“So, ya got the gig as head of the Ministry of Arcane Science? Fancy badge for your chest. What was the catch?”

“More than what I could ever possibly have realized. So much more.”

I woke up to a brisk knocking that reverberated throughout the bedroom as I groggily opened my eyes to the world. “Oh come on…” I murmured to myself. “Five more minutes…” Rolling out of bed, I snatched up my glasses and the feather on the nightstand‒glasses onto my muzzle, feather into a small test tube lying on the desk, which is immediately stowed away‒and and trotted over to the door to answer it. “Hello?”

Standing outside was a Shadowbolt at parade rest. He wasn’t wearing any of the power armor shared by the entry guards, but he definitely was a bit on the bulky side and well-maintained. "Acting Director, I'm here to guide you to the Directorate Cabinet for a meeting. All ranking ministry staff are required to attend."

Giving a nod, I slowly turned to face the door to Renegade’s room. “Sir, may I meet you by the entrance? I need a private word with the supervisor.” The shadowbolt proceeded to salute with a nod before heading down the hallway. Once he was clear of the hallway, I gave a few short knocks on the door. “Hey ‘Gade, it’s morning.” For a few moments, there wasn’t an answer, and I gave it another knock. “Hello?” After a third knock, I gave a sigh and flicked the switch to the door without a second thought.

The only thing I could see next before getting hit in the head was a flash of stripes as two ponies fell forward forward onto me. A body fell onto my back and a few hind hooves hit the back of my head as two purple forehooves met my forehead. “D-Dad?!?” Renegade called at me with a surprised look as he dismounts my face while looking rather sheepish. Looks like that bruised hind leg is getting to him a little…

Rubbing a hoof against the back of my slightly bruised head, I wasn’t sure what to say. "H-hey, I was trying to let you know I was going out for a bit... apparently I have a board meeting."

"Ooookay? We probably are going to… uh... Be here when you get back." He steps to the side, trying not to look at me as he helps Usiku to her hooves. "...yeah." Casting a quick glance down the hall before moving her back to the precipice of the door, Renegade helps Usiku onto the disheveled bed.

Giving the room a concerned glance, my gaze slowly hovered onto the pegasus. “Please… tell me that you didn’t stay up all night?” Slept almost like a rock last night, so there’s no telling how long I was out…

Renegade had a completely straight face as he looked back at me. “That depends… What time is it?”

A quick glance to the clock on the nightstand‒there were a few slightly bloodied bandages, which was slightly worrying‒told me the time. “Oh-eight-hundred…”

"Hm.. No, our last break was about an hour or two ago. Before that we had another three hour break while we checked in with the doctors two levels down.. and before that, we had lunch… or was it dinner?" Renegade shrugs.

Oh, for Celestia’s sake… I buried my face into a hoof with a sigh. “I know you’re happy with finding a friend, but you do realize you have to take a break, right?”

“But we do… You’re starting to sound like Star Paladin Hard Case.” Renegade frowned at me, attempting to look irritated, though it appeared closer to being grumpy or tired.

Smiling softly, I knelt down so that I was at eye level with the colt before ruffling his mane. “Okay, I wanted to check… you’re still my son, and I love you.”

In response, Renegade fluffed his wings and scrunched up his nose with a soft whine. "Daaaad, not in front of Uzi!” The scene apparently was amusing to Usiku, having elicited a giggle from the tired filly on the bed.

I couldn’t help but join in on the giggles with a chuckle of my own as I finished ruffling Renegade’s mane. “Gotta pick on you sometimes. That’s how it works~”

Rolling his eyes, Renegade shrugs his wings before climbing onto the bed with Usiku. “So, how long is this meeting going to be?”

I returned Renegade’s shrug with one of my own as I stood to my hooves. “To be honest, I dunno… but stay here in our wing of the facility, okay? I promise we can go explore later, I promise.”

For a few moments, it looked as though Renegade was about to refuse, but he pauses. Thinking for a moment as he tilts his head, he then gave me a smile. “Okay.”

With a sigh, I gave Renegade a small nuzzle as I began to shrug on my jacket. “Sorry, just super protective at the moment… you know why.” Trotting out the door, I flashed a small smile to the pegasus. “See you soon!”

Giving a wave with my tail while also closing the door behind myself, Renegade returns it in kind with a wing wave. With my morning check-up completed, I briskly trotted to the junction between the MAS and MoM wings of the floor, where the guard was waiting. “Alright sir, we’re good to go.”

The door to the MAS wing closes behind me with a soft hiss, with the words ‘Ministry Access Required for Entry’ engraved on it. The soldier that I spoke to earlier was waiting at the junction when the door to the MoM wing opened, allowing a conversation to float out to my ears. “-and the standard protocol should allow field agents to supercede contracted staff, regardless of assigned rank indicator.” Oh. it’s Him. The voice of the unicorn that Renegade and I (quite literally) ran into earlier was as clear as day as he rounded the corner, led by a Shadowbolt.

However, what was surprising was the striped visage that followed. “You know as well as I, that protocol is higher than the sky. Arguing will only slow down what we are doing.” Their argument continued until they reached the T-junction, where Milze blinks in surprise at my ID card. "Ah Director Gears, I had thought there were lies spoken to my ears."

Eyes narrowing at the unicorn, I gave a quick glance to his ID‒number 6723 with a MoM party balloon logo next to the number‒before turning to Milze and noting his‒number 5320‒as well. “It appears so… Apparently I’m a director now. Also, Uzi’s with Renegade, so don’t worry.”

"Acting Director, tis not in error." Milze pauses for a moment before continuing in standard Equestrian, lacking the echoing undertone that accompanied his rhyming. "...as the highest ranking members of our respective Ministries, we have a responsibility to uphold our facilities."

The two soldiers share a nod to one another and begin to make their way towards the elevator, with the rest of us following. As we continued, I gave a solemn nod to Milze. “Yeah, certainly seems like it…”

“A responsibility to Pony-kind, most assuredly.” The unicorn seemed quite uncomfortable as we crowded into the elevator, with the two soldiers taking position at either side of the door.

The unicorn taking the far corner and Milze standing in the center, I moved to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the zebra, a comforting smile on my muzzle. “Hey, it’ll be okay.” Pulling out the red feather, I held it up for him to see. “Seems like I had a piece of that close one with me the entire time…”

From the corner of my eye, while their eyes were barely visible behind the tinted goggles, the two Shadowbolts’ eyes lock onto the feather as one of their wings twitches ever-so-slightly. Milze, however, tilts his head ever so slightly to view it from the side. “...so you were unaware, I thought you’d chosen to bear it.” With a ding, the elevator began to drop.

Giving a shrug in return as the motors of the elevator whirred above us, I let my muscles relax. “Yeah, I went four days without a shower…” Hanging my head with a sigh, my eyes looked back up at the zebra. “Renegade keeps telling me to let go, but I just can’t, ya know… we’re family.” Reaching my hoof into my jacket, I pulled out a slightly worn picture to show to Milze.

It was a simple one of himself, Renegade, and a red pegasus in a Shadowbolts uniform in front of a war-torn home in Stalliongrad. The photo was clearly a happy one, with the three all smiling with the red pegasus’s wing wrapped over Arcane’s shoulder, with the two older stallions each lying a hoof on Renegade’s shoulders.

If the feather was a firecracker in terms of the reaction from the two Shadowbolts, the picture was a fragmentation grenade. Upon seeing the photo, their eyes began to go wide as they both physically turned their heads to look at each other. The unicorn behind us seemed to be more interested in the walls or the inset lighting as Milze seemed to smile genuinely.

"He must have been good to you, to earn such a dedication. This war has taken someone from all of us." With that, the elevator door opens.

Turning to Milze, I nodded solemnly. “... He was.” Taking the time to stow the picture, I felt a droplet of moisture form in my eye. “He was one of the best things that ever happened to me, aside from Renegade, that cheeky colt.” At the thought of my son, a small smile teased the edges of my muzzle.

"Visitors, exit the elevator and proceed through the spell field ahead. No unauthorized magic, weapons, or artifacts beyond this point. Any on you will be removed via spell and returned upon your departure."

As the soldiers stepped aside, the unicorn capitalized on the moment by pushing his way past Milze roughly into the hall. The zebra, for his part, simply dusts off his pink MoM issue suit jacket before following behind. To be honest, it’s a strange design choice, but it looks like those working at the MoM kinda got used to it, I suppose.

With a flick of my right foreleg, the EPAM on me extended out down the length of the limb as I prepared to take it off at the checkpoint. In addition, I made sure that both the photo and feather were kept in the physical aspect of my jacket, as opposed to the hammerspace I usually kept them in. “Okay, where do I need to drop off my EPAM?” I asked, looking to the security checkpoint.

What was on one side of the checkpoint was a long pane of about one meter-thick glass, with a single Ranger Scribe sitting at the console, and a Shadowbolt in full armor leaning against the wall on his hind legs."Simply step into the spell field, it will store the item and identify it for eventual ret‒ is that an EPAM?" There's a coughing sound, as if the pony on the other end of the microphone is clearing their throat. "It will be returned upon your departure."

Chuckling, I gave the scribe a smile. “Yeah, it is. And please don’t mess with it. However, if you want to, maybe you can see if I have an opening and I can show you how it works?” I offered softly as I stepped through the checkpoint, watching the EPAM be stored via magic with a feeling of a faint tingle. The scribe gives a thoughtful nod, but doesn’t comment further as the inner airlock opens while the one leading to the elevator closes.

Giving a sharp nod to Milze as the zebra and unicorn pass through, I gave a quick pat to my pocket where the feather and photo were stored to find them both perfectly intact. “So, do we continue, or do we have an escort?” I ask, adjusting my glasses with a hoof.

The PA system will crackle to life once more in response to my question. “Down the hall and first door on your left. Just look for the Rangers.”

Tail giving a thumbs up to the booth, we continued along as I kept an open eye for the Rangers. “I believe this is the cabinet room?” There were a pair of Steel Rangers guarding an intricately carved stubbornite door, who each step out of the way to the sides. The unicorn, opening the door, naturally enters first, with Milze close behind.

"Ah Director Gears, we've been expecting you. I hope the scanners didn't fritz your pelt or something along those lines. They're a pain on feathers and manes." N-No… There’s no way it’s him… There was no mistaking that voice, now without the sound of rushing wind and clicking of geiger counters.

The room is walled in faux-wood, and a hardwood table took up the center, which is surrounded by plush looking chairs, with a hoof-full of individuals filling them. Deepest Desires for the Ministry of Peace, a white coated unicorn in Steel Rangers garb with the indicators of a Star Paladin. A Colonel in Equestrian Army uniform, and lastly… A red pegasus in Shadowbolts dress uniform. A captain’s rank identifier fixed to his uniform and the Ministry of Awesome Insignia emblazoned on his shoulder, his beret displays the emblem of the Helldivers, a Commando unit known for extremely rapid insertions into enemy territory. A Pipbuck rests on his left leg in similar colors.

Standing in the doorway and looking over the room, my coat stood on end as I stared at the pegasus for a few moments. This… this isn’t a joke, is it? He’s perfectly healthy! Looking to Milze, then to the red pegasus, the room itself, then the nearest open chair as I slowly trotted over to it nervously. “N-Nope… I’m good, no fritzing, just the scribe got a bit excited at seeing my EPAM, that’s all.”

Turning to me, Milze’s look of confusion was rather obvious as the pegasus in question apparently noticed my change of attitude immediately. “Is something wrong, director? You’re on edge.”

Shaking my head as I took a seat, I continued to sneak the occasional glance to him. “N-No… just surprised, that’s all.”

The Shadowbolt raised a very slow eyebrow at my words. "Are you sure, Director?" My only response was a very slow nod as I attempted to relax, but I just couldn’t.

The fiery MoM unicorn rolled his eyes as he sipped his mug of coffee. "Well hurry up and sit down, there's work to do and you standing there staring at the Captain is only going to waste time."

Turning to the unicorn, my tail was already in the process of pulling out a journal and pencil. “Already seated.” Somehow, everyone, with exception of Desires, refrained from rolling their eyes at the unicorn’s comment. Though, there was a notable disapproval from everyone, barring the Star Paladin.

"Very well... Colonel?" The Star Paladin spoke up after clearing his throat to quieten the room.

The aging stallion at the end of the table, probably in his late 50’s or 60’s, had a grizzled look with his body adorned with scars, clearly battled hardened. The insignia on his collar said all there was needed to say. “Gentlemare, stallions. If you’re not already aware, the war is over… we lost.” The last two words seemed to echo in the room with a weight measuring in the gigatons.

Milze seems deeply dismayed as the words are spoken, Desire's permanent smirk fades, the Shadowbolt’s eyes are haunted for the briefest of moments, the Star Paladin seems unmoved, and the Unicorn at the end? "Colonel Sharpshot, is it? The ziggers wiped themselves out in the process too. I'd hardly call it a loss if we're still alive." Is adamant.

Feeling a flicker of defeat as my shoulders sag, I let my gaze linger on the red coated shadowbolt occasionally; looking confused, but hopeful, I turned to Sharpshot at the end of the table. “Well, we simply turn around and bounce from it, don’t we? Roll with the punches, get back up?” I offered. “I mean, we got this, don’t we?”

The Colonel looks from the Unicorn, a glare visible in his gaze before turning to me. As his eyes settled on me, his glare softened and his head lowered. "Morale Officer, did you bring the copies of the report I requested?"

Milze nods solemnly in response. "Agent Firebug, if you would pass them out." Oh, so that’s his name… Firebug seems almost insulted, but his horn lights and a set of eight party-pink folders float out, tinted a sinister red by his magic. The copies come to rest at the hooves of each member of the meeting.

The Colonel lowers his muzzle, eyes closed. "All of you, prepare yourself, and read it.."

Taking the folder in front of me with a nod, I proceeded to flip it open with a flick of my hoof. “How badly do we need to be prepared to read it, Colonel?”

Milze took the moment to speak up. "My predecessors both committed suicide after reading these documents. Take all the time necessary."

At Milze’s words, I proceeded to stop on a dime, my eyes slowly looking up to meet the zebra. “... that bad?” My gaze then slowly returned to the folder, continuing to read it slowly.

The first document was a population survey for regions of Equestria. Broken into North Central, North Western, North Eastern, Western, Eastern, South Western, South Eastern, South Central, and Central Equestria. It also included territories such as Japone, The Crystal Empire, Prance, and Germane. A population census put the population of mainland Equestria at about 127,400,000 Ponies, other races are not documented in this census.

Raising an eyebrow at the details, I flipped to the next document without a word. The second document is dated two days after the bombs fell. It was much of the same details, except there wasn’t any data for Prance, Germane, Japone, or the Crystal Empire and the population estimate is placed at half the previous number.

Without saying a word, I flipped to the third document, reading it as fast as possible while also checking for details about Appaloosa. The next page indicates a census from the same date, except with a few hours difference. Around the time the fallout began falling to earth again. Information was only available from Central, Western, North Western, and Northern Equestria. Estimates were printed out as being around 250,000 ponies.

Still remaining silent, I flipped to the fourth and final document. The only information available was from North Western Equestria, and indicated around 24,000 ponies. It was dated at 23:00 Hours… yesterday.

“...Faust save us all…” I muttered to myself as I closed the document into the folder. Setting the file onto the table, my tail‒seemingly on its own‒pulled out the family photo and offered it up to me as if offering comfort.

Finishing his own reading of the report, the pegasus‒seated across from me on the table‒slowly lowered his copy of the report. “Princess Luna is dead, and Celestia is believed to have fallen as well… None of the other bases have responded to our hails and the storms have limited us to Steel Ranger patrols or armored vehicles, both of which share significant risk.”

The Colonel nods his head before looking to the fiery unicorn. "Make no mistake.. We did not win this War. Merely survived its conclusion."

Over the next few minutes, the other members of the impromptu council take care in closing their reports, while Agent Firebug remains… Not arrogant in his expression, but rather almost unfettered by the contents. "Respectfully, Colonel, I disagree… But I will not voice so here in respect to the fallen.”

Sitting quietly in the chair, I kept looking at the picture in my tail as I tried my best to calm down. You got this, Arcane… you have Renegade, HE is still alive and it’s confirmed… roll with the punches, make sure your family and friends get their happy ending.

Straightening my posture as I turned to Sharpshot, I felt a fire ignite in my eyes with emotion. Maybe Hope? “Okay, so what’s our order of business, knowing this information, Sir? I’d say we need to start getting our population together, and make sure that they’re safe, fed, and cared for. We may have lost the war, but we can still win the fallout.”

The Colonel continues to glare at Firebug for a few more seconds, only shifting his emerald eyes to me after the unicorn lowered his gaze. "At current, we are still bringing in survivors from smaller shelters and underground facilities across the Northwest. But they are pitifully few."

“This meeting is to confirm what we have and how it can be utilized… Captain Markerlight, how are we on supplies?” The red pegasus shifted his left wing as he brought up to read.

...It really is him… but how? Markerlight gave a short cough as he cleared his throat before speaking. “Well on that front, I can thankfully say we’re overstocked. This base was built to house around twenty-thousand across the facilities, including the stasis vaults… our latest headcount is a little over eight-thousand civilians and almost a thousand off-duty personnel, and the pre-placed garrison which stands at about three-thousand-four hundred.”

He flips to the next page. "We have about seven years of stored rations for what was estimated to be a twenty-thousand strong garrison, however the transfer papers only went out a week ago, and less than ten percent actually managed to begin redeploying when the bombs fell."

"Ammunition reserves are good, and they should remain that way so long as we avoid heavy combat in the future, and our MEW battery charges are functional, so Laser Rifles, Plasma weapons, anything using a Spark Battery or Magical Fusion Cell is essentially a non-issue as far as ammunition is concerned." Markerlight continued to rattle off the various statuses of the base.

"Our supplies of combat barding, gas masks, uniforms, and other basic essentials for a garrison force are stocked.. One of the four water recyclers suffered a malfunction in its talisman and had to be taken down for repairs." Markerlight pauses, looking at the MoM unicorn. "One of the Zebras from Zebratown offered to help console the spirit of the talisman, from what I understand the recycler will be functional come 0300 hours." Firebug simply glared at the pegasus when he mentioned the zebras from Zebratown. Note to self: minimize interaction with him as much as possible…

Remaining silent myself during Markerlight’s status report, I set my forelegs down on the desk to allow my body to relax somewhat. When the report was finished, Sharpshot gives a nod before turning to look at Desires. "Doctor Desires, does the Ministry of Peace have anything to contribute?"

The white coated mare nodded in return, her smile long gone. "Yes.. We've begun incinerating the bodies after the incident in Med-bay Two, we were hoping the Ministry of Arcane Sciences would be able to assist us in understanding why the bodies began reanimating after expiration."

Ears flicking towards Desires before my head followed, I raised an eyebrow and a hoof at the mare. “Hold up. They’re reanimating after expiration? How so?”

Desires will pull out a small form and begin to read through it, almost as if refreshing herself. "We aren't sure.. Most of them come back flailing like wild animals, trying to rip at anypony they encounter. A few appear to be just as they were prior to their deaths, but there's a clear decay occurring to their bodies. After the first attack, we started to consider that it was necromancy. But there’s been no detected rituals."

Eyes flicking to Markerlight, then back to Desires, I gave a look of confusion. “That is definitely… odd.” Could… maybe this is why he’s still standing? No, figure out this mystery first. “Any possible way to go more in-depth on examining?”

Markerlight’s slitted amber eyes burned into my own when I glanced at him for those few moments as Deepest continued. “We have a number of them in containment, you can ask some of the ones who’s minds appear to be intact on Sublevel Four.”

Realizing I had been spotted with my glance, my gaze wanders away quickly. “Yeah, I’ll probably have to investigate that then… What's their current status? How intact are their minds, and how do they look? Where are they from?” I asked, questions flying out as fast as the thoughts flowed through my mind to my mouth. “Just trying to get a baseline.”

Desires pauses for a moment, a faint green tinging her cheeks. "They look as though the fur and flesh is rotting on their bodies, while their minds are intact but the states of them vary. Some are entirely there, others suffer forms of memory loss.. and the others, the others are completely feral. Star Paladin Hard Case..." She nods to the white unicorn in Steel Rangers garb. "...assigned two armored rangers to each medical bay and morgue, while volunteers handle the placement of tombstones outside."

At this, Firebug pipes up again. "Tombstones? Who thought wasting the time of the Rangers, and risking radiation exposure was worth placing a piece of carved rock?" His question hangs in the quiet air.

Giving a nod to Desires in acknowledgement, my tail continued to scribble notes into the journal with me. “Okay, that’s definitely interesting in the very least. I’ll make a point to drop by soon, in that ca‒” I stopped as Firebug’s words clicked in as my gaze turned into a glare against the unicorn. “Because the dead still deserve their final resting place… even in whatever hell we’re living through.”

“... and because I authorized those who ‘survived’ what Faust-forsaken fate to place the markers of those who didn’t.” Markerlight’s voice was low and emotionally neutral, the hard glare I usually saw often on the face of the Royal Guard dominating the pegasus’s expression. Oh… I know that look. He is freaking LIVID.

Giving a small smile, I gave an approving nod to the pegasus. “And I appreciate that authorization, Markerlight. It’ll help keep some ponies here busy… not much to do for just being in a bunker, so whatever work can be done, it can.” Even if he doesn’t remember me, he’s still the same… to a degree.

Markerlight gave a nod as Firebug backed down silently. To my left, the white-coated unicorn placed his hooves calmly on the table. “Which leads into my purview. The Ministry of Wartime Technology will be handling the work assignments of the civilian population. This includes mining details, stasis assignments, and several other projects that will require bodies to take care of.

Relaxing in my chair, my tail gave a thumbs-up. “That sounds simple enough. We should still make sure they’re safe at the very least; it’s the least we owe them.”

With Sharpshot turning to me, he kept his stoic expression for the time being. “...and I take it the Ministry of Arcane Science, or what remains of it is prepared to handle the tasks set forth?”

Giving my best determined smile to Sharpshot, I gave a nod. “Tell me the tasks, give me my group, and I can give you a definitive answer to that question, sir.”

The older earth pony simply smiles. "...I'll forward the list to you later today. Most of the remaining researchers have a meeting set for." He pauses and looks to Markerlight. "11:00 Hours tomorrow, Sir." The Colonel nods. "Once your department is entirely in order, work with Doctor Desires on finding out the cause of these reanimations. Find out why they're being caused, and if they can be prevented."

Giving a nod in return, I continued to settle into the chair. “Got it. So meeting at 11:00…” My tail scribbling down the information into my notebook, I hummed gently to myself before looking back up. “And what am I to do until I meet my team?” Casting a glance around for a clock, I couldn’t find one. “I don’t have the time, actually.”

Markerlight was on the ball for answering the question. “The time is oh-eight-hundred, and you have roughly twenty-three hours of free-time before you need to prepare.”

Scribbling down the additional information, I let my gaze linger on the pegasus for a few moments. “I appreciate it, Markerlight.” However, his eyes were already back into the report. Oh… guess he didn’t hear me.

The Colonel stands up and steps out of his chair. "Well, that is all for the moment.. Meeting adjourned, we'll reconvene again in seven days' time."

Stepping out of the chair with a nod to Sharpshot, I kept an eye on Markerlight as everyone began to leave. The various ponies began to collect their things and leave the room. Sharpshot whispers something in a hushed tone to the red pegasus before leaving, and my ear flicked towards Desires as she whispered something to Milze as they left the room. “I have a few bottles of spirits in my quarters. It might not be perfect, but they can help.” The zebra appeared to think on it for a few moments, then nods.

Once the room is empty, Markerlight steps over to the door and closes it without saying a word. Not leaving my spot next to the table, I remained silent as my eyes followed the pegasus across the room.

Markerlight remains silent as he moves from the door to the seat directly across from me. He proceeded to sit down and unfold his wings. Pressing the tips of feathers together in a triangular shape just before his snout in contemplation. "..there’s something you want to tell me, Director."

Looking at Markerlight, I gave a soft sigh as I took a seat. As I took my seat, my tail grabbed the picture that was lying on the table before stowing it away. “...Where would be the best place to start?” Wait… what if he didn’t remember us?

The pegasus rolls his shoulders as he takes a breath. "Perhaps at the beginning. You seem incredibly interested in me, and not for the reasons I'm used to. Do I know you?"

Looking at the stallion, I could feel the emotional mask I kept on cracking a little at his words. He… he didn’t remember us? “Yes, Martini, you do… or did at least?” I asked, my shoulders beginning to sag.

Martini seemed to pick up on where I was leading the conversation as his wingtips slip down a little until the tips rested against his chin. “...We were close, weren’t we… After Stalliongrad?”

I slowly gave a silent nod in response. “...You don’t remember me at all?” My tone carried one of worry and surprise. “...or Renegade?” I offered gently, hoping that I could help jog the pegasus’s memory.

Markerlight shakes his head faintly. "The last thing I remember before waking up in the ruins of the Castle was a hard-fought battle in Stalliongrad... and a dogfight over Canterlot. But beyond that.. My memory is..." He trails off, looking contemplative again. "The doctors said it might be some sort of amnesia, that my memories should return in time. But, I don't put much hope in it." However, the next two words out of his muzzle stopped me dead in my thoughts. "..who's Renegade?"

Sitting for a moment, I began to run through Martini’s military career that I knew of. “Okay… so that would be the Friendship Mountain Massacre if I remember right for Stalliongrad…” At the mention of Canterlot, I gave a solemn nod. “...Canterlot is where you… died…”

“Blue? You missed a spot.”

Notes:

Trait Discovered: Just a Hint of Magic (ArcanoTech Wizard) - Your time and research spent under the Ministry of Wartime Technology and the Ministry of Arcane Science have lent you a particular set of skills... a set of skills you put to most excellent use in order to create the Earth Pony Arcane Manipulator, allowing you to cast magic using a combination of spell matrices and gems! However, you didn't really get out much, and you lose 10% maximum HP, as well as -1 CHA.

Perk Discovered [Level 3]: Tail Trick - Allows you to use your tail as a prehensile limb, capable of handling or throwing small items (much like a hand). Effective STR of 3.

Author's Note

Now for something completely different...