Fallout Equestira: Ghosts

Chapters

Prologue
Chapter 1 The End
Chapter 3: Friends?
Chapter 2 :The New World

Prologue

Lightning Shadow flew at the front of a formation of Equestrian soldiers speeding north-west. Two of his Pegasi subordinates pulled chariots full of Unicorn and Earthpony soldiers. The call said that the Talons nearby may be under attack. He didn’t like the idea of Zebra’s attacking here. There wasn’t a reason for it, nothing other than the minor military outpost he was in command of was worth the enemies attentions. He could see the smoke rising from the Talon encampment up ahead. Lightning signaled for his troops to land. They’d approach on hoof from here.
“Sir, we need to have somepony fly over for recon.” a Lt. said, Lightning looked at him and said in a hushed voice.
“Lieutenant, that is what the enemy would be expecting. We keep the element of surprise, assuming you don’t give our position away. I want silence from now ‘til we figure out what’s going on here” with that they split into three groups, one moving in from the south, west, and east. Lightning himself lead the southern approach. He immediately noticed something was off. There were muskets and flintlock pistols laying all over the ground, new weapons of war that were growing in popularity fast. He prefers his blades, silent and no need to worry about misfires or reload times.

He was far more disturbed by the bodies littering the encampment, all of them Griffons, all of them from Rose’s Talons, the company stationed here.

“Son of Nightmare Moon…..there wasn’t an attack, this was in-fighting…..look for any survivors!” Lightings voice raised from a shocked whisper to a commanding bark. They broke formation and all started searching. Lightning headed for the commanders home, she’d have the most reliable info on the situation. As he approached the door he felt his stomach drop. The door was kicked in, he heard two of his soldiers talking from inside.
“Celestia’s mercy... The kid did that to him?”
“That’s what he said. Apparently after they killed the kids parents he just went savage on him. I say we put that thing down and save ourselves the risk.”
Lightning stepped in to the room.

“No pony’s putting anyone down! Especially not a child!” he glared at the two soldiers. They were standing over a badly wounded Griffon. At the far side of the room another Griffon, much younger, was crying and clinging to the lifeless body of Commander Rose. The snow white Griffon’s corpse was stained from her neck all the way down her chest with fresh blood. The charcoal grey Griffon cub, maybe 5 years old, 6 at most, was sobbing into her side.

“You two get him out of here!” Lighting pointed at the wounded Griffon, glaring as they hurried to follow his orders. When the room was clear he turned to the child, heart heavy, and stepped closer.

“I… I’m so sorry, we weren’t fast enough this time, I can’t undo what’s been done here, but… you’re not alone. You can come live with me.” He spoke softly while crouching down to the cub’s level, hoof half held out to him.

The cub growled wheeling on him “I DON’T WANT TO LIVE WITH YOU! I WANT MY MOM AND DAD BACK!” He charged Lightning, who grabbed the kid and hugged him close wincing slightly as the cub clawed at him. He slowly stopped struggling and started to cry again. Lightning hugged him tighter and sighed.
“I know….I know you want them back, and that I can’t replace them. I'm not trying to kiddo, but you don’t have to be alone. Let me help you, please.” he continued to hold the crying cub.

“Can you tell me your name? Im Lightning Shadow.”
“O..Obsidian Shield,” the cub frowned as Lightning picked him up and took him outside. Medics had arrived to aid the wounded, “......I’ll never care about anyone again.”

“That’s the wrong way to look at this. Don’t vow to never care again, vow to never let this happen to those you care about again. It’s better to care about others than to become what they expect you to be. Come with me and let me help you become strong enough to protect those who need it.” Lightning looked into the young Griffon’s eyes.

“It hurts…” Obsidian whispers.

“It will hurt for a long time, maybe always, but you are strong enough to survive this. I promise.”
“I… ok… ok.” Obsidian nodded and wiped the tears from his eyes. Lighting smiled slightly as he set the cub down. Obsidian immediately leaned into his legs “that’s it. You’re a tough little guy, together we’ll get you through this.”

Author's Note

Hey all. this is my first time actually publishing my works. this is an unedited story, I couldn't find editors, Ive been working on this story a while on and off, life tends to get in the way, constructive feed back is more than welcome, key word, CONSTRUCTIVE. Other wise please enjoy. :twilightblush:

Chapter 1 The End

CHAPTER 1: THE END

As he sat in his perch the young charcoal grey and black griffon grumbled and sighed. He put two claws to his earpiece and pressed the talk button, “Command, this is Stone Wall. Remind me, why do I have to be in THIS spot? Couldn’t I have perched in that building next door?”

“Stone Wall this is command. As we’ve said, that building doesn’t have a clear line of sight on the target.” The unicorn on the other end of the com line said with the barest hint of annoyance. Stone Wall, call sign of Obsidian Shield, sighed and rumbled to himself.

“Then why couldn’t Flash do this? He wouldn’t mind hiding under a giant skirt….” Obsidian was currently sitting on a billboard in New Phoenix, a town that had grown into its own during the ongoing war between Equestria and the Zebra Nation. The billboard was advertising a Gentlestallion’s Club by the name of ‘Hidden Treasures’. The mare on the billboard was wearing a long flowing painted metal skirt, under which Obsidian was currently hiding. He looked through his scope at the building, scanning for unusual activity, his light blue eyes following the line of the sidewalk and building.

“Stone Wall this is command. Please keep the chatter to a minimum. But to answer your question, Flash would be too busy checking if the billboard was anatomically correct to give those MoM agents the cover they requested.” Obsidian just chuckled and nodded to himself. Flash would just be looking up the whole time.

A burst of gunfire sounds out from the building three blocks down the road. The one with the Ministry of Morale agents inside, things were kicking off. Obsidian put his eye to the sniper scope and started scanning for runners. His job on this op was to keep the ‘bad ponies’ inside the building until they could be arrested and to deter any bystanders from getting too curious. But honestly he knew that bystanders wouldn’t dare approach, not wanting to be caught up in a MoM raid.

As he scanned the exits a Zebra burst out with a device strapped to his back. Obsidian didn’t hesitate, his first shot struck the Zebra in the chest. The second in their forehead,

“Tango tried to run with something. Had to drop him, east exit.” As he spoke the gunfire stopped. One of the MoM agents came out the door and started inspecting the body.

“Good work, this is what Ms. Pie sent us here for. All other Tangos are secured. Stone Wall and Earth Watcher can disappear now. Don’t need you two getting caught up in the media that’s about to swarm this place.” Obsidian snorted a little, he knew what they meant, they didn’t want the rest of Equestria to know that a Griffon and even another Zebra had helped to stop a potential threat. He ruffled his feathers as he packed up his sniper and pulled a cloak around himself, hopping down onto a roof and then from there to the ally below. Here he waited until a smaller cloaked figure approached, without a word the two stepped out into the flow of the city, silently making their way towards the Ministry of Awesome hub at the edge of the city.

“Why don’t they trust us? We were both born here in Equestria. I feel no loyalty towards the Zebra Nation… in fact I really don’t like them for causing all of this.” Obsidian looked down at the little mare walking next to him. Her cloak and hood hid her stripes from the other pedestrians. He could tell by the way she was walking that the unicorn agents comment had bothered her too.

“Careful Star, I might have to use the ‘Adorable’ word if you keep wiggling your whole body like that.” Obsidian chuckled as she immediately stiffened. He knew she was red as a tomato under the hood of her cloak as they approached the small unassuming building that harbored so many secrets beneath it.

Star sat in front of her mirror, a slight frown on her face. She hatted how much she blushed at Obsidian’s little teases. She knew he only did it to get her to blush like that. He was very much like a big brother in that way. Always there to protect and comfort her when she needed it, but always ready with a light hearted jab. Never really hurting her feelings. She looked up at the mirror and realized she was chewing on her mane again, she immediately spat it out and sighed. She was always like this after a mission because somepony would always point out her heritage. As if she could forget what she was.

She looked into her reflections eyes, her eyes. The right one was a bright Sapphire blue, the left a deep Amber, Obsidian always said that he liked that her eyes were mismatched. He said it was like them, two orphans taken in by a nation that was at war with their ‘homelands’. She sighed as her stomach loudly reminded her it’d been about 12 hours since her last meal and it wasn’t happy at her. She stood up and left her room, heading for the chow hall as she started to absent mindedly chew the end of her mane again.

“You know I hear hair isn’t very nutritious but I know something that is.” Star spat her hair out and glared at the earth pony who said that, Flash. He was a notorious horn dog, sleeping with any mare he could get to fall for his stupid pickup lines. He was still in uniform for the moment as he walked up to her. “So what do ya say sweet cheeks, how about Flash gives you a tasty little snack?” He drawled, sneering down at her. She just smirked.

“Little is right. That tic tac of yours is barely a breath mint. I think I’ll stick to my hair for now, and the rest of time.” She said as she started walking again. Flash followed next to her, he glared at her.

“Why do you always gotta play hard to get? We both know The season is approaching, you’re gonna need a real stallion to get you through it. I’ll be that stallion, for you” his smirk was all she needed to know that this was just another trick of his. Star rolled her eyes.

“Not even if you were the last Stallion on this planet would you get under my tail Flash. Not that you’d be there long anyways, Daylight told me all about how you got your name.” Flash stopped in his tracks jaw practically on the floor.

“SHE’S LYING! IT WAS COLD AND I JUST GOT OUT OF THE SHOWER!!” he called after her as she entered the mess hall. Star giggled to herself. Daylight looked over at her with a raised eyebrow.

“Whose dick did you call small this time?” Daylight asked

“Told Flash you called his small. By the way did you really fall for one of his lines?” Star asked as she sat down next to her friend giving her a raised eyebrow back.

“…….I was drunk….very much so…..and he said it was his birthday…..” Daylight blushed bright red.

“Oh really? Just like it was with those three other mares last week?” Star smirked

“I said I was drunk right?” Star just laughed and patted her friends head before heading over to get some food. She passed Obsidian as he walked in talking with Dusk. She blushed a bit at the sight of the young unicorn. She had always found him attractive, but was too shy to mention it to him, and got the feeling that Obsidian didn’t like them getting close. But it’s not like Obsidian really had any say in her love life. Why should she care if he liked her coltfriend. But he was like an older brother, and they’d known each other since they were both children. They were both orphans and he was her best friend. She pushed aside her internal debate before it could spiral into madness. She grabbed her food and sat down by herself.

Obsidian looks over at Star as she plops down hard into a chair. She had her ‘I don’t like my brain’ look on her face again. Dusk was also looking at her, but his eyes, his eyes where those of a pony looking for nothing but sex.

“Ahem. As I was saying, I think that grey Pegasus in weather monitoring has the hots for you dude, you should go ask her out.” Obsidian cleared his throat pointedly. Dusk looked at him in annoyance.

“Why do you always do that? Whenever I even look at Star Gazer you bring up other mares. It’s like you’re cockblocking me without cockblocking me. What’s up with that? Are you and her, ya know... getting it on.” He wiggled his eyebrows at him. Obsidian squawked and took a step back.

“I…what…we…she’s like a little sister, we’ve known each other since we were like 5. I just don’t want her to get hurt.”

“so you think I’d hurt her?” Dusk smirked

“You’ve had 3 marefriends this month, and it’s only the 9th. You’re almost as bad as Flash, only he has trouble actually getting girls, point is that you’d end up hurting her and, I don’t want to see her get hurt.” Obsidian deadpanned. Dusk chuckled.

“She’s a big girl OS, she can choose for herself, it is almost THAT season. She’ll need help.” Obsidian glares at him.

“She’s 19, it’s not her first time going through Heat by herself.” A grin spread across Dusk’s face, one Obsidian was not going to let him finish his thought.

“You go near her at all this month and I’ll break your face.”Obsidian growls. Dusk just chuckles,

“I’m going to ask her, it’s up to her to say yes or no buddy. She’s 19 she can make her own choice” Obsidian glares at him. A part of his brain told him to destroy Dusk where he stood….but then he realized that he had no right to dictate Star’s love life. Dusk was right, she was a full grown mare. She was a 19-year-old. She could date a jackass if she wanted.

“Ok, fine, but if you break her heart I will rip yours out.” Obsidian left Dusk chuckling as he went to sit next to Star, She looked up as he approached.

“Hey Obsidian. What were you and Dusk talking about?” She wiped a bit of ketchup from her mouth as she smiled.

“You. Dusk has it in his head that you’d be interested in going out with him during your Heat season. I told him that you don’t need a stallion but, well you know how stallions are.” He shrugs and steals a piece of lettuce and eats it. She bops him on the forehead and giggles,

“Stop eating my food you goof, and who cares if he wants to ask me out he is pretty cute.” She tried to wave it off casually, but was blushing a bit to hard.

“Yeah well just so you know he’s a con stallion just like Flash, only he’s better at it.” He said as his ears twitched. She just looked at him and blinks. Obsidian shrugs and smiles.

“He is, shoulda seen the way he grinned when I mentioned that you spent your season’s alone.” Shakes his head and chuckles, “Horn. Dog.”

“You’re doing it again.” Star smirks.

“Sorry. I’m going to try not to butt into your love life anymore.” Obsidian smiles and ruffles her mane. Star giggled and swatted his hand away, giving him a ‘really?’ look. Obsidian sticks his tongue out at her. She bopped his beak, he scrunches up his face and smiles at her,

“What was that for?” He laughed.
“That was for being a goober you goober.”She cheerfully sang..
“Ok well I have to go and report in about our last mission. I’ll see ya later Star.” He stood up and gave her a quick hug and left the room. He wasn’t even half way out of the door before he heard Dusk hitting on Star. He had to fight the urge to go back in. He quickened his pace towards the office instead. As he approaches he hears the voice of Rainbow Dash, the Mare of the Ministry of Awesome. He knocks on the door three times, standing at attention. Rainbow opens the door and looks out at him, grey hairs throughout her rainbow mane, her rose eyes lock on Obsidian and she smirks.

“Hey Obsidian, you here for that race?” Obsidian chuckles.

“No Ma’am, I’m here to report about our last Joint Op with the Ministry of Morale.” He says as she lets him in.

“Oh yeah? Did you guys get the guy?” Rainbow asked as she sits on the desk in the room. The other Pegasus in the room was a black coated, dark blue maned stallion, General Lightning. Obsidian’s CO.

“Yes ma’am. But once again the MoM chased us away as soon as they could. They showed clear signs of not trusting Star Gazer or I.” Obsidian leaned against the door, both Rainbow and Lightning were known for being laid back.

“Sorry about that, but hey, you caught the guy. That’s good. I, uh, actually came here to give you and Star a combat assignment, the Hoofinton Front needs additional support and we were requested. You two are some of our best, so I need you two out there for about a month and a half. By then you guys will get some well earned time off.” Rainbow said as she adjusted her uniform a bit. “I’ll be out there too so you’ll see a lot more of me.”

Star walked amongst the other Zebra’s, she tried not to act nervous, she had to make them believe she was from the Homeland. “calm down, you’re chewing on your mane again. You’re almost there. Just a little further, I’m right here watching over you. Deep breaths.” Obsidian said over the radio. She took a deep breath and let it out. It’d been a month since they’d started doing counter ops here in Hoofington, she’d done this multiple times, and with each one she felt like she was that much closer to getting caught.

As she walked into the command tent, she could already tell that something was wrong, it was too dark, the table that was supposed to be in the center was too far to the right, not to mention that there were three other fully armed Zebras in there, guns up, aiming at the tent entrance. She immediately stepped back out and turned around. Several other Zebras had guns aimed at her. This was it, she’d been made.

“You have betrayed your people! You fight for Nightmare Moon and the Stars! You are a Pryditor. What have you to say for yourself Star worshiper?” the command Zebra says as he walked out of the tent.

“I owe you NO loyalty! I was born in Equestria. Your war killed my parents and orphaned me and my best friend! Princess Luna is no Nightmare Moon, you are mistaken.” She snarls in rage an defiance, standing tall, closes her eyes as she waits for the hail of bullets to strike her. Instead she felt a pair of talons grip her by the waist and hoist her into the air, opening her eyes she saw Obsidian’s wings beating, carrying them higher. The sound of a high powered rifle firing cuts through the moment. She feels the round just missing her head before it rips into Obsidians left breast. The world slows almost to a stop before they begin to fall. His blood falling on her back and neck.

The ground came up too fast, they crashed violently. Star could feel her leg snap under her own weight. As she looked up multiple squads of Zebra ran towards her, that’s when she heard the roar. The zebra who were charging them stopped in their tracks. The sound of a Hand Cannon firing sounds, then again, and again. Obsidian steps over her. He walks into the crowd of zebra commando’s, stepping and turning with each pull of the trigger. He wasn’t fighting so much as he was gliding through the battlefield like a ghost, or a harbinger of death. She caught a glimpse of his eyes, they weren’t the normal caring, happy eyes she was used to, these eyes were full of anger and vengeance.

Soon the Zebras started to retreat, some literally throwing their weapons down and running. As Obsidian came to a stop, there were no Zebra left unharmed. Obsidian was standing on his hind legs panting, he then collapsed.

“OBSIDIAN!!!” she tried to run towards him, collapsing painfully after putting pressure on her broken leg. “This is Earth Watcher; Stone Wall is down!! We need a medevac right now! He’s dying!!” she yelled over the radio.

She crawled towards where Obsidian lay still as the grave, his black coat wet with blood. Star was panicking thinking that her best friend, and the closest thing she had to family was dead because of her slip up. She didn’t even notice the Pegasi landing around her as she desperately tried to stop the bleeding. It wasn’t until the soft voice of the Mare of the Ministry of Peace snapped her out of it that Star realized help had arrived.

“Um, excuse me, miss Star? We…we need you to move so we can help him. If you could please step aside, we can save him.” Fluttershy said as she quickly trotted over to them, three of four unicorns in MoP uniforms following her. Star teared up sniffing, not letting pressure off Obsidian’s wound.
“Please….save him…..” she pleads as Fluttershy lead her away limping on her three good legs. The Unicorns take over, beginning to heal Obsidian. Three more Pegasi in power armor landed nearby.
“Miss Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash has asked us to escort Earth Watcher back to HQ for a debriefing.” The lead Pegasus said as he stepped forwards. Star motioned to move over to him when Fluttershy spoke up.

“No. she’s broken her leg, she shouldn’t even be walking right now. She has to come with me.” Star was surprised at the authority in her voice, it also made her realize how much her leg hurt right now. She sat down and looked away, chewing on her mane. She didn’t hear their conversation, all she could hear was the voices of the medics working on Obsidian, and the scornful voices of others, reminding her that it was her fault that he was dying.

“STAR?” Fluttershy’s call snapped her out of it. She looked over at Fluttershy, and noticed almost all eyes were on her. Star immediately shied back and looks down.

“It’s not your fault, but we should get moving. Obsidian needs to get to the hospital right away” Star just nodded and limped over to the medical transport.

Meanwhile, somewhere in New Phoenix, a MAw experiment bore fruit, unfortunately under some very unusual circumstances. Lightning Shadow walked down the hall towards an underground lab. One of the Ministry’s latest projects had come to fetch him, informing him of the situation as they went.

“279, tell me again what’s going on.” Lightning looked at his companion, who, at that moment, looked exactly like Rainbow Dash.

“A scientist has gone rogue and forced the Professor to perform the AI creation protocol……on himself. He used his pet project, TX-175, as the recipient and it activated a ghost protocol that signaled me that something was wrong.” TX-279 is an AI enhanced Synthetic Soldier, the brain child of Professor Everfrost. Lightning sighed and shook his head.

“Feign ignorance of the intruder, act as though we’re upset with Everfree……and hope he fixed the process….”

The lights were blindingly bright and everypony’s voices were muted, like he was underwater. As he regained his sight, he noticed a Eyes Forward Sparkle, it was a bit more advanced that a standard EFS. This one had a motion tracker as well as the standard compass that marked targets. He began to notice a blue tint to his vision. It wasn’t fading. Text started to scrawl across his vision.

TX-175 ONLINE
WEAPONS: OFFLINE
REPAIR TALISMAN: ONLINE
SYNTHETIC NERVOUS SYSTEM: ONLINE
SYNTHETIC CIRCULATORY SYSTEM: ONLINE
SYNTHETIC MUSCULATURE: ONLINE
AI MATRIX: ONLINE

“What? What’s all of this? Where am I? what’s going on?” His voice came out sounding wrong somehow, almost electronic. Ponies in lab coats where looking at him, some of them smiling others with neutral expressions. One stepped forwards, grinning.

“Hello. Your name is TX-175, you are a Synthetic Soldier, a cybernetic Pony built to replace our colts and fillies out on the battlefield. But you are special, we’ve given you something only 14 of your fellows have. Artificial Intelligence. You represent something... perfect.”

A mare in a military uniform walked in with a serious look on her face. TX’s EFS identified her as Mare of the Ministry of Awesome, Rainbow Dash. She did not look pleased, and neither did her escort, a stallion by the name of Lightning Shadow. Marked as a General in the Equestrian Air Force and an level 1 MAw operator. He approached TX with a frown.

“I’m so sorry…..you must be so confused right now. I wish that we could help you….” Lightning said with a sad look in his eyes. TX didn’t understand, what did he mean about helping him, what was going on? And why couldn’t he move anything from his neck down?

“Sir why are you sorry? I’m artificial, I’m an imitation of life, nothing more. Or at least that’s what I’ve been lead to believe.” TX tilted his head, it was then he noticed the pony laying still as the grave under a sheet nearby, Lightning looks over at him as well then back at TX.

“TX-175…. that WAS Professor Everfrost. Your creator….and the stallion who died to form your AI matrix. You don’t remember anything before you woke up?” Now it was Lightning’s turn to look confused. Rainbow Dash looked over at Lighting. TX shook his head. Lightning sighed,
“He must have fixed that part, too bad he couldn’t fix the whole, ’subject dies in the process’ part.” TX looked around as others nodded in agreement. Text scrolled across his vision again.

ALL MOTOR FUNCTIONS COMING ONLINE
WEAPONS SYSTEMS: ONLINE
NEW ORDERS RECEIVED: TERMINATE GENERAL LIGHTNING SHADOW
NEW ORDERS RECEIVED: TERMINATE MAw MINISTRY MARE RAINBOW DASH
ALL OTHER DIRECTIVES OVERWRITTEN.

“Somepony just gave me orders to kill you and Rainbow Dash. They had the authority to overwrite all other Directives.” TX stepped off the platform he’d been standing on, he felt as several cables disconnected. He looked towards the stallion who’d first talked to him, the stallion was glaring at him from the terminal he’d been standing at. Lightning was glaring at the stallion as well.
“That why you made him do it isn’t it? You wanted his override codes so you could turn his creations against us.” Lightning adjusted his wings, spreading them just slightly. TX suddenly could see the red outlines of at least a dozen knives hidden in his feathers, two more blades in his uniform cuffs, as well as the combat knife strapped to his chest. TX was impressed by the amount of hardware he had on him.
The scientist smirked, pulling a talisman off his neck. His face morphs from an older pony into a young Zebra, the crazed look in his eye stays the same. Panels on TX’s sides open, a mini gun and a rocket launcher sliding out as an aiming reticle formed in the center of his vision then centered on the hostile Zebra. Just then three heavily armored Synthetic Soldier walked in welding similar guns as TX. His EFS identified them as TX-104 TX-156 and TX-112, and they were coming up as hostile. The Zebra smirks,

“175 wasn’t the only one I sent those orders to.” He reached for his cloak, as he did Lightning flicked his wing, sending half a dozen knives into the Zebra, one sinking deep into his neck.

The three hostile Synthetic Soldiers opened fire. TX immediately stepped in front of Lightning shadow, his armor taking the rounds.

“Sir we need to get you and Rainbow Dash either in armor or out of here.” Just then a round hit Rainbow Dash in the chest. As she stumbled she started to glow green. The green light dispersed and a synthetic soldier with far less armor that TX was left standing there, he looked up as he ducked for cover. TX’s EFS identified him as TX-279. He pulls a high powered pistol out and starts returning fire.

“Oi new guy, get Lightning outta here, I’ll hold the dumb dumbs off.” 279 called as he kept firing. Lightning shook his head.

“Get me to that control counsel and I can shut them down!” TX nodded and turned, putting his guns away, and charges his fellow 100 series synthetic’s. He tackles 112, the closest, into the other two. Lightning runs for the counsel and starts typing away. The three rogue units quickly powered down. TX stood and looked over as 279 walked over.

“So, you’re the newest AI enabled TX? Oh shit. Um, you uh, your left eye plate is cracked….” 279 pointed at his own eye as he winced, TX noticed that the ‘200 series’ was far more pony esc. His armor was thickest around his chest and hips and shoulders. The rest was more of a grey synthetic skin. Suddenly a file popped up in TX’s vision next to 279. It was a file telling him everything he needed to know about the TX-200 series of Synthetic Soldiers. TX decided that he preferred the term Cybernetic Equestrian.
“So your Changeling talisman allows you to take the form of ponies. That’s how you trick my sensors into thinking you were the Ministry Mare. Clever, but it seems your repair talisman took a hit for it, you can’t repair yourselves as fast.” He said as he looked through the file. This caused 279 to chuckle.

“Yeah but I can cloak and turn into ponies, you’re just a walking tank.” 279 smirked.

“He’s an assault class, you’re recon. 279 if you need your repair talisman you’re doing your job wrong. If 175 needs his, he’s doing his job right.” Lightning smirked “Why do you think that zebra used 100’s and not 200’s.” 279 frowned and stuck his tongue out.

Star sat in the sky ambulance, her eyes still locked on Obsidians still form. The monitor on him was beeping steadily. The Unicorn across from her was holding up a blood pack attached to an IV. Her own leg had been wrapped in a cast, and they were now being transferred back to New Phoenix. She sighed and looked at the blood-soaked bandage wrapped around Obsidian’s chest. He hadn’t woken since the battlefield; he’d stabilized enough for the trip but he still hadn’t woken up. Why hadn’t he woken up? She chewed on her mane watching as Obsidian’s chest rose and fell with his breathing.

“Why hasn’t he woken up?” she muttered as she looked up at the Unicorn. He looked over at her with a calm smile.

“Sometimes it can take up to three or four days for someone to wake after this kinda trauma, but you shouldn’t beat yourself up over this. If he’s as great a guy as you’ve described he wouldn’t want you to get hung up on him.” The stallion smiled kindly. She wondered why was he being so nice to her, she was a Zebra, sure she was equestrian born but still.

“Ggguuuuhhhhh stahp hitt’n on mah sister. Ah ain’t dead yet.” Obsidian groaned, one eye opening a crack. Star was immediately at his side. She couldn’t even register what she was saying. It was something along the lines of ‘I’m so sorry I almost got you killed Obsidian, pleases don’t hate me.’ He looked up at her and smiled a little, “Star yer mah sister, ah could never hate ya.” He pulls her into a gentle hug, “yer the closest thing ah gotta family, I’ll always be there for you Star.”

She squeaked and hugged him back. She tries to not tear up again as she buries her face in his neck feathers. The medic stallion coughs,

“Um, well maybe you shouldn’t be hugging him with a chest wound”

“I was just gonna say yer getting a little tight there Star….” Obsidian grunts. Star backed off and blushes deeply

“Sorry…but um, why is he talking like that?” She sat back.

“Oh that’s the pain medication he’s on right now. It also is why he’ll be speaking his mind for the next few hours or so.” The medic chuckled a little, clearly amused by the idea. Obsidian stuck his tongue out at him. Star giggles and smiles whipping her eyes as it started raining outside. Obsidian looks over at her and smiles.

“You have a cute smile. You are going to make a very lucky stallion happy when I stop being so dang overprotective of you. You know what? I’m sorry. You probably would have a coltfriend if I wasn’t cockblocking every stallion I knew was hot on you…. I’m sorry about that.” Obsidian purred as he looked up at her smiling a little. Star sighed and sat down, too happy that he wasn’t dead to be upset at him for what he’d just admitted.

“...And I’m gonna pay for saying that later, and I deserve it. Wow! This shit is strong. I’mma go back ta sleep now cause I’m sleepy.” He closed his eyes and quickly falls asleep. Star sighed and pats his head.

“He’s not wrong about the paying for it latter thing…..” she smiles a little. The medic coughed a little and smiles

“Oh um so….well uh….ok um what were you gonna say earlier?”

“I was gonna ask if you wanted to get some coffee after you knew that your friend was ok. And I was going to ask your name” He smiles and chuckles.

“Oh, um sure, and my name is Star Gazer.” She smiled as the Ambulance landed on the roof of the Hospital in New Phoenix. The stallion smiles back at her.

“My name’s Reath, how about I pick you up in an hour?” Reath asked as he helped the others put Obsidian on a stretcher. Star just nodded a little as she got up and limped along following them to the room Obsidian would be staying in. She sat down as she watched them switch him over into the bed. She rubbed her cast a little, it was starting to itch and it was annoying her a bit. She looked up to see Obsidian had woken and was watching her.

“You think you’re itchy. I have a hole in my chest.” He smiled. He was purring so she smiled back, knowing that he never purred if he was mad, or even upset. He patted her uncast hoof still purring,

“You go have a drink with that guy, Imma gonna be a sleeping fer a while”

“You sure buddy? I could wait here with you.” Star smiled a little.

“Nah, you go you have fun. I don’t want to get in your way” Obsidian purred and smiled.

Star giggled and hugged him a little before heading out of the room. She squeaked as she bumped into Reath. He chuckled. “Oh Star, I was just coming to ask if you wanted to get that drink early?”

“I was actually just coming to find you, ask the same thing.” She blushed, smiling. Reath grinned and nodded, he led her to the door. She giggled, blushing deeply. This was the first real date she’d ever been on. She was giddy at the idea of being out on a date, an actual date. She couldn’t help but giggle again. Reath smiled at that as they approached a Coffee house. He turned down an alleyway just before the Coffee House. Star tilted her head as she followed him, a little confused about where there were going. Reath just smiled back at her.

“Don’t worry, you’ll like this place, it’s perfect.” Something in his voice had changed, Star was immediately on guard, she wasn’t sure if it was her training or the fact that she had always been paranoid, but something in the back of her mind told her that this date, her first ever, wasn’t going to be like the ones on TV. That’s when she picked up on the two ponies who’d just entered the alleyway, blocking her exit. Star’s eyes started scanning, two in the exit, three more on fire escapes, one pony per fire escape, three more dead ahead and she had to assume they had ponies inside the buildings. Reath stopped and sighed,

“Are you really so desperate that you’d follow a random Unicorn down an alley just for a date? That cat-bird had a good reason to be worried, you are so……not naïve…. stupid is a good word for it you Stripped Bitch.” He swung his hoof back to slap her.

Obsidian was walking through a hallway. He knew where this was and what lay waiting for him around that corner up ahead. He knew he’d see is father being gutted and his mother raped then gutted. He’d see the faceless Griffons standing over them grinning at him, small and weak and helpless. Then he’d wake up, in the hospital bed where he’d fallen asleep. He sighed, he hated this nightmare. He walked down the hall, but when he turned the corner, a new horror was waiting for him.

He was an adult. He could feel the fresh wound from his last mission in his chest. He was in an alley in New Phoenix. There were three dead ponies, killed in a brawl it looked like but what scared him, was what he saw in front of him, laying at his feet. It was Star, her coat covered in blood and other bodily fluid he didn’t even want to think about She was clearly dead, but the bastards were still there, still taking turns.
Obsidian roared as he woke up, physically lunging at the non-existent stallions His heart was racing almost fast enough to open his wound. He ripped the heart monitor off and pulled the IV tube from his arm He’d ignored a dream like that once, no way under Luna’s star filled night was he going to make that mistake again. He couldn’t lose another family. Not like that again, not to bastards like that.

He fell out of his bed and got to shaky feet as he stumbled for the door. A nurse yelped at seeing him on his feet, she said something to him but he didn’t hear her. Everything was a muffled murmur under the sound of his own heart racing. He ripped his hospital gown off as he made it outside. Three guards started towards him. He called out his service number and name, they kept coming towards him, so he took to the sky for a block. He had to find her, he had to find Star before it was too late. He knew something had been off about that guy, and not just the normal ‘he’s hitting on my sister’ off.

He saw a coffee house up ahead, check there, see if they’ve, wait, those stallions were a couple of the dead guys, and they’re blocking an alley……THERE!! Obsidian stumbled as he tried to run. The music of a MoM Spritebot stopped as the small robot turned to watch him. He’d explain it later, no time now, had to save Star.

As he approached one of the Stallions glared at him, the other smirked nastily.

“Nothing down here that concerns you yet bird butt” Obsidian just smashed his fist into the stallions face, grabbing him and throwing him at his companion before continuing down the alley. He could hear the fighting now, oh please oh please don’t be too late. He roared as he half ran half stumbled his way towards the brawl. That’s when he saw Star. She was still on her hooves, using her natural agility to stay out of the larger stallion’s hooves. They were not looking good.

Star was currently using the distraction he’d caused to kick two of them in a very tender place. She started running towards him as he felt the charge of the Spritebot’s stun gun go past his ear and hit one of the stallions. It was at this point that the remaining three ran. Star ran up to him and hugged him. He didn’t even care that he could feel the blood further staining his bandages.

He sighed deep, hugging her back. relief making his limbs weak. He’d managed to stop his nightmare from coming true again,

“HEY!! You dumb bird brain! What are you doing out here!? You’re not healed yet!” He looked at Star as she fussed. Forcing him to sit, she put pressure over his increasingly red bandages. he just chuckled and smiled.

“I…..I can’t exactly explain it but I knew you were in trouble. I had to get here as fast as I could.” Star just gave him a ‘shut up loopy’ look as he lay back and looked at the Spritebot. He could have sworn someone was looking back at him. Probably Pinkie Pie, he chuckled as he remembered the posters ‘Pinkie Pie is watching you… FOREVER!’ he could for once actually say he was glad she was watching out for them. She’d just saved them a lot of fighting that in his condition would have been… difficult.

“Hey Obsidian, how did you know Star was in trouble? My pinkie sense was telling me something was happening, but you seemed to know exactly where to go.” Pinkie Pie’s voice came over the spritbot’s radio. Obsidian chuckled a little, which hurt.

“The…the night my parents died, I had a nightmare that it would happen. I wrote it off as to many horror stories before bed then…. but later that night it happened, just like I had dreamt. In the hospital I had a dream I was walking into that alley, the stallion who was at the entrance was dead along with two others, the rest……. they’d killed star……I wasn’t going to ignore my dream again….” he could feel that Pinkie knew he wasn’t saying everything, but no way was he going to tell Star what those bastards had been planning for her. The Spritebot bobbed for a sec then Pinkie Pie giggled.
“Okie dokie lokie! You two keep up the good work! And Star? Go easy on him when you figure it out.” Then the Spritebot bobbed away playing its usual music. Star and Obsidian just sat there confused till the ambulance arrived.

It had been two months since the incident in the alley. Star knew Obsidian had never told her the full truth and frankly she didn’t care. She was just glad he’d recovered and was back at work. True to his word he wasn’t even getting in the way of stallions asking her out, all two of them. Dusk had made another pass at her as had Flash, but after her close call with Reath, who was now doing time in a MoM correctional facility, she was NOT eager to start dating. Besides the world was going to hell, now didn’t seem like the right time. Also she was still trying to figure out what Pinkie Pie had meant by ‘Go easy on him when you figure it out.’ She chewed her mane as she thought. Who was the him, what was she supposed to figure out? And why was Obsidian smirking like that. She spat her mane out and glared at him.

“What?” He chuckles,

“You know that you completely space out when you think? You haven’t even noticed the feather on your nose.” Star went cross-eyed finally seeing the midnight black feather balanced on her nose. How didn’t she notice him put that there? She then just looked at him. He had his goofy grin on. Star couldn’t help but giggle at how stupid he looked. He smirked, “and all I have to do is to be goofy to make you laugh.”
“Oh shut up Obsidian. Let’s just go to the meeting.” Star blushed and walked out Obsidian following her as he chuckles. Stupid Obsidian with his stupid cute chuckle and goofy smile and, she shakes her head hard. Obsidian raised his eyebrow. She blushed brighter, “Nothing shut up!”
“Hey, I didn’t say anything Blushy” he chuckled and patted her head. Star blushed deeper and storms down the hall. She could hear Obsidian chuckling as he followed her, “you’re wiggling again Star.” She stopped and stomped a little.

“Why, why, why, why are you always doing that? You called me your sister and then pick on me like that.” She frowned at him. He looks at her confused, then he frowned a little himself

“Star I’m sorry. I wasn’t trying to pick on you. You’re the closest thing to family I have. I didn’t mean to pick on you. I’m sorry. Next time something I do bugs you that much just tell me and I’ll stop.” He smiled and hugged her gently. Star blushes and hugs him back, noticing how soft his feathers were. She smiled a little and nuzzled into his chest. “Ahem, uh Star….we still need to go to the meeting, and you’re kinda snuggling me.”

“Oh really maybe I should do this then.” She rubs her face into his chest feathers. She heard him muffle a grunt of pain and felt the warmth and texture of fresh scar tissue against her muzzle. She froze.

“Star…. Star it’s ok. Please, it’s not your fault stop blaming yourself for this.” Obsidian moved her face away from the scar and looked her in the eye. “I got myself into that mess. It’s my fault, not yours” she just nodded a little and lightly hugged him. Obsidian picked her up and threw her across his back as she squeaks in surprise. She pouted as he carried her into the meeting room.

Star sighed and hoped off his back and punched him in the shoulder, smiling, The way he looked at her she knew he wasn’t buying her act. but luckily the meeting was starting right then. She sat down as Lightning started talking, the usual information about the ongoing war. She sighed a little.

“And now we have a special report from the Hoofington area. A zebra sniper reported that apparently, we’re using necromancy. Two months ago, he claims to have shot an Equestrian griffon in the heart, only to have him stand up and slaughter three squads of commandos. Quote, ‘dancing like a ghost of death he was untouchable, every round that was sent at him seemed to pass right through him, the griffon only fell again after every zebra was dead or too wounded to fight,’ end quote.” The general was visibly amused as he spoke. Star buried her face in her fetlocks.She didn’t like to remember that day. A wing draped over her.

“Old news boss! Give us something current.” Obsidian said from next to her. She peeked out at him and he gave her a little wink. She smiled back a little, now feeling bad about yelling at him in the hall. Lightning was chuckling at the front of the room.
“The ‘something current’ is we are going to milk this. We’re naming your new squad, Ghost Squadron. You’ll be issued new armor and weapons. Image wants to do some coverage of the ‘Ghost mercenaries’ as part of a scare campaign. So, report here at 0400 tomorrow for cover stories.”
“Um, General Lightning sir? Don’t we need three to form a squad?” Star asked tilting her head.
“ Yes, yes you do which is why I’m adding Dusk AND Daybreak to your squad.” Lightning smiled, “and I told you not to call me by my rank. Or call me sir.”
“ Dusk? Why…why Dusk?” Obsidian asked. Star giggled, knowing that Obsidian still didn’t want Dusk anywhere near her.
“Because Image is going to want a unicorn in the group, you all know how Rarity can be.” Lightning rolled his eyes. Star blew a raspberry, she hated how much Rarity disliked Zebra’s, just because of their stripes.

“Yep that, that right there sums up most of our feelings about Image” everypony started laughing.

Obsidian bobbed his head to the music, headphones over his ears as he walked down the hall towards the armory. As he pased the showers he stopped in his tracks. Daybreaker, Star’s best friend and they’re new squadmate, was walking out of the shower, her mane draped around her shoulders, the light shimmered off her wet coat.

She looked up and gave him a coy smile, her eyes half lidded.

“Oh hey there Obsidian. I was ah, I was just freshening up a bit before we get our squad uniforms. Mmmm water’s perfect temp right now if you wanna hop in.” He felt his feathers ruffle up a bit as he blushed. His eyes wandering over the Earthpony’s slick coat, the firm muscles underneath, her strong legs that lead up to a firm round rear. And she was smirking at him and he immediately looked away.

“It’s ok to look. I actually wanted to ask if you wanted to get coffee later today. Just you and me?” Daybreak smiles walking past him, her tail running under his chin.

“Sure, we can ya know, practice our cover stories.” Obsidian smiled a little and straightened up, “maybe even add to em a little. Make them more believable?” He mentally slapped himself for that cheesy, cheesy line.

Daybreak smirked and kissed his cheek.

“Mmm sounds good to me big boy. See you at 1800” she kisses him on the beak before walking away, swaying her hips at him. He flapped his wings as his feathers ruffled up a little, and why did it sound like somepony was tapping their hoof behind him. His ears folded back as he turned around to see a very angry looking Star, tapping her hoof.

“So um… why…why were you kissing my friend? Our new squadmate!? And you’re going out with her? Why!?” Star started to squeak at him stomping in place. He blinked backing up away from her.

“Star….in case you didn’t notice. She was hitting on me….” He blushed and backs into a wall.
“And you couldn’t take your eyes of her…her… ass! You were looking at her butt. And then you let her kiss you like that and that pick up line you tried just, just UGH!” She stormed off to the Armory. Obsidian blinked and looked around.
“What…what just happened?” Obsidian asked no one in particular. Dusk walked over eating a bowl of cereal.
“You know, if I didn’t know better I’d say Star doesn’t like her ‘big brother’ going out with her best friend, why do you think I never made a move on Daybreak, she’s got a great ass.” Dusk chuckled. “never go for the best friend”
“She ambushed me! She stepped out of the shower right as I was walking by! Like perfect timing there’s no way it was an accident….and she just…. she was literally asking me to look!!” Obsidian called out as Dusk walked away.

He sighed and sat down hard. Why did Star react like that? She had never acted like that about any of his previous marefriends…..ok marefriend, singular. Wow he felt pathetic now. He decided right then that he was going to definitely go on this date. He owed it to himself to at least give it a chance, and who knows he might even get lucky. Oh god now he sounded like Dusk.
He stood up and walked to the armory. Star glared at him, Dusk smirked and Daybreak winked at him smiling a little. He felt his feathers fluff up a bit. Star scoffed and looked back at the supply officer. Obsidian sighed a little, Daybreak walked over and rubbed his shoulder, “she’ll warm up to us.”

“All right, time to get you guys geared up.” The supply officer smiled. She started passing out armor and weapons. The armor was some form of riot control armor with a black trench coat over it, the helmet and chest armor were a charcoal grey.

“Is there a reason the armor matches my coloration.” Obsidian asked raising an eyebrow. The Supply officer grinned.
“I thought it was fitting, you being the guy who basically kicked this Ghost Squad off and all.” She said. “and General Lightning promoted you to commander of it so, I thought why the heck not.”
Dusk blinks and looks at her.

“You’re joking, right? The catbird is supposed to be our commander? He’s a griffon! Equestrian’s will never accept him. Our commander should be someone that will be accepted and respected, somepony like oh say, myself? Perhaps.” Obsidian couldn’t help but to facepalm, he couldn’t believe Dusk had just done that, he’d actually just played the ‘I’m a pony he’s a griffon’ card.
“And there went any chance you had of ever getting with me.” Obsidian’s head shot up and he stared at Star as she said that. She looked back at him, “I was only thinking of doing it to piss you off…”
“You were going to go out with Dusk just to piss me off? I thought you were smarter than that…..any guy woulda got me at least upset, you didn’t have to jump straight to the top of the asshole list. All the offence meant Dusk, you’re an asshole.”
“See he’s also petty and crude, he’s not the type to lead. Also Star, you’ll come around.” Dusk smirked and puffed out his chest. Daybreak laughed and sat down hard.

“ Dusk you are so full of yourself! You’re using his race to try to undermine him? You loser.” She smirked at the dejected stallion.

“Well anyways…” The supply officer coughs awkwardly and continues to hand out their equipment.

“This is top grade stuff. State of the art gear, your helmets come with night vision for stealth ops and night raids, as well as helmet cams that have about 2 months of memory. You’ll all have an EFS cause you’re all being issued military grade Pip Bucks. Each of you will also have specialized classes. Dusk you’re on assault, Star you’re the close quarters combat specialist, Daybreak is the spotter/backup sniper, Obsidian you’re the main Sniper.” Obsidian nodded, he was by far the best shot out of the four of them. He looked at Star, who was picking up a shotgun and examining it.

“I’m ok with that, so Shell Loader, want to get a drink?” All four of the others look at her like she’d just thrown them out the airlock of a submerged submarine.

“Sorry toots, but I like stallions, well, anything with a cock really.” The supply officer said as she rubbed the back of her neck. Dusk balked, clearly caught between turned on and insulted. Obsidian just sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose.

Star chewed her mane. “Why? Why him? Why’d you have to ask him!?”

“Isn’t that almost exactly what you said to Obsidian in the hall?” Daybreak giggled as she fixed her mane, “and I didn’t think you even liked him like that. You should have asked him out before.” Star squeaked and jumped to her hooves.
“WHATMAKESYOUTHINKILIKEHIMHE’SLIKEABROTHERTOMETHAT’SITNOTHINGMORE!!” She could feel her cheeks burning. Daybreak laughed and smirked.

“Well to be honest if this goes well, I might just fuck him a couple times then let him down easy.” Star glared at Daybreak, she couldn’t believe what she was hearing, Daybreak was just planning on using him for sex!? How dare she! Obsidian was a sweet caring guy, one of the few who wasn’t just after sex! Star blinked as she looked at the look Daybreak was giving her.

“Star….just tell me that you like him and I’ll call this whole date off, you’re my best friend.”
“I……ugh…..just don’t break his heart please?” Star’s ears drooped. Why was she acting like this? She just sighed and flopped onto the couch.

Obsidian checked his feathers quickly, making sure they were all straight. They were. He took a deep breath and stepped out of the door. He stopped in his tracks and blinked, Daybreak was standing in front of him, she looked stunning, and more than a little sexy.

“Hey there. You ready to get that drink and ‘work on our stories’?” she giggled.
“Yeah I’m ready. I would ask if you were but clearly you are.” He smiled and headed for the door. Daybreak walked right next to him, brushing up against his wing as they walked. He blushed and put his wing across her shoulders. She giggled.

“And here I thought I’d have to squirm under that wing” Daybreak said as she lightly nuzzled him. Obsidian smiled a little and blushed.
“Well you were bumping it so much I just figured you’d rather be under it.” He could feel his heart beat faster having her this close, but there was something at the back of his mind nagging him. He pushed it aside for now. He needed this. He needed to get out there and get his mind off work… even though he was going out with a work college. He didn’t notice Daybreak lead them to a Nightclub. (How had he not noticed the music?) He really needed to stop thinking to himself so darn loudly.

“So how about it lets get that drink” Daybreak giggled and leads him to the bar. Obsidian took a deep breath and ordered a whiskey on the rocks. Daybreak smirked and ordered the same. “mmmm taking your spotter out for drinks eh commander?” she giggled and winked at him.

“She’s the one who tried to seduce her commander by purposely stepping out of the shower in front of him.” He smirked. Daybreak blushed brightly.
“Y…you figured th..that out huh?” she bit her lip as their drinks were poured. Obsidian chuckled a little.
“Well I don’t walk quietly, you’d clearly long since rinsed out your shampoo, and you were standing by the door long enough to leave a large puddle” he smiled as he sipped his drink.
“When did you see all of that? You were staring right at my cutie mark the whole time…” she smirked at him. He laughed and smiled.
“I looked around after you walked off wiggling” Obsidian looked at her to see her reaction. She was just smirking at him. Her eyes said it all.

“Good to know you were still looking even as I walked away.” She giggled.
“W…well I uh….I’m, I am a guy. It’s only natural.” Obsidian blushed and downed his drink. Daybreak giggled and smiled. He sighed and ordered another drink. Daybreak finished her drink and pulled him out onto the dancefloor. Obsidian blushed as she started dancing rather exotically. Obsidian shuffled awkwardly in what he called ‘dancing’. A song came on, something about treating the night like you’d die young or something. It was by some Pegasus pop star. Why was he thinking about the music when he was “dancing” with a sexy mare. He shook his head and let himself loosen up. Starting to really get into it, he felt a smile cross his face. Before he knew it they were having another drink and then back on the dance floor.

Star sighed as she lay on her bed listening to a song that Obsidian had shown her. She smiled a little as the song came to an end. She walked over to the window and looked out. It had started raining. She loved the rain. It always made her smile. A good song on a rainy day, only thing missing was her friends. She sighed to herself. Why’d she get so jealous? She didn’t like either of them as more than friends but she just hated the Idea of Daybreak making a move on Obsidian, it just felt wrong. He was their commander now, but daybreak had asked before he’d been promoted. There was a knock on the door.

“Be right there!” She quickly turned off the music and opened the door. Daybreak was standing there looking disgruntled.
“He turned me down… I threw myself at him and he turned me down… because he felt bad about going on a date with his, and I quote, ‘Little sister’s best friend’” She flopped down onto the couch. Star just blinked.
“So you didn’t kiss him?” Star sat down next to her.
“Hm? Oh no we kissed, and he is a great kisser, didn’t think he would be with a beak but he was great.” She smiles then sighed “but when I took him to a hotel room he just froze up and he wouldn’t even enter the room… he apologized and left...” Star blinked and looked at Daybreak, who actually seemed upset about what had happened.

“Well…for what it’s worth I’m sorry you got rejected by a guy you liked so much.” She pet Daybreak’s mane a little. Another knock on the door right then. Star opened the door and couldn’t help but laugh as she saw Obsidian standing there.
“Hey, I couldn’t do it…. I couldn’t sleep with Daybreak, I just…. I just couldn’t stop thinking about how upset you where at the idea of me and her even dating. I mean we just had a couple drinks, enough that I actually kissed her but when she tried to get me in bed I had enough sense to say no and stumble my way here and I just noticed Daybreak beat me here……this just got awkward….” Daybreak had sat up and was staring at him.
“I see….so um….well….yeah this is very, very awkward……” Star started chewing her mane. They all stood there in silence. Daybreak stood up and walked next to Star.
“Ok you know what? Pick. Which one of us do you want to fuck? Come on big guy, you’ve got feelings for one of us. So tell us who are you gonna put your cock in?” She huffed and puffed her chest out a little, Star turned bright red and hid behind her mane. Why the heck would Daybreak involve her in this? Why would she ask Obsidian to…to…to…she couldn’t even bring herself to think the word. As she peeked out at Obsidian. His feathers were all puffed out, his cheek bright red as he backed up a bit.
“I..um…well….the thing is…….IMAVIRGINANDLEAVEINGNOWBYE!!” With that he bolted from the room. Daybreak and Star just blinked and then looked at eachother.
“Wait…..did…did he just say he still has his V-card? I almost took his virginity?” Daybreak blinked “wait isn’t he like 20?”
“Day… I’m 19 and still a virgin. It’s not that big a deal.” Star muttered from under her mane, Daybreak looked down at her wide eyed.
“Star… you’re jo…. oh goddesses you’re not joking are you…I’ll be right back” Daybreak left the room. Star sighed and flopped onto the couch. And now she’d told her friend that she was a virgin, and Obsidian had admitted his virginity to get out of a tough situation…….this was his fault. She wouldn’t have embarrassed herself if he’d have just slept with Daybreak this wouldn’t have happened! She rolled on her back and failed her legs in the air in annoyance. She reached over and turned the music back on. She smiled to herself as the, admittedly violent, music started up again. This song was about not leaving anyone behind. She giggled a little to herself. Obsidian would like this song, even if it was frowned on by the Ministry of Image. Suddenly Daybreak dragged Obsidian in by his ear.

“OK neither of you are leaving this room till you’ve both lost your Virginity.” Daybreak then left the room and slammed the door shut
“So….. I’m gonna fly out the window if you don’t mind? Nice choice in music by the way. Ok so uh how about we just don’t talk about this?” Obsidian said as he moved to the window with a smile.

“Talk about what? You going on a date with my best friend, then come over and admit you’re a virgin which twists my leg into me admitting I’m a virgin and now we’re locked in a room together. Nothing weird about that… why are you looking at me like that?” Star blinked as Obsidian stared at her with a raised eyebrow.

“Star, you do realize that you didn’t HAVE to mention that you’re a virgin, if anything that makes this situation is more YOUR fault than mine. Daybreak would probably still be stammering over my admission.” Star face hoofed. He was right. He smiled and gave her a hug before going out the window.

Obsidian groaned in pain. He was definitely hungover from the night before, and the meeting to work out cover stories hadn’t helped his headache. Now they were in full gear and heading out of the city just so they could come back and talk to a bunch of reporters, and that damn EFS was just always there!! It was so annoying! But so useful. Now Obsidian remembered why he only had a drink or two at a time.
“OK, from this point on Ghost Squad is a Mercenary band that’s sided with Equestria. Contact minimal while not on mission. Good luck you guys.” Flash opened the door to the tunnel. Obsidian was glad that the mask shielded his vision like sunglasses.
They moved out onto the highway and started back towards New Phoenix. A few Sky wagons where flying over head. The other pedestrians where giving the four of them a wide berth. Up ahead was a military checkpoint, here came the real test.

Goddesses he wished he wasn’t hungover! As they approached two soldiers in the new T-60 Steel Ranger armor stepped into the path, “Halt! Show us your Identification and permits for those weapons!”

“I’m Commander Stone Wall of the Ghost Squad mercenaries, we’ve been asked to come to New Phoenix to speak with a MoI representative. I have the paperwork in my jacket pocket. Don’t shoot me when I reach for it” Obsidian grumbled irritable. The soldiers nodded and he slowly pulled the paper’s from his coat. Just then an officer in Military Fatigues walked over.

“Sargent. I’ll take those.” The officer’s horn glowed and snatched the papers away from the Power armored soldier. He looked over them without really looking at them, this bastard already had his mind made up about them.

“Take them to the holding cell, confiscate their weapons and make sure someone has an eye on them at all times.” The smug stallion smirked as they were lead away.

Star sighed, she knew that this would happen. Obsidian was a griffin, there was no hiding it, so he was assumed to be the enemy and treated as such, and when she takes her helmet off they’ll be in real trouble. She sighed again and looked over at the door she was locked behind. She’d heard them talking to Daybreak and Dusk, now she was just waiting for them to talk to her or Obsidian. Just then the door opened and the Officer who had pulled them aside walked in. he smirked as he sat down in the chair across from her.

“Remove your helmet and mask. You’re friends already told me all about you and how you’re a Predator who refuses to paint her stripes red so she can act as a spy. Now, you’re going to tell me every weakness in the zebra legions front line. Because you may have those idiots fooled, but I know you’re spying for the other side you whore!” He grinned at her as he sat there staring.
“I was born right here in Equestria, I fight for Equestria and the only time I’ve worn a Zebra uniform was so that I could steal intel form them. Intel we immediately turned over to General Lightning Shadow.” She removed her helmet and looked him in the eye. “I'm just as Equestrian as you. I may look different than most but I still love this country just as much as any other citizen.”
“Well then, we’re doing this the hard way. Now last chance to tell me before I either fuck it out of you or beat it out of you, depending on how much your next response pisses me off.” The stallion said as he stood up. Star merly tapped on the mission recorder camera on the side of her helmet, which was aimed right at him.

“Threats of rape are a violation of the Military Code of Conduct for an officer of Equestria. This camera has a live feed to General Shadow.” She remained seated. The Officer’s eye twitched as he approached her. Just then the door opened and a very, VERY, pissed off looking Lightning Shadow stormed in.

“THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING!? YOU ARE A PATHETIC EXCUSE FOR AN OFFICER OF EQUESTRIA’S ARMY!!” Star squeaked and shrank back from him, the Officer looking ready to piss himself. Star had never seen Lightning like this there was pure hate in his eyes as he approached the officer.

“YOU ARE OFFICIALLY UNDER ARREST AND HEREBY STRIPPED OF ALL RANK AND PRIVILEGE! I DON’T CARE IF YOU THOUGHT SHE WAS AN ENEMY! YOU TREAT YOUR ENEMIES WITH RESPECT, SARGENT!!” The power armored soldier from earlier walks in

“Escourt the former commander to a holding cell!” the soldier nods and removes the officer from the room. As soon as they leave Lightning walks over to her. “Star…..I’m so sorry….”

“It’s fine sir, I’m use to it… I shouldn’t be but I am. There’s a reason I pinged you and not Obsidian….he would have ripped that guys throat out.” Her smile was forced, the stallion infront of her looked so much older suddenly. The grey in his mane and around his muzzle stood out so much more.
“I wanted to, so badly. I hate it when I see soldiers acting like that, especially to someone I hold so dear.” Lightning hugged Star and sighed. “This was a bad idea I never should have given it the go ahead.”

“You didn’t know that this would happen Sir.” Obsidian said from the doorway. He frowned. “But she’s right. Star’s a zebra and I’m a Griffin in a nation at war with our kind. These delays are inevitable.” Star nodded and put her helmet back on Lightning insisted on escorting them through the rest of the cheek points into New Phoenix, which actually helped them a lot.

Obsidian ran his fingers through his feathers. The MoI rep was supposed to be here any second. Lightning was in the next room talking to her. Obsidian wasn’t over his hangover yet and knew he’d probably botch something big time. Just then the door opened and in walked a beautiful unicorn mare, she was carrying a pen and notepad as well as a voice recorder. She set these on the table and, with a very forced smile, turned to Obsidian.

“Ok so you must be Mister Shield, the commander of the Ghost Mercs. Shall we get started?” Obsidian offered a soft smile,

“You don’t like Griffins do you? It’s ok I’m used to it, you don’t have to force yourself to smile.” He pulled a chair out for her before sitting down himself. She pulled a third chair over before sitting.
“Well thank you for noticing that I despise your kind. Now I assume that the Ghosts are a sub grouping of the far more well known Talon Mercs. Why don’t you wear their armor or emblem?” the mare asked turning on the recorder and readying her pen. Obsidian’s face hardened as his smile became a sneer.

“Because we have nothing to do with those money grabbing, good for nothing, low life, back stabbers. I will NEVER fly under that flag.” He closed his eyes and took a calming breath. “I started the Ghost Mercenary company as a way to honor my father, the late Commander Slate, one of the few Griffins to turn down the zebra’s offers and accept a contract with Equestria. After his death… Equestria accepted me. I owe this country every thing, so I started the Ghosts as a way to repay my home for taking in a child of the enemy.”

The reporter sat there, her face one of shock. “Oh, um ok. H… how did you choose your teammates?”
“That’s a good question, Star is like me, we grew up in the same orphanage. She wants to help Equestria win this war so things can start to be something like they were back before all the fighting. Daybreak is almost as gifted of a sniper as I am, which makes her the perfect spotter and she’s a good friend, she doesn’t care who I was born to. Dusk… if I’m honest I can’t for the life of me remember why I brought him on board.” Obsidian rubbed the bridge of his nose.
“I see. Now Daybreak told me that you and her where almost an item, would you mind elaborating for her?” The reporter smirked a bit.
Obsidian sighed and face palmed, “we went on ONE date, and at the end of it I told her that we wouldn’t work together, not to mention we’re teammates. Nothing happened. Next question please.”
“Fair enough. Now on to the event that brought your ragtag team of oddballs to the forefront of Equestrian news, you’re leaked mission.” She sat forward smiling. “I’d like to get your side of the events described by the zebra sniper.”

Obsidian absently rubbed his chest, his scar hurting a little remembering that day. “Star and I where gathering intel form zebra encampments for General Shadow. I was acting as her cover sniper, but I missed that one sniper… anyway they knew we were coming. Star was surrounded so I flew in to get her out of there. We were almost out when the sniper shot. He just missed her head… and my heart… she’s like a sister to me and she almost died that day cause I missed that one sniper… I’m such an idiot!” he hit the table, guilt spreading through him like a poison.
“It’s ok, just, please, keep going” the reporter said softly.
“I don’t remember crashing but when I opened my eyes Star’s leg was broken and she had hostiles closing in. My chest felt like a balefire egg had been set off inside of it, but I ignored it. I had to save her. Then everything just sort of slowed down. I stood up and started shooting anything that aimed at me… then I heard Star call out to me and… and then I woke up in the sky ambulance with Star looking at me.”
“Wow, that sounds, fantastic. Now you seemed very upset by the idea of someone you consider family getting hurt because of your actions, why is that?” the reporter asked
Obsidian sighed. “if it’s all the same I’d like to skip that question.”

Star sighed. She’d just finished her interview with the MoI reporter and it hadn’t ended a moment too soon. She hated interviews, they always made her so nervous. She just hopped that she hadn’t strayed from what everyone else was saying. There was a knock on the door just as she was starting to relax.

“Oh. C..come in.” she sat up straight as Lightning walked into the room with a soft smile.
“Hey, just wanted to check up on ya, make sure you feel ok after that interview.” He sat down and passed her a Sparkle Cola. She smiled a little and took a sip from the cool carrot-y beverage.
“I’m just nervous that I might have messed up, said the wrong thing or gave away something I wasn’t supposed to.” She sighed softly. “Can…..can I ask you something personal?”
Lightning looked at her curiously. “of course you can Star. You’re like a daughter to me, you can ask me anything.” He sat down next to her and smile.

“Why did you take me in? When I was little and you found me… why didn’t you turn away and pretend not to see me like the other soilders?” she sniffed. Memories of her life before Lightning had taken her in flooding her mind.

“Because I didn’t see the enemy. I saw a young filly who needed a family, who wanted to be loved like she deserved. But more than that, I saw myself at that age, alone and lost in this world, and to be completely honest, I knew that a certain griffin would always protect you, even after I die someday.” He drapped a wing over her shoulder and smiled. Star hugged him, the closest thing she’d had to a father since her parents were killed.

“Thank you…. thank you so much for everything….” She sighed and let go of the hug.

“Anytime kiddo, but for now I have to go. Obsidian has your current assignment, Good luck and see you soon” He ruffled her mane a little before he turned to leave. Star frowned lightly as she teared up a little, why did she feel as though she’d never see him again. She hugged him tightly.

“P…promise I’ll see you again….” She hide her face in his side. He returned the hug.
“I promise, nothing short of the end of the world will stop me from seeing you and Obsidian again.” He kissed her forehead, “but I really have to go now See-sea.” She blushed at the nickname he’d given her after she stuttered so hard when first meeting him “Bye bye for now” he gave her one last smile before leaving.

Guard duty. The assignment Lightning had given them before leaving was guard duty. Obsidian was sitting on the roof of a small guard shack as Star and Daybreak chatted inside it. Dusk had gone for a coffee run, meaning he had for the third time this week abandoned his post to go use his uniform to get under everytail he could. That article had come out two weeks ago, and the Ghost squad had become rather popular, thou more so Daybreak and Dusk. Star and Obsidian still were met with cautious curiosity.

Obsidian looked back at the gear shaped elevator in the ground behind them. One of Stable Tec’s newest Stables. He chuckled, Stable Tec was walking a very thin line with these. Luna HATED anything that suggested that she could possibly lose this stalemate of a war. Honestly it was only a matter of time before one side got tired and fired it’s megaspells, but he really wanted to be wrong on this one.

Just then there was a bright flash from the sky behind him. He shaded his eyes as he turned and looked into the distance. Where moments ago he’d seen Cloudsdale, now was a green sun for an instant before nothing but a hole in the clouds. The Bomb sirens started sounding from the city as a squad of power armor troops arrived.

“Prep the elevator!! The damned stripes just hit Cloudsdale!! We’ll make sure only those with passes get to the elevator. Birdbrain you better not try to undermine us on this one!” The leader said, Obsidian was already making sure the elevator was ready for use as Star and Daybreak got in position. He couldn’t believe it, this was actually happening, the bombs were falling and the world was ending.

The next few minutes where chaos, ponies being taken into the Stable, multiple flashes flared on the horizon, the skies clouded over as the pegusi begin a mass exodus to the sky. Obsidian pulled four passes out of his coat and gave one to Star and one to Daybreak. “Go, get down into the stable. I bought us all passes, now GO!” Without giving them time to argue he shoved them onto the elevator and hit the button, as the elevator started to descend, he looked up just in time to see a missle come out of the clouds, it was going to hit on the far side of the city. He jumped into the elevator hole just as he heard the explosion, a warm wind buzzed over head as he landed next to Star. He panted.

That was it. Everyone who wasn’t in a stable or one this elevator was almost guaranteed dead. Dusk, Lightning, everyone at the MAw, all gone, he could hear Star sobbing, he hugged her close as the elevator got to the bottom.

They stepped off the platform and were lead through a large gear shaped door marked ‘111’. Stable 111, one of the last ones to have been built before... this. They entered and were given Stable jumpsuits which they changed into, putting their clothes into lockers. They were lead to a cafeteria where they were served a decent dinner, but something was off, there was too much security, if this place was supposed to be home now, why did it feel like a prison?

After their meal they were lead to what they were told where decontamination chambers, but why did they have liquid nitrogen hooked up to them, and CO2 talismans? Then it hit him.

“These aren’t decon chambers, these are Cryo tubes! What’s going on here!?” he wheeled on the guards who all had guns on him now.

“Leave it to one of the MAw’s finest to figure it out, but I’ll have to ask you to step into the chamber now, though having data on a knowing but unwilling subject will be great for my study!” the overseer grinned. Something hit Obsidian in the back of the neck and the world went black.

Author's Note

Here is the first chapter, as always constructive critisium is apprecheated. :twilightsmile: thank you to everyone who reads my story.

Chapter 3: Friends?

--- Obsidian’s eyes snapped open. He sat up and looked around, he was alone. The room was pitch black, there was absolutely no noise. Obsidian didn’t like it. He groaned as he got up to find the door. As the door opened he saw a red sky, and a figure standing on a pile of dead bodies. The griffins wings spread and closed again, Obsidian felt himself shaking as he started seeing ponies and non ponies he knew in that pile, Lightning, Star, Daybreak, his parents, mixed in with the bodies, he felt the shaking grow stronger, hatred for the Griffin growing as he yelled and charged, his pain forgotten as he flew at the bloodsoaked stranger. Suddenly the stranger grabbed him by the throat, that’s when he saw their face, his face, “we killed them……you and I…..one in the same…..their blood is on your talons!” Obsidian screamed, the blood soaked double disappeared and when Obsidian looked at himself, he was covered in blood.---

He screamed, fire shooting through his leg, something was holding him down as he struggled, a voice he’d never heard said, “Hold him down! Somepony get a sedative into him or he’ll lose the leg!” what were they talking about, who was trying to take his leg!? He tried to say something, but darkness overtook him and he lost consciousness again.

---He was alone. As he got up he went to the door and opened it to see a graveyard stretching as far as the eye can see in all directions.

“Where am I?” he turned to go back into the room, but the door was gone, just more headstones.

“The ‘hero’ returns, to gloat all that he’s gained, and to forget all that he sacrificed to get there!” Obsidian turned to face the voice, only to see nothing.

“Who are you? What do you mean? Please what’s going on.” He felt anger start to build in his chest, “And what do you mean ‘all that he’s gained’ I’ve gained nothing, I’ve lost everything, everyone I cared about is dead!” The unseen speaker laughed

“And you have no one to blame but yourself, you failed them. They looked to you for strength and protection and you gave the weakness and cowardice, but the worst thing? You never even bothered keeping track of how many you’ve killed all those you cut down just cause their views didn’t line up with yours. How many was it, 50? 60? How many at that fortress alone? The world you knew died 200 years ago, how do you know they weren’t just trying to survive what the world has become? And you pegged the all as monsters, just because two did something worth dying for.”

At this, Obsidian fell to his knees, what if those two had been the exception? No. that place had been full of signs those ponies were monsters, even if that’s what was needed to live in this world he refused to believe that place had been anything but evil.

“Hehehe keep telling yourself that, Hero.”---

*****

TX-175 groaned softly as he powered on. It had been 200 years since the bombs fell, and about a hundred since he’d powered down. Somepony was trying to hack into his systems, he shouldn’t have groaned like that. “Sir I think Somepony might be alive in this Armor. I just heard them groaning.” TX heard the heavy hoof falls of power armor.

“Whoever you are, by order of the Ministry of Wartime Technology, exit your armor and surrender it to us immediately or we will kill you and take it off your corpse!” TX heard the Ranger’s minigun spinning up.

“That’s going to be hard, this isn’t armor it’s my skin” TX stood up slowly and looked around. Three Rangers in power armor, one in T-60 and two in the classic T-45 power armor. They also had a Unicorn in the blue robes of a Scribe. TX pulled the plug out of himself. “And at least take me on a date before you go plugging into my ports like that. It’s just rude.”

“Activate Override command 23.” The Paladin, the one in the T-60 armor, said in a commanding voice. TX had to chuckle at that, the command would cause almost any other robot made in Equestria during the war state its model, type, and ID number then wait for further instructions. TX noticed that the ponies seemed uncomfortable with him laughing, especially given what they’d expected to happen.

“Sorry guys, but I wasn’t made with that kind of programing. I think for myself. I’ve been powered down for the last 100 years so I’m a little behind on developments. Are you guys still misinterpreting your oath and hoarding tech that could help the ponies trapped on the surface?” The growl of the Plaidin was all the answer he needed, and that meant to them he was nothing more than a big shiny trinket for them to drag home and stache away with all the other tech they collected.

He immediately sprinted for the stairs, only to find that they’d collapsed in the past 100 years, he heard the minigun start to fire and felt the 5mm round hitting his armor, so he jumped, glad for his metal skin and bones. An organic not in power armor wound have broken their legs from that fall. Speaking of power armor, right as he got to the door to the outside the three Rangers landed at the bottom of the collapsed stairs as well, just then TX’s weapons systems came back online, he turned and fired a single rocket at the Rangers, just enough to distract them while he bolted outside and disappeared into the shattered city of Manehattan. He may not have the 200 series stealth systems, but he was still more than able to hide in a city like this. That’s when he noticed the distress signal on the MAw Emergency frequency. As he cheeked it he noticed it was from one of the deep cover squads, Ghost. A signal that should have been terminated 200 years ago with the death of the agent. “huh, looks like I’m gonna have to head back to New Phoenix……I wonder what that cities like? Haven’t been back since Lightning passed……guess those Rangers waking me was a good thing after all.”

TX turned on the Ministry of Arcane Sciences Emergency Broadcast System channel on his internal radio and was pleased to find it was still being used as a music channel, good, he’d have something to listen to and maybe get a bit more info on his way back to the city he was made in. he found an old cloak and some random scraps of cloth, he quickly wrapped the cloth around himself as best he could and pulled the cloak over himself flipping the hood up. A song about a lone wanderer came on and he chuckled, setting off.

TX walk just listening to the radio, he’d met up with a caravan heading towards New Phoenix shortly after his rude awakening. Actually they were heading for a settlement just outside the old city, it was called Bar Stool. It had been founded by Lightning Shadow, 20 or 30 years after the war ended. TX couldn’t help but chuckle under his disguise, Lightning had been the one to help him remember some of his pony-dom. He owed a lot to that stallion, and if this signal was somehow legit, he could repay that kindness.

The youngest member of this caravan, a filly who had just gotten her cutiemark on this trip, was walking next to him talking and talking and talking. As night feel they made camp. “Have y'all heard? Supposedly the raider fort near Bar Stool was destroyed, an by a griffin an a pony no less.” The caravan leader started talking about the rumor’s he’d heard.

TX wasn’t paying attention to the conversation, he’d noticed movement. Just outside of the light of the small fire, three red marks showed on his EFS, and the “guard” was too busy downing a bottle of wild Pegasus to notice the unwanted guests. Without a word TX stood and walked out of the light of the fire. His vision tinted green as his eyes shifted to nightvision. A fourth red mark appeared, he could hear them muttering to each other. good they, somehow, hadn’t noticed him separate yet. “Come on boss, they’re easy marks, the guards so drunk he’ll be out fore even the kid falls asleep, and none of them look like fighters.”

“well except the cloaked feller, who knows what goodies he got under that cloak, probably some nice armor.”

“which is why we wait for him to be asleep before we move, he’s an unknown” so the leader was smart, maybe TX could talk them out of this. “That filly will sell good if we can…” no talking, they planned to sell the filly into slavery, death warrants signed. TX stepped forward slamming his forehoof hard into the first raider’s head, pulping it, the next closest, a unicorn, screamed and opened fire with a full auto 10mm, TX charged him knocking him to the ground and stomping on his chest hard enough to break ribs and stop the stallions heart. Two down, two to go. The leader, also a unicorn, used his magic to pull TX’s hood off, the glow of his eyes slightly illuminated the stallion. “fuck, power armor, nah, not power armor ya move to well for that……what are ya?”

“a soilder” TX replied before charging, the stallion jumped out of the way just before being hit, TX saw that this one had a power hoof on, blue gems, basic lightning variant, the stallion swung and caught TX in the cheek, knocking the Cyber pony back a bit, TX activated his own power hooves and took a swing, the unicorn was agile and doged, TX blocked the next strike, then hit the unicorn hard in the gut with an upper cut, the stallion reched and fell to the ground, blood dripping from his mouth, TX finished him off with a blow to the back of the neck. He looked up at the last one, a young mare shaking in her boots, the pipe pistol in her jaw so shaky she couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn. “Go, there’s a settlement not ten miles back. Go there, start over.” The mare just nodded and ran. TX pulled his hood up again, resituating it so he was covered.

as he returned to the fire everypony was looking at him and his now blood stained makeshift cloak. “three raiders” he sat and looked around. “I will keep watch for the night.” No one said anything or questioned him about it, the mother just pulled her daughter closer to her.

*****

Xen sat across from Jade. She’d been back for 3 days, and she still wasn’t telling him why he wasn’t aloud into the infirmary. “Jade, if you wont tell me that at least tell me why you won’t let me go look for this Obsidian guy, Star clearly need some kind of closure…..especially if he’s dead….” Xen tried to read Jades reaction, and from the look on her face, she knew something about that griffin’s whereabouts.

“Look, Xen, are you sure you want to dig into an emotional wound that’s only just closing?” Jade asked. Xen just sighed and frowned at her, she was right this time, Star did seem to be coming to terms with the fact that Obsidian, dead or alive, didn’t feel the same way about her as she thought she did about him. Xen had talked to her, even took an approximation of his appearance based on Stars description. And what he’d felt from her was strong, but not ‘I love you and want to marry you’ love, something closer to ‘you’re the person that I can trust to always have my back and I’ll always have yours.’ Jade patted his shoulder. “besides, if you really like her as much as everypony says, you have less competition without him around.”

“I don’t love her……but…..why has Sweet been spending so much time in the infirmary?” Xen looked at Jade. She didn’t look back.

“Xen…..just promise you’ll stay out of there” Jade gave him her, ‘do what I say or I’ll use your pelt as a rug’ look, he hated it when she did that.

“No can do, I can’t even say what I’ll do if I get too bored.” He chuckled as Jade rolled her eyes and headed to the infirmary. Xen sipped the water in front of him wondering what was hiding in there. He just shook his head, Serenity walked over to him and sat down.

“Hello Xen, do not tell Jade what I’m about to tell you, she would not be pleased but I know you, it is better if we tell you then have you find out on your own.” Her expression told him that this wasn’t a joking matter so he nodded in agreement, “On the night Jade returned to Bar Stool, she had Obsidian with her, a wound in his leg had grown infected and required surgery, he’s been unconscious in the infirmary since, Sweet didn’t want anyone telling you or Star until we knew if he’d make it or not.” Xen stared at the zebra in front of him. Obsidian was in critical condition right here in Bar Stool, and only a few knew about it. Xen sighed and rubbed his temples.

“Holy fuck……he’s here……and could die at any moment……we……Star deserves to know……that’s her friend in there… she deserves to at least say goodbye if he’s not gonna make it…..” Xen said, barely able to keep his voice a whisper. They didn’t trust him…..his family, and they’d kept this from him assuming he would run tell Star. He was beyond insulted. Without hearing Serenity's response he stood and walked away. He was still an outsider, he always would be. He could feel his heart breaking, so much for being like a son to Sweet……why would she do that to him……treat him like a son and then turn her back on him at the drop of a hat.

He didn’t notice that he’d wandered into the bar, that is until he bumped into Daisy who just tilted her head at him “Woah why the long face there Xen?”

He sighed, “Why do you ca-OW!” he yelped as she smacked the back of his head.

“If’n this is about our guest in the infirmary, Sweet didn’t tell ya cause First off she didn’t want ya ta have ta keep a secret from yer crush, an Second ah told all involved not ta tell anypony who didn’t already know he was here so quit yer moop’n.” Daisy looked at him, he sighed a little and forced a smile, which he knew she wasn’t buying for a second, but she let it go. Xen sat down near the back, just then Star snuck in, sticking to the sides of the room till she got to where he was.

“Serenity said you seemed kind of down, you ok Xen?” she looked at him. He sighed and flopped his chin onto the table.

“just…..I feel like such an outcast sometimes….” Xen looked away. He was surprised when he heard her giggle. “I…I’m sorry is that funny?”

Star smiled, “no, but it is something we have in common.” He felt her pat his head. “that and we’re both a little shorter than average.” She giggled and smiled. He couldn’t help but smile as he felt that fluttering in his chest again, maybe he did have a crush on her……no, no he didn’t! He puffed his cheeks out in frustration. Star giggled again. “why do you do that? It’s cute and all but why do you do that?”

“oh um well uh I guess it’s just a habit when I’m frustrated…..” he blushed and looked away. “ so….when you and your friend leave here...can I come?”

Star smiled “why would you want to leave here?” she tilted her head as she asked him this, he sighed deeply and looked away.

“even after all the years I’ve lived here…..they still don’t trust me……” he sighed and frowned

“have you talked about what has you feeling like this?” Star asked “cause I think it would really hurt miss Sweet if you left, she seems to really care about you…” maybe she had a point, he should get Sweet Tooth’s side of this before judging. He smiles a little.

“ok…..I’ll talk to her.” He got up and headed for the clinic. He tried not to let himself get too upset before he started talking to Sweet Tooth. But Star had a point, if he did leave that would probably hurt Sweet. He sighed as he entered the clinic.

But Sweet wasn’t in the front room, maybe she was checking on the “special guest”. Xen walked into the back room, No Sweet Tooth, but the large griffin in the bed was groaning softly, one of his hind legs wrapped in a bandage with 3 day old blood on it, Xen was surprised, he’d expected an overly muscular giant of a griffin, this guy was fit, but lean fit, not buff like the Talon mercs he was used to seeing. The griffin had been sweating in his sleep, but the fever appeared to have passed.

“Xen?” he jumped a little turning to see Sweet in the doorway. She motioned for him to follow her out of the room, he quickly did so. “Xen sweetie, I’m sorry I didn’t say anything, but I wasn’t sure if he was going to make it till the fever passed, I was just looking for you though. I thought you should tell Star that Obsidian is here.” She smiled softly. Xen frowned a little.

“you should have told us that he was here all along, Star’s been worried sick. She deserved to know that he was here this whole time! You of all ponies know what it’s like to be looking for somepony only to find them dead!” Xen immediately regretted saying that. Sweet took a step back, her eyes watering. “Sweet Tooth I’m so sorry……I didn’t mean that…..” he was cut off as Sweet hugged him.

“You’re right…..I guess I thought I was sparing her feelings. But youre right I should have just told you……and her…..I should have trusted the two of you…….. I…I’m sorry” she sniffled hugging him tighter he hugged her back and sighs.

*****

It was dark, he could hear voices on the other side of a door. The room he was in was dark, his hind leg was stiff as he could remember it ever being, he reeked of sweat and vomit, Obsidian groaned softly and horsley, that’s when it really hit him, he was alone, everyone he ever cared about was dead as far as he knew. He slowly rolled out of bed, landing on shaky legs. He wasn’t wearing armor, all his gear was gone. Obsidian feel to his knees, the weight of the past few days finally catching up with him as he broke down sobbing loudly, he’d lost everything, again. And now Star was gone, he didn’t need to hold it back anymore, he didn’t care if the voices outside that door where hostile or not at this point, let them take him if that’s what they wanted, he cried loud and hard. He felt someone hug his head to their chest, “if you’re going to kill me…just do it already….I’ve lost everything else”, he muttered, not bothering to look up.

“Shhhhh it’s ok. You’re safe here, no one in this compound is going to kill you. Except maybe Star for making her worry so much.” Obsidian sat up immediately, the mare in front of him was on the older side, she smiled kindly at him, she had the air of a mother about her. Her voice turned a bit more commanding. “now hold still, I have to cheek the stitches in your leg.”

“my leg?” Obsidian blinked, then looked back at his leg. It was wrapped in bandages soaked through with dried up blood, “wha……it….I don’t remember it being that bad…..”

“not that bad? Sweetie your leg had a bad infection, you’re lucky I was able to save it. You also had a fever like noponies business, now lay down and stretch your leg out as much as you can without hurting yourself. I need to change the bandages and wash it” the mare didn’t even give him time to comply fully before she pulled his leg to the side and started to unwrap it, Obsidian yelp in pain. “oh don’t be a baby you’re a big griffin, you can take it.”

“wow……I am now glad I never got hurt bad enough for you to have to do that to me” Obsidian looks up and for the first time notices the changeling standing by the door he was a little smaller than an average pony, the strange thing is he wasn’t disguising himself, he was standing in plain sight. The small changeling looked at him. “what? Never seen a changeling?”

“not one that was so OW….” Obsidian winced as the mare cleaned the stitched wound, “So open about what he was.” The changeling smiled

“My name is Xen, it’s nice to finally meet you, Star….star talks about you a lot.” Obsidian’s ears shoot straight up, he jumped to his feet and grabbed Xen’s shoulders.

“Did you just say Star!? Star Gazer!? She’s here? She’s alive!?” Xen squeaked and jumped back.

“oh goodie, he’s just as bad as Jade about staying still while I’m trying to fix him. Yes Star Gazer has been with us for a week now, Xen here found her wandering the ruins. Now sit back down before you reopen your wound.” Sweet walked over and took Obsidian by the ear and dragged him back to where she could finish cleaning his wound and redressing it.

“what do you mean ‘a week’ how long was I passed out?” he groaned as he slowly stood again, this time really feeling his hind leg. He winced limping a little.

“3 days sweetie, Star got here about three days before you did. Xen sweetie could you go find her?” the changeling left the room. “now you. She’s been very worried about you. And how you would react when you saw her again, though it seems you’ll just be happy to see her safe.” Sweet smiled a little.

“yeah……can we keep the whole balling my eyes out thing to ourselves?” Obsidian blushed wiping his eyes a bit. The mare giggled and shook her head.

“you sir, are going to tell her yourself. Quit trying to be the tough one and let her know what’s going on in that head of yours that made you want to give up like that. The world needs decent folk like you…….you don’t realise how few there are these days…..” she sniffled a bit. Obsidian knew that look. She’d lost someone recently. “I….I actually wanted to thank you…….up at the Raider fortress……you….you stopped long enough to cover a young fillies body……. “ Obsidian cut the mare off with a hug.

“I’m so sorry……I was too late to save her.” He held her the now shaking mare, “was she your sister?” the mare shook her head.

“her name was Tart…..she…..she was my daughter” she started crying fully, guilt shot through Obsidian as he now tried to comfort the sobbing mare.

‘this mare’s daughter died, I should have been….’ He lost his train of thought as he was smacked he blinked and looked at the now sad and angry mare.

“Don’t you dare blame yourself! I’ve already had to talk one stallion out of that. Xen was always like her big brother, he blamed himself when we found her…..I’ve only just gotten him to forgive himself. Now, you did more for her than most folks around here would. That’s your part, nothing more” she sniffed and look away.

“ok….ok I understand” Obsidian smiles softly. “ what’s your name, I don’t think I caught it earlier.”

“That’s because I hadn’t told you, I’m Sweet Tooth.” She sniffled and smiled a little. She took a deep breath and then sighed. “Ok, I have to go, feel free to walk around a bit, but no drinking and nothing too active your leg is still healing, your stuff is in that locker over there, except your weapons those are in a secure location.” She then left the room.

Obsidian limped over to the locker and pulled his armor out and pulled it on. He walked out and looked around, it was early evening, as he looked around he recognized (somewhat) the part of the city this settlement had been made in, and the name made so much sense suddenly, Bar Stool was made around the old bar, The Rusty Bar Stool, Lightning’s favorite bar. Obsidian sighed, thinking about the first time Lightning had taken him to this very bar. Obsidian walked in to the front door, surprised to find the place hadn’t changed too much. Run by mares, tough looking bartender, Star on the stage singing something. “Wait what?” Obsidian blinked was he really seeing, and hearing this? Star was on stage, in front of ponies singing, and she was wearing eyeliner, gold around her blue eye and blue around her amber eye. He smiled softly and limped over to a table and sat down. “good on you little sister…..finally coming out of that shell.” Another, older Zebra walked past him to the table behind him, where she talked to an entitled looking stallion, before the end of the world Obsidian would have called him the “Canterlot Type”, and he was not happy with what the mare was telling him.

“Look, Serenity, I get what I want, and I want that bitch who was just on stage. Not you, not that insect of a pony, the young zebra bitch who was just singing!” the stallion growled. Obsidian stood and walked over.

“HEY! That is my sister you’re calling a bitch. Now apologize, buy a round for everyone here and get out, or you and I’ll have a problem.” Obsidian glared down at the stallion how just smirked.

“An injured Talon is nothing I have to worry about, especially one who has no back up. I own you, the Talons here in New Pheinox are under contract to work for me.” The Stallion smirked at him, Obsidian returned the smirk, as he grabbed the stallions collar.

“I’m not a Talon piece of shit. Now, apologize!” by now all eyes were on them, most of the staff had brought out guns, including the zebra next to them.

“do you know who I am? I’m the leader of New Ciderville! Other than that raider fortress that was taken out we’re the strongest faction this side of Manehattan!!” the stallion grinned, but that faded as Obsidian laughed.

“my sister and I wiped that fortress, just the two of us with shity weapons we pulled off the dead. We were fresh out of a Stable when we did that! You don’t scare me, you’re nothing, you rely on your money to get you whatever you want, you rely on your thugs to fight. You’re not even worth spitting on.” Obsidian dropped the stallion who stood up.

“when I get back here you sluts had better turn this fuck face over!” he then ran out. The mare from behind the bar walked over and sighed.

“kid, this is not gonna end well. Cause we ain’t gonna give ya ta that spoiled ass, an he’s gonna be back with his thugs. We’re gonna be in fer a fight an half. Ah’m Daisy by the way. An’ Star’s been look’n fer ya mister Obsidian.” Daisy then mouthed ‘three, two, one.’ Once she’d gotten to one, Obsidian found himself being tackled to the side. He blinked and looked at the pony who tackled him, to see Star burying her face into his side.

“Ow…..why are you being so clingy, you’re the one that ran off.” He chuckled hugging her. In truth he was overjoyed to know that she really was safe. “don’t you ever do that again sis…..I…..I thought I’d lost the last family I had…….I thought I’d failed to protect you…..” he felt the tears welling up in his eyes as he hugged his sister tightly.

*****

Jade sighed sitting on the wall, Rose on her lap. She looked at the large rifle, clearly made for a griffin, and now there was a griffin dying in the infirmary. If he pulled through she was going to punch him for being stupid enough to keep searching for one selfish, childish zebra. Jade grumbled a little to herself. “and now Xen is all hung up on the same zebra…..” she sighed. just then a stallion came running out of the bar. It was the leader of New Ciderville, but why was he running? He looked pissed. That couldn’t be very good. She watched as he met up with his guards, who due to their poor behavior were required to stay outside of town. One of the guards grinned at her before they all turned and left. “what was that all about?” asked a mare who’d come to relive Jade of watch.

“I don’t know but it can’t be good coming from those Ciderville thugs. I'm going to the bar, Xen’s probably still upset but I wanna make sure he’s ok.” Jade stood and headed for the bar. As she entered she saw Daisy and Serenity standing by a griffin shaped lump on the ground that Star was hugging tightly. Jade looked around and spotted Xen sitting in his corning, a small smile on his face. She wandered over to him. “so bird brain woke up?”

“yeah, and then pissed off the leader of New Ciderville who will probably start a war with us…….and now he and Star have been taking things out a bit…….yay….” he sighed a bit. Jade patted him on the shoulder.

“Trust me he doesn’t see her as anything other than a little sister. You don’t have any competition from him, once she gets over the shock of seeing him alive she’ll be all yours.” Jade smirked at him. “just think about it, her cuddling up to you, her head gently laying against your chest as she murmurs your name,” Jade smirked, doing her best not to laugh at the blush now on Xen’s face. She heard hoof steps approaching so she looked up and noticed Star standing there glaring at them with her cheeks puffed out. “uh….you ok?”

“ you two knew he was here this whole time and didn’t tell me?” Jade found it kinda funny, Star trying to be mad actually made her kinda adorable.

“N…No, well not before earlier today! B…but I was coming here to tell you when you were singing and I got distracted by you’re beau……AMAZING amazing singing voice and then he was already in here when you finished singing and then you tackle hugged him and then came over and now I’m explaining this when Jade’s the one who really needs to cause she’s one of the ones who knew he was here this whole time and I should really stop talking now.” At this point Xen’s face was bright red with no traces of the black coloring his face was supposed to be. He then turned into a rock. Jade looked at Xen then to a now very confused Star.

“Yeah I knew he was here, who do you think dragged his sorry ass the last miles here after he passed out from the infection in his leg. Dumbass bird brain spent three days looking for YOU, when he knew his leg was not looking good, I had to lie, or I thought lie, to get him to start in the direction of town, to which the idiot decided to fly full steam ahead in this direction. He barely landed before passing out, and leaving me to drag him here on my back, so me, Daisy, Sweet, and Serenity decided it was best not to tell anypony until we knew he was going to LIVE. We didn’t want you freaking out and shutting yourself in a room with his comatose body.” Jade looked Star right in the eyes, she didn’t feel bad about being blunt with this, Star had done something stupid, this was the results. Star looked down backing away a step. Obsidian stepped forwards.

“Yes it was, from some points of views, stupid of me to put somepony else's life above my own. But I don’t see it that way, everything I’ve seen of this world says that it’s a world where you look out for yourself and fuck anyone else. Well that’s not how I operate, it’s not how Star opporates, we CARE for others. She was lost and I didn’t know if she was safe, so I looked for her. That was my choice Jade Shadow.” He looked her right in the eye.

“oh I'm sorry did sleeping beauty wake up on the wrong side of the bed? Cause you just started a war we don’t know for sure we can win! We used up a lot of valuable resources fixing your broke ass leg, then you spit in the face of one of the few ponies who can rally an army to attack us!” she stood and glared at him.

Obsidian’s expression didn’t change, “ ‘We fight from the Shadows, so that others may live, we stand firm so that others may run, our blade the silent killer, our bullet the decisive finisher, may my last breath come only once my enemy falls, so that I die knowing my life was the last one he took’, That was the oath I took when Lightning Shadow, my adopted father, brought me into the MAw. And I will live by that oath, this settlement will not fall as long as anyone willing to fight still draws breath.”

Jade blinked, that was a word for word recitation of the Sisters of the Night’s creed, and he’d said Lightning Shadow, he couldn’t mean the same Lightning Shadow who’d been thrown from the Grand Pegasus Enclave, who’d formed the Bar Stool Settlement, “You…..You knew General Lightning Shadow…..the founder of this place…….and my Great great great great…….great grandfather?” she raised her eyebrow at a now stund looking Obsidian and Star. “I doubt it, he was a General in the Equestrian Skyguard. He was…..”

“Known for his cunning stealth tactics and concern for the men and women under his charge, throughout The War his ops had the fewest casualties, at times costing him victory. He lead his forces from the front lines and despised Generals who stayed in the safety of their command posts.” Star of all ponies cut her off, and proved they did at least know of him. “he was also a big softy, he was always trying to act tough, like nothing could hurt him, but was only one pony. I guess that’s part of where you get it from Obsidian.” She smiled at the griffin who just chuckled and shrugged.

“Can I offer you two a Las Pegasus Sun Set?” something about the way Daisy said that sounded off, and then both Obsidian and Star’s expressions turned unreadable.

“No thanks, we’ll take an Ponyville Moon Rise.” Obsidian said. Daisy just smiled. “How do you know that?”

“I’ll tell ya after y’all get rid of those Ciderville jackasses fer us. Then I’ll tell ya everything, Including why Bar Stool is here.” Daisy smiled and poured five glasses of Wild Pegasus whiskey. Placing a glass in front of each of them. Jade watched as Obsidian lifted his glass and smiled sadly.

“Lightning loved this stuff…..always had a bottle on hoof. To Lightning, even 200 hundred years after the end of the world he’s protecting Star and I, and as many ponies as he can.” He raised his glass. Jades horn glowed as she lifted the glass, whiskey wasn’t her drink of choice but it didn’t feel like the time. Daisy, Xen, and Star also raised their glasses they clinked their glasses together and took a swig of the whiskey. Star made a sour face, lightweight, Xen’s eye twitched, again lightweight but a bit better at hiding it, Daisy downed her whole glass and smirked, anything but a lightweight, Obsidian seemed to be able to take his liquor.

That’s when Sweet Tooth walked up and smacked him in the back of the head, “No Alcohol! Not to mention no starting fights between settlements! I told you not to do anything to stressful for your leg, in other words NO PICKING UP PONIES BY THEIR COLARS!! Now sit. I need to cheek those stitches you probably pulled…..men are such idiots.” Jade smirked as she watched Sweet manhandle this large griffin, and the face he was making was priceless, he clearly wasn’t sure what to do as this mare moved him around like a mannequin.

“huh, praise the goddesses, you managed not to reopen the wound. A few healing potions, which we’re out of till the next caravan gets here in two days, and you’ll be right as rain.”

Jade growled as she paced back and forth, what had that feather brained cat bird been thinking!? “He knows he just started a war right!?” she growled, Daisy chuckled a little.

“a Battle maybe, but neither us or New Ciderville have the numbers to wage a full on war, and besides, those two have seen a true war. From what Star told me, Obsidian even took a bullet to the chest while trying to get her out of a bad spot.” Daisy set the glass she’d been cleaning to the side. “and besides, that roach was talking too much about how he was the leader of New Ciderville. Something's off here, we need to get someone into that city to gather intel.”

“sounds like im up.” Xen was sitting at a nearby table nursing a sparklecola, “I’ll just turn into one of them and walk right in. work in there ranks and gather what intel I can, maybe sabotage their war effort while I'm at it.” Jade frowned, she didn’t like him going in there alone, last she’d heard Ciderville was a cesspool, and that was being nice.

“are you sure you’re up for it? Those guys aren’t known for being nice, even to each other. They’re little better than raiders.” Jade sat down and sighed. “he’ll need backup. I’m not letting him go alone.”

*****

TX walked behind the rest of the Caravan as they followed the collapsed freeway. They were about two days walk still from Bar Stool. The distress signals had turned off, but TX was still going to investigate. As he walked near the back of the caravan he looked around, he’d been here before, before he’d gone into sleep mode for a hundred years. His thoughts were cut off when his EFS picked up several readings ahead, not hostile, yet. He quickly moved to the front of the caravan. “We have company, 8 or 9 at 12 o’clock, not hostile yet but I believe they’re barricading this road.” The caravan leader nodded.

“That sounds about right, the local Talons like to barricade and tax this road. Just don’t provoke them and this should go smoothly.” TX noticed the tremor in the stallions voice, there was something this guy wasn’t saying, but he chose not to push it. He fell back. Soon the baricad came into view. 8 griffons at an old military checkpoint, one more hovering right above it. The caravan came to a stop, it was odd, TX had in his memory the entire equestrian military manual, and as he watched it was clear these griffins had read and where sticking to it. Which was trouble for him, especially considering the airborne ones Anti-Material rifle could punch right through his armor. One of the male griffins was making his way along the caravan, removing anything covering anyones face, and cheeking the wagons.TX stood still, he noticed the griffin clearly incharge, a large traditionally colored griffin who had quite the ‘Holier than thou’ look going as he looked down at the caravan. The griffin removing hoods got to TX and pulled his off, then grinned a little. “Hey Boss! We have a live bounty here!” immediately seven of the 9 markers on his hud lite up red.

“Do you really think that the Steel Rangers plan on paying for me? The moment they know you have me they’ll hit you hard, from far away and come and collect me off your corpses....” TX looked around shrugging the rags off, the scuffed surface of his silver body being reviled. He looked around as 3 more marks turned from red to blue, four remained hostile, the sniper, the leader and two foot soldiers, with a motion he flicked open his minigun and rocket launcher. Now only the red mark was the leader. TX looked right at him. “I have no interest in fighting you,let these ponies past and let me on my way and you get to keep your life”

The griffin glared down at him. “What’s your name? I make it a point to know that bit of info, before sending my best after someone.”

TX couldn’t help but chuckle, if he could smile he would be “TX-175, Heavy combat prototype.” with that the caravan was aloud to move on in peace, TX put his weapons away, he didn’t bother covering up. The caravan leader approached him.

“Steel Rangers have a bounty out on you?! You realize that you put us all in danger don’t you!? Even you don’t have the firepower to fight off a squad of Rangers! And they don’t give a shit about collateral! Once we get to Bar Stool you are gone! Understand!” the Stallion was understandably mad. TX simply nodded, not mentioning that Bar Stool was his stop anyways. As they started moving again he couldn’t help but wonder how much th town had changed since his last visit. TX looked over as the young filly was looking at him with a sparkle in her eyes. He chuckle and nodded at her.

*****

Xen had snuck out of Town in the middle of the night, he knew Jade didn’t want him going to New Ciderville alone but there was no way he was endangering his friends by bringing them along. As he trotted towards the town he’d taken the form of a random Ciderville ganger. It was easy to sneak past the outer patrols, even he could spot the massive holes in it. He was distracted by his own thoughts when he bumped right into a wall, as he took a step back to look at it, he heard several guns cocking, he gulped and looked up at the two stallions and a mare on top of it in what looked like heavily reinforced Hoofball uniforms “we’ve told you assholes you aren’t welcome in New Ciderville anymore! Now you have till the count of three ta get yer ass out of here!” the guard sounded like he wasn’t bluffing, Xen was so confused that he just sat there with a confused look. Then the stallion started counting, Xen threw his hooves into the air

“Wait wait don’t shoot! I’m not one of them! I swear! Please don’t shoot!” he then dropped his disguise, the guards all took a step back and looked at eachother, then one spoke up, the mare.

“Hey, you’re that changeling from Bar Stool. Shit guys get him into the wall before those old guard assholes find him!” a gate opened in front of him and he slowly stepped through. The guards came down to meet him and closed the gate. The mare approached “Did you guys finally get our messages? We’ve been sending them for almost 4 months now.” Xen shook his head

“Um….no….the mayor has basically declared war on us…..so revealing myself to you was probably the stupidest thing I could have done in hindsight.” he swallowed nervously as he looked around, these ponies were far more organized than he’d been expecting. The mare put a hoof on his shoulder.

“Yeah, the message I was talking about was to tell you guys that we have a new mayor, and the old one and his gang of thugs have been exiled, but they’ve been trying to lay siege to us. come on I’ll introduce you to the new mayor” the mare started walking into the massive inner Gate as it raised with a grinding noise. Xen followed her as they entered the former stadium, the field was now a town built from scraps torn from the stands and the surrounding cityscape. The guard mare was leading him up, towards the lite up press box. As they moved to an elevator Xen whistled a little.

“This? This is nothing like what I thought this place would be like. Always imagined it as more of a kind ‘Raider cheic.’ this is much better.” he and the guard stepped into the elevator. As it started up she explained it had been much worse when the old mayor still had been in power, but they’d cleaned the town up since. As the elevator opened Xen saw a earth pony in a suit talking with a female griffin, what caught his eye was the griffiness’s armor, it had the usual Talon markings, but imposed over it was the image of a white rose. The earth pony looked over annoyed and confused.

“What is it? Can’t you see I’m in the middle of negotiations.” the Earth pony spat as the griffiness turned to smile at the two newcomers, “Miss Wind here was just about to generously give us another extension, see’n as we still can’t get goods in or out of town via the roads…...and who’s the….Im sorry sir what are you?” the stallion looked at Xen

“Huh, he’s a changing, a race of creatures with a very unique magic that allows them to sustain themselves on nothing but the ambient energy created by Love, they can also take any shape….never thought Id see one.” the griffiness offered her talon “Commander Fleeting Wind, Roses Talons.”

“Xen….Im from Bar Stool….” he shook the offered talon, the griffiness seemed fascinated by the holes in his fetlock, “I came here because the, I guess former mayor of New Ciderville has threatened our town, said he was going to attack soon…..but now I'm not sure how he plans to do that…..”

“huh….Bar Stool, that’s the town of almost all mares right? The bar in the middle of town and home of the Sisters of the Night if I'm not mistaken, I was actually going to fly over in the morning to talk to you guys, sounds like you could use the help.” Commander Wind said as she sat back, “and you mister mayor, this is the last extension I can give you, I got griffins I gotta feed and supply too. And from the sounds of it your seige problem is about to take care of itself.”

The mayor hurumfed, “ Not if those ponies take Bar Stool! Then they’ll have a fortified base of operations to grow from!” he started pacing, Xen lost track of the stallions ramblings as he sat there, he wondered how this guy had been made leader, he seemed kinda spineless. “Ok mister Xen, you said you came here to get intel on the old mayor, you know now he does not have our support but I can’t let you stay, or he might actually try to take this city back.”

Commander wind had pulled a radio out, “We’re heading out, sounds like things in Bar Stool are about to get interesting, wings up in 2 I’m bringing an messenger from Bar Stool with me. Out.” she then looked at Xen, “you got wings right? Me and mine will fly you to Bar Stool, like i said we were heading there any ways. Maybe we can lend a talon or two.” Xen nodded opening his wings.

“Well. hopefully we live through what comes next” he followed the griffin out the window and down into the town square. Five other griffins in the same armor had just off loaded supplies, “Mayor Macroy up there has been using our services to get supplies into the town here while those raiders outside block the ground travel, he’s yet to pay us.” Fleeting Wind just shook her head, “I’m not looking forwards to that guy trying to talk me into another extension next month”

“You guys aren’t like the other Talons in the area, they’d be asking me how we intend to pay if you end up helping….” Xen looked at the leader, she was young, maybe his own age even. She just laughed.

“We call ourselves Rose’s Talons, after the pre war Talon Commander White Rose, she was one of the only commanders to side with Equestria. She believed in helping others over material gain or ancient grudges, her troops turned on her though, her only son was lost to time. Now we carry on what she taught, there aren’t many of us and the others don’t like us much but hey, it’s better than serving under a commander who demands that all female give birth to at least two kids.” the explanation came from another female griffin as the seven took to the skies. Xen tilted his head a bit.

“I feel like I’ve heard that somewhere before….” Xen just shrugged it off. As they flew, higher to get above the high rise buildings, Xen noticed a caravan, about a day’s walk from Bar Stool, they were early, good, the town needed all the supplies it could get.

*****

“That idiot! I’m gonna ring his neck if he makes it back!” Jade had been ranting since she’d woken to find that Xen had snuck out, Star sat patiently and listened to her. She couldn’t help but worry about the changeling, she’d been in his shoes before, deep in enemy territory, but she’d always had Obsidian watching her through the scope of his sniper, Xen was completely alone right now. Her train of thought was cut off by the watch calling out.

“Talons! Six griffins escorting one pony…..no…..it’s Xen!” Star raced up to the top of the wall as she scanned the skies, in the distance she could see seven dots approaching from the city, the guard mare handed her binoculars, as she looked through them she saw that it was as the guard had said, Xen was in the middle of a formation of six griffins, two wings seemed excessive for a prisoner transfer, but then again, as they drew closer star thought she could make out some head movements, Xen was talking to them, so maybe he hadn’t be captured? She handed the guard her binoculars back as Daisy stepped out.

“No pony fire till fired upon, last thing we need is to start a fight with the Talons when we got a fight with Ciderville hang’n over our heads already. I’ll meet them outside the gate. Star, Jade you two are with me.” Daisy walked towards the gate, Star quickly followed as Jade met her there, the gate was opened and they stepped through, they sat and waited for an hour or so before the six griffins, two female and four males, along with Xen landed, Xen stepped forwards.

“Daisy, things in New Ciderville are much different than we thought, it turns out Money Bags isn’t incharge of New Ciderville, he hasn’t been for four months.” Xen was grinning as one of the female griffins stepped forwards.

“And he won’t have Talon back up, he broke contract, you won’t find a griffin this side of Manehattan that’d work for him. I’m Commander Fleeting Wind, Rose’s Talons. We’ve actually been flying supplies into New Ciderville, when your infiltrator showed up and mentioned the situation I figured I’d offer the support of my crew.” Star looked at the griffiness, then Daisy

“um….Daisy? I...I should mention….Obsidian hates Talons….” she fidgeted as all eyes went to her, wishing she had something to hide behind.

Daisy sighed, “Well he’ll have to get over it for now, even without the town I’m guessing Money has a lot of thugs and former raiders. We need every advantage we can get. Now, you and Xen head back inside, I wanna get this contract sewn up nice and tight before I let our new friends inta town.” Star nodded and she and Xen quickly went back into the town.

“Jades gonna kill me isn’t she?” Xen asked rather nonchalantly

“Well, she said she was gonna ring your neck…...but I don’t think she will.” Star said and smiled a little under her helmets face mask. She then punched his shoulder “but that was stupid, even when I went undercover I always at least had a sniper backing me up.” she couldn’t help but be upset. She looked at the apologetic looking changeling. She sighed and smiled a little. “I’m sorry, that was uncalled for.” she gave him a small smile, before remembering she still has her helmet on, she took it off and smiled at him. Xen blushed and looked away.

“No….no y...youre right, I should have at least had some kind of backup…..” Xen fidgeted a little as star looked at him. Just then Obsidian came out of the clinic.

“Sweet Tooth my leg feels fine. And I’m just going to go for a short walk, I promise nothing stressful.” Star couldn’t help but giggle as Obsidian approached her. “Hey, I see Xen’s back. Anything useful?”

Star watched as Obsidian listened to Xen explain everything. As she expected Obsidian was not happy about the arrival of the Talons.

*****

Obsidian growled softly, he was sitting in a dark corner of the bar as the six new griffins chatted with some of the locals, Talons……he couldn’t understand anyone trusting those backstabbers, all that talk of loyalty to the contract wasn’t worth a damn, offer them enough money and they’ll shoot anyone in the back. He noticed the leader, a young female, maybe a year or two younger than his pre freeze age, looking at him again. He sighed and took a drink. Sweet Tooth had made sure the bartenders knew not to give him alcohol till after his leg was better, so he settled for Sparkle Cola, he chuckled to himself remembering how the Mare of the Ministry of Arcane Sciences had reacted to the drink, she hadn’t been happy.

“so, what company you with?” he looked up. The talon leader had walked over. “I’ve met most of the griffins around here, haven’t met you yet.”

“I’m not a Talon if that’s what you're asking, far as I’m concerned none of you are trustworthy and I would never fly with that mark on my armor.” He took a drink. The female seemed caught off guard.

“wow. Never heard that from a griffin before, what did we ever do to you?”

he slammed his drink down as he turned on the female, “what have the talons ever done to me!? Oh, oh I’ll tell you what they did. The backstabbing bastards broke a contract more sacred than that between merc and client, they turned on my mother and father, their own fucking commanders!! And they made me, a child, watch as they slit their fucking throats!!” he was standing now glaring down at the female griffin, that’s when hef first noticed it, overlayed over the talon symbol, a rose. “why is that rose on your armor?!”

“We’re Rose’s Talons. I’m sorry but that doesn’t mean you can treat us all like shit, yes there are a few who are corrupt and that damages all of our reputations, but acting like that’s every talon is just plane juvenile……..” she trailed off. Rage, Obsidian felt nothing but rage towards these griffins, his mother's name…..they flew under the name of his mother. It was taking every ounce of effort not to lunge at this girl.

“you. Don’t. deserve. That. Name!” he turned to leave one of the larger males had cut off his exit.

“alright bub, we happen to be descended from the original Rose’s Talons,…” he kept talking but Obsidian didn’t hear any of it, his rage boild over. With a roar he charged the griffin in front of him, tackling the brute out the door and into the streets

*****

Xen watched as the two griffins came barreling out of the bar. The larger one being pushed by obsidian, who tackled the big guy to the ground. Obsidian turned around and caught the female as she charged him, catching her by the throat, flying up a little and throwing her down on top of the other guy, the rest of the talon group came outside as Obsidian landed and let out a lions roar, Xen didn’t know what was going on but anyone could tell that Obsidian was past angry now. As the fight went on, Xen noticed something, despite his apparent anger, Obsidian was pulling punches, only scratching when he could disembowel, knocking out when he could kill. Soon it was only him and the leader. Xen watched as the griffiness panted, the two circling each other.

“who the fuck are you? You get mad at us for no reason then when he mentioned we’re the descendants of the original Rose’s Talons you just attack us!? What the fuck!?” she panted as she circled.

“OBSIDIAN!! WHAT DID I TELL YOU ABOUT FIGHTING!!” Sweet Tooth barged in to the circle marching right up to Obsidian, who had instantly looked like a child caught with a toy they had taken without permission as he stumbled for an excuse, the commander through, her eyes widened.

“wait….Obsidian? as in Obsidian Shield, son of commander Rose? No… no you couldn’t be he’d be over two hundred years old now.”

Obsidian looked at her. “two hundred twenty one. Unless I’d been shoved in a cryo chamber against my will the day the bombs went of.” He yelped a little as Sweet shoved him towards the clinic, making sure to poke his wounded leg, Xen snickered a little. He then turned his attention back to the group of griffins. The leader approached him, “hey, he’s bull shitting me right? That guy can’t really be Obsidian Shield.”

“welp, the Stable they came out of was some kinda sick twisted Cryo experiment. I checked it myself, and the records do say that Obsidian Shield and Star Gazer were in the only two empty pods…..” he shrugged a little, the griffiness looked at him and then muttered something

“Well……well that still doesn’t excuse his attacking us like that!” she huffed, Granny Gumdrops came outside looking sad.

“put yourself in his shoes, your whole world, destroyed. His friends, his family, lost, the one thing he has left of it is his memories, and Star. And he almost lost her too. Then he meets the descendants of the ones who took his first family from him, you’d be mad beyond reason too wouldn’t you?”

“No….Maybe….I don’t know! Look if he’s got so many problems he should just work them out himself.” The griffiness turned and marched off. Xen blinked as he watched her help her friends up. The big guy that Obsidian had tackled out of the bar glared after obsidian.

“Granny…..is he gonna”

“You know the sight only works under certain circumstances. But my gut tells me yes, that griff is gonna be a troublemaker.”

Author's Note

sorry about the long wait and sloppy editing in this one. I just moved into my own place for the first time in my life, stress levels are high for me right now to say the least :twilightsheepish:

Chapter 2 :The New World

CHAPTER 2: THE NEW WORLD

The Changeling groaned as he stared at the ceiling. It’d been two hundred plus years since the world had ended. His kind had proven more adaptable to the radiation that hurt most other sentient races, except Hellhounds, they’d gotten a boost from the stuff.

He sat up. The stallion sleeping next to him had proved to have little more than a snack for him. “bleh, ‘love of your life’ my ass. HEY WAKE UP!”

The stallion jumped and stared wide eyed at the insectoid pony sitting on the bed next to him. “Who are you and where is the bitch I fucked?” The changeling grinned taking the form he had the night before, one of a 19 year old earthpony mare.

“Three things for you before I go. I’m a Changeling we feed on love and bub you did NOT love this mare. Two, I'm actually a guy so, all that homophobic shit you were talking? You fucked a guy! And three, you’re gonna feel like shit for the rest of the day. Ok so havefunBYE!” he took his true form and jumped out the open window, his wings buzzing as he flew off laughing at the scream of terror coming from the stallion behind him.

“HEY XEN!!” a mares voice called out, the Changeling, Xen froze mid air, he knew that mare and she’d catch him if he tried to hide. She always did. Xen quickly landed as the dark green unicorn trotted up to him. “Did you really let High Drive fuck you?”

“In my defence I was starving… well am still starving, that stallion has a brick for a heart I tell ya. So…Jade...any chance you’d let me feed off your love?” Xen grinned. The flat look she gave him was all the answer he needed. “Eh, it was worth a shot, but then again you have an ice cube for a heart” he chuckled, till the stick broke over his head.

“Oh shut up. I just haven’t found a guy who does it for me yet. And before you mention that griffin asshole you know I hate all of them. They’re lowlife mercs who’ll do anything for a hoof full of caps! They don’t have honor!” Jade glared at him as he just smirked.

“Just saying, I know when someone is hot for someone else and you were for hi…” he was cut off by another stick to the face. Just then he felt strong emotions coming from the direction of the Raider Fort. He just shrugged and kept pestering Jade about griffins.

****

Obsidian coughed, his eyes opening. There were alarms sounding, he was freezing, and about to throw up. The door to the pod he was in opened up as he fell forwards retching a vile black liquid out of his beak. Star, he had to find Star, had to get her away from this place. He heard the pod next to his open, he looked over and saw Star vomiting. Other than the Cryo-sickness, she looked fine. Good, now he needed to find Daybreak. He stood and found the pod with her name on it. It wasn’t sealed, and Daybreak was nothing more than a skeleton in the chair. Tears formed in his eyes. She was gone, just like most of the inhabitants of this stable. The pods all either showed no life signs in the readouts or the seals had failed leaving just skeletons. Star was now sobbing in front of Daybreaks pod. Obsidian shook his head hard, trying to clear the fog, bad idea, he stumbled and fell against the pod next to him. “Fuck… we’re the only ones who made it… FUCK!” he punched the pod in anger, this place had been supposed to save all these ponies, and it’d saved none of them. What had Stable Tec been thinking!? “Star… we can come back and bury her later… we need to secure the area…” he looked around for the door.

“Th… there’s nothing out there… just… just a slow radioactive death… ” Star sobbed. The sound was like a knife to Obsidian’s heart. He went over and hugged her tightly.

“We don’t know that, it could be that everything’s been fixed while we slept.” He nuzzled her gently, “Just please don’t say that… I’m going to get you through this I promise.” Star sighed and hugged him back.

“Ok….but you owe me a hot fudge sundae.” She sniffled a little as Obsidian chuckled despite their surroundings. He lead her out of the Cryo storage room, scoffing at the name above the door. They searched for anything salvageable, it turned out most of the food was actually still good, not to mention there was enough in here to support a small town for almost 2 years.

As they entered the locker room where they’d left their gear Obsidian noticed for the first time the Stable Tec Logos on the walls had had the emblem of the Office of Interministry Affairs added to them. Stable Tec hadn’t frozen them. The OIA had intervened and turned this place into one of their sick secret experiments, like what they’d done to that soldier, Doof. They’d turned him into more of a machine than a pony. He growled a little at that thought.

“I have good news and bad news Obsidian. The good news is that our armor and Pipbucks are still here. The bad news is that our guns and ammo are nowhere to be found.” Star said as she set said uniforms in front of them.

“Ok, I found our knives and two 10mm pistols with about 30 rounds each in the security office so we have that. I also found a log about the all clear never being sent to the staff. Eventually they turned on each other, the last survivor took the elevator to the surface about 40 years after the bombs fell.” He started changing out of his jumpsuit and back into his armor. Star did the same, only behind a wall of lockers. Obsidian just shrugged, it’s not like ponies and griffins normally wore clothes.

Once they were both in their armor they made for the Stable door, which was sealed tight. It didn’t take Obsidian long to spoof a password for the terminal controlling the door and get it opened.

*****

Star sighed as she sat waiting for Obsidian to finish with the terminal. Her mind was still reeling from everything, the world ending, the cryo pods, waking to find only herself and Obsidian alive. “Hey…I’m gonna take another look around really quick” she got up and left the room, wandering the abandoned halls of a place once promised to save, now a tomb. She shuddered at that thought as she entered a room clearly used by a mare, or a very gay stallion, judging by the very saucy magazine they'd left open on their bed. A large griffin with his legs spread, leaving nothing to the imagination, winked at her from the center spread. Star squeaked a little and backed out of the room. She glanced in again, the magazine almost seemed to be staring right at her, inviting her to take it. She blushed as she caved and put it in her saddle bags, it wouldn’t be right to leave something like that laying around a tomb after all, she’d get rid of it as soon as she founds a proper place to do so.

After finding the sick bay and taking two dozen healing potions, about seven Hydra’s and half of the RadAway and Rad-X she found Star started back towards Obsidian. By the time she made it back to the Stable door Obsidian was playing a game on his Pipbuck that he’d found, the door wide open behind him. She had to admit she was surprised that they weren’t getting soaked with radiation right now. “Well I guess the elevator area is safe at the very least.” She tried to sound optimistic, she was failing. She could see that Obsidian was worried about her as he got up and offered a soft smile.

“Come on, the surface is waiting.” He held out a talon to her which she took. As they stepped through the open door a voice came over the loudspeakers.

“Thank you for participating in our extended cryogenic hibernation. Mares and Stallions may experience hormonal build up in a variety of ways, such as increased aggression, or unexpected Heat. Once again we thank you for your participation in our endeavor to better science, and Equestria, but mostly science. Thank you once again to those who survived and the OIA.”

“Well… that’s… a thing… Um… so uh… yeah lets just get out side.” Obsidian coughed and walked out right as Star noticed his jumpsuit, or what was left of it, in the corner of the room torn to shreds. She shrugged guessing it was that aggression thing the recording mentioned, she felt fine though, no signs of hormone build up or anything like that. She blushed a bit remembering the magazine she’d found. Nope she wasn’t going to keep that she was gonna throw it away as soon as she could……yep….no Heat here.

*****

Obsidian adjusted his helmet glad for the gasmask. If that recording was correct about mares like it had been for his aggression, well the whole room probably smelled like it was full of mares in heat, rather than just one. He just hoped Star wasn’t too uncomfortable right now… and that he wouldn’t have to smell it once they were outside of the Stable. He didn’t need that kind of distraction right now, especially from his sister. There was a loud groan and a clunking from the elevator, it was certainly taking it’s time getting down here. He quickly ejected the game a put it in his bag. There was a loud clang as the elevator reached the bottom.

Obsidian tilted his head as he looked at the elevator. The dirt and fading patterns suggested that something had been sitting on it until just now. That’s when he heard the groaning of wood and metal straining to hold too much weight. As he looked up he saw a very poorly constructed tower being held just barely by no more than three walls of wood and metal. “GET BACK IT’S COMING DOWN!!” he grabbed Star and flapped his wings hard propelling them back as the tower fell straight down the hole, hitting the ground with a resounding crash. As the dust cleared Obsidian stood up and looked around, some of that debris would have to be cleared before the elevator could be raised. There were fresh bodies among the rubble, they were far from healthy, but nowhere near the radiation damage levels he’d expected.

“W…well, Radioactive death isn’t waiting for us…but these ponies don’t look very friendly….and we just broke their tower….” Star piped up as she examined one of the corpses. Obsidian looked down and started searching a stallion. He found a sawed off double barreled shotgun and a bandolier with about 20 shotgun shells. He threw the bandolier across his chest and checked the load on the shotgun.

“They’ve got supplies we can make use of… but I can gather those” he glanced over and was surprised to see that Star was already looting the body infront of her.

“I’ve found some healing potions, .38 rounds and a homemade pistol that uses them. He had a molotov cocktail but that was smashed in the fall. What? I know we need these supplies and it's not like these guys are using it anymore.” She deadpanned. Obsidian just blinked for a second.

Just then a pile of steel plates moved, more specifically stood up. “Is that….power armor?!” Star yelped as she bolted for cover. Obsidian took a step back, if it had been power armor it had been repaired so many times it wasn’t even recognizable anymore. That’s when he noticed the mini-gun reving up as the pony in the power armor laughed like a mad man.

“HAHAHAHAHAHA ALWAYS WANTED TA KILL ME A TALON MERC!! I’MMA MOUNT YER SKULL ON MAH SHOULDER PLATE!! NOW HOLD STILL!!” Obsidian yelped and jumped behind a pile of rubble as the power armored pony opened fire.

“First fight out of cryo and it’s against jerry rigged power armor! Fuck me I guess!” Obsidian shouted as he pulled out one of the 10mm pistols and returned fire to little effect. He saw Star poking her head out and taking pot shots at the pony who didn’t seem to care. Obsidian growled then saw a grenade laying next to a dead pony, which he grabbed. “FIRE IN THE HOLE!” he shouted pulling the pin out and throws the grenade at the power armored ponies hooves. Obsidian and Star took cover as the grenade exploded. Obsidian pulled out the shotgun and jumped over his cover and charged the dazed pony whose helmet and the armor of the right front leg had been blown off, leaving just the frame of the power armor. That’s where he’d aim. Obsidian fired two shots that had little effect. The pony growled and charged him. Obsidian jumped to the side and fired into the belly of the ponies armor but nothing happened. As he cursed himself for forgetting to reload he quickly opened the breach and pulled out two more shells and loaded them into the gun just as he heard the mini-gun reving up again.

“Fire in the hole!” Star called out as she threw out a molotov cocktail at the power armored stallion. Obsidian blinked, hadn’t those all broken in the fall? The stallion growled turning towards her, that’s when Obsidian fired two shots reloaded and fired twice again as the stallion turned, the armor plates on his right rear leg fell off.

“Yer just mak’n this hurt more!!” He turns, firing the minigun up at Obsidian who did his best to doge, taking a few rounds in his hind leg. He hissed as he made it to cover. He heard the minigun fire as Star opened fire again. The sound of the minigun drowned out the .38’s Star was using. Obsidian pulled out one of the 10mm pistols and fired at the stallions legs. Two shots went into his knee causing him to fall down. Obsidian dropped the pistol and pulled out the shotgun as he ran at the hostile stallion. The ponies eyes widened as obsidian pressed the shotgun to his head and pulled the trigger. The pulp that used to be his head splattered against the rubble behind him. Obsidian stood there panting, the pony dead at his feet as rain started pouring down the elevator shaft He looked up, the raindrops landing on the glass of his masks eye plates. With the first crash of thunder came the first wave of emotions. He gritted his teeth and steeled himself against it, he had to stay strong for Star. He didn’t know the world he and star were about to come face to face with would test everything he thought he knew.

*****

Jade was watching the horizon, it’d been about half an hour since the center tower of the Raider Fort had just, disappeared, now she could hear the pops and cracks of gunfire accompanied by the occasional explosion from a grenade. The rain hadn’t let up yet, which was no surprise but still, something felt off. As she looked through her binoculars she saw something flying up, it wasn’t till the figure stopped about 5 stories up did she recognize the shape, it was a griffin. “huh….the Talons are making a move on the Fort? That’s not like them.” She muttered to herself.

“That’s no Talon, that guys wearing some kinda trench coat or cloak. Talons remove that kinda gear before a fight not to mention this isn’t a full frontal assault, these guys snuck into the middle, took down the main watch tower and are not picking them off one sector at a time. Stealth and tactical thinking over brute strength, Wreaths Talons never use this kinda tactics.” Xen started from his perch above her. “not to mention only one flier, either this guys a one man wrecking crew or he’s working with non-winged allies, and Talons never do that no matter which company they’re from.” She had to give him that one.

“Ok but then who’d be stupid or well equipped enough to take that place on?” Jade asked. Another round of solid gunfire was coming from the Fort as a watch tower went up in flames. She could now see figures running out of the Fort. Whatever was going on over there was starting to scare the Raiders out of their own fort.

“Hey Jade! Xen! Granny Gumdrops wants to talk to you two!” one of the mares down stairs called. Jade sighed and started down the stairs and Xen buzzed down behind her. She hated it when he did that and she knew he only did it to annoy her. He had that stupid grin on his face. Personally she still didn’t understand how there was a race of insectoid ponies who fed off love in the hate filled skeleton of Equestria. Xen seemed nice enough, but from what he had told her of where he’d been born, she was glade she wouldn’t ever see it.

“Granny you better not be on those drugs again, I told the Sisters not to give you that stuff it’s gonna kill you” she said as she entered the old mare’s room, and just as she though Granny Gumdrops had a Dash inhaler sitting next to her.

“Quit yer worrying fer me. The Sight shown me something, something that you and Xen need to know, the Fort, the Fort’s gonna fall tonight, that raider mare Wendy’s gonna die and the rest’ll scatter to the winds, but the two who are gonna do it, they’ll need your help, they’re from Equestria, I…..I gotta rest now but you two gotta get out there and find the Ghosts” the old mare smiled faintly “they’re what ya both been look’n for” with that she shooed them out.

“So…..what was that all about?”Xen asked curiously.

“Oh right you haven’t been around for ‘The Sight’ before. Basicly if Granny gets high enough she has these visions that she thinks are the future.” Jade rolled her eyes as he entered the main part of the building, a bar run by the Sisters of the Night. An all mare merc company, specializing in protecting fillies and mares of the Wasteland whenever they could. They’d let Xen join because of his ability to infiltrate anywhere he wanted, better to have him as the only male member than as a potential threat. “those chems are gonna kill her if she keeps this up.” Jade sighed as she sat down.

“Yeah but that Sight of hers has saved our necks more’n one time.” Daisy, the leader of the Sisters of the Night as well as the bartender said as she smiled. “I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for Granny Gumdrops and that Sight, I’d be a pile o’ Hellhound shit somewhere.” Jade rolled her eyes, still not totally convinced.

“She told us to go looking for ghosts, which aren’t real.” Jade deadpanned, just then a Raider barged in yelling.

“GHOSTS!! WRAITHS!! THE SPIRITS OF THOSE WE’VE WRONGED HAVE COME FOR US!!!” He collapsed, fainted. Everypony just stared at the now unconscious Raider. Daisy turned to Jade.

“You were say’n?” Jade just groaned and flopped her head down. This day was not going the way she needed it to, not by a long shot.

*****

Star panted, they’d been fighting their way through this encampment for almost an hour now, Obsidian was stitching up a gash in his leg, they’d long since used up the healing potions they’d found, and where having trouble finding more. She glanced back at his leg, it was gonna get infected if he wasn’t more careful with how he was stitching it, but he had insisted on doing it himself. “Fuck……they gotta be running out of crazies by now! It's like we woke up in the middle of a damn army of them.” He hissed as he poured some whiskey over the wound to disinfect it. “Ok, I saw a gate to the east of us on my last pass over, bad news, looks like the only real way out, worse news, two of those makeshift power armored guys and one in legit T-45 are guarding it killing anyone who goes towards it.”

Star sighed, “Can’t you just fly us out of here?” she could see his expression darken, his talons started shaking. “Is this about that mare you found? You said she’d been dead for at least 24 hours, we couldn’t have sa…”

“She didn’t even have a cutiemark yet!” he hissed. Star gasped. Earlier Obsidian had taken cover in a makeshift building, he’d told Star that the ponies in it had been desicrating the corpse of a pony. Using it as a knife holder or something. He’d referred to the pony as a her, Star had assumed a mare, not a filly, she hadn’t believed that pony kind could have really fallen that far. Her horror was quickly being replaced by the rage she knew Obsidian was feeling.

“Other than the three in power armor how many are left?” she asked in a cold tone, one she didn’t use often.

“20, shit armor and weapons, power armored units all have miniguns.” Obsidian replied, “I’ll draw the grunts over here, stick to the shadows and pick them off.” With that he slipped away into the darkness of the night. She readied the shotgun she’d found, this one was a combat model, 6 round magazine, and she’d found 15 fully loaded clips, lucky, she’d need them all to pulp these monsters. Just then there was an explosion of a grenade, she heard about ten ponies running towards her, followed by the bark of the .44 revolvers Obsidian had picked up. She waited until nine had passed her to step out and slam the butt of her gun into the tenths windpipe, he fell vomiting blood and coughing for air, a firm hoof strike to the back of his neck and he was dead.

The land mine Obsidian had dropped blew the legs off two more of them, a point blank shotgun blast killed the third. The rest became a blur, these weren't crazy ponies anymore, they were monsters. Soon there was just the three in power armor. Obsidian was panting, his helmet was coated in blood, ash from the fire was sticking to it, the mask looked almost like a skull. She couldn’t help but smile a little, it was fitting.

“Ok, i've set up a trap that’ll fry the armor, we just need to get them into it. You go stand by the….”

“No, I’m the bait this time. Trust me. They’ll chase me” she cracked her neck, she knew Obsidian didn’t want her to do this but she was going to anyways. She took a deep breath and stepped into the light. “Hey, all your men are dead!” she then started running for the trap. She could hear two of them chasing her, she keep her run slow enough so they’d think they could catch her, but fast enough to stay well out of their grasp. As she crossed over the trap she saw Obsidian waiting to trigger it. There was an electrical buzz as the generator was started up, then a loud crack as the two thugs were electrocuted. Star turned and smiled as the two fell limp to the ground. That just left the one in T-45. Obsidian walked over and put two bullets in each of the stallions heads just to be safe. Star panted a little, the adrenalin was starting to wear off, her whole body ached.

Suddenly there was a metallic crack, Obsidian was sent flying, his mask shattered from the force of the power armored punch, Star found herself looking into the visor of a T-45 helmet, she could swear she could see the ponies furious eyes through it. Star quickly ducked and rolled avoiding the punch meant to pulp her ribs, her adrenaline was pumping full force again, time seemed to slow, then she realized she’d triggered SATS, Stable Assisted Targeting Spell. She took the time in this slow motion spell to asses her options, and she only had one she didn’t really like. Fallen Ceaser style, Zecora had taught it to her before being killed in action, by an Equestrian Steel Ranger. Star took a deep breath, remembering her training then targeted four strikes to the chest and one to the head. She had to make sure these counted other wise Obsidian could be bleeding to death. She released the spell, the pony’s charge sped back up, to meet Star’s devastating strikes, the first crumpled the chest plate, the second and third missed but the fourth created another large dent, the last strike clipped the helmet, shattering the visor and tearing a chunk of armor off with it. The mare in the armor coughed once before falling to the ground, Star hissed in pain, she’d preformed the last strike wrong and as a result sprained her right fetlock. She limped over to Obsidian, who thankfully was sitting up holding his face. “thought you said you’d never use that technique again?”

“We…well y…you were hurt and I….I didn’t have any weapons that could p…penetrate th…that kind of armor…..” she was glad for the helmet to hide her blush. Obsidian’s nose was gushing blood, it was clearly broken, honestly she was surprised his neck hadn’t snapped from the force of that punch. “I…I’m just glad you’re alive” she hugged him, wincing as her sprained hoof touched him.

“Lets see if miss face puncher has any healing potions in that fancy armor of hers” he limped over to the dead pony and opens the medical hatch on the armors right haunch, “bingo, two healing potions. One for me, one for you.” He limped back over and sat handing her one of the potions.

“You’ll need both of these to fix that leg and your face.” She tried to hand the other back to him as he drank his.

“Star don’t make me force feed you that potion, I will” he smirked at her. She couldn’t understanding, how could he be just casually smiling when there was a real chance of his leg getting infected if it wasn’t healed soon. She sighed as he took the bottle. She took her helmet off for a second, even though the night was cold enough to see her own breath the helmet was making her sweat. Suddenly there was a straw in her mouth. “now drink, we can’t both be limping around out here so drink it!” she couldn't help but giggle and start drinking the potion, that’s when it hit her, as she looked at Obsidian in the light of a nearby fire, him making sure that she was the one at 100 percent, she didn’t just see the griffin as a friend, she had a HUGE crush on him.

*****

Obsidian sighed glad that she was drinking the potion, it would have been wasted on him, his leg would need at least two more potions to heal and he didn’t want her to walk around on a sprained leg like that. He was a bit curious about the blush that had grown across her face though, it was a fairly cold night, but then again her helmet hadn’t been shattered so she was probably just still warm from exerting herself as much as she had.

He tossed the bottle to the side once she’d finished the potion. “Ok, now for some reason these guys seemed to be hoarding bottle caps like a dragon with gems. So there’s probably something important about them………or theses asses where just totally insane” he looked back at Star.

“Huh? Oh um….p..probably…just insane….” She quickly put her helmet on, which was weird normally she didn’t like the mask on the helmet. He just shrugged. There was a lot of ash in the air from all the fires they’d started. He assumed she was just trying to prevent breathing it in.

“Alright, let's just grab all the ammo we can carry and get out of here, this place is lit up like a Hearth's Warming tree. If these guys had anyone on patrols or something they’ll be running back by now.” He immediately started looting the corpse and containers he could find, he found plenty of .44 ammo, shotgun shells, and even some 50 cal rounds but no gun for them. He pockted the ammo and went to the gate, finding Star there already. They started out towards the east, towards the ruins of New Phoenix just as the sun started to poke over the horizon.

It wasn’t long before they found themselves in the suburbs, ruined houses, cracked and faded streets. It was familiar yet a place he’d never set paw in before, he didn’t like it. It was too much of a reminder of all those thoughts and feelings he was keeping in the back of his head. He had to stay strong for Star, he’d already let anger get the better of him back there, he couldn’t let that happen again. He had to remain in control he…..ran right into an old light post.

“Ow…..who put that there?” he rubbed his still healing beak a little, he’d been lucky that mare had clearly never properly trained in that power armor, otherwise he wouldn’t have a head right now.

“Are you ok?” Star trotted over with a concerned tone.

“Yeah, just doing too much thinking not enough watching where I’m walking. Check the MASEBS and see if there’s any form of government left standing.” Star nodded and tuned to the channel on her pipbuck, what surprised them both was the Sapphire Shores song that came out of the speaker. “Um…..that…..I….what?” Obsidian blinked at the pipbuck before quickly tuning in and finding the same song echoed. “Did….did someone turn the Emergency Broadcast Station into a music station?”

“Looks like it…..” Star just shrugged, “well at least we’ll have some music while we walk” Obsidian could hear the smile in her voice, he just chuckled as they walked through the abandoned streets.

“That was Sapphire Shores singing about the good life. And now for some news for the New Phoenix area, late last night the Raider Fort that’s cause so much trouble for the ponies out there was attacked by an unknown party. Eye witnesses say that they saw at least one griffin in the air over the burning fortress. To whomever this mystery band of fighters are, keep fighting the good fight, we need more like you in this Wasteland. And now for some Sweetie Belle….” Obsidian just blinked. It had been less than three hours since they’d done that, how did that DJ know about what they’d done? And what “eye witnesses?” though the stallion did seem at least happy with it.

“I bet he’s accessing the SPP tower cameras. That’s the only logical way he could have known about that, claiming eye witnesses to keep suspicion of sources low, nopony would know that he has eyes on all of Equestria. Smart.” Star said, she seemed impressed with the stallion.

“Wait so you think he’s ID’d us?” Obsidian started looking around. Star just giggled at him.

“No, with all the chaos and the darkness of last night, the only reason he could ID a griffin is probably from your silhouette on one of your flyovers. And even if he had he referred to it as ‘the good fight’ meaning he was probably happy to see that place burn. He did say it had been causing trouble for local ponies.” She giggled a little. Why was she giggling so much? Was she really that happy to have her work put on display for once? Obsidian thought that didn’t much sound like her.

*****

The rain had finally stopped as Xen, Jade and a few of the Sisters approached the Fort cautiously. He stopped and looked at the mud tracks in the road. “Oh that can’t be right…..only two sets of tracks…..one pony and one griffin…..two people couldn’t have done all this, could they?”

“With the proper training, two or three could easily take out these raiders, and those aren’t pony tracks, she was a Zebra like me” Serenity, the only Zebra member of the Sisters of the Night said, she was standing next to the body of Wendy, her armor was damaged badly.

“What makes you think this was another zebra? You guys aren’t exactly common around here.” Xen walked over looking at the full extent of the damage.

“She used Fallen Caesar style to fell this mare” Serenity said, and as if to prove her point, angled her hoof and slipped it perfectly into one of the dents, “but she would have broken her leg smashing the helmet, the strike was not clean, she was out of practice.”

“Well that explains the missing healing potions from the armor, she would have taken it to fix her leg.” Jade said.

“Er her buddies face! Looky here ah found one o’ them ghosts masks! Thing looks like he took a right hook right ta the kisser!” Gear, another Sister, trotted over with half of a mask made to fit a griffin, the thing was a mess, but recognizable as the mask described by the Raider who’d fainted in the bar.

“YIKES that could not have felt good, how’d he even live through this?” Xen took the hunk of armor looking at it. Gear just smirked.

“You ain’t been in many fights have ya squirt? When yer adrenaline gets ta flowing, ya can dish out and take some impressive damage, ya just don’t tend ta feel it, but ah’m guess’n he felt that one all right.” Gear said grinning at him. Xen hated it when she called him Squirt…..he wasn’t that small…..his thoughts were cut off by a cry of distress from the other side of the fort, everypony started running to its source.

As they got there, Xen’s heart dropped into his gut like a brick, Sweet Tooth was sobbing clutching something wrapped in blankets. No one needed to hear it said, they could tell by Sweet’s reaction. It was her filly, Tart, who’d gone missing two days ago. The search party had gone into the city to find her, but they’d gone the wrong way clearly.

“Those monsters……Sweet I’m so sorry….” Jade knelt next to her friend, the older mare looked at Jade, tears still running down her face.

“When you find the people who killed this place, thank them for c….covering her body……they’re the ones who wrapped her up like this.” Sweet held the fillies body close. Xen looked away, he couldn’t watch this anymore. But it brought him hope, the fact that who ever took these Raiders out valued life enough to cover the body of a little girl. It meant that there was still hope for Equestria. If only a little. Then he noticed something strange, none of the caps these Raiders had amassed where taken……thrown aside if anything.

“Strange……” he muttered to himself, Serenity and Gear had started taking Sweet and Tart back to town. Jade walked up and smacked the back of his head

“Looting while we try to comfort h…..wait a minute anypony with half a brain would have taken these caps not just thrown them in the dirt like this…..holy shit……it all makes sense now…..the Stable, it must have opened up and in doing so collapsed the tower, but that would also suggest that only those two made it out of there…..” she said looking back at the massive gear shaped hole in the ground where the tower had once been. Xen sighed and shook his head.

“Look we should go and find these guys. Granny said that we’d need their help and they’d need ours. So the sooner we find them the better.” He started for the gate. Jade quickly stepped in front of him.

“What’s wrong with you? You don’t seem to care at all that Tart is gone…..” Jade looked worried, Xen couldn’t hold it back, the tears started flowing.

“She was just a kid……she….just before she went missing she came to me for advice……she had a crush on that caravan colt…….she asked me what she should do, I told her that he’d be back soon and to tell him……goddesses she must have run after them and gotten caught……she was here because of me…..because of my advice.” He fell to his knees sobbing, Jade hugged him gently.

“You told her to tell him when he got back…..it’s not your fault Xen. How could you have known she’d run off? You couldn’t have.” She gently pet him as he sobbed into her chest. Xen just sniffiled, he knew that she was gone because of him, nothing Jade said would change that. The filly was dead because he hadn’t been clear enough. Jade smacked him on the back of the head, “now quit sulking like a little baby and let's go find those Stable dewlers, they’re screwed once they have to buy something.” Xen just looked at her, then sniffled and smiled softly nodding a little

*****

Jade adjusted her armor as she and Xen prepared to head out, they’d picked up the caps and anything else useful that had been left behind, then returned to the bar where Xen had broken down telling Sweet about the advice he’d given Tart. Sweet had just hugged him and told him she didn’t blame him for any of this, even going as far as to admit she thought of him as a bit of a son and making him promise to comeback. Jade smiled a little thinking of that, she had noticed that Sweet had always had a soft spot for the changeling, and Tart had always called him big brother.

She sighed. It was time to go, they’d stayed long enough to attend Tarts funeral but now they had to get moving before their only trail went any colder. “We ready?” she asked Xen, he took a deep breath and nodded. They said their final farewells and started out.

“So…..now we’re chasing ghosts? Hey you think that’s like a codename one of them uses or maybe they’re called that because they make themselves look like ghosts to scare their enemies?” He almost sounded like himself again, but she knew he was still fighting with his guilt, he was just trying to hide it now.

“You can ask them if we find them. They have almost a full 24 hour head start on us, chances of us actually catching up to them are slim at best.” Jade said as she walked. Her assault rifle hung by her side, her saddle bag on the otherside. They held a mix of food, water, caps and ammo. Mostly the latter two. She knew that Xen, despite not needing nearly as much of it, had mostly packed food and water.

“Unless they start backtracking for some reason. Then our chances would improve significantly, they might even just run into us. That’d be nice.” He chuckled as he walked next to her, he had a large pre-war .50 cal sniper that’d been in her family pretty much since the war, a name and message was carved into the barrel by somepony who’d clearly taken their time, “Winter Rose, her forgiveness will always be remembered”

Xen was still talking “….hey Jade you still with me?” he raised his eyebrow.

“Huh? Oh sorry, I was distracted by Rose. Who do you think she was? Winter Rose I mean.” Jade stared at the weapon as they walked.

“Well despite how long your Pegasus/Unicorn family has had it, it was clearly originally a Griffin’s weapon, the grip is the giveaway there. So my guess is she was the owners girlfriend and he carved her name into the barrel, she died and he added the memorial.” Xen shrugged “personally I don’t get why ponies and griffins feel the need to name weapons.”

Jade shrugged, “And naming a sniper after a forgiving person is just plan ironic, to be a good sniper you have to be cold, calculating, unforgiving. That’s why you suck so much at it.”

“Hey I do not suck! OK yes I do…..but I guess that’s not a bad thing in this case.” He smiled a little. Jade smiled too, she didn’t like it when he was unhappy. They walked on in silence for a while. DJ-Pon3 reported on the Fall of the Fort again, Jade couldn’t help but being a little peeved that he never bothered mentioning that the Sisters of the Night where out here “fighting the good fight” too.

Jade didn’t like this, they were heading into the city, there where Alicorns there, not to mention Feral Ghouls and that “town” New Ciderville, who she was convinced was responsible for 50% of the disappearances in this area.

“Well, Well, Well, Looks like one of the Sisters has decided to give us a visit! Are there just not enough guys visiting you sluts? And lookie there she’s got a pet bug.” A Stallion in Ciderville Guard armor stepped out into the path, two more stepped out of an alleyway behind them. Jade sighed and rolled her eyes.

“OK, first of all only a few of the Sisters will have sex for caps, second Xen’s not a pet, he’s a member, and third we’re just looking for a Griffin and a Zebra who would have passed through here within the last 24 hours, probably in Stable gear.” She noticed the three stallions glancing nervously at each other. The leader then smirked.

“Information isn’t free sugarlips, 1,000 caps or your ass, then you get the info you’re asking for.” It was Jades turn to smirk as she tossed him a bag heavy with caps, the stallion did a quick count before sighing. “I was expecting ass…..fine I did give you the option and I don’t feel like dying at the bosses hooves. Yeah your Griffin and Zebra passed by, about 5 hours ago actually, they tried to buy some supplies with Bits, most anypony would sell them was a few bottles of water. Your Griffin didn’t look too good though, nasty gash on his right hind leg, think it was getting infected.”

“Which way did they go?” Xen asked as he glanced around, there where only two ways they could have gone, out of the city or deeper into it. Jade noticed that the stallion was grinning again.

“2.5 million caps or the Sister’s ass for that tidbit.” The two behind them chuckled.

“OK Xen, you head deeper into the city, I’ll take the path out of the city, we’ll meet back at Bar-Stool in 3 days. And thank you Cidervilers for the information you did give, but you’re not getting anything else from us.” With that she and Xen bolted down their paths before the stallions could decide to take what they wanted.

Jade keep moving at a quick pace, if the griffin was wounded he couldn’t be moving fast, and if infection was already setting in he’d need medical attention ASAP.

*****

Star frowned as she and Obsidian sat in what used to be a park, she didn’t understand it the thing that had attacked them was an Alicorn, she hadn’t said a word, just attacked, it hadn’t been till Obsidian had managed to get inside her shield and blow her brains out that they’d managed to kill her. Obsidian was panting, his leg was in bad shape, infection had set in just before that shanty town. She still couldn’t believing that soda bottle caps where money to these ponies. They’d already used up the water they’d bought. Obsidian sat up and smiled, “Well that was a new thing, we should get moving, see if we can’t find anypony friendlier to talk to and find out what’s going on in the world, other than what that DJ keeps saying.”

Star stood up and shook her head. “You need medical attention. There was a doctor in the shantytown and we’ve collected almost 100 caps now, that has to be worth something….”

He sighed, “ I cheeked and the doc said it was 1,000 caps or…..well I almost punched him in the throat for what he said.” He frowned. “we’re not going back there.”

“Whatever it was we can pay it, Obsidian you could die if that infection gets worse!” Star didn’t know why he was being such a stubborn idiot about this whatever that doctor had asked for couldn’t be that bad, could it?

“NO! I’m not gonna let you whore yourself out just to fix my leg!” Star squeaked, ok, it could be pretty bad. Obsidian looked at her, “You’re the only family I have left Star……I’m not going to let you do that…..not for your first time or ever……”

She blushed, then without thinking she hugged him, kissing his beak, it was surprisingly soft to the touch. That’s when she noticed he wasn’t kissing back…..he was pushing her away a worried and confused look in his eyes. “Star? Wh….why’d you…..”

“I…I love you Obsidian…..I…I have for a while a….and I just….I’ll do anything to help you…..” she nuzzled his neck, her heart was racing, she’d said it. She’d told him, and kissed him.

“Oh Star……you know I care about you… you’re so important to me…..” she felt her heart sinking, his tone was all wrong, he was supposed to sound overjoyed but instead it was regret in his voice, that’s when she realized that all she’d ever be to him was a little sister. “ But you’re my sister, you always have been, I….I just can’t see you as anything else.”

“I….I….” tears filled her eyes as she turned and ran, she heard him call out her name. she just kept running, how could she have been so stupid, just throwing herself at him like that? She cried running, not even paying any attention to her surroundings.

*****

“ARGH! STAR!! STAR I’M SORRY PLEASE COMEBACK!!” Obsidian clutched his injured leg as he limped after her, he’d already lost sight of his sister, which he liked almost less than having just broken her heart. He’d noticed she’d been more clingy since they’d left the Stable almost two days ago, but he’d thought she was just dealing with everything having changed. He took to the air looking for any signs of her. He had to find her, to protect her. She was the only family he had left. He wasn’t paying attention and clipped his wing on a building. He landed hard, his bum leg giving out causing him to tumble over the ground.

He groaned. He heard hoof steps coming towards him, the pony was being cautious, Obsidian slowly reached for his gun, otherwise motionless. The ponies steps where light, mare trying not to be heard light, the slight clank of plating suggested light combat armor. He waited till he felt a hoof trying to turn him over, then he flipped drawing his pistol and grabbing the collar of her armor pressing the barrel to the underside of the unicorns chin. Red hot pain screamed from his leg as the mare smacked it with the butt of her assault rifle. She pulled out of his grip in that second. Obsidian drew his second pistol and found himself in a standoff with the green unicorn.

“What the fuck!? Who attacks somepony who’s trying to help?” The mare barked at him. He groaned but didn’t take his guns off of her.

“Most who are there to help don’t try to sneak up on the wounded, and I don’t have time for this I have to find my sister before she gets hurt! It’s a long story but you didn’t happen to see a Zebra mare run through here about a minute ago did you?” He noticed the mare’s stance soften.

“Wait, you were traveling with a zebra? Did you two come from the Stable under the Radar Fort?” The mare lowered her gun, Obsidian did the same, thou he didn’t like the implication that this mare’d been following them.

“We came out of Stable 111…..and there was a crude fortification full of...‘ponies’ who’d fit the description of Raider…..now have you seen her or not!?” He really didn’t have time for this chicks games right now!

“No, but me and my friend have been looking for you two. Holy shit that leg looks bad….look just let me help you I have some first aid supplies with me, let me at least clean that wound then we can look for her together, two sets of eyes is better than one after all.” Obsidian sighed and put his guns away.

“Two minutes then I’m moving.” He flopped down and let her start working on his leg, “So why are you trying to find us anyways?” he hissed as she poured some alcohol on the wound.

“You two did us a big favor by destroying that place, and the mother of the filly one of you covered wants to thank you for actually caring enough to do that……plus one of the older members of our group seems to think that me and my friend need to find Ghosts or something. There’s no such thing though.” She finished bandaging the leg again as Obsidian chuckled. “What’s funny?”

“The name of the Merc group my sister and I are in is Ghost Company.” He stood and winced as his leg seemed to hurt more. “The fuck did you put on my leg?” he looked at the fresh bandage, a bit of blood on it already.

“Wild Pegasus. And I had to dig some gunk out of it. Ok look my friend’s already out here looking for your sister, lets just get you back to our compound and get that leg fixed.” She stood and started walking away from where Star had been heading, so Obsidian turned and walked in the direction his sister had gone. “Hey! Compound’s this way!” The unicorn came galloping back and stood in his way.

“Two sets of eyes is better than one, three’s even better. You want me to go anywhere with you, you’ll have to help me find her. Simple as that toots” Obsidian looked her in the eyes, keeping his expression hard. He could tell she was used to being in charge and didn’t like that he’d just given her an ultimatum.

“Fine. But as soon as we find her we go back to Bar-Stool. And I have to be back there WITH you in three days. I will knock your ass out.” She puffed out her chest abit.

“Uh huh sure, also was that chest puff supposed to be scary? I’m a head taller than you, and can lift you in full gear and saddle bags when I haven’t just clipped my wing toots, you aren’t gonna intimidate me” he stood to his full height while still on all fours before stepping past her, trying not to limp.

“And stop calling me ‘toots’ my name is Jade Shadow!” Obsidian paused, she couldn’t be……no there was no way this mare was related to Lightning. He shook his head and shrugged.

“Obsidian Shield, nice to meet ya now let's get moving.” He started off, Jade trotting to catch up to him as he started looking for signs of Star.

*****

Xen panted as he ran, the Hellhound hot on his tail. Why did these guys hate everything so much! Xen dove through a small hole and kept running, the Hellhound just smashing through the wall. Xen was just glad this one didn’t have a gun with it. He couldn’t help but smile as the oversized dog started losing ground. Xen didn’t notice the mare running towards him till she slammed into him. He yelped grabbing her as they both tumbled down and into a ditch, he immediately created an illusion around them so they looked like a rock as the Hound he’d been running from caught up and started searching.

Xen quickly signaled the mare not to make a noise, ignoring her pissed off look. Zebra’s always seemed to pull it off the best, wait, this mare was a zebra, he looked down at her, she was only about his size, and he was a bit smaller than the averaged pony, but what really grabbed his attention where her eyes, the right one was a deep Sapphire blue, like a deep pool of water that invited him in. Her left eye was a blazing Amber, like a fire that promised to give him all the answers……..and that was a knee in his crotch. He squeaked falling to the side as the illusion dropped, the Hound had left. Oh and now the mare was dragging him to his hooves by his ear.

“Ow ow ow ow! Please let go I swear I wasn’t trying anything funny! There was a Hellhound on my tail then you ran into me and I had to think fast to hide us!” She let go as she sighed and sat down. Xen noticed the tears on her cheek.

“Why should I trust you? How do I know you weren’t trying to make a quick meal of my broken heart huh?” She sniffled and glared at him with those hypnotizing eyes, wait did she say broken heart? Why wasn’t he able to feel that? He gave his head a quick shake.

“Well for one I was running for my life and two……I can’t get a read on you…..that….I didn’t know that could happen……but who would do that to you?” he frowned. She sighed and told him about how she had thrown herself at a guy who she’d know since she was about 5 and that he’d pushed her away saying all she’d ever be was a sibling to him.

“…..and now I’m telling a stranger about my big mess up. I was just so upset I ran off and now I don’t even know where he is or where I am. Most of the streets are all full of rubble now and I can’t make heads or tails of where we are….” She flopped down. Xen wasn’t sure what to do or why his chest felt like a little changeling was buzzing around where his heart was supposed to be.

“Well, um, I guess you could help me find this griffin and…..zebra….” he blinked as something occurred to him. “Hey that Obsidian guy wasn’t a griffin was he? Leg cut?”

“Yes, he is a griffin, his right hind leg is cut why?” she sat up looking cautious, and suddenly a little shy now that she’d gotten some of the emotional muck off her chest.

“A friend of mine and I had come here looking for you two. We live in a small town just to the west of the Raider Fort you two cleared. A friend of ours daughter was killed by those raiders……..I…..we wanted to thank you two for killing those raiders and offer you any help we could, and if your friends hur, Sweet is a doctor, I’m sure she’d be more than willing to help him.” He offered her a kind smile, she seemed to perk up.

“R..Really? that would be……great if I knew where he was….” Her ears folded back as she retreated back into her shell, Xen quickly tried to find a way to keep her out of it.

“Well….uh…If I know Jade she’s already found him and is dragging him back to Bar-Stool as we speak.” Xen smiled, hoping for something.

“That….Obsidian can be hardheaded to say the least……” the zebra mare muttered a little, her mane having fallen and now covering her left eye, making her look even more shy.

“Oh…..bugga….so is jade……that’s not gonna be a good mix…..but I’m sure she’ll get him to come to Bar-Stool. It’s safe there and she’ll know that if I found you, that’s where I’d take you. Out of the hellhole that is the inner city. So….what do you say? Come with me to Bar-Stool and clear your head while we wait for our friends?” he smiled, was he showing to much teeth? Where his fangs gonna scare her off? Why was he still smiling like that? He quickly closed his mouth as the zebra smiled a little.

“O..Ok…j..just till I can c…calm down a l..little” she nodded.

“I’m Xen. What’s your name?” he smiled again, this time keeping his lips together.

“I’m S…Star Gazer….it’s um…nice to meet you Xen.” She blushed a little. They started walking, Xen made sure to not take her through that Hellhounds lair, didn’t want that thing chasing them. Star expressed some displeasure at the sight of New Ciderville, not that he could blame her, that town was full of stallions who looked at mare’s like they where just caps with a pulse. Xen noticed that she kept eyeing Winter Rose. It almost looked like she recognized the weapon, but that was impossible unless this attractive young mare as a heck of a lot older than she looked…….and why did his heart flutter every time he looked at her!? This was getting annoying.

“Ahem…so uh. Do you like sniper’s? I noticed you keep eyeing Winter.” Xen said, trying to break the silence.

“Winter Rose……was Obsidian’s mother……that’s his sniper…..” Star looked away. Well that had gone well.

“I doubt it. This gun’s 200 years old.” Why did Xen feel so grumpy about her mentioning Obsidian? He hadn’t even met the guy.

“Stable 111…….OIA had taken it over and used it as a cryogenics experiment……..Obsidian and I were the only survivors….” And now Xen felt like an asshole for bringing it up.

“Oh….I’m sorry….” He shut his mouth and they continued on in silence again. He was glad that he knew the short way back to Bar-Stool…..otherwise this would have been even more awkward.

After about 10 hours of walking, with a few 20 minute brakes, admittedly mostly for Xen, they made it back to town. He was astonished at how well Star had handled the hike, she seemed hardly affected by it. Though she still seemed bumed about the whole rejection thing. Serenity was waiting by the gate into town as they approached, Star was immediately cautious.

“Xen, you return so soon? And with out Jade?” the older zebra turned to Star and said something in zebra. Star just looked away and mumbled something that even Serenity must have had some trouble understanding. “Ah I see, I will try to remember to address you in Equestrian then. Xen can you…Xen?” he jumped a little and looked at her, he hadn’t even realized he’d been looking at Star again. “Can you take her to Sweet Tooth? She’d like to say hello and give our guests a quick exam.” Serenity was giggling at him. Why was she giggling like that?

“Of course I can why wouldn’t I be able to do that.” He started walking, Star following him, she seemed even more nervous here in town. Xen couldn’t help but notice that Serenity was still smiling in an unusual way. He tried to ignore her as best he could.

As they approached the clinic Sweet Tooth stepped out. Xen felt a pang of guilt when she smiled at him, he still felt responsible for Tart. Sweet smacked him on the back of the head then hugged him.

“Stop it.” Sweet smiled a little, “It wasn’t your fault now stop blaming yourself and introduce me to your marefriend.” Sweet smiled at a very confused looking Star.

“Wait…WHAT!? No no no no no, she’s not….we’re not…..she’s with….” Xen squeaked and turned into a rock in a poor attempt at hiding.

“My name’s Sweet Tooth, I’m the doctor around here. What’s your name sweetie?” Sweet asked Star.

“Oh…..um….m…my names….Star Gazer…...” She kicked at the dirt a little, she was clearly trying to hide behind her mane.

“Well you have a lovely name. Now, business, as the doctor for Bar-Stool and the Sisters of the Night, It’s my policy to give everypony who plans to stay for more than a night a medical exam. You wouldn’t mind that would you? It’ll be completely private.” Sweet kept her tone soft. Star looked a little surprised.

“I…I didn’t think anyone h...had that kind of s…standard procedures any more….um….o..ok….” she nodded and entered the clinic, Sweet turned to Xen.

“Ok Mr rock, no peeking.” She smiled a little.

Xen turned into himself, his cheeks a bright green-blue color. “Why would I? you know I don’t do that!”

“Because you have a crush on her.” Sweet dead paned.

“Ha! I do not. I just met her like….10 hours ago” he smirked

“Ok sweetie, tell me, when you look at Star what’s the first thing you look at” Sweet sat down.

“Her eyes.” Xen said, he still didn’t see why she thought he liked Star, if he did wouldn’t he look at her butt first?

“Ok, why?” Sweet just smiled

“Well I’ve never seen eyes like them……the contrast between the right and left, Sapphire and Amber….the one is just so inviting, like it’s inviting you in, offering safety, and the other is just….so intense, like it’s promising to hurt you if you abuse the trust of the other, but still offering warmth” Xen blinked as he heard a giggle, he then noticed that Sweet was smirking at him, so where a few of the other Sisters, Serenity was the one who’d giggled.

“You’re right Sweet, he’d head over hooves” she giggled before going back to the gate. He felt his cheeks heat up as he blushed harder.

“I am not!” he got up and quickly left. What did they know, he was a changeling he feed off love, he’d know if he was in love with somepony, or zebra, and he most certainly was not. Jade was behind this somehow, he just knew it, she was getting back at him for always teasing her about that one Talon Merc she’d had a crush on. That had to be it. Well he wasn’t going to let it get to him.

*****

Star blushed a bit as Sweet Tooth finished the medical exam. The older mare was nice, if a little talkative. She’d even managed to get Star to tell her about what happened with Obsidian. Star immediately started redressing.

“You know, you can always stay here, the Sisters of the Night were formed to give the mares of the Wasteland a safe place to stay. And I think Serenity would enjoy having another zebra around, she’s more like you than you’d think, she’s just more comfortable with her roots, though I can’t blame you for having distanced yourself, you grew up in a different time.” Sweet smiled and sat down. “can I ask you a few questions about this Obsidian?”

Star blushed a little. “Um….O…ok I guess…” she sat back down and fidgeted a little.

“When you look at him, what’s the first thing you see?” Sweet smiled softly.

“Well…I..um” star frowned thinking, “well I guess the first thing I see is his chest, he’s a lot taller than me…..” she blinked as Sweet nodded a little.

“Ok, and when he gets protective of you like you mentioned, how do you feel about that?” Sweet watched Star closely. Too closely for star’s liking.

“Well it’s a little annoying, he know I can protect myself. He just saw me take down a mare in full power armor 2 days ago with my bare hooves.” She frowned.

“Mhm, last question. When you kissed him, did you feel a spark? Like a jolt of electricity passing through you? Or was it just the feeling of your lips against his?” Sweet smile was soft and a little sad. Why did she ask that? And what did it have to do with anything? “Ok you can go look around a bit, just please stay inside the compound.” Star nodded and got up heading for the door. She didn’t like those questions they felt too personal for somepony she just met to be asking. Especially about Obsidian. What did Sweet care if there was a spark, besides it took two to make that spark thing happen. Now if Obsidian had kissed her back there would have been a spark for sure, heck they would have started a wildfire with their spark. Only reason there wasn’t one was cause he hadn’t kissed back. Right?

She shook her head as she stepped outside. It was getting dark, she sighed and started towards what had been one of Dusk’s favorite places, an old stripe club that had some how survived the bombs, she was surprised but pleased to find that inside it was now just a bar. Though the stage at one end was still in use. Xen was up there, singing what was admittedly a song.Star enjoyed very much. He’d made himself a female changeling, the only real change was his voice. Star sat near the back and watched him as he smirked and danced along the stage, he was so full of energy as he swayed his hips at a few of the stallions in the audience singing the chores. She smiled, as a mare he had a pretty good singing voice, and he seemed to be enjoying himself so much, even the attention he was getting from stallions. She guessed he was gay or at the least Bisexual. The song ended and Xen walked off stage swaying his hips a little.

“Ya know he’s actually a guy, you can probably get him for the night if you wanted.” Star squeaked and jumped turning to see a large earthpony mare, her gold coat was covered by a black combat vest similar to the one Lightning used to wear, her brown mane pulled into a ponytail. “wait, aren’t you that mare Xen brought back to town with him? Star Seeker or something like that?” the mare looked at Star.

“S…..Star G…Gazer m…ma’am” she shrank back a little, not sure who this mare was, but guessing she was one of the Sisters of the Night, the mercenary group that ran this bar and town.

“That’s it Gazer. I’m Daisy by the way, nice ta meet ya. Well I guess tell’n ya bout Xen have’n a cock wasn’t really necessary then. But I’m sure he’d give ya a discount if ya asked ‘em” Daisy smirked at her.

“I…I’m not like that…..” Star tried to glare, but judging by Daisy’s reaction it came out as more of a pout. “I…I’m saving my…self…..” she squeaked a little as she relised what she was just saying to a mare she just met, why was she being so open with these ponies? She flopped her head on the counter.

“Ah, right I forgot yer a Stable pony, well zebra. Yeah, growing up underground with old world standards, musta been nice.” Daisy nodded pouring whiskey into a glass and offering it to star who quickly shook her head. “Yeah, old world living without the war. Must be a paradise down there.”

“We were frozen……I grew up during the war…..”she sighed trying not to think about all her dead friends. “the Stable was an OIA experiment in cryogenics, Obsidian and I were the only survivors…..”

“Really? Well you just won me about 150 caps.” Daisy grinned. Star looked at her like she was a mad mare. Daisy blinked and looked closer at Star, “Wow…..he wasn’t kid’n, yer eye’s are kinda mesmerizing….” Star scooted back

“P…please stop…..” Star squirmed a bit under the mare’s gaze. Daisy chuckled and looked at the stage as another mare came on and started singing.

“Sorry, ah don’t really have many boundaries, guess you got more than most. Welp, if’n ya want a drink first one’s on me.” She nodded at Star then walked to another customer. Star sighed a little and noticed Xen pouting and flailing his hooves at something one of the Sisters must have said to him. She wondered if that’s how it looked when she flailed her hooves at Obsidian. Then again he was taller than most ponies, where as she was a little shorter than most. So it must have been even more comical than that. She did feel bad for the little changeling. He seemed to be the only stallion that was a full time resident here in Bar-Stool. That had to be kind of hard. Unless he was anything like Flash or Dusk then he must love it here.

“Oh hey you’re here. Sweet wasn’t too pushy about anything was she?” Star jumped a little as Xen had walked up in front of her, he was smiling, but he seemed nervous, and once again his eyes were locked on hers…..why did he keep looking at her like that.

“Um…she…maybe a little…..why was she so interested in Obsidian?” Star noticed his eye twitch a little.

“Don’t worry about it……she kinda acts like a mother to everypony here.” His eyes were darting a bit, and he seemed to be breathing faster, he was lying about something.

“Ok…” she looked around a little “where um, where should I sleep?” Xen blink and opened his mouth then closed it.

“Well…..I think there’s a spare room upstairs…..but you’d have to talk to Daisy about using it…..” Xen fidgeted a little. Star blinked confused, he’d just been up on stage singing and dancing the night away, now he was acting shy and fidgeting.

*****

Jade groaned, panting softly. This was the last thing she expected when she meet this griffin. They’d only know each other two days now. And here she was, dragging his ass around! “I told you, you should have had that leg looked at TWO days ago, or ya know, when if first happened.” She glared at him, she’d just dragged him into a building after he’d passed out, the wound was clearly infected but Obsidian just refused to seek medical attention.

“You….didn’t have to move me…..and I’m not going anywhere till I find Star…..” Obsidian groaned, he sat up slowly. Jade sighed and shook her head.

“Well I got radio contact with my base, my partner is back there, he found her she’s safe.” Jade was lieing out her ass, she had no way of contacting Bar Stool, but she hoped that Obsidian was either, too stupid, or to delusional from fever to pick up on the lie. He just nodded.

“OK, then we should get moving…….how far out are we?” he said as he stood up. Jade raised an eyebrow. Why did he need to know that.

“It’s half a day’s walk west of here. Why?” she looked at him. He was keeping the weight of his leg he was stretching his wings for som- “No way! You are not flying anywhere!”

“You’re right, I’m not, WE are.” And with that he took to the air, getting a surprisingly good grip on the back of her armor, and right out the window, Jade squealed, she didn’t mention this to anyone but she was terrified of heights, and flying. “The more you squirm the harder it is to keep a grip on you.” Obsidian said from above her, she immediately froze where she was panting very fast. “That’s not a good idea either, just take a few deep breaths”

Obsidian kept flying as Jade slowly started to calm down. She swallowed a little and kept her eyes closed, she lost track of time. When she opened her eyes again they were almost half way back to Bar Stool, and losing altitude. “Um….Obsidian? why is the ground getting closer and why’d you let me look down!?” She asked, squeaking more than she meant to.

“Tired…..wings sore.” Obsidian said, “Landing….we’ll have to walk the rest of the way.” He was panting softly, Jade felt her hooves touch the dirt just before he let go of the back of her armor. He landed roughly a few feet in front of her, clearly off balance as he stumbled and fell to his knees and groaned. She walked over to him.

“You ok? You don’t look good.” Jade asked him, she knew the answer, there was no way this guy was ok. He was clearly feeling very sick.

“Yeah….fine…..lets….let's just get goin...” he said, he looked confused momentarily, “M…Ma’ma?” he passed out. Jade quickly cheeked his forehead, he was on fire.

“Let's get you to Sweet Tooth, and hope you’re not too far gone.” Jade quickly hoisted as much of the large griffin onto her back as she could, using her magic to keep him there as she started walking towards Bar Stool. She knew Xen was going to tease her about the positioning but it was the only way for her to get this unconscious idiot back to town. She’d only known him two days, and now she was dragging him towards her home, her new home. “Luna hear my prayers, don’t let this action be the one that ruins Bar Stool…..” She chuckled at herself, an old habit, from a different life. As she walked, her mind wandered back to it, before she was a Sister of the Night.

Author's Note

Chapter 2. took a while to get it out but here it is. go easy on me I know Im not perfect.