“We getting any closer?” Rainbow Dash yelled as everyone was led through a labyrinth of alleyways and streets.

Lieutenant Masterson quickly glanced at the navigator in his left hand. “One point five kilometers,” he huffed. “And we’ve got twelve minutes to make that distance.”

“Is that far?” Pinkie Pie asked.

“Not really. We can make that!” Private Schneider yelled.

“Let’s... hope so,” Fluttershy wheezed. It was becoming obvious that the constant flying had started taking its toll on her. As the caretaker began falling behind, she nearly called for the others to wait when she felt a hulking arm wrap around her waist.

Rainbow instantly looked back when she heard her fellow pegasus yelp, but quickly relaxed as she saw Sergeant Powers carrying Fluttershy on his shoulders, his speed seemingly unaffected.

Fluttershy managed a quick word of thanks as she began catching her breath.

Masterson started slowing down, prompting the others to do the same. “The hospital’s just around the corner. Keep your voices down and stay alert.”

A few minutes later, everyone found themselves at a wide stone road. Once on the path, the remains of a chain link fence lay scattered on the floor to the right, seemingly built around two army supply trucks.

The humans loaded their weapons while the ponies kept a watchful eye of their surrounding area.

Rainbow Dash began sniffing the air. “Is that... smoke?”

“With all the fires going on around here, I’d assume so,” Schneider replied with a shrug.

“Hang on a sec,” Pinkie Pie stated as she smelled the air. “Dashie’s right. Sometimes the ovens get smokey back at Sugarcube Corner, but this burn smells different.”

“Then what could it be?” Fluttershy asked.

Schneider bit his lower lip. “It could, erm,” he began. “Could be, uh...”

“Burning flesh,” Powers finished, his stride unabated.

Rainbow Dash gulped. “I really, really, hope you’re wrong about that...”

As Masterson approached the gate, he moved past a flimsy barricade and looked down the street. “If only he was wrong.”

Everyone else approaching Masterson’s position soon understood what the Lieutenant was talking about. Fluttershy gasped and Rainbow slightly gagged over what lay in wait for them. The building before them was everything left of Saint Filth’s General Hospital. A vertical driveway welcomed the group to the desolate building, where no signs of life could be seen from their position. Solid concrete two-meter walls lined the walkway, and in the middle of the road leading in was an abandoned ambulance. What made the ponies react, however, was the bodies of several EMTs sloppily strewn about the scene, one of which was on fire.

They took a few steps closer to the two-story building when Powers stopped in place, his attention focused to the left. Rainbow looked at him, then towards the spot he was focused on when she saw it: a soldier’s cold corpse slumped against the wall. Fragments of his brain were stuck on the surface behind him, courtesy of the shotgun aimed into his mouth.

Powers casually approached the body. He stood before it as he squatted to its eye level, almost like he was studying the pair of lifeless eyes. His attention was then directed to the shotgun. He picked the weapon up, looking down its sights and inspecting its ammunition.

“You’re just taking it?” Rainbow Dash asked, attracting everyone’s attention to the body.

Powers only nodded once before holstering the weapon onto his back, pulling his axe out once more before walking ahead.

“Perhaps that’s just how it is,” Schneider commented. “Either we might need another weapon, or eventually we’re going to need more money for ammunition. We don’t know what’s coming around every corner.”

Everyone moved past the ambulance and walked closer to the hospital’s entrance when Masterson suddenly stopped and held his fist in the air. At first the ponies didn’t understand, but they quickly caught on when the other humans stopped in their tracks. The Lieutenant then held his hand to his ear. The quiet grew deafening as everybody stood in place. Suddenly, they heard it.

“C’mon you stupid door!”

Masterson immediately held two fingers in the air and moved his forearm back and forth. Powers and Schneider quietly lined up behind the Lieutenant, enticing the ponies to line up close behind. Masterson led a single file line to the edge of the wall and stopped. He peered his line of sight past the corner of the wall. Not far from the wall’s edge was a metal shed. Masterson couldn’t tell how long the shed was from his current position, but it was no taller than the driveway’s walls. He pulled out his navigator, which showed an arrow pointing at the shed and read ten minutes, twelve seconds.

Behind the shed was a man in a green uniformed Paramedic shirt, pants, and hat. He seemed to have many medical tools on several belts he was wearing, ranging from syringes to scissors. As if to make his costume authentic, he even wore a green surgical mask. Completely unaware of the pair of eyes watching him, the man began ramming into what Masterson could only assume was the door. “Of all the times for it to jam, why now?”

“What’s going on?” Rainbow murmured.

“There’s a medic over there,” Masterson whispered back. “We could use someone like him. Probably knows where we can find first aid or medicine around here.” He opened the straps on his holsters. “But we don’t know if he’s all there. I’ll move in first, make sure he’s not bonkers, and then we’ll proceed. It’s important for him to know we’re friendly.”

While still looking forward, Rainbow leaned her head back. “Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie. You guys get that?”

“Yes,” Fluttershy whispered.

There was no follow up noise. The speedster waited before turning around. “Pinkie Pie?” Unfortunately, the party pony was nowhere to be seen. Rainbow began frantically looking around. “Where did Pinkie Pie go?” she said slightly louder than before.

Just before anyone else could add to that, the paramedic yelped, a sound which was soon followed by a trademark giggle and snort.

“I didn’t mean to scare ya, human!” Pinkie Pie giggled from atop the shed. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t be laughing, but...” Her words were lost as she started laughing and rolling on the roof.

The paramedic got to his feet and pulled out a scalpel, . “S-s-stay back! I’m warning you, I’ll... I’ll slice you open if you come near me!”

Pinkie Pie tilted her head. “Why would you wanna do that? I just wanna be your friend!”

“No you don’t! You’re just a hallucination!” He looked at his knife and then back to Pinkie Pie, rolling his eyes as he slumped his shoulders. “Good lord, I’m going insane and it hasn’t even been two days!”

Pinkie Pie hopped off the roof of the small shed and began walking towards the paramedic. “But you’re not going crazy! I’ve seen crazy, and you aren’t close to crazy!”

The man jumped back, still swinging the blade. “I-I’m warning you! Take another step and I’ll show you what your kidneys look like!”

“That’s it! Nopony threatens my friends!” Rainbow Dash whispered as she nearly flew towards the paramedic.

Masterson stopped her before that could happen. “Let me handle this!” he murmured back. The Lieutenant finally emerged from around the wall. “Now, now. Let’s not get hasty.”

The medic then frantically alternated pointing the knife at Masterson and Pinkie Pie. “Who are you people... animals... whatever! What do you want?!”

“It’s okay,” the Lieutenant cooed as he held up his arms defensively. “We mean you no harm. I’m sure you have a lot of questions, and we can answer them for you, but you’ve got to put your knife away.”

“...How do I know you’re really a soldier?”

“I don’t have the time to prove it to you. You’re just going to have to take my word for it.”

As the paramedic thought this over, his arms started to relax. “Can you at least tell me your name?”

Masterson bowed his head. “Fair enough. I am Lieutenant Masterson. These are...” he paused to hold his left arm up at a ninety degree angle, motioning his forearm forward a few times. The remaining soldiers and ponies emerged, much to the paramedic’s surprise. “These are my allies: Sergeant Powers, Private Schneider, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and you’ve already met Pinkie Pie.”

The paramedic looked at each pair of eyes staring at him. “There’s... quite a few of you...”

Rainbow crossed her arms. “Yeah, so threatening any of us isn’t exactly a good idea,” she added with a glare. “What’s your name?”

The medic swallowed the lump in his throat, but continued.“Alfred Anderson.”

“Pleasure to meet you, Alfred.” Masterson commented.

As Alfred put his scalpel onto his belt of medical tools, he breathed a heavy sigh. “It’s nice to see some friendly faces, but how in the world did you people come across a bunch of talking horses?”

Rainbow Dash groaned as she dragged her hooves down her face. “For the last time; we’re not horses, we’re ponies! How can it be this hard to tell?”

“Oh, it’s okay, Rainbow,” Fluttershy assured as she patted her friend on the shoulder. “Some humans must not know any better.”

“It’s a bit of a story,” Masterson replied, ignoring the pony banter. “But right now, we have some business with what’s in there.” The Lieutenant pointed at the metal shed.

“Good luck with that,” Alfred replied as he shook his head. “I’ve been trying to get this open for the past ten minutes now.” He walked up to the door. “If you can open this door,” he said as he gripped the handle, “then be my—” the door effortlessly opened as he gave a slight tug. “...Guest.”

Masterson crossed his arms as he walked inside the shed. “Was this your doing?”

“I couldn’t let just anyone in, Lieutenant,” the Trader replied. “What would a poor, defenseless woman like myself do if any robbers barged their way in?”

“She said, standing behind a counter full of weapons,” Schneider quipped as he followed his commanding officer.

The rest of the group made their way inside, leaving a confused Alfred standing outside. He snapped himself out of his stupor and barged his way in. “What the- where are all the meds? Where are our supplies? What happened here?”

“Oh, we got rid of all that. It was in the way,” the Trader answered as she inspected her fingernails.

“Well, where is it all now?”

“I told you. We got rid of it.”

Alfred stared in shock at The Trader. “That was hundred of thousands of pounds worth of medical supplies. how could you just get rid of it all?!”

“We have our ways. Now are you done talking? I have no business with you. Only these fine ladies and gentlemen are worth my time.”

“Then how can you have business with me?”

The Trader started laughing, then stopped once she noticed Alfred’s flat expression. “Oh, you’re serious?” She shook her head. “You’re not in our system, darling, and we can’t afford to waste our money on saps with no promise. That’s just the way this deal works.” As Alfred began to retaliate, the trader suddenly put her left hand to the headset in left ear and looked away, holding her right index finger in the air, as if to silence the paramedic. “Understood,” she eventually stated.

A printer automatically turned on from behind the counter, prompting the Trader to retrieve several papers which came to rest the machine’s paper tray. She grabbed the papers and read them over, eyes growing wider as she read on. When she stopped, she looked at Alfred. “I’m going to ask you a question and you’re going to answer it quickly and honestly. your usefulness is at stake. Our records indicate that St. Filth’s has been working on an experimental regenerative serum for the past few months. One that could revolutionize modern medicine as we know it. Does such a thing exist, yes or no?”

Alfred seemed to choke. “Th-th-I uh, serum? W-w-what are you talking about? I-I don’t know of any—”

“Too bad,” the Trader sighed, “then you’re of no use to us. Soldiers, ponies, please escort this fool away from my shop,” she nonchalantly commanded with a wave of her hand.

“B-but I-”

“Enjoy surviving the apocalypse with that shoddy scalpel of yours. If you’re lucky, I’m sure you’ll last long enough to see the sun set.”

“Okay, fine!” Alfred conceded as he held up his arms. “It’s true... W-we were conducting research on a new medical serum. The chemists were on the verge of a breakthrough when those things attacked. It’s incubated in the surgery ward.”

The Trader cracked a sly grin. “Was that so hard? Now you’re useful, and we’re going to commence an escort mission.”

“A what now?” Rainbow Dash asked.

Masterson shook his head. “This really is a game to you people, isn’t it?”

“Oh come now, Lieutenant. This is the system where everyone wins!”

“W-well,” Fluttershy murmured, “what do we have to do?”

The Trader began pacing back and forth. “The mission is simple. Escort Mr. Anderson to the surgery ward on the second floor so he can retrieve the serum. Then bring it to the roof, undamaged, for your reward.”

“Is this so-called reward also on the roof?” Schneider asked.

“That it is.”

Pinkie Pie poked her head up. “Why there?”

“You’ll want to fight tooth and nail, or... hoof in your case, for what’s up there.”

“So what’s on the roof?” Rainbow inquired.

The Trader leaned back and crossed her arms. “There’s no point in telling you if you die anyway. Just get up there, and everything will become clear.”

“All things considered,” Masterson added, “I still don’t trust you or your company’s intentions.”

“I suggest you start trusting us, darling,” the Trader replied as she tutted. “In case you’ve forgotten, my employers’ generosity is the sole reason any of you are still breathing. You’d be wise to show some gratitude.”

“By being your lap dogs?”

“Your words, not mine.”

The Lieutenant rested his face in his palm. “First things first, we’re going to that outpost you mentioned and help reinforce the defenses.That serum will still be there when we get back. ”

Alfred’s head perked up, “The... what?”

Schneider turned to the paramedic. “The survivor outpost, the one in this hospital.”

“Who told you that?” Alfred said as everyone shifted their gaze towards him. “As far as I know, you’re looking at the one survivor here.”

Everyone slowly turned to look at the Trader, who seemed rather disinterested.

“Did you lie to us?” Fluttershy asked bewilderedly.

“It wasn’t a lie, I just stretched the truth a bit.” She slouched on the countertop, unfazed by the various glares she received. “There is an outpost, but it’s far east of here. Moderately defended, but they can hold out on their own.”

Masterson stepped to the front. “Moderately doesn’t guarantee they’ll last forever out there.”

“Those humans are going to need us,” Rainbow Dash asserted. “We’ve gotta go help them.”

“That won’t be necessary,” the Trader replied. “Your primary objective is to retrieve the serum. As soon as you have what we need, you’re to proceed to the rooftop.”

“I’m sorry,” Schneider hissed, “but when were you in any authority to tell us what we can and can’t do?”

Masterson shook his head as he moved in to pull back his subordinate. “We don’t have time for this,” he muttered.

The Trader shook her head. “I’ll say it again, my—”

“Yes, ‘your employer’s generosity is the sole reason any of us are still breathing’,” Schneider repeated mockingly. “But here’s the problem. You lied to all of us. As soldiers, our main job is to protect the public, and you don’t trick a soldier when he’s doing his job.

“And furthermore,” the Private continued, “this serum you keep going on about. From the sound of it, I’d guess your employers are quite interested in it. I can only assume that since they’re not here, they aren’t the type to get their hands dirty.” He gave the Trader a smug smile. “You need us. We’re your only hope of finding what St. Filth’s has. Mr. Anderson, do you know how close to completion the experiment was?”

Alfred tapped his forehead three times. “I believe... it was almost complete, but it just needed some slight adjustments. T-though I could be wrong, I don’t know for sure.”

Schneider smiled. “Slight adjustments, eh?” He turned back to the Trader. “Adjustments your employers could complete?”

The Trader’s eyes slightly narrowed and her upper lip twitched as she remained silent.

“I’ll take that as a yes.” He took a turn leaning on the countertop. “So here’s the deal. We’ll go into the hospital and retrieve your precious serum, and you’re going to supply that outpost with weapons, ammunition, and first aid. And if you don’t, we’re walking.”

The room was silent as Schneider and The Trader stared at each other. Everyone seemed to be holding their breath when The Trader broke her gaze. She pressed the earpiece again, listening to the instructions fed to her. Eventually she muttered, “Understood,” as she turned back to the group of survivors. She crossed her arms as she bit her lower lip. “Very impressive, Private. You certainly have a way with words. Very well, my employers have agreed to your terms; but nothing happens if you fail. Agreed?”

The Private turned around, looking at his squadmates and their dumbfounded expressions. He began to nod, knocking the others out of their stupor.

“Agreed,” Masterson finally replied.

With the deal established, business carried on, as the team of soldiers looked to restock their weapons. The Trader informed them that their recent kills left them with a total of six hundred twenty-four pounds. Refilling ammunition for the three men had cost one hundred seventy-five pounds. Powers decided to keep his newly-acquired shotgun and replenish his ammunition, which cost sixty additional pounds, leaving the group with three hundred eighty-nine pounds. Rather than spend money on additional weapons, Masterson decided to save the rest, anticipating that the soldiers back at the parking lot might need the money later.

“One last thing,” The Trader stated with a minute and thirteen seconds left. “For the ponies, my employers have created special earpieces for the lot of you.” She reached under the counter and retrieved six wide, metallic headsets, placing them on the counter. “We would’ve gotten these to you sooner, but it took us quite a while to create working communications for them.”

Lewis shook his head. “‘Quite a while?’ You created headphones for us humans just yesterday. How could you possibly create working radios for horses in under a day? Were you expecting this?”

“We just work fast is all.”

Rainbow Dash eagerly swiped the headsets, giving one to her two fellow equines, and handing the remaining three sets to Masterson for safe keeping. “Now it’s like we really are secret agents!”

“Secret Agents?” Pinkie Pie parroted.

“Ah, nothing. I’ll tell you about that later.” Rainbow hovered to the countertop and sat on it, looking at the woman standing behind the screen. “So what’re ya gonna make this medicine do anyway?”

The Trader leaned her head to the right. “Sorry, dear. Won’t do you any good if I tell you now. I wouldn’t want to get your hopes up.”

“But why?” Fluttershy piped up.

“Because if I told you, you’d all undoubtedly be filled with hope. Hope leads to bravery. Bravery leads to recklessness. And recklessness leads to death. We have too much invested in you to let you literally lose your heads. Now be on your way, it’s time to close up shop.”

Without any further questions, the group made their way out the door. Before The Trader could close the door. Pinkie Pie poked her head back in and said, “Bye bye, Trader! Thanks for the neat walkie talkies!”

The Trader smiled and shook her head as she waved. After the door closed, Masterson took out his navigator and saw it counting down from thirty seconds. He turned to Private Schneider. “That was a good job back there, Private. But the next time I tell you to hold back, you hold back, got it?”

Schneider seemed surprised. “I... yes, sir.”

“I need you to understand that we were lucky she listened to you. Imagine if she didn’t listen, or if she’d thrown us out, or worse. We have no idea who she’s in league with.”

The Private gulped before lowering his head. “I’m sorry, sir. It won’t happen again.”

“See to it.” The Lieutenant looked at his navigator again, counting down the last ten seconds. As soon as the time was up, Master put the device away and loaded his rifle. “Ready up, everyone.”

Rainbow tapped Alfred on the shoulder. “So I guess you’re leading the way, right?”

“Do I really have to?” the paramedic replied.

“I’m not seeing anypony else around here.”

“Any-what?”

“Nevermind,” the speedster groaned as she facehoofed. “Deal is, you’re probably going to be showing us the way, so let’s get a move on.”

Masterson nodded. “Indeed. You’re the tour guide here. If we get stuck, you’re the only one who knows this hospital’s layout. We all need to stay close. Anyone falls behind and it could spell disaster. Understand?” Everyone nodded. “Good, then let’s go.”

As they entered the hospital, things continued to look worse. The hospital’s main lobby was trashed beyond recognition. Body parts littered the floor, blood trails stretched across all surfaces, and there was even a small fire in the back corner.

Rainbow looked to her right and saw Fluttershy cringe and whimper as her body froze. “Hey, hold on a sec,” she whispered, stopping everyone in place. She gently unfolded her left wing and covered Fluttershy’s back. “It’s okay,” she cooed, “we’re here with you. Just... try to focus on other things. We’ll be out of here before you know it.”

Fluttershy looked into her friend’s eyes, eyes filled with confidence and reassurance. The timid pony nodded her head a few times.

Rainbow turned back to Masterson and nodded as well, resuming the group’s pace.

“Your call now, Mr. Anderson,” the Lieutenant murmured. Past the tiled floor laid three paths: a staircase to the left, a hallway to the right, and another hallway directly ahead.

Alfred began scratching his chin, trying to estimate which way was the quickest to their objective. He raised his hand and readied his answer when he stopped and began looking around. “Do you hear that?”

“Hear what?” Schneider asked.

“Just listen.”

It was faint, but the more they concentrated, the clearer it became. It was the sound of a sobbing woman, far down the hall to the right.

“Who’s that?” Pinkie Pie queried.

“I don’t know,” Alfred answered. “I thought everyone in this hospital was... well...”

Masterson commented, “That crying is bound to attract some attention, sooner or later, but we can’t just leave her. Let’s check it out, but be prepared for anything.”

Moving cautiously, the group headed right. Everyone’s senses were on high alert, eyes shifting all around for any suspicious movement. The lighting in the hall was dim at best. Lights along the ceiling flickered every so often, which didn’t help them much as they navigated the area.

As the crying came closer, Alfred decided to quietly say, “Hello?”

Everyone stopped right away. Not because the paramedic called out, but because there was a response.

“Get me out of this... jacket!”

While the request sounded ordinary, it seemed too benign, given their situation.

Rainbow Dash looked towards Masterson. “What do we do?”

“Shouldn’t we help her?” Fluttershy added.

The Lieutenant rolled his shoulders, raising his weapon again. “I don’t like this. Keep your eyes peeled.” As everyone moved further down the hall, there were more requests made, which became more and more peculiar.

“Everything’s black... everything...”

As they neared the end of the hallway, no one seemed to breathe.

“Why did they have to take my eyes?”

Masterson took a peek around the corner once he was close enough. By then, however, his mind nearly blanked. No more than a meter away, a female-looking specimen was seen walking staggering towards him. Despite its clearly empty eye sockets, the specimen acted like it noticed the Lieutenant.

“I’m going to sing, they love it when I sing!”

Any chance at maintaining formation was lost as he shouted, “Fall back, now!”

Everyone scrambled away at his command as the Siren seemed to bow its head. The group managed to get out the front door when a glass-shattering scream erupted. Everyone held their head as the noise passed.

“Wh- what was that?!” Rainbow Dash yelled through the ringing in her ears.

“Is that what a Siren’s like?” Pinkie Pie added.

“How do you know what that specimen?” Masterson asked.

“Back at Horzine, I found one stuck in a box and Wilkes told me what it was. I didn’t think they could scream like that though!”

“So what the hell’s a Siren?” Schneider snapped.

Masterson answered, “They’re slow, but they’re tough to kill. Their scream can kill you if you’re too close. We have to take them down from a distance.” He pulled out his rifle and headed back inside, the others following close behind. “No one fire but me! We need to save as much ammunition as possible!” The Lieutenant fired five shots, each one hitting its mark, before the Siren finally fell to the floor, letting out a final last yelp that wasn’t as loud as its previous scream.

Masterson peered over his shoulder to see some scared expressions. “If you hear anything unusual, be prepared to kill, got it?” As soon as everyone agreed, several thumps were heard from the ceiling.

“More of them,” Powers uttered as he tightened the grip around his axe.

“We can’t waste any more time here,” Schneider added.

Masterson asked, “Quickly, where to from here, Mr. Anderson?”

The paramedic frantically looked at his possible pathways before pointing to the stairwell. “That way!”

Without even needing to command it, everyone took off up the stairs, readying their senses and weapons for whatever might lay in wait for them.

**********

Applejack’s jaws were lightly shaking. “S-so... when ah heard that yellin’ yesterday...”

Twilight solemnly nodded her head. “That was when Powers came around the corner and... and killed the human.”

Rarity swallowed the lump in her throat. “I’m so sorry, Twilight. Going through that must have been harrowing.”

“And That’s why I was upset and subsequently lashed out at all of you,” the librarian admitted. “I’m so sorry for that.”

“S’okay, sugarcube,” Applejack replied while giving her friend a gentle nudge. “Ah can’t even begin to imagine what was goin’ through yer head at the time. Least ya got it off yer chest now.”

Twilight smiled warmly. “Thank you. Both of you.”

“Right now ah’m more concerned ‘bout Fluttershy. Leavin’ her in the care o’ somepony like Powers ain’t exactly the most settlin’ thought.”

“I wouldn’t be so worried,” Rarity stated. “Powers was carrying Fluttershy on his back when we found her again. If anything, I would say that Powers might have been the one protecting her.”

“Ya really think so?” Applejack inquired.

“He has a frightening personality, but his... I suppose you can say his ‘energy’ gave off the feeling as if he were a guardian for Fluttershy.”

“Energy?” Twilight repeated. “What do you mean?”

Rarity shrugged. “I cannot say for certain, as I am still trying to understand my Element’s power.”

Suddenly, Police Constable Briar groaned, “If you’re going to keep yabbering, can you do it at the other end of the lot? Some of us are trying to get some sleep!”

“Honestly, just rude,” Police Sergeant Davin added.

Twilight rolled her eyes as she shook her head. “I didn’t know that you were allowed to sleep while keeping an active eye out for specimens.”

“He’s sleeping,” Briar replied, pointing at Wilkes, who was indeed fast asleep on the floor.

“That’s because he hasn’t rested for a whole day, if not longer!” Rarity remarked.

“Twilight ‘n ah dunno what our Elements do yet, if we gotta fight, then we all gotta be ready,” Applejack added.

“Don’t care,” Davin countered as he yawned. “That’s what those prats are for.” He pointed to Corporal Lewis and Gary. “If a zombie shows up—”

“Specimen,” Twilight interrupted.

“Whatever. If one of those things show up, they’ll holler like a bunch of crazed chickens. Then we can easily kill it either now, or when it tries to get past all the rubble you used to block the stairwell. Minimal effort needed.”

Twilight’s expression went deadpan. “More importantly,” she resumed while turning back to her friends, “I don’t suppose your vision has improved, Rarity?”

The fashionista shook her head. “Nothing yet. I’m actually starting to get worried.”

“It’ll be alright, Rarity,” Applejack stated, laying a hoof on her friend’s shoulder. “Ah’m sure yer sight’ll come back before ya know it!”

Twilight put a hoof to her chin. “Still, I’ve never seen a unicorn’s sight shut down like this. I wish I had a way to write your perspective down.”

Applejack couldn’t help but smirk. “Ya know ya can remember by usin’ yer brain, right?”

“I know that!” Twilight replied with a giggle. “I’d just prefer to write Rarity’s account down word for word so I don’t...” she trailed off, her expression growing more serious as she looked off to the right. “...Forget anything.” Suddenly her eyes grew wide. “Brain... of course! Applejack, you’re a genius!”

“Uh... what now?”

“The brain, Applejack! I think I know how to get Rarity’s sight back!”

“You... you what?” Rarity stammered.

Twilight sat herself in front of her blind friend. “Do you remember what a ‘Magic Break’ is?”

“Of course, it’s...” Rarity found herself trailing off as well. “You think that has something to do with this? Even so, how would that tell you how to restore my eyesight?”

“Well—”

Applejack cleared her throat. “Before y’all get too carried away, maybe one of ya could explain what’s goin’ on?”

Twilight rubbed her hoof awkwardly. “Oh, right. Sorry. A ‘Magic Break’ is a condition that used to happen to unicorns frequently during less peaceful times, Specifically during Discord’s Reign of Chaos. Many battles were fought and unicorns couldn’t afford to abide by their limits. For earth ponies and pegasi, this would just be exhaustion, but for unicorns, it would be what we call a ‘Magic Break’. When all possible magic has been exhausted from a unicorn, their body goes into a state of shock.

“The effects of the ‘Magic Break’ are unpredictable, but can range from disorientation to death. Which is why once Equestria entered the Era of Peace, the Princess made it mandatory for unicorns to learn the signs of excessive magic use. Thanks to this, ‘Magic Breaks’ have reached an all-time-low and are now extremely rare, which is probably why most earth ponies and pegasi have never heard of the term before.”

“So what does all of this mean?” Gary asked, sitting himself near the ponies.

“Despite the many precautions set in place today, some unicorns still become afflicted with a ‘Magic Break’. There’s only one known spell salvaged from the Reign of Chaos which was used to combat a magic break. A spell only taught to those deemed trustworthy by the Princess, herself.”

“Ooh, so ominous!” Davin murmured.

Applejack tilted her head. “Are... are ya sayin’ you know how to do that?”

Twilight nodded. “Rarity. The Princess taught me the spell after I discovered its existence. I ordinarily would spring for waiting, but we might need you, and we don’t have much choice.”

“Wait, Twilight.” Rarity held a hoof up. “I thought this was caused by my Element. How do we know that this is the same as a ‘Magic Break’?”

The librarian bit her lower lip. “We don’t,” she admitted, “but it might still work. The question now is: do you trust me?”

“What exactly are you planning?”

“Long story short, I’ll have to go inside your head.”

There was absolute silence all around.

“Excuse me. You what?” Gary asked.

“Not literally, of course,” Twilight specified. “What I have to do is essentially create a magic channel between the two of us. At that time, our consciousnesses will become linked, but only for as long as my magic holds out. If this is anything like a ‘Magic Break’, the nerves working your senses are separated, and I’ll have to try connecting them.”

Rarity turned to the floor. “You asked if I trust you... you should know the answer to that, but... I assume there’s a reason you’d need to ask?”

Twilight nodded her head. “For this to work, I need the utmost concentration and attention to detail. It’s essentially like threading needles, only if I miss, I could alter your senses forever. Not only that, but my consciousness will be treated like an intruder, and your subconscious will do everything in its power to kick me out. If that happens, then your mind will be prepared for me next time and I might not be able to even establish a connection. As if that wasn’t enough, we cannot be disturbed until the process is over. If anypony were to touch either of us, the energy from the third entity would throw our connection out of balance. Even I could be harshly affected by the disturbance. I can’t even begin to imagine what might happen then.”

“So what you’re saying,” Gary intervened as he crossed his arms, “is that this method is chock full of things that could go wrong and yet it’s our quickest bet to restoring Rarity’s sight?”

“Exactly.”

“How much of your magic has been restored?” Rarity asked.

Twilight’s ears went flat. “Not much...”

Rarity looked away, then started shaking her head. “No.”

“N-no?”

The fashionista shook her head again. “Taking the risks into consideration, it won’t help anypony if you suffer a magic break while attempting to repair mine. I admit it, the fact that I don’t know when my eyesight will return frightens me. But if you can help me, I only want your help when you’re at your best. Who knows, maybe my eyesight will return in time and you won’t need to take any risks.” She smiled as she held her hoof out, which made Twilight slowly reach out her own hoof to make contact. “And yes, I do trust you. I trusted you when we decided to travel to this world, and I’ll trust you even after the end of our journey. We’re friends after all.”

“Rarity,” Twilight beamed.

“Get a room, you two!” Briar interrupted, resulting in a swift lash to his arm from Twilight’s tail. “Jeez, not one of you has a sense of humor, you know that?”

“Anyways, I’ll take you up on your suggestion, Rarity. You should keep me updated on how you feel, but we’ll find a time later to try this out if your problem still persists.”

“You know,” Lewis piped up, “how long has it been since you’ve had a bite? Perhaps your magic will come back sooner if you eat something?” He held a bag of supplies gathered from the house in his hand.

As if on cue, Twilight’s stomach growled. She giggled nervously as she said, “That would probably help.”

Lewis dug into the bag for a bit before pulling out a few red apples in his hand. “How about these apples?”

“As if ya even need to ask,” Applejack answered, wiping the drool from the corner of her mouth.

The Corporal handed the farmer three apples, which she evenly distributed to each of her friends before blissfully eating the fruits.

The librarian could already notice her stomach already becoming satisfied by the fuel within. I’ve got to get enough magic back as soon as possible. With an odd sense of determination, she took another bite.

**********

“Is it going to be much further?” Fluttershy stammered as she eagerly tried to rub any traces of blood off her hooves.

“Shouldn’t be,” Alfred replied. “Surgery Ward’s just a few minutes away now.”

“I hope so, I’m getting worried...”

“What do you mean, Fluttershy?” Rainbow Dash asked at a breakneck speed. “What’s going on? Why are you worried? Is something up? You hear something? I bet it’s those specimens! Let’s go take them on!” She was about to take off towards the noises she heard when Powers grabbed her by the tail.

The Sergeant didn’t even react when Rainbow began to struggle frantically in an attempt to break free.

“I’ve never seen her like this before,” Fluttershy stated.

“I have!” Pinkie Pie added.

Schneider sighed. “An injury’s one thing, but your first instinct as a medic is to give a bite victim morphine?!”

“That Crawler came out of nowhere and bit deep into her leg,” Masterson replied. “She’d have likely gone into shock if we didn’t give her anything.”

Alfred sighed. “W-well, I did say that administering morphine on a horse would be—”

“Pony! We’re ponies!” Rainbow yelled. She suddenly felt a huge hand grip her snout shut.

The speedster was brought right before Powers’ face. “Shut. Up,” he hissed before letting her go. “Control her,” he commanded Fluttershy as the group began walking to wherever Alfred was directing them.

“Come on, Rainbow,” The caretaker requested as she checked the fresh bandages on her friend’s left foreleg. “Just take it easy for a bit, okay?”

“You know, I-I don’t get why he has to act like a flank all the time,” Rainbow Dash stated, resuming her erratic speech. “Can’t he calmly tell somepony these things without acting like a lunatic? How can you stand him, Fluttershy? He’s a basket case! How? Tell me! How?” As she said this, she unintentionally slammed her bandaged hoof on the floor, causing her to wince before limping along.

“Rainbow, please, let me help you. You’re hurt!” Fluttershy pleaded as she held her friend’s injured hoof.

“No!” her friend belted as she pulled her hoof away. “I’ll live! It’s okay! Don’t hurt yourself for my sake!”

“Wh-what!?”

“You should... you...” Rainbow groaned and held her left hoof against her head. “What... what’s happening?”

Instinctively, Fluttershy pressed her foreleg against Rainbow Dash’s forehead before quickly pulling it away. “Rainbow! You’re burning up!”

“Y-yeah, I know, It’s cuz I’m too hot to handle, right?” No one seemed to laugh. “Okay, bad joke... I...” She couldn’t get in another word before falling to the floor, breathing quickly.

Without being told to do so, Alfred pushed Fluttershy away and started to look over Rainbow Dash. First he opened her mouth and placed a thermometer under her tongue. Then he placed his hand underneath her jaw and looked at his watch. After a few seconds passed, he started shaking his head. When the thermometer gave a few beeps, he took it out. “Hundred and four...” He then looked inside Rainbow’s mouth, noting her dry, cracked tongue. “I’m no vet, but she’s showing all the symptoms of hyperthermia. When was the last time she had any water?”

Fluttershy’s eyes went to the floor as she began racking her brain for the answer. “I think it was sometime yesterday, before we arrived on Earth.”

This made Alfred pause. “A day?! She’d only be mildly dehydrated by this point. How could—” That’s when it all became clear. “The morphine... is she reacting so strongly because of that?”

“What do we do?” Pinkie Pie quaked.

“First thing we need to do is lower her body temperature, but the only ice we have on hand would be in the cafeteria, and who knows if that’s even ice anymore. We’ve got to bring down her fever and fast!”

Schneider stated, “What about you, Fluttershy? Can’t you heal her?”

“W-well, I can, but...” The caretaker’s ears folded flat.

“We don’t have time for ‘but’s!” Masterson insisted. “Your friend’s life could be on the line, Fluttershy!”

The pony in question looked at Rainbow Dash, seeing her in her current state. After taking a deep breath, Fluttershy closed her eyes. Her element started to glow, surrounding Rainbow with a pink aura. After some time, the magic subsided, leaving Rainbow Dash groaning as her eyes started to open. “What just—” she stopped as she looked at her bandaged hoof, a hoof that she could now press onto the floor with no trouble. She frantically removed the bandages to reveal a perfectly healed hoof. “Fluttershy... did you...?”

Fluttershy looked away. “We... we didn’t have a choice. It was looking really bad for you, and—”

“And we decided to save your life,” Schneider completed.

Rainbow looked all the eyes on her before bowing her head. “Yeah, I... I get it. Let’s just get what we need and get out of here.”

Alfred and Masterson looked at each other until the Lieutenant motioned to start moving. Everyone else took the hint and followed, but stopped when Fluttershy suddenly gasped. They turned around and saw the caretaker wincing as she gently lifted her hoof off the floor.

Her face flushed red as she noticed the many pairs of eyes on her. “I-I’m okay! I just misstepped!” She started walking forward, a forcibly normal expression on her face with every step she took.

Everyone resumed walking towards their destination, Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash keeping a close watch over their friend.

Checking each corner, the group kept on their path for some time until Alfred pointed out a sign with the word ‘Surgery’ and an arrow directed towards a pair of doors below it. “We’re here,” he stated with a sigh of relief.

Powers gripped the door handle and pulled it open. As what was quickly becoming the norm, blood and body parts were strewn across the linoleum walls. Inside the room, however, were several curtains forming a box around the center of the surgical ward. A bright light shone from within, somewhat illuminating the otherwise dark room.

Masterson checked both sides of the room, noticing a small row of lockers to the left and metal cabinets to the right.

“In those incubation cabinets,” Alfred said, pointing to the opposite end of the room. “That’s where we’ll find our serum.” He began walking forward, but stopped as he happened to peer into the blocked-off area in the center. He covered his mouth and stifled a cough upon noticing a severed torso on the operating table. “You don’t want to look in there,” he informed everyone as Powers casually strolled towards the area within, moving the curtains aside.

Schneider decided to follow the paramedic’s advice and head towards the incubators. On one cabinet shelf was an amber vial. He gently opened the door. “Oi, this it?” he called out, getting Alfred’s attention.

The paramedic gently reached his hand in and picked up the vial. He gently rotated it in his hands, studying every detail. “Yes, I’m positive.”

Suddenly, everyone except Alfred nearly jumped as a chime sounded off within their headsets.

“Well done, all of you!” The Trader exclaimed. “You may have had a spill or two on the way, but you’ve got what we need. Now shove off to the roof, all of you. I’ll be waiting.”

As everyone exchanged looks, Alfred cleared his throat. “I take it your friend wants all of you?”

Masterson nodded once. “No use waiting around. Move out. Eyes peeled, everyone.”

The squadron began moving forward. Rainbow Dash followed close behind.

“Rainbow...”

The speedster looked to her left and saw Fluttershy, keeping pace next to her.

“Can I talk to you for a minute?” the caretaker requested.

Rainbow and Fluttershy kept a stayed a small distance behind so as to try keeping their discussion private.

Fluttershy looked at the floor. “Are you mad at me?”

This caused Rainbow Dash to raise an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

“After I healed you earlier, you looked so... disappointed. I wanted to respect your wishes and let you heal naturally, but... the way you were acting made me panic, and everypony started yelling, so I just—”

“Let me stop you there, Fluttershy.” Rainbow sighed before she continued. “Guess I should explain a bit on my part, huh?” She shook her head. “ I wasn’t disappointed or anything, I was just... worried.”

Fluttershy brought her gaze back up. “About what?”

Rainbow swallowed the lump in her throat. “When you healed Thorne back at Horzine, I was the first pony to notice you bleeding like you were. It... it really scared me, Fluttershy. I don’t know how far it could’ve gone if I didn’t stop you. Then when my leg got cut up, you offered to heal me. I thought about how you looked before, and I-I just got scared. What if you ended up in worse shape because of me? What if... you...” She bit her lower lip as she clenched her eyes shut.

Fluttershy nuzzled the side of her friend’s head. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to worry you.”

Rainbow sniffed and cleared her throat. “I can’t ask you to not heal anypony. It’s going to happen, and I need to get that through my thick head. But... can you promise me something?” She looked away from Fluttershy. “Sooner or later, you’re probably going to come across somepony who’s in really bad shape. There might not be much hope for them, but I know you’d be the type to try fixing them anyway.” She stayed quiet for a moment, swallowing the lump in her throat. “I need you to promise me that you won’t heal them.”

Fluttershy stopped in her tracks. “You what?” she murmured.

Rainbow Dash stopped as well, giving her friend a pleading look. “You’re my oldest friend, Fluttershy. You know me better than anypony else, and I don’t know what I’d do without you.” Both ponies spent a moment staring at each other. Eventually, Rainbow turned away. “Nevermind. Forget I said anything. I could never ask you to—”

“Okay.”

The speedster’s head perked up and she looked at her friend. “You... you mean that?”

Fluttershy nodded. “You’re right. I... I won’t be able to save everypony, and I need to be ready for that.” She gave a forced nod of assurance.

A smile slowly creeped onto Rainbow Dash’s face. “Thanks, Flutters.”

This caused Fluttershy to chuckle. “It’s been awhile since you’ve called me that.”

Rainbow found herself chuckling as well. “It has, hasn’t it?”

“Are you two done?” Both ponies turned to the front to see Masterson impatiently waving his hand towards the rest of the group. They trotted ahead to catch up to the soldiers and Pinkie Pie, who were waiting in front of a staircase.

With Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash rejoining the group. Alfred pointed up the flight of stairs. “The roof’s this way. Then we can find that Trader and see what she wants with this serum.”

Schneider stretched his arms as the group began walking up. “Whatever it is The Trader’s got waiting for us, it had better have been worth the trip. Who knows if she’ll—” He stopped, dumbfounded, at what was waiting on the roof. “Keep her word...” Stationed in the center of the rooftop was a Chinook HC2. He cautiously approached the green, tandem-rotor helicopter. “This looks... perfect. Does it actually work?” He raised his hand up to touch its army-green surface when another chime went off in his ear.

“Not so fast, you lot,” The Trader commanded. “You’re forgetting your part of the bargain.”

A door loudly opened behind everyone. They turned to see an elongated metal shack established behind them.

“Don’t be shy now!”

Everybody filed into the small shack, where The Trader again waited behind her usual chain link fence.

Alfred was busy doing a double take. “Wh- how did you get up here so fast?”

The Trader ignored his question, focusing on the vial he held in his hands. She pressed a button and an incubator appeared from beneath the countertop. “Place the serum in the slot, and the heli’s all yours.”

Masterson turned to The Trader. “You promise to help the survivor outpost?”

“As agreed, my employers shall supply the eastern outpost with weapons, ammunition, and first aid.”

Masterson stared at The Trader for an uncomfortably long time before motioning Alfred to carry out their part of the deal. When the serum was inserted, a glass screen slid down, followed by the sound of pressurized locks sealing the container.

The Trader looked at a handheld device in her hand. It gave three beeps, which made her smile. “It’s the real deal. We allow you and your group complete usage of the Chinook outside. And wherever you choose to go, we shall be waiting when you arrive.” She pressed a button on top of the counter.

“What does that do?” Pinkie Pie asked.

“Oh, nothing special. It just calls off the rocket strike we had locked on the plane in case any of you felt like running off with it.” Ignoring the looks of concern around her, she changed her focus to Alfred. “It was nice knowing you, now be on your way.”

“M-me?” the paramedic stuttered.

“Now that we have what we need, your usefulness has run out. We can’t afford to waste good money on dead weight.”

“I-I’m... I’m not dead weight! I can too be of help!”

The Trader shook her head. “If you want to be of help, you’re going to have to help fight the specimens. And judging from how you’re practically pissing your pants from just talking to me, you seem to be too much of a liability to even keep around.”

Rainbow Dash jumped up and hovered in front of the Trader. “Hang on a second! You tell him that he can’t come along cuz he’s scared, but Fluttershy’s been scared plenty of times! You’ve let her come along, so why not him?”

“You and all your friends are worth some valuable research. The funds to create headsets were a small price to pay for the information we’ve gathered, and we’re very eager to see what else you can do. Mr. Anderson, on the other hand, doesn’t exhibit any signs of a person worth keeping alive. He’s jittery, insecure, and takes the moral highroad. It’s a rather terrible decision to keep him with you.”

Alfred began shaking, looking at everyone, expecting someone to speak up for him.

“Actually, he’s very much worth keeping around,” Masterson stated. “He’s a skilled paramedic, so his medical tasks are carried out swiftly and efficiently. He knows a vast array of medical knowledge, and he’s quick to work on the task at hand. I have a very good feeling about him, and that’s all I need. He’ll become a valuable asset in time, I’m sure of it.”

The Trader looked at the other soldiers and ponies. “And the rest of you think the same?” Everyone nodded. She gave Alfred a cold look and began speaking slowly, almost giving each word coming out of her mouth an icy edge. “You understand what you’re agreeing to? You’re going to fight things worse than what you’ve seen in your nightmares. You’ll be pushed to your limits and then pushed some more. You will very likely die, surrounded by nothing except a mob of flesh-craving abominations who’d tear open your abdomen and fight over which one of them gets the first bite of your liver. You will experience a new definition of fear. Now I want to hear it from your mouth, and say it with confidence. Say, ‘I will fight the specimens until my very last breath.’”

Alfred failed to look the part of confidence. His teeth were chattering, he shook so much that even his tools began shaking, his breathing became unusually fast, and he started to break out into a cold sweat. Just as he could feel his stomach making an emergency dump, he felt a nudge at his left leg. He looked down to see Pinkie Pie give him an unusually serious look. “It’s okay. We’ll be here for you!”

Alfred then looked at everyone, who seemed to be radiating assurance. He gulped and clenched his fists, turning towards the Trader. “I will fight the specimens until my very last breath!”

The Trader rub her chin, giving the paramedic a long look. “Wait here,” she requested as she turned around and began talking on her headset. After a brief moment, she turned back around. “My employers have decided to give you a chance. You’ll have to wait until we meet again before being given your own weapon. Surely you understand.”

Alfred gave a few hesitant nods. “Y-yes, yes!”

She slid another headset through the slot underneath the divider. “This was originally meant for Mr. Thorne, but seeing as he’s too far gone to be worth the money, you shall take his earpiece instead. Now it’s time to shove off. We’ll meet again soon.” The group filed out of The Trader’s lair, its door slamming shut when everyone was gone. “Oh, one last thing, boys and girls,” she mentioned over the radio. “You’ll be pleased to discover that there’s a button on the back of your earpieces that will now establish a radio connection between all of you. My employers have created a special frequency that only you lot can access. However, the range is limited to about half of a kilometer, so make sure you’re not too far away. Enjoy!” One chime later, and there was silence.

Rainbow felt the back of the headset she wore and noticed a bump, which she pressed. “So what does this do?” she asked before hearing herself in her own headset. This caused her to jump.

Alfred raised an eyebrow. “You’ve never heard of these before?”

Schneider rested his hand on the paramedic’s shoulder. “There’s a lot we need to catch you up on.”

“So what’s a Chinook?” Pinkie Pie asked.

“I was actually about to ask the same thing,” Fluttershy added.

Schneider patted the exterior of the helicopter. “This baby is a sort of machine that can carry a bunch of people across long distances without needing to be on the ground.”

“So it’s like a hot air balloon?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“Better.”

“Better than a balloon?” Pinkie Pie inquired.

“You don’t even know the half of it.”

Alfred clapped his hands. “So...” he started as he rubbed both hands together. “Who knows how to fly this thing?”

**********

Twilight lay on her back near the edge of the parking lot level, staring mindlessly at the ceiling. The occasional flurry of noises would bring her out of her daze, but she’d quickly go back to her thoughts.

“Ya doin’ alright, Twilight?” Applejack asked as she approached the librarian.

“Oh, hello, Applejack. I’m fine, I was just sitting here thinking.”

“‘Bout what?”

“Well,” she began as she opted onto her haunches, which caused Applejack to sit as well, “I’ve been thinking. It’s about Lieutenant Masterson’s story. Something about it just doesn’t make sense to me.”

Applejack cocked her head to the side. “Whaddya mean?”

“He said that he was a Horzine specimen, right? He appears completely human, but the specimens we’ve seen up until now have been horrific versions of normal humans. I just don’t understand...”

“Ah’m afraid yer gonna have to be a mite bit clearer.”

“Masterson excels in nearly everything he does. Why would Horzine choose to create inferior versions of humans? You don’t reach a successful result in an experiment and then ignore it without good reason.” Twilight looked away. “I just can’t wrap my head around it. They seemed to be on the right track. Why wouldn’t they want to create more specimens like the Lieutenant?”

Applejack rested her head on her hoof. “Yer right, Twi. That really don’t make much sense.”

Twilight nodded. “I’m still curious about the rest of his story, but I’ll wait until he gets back before I ask about it.” Suddenly, Twilight perked her head up. “How come Rarity isn’t with you?” She looked behind the farmer and saw Rarity sitting alone.

“Ah told her ya looked a bit spaced out, so she suggested ah ask ya what’s up.”

“Will she be okay on her own?”

The moment Twilight asked that, Davin began to tip toe behind Rarity. Just when he was within an arm’s length of her, the fashionista lifted a rock in the air with her magic and effortlessly crushed the rock into dust. “Just because I cannot see does not mean I cannot hear you. You would be wise to remember that, Police Sergeant Davin.”

Davin retreated, muttering to himself.

“Ah think she’ll be fine,” Applejack answered with a chuckle. “That reminds me. How come that Magic Breakin’ fixer upper of yours is so risky?”

Twilight’s attention was refocused on Applejack. Her ears folded back as she turned away. “When two unicorns merge consciousnesses like how I described, it essentially gives one party access to the other’s existence.” She started to rub her hooves. “However, some unicorns discovered a way to manipulate the spell and use it on those who hadn’t even been affected by a Magic Break, or even how to use it on pegasi and earth ponies. When it was discovered, the Princess ruled the method forbidden for public use, replacing it with safer alternatives and public announcements regarding the warning signs of exhaustion.” Her eyes locked onto Applejack. “But what if I hated Rarity with every fibre of my being? I could use the the old method to take control of her. I could make her forget her foalhood... I could make her forget how to talk... how to eat... how to breathe.”

Applejack’s eyes went wide. “And you could do that?”

Twilight hesitated before nodding her head. “The... the Princess mentioned the possibilities, and... I was young, naive, curious... and had access to an entire archive of old documents. Truth be told, I’m terrified of the fact that I know these things. The spell’s so dangerous in the wrong hooves, and I know I’d never intend on using the spell. But I’ve never been in that situation before, and it scares me that I could possibly use it to dig up secrets somepony could have.”

Applejack sighed. “Seems we’re dealin’ with a lotta dangerous things these days, ain’t we?” Twilight didn’t react, so the farm pony scooched next to her friend. “Listen, ah’ve known ya fer a while now, and the Twilight Sparkle ah know wouldn’t go around usin’ dark magic all willy nilly. Your just overthinkin’ this is all. If ya don’t wanna do this, then Rarity’ll probably understand. It’s your choice, Twi. Nopony’ll blame you, and you’ll be okay.”

This made the librarian’s expression brighten. “Thanks, Applejack.”

Suddenly, Wilkes jolted upright. “Wh-what? What was that?” he mumbled as he tried to shake the sleep away.

“What was what?” Applejack queried.

The humans began looking around in confusion until Gary brought a finger to the back of his ear. “Hello?” He immediately turned to his fellow squad mates. Everyone seemed focused on their headsets until Gary said, “Got it... we’ll head up there.”

“Who did she kill to get her hands on a radio?” Briar asked.

“Can somepony please explain what’s going on?” Twilight finally asked.

“We’ve got to gather up everything and go to the roof,” Lewis explained. “Rainbow Dash was just talking to us. Said they’re in some ‘insanely awesome thing’.”

“Ah’ll get Rarity,” Applejack stated as she walked away.

Everybody grabbed their belongings before Twilight cleared out the blocked stairwell to the top. The group made their way into the midday sun as they waited.

“This had better not take long,” Davin fumed. “It’s hot as shit in this suit!”

Rarity’s ears suddenly perked up. “Does anypony else hear that?”

“Hear what?” Wilkes asked.

“There’s some sort of noise in the sky. I’ve never heard anything like it before.”

“Is it a specimen?” Twilight inquired.

“I don’t think so. It almost sounds like a train, but... something’s off...”

Gary looked to the sky. “Or it... could be that helicopter.”

Everyone looked to where the scientist was looking. Sure enough, a large helicopter was slowly coming into view. The large chopper eventually hovered over their location before slowly lowering onto the roof below. As soon as the machine landed, Rainbow flew out of the vehicle to be reunited with her friends, followed shortly by Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy.

Before her friends could try to say anything over the deafening noise of the propellers, Rainbow was already placing a headset on the ear of the three remaining ponies. She then tapped the back of her headset. “Can you guys hear me?” she yelled. When her friends nodded, she continued. “I’m really glad to see you guys again, and we have a lot of things to explain, but we gotta get moving! Masterson’s using this thing to fly us up north. It’ll save us a lot of time, but we gotta hurry before the specimens show up!” She waved her at the other humans. “Come on! We’re getting out of here!”

Without much of a discussion, everyone piled into the helicopter, which began its ascension into the air once more. “Get settled, everyone,” Masterson broadcasted. “Private Schneider reminded me on the way here that Recon Point Omega is to the north. Omega also happens to be relatively close to Shropshire, where we’ll find the second Horzine facility. When we get to Omega, we can relay our information to the soldiers there and hopefully amass enough forces to take those laboratories out. It’ll be a while until we land, so rest up. We’re going to need all the energy we can get for the next few days.”

As the helicopter continued to fly out of the city, Twilight decided to peer into the view of the landscape below, giving her the first view she’d come to remember of West London. Pillars of smoke billowed into the air and signs of chaos were visible below, ranging from uncontrollable fires to destroyed buildings on nearly every street. As she remembered their route from the entire day, her eyes trailed the city until she came across the offices of Horzine. Looks like I’ll be longer than I thought, Spike. She looked at her fellow ponies, who seemed to be settling in for sleep or began chatting away on the radio. Don’t worry about me though. I’ll be back soon, and I’m going to keep my promise!

Author's Note

I decided forget the chapter image because I've been terribly unmotivated to do much anything, and I've been making very little progress on said picture.

So here's the next chapter and I really hope things aren't too bad, gonna try to get back on track with productivity!