my hooves my eyes looked about... Some ponies were still running to safety and some were trying to help others to reach to safety.

I began trotting to Medical as the same roar from before was sounded but this time alot louder. After stopping for a second to figure out if it was just an effect by the vents that are scattered everywhere... But if it's a vent-effect then the sound would come from all over, not from behined the corner that connected my corridor to Medical... Oh sweet Celestia please don't make me see Shrapnel or Custard in the monster's mouth...

I turned around the corner. My battle saddle sounded a cocking noise as my hind leg kicked it. I looked around. Holding a breath and searching for threats, the corridor was empty of life.

I walked slowly down the corridor with all the cautious my body could deliever to my hooves. My eyes saw the door to the Medical room to where Shrapnel and Custard were twenty minutes ago.

My hoof knocked three times gently as I said toward the air vents "It's me... Gunner... Are you guys alright?"

No answer...

"Guys?... Custard?... Shrapnel?..."

Panic started growing inside me as my hoof pressed the 'Open' button next to the door. The room was dark and everything was a mess... Beds and medical desks were thrown everywhere and shattered glass from the broken lightbulbs were scattered all over the room.

"Guys?!... ARE YOU HERE?!" My mouth roared in panic as I took a step inside... Only hearing my own echo and hoofsteps from inside the room.

There were bullet holes and blood visible in the staff room... After walking inside the staff room my mind started realizing it was a massacre... Oh Luna help me... Medical ponies were lined up and shot with automatic weapons...

They were mutilated and were shot alot more then any pony or pretty much anything could survive... My stomach made me throw up the second my eyes landed on some ponies that were cut open!..

I tried to find Custard or Shrapnel in the mess of bodies but relieve washed over me when I didn't found them there... Where the hell are they? This wasn't a wildlife work... Somepony did that!

"Oh... We got another pegasus right here! Let's have fun with him too!" Was heard from the Medical entrance as I turned around toward the voice.

I turned around and got bucked in the face. The hit was so hard I could hear my jaw dislocating and my body was dropped down on the floor... Blood came down from my nose and my face hurted like it was crushed by a Stable door... My mouth tasted bile and Iron as everything was starting to blur. I just could make out a pony-like figure looking at me with what looked like wierd, filthy and bloodied cloths as it walked closer.

"This one's a though one. Eh?" The figure said.

"Another buck will do!" One other figure said as it walked to my line of sight.

I was lying with my head on the floor. Everything  blurring out and it felt like the rape-drug effect all over again. I tried to get up but fell back down to the floor, which made the two figures to burst out laughing.

"This stupid dwellers actually thought the 'big monster' is here!" One laughed out, with an emphasis on the 'big monster' part.

I wanted to hurt them so much. But when I tried to get up again anger washed over me when one of them bucked me down again and they both started to roll on the floor from laughter...

With no air in my lungs and burning pain that felt like Celestia herself was inside me. I fought to keep my eyes from rolling inside my head and my vision was starting to blacken in the corners of my already blurred sight... My ears perked up to the sound of a gunshot. The two figures jumped on their hooves. Another gunshot was heard and one of the figures' head was blown to a rain of brain and blood. The other figure picked up a rifle-looking item and tried to aim it at the gunshots' direction.

"SON OF A BI--" He screamed as another gunshot was sounded. The bullet teared through his throat and he made choking-like noises while blood sprayed out of the gunshot wound. He dropped to the floor and twitched in pain.

My body was ready to die by the pony who shot the two figures. My eyes focused on the new figure's legs as it entered the staff room. The figure looked at me and quickly jumped over me. My muzzle was already coughing out blood and I was sure that the buck from earlier was killing me. With my eyes closed and panting for air, I still could hear the mess the figure made behined me... Probably looting the medical supplies...

Sound slowly felt like it was getting farther and farther away when my mind accepted that everything was about to end. I suddenly felt a sting on my back and heard a distorted voice. A cold feeling spread throughout my body and my face was moved upwards as some sort of liquid entered my mouth. I quickly tried to swallow it to prevent suffocating. After a few gulps everything quickly felt better and my eyes went wide open, I panted heavily as my body felt like it was repairing itself slowly...

"Thanks Luna you're fine! You were out for hours!" Said a familliar mare.

"R-Rose?..." I whispered, a result of being injected with a painkiller syringe mixed with me making sure I'm still alive and awake. She hugged me and levitated me on my hooves.

I was a bit shaken and out of balance when Rose looked at me with her red eyes and grinned to see me still alive and not-so-bucking.

"Thank you Rose, I really don't know what wou--" She hoofed my muzzle as she always does when the situation gets too sticky.

"Don't thank me. You would've done the same if it was the opposite. I'm just glad you're still alive..."

Rose was shaking visibly. It could be a result of seeing me like that. Worrying about her Stable being attacked... Or you know... KILLING A PONY!...

"What the fuck's happening?" I asked as my body finally obeyed me and gave me the control over it.

"Ehmm... First: Language..." My eyes rolled automatically at that answer.

"Second: They are raiders. They are phsycotic, sick ponies who had lost their minds outside. But some were forced to do that.." Rose said with a sad and somehow mercyful tone.

"It dosen't matter why they do that. We need to send them out of here now!" I replied, my mind simply couldn't think of a pony that enjoys this fucked up things!

"What's the damage? How much are they?" I added after checking myself out to see if something was out of place, everything was fine... Even my Cutie-mark was in the same place as ever on my flank.

Guess this is the time to describe the little fellow... It's an oldschool rifle crossed with a wrench and a giant gear behined the two. The rifle means I'm a very aggresive and a very heat-headed pony [According to C.A.T]. The wrench meant I had an urge to make everything right, as long as I can try and do something to change it... I will [Still according to C.A.T...]. You can call it a version of an Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, or OCD for short. And the gear is to symbolize something else that even C.A.T couldn't find out. The elders did warned me that it wasn't something like other Cutie-marks: Something about settings... And settings can change... But they took that as a techincal symbol... So they threw me in SM...

Rose's Cutie-mark's a heart symbol punctured by a red flower: A rose... The heart means she can be a very caring mare. But the flower's meaning is that she isn't as harmless as she might appear to be. She can still hurt just like the flower: Very beautifull but can cut you when you try to pick it up. She is here to stay, and I'm glad she is.

"They shot everpony they passed and they gassed the air vents to the Pegasi quarters and most of the panic rooms... And let those radiated creatures in... I'm afraid we are the last of Stable 154.. They are about four hundred ponies..."

They gassed the pegasi?... The fuckers did what?... Wait, did she just said they're four hundred!?

When my gaze fell to the bodies I felt sick... But my eyes caught something that the two raiders had in common; a bulge under their sides. As I ripped their pathetic rags for cloths, there was a weird symbol that they both had on their flank... Just beside the Cutie-mark... It was a face of a pony we thought was a legend: Nightmare Moon. They were mercenaries or a part of an army of some sort, but the odd thing was that the face-symbol was welded into them, it was part of them... Like a second unwanted and unnatural Cutie-mark...

My stomach contents started to make their way upwards as I figured out one of them had a list of names in his sidepack. The list had some crossed names. My mind quickly realised it wasn't pony names, nor living creatures... It was settlement names!

It had all the Stable numbers!... But only ours and one other was crossed... There was a place named 'Ponyville' that had an X next to it, like they tried it but failed. A retry symbol on a place named 'Twilight camp'. It wasn't a very efficent list when most of the places were marked with X or weren't even touched... They did crossed out Stables 154 and 155... They already destroyed a Stable?...

"They were paid to kill!... They aren't a random gang of raiders... They're mercenaries!.." My muzzle spat out in surprise.

Rose was skeptic about it until she saw the second Cutie-mark and the name list...

"We can't stay here... They'll butcher us if we'll stay!.." Was another thing that my muzzle said with it's new own mind, the painkillers didn't let me feel my mouth so everything I wanted to say was shot out of it... Please don't think lewdly about Rose... Please don't lewdly think about Rose...

"What about Shrapnel and Custard?" My muzzle asked... First time my body complied since... Ever!

"They're safe in the panic-room inside my room, this panic-room isn't connected to the main air ventilation. But I can't let you leave them there" She answered... A boulder fell from my heart... They're still alive!..

"What about officer Caliber?" Was my mouth's another question.

Rose looked at me with a disapproving face, I felt my heart flinch as she shook her head.

"He didn't made it... I'm sorry Gunner..."

I bucked one of the bodies of the mercs so hard it made a bone cracking sound. I just wanted to cry out but my eyes wouldn't let me. My body won't let me cry as long as Custard and Shrapnel need me. They won't just wait there until I feel better to get up and help. My emotions needs to be put aside for now.

"What about you? You're talking like you're staying" I asked, finally me and not my mouth.

"I am staying... I'm the Overmare and I need to stay here as long as I'm alive" She wasn't talking for serious, right?

"That's nonsense Rose! I'm not leaving you here!"

Rose looked at me with a sad face.

"I'm sorry Gunner" Rose said with a sad tone as she kissed my cheek.

Her horn was glowing red and she telekinticly pushed me out of Medical. I flapped my wings and hovered free of her horn glow. My muzzle bit down on the battle saddle trigger and shot a medical tray next to Rose as a warning shot; to let her know I won't leave her.

"You won't shoot me Gunner. I know you too well to know you love me... You won't dare to hurt me" Rose said with a calm voice.

"No... You're wrong... I rather to die and let the world burn with me as long as you are in danger... You're... Not... STAYING!..." I shouted and bucked a flower pot toward her direction, then I shot at the same medical tray again. She avoided the flower pot but the medical tray flipped from the shot and hit her head directly. Her eyes rolled upwards as she passed out and fell to the floor. I quickly flew to catch her before she bumped her head on the floor.

"No, I'm the one who's sorry Rosey.." Were my last words to her before I mounted her on my back with a couple of tourniquets that I've found, my instinct told me to take some meds. After looting Medical for some meds I flew towards the Overmare's quarters.

The Stable was messy and shots were still sounded, followed by death screams or manical laughs. Usually both... The corridors were bloodier the closer I got to the Overmare quarters. My body stopped to noises that came from a living quarter next to me. I slowly walked closer toward the door and opened it.

My eyes didn't believed the sight: Two mercs apperantly were really horny after a long day of killing. So they did their fucked up threesome with a body of a unicorn dweller. I was disgusted by the sight. They were so loud and into it they didn't even noticed me entering the room. Not even flinched to me cocking my battle saddle with a buck. But they did screamed after I sprayed them until they stopped their fucked up orgy.

I trotted for a while through bodies and ruined furniture and equipment, empty and destroyed guns were scattered all around and bullet shells were covering the floor. I finally reached the Overmare's quarter and looked inside through the opened door. The lights were out and the room was pure darkness. When I fully entered the room my right side was crushed under a buck, my body fell down and another hoof was placed ontop of me from the right side. I tried to get up but a cocking sound that was sounded from my left side freezed me in place. The hooves grounded me as the pony pushed his hooves againt my body and quickly took all of the air out of my lungs... [not again!]... Then he pressed his weight even further down on me.

"Stay down or get shot" A mare said from my left side with a worried but angry voice. The room was dark and I was trapped with other two mercs that were holding me down. One of them locked the door behined me and was about to turn on the lights.

"Don't do anything stupid and I might let you keep your brain inside your head" The mare said in a more calm and more recognisable voice, but my ears were ringing out of the buck and lack of oxygen.

The lights finally lit up as my eyes scanned the room, it wasn't so messy compared to the rest of the Stable, as soon as the lights were present and my eyes adjusted to it the hooves that pressed my lungs empty and kept me pinned to the floor got off me and a gun's hammer was uncocked. They both were surprised of something. Maybe of me hauling the Overmare unconsciousness and tied to my back, or that they won two in one, or just because I made it this far without getting shot. And with my luck it could be that they were about to start some things like the mercs from the living quarters and it just got more interesting for them...

"Gunner?!"

My ears shot up in surprise to the sound of Shrapnel's and Custard's voice. I got up on my hooves and looked at them, Custard and Shrapnel... They were terrified but relieved to see me alive plus with Rose on my back.

"What happened to Rose?" Custard said as she examined Rose. Shrapnel peered outside through the one-sided window, it acted as a mirror from the other side.

"Rose planned on staying in here. I couldn't let her do that..." My voice was a part regretfull and a part confident. "She's is just passed out. I threw a medical tray on her head.." I quickly added to calm Custard down so she wont shoot me for hurting Rose.

"Sorry 'bout that buddy" Shrapnel apologized. a bit ashamed he almost broke my ribcage.

"Don't worry. You did good to protect yourself" I looked at him with a grin, "And to protect Custard here.." I added and looked over at Custard, who looked at me back to the mention of her name. Her cyan eyes looking straight at me.

"Where's Caliber?" Custards voice became very worried, making my heart flinch as I recalled about what happened to him. Should I lie? Will it help if they'll know the truth?

"I'm-I'm sorry Custard... He's in a better place now..." My voice was broken.

Custard's cyan eyes were slowly filling in tears. She shot living things and lost her Stable, now she lost a close friend... She had the right to be sad... She cried into Shrapnel's mane while he embraced her.

"What should we do?" Shrapnel asked.

"Thought it was clear by now: We get out of this death trap, I know that they're paid to kill us. They probably don't know how to use the PipBuck tracking system, but I won't stay here long enough for them to figure it out" I answered with an overly confident voice.

"So we're going to make our way through the Stable. Get out of here and find help in other settelments" Was my answer to Custard's very unsure questioning, she was alot quieter noramlly, but the current situation probably forced the talkish side of Custard out of it's shell.

Shrapnel opened the door and we quickly trotted our way through what was left of Stable 154, as we trotted I heard gunshots from behined us, three mercs were chasing us and they sure looked like they were enjoying the hunt, when we entered the Stable door room, the door was out of place and filled with explosive and bullet holes.

"I would like to get this kind of weapon" Shrapnel joked with a sarcastic voice. We were almost out when my ears jumped in surprise to the sound of automatic gunfire. My hooves suddenly stopped in their tracks and my body forced me to look over my shoulder

My gaze was locked on the horror that seemed like a nightmare: Custard was lying motionless in a pool of blood on the floor.

"NO!!!! YOU FUCKING PSYCHOS!!! LEAVE HER THE FUCK ALONE!!" Roared out of Shrapnel's muzzle as he flew full speed toward one of the three mercs and pushed him backwards. Shrapnel pulled up and let the momentum to splatter the merc and crashed him against the metal walls. The other two mercs were firing upwards to try and kill Shrapnel, but they were terrible shots. I slid into S.A.T.S and targeted the bigger and more armored of the two mercs while time slowed down. My aim was directed toward his chest four times, but my battery couldn't support another well-placed shot, so I marked the first's chest three times and the other merc's head twice and hoped it'll hit them as S.A.T.S was depleted fully.

Two of the three shots went clean through the bigger merc while the third entered into his body but didn't shot out, it was entering in such an angle that the bullet just stopped inside him and probably ripped everything inside his body on it's way. The smaller one's ear was scratched by one of the bullets and made him duck and groan in pain while the second shot completely missed. But Shrapnel landed next to him and pinned him to the floor with a hoof before he could run away. The young merc's barely a stallion... He's in the same age of getting a Cutie-mark! And he's killing ponies for fun! My guess was that one of the other mercs was his father or something, Shrapnel started to buck his face with a forehoof.

"WHAT?... THE?... FUCK?... IS?... WRONG?... WITH?... YOU?..." Shrapnel shouted, every word followed by a buck to the merc's face.

The young merc just looked at him and didn't move. He accepted his own fate and he didn't flinched or even reacted to Shrapnel's hits. And while Shrapnel didn't finished his work, he had better things to do then to murder a foal. Shrapnel quickly flew to Custard and was clearly enraged, she had several bullet wounds to her torso and was bleeding heavily out of them and was shaking in pain, but she was still conscious and still breathing... Barely...

I wasted no time and quickly sorted out a healing potion as my hooves trotted as fast as they could, I reached out and bit off the potion bottle's neck, then I opened Custard's mouth to let the bottle's content pour into it. I used my other hoof to sort out a Med-X that I was able to find in Medical earlier. Using my teeth I sticked the syringe in Custard's side, the bullet holes were slowly mending and her breathing started to steady. The bullets were pushed out of the now mended wounds and Custard let out a relieved sigh and stopped shaking, Shrapnel hugged her and cried.

"Com'on Shrapnel. She'll be fine. But we need to go" My words were deflected off of him and he didn't even moved, he wasn't listening and I'm sure this time he heard me.

"Shrapnel... She's fine... Come on now.." I said whilst stepping once toward him.

He still hugged and embraced her, tears were streaming down his face as he whimpered.

"Shrapnel, we got to go n--"

"FUCK OFF GUNNER!" Shrapnel cutted me off with a scream and looked at me with his golden and tear-soaked eyes, his face was angry and something deep inside me was telling me he really wanted to kill me. And he was on the verge of killing me.

"I'm not leaving you here Shrapnel..." I whispered slowly

Shrapnel's wings flared upwards in anger and he was about to jump and buck my brain out if I won't stop, but we both knew I wouldn't stop. And if it'd come down for this: He'll kill me and I won't even try to fight back.

"Right now you can hate me to the point of decapitating my head off. But until you manage that I need you to be safe. The mercs will be here any second now and they'll fill us full of bullet holes if we won't get out of here. And if I need to push your fat-ass all over Equestria just to keep you safe: I will!" I said with a serious voice that made him flinch and look a bit less threatning.

"And if I need to kill myself to keep you, Custard and Rose safe: I.FUCKING.WILL."

His wings fell limp on the floor, his head hanging in shame and he stopped whimpering.

"She's fine, and she'll stay fine as long as you keep her safe. So keep her out of danger and never put me before her... NEVER!" I was angry on him that he fell apart on me. I knew it's hard to stay strong after whatever that just happened, but I cant leave them both here to die just because Shrapnel wasn't functioning after he saw Custard getting shot.

"Custard's life is in your hooves Shrapnel, and until you get your shit together... your life is in my hooves. I can't let you guys down as long as I'm alive and bucking!"

He looked at me, remorse filled his golden eyes, his gray body shook and his wings were folded in their resting place ontop of his sides.

"You're more then family to me. And you know how much family is important, and you wanna know something?... I never even knew my parents!... This is why you never saw them! My parents died serving the Stable, they did it to keep their loved ones alive... I never knew them, and nopony ever bothered to look up why or how they died. I was raised with no parents, my father's brother raised me my entire life. He had his own fucking problems and after his brother's loss, my father, he totally lost his sanity. But he tried to raise me to make sure my parents didn't die without somepony to continue their legacy. He's now dead after depression killed him, I had everything I could want my entire life, and still I had my mental breakdowns. But I was always helping my closest friends, they are my family..."

I hated self pity now more then ever, but this was the only way to make Shrapnel to take a hold of himself and start listening.

"I-I didn't meant to.." Shrapnel mumbled.

"Don't be sorry, just grab Custard and let's get our tails out of here" I said calmly back, Shrapnel gently picked up Custard as she tried to position herself ontop of him, we walked outside and took our first steps in the Wasteland and I noticed the skeletons were piled up at the side of the door, probably some of the guards 'cleaned up'.

The first thing that happened was that the location 'Stable 154' appeared in both mine and Shrapnel's PipBucks, Shrapnel looked tired and a bit sad, I was just glad we were out of this horrible death-trap, we didn't have a specific direction to go so we just picked a random way and took it.

The first feeling I felt was the cold wind that blew into my mane, it sent shivers down my spine and made my hide to crawl violently, Shrapnel felt the same as he shook his head and his deep-blue mane shook with him and slapped me... We kept walking and were amazed by how large the outside was! We didn't have walls or ceilings to limit us. From what we were told back at the Stable, the Pegasi were flying all over the place and changing the weather 200 years ago. But it seemes a bit fairy tail-ish when you actaully see that the 'clouds' you were told about were alot more like flying bundles of cloth then the solid thing they made it in the books.

Shrapnel was using his mouth to light his lighter and closed it to put the fire out repeatidly, after a while he was bored and he threw it inside one of his many utility barding pockets. The trees and bushes were long dead and naked, after some traveling Shrapnel spotted an old shack on the top of a hill that looked strong enough to stay standing even after all of those years of radiation and Celestia knows what else.

When we entered we learned that the shack had three beds. Two were parallel and the other one was at a weird attic thing. There were two rooms and some old furniture and Unicorn skeleton remains that were scattered on the ground, me and Shrapnel were a bit shocked to see a real skeleton up close. For the first time we saw one from up close that was once a living thing and not a picture or the fake ones back in our First Aid class in Stable 154. After we got the skeleton outside the shack we searched for food and supplies but the shack didn't provide supplies of any sort, except for a safe behined a painting. Shrapnel thought he could pick the lock, he reached to his barding and took out a screwdriver and a bobby pin and started his lock-picking magic. I gently got Rose off me and placed her on one of the beds. I then took Custard off of Shrapnel and helped her to reach the bed, she sat on the bed and was still under the Med-X effects, she looked around with drug-wide eyes and slow blinks.

"There's only one more bed, when you finish with the safe you better sleep, I'll guard" I told Shrapnel.

"What?... N-no... I'm fine... You better catch some sleep yourself..." He said with a confused tone and a very surprised look.

His gaze fell down and he looked like he was thinking about something, his face told me he knew something and that something wasn't good, but I didn't asked anything about it as he resumed to unlock the safe.

"It's not up for debate. You'll need rest after you spent the night on the floor next to my room" I ordered and walked inside the pretty empty and small side-room that was once a restroom, I really needed to take a break to refresh... The toilet was old and with no water stream, but we won't stay here for long. Just for now until Custard and Rose will feel better to travel, I took off my battle saddle and sat down to refresh, after a while Shrapnel walked on me...

"Whoaa... S-sorry buddy..." He said as he covered his eyes with a hoof and turned around back to the main room of the shack

After sitting there embarresed and waiting for nature to finish his business, I fetched my battle saddle and put it on me as I walked toward the main room, Shrapnel was sharing the bed with Custard, he nuzzled her slowly as she sleeped in his embrace. He was awake but so tired that he barely moved.

Rose was still unconsciousness on the bed in the other side of the room, directly opposite from Custard's and Shrapnel's bed. She was covered in a Stable blanket that my mind suspected Shrapnel took from the Overmare's quarter... I did had a bed for myself but chose to stay guard, it was afternoon when we left Stable 154. Now it was already night when Custard and Shrapnel were nuzzling and kissing as my gaze wandered outside through the cracks on the walls.

Suddnely the thought hit me.

We're the last ponies from Stable 154... my mind told me.

Exactly, that's why I have to stay strong..for the others, as long as we find another Stable or settelment to make it our new home, we'll be fine.

What makes you think there are places to stay, or even accept us... If the world out here's like those mercs back at 154... You made a huge mistake the second you left My mind replied... As the argument inside me just went on, it did stopped to the sounds of Custard and Shrapnel starting to... Do stuff.....

"Guys... Quit it" was my reaction to make them stop before it gets too romantic...

"You better get some sleep... You look terrible, Shitface." Shrapnel said after realizing that I was still in the room.

"Yeah. You should rest for a while" Custard added as she stopped nuzzling Shrapnel's deep blue mane and looked at me with her penetrating cyan eyes. She still looked a bit drugged from the Med-X from earlier but was sober enough to communicate [And to have some time with Shrapnel...] The Med-X was so strong that she acted like a dead pony even hours after I injected her body with it, she could see and hear but she couldn't feel anything for the entire time, until now I guess.

"No. I'll stay guard tonight" I countered, feeling a little tired but still in shape to stay up and protect them for a while.

"Come on Shitface! be reasonable: You can't be awake the whole night! You need to rest and refresh yourself!" Shrapnel said

"I-I need to think about... Something..." was my only words this night as Shrapnel knew he couldn't force me to sleep, and he was too tired to even try.

I walked outside and took a big look at the sky, the moon was shining and illuminating everything in the area, rocks... Dead trees... It was stunning me and forcing me to stare for a while... It was so magical and in the same time so threatning...

"Whoa there... Can't let Nightmare moon take me..." I whispered to myself, sounds of what my mind wished weren't what it sounded like came from inside the shack, how can Custard and Shrapnel even think about doing that after this messed up day?... I figured they both were lost in their own problems back inside the Stable... Custard was a quiet pony and didn't had many friends, me and Shrapnel met her after we scared off a bully who bucked and laughed at her for not getting a Cutie-mark in time, she was the last one to get a Cutie-mark and she never was confident in pretty much anything in her entire life. Shrapnel lost his parents for nothing but hatred... So if being together will help them get over whatever's happening, they can do that whenever they want to... Well... Whenever I'm not in line of sight...

It was midnight when they stopped their time together. Luna be damned they have some passion [And one hell of a stamina...] to each other... I entered the shack and really hoped that I won't catch them in the whatever they did, but I saw them both sleeping, infact they were sleeping so heavily that they didn't even flinched when the door closed in a very squeaky fashion.

Rose was in the same position on her bed as before, a thought crossed my mind that the medical tray might've done a permanent brain damage to her. But after a closer look at her PipBuck, I saw that her health status screen showed she was asleep rather then passed out, but probably didn't woke up yet.

Moving my look from Rose to Shrapnel and Custard, my first thought was one that I just can't deny:

No matter what happens... I will keep them safe

After looking at my PipBuck I started scrolling down on my sorting list to check my equipment: Five healing potions. Some painkillers of several sorts. And some bandages were classified under 'Aid and meds'. It showed some ammo belts for my battle saddle, three grenades and some pistol clips under 'Ammunition'. And the backup pistol and my battle saddle were under 'Weapons' . Why and how the hell weapons were sorted in my PipBuck? Some of my old stuff from the Stable were still listed though, like my weapon-moding multi-tool and some spare parts I always kept in my pockets, but it won't mean nothing out here in the Wasteland.

Something that really annoyed me was that everything had the word 'CAPS' and a number next to it, and it appeared the second I stepped a hoof out of 154, maybe it was a glitch? Could PipBucks even have glitches? My mind stopped thinking about those 'CAPS' after it gave me a serious headache. It was late night when my eyes began to close every few minutes, I shook my head everytime they tried to shut, but it didn't helped my headache at all. Instead I started to look for a way to entertain myself to stay awake, after ten minutes of playing with a  small rock, I decided to look outside at the passing clouds in the sky through the cracks of the shelter's walls, an hour passed and my body was so tired I just let him fall asleep.

I woke up in a dark and cold room, lights flickered as my eyes were locked on four ponies: Custard, Shrapnel, Caliber and Rose. They were standing in a circle around me. They all looked at me with disturbing and creepy smiles, suddenly the floor under Caliber opened and he fell inside, I let out a scream as he fell down... My head turned around on it's own and my eyes were shocked, Custard was getting beaten to death by the mercs... I tried to run to help her, tears in my eyes, but my hooves weren't there! nor my body! or anything!.. Like I wasn't there!.. Then I was forced to watch Shrapnel's parents dying slowly and painfully on the floor as he just watched and cried for somepony to help and save them, he stopped crying and turned around slowly and look straight at me with an angry and broken face..

"YOU COULD'VE SAVED THEM!!!" Shrapenl screamed in a demonic voice.

"Shrapnel?... I-I don't..." My mouth said without my permission, though this is how I would have reacted.

"YOU FUCKING SELFISH AND CARELESS FUCK!!!" He screamed again in a louder and more demonic voice, my body flinched in pain as I felt my body getting crushed under his hooves, my body suddenly was replaced by the young merc's body and my face looked up at Shrapnel, he was bucking me in my face and chest and he enjoyed every buck more then the former... His eyes were totally black and filled with anger.

My vision went black as he bucked me harder and I woke up in the same room from earlier. My eyes focused on Rose, she was looking at me with her cute face, her red eyes were part covered by her black mane and she was smiling a small and inviting smile.

"Ro-Rose?" was all I could say. She motioned me with a hoof to get closer, and my body did so without me even wanting to, but it wasn't me..my body was covered in blood and filth and I was wearing something that looked like animal fur..it was the body of a primitive and murderous pony! was this how my mind pictured me?

"If you really loved me. You would've left me back at the Stable... I knew all along that you will hurt me just to think of yourself... You deserve a better torture then the excuse for a tickle that the drug was..." She said with a very calm and warm voice as her gazed wandered away from me, like she was happy to say all of that, like I chose wrong by taking her with me so she won't be raped and killed... She suddenly looked at me and whispered something that made my heart stop:

"I never loved you...".

I looked at her with tears filling my eyes, was it really happening?, the same bucking feeling from the merc back in Medical was replayed on my face, but this buck was stronger.

"Another buck.." Rose ordered, the merc nodded and bucked me again.

I quickly got up by my own screaming, panting and sweating. It was just a nightmare...

Shrapnel and Custard got up from my screaming, they panicked at first but calmed down when they saw everything was fine..

"What happened?!" Shrapnel jumped off the bed and shot his wings up, Custard was still in bed and looked to see if Rose was still sleeping, she still was in the same position as I placed her.

"Just... Just a nightmare.." I succedded saying over my violently shaking body.

"Want to talk about it?" Custard said with a weak voice.

"No.." Was my reply as I bucked the door open, going out to breath something better then the dirt inside the shack. I needed some time for myself.

I watched at the horizon as the sun rised. My mind just kept thinking about the nightmare, was it how I felt about myself? Was it how I think others see me? I just couldn't think of anything specific as in the distance my eyes caught a pony being chased by five poorly armed ponies. I didn't wait a second as I launched into air and flew towards them, three stopped immediatly after they spotted me and started shooting bullets at my direction, are all Wastelanders bad shots?... The other two kept their chase like it was a sport... Oh... Wait..

I bit my muzzle trigger and shot my battle saddle to try and hit one of them, and did managed to land a hit on the forehoof of a raider as he screamed in agony, the raiders stopped to see what happened to their friend. What a stupid mistake...

I stopped and hovered above them as I slid into S.A.T.S, time slowed down and E.F.S quickly marked the two still healthy raiders, the injured raider was already taking cover behined a rock as the other two realized how doomed they were.

I targeted the two raiders and started shooting with no specific limb or place to hit as I excuted the spell. One the raiders got his eye blowned-off and my stomach was trying to get out of my throat. The second raider got shredded when he tried to reload, the bullets went clean through his chest and knocked him backwards six or seven meters. The injured raider tried to blind fire with his teeth but making his head visible in the process and making himself an easy target for me.

I bit down on the muzzle trigger and shot twice while his head blew into pieces. My stomach won the battle and sent me vomiting all over the place. After several waves of vomiting mostly stomach liquids I went after the two remaining raiders. They didn't went that far away when E.F.S spotted them three hundred meters from where they have been last time. I flapped my wings and launched myself into the air and flew as fast as I could.

When I reached shooting range E.F.S was suggeting to start spraying runs. The first spray run was useless: All I managed to hit was only rocks and dirt, after doubling-back behined the raiders I focused the second spray run on the closest raider to me and turned him into a meat sack after just a dew bullets, it was gross but my stomach was too empty to throw up again. It was now me after a raider after the poor pony, hunter became the hunted had never been more litteral.

The hunted pony was a black unicorn with dark purple mane. He suddenly stopped and turned around, pouncing back at the raider and bucking him in the chest and neck two quick hits. The raider went down like a dull as the unicorn jumped off of him and started panting. Judging by the position of his body he was ready to put me down as well. I hovered in place not so far from him.

"Whoa there, I saw you needed help" Were my first words to the black unicorn. His left eye had a nasty from his forehead all the way to his cheek. He was full of bruises and wounds and he looked spent, he laughed as a response.

"Wh-Why are you laughing?" I asked

"Helping me? 'Say it was why ya killed those fuckers. But what is it for ya?" He added with a chuckle.

I just looked at him weird for a long minute.. "Wha-what? I don't want any payment! I saw you needed help so I--"

"Look, kid. 'Prreciate that but if ya have nothin' worth saying just get yer tail out of here before they send more hunters" The black unicorn cutted me off. He wasn't very polite, but then again he was being hunted by those phsycos and was just helped by a random pegasus.

"Why were they hunting you?" I asked and landed as he tried to trot away.

"The fuckers don't need a reason" He answered with another chuckle after looking over his shoulder and right at me "Where have ya lived this time?... In a Stable?"

"Yes.." I whispered, showing him my blue and yellow Stable barding. The numbers '154' printed on the back and collar.

"What now?" He blinked in confusion.

"I'm fresh out of Stable 154. Those mercs attacked us and killed everypony inside, except me and some others".

"Shit... Look, I'm sorry. But ya better get the fuck outta here kiddo" was his respond "What's yer name by the way. Kid?" He added.

"Gu-Gunner" My muzzle spat out as the sudden exhaustion started to grow and the adrenaline started to wear off .

"Gunner? Alright kiddo. Ya better go and meet Grip, he knows me and he owes me one. Look fer him in Ponyville's outskirts, he has his own little camp of his. Tell him I sent ya" The unicorn smiled and added "Oh. And if he asks about payment buckshit or something? Tell 'em I'll pay next time.." He said with a wink with his good eye and was about to trot off.

"What's your name?" I tried to shout, he didn't heared me and trotted away.

"Quite the 'badass' he is..." I said to myself with a mocking chuckle. My hooves started walking back to the shelter when my body fell down, my vision blurred and I fainted out of physical and mental exhaustion.

"Let me see him.."

"Rose. Don't take it too hard on him though... He did wh--"

"I DONT CARE SHRAPNEL! I dont care why he did it."

There was a stop and a gulp.

"I do care to know what in Celestia's name made him do that! I want to know why he's so stupid for even doing that!.."

I woke up to the sounds of argument... Why not?... My eyes slowly opened and I realized that we were in the shack. My eyes picked up Shrapnel blocking Rose's way to me, she was pissed on me and I could tell that even without her shouting all over the place.

"...Throwing a medical tray on me to disable me. Kidnappes me and then he is passing out in the middle of nowhere where he murdered other ponies!..." Rose screamed at Shrapnel. I was glad Shrapnel was in the way, otherwise she would have been choking me to death by now. She tried to move Shrapnel aside but he was too big for her to even try, he was slightly bigger then average after all.

"Let me see if he's alright.." Rose said with a more calm and caring tone.

"Sorry Rose... I aprreciate you're trying to help but you already tried to hurt him.." Shrapnel answered..

SHE WHAT?!...

Rose?... Tried to hurt me?!...

"What's going on?" I said in very weak voice. I sat down on the bed and was greeted by the most happy face from Shrapnel and Custard, and happily for me I couldn't see Rose.

"You got us worried there Gunner.." Custard said from the opened doorway.

"Welcome back buddy!.." Shrapnel said with a very relieved and happy voice, Rose pushed Shrapnel away and made him fall with the help of her telekinetic, Custard tried to catch him but she was so small and weak next to him she almost got crushed under his weight. Rose looked at me with the angriest face I have ever had the mis-pleasure to see on a pony's face in my entire life.

She levitated the backup gun from my barding's sidepack and pointed it towards me. My eyes widened in shock but my body was too weak to do anything. If she really wanted to shoot me I had no way to protect myself.

"Give me one good reason not to blow your head off Gunner.." She hissed with a very angry tone that assured me she wanted to shoot me.

I just looked down and said nothing.

"That's what I thought..." Rose said as she cocked the gun's hammer with her telekinetic and pressed it against my forehead.

I didn't even flinched as I whispered in a calm voice. "You can shoot me... I would understand..".

She pressed the gun harder against my forehead and hissed louder "That's the problem with you! Care only about us! You don't give a flying fuck about yourself! You hurt yourself when you're helping us! And I can't live with the idea that you almost died out there just to save somepony you don't even know!" As she continued, each word was softer and calmer then the previous...

"I'm no longer your Overmare anymore. So you can stop acting like you really care for me" She quickly tried to hold back her tears "You're ready to die for us... For me..." She whimpered to herself

The gun dropped out of her leviation field as the mare jumped and hugged me while tears started to fall down from her eyes, she was really heart-broken.

Custard and Shrapnel looked at me with shocked expressions as they didn't knew how to react to Rose's change of mood. Is this all a dream? Am I still in Stable 154 and everypony's still alive? Or is it really happening and Rose is really suffering right now?

"Don't cry Rose... I'm sorry for what I did to you. But remember back at the unused quarters? You said that if you ever could do anything to make it up for me you would?" I asked Rose, her deep-red eyes looking straight into mine.

"Yes.." Rose nodded as I wiped a tear off her cheek. A deja vu struck my mind as the situation became very familliar.

"So you just did. I want you promise me this one thing: That no matter what, never pick me over yourself or Custard or Shrapnel" I said with a very confident and serious but in the same time very calm and reassuring voice.

Rose slowly nodded her head, Shrapnel looked at me with a raised eyebrow and opened his mouth like he was about to say something, but quickly closed his muzzle in a second thought, Custard was still surprised in general.

"Ya finished with yer ass-kissing back there?" a voice sounded from outside.

"Yes Seth Shadow... Come in" Shrapnel said, clearly annoyed to remember the presence of the pony who he just invited inside

The black unicorn entered the shack and looked at me with his one good eye.

"Welcome back to the world of the living kiddo" He said with his signature chuckle.

"Thank you very much for bringing him back to us! how can we return you the favor?" Custard said with a cute little smile.

Seth looked back at Custard with a grin "No need fer that ma'am. The kid already payed his part" he said as he moved his gaze back to me and the grin broke into a smile. "We're equal now. Eh kiddo?" he said with a little stomp and a snicker.

"What're you talking about? Where and when have you guys met?" Rose looked worried, she probably thought that I made myself new and very [Very...] obnoxious friends.

"Not so long ago. The kiddo took a real good care of some not-so-friendly ponies back there. Helped me out to put them to sleep if ya catch my meaning" Rose looked at me like I needed to explain why I just went on a random rampage of killing some random raiders to help a random and very [VERY...] impolite unicorn... Wow this was random...

"How'd I got up here anyways?" I tried to move the conversation topic as soon as possible.

"I hauled yer little tail up here. It was the least I could do if I was going to keep ya alive" Seth Shadow responded, I looked at him with a thankful smile.

"Thank you. Can I ask you a question?" I asked the black unicorn

"Sure thing" He replied with a grin.

"Why were you being hunted by those raiders?" I quickly said after.

His face turned very serious and annoyed "Ugghh, alright... I'm from a camp. Four hours trot or six hours by walking directly east from here. We're three hundred or so and we're trying to live our lives, I'm from the warriors of the camp and those little fucks attacked us two days ago. They kidnapped everyone they could so they could sell them for slave traders.." He stopped to Rose's and Custard's shocked gasps "...But they decided to 'enjoy' with some of the prisioners if ya catch my meaning, I was sent to free whomever I could... But you saw how well that ended".

He's from a camp not too far from here!... We could settle down there!..

Wait a second there Gunner.. my mind told me you just learnt they are getting attacked by raiders!..you cant bring Rose into there!

Right...so what are we doing?...I think I know what to do!

Oh no, I know what you are thinking about. You are a stupid pony Gunner... A *very stupid pony!* my mind said in protest to my idea.

"I'm going to help. But this time it is going to be more of a deal. A favor if you'd like to call it. We'll help you with your raider problem, and we'll get a place in your camp in return" I said with a bartering voice, my three companions' faces all shot up with shocked faces. I got pretty much the same respond from all of them:

"You're what now Gunner?!"

"Gunner? You ain't thinking straight buddy"

"Umm, are you sure about that Gunner? It sounds very dangerous!"

"I'm very aware of the danger. But this is our best shot! Maybe even the only shot to get a somewhat peacefull life! Where those mercs won't find us. And I can't expect them to take you guys in without doing something back, plus I won't let raiders to endager your's or others' lives. So why not hit two apples with the same hoof?".

"Wait, what do you mean by 'take you guys in'? You are coming with us! You have to!" Shrapnel insisted. Rose looked at me with the same look I gave her back at Stable 154, when she tried to convince me she is staying.

"Guys... I am coming with you, but I need to make sure you're safe first." I told them with a sigh, they were sick of the kitsch too...

"You guys aren't replaceable..." I stopped and gulped "But I am..."

Is it just me or that the kitsch-meter is higher then regular?

"What?" Rose screamed "No!... You're not replaceable! There's only one you!.."

"But so there are only one Rose, one Shrapnel, and one Custard... I prefer to die for you then live on without you..."

Yup... Kitsch-meter levels are peaking right now... But this was the only way I could describe it.

"Ugghh, it's nice and all; But I can't" Seth said with a part disgusted tone... He isn't a fan of a sticky and cheesy conversations...

"What do you mean you can't?" I asked with a very aggresive voice, I cant let them roam this Wasteland!... We're barely a day out and we're deep in trouble already! With no food or water in a random filthy shack and our only hope is the home of a very [VERY] obnoxious unicorn.

"It isn't me ya need for that, I'm just a warrior like I said: Ya should talk to Storm, he's nice if you know him but some say he is a bit crazy... Even if ya make it to 'Twilight camp' I'm afraid that they wont let ya in. And let's say Storm is feeling kind and letting ya'll inside. There aren't much supplies like ya're probably used to, say like in a Stable. Food is very limited and we're using it as efficent as we can, and we're getting robbed by those fuckers everytime so the food is getting more and more scarce. I'm afraid ya wont be able to join 'Twilight Camp'.

"What?!" I asked "You can't be serious!".

"Dead serious kiddo.." He answered as he walked down the hill and was on his way back to Twilight Camp, we followed him... Well I followed him as the others tried to convince me to give up about the camp.

"But-but... I offered to help you with the raiders! If nopony is stealing your food, there's enough for us aswell!" I tried to sound reasonable, he chuckled his usual chuckle.

"I wish, but as ya said: Ya're fresh out of a Stable. Ya can't beat four hundred or so raiders, that are well armed and very experienced in killing stupid enough ponies to fuck with them, like ya... No offense".

Ouch.

"I can try! if I'm not in the camp so why would you care? why would you care if I live or die!?"

"Because!.." he hissed as he turned around quickly with an angry stomp, "If ya'll fail... And ya WILL. They'll attack us to replenish their lost equipment and supplies from the battle, or to retaliate, or even just fer FUN!"

I knew he was right, but I couldn't dismiss the option to help others in need and to protect my friends!

"Look, kid... We'll get to Twilight camp and then ya'll talk to Storm about that little idea of yars, if he agrees: Good fer ya, if he isn't: I just can't help, it's as simple as that"

We were walking after Seth Shadow, who seemed very tired by now.

That's when my mind really processed what was happening.

Your life won't be the same ever again...never..everypony back at Stable 154 is dead, it seemed like a second passed when I got bucked in the head by the merc back at medical, but it was alot more then a second, five hours or so..Luna knows how much they have killed in that time?!

You are the only survivors of this Stable, all the others have suffered enough to die in this stupid Wasteland, you on the other hoof can save them from suffering more

My mind was right: There are ponies who still need my help, I'm replaceable: If I die. Rose and the others will forget me eventually, but you can't forget the innocent victim, the unreplaceable.

The trauma they'll take from seeing me die will be heavy but it's better then getting them shot or killed, if I'll have to: I'll kill whoever it takes to keep the three of them alive. I just knew that no matter how I will save others, I don't want to be called a 'Hero' once again... I'm here to help others and that's it... I never knew why I do that, or what makes me do that: I just dd.

We started walking in midnoon, it's now starting to get dark, and after walking for couple of hours Rose started to barely stay on her hooves.

"Are you feeling alright Rose?" I asked.

"Yes... Don't-don't mind it... I-I'm fine..." She replied, I quickly grabbed her with my forehooves and wings and placed her on my back.

"What are you doin--" She tried to say as I hushed her with a wing.

"Just rest now, don't you worry about me" I said with a caring tone, Seth made a chuckle noise at our little moment.

Rose wasn't very comfortable with me hauling her on my back, but she was so weak from not eating well for a while and fell asleep like a little filly after five minutes. Her slow and warm breathing on my neck and mane felt good in the cold late afternoon.

It was sunset when we were about three hours walk from Twilight camp, Rose was sleeping on my back as Shrapnel and Custard walked beside us, nuzzling... Can they stop sniffing each other already? I never had a marefriend before, Rose is my first one and probably the only one I'll have... Even though I'm not even sure she really does considering us as a couple. Even if we are; I prefer to haul her on my back rather then to sniff her mane every time I can.

"Hello there Rose" I whispered over my shoulder when I felt her waking up.

"Hello Gunner..." Rose replied weakly.."I hope that I'm not too heavy for you..." She said with a weak snicker.

"Nope, you're just too perfect Rosey..." I whispered to her with a cheesy voice. When I looked back at her, her cheeks were blushing so hard they almost looked like she grew a second pair of eyes.

"I still need to.... You know..."  She ran a playful hoof on the top of my wing "Make it up for you" Rose whispered in my ear with an even cheesier voice then mine.  I felt my cheeks go hotter as they blushed even harder then Rose.

"I hope you're hungry love" She whispered with a teasy voice.

"Wh-why?" I mumbled for a second.

"Because you'll get to taste me..." Rose whispered with a lewd voice.

This made my whole body to blush so hard that my hide became almost red-orange instead of the regular light-brownish color. My heart started to beat harder and I felt my muzzle break into a grin as she nibbled my right ear. My wings flared upwards, that's the problem with wings: They show their host's feelings. If you're angry, sad, happy or the worst: Sexually aroused... It's called a wingboner.

Is she teasing me or she is serious?! Was my mind's first thought. The second was Celestia,thank you! . The third was I'm not sure about that...

"Wh-what?" I stammered weakly back at her. Trying to sound surprised but keeping my voice low, folding back my wings so the others wont suspect anything.

"You heard me love, we're going to have a bit of a 'together time' you and I" She whispered with another nibble..

Yup!... She's teasing me for sure.

Or is she? My mind thought for a second She might mean it this time

Even after all of this time? After all those teases back at 154?, that answer pretty much hushed my mind for good.

"What'd you mean?" Was my answer. Of all the questions in the world... Can I ask something more idiotic?!.

"You know what I mean exactly... And I promise this'll make it up for you"

So she was just trying to make it up for me... Not out of real feelings for me.

Does she think I'm this kind of pony? I don't see what's the buzz about 'paying with sex' shit...

"Although... I do promise I'll enjoy it too..." She said "And this is the least I can do to show you just how important you are to us. To me.."

My wingboner started raging right now and even my nethers made themselves noticeable.

"You aren't replaceable. What makes you think that?" Rose asked, a bit sadder.

"Because the three of you have been through hell. You need a helping hoof to guide you, I'm yet to suffer such horrible things, Shrapnel's parents... Custard's sociality problems... Your anxiety..."

"Yes... But it all happened back in the Stable. This is the Wasteland... This is a different world!" she countered..

"That's why you'll need me: Out here you'll encounter other problems and things then in 154! Worse ones. Another stress or mental damage you guys will have. It... It'll destroy you! I'm yet to be in that stage, or... At least I'm pretty sure I'm not in that stage..." I said with an inconfident tone.

"So don't ruin yourself, I need you more then a companion or a body guard, I need you as my friend.." She paused, I could feel she was about to cry. "I need you as my buckfriend... I love you..." She whimpered..

I didn't knew how to feel. On one hoof I was dancing on the sun with Celestia out of happiness. On the other hoof I felt a cringe, like I have failed myself... I can't just hurt myself for Rose, she'll need me... Since we were foals I knew I had something for her, I liked her since our first meeting, but I never thought that I'll hear her say that. She truly loved me, I finally had somepony who cares for me... But she always said how much she cared for me, so why do I feel it just now? This feelings are meaning another thing: I can't let anything hurt her, I need to be strong for Rose... I need to do my part.

I'm the one who needs to lead this group through this Wasteland.

Chapter 3 - A Glimpse Of Hope

I can't give up now, I just can't give up now...

We were less then an hour walk from Twilight camp. At least according to Seth who looked like he's on the verge of passing out any moment now. It was night already and everything was dark, but the moon has yet to illuminate everything in his full glory that represented Luna's smile in every foal-tale or legend.

Rose tried to convince me she could walk, but I insisted to haul her until we reach Twilight Camp. Even if she could walk and she clearly couldn't; I felt her stomach grumble every few second and her body was shaking out of weakness. She haven't ate for almost three days now. Besides, I just wanted to be close to her and because her body radiated warmth that was nice and calming, mostly of her being Rose...

After a while she accepted the fact she won't got off me until we reach the camp, so she hugged my neck and nuzzled my mane. Now I know why Custard and Shrapnel are always doing that; It's so much better when it's your better half doing that. She began to rub her face against the back of my neck to warm me up.

After a while Rose's body became alot calmer, Her hooves stopped holding onto my neck and she went limp against my back. At first I was worried, but after looking behined me I saw Rose was smiling at me. She trusted me that I won't let her fall as her body tried to catch some sleep. I was happy she was about to sleep again; We had a bit of a road ahead and I just loved the feeling of her breathing on my mane and neck.

"How're you doing Gunner?" Shrapnel asked quitely. I noticed that Custard weren't beside him but ontop of him, sleeping.

My first and only guess was that Custard got tired and Shrapnel's solution was to haul her just like I'm doing with Rose. So now me and Shrapnel hauled Custard and Rose... Custard was sleeping on Shrapnel and Rose was sleeping on me.

"I'm fine. Figured Rose needed some rest for her hooves" I chuckled.

"Yeah... Custard's very tired of all of this crap, so she needed some sleep too" he said with a little grin "Sooo, how'd you think Twilight camp'll be? you think it's any good?"

I really didn't knew how it'll be, so I replied what I thought.

"I really don't know, but it is our best shot to spare Rose and Custard from this wasteland, and hopefully you and me", he looked at me with an understanding face, as much as I could see his face in the darkness.

After walking in the darkening deserts Shrapnel started to search something in his PipBuck, sighing in frustration after he seemingly didn't found what he was after.

"Those fucking PipBucks aren't equipped with a light or something?!" Shrapnel said, more complaining then acutally asking me.

"Yes! It's a new feature called a 'Flashlight' Shrapnel... Oh, look what a surprise! It's activated by the big button called 'Flashlight' on your PipBuck!" I mocked him with an overly sarcastic voice, he usualy slept in PipBuck operating class at stable 154... He pressed the falshlight button right after I pressed it on my own PipBuck and he smiled an unamused smile.

"I know you're thinking 'bout the PipBuck classes back at 154, I can see it on your big ugly face Shitface" he said with a sarcastic smile.

"Look who's talking" I said with a grin.

"We're here kiddo" Seth suddenly stopped on the top of a hill and said without even looking at us, we walked up the hill he stood on and we saw Twilight camp. A large compound sorrunded by improvised barricade-wall-thing made out of old pieces of metal and wood. The compound was about seven hundred meters in diameter and it was a poor-shaped circle. Some old and mostly improvised buildings between the compound's walls decorated the inside. We could see some campfires in some places and some cabins inside used their chimneys. Armed guards were patroling on the improvised wall-like barricade.

Seth Shadow started walking toward the improvised giant gate that was facing us. I gulped and quickly thought that this camp may not be a very nice place to stay. But it was too late to return the stable, or really anywhere infact.

"Barrel! Deadmeat!" Seth Shadow shouted as he slowly advanced towards the giant door.

"I'll be damned... It's Seth!" One of the guards on duty said in a surprised and happy voice. He sounded a bit off, like he wasn't the pony I would choose to travel with or even sleep next door to.

"Holy fuck! I thought we fucking lost you!" Another stallion said, but from inside the camp, his voice was wierd somehow, but I just couldn't put my hoof on it.

"Not so easily" Seth Shadow joked.

"Stay clear!" A guard ontop of the gate said as he was doing something that looked like operating a terminal, the gate started to open upwards as a loud sound made Rose panic and grab my mane hard like she was about to fall from the sudden noise.

"Ro-Rose! that's my mane!" I cried out and tried to be heard beyoned the ear-fucking sound that the was coming from the gate, the guards and Seth Shadow didn't even flinched while me and my companions fought to stay consiousness from the Goddesses-loud ass-blasting noise that was sounding from the gate.

When the gate finaly opened after twenty seconds, that passed like years for me, I panted in relief and my ears rang in such way that I thought was the end of my hearing sense. My head banged like it was being hammered non-stop.

A green colored guard walked towards me and my three suffering companions as he smiled at us. I tried to talk but even standing was a challenge when your ears are about to fall off and run away.

Rose tried to tell me something, but when I turned around I saw that the tips of her hooves were covered in blood! The guard sticked a syringe into my side that made me scream my whole vocabulary of swears, but of course I didn't heard it. After a couple of seconds everything was alot better and my ears stopped ringing, I could stand without the sudden feeling of falling over and my head didn't hurted like hundreds upon hundreds of hangovers.

The guard injected every single one of us, and after a few seconds of confusion, he said in a calm and reassuring voice. "I'm very sorry about that, some asshole kept the ear-alarm on, those syringes are used to reduce the after-effects of it, I'm Barrel by the way" the green stallion said as he looked at us with his light purple eyes.

"Thank you, what the hell was that anyways?" I said as I shoved a hoof into my ear, feeling blood coming down from it.

"Like I said, an ear-alarm. Everypony in here has an ear implant that let us stay, well... Rather untouched when it goes off" he turned his ear towards me and showed me a bulge under his ear.

"But somepony inside is going to get a little talk for this bad first impression" He said as he looked with a very angry look at another young stallion behined him, that was smiling a guilty smile at us. He looked much like Barrel, but smaller and had lighter colors...

"Does it have any permanent damage?" I felt the urge to ask.

Barrel laughed a hearty laugh "No, no..but it can be not so lovely to hear. Never heared it in my entire life but as you just witnessed it can't be very fun"

"That's one way to introduce how safe you can be inside" Rose said with a lady-like tone as she scratched her ear out of pain, still ontop of my back and still holding my mane not-so-gently.

"Anyway, I guess you would want to get inside. We would love to assist you" Barrel said with a smile.

"Thank you, we're here to talk with Storm" I said.

Barrel's face suddenly turned a touched surprised and he backed away a step "Wh-why?"

"Well, we want to talk to him about staying here: we need a place to stay after all" Shrapnel replied before I could say anything.

Barrel's face turned smiling again as he heard that we're planning on staying, he sure looked like he was happy to help travelers in need "If so I won't disturb you. But some guards will accompany you, for safety measures only".

We entered inside Twilight Camp, we walked between the improvised cabin-like shelters inside the camp and got alot of attention from the natives. They looked a bit neglected, but they seemed surprisingly happy.

Some foals looked at us wierd, probably because Rose was still on my back. Two guards came out of a door that was connected with a small corridor to the inside of the improvised wall, probably a stair-case that's leading upwards to the top of the wall.

"This way please" one said, I quickly noticed that all of the guards had similliar outfits, and a weird three gears crossed by a horn with wings symbol were printed everywhere on their equipment and weapons, probably representing that they were guard's property.

The camp was pretty organized, ponies were walking around in their own business but all of them, with not exception, stopped to look at us and trade whispers.

After reaching to the middle of the town, we stopped infront of a large stone-brick bulding, the impressive part was that it looked like it was a real building even before the war, but it was poorly repaired with scarp in someplaces.

"Inside please" the other guard said, I noticed that they were wearing an army ballistic helmet, and their armor was a kevlar-vest with army-fatigue looking cloths, did they built this whole town from the ground up? everything was made out of scrap and improvised building job except the equipment and the building infront of us...

Whoever they were, they really know their stuff when it comes down to buildings. As we walked inside the doors I tried to signal Rose that she can get off of me, but she was probably scared to move away from me and I can't blame her, everything felt really off and I didn't knew why...

The giant building's doors swinged open slowly,  we entered inside to the very decorated hallway, a red carpet was covering the wooden floor and some old pictures were hanged on the walls and the entire room was lit by candles, and a small familiar-looking door was down the hall.

"He's waiting for you. Make it quick, he's a very busy individual" the first guard said as he entered a code into a terminal mounted on the wall next to the door.

"Thanks. We will" Custard said, she was walking on her own, but Rose was still on my back.

"Rose, you can get off me now" I whispered over my shoulder.

"I-I don't feel very well" Rose replied in a sick voice, I really started to worry about her condition...

"Hang in there, we'll find some food in here I'm sure" I tried to comfort her as we waited for the doors to open.

When the guard finished entering what seemed like a hundred-letters long code, I realized why the door was so familliar: after looking closer at the door I noticed it had Stable-Tec's logo on it! the door finally sounded an unlocking voice and it opened just like a door in Stable 154! but I had no time to wonder why or how a Stable-Tec door was outside of a Stable..hell...in here!

Inside the room was a light-blue Earth pony stallion, he had a black mane with a white stripe on the tip of his mane, he wore a formal suit and he held a coffee mug in one hoof, sitting behined a desk. The room looked like an office, it had everything that an office need.

There were bookshelves covering the walls and the stallion's desk was messy and filled with papers and a terminal was resting next to him, it looked similliar to the Security elder's office back at Stable 154 but everything had the three gears symbol that the guards are bearing.

At this moment my mind was sure that everything was just a bad dream, everything looked like Stable 154. It felt more like a nightmare then real life, but I played along anyways: If it's a nightmare I will wake up eventually in the stable to another boring day and find Caliber, the elder, my co-workers back in SM... They're all still alive. Rose's still the Overmare. Custard and Shrapnel are still nuzzling each other whenever they can...[Well some things can't change]... I was snapped out of my dreaming cloud to the light blue stallion's voice.

"Please have a seat" he insisted as he took a swig from his coffee mug.

Shrapnel and Custard sat down on the chairs infront of the desk, I stood behined them with Rose still on my back.

"Why won't you take a seat mate? You look like shite, no offense" The stallion said, his accent weird and very heavy. It reminded a bit Rose's accent but not quite the same.

"My friend here... She isn't feeling very well" I said as I turned around to show him Rose, but I tried to hide my wings for some stupid reason.

"Well then. You sure are a gentlestallion. So why you lads need my help?" He asked with an interested tone and a raised eyebrow.

"I... Well... Gunner here have this stupid idea" Shrapnel said before I could say anything.

"Perhaps, let's hear it shall we?" The light-blue stallion asked with the same interested voice.

"I wan't to help you with your raider problem, and a place for my three companions and me in return"

"Celestia be damned you're one of a kind aren't you?" He whispered to himself with a very deep tone, like he saw Luna herself infront of him.

"What do you mean 'one of a kind'?" I replied out of curiosity.

"Are you out of your damned mind mate? They'll tear you apart the second they'll see you!.." he retorted.

"Maybe, but I helped Seth Shadow. He was being hunted by five of them, and I killed four of them without getting even scratched!" I raised my voice.

"What about the fifth?" He asked with an overly irreverent tone.

"Seth Shadow killed him" I replied "After I got the four others off of his tail" I added confidently.

"I see... What makes you think y'can take all of them out? You look terrible and your friends are in no shape to travel with you, how are you going to do it?" his voice and way of him answering hinted me that he was out of options already.

"Alone, like I planned to do it" I said.

"Gunner. We talked about it already! You aren't going alone!" Shrapnel hissed at me.

"I'm going alone and you can't do anything against it!" I hissed back at Shrapnel.

"Oi, I'll have to agree with your friends boy... Y'can't kill four hundred armed raiders. You fought against four not prepeared raiders, their compund is well barricaded and they're all well-armed. They'll shoot you down before you know what hit you" He stopped to take a long sip from his mug "What makes you think y'can do that?" The light-blue stallion said, his bright yellow eyes looking straight at me, taking another long sip.

"Because" I said weakly "I'm a pegasus" I said louder and streched my wings upwards.

His eyes widened in surprise and he sparyed coffee from his nose all over his desk. "You're a fucking pegasus?!" He shouted as he coughed coffee out of his mouth.

"Umm... Yeah? Have you... You never saw a pegasus before?" I replied, shocked from his reaction.

"Luna fuck me sideways with her glowing horn! I thought the pegasi down here were extinct!" he coughed more coffee.

I looked at Shrapnel and Custard with an even more shocked face then the one before "Umm, no. We're from stable 154...there were three hundred or so pegasi" His eye were on the verge of poping out of their holes.

"You say what now mate?!" he shouted even louder now, I didn't knew what to say at this point.

"I'm a pegasus too sir" Shrapnel stood up and raised his wings upwards to let the light-blue stallion see them, he was about to pass out in any moment now.

"And there were--" Custard started

"Don't tell me you are a fucking pegasus too! What kind of a sick joke is it?" The light-blue stallion stopped Custard before she could say anything.

"N-no, we're the only survivors from stable 154. They're the only two pegasi left from there" Custard finished her sentence.

"Huh... I thought I was the only one" He mumbled under his breath, but loud enough for us to hear.

"The only one what sir?" Shrapnel asked

"I was a pegasus" He said weakly, we all looked at him shocked...

WAS?!?!?!?!

My mind insisted that I'll get answers for that, but I was busy with understanding that if he's a pegasus... Why was he so surprised?

"What do you mean 'I was' sir?" Shrapnel echoed my own thoughts.

He stood up and walked around his desk, he started to take his suit off slowly, the suit fell to the ground and we were stunned by the sight; His left wing was twisted in such way that looked painful to even think about... His right wing was a bit injured but still looked functional, did he lost his ability to fly?..

"Oh goddesses..." Rose whispered in shock.

"What happened to you?" My mind said instead of me.

"Those raiders killed my familliy a few years ago and fucked my wings up. I was from Stable 155" his voice was weak and sad.

"155?! A pegasus from Stable 155?" I shouted in shock, Custard and Shrapnel were looking at me like I fell from the moon.

"What's wrong Gunner?" Custard asked.

"Back at 154... Those mercs... One of them had a list with stable 154 and 155 marked off, they're the same ones that attacked our Stable sir!"

"Please, call me Storm mate. And despite my weird-looking wings I can still fly, barely" he said with a more cheered up tone.

"Wait, if you're a Stable dweller. Where's your PipBuck?" Shrapnel asked suspiciously, not buying his life story.

"You mean this piece of junk?" he said as he raised a hoof from the ground, the suit that was covering most of his leg fell off to the ground and his PipBuck was visible, Shrapnel had a believing expression after that.

"Wait a second there Storm. I think I can help with your wing somehow" I said, not sounding as confident as I felt.

"You helped me alot already mate, I've just witnessed that I'm not the only pegasus in this shitehole"

"And you'll be able to fly, hopefully" I said and looked at his now super-happy expression.

I sorted out a healing-potion I scavenged from Medical, and gave Storm the bottle.

"It's years now since I saw one of this bottles" He said a touched nostalgic as he opened the bottle and started drinking the contents, after a few swigs his right wing looked good as new, his left wing wasn't twisted anymore but still looked pretty bad.

"Celestia fuck my arse with her hooves. Thank you!" Storm squeaked out of his muzzle in happinesss, he was checking out his wings and flapped them all over the room like a little colt.

"No problem, but now when I'm suddenly a pegasus..." I said with a sarcastic voice.

"I really dunno mate... You really think y'can take on hundreds upon hundred of them twats?" Storm asked, still happy about his wings and still flapping them everywhere.

"I guess I can try" I said.

"Gunner. You ain't going anywhere!" Rose tried to say, but she was so weak that I could poke her with a hoof and she'll fall down.

"Rose. you're in no shape to do anything against it" I said simply.

"I can still do this..." Rose whispered as she repositioned herself on my back and started to tickle my neck.

"What are you doi--" I tried to say as I realized what was happening, I bursted out laughing and Rose continued tickeling me with her other forehoof.

"Fuh-fine! I'm not going anywha-anywhere!--" I said between laughs.

"What? Speak up Gunner! I can't hear you over your laughs!" Rose said with a very amused voice.

"Fine! I surrender!" I shouted out with a laugh so she could hear me.

"You surrender and what?..." Rose said, not stopping to tickle me even for a second.

"I surr-surrender and I won't go no-nowhe-he-her!" I tried to say, but I had no more air inside my lungs to do anything other then cough my words.

"I'm not sure I'm convinced" Rose continued with a sarcastic and even more amused voice.

"Alright that's enough, Celestia's mercy I think he rather say hello to the raiders" Storm stopped Rose before she could tickle me to death.

"Oww" Rose said in a grumpy voice "I haven't even started to have fun!"

"Good luck boy: You'll need this" Storm said with a wink "Guess it's late already, would you want to stay here for the night?" Storm asked.

"Yes, sounds good!" Rose said, sounding better after her tickle-attack.

"Well then, It's the least I can do for you after helping my wings out, the guards will show you your new home" Storm said.

We followed the guards to an improvised wooden cabin, it seemed pretty nice but not so well-cleaned, but I was so tired that even a pile of nails would be more then welcomed, we walked inside and each one of us took his own area, it was a small cabin, three rooms in total and a fire place in every room, I insisted to give Custard and Shrapnel the larger bedroom, but they both insisted on that me and Rose could use it more.

I placed Rose on the bed and my back felt naked after I hauled her for half a day, I closed the door and lit up the fire place and took a pillow so sleeping on the ground will feel somewhat comfortable, and I used some extra blankets to make me a little makeshift mattress.

"And what're you doing there Gunner?" Rose asked with a sleepy voice.

"Making myself a small place to sleep?" I said and showed Rose the place I organized on the ground.

"I can see that, but I think that the night will be cold in here, the fire's nice... But can you sleep with me tonight?" Rose asked with a sheepy tone.

"Yeah, just lemme take my battle saddle off of me" I said as I unlocked the safety mechanisem on the battle saddle. Not realizing Rose's hint about sleeping with her.

After I got the battle saddle off of me and set it aside, I gave Rose the extra blanket I used in my makeshift bed plus the Stable blanket, I took my half of the bed and prepared it for the night, it was more of one fourth of the bed then a half, but I just wanted to give Rose some space.

"Gunner?" Rose asked, sounding very tired.

"Yes Rose?" I answered as I sat down on my haunches on my side of the bed.

"Thank you" She said simply.

"For?... For what?" I was confused.

"Everything... You're ready to do anything for Custard, Shrapnel... Me..." her voice was sad.

"Haven't we talked about that already? I explained that I won't lose you... Never..." I countered a touched annoyed, can she please stop thanking me? she would've done the same if it was opposite!..

"But it isn't obvious Gunner! I can't think of one other pony that would care for us so much "

"Rose, just get some rest now... You had a long day.." I tried to change the conversation topic.

"If somepony in this place had a long day, it's you Gunner" Rose said like she was about to do something.

"Not this aga--Mpfff!" Rose stopped me with a kiss, I was a bit surprised for a moment, but she already surprised-kissed me like that once, In the Stable. I quickly gave in the kiss myself.

"This is a 'Thank you' gift" Rose said quickly after parting lips. She motioned me to get closer, I did so and tried to figure out what she was planning.

"And this" Her horn was glowing bright red and she kissed me again. After a few seconds she backed off.

"This is because I love you" her glow wrapped around my body as she tried to pull me closer to her, but she was currently so weak that I barely even moved.

"Don't exhaust yourself Rosey" I replied to her failing attempts to levitate me closer. I schooched over beside her, the telekinetic glow broke and she panted heavily.

"Gunner? Have you, well... Ever... Had sex with another mare?" Rose asked with a very embarrassed tone, a slight blush was visible on her face.

"No, I didn't knew any nice mares inside the Stable" I said "Well. With the exception of you and Custard of course" I quickly added.

Rose blushed even more and looked away from me. She was still shaking but looked better in general, I just hugged her and nuzzled her mane.

"Niether do I. There were alot of options inside the Stable. But I just never felt that connection to another stallion my mom told me I would feel" she said with an even more embarrassed voice.

"Don't be ashamed of that! You'll feel that connection someday. To a stallion... Or a mare" I said, my heart flinched a bit... She never was interested in Stallions actually... She eyed a few mares in the Stable, but never stallions...

Luna damn it!... You'll fall in love with her like that, you'll tear yourself apart the second she gets hurt!! my mind screamed at me.

I loved her and she knew it. She used it against me inside the stable. But I can't just give up on my love to her just because I would pick her instead of other helpless pony.

Can I?... In any situation... If she tells me to not pick her over Shrapnel or Custard, will I still choose her over them? Just because I feel something for her and she dosen't even sure if she feels the same for me?

"I think I did felt it" she said and her red eyes looked at me from behined her mane that slightly covered her face, a little smile was visible on her muzzle and she was blushing even more now.

"How'd it felt like? The connection?" I asked, starting to realize how wrong I was when I thought she didn't felt the same for me.

"It was the best feeling in the world back then, but being next to him is so much better" she said and leaned her head against my shoulder, rubbing my side slowly with her cheek and chin. This hint was so kitsch that it was obvious what she was trying to say.

"We better catch some sleep" I said after Rose's cheek rubbed against me for several minutes.

"Actually, I have a better idea..." Rose said with a smile. Something on her face told me that she's about to have sex for the first time, and apperantly the first time for me aswell.

Rose kissed me and began to sit up, I didn't moved because I had no clue what was her plan.

"Stand up" Rose said, I did so as soon as she said it.

"Now let me get into position" Rose added.

She walked around me and stood infront of me with her back side towards me. My nethers started to heat up and something down there began to throb a little and my wings flared up to yet another embarresing wingboner. I looked at her rear and my jaw dropped as I couldn't move. My whole body heated up and my face blushed like never before, a wierd scent radiated off of her... A very alluring and magentizing scent.

"Step forward Gunner" Rose said as she looked over her shoulder and back at me, her muzzle broke into a little smile.

"Bu-but how? You're in the way" I mumbled, still having no control over my body.

"Just mount me and place your forehooves on my sides so you won't fall over" She said it like it was supposed to be obvious to a pegasus who have never done it before, hell... I never thought I would do that! I was taught about how foals are made in Sex-Ed back at stable 154. But Stables aren't really prepearing you with stuff beyond how it is working, and if the other stallions in my class were as horny as I was at the time, we all wanted to know what is the best position and what turns the mare on and lewd things young stallions think of.

I got on my hindlegs and placed my forehooves on her lower back, next to her rump. her horn glew and her telekinetic wrapped around my slightly throbbing nethers, I backed off from the deja-vu I had. It reminded me the drug Rose used on me, the feeling scared me and triggered alot of not fun emotions.

"Is everything alright?... Did I do something wrong?.." Rose said, realizing something wasn't right.

"No-no, everything's fine... It just... Reminded me the drug effect" I stammered.

"Oh, I'm so sorry Gunner" She turned around and saw me shaking, the trauma that the drug left me with was still fresh in my mind.

"It's fine. Let's just go to sleep" I succeded saying, I was on the verge of collapsing from the stress that built up inside me from the past few days, I saw my friends in the stable die, I killed ponies! I fucking killed living and breathing things!

Everything was throwing itself on me at once, things that didn't really seemed off at the moment it happened, but the similliar drug feeling just made me feel so depressed that I just wanted to wake up in my bed back at Stable 154, to realize it was all a bad dream.

Rose looked at me with a guilty face, she was thinking about something.

"Rose, it's not your fault" I whispered. Knowing that she thought about that it's her fault.

"No! I have ruined something that supposed to be fun for a pony, how can you say such thing?" Rose said aggresivly, she demanded an answer.

"I know that if you could undo that, you'd sacrifice everything so you wouldn't inject me with that drug in the first place. But what was done can't be un-done, and I can't blame you for not knowing the consequences".

Rose opened her muzzle to protest but I quickly stopped her and added "...And even if you knew it would end like that, I can see that you suffer alot more then I do, I'm not under the drug effect anymore, it faded three days ago, but you still carry the guilt with you...mental damage is worst then any physical one"

Rose just looked at me and said nothing, tears were forming in her eyes. I hugged her as she cried into my mane.

"Thank you Gunner, but how can you just forgive me like that? I really don't get it, I want to believe you that everything is fine... But look at you! I've just ruined your first time! It can lead to other worst traumas from that!" Rose said weakly, tears streaming down from her eyes and her muzzle was shaking.

"You're truly sorry for what you did, right?" I asked, waiting for an answer so I could continue.

"Yes.." Rose whimpered.

"Then I can't be mad at you, holding a grudge'll hurt me more then accepting what happened. If I'll live in the past how can I do anything now? Or in the future?.." I said and embraced her.

"If you want to sleep on the bed instead of me.." Rose began saying.

"You said something about a cold night didn't you?" I asked, clearly knowing that the night won't be that cold inside here.

"Yes... But.." Rose mumbled.

"So I'll sleep on the ground tonight" I insisted and placed my pillow on the makeshift bed.

"Gunner..." Rose said in a warm voice.

"Yep?" I quickly replied.

"Can you... Please sleep with me tonight? If you don't want to you can say no" She closed her eyes as expecting to hear a 'no'.

I said nothing as I took a pillow off the ground and gently placed it next to Rose's head, I got on the bed and pulled a blanket from my makeshift bed, I gave the blanket to Rose and used my dirty and sweaty barding as a little blanket for myself.

"Here... Take a real blanket" Rose said as she offered me one of her three blankets with her telekinetic.

"I'm fine Rosey. Besides, you'll need it more" I said half sarcasticly.

Rose scooched closer to me, I put a hoof over her body and her head leaned against my chest, her body was warm and her breathing was slow and calming, she quickly fell asleep in my embrace. I looked down at Rose sleeping, she looked so peacefull and her cute face made me feel better.

After watching at Rose sleeping for a while I tried to catch some eye-shut myself, and I did managed to fall asleep not so long after, after all the last day was mainly me and my three companions walking around.

I woke up after a dreamless night, I raised my left hoof closer to me to mute my PipBuck alarm out of instinct, but there wasn't any alarm, nothing... Everything was quite.

Rose was still sleeping, and still in my embrace. Her breathing was slow and consistent..I didn't want to wake her up so I just let her sleep as I stayed in place, not moving at all.

I heard sounds coming from the other room in the cabin, Custard's and Shrapnel's room..it sounded like... Oh, the goddesses help them!... Are they really having sex? And this time they were louder then ever... I sighed like I just woke up and they stopped, well... Stopped being loud at least... Rose started to move and I realized that I woke her up. I felt a bit bad for waking her up, but I really didn't want to hear Custard's and Shrapnel's intercourse...

"Good morning Gunner" Rose said with a sleepy voice.

"Good morning" I replied hoarsely.

Rose sat up as she looked around with a yawn, I stretched out and got off the bed, I remembered that Rose haven't ate for three days now, she most be starving...

"Ehmm... Rose?" I asked as I put my barding on me.

"Yes Gunner?" Rose said, turning around towards me with her deep-red eyes and making me forget momenterily what I was about to do.

"I-I just... I'm going outside to get some food for us... A-an-any special requests?" I stammered. Her eyes were looking straight at me and I suddenly blushed and looked down.

Rose snickered "No Gunner. As long as it is edible though" she said with a giggle.

"Don't worry, I'll be back in no-time." I said as I opened the door with a hoof, entering the main room. It had a fire place in the middle, three old and dirty mattresses were lying around it in a circle. The cabin had a little dining table that saw better days, and some pillow-seats thingys next to it, I never saw anything like it before... But it sure looked nice.

I walked to Shrapnel's and Custard's room to see if they want anything, but as I opened the door I quickly regreted my decision, they were in the middle of their... Whatever they did...

"Whoa what the?!.." I panicked as I saw them both in a not so normal positions.

Did they?... They were both just... I just closed my eyes shut and turned around in shame and surprise [more of a 'What in the living fuck I just saw?' then a 'Surprise']. Rose appearntly heard me panicking and ran to see what's wrong, but quickly realized that she made a huge mistake.

"Guys? What in Celestia's name are you doing?!" Rose said as she kept looking at them. They both looked at her and didn't even moved from their positions, they were each with their head buried in the crotch of the other...

"You guys should really try this out, Custard read that it's called 'Oral sex'. Luna's hot moon-tail this is fun!" Shrapnel said, he's clearly drunk, so was Custard...

"Are you? Are you drunk Shrapnel?!" Rose raised her voice in a mother-ish tone, echoing my own thoughts, but my mind was busy figuring out how, what and when they drank so much to think this is somehow natural or 'fun'...

"Stop worrying... It's simple... You see? The mare's using her tongue and mouth on the stallion's.." Shrapnel said in a very drunk voice as Rose stopped him with an annoyed groan.

"What?! First of all get off each other and Custard, stop licking Shrapnel's..." Rose stopped for a moment and looked like she was about to throw up "Celestia's mercy when did you guys got so drunk?! Sorry... Why did you guys got so drunk?!"

"'Cuz thiz life sucks balls, all oft our fwiends are ded, plas we are in this fuhcked-up wasteland, drinking iz much better!" Shrapnel replied drunkenly.

I saw him broken in the past, hurt, left out and what not... But this? This wasn't Shrapnel!... I knew that Shrapnel would never quit, no matter how much it hurts! He was there for me when I was broken after I messed up something at Stable 154, it didn't ended up well for four other ponies, and I could deny this in time, I was thinking about giving up about trying so hard to be succesfull and never actually being succesfull, but Shrapnel was there for me... He always had, so it's not questionable that I will help him too.

"Shrapnel. Get up and wear something. Custard, go with Rose and find somewhere to clean up, you're all sweaty and what not.." I quickly took command on the situation.

"I'm going to get some food for us, when I'm back I want to see you up and dressed Shrapnel. After we all eat breakfast and you guys are sober again, I want to talk about this place, I won't say anything beyond that at the moment, understood?" both Shrapnel and Custard nodded with a drunk expression.

I bucked open the main door to the cold morning air. I was angry on Shrapnel. Did he actually wanted to quit?... He never quit before! I walked around and tried to find a place to get food. I tried to find a cafeteria or something around, but there was only a store named 'Eat Up!' in the middle of the camp [more of a large compound], so I guessed it'll be a good place to start looking for food.

I entered the small mostly wood-improvised building and noticed that it was pretty new compared to the other building in the camp, there was an orange earth pony standing behined a little reception desk, a closed wooden door that had the sign 'Storage' on it was behined him. And a yellow unicorn was talking with him, it sounded like they were bartering.

"Com'on Cleaver! It's least fifteen Caps! It's even fresh... Kinda..." The yellow unicorn barterd.

"No way Grip, I don't care how fresh is it. Ten Caps or no business!" The orange earth pony said, his accent reminded Storm's and Rose's, but lighter then Storm's and heavier then Rose's

"It's a fucking Can'O'Ham that was in extreme cold condition! Straight outta ponyville! I scavenged it myself from the goddess damned bandit area!.." Grip, the yellow unicorn said. Trying to barter while his horn was glowing bright yellow and a silver can floated next to him. "...It's fucking rare to find in this part of Equestria, and ya fucking know it Cleaver!" Grip added.

"I don't give a flying fock about it even if Seth's imaginary pegasus will enter this very store!" The orange earth pony knocked angrily on his reception desk to drive home the point.

"There's no request for meat in here, and nopony will buy it because nopony'll focking eat it! We're ponies for Celestia's sake! If we were those raider-focks... Maybe you will have better luck with them mate, as their food..." Cleaver, apperantly the name of the orange earth pony, replied with a hiss.

"Umm... Hello?" I said weakly, Grip and Cleaver looked at me and realized I was here all along, listening to their little conversation.

"Hello there lad! Welcome! To 'Eat Up!' The best food store in Twilight Camp!" Cleaver said as he walked around his reception desk and slowly walked towards me, greeting me.

"..The 'best' and only..." Grip whispered under his breath.

"Do you mind? Don't make our little guest feel uncomfortable just beause you had a rough day!" Cleaver said, his accent sounded suddenly more apparent as he rolled his R's. "What's your name by the way?" He asked politely, looking embarresed that he almost forgot to ask.

"Name's Gunner. I'm here from yesterday's evening" I answered slowly.

"Welcome to Twilight Camp Gunner! I hope you'll have a great stay with us, but you aren't here to chit-chat are you?" Cleaver quickly said, visibly excited to see new faces around.

"Anywho. Before ya suck his whole ass outta his torso, what about the deal?" Grip said, sounding disgusted at Cleaver's greeting. I thought it was nice until the mental image of ass-sucking came into mind...

"I told you already Grip, ten Caps or no deal!" Cleaver raised his voice as he looked behined his shoulder and straight at Grip, he wasn't in a mood to be interrupted while he tried to make a good first impression.

"To hell with ya..." Grip said as he walked outside the store.

Cleaver looked at Grip leaving the store, and after the door closed behined him he started saying "Dont'cha worry about 'em, he'll be back with his tail between his legs in a week. But enough playing around, to business shall we?"

"Um... Yeah... I guess.."

"Now dont'cha worry. We have food for everypony, foals, stallions, mares, elders. As long as you aren't a raider we have what'cha need!" Cleaver exclaimed.

"Oh, but I'm afraid I have no money.." I said, feeling bad for that after he was so nice to me.

"Well that shouldn't be a problem mate! You're new here so I can turn a blind eye on some supplies, after all I can blame it on those Roaches" he said with a wink.

"Thank you, I'll pay you back for that sometime soon" I replied with a thankfull smile.

"Oh no, don't you do that! You'll need the Caps for another thing, ammo or some armor, we got enough food for everypony!" Cleaver said, sounding very confident. I looked at him like he was trying to fool me, or maybe it was Seth trying to shake us off?

"Excuse me? Seth Shadow told me that you are low on food and supplies..." I started. Cleaver's eyes widened as he realized I was onto something.

"Goddesses focking damn him into pieces! he can't say that to everypony he sees! The focker barely got out alive without the help of a nobel pony that saved his sorry arse... Now he ruins business for me!.." Cleaver said, stomping in anger everywhere.

"Oh... Did he mentioned that?" I asked, wanting to know if he said that it was me.

"Yeah! That pegasus of some sort, out of a Celestia dammned Stable! Can you focking believe that?!" he said in excitment, looks like everpony in this camp is happy to hear some good news...

"I guess he didn't mentioned how he looked like..." I said in a sarcastic voice.

"Nope. We didn't believed him until we saw he took this from him when he was asleep.." Cleaver said as he took out my multi-tool from behined his desk.

This fucking thief! He looted my stuff while I was out?! Oh I will have a little talk with him... Maybe that's why he was against us coming here, did he stole anything else from me?!

"My multi-tool? Seth looted it off me when I was unconscious?!" I asked loudly, my wings flared up in anger as Cleaver's eyes widned even more then before.

"Are-are you the motherfocking pegasus that saved him?!" Cleaver asked in disbelief.

"Why yes, it's me... And I want my multi-tool back, but for that I'm not paying!" I demanded.

"Damn... Seth took 150 Caps on that, I can't even opreate it myself! Look, I didn't know that it's yours, but how'd I get my Caps back?" Cleaver asked, wondering about how to get his Caps back from Seth, but I knew that Seth wasn't a weak Unicorn, he killed a raider with two well-placed bucks, so he could kill me if he really wanted to.

"I really don't know, but It's not my business, I'll pay for the food if it helps, but right now I have no way to pay you" I said.

"Alright, guess that Seth will have them and I hope he'll choke with them..." Cleaver replied, sounding pissed.

"Can I ask what's that?" my muzzle took control and spat out as I saw what Cleaver considred 'food'.

"Yep, oatmeal sack... About five meals, canned fruits... About three meals, and three bottles of water, supposed to be clean enough to not get yourself sick.." Cleaver explained with a sigh.

"Thank you, how much's that?" I asked.

"Two hundred and fifty Caps. And that's the cost a month ago, when it was acutally common in here. Now it'll be about five hundred for the very least."

My jaw dropped... That wierd meat-can was just ten?! And the can wasn't that big! Five hundred Caps?! And he wants to give it for free?... Well I promised that I'll pay him, and if he lost one hundred and fifty for that snake Seth, the least I could do is to pay the price later on.

"I'll pay as soon as I can.." I said as I put everything in my saddle bag, including my multi-tool... My mind was starting to think about how to get five hundred Caps, and how does Caps even looks like?... Did they called it Caps as a nickname for bits? Or because it looked alot like a bottle cap? Or was it a Cap-like currency?... I really couldn't think about what was it.

"You really don't have to. If somepony in here deserves this food it's you mate!" Cleaver said with another sigh as he opened the storage door behined him and looked inside. His face looked so worried, was it that bad?... This town looks so happy, I really don't want to see that it's all an act...

I walked toward our cabin and saw some foals playing around, I got some funny looks from a couple of mares as they saw my wings, apperantly they looked very cute and they eyed me in a very inviting look..

Gunner... The name Rose is ringing similliar for you?!?! Your new fucking mare-friend?!?! My mind screamed.

I quickly shook my head and concentrated on why I'm here, for my friends, not to cheat on Rose. But even after all Rose looked way better...

I got 'home' with the food to see Custard and Rose sleeping with each other on one of the mattresses next to the crackling fire, cuddling together and a plate-pile was next to them. I was a bit jealous at first but my mind quickly reminded me that Custard was with Shrapnel, and Rose is with me... So why were they sleeping and cuddling?... And where's Shrapnel?...

I slowly walked in the fire's direction, I sat down on my haunches on a mattress and took out some food, I leaned over Rose's head and whispered into her ear "I'm back Rosey... I brought food".

Rose's ears perked to my direction as she woke up, She blinked rapidlly and quickly jumped to hug me, Custard woke up from Rose's sudden movement and because Rose moved the mattresses all over the place.

"Where's Shrapnel?" Rose asked me, I was confused for a second because this was what I was about to ask.

"Umm... What? I thought he was with you guys.." I replied slowly, my mind was thinking Shrapnel's trying to run away.

"He said that you wanted to talk with him about something, in private..." Custard said, her cyan eyes widened in panic as she looked at me with a worried face.

"I... I didn't saw him since earlier, when he was still drunk" I stammered

"He mentioned something about suicide yesterday... I don't want him to die!.." Custard whimpered into Rose's mane.

"He won't die... I'll find him before he can do anything.." I said as I got up and made my way to the door. When I tried to open the door with a hoof, the door swung open in my way and hit my hoof out of the way.

"Ow... What the?.." I said as I held my forehoof in the air in pain as I saw the gray pegasi entering the cabin, he looked exhausted but happy.

Custard was still crying and Rose didn't even noticed that Shrapnel was in the doorway.

"Where the fuck have you been Shrapnel?" I asked him with a hiss and a stomp, I was very angry on him for lying to Custard and Rose, especially after saying something about hurting himself.

"I helped out around the camp, they paid me a hundred and fifty Caps total!.." he said as he took out a rustling cloth bag out of his utility barding with his teeth and showed it to me, smiling.

"You got us worried here, I'm just happy to see you're fine, but next time just tell the truth to Rose and Custard." I said with a relieved tone.

"Ah'm fine, I'f gut us sum Cups afder all" he said with the cloth bag in his teeth, sounding very stupid and barely understandable.

"Now in a native Equestrian speakable language please?" I replied with a chuckle.

Shrapnel spat the cloth bag out of his mouth and said "I'm fine, I've got us some Caps after all... Shitface.." he said with a smile.

"Can't believe I actually worried for you.." I said sarcasticly.

Shrapnel laughed in a response, Custard's head jumped up as she quickly ran to his direction and jumped ontop of him, making him drop on his back as she hugged and kissed him. Rose slowly walked to my side and looked on the two kissing and hugging. They were kissing for a minute or two and I started to think that Shrapnel passed out...

"Is he alright? Don't they need to breathe?.." I asked Rose, and got an eye-roll and a snicker back from her.

"Okay loving birds, stop kissing already..." Rose said, looking a bit worried too, but they didn't listen and continued kissing. Celestia's mercy they need some time apart...

"Alright, party's over..." Rose sighed as her horn glowed bright-red and Custard's body was slowly wrapped by it. After Custard was covered by the red glow Rose began to levitate her upwards. But despite Rose's attempt Custard's mouth was still kissing Shrapnel, Rose kept levitating her away and Custard fought to keep kissing Shrapnel, who moved his head upward to make her job easier.

"Come on guys. You need to eat something else, something edible..." Rose added, slowly levitating Custard closer to us. Shrapnel flapped his wings and got up on his hooves, still kissing Custard.

"Guess that'll make them enter..." Rose whispered with a shake of her head, she turned around and got inside with Custard in tow.

Rose sat down on her haunches, Custard was levitated around and Shrapnel walking after her as they were still kissing, not disconnecting from each other for a second. Shrapnel reminded me a fish holding a fishing hook in his mouth. I read that apperantly fish were an animal before the war, and it was a sport to catch and free them with a fishing rod, but they were edible for some species like griffons, but they are a legend after all... Rose slowly placed Custard down on a mattress as Shrapnel lowered his head, still kissing...

"That's enough.." Rose said with a deep sigh as her horn stopped glowing for a second, and then started glowing again, but this time wrapping Shrapnel's body instead and moving him backwards. His hooves scratched the floor in the struggle to stay in place, but Rose's telekinetic power was strong enough to levitate him four or five times his height in the air without Rose even breaking a sweat. Fortunately for him the cieling was about two times his size. Finally the two disconnected from each other, Rose's telekinetic power still holding him away from Custard, it looked funny.., Like he was training on a treadmill at the gym of Stable 154 but with no treadmill, or any training..

Custard started to get up and walk toward Shrapnel, but Rose wrapped her body too in her telekinetic glow and kept them running in place to each other's directions.

"Alright... So Romeo and Juliet...what will we do?.." Rose purred at them.

"We can always let Shrapnel kiss Gunner.." Custard said with a smile and a very amused voice, looking at me with a devilish smile.

"Wait... What?!" I asked as my body was suddenly wrapped by Rose's telekinetic glow and slowly levitated to air. I tried to flap my wings to escape but realizing that if I'll flap my wings to take off, I'll hit my head in the cieling and that won't be fun.

"Now that all of us are here. We can start talking" Rose said as she levitated a plate and took some oatmeal, sat down on her haunches and started eating politely.

"I haven't done anything!.." I said, still levitating around by Rose, who ate infront of us in a very teasy fashion.

"I know, but that way I can look at some... Interesting... Places in your body.." Rose said in an overly cheesy and lewd tone.

I blushed hotly as I tried to hide my private parts from Rose's view, but it was helpless; She was holding my hooves in the air and I couldn't move them.

"Now now Gunner, don't you fight the love. I think that the color red is very beatuifull... Everywhere..." Rose continued teasing me with a very amused tone as she looked at me, I suddenly blushed even more and my face was heating up like a generator.

"Are you hungry Gunner?.." Rose said with a more serious tone.

"Yes?" I asked more then replied, not knowing if she meant real food like the oatmeal she was eating or her joke from earlier of 'tasting her'...

"So let's feed you shall we?.." She purred again and smiled a very amused smile, more then ever... She knew I can't stand her mother-ish behavior, so feeding me like a little foal will make her day and ruin mine... The best combination...

"Rose... Can you please have some mercy?" I asked in a defeated voice, knowing that she can keep me hanging [litteraly] for ages.

"Hmmm... Let me think about it..." Rose looked at me with a grin.

"I'll take it as a 'no' then..." I sighed.

"Depends... Will you be a better pillow tonight?" Rose chuckled.

"I'll be the best pillow there is, but a pillow needs to eat by itself" I said jokingly.

"Can you double as a buckfriend that cares about himself?" Rose added.

"I can't promise that" I laughed out.

"Looks like Custard is very cuddly indeed, maybe I don't need another pillow?" Rose purred at me and lowered me to the floor.

"Maybe you really don't need another one" I said, making her look regretfull that she even tried to hold my tail short. "Judging by your face, I just won this little deal of ours. I'm still a full-time pillow though" I added with a wink and advanced toward the plate-pile.

"Alrighty then, but I'm still using Custard as my sleeping buddy" Rose snickered as she lowered me to the floor and let me out of her glow.

"Hooves off my mare-friend Rose, she is finder's keeper's" Shrapnel broke into the conversation, still floating a few yards away from Custard, who tried to swim her way through the air...

"I don't even need my hooves to make her mine" Rose said sarcasticly as she tapped her horn with a forehoof.

"Can we at least get on our hooves before we become anypony's pillow or blanket or whatever?" Custard said weakly.

"Well... As long as you promise to eat before you two make out again..." Rose answered.

"Agreed, now can I please get on the ground? I'm maybe a pegasus but I think you just made me feel a vertigo attack" Shrapnel joked.

"Sure you can, but muzzles off each other for a few hours" Rose purred again, making me snicker.

"What's so funny Gunner?" Rose asked.

"I dunno, you tell me kitty-cat" I bursted out laughing.

"Oh you'll be sorry for that comment Gunn-Gunn..." Rose responded.

"Gunn-Gunn?... Owww that's soo cute!" Custard cooed at my new nickname.

I took a plate from the plate-pile and digged some oatmeal from the oatmeal sack, Rose nearly finished her plate by now. Custard and Shrapnel were lowered down and the glow around them faded quickly, they both walked toward one of the mattresses. Shrapnel took two plates with his teeth and placed one next to Custard, once we were all sitting down and we all had food on our plate we started talking.

"This place is falling apart, we have two choices.." I started

"Hopefully one of them dosen't includes you getting raped and killed by those raiders..." Shrapnel said.

Avoiding the mental picture of getting raped and holding back the flinch and shievers it made me feel, I gulped nervously and continued.

"Anyway... We can leave them to deal with their own problems, and find another place. A better one who can support his occupants" I said it in such way that made it clear that I won't choose that, and I made it sound like that because I knew that the three of them won't leave this camp to die. But to make the other choice to sound somewhat sane to my three companions.

"The other choice is to kill off the raiders, and you guys'll stay here, no matter what.." I said with a deep sigh.

"Not this again! We said already that we won't let you do that!" Shrapnel said.

"I agree with Shrapnel... Why you? From all of their well-armed warriors, you're the least prepared pony in the camp!" Custard added.

"Gunner, we need you. You can't just kill yourself on hundreds of raiders that'll kill you before you can scratch even one of them..." Rose began saying.

"In the name of Celestia... You know that if I won't do anything nopony would! They're all exahusted and scared! plus I bet that they won't expect a pegasus" I smiled and stretched out my wings, my three companions still had the regular grumpy faces from earlier.

"You aren't going alone... I'm coming with you..." Shrapnel said, standing up and looking at my eyes.

"Fuck no! You're in no shape to fight! You barely ate and you look tired then ever!" I countered.

"Like you are top-shaped" Rose cut me off, "You hauled me for two days total. You fought until you passed out and you barely ate too! You got bucked in the face!" Rose continued, not showing any sign of stopping with her nudging.

"I. Am. Going..." I insisted slowly as I weared my battle-saddle.

"No. You're. Not" Rose replied.

"We can keep arguing. But in the meantime they kill others, and this camp would die if I won't do anything! And you want to know something else? I have S.A.T.S and my Eyes-Forward Sparkle! And a pair of wings! And most improtantly: Three friends to protect!" I raised my voice.

"You think that it's fair Gunner?" Rose raised her voice too.

"This is the fucking wasteland Rose! I saw what they're like... They're fucking monsters who kill for fun! Hell: our whole fucking Stable was murdered for Caps! They don't care what happens to us as long as they're happy and they won't stay happy for long! Somepony needs to buck their tails until they know what 'fair' is!" I screamed, realizing I just screamed at Rose... My first time I was angry on her... Ever.

"So why you?! This camp has hundreds of well-armed guards and warriors that can go there and kill them off!" Rose started crying.

"Because the raiders have more fire power..." I hissed.

"So why one pegasus will be better then a whole camp?" Rose said between tears.

"Death from above... I doubt they have any idea that a pegasus will strike their little asses" I said as I walked toward the door.

"Don't do that" Rose whimpered.

"I have to. To keep you guys safe" Were my only words.

I walked towards Storm's office and ingored the guards trying to stop me, I walked straight to the small doors inside the old and large building, the guards were following me and trying to hold me back.

I flapped my wings and swiflty flew over them, I reached the office doors and knocked hard with both of my forehooves. The guards were pissed by now but I didn't cared, as the doors finally opened I saw Storm looking pissed at the doors to see who's inturrepting him.

"Who's the twat?!" Storm started as he realized it was me.

"I am! I want your best armor for free, now!" I screamed

"Relax mate... What happened?" Storm tried to calm me down, what made me even angrier.

"Don't you tell me to relax 'mate'... Now give me your best armor you can, NOW!" I screamed

"What's wrong with you?... What happened already?.." Storm looked confused.

"YOU HEARD ME! GIVE ME YOUR BEST ARMOR. NOW!" I roared, pissed already and ready to shoot the next thing I see.

"I-I'm not sure I can..." Storm started saying.

I shot behined him at the bookshelf twice and looked at him with a very angry look.

"YOU WANT TO DEAL WITH THOSE FUCKING RAIDERS? YOU GOT YOUR GUY RIGHT FUCKING HERE!" I screamed and added even louder "DON'T MAKE ME REGRET KILLING THEM OVER YOU!"

My eyes were filled with rage, I never felt so enraged in my entire life, I was about to bite down on my muzzle trigger and shoot the guards behined me and Storm infront of me.

"Guards, accompany Gunner here to the X-01. Immediatly." Storm said to the guards calmly.

My first thought was that it's some kind of punishment or excution of some sort, but one of the guards walked to the terminal in the hallway behined me, pressed on some keys and a bookshelf to my left moved aside on a hidden rail, it opened a cramped stone-carved hallway with old and barely working lights.

"From here" one of the guards said, I walked inside slowly, not knowing if it was a trap. The hallway curved to the right, I walked for a few seconds and entered a larger room, my eyes were blinded by bright lights. The walls were metal-made and it looked like a laboratory or an hazardous Medical center, a yellow stand was on a raised platform in the middle of the room with a wierd-looking metalic pony-shaped armor casing that was connected to the stand.

"This is the X-01 expiremental Magical-armor" was sounding out of a speaker to my right side "It was invented for the pre-war Steel-Rangers, and we could spare one that was rather special, it can support a pegasus anatmoy, and there's a special helmet designed for unicorns too, it has the best protection around... In Equestria even! it's working fully but I had no one to take control of that thing, it's old and nopony wants to risk getting in that rusty bucket. But if you wanted protection, it's your best bet"

It was Storm's voice, he said that from a microphone from his office?... I didn't knew what to do... This beatuy infront of me was stunning me.

"It includs a 40mm grenade launcher, a heavy .65 caliber shoulder-mounted machine-gun, and jet pack wings so you are a motherfucking super-pony in a titanium Magical-enchanted armor casing, it can suffer up to 300 times the radiation a normal pony can suffer, it's resistant to most temperators, in theory y'can survive landing on the sun, it's shock-proof, water-proof, there's a built-in resipirator that can work underwater or in choking gas, self-repairing overtime too! and the cherry ontop: It's own enhanced built-in Stable-Tec Assisted Targeting System and Eyes-Forwad Sparkle mechanisem with a big 'thank you' to Stable-Tec for that... This machine can hold up to 5000 pound of weight, and did I mentioned it even have a hoof-spring mechanisem that can make you a fucking bunny-sized pony?..." Storm added.

I was looking at that armor and wondered why nopony ever used that, I felt a big 'but' coming and it was going to destroy my dirty dreams on this armor..

"But.."

What did I just said?!

"It's using a limited magical power source, we can't find the Magical-Core that is compatible with this thing, so y'can use it for approximatly an hour or two, then it will be useless as a pile of shite, the power-core helpes with most of the mechanisems, with the exceptions of the guns and resipirators of course, after it depletes you need to be Luna herself to move that death-trap"

My first reaction was to get this armor and modify it until it's invincible, but my mind reminded me that I have no real parts to modify it, some metal rods and rivtes won't make a day and night diffrent, also I didn't knew how to improve that flawless art...

"Two hours? how far away's the raiders camp?.." I asked, still not moving my gaze from the shining X-01 Magical-armor for a second.

"Half an hour trot, but with wings I guess it can be even less, and with the JPMW I bet it'll be even less then flying..."

"JPMW?" I quickly asked, wanting to know what can make this gorgeous armor so quick, and if it's so heavy like Storm said it can be only better with that 'JPMW' thingy...

"Yep, Jet-Pack Mechanical-Wings, once you stretch your wings in a certain way y'can activate little jet engines beneath them, a fucking flying machine, better then any pegasus in the Equestrian wasteland..." Storm bragged, sounding proud that this precious armor is his little toy, though I doubt that this machine is faster then Shrapnel.

"Why nopony haven't used this armor yet? to my ears it sounds like paradise!" I was confused, not knowing who'll say no to this sexy pony-shaped titanium casing... I think I'll cheat on Rose with this thing!

I will Slap you

"Like I said, everypony in here is scared, the ones that can enter this little fellah" Storm explained with a sigh through the speakers.

"What do you mean 'can'? Could I enter it?" I asked, my heart skipping a beat at the thought that I maybe wouldn't be able to use this magical-armor.

"Well, without wings y'can't fully operate this beauty, we got the unicorn helmet but we can't remove the wings, only the Steel-Rangers that built it know how to convert it so a unicorn could use the wings without having actual wings connected to his flesh, but I guess that you'll be a perfect fit" Storm voice sounded through the speakers, sounding very glad that somepony would use that armor someday.

"But... You are a pegasus, why won't you use it?" I questioned, sounding very suspicious.

"Lad... We already addressed the little wing problem didn't we? so you're the only one who might be able to use the Magical-armor fully. And If you want to kill off those raider-fucks back there, it's your best bet....you're our best bet" Storm sounded a bit sad knowing that he won't be able to use this armor, and that the future on Twilight Camp was my decision's results...

"How do I operate this thing?" I hesitated, now knowing how to do anything with it, not even entering!..

"Shove those worries up your muzzle mate, it's a no problem really! there's a Valve-thingy on the back of the armor, where your Cutie-mark will be positioned when you're inside, buck it and turn it clock-wise, the armor will open up like swiss cheese, get your hooves in their place and try not to fall asleep" Storm chuckled

After his chuckle died he whispered "The paddings are really soft and warm so don't sleep in the middle of a fire-fight with my baby" , sounding very smug from the work he put into this armor, I'm really impressed even without him bragging about...

"Anywho, once inside try to move your hooves a bit, the motion-detector will snap on them gently" Storm stopped for what sounded like a sip

"It won't hurt... so after that you'll be connected to the armor without wiggling inside like a new-born mole-rat, in this part the Magical-armor will close up on you and the wing part will be online, insert your wings inside and try to flap them around, it'll do the same with your wings as with your hooves, it won't hurt too, do the same with your body and you are connected!...the HUD will lit up and show some geeky-stuff that probably you'll understand..maybe... the armor will adjust itself to your body size so dont move at that part, from there on y'can fly, shoot, swim, kill some bitches, and hopefully get you all of the sexy mares" Storm said in a tone that hinted I needed a mare-friend, was it that obvious that I didn't deserved Rose?...she was so cute and elegant, and I was....well, me..

"No matter, when do you want to get on your little rampage of yours?" Storm's voice sounded through the speakers, sounding very happy that those raiders will get some justice, pegasus style...

"Right fucking now, if I'll die at least I'll take fifteen or twenty with me!" I raised my voice in anger, wanting to hurt the fuckers that kill for fun, those pshycotic ponies that hunt and kill for amusment, the ones that wants to kill innocents like Rose and Shrapnel and Custard.

"Celestia's cunt piss on my eyes! are you trying to get yourself killed?!" Storm's surprised voice poured out of the speakers on the walls.

"If that means that I'll help every single pony in this camp, yes" I hissed at the Speakers, looking at them with enraged eyes, not knowing why..it's not like he could see me..right?..

"Before I go... Those raiders have any wierd sign, like unique clothing or distinguishable accent?" I asked, my voice alot calmer.

"No... I don't think so...oh! wait! They had this damned Nightmare Moon emblem on their flanks, but for only the past three or four years, they joined this 'Nightmare Moon Wasteland Order' or some shite... They kill anypony who isn't joining their Luna ass-fucked alliance"

My ears perked up and my eyes widened, they were the same mercs that attacked stable 154! And probably 155... They killed my entire Stable, they made me see how fucked up this world really is, the moment it happened my brain was busy on helping my friends to get out of there, but these sights... Mutialted and severed body parts everywhere... The sound of foals screaming was the worst... They raped bodies! They actually were paid to 'play' with my stable, they killed them all and enjoyed it... They totured, raped, killed ponies that I knew all of my life, at the second it happened my mind didn't proccesed it all, but now... When I know that my friends are safe... Sort of... It scarred me mentally, it scarred Shrapnel, Custard... Rose...

"Those fuckers killed my stable, they were paid to do it...it's more then helping you guys out, it's personal" I whispered.

"Gunner... They maybe fucked up in their mind...and they are part of this fucked up alliance, but the ones that were ordered to kill your stable weren't those raiders..." Storm tried to be reasonable with me, but the rage just grew more and more inside my body that I wanted to go out there and make those ponies suffer.

"How the fuck do you know that, huh?! You're working with them?!" I screamed in anger, bucking my battle-saddle, it made a cocking sound as I was ready to spray everywhere out of pure rage.

"No..but I know who did" Storm's voice was weak and soft, he sounded like he was about to cry.

"What now?! WHO.THE FUCK.DID THAT!?" my voice roared louder then ever, I felt the rage pumping in my veins, my heart was pounding and my eyes were clenched shut, my hooves were shaking, I bit my lower lip with my teeth and my breathing was violent and sudden. I felt like a ticking bomb that was about to go off, I wanted to hurt somepony... I wanted to kill....

"Gunner...relax, I can't help you when you are like that...you need to calm down..." Storm's voice was worried, he could see me somehow and I knew that, something in his voice was making him sound very regretfull, he knew the feeling of revenge fueling your mind... He was in my place before.

"HOW THE FUCK YOU WANT ME TO CALM DOWN?!...those-those fucking assholes killed your stable too...HOW CAN YOU TELL ME TO CALM THE FUCK DOWN!?" my muzzle roared out, I was a bit surprised that I could be so loud and threatning, it felt so wrong.

"Gunner...I know how bad it hurts, but I can't let you go out with a fucking X-01 Magical-armor when you are so trigger-heated. Go back home and calm down, return to me tommorow, when you're clear-headed and not so raged" Storm said softly, I was shocked to hear him so calm.

"NO!...I'm going to kill those fuckers with or without your help!" I shouted and bucked my battle saddle again, making it to cock again while my muzzle was already touching the trigger, all I needed to do was to press my teeth a little harder, to shoot everything I see, get outside and find those stupid fucking raiders, and shoot every single one of them until they are motionless and peppered with bullets....

"Last warning, I really don't want to do this" Storm's voice was serious.

"Do what? shoot me?! pfftt... Please, you need me more then I need you!" I said loudly upwards, looking around for anything weird.

"I'm sorry Gunner, but you forced me to do that" Storm's voice sounded as the speakers made a disconnecting beep, and four circled hatches on the ceilings opened up as little turrets popped out of them.

"The fuck? Are you really going to shoot me?!" I screamed, but my throat was sore from all of the shouting that the scream was so hoarse I doubt it was sounded beyond the walls.

The turrets aimed their triple-barrels at me, lighting up with lasers that were aimed right at me, they all made a cocking sound one after another, I looked around and saw that there was no cover for me, they covered the entire room and they'll gun me down in seconds.

My eyes widened as they started firing, but they didn't made a firing sound..nor fired any bullets..the turrets were shooting darts!.. I tried to avoid them as best as I could, and I managed to avoid them for a while.. I tried to jump and go airborne to disable them from the air, but as I stretched my wings out one dart pinched my left wing.

I grunted and tried to flap the dart off my wing, I started to think that the darts were just futile ammunition to scare off unwanted guests, but pretty soon after I felt my wing go numb. I tried to run to the exit just to find myself getting locked inside by a door that was sealing the corridor I entered the lab through, I ran around in circles in hope that the turret will run out of ammo soon..what's the chance?! my mind told me, one thing for certain: I couldn't enter the Magical-armor: it will take precious time I didn't have.

I tried to jump, vault over passing-by darts and duck so nothing will hit me, but after a few minutes a second dart pinched my hindleg as I groaned at the stabbing pain, they were about three centimeters long and it hurted like getting stabbed by a knife, it could pierce through my body if the turrets had enough power! this dart went deep inside my hindleg as I felt my lower body going numb slowly, my wing was totally sore and the sleepy feeling went through my body slowly but somehow painfully, it made my whole body sore and my muscles to twitch uncontrollably.

I was limping with my hindleg in the air and my wing was dragged on the floor behined me, after running in circles for few more minutes I accidently stepped on my wing and fell head-first on the stone floor. My body was too sore to get up as darts started to hit me rapidly, they hit my hooves, back, tail, neck, head, sides..everywhere. I just groaned in pain and tried to block incoming darts with the knowledge that I would probably die from bleeding out or from that poision that made it hurt so much. My head started to feel heavy as I looked like a freaking hedgehog [a pre-war animal with a back filled with dart on his back, books can sure tell you alot about the pre-war with accuration], my eyes slowly closed and my face slammed on the floor, I was starting to bleed heavily from the multiplied darts, the turrets suddenly stopped firing and left me to die..I tried to get up but my body was too numb and sore.

I was ready to welcome my death, I tried to say my last words but my hoarsed and weak voice just succeded saying "Goodbye Rosey.." as everything went black.

Chapter 4 - Ashes To Ashes

Nothing is obvious, not out in the wasteland

I walked around Stable's 154 halls... Everypony was happy and healthy, they all greeted me when I passed by and I greeted them back, I walked around to see Custard and Shrapnel walking with two foals next to them, the foals reminded alot of Shrapnel and Custard... Like a mix of the two of them.

Behined them I saw Caliber in his new Commander outfit, being saluted by a group of Security ponies as he passed by, my head turned around and my eyes locked on Rose, beautifull as always. Her red eyes looked straight at me and her smile was warm and happy. Everything was just perfect.

My eyes slowly closed, and I heard distant voice of screaming and crying, when I opened them up again I saw that the corridors were a mess, blood and bullet holes everywhere, graffitti on the walls and cielings and piles upon of piles of mutilated bodies covered the floor.. I saw Caliber getting beaten to death, Custard and Shrapnel were trying to protect the two foals, but a raider quickly shot them all to death, Rose looked at me, not noticing the blood-bath around us, she was still smiling. Suddenly everything was burning, the bodies, the floor... I was confused and scared and my whole body shaked, I blinked once again and I suddenly found myself at Twilight Camp.

I saw the mares and foals getting raped and tortured to death as the raiders were laughing out. I saw the guards, Seth Shadow, Cleaver and Storm fighting to keep their loved ones alive, but they were all butchered by those phsycotic raiders. I turned around to see a wide mirror facing me.

I walked closer to the mirror and saw my reflection walking toward me. I looked like myself, my gray eyes and black and blue striped mane were still there. My light brown-ish hide was in place and my Cutie-mark on my flanks, nothing was different. But something felt really odd, like something is wrong.

"I know what's missing" Rose's voice came from behined me, I saw her reflection walking toward the mirror from behined me.

I said nothing as I kept looking at my reflection in search for the wierd thing.

"Can't you tell what's wrong?... At all?" Rose sounded surprised and a touch mocking.

"No, what is it?" I asked weakly.

"Let me fix it then.." Rose said as she put her forehooves on my eyes. "Ready?" She asked.

I nodded and her hooves swiftly got off of my face and revealed me my reflection, my battle saddle was on me, I was covered in blood and bruises, my eyes were bloodied and tired and my hide was sweaty and filthy.

"Wh-what?" I tried to ask, but Rose hoofed my muzzle as she turned my head toward her, she looked at me, her horn glowing red and a gun was levitated next to her, pointing the barrel straight at me.

"Goodnight Gunn-gunn" Rose smiled as she pulled the trigger.

I opened my eyes and panted heavily, I jumped off the mattress to see Rose, Custard and Shrapnel looking at me in surprise, there was the working fireplace in between us all.

"Are you alright?" Rose asked with her mother-ish tone.

"Where am I?" I ignored Rose's question and tried to stablize my breathing, I tried to rub my head and felt a stabbing pain all over my body.

"We're in Twilight Camp, still in our little cabin" Custard replied.

"What happened? And why I'm covered with bandages?" I groaned in pain.

"Storm told us you lost it back there, he said that he shot you with sleeping darts, but this is more then thirty darts! unless you are a super-pony he was a bit over-reacting..." Shrapnel said.

"He was right when he did that, I did lost it, never felt such anger in my entire life..." I admitted, knowing that lying won't do any good.

"Well, you were passed out for six or seven hours, Storm gave us instructions how to wake you up, but we stopped trying after Shrapnel here almost..." Rose started.

"Almost did nothing..." Shrapnel stopped Rose in a tone that told me I'm glad not knowing what happened.

"Is it night already?.." I asked, the sleeping drug still making me a bit dizzy and not so sober.

"You can call it that..." Shrapnel said with a little smile.

"You need to rest properly though, this drug isn't coming instead of sleeping" Rose insisted, knowing that I don't like getting orders.

"If you say so" I agreed with her as I got up from the mattress and walked toward the bedroom.

I could feel the surprised looks of them all, I never listened to others with rules, I sleep whenever I want, I eat whatever I want, I hate when others are telling me how to live, so this answer wasn't something they'd expected from me, a bit of countering and nudging were usually a part of this kind of conversations, but I just went straight to bed.

I got on the bed, sat down on my haunches and looked around...everything I just witnessed was a dream...it was all just a nightmare, it felt so real... Like it really happened, it just made me more angry that now even sleep will be a problem for me.

After a while Rose enterd the room, she looked tired as hell.

"Hello love" Rose whispered and closed the door behined her, her face grumped like she regreted that she called me that, like she don't want to consider me as her buck-friend.

"Why the long face?" I asked, her ears perked up as she realized I got her on act.

She sighed a deep sigh and said "Because... Because I don't want to hurt you"

"Hurt me? Hurt me how?" I was confused, Rose... Hurt me? she won't hurt me even if her life depended on that, my mind slapped me mentally and reminded me the drug.

She didn't meant that!

What about the gun in the shack, and Rose trying to hurt you after you passed out? and the tickle attack?.

I snickered about the last one, but maybe my mind had a point... It could be that Rose already lost herself to the wasteland?...

"The drug, the gun... Just me being me made you go crazy in Storm's office!" Rose blamed herself and got slowly on the bed.

"But I chose to do that!" I countered.

"Yeah, for me... What about the drug and the gun? you pointed a gun at yourself with the horn you grew? you injected yourself with the Goddesses damned rape drug?!" Rose hissed and sat on her haunches next to me.

"No, but I could've been mad at you after that, I chose not to." I said weakly.

"I still don't get it, why won't you just scream at me? Be angry at me! Even a little swear word?" Rose tried to understand.

"I can't be mad at you, I can't scream or hurt you in any way... The medical tray was hard enough to throw and I imagine that it hurted even more for you, not to say it didn't hurt for me to do it... If I can, I would shoot myself to keep you safe"

"Stop thinking like that about yourself! I need you to live your own life! Life isn't about others all the time, think about yourself too!" Rose insisted, tears started to form in her red eyes.

"You're my life, nothing else" I whispered, looking at her eyes with a serious look. The kitsch killed me from the inside though.

"Gunner... Thank you" Rose stammered, looking broken.

"I just can't stop thinking about how beautiful you are... Keeps stunning me..." I whispered in Rose's ear, making her blush and shiver.

"Shut up you stud..." Rose rolled her eyes and pushed me away from her.

My wings started to flare out but I forced them to stay folded and I fought to keep my body calm, it's hard enough when the sexiest mare's right next to you

"About yesterday, want to explain me how you wanted it to be?" I asked sheepishly.

"Yeah... You need to mount me and then..." Rose began, looking at me and realizing I meant something a bit different.

"You know I'm not good with words as much as I'm with demonstrations" I winked.

"Are-are you sure about that? Do you really want to?" Rose asked, looking unsure about alot of stuff right now.

"Yeah, you really wanted your first time. So it'll be the least I can do to help you" I said in a cheesy tone.

"Just... Take it how you like it, I had some practice with myself at the Stable" Rose blushed after saying that.

"So... When you're ready"

Rose turned around and moved her tail out of the way, her... Rear... Was infront of my eyes, but I wasn't feeling like starting straight out plain, so I thought maybe I'll let her enjoy first...

"Umm... Gunner? Everything's alright? Something's ahh~" Rose gasped as I pressed my tongue against her and started to lick slowly... Her hindlegs bucked a bit after the sudden action of my tongue against her privates... And her slit was burning my tonuge out, but I decided to keep going.

"Gunner~... You-arrghh~... D-don't you have a-nnghh~...A s-s-special organ for-ugghh~... For that?" Rose moaned, her hindlegs started shaking a bit as her hide started to crawl, I picked up the pace and Rose started to breath heavily and to moan even louder... I didn't said anything as I switched my hoof instead of my tonuge.

"Nngghh~... Gunn-Gunner~... Maybe you should-ugghh~... Slow down a bit-arrghh~... I think I'm about to-ngghhh~" Rose moaned loudly when her whole body spased out as she let out a relieved sigh.

My nethers instantly woke up and my wings shot up so quick I thought it was instinctive.

"What just happened?" I asked stupidly, not knowing much about sex...

"They really don't teach you the males alot in Sex-Ed... Am I right?" Rose giggled, still panting and looking at me over her shoulder, her whole face was blushing red as she crushed against the bed.

"No?.." I asked "Thought that we were told 'the basics', guess you'll need to fill in the blanks... If you don't mind..."

Rose turned on her back with her face upwards and said "It's called an 'Orgasm' Gunner... But I guess that instead of porn magazines you read history and weapon modding books..."

"Wh-what's 'porn'?" I asked, from the look I got back from Rose... I missed something big in my life..

"Just... Don't mind that... Back to orgasms, it happens when a pony gets to a climax from sexual pleasure, mares can have multiplied orgasms while stallions can have only one at a time... And some lucky ponies, usually mares such as myself... Are multi-orgasmic; They can have four or five without getting worned out..." Rose explained.

"Well that's not fair!" I whined, Rose just snickered at that.

"At least for you it won't hurt" Rose assured me, sounding very smug about being a mare.

"Hurt? Was it painfull?" I asked with a worried tone, If I knew it would hurt her I wouldn't do that!

"Not much, but a penetration would hurt alot more" Rose chuckled, and I just blushed.

"What do you mean by penetration?" I felt bad for asking so much and not actually doing much.

"You stupid stud" Rose giggled, wrapping my privates with her telekinetic and pulling towards her.

"Hey-hey! that hurts!" I said painfully.

"So stop talking and start doing something!" Rose said, sounding very impatient.

"Alright! Alright! One horny mare you are..." I whispered.

"I heard you!... Don't make me do something you'll regret.." Rose sang out with an amused voice.

"About that 'orgasm' you talked about... My body will enter a spasm like you did?" I asked, not very sure I want it to happen to me.

"Just relax Gunner. It's not complicated, try to have fun... And when you're feeling weird just pull out and let me handle things up" Rose said with a cheesy voice.

"Okay then..." I answered, begging to mount Rose and getting in position. Rose looked eagrly behined her and straight at me, leaning in and kissing me.

"RPG!! MY TWELVE!!"

Fsssssshh

BOOM

I quickly disconnected from the kiss and jumped off the bed, realizing what just happened.

"What's happening?" Rose panicked, not knowing what to do.

"Stay here, do not move from here even for a second!." I said as I fetched my battle saddle with my teeth and ran through the main room of the cabin.

Shrapnel peeked his head from his room and asked "Where are you going?"

"To save this fucking camp" I whispered as I got out of the cabin and took off into the night sky.

I circled around the camp and from the air I could see at least fourty raiders crowning the camp, they were all wearing poor armoring and some of them had weapons that I could only dream of having. I barely saw a trail of gray smoke leading from a raider unicorn outside the walls, reloading RPG-7V4 anti-tank rocket launcher, it's funny he used it because there weren't any vehicles around!.. But they were all out of their minds, so he probably was an equivelant of Shrapnel's explosive obssesion and years upon years of madness.

I noticed that some guards went out of the camp's area to greet the raiders a very hell-ish welcome, I quickly rememberd that I saw some guards talking through a radio, mid-air I entered the radio channel of my PipBuck and searched for the frequency of this camp, after I managed to find the frequency and after I got a strong enough signal I listened to the message that filled the frequency.

"....Under attack... All guards in Twilight Camp's vacinity are requested to defend the west side of the camp immediatly... I repeat, this is Twilight Camp's HQ. We're under attack... All guards in Twilight Camp's vacinity are requested to defend the west side of the camp immediatly..." Sounded from the radio, followed by 'Affirmative' and 'Copy that' of some random guards, what made me think how did Storm got his Magical armor and why are the guards acting like trained soldiers rather then poorly-trained ponies with no past of guarding, were they the army?..they were some kind of a millitary group and that was obvious, the three gears symbol is on everything, walls, weapons, equipment... Hell! I think I even saw it on the Magical-armor at Storm's lab!

"This is Alpha 1-3 to HQ, we have spotted something that may be a 'Code 655'. I repeat; This is Alpha 1-3 to HQ, we have spotted a possible 'Code 655', request orders over" a young stallion said through the radio, beyond his seemingly calm voice I could hear he was terrified of something, and that 'Code 655' can't be good.

"This HQ, Alpha 1-3 your orders are to engage 'Code 655' and report back ASAP, Over." the voice from earlier said, he sounded less worried, but he said it like he was sending them to die... I quickly searched around from my vantage point and saw what 'Code 655' probably was, it was a glowing giant pony-shaped mutant...or a mutant-shaped pony? either way it looked like he wasn't here for tea party.

He... She?... This will flat the guards like they were a pile of sticks!... I quickly heard Storm's voice in the radio and looked at the voice patterns at my PipBuck.

"This is 'Big-Daddy', Alpha 1-3 report!" Storm shouted.

"This... This thing! It is not a pony! Not anymore! he ate my entire squad! please help me!" The young stallion's voice, 'Alpha 1-3', cried to the radio.

"Pull yourself together soldier! What does it looks like?" Storm asked.

"It's big!... And glowing!... And it eats everything it sees!" Alpha 1-3 whimpered, in the background were sounds of things crushing, as I looked around again I saw from above the mutant going crazy on other Guards, he tore them apart and ate them alive...there my meal goes...

"What's your position soldier?" Storm tried to calm Alpha 1-3 before asking.

"I am-I'm under a caravan... An old one... Directly west from the camp" Alpha 1-3's voice was quite, my eyes quickly spotted the caravan he was talking about, the mutant slowly advanced toward the caravan as it sniffed the air, and it sure did looked hungry.

"Oh gosh... I think he found me... I don't wanna die..please!" Alpha 1-3 whimpered.

"You won't die!" I shouted into the radio and started flying downwards toward the mutant pony, hearing Storm's surprised voice for a split second, my teeth bit down on the muzzle trigger and the saddle started firing, couple of shot punctured the mutants hide, but it just made him flinch and radioactive green and glowing blood spilled out, but it didn't looked like it injured him much.

My hooves touched ground and I quickly ran toward the mutant, ready to kill it and save Alpha 1-3. the mutant took the caravan in his teeth and threw it on me, I ducked and slided underneath it as the caravan flew above me, I tried to get back up on my hooves as I saw Alpha 1-3, a deep-yellow stallion with brown mane was prone on where the caravan was seconds ago, I ran full speed toward the mutant and slid to S.A.T.S a few meters away, more to see his weak spot then to actually shoot him, I wanted to maybe distract him away from the camp, because I do not want this thing munching on me.

Time slowed down as the mutant stood on his backlegs and roared, his ugly mutated face and sharp teeth were the first and formost the only thing I saw, I checked his hindlegs: they were too strong even for my battle saddle.

Chest maybe? Nope... Can block everything I got on me.

Head? This fucker wants to die or not!?

Groin?...

Celestia thank you!... Apperantly he is a male [Or used to be a male...] And no male's persistant from a shot there... I aimed three times and excuted the spell. Time sped up as it's [his?] lower torso exploded everywhere and he screeched in pain, it's maybe a mutant... But still a pony...

After it knelt down and used it's forehooves like hands. It looked so wrong like that... It [he?] held where once was a healthy male part.

I wasted no time and quickly flapped my wings and flew upwards, the mutant-pony was still holding his groin as I dive-bomed downwards and bucked down hard on his neck, a bone cracked and I was pretty sure it was my legs rather then his neck. The mutant fell on his face and didn't moved as E.F.S told me that a red dot infront of me disappeared.

"Get back to the camp. I'll get those raiders" I ordered Alpha 1-3, who looked at me shocked and barely nodded as a response.

"Thank you.." Alpha 1-3 stammered, shaking violently and moving toward the camp.

"Happy to help, now you better go to a safer place then here" I said with a soft voice, knowing that screaming won't help this pony one bit.

I saw three raiders running to greet me, probably wanting to know who killed their little mutant.

"Ya killed my pet?" One raider mare said, she had scars all over her face, few hairs for a mane and what would look like a bright red hide is now mostly filth and blood-covered.

"Well. 'Bout time one of those lame ponies will grow some balls and kill something!" Another brown raider laughed pshycoticly.

"He got alooooot of meat on him..." A blue mare unicorn raider said as she licked her lips.

I spat in disgust as I flew upwards and hovered two meters from the ground.

"Ohhhh he is a pegasus! Who wants chicken-pony wings?!" The blue mare laughed out.

"Bwak bwak bwak!" The brown raider laughed with the mare.

"Funny... Are you guys supposed to be raiders?" I asked sarcasticly.

"Ohh you'll see what we are supposed to be" The blue mare laughed even harder, a red laser was pointed at me from a bush on a hill few hundred meters away from me to the east.

"Shit" I said as a sniper rifle's shot was sounded. Everything suddenly felt like in S.A.T.S as my mind quickly calculated the time traveling speed by the sound, distance and wind speed.

So about 250-300 meters, slow wind coming from the south and the sniper sounds like M-24 sniper rifle, no suppressor or any barrel extension... From his position he needs to be with a deathwish to even try to shoot me in this darkness

I flapped my left wing and moved sideways in the air, the bullet missed me by a few meters and hit a rock a few dozen meters behined me.

Pfftt... Did he even zeroed in?..

"Now that I know your 'marksman' is probably a filly still in her diapers, I can start having fun myself" I chuckled, biting my muzzle-trigger and blowing the brown raider's head, the two raider mares looked in shock at their friend's brain splatterd all over them as I tried to fight my gag-reflex.

"Who's fucking next?..." I asked as I recovered from the gruesome sight, wanting to hurt those raiders. They're here to hurt innocent, I'm here to prevent them, they used a mutant pony as their pet! They need to be killed!

"You are!" The blue unicorn's horn glew gray as she levitated a pump-action shotgun from her side holster, she pumped the gun once and aimed it right at me, the other mare took a pistol in her teeth, the pistol looked so poor and old that I bet firing it will hurt her more then me...

"Am I? Judging by your friend here, she isn't a threat" I said as E.F.S showed me that the mare with the pistol turned yellow, "And I bet that you won't waste your... Let me guess... What? About two or three rounds? You swing that shotgun too freely for it to be fully loaded, but it isn't empty, is that a remington shotgun? Damn it looks good, but did you know that your barrel is curved sideways?"

I lied, it looked perfectly fine.

"It'll blow up the second you pull that that trigger, and it won't end well for you. I bet that my battle saddle here can shred you both to pieces in matter of seconds, and your little sniper? He's trying to figure out why he missed, but he dosen't know that he isn't zoomed in well. That might end with him hitting you before even landing a single hit on me, or he might even not be able to help you at all while I'll gun you both down for good... So... What will you choose?" I said in interest, wanting to know more about why or what was this 'Nightmare Moon order' Storm talked about, and If I can get information and to avoid killing ponies...

"Please don't kill me!" The pistol-raider said after she spat out the pistol from her mouth and bowed infront of me, the blue raider looked at her friend and mouthed 'Weak bitch..' As she shot the mare's head off and suddenly turned her gaze to me and pumped her shotgun again.

"I won't do that if I were you" I said, feeling so good to be ontop.

"What'cha fucking about? I'll shoot ya right fucking now and you'll do nuthin' to stop it!" the blue raider screamed out, her shotgun's barrel levitating lower.

"See that shotgun barrel?" I asked, she looked at me wierd for a second and quickly spinned the shotgun and looked at the barrel, I bucked my battle saddle to cock-up and bit down on my muzzle trigger, sending a burst of four bullets through the blue unicorn body. Her eyes widned as she realized I just tricked her and her body twitched from every bullet impact, after my negotiation she probably thought I had a point... I clearly didn't, and the shotgun was in a pretty good shape too! I didn't killed her, but she was bleeding.

"Now... What do you know about Nightmare Moon's mercs?" I asked, touching ground and walking slowly toward the raider.

"You mean Nightmare Moon's Clan?! I'm telling you nuthin'!" The blue mare screamed and groaned in pain.

"I see... Guess that the folks inside Twilight Camp will enjoy intterogating you don't they?" I asked, ignoring the battle around me.

"Oh I'll kill them one by on--" I stopped her as I took the shotgun with my teeth and swung it around, landing a hit on her head and making her loss consciousness.

"Alright... Two shots in the shotgun, I clearly can't use it while flying... But battle saddle still intact" I said to myself as I realized that I had no armor and no potions or any medical item on my PipBuck sorting spell.

Another bullet shot whizzed by me as I looked at the sniper, he figured out he was out-zoomed.

"Fuck me..." I said as I realized how deep in trouble I was.

I started to run to the sniper's direction and avoiding bullets that tried to tear through me if I'll stop moving for a second, zig-zaging my way up the hill was one hell of a bitch, the sniper was a good one but he didn't striked me even once despite his vantage point, I thought I felt a bullet graze me as I quickly ducked behined a big rock that gave me some cover to plan my next step.

"Let's swat a little fly!.." A stallion's voice came from below, I looked around and saw the same unicorn from eariler, yeilding his rocket launcher and pointing it straight at me, his eye was looking through his rocket launcher's scope, I was so doomed...

He fired the rocket and it made a gas-release sound and a rustling explosive projectile was now making his way to me.. I pressed on S.A.T.S as time slowed down and I had an extra second to think, the happy face of the raider was looking at me, his tongue was sticked out as his muzzle was smiling a mouth-full of broken and brown teeth, the rocket propelled toward me and I remembered I'm about to be blown to pieces. I aimed four times at the rocket that was a few meters away from me and excuted the spell, the battle saddle spat out a burst of eight bullet each barrel as the rocket exploded in mid-air and sent me flying against the rock behined me, I groaned in pain while my back thumped against the rock like I was a bag of meat as I fell on my ass, my ears rang and my back was painful, I was trying to stand up but the pain got the better of me.

I looked down the hill and saw the bloody and shrapnel-filled body of the raider unicorn, I tried to raise my PipBuck just to feel a stabbing and horrible pain in my shoulder that made me scream out, I looked at my left shoulder and saw that a piece of metal-shrapnel pinned my shoulder to the rock and my wing was impaled behined my shoulder, I was bleeding from it pretty heavily.

Shots were flying in the night sky and it looked like Twilight Camp held well, the raiders that weren't fighting were either too injured to fight or fleeing for their lives. I tried to look if anything else in my body was injured or broken, but the metal shrapnel pinned me so close to the shoulder I worried pulling my foreleg or even moving will tear my leg off me, my head was thumping like explosives were going off inside it and my ears stopped ringing slowly as I just sat there helplessly.

"Alright Gunner... Pull the metal shrap out in three... One... Two... Three... Arrrrrgghh!!" I tried to pull the shrapnel out of my shoulder with my teeth but with no success, the pain was unbearable and I wasn't planning on staying here to die, the worst thing was that when I tried to pull the shrapnel out of my shoulder it made the wound to bleed even more.

"Oh fuck. Oh fuck. Oh fuck. Oh fuck that's not good..." I grunted, the pain was too much for me to handle now. I moved my head slowly, trying to not move my neck much to avoid injuring my shoulder even more, I was lucky when the metal shrap missed my throat by a few milimeters and instead impaled me to the rock, I felt warm and sticky liquid on my back, I looked upwards and saw it was blood... Probably my blood, I looked down at my body to see that my lower right leg was missing and my tail was badly burnt, when I looked around and saw it I thought I'm about to vomit... My amputated leg was lying in a pool of blood not far from me...

"I just lost my fucking leg! I lost my... Fucking leg... How am I not passed out?... Am I dead?..." I wandered out loud between panicked pants.

When I finally dared to look down again on my body I felt sick, my right leg was blown off... My whole body was covered in bruises and cuts, I was pinned to a rock and I slowly bled out to death... What a way to die? I wasn't sure if I was lucky when I couldn't feel anything below my chest. Some of my hide was burnt off and blacken from the explosion, I leaned my head on the rock behined me and looked upwards toward the night sky in defeat.

"I'm right here Luna... Just take me already..." I whispered, ready to die.

"Sorry to dissapoint you, but you ain't meeting her today" A mechanical voice sounded from my right, I looked to both sides but saw nopony... Just the night horizon ahead.

"I'm probably hearing stuff from blood loss" I told myself and chuckled, I looked back up at the sky, waiting for the invetible death.

"Can I stop letting you down for once? I'm not hallucination or imagination, but I need you to listen very carefully.." The same mechanical voice said.

"Who are you? And where are you?" I said, dizzyness filling my head as I felt alot weaker, the blood loss is greater now and I won't stay awake for long in this condition.

"It dosen't matter now, what really matters is that you are dying; And I can't help a dead pony. So right now I need you to get to your PipBuck, activate your radio and call 'Twilight Camp' for help" The mechanical voice answered, a floating robot appeared from my right and it seemed like it was looking at me.

"What the?... Are you a robot?" I asked.

"Yes... And no, but we don't have time for questions, I need you to reach to your PipBuck and call for help, quickly" the floating robot ordered, sounding like he had emotions and feelings, but his voice was so mechanical it was so creepy.

"But... My leg! It's fucking pinned!" I muttered in pain, trying to move my left forehoof to show him my situation.

"I can see that, but you can't just sit here and wait to die!" his voice sounded angry, did he knew me? did I knew him?..

"Fine... I just need to reposition myself.." I groaned as I moved my right forehoof over and turned slightly to my left, I tried to reach my PipBuck with my right hoof and clenched my eyes shut in pain whenever I moved.

I let out a relieved sigh I haven't noticed I held when I felt my right hoof touching the PipBuck pad, I tilted my head a bit and tried to see over the metal bar that was one centimeter too close from impaling my throat, I moved to the radio channel and pressed on the pre-selected 'Twilight Camp Guard Frequency'.

"Here... Now can you please tell me who are you?" I asked, my head felt heavy and my eyes were barely opened, every part I could feel slowly went numb.

"Not yet, I need you to call for help before anything" The robot said, why I was so important to it? I connected and heared some talking, beyond my dying ears I could make out Storm's voice.

"H-hello?.." I said weakly, looking at the sky in desperation.

"Luna tear my dick off! Gunner?! Is that you mate?" Storm's voice sounded very relieved to hear me.

"Yeah... I need help Storm" I said with a cough.

"Where are you? We'll go and find you!" Storm insisted.

"That's the problem, I'm injured and I have no idea where exactly I am, but I can see the camp from here.." I whispered, life was slowly fleeting out of me.

"Don't worry, we'll find you! Can you tell me something that we can recognize?" Storm asked.

"..The stars..." everything went slowly black as I felt light weighted, nothing was hurting anymore... I could hear music from afar from where the robot was and it was calming... Was this how you feel before you die?

"Gunner! Be serious!" Storm shouted.

"I am..." woozyness taking over me.

"Celestia help me... Come on! Don't fuck around! Find him!" Storm shouted again.

"I'm right here... Don't worry for me..." I mumbled.

"Gunner, hang in there, I can't lose you!.." Shrapnel's voice was heard instead of Storm's

"Don't worry... I'm going to a better place..." I replied and closed my eyes.

"Stay with us Gunner!" A muffled voice said.

"There he is! HQ this is Bravo 4-1, we found the package, ready to patch him up and bring him back" A stallion said.

I heard hooves walking around me as something in my shoulder was pulled out with a slight stab on my flank and another stab at my hoof, some kind of liquid was entering my leg, everything was so peacefull and quiet... I felt my battle saddle getting stripped off of me.

"Come on, we're losing him!" Another stallion said, a few gunshots from his direction were sounded after that.

"I know that!" A mare hissed "Bring me the adrenaline syringe, now!.." The mare added, sounding a bit farther suddenly.

A slight pinch on my flank made everything to return back, colors, feelings, taste..

"Don't you die on me" The mare said, I saw her in the camp before... She was a red unicorn, a medical helmet sorrunded her head with a hole for her horn, she was wrapping bandages around me and a levitated blood bag was connected to my foreleg.

"Thank you" I whispered, looking at her eyes as she was too busy helping me out,

"Nope, thank you; Those mutants killed more good ponies then you can imagine, and you took one down with a few bullets and a buck" she replied, still healing me and not even looking at my eyes, her purple mane was barely visible behined her helmet.

"Com'on! Let's move the fuck out!" The stallion said as more shots were heared from his direction.

"Working on it..." The mare sang out.

"Those fucking things... He better be worth the danger we are in!..." The same stallion said, I couldn't see him because of my head cast, when did they put it on me?

"The Commander said he rather shoot his balls off then lose him... Sounds like his are harder then yours Chamber..." The medcial mare said with a mocking voice, getting a chuckle from the other mare.

"Fuck you Chip! We said we ain't talking 'bout this!" The stallion, Chamber, replied with an annoyed voice.

"Bring his leg and let's move out!.." Chip the medical pony, said.

"Fucking time ya found yerself" The other mare said, how much are they?..

"Relax 'Claws', it won't be a problem..." Chip said calmly, ignoring the pressure of the others. "That might hurt a bit" The mare told me as I felt my right rear leg entering a new level of pain.

"Arrrrrrrgghh FUCK!" I screamd in pain.

"We got ourselves a pussy here don'chya think?" 'Claws' said, I'm starting to dislike her from now on...

"There you go, your leg's good as new" Chip said with a friendly wink, I tried to look downwards and saw my right leg in place, when I moved it everything moved like always.

"What just happened?.." I panicked. Trying to think of what kind of dark magic she used on me.

"A limb mending spell, not as proffesional as other medics can do, but you won't feel the diffrence" Chip answered.

"Let's take him back to base, the Commander wants him ASAP!" the other stallion said, 'Bravo 4-1' I guess.

"You guys are really scared of this fucks don't you?" Chip said with a chuckle.

"Don't flame the situation now Madie" 'Bravo 4-1' said, wait? 'Madie'?, her name wasn't Chip?..

"Relax Nathe, no need to start pulling guns out.." Chip/Madie said, what's her real name?

"It's 'sir' for you Madie, now let's just move out already" Nathe said, I looked at Chip/Madie's horn glow white and I was suddenly levitated, they all started to walk as I got my first look on all of them, 'Claws' was a robot!.. Well, a cybrog anyways... Her torso's left side was mostly robotic and her left foreleg was mechanical too, her face was still mostly a pony though except for her left eye, her robotic eye glowed red. Her body was covered by nasty scars, and her hide was desert-brown unicorn and her mane was totally brown, she wasn't wearing any speical outfit except for her helmet. The two stallions were wearing the guard's outfit from Twilight Camp, one was an orange unicorn and his mane was covered by his helmet, the other stallion was a blue unicorn and he had a brown mane slightly visible behined his helmet.

Chip/Madie was wearing a medical counter-part outfit of the regular guard outfit, all of their equipment was marked with the same three-gear crossed by a winged-horn symbol from Storm's office, we all started walking toward the camp.

"Ah hope we get extra sleeping hours fer that sir.." 'Claws' asked the blue unicorn, Nathe.

"I'll talk with the Commander about that Isabell, I can't promise anything yet" Nathe said, he was the one in charge apperantly, and what was it with the names? Ugghh... Is this my head fucking with me now?..

"RadRoach my nine!.." Chamber announced, all heads turned left as 'Claws' levitated her combat shotgun and shot three rounds into the mutant roach, it screeched in pain and fell down on the ground, dead.

"Isabell, we talked about your trigger-happiness don't we?" Nathe frowned.

"Sorry sir! Won't happen again sir!" 'Claws' said, I figured that this name suited her better.

"Let's go! Madie? You need help with him?" Nathe asked, he had something for her or was it just the blood loss?

"I'm fine sir, let's get back and secure the package" Madie said, it was a weird name for a medical pony, but better then 'Chip'.

We were almost at the gate when we were ambushed by seven raiders that waited for us behined some old caravans and junk in both sides of the road, three were charging us from our right while the other five behined the caravans to our left started firing.

"Ambush!" Claws screamed as she unloaded six shots into two of the three raiders that charged her from the right, Nathe took his assault rifle out of his holster and shot a raider that started firing suppresive fire from behined an old pile of barrels. A raider next to him was shooting with his hooves! That's new to me; Since when can you shoot guns with your hooves? The raider quickly ducked for cover as Chamber blew the head of the last charging raider and quickly moved to another target.

"Take the package back to the camp!" Nathe ordered.

Madie nodded and placed me on her back and instead levitated a revolver by her side, I could see the battle saddle on Nathe, it was dissassembled and inside his carrier side-pack, I was weak and everything that happened was too intense for me even to carry the battle saddle ontop of me, so I didn't complained. we were taking heavy fire when Madie started trotting toward the camp and the revolver was floating loaded and ready beside her.

"Why are you guys helping me?..." I asked weakly, Madie was panting out of the extra weight and didn't stopped or slowed down to answer, she was too focused on getting me to safety. we were almost in the camp when she started to walk instead of trot, she started moving something on the side her helmet with a forehoof and said something after, was it the radio?..inside a freaking helmet?..I was used to a PipBuck radio, but a helmet one?

"Hang in there, you took some hits. And fortunately for you, you made it in one piece... Sorta..." Madie said as the gate slowly opened, my mind warned me about the alarm from earlier, but nothing happened... Guess they disabled it after all..

"Staff sergeant Madie?" A guard inside asked, looking at us with a suspicious gaze.

"Reporting for duty, I'm here to retrieve a 'package'" Madie answered with a salute, turning aside to show the guard what package she was talking, he had a very mercyfull face as soon as he saw me, I was all injured and bruised, I probably looked half-dead... Rose would kill herself if she saw me right now, she'll blame herself for stupid reasons that aren't her fault.

As Madie walked inside the camp I got sad and worried looks from everypony around the second they looked at me, was it that bad?... We finally reached Storm's building, this time I saw the name of the building on a sign lying on the ground, not visible for a pony who stands up and looking forward, it read 'Steel-Ranger Special Facillity' and some other words that were too small for me to read.

We walked in the hall and pain slowly filled my body. The painkillers they gave me weren't top-notch... We stopped and I didn't even looked around, I just hanged my head and looked at the ground, not caring about anything right now... The doors slowly opened and Madie walked inside, I was on her back and ready to face Storm.

"Commander, I'm sorry to interrupt you sir.." Madie said with confident.

"You ain't interrupting Staff Sergeant, Thank you very much... Just, whom am I talking with?" Storm said, clearly aprreciating her help.

"Staff Sergeant 'Chip' Madie, If you don't need anything else sir.." Madie answered.

"You have no idea how important he's to us Staff Sergeant, I will pay you in anyway you desire!" Rose thanked Madie, my ears shot up in surprise as I realized that it wasn't just Storm, Madie and me in the room.

"No need for a 'thank you' ma'am, I'm very happy to help others in need, especially your husband here.." Madie said, I blushed hotly when she said that.

"Oh... No no, he isn't my husband... He is very important to me though, I can't describe how much I thank you right now" Rose said, probably thinking I'm passed out, I decided to roll along, I didn't move and closed my eyes so it'll look like I'm unconscious.

"Please put him down, I'll reward you and your squad for you bravery" Storm said "Anything in practicular?.." He added, Madie placed me on a mattress on the floor.

"No sir... Not for me personally; My squad is on the field alot lately, can we got an extra hour sleep today sir?" Madie asked, her voice was frightened, was Storm that high on command?

"Abseloutly, you know what? Take two hours extra every day for a week" Storm replied "Don't tell anyone I got softer though" Storm added with a joking voice.

"Thank you sir!" Madie's voice was excited as she quickly walked away to tell her squad members.

"She's cute, I know her and her squad, the 'Death Claw' incident..." Storm sounded a bit smug for knowing her but in the same time feeling sad for her "After that incident she lost her entire squad except one other... They call her friend 'Claws' because of that... They also call Staff Sergeant Madie 'Chip' for some reason, still haven't figured out why.." Storm said with a happy tone, well that answered the name-salad.

"That's amazing! You got all of those of squads on the field that you can order in a simple tap of a hoof!" Shrapnel squeaked out, probably wanting to know if there is a special explosive-oriented squad or something...

"Well, we lost seven good ponies today... But they all died to save us all. We got Alpha, Bravo and Charlie class. Alpha and Charlie classes have three squads, Bravo has four... They are all four or five ponies each squad, and it goes from here on... We're mostly soldiers in this camp, but about fifty ponies aren't. They're here to live their normal lives, and the soldiers don't mind extra helping hooves as long as everypony works. Outside of our soldiers we have barterers that are working to get food and equipment from roaming traders, operators are maintaining equipment and cloths, and builders is pretty self-explainatory... Building cabins and maintaining walls" Storm lectured them.

"Any explosive-tasking squad around?" Shrapnel asked, I knew he'll ask that...

"Afraid not mate, sorry to blow your expectations" Storm replied.

"Oh... Well, that's fine.." Shrapnel sounded a bit dissapointed.

"Anywho... Your friend here needs a bit of loving don't he?" Storm moved the conversation topic.

"I can't believe I did it to him..." Rose whimpered.

"It's not your fault Rose" Custard comforted her.

"Sure looks like it is..." Rose's voice was sad and worried... I could hear PipBuck clicks in the background.

"Bravo 4-1 this is 'Big-Daddy'. The package was awake when your squad found him? Over." Storm asked, my eyes were closed so I couldn't see what he was doing.

"Do you have to call him 'package'? It sounds so cold-hearted.."  Rose whined.

"I'm sorry Rose, old habbits die hard... But my people know what's the meaning so please don't mind this one" Storm answered, not getting an answer from Bravo 4-1 though.

"Thank you very much for helping us! It means alot to us!" Rose began to say.

"No need, the lad helped my wings out, I might be able to fly again!.." Storm was excited "And he helped out with defending this camp, he killed a fuc--" Storm paused to Rose clearing her throat "...Sorry, he killed a mutant alone. They are one though suckers to kill that easily"

I couldn't help but snicker at how Rose can manipulate anypony whenever she wants, even the Commander of a few hundreds of ponies fell into her charm...

"..This is Bravo 4-1 to 'Big-Daddy'. Affirmative, package was conscious and cooperative on pick-up, Over." Nathe's voice answered.

"Roger that Bravo 4-1. Any drugs were administred during extraction or escort? Over" Storm questioned.

"Solid negative 'Big-Daddy'. No drugs or heavy medical treatment were used on package, Over"

"Roger, can you please describe said treatment?" Storm continued questioning, this was the time I realized I might cause troubles by playing unconscious.

"Yes sir, Limb-mending spell treatment was applied to the package's right rear-leg, bandaging and blood-bagging, some adrenaline syringes. Over."

"I see, thank you Bravo 4-1. 'Big-Daddy', over and out" Storm replied, a PipBuck's radio sound was sounded.

"Why is he still passed out?" Rose sounded worried.

"I have no clue... I really don't..." Storm said, sounding very worried too.

"Can he be in a coma?.." Shrapnel asked.

"Shrapnel!" Custard hushed him, not wanting to give Rose any ideas.

"It's alright Custard, It's just that I can't imagine my life without him... Back at the stable I called him 'Hero' to tease him. I was in love with him since we were foals, he was always there for me when I needed him the most but I never was there for him back, he helped you guys too... It's just... I can't understand why he's doing all of that, he is just.." Rose said, her voice was closer to the verge of crying with every word.

"...He's just Gunner..." Shrapnel continued Rose "He was there when I lost my parents, Gunner didn't cared for himself at all, he had his own crazy problems to take care about... Never placed himself before me..."

Wow, Shrapnel's getting emotional... That's new..

"I remember that when you and Gunner scared that bully off... When we were young?.." Custard started. "He could just walk away... But he helped me out, he even helped me to get my Cutie-mark, Gunner got me out of the bubble I lived inside my entire life"

"Talkin' about Gunner, he got my wings to fully work again... I can't remember when was the last time I flapped those beauties!" Storm said excited, trying to raise the morale a bit.

"What happened to him?.." Rose asked, sounding very very mother-ish out of nowhere.

"According to Bravo 4-1 or according to what it looks like?.." Storm asked, totally serious.

"According to Bravo 4-1" Was her answer.

"Let me see..." He said as I heared a few PipBuck clicking sounds... "Alright there it is... He was shot by a sniper rifle.."

Wait... What?!... When?... How?...

"He was blown by an RPG 7V4.." Storm added... I could hear Shrapnel whispering something, probably telling Rose about the damned rocket-launcher.

"Several shrap wounds, cuts, bruises, blood-loss, he lost his right rear-leg but it was mended back to him, a few broken ribs, a fractured skull, an impale wound on his left wing, burn injuries, a similliar impale wound on his left shoulder, dislocated left rear-leg, burnt tail... This is pretty much what they reported but I can spot out a few more injuries.." Storm said, sounding very regretfull he said all of this to Rose.

"Like what?" Rose's voice was almost crying.

"See his breathing? Looks like one lung is panctured, his right ear is brunt up but can still recover fully, a broken nose.." Storm said, sounding like there's alot more to it.

"According to you?" Rose asked.

"He was hit by a burning train, followed by another bruning train, followed by another one, followed by a shooting class..." Storm said.

"Alright... That's enough.." Rose started crying.

I quickly realized that I wasn't pretending to pass out when the adrenaline fully worned off, the pain washed over me as I could feel everything that Storm mentioned, and quickly passed out.

"...Yup... He's waking up" Madie's voice was heard, my head was thumping, I felt sick and everything was hurting.

"Ah thought he'll keep sleeping... Oh well" Claws said, my eyes slowly opened I saw I was sorrounded by ponies.

"Do you want to fight a mutant instead of him Claws?" Chamber asked.

"Ya can suck on my cunt Chambeh" Claws frowned, I looked around and saw Rose, Shrapnel and Custard looking at me, smiling. We weren't in our cabin... It looked like a medical facillity.

"Welcome back Gunner" Rose said weakly as she walked forward and hugged me, I groaned as I tried to stand up.

"Whoa... Easy there" Shrapnel worried.

"I'm fine... How long have I been out?" I asked, rubbing my head with a hoof.

"Long enough so this cheese-pony here kiss ya'll like ya're the sleeping beauty or somethin'" Claws answered, I just hate her more and more...

"That's enough Isabell.." Nathe stopped her.

"Yes sir... And it's 'Claws'.." Claws answered with a sigh.

"Yeah, I don't think so Sergeant." Nathe answered.

"You've been out for two days. You went in and out of consciousness in the meantime. Your body is exhausted... The trauma you took is too much for a pony to take at once. I gotta say you're one tough pony" Madie said.

"Thank you.." I replied.

"No problem mister, it's my duty to help others in need." Madie told me with a caring voice.

"Still, thank you" I insisted.

"Can ya stop rubbing each other off and we can start move the fuck out already?" Claws asked impatiently. I raised my head and looked at Claws, her robo-hoof was now a hand with three fingers and it held a cigar as Claws smoked it slowly.

"Oh that? That's why we call her Claws, she can change it from a hoof to a hand, or a set of sharp claws" Madie explained, realizingI was confused, and the reason of my confusion.

"That's..." I started.

"Yup, that's wierd" Madie stopped me "But you learn to love her, she saw some things I wouldn't wish upon my worst enemies, but she's a good pony behined her metal casing"

"Can I ask something? not to be rude or something, but I really want to know" I said.

"Sure! What is it?" Madie answered with her calm and sweet voice.

"It's... Your names, I mean... They are fine, don't get me wrong... But what's the meaning of them?" I asked, and all of Bravo 4 squad members looked at me weird.

"What do you mean by 'meaning'?..." Nathe asked, seeming not to follow.

"Gunner, Shrapnel, Rose... Those are Equestrian names... But Nathe? Isabell? Madie? They aren't from here" I said, picking my words carefully, I didn't wanted to get on the nerve of an armed squad.

"We were born soldiers. Your Cutie-marks don't mean nothing as a soldier thus our names aren't Equestrian, we all have Cutie-marks, but the army don't select you by one, they need a medic? You're a medic. They need a heavy soldier? You're a heavy soldier... We all were born to grow up to be soldiers, except Chamber here, he was recruited seven or eight years ago" Nathe explained, all Bravo 4 squad lowered their head and probably recalled things that better be forgotten.

"Oh. I'm sorry, I didn't know that" I apologized. Who am I to ask them such question?

"Dosen't matter, we're all like that from the day we were born, it's hard to take, but the wasteland is harder" Nathe replied.

"And before you ask anything else, we're from the army, but not the one of the ministries... We're trying to fight for peace and harmony, something that the ministries tried to do in dark and odd ways..." Madie said, sounding a touched hurt, she had all the rights to be.

"We were once the Steel Rangers, but their ways were rotten and wrong just as the ministries' ways... We're the Outcasts. Ten years ago, SteelHooves, our hero. Lost his life while trying to return the glory of Equestria back and by helping the Light Bringer, we fight for the same cause he died" Nathe declared, all Bravo 4 squad looked up at Nathe with pride. "That's why we're fighting, to live another day, and to fight for another day." Nathe added, getting an approving nod from every single Bravo 4 member around.

"A nobel cause" Shrapnel said.

"Indeed, but that mean we can't stop fighting, we need to return to the fight right now, but Madie was eager to check up on you" Nathe replied as he looked at me.

"Thank you, how can I pay it back?" I asked, looking directly into Nathe's green eyes.

"You killed that mutant, and the damned demolition-pony, we were deployed to kill them, so you saved us some bloodshed." Chamber replied instead of Nathe with a grin.

"That's a bummer, ah wanted to claw that demo-pony's face off, but ah guess ya can have one fer yer record" Claws said, using her claw-hoof as a toothpick.

"Isabell, show some respect" Nathe ordered.

"Sorry sir.." Claws said with a sigh.

"Who's the 'Light-Bringer'?.." I asked, Claws chuckled as Chamber looked like he was looking at a brain-less pony.

"Her name's unknown, but we heard her story from all over Equestria, she gave us back the sun!... She fought off the enclave, but there were... Problems..." Madie told us.

"Well, you guys should go now... The shipment won't wait for you to find it" Storm entered my line-of-sight, I didn't knew he was there and it felt very creepy that he could have been in alot of situations without me noticing.

"Yes sir! Let's move out squad!" Nathe ordered as he turned toward the door and started walking, Madie, Chamber and Claws after him.

I looked at Bravo squad disappearing behined the wall, I continued looking at the opened doorway as Storm walked slowly to my direction.

"Gunner, you fucked up.." Storm told me.

"I know.." I answered.

"No! You don't know, you just went out without telling anypony, without Storm here you would've died! He saved you one time too much now!" Rose raised her voice in anger.

"Rose... No need for anger.."

"Don't tell me not to be angry!.." Rose cutted Shrapnel off "You promised me you won't do stupid crap like that again!", I looked up at her eyes, I had nothing to say... She was right, I did promised not to risk myself, but this time was different!... Was it?..

"You need to stop acting like that, putting your life in danger just to maybe save others.." Rose continued.

"Here's where I have to disagree.." Shrapnel began again, but Rose looked at him with such face that made him shut up.

"I know that you saved alot of lives, but was it worth the consequences? You could've wait for the others to help you!" Rose cried.

"Rose, that demolition pony he killed have already killed a dozen soldiers, he did good in my eyes" Storm stopped her "So if you think that it wasn't worth it, I don't know what can make you think otherwise"

I looked at my body, I was wrapped in bandages, my left wing was in a cast and my hindleg was splinted.

"Why'd you guys used this amount of meds?" I asked.

Storm looked at me with a confused face "Why won't we? do you want us to leave you to suffer?"

"You could've just use my healing potion, it's inside my barding." I told Storm and pointed at my barding that was hanged on a chair behined him.

"Celestia and Luna shove their horns up my arse... You had another one?!" His eyes widened in realization.

"Yeah... I have a few spare actually..." I replied.

"You what now? Gunner, next time you pass out be sure to inform me about that before" Storm joked.

"We should go back to our cabin, you better rest" Rose offered.

"Sounds good, I'll see you tommorow" Storm said, I tried to get up but my hooves just fell underneath me.

"Let me help you" Rose insisted, her horn glew bright red and my body was slowly levitated. Rose walked outside with me in tow, I felt so helpless in the air that it was almost embarresing.

We walked around the camp and I got some funny looks from everypony around, why everytime I walk outside it has to be because somepony is injured?... At least it was me injured and not Rose or Custard, or Shrapnel.

Shrapnel held the cabin's door opened for Custard and Rose as they walked inside, I was floating around in Rose's glow and my mind was screaming at me to flap my wings to feel less of a burden, but my wing was in a cast and I bet that if I can't even stand up properly, flying will be my death.

"This time you're going straight to bed, it's not arguable that you have to rest" Custard whined, they all looked exhausted... Were they up the whole two days I was out?

"I would like to go out and fly around.." I replied sarcasticly, just to get back an annoyed look from Custard. "..I'm joking, relax.." I added.

"This time try not to have sex with Rose, alright?" Shrapnel chuckled, making me blush while Rose levitated me behined her inside the bedroom. Rose placed me gently on the bed and swiftly levitated a blanket and covered me with it, I didn't move as she walked to a corner and took off her barding.

"Guess I won't get to sleep with you tonight" I told Rose, she looked over her shoulder and straight at me.

"What do you mean? Why won't you?" Rose asked back with a a raised eyebrow.

"You... Aren't mad at me?.." I was confused, it wasn't like Rose to forgive me so quickly.

"I am mad at you, but that dosen't mean I won't get to sleep with my little pegasus tonight" Rose snickered, she levitated her barding and put it on the bed's edge as she walked toward me, not breaking eye contact with me.

"I have a question" I said simply.

"What is it? Something about sex?" Rose giggled, blushing a bit.

"No, not about sex... Why won't you give me a healing potion?.." I replied.

"Oh, I totally forgot!" Rose said with a face-hoof as she trotted out of the room.

"Welp, now you got yourself a night alone Gunner, congrats.." I sighed, lying on my legs like everytime I do when I'm about to sleep and looked at nothing particular, my eyes slowly closed shut as my body fell asleep.

I walked around in a dark corridor, but I felt confident and relaxed.

"Behined you.." I heard a whisper, I looked around and saw myself, but... A darker-colored version of me, me... He... Had blood smeared all over him and he was all injured and covered in filth.

"Long time not seeing, loving what'cha seeing? I sure do" he smiled, slowly licking the blood around his muzzle.

"Don't you fucking dare! You ain't dragging him down!" A second voice came from the other side of the corridor, I turned slowly around and saw another version of me, but a clean and more sane version of me, he was slightly glowing...

"Oh I won't drag him down, he's already doing it for me just fine!" The dark version of me laughed.

"No he isn't, you sick fuck!" The sane version of me said back.

"What in Celestia's name is going on?.." I asked.

"I'm here to thank you" The dark version said as he licked the blood off his hoof.

"Thank me? what do you mean?" I was confused.

"Yes, I am you... You're me... I just wanted to tell you to keep your good job" The dark version replied.

"I know what you're planning, he is too smart to fall for that!" The sane version screamed at the dark one.

"He's smart, I agree... That's why he knows and understands what I'm talking about" The dark version of me chuckled.

"I-I really don't... What's happening?" I panicked.

"Listen to me Gunner, this fuck is here to take you to a bad place you can't recover from... I'm here to help you" The sane version explained.

"Don't interrupt 'lighty'... He knows what he wants.." My dark version said mockingly.

"Why I'm here? What do you want?!.." I cried out.

"You did great... Helped your friends... The feeling, it felt good right?" The dark version asked me. I nodded.

"Don't listen to him!" The sane version insisted.

"Killing... It's a great feeling too... Am I right?" He continued.

"What? N-no!" I stammered.

"Oh don't lie to yourself, I am you... I know you better then you think... You enjoyed killing and you know it" The dark version raised his voice.

"He isn't a murderer!... He won't fall for that!" The sane version kept shouting, he really didn't want me to listen to him.

"He's a murderer and he's enjoying killing, tell him I'm wrong Gunner..." The dark version licked his other bloodied hoof.

"I-I am not a killer, I won't fall for that.." I whispered

"You see? He ain't a murderer! You can't take him down!" The sane version teased the dark one, he was acting just like me

"Maybe I didn't showed you the full picture..." The dark version said weakly.

"Wh-what full picture?" I asked, not sure if I want to know or not.

"Rose... Shrapnel... Custard... They're your friends, right?" The dark version looked at me, his eyes glowed red for a split second.

"Yes" I answered.

"So you want to keep them safe, don't you?" The dark version asked again.

"Why?" I asked back.

"He won't listen to you anyways! He is too good for being a corrupted pony like you!" The sane pony insisted, his voice sounded suddenly less confident.

"When you killed that mutant, it was to save your friends and the ponies of Twilight Camp... Right?" The dark version asked again, he used the word 'right' too much for my taste..

"Yes.." I whispered unsurely.

"And when you killed those raiders back at the old shack, it was to save Seth, right?" He added.

"Yes.." I whispered again.

"When you killed those bastards, it felt good... I know that.." The dark version laughed in joy.

"No! It didn't!" I screamed, not buying his buckshit.

"Be honest here. You enjoyed when you were ontop of the raiders outside of Twilight Camp, when you fooled them..." He stopped laughing for a second.

"Yes, I did." I admitted.

"So imagine the same feeling, but double it with killing... And when you tricked the cannibal pony?... Ohh-ho-ho... Seeing the pain in her eyes after you shot her?... it wasn't only me that got an orgasm from that right?.." the dark version laughed maniaclly.

"Only you.." the sane version said in disgust.

"You're sick, and you're very stupid if you think I'll fall for that.." I spat and turned toward the sane version.

"Just wait... enough time will show you the joy from killing..." the dark version chuckled.

"He's too good for that" the sane version said as everything quickly faded off.

"Gunner? Are you alright? You started screaming in your sleep.." The sane version slowly transformed into Rose, she looked at me worried.

"I'm alright... Just a bad dream.." I answered, realizing it was all a nightmare... How many more will I have?

"Want to talk about it?.." Rose asked.

"No, I don't want to share my inner-demons.." I whispered back.

"Well, here's your healing potion... Just let me take off the bandages and casts before everything." Rose said as her horn glew bright red and took off the cast that sorrounded my left wing.

"What do you think about them?... The Outcasts.." I started a conversation, wanting to forget the messed up arguement with myself.

"They're trying to live their lives, in the shape of a pony that gave his own life for the greater good. This 'SteelHooves' is really like you.." Rose sighed as she took some bandages off me.

"And it's good?" I asked weakly, not wanting to make another argument quickly after I finished one.

"Your target? Or how you try to achieve it?.." Rose said "Because if you ask me, you're trying to get yourself killed.."

"I'm just trying to protect you Rosey, and you know that" I replied.

"But my only worries since we left the stable were you getting in trouble..." Rose said.

"Because I get in trouble you had those worries instead of serious ones" I quickly retorted.

"This is serious Gunner! I can't see you getting hurt all the time!"

There was an awkward silence until Rose fully stripped me from the medical casts and bandages. I took the bottle in my teeth and opened it carefully, I tilted my head backwards and sipped the potion as my body slowly healed itself.

"How are you feeling?" Rose asked in a sweet voice.

"Much better, but I ain't going back to sleep.." I replied.

"It's alright, I let you sleep for a while already... Before you started screaming.."

"I need to talk with Storm, don't wait for me" I said as I got up on my hooves and walked out of the bedroom and straight outside the cabin, I walked around the camp slowly and took the long way to Storm's office... If it's even his office and not an old abandoned Steel-Ranger facillity he took over or something, ponies around walked in different directions and everything felt alive, much like Stable 154, I thought about the dream I had, what did it meant?

'Enjoying killing?'... If it was me like that dark version said, it sure haven't done a reality check, I mean: What kind of sick pony will enjoy killing?

Raiders.. My mind sang in sarcasm.

Right... Raiders... But I'm not a raider! I just killed a few of them to save this camp! I got blasted by a fucking rocket launcher! I was almost made a pony-kebab by that metal shrap... How can I enjoy killing if I know how awfull and wrong it is? I had so many questions that needed answers now but I had to keep them for later, life is calling and it want me to reply now.

"Name?" A brown earth-pony guard asked me when I tried to enter.

"What? Why'd you need a name?" I asked, snapping out of my thoughts and looking at the tall and threatning pony that stood infront of me, guarding the entrance.

"To shove it up my ass, your name smarty" The guard stomped in anger, somepony here needs to sleep more.

"Gunner.." I said, flinching in panic, the guard had a wierd little panel attached to his helmet and very close to his left eye, it was viewing something and I saw it backwards... Like an eye terminal!, I need to ask Storm if I can get one as well, it looks so cool.

"Gunner... Gunner... Gunner..." The guard whispered to himself as his left eye moved oddly and the panel looked like it was scrolling down, whatever it was it didn't looked so easy to control. "Colonel Gunner?" the guard asked in surprise, his jaw dropped and he looked at me frightened.

"Wait... What now?" I asked back, surprised just as the guard was.

"This is Alpha 2-1, HQ I need backup now, an optional impersonator" The guard asked, his features hardened as a rifle popped out of his armor and was pointed straight at me...

This eye-terminal could do something cooler?

"Alpha 2-1 this is 'Big-Daddy', what's your situation? Storm's voice sounded from the guard's helmet.

"A pony outside your quarters is trying to impersonate Colonel Gunner, sir." The guard said back into his helmet, those helmets were both radios and terminals? Who needs a PipBuck when you got this techonology!.

"Alpha 2-1, is the pony wearing a PipBuck? And more important, is he a pegasus? Storm asked from the radio, sounding a bit angry.

"No sir, he is not a pega--" The guard started saying as I streched my wings and looked at the guard with a grin. "Forget my last, false alarm.." the guard quickly added, embarrassed.

"Alpha 2-1, don't make me demote you to 'shitter' cleaning shift, 'Big-Daddy' over and out. Storm frowned, he was pissed and the guard clearly wasn't a fan of toilets...

"I'm so sorry Colonel, I didn't knew sir..." The guard lowered his head in shame, the cables that connected his helmet to his armor were now visible.

"Umm? It's alright?.." I mumbled, not knowing how to react to this.

"From here sir" The guard moved aside and motioned me to enter inside with a wave of a hoof.

"Thank you soldier.." I replied.

should I act like a high ranked soldier or just be myself? I went inside and walked down the corridor. suddenly my PipBuck got a transsmision and I jumped and looked at my PipBuck, those transmissions always catch me when I least expect!

"The code to my door is linked with this transmission, or if you want to you can make one of your own with the same password" Storm's voice poured out, his accent filled my ears and reminded me Rose's one, why did his accent was so similliar but yet so different then Rose's?

I walked closer to the terminal and pressed on the 'Password' option, it had 'Enter password' and 'Change/add password' sub options, I clicked on 'Change/add password' option and thought of a password..

Just fucking put Storm's one and lets get over with this shit.. My mind insisted, sometimes I wonder how my mind is a part of me and not my worst enemy..

I stood there for a long minute searching for a good and unique password, the best I could think of was 'Exterminator', an imaginery weapon that I tried to develop back at the stable a few years back, it was supposed to be an energetic weapon that fires plasma rays, in theory they are so strong that they can blast through almost everything..but the elders and Rose's mother, the previous Overmare of stable 154 were against it, they told me that there is no such thing as energetic weapons, and if there were energetic weapons this would lead to more distraction then good. I never believed that it wouldn't be possible, we had the technology to use plasma and gamma rays in such way that could be converted into a rifle, not small enough for a pony to hold or levitate but it can be done, but I couldn't develop something that the elders were against.

I decided that 'Exterminator' would be a great password, the only ponies that know about it are Shrapnel and Rose, well... The only ponies alive that know about it are Shrapnel and Rose... I was then greeted by a vocal password that I need to insert, my mind started thinking about how to bypass it or decrypte older recordings of Storm changing the terminal's other passwords, but I just activated the transmission he sent me instead... Gunner one, mind zero.

The door opened just like a stable door and I saw Storm cleaning a pistol, he was sitting with his hindhooves up and on the desk and he was holding the gun in his hooves, the second time I see a pony using his hooves for anything other then walking.

"Hello there Gunner, long time not seeing eh?.." Storm laughed out as he flapped his wings and stood on all four hooves, throwing the gun on a pile of other guns in the corner of the room "What'cha saying about my wings? Nice right?" Storm smiled in happiness, clearly excited about his wings, I said nothing as he continued "They won't fully recover, but I can still use them again instead of looking like an earth-pony with wings glued to him!"

"That's awesome! " I replied, happy for him almost as he was.

"Talking 'bout awesome, what d'you say about your little promotion I gave you?" Storm asked, looking at me with a smirk.

"Yeah... Why am I suddenly a Colonel?.." I asked back.

"Not happy with Colonel? I don't think there is a higher rank then that.." He started.

"No, I mean... Why'd you ranked me at all? There are alot of brave ponies out here that sacrifice their own lives on daily basis, and I come here and get blown up just to get the highest rank?" I raised my voice, not sure why he did it.

"Because you didn't had to, you could've let our soldiers handle it, but you sacrificed your life instead, and I heard you were about to have a little private time with Rose when it happened.." Storm walked around his desk and giggled weakly, probably remembering his first time... That was pretty gross to think about when he was in the room.

"I don't mind you thanking me, although I did nothing... But rank me for getting hurt and taking your supplies? That's my borderline right here Storm." I raised my voice a bit more.

"Do you want me to shoot you in the face as a 'thank you' gift? You did enough when you got here and helped out Seth, he maybe ain't a very trusty fellah, but he is loyal to our beliefs. Plus you healed my fucking wings! And then you went out and blowed up this fucking demo-pony we were after for half a year now? You did more then enough by now mate, and something tells me you ain't here for coffee and cookies" Storm said.

"I don't see it like this, I'm here just like every other pony is here, to try and live my life. I'm not after honor or prizes, I went here to give my friends a place away from this Nightmare Moon Clan buckshit!" I stomped in anger.

"Speaking of which, Rose loves you more then you can imagine. She was on your bedside the whole two days you were passed out, everytime you woke up for a few seconds she prayed for the goddesses you would stay awake, if I didn't asked I would be sure you are her son or somethin', although she looks the same age as you. Rose is the kind of pony that this damned wasteland needs, but heck she can manipulate the shit out of a pony." Storm chuckled, I chuckled too because I knew what he talked about. "Plus she's quite the tease" he added and we both bursted out laughing.

After we both recovered from our laughs, I sat down on one of the chairs and tried to speak seriously with Storm.

"I'm here for a few things, but before anything I want to say that I'm sorry" I said weakly.

"Sorry? For what?" Storm asked as he sat down on his chair.

"My behavior a few days ago, I had no right to act like that" I replied.

"Oh shut it right now Gunner! I need to be sorry for how I acted after that, you had all the rights in Equestria to be angry, you lost your fucking stable and your life as you knew it for this hell-ish wasteland!" Storm frowned, he was mad at me for being sorry?... He reminded me how I acted when Rose apologized after she injected me with the drug.

"No, I'm serious about that..." I tried to say before Storm stopped me.

"Forget 'bout this shit, what you were about to say other then that?"

"Who are you? What are you trying to do?" I asked.

"I'm Storm, I'm the Commander of Twilight Camp." Storm replied sarcasticly.

"I meant, the Commander of what... And why?" I said.

"Fine, you'll figure that out sooner or later... I am the son of Thunderdome, the previous outcast aerofighter Commander, he died after the Outcasts tried to convert the wasteland into the peacefull land it once was, but problems popped up, like this 'Nightmare Moon New Wasteland Order' or whatever they call themselves. They became a clan of mercs, raiders and slavers with a will to make Equestria a place where everything will stay what it is but worst and pretty much forever... A place where if you aren't a cold hearted pshyco you're good as dead, the top priority of this order is to destroy two things before anything, the Outcasts and the Light Bringer society. the Outcasts were once the Steel Rangers, but we ain't calling ourselves like that because of the bad name it grew; They were technology bandits, their only target was to scavenge lost technology and that's it, not helping the poor and the ones in need like they were intended when they first assembled. The Light Bringer society are more of a legend then anything else, but some say they witnessed them, and if the legends are true they are a peaceful community for the most part, but have enough weapons to flat-out Twilight Camp in under ten minutes, not like I believe that horse-apples" Storm explained, looking upwards and remembering something.

"My father was... He wasn't a bad pony nor a bad dad, but he was the Commander of Twilight Camp even before I was born and thus I never really had a real connection with him, he met my mother after countering an attack on her Stable: Stable 155, she was a very happy and caring mare... We lost her to these fucking Nightmare Moon's order when I was just a little foal, from the time I had with her... She was just like Rose here... I later grew up idolizing my father and learning every single thing I could about leadership and the history of Equestria, he knew personally SteelHooves and he even fought beside him years ago... I then became the Commander a few years after his death, with no experience with the Outcasts I tried to be just like my father... But then I realized that I can't try and be somepony I'm not, so I became Storm, the leader of the Northern Outcasts."

"Wow... I-I am sorry.." I stammered in embarresment, he was through everything... He's barely older then me, how can he take this amount of pressure?

"Don't be, it's my fucking life and I need to be sorry for it, not you... Celestia damn it if ponies like you and your gang were more common in the wasteland..." Storm countered. "How your life was like?" He added.

"After that? I can tell you everything I have done and exaggerate and it'll still be boring!" I smirked.

"Try me mate" Storm raised and eyebrow.

"Well, I was born in Stable 154 to my mom Blueprint and my father Flash Lightning, they died when I was just a baby so I never knew much about them... I knew that they died for the stable... My uncle Forklift looked after me for my entire life, he was always drunk after the death of my father... But I accepted that he was heart-broken, they were close friends according to the ponies who knew him. My Cutie-mark decided to show up after pressure between the earth-ponies and unicorns and between the pegasi started to show up, some rumors and false hatred made the pegasi paranoid about their existence in the stable, so alot of fucked up things followed, 'The great incident' was the most fatal one... Shrapnel's parents were killed during this incident, a unicorn shot them dead before they could call anypony to help, Shrapnel saw his parents getting killed infront of his eyes and he got his Cutie-mark after it, that's why me and him are so similliar; We both hate our Cutie-marks. Anyways, my Cutie-mark showed up after I built a security robot from scrap, it looked alot like a cleaning robot that were common in our Stable at the time, that's why it wasn't suspicious. It succeded recording by accident a conversation of two known trouble-makers, the recording uncovered that all of the rumors were a plan of the two to make the Stable hate their pegasi dwellers, I told the Overmare about it and they were arrested and I got my nickname 'Hero', I didn't stopped there as I upgraded the security-bot with a self defending mechanism, I did everything I could and there it was... My fucking Cutie-mark that even C.A.T can't explain!.." I lectured, feeling a bit of self-pity building up inside me... I fucking hate self-pity!

"Sounds like a harsh life... And I lived my life in the harshest of all environments!" Storm's words surprised me, to me it sounded like my life is a piece of cake while Storm's were a walking nightmare.

"After we opened our hearts and stuff, can we talk about my next move?" I asked.

"What next move?" Storm looked confused.

"You know? Against the raiders?" I replied.

"Mate, you ain't going nowhere after what you just did! You heared the medic, your body took enough trauma already, no matter how many potions you drank they fix physical damage, not trauma!" Storm raised his voice.

"We've already addressed that didn't we?" I sighed.

"Yes, we did. You're staying at the camp, and if I need to tell every individual soldier in this camp to keep you inside the camp's walls, don't think I won't" Storm warned me "And don't try and fly away, I have your PipBuck tag tracked, I can see where you are at any given time... So next time I check your tag, I want to see it near Rose's one, understood?" Storm added and showed me his PipBuck, he wasn't bluffing when he said he have my PipBuck's tag tracked.

"Understood.." I whispered.

"Didn't heard you soldier, understood?!" Storm stood up with two hooves on the desk, leaning close to me with his eyes staring at my soul.

"Yes.." I said under my breath, not wanting to scream out of the rage that grew inside me.

"Now go back to the cabin. It's not a punishment, I can't lose somepony like you mate" Storm relaxed a bit.

"But.." I started.

"No but. The only 'butt' I want to hear from you it's when Rose spanks yours, now go back to your cabin" Storm suddenly said out of nowhere, making me blush visibly. "Don't let her wait for you" Storm sang out in a cheesy voice.

"Yes sir" I stammered, blushing. I was about to exit Storm's office when I recalled in something that I had to know. "What's your Cutie-mark?.." I asked, Storm's eyes widened and his wings shot up in surprise.

"I-I don't.." Storm mumbled for solid ten seconds.

"You don't what? You don't have a Cutie-mark?.." I tried to make Storm talk in full audible words.

"I don't feel so good.." Storm barely said, he was shaking.

"What happened? Did I said something wrong?.." I started to panic.

"It's... My Cutie-mark is..." His muzzle shook as well and he was barely standing.

"What?.." I pushed Storm too much, curisoity killed the cat... And probably'll kill me now..

"I killed for my Cutie-mark! Okay?! I killed my father for my fucking Cutie-mark!" Storm cried out.

"You what?" I was confused, he wouldn't kill his father... Would he?

"He was eaten alive! What should I have done? His eyes were filled with pain... I just looked at him dying as I... Pulled the damned trigger!" Storm shouted, his eyes were streaming with tears as his whole body shook violently.

"It wasn't your fault" I tried to comfort him.

"It damn was!! I could have helped him, I could've prevent this!... But nooo... I had to be his shadow and do nothing!!"

"Storm... Take it easy... Relax.."

"The damn picture is a fucking sniper rifle!! With fucking bullets lying next to it!.." Storm cried out as he showed me the Cutie-mark, it was a heavy caliber sniper rifle lying on a bipod, with several bullets scattered next to it. "I looked at him through the scope, the damned ghouls teared him alive and ate him as he cried in pain, I waited to take the shot..I could've shot the dead things! I could've shot 'em..it could be me instead of him..I almost WAS instead..."

"Storm, it wasn't your fault..." I tried to calm him down.

"You weren't there! Uou didn't saw the pain... The blood... It was everywhere! they ate every part of him... It was.." Storm was breaking apart.

"Storm!" I slapped him in the face, making him pull himself together "I can't let you fall into pieces! the past is in the past... We can't change it... But now I need you to take yourself together..." I insisted.

"You-you're right..." Storm recovered pretty fast for this amount of pain he expressed a second ago.

"Now look at me.." I said as I turned his head to eye level with me. "You have done nothing wrong, you saved this Camp from a disaster dozens of times, and none of what happened to your father was your fault"

"Th-thank you Gunner... I needed that, but the image, it haunts me to this day... I wonder alot if it makes me crazy, am I a crazy pony Gunner? Tell me the truth" Storm looked at me with his tear-filled eyes.

"Exactly the opposite" I smirked slightly."You know what's crazy?... The kind of ponies you are trying to stop from taking over, the kind that tries to make you think you are crazy..."

"Cheers mate... If you don't mind,I need some time alone now.." Storm whispered.

"Understood sir" My smirk turned to a little smile.

"HQ this is Bravo 4-1, we've found the lost shipment, but it looks like we have company... Orders?" Nathe's voice came out of Storm's terminal.

"Copy Bravo 4-1, do not proceed until further instructions." Storm quickly said after pushing a button on the terminal.

"Roger that" Nathe answered.

"Luna's moon-cunt..." Storm whispered as he pressed some button on the terminal.

"What happened?.." I asked, my mind was now so eager to kill me for asking 'what happened' even after it made Storm break down.

"A lost shipment, a few weeks ago another Outcast base was operating in our land, I wasn't told why or what was the shipment, I do know that they were ambushed and the cargo that was transported stayed there beneath the wreckage." Storm said as he searched for something on his terminal.

"I don't know nothing about why the Outcast base was even in our land in the first place, or even why it was so important for them, but they tried to tell me that I need to get it as my top priority, although their most ranked officer was only a General.." Storm chuckled as he looked at me, waiting for me to get the joke... I looked at him as I realized it was supposed to be funny and looked down in shame.. "Anywho... I don't want to get any ideas to your head, you have done enough by now"

"You know I won't stay grounded for long Storm, infact I can fly right out and until you'll get anypony to retrieve me, I'll be far far away from here..." I retorted.

"Gunner, it's one of my best squads on the field, they did more then you can imagine.." Storm began.

"And still you made me a Colonel and not them..." I stopped him, shuting him up for good.

"This is 'Big-Daddy', any available squad in Twilight Camp, I want guards up and active at cabin 8 ASAP" Storm said into his terminal's microphone, cabin 8 wasn't?..

"Go get them tiger..." Storm told me with a malcontent voice.

My eyes widened as I realized he just let me go outside..he just told me he won't let me get out of the perimeter? Was he testing me? I blinked to show him I wasn't sure if I really believed that.

"It's my best squad, so I think you'll be at home with them" Storm answered to my confusion.

"What about Rose?.." I asked.

"I'll tell her it's my fault, it really is my fault that I let you out into the danger, so you better go before I change my mind" Storm smirked and I turned around and tortted off, I opened the outside doors and quickly took off, the guard from earlier jumped in surprise and when I looked behined me his face was priceless.

My PipBuck flashed to show me an incoming call notification, it was from Storm... I hovered in the place and listened to what Storm had to say.

"Before you go out to your business, you need to know that the shipment is an hour trot south-west from here, but with wings I bet that it'll be alot less, alot of hills and a medium sized mountain are between you and the estimated area of the shipment, go there and back my squad up. Good luck out there Gunner"

"Roger that" I replied with a snicker as I flapped my wings and flew to where my PipBuck navigation system showed me was south-west, it was a wonder how Storm knew so much about PipBucks and technology in general... His Cutie-Mark was a sniper rifle. So how the hell his profession is tech-tampering?... Well, he did said that they are trying to out-smart the raiders with pre-war weapons just like the Steel Rangers did, but for good causes unlike the Steel Rangers.

After twenty minutes of flying I saw in the distance a convoy on a dirt road in the middle of the wasteland desert.

Guess that this was the shipment, it wasn't on it's way to Twilight Camp, looked like they tried to circle around the camp..did they really thought it was a hostile territory?

Judging by the look of the convoy remains, they weren't totally wrong... I was about two minutes from reaching the convoy when I remembered that I'm here to back up a squad, not to do their job, and the reason I'm here is because there'll be a party, filled with scums who wants to use me as a pinata, should I find Bravo 4 or call them via radio? how do I excatly contact them? what if they're on radio silent and I won't be able to reach them? what if they're already back at the camp?

"This is Gunner, Bravo 4 do you copy?" I asked in the radio frequency the Outcasts always use.

"This is Bravo 4-1, what's your interest here civilian?" Nathe's voice answered me.

"Umm... I'm here to back your squad up, sir.." I replied weakly.

"You're our backup? You were grounded to the bed three hours ago!" Chamber connected to the radio and demanded an answer, I decided that the nice civilian buckshit is ending here...

"This is Colonel Gunner, I'm here to back your squad up soldier, no questions" I ordered.

"Pfftt... Colonel muh ass! Ya ain't even a Private!" Claws joined the radio and quickly disregarded me.

"Happy or not, I'm your backup. So now you have two choices, keep asking yourself why I'm here or move out and regroup on me" I insisted, angry on them for not wanting my help.

"This is 'Big-Daddy', Colonel Gunner is your backup, you'll follow his orders 'till I say otherwise, understood?" Storm broke our little conversation short and cleared some gaps for Bravo 4.

"Roger that 'Bid-Daddy', Colonel sir, may I know your current location?" Nathe asked me, sounding perfectly fine with me ordering him.

"If you don't mind sir, I'll be happy to serve under your command" I said, not wanting to be above him and not wanting to do tactical mistakes Nathe would clearly avoid.

"Roger that sir, regroup at coordinates seventy-twelve on six-fifty" Nathe replied and got off the radio, I was confused at first, but to my surprise my PipBuck navigation system had coords implemented into it.

"Seventy twelve on six fifty... Did he meant seven hundred and twelve on six hundred and fifty?" I whispered to myself when I looked at the map, coordinates were new to me just like shooting a gun with your hooves.

The coords were a little cave inside a hill a few hundred meters away from the convoy, it had a good vantage point on the whole convoy area, I flew over there and tried to watch out for any not-so-welcomed guests. I landed on my hooves and walked inside slowly, this was the part I realized my battle saddle was back at Twilight Camp.

"Stupid.." I whispered to myself, quickly after my throat was held by a set of metal fingers, swunged around and pushed aggresivly against the cave walls.

"Ah clearly starts to like yer thinking 'bout yerself" Claws said, looking at me with her robotic eye and holding my throat pinned to the wall.

"That's enough Claws, keep your energy to the raiders.." Chamber stopped her before she chocked me to death.

"Colonel muh ass..." Claws mumbled as she turned away from me, her shotgun holstered on her back.

"Where's your weapon soldier?" Madie asked me, she was the first to notice the lack of my battle saddle.

"I-I don't..." I stammered, understanding that there's no room to mistakes like this..and now their backup will be usefull as a dead pony..

"Great! Not even a weapon... lemme just kill 'em and we will tell the Commander that the raiders got 'em.." Claws turned around and her robohoof turned into a set of razor sharp claws, she pointed them close to my face, I swallowed nervously.

"Maybe it's not as bad as we thought.." Nathe thought out loud, digging with his telekinetic inside his sidepack and taking out a helmet, just like the one they all had.

"What do you mean?.." I was worried about where he was going with it.

"This helmet here is a HUD sorrounded helmet, it's a twist version of that PipBuck you got there, if we'll find the right things in the convoy, we can make it work" Nathe explained as he pointed at my PipBuck, probably wanting to connect the helmet to my PipBuck.

"I think I can do something else, the convoy had some good stuff from what I saw, probably weapons included, if the raiders didn't took all of them there's a good chance there will be some loot worth taking, maybe even stuff to take back to the camp" I told them, Chamber and Nathe looked a bit impressed, Madie looked unsure and Claws still wanted to slash my throat.

"So what're you planning to do? Go in and take yourself a battle saddle?" Chamber asked me.

"Exactly" I said confidently.

"At least the Commander won't blame us fer killing 'em, he's doing it fer 'emself just fine" Claws chuckled as she took out a cigarette, I looked at her unamused.

"What about our mission? We sill need to take the intel or whatever it is.." Madie asked Nathe.

"We will, but if what Gunner told us is true, we could use some extra firearms" Nathe answered.

"So what're we waiting for?" Chamber jumped in eagerness, he was sure like Shrapnel in that matter.

"Let's move out" Nathe declared.

"Finally some action.." Claws said beyond her robohoof that held the cigarette, we went outside. Chamber and Nathe infront of me, Madie from my left and Claws from behined me, it was really stressfull that the pony who guarded my back was the one who tried to kill me seconds ago.

Nathe sniffed a few curios whiffs in the air, and grunted in dissapointment as he looked behined his shoulder at Claws and shook his head.

"Is that Jet again?.." Chamber asked Nathe quitely, but loud enough for me to hear.

"She really needs to stop.." Nathe replied in disgust.

I said nothing as we moved slowly toward the convoy, it was too quite for raider territory, we were almost at the convoy when Madie's ears shot up.

"Get down!" Madie hissed as we all fell down and made ourselves as little visible as possible.

"What is it 'Chip'?" Chamber asked after we looked around and saw nothing.

"Another stolen Vulture I think.." Madie hushed Chamber, her ears perked to every little sound..what the hell was happening?..

"To hell with those fucks..." Claws whispered as she spat her cigarette.

"It's coming this way... stay down.." Madie whispered.

"What the hell is a Vulture, and how the hell can you hear it?.." I asked with many questions to add still in my mind.

"Vulture's a flying vehicle of the Outcasts, they are similliar to a Raptor, the Enclave parallel version. But are much quiter and a bit larger, it's basiclly an armored airship..."  Chamber explained quitely, letting Madie to listen to the Raptor... Vulture airship thingy... how the hell she knows about that Vulture when there's nothing in the sky!.. and everything is quite..

"Judging by yer face ya look like a cyberg is a new thing fer ya.." Claws whispered in a mocking voice, her red robotic eye flashed to make me remember that Madie was in the Death claw incident too...

"Those damned broadcasters... Like the ones on the walls back at the camp, they destroyed her ears so now she have implants that are much more effective..she can switch sensetivity whenever she likes... The broadcasters were the reason that Death claw attacked in the first place... The noise made him go crazy and he tore entire squads in seconds" Chamber explained, still whispering and letting Madie's ears spas out in sudden movements that looked painfully disgusting.

"Guys, I can hear you, it's pretty ironic when you try to gossip about super ears near the best ears in the wasteland..." Madie sighed, getting up and cleaning her uniform from the dust of the wasteland desert, Nathe and Chamber got up quickly after in perfect timing and Claws took her time and got up slow.

"So, where's that Vulture?.." I asked.

"Sounded like it came from the south, but in this area it could pop out from the north" Madie explained.

"That means we need to be quick, if there are Vultures around it can be one of three things, an Outcast base is operating in our land... Like they need more trouble here... Some of the 'New Order Clan' are bored sitting on their tails and are now looking for fun, or they want the intel as much as we want..." Chamber lectured.

"So let's go get it.." Claws yawned.

"Alright, Madie and Chamber, go around the convoy and try to spot for us enemys. Claws... You're on alert duty, something goes wrong and you pull the trigger. Gunner, on me" Nathe said.

"I get to be on trigger duty and ya just called me 'Claws'? L let me kill this Gunneh and I'll be golden!" Claws snickered and moved to her position behined a rock not so far behined us. Madie and Chamber circled around the convoy as Nathe looked around for any threats, we were in a little trench on the side of the road, it was a bit dark and I could see the light of a campfire from behined the convoy.

"Anything?" Nathe asked.

"Yep, I'm sure" I said as I looked at my E.F.S, and saw a few yellow and red bars from the other side of the convoy, and a yellow bar from Claws' position, probably her.

"Very well, how many are they?.." Nathe asked again.

"I can make out at least ten red bars, and six or seven yellow ones, not sure if there are more" I answered.

"Chamber, Madie... Are you in place? We got company" Nathe said to the helmet-radio.

"We're in position, we have eyes on eighteen enemys, two more are asleep next to a cage that contains three ponies inside, potential hostages" Chamber replied through the radio.

"Roger that, Claws... You got our backs?"

"Sniper rifle set and loaded, ready on yer mark sir" Claws answered.

"Chamber? Madie?" I asked, not knowing if I should take command too.

"Yes sir?" Chamber answered.

"The hostages, what are they doing to them?"

"Wait a second.." Madie's voice was heared, followed by what sounded like two suppressed shots and metalic casing hits the floor. "Sorry, had some... Umm... Technical difficulties... One raider is taking out a hostage as we speak, he just bucked her rear leg... Oh goddesses... They're raping the hostage... I-I can't look..." Madie said, sounded disgusted.

"Please stop! Please!" A mare screamed and cried from the other side of the convoy, a big caravan blocked our vision on the raiders and I was somewhat happy we couldn't see what was happening.

"Scream more bitch!" A stallion said as I heard a whiping sound followed by the mare screaming in pain.

"Mommy!.." A foal screamed.

"Stay there little cunt!" A pshycotic sounding mare laughed out.

"Isn't she cute?" Another stallion said with an equally pshycotic laugh.

"I've got an idea, how 'bout a threesome?" The same pshycotic mare said, I heard wet thumping sound and the hostage mare cried out.

"Finished already huh? Bad girl.." the first stallion laughed out as another whiping sounded.

"Please stop... I'll do anything... Please.." the mare cried out.

"Sir, I can blow his dick off. Can I take the shot?" Claws said, a bolt-action sounded as she said that.

"Take the shot Sergeant." Nathe said, he was disgusted from what we just heard, a loud lightning bolt was shot above me as I heard a stallion scream in pain.

"Now! Find the weapon cache, we'll take care of them" Nathe ordered as he levitated and cocked his assault rifle, checking the load and looking at me.

"Roger that" I said as I ran in a straight line near the convoy, trying to find a weapon cache, the convoy looked alot like a train from the old books, it was connected with metal cables and there were cargo wagons, but it wasn't on a railing..I had to see the locomotive to know how it works, it really bugged me...I heared gunshots and screams from behined me, what made me focus on finding a weapon cache, I worked my way to the first cargo wagon..locked..of course it was locked...even if I knew how to pick the lock, I didn't have the right tools on me, then I remembered I still had my two hoof-grenades on me.

M26 frag grenade, pull the pin and put it a few good meters away, take cover from the shrap and wait approximitly three point five seconds for the explosive component to go off

It was nice that my mind could proccess things like that when I'm in danger, much like with the sniper at Twilight Camp.

I placed the grenade on the ground, and looked around for a place to take cover.

Wings... my mind reminded me... Oh, right... I pulled the pin and took off upwards as fast as I could.

"Fire in the hole!" I screamed as the grenade went off and the explosion teared through my ear drums, I wasn't high enough when I realized shrap peppered my left hindhoof, I cried out in agony, but there was no time for pain, four good ponies will die if I won't move my ass.

I entered the wagon..nothing I look for, I got my left hoof filled with shrap and I'm down to two nades... This is going well... I landed and my left hoof burned with pain, when I looked down it was bleeding from several shrap wounds, no time for a break, focus Gunner... Focus... I moved to the second wagon, limping slightly. I placed down a second nade and pulled the pin, this time I took cover behined the roof of the wagon. the explosion heated the metal wagon and I started to feel my hooves burning.

"Ow!... The metal is really hot!.." I started to dance on the heated metal wagon as I tried to move off of it, my left hindleg feeling like it was on fire by now, I flapped my wings and hovered infront of the blowned open cargo wagon, some crates... A little box with 'Caps' writen on it..but no weapons..

"I'll come back for you later.." I looked at the crates as I moved to the third wagon... My last hoof-grenade... I placed the grenade and pulled the pin, not wanting to repeat my last two mistakes I flew away from the wagon and covered my face with a hoof, the explosion recoiled me back a bit but did no harm, I flew closer to the wagon and saw some crates with the three butterfly marking on them, at least it was medical supplies...

"Great.. Wounded and with no weapon, better off just giving myself up to the raiders" I whispered to myself, I looked at my health status in my PipBuck and saw that my hindleg was badly wounded and I started to lose alot of blood already, after desperatly looking around I saw a glimpse of shining metal buried in the dirt, I tried to dig it out and saw for my surprise a wierd box with a mouth handle and a wierd trigger... It was half covered with blood, was it a weapon? was it even loaded? I looked at my PipBuck once again and saw that it was marked as 'Laser Pistol' in my sorting spell... A laser pistol?! I was told they're nothing more then a fiction!

No matter, I have something else to do instead of thinking about fictional weapons, I placed the pistol inside my sidepack and took off toward the gunshot sounds.

I flew over the wagon and saw a dozen raider ponies hiding behined some barrels and improvised cover, they were in the middle of a shootout with Bravo 4 and I was directly behined them all.

"Time for a laser show fuckers!" I screamed as I took the pistol out of my sidepack with my teeth and fired the laser pistol, it had quite the kick for a gun this size and I ended up firing wildly at the raider's general dircetion, I did managed to hit one of them in the back, he cried out as a burning and smoking hole tore through his upper back and to his chest from the other side, it was gruesome.. .The other raiders splitted up and fired at me, I landed behined a pile of barrels, my left hindleg made me scream again and to fall on my ass.

"Damn it!" I spat the gun from my teeth, my leg thumped in pain as I felt more blood come out of the wounds, it looked horrible... Like a dead and bleeding shrap bush... I took the gun in my teeth again and peaked over my cover, to be greeted by three assaulting raiders, one was holding a machete in his mouth, the second had a battle saddle of his own! And the third levitated an assault rifle with his telekinetic.

"I'm so fucked right now..." I whispered, they looked happy to see me so helpless and surrounded.

"Hello there! Mind if we join and kill you?!" One of them laughed out, did they all had bad humor? The same lightning bolt from earlier teared through the chest of the battle saddle pony as his whole ribcage punctured out of his body like a mess of spike traps.

I threw up in the mixture of disgust and pain, the two raiders were still in shock when another lightning bolt went through the machete raider's head, and from there entered to the side of the last standing raider's chest, making him fall on the ground and bleed heavily.

"Mer-mercy" The dying raider said as I limped toward him, he was coughing blood and his whole hide was covered with his and his friend's blood, I aimed the gun at his head, ready to take the shot but Storm's words struck me.

'It could be me instead of him... I almost WAS instead'

Could I even take the shot?... I would want somepony to end my suffering if I was instead of him...

'You didn't saw the pain... The blood... It was everywhere!'...

"I'm sorry..." I whispered to him as he looked at the sky, his lungs were struggling for air as his eyes rolled upwards, his whole body twitched in pain as he took his last breath and let out a long and relieved sigh, his body went limp and his head rolled to his side... Hope he's in a better place... My gaze wandered to the raider's battle saddle... It was all bloody and poorly maintained... But this would have to do for now, I stripped the body from the battle saddle and then remembered that I still need to pay for Cleaver for the food, I found a hundred Caps total on the bodies and some stuff that Grip might be interested in, mostly garbage, but my PipBuck told me they have a value so I kept them.

It was gross to put on the battle saddle and I struggled not to throw up at every slight move the battle saddle did on my back, making the blood and filth smear all over me, the mouth trigger was all filthy and smelled terrible, I tried to clean it with a piece of cloth I found on one of the raiders, but it still reeked like hell... I limped toward the raiders to help Bravo squad, but when I reached there I saw that Bravo 4 were already looting ammo from the bodies of the raiders.

"Th-thank you! Thank you very much!" a mare's voice stammered from behined me, I turned around and saw her bowing infront of me, a white unicorn with what looked like pink mane, she was so filthy and neglacted I felt my heart flinch.

I haven't done anything... Or did I?... I took a second look on the machete raider and saw that he had a whip tied to the side of his armor, was he one of the raiders who raped her?...

"That's... I'm just happy to help" I replied with a comforting smile, she was shaking and brutally beaten, her body was filled with wounds all over her and it was obvious that she was a slave for a few days now.

"How can I thank you? I have nothing to give you..." she barely said.

"You don't need to do anything, but I think I know a better place for you to stay.." I smiled comfortly, she was a bit concerned about it, after what she have been through I couldn't blame her.

"What do you mean?" The mare asked me with a worried tone.

"How many slaves were they?" I questioned as I entered the radio section on my PipBuck.

"It was me and six others, they raped the others to death, it's now me and my son, his father died years ago... The other pony in the cage died this morning.." she looked at me with widened eyes, she was through enough.

"'Big-Daddy', this is Gunner... I got here two freed slaves, is it alright if I'll bring them with us?" I asked and waited for Storm to answer.

"Roger that, I was notified by Bravo 4 that your mission is accomplished by now, you did great... I ordered another squad to get their hooves on a Vulture, don't know if you heard 'bout them" Strom answered.

"I heard the legends" I chuckled.

"Great, you'll be getting back in one.." Storm said happily "Be ready to bring everything you can from the shipment"

"Thanks, Gunner over and out" I said simply, and then looked at the mare and the little foal who suddenly appeared next to her, probably sneaked over here while I was busy with Storm. "Sounds like you and the little fellow are getting a new home" I smiled at the foal, he was just like his mother, but smaller, with black mane and well... A foal... He tried to hide behined his mother, the sight looked so cute and in the same time so sad, he saw things I can't imagine, he probably saw me killing ponies... At least they'll live peacefully in Twilight Camp.

"You heard that sweetie? This nice stallion here will be helping us!" the mare said to the little foal, he looked at her and nodded slightly.

"If you don't mind.. Can I know your name ma'am?.." I asked politely.

"Oh-oh yes... I'm Buttercup, I was a chef for a little settlement not far from here, until those raiders invaded and destroyed it to the ground" the mare replied.

"I'm so sorry to hear that... And I promise it won't happen again, my name's Gunner by the way, nice to meet you" I told her.

Her gaze trailed to my hindleg, she looked at me with a gasp "Are you alright sir?... That dosen't look good.."

"Oh that?... Don't worry about that, I think I'll live.." I chuckled, I took off the bloodied battle saddle... The foal freaked out from me wearing it.

"Winter Wind... Say thank you for the nice stallion.." Buttercup told the little foal.

"Thank you sir.." The foal squeaked, he was cute.

"No problem buddy, did you ever saw a pegasus?" I asked him as I kneeled down to his eye level.

"No sir.." He stuttered slightly.

"Check this out" I told him as I got back on my hooves and streched my wings upwards, his eyes lit up in excitment as a smile broke on his muzzle.

"Cool!" He said as he walked closer to me.

"That's not all" I said and took off, making a few loops in the air and making the foal laugh in excitment, I touched ground and limped closer to the little foal, he was now smiling and more relaxed.

"That is so cool!" he squeaked again, I couldn't help but chuckle at his cute squeaky voice.

"Uggh... My leg is killing me, the Vulture will be here in ten minutes, I need to help my friends there to load it with supplies, so try to stick around until exctraction arrives" I ordered Buttercup and Winter Wind.

"Not before I patch your leg up, you can't torture yourself like that!" Buttercup insisted, reminding me of Rose.

"I'm fine... I really am" I countered.

"Mommy? Why mister pegasus dosen't want to heal his leg?" Winter Wind asked his mother, at this point I knew I can't do anything against it, I can't stay with an injured leg near a foal...

"Alright, just let me bring the medical supplies.." I sighed.

"No... You did enough, just sit here and wait for me, I'll bring the medical supplies... Winter Wind, stay here with Gunner alright?" Buttercup said.

"Alright mommy" Winter Wind replied.

"Winter Wind?" I asked.

"Yes?" Winter Wind looked at me with his gray eyes, they were just like my eyes.

"Did you ever rode a Vulture?" I asked him, trying to keep him busy until his mother comes back.

"No sir, what's a 'Vluture'?.." he asked, trying to say 'Vulture' but with no success.

"A Vulture is like a caravan, the ones that are behined me?... Just with wings!" I told him, trying to sound as childish as I could.

"Am I going to fly?" He was excited even more then before.

"Yes, isn't that awesome?" I said, making him a ball of eagerness, does foals have capacity of excitement?..what if he'll explode?..

"We're going to meet Luna?.." Winter Wind looked at me, I was a bit confused..is that one of them foal stories?

"I-I think she is busy.." I was unsure about how to react, for him it probably sounded like I wasn't sure about the meeting Luna thing, but I was unsure about how did he knew about her... We were told that the goddesses died two hundred and whatever years ago inside the pink bubbleshield of Canterlot! Buttercup returned with a wooden box levitated behined her.

"Here we go, now sit down and move your injured leg aside so I can examine it" Buttercup said as the crate opened and a few metal yellow boxes were levitated from inside the crate.

"Don't you have a healing potion or something?... A few swig and I'll be good as new!" I muttered, not sure about Buttercup's medical skills.

"I'm afraid there aren't any potions... Only manual healing equipment" Buttercup said in a worried voice.

"Look, I really appreciate your help, but you should rest until the Vulture arrives, we got a medic in our squad anyways, and I bet that they won't send a Vulture without a medical team onboard" I countered, not wanting to be a liability.

"I think that your medical pony is a bit busy with something else.." Buttercup looked behined me with a worried look and pointed with a hoof at Madie, sitting next to what looked like a dead pony.

"I need a Med-X!.." Madie screamed as I limped my way to her, I ignored the pain in my leg and began to run toward her.

"What's happening?.." I cried out as I saw the injured pony, it was Chamber..

"Stay with me goddesses damnit, Com'on Claws! I need a fucking Med-X!" Madie cried, trying to patch Chamber up, he had a gaping hole on his side and his body was smoking.

"Workin' on it!" Claws said as she digged inside a medical crate a few meters away.

"Don't worry 'Chip'... I'll be fine.." Chamber said weakly, he was dying.

"Buckshit! Hang in there, we'll get you fixed up as soon as we're out of here... Help is on the way..." Madie mumbled, trying to heal the giant wound, I don't know nothing about doctoring, but I know that this can't be good, as I walked closer I saw the injury was familliar to what happened to the raider I shot earlier..

"What happened to him?" I asked

"A fucking raider got 'em with a laser weapon, genius.." Claws said while she levitated a syringe next to her and stucked it in Chamber's healthy side, Chamber let out a relieved sigh and his pupils widened from the drug effect, I started worrying that I might have shot him, but after a quick reality check I realized it can't be me, unless this bullets can lock onto from ponies from behined corners.

"Where's that fucking raider?" I asked angrily, wanting to hurt this raider.

"We haven't found him yet, we know he tried to run away after Claws shot his leg with her combat shotgun, he won't go far." Nathe said, walking behined me from nowhere, "Talking 'bout legs, we need to patch up your leg aswell.."

"Don't worry about me, I'll find the fucker..." I muttered and took off, circling around and searching for a still moving raider, I looked at the night filled world and saw the red flare Bravo 4 lit up to signal the Vulture, the campfire where Buttercup and Winter Wind were sitting, and the convoy-train on the middle of the road, some of the cargo wagons were overturned and some were totally destroyed, I finally spotted out a trail of blood leading from where the little battle took place, to a seemingly random direction.

"Better find him before he bleeds out.." I told myself, wanting to know more about this fucked up clan, and to bring him back to Storm, he needs to be punished via justice, not via anger or revenge. I followed the blood trail and touched ground where it ended, there was nothing..like he just disappeared.

I looked around and heared a rustling sound, I turned toward the sound and got hit in the chest, I looked up and saw a raider unicorn swinging a baseball bat for another attack, I raised my forehoof and blocked the baseball bat from hitting me, I used my other forehoof and uppercutted him right in his face, he spat out blood and the baseball bat fell to the floor, I quickly flapped my wings once and bucked him twice with my good hindleg, he grunted in pain and tried to pounce at me..I moved to the left and let him jump and fall on his face, he turned around..panting and defeated as he tried to get up and fell to the ground, looking at me with an angry face.

"Are you done? Looks like you are better with guns then with brawling or swinging bats..." I said sarcasticly, mocking him.

"Fuck off.." he spat more blood.

"Somepony here have a dirty mouth eh? I know the ponies that can help you fix that.." I replied, when I looked at his leg... More of where his leg have been, it wasn't bleeding... On closer inspection it looked like he scroched his stumped leg... I fought my gag-reflex to look more intimidating infront of a pony that I just won with ease...

"What do you want?.." He hissed at me, trying to steady his breath.

"To ask you why." I told him simply.

"Why what?" He hissed again.

"Why you chose to be a raider?" I hissed back.

"'Cuz it's fun!" He laughed out, his laugh turned into a choke.

"Right..." I said as I walked around him.

"What are you doo-urrgghhh!!!" he screamed as I stepped on his stumped leg.

"Still fun being a raider?" I asked with disgust, not enjoying this method one bit.

"Go fuck yourself!." The raider grunted. "If I had my pistol here you'll be dead!"

"Oh... You mean this?..." I asked him as I took out the laser pistol from my sidepack.

"Hey! Gimme it!... It's mine!" the raider barked.

"Yeah, I don't think so..." I replied as I took his filthy leather armor in my teeth and dragged him toward the Outcasts.

"Fuck off from me!" The raider scramed and tried to break free, he tried to buck me with his one good rear leg and his forehooves were scratching against the dirt.

"A'right tha's enouft" I said as I bit even harder against his armor and stretched my wings, I flapped them and took off, the raider started screaming in fear from the thought I might drop him... If he won't stop wiggling it'll happen and not by accident.

"Put me down!" The raider screamed.

"Righft here?... A'right.." I told him as I let my jaw loose a bit.

"What are you doing?" He screamed again in fear.

"You tolfed me to letf you go" I said, freeing my jaw even more.

"Please don't! I don't wanna die!!" He cried out, I released him from my bite and quickly bombed down to hold him again, this time with my hooves.

"Don't do anything stupid or we both are going down." I hissed at him.

"I-I won't... Just don't drop me here please..." He whispered.

I landed next to the campfire and the raider fell on his face, exhausted and scared.

"I see you found him.." Nathe said as he walked toward the campfire, Claws walking behined him.

"Yes, you'll choose what to do with him" I told Nathe and Claws.

"Ohh I'll take real good care of 'em.." Claws hissed as three holes on her robo-hoof opened and a set of three knives quickly appeared, the raider's eyes widened as he tried to crawl backwards, Claws closed the gap with ease and was almost at slicing range.

"Claws... Don't..." I said weakly.

"Ya stay outa this Gunneh, this li'l fucker shot Chambeh!" Claws looked at me with her red robotic eye.

"Don't kill him, not yet... Let's keep the decision for Storm alright?" I tried to calm Claws down, by the look I got from Nathe it's an impossible task.

"Wanna be instead? Wanna taste the knives instead, bitch?" Claws angrily, walking angrily toward me.

"Claws, that's enough" Nathe finally inturrepted.

"Ya can't be serious Nathe! He fucking shot Chamb, remember?! Am ah missing somethin' or ya'll are trying to protect a goddess damned raider?" Claws said, surprised.

"Dead serious soldier, now leave him, that's an order" Nathe frowned.

"Are ya outa yer mind? He is a fucking raider!, he killed Chambeh!" Claws was on the verge of crying.

"What do you mean killed Chamber?" I asked.

"Uh, ah dunno... Maybe Chambeh is dead?!" Claws screamed in anger.

"Wha-what?" I was confused, I looked at where Madie was... She was crying, Chamber stayed motionless... "Oh goddesses..."

"Now ya got it? H e's a fucking murderer!" Claws said, trying to claw the raider's face as he crawled backwards, the tip of her robo-claws did scratched his nose, he quickly held his hoof against his bleeding scratch on his face.

"No-no... Chamber isn't dead" I mumbled.

"Reality calls, he's dead!" Claws said as she levitated her shotgun and blasted the pleading proned raider into pieces, I didn't even tried to stop her... I was mentally shaken "Now this fucker's dead too..." Claws spat on the raider's body remains.

I walked slowly toward Madie, my leg starting to feel pain again, she just whimpered next to Chamber's body.

"I'm sorry.." I said with tears in my eyes.

"Don't be, it's not your fault..." Madie whimpered.

"I-I feel like it's my fault, like I could have prevent it" I whispered.

"You couldn't, if you could prevent it he was still alive..he died a soldier..he maybe borned in the wasteland, but he was a soldier from his first breath, and to his last one... He called me 'Chip' quickly after we became friends.." Madie smirked wryly, rememebering.. "I made those squeakes everytime I got excited, so he used it to laugh at me... We knew each other for years... We were together for a little while, until it became complicated with our squads merging, I'm sorry for all the things I did that got him in trouble... He was more then a friend... He was familiy.." Madie gulped, almost crying.

"It's my fault, I needed to tell Storm to send somepony else, if you had somepony with weapons..." I blinked a tear.

"If he sent somepony else, that sompony wouldn't flank them like you did, the only reason the rest of us survived is due to your little flank-off on them" Madie countered. I didn't said anything after that, we just both looked at Chamber's body, he looked peacefull... He died a soldier...

I heared a loud engine sound coming from the sky, I looked up and saw the Vulture, it was about two cargo wagons stacked up, and it could hover... The Vulture landed and three ponies rushed down from a ramp on the rear of the vehicle.

"Soldier, where's your most ranked officer?" A very army-sounding Earth pony asked me, he was brown and with black mane, it bothered me that alot of ponies in the wastes were with the same kind of color, two other soldiers were behined him.

"I-I guess it's me.." I mumbled.

"Rank?" He asked in his overly confident voice.

"Uhh.." I kept mumbling.

"Just like I thought... I'm Master Sergeant Blade, where's your squad leader? He'll pay for your little joke..." the Earth pony said.

"I am, Colonel Gunner." I busted out my chest a bit and looked at his eyes widening and his whole body started to cringe in fear.

"Col-Colonel Gunner? Sir? I'm so sorry sir.." Blade, the Earth pony, stammered in shame and fear.

"I'll forget this little action of yours, if you'll get this two civillians to saftey as fast as your Vulture can go, plus three more soldiers, one K.I.A soldier and some medical and ammo crates, move it" I said in a commander-ish voice, it felt so wrong..but they knew only this kind of talking.

"Yes sir!" Blade nodded and started moving his squad that counted two more soldiers still inside the Vulture.

"Do you have any healing potions onboard?" I asked, wanting to fix up my leg.

"We have the advanced one sir, is that alright?" One of the unicorn soldiers answered me, levitating a bottle from his sidepack, he had the same outfit that Madie had.

"That'll do, thank you" I said as I took it in my teeth and walked back to Madie.

"How's your leg?" Madie asked, still looking at Chamber lying motionless, rain started falling and my hide quickly became wet and soggy.

"I got my potion, but I wonder something" I said out of curiosity.

"What do you mean? If you're going to try and revive him, it won't happen." Madie said sadly.

"Hold there a minute" I said as I used my hooves to place the bottle in Chamber's muzzle, I opened the bottle and let some of the potion to slug down his throat, the gaping hole in his side glowed slightly and the wound's walls healed for a second.

"What? What just happened?" Madie was surprised just as I am.

"Can you cast a shock spell?" I asked Madie, I thought I was onto something.

"Yes? But how this will help?" Madie answered.

"You'll see, to my countdown, cast a shocking spell on Chamber.." I ordered.

"Three..." You better know what you are doing..

"Two..." Madie's horn glew bright and she clenched her eyes in focus.

"One..." I tilted the bottle to be ready and let Chamber drink more of the potion.

"Now!" I said as Madie let out a shock spell that made Chamber's body to twitch slightly while I poured more potion down his throat. His wound almost closed and it looked like he breathed for a second.

"It didn't worked" Madie whined weakly.

"It did, shock him again" I said, and Madie's horn glew bright again, she casted the spell and Chamber's body twitched again.

"This time do it a bit stronger" I ordered Madie, she repeated the proccess again, Chamber body twitched again but more.

"Don't stop", Madie didn't stopped.

"Once more!" I said, Madie let out a yell and casted a very strong shock that looked like it might burn Chamber's body.

"He's breathing!" Madie declared, everypony around looked at us, I let out a breath I didn't noticed I was holding.

"What happened?" Nathe said as he trotted our way.

"Chamber's breathing!" Madie jumped up and hugged Nathe.

It wasn't clear what confused Nathe more: the fact that Chamber was alive or that Madie hugged him.

"What? How?" Nathe looked at me.

"We were told in anatmoy class that the body reacts to electrical energy, so a mix of a regeneration potion and electrical shocks probably did the job.." I said, rubbing the back of my head with a hoof.

"So you basiclly improvised a defibrillator?" Nathe asked in disbelief, I nodded as a response.

"Whatever you tried, it won't be enough to keep him alive... We need to work fast" one of the Vulture's soldiers said to me.

"So what're we waiting for? take care of him and the two civillians" I ordered calmly.

"Roger that" the same soldier said.

"Where's Buttercup and Winter Wind by the way?" I asked generally, wanting somepony to answer me..not really caring who.

"Who?" Claws asked me back.

"The two freed hostages, where are they?" I started panicking.

"Already in the Vulture sir." The medical pony from the Vulture crew said, I let out a relieved sigh and held a hoof against my chest, feeling my heart racing in panic.

"When are we going to take off?" I asked the medical pony.

"I dunno sir, ten minutes I guess?" he replied nervously.

"Alright, thank you" I grinned warmly, not wanting to make him nervous.

The medical pony wrote something on a clipboard he levitated beside him this whole time, I haven't even noticed the clipboard or his glowing horn... Wait... He had no horn!.. Apperantly he wasn't a unicorn!

"Umm, sir? Are you alright?" He asked me, seeing my confusion beyoned my eyes.

I shook my head and returned back to Equestria from my thinking cloud. "My leg, the pain's killing me.." I mumbled, still wondering how he wasn't a unicorn...

"Lemme fix that" he took out a potion's bottle from his medical sidepack and gave it to me.

I drank the potion and looked at the medical pony. "I have a question.." I said with an unsure tone.

"Yes?" He replied, looking at me with his green eyes.

"It's... You're not a unicorn, are you?" I asked.

He laughed heartly, wiping sweat from his forehead and taking off his helmet, revealing his horn-less head. "Yup, half of us aren't, Magical HUD helmet, everypony has it, but the non-unicorn are using a different one"

"How's that working?" I wondered out loud.

"I don't really know, but when you connect to the HUD, you can just levitate stuff..." he told me.

"That sound so alien-ish" I said, still confused.

He laughed again and placed the helmet back on his head, a long beep sounded and his eye-terminal thingy lit up, he walked back to the Vulture and sorted some crates into a built-in ones inside the Vulture.

"All pony personal please enter the Vulture now, take off in one minute" a soldier declared from inside the cockpit.

"..Let's go.." I whispered to myself and walked inside the Vulture, it was a corridor-like room with seats in both sides, some lockers for gear and weapons, and built-in storage crates with markings on them, some had the three butterflies and some had that Steel Ranger symbol, the three gears with a winged horn.

I sat in one of the seats and saw that it could hold twelve or so ponies in the transport room, we were fifteen including the pilot and co-pilot, so two of us had to stand up or to wait here... Not gonna happen.

"I'll fly after you, there are'nt enough seats for everypony" I told to Bravo 4.

"You ain't serious Gunner, you flew all the way here and took some hits. You need to rest until we reach Twilight Camp" Nathe countered.

"I don't see any other pegasi here Nathe, and I doubt that somepony here is eager to wait here until the Vulture comes back to rescue him" I hissed lightly.

"We didn't risked our lives three days ago just to get you killed now Gunner, you said you'll be under my command for this mission, until we're back at Twilight Camp you're still under my command soldier!" Nathe raised his voice.

I huffed my mane over my face and looked with a discontented espression at Nathe.

"Good, now where's your squad leader soldier?" Nathe asked one of the Vulture soldiers, the soldier was cleaning a mag of a DMR that was holstered on his back.

"Master Sergeant Blade? He's right there sir" the soldier said, pointing with a hoof at the brown Earth pony who was talking with another soldier at the other side of the Vulture's transport room.

"Master Sergeant Blade.." Nathe asked a touched disgusted.

"Who's asking?.." Blade turned around, "Oh, Sergeant Nathe... Been a while" Blade addressed Nathe.

"It's Sergeant Major Nathe, and I take command over your crew until we reach Twilight Camp" Nathe looked smug, they knew each other? and why the ranks were so important for them? Maybe a friendly competition?

"Sorry Nathey, you don't have permission for that.." Blade chuckled, well... That confirmes it's not a 'friendly' competition..

"Cut the shit, you know I do" Nathe frowned, Blade looked surprisngly calm.

"You know you don't, Commander Sky Fighter sent me, your Commander have no right to interrupt his actions" Blade smiled a devilish smile.

"Sky Fighter? This is the NORTH Blade, Storm has the control of this part of Equestria, not Sky Fighter" Nathe sounded surprised.

"Not anymore, those Nightmare Moon Clan pushed your fight to our borders, we're now taking over the control of the north" Blade looked smug.

"You don't have a single fucking right Blade.." Nathe hissed.

"Oh... I don't, Sky Figher does.." Blade smirked.

"Gunner? This is Storm, what's your ETA?.." Storm's voice came out of my PipBuck, cutting my attention from Nathe and Blade.

"We're about to take off, we'll be at the camp in fifteen minutes top" I said into my PipBuck.

"Roger that, see me as soon as you're here"

I sat down on a seat and buckled up, I looked around and started to look for Buttercup and Winter Wind, my gaze finally fell on Buttercup hugging Winter Wind, he was asleep, and Buttercup looked like she talked to him..no..she sang to him..a tear formed in my eye, it reminded me that not everypony out here is bad, some are still trying to survive without harming others...suddenly the same engine sound started but this time alot stronger, everything shook and we were airborne.

"Everypony please take a seat and wait until we reach our destination, ETA ten to fifteen minutes" a voice came out from a speaker above me, there were several scattered in the transport room of the Vulture. I looked up at the metal ceiling and my thoughts wandered...a song that my uncle once sang to me popped in my mind.

Take a deep breath... And then let go...

..life may not be what you knew..

There is the will inside your heart..

..so your decisions will always feel right..

A flame can be extinguished..

..but you can fight to keep it..

I mouthed the lyrics and rememberd my uncle, he was a good pony... The depression took him... Enough self-pity, he died and I can't do anything to bring him back... My mind slowly wandered to darker places, but this time I couldn't shake it off, I decided to rest instead of letting my mind to slowly destroy me from the inside out, I closed my eyes and fell asleep.

"Gunner?.." Buttercup asked me, I opened my eyes and saw her standing infront of me, we already landed at Twilight Camp and everypony around were unpacking supplies.

"Yeah, I'm awake.." I said with a yawn.

"You PipBuck clicked a few minutes ago... Just thought I'd tell you" Buttercup told me, Winter Wind stood behined her and looked at me.

"Thank you, but you'll need to talk with the Commander about a place to stay, I'm already heading to his office, and he knows me..so I'll be happy to help you" I smiled and unbuckled myself from the seat, Winter Wind jumped and hugged me, I was surprised for a second and then hugged him back.

"Thank you sir.." he squeaked.

"Happy to help, and you can call me Gunner" I smiled and kneeled to his eye level, he was pretty small though.

"Thank you Gunner.." He fixed himself.

I laughed and played with his mane with a hoof, he chuckled and hugged me again.

"That's enough Winter Wind" Buttercup chuckled, seeing he is overewhelming me.

"It's alright, I promised him a flight, so I'll need to let him feel comfortable on my back" I smiled and set a wing down to let him climb on me, he jumped quickly ontop of me, I looked at him lying on my back, and a pair of wings were on his sides..but..wasn't he a unicorn?..I was confused...

"Do you have wings?" I asked in surprise..

"Wings?" Buttercup looked surprised just as me.

"I woke up with them a few days ago... But I wanted to keep it as a surprise.." Winter Wind jumped off me and glided with his wings to the ground. He really did surprised us..

"Don't tell me it's a radiation mutation..." Buttercup whispered

"They look a bit diffrenet then a pegasi's wings, but those are healthy wings.." I pondered out loud, then raised my PipBuck hoof closer to Winter Wind, no radiation signs.."They aren't a mutation... He's an Alicorn..." I whispered.

Chapter 5 - Hour Of The Wolf

Everybody is consumed by the wastes eventually...the question is how long can you stay yourself...

An Alicorn, I always thought they were legends, an extincted kind of pony from before the war... But right infront of me... Stood a young Alicorn...

"How old is he?" I asked, a bit worried... If they were as powerfull as they were described, his powers could set this whole camp ablaze within seconds.

"Ten years old.." Buttercup didn't moved her eyes from Winter Wind, who looked at us and not understanding what's the big deal.

"What's an Alicorn?" Winter Wind asked his mother, she was too shocked to answer.

"Winter Wind, buddy?" I tried to get his attention.

"Yes?" he looked at me, his wings were odd, they looked perfectly functional..but different then mine's or Shrapnel's...

"Come with me, we want to check you out Okay?" I told him.

"Why?" he answered sheepishly.

"We don't want you to become sick.." I mumbled, not knowing how to hide from him the real reason.

"What about mommy?" Winter Wind asked.

"Mommy's here.." Buttercup replied as she walked toward me. "Lead the way.."

"From here.." I told them both as I walked toward Storm's office, this time the guard didn't even blinked when I approached, but instead he bowed infront of me. "Please, don't do that.." I insisted to his bowing, I'm not somepony special.

"Alright sir, you want me to check if the Commander is able to talk?" The guard asked.

"Yes, thank you" I replied, I looked at Winter Wind hiding behined his mother, probably the guard scared him.

"Commander, sir?" The guard pony speaked into his helmet, still cooler then a PipBuck... "Colonel Gunner's here, with two civillians"

"Let them in, I'm free for now" Storm's voice came from the guard's helmet.

"Roger, from here sir, ma'am." The guard moved aside and let us in. "Anything else sir?" the guard asked.

"No, thank you... Y'know what? take this, buy yourself a drink" I told him as I gave him some Caps from the Caps box.

"Thanks sir.." The guard looked surprised about getting money from his superior, I just enterd with Buttercup and Winter Wind behined me.

"Where are we going mommy?" Winter Wind asked.

"To meet the pony in charge, he will give us a place to stay after that" Buttercup said calmly, she reminded me too much of Rose at that point...

Fuck! Rose!... She's probably worried as hell!... After this I go back home and spend some time alone with her, and I don't care if she's horny when I come back.

"Hold on a second" I told Buttercup and Winter Wind as we were at the office's foor, I walked toward the wall-mounted terminal and enterd my new password. 'Exterminator'. Don't judge...

"Access Granted" the terminal voiced, did it always said that? am I losing my mind?..

"Gunner?" Storm said, I walked inside and his features went from worried to happy.

"Me and nopony else" I said back with a grin.

"How're you doing mate?" Storm asked, he was visibly relieved to see me. He jumped from his seat and hoof-shaked my offered hoof.

"I'm fine, I brought two ponies that were held hostage.." I told Storm as Buttercup and Winter Wind entered the room, Storm's eyes widened as they look at him back, surprised as he was.

"Buttercup?.." Storm mumbled..

"Storm?.." Buttercup's jaw dropped.

"Daddy!" Winter Wind squeaked as he rushed toward Storm, Storm's eyes started tearing as he hugged Winter Wind.

What?!?!... Storm... Is Winter Wind's father...

Should've saw that coming... My mind frowned.

Buttercup ran to Storm and the three hugged for a long minute.

"Umm... Storm?" I asked, my mind was still trying to figure out how in the name of Celestia's and Luna's ass it is possible... Wow I need to stop listening to Storm's creative vocabulary...

The three didn't moved, I thought it was a great time to leave them to a reunion..talking about reunions, I need to return back to Rose. I sped through the camp, soldiers and civilians were all around, I never really paid attention to the amount of soldiers at night, but you could see that at night it was alot more crowded...

What about paying to Cleaver?..

"Fuck.." I stopped in my tracks and changed direction toward 'Eat Up', I entered the store and saw Cleaver drinking a bottle of beer and reading an old magazine. The kind of magazines that Rose told me about, the words 'Play Colt' were printed  on it and a bit yellowed out.

"Cleaver?" I asked, Cleaver's head cocked up to me as his face blushed a little, he threw the magazine away and fell onto his haunches, the bottle spilled beer all over him.

"Celestia damn it you scared the living fuck outa me" Cleaver got up slowly, all sticky and wet from the beer.

"Oops... Sorry... But I have your Caps" I said, Cleaver said it was five hundred... I had the Caps box from earlier, and Shrapnel had some extra.

"Gunner, I told ya not to pay me" Cleaver said simply.

"I know, but I felt bad for taking food without paying you back, so I managed to get some extra Caps to pay you.." I smiled, taking out the Cap box, opening it and pouring all of the Caps inside it on Cleaver's desk, his eyes widened so much I thought they would pop out of his eye holes.

"That's alot of Caps for less then a week.." Cleaver mumbled at the pile of Caps infront of him.

"You welcome, I'm just in a hurry... So I'll see you later... Yeah.." I walked slowly and awkwardly toward the door.

"Thanks, I guess..." He said, not moving his eyes from the pile of Caps.

I trotted toward our cabin and enterd, as soon and looked inside I realized I was doomed.

"Talk to Storm huh?.." Rose said with a dissapointed face.

"Rose... I did talked to him..." I stammered.

"We heard everything, we know what happened" Shrapnel said with Custard standing next to him, hugging him.

"Wh-what do you mean?" I asked, not sure if I wanted them to know all of what happened.

"Chamber, the shipment, the two hostages, you getting injured... Do I really need to continue?" Rose sounded angry, nothing is worst then an angry Rose.

"Chamber isn't dead, and I was healed, see?" I told them as I spinned slowly in place, letting them see my whole not-wounded body, my heart skipped a beat when I looked at my previously injured leg and it looked fine, When? What? How?... Oh right; the healing bottle in the Vulture..

"What do you mean 'Chamber isn't dead'? We heard Nathe declaring he's dead!" Custard countered.

"Let's just say, it was pretty 'shocking'..." I laughed from my own pun, none of the other ponies in the room got it, I quickly recoverd awkwardlly from my laugh.

"Hope it wasn't any of your bad puns that made you laugh, if it was I promise you I'll lock you out of the cabin for tonight" Shrapnel said, tired.

"Don't worry, I'm good" I said, not wanting to spend the night outside.

"Let's go back to bed Shrapnel.." Custard said with a yawn.

"Wait for me there, I have something to say to Gunner, alone.." Shrapnel looked at Rose and hinted her it needs to be a four-eyes conversation. Rose went to our room as Custard went to her and Shrapnel's room.

"What did you wanted to s--" I got bucked in the face.

Of course I got bucked in the fucking face.

The sudden buck made me fall on the floor face-first.

"Fucking retard, Rose here got so worried about you, I'm surprised she still wants to even stay in the same room with you.. She went through enough already! And you just break her heart like she is your little toy.." Shrapnel hissed at me, then turned around and walked toward his room. I looked upwards to see Shrapnel walking away from me, my eye hurted like hell, I decided not to make Rose worry about my eye, I sat on a mattress and let my thoughts wander away.

"Why'd I went to help Bravo squad? I promised Rose that I'll get in trouble only when I have to.." I whispered to myself, wondering for a while. I thought that sleeping will clear my head, I crossed my forehooves and put my chin ontop of them, I closed my eyes and fell asleep.

"Hello Gunner.." A familliar voice said, I turned toward the voice, it was the same dark version from earlier.

"No-no, no no... You're just a bad dream... You're just an hallucination..." I mumbled.

"So tell me Gunner, is this fake?" The dark version said, visions of all the raiders I killed replayed in my mind..

"Stop! Stop it!!" I screamed.

"Leave him alone sick bastard" Another voice said, the sane version, the visions stopped immediatly after.

"What are you? Why are you here?" I asked, surprisingly calm.

"We're both you, I'm half of you.." The sane version explained.

"And I'm the other half..the better one.." The dark version said with a chuckle.

"So why I am here?" I asked again.

"You're here because you haven't decided yet" The sane version said.

"Haven't decided? What do I need to decide?" I was confused, like always..

"You haven't decided which of us you really are" The dark version said, he sounded distorted somehow.

"You just said you're both me! I don't get any of this!" I yelled in frustration.

"Soon the truth will be revealed, and we'll know.." The two versions of me said simulationsly.

I woke up, I was still on the mattress, at the camp.. "Just a dream..." I told myself "Just a fucking dream..".

I got up and looked around, it was still dark outside, Rose's door room was closed, I could still hear the fire crackling from inside, I slowly approached the door and put my ear against the closed door to listen for her breaths, she breath deeply when she is asleep and I can tell that from experience... Nothing... Just the crackling sound of the campfire came from inside, I slightly opened the door and peaked inside..Rose was sitting on the bed with her back to me, I opened the door even more and squeezed my body inside the room.

Rose whimpered for herself something I couldn't make out..apperantly she knew I was in the room, and I figured that out when I huffed too loud but her ears didn't perked up.

"I know you're here Gunner, no need for sneaking on me" Rose stopped whimpering, echoing my thoughts.

"Sorry, I ju--"

"Yeah you better be sorry.." Rose stopped me and turned around toward me.

"Rose... What can I do so you'll forgive me?.." I asked.

"Right now? Leave me alone" Rose said, this wasn't the Rose I knew.

"We both know you don't mean that.." I replied.

"And for once I'm regreting that I don't mean that" Rose countered, my heart flinched to that "I'm sick of your false promising! You say you won't do anything stupid and a minute later you're killing ponies in the other side of Equestria". I just stood there and looked at Rose, having nothing to say. "I love you, but it is starting to hurt you more then I would like... If you're doing all of this for me, I can't live with the idea you get hurt just for me..."

"Rose, I know you're angry... But please, don't do this.." tears started to form in my eyes.

"I'm sorry Gunner, but I think it's best if you'll stay away from me" Rose said.

I turned around and walked out of the room, I didn't stopped and kept walking out of the cabin, and I made my way toward Storm's office.

"Everything's alright sir?" The guard in the office entrance asked me, I didn't even looked at him as I walked straight to the inner doors, I entered my custom code into the wall terminal and the doors opened. Inside Storm and Buttercup were making out, they jumped to the sound of the door opening and me entering.

"Storm, what's your next assigment?" I asked, filled with anger already.

"Gunner? Are you feeling alright lad?" Storm asked back.

"Yes, I'm fine... What's your next fucking mission?" I hissed.

"I--there are alot of missions... The work keeps piling up and we are losing soldiers everyday.." Storm mumbled.

"Storm, mission.." I placed my hooves on his shoulders, shaking him and trying to make him talk in full words.

"Gunner, what happened? You ain't yourself..." Storm tried to calm me down, Buttercup looked at me from the side.

"I don't want to talk about this, just give me a mission already.."

"Gunner, I can see that something happened to you, speak" Storm insisted.

"It's... It's Rose, and Shrapnel... And Custard... I know you told them about where and what I did, I don't blame you... Rose can be persuasive at times, but they are now mad at me for that... All of them are..." I admitted.

"I'm sor--"

"Nope! Nope... You never knew it would happen.." I raised a hoof upwards to signal him to shut up.

"Can I do something for you?.." Storm asked me, I opened my muzzle to speak "Not a mission though.." Storm added, I closed my muzzle.

"Thank you, but you got your familiy to take care of now, I won't be a problem anymore..." I said as I walked toward the exit.

I walked outside and took-off upwards in the night sky and rain, the guard was now acclimated to my sudden take-offs, I had to clear my head from whatever that just happened... Tears streamed down from my eyes and the rain just kept on going, the song my uncle used to sing me replayed in my mind...

Take a deep breath... And then let go

Life may not be what you knew..

There is the will inside your heart

So your decisions will always feel right

A flame can be extinguished..

But you can fight to keep it..

I flew in the night sky for a few hours... Searching for anything to distract my mind with, I had only my laser pistol, my barding and some Caps on me... Pretty much nothing... I suddenly heared the same engine, like a Vulture's one... I looked over my shoulder and saw two Vultures chasing me.

"Halt right there! You're invading the air space of Commander Sky Fighter!" one of the Vulture's speakers bombarted my ear drums with the message. I stopped and the two Vultures stopped quickly after.

"I'm just passing by!" I shouted at them, hovering in the air.

"You're now hostage of the Outcasts, please ground yourself and don't resist arrest" the same Vulture bombed my ears again.

"What?! I'm from the Outcasts!" I shouted again, even louder.

"Don't make your situation worst by lying civillian, ground down and wait for arrest, I won't say again"

"Oh I don't think so.." I whispered and dive bombed downwards, the two Vulture's on my tail. They started shooting at me!..

Damnit SteelHooves, couldn't you make your machines a bit less strong? Maybe ones that shoots candy instead?...

I maneuvered between shots that whizzed by me and I was pretty succesfull for a while, until I heard a different kind of shot... I looked around and saw four rockets charging me...

"Rockets?! Gotta be fucking kidding me..." I flew upwards and the rockets... No, the missiles followed me!

"Lock-on missiles?! Had to open my mouth..."

I flipped around and dived bombed once again, when I finally thought I lost the missiles, they splitted into four smaller missiles and they were much more pain in the tail... Litteraly... I tried my best to avoid them, and I did avoided them all.

"What's fucking wrong? Out of ammo?" I taunted, then heard a whistling sound from behined me, a missile was still following me..

"Shit.." I was suddenly blasted into the air, my body started to spas out as I felt painfull electric-like shocks all over me and pleaded that the trauma will make me pass out before I splatter on the ground... I opened my eyes and saw the Vultures flying to where I'm going to crash, this is my death... This time no Bravo 4 or a 'Big-Daddy' to help me... Hell, I lost the range of their radio transmission a while ago... The ground came really fast at me... There was a tingly feeling around my body for a second, then I felt myself hitting the wet ground.

"Urrrggghhh..." My whole body felt like hell and my face were planted inside the muddy ground, the rain just kept on going, I heard the Vulture's engines turning off.

"Search for him, he can't be far away!" a stallion said.

"On it" Another stallion replied, I raised my head slightly and saw I was inside the wreckage of an old village, I was half buried inside the debris I created by crashing here, flashlights were searching outside of the building wrecks I was in.

"Anything?" A mare asked outside, pretty close to me.

"Nothing, keep searching.." the same stallion answered, I started digging myself out of the wrecks, my whole body ached and brusies, cuts and burning wounds covered my entire body.

"You heard that?" The mare said, I freezed in place and looked around, my heart started pounding harder and my mane started to sweat.

"Go take a look.." the first stallion said.

"Roger.." The mare said and I heard her hooves walking closer to me, I started to panic and quitely took my laser pistol out of my sidepack and lined it up with the noise the mare's hooves made, I aimed toward a doorway and waited for her head to peak inside.

The mare peaked around and her eyes were wide from shock, I fired at her and the laser pistol recoiled free from my muzzle's grip, one shot almost scratched her chick and one missed completly, the mare ducked behined the wall and everypony around me knew where exactly where I was.

"Motherfucker! Contact! Contact! H.V.T's in the building!" The mare behined the corner screamed, I heard more hoof steps everywhere, they were at least six here and I bet that they won't hesitate to gun me down as soon as they see me, I could've just use S.A.T.S!...and E.F.S told me they were alot more then six...

"I don't want any trouble! Let me go and I won't come back! I promise!" I called out, cocking my head to every little sound, they were all around the wrecked building I was in, the cieling was destoryed.., My crashing work... If I'll try to fly they would shoot me, and if I won't die from their firearms, they probably have the Vultures ready to blow me up again.

"Buckshit! You just tried to blow my fuckin' head off!" The mare screamed, I looked around in panic and tried to find someplace to hide if they all suddenly enter and shoot.

".50 cal's ready! Move 'side!" Another mare called out, I heard hooves all around walking slowly away...

Wait... .50 cal?... I'm so fucked...

"Three... Two... Light this motherfucker up!" The mare from behined the corner screamed and rolled away from the building, I jumped on the ground and covered my head with my forehooves, all the building around me started to fill with bullet holes, the walls rumbled and dust started to cover everything...if they'll keep that up this building will crash on me..still better then getting a .50 caliber straight out a machinegun.

I heard faint sound beyoned my ringing ears... A Vulture's engine, I know that a .50 caliber's strong, but that dosen't mean you need to lower your expectation of me surviving...

"Cease fire!... Cease fucking fire!" a stallion said, he sounded familliar somehow.

"Yes sir! All .50 MG's cease fire!" Another stallion replied, shortly after the gunning stopped, and my ear's ringing penetrated my head like never before.

"Why are you spraying a building's wreck soldier?" The familliar voice asked.

"There's an intruder inside the building sir" The stallion said, sounding a bit scared.

"You're wasting precious ammo to kill one intruder?!" The superior soldier asked, the familliar one.

"Yes sir?.." The Junior soldier said, sounding guilty.

"Don't make me shoot you right fucking now soldier, take three soldiers and take the intruder out of his hole" The superior soldier hissed.

"Yes sir.." The senior soldier gulped loudly.

"Get in and take him out, if you can: Take him hostage" The superior soldier ordered.

"Move out, you take the door way, we will enter through here" The mare from earlier said.

"Yes sir, let's go.." One of the previous stallion replied, I heard somepony trotting toward the doorway, I aimed my gun at the doorway, just in case.

"Let me enter first, he might panic if you'll enter suddenly, if he startes shooting take him out..." the pony at the doorway said, probably to his radio or something..

"Roger, you got two minutes to convince him to come with us, if you fail we will enter and take him by force" the mare replied.

"Thank you ma'am" The one in the doorway said, sounding relieved.

I spat my pistol and said "Don't you fucking dare step inside.." And then quickly took my pistol back in my muzzle and aimed it at the doorway.

"I don't want to harm you... I'll enter with no weapon on me... Okay?" the stallion told me.

"Why do you want me alive?.." I hissed again, apperantly it was easy talking with the pistol's grip in my teeth... Wierd....

"Because I don't want more bloodshed, you were confused... we were... So let's talk this through... Alright?.." He replied.

"I don't believe you..."

"I can't blame you for that... But please, listen to me... Lower your gun and walk out and I promise we won't hurt you.."

I checked my options... To believe a pony I just met, and his superiors tried to kill me a second ago? Or to wait it out and let them all gun me down... I can always shoot myself... Nope, nope. Not with this thoughts again...

"What do you say?.." The stallion insisted, sounding very pressured.

"Fine.." I said as I put my pistol inside my sidepack and walked toward the doorway.

"Thank you, my name's Clip by the way.." the stallion said, peaking his head and looking at me, he slowly revelead his entire body, a charcoal black unicorn with green mane and bright green eyes.

"Gunner, but your officer wants me dead don't he?.." I asked sarcasticly.

"If he really wanted to kill you he would have blown this building to pieces with you inside" Clip chuckled, we walked toward the waiting army, there were three stands with .50 cal MG's on them, they were operated by two ponies each...and of course they aimed the barrel at me.

"Lower the weapons guys... He's unarmed..." Clip calmed the MG operators.

"Buckshit, he tried to melt my fucking face off..." The unicorn mare I tried to shoot said, her face's left side looked slightly burned but not injured...

"Relax Papercut, just a little burn... Give it a week and you'll look gorgeous as always..." Grip answered calmly, Papercut... The mare I almost killed blushed a bit and her gaze wandered aside...

"Enough, let's bring him back to base.." A gray earth pony with red mane said, he looked like he was in charge.

"I'm from the Outcasts.." I whispered, looking at the ground.

"What did you say?" The gray earth pony asked me.

"I'm Colonel Gunner, from Twilight Camp..." I looked up at the earth pony's bright yellow eyes

"Right... So if you're a Colonel you'll know your privilege dosen't apply at the east" the gray earth pony replied incidentally.

"I'm not coming with you" I exclaimed.

"We'll see 'bout that... Cuff 'em.." The earth pony told Papercut, she nodded and levitated a pair of cuffs and locked them on my forehooves.

"I said, I'm not coming with you..." I hissed, stomping my now-cuffed forehooves.

"Disable him.." Papercut told one of the soldiers that sorrounded me.

"I don't think so.." I said as I streched my wings upwards and took off.

"Don't shoot!... Let him go.." Clip quickly declared.

"Soldiers! Take him down!" The earth pony ordered, all soldiers except Papercut and Clip took aim at me and started shooting.

"This my time to leave..." I whispered as the bullets started to whiz by me, I zig-zagged in air and tried to make myself a harder target, I heard the Vulture's engine heating up beyoned the rain that felt like sharp glass now, and to think that Nathe told me they are quite... And Raptors are louder then that? There's such thing as louder then this?...

I heard the Vultures following me, but this time they didn't shot me... Fuck!... Well... Now they are... I raised my still tied forehooves and looked at my PipBuck, it was almost dawn but everything was pitch black up here, I was two hours away from Twilight Camp, and I don't know where's the border between Storm's domain and Sky Fighter's domain, but I bet they won't stop at the border, fucking Vultures... Can they at least stop shooting me?!... As long as they don't rocket my ass again though...

My body ached like hell, the wounds were burning me alive and I was extremely tired, the Vultures are still behined me?... Too tired to check... They stopped shooting me a while back already, the sun rised and warmed my hide..whatever left of it after I got blasted by the Vulture, my head was woozy and my eyes were burning, I was surprised I survived that blast... How did I survived it?... I may be dead already and just went straight to hell... I could see glimpses of familliar terrain I saw from inside Twilight Camp... That wraps it up for journies outside Twilight Camp, but how can I return back to Rose like that?... Oh, wait: I won't.... She said she doesn't want to see me again, Shrapnel hates me... Custard is probably dissapointed at me, she can't hate anypony... Storm has his familiy now, I doubt he'll stay a Commander for long now.

"What am I going to do now?.." I wondered out loud, it's not like anypony can hear me up here, I decided to land and continue on foot, flying is much more draining... I touched ground and started walking... More like limping with my two cuffed forehooves, at least it wasn't raining anymore. The same music I heard when I was wounded at Twilight Camp a few days ago played again, but not inside my mind... It came from behined a hill...I limped up the hill and saw nothing... The music stopped too.

"So Gunner.... Was it good getting fucked by those Outcasts?" The same robotic voice that I heard from that robot came from behined me, I jumped and looked behined me.

"Sweet Celestia you scared me..." I felt my heart pounding hard inside my chest.

"I'm sorry, I do that every so often..." The robot sounded like he's actually feeling sorry

"Who are you?... What are you?" I asked.

"Oh yeah, I'm Watcher. My purpose is to find ponies like you... And to help them with surviving" the robot said.

"But why me?... And what do you get from it?.."  I asked suspiciously.

"One less pony who becomes a raider sounds like a profit right?" Watcher countered, sounding sarcastic.

"Yup, but why me?... Why not Shrapnel or Rose?... Or even Storm?... Or his family?" I started with my confusion.

"Because" He stopped me "Because not everypony is what I am looking for.." Watcher sounded like he sighed!

"Before everything... You're not a robot?... Right?" I asked, knowing that robots can't sigh.

"This is new, most ponies think I'm the sprite-bot itself..no, I'm in another place controling this robots all over Equestria" Watcher explained

"What do you mean by 'most ponies'?" I raised an eyebrow.

"I guide ponies, folks like you who are trying to survive... But they are all unique, it can't be anypony... Problem is that being the right type of pony isn't enough.." Watcher sighed again, something told me he knew ponies that became monsters...

"But why me?" I insisted, wanting a specific answer.

"You have enough self-will though... I'm searching for ponies, I never said that so early since I met anyone... But I can't tell you more then that, and if you're the kind of pony I'm looking for--" the music suddenly returned and Watcher's voice dissapeared.

"Watcher?... Hello?.." I poked the robot with a hoof, it wobbled in the air and flew away. "Alright.." That was wierd, anyways... I still have to walk back to Twilight Camp. I walked for five minutes and felt that something is wrong..

"Where do you think you are going?" A voice said from my right, I looked at the two raider ponies who stood a few meters away from me, one was an earth pony who held a dagger in his mouth, the second was a unicorn with an old rifle levitated by him and aimed at me.

"Nice to meet you too" I answered sarcasticly.

"Smart-ass" The unicron whispered as the earth pony advanced slowly toward me, pointing his dagger at me.

"I don't have time for this..." I sighed and took off, taking my pistol out of my sidepack and sliding into S.A.T.S, time slowed down almost to a stop, the unicorn started aiming his rifle upwards as the earth pony dropped his dagger in surprise, I marked the unicorn's torso first, then the earth pony's head, I excuted the spell and blasted the unicorn's left side off of him, he screamed and fell on his healthy side, his eyes clenched shut as he wiggled in pain on the ground, the earth pony's head melted into a flame and died instantly, my stomach flipped inside me and urged me to throw up, but I haven't ate anything solid for a few days now.

"Motherfucker!.." The unicorn raider grunted as he looked at his side, his ribcage was visible and I was shocked he was alive.

"Next time, better think before you become a raider.." I hissed, then moved to the earth pony's body and searched for anything good...it had a wierd syringe with no marking on it, I entered my PipBuck's sorting spell and it marked it as a 'Healing potion syringe', I thought maybe I could keep it, but then my mercy took the better of me and I injected the raider with it.

Stupid pony, he tried to rob you... He's a killer for no reason... If it was opposite he would have raped you to death instead of injecting you with anything... Maybe injecting you with poision My mind frowned.

"Why?" The raider coughed, steadying his breath.

"If I can avoid killing, I will" I whispered and took off toward Twilight Camp but not before I cutted the cuffs with the dagger. I glided for a while, too tired to fly properly, so I just tried to stay in the air as long as I can without flapping my wings much. I was above Twilight Camp as I started to dive bomb, then strecthed my wings and slowed my falling to a slow glide, I landed in the middle of the camp and got some eye-balling from some ponies around, mostly from foals. I walked around and reached to cabin 8, I sat on my haunches on the ground next to our cabin, well... My previous cabin. I looked at the door and hesitated to enter or even knock, they hate me and I know it..so why am I trying to prove otherwise?. I could hear walking inside the cabin, my mind started imaging how cold their reaction will be to see I already got out of their lives.

"Where's Gunner?" Custard's voice sounded from inside, my ears perked up to the mention of my name.

"He went out toward Storm's office earlier, I told him something I regret saying.." Rose replied.

'Regret saying'?... Well, should've thought about that before saying that then...

"Is he alright?" Custard asked again.

"I don't know, if I know him he is probably now on another suicide mission, and if I know Storm, he probably refused at first to send Gunner on a mission but gave up after a few tries" Rose explained. Wow she knew me too well...

"Should we check on him?... He might be still at Storm's office, or you can always play with Storm the little 'mare magic' of yours.." Custard chuckled, did she tried to be this kind of persuasive with Storm?..

"But if he's there he might still be mad at me.." Rose countered, I felt kind of sorry for her, but my mind told me she was the one to hurt me, not the opposite.

"You know Gunner, he loves you more then we both can imagine, he'll forgive you as soon as look at you" Custard cheered Rose up.

"I don't think he'll forgive me this time, he looked so heart-broken" Rose whimpered.

"So don't let him stay like this for long Rose" Custard insisted.

"His eyes... They were filled with hurt... I doubt he'll forgive me..." Rose said weakly.

"I need to apologize too, I bucked him in the face.." Shrapnel's voice came from the other side of the cabin.

"You did what Shrapnel?.." Custard frowned, I could almost feel the guilt radiating from Shrapnel right now...

"He might be on a few days mission, if I were you I wouldn't go and find him. If he really wants to forgive us he'll find the time for it, but if we will come like that to him he might just roll his eyes and ignore us" Shrapnel lectured... Well, at least Shrapnel doesn't know much about me, I wanted to enter and say that I forgive them, but I just couldn't... My eyes were filled with tears, I need just to open the door and enter the cabin... Why can't I do that?...

"He might hurt himself after that..." Rose started crying.

"Don't say that, don't even think about that Rose!" Custard sounded surprised from Rose's reaction.

"What if he thinks we hate him?... He did so much for us and now we just hurt him for trying to help others.." Rose whimpered, barely holding back her crying. I couldn't let them feel like that, come on Gunner! just enter already!..

"We don't hate him and he knows that, He'll never stop loving you!"

"I was stupid to act like that! He hates me now for sure!" Rose countered.

"He knows we love him no matter what happens, we all know that Gunner will shoot himself before letting anything bad happen to you.." Custard said, her voice sounded regretfull at the end, she probably realized that it wasn't smart to remind Rose the phrase 'shooting' and me in the same sentence, Rose cried and didn't showed any sign of stopping.

I can't just sit here and listen, I jumped on my hooves and opened the cabin's door wide open, looking inside and entering fully, Shrapnel Custard and Rose sat down on the mattresses, Rose and Custard were on the same mattress.

"Gunner?" Shrapnel asked, Rose's head cocked up the second Shrapnel said that, she looked so guilty.

"Hi there.." I smiled weakly.

"What happened to you?.." Custard looked worried, Rose looked so confused..she probably didn't knew if she wanted to hug me or leave me alone after what she said to me.

"In all honesty? I got shot down from the sky by a Vulture.." I said, Rose's face looked more guilty after saying that. "Hurts less then it sounds or looks like..." I assured them.

"Gunner, buddy... I'm sorry about yesterday.." Shrapnel mumbled.

"It's fine, I forgive you..." I replied weakly, barely standing from exhaustion and hunger."And I forgive you too Rose, because you're broken after what you said to me... But more because I love you... Yeah I know it's cheesy and kitchsy, but it's true.." I said, spreading my forehooves for a hug, Rose stood up and walked slowly toward me, she was shaking and crying... She put her chin on my shoulder and hugged me with her forehooves, right after that she started crying into my mane.

"I'm so sorry Gunner, I didn't meant to hurt you.." Rose whimpered.

"Rose, don't cry... I know you didn't meant that..."

I didn't really knew if she meant that or not...

"Please... Just be angry on me, please..." Rose stammered, did she tried to make me angry on purpose?..

"You know I can't Rose" I told her and she knew exactly why I can't.

"Now, what really happened to you?.." Custard asked.

"I told you, I was blasted by a Vulture... I have no idea how I survived the missile itself, and how did I survived the fall is also a mystery" I explained to Custard, who still looked like she didn't believed me.

"Where have you been that a Vulture managed to blow you up?.." Shrapnel questioned me.

"Long story short?... The Eastern Outcasts aren't very friendly" I smirked, exhaustion and hunger taking over now... How I didn't felt that an hour ago?... Adrenaline maybe?..

"Are you alright Gunner?... You look pale" Custard asked.

"Yeah-yeah... I'm fine, I just.." My eyes closed on me and I fell on the floor with a thump, losing consciousness.

"Is it done?.." A stallion's voice said.

"Yes sir, it's done" A mare's voice replied.

"Very well... Very well..." The stallion said, my eyes opened and I saw blurry figures around me, there was a beeping sound next to me and the scent of chemical was very strong inside my nose..."Let him rest for now.." The stallion added "We'll need him top-shaped soon.." My eyes closed again, and when they finally opened again I was in the same dark and cold corridor I found myself in alot lately.

"Looks like somepony here is picking a side" The dark version chuckled.

"Stop getting wrong shit into his head.." The sane version hissed.

"You two again, what a surprise.." I said sarcasticly, I suddenly had more control on my body then usuall.

"Don't be sad, you just got a glimpe of your true self!.." The dark version cooed.

"What do you mean?.." I asked suspiciously.

"You'll see, and I'll enjoy the show from right here.." The dark version sat on his haunches and looked at me with his empty and dark eyes.

"Gunner... You need to stop letting him control you!" The sane version told me.

"I don't let him control me!... Nor you" I shouted in anger.

"Sure you don't.." The dark version laughed out.

"Fuck off already, I don't even understand what happens here.... Yet... This is just a messed up dream that my mind is creating right?" I demanded an answer.

"Like we said, it'll clear out when you're ready" The dark version smirked.

"I know you are confused and scared, but listen to me... Do everything you can to keep yourself the same pony you were in the Stable.." The sane version whispered.

"I don't get it... You're a part of me?.." I rubbed my head in confusion.

"It'll eventually clear out.." The sane version whispered as everything faded away.

I woke up in a pool of cold sweat, I felt two warm hooves wraped around my neck and a slow and steady breathing from behined me. Rose was sharing a bed with me, and spooning with me... I need to get used to this.

I felt her hooves move a bit and the breathing was suddenly very close to my ear "Good morning Gunner" Her sweet voice whispered into my ear, her warm breathing making my hide to crawl in a good way.

"Morning.." I whispered back with a yawn.

"You passed out yesterday.." Rose said weakly.

"I figured that out... Wait, yesterday?.." I replied.

"Yup, you were out for a day or so, my little pegasus needs alot of sleep don't you?.." Rose teased me, I blushed and tried to turn around toward her. Trying to move Rose to the more dry area of the bed, she didn't seemed to mind to be smeared in my sweat.

"What have you done this all time?.." I asked, wanting to know if there's anything important I need to be filled in.

"I got to complete my male anatomy model I tried to create.." Rose nibbled my ear, my face blushed alot more and I was finally able to turn around to face Rose, she looked at me with a smug smirk.

"What do you mean?" I asked, trying to sound like I didn't knew what she was talking about.

"Oh, you know... Fill the gaps of the male body I needed to know better... Though there was a problem with scale... According to the books, you're larger in some places... You better get this checked out..." Rose teased me with a cheesy voice.

"Sorry for the inconvenience..." I said sarcasticly, feeling my whole face blushing red.

"That's fine, I managed to finish my research even with this little flaw" Rose grinned at me and blushed slightly... The blush that was barely visible beyond her light-red hide.

"Glad to help" I grinned back, Rose scooched closer to me and hugged me.

"Don't endanger yourself for me... Please..." Rose whispered into my ear.

"I won't... I promise.." I whispered back, Rose's eyes looked at me, tears were forming and her muzzle was crooked.

"But... If you need to endanger yourself to help other ponies... Please take care of yourself... I won't stop you from doing what you're doing best, I just want you to think about what you're doing" Rose whispered as she blinked a tear.

"I won't go anywhere, I'm here from now on" I smiled at her, her muzzle broke to a weak smile shortly after.

"Good, I wanted to study about something specific and I need you for that.." Rose winked, I knew she was a very talented and corious pony, but why does she need me?... Please don't tell me it's another tease-test...

"What is it?" I asked and sat up.

"I need to check something... How will I say it in a more appropriate manner?..." Rose tried to find the right words to use as she sat up aswell.

"Oh com'on Rosey, you can say it to me..." I replied.

"Here it goes... Remember when I said I'm multi-orgasmic? I want you to help me to figure out just how much..." Rose said and looked away... She blushed so hard her face were the same color as her eyes...

My wings flared out and stayed there, rock-hard.

"I'll take it you like the idea..." Rose giggled at my wings' respond.

"I'm... I'm sorry" I blushed, folding my wings back with my forehooves just for them to get up again.

"Nah, it's fine. They're pretty hot" Rose purred seductively and touched one of the wings, sending shivers up my spine at the touch of her tender and warm hoof against my stoned wing.

"Th-thanks..." I rubbed the back of my neck with a hoof, letting Rose play around with my wing.

"Is that feels nice?" Rose asked a bit sultry and massaged my wing. My wing melted instantaneously in her hooves as the muscles relaxed.

"Mmmhmm" I nodded and closed my eyes. It was clear she had some exprience with massaging wings before.

"I love you" Rose whispered to me and sent a wave of pecks up and down my wing, making me blush even more

"Come over here" I said, moving Rose closer with the wing she massaged, hugging her with my forehooves. And earning a high-pitched 'Eeep' from Rose.

"Wow, are wings supposed to be so hard?" Rose asked as she touched the other wing and massaged it slowly. Her tone less sultry then earlier and more intrested.

"Well... When they're next to sexy mares... Yes..." I replied with a grin.

"It ain't working for you Gunn-Gunn..." Rose chuckled at my failing attempts to be persuasive and moved to the base of the wing, making me melt again.

"I'll keep trying though" I said with a smile, wrapping my two wings around Rose and moving her even closer to me.

"Shut up you stud..." Rose said and launched herself on me, connecting her lips to mine and bounding her forehooves around my head,

I opened my lips and let her kiss me even further, I never kissed a mare like this before. Sure, Rose kissed me plenty of times by now, but she never tried to make out with me, until now... I felt her tongue slip inside my own mouth, I fought back with my tongue and hugged her with my forehooves.

After a minute or two [I was day-dreaming while looking at Rose's deep red-eyes, so I lost track of time] Rose broke from the kiss and gasped for air. Me on the other hoof; I'm a pegasus, we have a different lung control that grants us the option to hold our breath a bit longer then other ponies.

"You've never necked a mare before?" Rose asked, surprised.

"Is it that obvious I haven't?" I grinned back.

"No, you're actually pretty good at it" Rose looked at me with a raised eyebrow.

"If I'm good at this you're perfect! I have no idea what I'm doing..." I countered.

"You're hopeless" Rose giggled.

"And you love me like this" I said and pecked her nose.

I felt her move under my wing, shifting behined me and massaging the base of my wings from behined. I closed my eyes and felt her telekinetic massaging my wings, cleaning them and brushing the feathers gently. After a while, I was caught off-guard as Rose forced me on my back and held me there while moving around me.

Rose sat on my chest, taking the air out of my lungs. Her hindlegs pressed gently against the base of my wings, making my wings useless against her attack.

"Now you're mine" Rose purred and kissed me for a few seconds before disconnecting and moving her tail around her body, tickling my own nose with it.

"Rose!... S-Stop it!... Please!" I tried to move her tail away from my nose, but she started to tickle my chest with her forehooves, basiclly disabling me.

"Whose a kitty-cat?" Rose taunted me with a smile.

"Y-You" I coughed from lack of oxygen and too much laughter.

"Who?" Rose tickled my neck and throat with her tail, my eyes started to roll upwards before Rose stopped her tickling. "Whose a kitty-cat, Gunner?" Rose asked again, letting me catch my breath before I answer.

"Not you..." I smiled at her.

"Whose a good Gunner?" Rose taunted again.

"Me.." I said sarcasticly with a roll of my eyes.

"Good boy" Rose smirked.

I felt a bit humilliated, but Rose always do this kind of things to feel better with herself, she is really atheltic and her toned body is one hell of a stallion magnet, but she isn't an especially strong mare in terms of muscle power. So everytime she can overpower me; She will.

"You think I'll go down without a fight?" I taunted sarcasticly.

Rose pressed her hinds a bit harder against my wings, still not hurting me, smirking and kissing me again. I opened my mouth for her and letting Rose take the lead. She loves it when I let her be in control.

Rose backed off from the kiss, carressing my cheek softly and purring slightly. "Feeling dismissive yet?"

"That's kinky" I chuckled.

"Don't worry, I saved the best for the end" Rose assured me seductively.

"You're sure I'm not under the rape-drug influence?" I joked, but Rose didn't thought it was amusing.

"Very funny Gunner..."

"Relax... But before anything gets too intimate, I want to check on Storm.." I insisted.

"What now?... I don't like his 'unique' language.." Rose whined.

"No, he just reunited with his family.." I said simply, Rose's eyes lit up and her muzzle broke into a smile.

"Really? When? How? What happend to them?" Rose bombarted me with questions.

"Easy there, let's pay them a visit and you'll find out everything" I smirked, getting a warm smile from Rose, I got up and searched for my barding just to flinch in pain.

"Are you alright?" Rose asked me.

"Yeah, pretty much.." I whispered and tried to take a step just to flinch in pain even more.

"You're not alright. Here, let me help you" Rose's horn glew bright and my body was wrapped by the glow, levitating me.

"Rose, please." I said weakly, not feeling comfortable letting her levitate me.

Rose chuckled as a respond and turned me around in the air, making me look at her, "Don't worry, I won't hurt you... Much" Rose smirked sarcasticly and started walking toward the cabin's door with me in tow.

"Oh, he's awake" Custard grinned.

"Help me?" I asked Custard, really hating being towed like that.

"I'll let Rose handle this for now" Custard grinned even more, "She knows what she's doing"

"Thank you really.." I frowned, looking aside and seeing Shrapnel watching at me amused. "And what are you laughing about?" I asked Shrapnel.

"Enjoying the show" Shrapnel smiled as Rose opened the cabin's door and walked outside, with me levitating helplessly behined her of course. we walked in the camp's street, it bothers me that this place is more of a small town then a camp... Foals chuckled to see me levitated behined a mare smaller in size then me, this was humilliating...

"Don't be ashamed Gunner, we can't let you hurt yourself more now do we?" Rose asked, clearly amused from the situation, my cheeks blushed slightly.

"Is it a punishment for being a bad pillow?" I asked, looking at Rose's neck and waiting for her head to turn around and look at me.

"No, but you could've been a better one if we're already talking.." Rose replied, turning her head toward me and looking at me with one eye. we reached Storm's office in what felt like years, the guard cracked a little smirk to see me with no barding and levitated around by Rose.

"From here ma'am" The guard tried not to burst out laughing.

"Thank you" Rose said in a lady-like fashion and walked inside.

As we entered the corridor to Storm's office I tried to cover myself from the cold air inside the building... There aren't any windows in here to get sunlight in, and the stone walls aren't helping one bit.

"I feel naked like that, nothing on me.." I muttered as we walked in the building's hallway.

"It'll take just a minute Gunn-Gunn, don't worry" Rose said warmly, she advanced toward the wall-mounted terminal and entered a password, it looked way too familliar... It was my password!..

"How'd you?.." I started

"I know my little pegasus" Rose looked at me with a cute smile that made me blush even more... How can I even blush so much? The door opened and Rose walked inside with me behined her.

"Morning Gunner.." Storm laughed sarcasticly.

"Bite me.." I frowned.

"Somepony here got up on the wrong hoof.." Storm said.

"I heard you found your family" Rose squeaked.

"Yup, thanks to Gunner here. They're now resting in one of the cabins.." Storm grinned. "You helped me way too much already, I can't thank you enough"

"Glad to help" I replied happily.

"So... what'cha thinking 'bout doing next?" Storm said a touched malcontent.

"You know... hanging around.." I chuckled, getting a smirk from Rose and a funny look from Storm.

"He had to do this... feeling 'punny' today aren't we?" Rose said, levitating me down.

"Sorry, can't control myself" I smiled and finally touching the ground with my hooves.

"Anyway, how did you met you wife?" Rose looked at Storm, he brushed his white and black mane, it looked like he painted a white line on the tip of his black mane... But it was natural..

"Well... I met Buttercup ten years ago... I thought she was dead this whole time... And she thought I was dead, six years ago a few raiders kidnapped me and a few more soldiers and civillians when I was a lower rank... Two years before I became a Commander. Until now I was sure that I was the only survivor from that disaster... They both found a shelter in a little settlemet not far from here, but according to Buttercup... The two of them are the only settlers left from there." Storm looked broken, six years without your family and loved ones?... Sounds like a living nightmare.

"What's the name of the boy?.." Rose asked again, looking unsure if that was in place to ask him such thing. "If you don't mind me asking" she added.

"Winter Wind.." Storm smiled, "Last time I saw him he was just a baby... But those raiders seperated me from them.." Storm blinked a tear.

"I'm so sorry" Rose looked sad after hearing that. "But how'd he even recognized you?"

"A picture, for him... His whole life... I was just a picture..." Storm said sadly.

"My apologies, I didn't meant to hurt you more..." Rose said, ashamed.

"But now I finally got to see him... He's just like his mother" Storm's smile returned to him "And better, he's an Alicorn!"

"An Alicorn?" Rose's jaw dropped, she looked at me and saw me smiling "Did you knew that?"

"I was the first to notice it" my smile grew even bigger.

"How is that even possible?" Rose was still confused.

"Apperantly there are Alicorns everywhere in the wastes, but it's a very very rare occasion to happen by itself... If one of the parents is a pegasi and the other is a unicorn it can be done... But the chance is so small it was never known before... Until now" Storm looked proud of himself.

"So... He's a unicorn and a pegasus?" Rose didn't seemed to follow.

"Uh-huh, he's one of a kind" Storm smiled warmly, blinking another tear.

"But... An Alicorn isn't a female kind of a pony?" Rose asked again.

"Well, last time I checked he is a male.." Storm smirked. "Like I said: One of a kind"

"Before you melt Storm's mind with questions, let me trade a few words with him, alright?" I asked Rose. She nodded weakly, still trying to figure out what she was just told.

"Shoot Gunner" Storm leaned backwards on his chair and crossed his hindlegs ontop of his desk.

"I know something you need to know" I said seriously, Storm's features turned a bit sadder to hear that. "Commander Sky Fighter's trying to take over your domain, he wants to wipe out the Nightmare clan once and for all, but taking control over Twilight Camp in the procces"

Storm got up from his chair and walked toward one of the bookshelves "Fuck!" He bumped his forehead against the bookshelf, "I knew he would do something stupid... But this is a new kind of stupidity I never thought he had!.." Storm exclaimed, turning around quickly and looking upwards.

"What do you mean?" I asked, wanting to know the full picture.

"I know why he wants Twilight Camp, and he rather shave his eye-lids off before letting this camp to fall to the wrong hooves" Storm began explaining "You see?... This lab isn't just for Magical-Armor and magical HUD helmets, before the war... It was housing balefire bombs.." Storm whispered, my eyes widened to hear that..

"Balefire bombs?... The ones that destroyed Equestria more then two centuries ago?... The ones that made the world the hell deserts it is now?" I hissed, really hoping to hear a 'no'.

"Yes, and not the regular one or two you find in a regular lab... This lab was making them in mass production, but it was abandoned mid-war... We have our hooves on seven hundred bombs... More then what fell on Canterlot's shields... More then the amount that fell on all Equestria's entire central cities together... Heck; We can make another wasteland all over again if we want to.." Storm said weakly, looking at my eyes.

"You what?... Please tell me you won't do that!" I said, half asking half demanding.

"We have no intention... They're all deactivated for good, but Sky Fighter wants them all, he wants to somehow activate them again and rule Equestria through fear and dictatorship" Storm explained.

"And can he activate them?.." I mumbled.

"According to what he claims... He can even improve their already devestating power" Storm whispered, looking pale and shaking.

"You're telling me that this camp has right now more balefire bombs then what fell on the entirety of Equestria under our hooves right now, and they can explode any second now.." I panicked a bit, Rose looked at us and stayed silent.

"Yes.." Storm's lips mouthed quitely, my heart stopped for what felt like hours, I looked at Storm and thought for myself what the fuck is wrong with him.

"Storm.... You better have good explanation..." I started, just to be hushed by a hoof, Rose's hoof.

"Are you going to use them?.." Rose asked calmly.

"Solid no, the day I'll use those killing machines..." Storm whispered.

"Good, so we have nothing to worry about" Rose looked calmed.

"I don't think you understand.." I started, but Rose hushed me again.

"I won't let Sky Fighter get them, no matter what" Storm assured us, he saw something behined me that made him alot happier. When I looked behined my shoulder and saw Buttercup and Winter Wind walking down the hall toward us.

"Sweetie.." Storm whispered and walked toward her, they both hugged each other and Winter Wind stood next to them, playing with his wings.

"Winter Wind?" I called out, his ears perked up and he smiled as he looked at me.

"Gunner!" He squeaked and trotted toward me, I spread my hooves for a hug as he launched himself toward me and hugged me.

"Hello buddy, how are you feeling?" I asked him, playing with his mane again.

"I'm fine, thank you.." He said.

"No problem buddy" I smiled at him, "By the way, this is Rose... She is my friend" I introduced them to each other.

"Hello there" Rose smiled and waved a hoof at him.

"Nice to meet you" Winter Wind replied, he grew up alot in one day...

"Aren't you a little gentlestallion" Rose smirked.

"He learned that from me" I said sarcasticly.

"Sure he did" Rose rolled her eyes.

"Rose, Gunner.." Storm walked toward us with Buttercup beside him, "Meet Buttercup"

"Nice to see you Buttercup" I smiled at her, bowing politely.

"Thank you very much Gunner.." Buttercup's eyes started to fill in tears.

"It's alright, I can't let those kind of ponies harm the innocents" I replied.

"You must be Rose Storm told me about, nice to meet you" Buttercup said.

"My pleasure" Rose answered with her lady-like behavior.

"I can't thank Gunner enough for what he did" Buttercup continued, getting a smile from me.

"Again, it wasn't alot I did" I started.

"It was alot for us, for me.." Storm stopped me, looking at me with a pair of serious eyes.

"Storm... I did what I needed to do" I countered, rubbing my mane.

"So Winter Wind is an Alicorn?" Rose asked, still not sure if it is true or not.

"Yes, my own flesh and blood is the first male Alicorn to be born from non-Alicorn parents" Storm looked smug.

"Sweetie... Stop.." Buttercup whispered to Storm, nuzzling his neck.

"When he gets used to his wings, I would like to teach him how to fly" I told Winter Wind, his eyes lit up and he looked so eager... I'm still not sure if they can explode when they are too excited.

"Sir, we have a problem.." was sounded from an ear piece Storm had, how I didn't noticed that?

Storm pressed the ear piece deeper inside his ear with a hoof and said "Not now soldier..", He gave a nervous smile and told us "Sorry, I really need to turn this off.."

"Maybe it's important?.." I said.

"Just a second.." Storm moved aside and talked into his ear-piece.

"How did you two met?..." Buttercup asked us warmly, she looked alot better now.

"Oh... We were friends since we were foals..." Rose blushed a bit.

"That's so romantic, where are you from? The south?" Buttercup asked.

"N-no... We're from Stable 154, not so far away from here" I replied.

"Are you Stable dwellers? Storm's a dweller too!" Buttercup told us.

"Yeah, he already told us that" I smiled.

"Are you married?" Buttercup asked, that made me cough a bit.

"Guess that answers your question" Rose said, amused.

"So any plans for the future?" Buttercup chatted with Rose more then with me at this point.

"Not really, he does get himself in alot of troubles though" Rose chuckled, I walked toward Winter Wind who looked a bit bored, but more becasue I didn't wanted to listen to Rose's and Buttercap's chat...

"Hey champ. How are you doing?" I asked Winter Wind.

"I'm excited about my new wings" Winter Wind replied with a confessing smile.

"When you'll grow up a bit I'll teach you everything I know about flying" I smiled at him, Winter Wind's eyes were just like mine, bright gray.

"You promise?" Winter Wind asked me.

"I promise" I answered, and I really meant that.

"What?!.. Buttercup! Winter Wind! Rose! follow me!" Storm panicked a bit.

"What's happening?.." I asked Storm.

"Not now Gunner, help me get you guys to safety.." Storm replied.

"Storm... What's happening?!" I insisted.

"The raiders... They're here again, and this time alot of them..." Storm sighed.

"What's the plan?" I asked in panic, following Storm as he clicked on several buttons on his terminal.

"Staying alive.." he whispered sarcasticly as he clicked on a final button, a bookshelf moved aside, this time a different one, and revealed an old elevator. "From here, now!" Storm ordered us.

"I'm not leaving without you.." I countered

"Yes you are.." Storm hissed at me.

"What about Shrapnel and Custard?" Rose broke our argument.

"I'll bring them, wait here" I said as I sprinted outside and took off toward our cabin, I saw Outcast soldiers running about and what looked like an army advancing toward us from the south, they were alot of ponies... I landed in the entrance of our cabin and entered with a buck.

"Custard!... Shrapnel! Are you here?!" I screamed, my heart pounding and my whole body sweaty and stressfull.

"Yeah?.." Custard's voice came from their room, I charged inside and saw them both sleeping, it was noon...

"Come with me. There's no time to explain... Just grab your cloths and come with me!" I ordered them, Shrapnel shot out of the bed and grabbed his barding in his teeth and started wearing it, Custard was still sleepy though.

"What's wrong?.." Custard stayed in bed, not moving alot.

"No time to explain. Shrapnel, just grab her and fly after me" I said and ran outside, I thought for myself that I need a battle saddle for self defense..but where is the armory here?..

"Alright let's go.." Shrapnel said, his barding on him and Custard mounted on his back holding onto his neck.

I took off and Shrapnel after me, I looked once again on the oncoming army of raiders and saw it was more then regular raiders and mercs... They had vehicles!... And... Griffins?... I landed at the entrance of Storm's office and rushed inside, Shrapnel following me.

"From here, hurry.." I shouted and trotted inside the office, the door was shut..of course it was... I entered the password as fast as I can and the door opened quickly after, I entered inside and saw that the elevator dissapeared..

"What happened?.." Shrapnel asked, noticing I'm feeling lost.

"Fuck!..I can't believe he did that.."

"Who did what?.." Shrapnel asked, looking around and searching for anything I might talk about.

"Storm... There was an elevator right here..." I pointed with a hoof on the bookshelf that opened before.

"Gunner, are you sure you're alright?" Custard asked.

The bookshelf opened and I saw Storm standing there with a battle saddle of his own on him, "Here you are, come on... Get in..." Storm told us.

I said nothing and entered with Shrapnel following me, Storm went to the terminal and entered the same wierd code from earlier. "I'll see you later.." Storm announced with a smile.

"Oh no you won't..." I said and jumped out from the elevator as it closed behined me, tackling Storm and pinning him down.

"What the fuck are you doing?" Storm yelled at me, trying to buck me off of him.

"You ain't risking yourself.." I hissed and pressed my hooves harder against him.

"Watch me.." Storm said and finally bucked me off, cocking his battle saddle and aiming it at me.

"Storm, you won't shoot me.." I frowned.

Storm sighed and hanged his head, "Fine.... But watch out for yourself, I can't tell Rose I let you die..." Storm said, opening a hidden closet filled with battle saddles and ammo belts for them, I took a brown battle saddle and two ammo belts for it, it was slightly large for my size but I can live with that..

"What about you?.." I asked, knowing I won't like his answer.

"I got a camp to save.." He replied and moved toward the office's inner door.

"You got a family to save..." I fixed him, he sighed back and tortted outside, I followed.

As we got outside a few soldiers ran past us and Storm ran after them. I wondred why he ran to the opposite direction of the raiders..but he probably had a plan... I heard multiple engines making their way toward us, and got to see a few vehicles driving toward the raiders... They had a mounted MG ontop and a few ponies inside were using it as a way to transport themselves..

"We call them 'Hammers'.." Storm told me "You can nail your enemies like that" He added with a chuckle.

Quickly after I heard a heavier engine making his way and saw an armored vehicle... A tank....

"Yup... This is a tank mate, and it can shoot them high caliber rounds just like you read it can.." Storm told me, my mind quickly thought on the inside mechanizem and the complicated ways everything is working... From the engine's work to the armor design...

"This is amazing.." I mumbled.

"Yeah, shame it is used for killing..." Storm said as we entered the side of the camp I didn't knew, it was the military barracks..

"Where are we going?.." I asked Storm.

"I donno, the way to suicide is that way" Storm pointed south, toward the raiders.

"Very funny..." I replied sarcasticly.

"I'm not joking" Storm turned around and looked at me anrgily "You're trying to find a way to die, don't you?.." Storm hissed.

"What?... No.." I stammered.

"Oh please, you just jumped out of your only way to save yourself from more bloodshed" Storm took a step toward me, and I took a step backward. "Just go back, the elevator is waiting for you... It will close in ten minutes though so don't take your bloody time.." Storm added and went to his way.

I took off and went toward his office... Do I really want to kill more?... Haven't I have been through enough?..

No, those soldiers are killing themselves and I can't stay aside and let them die... I need to help them...

I changed my direction toward the raiders, they had vehicles and griffins and what not... But I can kill a few of them with no problem... I bucked my battle saddle in mid-air and began speeding more and more... I started barraging the charging raiders and killed a few, but some of them of course started shooting at me back... Most of the raiders I saw had melee weapons, so I dobut they will succeed stabbing me when I am flying... The barrage was pretty succesfull and I got a straight line of dead bodies in the charging thousands of raiders. That will delay some of them, I flew over the sea of raiders and saw they were alot more then I expected, there were some shots aimed at me...

Oh goddess they need some practice with shooting moving targets

I doubled back and barraged another line, this time a griffin joined the party and tried to claw me in the middle of my shooting run.

"Fuck... Off... From... Me..." I grunted and kept his talons away from my face and my body in general... He did scratched a set of three bleeding cuts on my right side, I bucked the griffin's throat and slid into S.A.T.S, aiming at his chest twice and head once, excuting the spell and sending the dead griffin's body plummeting down on the raider's heads... He crushed five other raiders in the process.. But before I could do anything another griffin charged me, and this one was alot more armored! I bucked him in the chest but he didn't even flinched while he started clawing my back, I noticed he was wearinga grenade bandolier, I tried to snatch one of the grenades during our little mid-air struggle, but I had a better Idea..

"Hey giant chicken!.." I taunted him.

"Oh you'll be sorry for that meat sack..." He hissed at me, I was surprised he could understand me for a split second, but recovered pretty quickly after and bit the pin on one of the grenades on his bandolier and pulled it out. I spat the pin at his face and that made him lose his grip on me, he wiped the spit and the pin from his face and realized what I just did, a second after he blew into chunks of meat and blood that made me want to puke, but I suddenly remembered that I haven't ate properly for days. I looked around and saw that I was clear of griffins... For now... I got back to my barraging and dived down toward the raiders as I filled some of the raiders with bullet holes, the good thing of them being so close to each other that killing one raider will slow down the ones behined him.

"Look out for that fucking pegasus!" one of the raiders screamed after I killed the ponies next to him, this was the time I started getting shot more by those inaccurate scums, of course luck was against me as a bullet grazed my left hindleg and made me flinch at the sudden pain, that made me less consentrated and to catch another bullet in my right side, right next to the scratches and too close to my Cutie-mark... I began making my way back to Twilight Camp as another bullet hit my PipBuck's armored casing and dislocated my shoulder. The pain was growing and I started losing blood faster then I would like, when I finally thought I am out of their shooting range I got shot again in my belly, and that was all my body could tolerate as I lost control of myself and free falled down

How the hell they managed doing that?... I tried to flap my wings but every muscle movement made my body to hurt even more and the wounds to bleed even more... how am I still alive?... I had no time to think when another bullet whized by me, dangerously close to me... It was a marksman or somepony with S.A.T.S...

I was directly above Twilight Camp and made my way slowly toward the ground, I got shot again in my shoulder... But this time from another direction... This time it was friendly fire!.. They probably thought I was one of the raiders!... I fell down and crushed into a pile of wooden crates... Didn't soften my landing what so ever, I heard engines all around me and saw three Vultures flying above me... Nopony came to check if I'm still alive...

I just lied with my face upward and waited to bleed out, another Vulture flied and stopped directly above me, stopping and shooting missiles and MG fire at the raiders' direction, the whole place was a mess and an explosion sounded too close to me from the raiders' direction, they started swarming inside the camp but ofcourse nopony stopped to check if I was alive or not, I heard screaming and shooting and explosions all around me.

My head became woozy and lightwieghted, I felt my heart pounding harder and I was shaking, I tried to look at the raiders around me to see if I was clear, but one unicorn raider did saw I was alive, he had a smug smile as he raised his sniper rifle and mouthed 'Gotcha'... He was the one who shot me down... He walked closer to me and his glow wrapped my body... He dragged me on the floor and flipped me around, I tried to crawl away but he just dragged me closer.

"Well, where do you want to feel my gun first?... Up your ass or inside your balls?.." He laughed out.

"Try it down your throat" I said weakly, he bucked my side and laughed as I struggled to breath, the blood loss almost overwhelmed me.

"Let's have some fun.." He laughed out, I looked behined me and saw he set his rifle aside and took a butcher's knife out...

"Screw you.." I said even weaker.

"Oh don't worry... In a second" H laughed again and wrapped my neck in his glow.

I looked at him advancing toward me, but a gunshot stopped him in his tracks and his head blasted into pieces, my neck was free of his glow and I was able to breath properly again. I looked at the gunshot's direction and saw five Outcasts in magical armor shooting their way through the camp, killing Raiders and sparing civillians, they were Storm's elite?.. Whoever they were, their armor wasn't as advanced as the X-01

"Is that a pegasus?.." One of them looked at me with his lifeless helmet and started reloading his side-mounted machine gun.

"I think so... Is he a raider?.." A mare's voice sounded from another magical armor, but her voice was mechanical somehow... All of them had a mechanical voice... More far controlled robots like Watcher?..

"He sure dosen't look like one, check if he is still alive" Another armored Outcast said, the five of them walked closer to me, three were looking around and guarding as the helmet of one of them opened with a vacuum release sound, a face of a pony was inside.

"Well, he's alive... Check if he is still conscious" The pony with the opened helmet ordered, his voice no longer mechanical.

"On it" The robotic mare's voice came out of one of the magical armor suits, her helmet opening just like the other Outcast, a face of a mare was inside. At this point I fought to keep my eyes opened.

"Well?.." The fourth voice asked the mare who was checking me out.

"He's alive and he has a somewhat normal Cutie-mark, no scars or signs of being a raider, infact he has a PipBuck!.." The mare told her squad.

"Might've stole it.." Another voice said, the fifth.

"Come on... Even S.A.T.S or E.F.S won't target him as hostile, he might be innocent!.." The mare tried to convince the others.

"He is a pegasus, then he is an Enclave... I hate the Enclave" The less nice armored Outcast said.

"Then explain the PipBuck?... Enclave aren't ordered to steal them.." the mare countered.

"Not giving a fuck.." He sang out, he was like Bravo 4's Claws counterpart.

"You should soldier, Sky Fighter wants everypony we can save up at the APC" The Outcast with the helmet off declared, was he the leader of the squad?

"Grab him and let's go" One of the guarding soldiers ordered.

"Roger, just patching him up... Oh shit, AMBUSH!" The mare cried out, my eyes closed and I heard shots and bullet shells falling around me, I heard a metalic rustling next to me... When I looked toward it I saw a grenade going off five meters away from me, then nothing.

"Stay with us..." A medical pony said, when I opened my eyes I was in a Vulture's transport room, connected to a blood bag and a monitor, I was sorrounded by three medical ponies who took care of me, I saw the four Magical-armored Outcasts looking at me and the fifth looking away, their helmets completly off of them, I tried to say something but passed out again.

I tapped back to existence once again in another medical room, there weren't any doctors around...I looked around and saw I had been stripped from my battle saddle, my PipBuck was still on me though..I was in a place my PipBuck called 'Eastern Outcast Military Base', the eastern Outcasts?... Isn't it Sky Fighter's domain?... What the hell happened?..

"Welcome back Gunner.." A stallion's voice sounded from my left, I looked to my left and saw a stallion... He looked alot like me... His hide was the same color but a bit darker, his mane was black... His eyes were dark gray... Is it a dream?... No... He's a unicorn...

"What?... Who are you?..." I asked, trying to stand up..but my body didn't listened.

"Where's my manners?.." The stallion stood up from the chair he sat in, "I'm Commander Sky Fighter, the leader of the Eastern Outcasts" the stallion bowed slightly. "And you're at the Eastern Outcast medical facility, you took quite the hits back there" Sky Fighter told me, walking around my medical bed I lied in.

"Where's Storm?.." I questioned.

"Commander Storm?... I'm afraid he didn't made it" Sky Fighter looked a bit sad, my heart flinched to hear that...then I realized who I was talking with...

"What were you doing at Twilight Camp?" I hissed.

"Backing up Storm's soldiers, without us even you wouldn't have made it.." Sky Fighter looked like he failed somepony.

"And Rose?, Custard?... Shrapnel?... Storm's family?!"

My heart skipped a beat to think about Winter Wind's body lying somewhere in the camp.

"I have no Idea who Rose, Custard or Shrapnel are, but Storm's wife was found dead by Squad E-3" Sky Fighter said weakly, I felt a bulge in my throat.

"Rose?... A mare with light-red hide and black mane?..deep red eyes?.." I blinked a tear.

"Oh... I know who are you talking about... Her body was found amongst the mutilated victims... We also found a white-hide mare with brown mane and a list for a Cutie-mark next to her..." Sky Fighter told me.

My whole life turned upside down... I started crying and whimpering...

"I'm so sorry for your loss, I didn't thought you knew the mare... Though they both had a PipBuck, we found also a dead gray stallion with a PipBuck... Did you knew him too?.." Sky Fighter added, not Shrapnel too... I just cried more to hear about Shrapnel's death.

"They were my friends... I failed them... I should've stayed with them.." I whimpered.

"If you did stayed with them you would've died just like them.." Sky Fighter countered.

"Better then knowing they are dead..." I hissed back.

"Don't cry, I know it's hard... But they would want you to stay strong for them.." Sky Fighter put a hoof on my shoulder and smiled a comforting smile.

"You're right... I won't let their death destroy me.." I whispered, though It's not that simple... There's no way I'll just forget them in a second...

"That's more like it... But we needed to change a few things in your body...you were blown by a grenade after all..." Sky Fighter told me.

"What do you mean?" I asked back.

"Well... We installed an implent on your neck... Think at it as an upgrade, it makes your reflexes and perception alot more sensetive, and your right eye.." Sky Fighter levitated a mirror before me...

I had a robotic eye!.. I had a fucking robotic eye... It reminded me Claws' eye...

"What the fuck?..." Was all I managed to say, I checked my new eye out and touched it with a hoof.

"That's not all..." Sky Fighter took the blanket off of me and revealed me my new left hindleg... Another robotic limb... My burnt tail has partly recovered though.

"You made me a monster!" I shouted at him.

"Let's calm ourselves alright?.." he looked like he tried to threaten me more then being threathened himself.

"No... You made me something I'm not..." I hissed.

"Well, your choice Gunner.." He said and clicked on a button on his own PipBuck... What?... Was he a stable dweller too?...

"What have you done?.." I asked, looking around, tearing the monitor cable and blood bag out of me and standing up, ready for anything...

"This..." He said and clicked again on his PipBuck, my whole body was suddenly electrecuted..

"Urrggghhh... S-Stop!.." I groaned in pain, my body fell to the floor and twitched violently.

Sky Fighter clicked again and the electrecution stopped, I panted and tried to stand on my hooves "Now that we know who's in charge... We can talk more politly won't we?..." Sky Fighter looked at me with a devilish smile.

"No.." I said, my body was electrecuted again and I fell to the ground again, twitching.

"What'd you say?.." Sky Fighter asked, stopping the electrecution and letting me answer.

"Go fuck yourself.." I spat and got electrecuted again... My robotic eye shutted down and I could see only through my left eye now.

Sky Fighter clicked on something on his PipBuck, and quickly after two armed ponies entered the room, "Take Gunner to his new suite" Sky Fighter ordered them, the electrecution finally stopped as one of them levitated my limp body upwards, taking me from my hooves and hanging me infront of Sky Fighter, he walked closer to me and raised my head with a hoof."You will learn to love your new life, you'll see it's not that bad after all, take him away.." Sky Fighter said. the guards levitated me through the empty corridors with metal reinforced doors at both sides, we stopped at a seemingly random, one of the guards pressed on a button next to the door and quickly after the door opened, I looked inside and saw it was small and dark, but before I could try and do anything I was thrown inside.

"Enjoy your new cell" One guard said as I fell on the ground on my face and the door closed behined me, the cell was dirty and small...is this the place I'm gonna end my life in?...

I got up and sat on my haunches, looking at my robotic hindleg, it was externally wired slightly... They haven't finished my leg yet... How long have I been out?...

When I looked on my PipBuck, I was out for a month!... An entire month... Rose is dead... Shrapnel and Custard too... Storm just got to see his son, now they are both dead... I was surprised they didn't took my PipBuck off of me, but then again what can I do with it?... This cell was blocking all radio frequencies around, my first guess was that I'm going to rot here for the rest of my life, then again why did Sky Fighter 'upgraded' me?... He has no use for a cyborg pony as a captive, but he could use me in combat...

So why am I here?.. I rubbed my neck and felt a cold metalic on my hoof... This is the implent I guess... My neck was still half covered with dry blood, probably from the surgery.

So I had a robotic left leg, a neck implant and a robotic right eye... What else?... I looked at my body and saw that nothing has really changed... Except for the new leg and eye. maybe it is just a dream?... Is this all a dream?... Or an aftermath of the rape-drug?... I tried to stand up but my body was still weak, my left hindleg still heavy for me to raise properly and my whole body aching from not moving for a whole month.

"He's inside.." The same guard from earlier said.

"Thank you, can you escort him to my lab?" An elder stallion said from outside my cell, they were talking about something..

"For what?" The guard replied.

"The Commander wants to put him in suspended animation for now, to break him.." The elder stallion explained, suspended animation?... Isn't that a method of killing something temporarily?..

"Suspended animation, sir?" The guard asked in confusion, well I guess that will answer my question...

"You'll see, can you get him out of there?" The elder stallion avoided the question and ordered him impatiently.

"Yes sir.." the guard said, my cell door opened and my one working eye was blinded by the sudden light, I saw two shadow figures, one had a long lab coat and the other was wearing a helmet and what looked like body armor, I tried to cover my eye with a hoof as my body was levitated outside of my cell, I looked at the two figures and saw that one was a doctor-ish looking old stallion, the other was a unicorn guard, they walked down the hall with me in tow toward an elevator in the end of the hall.

"What's your name son?" The doctor asked, I thought he asked the guard, but the guard eye-balled me in disgust for not answering.

"He asked you what's your name scumbag.." The guard hissed and dropped me on the ground, my lungs were emptied from air and I struggled to breath.

"H-Hey! watch out! I need him unharmed for the suspension" The doctor frowned.

"Sorry sir" the guard apologized, we finally reached the elevator and the doctor pressed on the elevator button, I recalled that I still have wings and tried to flap them, but when I tried to move them... Nothing happened... I looked to see if something was wrong, but they were fine... I grunted and tried to force them to move, but nothing.

"I see you're trying to move your wings.." The doctor asked me sarcasticly, I said nothing back. "Well, I think you'll be happy to know that we paralysed your wings so you won't try and fly away" The doctor added, the elevator ringed and the three of us entered, the doctor pony pressed on a button far down on the list of floors, we were in a massive building according to the elevator's button count.

"What are you going to do with him?" the guard asked.

"We found something incredible when we examined him, so the first thing Commander Sky Fighter ordered me was to figure out what it was... Now that we know what it is and what it does... We got bigger plans for him" The doctor looked excited, and I was everything but excited.

"What's that 'something' you found?" The guard asked again.

"I'm afraid I can't share it with you, but trust me... It's life changing" The doctor answered.

The elevator finally stopped and the doors opened, the guard looked surprised to see the floor... And I was scared to see it... A giant lab filled with test tubes, but not them small ones for testing mixtures of components... There were ponies inside, floating in some kind of liquid... There were parts of dead ponies on blood-filled surgery desks and alot of machines and torturing devices that looked like they got straight out of hell...

"What... What is this place?" The guard asked weakly, clearly frightened to see this place.

"This... Is my lab" The doctor said smugly, the guard blinked and walked after the doctor inside the lab. "We got here the most advanced equipment we can create or restore, isn't it beatuifull?" the doctor said, I suddenly felt nauseous.

"It's... Something..." The guard barely said, horrified from the sights of the expirements around us.

"Isn't it?... Well, enough chatting, tie him down to the machine and we shall start the expirement" The doctor ordered the guard, the guard gulped and levitated me closer to the machine, it was a wierd frame with stands for four hooves and wings... And a wierd futuristic helmet was connected to the cieling with a thick cable above everything. The guard attached my hooves to the hoof-holders and my wings to the wing restraints and walked backwards, he was terrified even more then I was...

"Before we start, I need you to keep calm no matter what... It might look a bit burtal, but I assure you he won't feel anything" The doctor told the guard.

I knew he was lying about the 'won't feel anything' part, if it was painless I wouldn't be restrained to hoof-holders in such way, the doctor operated on a giant terminal next to him as the guard looked around and looked pale.

"What will happen to him?" the guard asked.

"Suspended animation, he'll stop showing any signs of life for the amount of time we want... We aren't sure it would work one hundred precent, so that's why we chose him... Though we got alot of other expirements planned for him... So let's start with this 'simple' expirement shall we?" The doctor asked but didn't waited for an answer, "We found an implent he already had inside his head... But we couldn't remove it without harming him... So we decided to use him for other things before.." The doctor added, I felt so afraid and helpless it ate me from the inside.

"Are you sure it won't hurt him?.." The guard looked worried.

"I hope not.." The doctor replied and pressed on something, the hoof-holders tightened and I heared something getting closer to me from above, I looked upwards and saw the wierd helmet thing hanging above me, an electric shock went through my body and I twitched in pain. I panted and realized the doctor did it... He's trying to weaken me before killing me...

"What just happened to him?.." the guard shook from fear.

"We need to keep his pulse low so it won't kill him, so we need to make him recieve some electrical shocks in order to do so" The doctor replied, I saw a few ponies coming from the elevator's direction... One was Sky Fighter... I tried to break free but I couldn't move alot.

"Doctor... Are you ready for your expirement?.." Sky Fighter called out.

"Yes Commander!..we were about to start" The doctor stammered while bowing.

"It's alright, let's see what you got, remember; I need to preserve him perfectly.." Sky Fighter said.

"Yes sir.." The doctor said and got to work, pressing on some random keys on his giant terminal. "Behold... The first suspending animation ever!" the doctor said as he pressed on one last key. the helmet touched my head and attached itself to me, I tried to shake it off but I was tied too tight to the hoof-holders, the helmet started working and I felt wierd for a moment... Then I felt a buzzing feeling and my eyes started closing.

"Is that supposed to happen?.." Sky Fighter asked.

"No... Something's wrong.." The doctor declared, looking worried.

"Shut it down doctor!" Sky Fighter ordered.

"I...I can't!" He replied in panic, my eyes fully closed and I passed out.

Chapter 6 - Realization

The question isn't picking right or wrong....it's choosing to do or don't

"Good morning Gunner" Sky Fighter's voice sounded inside my head, I opened my one working eye and looked around, still attached to this damned machine.

"What do you want?.." I asked in disgust.

"Tone... Damn it boy, thought you were more polite" Sky Fighter said into a microphone next to him, and that microphone was connected to my head..or the helmet I was connected to was connected to the microphone.

"What's the deal with this crap?" I asked, trying to pull my hooves out of their restraints.

"Well... I have a work for you.." He replied.

"No.." I hissed.

"You didn't even heard it" Sky Fighter countered.

"Still no..." I frowned

"Too bad... I thought you wanted to know what happened to Rose.." Sky Fighter said incidentally.

"Rose? What happened to her?" My eyes widened.

"Sorry boy, you didn't wanted the job" Sky Fighter said and walked away.

"No! wait!.." I called out.

"What?" Sky Fighter had a devilish smile on his face.

I sighed, "Fine... You won... What do you want me to do?" I surrendered.

You're weak!.

"Full control over your body for ten years.." Sky Fighter told me.

"Ten years?... What do you want me to do in ten years?!" I screamed.

"I see... I'll let you think about that..." Sky Fighter said and entered the elevator in the end of the lab, leaving me alone.

Ten years... He wants my body for ten years... What does he wants me to do?... Kill raiders?... Tear his goddesses damned balls off of him?...

Ten years are too much to give up... And he might even lie about Rose! According to Storm he isn't a very honest pony, but he knows something about Rose... Can I give up the slight chance of knowing better about what happened to her? In return of ten years of my life.  still can't figure out why he wants me to pay ten years of my life... What will he do to me in those ten years? Will I die after those years?...

I looked around and saw the expirements the doctor had... They all looked so cruel and pshycotic... Nightmare fuel for days right here...

I let my memories to flush my mind, the good days with Rose and Shrapnel and Custard... I already lost Caliber, and Custard looked so sad about that... She didn't showed it too much, but I could see she is took it bad... At least she died with Shrapnel... They were cute together... Rose probably thought I'll come down there and save them in any second... But I never showed up...

I need to stop thinking about them for now... But what else?... Every single pony I knew from my life inside the stable is now dead, and I'm now captive in this fucked up lab, thinking about giving up ten years from my life to the pshyco who captured me.

I fell asleep and woke up to the sound of the elevator's doors opening again, and Sky Fighter stepping out, looking calm.

"Well?.." Sky Fighter asked.

"What do you know about Rose?" I frowned.

"You are one impatient pegasus aren't you?... Well, I'll let you know all I can liberate without spoiling anything..." Sky Fighter said wealky, like he's talking to himself.

"Spoil? You think I am playing around?!" I shouted and tried to free my hooves, the restraint didn't budged.

"Definetly not" Sky Fighter replied sarcasticly.

"Why do you need me?" I asked.

"I don't" Sky Fighter chuckled.

"What? So what's this all about?" I barked.

"Because I can force you to do that" Sky Fighter smiled and clicked on his PipBuck, the restraints that held my hooves opened and I fell on my face on the cold ground. My legs moved on their own and got me up, I looked toward Sky Fighter and wanted to charge him... But my hooves just stayed still.

"What have you done to me?!" I tried to force my hooves to move, I couldn't.

"You're under my full control, I don't need ten years now... I can use you until the end of days" Sky Fighter looked smug.

"When I get my hooves on you..." I hissed.

"You won't; you can't even control your own body now" Sky Fighter smirked.

"Fuck you.." I whispered under my breath.

"Regreting about the little spoiler I talked about?" Sky Fighter laughed wryly.

"Fucking bitch!" I screamed and momenterily regained control over my body, pouncing forwards Sky Fighter.

I was mid-air when I felt the same electrecution from before, my body smacked against the floor and twitched uncontrollably in pain at the hooves of Sky Fighter.

"Bad dog" Sky Fighter sounded amused, the electrecution stopped and I started panting heavily.

"What are you planning to do with me?" I asked angrily.

"I can always kill you... But it's a shame, you're one of a kind; A pegasus... With you on my side I could find more pegasi and add them to my army, the options are endless!" Sky Fighter sounded like he realized something. "Together... You and I... We can rule Equestria and restore this forasken wastes to something better... Even more then two hundred years ago... I'll be a god!" Sky Fighter lectured.

"Equestria to phsyco, reality calls..." I whispered sarcasticly.

"Oh don't worry Gunner, you'll be a god none the less then me..." Sky Fighter told me, my hooves suddenly got my body up and walked after Sky Fighter toward the elevator, I tried to move freely, maybe buck him in the face.... But nothing.

"Don't worry Gunner, my face is pretty sore already..." Sky Fighter said, making my eyes widen at this.

What?!

"The doctor haven't told you eh?" Sky Fighter stopped in his tracks and looked at me "We are one Gunner, you and me... I know everything you're thinking...".

Motherfucker!

"Uhp-Uhp-Uhp!... Language!" Sky Fighter answered my thoughts...

He knew everything I knew?...

"That's right, the helmet from earlier? It connected you to me, we are the same pony in two bodies" Sky Fighter laughed, pressed on a button on his PipBuck and walked toward the elevator, and I was forced to walk after him.

This is sick! This is more then sick! I'm not a part of him! I think I'm about to throw up... Wait, can he hear me?... Hey! faggot!... Can you hear me?!... No. He can't...Did he lied?..

"I can't believe you think I'll let you do this" I hissed as we entered the elevator.

"Gunner, you can't do anything against it" Sky Fighter reminded me.

"Why me?" I asked, a bit calmer now.

"You're one of a kind, you got three out of four requirements we need, cyborg, no enternal connections, young and an Alicorn... But you aren't an Alicorn... Shame that we haven't found Storm's kid yet" Sky Fighter explained. "But you got wings, and that's enough"

"What do you mean haven't found Storm's kid yet?... He's alive?" I was surprised.

"So you did met him, yeah... The bastard ran away from our forces, but we'll find him.." Sky Fighter said.

The elevator stopped and Sky Fighter stepped out of it, my body uncontrollably followed him, we walked in a wide and clean corridor with some doors in both sides of the corrido, alot of important-looking ponies walked around and eye-balled me... Can I please be in one place without being forced around by a unicorn?..

"Sky Fighter, sir?" A young unicorn mare in a lab coat stopped us, she looked nervously at me and then looked back at Sky Fighter, she levitated a clipboard next to her and started showing him some buckshit that didn't interested me...

"Yes Doc?" Sky Fighter asked.

"Squad H-7 is in need of supplies immediatly and generator six,seven and forteen stopped working last night, what are your orders?" the mare told him and showed him some details on her clipboard.

"Tell H-7 that the supply line is disrupted now but they'll get the proper supplies in two days top, and about the generators..do I need to do everything myself?... Fix them!" Sky Fighter looked stressed and pissed off.

"But sir, they were sabotaged." the mare stammered.

"Sabotaged?... Fuck...put extra guards on the generator rooms for a month, order them to arrest everypony that have nothing to do there" Sky Fighter said quickly, like he tried to shake her off.

"Yes sir.." the mare stammered as Sky Fighter pushed her aside and walked forward.

"Celestia damn it they need somepony to tell them how to shit..." Sky Fighter whispered to me.

"Sounds like fun.." I chuckled under my breath.

"What was that?.." Sky Fighter asked

"Nothing... Just coughing..." I said back innocently.

Sky Fighter raised an eyebrow and continued walking, my body walked after him unconrtollably. Sky Fighter telekineticly opened a door at the end of the hall and entered inside with me following him, the door closed behined us. the room was huge, it was filled with portraits and art of Sky Fighter all over, plants shaped like him, statues...somepony here has a massive ego...

"Huh?.." Sky Fighter asked me smugly, walking around and looking proud at his office.

I thought I was about to puke, but then got back to the living and said sarcasticly "At least you have some respect to a certain pony..."

Sky Fighter chuckled wryly and walked slowly closer to me, he put a hoof on my shoulder and I tried so shake it off..of course I couldn't... "Gunner, how long do you think it'll take for you to accept this situation?.."

"Quiet some time.." I replied with a challenging grin.

"Too bad" Sky Fighter said sarcasticly "It won't matter for me though"

"Enjoying playing with my body as your puppet?" I hissed.

"Pretty much" Sky Fighter whispered under his sigh, he looked at his PipBuck and played around with it. I was forced to stay in place and look around at the disgusting decoration, at least it wasn't my PipBuck he used... He'll be dead if it was..

"So why'd you brought me up here?" I asked, assuming he waited for me to ask it eventually.

"Glad you asked, I need to see how lethal you can be before we advance with your big plans" Sky Fighter said, clicking on his PipBuck and smiling his devilish smile.

"Oh trust me when I say I'm lethal..." I whispered to myself as my vision went completly off, but I was still awake... I felt a buck on my front knees and I fell on my face, another buck sent my whole body crushing against something metalic.

"Take him to the circle, I want to see what he can really do" Sky Fighter's voice sounded as I was suddenly levitated, I heard hoof steps behined me and my body floated for a while... Still can't see shit...

"Good luck, you'll fucking need it" A stallion said as I was dropped on my face, my one normal eye regained vision... My right eye still not working, I was facing a metal garage door, a closed and dark room was my surrounding.

"Let's get ready for another fight!" An announcer-sounding voice came from the other side of the door, the door shook a bit and I heard cheering and shouting all around... What is this place anyways?

"We got a sweet surprise for you little fillies and foals... We got our hooves on a pegasus... But not every pegasi: a stable cyborg!" The same voice screamed, I felt the voice vibration inside my chest. the garage door opened and I saw myself inside a round shaped arena with a few crates and obstacles scattered around, ontop of the circled walls there were dozens of cheering ponies, foals, mares, soldier-looking ponies... Are they enjoying this kind of entertainment?..

"Let the bloodshed begin!" the announcer declared, followed by cheering and roaring from the crowd.

"What the fuck.." was all I could say, they all wanted me to hurt ponies?... For no reason?... I looked at another garage door at the other end of the round arena... There was a mare... She looked so weak and starved... They want me to fight her?..

"Please don't hurt me.." She mouthed with tears in her eyes.

This... This is just sick!... I won't hurt a pony!... Not an innocent one...

"No!" I shouted upwards at the crowd, looking around "I won't hurt her for your amusment!" I screamed.

"Looks like we got ourselves a mole of a pegasus... let's add some salt to the salad shall we?" The announcer declared, the crowd shouted in cheers. The mare trotted in a random direction as a big, filthy and threatning pony stepped out from where she was a second ago.

"I won't fucking kill anypony!"

The sick bastards actually think I'll kill a threatning looking pony...he haven't done shit to me...

"Let's swat a fly..." The big stallion said in a deep voice..he sounded very...fucking dumb.

"Like I haven't heard that before..." I countered, he huffed angrily and charged toward me, I move aside and tried to flap my wings, but they didn't moved; Right, paralyzed...

I avoided his first charge, he turned around and prepared himself for another charge, this time he tried to corner me somewhere, but it's probably a problem with a round arena... He tried to buck me and headbutt me, but I was able to avoid his attacks, even with my robotic and very heavy hindleg, and with no depth perception...

"Stay... Still... Bitch...." The stallion grunted, he was getting tired by now.

"I won't fight you.." I said, avoiding his bucks, at least trying to... Fucking robotic hindleg...

"Well... You... Should..." The giant buck was panting now, I was surprised about my abillity to avoid so many attacks without making a single mistake...

I haven't even used S.A.T.S!... I jumped away from a buck he tried to hit me with, I rolled and landed on my hooves, looking at him charging at me again. I jumped once again and the giant buck slammed his head against the concrete wall of the arena.

"That was... something apperantly..." I panted heavily after the whole dodging and rolling thing. I poked the motionless body of the buck... he didn't woke up... Did I just killed him?..

"Looks like we got a true contestant, let's see how he handles a real challenge!" The announcer's voice bombarted and I heard a deep horn's sound, followed by the door infront of me opening and revealing a few weird beasts with brown fur, red eyes and razor sharp teeth, my E.F.S tagged them as 'Mole-Rats'.

The Mole-rats charged me and I quickly realized that there are still a few that I can't see, but my E.F.S can, the six I could see were swarming and climbing on me, trying to bite my flesh off of me, I bucked them all off and stomped accidently the head of one of them, breaking his skull and splattering his brain everywhere, there were now eight red dots on my E.F.S, and they were mostly hiding, because after I killed that one Mole-rat, they all burrowed inside the dirt and vanished, but not for my Eyes-Forward Sparkle, good thing it can still tag them.

The next Mole-rat that I could see launched itself from his hole and straight on my face, a deja-vu of the RadRoach from Stable 154 replayed in my mind, this time I was more calm and fighting against less bug-ish beast, hate bugs... I gave a hard upper-cut to the stomach of the Mole-rat, flinging it in the air and turning around to buck him with my robotic-leg, dislocating it's spine and neck the second my robotic-leg touched it.

Three Mole-rats coordinated their attack and clawed my hide and face, I panicked and jerked around for a few seconds, taking a deep breath and trying to enter S.A.T.S, just to tap the PipBuck's grayed out option of S.A.T.S, I insinctivly ducked when one of them pounced on me, missing me and slamming into another Mole-rat, I charged and bucked the one lone Mole-rat, killing it on the spot and moving to another that launched from the ground right infront of me, I head-butted the Mole-rat and then swung my robotic-leg at him, getting a squeal of death from the little creature, the two awkwardly fallen Mole-rats looked at me angrily when I stomped on them with my forehooves and hearing their bones cracking underneath me.

The three remaining red dots on my E.F.S, they were all around me, but none were visible to my very eyes, I heard them moving under the ground and squeaking their wicked squeak, I turned to every little sound and finally thought about how to get them out, I bent my head closer to one of the holes and screamed "Hello" in the strongest voice I could, the three Mole-rats jumped from the very holes one after the other, each one I slammed back down with my robotic-leg, best game of whack-a-mole ever played.

"We got a winner!!" the announcer declared, I looked at the crowd, they were cheering and stomping in applause..

"Fucking animals..." I spat in disgust, watching the tens of hundreds of ponies watching me for fun... I heard hoof steps behined me and saw two guards trotting toward me from the garage door... I have no problem hurting those ponies..

"Restrain him, now!" one shouted as I pounced at him, ready to hurt them out of pure anger. I felt a zapping feeling crawling on my neck, quickly after my whole body was electrecuted... Again...

"Let's take him.." The other guard said and levitated me with his telekinetic, all of their guards were unicorns?... Or is that a magical HUD helmet?... I floated beside them, still feeling the tingling feeling of the electric shock, the guards levitated me to the same hall I was earlier with Sky Fighter, they entered the same room... The one with the never ending portraits and statues of Sky Fighter...

"What... We put him here?... Just like that?..." One guard asked as they entered, the room was empty...

"I dunno, that's our orders" The other replied, sounding as confident as the first.

"Hope we won't get fucked 'cuz of that.." The first said as they put me on the floor and walked outside, locking me inside.

I got up and looked around, this time I could walk around the room... The door looked solid enough to survive even a spray from my battle saddle... The one I lost..

It's the second battle saddle I've lost already!... Wait: I'm not in a stable anymore... Dunno if that supposed to relieve me or not...

"Well, guess I'm alone here.." I whispered, walking around and searching for anything too suspicious... I saw a terminal in the corner of my vision, I quickly turned it on and saw what it can tell me... I picked a random non-crypted entry and played it.

"Entry 1754- I have a plan for taking on the Nightmare clan, they keep on growing and Storm in the north ain't doing shit to stop them, well... With that small army and limited equipment, I guess it is somewhat logical, though I won't let Twilight Camp fall to the clan's hooves just because Storm can't order his soldiers to stay cautious"

"Entry 1755- Storm's troops got ambushed by a few of the clan's soldiers near Twilight Camp, they were butchered like I expected they would... But this pony... A pegasus, he sweeped over and fought exactly the opposite from what I'd call an Outcast tactic, he did got blown up by a rocket launcher quickly after... Intel suggests he didn't survived, shame... I could use such fearless pony in my army"

I'm pretty alive last time I checked...

"Entry 1756- Apperantly the pegasus survived, and he isn't any pegasi, he is a special one... A Stable dweller... From Stable 154, the same Stable that we knew would be wiped out by the clan, two questions are crossing my mind right now, the first is how he survived the initial attack. Second question is why is he helping out an Outcast camp, I did heard he helped out a soldier from Twilight Camp a few days ago. I need to research about him more"

"Entry 1757- Gunner, this is the name of the pegasus, DJ Pon3 is already talking about him on the radio... Making him a 'hero'... And what I did this all years?... Sat on my ass and ate canned beans?!... This fucking DJ at TenPony Tower... He got something for Stable dwellers that's for sure, just because their ancestors pussied-out two centuries ago dosen't make them heros for leaving their comfy Stables and dealing with the shit we all deal with since we are foals!.. Anyways, he's a special one, I can feel it..."

Special one?... I'm just a regular fucking pegasus!... Nothing's special about me... And who's DJ Pon3?...

"Entry 1758- Storm's already using his handy pegasus friend, probably feeding him lies about how bad I am... He knows well why I did what I did, he is using him to clear out the shipment we lost a few days ago, fucking road bandits... Although they might be recruited by the clan... This clan is more then mindless ponies with craving for blood and rape, they're being lead by somepony who knows his shit, somepony with a target. And the target is Twilight Camp, if Twilight Camp will retrieve the shipment they would be slaughtered, I need to stop them... But that Gunner... He might be usefull just after he had lost his first 'master'. If he's working for Storm in that frequency... He need to lose his past life for that... I hate to be the villian of the piece, but that might be the only way to make Gunner work for me, he need fuel to work for me... And anger is the best fuel I can give him..."

"Entry 1759- Storm's family was found hostage in that shipment... I don't know how I am supposed to feel about this... I'm happy he found his family, but this is a bad timing, the shipment had a value for the clan, and they won't give it up so easily... I need to ready my soldiers to sweep in and cover the camp ASAP"

"Entry 1760- Two Vultures found Gunner flying in my air space, I ordered them to stop him and speak about my plans for him. For all I know, shit got real before anything happened, I got more info about Gunner, good thing Seth Shadow is deployed there... Gunner got three other friends from Stable 154... He got feelings for one of them../ Like real sexual attraction and stuff, guess I got another way to fuel Gunner, not even caring about the results it might do for Gunner, I need a way to nevigate him toward my target."

Seth Shadow?... The goddesses damn him!

"Entry 1761- More info about Gunner, his friend Rose, Stable 154's Overmare... Gotta say she is quiet the looker, hope he got some time with her, because I doubt they'll survive alot in this wastes...."

I exited the enetries, tears in my eye... He followed me this entire time?... I remembered I can download entries into my PipBuck, so I downloaded the whole terminal's memory, including the one thousand and so crypted ones, more info won't hurt me... Too much...

I walked around and saw a mirror, I saw my robotic eye... My face looked bruised and filled with cuts... I had my Stable 154 barding...

What?! how the fuck... Am I imagining?... This is certainly a nightmare; I would wake up any second now, Rose is still alive... Custard and Shrapnel are still alive... This whole thing is just a dream...

No, it's not a dream..even in my dreams I won't imagine Rose dead... This is reality, this is real life, this is the fucking buckshit I'm in. I turned my head a bit and saw the metalic railing on my neck, wielded to my hide, some blood still coated it. The robotic eye was connected to the railing, I looked at the robotic eye and tried to figure out how it is working... I concentrated and tried to blink my right eye, nothing...I tried again, this time harder. The eye blinked with red light for a second, but still can't see anything, I tampered little bit with it like I saw Claws doing, after adjusting the eye I tried to activate it again, this time it worked!.. It felt like a regular eye, nothing defferent... Maybe I can get some more info from the entries?...

"Entry 1762- Gunner was shot down by a Vulture, and somehow still living and breathing, just makes me wonder more what is his secret... Is he a super pony?... A mutant?... Anyways, beside Gunner. The clan is advancing toward Twilight Camp, and they got alot of fire power this time, machines and weapons and equipment we never saw they had before, I ordered five Vultures, ten Armored Personaly carriers and fifteen of my heavy armored units to be on ready as soon as they march down through 'Dead-Trap', we will eliminate them before they could get close enough to Twilight Camp"

"Entry 1763- Fucking untrusty snakes. I was informed they tried to kill Gunner when he corssed the air space, I excuted the squad leader Cable an hour ago, fucking bloody dogs... I can't let him die, he is too important for my test... If he'll be contacted by... By him... Just then I'll know that he is what I need..."

"Entry 1764- Nightmare clan is on Twilight Camp's door step, we got our elites deployed to save the day, they're ordered are to extract everypony they can, with priority to Gunner..."

I stopped the entries, fucking enough of this... I heard somepony enter the room and quickly shutted down my PipBuck, I looked at the entrance and saw Sky Fighter... He looked calm...

"Peak-a-boo!" he sang out sarcasticly.

"Very fucking funny" I answered, holding myself from attacking him.

"You were a good boy while I was busy, right?" he asked, I swear to the goddesses...

"Yes.." I hissed, shaking and barely staying in place, wanting to bash his skull into the wall, wait..can he hear me?..

"I see you're trying to control yourself, that's very impressive you accepted it so fast, I thought you'll be a spear in the ass..." Sky Fighter admitted.

"Isn't it a 'pain in the ass'?" I asked, forgetting for a second that I want to gauge his eyes out.

"Yeah, but spear is alot more hurting, from experience" he smiled, he really thought I forgave him that fast?!..

"Why aren't you controling me? Or reading my mind and stuff?.." I questioned, really uncomfortable about that.

"It's very mentally exhausting, and I want to know you as the pre-wasteland Gunner, not the pony this forsaken deserts will force you to be... Trust me, everypony will sooner or later give up to the wastes" Sky Fighter lectured.

"I'll take it you already gave yourself up.." I half asked.

"Not yet, I won't go down until I take some of the evil in this wastes with me" Sky Fighter said poetically.

"Why'd you sent me to that arena?... You wanted to see me killing an innocent mare?!" I questioned again, holding myself back again.

"No, I wanted to see if you have what it takes.." Sky Fighter grinned, like he got his answer.

"For what?" I replied.

"Nevermind, I hope you don't mind me asking, but... You loved Rose, right?" he asked, looking a bit ashamed of asking it...

"Why?.." I looked at him, wanting to know why he wants me to answer this kind of question.

"I researched a bit about you... Trust me when I say I am not the bad guy, I may have lost my mind a long time ago... But I am not your true enemy, nor Storm... Nor the Outcasts in general... It's the Nightmare clan. All of the Outcasts fight for the same target, but the way we are trying to achieve it... Sometimes it makes us a pony we aren't, just giving the wastes a chance for a lethal attack..." Sky Fighter lectured.

"Don't avoid my question, why you want me to tell you about Rose?!" I hissed, feeling my body shaking even more and my heart to beat harder.

"You truly loved her, right?" Sky Fighter looked at me, I nodded weakly. "I know how hard it can be for you, I'm so sorry she died... But, try to remind yourself your best moments with her.."

My mind quickly thought about all the times at the stable, she always teased me... We were always laughing at our problems and having a good time... Then, her mother died, she became the Overmare, and from there I began to drift away from her... I was a pegasus, she was the Overmare... We had strict rules about dweller's love life, only same race marriage was legal so she couldn't pick the random Security maintenance pegasus, who's only job is to tamper with equipment... She was needed to pick another unicorn, and she wasn't happy about that...

"Yes, I loved her" I replied weakly.

Sky Fighter nodded slowly, he was thinking about something... "I know we started on the wrong hoof, but I really think we can change this wasteland, once and for all, where the 'Lightbringer' failed we will succeed, and even more" Sky Fighter told me, he sounded very confident in that...

"No" I hissed.

"What?.." He looked confused.

I let out a quick sigh, "I won't help you, I know what you are doing"

"And what is it?" He challenged me.

"I won't fall to your trap" I avoided his question.

"You can't see the larger picture can't you?" Sky Fighter asked me, he sounded like the dark version...

"I'm glad I can't see the larger picture" I fixed him.

"Gunner, you really want to let the clan that killed Rose continue killing other innocents?!" Sky Fighter sounded pissed, like we were friends or something..

"If those raiders will stay in the wastes and keep killing other's loved ones, they are hurting everypony they can! I'm begging you, please..." Sky Fighter said, sounding defeated.

"No.." I insisted with a stomp.

"Gunner, I'm talking in all honesty with you. I won't be here to lead this army against those pshycos, this army needs a pony who can lead them to battle..a sane pony... Gunner, you need to make the choice.." Sky Fighter kept his speech.

"It's not my fight" I said simply.

"Gunner, it's your fight just as it's my fight" Sky Fighter said weakly.

"I don't want any of this! I lost my entire life already... My stable was murdered and my friends are now dead, I have been transformed into... A fucking monster!... And you think that after kidnapping me I'll help you out?!" I screamed.

"None of us wanted any of this but this is the wastes, like it or not that's how the life of many looks like, and I give you the opprtunity to stop the suffering of others..." Sky Fighter said.

I won't help you!" I hissed.

"You won't help me, you'll help millions of innocents all over Equestria, whether it's in Las Pegasus or Stalliongrad all the way to Manehatten and Ponyville, even at new Canterlot! We'll get to everywhere and retrieve peace back to this wasteland once again, for once in two cenutries already!" Sky Fighter lectured again, I must say he has a point.

"I won't take your role, I won't be a part of your army, but I'll try to help however I can.." I said.

Sky Fighter's eyes widened in surprise and his muzzle broke into a smile "That's...that's excellent!..more then excellent!.."

"Yeah, well... I want to see Rose's body.." I held back tears.

"Gunner..." Sky Fighter tried to tell me otherwise.

"I want to know she is in a better place..." I insisted.

"Trust me she is.." Sky Fighter had a face that told me I don't want to see her body...

"Don't think about me as a friend, I still hate you, I'm doing this for Rose.." I reminded him.

"Fair play" He chuckled.

"Who's DJ Pon3?" I asked, his face told me I might have been caught by asking that... Was he the only one to know about him?..

"Never heard 'bout DJ Pon3?..."

I shook my head.

"He's a genius, although he can get a bit... never mind, let's hear what's new shall we?.." Sky Fighter said and walked toward a shelf, on the shelf were some books and flower pots, and a big old-school looking radio... His telekinetic glow turned up the volume and he searched for the right channel..

"Whhhhaaat's going on children? this is your old pal DJ Pon3 with the hot news of today's morning!, rumors had it our new Stable pegasus survived the Nightmare clan's attack, but that's not all... The Eastern Outcasts took care of 'em as well, if somepony in the wastes can help him out, it must be the Outcasts... Now for Tw--" Sky Fighter turned off the radio and looked at me, a smirk cracked his muzzle at the look of my face... I was shocked to hear that..

"How... What?.." was all I managed to say.

"He got something with stalking stable dwellers..." Sky Fighter chuckled, how many dwellers were mentioned already by him?..

"Who is he?" I asked, hoping to get an answer more satisfying then 'a loud stallion over a radio'...

"DJ Pon3, his ancestor was the best DJ in Equestria, she was the best... Now he's taking her role, there's always a DJ Pon3" Sky Fighter told me, sounding nostalgic.

"That's creepy if you'll ask me" I told him back.

"Yup, that's his job" Sky Fighter replied.

"Can you turn on the radio, I want to hear some of his broadcasts" I told Sky Fighter, feeling alot more relaxed suddenly...still wanting to buck his face though...

"Yup, don't go anywhere, I got some plans for you" Sky Fighter said as he walked outside of the room.

"..The Nightmare clan was apperantly heading to Twilight Camp for a reason we didn't thought, we all knew something's fishy in Twilight Camp..but is it something we want to know children?... Twilight Camp has a dark secret we are yet to uncover... But a few survivors from the camp were seeing heading toward TenPony Tower last night, if you see them please check if they are the 'Lightbringer' type of folk before shooting them, this was DJ Pon3, delivering the truth to you, no matter how bad it hurts!..."

Well... At least I know some ponies made it out alive..do I really want to be helping Sky Fighter?... Even if I do it purely for the innocents out there... I'm still helping out Sky Fighter's plan after all. I decided to listen to more of the entries... Maybe something will give me a clue about Sky Fighter's idea...

"Entry 1765- Gunner has yet to be found in Twilight Camp's ruins... Or at least yet to be identified as Gunner, the medical ponies are saying he won't make it if he won't be found. They suggested to just kill him off when we found him because they think he won't make it, but I have a better idea for him, I need him alive..."

Most of the entries were Sky Fighter cursing the medical team about my condition, stuff that I already know or not really giving a shit about knowing, I jumped back a few entries to something interseting.

"Entry 1698- We got our hooves on one of Storm's magical HUD helmets, he sure knows how to develop his equipment. Shame he's so focused on staying at Twilight Camp and not helping me rule the Eastern Base, we could rule the North-East part of Equestria the two of us, but he is just holding the same grudge..."

This is the second time I am hearing about Storm's grudge to Sky Fighter... I feel like it is an important thing that holds back Sky Fighter...

"Entry 1699- We're planning on sending a shipment filled with equipment toward the Western Base, we won't run through Storm's troops to avoid inconvenience, so they're ordered to circle around his camp three kilometers away. I doubt they'll be attacked so far away from his camp, the clan have nothing to look for that far. I'll sent them after the situation gets a bit calmer"

I skipped to the entry of the shipment, I want to know what almost got Chamber killed... Well... He did died in the end I guess...

"Entry 1730- I sent the shipment litteraly a second ago, they are supposed to return here in two months, I know the circle around thing wasn't a good idea for timing, but I prefer them to be a bit tired and alive then teared apart at the side of the road"

No timing and no survivors... The circling around gave nothing but pain... That's enough entries for now, I need to figure out what the hell's happening, but first I need to arm myself... And I still have no idea how the hell this DJ Pon3 know so much about me, wait... Sky Fighter's entry told something about TenPony Tower?... Celestia knows where this place is, but he is there and I need to talk with him, he knows much more about Sky Fighter then me, if somepony in this wastes can tell me who Sky Fighter really is it's DJ Pon3... I walked toward the door and tried to open it...

Locked, great. Can I hack it?... I can always try... I backed out three times before I got any clue for the password, Sky Fighter really is a smart pony... Though a very crazy and paranoid one.

"Come on... Come on..." I whispered, waiting for an unlock sound from the door...nope, wrong password...again...well this won't go anywhere like this, I need another way out if I want to get out of here in this lifetime.

"You heard the boss?.." A voice came from outside the door..sound like somepony was left guarding this door...

"Yeah, this robo-pony inside have all the right to refuse to the work he got for him, I wouldn't do that even for a night stand with Papercut" Another voice said, sounding as close to the door as the first.

Papercut?... Wasn't she the mare from the Vultures' attack?...

"Shut up, you'll do anything to fuck her, I dunno if there's one soldier in our department who isn't trying to get his package under her tail..." The first said... Oh wow; A sex talk..

"Who knows, maybe I'll luck out sometime" the other guard replied with a laugh.

"Go lower, I heard she ain't into stallions..." the first said, sounding dissapointed... They sound surprised it can happen, we had alot of mares back at stable 154 who were interested only in mares, same with stallions attracted to stallions... Caliber was an example...

"Once she sees me she'll think otherwise" The second laughed.

Alright that's enough of that... I have better things to do then listen to two perverted ponies, let's check around for something...

A painting... Another painting... Another painting... An ammo box... Another painting...

Wait, an ammo box? And it wasn't locked to my surprise... Some pistol rounds, assault rifle rounds, shotgun ammo, a grenade! Keep you for later, and... A wierd yellow capsule thingy...My PipBuck tagged it as 'Magic Cell', oh well... Guess I'll keep it... What's the job he wants me to do, and why the hell I accepted that?... This Sky Fighter is one persuasive pony I most admit but I can't stay here caged. I'm so hungry I'd kill for something to eat right now, and this door won't open just like this... I do got a grenade to blow it up, but what after that? I got nothing to shoot with or even bash somepony in the face with... Hope the blast'll disable the guards so I could take their weapon, doubt they won't be armed, but I got a plan... I just need the perfect timing for this.

"Guards? I'm starving!" I shouted toward the door, the grenade lying under my forehoof.

"Shut your fucking muzzle freak!" one of the guards shouted back.

"Oh... Is this supposed to happen?.." I said, hoping that'll make them open the door.

"What'ca fucking about?" A guard said and unlocked the door, I bit the pin and was ready to roll the grenade toward the door, the door opened and the guard looked bored and pissed to see me.

"Is dat edeble?" I asked, my teeth holding the pin on the grenade.

"What you got in your mouth?" the guard asked angrily.

"Oh, I'm sorry, you a want a piece?" I took the pin off of the grenade and rolled it toward the guard.

His eyes widen and he tried to run away and close the door behined him with the grenade out of the room. the blast sent the guard crashing against the wall on the other side and the other guard fell on his side and was peppered with shrap, the door flew toward me and I barely avoided it. quickly after that an alarm was sounded.

"Well fuck.." I whispered to myself and ran in the corridor to where I remembered was the elevator, ponies all around stuck close to the walls to not intercept anything, I heard hoof steps behined me, and it sounded like it was an army of ponies.

"Where the fuck is he?" somepony screamed from behined me, I heard the hoof steps getting closer no matter how fast I tried to run... Fucking stupid robotic leg... I heard gunshots from behined me and bullets whizzed by me all over the place, hitting everything but me... Glad those fuckers don't have S.A.T.S.

I ran toward the elevator and finally saw the familliar doors, they opened and inside were two guards, pointing heavy purple battle saddles at me..Sky Fighter said he wanted me alive don't he?...

"Light 'em up!" One screamed and they both bit their muzzle trigger, both had heavy armor and protective visors...

I realized why they had this armor a moment later and stopped in my tracks, the four barrels pointed at me started to glow neon purple, and quickly after bursted into disloving hot rays that shot past me and melted everything in the way. I jumped to avoid a ray that tried to cut my hooves off, both guards stopped firing as their barrels smoked heavily, I was grazed in the hind leg by it. Great, almost lost another limb... The wound was smoking and burning in pain but I had no time to whine... I ran forward and jumped partilly on the wall, wall-running slightly as I jumped from the wall toward the elevator, landing on the two guards and knocking them out both for good, pressing on the top floor button and looking behined me, a swarm of armed guards ran across the corridor and they weren't happy, the doors finally closed and I let out a breath I haven't noticed I held.

Looking around and gathering my thought I tried to think about my next move, I won't stay in here as a puppet that's for sure, but where can I stay for now?... I can always return to what was left of Twilight Camp... No, bad idea, probably swarming with raiders.

The elevator made a ding sound and the doors opened up, should I strip one of the guards for his saddle?..no, this would just slow me down...this floor was old and not well maintenced..broken glass and shattered collapsing roof pieces were scattered on the ground, I walked slowly and saw that I might have done a mistake by going up here, there's nothing here! just skeleton of a building... It looks like a different building from what I was a second ago, it was so empty and lifeless... I heard the wind whistle, at least I know I'm above ground, the question is how I get here and what to do next.Well, better focus on surviving the hell I just entered.

After walking around I entered a room that was once a balcony, the wind blew into my ears and made me feel a little vertigo feeling, and I'm a pegasus!...

The window-wall was shattered for what looked like ages... Looking around the great vantage point I had from here, I could see some groups of buildings all around, though very far from each other, in the horizon I could see a giagentic city, skyscrapers and factories that were so tall they punctured through the cloud curtain that covered most of the sky, it was already starting to be late evening from the sky's color... A warm orange... I could see another thing, some towers were in what looked like random positions... I could see only four towers... Is one of them TenPony Tower?.. What's their use?...

I tried to use my wings, but they just stayed in place, not moving. I can't stay in this situation if I want to get out of here. I raised my left hoof and looked at my PipBuck's health status, they were perfectly fine!..nothing was wrong, they were in great shape..so what is denying me from using them? I need to figure that out now, I can't stay in here forever... Without mentioning my stomach is digesting itself right now. Maybe expressing an emotion will wake up my wings?... No, it needs to be sudden.. Something I don't expect..

"Urrgghhh my neck is killing me.." I muttered and rubbed my neck, the metalic railing was cold and sweaty, it made a line across my mane and made it look like I have side-burns rather then a mane... I moved back to the actuall room and looked around, maybe something here will help me? doubt that... Better check before something happens, and why the Outcasts aren't here already?. I rummaged in the piles of collapsed cieling and found a small box, it was locked..fuck! keep it for later though, might find something to open it with, for now I think I'm doomed, I better just go back down and let the guards buck the shit out of me, as long as I don't have to live in panic... I heard something moving from behined me, as I looked at the sound a RadRoach attacked me, I blocked and knocked him off with a hoof before he latched to my face like the one back at the stable, this time I have no Custard to help me.

"Fuck... Off... Stupid... Roach.." I said, every word followed by a buck with my robotic hindleg and crushing him into a puddle of green goo, my PipBuck clicked at me and my radiation meter rose up a bit..I was still in the clear zone despite him being so close to me...

Radiation isn't as powerful as we were told?.. I heard more movement sound and after a quick E.F.S check I realized quickly what was happening, I was inside a nest of RadRoaches, five RadRoaches pounced on me out of nowhere and started biting my torso and legs, I tried to buck them off but more joined and tried to eat me alive, I began to shake them off while bucking the others, bucking with all of my hooves in hope that this will knock them off of me, my PipBuck clicked like crazy and my whole body was sore from the biting of the radiated roaches.

I began walking backwards to try and maybe hit the roaches against a wall, my tail was begging to feel a cold breeze when my robotic leg stepped on the edge of the balcony, it crumbled under the wieght of my bionic leg. I bumped my chin against the floor and fell backwards toward the pretty far down ground, still covered with half a dozen roaches, I tried to flap my wings or at least shake some of the roaches with my wings, and they finally moved! I flicked my tail and hit my wings against my torso, knocking off three of the roaches as they fell to their death even faster then I was, the other three were biting the hell out of my wings now, I just flapped them to stay in the air, but a roach bit down on my wing-joint and moved his head quickly to the side, I screamed in pain as I felt blood coming out of my wing, the fucker just ruptured my wing!

I groaned in agony as my body flipped around and I saw I was much closer to the ground then I would like, and the ground just closed in on me fast, I clenched my eyes and was ready to feel the impact... Then everything was black.

I woke up inside a water puddle, the sky was raining and a clicking sound from my left side drove me crazy. My whole body felt like death itself, while I was getting on my hooves I saw that I crushed on the muddy ground and some splattered roaches were scattered around me. I was covered in bruises and bite marks from them...

I looked at my PipBuck and saw my radiation level was high up in the danger zone, I jumped up and tried to walk backwards, away from the radiation... But the radioactive puddle I lied in was pretty much soaked inside my skin and body now... Great: I'm dying out of radiation, can the sitaution get any worst?!... My wing had a really bad and bleeding rupture on the upper joint of my wing and my stomach rumbling became unbearable now... Well, gotta go somewhere... It's night and I'm unarmed and inured, at least I can't feed my pessimistic side anymore then that.

Walking in the rainy night to a random direction, I felt so helpless it just killed me from the inside... I hate the feeling of being unable to do anything, but the radiation level my body soaked is too high for me to even think straight.

What were the stages we were told in the stable?.. Stage one was the harmless part that I cleary passed. Stage two was the part of minor damage, the not so noticable one; Like slight hair-loss and nausea and sweating, followed by headaches and stuffed nose, watering eyes and stomach issues like throwing up and diarrhea.. Then there's stage three; The heavy hair-loss, neurologic distruption, twitching and losing consciousness... Then stage four; Unreverseable internal damage, organ failure, muscle degeneration, excretion of diseased blood cells and finally death... Hope I'm still at stage two or three, not a fan of stage four what so ever. After walking for a while in the rain I decided I might need to stop somewhere, the radiation sickness is now making itself even more apperant..

"Guess I'm at stage two still, at least I hope so" I muttered to myself, looking at my PipBuck's navigation system, I had the 'East Outcast Base' marked behined me, why won't they look for me?... The location 'Twilight Camp' suddenly appeared on my PipBuck... Was it there all along and I haven't noticed it?... Guess I won't go there, I don't want to see more bodies of ponies I knew, but it might have some gear I can use..

No... I have to go to TenPony Tower first, to meet DJ Pon3... He knows alot about what's happening, and he has no side in the Storm-Sky Fighter problem of the Outcasts.. The radiation isn't too lethal for my great relief, so I have nothing to worry much about. But I do got three problems right now, one is that I have no idea where is TenPony Tower, the second is that I'm not armed, the third is that I'm injured.

I entered my PipBuck's sorting spell to see if I had anything on me, how the hell I still had my barding though? Did Sky Fighter managed to save it from the wrecks?... Well, I still had my weapon multi-tool.. Yup, that's my brading.. Some spare parts for gun modification.. I'm really starting to regret I spent most of my stable's free time sleeping, if I was working out more maybe I would be alot more persistant to this radiation sickness... But I'm a lazy pegasus in general.

After walking for a while in the rain I managed to spot an old caravan, but it wasn't a regular one... It had engines on the buttom half of it... Was it a floating caravan?.. Well, I know there's such thing as a Vulture so flying vehicles aren't much of a surprise by now.

It had a worned out title on it's side, maybe a logo?.. It did look in bad shape, so it won't fly sometime soon if ever, but I think the metalic roof can protect me from this fucking rain. inside were a few opened crates, of course it was looted.. But some were locked, looks like there's not alot of lockpickers in the wastes, not like I'm one...I know how to build things, mainly weapons... Not how to breach them...

Though I did knew how this kind of locks work, they were very popular back at the stable, so maybe I'll give it a shot? It's not like I have something better to do, it's not very warm inside but at least it's somewhat dry. After checking the unlocked crates for anything good, I found only some random bullets in a pile of bullet cases, look like someone was a fan of hoarding useless empty bullet shells, though not all of them were used, for my knowledge they weren't any pistol or a small-arm weapon I know of, they were small though.. They won't fit inside an assault rifle, not even a sub-machine gun... What the hell are they? Well, guess I better try my luck with the crates, I took out my multi-tool, good thing it had a screwdriver... Now where can I find a bobby pin?... Wish I had any lock-oriented tool, maybe a mutli-key or anything like that... Even a built-in bobby pin will do!..

That's just great..I can't open a lock without a bobby-pin, and it's not like I got here a key of some sort, or a unicorn to shatter this lock in half if they can even do that... I think I'll never get how unicorn magic work, it's just so wierd they can think of something and then do that without touching it... But I guess a flying pony isn't something too normal.

I reminded myself I still had that box from earlier, maybe I can do anything with that?... I sorted it out with my PipBuck's sorting spell and examined the box, it was a rusty blue metalic box, about the size of a PipBuck.. It was locked, but I could still move the lid up and down, I tried to maybe fry it open with my teeth and hooves: And I did. The rusty lock broke into dust and I bumped my head on the metalic roof of the vehicle, rubbing my head and looking at the box's contents.. It had a few Caps, a 9mm magazine but not for a pistol... A Carbine maybe? No, they don't have this low caliber. Well, I'll break my head on that later, a wierd orb thingy, and a smaller box inside the main box.. I took the Caps and the magazine in a heartbeat, but the smaller box and the orb were so alien to me..

The smaller box had something inside it, that's for sure.. It rustled like hell everytime I moved it, the orb was wierd-looking and slightly transperent.. I don't know what the hell this is, but it might be usefull to sell? If I'll find anypony else in this wastes who isn't trying to kill me, or toture me, or rape me, or all of them... Well, DJ Pon3 sounds like a nice guy, but this reminds me that I still haven't figured out where the hell he is supposed to be.

Yeah..TenPony Tower.. If I knew where the hell this place is, I don't know he's even there! Maybe even Sky Fighter have no idea where he is! Maybe he planned me to hear this entries and to get me killed.. For all I know it can be raider territory!

I cleary have nothing to do with this orb, if it can be used for something I don't have that special 'something' to be able to activate or use it in any way..I still think I better keep it, hope I won't become a hoarder of useless stuff.. The smaller box inside wasn't locked, but it won't open... I tampered with it for a while and decided maybe I'll just break it with my hoof and take whatever is inside, in the hopes that whatever's inside isn't too fragile.. I became very tired quickly after, and the radiation sickness isn't too helping, I curled into a ball and fell asleep, the rain outside of the caravan becoming really calming somehow and my eyes closed.

"Huh, dunno 'bout you, but I'm curious" A familliar amused sound said, the dark version.

"Hope that curiosity won't stay satisfied at killing only cats.." The sane version retorted.

"Don't worry 'lighty', I can claw like a cat" The dark version answered sarcasticly.

"That's my problem" The sane version said, though he did looked alot less 'sane'...

"I think he is doing a great work!" the dark version laughed maniaclly.

"What do you mean?" I stomped angrily.

"Can't you remember?.." The dark version's laugh died out.

"How fucked up you are? Can't forget that" I frowned.

"No silly, your true self!" The dark version laughed out again, he suddenly turned into another pony for a split second.. A pink-looking mare..

"What.." I blinked, not sure what I just witnessed.

"Oh com'on, don't tell me ya didn't catched up egghead!" He looked at me, this time he turned with a flash into a blue pegasus.. A very familliar looking...

"I-I don't.." I mumbled.

"Hmm, seems like you're still confused.." The dark version turned into a lavender-colored alircorn..what the hell is going on?!

"What the fuck?!" I yelled in frustration, feeling so helpless and clueless.

"Don't worry darling, we'll help you find a way" This time he flashed into a white gorgoues unicorn... Her accent like Rose's and Storm's.

"Stop that!" I demanded with a stomp.

"Not enjoying ourselves sugercube?" This time he turned into an orange earth pony with distinctive accent..

"I don't know what the fuck you are trying to do, but it ain't working you asshole!" I screamed upwards.

"W-what do y-you want m-me to d-do for you?" Turning into a yellow pegasus with pink mane..

"This ain't working for you! I won't fall for your fucking traps you dumbfuck!" I yelled, the six new formations splitting into six different bodies... They all looked at me, each was familliar in a wierd way, I never saw them before.. But something told me I knew them...

"Too bad, 'cuz I'm planning to win.." The dark version said from behined me.

I jumped and turned around, trying to buck him in the face just to hit the air, he dissapeared into ash.. I saw the sane version, lying dead in a pool of blood... I looked at him and felt a wierd sensation.. of dissapointment..

I saw Custard, Shrapnel and Rose all hugging with each other.. they were enjoying themselves, running and having fun.. I tried to run after them.. But I couldn't catch up.. They just kept on running away from me..

I woke up in my own sweat, inside the caravan.. Another fucking dream... I got up and looked around, everything was quiet.. The rain stopped and my wing stopped bleeding, glad he didn't ripped it off me, though I doubt I can fly in this condition.

Turning to the locked crates I remembered I had a robotic hoof.. I bucked twice the lock on one of the crates, the slightly rusty lock broke open and I opened the wooden crate..it had four ammo boxes!, that could have been very comforting if I had a firearm... Goddesses I really wish I was a unicorn now.. They can use pretty much everything as a weapon!.. Well, at least I got wings, which one of them is disabled.

My theory and understanding is that unicorns can't just break their horn as an accident, that a unicorn's horn is the strongest bone in their body, and they can practicly survive a gunshot.. Implying the shot didn't penetrated their skull and blew their brain, well.. Enough unicorn-dreaming for now, attention to the loot..

An ammo box exclusivly for pistol rounds such as 5mm, .45, 9mm and this new kind of round... My PipBuck just won't sort it!... An ammo box for assault rifles, mostly 5.56 rounds.. A normal ammunation for a battle saddle.. That's just great... Heavy ammunition in the third box, not something I would take but it had a value... And a sniper rifle box, again: Value.

I got to the second crate, this lock was alot more persistent, but not persistent enough to my robo-leg. Did they made my new leg out of titanium? This crate was empty... Hmm, guess somepony thought it would be funny to lock the crate after him.. The third crate wasn't even wooden, it was a metalic dark-green colored crate with a code-locking mechanisem.. Great.. Wish Shrapnel was here.. I really hope that inside the crate there's a regeneration potion so strong it can make any pony a super-pony, if not I would lose my cool, I bucked the code lock and opened up the locking panel, hmm.. Looks alot simpler then I thought... Just.. This wire here, and this wire there... Bang!

I opened the metalic crate and hoped to find something good, I was amazed by how good this 'something' was; It was a retractable battle saddle, and not any battle saddle: A full body battle saddle! It has it's own helmet HUD and armored barding! Just need to assemble it and I'm good to go, guess my multi-tool will see his fifteen minutes of fame after all..

A black helmet with HUD visor on my head, two automatic assault rifles on both sides of my body, light armor covering most of my torso and neck, and a set of four military boots, I got out of the caravan and began walking, I have to admit I felt like a bad-ass. I looked at the surrounding..empty and quite: just how I like it.

My wing was hurting like hell and I was cold and feeling sick, but I can't stay here if I want to survive, hell I'll settle for a week staying alive..a day maybe!, I walked around the caravan and saw it wasn't even a caravan...it had the writing 'Sky carriage' on it's side...well, at least I was close in the whole flying thing.

I took a deep breath and looked around, feeling a bit better to breath fresh air and not stay cramped inside a vehicle or a cage...

So.. Quick reality check: Weapons? Check. Armor? Check. Ammo? Check. Food? Nope. Water? Double nope. Any idea of what I'm going to do or where I'm going? Solid nope..

Well that was dissapointing.

I walked down the road and looked about, checking E.F.S every few seconds to be sure I'm not getting myself into an ambush, I decided to think about the last few days.. About my new life in the Wasteland, I lost my friends, my stable. I'm being haunted by those wierd nightmares and my physicall conditon isn't great either, the Outcasts I knew are now gone and Sky Fighter's troops are probably looking after me, now where the hell is TenPony tower? And how do I find DJ Pon3 in general?

After walking for some time I saw a column of smoke over a hill, from a fire source!.. It most be somepony who lit it up! I rushed up the hill and expected to see a little camp or a few ponies stopping by in their way home or something along those lines... But what I saw was beyond disgusting.

Chapter 7 - Survival

Sometime things ain't what they seems to be... Or claim to be...

Death. this was the only thing I thought will be outside of the massive Stable 154 door, that's what I thought will be outside of Twilight Camp's walls, that's what I thought made Equestria what it is... I never was so right in my entire life. When death is the only thing you see and feel, how can you have room for other emotions when only pain and suffering is what this wastes have to offer? When everything collapses on itself, when hope and trust is even more sparse then the already precious clean water and fresh food, where you can claim other's life with the pull of a trigger, where life itself... Of a beast or people, good or bad, isn't more valueable then a pile of bottle caps, a world that lacks someone to guide you through the horrors and darkness that lurks around you, where a hero can be killed as easily... Where a flame can be extingiushed in matters of seconds... Sometimes it is hard to imagine that life wasn't like this before the bombs fell, sometimes you want to believe it... That this wasn't the way of people to live their lives before the war... But this wasteland will show you how much of a far reality it was...

Cannibals... The camp I desperatly hoped will be a camp of happy ponies... Is a band of cannibals feasting on pony flesh... They were eating pony remains... I felt like throwing up, but I had nothing to puke, I hadn't ate anything solid for over a month! And seeing them eating pony flesh... This was just sick! I focused my vision on what looked like a few imprisoned ponies, my right robotic eye zoomed in and gave me a clearer picture of the situation... Five prisoners, ten or so cannibal ponies, and one armed pegasus with a craving to stop them.

"What the Fuck is Wrong with you?!" I screamed, sliding into S.A.T.S and placing a shot to the head of three of the cannibals, excuting the spell and hitting every single one of them, this battle saddle was precise.

I recalled it had a HUD visor, pressing on a side-button on my helmet the visor popped out, a 3D E.F.S right infront of my very eyes, and colloring my actual tragets with red and yellow--This is usefull.

"The fuck?" A cannibal frowned and looked at his three friends turning into corpses, all of them scattered and some ran straight to their weapons, mostly were melee and blunt weapons, I could make out a gun or two.

"Die!!! Die! Die! Die!" I screamed over and over again, walking and emptying shell after shell into each cannibal I could see within my line of sight, shredding two cannibals that were too close to each other into piles of bloodied meat and guts, shifting target and stopping for a second to let the barrels cool down a bit, then biting so hard on the muzzle trigger I could feel a tooth breaking, five down-- Seven left.

"Get your weapons! A fucking crazy pony's here!" one screamed beyoned my roaring battle saddle, I turned to my left and shredded another cannibal pony who tried to sneak up on me while I was busy with his now-dead friends, shifting to another target, shooting, one less red bar, repeat.

Six left.

BANG

Five left.

BANG

Four left.

BANG BANG

Two...

BANG

"Come out and face your fucking fate!" I called out, moving my gaze about and looking for anything that looks like a big pile of shit with legs..

"Please don't kill me! Please.." He whimpered from behined me, I spun around and looked at my 3D E.F.S HUD, he was straight infront of me, but an overturned caravan was between us, his bar was blue though..

"Show yourself" I frowned, my gaze was more on the red bar on the visor then at the actual location of him, he soon turned around the caravan, a tint of blue outline sorrounded his brownish body thanks to my battle saddle's visor.

"Please.. Please spare me.. I beg you.." The cannibal shook in fear like crazy, whimpering and pleading.

I walked slowly toward him, he lowered his head and bowed infront of me..I stepped on his neck with a forehoof and forced his head down on the muddy ground, he coughed from the mud and tried to rise up, but I forced my weight down in him, he started to buck his hindlegs and sturggled for air.

"You got two choices: One is to die a cannibal, the second is to change your fucking life the other way around and help everypony you come across" I whispered "And never ever again, eat pony meat" I hissed at him, leaning on my forehoof even more "And never, ever.. EVER, kill innocents, only in self-defense.." I added as I raised my hoof from him and let him breath.

"Thank you.." The cannibal pony panted and looked at me.. "But.. I never ate pony meat.. I'm not a cannibal.. They were about to eat me..." The pony said between pants.

"Don't try and lie to me.." I hissed, looking at the cage the captives were held, they were all terrifyed from me even more then they were from the cannibals..as I advanced toward the cage they stacked at the far end of it away from me, probably out of my cyborg-ness, or probably because the bloodbath I just made infront of them.

I heard behined me the pony starting to get, I bucked the cage's lock and it fryed open as I walked away from it, letting the captives get out without me interfering them, I sat on my haunches a few meters away and looked at them, waiting for them to get out.

Most of them hasitated to even step toward me, but one mare green unicorn with silver mane did walked out the cage slowly and then ran toward the pony lying on the mud, he really wasn't a cannibal after all.. My heart flinched as I wanted to buck myself to death, I just fucking hurt an innocent pony..

"Did they hurt you?.." Te green unicorn mare asked the mud-covered pony.

"No.. I'm fine.." I barely heard him whisper weakly, mostly out of my new robotic 'perception' implents I guess...

"Let's get out of here before this crazy cyborg kills us too.." The green unicorn mare whispered, eyeing me in fright.

"He won't.. He isn't that type of killer.." The mud-covered pony replied warmly as he got up and toward me, the green unicorn tried to hold him back but he shook her off. "Thank you".

"Was nothing.." I said with a dismissive nod.

"It means the world to us, there's anything I can do for you?" The mud-covered pony asked.

"Yeah, keep yourself out of danger" I said sarcasticly, looking at him and retracting my HUD visor, revaling my robotic eye to him, "Look, sorry 'bout my reaction.." I started.

He looked a bit shocked from my eye, but quickly recovered "No worries, as long as I'm in one piece I don't mind getting a bit dirty.." the earth pony laughed weakly.

Wow this is an awkward conversation.

"Where are you guys from, where were you heading?" I asked, wanting to know if there's more ponies in need.

"We were heading to TenPony Tower" The pony said, my eyes lit up and I couldn't believe the odds of them going to where I was heading.

"Really? This is where I was heading!" I exclaimed, standing up out of excitment.

"Yeah.. Were heading there. This road looks too dangerous to stay on, so we'll head east toward Manehatten, or new Appleloosa if we'd be on the right road" the pony added, of course it was too good to be true..

"Oh, well.. Never mind" I said, turning my back to him and sitting on my haunches again, looking about.

"Name's Straw, nice to meet you" He said, I didn't even looked at him as I activated the visor, a long beep sounded as the visor's E.F.S lit up again.

"Well, thank you anyways" Straw said as I heard his hoof steps walking away from me, I looked at the cage and saw it was empty already.. Probably sneaked away while I was talking.

I suddenly started to cough a very worrying cough, filled with yellow-brown phlegm.

"Are you alright?" The green unicorn mare asked me, I turned my head around and nodded weakly, not saying anything. "That dosen't sound so good, we should check you out" the green unicorn mare said.

"I'm fine, just.. Hust take care of yourself" I said, getting up and moving toward one of the cannibals bodies and started looting him, his cloths were useless, some Caps, an old rusty knife and a box of painkillers.

"I think he's sick, and rather in a physical form" The green unicorn mare whispered to Straw.

"I know he's sick, probably Rad-Sickness.. But I'll wait a bit to be sure before we do anything" Straw whispered at the mare, it's really hard to un-hear them with this cyborg-hearing Sky Fighter added to me.

"What? We're not going with him!" The green mare hissed, good thing my ears are inside the helmet, so they can't see them perked up and listening to them... Wait, the helmet have ear holes.. Shit..

"Can you shoot a gun Melody?" Straw asked sarcasticly.

"Shut up Straw.." Melody frowned a bit louder.

"Emm, guys.. What are you doing?" I turned around and looked at Straw and Melody.

"Talking in private, do you mind?" Melody hissed at me, then her features went from angry to worried as she realized she was talking to the armed cyborg-pony.

I rolled my eyes in a 'Whatever' fashion and turned my back to them again.

"What if he's from the Steel Rangers? Then we're screwed!" Melody asked Straw, I could still hear them but they didn't seem to notice that yet.

"If he was from the Steel Ranger then he wasn't going to stop here and talk, he'll be going toward another selfish mission or something" Straw countered a bit louder.

"Lower your fucking voice Straw! Look at his robotic leg!.. It's Steel Ranger technology!" Melody whinned.

"So? He might be an Outcast!" Straw countered again.

"Yeah right, that's beyoned their domain, they won't be here unless they have some scavenging going on" Melody said dismissivly.

"Look, he saved us from getting eaten alive, let's help him to get to TenPony Tower, who knows? Maybe he'll help us to get their in one piece too!" Straw offered.

"Like that's going to happen" Melody countered, well enough of their little chat.

"Guys, I can hear you.." I turned around and took off my helmet, my robotic eye visible again and creeping out Melody.

"Oh, so you want to come with us to TenPony Tower?" Straw asked, Melody tried to hold him back from saying it, they weren't a really supporting couple...

"Yeah, but I don't think you guys have anything to search there. if the road is as dangerous as you told me, I prefer to go alone" I said, Melody's muzzle broke into a grin.

"So how're you going to get there?" Straw challenged me.

"I'll figure out a way" I replied as I got my helmet back on my head and walked away.

"Happy Melody?.." Straw's voice was barely audible beyond the hill I walked down from.

"Straw.. Com'on.." Melody sounded guilty, "Horseapples.. H-hey! Robo-pony!.."

"What?" I asked, my ears perking up to my new nickname, Melody popped out up the hill and walked closer to me, but keeping her distance away a good five or six meters.

"Look.. Sorry about that, but we need to get to TenPony Tower too, we need your help and you helped us alot already.. But we need somepony to guard us, and we know you want to get there too." Melody's gaze fell down as she dugged a little hole in the ground with her forehoof.

"Not personal, but I do better on my own" I countered and turned around to my way.

"Fine! we'll pay you!" Melody exclaimed.

I turned around and retracted my visor with a tap of my hoof on the helmet, my one ponified eye frowning at her and she was pretty nevrous from my other eye. "I'm not after fucking Caps, I'm not a bounty hunter or a rentable guard" I hissed, she took a step backwards... guess that I'm a monster not just from the outside..

"Urrrgghh... I get it, you are the 'big strong pony' that wants to be a loner, but we both got something the other needs, so let's just give it a try alright?" Melody offered.

"No" I replied.

"Why not?" Melody looked confused but eager to know.

"Because I have enough blood on my hooves already, I've already promised somepony I cared for that I'll keep them safe and sound, but they are now dead and I got stuck.. Like this" I whispered as I showed her my robo-leg and the spine-like implent on my neck, my one natural eye starting to form tears.

"I'm.. I'm sorry.." Melody stammered.

"I'm not ready to promise more good ponies I'll keep them safe, and then watch them die a horrible death just for me to hop to the next group and see the same thing happen to them all over again" I said less calmly, muzzle crooked and hooves shaking.

"I'm sorry.. I didn't knew" Melody's gaze was now down in shame, but when her face looked up she looked stunned.. "A-A-Are you a pegasus?" she barely said, I looked back over my shoulder and saw my two wings standing up in anger.

"Yes, any problem with that?" I hissed.

"N-N-N-No! not at all!.." Melody looked frightened, more of the idea that I'm armed and not-so-mentally-stable then the fact I'm a pegasus.

"Good, but if you want to help me in any way, do you got any healing supplies?" I asked more politly, folding my wings on my sides and undrafting my battle saddle's guns, a cool little feature this battle saddle's version had..

"Y-Yeah.. We got some healing potions, but no anti-radiation healing equipment though.."

"Perfect, and I got a good idea for transportation" I grinned slightly, getting a nervous weak smile from Melody.

I repeated my steps back to the Sky-wagon I slept inside a few good hours ago, after a while I got there much more faster then I expected, it looked pretty damaged but I think I can make it work, it may be my proffesion but I'm not limited to guns only.

I got to work and saw that it was shaped better then it looked on first inspection, it had a working generator, the engine wasn't too bad, and the hull was intact... Mostly... It was just needed to be straped to a pegasus and to maintain it's pretty busted suspension, and something I wasn't familiar with but it looked damaged even to me, I got out some gears and my multi-tool and reinforced the suspension with some scrap I had in my utility barding, after a good hour and a half I was covered in grease and dirt, but it was worth it... Now let's test this baby!

I straped myself to the front and then tried to flap my wings, then I remembered I haven't healed my wing yet..should've thought about that sooner, but the wagon worked at least! it could be started up and hovered a hoof's lentgh above the ground, just need to pull it upwards.. I can always just pull it on the road and get there like this..

Bad idea! Another bad idea!.. It weighted like a fucking unicorn-size stable generator.. After unstraping myself and making sure I didn't dislocated my shoulders and ribcage from trying to pull it so quickly, I made my way back to Straw and Melody, who for my very surprise followed me here and looked at me all this time working through a bush.

"W-wh.. Did you guys watched me?" I asked, getting an amused grin from Melody and a nod from Straw. "And you haven't thought to help me?" I asked again, getting a head shake from Melody and a grumped face from Straw...well, they enjoyed me breaking my back..litteraly.

"It was pretty funny to see you struggle with that wagon, though you are probably a magician for repearing this kind of damage" Melody walked beside me and brushed her tail against my face, making me spit so I won't swallow any hairs after her tail touched my mouth , though the smell of her tail was the real reason..

"I tried to help but Melody here is a rather strong unicorn.." Straw countered my suspicious look.

"Like you didn't enjoyed it you little shit" Melody giggled at Straw's blushing.

"What happened between you two?" I asked, Straw blushed even more as Melody just walked with her tail up high..

Oh Goddesses... Please don't tell me they did that.. Looks like everypony in this wastes is having this kind of relationship other then me, my heart flinched when I remembered how eager Rose was for her first time.. She never got it after all..Well, enough self-pity, I got two ponies to help.

"So.. You sure it's gonna work?" Straw looked unsure about me hauling them inside a two-century-old Sky-wagon.

"Sure?.. Nope, not at all" I answered with a sarcastic smirk.

"Oh.. Well.." Straw mumbled barely.

"Relax, I just need to fix up my wing, though this is the problem" I assured them both after Melody looked at me worried.

"Not at all, I wanted to keep it for a critical injury: Looks like this is it" Melody replied as her horn glew bright green, a syringe popped out from her side-saddle and she injected it on my hoof before I could do anything.

"What was that?" I flung the sryinge away from me, but the contents inside it were already in my blood stream.

"A healing syringe, just like a healing potion but smaller and less effective" Melody smiled weakly.

My wing's base became a bit warm and after moving my armor a bit, my wings looked as good as it could be.. "Thank you.. I guess"

"The least we can do for returning the favor" Straw replied as he checked out the Sky-wagon.

"What favor?" I blinked sheepishly, re-adjusting my battle saddle's armor for letting my wings to strech out freely.

Melody rolled her eyes and chuckled weakly "For not getting eaten, nothing too serious" she said sarcasticly.

"Again: It was nothing" I said with a dismissive wave of my hoof, moving my armor slightly on my back and moving toward the Sky-wagon. After straping myself back and giving a few test flaps with my wings, I was ready to take off, just need Straw and Melody to board up.

"So.. We just get inside and wish you won't drop us?" Melody looked worried even more then earlier.

"Pretty much" I smirked, looking over my shoulder and watching Straw checking the Sky-wagon's abillity to hold him. "Don't worry, just brace yourself before I'm taking off, it can get a bit overwhelming for non-flyers like you" I added.

"Oh all bow infront of the mighty pegasus..." Melody said in a mocking voice as she embarked on the Sky-wagon, apperantly there's a transport section inside they can sit comfortably, and I slept an entire night on the unbareable metal floor on the back of the cargo section.. I'm not a smart pony..

"You ready? I'm taking off now!" I said, giving a gentle buck to the ignition behined me, it had a saftey feature so I won't buck it mid-air.

"Shoot!" Straw called out, I flapped my wings once and the Sky-wagon took off behined me, flying in tow.

I felt the breeze in my face and the wind's whistle in my ears, enjoying the familliar sensation I never thought I'll miss from the stable's simulation, we had a chamber for flying, it was a giant fan-like rotor infront of you that sends air against you while you're flying forward, and currently the air felt just like that chamber, cold and breezy.

After looking over my shoulder I saw both Straw and Melody holding the seats like crazy and looking like they're suffering a vertigo attack, it was pretty amusing I have to admit.

"What happened? Can't bow infront of the mighty pegasus anymore?" I taunted them.

"F-F-Fuck off!" Melody barely said over her hyperventilation. I smirked at that, it was so funny to see them both so scared from something so liberating and fun.

"Relax, I'll pick off the pace" I assured them as I flew slower, and the Sky-wagon followed accordingly.

"Celestia's mercy, how the hay you pegasi like flying?" Melody whinned.

I snickered at that, all the non-pegasi's first fly with a pegasi is always like this, and it never gets old to see them react like this, it's so common for them to get a vertigo attack... Rose's first time in the flying simulation was simillar to Straw's and Melody's reaction, she just froze in panic and mumbled even an hour after the simulation was over..

"The view is pretty calming though.." Straw said nervously.

"Never flew before eh?" I asked sarcasticly.

"So obvious?" Straw chuckled back.

"That's normal for ponies like you, so don't be ashamed.. Though it'll never get old to see that happen" I explained.

"If I'll say you're a dick, you'll drop us on the spot, right?" Melody stammered.

"Wanna check?" I challenged her, flapping my wings stronger and picking up the pace a bit.

"N-No!.. I'm.. I'm good.." Straw's voice was barely audible beyond the wind's whistle.

I could see the same giant city I saw from the eastern Outcast's building, but it was wierd because the building itself dissapeared after I lost consciousness, maybe I'm just losing my mind? Then I looked behined me and saw something I can't believe I haven't noticed before--A flying city.. Or, at least that's how it looked like, it was a huge flying airship with rotors on the top, it could easily house hundred Vultures with place to spare..it had giant cannons on both sides, and alot of after-burners on the buttom, even for Shrapnel and his speed it'll take hours to fly around... It was massive..

I heard talking behined me, but the giant airship stunned me in such way I couldn't explain...everything was focused on the airship, a writing on the side of it read 'Eastern Outcasts base'.. The Outcast base is a flying airship?!.. That's why I didn't saw it after I regained consiousness?

"Hi!.. We're falling down!" a far voice sounded from behined me, I snapped out of my day-dream and realized we were indeed bleeding altitude, I flapped my wings rather panickly and flew upwards, gaining height again.

"What the fuck.." Melody's voice was weak and terrified.

"Everything's alright there?" Straw's voice asked.

"Yeah.. Yeah.." I babbled.

"What happened?"

"It's... Nothing really" I mumbled, still confused from what happened a second ago.

Melody's panicked breaths were audible even from the Sky-wagon's straps, Straw whispered something to her, I didn't even looked behined me.. I felt bad for making them panic like that. Something there was.. Sinister..

"Can you get us down please?" Straw asked weakly, I nodded and flew lower to the ground for a while in search for a place to land, after a few seconds we landed and Straw and Melody got out from the transport section, they were dizzy and looked like the vertigo attack is overwhelming them now.

"Thank you for the ride.. We know how to get to our destination from here" Straw said between breaths.

"Sure?.. I don't mind hauling you a few more kilometers--"

"No!.. No!.. I'm not stepping into that death trap ever again!.." Melody screamed in panic, I winced at the sudden high-pitch sound she made.

"Sorry, I was... Thinking about something.."

I lied.

"Well, thank you for your help.. TenPony Tower is directly West-South West from here, three days trot actually" Straw pointed toward the giant city I saw, if I need to walk through there..

"Through that ghost town?" I asked doubtly.

"What.. You're new to the wastes? Of course you need to cross Manehatten!" Straw said simply.

"Well, guess I haven't mentioned that yet.. But I'm actually pretty new to this world.. I was born in a Stable.." I admitted.

Straw gave me a gentle buck on the shoulder "Nice joke bro" , not buying it.

"I'm serious, I'm from Stable 154" I said, opening the locking mechanisem on my battle saddle and letting it slide off of me, revealing my Stable barding with the numbers '154' on the back and on the collar.

"Woah.. A real stable dweller.. Hust like the 'LightBringer'!" Melody looked excited.

"Hmm, seems like everypony's a fan of her eh?" I said sarcasticly.

"Duh.. She gave us back the sun!" Melody answered coldly.

"A fitting name.. But I'm not a hero or anything, I just do things like I was taught they were supposed to be" I replied.

"That's what the LightBringer said, and look at her now-- She is a goddess!" Straw stopped me.

"Yeah well, I'm not a god of any sort, and last time I checked--I'm half a robot.. So I doubt I can be a god" I countered.

"How'd you became a robot?.. You were born like that?" Melody looked interested.

"No, I was from the northern Outcasts a short time ago, I was injured criticlly-- Thus I'm a cyborg, I was trying to help my friends.. They're now dead..." I said.

"What's your name?" Melody asked.. Haven't I told them that yet?!

"Gu-Gunner.. Didn't I told that already?" I asked, they both shook their heads in unison.

"Well Gunner, it was a pleasure to meet you, but I guess this is where we part ways" Straw raised his hoof for a shake.

I raised my hoof and shook it gently, getting a smile from Straw as Melody walked away slowly. "I better be off then, TenPony Tower is that way right?" I pointed toward what my PipBuck told me was between West and South-West.

Straw nodded his head "Yup."

I grabbed my battle saddle and placed it ontop of me, locking it in place and checking if the guns are loaded. I used quite alot 5.56 earlier on the cannibals, so I'm practicly down to regular assault rifle ammo such as 7.62x39 and 7.62x51 that don't match this kind of battle saddle, I do got those wierd bullets that looks like they are too big for pistols but too small for conventional assault rifle or even a carbine... Maybe a kind of wasteland SMG?.. Or even some kind of futile ammo for turrets like back at Storm's lab?..

"Take care of yourselves now" I said and gave a little friendly salute with a hoof as I took off, Straw and Melody looked at me gaining speed and moving ahead toward Manehatten.

After a few minutes I activated the visor to see the full potential of the HUD's E.F.S.. So pretty basic, it's  the E.F.S I'm familliar with but this version has a little mini-map at the top left corner, targets are highlighted with yellow and red through the visor itself, and aim-assist for when S.A.T.S is recharging... Can't say it's not usefull, plus I can twist the muzzle-trigger to switch between full-auto and burst-fire... It feels like a pretty imaginary weapon actually... So many other options aswell--Night vision? Echo-location? Safety feature on the muzzle-trigger?.. I think it's not a very common weapon..I hope so. It isn't a very fun weapon to fight against I presume: It feels so unfair and over-designed, not a single flaw! Well, it does weight a bit but other then that it's just flawless! Whoever designed it thought about everything, and I mean everything, apperantly the helmet's wiring disconnected mid-battle but it still worked just fine! The guns are in prestine condition, my guess is it's even from the pre-war era!.. It's an anthic, a relic... This wasn't the kind of techonoloy the Steel-Rangers are after? I got back to reality just before I crushed into a buidling.. Apperantly I was already in Manehatten.. I circled around some buildings and heard gunfire from below, after looking about I saw two gangs trading post-shots.. They both didn't looked nice but I wanted to stop them before anything turns too bloody. I landed in the middle of the street between the two groups, they stopped firing and looked at me, my robotic hind-leg caught their attention.

"Can I know what's wrong?" I said from the top of my lungs, making sure both of the groups heard me, disconnecting myself from the Sky-wagon and cocking my battle saddle.

"Not yer business!" a unicorn screamed from the group to my left, from the looks I got from his group I already starting to dislike them all.

"Sorry didn't heard you! Speak up!" I told the unicorn, he levitated an old .308 sniper rifle next to him.

"None of yer goddesses damned business, punk!" The same unicorn said and flung his .308 barrel at my general direction.

"That's what I thought" I said as I used my aim-assist to shoot his .308 out of his levitation field and to the ground, his group aimed at me their weapons and looked angry even more then before.

"Now, what's this all about?" I shouted again, this time alot more intimidating.

"Those fuckers ambushed us!" A unicorn from my right said, the smaller group.

"Fuck we didn't! You attacked us.." An earth pony from the larger group retorted before I cut him with a gunshot to the air.

"Stop it! Both of you! I have no problem tearing through you all without asking questions, please don't make me do that!" I frowned, looking at them all, the bigger group to my left counted eleven ponies that were all yellow on my visor, and the smaller group was five and mostly passive. I won't shoot yet at any of the groups..

"Like who you are.." Another unicorn from my left chuckled, his whole group followed as they all bursted out laughing.

I could see behined them all that it was their camp... And they had captives! This is my limit right here!.

I slid into S.A.T.S and placed a shot to one of the raider's unicorn head, three to his chest, and one to his left forehoof, I excuted the spell and watched his eye getting blown out of his eye-hole, two of the three bullets took out chunks of his torso clean off, and the final bullet dislocated his whole left leg.

"Open fire!" one raider screamed as I took cover behined an old blue mail box, bullets whizzed by me and pinned me down in my hiding place, I tried to peak but I just couldn't.. Wish I was a unicorn...

I then looked at the small group of five looking scared and wounded, they were outnumbered to those pshycos.. And they would've been killed if I wasn't here interupting them!. .I motioned with a hoof to one of the unicorns to catch his attention and mouthed him 'help'.

Quickly after he realized that and nodded his head, "Supresive!" levitating an SMG above him and shooting to cover me, the raiders ducked for cover as I vaulted over the mail box and ran toward the raiders, shooting at them and helping the supresive fire even more, I jumped above the makeshift barricade and saw three raiders looking at me surprised, I gunned down one of them before he could even blink, the second charged me with a knife in hs mouth as the third got out of sight, I turned around and bashed the battle saddle's barrel in his forehead, hearing something cracking as he fell limp at my hooves, I quick-checked my E.F.S and saw there are seven more red dots.. Where is the eight one?

"Die bitch!!" A voice screamed behined me as I saw an earth pony with a giant battle saddle ontop of him, a minigun in each side that could easily fuck me up for good... The quad-barrels started spinning as they turned a bit red and bullets started pouring out of it in my direction, I ducked behined a random metal crate that was used as a seat next to a cooking fire, the metal started to heat up from the bullets and my ears rang unbareably, I heard the gunshots getting closer each second..in a moment he'll be ontop of me, spraying me to death until there's a Gunner-stain on the ground. Suddenly the barrage stopped, I peaked my head and saw the miniguns smoking heavily, overheated.

"Now's my turn!" I got up and cocked the battle saddle, the minigun pony gulped nervously and I could hear a liquid stream from his direction, quickly after a pool of urine covered his hooves..

Shoot the fucker! End him before he's able to gun you down!

I just looked at him, not doing anything as he clenched his eyes and lowered his head, accepting his faith. I walked closer to him but stopped when his body got shredded with bullets from my right side, the SMG pony sprayed at the dead body until the mag was empty.

"No time for mercy now!" He shouted as he got out of sight, the sound of an empty mag dropping to the ground was heard.

A little bit excesive for my taste, but kill to stay alive first, question things after.

I really wished it was 'ask first then shoot'. But that didn't worked out very well. I heard a loud roaring of a sniper rifle from above me, the whole camp was wagons and carriages stacked and reinforced in a clustered maze, so he could be excatly above me and I'll need to spend hours to find a way to him, a quick peak on my E.F.S revealed there are four red dot, time to decrease it fruther.

I stepped around a corner and saw two raiders behined cover, taking post shots at what I imagined was the smaller group.

"R'loading! Covah mah ass!" One of them shouted as he ducked and took out an empty mag, levitating a fresh one from his vest, he had a semi-auto assault rifle, M14 for my knowledge, uses 5.56, fires 400 rounds per minute, jam chance is low.. Yeah--He's screwed and I'm going to get a free gun.

"How about me covering you?" I taunted, his eyes snatched at me for a second, then he raised his head slowly in horror, realizing who I was, I emptied fifteen rounds at him as the other took cover behined the first's body, I continued mutialting the body more, and after two seconds I heard the other raider screaming in agony as the bullets teared through him aswell. I stopped firing after a few seconds, panting heavily as I let the barrels cool down, my blurred vision started to focus out.. Another rage attack.. I better take care of that before it takes my sanity away.. I still got 2 dots on my E.F.S, but I counted only eight bodies, somepony here decided to hide.

I tried to move around carefully as something stole my attention completly-- A blue grenade, it was just lying there on what looked like an improvised weapons bench, I took it and checked if it's damaged: It was fully operational. I placed the grenade in my utility barding and moved toward the two dots on my E.F.S, the second I peaked my head I was greeted with gunshots, I hugged the wall and breath a few deep breaths, shutting my eyes and trying to hear anything beyond the gunshots.

I heard an empty chamber clicks, followed by talking, but the automatic fire was still present, and still pinning me down, I reached to my utility barding and held the grenade close to my chest, breathing heavily and gathering all focus I could use to my hooves, I held the grenade with my forehooves and held the pin in my teeth, the gunshots ended a few seconds after, I bit the pin off the grenade and moved around the corner, throwing my hoof forward and leaving the greande in the proccess.

"Grenade!!" One screamed as I took cover behined the corner once again, covering my ears and head with my forehooves and clenching my eyes shut, waiting for the explosion.

Nothing.

"What?.." I moved around the corner, and saw both of the raiders bodies lying on the ground, twitching.

Did the grenade did that? How? What happened? I had so many questions, but I still knew there was another raider that even E.F.S can't spot, I counted eleven raiders, but only ten bodies.. I undrafted my battle saddle again and looked around.

"Go fuck yourself!"

Was heard from the smaller group direction, I trotted my way back through the maze of a camp, just to see the smaller group bucking and humilliating a raider, why wasn't he spotted on my PipBuck's Eyes-Forward Sparkle?

"Calm down.. Easy there, he can't do anything anymore.." I tried to calm the situation down, not wanting anymore bloodshed.

Three of the ponies went into battle position and aimed their weapons at me, I blinked in confusion--I just helped them!

"Stay back! I'm warning ya!" A mare unicorn with a hunting shotgun said, turning suddenly yellow on my E.F.S

"I've just helped you out!" I retorted, taking a step toward them and hearing them all cocking their guns in intimidation.

"So?" An earth pony with one assaul rifle on his battle saddle asked me, raising an eyebrow.

"So?! I fucking killed seven or eight raiders to help your sorry asses! I risked my own life!" I frowned.

"Umm... This is the wasteland, it dosen't work this way" the third pony said, the male unicorn with the SMG.

"Un-fucking-believeable..." I muttered to myself, watching the three of them crowning me.

"Guess he's worth at least five, six maybe.." The earth pony said to himself as he looked at me.

"Six what?" I turned my head toward him, getting a weak and wicked smile from him.

"Six grand of course! You look pretty strong though, maybe Six fifty.."

"Are you fucking slavers?" I screamed, using all of my power to force my wings down.

"Nooo... But we are traders, new Appleloosa have something we want, and you'll cover the price just fine" The earth pony smiled even more.

"You think that I'll just let you take me hostage?" I asked sarcasticly.

"Unless you think you can take us all" The mare countered.

I pressed the side button on my helmet and revealed them my robo-eye, they all took a step backwards in panic, then I bucked my battle saddle, causing it to draft again, earning more horror on their faces.

"Pretty sure I can.." I said in a wondering-like tone.

"Wait.. We don't need to do things we'll regret.." the SMG unicorn tried to say.

"Hmmm... Guess I'll probably regret that tommorow morning, but right now? I have no problem tearing through you just like I did to those raiders!" I warned them.

A young mare pushed the two of them aside "What are you doing? We didn't meant to aggravate you, please excuse my friends. Do you need any supplies for your trip?"

"No, I hope I won't see you guys again, the second time I see you I won't be nice" I hissed, turning around and walking away toward my Sky-wagon.

"Happy guys? Almost got killed by a fucking robot!" The young mare screamed at her friends behined me, I attached myself to the Sky-wagon and checked my PipBuck's sorting spell.

"Relax, I doubt he'll do anything, besides, if he'll kill us the LightBringer society'll fuck him up for good!" the earth pony exclaimed.

"He was about to fuck you up a second ago! Don't wave your balls infront of the RadRoach if you want to keep them, remember!" The young mare said, I smirked at her creative phrase.

"Com'on, Shield's injured, he needs medical attention so let's move out" the SMG unicorn said, my head perked to his words, they had injured ponies!

Wait... There are still captives inside the camp!..

I disconnected from the Sky-wagon and bombed through the debris of the ghost-town, entering the camp and avioding objects inside it, looking for anything that still moves. I checked my E.F.S and saw nothing, right--can't see non-hostile. I moved around and kept an eye for anything that I can scavenge, or more important: somepony that needs help.

After roaming inside the camp for what felt like hours, I decided that If I didn't found anypony that needs help, they already killed their captives in the attack.. I turned around and bumped my head in a wall, my helmet triggered the echo-location unintentionally, and I could see heat-signatures not so far away from me, pony-shaped heat-signatures!

I ran through the maze and finally found the three captives I could see from the outside...I circled around the whole camp to find them in the most exposed place... Dosen't matter, I helped them eventually, I bucked the lock of one of the cages with my robo-leg, frying it open and getting a horrified expression from the captives inside, there were two mares and a stallion inside this cage nd two more mares in another cage... I don't want to know why there are more mares then stallions.

"You're free, I won't hurt, I promise" I said weakly, not removing my visor to not make them panic even more, they all hesitated to even move, they were scared from me... I undrafted my guns and went to open the second cage, bucking him twice and breaking the lock.

"Th-thank you.." one of the mares said, I nodded with a smile, hopefully it was visible behined the visor... I helped them to get up and checked on them if they were injured, they were mostly healthy though neglacted, filthy and abused.

"I have a Sky-wagon outside of here, I can bring you back to your homes with no problem, just follow me. If anypony can't walk, please tell me now, I just want to help" I told them in the most friendly voice I could make, though it's hard after whatever I've been through.

"They-they... They killed him.. Right infront of me!... R-Right... Right infront of me!" The stallion mumbled, one of the mares tried to comfort him, but he was shaking and looked like he already saw hell.

I walked toward him to help him and stand up, but the mare stopped me with a hoof "I got him.. I got him.."

"Can he walk?" I asked, looking at the three more mares barely walking but still mobile.

"Yeah, he can walk, I'll just need to help him.." The mare who comforted him replied.

"Where are you from?" I asked again, scorlling on my PipBuck's sorting spell to check my ammo, barely anything that fits this battle saddle.

"We're nomads, we don't have a camp or a settlement" one of the mares told me.

"Looks like you'll get to come to TenPony Tower with me then" I replied with a smile.

"But how? It's a few days walk from here, not to mention it's mostly raider territory in between here and TenPony Tower!" One other mare retorted.

"Again: I have a Sky-wagon, I can fly you over there in under a day" I told them and flared up my wings, getting shocked expressions from the five of them.

"Are you Enclave?" The first stepped back and guarded the others with her body.

"No... I was an Outcast, I'm now nopony" I told them weakly.

"An Outcast huh? Think it's funny?" The third mare said, sounding pissed.

"What's funny?" I blinked.

"Outcasts aren't operating here! They have only the north, the west and the east. The south, middle and major cities aren't a place they're even touching!" the third mare hissed, like reacting to a bad joke.

"I was an Outcast, my base was attacked and I'm now forced to roam around the wasteland" I countered, a bit pissed myself. "Come on now, I don't want to stay here too long" I added more calmly.

I turned around and backtracked slowly toward my Sky-wagon, hearing the prisoner's hoof steps behined me, once I got outside the camp I noticed that the group from earlier were crowning and checking out the Sky-wagon.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" I shouted, drafting my battle saddle and walking angrily toward them, they all recoiled back and looked terrified to see me.

"Easy there.." the SMG unicorn said wealky.

"Don't you tell me to 'easy there' you fucking scum, I told you that if I'll see you guys again I'll fucking shoot you!" I screamed, bucking and cocking my battle saddle, ready to gun them down any second now.

"Geez.. We just wanted to ask you somethin'.." the hunting shotgun mare told me before backing off even more.

"How much caps I have on me? If this battle saddle's for sale? Something like this?!" I yelled in anger, holding myself back from shooting them.

"N-no.. We would like to get a ride.. We're terrible sorry for earlier and we promise that we'll pay you back" The SMG unicorn told me, I looked at them dumbfounded, that caught me by surprise.

"Do I look like a goddesses damned taxi to you?!" I retorted.

"Oh well, 'least we tried.." The battle saddle earth pony said and began to walk away.

"Where'd you need to go?" I asked calmly, like nothing had happened between us.

"Umm... New Appleloosa..." The SMG unicorn said weakly.

I looked behined me to see the five prisoners looking at me astonished, they saw my little rage-attacke I guess.. Well, I got now ten ponies to bring to New Appleloosa, wherever the hell this is.. My PipBuck suddenly lit up and marked a place a few kilometers away..

'New Appleloosa'

Prologue

War......War Never Changes...

"Once upon a time..in the magical land of Equestria..."

We all know what happened next, war and hatred took over, nothing and no one was spared from the horrors of the war, ponies and zebras suffered alike, it started as misunderstanding between the two. But the war 'ended' when the Ministry Of Peace developed their Mega-spells...once both the zebras and ponies found out they could use it for war efforts..they reverse-engineered the Mega-spells and added sick inventions inside them, such as a 'Balefire-Bomb'.. A devstating weapon that wipes everything within the blast radius, incinerate everything around the blast radius, and releases magical-radiation even further...

But Stable-Tec had different ideas, they made 'Stables', a shelter underground to house pre-selected ponies to survive in while the rest of the world burns alive..my great-great-great parents were 'lucky' enough to get a place in one of them. But what they knew about those Stables wasn't the 'Full-Picture', Stable-Tec built those Stables not for saving pony-kind, but to use the dwellers inside as test-subjects, for their horrible and wicked expirements, not all Stables were horrible though.. Stables such as Stable 2... They were an exception, ponies that knew what was right and what was wrong rised out of the Stables and tried to make the wastes a better place, not all succeded...some were consumed by the wastes, some lost themselves, the 'pre-wasteland' part of them.

The wastes aren't a place for the weak, they'll kill you eventually, not matter who you are..no matter how strong you think you are, no matter what food you eat and what cloths you wear, you will die to the madness of the wastes.. But some ponies.. Including myself..found a way to make yourself last longer then others, a way to presreve your sanity even against all odds, what's this way you ask yourself?

Friendship...Friendship never changes...