Fallout: Equestria - Most Dangerous Game

Chapter Eight:

Jade was no stranger to conflict, for years she had seen ponies battle, seen mares and stallions killing one another. She’d been there to ensure they were trained just right to kill each other in the most efficient of ways, overseeing the creation of tools that only made killing even easier. Yet that had always been from behind a screen or the other side of reinforced glass. She was an overseer, and observer, she had never truly been a soldier, even if part of her had always longed to be a field operative.

In the past few days, however, she was swiftly coming to understand just what that meant. Between fleshy monsters, ponies willing to enslave other ponies, and a whole flurry of gunshots and explosions, it was clear the wasteland was not a simple place. It did not care about organization skills, or years’ worth of training experience. It was all about survival, and she considered herself lucky to have survived her last encounter in hopes that it would never come to bite her in the tail again.

What a stupid hope that was. It was about the only thought racing through her mind, the more biological part stunned as her synthetic side flared red, detailing the many ways she could kill the mare before her, not to mention the threats of retaliation. How in Luna’s name did she even make it out of there?

By the look of Moray’s muddy coat, frazzled mane, and crumbling armor, she had to guess the slaver had escaped with great difficulty. She reeked more of grimy salt now than she had days ago, looking like she’d just crawled her way out of a bog. Yet for all of her griminess, there was one thing the mare possessed that Jade did not, a weapon. Despite being what appeared to be just a fish hook on a stick, the bladed tip of the rusty weapon was thrust at Jade’s face, scraping her forelegs, before she instantly reared up and brought her weight down on the thing, shattering it in two with a splintering crack.

“Hey, watch it!” she called reflexively, as her more biological side caught up with the synthetic instincts.

It took her a moment to realize that this wasn’t just some casual office dispute, such simple retaliation was far less than what was warranted as she took a step back, hearing a small huff as she bumped into Ocean’s downy plumage.

“Watch it? You serious, I–I’ll kill you!” Moray spat, even if she cautiously took a step back of her own, glancing around as if for another weapon. “Fucking Pale Ghost, you’re just some freak, some weapon sent by Red Eye or something!”

“A what now?” Jade asked, cocking her head as she glanced back at Ocean. “I don’t even know what a Red Eye is?”

The hippogriff just shrugged, her own visible confusion clear as Jade kicked the broken weapon aside and rounded on Moray.

“But I am serious, what you were doing back there was wrong!” Moray froze, seemingly stunned, and only then did Jade see the rest of the blue bars on her E.F.S.

The tavern was filled with ponies, all as rough as those outside, while there were even a pair of griffins in the mix. The latter creatures were absolutely armed to the teeth, flanking the bar that spanned the opposite side of the room, while the walls on either side of her were lined with shabby seating booths and tables. Every pony had stopped what they were doing, be it drinking or gambling in odd little games of dice and sea shells. All looked at her, some with fear, others with scorn, while a few more just looked like they’d seen a literal ghost. Cybernetic or not, Jade felt heat in her cheeks at the attention, feeling every pair of eyes on her like scolding beams as her heated ears folded.

“X-23, if you want to take this as a signal to go stealth mode, be my guest,” she muttered internally, yet there was nothing from the suit as Ocean awkwardly waved to the crowd, muttering a silent ‘hiya’.

Then, half a dozen or so of the patrons, Moray included, burst out laughing as Jade peered on in confusion.

“Filly, I don’t know what chems you’re jacked up on in that fancy suit of yours, but are you serious!?” Like some schoolyard bully reinforced by the support of others, Moray smirked, adding in a mockery of Jade’s voice. “What you were doing back there was wrong?”

She rolled her eyes, nodding for a few of the patrons in support of her to stand, and like good little goons, they stepped up to flank her.

“I don’t know who you think you are, but last time we had some big shot come around acting all heroic like that, I saw them fed to Mako's pet,” she added with a cruel laugh.

“Oh, you mean the pet I popped like a balloon?” Jade shot back, a spur of snide wit conjured in her as if from nowhere.

It’s like in the slave pens again, urg, where is this personality coming from!? She almost felt as if she was just as much like Data then herself as Moray scowled.

“Lucky, all I can say.” The slaver dismissed the topic with a casual flick of one forehoof. “You ain’t all that tough, you and your little fishy bitch back there.”

“Hey, I’m not a fish, I’m a sea pony!” Ocean squawked, but Jade made sure to come between the two as her eyes narrowed.

Maybe some of Data’s wit is not so bad at times like this. She thought, recalling just what she’d seen Moray doing the last time they’d met. She walked right into me, she wasn’t after me, she was up to something.

If there was one advantage her training did give her out here, it was perception. Moray was not as loyal as she wanted others to believe. I wonder if her cronies here know that?

“Leave her out of it, you tortured her enough,” the cyber mare declared with a nod back at the hippogriff. “You got any more colorful things to say, you can say them to me.”

“Oh, you’re breaking our hearts.” The slaver faked a dramatic faint, before hissing. “You’re just lucky I don’t shove you back in that hole you dug.”

“I’d like to see you try,” she countered, only to wince at how much like Data and not herself that sounded. “Pretty sure the only reason you got out was because you were up to something!”

That seemed to take the slaver off guard, and she balked, glancing at the burly-looking ponies on her left and right as she stammered.

“W–what’s that supposed to mean?” Filled with a part of Data or not, the smirk that Jade felt parting her ceramic muzzle was one she wholeheartedly meant to display as she elaborated snidely.

“Back in the throne room, you didn’t see me, you were up to something behind Mako’s back.” She jabbed a forehoof at the mare, and at least half of her gang looked a little put-off. “I know deception when I see it, believe me. I’d say you were trying to sabotage him.”

“But you… I… Red said…” Moray stammered like a foal that had just been caught with her hoof in the cookie jar as several of her companions gave her quizzical looks, before she stomped a forehoof and added sternly. “What does it matter, Mako’s dead, and the dome is gone!”

The burley group appeared on the verge of a full-on schism as half seemed to have been in on Moray’s deception, while the rest huffed and snarled at the reminder of their bosses’ and lair’s demise.

“All we gotta do is deal with you and Red’s gonna…” The mood in the bar suddenly shifted, cutting Moray off as a heavy thud hit the floor, followed by another, until Jade finally realized they were hoof steps.

All eyes turned to the bar, even the burly griffins ruffled, while Moray’s head ground like a millstone as she glanced back. The heavy thud of the mare’s wooden leg was only a bit more pronounced than that of her three natural hooves as the floorboards creaked under her frame. If Mako had been large, then this mare was only a step below, yet her grizzled features made her look no less intimidating. Her coat was a faded red, almost a dull pink, and her mane a paler shade.

Her cutie mark was a simple poppy, under the plethora of scars across her body. She wore a simple apron over her front, while her sky blue eyes passed over the room like a baleful beam. Silencing all in seconds. Even Moray’s words dropped to a dry stutter as Jade’s system flashed all kinds of threats warning about the newcomer, at least until the burly mare finally spoke in a voice harsh as stormy waves.

“What’s going on here?” The wave of intimidation grew tenfold, metal limbs or not, Jade felt the weight of the mare’s stare over her, as Ocean sank down at her back, yet thankfully, her eyes passed by, finally coming to rest on Moray’s little crew. “Somepony need reminding of my number one rule?”

Jade wasn’t even sure Mako’s presents could have made the slavers go from cocky to timid so fast, as half of them wilted like timid foals. There was nothing but a series of mutters from the rest, yet the mare didn’t seem to require more to come to a conclusion.

“Just what I thought,” she declared bluntly, taking a step up to the bar front and leaning against it with her one good foreleg. “Now, care to tell me what the fuss is about?”

“If you’re against fighting so much, Poppy, how about you let us take the mare who messed up the Aqua Dome outside for a few rounds,” Moray sneered, seeming to gleam some more support from her less-than-enthusiastic peers.

Let her try, I could put her in the mud all over again. The whittier side of Jade’s mind jeered, but she slammed a mental door in its face. Did anypony ever teach you about de-escalation, not encouragement!?

The bulky mare, who Jade assumed was the Poppy, Patch-Up had told her about, based on her cutie mark and apron, raised an eyebrow at Moray.

“That’s the one who took out your little party?” she asked, as if not quite impressed. “Her and what army, the bird-brain?”

Ocean seemed a little lost as to whether that insult had been directed at her, only to frown as she realized. Yet before she could speak up, Moray snapped.

“That bird-brain is the fish you were all drooling over, for one!” She jabbed a forehoof at Ocean, adding. “And don’t sound so disappointed, we all know you love dealing with Mako as much as anypony.”

“Aye, I loved that stallion.” That confession from Poppy made Jade’s heart sink, and she too felt like she would wilt into the floor.

Please, don’t make me fight that, Mako was bad enough! She begged, while the more Datastream-like part of her was almost giddy to kick off the lab coat and fight. Nah, we can take her, trust me!

Moray smirked at Jade, while Poppy scooped a tankard from the bar, filled it with a frothy liquid, and downed it in one go. Wiping the foamy mustache it left on her muzzle, she called.

“Loved his little squeals as I sank his ship with my port!” That bold declaration drew a whole lot more laughter and cheering from the tavern than Moray’s did as Poppy slammed the mug down, adding. “Girl, me fucking that tight-tail was about the only thing setting him in his place, for the record, I’m glad he’s chum.”

That seemed to have all of the slavers reeling as they took a step back, yet Jade was still between them and the door.

“Hardly makes you any better, I know you deal in slaves too!” Moray spat, seeming to way up whether she could barge her way out.

“True, I deal in whatever I gotta to keep my place secure, and now that option’s off the table.” She smirked and chuckled. “Can’t say I’m gonna miss it!”

There was a fresh wave of cheers and laughter from the tavern as Poppy lifted her mug high and declared. “To the mare that told Mako where he can shove his fish-sticks!”

To see the whole place go from scowling at her like a stranger, to cheering her name and raising a toast was more than a little jarring, her burning ears folded again, as she saw Moray’s bitter expression twitch as if it could shatter like brittle glass. Even Ocean cheered, a far giddier gesture as she threw up both forelimbs in glee, flaring her wings, only to wince.

“Ouch, still not a good maneuver,” she muttered, falling to the floor, and clutching the feathery limb, as Moray hissed under her breath.

“Savage, Marervada scum.” As hushed as the insult was, Jade’s ears were more than capable of detecting it, and it appeared she was not the only one.

Poppy, it appeared, didn’t need to be a cyber mare to detect a jab at her name, her rugged ears perked, and her eyes locked on Moray like deadly turrets.

“What was that?” she asked, voice level and firm as she slowly set her drink down on the bar top.

“I… I… Nothing, nothing!” Moray stammered, looking to the door, only to pause as Jade blocked her way.

Oh no, you’re not going anywhere, slippery one. She thought, in agreement with her more confident side. It’ll be good to see some justice for once.

Yet Poppy didn’t even stand, she nodded her head at the slavers, calling. “Gannet, Alby, I think we can add banning anyone from Aqua Dome to the list of rules.”

“Could not agree more,” one of the griffins, notably the female of the pair, agreed as the two moved to escort the slavers out.

“Ain’t gonna get up yourself then, maybe Marervada isn’t right after all,” Moray spat, seemingly in disregard for her own wellbeing as Jade stepped aside to let the griffins do their work.

“Filly, one more word out of you and I won’t be so kind,” Poppy said simply, not even bothering to spare the slaver mare a glance as she and her group were shoved out, muttering a slew of curses about talon mercs.

The second the rabble was gone, however, the atmosphere shifted. The tense air was once again filled with chatter. The cheers of game winners and the clatter of mugs on tables. If it had been a little less dirty, Jade could almost imagine she was back in her time. The small bit of very Datastream-like disappointment bubbling in her at the fact she’d not gotten to fight was a subtle reminder that was definitely not the case, as her more reasoned side shifted to look back at Ocean.

“You good?” she asked, and the bubbly hippogriff nodded, seemingly happily as she made an odd swiping motion with her claws.

“Oh, I feel great… Wing aside, that is!” she declared, wincing as she added. “But we really showed her!”

“That you did.” Jade’s smile faded a little as she looked back to see Poppy address her. “Don’t think Moray would have got a hoof in edgeways.”

“T–thanks, but I’m not that good a fighter,” Jade stammered, only for a little blue pegasus in her head to cross her forelegs and pout.

Poppy only rolled her eyes, downing another mug of frothy brew as she casually waved Jade over with a forehoof. “Come take a seat, girl.”

It didn’t seem that this was the mare to say no to. So glancing back at Ocean, and earning another shrug, Jade did just that, stepping over and planting her butt on the stool beside Poppy, only to hear the thing creek under her weight.

Urg, no wonder the comments about my weight make my mane tingle? She thought, as her ears folded.

“Denser than you look,” Poppy observed, with a small chuckle. “Back home head hard as a rock was a good thing. Though, looks like you’re a hit of tackle above that, girl.”

“You have no idea, really,” Jade sighed, as Poppy nodded to the bar, right as the two griffins stepped back in.

“Can’t say I do, fancy pony stuff’s not my thing,” she assured, tapping the wood of her bar. “All I need is a steady deck and strong wind in my sails.”

Ocean crept up beside Jade at that, earning an odd look from one of the griffins, as the two muttered about butts looking all out of place.

“Say, you drink?” Poppy asked, drawing Jade’s attention back to the bar as she nodded to the plethora of alcohol on the mirrored shelves opposite.

Do I, can I even get drunk anymore? she wondered, always having been a wine mare herself. I assume that craving for cider is Data’s thing… Urg, what did she do to me!?

“I was always more of a wine mare, not so much… Well, that…” She jabbed a forehoof at Poppy’s brew, and the mare chuckled, going on about Marervada classics, as she nodded for one of the griffins to retrieve a bottle of wine.

Surprised they actually had the stuff, she was sure if anything could get her drunk it was wine aged almost two centuries.

“Not my taste, but I've been wanting to crack that one open for years,” Poppy told her as the griffin casually popped the cork. “And you?” she asked Ocean.

“Oh, me… I…” She tapped her claws together. “I’ll just take whatever you’re having,” she declared, stiffening.

Poppy blinked, glancing at the griffin, who only smirked.

“Be my guest,” the large mare said simply, as the griffin poured more of the frothy brew, sliding the mug across the bar top to the hippogriff.

“See if that can’t put the feline back in your rear,” the griffin muttered, shooting the orange mare a coy look as Jade took a sip of her own drink.

The dark red liquid stung her tongue, sensory receptors still allowing her to taste the stuff pretty clearly, even if it failed to leave the warmness in her gut she recalled. Yet that fond memory of the past was forgotten as Poppy turned to her and asked.

“So, you really did take out Mako’s little fun house?” She smirked and once again Jade felt flustered. “It was enough to cover your tab with the Doc’. But for that, I guess you can fill me in on the details?”

“I… Thanks for that, but…” She lifted both forehooves, baffled. “I won’t lie, it sounds like you know more than me.”

She sighed, peering at her glass as she shifted back to rest both forehooves on the bar top.

“I know this is gonna sound crazy, but I’ve not been here so long, the aquarium was the first place I found where there was any pony else,” she added.

Poppy looked her up and down, and Jade assumed her new form was enough of a giveaway that things were not so normal with her.

Exactly how many other synthetic mares have I seen out here? She could feel the creeping sense her body was not her own yet again. All things considered, I’m probably just as strange to them as all this is to me.

“Looking at you, I’d say that’s a damn sight true, girl,” Poppy responded, taking another pull of her drink. “But the aquarium? Damn, great first impression.”

That’s the understatement of the century. The more brash side of her brain muttered, yet she cut it off. No, no, let’s not agitate the big mare now, Jade!

“It sure was something, I’ll say that,” she muttered, taking another sip of her drink. “You sound like you’ve been there though?”

“More than a few times, folks here don’t like to admit it, but Horseshoe Hollow was under the hoof of those bastards for a long time,” Poppy responded, glancing back over her shoulder. “Though, Mako was not as tough as he looked.”

“Could have fooled me,” Jade muttered with a shudder, only to utter a small ‘eep’ as Poppy practically slammed her on the back with a forehoof.

If she’d not been synthetic, she was sure she’d have bashed head-first into the bar top, as the larger mare chuckled.

“Please, you give him way too much credit,” she declared, taking another deep gulp of her drink. “I’m glad he’s gone, and his flashy shows to boot.”

She glanced over Jade, peering at Ocean, who looked only a little tipsy from the foamy brew.

“No offense, of course. Though, I never took you for a land lover.” The hippogriff blinked, then hiccupped as Poppy added. “Though, gotta say, loving the new pair of legs, ass is killer.”

“Aww, thank you!” Ocean beamed, swaying just a little as the two griffins watched her with sly amusement.

“So what was he to you?” Jade asked, folding as she felt Ocean lean on her side, only to shove the hippogriff back upright with a forehoof as the yellow creature drunkenly babbled about fine tail and fish legs.

“Mako fancied himself a tribal king once. Though his eyes were always on the sea, used to captain a ship called the Hammerhead, same one that scooped up your friend there.” She nodded to Ocean as the griff frowned. “Sold the thing a few years back though, set up the aquarium for a mare called Red Turret.”

That name perked Jade’s attention, her ears standing tall as she recognized it as the same one Mako and Moray had both muttered about.

“And who’s that, both he and Moray talked about her, but I didn’t get any details?” For a split second Poppy appeared put off, and the idea anything could give this mare pause filled Jade with worry, at least until she resumed her talk.

“Nasty piece of work, fancies herself a super boss, if you will.” She leaned forward, resting her one good forehoof on the bar as her wooden leg tapped the counter. “Must be something to do with the name Red, filly thinks she’s giving folks in Fillydelphia a run for their caps.”

“Caps?” Jade asked, noting just how much she’d seen the things traded around the wasteland so far, earning a chuckle from Poppy with her quizzical look.

“You’re really not from around here, huh?” the larger mare asked, pulling out a few rusty Sparkle Cola caps. “Everything out here’s traded with caps, old world bits may fetch you something, but caps are where it’s at.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Jade responded, as Poppy slid her one of the metallic trinkets, assuring her one drink was on the house. “Not that I have any.”

“Gotta work for it, I know there’s a few folks around the wasteland who’ll pay for honest work, most of all from a mare who’s proved she can get things done,” Poppy assured, taking another pull of her drink, and slamming down the empty mug. “You’re gonna need it, most of all if a mare like Red’s after you.”

Seems like I’m just the best at making powerful enemies. She thought, not even having gotten around to any of her apparent foes from before the war. Surely this super slaver boss can’t come after me, I’m just one mare?

She said as much, and Poppy laughed, slapping her on the shoulders again as Ocean giggled at the interaction giddily.

“Little filly, the Aqua Dome was probably Red’s biggest asset, that mare holds a grudge over so much as a stubbed hoof, you can be damn sure she’ll come after you.” Jade wilted a little at that, sighing as she slumped.

“Great, care to point me in the opposite direction?” she asked and once again the bulky mare chuckled.

“You’re stuck right between her lands to the west and south, so you either head north into the snow, or out to sea. Not too many options I’m afraid.” She glanced over at Ocean as she added. “Most of all with fish legs out of commission.”

Just another thing I have to worry about, her pearl. She felt more than a little guilty not to have gotten the thing out of the fray too, even as Ocean muttered she could swim perfectly fine as she was.

“Any helpful advice then?” she asked, finishing her wine, and feeling not the least bit drunk as Poppy thought for a moment, then went on.

“If you wanna avoid Red, you’ll have to swing further south, bit close to the Dustbowl for most folk’s liking though.” She shrugged at that, as if she were well above most folks, before adding. “Should probably speak to Code first, filly may have some advice on your more…” She gestured a forehoof at Jade as a whole. “Fancy stuff.”

“Yeah, the doctor mentioned her too, helped patch me up,” Jade muttered, and Poppy nodded, assuring her that if any pair could do it, it was them.

Therefore, thanking the bar mare for the drink and talk, she hopped off the stool and looked to the door, only for the larger mare to clear her throat.

“Forgetting something, are we?” she asked, nodding to Ocean as the hippogriff practically dribbled off the stool after her.

“I don’t forget. I have a better memory than… A goldfish!” the hippogriff hiccupped, jabbing a talon at Poppy as she and her griffin guards all smirked.

The irony of a rustic shack once specializing in the sale of old-world antiquities having become a workshop for the most modern and wacky machinations of the town didn’t seem lost on anypony as Jade entered through the creaky double doors. The place was gloomy, the perpetual salty tinge in the air permeated by an electrical buzz Jade was pretty sure she could only hear because she was as much a machine as the many terminals littering the place. They filled the shadows with a sickly green glow, only a little brighter than the dull sunlight outside as she stepped between the aisles of spare parts.

Like mounds of mechanical gore, wires, circuit boards, and drivers splayed from the cracked open cases of shattered terminals, while lights blinked, and fans hummed. Robot parts were slung about as if scattered by a hurricane of metal, as wracks of Mr Handy stalks and disabled Ponytrons hung from the far wall. Jade didn’t even want to think what was in the rear room of the store, as she caught the electrical flash accompanied by a crackle like tesla coils and sparks. She merely made her way to the front desk, a rather quaint-looking counter, all things neatly organized with one terminal, a keyboard, and a bell. The latter of which, she rang once.

“Wow, I’ve never seen so much shiny stuff!” Ocean said, gazing about the gloomy room in stunned awe, comparable to a filly in a toy store as Jade rolled her eyes.

Note to self, never let her drink again. She had a feeling allowing the mare to have such a strong brew was a small joke on Poppy’s part.

Yet just as soon as the thoughts crossed her mind, there was a buzz in her ears, she looked back at the counter to see the tell-tale grill of what she quickly recognized as a sprite bot. She knew the things from before the war. The MoM had had them on every street, not to mention the ones her own office had commandeered for test purposes. This one merely bobbed from side to side, its diaphanous wings fluttering as she lifted a forehoof to wave at it.

What, being formal to robots now? I really am just like one of them! She flicked the off switch on those ideas again as she muttered.

“Hello there, I’m looking for Code Runner,” she asked, and after a second of awkward silence, the robot let out an oddly bird-like squawk.

The tinny sound had Ocean standing to attention, stiffer than a board, as if she’d just heard the worst slur imaginable, while the sprite bot’s speaker crackled, popped, and stammered.

“Bawk, Gadget, Gadget wants bolts and screws!” Leaning back, Jade blinked at the thing as it hovered in closer and spoke again. “Bawk, Welcome to Code Runner’s cove for all things technical!”

“Erm, thanks!” she muttered, ears pressed flat to her mane as she took another step back, almost bumping into Ocean, who was tapping her claws on every bit of scrap within reach.

“Gadget, get back to the charging station,” came the monotone voice of a mare seconds later, and as the levitating bot swiveled to the newcomer, Jade got a good look at her.

Her coat was a dull gray, her mane red, almost like the red text of a warning message in her new sight. From the look of her stable jumpsuit, pipbuck, and goggles, she assumed this mare was Code Runner. An oddly small, earth pony mare for her apparent reputation as a technical wizard. She looked to be the exact opposite of Poppy as she added in a voice almost as flat as a robot’s.

“Gadget, now, or there’s no charging tonight.” The sprite bot bobbed, then dipped as if mimicking a frown as it muttered a series of sad coos and hovered over to a wired socket in the wall, nestling into the mesh like a bird’s nest. “Sorry, he gets things mixed up these days, the greeting is supposed to come before the begging for spare parts.”

The mare wiped her forehooves off on an oily rag, trotting up to the counter and pushing up her goggles, only to frown as she caught Ocean jabbing a claw at her wears.

“Please, don’t touch that,” she muttered dully, and the hippogriff froze, eyes wide as she drew back, talons locked firmly below her, and wings glued to her side.

Of course, that was the moment the whole pile of scrap came crashing down in a series of clatters, bangs, and a cloud of dust.

“Sorry,” the half-bird equine muttered quickly, rubbing the back of her neck as she swayed a little. “I can fix it!”

“No, no, just leave it!” Code Runner declared, her voice elevating in tone just a little as from the left side of the store a Ponytron emerged with a broom, shoving by Ocean with a flurry of polite ‘excuse me’s’ and apologies. “Folks these days.”

The technician pressed a forehoof to her face, uttering a deep sigh as Jade made sure Ocean was at her side like they were mother and filly.

Let’s not annoy the one mare who can understand me. She thought, nodding for the tipsy griff to stay put as she finally spoke up.

“I take it you’re Code Runner?” The mare behind the counter smiled, an odd gesture given her monotone voice as she nodded and added.

“You’d be correct.” She stepped up onto the front of the counter, seemingly to get a good look at Jade as she studied the synthetic mare up and down. “And you're just the mare I wanted to talk to.”

Stole the words right out of my mouth. Jade inwardly muttered, feeling oddly naked under the technician’s scrutinous gaze, despite her suit.

“Likewise, I was told you fixed me up.” Jade offered a small smile, while Code Runner seemed to think deeply, dropping back behind the counter. “Thanks for that, by the way.”

“Yes, yes. Rough time, but don’t mention it,” Code muttered, seeming to rummage through scraps under her desk, before retrieving a tape measure. “If nothing else you provided a great technical experience, just look at you; subliminal weave, accelerated magical spell matrixes, internal arcane processor!”

Jade was unsure how a mare could sound so dry, and yet so ecstatic all at once as Code measured her from hooves to tail, practically dashing around with some kind of unseen earth pony sorcery.

“You’re fascinating, good thing too, otherwise it would have been a whole butt-load of caps I’d need!” She drew back and Jade balked at the mention of the newly-identified currency.

“Y–you want caps… I…” She winced, unsure what she could say. “Sorry, but I’m kind of broke.”

“Don’t worry, I understand the value of information and I learned plenty from you.” Code waved off the idea, scribbling in a notebook she’d retrieved from under the desk. “Saving the town thing too, no more forced to fix slaver collars, it’s a plus.”

“You worked on collars?” Jade asked, feeling a hint of bitterness as she glanced over to see the scrawl in Code’s book looked like some long-dead language.

“Not like I had many options, was either that or the whole town ended up in them.” She said that as if it was the last thing she wished to go into. “Besides, half the slaves would have just been popped by glitches if not for me, giving you time to get them out.”

I supposed that logic is sound. She thought, feeling only a little put off at how calculatedly Code spoke of slaves and death. At least I don’t feel that cold, and she’s more mare than me.

“Funny you say that, I was told to come see you about that… Or at least getting my stuff back,” Jade asked, tapping a forehoof on the counter.

Code perked up, blinked once, then nodded, gesturing back over her shoulder, towards the room with the sparks.

“Oh, it’s in the back, by the servo table,” she said dismissively, then went back to taking notes. “Say, do you feel heat, cold, touch sensitivity? What was it like underwater, Ocean mentioned you were submerged for some time.”

Wait, she’s asking me, I thought she was supposed to be the one with the answers? Jade thought, frowning only a little as she informed Code things felt weird on all accounts.

“Interesting, very interesting,” the earth pony noted, tapping her pencil to her mouth. “Your neural network integration is like nothing I’ve seen. I know about using the brain as a central processor, but in you...” She looked up, seemingly measuring Jade’s head between her framed forehooves. “Well, your brain is synthetic, the integration is almost seamless.”

Great, that proves it then, my brain is not my own. It felt like it should have been obvious, but there had always been a small hope in her that part of her old self was still there. My mind really is just a mess of plastic and metal.

“But what does that mean!?” she suddenly exclaimed, only to draw back a little as Code balked. “Sorry, sorry, I didn’t mean to shout just… Well, I really want to know what’s going on inside my head.”

“You and me both, your mind’s a mess of storage as far as I can see.” Code chewed on the end of her pencil as she peered at Jade with curious eyes. “Somepony put things in there, they were all firing when I was trying to reboot you.”

Exactly when I saw the dream with Datastream. She noted, feeling both a warm buzz and a chill down her robotic spine. Is she really in my head?

“Your suit too, it’s interfaced with your brain. Though, that’s an utterly different personality matrix… Helped a little fixing you up, even if it called you a reckless fool over and over.” Jade winced at that, feeling an odd hiccup of what could be considered laughter from her suit as she pressed.

“No mention of a mare named Datastream?” Uttering the name aloud felt wrong, as if she had no right to do so after what she’d done.

There was a quiver from X-23 at the mention, but Code Runner shook her head, then shrugged as she folded her notebook closed.

“Not that I can tell, though understanding all of you with what I have here is impossible. You’re lucky I was able to get you up and running again,” she elaborated, and Jade’s ears drooped along with her head as she sighed.

Great, so much for answers then. She thought, looking back as she felt Ocean place a talon on her shoulder, patting her gently. Well, at least somepony cares.

“I guess that’s all you can tell me then?” she asked, glancing back at Code, who shrugged and nodded casually.

“Unless you want to buy me a lab. But you said you’re broke, right?” The odd mare looked to be living in hope as Jade huffed.

“Then I guess, if you have my things, I could really do with them back,” she asked, equally blunt as she held out a forehoof.

“Right, right, yes, just give me a second,” Code responded, trotting off into the back room as Jade rested her head on the counter.

“There, there, it’ll be okay,” Ocean muttered, seeming to regain a little of her composure, “Things can’t be that bad, right?

Easy for her to say. She thought, only to note. Then again, she is stuck up here, she’s never going to be able to go home.

“I guess,” she added with a sigh, tapping her metal forelegs together as if they were still not quite her own.

“So what next?” Ocean beamed, and it occurred to Jade that the hippogriff may not mind being stuck with her too much.

That’s a good question, what do I do next? She asked herself, pretty sure tracking down things left over from her past was a good start, while avoiding whoever may be after her. Yet I’ve no idea where to even start.

“I guess we go look for somepony who can tell me what I need to know, avoid these crazy slavers where we can,” she declared, as the sound of Code dragging in a sack of gear sounded.

“Here it is, all we could find, plus a little extra,” she informed, nodding to Ocean. “Some of the folks here thought their mare of the sea needed a little more protection.”

I guess being seen as a goddess goes a long way. Jade noted, as Code revealed a set of griffin barding, while Ocean blinked, then blushed.

“Thanks,” Jade assured, levitating out her weapon and checking the magazine, while Code scribbled more notes about her synthetic telekinesis only to pause mid pen stroke.

“You know… No, it’s stupid, you’d…” She stammered, and Jade’s focus perked as she asked.

“What is it?” Code drew back, lifting a forehoof to her chin in thought as she glanced around the room and finally added.

“You mentioned looking for answers?” Jade nodded, while the technician bit her bottom lip. “Well, I may not know, but I could direct you to somepony who might.”

Footnote: Level up

New Perk Added: Presence - Rank One: Maybe it’s your looks, maybe it’s just the synthetic glow, but you command attention by just walking into a room. The initial reaction of another person is improved by 10% for each level of this Perk.