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