There is always a way, and it usually doesn't work.

“So!” Rosey nervously laughed, fidgeting her paws together as we made our way out of a stairwell and into a new set of hallways. “I uh… I think I need to tell you something, Bombay.” Clenching her fists up, she forced herself to look away from me as I glanced up. “Is it, Bombay? Or do you prefer Night? Buck said you were…”

“Oh, you talked with Buck?” I gasped, nearly tripping mid-hobble. I know she’d mentioned she’d seen his augments, but I’d thought maybe it was just in passing.

“Yeah…” She nodded, scrunching up her muzzle for a moment before her expression sank. “Well, it was… more than just a chat.” Coming to a stop, she held out her paw to block Hispano and I from proceeding as well. “You see, before he left… well, how do I explain this? Uh… on the Inuvik, us Snow Dogs, we…”

“Ugh!” Hispano groaned. “We get it, you fucked.” With a huff, she pushed Rosey’s paw out of the way and strolled past the surprised dog without a care. “Can we go now?”

“What she means is, Buck told us about how things work on the Inuvik.” I offered to her and hobbled around her paw to follow Hispano. “He explained it all, and well, it was actually me who had to convince him to follow through with it.” I did my best to smile at her, but she still seemed like she was having trouble processing it all.

“Well, we never actually got so far as to… go through with it.” She sighed. “but… you aren’t mad?” She asked, shaking herself slightly as she moved to catch up.

“Nope.” Hispano grunted back.

“If anything,” I offered back, “I’m surprised it was with you! I mean, out of all the dogs, he gets paired up with the only other one I really know on this ship!”

“Well, it… it wasn’t, originally… with me.” She offered, holding her arm bashfully as she blushed. “The dog he was supposed to be with, Maxi, she…” She paused and scrunched up her muzzle. “She couldn’t see past the metal.”

“Oh…” I found myself scrunching up my muzzle at that. “I mean, I get his family seeing him and freaking out, but I never thought that others would really care? Why would it matter at all to them, they should be glad he’s still alive!”

“It’s... somewhat of a snow dog thing.” Rosie glanced down at my augmented eye for a moment, letting a frown tug at her jagged muzzle. “While we are mechanically inclined, we’ve always had an aversion to wartime robots. Something about them tugs at some primal fear in the back of our minds, instinctively makes us get defensive.”

“But Buck isn’t a robot.” Hispano said flatly as she gave Rosie a harsh sideways glance. “He’s one of you, and he doesn’t deserve to be treated like some outsider.”

“I know that.” Rosie spat out as she pressed her paw against her chest. “That’s why I offered to be his mate, because I know he’s one of us. Plus, I work with machines all day, the metal doesn’t bother me.” Stopping once more, she sighed and shook her head. “Look, I was willing to give it a shot because I know he’s a great guy. But… like I said earlier, it never went anywhere.”

“So… he didn’t mate with you?” The words slipped from my muzzle with more of a tone of hope to it than I intended, because it made Rosie’s expression sink.

“No.” She shook her head. “We got to talking a bit, and he told me how even though he knew this was important, with the reception he’d gotten from his family, he said he missed his real family more than ever.” With a forced smile, she turned her gaze over to Hispano, then back to me. “Never in my life did I think he’d end up in love with a pony or a griffon, let alone both.”

“Trust me,” Hispano snorted and nudged at me. “It’s not something I saw coming either. But while I can’t speak for Night, I’m not sorry in the slightest for stealing him from you.”

“That’s fair enough.” A genuine smile tugged at Rosie’s jaw as we got moving again. “I’d always known Buck had an eye for… unorthodox guys, but a griff? I don’t even think Saxon could have guessed that’s who he’d end up with.”

“Well, I am pretty awesome.” Hispano cooed and did her best to puff up her bruised breast. “Night’s pretty awesome too, I guess.” Well, after everything earlier, at least she was back to somewhat of a good mood I suppose!

Though it had been as awkward a topic as I’d expected it to be, part of me was glad to know that when it came down to it, Buck decided what to do for himself. At least, I hoped it was a decision he came to on his own. I swear, if he says he only refused because he was still feeling guilty about it, I’ll march him back to Rosie myself.

On that, actually...

“If I may ask,” I spoke up as I did my best to keep up with Rosie’s pace with my hobbling. “where is Buck now?”

“He told me that he was going to head out into the city to look for you two.” She shrugged as we finally turned down a hallway that looked familiar.

The open door to the ship infirmary sat just a few steps away now. It’s funny, I’d woken up in there what feels like ages ago now, and it was where I first met Buck… and Delilah. We really had come a long way these last few months…

“Into the city. At night?” Hispano groaned and slapped her talon across her face.

“I’d told Ping he was supposed to tell Buck to stay put.” I really felt like following up with my own facehoof, but seeing as I needed that leg to stand right now, I fought back the urge. “He knows it’s safer for Buck on the Inuvik right now.”

“Ping did indeed tell Buck to stay put.” Eliza’s cheery voice crackled into my head suddenly enough that I let out a yelp and nearly leapt up to the ceiling. “However, he left the Inuvik after Ping, Happy, and Tofu were taken back underground into the Ranger bunker.”

“You alright there, Bombay?” Rosie blinked as I flapped my wings and struggled to not come crashing back down to the floor.

“Yeah, yeah, just…” I offered, managing to come back down solidly onto my flank. Not in danger of crashing, I took a moment to take a breath and point up at my augment. “I’ve got a radio up here now, and sometimes I forget until someone tries to talk to me through it.”

“Ah, that’s… neat I suppose?” She seemed at least a little confused, but nodded all the same as she gestured for us to head through the doorway.

“Actually, speaking of the Rangers, Captain,” Eliza’s curious tone forced my legs to lock up for a moment, “In the last hour, I have noticed an increase in activity from the Rangers in the Seaddle Metro tunnels, which peaked shortly before you and miss Hispano returned to the surface.” Geeze, was it really that noticeable? “Given your tendency to find trouble, can I assume it had something to do with you?”

Ouch, that was a harsh assumption. Fair, but harsh nonetheless!

“Yeah..” I twinged as my mind threw me back to the beating Red Velvet gave us during interrogation. “Hispano and I kinda had a bit of a run-in with the Metro Rangers.” Glancing over at her, Hispano let out a sigh and simply wore a flat expression as she moved ahead and went through the infirmary door. “We kinda, sorta… accidentally blew up half their base? I can explain a bit more later, once we’re done getting patched up.”

Rosie’s ears perked as she twisted her muzzle up. Her blinking gaze jumped between the two of us as I think she tried to rationalize what she’d just heard. Oddly enough, from behind her, I could see a few dogs with perked ears stick their heads out of their doors down the hallway.

“Okie dokie, Captain!” Eliza’s voice returned to its normal cheery demeanor. “I look forward to hearing about it! For now though, I should probably get back to watching the work crews as they do their thing!”

Wait, work crews?

“What work crews?” I scrunched up my muzzle as the words forced their way out of it. If there were work crews onboard the Arcturus, then that means… “You already landed the ship?”

“About an hour ago a fog bank moved over the south end of the city ruins.” Eliza replied quickly, forcing my augment to flash and pull up an image of the airfield from where she sat. All I could see from her exterior was a field of wispy white cloud wrapping around her hull again. Which, even though it was just the fog, after the last few days, it was a return to normality that I hadn’t known I’d wanted. “Ping gave me the green light to land, so now I’m getting all fixed up! With the parts and talismans they’ve repaired so far, I should be good to fly again by midday!”

Well, that was certainly a boon. Though, with the agreement we made with the Bowing Rangers, would they still honor the deal once they found out what we did to Pilaf and his goons? I suppose it does us little good to worry about it for now, especially when none of us are in good enough shape to do anything should things go wrong...

“Alright, well if anything seems off, keep me updated.” I sighed and did my best to force my legs to carry me forward. “I’ll reach out again once Hispano and I are all fixed up.”

“You’ve got it, Captain!”

With a buzz of static, Eliza cut our radio link, and once again dropped my mind into it’s normal quiet. Taking another deep breath, I hobbled my way over through the bulkhead doorway and joined Hispano up on the infirmary examination table.

“Did…” Rosie started, letting a hesitant pause fill the air as she stood halfway through the doorway, “did you really just take out a bunch of those Rangers in the city?”

It wasn’t until I was already nodding to her that a thought hit me, one that more than a bit of me wished had come sooner. What if they had a deal with the Metro Rangers that I’d just screwed up?

“Good riddance.” Rosie chuckled as she somewhat slumped against the doorframe with a wide smile gracing her jagged muzzle. “You are one spicy little pony, you know that? I can’t imagine how you two made it out of there looking as healthy as that, or why you picked a fight with them in the first place. But it was about time somepony put those jerks in their place.”

“You’re welcome.” Hispano snorted as she carefully laid herself against my side. “It’s not the first group of assholes we’ve burned to the ground. Won’t be the last.”

“Sounds like there’s a good story behind it.” Rosie’s smile grew as she crossed her immense paws across herself. “In fact, with the bits and pieces Buck gave, I’m sure the whole story of your trip down here must be a pretty entertaining tale.”

“Well, less than you might think.” I shrugged and carefully stretched my wing out, wrapping it around Hispano carefully. The smile that pulled across her beak brought one to stretch across my own muzzle, and I chuckled as I looked back up at Rosie. “You know, it’s funny. As it turns out, our time in the wreck room was just the first in a long string of me wandering into fights that I had no business being in.”

“Oh, really?” She shifted herself in the doorway and looked a bit ashamed. “If our fight was anything to go off of, that… actually sounds pretty rough. I’d understand if you didn’t want to talk about it then.”

“Naw, it’s not that I don’t want to talk about it. I mean, sure, it’s been as rough as you can imagine.” I nodded and just allowed myself to relax as I thought about all we’d been through. “But I’ve met some great folks, fallen in love, twice. I got my dad back, and found a family.” Just that alone brought a contented sigh from Hispano that I couldn’t help but mirror. “Plus, we’ve helped a lot of others on the way down here. Ponies, ghouls, changelings, dogs, robots, mirage ponies…” I paused for a moment as Rosie’s face scrunched up. “I just pray to Celestia that it all means something in the end.”

With a light shift, Hispano reached out and grabbed my hoof with her talon. Looking over, she pulled me close and pressed her forehead against mine. She didn’t say anything, but she didn’t have to. I knew she would be with me no matter what.

“You know what, I’ll just go find the doc for you.” Rosie nodded shyly and took a step back out into the hall. “I’ll let you two have a minute of peace and quiet, alright?”

“Thanks, Rosie.” I offered as I shifted myself and leaned against Hispano.

The hulking Snow Dog smiled as she closed the hatch behind her as she left, leaving us alone. Even if it was just to be a few minutes of peace and quiet, after tonight, spending even that long with a contented Hispano was enough of a reward for me.

“You know, I think…” Hispano sighed softly as she maneuvered herself so she could rest against my side. “I think I understand why my Dad is an idiot.”

“Oh? What do you mean?” As carefully as I could without falling over, I did my best to wrap my forehoof around her. “Sure he’s tough on us, but…”

My muzzle was carefully shut by Hispano’s talons wrapping around it.

“Shut it and let me figure out how to say this…” She gave a like chuckle that ended with a whine as she tried to not move her bruised face too much. “When we met, you… you were something new. Something to shake up the same boring family trip that Dad and I had experienced for months.”

“Do you have regrets…?” I managed to force out through the grip of her claws.

“No, you Dum Dum. It’s just…” She paused and drew her talons off of my muzzle. “I didn’t really understand how once you got to know a pony, to really care for them, just how stressful everything gets. Between dealing with Suiza and I… I don’t know how my dad survived. Just the worrying alone feels exhausting.”

Now that was probably the understatement of the day!

“I get that.” A chuckle escaped from my muzzle as I squeezed lightly at her side. “That’s something we’ve both had to learn on this trip. Though… I think realizing that is just part of growing up.”

“Fuck that, I’ve never wanted to grow up. At least, not like this.” A light whine slipped through her beak as I squeezed just a bit too hard. “As the top talon the wastes had ever seen, veteran of a thousand battles and standing proud on a mountain of caps? Now that was how I saw myself in the future.” With a nudge, she looked up with all the exhaustion we both felt. “I feel like I’ve got the thousand battles part down at least.”

Again, my thoughts returned to everything we’d been through just to get here.

“Yeah, but a mountain of caps doesn’t really seem worth what we’ve had to give up.”

“You’re right, Dum Dum.” Hispano reached up and grabbed my hoof with her talon, giving it a slight squeeze. “And even when we kill that bastard… I don’t think it will change anything.” Closing her eyes, she let out a long breath and just let herself rest. “He deserves it, but… the damage is already done, you know?”

She was right, at least in part. Killing Solomon wouldn’t bring anyone back. Nor would it be the justice that any of them deserved. But when he was dead, of course it would change things.

“It means we’ll be safe from him, for forever. And that he’ll never cause problems for anypony ever again.” I offered and did my best to relax against her as well. “Then you, me, and Buck can just live out the rest of our lives together. No more worries, no more fighting and getting blown up… just us getting to live in peace.”

“Oh come on, Night.” Despite her wounds, her beak stretched into a wide smile as she held herself to me warmly. “I’m sure there will be plenty more fights finding their way to you in the future. Plus, blowing shit up is way too much fun for me to ever stop.”

“Fair enough.” Again, I couldn’t stop the chuckle from escaping my muzzle. “But, let’s just try to keep to conventional explosions, alright?” Closing my eyes, and leaned down and rested my chin on her head softly. “The last thing I want in the future is for one of the loves of my life, a thousand-battle veteran talon for example, sitting with her talon hovering over the big red button of a megaspell, alright?”

“Well I mean, I can try. No promises.” Hispano cooed softly. “If any of my clients decide that having me commit war crimes by the megaton are how to fulfill my contract, then you might want to get comfortable with there being less cities out there.”

Opening my eyes, I blinked a few times before deadpanning down at Hispano’s smug smirk.

“Come on, Dum Dum, you know I’m joking.” She gave my hoof another squeeze and prodded me in the nose with her other talon. “Besides, the chances I get a client with a stock of megaspells and desires to use them simply because they ‘like the pretty lights and clouds they make’ are like, one in a bazillion.”

“And you don’t think anypony out there is that crazy?” While I certainly hoped to never see it again, I couldn’t help but recall seeing that giant prismatic fireball go up next to Cantercross while leaving Cordite. A shiver ran down my spine just at the thought that it could very well happen again in the future.

“Of course there’s ponies out there like that.” Again, Hispano prodded me in the nose. “I’m just saying that given our average fight so far, the chances of running into somepony like that are slim to none… for like, the next decade or so. Then again, with your luck, the law of averages might not apply here.”

“Hey, don’t pin this on me! We got rid of my curse, remember?”

“Yeah, how could I forget.” She paused for a yawn and slumped completely against me. “Then again, thanks to your new ‘luck’, we managed to almost get eaten by a Rockdog, blow up with the bad half of the Seaddle Rangers, and miss our chance to kill Solomon, all in one night.”

“That’s… fair.” I couldn’t argue with that. “Though, we did make it out.”

“We sure did, survivor.” She snorted. Hey, no matter how much it applies, I didn’t choose that nickname! “No more curse, but you’ve still got shit luck. I’m not worried though, Dum Dum. Thanks to that zebra witch, I know that I’ll be perfectly safe for the next few ambushes or failed plans.”

While that was true, I just hoped that Buck was safe and sound out there… wherever he was.

I wonder… what it’s like.

Taking a slow, deep breath, I stiffly stretched myself as I woke up. The feeling of fresh bandages wrapped around myself was so familiar that I almost overlooked it. Rubbing at my tired eye, I wasn’t even sure when I’d fallen asleep.

8:52 AM

When looking at the clock in my vision, movement near the door to the infirmary caught my eye. Ping was sitting in front of me, wearing some sort of headset over his striped mane, and wearing an almost embarrassed look across his face.

“I apologize, I did not mean to wake you.” He offered. “But between the experiences of Buck and yourself, I remain simply curious.”

“What?” Though it was just one word, my dry throat reminded me that it really had been sometime since I had any water.

“I know what sleep looks like through your eyes.” Ping spoke as he shifted from where he sat. No, not shifted, but fuzzed. As I blinked a few times, I realized that what I was looking at wasn’t Ping, rather, just a projection through my augment like the one Eliza had used. “However, despite having the data, I still am unsure what sleep feels like.”

“Well, it’s…” I started, but scrunched up my muzzle as I wasn’t quite sure what to say. Like with some of his other questions, this was just something I hadn’t had to quantify before. Everypony sleeps, so everypony just knows what it’s like. Well, everypony except machines I suppose. “You know, I can’t really describe it.”

“Yes, I understand that it’s not something organics have to think about describing.” He smiled at me with his normal beaming grin before his eyes darted to the side and pulled his attention from me. “Perhaps you just need time to fully awaken before answering a question like this.”

“Maybe.” I offered back as I glanced over at Hispano. She was still sleeping against my side, wrapped in more bandages than I was, but looking as peaceful as ever.

I know the Mystic said she’d make it through everything, and that she’d been right about my curse, but what happened with the Metro Rangers tonight was too close of a call. As much as we’ve all been through, I can’t help but think that maybe things aren’t as written in stone as Madam Mystic made it out to be.

“Just because we have a destiny, it does not mean that we cannot help to shape what it looks like.” Ping spoke up as I glanced back at him. “It’s something the Architect once told me, and it’s been on my mind since… since we lost him.” With that, his beaming smile started to sink, and he hung his head only slightly. “I have wondered if he had only meant that knowing that nothing lasts forever, or if… he told me because he knew he would die so soon.”

“None of us expected Sierra to put Red back together, Ping.” I tried to push out the memories of that day, trying to focus on the here and now. “You are the Architect now, Ping, because he knew that whenever he did go, he knew he’d be leaving the Factory in capable hooves.”

“Yes, but… I’m not up there, am I?” The tone and the way he spoke was as neutral as he could make them. But that only made the underlying message behind them more evident.

“You didn’t abandon them, Ping. You were stranded here.” I knew we already had a dozen things to worry about in Seaddle, but if this mystery signal was weighing that heavily on his mind, maybe we’d all be better off dealing with it sooner than later. “I know you’re worried about the Factory, so we’ll deal with getting to the bottom of this ‘signal’ problem today, I promise you that.”

“I appreciate your words and thoughts, Night.” A small smile returned to his muzzle as he looked up at me again. “I know you worry about Buck, and that you and Hispano have had quite the rough night…” He paused and shifted his attention back towards the wall behind him. He looked around for a moment in silence before continuing, but keeping his attention locked elsewhere. “It is however fortuitous that the location of the records Miss Hispano seeks, the location of Buck, as well as the strongest concentration of the signal seem to be all from the same vicinity. Though, we will deal with that soon…” He scrunched up his muzzle and continued looking around as if he were somehow lost.

“So, what’s with the projection?” The question forced itself through my dry lips and pulled his attention back. “What’s going on?”

“I am currently outside on the runway at Bow-wing field. I came out to oversee the work being done on the Arcturus.” He offered, still looking around himself. “However, activity from the base’s defenders seems to have spiked. Apparently, a supply convoy coming from the north has made better time than expected and has arrived early.”

“Okay, so… why project yourself to me though?” I asked as Hispano let out a soft sigh that made me freeze up. I tried my best not to move as she adjusted herself against me, nuzzling into my side before falling back into soft, rhythmic breathing as she continued sleeping.

“Because multiple times it seems to have unnerved those around you when you speak to someone they cannot see.” Ping got my attention with a tap at the radio headset he wore. “So, I decided that maybe if I were to speak to you like this, I would somewhat blend in...” Again, he paused himself mid sentence and canted his head in confusion. “This is indeed strange. The early arrival of these supplies seems to have spooked the Elder.”

“What do you mean?” I asked as either I was hungrier than I’d thought, or a pit started to form in my stomach.

"Their radio chatter is quite a pain to sort through, but full of interesting information. For example, multiple ponies have mentioned how this convoy always makes a point to be on schedule, so for them to have come early, something big must have happened to them." He paused and furrowed his brow for a moment. "The Elder just ordered everypony to keep their eyes on any 'Hoof It' personnel who are acting suspect, however, I do not understand her reasoning as to why.”

"What did you say?" I blinked a few times as my mind was thrown back to last night. "You said it was 'Hoof it' personnel, right?"

"Yes, that is correct. Why?" He asked and looked right at me.

A sharp burst of static came through my mind, and both Ping and I grabbed our heads from it. As soon as it cleared, the sound of gunfire came through his headset. Faster than any normal pony could, Ping’s projection lept up onto his hooves and darted across the room. Before he could make it more than a few steps however, he cried out and the connection died.

"Ping? Ping!" I cried out for him, my eyes locked on where he’d taken his last step. “Answer me!”

“Who!? What!?” Hispano squawked as she bolted up from my side. In an instant, she was on her bandaged hindpaws and holding her talons out at the ready.

“Come on, come on!” I shook my head and tried to think out to Ping. “Answer me, Ping!” Fuck, he can’t be...

Okay, okay, Night, calm the fuck down. He’s not dead, you don’t know that. What do you know? That Bow-wing field is under attack right now, right? And it’s probably the Metro rangers thanks to the uniforms we saw them wearing, as well as…

The plans we ran into last night!

Turning to Hispano, I wrapped my forehoof around one of her talons and held on tight.

"Night, what the fuck...!?"

"No time!” Taking her talon, I pulled her down with me to the floor as I got my hooves under me. “The Metro rangers are attacking the airbase!" Turning for the door, I tugged her along with me. “We need to get there, now.”

"Why?" Hispano grumbled as she yanked her talon out of my hoofhold and turned to pick up and get Suiza secured around herself. "Why are you freaking out? They've got the hardware to handle it."

"Remember those plans you thought were weird and those uniforms some of them were wearing?" I called back at her as I used my forehoof to spin the latch holding the infirmary door shut. With a slam, I threw it open and stepped out into the hall. "It's fucking Nightmare Night! That was their plan the whole fucking time!"

"What does this have to do with...?" Hispano paused as she got Suiza slung around herself and realized just what I was saying. "Fuck. The fuckers played dress up and the other rangers let them right in." Just as I was about to turn to bolt down the hall, her talon reached out and grabbed me by my flight harness. "Woah. That still doesn't answer why we need to be involved."

"Ping was caught in the open when the attack started." Again, I tried to take a step as I spoke, but was once again stopped as Hispano gave a harder yank back towards her. "What!?"

"And what are we going to do about it?" She prodded a talon at the empty subgun on my harness and then back to her sister. "You're empty, and Suiza's got one shot in her. I don't know about you, but I think even taking the time to find someone to lend us some ammo is going to leave us out of the fight too long anyway."

Fuck, she's right. I'd say we could just grab something when we get there, but I think unless we go in shooting at the Metro rangers, we're asking for both sides to gun us down. There had to be some way to resupply.

"If I might suggest, Captain..." Eliza's voice chimed in my mind. "You could always use the ammo stored in the Arcturus."

Yes, that's it!

"Come on, we're going to resupply on the Arcturus, then join the fight!" I called as I tried to take another step forward down the hall.

This time, Hispano let me go.

"See, now THAT sounds like a more reasonable plan." Hispano smirked and flared her wings as she followed. "Still leaves us the problem of getting there. It’s at least a ten minute flight from here. Slower with how long it’ll take you just to get some altitude for a glide. How much of the fight will even be left by the time we get there?"

"I'll... see what I can do." I offered as we both raced down the hallway towards the open door near the back of the old icebreaker. "Eliza, is the Remora in any shape to come get us?"

"Sorry, Captain." Her cartoon mare frowned at me as it popped up, showing me a fog drenched image of it still sitting right where we landed yesterday. "The rangers prioritized fixing me up first, so it's still in pretty rough shape." Her mare scooted over before a schematic of the Inuvik popped up. "However, I may have something that could give you a small boost and help with your altitude problem."

The schematic zoomed in on and highlighted a rotatable platform that sat off to one side on the ship's rear. The shape of the skycaptain's aircraft was superimposed over it, sitting for a short time before it slid off at a high speed with a puff of digital steam. Of course, the ship’s catapult!

"I know, it's not much help, but it’s all I can do, Captain." Eliza offered, pausing as her cartoon mare shifted and showed emotions I’d never really seen from her before. Concern and fear. “With the rangers jamming most signals, I… I can’t reach the Architect. And with this fog, I can’t see him.”

"We’ll find him!" I panted as I quickly brought myself up to as fast a hobbling trot as I could manage. "Come on, Hispano! Eliza found us a way to get us off the ship quickly!"

"That sounds pretty vague, Night! And let me remind you, we just got patched up." Hispano called up from behind me. "I get you don’t want to hear it, but I’m only saying that because when you get vague, you usually end up hurt."

"You're starting to sound a lot like Buck, you know?" I laughed back at her. "What happened to the excitable young talon-hopeful with the no-fucks attitude, willing to dive beak-first into trouble that I first met in these very halls?"

"That... that's not fair, Night!" She grumbled and, with a heavy thump of her wings, jumped up into a hover that brought her along my side. Though she was still small for a gryphon, her spread wings were wide enough to force all those who’d been attracted to the early-morning commotion and sticking their heads from their rooms to scramble back into them. "That was BEFORE I got stuck babysitting the most trouble-magnet pegasus in the wasteland." The two of us slowed down as we approached the open hatchway to the back deck of the ship, barely missing the small black-spotted snow dog who was forced to basically dive in through the door just to avoid us. "But seriously, what's the plan?"

The both of us stepped through the open hatch and out onto the small walkway that wrapped around the superstructure of the old icebreaker. Hopping up, I hooked my forehoof over the railing and peeked my head over.

Despite the heavy fog that was much thicker than I’d expected, making it hard to see anything more than five meters out, looking down I spotted the steam-powered aircraft catapult. There were Snow Dogs actively working on and around it, including the sight for sore eyes that was Rosie. From the toolbox in her massive paw, I worried that maybe it wasn’t working, but despite the fog making it hard to see, the glow from the catapult controls meant that it at least had power.

"Oh fuck, you are not serious, Night." Hispano spat as she quickly caught on. "It's not even built to launch ponies! Unless that metal toaster on your head can transform you into a plane, how the fuck are we even going to use it?"

With that, my augment flashed a white line down and across my vision. It bent and curved around the shape of an old hoof truck on the deck below that looked like it had seen better days, but still had a pair of good wheels on it. Again, my augment flashed up the display of the catapult, only this time showing the hoof truck laid on it with a pony and a griffon laying uncomfortably on top of it. The thing gave a puff of smoke, and in an instant, the two digital fliers were zipped off into the sky.

"Okay, so..." I began, but found my muzzle once again shut by Hispano's talon.

"Night, I love you, but this might be pushing it a bit. And that's coming from a griff who's enjoyed riding on the outside of an aircraft before."

"I have a plan." I spat out around her talons, forcing her to scrunch her beak shut. With a pat on her shoulder, I spread my wings and climbed onto the railing. "Besides, the zebra mystic said you'll be fine, remember?"

“It’s not me I’m worried about, Dum Dum.” She shot me a dose of side-eye that sent a literal chill down my spine. “But a plan is a start.”

Leaning forward, I dropped off the railing. The talisman in my flight pack hummed to life, helping to slow my fall as I drifted over the fog drenched deck of the ship. The air was thick enough that even though I’d basically become instantly soaking wet from the fog, I was sure that even without my pack, I’d have been able to fly on just my flat feathers alone. Passing over a few Snow Dogs prompted them to look up at us, but none really paid us any mind as we approached and landed next to Rosie.

Hispano gave out a few wet flaps of her wings and came down next to me, prompting Rosie to turn around and find us. With a smile spreading across her jagged muzzle, she wicked away the moisture from her brow.

“Oh, shit. Do you always get on your hooves this fast?” She chuckled and set down the toolbox in her paw. “Are you stopping by to say goodbye before heading out?”

“Sort of, in a manner of speaking.” I offered to her as I sat down. Lifting my hoof, I pointed to the humming machine behind her. “Actually, we came to use your catapult.”

“Uh… excuse me?” Rosie blinked as she looked between the two of us and then to the catapult itself. “It’s not rated to launch ponies...” She paused as a rapid set of explosions echoed through the old city, perking the ears of every dog on the deck, if only for just a moment. “Oh… you want to get to that fight, don’t you? Why?”

“We have to.” While I respected Rosie’s concern for us, every moment we wasted was one that Ping might not have to give. “Our family is in trouble, one of them is hurt.”

“Well,” Rosie sighed and glanced back at the machine, “the Skycaptain already radioed in. She’s on final approach, and is maybe about ten minutes out now.” Reaching up, she scratched at her chin and lost herself in thought for a moment. I could see how she was weighing everything in her mind…

“I guess she can wait a few extra minutes.” She spoke abruptly with a sigh. “That is, if nothing breaks on this old gal.” Turning around, she walked up to the controls and pressed a few of the buttons on it. “She’ll need a minute to pressurize, but she’s meant to throw a few tons off the ship, so there’s no telling what’ll happen when you two get on there.”

“Great!” Gleefully, I hopped up to my hooves, only to have Hispano’s firm talon come down on my shoulder.

“Yeah,” She grunted and pointed up at the empty catapult rails, “great, except we still don’t have a way to actually use it, Dum Dum.”

I was about to point out the old hoof truck my vision had suggested when Rosie cut me off.

“Right, let’s see…” Rosie nodded to herself and looked around the deck. Her eyes lit up as she spotted another dog coming out from inside the ship, and rolling a pallet jack to move some rusty barrels. “That should work. Hey, Saxon! Bring that pallet jack over here!”

Both Hispano and I blinked and looked at each other. Did she just say…

“Sure thing, Rosie.” The tired grunt from the other dog preceded them carefully setting the pallet of metal drums down, and then dragging the pallet jack itself along behind them as they walked over.

Standing nearly Buck’s height, Saxon looked like a younger, less fluffy version of Spitzer back in Destruction Bay, though maybe that was only because his coat was so matted with moisture from the fog. With each step, a massive spiked tail swung back and forth behind him, probably the largest I’d seen on any Snow Dog so far. The thing however that stuck out most to me was when he stopped and sniffed at the air for a moment, and his sharp, emerald eyes turned to both Hispano and I.

Looking into them, I could see that probably from just the smell of us, he knew. He knew we were the ones who were with Buck now, and behind his eyes I could see the myriad of emotions run through him. Ultimately, a look of annoyance flushed across his muzzle shortly before he shifted his gaze to Rosie.

“Alright.” He grunted again as he effortlessly lifted the whole pallet jack from the deck and placed it in Rosie’s waiting paws. “I’ve still got another pallet to grab, what do you need it for?”

“We’re going to use it to launch these two off the ship.” Rosie stated fairly matter-o-factly as she hefted the old metal jack up and set it on the catapult. It didn’t quite sit evenly on the rails, but the launch hook hugged the U-shaped frame like it was made for it.

“You’re joking.” Saxon let out with a snarl. “You’ll destroy a perfectly good pallet jack.”

“I know.” Rosie nodded as she went back to operating the controls of the catapult.

“You might even destroy the Skycaptain’s launch mount!” Saxon protested and prodded one of his claws against Rosie’s shoulder, pulling a guttural growl from her muzzle. “All for what? A couple of strangers? Does the Skycaptain even know about this!?”

“Hey, I am the deck chief on this ship.” Rosie snapped back as she wheeled around on a paw at Saxon. “It’s not the place of a deck hand to question my decisions! Even if he’s mated to my sister. I’m responsible for these machines, and I’ll answer solely to the Skycaptain for them. So you will watch your tone with me, or I will have you out scraping barnacles from the hull with your teeth.”

Rosie’s verbal assault had pulled the attention of every dog within earshot, and Saxon seemed to have shrunk straight down to the deck. Not that I could blame him, as this side of Rosie was one I hadn’t seen before. Her whole posture had changed, and she loomed far above all of us now as she snarled and snapped at him. If this had been the version of Rosie I’d met back inside the Wreck Room, I think I might have just died right on the spot!

“Is that understood?” She finished with another low growl that I swear I could feel through the deck.

“Yes, Ma’am.” Saxon nodded and scurried to take a few steps back. As he pulled himself up onto his paws again, he shot Hispano and I an angry sideways glance. That in turn pulled another growl from Rosie, which seemed to light a fire under him, because he nearly burst into a run that took him straight through the nearest open hatchway.

“Sorry about that.” Rosie sighed and shook her head in disappointment. “He’s not normally one to question what I ask of him...”

The catapult gave out a piercing whine and a fairly jarring shuddering started with it. Both Hispano and I leaned away from the large machine as it looked like it was trying to shake itself apart and throw the pallet jack from it’s rails. Rosie however, simply sighed and pulled up a large looking wrench from her toolbox.

With a sharp set of banging swings, she hammered her tool at the side of the catapult nearest to her. The metal on the panel she struck dented in slightly, but astonishingly, the whole machine calmed down. The whine trailed off into a steady hum, and a short jet of steam shot from the tip for a moment.

“Alright, she’s all warmed up and ready to go!” Rosie nodded as she dropped her tool into her chest again and turned to us. “I can’t promise it’s safe, or that it’ll even work…”

“Thank you for at least trying.” I offered with as genuine a smile as I could use to force back the thoughts of pancaking against whatever was out there through the fog. Hispano didn’t seem to share those thoughts, because she didn’t even hesitate before giving her wings a few flaps and hopping right up onto the pallet jack.

“Eh, it’s nothing.” Rosie chuckled and ruffled at my wet mane with her paw. “I guess I still feel kind of bad about how we met and feel I owe you this much for all that trouble.”

“You shouldn’t feel bad.” Hispano offered as she shot a half-serious glare down at me. “He’s a trouble magnet, and you should be glad you’re about to throw him as far away from you as you can.” Smirking at the hulking Snow Dog, Hispano raised her talon to her brow and gave Rosie a quick salute. “Still, like he said, thanks for the help.”

With a flap of my own wings, I hopped up and did my best to join Hispano on the pallet jack. The flaking bright yellow paint easily scraped away as I got my hooves on it, revealing the rusty steel frame below. The whole thing rattled as the two of us fought each other for balance on the rusty wheels.

After a moment however, we got ourselves settled. I was curled forward, holding myself as tightly to the vertical steel bar grip as I could, while Hispano was hunched over me as close as she could be. With a slip of her talons around my sides, I couldn’t help but blush as she pulled herself tight against me.

“I know you’re enjoying this, Night,” She cooed softly into my ear as she made herself comfortable. “But I swear to the goddess, if we die from this…”

“Alright, ready! All non-essential personnel, clear the deck!” Rosie called out. “Firing in five… four…!”

Glancing down at her, I could see her concern etched across her face. Deep down, she had the same fears as I did, and I could almost see her begging for me to call this off. But we couldn’t, we had too much riding on this.

I braced myself, making sure I was holding on for dear life as I gave her a nod of affirmation.

“Go, find your family.” She offered with a smile before her paw came down on the control panel. “Launching!”

There was a sharp bang that sent a ringing through my ears as the catapult went off. With a strength I wasn’t expecting, the pallet jack was nearly ripped straight out of my hooves. The world dimmed for a moment as the acceleration whipped through both Hispano and I, with the only way I knew we were still alright the tight pressure of her holding herself as close and as tightly as she could. Everything turned white, and I had to shut my good eye as the fog wicked enough water across my face to force me to rely on my augment.

Soon enough, the momentum from the launch bled off, and both Hispano and I reflexively flared out our wings, letting the thick morning air catch and lift us up.

The lift from the flight combined with the normal pull of gravity, and it pulled us away from the flying pallet jack. The old world yellow freight tool slipped away silently, and disappeared completely into the fog after only a few meters of separation. Likewise, now flying, I felt Hispano’s tight grip release, and she pulled herself away just far enough that we weren’t in danger of running into each other.

Surprisingly, she let out an elated giggle that was cut short by a sharp splashing noise below and behind us.

“Oh, Dum Dum, I can’t believe that actually worked!” She gasped through another set of giggles.

“Me either!” Between the feeling of stress bleeding off, as well as the relaxing sensation of flying, I tried, but couldn’t fight my own laughter as it bubbled up. “How did that even work at all?”

“Because that’s what we do, Dum Dum.” Hispano cooed as she pitched herself upwards slightly. “We’ve done so many ‘impossible’ things now that I’m not sure impossible is even a word that means anything anymore...” She paused for a moment as she climbed just far enough upwards to get out of sight, “Woah…”

Joining her in her climb, I flapped through the thick air, trusting the talisman in my flight pack to take the brunt of my weight. It worked though, as I gained enough altitude to catch up, finding that climbing through the last few meters of fog had it thinning out substantially.

With the last few hard beats of my wings, I broke out through the fog, and was immediately blinded. My augment helped by toning down the brightness, and what it allowed me to see nearly took my breath away.

The harsh yellow sunlight drenched itself across the fog that covered the ruins of old Seaddle, and the welcoming blue skies above were clearer than any I’d seen recently. It was a picturesque morning, like something out of a dream. The fact that I was up here flying through it next to an equally awed Hispano almost made me question if we had died on launch back there, because this was perfection.

Again, I knew it wasn’t going to, but I wanted this short moment to last forever.

Hispano’s talon shot over, prodding me out of my wonder.

“Hey, over there.” She called out, shifting and pointing her talon to a set of growing black clouds that were mixing with the fog in the distance. Flashes and echoing blasts tore at the calm scene, and the sound of buzzing miniguns forced their way to my ears.

And just like that, the perfect morning flight was over.

Author's Note

As always, a huge thanks to TheFurryRailFan for once again going through and making sure these chapters are consistent! I've been feeling a bit scatterbrained as of late, so it's good to know someone out there is helping to keep my wordy-bits from doing the dum sometimes.

And of course, a huge thanks to Kkat for creating FoE in the first place!