Linkin Pony - Recharge: Revamped

by Kaciekk

Rating: teen
Tags: Profanity, Violence, Crossover, Gore, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Alternate Universe, Drama, Original Character
Length: 111460

A post apocalyptic Equestria, several centuries in the future. CharmingRhythm leads his team in setting up a new camp for the Resistance, which fights against the cyborg Hybrids.

A completely new retelling of Linkin Pony - Recharge, in an updated version of the Alternate Universe.

Several centuries in the future, Equestria is left in a state of disrepair. Cyborg-like ponies called Hybrids roam the land and take valuable resources. The Resistance fights against these Hybrids and tries to rebuild society on clean energy.

The Linkin Ponies, in this universe Team Xero, are assigned to create a new camp for the Resistance. CharmingRhythm must lead this mission through many obstacles and emotional struggles. His friends are there to help him through the difficult road ahead.

The characters in this story are inspired by the members of Linkin Park. The setting is inspired by My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic as well as the game "LP Recharge"

EDIT: Now with drawings in some chapters!

Published 2020-06-30 19:50:01 UTC
Last updated 2021-09-12 17:04:48 UTC

Chapter 1

A gust of wind blew over the desert of southwest Equestria. Along that wind road two golden wings carrying a yellow Pegasus. The stallion gazed down at a battlefield below where his friend fought pony-like creatures, modified by technology. Their mechanical limbs pounded against the earth as their eyes glowed red with hostility.

“HyperBlitz!” A greyish blue Unicorn commanded from the ground, amplifying his voice with sound magic. “Over there!”

The Pegasus, HyperBlitz, eyed where the other stallion was pointing. He noticed some propane tanks next to an opening in a fence. The blue Unicorn slipped through the opening as the pony cyborgs caught up to him. HyperBlitz lifted his left foreleg where a boot-like weapon was holstered. As the cyborgs reached the fence, the Pegasus shot down a flare of blue energy from the bottom of his hoof. It collided with the propane tank, causing an explosion.

Fire engulfed the pony creatures, they screamed in pain. Their screams soon were silenced by HyperBlitz and the Unicorn firing more energy at them. The flames died just as the cyborgs did. The yellow Pegasus circled around and landed behind his friend.

“Nice eye, Rhythm,” he commented.

“Nice explosion,” the Unicorn said as he whipped around.

He held up his right foreleg, a prosthetic that was similar to HyperBlitz's weapon. Hyper returned the gesture and bumped hooves.

“Let's get back to headquarters and report this,” Rhythm said as he led the way.

“You sure that was the last of the Hybrids in this area?” Hyper asked, referring to the cyborg ponies.

“As far as I could tell,” Rhythm responded.

The streets the two stallions were trotting on were left abandoned in shambles. The more they walked towards the center of the city, the more the buildings were maintained. The population of the city grew towards downtown where shops, homes and schools were set up. Several towers raised into the sky, the ones in the center the most cared for just as the rest of the city. This was the Los Pegasus; headquarters of the southwest Resistance.

After entering the tallest building, Rhythm cantered enthusiastically to the desk in the middle of a large hall. A mint green mare glanced up from her work and caught sight of Rhythm.

“You’re back! How did it go?” she greeted.

“Wasn’t that hard,” HyperBlitz responded just as Rhythm opened his mouth to reply. “You know Rhythm and I are an unstoppable team.”

The Unicorn mare rolled her brown eyes and then placed them back on Rhythm. “Want me to put it in as a success?”

“I mean, obviously. We’re here now, aren’t we?” Rhythm said as he propped his forelegs on the desk. He placed his bearded chin on them and looked at the mare with a smirk, his eyes shining with affection.

“Come on Rhythm, you sound just as cocky as Hyper now.”

“Eh, maybe he’s a bad influence,” Rhythm shot a glance at his friend.

“Not the first time I heard that,” HyperBlitz shrugged lightheartedly.

After typing something into her computer the mare gazed past her brown mane to the stallion in front of her. “Actually, Rhythm, there’s a request for you from the president.”

Rhythm straightened up, his dark eyes filling with wonder. “Wait, seriously? You’re joking right?”

“When have I ever lied to you?”

“I-” Rhythm gathered his thoughts. “Why? Why would the president want me?”

“I have no idea. I was just given the message to report to you,” she told him.

HyperBlitz nudged Rhythm with his wing. “Sounds important! I better get going. Good luck dude!” The Pegasus started to canter away, and then shot back around. “See ya Heartfelt!”

The Unicorn mare waved her hoof at him as Rhythm passed around the round desk.

“Guess I should go see what this is about,” he thought aloud.

Heartfelt twisted her head around to tell him “I’m getting off my shift soon. Meet you at home?”

“Of course.” Rhythm hastily ran back to the desk to give Heartfelt a kiss on the muzzle. “Love you.”

“Love you too, babe,” she smiled as he cantered off.

The elevator ride felt longer than ever to Rhythm. He was excited as a new recruit on his first mission. He had spoken to the president before, but had never been directly requested by her. Rhythm nodded courteously to ponies coming on and off the elevator, but almost wondered if he should have taken the stairs instead.

He finally arrived at the correct floor. When he reached the door, the guards seemed to know exactly who he was, for they did not stop to ask him his business. After giving his black and blue mane a pat down, Rhythm poked his head into the door. A “come in” sounded, so he did just that. Several ponies were gathered around a meeting table. All of their eyes fell to the entering recruit.

“CharmingRhythm. So glad you could make it,” a lavender Earth Pony welcomed. She gestured her hoof to a chair for Rhythm to sit.

“So, what did you need me for?” Rhythm asked the Earth Pony mare while trying to ignore the stares of the other company.

“We have an assignment for you,” she began. A Unicorn levitated a paper over to her. “We want you to set up a new camp. You’ll find some provisions already there for you, but we need a team to complete everything else.”

“Wait, why me?” Rhythm wondered, almost immediately regretting it, afraid that he sounded rude.

“You have made quite a name for yourself in the Resistance. You’ve proven you are quite capable of leading a team,” the lavender mare assured.

“Well, thank you,” Rhythm said bashfully.

“It was your team after all that found this area,” she continued.

The map opened up in front of Rhythm and he gazed down at it. His dark brown eyes studied it for a bit and soon discovered what area it was. He recognized it from a mission his team led a couple years ago. But that mission…

As if reading his mind, the president addressed “I understand it might be a sensitive memory for you, but I am sure you will find a way to push through it. You are a resilient stallion.”

Rhythm focused on her, not understanding her motive. Why would she put him in charge of this mission if she already knew this information? What was she getting at? Did she think it was an extra challenge? Rhythm thought of it almost like a taunt, but said nothing of it.

“I suppose it would be a good place for a camp. A village right next to an energy source. But why are you sending my team instead of ponies who’d probably be more competent for this kind of mission? No offense, President Clarity.”

“I want to see what your team is truly capable of,” Clarity said with a dip of her head. “I know how well you work together. I want to see if you can really tackle this assignment. It’s not a normal mission, and will take time. You will have to recruit your own members for this camp. And perhaps after you do so, your team could be regarded as legendary. If you’d like that.”

So it was a challenge. Rhythm gathered. He thought of his own team stacking up to great resistance teams before them. He wasn’t sure if that’s what he wanted. However, CharmingRhythm never backed down from a challenge. And a new camp might be a nice place to stay, outside of the city.

“I’d like to give it a shot,” Rhythm told the president with collected confidence. “Given all of my team will be up for it. But I’m sure I can convince all of them.”

“Excellent. We will gather more supplies for your departure. Please be sure to report back the members who are going with you. There’s only enough room for six ponies at the base we have set up so far,” Clarity explained.

Sounds perfect, Rhythm thought of his teammates. This certainly was a different mission than what he was used to, but the change inspired him to try. He wanted to prove to the president that he can meet the standards she expected of him.

Author's Note

In this version of Equestria, Los Pegasus is the equivalent to Los Angeles. I made that decision far before Las Pegasus appeared in FIM.

Chapter 2

With excitement pulsing through his veins, ChamringRhythm quickly trotted off into the streets of Los Pegasus. He was making his way towards home, but he wanted to stop by HyperBlitz’s home first, for it wasn’t far from his own. HyperBlitz welcomed his friend into his apartment easily.

“So, how’d it go?!” Hyper asked curiously, his eyes wide.

Before he answered, Rhythm glanced over at the couch where a tan mare sat. A small orange colt sat in her lap. The mare gave glances between Rhythm, the colt and HyperBlitz.

“We’ve got a new assignment. That is of course, if you’re willing to come with,” Rhythm started and Hyper urged him to go on. “They want us to set up a camp. It’s just north of the city.”

“That sounds fucking awesome!” HyperBlitz exclaimed with eagerness.

“Should you be cursing around your kid? He’s old enough to learn words,” Rhythm teased.

“Oh he’ll be fine,” Hyper did not think much of it. However, his composure changed. He turned back to the mare and colt with concern filling his face. “But if I went… that means I’d have to be away from my family.” Rhythm knew how much Hyper’s family meant to him, his son was still very young after all. “What do you think, SweetHooves?”

The Earth Pony mare thought for a moment, and then replied. “Well, JumpingJolt isn’t a tiny foal anymore, so I may be able to take care of him on my own. Besides, I’m used to you being gone on missions.”

“And if it’s not that far, I can always come visit often! I’m the fastest flier in Los Pegasus!” Hyper declared confidently.

“That’s a pretty bold claim.” Rhythm raised a brow at his friend, but never lost his smile.

“Hey, I’m not called ‘Blitz’ for nothing!” His golden wings spread wide with his enthusiasm. The feathers of one slapped against SweetHooves and JumpingJolt. The mare shrugged it off as if this was a usual occurrence, but the colt began to cry.

“Ah! Oh I’m so sorry, JJ, I didn’t mean to!” Hyper spoke in a shrill voice.

He hopped on the couch next to SweetHooves and scooped up JumpingJolt in his red hooves. Hyper began to hush and rock his son. Rhythm watched with amusement and admiration, fantasizing what it would be like to have a foal of his own.

Just as Rhythm thought of his own wife, Hyper said “So, what’s Heartfelt think of this whole mission?”

Rhythm tensed up. “I… haven’t told her yet.”

“What?” Hyper let out, not aware of his loud volume. He shrank back as JumpingJolt began to whine again. SweetHooves took him instead as Hyper stood up to eye level with Rhythm. “How could you tell me first but not your wife? You even made the decision to go without consulting her first?”

Rhythm knew what Hyper was saying was right. His eyes slanted to the floor. “I guess I thought too quickly. Maybe I could have asked for a day to think of it but... I didn’t want to let the president down.” He paused for a moment. “I’m sure I can convince Heartfelt, she’ll understand.” Rhythm did not even believe his own words, but did not show that doubt. “But you’re coming, right?”

“Of course. I’m all in. I’ll be ready when you are,” confirmed HyperBlitz.

It was a short walk from HyperBlitz’s apartment to CharmingRhythm’s. The Unicorn hesitated at the door, thinking of what his wife might say. Heartfelt had always been a fair pony. She’ll understand, Rhythm tried to convince himself as he slipped inside.

Heartfelt appeared in the front room just as she heard the door close. “How did it go?”

“Good,” Rhythm said. “I’ve got a new assignment- the whole team does. The president wants us to set up a new camp.”

Heartfelt seemed pleased at her husband’s news, but her expression quickly changed. “Where?”

“Just north of here. It’s not too far…” Rhythm attempted to reassure.

“But a camp takes a long time to make. How long are you going to be gone?” She pressed.

“Probably quite a bit…” Rhythm could not begin to think how long it might take. It could possibly be over a year. “But I promise I’ll come and visit. I’ll have to come back to the city to get supplies anyway.”

That answer did not satisfy Heartfelt. “CharmngRhythm, I thought… what about starting a family? Don’t you still want to have a kid? I thought we agreed.”

“Of course, I do,” Rhythm expressed. He couldn’t believe what Heartfelt was assuming. “And nothing will ever change that. Not even this mission.”

“But, you’re going to be gone,” Heartfelt reminded.

“Yeah but, we can put it off a little longer can’t we? We still have plenty of time. And maybe after the camp is finished, we could both live there. I think a place out of the city might be a nice place to live.” Rhythm’s thoughts raced. Obviously they would be missing some resources from the city they needed to raise a child.

“And how long is it going to be until then?” Heartfelt expressed with hurt in her eyes and voice.

“I don’t know, babe,” Rhythm sighed. “But I promise there’s nothing I want more in Equestria than to have a kid with you. I just have to do this first.”

Heartfelt didn’t speak. Rhythm’s blue hoof raised to the mare’s cheek, but she cast her eyes away. The rest of her body followed, taking her into the other room. Rhythm watched her brown tail flick just before it disappeared with her.

Defeated, Rhythm stood in the middle of the room silently. He understood why Heartfelt felt the way she did: he made it seem like he chose this mission over his future plans with her. That was never meant to be the case. Shame filled up Rhythm like a balloon. He felt uncomfortable just standing there, so he decided to head out the way he came.

Rhythm was not sure where he was going to get away to. He could have gone to one of his teammate’s houses to inform them of the announcement, but he was discouraged to even try. Instead, he found his hooves took him almost instinctively to the neighborhood where he grew up.

Rhythm stepped up to one of the many houses that lined the street and knocked. His right foreleg created an unnatural sound against the wood. The door opened up to a blue Unicorn mare. Her large gold eyes glowed at the sight of the younger pony in front of her.

“CharmingRhythm!” Her greeting was warm.

“Hey, Mom,” Rhythm let out while trying to hide his disappointment from earlier. He entered the house.

“So, how have things been going? Any interesting missions?” The blue mare asked.

“It’s been good. Actually, I have a new mission. It’s different,” Rhythm reported.

“How so?”

“Well, the president asked me to set up a new camp,” he said.

“Really? You must have really caught her eye for her to give you a mission directly,” His mother mused.

“I guess so. I’m bringing my team with me. We’ll set out in a few days.”

His mother gave him an unsure expression. She picked up on his odd behavior and tone of voice. “But you don’t sound as excited as I’d thought you’d be. What’s wrong?”

“I am excited it’s just-” Rhythm sighed. “It’s Heartfelt. She’s upset because I didn’t ask her opinion first before I took this mission. And because I’ll be gone for so long.”

“I see. Well, I’m sure she’ll come around. It’s an honor to be given a mission like this,” Rhythm’s mother tried to be positive.

“Yeah, but she doesn’t see it that way.”

There was a pause as the Unicorn mare peered past CharmingRhythm. Her eyes squinted as she called out, “SilverFlash you don’t need to lurk around the corner. You can come talk with us too.”

Rhythm swiveled around to see a bluish-grey Unicorn lift his head up from out of the hallway. He was about the same age as Rhythm and had a sleek black and violet mane. He challenged Rhythm’s gaze with mischievous curiosity.

“I’m surprised you’re still here,” Rhythm said bluntly.

“In case you forgot,” SilverFlash pointed to his horn with a violet hoof. There was a thin crease in the middle of his horn where a crack was healing.

Observing that crack, recent memories flooded back to Rhythm. He had heard about how SilverFlash was found exhausted and dehydrated while also badly injured. His injuries included many gashs, broken ribs and a cracked horn. He had been fleeing a Hybrid Citadel where he received those injuries. Ponies had found him almost dead trying to reach their village. Rhythm remembered specifically how his brother told him “they got me where it hurts” referring to his horn. He was not able to use his magic, which he had always been praised for.

Despite knowing how bad it was, Rhythm was relieved to see how much stronger his brother was now. He expressed his thoughts. “Well, looks like it’s almost completely healed! That’s great.”

“Ugh, I know,” SilverFlash lifted his head up dramatically. “I’ve been so bored! I can’t wait to be able to use my magic again. Then I can finally get back to my missions.”

Rhythm shot him an irked glance. “You mean go back to the Citadel where you got so fucked up to begin with? You need to seriously stop doing that!”

“Hey, it was one time. Most of the other times I’ve been able to get out without a problem,” Flash defended. “And it’s not like you can stop me. Nobody can stop me from going to save ponies from the Hybrids. You know that.”

Rhythm exhaled, “I know. I just wish you didn’t do it alone. You’d be safer with a partner.”

“I like going on missions solo. I find it easier to sneak around.”

“Would that even matter if both you and a partner were disguised as Hybrids anyway? You know the first rule of-” Rhythm was cut off early.

“Yeah, yeah, the first rule of the Resistance: Never go out alone. It’s not like that’s an actual law that can be enforced.” Flash rolled his eyes.

Rhythm was getting increasingly more frustrated with him. Their mother stepped in to speak. “He’s right Flash. You really should have a partner. We’ve been over this. We know we can’t stop you from entering the Citadels, but please, you need more protection. Yes, even you, my magical prodigy.”

Flash groaned. “And just how am I supposed to find a partner?”

“You go to Headquarters and put in a request. They’ll send it out to ponies interested in missions. You can interview ponies interested and pick which one you think will suit your mission best. Not all teams miraculously fall together like mine. Sometimes you have to work for it,” Rhythm finished with a smirk.

“Alright, I get it. And what about your mission, huh?” The younger Unicorn attempted to change the subject. “I hear you have a camp to build?”

“Yes, I do. Me and my team. And you aren’t allowed to come visit unless you have a mission partner with you.” Rhythm had his full confidence now, speaking with a huge grin.

“Are you serious?” Flash questioned with outrage.

“Yep, full serious,” Rhythm affirmed.

“Don’t worry,” their mother spoke to Rhythm. “We’ll keep bugging him while you’re gone until he actually does anything.”

“Oh I’m sure you will,” Rhythm chuckled. He let out a sigh of relief. He felt a lot better now and was glad he stopped by. “I really should get going though. I’ll make sure to visit as soon as I can.”

His mother leaned in and gave him a hug. “Love you, Charmy. Good luck.”

“Love you too, Mom,” Rhythm let go and gave SilverFlash a knowing glare “Come here,” he said with a foreleg outstretched. Flash let out an annoyed growl but he hugged Rhythm anyway.

CharmingRhythm stepped towards the door and glanced back once to exclaim, “Say ‘hi’ to Dad for me!” before leaving altogether.

Chapter 4

At the end of the week, the six stallions gathered together to prepare for their new mission. They stood underneath an ancient overpass at the edge of the city. No vehicles traveled on the roads in this part of town anymore. There was graffiti plastered onto the supports of the overpass, and litter was scattered in piles. The ponies watched as SpinningNote tinkered with an old cab, attempting to start it.

“Is this really the best we got?” FeatherTune mumbled into Rhythm’s ear. “I know he said he’d get us a ride, but I thought he meant like… an actual working cab.”

“Guess we don’t really have the money to afford one,” Rhythm suggested.

“The Resistance could have like, you know, offered us one for our mission?” Feather pointed out with increased volume.

“Shh! I’m trying to concentrate here!” SpinningNote snapped while never turning his head.

“I’m sure Spinning will figure out how to make it work,” BlazingFlair hoped.

“This waiting is boring,” HyperBlitz complained.

He turned his attention to a few ponies behind him. Three mares stood there, SweetHooves, Heartfelt and a light yellow Pegasus. They were all waiting for the stallions to depart to wish them farewell. Hyper stepped up to SweetHooves and peered down at their son who stood between SweetHooves’ legs.

“Wish we could bring you with us. We could really use your medical expertise,” Hyper lamented as he pressed his forehead against the mare’s.

“We’re gonna miss you too. You and your lullabies,” SweetHooves glanced at the colt. “Promise you won’t do anything to stupid.”

“Sorry, not keeping any promises I can’t keep,” HyperBlitz replied with a smirk.

“You got everything you need?” The Pegasus mare questioned.

BlazingFlair turned to her. “As far as we can tell. If we don’t, we can always come back to the city. It shouldn’t be too far. But thanks for waiting for us, Ray.” Blazing spoke to the mare with a warm voice, his emerald eyes expressing appreciation.

EchoBeat sat on the curb silently while watching the rest of them. FeatherTune started pacing back and forth impatiently. SpinningNote muttered a few things under his breath while he still worked on the cab. It was compact, an off-white color with several marks and scratches on it. It would be a miracle for Spinning to turn it into a working machine.

“Where the hell did you even get this?” Hyper asked him.

“I got my secrets,” was all that Spinning replied.

“Too many secrets if you ask me,” Rhythm remarked to HyperBlitz in a low tone.

CharmingRhythm angled towards the three mare who were lined up. Heartfelt was in the middle, and her expression seemed as distant as ever. Of course she wanted to come support Rhythm as he left, but she was obviously still hurt by his decision.

“I promise I’ll come visit,” Rhythm said when he was face to face with Heartfelt.

“I know,” she acknowledged.

“I’m gonna miss you a lot.” Rhythm wrapped his hooves around the back of Heartfelt’s neck and hugged her. She took one of her own hooves and placed it on Rhythm’s back. Her warm brown eyes flooded with conflicting emotions.

Just then there was a sudden noise that came from the cab. It rumbled to life and SpinningNote threw his hooves up into the air from where he was sitting. “Yes! It works!” He scrambled to all four hooves and stood up. “We got plenty of crystals to keep this thing going. Who wants to drive?”

“I will!” Blazing raised one of his hooves.

“Looks like we're ready to go,” Rhythm announced to his wife. “I love you.” He placed his horn against her horn.

Heartfelt leaned into the gesture and sighed, “I love you, too.”

CharmingRhythm placed his front hooves on a cinder block and overlooked his friends. “Alright. Team Xero, are we ready to go?”

Four of the members said a resounding “Yes,” while Spinning reported “No,” without emotion.

Rhythm shot him an annoyed glare. He could have meant it, but something about his stare and stillness told Rhythm that he was joking. He rolled his eyes at Spinning and jumped down from the cinder block.

“Alright, let’s go!”

The four land bound ponies took their seat in the cab while the two Pegasi took to the air. Rhythm sat in the front next to Blazing and glanced back at the mares who were getting increasingly smaller as the distance widened. Rhythm exhaled.

After a moment, Blazing finally spoke. “So uh… Rhythm. Is everything alright with you and Heartfelt?”

“She did seem a bit off,” EchoBeat commented from the back.

Rhythm’s dark eyes darted between them. “Oh, yeah. It’s just… she’s upset I’m going on this mission.”

“I mean, I’m sure all of our families and wives are sad we’re going,” Blazing said.

“She’s not sad, she’s…” Rhythm hesitated. “She’s mad.”

“Heartfelt mad?” Spinning questioned. “You’re kidding right?”

“I wish I was,” Rhythm mumbled, disappointed.

“But why?” Echo mused.

“It’s because I’m going to be away for so long,” Rhythm explained. For a second he wondered just how much of this dispute he should give away. He decided that he trusted his friends to be open with them. “And, we were talking about having a kid.”

“Oh, I see,” Blazing noted sympathetically. “I’m sure she’ll come around eventually. She can’t stay mad forever.”

Suddenly the whole cab jumped upward, and jolted back down. The track was smooth after that. All of their hearts lurched for a second, and then they began to gather themselves.

“Watch out for rocks,” Spinning said blandly.

“Yes, thank you. Very helpful Spinning,” Blazing acknowledged sarcastically. He peeked at Rhythm once with a smirk.

The joking between his friend made Rhythm brighten up. Out of any group of ponies he had to spend a long time with to set up a camp, he was glad it was them.

In the back, EchoBeat and SpinningNote were overlooking a map of the Southwest sector Equestria, which was maintained by their Resistance force. Marked on the map above Los Pegasus was where the new camp was meant to be built.

“Well, we kind of know this area,” EchoBeat remarked. “But I’m wondering-why did the president send us on this mission. Er- well, Rhythm that is. Doesn’t she know what happened here?”

“Yeah, she does. But I think she sees it just as another challenge for me,” Rhythm told him.

“That seems odd. It’s like she doesn’t even care what happened,” SpinningNote wondered. “Like she doesn’t care if it upsets you or not. Aren’t you kind of traumatized?”

Rhythm turned fully to face the ponies in the back. “I’ll be fine guys. Don’t worry about me,” he tried to reassure them. Both Echo and Spinning exchanged unsure glances. Even Blazing shot an uneasy look to the ponies in back.

It was a while before anything else notable happened. The ride was rocky but steady. A speaker holstered to the front dashboard suddenly burst to life with static.

“Uh, guys,” FeatherTune’s muffled voice came from the speaker. “I think we may have a problem.”

Rhythm levitated the speaker in his cyan magic and brought it to his face. “What’s wrong?”

“There’s a gorge up ahead. I don’t see where we can cross it,” Feather reported.

Blazing slowed the cab down as they neared the gorge. HyperBlitz landed next to the cab and exchanged looks between the ponies inside. Rhythm eyed the gorge; it’s cliffs were many meters high. At the floor of the gorge was a meager river. Rhythm commanded Feather to scout east of the gorge to find anything.

FeatherTune came back and announced “Okay, worse news. Hybrids. A whole camp of them is in the gorge.”

“Wonderful. We’ll deal with them later. We have to find another way around,” Rhythm thought.

“Can we run over the Hybrids with the cab?” Hyper proposed avidly.

“What? That’s a stupid idea,” Spinning shot back. “There's no way this cab can handle that.”

“Aw. I really wanted to run over some Hybrids.” Hyper’s wings drooped.

“Do you think there’s a way around the Hybrid camp? Maybe there’s a slope or something on the other side,” Rhythm suggested to Feather.

“Why not check this way?” Hyper pointed to the west. Before anyone could protest, Hyper bounded into the air and shot downriver, quickly disappearing from sight

“How long do you think it will take him to get to the ocean?” SpinningNote joked.

Soon enough the yellow Pegasus came back into their vision. Before even nearing the cab he hollered loudly, “Hey guys! I found a bridge!”

Everyone gathered back into the cab and followed HyperBlitz downriver, at a safe distance from the ledge. Sure enough there was a bridge, but it was a railway bridge.

“Are you sure that’s safe to cross?” Echo asked cautiously.

“It looks strong! I think Resistance trains cross it,” Hyper assumed.

“Yeah but… it’s meant for trains. Not cabs,” Echo tired to protest.

“There’s plenty of steel beams protecting it, and there’s no gaps. It should be fine!” Hyper spat.

“I say we should go for it,” Rhythm decided.

The ride across the bridge was extremely rocky against the wooden tracks. The two Pegasi flew on each side of the bridge, in line with the cab. They crossed with no problem. They were back to the desert soil, and continued their way up north.

“We got a node,” FeatherTune reported on the speaker when they had traveled a few kilometers.

All the ponies in the cab looked to their right. FeatherTune was referring to what was called a node. It was a Hybrid structure, shaped a bit like a missile, that stood a few meters high, and drained energy from the ground. The Hybrids would then take the energy stored in that node and use it for their own.

“We’ll have to come back to deactivate it,” Rhythm replied into the speaker, but addressed all the ponies. “I want to get to base first. Then we can start heading out on scouting missions.”

A couple moments later a few small buildings came into view. This was the old village the camp was meant to be in. They rode through the houses to a larger building on the northern hill surrounding the village. This was where they would make their base. Everyone got out of the cab and pulled all of their belongings into the building.

“Dusty,” Hyper noted just as he expelled a sneeze.

“Eh, that should be the least of our worries,” Rhythm said.

They explored around the building to see what the Resistance had set up for them. Rhythm found a stockpile of water and food that would last them for some time, but he knew it was important to grow their own food and filter their own water. In the main room there were a few chairs and a computer desk, but no computer, which disappointed SpinningNote. Just east of that room was a meeting room with a small kitchen area. To the west there was a long hallway with several doors. In those doors bedrooms were set up. The stallions began debating which room would be theirs.

Knowing that the Resistance had made a few provisions for them before they came, there was one last thing Rhythm had to make sure of. He exited the base building through a door in the meeting room. FeatherTune trotted after him. Taking a few paces from the base, Rhythm saw a cellar door on the side of the hill.

“Rhythm,” Feather called out. “What are you-”

“I want to make sure they put up protection,” Rhythm affirmed before opening the cellar door.

He strolled down a long, steady slope with his horn luminated. Soon enough, the caverns Rhythm entered into began to glow a similar color to his magic. Shining blue crystals aligned the walls and ceiling of the cavern. There was a huge opening where large spots of gleaming blue swelled in the ground. Energy wells. Just as Rhythm suspected, each well was surrounded by steel fences, protecting ponies from falling into them. The energy wells contained raw energy from agitated crystals. A pony could be disintegrated in them if not careful. The whole cavern was a mass source of energy, if harnessed correctly.

Feather came up next to Rhythm. “You okay?”

“Yeah. They still scare me though,” Rhythm said, referring to the energy wells.

“Me too.”

“They put fences around them but… I think they need roofs too. It needs maximum protection,” Rhythm conjured.

“Sounds like a good idea. Do you think we can do that?” Feather wondered.

“Not sure. But I will talk with some ponies back at Headquarters to see what can be done.”

Rhythm shivered. The whole cavern gave Rhythm an uneasy feeling. His heart felt heavy, and his body began to feel numb. He gazed down at his forelegs: one natural, the other prosthetic. He turned around and passed by Feather.

“Let’s get out of here.”

Chapter 5

Bright blue swarmed all around CharmingRhythm. His heart was pounding much the same as his hooves against the cold ground. The cavern was alive with crossfire from his teammates and from Hybrids. The Hybrids had been in the cavern attempting to steal the energy inside. Rhythm’s team just happened to stumble upon them. A Hybrid ran into Rhythm’s path. He lifted up his right leg, but nothing happened. Where’s my EPD? He had no time to think, so he just swirled around.

Rhythm’s brain worked hard. Something wasn’t right. Why did this feel familiar? Why did everything feel off? He looked around for his teammates but could not pinpoint where they were, despite being able to hear their voices yelling. He was distracted, not concentrating on where he was running. The ground sloped downward as Rhythm attempted to slow his descent with scrambling blue hooves. Bright cyan exploded his vision. Everything was hazy, his head spinning as he tried to find which direction was up. Suddenly the vision of blinding blue turned into red. So much red, with the smell of blood.

CharmingRhythm awoke with a start. His heart was hammering and his body shaking. It had been two days since team Xero moved into their new base. Rhythm had slept soundly the first night, but the second night he awoke from a horrible nightmare. He lay still in his bed for a few minutes, waiting for his heartbeat to slow down. He picked up his forelegs. They were just as he had known them for the past couple years; normal and prosthetic.

Rhythm sat up, trying to shake off his nightmare. This was not the first time he had the nightmare, or similar dreams. He remembered a time when he used to get them almost weekly. Now it had been a few months since the last dream. Returning to this place must have resurged memories deep inside Rhythm’s brain. He hoped that the dreams would not become a regular occurrence again.

Stepping into the hallway, Rhythm felt out of place. He turned to the right and headed into the main room. There BlazingFlair and SpinningNote were talking. Blazing’s green eyes caught Rhythm as he came forward.

“Good morning!” Blazing acknowledged. He studied Rhythm for a moment. “You alright?”

“Yeah, just… didn’t sleep too well. Guess it’s anxiety,” Rhythm lied a bit and tried to change the topic. “Whatcha guys talking about?”

“Why isn’t there a computer? We need a computer!” SpinningNote turned to Rhythm. “Do you think we can get one?”

“I don’t feel like traveling back to Headquarters just yet, it’s too soon. But maybe there’s an old computer somewhere in the village you can try to restore,” Rhythm suggested.

“Hmm, sounds promising! Let’s go explore,” Spinning said and headed for the door.

“Shouldn’t we include the others?” Blazing wondered. “We could wake them up.”

“Sure,” Rhythm shrugged.

Once all of the stallions were awake, they set off to explore the small village. The paint on the buildings was peeling. Many of the windows had broken glass. The team members popped in and out of the old homes to find anything interesting. Rhythm entered a house near the base building. The furniture was damaged and decaying. There were old picture frames cracked and books scattered across the floor with ripped out pages. Heartfelt wouldn’t like this, Rhythm thought of his wife who had a love of reading. The thought of her stabbed his heart again, but he continued to distract himself by exploring.

Outside the home there were some old generators. Rhythm wondered if Spinning could spruce them up. Looking up, Rhythm saw lamp posts with broken bulbs. Studying the old village, an odd feeling filled him. Ponies used to live here, but it was a ghost town now. He knew many towns and villages were like this now, but he couldn’t shake the feeling. Did Hybrids force the old residents out of their homes, or was there another reason?

EchoBeat was looking up with awe at a wall where ivy grew. It wrapped almost all the way around the house he stood by. “It’s really pretty,” the red Earth Pony commented.

“We’re going to have to cut it down, Echo,” Rhythm reminded him. “But don’t worry; we’ll grow plenty of more plants in more useful spots.” He patted his friend on the back with a hoof.

Out of nowhere there was a loud “Eek!” from a few houses down. HyperBlitz was just a blur of yellow as he shot out of the doorway. “Spiders! So many spiders! Kill them!”

“No!” Echo protested. “Don’t kill them. Spiders are very useful for the ecosystem. They eat other bugs and pests.”

“Well, then put them somewhere else! Not inside of a house!” Hyper snapped.

“Spiders are useful for homes too…” Echo muttered softly but Hyper did not reply.

The three of them continue to walk down the pathway. In the middle of the village was a small center where ancient rusted benches sat. A sculpture of two Alicorns stood in the middle of a stone fountain where murky water collected at the bottom. Just then they heard a door open and turned to see Blazing close it. His eyes were wide, and strange squeaking came from the other side of the door.

“Uh, there’s a family of racoons in there. Mama wasn't very happy when I disturbed her babies,” Blazing told them.

Rhythm laughed a little, and then noted calmly “We’ll have to relocate them.”

With a quick fluttering of wings, FeatherTune landed on top of one of the roofs. “I found this old Equestria flag,” He said as he threw down the cloth. It floated down gently and hit the earth. While it was faded and tattered, the image of Celestia and Luna was still visible. Rhythm did not think it would be very useful, but he lifted it up with his magic and folded it anyway.

SpinningNote poked his head out of a door at the end of the row. “Hey guys, I found a computer!”

Rhythm and Hyper galloped over the building and peered inside. The computer he referred to was extremely dusty, with wires swirling around it. The monitor had a slight dent in it. Rhythm wondered if it would still work, but knowing Spinning, he could fix almost anything. The purple Unicorn gathered it together in his periwinkle magic and brought it outside.

While they walked back to the other end of the row, there was a frightened shout. EchoBeat raced out of a small apparent and stopped in shock. He pushed his brown and maroon mane out of his eyes as he tried to recompose himself.

“What’s wrong?” Hyper bounded to his side.

“Th- there’s a skeleton!”

Placing the computer down, SpinningNote checked inside of the building Echo was just in. “Yep, that’s a skeleton! Looks like a Pegasus.” He exited and looked at Echo. “Yeah, it’s definitely going to come back to life and start chasing you.”

Echo shot him a peeved glance as Hyper said, “Hey, he has every right to be freaked out.” Echo gave Hyper a grateful expression.

Blazing trotted up behind him. “I found a Hybrid skeleton too.”

“A Hybrid?” Rhythm mused aloud.

“Yeah, it had Hybrid armor around it and a bionic leg. Wonder what it’s doing here,” Blazing said.

“Perhaps ponies killed it when it tried attacking the village,” Hyper guessed.

“It’s a lot of stuff we’re going to have to clear out,” Rhythm came to a conclusion. Just as Echo’s face turned dreadful, Rhythm addressed to him, “You don’t have to clear out anything dead. If you want to deal with any of the animals, bugs or plants, you can.” He pivoted to Blazing and Spinning. “Can you two clear out any skeletons?”

Spinning responded “Sure,” while Blazing mumbled “I guess,” in a somewhat annoyed tone.

“What about me?” FeatherTune asked from one of the roofs.

“You can help Spinning gather any tech he wants to bring back to the base,” Rhythm assigned.

“We can all take turns clearing out any plants or wildlife. I don’t want Echo to have his hooves full there.” Rhythm twisted his vision to Hyper. “How ‘bout you and I look through the furniture. We can see what we can salvage and what we can scrap.”

“Sounds like a plan to me.” HyperBlitz nodded.

At the end of the day, all of the stallions were exhausted from clearing out the village. There was still much more work to be done, but CharmingRhythm was satisfied with how much his team had completed that day. They called it quits and headed back to the base building to wind down.

Once in his room, a fear crawled into Rhythm. He wondered if his sleep would be disturbed yet again by a horrible nightmare. He tried to shake the feeling off and curled in bed. Luckily he found sleeping that night easy after the hard day of work. There would be no dreaming tonight.

Chapter 6

It was the fifth night since the team had moved into the camp. CharmingRhythm found himself lying awake. This time it was not from a nightmare. However, it was from anxiety that he might have a nightmare. Rhythm was really unhappy with how the base was making him feel. He thought that he would have had more control of his feelings.

Instead of trying to force himself to go back to sleep, Rhythm ventured out of his room. He grabbed some paper and pen and settled in the meeting room. The room was dimly lit by one light, just enough for Rhythm to see what he was writing. At first nothing came to his mind to jot down. He thought perhaps he could express how he felt about his dreams and the base through writing, but he could not find words to explain.

Instead, Rhythm's mind wandered back to the thought of Heartfelt. Even if he was sure that going on this mission was what he'd decide no matter what, he felt guilty for not referring to his wife first. Those feelings he was able to put into word- lyrics rather. His love of music shone through as he thought of rhymes and patterns. For my pride and my promise.

Rhythm was so focused on his lyrics that he did not notice when the door from the main room opened. A few hoof steps sounded against the tile floor, and Rhythm shot his head up. FeatherTune stood there with his eyes cast dark under the shadows.

"What are you..." Rhythm began.

"I had to use the bathroom but I saw your door was open. Came to check on you," Feather explained.

"Oh. Well, thank you, I guess."

The cream Pegasus found a seat next to Rhythm. His red eyes darted between the paper and Rhythm's face. "So, why are you up?"

Rhythm sighed. "Can't sleep. I guess I'm afraid of having nightmares..."

"Nightmares?" Feather raised an eyebrow. "What kind of nightmares?"

"The other night I had one about losing my leg."

"You still have those?" Feather exclaimed in surprise. Rhythm had told him about the dreams he had, although it was a while ago.

"Yeah. I guess coming here sparked them again. I just hope it's not a regular thing. I know over the past couple years they became less frequent," Rhythm thought aloud.

"You can't have those dreams forever, maybe they'll stop," Feather said.

Rhythm shook his head. "I don't think they'll ever stop altogether. Dad told me that he still has dreams of losing his leg from time to time, and that happened what - twenty-something years ago?" He referred to his father who too had a prosthetic leg, coincidentally the same one as Rhythm's.

Feather's eyes glared downward with shock. "Oh, well, fuck then. You sure you're okay with living here?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine. I just need to keep myself distracted and stay busy" Rhythm assured. Despite what he said, he knew there was no way to prevent the memories from reappearing in dreams.

"You've always been good at that," Feather remarked.

"My area of expertise," Rhythm said with a smirk.

"You sure your special talent isn't being a workaholic?" Feather teased, but then became more serious. "You work too much. Sometimes I worry about you. You need to relax at some point."

"Relaxing doesn't suit me. I like being busy," Rhythm pointed out. "And no, I'm pretty sure my special talent is writing music." He tapped his pen on the paper in front of him.

Rhythm knew the thing that tied his team together was their love of music and talent of playing. Sadly in this world, music wasn't as revered as it was many centuries ago. Fighting for the Resistance was the most important thing, and music came second. Many old songs played on the radio, but new ones were still being made. Rhythm's team had even written and submitted songs to the radio, and they were played every so often.

"Whatcha writing?" Feather asked.

"It's about Heartfelt," Rhythm answered honestly. "I feel bad about how things went before we left."

"Oh, I see. May I read it?"

"Sure, but it's just a starting point." Rhythm levitated the paper over to Feather.

After a few moments of scanning the lines, Feather said "I like it. I think the use of repetition really proves the point. You think you're going to make this into a real song?" He passed the paper back to Rhythm.

"I'm not sure, maybe." He shrugged.

"Maybe it could be another song we submit to the radio! That'd be awesome!" Feather proposed.

"I don't think this one is right for the radio. It feels too personal," Rhythm defended.

"I mean, aren't all songs personal somehow?" Feather made a point.

Rhythm sighed with a smirk. He explained "the melody and pace I have in mind for this one doesn't scream "radio song" to me. I think I'll leave it like that."

"Suit yourself," Feather said as he hopped off the chair. "I'm heading back to bed. Don't stay up too late or else those skeletons might really come back to life and chase you," he joked.

Rhythm rubbed his brow with a hoof. "Alright, see you in the morning, dude."

FeatherTune lifted his wing in goodbye as he exited through the door. The room was silent again. Rhythm felt better now that he was able to express his worries to a close friend. The Unicorn looked at his lyrics one more time before heading to bed himself. He pondered a title for a moment, and decided on "In Between."

In the morning, CharmingRhythm was surprised to find he did not feel as tired as he expected to be when he woke up. He realized he was awoken by very loud singing from the bathroom. It was HyperBlitz. He had a powerful voice, louder than any other pony Rhythm had heard. Rhythm entered the main room and saw BlazingFlair. The both of them exchanged glances acknowledging Hyper's performance. They just laughed.

Today the team worked on the inside of the base. They wanted to make sure it was in the best condition for living. SpinningNote had reactivated the computer he found, although the monitor was not of best quality. Rhythm promised him that they would get a better computer for their base. The one he found, plus any others in the village could be repaired for use of future residents.

"I found some files on this computer," Spinning said. "Their dates from like... 2160 or something."

"So you're saying they're 150 years old?! How the fuck did you get that thing working?" Hyper expressed pointing at the clunky computer.

Spinning did not answer his question, instead he speculated aloud, "Maybe they'll tell us what happened to the ponies in this village."

Behind the base building EchoBeat began a garden. He had set up a tarp roof attached to the wall of the building to protect the plants. A large fluorescent light stood as artificial sunlight. Echo kept a container of water next to the light. While this was a good start, he knew that they would need a much bigger garden to keep up with a whole camp of ponies.

BlazingFlair was repairing a large water filter that was attached to a water tank meant for the base building. "We can probably get this filter working," Blazing began, "But how can we use it without water? We need to find a source of water."

"That river we saw was too far away," FeatherTune thought. "Maybe there's another source of water somewhere. I could fly around and try to find one."

"Sounds like a good idea," Rhythm told Feather, and the Pegasus was off. Rhythm still spoke to Blazing. "But I wouldn't rule out the possibility of underground water. We know about the energy crystal cave, so maybe there are other caverns around here."

Blazing nodded. "We'll have to either find an opening through the energy mill, or start digging ourselves."

Rhythm trotted back into the main room to see HyperBlitz attempting to piece a chair back together. He recognized the chair as one of the pieces of furniture they found in the village. The chair almost completely collapsed on Hyper as he scrambled everything together with his forelegs. Rhythm levitated the pieces in his magic, and Hyper began hammering in nails until it was sturdy.

"Thanks!" He said to Rhythm.

"I'm not trusting you to put anything back together by yourself," Rhythm teased.

Hyper's copper eyes glared at him playfully. "What? Just because I break myself a lot doesn't mean I'm going to break everything I touch."

"You sure about that?" Rhythm smirked. Hyper still stared at him, crossing his blue marked forelegs. "C'mon. Let's go get some more furniture and fix it. We still need to see what we can recycle," Rhythm suggested.

Hyper bounded up and raced after his friend outside. They all worked through the morning and afternoon. Blazing fixed the water filter and was beginning to check on the other appliances in the base. SpinningNote found more computers, and EchoBeat marked out an area where they could set up a new planting tent.

A shadow circled overhead as Rhythm worked. He peered up to FeatherTune. "I found a stream down that way," He pointed his peach colored hoof to the west. "Maybe we can redirect it to the base."

Rhythm sighed. "Sounds like a lot of work. We definitely need more than six ponies to work on this camp."

HyperBlitz placed his red hoof on Rhythm's back. "Let's try to work on what we can for now. Then we'll get more help later for the bigger stuff, okay?" His smile was warm.

CharmingRhythm smiled back and nodded in agreement.

Chapter 7

The dull, grey light of dawn shafted into the bedroom. HyperBlitz awoke and stretched his golden wings. He did not bother putting on any armor before leaving his room. He was beginning to feel welcome in the new base, for he had been there for well over a week. The Pegasus found his way through the main room and into the meeting room. CharmingRhythm sat there looking at a map of the surrounding area.

“Rhythm,” Hyper spoke to get his attention.

Rhythm glanced up just as he took a bite from an apple. He mumbled “whut” with a full mouth.

Hyper let out a huff of amusement. He collected his thoughts. “Don’t you think it’s about time we addressed that node?” Hyper requested.

Rhythm gave a blank stare for a moment, the gears in his brain turning. He finally said “I’m gonna be honest, I completely forgot about it. I remembered the Hybrid camp, but not the node.”

“Rhythm!” Hyper called out with a grin, rubbing his forehead with a hoof.

“Hey, sorry! We’ve been busy. I’ve had my mind on other things,” Rhythm justified while extending his right foreleg. “But yeah, I guess we should disable it. It’s our job to get rid of Hybrid activity in this area.”

“So we should all get ready to set out?” Hyper asked.

“Yeah. In about an hour,” Rhythm decided.

“Is it going to actually be an hour?” Hyper kidded.

Rhythm rolled his eyes and stated, “Yes, it will be.”

Hyper went straight back to his room. He began fitting his armor on, and checked if his Energy Power Device had a fully charged crystal. He slipped the boot-like weapon onto his left foreleg and clamped it tight. The rest of the stallions began readying themselves for the job.

EchoBeat was the only one hesitant to leave for the mission. He spoke to HyperBlitz. “Don’t you think one of use should stay back? You know… just in case there’s any Hybrids that come this way.”

Hyper assured him, “Echo, we haven’t had any problems with Hybrids at the base yet. I doubt they're going to show up right when we go out. But if you want to stay here, I’m sure Rhythm will let you. You can keep working on your gardening.”

Echo nodded his head appreciatively.

HyperBlitz launched himself into the air and soared above the other stallions as they made their way toward the node. FeatherTune soon followed his example and took to the sky. They flew low to be sure they would not alert any Hybrids. They neared the node and took shelter behind a row of cacti. Hyper landed almost face first into the cacti. The stallions gathered around to plan their attack.

Around the node were several Hybrids, protected by crates, barrels and other scraps. Some other cacti and shrubs lined the area too.

“There’s a lot more Hybrids than I remember seeing there,” Feather observed.

“We’ll have to fight through them first before we can get the node,” Rhythm announced. “Any ideas on how we should do this?”

“I mean, aren’t we just going to do what we usually do?” Hyper said. “Run in there and improvise.”

Rhythm pivoted his head to him and raised a brow. “We’ve made plenty of plans before attacks.”

“Yeah but we always end up doing something different,” Hyper pointed out.

“He’s right,” Feather told Rhythm.

“Maybe some of us can draw them away from the node while others disable it,” Spinning suggested.

“Yeah but a few may stay behind to protect it,” Blazing countered.

“I think we should get them out into the open. We don’t want to fall into any cactuses when we're running around,” Rhythm decided.

“Cacti,” Feather corrected.

“Come on, Feather.” Hyper bounded forward, “Let's go distract them.”

Hyper floated above the ground and began firing down blasts of energy at the Hybrids. A short, heavily armored Hybrid took notice and started running towards them. It had no guns or blades, but still thought it stood a chance against the areal Pegasi. One Hybrid with less armor and a single bionic eye began firing at HyperBlitz. The yellow Pegasus easily dodged the lasers by swooping to and fro.

Hyper eyed the ground and saw BlazingFlair run at top speed towards the stocky Hybrid that was pursuing them. The Hybrid did not take notice of Blazing until too late. He thrashed into the Hybrid, sending it crashing into the ground. With a lifted EPD, he began dousing the foe in red energy that ignited into flames.

Circling back around, Hyper dove towards the gun Hybrid with the glowing eye. He ignored the lasers that directly hit his flesh and armor and raised his left foreleg. Energy charged in his weapon, and when he was a meter away, he released that energy. A surge of blue engulfed the enemy, and with Hyper’s collision, the extra force was enough to make a killing blow.

Feeling proud of himself, Hyper landed to take a breather. His eyes slanted upwards towards the node. There were still at least five more Hybrids left. Spinning and Rhythm attempted to get to the node, but were outnumbered. The Unicorns still shot their energy at them but it did not slow them. A crackle of electricity sounded in Hyper’s left ear. FeatherTune had fired a bolt down on a large, study Hybrid, but it was not even phased.

“Are you kidding me?!” Feather exclaimed.

Hyper realized there was something off about this Hybrid. It had a style he had not seen before, and had extra armor made of a rubber-like material in addition to it’s metal armor. It swung it’s foreleg around, which was a large saw. None of Hyper’s friends could seem to make a dent in the Hybrid as it continued it’s rampage. I could try my dive-bomb on it, Hyper considered.

Darting over them, Hyper created a large distance between him and his target. He swirled around and locked eyes on the massive Hybrid, which seemed tiny in the large gap between him. Lifting his hoof again with charging energy, he hurtled towards the cyborg and at immense speed. Aiming for the Hybrid’s flank, Hyper would arrive at any second…

But the Hybrid took notice and swung around, it’s side no longer exposed. HyperBlitz didn’t have time to divert, he would have to soar past it. The heavy Hybrid lifted it’s bladed foreleg just as Hyper made contact.

Slice.

All of the team watched in horror as their friend fell to the earth and tumbled rapidly across the desert soil. A wave of blood followed Hyper, spewing from his side and staining the sand. Finally he stopped rolling. His own blood was plastered all around his body just like the dirt.

His right wing was a couple dozen meters away from his body, laying next to the Hybrid.

HyperBlitz had made no sound during the slash or his pounding against the ground. As soon as he realized what had just happened, he screeched “YOU MOTHERFUCKER!”

CharmingRhythm thought quickly as he suppressed a queasy feeling. There was no way they could fight the rest of the Hybrids with a pony down. His horn blared cyan as he amplified his voice. “Everyone: retreat!”

There was a second where nothing happened, all of the stallions were staring at the wounded Pegasus. They whipped their heads around to Rhythm. All of them galloped north. BlazingFlair helped HyperBlitz to his hooves.

Hyper shouted, “My wing! Get my wing!”

Periwinkle magic lifted the severed limb and levitated it towards SpinningNote. Blood oozed out of the base of it, trailing behind Spinning as he ran.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck!” Rhythm cursed as he galloped, slowing his pace down just enough for his team to catch up.

Hyper was in no condition to run, his muscles were sore from the crash. His eyes burned with pure hatred and rage.

“We have to get them! They fucking cut off my wing! They deserve to die!” Hyper growled through clenched teeth.

“No- we have to leave!” Rhythm insisted. “We’ll get them later.”

With their slowed pace, the Hybrids began to chase and near them. Blazing threw fire energy at them just as Rhythm shot pure energy blasts at them. Rhythm lifted up a barrel with his magic and flung it towards one of the Hybrids. FeatherTune electrocuted them from the sky, attempting to stun them.

“He’s losing a lot of blood!” SpinningNote announced with worry in his voice. “C’mon Hype, keep your wing- er, stub, raised.”

The Hybrids were further behind them now, but Rhythm knew they needed to get to the base, fast. He did not want to risk Hyper falling unconscious from loss of blood. Rhythm kept his eyes facing forward, diverting them from the appalling injury.

Suddenly FeatherTune shot over them, in the direction of the base. Rhythm tried to call out to him, but the cream Pegasus was racing away as fast as he could. At first Rhythm was frustrated that Feather would leave them behind, but quickly realized he could have been going to the base for medical supplies.

Arriving at the base out of breath, FeatherTune slammed open the door. The bang made EchoBeat jump, his eyes wide with fear. His expression softened as he saw Feather, but his body was still tensed up.

“Feather, what are you-”

“Get me potions, and bandages,now!” Feather huffed.

“What?” Echo blurted out with a scattered brain.

“Get that stuff that closes wounds, and healing potion- and bandage wraps! Do it now!”

EchoBeat cantered off to the bathroom where they kept their medical supplies. Echo grabbed bottles with his teeth and threw them at Feather’s hooves. He found the bandages and brought them to Feather, who had already scooped up the bottles.

“Here-” Echo took the potion bottles and lay them in a bandage. He rolled it up and gave it back to FeatherTune. He nodded to Echo appreciatively and raced back out of the building.

FeatherTune found his friends still trekking through the desert, still a good walk away from the village. Feather landed on Hyper’s right side and placed the bandage wrap on the ground. He shuffled through the bottles and identified the one for topical treatment. He pulled the cap off with his teeth and started pouring the contents onto Hyper’s wing stub.

HyperBlitz grimaced in pain as the liquid flowed over the gory wound. It began to bleed less as scabs started to form, mended by the elixir. Rhythm levitated a healing potion and prompted Hyper to drink it. There were tears in his eyes as he guzzled it down. Now Spinning took the bandages and started wrapping them around the bloody stump.

“What are we supposed to do about this!” Spinning exclaimed as he picked up the severed wing again.

“We have to keep it!” Hyper cried. “I need to go to a doctor- they’ll be able to stitch it back on!”

The rest of the stallions exchanged unconvinced expressions.

EchoBeat had been waiting for them outside the base building. He saw them nearing the village and galloped over to them. He skidded to a halt as he saw the scene, his eyes wide with dismay.

“What happened!?”

“What does it look like?!” Feather snapped.

“Hybrids,” Blazing muttered dreadfully.

“They’ll pay for this!” HyperBlitz yowled.

“Not now,” Rhythm told him, trying to keep calm. “We need to get you inside.”

Team Xero made their way towards their base. Echo caught sight of the severed wing and cringed.

“Aw, for Celestia’s sake, that’s disgusting!” He let out.

“Hyper wants it to be sewn back on,” Spinning explained.

“I’m with you, Echo,” Rhythm whispered as he passed by the red stallion.

Inside the base, Rhythm ordered Hyper to stay in his room and try to rest. SpinningNote wrapped up Hyper’s right wing in bandages and set it aside. Rhythm noted that they were almost out of bandages, they would need to get more once back in Los Pegasus. They were all distraught at Hyper’s loss.

“Feather,” Rhythm directed, “Get some food and water for Hyper. He needs to keep up his strength.” He turned his attention to Echo. “Take inventory on what medical supplies we have.” The two stallions he instructed split off in different directions.

Blazing and Spinning stood in the main room with Rhythm. “What about us?” Blazing wondered.

Rhythm put a hoof on his forehead and gazed at the floor. “I don’t know. We’ll have to plan another attack sometime. Those Hybrids will know we’re here now. For right now, let’s all just rest.”

CharmingRhythm faced away from the two other stallions. He made his way towards the hallway and his bedroom, his tail drooping to the floor. The feeling of defeat, anger and gloom creeped through every part of his being. Never did he think that something he had experienced, losing a limb, would happen to one of his own teammates.

Chapter 8

HyperBlitz sat inside his room, anger filling up inside of him. He wanted to get revenge on those Hybrids so badly. Or perhaps all he wanted was to take his anger out on something. While the rage never went away, a wave of depression fell over Hyper. His injury hurt, but there was something deep inside of him that hurt more.

The door opened and FeatherTune slipped inside. He held a bottle of water between his hoof and chest, and gripped a bag of raisins in his teeth. He laid them on Hyper’s bed.

“Raisins?” Hyper questioned.

“I dunno, they’re full of sugar. You need to keep your strength up. You did lose a lot of blood,” Feather shot at him.

Hyper only huffed.

Feather’s expression softened and he told him, “I’m so sorry Hyper. I wish I knew what we can do to make this right.” His friend did not respond, he only stared at the floor.

Feather left Hyper’s room and entered the main room. Blazing and Spinning were discussing what they had seen.

“It wasn’t even affected by any of our attacks!” Spinning said in shock.

“It has to have some sort of weakness. I’m sure Hyper’s attack would have worked if…” Blazing trailed off. His eyes met Feather’s.

“Rhythm’s shut in his room. I thought he’d call for a meeting but he seems just as upset as Hyper… minus the anger,” Feather reported.

“That’s understandable,” Spinning sighed. “He lost a leg not too long ago.”

“We can’t stand here waiting around for Rhythm’s approval. We should keep working on the camp. It’s best to keep ourselves busy anyway,” Blazing spoke.

The next day arrived. The air was still heavy with despair, no matter how normal the stallions tried to make things. CharmingRhythm had not slept very well that night, for he was worrying about HyperBlitz.

Rhythm pushed open the door adjacent to his. He studied Hyper who sat on his bed. The yellow stallion’s eyes stared into space, dark under his brow. He still had faint dirt and blood stains in his fur, which had not washed out all the way. The bandages were stained brown and red from the blood they had soaked up.

“Hey, Hype,” Rhythm spoke up, his voice cracking a bit. “You feel like eating anything?”

Hyper took a glance at Rhythm and shook his head.

“That’s alright. I’m not going to force you to eat anything,” Rhythm promised.

He understood exactly how Hyper was feeling. It was grief. While it was not death, it was something important lost. It was a part of who he was, gone. Rhythm remembered how empty he felt after losing his leg. Even after it was replaced, he was never the same. There was no way to go back to what once was, and prosthetics were nowhere near as welcoming than organic. Rhythm tried to conjure hope that Hyper’s original wing could be salvaged, but something inside told him it was a lost cause.

“I don’t even feel like working on anything…” Hyper mumbled.

“It’s okay, you don’t have to,” Rhythm assured.

“I’m useless now,” Hyper said, edge in his voice.

“What? What are you talking about?” Rhythm blurted out.

“I’m half a Pegasus. I can’t fly. I don’t even have the strength of an Earth Pony or the ability to grow plants,” Hyper spat.

“What? Just because you lost a wing doesn’t mean you aren’t a Pegasus. You still have your magic; the ability to walk on clouds and change weather.”

“And how useful is that, huh? Nobody touches the clouds anymore, or did you forget?” Hyper irritable told him.

Rhythm felt a pang of hurt in his heart. He tried to push though and said, “I promise we’ll get you a new wing.”

“I don’t want a new wing! I want my original wing!” Hyper replied, almost yelling. “We have to go to Los Pegasus! A doctor there can put it back on. Please, Rhythm, we have to go!”

Rhythm exhaled. “We will, but not today. Maybe tomorrow.”

“But- we have to go now!” Hyper argued.

“I want you to have your strength back-”

“I am strong!” Hyper snapped.

“I know… I’m sorry. I don’t feel up to it today. But I promise we’ll go tomorrow. I’ll go with you,” insisted Rhythm.

The yellow stallion did not reply. He took his sight off Rhythm. The Unicorn turned his tail and exited the room. He felt exhausted just from the argument alone. Mustering up enough courage, Rhythm called a meeting to the rest of his team, minus Hyper.

The stallions took their seats in the meeting room, their eyes locked onto their leader.

“Hyper wants to go to Los Pegasus to get his wing put back on,” Rhythm addressed them. “I’m going with him tomorrow.”

“Do you really think it’s possible?” Feather questioned. “Or, worth it, at least?”

“I don’t think so,” Rhythm said bleakly. “But we can only hope. If not, we’ll go to the prosthetics lab. But even then, Hyper’s wing will have to heal a bit before he can have a prosthetic put on. And he’ll have to get used to it…” His brown eyes focused on his own bionic limb, remembering the period of healing and readjusting.

“Are you two going alone?” Blazing asked.

Rhythm nodded. “I want you guys to stay here and work on the camp. I’ll pick up some supplies while in town. Please let me know what we need and I’ll do my best to get it.”

“There’s a lot we need,” Spinning mused aloud.

“I know. But essentials first. And I promised you a computer,” Rhythm said to the purple Unicorn.

After a pause, CharmingRhythm rubbed his eyes with his hooves. “Why did this have to happen? Hyper doesn’t deserve this.”

“Knowing him,” Blazing spoke, “I think he’ll make a quick recovery. Remember his past injuries? Or even when we first found him as a rogue? He pulled himself together so quickly.”

Rhythm recalled, several years ago, finding HyperBlitz out on a mission. He was a skinny rogue, fleeing from home. He had shown promise when fighting Hybrids, so the team took him in. He grew quite fond of the team, and synergized well with them. Soon enough, with the right care, he had become a strong, powerful stallion. Hyper was one of the best recruits and fighters Rhythm had ever seen. Blazing was right; Hyper would recover well.

“Alright. I think that’s it for now,” Rhythm drew the meeting to a close. “I want you guys to keep a lookout for Hybrids while we're out. Anything else before we finish?”

“We’ve already gone through a lot of our water,” Echo spoke up for the first time. “We’ll need to get more. It hasn’t rained at all since we’ve been here.”

“Take some water containers to the stream and bring them back here to filter. That’s the best we can do for now,” Rhythm concluded.

Rhythm pushed himself off the chair and gaited out of the meeting room. He wondered how he could distract himself for the rest of the day. He needed to keep his mind off Hyper as best he could. He decided he’d take the cab to the stream and begin filling up water containers. While in Los Pegasus, the rest of the team wouldn’t have access to the cab.

CharmingRhythm feared the reactions of friends and loved one when they found out what happened to HyperBlitz.

Chapter 9

It was late next morning when HyperBlitz and CharmingRhythm prepared to depart. Hyper was lethargic, and had not ate that morning, as much as Rhythm wished he did. They said their goodbyes as they entered the rickety cab.

Both stallions were quiet for most of the trip. Rhythm drove them through the open desert. The train tracks came into view, and he began to follow them. They would lead them to the bridge they needed to cross. The site of the node in the distance popped up on Rhythm’s left.

“If we see any Hybrids, we can run them over, if you want,” Rhythm suggested, attempting to cheer Hyper up. He did not reply. His gaze seemed to be off in a distant world.

Rhythm looked at the dashboard of the cab and saw a radio. He clicked a button with a bionic leg, but no sound came from it.

“Why did I even think that would work?” he muttered aloud.

HyperBlitz stared at the broken radio for a second, and then turned his vision back to his own universe. Rhythm was reminded of past trekking missions, when the team had no radio from a cab. Hyper would burst out in song to pass the time. It seemed like all of that music was drained out of his soul now.

They crossed the railroad bridge and finally made their way to the city. Their first stop was at the clinic. The wait to see a specialist was much longer than Rhythm had hoped for. It was almost mid afternoon when they were finally called back.

The doctor, a rust colored Earth Pony, examined Hyper and the wing they had brought in. She stood up and spoke to both her patient and Rhythm.

“I’m not sure it’s worth reattaching the wing,” The doctor stated.

“I was afraid of much,” Rhythm sighed.

“You mean you can’t put it back on?” Hyper let out with desperation.

“We could try, but I’m afraid it won’t heal correctly,” the mare fret.

Rhythm didn’t want to risk Hyper’s wing healing incorrectly. If that happened, he’d have to get it amputated again, and then have a new one built. Rhythm knew the time spent during that healing would put Hyper out of the mission for far too long.

There were tears gathering in Hyper’s eyes. “Could we take the wing back to the camp and bury it somewhere?” He whimpered.

“If that’s what you’d like,” Rhythm said in a comforting tone.

They left the clinic. Rhythm placed the wrapped wing back in the cab. They took the rest of the way on hoof. Hyper was crying when Rhythm took another look at him. The Unicorn put his hoof on the back of Hyper’s neck and patted.

“I’m sorry, buddy,” Rhythm lamented.

The duo made their way towards the prosthetics workshop, which was a department of the EPD building. Rhythm stepped up to the front desk, where a forest green Earth Pony worked. She peered up at the newcomers and greeted them.

“Hello. How may I help you?”

“You’re new?” Rhythm questioned. He could not recall ever seeing this mare.

“Yep! I started my internship just last week,” the mare claimed proudly.

“Is SlateMeasure in?” Rhythm requested.

“Um, yes he is.”

CharmingRhythm moved passed the desk, Hyper following slowly behind him. The desk worker seemed shocked that they ignored her.

“Wait! You can’t go back without an appointment!”

Rhythm shook his head, slightly amused. Most ponies in this workshop knew who he was, and did not mind him in their space. Rhythm trotted up to a wide doorway that was the entrance to a sectioned off room. Inside a grey stallion with a black and white mane sat. His back was turned as he worked on blueprints on a workbench. Rhythm tapped the inside of the doorway with a hoof.

The grey Unicorn twisted his head around and focused his eyes on the visitor. “Rhythm. It’s good to see you,” he spoke with a smile, which then faltered slightly. “What are you doing here? I thought you were on your mission.”

“There’s been some...complications,” Rhythm explained, glaring at the floor.

“What kind of complications?” Slate questioned.

Rhythm took a few more steps into the workroom. “Um… do you know how to design a wing?”

“I can’t say that I do,” Slate replied. He became more serious. “Why? Who lost a wing?”

“Hyper,” Rhythm said, barely getting it out. Just at that moment Hyper took his place next to Rhythm.

Slate took in the sight of HyperBlitz and his injury. He murmured, “Oh Hyper…” as his dark eyes flooded with empathy. Slate pushed himself off the bench and moved towards Hyper. “I’m so sorry.” The old stallion pulled Hyper in for a hug.

“Hybrids,” Rhythm clarified.

“That’s how it usually goes,” Slate sighed with a head shake.

Just then, the pony who was working the desk emerged into the doorway. She still appeared confused and surprised.

“It’s alright,” Slate assured her. “This is my son.” He tilted his head to Rhythm.

“Oh,” the intern said. She backed away slowly.

“She’s new,” Slate told Rhythm.

“Yeah, I know,” Rhythm retorted.

“Tell me something you don’t know,” Slate smirked without malice.

Rhythm returned him a small smile.

Slate shifted his attention back to HyperBlitz. “I’m sorry Hyper. I can’t design you a wing. I specialize in legs.” He glanced down at his own prosthetic right leg. “And regular EPDs.”

“That’s alright,” Hyper spoke, so quiet that it startled Rhythm.

“But I know someone who can. Go two workspaces down to the right. That’s Patchwork. He specializes in wings.”

“Thanks, Dad,” Rhythm said as he urged Hyper out of the room. Slate gave them a short nod as they were sent on their way.

The two stallions examined the pony in the workspace before they entered. He was a flax colored Unicorn with lighter splotches in his fur.

“A Unicorn that specializes in wings?” Hyper murmured to Rhythm, who only shrugged.

Patchwork glanced up to the both of them. “Welcome. What can I do for ya?”

“You’re Patchwork, right?” Rhythm asked.

“Yessir.”

“My friend needs a new wing,” Rhythm said, looking at Hyper.

“Well ya came to the right guy. Lemme take a look.” Patchwork stood up to observe Hyper’s wing stub.

“It’s a new injury,” Rhythm spoke for his friend.

“Hmm,” Patch thought. “If it’s too new, I can’t attach a prosthetic just yet. Ya’ll have to let that heal. But what I can do is take some measurements for ya. Come over here.” he pointed his horn in the direction Hyper should go.

“You gonna be okay here if I go out, Hyper?” Rhythm asked him. “There’s some things I need to do.”

“I guess,” Hyper mumbled. “I’ll probably just go back to my apartment after this…”

“Sounds good,” Rhythm said.

Rhythm ambled out of the workspace and into the hallway. A clock on the far wall read the time. It was getting late. Rhythm wouldn’t have the time to do what he wanted. He’d have to wait until the next day and stay in the city.

The blue Unicorn aimed for the exit, but stopped in his place. Rhythm took a few steps backwards and faced his father’s workspace. “I’ll see you later, Dad. Thanks for your help.”

“See you later. I’m sorry I couldn’t help anymore,” Slate replied. The grey stallion appeared discontent.

“It’s okay,” Rhythm exhaled.

“I hope things get better for you guys,” Slate added with sympathy in his brown eyes.

“Me too,” Rhythm muttered bleakly and sought out the exit.

CharmingRhythm had wanted to speak to the president, but decided it was not worth it. He would do that tomorrow. Instead, he found his way back to his old apartment. On the way, he would pass by Hyper’s place, SweetHooves’ now. Perhaps he should speak to the mare. She did not know about Hyper’s condition just yet. Rhythm considered that telling her may soften the blow before she saw it for herself.

SweetHooves opened the door and gave a bewildered expression. “Rhythm? What are you doing here?”

“Uh, hey… um, I’ve got some bad news,” Rhythm started hesitantly. He had a hard time keeping his eyes on the mare.

“What… what do you mean?” Fear filled her maroon eyes.

“Hyper got injured,” Rhythm said through clenched teeth.

“What?!

“It’s not something you can fix,” Rhythm replied.

Rhythm knew SweetHooves was a medic. Anytime Hyper had gotten injured in the past, SweetHooves was always the first to look after his injuries. She was a skilled mare, but she was helpless this time, much to Rhythm’s regret.

“Where is he?” SweetHooves demanded.

“He’s…” Rhythm trailed off as the mental image of Hyper in the workshop appeared. He could not tell her that without explaining why first. He conjured up as much courage as he could.

Slowly, Rhythm explained, “A Hybrid cut off his wing.”

SweetHooves just stared at him at first, gaping. “They-they’re going to fix him right?” She pleaded.

Rhythm bowed his head, his black and blue mane falling with it. “They didn’t want to risk it not healing correctly. We’re just going to have a new one built.”

It was clear that SweetHooves took an emotional blow, unable to speak. She had always worried about her husband, as accident prone as Hyper was. Now that worry would be multiplied. Rhythm wasn’t quite sure what to tell her.

“I’m really sorry. I wish I knew what to do to make this right.” There was a pause. “Hyper is going to come back here when he’s ready,” Rhythm informed.

SweetHooves only nodded her head. The conversation had turned awkward. Rhythm didn’t feel like conversing anymore, so he just said goodbye to the mare and went on his way.

The day had left him feeling emotionally exhausted. He wished for a distraction, or sleep perhaps. He slowly made his way to his city apartment.

Chapter 10

Early evening fell over the city. CharmingRhythm’s hooves drug him to his apartment. He attempted to open the door, but the knob was stuck, locked. He realized he had no key with him. He cursed himself for not having one just in case. Instead, he knocked.

A few moments later, the door opened. Heartfelt’s brown eyes met him. “Rhythm.” The mint green mare was a bit surprised. She spoke softly “I’m glad to see you.”

“Yeah?” Rhythm said, feeling unexpectedly welcomed. He stepped inside.

“I’ve been wanting to talk to you,” Heartfelt told him.

“I have something to tell you too. But, you go first,” Rhythm politely insisted.

“I just wanted to say I’m sorry about how I acted before you left. I thought about it for a bit, and I’ve felt horrible since you’ve been gone,” Heartfelt expressed.

Her words fell over Rhythm like silk, soft and inviting.

“I shouldn’t have taken it so personally,” Heartfelt continued. “I know your missions are important to you.”

Relief flooded Rhythm’s veins. A smile broke across his face as he spoke. “You’re important to me. I completely understand why you felt the way you did. I really should have asked you your opinion before taking on the mission.” Rhythm’s mood quickly spiraled downward. “I’m beginning to regret taking on this mission.”

“What? Why?” Heartfelt wondered.

Rhythm told his wife what happened to HyperBlitz and where he was now. Shocked, Heartfelt attempted to process the new information.

“That’s horrible,” Heartfelt frowned. “I know how important flying is to Hyper. This must be crushing.”

Rhythm knew what she said was true. This brought a new revelation to Rhythm. Now he felt more remorse than before. Would his friend ever be able to fly as well as he once had?

Rhythm slanted his eyes downward and sighed. “I don’t know what to do.”

“All you can do now is wait,” Heartfelt said as she placed a hoof on Rhythm’s shoulder. “Will you stay the night?”

Rhythm perked up a bit. “Yeah. Of course. I’d love to spend some time with you, and I’m glad we could make up.”

“I didn’t think we’d make up this soon. I expected you to be gone longer,” Heartfelt admitted. “I just wish I hadn’t acted like that to begin with.”

“Hey, you had every right to feel the way you did, believe me,” Rhythm reiterated. He did not want her feelings to be invalidated. “Besides, one good thing came out of that argument.” Heartfelt shot him a perplexed face that urged him to explain. “I wrote a song.”

“Seriously? Of course you would,” Heartfelt smirked as she shook her head. “Could I read it, if it’s not too touchy?”

“Sure, but some other time. I don’t have it with me,” Rhythm replied.

Heartfelt nodded, allowing that answer.

Rhythm leaned forward and gave her a kiss. Heartfelt accepted the gesture and pressed her muzzle into his.

“I missed you,” Rhythm said as he began to pull away.

“I missed you too,” Heartfelt replied as their eyes met again.“If we miss each other so much for two weeks, how are we going to handle several months?”

“I don’t know, but it will make the reunion all the more sweet,” Rhythm smiled.

Heartfelt let out a huff of amusement and nodded her head.

Rhythm suddenly realized how hungry he was. He had not eaten since the morning before he left for the city. “Can we make dinner? I’m starving,” He asked.

“Sure,” Heartfelt said with a smirk.

A bit after dinner, Rhythm found himself snuggling in bed next to Heartfelt. His belly was comfortably full and the bed was snug. Heartfelt nuzzled her soft chin against his shoulder. Rhythm raised his right hoof to stroke her cheek. Her eyes flew open at the unnatural touch.

“So when are we going to finally get a sock for your leg?” Heartfelt asked, slightly amused.

“I dunno.” Rhythm knew a soft sock over his prosthetic leg would make cuddling a lot more comfortable. It would be a false sense of normalcy.

“Maybe I could make one while you’re away,” Heartfelt trailed off. Rhythm could tell she was thinking about the months to come without him by her side.

“You doing alright financially?” Rhythm wondered.

“Yeah, for now. I should be fine for a while, but maybe a few months down the road I’ll have to move in with someone,” Heartfelt thought. “I’ll have to move our stuff somewhere though. Maybe separate it between your parents house and my parents… and maybe at SweetHooves’ place if I do decide to live there.”

“I’m sure my family would be more than willing to help,” Rhythm assured.

“I know,” Heartfelt murmured.

Rhythm gave her a kiss on the forehead. Heartfelt pulled herself closer to the stallion and sighed. Rhythm placed his chin on her head and wrapped his natural leg under her. They didn’t talk much more. Instead they relished each others’ touch.

This was exactly what CharmingRhythm needed. His heart had been emotionally drained but his wife could fill it. He was thankful for the cool night, so he could enjoy Hearfelt’s warmth even more. Rhythm savored the moment, knowing he may not be able to experience another like it for months to come.

Morning came and Rhythm realized he had slept longer than he had intended. The apartment’s bed was much more welcoming than his bed at the base. He had slept soundly, with no nightmares or anxiety disturbing him. Heartfelt next to him had made it all the more pleasant. Rhythm felt more refreshed than he had felt for the past two weeks. Even with struggles behind and ahead of him, he felt ready to tackle the rest of his mission.

“I got some things to do,” Rhythm told Heartfelt as he headed for the door. “I promise I’ll be back.” He gave her a quick kiss and was on his way.

Rhythm watched the towers pass by as he scouted the streets. Passing by HyperBlitz’s apartment, he thought of checking up on him. He decided that he would.

SweetHooves let him inside and Rhythm found his friend sitting in despair. Rhythm had not recalled Hyper ever looking this somber. The same energy clung to SweetHooves. Rhythm felt bad, for he knew how much SweetHooves wished she could heal her husband.

“I’m going to be going back to camp soon,” Rhythm told the Pegasus. “Would you like to come back while you wait for your wing to be made?”

Hyper shook his head. “I don’t think I’ll be very useful at base. Besides, I’m going to need some more measurements taken. I’d like to stay here with SweetHooves for a bit.”

“That’s totally fine,” Rhythm reassured him. “But I’m not going to know when to pick you up…”

“I’ll fly back to camp once I have my new wing,” Hyper affirmed.

“Are you sure?” Rhythm asked skeptically. He remembered how he had to readjust to his new leg when he first got it. “You need to get used to a new wing first.”

“I’ll be fine, I promise. I’ll come as soon as I’m ready. I don’t want to let you guys down,” Hyper finished, his eyes now burning with determination.

Rhythm accepted that and said goodbye.

He returned on his trek to the main Resistance building. Inside he found that one of the elevators was out of order, and grew impatient waiting for the other. Rhythm finally got to the president’s floor. He explained to the guards that he wanted to see her, but had to wait first for permission to come inside. His fur itched from all of the waiting.

Once inside, Rhythm explained to the council what had happened to HyperBlitz. The president didn’t even seem phased when he told her the news.

“Would you like to replace his position on your team? We can assign you another recruit,” Clarity told him.

“What?” Rhythm replied, holding back his outrage. “I’d never replace Hyper. We’re just going to wait for him to come back.”

“Very well. How has progress been going in the camp?” She pressed.

“It’s good, slow though. We’re going to need some more supplies; food and medicine, and a computer,” Rhythm listed.

“That we can get for you. I will assign some ponies to gather those supplies for you,” The lavender mare addressed as she placed her hooves together.

“But, progress is really slow,” Rhythm restated. “It would be nice if we had some more recruits to help us. Especially ones that know how to build.”

“Do you have any houses with preferred living conditions?” Clarity asked.

“Well… no, not yet,” Rhythm admitted. They would need clean beds for that. He suddenly felt a bit frustrated, knowing that the Resistance had supplies they badly needed, but the president wasn’t offering any of them.

“Then I can’t assign you any more recruits. Report back to us when you do have proper housing, then we will seek out assistance for you,” Clarity finished.

“What? So just because I don’t have finished houses means I can’t get any more help?” Rhythm replied, shocked. “How many times have recruits slept on the floor on their missions?”

“I’m sorry CharmingRhythm, that is the rule.”

Irritated, Rhythm tried to calm down. He noticed a pink Pegasus eyeing him from the left. Rhythm couldn’t make out what expression they were making, but it made him uneasy. Was it because he was making a fuss? No, the Pegasus’s eyes expressed more interest than displeasure.

“Alright,” He let out. “I’ll let you know when we have finished homes.”

CharmingRhythm was sent back out of the meeting room. He felt infuriated, but he kept his emotions inside. He needed to pick up the supplies that were offered to him, but his discontent kept him away from the public for the moment.Feeling the need to vent he retraced his steps back to his apartment.

“She didn’t even seem concerned that Hyper lost a wing!” Rhythm spilled out to Heartfelt, who sat next to him.

“I’m sure she was just trying to be professional,” Heartfelt hypothesised. She placed her hoof on his back and listened intently.

“She could have at least shown a little concern. I mean, she asked me if I wanted to replace him, for Celestia’s sake!” Rhythm exclaimed with outstretched forelegs. “I’m not replacing Hyper, he’s one of my best friends!”

“Clarity doesn’t seem like a pony who acts on emotion. It’s all business to her,” Heartfelt considered.

“A good leader should show some sympathy is all,” Rhythm sighed.

“Like you?” Heartfelt leaned on his shoulder.

“I’m not…” Rhythm tried to protest but stopped in his tracks. “I just wished she would help me a bit more, y’know? She didn’t even want to give me more recruits when I asked for them.”

“Perhaps you can find some for yourself? Interview some,” Heartfelt suggested.

“I don’t really have the time right now. Anyway, I need to go and pick up supplies and head back to camp.” Rhythm leapt off of the couch.

Heartfelt reached for him and touched his tail with her lime hoof. “Please stay another night,” She begged.

Rhythm swirled around and looked into her loving eyes. He couldn’t say no. “Okay. But just one more night. I’ve got to go in the morning.” He bowed his head to place his horn next to Heartfelt’s horn. He kissed her lips before standing up straight. “Alright, I better go out. I’ll see you later.”

“See you later,” Heartfelt replied as he slipped out of the door.

CharmingRhythm was glad he stopped back at the apartment. Although he was frustrated, Heartfelt had a natural way of easing his tension. It’s probably best I stayed another night, he thought. Even if he was sure he could get his errands done before late afternoon, he wanted to spend more time with his wife. Who knows how long it would be till they saw each other again. Rhythm could use every bit of love he could get from Heartfelt to keep his morale up.

Chapter 11

Back at the base, the rest of Team Xero continued to work on their camp. SpinningNote was put in charge by CharmingRhythm. Most of the time he spent was working on old computers. He was searching through the files of the first one he found. It was propped up on the desk in the main room. BlazingFlair entered and watched Spinning with his eyes glued on the screen.

“Are you just going to do that the whole time?” Blazing asked, genuinely curious.

“The journals on these are fascinating,” Spinning explained without turning his head. “The last few that are dated mention a Hybrid ambush. That must be why ponies left the village. But the pony who wrote these made it out like they were stuck in their homes, avoiding the Hybrids.”

“And that means… what?” Blazing cocked his head to the side.

“I’m just curious about how the ponies got out. We only found a few skeletons. If they had truly been stuck, there would be more.”

“I mean, the Hybrids could have taken some of them back to their citadels,” Blazing surmised.

“I guess that’s possible. Hmm. This pony was talking about how much the ponies were trying to fight back…” Spinning continued/

“Why does this matter to you? We have other work to be done,” Blazing countered.

SpinningNote whirled around and faced the orange Earth Pony. “I’m sorry. You’re right. I’m getting too caught up in the past. I just find it interesting. Though…” Spinning put a hoof under his chin. “What if Hybrids ambushed us? If the past residence couldn’t stop them, how would we?”

Blazing shook his head and smiled. “You’re thinking too much about this. But maybe if you want more information, you could restore more computers. Let’s go out and clear out more stuff.”

“That’s a good idea,” Spinning confirmed.

Spinning was on the hunt for more computers. He popped in and out of buildings until he found one. It was set up on a wooden desk in a bedroom. In the corner of the bedroom was a safe, which caught Spinning’s interest. He attempted to pick the lock with his magic, but couldn’t figure out the right placements of the tumblers. Lifting with his magic, Spinning moved the safe to the outside.

BlazingFlair watched Spinning bring out the heavy safe. It dropped on a ground with a thud when Spinning released his magic.

“Why’d you bring this out?” Blazing wondered.

“I want to see if I can open it. Who knows what’s inside. I can’t pick the lock with just my magic,” Spinning explained.

“Well, you’re the best one out of all of use to pick a lock,” Blazing said. “You have magic after all.”

SpinningNote reentered the old building he was just in and retrieved the computer. He set it down next to the safe outside, leaning against a wall.

Just then Spinning noticed FeatherTune flying towards them. Held in his hooves was a large clear water container. The Pegasus heaved it onto the ground with effort. He fell to the earth on his belly, his legs sprawling out.

“I wish we had the cab! I can’t keep doing this one my own!” FeatherTune complained with heavy breaths.

“That’s halfway empty!” Spinning exclaimed, pointing at the water container.

“It’s still several gallons of water!” Feather snapped as he pushed himself up. “I can’t carry it when it’s completely filled!”

“You need some strength training,” Spinning scoffed.

FeatherTune’s scarlet eyes glared at Spinning.

“Feather’s the only one of us who can fly right now,” Blazing defended. “Him traveling to the stream and back is probably faster than any of us can do, even if the container is only half full. It will do for now. I’ll go take it back to the base to filter.” Blazing started rolling the container away with his hooves, the water sloshing inside.

Spinning peered around to find EchoBeat. He had not seen the Earth Pony since that morning. Spinning trotted over to the east side of the village. There, EchoBeat was overlooking an open area, planning where to start a garden. However, Echo’s gaze was not set on the ground. He was staring off to the horizon in the south.

“Hey, Echo,” Spinning spoke up.

EchoBeat jumped and twirled around. He was wearing his goggles, which he then pushed up to his forehead with a hoof. “Yeah?”

“Whatcha looking at?”

“I was just looking… to make sure there are no Hybrids. Rhythm told us to look out, remember?” Echo told him.

“You’ve been staring out there for minutes. Do you see anything?” Spinning quered.

“No. Nothing out there now. But I just want to be sure.” Echo looked back at the ground in front of him.

"What's your verdict on the gardens?" Spinning asked him.

"I think this would be a good place. But knowing how many ponies could live here, we'd need a big tent. We may have to take down these trees." Echo glanced up to the trees with disappointment.

“It’s just a couple of trees,” Spinning addressed his concern. “What’s that compared to all the plants in our gardens?”

“I guess you’re right,” Echo considered.

“Alright. I’m going back to the base. Let me know if you see anything funny,” Spinning said as he cantered back towards his loot. Echo only nodded and placed his goggles back over his eyes.

The towers of Los Pegasus loomed overhead in the late afternoon. CharmingRhythm was loading his cab with supplies gifted to him by the president and her council. He had received a few boxes of foodstuff and medicine, as well as a small tent that could be used for gardening. He placed everything in the back seats. Rhythm still needed to obtain a computer. The council had requested one in the tech lab for him, all he needed to do was pick it up.

“Hey.” An unfamiliar voice sounded as Rhythm finished his packing.

Rhythm turned his head to see two ponies on the sidewalk. One in the front was a light grey Unicorn with a brilliant red mane. Next to her was a tan Pegasus with a raven colored mane. The latter watched the Unicorn as she spoke to Rhythm.

“You’re CharmingRhythm, right?” The mare asked.

“Um... yes, I am. Why do you ask?” Rhythm questioned cautiously.

“I’m Ash,” She said and glanced at the Pegasus. “And this is my partner, Jet.” The stallion shoved her with a wing. “Partner and boyfriend,” Ash mumbled defiantly.

“We were sent by someone on the council to help you,” Jet spoke up. “You need help with building a camp?”

Rhythm glared at them dumbfounded. Certainly the president did send him any recruits to help. Then Rhythm remembered the Pegasus who had been eyeing him in the meeting room. Perhaps they were the one who informed these recruits.

“And what’s in it for you?” Rhythm asked.

“We were told we’d be paid for it,” Ash said casually. “And we’ve got nothing better to do.”

Rhythm gaped. “Paid? I’m not getting paid, at least not until the end of the assignment. I’m just given free supplies. Well, sort of.” Rhythm suddenly felt foolish. He had taken on the mission because he wanted to prove to himself, and the president, that he was responsible enough. He hadn’t considered money at the time, it wasn’t important to him. Lives of ponies were more important, and a camp could save lives.

“Do you need some extra recruits or not?” Ash shot at him impatiently.

“I- well yes. I do need some extra hooves to help. But I don’t have any apartments with good living conditions just yet.”

“Eh, not that big of a deal. We’re used to sleeping on the ground during our missions,” Jet replied. “We have sleeping bags.”

Rhythm took a moment to think. “Well, if you don’t mind it then. But I may have to come back to get you, I have supplies to move.”

“Don’t worry,” Jet assured, “We have our own cab.”

“Really? That would be a big help, then,” Rhythm remarked.

“It’s not in the best condition though, but it works,” Jet told him.

“Believe me, so is this one,” Rhythm sighed, glancing over to the machine.

“I can see that,” Ash retorted.

Rhythm was annoyed. Ash was a lot more snappy than he would have liked, but she and Jet were offering help, which he needed badly. He would have to put up with her quips.

“I’m going to need to come back to the city to get more supplies anyway. How about we meet up next week, and I can show you the way there?” Rhythm suggested.

“Sure, sounds like a plan,” Jet answered. “We should have plenty of time to get ready then.”

“Just don’t tell president Clarity about this,” Ash shot with her blue eyes narrowing.

Rhythm blinked. Was it really that big of a deal? Would he or they get punished if she found out? Surely the president was out of control of which recruits he chose for his mission. The only thing she could control was giving recruits to him directly. Anyone who came to Rhythm at their own will was fair game.

“You got it,” Rhythm said anyway. “Let’s make it a week from today.”

Chapter 12

The morning of the next day arrived. Once again, CharmingRhythm slept well. He knew he would miss his place next to Heartfelt in the comfortable bed. He couldn’t wait until he could invite his wife to his camp. There was much work to be done, and his team needed him.

Standing near the door in the front room, the Unicorn couple said their farewells.

“Thank you for staying another night,” Heartfelt said with appreciation.

“Of course. I may stop by here when I come back to town to pick up stuff, but I can’t stay any more nights, Rhythm responded.

“That’s okay. You have everything you need?” Heartfelt checked.

“For now, yeah, I should.”

Heartfelt tilted her head up and kissed him. Right after, Rhythm nuzzled his muzzle against her’s. The stallion backed away with a smile. They said their goodbyes and I love you’s before Rhythm left completely. He headed for the cab and made his way down the city streets.

The journey was quiet, with only the sound of soil crunching underneath the wheels. Rhythm enjoyed being by himself for the first time in many weeks. He felt his mind clearing just from being alone. But soon enough, his mind started wandering back to his current struggles and he wished for a distraction. Maybe Spinning can fix the radio, Rhythm thought, but knew his friend had more important things to work on at the moment.

The roofs of the village soon came into view. Rhythm parked the cab once he was in between a few of the buildings. Pacing down the stone path, Rhythm found himself stop in front of the base building. There he found SpinningNote looking upward to FeatherTune, who was on the roof. The Pegasus was trying to attach something to an old satellite dish.

Spinning’s ears flickered as he heard Rhythm’s hoof steps, and he turned around. “Rhythm! You’re back! How’d it go? Where’s Hyper?”

“He’s going to stay in Los Pegasus for a bit,” Rhythm spoke to Spinning, but never took his eyes off Feather. Quickly he called out to him “‘What are you doing?”

“I’m helping Spinning set up a wifi signal!” Feather yelled back.

Rhythm then noticed Spinning was holding some sort of device in his magic. “Just keep it right there,” The purple Unicorn said to Feather. “Tape it down.”

Feather struggled to keep the antenna in place as he wrapped tape around it and the dish’s pole. Once finished, FeatherTune jumped off the roof, his wing spread to reduce his fall speed. He straightened out his legs and jogged over to meet Rhythm.

“I think it might be a good idea to put some solar panels up there. There’s plenty of space,” Feather suggested.

While the sky was covered by clouds, a small percentage of sunlight still shone on Equestria. Solar panels were still useful.

“I’ll make note of that,” Rhythm said.

“Write it down,” Spinning shot at him.

“What?” Rhythm blinked.

“Write it down, or else you will forget,” Spinning explained.

“Sometimes I think he’s worse than me,” Feather joked to Spinning.

Rhythm rubbed a temple. “There’s a lot of things I need to write down. Lot’s of work to be done.” He exhaled.

“Should we hold a meeting?” Spinning wondered.

“Yeah,” Rhythm agreed.

“I’ll go get the others!” Feather bounded towards the village.

Rhythm sat on the far end of the table in the meeting room. He watched his team gather in one by one. Four pairs of eyes were glued to Rhythm as the meeting began.

“So what took so long?” FeatherTune asked, tipping his head. “I thought you were just dropping off Hyper.”

“I stayed a couple nights with Heartfelt. If I would have known I was going to do that ahead of time, I would have told you guys.” Rhythm rubbed his forehead. “Anyway, HyperBlitz is going to stay in Los Pegasus for a bit,” Rhythm started. “He needs to heal- and wait for a new wing to be built.”

“So he does need a new one?” Blazing checked.

“Yeah,” Rhythm sighed, feeling the energy drain out of him.

“How long will it be until he’s ready to come back?” Feather wondered.

“I have no idea,” Rhythm shook his head. “And he insisted that he’d be able to fly back.”

“Seriously?” Spinning uttered. “Doesn’t he have to get used to the new wing?”

“That’s what I thought too,” Rhythm shrugged.

“I mean, with our new wifi signal we could send him a message and check when he wants to be picked up…” Spinning proposed.

“Yeah but he doesn’t know about that yet. He seemed pretty certain he could fly,” Rhythm explained with uncertainty. “Also, speaking of wifi. I got you a new computer.”

“Awesome! That should help out a lot,” Spinning remarked with a single clap of his forehooves.

“I could help you set it up,” Blazing offered. Spinning returned him a grateful nod.

“So did anything happen while I was gone?” Rhythm requested.

“I found a safe! But I have yet to crack the code,” Spinning reported.

“Echo was afraid of getting attacked by Hybrids the whole time,” Feather remarked.

“No- I was looking out for Hybrids,” Echo spat. “Just like we were told to do.”

“We were also discussing where to put the gardens,” Blazing stated.

“Echo thinks the east side is good,” Feather told, “But I think they should be on the west side, closer to the stream. That way you don’t have to carry water all the way over to the other side of camp.”

“I suggested having garden tents on both sides,” Blazing added.

“I think it would be better if they were all together,” Echo countered. “Easier for gardeners to tend to the plants if they are all grouped together. Anyway, we’d need more water filters no matter where we put them.”

“If we get enough recruits,” Rhythm surmised, “Then we could have some on each side. Certain ponies could be assigned to certain tents.”

“I guess that’s true,” Echo said.

“But there were no signs of Hybrids?” Rhythm reviewed.

“Nope,” Blazing replied, shaking his head.

“Well, that’s good. We may not have Hyper right now, but I want all of us to keep working,” Rhythm concluded. “I think that’s all for now.”

All of the stallions were just about to disperse when Rhythm blurted out “Oh- wait!” The rest of them stared at him, wide eyed. Blazing had already stood up, but he kept his place. “I almost forgot,” Rhythm shook his head.

“I think he is worse than you,” Spinning whispered to Feather with a smirk.

“I do have some good news. We have two new recruits that want to help with our camp,” Rhythm announced. “I’ll go get them next week. I’ll try to get more supplies too.”

“Sounds great!” Blazing exclaimed.

“Let’s hope they actually listen to us,” Feather muttered.

“Okay, that’s all- for real this time,” Rhythm addressed with a weak smile.

The team scattered across their base. Rhythm quickly trotted after Spinning’s black tail into the main room.

“Hey, wanna help me unload the cab?” Rhythm asked.

“Sure,” Spinning responded, and then let Rhythm lead the way.

While unloading the vehicle, Spinning’s eyes caught sight of the severed wing with it’s golden feathers poking out of the fabric.

“Why did you bring that back?” Spinning let out.

Rhythm groaned. “Hyper wants it buried somewhere. Can you please put it somewhere else?”

“Do you want me to bury it?” Spinning offered.

“Please. Just get it out of here,” Rhythm grimaced.

“Better get rid of it before it decomposes too much,” Spinning remarked, almost too casually.

“Eck, Spinning!” Rhythm snapped with a gag.

Spinning levitated the wrapped wing and cantered off. Rhythm shook his head and tried not to think of it. He carried out the box of food and trailed back towards the base. Hopefully we can keep up with food and not have to keep restocking, Rhythm wondered to himself. His mind whirled, trying to focus back on his mission. There was a long road ahead.

Chapter 13

EchoBeat carried a small bucket of water in his teeth over to the new garden. It was the tent that CharmingRhythm had brought back from Los Pegasus. Echo placed the water down inside and overlooked the rows. He already felt proud of the small stems that were beginning to sprout. The tent was set up on the east side of the village, just south of the base building. Echo wasn’t sure this was where the gardens would stay, but it was a good start.

The red Earth Pony made his way out of the tent into the open air. Something caught his left eye. Turning, Echo glared out onto the horizon. He thought he could make out some movement. Indeed he could. At first, Echo tried to make himself believe that it could be some wild animals, and not Hybrids. Sure enough, Echo could make out the shiny metal outer bodies of pony-like figures. His heart lurched.

With maroon hooves racing against the stone path, Echo sought out one of his friends, any of them. He found FeatherTune first, who was cleaning ivy off of a roof.

“H-Hybrids!” Echo called out.

“Seriously?” Feather shot back with a raised brow.

“Yes! That way!” Echo pointed in the direction he saw them.

FeatherTune launched off of the roof and analyzed the area. Echo watched his winged friend circle around the camp and come back to him.

“I see them. I’ll go tell the others. I think Rhythm is in the base. Go get him,” Feather directed.

Echo nodded and dashed off. He found Rhythm inside of the main room. The Unicorn was reading something on a computer screen.

“Um, Rhythm,” Echo said. Rhythm turned his attention to him. “We’ve got Hybrids.”

Rhythm did not speak, but processed Echo’s statement. Rhythm jumped off the chair and trotted towards the door. Just as he was about to turn the knob, he glanced back at EchoBeat.

“I want you to come with us this time,” He ordered.

“W-what? Okay, fine,” Echo huffed.

“Bring some potions with us, we don’t know what we’ll need,” Rhythm stated before leaving the base.

Echo found his way back to his room. He equipped his armor, which was engraved with a thorny vine decal. He took his saddlebags too, and filled them with healing potions and bandages. He met up with the rest of his team where the paths converged in a circle in front of the base.

“Alright, let’s look at what we’re dealing with,” Rhythm announced and took the lead.

The stallions moved to the last rows of houses in the village. They stood behind a small fence, halfway hidden. Echo noticed that the Hybrids had moved closer to the village. He could make out there details now. One of them caught his eye. It was heavily armored and had a large saw for a foreleg.

“What kind of Hybrid is that?” Echo uttered as he saw the massive cyborg.

“It’s the one that cut off Hyper’s wing,” Rhythm growled, recognizing its shape.

“We’ve got to get revenge!” Spinning snapped.

“Obviously. But how? Don’t you remember? None of our attacks affected it,” Rhythm shot back.

“I’ve never seen that style before, or similar iterations,” Echo mused aloud. “It must be a new kind of Hybrid.”

“A stronger Hybrid…” Blazing guessed grimly.

“Hmm,” Rhythm was stumped on what to do.

“Maybe we can lure it into an Energy well,” Spinning suggested.

“What?” Rhythm spat with a head whip.

“But there are fences around them now,” Echo reminded him. “How are we supposed to get it inside?”

“I dunno. Maybe levitate it?” Spinning shrugged.

“Seriously?” Rhythm grumbled with a slanted mouth. “Who do you think I am, SilverFlash? Look at that thing; it’s heavy as fuck. There’s no way either of us could lift it.”

“Alright, geez,” Spinning sneered.

“Well, it has to have some sort of weakness,” FeatherTune said from atop a roof. “Maybe there’s a soft spot in it’s armor. We could pierce it with some metal. I know there’s a metal scrap pile somewhere. Hang on.” Feather flew off the roof and darted to the west.

“He didn’t even let me consider it,” Rhythm muttered and shook his head.

“Well, I think it’s a good idea,” Spinning announced, and added, “crabby” to Rhythm.

“We should seperate them,” Echo advised. “And deal with the ones we are used to first. That way we can focus on the big one all together.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Rhythm declared, giving Echo a grateful nod.

The four of them pressed forward to the Hybrids. Echo kept up the back, still a bit weary of the cyborgs.

Rhythm stated blasting a sea green Hybrid, who had a clawed back leg. It appeared to be a mare, whose mind was long lost with the additions to her body. She charged forward and began firing lasers from guns on her shoulders. A few of those shots hit against Rhythm’s armor and fur, but he stood tall. He kept assaulting her with charged energy shots, which began to slow her down. Spinning finished her with a blast to her side belly, toppling her over.

A small armored Hybrid was chasing after BlazingFlair. It was what they called a “scout” Hybrid. None of its fur was visible, but it had a purple and blue streaked mane. Just behind Blazing’s tail, the creature started shouting something, but it was too hard to make out. BlazingFlair whipped around and shot up his right foreleg right in front of it’s muzzle. A rush of fire spewed out of his EPD, igniting the Hybrid’s head.

Echo glanced over to the right of Blazing. The heavy saw Hybrid was quickly gaining on him. Blazing was still struggling with the scout, and didn’t take notice of the enemy behind him. EchoBeat dashed forward. He had to distract it.

Echo positioned his EPD in front of him and started firing. “Over here!” Echo shouted. The saw Hybrid diverted it’s path as it saw Echo hurtling towards it. It raised its bladed limb up, ready to strike. Echo ran right past it, and shot at it’s behind as he swirled around.

“Foolish pony,” The Hybrid said in a low voice. “Surrender and we will show mercy.”

“No way!” Echo yelled back. “You just want more of your own!”

“Don’t you know what happened to your friend?” The Hybrid mocked. “I will do worse to you.”

It was talking about Hyper. Anger filled up inside of Echo. He backed away as he continued to shoot energy at the cyborg. It chased after him. Echo saw in the corner of his eye that FeatherTune was flying overhead. The Hybrid was too close to Echo. His heart hammered as he turned tail. Just as he fled the Hybrid struck it’s blade down. It raked across one of Echo’s back legs, leaving a gash. Echo kept sprinting, he couldn’t let the pain stop him.

There was a crackle of electricity from the sky. A bolt shot the heavy Hybrid, but it didn’t take notice. It's prey was Echo, and it would not stop until it got him. The rest of the Hybrids had been dealt with, so the other members of the team began attacking the Hybrid pursuing Echo.

“Echo!” He heard Rhythm call. “Try to bring it back this way!”

Echo took a wide turn to the right. He saw where the ground slope upward and dashed towards it. Maroon hooves scrambled against the loose soil. Echo heaved himself up and glanced behind once he was on flat ground. The Hybrid had a hard time climbing and slowed to a walking pace.

Suddenly, there was a streak of periwinkle that rushed to the Hybrid’s side. Inside of Spinning’s magic field was a sharp piece of iron. The metal impaled into the side of the Hybrid, right behind it’s right shoulder where there was an opening in the armor. The cyborg crashed to the ground.

“No!” It cried out.

The metal piece had been at least a leg’s length, and was barely visible in the Hybrid side. It was a grave injury, one that the team hoped was enough to kill it. Echo saw his friends were still firing energy into the mass of pony and metal. Following their example, Echo raised his EPD and shot at his enemy. Its screams soon silenced.

“Alright, I think it’s dead,” Rhythm announced with a huff. “Good distraction, Echo!” He complimented.

“Glad I could help,” Echo replied with a small smile.

“Now that these fuckers are out of the way,” Blazing said, “Why don’t we get that node?”

“I guess so,” Rhythm considered. “We should bury these Hybrids though.”

“Or just throw them into the energy wells,” Spinning proposed.

“Ugh, I don’t feel like dragging them all the way to the energy mill,” Rhythm groaned. “Besides, their metal parts won’t disintegrate in the wells.”

“Hey Echo,” He turned to the Earth Pony. “Do you think you can do some digging while we go disable the node?”

“I guess,” Echo answered, feeling a rock in his belly. He really did not want to be left with the dead Hybrids.

Almost as if to address his concern, Rhythm assured, “We’ll come help you when we get back. All you need to do is dig.”

“Alright,” EchoBeat accepted.

He watched his friends travel south to the site of the node. Echo turned and headed for a tool shed that was in between a couple village houses. There would have to be a shovel in there somewhere. But before he entered, he noticed the pain in his left back leg as he walked. He needed to patch up his bleeding gash before doing any work. Instead, Echo sat down and took out some bandages from his saddlebag.

Chapter 14

“Alright, I’m going to Los Pegasus,” CharmingRhythm told SpinningNote, who was on the computer. It was six days since he had come back. It was time to meet up with Ash and Jet.

“This early?” Spinning wondered.

“Yeah. It takes about an hour to get there, and I want to get some supplies before we meet up and leave,” Rhythm explained.

“Hmm, okay. You going alone?” Spinning asked.

“Actually, Blazing offered to come with.”

Just at that moment, BlazingFlair popped his head out from around the corner. “I’m ready when you are!”

“Am I in charge again?” Spinning said.

“I guess, I don’t know.” Rhythm shrugged. He nodded to Blazing and the two of them slipped out of the door.

About an hour passed. EchoBeat stepped into the main room and saw Spinning sitting, just as he expected. Spinning’s ears flickered and he twisted his head around.

“Hey! I found some interesting files!” Spinning announced.

“Um, okay?” EchoBeat responded.

“That is, if you are willing to listen to me. I tried telling Feather about them but he got bored and left,” Spinning said, although he did not seem to be bothered by it.

“Sounds like him.” Echo rolled his eyes and took a seat next to Spinning. “Whatcha got?”

“Okay, so a while ago I found out that Hybrids invaded the village,” Spinning began. “But it didn’t seem to add up. On another computer I found out that there was also a raid of rogues. Well, they just referred to them as a gang, but I think they were rogues.”

Echo tilted his head as he listened to Spinning ramble.

“But, the rogues and Hybrids overlapped. They made it sound like the rogues sent the Hybrids in the village.”

“Wait, so the Hybrids and rogues were working together?” Echo pondered.

“I’m not so sure. But I guess the rogues must have not liked this village. So they lead a hoard of Hybrids into it to get rid of the ponies,” Spinning concluded.

“That seems like a lot of work just to attack a village,” Echo said.

“Who knows,” Spinning replied while turning back to the computer. Then he glanced back at Echo and added, “Oh yeah! I found out that this building used to be a rehab center. I think. Some files stated it as the “old counseling center.” It must have been unused when the last residents were here.”

“I guess that makes sense why there is a meeting room and all of those seperate rooms,” Echo determined. “They must have been offices. But what does this have to do with anything?”

“I dunno,” Spinning shrugged. “I just find it interesting.”

“Alright. I have plants to tend to.”Echo stood up and began to walk away. He looked back to Spinning. “If you see Feather again, send him my way. Tell him I’m willing to give him another potion brewing lesson. He keeps running away from me.”

“You got it,” Spinning answered.

Behind CharmingRhythm, BlazingFlair strolled along the sidewalks of Los Pegasus. They were heading their way to pick up more supplies.

“What do we have to get?” Blazing asked.

“Well, I want to get a mattress. I know, seems like a lot, but we need it, or else Clarity won't assign us any recruits,” Rhythm told him.

“How’d you get the ones that we’re supposed to meet then?”

“Uh… they were sent by someone else. I have no clue,” Rhythm answered honestly.

“Weird.”

A silence filled the air before Blazing spoke up again. “Hey, can we visit Hyper? I want to see how he’s doing.”

Rhythm considered it for a bit. He noted that they were close to Hyper’s apartment. “Alright, but let’s not be too long.”

Inside of the apartment, the stallions conversed. Rhythm stood by the door most of the time, watching the others.

“When do you think it will be fully healed?” Blazing asked Hyper.

“I don’t know. It still hurts. But the doctor says it’s healing fast and the infection went away,” Hyper explained from the couch. JumpingJolt was sitting next to him, Hyper’s foreleg wrapped around the colt.

“Well, that’s good news. Can’t wait to see your new wing,” Blazing said.

“Yeah. Patchwork has a pretty cool design for it actually. We’re going to make it match my EPD and armor,” Hyper reported.

“That sounds awesome!” Blazing replied with a smile.

Blazing’s green eyes peered over to Rhythm. He noticed that Rhythm had only said a few words to SweetHooves and Hyper, and nothing more. He must have wanted to leave.

“We should go,” Blazing told them. “We have supplies to pick up.”

Blazing and Rhythm said goodbye and returned on their path. They were quiet for a few minutes.

“You didn’t really talk to him,” Blazing noted to Rhythm. “Why not?”

Rhythm blinked, only now realizing the fact. He sighed, “I don’t know.” He hung his head low, his gaze fixed on the sidewalk. It looked almost as if he was staring at his forelegs in front of him.

“Seeing Hyper hurt also hurts you, huh?” Blazing assumed. “You know what he’s going through.”

“I guess so,” Rhythm replied while picking his head up.

Blazing and Rhythm had picked out a twin sized mattress, as well as a small water filter. They returned to the cab and placed them in the back. It was almost noon, so they waited for the two new recruits. Noon passed, and there was no sign of them. Rhythm was wondering if he was in the right spot, or if the time was correct. Everything seemed to line up. Suddenly, the fear that he may have been tricked flew into his mind. Would the recruits just set him up to make a fool of himself?

Before he could expand on that daydream, another vehicle rolled up behind their own. It seemed to be in worse condition than theirs. Rhythm was surprised it still worked. Jet and Ash exited.

“This a friend?” Ash questioned, pointing her horn to Blazing.

“He’s my teammate,” Rhythm said.

“I’m BlazingFlair,” the orange stallion said while extending his foreleg to shake.

“Ash,” the Unicorn stated without taking Blazing’s hoof.

Jet stepped forward and shook it instead. “And I’m Jet.”

“How old are you guys?” Blazing wondered, noting that they were younger than him.

“I’m twenty-one,” Jet told him. “Ash is twenty-two.”

“Are we just going to stand here?” Ash let out impatiently.

“We better get going,” Jet agreed, although more politely. “Just show us the way.”

Blazing drove their cab into the desert, with the other ponies behind. Blazing turned his muzzle to Rhythm and darted his eyes between him and the path ahead. “Jet seems nice,” Blazing started, “but Ash…”

“Is rude,” Rhythm finished with a snort.

“Maybe she’ll warm up to us,” Blazing said.

Blazing’s ear flickered as he heard a rumbling sound from the left. The sound became louder, and an engine appeared. It rode the railway adjacent to them, and slowly moved ahead. On the engine the symbol of the Resistance was painted on the side. There were two cars attached to the engine.

“I wonder where they’re going,” Blazing mused after the train left some distance.

“Who knows,” Rhythm responded. “It would be nice if we could get a train to transport a lot of supplies.”

Blazing knew the railroad ran not too far from their camp, next to the stream. “Maybe we can.”

“Oh yeah. I’m definitely going to ask the president to borrow a train,” Rhythm scoffed playfully.

“I mean you can try,” Blazing suggested.

The four ponies finally made their way to the camp. The rest of the team came out and greeted the two new recruits.

“You can stay in here.” Rhythm pointed to a house that was on the corner closest to the base. “That’s the one we have fixed up the most.”

“Fine. Whatever,” Ash mumbled as she dragged her stuff to the building.

Blazing glanced at Jet who still stood next to him. “Is she always like this?”

“Yeah... “ Jet exhaled. “Well, she’s usually in a slightly better mood. I think she’s just annoyed we have this mission.”

“Why did you even agree to take this mission?” Blazing asked.

“I thought a mission with less Hybrid fighting might bring Ash and I closer together,” Jet admitted. “Some actual quality time.”

“Maybe it will,” Blazing offered optimistically.

“Yeah,” was all Jet said as he gaited over to the house.

Right now, Blazing could not tell how good of a fit these two young recruits were for the camp. He could only hope that they would get along. He could only hope that they would be loyal, and stay at the camp. With that hope, Blazing believed it could be possible.

Chapter 15

CharmingRhythm trotted down the streets of Los Pegasus. He looked up to the tall apartment buildings, where a pony shouted out of a window. Rhythm tried to remember why he came back here. Certainly he needed to get more supplies, but he did not know which ones. He found himself arriving at his old apartment. The door was not locked, but it did not bother him.

The inside of the apartment felt off to him. Objects were arranged in places he did not remember seeing them before. Maybe Heartfelt was in the process of moving. Just as he thought of her, the mint green mare entered the room. Rhythm greeted her with a smile, but she did not reciprocate. Instead, her eyes appeared dark and perturbed. When she finally looked at her husband, her brow was furrowed.

“Heartfelt? What’s wrong,” Rhythm asked in a soft voice.

The mare did not respond. She puffed and turned tail on him. Rhythm was confused. What was wrong with her? They had made up not too long ago. Why was Heartfelt upset with him? Rhythm decided to head out.

Not even a few steps outside the door, Rhythm sensed something wrong. Just a meter in front of him was Hyper’s severed wing. Rhythm’s heart jumped at the sight of it. His gaze slowly angled upward and saw Hyper standing on the other side of the street. His wing stub was bleeding profusely. Even Hyper seemed angry at Rhythm.

“Hyper! You need to wrap your wing!” Rhythm cried, not wanting him to lose too much blood. The sight of it made Rhythm feel sick. He tried to look away.

When he glanced down again, the wing was gone. So was his leg. Blood poured out of his right leg at the knee. The whole world was spinning around Rhythm. He felt himself collapse, into the pool of blood. He tried yelling for help, but nobody was there.

Rhythm’s eyes flew open. He was staring sideways at the wall on the other side of the room. It was another dream about losing his leg. But this one was different, it had to do with Hyper. He had no idea what Heartfelt had to do with it. He guessed it was just his mind spurring up random scenarios. Even so, he knew he was dreaming about Hyper for a reason. He was worried about him. Maybe Rhythm was afraid that Hyper would blame him for losing his wing.

Rhythm pulled himself upward, but he still felt dizzy as he moved. His heart was racing and his stomach was queasy. The stallion felt cramped in his own room. He needed some fresh air, and to shake off the dream, badly. As soon as he felt competent, he headed for the hallway.

Rhythm stepped into the main room and saw Echo and Blazing gaiting quickly across the floor. They each had buckets held in the teeth. Blazing vanished out the door before Rhythm could enter into the room fully.

“What are you doing?” He asked.

Echo placed the bucket down. “Feather says there’s rain coming. We’re trying to get as many buckets as we can so we can collect water. Then we’ll have plenty of water to filter.”

“Sounds like a good idea,” Rhythm approved. “You found some buckets out in the village?”

Echo nodded after he picked up his own bucket. Rhythm watched him leave. The Unicorn wanted to walk around a bit before the rain came. He exited the base.

To the west, surely there were darker clouds gathering, blowing in from the ocean. Rhythm glanced the other way and began moving. To the east, past the cellar door was a forest. They had not explored past the first trees yet. Between the trees, Rhythm could just make out the outline of mountains on the horizon.

“Whatcha doing?”

Rhythm jolted as he heard FeatherTune’s voice. He looked over to the left and saw the Pegasus standing on the hill that covered the energy mill.

“I just wanted to stretch my legs a bit before the rain comes,” Rhythm assured him.

“Alright, but be careful. We don’t know what’s in those woods yet,” Feather said, pointing with his muzzle to the trees.

“Don’t worry, I will,” Rhythm replied with a curt nod.

Rhythm lurked into the forest and admired the overgrown plants. Despite Equestria being mostly wasteland, there were a few treasures of wildlife. Even in the horrible conditions of the world, the heat, the lack of sunlight, the smog, life still sprouted. There were even parts of the country that were covered with out of control forests. In southwest Equestria, no places like that existed, for it was mostly desert.

Rhythm caught sight of something orange fluttering from one tree to another. It was so bright compared to the dark sky and dull trees. A phoenix? Rhythm wondered. The sight of a phoenix, while also was a symbol of renewal, was always regarded as good luck by ponies. Rhythm needed all the luck he could get right now, he determined.

Peering back at the ground, Rhythm saw he was nearing a mound in the soil. He could make out a hole in the side. It was a den, a large den. Rhythm wondered what kind of creature lived in there, but was almost afraid to find out. Or perhaps it was abandoned. He drew closer to the hold, and thought he could make out movement inside. A low growl began to sound.

Rhythm’s blood ran cold, and he spun around in the direction he came. He raced through the trees and saw that the dark clouds were above him now. A few droplets of rain came down and clung to his fur. Rhythm looked behind his shoulder to make sure whatever was in the den had not followed him. The path was clear. He steadily made it back to the base and entered the door to the meeting room.

SpinningNote turned his head from his lunch at the sound of the door closing. “What’s up with you? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

“Oh, it’s nothing,” Rhythm said, catching his breath. He passed behind Spinning and walked to the door on the other side of the room.

As he left Spinning behind, Rhythm realized he should have been honest with him. They may need to deal with whatever was in the forest in the future. It could be a dangerous and destructive creature. Rhythm decided he’ll bring it up at the next meeting. Perhaps I should hold a meeting now, he considered.

CharmingRhythm entered the main room and almost instantly Blazing called, “Rhythm! They’re playing our song!”

Rhythm turned his attention to a radio that sat on the desk, next to the computer. Feather was in the chair, listening along. Even though it had been a while since he heard it, Rhythm recognized his own song. He found it a bit odd hearing himself rapping on the radio. The verse turned into a chorus, and the sound of Hyper’s voice echoed through the room. I tried so hard, and got so far...

The thought of HyperBlitz panged at Rhythm’s heart again. It had been almost three weeks since Hyper left for Los Pegasus. He could see that Feather and Blazing were thinking the same thing.

“I miss Hyper,” Feather sighed.

“Yeah, me too,” Blazing agreed. “He’d find something fun to do on a rainy day.”

Rhythm waiting until their song finished before announcing that he wanted a meeting. Blazing went back into the hallway to inform EchoBeat. They all gathered in the meeting room.

“This will be short, I promise,” Rhythm told the ponies in front of him.

“Hey, did you hear,” Blazing said, directing towards Echo. “They played our song on the radio!”

“Really? That’s awesome.”

Rhythm just blinked at them, waiting for them to return their attention.

“Oh- sorry,” Blazing murmured.

Rhythm explained to them the den he had found, and the growling he had heard.

“Maybe if we don’t bother it, it won’t bother us,” Blazing spoke hopefully. “Whatever it is.”

“But what if it comes out?” Feather countered. “We may have to take care of it if it comes any closer to the base.”

“I guess we’ll have to figure it out then,” Spinning shrugged. “Especially if we don't know what it is.”

“I suppose that’s true. All we can do is wait,” Rhythm mumbled. He placed his cheek on his left forehoof.

“You alright Rhyth?” Feather asked him, picking up on his discouraged behavior. “You’ve been acting off ever since you got back from Los Pegasus. Well- the first trip, not the second one.”

“Yeah, what happened to your usual cheery self?” Spinning cocked his head.

Rhythm sighed. He knew his friends would ask him eventually. “It’s just- I keep thinking about Hyper. How can I not? I feel like it’s my fault he lost a wing.”

“What? Why?” Feather questioned, shocked.

“Well, I brought him on this mission to begin with. I’m starting to think this place is cursed…”

“That’s ridiculous,” Blazing assured. “You didn’t know that was going to happen, and Hyper didn’t know either. It was that damn Hybrid. Don’t blame yourself. Hyper wouldn’t.”

“I don’t know. I just feel like I let him down. That I let you guys down. This mission is a lot more than I thought I could handle,” Rhythm admitted.

“Are you kidding? We’re having fun!” Blazing let out. “Well, except for the part about Hyper. But I’m sure we’ve all found something to enjoy here.”

“Yeah, I love restoring old tech,” Spinning added.

“And I like gardening,” Echo commented.

“I like exploring, and spending time with you guys,” Blazing told with a smile.

Rhythm peered at Feather. The Pegasus shrugged and said “I dunno. I’m just here. I’d be bored without you guys.”

“Of course this mission is difficult,” Spinning said to Rhythm. “But I’ve never seen you back down from a challenge.”

“We all miss Hyper,” Echo spoke, “And wish what happened didn’t. But he’ll be back, with a new wing. We have to keep going forward.”

Rhythm perked up a bit. He was glad to have a group of friends like this. Their encouraging words made him feel less gloomy on the rainy day. “Thanks guys,” he addressed them, and then brought the meeting to a close.

It rained throughout the rest of the day. The desert needed the rain badly. Rhythm watched the water pour down from inside. The image of HyperBlitz came back into his mind. He hoped his friend was doing alright, as alright as he could without a wing.

Rhythm thought of writing down some feeling into lyrics, but nothing came. Instead, he found himself sketching out drawings for the rest of the afternoon. The art was therapeutic for Rhythm and he felt a lot better after he filled a few pages with doodles.

The rain continued to patter against the roof. There was not much else to do that day.

Chapter 17

It had been over a week since HyperBlitz returned to the camp. Throughout the week, he and Jet had flown back and forth between there and the city to pick up supplies. They were out again, picking up more paint. CharmingRhythm was on painting duty, attending to the outside walls. It was hot, but the paint would dry quickly in the heat. Rhythm wiped the sweat from his forehead with his left foreleg.

“Rhythm!” A familiar voice sounded from several houses down the street.

He twisted his head around and caught sight of SilverFlash cantering his way towards him. Rhythm placed down his brush and ran to meet him.

“Flash! It’s so good to see you!” Rhythm placed his forelegs around Flash and gave him a brief, tight hug.

“I see you got a new recruit!” Flash said, his eyes gleaming.

“There’s another one too, but he’s out getting supplies,” Rhythm replied

“I’ve got someone I want you to meet, too,” Flash stated quickly, too quick for Rhythm to question. “Hey, Lance!”

He called out to a pony who was conversing with Ash down the street. The stallion heard Flash’s call and skipped forward. He was a tan Unicorn with an elegant crimson mane and a very long tail.

“This is my new mission partner, Lance,” Flash introduced.

“Seriously? You actually got a partner?” Rhythm asked, dumbfounded.

“Uh, duh. You said I wasn’t allowed to visit without one,” Flash teased.

“Oh yeah, I did say that,” recalled Rhythm.

“Don’t tell me. You forgot and I would have been off the hook if I came without one?”

“Uh, probably,” Rhythm spoke through a grin.

“I should have known!” Flash blurted out with his muzzle in the air. He then addressed, more calmly “No, but thanks for pushing me to get a partner. He’s a lot of fun to be around.”

“Eh, I know,” Lance commented.

“He’s full of himself sometimes, too,” Flash told Rhythm, smirking.

“Now if I can actually get a chance to introduce myself, formally,” Lance shot at Flash and then turned to Rhythm. “I’m QuickLance, but you can call me Lance.”

“Ah, he’s a second-namer like us, huh?” Rhythm directed to Flash.

“Yep.”

“What?” Lance said, confused.

“Nothing,” Rhythm chuckled. “I’m Rhythm, but you probably already knew that.”

“True. Flash has told me a lot about you,” Lance replied. His character was teeming with confidence.

“So why did you choose him as your partner? I assume you interviewed ponies?” Rhythm questioned Flash.

“I interviewed way too many,” Flash grumbled, annoyed. “But he and I seemed to click. Oh yeah, and his magic. Show him your magic!”

Lance took a few steps back. His horn glowed a light blue. A streak of magic appeared in front of him, and then shot down into the ground with force. Rhythm jolted backwards, surprised. In front of him stood a magic spear, glittering and opaque. Rhythm reached his hoof out to touch it.

“Solid magic. Impressive,” Rhythm gaped. “How long does it stay like that?”

“It dissipates after a minute or so, or I could decast it myself,” Lance explained. His horn glowed again, and the spear vaporized.

“You should see it when he uses them on Hybrids. It’s awesome!” Flash claimed with enthusiasm.

“It’s nothing compared to what this guy can do,” Lance complimented Flash, pointing a hoof.

“Oh, please,” Flash rolled his eyes bashfully.

While his eyes were away, Rhythm gave Lance a short head shake. Lance raised a brow, not understanding the gesture.

Behind Rhythm, there was a fluttering of wings. FeatherTune was seeking out Rhythm, but his eyes locked onto Flash. He hovered around the Unicorns.

“Hey, Flash!” Feather exclaimed. He turned his foreleg over and straightened it out. Flash hit his hoof on Feather’s in return.

“It’s good to see you!” Flash smiled back.

“Whatcha doing here?” FeatherTune wondered.

“We were on our way to a mission, but we decided to stop by,” Flash spelled out.

“We?” Feather cocked his head.

After Lance was introduced to Feather, the Pegasus relayed his message to Rhythm. “I found another node, with a few Hybrids around it.”

“Another one?” Rhythm remarked.

“Hey, why don’t we come with you to disable the node?” Flash offered. “Then you could see Lance’s magic in action!”

“Now?” Rhythm said hesitantly.

“Yeah, why not!”

“Eh, alright,” Rhythm accepted. “I need to go get my armor though. I’ll be right back!”

CharmingRhythm exited the base building and met up with the three other ponies. FeatherTune flew in front of them and showed them the way. They headed to the east, just on the outskirts of the forest.

“So, have you guys gone on a citadel mission yet?” Rhythm asked as they walked.

“Not yet,” Flash reported. “We’ve done a couple bounty missions, to test how well we work together. But we’re on our way to the citadel now.”

“Hopefully it works out for you guys,” Rhythm said.

The node appeared into sight, and the stallions took cover behind some trees. There were three Hybrids circling it.

“At least there are no new Hybrids…” Rhythm thought aloud.

“You mean the heavy ones with the saw?” Flash asked.

“You know which one I’m talking about?”

“Yeah. I saw a few being sent out from the Citadel. They look scary as fuck,” Flash recalled.

“One of them cut off Hyper’s wing,” Rhythm added grimly.

“WHAT?” Flash exclaimed.

“Shh-shh! Keep it down!” Rhythm hushed.

“Why didn’t you tell me?!” Flash demanded.

Rhythm flicked his head up with a glowing horn. A cyan sound bubble formed around them and then dissipated, invisible.

“If you’re going to yell, tell me ahead of time!” Rhythm growled.

“Why didn’t you tell me Hyper lost a wing?!” Flash spat.

“I’m sorry! I guess I wasn’t thinking about it,” Rhythm answered honestly. “That’s not important right now.”

“Not important? HyperBlitz lost a wing, and you’re saying it’s not important? Don’t you care?” Flash accused.

“Of course I do!” Rhythm snapped back, practically yelling. “Why wouldn’t I care about my friend? Why wouldn’t I care that he lost a limb?”

His voice was heavy with emotion. Lance and Feather were glancing away awkwardly. Flash saw the pain in Rhythm’s eyes and said no more. He pressed forward.

“Let’s get this over with.”

Rhythm followed behind Flash’s black and violet tail and took his place on the battlefield. He and Feather were firing their energy at the Hybrids. A Unicorn Hybrid created a shield, which Feather dispersed with his electric energy. Lance countered up a magic spear which impaled the Unicorn Hybrid at high velocity. Rhythm gawked at how powerful the spears were.

A second Hybrid, a scout, ran towards Flash. He easily picked it up a meter above the ground with his magic. He threw it against a tree. The cyborg made a horrible sound, but got back to it’s hooves. Rhythm shot energy from his leg at it until it died completely.

Suddenly, Rhythm heard the creaking of steel and the crumble of earth. A field of bright magenta magic surrounded the entire node. Flash ripped it out of the ground without effort. The large virus shaped object was suspended in the air for a moment. Flash swung his head, and with it the node followed. It’s side slammed into the last remaining Hybrid. It’s force was enough to knock the Hybrid out.

“Wha-wha-we could have-” Rhythm stuttered with a wide gape. Rhythm peered at Lance and Feather, who were also staring in awe.

“Eh, it gets the job done,” Flash remarked. He started trotting in the direction they came, the node floating along with him. “Let’s go.”

“What the fuck?! You’re taking it with you?!” Rhythm blurted out, baffled.

“Do you want to leave it here where Hybrids could take it and make a new one? Or do you want to take it back to camp and see if you can make anything out of it?”

Rhythm just stood there, stunned. He finally said, “You’re beyond me, Flash.”

The four of them trekked back to the camp.

“Well that was something,” Lance said next to Rhythm, trying to strike up a conversation.

“I don’t know why I still get surprised when he does stuff like this,” Rhythm commented with a small head shake.

“He’s got an incredible talent,” Lance stated.

Rhythm didn’t talk anymore. He was watching his brother walking ahead of him, unable to read his expression. Rhythm picked up his pace until he was parallel with Flash. “Hey. I’m sorry about the way you found out about Hyper. I’m sure it’s a lot to take in.”

Flash exhaled. “It’s alright, it’s not your fault. And I’m sorry I said what I did. I’m sure you take it personally, y’know? With what you’ve gone through…”

Rhythm was glad that he and Flash could come to an understanding. “Hyper’s out of the camp right now, but he’ll be back soon. You want to stay to talk with him?” Rhythm offered.

“Sure. I’d like that,” Flash replied.

“Why did you bring it back?!” Spinning shouted as they arrived in the camp.

Flash placed down the node in the sand by the crossroad. “I thought you might be able to use it for scraps. And there’s energy inside; wouldn’t want to waste that.”

“I suppose so,” Spinning thought as he gazed at the large object.

A few moments later, Ash stepped out of one of the houses. Her blue eyes were wide when she saw the scene. “How did a node get here?!”

Several ponies pointed their hooves to SilverFlash. He smiled proudly.

“Alright, I’m done.” Ash waved her hoof and left.

“Hey Flash,” Spinning confronted directly. “I know you’re good at picking locks. Can you try to open a safe for me?”

“Uh, sure. Just show me where it is.”

“He’s been trying to get that open for weeks,” Rhythm chuckled, only loud enough for Lance to hear.

Lance still stood by Rhythm as Flash followed Spinning. Once they were out of earshot, Lance spoke to Rhythm, “What was that earlier?”

“Huh?” Rhythm let out.

“You shook your head at me.”

“Oh.” Rhythm collected his thoughts. “You were complimenting Flash on his magic. It’s just...he doesn’t like to be thought of as just his magic.”

“What? But I was just complimenting him,” Lance defended.

“I know you were. But I’ve seen him take things in the wrong way. He can be really self conscious,” Rhythm clarified.

“I don’t think of him that way though. He’s very skilled, but he has a lot of other good qualities.” Lance stared off to where his partner was standing, near the base.

“All I’m saying is be careful with what you say. He may seem confident, but he has his insecurities,” Rhythm warned.

“I guess we all do, huh?”

Rhythm couldn’t guess what insecurities Lance had. He seemed like the most confident and charismatic stallion in all of Equestria.

“So, why’d you decide to become his mission partner?” Rhythm inquired, changing the subject.

“I never really had a partner. I always bounced around to different teams. But I never had a team to call my own,” Lance explained.

“And you’re alright with going into a citadel?” Rhythm cautioned.

“Hey, if my skills can save ponies, then I’m all for it,” Lance responded with a fearless smile.

Rhythm thought about it for a moment. Lance did seem like a good fit for a citadel mission. He was a bold and self reliant stallion. He could easily take out a Hybrid with his magic alone. He’s full of himself sometimes, too, Flash’s words rang in Rhythm’s mind. Hopefully he’s not doing it for the glory, to be a hero, he silently mused. Despite that, Rhythm believed Lance was a good, reliable pony. Rhythm usually trusted his instincts on how he felt about ponies at first meeting.

About an hour passed. Flash repositioned the node to the west of the base, out of the way. Flash had also successfully opened Spinning’s safe, the latter looting the contents. Jet and HyperBlitz had returned from Los Pegasus. They brought with them a total of eight cans of paint.

Hyper greeted Flash when he approached him. “Hey, Flash. How are you doing?”

“Um, fine,” Flash answered, his eyes troubled. “Rhythm told me about your wing. I’m so sorry.”

Hyper glanced behind his right shoulder and lifted up his prosthetic wing. “I have a new one. I just have to get used to it is all.”

“Yeah, but you still lost a part of you. That has to be a big deal,” Flash expressed.

Hyper sighed and dropped his head. “It is. And thank you for your concern.”

Flash gave Hyper a short hug, patting his back.

After another half hour, Flash and Lance began to wrap up their business in the village. They said their goodbyes to the ponies in camp

“You guys don’t need a ride or anything?” Blazing offered.

“Nah, we’re good. I got my cart,” Flash said.

“Cart?” Blazing cocked his head.

“I have a railway cart that I push with my magic,” Flash explained as if it was normal.

“Wh-wha…” Blazing was puzzled, a gold hoof raised in front of him.

“Yeah, he does that,” Rhythm added, amused.

“Alright, we really should be off though,” Flash stated. “Hope the camp goes well.”

“And good luck on your mission,” Rhythm replied. “Stay safe- er, that’s probably not the right thing to say. Stay smart.”

Flash put his hoof to his temple and waved it back to Rhythm.

“Don’t worry, I’ll look after him,” Lance claimed with a smirk.

“We look after each other,” Flash corrected.

“Yeah, I know.”

Flash gave Rhythm a glimpse and rolled his eyes. The two Unicorns made their way towards the train tracks. Blazing and Rhythm turned back to the camp.

“Flash is…” Blazing began to say but was out of words.

“Ridiculous?” Rhythm chuckled. “Yeah. But you gotta love him.”

CharmingRhythm was glad that Flash had found a mission partner. He knew citadel missions were extremely dangerous, and he didn’t want what happened last time to happen again. Hopefully a partner was a right call, and that they would make a good team.

Chapter 18

Work continued in the camp as the next day came. CharmingRhythm took a quick break from painting in the late morning. He slipped inside of the base to get out of the heat. As usual, SpinningNote was working on the desk.

“So what was in that safe?” Rhythm asked SpinningNote. He had forgotten to ask the day before.

“Eh, just the usual stuff. Money, paperwork, a watch, a necklace. But what I did find interesting is this camera,” Spinning remarked. He levitated the camera a few centimeters off the desk, close to his face. “Look at this beauty. And in perfect condition as well.”

Rhythm smiled, amused by how interested Spinning was in the camera. “And what are we supposed to do with it?”

“I’ve always wanted a good camera,” Spinning stated. “I’ve had cheap ones in the past, but nothing like this. It’s probably worth… who knows how many bits.”

“If it’s expensive, that makes sense why it was in the safe. Where did you put the money? We should keep that somewhere, in case we need it.”

“In there.” Spinning pointed to a drawer without turning his head.

Rhythm opened up the drawer. Inside, along with the money, was the watch and necklace Spinning had mentioned. He levitated the necklace up and examined it. It had a gold chain with a pendant that held a deep blue gemstone. A sapphire? Rhythm wondered, reminding him of his mother. Despite that, he thought, maybe I could give it to Heartfelt. The blue stone could represent himself. Yeah, she might like that.

“Could I take this?” Rhythm checked with Spinning first.

Spinning took a glimpse of the necklace and said, “Yeah, sure. I’m not gonna use it.”

Rhythm placed the pendant on the nightstand in his room. He reentered the main room. “Maybe we could use that safe,” The thought aloud.

“Maybe,” Spinning echoed.

Rhythm left the base to get back to work. As he stepped in front of the wall he was painting, HyperBlitz fluttered up the street.

“I removed the broken glass from the windows on this street,” Hyper announced, gesturing to the houses with a wing.

“And you didn’t cut yourself?” Rhythm teased.

“No! I’m perfectly clean, look!” Hyper replied, showing one foreleg at a time. “What do you want me to do next?”

“Well, you could check the windows in the next street…”

Hyper groaned in annoyance.

“Okay, okay. I get it. You’re getting bored doing the same thing. Let me think.”

Rhythm’s brain traveled back to the list of duties they needed to address. He wished he had that list with him at the moment, because all the words seemed to fly away. Finally one came to his mind.

“We still need to check old generators to see if they work. You could put some crystals in a few and test it out,” Rhythm suggested.

“Sounds simple enough,” Hyper agreed.

“And you don’t have to keep the crystals in them. Just used them to test. And you don’t have to do all the generators you find. We’ll get around to it. Pick out a few and then separate them between operational and broken,” Rhythm clarified.

Hyper continued to stare at Rhythm, the words still processing in his mind. At last he nodded and said, “Alright. You got it.” Hyper bounded away.

Rhythm watched his teammate dart towards the base building. He couldn’t help but feel concerned about him. While Hyper was obediently working, as efficient as ever, there was something off about him. It was like the sparkle in his eyes and the spirit in his actions was missing. Rhythm only hoped that it was because he was still healing emotionally from his wing.

Rhythm tried to put Hyper out of his mind for the moment. Before he could make it back to his painting, he heard EchoBeat calling in distress. He turned to the left and saw the frazzled stallion running toward him.

“What’s wrong?” Rhythm inquired.

“I was in the woods studying the plants and- and I saw something. I don’t know what it was, but it was fucking huge. It looked like a lion, I think. That’s all I could see before I ran,” Echo spilled out between his heavy breaths.

“A lion? It must have been what I heard in that den,” Rhythm surmised. “Was it a manticore?”

“No, I didn’t see any wings. It looked like a mix of animals, but mostly a lion. But no mane…” Echo tried to recall what he had seen.

“Alright. Why don’t you go to the base and calm down? I’ll try to think what to do about this,” Rhythm addressed.

Echo nodded and gaited to the base. Rhythm decided to look through the camp for FeatherTune. He was a lot more difficult to find than Rhythm liked. He found Feather near the houses at the west edge of the village. He was escorting a large generator on a push cart.

“Hey, Feather, got a second?” Rhythm said as he approached.

“Uh,” Feather’s red eyes darted between Rhythm and the generator. “I guess.”

“I need you to do a favor for me. Can you scan the forest? Echo said he saw some big creature in there. It’s probably best to look around from the air,” Rhythm told him.

“But… I’m kinda busy,” Feather protested. “I told Hyper I’d help him.”

“C’mon. Your work will still be here when you get back.”

“Ugh, fine,” Feather muttered. He stomped away and then took flight.

Rhythm waited until Feather returned from his assignment. He fluttered down towards Rhythm.

“I didn’t see anything,” he reported.

“Are you sure? Or are you just being difficult with me?” Rhythm joked.

“I’m serious. I looked around the whole forest, well, not the outermost trees, they’re too far. But everything closest to the base I scouted. I didn’t see any big animals,” Feather assured.

“Alright. I guess we just keep a lookout. We don’t want trouble with any monsters,” Rhythm said.

The next two days there was no sign of the mysterious beast. CharmingRhythm had warned the rest of his team to look out, and be cautious of the woods.

BlazingFlair was moving recently repaired furniture into houses. When he stepped outside of a door, he saw a phoenix perched on the roof across the street. It tilted its head at Blazing.

“Hey, little buddy. What’s going on?” Blazing greeted.

The phoenix fluttered away, and Blazing trotted after it. He didn’t realize his path led to the woods until too late. He was standing in the first trees, glancing around for the bird. Instead, he saw a massive shape rise up from behind a mound. It had the head and body of a lioness. Growling, its eyes glared at Blazing. Almost immediately he swirled around and darted for the camp.

“I saw it!” Blazing yelled.

HyperBlitz backed up, almost colliding into Blazing. “What?! The monster?”

“Yes!” Blazing huffed. “It’s some sort of lion!”

Hyper shot into the air and sped over Blazing. He landed on top of the roof on the east end of the base, above the meeting room. Peering into the trees, he too saw a moving figure. From his angle, he could not see a lion’s face, only it’s body. No, the head he saw was of a goat, with small horns. It’s beady eyes captured Hyper. Then its head turned. Its heads turned. To the right of the goat’s head was a lioness. It was clearly female.

“Holy fuck! What is that?!” Hyper cursed loudly.

A few moments later, a pony exited the door below Hyper. It was SpinningNote, who craned his head up to see Hyper on the roof.

“What are you talking about?” Spinning asked.

“That!” Hyper pointed with his hoof.

The creature had moved closer, intrigued by the commotion. She was more visible than ever. SpinningNote studied her for a minute.

“A chimera!” Spinning let out. “Shit.” He backed up and slammed the door behind him.

“Hey!” Hyper called out for him.

SpinningNote raced out of the door from the main room. FeatherTune was quickly galloping behind him. Feather sought out CharmingRhythm.

“Maybe we could fight it,” Rhythm suggested as the stallions gathered.

“Are you kidding? It’s fucking huge!” Hyper spat.

“If our energy can take down Hybrids, then it could take on a chimera,” Rhythm responded confidently.

Feather, Hyper, Spinning and Rhythm ambled towards the forest. Blazing was slowly following. He peered around for EchoBeat, but couldn’t see the red Earth Pony anywhere. Hopefully he was working in a garden, far away from the action.

“Where’d it go?” Hyper blurted out.

“There,” Spinning pointed. The last bit of the chimera was visible behind the wall of the base. Her tail was a snake, with its head at the end.

“Fuck. It’s going behind the base,” Rhythm stated.

Blazing had heard Rhythm before he reached the end of the wall. Instead of following the group, he darted back around to the main entrance. He ran across the open room to the back door. Outside he saw EchoBeat in his self made garden. The chimera was staring at EchoBeat, her lion teeth bared.

“Please, don’t come in here!” Echo begged, protecting his garden.

The chimera still stepped forward, one of her paws smashing a plant. Blazing took charge and dashed in front of Echo.

“Don’t hurt him!” Blazing commanded. “Or his plants!”

The chimera appeared to have listened. Both of her heads jolted up and she took her paw off the stem. The rest of the team was behind her, staring in shock.

“You trespass my territory,” The chimera spoke in a low rumble.

“It talks?!” Hyper exclaimed.

“She talks,” Blazing corrected. “Can’t you see she’s female?” He shifted his attention back to the beast.

“I’m sorry we trespassed. But we are living here now too. We will stay out of the woods, if that’s what you would like. But you can’t come here. There are ponies living here. And there will be many more ponies. They’ll be afraid of you.”

“Should be afraid,” she snorted. “Even outside woods, you are too close.”

“Then maybe you could move deeper into the woods. I know you probably don’t want to leave. We can help you build a new den,” Blazing offered.

“We?!” Hyper squawked again.

“Shh!” Rhythm silenced Hyper. He then casted a mute bubble spell around Hyper’s head. Hyper glared back at Rhythm in annoyance.

“You will build home?” The chimera asked, her words sounding odd. Somehow she had learned how to speak Ponish.

“Sure. We are rebuilding a lot of homes for ponies. We could build one for a chimera too,” Blazing promised.

Her goat head stared at Blazing, while the lion head watched the ponies behind her. Her snake tail flicked it’s tongue at the row of ponies. After the goat head dipped in appreciation, the chimera backed off. Trailing around the group of stallions,she traveled back to the woods. The ponies were silent for a moment, dumbfounded by the scene.

“Holy shit, Blazing!” Rhythm exclaimed. He and the other three bounded over to Blazing’s side.

Hyper energetically wrapped his foreleg around Blazing’s back. Hyper had a huge grin, but when he spoke, there was no sound. His copper eyes shot an irritated glare at Rhythm.

“Oh, sorry!” Rhythm said as he decasted the spell.

“For fucks sake, why does the spell follow me?!” Hyper snapped. He shook his head and returned to Blazing. “That was fucking awesome! How'd you do that Blazing?!”

“What do you mean?” Blazing wondered, still trying to process what happened.

Spinning pushed forward and spoke. “You were able to convince her to leave! Echo even tried speaking to her but she wouldn’t listen.”

“It was pretty impressive,” Feather admitted.

“I don’t know,” Blazing replied, looking abash. “I just followed my instincts.”

“Looks like we got ourselves an animal whisperer here!” Hyper exclaimed. His feathered wing was spread behind Blazing, showcasing the orange stallion.

“I guess you were right,” Echo told Blazing. “I am just a plant pony.”

“That’s alright. Not everyone can do everything. You’re good at growing plants, and I’m good at talking to animals, apparently. I didn’t even know I could do that!”

“Alright, I think that’s enough excitement for today,” Rhythm addressed, stifling a laugh, “But we have to keep our promise and relocate the chimera. Blazing, you alright with being in charge of that?”

“No problem,” Blazing accepted.

Chapter 19

Late afternoon fell across the desert. BlazingFlair had successfully helped the chimera move the day prior, with help from Rhythm. Now the future residence would not have to deal with a threatening neighbor. Work in camp was going steady.

HyperBlitz was at the stream gathering water. The container he had was three-fourths full, as much as he could handle. It was a lot heavier than he expected. Either that, or the heat was draining him. He flew up to a cliff that was on level with the camp. Glancing back, Hyper looked over the world below. He took in the sight of the stream and the railroad that crossed it. In the sky, he could see a bright spot where the sun was behind the clouds. It would be making its way to set soon.

Hyper grabbed the water container again and heaved it into the cab. He knew he could have found a way around the clift to the stream, but he didn’t want to risk it. Hyper wasn’t very comfortable with driving the cab, for he had always known flight as his mode of travel. He was grateful that he was able to fly again. Even then, his flying wouldn’t ever be the same experience.

As he drove the cab nearer to the camp, he spotted something flying high in the sky. Hyper poked his head out of the side and squinted to get a better view. It looked like two Pegasi, circling around the camp. Feather and Jet? Hyper wondered, but he did not think they looked like their shapes. Sure enough, the Pegasi fled. They traveled north and disappeared from sight. Weird. Maybe the other guys saw it too.

Back in camp, Hyper placed the water next to the front door of the base. In the circular crossroad, Blazing and Spinning were standing. They were gathering wood into a pile.

“What are you doing?” Hyper asked.

“We’re gonna have a bonfire tonight!” Blazing exclaimed.

“Thought it might be nice to just hang out and chill,” CharmingRhythm spoke to Hyper, trotted to his side. “We’ve all worked so hard. We deserve a break. Can you go tell Feather? Jet and Ash too. Tell them they can stop working.” Rhythm tilted his head backwards to the village.

“Alright,” Hyper replied.

He flew over the village, seeking out the ponies. He called out for Feather and realized how dry his mouth was. He wished he had stopped in the base to rest. Of course, he didn’t want to disappoint Rhythm.

“You can stop working!” Hyper called.

“What? But I’m doing my job!” Feather spat.

“Rhythm said you can stop. Come take a break with us.”

“Alright. Sounds good,” Feather sighed.

Hyper found Jet and Ash and told them the same thing. He made his way back to the base. Relief flooded over him as he entered the cool building. In the meeting, he grabbed some water to quench his thirst. He took a seat and relaxed.

Hyper sat in the meeting room, alone. The emptiness of the room seemed to echo into his soul. Ever since he lost his wing, Hyper had felt like a completely different pony. He had been out of the mission for almost a month. And when he came back, he was expected to work as if everything was normal. His friends were acting like everything was normal.

Nothing was normal. Hyper’s wing was wrong. Something of his was robbed by the Hybrids. He felt like a part of his soul was taken with them. Perhaps the wound would heal much like his skin. Of course life was painful, but Hyper had to power through it. He didn’t want to worry his friends. If they thought everything was normal, there was no right for him to ruin it for them. He had to grin and bear it. At least that’s what he told himself.

An hour later, the ponies gathered for the bonfire, Hyper joining them. The air outside was warmer than the base, but was much cooler than it was earlier. To the west, the bright spot behind the clouds was halved on the horizon.

“I could light it with my EPD,” Blazing suggested.

“You know I could just light it with my magic, right?” Ash retorted as if it was obvious.

The grey Unicorn’s horn glowed a bright red. A small ball of fire appeared in front of her, levitating. It fell down into the woodpile, igniting the fire. The ponies watched in awe and Jet was looking to Ash with admiration.

They sat down on makeshift benches made of piles of wood planks.

“We aren’t going to talk about camp news. No work stuff right now,” Rhythm was telling them. “We’ll have a meeting tomorrow. I’ve got something planned.”

“Oh must be big,” Spinning wondered.

“It is, but it can wait.”

“We need some campfire songs!” Blazing exclaimed

FeatherTune tapped Hyper with a hoof. “You got anything, Hype?”

HyperBlitz hesitated. “I don’t really feel like it. I’m tired.”

“You alright?” Rhythm cautioned, his brow raised.

“Yeah. The heat just took a lot out of me is all,” Hyper stated.

None of them questioned him any more. However, Rhythm kept his eye on Hyper for the rest of the evening. He could sense something was off. They all continued to tell stories and joke, Hyper only halfway listening. He would laugh with them too and gave false smiles. With his eyes itching, he continued to stare off into the fire.

The fire died down and night fell on them. They dispersed and called it a day. Hyper found his way back to his room. After doing some tidying up, Rhythm trekked his way to Hyper’s room. He knocked first, and heard Hyper’s voice from inside.

“Hey, Rhyth. What’s up?” Hyper asked with a smile as the Unicorn entered his room.

“Um, could we talk?”

“Yeah, sure,” Hyper said.

Rhythm closed the door behind him. Fear began to crawl on Hyper’s fur.

“Are you okay?” Rhythm questioned.

“Yeah. Why?” Hyper responded.

“Because you’re acting strange,” Rhythm pointed out.

“I’m just tired,” Hyper tried to defend.

“No you’re not.” Rhythm spoke assertively. He paused, aware of his volume. He created a sound bubble that molded into the shape of the room. “Okay, maybe you are. But that’s not why you’re acting weird. Ever since you came back you’ve been off. I know you try to hide it, but I can tell. I know you Hyper. I want you to be honest, please.”

Hyper was gazing at the floor as he sat on his bed. He peered up at Rhythm. “I’m sorry. I lost a wing, how could I not be upset?”

“I know. I completely understand, believe me,” Rhythm spoke with empathy in his eyes and voice. “You know you can talk about it. I don’t want you to keep everything bottled up.”

“You want me to be honest?”

“Of course,” Rhythm answered.

“It’s just that… ever since I got back, everyone’s been acting like it’s normal. Like I never lost a wing,” Hyper disclosed, his voice harsh. “Yeah, at first they thought my new wing was cool but it’s not the same wing. I shouldn’t have this to begin with. And then nobody brings it up again? Everyone pretends like everything is fine.” Hyper expressed his struggles passionately.

“Oh, Hyper. I’m sorry. I didn’t realize…. I’m sure the other guys didn’t want to upset you by bringing it up.” Rhythm attempted to make sense of it.

“How could it upset me anymore than it already has? I live it. This is my reality,” Hyper spat, and then mumbled, “You’re the only one who seems to care.”

“We all care. I’ve been so worried about you, I just never knew when to talk to you. I shouldn’t have waited so long.” Rhythm shook his head in shame. “Maybe I’ll talk to the guys about… I don’t know, how things are different now?”

There was a short pause. Rhythm took a seat on Hyper’s bed, next to him. “I know you’re hurting inside. It takes time to heal,” Rhythm spoke to Hyper, who only nodded. “Would you like some more time off of this mission?”

“What? No!” Hyper straightened his posture. “This mission is the only thing keeping me distracted.”

Rhythm sighed. “Sometimes a distraction isn’t what you need. You need to address your problems. I’m guilty of looking for distractions too, but all they do is put things off.”

“I usually have SweetHooves to talk about this stuff with,” Hyper muttered.

“You know you can always talk to me right?” Rhythm gave him a weak smile. “I want you too. No more pretending.”

“I just don’t want to bring you guys down by worrying about me,” Hyper said, staring at the floor.

“But you’re hurting us more by hiding things.”

Hyper’s eyes widened a bit, fear in them. Rhythm took a moment to breathe. He rubbed between his brows with a blue hoof.

“I wish I knew what to do to make things better. Really I do. But it only gets better in time. Trust me, things will get better.”

Hyper looked into Rhythm’s eyes, and then shifted his gaze downward. He saw Rhythm’s prosthetic leg crossed with his natural one. “You’re still not used to your new leg, are you?”

“No, I’m not. I don’t think I ever will be,” Rhythm answered honestly. “But I’ve learned to live with it.” Rhythm turned over his leg and examined it. “Although I guess I have a weapon with me at all times. Plus I can’t feel any pain in it. That’s really useful when I bang it against a Hybrid,” Rhythm claimed with a smirk.

“Not really sure I can use my wing as a weapon…” Hyper glanced over his shoulder.

“I dunno, these things look like they can be sharp with enough force.” Rhythm pointed to the ends of the appendages.

Rhythm turned back to the original topic. “No, but, even though it’s not my original leg, I’ve come to love it. It’s a work of art, really. And it’s special to me because my dad helped make it.”

“Well, he helped make the rest of you, so it’s suiting,” Hyper remarked.

“Geez, Hyper,” Rhythm said with a grin as he rubbed his head again.

A beam broke across Hyper’s face too. For a moment they stared at each other with amusement. Rhythm playfully jabbed Hyper’s side with an elbow. He pushed himself off the bed and spun around to face Hyper again.

“Tomorrow we have an important meeting. I want to hear your opinions and ideas. You’re just as much a part of this team as everyone else,” Rhythm assured.

Hyper nodded. “Got it.”

“Alright, I think that’s enough of me pestering you. Goodnight,” Rhythm told him with fondness.

“Goodnight,” Hyper replied as the Unicorn left his room.

Knowing a close friend was concerned and cared about him made HyperBlitz feel a little better. Of course healing took time, but Hyper had not been allowing himself that time. He wanted to rush things to get better, for the sake of the mission and the sake of his friends. No more pretending, Hyper told himself, echoing Rhythm’s words.

Chapter 20

It was a bit after dawn when all of team Xero gathered in the meeting room. They settled down and directed their gazes to their mission head.

“Are we all good? I don’t want to rush everybody into this,” CharmingRhythm addressed his team.

“I think we're good,” BlazingFlair replied.

“How serious is this?” FeatherTune mused.

“It’s not really serious, it's just… important,” Rhythm directed.

“And that would be… what, exactly?” Feather pressed.

“Well if you’d let me speak,” Rhythm shot back.

HyperBlitz raised his hoof up in front of him a bit. “Can I say something before we get to your topic?”

“Yes, Hyper,” Rhythm said, all attention on him. He didn’t notice the resentful look Feather gave.

“Yesterday I saw some Pegasi flying over the camp,” Hyper told him.

“Oh, I saw them too!” Feather commented.

“Were they Hybrids?” Rhythm questioned.

“I… don’t think so,” Hyper considered. “Hybrids don’t fly that high, if they fly at all.”

“They looked like normal Pegasi to me,” Feather shrugged.

“Where did they come from?” Rhythm pressed.

“I didn’t see where they flew in from,” Hyper explained, “But I saw them fly north.”

“Weird.” Rhythm thought for a moment. “Maybe they were looking for someone.”

“Or they were spying on us,” SpinningNote suggested.

“I wouldn’t go that far just yet,” Rhythm dismissed. “We don’t know who they were, and that’s all too it for now. Thank you for reporting it, Hyper.”

Hyper nodded and smiled appreciatively.

“Now, let's get to the real meeting,” Rhythm began. “We’ve been here for over two months. I think everyone has done a great job. There’s been a ton of progress in the camp, and we’ve fought off Hybrids well. But I think we need to finally address the Hybrid camp. That’s obviously a source of Hybrids around here.”

“Wait… Hybrid camp?” Feather cocked his head.

“Uh… yes. The one in the gorge? The one you found?” Rhythm said slowly.

FeatherTune glared at the table, his mind turning.

“You can’t tell me you forgot that! You found it! Geez. And you guys think I’m worse than him?” Rhythm exclaimed with outstretched forelegs.

“It’s coming back to me!” Feather defended.

“That’s a point for Feather then,” Spinning remarked

“Huh?” Feather shot at him.

“Oh, I’m keeping score on how many times you and Rhythm forget something,” Spinning added. “Actually, that should count two points because you found it.”

Hyper busted out in laughter. “Oh gosh, that’s good, Spinning!” He was able to get out through his laughs.

Rhythm face-hoofed and tried to suppress his laughter. He then placed his muzzle into crossed forelegs.

“Rhythm’s still winning but you have a chance to catch up,” Spinning smirked at Feather.

“I remember it now, shut up!” Feather crossed his legs and furrowed his brows.

“Alright, alright,” Rhythm recomposed himself while still grinning. “Can we continue?” They all quieted down and focused on him. “We have to take care of this Hybrid camp. But we need a plan. We obviously can’t run in there without knowing it’s layout or how many Hybrids there are. I’m looking to you guys for ideas.”

“We could set it on fire,” Blazing offered avidly.

“Blazing, the camp is in a gorge,” Echo reminded. “There’s a river. They’ll be able to put out the fire.”

“Oh,” Blazing murmured, disappointed.

“We could try to draw them out of the camp and pick them off one by one,” Hyper suggested, unsure.

“I don’t know. That seems a little… tedious,” Rhythm contemplated.

“What if we create a rockfall?” Feather spoke up. “It’s in a gorge. We could collapse the walls in on them.”

“That’s not a bad idea,” Rhythm said.

“But how do we even do that?” Spinning wondered.

“We could use our energy to carve out the rocks at the top of the gorge,” Echo proposed.

“That could work. But how do we not alert them? They’ll hear us,” Feather countered.

“Um, we have Unicorns who use sound magic,” Hyper pointed out.

“I’m not as good as Rhythm, but I can try to help,” Spinning stated.

“I probably will need help. That’s a large area to silence,” Rhythm replied.

“Shouldn’t we make sure there are no prisoners in the camp?” Hyper warned.

“That’s a fair point.” Rhythm nodded. “We wouldn’t want to crush any innocent ponies.”

“But if we go through the camp looking, they’ll be alerted anyway!” Spinning said.

“We might have to risk it,” Rhythm asserted. “If any of them follow us out, we’ll just have to deal with them.”

“And how do we get into the gorge?” Feather asked.

“I’m sure you and Hyper can easily get into the gorge. But I’ll probably send you out to scout the area before any of us set out. We need to understand the area better,” Rhythm explained.

“Would you like me to do that now?” Feather questioned.

“Sure. Probably best to start this as early as we can.”

“Hey, Feather,” Spinning spoke. “Take my camera with you. You can take pictures of the camp from above. Then we can learn the layout better.”

“That’s a great idea, Spin,” Rhythm commented.

“And you’d trust me with it?” Feather raised a brow. “I thought it was expensive.”

“Just wear the strap around your neck. It should be fine. And if you do drop it…” Spinning gave a wide stare at Feather and did not speak anymore.

“Alright. If you say so.” Feather found his way out of the meeting room.

“Are all six of us going?” Echo asked.

“I’d like a full team, yeah,” Rhythm responded.

“We’re going today?” Hyper said.

“The sooner the better,” Rhythm affirmed. “We have all day.”

Later that morning, FeatherTune returned with information on the Hybrid camp and a camera full of photos. Feather had reported of a ramp that Hybrids had made to exit the gorge. The team began preparing to depart. EchoBeat had stuffed his saddlebags with bandages in medicine

They all gathered around the cab, only EchoBeat stood with an unsure expression. Rhythm asked him what was wrong.

“Don’t you think we should borrow Jet and Ash’s cab too? If we do find any prisoners we won’t have enough room in only one,” Echo explained.

“Good point,” Rhythm agreed. “Hang on, I’ll be right back.”

Rhythm trotted up to one of the apartments that he knew the other recruits had been working on. He poked his head inside and saw Jet in the front room.

“Hey Jet,” Rhythm spoke and the young Pegasus turned around. “Can we borrow your cab? We’re going to attack a Hybrid Camp, and we’ll need another cab if we bring back any refugees.”

Jet thought about it for a moment. “I guess, but Ash won’t be happy about it.”

“She’s never happy about anything,” Rhythm replied. “I promise we’ll bring it back.”

They finally set out. Blazing drove one cab while Rhythm drove the other. Each of them had their own small radios to communicate with FeatherTune. The Pegasus was leading the way to the camp through the air.

“They got the whole place built up,” Feather was saying as they traveled. “Fences, and even buildings. Lots of machinery and storage. Even a fracking machine.”

“You mean an oil pump?” Rhythm replied into the radio speaker.

“Yeah. Sorry, forgot the word.”

“Now he’s even,” Spinning smirked where Feather couldn’t hear.

Several dozen meters away from the top of the gorge, they halted. HyperBlitz examined the camp from above for himself. He could see where a large steel ramp leaned against the cliffside. It took a right turn in the middle and aligned with the river. No Hybrids roamed around the bottom of it. Instead, moving shapes maneuvered through the camp and further down the gorge. There was a makeshift barn in the gorge, as well as a few smaller sheds.

Hyper landed next to his teammates. “So, how are we doing this?”

“We need a couple ponies to go down in the camp and search for prisoners. Once we get out, we’ll start carving out the top of the gorge,” Rhythm determined. “Spinning, you’re the best one of us at sneaking. I’ll come with you. The rest of you stay here, and be ready to give us backup if needed.”

“What if they see you go down the ramp?” Feather warned.

“Then we can distract them the other way,” Hyper said.

“But wouldn’t that alert them that we’re here?” Echo cautioned.

“Not if I do it over there,” Hyper responded, pointing to the area above the gorge.

Hyper said good luck to the Unicorns and made his way over the opening above the camp. Staring down, he saw where Hybrids scouted the west edge of their camp. Hyper loudly exclaimed to them. Several other Hybrids appeared from the camp, peering upward. Shots of Hybrid energy flew at Hyper, but he dodged them. He continued to make commotion, taunting the Hybrids.

“C'mon you you metal motherfuckers! I hope you enjoy your dirtnap!”

Spinning and Rhythm quickly and quietly made their way down the ramp. When they got to the gorge’s floor, they flattened themselves against a fence. Rhythm created mute spells along their path as they entered the camp. They trotted across a wooden beam bridge that passed over the river.

Spinning raised a hoof to alert Rhythm. The two of them ducked behind trashcans as they saw a Hybrid in a clearing. From the opposite side of the clearing, Spinning levitated up a barrel. He flung it in the other direction and the Hybrid dashed after it.

They both slipped into a small shed. Light shafted into the space from cracks in the wooden boards, just enough to see. There was a small lavender Pegasus working some sort of Hybrid machine. She had no metal parts, and her gaze seemed distant. The Hybrids had placed a chip in her, which brainwashed her into a slave.

“I could take her chip out now. Or should we wait until we get out?” Spinning asked.

“If you think you can do it quickly,” Rhythm replied, nodding.

Spinning stepped to the mare’s side. He began feeling the back of her neck with a hoof. When he had found the chip, he levitated a scalpel out of his toolbag. Rhythm kept watch while Spinning removed the chip. Even after the chip had been removed, it would still be a few minutes before the mare would regain her memories.

They began escorting the young mare out of the shed. Rhythm glanced around, searching for more places ponies could be kept. He noted a barn, and told Spinning to stay put while he investigated. With a silence spell, Rhythm easily missed a patrolling Hybrid. Inside the barn was dark, with cracks in the roof providing small amounts of light. He scanned over the barn a couple of times, but couldn’t find anything. He didn’t dare use his magic which could alert any lurking Hybrids.

Once again avoiding the Hybrid outside, Rhythm snuck out of the barn. He began helping Spinning push along the mare they had rescued. While she was mindless, her body trotted forward with each budge the Unicorns gave her. Getting her up the ramp was a bit more difficult for she almost refused to climb. Rhythm kept glancing down to the gorge floor, weary of any Hybrids that might catch them.

Once at the top of the gorge, they placed the lavender mare by one of the cabs. In the brighter light, her features were more visible. She had a glossy scarlet mane streaked with purple. Her aqua green eyes still stared past everything in front of her. EchoBeat was put in charge of watching her.

A few of the stallions began blasting energy into the ground. FeatherTune had replaced HyperBlitz in distracting, for Hyper had the right kind of energy they needed. Rhythm had silenced the whole area, amplified by Spinning’s magic. Cracks in the earth were beginning to show.

Echo sat next to the refugee, who was beginning to respond. She blinked a few times, and gazed left and right.

“Wh-what? Where am I?” She spoke quietly.

“It’s alright,” Echo told her in a comforting tone. He placed his hoof on her back. “You’re with us now. The Hybrids won't get you.”

“Hybrids?” The mare mumbled, trying to remember. After staring at Echo for a moment she asked “Who are you?”

“I’m EchoBeat. I’m a part of the Resistance. My team just saved you from a Hybrid camp.”

“Camp…” The young Pegasus was beginning to recall. “My friends! They were taken by Hybrids too!” She jolted up to her hooves and spun around to the other stallions. “My friends are still in there!”

“What?” Rhythm ceased what he was doing and raced over to her. “Your friends?”

“Yeah! They were with me when the Hybrids attacked us. That’s all that I remember!” She cried.

“Xero, Stop!” Rhythm commanded. Everyone froze and listened to him. “She says there’s still ponies down there! We need to get them out. We’ll finish this once we're done.”

Rhythm twirled around just as fast as he thought. He faced the lavender Pegasus.”What do they look like?”

“One’s a yellow Unicorn with a rainbow mane, you can’t miss her! The other is a grey Pegasus, he might be harder to spot,” she responded with panic in her eyes.

“Spinning, come with me,” Rhythm ordered. “Feather, Hyper, keep distracting them. Blazing keep watch out, and Echo, stay with this mare.” He dashed off to the east.

Echo could see the young pony was paralyzed by fear. He attempted to calm her down. “What’s your name?”

“I- I’m ThunderCharm,” She let out hesitantly.

“Don’t worry, ThunderCharm, we’ll get your friends back,” Echo soothed.

Chapter 21

Quickly, CharmingRhythm and SpinningNote retraced their steps down the ramp and into the Hybrid camp. Rhythm glanced upward and saw where his Pegasus friends were circling. They were exchanging shots with the Hybrids below. Rhythm followed Spinning back into the shed they had found ThunderCharm in. Spinning peered out of a hole in the wall, planning their next move.

"I'm afraid we might have to fight some Hybrids," Spinning fret. "Unless we can run past them."

Rhythm found a crack to eye out of. "There's that barn. I checked there already but I could have overlooked something. It was dark. I guess I could try again."

The Unicorns creeped out and followed along a wooden fence. Rhythm's horn glowed briefly as he casted another spell. In the dark shadows of the gorge, his horn was more luminous than ever. The flash of light alerted a Hybrid, which began to chase them.

"Fuck!" Rhythm let out, jolting his head back.

"Go inside," Spinning insisted. "I'll keep this guy busy."

As Rhythm darted inside, Spinning held his ground against the Hybrid. It swung it's claw forward, which bashed against Spinning's shoulder pad. He jumped to the right, and fired blue energy into the side of the Hybrid. The claw flew again, which caught the skin above Spinning's EPD. He disregarded the bleeding and kept fighting.

Inside, Rhythm analyzed the barn for a second. His horn shone in the dark space. I don't see any Hybrids, he realized. He saw movement in a corner of the barn. It was a pony working machinery, only visible by his red mane. Rhythm pressed forward and got to the pony's side. It was the Pegasus ThunderCharm had described. He started ushering the young Pegasus towards the exit.

Just then, there was a creaking sound. Stretching his neck, Rhythm peered up behind him. A pair of red eyes glowed in the darkness. A Hybrid showed itself on the loft of the barn. It began firing down blasts at Rhythm. He levitated a crate up and slammed it against the enemy.

It was distracted, but so was Rhythm. Something small scuttle along the ground from where the crate was. It made its way to Rhythm, perched itself, and started beeping. Rhythm started down in shock. A bugmine! Rhythm made a break for it, bumping into the grey Pegasus. The bugmine exploded, sending shrapnel into Rhythm's back legs. He ignored the pain and ignored the Hybrid from the loft. The doors flung open and he forcibly shouldered the Pegasus outside.

Spinning was still fighting the Hybrid in the clearing. Running around like mad, he attempted to lose his enemy. It appeared tired, almost ready to give up. Periwinkle magic raised a crate up and dropped it on the Hybrid. The force was enough to knock the cyborg out.

"Spinning! Don't lift the fucking crates up! They have bugmines!" Rhythm snapped.

Whipping his head around, Spinning caught sight of the mobile mine crawling towards him. He levitated it up and threw it toward the gorge wall, where it exploded. Rhythm shielded his eyes with his right foreleg. He glared at Spinning who mouthed 'sorry.'

The pair escorted the Pegasus between them through the Hybrid camp. They made their way west to another shed. Luckily the Hybrids in front of them were too busy dealing with their Pegasus allies. In the shed they found the Unicorn mare.

Spinning pushed her outside and Rhythm directed the Pegasus stallion.

Two Hybrids blocked their path to the east.

"Where did they come from?!" Spinning shouted.

"This way!" Rhythm spat, dashing in the other direction. He used his magic to push the refugees along.

"But that's the way out!" Spinning pointed to the ramp. The Hybrids were gaining on him, he had no other choice but to follow.

Spinning slammed a fence gate behind them, attempting to slow the pursuers down. The Unicorn duo was already slow enough while moving their prisoners. They used as much of their magical effort as they could to keep the young ponies moving while also keeping up the pace with their hooves.

Rhythm could hear the clunk, clunk of metal as they passed the oil pump. It loomed large, almost as high as the gorge wall. They were nearing the west edge of the camp, dodging Hybrids left and right. There was another sound that Rhythm heard. Crack. Up to the right, he saw cracks were beginning to form at the top of the stone wall. The earth was beginning to crumble.

"Fuck! It's collapsing early!" Rhythm blurted out, his heart hammering.

"Guys! Help us get these two out!" Rhythm amplified his voice to the Pegasi.

HyperBlitz and FeatherTune swooped downward. They hovered above the ground while pushing the two refugees along. They kept to the left side of the gorge, away from the collapsing wall. Spinning and Rhythm attempted to fight off Hybrids that tried to snatch the escaping prisoners.

Spinning galloped forward, Rhythm right behind him. Suddenly, a heavy Hybrid bashed into Rhythm's side. As he hit the dirt, he felt the wind blow out of him. The crash had made him weak and he couldn't stand just yet. He picked up a barrel in his magic and threw it against the Hybrid that attacked him.

Once further downriver, Hyper and Feather paused to breathe. Hyper twirled around in the air, and glanced backwards. The side of the gorge was crumbling. More of the earth was loosened than was expected, farther from the camp then they intended. For a split second, Hyper caught a glimpse of Rhythm lying on the floor, attempting to get to his hooves. The next second, boulders came toppling down.

"RHYTHM!" Hyper screeched.

He zoomed back upriver. His throat closed up from fear. The gorge was still crumbling. Hyper hovered, anxiously waiting for the sound of falling rocks to stop. As soon as he saw an opening, Hyper bounded forward. Eyes darting left and right, he sought out his fallen friend.

He could make out the back half of Rhythm behind a large boulder. With crippling fear, Hyper gaited over. When he shifted his angle, he could see the rest of Rhythm. His right foreleg was caught under the rock. Relief flooded through Hyper's body. For a moment, he was still worrisome about Rhythm's leg, but quickly remembered it wasn't real.

A Hybrid who had not been crushed was hunting down Rhythm. "Get away from him!" Hyper spat and began to fire energy. The cyborg finally collapsed once enough damage was done. Hyper made his way to Rhythm's side. The blue Unicorn began moving again.

"Rhythm! You're okay!" Hyper called out, his voice cracking.

"I'm... hnn... stuck!" Rhythm huffed.

His free hooves scrambled against the ground as he attempted to dislodge his foreleg. Hyper wrapped his forelegs around Rhythm's torso. His wings fluttered as he tried to haul him backwards.

"Stop pulling!" Rhythm shouted. "Get the rock off of me!"

Hyper let go and bounced over behind the rock. He began pushing with his front hooves.

"I could use some help!" Hyper yelled.

Feather and Spinning arrived at the scene. Both of them followed Hyper's instructions. Spinning was exhausted from running, and Feather was not very strong, but their combined strength was enough to shift the boulder. As it rolled over, Rhythm snatched his foreleg out from under it. He stood up, but lacking balance, he toppled over again. The stallions stopped pushing, and the boulder fell back in place with a loud thud.

Hyper helped Rhythm get his footing. He only had three hooves to work with, and was disoriented from the chaos. He raised his prosthetic up and examined it. It was completely crushed, it's crystal cracked, and wires poked out.

"Yep, that's broken," Rhythm exhaled.

"How do we get back up there?" Spinning wondered with his vision glued to the sky.

"Maybe you could climb the rocks?" Hyper suggested.

"Do I look like I can climb?" Rhythm retorted, flailing his foreleg.

"And I doubt these two can climb," Spinning directed at the refugees. "Maybe after I get their chips out." He cantered over to the brainwashed ponies.

HyperBlitz turned and saw the destruction. It would be impossible to maneuver through it on hoof. Rocks piled over the Hybrid camp. Several of the makeshift buildings had collapsed, but the oil pump still stood tall. It was very possible that there were still remnants of the camp and Hybrids, but that was a deal for a different day.

Hyper once again wrapped his forelegs around Rhythm's torso. He squawked in surprise as Hyper lifted him up. They steadily floated up to the top of the gorge. There, Hyper let Rhythm go, and sat down for himself, chest heaving. Rhythm had been a lot more difficult to carry than he imagined.

"You seriously had to do that?!" Rhythm questioned as he lay on the ground.

"It was the only idea I had!" Hyper justified through his breaths.

They waited a few minutes for the refugees to respond after their chips were taken out. The Pegasus had just enough strength to fly up to the other ponies. The Unicorn however, was still weak, and could not climb well. As Spinning carefully scaled up the scattered rocks, Hyper lifted up the yellow mare just as he did with Rhythm. Spinning was able to telekinetically lift up the Unicorn the second half up, to give Hyper a chance to breathe.

The dark grey Pegasus shot glances between the many ponies in front of him. His purple eyes were still trying to make sense of what he was seeing. "The Resistance?" He growled.

"Yeah, we saved you from the Hybrids!" Blazing claimed.

The rainbow maned Unicorn trotted towards the Pegasus and also stared at their saviors. "You... saved us? You mean we would have been Hybrids?!"

"Most likely, yeah," Spinning said solemnly.

"Blackout! Iridescent!" ThunderCharm called out as she raced to the other ponies.

"Thunder? You're okay?" The grey Pegasus, presumably Blackout, said.

"Yeah. These ponies saved us. They even went back down in the camp to get you guys after they got me!" Thunder exclaimed.

"Thank you so much," the Unicorn, Iridescent, spoke to the team graciously. "We owe you our lives."

"We don't own them anything!" Blackout spat.

"I mean, technically, no," Rhythm added as he limped towards the group. "It's our job to save ponies from Hybrids. But you could be a little more grateful."

"I'd rather be a Hybrid than be saved by the Resistance!" Blackout refuted.

"Blackout! You don't mean that! I'm so sorry," Iridescent addressed the others. "Don't listen to him. We're very grateful for what you've done for us."

"I'm guessing you're a rogue?" Feather mused, his eyes on Blackout. "You don't seem to like us."

"We don't like to be called rogues, you idiot!" Blackout shot back. "We prefer outlanders."

"Huh? I've never heard that before," Feather let out, confused.

"I have," Hyper spoke up. "I remembered the different names rogues called each other when I was one. It depends where they come from. Of course they don't call themselves rogues, that has negative connotations."

"Are you a rogue- er outlander, too?" Rhythm questioned Iridescent.

She nodded, "Yes. Blackout is my brother. We grew up in a gang together. Although I don't hate the Resistance quite as much as him."

Team Xero exchanged perplexed glances when Iridescent told them Blackout was her brother. The two of them looked nothing alike!

"And how about you," Rhythm finally got around to ThunderCharm.

"I think I'm what you call a fairlander. I don't side with outlanders or the Resistance," She explained. "But I will say I greatly appreciate what you did for us today. We really do owe you."

"I thought they said they were friends," Blazing whispered to Echo. "But they're from different groups of ponies?" Echo only shrugged.

"Alright, let's all get back to camp. We can sort everything else there," Rhythm announced.

Taking notice of Rhythm's limp, Spinning insisted that he drove the second cab back. The young ponies they saved rode with him while Rhythm and Echo rode with Blazing. Rhythm watched the others parallel to him. Blackout flashed him a resentful glare. He didn't understand how anyone could hate ponies that much, especially after being saved!

Chapter 22

It was late afternoon when Team Xero and their refugees made it back to the camp. Ash and Jet had seen the Pegasi flying, and raced off to meet them. CharmingRhythm carefully jumped to the ground and faced the two young recruits.

“You took our cab without asking me first?” Ash questioned irritably.

“Hey, I asked Jet. He said it was okay,” Rhythm asserted.

Ash shot a sneer at Jet and returned to the ponies in front of her. “Well, I hope these are new recruits then.”

“Recruits?” Blackout contended. “You’re fucking joking right? There’s no way we’d join you.”

“Now calm down…” Iridescent tried to appease her brother, but he just stomped off further into camp. “I’m sorry about him.”

“This is your camp?” ThunderCharm asked. She examined the scene in front of her with curiosity. “It looks so barren. Where are the ponies?”

“It’s sort of… in the works,” BlazingFlair clarified. “That’s also why everything is such a mess.”

“Used to be worse,” SpinningNote added. “We’ve done a lot of work. And we’ll get more recruits soon.”

“I hope you’re right,” Rhythm sighed. “Hey, Spin. You think you can help me take this off?” He dangled the crushed foreleg in front of him. He and Spinning made their way to the base building.

“Here, you can stay in one of these apartments,” HyperBlitz offered, pointing with a wing.

“Stay? You expect us to stay?” Blackout growled, appearing around the side of a house.

“I don’t mean forever. Just for the night, or for as long as you feel comfortable,” Hyper told him. “C’mon.”

Hyper showed them the inside of a building. It was the cleanest one they had after the one they had given to Jet and Ash. Hyper felt a bit ashamed that it wasn’t in any better condition.

“The beds are old, we haven’t gotten around to replacing them. But we do have some blankets to cover them. Hold on-” Hyper dashed back out of the apartment.

Hyper entered into the base building. Inside, Spinning was fiddling with Rhythm’s leg. He used a tool to loosen the grip at the top. Rhythm’s half leg slipped out of the cylindrical clasp.

“We need to get you a workbench,” Hyper commented. “You can’t do everything at the computer desk.”

“That’s a good point,” Spinning agreed. “Maybe we can put it over on that wall.” He pointed across the room.

“What do you want to do with this?” Spinning asked as he levitated the broken prosthetic limb.

“I guess I’ll keep it. Maybe my dad can salvage some parts,” Rhythm responded.

“If you say so,” Spinning said, unsure.

“Yes, Hyper? I can feel you staring at me,” Rhythm stated and fluttered his eyes.

“I just wanted to know where we keep our spare blankets.”

Rhythm extended his left foreleg. “There’s a storage room at the end of the hall. There should be plenty of blankets on one of the shelves.”

“Thanks!” Hyper swirled and sped in the direction of the hallway.

Picking up the broken leg in his magic, Rhythm began to pull the crystal out of it. After a moment of struggling, the crystal popped out with a clink, into several shattered pieces. He placed the shards on the desk.

“Here. We could still use those.”

While small crystal shards were not useful for EPDs, the energy inside of them could still be used. They could be found inside generators, appliances and even in the engines of vehicles.

Hyper entered the room with several blankets tucked under his left wing. “I’m gonna try to make the newcomers welcome here, for as long as they want to stay.”

“Sounds like a good idea.” Rhythm nodded. “Hey, Hype,” Rhythm added as Hyper made his way out. “I’ve got to go to Los Pegasus to get a new leg. You want to come with me?”

A smile broke across Hyper’s face. “Yeah, of course!”

Hyper returned to the apartment and placed the blankets on the bed. There was one queen sized bed, and one twin, in two different rooms. Hyper showed the large room to the siblings, with a friendly smile on his face the whole time. He wanted to keep up his good attitude so the new ponies could feel well received.

“I’m sorry it’s not any nicer,” Hyper apologized, speaking to ThunderCharm.

“It’s alright,” ThunderCharm said. “It’s better than what was in that gang camp…”

“What do you mean? What happened?” Hyper cocked his head, suddenly concerned. “Why are you friends with those two, they’re a completely different faction than you.”

Thunder sighed and shook her scarlet hair. “They came to the town I lived in and stayed for a while. We became friends then. They even came back every so often. Then they invited me to their camp but…” Her eyes were distant. “The gang didn’t really like me, they kept me prisoner there.”

“What?” Hyper called out, and then tried to keep his voice low. “They set you up for a trap?!”

“No, no! I really don’t think it was like that!” Thunder defended. “Blackout and Iri are nice ponies. But apparently the ponies in their camp weren’t. No, they actually freed me from the camp. We tried running, but then we came across Hybrids.” The young mare looked to the floor.

“Oh… I see.” Hyper was saddened by her story. Thunder seemed like a kind mare, she did not deserve that treatment.

Blackout exited the bedroom and gave both of them a heavy stare. “Thunder, what are you telling him?”

“I’m just explaining how the Hybrids got us!” Thunder shot back.

“They don’t need to know anything!”

“Hey,” Iridescent’s voice spoke behind the stallion. “It’s not like they can use anything against us. They’re just trying to help.”

Blackout only snorted.

Hyper left them again and returned with some food. “Here. You guys need to eat. You probably haven’t eaten anything the whole time you were in that Hybrid camp.”

“Thank you so much,” Thunder replied as she reached for a can of peaches.

“And what if it’s poisoned?” Blackout spat.

“Come on, you can’t really think that?” Iridescent shot back. “The Resistance has never outright attacked our ponies before.”

“Ugh, fine.” Blackout gave in for once.

“If you guys need anything else, let me know,” Hyper addressed in a warm tone. “And if you can’t find me, any of the other ponies will be willing to help.”

Leaving, Hyper sought out another one of his teammates. Feather approached him, and he lifted his muzzle and groaned. “Why is Blackout such an asshat? All we want to do is help!”

“Hey, I remember a time when you were cautious of us helping you,” Feather reminded with a raised brow.

“Yeah, I was cautious. But I was never a fucking jerk.” Hyper shook his head.

“Some ponies just express their feelings differently,” Feather said.

“You can’t excuse shitty behaviour though!” Hyper exclaimed, waving his hoof back to the apartment.

“No, you’re right, you can’t. But if anyone can get around to them, it’s you,” Feather determined.

“I know,” Hyper sighed and made his way towards the base.

CharmingRhythm insisted they left the next morning. He stood by the cab, waiting for HyperBlitz to prepare. Once out of the base, he quickly made his way to Rhythm.

“Geez, you’re in a rush!” Hyper called.

“Sorry, I’m jittery. I want to get a new leg as soon as possible,” Rhythm justified.

They said their goodbyes to the ponies in camp and drove away. Hyper sat in the passenger seat next to Rhythm. He glanced down at Rhythm’s stump leg.

“You sure you don’t need me to drive?” Hyper teased.

“I’m fine with my left leg, thank you very much,” Rhythm jeered. “Or my magic for that matter. You know you’re a horrible driver.”

“Yeah, I know.” Hyper shrugged. “I’m used to flying.”

“And why aren’t you flying now?” Rhythm questioned.

“I want to be able to talk to you,” Hyper responded with a friendly smirk.

Rhythm smiled and nodded, accepting that answer.

“Especially after yesterday. You could have died!” Hyper exclaimed, suddenly more serious.

“Hey, but I didn’t die. My stupid leg got crushed instead,” Rhythm commented with an eye roll.

“I thought you liked your leg,” Hyper pointed out.

“Yeah. It’s better than this.” Rhythm wiggled his stub.

Hyper knew he had a point. A prosthetic limb was better than no limb at all. He watched Rhythm shift his gaze back to the desert ahead. Even if he was driving, his eyes seemed to be looking somewhere else, troubled.

“You alright?” Hyper asked. “Did yesterday freak you out?”

“Honestly, it didn’t even phase me.” The blue Unicorn shrugged.

“You’re fucking kidding, right?” Hyper gaped.

“I wish. No, it’s just that… I’ve had so many things on my mind, I can’t think straight,” Rhythm answered.

“And what’s on your mind?” Hyper wondered with concern.

“All the things we have to finish in camp. My Luna, there’s so many things! What we’re supposed to do with those rogues,” Rhythm trailed off. He considered speaking honestly, that he was still worried about HyperBlitz, but he didn’t want to make Hyper feel like he was a burden to him.

Instead, Rhythm said, “There’s been so many things going on that I can’t keep track. I’ve been forgetting things. Hell, I don’t even know what day it is.” He quickly turned to face Hyper. “What day is it?”

“Uh, Sunday?”

“Oh fuck, thank you! Dad usually takes off Sunday. I was about to go to the workshop.” Rhythm shook his head in shame.

“Do you need me to slap your brain?” Hyper joked.

“Probably,” Rhythm exhaled.

Hyper slowly raised his hoof up next to Rhythm’s head.

“Hyper, I don’t mean literally!” Rhythm snapped as he flicked his head around. A smile began to grow on his face.

Suddenly the vehicle jumped upward, rolling over a rock.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to drive!?” Hyper taunted again, also smiling.

“I am perfectly capable of driving!” defended Rhythm.

“But you’re distracted!” Hyper remarked.

“You’re distracting me!” Rhythm quipped.

Both of them spoke in fast, absurd voices. They stopped for a moment and started laughing at their own antics. Rhythm focused back on the path ahead, smirking.

“Well, you’re going to have to stay in the city for a few days right?” Hyper told him. “Maybe you can take some time to chill. Spend time with Heartfelt. Clear your head.”

“Yeah, you’re right,” Rhythm said with relief in his voice.

After a while, a skyline of tall buildings appeared on the horizon. They began to grow larger as they drove down into the valley. Soon enough they were in the shadows of the towers, where they took the rest of their journey on hoof.

Chapter 23

HyperBlitz and CharmingRhythm made their way through the streets of Los Pegasus. The two of them stepped up to the door. Rhythm raised his leg to knock, only to realize he had no hoof to make a sound.

HyperBlitz leaned in and said “I can knock,” and proceeded to do so. He gave Rhythm a teasing stare the entire time.

Slate opened the door to the two younger stallions. He glanced down to Rhythm’s stub, and looked up again. “Where is your leg?” He asked with an unimpressed glare.

“It got crushed by a rock,” Rhythm smirked casually.

Slate only blinked at him a few times. He backed up to let Rhythm and Hyper inside. Twisting his head back, Slate called out, “Sapphire, we have company.”

A few moments later, Rhythm’s mother appeared out of the hallway. The blue mare too saw the scene and questioned, “What did you do?”

“My leg got crushed by a rock,” Rhythm reiterated.

“Rhythm!” Slate exclaimed. “You’ve had this leg for only two years and you already broke it?”

“Hey, don’t you get your leg replaced too?” Rhythm countered, still amused.

“I’ve only ever had my leg replaced because of an upgrade in technology. Not because I broke it.”

“Okay, sorry,” Rhythm stated while stifling a laugh.

“You find this funny?” Slate pressed.

“Yeah, a little bit,” Rhythm said, still grinning.

“I think it’s more than just a little bit,” Hyper added.

Slate rubbed his forehead. He muttered something that sounded like nonsense to the other ponies.

“What did he say?” Hyper whispered to Rhythm, who only hummed to the tune of ‘I don’t know.’

“Hey, I go on missions,” Rhythm defended. “This kind of stuff is bound to happen.”

“You should have been more careful,” Slate addressed.

“Aren’t you glad it wasn’t my other leg that got crushed?” Rhythm shot back. He then stood still, realizing what he just said.

“Yes,” Slate retorted as he tilted his head closer to Rhythm. “I don’t want you to know what a crushed leg feels like.”

“Sorry, Dad,” Rhythm murmured with ears pushed back.

Slate sighed and recomposed himself. “Do you have the leg with you?”

Rhythm twisted his neck to open his saddlebag. Levitating the broken leg out of his saddlebag, it floated over to his father. “I highly doubt you can fix it. Not sure if you can salvage any parts or not,” Rhythm said.

Slate just took the prosthetic in his own magic. He began walking towards the kitchen area, where he set the leg down on the table. Both he and Rhythm took seats.

“Well, we can make a new one,” Slate began. “Do you want me to create a new design, or are you alright with the original design?”

“I wouldn’t want you to go through the trouble of designing a completely new leg,” Rhythm spoke considerately.

“You know I would for you,” Slate told him with warmth in his voice.

“That’s very kind,” Rhythm replied appreciatively. “But if the old design works, then I see no reason to change it. Besides, I kinda want to get back to my mission ASAP.”

“Alright.” Slate nodded. After a moment, the grey stallion stood up and vanished into the hallway.

Sapphire stepped up to the table to speak to Rhythm. “So how has your mission been going? Besides this of course,” she asked and pointed to the leg with her muzzle.

“Uh, okay. I think we’ve made good progress, but we could always be doing better.”

“He’s too hard on himself,” Hyper remarked.

“He is,” Sapphire agreed. She then turned her full attention to the Pegasus. “Hyper, I’m sorry to hear about your wing. I haven’t been able to speak to you since everything happened. I just wanted to give you my condolences.”

“Oh, well, thank you,” Hyper replied, but shifted his gaze away. Rhythm used his left forehoof to pat Hyper’s back.

Returning from the hallway, Slate brought a poster tube with him. He opened it and placed blueprints down on the table, flattening them with his magic.

“Wait, you keep my leg’s design at home?” Rhythm pondered.

“Most of my clients’ designs I keep at work, but I keep your’s at home, to keep it safe,” Slate explained.

“Wow, thanks for making me feel special,” Rhythm mumbled, his eyes casted away.

“You are special,” Hyper teased.

“Shut up,” Rhythm muttered.

Slate smiled at their antics a bit. He then faced Hyper. “How’s the wing been treating you, Hyper?”

“It works, I guess.” He shrugged.

Slate dipped his head in understanding. “Sometimes that’s all that matters. It doesn’t hurt at all does it? Uncomfortable?”

“N-no. Just weird. I have to get used to it,” Hyper stated.

“That’s normal. It takes time,” Slate reassured.

When Hyper didn’t respond, Slate turned back to speak to his son. “It’s going to be a few days for your new leg to be made.”

“I know. I’m going to stay in the city to wait for it. I’m not very useful in camp when I'm stubby anyway,” Rhythm commented. “I should probably get going though. I want to spend time with Heartfelt.”

Rhythm sat up and skipped to the other side of the table. He gave Slate a hug to the best of his abilities with a half leg. “Thanks for your help, Dad.”

“Of course,” Slate let out.

“See you later, Mom,” Rhythm said. Sapphire too received an awkward hug from him.

“Rhythm,” Sapphire addressed as he pulled away. “I know you want to see Heartfelt, but could you please come back and spend some time with us too?”

“Oh, yeah, sure. I have plenty of time. I won’t be doing much while I’m here anyway.” Rhythm started walking in reverse, still facing his parents. “Love you guys. I promise I’ll be back!”

Attempting to swirl around, Rhythm began to stumble. Losing his balance, he tilted over. Quickly, Hyper stopped his fall with a shoulder. He pushed Rhythm back into place by extending his prosthetic wing.

“I’m fine!” Rhythm blurted out, regaining his posture.

Slate placed a hoof over his face while Sapphire just shook her head.

“Alright, we better head out,” Rhythm stated while trying to hide his embarrassment.

Once outside, Hyper told Rhythm, “You’ve got to be more careful. Did you forget you only have three legs right now?”

“I know, I know. It’s not like it’s the first time I’ve done that,” Rhythm admitted.

After a minute of no words, Hyper expressed,“Your parents are so sweet.”

“Heh, yeah.”

Hyper huffed. He seemed troubled.

“What’s wrong?” Rhythm wondered.

“They actually care. I wish I had parents like that,” Hyper lamented.

Rhythm knew Hyper’s family was a sore subject. “I’m sorry, buddy.”

“It’s alright. I found my own family.” Hyper turned to Rhythm, his eyes thoughtful. Rhythm knew he must have been talking about his team.

“Speaking of family,” Hyper went on a tangent. “I should check in with SweetHooves. Then I’ll probably fly back to camp. But I want to say ‘hi’ to Heartfelt first.”

Back at Rhythm’s old apartment, Heartfelt greeted them. She was so pleased to see the stallions that she didn’t notice Rhythm’s lack of a leg. Only when he started limping inside did she take notice. He told her exactly what he had told his parents.

“I’m assuming there’s a larger story behind this,” Heartfelt spoke.

“Eh, yeah,” Rhythm told her with a smile.

“He finds it a lot more amusing than he should,” Hyper commented while glaring at him. “You almost died!”

“And how many times have either of us almost died?” Rhythm pointed out.

“I swear, I’m going to actually die from worrying about you!” Hyper exclaimed, although without anger.

“You and me both, Hyper,” Heartfelt noted.

Hyper looked at Heartfelt, and after a moment’s pause he said, “It’s good to see you, Heartfelt.” He gave her a hug.

“Good to see you too. Hope you’re doing alright,” Heartfelt replied.

“Eh, I’m getting along.” Hyper shrugged. Copper eyes bounced between Heartfelt and Rhythm. “Maybe I should leave you two alone. I’ll see you later Heartfelt. And I’ll see you at camp,” He directed to Rhythm.

“Hyper,” Rhythm alerted as he was just about to leave. “When you get to camp, tell them I put you in charge.”

Hyper gave a pleased grin.

“Don’t abuse your power,” Rhythm said with raised brows.

“Oh, I won’t. I promised!” HyperBlitz acknowledged as he slipped out the door.

Rhythm smiled and returned to Heartfelt.

“So what actually happened?” Heartfelt asked.

“We were trying to collapse rocks onto a Hybrid camp and I kinda got caught in the middle of it,” Rhythm explained.

“Why were you there?!” Heartfelt demanded.

Rhythm sighed. “I was trying to get prisoners out of the camp. But hey, at least I didn’t lose any more legs.” He lifted up his stub.

“Geez, Rhythm,” Heartfelt muttered while shaking her head.

Just that moment, the door reopened from the outside. HyperBlitz dashed back to Rhythm’s side.

“Hyper, what are you-” Rhythm began.

“I forgot to give you a hug!” Hyper gave Rhythm a tight squeeze around the neck. The yellow Pegasus bounded back. “Alright, now I’ll see you later!”

The door closed, and Rhythm stood silent for a moment, perplexed. Shaking his head, he chuckled a bit. His eyes met Heartfelt’s eyes, which read the exact same ‘that just happened’ expression.

“Oh, I got a gift for you,” Rhythm brought up randomly.

“What? You didn’t have to get me anything…” Heartfelt started to protest.

“Nah, it’s okay. We found it in camp.” Rhythm levitated the necklace out of his saddlebag.

Heartfelt raised her hoof up where Rhythm displayed it. “A necklace? It’s beautiful.”

Rhythm telekinetically pulled apart the magnetic clasp and reattached it behind Heartfet’s neck. The pendant hung just above her chest. “Just like you,” Rhythm said with a smirk.

Heartfelt rolled her eyes, “Oh, please.” She took another look at the necklace. “It’s in such good condition.”

“We found it in a safe,” Rhythm remarked.

“Huh.” The Unicorn mare was quiet for a moment, her mind turning. “Actually, I have a gift for you too.”

Heartfelt swirled around and Rhythm took a few steps to follow her. She disappeared into the bedroom and reappeared, almost bumping into Rhythm. In her lime green magic was something made of fabric.

“I finally got around to making this, but,” Heartfelt stated, showing the sock, “It doesn’t look like it’s very useful right now.”

Eyes shafting down to his stub and the sock again, Rhythm let out a little laugh. “Here, let me see it.” Cyan magic took the sock. Rhythm slipped it on his half leg and began cuffing it several times. “There. Now it covers up my ugly stub,” he smiled.

Heartfelt shook her head in amusement. “You’re in a lot better of a mood than I expected. Given you’re missing a leg.”

“Hey, sometimes you just gotta joke about it.”

Heartfelt gave him a small gape.

“I mean yeah, when I first lost my leg, that was serious. But this is a fake leg. I can make fun of it if I want,” Rhythm justified, carefree.

After a sigh, Heartfelt tilted her muzzle up and kissed Rhythm. “I missed you.”

“Missed you too,” Rhythm returned.

There was another moment where Heartfelt thought of what she was going to say. “Actually, I’ve been in the beginning stages of packing. It’s a bit ahead of schedule, but I have to watch JumpingJolt for SweetHooves for a while.”

“So next time I come to town, I should go to SweetHooves place?” Rhythm questioned.

“Yep,” Heartfelt confirmed.

“Good to know. Although that makes me kinda sad. I won’t be able to come here and spend quality alone time with you,” Rhythm said with a small pout.

Placing her hoof on his chest, Heartfelt addressed with a smirk,“Well, I can give you all the cuddles you want while you're in town. You have to stay a few days, right?”

“Yeah. Not sure what I’m supposed to do all this time,” Rhythm pondered for a moment. “Maybe I could interview some recruits for my camp. Could you help me set up a request?”

“Of course. I can do that tomorrow when I go into work,” Heartfelt assured him.

“Sounds good.”

With a dip of his head, Rhythm placed his horn next to Heartfelt’s. While his head was still next to hers, Rhythm gave her another kiss. He was grateful to be back with his wife again. His thoughts had been chaotic, but presences alone could calm them. When he kissed her, all of his troubles seemed to melt away.

Rhythm would be missed in camp, but a break couldn’t hurt. A break with Heartfelt. That’s all he could ever ask for.

Chapter 24

HyperBlitz laid in a relaxed position on the floor. His eyes gleamed with pride as he watched his son fumble around. While JumpingJolt was able to walk, he still had uneasy, wobbly movements. The little colt moved back to the middle of the play mat where Hyper was sitting. Hyper beamed as JumpingJolt began babbling at him. From the corner of the room, SweetHooves watched with joy.

“Yeah, you’re almost a big foal now, aren’t you! Learning to talk and everything!” Hyper responded to his son. Dipping his head, he kissed JumpingJolt’s forehead.

Hyper raised to his hooves, Jolt still watching him intently. Hyper scooped him up in a foreleg and placed him in his crib. While he closed the gate, Jolt gave a few whimpers of protest.

While Hyper still eyed JumpingJolt, he spoke to SweetHooves. “I’ve missed both you and JJ since I’ve been on my mission. I can’t wait until both of you can come to camp. I guess we have to make the camp kid proof, though.”

“Speaking of children,” SweetHooves began and Hyper turned to her. “Flicker was over here a couple weeks ago looking for you.”

“Really?” Hyper wondered with surprise and then disappointment. “I haven’t seen him in months. I wish we weren’t all separated.”

“I told him you were on a mission,” SweetHooves said.

“Did you tell him about my wing?” Hyper questioned cautiously.

SweetHooves shook her head. “I wasn’t sure how to.”

“That’s understandable… Maybe at least tell his mother,” Hyper sighed.

“He came here all by himself. I had to walk him home,” SweetHooves told him, rolling her maroon eyes.

Hyper shook his head and smirked. “He’s a little stinker.”

“He takes after you,” SweetHooves added.

“I mean, that’s kind of obvious.” HyperBlitz trailed off, thinking for a moment. “Maybe I could check in with them before I head back to camp. I do want to pick up a few things in town anyway.”

“Before you go,” SweetHooves addressed. “I wanted to tell you something.” Hyper gave her his full attention. “I’m actually going on a mission of my own.”

“Seriously? What is it?” Hyper asked with interest.

“I’m setting off with a group of ponies who were assigned to help a village. They needed a medic, so I agreed. I thought it might keep me busy while you were away.”

“Really? That’s awesome!” Hyper wrapped his forelegs around the mare and hugged her. “I’m so proud of you!”

After he let go, he paused a moment. “Wait, but what about JumpingJolt?”

“Heartfelt’s going to watch him,” SweetHooves assured.

“Hmm… you sure she’ll know how?” Hyper wondered. He trusted Heartfelt, but knew she had not had a child of her own. Not yet, of course.

“She’s a responsible mare. I trust her with Jolt more than anyone else.”

“Well, you’ve got good instincts, so I should believe your decision,” Hyper told her.

Hyper began walking out of the room. SweetHooves tapped the feathers of his tail with a pink hoof. He twisted his neck around.

“You could stay a little longer? Can’t you? It won’t take that long to get back to camp,” SweetHooves insisted.

Hyper exhaled. “Of course.” Turning the rest of his body around, he leaned in to kiss her. “I have to make up for lost time anyway, don’t I?”

HyperBlitz had picked up a few bags of food before heading back to camp. He knew with extra mouths to feed, it would be needed. Soaring above the desert, he glanced at everything below. On the outskirts of Los Pegasus there was some Hybrid activity. Surely the cities’ security could take care of it.

He flew over where the collapsed Hybrid camp was. He noted that the river had been blocked, and was trickling out of the stones in small streams. The oil pump still stood tall, but didn’t appear to be operational.

When HyperBlitz returned to camp, he was greeted by EchoBeat, who was out gardening. He returned the Earth Pony a short greeting and made his way to the apartments. He entered the one where the newcomers were staying.

“I’ve got some more food for you,” Hyper announced to them.

“Really?” ThunderCharm said from the ground where she was sitting.

“Why are you on the floor?” Hyper questioned.

“I like sitting on the floor…” Thunder murmured.

Hyper smiled a bit and took a seat for himself on the couch. He took off his saddlebags and removed the contents. Several bags were arranged on the coffee table.

“Those are all for us?” Iridescent pondered.

“Yeah. I mean, you don’t have to eat them all at once. But they’re yours. You need it,” Hyper reassured.

He could feel Blackout’s eyes glaring at him from the hallway. Eye, however. One of his eyes was covered by black hair. The dark grey Pegasus stomped across the room and exited the building.

“I’m sorry about him,” Iridescent began.

“Hey, you don’t have to be sorry about the way he acts. That’s his own deal,” Hyper told her.

“It’s just… I feel ashamed that he acts that way. I wish he would be a little more grateful.”

There was a short pause where Hyper wondered for a moment. “Is he actually your brother? Like, blood related?”

Iridescent’s face shot up and her eyes widened. “Yes, actually. A lot of ponies ask us if we’re really related. I know we don’t look alike, or act alike, but we are siblings. They say the only thing we have in common is our eyes.”

Hyper could see that she was right. She had the same purple eye color as Blackout, and the same eye shape. However, the look in her eyes was much more friendly.

“Hmm, okay. I was just wondering,” Hyper said.

“He can be nice sometimes,” Iridescent tried to defend. “But… he’s usually only nice around me. And ThunderCharm too, since she’s our friend.”

“He’s got to really trust a pony to open up to them, huh?” Hyper assumed.

Iridescent nodded, while ThunderCharm explained, “Blackout’s really protective of Iridescent.” She was still sitting on the floor, but was now shifting through the bags on the coffee table.

“Why are you telling me all this?” Hyper requested with curiosity.

“Because you seem like a trustworthy pony,” Thunder replied.

“You trust me? Blackout doesn’t. And you’re a rogue- oh, outlander. Sorry,” Hyper corrected as he peered at Iridescent.”

“It’s okay. I’m only one because I grew up in a gang’s camp. And… I guess I agree with some beliefs.

“And that’s alright. I understand that not every pony stands with the Resistance. But I truly believe that the Resistance is the only group of ponies who are actively trying to make Equestria a better place. And take that from me. I used to be just like you and Blackout.”

Hyper stopped talking for a moment. He leapt off the couch and faced the two young mares. “But I have no right to change your minds. You can live how you like. You are welcome in our camp for as long as you like, and may leave whenever you like. I should go, I probably have some work to do. But don’t be afraid to ask for anything.” He gave them a short nod and left them alone.

Once outside, Hyper caught sight of Blackout again. He was given another dirty look and was disregarded. Shifting his head to the left, Hyper made eye contact with EchoBeat.

“What are we going to do about that one,” Echo sighed.

“Just ignore him,” Hyper said. “It’s best not to engage with toxic ponies. Maybe he’ll come around, or maybe he won’t. We're here to help ponies, and they can decide whether they accept that help or not.”

“I know, you’re right.” Echo nodded. He pivoted around and entered the small tent.

HyperBlitz believed in his own morals. Yet he hoped that Blackout could come around and understand their ways. Even if he’d never be a recruit, he could at least show some decency. Not everyone in Equestria was a virtuous pony, as much as Hyper wished they could be.

It was the second morning since CharmingRhythm had been in Los Pegasus. The day prior he sent out a request through the Resistance’s system. Today there would be ponies interested to interview. Rhythm wanted to be as approachable as possible to his interviewees. He found an old shirt of his that still had a right sleeve, which he tied into a knot under his stub. There were some ponies in the world that found amputations appalling, so the best he could do was cover it up.

Rhythm walked together with Heartfelt on her way to work. He stopped at the desk while she settled into her station.

“Good luck,” Heartfelt smiled.

“Thanks,” Rhythm said and kissed her from across the desk. “Have a good day. I’ll come talk to you when I’m done!”

Rhythm hobbled through the wide hallway and trekked to the meeting center. Excitement urged his legs to move faster, but he knew he couldn’t risk losing balance and causing a scene. He had already received a couple repulsed looks from ponies on his walk. They could be a little less obvious, Rhythm noted, but did not let their stares get him down. Even if ponykind was built on kindness and acceptance, there would still be a few outliers.

In the meeting center there were several separate offices where ponies could be interviewed. Outside of those offices were chairs for ponies to wait. Rhythm noticed that there were already a few ponies outside the room he had reserved. He gave them a nod as he passed by and entered.

The first pony to come in was a gold Unicorn with a brilliant orange mane. Rhythm thought she looked to be around his age, but could not be sure. She introduced herself as SunSwirl.

“So, what abilities could you use for a camp?” Rhythm prompted.

“My special talent is potion making. I studied since I was a filly, and have a few degrees under my belt,” SunSwirl stated.

“Hmm. We could use another pony who knows how to make potions,” Rhythm considered.

SunSwirl seemed like an experienced pony. She was proud of her achievements, but she did not boast. She seemed like the type of mare to teach lessons to ponies. Rhythm accepted her on his crew.

The next pony was a young, light green Unicorn with yellow markings. He pushed the ragged purple hair out of his face when he sat down.

“You seem familiar,” Rhythm remarked, scrutinizing the Unicorn. He could not recall who he reminded him of.

“You look familiar too!” The young stallion replied.

“Really?” Rhythm cocked his head. “That’s weird.” He proceeded to let the pony talk.

“I’m Tailor. If you can’t tell by my name, I’m good at making clothes!” The Unicorn smiled.

“How old are you?” Rhythm questioned.

“Eighteen,” Tailor said.

A very young recruit. He must have been working for the Resistance for maybe a year, two at max. He seemed inexperienced and fidgety. He was not a pony Rhythm would trust keeping up a camp.

“I don’t think this is the right kind of mission for you, kid. I’m sorry,” Rhythm told him sympathetically.

“That’s okay,” Tailor spoke quietly and stood up.

He stared at Rhythm for a moment. From his new angle, he could see Rhythm’s sleeve covered half leg. His eyes widened.

“Oh! I remember now! You look like a pony my dad works with. Missing the same leg too! Although you’re a lot more blue than him. And younger.”

Rhythm blinked for a moment. “That sounds like my dad.”

“Hmm...okay,” was all that Tailor said. He left.

Rhythm was confused for a moment, his brain feeling scattered. The image of the young pony was still in his mind. He remembered the yellow splotches. Patchwork.

The next ponies were a couple, a bit older than Rhythm. Sugarpine a tan Earth Pony, and her husband, Carpenter, a red Earth Pony. Rhythm could already guess what Carpenter's talent was, which he explained, woodworking and building. Perfect for refurbishing old homes. Sugarpine was a baker, and could grow food. Both were good fits.

“The only problem is,” Sugarpine spoke up, “We have a young son. I’m not sure we can take him with us just yet. I’m sure an unfinished camp isn’t safe.”

Carpenter spoke to her and also Rhythm. “You could stay here and take care of him while I work on the camp. When it’s close to finish you could come too. If that would be alright?”

“That’s fine with me,” Rhythm said, shrugging. His movement caused his stub to become visible over the table. He quickly placed it back down and stiffened. “Sorry.”

“For what?” Carpenter asked.

“I know some ponies are… unsettled by amputations.”

“Hey, don’t worry about it.” Carpenter sat back and used his forehooves to prop up his left back leg on the table. It was a mechanical prosthetic. As he placed it back down, he told Rhythm, “I’m surprised you haven’t replaced yours.”

“Actually I’m waiting for it to be made. I broke my other one…” Rhythm disclosed.

“Well, hope you have it by the time I come to your camp,” Carpenter said.

“I’m sure I will,” Rhythm replied.

The last pony to come in was a dark green Pegasus. He was very short for a stallion, shorter than the average mare.

“My name is ForestWind. My talent isn’t very useful, but I have been fighting with the Resistance for many years. I could help you with any Hybrid issues at your camp,” the Pegasus claimed.

Rhythm nodded and thought. “Sure. There’s never enough fighting recruits. And I’m sure you can find yourself useful in other activities.”

“Also, I’d like my wife to come with me,” Forest added. “But, I don’t think she can come yet. You see, we have a foal. She has to take care of him while I am away.”

It sounded like the last couple. “That’s fine with me. Are you sure your wife would make a good addition?”

“She is an excellent fighter just like me. She’s not the most… approachable pony, but she is very intelligent,” Forest assured.

“Hmm. Alright. You’re on board. Hope to see you soon,” Rhythm addressed to him.

That was all of the ponies who had been interested. CharmingRhythm had recruited three, and it would be five later down the road. It’s a good start, he thought. Standing up, he left the meeting room and made his way back to Heartfelt. He couldn’t wait to tell her the news.

Chapter 25

The clouds in the sky were thinner than usual, letting more shafts of sunlight down on the land. It had been four days since CharmingRhythm left for Los Pegasus. HyperBlitz kept up with all of the ponies and made sure they were doing alright. He really was not sure how to run the camp or assign duties. Even so, ponies found their own tasks to do without direction.

Hyper eyed ThunderCharm who had snuck out of her apartment. She had fear in her eyes and her head hung low. Hyper raced over to meet her.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” He asked.

“Blackout and Iri keep arguing,” Thunder murmured.

“Why?”

“Blackout wants to go back to his camp, but Iridescent doesn’t,” Thunder disclosed. “I mean, I don’t want to either. They held me prisoner!”

“I understand,” Hyper told her. He could tell their argument must have startled Thunder badly.

Hyper resumed trotting and entered the building. There the siblings were bickering. Blackout caught sight of the outsider and bared his teeth.

“Keep out of this! This has nothing to do with you!”

“Hey, I just want to keep peace in this camp,” Hyper asserted

“And why is it always up to you?” Blackout growled.

“Because I was put in charge. Why the fuck are you acting so rude to your sister?” Hyper inquired.

“She’s becoming a Resistance sympathizer,” Blackout spat

“No I’m not! You know I don’t have the same beliefs as them!” Iridescent defended.

“Then why do you want to abandon our gang?”

“Because I don’t want to be taken prisoner and punished!” Iridescent replied, her voice shrill.

‘We should have never left to begin with,” Blackout muttered as he shook his head, his black hair following.

“You know we had to! We couldn’t let them keep Thunder. And you know that!” Iridescent shot back.

Blackout snorted. “I don’t even know why I try. There’s no convincing you.” He pressed forward, bumping into Hyper on his way out.

“Hey,” Hyper called to Blackout, stepping outside. “You can talk shit to me all you want, but there’s no reason to speak to your sister like that.”

“I told you to stay out of this.” Blackout snapped. “For Celestia’s sake, why do all of you Resistance get into other ponies business?”

“Because we want to help ponies,” Hyper responded.

“Yeah, helping ponies by wasting your energy on Hybrids?” Blackout retorted mockingly.

“At least we're actually fighting the Hybrids! Rogues only fight them when they get too close,” Hyper rebutted.

“That’s how it should be!”

“I agree,” Iridescent spoke. “We shouldn’t be fighting Hybrids anyway. We’re killing ponies.”

“Listen, I completely understand where you’re coming from.” Hyper turned to Iridescent. He now spoke in a softer tone. “Hybrids were ponies, but there’s no way to reverse it. The Resistance has the most advanced technology, and we still haven’t found a cure to Hybrids. So until we do, we have to keep fighting back.”

“Please, you all boast about your technology all the time,” Blackout rolled his eyes.

SpinningNote entered the conversation, intrigued by the commotion. “Technology that you rogues steal from us. You wonder why you got your name, and continue to attack and raid us.”

“At least we don’t waste that technology,” Blackout attempted to defend.

“Can’t you understand that the Resistance are the only ponies trying to make the world a better place?” Hyper exclaimed, his volume increased.

“Maybe I will once you stay out of everyone’s business! You always think you’re right!” Blackout shouted. His wings were stretched out and his posture opposing.

“Could we please stop arguing. We’re obviously getting nowhere,” Spinning said, rubbing his face with an indigo hoof.

Blackout, as frustrated as ever, stomped away. He flicked his black and red tail as he entered into one of the streets. The rest of the ponies stood there silently, unnerved from the clash. Hyper saw that ThunderCharm had been watching too. He shifted over to her.

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have brought it outside,” He tried to comfort her distressed expression.

The young mare shook her head, and returned to the apartment.

Back in Los Pegasus, CharmingRhythm just had new leg fitted. Now in the entrance hall of the main building, he waited for Heartfelt to finish with a client at the front desk. The pony she was talking with eyed Rhythm, who was impatiently walking in place. He stopped when he met eyes with the pony, a bit embarrassed. Heartfelt noticed the pony glancing over her shoulder, and turned around.

“Oh, that’s my husband,” She explained to the pony with a smile.

As the pony finished at the desk and left, Rhythm briskly gaited to Heartfelt. He enthusiastically threw his forelegs on the desk with a wide grin.

“I see! You got your new leg!” Heartfelt tapped on his foreleg. “It’s nice and shiny too.”

“I know! It feels so good to have a leg again,” Rhythm replied, still beaming.

“Rhythm. I know you’re eager to get back to your camp, but you know what I’m going to ask you.” Heartfelt raised her brows and tilted her head a bit.

Her eyes enticed him, and told him without words to stay another night. “Hmm,” Rhythm held back a groan with a tight mouth. Raising is head up he let out, “Fine! But I have to leave first thing in the morning.”

“Thanks, babe,” Heartfelt said with a warm smile.

She gave him a kiss on the tip of his nose. Rhythm leapt off the desk and trotted around it. While heading to the doors, he twisted his neck back.

“I’ll see you when you get off work!” He called. “Then we can really test out that sock!”

Heartfelt giggled a bit and returned to her deskwork.

The next morning, Rhythm arrived in the camp, bringing more supplies back with him. He was glad to see they were keeping up with their work. FeatherTune was fluttering above, carrying a toolbox, which he sat down on a roof.

“Rhythm! Welcome back!” FeatherTune greeted. He swooped down and gave Rhythm a hug.

“Thanks dude,” Rhythm smiled.

“You got a new leg!” Feather noted. “It looks the same as the other one…” He stared at it as if he was expecting something more exciting.

“I didn’t feel like bothering my dad to design a completely new one,” Rhythm clarified casually.

“Hmm, alright.” Feather shrugged.

Rhythm proceeded to find HyperBlitz. The yellow Pegasus was flying above. Rhythm called out to him. Hyper’s ears flicked and his face lit up at the sound of his voice. Hyper too flew into a hug with Rhythm, but with more force than Feather. He almost knocked Rhythm off his hooves.

“You’re back! I missed you!” Hyper spoke through a grin. He let the Unicorn go.

“Hey, hey! It was just a few days!” Rhythm responded.

“Yeah, I know. But I still missed you,” Hyper said.

“So how did things go while I was gone?” Rhythm questioned.

“Uh, fine. Except a lot of arguing with the newcomers. And when I say newcomers I mean Blackout,” Hyper said blandly.

“Huh. Kinda expected that,” Rhythm replied, nodding his head. “I’m gonna go meet up with the others.” Rhythm patted Hyper’s back as he passed by him.

HyperBlitz made another round in the camp, checking up on ponies. He stumbled upon Jet and Blackout, who appeared to be arguing. He asked what was going on.

“He says he can fly faster than me!” Blackout spat.

Hyper was confused for a moment. That was actually something Blackout was upset over?

“How do you think I got my name? I’m the fastest Pegsus around!” Jet boasted.

“Now hold on,” Hyper began. “Are you so sure of that? Last I checked, I was the fastest flier in the south west.” Hyper claimed with a smirk.

“Huh?” Jet let out.

“Seriously? With that wing?” Blackout snickered. “No way you’re as fast as either of us.”

Hyper took that insult to heart. Of course, he wasn't sure if he was as fast as he once was with his new wing. But he wouldn’t let these young stallions overthrow his title without a fight.

“You wanna bet?” Hyper cocked his head.

“Let’s race!” Jet exclaimed. “Then we can settle it once and for all!”

“Sounds good to me,” Hyper agreed.

“You’re on,” Blackout joined with a challenging expression

All the ponies in camp gather at the west outskirts of the village. The three Pegasi lined up, with space in between them wide enough for their wingspans. BlazingFlair stepped up in front of them to define the rules.

“The race is between here, the ocean, and back! You’re all required to bring a water bottle and collect water from the ocean. This is to prove you actually made it there. No cheating! You cannot bump into another racer or block his path. You must keep your distance. Do you understand?”

“Yes!” The three Pegasi responded. Each one of them had a water bottle strapped to a foreleg.

“On “go”, you will go!” Blazing announced, and took his place behind the Pegasi. “Three. Two. One. Go!”

Jet took a powerful leap into the air. Blackout ascended with rapid bursts of wing beats. Hyper was last to take flight, taking off with a running start. Once they were all in the air, they soared at similar paces.

The ground shrank below Hyper as he rose higher into the sky. They passed the stream and train tracks, and made their way over the open desert. Below, Hyper is noticed as a small Hybrid outpost. There was a node along with a shake and some other machinery. It was much farther from the camp than the previous nodes they had dealt with. Hyper wondered if they should address it at a later date.

The outpost was far behind them now. Hyper focused his eyes on the horizon. The dark outline of the ocean came into view. Hyper began angling himself downward, knowing he’d have to reach the water. Even though he came close to the ground, he almost forgot to slow down; he’d have to turn around. Extending his foreleg, he scooped up water in the bottle as he passed over the shoreline. Quickly, with his other hoof, he snapped the bottle shut.

A column of air created by the ocean pushed Hyper over the ocean and let him swivel around with ease. Ahead of him, Jet and Blackout had already spun around and taken lead. While above them, Hyper took note of their wing structures. Both were similar to his natural wing shape, but with a few differences. Jet’s striped wings were thinner, good for taking advantage of high wind speeds. Blackout’s were broader, built for soaring across uneven air currents. Hyper was determined to not be defeated because he possessed two different wing shapes.

Using the wind blowing in from the ocean, Hyper continued to elevate himself. The two other Pegasi were gaining distance, but not for long. Once he felt he was high enough, Hyper angled himself downward. He gave a few strong wing beats for extra thrust. Gravity aided in his rapid descent, causing him to overtake the two other Pegasi. Hyper didn’t even dare look back at them.

Don’t flap your wing; glide. Keep your wings almost straight, with the slightest angle to keep up lift. Tuck in your forelegs. Keep your back legs straight and connected. Ears pushed back. Don’t turn your head. Only when your flight begins to decrease, then you may use your wings for thrust.

The camp came back into sight, ponies watching below. Hyper didn’t slow down to land, he didn’t want to give the others a chance to catch up. Instead, he sped right over the camp. The sounds of his friends cheering mixed with the rushing wind. Tilting his wings, Hyper took a wide turn to circle around the camp and slow his descent. Blackout and Jet were already on the ground as Hyper aimed to land.

He miscalculated his landing speed. As usual. His hooves skidded across the desert soil, and the water bottle strapped to his leg bumped across the ground. Stumbling, he hit his chin against the dirt.

“Hyper!” Blazing called out and galloped over to him. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah… I'm good. Fuck..” Hyper sat up straight. Blood dripped from his chin. He used a foreleg to wipe it off.

“You won!” Blazing declared.

“Guess you still are the fastest!” Feather exclaimed. “I wasn’t expecting that. I mean... With your wing and all.”

“Honestly, neither was I. Glad I know now!” Hyper’s eyes gleamed with vitality. He stood up and faced the group of ponies.

“Well, that was something to come back to,'' Rhythm remarked.

“I can't believe I came in last!” Blackout fussed.

“Hey, you put up a fair fight,” Hyper told him. "But I will say, you call your wings too much."

“What?” Blackout shot.

“Fast flying is all about technique. I can teach you if you like,” Hyper offered.

“Teach me? I-” Blackout thought about it for a second. “I don’t know. I mean, how can I trust you?” He casted his eyes away.

Hyper could tell it wasn’t a complete refusal. He realized that maybe some friendly competition was exactly what Blackout needed to warm up to these ponies. He did play fair after all, which was more than Hyper could hope for.

Chapter 26

A bit after the race, the camp began to calm down. HyperBlitz had treated his scrapes and was now looking for something to do. His ears flicked as he heard a shout.

“HyperBlitz!” Spinning’s voice sounded from across the camp. Hyper twisted his neck around to peer at him. “Meeting!”

Hyper dashed inside, trailing behind Spinning’s black tail. Both of them entered the meeting room and gathered with the four other stallions.

“Alright, I brought some more supplies back from the city. Another mattress too,” CharmingRhythm began. “I also have some good news.”

“Aren’t the supplies good news? So that would be more good news?” FeatherTune pointed out.

Rhythm sighed. “Yeah, yeah. But for real. I interviewed some ponies when I was in Los Pegasus. I recruited a few for this camp!”

“That sounds great!” Blazing responded. “How many?”

“Three at the moment. But there will be two more later down the line. They have to look after their children. A Unicorn, Pegasus and Earth Pony.” Rhythm realized in his mind it was one of each species.

“Will the Earth Pony help with gardening?” EchoBeat spoke up.

“I, uh-” Rhythm hesitated. “He does construction so um… no.” Rhythm replied with a smile that was almost a grimace.

“I need more help with gardening,” Echo asserted. “There’s plenty of Pegasi and Unicorns in camp, but I need Earth Ponies. I can’t do everything on my own!”

“I understand, Echo.” Rhythm dipped his head, and then shook it. “I guess I didn’t think of that. I’ll write that down.”

For a moment, Rhythm hopped off his stool and reached for a cabinet. He levitated out a notebook from it. Returning to the table he began writing.

“Shouldn’t Blazing be helping Echo?” Spinning remarked.

“I… yeah, I should be. Sorry. I haven’t been doing that as much as I should,” Blazing apologized, his eyes shifting over to Echo.

“Well, someone’s going to have to go back to Los Pegasus to interview ponies then,” Hyper pointed out.

“Hmm.” Rhythm bit the tip of his pen. With a flick of his magic he pointed it at FeatherTune. “Feather. Do you think you could fly there and interview ponies?”

“Me? You’d trust me to make decisions?” Feather cautioned.

“Of course I do! But it may take a couple days since you’ll have to put in a request…”

“We can put in a request from here,” Spinning said confidently. “We’re connected to the Resistance’s system now.”

“Really? That would be awesome. We’ll figure that out after the meeting,” Rhythm smiled.

“But, do you really want me to go alone?” Feather interjected before Rhythm could continue.

“I- well,” Rhythm’s mind turned once more. “Maybe Jet could go with you. I want Hyper in camp.”

“Wait, why?” Hyper cocked his head.

“Just because. And since you’ve gotten along with the newcomers the best,” Rhythm clarified.

Understanding, Hyper nodded. “Actually, there was something I wanted to report, if I could,” Hyper stated.

“Yeah, of course. I was getting around to that,” Rhythm smirked. “Go ahead.”

“When we were racing I saw a Hybrid outpost with a node. It was a bit farther than the other nodes we have dealt with in this area. I wasn’t sure if we should take it out or not.”

“Well, we took care of that Hybrid camp,” Rhythm considered. “We may as well.”

“Are we doing that before I go to Los Pegasus? Or do you even need me?” FeatherTune asked.

“Uh… Well, do we need a whole team for it?” Rhythm questioned, looking to Hyper for clarification.

“I think so,” Hyper confirmed.

“That answers that question. Anything else to report?” Rhythm glanced left and then right. When no other pony spoke he said, “Alright. That’s it for now. You’re all free.” Rhythm began to step away, but then casted his gaze to the opposite end of the table. “Except Hyper. I wanna talk.”

Hyper stood in his place as the others passed around him. Once the door had finally closed to the last pony, Hyper took a few paces closer to Rhythm.

“Is this about the outpost?” Hyper wondered.

Rhythm shook his head. “I just wanted to check up on you. I haven’t seen you in a few days. Are you doing any better?”

Hyper was a bit surprised by his concern, yet warmed at the same time. “I think I am, yeah. Knowing I’m still pretty fast with this wing is a relief. And the fact that you trust me enough to look after the camp.”

“I put you in charge because I know you’d know how to control the rogues. I think that should be your job.” Hyper tilted his head as Rhythm explained. “You’re good at making ponies feel welcome. I want you to situate any newcomers we get.”

“I can definitely do that,” Hyper smiled.

“Awesome. And I’m glad you’re doing better.” Rhythm wrapped his new leg around Hyper’s neck and pulled him in for a hug. “But don’t be afraid to open up if you need to.”

“I’ll try,” Hyper promised. “Thanks for trusting me with these kinds of duties. I think knowing I can help others will help me. It’s good to know I can have a purpose.”

“Of course you do. You’re a part of this team for a reason. And a part of this mission. I don’t know what I’d do without you.” Rhythm returned him a smile and then left the meeting room. Hyper followed after him, ready for the rest of the day.

Another day came in the camp. Hyper was watching Rhythm reattach a door to it’s frame. Hyper was a bit frustrated that Rhythm did not accept his help. Even then, he knew it wasn’t because he didn’t trust Hyper, but because he preferred working alone. Although Rhythm’s refusal for help hadn’t always gone his way in the past.

Angling his eyes upward, Rhythm scanned the sky past Hyper and the row of houses opposite their side of the street. Hyper turned to see what he was looking at. Two Pegasi were circling around the camp at a high altitude. Are they the same ones as before? Hyper wondered. What did they want with their camp? Soon enough, the Pegasi began retreating north.

“What do they want with us?” Rhythm echoed Hyper’s thoughts.

“I need to find out!” Hyper said through bared teeth.

He took off running down the street and outstretched his wings. With a quick thrust of wings and a leap, Hyper was airborne. Rhythm stood up on all four hooves and tried calling out to Hyper as he flew over the camp.

“Hyper! Wait! You can’t just follow them!”

Hyper didn’t hear him and continued to fly over the base. The two other Pegasi were still in sight, but appeared tiny on the horizon. With luck, Hyper would be fast enough to catch up with them. The gap began to close between them, but Hyper did not want to alert them of his presence, so he kept his distance.

Scanning the ground below, Hyper kept his eye out for any Hybrid activity. There were no traces of active Hybrids, although there was an already dissabled node. We didn’t get that one, Hyper thought. There must have been other ponies in the area, or perhaps a different Resistance team was sent on a bounty mission.

The flight following the Pegasi was a lot longer than Hyper had expected, but he was not ready to give up his chase. The ponies he pursued began descending as they traveled over hilly terrain. Mountains lined the right side of the desert. Between a valley, Hyper could make out a small gathering of houses. It was a village, and the Pegasi were dropping there.

Hyper kept his altitude as the ponies landed. Circling around the village, he was on the lookout for any evidence of the Resistance. There was no flag with the Resistance emblem that many camps had. No, this village appeared to be a run down neighborhood, but with plenty of ponies inside of it. On the outside of the village, a fence protected the perimeter.

Suddenly, a crack-boom sounded. Heart pounding, Hyper recognized the sound of gunfire. That was not the sound of Resistance weaponry. It was rogues, and they were shooting at him! A pair of Pegasi shot into the sky, darting towards Hyper. He could not tell if they were the same ones he had been following. Below, gunfire still rang out, but no bullet reached Hyper. They’ve got bad aim.

Swirling around, Hyper made a break for it. He hoped he could fly fast enough to outpace his pursuers. Glancing behind his shoulder, he could see they were still following him. Peering below again, Hyper looked for a way to lose their trail, but everything below was barren desert. Here and there were some shrubs or small trees, but nothing to hide behind.

Hyper glared upward. The puffy wall of clouds was just as far from him as the ground. Tilting his wings, Hyper rode the wind upward. He began beating his wings fast, and took in a sharp breath. Fuzzy grey shapes filled his vision, and he could feel dew beginning to collect on his fur. With one more thrust, Hyper shot upward, closing his eyes and mouth.

What felt like an eternity passed. Bursting out of the wall of clouds, Hyper entered the skies above. He drew in a breath of fresh air and opened his eyes. His eyes squinted at the harsh, bright light above the clouds. Everything was disorienting, but Hyper’s brain began to make sense of his surroundings, his eyes easing.

Endless waves of clouds stretched out in every direction. Blue of the brightest kind blanketed the sky. It was beautiful. A color so rich that it made everything else meaningless. The sun shone bright in the sky, burning yellow. Light scattered across the clouds, creating pigments of blue shadows. It was not the first time HyperBlitz had been above the clouds, but the last time was so long ago he forgot what it was like.

He gazed around in awe. It was a shame that non Pegasus ponies would never be able to see such a wonder. Hyper wished he could take a piece of the bright blue sky below and give it to his friends. He felt as if he was robbing ponies of this spectacle by just existing in it.

After a few moments, Hyper forced his brain to work past the pleasant visuals. He had to move and make sure the Pegasi weren’t still following. He trailed over the clouds, and began running along them. He felt sprinkles of water tickle at his legs. Despite the clouds having been tarnished by pollution, they still held magic that connected with Pegasi. He could walk on clouds!

Hyper took flight again, a vapor trail flowing behind him. He arched his path up and then downward again. Once again he closed his eyes and held his breath. Barging out to the world below, Hyper took in the sight of the desert. Everything was so dull and grey compared to the sky above. Nothing could quite compare to it, not even the brightest paints. Perhaps the closest thing to the brilliant blue was that of an energy crystal.

Shooting a glimpse behind himself, Hyper saw that the Pegasi had retreated. It was safe to fly back to the camp now. He relaxed his wings, knowing he did not need to rush anymore. The flight back felt excruciatingly long.

Back in camp, many ponies stared up at the sky as Hyper returned. As he landed, CharmingRhythm raced towards him.

“Hyper! What were you thinking?!”

“Sorry! I had to find out what they wanted!” Hyper snapped back.

“And did you find out?” Rhythm pressed.

“Well- no. But I did find another camp. I think it’s a rogue camp. They began shooting at me!” Hyper exclaimed, extending a foreleg.

“With guns?” Blazing gawked.

“Yeah! They almost followed me back, but I was able to lose them,” Hyper said.

“Great, now they know we’re here!” Feather spat.

“They already knew to begin with! They flew over our camp,” Hyper countered.

“Well, I guess they know now that we're interested in them too,” Rhythm stated. “Can’t really do anything about that now. We better be ready next time they fly over here. For right now, let’s just get back to work.”

As the ponies began to disperse, Hyper trotted up behind Rhythm, “I’m sorry. You’re right, I shouldn’t have done that. It was stupid.” Hyper shook his head.

“Hey, it’s okay,” Rhythm assured him. “I get you wanted to know what they were up to. And at least we know there are rogues around that we have to look out for.”

Hyper huffed, frustrated with himself. Rhythm patted his shoulder with a prosthetic hoof.

“Don’t beat yourself up dude. I know you sometimes act on impulse. Why don’t you go rest? You were out for a while there. The flight must have been tiring.” Rhythm addressed with care.

“Alright.” Hyper nodded and headed towards the base.

What do those rogues want? Hyper wondered. Are they just checking to see if ponies live here now? Like Rhythm had said, there wasn’t much they could do now. All there was left to do was wait.

Chapter 27

Work in the camp continued for the next couple of days without interruptions. Team Xero had decided to wait a few days before addressing the Hybrid outpost and sending FeatherTune to interview ponies. CharmingRhythm wanted to be in camp when any new recruits arrived.

HyperBlitz was helping Jet move some furniture. Hovering, he carried a small table towards a doorway. He carefully let it go just above the ground. He let his four hooves sit on the ground too, and overlooked their work. As Jet moved the table inside, HyperBlitz noticed ThunderCharm trotting towards him with bright eyes.

“HyperBlitz! Blazing was telling me about your music! I knew your team name was Xero, but I didn’t know it was that Xero! You know.. With an X…. You have music on the radio!”

“Yeah, you know it?” Hyper replied with a smirk, amused.

“Yeah! Blazing says you do most of the vocals?” Thunder wondered.

“I do.” Hyper dipped his head.

“You have an amazing voice!” She returned genuinely.

That complement warmed Hyper. “Well, thank you… You sure you know which one’s are our songs?” He raised a brow.

“Yeah! You did In The End, and Numb, and One Step Closer,” Thunder listed a few.

“How do you remember all the names….” Hyper asked, floored.

“It’s not that hard…” Thunder stated bashfully. “I would record the songs from the radio on a tape player for myself. But.. I lost it.” She gazed at the ground.

“We can get you copies of our songs, even songs we haven’t published to the radio,” Hyper offered.

“Seriously?! That would be awesome!” She beamed with excitement.

“I’m glad we could make someone happy with our music. That really means a lot,” Hyper spoke with honesty.

“Music means a lot to me. It helps me through tough times,” Thunder said in a soft tone.

“I understand. Me too,” Hyper agreed, nodding. “You play anything?”

“What? N-no. I can’t play or sing. I’m no good at music. I just enjoy it.” Thunder replied.

“Ah. Just wondering,” Hyper said, beginning to trail off.

“Oh, yeah,” Thunder spoke up. “I was wondering if there’s any way I could help around the camp. I’ve been here for over a week now, and I feel like I’m useless just standing around. We still owe you for saving us!”

“Oh- no. You don’t owe us anything, really,” Hyper assured. “It’s just our job. But if you really do want to help, it would be appreciated. Anything you have in mind particularly?”

“Maybe painting? If you have anything to paint,” Thunder mused.

“I’m sure we do. Why don’t you go ask CharmingRhythm. He probably knows what needs done best.” Hyper glanced over his shoulder, wondering where his Unicorn friend was.

“Alright. Thank you!” ThunderCharm began cantering off, and then slowed to a half. She turned back and asked, “Will you really get me copies of your music?”

“Yeah, of course. I promise,” Hyper responded with a grin.

Thunder returned him a soft smile and a nod. The young mare dashed off in search of Rhythm. Hyper watched her go, feeling astonished. He had a fan! He wondered how many other ponies were interested in his music like this young mare.

While inside one of the houses, CharmingRhythm was setting up a collection of furniture. They had refurbished an old wooden table and its chairs that were still in good condition. It made a nice dining room, Rhythm thought. Viewing a portion of a house finished was satisfying.

As Rhythm left the house, he bumped into ThunderCharm. He took a few steps back to create space as the young mare recomposed herself.

“Hyper says you guys could use some help painting. If I could be useful in any way, I’d like to help.” Thunder gave him an eager smile.aa

“Um, yeah,” Rhythm said as he looked back through the doorway. “I think there’s some walls in here that could use some painting. Hold up. Let me go find some paint and brushes.”

He dashed over to one of the sheds they kept supplies in. Rhythm never considered Thunder or her friends aiding in the camp restoration. But if they were willing to, they would make a welcomed part of the crew. Good luck getting Blackout to help, Rhythm thought with amusement as he picked out some brushes.

Rhythm gave Thunder a broad brush as he levitated a can of paint inside. He showed Thunder the bedroom that could use a new coat of paint.

Exiting the building once again, Rhythm scanned down the street. Feather was speaking with Ash, but they were too far for Rhythm to hear. Feather tilted his head upward, peering over a roof. Rhythm copied his movement and looked in the same direction.

Two figures flew above the base building. They’re back? Rhythm wondered. They continued to circle, and began to descend. A few seconds later, a green Pegasus swooped over Rhythm’s head, leaving a trail of wind. Not expecting them to fly so close, his heart lurched. Both the green Pegasus and another, a gold Pegasus, landed at the southern border of the village.

Rhythm raced towards them, with Feather and Ash following suit. The two outsiders met up with Rhythm as he stepped out in the open.

“I think one of your ponies followed us the other day,” the green Pegasus spoke up.

“Yeah, they only showed up right after we came around here,” the gold one added. She flipped her black mane out of her eyes.

“And why exactly are you flying above our camp?” Rhythm pressed assertively.

“Camp? Pftt, you call this a camp?” The gold Pegasus scoffed.

Rhythm didn’t let that comment bother him. He knew his camp was in the works, it didn’t matter what outsiders thought of it. “You didn’t answer my question.”

“Well, we were looking for some ponies. But then we saw that we might have some new neighbors,” The green one explain, raising a brow. They scrutinized Rhythm thoroughly, the gold Pegasus doing the same.

“You aren’t welcome near our camp any time. Resistance,” the mare spat and shot a glance at Rhythm’s leg.

“And who says you are welcome here?” Rhythm countered.

“Hey, Rhythm-” Thunder’s voice sounded from behind his tail.

He halfway spun around to glance at the lavender Pegasus. Gazing past Rhythm, Thunder’s eyes widened with fear. With a quick jolt, Thunder turned tail and darted down the street. She hid in an alley a few houses down. For a moment, Rhythm was bewildered by her actions, but as he turned his vision forward again, he began to understand. The rogues were looking at him furiously.

“You’re hiding them here!” The green Pegasus bared their teeth.

“We’re not keeping anyone here. They’re here on their own terms,” Rhythm replied.

“What’s going on?” HyperBlitz called out, racing to the scene on hoof.

The gold Pegasus eyed Hyper. “You’re the pony who flew to our camp, aren’t you? They reported a pony with a fake wing.”

Hyper stiffened. He did not like the term fake wing. “What are you doing here?” He snapped.

“Seems like you're keeping some ponies held here,” the Pegasus mare shot back. She stood hoof to hoof with Hyper, her pink eyes glowering into his face.

“Sounds like bullshit to me,” Hyper sneered.

“Watch your mouth, or you’re gonna lose your other wing.”

“Wasp!” The green Pegasus commanded. “We can’t risk a fight.”

Wasp stepped back and snorted.

“Nobody is keeping us here,” the voice of Iridescent spoke up.

She cantered over to the gathering of ponies. Blackout was right behind her, his face holding conflicting emotions.

“They saved us from Hybrids,” Iridescent continued. “We’ve stayed here to recuperate. They’ve welcomed us in their camp.” She spoke firmly.

“You seriously let Hybrids get you?” the unnamed Pegasus mocked. “And then you get rescued by the Resistance? Have you gone soft?”

“You wish!” Blackout spat. “Why don’t you mind your fucking business?”

“You wouldn’t have got caught if you didn’t leave the camp!” Wasp said.

“We left because you were keeping our friend prisoner!” Iridescent retorted.

“You should have known she wouldn’t be welcome. And you can keep her here.” Wasp looked past the row of ponies. Behind a wall, ThunderCharm’s head peered out, watching in fear.

“Come on,” Wasp flicked her head back. “Let’s get back to our camp. Leave these Resistance fuckers.”

“No,” Iridescent responded strictly.

“What?” the Pegasus next to Wasp let out.

“What do you mean ‘no’?” Wasp cocked her head. “You’re just going to leave your gang behind?”

“I’m not going to go back where they keep innocent ponies hostage,” Iridescent claimed. “I’m starting to see now. You’re all wrong. Selfish.”

“And what about your dad huh? You’re just going to leave him too?” Wasp shot back.

“If dad actually cared about us he’d be out looking for us too!” Blackout spoke up. “Has he?”

“Well, no,” the green Pegasus mumbled. “He hasn’t even said much since you two have been gone.”

“My point exactly,” Blackout said. “He doesn’t care about us. Hasn’t since mom died. I’ve been blind to not realize that.” Blackout shook his black and red mane.

“C’mon, Blackout, you’re not leaving your gang behind too are you?” Wasp tempted.

Blackout glanced between them and his sister. He was conflicted. It was easy to see that he wished he could go back, that he could leave the Resistance behind. But there was fondness for Iridescent behind that mask of toughness.

“If Iridescent isn’t going back, neither am I,” He asserted.

“You’re fucking kidding me,” Wasp blurted out.

“You heard me,” Blackout muttered.

“Fine, we don’t need you anyway,” the green Pegasus said as they extended their wings.

After they took flight, Wasp gave Rhythm a stare of pure hatred. “Don’t think we’re done with you.” She bounded into the air and followed her ally.

For a moment, the ponies stood there, stunned. They watched the two Pegasi disappear into the sky. Rhythm couldn’t imagine what Wasp had meant.

“So, we’re staying?” ThunderCharm pondered quietly.

“I guess so,” Blackout huffed. “But don’t expect us to become your recruits,” He directed at Rhythm. The dark grey Pegasus shifted away into an alley, his head down.

Iridescent slanted her gaze downward. “I’m sure that was really hard for Blackout to decide. I never thought I’d just leave my gang…”

“I’m sure it’s tough for both of you. It’s a big change,” Hyper began. “I was in your position once. I had to leave my gang behind too. But I’m glad I did, because I found friends in the Resistance. That’s more than my gang ever offered me.”

“I don’t know if we’ll stay with the Resistance though. I’m sure Blackout wouldn’t like it,” Iridescent replied, looking distant.

“You don’t have to stay with us. But I want you to choose for yourself. Just like how you decided to leave your gang, without Blackout’s opinion. I admire how you stood up for yourself,” Hyper told her. He never expected such bravery and confidence from the soft spoken Unicorn.

“Thank you, I- I guess I surprised myself too.” There were obviously other things on Iridescent mind. “I should go make sure Blackout is okay.”

As she turned and her rainbow tail waved by, Hyper was left to stare at ThunderCharm.

“I’m happy we can stay,” Thunder told him. “I don’t want to go anywhere near those ponies. And I promise I’ll do whatever I can to help around the camp.”

After ThunderCharm had left the area, Hyper still stood in his place. His mind was still comprehending what happened. CharmingRhythm stepped up to his Pegasus friend and patted his back.

“I don’t think they would have stayed without you,” Rhythm said reassuringly.

“You think?” Hyper perked up.

“Yeah. You’ve been able to bond with all three of those ponies somehow. I think your kindness won them over,” Rhythm remarked.

“I hope so.”

Hyper felt good to know that he could impact lives in a meaningful way. He hoped that he could help others who came into this camp in the future.

Chapter 28

Three more sunrises passed over the camp. Two days prior Carpenter had arrived and already situated himself and began working. FeatherTune found himself becoming increasingly more impatient as the days dragged on. His team needed to address the Hybrid outpost in the west, but CharmingRhythm insisted to wait until the ponies he recruited came into camp.

Feather couldn’t wait any longer. He set out to search for Rhythm around noon. He found the Unicorn talking with Carpenter. After he landed, he stared at Rhythm and waited for him to turn around, which he only did after Carpenter gave a confused glance.

“Rhythm, we need to address that outpost. It’s been days!” Feather asserted.

“I know but…” Rhythm began to protest.

“We won’t be gone too long if we do,” Feather told him. “Whatever ponies come to camp can wait for you. It’s not like they’re gonna leave if you aren’t here to greet them.”

“You’re right,” Rhythm sighed. “Okay, we’ll attack the outpost. Get everyone together.”

Feather nodded and took to the air to find the rest of their team. They collected at the west edge of the village, their cab with them. EchoBeat had gathered with them too, intending on joining, but Rhythm asked Echo to stay behind to look after the camp.

“Can I come with?” Jet requested as they were about to set off.

Rhythm looked between his teammates to get their approval. They hadn’t taken another recruit outside their team on a scouting mission yet.

“Let him come,” Hyper insisted. “I wanna see what he’s got.” He gave the younger Pegasus an intrigued smile.

“Alright,” Rhythm determined.

HyperBlitz led them in the right direction. After some time traveling, they arrived at the outpost. There was a shed with a fence surrounding a clearing. A short tree stood next to a node and behind the shed was another node, it’s top just visible above the roof.

“Looks like there’s two nodes,” Rhythm observed. “Hyper, I thought you said there was one!”

“I thought there was one!” Hyper shot back.

“Maybe they set up the second after Hyper flew over,” Spinning guessed.

“More reasons why we should have attacked earlier!” FeatherTune exclaimed.

“Whatever. It doesn’t matter.” Rhythm shook his head vigorously. “We’re here now, so let’s figure out how to tackle this.”

“Well, shit,” Blazing let out. “It’s another one of those fuckers.”

The stallions gazed towards the tree on the left. A familiar Hybrid shape roamed around the node; bulky, with a saw foreleg.

“It’s mine!” Hyper growled through clenched teeth, attempting to keep his volume low.

“Hold up,” Rhythm warned. “It’s better if we work together. Let’s think up a plan.”

All of them were silent for a moment, pondering what could possibly kill the heavy Hybrid,

“I’ve got it!” Spinning declared, and the rest of them turned to him. “We take one of the energy canisters out of a node, put it under the Hybrid and explode it!”

They all blinked in dismay. Rhythm stammered, “That’s um.. A very creative solution.”

“But we’ve gotta distract them while somebody disables the node,” Blazing said.

“That’s such a waste of energy though…” Feather complained.

“Jet and Feather, you distract the big guy. Spinning, you try to disable a node. The rest of us will take care of the remaining Hybrids,” Rhythm spelled out.

Feather shot a glance at Jet and tilted his head forward. The two of them circled over the outpost. With blasts of electric energy, Feather got the attention of the heavy Hybrid. Jet flew near the ground to tease the Hybrid into a chase. Another Hybrid had taken notice and sought after them, firing its own gun.

Rhythm, Blazing and Hyper rushed into the middle of the clearing to distract the remaining Hybrids. Blazing slammed into an Earth Pony Hybrid, which then was sent crashing into the ground. While Blazing stood over the Hybrid like prey, it began slashing its claw against his chest. The first slash hit against Blazing’s breastplate. The second carved a shallow gash between his chest and shoulder. Lifting his EPD, Blazing blasted fire energy into the Hybrid’s face.

SpinningNote slipped through a gap in the fence as the Hybrids were being distracted. He set himself between two of the node’s legs and broke out his tools. Nodes were difficult to disable quickly, and especially carefully if one wanted to harness the energy inside. Spinning used energy from his weapon to weaken the paneling of the node.

Both Hyper and Rhythm had their eyes set on a Unicorn Hybrid. As they fired energy at the cyborg, it began shouting very loudly. Its mask muffled its voice, only something along the lines of “poor ponies” was audible. Rhythm couldn’t understand why it was making such a ruckus, perhaps to get the attention of other Hybrids. A magic shield formed around the creature, reinforced by a device attached to it’s horn. Neither Rhythm or Hybrid could bust down the shield with their energy.

“FeatherTune!” Rhythm called out with an amplification spell. “Over here!”

Feather swirled around in the air and gazed past the Hybrids chasing him. He saw the shield and knew exactly what to do. Raising his foreleg, he aimed for the shield. Electricity crackled as a bolt shattered the shield and a second bolt struck the Hybrid. As the enemy was stunned, Hyper and Rhythm finished it off with weapon shots.

Spinning had made his way through the paneling of the node and was beginning to unattach the barrel inside that held energy. Through his focus, he didn’t take notice of a Hybrid which had appeared out of the shed behind him. Suddenly, a hoof and a claw snatched Spinning around his neck.

All of the other stallions stopped what they were doing when they heard Spinning’s scream. Rhythm saw the sight of him struggling in the forelegs of their enemy. The other Hybrids began gaining on the recruits as they stalled. Rhythm’s mind whirled.

“Hyper, come with me! Blazing, you stay here and keep fighting!” Rhythm commanded and began galloping towards the shed.

“What do we do?” Jet called out to Feather.

“Keep doing what we were doing. Let’s get that smaller Hybrid!” Feather decided.

Spinning squirmed to get free. His horn shimmering with magic, yet he couldn’t find a source to attack behind him. The Hybrid used her left foreleg to clamp tight on the Unicorn’s neck, making it difficult for him to breath. With her claw, she quickly forced a small metal chip into the back of Spinning’s neck.

“Looking for your friend?” The Hybrid said in a rough, but feminen voice. “Care to join them?”

Blue energy pelted Spinning’s captor. She bared her teeth at Hyper, but refused to let go of the Unicorn. Cyan magic lifted up a metal barrel, and Rhythm bashed it against the Hybrid’s head. She fell to the ground just as Spinning did. Disoriented, he attempted to get to his hooves. The Hybrid got up first, and forced her forehoof onto Spinning’s back, trapping him on the ground.

Rhythm continued to fire energy at her while Hyper circled around the outpost. Foreleg outstretched, he readied his dive-bomb attack on the Hybrid. The cyborg didn’t see it coming, for she was too focused on Rhythm in front of her. Hyper’s momentum flung the female Hybrid into the fence, several meters away from Spinning. The crash was enough to knock her out. Hyper began to help Spinning to his hooves.

Over on the other side of the outpost, Feather and Jet continued to shoot at the first Hybrids. Yellow energy bursted against the small gun Hybrid, stunning it with electricity. Jet charged a surge of energy in his EPD and released it. The Hybrid collapsed after the energy hit it. That left only the heavy Hybrid in the outpost.

As Spinning stood up, he glared around, dazed. Rhythm noticed his eyes were starting to look distant and confused. Hyper spotted the bleeding slit on the back of his neck.

“Fuck. I think she chipped him,” Hyper let out.

Rhythm cantered around the Spinning to observe his neck. He used his left forehoof to feel around the skin to locate the chip. He pushed it downwards towards the slit and used his magic to rip it out the rest of the way.

After a few moments, Spinning began to respond again. He shook his head and peered at Hyper and Rhythm. Luckily the chip was not in him long, so he had the ability to recover quickly.

“You okay?” Hyper asked, concerned.

“Yeah... “ Spinning sighed. “That bitch.”

“Hey! We still got this guy to deal with!” Feather yelled out.

“The node!” Spinning exclaimed.

The purple Unicorn swirled around and sat back between the legs of the node. Hyper and Rhythm observed him as he began to pry at the insides of the machine.

“What about the other node?” Hyper questioned Rhythm, and flicked his muzzle in the direction of the second node.

“We’ll get it when we’re done with the last Hybrid,” Rhythm said.

“I want my piece of that fucker!” Hyper growled and took flight.

Fire energy lit up around the large cyborg, sent out by Blazing. Jet and Feather still glided around it. The heavy Hybrid swung its head side to side, attempting to choose a target to take.

“You aren’t getting your friend back,” it grumbled.

“What is he talking about?” Jet shot at Feather, who only shrugged.

Hyper shot useless blasts of energy and the cyborg. Spinning and Rhythm ran through the clearing towards the flight.

“Wait,” Feather alerted. “I don’t think we should explode that energy!” He pointed a peach color hoof at the node’s canister wrapped in Spinning’s magic. “If we all shoot at the Hybrid it could be enough to kill it.”

“Alright,” Rhythm sighed. “You’re right. It’s a huge waste. That energy could recharge all of our crystals, plus some.”

“Aw. But I wanted to go with my plan!” Spinning pouted. “Fine. Let’s get this over with.”

All six stallions rained down energy on the heavy Hybrid. A mix of blue, red and yellow swarmed around it as it shook its head, blinded by all of the light. It fell to the earth and began thrashing it’s legs around. Soon enough, it’s screams were no more.

They all took a break while Spinning began pulling apart the second node. Hyper had returned to the first node and was beginning to shake it at the top. With a creek, it toppled over, one of the legs breaking.

“Hey, Rhyth,” Feather said as he approached their leader. “The big guy said something about not getting our friend back. Do you have any idea what that means?”

Before Rhythm could reply, Spinning remarked, “Oh yeah. The one that attacked me also said something about a friend.”

Rhythm went on the hunt for clues around the outpost. He rested on the shed behind the node Hyper had collapsed. Without a word, Rhythm cantered towards the entrance and slipped inside. After a few seconds, he reappeared.

“There’s a pony in here!” He reported.

As Spinning took the canister out of the node, Rhythm budged a pony out of the shed and into the clearing. She was a green Earth Pony with a maroon mane. Spinning set down the canister and inspected the new pony. He levitated a scalpel out of his bag and searched for her chip.

“Could I push over this node?” Jet wondered as Hyper hovered towards it.

“Yeah, sure. Go ahead.” Hyper nodded.

As Jet shook the large structure, Spinning led the refugee up the hill to the cab. Rhythm instructed Hyper and Blazing to help him move the dead Hybrids into the shed. However, none of them could move the heavy saw Hybrid. They left it there and retreated to the top of the hill. Jet flew between Hyper and Feather once he was done with his job.

“Hope I did alright,” Jet said.

“You did fine,” Hyper assured. “I know, it might not seem like you did enough, but that’s because you're working on a big team.”

“Honestly, it’s better that way. We each take a share of the work, so we don’t end up worn down,” Feather added.

“I guess that makes sense,” Jet responded, but kept his eyes locked on the cab ahead of them.

In the back seat, Rhythm carried one energy canister in his lap. He patiently watched the pony they had saved readjust to her surroundings. She blinked and stared at Rhythm.

“What’s going on?” She muttered.

“It’s alright. You’re with the Resistance,” Rhythm told her in a comforting tone. He placed a hoof on her shoulder. “You’re safe from the Hybrids now.”

Chapter 29

Back in camp EchoBeat was overlooking the residences in between his gardening. ThunderCharm called him into a house to get validation on her painting. After he left the building, he could hear very faint pattering of wheels to the west. Echo turned and patiently waited for his team to travel up the path in their cab. As they exited, he noted the new mare with them.

“There was a pony there?” Echo mused.

“Yep. This is MorningHarvest,” CharmingRhythm introduced as he stepped onto the pavement. “She’s from Los Pegasus. We’ll have to take her back there.”

“May as well do it when I go to interview ponies,” FeatherTune added as he fluttered to the ground.

“Oh yeah, we still need to set up a request for you,” Rhythm said. He turned to SpinningNote. “Do you think you can do that?”

“Huh? Oh yeah. I’m gonna go take these,” Spinning levitated the nodes’ canisters up, “back to the base. And I’ll put in a request for you when I’m there, okay?”

“Alright,” Feather replied.

FeatherTune’s gaze followed Spinning as he made his way towards the base. Hope he’s alright, Feather thought to himself. Spinning had quite a scare back in the outpost, but he wasn’t one to usually show his troubles. Feather couldn’t even read his friend’s emotions when he spoke to him.

“I didn’t even know there was a camp here,” MorningHarvest remarked. The green mare peered around at the houses.

“It’s still in the works,” Rhythm told her. “But it’s getting there.”

“Speaking of that,” EchoBeat interjected. “We really need a larger tent for gardening. Do you think you can pick one up when you go to Los Pegasus?” Echo spoke to Feather.

“I guess so.” Feather shrugged. He spun around and searched for Jet. When his eyes rested on the younger pony, he asked, “Can you come with me? I need a second if I’m traveling.”

“Um… sure,” Jet responded, somewhat surprised.

“Rhythm told me to take you,” Feather said blandly. “Next thing you know you’re part of the team,” He joked.

“I think I’m perfectly fine with staying partners with Ash,” Jet said. “I better go find her. I bet she’s interested in what happened.”

FeatherTune watched Jet bound into the air in search of his girlfriend. As Feather turned around, the rest of his team had dispersed too. The last bit of Rhythm was seen going through a building, MorningHarvest following. He must have been showing her a room to stay the night.

The next day, Jet and Feather gathered with MorningHarvest to set out for the city. Jet insisted that he drove, which Feather was fine with. He had never been a big fan of driving anyway.

“Remember, get a large tent. And maybe a mattress if you can,” Rhythm informed.

“Yeah, yeah I know,” Feather said with fake annoyance. “A tent, a mattress, a box of coconuts.”

Rhythm raised a brow and smirked. “Oh yeah, good luck finding that.”

Feather chuckled at patted Rhythm on his shoulder. “Alright, see you later Rhyth. Don’t burn the camp down while I’m gone!”

“If anyone is going to burn anything it be you!” Rhythm teased.

“Oh, shush!” Feather replied and began cantering towards the cab.

“Don’t crash into anything on the way there!” Rhythm called in a lighthearted tone and waved his prosthetic foreleg.

“I’m not the one driving!” Feather snapped.

Feather was still laughing quietly to himself when he got to his seat. Jet smiled with amusement.

“You two are really good friends, huh?” Jet said.

“Oh, yeah. We’ve known each other since… what, when we were sixteen? Seventeen? He was my first mission partner,” Feather explained.

“That’s pretty awesome. That you’ve been friends for that long,” Jet stated. “Ash is the only pony I’ve been with for several years.”

“The more time you work for the Resistance, the more friends you meet along the way,” Feather promised him. He was glad he could make conversation with the younger Pegasus. He would have hated an awkward silence on their trip.

Sounds of hoofsteps echoed in the wide hall as FeatherTune and Jet made their way into the building. They had dropped MorningHarvest off at the refugee shelter. From there she would be able to find her way home. Happy to see Heartfelt was on her shift, Feather quickly cantered his way towards her desk.

“Oh, FeatherTune! It’s good to see you. What are you doing here?”

“I’m here to interview ponies for our camp.

Heartfelt blinked. “Didn’t Rhythm do that the other week?”

“We came to get more,” Feather reported blandly.

“He forgot to recruit Earth Ponies to grow food,” Jet clarified.

Shaking her head, Heartfelt mumbled, “Of course he did.” She began to speak louder, directed at Feather. “Have you put in a request?”

“Yep,” Feather replied.

Heartfelt did a bit of searching on her computer, looking for Feather’s name. When she found the entry, she relayed, “You’re all set. Your room is A14 in hall B.”

“Thanks Heartfelt!” Feather waved his wing as he trotted to a smaller hallway.

A few floors up, the two Pegasi found their way to a meeting hall. While approaching a door, Feather noted a few ponies sitting outside. He stopped. The room appeared to be occupied. The ponies sitting gave him a few odd looks.

“Feather, that’s A13, she said it was A14,” Jet recalled.

“Oh.” Feather paused for a moment. He shifted over to the right where he found the next door. It was open, and there were no ponies next to it. “Looks like we’re early.”

As they entered the room, Jet wondered, “Did you seriously just forget what room it was?”

“No, I probably wasn’t reading the signs,” Feather defended, flicking his bushy tail.

“Like that’s any better,” Jet muttered with an eye roll.

While they sat and waited, they listened to a radio that Jet had found in the corner of the room. After half a song, Resistance news was broadcasted. Accounts of Hybrid raids in the North sector of Equestria were reported. Apparently the city of Vanhoover had been receiving many raids for months, and that they were getting increasingly stronger. The Hybrids must have thought of it as a prime target for a citadel.

Sadly there was nothing Feather or his team could do, for it wasn’t a part of their sector. Surely other sectors should help each other when they’re in trouble, Feather thought discontentedly.

The first pony to come in was a brown mare with a curly orange and purple mane. Next to her, a brown colt’s head popped up from behind the table.

“I’m Terra,” The mare introduced herself.

“And I’m Rocky!” The colt exclaimed.

“He’s my little brother. I’m watching him for the day,” Terra said, almost apologetically.

“So you’re good at gardening?” Feather asked the mare.

“Yep. I hope it will be enough for your camp.”

“I wanna come too!” Rocky cheered.

Feather scrutinized the little colt. He had to be no more than 12 years old. Feather shook his head and said, “You’re way too young. I’m sorry, you can’t come.”

“I told him that to begin with,” Terra added.

“But I could help!”

“Are you recruited in the Resistance’s program?” Feather shot at him.

“Well… no.” Rocky glanced away.

“Then you can’t come. At least not yet. Maybe when the camp is closer to being finished, kids could stay,” Feather explained.

Rocky’s eyes glimmered a bit, knowing he could come later. “Okay!”

The next pair of ponies to come in we're two mares. Feather was a bit surprised to see a purple Unicorn walk in next to a dark red Earth Pony. Just as the Earth Pony sat, the brown maned Unicorn began to speak.

“I know you’re looking for Earth Ponies, but she’s not going anywhere without me,” the purple Unicorn grinned as she placed a hoof on the other mare’s back.

Abashed, the Earth Pony glanced away for a moment. She set her eyes back on Feather and pushed her short white mane out of her eyes. “I’m CherryBomb. My talent is, well… normal Earth Pony magic, but amplified. Any plant I touch grows exponentially.”

“That sounds perfect! We could really use a great gardener.” Feather clapped his hooves together.

“While I may not be able to help in gardens, I’m well trained for fighting. I’ve got perfect aim,” the Unicorn smirked, causing CherryBomb to roll her green eyes.

“Well, I suppose you could come too. What’s your name?” Feather cocked his head.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I got ahead of myself,” the Unicorn apologized.

“She always gets ahead of herself,” CherryBomb mumbled between her words.

“I’m AgileArrow, but I go by Aggie.” She extended her foreleg out for Feather to shake.

“Well, Aggie and CherryBomb, I think you’d make a great pair for our crew,” Feather confirmed.

“I hope it goes alright,” Cherry fret, speaking softly. She stood up next to Aggie.

“I’m sure you’ll do just fine, dear,” Aggie soothed the anxious Earth Pony.

Just after they left, Jet remarked, “What a sweet couple…” Feather glanced over at him. The younger Pegasus obviously had his own relationship in mind.

The last pony to be interviewed was a pink stallion named Berry. He was a standard gardener, however he was a bit shy. Feather was sure he’d be able to come out of his shell while on the job. Berry was recruited too. Although Feather was surprised no more ponies showed up, he thought the three ponies he acquired were enough.

Maybe I shouldn’t have recruited all of them, Feather wondered, beginning to doubt himself. Perhaps he had been too forgiving, and should have checked to see if they were more qualified. Not everyone was perfect for the job, but it was too late now to deny them. Feather knew that if Rhythm trusted him, he should trust his decisions more too.

The two Pegasi reentered the main hall and circled around to Heartfelt’s side of the desk. She glanced up from her work.

“All done?”

“Yep. We’re heading out,” Feather said. “You got any messages for me to give to Rhythm?”

“Um…” Heartfelt thought for a moment. “No, nothing for Rhythm. But you can tell HyperBlitz that SweetHooves will be leaving for her mission in a few days.”

“Alright, got it,” Feather replied. “See you Heartfelt!”

Jet followed behind Feather’s brown tail as they exited the building. He then took a few quick strides to become parallel with Feather. “Is that Rhythm’s wife?” Jet asked.

“Yep.”

Jet didn’t speak anymore. Instead, he stared ahead of himself distantly. Once again, he seemed troubled.

“You alright?” Feather inquired.

“What?” Jet shot his neck up.

“It’s Ash isn’t it?” Feather guessed. “Anything about relationships seems to put you in a bad mood.”

“I’m not in a bad mood I’m just…” Jet searched for words. “I just thought this mission would bring me and Ash closer together, but nothing’s changed. She’s as stubborn and irritable as ever.”

“Why do you even stay with her?” Feather questioned.

Jet’s grey eyes glared at him, and then softened. “I know Ash is a good pony. I’ve seen her when she’s happy. That’s the best thing I’ve ever seen. I’ve been with her for two years. I’m not giving up just yet. I just wish I knew what to do to make her happy.”

“Well, I’m not the best pony to ask for relationship advice from,” Feather admitted. “Maybe talk to Hyper or Rhythm.”

The two stallions stopped on the sidewalk in front of their cab. Feather only stared at it for a few moments. He suddenly remembered they needed to collect supplies.

“I need to figure out where we could get a tent…” Feather mumbled.

“Maybe ask the ponies in the greenhouse?” Jet suggested.

Feather sighed, “That’s too far away.”

“Too far away? I thought you first intended to fly here and back?” Jet shot back.

Feather shook his mane. He retraced his steps back into the main building. “Heartfelt might be able to find some info about it. There’s something else I want to get, something our camp needs.”

Chapter 30

“Hey! You’re back!” CharmingRhythm greeted as he saw Jet and FeatherTune enter into camp.

“Glad to see the camp is still in tack. Well, not worse, that is,” Feather joked.

Rhythm only rolled his eyes.

“I got a tent and a mattress like you said! Oh, and I recruited three ponies. Actually, no, four. There was a couple,” reported Feather.

“Awesome! Sounds like we’re set for a while on recruits then. Well, that is if the ponies I recruited actually come…” Rhythm trailed off into his maze of thoughts.

“I’m sure they will. You said they seemed trustworthy,” Feather pointed out.

“Yeah. Well, we better get this stuff together.” Rhythm took a few steps towards the cab.

“Oh, yeah!” Feather exclaimed. “I got a surprise for you.”

Stopping in his tracks, Rhythm stared at Feather as he raced back towards the front seat. He scooped up what appeared to be a deep blue cloth in his forehoof. He passed it over to Rhythm, who unfolded the cloth in his magic. Brandished on it was the Resistance emblem in cyan; a lightning bolt in the hexagonal face of a crystal. Rhythm’s face lit up.

“A flag! This is perfect!” Rhythm leaned forward and hugged Feather around the next. “Thanks, Feather!”

“Eh. Thought you might like it,” Feather replied, patting his back.

“We gotta go put it up.” Rhythm spun around in the other direction.

“What about the other stuff?” Feather extended his wing towards the cab.

“We’ll get it later,” Rhythm said while walking away, his muzzle raised high.

While Rhythm knew there was a flagpole in front of the base building, he wanted to hang it up at the one in the center of the village. He attached it to the rope and pulled it up above the roofs with his magic. The flag hung there, lifeless.

“Oh. I got it!” Feather called out and took to the sky.

Facing the flag at the same altitude, Feather began thrusting his wings. Wind from his flaps caught in the flag, animating it. It flew vibrantly in the air, it’s deep blue contrasting against the dull sky.

“Fantastic!” Rhythm expressed.

Ash and ThunderCharm came to admire the flag too. It continued to fly a few moments after Feather descended to the ground, then it became still again. Strangely there was no wind coming in from the sea at the moment. Rhythm knew that wouldn’t last long, and the flag would proudly wave on its own soon enough.

“Hey, Rhythm,” ThunderCharm spoke up, taking a few strides closer to the Unicorn.

“What’s up,” Rhythm said as he shifted his body to face her.

“I’ve been thinking about it and… I want to join the Resistance!” Thunder grinned.

“Seriously? That’s great!” Rhythm replied, pleased. “But you’ll have to go through recruitment training,” He informed.

“Oh,” Thunder let out, not sure how to respond.

“But…” With a hoof placed over his mouth, Rhythm thought for a moment. “You may be able to do it here, or at least partially.”

ThunderCharm’s aqua eyes brightened again. Rhythm was ecstatic too. The first pony to be recruited in the Resistance from his camp! It really felt like they were finally making progress.

CharmingRhythm was out moving furniture the next afternoon. Two shapes in the sky caught his eye. He knew that since they were coming from the south, that they couldn’t be rogues. Sure enough, it was ForestWind, a stallion he had interviewed, accompanied by a grey Pegasus. As he galloped towards them, Rhythm got a better look at the second Pegasus. She was a light grey mare with a blue mane, who wore an expressionless face.

“Sorry I came so late,” Forest began. “I had some family business to take care of.”

“Hey, it’s no problem,” Rhythm replied casually.

“I wanted you to meet my wife though.” Forest extended his wing towards the mare left of him.

“Rain,” the stoic mare stated as she placed her hoof up.

Rhythm shook her hoof and returned with, “Rhythm. So why’d you come here?”

“I just wanted to know where Forest was at while he was away.” Rain’s eyes settled softly on her husband.

“And I basically begged her to come with me,” Forest smiled at her. “ I knew you’d do it for me.”

Once again, Rhythm noted how short Forest was. Rain appeared huge next to him, but she couldn’t have been much taller than the average mare.

“I shouldn’t stay too long. I don’t know if I trust that foalsitter we got,” Rain commented.

Forest said goodbye to her and she flew off. Rhythm couldn’t read Rain very easily, but he felt like she was a strong, intelligent mare. She was quiet, but seemed to care about her husband. She’d make a good recruit when she’s ready, Rhythm decided.

The next day SunSwirl arrived. She explained that she had gotten over a cold that she didn’t want to bring to the camp. The day after that, Terra came to camp late in the afternoon. Both mares were getting along with the other ponies and setting in. With all the new ponies, work was speeding up. Rhythm began feeling more confident in his camp. Their work continued for a few days before any other pony showed up.

Outside, in the shade of a building CharmingRhythm sat working on a generator. He diligently worked with the wires, attempting to hook it up to an electrical panel. All of his attention was on the equipment ahead of him.

“Hey, Rhythm!” sounded a voice he had not heard in over a month.

Frightened out of his focus, Rhythm sat up straight. He whipped his head around to see SilverFlash standing over him. He waved a violet hoof.

“For fucks sake Flash, don’t do that! You disappear for months and then pop up out of nowhere!” Rhythm scolded.

“Heh, sorry,” Flash replied, only halfway meaning it.

Rhythm raised to all for hooves. With his mood brightening, he pulled Flash in for a hug. “Hey, bud. It’s good to see you.”

“You too!” Flash accepted the hug.

“Whatcha doing here? Just stopping by for another visit?” Rhythm inquired.

“Actually, I needed to ask you something,” Flash began. “Do you have room in your camp for another pony?”

“Um… I guess so?” Rhythm pondered. “I mean, we’re sorta short on good living space. Why do you ask?”

“Because,” Flash exhaled, preparing his explanation. “We picked up a pony on our last citadel mission. We were going to take them back home, but they come from the North sector. Turns out their town was overtaken by Hybrids. It wasn’t worth sending them back. Thought maybe they could stay in your camp.”

“Wait, hold on. How did a pony from the north end up here? I’m assuming you're talking about Vanhoover. I heard about that,” Rhythm recalled.

“I have no idea. Guess the Hybrids must have shipped them off or something,” Flash theorized.

“That makes no sense. It seems so inconvenient.”

“Hey, it’s not like we’ll ever understand the Hybrids. They make irrational decisions all the time,” Flash pointed out, shrugging. “But you can take another pony?”

“Sure,” Rhythm said. “Are they with you?”

“Yeah. C’mon.” Flash tilted his head in the direction to follow.

Down the street was Lance, who stroked his crimson mane when he saw the others moving towards him. Next to him was a dark blue Pegasus with a short, lighter blue mane. Rhythm was surprised to see the Pegasus had a prosthetic left wing. Maybe someone Hyper could find something in common with.

“Rhythm, this is BlizzardBlast. Blizzard, this is Rhythm. He runs this camp,” Flash introduced.

“I can really stay here?” Blizzard wondered, eyes wide at Rhythm.

“Yeah. We’re kinda lacking good places to sleep, but I don’t want to turn away a pony,” Rhythm answered.

“As long as it's somewhere safe, I’m okay with it,” Blizzard assured.

“Alright,” Rhythm said, and then mumbled partially to himself, “But we really do need better beds. Among other things.”

“Hey, if you need help moving supplies, I’d be glad to lend a hoof. Or…. magic,” Flash offered.

“You mean like, from the city to here?” Rhythm questioned and Flash nodded. “If you could I’d really appreciate it.”

“Yeah. Of course!” Flash beamed. “Just show me where to go.”

“Let’s find someone to go with you,” Rhythm stated.

As Flash began to step forward, Lance poked his side with a hoof. “If you go, I wanna stay here with Blizzard. Make sure everything goes okay.”

“That’s cool with me,” Flash replied. “I’ll see you later.”

The grey Unicorn gave Lance a quick hug, then dashed off. Rhythm could tell, even though they had only known each other for a short time, that they had become close. Flash could really use a close friend who’d look out for him, especially with how dangerous his missions got.

Flash was about to partner up with HyperBlitz to go to Los Pegasus when Rhythm intervened. “Hyper. There is a new pony here. You are the welcomer, remember?”

“Oh, come on,” Hyper pouted. “I haven’t hung out with Flash in months. I wanna go with him! Besides, there’s plenty of other ponies to welcome. It doesn’t always have to be me.”

Rhythm sighed with a smile. “Alright. Go ahead. But you better bring back some good shit.”

“You got it!” Hyper grinned.

After Hyper and Flash left with the cab, Rhythm returned to speak with Blizzard. The young Pegasus wasn’t far from where they first spoke. Even Lance still stood close to them.

“Aren’t you going to miss your old city?” Rhythm spoke with sympathy.

“Not too much,” Blizzard said, peering at the ground. “I’m an orphan, and I’ve always moved around. I had a few friends, but we weren’t super close.”

Rhythm noticed how timidly Blizzard spoke, and their body language was anxious as well. He tried to soothe them. “I’m sure you’ll make plenty of friends here. We’ll get you a room to stay in. At least until we situate everyone.”

“Sounds good to me,” Blizzard told him with a grateful bow.

Rhythm paired Blizzard up with ThunderCharm, hoping the two young ponies could find something in common. After they had been situated, Rhythm returned to speak with Lance alone.

“So, you and Flash getting along?” Rhythm questioned, even though he knew the answer.

“Oh, yeah, totally. We make a good team. But…” Lance trailed off, his orange eyes thoughtful.

“What’s up?” Rhythm pressed.

“I’ve been worried about him,” Lance admitted. “Ever since we found out about Blizzard’s town, he’s been… off. He acts like he’s fine but he's been so discouraged and down.”

Rhythm blinked. At first he didn’t detect any odd energy coming from Flash, but he thought for a moment. Flash was a bit too eager to get away. Looks for a distraction, perhaps?

“Maybe he’s upset he couldn’t help Blizzard anymore,” Rhythm guessed.

“Maybe. I also think it has something to do with not being able to help ponies in Vanhoover. He wants to be able to help ponies, but it’s hard when they are out of our sector,” Lance explained.

“I will say it’s pretty messed up the Resistance doesn’t send aid to other sectors. I mean, I get we’ve gotta look after ourselves, but we have to look after each other! That’s our job!”

“I know other sectors help out, and our’s used to. I think maybe it’s our president,” Lance added.

“I wouldn’t put that past her,” Rhythm sighed, knowing all too well how enigmatic their president was.

“I just wish I knew what to do to make him feel better,” Lance lamented.

“Hey, it’ll be alright. He gets into these slumps from time to time, but he always comes right back out of it. He’ll be back to himself in no time.” Rhythm reassured.

“Yeah,” Lance said, still caught up in his mind.

He really does care, Rhythm realized. That was such a relief. This was a different side to Lance. He was confident, maybe a bit full of himself, but also very caring. Rhythm hadn’t got to spend much time with Lance before, but he found himself wanting to get to know him better. Lance was a good pony.

The two of them talked off and on into the afternoon. BlizzardBlast got along quickly with ThunderCharm and her friends. Hyper and Flash returned with supplies, including several boxes of food and a water filter. Both of those would be very useful with all of the newcomers in camp.

Rhythm didn’t bother asking Flash how he was feeling. It was best not to bring it up and let him work through it himself. As Rhythm expected, Flash announced that he and Lance were heading to Los Pegasus.

“You two don’t get into too much trouble,” Rhythm told them as they were leaving.

“Oh, we’ll get into all the trouble,” Lance smirked, which made Flash’s eyes roll.

The two Unicorns trotted down the slope towards the train tracks. Rhythm spun around, almost bumping into HyperBlitz.

“Hey. I was wondering if you could help me move some stuff,” Hyper requested.

“Uh, actually, there’s something I need to finish. I can help you after,” Rhythm replied.

“No problem,” Hyper said, shrugging.

Rhythm resumed working on the generator he had been setting up earlier that afternoon. Although he was not sure how long it would take for him to finish, he didn’t want to decline HyperBlitz completely. He wanted to help anyone whenever he could, but it was best to finish what was already started before moving onto something new.

Chapter 31

A few days later Team Xero greeted the couple that Feather had interviewed, CherryBomb and AgileArrow, into the camp. Cherry seemed like the perfect pony for EchoBeat to work with; great with gardening and quiet. Aggie was a bit more outspoken and quickly made friends around the camp. Rhythm realized just how many ponies were here now. It was really starting to look like a real camp, at least population wise.

Although the last pony Feather interviewed had not shown up yet, Rhythm wanted to call a camp meeting. The evening was winding down as the ponies started gathering. They stood in the clearing between the base building and the tent. Many, many pairs of eyes stared at Rhythm, which caused him to feel a little nervous. He’d never been the attention of this many ponies before. His team stood beside him in their own group.

“Where’s Hyper?” EchoBeat wondered, gazing around.

“I don’t know. I flew all over camp but couldn’t find him,” FeatherTune reported.

“Did you check inside buildings?” BlazingFlair suggested.

“You really think Hyper’s gonna be inside a building all by himself?” Feather shot back.

He had a point, Rhythm thought. Hyper was a very social pony, he liked being around others. That thought began to worry Rhythm. Hyper didn’t do good alone, and yet he was somewhere out there by himself. Was there something wrong that made him stay away from everyone else?

“Hyper’s missing?” SpinningNote puffed. “Just like my camera. What a coincidence.”

“Why would Hyper take your camera?” Echo asked.

“And are you sure you didn’t just misplaced it?” Feather added.

“I helped him look for it but it was nowhere in the base,” BlazingFlair defended before Spinning could speak.

“We’ll have to start without him,” Rhythm decided.

The team and the crowd silenced as they listened to the blue Unicorn.

“I promise I won’t keep you all long,” Rhythm spoke clearly without aid of his magic. “I want to thank all of you for coming here to this camp, and for all the work you’ve done so far. I appreciate all of you, and the Resistance appreciates your work too. I’m sure you’ll get rewarded for the work you do.”

“How are we going to manage that?” Spinning whispered to Rhythm, leaning his head forward.

“We’ll figure it out,” Rhythm murmured hastily.

He returned to speaking to the crowd. “Remember to work together, and don’t be afraid to ask for help. This is a learning process for all of us.”

“I don’t know why we’re here,” Blackout muttered. “It’s not like we’re recruits here to work!”

“Well, we’re living in this camp now aren’t we?” Iridescent said to her brother. “We may as well help.”

“Yeah right,” Blackout huffed.

“Are we going to be getting better beds?” SunSwirl spoke up.

“Yes. We’ll be working that out,” Rhythm responded. “And that’s another thing. Everyone is to take turns retrieving supplies from Los Pegasus. As well as gathering water from the stream. I want everyone to pair up when they leave camp. Nobody is to go out alone.” Rhythm felt a little hypocritical saying that, knowing Hyper was on his own.

“That’s it for now. Oh, and keep an eye out for HyperBlitz,” Rhythm finished.

“Which one is HyperBlitz again?” Cherry quietly asked Aggie.

“The yellow one,” Aggie told her.

“Oh, right.”

The crowd dispersed and Rhythm turned to face his friends. “We need to find Hyper. I want him to go to Los Pegasus tomorrow.”

“I’m sure he’ll turn up eventually,” Blazing stated.

“I know I just… I don’t want anything bad to happen to him,” Rhythm fret.

“He’ll be fine,” Feather assured. “He’s a tough pony.”

“Yeah,” Rhythm said distantly, and began walking towards the base.

A few kilometers into the sky, HyperBlitz sat on the rolling blanket of clouds. In his lap he carried Spinning’s camera which he snuck out with. In front of him was the sun setting below the clouds, with vibrant colors streaking the sky. He had always heard tales of how beautiful the sunset was, now he realized how true it was. Hyper took pictures with the camera, hoping to somehow give the sky to his friends.

As the evening sank into night, the temperature began to drop rapidly. Above the clouds there was no blanket for insulation. The crisp air chilled Hyper to his bones, and for once in his life he wished he was wearing clothes. He had to wait the cold out, for he wanted to continue taking photos. A waxing gibbous moon began to rise behind Hyper. He turned to face it and captured pictures of the moon and stars. The night left Hyper in as much awe as the day.

When he had taken as much cold as he could possibly manage, he leapt back down into the world below. Warmth rushed over him as he descended. His eyes attempted to readjust to the darkness under the clouds. Above, the clouds had been illuminated by the moon, their rolling grey shapes easy to make out. Hyper let the lights from the camp guide him back.

In the main room of the base, Rhythm overlooked Spinning trying something into his computer.

“I highly doubt I can get to the president. She probably gets enough messages as it is,” Spinning remarked.

“Well, at least try. I want to warn her before sending Hyper to her…” Rhythm trailed off, still anxious of Hyper’s whereabouts. He began pacing around the room.

A few moments later, the door opened and light illuminated Hyper’s yellow fur. Both Rhythm and Spinning stopped what they were doing to glance over to the door.

“Hyper!” Rhythm exclaimed. “Where have you been?”

“I knew he had my camera! Why did you leave without telling anyone?” Spinning pressed.

“I knew you wouldn’t have let me take your camera if I just asked,” Hyper stated as Spinning’s magic levitated the camera off of his neck.

“So you stole it?” Spinning snickered and brought the camera near him.

“We were so worried about you!” Rhythm expressed.

“Correction,” Spinning said, pointing a hoof to the other Unicorn. “Rhythm was so worried about you.”

“Well, he disappeared for hours! Why wouldn’t I be worried?” Rhythm shot back.

“It’s not like Hybrids got me,” Hyper remarked smugly.

SpinningNote had turned on the camera and was flipping through the photos. He stared in awe at the ones Hyper had taken. Rhythm stepped next to him to observe them too. A vibrant sunset in the clouds, as well as the stars and moon in a clear sky.

“Hyper, these are gorgeous,” Spinning gaped.

“I wanted you guys to experience the sky too. Since you'll never be above the clouds. It looked better in person. The colors don't show up well on camera,” Hyper said.

“They're still amazing. And you didn't break or drop the camera!” Spinning commented jokingly.

"That's very thoughtful of you, but you should have told us where you were going!” Rhythm harped.

“I wanted it to be a surprise,” Hyper replied with a soft smile.

Rhythm sighed and smiled himself. “Glad you’re back. I’ve got an assignment for you.”

HyperBlitz flew over the desert with ThunderCharm following him. It was the next morning when the two Pegasi were heading to Los Pegasus. Hyper had to slow his pace considerably to match Thunder’s speed. She had mentioned she didn’t like flying long distances, but neither her or Hyper wanted to drive, so it was the only option.

CharmingRhythm had sent Hyper to Los Pegasus to speak to the president about rewarding their new camp workers. Thunder had come along to become recruited in the Resistance. After a twice as long flight to the city, Hyper led Thunder to the recruitment building.

“It’s normal to feel nervous,” Hyper was telling Thunder as an associate was filling out information for the young mare. He found out there that Thunder was seventeen, a prime age to start recruitment.

“I know. I’m just worried about being around ponies I don’t know for a couple weeks,” Thunder said.

“Hey, you didn’t know us to begin with, and everything turned out fine,” Hyper reassured her. “And it’s only gonna be a few weeks, you’ll be fine. It’s just basic self defense and learning about Hybrids. Then when you come back to camp we can help you learn other stuff.”

“Alright. Sounds good,” Thunder replied, looking anxious but determined.

“Here.” Hyper picked out something from his saddlebag. He showed her a rectangular cassette player in his hoof. It was an old world relic, but it still worked marvously. “I put some of our songs on it. You can have it.”

“Really?” Thunder’s eyes lit up.

“Of course. When you get back we can see if we can get you a better music player than this old thing,” Hyper promised. “I’ll see you in a couple weeks.”

Hyper waved a hoof goodbye and excited the recruitment building. He made his way towards the main building where he’d speak with the president. Inside, two ponies worked the desk, but neither of them were Heartfelt. I’ll check up on her when I’m done, Hyper thought.

When he got to the president’s floor, he attempted to convince the guards to let him in. They told him she was busy, and that he couldn’t come in without an invitation.

“We tried to let her know,” Hyper asserted as evenly as he could. “Tell her I work with CharmingRhythm, she’ll know who he is.”

One of the guards slipped inside. He came back out and told Hyper, “Alright, you can come in. But you have to wait a few minutes while she finishes with another client.

Hyper accepted that and began pacing around the hall. He peeked at the door every couple of minutes to see if it would open. Soon enough, the pony inside left and Hyper was called in. Hyper saw the lavender Earth Pony sitting, staring at him as he entered.

“You’re one of CharmingRhythm’s teammates?” Clarity asked.

“Yes, ma’am. I’m HyperBlitz.” He knew that Rhythm had mentioned him to the president before. He wondered if she would recognize the name as the pony who lost the wing. However, even if he brandished the new wing on the side, Clarity didn’t take any notice.

“Why are you here today?” She questioned. “And I hope you make this quick.”

“Of course,” Hyper nodded. “We were just wondering how we’ll manage rewarding the ponies that work in our camp.”

“You have recruits there now?” Clarity tilted her head. When Hyper nodden, she said, “We never sent any to your camp.”

“I… I know. We recruited them ourselves. We didn’t want to have to wait on the council's decision, or even bother you for that matter.” Hyper tried to sound considerate, attempting to win over the mare.

“I see.”

“You… won’t have to cut their pay out of my team’s, will you?” Hyper wondered hesitantly.”

“No, I don’t think we will. If they are Resistance recruits, then they should be put in our system. They can report work done for a mission. All I need for you to do is retrieve their names, including their Resistance tags,” Clarity explained. “I would also like your team to review each individual's performance at the end of the assignment.”

“Alright. Will do. Thank you so much, Miss President,” Hyper bowed his head graciously.

While trotting out of the room, Hyper felt a rush of relief. He was glad everything went over without trouble. Now he sought his way back to his old apartment. There, Heartfelt let him inside.

“Hyper, it’s good to see you! What are you doing here?” Heartfelt greeted, looking a bit surprised.

“I came to see how things are going. You good?” Hyper replied with a smile.

“Yeah, just been looking after JumpingJolt and still working,” Heartfelt told him.

“Wait, you don’t leave JumpingJolt alone when you're at work, do you?” Hyper asked.

“No way. Ray comes over here and watches him while I’m working,” Heartfelt assured.

“Oh. Good,” Hyper said, pleased.

“I’ve been taking less hours at work anyway, since I’ve had to watch him.”

“Oh. I’m sorry you had to do that,” Hyper lamented, feeling a bit bad for his friend.

“No it’s alright. I don’t really like my job,” Heartfelt stated, gazing at their hooves. “Especially since Rhythm hasn’t been coming to report missions like he used to. We actually got to talk then.”

The empathy in Hyper’s heart swole and he felt even worse. He could tell how much Heartfelt missed Rhythm, and understood that longing. He pulled Heartfelt in for a gentle hug. “I’m sure he’ll come visit next time he’s in town.”

Heartfelt nodded with distant eyes. Then she said, “Come on, why don’t you spend some time with Jolt.” The mare led the way to one of the bedrooms.

Lime green magic lifted up the orange colt from the crib and onto the play mat. He bagan stumbling towards Hyper excitedly. Hyper kneeled down to face JumpingJolt, who was speaking his own baby language. Only “dada” was recognizable, which made Hyper proud. He had been away for some time, but Jolt still remembered his dad.

“I can tell he’s missed both you and SweetHooves a lot,” Heartfelt remarked.

“I’ve missed him too,” Hyper smirked. He tapped the tip of his muzzle onto Jolt’s. “Hope you’ve been good for auntie Heartfelt.” Hyper stood up and faced the Unicorn mare. “He hasn’t been too much to handle, has he?”

“It’s not too bad,” Heartfelt shrugged. “Although I wish SweetHooves was here to teach me. It’s definitely been a learning experience; practice for when I have my own kid I guess.”

“I’m sure you’ll make a great mother,” Hyper commented.

“I hope so,” Heartfelt muttered, eyes still on JumpingJolt. She stepped forward to place him back in the crib.

Hyper could tell there was a lot on her mind. Heartfelt was known for getting lost in thoughts, whether good or bad. She was probably worried about keeping up with work while looking after Jolt, as well as worrying about ponies she cared about. Hyper wished he knew a way to reassure her, but Rhythm was the only one who knew how to ease her mind. Hopefully it wouldn’t be too long before they met up again. HyperBlitz gave Heartfelt another hug before heading back to camp.

Chapter 32

Under the shade of the tent, EchoBeat slowly moved alongside the row of plants that he tended to. He was much more comfortable in the larger tent, with enough space to move around. His plants had been growing well over the past few weeks.The row next to his was CherryBomb’s, which was bursting with life. The last one was Terra’s, which was somewhat lacking. Echo hadn’t even seen the brown mare enter the tent that day. He exited the tent in search of her.

“Hey, Echo!” CharmingRhythm waved his hoof up high and wore a beaming face. As Echo cantered towards him, he said, “I’ve got something for you to do. I want you to go around to individual ponies and check up on their work progress.”

“Isn’t that something you would do?” Echo questioned.

“Well, yes, but I want to give you some responsibilities. I trust your judgement, and you need to talk to more ponies in camp,” Rhythm finished.

“Alright.” Echo shrugged.

Patrolling around the camp, he searched for ponies to speak to. He already knew CherryBomb’s progress was good, so there was no need to speak with her. He kept his eye out for Terra, but couldn’t find her. Instead, he found SunSwirl in the kitchen of a house. She had set up her own potion station there.

“Hey,” Echo spoke up and the yellow mare turned around. “How’s the potion making going?”

“Good, but… I’m lacking some herbs that I need. We might need to get them from the city if we can’t grow them here,” SunSwirl stated. “I’ve been fixing up this house too. I think I might make it my own, if that’s alright with you.”

“Of course. If you fix it, it’s all yours. Also… I know we talked about it, but I would really appreciate it if you could give me some potion making lessons. You’re really good at it.”

“Of course! Anytime you like, hun!” SunSwirl smiled.

The next ponies Echo found were Aggie and Forest, who were chatting together. He asked if they were doing anything, which they replied with ‘no’. They were assigned to protection, and there was no threat in the camp at the moment. Echo knew a Pegasus and a Unicorn could both be useful, so he requested that they move furniture.

BlizzardBlast gazed wide eyed at Echo as he stepped up to them. Echo knew that they were still adjusting to new life in the camp, especially after being freed from a citadel. Echo didn’t want to pressure them into working just yet.

“If you do feel up to anything,” He told them, “Just ask any of us. We’ll give you something to do.”

“Okay, thank you.” Blizzard nodded appreciatively.

Finally, Echo found Terra. She was watching Feather repair a generator.

“Um, Terra,” Echo began. “Why haven’t you been working in the garden? You haven’t been making too much progress.” Echo hoped he

“I’m sorry,” Terra slumped down, her purple and orange mane in her eyes. “It’s just that… Cherry’s plants have been doing so well that.. I don’t feel like I can do anywhere as well as her.”

She’s intimidated? Echo mused. “But any work at all is appreciated. It doesn’t matter how big or small, as long as you actually put effort into it. We want your help, trust me,” Echo promised.

“Alright,” Terra sighed.

Echo was unsure of the status of Iridescent and Blackout. They were rogues afterall, but they were living in the camp now. Nobody knew how long they would stay, but to Echo, it seemed like they were here to stay. He didn’t bother asking Blackout for anything, so instead he went to Iridescent.

“Maybe I could help in the gardens,” Iridescent suggested. “I know I’m not an Earth Pony, but I have light magic that can mimic artificial sunlight.”

“Actually, that might be useful,” Echo considered.

Next, Echo saw Carpenter replacing glass in a window. There was no need to get a report from him, he was doing fine work.

Once he had made it around to everyone, Echo searched for Rhythm to report to. The blue Unicorn was seen standing by their cab, a brush in his magic. The cab glistened a pearly white, much cleaner than Echo had remembered.

“I got around to everyone, what do I do now?” Echo asked.

“Oh.” Rhythm turned his head to him. “Write down their progress. No need telling me everything. Unless there’s someone slacking off.”

“Aggie and Forest are sort of wandering around. They don’t have much to do, so I told them to help move furniture,” Echo reported.

“Sounds good.” Rhythm nodded and glanced back at the cab.

“What are you doing?” Echo wondered.

“I repainted it!” Rhythm answered with please. “I’m just doing the finishing touches.” With his magic he pointed the brush towards the side door. A red “X” was brandished there. “If it’s ours, we better own it.”

“It looks good,” Echo commented.

“Spinning finally fixed the radio too. Although it still needs a knob replaced. Can you go ask him if he could get one?” Rhythm fully faced Echo to ask him.

“Okay,” Echo said and trotted towards the base.

Echo pushed the door open and sure enough SpinningNote was sitting inside. Stepping in, Echo’s ears perked up due to a strange beeping sound coming from the computer. With a hoof over his mouth, Spinning intently watched the screen. The beeps weren’t rapid like an alarm, instead they were drawn out in a flat tone.

“What is that?” Echo questioned.

“It’s a distress beacon,” Spinning answered, sounding concerned.

Echo took a place behind his chair. On the screen was a map with a glowing red dot by the ocean. “You were able to locate it?”

“Yep. Somebody’s in trouble, and we may be the closest ponies to them,” Spinning clarified.

“Should I tell Rhythm?”

“Definitely,” Spinning said.

Rhythm and the rest of the team gathered in the main room and observed the screen. Spinning told him what he had told Echo, that they may be the only ones who could help.

“Well, what are we doing waiting around? We gotta go find these ponies,” Rhythm decided.

“Full team?” Blazing asked.

Rhythm pondered for a moment. “No. You and Spinning stay here and watch the camp while the rest of us go out.”

“You go it,” Blazing replied with a curt nod.

Rhythm, Echo, Feather and Hyper exited the base and made their way towards the newly repainted cab. Echo dragged behind a bit, confused. He still needed to write down camp progress, and wondered why he was even needed on this type of mission. He rushed up to Rhythm’s side.

“Why are you leaving behind Spinning and Blazing? They’re some of our best fighters,” Echo expressed.

“Yeah. It’s strange you chose me and Echo. No offense,” Feather added to Echo, who didn’t think much of it.

“You two underestimate your potential,” Rhythm told them. “I know you’re good fighters. You’re smart and resourceful too.”

“If you say so,” Feather said, still unconvinced.

“Here.” Hyper handing something over to Feather. It was some sort of electronic pad. “Spinning says you’ll be able to track the beacon on this.”

“Me? Why don’t you take it? You’re faster than me,” Feather spoke to Hyper.

“You have a better sense of direction than me,” Hyper admitted. “You’re our scouter anyway.”

“And because Spinning will yell at you if you break the tracker pad?” Feather raised a brow with a smirk.

“Yeah, that too,” Hyper giggled.

The four stallions traveled their way up northwest towards the ocean. FeatherTune led the way, HyperBlitz kept an eye out for any suspicious activity. They passed where the Hybrid outpost had been. After several minutes of trekking, Hyper suddenly flew northern bound. Echo tried calling out to him but the yellow Pegasus was already speeding towards the horizon.

“Where’s he going?” Rhythm asked from the right.

“I don’t know,” Echo said, his gaze still on the sky.

They continued to follow Feather as they waited for Hyper to return. After a few moments, he raced back towards the group. He flew level with the cab adjacent to EchoBeat.

“There’s a Hybrid camp over that way. It looks fucking huge,” Hyper reported.

“Wonderful,” Rhythm muttered.

“It’s in a dried lake bed. Hopefully they don’t give us too much trouble,” Hyper tried to sound positive.

“Knowing Hybrids, they’ll find their way to mess with us,” Echo stated.

A bit more time passed before the dark ocean came into view. A few scraggly palm trees lined the coast above the cliffs. Echo and Rhythm began trekking on hoof after parking the cab. Feather and Hyper circled around the area.

“It’s somewhere around here,” Feather called out. “I can’t get a more accurate location. We’ll have to search.”

Stepping up towards the cliffs, Echo peered out below. There was a sandy beach that stretched out many meters before the foam of the ocean began. Echo carefully ambled towards a steep slope and analyzed where he could place his hooves. Slowly, he climbed down the slope backwards, eyeing his back hooves. Ponies had stronger back legs than forelegs, and their strength would keep Echo’s balance. After sliding down a bit he scrambled onto the sand, adjusting his footing. He gazed upward, Rhythm watching over him like a hawk. The cliff had been much taller than Echo originally perceived.

“Um, I’m not sure I can make it down there,” Rhythm grimaced. “I don’t have the same balance as you.” - Earth Ponies naturally had better balance. “I’ll look around for a more gradual slope.”

As Rhythm began walking to the south, Echo made his way up north on the shore. There were many sharp crags pointing upward, along with round boulders. In the cliffs were many sea caves, carved out by ancient water centuries ago. Maybe they’re hiding in a cave, Echo wondered. But why would they be out here to begin with?

Hyper swooped down towards the shore. “I found a dead Hybrid up that way,” He exclaimed and pointed his red hoof over the cliffs somewhere. “Only one though.”

Echo thought he heard Rhythm say “weird” somewhere down the coastline.

Pressing forward, Echo searched in and out of the caves but found nothing. The sand began rising upward. Echo climbed the gentle hill and saw even more caves. Short shrubs grew in meger patches in the sand, and ended at the stone floor of the caves. A glimpse of something grey moved within the cave. Echo stopped.

“Is someone there?” He called out.

The greyish white shape moved out of the darkness. It was a little filly with a red and pink mane. She cautiously stepped towards EchoBeat, who raced over to meet her. Her ivory coat was stained with mud, and her mane was in a frizzy mess. She backed up a bit as Echo approached her.

“What’s your name?” Echo asked softly.

The filly did not answer, instead, she took more steps back towards the cave. Another figure appeared into the dull light. A red Earth Pony mare, who looked just as frazzled as the filly. Her eyes were filled with apprehension. Hyper too saw the new ponies and shouted out to Feather and Rhythm. The two Pegasi fluttered down to the sand while Rhythm galloped back north on the clifftops.

“S-someone actually came…” The mare’s voice cracked.

“What are you doing here?” Echo asked her.

“I… we were hiding from Hybrids. I-” The mare spoke frantically. “I set up a beacon on my radio… y-you got it?”

“Yep,” FeatherTune confirmed. “There’s no Hybrids around, you don’t have to hide.”

“Hybrids…” The red mare muttered. “My husband was taken by the Hybrids.” Tears began forming in her eyes.

“I’m so sorry,” Hyper said, walking forward. The filly’s gaze followed him from behind the mare’s legs. “I don’t know if we can save your husband, but we can save you. Come back to our camp with us, you’ll be safe.”

EchoBeat led the mare towards the slope he had climbed down. He found ascending was much easier than crawling down the rocks. Shakily, the mare scaled the cliffside. Hyper had carried the young filly in his forelegs as he flew up to the flat clifftop. The team escorted the two Earth Ponies to their cab.

Echo took one last glance at the ocean. It’s dark water slowly churned and foamed at the shore. With endless grey clouds floating over it, the ocean was a gloomy location. If it hadn’t been for the shrubs and palm trees, the whole area who reek of lifelessness.

In the cab, Echo watched the two ponies in the back from his front seat. The filly clung to the red mare’s side. Echo noted that the mare didn’t have a EPD and wondered if she was with the Resistance or not.

“What’s your names?” He asked politely.

“I… I’m RoseTwist,” the red mare spoke up. She peered down to the filly. “This is my daughter LilyMist.”

“I’m EchoBeat, and this is Rhythm,” Echo used his muzzle to point to his friend beside him. “You’ll be safe with us. We’ll take you back to our camp, and then figure out where to go from there.”

Echo now understood why Rhythm had chosen him to go. He had always been the one to welcome and comfort the ponies they saved on their missions. While he was never assigned that position, he naturally fell into it over the years. Although he’d never be fond of fighting, Echo was glad he was able to support his team in other ways.

Chapter 33

Team Xero brought the two ponies they rescued into their camp. Like the other refugees, they would allow them to stay for as long as they wanted. After a couple of days, RoseTwist found out about the Hybrid camp up north. She pleaded for the ponies to go search it for any signs of her husband. CharmingRhythm was reluctant to send anyone there since it was unknown territory. Just to appease Rose, he chose HyperBlitz and FeatherTune to scout the area. ForestWind eagerly asked to come along with them.

The three Pegasi were able to follow the stream northwest to the dried lake bed. Reminnets of the lake water still remained, but it was barely a meager pond. All around that pond were Hybrid structures, sheds, fences, piles of scrap material, and energy nodes. Hybrids swarmed among the camp, there could have easily been at least two dozen of them. The Pegasi noted that the camp was practically a maze. There would be no way to search through all of the structures without having to fight through many Hybrids.

That’s when the Hybrids took notice of them flying ahead. Several Hybrids fired their guns at the aerial ponies, and pointed their turrets to the sky. At first, prompted by HyperBlitz, they began firing energy back. They were able to take out a couple turrets, and injure a Hybrid, but the crossfire from the lake bed became overbearing.

As they retreated back to their own camp, a few Pegasus Hybrids began chasing them. Luckily they were slow, and flew low to the ground. Hyper made a distraction, fighting them off in the air while his two allies gained distance. He was able to take out one of the Hybrids, which fell to the earth once it gave up. Another he was able to damage its wing enough so that it quickly descended to the ground in a crash landing. The last Hybrid gave up fighting and returned the way it came.

When they arrived at their own camp, they described the maze of obstacles in the lake bed. They determined it would be impossible to infiltrate without a well thought out plan and special backup forces. Luckily, FeatherTune was able to take some pictures of the layout from the sky, which they could use for future reference.

RoseTwist was crushed when she heard the news. At first, she became enraged with Rhythm’s team. She accused them of not doing their job, and not doing all they could to help her family. Those accusations hurt Rhythm to his core, but he tried to remind himself that there truly wasn’t anything they could do without risking many more ponies. He began to think of how selfish he was, not risking his ponies’ lives to save one life.

As the week pressed on, Rhythm’s teammates continued to reassure him that it wasn’t his fault. After all, there wasn’t even any proof that Rose’s husband was in that camp. After a few days, Rhythm regained his confidence. He knew there were many other things they had to do. Rose too had settled down, but became depressed instead. She neglected LilyMist, who the rest of the camp started to look after. Rhythm hoped that the mare and her filly would be able to recover from this loss.

Soon enough, it was time to pick up ThunderCharm from Los Pegasus. She had sent a message saying she was done with her initial training, two and a half weeks after she left. Rhythm agreed to be the one to pick her up. As he prepared himself, Hyper bursted into his room.

“Rhythm!”

“W-what?!” The Unicorn glared up at Hyper, startled.

“I wanna come with you!” Hyper grinned.

“Alright,” Rhythm said with a sigh of relief. “You could have said that without scaring the shit out of me!”

“Sorry. I’m just excited.”- that is what Hyper did best- “SweetHooves should be back from her mission by now! I wanna see how everything went,” Hyper explained.

“Go to SweetHooves place with Thunder…” Rhythm muttered.

“We can stop by before picking up Thunder. I promise I won’t take too long,” Hyper promised.

“Alright, cool,” Rhythm replied with a nod. “I do want to see Heartfelt, too.”

Once again, Hyper sat next to Rhythm as they drove to the city so they could chat on the way there. They made their way to Hyper’s old apartment.

The door opened. Heartfelt’s brown eyes darted between the two stallions, almost in shock. She did not smile and greet them like usual. Instead, her expression was filled with dread, and she remained silent as stallion entered.

“What’s wrong?” Hyper asked, then looked around the room. Heartfelt was the only mare standing there.

“SweetHooves isn’t back,” Heartfelt informed hesitantly.

Hyper snapped his head back to face Heartfelt. “What?” He exclaimed, his eyes widening.

“She was supposed to be back over a week ago,” Heartfelt said, gazing at the floor. “No messages either from her team. I thought I’d at least get an update if something didn’t go right…” She trailed off.

“You mean SweetHooves is still out there?” Hyper replied in a shrill voice. “If she’s not back, something could have gone wrong! She might be in trouble. She might be hurt!”

Rhythm stepped up next to Hyper and placed a hoof on his back, attempting to ease him. Heartfelt exchanged a look with Rhythm. Her worried eyes flooded with guilt of being the bearer of bad news. Neither of them would be able to calm Hyper’s fear.

“What if she doesn’t come back?” Hyper fret.

“I’m sure she will,” Rhythm told him in a mild tone. “Maybe something slowed them down. They’ll come back, and if not, they’ll at least update us.”

“Then why haven’t they sent an update already?” Hyper refuted. “Something happened to them… something bad. I… I have to find them!”

“What?” Both Heartfelt and Rhythm expressed.

“Hyper, you can’t just go off and look for them on your own,” Rhythm warned. “Think logically. Haythorn is a Resistance town. They’ll be safe there, and she has a team looking after her.” Rhythm realized what he said was useless. Hyper wasn’t a pony to listen to logic, he was one who was driven by emotion. Right now, his emotions were controlling him enough to take action.

“But they went there to help them to begin with! If they can’t help them, how can the town give help back? Someone has to go find them! I’m fast, I can get there quickly!” Hyper proclaimed.

“No way, that’s still a long way away. And you can’t just go off alone!” Rhythm argued.

“Then come with me! If you cared enough, you’d come with!” Hyper retorted.

“Of course I care. And that’s why I can’t let you go, it’s too dangerous,” Rhythm responded. He was slightly hurt, but more irritated than anything.

“You may be my team leader, but you can’t make me do anything. If you don’t want to go, I’ll just go by myself,” Hyper said with furrowed brows.

“Hyper, it’s for your own safety.” Rhythm placed a hoof on his friend’s shoulder. “SweetHooves will be okay. She’s a strong mare, she knows how to look after herself. They’re probably just running behind.”

“My safety doesn’t matter.” Hyper shook his head. “I’d risk anything to make sure SweetHooves is okay.”

Rhythm couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “Of course your safety matters. Do you really want to put yourself at risk? Just to have SweetHooves come home and find something happened to you?”

Finally, something seemed to get through Hyper’s walls. “Fine,” he muttered. “But if we still get no updates, I’m going to go, and you can’t stop me.”

“Please, just think before doing anything too extreme,” Rhythm stated.

Hyper said no more and stormed out of the door. Heartfelt’s head followed him, her ears still pressed back. Her eyes then locked onto Rhythm’s. He stepped forward to her.

“I’m sorry this meeting couldn’t be better. I would have liked to talk to you more,” Rhythm told her with disappointment.

“It’s okay. It’s not your fault,” Heartfelt said, still stiff after watching the argument.

Rhythm rubbed his horn against her horn. “Next time we’ll talk more. I promise. If you get any updates about SweetHooves, can you send a message to our camp?”

“Of course,” Heartfelt replied.

As Rhythm began to walk away, Heartfelt outstretched her hoof to him. Turning to look back at her, her eyes pleaded what her mouth couldn’t say. He returned to the spot he was in a moment ago.

“Stay strong, babe. Things will be better next time.” Rhythm wore a weak smile, and then gave Heartfelt a kiss. “I love you.”

“I love you, too,” Heartfelt responded in a soft voice.

Rhythm exited the apartment and glanced left and right when he didn’t see HyperBlitz. To the right, he could just make out the small shape of Hyper flying several stories about the ground.

“Hyper!” Rhythm called out while amplifying in voice. “Where are you going?!”

Hyper swirled around in the air. “We have to get Thunder, don’t we?!” He shouted.

There were ponies staring at Rhythm from across the street. He ignored their eyes and jumped into the cab. He shook his head, frustrated that Hyper had left without him. Slowing his flight a bit, Hyper soon became parallel with Rhythm. They traveled to the recruitment building.

ThunderCharm, who was sitting in the waiting area, jumped up when she saw the two stallions enter. “Hyper! Rhythm! It’s good to see you!” Thunder quickly galloped over to them, her face beaming. “I got my own EPD!” She lifted up her right foreleg. “But they also gave me a training one too.”

“That’s great, Thunder,” Rhythm acknowledged, mustering up a smile.

Thunder lost her own smile, and her eyes became concerned. She had picked up on the odd energy between them, especially since Hyper, the normally vocal pony, wasn’t speaking at all. Hyper only took a glance at Thunder, and turned around to face the door.

“What’s wrong?” Thunder asked meekly.

“I’ll tell you on the way back,” Rhythm murmured. “Don’t worry, it has nothing to do with you.”

Rhythm and Thunder rode into the desert as Hyper flew above them. It had been silent between Thunder and Rhythm for a few moments before anyone spoke. Not liking the awkward silence, Rhythm spoke up first.

“So, can you tell me the difference between a normal EPD and a training EPD?” Rhythm inquired.

“A training EPD uses less energy, so you can fire it much more for practice. It’s also a lot less powerful, so you can shoot ponies without much consequence,” Thunder reported. She blinked at him, a bit confused by the question.

“Good, good,” Rhythm said, nodding. “And you do know what EPD stands for, right?”

“Uh- yeah. Energy Power Device. Why?” Thunder responded.

“Just schooling you. Making sure you remember your training,” Rhythm replied with a smirk.

His smile quickly faded as his eyes rested ahead of him once more. HyperBlitz was gaining distance between them, not caring how fast he flew or if he left them behind. That was not usual behavior for him. He was usually loyal and stayed by his friends’ side. Caught up in his extreme emotions, he acted upon rash decisions and distanced himself from ponies.

Thunder noticed his sudden change in mood. “Are you going to tell me what happened with you and Hyper?” She asked in a polite tone.

Rhythm explained to Thunder what happened to SweetHooves, and that Hyper was gravely concerned. He left out the part about arguing with Hyper, but did mention Hyper wanted to fly to Haythorn to find his wife.

“He wants to go alone?” Thunder mused. “Isn’t that dangerous?”

“That’s what I said,” Rhythm muttered. “I mean if he really does end up going, I’ll follow him if I have to. I can’t let him wander into the wastelands unprepared.” He gazed distantly at his front hooves for a moment. “I just hope SweetHooves comes home before he tries anything. And I hope she’s alright…”

“What would really cause a mission to be extended?” Thunder questioned.

Rhythm contemplated that for a moment. The only times his missions had been stalled was due to someone getting injured. That produced a knot of fear in his belly. He remembered SweetHooves was a medic; she knew how to treat injuries. “Maybe someone from the town was still in trouble, and she had stayed to help,” Rhythm thought aloud. “Either that or their way was blocked somehow.”

Thunder attempted to understand. She was a brand new recruit, and didn’t have the experience Rhythm had. I hope it was the right decision letting her become a recruit, Rhythm wondered. She doesn’t know how dangerous things can get. I don’t know if she’ll ever be prepared for that.

CharmingRhythm knew that at one point he was an inexperienced rookie too. He had grown used to the hells that the wasteland threw at him. He wished he didn’t have to know, that things weren’t this way. He had seen the horrors that ravaged ponykind. The terrible once-pony creatures that were Hybrids. Injuries that occurred, both the loss of his leg and Hyper’s cut off wing. Ponies taken away from their families like RoseTwist’s husband.

Celestia, please let SweetHooves be safe.

Chapter 34

Over the next few days HyperBlitz kept up with his anxious behavior. He was barely getting any work done while caught up in his fears. He had even insisted he went back to Los Pegasus to check if SweetHooves had returned, but CharmingRhythm assured him that Heartfelt would message them for any updates. So far, there were no messages.

Hyper’s apprehensive energy seemed to rub off on Rhythm. While he was determined to keep up work and keep up morale, he couldn’t help worrying about SweetHooves too. More so, he worried that Hyper would leave without warning.

As the days went on, Rhythm found himself sleeping restlessly. He was sure that his sleepiness during the day would catch up to him so he could finally get a good night’s sleep, but the restless nights kept up. He began having strange dreams between his wakes. It wasn’t often that he dreamed, but when he did, it was most likely because something was bothering him. At least this time it was obvious what it was.

It was the fitht night since Hyper and Rhythm had gone to Los Pegasus. Rhythm awoke from another dream. Something about the chimera running ramped through the camp. Heartfelt and SweetHooves were visiting the camp, but he told them it was too dangerous. The mares hid in the energy mill for some reason. When Rhythm went to check up on them, SweetHooves was gone. Missing just like the waking word.

Rhythm laid awake staring into the darkness. There was no way to tell what time it was. He longed to catch a few more minutes of sleep he needed badly, but did not want to return to his odd dreams.

Something sounded from outside his door. Another door opening, and hoofsteps. Rhythm sat up and perked up his ears. The door closed and it was quiet again. Illuminating the room with his magic, Rhythm sought his way into the hallway. He peered around the corner into the main room. As the front door closed, he caught the last glimpse of a tail. He couldn’t make out who it was in the dark. His eyes darted over to a glowing digital clock. 5:28 AM.

Rhythm checked Hyper’s bedroom. Just as he expected, Hyper was gone. So was his saddlebag and EPD, which usual stood by his nightstand. Rhythm swirled back around and darted into his bedroom. There he levitated his saddlebag up and dragged it along with him as he excited the base. He had no time to put it on just yet.

The sky was still dark black, but dim lamps from the camp lit up the streets. Rhythm galloped down the road heading south, at the end of it was his cab. Gazing up at the sky, he expected to see the faintest hint of Hyper’s yellow fur. Instead of fur catching his eye, Rhythm was able to detect Hyper from the glowing crystal in his prosthetic wing.

Rhythm hopped into the vehicle and sped after Hyper. He’s going to Los Pegasus? He noted that Hyper was flying due south. Why would he go there first? Rhythm tried to understand. Unless… Heartfelt. He was going to tell Heartfelt. Rhythm hoped that Heartfelt would be able to slow Hyper down enough so he could catch up to him. There was no way he could match his speed, and Hyper appeared to be going faster than before. Rhythm knew for sure he’d be heading for Haythorn after stopping in Los Pegasus. Heartfelt please do something.

While soaring through the air, HyperBlitz glanced behind himself to see if anyone was following. To his dismay, he could see the cab rolling across the ground in the same path he was taking. Hyper didn’t need to glance any longer to look to see who was inside, he already knew it was Rhythm. He pumped his wings and sped up.

Hyper passed the gorge and approached the mountains that shielded Los Pegasus. Over the mountains, he descended into the valley. The lights from the city illuminated the cloudy sky. He soared over the suburbs and found his way into the inner city. There he arrived at his old apartment, where he knocked with a hoof.

After a minute or so, Heartfelt opened the door. She blinked at him a few times. “Hyper?” Heartfelt adjusted her eyes. “It’s 6 AM. What are you doing here?”

“I came here to tell you I’m going to Haythorn,” Hyper told her.

“You’re what?” Heartfelt snapped her head up.

“Someone should know, but… not like that really matters now. Rhythm was following me,” Hyper said with a scowl.

“Maybe you should let him follow you,” Heartfelt stated.

“What? But he’ll just tell me to stop and go back to camp!” Hyper refuted.

“Maybe not,” Heartfelt countered. “Maybe he’ll come with you.”

“But he said I shouldn’t go, that it’s too dangerous,” Hyper spat.

“He said you shouldn’t go alone. I’m sure he understands your concerns, and is willing to help you in any way,” Heartfelt assured him.

“I don’t wanna bother him to follow me anyway. I’m sure he has better things to do.” Hyper shook his head.

“Hyper, he’s your friend. Of course he’d help you. That’s who he is. I mean, do you want to go alone?” Heartfelt pressed.

“No…” Hyper mumbled, his eyes cast away.

“Then let him come with you. Wait until he gets here before you head out,” Heartfelt said with smooth persuasion.

“How does he know to come here?” Hyper questioned.

“I’m sure he knows,” Heartfelt replied. “Just stay here and wait. I’m sure you’re not even prepared for this journey. I can help you get what you need.”

Several minutes passed as Hyper impatiently waited. He began pacing in the living room as Heartfelt prepared a food bag in the kitchen. Soon enough, the door swung open and Rhythm stormed inside. He didn’t even bother to knock first. With quick steps, Rhythm stood hoof to hoof with Hyper. His brown eyes glared into Hyper’s only a few muzzle lengths away. Heartfelt entered the living room when she heard the door close.

“HyperBlitz! How could you sneak out like that?” Rhythm accused.

“I know you would have tried to stop me if I told you,” Hyper said.

“Dude there’s no way I can possibly stop you. No matter what I say, you’d go anyway. You could at least announce you are going,” Rhythm stated, frustrated.

“Well, you know now. Is there anything else you want?” Hyper spat.

“Let me come with you,” Rhythm requested, his eyes and voice softer now.

“You’ll just slow me down,” Hyper explained. As Rhythm’s eyes gained an agitated glare, Hyper quickly added, “I don’t mean it like that. I mean you are literally slower than me. I could fly there quickly and easily avoid any Hybrids. “

“Did you forget we have a vehicle?” Rhythm pointed out. “And we’ll probably need it if we’re going to bring SweetHooves back home.”

Hyper gazed away, troubled. “I thought you didn’t want me going out there.”

“I mean, I don’t really have a choice do I? I was just warning you that it’s dangerous, and if you have to go, I’ll come with you.”

“Thanks,” Hyper said, although his thoughts were still somewhere else.

Heartfelt walked up to Rhythm’s side. “I was able to get him to wait for you,” she insured.

“You must have been reading my mind then,” Rhythm responded with relief. “I was hoping you could provide me a distraction.” He gave her a grateful smile.

“Of course.” Heartfelt smiled back at him. “I’m sure you’re not completely prepared for this. I’m packing you some food for the journey.”

“It should only take a few hours to get there,” Rhythm assured as he followed her into the kitchen. They stood alone, Hyper in the other room.

“Better to be safe than sorry.” Heartfelt dipped her head as she levitated a small bag in front of Rhythm. ‘Also.” She found her way over to one of the counters, Lime green magic pulled something out of the drawer and over to Rhythm. It was a stack of paper dollar bits. “You may need this.”

“Isn’t this the money you’ve been saving up…” Rhythm began to protest. “You should keep this.” He pushed the money back with a hoof.

“You don’t know what you may need when you get to Haythorn. It’s just a few bits, I can spare it. Please take itt. If you don’t use it, you can bring it back,” Heartfelt reassured.

A cyan glow replaced the lime green as Rhythm accepted the money. He sighed with a grin. “You’re too good to me.”

Heartfelt returned a smirk. She tilted her muzzle up and kissed Rhythm. “Come on. We can’t keep Hyper waiting.”

As Heartfelt met up with Hyper in the living room, Rhythm went back to the cab to retrieve a water bottle from his saddlebag. As he got another look at Heartfelt, an idea sparked in his brain.

“Hey, Heartfelt? Can you send a message to the camp for me?”

“Um. I’m not working today, but I guess I could still send one in…” Heartfelt considered.

“If you could, that would be great,” Rhythm expressed. He took a few moments to write something down to give to Heartfelt.

“Make sure both of you drink plenty of water,” Heartfelt told them as the stallions began to leave.

“Alright, alright,” Rhythm complained playfully, rolling his eyes. His eyes then softly settled on Heartfelt.

Hyper only managed a meager smile as he watched both of them. As it faded, he began heading for the door. As Hyper left, Rhythm gave Heartfelt one last lengthy kiss. She gave him a peck before he backed away completely. He couldn’t help but to grin.

“Thanks again for your help,” Rhythm said.

“Of course. Good luck,” Heartfelt replied. “I’ll see you when you get back.”

Rhythm nodded curtly as he held the door open. “See you, and love you.”

“Love you, too.”

After exiting, Rhythm circled around the cab to the driver’s side. He was surprised to see Hyper sitting next to him. His friend appeared to be in a slightly better mood.

“I told her she’d make a great mom,” Hyper remarked, commenting on Heartfelt’s protective behaviour.

Rhythm gave a single huff of amusement. “Heh, yeah.”

Before the two stallions left the city, CharmingRhythm stopped in town to pick up a few more supplies. He acquired a map as well as a small first aid kit. The map pointed them in the right direction; there was a road from Los Pegasus that stretched all the way to Haythorn. It would be an easy route to follow. The grey light of dawn fell over them as they left the suburbs.

That morning in camp, the rest of Team Xero awoke to find Hyper and Rhythm missing, as well as their cab. They all spread out to search around their base and camp. They asked the ponies working if they had seen them. BlazingFlair was doing one more round before returning to the base. Inside he found EchoBeat standing behind SpinningNote who was seated at the computer.

“Nothing…” Blazing said.

“Good news,” Spinning remarked. “We don’t have to search any more. We’ve got a message from Rhythm!”

“Really?” Blazing took a step to Echo’s side.

“We’ll, it’s technically from Heartfelt, but Rhythm wrote it. He said that he and Hyper are going to Haythorn to find SweetHooves,” Spinning reported.

“What? That’s… absurd,” Blazing uttered, Echo nodding in agreement.

“He’s leaving EchoBeat in charge of the camp,” Spinning continued.

“I have no idea why he chose me,” Echo stated, baffled.

“He chooses someone different every time too,” Blazing commented.

“Probably to test our responsibility,” Spinning guessed. “Anyway. He also said that Blazing should continue to overlook ThunderCharm’s training.”

“That I can do,” Blazing replied. “Anything else?”

“Hmm... nope. It’s pretty concise. That’s how you can tell Rhythm wrote it and not Heartfelt,” Spinning remarked. He turned to face Blazing. “Can you go tell Feather?”

“Sure thing,” Blazing accepted. He trotted back out of the base in search of his Pegasus friend.

“I hope they’ll stay safe,” Echo thought aloud.

“I’m sure they will,” Spinning said. “Hyper and Rhythm make a great team. They’ll figure this out. Have no clue how long they’ll be gone though.”

Echo began aiming towards the front door. “I’m gonna help Blazing look for Feather.”

“Alright. Go tell everyone you’re in charge.”

“What? I’m not gonna go out and boast that,” Echo counted.

Spinning shrugged. “Fine, I’ll do it for you.”

As the door closed behind Echo, Spinning placed his eyes back on the screen. He started searching online to see if there was any current information about Haythorn. After some digging, he found out that Haythorn’s communication line between Los Pegasus had been broken. There was no evidence stating how it happened, only that there had been no messages from the city for a while.

“Well, that’s not good,” Spinning spoke to himself aloud as he read the lines.

Whatever happened to SweetHooves, her team must have not been able to send a message back to headquarters.

Chapter 35

The cloudy sky grew brighter as CharmingRhythm and HyperBlitz rode throughout the desert. The road split at one point, but Rhythm was able to determine which path to take. Along the way they passed a village with a small population of ponies. A few waved to them as they passed by. After over an hour, Hyper became restless.

“I want to fly now. I need to stretch my wings. Wing...?” Hyper stopped a moment to question what he said.

As he extended his foreleg towards the half door, Rhythm exclaimed “Nah, nah, nah. You aren't exiting at this speed! Let me slow down!”

Rhythm proceeded to do so and Hyper shot out of the cab. He bounded into the air and Rhythm began to follow him.

“I would have been fine!” Hyper yelled down.

“Do I need to teach you a physics lesson?!” Rhythm hollered, his head out of the side window.

‘Probably! I didn’t go to school!” Hyper shot back.

“No broken bones allowed on this mission!” Rhythm teased. He put his full body back inside and shook his head with a grin. He whispered “Sheesh,” to himself.

They continued to travel for another two hours. Hyper stopped a few times to rest his wings and sat beside Rhythm again. They passed a few small forests filled with yucca trees. After crossing a stream, Hyper took to the air again and flew for another thirty minutes or so.

Suddenly the cab came to a stop, everything powering down. Blinking, Rhythm sat inside, confused. He hopped out to investigate. Hyper didn’t notice at first and continued to glide. Only when he heard the sound of the door closing did he realize what happened.

“What’s going on?” Hyper called out as he began circling above Rhythm. He landed into a trot and halted next to the cab.

“I don’t know. It just stopped,” Rhythm said, rubbing the back of his neck. “How do you get this thing open…”

Rhythm faced the front of the vehicle and started telechnetically budging a hatch on the steep hood. It opened with a clink and Rhythm peered inside. All of the crystals that powered the cab were dull, missing their vibrant blue glow.

“You’re fucking kidding me,” Rhythm muttered. “We got supplies and out of all the things, we didn’t get extra crystals!” He waved his left hoof into the air, almost smacking Hyper. “I don’t understand. This thing has been going for months, and it gives out now! How fucking convenient!”

“Hey, calm down,” Hyper placed his hoof on Rhythm’s back.

“Maybe I could transfer energy from my crystal…” Rhythm picked up his right foreleg and stared at the gem embedded in it.

“What? No way!” Hyper argued. “You need your crystal so your leg will work! And there’s no way there’s enough energy in it to keep this going for very long.”

“So what am I supposed to do? Walk the rest of the way?” Rhythm spat.

“You might have to,” Hyper replied, glaring at the road behind him.

“What about your crystal?” Rhythm pointed to Hyper’s EPD with his muzzle.

Hyper sighed as he picked up his left foreleg. “I don’t think it will get us very far.”

“A little further is better than where we are now!” Rhythm retorted.

“Alright, alright.”

Kneeling down, Hyper placed the bottom of his hoof against a crystal inside the compartment. He began transferring energy, the dull crystal beginning to glow again.

“I want to keep a little bit,” Hyper said, standing straight again. “In case we run into any Hybrids.”

“I’ll put some energy from my leg in it too, to help,” Rhythm spoke.

“Be careful Rhythm-” Hyper warned

“I’m only putting in a little bit!” Rhythm snapped and knelt down. Once he was done, he turned his head to Hyper. “What about your wing?”

Extending his left wing, Hyper stared over his shoulder. “What? Hell no! I’d argue I’d need my wing more than your leg.”

Rhythm rolled his eyes and stated, “Just a little bit. C’mon, you’ll be fine.”

“No!” Hyper quipped.

Hyper began backing up as Rhythm held out his prosthetic foreleg. Swirling around, Hyper broke into a gallop, Rhythm still following him.

“Hyper!” Rhythm shouted.

“No!”

Rhythm began chasing him faster, and the Pegasus took flight. He continued to fly around the cab as Rhythm waved his hoof in the air.

“Hyper, you can spare a little energy!” Rhythm called through a smile. Hyper fleeing from him was a bit amusing to watch. Hyper groaned and Rhythm gestured his hoof back towards him. “C’mon. We’re wasting time.”

Finally Hyper landed. He glared at Rhythm with a pout as he placed his right foreleg over Hyper’s folded wing. He sucked some energy out of his crystal into his leg, and then placed that energy inside of the cab.

They began traveling along the road again in their vehicle. Hyper sat in the seat next to Rhythm for as long as they could drive. After a few kilometers, the cab halted again. Both Hyper and Rhythm grabbed their saddlebags and hopped out.

“I don’t want to leave it. I just painted it,” Rhythm frowned.

“That’s why you don’t want to leave it?” Hyper questioned with confusion.

“I don’t want anyone to steal it…”

“Rhythm, we’re in the middle of nowhere!” Hyper expressed with an outstretched hoof. “Nobody is here to steal it!”

“I hope you’re right,” Rhythm murmured and turned around.

“Can I see the map?” Hyper requested.

Rhythm levitated it out of his bag and over to Hyper who grabbed it in his teeth. He crouched down and pushed himself into the air. He unfolded the map in his red hooves and glanced around the wasteland.

“I highly doubt you can figure out where we are,” Rhythm exclaimed. “We just have to keep following this road.”

Hyper returned to the ground and gave back the map. “We still have a lot of daylight. We’ll be able to make it there before night.”

“We better,” Rhythm mumbled. His eyes glared ahead, dark under furrowed brows.

“I don’t understand why you’re in such a pissy mood,” Hyper said.

“I’m the one who has to walk!” Rhythm expressed. “You could just fly. Why aren’t you flying?”

“You came with me. The least I could do is walk with you,” Hyper replied.

Rhythm tossed his head in front of himself, now smirking. “Alright. Fair enough.” His smile quickly faded. “I guess you were right. I am going to just slow you down.”

“Hey, it’s not like we knew the cab would run out of power,” Hyper protested.

“We should have. I should have,” Rhythm growled.

“Rhythm, I appreciate that you came with me. Even if I have to go at your pace. We’ll get there eventually. One thing for certain, I’m not leaving you behind,” Hyper insisted.

Rhythm gave him a weak smile. He was grateful for Hyper’s loyalty, something that always bounded them together. No matter what happened, they would face the road ahead as a team.

They continued to walk for about two hours. They stopped a few times to rest for a couple minutes. HyperBlitz once again took to the sky. Soon enough, they were nearing another village on their right. It didn’t appear to have any pony population. In fact, it seemed to have Hybrids living among it. Nodes were visible behind a long fence. HyperBlitz decided to scope the area out.

“Hyper, what are you doing?” Rhythm called out to his Pegasus friend.

After circling around, Hyper returned to Rhythm. “I was looking for a sign. I saw one. I think it’s ‘Chestnut’ something. It was hard to read.”

Rhythm stopped in his place and levitated out the map. His eyes scanned the area between Los Pegasus and Haythorn. “Chestnut View,” he reported. “We’re getting close. There’s supposed to be a river close to Haythorn.”

Suddenly, there were voices shouting from the village. A gate banged open and three Hybrids stormed out. One Pegasus Hybrid flew overhead. Rhythm quickly put the map back and started running. Hyper spun around and flew over him. Blasts of energy shots came from the direction of the Hybrids, a few landing on Rhythm’s back legs. The Hybrids were surprisingly fast.

“Leave us alone!” Hyper shouted.

Facing the Hybrids again, Hyper began shooting at them. Rhythm too followed his example and attacked the Hybrids. They were able to get the Pegasus out of the sky, but the three on the ground were still chasing. As Hyper continued to fire, his energy began to weaken, and finally stopped altogether. He stared in shock at the dull crystal on his EPD.

“Rhythm!” Hyper blamed, his face furious.

“Sorry!” Rhythm snapped with a grimace.

Once again they were fleeing down the road. They passed the last house of the village, and both sides of the road became barren. The Hybrids chased for a few hundred meters more as the distance between them and the stallions widened. Finally, the Hybrids retreated to the village they had left behind. Heaving, Rhythm stopped to catch his breath. Hyper floated down towards him.

“If you didn’t fly overhead they wouldn’t have seen us!” Rhythm snapped, still breathless. He fell to his haunches.

“Well, Sorry! I wanted to know where we are!” Hyper defended.

Rhythm unclipped the bottle from his saddlebag and guzzled down the water he had left. After a few moments, Rhythm regained his composure and stood up. He resumed walking east, Hyper flying near him.

Almost another hour passed. Hyper glanced down from his place in the sky. He noticed Rhythm dragging behind, his hoofsteps slow. Angling his wings down, Hyper slowed into a descent and landing trotting. He let Rhythm catch up to him at his own speed. The Unicorn’s head hung low.

“We can stop to rest again,” Hyper offered. Flying didn’t wear him out as much as walking did Rhythm. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah. Just… tired. Running from those Hybrids took a lot out of me,” Rhythm huffed. “And I’m all out of water.”

“Went through mine too…” Hyper stated.

Rhythm found a rock on the side of the road to sit on. Hyper peered around the wasteland in search of a source of water. There were only shrubs and short trees. A few patches of yellow grass were scattered here and there. Remembering that there was a river up ahead, Hyper took to the air again in search of it. He flew east for a while, but only far enough to where he could still see Rhythm. Ahead of him the desert continued, the road separating it into two. Hyper returned to Rhythm.

“I don’t see the river,” He reported.

Rhythm sighed. “It’s probably still some distance ahead. We’ll have to go without water.”

Hyper could tell how dry Rhythm’s mouth was just by how he spoke. He too felt uncomfortable with a dry throat. Hyper searched around again. With eyes set on the path ahead, his vision began drifting upward. With his head craned all the way up, Hyper took in the sight of the lumpy grey clouds that blanketed the sky.

“Clouds have water,” Hyper said.

“What?” Rhythm let out. “You aren’t thinking…”

“I mean why not?” Hyper replied, shrugging. “I can go up and collect some in our bottles.”

“But, don’t you know how polluted the clouds are?” Rhythm gaped.

“Our bottles have filters. Can’t be much different than taking it from a river. Besides, the top of clouds aren’t as polluted as the bottom,” Hyper explained. “Lemme see your bottle.”

Levitating his bottle up, Rhythm stared at it with uncertainty. It floated over to Hyper. After strapping it to his saddlebag, Hyper bounced upward. With his chin up high, he flew as straight up as he could. The clouds lay two to three kilometers up, which Hyper was able to scale in a matter of minutes. Closing his eyes and taking in a deep breath, he flew into the clouds.

Bursting out on the other side, Hyper could feel the cold droplets fling off of his fur. Some drops of water still hung to his body, but his wings and hooves seem to deflect the water. Focusing on his task, he tried hard not to get distracted by the beauty of the blue sky. He strapped one bottle onto his right foreleg, but only could do one at a time since his EPD covered his left hoof. Hyper stretched out his foreleg as he flew above the clouds, the rest of his legs tucked in. Once one bottle was full, he did the other.

Doing like he had done not too long ago, Hyper arched his path up, and then downward to break through the clouds. He realized his descent was too steep as he hurtled towards the ground. He angled his wings and began gliding horizontally. He swirled around Rhythm a few times and found a place on the street to land. He stumbled a bit at first, but was successfully able to land without crashing.

Rhythm was about to meet up with Hyper, but the yellow stallion started walking towards him and the rock he was sitting on. Lifting up a foreleg, Hyper displayed Rhythm’s bottle which was strapped to it. Cyan magic grabbed it and held it up. Rhythm scrutinized the water inside to make sure it was clear. Hyper was already drinking his own before Rhythm was done examining it. He decided it looked fine and took a drink.

He blinked and placed the bottle down again. “I wasn’t expecting it to be that cold.”

“Yeah. Clouds are cold,” Hyper said. “It tastes fine, right?”

“Yeah,” Rhythm responded.

Rhythm went back to the rock to sit down. Hyper did the same.

“That was a neat trick. You’re pretty smart for someone who’s never gone to school,” Rhythm remarked, bumping Hyper’s shoulder with a hoof.

“Eh. Or maybe school just isn’t necessary.” Hyper shrugged.

“I’m sure there’s plenty of kids in the Resistance that wish that was true,” Rhythm commented.

Rhythm glanced down as his side and opened up his saddlebag. He levitated out a bag of pre-packaged apple slices. “We may as well eat something now. I’m glad Heartfelt made us take food.”

“She’s probably smarter than both of us.”

“Oh, definitely,” Rhythm chuckled and began munching on the apple slices.

Hyper searched through his bag for something to eat too.

“Now if only it wasn’t so hot. Why do we have to live in a desert!” Rhythm threw his head up and groaned in annoyance.

The heat didn’t bother Hyper too much, and when he flew, he was able to catch a breeze. He noted that Rhythm wore more clothes than him and had darker fur and hair, which absorbs more heat. Hyper realized he had it much easier than Rhythm when it came to traveling.

Standing up again, Hyper backed up to give some distance between him and Rhythm. “What if I do this?” He began fanning Rhythm with his feathered wing.

“Dude, you don’t have to do that. Really,” Rhythm grinned and waved his hoof.

“You sure?” Hyper continued to fan Rhythm, now with faster beats.

“Hyper, seriously!” Rhythm laughed.

“Alright, if you say so. I was just trying to do you a favor,” Hyper teased.

Both of them rested for a few more minutes. When they had finished eating they began journeying east again. Another hour and a half passed. The shrubs and trees began to become more dense the further they traveled. Soon enough, desert pines bushes took the place of the cacti. A river traveling west was beginning to near the road the stallions were traveling on.

“Is that the river we have to cross?” Hyper wondered when it was a dozen or so meters from the road.

“Yeah. It must cross up ahead,” Rhythm said.

“Well I don’t see where,” Hyper replied, observing from above.

“We’ll get there eventually,” Rhythm sighed. He was growing increasingly irritated just from how much he had to walk.

Finally HyperBlitz spotted the bridge that crossed the river ahead of them. As they approached the bridge, Rhythm noticed something was off. The stone bridge was badly destroyed, it’s walls collapsed. Only a small portion in the middle remained, just wide enough for a pony to walk over. There was no way for a vehicle to cross it.

“What happened…” Hyper gaped at the destruction.

“I don’t know… it’s weird,” Rhythm stated. “Why would they leave it like this, as close as it is to Haythorn? Ponies need to cross it. Unless… it’s recent damage.”

“What could even do this?” Hyper asked, hovering just above.

“I’m not sure. It definitely doesn’t look like deterioration over time.”

Rhythm carefully tread along the stone bridge. Below him, water gurgled at the broken pieces of bricks. What looked like burn marks streaked the edges of the bridge. Rhythm was able to make it over to the other side with no issue, but the sight of the bridge made him uneasy. Something definitely was not right.

Once again they were stranded in the middle of the desert. Rhythm had hoped that Haythorn was close, but no sign of the city appeared. Maps always made things look closer than they actually were. At least the trees were growing healthier here, indicating more life. Purple plum trees were blooming, their color striking against the tan desert.

Something was moving between the trees. Both Hyper and Rhythm cautioned as they heard the creaking of wheels. A wagon appeared at the side of the road, with an Earth Pony inside, and a Pegaus drawing it. The Earth Pony noticed the travelers and waved a hoof.

“Howdy there! You need a ride?”

“Please,” Rhythm croaked.

“You guys going to Haythorn?” Hyper questioned.

“Yup,” The Earth Pony said. “We were out here picking some plums. C’mon.” He waved them over with a hoof.

Rhythm hopped into the wagon and felt relief in his legs once he rested. The Pegasus drawing the wagon flew just above the ground, effortlessly pulling it along the road. At last the buildings of Haythorn came into view. They weren’t even half the height of the towers in Los Pegasus, but their size still indicated a larger town. The spot where the sun hid was past midday now. There was still enough time in the day to scout out SweetHooves and her team.

Chapter 36

With squeaking wheels, the wagon approached the west gate of Haythorn. CharmingRhythm wondered if there were always guards that protected the entrance. Back in Los Pegasus, there had always been sentries that protroled the city to protect citizens from rogues and Hybrids. They had even guarded areas where either enemy had occupied. Here in Haythorn, Rhythm wasn’t sure how security operated, and if guards at the gate were normal or not.

Rhythm thanked the ponies with a wagon when they dropped them off in front of the gate. For a moment there, the two stallions stood befuddled, unsure where to go next. Swirling around, Rhythm poked his head out of the gate to the other side.

“Hey, um, could you help us?” He asked one of the guards. “Is there some sort of visitors center or something? We need someone to help point us around. We aren’t from here.”

One of the guards turned her head to him, and then fully turned her body. She extended her hoof forward. “Keep going down this road. You get to the city hall which is in the middle of town. Someone there will be able to help you navigate.”

“Thank you so much,” Rhythm replied, dipping his head graciously.

Hyper trotted alongside Rhythm as they made their way down the street. They passed by houses, shops, and ponies going about their everyday lives. Life in Haythorn seemed normal, at least on the surface.

At the end of the street, or more likely the middle of the street, was a stone building with many arches and pillars. An Equestrian flag flew on a flagpole near the front doors, with a Resistances flag mirroring the opposite side. It was clearly town hall. Rhythm and Hyper entered.

Inside, the hall was very spacious, with two staircases on either side of the room. Ponies were gathered in clumps, all talking to each other casually. Rhythm had expected a desk in the center, but instead it was to the right side. He stepped up to it and saw a white mare staring at a computer screen. Her eyes flickered up as she saw him approach.

“Hi,” Rhythm said. “We need some help. We’re looking for some ponies, but we’re not sure where to go.”

“Who are you looking for?” The white mare asked.

“A team of ponies that came here a few weeks ago,” Hyper butted in.

“Hmm, I don’t know anything about that. But maybe you should ask her.”

The white mare pointed to the other side of the room. There, a brown Unicorn who wore her ruby mane in a bun, was talking with a stallion. Rhythm thanked the receptionist and headed over to the other side of the floor. Standing behind her, he waited for her to finish speaking to the stallion. Once the stallion left, the brown mare turned her gaze over to Rhythm and Hyper.

“Hello there, may I help you?” greeted the mare.

“Hi, we need some help navigating. We’re from Los Pegasus,” Rhythm began.

“Oh. Are you backup?” The mare questioned.

“What? N-no.” Rhythm shook his head. “We came here on our own…”

“Oh, well then. My name is Hazel. I’m the mayor of Haythorn. What can I do for you?”

“Were looking for some ponies.” HyperBlitz stepped forward. “They were also from Los Pegasus, but they never made it back home. They came here a few weeks ago.”

“Oh- you mean the support team that was sent? Yes I believe they are still here. There were some complications that couldn’t let them return home…

“But they’re alive?!” Hyper urged.

“Yes, they are. Although I think a few of them are injured,” Hazel recalled.

“Where are they?” Hyper demand. Rhythm placed a hoof on his shoulder.

“We were letting them stay at an inn. I’m guessing that’s where they’d be. Here, I’ll show you where it is. It’s not too far.” Hazel pointed her muzzle towards the doors and headed that way.

Both Rhythm and Hyper followed her. Rhythm was grateful that the mayor was more than willing to go out of her way to show them where to go. She seems like a caring leader, one the rest of the Resistance could use, Rhythm thought. He took a few quick steps to become parallel with the brown mare.

“If you don’t mind me asking, what happened to the bridge outside of town?” Rhythm quered.

Hazel sighed. “Rogues destroyed it. There’s a whole gang of them that’s claimed a suburb up north. They’ve been terrorizing the city for some time now.”

“Seriously?” Hyper exclaimed. “How did they even destroy the bridge like that anyway?”

“They had homemade bombs,” Hazel answered, distress in her voice.

“What?” Hyper squawked. “Nobody got hurt right?”

“No, not from the bombs,” Hazel assured. “Although the rogues have hurt ponies in other ways. They have even sent in Hybrids to attack ponies.”

“Sent in Hybrids?” Rhythm echoed, shocked.

“Yes. They were able to lure Hybrids to groups of ponies traveling on the outskirts of town,” Hazel explained.

“Why haven’t you requested aid from Headquarters?” Rhythm wondered.

“We haven’t been able to,” Hazel said. “The rogue took out our communication signal. The last ponies we called in were the support team you are looking for. Things have gotten worse since then.”

“Holy shit,” Hyper let out.

Once again, Rhythm appreciated Hazel’s kindness. She most likely has been extremely stressed the past few weeks, if not months. She had to address ponies’ concerns while also finding ponies to protect the city. Rhythm felt almost bad that they wanted to take away the ponies that were sent to help Haythorn. He wished he had his whole team with him, to possibly aid Haythorn in some way. Even then, he didn’t know how to deal with rogues, they were more complicated than Hybrids.

“Mayor,” Rhythm spoke up, “After we find who we are looking for, can we talk? I’m sure I can take a message back to Headquarters and even the president. We can provide aid for you.” He wished he could provide aid himself, but he knew this was the best that he could do.

“Of course we could talk. Any help would be greatly appreciated. I should be in the city hall, but if not, ask for me at the desk,” Hazel replied, dipping her head.

The three ponies arrived at the inn. While inside, Hazel asked the desk clerk for the room numbers of the support team, and gave them to Rhythm. Both he and Hyper made their way down the hallway as Hazel left. There were two room numbers, and Rhythm knocked on the first door they came across.

A lime green Pegasus opened the door and looked at the two stallions surprised.

“Um, hi,” Rhythm stated awkwardly. “We’re looking for someone, she’s supposedly a part of your team. SweetHooves?”

“Oh, um. She’s staying in the next room. But if she’s not there, then maybe check the hospital. She’s been helping there,” The Pegasus responded, still bewildered.

“Thank you,” Rhythm said.

Sure enough, there was no answer from the next room when they knocked. Hyper impatiently retraced their steps back to the entrance. Rhythm had to canter to catch up to him. Before leaving altogether himself, Rhythm asked the desk clerk which way the hospital was, and they were able to direct him. He dashed out of the door in search of Hyper.

“HyperBlitz! We have to go this way!”

The yellow Pegasus spun around in the air and followed where Rhythm was pointing. They continued down the road south and then to the east. The hospital was easy to spot; a large building with a spacious yard where many ponies gathered. Inside there were more ponies in the waiting room, where Rhythm stood, stumped. He wasn’t quite sure what to do next. Where would SweetHooves be, and how would he ask for her?

“Hello, do you have an appointment?” A voice spoke from behind a counter that Hyper was standing in front of.

“No.” Hyper shook his head. “I’m looking for someone. There’s a medic that came from Los Pegasus. Supposedly she’d be here. Her name is SweetHooves.”

“Hmm, well, I don’t know who that is,” The pony behind the counter said. “But I could send a message out to see if anyone does know her.”

“I would greatly appreciate it. Thank you,” Hyper replied.

Tired from the rough journey, Rhythm sat down for a few moments. He felt like the rest of his good legs were going to fall off. Hyper on the contrary was anxiously pacing around the lobby floor. After a few minutes a tan mare appeared from the hallway. SweetHooves stopped in her place and stared bewildered at her husband.

“HyperBlitz? What are you doing here?”

Hyper raced over to her and hugged her tight. Still in shock, she glanced around behind Hyper’s back. One of SweetHooves’ eyes caught sight of Rhythm, who she was also surprised to see.

“We came looking for you!” Hyper said through a smile which then faltered. He placed his red hoof on her right cheek. “What happened?”

Under SweetHooves’ black hair was a bandage wrapped around half of her face. It covered her right eye. She glared at the floor. “Hybrids. They attacked my team when we tried to leave. We couldn’t even leave, the bridge is broken…”

“We saw that,” Rhythm stated as he stepped up to the couple.

“Is it bad?” Hyper asked hesitantly.

“Yeah.. They said I’ll probably be blind in this eye,” SweetHooves spoke almost as if it didn’t phase her. She was obviously emotionally exhausted.

Empathy and anger swirled around Rhythm’s heart and mind. One more victim to the Hybrids’ rampage. One more valuable belonging taken away. Rhythm’s leg, Hyper’s wing, and now SweetHooves’ eye. While Hybrids didn’t directly take Rhythm’s leg, the only reason he lost it was because he was running from Hybrids. They had taken half of SweetHooves’s sight, something that couldn’t be replaced like a limb.

Rhythm could tell Hyper was feeling the same way he was, and possibly even more so. Hurt filled his gaze as he stood by his wife.

“You’re alive. That’s what matters,” Hyper finally said, although he knew for certain SweetHooves’ injury did matter. “Please come back home with us.”

“But I promised I’d help ponies here,” SweetHooves replied, glancing back down the hallway.

“You’ve been helping here longer than you intended. You were only supposed to be here for a couple weeks,” Hyper reminded her. “I know you want to help ponies, but you’ve done more than enough. You deserve to come home.”

“What about my team?”

“‘We can take them home too,” Hyper promised.

“We’re going to have to sort some things out if we do,” Rhythm spoke up.

“I know,” Hyper sighed, turning his head to Rhythm, but failing to meet his eyes. “Let’s get out of here, and go back to that inn you’re staying at.”

“Okay,” SweetHooves replied, sounding defeated. As she began following the stallions out, she said, “How do you know where I’ve been staying?”

“We talked with the mayor. She told us where to find you,” Hyper informed.

“Oh, the mayor. She’s a nice pony,” mumbled SweetHooves.

“Speaking of the mayor,” Rhythm brought up, “I’m going to have to talk to her. I should go do that now. I’ll meet up with you guys later.”

“Alright,” Hyper said with a nod. He continued to walk by SweetHooves with his left wing wrapped over her back.

Rhythm retraced his steps back to the city hall, where he found the mayor. They discussed about sending a message to headquarters, which Hazel decided she would address in a drafted letter. All Rhythm needed to do was deliver the letter to the president.

“I know I haven’t done much,” Rhythm was saying, “But I and my friends need some help. Is it possible to get us some crystals for our cab?”

“I suppose so. Delivering a message is all I’m asking for. Besides, the support team has been doing extra work around town.They deserve some reward,” Hazel stated.

“Thank you so much,” Rhythm replied.

“Come back here tomorrow morning. I’ll have the letter ready then,” Hazel instructed.

As he left, Rhythm realized just how late it was getting. Evening had fast approached. Even if it wasn’t for picking up the letter, there would be no use traveling back home this late. Rhythm had become desperate for a break anyway.

He met up with HyperBlitz and SweetHooves at the inn. There they were able to convince the workers to give them an extra room for the night. Even though they weren’t meant to pay, Rhythm couldn't help but leave a tip. He really didn’t want to throw away Heartfelt’s money, but remembered the stash of bits that was back in camp. Rhythm would be able to pay her back.

Now all that needed to be sorted out was how the group would make it back to the cab in the middle of the desert. Rhythm wanted to stay hidden away from any more walking. He decided it was a problem to address in the morning. All he wanted now was sleep.

Chapter 37

Feeling groggy and disoriented, CharmingRhythm woke up the next morning. He had not expected the inn room at first, and had to gather his thoughts before waking up all the way. The journey the day prior had left him exhausted, but he knew he couldn’t sleep any more. There were still things to work out. First, he would meet with the mayor. HyperBlitz and SweetHooves were still asleep when he left.

Entering the town hall, Rhythm could pick up the echoing sounds of his hoofsteps. The morning was much more quiet than the day before. Only a few ponies occupied the large room, one of them being mayor Hazel. She too had heard Rhythm’s steps, for when her ears flickered, she glanced over to him.

“CharmingRhythm. Come with me. We’ll go to my office,” Hazel said.

Rhythm followed suit to a door underneath the two staircases. “I’m surprised you didn’t just meet me in your office to begin with,” Rhythm noted.

“I prefer to be more open with citizens. Make myself more approachable,” Hazel explained.

“I guess that makes sense.” Rhythm admired her honesty.

Once inside, Hazel handed over a sealed envelope to Rhythm. “Here. This is the letter.”

“I’ll keep it safe,” Rhythm replied, taking the envelope in his hoof. He tucked it inside of a pocket in his saddleback.

“Thank you. And, as promised-”

Hazel’s pink magic lifted up a box from her desk. It levitated over to Rhythm, wear he captured it in his own magic. He opened it and a soft blue glow emitted from crystals.

“Thank you, I really appreciate it,” Rhythm said.

“And I appreciate what you’ll do. Are you certain you can get it to the president?” Hazel questioned.

“Of course. I’ve worked with the president before, she knows me. I don’t know if I’ll get a chance to talk with her, but I should at least be able to get the letter to her,” Rhythm assured.

“That’s all I can ask for. Stay safe on your trip back.”

Rhythm left the town hall feeling conflicted. Although he was grateful that the mayor was so considerate, he couldn’t help feel disappointed that their sector didn’t have a better leader. If only some way Hazel could replace Clarity as president. She seemed much better suited for the job. Would Clarity even give aid to Haythorn? She has to, Rhythm thought. There’s no way she could leave a city helpless to the attacks of rogues.

When Rhythm got back to the room, he saw Hyper and SweetHooves awake. What he didn’t expect were the two other ponies in the room speaking to them. One was the lime green Pegasus he had seen before. The other was a dull purple Unicorn, who wore a healing gash on his lower foreleg.

“Here,” Rhythm said as he placed the box of crystals on one of the beds. “We have plenty of crystals. You can recharge your weapon and wing,” he told HyperBlitz.

As Hyper reached towards the box, SweetHooves stepped up to CharmingRhythm. “Rhythm, these are my teammates. Gale and NightWave.”

“It’s nice to meet you,” Rhythm said to the two ponies with a nod.

The green Pegasus, Gale, spoke up, “They said you guys can take us back to Los Pegasus. Is that true?”

“Yeah, but… we’re going to have to figure out how to get back to our cab. I really don’t want to have to walk all the way back there,” Rhythm stated in a groan.

“We had a wagon,” NightWave, the purple Unicorn, stated , “but the rogues destroyed it.”

“Seriously?” Rhythm let out. “That’s… fucking despicable.” He remembered the wagon a Pegasus was pulling when he arrived at Haythorn. That must have been the kind the Unicorn was talking about.

“I guess we could borrow someone’s here,” Gale suggested.

“But we’d have to bring it back. That seems like too much extra work,” SweetHooves chimed in.

“Not if I do it,” HyperBlitz offered. “I’m fast. I can get it back here and meet you guys down the road.”

“Hyper that’s… that’s a lot of flying to do,” Rhythm argued.

“Either that, or I go fly to the cab and drive it back,” Hyper said.

“That might work…” Rhythm considered. “It’ll still take some time.”

“We may want to go with that option,” NightWave said. “It’ll probably cost bits to rent a wagon. We don’t have any bits to spare.”

Gale murmured agreement and then looked to Rhythm. “Your cab has four seats right?” When he nodded, she stated, “Then I guess that means we’re flying.” She was referring to herself and Hyper. “Drizzle still can’t fly.”

Drizzle must have been another member of their team. That would make four ponies on their team, three of which couldn’t fly. Rhythm wondered why Drizzle couldn’t fly. Were they injured? He questioned the ponies about this.

“Hybrids,” NightWave muttered grimly. At that, SweetHooves glanced away, still distressed by the thought of the attack. “We were trying to help some ponies move from the north. We wanted to keep them safe from rogues, but it was the Hybrids that ended up attacking.” The Unicorn lifted up his wounded foreleg.

“It probably was the rogues then,” Rhythm thought aloud.

“What are you talking about?” Gale asked.

“The mayor said that the rogues have been leading Hybrids to ponies. They’re letting them attack ponies for them,” Rhythm clarified.

“Of course they would,” NightWave snorted. “They’ll do anything to terrorize the ponies here.”

“I wish I could do something about this,” Rhythm said, shaking his head vigorously. “These ponies don’t deserve to be attacked! Those rogues have to pay…Maybe- maybe we could-”

“Rhythm, there’s no use,” Hyper addressed. “There’s nothing any of us can do. These ponies are injured, and we’re only a third of our team.”

“We have to do something!” Rhythm refuted.

“We’re getting them back up, that’s as best as we can do,” Hyper assured. “I know you want to help these ponies, I do too. But if we end up facing rogues, we’ll probably lose to them.”

“I know…” Rhythm sighed. “I just wish I could help more.”

Hyper placed a red hoof on his friend’s shoulder. “We’re doing what we can. Let’s help these ponies first.” He was referring to SweetHooves’ team. “But we can’t do anything if we keep sitting here. We need to get moving.”

The five of them met up with Drizzle from the other room and set out on their journey home. Rhythm noted that Drizzle, the light blue Pegasus, did indeed have an injured wing, with bandages wrapped around it. She didn’t talk much as they moved out of the city, she almost seemed afraid of Hyper and Rhythm in fact.

Rhythm levitated the box of crystals into Hyper’s saddlebag. “Alright, we’ll meet up with you later. We’ll walk while we can to close any gap.”

“Alright. I’ll be back before you know it,” Hyper replied with a nod.

As HyperBlitz flew out of sight, the rest of the ponies walked along the road to the west. Gale was the only one who flew, only a few meters above them. Rhythm hoped they didn’t have to walk for too long. A few minutes later. Hyper’s yellow shape reappeared on the horizon and floated over to them.

“Wow, you are back!” Rhythm called out sarcastically. “What’s up?”

“Hybrids. They’re by the bridge,” Hyper reported.

“It’s just like the last time we tried to leave,” NightWave growled as Drizzle glanced anxiously at her wing.

“We’ll have to fight through them,” Hyper said. “And I’m not leaving you guys until that’s done.”

“Alright,” Rhythm sighed.

“How are we supposed to fight them? We got injured last time we tried,” Drizzle stated.

“We have two other ponies to help us this time,” SweetHooves pointed out. “And I know the two of them make a great team.”

Rhythm returned her a grateful smile.

Plum trees started gathering around them as they continued. When the bridge approached, so did the shapes of four Hybrids. They were all standing on the near side of the river, and still hadn’t taken notice of the party.

“Let’s push them into the river,” Rhythm suggested. “That should give us enough time to run away.”

They began closing in on the Hybrids, but Hyper circled around above and flew back the way they came. He turned around and dived downward. A streak of bright blue followed him as he extended his foreleg. Hyper hurtled into a Hybrid with a burst of energy. The force was enough to knock the Hybrid over the river, sending it crashing on the shore.

“Hyper I said in the river!” Rhythm shouted.

“Sorry!”

Hyper landed so he could budge the unconscious Hybrid into the water. The three other Hybrids were now charging towards the traveling party. Gale and Rhythm shot energy at them, but it didn’t slow them down. Gale dodged as a grey Hybrid ran right past her. It swirled around, disoriented. The second Hybrid that had run towards them was now brawling with Rhythm.

The third Hybrid stayed close to the river. He lifted a gun which was part of his foreleg. A shrill, searing sound grew louder as Hybrid energy swelled up in his gun. It was aiming towards Rhythm, who was still busy with his enemy. A heavy blast of red energy shot towards the Unicorn. NightWave was quick enough to create a dome shield around them with their magic. Rhythm jolted from the sound of impact, and caught the last glimpse of energy dispersing.

After collapsing the shield, NightWave then fired his magic at the Hybrid who just attacked. A wave of magic sweeped under the cyborg’s hooves, knocking it off balance. There was still some space between him and the river, so Hyper flew down and began dragging him towards the shallow ravine.

Rhythm was still occupied fighting the Hybrid next to him, dodging it’s bladed swings. He lifted his foreleg and poured energy into its eyes a few times, enough to blind it. Violently it swung it’s blade around, in hopes that it would somehow hit Rhythm. Instead, Rhythm circled to the backside of the Hybrid and began budging it with his magic. Once the Hybrid was close to the ravine’s edge, Rhythm used both of his forelegs to thrust it in. Water splashed as it still flailed around in the water.

One last standing Hybrid remained, the grey one that was after Gale. “Don’t think you’ve won just yet,” he sneered. “I’m not reporting back without taking at least one of you with me.”

By now the Hybrid began to chase Gale again. The green Pegasus led it towards the river’s edge. She swooped over the river and turned around to see the Hybrid glaring up at her with bared teeth. Hyper quickly rammed into his backside and threw him headfirst into the water.

Some of the Hybrids still attempted to fight back, firing their weapons and failing to climb up the ravine side. Rhythm urged the party to cross the broken bridge on the narrow path that still stood. They ran some way so that they could guarantee retreat from the Hybrids. They all stopped to take some breaths.

“You guys got some real skill,” NightWave said to Hyper and Rhythm.

“Thank you,” Rhythm replied with a head dip.

“I’ve never seen a Pegasus do a dive attack like that!” Gale remarked to Hyper.

“Eh. That’s my special move,” Hyper smirked.

“Wish I could have helped in some way,” SweetHooves spoke in a disappointed tone.

“Maybe you still can,” Gale told her. She raised up one of her back legs, which was bleeding from a gash. “I got snagged by one of them. You think you can patch this up?”

“Of course.”

Gale sat down on the ground next to SweetHooves, who was pulling items out of her medical bag. Rhythm overlooked them and the rest of their team. Drizzle was still several hoofsteps away from them, looking nervous as ever. While she held an EPD, she didn’t take part in the attack.

“Has she always been like this?” Rhythm whispered to NightWave.

The purple Unicorn waved his hoof in a ‘so-so’ gesture. “She got more jumpy after the first Hybrid attack.”

“That’s understandable.”

Hyper’s shadow fell over them. “Okay, I’m gonna go now. I’ll see you guys in a bit,” he said from the sky.

“Alright, see you then,” Rhythm responded.

Floating downward, Hyper hovered near SweetHooves who was wrapping Gale’s leg in a bandage. SweetHooves turned her head to face Hyper. The stallion gaver her a kiss and backed off. Once more he darted into the air and sped down the road.

Once Gale’s leg had been treated, they continued their journey west. The rest of the way was quiet, with no more enemies to disturb them. It was about an hour until they saw anything else. The white cab drove up to them, with Hyper inside.

“Oh, thank Luna, it was still there,” Rhythm mumbled to himself.

Even though Hyper hadn’t heard Rhythm, he said “I told you it would be fine,” as if he knew exactly what he was thinking. Hyper exited and Rhythm gave him a teasing glare as he replaced Hyper in the front seat.

“What’s with the X?” NightWave asked, looking down at the door.

“Oh, that’s the initial of our team, ‘Xero’,” Rhythm explained, somewhat proud.

“Isn’t that… with a Z?”

“Not our team. It’s an X,” Rhythm confirmed.

“Xero with an X?” Drizzle spoke up for the first time since they attacked the Hybrids. “Don’t you guys have a song on the radio?”

“Yeah, we do,” Hyper said, and then glanced at Rhythm. The two of them exchanged amused smirks.

“That’s actually kinda cool,” Drizzle added quietly.

Hyper trotted over to Gale. “You good to fly?”

“Yep.”

“Good, because we’ll be flying the rest of the way,” Hyper told her.

SweetHooves sat next to Rhythm in the front seat with Drizzle and NightWave in the back. Hyper flew ahead of the cab while Gale trailed behind. All of the ponies were quiet for the most part as they continued their way back home. Rhythm shifted his gaze over to SweetHooves, who was just staring blankly into her lap.

“I’m… sorry about your eye,” Rhythm finally said.

SweetHooves shrugged. “It’s not your fault. I just wish this mission didn’t go as bad as it did.”

“Not all missions go right,” Rhythm sighed. He knew all too well the injuries his past missions held. “You gotta make the best of it sometimes.”

“I wish I could have helped more,” SweetHooves lamented.

“You stayed there for a couple weeks more than intended. And you were helping at the hospital the whole time, right?” Rhythm stated, and SweetHooves nodded. “Then I’m sure that’s more than enough. But I understand where you are coming from. When I saw how bad it was in Haythorn, I wanted to help more too. Not like there was anything I could do. Maybe if I had my full team…” Rhythm trailed off and stared ahead where Hyper was flying.

“I know Hyper is upset about this. About me,” SweetHooves stated, forlorn.

“Of course he’d be. He’s your husband,” Rhythm said. He thought for a moment. He couldn’t actually recall seeing Hyper genuinely upset, as if he was hiding it. Perhaps SweetHooves had seen something Rhythm hadn’t.

As if reading his mind, SweetHooves added, “I know he’s trying to tough it out, and stay strong for the rest of us. But that can only get him so far. I just hope that… that it doesn’t drag him down on the rest of your mission.I don’t want to drag him down.”

“Don’t say that. It wasn’t your fault you got hurt either,” Rhythm countered. “He’s going to make sure you're okay first and foremost. You need to be there to look after him too. I think Hyper will be okay, but he’s got to be honest to himself with his feelings. I’m sure you’re able to help him through that.”

“I hope you’re right,” was all that SweetHooves said.

The two of them were relatively quiet for the rest of their journey. Rhythm knew this was a new challenge that could possibly slow down his own mission. Right now, he didn’t care about that. All he wanted was for his friends to be okay, somehow.

Chapter 38

It was early afternoon when the party of traveling ponies made it to Los Pegasus. Once downtown, NightWave directed CharmingRhythm where to go to drop their team off. All three of SweetHooves’s teammates gave gracious “thank you’s” to the ponies who had brought them home. Afterwards, Rhythm set course for SweetHooves’s apartment.

The three ponies entered inside. Heartfelt emerged from another room, her eyes wide when she saw all of them.

“You’re back!” Heartfelt’s gaze drifted to SweetHooves. She noticed the bandage on her friend’s face. “What… what happened?”

SweetHooves didn’t reply. Instead, she walked past Heartfelt with her head hung low. As she made it into a bedroom, HyperBlitz followed after her. Heartfelt then looked at Rhythm, concern in her eyes.

“I know I said next time would be better,” Rhythm began with a sigh, “but I guess that was a lie. It didn’t go that well.”

“Is everyone okay? Did you get the rest of her team?” Heartfelt fret.

“Yes. We brought everyone back, but… some are injured. SweetHooves has a scared eye,” Rhythm revealed in a hushed tone.

“What? How did that-”

“Hybrids,” Rhythm stated. “Haythorn has been terrorized by rogues and by Hybrids. That’s why they couldn’t leave.” Rhythm thought for a moment. “They went there to help, but it wasn’t enough.”

“The Resistance has to do something about it, right?” Heartfelt said.

Nodding, Rhythm replied, “They have to. I’m going to be delivering a message to the president. I can’t stay too long.”

“Rhythm…” Heartfelt placed a hoof on his left foreleg.

“I promise I’ll come spend time with you another day. I can’t now,” Rhythm told her. He levitated something out of his saddlebag. “Here. This is the money I have left. I’ll pay back the rest later.”

“Oh- it’s alright. You don’t have to pay me back,” Heartfelt assured.

“We’ve got a stash of money back in camp. It’s not a problem,” Rhythm said.

“Really, you don’t have to,” Heartfelt replied.

“But I want to,” Rhythm insisted.

Heartfelt sighed and took the money. “Alright.”

Hyper exited the bedroom and trotted up to Heartfelt’s side. “Heartfelt, I want to thank you for looking after Jumpingjolt.”

“Of course,” Heartfelt said. “Do you think it would be okay for me to talk with SweetHooves? Is she okay with it?”

“I don’t know. You’ll have to ask her,” Hyper responded.

“Well, I’m going to be heading out,” Rhythm stated.

Hyper’s head shot up to alert the Unicorn. “Rhythm. I want to stay here for a few days with SweetHooves. If that’s okay? I’ll fly back to camp when I’m ready.”

Rhythm expected that much. “Of course. Take your time,” he replied.

Just as Rhythm began to move away, Heartfelt wrapped her forelegs around his neck and pulled him back to her. She hugged him tight and he placed a hoof on her back, patting a few times.

“I’ll be back soon, I promise,” Rhythm told her with a weak smile.

Leaving the apartment, Rhythm made his way for headquarters. Once inside he rode the elevator up to the president’s floor. There he handed over Hazel’s envelope to a guard. He didn’t even bother to wait for the guard to return once they went inside. Instead, Rhythm returned to the elevator and waited for it to come back up.

Behind him, there was the sound of the door opening. Someone called Rhythm’s name, and he turned around to see what it was about.

“The president would like to speak with you,” the guard announced.

The elevator had just reached the floor, but Rhythm abandoned his spot and headed back towards the doors. Inside he saw Clarity sitting at the opposite end of the table. Rhythm hoped that this was something about Haythorn, but the envelope laid on the table, unopened. Just that little detail irked Rhythm a bit.

“I wanted to know how work has been holding up in your camp,” Clarity stated. “Have you made progress?”

“Oh, um- yes, I- we have. We’ve continued to repair houses, as well as fend off any Hybrids in the area,” Rhythm reported, his brain still scattered.

“How much Hybrid activity has there been?”

“Well, we destroyed a Hybrid camp as well as disable three- no- four nodes,” Rhythm said. He decided to keep out the part about there being another camp in the dried lake bed. “We saved some ponies from the camp, and from a distress beacon.”

“Your team has done excellent work, but I wasn’t expecting any less from you,” Clarity replied calmly. “These Hybrid encounters haven’t slowed down your progress on the camp, have they?”

“No, I don’t think so,” Rhythm answered. He thought about Hyper’s wing, but that was so long ago on the mission it didn’t seem notable to bring up.

Rhythm had grown annoyed by the stalling, and he decided to speak up. “President, I understand you are concerned about the progress of my camp, but there is something far more important you should look into. In that envelope is a letter from the mayor of Haythorn,” Rhythm pointed to the letter on the table. “They need help badly.”

“Haythorn? We have had contact with them in weeks,” Clarity said as she reached for the envelope.

So you knew there was something wrong, and still didn’t address it? Rhythm rediculed silently. “That’s because rogues destroyed their communications network. Please, they need backup help to fight off the rogues as well as Hybrids.”

“I see,” Clarity replied while reading through the lines of the letter. “How exactly did you get a letter from the mayor in the first place?”

“I went to Haythorn myself,” Rhythm stated bluntly, leaving it at that.

“Well, it is our job to provide aid to Resistance cities in our sector. I’ll see to this as soon as I can,” the lavender mare reported.

“Thank you,” Rhythm responded with a head dip. “And I promise I’ll keep you updated on the progress of my camp.”

Rhythm left the meeting room feeling relieved. There was something in the back of his mind that made him annoyed with how difficult Clarity had been. Despite that, he decided that wasn’t important at the moment and that he shouldn’t put any more effort into thinking about it. Rhythm was exhausted emotionally, mentally and physically. All he wanted was to return to his camp to rest.

Rhythm returned to his cab and traveled into the suburbs. On the edge of town, he noted sentries that were fighting off Hybrids. It had been a long time since he had seen this many Hybrids around the outskirts of Los Pegasus. He wondered if that was something to be worried about, or if the city’s defense will be able to handle it. A sentry stopped his cab before he could make it out of the city. Rhythm had to wait for approval from the sentry before leaving the suburbs.

Rhythm felt odd being alone again, but he soon grew accustomed to it. It was nice to have time alone, he thought, despite how tired he was. Luckily the radio worked now, and he didn’t have to spend the whole trip in silence. He was surprised to hear them play one of Xero’s songs, One Step Closer. That was a pleasant surprise, and cheered him up a bit.

Finally Rhythm made it back to the camp. A few ponies stared at him, obviously knowing that he had left to begin with. Rhythm met up with SpinningNote who was working on a generator behind an apartment. The purple Unicorn swirled around when he heard Rhythm’s distinctive hoofsteps.

“Rhythm! You’re back!” Spinning called out. “I can’t believe you just left without telling anyone first!”

“I’m sorry, it was Hyper who did that. I had to make sure he wouldn’t go alone,” Rhythm clarified.

“Where is Hyper?” Spinning wondered, gazing around.

“He’s staying in Los Pegasus for a few days…”

“Did you guys find SweetHooves?” Spinning asked curiously.

“Yes- but, listen. I’ll call a meeting and explain everything there. I don’t feel like running through this multiple times,” Rhythm stated, rubbing his forehead with a blue hoof.

“Alright. But first I think you should go see Feather. We’ve got a new pony here, and Feather’s not happy about it,” Spinning said with a grimace.

“Not happy?” Rhythm echoed, and went on his way to find out what it meant.

As he trotted down the path, Rhythm could see FeatherTune standing in front of the base. He was glaring at a pink stallion that stood in front of him.

“What’s going on?” Rhythm spoke up.

“Rhythm! This is the last pony I interviewed. And he’s coming just now!” Feather spat.

“Okay, and…?” Rhythm blinked.

“I’m sorry,” the pink stallion said meekly. “You never told me when I should come.” He spoke without malice.

“It’s been weeks!” Feather exclaimed.

“Hey, hey,” Rhythm eased as he put a forehoof on Feather’s shoulder. “That doesn’t matter now. He’s here now, isn’t he? He could still be helpful.”

Feather only snorted with a scrunched muzzle.

“What’s your name?” Rhythm turned to the purple maned stallion.

“Uh- Berry,” he replied.

“Well, Berry, you’re welcome here. So long as you do work. Do you think you can stay productive?” Rhythm questioned.

“I want to try. I’ll do my best,” Berry said, his voice still low.

“Then good. But if you slack off at all, we’ll have to have a talk, okay?” Rhythm addressed.

“Okay,” Berry responded.

“Alright. Why don’t you go over there,” Rhythm said while tilting his head to the gardening tent. “I’m sure someone there can help show you around.”

He watched Berry trot away as FeatherTune took his place next to Rhythm.

“The fact he came so late bothers me,” Feather stated simply. “I can’t trust he’ll have a good work ethic if he’s not punctual.”

“Hey, all we can do is wait and see how he does.” Rhythm shrugged.

“So… how’d it go in Haythorn?” Feather changed the subject.

Rhythm sighed. “Go find the others and tell them there’s a meeting. I’ll tell you all there.”

Feather only nodded in return and left the ground in search of his friend. Rhythm didn’t bother waiting and headed towards the base instead.

Once all five stallions were in the meeting room, Rhythm spilled out all that had happened the last two days. Starting from the beginning, he told his team how Hyper had left without telling anyone, leaving Rhythm no choice but to follow him. He explained the difficulty of getting to Haythorn, the situation in Haythorn,SweetHooves’ injury and that Hyper was staying in Los Pegasus. All of it left the other stallions somewhat dazed, trying to comprehend it.

“So what do we do now?” Blazing asked.

“I’d like to just get back to work, but not today, at least for me. I need to rest,” Rhythm admitted.

“That’s great, since you never let yourself rest,” Feather remarked teasingly.

Rhythm only gave Feather a slight glare. He shook his head and continued. “Nothing happened while we were gone?” Rhythm directed towards Echo.

“Nothing out of the ordinary. Why’d you put me in charge?” Echo wondered with a head tilt.

“Because… I don’t know! I want to make sure all of you know how to keep things under control.” Rhythm shrugged.

“I thought you were testing us,” Spinning said.

“Uh… I guess?”

“So you’re not?” Spinning countered.

Rhythm blinked as Spinning’s logic confused him. He shook his head rapidly as if trying to throw the fuzziness out of his brain. “I don’t know.”

“Is there anything you need us to do?” Blazing spoke up.

“Well… have you been training ThunderCharm?” Rhythm questioned and Blazing nodded. “Alright, good. I want you to keep training her, that will be your job.”

Feather sat up as Rhythm’s eyes locked onto him. “Feather. You don’t have to do it today, but maybe tomorrow, can you scout around the area and look for any Hybrid activity?”

“You got it,” Feather replied.

“Thanks, I appreciate it,” Rhythm said with a small smile. That made Feather smile too, feeling grateful for being needed.

“Anything on your mind, Spinning?” Rhythm wondered as he looked to Spinning, seeing a glitter in his eyes.

“Actually, sometime this week, I wanted to go explore around the area. Not like a scanning thing like you want Feather to do. I want to know more about this area, and if there’s any resources we can use,” The unicorn explained. “Whoever wants to come with me can.”

“Oh, that sounds fun!” Blazing said.

“That does sound like a good idea,” Rhythm considered. “Alright, I think that’s it for now. Thank you everyone,” he finished as he stood up.

“Oh,” EchoBeat let out. “When is Hyper coming back?”

Rhythm sighed. “I don’t know. I said he can stay with SweetHooves for as long as he needs to. I know he won’t want to stay away from us for too long, so hopefully only a few days.”

Echo and the others accepted that answer as the meeting ended. They all dispersed from the room and continued on with their tasks. Only Rhythm stayed in the base, ready to give himself a break for once.

Chapter 39

BlazingFlair galloped around a small obstacle course that had been set up on the edge of camp. While he dashed around, ThunderCharm attempted to hit him with energy shots from her practice EPD. It was late the next morning when the two were practicing.

“C’mon, Thunder! I’m not even running that fast!” Blazing called out in an encouraging tone. A few weak blasts were deflected by his armor. “There you go!”

ThunderCharm was still getting the hang of shooting while moving, so she was following Blazing at a much slower pace than him. The orange Earth pony ducked behind a damaged trashcan, and Thunder gazed around for a different vantage point. She was only able to hit Blazing’s tail from where she was. Quickly, Blazing changed his position to a small clearing that was surrounded by piles of wood planks.

“Use your wings! You’re a Pegasus; you can fly!” Blazing pointed out and began moving again.

Blazing followed the wood planks out of the clearing and into a path lined by more planks. There was a wall of crates that blocked Thunder from reaching Blazing. Breaking into a sprint, Thunder leaped over the cates, her wings open to let her drift over the crates effortlessly.

“Good!” Blazing said and slowly came to a halt. ThunderCharm caught up with Blazing at the end of the obstacle course.

“I’m having a hard time hitting a moving target while also moving myself,” ThunderCharm admitted and huffed.

“I’m sure you’d have an easier time hitting me while flying. Why don’t we try that?” Blazing suggested.

Thunder nodded and took to the air with a quick flutter of her wings. As she thrust forward, Blazing spun around and went back through the course. Small blue shots pelted the area around Blazing, a few hitting his armor. Thunder swooped down and past BlazingFlair. Twirling around in the air, she lifted her foreleg and aimed towards him. She charged this attack, instead of a short burst. Blazing didn’t have time to change his direction, and the blast disbursed on his chest armor.

“That was great!” Blazing complimented and Thunder fluttered down to the ground.

“Thanks,” said Thunder.

Blazing lifted his head up and stared past ThunderCharm. Ash was studying them from one of the streets in front of a house. As her eyes met Blazing’s, she began walking towards the two ponies. When Thunder turned around, her face was surprised to see Ash.

“You seem pretty interested in this training,” Blazing observed.

“I like seeing new recruits progress,” Ash stated. “But I think you’re being a bit too easy on her.”

“Easy?” Thunder let out.

Ash continued as if she didn’t hear the young mare. “You need to make this course more challenging.”

“And what do you have in mind?” Blazing countered with intrigue.

Ash didn’t respond. Instead she stepped forward and lifted her head up. With her horn beginning to glow a pinkish red, she eyed the obstacle course. She cast fire spells in between pathways and on top of some crates. The fire burned with the same tint as her magic.

“That… won’t burn our training course will it?” Blazing said with wide eyes.

“It’s magic fire,” Ash smirked. “It’s controlled, so it won’t spread. But I wouldn’t advise touching it.”

ThunderCharm moved back, looking terrified of the small flames. “I have to run though that!? Blazing?”

“Hey, fire is a pretty usual occurrence on the battlefield. Especially with fire energy!” BlazingFlair lifted up his EPD which held a red crystal. “Besides, you can fly! You could easily dodge it.”

“I guess I could try,” Thunder said.

Returning to the start, Thunder took a similar path to what they did just early. The lavender mare continued to attempt to hit Blazing with her energy as well as dodge the fire. Her gallop broke into a jump and she began hovering over the flames which just barely missed her tail.

Thunder returned to her hooves and made her way through a narrow path lined by tethered metal poles. Just then, Ash stepped in front of Thunder, causing the Pegasus to halt. Her eyes glaring with determination, Ash cast a spell in front of Thunder, causing a laser to shoot the ground by Thunder’s forelegs. The younger mare leaped back with a small “eep!”

“You’ve gotta dodge these,” Ash told her. “Don’t worry, they’re just light. They won’t hurt you like the fire.”

Thunder nodded and took a different position farther away from Ash. She galloped around the outside of the course as the bright lasers aimed at her. A few of them hit Thunder’s side while others she was able to outrun and dodge. Blazing stepped up next to Ash to watch.

“The lasers are perfect at imitating Hybrid energy!” Blazing remarked.

“That’s what I was thinking,” Ash replied smuggly.

Blazing’s attention shifted as he heard a far-away voice call out. A curly haired shape emerged in the sky from the west. Intrigued by the flaming obstacle course, FeatherTune closed in on the camp.

“Why is there fire?!” Feather called out in alarm.

“Ash did it!” Blazing replied with a golden hoof pointed to the grey Unicorn.

Ash only gave a slight smirk, and then tossed her head up to decast the fire spell. With a quick glow of her horn, the fire evaporated into nothing.

“What’s up, bud?” Blazing greeted as Feather landed.

“I was just doing my patrol of the area. Unfortunately I did find some Hybrid activity. There were two back at that outpost.” Feather used his wing to point to the west behind him.

“Maybe that’s not unfortunate!” Blazing exclaimed. “That could be perfect practice for ThunderCharm!”

“A-are you sure?” Thunder wondered with uncertainty.

“Yeah! This is a great way to learn! And don’t worry, you’ll have us for backup. So we’ll make sure nothing happens to you!” Blazing insured.

“Sounds good to me,” Feather agreed. “I’ll come with, but first let me tell Rhythm.” The cream Pegasus quickly shot back into the air in search of his friend.

“I’m coming with,” Ash added, to Blazing’s surprise. “I need to get the hell away from this camp at some point.”

“Alright. This outpost is too far to walk to. You better get a cab,” Blazing said to Ash.

“And you better grab a real EPD if you want to do anything to a Hybrid,” Ash smirked while tapping Thunder on her shoulder.

FeatherTune flew overhead while the other three ponies followed him from below. The way there had been relatively quiet. Thunder stayed in the back and didn’t talk much. Meanwhile Ash seemed intently focused on driving, her blue eyes glued to the desert ahead, only to glance up at Feather every so often.

“So. you said you wanted out of the camp?” BlazingFlair spoke up, trying to make conversation. “I’m sure you’re tired of us by now.” He tried to speak in a light, joking manner.

“No it’s not that,” Ash sighed. “Well, sometimes you all can get on my nerves, but that’s not the point. It’s that I hate staying in one spot for too long. I’ve already told Jet this but he doesn’t seem to get it. I know he thought this would be a good way to spend time together but…” She pondered for words for a moment. “I guess I just don’t like being cooped up.”

“Why don’t you guys pick up some short objective missions from time to time?” Blazing suggested. “I’m sure we’d be fine if you head out every so often, as long as you tell us ahead of time.”

“Yeah, I suppose we could,” Ash contemplated that.

Blazing realized Ash’s cold behavior since he met her made a lot more sense now. She was unhappy staying in the camp, and wanted more than just busy work. Blazing hoped she’d be able to work out something with her boyfriend. He liked this more open, outgoing side of Ash.

They finally neared the outpost. Two Hybrids roamed around it, each on opposite ends of the grounds. One was a claw wielding Pegasus with a battered wing, the other the scout kind of Earth Pony.

“They’re separated,” Ash stated as they exited the cab. “It should be easy to take them out. Blazing, why don’t you and Thunder go after the scout; it will be an easier target.”

“And we can get the other guy,” Feather finished for her as he hovered next to the Unicorn. She agreed with a curt nod.

With Thunder following behind, BlazingFlair tread around the outer fence, looking for a way to get into the outpost. He found an opening to the north of the old shed. After slipping through, both Blazing and Thunder kept their sides to the wall of the shed, peering out at the Hybrid that roamed the clearing.

“Alright,” Blazing directed. “I’ll distract it, and you do your best to fire at it, okay?”

“Okay,” Thunder replied in a meek voice.

Blazing stepped out from behind the shed wall and revealed himself to the Hybrid. At first, the metal creature didn’t attack. Instead, it’s head slowly followed Blazing as he made his way into the clearing, and finally confronted it. As the Hybrid took a few heavy steps forward, Blazing began to douse fire energy at the ground in front of him. The Hybrid continued to walk forward, its metal legs unaffected by the flames as they licked at them.

Blue energy blasts started pelting the side of the Hybrid. Thunder had her right foreleg extended, but her face halfway hidden behind the wall. After a few shots, the Hybrid swung its head around to glare at the Pegasus. For a moment, Thunder faltered and gasped. Blazing expelled fire on the Hybrid directly, drawing its attention away.

“Keep shooting!” Blazing encouraged

The Hybrid looked back at Thunder, ignoring the fire in its face. With heavy thuds, it began crawling its way towards ThunderCharm. It grumbled something beneath its mask.

“I think it understands Ponish!” Thunder called out in horror.

“Well, it was a pony!” Blazing replied, almost apologetically

Thunder spun around and ran back towards the fence. As the Hybrid reached the shed, BlazingFlair rushed forward and slammed into the creature. The Hybrid crashed into the shed, its weight enough to crack the wood. While it was stunned, Blazing took his armored foreleg and bashed it into one of the Hybrid’s red eyes. Thunder returned to firing at their enemy, and Blazing gave her an approving nod.

BlazingFlair stepped back to examine the Hybrid for any weak points. As he did, the cyborg began to follow Thunder again, but it was too slow to catch up with her. She kept her EPD up and still attacked while she walked backwards. With her as a distraction, Blazing came up with an idea. He could tell that the Hybrid’s side belly was made of flesh, not metal.

Once again, Blazing bashed into the Hybrid, where now it toppled over into the dirt. The fall caused its second glass eye to crack. It cried out in pain and confusion as it could not see. Blazing curled his hoof up, so that the sharp part of his armor was pointing out. With force, he jabbed the metal into the Hybrid's exposed side. Without vision and with this injury, the Hybrid was not a threat anymore.

“You did great!” BlazingFlair told Thunder with a grin.

The young mare only stared horrifyingly at the struggling Hybrid on the ground. Then her eyes angled upward, gazing past Blazing. He swiveled around to see FeatherTune flying towards them.

“Seriously Blazing?!” Feather exclaimed, his hooves outstretched. “Do you want to cause a forest fire?!”

Blazing noticed the collection of flames that had begun eating away at rubbish and the shed. FeatherTune used his wings to cast gusts of wind over the fire until it had died away.

“Sorry,” Blazing said, not really meaning it. “It’s not like there’s a forest around to cause one anyway. Maybe a cactus fire.”

Feather only shook his head, and the rest of them met up with Ash. Both of the Hybrids had been taken care of, so they headed back to the camp. ThunderCharm was uneasy on the way back.

“You should have seen Thunder! She was great!” Blazing had been telling Ash. He glanced at Thunder in the back seat. She seemed troubled.

“What’s wrong?”

“I… I don’t know if I want to be a part of the Resistance if it means killing…” Thunder mumbled.

“But it was just a Hybrid-” Blazing tried to say.

“But it was still a pony!” Thunder argued.

“It used to be a pony. All of them,” Blazing explained. “Now they steal helpless ponies to make them into slaves and into more Hybrids. They’ve ruined our climate and are taking our resources. It’s what we have to do.” The stallion tried to speak with sympathy.

“It felt wrong,” Thunder said, choked up.

Blazing realized how traumatized Thunder was. Being a Hybrid fighter wasn’t the path for her. “You know, you can still help the Resistance in other ways. You don’t have to be a fighter. You could be a teacher, or a doctor. Or even a gardener. There’s plenty of other occupations you could choose.”

“Really? Then… why did you make me do this?” Thunder questioned with hurt in her eyes.

“I- it wasn’t my choice,” Blazing defended. “You see, even if you don’t become a fighter, you need to know how to defend yourself. It’s required by the Resistance that all recruits know some form of self defense and combat. You never know what you’ll end up encountering in the wastelands. I was… just trying to do my job teaching you. I’m sorry, Thunder.”

The young mare sat for a moment and blinked while she tried to comprehend. She then gazed away, staring out at the desert through the window.

BlazingFlair twisted back around and faced forward. He hoped that Thunder could understand that this was the way of life for the Resistance, and it wasn’t his intent to hurt her. Ash looked away from the wheel for a moment and placed her hoof on Blazing’s shoulder.

“You did the best you could,” Ash assured. “She’ll get it soon enough. Just give her time.”

“Yeah,” Blazing replied. He stared out the windshield into the rolling desert. She isn’t the only pony this has happened to, he thought. She’ll have to learn that this is what life is sadly. This world is cruel, and that's why we have to do whatever it takes to keep it safe.

Chapter 40

After the outpost incident, all was quiet around the camp; FeatherTune had found no more Hybrid activity in the area. SpinningNote decided this was a perfect time to explore the desert since there were no enemy threats. It was late in the morning the next day when Spinning decided to gather supplies together and go out adventuring. Feather, EchoBeat and BlazingFlair agreed to come along.

“Are you sure you don’t want to come?” Spinning was asking CharmingRhythm.

“I’m completely sure. Someone has to watch the camp while you’re out anyway,” Rhythm insisted.

“Well alright.” Spinning shrugged. “I’ll be sure to report back everything we find!”

“You better summarize it, because I’m not listening to an hour long monologue,” Rhythm replied in a jokeful tone. He then added, “But if you guys get into any trouble, come back here. We’ll need to know what we’re messing with.”

“We’ll be fine!” Spinning dismissed him with a wave of a hoof. He headed towards the main room where the others were waiting.

“So that’s the only reason you’re coming?” Feather appeared to be questioning EchoBeat.

“Well, the main reason, yes. I guess it’s good to go on a quest with you guys again,” Echo said.

“What is it?” Spinning injected and cocked his head.

“Echo wants to come so he can study plants,” Feather explained quickly, with an expression that displayed how annoyed, yet amused at how predictable Echo was.

“Don’t you know about all the plants around here?” Spinning wondered.

“I don’t know that until I’ve had a look at them,” Echo justified.

“Eh, let him look for his plants!” BlazingFlair defended and placed a foreleg around Echo’s neck. “The more the merrier.”

“Saying that sounds like we’re bringing the plants with us,” Spinning joked.

“Hey, plants could be friends too,” Blazing grinned.

Spinning had begun slowly moving towards the door. “Oh yeah, just watch one start a conversation!”

“Pretty sure Echo already talks to them,” Feather muttered. Echo only gave him a hard stare.

The four of them made their way to their cab, FeatherTune sitting with them for once. Spinning took the wheel.

“What’s the fun in adventuring if we’re going to be driving?” Blazing pointed out, somewhat disappointed.

“Ah don’t worry. We’ll just drive for a bit to get away from the camp, then we’ll explore around on hoof. Or by fight,” Spinning assured, with his head nodding back to Feather behind him.

“So which way are we going?” Feather asked.

“I don’t know,” Spinning said dryly. “Maybe drive into the ocean?” He then countered with, “We’re going east, duh.”

After riding into the desert for a minute, Echo remarked, “I vaguely remember what this area was like the first time we found it, but that was two years ago.”

“That’s why I want to get a better look around,” Spinning addressed. “We’ve been here, but do we really know the area?”

“I know it,” Feather chimed in.

“Yeah we’re not talking about you. We know you know it. You’re the scouter,” Spinning stated flatly Feather scrunched his nose. Spinning glanced back at him and teased, “But I guess your help would be useful.”

“So anything we should be aware of O’ Wise Scouter?” BlazingFlair pondered.

“I mean, all I’ve seen around here are mountains. I think I saw a few caves,” Feather recalled.

“Maybe there’s more energy spots,” Echo suggested.

“Guess we’ll have to see,” Spinning shrugged.

They continued to travel eastward for another five minutes. The trees of the shabby forest were behind them now. Noticing How the ground ahead of them was leveled further down, Spinning parked just before a shallow cliff.

“I think this is a good place to stop,” Spinning announced. “Let’s get moving.”

Feather took to the air while the others began to walk on hoof. Spinning found a part of the drop that was more steady. He took lead in skidding down the side of the clift, the Earth Ponies following his instruction. Gazing straight forward, mountains lined the horizon, only leveling out in the far south.

The group stumbled upon an ancient trash dump, filled with rotting wood and metal barrels. Getting a closer look, Spinning examined the pile to see if there was anything worth salvaging. He used a forehoof to gently nudge away a barrel. Something green quickly shot out from behind the barrel.

“Oh, a lizard!” Blazing stated as the reptile scurried away.

“At least it wasn’t a snake,” Echo grimaced.

“What’s wrong with snakes?” Blazing countered.

“Some of them are venomous, if you remember,” Echo snapped.

“This is just useless junk,” Spinning let out and kept going forward to the south-east.

The ground began to slowly steep upwards the closer they got to the mountains. Just below the base of the rocky hills were small patches of shrubbery. Spinning angled his direction back to the north while Echo stayed by the greenery, taking note of the species. After gaining a few meters, Spinning whipped his head around to see Echo still standing there.

“Echo, they’re just a bunch of cacti! We live in a desert!”

“Fine,” Echo muttered, too quiet for Spinning to hear.

FeatherTune landed behind the rest of them and followed them on their way north. Everything was just sand and rock, with very few plants growing from cracks in the ground. Something up ahead caught Spinning’s eye. It was some sort of structure, like a small shed.

Before Spinning could take another step forward, he felt his balance falter. He kept his stance wide as the ground began to rumble. Earthquake! Spinning thought quick, and dashed to the left, furthest away from the mountain side. If any debris fell, he wanted to be as far away as possible. His companions followed suit, except for Feather. The Pegasus bounded back up into the air, safe from the vibrations.

There was no cover to hide from falling debris, but there were also very few things to cause debris. As the ground continued to shake, rocks tumbled down the side of the mountain. No rocks were large enough to cause injuries. Spinning had lost his balance and flopped over to his side. There he sat still and waited for the quake to stop.

It ended almost as fast as it started. The earth grew still once more, and the last of the scattering rocks settled. With his heart still pounding, Spinning glanced around to make sure his companions were alright. Echo and Blazing had remained standing, since balance came more natural to them. Feather gently drifted back downward.

“Everyone okay?” Spinning called out as he got back to his hooves.

“I think so,” Blazing answered.

“What about you?” Feather directed at Spinning. “I saw you fall over.”

“Yeah, I’m fine,” Spinning assured. “Just a bit disoriented.”

Echo glanced between his friends, wide-eyed. He finally spoke up. “You think everyone at camp is alright? Should we go back?”

Spinning pondered for a moment. “We’re already out here. I don’t see the point of going back. It wasn’t a bad quake from what I could tell. I think they’ll be fine.”

“There might be some messes to clean up when we get back though,” Feather pointed out.

“I’m sure Rhythm can manage without us for a bit. I’m not done exploring,” Spinning said.

“What about the cab?” Echo fret. “It was near a cliff.”

Feather suddenly zoomed back to the west. After a moment, he returned to the group to report. “It’s all good!”

Spinning nodded and continued to travel along the mountain side.

“I can’t believe that happened while we were out here!” Blazing exclaimed in amazement.

“That was far from our first earthquake,” Spinning pointed out.

“I know but like- it could have happened anytime while we were in camp, but it happened when we were out here!” Blazing clarified.

“Eh, it was just chance. Good chance honestly. There’s nothing around here to collapse on us,” Spinning added.

“Except maybe boulders!” Echo quipped, extending his hoof towards the slopes.

Spinning didn’t respond and continued forward. The shed he had spotted earlier still stood. The closer he got, the more structures he saw. There were fences lining around the shed. The mountain was raised in this area, the side of it very steep. On the side of the mountain was a wood framed opening. Old rail tracks ran right into the opening, being swallowed by the darkness.

“A mine shaft!” Spinning proclaimed. He stood right in front of the tracks and peered into the dark, squarish hole in the mountain side. “I wonder what’s in it.”

“I don’t know… something about it feels off,” Echo warned.

“There could be crystals in there!” Blazing commented with enthusiasm.

Spinning’s horn illuminated with a periwinkle glow. “I’m gonna go check it out. You with me Blazing?” The orange stallion nodded.

“I think I’ll pass,” Feather said. “Someone has to stand watch out here anyway.”

“Yeah, I’m staying out here. Doubt there’s any plants to study in there anyway,” Echo argued awkwardly.

As the two stallions entered into the mine, Spinning’s magic lit up the walls with soft light. Treading carefully so as not to trip on the tracks, Spinning curiously gazed around the rock and wood tunnel. Ahead of them were small blue lights that spotted the walls and ceiling here and there. It was the familiar blue of energy crystals.

“I was right!” Blazing gasped.

“Yeah, but it doesn’t look like there’s a whole lot of them. Actually…”

Spinning stopped in place and Blazing bumped into him. The crystal clusters on the ceiling seemed to stick out in a pattern, one after a few sections of support beams. There were also indents in the floor and walls, as if something was dug up from there.

“These aren’t natural patterns,” Spinning concluded. “Someone took out the crystals that weren’t needed, and only left the ones on the ceiling to act as lights.”

“So you’re saying someone else was here before us?” Blazing wondered.

“Seems like it.”

They followed the crystals above them until another tunnel from the left merged with them up ahead. The rail tracks continued forward, while the second tunnel had a clear rock floor. A single minecart laid on its side in the new tunnel, nothing inside of it. Spinning decided to delve deeper into this strange pathway, sure to find something other than rail tracks. While the crystals in the ceiling kept the tunnel dimly light, it wasn’t enough to see until the end of the tunnel.

Stopping in place once again, Spinning’s heart lurched when he thought he saw movement within the tunnel. He glared again, almost forgetting to blink. Nothing changed.

“What is it?” Blazing questioned.

“Shh!” Spinning lifted his hoof up.

Among the luminous blue dots, something else began to glow. Two small red dots floated, then paused. They were staring straight at the two ponies.

At once Spinning began to back up, and then turn around altogether, almost knocking Blazing over. As quick as he could, he darted for the exit, Blazing right on his tail.

“What did you see?” Blazing called.

“Hybrid eyes! There’s Hybrids in there!”

“Well fuck!”

The grey light of the outside world grew larger until the two of them bursted out of the mine shaft. They stood breathless, with Feather and Echo staring at them in confusion.

“Hybrids,” Spinning let out.

“I told you something was up!” Echo countered

“I’m sorry! I was curious, I wanted to see what's in there. There were energy crystals, but it looks like the Hybrids have been taking them.” Spinning shook his head as if to clear it. “We better keep moving.”

The four of them continued up north for a while until something else appeared overhead. A steady slope lined the side of the mountain up to a ridge. FeatherTune fluttered up to the platform to check it out.

“There’s a cave up here!” He announced.

Already intrigued, Spinning climbed his way up the slope.

“Oh no. No way I’m going up there! Wasn’t the first hole in the mountain enough for you?” Echo ridiculed with caution.

“I’ll stay down here with you this time if that makes you feel any better,” Blazing offered. “Oh, and there’s some more cactuses over there!”

“Cacti!” Feather corrected from the ridge.

Spinning peered into the large cave mouth and slowly inched his way in, Feather behind him. Once again his magic guided the path, and just as before, something glowed just beyond them. The cavern twisted, where blue light was flooding out of. Spinning perked his ears as he heard some noise. It sounded like a gentle rumbling pattern.

Once around the corner, Spinning saw hundreds of energy crystals collected on the floor. These weren’t natural either. They didn’t cling to the floor like clusters. Instead, they had already been dug out of the ground. Around the plies of crystals were other strange objects. Shiny metal plates, pots, pans, and even jewelry. It was a hoard. Which means something was collecting the hoard…

Finally angling his vision forward, Spinning caught sight of a massive beast. It slept soundly, with its tail curled around and scaly wings tucked at its side. The rust colored creature was laying in the middle of the hoard pile. A dragon!

Feather had just reached this part of the cavern, and when he did, he gasped. He stood frozen in fear. Spinning turned tail and dragged the stun Feather out with his magic.

Back outside, Feather took flight as Spinning raced his way down the slope. His hoof slipped, and he stumbled the rest of the way. He crashed onto the ground at the bottom, his shoulder throbbing with pain. For a moment he laid still, the pain overwhelming. Spinning peered up at his friends all looking down at him with distress. Soon enough he pushed himself up.

“Are you alright?” Echo worried.

“Yeah, just a little banged up,” Spinning let out as he got to his hooves.. He noticed a few bleeding scratches on his forelegs.

“There was a dragon up there!” Feather revealed. “It was asleep and had a fuck ton of energy crystals!”

“What did I tell you guys about holes in the mountain?” Echo groaned.

“I think that should be it for our adventure today,” Blazing said with a grimace. “Especially after that fall.”

“I’m fine,” Spinning assured. “But I think you're right. That’s enough for today. Two more threats for us I guess.”

“Maybe if we leave them alone they’ll leave us alone,” Echo tried to sound hopeful.

“I don’t know,” Spinning muttered. “We’ll have to figure it out once we get to camp.”

“Why don’t I drive back?” Blazing suggested. “You should rest.”

“Okay,” Spinning accepted gratefully.

The four stallions climbed their way back to the cab. At first, SpinningNote wasn’t sure what he would find out here. He thought maybe there had been nothing interesting. Instead, there was far more to worry about than he had anticipated. I hope we can deal with this in the future, he thought. After the earthquake, Hybrids and a dragon, he decided he had enough of a scare for one day.

Chapter 41

When SpinningNote’s team returned to the camp, they reported back everything they had found in the wasteland. CharmingRhythm agreed to assess the issues at a later date, for the team had returned to the damage from the earthquake. Just as Spinning thought, it was a minor quake. Objects outside and inside apartments had fallen over, and a section of the gardening tent had caved in on itself. Besides that, the damage was minor, and no pony had gotten hurt.

The rest of the afternoon and the day after were focused on repairing the camp. Everyone played their own part in cleaning up and was able to fix everything in no time at all. While it had been a minor issue to correct, Rhythm took this as a lesson for the future of his camp. They would need to secure the camp for future earthquakes; ensuring objects be tied down, and especially reinforcing the supports of the gardening tent.

When all had been done, Rhythm finally gave time to consider the threats his friends had found. His mind whirled at the idea of another source of Hybrids, as well as a creature as dangerous as a dragon. Recalling the picture Spinning painted in his mind, energy crystals collected around the dragon, something sparked. Rhythm remembered a basic fact: dragons were known for eating crystals. Could it be possible this dragon was feeding off energy crystals? Was that even possible? Was the energy dangerous to the dragon, or did it empower it? Rhythm shuttered at the thought of the dragon breathing pure energy instead of fire. Still he tried to tell himself that it was an outlandish idea, and that the dragon could just be collecting the crystals because it was drawn to shiny objects.

Pushing the thought of the dragon into the back of his mind, Rhythm considered the Hybrids in the mine. For once he thought he’d rather take on those Hybrids instead of the other option. If the mine held many Hybrids, perhaps a camp of them, the solution was quite simple. They would have to collapse the mine entrance so no Hybrid escaped. Sure it would be disappointing to lose another source of energy crystals, but Rhythm decided it wasn’t worth the risk of Hybrid activity.

After a few days, Rhythm felt physically and emotionally exhausted from trying to figure out how to deal with these threats, alongside his usual work from the camp. He had only rested one day after his draining journey to and from Haythorn. He longed for a break, but most of all, he found he was missing his wife. Rhythm had seen Heartfelt before and after the mission to Haythorn, but it wasn’t quality time together. Finally he decided that he’d go back to the city to spend time with her, and while there he could check in on HyperBlitz and SweetHooves.

Rhythm addressed that he was leaving to BlazingFlair and SpinningNote who sat in the main room of the base. Both of them ensured that they would tell the other two members of their team as well as the camp.

“Oh, oh! Can I be in charge this time!” Blazing begged with a hoof up in the air.

“I mean, I’m not going to be gone for long, but if you want to, sure,” Rhythm replied, amused.

“Yes!” Blazing grinned in triumph. Spinning lightly punched him on the shoulder.

Rhythm chuckled at his friends and made his way out.

The way to Los Pegasus was filled with the sound of music buzzing from the radio. Classics from centuries ago, with a few newer songs produced by groups of friends just like Rhythm’s team. He was glad he still got the chances, while rare, to express his true passion by making songs. Even if he couldn’t do it all the time, he understood why. The world needed fighters, not artists. But art and music would always be important to ponykind.

As he neared the outer suburbs of the city, Rhythm saw more Hybrid activity, just like the last time he had passed through here. He wondered if he should be worried, and if the sentries had all of this under control. Surely city officials would be addressing this. Trying not to pay mind to it too much, Rhythm passed through and made his way to Hyper’s apartment.

Rhythm used a blue hoof to knock on the door, just for HyperBlitz to open it shortly after. For a split second Hyper looked confused, then his expression softened to a welcoming smile.

“Rhythm.”

“Hey, Hype,” Rhythm greeted with a head dip and entered.

“You’re not here to ask me to come back to camp, are you? ‘Cause I was gonna come back soon, I’m just not ready,” Hyper said.

“Oh, no, no.” Rhythm shook his head. “You can come back whenever you feel like it. No rush. I wanted to come visit Heartfelt. And make sure you two are doing alright.” Rhythm acknowledged SweetHooves who had just entered the room.

“Well, she’s at work right now,” SweetHooves informed him. “I think she’s off in a few hours.”

“Good to know,” Rhythm replied. “I might go check up on her and come back here and wait. Actually, why don’t I do that now.” He made up his mind quickly.

“Alright, we’ll be here when you come back, if you wanna talk,” Hyper told Rhythm.

“Of course, I’d love to. Actually, there’s some things I need to tell you about....” Rhythm paused for a moment as he walked towards the door.

“Not now, it can wait!” Hyper insisted with a wave of his feathered wing. “Go see Heartfelt.”

“Right,” Rhythm nodded and left the apartment.

Through the city streets, Rhythm observed ponies going on their everyday lives. It was a blessing most ponies didn’t have to worry about dangerous threats within the inner parts of the city. Rhythm hoped that would stay the same, despite the threat of Hybrids on the outskirts of the city.

Entering the Resistance building, Rhythm’s gaze instantly locked on Heartfelt halfway across the wall. Her eyes were set on a screen in front of her, and she hadn’t even taken notice of her husband’s arrival. Rhythm tapped on the desk to get her attention. She peered up.

“Rhythm? You’re back already? What are you doing here?” Heartfelt questioned. Her eyes were dark, and she hadn’t greeted him with the warm smile Rhythm had grown used to.

“I came to see you,” Rhythm answered honestly.

“Really? So, there’s no other reason you came here?” Heartfelt seemed confused.

“Nope.” Rhythm shook his head.

“Huh. That’s sweet,” Heartfelt said through a forced smile. Her expression became dull again, her eyes flickering down at the desk. “But, I’m busy right now. Could we talk after I get off work?”

“Oh. Yeah, of course,” Rhythm stated. He turned around and waved his tail. “I’ll see you in a bit then!”

As he walked out of the large door, he couldn’t help feeling disconcerted by his wife’s dismissal. It wasn’t like her to push him away like that, and he couldn’t shake the expressionless face she wore off his mind. She looked so unhappy.

Outside of the building, Rhythm heard someone call his name to the right. He stared over and saw a dark grey Pegasus waving at him. She had a curly white mane that was up, and was outfitted in a sentry guard uniform. She was an old friend of Rhythm’s from school. They had kept up with each other afterwards, but it had been a while since they had last spoken.

“Serenity! It’s good to see you,” Rhythm replied as the Pegasus met up with him. “How’s it going?”

“Oh, good. Just reporting for duty, you know,” Serenity shrugged. Her dark blue eyes were lit up with energy. “What about you?”

“Actually, I’ve been working on an assignment the past few months. I have to build a new camp,” Rhythm disclosed.

“Really? That’s great! It sounds exciting,” Serenity said.

“A lot more than I expected it to be honestly,” Rhythm let out. Something had just crossed his mind.

“Actually, can I ask you something?” Serenity gave a nod to signify him to keep going. “I’ve noticed there’s a lot more Hybrids around the edges of the city. Do you have any idea what that's about? Is everything going okay with the defenses?”

Serenity sighed. “I suspect it's because a few months ago the president discharged some of our sentries. Something about not having enough budget to pay them.” She shook her head, disappointed. “Ever since then we’ve been having a harder time fighting off the Hybrids. And now that some of us have been dispatched to aid Haythorn, I’m afraid the situation will get worse.”

“Well that’s no good,” Rhythm grimaced. “Maybe Clarity will eventually realize she needs those sentires back. Protection of the city is one of the highest priorities.”

“Yeah, maybe. I’m just glad I got to keep my job,” Serenity said. At that moment, a different sentry called out to her. “Listen, I gotta get going now.”

“Of course. It’s good talking to you Ren. And, good luck,” Rhythm told her.

She nodded in farewell, her hair bouncing along with her. “Yeah, and you too. Good luck with your camp!”

The grey Pegasus trotted away and met up with her companions. Rhythm thought about what she had said and what it meant for the city. Los Pegasus is one of the most well guarded Resistance cities, and surely the president would realize that was worth maintaining.

Rhythm returned to the apartment and settled down to talk with Hyper. He unraveled everything that had happened the past few days. The earthquake, the dragon, and the Hybrid mine, as well as discussing his possible solution to the latter. At last the door opened to Heartfelt stepping inside.

“Heartfelt, welcome back,” Rhythm said warmly.

She took a quick glimpse at him. “Yeah, thanks.”

She trotted past him and placed her bag near the couch. Rhythm swiveled around and got close to her. Finally Heartfelt tilted her head up to him, and Rhythm pressed his horn against hers.

“I missed you. I know we just saw each other but it wasn’t really quality time,” Rhythm explained.

“Yeah,” Heartfelt stated, aloof.

Hyper took one glance at them and then one at SweetHooves. He used his wing to usher SweetHooves along out of the living room and into the kitchen. The Unicorns stood alone.

“I see you’re wearing that necklace I found,” Rhythm pointed out the blue gem around her neck. “Why wear that one out of all the other ones I’ve got you?”

“Because you found this on your mission and thought of me… so, it makes me think of you while you’re out on your mission,” Heartfelt told him, sincerely.

Rhythm thought of how endearing that was. He wasn’t able to come up with a response quick enough. Hyper and SweetHooves reentered the room.

“SweetHooves and I are gonna head out. Might do some shopping. We’ll see you in a bit,” Hyper announced, giving Rhythm a nod of acknowledgement.

As they passed by the couple, Rhythm’s gaze followed Hyper’s until they left out the door. Rhythm knew what he was doing: he was making sure the two of them got alone time. Rhythm was grateful for Hyper’s consideration.

Rhythm sat down on the couch and Heartfelt mimicked. “What’s wrong, babe?” He asked with concern.

Heartfelt gave a drawn out sigh. She pressed her muzzle into Rhythm’s shoulder. “Everything has been so overwhelming lately. You’re never here. I hate my job. SweetHooves got hurt…”

“SweetHooves’ injury isn’t something you could control,” Rhythm assured. He wrapped his natural foreleg around Heartfelt, and nuzzled his chin against her head. “I’m sorry I haven’t been here. You know this mission is important to me, but… you’re important too. I knew it wasn’t going to be easy, being away from you and all.”

Heartfelt drew away and looked at him again, sadness in her eyes. She then moved her face away, her gaze falling to the floor.

“I wish there was something I could do to make you feel better,” Rhythm thought aloud. He placed his forehoof on her knee. He couldn’t stand to see her so dispirited.

“I know you do,” Heartfelt mumbled, her voice fragile. “You always do.”

“I know! How about you come visit the camp?” Rhythm suggested. Heartfelt looked at him, uncertain. “You should get away from work and the city for a bit. After All, you’ll need to get used to the camp if we’re going to live there.”

“I guess so,” Heartfelt accepted.

“You don’t have to go now. Maybe sometime this week? See if you can work it out with your boss?”

“I’m sure I can,” Heartfelt said.

“Great. Then we can definitely spend more time together,” Rhythm assured, pleased with this idea. He hoped this could help Heartfelt in some way. He’d do anything to lessen the pain of her depression.

Chapter 42

A few days later, CharmingRhythm returned to Los Pegasus to pick up Heartfelt so she could come visit the in-progress camp. It was then that HyperBlitz decided it was time he came back. He followed them back while they drove. It wasn’t long before they finally arrived in the late morning.

“Here we go! I know it doesn’t look like much,” Rhythm began, his gaze focused on Heartfelt. “But…”

“It’s a lot better than it was when we first got here,” Hyper finished, hovering above them.

“Yeah.” Rhythm gave Hyper an appreciative nod.

“Hyper!” A voice called from down the road, near the base building. It was BlazingFlair. He galloped quickly where the three ponies were. Hyper landed so Blazing could give him an enthusiastic hug. “It’s good to have you back!”

“Hey, Blaze!” Hyper said, patting his friend’s back. “It’s good to see you too.”

“Oh, and Heartfelt!” Blazing spotted the mint green mare. “It’s good to have you here too! You’re first time in the camp! Stay as long as you like!”

“Thanks,” Heartfelt stated through a meager smile.

“C’mon.” Rhythm tapped her lightly on the shoulder then pointed in the direction they should go. “Let’s get to the base. You can set your stuff down there.”

Heartfelt obediently followed without question. To Rhythm’s surprise, nobody had stopped them on the way there to talk. They’ll come out later and greet her, he thought to himself. When they arrived inside the base, SpinningNote was working on a generator inside. It must have been one for an apartment, given the base had enough already. Spinning’s eyes lit up when he saw Heartfelt.

“Oh hey, Heartfelt! It’s great to see you,” Spinning welcomed and walked over to her. He gave her a brief hug. “It’s been a bit, huh?”

“Yeah. It’s good to see you too,” Heartfelt replied.

“Here, I’ll show you to my room. You can put your stuff in there,” Rhythm stated.

Heartfelt followed him into the hallway and to the first door on the left. Inside she gazed at the small, dark room. Her lime green magic released her bag by the side of the door.

“How long am I going to be staying here?” Heartfelt asked, uneasy.

“That’s for you to decide. If you’d only like to stay the night, that’s fine. If you want to stay longer, you can,” Rhythm reassured her. He then pressed his muzzle close to hers. “You wanna go out and meet some ponies?”

“Sure,” Heartfelt murmured.

Once outside, Rhythm headed straight ahead towards the large tent.

“Alright. This is the gardening tent, but, you probably already guessed that,” Rhythm announced awkwardly. He used his prosthetic leg to push away the curtain and dip inside. “Hey, Echo!”

The red Earth Pony looked away from what he was doing to meet them. “Is Heartfelt with you?”

“Yep.”

“It’s good to see you again,” Echo told the mare.

“You too,” Heartfelt responded with a head dip.

“Hmm, all the gardeners look busy,” Rhythm observed. “We can come back another time. C’mon.” He tilted his head back towards the outside.

The two Unicorns continued down a street to the west. About halfway down the street AgileArrow appeared from one of the apartments.

“Oh. New recruit?” She gestured towards Heartfelt.

“Um, not exactly,” Rhythm said. “This is my wife, Heartfelt.”

“It’s good to meet you. You can call me Aggie,” the purple Unicorn stated.

“Yeah, good to meet you too,” Heartfelt responded flatly, then continued to follow Rhythm down the road.

Then Rhythm showed off the center of the village where they had fixed up the old fountain. There was no running water yet, but Rhythm assured they would have it eventually. The Resistance flag flapped in the wind above them, proudly marking their camp. They then weaved their way into another street. There Iridescent and ThunderCharm were painting the side of a house.

“Hi!” Iridescent said, placing her brush down. “Who’s this?”

“This is Heartfelt, my wife,” Rhythm responded, letting Heartfelt step forward.

“Um, hi,” Heartfelt let out. Thunder glanced at her for a moment and only waved a hoof.

“Keep up the good work girls,” Rhythm addressed as he gently nudged Heartfelt away.

They reached the west end of the camp. There they found the makeshift obstacle course that Blazing had set up. Rhythm explained that it was for when they got new recruits to train. Ash was working on rearranging wooden boards when they got there.

“And this is Ash,” Rhythm was telling Heartfelt. “She’s going to be in charge of training recruits. Well, her and Blazing. They’re sharing the job.”

Ash acknowledged Heartfelt with a wave of the hoof and a head dip before returning to her work.

As they circled around the edge of the camp, they met up with Jet who was working on a generator. He introduced himself to Heartfelt and she and Rhythm were on their way. They continued along the northernmost street.

Suddenly a pony shouted out above them. “Boo!”

Rhythm quickly snapped his head up to see FeatherTune standing on a roof. There was a mischievous grin on his face. His call had startled the already tense Heartfelt. She glared up at him, wide-eyed. Feather opened his wings, jumped and floated to the ground.

“I didn’t really scare you, did I?” Feather cocked his head at Heartfelt. She only shrugged. Feather then wrapped his wing around her. “Hey, it’s alright. It’s good to see you again!”

“Yeah, you too,” Heartfelt stated, still tense.

Feather then turned to Rhythm. “I’m sure you’re busy showing her around, so I’ll let you guys go.”

“See you later, dude,” Rhythm said and let his hooves continue forward.

“Let’s see,” Rhythm pondered out loud. “We still haven’t seen ForestWind, or Sunswirl. Hmm… Blackout is no use. Oh, and there’s Carpenter.”

Just then, he stopped in his place and faced Heartfelt. She seemed on edge. As her eyes met Rhythm’s, something in them expressed anxiety at all the names he was listing. He realized then that she must have been overwhelmed.

“Too many ponies at once for you, huh?” Rhythm guessed. “Okay. How ‘bout we head back to the base?”

Back in the room, Rhythm sat down next to Heartfelt on the bed. She had been oddly quiet today. He placed his hoof on her back and rubbed it.

“Is everything alright?” Rhythm asked.

“No,” Heartfelt admitted, sounding defeated. She rested her head on Rhythm’s shoulder.

“What’s the matter?” He pulled her closer to him.

“It’s just… everything. It feels like everything is too much. My job, your mission, being expected to do so much.”

“Still about all that, huh?” Rhythm confirmed. “It will be alright.”

“It doesn’t feel like it.” Heartfelt’s voice was barely a whisper. She turned her head slightly and pressed her muzzle against Rhythm’s shoulder.

“I know it doesn’t. That’s okay,” Rhythm affirmed. “It won’t stay like that forever.”

Heartfelt didn’t respond. She only shuddered as tears began to roll down her face. Rhythm wasn’t quite sure what to say to soothe her. He wrapped his other leg around her and let her head fall under his chin. There her cheek nuzzled against his chest as her tears began to soak into the fabric of his shirt.

“It’s okay to cry,” Rhythm told her softly. “You probably need this.”

Rhythm knew that Heartfelt had probably been close to a breakdown for a while now. It was only when she was alone with the pony she trusted most could she finally release her true emotions. Rhythm didn’t try to stop her, he only assured her that he was there for her.

After a few moments, Heartfelt pulled away from Rhythm and began rubbing her eyes with her forelegs. She was still shaking and weeping. Rhythm used his magic to pull off his tear stained shirt. He gave it to Heartfelt to use, and reached for a clean one that was set on top of a box.

“Here.” Rhythm used a hoof to gesture to the pillow on the bed. “Why don’t you lie down for a bit? I know, it’s a little weird lying down where my butt just was.”

Heartfelt didn’t speak, she only placed her head down on the pillow, still sniffling. She kept Rhythm’s shirt wrapped in her forelegs.

“I’ll get you some water,” He said.

Rhythm did as he promised and brought water. After that, he left the room and sat in the meeting room, waiting. He took some time to plan what he’d do next. He felt helpless, not sure how to help Heartfelt’s depression. All he could do is be there for her.

Rhythm knew Heartfelt needed time to rest. He could let her nap for an hour or so, and that would still leave them with the rest of the afternoon and evening to spend time together. An idea formed in Rhythm’s mind. It was perfect for bonding and could help Heartfelt open her ideas to new possibilities.

Rhythm stayed in the meeting room while he waited. At last Heartfelt appeared at the door, her eyes still halfway closed.

“Hey,” Rhythm greeted as she made her way to the far end of the table. Rhythm telechnetically pulled out a stool for her to sit on. “You feeling any better?”

Heartfelt didn’t respond, but she did take a seat next to Rhythm.

“So, I have an activity in mind. And I promise I won’t make you talk to anybody, okay? I was thinking we could look around the apartments in camp and see if there’s one we could pick out. I mean, I definitely don’t want to live in that room. What do you say?”

Heartfelt was silent for a moment, then she said quietly, “Okay.”

A bit later the pair of Unicorns roamed around the camp. They passed by ForestWind on their way. The green Pegasus attempted to get their attention, but Rhythm was quick to silence him with a mute spell, only to tell Forest, “No talking.” Heartfelt managed a megear smile, amused by her husband’s wit. Rhythm was relieved to see her smile again, and nudged his head against hers for a moment, smiling back.

The first apartment they looked at was on the northernmost street.It was small, and there was only one bedroom, which couldn’t support a future family. They continued to another one across the street. Once again, it wasn’t a right fit. It was in bad condition, and Rhythm wasn’t sure it could be reconstructed enough to a livable home for his likings.

‘What about this one?” Rhythm asked Heartfelt as they scanned another apartment.

“I guess there’s a good amount of room for the living room,” Heartfelt commented.

Looking around the empty room, Rhythm remembered what it was like when he had first arrived at the camp. There was old furniture, but also his team had found a skeleton in it. That seemed like a bad omen to Rhythm, and gave him unsettling vibes as he stood in the room. He wasn’t sure what Heartfelt would think about that either.

“Hmm, now that I think about it, I’m not sure I like this one,” Rhythm said vaguely. “C’mon, there’s plenty of others we can look at.”

They searched one that was off the middle street. It had been cleared out, except for a repainted bookshelf in the front room. There were two bedrooms, which pleased Rhythm.

“I like this one,” Rhythm thought aloud. “And there’s a bookshelf. That’s gotta be a good sign, huh? What do you think?” He turned to face Heartfelt.

“It’s fine,” she mumbled, her face still bleak.

“Just fine? Oh, no. Fine isn’t good enough. I want something you’re happy with,” Rhythm stated.

Heartfelt didn’t speak, she only glared away from him. She seemed even more discontent than before.

“What’s wrong?” Rhythm pressed.

“You want me to be happy, yet haven’t really considered my feelings about this?”

“W-what do you mean?” Rhythm asked, confused yet concerned.

“About living here. Who said I really wanted to? You may have suggested it, but I never directly agreed upon it,” Heartfelt spoke in an agitated tone.

“But, you never let me know that. Not until now,” Rhythm pointed out.

“Yeah, well I’ve thought about it,” Heartfelt said. “How are we supposed to raise a kid without the resources from the city? We can’t keep going back and forth.”

“I’m sure we could make it work,” Rhythm tried to assure. “And we’ll get more resources here the more the camp develops.”

“And what about school? How is our kid supposed to go to school if we live here?” Heartfelt retorted.

“We could always do homeschool. I’m pretty sure plenty of kids do homeschool in the Resistance. And I’m sure you’d be a great teacher,” Rhythm argued, still with the attempt to appease Heartfelt.

“Who said I wanted to?” She quipped. “And you’re worried about if I’m seeing my therapist. How am I supposed to see her regularly if I’m living all the way out here.

“I could drive you there. I really wouldn’t mind-” Rhythm tried to say.

“It’s just so much hassle, and for what?” Heartfelt shook her head. She twirled around and headed for the door.

Rhythm slipped outside to follow her. He saw her making her way towards the base. “Heartfelt, wait! Maybe we could-”

She kept walking away, only flicking her tail once. Rhythm stood in his place, unsure of what to do. He never thought this would come up as a point of contention again. Maybe he really hadn’t given Heartfelt time to voice her opinion. The future was uncertain, but Rhythm knew they could always make a way to work things out. Right now, all he wanted was Heartfelt to be happy again.

Chapter 44

It was the third morning Heartfelt had spent in the camp, but only the second she had woken up in it. Rhythm had successfully convinced her to stay another night. Now, after a late breakfast, Heartfelt assured him that she was ready to go back to the city. Hyper had also requested to come with them to drop her off, despite him just being in the city as well.

As they made their way to the cab that was parked at the south end of the camp, Rhythm noticed a few ponies gathered around the gardening tent, conversing. Among them was Jet and Ash, who Rhythm swore had announced they were going to Los Pegasus just earlier. Rhythm approached them.

“What are you guys doing back? I thought you went to headquarters to pick up a mission,” Rhythm asked.

“Well, we were,” Jet began cautiously.

“But there’s a blockade of Hybrids in front of the north gateway to the city!” Ash finished frantically.

“Wait, what?” Rhythm blurted out.

“Yeah, the sentries there are doing all they can to stop them from getting in,” Jet reported.

“We could have got in another way, but we wanted to come back here to let you all know about this,” Ash added.

“Well fuck,” Rhythm muttered.

“But, you were going to take me home,” Heartfelt stated, concern in her eyes.

“Well, I guess we’ll have to take the long way,” Rhythm contemplated.

“No, Rhythm. This isn’t about going around them,” Ash said firmly. “This is about stopping them. We’ve got to do something to help.”

“I… you’re right,” Rhythm decided. “They’re gonna need all the ponies they can get to fight them off. I suppose we could go down there and try. Then I could take you home,” Rhythm addressed to Heartfelt.

“What about me? I can’t fight if I don’t have an EPD,” Heartfelt pointed out.

“You shouldn’t have to fight,” Rhythm assured her. “Just stay out of it until we’ve broken them up.”

“No,” Heartfelt countered sternly. “If I’m going, I may as well fight too. You know I can, I was trained just like anyone else.”

Rhythm took a long stare at his wife. Of course he knew she could fight, but he didn’t want to risk her getting hurt. She was competent enough to fend for herself. And he wouldn’t want to send the wrong message trying to protect her all the time.

“I’m just worried about you. I don’t think you’re mentally in a good spot to be fighting Hybrids,” Rhythm said.

“If I have to I will. I won’t let my mental state stop me,” Heartfelt spat.

“Of course. I know you are. It’s just… dangerous,” Rhythm responded, hesitant.

“Stop trying to look out for me. I’m not helpless!” Heartfelt echoed Rhythm’s thoughts.

“I- I’m sorry. I don’t want to upset you anymore. If you want to fight too, you can,” Rhythm accepted.

“She can borrow someone’s EPD,” Hyper suggested, his head popping up a Rhythm’s side.

“I highly doubt anyone’s would fit her,” Rhythm argued, unsure.

“What about ThunderCharm’s?” Hyper said.

“Thunder is small…” Rhythm considered. He then looked at Heartfelt again. He could see a spark of determination in her eyes. “Okay, you can fight with us.”

“We’re coming with,” Ash announced with Jet by her side.

“And maybe we should bring some other ponies too,” Jet suggested.

“Spinning and Blazing,” Hyper told Rhythm.

Rhythm nodded. “Hmm. And Forest and Aggie. They’re our defense, so they could be good additions.”

“I’ll go get them!” Jet said and bounded into the air.

Rhythm swirled around to face both HyperBlitz and Heartfelt. “Alright. Let’s get ready.”

BlazingFlair, SpinningNote, ForestWind and AgileArrow all joined their party as they set off. HyperBlitz flew overhead as they drove through the desert.

Rhythm sat in back next to Heartfelt so he could have his undivided attention to planning. They weren’t sure just how many Hybrids they were dealing with. We’re they just meant to rush in there and start fighting? Or was there a way to drag the Hybrids away from the city?

A hoof poked Rhythm’s shoulder, snapping him out of his thoughts.

“Rhythm, look,” Heartfelt stated.

She then extended her hoof to point out the window to the right. Rhythm stretched his neck to see what she was referring to. Sitting still on the tracks they had been following since the camp was a large engine and a car attached. It was not refined like a Resistance train they were used to. Instead it was worn down and heavily armored.

“The Hybrids brought a train…” Rhythm muttered aloud.

“That’s why there’s so many of them,” Blazing guessed.

“That train must have passed by our camp earlier. Maybe overnight,” Spinning suggested.

“It’s not like we would have known. We don’t notice the trains that pass by,” Rhythm sighed.

They stopped a few hundred yards before the blockade that was in front of them, down the hill. Staring out from the top, Rhythm overlooked the skyline of the city. The normal area where sentries let vehicles and passerby in was cluttered with Resistance personnel and Hybrids alike. They were mostly gathered towards the right, closer to the train tracks. To the left, Rhythm could see where the outer streets were clear of Hybrids in the distance. Even so, those streets were off limits due to rogues that claimed the area.

“So what’s the plan?” Hyper asked as he landed next to them.

“Uh… I don’t have one,” Rhythm admitted.

“You’re kidding,” Hyper groaned.

“What, are we just supposed to run in there and pick a fight?” Ash queried from behind.

“Well, I mean…” Rhythm trailed off.

“Alright,” Spinning spoke up, his voice clear. He circled around the group until he faced all of them, ahead. “We need to draw them away from the city. That will give the guards a chance to recoup. I say we do whatever we can to draw their attention away. Shout, shoot, whatever. Bring them up the hill.”

“Alright, sounds good,” Rhythm mumbled, half to himself.

The group of them began moving down the hill, beginning to shoot at any Hybrids they saw. Hyper and Forest shot down from above, the former calling out names to the Hybrids. A few of the cyborgs turned around to face the new wave of ponies. A scout Hybrid completely forgot it’s first opponent and climbed up the hill, seaking new prey.

Hyper swooped down and knocked his forehooves into the scout, sending it rolling down the hill. It crashed into another Hybrid, their metal clattering together. The second one regained it’s composure and glared up the steady slope. With a foreleg raised, it began firing.

Rhythm dashed down to the base of the hill, where the ground was more even. With quick energy blasts, he alerted a grey Hybrid who was in combat with a sentry. It spun around and sneered. Rhythm caught a quick glance from the sentry, gratefulness in his eyes. A different Hybrid had already been trying to get to the sentry. No way the sentry would win one on two.

A clawed leg began swiping at Rhythm. He took a brief hop backwards to avoid the first swipe. He kept his leg extended, still shooting. The Hybrid swung it’s foreleg again. This time it caught Rhythm’s leg between two metal claws. Rhythm tugged but couldn’t get his leg out of the grasp. He wasn’t even able to shoot since the Hybrid had caught it as it was facing downward.

“Let go! I just got this leg!” Rhythm snapped.

“I see you’ve done the hard work for us,” the Hybrid remarked, curiosity in one uncovered eye. “We can get you a new one easily.”

Rhythm cringed at the thought of obtaining a Hybrid leg. This time he tugged to the right with enough force to swing the Hybrid over on it’s side. It’s claws let go as it hit the ground with a grunt. A tight pain struck Rhythm’s shoulder as his leg released. Ignoring it, he began expending blue energy in the grey Hybrid’s face.

Over to the left, BlazingFlair was throwing flames onto the wings of a Pegasus Hybrid. It’s feathers burned, keeping it grounded. The cyborg shot red streaks from the gun on it’s foreleg. Blazing’s armor deflected most of the shots. A few shots singed his neck fur, and ate away at the top layer of skin.

Quickly, he raised his EPD to meet the Hybrid’s gun. Both hooves were locked, soles facing each other. Blazing charged up his energy then shot it into the gun’s barrel. A crackle sounded and smoke blasted out of cracks in the gun. The Hybrid frantically tried to shoot again, but its gun was busted. Blazing used this chance to finish the foe.

Above, the two Pegasi continued to shoot down. Hyper noticed a sentry struggling with a Hybrid. The cyborg had shoved the sentry to the ground, about to pummel her. Hyper flew downward until he could reach his forelegs around the Hybrid’s neck. His wings fluttered, pushing himself backwards. The Hybrid dragged along with him.

“Get off her, you fucker!”

Hyper was strong enough to make the Hybrid rear up and fall over on it’s back. Letting go, Hyper landed his front hooves just in front of the Hybrid. He used his back hooves to slam into the Hybrid’s exposed belly. He leapt forward to help the sentry up.

“Are you okay?” Hyper asked.

“I think so. Thank you,” the sentry replied with a huff.

SpinningNote was sparring with a scout. The bulky Earth Pony was making slow but heavy movements with its armored foreleg. One swing slammed into Spinning’s left foreleg. He yelped in pain but didn’t let it stop him. His horn illuminated, his magic snatching all four of the Hybrid’s legs. He released them, causing the Hybrid to fall to the ground. Just then, a yellow Unicorn sentry galloped towards him to help finish the Hybrid.

Commotion roared all around Rhythm. He could hear the clattering of metal, the shouts of ponies, blasts of energy, crackles of fire. Although all the sounds seem to merge together, he was able to distinguish one voice. Rhythm peered behind him, up the hill/ There Heartfelt was firing at a Hybrid from a distance. It was quickly gaining on her. With panic, Rhythm attempted to reach her, but the pain in his shoulder returned. Luckily, AgileArrow had just come to aid Heartfelt. Both Unicorns were able to fend the Hybrid off.

Relief was short-lived. Rhythm realized that while they were battering the Hybrids, they weren’t very successful in slaying them. The Hybrids seemed to almost come back to life after they were struck down. The crowd of Hybrids were beginning to close them in. Rhythm saw Spinning and Blazing both backing away from the approaching Hybrids. The three teammates met each other in the middle.

“Uh, what do we do?” Blazing wondered aloud. He kept spitting fire on the ground in front of him. A masked Hybrid eyed him.

“Any quick ideas, Spin?” Rhythm requested, his muzzle to the side.

“Keep shooting!” Spinning blurted out.

“Oh yeah, great. That helps,” Rhythm muttered. He kept his foreleg outstretched to attack. The ache in his shoulder threatened to weigh his whole leg down.

“I don’t think we need any ideas!” Blazing announced. “Look!”

Just at that, Rhythm could hear a sentry crying out, “Backup’s here!”

He turned his gaze towards the city. Above them he could make out the shape of three Pegasi. He recognized the dark wings of Serenity immediately.

“C’mon,” Blazing commanded his friends.

He galloped forward, pushing through two of the Hybrids. There was just enough time for Spinning and Rhythm to dash through the gap of the two confused Hybrids. Rhythm trailed behind. The three of them made their way towards a group of sentries that gawked at the Pegasi incoming. There were three other sentries that were coming to meet them down the street. They must have been a part of the same team as the Pegasi.

Serenity hovered above them, two Pegasi following behind her. One was a lavender mare, the other an orange stallion. Serenity’s blue eyes locked onto Rhythm with surprise.

“Well isn’t that just great luck!” Rhythm shouted to her. “Good to see you! Again!”

“You know I work around here!” Serenity yelled back. “What are you doing here?”

“We came to help! But we’re having a hard time killing the Hybrids,” Rhythm announced to Serenity.

“We might not have to kill them,” she said and explained. “If we injure them enough they may retreat back to their train.”

Rhythm stared at her, baffled. “Would they really do that?” He had never seen Hybrids run from a fight before. Yet again, he had never seen this many Hybrids before.

“Just trust me on this,” Serenity assured.

“Less talking! More fighting!” Spinning quipped.

“Right,” Rhythm agreed with a nod. His gaze crossed Serenity one more time before her team took flight over the battle.

Rhythm followed his two friends back into the field away from the streets. A heavily armored Hybrid swung it’s head to face them. It’s metal hooves made thuds as it tread the dirt, crawling closer to the trio. A green Pegasus Hybrid quickly came to the aid of her larger ally. She started to fire quick blasts at the stallions.

Periwinkle magic surrounded them as Spinning formed a shield. The Hybrid’s energy shots deflected off the shield. The green Hybrid kept getting closer. She scowled at them. Metal covered half of her face, leaving only one enraged eye visible.

“Rhythm, can you get a shot on her?” Spinning queried.

Rhythm tried to aim his leg towards the smaller Hybrid, but throbbing in his shoulder forced him to keep his leg down.

“I- I don’t think I can,” he admitted.

“What? What do you mean you can’t?” Spinning questioned. “Fine, then you take the shield, I’ll shoot her.”

The translucent wall around them faded into cyan as Rhythm took over. The Pegasus Hybrid had reached the shield. She bared her unkempt teeth in a grimace. Spinning lifted up his EPD and charged his energy.

“Now!” Was all Spinning said.

Rhythm dissolved the shield. Just as the Hybrid took one more step, Spinning released his weapon’s blow. The blue energy scorched the Hybrid’s neck and face. She screamed as it began to bleed. Next to her, the heavy Hybrid crept forward.

“You guys get the big guy,” Spinning said to Rhythm and Blazing. “I’ll finish her!”

Rhythm nodded then glared ahead. He wasn’t sure what to do, he could only use his magic. At first he fired lasers at the armored enemy, but it didn’t faze it. Cyan magic swarmed all over the Hybrid’s body, keeping it standing in place. Rhythm struggled against the force of the massive Hybrid.

A shadow fell over them. Above, Serenity assessed the situation.

“Trailblazer!” She called out to the orange Pegasus. “We’ve got an easy target for you.”

A few moments later, a large burst of blue pounded against the Hybrid. It quickly collapsed to the ground and Rhythm released his magic. He twisted his neck around to get a look at the pony named Trailblazer. He was holding a large weapon strapped around his back. The glow of blue energy was just fading from inside the barrel.

“An energy canon?” Blazing gaped. “That’s fucking awesome!”

As Rhythm was distracted by the Pegasi above him, he was unaware of the Hybrid running towards him. Suddenly a powerful hoof rammed into his side. The blow forced Rhythm off his hooves, dropping to the ground. BlazingFlair stepped back in shock. With fury, he lept over Rhythm and attacked the Hybrid.

Rhythm blinked the haziness out of his eyes. He rolled over on his back as he heard a familiar voice come near him. Above him he stared into Heartfelt’s wide brown eyes. Heartfelt attempted to help him up, but Rhythm silently insisted he could get up on his own.

“What happened? I saw you fall over,” Heartfelt asked with concern.

“I got punched in the side,” Rhythm let out.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah. It hurts though,” Rhythm grimaced and glanced down at his right side. He turned back to his wife. “I think I pulled my shoulder too.”

Heartfelt sighed. “You were so worried about me getting hurt when it ended up being you getting hurt.”

“Heh, yeah,” Rhythm said with a weak smile.

“Look!” A sentry shouted, drawing the Unicorns’ attention.

Rhythm noticed the Hybrids were dispersing. They lead in a crowd up the hill, to the west. They were retreating! Some of the Unicorns used their magic to drag along the bodies of their fallen allies. A few Hybrids still fired shots at the Resistance. Slowly, as a pack, they traveled to their armored train.

The sentries and the party Rhythm had brought began cheering. Only a few dead Hybrids remained on the ground. Rhythm took another look at all the ponies. It didn’t look like anyone was seriously injured. Serenity and Trailblazer fluttered down to the ground to meet up with the rest of the sentries. Rhythm gestured Heartfelt to follow him towards them.

“Good work everyone!” Serenity spoke over them. “And thank you to the recruits who came to aid us! We couldn’t have won this battle without you!”

“Ren, you don’t have to,” Rhythm began to protest against the praise.

“I mean it,” Serenity told him with a head dip.

“I guess you’ll want a reward from it huh?” One of the sentries said, irked.

“No, not at all. We wanted to help. How could we just stand there when Los Pegasus was under attack?” Rhythm justified.

“Captain.” A Unicorn approached Serenity. “I’ve counted for our unit. Magnolia is missing.”

“What?” Serenity snapped. She then gazed around the field with wide eyes. She burst up into the air with quick fluttering wings.

An Earth Pony wearing a captain’s uniform stepped up to the front of the group. “LittleStream from our unit is missing too.”

“No, no, no,” Serenity muttered as she landed. “The Hybrids must have taken them. We didn't notice with all the fighting.” She violently shook her head, her white curls waving rapidly.

“Ren…” Rhythm stepped forward, extending his left forehoof out.

Serenity stared at him, sorrow in her eyes. “I’ve lost a pony.”

Rhythm wasn’t quite sure what to say. He knew that she felt responsible. It was her job to look over her unit. Recruits were lost to Hybrids sometimes. It was the unfortunate truth.

With a start, Rhythm turned around, worried about the ponies he had brought. At first he was worried about Jet and Ash, since he had not seen them before the start of the fight. He spotted them huddled together, further up the hill. All of his ponies were counted for, yet the Resistance still lost two recruits.

“Thank you for everything, Rhythm,” Serenity said from behind him, her voice grave. “We better get going now. I’ve got to report this.”

Sadly, Rhythm watched his old friend fly off into the city with her unit following behind her. She was a brave, honorable mare. She didn’t deserve this loss or guilt. Even if the battle was a victory, there were some costs that triumph couldn’t overturn.

Rhythm’s heart was heavy with emotion. His friends gathered around him, Heartfelt at his side. He tilted his head down and rested his temple against hers.

“Let’s get you back home,” he said simply.

Chapter 45

After the battle, HyperBlitz decided it would be best to rest his wings and ride with his friends while in the city. That meant Spinning road with Jet and Ash, but was willing to give up his seat for Hyper. Afterall, they’d only have one vehicle when they went back to camp, so Hyper would have to fly.

Hyper twisted his head around to glance at CharmingRhythm and Heartfelt who sat in the back.

“I’m sorry I pulled you into the fighting,” Rhythm had been telling Heartfelt. “You shouldn’t have had to do that. It’s probably just more stress for you.” It was obvious Rhythm was worried about her mental health.

“It’s okay,” Heartfelt replied quietly. “I didn’t want to just do nothing. Here.” Her lime green magic pulled off the EPD from her right foreleg. She passed it over to Rhythm. “Thunder’s gonna need that.”

“If she’s even willing to fight anymore,” Rhythm muttered, thinking aloud. Rhythm’s eyes drifted upward and met Hyper’s.

“You guys alright?” Hyper asked. “How’s your side?” He said to Rhythm.

“Sore,” Rhythm grimaced. He then threw his muzzle into the air and groaned. “Why did I have to pull my shoulder and get punched on the same side! My right side feels useless!”

“Well, at least you’ll be able to sleep on your left side without a problem,” Hyper pointed out.

“Yeah, I guess that’s true,” Rhythm mumbled.

“You should let SweetHooves look at those,” Hyper suggested.

“It’s not like there’s anything she can do about it,” Rhythm countered.

“Maybe. But she can still give medical advice. It wouldn't hurt... Anymore than it actually does,” Hyper added.

Rhythm chuckled a bit and placed his hoof above his muzzle.

“We’re almost here,” Blazing announced from beside Hyper.

Once they arrived, Hyper hopped out and placed his hooves on the curb. Jet and Ash, who had been following them, stopped for a moment to drop off SpinningNote and AgileArrow. ForestWind fluttered down from the sky to join them. Ash began to drive off.

“Good luck with your mission!” Hyper called out to them. Jet waved a hoof to signify he heard him.

Hyper swiveled around to face the apartment door. Aggie and Forest decided to stay outside. There were already enough ponies in one apartment. When SweetHooves opened the door, she stared at the group in dismay.

“What happened?” She asked. Her one uncovered eye darted between each pony, and settled on Hyper.

“Oh. This isn’t my blood,” Hyper assured as he placed his hoof on his chest where red stained his fur; Hybrid blood. SweetHooves just gave him a dumbfounded expression.

The rest of them flooded into the apartment. SweetHooves still looked shocked at the condition they were in.

“Well,” Rhythm began, “I wanted to come drop Heartfelt off but we had a problem. There was a whole blockade of Hybrids. We decided to come and fight them off.”

“What? There were that many Hybrids? How did you get through?” SweetHooves wondered.

“We were able to make them retreat,” Spinning answered. “We helped the sentries.”

“We did get out with some injuries,” Hyper said. “I got a cut on my wing.” He outstretched his left wing and displayed a gash across the top. Dried blood crusted on his feathers.

SweetHooves stepped forward and lifted his wing with her hoof. “I’m going to have to put something on it to prevent it from getting infected.”

“Actually, I wanted you to check out Rhythm,” Hyper told her. He noticed the peeved glare Rhythm gave him.

“You want me to look at him?”

“Yes, because he won't ask for himself,” Hyper clarified with a smirk.

Rhythm only rolled his eyes as SweetHooves made her way over to him. “What’s wrong?” She asked.

“Uh, I think I pulled my shoulder,” Rhythm said. He slightly raised his prosthetic leg to signify which one.

SweetHooves prompted him to sit down and he fell to his haunches, where SweetHooves joined him. She used her forehooves to lift up his leg. Rhythm gave a sharp “ow!” when she raised it passed halfway up. SweetHooves then put it down and began feeling around the shoulder joint.

“I don’t think it’s dislocated, but you probably tore some muscles. Best thing you can do is rest and some ice,” SweetHooves advised.

“Yeah I kinda figured that,” Rhythm muttered. “So no healing potion needed?”

“Healing potion is best for open wounds, but I suppose it could help mend muscle tears. Anything else?” SweetHooves inquired.

“I got punched in the side.” Rhythm turned his head to look past his shoulder.

With a hoof, SweetHooves began to pat down his side. He grimaced when she reached the spot where he had been hit.

“How bad does it hurt when I’m not touching it?” SweetHooves questioned.

“Just kinda sore. It hurts more when I breathe in deep,” Rhythm replied.

“Then don’t do that,” SweetHooves stated matter-of-factly and blinked.

“Good point…” Rhythm said, abashed.

SweetHooves stood up again “Well, it’s below the ribs, so I highly doubt anything is broken. I think you just need to rest. And I mean it, Rhythm.” She gave him a knowing look. Rhythm just gave her a forced, awkward smile.

“Don’t worry, I’ll make sure he does,” Hyper claimed as he stepped up next to them. He placed his hoof on Rhythm’s back.

Once SweetHooves had taken a look at all of their injuries, they left Heartfelt there and were on their way back to camp. Hyper could tell Rhythm was still worried about Heartfelt’s wellbeing. Hyper understood that concern; he was still worried about SweetHooves. Flying alone in the sky was no help with distracting from those thoughts. He was grateful once they arrived in camp.

Hyper knew that what he said about making sure Rhythm looked after himself was true. For the next few weeks that would be his task, as well as the usual chores around camp. Hyper considered taking on more responsibilities while Rhythm was recovering. However, he didn’t want to make it seem like he thought Rhythm was completely helpless. He only wanted what was best for his friend.

Hyper saw the work in the camp was going smoothly. The camp looked completely different than it did when team Xero first arrived here. I think it’s almost ready to be called completed, Hyper thought, but of course that was Rhythm’s decision to bring in an inspector.

It was three days later when Hyper was hauling a container of water from the stream back to camp. ForestWind had come along with him to collect water. It would have been easier using the cab to transport the containers, but SpinningNote had taken it to Lost Pegasus to pick up supplies.

Once passed the first row of houses, Hyper sat down the large water jug on the pavement and took a moment to rest. Just behind him, Forest fluttered down to the ground. The pair of Pegasi made their way up the street to the east.

“Where’d you want this one?” Forest asked.

“You can take it to the filter by the garden tent,” Hyper instructed, using his muzzle to point.

“You got it, boss,” Forest replied and carried his water away.

Hyper opened the door and rolled the water jug into the main room of the base. EchoBeat was standing there, staring at him in expectation.

“Welcome back,” Echo said. He stopped the jug under his hoof as Hyper rolled it over to him.

“Need any help pouring it in the filter?” Hyper offered as he followed Echo through the back door.

“It’s probably easier for you to lift it,” Echo accepted.

He lifted the canister lid of the large filtration system. Hyper hovered in the air and scooped up the round water jug with two forelegs. Echo helped him pop the cap off, and he poured the liquid inside the filter.

“I heard they’ve got more generators set up outside,” Echo was saying as Hyper was finishing.

“That’s great!”

“But I think they’re going to need more crystals,” Echo explained. “We don’t have any backups left.” His eyes were glued to the back door, away from Hyper.

Hyper turned to him once he stood on all four hooves. “Maybe we could harvest some from the energy mill,” Hyper suggested.

“You want to harvest some? Aren’t you afraid of it being dangerous?” Echo pointed out, in a slightly teasing manner.

“I’m not afraid of it,” Hyper countered mischievously. “Besides, I’ll be fine if you’re with me.”

“Okay, fair enough,” Echo said and nodded.

The two of them collected the tools needed for extracting crystals. They each had their own tool case, which doubled as a bucket for collecting crystals. Once outside, EchoBeat opened the cellar doors on the side of the hill and entered first. Hyper followed after and closed only one of the doors with his wing.

Hyper’s eyes adjusted to the blue lighting of the cavern. The energy wells that patched the ground glimmered brightly. Each protected by metal fences as well as caged tops. A couple months ago they had Resistance personnel come install the covers for extra protection. Hyper agreed that was a smart idea. This place still gave him unsettling vibes as he remembered Rhythm’s accident.

Skirting around the walls of the cave, Hyper looked for crystals that gathered on the ground. He dropped the tool case from his teeth onto the stony floor once he found a cluster. Hyper took another glance around. Echo was a few meters away from him, already setting up. Once again his gaze drifted onto the energy wells. If only we could use the energy from them now, Hyper thought. It was possible to use the liquid energy, but they needed special equipment to harvest it.

Hyper used both hooves to grasp a trowel. He repeatedly rammed the blade at the side of a small crystal, attempting to get underneath it. Once one crystal was out, he moved onto the next. The force he had to use to dig them out was already making his shoulders ache. The damp air of the cavern only increased Hyper’s sweat. He set the glowing chunks of crystal inside the basket.

Taking a small break, Hyper gazed around again. He wasn’t sure why he felt the urge to study the cavern. It was so wide, with small pockets illuminated by crystals. It seemed as if there were corners that they hadn’t even explored yet. One of them caught Hyper’s eye. There were loose boulders collected on the ground, and a crack in the wall just above them.

Hyper stood up and left his crystal collection behind. He made his way across the floor to the crevice. Echo’s head popped up and followed Hyper.

“What are you doing?” Echo questioned.

Hyper didn’t answer. Instead, he squinted his eyes to see if he could peer into the dark crevice. He used two hooves to haul a boulder backwards away from the wall. Stone pieces began to fall, clattering on the ground. There were still too many boulders in the way.

“Echo, come help!” Hyper huffed.

“With what? What are you doing?” Echo wondered, confused.

“There’s another hole back here! Help me move these rocks!” Hyper insisted.

Echo finally got to Hyper’s side and began pulling at the boulders. They were able to make one roll over with their combined strength. The crevice grew larger, and more of the wall collapsed. Both of them stopped, and gazed into the dark hole, now large enough for a pony to squeeze in.

Hyper quickly galloped over to Echo’s tool case, which was closer than his own. He picked up a crystal in his teeth and went back to the hole. The crystal was enough to illuminate the smaller cave as he crept inside. Echo only stared at him in disbelief, confused by his friend’s actions.

Hyper made it through, and realized the cave was larger than he was expecting. Small bits of crystals lined the walls and ceilings, just making the area barely visible. Glaring down, Hyper noticed something odd. It was as if crystals were wavering on the floor. Quickly he realized it was the reflections of the blue light around him. Placing one hoof forward, it submerged into cold water. The reflections wobbled more as the water dispersed.

Water! And there was no telling how far this new section of the cavern could go. There could be a whole pond of water underground. Hyper backed up again and darted out of hole.

“There’s water! C’mon, we’ve got to tell the others!” Hyper dropped the crystal and dashed between the energy wells.

“Wait, what about-” Echo tried to call out, but Hyper was already on the other side of the cavern.

Hyper burst out of the cellar doors and raced into camp. He sought around for the first teammate he could find. He spotted Rhythm sitting by the garden tent, sorting baskets of fruits for rations. His ears pricked when he heard Hyper’s call. As he looked up, FeatherTune made his way to the end of one of the streets near them.

“Hey! Did you get those crystals?” FeatherTune asked.

“We found something better!” Hyper claimed with a grin.

Feather tilted his head and raised a brow. “So… you didn’t get the crystals?”

“Yes, we’ll get the crystals,” Echo assured as he caught up with Hyper, taking a deep breath.

“What do you mean you found something better?” Rhythm questioned.

“There’s a new opening in the energy mill! The rocks must have fallen during the earthquake,” Hyper claimed just as the thought popped into his mind. “There’s water down there! Like, a fuck ton of it!”

“Really?” Rhythm’s eyes lit up with interest. He stood up, careful not to put too much weight on his injured shoulder. “You gotta show me.”

“I don’t understand why you’re so excited about some water,” Feather said.

“Do you want to keep going back and forth from the stream?” Hyper pressed.

“Well… no,” Feather muttered.

Echo stepped up to him and tapped him on the shoulder. “We don’t you come with us to pick up those crystals?”

“Okay,” Feather shrugged.

Hyper spun around and galloped back towards the energy mill.

“And keep the pace slow!” Rhythm hollered and then snickered.

“Sorry!” Hyper replied, his muzzle high in the air. He changed his pace to an easy canter. Hyper was certainly pleased with his discovery, and couldn’t wait to share it with the rest of the camp.

Chapter 46

Over the next few days, the ponies in camp worked to find ways to make use of the underground water. They had found some old pipes underground that lead to the water source to the village. There had to be a way to get them back to functional standards. In the meantime, ponies just collected water from the energy mill instead of traveling all the way to the stream.

EchoBeat was one of the ponies put in charge of distributing the water supply. After all, it was the most important resource for growing food. He wanted a good stock of filtered water saved so they didn’t have to go through the processes every day.

Collecting water would be even more important as it started to rain over the camp. It seemed to rain all day. Echo made sure everyone had set out buckets to collect the rainwater.

As evening approached, Echo finished his work for the day and headed towards the base. Inside the main room CharmingRhythm gazed at the computer on the right wall. Echo stepped towards his chair.

“Oh hey,” Rhythm greeted, although didn’t turn his head.“Everything going smoothly?”

“Yeah,” Echo said, nodding. “Just finishing for today.”

“Sounds good.” Rhythm continued to read the screen, it’s light reflecting in his attentive eyes.

“What are you looking at?” Echo wondered, slightly concerned. Rhythm seemed more interested with the words on the monitor than he did hearing about Echo’s progress.

“I’m just reading through reports from HQ. Trying to figure out how the situation in Haythorn is going. They’ve got a communications connection for a small part of the city, but the majority has no access.”

“You’ve been really interested in Haythorn lately,” Echo stated, not even pretending to hide his concern.

“Ever since I went there and saw how bad it was with those rogues, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. Those ponies don’t deserve that treatment. Haythorn is meant to be a safe Resistance city,” Rhythm sighed.

Echo slowly moved towards the hallway. “Well, I’m calling it a day. You try not to stay up too late with that computer. It’s not good for your eyes.”

Rhythm gave a single huff of amusement. “I’ll try not to. Thanks.”

The rain pattered on the roof until sometime in the middle of the night. The new silence was almost eerie.

Then a sound broke that silence. Echo blinked his eyes open to the darkness. It sounded like shouting came from outside. Echo used his hoof to feel around his nightstand until he found the lamp he could switch on. He sat up and kept still as he listened for the noises, his ears alert.

For a moment, it was quiet again. Then the shouting returned. In the midst of the muddled voices, it sounded like crackles of energy beginning to start. EPDs weren’t that loud. Only Hybrid guns created that distinct noise.

Echo hopped off his bed and peered out the window, which faced the north. He sought to make something out in the darkness. There were small glowing red dots that moved. Those lights were attached to Hybrids. Then they disappeared out of sight, passed the base. They’re moving into camp! He quickly equipped his EPD.

Echo found FeatherTune awake when he entered the hallway.

“What the hell is going on out there?” Feather mumbled sleepily.

“There are Hybrids in camp!” Echo answered.

“Really? How do you know?”

“Because I saw them moving in, and I can hear them fighting,” Echo explained.

Just then, a door in the middle of the hall opened. BlazingFlair turned to face the two other stallions.

“Fighting? You mean there’s Hybrids?” Blazing asked.

“Yes!” Echo affirmed. “Get your weapons. We need to go out there and defend.”

“Wow, Echo being the first one to go into a fight. Now that’s a first,” Feather remarked.

Echo ignored him and trotted into the main room. He turned on a light as Feather and Blazing stepped in. After a moment, SpinningNote joined them. He didn’t speak at first, only glanced at the EPDs the other stallions held. He swiveled back around and faded into the hallway. When he came back, he too had his EPD.

“We still need Hyper and Rhythm,” Blazing pointed out.

“I’m surprised the shouting hasn’t woken them up already,” Spinning said.

“Well I’m not,” Feather puffed. “Hyper’s always exhausted and Rhythm can sleep through almost anything. You’d think his sound magic affects his brain.”

“I’ll get Hyper,” Spinning announced and once again went towards the hall.

“And I’ll get Rhythm,” Echo decided, following close behind Spinning’s tail. They then split in both directions at the first doors in the hall.

In Rhythm’s room, Echo attempted to make out shapes. Lights from the camp crept in through small crevices between the window’s curtain. The light was just enough to show the outline of Rhythm, his face towards the wall. Echo stepped closer and gently nudged Rhythm’s back with a hoof.

“Rhythm. Get up.”

Rhythm stirred awake and rolled over to face Echo, his eyes still shut. “W-what. Echo? What time is it?”

“I don’t know, but there’s Hybrids outside,” Echo stated.

“Hybrids? In the camp?” Rhythm’s eyes opened wide, although anything was hardly visible. He pushed himself up to sit up straight on his bed. “I knew they’d find the camp eventually,” He muttered.

“We need to defend, but,” Echo started just as a thought crossed his mind. “I’m not sure you should fight.”

“What? Why?” Rhythm demanded. “Is it because of my injuries? I’m feeling better, I promise.”

“It’s only been a week,” Echo countered. “You don’t want to make them worse by fighting.”

Rhythm signed, attempting to accept that, although he did not give a verbal “okay.” Instead, he said “I still need to see what’s going on out there.”

Echo nodded, agreeing with that.

At last the six stallions gathered in the main room. Before they left, Echo caught a glimpse of the digital clock by the computer. 4:48 AM.

Outside, a few lamps above doors lit the streets. The soil was still damp from the rain. Just as they all exited, there was a small metal clink followed by splashing. Echo whipped his head over to see a knocked over rainwater bucked by Hyper’s hooves.
“Fuck!” Hyper let out.

“Hyper!” Echo quipped.

“Sorry! I didn’t see it!”

Down the street were the Hybrids, coming in through the alleys. AgileArrow and ForestWind were fighting in the middle of the road. So far there were four Hybrids visible. As they made their way towards the scene, Iridescent timidly peaked out of her apartment’s door.

“Just stay inside, we’ll handle this,” Rhythm told her.

FeatherTune and HyperBlitz bounded into the air and began raining down energy. Spinning and Blazing raced to Aggie’s side. Echo cantered past Rhythm, then halted to glance back. Rhythm was firing energy from his leg, back by Iridescent’s apartment. His eyes locked onto Echo’s.

“I want to be of some use,” Rhythm determined.

Echo gave a curt nod and returned to his other teammates.

A Hybrid had Forest pinned near a wall. The stallion tried to fight back with his energy, but couldn’t find a way to escape. The skinny Hybrid used a bladed leg to slash at Forest’s shoulder. Feather swooped downward and knocked the Hybrid off it’s hoof, sending it to the pavement.

“Thanks!” Forest said and fluttered into the air.

Two Hybrids had ganged up on Aggie. One of them used their metal hooves to grab her by the neck. The other held something in a claw, most likely a chip. Aggie quickly jerked her head back, using her magic to blast a laser in her attacker’s face. Both Blazing and Spinning raced to her side to aid against the two Hybrids.

The Hybrid nearest to Echo began firing shots at him. He regretted not wearing armor when the energy singed his leg fur. He lifted his EPD and aimed for the Hybrid’s left eye, which was unarmored. A second source of blue energy hit the Hybrid, Echo assumed it was Rhythm from behind.

Suddenly he felt something blast his hind leg. Echo whipped his head around and glared at Rhythm.

“Sorry! It’s hard to see!” Rhythm grimaced.

Just as he was distracted, the Hybrid knocked Echo over. After hitting the wet ground, Echo glared up at the Hybrid that loomed over him. She had a callous grin.

“You think you normal ponies are better than us with your energy. But we’ll always be more than you ever will be!” She declared in a rusty voice.

“Is that why you take our energy?” Echo pressed. “Because you want to have everything we have and more?”

“Hmm, you’re a smart one,” the Hybrid said.

Before anything else could happen between them, HyperBlitz flew straight into the Hybrid. She crashed to the ground just before SpinningNote. He took a quick glance down at her, then returned to his own battle. Hyper extended his hoof to Echo.

“C’mon!”

Echo grabbed Hyper’s hoof to roll back over, and stood up on his own. He stared down at the Hybrid that Hyper was beginning to shoot at. He couldn’t stop thinking about what she said.

“Hyper!” Rhythm’s voice called from behind them “There’s one on the roof!”
Sure enough, on the roof of the apartment near them was a Pegasus Hybrid that stood tall. It was shooting lasers from its hoof gun.

“I got ‘em!” Hyper affirmed and darted into the air.

Echo peered down the road and watched his friends finish the job. Finally Hyper had thrown the Hybrid from the roof into the alley. Aggie and Forest seemed a bit shaken, but both stood with determination. The Hybrid by Echo’s hooves was barely breathing. He caught a glimpse of her eye move.

“Don’t… think you’re done with us. We… have backup. Th-they’ll find you!” The Hybrid rasped.

Spinning stepped up to her and pressed his hoof against her head. “That’s enough from you.”

Finally the camp grew quiet. No more shouting. No more metal clangs. No more energy fire. The silence drew some ponies out of their apartments, to check the scene. The group of ponies moved towards the center path in front of Xero’s base. Iridescent, Blackout, and ThunderCharm joined them.

“Is everyone alright?” Rhythm spoke up clearly.

“I think so,” Aggie answered hesitantly.

Just as she said that, there was a shout from deeper in camp. CherryBomb came into the light and raced over to Aggie. Cherry threw her hooves around Aggie’s neck, and the Unicorn pulled her in for an embrace.

“I’m okay! I promise!” Aggie assured.

“I’ve got this cut here on my shoulder,” Forest said and glanced at his injury.

“You better get some medicine for it. Maybe have SunSwirl look at it. She’s probably the closest to a doctor here,” Rhythm suggested.

“What about Echo?” Blazing commented. “He knows some things about medicine.”

“Oh, no, no. SunSwirl is way better than me. You’d be better off with her,” Echo opposed. He may have acted as a medic on missions for his team in the past, but he couldn’t see himself becoming the doctor for this camp. He knew Blazing was just trying to give him credit.

Aggie stepped forward, Cherry’s eyes following her. “Rhythm,” She said to the other Unicorn, “I wanted to report something. While I was on watch, right before the Hybrids attacked, I saw some Pegasi flying overhead.”

“Over the camp?” Rhythm replied. “Were they other Hybrids?”

Aggie shook her wavy mane. “They didn’t look like Hybrids to me. They flew in from the north then turned around.”

“North…” Rhythm murmured.

Immediately Echo connected the dots.

“What about those rogues from that camp?” Echo determined.

“You mean from our gang?” Iridescent asked.

Echo nodded.

For a moment Rhythm stared at the ground, the gears in his head turning. “That’s what they meant when they said we weren’t done with them,” He recalled. “They wanted revenge somehow. So they… they sent Hybrids our way. Just like the rogues in Haythorn!”

Echo wasn’t sure the two were connected, but they certainly had the same ideas.

“What? So you’re automatically accusing them of this?” Blackout scoffed.

“We aren’t accusing,” Rhythm defended. “We’re simply putting together the evidence we have and are coming to a conclusion.”

Blackout still wasn’t convinced, but ThunderCharm was the next one to speak. “I think it makes sense. I mean, I saw how those ponies were, I could believe they would do this. They were cruel, and would do anything to get revenge.”
Iridescent sighed. “I agree. Blackout, you’ve got to realize that they are in the wrong. They attacked this camp while the Resistance hasn’t done anything to them. Hell, they saved us from the Hybrids, and we chose to stay here.”

Blackout was silent for a moment, his eyebrows furrowed in thought.

“You know we can’t go back there,” Iridescent reinforced.

“I know,” Blackout muttered reluctantly. “We’ve been here long enough, they see us as enemies now. Of course they’d let Hybrids attack us. Guess we’re stuck here now.”

“So... does that mean we’re staying for good?” Iridescent pressed.

Blackout’s purple eyes darted between the group of ponies, highlighted by the hint of dawn on the horizon. “For however long we need to be. Until… if we decide we want to leave.” Blackout then glared at team Xero. “But that doesn’t mean I’m going to become your recruits. I still have no reason to help the Resistance!”

The Pegasus passed by them all and returned to his apartment. This time, he closed the door behind him without a thud.

“Well… that’s progress, right?” Thunder said.

“He’ll get there,” Iridescent agreed. She swirled around to face the Resistance members. “I want to thank all of you for letting us stay here. You’ve all been very kind.”

“Of course,” Rhythm replied. “That’s what this camp is here for.”

As the hazy dawn light filtered into camp, the ponies began to disperse. SpinningNote passed behind Echo, mentioning doing something with the Hybrid bodies. Echo tried not to think about how the Hybrid he thought had spoken to him. He looked for a diversion.

“I’m going to collect the rainwater buckets,” Echo stated. Rhythm nodded in approval.

Just as Echo started to walk, Iridescent trotted up next to him. “I’ll help.”

“Thanks,” Echo said.

Echo was glad to see that Blackout was finally accepting the Resistance around him. While he wasn’t prepared to serve them, he was at least alright living among them. That is progress, Echo considered.

“Give Blackout time. He’ll warm up to you guys,” Iridescent spoke up, as if reading Echo’s thoughts. “Our mother was Resistance after all.”

Echo nodded back. “And what about your old gang? What will we do if they come back?”

“I guess we’ll have to talk to them if we can. They can’t keep it up. They’ll realize it’s not worth their time,” Iridescent decided.

Echo hoped she was true. He’d rather they just focus on the ponies in camp than worry about what their neighbors thought. At least the tension between them and Blackout seemed to be easing. Maybe he will make a good recruit at some point, Echo thought hopefully.

Chapter 47

Another week had passed since the Hybrid ambush on the camp. There had been no other signs of Hybrids, nor any of rogue ponies. CharmingRhytm’s injuries were feeling better, and he knew now was the time to take important action. The mine that contained Hybrids must be sealed off.

Rhythm had gathered team Xero together on a late morning. They set out in their cab to the east. With them, they brought explosives that they obtained from Headquarters. The explosives were quite difficult to get, and it took a careful persuading attempt by SpinningNote to achieve them.

Once they had arrived at the mountain base, the ponies took their positions. Rhythm, HyperBlitz, FeatherTune and SpinningNote all helped to carry the dynamite packages to the mine entrance. BlazingFlair watched for suspicious activity to the north, while EchoBeat watched the south.

All the stallions gathered near their cab a few hundred meters from the entrance where the dynamite now sat. All except for Feather, who hovered over them, waiting for action.

“FeatherTune! Get down here!” Rhythm shouted.

“What? Why? I’m out of the blast range!” Feather quipped back.

“Come down here unless you want your ears blown out!” Rhythm gestured with his hoof to guide the Pegasus down, then stomped on the ground.

Feather huffed, rolled his eyes, and floated downwards.

“I don’t get why all of us had to come,” Echo muttered. “Shouldn't one of us stay in camp to overlook?”

“Eh, we won’t be gone for long,” Rhythm assured with a wave of his hoof.

“Are you sure we have to collapse it?” SpinningNote whined.

“Do you want the Hybrids inside to get out?” Rhythm countered.

“No. But the mine could be a good resource. There were energy crystals in there. And there could be other things in there too,” Spinning explained.

“We have a whole energy mill! What’s that compared to a mine we can’t navigate?” Blazing pointed out.

“I just think it’s cool…” Spinning mumbled.

All of them huddled around as Rhythm cast a mute spell dome around them. As the cyan faded, Rhythm turned to HyperBlitz.

“You ready?”

“You got it,” Hyper confirmed. His foreleg was raised, his EPD aimed towards the pile of explosives.

Hyper charged his weapon, and then fired out a single shot. Just as he fired, Spinning placed up a magical shield for extra precautions, although he wasn’t instructed to. A split second later, one of the crates of dynamite exploded as the energy met it. The blast caused a chain reaction, the rest of the crates exploding with it.

While the roaring sound in the air didn’t travel past the invisible mute spell, some of the sound came up through the ground. A low rumble vibrated beneath the stallions. The ground trembled slightly, as if it was another earthquake, but all of the stallions kept in place.

Once the explosions ceased, a large cloud of dust fumed from the side of the mountain. As it began to clear, some of the rocks were still scattering. After a few moments, all was still again. The mine entrance was covered in broken stone. The end of the tracks outside it were just barely visible under the debris.

EchoBeat opened his eyes, which he had just realized he had closed.

“That was awesome!” Hyper grinned.

SpinningNote sighed in disappointment. Rhythm gave him a few pats on the back.

“C’mon, let's go make sure it’s completely sealed,” Rhythm said. He cantered down the slope back to the mountain side.

Team Xero surrounded the pile of rocks to inspect it. Feather kept watch, hovering in the sky above them. Rhythm, with his hooves on the boulders, peered over them to see if there was any sign of gaps. Perhaps ponies couldn’t make it out of the cave in, but some Hybrids had heightened strength.

“Uh, guys,” Feather announced in a drawn out tone. “I think we have a problem!”

“What?” Rhythm flicked his head up to Feather.

To the north, on the horizon, Feather spotted movement in the mountain side. While it was so small in his vision, Feather knew how large the red creature actually was.

“We woke up the dragon!” Feather shouted while flailing his forehooves around.

“What?!” Rhythm croaked. All of the stallions on the ground paused to stare at Rhythm. “C’mon, let’s get out of here!” He waved his team in his direction.

Hyper darted into the air as the rest of them charged towards their cab. Once on the small ridge, Rhythm glanced out to the north. He too could see the creature flying towards them.

“Fuck, I should have thought of the sound disturbing it!” Rhythm cursed.

“I don’t think any of us would have thought of that!” Spinning snapped as he hopped in their vehicle.

When the dragon had made it halfway between them and it’s den, it let out a mighty roar. Then it puffed out a plume of blue flames.

“Whoa… awesome!” Hyper gawked.

“Hyper, no!” All four stallions from the cab called out.

Both Pegasi raced after their team who rolled out into the desert to the west. Rhythm stared out the window, eyeing the dragon that drew closer. Blazing kept his vision forward as he drove.

“So, uh, how do we get rid of it?” Spinning questioned from the back.

Rhythm’s eyes suddenly opened wide. “Shit! Shit! Shit!”

Rhythm quickly leaned over Blazing and used both hooves to snag the wheel. The cab took a drastic turn to the right.

“Hey!” was all Blazing let out.

“What the hell are you doing?” Echo exclaimed.

“We can’t lead it to the camp!” Rhythm hollered.

“Then where are we supposed to go?” Blazing asked as Rhythm gave back the wheel.

“What’s going on? Where are we going?” Feather’s voice spoke from the radio intercom on the dashboard.

Rhythm pressed one of the buttons and spoke back. “We can’t lead it to the camp. It could destroy everything we worked for!”

Above them, Feather contemplated what to do. He glimpsed behind his brown tail to see the dragon gaining on them. He stared forward again, analyzing the desert ahead of him. He pressed the button on his headset again.

“I’ve got an idea. It could be great or disastrous.”

“Shoot,” Rhythm replied.

“We lead it to the Hybrid camp in the lake bed. The Hybrids could distract it and we could circle back around to camp.”

There was a pause. Finally Rhythm spoke again. “That might just work. Let’s give it a shot.”

The cab turned more towards the right, around the edge of the forest. Feather and Hyper followed, although Hyper watched his friends in confusion.

“What’s going on?” He called out to Feather.

“We’re leading it away from camp!” Feather attempted to shout back.

“What?” Hyper yelled. The rushing air between them caused their voices to be drowned out.

“For fucks sake Hyper, this is why you need your own radio,” Feather muttered to himself with a head shake.

Once again, Feather glanced at the dragon. It was closer than ever. It must have been at least ten times larger than a pony. It snarled, displaying massive, sharp teeth. I wonder if I could slow it down, Feather considered.

Feather stopped flapping his wings, letting himself glide upwards and slow down. He rose above the dragon. He curved his neck into his chest and peered past his own belly. The dragon was now below him, but still behind. He held out his EPD and fired a streak of electricity at the dragon’s wing. The dragon roared and faltered, but then continued to fly.

Rhythm’s voice blurted out in Feather’s headset. “FeatherTune, what the fuck do you think you’re doing?!” There was anger in his tone.

“I’m trying to slow it down!” Feather responded.

“I swear to Luna, Feather, if you get yourself killed... Or burned…”

Feather ignored him and quickly fluttered his wings. He darted forward to get ahead of the dragon again. In the corner of his eye, he saw brilliant blue building up in the dragon’s mouth. It spat the flames towards Feather. The Pegasus dodge rolled in a panic, out of the range of the flames. The heat nearly scorched Feather’s fur off.

Hyper had noticed Feather’s struggle. For a moment, he drifted in place and sent a blast of energy at the dragon’s head. Hyper continued to fire, enough to irritate the dragon’s eyes. The creature grumbled in distress, using its claws to swipe at its eyes. It began to slow down.

Hyper signaled Feather with his hooves to keep flying forward. He then tilted his head to the dragon. Feather knew what he meant. He returned Hyper a nod, and continued flying ahead.

Team Xero passed the forest and kept to the north. Hyper was blasting energy shots at the dragon behind them. He was successful in slowing the beast down, but couldn’t stop it altogether. Hyper finished and shot forward to catch up with the rest of them.

The dried lake bed came into view. BlazingFlair drove the cab just before the steep slope downward. Feather noted all the buildings the Hybrids had built. A few metal bodies flickered into the light. While the cab and two Pegasi passed by them, the dragon was much more noticeable.

The Hybrids began gathering outside their buildings. Several of them began firing their guns at the red beast. It began to notice the attackers. A few Pegasi Hybrids rose into the air to fight the dragon. With a quick slash of claws, a Hybrid hurtled out of the sky and back into the lake bed.

“We’re gonna keep going,” Rhythm had said over the radio. “You stay back and make sure it stays distracted.”

“Got it,” Feather replied.

The Hybrids had aimed their turrets to the sky. With a large thump, the dragon landed on the plateau above the camp. In a rage it began to spew fire at the Hybrids. Blue flames quickly engulfed the wooden buildings. One of the Pegasus Hybrids flew over the dragon. It quickly swooped down and sliced the dragon’s wing with a bladed hoof. Another wicked roar came from the beast.

Feather knew he couldn’t stay for long. He didn’t want the dragon to take notice of him again. So he flew directly behind the dragon and after his friends who had driven to the south. He was able to catch up with them in a few minutes. They must have slowed down.

Soon enough they arrived at the west edge of the camp. Feather and Hyper landed as the rest of the team exited the cab. Near the training course, Ash was standing staring at the group of stallions. Her face expressed confusion. She pointed to the east, the direction they left in, and then pointed back at them. Defeated, she just waved her hoof in a “whatever” gesture, and swirled around, walking away.

“Holy fuck, that was insane!” Hyper exclaimed as the team gathered.

“You can say that again,” Rhythm grumbled.

“Holy fuck, that was insane,” Hyper repeated with a cheesy grin.

“Hyper, I swear to fuck-” Rhythm shook his head but supressed laughter.

“A fucking dragon, guys! A dragon!” Spinning expressed, waving a hoof.

“Did you see it’s fire? It was blue! That’s so cool!” Hyper said, ecstatic.

“You say that like our lives weren’t in complete danger!” Echo snapped.

“Hey, that’s our lives on the daily,” Hyper countered, shrugging. “Do you think it’s fire was blue naturally, or because it ate energy crystals?”

“I’d rather not try to figure out,” Echo muttered.

“Feather!” Blazing trotted up to where the Pegasus was standing. He placed a hoof around Feather’s back. “Your plan worked! We got rid of it! Well… we did, right?”

“I didn’t see it following us,” Feather reported. “The Hybrids were definitely intent on injuring it. Which means it may not be able to fly after that.”

“You guys realize we just dealt with three of our problems in one go, right?” Echo pointed out. “We sealed the mine, we dealt with the dragon, and the dragon destroyed that Hybrid camp.”

“Damn, you’re right,” Rhythm let out. He then perked up, beaming. “This is amazing!”

“I wouldn’t count completely on the dragon being gone for good,” Spinning advised. “I don’t think the Hybrids could deal with it just like that.”

“Maybe it will know not to mess with ponies anymore?” Blazing commented.

“We can only hope,” Rhythm said. He stepped up to Feather and patted his shoulder. “Good work, bud.”

“Eh, I just did what I had to.” Feather shrugged.

“Don’t sell yourself short,” Blazing told him.

“Yeah. Your quick thinking saved all of our asses. And the camp!” Rhythm added.

Feather held his chin a little higher and puffed out his chest. “Yeah, I guess I did.”

“C’mon.” Spinning jerked his head in the direction of the camp. “We gotta do something to celebrate.”

“Let’s have another bonfire!” Hyper suggested.

“Hyper, your obsession with fire is a little concerning,” Echo stated as they all began to trot into camp.

FeatherTune was glad he was able to be a hero for once. He really was needed for the team. After a moment of reflection, Feather charged after his friends, deeper into camp.

Chapter 48

CharmingRhythm stood in the gardening tent and watched over CherryBomb as she padded down soil for a new seed. She stood up to meet him.

“Looks like things are growing well,” He commented.

“Would you like to try one?” Cherry offered, pointing to a ripe strawberry

Cyan magic picked the strawberry off the vine. Rhythm took a bite and after a moment he stated, “Fantastic!”

Rhythm passed a few rows towards the exit. Iridescent was standing by Terra’s garden, shining magical light on the plants. The artificial sunlight caused her rainbow mane to stand out even more than usual. LilyMist, the young filly, was watching Iridescent intently. Rhythm approached the mare.

“Hey, have you seen EchoBeat?”

“I think the last time I saw him he was talking with SunSwirl. Probably some potion stuff,” Iridescent told him.

With a nod, Rhythm replied. “Sounds good, thanks.” He peered down at LilyMist and gave the filly a warm smile.

Exiting the tent, the air outside felt different. There was a slight breeze, and the air was warm. Rhythm looked where he would go next. It had been two days since the big incident between the mine and the dragon. Now, it seemed work in camp was going smoother than ever. Rhythm made his way to team Xero’s base.

Inside the main room of the base, SpinningNote was working on a rectangular generator. His eyes slid up to meet Rhythm.

“Hey, could I use the computer?” Rhythm pointed to the monitor with his horn.

“It’s all yours,” Spinning stated and continued to work.

Rhythm opened up a window on the monitor. He found his way through the Resistance’s systems and to the messaging board. It had been a while since he talked with Heartfelt. He began typing.

Hey, Heartfelt. I hope you are feeling better, or at least taking care of yourself. My shoulder and side don’t hurt anymore and I’ve been keeping busy in camp. I’m sure you’ve been keeping busy too. You’re probably receiving this message while at work. I know it’s hard, but you’ll get through it. I’ve missed you a lot, and can’t wait to see you again. ~ Love, Rhythm

With a single click, he sent the message. Rhythm turned around, startled to see Spinning so close to his face.

“Awe, how cute,” Spinning commented, his gaze flickering between Rhythm and the screen.

“Gah! Spinning!” Rhythm composed himself after being a bit flustered. “She’s my wife. I’m allowed to send ‘cute’ messages to her.” He began to walk past Spinning. “Besides, you have no right to read my messages.”

“Well, then you shouldn’t spend a good twenty seconds to proofread them,” Spinning teased. “Unless you’re too scared Heartfelt will harp on you for any incorrect grammar or typos.”

“Words are her thing,” was all Rhythm said in defence.

“Hey,” Spinning alerted as he went towards the door. “When you go out, could you take this generator out? It needs to go in one of the apartments by the flagpole. If you find Blizzard they should know where it goes.”

“Sure,” Rhythm accepted with a shrug. He began to roll out the generator.

Once Rhythm had passed the generator off to Blizzard, he noticed FeatherTune flying in from the north. He must have been back from his scouting duty. Rhythm met up with him as the Pegasus landed.

“Strawberry?” Rhythm’s magic pulled out a berry from his side pocket and presented it to FeatherTune.

“W-what? No.” Feather waved his hoof.

Rhythm shrugged and popped the strawberry in his mouth.

“I’ve got bad news. I think,” Feather said.

“You think?” Rhythm echoed.

“Yeah. I went to see what happened to the lake camp. It pretty much burned down, but there’s still Hybrids around there,” Feather explained.

“Hmm, so they survived the attack,” Rhythm guessed.

“Yeah. And there seems to be a pretty decent amount of them.”

“Maybe they’re trying to rebuild their camp,” Rhythm suggested. “That means they’ll be focused on that instead of venturing out.”

Feather sighed. “You can be as hopeful as you want, but just know we still have Hybrid neighbors.”

Rhythm nodded, acknowledging that. “If they cause us trouble, we’ll fight back.”

It was late afternoon when Rhythm was returning to the base. On his way there, BlazingFlair trotted up towards the path, coming from the direction of the energy mill. He waved his hoof in greeting.

“Hey!” Rhythm started.

“Sup! I got some news from Chimmy,” Blazing reported.

“Wait- who’s Chimmy,” Rhythm responded, befuddled.

“The chimera,” Blazing said simply.

“Wh- you named her?” Rhythm asked.

“I mean yeah. She can talk. She may as well have a name,” Blazing stated.

“You’re beyond me, Blazing,” Rhythm returned with a head shake and a smile.

“Anyway, yeah. She told me she saw the dragon, and she scared it off!”

“Wait, hold on. A few things.” Rhythm held up a hoof while he sorted through his thoughts. “You actually go to check up on her?”

“Yep! She’s our neighbor, it’s only polite to check on her.”

“And she scared off a dragon?” Rhythm said, baffled. “How the hell? That thing was like four times her size!”

“She said it was injured, it couldn’t fly. It must have been walking back to its cave when it saw her. She said she gave it a nasty bite,” Blazing explained.

“Yeah but like… what about the dragon’s fire?” Rhythm pointed out.

“Chimeras are apparently somewhat fire-resistant. She only got slightly burnt. Also the goat head can breathe fire too.”

Rhythm just gaped, wide-eyed. He wasn’t quite sure what to think of this news.

“Guess it means the dragon will probably stay away from this area. At least I’d like to think,” Blazing concluded.

“I hope you’re right,” Rhythm sighed.

Rhythm returned to the base after speaking with BlazingFlair. SpinningNote notified him that his message he sent was received, and he had one incoming. Rhythm returned to the computer to read the new message.

Rhythm, it’s great to hear you’re feeling better. It means a lot to see a message from you while I’m working. I’ve missed you a lot too.

I’m sorry about how we left things off. I wasn’t in the right mindset, and I didn’t mean to be difficult. I’ve had time to think, and have been talking with SweetHooves. I’ve decided it would be best if we all moved to the camp together. I mean it this time, I promise.

There will be things to work out, but I look forward to the future. Hope we can meet again soon.

With much love, Heartfelt

Rhythm’s heart fluttered with joy. He reread the message two times over just to savor the words Hearfelt had written. He bounced out of the chair and let his hooves dance around a bit.

“Yes!” Rhythm let out in glee.

“What?” Spinning looked over from the other side of the room.

“It’s Heartfelt! She says she wants to stay here!”

The door from the meeting room opened. EchoBeat glanced between the two Unicorns.

“What’s going on?” Echo asked.

“Heartfelt says she wants to live here!” Rhythm exclaimed.

“For real this time?” Echo wondered cautiously.

“She said so. And she said she talked with SweetHooves. I’m sure she could get Heartfelt to change her perspective,” Rhythm surmised. SweetHooves was a very persuasive mare.

“That’s amazing!” Spinning acknowledged.

“Yeah, congrats, dude,” Echo said, reaching out to Rhythm with a hoof.

Rhythm stepped forward and leaned into Echo’s hug. “Thanks, guys!”

Rhythm beamed with excitement. He was so grateful for his friends’ support. Despite all their hardships, it seemed things were looking up for them.

It was now evening, when all the work in the camp had slowed down. Rhythm was concentrating on a small needle hovering in his magic as he sewed together something brown. One of his shirts; the tear caused by Hybrid fighting. HyperBlitz had entered the room, his set on the Unicorn.

Rhythm’s eyes gazed up as he heard Hyper hoofsteps come near him. “Hey. What’s up?”

“Just checking on you. Haven’t seen you all day. How’ve you been?” Hyper asked.

“I’m doing great! Been keeping busy, which is why you probably haven’t seen me. But it’s nice of you to check in,” Rhythm remarked. He continued on his sewing project.

“Spinning told me about Heartfelt. That’s amazing news. I’m happy for you,” Hyper said as he made his way to Rhythm's side of the table.

“Thanks dude. It’s been a good day. For the most part.” Rhythm wanted to ignore the part about Hybrids still left in that burned camp.

Rhythm looked up again and noticed the notebook that was tucked under his left wing. “Whatcha got?” He set down his shirt on the table to the side.

“I’ve got an idea for a song,” Hyper announced as he placed the notebook on the table, a page face up. “But, I need some help with lyrics.”

Rhythm’s eyes lit up, his full attention on Hyper. A red hoof began to slide the notebook over, and Rhythm dragged it with his magic the rest of the way. He read the somewhat messy words and notes that Hyper had written on the page.

“No More Sorrow, huh? Whatcha thinking for this one?” Rhythm asked, intrigued.

“Heavy. Like, heavier than anything we’ve done before,” Hyper said with a devious grin.

“Yeah? Heh, I’m sure I could help,” Rhythm replied, still skimming the page.

“It would be so cool if we had a recording studio here,” Hyper thought aloud.

Rhythm’s head jerked up, ears perked and eyes wide. “Hyper you’re a genius!”

“W-what?” Hyper croaked.

“We could turn one of our rooms into a recording studio! Then we can record music whenever!”

“You really think so?” Hyper wondered with equal excitement.

“Yeah! I mean, we’re not going to be staying in those bedrooms forever. One or two can be for a music studio.” The ideas of how it would look were already swirling in Rhythm’s head.

The future looked bright for Rhythm and team Xero. He looked forward to running the camp with his friends, as well as living with his wife. They could even spend time doing things they loved, like making music. The camp was close to completion. All of this was soon to be a reality.

Chapter 49

Two days later, team Xero held a meeting. CharmingRhythm felt a sense of completeness seeing all of his friends’ faces in one room.

“Alright, we’re all reporting progress on the camp,” Rhythm began. “I know it’s not completely done; there’s still many apartments that need furniture.”

“So what?” SpinningNote said. “I think it’s time we get our camp reviewed!”

“Honestly I think it’s passed due for review,” EchoBeat agreed.

“You sure?” Rhythm hesitated.

“I mean, how many camps have you seen where they weren’t working on something or another,” BlazingFlair pointed out.

“I guess that’s a good point,” Rhythm considered.

“I think there’s enough good sleeping spaces that we can qualify for completion.” Spinning commented.

“There’s still things I’d like to work out,” Rhythm said. “Like I said, we still need more furniture. I’d also like to get more energy sources. I don’t want to completely rely on the mill. We’ve got some solar panels on the base, but I’d like to get more for the apartments.”

“What about some windmills?” HyperBlitz suggested from the opposite side of the table.

“That’s a good idea,” Rhythm stated. With the wind blowing in from the ocean, windmills would provide good use.

“Yeah, but how are we supposed to get windmills here?” FeatherTune asked, implying just how big they were.”

Rhythm tapped a hoof on his chin. “We’d have to get a train. Maybe I could-”

Rhythm’s words were cut off as he heard the door to the main room open. He gazed to the other end of the room, passed HyperBlitz. Hyper turned around to look at the tan Pegasus standing there.

“Jet?” Rhythm let out.

“Dude, we’re in the middle of the meeting,” Spinning deterred.

“I’m sorry, but we kinda got an emergency,” Jet alerted.

“What?” Rhythm got off his stool and began walking around the table. He stared at Jet, concerned.

“There’s like… a bunch of Hybrids coming our way. You better get out here. And bring your weapons!” Jet explained briefly, then swiveled around, out the door.

Team Xero exchanged worried glances for a moment. Rhythm was already towards the door as the other got up to follow. He waited impatiently for all the others to retrieve their EPDs from their rooms. As Hyper reappeared, Rhythm dashed outside, not willing to wait anymore.

“Rhythm, wait!” Hyper called.

Stopping in place, Rhythm glared back at Hyper, a bit irritated.

“I think you’re going to need this,” Hyper said. Rhythm’s armored vest was hanging by Hyper’s foreleg.

“Oh. Yeah,” Rhythm replied sheepishly, taking the armor in his magic.

In the first street nearest to the base, there was a gathering of ponies. They all gazed off to the north with apprehension. A few Pegasi stood on the roofs behind them. Rhythm joined them, and peered out between buildings to the horizon. He could barely see anything.

Ash next to him passed over a pair of binoculars. Rhythm took them in his magic, not even stopping to question where she had gotten them. With better vision, Rhythm could see a hoard of metal armored Hybrids marching their way towards them. When Jet had mentioned “a bunch of Hybrids”, he didn’t think he meant this many.

Rhythm threw the binoculars down and searched for something tall to stand one. He found a stack of cinder blocks and chose them. Standing above the crowd, he used his sound magic to amplify his voice. He wasn’t sure if all the ponies in camp were here, but there was no time to lose

“Everyone, we’ve got a brigade of Hybrids coming our way. They’ve seemed to have found where we are based, and are attacking us for destroying their camp. I ask all of you to help fight these Hybrids off. We’ll need as many ponies as we can get.”

Rhythm only hoped the gathering of ponies in camp was enough to fend off this army.

“We’re fighting for all of the work we’ve done, and for the home of many of us!”

The crowd began to scatter across camp, surely looking for weapons to use. Rhythm leapt down and met up with his team.

“You sure we can fight these guys?” HyperBlitz asked from the air. “Maybe we can get support from Los Pegasus.”

“I don’t want to risk one fighter to be absent for so long to get support. We need every pony here,” Rhythm assured.

“We don’t have to send anyone,” Spinning reminded. “I can send a message to Headquarters.”

“Then do that,” Rhythm ordered with a nod. Spinning ran back to the base.

“I told you there was something up with those Hybrids!” Feather snapped at Rhythm. “We should have been watching out for them earlier!”

“Well, it’s too late for that now. All we can do now is fight them off,” Rhythm retorted. He felt guilty for not taking Feather’s advice a bit more seriously, but he didn’t let that show.

Rhythm turned to see ponies gathering again in the center path in front of the base. AgileArrow and CherryBomb stood together with their EPDs. I’ve never seen Cherry fight, Rhythm thought. Next to them, ForestWind fluttered down, chest and shoulders armored. BlizzardBlast joined them. They donned a self-made EPD on their hoof.

To the right of them, ThunderCharm stood, her hoof held up.

“I know I’m not fully trained, and I said I wasn’t interested in fighting… but I want to help defend my home!” Thunder declared. Rhythm nodded and smiled at her with approval.

Iridescent stepped up, but had no weapon. “I know a few tricks,” she stated, her horn beginning to glow.

Blackout hovered next to his sister. He carried a shovel in his hooves, surely intent on using it as a weapon. He didn’t say anything, only a huff and a look of determination in his uncovered eye. Rhythm was glad to see the proud stallion had a change of heart. He was now willing to fight for the ponies around him, including the Resistance.

Both Berry and Terra approached Rhythm cautiously. The latter spoke up. “Um, what are we supposed to do? We don’t have any weapons…” The tone of Terra’s voice and the look in Berry’s eyes told Rhythm they weren’t willing to fight.

Rhythm’s eyes slid over to SunSwirl. “Do you have healing potions ready?”

“Plenty,” SunSwirl said.

“Are you willing to fight with us?” Rhythm requested.

“I’ll do whatever is necessary. I do have magic afterall.”

“Then give your potion supply to Berry and Terra and come fight the Hybrids with us.” Rhythm looked at the two Earth Ponies again. “You two stay here in camp, and tend to any wounded ponies that come back. Can you manage that?”

“I- I suppose,” Berry mumbled.

“We’ll do it,” Terra agreed more confidently.

Rhythm waited for any other pony to gather. Carpenter had joined them. Rhythm realized all who was missing was RoseTwist and LilyMist. That was probably for the best. Any child needed to be far away from a Hybrid attack.

Swirling around the face the north again, Rhythm called out. “Alright. Let’s go! We need to keep them away from camp as much as we can.”

He dashed between two apartments with his team by his side. Behind them, the group of ponies followed. The brigade of Hybrids were much more identifiable now. The ponies continued forward into the barren area just north of the camp. There’s at least double the amount of Hybrids as there are ponies, Rhythm feared. But we have to do something.

The Hybrids appeared to halt as the ponies met them in the middle of the field. A single Hybrid stepped out to the front of them. She was a mauve Unicorn with heavy padded shoulders. Her face was almost completely normal, except for a wire connected to her jawline that ran down her neck.

“You really thought you could get away with destroying our camp?” She announced out loud, obviously as a threat.

“It wasn’t us! It was the dragon!” FeatherTune called back before Rhythm could say anything.

“Do you really think a dragon would do that unprompted?” the mauve Hybrid countered. “We saw you ponies pass by before the dragon attacked us. Don’t play dumb.”

Well, shit, Rhythm thought. Their plan had not been foolproof.

For a moment, Rhythm recognized how sapient the Hybrids were. They were, afterall, ponies, at least at some point. They had stopped before diving into an attack. They even appeared to have a leader. She was talking with the ponies before doing anything. Hybrids, even as a hivemind, were intelligent. All of these facts made them seem like people. These thoughts attempted to challenge Rhythm’s morals. He knew the Hybrids were a threat. They’ve destroyed the ecosystem. They were using ponies for slave labor. They turned ponies into their own kind, wiping their minds of what made them unique. They killed any pony who got in their way of their plans.

Hybrids were irredeemable. They needed to be taken down despite how sapient they seemed. Rhythm knew he had to fight past the thought of them once being pony. He was part of the Resistance. It was his job to stop Hybrids.

“Just surrender, and we’ll make this easy,” The lead Hybrid addressed, snapping Rhythm out of his thoughts.

“No way,” Rhythm finally spoke up. “We’re not giving up without a fight!”

“So be it. Attack!”

Eyes darting from left to right, Rhythm analyzed the Hybrids advancing towards them. They needed to separate them so they could pick them off one by one. He remembered what his friend Serenity had told him. If we injure them enough they may retreat.

Rhythm stared at his teammates. “We need to ungroup them. Then we should use our combined efforts to tackle one at a time to put them down faster.”

“Separate and focus. Got it,” Hyper acknowledged with a clap of his hooves.

Hyper swooped down, above the Hybrids, and blasted energy at them randomly. Feather and ForestWind followed him. They all circled around the Hybrids, each taking their own shots. They were attempting to corral a smaller section of cyborgs away from the rest of the hoard.

A scrawny Hybrid stepped out and challenged Rhythm. Quickly, he angled his up and began firing at the Hybrid. A few shots of blue hit the foe in the eyes, blinding it temporarily. Rhythm saw a long beam of blue scorched the Hybrid’s side. It screamed and fell over. The blast had come from Aggie, who gave Rhythm a curt nod.

While looking behind his shoulder, Rhythm caught sight of a few Pegasi Hybrids fighting from the air. Blackout was challenging one of them. With a heavy swing, Blackout bashed his shovel into the cheek of a fly Hybrid. It lost balance and began tumbling downward. It straightened out its flight before it could even hit the ground. With broken teeth bared and an eye bleeding, the Hybrid flew after Blackout. But the dark Pegasus was ready with another wave of his shovel.

A sharp blade skimmed Rhythm’s left shoulder, and he was jolted back into the fight. He yelped at the Hybrid who attacked him and charged up an energy pulse in his. He swung his prosthetic around, slamming into the Hybrid’s muzzle. The blue energy exploded on impact.

“Glad I can’t feel anything in that one,” Rhythm mused out loud with a bit of triumph.

The Hybrid mumbled something in a low voice. He picked his head up, snarling at Rhythm with a broken, bleeding muzzle. “A bionic? You may as well already be one of us.”

“In your dreams!” Rhythm shouted at him and started pumping more energy at him.

Another source of blue energy was pelting the Hybrid, but Rhythm didn’t dare take his eyes off his enemy this time.

Away, to the east of Rhythm, the Pegasi had sectioned off a group of Hybrids. They, alongside Spinning and Blazing, were trying to pick some off. Blazing was battling one, throwing flame energy over the cyborg. It’s mane and tail burned, but when that had gone out, the flames didn’t damage the metal armor below.

“Why the fuck do I have fire energy if it doesn’t even do anything!” Blazing howled in annoyance.

“Blazing, behind you!” Feather had called to him from the sky.

After a small peek, Blazing readied for the approaching Hybrid. He raised his back legs and bucked the Hybrid in the chin. Spinning, behind them, was firing energy shots at it.

Hyper had risen high into the sky. He began to descend quickly. He aimed to divebomb the Hybrid that Blazing had burned. The close proximity of the battle had made Hyper fail to realize how close the scorched Hybrid was next to Blazing. Hyper collided with the foe, sending it flying, but it crashed into Blazing’s back. The collision caused Blazing to tumble over a few times. Once he sat still on his side, Blazing peered up, dazed.

“Oh fuck! I am so, so sorry Blazing!” Hyper cried.

“It’s okay,” Blazing let out, regaining his composure. His backs throbbed from the impact, but it didn’t stop him from getting back to his hooves.

“Cherry’s hurt!” AgileArrow yelled above the battle.

Blazing glanced to the left, where he saw Aggie standing over her girlfriend. Cherry had a long gash along her side. It didn’t look deep, but it bled profusely. The blood was barely recognizable on her dark red fur.

“Get her back to camp- wait,” Rhythm commanded. “Aggie, stay here, we need you. Have a Pegasus help her back to camp. They can get back into the fight faster.”

“I’ll help!” That was BlizzardBlast’s voice. They swooped down towards the Earth Pony mare and helped her stand up.

Several energy shots hit Blazing’s flank. He turned to see a heavy Hybrid firing at him. He blasted fire in its face to block it’s vision. Blue magic glowed around the Hybrid’s fat, metal hooves. For a split second, it was lifted up, then knocked over to its side with a mighty thump. For a moment, Blazing thought it was Rhythm’s magic, but he noticed SunSwirl to his side, her horn blaring with magic that soon faded.

Blazing felt something scuttling around his hooves. Beep. Beep. He stared down in horror as he saw a bugmine perch. As hard as he could, he kicked the mine into the Hybrid hoard. It exploded again a Hybrid’s face. The cyborg was distorted for a moment, but then continued forward. If there’s one bugmine…

Quickly, Blazing glanced around at all his friends. He spotted a mine crawling towards Rhythm’s blue hooves.

“Rhythm! Look down!”

The Unicorn did as he said. His eyes widened in alarm, and quickly, Rhythm telekinetically lifted the bugmine up. He propelled it back towards where it came from, where it exploded over the Hybrids’ heads.

“Why the fuck are there bugmines here?!” Rhythm exclaimed.

Before Blazing could respond, another Hybrid approached him. This one, a greyish-green Pegasus, was a claw-type. Its claw snatched onto Blazing’s left foreleg, his armor protecting his flesh from it’s penetrating grip. Tugging his back, Blazing struggled to break free. He tried to rear up to use his fire energy, but he lost his balance and landed back on three hooves.

The Pegasus fluttered its tattered wings. It began to raise up, dragging Blazing with it. Before he knew it, Blazing was dangling by the Hybrid’s grasp, his back hooves just barely touching the ground.

“Let me go!” Blazing yelped.

At the edge of his vision he could see purple and blue movement. SpinningNote quickly dived under the Pegasus Hybrid’s belly. With force, his periwinkle magic jabbed something into the Hybrid’s unprotected underside. It must have pierced deep, because the Hybrid lost its grip on Blazing, and fell to the ground with a thud. Spinning pulled his weapon out of the dead cyborg, blood trailing behind. It was a different Hybrid’s blade, severed from the body. Blazing just looked at Spinning with bewilderment.

“You’re welcome,” Spinning stated dryly, unprompted.

Blazing saw Spinning’s eyes widen. The orange Earth Pony twisted his head around. He could see Rhythm struggling with the Hybrid who had spoken to them before the fight. She had her claw wrapped around his neck, pulling his head backwards. Another Hybrid stood behind her, it’s horn glowing. From this distance, Blazing couldn’t see what the magic correlated to, but knew what it was. After a jolt, Rhythm stopped struggling. He stumbled at his hooves. The Hybrids began escorting him towards their side of the fight.

“Fuck! Rhythm’s chipping!” Spinning shouted before Blazing could even say anything.

“What?” The voice of HyperBlitz screeched somewhere behind the two stallions.

“Hyper! Get those Hybrids off him, and I’ll try to get his chip out!” Spinning commanded.

Blazing felt a rush of wind as Hyper swooped over him. He began prying the lead Hybrid away from his friend. Spinning used his magic to guide Rhythm back.

“Try to create space!” Spinning alerted to Blazing, and to anyone else who would listen.

“Got it!” Blazing said.

As the two Unicorns stood behind him, he started throwing down fire in a semicircle around them. FeatherTune was using his electricity to stun Hybrids, to temporarily stop their advancement. To Blazing’s right, ThunderCharm was firing shots at any approaching Hybrids. He felt a surge of pride for the young recruit.

There was a yell to the left. Blazing saw EchoBeat and Carpenter being surrounded by a group of enemies. Their only exit out was blocked by a row of cacti.

“You go help them,” Feather told Blazing. “I’ll keep stunning these guys.”

“Right.”

Dashing between fights, Blazing went to aid the other Earth Ponies. Just as he arrived, he saw a heavy Hybrid pushing Echo back. He was raised up to his back hooves, then shoved into the wall of cacti. Blazing winced as he crashed into the prickly plants. Putting his head down low, Blazing charged into the Hybrid, knocking it over. Carpenter then began shooting at it.

Blazing raced to Echo’s side. He was a bit shaky as he stood up. There were cactus spines cluttered across his back.

“Are you okay?” Blazing asked with concern.

“Yeah, just… pricked,” Echo grimaced. As Blazing attempted to pull out a few spines with his teeth, Echo protested. “Don’t try to pull them all out now! We don’t have time.”

He’s right. Diverting his attention back to the fight, Blazing began throwing fireballs back at the oncoming enemies, all while Echo shot energy of his own.

“I wish we could push these guys back, but they’re too heavy,” Echo muttered, frustrated.

“I’ve got an idea!” Blazing blurted out. “But… I need to wait until Rhythm’s back.” He glanced back where Spinning had taken him. Rhythm seemed to be shaking his head, recovering.

“I’ll be right back!” Blazing announced, and began running towards the direction of camp.

“Where the hell are you going?!” Echo called back but kept his position.

“Are you good?” SpinningNote was asking Rhythm as he was regaining consciousness.

“I...I think.” Rhythm blinked a few more times, his vision still a little hazy. His neck stung where the chip had been implanted. As his hearing became more alert, he became more aware of how overwhelming the commotion of the battle was. He pushed his ears back, attempting to block out any noises.

“Is he back?” Feather questioned anxiously, hovering just ahead.

“Yeah,” Rhythm called back.

Raising his leg to fire again, Rhythm realized how close the hoard of Hybrids had pushed up to his fighters.

“Everyone, fall back!” He commanded with an amplified voice.

They began moving backwards to create more space between the two sides. The Hybrids were still crawling closer. All the ponies were fighting back with energy, fire, and weapons.

“If we fall any further back, we’ll end up reaching camp!” Spinning chided.

“If we don’t fall back, we’ll get run over!” Rhythm argued.

We still have space, Rhythm thought as he glanced back towards the first row of buildings in the camp. But Spinning was right. While they had some space to spare, if they kept going, they’d end up in camp. I can’t risk the Hybrids destroying the camp. Perhaps they’d do that as revenge for their own camp?

One of the hybrids which Feather had stunned fell to the ground. Several ponies fired blue energy at it, focusing it. It didn’t get up.

“Keep it up!” Rhythm announced. “Don’t spread out our attacks. Focus them down one by one!”

Feather struck another Hybrid, this one with heavy armor, but it didn’t falter. From guns held on its shoulders, it began firing at the closest pony, which happened to be Iridescent. She shot a laser of light back at it, but that too didn’t slow it.

“Ooookay… Maybe pick off the weakest ones first?” Rhythm suggested out loud.

There’s too many of them, and we’re getting injured, he feared internally.

Iridescent had several shot wounds burned into her fur. EchoBeat struggled through the sting of cactus spines. Hyper had a gash on his side belly. ForestWind’s left foreleg was bleeding in a large, circular area. Rhythm remembered the wound CherryBomb obtained. They were already down one fighter, how much longer until the rest fell?

Behind him, Rhythm heard rumbling, and the sound of wheels on gravel. In the corner of his eye, he saw a large white shape racing through the crowd. Blazing was driving their cab right towards the Hybrids. He crashed into the heavy Hybrid they had been struggling with just earlier. Its armored body flung into the hoard, and collapsed a couple other Hybrids with it.

Above, HyperBlitz cheered ecstatically. “Ha, yes! Fuck yeah, Blazing!”

Rhythm tried to stifle a laugh of his own, just from seeing Hyper’s reaction. He called out to Blazing. “If you get Hybrid blood on it, you’re cleaning it!”

Blazing drove in reverse, until he passed the line of fighting ponies. He stopped near his team. When Rhythm met up with him, he was scavenging for something in the back seat. He turned around and threw something in Rhythm's way. Rhythm caught it in his magic. A single stick of dynamite.

“There were a couple left,” Blazing remarked.

“And what are we supposed to do with them?” Rhythm stared at him, baffled.

“Maybe use them on the Hybrids?” Blazing suggested with a grin and a shrug.

“But, you know how dangerous that could be, right? Like, the explosion can be pretty big.”

“That’s why you gotta throw it really hard,” Blazing said. He held his hoof bottom-up. A single flame flickered from his EPD.

“You’re insane,” Rhythm chuckled with a shake of the head.

“Spinning!” Rhythm then called out. “We need a shield, as big as you can get. I don’t care if Hybrids get in it, just shield all of us ponies.”

Spinning poked his head up from behind a couple ponies. “Uh, which way? Both ways?”

“Let things out. Stop things from coming in,” Rhythm clarified.

“Got it,” Spinning agreed. He lifted his horn up and a wall of magic began to grow around them to form a shield.

Rhythm held the dynamite in his magic up to Blazing. Using his EPD, Blazing lit the stick’s fuse. Rhythm’s horn glowed even brighter as he exerted as much force as he could, and hurtled the dynamite out of the shield, and into the hoard of Hybrids.

As the dynamite exploded, there were screams of terror from the Hybrids. SpinningNote released the shield. HyperBlitz flew downward until he fluttered next to Rhythm and Blazing.

“Holy shit! Was that a fucking explosion?”

“It was Blazing’s idea,” Rhythm said, pointing to the orange stallion.

Still fluttering, Hyper grabbed Blazing shoulders by his hooves and began to shake him. “Blazing you’re fucking amazing!” Blazing only giggled in response as he was shook.

Rhythm’s own smile was wiped off his face as he saw some of the Hybrids rising to their hooves. “That took out a few of them, but it looks like they’re still kickin’.”

“Metal bastards,” Hyper growled under his breath, yet still loud enough to be heard.

“Keep falling back!” Rhythm announced.

With panic, Rhythm glanced behind his shoulder. They were less than a hundred meters from the camp. Something in the sky above the rooftops caught his attention. He turned more to get a better look. Small figures were flying their way. Pegasi! As they drew closer, Rhythm could make out their features better. He didn’t recognize any of them, all except one.

“We got back up!” Rhythm told his fighters.

The Pegasi armored in Resistance white flew overhead and circled around. A dark grey mare met eyes with Rhythm.

“Serenity!” He expressed with relief, yet too surprised to say any more. Out of all the ponies to come aid them, it was his friend!

“You guys helped us, so we’re going to help you!” Serenity explained quickly.

“Alright team, we got this!” She then told the sentries.

A couple of the Pegasi were carrying energy cannons. They fired thick lasers of energy at the Hybrids. That took out the cyborgs quite easily. Their numbers were dwindling. It was obvious they were now outnumbered, the remaining members now panicking.

A large, heavy Hybrid stepped out into the open. It held up a saw-like limb and reached for the nearest pony. BlizzardBlast was distracted fighting a skinny Hybrid. Some pony call out Blizzard’s name just in time. They twirled around in shock as they saw the large saw swipe past their face. It ripped into their prosthetic wing, tearing the fabric between the appendages.

An energy cannon blast hit the saw Hybrid and knocked it over. After a moment, it began to stir again, flailing its hooves. It attempted to get up, but failed to find its footing. Another blast, and the Hybrid was still for good.

Suddenly, a large yellow magic shield covered the remaining Hybrids. The Resistance ponies kept shooting energy at it, but it didn’t give. The shield originated from the horn of a Unicorn Hybrid. He wore a long red robe which hid his metal armor.

“We aren’t leaving unless we take some of you with us!” He called out.

“Then take me,” a mare’s voice replied back from behind the ponies.

All of the ponies stood still and turned to see where it came from. A red mare passed between Iridescent and ThunderCharm to display herself to the Hybrids. RoseTwist.

“What?” Rhythm squawked. “You can’t!”

“This way I can finally be with my husband,” RoseTwist defended.

“What about LilyMist?” Rhythm argued, shocked.

“It’s obvious you all can take care of her better than I can,” she sneered.

“That’s not true! You’re her mother!”

RoseTwist continued forward, and a few Hybrids raced to grab her.

“Someone stop her!” Rhythm pleaded.

Serenity dived out of the sky to RoseTwist’s side. She grabbed the mare with one hoof, and began firing at the Hybrids with another.

“Let me go!” the Earth Pony tried to thrash her head out of Serenity’s grasp.

“I’m sorry, ma’am, I can’t let you,” Serenity said. “It’s my job.”

“Fight us all you want,” the Unicorn Hybrid stated, “but how could you deny someone who is willing to come with us?”

“She doesn’t know what she’s saying!” Rhythm shouted. She was obviously too blinded by grief to think clearly.

Suddenly, a Pegasus Hybrid rammed itself into Serenity, knocking her off RoseTwist. She fell to the ground and stared up horrified as the Pegasus began escorting the red mare away. It took much too long for Serenity to get her footing.

RoseTwist was guided into the large magic shield. Almost at once, the Hybrids began moving away in unison, the shield still covering them. They were getting away!

“We need to break the shield. Feather?” Rhythm called out desperately.

“It’s not doing anything!” FeatherTune responded, referring to his electric energy.

“Let me try!”

Just directly above Rhythm was a gold Pegasus holding an energy cannon. The end of the barrel began to glow ever greater. A large column of blue energy surged out, striking the shield. The blast caused the shield to shatter. HyperBlitz flew as fast as he could towards the Hybrid group, but the shield was replaced in a matter of seconds. HyperBlitz bonked on the shield and withered to the ground. He groaned in pain and frustration.

“We need to get to the Unicorn creating the shield,” Serenity told Rhythm.

“Right. Have your sentry break the shield again. Feather!” Rhythm requested again. “You stun the shielder inside!”

“Got it!”

Once again, the gold Pegasus charged his cannon. The shield broke against the blast of energy. Feather shot his energy, aiming at the Unicorn. The electric beam dispersed into different arcs before it could even reach its target. The shield was put up again.

“Uh, electric energy is not the most accurate at this range!” Feather scolded.

“C’mon, we have to go after them,” Serenity told her team.

They all followed her as she flew to the moving shield. Rhythm, and a few others, galloped after them. They were moving north west. Not directly north to their camp? The Hybrids trekked over the stream, not minding their metals getting wet. Rhythm and his earthbound ponies would have to do the same.

“Where are they going?” Rhythm shouted, taking a moment to catch his breath.

As they continued to follow, his question was answered. To the west were the train tracks. A large, dark, armored engine stood on them. Oh, Celestia, no! Rhythm couldn’t believe they had brought a train!

The shield was already over the train as the Hybrids began boarding on, taking RoseTwist with them. A few other Hybrids stayed behind, now facing the ponies chasing them. They began firing their guns back. One Hybrid flew to Rhythm’s group and slashed a claw at them. Rhythm aimed his at the claw Hybrid, trying to ignore the sting of Hybrid energy on his fur.

With a booming hiss, the engine began to crawl forward. It gained speed as the wheels clanged, clanked on the tracks. The Hybrids in front of the fighting ponies all took to the sky and turned around. The Pegasi flew towards their train.

“We have to get them!” Serenity called out and her Pegasi did as she ordered.

Rhythm just stood in his place, too shocked to say anything or move. Serenity’s group were flying over the engine, beginning to fade from sight. After a moment, the squad of sentries returned to the ponies waiting. They all wore morose expressions.

“I- I’m so sorry. We couldn’t catch up to the train,” Serenity reported, forlorn. “There was no way we could access it safely.

Rhythm just fell to his haunches, defeated. “No,” he said, barely a whisper.

Chapter 50

After the battle.

Team Xero, the camp workers, and the sentries all returned to the camp. The buildings were unharmed, but all of the ponies had some sort of injury. Above all, they had lost a pony to the Hybrids.

CharmingRhythm stood in the middle of the street, just watching the ponies move around. SunSwirl had gone to retrieve her medical supplies. FeatherTune brought out those they had stored in the base. Iridescent was helping EchoBeat take out the cacti spines in his back. Rhythm was too stunned to say anything to anyone.

“Rhythm,” Serenity’s voice called from behind him, startling him back to reality. He turned to face her as she trotted up. “Do you want us to take LilyMist to Los Pegasus with us? We could take her to an orphanage there.”

Rhythm thought for a moment. “I don’t know. I feel so bad- I want to help somehow. They should have been safe here.” Rhythm’s words were scattered just like his thoughts.

“Do you really think the ponies here will know how to care for her?” Serenity challenged. “She needs proper care, and taking her to Los Pegasus is our best bet.”

Rhythm nodded. “I suppose so.”

“Alright,” Serenity said. One of her sentries stepped up next to her.

Rhythm looked to them. “Thank you Ren - and your team- so much for your help. Without you, I’m not sure we could have protected our camp, and- we could have lost more ponies.” But we still lost one, he condemned himself. One too many.

“Of course. And I promise to visit, off duty, if I have the chance,” Serenity told her friend. She peered over at the sentry next to her. “I think we better be going.”

Rhythm gave a curt nod, and the Pegasi fluttered off, meeting the others near the center of camp.

For a moment, Rhythm was unsure what to do, feeling defeated. At the corner of his eye, he saw SpinningNote standing there, waiting to grab his attention. Next to him was FeatherTune.

“So, are we going to continue our meeting?” Feather asked when Rhythm pivoted to them.

Rhythm sighed. “Let’s leave that till tomorrow.”

The next morning.

Team Xero gathered in the meeting room. They played a repeat of the day before, however today, spirits were more somber. We gotta stay focused on our job, Rhythm had told himself.

They discussed much of what they did the day before. They had all come to an agreement that their camp was ready to be reviewed. Still, Rhythm was a bit hesitant to go forward with it.

“You gotta stop being such a perfectionist, dude,” Blazing said.

“Yeah, what’s the worst thing they could say? It’s not ready and they’ll come back later?” Feather pointed out.

“I know, I know,” Rhythm let out. “It’s just… we’ve been working on this so hard for so long. It’s almost the end of the year now. And… What are we doing after the camp is done? Are we all really staying here?”

The rest of the stallions were quiet for a moment, all exchanging glances. Spinning was the first to speak up. “I mean, I don’t see why not.”

“Yeah, I thought we all agreed we’d stay,” Hyper said. “I think it’d be cool if we all lived so close together.”

“And we could always pick up missions from headquarters and go out if we want to,” Echo added.

“Although I’m sure you’d prefer staying here and gardening,” Feather teased Echo.

Echo shrugged. “You’re not wrong. But,” he then looked to Rhythm, “I’m always ready to come to help. We’re a team.”

Rhythm nodded, feeling a bit more confident now. Still, many thoughts swirled in his mind, threatening to weigh him down.”

“You alright, Rhyth?” Hyper asked, noticing his odd, silent behavior.

“No,” Rhythm admitted. “We lost a pony yesterday. How can we call this a camp if we can’t keep ponies safe?”

“We didn’t have full defenses,” Spinning recalled. “It’s… unfortunate that happened. We can’t change the past though. But we can prepare for the future, and learn how to fend off Hybrids if they try to attack again.”

Rhythm’s mind continued to wander into the past. “I’ve never seen a pony do that before. I’ve seen plenty of ponies taken off against their will, but… to go with the Hybrids willingly?”

HyperBlitz sighed. “You don’t see that much in the Resistance. We’re taught to be completely against the Hybrids. But, there are ponies out there who aren’t. Or, they find themselves in such a hopeless situation that they don’t see any other choice.”

“And I truly think some ponies believe it’s a better choice. Some like the idea of having metal bodies and weapons,” Echo told, grimacing.

For a moment, Rhythm took that in. For the longest time, since he was a colt, he’d been living in the bubble of the Resistance. Their way of life was fighting Hybrids, keeping each other safe. Recently, he’d seen not all the world was that way. There were so many ponies out there that needed their help.

First step, set up a camp. Another safe spot for ponies to retreat to.

Sitting up straight, Rhythm addressed his team. “Alright. Let's focus on the future. Spinning, send a message to headquarters. We’re getting our camp reviewed.”

Two days later.

A Pegasus from headquarters had met with the team in the early afternoon. The mauve mare introduced herself as TurningDial. She was in charge of camp inspection. CharmingRhythm was more than willing to show her around camp, but she insisted that she review it on her own.

From the side of a street, Rhythm watched from a distance as Dial fluttered around the edges of an apartment. She used a hoof to tap on an electronic tablet held in front of her. She landed and went to enter the apartment. CherryBomb exited before she could try. They exchanged a few words, then Cherry let Dial inside.

“So, uh, inspector, huh?” Cherry said as she trotted up to Rhythm

“Yep,” Rhythm replied, then quickly changed the subject. “You feeling any better?”

“Yeah, I am. It’s still a little sore, but the swelling’s gone down,” Cherry explained as she glanced at her side, which was covered by the bandages around her torso.

“That’s great!” Rhythm said.

He noticed TurningDial exit Cherry’s apartment. She was traveling to the apartment nearest to the two conversing ponies. Rhythm spoke up. “Dial, you may want to knock on the doors just in case. Especially in the buildings on this side of the camp. There aren’t any residents on the other side.”

“Understood.” Dial dipped her head, and proceeded to knock on the door of the next apartment.

It took the rest of the afternoon for the inspector to go all around camp. Rhythm was pacing around the path in front of the base, his team watching him. HyperBlitz stepped in his way and placed a hoof on him to stop pacing. Hyper pointed with his muzzle behind Rhythm's shoulder. Rhythm glanced behind and saw TurningDial fluttering towards them.

The Pegasus stopped just before them, slightly above the ground. She analyzed the tablet in her hooves. She took a look at Rhythm, then her eyes settled back on her tablet.

She began listing everything she surveyed. “At least eighty percent of the apartments have clean beds. Most debris has been removed. You have a sustainable water source- although I still need to take a water sample to test its quality.”

“Oh, I already did that,” Spinning interrupted. Everyone stared at him, Rhythm glaring. Dial only raised a brow. “What? I’m not lying. I have the results, I can give them to you.”

“Very well,” the inspector continued. “I see you already have a decent food supply source, and are working on adding more. You have plenty of energy sources and generators. However, there are a few apartments that need to be rewired to the new system. I’m sure that won’t be any problem for you. And as from what I’ve heard, you’ve done well on defense, ridding the area of Hybrid problems.”

Rhythm’s heart sank when she said that. But not good enough, he ridiculed silently as he remembered RoseTwist. He was glad that the inspector thought well of their defense, but he would never forgive himself for losing a pony.

“So, does that mean everything’s good?” Rhythm spoke up.

“Your camp is around eighty percent done. And since I’m sure it’s no issue to finish that, I’d say that’s enough to call it official. Let me see those water test results, and I’ll tell you for certain.” Dial fluttered to the ground, then met with SpinningNote. He directed her towards the base.

The heaviness in Rhythm’s chest lightened a little. In a few moments, all their hard work would be verified. He impatiently waited for the inspector to come back outside. The four other stallions exchanged excited glances with him

When Dial returned, she met Rhythm with a polite smile. “Congratulations, Your camp will be added to the Resistance’s radar as soon as possible.”

“Awesome!” Rhythm beamed, and had to stop himself from hopping like a cheerful colt. “I mean- thank you so much!”

“You’ll need to meet with the president tomorrow morning to discuss your assignment’s completion.”

“Tomorrow?” Rhythm was surprised how soon it was. “Alright. We’ll be there.”

It took a few moments for TurningDial to leave, but once she did, team Xero had their own little celebration together. Happy dances and excited hugs. Hyper pulled Rhythm close to him with a wing, then added his foreleg to the hug.

“We did it! This is awesome!” Hyper grinned.

“Yeah- holy shit,” Rhythm let out. “We actually made a camp for the Resistance.”

“And a new home,” Blazing added.

Rhythm nodded, trying to think through his elation. “We still have a few things to work out.”

That evening.

All of the ponies in camp were called for a meeting. CharmingRhythm stood on a stack of wooden beams, just high enough to see everyone in the clearing. His teammates stood just behind him.

“Alright everyone! I want to thank all of you for your hard work these past months. I’m sure some of you have already heard; our camp is official!” He paused, a few ponies cheered. “We’ll be working out rewards after tomorrow. Also… we need to know how many of you are staying or leaving. It’s completely up to you. We won’t force you to stay.”

“I think I’d like to go home,” said the quiet voice of Terra, who was scuffing the ground with a hoof.

“That’s completely alright,” Rhythm assured.

“I need to check with Rain first,” ForestWind spoke up. “Then I’ll let y’all know.” Rhythm gave him a nod.

Ash and Jet stepped up to the front of the crowd. “Jet and I are going to be working some missions from out of Los Pegasus,” Ash said, “but we’ll make sure to come check in with you guys often.”

“Sounds good,” Rhythm replied “Thank you for staying as long as you have.”

“It grew on her,” Jet teased, poking Ash with a wing. She just rolled her eyes.

“Anyone else?” Rhythm asked. “Berry?” He looked at the shy stallion.

“Well… I was going to go home when I was done,” Berry spoke, “but I made some friends. So I think I’ll stay.”

“Glad to hear it!” Rhythm smiled.

As the ponies began to disperse, Rhythm stepped down to meet up with some members of the crowd. He faced the siblings, Iridescent and Blackout.

“Well, we don’t have anywhere else to go,” Iridescent thought aloud.

“We’ll stay, but don’t expect me to do any of your Resistance work,” Blackout grumbled.

“Not expecting you to,” Rhythm responded. “But, you don’t have to keep up that tough guy persona.” He smirked.

Blackout only glared stubbornly. Iridescent gave him a smile, a conceding look in her wide eyes. He only looked away and snorted.

Rhythm passed them and found AgileArrow and CherryBomb. “So, what’s the verdict with you two?”

“Well, I was assigned as defense right?” Aggie said. “May as well stay here and stick to that. Besides, Cherry really likes it here.” Aggie fondly turned her gaze to Cherry. The red mare leaned her head against Aggie’s.

Rhythm rounded back around to his teammates. They didn’t speak, but Rhythm acknowledged them with a grateful glance.

The next morning.

Several sets of hooves filled the hall with the sound of hoofsteps. CharmingRhythm led team Xero through the main Resistance building.

“You really think they’ll let us all in?” FeatherTune was asking as they rode the elevator up.

“If they don’t I’ll just refuse to go in,” Rhythm replied, smirking.

The group got off on the president’s floor. Rhythm made his way, which was very familiar to him by now, towards the meeting hall. He stopped in front to address the security guard that stood to the side.

“CharmingRhythm,” he announced. “I have a reservation today.”

The earth pony guard lowered his head, peering above glasses. “And the rest?”

“This is my team. They’re with me.”

The guard pondered that for a moment, and then slid into the double doors behind him. Rhythm glanced at his teammates and gave an excited nod. The pony returned, holding the door open.

“Go ahead,” he invited.

“Thank you,” Rhythm said graciously.

The six ponies filed into a row through the door. Rhythm was surprised to see several council members sitting at the meeting table. He recognized the pink Pegasus that he was sure was the mare who referred Jet and Ash to him. President Clarity was standing up, looking directly at them.

“I see you brought your team.”

“Is that alright?” Rhythm asked.

“I suppose so. Please, sit, there’s plenty of chairs for all of you,” Clarity addressed.

As they sat down, Clarity spoke to them, still standing, with a hoof on the table.

“I want to congratulate you on your camp’s success. In record time as well. I knew I chose well when selecting a team to complete this mission,” she stated. “Rewards will be distributed shortly. We will also connect you with the Resistance’s train system so you can have access to it.”

“Wait, we’ll be able to have access to the trains?” Rhythm wondeed.

“Yes. You can export supplies, and even ponies to and from your camp,” the president explained.

“That would be useful,” Rhythm mumbled, and silently wished they could have had that resource much earlier.

“We will also be giving you a communication line with other camps in the southwest sector. You will be informed of Hybrid activity seen by other camps. You may also be transferred refugees,” Clarity told them.

“Sounds good,” Rhythm responded dutifully.

“And because of that, we will need a name for your camp. No need to rush it, you can always report back to us later.”

Rhythm nodded. “Right.” He caught a glimpse at SpinningNote, looking as if he was already brainstorming name ideas.

“Overall, I’d like to personally thank you for taking this assignment and following it through. I know it wasn’t easy, but the Resistance greatly appreciates your effort,” Clarity spoke, eyes only on Rhythm.

“Well, actually, I’d like to thank my team. They deserve the credit too. They helped me all the way through, and I couldn’t be more grateful.” Rhythm’s eyes traveled between his companions. SpinningNote, BlazingFlair, FeatherTune, EchoBeat, and then finally to HyperBlitz, who was sitting right next to him. “They’re going to help me run this camp. That’s why I brought them here.”

“Of course.” Clarity nodded, the ribbons in her hair waving. “Thank you, team Xero. Your work is greatly appreciated. And I look forward to your camp’s progress. Is there anything else you’d like to discuss?”

“Actually,” Rhythm began, “I’d like to bring something up- um. It’s a bit off topic, but I’ve noticed the defenses in the city are running a bit thin. I think you- we may need to work on them more, to keep more ponies safe.” Rhythm cursed himself for sounding so unprofessional.

“I agree,” Clarity said. “We’ve had to focus on several security issues, but will be addressing defense soon enough. I’m glad you seem concerned. While it may not seem related, your camp will help with this city’s safety.”

Rhythm never thought of it that way. He replied, “Huh, well, I hope things go well. And if you ever need some extra recruits to help with Hybrid breaches, you know who to call.”

“Will we actually do that,” Hyper whispered in his ear.

“Yes!” Rhythm quipped.

“Very well. Now, I think that’s all. You’re all dismissed.” The president gave a courteous smile.

Later that week.

Ponies were all begging to settle down in camp as well as continue work. Rhythm was happy to see so many ponies stay. This would turn into a nice little community to live in. He knew that would be perfect for Heartfelt, who he was meeting up with after he had invited her.

Out near the south edge of camp, Rhythm met up with the cab that was pulling up. BlazingFlair had driven with him his wife, GoldenRay, as well as SweetHooves, JumpingJolt in her hooves, and Heartfelt. The latter met Rhythm with a gentle nose touch.

“It’s so good to see you again,” Rhythm breathed.

“I missed you,” Heartfelt said, then gave Rhythm a quick kiss.

Rhythm could tell she was feeling better. Her posture had more energy, and there was a sparkle in her eyes.

“You’re going to love it here,” Rhythm claimed. “Well, there’s a lot to get used to, and we have things to arrange but…” He trailed off, looking for the right words. His eyes set on Hyper who was greeting SweetHooves. “I couldn’t be more happy to live with my closest friends.”

“I’m so sorry for being so difficult before,” Heartfelt acknowledged.

“You don’t have to be sorry,” Rhythm said softly. “I know you weren’t feeling well, but I’m so glad to see you happy again.”

Heartfelt leaned the side of her head against Rhythm’s chest. “I don’t know how you put up with me,” she sighed.

“Because I love you.” He placed his hoof around her back. He tilted his head and kissed the top of hers.

Letting go, Rhythm backed up. “C’mon, I want to show you the apartment I picked out.”

Heartfelt levitated a luggage bag over to her side. “We still have a lot of stuff to move, but this will get me through a few nights.”

“Don’t worry,” Rhythm was saying as they began walking, “We can always go back and get our other stuff. We got a train now.” He grinned.

“Oh yeah?” Heartfelt raised her brows.

Rhythm continued to lead, attempting not to burst from happiness at the thought of starting their new life.

Later that night.

CharmingRhythm sat the meeting room of team Xero’s base. A radio played softly in the background as he wrote down notes. While he wouldn’t be living in the building, he still enjoyed the space, especially as a meeting place for his team. He was already thinking about renovating the spare bedrooms for passing by refugees. Like a little hotel.

The door across the room opened. HyperBlitz stepped inside, looking as if he knew just where to find Rhythm.

“Hey, what's up?” Rhythm greeted.

“Just checking in with you. How are you?”

“I’m doing fantastic,” Rhythm smiled at his friend.

“Thinking about turning one of these rooms into a recording studio?” Hyper inquired.

“Oh, for sure! Maybe even two of them. One for recording, one for mixing.” Rhythm’s mind turned with new possibilities. “We do have that storage room as well. I want a few of these rooms to stay as bedrooms.”

“Of course,” Hyper agreed. He sat down next to Rhythm. A smirk broke across his face.

“What?” Rhythm prodded.

“Oh, just thinking about JumpingJolt. He’s having such a great time exploring the camp. We already lost him a couple times. Too bad this camp isn’t foal-proof,” Hyper laughed.

“We may have to figure that out,” Rhythm said. “Think there’s gonna be at least a few foals here.”

There was silence for a few moments. Brown eyes on Hyper, Rhythm studied him for a moment, his gaze ultimately settling on his prosthetic wing.

“You alright?” Hyper asked.

“It’s just… I really appreciate you, and the rest of the guys, for doing this mission with me. It really means a lot, even though a lot of bad things happened. You… lost your wing.”

“That wasn’t something you could control,” Hyper justified, his even tone surprising Rhythm. “You can’t keep blaming yourself for it.

“Yes but… if we never did this mission, you would have never lost it,” Rhythm lamented.

“I’m not going to pretend it doesn’t upset me, because it does. It fucking sucks, but,” Hyper sighed, “We got to build a new home for ourselves. Doesn’t that count for something?”

“Of course, it- it means everything to me,” Rhythm admitted. “I’m looking forward to living with my best friends.”

Hyper stood up. “Then, let's keep looking forward.” He gave Rhythm a bright smile, that same smile that suggested just the right amount of Hyperness. Warm, cheerful, and just a hint of mischief. “C’mere.” He extended his hoof around Rhythm’s shoulders and pulled him in for a hug. “Love you, brother.”

“Heh, and love you back,” Rhythm grinned, his face full of chest feathers.

He looked up as Hyper pulled away. “Alright. We’ll run this camp as a team,” Hyper announced. “We’re going to help the Resistance, and make kickass music together.”

“Sounds fucking awesome,” Rhythm agreed.

Their journey had come so far. Rhythm had seen Hyper at his worst, but he still bounced back. His friends all had challenges thrown at them, some life threatening, but they still prevailed. The task of running a camp seemed minuscule compared to that.

Equestria may still be far from the paradise it once was, but there was still hope within the Resistance. CharmingRhythm was proud to be part of it, and even more proud to be team Xero’s leader. They were ready for anything that crossed their path. Their camp added to a better tomorrow in the Resistance, and Equestria.

Intro & Maps

Introduction to the story's world. Not necessary to read the story, but it could provide explanations about how this Alternate Universe works.

Equestria's resources began to deplete over 300 years ago. Ponies still try to use what's left, and most of those ponies are Hybrids. The world was beginning to degrade, wildlife being destroyed. Most of the country became wasteland. Pegasi began to control weather less, the sky becoming forever cloudy. Thus, with the factories in place, their smog began to collect in the clouds.

Hybrids, cyborgs, were made so ponies were more durable against the harsh world. They could use less of their own effort, for the machine parts of them could put in more.

But the idea backfired. The machine parts of the ponies took over, corrupting their minds. Their brains became instinctive, to create more Hybrids so all ponies could survive against the world. And they believed that the only viable energy source was natural resources, coal, oil, etc. They became lifeless, soulless.

But many ponies refused the idea of Hybrids. They fought against them, even killed them. Less Hybrids to create more hybrids. But it wasn't enough. It just seemed like the amount of Hybrids was continuing to grow. Citadels were built in larger cities where factories were. That is where they took their hostage ponies as slaves, and put them on the path to Hybridization.

Several decades after the Hybrids came in place, a new energy source was discovered. It was found in the form of piezoelectric crystals, deep in the earth. It was strange that these were never found before this. It was as if the magic of Equestria made them itself, a gift for the population.

The Hybrids soon took notice of this energy too. They began to suck it out of the ground, using nodes. They used that energy for their factories, to fuel their mechanical parts, and to make more hybrids.

The ponies knew they needed a leg up on the hybrids. So they united, and made the Resistance. They noticed how strong the Crystal energy was; an abundance of it could harm ponies. If it could harm ponies, it could harm Hybrids. So the Resistance designed energy weapons that, always making improved models

There was still the problem of ponies losing limbs, from fighting Hybrids, from machinery or just illness. For many years the Resistance worked on mechanical limbs that wouldn't corrupt powered by energy crystals. Finally they found the right wiring, and somehow, it was only possible with energy crystals

They decided that they could implement energy weapons into the mechanical limbs. Then came the idea of making the weapons wearable, since the crystals could react to the brain's nerves. That's where Energy power Devices, or EPDs, came into play. It was more effective than other types of weapons, and more convenient.

Over the years the EPDs were improved. Just as the Resistance improved, and grew. Different headquarters were set up across Equestria, and each had their own sector of the country they looked after. Smaller Resistance camps were made, to fight against the Hybrid camps, and saved enslaved ponies from Citadels. With hard work, the Hybrids seemed to be under control. But the work that was needed, was difficult, persistent work.

But not every pony was with the Resistance. Some believed using crystal energy as a weapon was a waste of it. Instead they used weapons such as guns and blades. Other ponies did not want to fight the Hybrids because they believed that the Hybrids were just as much as ponies as they were. They believed that there must be a way to reverse Hybridization.

For many years the Resistance has tried to reverse Hybridization, but all efforts have failed. The Hybrids lost their conscious thoughts. Their bodies were too degraded to function after removing the mechanical parts.. Only ponies who had been enslaved, chipped, in the Citadels could be saved. But that was even before full Hybridization. Hybrids were no longer ponies, not the way that the inhabitants of Equestria should be.

Camp Map

Area Surrounding Camp map

Chapter 3

That night CharmingRhythm could not sleep from anxiety about Heartfelt and from excitement of his mission. He awoke feeling groggy but determined. It was still very early, and soft yellow light from street lamps outside fell into Rhythm’s apartment. His mind raced, wondering what he’d bring with him. He knew that they had until the end of the week, and still needed to inform the rest of his team.

Heartfelt awoke and passed by her husband, but did not speak. There was still a thorn in Rhythm’s heart when he thought of her, but he knew that he would have to push past it. He entered the kitchen and announced to Heartfelt he was leaving to notify his teammates. The Unicorn mare did not answer, but Rhythm could tell there was something she wanted to say.

“What’s wrong?” He asked. Obviously he knew that she was still upset, but he pressed her to explain.

“It’s just… if you’re going to be gone on your mission, how am I supposed to keep up with rent? We’ve always had to depend on my income plus yours from your bounty missions to keep up with payment.”

“I-I don’t know. I’m sorry. Maybe… you could move in with SweetHooves? I know she’d appreciate help with JumpingJolt,” suggested Rhythm. “And then you wouldn’t have to live alone. We’ll all come together once the camp is done, I promise.”

Heartfelt glared at him, as if that answer did not satisfy her. “Guess I’ll have to see.”

Rhythm sighed and leaned in to give Heartfelt a kiss on the cheek. “I’m sure you’ll figure it out,” he said. “I’ve got to go. See you later.”

Through the streets of Los Pegasus, Rhythm observed the citizens in their everyday life. Foals were playing, young recruits were readying for their missions, and merchants traded with customers. It was safe here in the city that was guarded by the Resistance. Setting up a camp would be much more prone to danger. But making a new camp would insure that area was safe in the future. It would be a place for travelers to stay without worrying about Hybrids, and it would be another victory for the Resistance.

Rhythm passed through the Resistance buildings into a large courtyard, home to a greenhouse. Entering the greenhouse, hot, humid air blew onto Rhythm’s fur. Strange scents of plants danced around him, and he had to readjust his senses before pushing further through the greenhouse. He overlooked the ponies standing in the rows tending to plants. A few of them waved to Rhythm, and he waved his blue hoof back. The pony he was looking for was not here, but he was certain where else he’d find them.

The next building Rhythm went to was an alchemy lab. Here ponies created potions as medicine and other uses. A few ponies here also recognized Rhythm, although he did not feel and close friendships to them. Rhythm's eyes locked onto a tall, red stallion. He was overlooking his own potion station, patiently waiting for water to boil. Rhythm stepped up behind him, but the Earth Pony seemed too invested in his craft to notice him.

“EchoBeat,” Rhythm said.

The stallion jumped slightly and spun around to the Unicorn. EchoBeat's bronze eyes softened and he spoke with a small smile. “Oh, Rhythm, it's just you.”

“Yep, and I’ve got a mission call for you!” Rhythm reported with a grin. Just as Echo gave an unsure look, he said “Don’t worry; you’ll like this one. I’ve been assigned to set up a brand new camp. If you come with, you can be in charge of planting and keeping up food in the camp. As well as creating potions as you like, we’ll need medicine.”

EchoBeat’s expression barely changed, but his eyes sparkled with interest. “I would like that. And in a camp away from the city? Sounds perfect to me.”

“Awesome. We’ll set out at the end of the week,” Rhythm affirmed.

After exiting the alchemy building, Rhythm headed west in search of the tech lab. He had to climb a few flights of stairs to reach it. He passed through a large doorway into the lab. There were several other doorways aligned through it for seperate stations and areas to work. Rhythm strolled to the third section on the left, and peered inside. A purple Unicorn was working on something Rhythm could not make out, it seemed like a motherboard. He wore a pin on a scar that read “SpinningNote.” The purple stallion’s steel blue eyes flickered to the pony entering.

“Oh, hey Rhythm, what’s up?” SpinningNote greeted.

“We got a new mission.”

“Tell me about it.” Spinning stood up straight and faced the greyish blue Unicorn.

Rhythm went over the mission’s details with him. “We could really use a pony who knows how to rewire an entire village.”

“Fending off Hybrids, building new tech? Sounds good to me. Count me in.” Spinning nodded curtly.

The next stop on Rhythm’s list was the activity center. It was inside a large roofed stadium. There were different sections for strength training, sports and a lap around the outside for running. A lime green stallion from the strength training section across the field noticed Rhythm and shouted a greeting with a raised hoof. Rhythm gave notice to him, and then continued on his quest. He sought out a light orange Earth Pony who was kicking a ball with his golden hooves.

“Hey, BlazingFlair!” Rhythm called.

The Earth Pony turned to peer at Rhythm with a beaming face. He galloped over and gave Rhythm a quick, tight hug.

“Hyper already told me about the mission,” Blazing said before Rhythm could even let anything out.

“Wait, really?”

“Uh huh! And I’m all in for it,” Blazing retorted.

“And Ray is okay with you going?” Rhythm checked.

“Yep, told her everything and she’s fine with it. I’m always ready for a mission, and this one is no different,” Blazing finished, still grinning.

“Perfect. Now, I have to find FeatherTune. Have you seen him?” Rhythm questioned.

Blazing placed his hoof under his ginger beard. “Hmm, no. I don’t think recently.”

“That’s alright, I’ll find him. See you later!” Rhythm said calmly and left the stadium.

Returning outside, CharmingRhythm trotted his way back towards the residential area of the city. He kept a brisk pace, as he did not want to lose any more time. Convincing his teammates to come with him had been easy so far. Would FeatherTune agree to go? He had always been a stubborn stallion. Rhythm pushed through the door of an apartment building and headed to the staircase. At the top level, Rhythm knocked on one of the doors with his right hoof.

“Who’s there?” A voice sounded from inside.

“Feather, it’s me, Rhythm.”

The door opened and behind it was a cream colored Pegasus with a curly brown mane. His red eyes focused on the visitor. “Oh, hey!”

Rhythm began to describe the assignment to FeatherTune. The Pegasus had a doubtful look.

“But why me?” Feather asked.

“Because you’re part of our team,” Rhythm reminded him.

“Yeah, but like… this seems like a pretty important mission. It’s not like the ones we usually do. How am I supposed to help with building a camp?” Feather slanted his mouth to the side.

“Your scouting skills would be appreciated. I’d say we’d need another Pegasus anyway. And how could I not bring you? You were my first partner,” Rhythm insisted.

“Well, if you all are going away, I guess I should. I’d be too bored with no mission at all. I’ll try my best,” FeatherTune said.

“Thanks Feather, I knew I could count on you.” Rhythm hugged the Pegasus before heading off.

With all of his teammates successfully confirmed for his mission, CharmingRhythm felt a new energy inside of him. He felt ready as ever to tackle this mission.

Chapter 16

It had been almost four weeks since Hyper had been gone from the camp. Team Xero continued to work as if all was normal. Jet and Ash had made their place in the camp, and worked on the interiors of the homes. Ash reported EchoBeat of a ‘pest problem’ in one of the houses. After assessing it, Echo marched off to find assistance.

“Blazing,” EchoBeat demanded. “Can you help me? Those raccoons still haven’t left.”

“What? I thought we got rid of them weeks ago?” BlazingFlair questioned.

“They came back!” Echo exclaimed. “And I can’t make them budge.”

Blazing followed Echo to the house where the raccoons were at. They found them hiding inside of cupboards. Echo started pounding on the side of it with a hoof. Two juvenile raccoons raced out into the open. Blazing started escorting them, along with their mother. Finally they made it outside. There, Blazing continued to urge them along.

CharmingRhythm, who was scraping off old paint from the side of a house, heard the squeaks. He turned to see the raccoons lined up in front of Blazing. Rhythm gaped, surprised at how well they were cooperating. He began to laugh at the scene, as ridiculous as it was.

“Alright, shoo!” Blazing waved a hoof as the raccoons shuffled into the woods.

“Thanks, Blaze,” Echo said. “I have no idea why they listen to you. I’m an Earth Pony too! Shouldn’t I be able to work with animals?”

“I dunno,” Blazing replied with a shrug. “You seem like a plant pony.”

Blazing cast his green eyes to the tops of the trees. Up in the branches, there was a bright orange bird perched. It turned its head to meet Blazing’s eyes and sang.

“Hey Echo, look!” Blazing called as he pointed with a hoof.

“What?” Echo peered around until he saw the phoenix sitting in the tree. At that moment, the phoenix took flight.

“That’s good luck!” Blazing exclaimed. “Hopefully for the raccoons not to come back! And hopefully for whatever is in the woods not to eat them…” He added darkly.

Echo craned his head to look at the south horizon. Something was flying there. It was so small in the sky, but Echo could see that it had a wide wingspan. As it came closer, the shape became more obvious. It was a Pegasus, with two different wing shapes.

“Blazing, Blazing!” Echo frantically patted on his friend’s shoulder to get his attention. “Look!”

“What? Another bird?” Blazing narrowed his eyes. “Oh, that’s not a bird. That’s-”

Blazing’s face lit up just as Echo’s did.

“The phoenix was good luck!” Blazing exclaimed as they dashed off towards the village.

The two of them hollered for Rhythm as they ran past him. He twisted around and followed them with his eyes. His gaze slowly floated upward, to where he saw the shape in the sky. Rhythm leapt onto all four hooves and sprinted after them.

A yell broke out from across the skies. While unintelligible, it was remarkably unmistakable as the voice of HyperBlitz. FeatherTune had heard the call too, and flew over to where his friends were gathering. The ponies’ beaming faces followed Hyper as he drew closer. He brandished a brand new, bat-like wing.

Several meters above them, HyperBlitz sped by, leaving a trail of wind. He curved his path and circled around the camp to decrease his speed. On his last lap, he made eye contact with the staring ponies. Hyper returned them a devilish grin. His wings angled so he could catch the air, slowing his descent. Red hooves skipped across the dirt, and finally skidded to a halt.

With the stallions gathering around, HyperBlitz readied for his hugs. Blazing ran at him and squeezed him in his forelegs. After Blazing, Rhythm gave Hyper an embrace.

“You actually flew!” Rhythm smiled in astonishment.

“I told you I would!” Hyper replied, looking brighter than ever.

The rest of them gave him hugs as Spinning trotted his way from the base. “Well, well, look who it is!” The Unicorn called out.

“Look at that wing!” Feather gawked. “It looks like a dragon’s!”

Hyper extended his new wing. “Yep, it even matches my armor! I’d like to get some flames painted between here,” He referred to the dark blue material between the appendages. “That is if the paint actually stays. This material is kinda stretchy.” Hyper showed by moving the appendages

“Wow, and you have full control of it!” Echo said in awe.

“It’s not my original wing, but it’s still pretty cool,” Hyper admitted.

“We’re so happy to have you back, buddy,” Rhythm expressed as he gave Hyper another hug.

“Happy to be back!”

“This must be HyperBlitz,” Jet said as he stepped out from the row of houses.

“New recruit?” Hyper shot a glance at Rhythm.

“Yep. This is Jet,” Rhythm introduced.

HyperBlitz stepped forward and offered his foreleg to shake. “Glad to have you on board.”

“We have another one,” Spinning spoke up. “Where’s Ash?”

“I have no idea,” Jet replied while hanging his head low.

“I’m sure I’ll have plenty of time to meet them,” Hyper said.

He turned back to Rhythm. “Actually, I had something to report.” Rhythm raised a brow as Hyper continued. “I saw a couple Hybrids back that way. I think around where the node used to be.”

Rhythm threw his head back and groaned in annoyance. Hyper laughed at him, and Rhythm glared back at Hyper with a smirk.

“It’s only two. I’m sure we can handle them,” Hyper reassured.

After a pause, Hyper bumped his hoof on Rhythm’s shoulder. “I missed you,” He added.

“We missed you too.” Rhythm gave an appreciative expression.

“Should we go get those Hybrids now?” Spinning wondered.

“I suppose,” Rhythm answered. “Are you up for it? I know you just got your wing.” He noted that Hyper did have his EPD with him.

“That’s not going to stop me. I’d love to get back to fighting with you guys,” Hyper assured.

“We’re going to stay back,” Feather announced, with his head pointing to Echo. “If that’s fine.”

“Yeah. I think the four of us should be more than capable,” Rhythm told them. “C’mon guys.”

“We got revenge on the Hybrid that cut off your wing,” Blazing reported as they trotted off. “We finished it off with fiery passion,” Blazing claimed with a raised hoof. He eyed Hyper. “Just as you would have.”

“Thanks, guys…” Hyper said, somewhat proud, somewhat awkward.

“Actually I impaled it with a piece of metal,” Spinning corrected with almost no emotion.

“That’s pretty cool too,” Hyper commented. “Sounds like… you guys did fine without me.” Hyper was staring downward.

“Hey,” Rhythm bumped his shoulder. “The team wouldn’t be the same without you. And it wasn’t the same without you. I promise.”

Hyper only replied with a smile as they pressed on.

“They must be coming from the camp in the gorge,” Rhythm theorized. “We have to do something about that at some point.”

“Maybe they’re out looking for the other Hybrids we killed,” Spinning thought aloud.

Hybrids often scouted for their fallen allies. They would take them back, for who knows what reason, possibly to save mechanical parts. Rhythm recalled how there were no Hybrid bodies when they had gone to disable the node, despite them killing a few earlier.

“Hmm, I don’t know,” Rhythm considered. “It’s been a bit too long since then.”

They neared the Hybrids and took a good look at them. One was an Earth Pony with two red eyes. The other was a Pegasus, but it appeared to be land bound.

“Let’s circle around them,” Rhythm commanded.

Hyper nodded and flew to the opposite side of the Hybrids. The four teammates surrounded their enemies and began firing. It felt good to be back out on a mission, Hyper thought. He wished he could get revenge on the Hybrid that did him wrong, but these Hybrids would do.

One Hybrid crawled closer to Blazing. It lifted up a claw as swiped at him. The Earth Pony bounced backwards, dodging. He flung fire energy into its face, which lit up its mane. A blue streak pierced the Hybrid’s back, an attack from Hyper. It screamed in agony, but they didn’t show any mercy.
Another claw Hybrid made its way around Spinning. With a swing of a foreleg, it left a gash in the Unicorn’s foreleg. Ignoring the laceration, Spinning bashed his protected foreleg into

Bright cyan and red lit the battlefield. The four of them swiftly took care of the cyborgs. Hyper was ecstatic to deliver the finishing blow on the one who had attacked Spinning, but that satisfaction did not last long. He felt as if he had not done enough.

“Should we bury them, or let them get taken?” Spinning asked.

“I see no point in dragging them back to camp,” Rhythm said with a huff. “Let’s put them over there.” He pointed to where the ground sloped downward.

Both he and Spinning pulled the Hybrids over with their magic. The gaited to the two other stallions and headed back to camp.

Hyper was happy to be with his team, and friends, again. There was still an emptiness inside of him, a wound that wouldn’t heal. He recalled a conversation with Slate, who told him that he would never be the same, even after he got a new wing. There was no way to completely replace what was lost. Hyper knew that was true. Though his emotions dared to drag him down, Hyper did not want to worry his friends. I have to power through it. They’re counting on me.

Chapter 43

It was still dark when HyperBlitz awoke the next morning. He couldn’t seem to close his eyes again to catch more sleep. Being back in the camp threw him for a loop, and it felt odd not having SweetHooves by his side anymore. The thought of his wife, her injury and trauma continued to jab at his mind.

Hyper decided he would wake up, for it was no use laying in bed. The dull blue glow from his wing’s crystal just barely lit his way through his room and into the hallway. The lights in the main room were already on. Someone was already up, so Hyper went to check out the meeting room. Inside, it was Rhythm who sat across the table.

“Hyper. You’re up early,” Rhythm spoke when he heard hoofsteps.

“I was about to say the same to you,” Hyper replied, and made his way around the table.

“What’s up? Can’t sleep?” Rhythm wondered.

“Yeah. Just worried about SweetHooves is all. And you?” Hyper returned and sat down next to the Unicorn.

Rhythm gave a long sigh. “I don’t know what to do to make Heartfelt happy. She’s been so down lately.”

“Yeah, I kinda noticed when I was staying with them in Los Pegasus,” Hyper said. “Didn’t you say you got in a fight yesterday? You didn’t explain that.”

“We did. It’s just that… one moment she’s depressed and the next she’s angry at me,” Rhythm expressed.

“That’s irritability from depression,” Hyper justified.

“I know. But she’s thinking so irrationally,” Rhythm countered.

“And that’s her anxiety,” Hyper explained in a leveled tone.

“I know, I know,” Rhythm replied, still frustrated. “I just hate seeing her so unhappy like this.” He paused for a moment. “Maybe I shouldn’t see everything from my perspective. I should consider her feelings too. Maybe we should live in the city, if that’s what she wants.”

“She only wants to live there because that’s what she’s comfortable with,” Hyper said.

“I mean, I want her to be happy.” Rhythm shrugged.

“Being comfortable isn’t the same thing as happiness,” Hyper pointed out. Rhythm’s eyes widened a bit as he took that in.

Hyper continued, “Besides, I really don’t think the city would be right for Heartfelt. You’d both have to keep a job, or go on missions to pay for rent. That would take so much time away from raising a child. Plus, the city is so busy compared to a small community like this, and you know how lots of ponies can overwhelm her.”

“Those are good points,” Rhythm considered. “I’d just have to explain that to her. But right now she doesn’t seem to want to listen to me when we talk about this.”

“I think once she’s out of this episode, she’ll start thinking more clearly. You just have to be patient with her,” Hyper told him.

“Yeah, I guess. I do want to spend more time with her though. I want to let her know I’m here for her, but I think she wants to go back home so she can take advantage of her days off.”

“She can do that here with you too. Just convince her to stay another night. I think if you tell her you want to spend time with her she’ll understand,” Hyper assured.

“I hope so,” Rhythm said, straightening his posture. “Thanks for talking it out with me.”

“Of course,” Hyper grinned and dipped his head. “You know I’m here for you. Well, that is when I’m literally here.” He stood up again, but still faced Rhythm. “Is there anything you need me to do?”

“Actually,” Rhythm thought. “Can you go around the camp to see if everyone is doing alright? Just see if they are getting their work done as well as how they are doing personally. I don’t think I’ve done a good enough job making sure everyone in the camp is content.”

Hyper determined that Rhythm’s eyes opened up to that after his argument with Heartfelt. “Yeah, sure. I can do that,” Hyper agreed.

“Thanks, that means a lot. Especially since I want to take some time off working in the camp.”

“Sure thing!” Hyper said, and waved his wing in farewell as he exited the meeting room. He went back to his bedroom to get ready for the day.

First, Hyper headed into the gardening tent. There, Berry, EchoBeat and Terra were working. Sunswirl was there too, appearing to be testing growth potions on the plants. Hyper was surprised Echo did not try to intervene. He stepped up next to Terra to see how she was doing. He knew that she had been a bit intimidated by her fellow gardeners.

“You look like you're doing good,” Hyper commented, noting her patch of plants.

“Oh, thank you,” She said bashfully.

Next Hyper overlooked Berry and his plants. All seemed well, and Berry was not one to speak very often.

“Hyper!” Echo called from the other side of the tent.

Hyper shot his head up. “What?”

“Don’t step on the plants!”

Hyper lift up a red hoof to see a smashed kale plant underneath it. He muttered, “for fucks sake,” then called out to Echo, “Sorry!”

“Say that to Berry! It was his!” Echo shot back.

“Sorry,” Hyper said to the pink stallion through gritted teeth. Berry only shrugged.

Hyper was done with the gardening tent, so he reamurged outside. He saw Ash and Jet walking his way. Ash’s blue eyes lit up.

“Hey, what’s up?” Hyper said. “You need anything?”

“Actually we were wondering,” Ash began, “Would it be okay if we went on a mission outside of the camp? Like, grab one from Headquarters?”

Hyper blinked. “I mean, I suppose so.”

“She just wants to get out of the camp for a bit,” Jet stated.

“Yes, I do,” Ash affirmed matter-of-fact-ly to Jet. To Hyper she said, “We won’t be gone for long. Just something to do besides busy work.”

“It’s totally cool with me,” Hyper agreed. “You can ask Spinning if he can send a request to Headquarters for you.”

“Great. Thanks Hyper!” Jet replied with a smile. He followed Ash who was already walking ahead.

Hyper began trotting down the middle road. A few buildings down, he spotted CherryBomb waiting outside an open door.

“Hey, Cherry. What are you up to?” Hyper spoke up.

“Well, I’ve already been in the garden today, so I came out so I can spend some time with Aggie,” Cherry answered

At that, Hyper’s ears flickered at the sound of clattering wood. He turned and saw AgileArrow walking towards them, with a table and two chairs cradled in her magic. Her vision was almost completely obscured and the furniture wobbled around awkwardly.

With wide green eyes, Cherry met up with the Unicorn. “Oh no. Aggie, dear, please don’t carry so much at one. You don’t want to cause an accident.”

“I’ve got this,” Aggie told her through a grin. She carried forward and one of the chairs collided with the wall, releasing it from her magic.

Cherry then used a hoof to stand the chair up straight. “At least let me help you with this. You can barely tell where you’re going.”

Aggie sighed and gave in. “Alright.” She paused next to Cherry and gave her a kiss on the cheek. Aggie then continued forward with the table and one chair and made it into the apartment.

Cherry shook her head, but her face displayed amusement. “She’s always trying to take on more than she can handle.” Then the red mare entered the apartment next, pushing the second chair along. Hyper continued down the road.

Hyper paused again and turned his head to the left. There he saw BlizzardBlast sitting between two buildings, working on an air conditioning unit. For a moment, Hyper watched them use both their hooves to maneuver a wrench. The young Pegasuse then stared up at Hyper.

“So you’re a mechanic, huh?” Hyper said, impressed.

“Oh, yeah. I know some things. My dad taught me when I was younger. At least he was useful for something,” Blizzard explained.

“What do you mean?” Hyper questioned. “I thought you said you were an orphan?”

“I may have lied about that,” Blizzard mumbled, their eyes dark under their brow. “But, essentially, I see myself as an orphan.”

Hyper stepped forward into the alley. “Do… you miss your family at all?” He asked as delicately as he could.

Blizzard sighed. “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen my family. I think it’s for the best. They didn’t really understand me. They didn’t respect who I am,” They clarified, glancing away from Hyper.

“I completely get that, believe me. I was in that same situation once,” Hyper told them sincerely.

Blizzard’s teal eyes finally met Hyper’s, gratitude in them.“Sounds like we got a lot in common, huh.” They took a quick glance down at their side where their prosthetic wing was folded.

“I guess so,” Hyper replied, he too was looking at his own prosthetic wing. He returned his attention to Blizzard. “So you’re completely fine with staying here?”

“Yeah, I’ve got nowhere else to go. The ponies are nice here,” Blizzard said.

“Alright. Do you need anything right now? Any tools to help you?” Hyper offered.

“No, I think I’m good, but thank you,” Blizzard assured.

Hyper gave them a curt nod and then left the alley in search of the next pony.

Near the end of the street, he found ThunderCharm pushing an empty supply cart from behind an apartment. Thunder stopped when she saw Hyper coming her way.

“Need any help?” Hyper asked.

“Oh, no,” She said simply.

She turned the cart onto Hyper’s street and rolled it past him. As she became parallel with Hyper, he extended his prosthetic wing to tap Thunder to get her attention.

“Hey. Are you doing alright? You know, since the Hybrid thing. You’re not still mad at Blazing, are you?” Hyper wondered.

“No, I’m not,” Thunder responded. “I understand what he was trying to do. It wasn’t his fault, he was just trying to be a teacher. Hybrid hunting just isn’t for me.”

“Do you still want to be a part of the Resistance?” Hyper questioned.

Thunder’s aqua eyes stared at him with gleaming determination. “I want to help ponies however I can. I know now the best chance to do that is with the Resistance.”

Hyper nodded. “Good. But don’t think you’re getting out of your training exam.”

“Oh, I know,” Thunder stated. She then continued past Hyper and rolled the cart away.

Hyper made a turn north and entered into the next long street. There he found Carpenter rewiring a generator to an apartment’s electrical panel. Hyper decided that he seemed invested in his work, and there was no need bothering him, so he continued down the street.

Hyper finally neared the apartments closest to the base. He noticed the second to last on the street had a door that was slightly open. He recognized the building to be the apartment they had granted Iridescent and Blackout to stay in.

Hyper stopped right before the crevice in the door, his ears alert. He could hear the siblings speaking inside, their voices irate. He could not make out what each one was saying, only that they were upset at each other. After a few moments, Hyper could hear thudding hoofsteps nearing the door. He quickly lept back as the door swung open. It almost slammed against his muzzle.

Blackout was marching away, unaware of Hyper behind him. Iridescent quickly ran out the door, attempting to catch up with her brother. Blackout opened his wings and took to the air, flying towards the west. Iridescent called his name out one last time, but the Pegasus was long gone. She swirled around, her tail drooping. Her eyes met Hyper, who stared in shock.

“Oh, hey Hyper.”

“Is everything alright?” Hyper asked with concern.

“Just another disagreement. Blackout doesn’t want to live here anymore. But I told him we have nowhere else to go. He just doesn’t want to associate with the Resistance,” Iridescent explained.

“Do you want me to follow him? I can catch up,” Hyper offered, stretching out his wings.

“No, no. You don’t have to do that. I’m sure he’ll come back. He’d never abandon me,” Iridescent assured. Her gaze grew distant.

Hyper gathered courage to ask what he’d been meaning to. “Why does he hate us so much? Is it just because you were taught to hate the Resistance?”

“Not exactly…” Iridescent said, lost in her thoughts.

“So you’re saying you weren't raised to despise the Resistance?” Hyper inquired.

“Most ponies in our camp were raised that way, yes, but not Blackout and me,” Iridescent claimed.

“What do you mean?” Hyper wondered, confused.

Iridescent took a deep breath before continuing. “You see, our mother was part of the Resistance,” she stated, and Hyper stared at her wide-eyed. “Talk about a forbidden love between our parents. They somehow made it work… for a while. Mom would hide any evidence she was from the Resistance when she came to the camp. She even stayed there a couple years.

“But she still did missions on the side. One day she went off on a mission and… she never came back. Of course we didn’t get any confirmation about what happened. We had to do some digging and interrogating ponies at the Resistance to figure it out.” Iridescent paused for a moment, waiting for Hyper to respond.

“And what was it?” Hyper asked.

“She… died, of course. Died on a mission,” Iridescent clarified grimly. There was sadness in her eyes.

“I’m so sorry…” Hyper wasn’t sure what to say.

“Ever since then, Blackout has hated the Resistance. He hates them for sending Mom on that mission. He blames them for her death, even if it was Mom’s choice to go. She loved us, but also loved being in the Resistance. Dad’s been distant ever since Mom died. Blackout and I had to raise ourselves,” Iridescent explained.

“And what about you? You don’t hate us?” Hyper questioned her more.

“If Mom was part of the Resistance, then I believe there are other good ponies in it too,” she finalized with new confidence. That was the answer Hyper had been waiting for Iridescent to state.

“Glad you feel that way,” Hyper told her. “We’re here to help ponies however we can.”

Hyper knew there was no way to convince the siblings to stay with the Resistance, but he was pleased to know Iridescent was willing to give them a chance. If only the same could be said for Blackout.

The life of the Resistance wasn’t for everyone, Hyper understood that. Still, he believed being a part of it was the best way to contribute good to Equestria. That’s what they were trying to do while building this camp. Hyper was glad he came back. He wanted to make this camp as strong as it could possibly be.

Epilogue

CharmingRhythm’s camp saw even more success within the months following it’s verification for the Resistance. The new year passed, which everyone celebrated. It truly was like a new start. Now it was spring, whatever spring may be in a desert wasteland. ThunderCharm had passed her training assessment, and was continuing to learn about the Resistance in camp. New additions were given to the camp. More gardens, more finished apartments, even a tall wind turbine. They were even beginning to add more buildings. There would never be too much room. There were ponies to shelter, and families to raise.

Of course, all of it was not without complications. There were still Hybrids to fend off, and things to be fixed. Generators and appliances broke. The piping to the outer apartments was quite tricky to complete. Setting up the wind turbine was anything but easy. It came in parts on a train, where it had to be dragged up the slope to the camp. All of the Pegasi gave effort in lifting it.

Most of all, the ponies decided to name the camp. Simply “North Hills”, as it lies directly north or Los Pegasus. Something easy to remember.

Currently, CharmingRhythm was helping some Earth Ponies plant new trees at the forest’s edge. They wanted to make up for the trees that had been torn down to make room for gardening tents. Rhythm was just finishing patting down the earth around a sapling. His ears flickered as he heard a voice from somewhere in camp. He stood up, and trotted off to meet the pony who called him.

At the edge of the first road Rhythm stopped to face SilverFlash. It felt like it had been forever since he last saw his brother. Even if he did live in camp now. He remembered how excited Flash was when he had offered to give him an apartment.

“Hey! Where have you been? It’s been like… almost a month!” Rhythm recalled.

“Yeah… we meant to go to the Citadel, but we had some issues. The EPD in Lance’s armor ended up breaking… still kinda prototype,” Flash replied. “So we stopped in Walnut Creek. Then went back to the Citadel.” Flash waved his hoof around as he explained. “Then went back to Walnut Creek. Oh- and we picked up a pony. Brought her with us here, if that’s okay?”

“Yeah, of course. You know this is a place for refugees,” Rhythm said.

“Oh, and I see you guys got a windmill while we were gone!” Flash craned his head up, looking to the south. Just as he said ‘we’, Lance took his place next to him. The tan Unicorn kept his eyes on Flash who was admiring the wind turbine.

“Yep. Even though we could have really used your help setting it up! But you were gone!” Rhythm accused, half scolding, half amused. “Instead we had to let the Pegasi set it up!”

“Eh… sorry,” Flash smiled sheepishly. After a silent moment, Flash spoke up again. “Can I spin it?”

“W-what?” Rhythm expressed, confused.

“The windmill! I can spin it and give you extra energy!”

“I- um.” Before Rhythm could say anything, Flash was already galloping over to the wind turbine site. He and Lance followed after him.

Stopping about ten meters before the turbine’s tower, Flash gazed up at the blades, several stories above him. His horn began to flare magenta, which now matched the outline of the turbine’s blades. They began to rotate, steadily gaining speed. Flash gave an almost crazed grin as Rhythm and Lance watched him. The latter threw his head down and began laughing, his shoulders shaking as he did. Rhythm didn’t even try to keep in his own laughter.

From behind them, near one of the apartments on an outer street, SpinningNote dashed towards Flash. He called out, “Stop! Stop! You’re going to break it!” Spinning used both of his hooves to hold the other stallion.

“Oh come on!” Flash bantered playfully. “These things got auto locks when they get too fast!”

Spinning grimaced. “For wind! Not magic!”

“I don’t see what makes the difference. It’s practically the same thing. Spinning,” Flash replied wittily.

“Eh, now you’re learning!” Lance remarked, tapping a hoof on the grey Unicorn.

Spinning just groaned and swiveled around. He flicked his tail and passed by Rhythm. “I’ll be waiting at the cab.”

Rhythm nodded acknowledgement, but was still grinning wide. As his gaze drifted past where Spinning had been, he noticed a hint of mint green.

“Heartfelt!” He called. As the mare’s face turned to him, he motioned with a hoof to draw her over. Heartfelt’s warm brown eyes caught sight of SilverFlash and then she excitedly looked to Rhythm.

“Did you tell him?” Heartfelt wondered as she reached the stallions.

“Nope,” Rhythm replied, trying hard to suppress a smile, which ultimately turned into a wide grin.

“Tell me what?” Flash looked between Rhythm and Heartfelt.

Heartfelt took a step closer to Rhythm, their shoulders almost touching. “I’m pregnant.”

Flash’s eyes widened. “Wait, seriously?” He reared up and grabbed Heartfelt and Rhythm with each of his hooves, pulling their necks in for a tight hug. “Congrats! Oh, you guys are going to be such great parents!”

He let go and recomposed himself, smiling. “And that means I’m going to be an uncle.” Flash took a peek at Lance and poked him with a hoof. “Hey, and you can be an honorary uncle!”

“I, uh-” Lance blinked, unsure what to say.

Rhythm dipped his head to Lance. “Don’t worry. They’re going to have a lot of honorary uncles. I got my team, y’know?”

“Oh, and speaking of team,” Rhythm let out, his mind turning. He peered off to the left, as if trying to glance over objects. He returned his gaze to Flash. “Hey, you’re not hopping out of here right away are you?”

“Nah, we gotta rest after our mission. Why?” Flash wondered.

“Good - ‘cause I need to ask you a favor. Can you watch over the camp for a few days? Maybe a week or so. I got Aggie on duty but I’d be nice to have an extra set of hooves to help. Xero’s got a mission.”

“Really? Where are you going?” Flash asked, intrigued.

“Haythorn,” Rhythm stated confidently.

“That should be interesting. And yeah- I can help watch the camp,” Flash agreed.

“Thanks dude. I trust you,” Rhythm said honestly.

“You really shouldn’t,” Flash claimed, shaking his head.

“Oh come on,” Lance countered, tapping his hoof on Flash’s side. “You’re a lot more responsible than you think you are. Even if you do like spinning wind turbines.” The stallion smirked, which only got an eye roll out of Flash.

“I better get going,” Rhythm announced. “It’s great seeing you guys!”

“And you too! Good luck!” Flash called back.

Rhythm trotted past the wind turbine, Heartfelt close behind them. He found the rest of team Xero standing besides their cab. A few gave Heartfelt a greeting. Standing next to the vehicle, Rhythm faced his wife in farewell.

“Please be careful, okay?” Heartfelt requested.

“Eh, I’ll try.” Rhythm shrugged, grinning. “This is a different type of mission, remember? We aren’t exactly going to be dealing with Hybrids.”

“We might,” Feather added from the side, his head poking out from behind the cab.

“We might,” Rhythm said, still focused on Heartfelt. “But that’s not our primary focus.”

“Rogues can be dangerous too,” Heartfelt remarked.

“Yeah, but we’re going to try to go about this as peacefully as possible,” Rhythm assured.

Heartfelt gave a slight sigh. “Just… come home in one piece, okay? I need you… we need you.”

Rhythm’s eyes softened with fondness, but there was still a glint of playfulness in them. “Don’t worry. I’ll try not to lose any more legs. If anything, I’ll just lose this one again.” He raised up his right foreleg.

“Oh yeah, and that will really piss off your dad,” SpinningNote muttered to the right, already seated.

“Shush,” Rhythm quipped, then whipped his head back to Heartfelt.

“You know I worry,” Heartfelt let out, her own expression softening.

“I know,” Rhythm replied, then rested his horn on hers. “And that’s okay.” He pulled away, eyes locked on hers. “It’s good to know someone’s always thinking of me.”

Heartfelt didn’t speak, but instead replied with an affectionate smirk.

“We’ll be back, ‘kay? I gotta go,” Rhythm said and then kissed his wife.

“I love you,” Heartfelt told him as he backed up.

“Love you, too.” Rhythm stepped near the cab, placing his hoof on the door. He turned his head once again. “Remember, I’ve got my team looking out for me.”

BlazingFlair, from the driver's seat, tilted his head to look past Rhythm. He gave Heartfelt a warm smile.

Heartfelt returned the smile. “Good luck, all of you.”

“Thanks, babe,” Rhythm said as he sat down.

The wheels of the cab began to roll, and they drove away. Rhythm’s sight was still glued to Heartfelt for a few moments as she became smaller the further they went. HyperBlitz and FeatherTune flew overhead, leading them just slightly.

“Next stop, Haythorn!” the voice of Hyper declared from the intercom speaker. The yellow Pegasus was now equipped with his own radio and headset. “Well, that is if we don’t stop on the way there.”

“We better not,” Feather retorted.

The wind ruffled Rhythm’s black and blue mane as he watched the desert landscape pass by.

“Anyone want some music?” BlazingFlair asked, hoof near the radio dial.

“Here,” Echo said, and poked Rhythm’s shoulder from behind.

Gazing at his side, Rhythm saw a tape held in Echo’s hoof. His magic picked it up so he could inspect the “Xero” written on it.

“Hell yeah,” Blazing commented. “That’s much better!”

The tape contained new music Rhythm and his team had created in the past months. Hyper’s proposed No More Sorrow was completed, and was as awesome as any of them could hope. Rhythm had also completed the song he had started writing over a year ago, In Between. There were a few more songs on the tape, including one without a name, and one that was only instrumental.

Rhythm injected the tape and let the music play. He felt a surge of pride at his and his friends’ creations. He picked up the communication speaker and faced it’s microphone to the cab’s own speaker. Rhythm turned it on to let the Pegasi hear their own music.

“Fucking awesome,” was Hyper’s response.

CharmingRhythm was glad to be going on a mission again with his friends. It was refreshing to be out of the camp, even if they didn’t know what to expect on this mission. That was half the fun, wasn’t it?

Team Xero had picked up this mission from headquarters after seeing no other teams would pick it up. The goal: go to Haythorn to assist the civilians and help stabilize the city. Since North Hills’ completion, Haythorn had restored their communication lines with the rest of the Resistance. Their rogue problem was getting closer to resolution, but there were still a few suburbs in trouble. Rhythm didn’t want to let down a chance to help ponies.

This new mission was a lot like the assignment to complete a camp. They didn’t know exactly what they were getting into, but knew they all had each others’ backs. The road ahead was uncertain, but Rhythm knew they could find a solution together as a team.

It’s time to take back Haythorn for the Resistance for good, CharmingRhythm aspired. One more step to take back the rest of Equestria. One more step towards a better tomorrow for ponykind.

The world had been depleted long ago, but there’s still hope. It’s time to recharge.