Just South of Odessa
Cosmo

If weather makes the mood, then the driving rain we’d spent the last few hours trudging through thoroughly doused it.

“Alright, we’re five hundred feet from the pens.” Palmer whispered, waving for our group to duck down into a drainage ditch along the perimeter of the storage yard.

What little noise anyone made was dampened by the rain and the wind that came with it. “What’s the plan Cosmo?” Phalanx asked.

“Just sit back and watch for right now.” I muttered back. “I want to know who’s in those pens before we barge in.”

“So sitting here answers that?” Phalanx retorted.

“No…” I saw Palmer plug something onto her armor. “Palmer?”

“You did we’re here to get answers.” She said, immediately fading from view in the poor light. “I’ll be back.”

I just listened with a slack jaw as I saw brush crunch from something not readily there before the soft footfalls of our armored companion faded from earshot. “That’s different.” I heard Felix whisper.

“No kidding.” Phalanx said. “Now get your head down.” He ordered as the stallion unfurled a large piece of netting and tossed it over the four of us. It glowed briefly for a moment before that light faded. “Now as long as we keep quiet, no one will know we’re here.”

“Then what are we doing?” Felix asked.

I tapped the fox’s shoulder to grab his attention. “Isn’t it obvious?” I asked. “We wait.”

***

Ex-ONI Prowler
Cloud Runner

I felt the deck shudder as the Prowler finally touched ground. “I guess we’re here.” I whispered to Sky as we both walked to the ramp.

“Not quite.” Parangonsky injected with a sharp tone. “I needed to make a stop before we kept going.” The ramp lowered to reveal a small mob of soldiers at the foot with weapons pointed up at us. “Meteor, is this how you greet friends that call ahead?”

Immediately the soldiers lowered their weapons and parted at the General pushed through to the bottom of the ramp. “Black Box gave me thirty seconds Marge. Thirty seconds. And I’m not a young stallion anymore.”

“We all get too old to die young Meteor.” Parangonsky retorted. “You passed that threshold a long time ago.”

“Wait just a minute!” Dusk yelled. “Gramps, you know this lady?”

“Yup.” The General said. “She saved your parents and I after we broke out of the changeling hive in the southern desert.”

“And I’m looking for a favor.” She said. “General, I believe you have your own command center?”

The General nodded and waved us on into the adjacent tent. I looked around at the rows of computer banks that had been placed on planks across the sandy ground of the beach, humans and ponies alike pouring over the data streaming across their displays. “So what do you want Marge?”

“Your offensive.” She said to a look of confusion on the General’s face. “I want you to launch it.”

“What?” He said in disbelief. “I don’t even have all of my forces in position.”

“You’ve got more than enough.” She retorted. “Besides, I believe you’d want to ensure that your protégé survives his trip to Odessa.”

“What do mean survive?”

Dusk brushed past and plugged a chip into the side of the map table in the center of the ‘room’. “Machine guns. And lots of them, well-hidden and manned surrounding Odessa. Even if Cosmo gets in, he won’t be getting back out.”

“Shit…” The General just pushed his greying mane back and sighed.

“Gramps, we don’t have any other options.” Dusk pleaded. “Once Cosmo gets made the griffons are going to close off their rear lines. We won’t have a clear shot into their fortress.”

“What are your orders sir?” Asked one of the technicians.

“Give me outgoing to all theater units.” The General picked up a microphone from the edge of the table, waiting for the soon-given thumbs up from the same technician. “All commands, this is General Shower. Our timetable just moved up. Prepare for action.”

Immediately the reserved atmosphere of the tent electrified. For a full five minutes the tent was a flurry of activity before the General snapped his fingers. “We ready?” He asked. With no objections he grabbed the mic once more. “All commands, we are at condition red. Commence Operation Liberator.”

***

Odessa
Cosmo

“I repeat, commence Operation Liberator.” I heard Meteor Shower’s voice scratch out over the radio.

“Did he really just call it?” Phalanx groaned.

“Sounded like he did.” I retorted. By now the weather had cleared, and I tossed back the cover that we were hiding under. “Hear that Palmer? Time to move!” My radio stayed silent. “Palmer, you read?”

“Something tell me she doesn’t.” Felix muttered. “So what’s the plan boss?”

I quickly scanned the camp before pointing out a large brick building standing about a hundred feet from us. “We take out command and control. Now move!” I almost landed on my face as I slipped a bit on the wet grass lining the side of the ditch.

Phalanx grabbed me and hauled me up out of the trench. “I’ll get the door.”

“What door?” The cocky smile and flicks of static off of Phalanx’s arms as he dashed towards the wall.

CRASH!

“Probably that door.” Said Felix as the cloud of dust spread out from the new entrance that Phalanx had created.

Stepping over the bricks and chunks of wood, I took up a place next to Phalanx in the middle of an infirmary as he stared down a guard holding an old unicorn as a hostage with a gun to her head.

A unicorn with a fur shade slightly lighter than mine.

Still wearing the Desert Ranger jacket.

And the matching Desert Ranger helmet in a trophy case hanging on the far wall.

I reacted immediately, swinging my rifle off of my back and leveling it at the Griffon holding the old mare hostage. “I’ll say it once, let the mare go.”

“Or what?” The Griffon questioned. “You blow my brains out?”

I shrugged. “You said it, not me.”

The Griffon just jarred the barrel of the pistol against the mare’s head. “Then go ahead, I dare you. Sure, you might get me in a rush but not before I turn this bitches’ head into a canoe.”

I rolled my eyes and tossed the rifle over to Felix. “I’ll let you know how that goes.” I was behind the Griffon in a flash of magical light and kicked the back of his knee out before wrenching his gun-toting hand skyward.

BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG click click

As the last of the expended shell casings clattered onto the floor at my feet I pulled the Griffon over my head and slammed him through the glass front of the trophy case. As the unconscious guard slumped down I grabbed the helmet and turned it over in my hands before I found a small picture tucked into the seam. It brought back some memories of when I first saw it on my Mother’s bedside table when I was a child. “Gotta admit Mom, this isn’t how I saw seeing you again.”

“I’d say the same.” I felt my mother wrap her arms around my shoulders.

I handed her the helmet before turning around and looking her over. “What are you doing here?” I asked.

“Well, up until you introduced our friend there to pane glass, I was a slave.” She said. “Still don’t know why they need em’…”

“What do you mean?” Felix asked.

“Isn’t it obvious?” She pointed out. “Whatever the locals call this island, it’s the only place in the world that the bombs didn’t touch.”

Right, this just got awkward. “Mom… Damn it, how am I supposed to say it?” I wondered aloud.

“I don’t know. Just say it?” Phalanx suggested.

“Alright… Mom, we’re not in Kansas anymore.” My mother just blinked and developed a blank stare. “It’s a Human euphemism.” I defended as the sound of rapidly-moving turbines passed outside.

“You made your point Cosmo, but we’ve got to move!” Phalanx yelled before he leapt back out through the hole in the wall.

Felix tossed me my rifle before he and Trixie both followed. “Can you still fight?” I asked mom. She simply slid her helmet on and grabbed the rifle before she too ran outside. “Alright then.” I muttered. By the time I passed over the pile of rubble and got outside I realized our predicament, presented in the form of dozens of Griffon and Changeling guards.

“So… What now?” Felix asked.

I quickly checked my pistol to make sure it was loaded. “We hold the line.”

***

Ex-ONI Prowler, somewhere over Odessa
Cloud Runner

For the better part of the twenty minute flight I found myself staring at the closed ramp of the Prowler, the soft hum of the vents the only real noise.

Finally the Prowler shuddered and the ramp was lit up in a red light. “Alright gang, here we go!” Dusk yelled out behind me to the quiet clicks of magazines sliding into rifles.

“Cloud, you ready?” I turned to see that Sky had pushed her way to the front, having decided to wear the armor I handed her back at Cosmo’s loft.

“We’re practically invading a hostile city.” I muttered. “I’m as good as I can get.”

“Here’s the plan.” Dusk called out. “Kilo Five is with me and Dart to clear a landing zone. The rest of you find Cosmo. We clear?”

The light turned green and the ramp slowly fell away. “We’re clear.” I said before rushing down the still-dropping ramp and catching the rushing air with my wings.

Right below was a mob of Griffons, Changelings and Ponies in the middle of a mass uncontrolled melee. I pulled my wings back and dove right in to the mob, landing on my feet with a crack of pavement from the weight of my impact. I felt two blows against my arm, which I returned when I spread out my wings and swung around, using them as makeshift clubs on the guard that had tried to rush me.

But it was the electric-blue glow at the tips that caught my attention as my wings slammed against the guard, who immediately dropped in a twitching pile of feathers. “Holy shit…” I whispered, whipping around and using the same tactic on a Changeling this time with the same result.

As the Changeling began to drop Sky landed on the twitching black sentry and planted him to the ground. “How the hell did you do that?” She asked, ducking past a spear that was tossed at the two of us.

As the spear sailed past I grabbed the very end and swung it back overhead and impaled the Griffon that had first thrown it at the two of us. “No clue.” I answered, catching a right hook from another Changeling before pulling the poor sod over my shoulder and smashing him head-first into the pavement that we stood on. “But it’s fucking cool!”

“Word to the wise kid, but don’t stop to admire yourself.” One of Dusk’s compatriots pointed out, having finally joined myself and Sky on solid ground.

“But what’s the problem?” My answer came quickly when a burley Griffon smashed against me and drove me into the side of a building. Rearing back I managed to get my attacker off me with a swift push from my boot. “Right… He’s the problem.”

BANG!

I had winced at the sound of the gunshot that rang out, watching the Griffon crumple to the ground with blood pouring out a hole in the side of his head. “Cloud? What the fuck is this?” Cosmo asked as he went about reloading his revolver.

“What?”

Cosmo just waved his empty pistol at me with a confused look plastered across his face. “Since when can you fly?”

Right, got my wings back. And he wasn’t there… Fuck.

How the hell do I explain regrown appendages in the middle of a warzone?

“Cosmo, we can talk later.” Sky said, coming to my defense in the nick of time.

Cosmo shook his head before ducking under a knife wielded by a beaten-looking Griffon. “Your right, we could.” He stepped back as the same Griffon kept slashing at him before nailing his beak with a backhand that sent him staggering back. “All things considered this isn’t the weirdest thing I’ve seen all day.”

“What the hell do you mean?” Sky asked as she caught a Changeling that tried rushing the two of us.

Cosmo stepped forward to grab out attacker, tossing him over his shoulder and into the ground. “Well Mom’s here.”

Sky seemed to stop at that. “Your mother?” Cosmo nodded, not bothering to say anything and instead opting to kick the grounded Changeling in the head. “Isn’t that a bit convenient?”

“Like I said, not the weirdest thing I’ve seen all day.” Within a matter of moments of Cosmo opening his mouth, the Griffon and Changeling guards gave up and took to the sky. “Although that one takes the cake.” We followed Cosmo back towards the center of the compound, where Palmer was discussing… Something with Phalanx. “Someone want to tell me what that was all about?”

“No clue.” Said Palmer. “There wasn’t any radio message calling for a retreat.”

On the fringe of the small crowd was an older mare, a helmet very similar to the one that Sky’s under her free arm. “Sky, is that her?” I whispered.

She nodded. “Yup, still carrying herself like a badass after all this time too.”

“What do you mean?”

“Back in Dodge City when we were kids, Constellation stayed behind so we could get Cosmo away from the raiders. By the time my parents got back there with reinforcements she was missing.”

“So… If your parents needed backup, how bad was it?”

Sky chuckled. “From what Dad told me they were facing down something like fifty or sixty raiders. By the time that they got back there they didn’t need the help. All said there were roughly forty bodies on the ground, with two live ones who stayed behind as a rear guard. That last stand made Constellation the new standard for Desert Ranger badassery.”

“So don’t mess with her?” Sky again nodded. “Then what now?”

“I introduce you!” Sky practically dragged me across the small lot as she approached the old mare, smile beaming across her face.

That smile must've been a dead giveaway. “I'd recognize that mane anywhere.” She said as her own smile grew. “You're Dust Storm's kid.”

“I am.” Sky said, retaining the smile the whole time.

“Then I owe you one.” Constellation just wrapped Sky in a tight hug. “My little boy might not still be here if it wasn't for you.” As soon as the mare let Sky go she walked over and patted me on the shoulder. “So I guess the Rangers got some new toys to play with?”

“Rangers?” I asked.

“You're Desert Rangers, aren't you?”

“No.” I stated. “We're the Northern Guard.”

“Northern Guard?” She muttered. “Well I've heard weirder names when it comes to mercs.”

I looked over at Sky and shrugged. “Since when are we mercs?”

“It's not her fault Cloud.” Cosmo said as he and Trixie joined us. “I tried to tell her that we aren't in the Wasteland, but I'm obviously not explaining it well enough.”

“Cosmo, you're telling me that you don't believe that we're in the one place that the Zebra's didn't bomb?” She asked. “Bar Storm Cloud this is a miracle!”

Cosmo cocked an eyebrow at that name. “Who's Storm Cloud?” We all stopped; it had become apparent by the pained look on Constellation's face that she said something that she didn't want to. “Mom?”

“Cosmo...”

“Who is he Mom?” Cosmo asked again.

Constellation sighed. “When De Witt first brought me here-”

“De Witt was involved?”

“Yes...” She muttered. “Cosmo... You're not an only child, at least not any more.”

Cosmo's face contorted from perplexed frown to a look of pure, unadulterated rage. “I'm gonna castrate that fucker!” He roared.

“Cosmo!”

“Don't Cosmo me!” Yelled the raging stallion. “Not only does this fucker have a mirror to hop through, but he took my mother and used her so he could have some bastard child!”

“Cosmo, please just calm down.” Constellation pleaded. “I've had just over a decade to come to terms with what De Witt really brought me here for, but it's not the end of the world. On the bright side Stormy hates the bastard.”

“Really?” Cosmo asked. “What's to say De Witt couldn't just use his magic on him?”

“De Witt doesn't have any access to magic.”

“Bullshit. How'd he get in my head? Hell, you could be a Changeling he sent to throw me off!” Cosmo leveled his pistol towards the old mare as his horn glowed. “Did he really think I was that stupid?”

Constellation only rolled her eyes before she sidestepped Cosmo's revolver, ripped it from his hands and emptied the loaded chamber. “Cosmo, use your head.”

“Cosmo's not home right now.” Phalanx said as he passed his glowing hand over Constellation's face. “But I know where you're going, and you're not a Changeling.”

“I'll be the judge of that.” Cosmo's horn flared briefly before the light it was giving off died. “Holy shit...”

“Like I said, use your head.” Constellation chided. “Now down to business. Stormy was in the infirmary with me until someone had to blow a hole in the wall.” She said as she glared at Phalanx. “He ran off after that, and I doubt he went too far. All we need to do is find him and make sure he's safe.”

“So let's split up.” Phalanx suggested. “We got enough of us here to find the kid quick.”

As I turned to walk away I caught a glimpse of a silhouette on the roof of the compound's office building and flipped on the spotlight built into my helmet, cutting through the rain that was still coming down in sheets. “I think I found him.” On the roof of the office building stood two Griffons. The older armored one was holding the gun to the head of a light blue-and-white plumed child no more than ten.

“Stormy, what the hell?”

“Sorry Mom!” The kid called down as he squirmed against the gun. “Long story short, I’m not the only one who thought that hiding in a broom closet was a good idea.”

“Cloud, go to your helmet radio.” Came Palmer's voice across the speakers sitting next to my ears.

Under my mask I rolled my eyes and flipped over to the helmet radio. “Palmer, you're standing right there. What's with the hush talk?”

“Well... Technically I'm not standing next to you at all. Just a basic VI controlled hologram.”

Huh... That's different. “So what are you doing?”

“Well I'm up here on the roof-”

“What?”

“You heard me, I'm on the roof. Now all I need you to do is catch the kid, I'll deal with the guard.”

“Catch the kid?” I didn't hear Palmer say anything else, but I sure saw what she was doing as she walked up behind the guard and stood there with her arms crossed.

“Batter up Cloud.” Palmer tapped the unsuspecting guard's shoulder, and he whipped around fast enough that he lost his grip on his hostage.

Ah, now I see what she meant. Out of instinct my wings flared out before the flap kicked up a puddle of mud as I rocketed forward. In what felt like a moment I had the kid in my arms, also realizing I had a rather big problem.

Specifically of the brick and mortar variety.

All I did was whip around and put my back to the wall, before I clenched my eyes shut and waited for the impact.

***

Cosmo

Now let's review how my day has gone, shall we?

I've had hot coffee spilled on my crotch, trudged through fifteen miles of mud and poison ivy to get to the outskirts of this blasted town, sat in the pouring rain for hours and got wet in places I didn't even know I've had, and found out my mother has been some Griffon's bastard-child-producing sex slave.

Oh, and I've got a face full of mud.

“Cosmo, you alright?” Sky asked.

“Goes without saying.” I muttered as I wiped the mud from my eyes and marched towards the armored Pegasus lying on the ground with another body on top of him shaking his shoulders.

“Come on, get up!” The kid pleaded.

Cloud finally stirred and sat up just in time for me to haul him up to his feet. “I don't have to do that again, do I?”

“You didn't have to in the first place.”

“Yes he did.” The kid piped up. “I don't have wings, see?” He said as he turned around and showed us his back. Under his plain t-shirt there wasn't even a sign of any appendages.

I just cupped my hands over my face, trying very hard not to scream. “Who did this?” I muttered.

“No one did.” I dropped my impromptu mask and looked at the kid wide-eyed. “I was born without wings, being half unicorn and all that. On the plus side I can do this!”

If I didn't believe the pale teal glow of Storm Cloud's finger tips, I certainly believed it when all the mud plastered on my face and chest dried, crumbled, and fell away. “You get that from your mother?”

Storm just shrugged. “Well ya.” As he stared up at me, his brow began to furrow. “You look familiar…” Once my mother took a spot next to me all the pieces fell together. “You're Cosmo!”

“Why's tha-”

OOFFF!

“Mom's told me all about you!” Storm gleefully yelled out.

“She has?” I asked with a glint of sarcasm as I glared at my mother.

“Yup!”

I slowly nodded. “So what she tell you?”

“Well duh, you’re here!”

“I always had a feeling you’d find me Cosmo.” Mom added.

“And now that you’re here we can go back to the old farm, fight some raiders, save some-”

“No.” I said. “The farm’s gone, and there’s no raiders running around anymore.” Hopefully I can get this into their heads… “There is no wasteland anyone on this world. No raiders, no ghouls, no radiation. Nothing!”

“Cosmo, what do you-”

“The Princesses are both alive!” Mom’s face scrunched up in confusion at that last outburst. “We’re in a parallel universe Mom. Now I don’t know how you got here, but I know how I did. A mirror, someone built one that acted as a doorway to different realities. Me and Sky walked right through one seven years ago.”

“What was that first part again?”

I barely shook my head and sighed. “The Princesses are both alive. As a matter of fact, I work for them.” I fished a small medallion out of my pocket and ran my finger over the royal seal that took up most of its surface. “Just watch.”

zzzttt

And three… Two…

POP!

Once the flash died out and my mother’s sight returned she did the only logical thing for a wastelander when confronted with gods that you’ve been told your whole life had died.

She fainted.

Stormy caught my mother’s unconscious form and managed to lower her gently to the ground. “So… They’re real?” He asked.

“We are.” Celestia said, being brushed aside by Luna as she rushed forward and knelt next to Stomy.

“I’ll be… You’re really a hybrid.” Luna muttered.

“Is that a problem?”

“Not at all young one.” Luna said as she ruffled Stormy’s hair. “Cosmo, I get the feeling that you two are related.”

I knelt down with the two and nodded. “You could say that.”

“Alright, then why call my Sister and I?”

I rolled my eyes and pointed at my unconscious mother. “Because I could use a hand.”

***

Odessa, One Hour Later
Cloud Runner

Tension. Not my favorite metaphysical atmosphere by any stretch. And here I am, sitting armorless in a busted-up office while two opposing forces had a stare-off.

On one side was Cosmo, confusion and anger radiating off him like waves on the beach.

On the other was his mother, with sadness telegraphing its presence through her glistening eyes.

And me? I was standing off to the side looking like an idiot as I watched the two. Real good use of time Cloud, real good…

“Are they still at it?” Sky whispered over my shoulder.

“Half an hour Sky.” I whispered back. “Half a fucking hour. How the hell can anyone do that?”

Sky lightly tugged on my arm and led me out into the hall. “No clue. But how long’s it been since these two have seen each other. Twelve, maybe thirteen years?” She said.

“How the hell would I know?”

“Right…” Sky muttered.

“I take it there’s something else bothering you?” I asked.

“Well, a few.” Sky stopped and leaned against the wall. “Constellation said that De Witt doesn’t have any access to magic.”

“And we very obviously saw that he does.” I retorted. “So how’d he do it?”

“That’s one question we need an answer to. The other would be how he got his hands on Constellation.”

I nodded in agreement. “You said she was one of the best Desert Rangers. So how’d De Witt manage to keep her under his heel this long?”

“Just because she’s good doesn’t mean she’s stupid.” Sky pointed out. “But that brings up another problem. How’d he trick her into thinking she was still somewhere in the Wasteland?”

“We’ve just got too many questions…” I groaned. “What do we do?”

Sky shrugged under my glare. “I don’t know. We can’t get time alone with Constellation, considering Cosmo’s in our way, and that kid isn’t going to know enough to fill in the blanks.”

“What about Phalanx?”

Sky shook her head. “It’s not that he isn’t trustworthy, but Phalanx wasn’t in his right mind while he was under De Witt’s influence. And need I remind you that he had no idea that De Witt got half his face blow off?”

Point received. So who else… “What about the General?”

“He only fought De Witt at Midlothian-”

“Ya, but he was missing and presumed dead up until three years ago.” I pointed out. “No one knows everything he did in that timeframe.”

“Hmm…” Sky started walking again with me on her heel. “You might be onto something.”

“Right, and we’ve got two pretty important reasons for him to come for a visit right in this building.” I added. “So all we need to do is figure out how to get him alone…”

***

“So what was your bright idea again?” Sky asked as the two of us crept around the back of the newly-erected command tent.

“Haven’t gotten that far yet.” I whispered before I cut a slit down the side of the tent and stepped inside. Lucky for me no one was inside, but there was a set of gold and purple armor set up on a stand, with a holster around the waist in place of a sash. “Well, that looks like the General’s armor.”

“Well of course it’s mine.” I whipped around and saw the old war veteran sitting in a simple chair reading some reports, wearing nothing but slacks and a t-shirt. “The Princesses wanted me up here after I halted the offensive in the south.”

“What?” Sky asked.

“You heard me.” He said. “I stopped the offensive. Every Griffon position we advanced on retreated towards the fortress without a shot being fired.”

Well the General must be smarter than I thought. “And now they’re all concentrated in one spot.”

“Exactly. If I pressed our advance it would all end in a bloodbath.” A kind smile spread across the old stallion’s face as his expression softened. “But that’s not why you’re here is it?”

“We need to know everything you’ve got on De Witt.” Sky spat. “We’ve seen him doing magic, yet we have reports that he doesn’t have those capabilities.”

“And what makes you think I know anything?” He asked. “I fought at Midlothian, and that’s-”

“Don’t finish that sentence!” I yelled. “You were presumed dead for almost a decade. Then three years ago you came back from whatever hole you were hiding in.”

“What’s your proof?” The General asked. “Some conspiracy theory you thought of off the cuff?”

I knelt down in front of the old stallion with a huff and got as close as I felt comfortable. “I’m not that stupid General.”

The two of us kept the glare up before the General finally chuckled. “You got balls kid. Last pony who stared me down like that got a knife in the throat.” I stepped back as he got up and pulled a folder out of the file cabinet next to him. “You’re right to be skeptical, but you’re right I did tangle with him at more than just Midlothian. Remember a certain black-armored guard?” He tossed a picture onto the table in front of me, an old family portrait from the looks of it.

Meteor Shower was standing in the middle with the Solar Princess herself, and Dusk when he was a baby, coddled lovingly by his parents on the sides.

And he was wearing a black set of guard armor.

“It was you.” I muttered.

“Kid, someone had to get you home.” He retorted. “But before we keep going, how do you remember anything? I wiped your memory clean.”

I simply shrugged. “You're the one who jumped in a pool of magical mumbo-fucking-jumbo and grew back half his horn. Oh, and the imprint you left behind says hi.” Well, no it doesn't, but fuck it.

“I left an imprint on the Nexus?”

“Well... Ya.” I said, finally finding myself at a bit of a loss for words. “And that copy seemed to think it was a good idea to put my head back in order.”

“Then I guess I'll find out what I saw in you then.” Two chairs identical to the General's popped into existence behind me. With no other options, I sat down along with Sky. “So tell me, what do the two of you know about De Witt?”

“He's psychotic.” Sky said as bluntly as she could.

“He most certainly is, but De Witt wasn't always that way.” Great, it's gonna be one of those stories. “Here's the deal. De Witt has always been dangerous, even going back to my time as a guard in the day court. Whenever there was a meeting of the War Department with the Generals at the time, he came up at one point or another.”

“So what were you doing in meetings with Generals?”

Meteor sat back in his chair and smiled. “Just one of the perks of being the personal bodyguard of the Princess. Besides, Tia was using it as a way to expose me to some of the flawed ideas that her command structure had at the time.”

“Tia?” Sky asked.

“The Princess and I tend to be far more... Informal than most officers.” He defended. “You see, my wife Sunny died giving birth to my son Sonar. After that our relationship went from teacher and student to something closer to equals, and she basically became the closest pony to a mother that Sonar ever had.”

“Alright, continue.”

The General nodded and sat back in his chair. “Shortly after Sonar turned ten I was put in charge of the Fifth Fusiliers and was sent to hold the border regions near Minotaur territory. That's where I first met De Witt. As part of an agreement we had at the time with the Griffons, we could request that an attaché be assigned to our units so we could tap into some of their military expertise.”

“So you requested an attaché and got De Witt?” Sky asked.

“Indeed.” He replied. “And trust me when I say it's a both an ego boost and unnerving when the 'Butcher of Griffany' is the one who shows up on the front. But in all honesty his council is what helped me devise our final assault that ended the conflict, and for all of his aggressive nature I respected him. Hell, to an extent I still do. After that the two of us corresponded for some time, even met up in the Griffon capital once a year to catch up up until about a year and a half before the massacre at Midlothian, when he wrote and said he was going to lead an expedition to the frozen north. After he left I didn't hear or see him again until Midlothian.”

“But what about his access to magic?” I asked.

“I was hoping you'd get to that...” The General's horn lit up, and a small wooden box levitated onto the table in front of us. “You see, De Witt didn't come back from the tundra empty-handed.” Reaching into the box, the General pulled out a silver amulet with a large green gem embedded into its heart. “He came back with this. It's an Alicorn Amulet, dating from before the unification of the three tribes by almost five hundred years. After I went underground I journeyed north to try and find the site where this thing was found.” He pulled a small series of photos out of the folder on the table and laid them out. “An abandoned city, one inhabited by ancient Alicorns, buried under the ice near the north pole. We found a temple close to the heart of the city along with six stands, all empty. But they were all shaped so that these amulets would fit in them just like a glove.”

“So that's what he used?”

“Indeed.” The General muttered. “But these days he has changelings doing all the hocus-pocus for him.”

“I'll be damned...” I muttered. “That explains how they got in Cosmo's head.”

“And he doesn't know?” The General asked.

“Nope.”

“Then we're gonna fix that.” He said as his horn flared and blinded us. When the light died we were standing in the infirmary next to Dusk and his mother.

And the General looked like a lovesick puppy the moment he laid eyes on Constellation.

“Uh... Something wrong?” Cosmo asked, staring at the General's confused expression.

“In a minute Cosmo.” He said, brushing him out of the way and approaching the older mare with all the swagger of someone half his age. “The name's Meteor Shower.”

Constellation glanced from Cosmo, to us and finally to the General. “Constellation. I'm Cosmo's mother.”

Those three words must have crashed into the General's skull because he glanced over at Cosmo before looking back at Constellation with a look of complete surprise replacing the swagger he was holding only seconds prior. “Well, uh... You've got one hell of a kid.”

“Thanks. Now are you gonna stop hitting on me, or do you have something to say?”

Meteor nodded and tumbled the amulet around his hands. “Cosmo, De Witt hasn’t had access to magic for years. He has Changelings doing the dirty work.”

That’s when Constellation snatched the amulet and waved it in the General’s face. “Where the hell did you get this?”

“Ripped it off of De Witt myself years ago at Midlothian.” He retorted.

“Huh… Cosmo, you know what this thing is?” Constellation asked.

“No. Should I?”

“This thing is what made it possible for your little brother to have been born.”

“What?” The General spat.

Constellation rolled her eyes in response. “De Witt wanted an heir with magical abilities, so he bought me from the raiders that took me captive. It took him almost four years and a miscarriage before I had Stormy, but after that he just didn’t bother with the two of us.”

“And at first she thought I was just a reminder of her own hell, yada yada.” The aforementioned child added as he strolled in. “Trust me, we’ve gone over and gotten over it.”

The General just stared at Stormy, blinked a bit, and then turned back to Constellation with a bemused expression. “Like I said, one hell of a kid.”

Author's Note

And there's Internal Conflict. Cosmo's problems won't end here, if anything they'll hold him back through the attack on De Witt's fortress in the next chapter, Midnight. Between him Sky and Cloud, there's enough fuckery afoot, but most of that will soon resolve itself as we're in the race to the finish!

Also, the cover art for Broken Mirror Part II is up, in case anyone is interested. Expect to see the prologue for Part II within the next few weeks.

Anyone got questions? Like what you're seeing so far? Hell, maybe have some gripes? There's a comment section and I want to hear from you fellow denizens of the interwebs. Until next time!
-Striker