Author's Note

This took WAY too long between updates. Once again, life finds a way of getting in the way of the things you enjoy doing. Enjoy the latest update! Comments and questions, even criticism is welcome!

Chapter 9: Never Alone

"No, this is a horrible idea. A completely and totally idiotic idea." Zephyr said shaking his head as Shimmer and Glimmerlight stood before him. "Even if we do somehow manage to get you AND Rocket to this...this creep, there's no way we can guarantee your safety. Even with the CPR , the severely depleted CPR, on standby a mere mile from their camp." He looked towards Glimmerlight sympathetically, "No offense."

Glimmerlight shook her head, "None taken. And you're completely right, the CPR isn't exactly what I'd call, combat capable." She looked at Shimmer, "But you saved us, we owe you. We'll see that we're ready to go on a moments notice, combat ready or not."

Shimmer smiled briefly as she looked out the window at her home. Rocket had decided to shut herself up inside while the three talked. Having found out that the collar was both a two-way radio and an explosive it was the only smart thing to to. If anyone was listening, they'd hear every word spoken and that was a risk none of them were willing to take.

Shimmer couldn't help but sigh sympathetically. Part of her felt betrayed in some way, despite having only been part of a group for a short time. But she felt more concern and sympathy. Living in a life of sex and slavery, just to got to sleep and wake up knowing that if you didn't 'perform' that the collar around your neck would be detonated. In Shimmer's mind, it was in fact, tragic. Rocket had spent the last hour explaining everything, knowing that anything she said was heard. In the end, Shimmer could only conclude that whoever it was that threatened Rocket wanted her to know everything.

"That's all fine and dandy Glimmerlight, but there must be some other way. Some other way that doesn't justify handing over Shimmer AND Rocket." Zephyr replied adamantly, "Couldn't we just find out how many there are and decide then a course of action?"

Shimmer faced him instantly, "No, the second we start asking those questions, Rocket's collar is detonated." She sighed a moment later and shook her head, "We're left with no choice. We're going to the meeting place he chose and I'll turn myself in. It's the only way to make sure that her collar isn't detonated."

Glimmerlight turned on her hooves and placed a rather old looking sheet of paper on the table. "This is a map of Old Crystal City." she pointed a hoof, "This is what used to be a community center, the CPR explored the area thoroughly years ago, found tons of equipment that was for Ponies to exercise. We ended up cleaning the place out and turned it into a somewhat recruiting center. I'll take half of our number and reclaim it, see if we can get a few extra hooves to boost our numbers." She lowered her hoof and looked between them, "It also puts us within a twenty minute gallop of the meeting place."

Zephyr looked at the map for a few moments and nodded, "Alright." he paused as he looked at Shimmer, "But I'm going with you."

Shimmer shook her head, "You can't. He gets one look at you and he detonates the collar."

Zephyr huffed, "I won't just sit here and do nothing Shimmer, what do you want me to do?" He turned and shook his head, "I'll hang back, I'll stay out of sight."

Shimmer moved forward and placed a hoof on his back, "I appreciate your want to help but we can't afford to take chances, not yet. Not until we've made contact, not until we find out where they're hiding. Then I have Rocket send up the Red Magic Flare. You then bring the cavalry." Zephyr looked back, his face covered in doubt, "We take these guys out and we won't need to worry about them ever again. And Rocket won't have to look over her shoulder ever again."

Zephyr closed his eyes as he looked in the opposite direction, "You're asking me to put a lot of faith in the idea that this freak won't hurt either of you."

Shimmer smiled sympathetically, "No, I'm not. I'm asking you to trust us, your friends, to have faith that we will get this done right."

A few seconds felt like an eternity to Zephyr but in the end, he nodded. He turned to face Shimmer with a smile, a doubtful one, but a smile none the less. He moved to the window and looked towards the small community of Ponies that had come together in such a short amount of time. The houses he had been ducking and weaving between that were once decayed were in a state of repair or dismantle and other dwellings were under construction.

"I'll stay here, make sure things keep running smoothly. It's the least I can do while I wait." He said turning back around, "Just...come back in one piece Shimmer." He paused stepping forward, "Both of you, come home in one piece."

Shimmer nodded with a smile, "I can't make any promises other than that I will try." She turned to face Glimmerlight, "I'll gather my things and set out with Rocket momentarily." She turned to head for the door when it opened. Rocket stood in the doorway, her gaze down at the floor. She sighed as she lifted her head and spoke.

"I wanted to say that I'm sorry for all this. I wanted to tell you for a long while but..." She began, but was abruptly cut off by Shimmer.

"You have nothing to apologize for Rocket. If anything, I owe you for saving my life. It it means keeping you alive by turning myself over, then it's no question to do the right thing." Shimmer said moving towards her, "And nopony will change my mind that I'm doing the right thing and you're nothing more than somepony caught up in a bad situation."

Rocket smiled, weakly but smiled none the less. Glimmerlight began to roll up the map as Shimmer turned to Zephyr, "We're heading out within the hour. I trust I'll see you again soon."

All their heads snapped towards Rocket as the red orb began to glow and flickered with each uttered word from the colt on the other end, "Mare, you ain't gonna see them again. You might as well just say your good-byes and be done with it." Rocket's ears drooped at the scowls being sent in her direction. She knew that they weren't AT her but at the collar on her but it still bothered her. She slumped to her rear and sighed as the voice continued, "And I'm not so stupid as to not think that you're not planning something either. I know you're working with the CPR and those annoying little cunts can't do jack-shit to me."

Glimmerlight huffed in annoyance, "So says you. We're not so down and out as much as you think."

"I don't give a rats ass if you're the damn Goddess of Sun. Just know if you fucking try anything, I'll blast you all to to Yakyakistan. I ain't got any kinda mind to tolerate any of you." The colt voice called out in a tone that was clearly 'holier than thou.' "So you're are damn lucky I'm even allowing you to even send these two back to me. If it was any other mare, I'd have detonated the damn collar ages ago."

Zephyr stepped forward towards Rocket, "We know you're a slaver, which one, that'll take some time to figure out. But when we DO find out, you're going to regret it buddy. So help me Goddesses, you'll regret it."

Rocket instantly went rigid as her pupils shrunk to minuscule sizes. She screeched in pain as the collar delivered a massive electric shock throughout her body. Her forehooves snapped instantly to her collar as she collapsed on the ground, her body jerking wildly as it reacted unwillingly to the onslaught of electricity. The laughter from the colt radiated about the room at an equal decibel to Rocket's screams.

Zephyr shouted loudly, "Alright that's enough damn it! She did nothing to you!"

Moments later Rocket inhaled deeply as the collar's assault ended. Zephyr knelt down and ran a hoof against her cheek and she simply nodded in reply, taking his hoof in hers a moment later as he helped her up. Shimmer and Glimmerlight held their frowns hard, biting their tongues despite wanting to lash out at the colt behind the collar.

"Let that be a small reminder that I'm pulling the strings here." And with that, the red light on the collar winked out. Rocket looked at them all sympathetically, their own expressions mimicking hers. She turned on her hooves and headed back outside. Shimmer and Glimmerlight looked towards each other, conveying the same thought on their faces. It was utterly unfair that anyone was locked into the kind of work that Shimmer was. Driven to do bad while desperately wanting to be free, anyone would feel bad for her. Zephyr however, couldn't contain his own thoughts.

"You know...when I get my hooves on that bastard, I'm going to beat him to a pulp." He said as a scowl began to creep up on his features.

Glimmerlight smirked, "Get in line. The slavers up here are ruthless."

Shimmer raised an eyebrow as she turned to face Glimmerlight, "They're that bad?"

"You have no idea." Glimmerlight replied as she used her magic to levitate a nearby canteen up to her lips, "The slavers pretty much run the outskirts area, even some of the inner city limits. This being said, they can't get in there completely with the other factions in the area. But it certainly doesn't stop them." She lifted the canteen to her lips as Zephyr moved for the door and out. Glimmerlight noticed and added with a sigh, "He's probably had his own run ins with the slavers. Hell, even the CPR have had skirmishes with them, as for actually winning them, well let's just say we've had mixed results."

Shimmer raised one of her eyebrows, "Mixed results? Care to clarify that?"

Glimmerlight lifted a hoof and ran it through her mane with a sigh, "Well...some of the slavers, they kind of use their slaves as cannon fodder. Those that manage to break through our lines and get close enough to swing a pipe, they would detonate the collars. Turn their most valued 'commodity' into suicide bombers." Shimmer replied simply with a sigh as she continued, "Yeah, these slavers can be pretty damn ruthless. Conventional combat doesn't mean much to them, hell I've even heard rumor that they've even gotten in bed with some Changelings."

"Changelings have always caused trouble, even before the war. Queen Chrysalis was always on the hunt for food for her kin." Shimmer replied, "I can remember the first time the Ministry Mares fought against her. She had assumed the identity of Princess Cadence and tried to trick Captain Shining Armor into marrying her for control of the Crystal Empire. Thankfully Twilight Sparkle managed to show up in time with the real Princess Cadence and foiled her plans with the other Ministry Mares. Chrysalis vowed to one day return and overthrow Cadence and Shining Armor."

"Did she ever make good on her threat? The history records of the Crystal Empire are pretty sketchy after the Mega-spells hit." Glimmerlight replied, "One of the first places that was raided was the Library. When you live in the north where the winters can be harsh, it makes sense that paper would be one of the more popular commodity to be targeted."

"Well, when the war began, the Crystal Empire managed to stay out of the war, mostly." Shimmer began as she moved towards the window, once again gazing at the Crystal Castle. "Cadence made it clear that the Empire wasn't going to get into the war actively but would happily act as a designated medical zone for injured ponies coming from the battlefield. Other than that, no combat was conducted between Pony and Zebra, in fact, Chrysalis wasn't stupid enough to take advantage of that. I mean, who wants to fight against an enemy on two fronts?"

"Two fronts?"

Shimmer nodded, "When Chrysalis was defeated originally she retreated to the eastern border of the the Zebra lands. When the war broke out, she somehow convinced the Zebras to leave her and her kin alone. One of the few pieces of actual intelligence Pinkie Pie managed to bring in. The agreement was that if the Changelings left them alone, they'd leave the Changelings alone."

Glimmerlight nodded, "I see. And if the Changelings attacked the Empire, they'd be risking open war between the Ponies and Zebras." She chuckled, "It's almost a pity they didn't attack. The whole Mega-spell Incident may have been avoided."

Shimmer shrugged, "I can't agree or disagree there, I was too busy patching up those coming from the battlefield. The Zebras fought us tooth and hoof but despite all that, they never once made any kind of aggressive moves towards the Empire. I guess they at least respected us for healing and returning injured Zebras to their homes. Then again, I wasn't in the Ministry of Morale, I worked for the Ministry of Peace, so I obviously can't help but assume."

"Well I can tell you this. After those Mega-spells hit, they came back." Glimmerlight replied as she moved towards the window, "Nopony really knows when, but it was sometime in the last one hundred years. The CPR was just getting it's roots started when we got reports of disappearances in a few towns just outside the City." She looked outwards towards the sun which was just barely rising. "Originally the CPR chalked it up to Slavers and Raiders, which was the typical reason for people disappearing back then. But it wasn't until one of our own was swapped that we realized the threat the Changelings were."

Shimmer averted her gaze as she turned to face Glimmerlight, "What happened?"

"The Changeling assassinated three of our highest ranking members at the time. Threw the whole CPR into chaos for a few weeks before we realized what had happened." She said with a shrug, "When it was all said and done, the three impersonators were killed in a final confrontation. And when a Changeling is killed it reverts back to it's original form. It was then we started taking the Changeling threat much more seriously. Twenty years ago it got really bad. One of the popular scavenging spots now, we call it 'The Zone,' highly radioactive, used to be a gathering spot for ponies wanting to be part of the CPR. One of the Changelings assumed the form of one of the ponies trying to join us, turns out the damn thing was packing explosives. The resulting explosion was amplified by a factor of ten, you could seek the smoke rising for MILES and the area became extremely radioactive as a result, I'm gonna guess it was because of what was in the building."

Shimmer shook her head with an exasperated sigh, "I can't believe the world has gotten so bad." She turned away from the window and moved towards the opposite side of the room. She pushed open a small crate and reached inside, drawing out her saddle-bags and donning them. "Two hundred years and ponies still haven't figured out a way to go back to what they were. You'd think a drawn out fight would've snapped some kind of light on in their heads."

Glimmerlight shrugged, "Even if they have, I imagine it'd only be a matter of time before somepony decided they didn't like another pony and it'd all happen all over again."

Shimmer slammed the crate closed, "You'll forgive me if I'm skeptical on that rather grim analysis."

"We can only try to do our best to make tomorrow better."

She sighed, turning towards the doorway, "That's all I want to do. And it starts with getting that collar off of Rocket's neck." She paused when she heard Glimmerlight giggling, "I fail to see the joke."

"I was actually thinking about what you three have already done." Glimmerlight replied giving Shimmer a small nudge, moving her out of the building. She found herself then looking at a very confused Shimmer, "Well take a look around you. This place used to be Raider territory, you three took care of that. Then there's the nearby clinic, you unlocked a treasure trove of medical supplies for them. The Raider Camp that you liberated half the ponies here from. Oh! And don't forget you saved my sorry ass from a Raider ambush. And now you're about to be off once again to save your friend despite knowing she was originally going to turn you over to a slaver the first chance she got."

Shimmer smiled, "I appreciate the praise, but I only did what was right. Anypony else would've done the same."

Glimmerlight shook her head, "You sell yourself too short Shimmer and you're wrong." She pointed a hoof in a semicircle, "The rest of the Wasteland would've turned a blind eye to the Raiders, steered clear of them, but you? You charged head long into them. You're a damn hero in my book for that. Just look at these ponies." She said then pointing at a pair of ponies that were working on one of the homes. "Two weeks ago they were busy worrying if they were going to be killed; now they're building homes. And it's because you refused to let anypony be taken advantage of in fear. It's why the CPR and myself will back your decisions. You actually care about what goes on out here."

Shimmer smiled, "Nopony deserves to be taken advantage of. Nopony deserves to be alone." She looked up at Rocket who sat on the porch to her old house. Her ears drooped and her eyes to the ground as she sat alone. She moved forward, her hooves crunching leaves with each step, "Rocket, you ready?"

Rocket's head snapped up as she nodded, "As ready as anypony can be." She pushed off her rear and descended the stairs, "Shimmer, I...I'm...so sorry. I never wanted..."

Shimmer placed a hoof on her left shoulder, "We're rarely ever given what we want. I forgive you. Let's just do this thing and move on." Rocket replied silently with a nod but continued to avert her gaze. Shimmer shook her head and adjusted her hoof to hook around the back of Rocket's neck. She pulled her forward and wrapped both of her forelegs around her neck, embracing her tightly, "We'll do this together, I promise."

Rocket tensed for a moment and then relaxed, allowing herself to soften in her embrace, placing a single foreleg around her, "Thanks Shimmer." She smiled a moment later and gave Shimmer a gentle push back, "That's enough of the emotional stuff, let's get this show on the road yeah?" Shimmer giggled a moment later, despite knowing Rocket was putting on a face for everyone.