Fallout Equestria: Brotherhood

CHAPTER 28: DARKNESS OF THE SOUL

"When I first saw my son's potential in politics, I had to teach him the special Stable-Tech curriculum. His mind, body and magical abilities suggest that he's ready. But there are dark things, terrible things, that these tests have done to the subjects, and hopefully, my son hasn't been infected with this thing my co-workers are calling the dark soul."

In the cool stillness of the early morning, the five ponies marched with Wester leading at the front. Not a single gust nor breeze blew that day. The whole of the world was silent. Only the muffled hoof steps of the ponies stepping upon the earth below their hooves could be heard. Not far before them, some two miles away, were the tops of dozens of smaller buildings -- cracked and shattered by the war that was fought long ago. This left every building in the distance like an empty shell. Windows disintegrated into nothingness added to the lonely scene. Even on the outer walls, dark blast marks coated every other wall.

Near the group along the dry, dusty highway, were heaps of decaying foliage left over from several of the withered husks of trees that were dotted along the road's side. Stepping off of the rocky path and onto the relieving smoothness of the road's pavement, the five ponies went on toward the outskirts of Silvermane City.

Everypony was tired from the night before, including Wester. In each step the ponies of the group took, a faint, groggy shuffle could be detected. While the exhaustion did not disrupt their march entirely, it was an annoyance which they would be happy to get rid of.

Down the road, past rusted highway signs, now tipped over onto their sides by the weakened steel supports that once held them up, was the city. Buildings appeared along the side of the road as they advanced. From old single-story shops to devastated grocery stores, the city was -- by every means -- completely deserted.

Neo and Adam looked around the various buildings that now surrounded them. Watching them in awe, Neo said, "Wow, there really isn't anything here, is there?"

"Nope," Lucy replied. "Not a thing, by the looks of it."

"Is it usually this empty?" Adam asked, turning his head slightly toward Wester.

Nodding earnestly, Wester said, "I've been in this part of the city a few times when I worked for the freelancers. The Legion doesn't come here often and the raiders tend to keep away from this place."

"Why do you suppose that is?" Adam queried.

Wester shrugged. "I'm not sure. It could be many reasons. From the lack of supplies to the open streets. Sometimes slavers come on through. Your guess is as good as mine."

The news were oddly unnerving. Something was dreadfully wrong, though try as they could, no pony could lay a hoof on just what that problem might be.

Glancing at the shattered roofs, Lucy shrugged. "It could be because nopony wants to travel through this maze. I mean, if it were me, I'd just hop along the tops of the buildings, using my wings to glide across the streets and stuff."

Raising a questioning eyebrow at the mare, Ally replied briskly, "What about us? You know, the ponies that can't fly."

"Eh." Lucy smirked playfully. "I'd just help you find the quickest way out, of course. I'm not that much of a jerk, am I?"

Nopony replied to her as they walked along the broken, littered sidewalks. Passing by the old stores and shops next to the sidewalk, they came to a four way intersection. Carts, charred and melted, lay toppled over onto their sides all along the intersection.

Looking down the wide, abandoned streets of the intersection -- Lucy put a hoof to her brow, and scanned each street with an intensive amount of care. "Well," She sighed, turning her attention to both of the brothers, "which way is it?"

Both brothers looked down at their Eyes Forward Compass. On it, a tiny rectangular blip pointed in the direction of the street to their left. Adam pointed down the street. "That way. Or, at least that's what the compass says."

Ally blinked at Adam, shooting him a puzzled stare. "Can you see it? You know, without looking at your Pipbuck."

Neo and Adam looked down at their personal Stable-Tech wrist computers briefly, before answering her. "Yeah," Neo responded. "I hardly even notice it sometimes."

"Huh." She sighed, soaking in the new knowledge.

Down the wide street the travelers went, kicking old rusted litter to the side of the curb as they trudged onward. Posters plastered crookedly against the old brick walls of each building depicted an unicorn mare, dressed in a black suit pointing toward whoever viewed the poster. In large, red letters the sign read:

Ponies of our Province!
Only you can free us from the tyrannical grasp of Equestria!
Help us return our sovereignty!

Across the province, posters, much like this one, covered various buildings. What had Equestria done? More importantly, who was the mare on the poster? Oddly enough, the mare who was pointing held a firm, sincere gaze with eyes that looked both wise and strict. In many ways, she looked identical to the mare that had been in the film at Stable 47. Could she be Twilight Sparkle? No, certainly not. The pony on the poster was a different color that was much more close to a lighter beige than anything else.

In the end, the signs did not matter and it was best to ignore them. There was a task before them that they needed to focus on. And sight-seeing would only slow them down.

As the group went further down the road they came upon a large, round cul-de-sac with tall brick buildings lining its rim. A road, near the cul-de-sac's entrance road was another wide street, that continued on to the left. Down this desolate boulevard were several old locally-owned business shops, with porches and patios torn asunder and worn down by the decades of corroding elements. At the far end of the street was an old steel water tower, barely supported by the crossing steel bars that held it aloft. Over the edge of the building it rested up, it leaked. Droplets of dim, murky water which fell down to the ground in a dreary sort of manner.

The ponies had only gone down halfway of the new street before something stopped the two brothers. Standing completely still, they were frozen. An alarming look spawned itself unnervingly across their once content faces, while the rest of the group glanced at them curiously.

Raising an eyebrow, Lucy poked Neo in the shoulder. "Hey? What is it?"

Neo responded to her with a nervous whisper, "There's something here..."

Wester raised his head, letting the metal plated ears atop his head swivel around he listened to the surrounding area. Quickly drawing his revolvers -- he held them close to the midriff of his body.

A sudden urgency was in Wester's words. "They're right." He agreed, keeping his own volume to a minimum.

Lucy and Ally drew their own weapons too, and carefully scanned the street around them. "What do you think it is?" Lucy asked.

"It's organic," Wester muttered, "and there're lots of them..."

"I can't hear anything, though," Ally commented, levitating her pistol up.

"My hearing is more keen than an average pony," Wester added. "And they're getting closer."

Keeping completely still, Neo gulped. "Yep, the whole compass is covered in red dots..."

"Well, shit,” Lucy swore, "what do we do? Turn back?"

"No, Lucky," Wester replied. "It's possible they are on the other side of the buildings in the next street. If that is the case, we can keep going. If we move silently, we should be able to avoid whatever that mass is."

"Right, so keep low -- keep slow then?" Ally whispered.

"Affirmative," Wester answered.

Lucy shuddered. "Let's get moving then. Just thinking about what that huge ass group is gives me the willies."

Moving along the far end of the left side of the street, the group kept low to the ground. Treading lightly, they came farther up the road until another street was visible along the right side. A shocking, terrifying sight stood in a massive pack in the center of the new road on the right.

"Oh, shit!" Lucy cursed, dodging with the others behind the safety of a charred cart turned over onto its side.

The mass that had appeared on the brother's Pipbuck compasses were dozens of large, grey -- muscular hellhounds. Creatures, with matted fur, stained by blotches of dried blood. Fangs, yellow and sharp like the daggers of tenths of lightly rusted blades protruding from the lower jaw of each hound. And, from head to toe, each one of the many beasts were coated in long -- intimidating, pink fleshy scares. The pack stood idly near the streets edge, as they gnawed on sticks and the bones of some dead creature.

"What are those things?!" Adam whispered, panicking.

Lucy growled. "Feral hellhounds. I hate feral hellhounds..."

Ally blinked at the creatures, awing at their frightening appearance. "Wow, I heard they were mean looking, but that's just..."

"Too much?" Lucy said, finishing Ally’s sentence.

"Yeah..." Ally murmured.

Staring at the large group of dreadful beasts from the edges of the cart, the whole party looked around for an alternative route. Neo, however, was the first to speak. "You think we can still go on? Or should we go back and find another way?"

"I'm not sure," Wester replied, inspecting the street.

Examining the surrounding area, Wester mentally listed their options. To the left of them, further down the street, was a two-story storehouse for carts. To the right, was the wide open street they had come from.

"We could wait in the storehouse until they pass," Wester proposed.

Pointing toward the mentioned building, Adam replied in a whisper, "That one? Do you think we can make it?"

Lucy shook her head, interjecting with a disapproving tone. "I don’t know. You think we could make it? Besides this cart, and a few more in the street, we'll be out in the open."

Ally replied hopefully, "If we keep low we might be able to make it."

"In addition to her point," Wester started, pointing toward the two massive steel doors of the storage building, "those doors will help protect us from the beasts. If I recall correctly, those things could withstand a mega-spell blast. And the walls are strong and fairly deep as well, making it difficult for the hellhounds to tunnel through."

"Are you sure we can't turn back?" Neo asked with a faint nervousness in his voice.

Wester looked at Neo. "If we go around the city's outskirts it will take an additional two days to go around. That doesn’t include hours for rest, and possible obstacles we might encounter."

Neo nodded, tightening his diaphragm. "Okay. But is everyone okay with this?"

"If it saves time..." Lucy moaned.

Adam swallowed hard, building the courage he would need to get to the building. "Yeah, I am."

Wester nodded silently in response. "Very well," Wester spoke. "Then let's move. Follow my lead, and keep low."

Everypony focused their attention on Wester as he started off down the road to the storage building. Retaining a low, silent sprint, each member of the group followed behind him individually. Nearly halfway down the street, one of the hellhounds perked its large, tattered ears, and started listening to the surrounding area. Like an owl looking for prey its ears swiveled, until it caught a faint sound in its search. Wester heard the hellhound growl as it directed its gaze to the sound of the moving ponies.

Lucy saw the single hellhound look toward them. Instant panic flushed through her body. Should they stop? Perhaps there was a possibility that they saw only movement -- and if they were to remain still there was chance, be it small, that the terrifying beasts would not spot them. However, despite the optimistic theory, the hellhound's tiny, black beady eyes locked onto them.

Like a spark igniting a puddle of gasoline, the creatures became enraged. Drawing the attention of the other hounds, soon all of the vicious creatures were sprinting at them. Barking thunderously, the group abandoned their low stances, and dashed desperately to the storage building.

"RUN!" Lucy shouted, "Fucking run!"

Galloping to the building's entrance, everypony in the group went between the two thick metal doors into the wide space of the inner building. Instantly, Lucy and Wester took hold of one of the metal doors. Ally and the two brothers took the other door, and together they pushed furiously against them. Letting out a deafening metallic screech, the doors closed slowly. Looking at the door's hinges, Lucy noticed that rust had thickly coated it, ultimately slowing the closing process.

There was little they could do. Pushing harder against the doors, all of the ponies forced them to close. "Come on..." Lucy muttered tiredly, gritting her teeth. “Close, you stupid doors...”

The mass of monstrous beasts quickly approached as the group closed the doors. The loud howls of the hellhounds echoed throughout the empty street. Followed by the coarse sound of their many meaty paws dragging along the ground as they dashed at full speed to them.

No sooner had the doors become closed the group started frantically searching for items to barricade the doors. Various smaller items were scattered throughout the room. From old rusted toolboxes to damaged crates. Nothing truly was dense or large in size. Yet, the group moved and stacked anything they could against the building's entrance. Scratching, clawing, and pounding noisily against the door, the hellhounds tried to reach the ponies inside.

But to no avail. Regardless of the creatures constant pounding, the door only shook, and rattled. That was until, their forceful approach turned into a more vocal one. Rather than claw at the door, the hounds barked. Loudly.

Everypony in the room panted tiredly as the sweet sensation of relief came to them. It was Lucy who spoke first. Whipping her sweat laden brow she chuckled. "Heh, that was a close one, right?"

Adam chuckled unsurely. "I'm not sure if I should be happy or completely terrified, still..."

"Agreed," Neo replied, wearily leaning against one of the crates they had piled against the doors.

Ally sat down on the dusty stone floor. "What now? Do we just wait them out?"

"Affirmative," Wester answered. "They don't have a long attention span. In a few hours, they'll be gone."

"I hope so," Ally replied, a little discouraged by the news. "We don't have enough supplies to last more than a few days in here."

Wester turned his attention to the central room they were all standing in. Everywhere around them, empty containers of every sort lay broken or scattered across the floor. At the far end of the room there was a concrete staircase along the wall that lead up to another story above.

Pointing at the flight of stairs, Wester motioned the group to follow him. "There's another floor. Perhaps we can take refuge there until the pack moves on."

Adam trotted over to his brother, and nudged him in the shoulder. "Well, we can get that rest we wanted."

"Yeah," Neo sighed as the constant barking of the hounds rang in his ears. "Hopefully, those things will stop barking. It's starting to get on my nerves."

The low, unnerving pitch of steam faintly hissed in the small, cavernous room that Vladimir slept in. Tossing and turning in the light blue sheets of his creaking bed. Thin metal pipes above him ached as pressure built up, and releasing an eerie moan not long after. The floor, while made of iron plates, was contrasted by the sharp rocky walls of the room that had been carved out. He was alone, and a single dim lamp sat next to his bed providing external illumination to the otherwise dark environment.

A profuse sweat ran down the sides of Vladimir’s head as he bellowed in pain. Keeping his eyes shut tightly -- he placed his hooves to the sides of his head. As he rose up from his covers his eyelids shot open. Screaming out into the gloomy, rocky chamber -- he sat in his cot, panting heavily. The sudden jolt had knocked over some of the items he had placed near his bed. Items, such as his cape and armor.

Staring down at his wrinkled sheets, Vladimir put a hoof to his head -- feeling the head-splitting pain throb. "Nightmares?" A voice hissed at him.

Surprised, the crimson emperor frantically searched the room for the sound’s source. Then, as his mind became clear, he frowned and remained seated in his cot. "What do you want this time?" He muttered distastefully.

From behind him, the creature appeared. Floating to his side, the alicorn apparition moved. Almost like a draft, it came to him, cooing unnervingly into his ears. "I saw what you were dreaming, you know."

Vladimir remained silent.

"I'm not sure what to do with you, little red." The creature paused. "I really don't..."

There was a brief stammer in Vladimir's voice as he spoke. "What... What do you mean?"

"You're getting soft," It retorted frankly.

Trying as hard as he could, Vladimir kept his eyes away from the menacing gaze of the apparition. "I-I don't understand..."

It glared at him, it's white glowing eyes piercing into his very soul. "I don't think you heard me clearly," it answered with a mocking whisper. "I said: You're. Getting. Soft."

The aching pain in Vladimir's head increased, sending a sharp unpleasant sensation down his spine. Flinching, Vladimir tried to reply to the creature as the painful surges continued. "Please! Give me another chance!" He begged, feeling a warmth develop in his throat.

"Heh," the creature chortled, "what was that?"

"Please..." Vladimir coughed, as droplets of warm blood spat out from his mouth across his sheets.

Raising a hoof to It's ear, the strange specter added gleefully, "Eh? It almost sounded like you were begging. But surely, the great and mighty emperor of the Ironhoof Legion wouldn’t beg, would he?"

The pain subsided in Vladimir’s head, sending a great relief throughout his body. "There,” The creature sighed tenderly, “better? Perhaps you can speak a little more clearly now that the pain is gone."

Lifting his emerald eyes, Vladimir looked at the monstrous creature before him. "W-Why? Why do you torment me?"

The creature burst out into a loud, nearly uncontrollable guffaw. "Me? Torment you? That is cute!"

Nothing but pure confusion was in Vladimir's sore mind. "W-What?" He mumbled.

Hovering its large head toward him, the creature's bright eyes filled Vladimir's gaze. "Do you know the torture of living in your mind? To feel repressed by that damn red gunk you drink to keep me at bay? Do you have even the slightest idea how frustrating that truly is? Hmm? Do you? Do you?!"

Sitting quietly, there was nothing the crimson stallion could say to the intimidating creature before him. All he could do was stare into it's pale, empty eyes. Reeling itself back, the shadow perched itself at the end of his cot. With its nose pointing up in air, It folded its hooves, and spoke to Vladimir grandiloquently.

"I'm not sure what did this to you. And I don't like it one bit. Ever since you met her children in Ironhoof, you've been," there was a brief pause in the creatures speech, "different. Like you were before I was born. That makes me wonder..."

Shaking his aching head, Vladimir begged for forgiveness as he ignored the acute pain that started to develop in his mind. "Please!" He cried, "End this pain! End this torment!"

"You say you can change? Fine. I'll play along. If only, for awhile." Pointing a ghastly hoof toward him, the creature spat, "You have three chances to prove yourself to me. Three. No more, no less. Once your three strikes are up, I'll be taking direct control."

It grimaced wickedly at him. "Permanently."

A shiver found its way into every one of Vladimir's limbs. Giggling, the creature lurched forward and poked the stallion in the chest. "I think it will be fun. You're getting weaker every day. Soon, there will be nothing that can stop me. Not you, nor your disgusting red filth."

A knock came from Vladimir's door. Briskly turning his gaze toward the solid metal door, he momentarily returned to the apparition, only to find that it had completely vanished, and along with it the pain in his head. Three loud knocks boomed yet again from the door.

"Coming!" Vladimir answered, fetching his long green his cape nervously from the side of his bed.

Draping it over his back, he quickly rushed to the door. Pressing a dimly glowing button on the door's side, it parted smoothly for him. Behind the door stood a Legion soldier that was dressed in a standard Legion breastplate, helmet and mask.

Bowing respectfully he addressed Vladimir with dignity he deserved, "M'lord."

Looking back briefly into his room, Vladimir quickly returned to the soldier before him with a puzzled look. "Did you happen to hear anything in my room?"

The soldier shook his head. "No, m'lord. Should I have heard something?"

Vladimir shook his head, dismissing the thoughts. "No. It's nothing..."

Nodding attentively to him, the soldier replied, "Very well, sir."

Rubbing his tired eyes, Vladimir sighed. "What is it you want?"

"Several of the officers, and even the Warden, sent me to fetch you, sir. They are having a meeting and they wish for you to attend."

Vladimir did not feel right. His entire body ached. For he had not slept in hours and the faint, dreary amounts of rest he did receive were plagued by long cruel nightmares. Waving his hoof dismissively, he replied to the soldier with a yawn. "Lead the way. Please forgive me if I drag behind at all..."

"Not at all, sir. Please, follow me," The soldier responded.

They trotted down the long cavernous hallways of the mines. Some sections of the Deadmines had been refurbished into quaint living quarters that a team of four, or more ponies could call home. On the floors, metal plates acted as loose flooring, while pipes that ran along the walls hissed at an unsettling pitch. There were few lights in the stone hallways. Many of which were simple light fixtures roughly attached at the tops of the cavern's low ceiling. Even with the faint lighting, it was all the illumination needed to see decently. Dark miners did not need external lighting. They dwelled in the cool, darkness of the underground. Over time, their hearing had become acute and their vision dulled. The massive green glowing goggles they wore on their masks aided them in seeing in the light the Legion personnel needed.

Through several more corridors the two ponies trotted along. The walk only made Vladimir feel sick, as the exhaustion settled in densely. After minutes of navigating the narrow catacombs of the mine, they arrived at a thick, wide metal door. Standing at the front of the door, it parted revealing a round room with a high ceiling.

Like much of the mine’s interior -- the walls, ceiling, and floor consisted of the natural, moisture coated rocks.

In the center of the room, several ponies sat at a round steel table. Above them, a circular light fixture shown down on the glinting steel of the tabletop. Four of the ponies seated were Legion officers -- decorated in dozens of jingling medals. The few other ponies who were at the table were dark miners. Creatures whose bodies were cloaked with rags from hoof to ear, wearing thick gas masks with large glowing green eyes. Amidst the ponies at the table was the Warden. As Vladimir entered, the officers rose up out of their seats, standing stiffly in respect.

"Sir, we're glad you could make it," An unicorn officer named Quickstrike greeted Vladimir.

Vladimir did not reply. Trying to mask the dull tiredness, he smiled at them and gestured with his hoof for them to retake their seats. There was one empty chair in-between the four officers, which Vladimir strolled groggily towards before taking a seat at the meeting. Each step Vladimir took -- the Warden peered ever so closely at him, and even with his eyes concealed behind the glowing greenness had an aching feeling of suspicion irradiated off of him. A feeling, which nopony else in the room could feel but Vladimir.

A small stack of papers was amassed in front of Quickstrike. As the members of meeting sat quietly, he levitated the papers, straightening them against the table's surface, and spoke.

"I believe that since we are all here now we may begin the meeting," Quickstrike started in a declarative tone.

Motioning a hoof to Vladimir, Quickstrike lowered his head slightly. "I am truly sorry if this sudden meeting interrupted your daily schedule, m'lord. But this is an import meeting we need you to be present for."

Vladimir nodded at him, motioning for the officer to continue. "Thank you, m'lord. Without further delay, let us get started."

"Firstly," Quickstrike stated, "I want to discuss the progress of the gem mining. As some of you know, this is an important matter. If Iron Hammer is to succeed, we need to have enough of the gems to power it efficiently."

"Yes," Captain Ventures -- who was at the far end of the table -- interjected, "but those of us that’ve been kept out of the mines would like to know what it is exactly. After all, we are leading the troops that are protecting it, we have just as much a right to know what it is."

"Fair enough," Quickstrike replied, "Iron Hammer-"

Vladimir raised a hoof, stopping Quickstrike where he was. Despite his exasperated condition and hidden hatred for the machine, he explained tiredly. In this moment he could have a chance to prove himself to the creature, and by time to find a way to rid himself of it.

Rising from his chair, Vladimir said lowly, "Iron Hammer is a weapon we- No, I found some years ago. It was left behind by the old provincial government as part of some other project that I am not aware of. Yet, despite this, its purpose is clear and its fuel source is crucial to the weapon's success. It is a weapon powered by-"

"Sun gems..." The Warden hissed from across the table.

Turning his attention to the Warden, Vladimir nodded mournfully. "Yes. Those..."

"If I may, sir." Quickstrike asked.

Vladimir took his seat, and nodded to the officer. "Yes, you may go continue on with the rest."

Bowing his head toward Vladimir, Quickstrike continued where Vladimir had ended. "Thank you, your majesty. Yes, sun gems. A material only found in our province. Until recently, the gems were found throughout the province. But over time, this mine has become the only one with pure gems in it. And even this mine seems to have run dry."

"That is why were are here? Yes?" One of the dark miners wheezed.

Slightly unsettled by the miner's voice, Quickstrike replied hesitantly. "Yes, that is why you are all here."

Ventures glared agitatedly at the Quickstrike, who was by the second becoming more and more annoyed him. "You still didn't answer me. What does it do?"

"We'll save that for another meeting, Captain.” Quickstrike declared resolving the issue temporarily. “For now, we need to address the issue at hoof. I'll explain your role in all of this shortly."

Grumbling to himself, the pudgy officer folder his meaty forelegs while Quickstrike continued. "The issue, gentlecolts -- is that there are no more gems. And the project is almost done. All that is needed is one single refined pure gemstone. Now, traces of the sun gems can be found in small quantities all around this mine and in the Quantum mine. Especially in common rocks. Unfortunately, to create the raw energy of a single gemstones requires thousands of lesser stones with faint traces of the actual gem."

"You see, Captain Ventures," Quickstrike went on, "our brave emperor was only just recently attacked by the Coalition. In order to get those numbers of lesser stones we need more soldiers to protect the trains. And, as captain of the mine's perimeter, you will need to allow more soldiers to be part of the train's guard."

Tapping his hoof on the table, Captain Ventures retorted, "If you haven’t forgotten, our numbers are very limited here. With the Coalition on our backs ever since that mess in Arkcannon -- I need to keep as many troops as we can here!"

"Now now, Captain," Another stallion, this time an earth pony, spoke at the table, "there is no need to get flustered over this. Let's examine our options, shall we? That is, if Colonel Quickstrike will allow me to present some solutions to our predicament."

"Very well, Thatch, proceed." Quickstrike nodded taking a seat.

"Thank you." Thatch hummed arrogantly, standing. "Gentlecolts, in terms of finding more men to protect the rails: I propose we transfer some troops from the border, or perhaps, from Ironhoof, to the eastern railway."

Rubbing the bristling scruff of his lower chin, Quickstrike nodded while he pondered the proposal. "Yes, we could transfer troops over. But, how many? I'm not sure how much we can spare at this time."

"Believe me when I say this, Colonel," Thatch added, "I know for a fact that we have nearly three hundred troops across the province that are not doing a single thing. Imagine how much more smoothly the operation would go if three hundred were added to the troops already stationed here or on the rails."

Turning to Vladimir, Thatch continued, "With his highness' permission, I could make this solution a reality."

Unsurely, Vladimir sat in his chair contemplating the proposition. The weapon was a horrible creation, and the last thing he wanted was for it to be operational. He had to stall its operation -- before a word could even leave his lips the voice hissed at him faintly in the back of his mind.

"You want your first strike to be wasted so quickly? Tsk, tsk. I thought you were more cooperative than that. Remember our deal, Little Red. Remember it..."

A sudden nervousness caused his crimson fur to become flushed and pale. Trying as he could to conceal the abrupt change in his complexion, Vladimir gave Thatch his blessing with one silent nod.

Smiling, Thatch bowed thankfully. "You are truly generous, your grace."

Captain Ventures was still frowning with his thick brow furrowed. "I understand that we have one problem solved, but how long will it take to complete the refining process? If it takes thousands upon thousands of those blasted lesser stones to make just one pure, isn't there some other way?"

An officer at the far end of the table spoke up, raising his voice at Ventures. "Good heavens, have you not been listening?! They're pretty much gone! And it'll take months -- no, years, to get the minerals needed to make one stone!"

Thatch smiled, chuckling lightly under his breath. Ventures glared at him. "Who are you laughing at, Thatch!"

"I'm not laughing at anyone, Captain," Thatch continued to speak. "Have any of you heard of the Coalition's own project? I know it's an old story, so I don't blame you if you don't remember it."

Many of the ponies at the table shook their heads. While many of them had been in the Legion for many years, few had been in the order more than fifteen years. The memories of the project they possessed was still vivid in Vladimir’s mind. It instilled a painful nostalgia that he hated. By all means he wanted to forget about the horrible project, for the heartbreaking images from days long since past were too unbearable. Yet, something from the furthest regions of his mind told him to speak of it. Was it the creature? Or his own conscious? Whatever it may be, it compelled him to confess his thoughts.

"If none of you know, then I can tell you," Vladimir muttered lowly, painfully feeling the thoughts come to him.

Thatch blinked at him. "If you would, your grace. I'm sure it will be an honor enlightening the members of this meeting about it."

Taking in a deep breath, Vladimir summoned the greatest strength he possessed. Letting out the breath inside of him, all of the negative energies within him drifted off. And so, he told them the story of the fabled Coalition project.

The bleak grayness of the midday weather was a depressing scene. Gray was everywhere. The walls of the storage building were gray, as was the sky, road, and even the other buildings across the street. This was apart from the occasional red brick structure -- which, to some degree, was also as dull as gray. Together, all of ponies had took refuge in the second story of the old building. There was just a single wide room with three broken windows on both sides. Old moldy boxes coated in a thin layer of dust were stacked unevenly against the walls. And at the very end of the room, right above the entrance of the building, was a large hole blasted through the wall that overlooked the street outside.

It was high enough so that the hellhounds -- no matter how much they tried, could not reach them. This gave them an advantage over the creatures as occasionally they could inspect the pack's numbers at the building's doors. Pick a few off and retreat back to wait the monstrous beasts out. Near the room's center, Ally and Adam sat with Lucy trying to start a fire with the old cardboard. Neo, on the other hoof, tried to sleep on the cold concrete floor while the hounds barked endlessly outside.

A steaming frustration boiled in Lucy's mind as she tried to light the strips of moldy cardboard with a lighter. Each light she made only caused the weathered material to singe into a dark scorch mark. Adam felt tired as Lucy tried her hardest to start a warming fire for them. But he knew sleep wasn't possible -- not with the hellhounds deafening uproar outside.

Ally scratched her head before letting out a drawn-out yawn. "Lucy, you know I can start the fire with my horn? I appreciate that you volunteered, but I really think it would be best if I-"

"No! I can do it! Just watch!" Lucy barked, trying to light the cardboard once more.

After a few more futile attempts, Lucy put the lighter in her bag, stepped away from the heap of rotting cardboard, and threw her head in the air. "I'm done!" She exclaimed, "I'm done! I can't do it! Not with that damn barking outside!"

Lucy went to the farthest corner of the room, and slumped her flank down onto the ground. With her head pressed firmly against the wall's corner, she muttered to herself vulgar comments as the veins in her head throbbed.

Wester came up the stairs, and peered at the miserable group. Turning to Lucy, he glanced at her with worry. "Lucky, are you okay? I heard you shouting."

Keeping her brow soundly pressed onto the corner, she pointed to the hole at the other end of the room. "Those damn mutts won't shut up! And I can't think straight when they're yapping like that!"

"Speak for yourself," Neo moaned from across the room.

Rolling onto his stomach, Neo sighed as all of his limbs and joints suffered with sore pains. His eyes were heavy and his mood sour. "I can't even rest up with those things out there..."

Adam yawned, feeling more tired than he had in days. "How much longer do you think it will be until the hounds leave?"

Wester trotted toward the hole blasted in the wall. Right below him, the hounds clawed and barked wildly as their demented, bloodshot eyes locked onto him. Turning his visor to the sky, he listened carefully to the sound of the wind -- doing what he could to channel out the bellowing of the hounds.

"It's going to rain..." Wester said, his muzzle raised high.

Ally got up and took a place by Wester’s side. "I can't hear any-"

She looked up at his metallic ears and chuckled sheepishly. "Oh, I almost forgot about your hearing."

Looking up at the dark, foreboding, cloud cover above churn unnaturally, Ally asked, "Will it be a light rain? Or a heavy one? For that matter, will it scare away these hounds?"

"Maybe," Wester answered in an unsure tone, "it sounds enormous."

Ally turned her head back toward Adam, who was now sitting next to his brother. Occasionally, Neo's head would slouch over onto him as he gradually dozed off. With each nod, Neo's weight would press more firmly against Adam making him uncomfortable.

"Brother," He grunted, feeling his brother's tired weight push down on him, "you're crushing me."

Snapping awake, Neo recovered himself. "Wh-What? I'm sorry about that..."

With a sigh, Ally muttered to herself, "I hope that storm clears these hounds away. Otherwise, we'll be too drowsy to even move when they do."

Humming faintly above, the ceiling lights shined down onto the bloodstained floor of Big Lot's hall. Upon her throne, Big Lot leaned her head on her hoof bordley against the arm of the soft leather chair. Although she was frowning, a smoldering hateful fury still twisted around inside her mind. All across the hall, ponies were moving bodies and cleaning blood from the floor with old linen cloths.

Blood dripped amply from the rags as the ponies scrubbed hard to remove the flesh that stuck to the ground like hardened glue. Collateral damage was everywhere. Both bullet shells, and holes were scattered across the room. Even the doors at the far end of the hall remained bashed in and dented. This allowed a cooling draft from the outside blow gently inside, scattering dust and dirt scatter in all directions.

Through the broken doors of the hall came three ponies. Two of which looked nervous, as they fidgeted coming closer to Big Lot. One of the ponies was a guard -- one of the few who had survived the night before by simply not going out to drink. Being one of the last guards meant that his responsibilities increased while staffing was low. That included fetching ponies for Big Lot when she wanted, or spread the news about a certain announcement to the other townsfolk.

The other two ponies were Scooter, and his companion Whopper. Scooter’s scrawny legs shook the closer he came to his master, while Whopper trailed behind him, with a content expression plastered onto his thick, dull face. The two slaver ponies followed the soldier to Big Lot at the end of the room where she waited to speak to them.

Stopping at the steps before her throne, the soldier bowed before her graciously. "Your radiance," He purred.

The filly perked up, and peered at the two ponies he had brought to her. In a darling, quaint little voice that fluttered like the wings of a small bird she replied, "Good job, soldier. You've been a very good boy."

The soldier nodded once to her. "Thank you, your radiance."

Big Lot outstretched her little hoof and tapped the soldier gently on his head. "You can run along now. I'll summon you if there's anything else I need."

Standing stiffly, the soldier saluted, and started off to the door. Scooter and Whopper watched the soldier stroll toward the exit, leaving them in the hands of fate. Turning their gazes slowly up to the intimidating little lord, both gulped heavily.

Giving the filly a wide, terrified grin, Scooter sputtered, "Yer radiance. Ya wanted t' see us?"

When Scooter looked at her, the amiable little filly that had spoken to the soldier was gone. Big Lot, with her clear sapphire eyes, placidly leered at them. "Yes, Scooter. That I did..."

Her voice had changed to a wickedly sour sort of tone that irked the stomachs of both stallions. "Do you know why you're here?"

"Uh," Scooter hummed nervously, "no?"

Flailing her arms around in a maddening rage, Big Lot screamed thunderously at the two ponies, "YOU LIVED! YOU IDIOTS LIVED!"

Scooter blinked at her with a perplexing look. "W-What?"

Big Lot's fit of bombastic rage subsided, leaving her puffing and panting tiredly. "Out of all the ponies that had to die, you two were the only ones who made it out!"

"Is," Scooter mumbled unsurely, "is that a bad thing?"

Leaning more closely toward him, she shot him a sarcastic stare. "I don't know. You tell me!"

Standing cluelessly Scooter, and his companion were speechless. "It's... Not good?"

Slowly, Big Lot clapped her tiny hooves. "It doesn't take a genius to figure that one out..."

"But, why are ya mad that me an' Whopper here are still around an' kickin?"

Sitting back in the soft leather cushions of her seat, Big Lot sighed. Massaging the migraine that had formed in her forehead, she said, "Firstly, I don't like you. I don't like your smell, your look, or that stupid little eyepatch you wear."

Lowering his head, Scooter took in the hurtful comments. "Ah see, yer radiance..."

Big Lot sighed. "But..."

Scooter's ears rose, and looking up at his master she continued in a regretful tone, "I'm giving you..."

"Wh-what?" he asked, raising a hoof to one ear.

The filly pouted and folded her hooves. "A promotion..." she whispered under her breath.

Scooter was completely befuddled. “Wh-What?”

Big Lot was still pouting. “You heard me, you idiot,” The filly grumbled.

Somewhere deep within the slaver’s mind, the message connected. Turning to Whopper with ecstatic energy, Scooter boomed exuberantly, "Did ya hear that Whopper?! Ah'm a Capt'n!"

Whopper clapped his large hooves, giving his friend the best supportive smile he could muster. "I sure did, boss. Ya finally got that promotion ya wanted so badly."

Stomping his hoof on the ground, Scooter went on announcing his joy. "Ah sure did! Sweet baby Celestia, ah did!"

"Yes," Big Lot mumbled annoyed, "you did..."

Opening his single eye, Scooter returned his glance to Big Lot -- who stared down at him with irritated contempt. Tapping one hoof against the soft leather of her chair she went on. "Don't think I did it because I like you. As your princess, Captains are needed. Since you're one of the few ponies who survived that horrible ordeal last night, I needed to promote somepony. I already promoted that guard that brought you here, but I need somepony I know personally as a Captain."

Scooter bowed thankfully to her, grinning widely. "Oh, thank ya kindly, yer radiance! Ya won't regret it! Ah promise!"

She rolled her eyes and groaned, "Sadly for you, I'm already regretting it."

At the end of the hall, the soldier she had previously sent off came dashing past the old battered doors of the hall. In his voice an urgency could be felt as he stood only feet from Big Lot's throne attentively.

"Your radiance." The soldier huffed, briskly saluting.

Big Lot's large blue eyes scanned the panting pony before her. "What is it, Captain? What is the problem?"

"Soldiers," he started, "coming from the south, ma'am. I'm not sure how many, but it is of a fair size, your radiance."

"Are they ours or the Coalition's?"

"Ours, your radiance."

Big Lot nodded slowly, contemplating the situation. "Watch them with caution, Captain. Let us welcome them. But be sure to put what men you have on full alert until commanded to do otherwise by me."

Bowing to her, the Captain bid her farewell and trotted off to the doors once more. Scooter turned himself around, putting one leg out in front of him as though he too were about to leave. Whopper knew Big Lot hadn't dismissed them -- which left him confused by his friend's actions.

"Uh, boss?" Whopper commented.

Scooter didn't put his leg down. "What is it?"

Using the tip of his hoof, Whopper pointed to Big Lot, who, like before, was glaring at him with the same disappointed stare she had had before. "Where do you think you're going?"

Scooter gulped, realizing his situation. "Uh," He stammered unsurely, "followin' t' capt'n?"

"No," The filly cooed, "you're staying here at my side until we're done receiving our guests."

Scooter was beaming with joy. The grin he had prior grew nearly double in size reaching from ear to ear. Prancing up the short steps that lead to her throne, he perched himself directly next to Big Lot. Whopper took a seat on the other side of the throne, sitting himself down on the steps.

Bursting with excitement, Scooter fidgeted constantly as he stood at his boss' side. Leaning over the arm of her chair, Big Lot took one of her petite hoofs and laid it neatly on the top of Scooter's greasy mane. Then, pushing him ever so slightly, she moved Scooter farther away from her chair. Rubbing her hoof on the leather, she stiffened her posture.

Guests were coming. Perhaps they were generals, or maybe Vladimir himself. She didn't know. The one thing that was clear was that she needed to be the most delightful leader she could be. Yes, Big Lot, remember. Smile on. Back stiff. Voice sweet. That's how good girls behave. In her mind she would recite the saying again and again, constantly reminding herself that in the company of high officers, impressions -- particularly good ones -- were essential to forming strong bonds.

Doing just as she told herself, the filly put on her most darling smile. Accompanied by an endearing sparkle in her eye that would make any pony's heart, enraged or not, fluttered at her adorable charm. Several Legion soldiers entered through the bashed doors. Some were coated in thick armored plating while others were dressed more casually in the standard Legion barding. There was one pony in particular who emerged from the head of the group. He was a stallion, whose chest and legs were armored. Yet a proud officer's cap rested atop his short mane.

Stopping before Big Lot's throne, the mass of ponies fanned out around the room. Making sure to keep behind the officer pony that lead them.

"Big Lot," The officer addressed her solidly -- in a confident pompous tone.

In the beginning, the little filly, with her charismatic eyes, humbly looked down at the pony before her. It had taken a moment for the scene to process itself in her mind, and, when it had, the pony’s name came to her naturally.

"Lieutenant Covert. What a wonderful surprise! What are you and your men doing here on this wonderful afternoon?" she chirped.

Covert seemed unmoved by her charm. "I'm here, Big Lot, under the orders of his majesty Emperor Vladimir. Ruler of the Ironhoof Legion, and lord of all of the Ironhoof Province."

Despite her perky behavior, there was a snarky sarcasm which protruded unnaturally through her tone. "Oh! Interesting! Really, that is! Please, do tell why."

As direct as he could, Covert declared, "My men and I have traveled across the province to get here. And under his majesty's orders I am here to replace you."

Big Lot’s facade of a cute little filly died. The grin and sparkling charm. All gone. "What?" She muttered, speechless.

There was a nervousness developing inside of Covert that he did not want Big Lot to see. To hide it. He continued addressing her. "Indeed, that is correct. I am here to replace you."

Big Lot stared at him curiously. "You? But you're just a lowly lieutenant, when I'm princess of the whole border!"

"It's captain, now," He corrected her.

The little filly became enraged. "If you're captain of this whole group, what happened to my uncle? I demand to speak with him at once about this! NOW!"

Still concealing his fear, Covert went on. "I'm... I'm sorry, m'lady. But..."

Leaning forward, she cocked her head, glaring conspicuously at him. "But what, Captain?"

He gulped, keeping his posture stiff. "He's dead, m'lady..."

A sorrow-filled gloom darkened itself over her. A grim mood of shallow mourning creeped through every inch of her body. "How?" She asked sadly under her breath.

"Excuse me?" Covert asked, raising a hoof to his ear.

"HOW!" She boomed, standing up in her throne.

Her tiny voice carried all the way to the end of the hall. Alarmed at her ferocious rage, Covert answered her as quickly as he could. "We found a magical burn that penetrated deeply into his flesh, m'lady. It is likely an attack emitted from a unicorn's horn, though it is not uncommon to think that an energy weapon did it."

Gritting her pearly white teeth she snarled, "Who killed him?"

"I don't know." Covert replied.

"It was those guardians, wasn't it! Those damn fools who saved them! It has to be them! It has to be! I know it! I know it!"

There was a sense of troubled urgency in Covert's voice. "M'lady, I advise that you calm yourself! We don't know who the killer, or killers, are!"

"I know who they are!" Big Lot ranted madly, "I know! It was the guardians! Where are they? Where?!"

Covert was confused -- as was the rest of the Legion soldiers present in the hall. Her actions were unsettling, and the overall mood of the insane little filly made the whole room uncomfortable. Oddly, through the loud madness Scooter cleared his throat, halting the filly's crazed chatter.

Looking down at him tiredly, Big Lot fumed, "What is it you-"

"Ah might know where them ponies are... Ya know, t' ones that don' killed yer uncle'." Scooter commented fearfully.

This intrigued Big Lot, as Scooter now had her full undivided attention. "Is this the first time you've said something actually useful?"

Scooter ignored her comment, and continued to speak. Clearing his skinny throat he said, "Ah heard over t' radio that them guardians were a big white one. An' a smaller blue one. Jus' like them ones ah brought t' ya the other day."

Big Lot shook her head in disbelief at him. "Are you saying that those ponies we had..."

"Yeah," Scooter gulped nodding, "they were, yer radiance."

Falling down onto her haunches she massaged the bridge of her snout. Sighing, she thought hard about the news she had just received, while standing before her impatiently was Captain Covert. The courage inside him to speak out against Big Lot grew -- until it swelled up deep inside him, and expanded like a bomb of confidence bursting from within.

Tightening his stomach Covert shouted forcefully. "Big Lot!"

She looked down at him with lowered lids, and tired frustrated eyes as Covert sputtered tensely. "I-I am the commanding officer here! Me! Vladimir put me here! And I demand you to step down, or I'll!... I'll!"

"You'll do what, Captain?" Big Lot sneered at him.

Struggling to find his words Covert tried to counter her. "I'll... I'll-I'll kill you!"

The searing frustration that built-up inside her was completely ignored. Bursting into a loud, contemptuous laugh she snarked at him. "You'll kill me? Just like that? You? Don't make me laugh! Oh, wait. You already did!"

"Stop that! I'll do it!" Covert spat, drawing his pistol.

"You don't have the balls... Now my uncle, he would do it. He would kill me if he was in your position. He'd laugh doing it too. That's real power. The will to do whatever you want not because of some stupid title, but because he can. Can you do it? All you rely on is that stupid little rank to get you somewhere in life, when in reality, it's ponies like my uncle that will rise to the top. That's how Vladimir did it, and that's how I did it."

Big Lot stood in her chair, and leered at him. Standing on her hind legs the little filly spread her forelegs wide open, exposing her small body. "You think have what it takes to be lord of the border? Then do it, you pansy!"

Shuddering uncontrollably, the Captain stood in place holding the gun up at her. He was terrified of her. For it was like staring back into the deranged eyes of Cyrus himself. "I-I can't... I..."

"Do it, you weakling! Take the border!" She exclaimed vigorously.

Sweat trickled down Covert's dust ridden fur. His pupils were dilated, as he stared headlong into the blue enraged eyes of Big Lot. She was a monster. A terrifying monster who, no matter what, was not afraid of him. She had some evil power of bending his will that he could not begin to understand. It made him forget his stance in the Legion and what it meant. An invisible aura of hate, and control hovered around her that made him obey.

Dropping his pistol, the metal of the barrel tinged faintly against the solid floor. Lowering his head, he diverted his gaze from her own. Taking a few small steps away from his pistol a darkening shadow loomed over this very self being. Big Lot hopped down from her chair -- approaching him.

Using just one of her hooves, she smacked him across the face viciously. The very sound of his flesh being hit by her hoof sent the other soldiers in the room reeling back. Covert flinched, before placing a hoof upon his red stinging cheek, all the while he kept his eyes low to the floor. No soul made a sound.

All was silent.

"Don't you ever speak to me like that again. Do you hear me?" She growled at him.

Nodding weakly at her, Big Lot addressed the rest of the soldiers in the room. "You all work for me now. Every last one of you. From this point on, you will call me master or your radiance! Is that clear?"

The soldiers in the room all gave her an agreeing murmur over the peremptory declaration. Returning to Covert, she smirked at him. "That includes you, Lieutenant."

Covert wanted to speak out against his demotion. But a furtive sensation that irked him in the farther corners of his mind stopped him. There was nothing he could do in the midst of her controlling presence.

Pointing to Scooter, Big Lot announced. "I have more need of you, Scooter. Together, we'll find where those ponies went. And make them pay for what they did to my uncle."

Scooter smiled humbly, and taking a single step toward her, he replied, "Ya mean it?"

She grinned wickedly at him, with determination twinkling in her eyes. "Yes, I do. We'll go around town and see if anypony who was alive knows where they went. When we find where they're going, we can trap them. And I'll spend a good amount of time making up for all the playtime they stole from me."

"Are you telling me we have no idea where the project even is?!" Captain Ventures bellowed at the meeting table.

Thatch, with his forelegs crossed, nodded sincerely at Ventures. "Yes, Captain. And all of those gems we need are possibly inside it too."

A furious anxiety churred inside of the flustered Captain. "And we haven't made any attempts to find it? How do we hope to even get this weapon operational if the very thing we need is lost! And we're not even trying to find it!"

"Actually," Thatch commented earnestly, "if I'm not mistaken, our Lord has already thought of this. Am I correct?"

Without verbally replying, Vladimir nodded once tiredly.

"Excellent." Purred Thatch.

Ventures sat idly watching Thatch talk calmly. The very aura that Thatch gave off made the Legion captain suspicious. While it wasn't clear why, the mood was still fully present. Perhaps it was the vagueness of the conversation, or even the subject matter that bothered him.

Ventures growled lowly, "Will somepony please share with us what the hell is going on?!"

Thatch smirked at him. "You really need to calm yourself, Captain. You mustn't get so upset about something so minor. It really isn't befitting of a captain of your status."

"I wouldn't have to act this way if I knew what the hell any of you were saying!"

Retaining a fixed, solid posture Thatch turned his gaze to Vladimir. With his cold piercing stare he smiled at the Legion Emperor. "Our wise Emperor hired a pony some time ago: Skyward -- or something like that if I recall it correctly. He's the one who brought us the predators. It was an act that we did not pay him to do, yet he did so anyway."

"That still doesn't answer my question," Ventures grumbled under his breath.

"Fine," Thatch retorted. "You see, our Emperor hired him to follow her sons in hopes that they would lead us to the project. It was clear that they’re looking for their mother, so why let us do all the hard work?"

Raising an eyebrow at Thatch, Ventures snidely asked, "And where is this mercenary?"

Leering bitterly at the Captain, Thatch said, "We're not sure. All we know is that he gave us the predators and left. Before he skipped town, as it were, we learned that her sons were located near Bunker 37. However, it's been rumored that they were seen around Arkcannon. This is unlikely, of course, as we would have seen them by the perimeter outside of the settlement."

"So, you let them get away..." Captain Ventures snarled.

Giving Ventures a flustered, menacing stare, Thatch added, "But you'd do well holding that fat tongue of yours, Captain. I would not speak so rudely to a higher ranking officer. Especially in the presence of his majesty."

Fuming, the Captain sat angrily in his seat, muttering rude remarks to himself.

"As I was saying," Thatch continued, "we have scouts looking out for them as we speak. We'll follow them, and hopefully, they’ll lead us to the Coalition's project."

"However, before we conclude this meeting,” -- Thatch paused, directing his attention to the dark miners across the table -- “I have some information that the Warden would like to hear."

Nodding his cloaked head once toward Thatch, he went on keeping his gaze away from the hollow green eyes of the miner. "It's about the predators and their fuel source."

"Oh?" The Warden hissed pleasantly. "I am interested. Very interested, yes."

"Well, you see, Warden. It would require something from your mine."

"Yes? Yes?"

Thatch said, "They require the blood of a living creature to operate."

The Warden was very pleased by this. "Oh? Good. Intimidating. Strong. Good, yes."

"Indeed." Thatch paused briefly. "Good..."

Clearing his throat, he went on. "That would mean that some of your slaves would have to go. A simple fee for some of the greatest killing machines this province has ever seen."

Rubbing the under section of his dark metal breather, the Warden purred, "We can find weaker slaves. Older ones. Slaves which do not yield much for the mine. We get new slaves soon. Younger, stronger, and better slaves. They replace them in mine. Mine grow stronger because of it."

Clapping his hooves together nervously Thatch exclaimed. "Excellent! Then, I'm sure fueling them won't be an issue then."

"No." The Warden answered frankly.

"Good," Thatch murmured in relief. "Then, without further adieu, let's conclude this meeting. I hope we can meet again soon and discuss any future updates on the progress of our project."

Rising out of their low-seated chairs the members of the meeting disbanded. Some of the officers stayed momentarily to discuss other topics with one another. Ventures, who was still upset over the whole matter, was the first to vacate the room. As the officers chatted idly, Vladimir shuffled quietly toward the door. Thatch spotted Vladimir and called out to him.

"Sir?" He queried, as Vladimir -- who was already close to the door -- looked back at him. "Are you going to retire to your chambers?"

Almost sighing, Vladimir nodded. "Yes. I don't think I shall join you in your conversation, as I am very tired, and the trip through the elevated caverns is rough. I hope you do not mind, Captain."

Shaking his head at Vladimir, Thatch smiled. "No, not at all, m'lord. You should get your rest. The coming days will be laden with stressful work."

Returning the gesture as kindly as he could, Vladimir went back to the door and left the meeting room. Once the emperor had vanished from sight, many of the other officers trotted off toward the exit, discussing further matters about the project to themselves. In the quiet room, near the round table, stood the two Dark Miners. Creeping gingerly toward the door, the Warden waited until the sounds of the officer's voices faded into the long cavernous deep.

The Miner approached the Warden keenly. "Did you notice the oddity?"

The Warden glanced at the Miner. "How could you not? No? Much is wrong with the Emperor. An oddity. Confusion, yes."

"He is not the same," The other Miner added. "He has changed."

Nodding, the Warden agreed. "Too kind. Too soft. Not stern. He is not Vladimir."

"A copy?" The Miner asked.

"No," The Warden replied, thinking, "he is... Nice. Different change of mind, but no copy."

"Nice? Yes?"

"Nice and confused. Yes," The Warden agreed.

"Is it weakness?"

"All surface ponies are weak. Fragile and tender. We are bred in the dark. We are strong. The mine is strong. Until now, he was strong, and now, he is confused. Soft he has become."

"So, weakness?"

"Yes, yes. Weakness."

The Miner returned his gaze to the door briefly. "What do we do?"

Hissing, the Warden answered, "The surface ponies are blind and stupid. They do not see. We are wise. We see what they cannot. Their leader is weak. If he dies, we can take the weapon. Yes."

The Miner gasped, "You say treason?"

"No," The Warden interjected sternly, "we are not slaves. We are not part of surface Legion. We are Dark Miners. We belong to the mine. With the Predators, we can kill them. Drive them from the mine. Take weapon, and control surface."

The Miner scratched the linen wrapping upon his head. "The mine will be ours? Because they are weak, yes?"

"Yes," The Warden cooed.

"What do we do?"

In a smothered laugh, the Warden said, "We wait. We wait until his weakness becomes our strength. Yes, yes. Then we will take control. Full control of the mine. In time, in time..."

Like a pure, undisturbed coat of pale gray paint, the skies were blanketed with clouds. With thunderous fury, rain poured down onto the earth below. The downpour was muffled in the farther regions of the building -- save for the only blast hole at the far end of the room leading out into the open. Like an amplifier, the rain's uproar was intensified throughout the entire room from this certain point. The only positive thing that any member of the group could see out of this sudden change in the weather was that the hellhounds had finally stopped their vexatious barking.

Neo and Adam had tiredly leaned against one another near the center of the room. Their tired, weary eyes sagged low while a sluggish darkness gathered along their lower eyelids. Lucy sat in the center of the hole in the wall, frustrated.

I hate the rain, She thought.

Her back was slouched over, and her head hung low. Every region of her eyes ached. It had been all day that they had to endure the constant sound pulverizing their heads, ears, and minds. It was, in many ways, driving them to their breaking point. Except for Wester, who did what he could to remain quiet. Lest he say or do something wrong, the whole group would erupt into a frenzied blast of maddening, tired fury.

This also meant staying in the lower level of the building, watching the door from the cold concrete steps of the staircase. With his rifle at the ready, and a firm concentrating stare he sat vigilantly, guarding the rest of the group from down stairs. Ally was by no means excluded. She too stumbled around the room, feeling drowsy, as she gathered dried cardboard to fuel a fire she had started near the other side of the room.

The gloom of the bleak, heavy rain did little to help the slowness of the day. Ever since the rain had come, a cold draft would whisk through the room, sending an icy chill along everypony’s spine. The hellhounds had moved on to the hallowed skeleton of one of the pre-war shops across from the storage building. From the damaged foyers of the shops, some of the hellhounds stood silently, glaring at their building on the other side of the street. Other hounds curled themselves into round, matted pile and snored peacefully sleeping.

Neo snapped awake suddenly, as his head began to sink further to the floor. Taking a moment to let out a drawn-out yawn, he shuffled over to the hole next to Lucy. Licking the dryness of his chapped lips, he tiredly stuck his left foreleg out into the rain.

Raising a questioning eyebrow at the stallion next to her, Lucy asked gruffly, "Neo, what are you doing?"

Letting a few of the ice-cold droplets hit the dusty metal of his Pipbuck, Neo replied, "I'm checking the rain..."

There was a brief, contemplative moment of silence from Lucy. "What?"

"The rain," Neo repeated, "I'm checking it."

"For what?"

Pulling his Pipbuck back, Neo glanced at it quickly, before lowering his foreleg. "Everywhere we go the rain is different."

"What do you mean?" Lucy asked. "Rain is rain. There isn't anything special about it."

"That's what I thought too," Neo stated while pondering the strangeness of the situation, "but then I found an odd feature in the rain, time and time again."

Lucy rolled her hoof, gesturing for him to go on. "So? What's this odd feature you found?"

Neo shrugged and gazed out into the thick downpour outside. "In some locations the rain is radiated. In others it isn't. I don't know about you, but that's pretty strange if you ask me."

Giving him a befuddled turn of her head, Neo's theory had made no sense to Lucy. "So what?"

Blinking at her, Neo was a little taken back by the pegasus' response. "Isn't that odd? How is it rain in the south is different from here in the north?"

There was an unsettling amount of tired lethargy in her tone. "I'm not sure, kid. For all you know it could be those SPP towers set up outside of the province."

Neo raised a questioning eyebrow at her. "SPP, what?"

Feeling the energy continue to drain from her body, Lucy sighed heavily. "It's nothing, kid. Go and get some rest. Talking is only making my headache worse..."

Letting the conversation rolled away, Neo left Lucy's side and went over to the low fire Ally had started. On his way, he passed by Adam, who, on the floor, was curled up in a ball shivering as a chilling draft blew through the room. Stopping, Neo felt it only right to help him. It was hard watching his brother shake so miserably. Picking him up by his foreleg Neo slung Adam over his back. Breathing softly, the blue buck slept. Nothing his brother had done had disturbed him in the slightest. While Adam rested Neo gingerly stepped toward the fire -- taking extra care to not wake his brother.

Gently setting him down next to the warm crackling flames, Adam smiled. Perhaps the act had eased the horrible conditions. For now, his little brother could sleep in peace.

Ally was nestled next to the fire with a large stack of shredded cardboard strips gathered at her side. Once Neo backed away from his brother, she whispered to him, "Is he comfortable?"

Neo nodded and walked to her. "Yeah, I think so."

Taking a spot directly next to her, Ally continued to feed the ever dancing flames of the burning fire. With each new strip of fuel, tiny glowing cinders would fly up into the air and calmly weave around in the constantly churning draft.

Both ponies could feel each others warmth, and smiled tiredly as they sat silently for a moment; simply watching the fire before them.

"Neo, do you think we'll get to the mountains?" Ally asked.

"What?" Neo asked sharply. "Of course I think we will. Though, as right now, it's looking kind of bleak..." Adam shifted himself slightly -- adjusting to the new warmth that caressed his shivering body.

Ally giggled affectionately. "Despite the sleeping arrangements, he really looks like he's at peace."

There was a brief moment of silence between the two. Yet, inside of Neo's tired eyes, Ally saw something peculiar. A feeling of nostalgia beckoned to her from behind the thick layer of sleep deprivation in his eyes.

Looking up to Neo with worried curiosity, Ally asked him softly, "Is something on your mind? Is it about your mother again?"

Suddenly shaking, Neo recovered and replied to the mare at his side. "What? Oh, no it's not about her. I was just remembering something."

This ignited Ally's interest further. "Really? What about?"

Smirking playfully at her, he commented, "A little keen on the past, are we?"

"A little," She cooed with a smile. "Care to share the information?"

Taking a few, brisk moments, Neo turned his attention to Lucy, who, as he had left her, was gazing out into the rain at the other side of the room. Returning to the inquisitive mare, he answered, "I haven't told many ponies about this..."

Rubbing the back of his neck nervously Neo added lowly, "It's about when I first met Adam. You know, when we were kids."

"What brought those memories up? If you don't mind me asking."

A reluctant aura lingered around him, as he pondered just how he would word out his reply. When he did speak, a powerful compassionate intensity flourished in his words, filled with earnest sincerity. "When my mother and father brought Adam home, he was covered in a little blue blanket. At first I didn't know what to make of him. I hadn't really seen a baby before, and this one was supposed to be my little brother."

Neo smiled at Adam, who continued to rest contently by the fire. "I didn't know how to feel," He continued, "I'm not sure if it was joy or jealousy. But what I do know was that I was stuck with him for the rest of my life. And, as the weeks went by, I grew to dislike him more and more. I desperately wanted my mother to notice me, but she wouldn't because she needed to care for him. It bothered me that she'd keep telling me to watch over him and treat him well. He'd taken my life from me. That special time I had with my mother, all gone."

Trying to keep the tired drowsiness from overtaking him, he shook his head. "The next part is a little fuzzy. The one thing I do remember clearly was the time Adam walked for the first time. Something in me, I'm not sure what, made me want to take care of him. And for the next few years up to when he could talk, I looked over him. All that hate and jealousy I had. It just wasn’t there anymore."

Ally turned her own tranquil gaze at Adam. "You know that time Adam got shot outside of Maneton? When you sang that one song to him in the infirmary, I had never thought ponies like you or him existed in the wasteland. Most siblings leave to find a life someplace else. Others just don't care about one another. But you two, you two had something special."

Sighing, Neo added, "I just hope we can make it."

Ally nodded to him with a warming smile. "We all do, Neo."

Neo yawned, feeling the sleep deprivation slowly creep over his eyelids. "Adam's making me jealous again, I wish I could get to sleep with all that dang rain."

Like a contagion, the yawn spread to Ally. "We can try, can't we? If Adam can do it, so can we."

She had a charming, motherly conviction that hovered tenderly in her voice. This made Neo's heart flutter, urging him to at least try one more time to gain some rest. Which, strangely enough, made an idea sprout in his mind.

"Hey," Neo announced delicately, removing his duster, "I have an idea that should make it easier to sleep."

Blinking at him, Ally watched as he placed the old guardian attire on both of their backs. Across her back, Ally could feel the fresh warmth of the fabric touch her coat. The duster acted as a blanket for the both of them -- further adding to their protection against the nipping drafts of the outside.

As the duster entrapped the two pony's body heat, they lay their heads down upon the mid-sections of their forelegs. Closing their eyes, they tried to fall asleep. Lucy was yawning, nestled at the far end of the room near the center of the blasted hole, looking out at the hellhounds across the street with great contempt.

“I hate those things. I hate the rain. Damn, I hate a lot of things,” She muttered in agitation to herself.

There was a moment during her stare-down with the hellhounds that provoked the muscles in her neck to turn around. And, in a groggy sort of fashion, she did. When she did, she saw all of the group rest contently around the golden flames of the low fire. All except for Wester who was completely alone in the first floor of the building. Sadness sank deeply inside her chest. There, it twisted itself around like a snake constricting its prey. The emotion was not pleasant in the slightest.

Perhaps it was the thought of Wester being alone in downstairs that did it. Only perhaps. And, with some more careful consideration she stood up for the first time in an hour. The joints of her legs were sore as she limped over to the end of the room passing by the sleeping ponies by the fire. Not far down the stairs was Wester, sitting in the cold sullen room below. Faintly the light from the fire glimmered dimly against his dull armor plates as he sat idly with his rifle resting in his lap.

Once she had started down the cracked concrete steps, he noticed her. Motioning his crimson visor up at her Wester asked, "Lucky, are you still up?"

Lucy chuckled sluggishly as she came down the steps. "It's a little hard to sleep with the rain out there pounding the ground. Oh, and the fact that we're trapped in here doesn't help either, you know?"

For a moment Wester did not answer. "I suppose so. I'm not tired. Only alert," He muttered.

From the staircase the downpour outside seemed more softer than it had been on the second floor. Lucy took note of this as she came to Wester's side. Plotting her sore rump upon the cold, firm concrete steps, she sat one step above her armored friend.

While hers was a higher position -- Wester sat nearly as high as she did once he straightened his back. Sighing heavily, Lucy enjoyed the lowered volume of the rain. "It's sort of peaceful in here, huh? All that darkness with the muffled rain outside. It kind of makes me feel nice."

Wester nodded. "Indeed. In an odd sort of way."

Stretching her uninjured wing, the gray mare let out a loud yawn. Licking her dry lips, she leaned toward Wester. Taking him completely by surprise, the mare's head soon rested lightly on his shoulder. When Wester had turned to her, he found that she had fallen fast asleep. She snored gently, resting her eyes at last.

There was nothing Wester could say. The tender warmth that blossomed in his heart prevented even the tiniest whisper from escaping his lips. So he did nothing to disturb his friend’s sleep. All the while, he sat, ready for anything as the rain continued to soak the earth below.

Vmoosh! The metal door of Vladimir's room swung open as he painfully stumbled inside. A hoof was pressed firmly against the side of his aching brow. As the door closed, it repeated the same whooshing sound behind him as it shut. Ramming straight into his cot, he clumsily tripped and fell to the ground.

This did not help with the pain in the slightest.

His head was alight with the sharp pains pricking at his nerves. In Vladimir’s struggle to get up, he turned his eyes toward a stool by the side of the cot that held a tin pitcher across from him. Placing his hooves soundly on the floor, he pushed himself up onto all four of his legs. Leaning on a dresser at the other side of the room was the creature, mischievously giggling to itself as Vladimir tried to reach the jug.

"You really intend on ending the pain by drinking that filth again, aren't you?" It chuckled.

With firm, determined steps a dedicated energy charged the air around Vladimir. Grunting, he focused on the pitcher before him and levitated it toward his mouth. "If it means keeping you quiet for a little while longer..."

Shaking its lean, mist-like head at him, it shot him a disapproving glare. Oddly enough, a boisterous sort of playfulness saturated its words. "You're looking to get rid of your first chance already, Little Red? Tsk, tsk, tsk. That breaks my heart. Truly it does!"

"Be quiet you!" Vladimir demanded, gulping the wine in the jug.

Taking in a deep breath he felt the relieving liquid dull the pain. However, when he returned to where the creature was -- it had not vanished.

It was still there, shooting a glowing smirk at him. "Sad, isn't it? When the pain leaves but I still roam free."

With his mouth agape, Vladimir was shocked at the sight before him. "B-but, how? How! You're, supposed to-"

"To what?" It snapped in a snide sort of manner. "Vanish like a bad dream, or perhaps should I just poof away because you drank that silly red muck?"

Floating next to him, the pitcher and its contents slushed around as he took a seat on his bed. Vladimir never once took an eye off of the specter. "I don't understand..."

"The pain is only a side effect of my existence. Not too long ago, the pain and I were melded as one. So, when you consumed that horrid drink you call wine, I was whisked away like a bad thought. Be it only for a little while. Now, though, I am strong and I continue to grow with each passing day. That irritating pain might leave when you drink, but I will stay longer."

In a desperate attempt to drown out the creature Vladimir started drinking the wine in the pitcher. Gulp by gulp the wine slid smoothly down his throat. Shaking its head once more at him the creature cooed as it started to fade out into nothingness. "Just remember, Little Red. You have three tiny chances to gain my favor... Only, three."

Removing the pitcher from his lips, he coughed hoarsely inhaling deeply the air around him. What could he do with that thing looming over him? It was like a bad dream. A dream he couldn't wake up from no matter how hard he tried.

Placing the pitcher of wine back down onto the stool it once rested on, Vladimir laid down on his cot reviewing the situation. He wasn't certain if the creature was too weak to hear his thoughts, or if that was even something it could do. But he knew for certain that it would probably laugh at him silently about the uplifting idea of freedom. What would mother do? Vladimir thought. What would father do?

As he sat there, straining his imagination to manifest an idea, a thought occurred to him. One that might very well help him, or at the very least relieve some of the strain that had been bottled up inside him. Sitting up, Vladimir removed himself from his bed and trotted to the other side of the room. There he turned his attention to the old metal dresser where the creature had previously been.

From one of the top drawers Vladimir picked up a large, black rectangular metal box. On its top was a series of various buttons -- along with microphones and jacks for headphones, speakers, and other such attachments.

Setting the machine down on the dresser's top, he gazed at it, and simpered. "I haven't looked at this thing in a while. Maybe, just maybe, I can use this to help me with this problem. Maybe..."

Pressing a red button near the top right corner of the device, a loud click sounded. Lights illuminated and the machine started to softly hum as power pulsated through it. Vladimir’s heart beat wildly in his chest. For all he knew the creature that haunted his mind could very well be seeing it. But he had to use it, and he had to try to find a way to beat cope with this harsh and confusing existence. Rousing what courage he could, Vladimir pressed one of the many buttons on the machine.

Dark stillness blanketed Neo's vision. The clamor of the outside world had, at least to him, faded into silence. Had he finally fallen asleep? Or had he passed out due to a lack of it? To him, it mattered not. He was at long last resting. That was, of course, until a forceful nudge woke him.

His eyes shot open as light from the outside world flooded his vision. As he adjusted, he felt damp, cool condensation had collected on the top layer of his fur, sending a chill throughout his upper body. All across the many joints in his legs Neo felt pain. An aching soreness that moved up along his spine, and neck.

Raising his head up from his resting position, Neo blinked at the pony who had nudged him. It was Lucy with an urgent glare that was widely alert. Behind her Wester stood with his pistols levitating closely by while he stared off toward the blasted hole at the other side of the room.

Lowering her muzzle to Neo, Lucy whispered, "Neo? Get Ally up."

"Why?" He asked in a hushed, groggy manner.

Lucy did not waste a moment with an explanation, "Just get them up and tell them to be quiet. When everyone’s up, meet me and Wester down stairs."

Lucy and Wester dashed toward the staircase where they stepped down the stairs as lightly as a pony could. Neo was dazed and confused. Not only had his rest been cut short, but now he had to get up? His body started to develop a dull soreness -- actively protesting against him moving even an inch. It made him upset and miserable. But whatever it was that Lucy was worried about, sounded too urgent to ignore.

Ally rested contently, her forelegs crossed as Neo nudged her shoulder gently. Blinking briefly, she raised her head and yawned. "What is it, Neo?" She moaned tiredly.

Putting a hoof to his lips, Neo replied lowly, "Lucy wants us up. I don't know why."

Ally scratched her head. "Are you going to wake Adam up?"

"That's what I'm going to do next," Neo answered. "Just head down stairs. Lucy wants us to meet her down there."

Ally nodded, and together both ponies got up. What they didn't expect was the horrible pain that would follow once they did. The potent aching sores now became pounding annoyances that hurt even more than before. It was worse than being hungover, and that was the last feeling either pony wanted to feel.

Putting his duster on, and recovering their things, Ally trotted down to the first floor of the building while Neo went to wake up Adam. By the smoldering, charred cardboard, the little blue buck snored softly. A sour taste had manifested in Neo's mouth as he shook Adam gently awake. Immediately Adam roused himself, and turned his blurred faintly bloodshot eyes at his brother. Standing over him, Neo bore a distasteful expression.

"Adam," Neo muttered. "Get up. Lucy wants us to meet her downstairs."

Adam laid his head back down and moaned. "Five more minutes, brother. I had a really bad night..."

Furrowing his brow, Neo glared at his brother. "You need to get up," he retorted quietly.

Without moving his calm position on the floor Adam begged him, "Please, brother."

An odd -- almost unexplainable frustration festered inside of Neo. Swelling unnaturally Neo began to grow weary of his brother's behavior. "Listen, you need to get up. Something is happening, and we need all of the group down there now."

Grunting, Adam unstably stood up on all four of his legs. Like his sibling, the upsetting misery was very much present throughout his entire body. To him at that very instant nothing but a long rest on a soft cushioned bed could quell the atrocious feeling of fatigue and lassitude.

Narrowing his weary eyes up at his brother, Adam frowned. "That doesn't mean you have to be so rude about it."

"I don't care!" Neo countered softly. "You just need to get up! Now!"

Adam grumbled angrily to himself as he stood up. A tense negativity charged the air around the two brothers while Adam recovered his things. Both had started to look rudely at one another as even the slightest movement or word seemed to trigger a vicious frenzy between them.

Heading down the stairs the brothers bickered about who would go down first. After a minute of this, they came to the agreement of both going down together. This lead an argument about one going too fast, or how one of them didn't give the other enough room on the stairs. The very instant they came down to the first floor of the old building Ally glanced at them oddly. Never before had she seen them snap so harshly at one another.

"Why didn't you give me more room on the steps? I could have fallen off!" Neo remarked.

Adam retaliated bitterly, "Maybe if you didn't eat so much you wouldn't take as much space."

Placing a hoof to the side of his ear, Neo taunted, "What was that? I'm sorry but you're too small for me to hear you."

His brother’s perplexing statement confused him. "I'm not that much smaller than you, and that doesn't make any sense either!"

Neo growled. "You never make sense, you geek!"

Lucy and Wester stood near the large metal doors of the building, watching the two ponies shoot boorish remarks about one another. Within seconds of hearing their compulsive squabbling to send Lucy’s nerves ablaze with irritation. Gritting her teeth tightly, she quickly turned to them and snapped.

In a hushed tone, Lucy bellowed. "Will you two shut it?!"

The bickering brothers silenced themselves, glaring distantly away from the other. Ally looked at them with a fearful worry was in her eyes. "Of all the time I've been with you two you’ve never fought like this. What's making you guys act so mean?"

Neo replied first in a hostile grunt. "Maybe if he wasn't so picky we'd get along better today."

Adam shook his head in disbelief. "Me? Picky? This is coming from the pony who needed his milk warmed a certain way when mom was still around!"

"Shut up!” Neo yelled. “You just can't get over the fact you're so small, and no one likes you!"

Adam glared at his brother with furious contempt. "Jerk!"

Neo returned the unnerving stare, leaning in closer to his brother. "Geek!"

Ally interjected sternly, "Be quiet! The both of you!"

"Hmph!" Both brothers grunted in unison, turning away from each other.

Wester removed most of the clutter they had used to barricade the door while Lucy returned to the brothers. "Listen," She said, "we need to be quiet. The hellhounds are sleeping across the street. If we move out carefully we might be able to make it without waking them. All I need from you two is just to shut the fuck up until we get out safely. Can you do that?"

They did not respond, but rather they retained the same silent resentment for one another. Lucy sighed, feeling nervous over their current mood. "Let's just hope you two stay quiet until we pass those damn things..."

Wester unlatched the doors and pushed them carefully open with his hooves. Leaving them only slightly ajar, the doors could only allow one pony to squeeze through at a time.

"Who will be first?" Wester asked, holding the door open with his forelegs.

Ally was the first to step up. "I'll go."

Before Ally made her way to the door, Lucy approached her -- placing a reassuring hoof on her shoulder. "Just wait out there for the rest of us. Keep quiet, and keep low. Just hope those things don’t wake up easy."

Ally sighed. "I know. It's just..."

She turned her gaze to the two brothers. "I hope this sudden tension between them doesn't get too heated."

Lucy nodded. "Let's hope not."

Inhaling a deep, calming breath, Ally stepped through the narrow crack into the outside world. Lucy exited next, then Neo who in turn was followed Adam. The last to leave the building was Wester, who, upon watching the others gather outside, let go of the doors to join them.

The air was laden with a thick, cool humidity. A breeze blew so softly in the air that it did not disturb so much as a hair on the napes of anypony’s necks. Though, it could be heard high above howling, and moving in the vast regions of the atmosphere. Puddles of muddy water were scattered across the ground. Above the blanket of grey clouds overhead were cracks with bright silver linings branching outward in all directions like the roots of a mighty tree.

Lucy lead the group, for -- just as she had said -- the pack of hellhounds was gathered across the street in the hollowed structure of an old shop. Through the blasted walls, and shattered rubble the beasts could be seen. Their rough matted fur brushed up against the old red bricks of the walls. Each hound snored with a bombing volume, as Lucy motioned them to move on and step lightly. Lest they wake the pack sending them all to a painful, brutal death.

In a single-file line, Lucy lead the group along the broken sidewalk on the other side of the street. To keep safe, Lucy had made sure that each member of the group was close together. As they advanced onward however, this proved to be a regretful decision. For the brothers had, once again, began to argue.

In low, hushed tones the brothers hissed at one another as the group advanced. "Ow! Stop bumping into me!" Neo declared under his breath.

"It's not my fault," Adam replied in a quiet voice. "You're just so big is all."

"Are you calling me fat?"

"Well, now that you mention it-"

Ally put a hoof to her lips and glared at them. Ending their excessive bickering. The brief time they had spoken made the hellhounds stir in their sleep. The hounds shifted and were on the verge of awakening. Noticing this, Lucy gestured her hoof to the rest of the group. Indicating that everyone should hurry up their pace.

The ears of one hound near the pack’s front lifted its large head, as it groggily searched the street for the source of the sound.

Freezing, everypony remained completely still. Like a radar scanning the world around it, the hellhound spotted them. While at first it appeared to ignore their presence, the hellhound’s sight began to return.

Holding their breaths, each pony felt their heart rate increase. The nauseating combination of drowsiness and terror made them want to run. Lucy thought hard to herself, and peering around at her environment, she spotted the water tower lean over the top of a building’s roof. An idea formed, bringing a new light into their grim situation.

Whispering as low as she could, Lucy said, “Everyone, listen. Those things are gonna flip in about five seconds. When I say shoot, Wester take that big ass gun of yours and shoot the weakest support of that water tower.”

Briefly, Wester looked toward the tower. Under the lip that hung off of the side was a rusted support no bigger than a foreleg. If he was careful, a well-placed shot could hit it, sending the whole thing crashing down onto the street below.

The hellhound began to growl, locking onto the group. Then, with one powerful bark the pack started to wake up.

Lucy shouted at the top of her lungs, “RUN! Head for the water tower! Now! Go!”

Desperately dashing with all the energy their poor, tired legs could give they moved to the middle of the street. Taking care to dodge the blasted carts that were scattered around. Weaving through the old vehicles, Lucy turned her head to see the creatures shake themselves awake, and sprint madly to them.

Their meaty paws pounded forcefully against the cracked pavement of the road, as they ran around the old wagons, and carts. The water tower was in view, and the pack was homing onto them at an alarming rate.

“Wester!” Lucy called, “Shoot it now! Shoot it now!”

Levitating his large, folder rifle from his back Wester aimed, while running at full speed, at the weakened support of the massive water container. Holding the rifle as steady as he could, Wester unloaded one bombing shot at the water tower. The bullet hit the building’s side, sending fragments of brick, and metal scattering about in the air.

Once more, he fired a shot. This time, hitting the support right in the middle. Creaking, and twisting all of the supports gave out. One at a time, the steel gave way as gravity took control of the water container’s fate.

The hellhounds seemed to completely ignore the tower as is came crashing down. And, charging headlong into its collision path, nearly the entire frenzied pack of hellhounds became encased in a monstrous wave of water, and shredded metal.

“Do we keep running?” Ally asked, feeling the fatigue slowly consume her body.

“No,” Lucy said puffing tiredly. “We keep running. We keep running until we can’t see those things anymore!”

And they ran on until the group could no longer see the pack of demented beasts. Slipping, and falling over themselves they sudden collision with the water tower left them dazed.

Soon, the hounds vanished until all of the creatures were entirely out of sight. The very instant the group had cleared the vicious monsters Wester took the lead, and with the help of the brother's coordinates on their Pipbucks they navigated the empty ruins of the old outer city. Along the way sleep deprivation took its agitating toll on both brother's mental status. Even Ally felt the effects of the rough sleep start to weaken her.

Everything was a potential argument. From the way one pony walked to the tone of a pony’s voice. Yet, Lucy retained the most focused attitude. Certainly, the complaining annoyed her, as did the senseless arguing that would follow. But, holding firmly to the belief it would pass, she endured the frustrating chatter.

Wester kept her uplifted, and in return she tried to reflect some of that stern control onto the group. Then, hopefully they could rest. Perhaps a safe place where they wouldn’t need to worry about the hellhounds -- a place far, far away from they had once been trapped by the vicious beasts.

Further down the narrow streets of the cities outskirts, the group started to notice the buildings recede into smaller structures. Three story buildings quickly became two stories, before not soon after one story buildings had started to become the most common building.

Fewer carts were seen crashed along the broken sidewalks. More puddles, murky and deep gathered in the potholes that now dotted the widening streets. Not far ahead of them was the main highway leading Eastward, and out of the city. This was clearly indicated by a rusted green road sign, which like many of the signs they had seen before was bent, dented, and weathered by the elements. It read:

Darkmane City
Highway 23

The Iron Mountains
Highway 23

Shuffling uneasily, Ally dragged her hooves across the coarse pavement of the road. Behind her, the brothers followed the same sluggish steps as their hooves ground against the road like wood to sandpaper. Occasionally, all three of the ponies would stumble or trip over themselves as hazed dizziness obscured their senses. Lucy and Wester tried as they could to help up any who fell over -- but little could be done, for no sooner had they helped them stabilize, their legs would they just stumble over their footing once again.

A darkness developed under their eyes, as the upper eyelids of the three ponies began to sag tiredly. Neo started to sway off toward his brother, where he bumped forcefully straight into his side. Instantly, both ponies snapped to attention as their fury ignited.

"Hey!" Adam barked at his brother. "Watch where you're going!"

A heated rage started to charge the surrounding air. "Me? Watch where I'm going? Get real, you're the one bumping into me!"

"I am not! You're purposely doing it to me!"

A snarky tone floated along Neo's voice, "Ah, so it is, huh? Then prove it. You've got a big head, tell me why I did it and not you."

"Because you're a jerk! That's why!" Adam countered sternly.

Lucy turned to them sharply, snarling. "Boys! Stop it! Or I'll come knock both of you out!"

But her words did nothing this time, for in that moment both brothers stopped and faced each other. Boiling anger could be seen blossoming inside their sleep-deprived eyes. The two ponies leaned in close to one another, placing their snouts merely inches apart from the other's.

"I won't stop! I've had it with him!" Neo exclaimed.

Adam gritted his teeth together tightly. "Nuisance! You're the fat complainer! If there's anypony here who is a nuisance, it's you!"

Sarcastically, Neo remarked, "Oh, you're so smart! You've went back to calling me fat!"

Pointing to his rather slender belly under his duster, Neo added, "I'm probably more skinny than you. After all, I do most of the work here."

Adam was appalled by the statement. "You? Do all the work? Please, if it wasn't for me you won't be alive right now!"

"I would too! I'm tough! You're the weakling who always needs help!"

The other members of the group couldn't stand to watch anymore. Even Ally, as dazed and light-headed as she was, understood that what was happening was wrong. "Boys!" Ally cried out to them desperately. "Stop! You're tired and fighting won't help!"

"Listen to her, guys! Just stop before I make you!" Lucy shouted.

Neo turned briefly to Lucy. In his eyes a fire burned which intimidated even her. "This ends now! I'm tired of it!"

Wester stepped up powerfully. Booming loudly, he interjected. "This is unacceptable behavior! Stop at once!"

But the brothers continued to ignore them. With every harsh comment or cruel comeback the rest of the group tried to stop the brash behavior.

"Maybe, if you weren't so stupid we would have been there by now!" Adam bellowed at his older brother.

“Stop it! Now!” Ally cried.

"Well, maybe if you weren't so slow we would have caught up to her years ago!" Neo returned aggressively to his younger sibling.

"Well, maybe if you weren't so fat you'd learn more about where she is!"

“Boys! I mean it!” Lucy barked. “If you don’t stop it this instant I’ll end it myself!”

With this final statement Adam had made, it hit Neo in the heart, sending all of the bottled rage exploding out at full force. In his tired, weary mind, a comeback formed. One that he believed would shut his brother up for good. "Well, maybe if you weren't born, mom wouldn't have ran away in the first place!"

Adam's eyes grew wide as he reeled himself back. With his mouth slightly agape tears pooled in the corners of his eyes. It took a moments for the scene to process in Neo's dazed mind. When it did, a heavy clarity hit him, making his enraged heart sink.

The words that were once filled to the rim with hate, now yielded regretful forgiveness. "A-Adam, I... I didn't mean it, I-"

Huge tears profusely rolled down the sides of Adam’s cold, flushed cheeks. "You're a jerk! Why can’t you just leave me alone?!”

Dashing toward one of the many narrow streets of the city Adam cried softly to himself as he ran away from the group. Neo felt horrible inside. A hallowed, heavy sensation washed over him. Almost as though a lead weight had been placed on his heart, squeezing any other emotion out of his very being -- leaving only pure saddens in its wake.

"Adam!" Neo cried out to his brother as he ran off.

Every member of the group glared furiously at him, Ally especially. Turning to them, Neo looked confused. "Wha-What should I-"

"Go after him," Ally authoritatively stated in a low, powerful tone. "Now."

"But I..." Neo stammered.

"Now!" She barked at him.

Sighing, Neo took after his little brother. Calling out his name throughout the deserted streets as he went. "Adam! I'm sorry Adam! I didn't mean it! Please come back, I'm sorry!"

In the brief amount of time Adam had had to run away the little buck had managed to cover quite a fair amount of ground. Taking refuge in an old wagon repair garage Adam found a solitary place among the metal boxes, and tools that laided scattered about, to sit on. There, in the empty structure, he cried, feeling the horrid heartbreak throb in his chest. Far off in the distance was the faint cry of his brother searching for him.

Sniffing, Adam folded his forelegs and buried his face in them. "I don't need him..." Adam mumbled coughing lightly.

Wiping his running, cold nose gently against the sleeve of his duster, Adam muttered, "He... He was holding me back. I can find her..."

Adam didn't think he could bring himself to say much more. The sorrow inside felt so great, and the cold, icy chill of the fresh moist air did not help in the slightest with the already miserable feeling. Adam's heart raced as he continued to wallow in painful sadness.

An acrid stallion’s voice, that could make even the strongest ponies cringe, whispered sweetly to him from behind. "Aye, this pup looks so sad. So broken. Ah wonder what ever could be wrong with ‘em, don't you?"

Another voice, this time of a mare, replied in the same kind of crookedly sweet tone. "Indeed, ah wonder, Split Tooth. Dat pup's got a real nasty case of the blues, ain't he?"

Adam spun around to see who was addressing him. Behind him were two tall, lanky unicorns who peered devilishly at him with their purple foggy eyes. Their orange manes were tattered and coated in a fresh mix of dried blood and dirt. Teeth, claws, and tiny bones hung from the black fur belts that were wrapped around their legs and torsos. At their sides levitated bulging assault rifles. A foul, sickly colored yellow aura encased their weapons as they leaned strangely over him.

Smiling at the surprised little buck with their yellow chipped crooked teeth, the stallion named Split Tooth spoke, "Wot's a nice little pup like you doin' way out here? Hmm?"

Slightly jolted by their presence Adam tried to stand up, only to fall onto his back, "Whoops!" Chirped the mare. "A clumsy one ain't he, Splitsy?"

"Aye." -- He nodded -- "That he is."

Adam's heart rate intensified as terror filled his entire body. He couldn’t draw his weapon. Not against rifles so large and so close to him. "Wha-What do you want from me?"

The two ghastly looking pony's smiles grew wider. "Wot's we want he says!" Split Tooth guffawed. "He asks wot we won’t wit ‘em, Siren."

The two ponies lowered their heads, keeping both of their menacing eyes fixed on Adam. "Where's ya mates, little pup? Huh? Ya got anyone 'round?"

Creeping in slowly toward him the two ponies approached, stepping lightly as they did. "Yeah, ya got someone lookin' for ya? Huh, pup?"

Still in the distance, Neo could be heard desperately calling out to his brother. And, with the horrifying ponies nearly on him, Adam cried out to his brother.

"Brother! I'm over here! Help! Brother!" He shouted as loudly as his lungs would permit.

Reeling back briskly, the two slender ponies expressions turned sour. "Quick! Shut ‘im up!" Siren hissed urgently.

With the stalk of his rifle, Split Tooth jammed it straight into the side of Adam's head. Painfully, Adam came crashing down to the floor, softly murmuring to his brother. "Brother, please. Help..."

"Adam!" Neo cry echoed out from the streets. "Adam, hold on I'm coming! Quick, guys! Adam's in trouble!"

Split Tooth turned his boney head to the source of the distant voice. "Ah, fuck," He swore. "Ya think this one ‘ere will make a profit down at t’ Darkmine?"

With her hoof, Siren motioned him to hurry along. "Yeah, yeah! He's got one of 'em Pip-things or whatever. An' look! He's so healthy! It would be foolish not t' take 'im!"

"Roight," Split Tooth pondered, "then we'll take ‘im. Help me put’m on m' back."

Nodding affirmatively at him, she helped encase Adam in the horrid yellow magical energy, lifting him up languidly onto Split Tooth’s dusty back. Once Adam was secured soundly to the stallion's back, the cries of the group rang out louder in the distance.

"Ah shit." Siren moaned looking in the directing of the voices. "Quick, let's meet up with the others on t' other side of this place. We need t' hurry. There's no tellin' how many of them ponies came wit’ this one here."

"Roight," Split Tooth agreed.

Just before they had started off, Neo dashed around the corner of an alleyway across the street. Scanning the area quickly, he saw nearly a hundred feet away from him the two hideous looking scoundrels standing in the entrance of an old repair garage with Adam on the stallion's back.

Neo had gained a head start, and as such was the first to reach Adam. Sparing not even a moment to think he pulled forth his combat shotgun and charged at the two unknown kidnappers. Fearful of shooting his brother, he waited until they were close enough to injure without hurting Adam.

"Quick!" Siren shouted, pulling her rifle to the ready. "Shoot ‘im! Shoot ‘im!"

Like clamorous lightening booming high in the atmosphere, the guns of Adam's captors roared. Hot, glowing metal whizzed by Neo's head as he came closer to them. Though his senses were disoriented, and his thoughts obscured by the lack of sleep, this one moment was clear to him.

Nothing could stop him.

Nothing.

"Kill ‘im! Kill ‘im!" Split Tooth screeched madly unloading every bullet his gun contained.

Bullets clipped and dug into Neo’s skin, sending droplets of blood gushing out of the fresh new wounds. Despite the injuries and the pain -- Neo felt compelled to save his younger brother, no matter how difficult it may be. Neo almost had them in his range, even with the warm blood dripping from his wounds, he was set on ending their lives.

Second by second, the enraged brother came at them, and to Siren's side she noticed something. Out of the corner of her eye, near the sidewalk's curb, were several pieces of large concrete fragments. And in her mind a devious idea formed while the rock remained in the father section of her vision. Not only this, but Neo’s path toward them was distorted. Once or twice he had stumbled, meaning that the whole situation could be turned in their favor.

When Neo was nearly ten feet away, he raised his shotgun up to them, preparing for the moment of their demise. His efforts, however, proved fatal. Siren focused her magical energy on one of the many concrete stones and launched it at Neo's head. Like a sudden bolt of quick lightening, it struck him squarely on the brow ultimately sending him crashing down to the ground.

Skidding across the rough pavement of the road, Neo groaned as he felt his forehead swell with pain. Split Tooth ceased his fire and grinned widely at his partner.

"Well, ain'tcha a clever girl. Should I shoot ‘im, an' end it?"

Siren chuckled. "He ain't worth t’ bullet. We'll be out of ‘ere in no time, an' he'll bleed out before he even has time t' wake up! Bwahahaha!"

Lowering his rifle, Split Tooth shrugged. "If ya say so. Ah still think we ought t' shoot ‘im some more..."

Motioning her head to him, Siren turned back to the garage. "Ah ain't wastin' another shot on dat damn bastard. Them ponies already heard us enough. Now, let's head on out of 'ere before t' other ponies get 'ere an’ find us."

A shadow slowly encroached on Neo's vision as the ponies made there way with his brother. All of his limbs failed to respond. The only thing he could do was watch his brother go, and even that horrible scene was fading away as he gradually lost consciousness. Blackness became silence, and silence became pure nothingness.

Still, empty nothingness. This was the dark oblivion which he stared endlessly into.

By the time the other ponies showed up, they saw Neo laying there near the curb of the sidewalk on the other side of the street. Tiny pools of warm blood stirred with the chilled fresh water of yesterday's rain. Coming quickly to his aid, Ally rushed to his side and searched her bags for medicines to help him. While she tended to Neo -- both Lucy and Wester called out to Adam. Wherever he might be.

Lucy raised a hoof to her mouth, and called out worryingly to the lost buck. "Adam! Adam!"

"Adam!" Wester shouted out into the streets. "Adam!"

Returning her gaze to Ally, Lucy asked wearily. "Is Neo going to be okay? Did he see what happened to Adam? Or who fired off those shots?"

Ally held Neo in her hooves as she lifted a health potion up to his lips. "I think he'll be okay. But he's out cold."

Grabbing her fedora, Lucy threw it against the ground. "Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!"

Wester approached Lucy, who was about to break down in anxious panic. Frantically, the gray mare moved her gaze all over the street from where she stood.

Wester sighed regretfully coming to her side. "It's my fault. I am the group's protector. I should have gone with him."

Lucy shook her head, and continued to search the street from her stationary position. "Don't beat yourself up, Wester."

Ally picked Neo up, and placed him uneasily on her back. "Guys, we need to get Neo someplace safe. Maybe he knows more about what happened to Adam."

Lucy nodded. "Right. Then we'll start looking for Adam and-"

A loud, sudden sound penetrated the air halting Lucy's speech. It was the unexpected sound of a pony clearing his throat that caught the group off guard. And it came from right across the street in a little shop, which appeared to have at one time sold flowers.

Stepping gingerly upon the broken glass which coated most of the sidewalk across the street a single pony emerged from the shadow of the hallowed structure. A mysterious shadow cast by the building cloaked the pony before them.

Every member of the group except Ally drew their weapons and fixed it directly at the newcomer.

"Show yourself!" Lucy demanded, pointing her sniper at the stranger.

Wester stood next to her, levitating both python revolvers at the stallion's head. In a deep, commanding tone Wester barked, "If you draw so much as a pin your head is gone!"

With one surrendering hoof raised, the shadow hiding the face of the pony receded as the stranger came forward. Once in the dim, gray light of the day the newly revealed unicorn -- with his scruffy looking eyes, smiled awkwardly at them.

"Oh, terribly sorry about that. I didn't mean to frighten you. Really, I didn't. My name is Two Socks. I heard some gunshots this way, and I decided to investigate. If that isn’t a problem with you folks..."

Footnote: Level up!

New Perk: In the Town Where I was Born: If you rest in a town, you gain +XP from any side quest you do in said town. However, if you leave outside of a mile (unless the quest requires you to do so) this bonus will no longer function until you've rested in the town again.

Footnote: Level up!

Would you like to level up Adam as well?

Yes-

No

New Perk: You Know Nothing, Jon Snow: On your own, you earn +XP and +1 charisma with every level you achieve without a partner/companion around.

Proofread by:

Noakwolf

DannyKat

LyonAzakura

Thefullmetalbrony

(AN: I’m sorry for the long wait. It took us awhile to go through this to make sure nearly all of the errors were removed. In the end though I think it came out well. I’ve been busy, so it’s been hard getting writing in. However, I think I did well with the chapter. Additionally, I learned a lot about writing this month, and I’m hoping to apply this knowledge to the next chapter. Tune in for the next chapter!)