Fallout: Equestria - Most Dangerous Game

Chapter Six:

All her life, Jade had been working to safeguard her home from war, betrayal, and revolution. Now here she was, leading her own in the name of a goddess who looked at her with a stunned expression as the slaves salvaged what they could to arm themselves.

“Well, that went well,” she muttered, leaning back against the tank as the slaves scavenged the slavers’ weapons. “Now to get you out,” she added, looking back at Ocean.

“It went… Well… I…” The sea pony shook her head and nodded rapidly. “Right, me next, of course.” She floundered up and down the half-filled tank. “Hit the button again, I can slip out with the next wave.”

Jade did just that, before addressing the closest of the slaves. The mangy stallion looked at her with a mix of righteous adoration, and trepidation. As if he’d be the next one smited if he so much as stepped a hoof out of line. The feeling she was some kind of invisible, technological goddess was admittedly a pleasing one. But she was quick to set aside the idea.

What’s the first thing any recruit to the program is tested for, humility? Data had been adamant that a pony who’d allow the extra power her creation provided to go to their head wasn’t a good candidate. Besides, I’m not out of this yet, just focus.

She had to remind herself that she’d only bested two slavers so far, the rest of her time she’d just spent running. Even so, she levitated the slave stallion the key to the other cages and the collars.

“Try and get as many off as you can. He won’t blow the collars until the last minute, by then I’ll have the detonator,” she assured, then winced. “What’s the fastest way to the stage?”

Yeah, I must surely look like some great savior. Her mind berated as the stallion balked at her, then stammered.

“Just up there on the left, but Mako, he’ll kill you.” He jabbed a quivering forehoof in the direction, before removing his collar.

Thank the goddesses they’re not set to blow on removal. She thought, doing her best to maintain the heroic facade as she checked her weapon.

“He’ll have to see me first.” The withered stallion winced, but nodded, wishing her luck.

She really hoped she was right about that, but right now all the slaves needed to hear was reassurance. With that in mind, she made her way in the direction he’d indicated, hoping her suit could pull through again. In stark contrast to the industrial tunnels below, the public halls to the cafeteria were lined with faded portraits of fish and other aquatic life. There were skeletons that seemed to have originally been intended for display, while another series of tanks were relatively intact. Looking at the grimy glass tubes, she really hoped Ocean knew what she was doing, one wrong move and she imagined the sea pony suffocating.

We made it this far, can’t stop now. She reassured herself, scanning the hall above with her weapon’s sights. Data stream would be proud.

She hoped she was right about that too, swearing she caught flashes of the blue pegasus’s reflection in the glass of an aquarium. It was filled with what looked to be rainbow eels, as well as a scowling rockfish. Her past mare friend’s judgmental gaze or not, aside from the fish, the corridor was empty. She could only assume the slavers had all fanned out into the halls searching for her, and sure enough, she soon found herself back in the main chamber. The liquid orb above, coated everything in a dull blue hue, while toppled tables and spilled drinks were a clear indicator of the commotion she’d caused after her fall.

“You got this, X-23?” she asked internally, nudging her side as she peered up at the bones above, noting just how much bigger the place appeared from below. “We get through this and we’re home free.”

“Yes, yes, just give me a second.” The suit slackened, as if taking a deep breath, before adding in Jade’s head. “I just hope you know what you’re doing.”

“We get Ocean’s pearl and the detonator, slip out before anypony sees us, simple.” She thought back, pressing her back to the wall as a set of three slavers marched by.

“And you have any idea what that pearl does?” the suit asked, and Jade had to admit Ocean had been numb on that.

Glancing at the throne, she had to assume the thing was wired up like that for a reason, yet she’d come too far to doubt herself now.

What was it Data used to say? She thought as the slaver patrol disappeared into one of the side corridors. Nothing ventured, nothing gained?

True a lot of that attitude had been used to convince Jade their relationship would have worked. It was not typical for a pony and kirin to fraternize back in the day. Even less so mare on mare cross-species.

Put as much effort into getting under my tail as she did this thing. The synthetic mare huffed internally, tapping one of her artificial forelegs. Okay, let’s do this.

She prompted X-23 one last time, earning a static buzz from the suit as she crept out from the corridor and over the party’s carnage. Upturned tables and toppled stalls were scattered around as if in the aftermath of a great battle. Whilst red marks in her E.F.S revealed the occasional sleeping slaver, lingering like a landmine. Smell or not, from the readings her sensors gave her, she assumed most of them were out cold due to the copious amounts of alcohol. For a second she had to wonder if she could even get drunk anymore, shoving a stack of broken bottles aside with her magic as she made her way up to the wired mesh between the stands and the stage.

Just have to find a way over. She thought, mentally checking up on her stealth suit. “Just a few more minutes, you’re doing great.”

“Yes, yes, less talk, more moving, please!” the strained suit muttered inside Jade’s head, and the synthetic mare nodded, snaking her way around to the stairs leading up to the throne.

“How long do you think it’s going to last?” Jade froze at the sound of a stallion’s voice, her ears perking.

If she’d not been invisible, the two bucks sitting by the throne would have spotted her instantly. They were both far more equipped than the slavers below, having metal mixed into the wooden parts of their armor and saddles equipped with what appeared to be laser weapons.

This just gets better and better. She thought, begging the goddesses her suit held up. Here’s to putting your reflection tech to the test, Data.

She hoped it wouldn’t come to that as she crept up, right in front of the two slavers as they casually chattered as if nothing was amiss.

“Mako’s got it all covered, the tribals run out, he can just start selling off the junkies,” the second stallion responded casually, leaning back against the throne. “Or he just starts selling to Filly’ himself, cut out the middle mare.”

“Like the over boss is gonna let that happen,” chuckled the first stallion, flicking out a forehoof in a mock gesture, a limb that almost struck Jade in the face as she paused right in front of them.

She blinked, almost going cross-eyed peering at his outstretched forelimb, then she swallowed hard as he drew back without so much as batting an eye.

“For all your quirks let it not be said you don’t do a job well when you can,” she internally muttered, earning a squeeze from the suit. “Okay, okay, I’m moving.”

Even so, as she made her way to the rear of the throne, hoof steps soft and quiet as a mouse, she couldn’t help but listen in. Call it instinct, she’d not been failed as a field operative, yet accepted into the MoA’s intelligent division regardless for nothing. Her whole life had been about observation, picking up on clues. Right now these stallions were dropping some juicy information.

“What can she do, she’s never around no more,” said the second buck. “What’s it now, three hubs she’s dealing with?”

“Four if you don’t count Paradise, but we’re better off not dealing with the Hoof no more,” the former responded casually. “But give it a month or two and we’ll all be working for Red Eye anyway.”

“Better working for him on this end than slaving away in the Filly’ crater,” muttered the first buck, running a forehoof over his neck, right where slave collars were applied.

The two chuckled, Jade felt sick. If she had the time she’d blast them both, yet the cold, logical drive for some kind of justice battled the calculating urge to simply do what she had to.

No, stop thinking with emotions. Years of having to suppress her nirik nature surfaced as she focused.

She could feel X-23 slipping, she didn’t have long left before they saw her. Glancing at the tank she hoped Ocean would be ready, right as she reached the back of the throne.

Fortunately, there was a set of steps up to the suspended pearl, yet it wasn’t the only thing. There was a series of consoles and terminals wired into the magical vortex, each one flashing readouts about water pressure and spell matrix integrity. Wires snaked out from the mass into just about every corner of the room, while several coiled over into the console beside the glass wall.

That must be what they use to shock the glass. Jade observed as she made her way up to the screens. This looks more complex than I thought.

Setting that aside for a second, she did her best to search for the detonator Ocean had also mentioned, yet all she found on the throne were bones and tufts of Mako’s gray fur.

Damn it, he must have taken the thing with him! She thought, taking a deep breath, and returning to the screens. Okay, one thing at a time, Jade, don’t panic.

She’d never dealt with a system this complex, even if most of that complexion came from the ramshackle way the thing had been wired together. Yet the longer she stared at it, the more her vision flashed with odd readings. As if she could observe something and suddenly know how it all worked, her synthetic brain willed the instructions into existence.

It's a power source. She noted, biting her rubbery lip as she glanced between the screens and the pearl. But what’s it powering?

She glanced back at the tank, filled with relief to see the flash of Ocean’s scales as the sea pony peered at her from between the kelp. From the looks of the flickering blue gem in her fins, it appeared the fishy-mare had been successful in sabotaging the water talismans. She could only hope that would keep Mako busy and away from the escaping slaves. Yet at the same time, she felt her mane crawl at the idea removing the pearl would do more harm than good.

Why is nothing ever simple!? She inwardly cursed, earning another tight pinch from X-23.

“Jade, please hurry up!”

It was now or never, yet apparently, the world was not so willing to agree. Jade’s ears perked at the sound of the two guards shifting. They lurched to full alert as she ducked down behind the throne and Ocean vanished into the kelp.

“What are you doing here!?” one buck snapped, and she bit her lip harder, ears folding as she readied her weapon. “You’re not supposed to be back here!”

Oh well, so much for stealth. She thought, unsure how they’d seen her, but ready to fight, nonetheless.

“Hold your waters, Mackerel, it’s just me,” called the voice of Moray as the sandy-yellow mare trotted up onto the stage.

The two bucks looked at each other in confusion, the one I assumed was Mackerel glaring at his tail before huffing.

“And I’ll ask you again, what are you doing here?” He stomped a forehoof in emphasis.

The sly mare casually trotted by the pair, far calmer than if their boss had been around as she rested a forehoof on the throne.

“Half the slaves are out downstairs, Mako sent me back here to check on things,” she muttered, but despite the truth, the two stallions failed to look convinced.

“Likely story,” the yet-to-be-named buck muttered, as Mackerel added with a snicker.

“Yeah, like he’d have you come back after you brought in what…” He tapped a forehoof to his chin. “Quarter quota.”

“Now listen here, you sour sea…!” She lurched towards them in a spike of anger, only to be warded off by the static hum of their very fancy weapons.

She backed up, her calm facade returning as she ran a forehoof through her greasy mane and added.

“What does quota matter anyway, when all the slaves are about to run off?” she cooed those words as if to a lover, and the two bucks scoffed.

“Beat it, small-fry, before we dust you,” Mackerel hissed, his weapons buzzing deeply.

“Better that, than falling down there when the boss finds out you let them all slip away.” Moray nodded back to the trap door. “But suit yourself, let them all just escape.”

The two bucks exchanged glances, and while their focus was completely on the coy mare, Jade crept up to the pearl. She could nab the thing from right behind them and assured X-23 as much, while she caught Ocean peering at her with hopeful eyes. Of course, that was when a gunshot rang out, almost sending her toppling back as she flailed and staggered, synthetic limbs whirring. The heads of the guards and Moray shot up, Ocean whirled in the water. Yet the attack had not been directed at any of them.

“Please, please, we didn’t see…” The bleeding slaver mare dragged herself down the central aisle of the stands before there was another crack and her head popped in a flash of crimson flames.

For a stallion that looked so much like an aquatic predator, the fiery weapon Mako gripped in his mouth blasted bolts of burning death. At his flanks were two more guards, as well as several collard slaves, including the one Jade had spoken to below.

Goddesses, damn it. She hissed internally as she steadied herself on the throne. If he deals with his own like that then they’re…

It was a shock the slave stallion’s legs didn’t break as Mako kicked him down beside the bloodied body of the failed slaver. One of the other slaves, a mare, lurched for him with a whimper only to be heaved back by her chains as the great gray stallion holstered his weapon and growled.

“You just had to make things difficult, didn’t you?” As the guards held back the other slaves, Mako strode forward, towering over the fallen buck. “Now, if she couldn’t tell me who broke you out, maybe you can?”

He jabbed a forehoof at the mare he’d executed, as the slave stammered weakly. Little more than whimpers emerged from his quivering muzzle as Mako retrieved a red switch from his barding.

The detonator! Jade’s mind screamed, yet she was at an impasse, with only seconds left of stealth, she could barely get out with just one of her objectives.

“I really, really don’t want to have to blow this,” Mako growled holding the detonator up in one forehoof. “Tell me what this ghost is!”

“Please, I… I don’t know, please!” begged the slave, lifting his forehooves in a futile defense.

Jade glanced at the pearl, then at the slave about to be blown to bits, biting her bottom lip so hard it was a wonder the rubber didn’t tear as she saw Ocean peering at her. What would Data want!?

“You have three seconds…” Mako warned. “One… Two… Three…”

Celestia damn me! Time slowed to a crawl as Jade dropped into S.A.T.S, aiming right at Mako’s head. I’ll show you who the ghost is!

She executed the spell, Early Retirement sang. The first shot glanced Mako’s metal armor, as the second and third went wild. At first, Jade had no idea who’d shoved her off the throne. Only to bawk as Moray casually blundered into her. The two mares hit the floor, Jade’s metallic ass cracking the tiles with a clang as the gun was knocked from her grip.

Ouch, what the…? She rubbed the back of her forehead, only to look up and see Moray, the two guards, and Ocean all staring at her very visible form. Oh, fuck!

“What the fuck!?” Moray asked, seemingly just as dazed before she yelled. “Intruder, intruder!”

Jade dove for her weapon, yet the second she was out from behind the throne bolts of magical death lit up the ground around her, scorching the tiles black. Moray staggered back, scooping up Early Retirement and aiming it at the synthetic mare.

“Say hello to the goddesses for me!” she called, while the irony of being shot by her own weapon was not lost on Jade.

I had a good run, sorry Data. She thought, yet before the salty mare could fire, a grizzled voice boomed.

“Wait!” With a hint of reluctance, Moray withdrew, the whole stage shaking as Jade saw Mako make his way on from the reflection in the glass. “Now, Moray, is that any way to treat our guest?”

The stallion spoke in about as courteous a voice as somepony like him could muster as he nodded for his guards to flank the throne. Jade could see their marks on her E.F.S as clear as their reflections in the glass as Ocean lingered in the water beyond with a solemn expression. Spying her own, as well as Moray lurking just out of sight with her weapon, she cursed herself for trying to be the hero.

What in Equestria was that bitch even doing back here? Moray had not approached the pearl expecting to find Jade, that much was obvious, yet it felt like the last of her concerns right now.

I should have just taken the pearl, worked out another way to get the detonator. She thought, sure that Data would agree with the sentiment. Sacrifice a little to save the many.

“Well, I’ll say as far as hospitality goes, you’ve been lacking,” Jade called, marking his position on her E.F.S as she had an idea.

S.A.T.S is used to shoot things, right? She thought, hoping for some reassurance from X-23, but the suit seemed utterly worn out. Surely I can use it to grab stuff too.

“My apologies. It’s not often we have visitors that treat the place so carelessly,” Mako responded, as Jade noted one of the red bars making their way towards the screen by the glass, much to Ocean’s terror. “Still, looks like I’m not at a total loss.”

The armored mare appeared right next to the glass’s terminals, pulling up a visor crafted from wood and a welding mask.

“Looks like all that talk about a ghost was right after all,” she muttered, tapping the console.

The electrical hum filled the room as Ocean silently screamed, writhing in the water as if she were a puppet tugged by invisible strings.

“No, what are you doing!?” Jade called, jumping up, only to have four sets of beam weapons all aimed at her.

Wasn’t the whole point of this body not to be pinned down like this? She thought, pretty sure not even her synthetic hide could stand up to all of that magical firepower. Great, I’m using it so well!

“My, my, look at you,” Mako observed, appearing genuinely impressed, before glancing at the slaves beside him. “Looks like you weren’t lying.”

“Disciple of the sea goddess, save us!” the two collard mares called, holding out their scarred forehooves. “We beg, we beg!”

The sight stung, to think she’d become their only hope, strutted about with such swagger and confidence only to be caught in a trap like this.

Damn my heart, I should have just stayed hidden! She hated herself for thinking so soullessly, but at the same time, it was all she’d been trained to do.

“Moray, take them back to the pens, I’ll deal with you later.” The sandy-yellow mare’s face dropped as she stopped twirling Early Retirement in her magical grip.

“W–what, but I caught her!?” she snapped, only to shrink away under his gaze as one of his guards snatched the pistol from her.

“And yet I have to wonder just why you were back there,” he growled, turning the mare paler than Jade’s own ceramic hide.

“F–fine,” the mare muttered.

She trudged off, tugging on the slaves’ chained collars with her magic as the guard handed Mako Early Retirement.

“I see what all of this is about,” he muttered, nodding for the guard to shock Ocean again, leaving the mare bobbing at the top of the tank like an overfed goldfish.

“Stop it, it’s me you want, not her!” Jade declared, jabbing a forehoof at him, only for him to smirk.

“It’s not the first time my pet has tried to get some help from the outside,” he cooed, inspecting the pistol. “Don’t worry, I can’t afford to kill her, you on the other hoof…”

Think, Jade, think. She wracked her brain for anything, yet synthetic or not she was pretty sure she was going to be either shot, or fed to his far hungrier pet any second. Come on, you good-for-nothing computer, think!

She thought about grabbing the detonator and gun, but he could just have his guards shoot her. No, she needed something bigger.

“Twenty-five years I’ve run this joint, seen all there is to see wash up, but nothing like you,” he mused, then his face hardened. “Though when Red gets a load of you. I’m sure the lack of slaves this quarter won’t matter.”

“Take her alive.” He gave another nod to the guards, adding. “And make sure our star attraction’s learned her lesson.”

“Teach you to mess with the water talisman again,” the slaver mare shocking the glass muttered, and at that, Jade’s mind clicked.

She glanced back at Ocean, writhing at the very peak of the glass, core magic flaring as she called.

“Ocean, toss me the talisman!”

The fishy mare half threw, half flailed, letting go of the thing and smacking it with her tail. Yet it was just enough, and the second it was in the air, Jade caught it in her magic. She could feel its buzz, the static hue almost every talisman gave off. Yet it was far stronger than she was used to, reinforcing what the centuries-old recording said about them.

“Really, what do you expect to do with that?” Mako asked smugly.

“I’m going to do this!” she called, sending a mental note to her suit to brace herself.

She forced all of her magical will into the talisman, and just like the aquarium workers all those decades ago warned, the thing erupted in a jet of rushing water. Easily as thick as a whole pony, the watery beam struck Mako square in the face, casting him back with a grunt as the guards were all swept off their hooves by the swell. In the same instance, the force propelled Jade back like a rocket, her back slamming through the scaffold and into the damaged glass of the tank’s right panel. The second she saw them, she used S.A.T.S to scoop up her weapon and the detonator, withdrawing her magic from the talisman with a wet splutter.

There was a crack, a creek, then a drip landed on the tip of her muzzle. A shudder ran through her as she dared peer upwards, right at the web of cracks blossoming out from where she’d impacted the glass.

“Oh, pony feathers!” she muttered, seeing Mako and the guards stagger to their hooves, only for their eyes to pop wide, right as the glass and a lake’s worth of water came crashing down over them.

She had about a second to think before her world became a swirling cacophony of water, foam, and bubbles. The muffled clang of metal, the garbled surge of liquid, and internal scream of X-23 were the only things to break the blurry mess as she was ripped along in the midst of the collapsing scaffold's frame. Beaten and battered against the floor like a rag, she was sure she’d have been mushed to a pulp by the sheer force of the wave had she still been flesh and blood. Before with a bone-cracking thud, her rear impacted the skeletal throne.

Thankful it was the whale rib and not her own spine that buckled, she grasped onto the thing as hard as her metallic hooves would allow. Heaving herself up the bony tower, she burst from the water with a gasp as her vision filled with warnings about impact damage. She ignored it, clutching her pistol and the detonator close as she glanced up to find she was merely a hoof’s length away from Ocean’s pearl. The water bowed around it like some kind of submissive pet. Yet just as soon as Jade reached out, another shape erupted from the water opposite.

“You sly bitch, I’ll kill you!” All sense of smugness was gone from Mako as he snarled at her like a hungry shark. “I get you and Red won’t care about any of this!”

“Sorry to disappoint you!” she called, taking aim with S.A.T.S. The spell’s charge was running low, but time slowed as the shot fired.

Yet for all of Early Retirement’s power, water still hard-countered bullets. Mako ducked, crimson blossoming from where the shots struck his flanks as he swiped a forehoof at her. Only to wince as it cracked against her synthetic hide.

“What in the sea’s name are you?” he called, his own weapon drawn.

“The name’s Ghost!” she spat, the name feeling odd in place of her own, yet just as fitting. “And I’m your worst nightmare!”

Lifting one forehoof as the two were shoved together by the current, she smacked him atop the head, metal hitting his skull with a thud. He ducked away, ripping her from the throne with him, yet just as soon as she was sure she’d be swept away there was a golden flash as Ocean leaped up and dove right at the pearl.

Mako screamed, yet his muffled call only resulted in a stream of bubbles as the necklace around the pearl seemed to uncoil at Ocean’s presence. It opened wide, a perfect fit for her neck as she dove through it and splashed back into the water. A second passed, before there was a flash under the foaming surface and a swirling ball of magic, like that of the artificial sun above rose from the turbulent flow. At its core, the silhouette of Ocean’s fishy body coiled, before flaring out to become…

What in Equestria? Just when she thought the day couldn’t get any crazier, she was looking at Ocean’s feathery wings, her orange beak, and flowing yellow mane. She can fly!

“Jade!” Ocean called, swooping low over the water with new talons outstretched. “Don’t worry, I got you!”

“What, you’re a griffin!?” the synthetic mare called as Ocean grabbed her forelegs. “You didn’t tell me you’re a griffin!”

“Hippogriff actually, it’s a long story!” she responded, face contorting as she struggled to lift Jade from the liquid. “Gah, you’re too heavy!”

Great, Data really did make me fat! She thought, only to shove the bitterness aside. No, think, you can do this!

“Get out of this water now or so help me, I’ll find a way to float off you!” X-23 screamed internally, sparking an idea. Float, of course!

Holstering her pistol, Jade’s magic flared. Her heart felt like it was on fire as her whole body thrummed like an engine. Yet the magical glow wrapped around her all the same, lessening her weight just enough for Ocean to pull away from the water. Hanging there, she noticed that true to what the mare said, she was in fact not a griffin. At least Jade was sure griffins didn’t boast the rear end of a pony in place of a cat’s.

Just how many things did I not know before the war? She had to wonder, using the last of her magical power to grip both the detonator and talisman.

“Whatever you’re doing, keep doing it!” Ocean called, beating her feathery wings hard as she strained. “We can get out through the roof!”

“Just hurry, I don’t know how long I can keep it up!” Jade called as warnings about core stability flashed in her vision.

In the same instance, she glanced up, seeing there was indeed a skylight, yet the windows were so mottled, barely any sun broke through. The beams that did, were absorbed by the central orb, allowing it to project its blue hue.

We did it, just one step away! She thought, right as Ocean yelped and the two of them were tugged down with a hard lurch.

“You’re not going anywhere!” Mako called, dragging himself up and wrapping one forehoof around Ocean’s necklace. “Do you have any idea what that pearl was powering!?”

“I don’t care, I’m not gonna be your show mare anymore!” Ocean called, trying to kick him off, right as Jade’s blood ran cold.

There was a scream as something dark snaked under the water, dragging one of the guards that had been clinging to the side of the room under in a spray of gore.

Oh no! The thought flared in the synthetic mare’s mind right as the snaking mass of hungry tentacle maws burst from the water under the trio. It was powering the water walls!

“Get off me!” Ocean called, giving one almighty buck into Mako’s chest, while Jade grabbed the one thing she could, his fiery weapon.

She smacked him across the face with the crimson gun, and the buck screamed as he fell away, snagging Ocean’s necklace with him as the thing snapped from around her neck with a wet crack. For a second Jade was terrified the mare would become a fish again. Yet she kept flying as Mako fell right into the set of hungry maws. They parted like a nest of snakes, and she watched as he vanished into a vast, tooth-lined tunnel emerging between them, the pearl along with him.

That’s one big mouth! There was only one red bar, and that belonged to the hulking mass of blubbery flesh, maws, and obsidian-black eyes that was the thing’s main body. What in Luna’s name!?

“Jade, the roof!” Ocean called, struggling to dart around the flurry of tentacles the thing shot up at them.

She had barely enough space to move, let alone dodge as the water rose and the roof became closer. Magical core screaming, vision red with warnings, Jade took aim, using the last of her charge to target the glass in S.A.T.S.

The spell executed, the fiery shots of the weapon fired, and the dirty glass came crashing down in a shimmering deluge of sharp shards. The glass cut a few of the tentacles to ribbons as the watery beast coiled back from the sun’s sickly glow. No matter how overcast it was outside, it was still brighter than inside as Ocean swerved and darted through the jagged breach. The brisk sea air and heavy rain surged by. Turning Ocean’s hide into a shaggy mess as the monster burst from the glass below.

Free, its tendrils were all over the building, even wrapping around the cruise ship rammed into its flank. Jade’s vision was almost completely red, Ocean looked like she was about to come crashing down, and that series of maws waited hungrily below.

All I have is a pistol, about a hundred collars ready to blow, and a water… She recalled just how violently the talisman produced water when prompted. Okay, Data, let’s see how much this core can take!

She took the thing out, hovered it in the air, and screamed as pain flared in her heart. She had no idea whether it was real agony or not, but she poured all of her remaining magic into the arcane stone. Her power warnings flashed to zero, Ocean staggered in the air, and the talisman fell right into the thing’s maw. The second she let it go, water blasted out in every direction, far more violently than even the collapsing tank. It vanished into the thing’s mouth, a moment passed then another, as Ocean faltered, and Jade lingered in lucid awareness.

“I… I can’t hold it!” Jade felt herself slip, yet she could hardly register the fact as she watched the fleshy mass below start to swell and distort, bubbling like melted butter before water tore from its side, then one of its many eyes.

“Jade!” Ocean called, as the synthetic mare slipped, plummeting down towards the water as the beast swelled like a balloon and burst in a wave of sickly, black gore.

Footnote: Level up

New Perk Added: Action Filly - You were always the one who said she wanted to see some action. You gain an additional 15 Action Points to use in V.A.T.S.