Burdy's perspective...

I groaned, dipping my face into both palms as Derpy clapped her hooves excitedly. I smile came across my face, a warmth inside of me. As bad as it felt losing this horribly, the warm feeling of hearing her joyful squeals every time she absolutely wrecked me was more than worth it... I just wish she'd let me take at least one piece of her roster. I hadn't even taken one of her pawns...

I leaned back, taking a sip of juice from my glass as Derpy knocked over my queen piece with a rook. “Wanna play again?” she asked playfully. I swear she was a joyful as Pinkie, yet as competitive as Dash at board games.

“Okay Derpy. We'll play again... but how bout checkers this time?” I asked, hoping that my chances at checkers wouldn't be as disastrous as my obvious chances with chess. I couldn't really ask her to let me win, that'd take the sport and joy out of it... but it would be nice if I could at least get a chance.

Just as she flipped the board over to start setting out the checker pieces, something caught my attention. I wasn't sure what it was but my senses picked up. My perception became acute. I noticed Derpy's lips were slightly dry from slight lack of proper hydration. Her fur was soft and silky looking, reflecting the sun.

The sweat that dripped down onto my lip was bitterly salty. Derpy smelled like a fresh batch of muffins... blueberry muffins.

Then it hit me. My ear twitched just ever so slightly as I picked up a distressed voice that was slightly muffled coming from the street below. Derpy looked to me and spoke. “Is something-” I cut her off, waving for her to hush up for just a moment.

“You hear that?” I asked, her ears perking up. I held my finger up, determining the direction of the voice, and quickly came to the realization it was coming from just down below, directly in front of the library.

I stood up and looked over the edge of the balcony. I heard the muffled voices of... somepony, coming from below us, near Cadance. I wasn't sure what possessed me to do so, but I simply leapt off the balcony, dropping like a stone due to some apart weight increase yet landing gracefully in a crouched position.

I winced at first, figuring the fall to hurt a lot more than what it actually did. Looking back up, I noticed the drop was quite considerable and probably should've at least left a lingering pain.

Derpy fluttered down next to me. I looked around and found the voices were actually coming from Cadance. “Ca... Cadance?” I asked, baffled by my discovery. I rushed up and took a closer look, quickly realizing the voices were coming from inside of her.

I opened the driver side door, the voices coming from that CB radio Flim and Flam put in. “Oh yeah... that thing-” I was cut off by their frantic shouts.

“Evan! EVAN PICK UP! PICK UP! It's an emergency!” they shouted. I picked up the CB radio and called back to them.

“Uh... hey guys, how was Mareami?” I asked, remembering that they had gone their with Sapphire Shores.

There was a short pause. “Splendidly, thank you for asking... but this is serious. Get down to the loading yard right away!” they shouted at me, not saying a syllable more. I blinked unsurely before looking to Derpy who stood beside me.

“Can you uhh... get my rifle from up on the balcony?” I asked. She gracefully flew up, retrieved the rifle and hovered back down. Taking the rifle, I nodded to her. “Uhm... I guess our game of checkers will have to wait.” I thought to myself. 'What kind of emergency could possibly arise?'

Looking to Derpy, I figured there was no harm in her coming. “Wanna come with me for a ride?” I asked, offering her the passenger seat. She smiled brightly and hopped up into the offered seat. I took the driver side and pulled down the visor.

The keys fell and I snatched them mid-flight. I gave the steering wheel a gentle kiss. “Hey honey, how are you?” I asked, rubbing my hand down the column. “Mhmm? You don't say,” I replied as I swiped the naughty key, getting a positive 'beep-beep' from the vehicle. “Oooh, that's my girl,” I said, keying the ignition.

The truck rumbled to life, the iconic chug of the 7.3L turbo filled my ears as I put her into drive and rolled out. As we quickly left Ponyville and picked up speed towards the loading yard, or whatever it used to be, Derpy spoke up.

“What do you think went wrong?” She asked and I shrugged.

“Knowing them... probably nothing serious,” I replied reassuringly. I truly didn't know what could possibly have them in a panic. As I neared the yard, I spotted their train contraption but also something that made my heart sink a little.

'Something serious,' my conscious spoke up. I gulped as I looked at Juggernaut sitting idly, the driver side door open. I pulled up, leaving Cadance running as I stepped out, Derpy hopping out of the driver side as well rather than fidget with the door lever on the passenger side.

Flim and Flam rushed out, both sputtering frantically. “LASSIECALLEDUS!SOMETHINGABOUTRAFTSANDTHEYARD!” They both yelled out in panic.

Before I could speak, my words got choked up and another voice spoke. “Shut up... sit down... relax,” Derreck said, stepping up beside me.

“Woah... where'd you come from?” I asked and he just shrugged, pointing off into the distance. I rolled my eye. Of course he'd answer like that.

“From over there,” he answered literally. I just sighed and looked back to the brothers. “What happened?” Derreck asked. Both brothers took a deep inhale, as though to hyperventilate. “Relax... just... one of you recap everything that happened.”

Flim spoke first. “Well... first she was toying around with the radio and said she was going to fill up the truck here...” he trailed off and Flam finished.

“Then she called back about rafts, and the loading yard. Then it just... she stopped talking,” Flam finished. Derreck took a deep breath, looking to Derpy.

“Hey... uhh... can you just...” he trailed off, waving his hand for her to move aside. Derpy just blinked and stepped aside, Derreck looking at the opened door of Juggernaut with a tilted gaze. Several visions flashed through my mind but I couldn't depict what they were.

He walked over and inspected Juggernaut, quickly pointing to the driver seat which had cuts in it. “Claw marks... she was pulled out of the vehicle while making that call... rafts?” he asked himself before looking to the ground. More visions flashed in my head, that of Lassie being dragged out of the driver seat. “No blood... so it didn't escalate violently... but there was a fight,” he said, picking up a few strands of hair that I wasn't quite sure how he spotted. I saw Lassie, slashing wildly with her paws at dark figures.

He took a sniff. “Rats... not rafts,” he replied, taking another sniff just to be sure. A shiver went down my back.

“Rats?” Flim asked.

“What do rats have to do with this?” Flam interjected. Another shiver went down my back as I remembered the time I had been kidnapped here by a pack of abnormally sized rodents. Quickly racing to Cadance, I grabbed Daisy, as she was the most easily accessible firearm at the time.

“In there!” I gasped, the rifle pointed towards the loading yard building. I quickly grabbed a few stray shells from my duster coat pocket and thumbed them into the rifle. I didn't really want to shoot this rifle for whatever reason, but I didn't really have time to grab another rifle from its case, then retrieve the ammo as well. I had no idea what they could be doing to Lassie and I didn't have time to waste.

With a swift motion, I actioned the lever on the gun and rushed blindly into the old building. Dashing through the front doors, I yelled out. “LASSIE! LASSIE WHERE ARE YOU?!” I cried out, my voice echoing slightly but found myself answered by silence and nothingness. The place was empty for the most part.

My heart was pounding as I remembered the horrid experience I had with the rats. If they were doing that to my dog... my grip on Daisy intensified but Derreck rested a soothing hand on my shoulder.

“There's something else you should see,” he told me. I turned to see that Derpy and the F brothers had followed me.

“They... I was...” I stammered on my breath. Finally posturing myself I spoke as best I could, still stammering slightly. “I was filling up here once and they... they uhm... they kidnapped me. I uhh... well I broke out,” I said, tears coming to my eyes. 'Fuck! How could this happen?!' my thoughts began to run amuck with everything.

Derreck led us back outside and near the pumps where he knelt down and picked up a small cylindrical dart. “Tranquilizer... I think,” he replied as he rolled the dart around in his palm. He looked at the side of the cylinder and read the inscription. “M&M...” he muttered but Flam grumbled angrily.

“Milf and Malf!” he spat with a sour tone. I rose a brow as did Derreck whom chuckled slightly.

“Milf?” he asked and Flam spoke.

“And his brother Malf... they're our cousins...” he growled, though neither of them were overly terrifying in this angered state of theirs.

“Yeah but... Milf?” he asked and I sighed, coming to realize what it was.

“Oh... I get it... like Flim and Flam but backwards... yeah okay...” I muttered in a bemused tone. “So what's the deal?” I asked and Flim scowled.

“They're scum! They're inventors like us but much, much, MUCH, worse!” he stated and Derreck rose a brow.

“How so?” he asked.

“They completely disregard the safety of others with their inventions and only care about their own profits!” they both replied, to which Derreck chuckled.

“Coming from you two, that's kinda funny,” he replied and Flim gasped, holding his hoof to his chest innocently.

“What?! To even imply we don't care about the safety of others-” Derreck cut him short.

“No, not that, the other part... never mind. Okay... so where are these goons?” he asked but the brothers just shrugged. “What do you mean you don't know? Aren't they your cousins?” he asked and they nodded, Flim speaking.

“Well of course they are. Our family is the most talented bloodline when it comes to inventions. If it's advanced and ahead of its time, you can guarantee the founder is in someway related to us...” he trailed off as he realized he was getting off topic. Flam picked up and got the topic back on track.

“Yes, well, what my brother is getting at is... well, although their inventions were... advanced... and quite remarkable... they were usually pretty dark and sinister. They were actually the ones that invented the automatic crossbows, and some of the first fossil fuel driven automobiles. Of course, the automatic bows were quickly outlawed for obvious reasons. Soon after, the effects natural gasses had on the environment were made clear and though they weren't made illegal... most ponies who could afford one switched to the more nature friendly magically driven carriages. That didn't however, stop them from making money with their inventions. They quickly found buyers in the... underground market. They began selling to mobsters and gangsters alike in Manehatten, and with the continued production of their illegal weaponry, were quickly labeled as outlaws... however, they just sort of... disappeared after that. Nopony really knows where they went... or if they're even still alive,” he informed my big friend.

Derreck tossed the tranquilizer dart away and rubbed his chin. “So these guys get around huh?” he replied and I remembered the time I was in Manehatten. The auto-bow I had used was quite fantastic and made me wonder if it was an M&M product.

Standing up, Derreck walked to the edge of the loading yard where the concrete ended and the dirt and grass began. Walking along the edge of the concrete, he stopped again, the entire group following him.

“Look here,” he said, pointing to some paw prints still fresh in the ground. “This guy here, was heavier than the others,” he said, making note of how the one set of paw prints sank deeper into the dirt than the others. “That means they must've tranqed Lassie... she passed out and they carried her from the truck over here...” he trailed off and looked to where the paw prints stopped. My vision flashed with the sight of a rat carrying Lassie over his shoulder.

“And they got into a carriage...” he said, pointing to the wheel tracks that led away. “It wasn't one that needed to be pulled either. Look, there's no prints to show that somepony... something, was pulling it along... and I'm willing to bet it was another Milf and Malf product...” he muttered before standing up. I watched the vision play out as Lassie was tossed into the back of a motorized carriage and the rats all climbed in, quickly puttering away.

I spoke up in wonder. “So... so where does that leave us?” I asked as he rose to his full height.

“It leads us right to them,” he replied and our entire group spoke up at the same time.

“It does?” we all asked in shock, even Derpy whom had been silent the entire time. We were baffled he had somehow already figured out the mystery of where they were.

“Well... almost. Evan, where's the only place we've encountered motorized carriages?” he asked.

“Well... Filthy Rich has a magically-” he cut me short.

“The fossil fuel kind,” he stated bluntly.

“Uhhh...” I thought back on it. I had been to a few places, even Canterlot. But in all those places I had only ever seen them in... “Manehatten?” I asked and he nodded.

“If I were a bettin' man... that's where I'd go,” he told us. My heart sank. Manehatten wasn't exactly a good place. Goddess only knows why they'd bring Lassie there. What the hell'd they even want with her anyway?

Derreck whistled. “Juggernaut, to me,” he called out. The truck rumbled to life and puttered over. I rose a brow and he just shrugged. “Voice activated. I found that trick out a while ago.” He looked to the group. “Flim, Flam. We gotta go to your garage and get some things.” he told them before patting Juggernaut's hood. “To the garage girl,” he told the truck. It throttled up before leaving. I looked to the two brothers.

“It has voice activation and... an auto-pilot?” I asked and they smiled with a nod.

“Like we said. Ages before its time. We'll meet you at the garage,” they said before mounting up to their train thing and departing. I felt a hoof rest on my shoulder and I turned to see Derpy looking to me with heartfelt eyes.

“I'm here for you, okay,” she assured me, trying to offer some peace of mind. I nodded. Derreck, Derpy and I hopped into Cadance. I decocked the hammer on Daisy before setting her in the back seat and heading off. My thoughts kept racing, mostly coming to the worst possible outcome.

“What if we can't find her?” I asked, mostly to myself in a form of panic.

Derpy rest an assuring hoof on my shoulder. “We will. Lassie's a good dog. Nothing bad's gonna happen to her,” she tried to assure me but it wasn't really helping.

“But what if something does?” I asked back but this time Derreck answered.

“Those rats won't do anything bad... if they know what's good for them. We're still on good terms with the Liotta family... well, Leone likes us anyway, and that's all that matters. We should stop in and say hi,” Derreck suggested and I remembered the events of the last time we had been in Manehatten. Everything from killing that thug that held Derpy hostage to the absolute slaughter of the Gravelli family.

I started thinking about Derpy, and her place in all this. She didn't need to see any of this again. Maybe she should just stay-

“There they are,” Derreck said, pointing to Flim and Flam whom were just pulling up alongside their garage. Juggernaut was already parked and waiting. I pulled up alongside Juggernaut and shut Cadance down, the three of us hopping out.

Derreck spoke out to Flim and Flam. “I'm gonna need Juggernaut and the Eagle Eye,” he stated. As my heart finally started to simmer down, I took notice it was getting late in the day. Spike would be home soon. I'd need to do something about that too.

Just before I could think of much else, I heard something cocking behind my head, along with a gasp from Derpy. “Don't make any sudden movements, or I'll kill you for sure this time,” spoke a voice I had trouble pinning. I... couldn't recall where that voice was from. It was feminine but that's all I knew.

“Iniside, both of you,” she said. I looked to Derreck and Derpy. Who was she missing? The three of us slowly walked towards the door, where Flim and Flam were just walking out. The two brothers gasped. “Drop it!” the voice behind me ordered and Flam dropped the Eagle Eye.

“Inside, NOW!” the voice ordered sternly. Our group walked inside and stopped in the middle of the room. “Okay stop! Just... just... crap, what am I gonna do?!” the voice scowled. I slowly turned around, finally getting a glimpse of our aggressor. It was a cat... sort of. It was anthromorphic, standing on it's hind legs like a human, holding a hoof-held crossbow...

“You're that... that bandit!” I gasped, remembering all those months back when Flim, Flam, Derpy and I had our first confrontation with her. That was ages ago.

“Shut up!” she growled, her growl sounding just like an angered cat's. She bit her lip, pondering her every thought about whatever it was she was thinking about. I thought up a plan, as old and risky as it was, it was the only thing I could think off. Looking distinctly past her and making it obvious I was looking outside, I yelled out. “Suntrap, now!” I yelled.

Felix, the bandit, swung around, thinking somepony was actually there. I charged forwards in an instant, tackling her to the ground before she could even flinch. Tossing away her bow thing I turned to Flim. “Get me some zip ties or something.”

Flim rushed off and quickly returned, Felix growling and hissing like a primal animal as she tried to thrash out of my hold. I quickly zip tied her wrists behind her back but still held her to the ground as I sat on her.

I let out a sigh as most of us relaxed. I was glad no blood had been shed, for Derpy's sake. “LET ME GO! THEY'RE GONNA FIND ME! AND WHEN THEY DO-” Derreck quieted the talking cat by stuffing a dirty rag in her mouth.

Flam picked up the Eagle Eye and tossed it to Derreck whom promptly fitted it to his head. “Okay... so... where were we?” he asked. I sighed as a million thoughts started racing through my head.

Most of them being of Lassie and all the times we had together. I remembered the first time she talked, how weird it was to hear a dog talk. Now here I was sitting on a cat...

My thoughts stopped. This cat... thing, could talk to. It was a long shot but...

I took the rag out of Felix's mouth and she promptly tried to bite me. “HEY! KNOCK IT OFF OR I'LL BREAK YOUR JAW!” I boomed, startling the F brothers and Derpy. Felix's ears flopped back in fear from my raging outburst.

As I composed myself I asked her what was on my mind. “These... the ones who are after you... who are they?” I asked. She took a moment to answer.

“I don't know... my... my creators.” She sounded... distraught to say that.

“What... like your parents?” I asked but she shook her head as best she could.

“I didn't have parents-” she began but Flim cut in.

“You're... you're one of... those,” Flim said, putting emphasis on the last part like it was some kinda great disgrace.

Felix tried to spit at him but her glob of saliva fell short. I spoke up. “What do you mean?” I asked and Flam spoke.

“Our cousins... before they were branded outlaws, were splicing genetics to try and create a super army. An army they could sell to the highest bidder... or bidders, if they could build enough of them. They were called NYMPHO. It's supposed to stand for something but we're not sure what-” he was cut off by Felix who spat at him.

“We didn't ask to be made!” She scowled but Flam continued anyway.

“They were trying to create things that were tactically advantageous over regular armies. Of course it was quickly shut down by Celestia and the royal guard... I suppose the idea of private armies weren't all that appealing... Kind of strange in hindsight. Our cousins' creation coming and robbing us-” Felix cut in, screaming at him.

“SHUT UP! I only robbed you because you took my family's land! I wasn't even a creation, I was born!” she yelled and we all sat quiet as she spoke. “My family... my mother and father, we part of their army they were building but... well, once they had me they began thinking... they didn't want to live that life. There's severe consequences for trying to escape... I guess whoever created us didn't want to be found. My father died getting us out. My mother, my younger brother and myself, along with a few others escaped... of course these two idiots stole our land from us and my mother perished without the dairy milk from our farm and my brother was killed by bandits... I had nothing and I was on the run. So I took from those who took from me,” she said.

Derreck sat on her too and she gasped for air. “Heyyahhhh!” she wheezed breathlessly.

Turning to me, my big friend spoke. “I bet if we ask nicely, she'll lead us right to them,” he said, Felix still wheezing. We both sat up. “Oky doky kitty catty... where's this... factory or whatever?” he asked.

“I don't know, I was too young-” she was cut off by her own squeal of pain as Derreck put a foot on a pressure point and began resting weight on it.

“Oh come on... you just said your dad died helping you all escape. Plus you had a younger brother. Don't tell me you were too young to remember all that,” he quipped, easing the pressure off her body.

“Okay, OKAY! It's in Manehatten...” she whimpered. “On the outskirts... an old factory. Everypony just thinks it's abandoned but... anypony that goes in, doesn't come out,” she whispered fearfully.

“And you're positive?” he asked, Felix nodded. “Then I guess you won't mind showing us where this factory is,” he said and she gasped but before she could speak he stuffed her mouth with the rag again, heaving her body up over his shoulder.

Looking to me he nodded. “We'll need some supplies. We'll take Juggernaut. Flim, Flam, we'll need some fuel canisters for the trip,” he ordered. Walking back out, he opened the back hatch door on Juggernaut and simply tossed Felix in the back with a THUD.

Flim and Flam went to work on getting some fuel canisters while Derreck and I went to the back of Cadance. Derreck pulled out Trillium, newly refurbished with a glistening black stock. Derreck took a quick peak of the scope before putting her back in the case.

I looked at the selection. I should technically grab a rifle or shotgun that gives me an advantage. Maybe my Boito for the shear magazine capacity and devastation of a shotgun. We were going to a factory so it would be close quarters... I hoped.

Before I made the decision I thought back to a less... combat effective weapon. The last time I had used her she failed me... or well, the shot shell failed me. I retrieved Heather, my old Norinco 870 clone.

Finally coming to my senses, I realized Derpy was still with us. Slinging the shotgun around my back, I stopped in front of her. “Derpy... I want you to stay here,” I said and her mouth dropped as a sad expression came across her face.

“But I want to-” I cut her short.

“I know we're friends, and friends look out for each other, and Lassie was kidnapped and she's your friend... but I don't want you getting tangled into something like the last time we were in Manehatten.” I told her my exact thoughts and I could tell she wasn't happy about it. “I'm sorry Derpy. This is just something I don't want you experiencing,” I said solemnly.

She was taken away by my words but just nodded reluctantly, obviously wanting to help her friend regardless of the cost... I respected her for that, but this wasn't her fight. “Thank you Derpy,” I said before giving her a brief hug.

I turned to Flim and Flam whom had loaded some extra fuel into the back of Juggernaut. “You guys take care of her, okay... if we mess this up...” I bit my lip and hopped into the passenger seat, Derreck in the driver side.

“She not coming?” Derreck asked and I shook my head. “Why not?” he asked and I gave him a blunt 'You know why' look.

“She's too innocent... I don't want her going through that again.” I looked into the back where Felix lay struggling, gagged and tied. “Think she'll really show us where this place is?” I asked and Derreck shrugged as we pulled away in a hurry.

“Should. I don't see why she wouldn't. It's her only way out of this,” he replied. In just mere minutes were were bombing towards Ponyville at nearly 100mph. The suspension in this vehicle was a lot smoother and gave a more accommodating ride when off road compared to Cadance whom felt more like a horse drawn carriage in comparison.

“We gotta leave a note for Spike,” I informed Derreck whom just nodded. Pulling up with haste to the front of the library, I rushed inside, only to find it still vacant. “Spike must still be out...” I muttered before looking to my watch, only then to realize it was nearly seven-thirty. “Or sleeping over somewhere...”

“I'm gonna get some clothes and food. You leave the note,” Derreck said. I nodded whilst quickly scribbling down a note for Spike. It just told him I was going to be away but if I didn't come back soon, tell Luna or somepony important that something very bad has happened and to have them go talk with Flim and Flam about it.

Setting it down I realized he might need some money while I was gone. I quickly went and retrieved my wallet, leaving him a few Celestia bits. If he ran out of money by that time he should get the hint that something bad was amiss and call for help.

Derreck returned up the stairs dressed in a black trench coat, black trousers and a black shirt with a white skull on it. I blinked. “What happened to the Christian Cross?” I asked, remembering that before it used to have a cross, opposed to a skull.

His eye squinted as his scarred face wrinkled slightly. “God's gonna sit this one out.”

Third person...

Lassie came to her senses, albeit groggily, and licked her dry lips. “Uhh... this must be what a hangover feels like...” she groaned. Going to get up, she nearly flopped. Her legs were all tied together in rope.

“Hey?! What gives?!” she yelled then scrunched her nose as she realized there was a most foul odor amiss. Wherever, whatever she was in, jolted as it hit a bump, her body bouncing slightly in the back. “Ouch! HEY! LET ME GO!” Lassie shouted. She tried to look around but it was dark.

In moments however she realized that there was a bag over her head along with a lack of fresh oxygen. “HEY! GET THIS THING OFF MY HEAD!” Lassie screamed. The thing she was riding in came to a stop, her body skidding forwards.

“Goddess, shut her up,” said a voice. The bag came off her head and Lassie's eyes didn't take long to focus as it was already dark out, still nighttime. A rat stood above her on the small flat bed of the motorized carriage.

“Sush you, or else!” the rat snapped but Lassie bit back in response. With an angered grunt he jabbed her in the gut with three tranquilizer darts.

“Hey! Careful! They want her alive!” one of the rats shouted but the one above her just shrugged. Lassie quickly felt the world around her start to spin, as if motion sickness was setting in. As her world began to fade, she heard their voices speak.

“By the time she wakes up from that dose we'll be there...”

Evan's perspective...

Heather lay across my lap, my fingers gently tapping along the stock. When I found the bastards that did this...

“Mmmphmmmphm!” Came the muffled shouts of Felix. She hadn't shut up since we left Ponyville and that was ages ago.

She only quieted down for a few hours when she passed out, probably due to all her yelling with her mouth gagged. It had been nearly twelve hours. I wasn't sure how he did it but Derreck stayed awake, driving, the entire time. His drive, his anger over this, was greater than mine in a way.

I thought I would've been the most enraged over this, but there he was, his anger habored and growing by the minute. I could almost feel it. Like a tension in the air. His face was wrinkled from his constant angered squinting.

I will admit, his suit was pretty badass. I had no idea where he got an all black trench coat, but the skull was a cool addition over the holy cross. It gave him a... Punisher, kind of vibe.

“Mphmoophm,” came Felix's muffled yells once again.

Derreck spoke up for the first time since we left. “She probably needs water. It has been quite a while,” he commented. I nodded and groggily made my way into the back. I myself hadn't slept at all but unlike Derreck, I wasn't fit to do much.

I grabbed a nearby water canteen and took the gag out of her mouth. “LET ME GO!” Felix yelled, hissing like a cat.

I rubbed my eyes drearily before speaking in a monotone voice. “Listen... I'm gonna get my dog back. And you're gonna show us where she is... here, want some water?” I asked. I unscrewed the cap and offered to help her drink it.

She was reluctant and first but quickly began slurping back the water, chugging it even. Wow, she must've been parched. Emptying the canteen, I gently withdrew it from her mouth. “You know... I had you all wrong. I figured if you were just a goon for those stallions than you mustn't be any better than them... unless you're just keeping me alive to find your dog.”

I shook my head. “Nah. We're really nice guys. I know Derreck might come off a hardass but he means well,” I said and she rose a brow, going to ask a question before Derreck cut in.

“Don't ask. It'll only confuse you,” he said. She seemed awfully confused at first but seemed to settle herself.

“By the way... you've got a stowaway,” she mentioned. I cocked a brow before turning back to look to Derreck. In an instant I spotted whom she meant. Derpy sat peacefully napping behind Derreck's seat.

“Nggh! Derpy!” I gasped. Derreck kept driving but leaned around the seat so he could get a look.

“Oh, cool. Look, she did come along,” Derreck mused.

“UGH! STOP THE TRUCK!” I gasped, the vehicle immediately coming to a stop. Derpy awoke with a jolt from the abrupt halt. Immediately spotting me she gave a gingerly wave, along with a yawn.

“Morning,” she replied and my mouth went slack.

“Der... Derpy what are you... I told you not to come with us!” I gasped, shaking my head.

“Yeah but... well... you left this out of her case,” she said, displaying Daisy. I wanted to just collapse from her statement.

“I... you... Derpy you can't come with us...” I stated and she blinked.

“Why not?” she asked.

“Because.”

“Aren't we friends?” she asked and I nodded. “Isn't Lassie my friend?” I nodded again, trying to get a word out but she wouldn't allow me even a single syllable. “Wasn't Lassie kidnapped?” she asked but I didn't even have time. “Don't friends help other friends no matter what?” she asked.

I sighed. In theory she was right. But this wasn't theory, this was reality. I couldn't let the innocent pegasi take part in what we were about to do. Derreck however, spoke up. “Alright, it's settled then. She comes with. Evan, I don't care what you say, my vote trumps yours.” My jaw hung slack but Derpy spoke up.

“Did you really not want me to come with you to save Lassie?” she asked, almost hurt.

“It's not that I didn't want you to come with us just because I didn't want you to. I didn't want you to see what we're going to do,” I replied, dipping my head into my hands. She pulled me into a hug.

“You're going to do the same thing you did when those bad stallion kidnapped me. I know what you're going to do isn't very nice...” she trailed off and put a hoof to my chin, rising it so we were looking eye to eye, even if one of my eyes were covered with an eye patch. “I know you don't want me to see it, but when a friend truly needs your help, you'll do anything for them. That's what friends are for. I know you were just trying protect me, but know that I'm here to protect you,” she told me and we embraced into a hug.

Felix spoke up. “Dawww... ain't that cute,” she remarked sarcastically. While still hugging Derpy, I gave Felix the finger, whether or not she knew what it meant...

Third person...

Lassie awoke, groggily like before but this time with added nausea that made her puke up what little contents were in her stomach. “Uhh...” Lassie groaned as her head thumped. She tried to move but found herself bound to a chair, her front paws tied behind her, each hindleg tied to a leg of the chair.

“Good morning sweetheart,” spoke a loving voice from withing the darkness. Lassie quickly realized there was no bag on her head but rather she was somewhere completely dark. Lassie didn't answer, still feeling nauseous. “How do you feel?” the feminine voice asked.

“Like I was hit by a friggin' freight train... ooohhhugh... I think I'm gonna puke again,” Lassie moaned weakly. A gut wrenching fear struck her as she felt her body start to tighten, the feeling of her stomach twisting and getting ready to chuck up whatever might still be left in her stomach.

“Honey, you may want to shut your eyes, this is going to be bright,” the voice said. Lassie didn't have much time to react as bright ceiling lights flickered on, nearly blinding her. Her eyes came into focus and she saw two dogs standing before her on their hindlegs.

One had more feminine features, namely a more slender build, whilst the other was a heavier, huskier looking male. Both were English Rough Collies. The female held out a glass of water and two pills. “Here honey, their pain relievers, for the headache.”

Lassie's head instinctively swung away but she immediately regretted that motion as it nearly made her puke again, her head spinning with disorientation. Her head dropped down in front of her as she groaned.

The male dog just grunted. “Just shove them down her throat if you have to,” he grumbled, the female immediately lashing back.

“Sush!” she snapped, almost a bark. Her paw moved gently to Lassie's chin and rose her head. Lassie winced and clenched her mouth shut, not wanting anything to do with this.

“Let me go! Or else!” she snarled, the male dog just chuckling to himself at the idle threat.

The female however was much more relaxed and accommodating. “Oh sweetie, why do you have to act like this. Don't you remember us?” she asked and Lassie's face wrinkled as her nose scrunched slightly.

“No, why should I?” she snarked. The female brushed her paw gently across Lassie's face, the latter trying hard to pull her face away but to no avail.

“Oh... I've waited so long to do that again... I missed you so much darling,” she spoke lightly and with a loving tone but Lassie was still not having any part of it.

“Enough! Woah... ohhh...” Lassie said, her world spinning as she lashed out. Shaking it off, she got back on topic. “What gives?! Who the hell are you?!” She demanded and a tear came to the other's eye.

“Y-you... you don't remember me?” she asked, almost heartbroken.

Lassie response was quick and snappy. “No! Why should I?!” The female nearly trembled with saddened emotions, tears building in her eyes.

“Darling... sweetheart... we're your parents,” she nearly burst into a teary wreck as she said that. Lassie however, called a bluff.

“Pfft, yeah okay. If you're my parents why haven't you been around?” she asked. Her mother's, or whom she claimed to be, response was a lot quicker than Lassie expected.

“We weren't allowed natural birth. We didn't have room nor the accommodation for infants here. It was forbidden and came with severe consequences. However I couldn't let them take away the life I had given to the world. We kept it our secret, you father and I, and after only a brief time together we gave you to an animal orphanage,” she informed Lassie whom was still overly skeptical.

“Okay. So why bring me back?” she asked with deep uncertainty in her voice. Her mother, at this point, was in full blown tears, her father, or whom they claimed to be, was very unemotional on his part.

“Look at yourself. You're no longer an infant pup. You can take care of yourself. You can do more than take care of yourself. You can take care of others. Or sweetheart, we just couldn't wait to see you again!” she chimed as she pulled the restrained Lassie into a hug.

“So why didn't you come to get me yourselves?” she asked skeptically.

“Because we're not scouts honey. We can't leave home,” she replied and Lassie rose a brow.

“So why bring me here and tie me down?” she asked aggressively.

“Because we're not going to stay. We weren't positive we could have escaped with you when you were just a pup and let's face it, had we escaped ourselves and approached you claiming to be your parents, would you have believed us?” she asked and Lassie blinked, unsure what to believe if they had approached her on the outside world. “Exactly. We didn't want you to run from us. We wanted you to believe first,” she said, reaching around and using her claws to cut the ropes that restrained Lassie.

The father gasped. “What are you doing?!” he snarled and the mother shot him a glare.

“Releasing her, you buffoon. She's our pup. She won't run from us...” she looked back to her daughter. “Sorry about your father. He may come off as a rugged arse, but he's really sweet and gentle on the inside,” she told Lassie who just blinked, having trouble taking it all in.

“You... no... no this can't be,” she said, trying to deny it but also partially trying to accept it.

“Don't worry honey. I know it's a lot to take in, but just take it slow. Maybe start with these. It'll help with the headache. I know the scouts can be real hard on folks they catch,” she said, offering Lassie the pain killers and water.

At first Lassie went to refuse, then decided to take a gamble. It was a brutal headache after all.

Tossing the two pills in her mouth, she downed the water, taking the pills with it. The mother spoke again. “Honey, when you're feeling better, we're going to get out of here, leave this place behind.”

Lassie couldn't believe what she was hearing. Were these two really her parents? “I... I don't know...” she replied unsurely.

The father stepped up and offered her a set of clothes that almost looked like a gi of some kind. “Here. You may want some clothing,” he offered. Lassie took the clothing and just blinked, still unsure about all this.

The two stood and made towards the only door in the room. The mother turned back. “Oh and Lassie, when you're ready, we're having steak and ribs for dinner,” she mentioned, the information perking Lassie's interest.

“S-s-steak and... and ribs?” she stammered and her mother nodded, the father speaking up.

“It's probably better than anything you've had to eat so far,” he commented as they both left the room. It only took moments for Lassie to spring up out of her seat. The sudden movement disoriented her but she didn't much care. She hadn't ever had meat produce but like hay she wasn't going to let some motion sickness stop her from trying it.

In an instant she rushed out of the room and after her parents. From behind a secret one way window sat two pony brothers. Both had red fur and light yellow manes and tails. They had black shirts on and each had a blue and white stripped bow tie.

The first, whom had facial hair, spoke to his brother. “Do you think this will work brother?” he asked, the second nodding in response.

“Of course Milf. Our plans always work, do they not?...”

Evan's perspective...

“Raining... it just has to be raining...” I muttered as Derreck slowed Juggernaut to a stop. Rain was swept away from the windshield by the wipers but within a second was clouded with more rain droplets. We weren't exactly close to Manehatten, but we could still easily see the sprawling metropolis city lights in the distance.

It was a heavy downfall of rain, mixed in with constant thunder. I just grumbled to myself but Felix seemed worse off about the weather than I did. Every crack of thunder would make her jolt, a fine line of fur along her back springing up as she growled to herself.

Derreck shut Juggernaut down, her lights dimming out and the darkness of the night swallowing us up. “This is perfect. The storm will cover our entrance. We'll be in and out before they know what hit 'em,” he commented and I turned to Felix.

“Alright...” I said to myself, pulling out a knife.

“Hey! Woah!” she gasped as I neared her. “You said you'd let me go!” she cried out, hissing at me like a cat would.

“Relax... we still need your help,” I told her, slicing the restraints. She looked at her wrists that had previously been bound then to me. “Help us do this, and it'll be like revenge to those who caused your family so much pain and grief,” I told her but she merely scoffed.

“You mean Flim and Flam? Those two scam artists you work for,” she interjected and I rolled my eye.

“You know what I mean. Come on, won't it feel good getting back at these bastards?” I asked, removing the shotgun that was slung to my back. Derreck looked back to me, wondering what I was doing. “Listen close...” I began to instruct her on how to use Heather, also informing her of how buckshot had limited range but devastating power at said distance.

“You trust me with this thing?” she asked, taking the gun I offered her and racking the pump. I nodded.

“You have your reasons, and I have mine,” I replied. Derreck put the thick leather fabric scope covers on Trillium before stepping out of Juggernaut. I looked to Derpy. “Derpy... I know you want to help... just stay here with the truck,” I began and I could tell she was about to argue but I cut her off. “We're going to need a quick getaway, and I need you to make sure the truck doesn't get captured by some kind of patrol... can you do that for me?” I asked. She sighed and nodded reluctantly. I could tell she really wanted to help us out but things were about to get gruesome...

Third person...

Lassie chomped on the T-bone steak. To her it was the greatest thing she'd had in ages. “Mmm-mmm, that's good!” she chimed, her mother smiling brightly.

“Haven't you ever had meat before?” she asked but Lassie shook her head.

“Nah. Where I live it's mostly vegetarian. It's kinda like... taboo or something to eat meat. The best we get is probably eggs... but Evan always gets me lots of good food like popcorn and cereal and even shares his milk with me at breakfast. You guys are gonna love him.” She said through mouthfuls of chewed steak.

The father nodded. “Indeed. I can't wait to meet him,” he said with great interest.

Lassie nodded. “Oh yeah, you two would get along great. He used to be a bodybuilder or something but now he mostly just relaxes and drinks on the balcony, like he's retired or something. You guys are also gonna love Twilight. She used to be a star pupil but now she's a princess and she's totally quirky,” Lassie laughed.

“You live with a princess?” the mother asked and Lassie nodded, the father quickly speaking up.

“Do you think she'll be coming to?” he asked, the mother quickly jabbing him in the gut. Lassie rose a brow.

“Huh?” she asked, still holding a piece of half chewed rib in her paw just inches from her mouth.

The mother quickly spoke up to correct the father. “What he means is, do you think she'll be looking for you too?” she asked and Lassie shrugged.

“I don't know just yet. She went to Saddle Arabia with Celestia on princess business. But if Evan goes postal... which he just might, then that guy Derreck will show up too... he's kinda weird cause they're like... I don't know how it works but anyway, he'll probably either go looking with his friend Derreck or panic and call the guard... or maybe team up with Discord again,” she commented and the mother rose a brow.

“You also know Discord, Lord of Chaos?” she asked with great interest and Lassie nodded as though it was nothing.

“Oh yeah. Back a few months ago this crazy mare named Freeze totally messed up Baltimare so Discord, me and Evan... and Derreck, all went in and stopped her. It was totally awesome cause at first Discord betrayed us, then it turned out he was just trying to save Fluttershy, then he teamed up with us again and double crossed Freeze and he was totally like 'I'm not your kind of evil' and was like 'KA-BOOM' and blew her head of!” Lassie squealed, remembering the adventure.

The mother and father rose their brows. “Wow,” the mother spoke. “I never knew our little girl was such a hero,” she appraised her daughter to which Lassie nodded.

“Meh... yeah I guess... but most of the time we all just go and see movies or hang around, or break Evan out of the hospital,” she said, continuing to down her meal...

Evan's perspective...

We lay in a mucky bush just over one hundred yards away from a towering factory building. It was ominous to say the least. It stretched a couple dozen stories into the air, with several large window panels that glowed from the inside every so often.

“Man... I already hate this place...” I whispered. Felix lay beside me and Derreck beside her. Felix had my shotgun and Derreck had the deathly black Mosin PU sniper rifle, Trillium.

“Okay...” Derreck began and looked to the building. “How do we get in there without creating too much of a ruckus?” he asked.

Felix looked to the building. “Three or so stories up there's an exterior ventilation grill that leads into the building's interior ventilation shaft work,” she informed us. Derreck spoke up.

“Okay... but we're not cats... how do we get in?” he asked. Felix had a simple answer.

“I'll sneak in, then I'll come back down and open a door for you guys,” she offered. I nodded but then looked down below where there were over two dozen patrol units on duty. Most looked like rats.

“What about the patrols?” I asked, a flash of lightning streaking in the distance and illuminating the factory yard.

“Easy,” Derreck said as he peered through the rifle's scope.

'What is he doing?!' I thought to myself. Surely one of the patrols-

My thoughts were cut off as a boom of thunder crackled, along with the thunderous report of Derreck's rifle as he triggered a shot. One of the lone patrols fell but no one seemed to notice. Felix and I both smirked, Felix speaking our minds.

“Brilliant. Using the thunder to mask your shots, no one will hear us coming. We just gotta make sure none of them see the dead bodies,” she appraised but Derreck didn't answer. A few moments later another flash of lightning, soon followed by a crack of thunder that was timely simultaneous with a gunshot. Another patrol fell almost instantly, still unbeknownst the the others.

Derreck racked on the buttery smooth action of Trillium, still peering through the scope and holding the rifle in an unwavering grip. There were several lights down in the factory yard, but none were quite bright enough to illuminate the fallen. The only thing bright enough was the flash of lightning but I had a hinting suspicion these goons weren't really suspecting us just yet.

Another crack of thunder and a rat patrol fell silently. The thunder had been so close I barely even heard the rifle and here I was right next to it. These rats wouldn't be able to even know where we were hitting them from. The bush, for the most part, concealed the muzzle flash of the rifle while the thunder concealed the gunshot.

Another rat fell in conjunction with a crack of thunder but a nearby patrol spotted an earlier kill. At first he didn't seem overly worried, possibly believing his deceased friend to be just napping. “Derreck, over there,” I said, pointing out the suspicious patrol that was going to investigate his deceased comrade. Derreck didn't even wait for a crack of thunder and fired. The rifle let out a thunderous discharge that startled many of the patrol, and ripped the already suspicious patrol to the ground with a fine hole in his chest.

Derreck licked his lips as he racked the bolt. After a few more moments a flash of lightning glimmered in the nearby distance and the patrols down below took the gunshot as just another crack of lightning.

Moments later another patrol rat fell silently. One by one, and only rarely in pairs, all the patrols were dispatched. Felix smirked with a razor sharp grin. “Slick... watching those bastards go down almost makes me forget I'm soaking wet,” she commented as she stood up but Derreck yanked her back down.

“Hold up...” he said. I could see the hair on the back of his neck prickling up, along with the feeling of my own hair prickling up. A minute past and Felix looked to me.

“What is it?” she asked and I shrugged unknowingly. All I knew was that something was off about this. Just before we could speak, we heard rustling in the brush a few feet beside us.

“I'm telling yah, I saw something flashing up here,” one voice spoke.

“It was probably nothing,” said a second. I felt a shiver run down my spine as two large rats came into view. Celestia! They were almost the size of a large dog.

“Wait!” said the first as he stopped, holding back the second. “Smell that?” he asked, both of them sniffing the air audibly. Derreck began to slowly shuffle sideways, at a pace that would make a turtle look about as fast as a hare.

“Yeah... what do you think it is?” asked the second.

“I don't know... smells pretty bad though,” said the first. They began to walk cautiously forwards once again, directly towards our positions, wielding what looked like classic crossbows. A flash of lightning blazed in the background, illuminating everything as though it was day.

In a brief motion Felix was on her hindlegs, the shotgun I lent her wielded in her forelegs. The rats gasped just as Felix triggered the first blast. The muzzle flash was blinding, leaving a singed vision of her in my view. The crack of thunder seconded the shotgun blast not even a second later, followed quickly by another fatal blast from the shotgun.

The blasts of magnum buckshot yanked the rats clean off their paws and launched them back a few feet, a gaping blast cavity in each of their chests. Derreck settled, the hair on our necks resting down. “Nice shootin' Tex,” Derreck praised and Felix looked to him strangely.

“Tex?” she asked but he just shook his head as he lead us down the embankment and to the factory. We crept through the shadows, occasionally pulling a dead body behind a dumpster or container and out of immediate sight.

Reaching a wall with a single set of doors, we looked to Felix who spoke. “Okay, just wait here. I'll be back in a jiffy!” she said but just before she could begin ascending the wall, Derreck grabbed her.

“You're not down here in ten minutes, we're going in guns blazing,” he told her and she just laughed.

“I don't think you brought enough ammo. We'll have to go down to the furnace core and disrupt the cooling system. That'll make the core unstable and it'll start to overheat. We'll have roughly four or five minutes to get out before the place blows sky high,” she told us and we both rose a brow. “Hey... you said yourself, it'll feel good getting my revenge on these bastards. Now sit tight, I'll be back before you can shake a leg.”

Derreck and I watched her leap into the air like some kinda ninja. She ascended the wall as if she were a spider or something. In seconds she reached her mark. Pulling off the ventilation grill she crawled into the shaft works. I was so impressed with her skills that I almost didn't notice the metal grill falling down at us. I jumped to the side as it smashed into the ground, clanging about loudly. “Sweet Celestia!” I hissed.

“Ain't that somethin,” Derreck mused to himself. We waited a few minutes, checking my watch every so often. “You know... she said...” he looked down and went to shake his leg. No sooner had he went to do so, then the door swung open. Felix stood in the doorway with a smirk, looking to Derreck whose leg was slighty risen as though to give a shake.

“Told yah so,” she quipped and Derreck nodded with an impressed expression.

“Not bad, not bad. Come on let's go. And remember, we're also here to save Lassie, so don't go killing every single thing you see,” he ordered...

Third person...

The two devilishly corrupt brothers sat around the security monitors as one of the guards pointed to a monitor. “There sir, see? Looks like we got visitors. I can have a full security detachment on them-” but Malf cut him short.

“No-no... no this is fine. Milf, my dearest brother, would you mind getting it... ahem, him, online? I think it's finally time for a test trial,” Malf told his brother who was quick to oblige the orders. Malf stepped back from the monitor screen with a smile, he too making his way out of the room. “Oh, do try and lure them to the main atrium. I want to give him a grand entrance,” he said to the technical officer who began electronically locking doors...

Evan's perspective...

We stopped at yet another locked door as Derreck jiggled the handle. “Shit... locked again...” Derreck muttered as he played with the Eagle Eye gadget. “Dammit, we can't stay in this hallway forever. We're bound to run into a patrol,” he muttered and Felix spoke up.

“They're locking the doors electronically... herding us where they want us to go,” she mentioned and I smirked.

“Like rats,” I punned and she chuckled.

“Ironic isn't it?” she asked but we all stopped as we heard steps coming along the metallic hallway floor. Derreck huddled us down and pulled a large cardboard box over the three of us, of which I had no idea where he got.

A lone rat strolled down the hallway, passing our box as though it was nothing. Emerging from the box, Derreck took the sling from Felix's shotgun and crept after the rat. In a flash of motion, he yanked the sling around the rat's neck and yanked, the force enough to break the rat's neck and render it lifeless.

“More than one way to kill a rat...” he commented, dragging the rat's body aside and hiding it under our box. He pilfered through the rat's utility vest which housed a few miscellaneous items, but one such piece was vital to our escape.

It was a keycard. “Eureka!” Derreck said, leaving behind the box with the dead rat inside as we moved on. These rats were huge and were undoubtedly going to give me a phobia for the rest of my life.

“I swear to goddess, if I don't see another rat in my life...” I commented as Derreck stopped by another locked door. Swiping the keycard, the door lock beeped at him negatively.

Shuffling across the hallway he tried another door, it to denying us entrance. We couldn't just go making a ruckus, kicking down doors and such. We needed to be stealthy, though I wondered if any of the security cameras had spotted us yet. They had to have, that's why the doors were locked and we were being herded... unless the security operators were out on break and it was just coincidence the doors were locked... unless this keycard didn't grant us access to those rooms.

After the fourth or fifth door, one finally opened and we slipped inside. The door closed behind us and the lights inside quickly flickered on. Inside was some kind of... sick science laboratory. There were... creatures inside big liquid vat holding tanks.

A gut wrenching feeling came over me as a shiver went down my spine. At first there were things like dogs mixed with cats, cows with octopus tentacles but soon there became horrific failures of things that I supposed were supposed to look like gargoyles...

After a very brief scan of the area I spotted something that perked my interest. It was kind of out of place. Most of the creatures here looked like biological failures but this...

I walked up to the tank, which didn't have any liquid inside but rather a few electrical wires. The... embodiment inside... it looked like me! The containment cell was labeled '101'.

“Impressive, is it not?” asked a voice. Derreck, Felix and myself spun around, Felix and Derreck pointing their weapons to the voice. In the doorway stood a rat... the same rat that had kidnapped me and taunted me at the loading yard warehouse by Ponyville.

He was holding a small crossbow that was aimed in our direction. “Come now, be sensible. I hear those boomsticks of yours are quite loud. Wouldn't want the entire security detachment coming down on your heads... anyway, where was I?” he asked out loud.

With a snap, he smiled, beginning to walk around us but still keeping his distance. “It all started with bovines, specifically the bulls. My creators wanted to build a powerful army they could sell to private investors... and what better than to have an army of brutes. Soldiers more powerful than any pony... of course, there arose problems with their... instability once it came to a mature age. Temperament issues you see. So they began playing around with all sorts of animals, genetically producing them. After a short while they began splicing the DNA of animals to get their best traits, trying to make soldiers with the best quality skills like speed, strength and stealth abilities. Of course, being the geniuses they are, my creators finally found the perfect specimen for an army,” the rat said boastfully.

Derreck's finger rested on the dangerously crisp trigger of Trillium.

“You see... rats... rats can be taught. Rats can do things for you. They are the greatest species to roam the planet. Able to adept to nearly any condition, an plentiful enough to overcome nearly any army. You ever hear the old saying about rats?” he asked and I spoke out in a disgusted tone.

“When there's one, there's a dozen,” I stated and he nodded.

“Exactly. Our reproductive capabilities were greater than any other. A litter could reach anywhere from eight to fourteen. Gestation periods are usually less than three weeks and the female can breed immediately after birth... no need to purchase more troops when your army simply keeps duplicating itself. Of course, our genetics had to be spliced and recoded. What good is an army of soldiers that can be simply squashed under a hoof. With our new genetic coding we can grow as tall as a pony. We were also far more loyal and less temperamental than other species,” he said and I snarled my lips slightly.

He looked to me then snickered. “Dogs though. They could be far more vicious than any rat and fiercely loyal... however, whom their loyalty lied with was another story... which brings me to your... pet, Lassie. Or as we know her, Canidae oh-six-seven. There's probably something you should know about her... and her parents...”

Third person...

Lassie skipped along through the hallways. Although technically still a prisoner, she couldn't be happier. Soon enough she was going to escape with her long lost parents and go back to living with Evan and Twilight.

Hopping along in a gleeful manner that may be mistaken with Pinkie's, she bounced up towards her parent's room door. Just before opening it however, she heard voices coming from inside, that of her mother and father.

“Just play the part a little longer, we need her convinced,” said the mother, to the scoffed reply of her father.

“I don't see why. What does it matter whether or not she believes us. That man is going to come looking for her regardless,” the father snapped back. Lassie pressed her ear up against the door, getting a better audio of what they were saying.

“It does matter. It'll be easier to keep her here if she doesn't know what's going on!” the mother snapped back.

“Who the hell says we even need her alive. It'd be a whole lot easier if they had just left a ransom note but just killed her off and left her in a dumpster. Who's to say that guy even knows where to start looking?!” he snarled and Lassie held back a gasp.

“Don't even say such things!” the mother snapped back and the father again just scoffed at her remark.

“Don't tell me you're getting soft on her. She's not even-” he was cut short as Lassie's weight against the door cause it to swing open and her body crashed to the floor. Blinking and looking up to them, who both looked down her her, she giggled nervously.

“Uhh... hey... just came to tell you how much I love you... heh-heh,” she stammered nervously, but she could see it in her father's eyes. With a gulp she spun on the floor and delivered a brutal kick to his gonads. “Toodles!” she chimed before zipping for the door, only to crash into a guard rat.

“Going somewhere?” the rat asked in a deep voice. Lassie swallowed hard as the bulky rat grabbed her in his massive arms and began to squeeze. She gasped as the air was squeezed from her lungs, but as fate would have it something helped her spring free.

Like a crack of thunder, a monstrous gunshot went off and echoed down the hallways, making the rat jump and lose his grip on the canine. Lassie skittered away feverishly, racing down the halls and past other rat guards that rushed along after hearing the gunshot.

Lassie's father rushed into the hallways as well. “GET THAT BITCH!” He boomed....

Just moments earlier,

Evan's perspective...

Derreck stood idle, Trillium's barrel wisping out a puff of smoke. The rat lay on the ground, a gaping hole in his head. “CELESTIA! Derreck!” I yelled and he just shrugged, even Felix in slight shock.

Derreck mused to himself. “I couldn't stand his voice.” He pressed a button on the side of Eagle Eye before turning to us.

Felix spoke up. “The whole factory is gonna come down on our heads. You guys go get your dog, I'm gonna set off the furnace core,” she informed us before scurrying off and down the hallways.

Derreck and I rushed off. “So where do you think she is?” I yelled and Derreck shrugged.

“Dunno. Let's follow our noses,” he replied and my jaw nearly dropped at the stupid idea but he seemed to have a mind of his own, pulling me along through hallways and through several rooms, including one which I presumed was the mess hall. Though mostly rats living here, it smells quite nice.

We came up to a large set of metal doors that blocked our path but Derreck merely barged through them. Coming to a stop, we found ourselves in a large room, more like a staging area or something.

Derreck looked around, scanning the place with that eyepiece of his. Before we could do anything however, a very suave voice spoke out. “Good evening gentlestallions... or perhaps I should say goodnight.” We spun, Derreck going for his rifle.

At the doorway that he had barged through stood a lone stallion whom was red furred with a creamy yellowish mane and tail, yet he lacked any facial hair. His shirt was black with a blue and white striped bow tie. “Ah-ha... I get it. Cause Flim and Flam are yellow with red... bah, never mind,” I muttered and the stallion scrunched his nose at the mention of the F brothers' names.

“Yes... quite. I will say you two have made a very daring rescue attempt but I'm afraid it ends here.” His words seemed so smooth, so confident yet it made Derreck chuckle.

“Hmm... ha. And I suppose you're going to try and stop us?” he remarked but the stallion chuckled and just shook his head.

“No. Hardly. But I do believe my friend here will stop you...” he trailed off as a bipedal figure entered the room. He walked with slow strides, each step casual yet terrifying to watch. His skin looked smooth as a baby's. He wore a black leather jacket with matching pants and dark boots over his feet. The theme to the original Terminator movie thunked in my head.

A slick dark brown flattop hairstyle covered the top of his head, along with a pair of black sunglasses that covered his eyes despite being inside and not that bright. His hands clenched and I gulped. He looked like... like me! “We first started off with the one hundred and one series, or the one-zero-one if you will. However, it's advanced learning computer led to... complications related to pony-like emotions...” he stepped back and pointed to the man in front of us, as though to present him.

“Allow me to introduce you to the 1000 series,” the stallion stated. I swallowed hard. “I suppose you already know about our biological research,” he commented, having must've watched us over the security cameras. “Though I'm sure your new found rat friend didn't tell you about our bio-mechanical research,” he said, the hulking man standing idle beside him.

“You see, throughout our exploration of animal creations we always ran into the problems of skilled attributes. One animal would have speed or strength but lack something else. We tried several times with splicing DNA gene codes but that often ended horrendously. Then something most... wonderful happened. An entire mob family was wiped out in just a few hours time by a single assailant-” I cut him short, already knowing what he was referencing.

“There was actually two of us,” I butted in and he rose a brow.

“Oh yes... that's right... anyway. Several more stories arose shortly there after. One of a mare freezing Baltimare that was subsequently defeated, then again of a creature from another world ascending to the top of Mount Tia... we, my brother and I, thought to ourselves... only a machine could work with such precision. Operate on a level far above that of any pony... and then it dawned upon us. Machines. Why create an army of flesh and blood when you could have an army of one... one soldier that could complete any task giving to it. One soldier that could fight an entire war by itself... just imagine it...” he trailed off in his own sense of brilliance. I'd have to admit, it was kind of clever.

“A universal soldier... and what better identity to give him than that of the creature whom performed so many perfect accomplishments?” the stallion mentioned.

Derreck fired his rifle at the big hulking man, his head getting cocked to the side from the impact, his sunglasses shattering. A moment later he turned back, a gash in the skin on his forehead but beneath the skin lay metal.

“Hmm... now you see. On the outside he is the perfect form. Strong, powerful and terrifying. Living organic flesh. But on the inside he's a-” but the machine cut him short.

“Hyperalloy combat chassis.” The machine's voice spoke with a near perfect Schwarzenegger voice that made me groan. We were screwed. The stallion sighed.

“Yes... thank you for that... anyway, like I was saying. Hyperalloy combat chassis, comprised of dense metals and composites that make him immune to most forms of magical attacks or physical ones... including that of your firearms... you may as well say he's indestructible,”

I leaned over to Derreck. “We need to find a metal press and crush it with that, then quote 'You're terminated fucker',” I mentioned.

“Hardly the time for jokes,” Derreck mused and I shrugged.

“These guys are the ones that ripped the idea of the terminator,” I replied and Derreck rolled his eye.

“Well, I'll let you three talk it out. One thousand, go to it,” the stallion said as he wisped out of the atrium, or whatever this place was.

The cyborg, or whatever, charged at us with high speeds that could only be matched by a cheetah. Derreck fired a shot that pinged off the machine's head, then another that struck its chest. Both impacts didn't even faze the machine and it plowed into the two of us, skidding us across the ground.

Trillium slipped from Derreck's grip and skidded across the floor. I groaned, the impact force having hit me pretty hard and spun my clock. I watched in horror as the machine took a single leap, closing the large gap between itself and Derreck and plowing it's weight down on my big friend, a crater forming beneath them.

It hammered several powerful punches into my friend's face before heaving him up with a single hand and throwing him against a wall several feet away. Despite the distance, his throw gave Derreck enough momentum to dent the thick metal wall.

Looking to me, it picked me up by the hide of my duster and threw me as well. My body slammed with unforgiving force against the metal wall. I wasn't sure how I wasn't dead from the force but I almost wished I was. Derreck and I both tried to get to our feet, but only managed to get to our hands and knees, blood dripping out of my mouth.

Pain ensnared my body as the machine idly walked over and heaved us both up by the neck then promptly tossed us out the window. The glass pane shattered apart and I saw the glistening shards of glass flutter around us as we fell several stories down.

I slammed with unrelenting force into the hard concrete ground below, groaning and again unsure just how exactly I was still alive. I heard Derreck muttering to himself. I looked over and saw him pressing two fingers to the ear piece of Eagle Eye. “Juggernaut... to me,” he grunted.

In the distance I heard the rumbling echo of a diesel motor, along with the bright beams of light that pierced the storm's darkness. A heavy armored truck crashed down the hill and busted through the perimeter gate of the factory. Pulling up beside us I blinked in disbelief.

He staggered to his feet and looked to me. “Grab that old levergun of yours!” he ordered just as Derpy hopped out of the truck.

“Evan! Are you okay?!” she asked worriedly as I staggered up and over to the vehicle.

“Yeah... yeah I'm doing alright Derpy,” I replied honestly. I wasn't feeling the greatest but I was okay... somehow. I grabbed Daisy and emptied all the cartridges from the rifle. Counting them out, I cursed to myself. I only had five shots.

I didn't bring ammunition for the gun, as Derpy had brought it along when she stowed herself away in the truck. I thumbed the shells back into the rifle's magazine but left the chamber empty. Even now I had no intent of firing the rifle but for different reasons. With only five shots we would be seriously outdone. Felix was right, we didn't bring enough ammo.

“Derpy, get outta here. There gonna be looking for us,” I told her but she protested valiantly.

“But I haven't done anything yet!” she whined. I took her into a brief hug, kissing her forehead.

“You've done good by me Derpy, you've done good by me.” With that Derreck and I rushed back into the building, my grip on my rifle unrelenting. I had high hopes we didn't run into that machine again.

Bustling down the corridors and hallways, we did our best to avoid any trouble. Before long however, the whole factory shook like an earthquake had struck it. “Ohhh... that's gotta be the furnace reactor or whatever,” Derreck mentioned and we both knew our time was short to find my companion.

We traversed quickly, moving at high speeds that got my heart racing. A gunshot went off nearby that nearly deafened us. “That way!” Derreck ordered as he led us towards the direction of the gunshot.

There was yelling and screaming nearby, more than usual anyways, considering that the whole factory was about to explode and that we had created quite a ruckus. We heard more yelling during some sort of confrontation along with another gunshot.

Derreck and I rushed around a corner and into a large room with several windows looking to the outside. The room looked empty for the most part but scared the shit outta me mainly due to the fact the floor was mesh grate flooring and I could see several floors down. Near the far end of the room was a railing that looked down below, possibly all the way to the basement. Near said railing was four figures.

Regardless to my fear of the flooring I rushed in with Derreck just as a large dog was tossing Felix across the floor. I gasped as I spotted Lassie and another dog nearby. “Stop it!” screamed the dog near Lassie, whom sheltered my friend like a valiant mother would her babies.

The large male dog racked the pump on Heather, whom he'd undoubtedly taken from Felix in their confrontation of which I never saw. “HEY!” I boomed. The dog, already standing on his hind legs, turned to me with the shotgun drawn.

'Oh shit...' I thought to myself as I realized I didn't have a shell chambered in my rifle. Just as he leveled the gun on me, a scream echoed in the room just as a glass pane was shattered. “NOOOOO!” the voice screamed out. I watched as Derpy plowed downwards and into the male dog whom flinched upon the impact.

As Derpy collided into him the shotgun went off. I felt my feet get pulled off the ground as I was tossed back. A great pain seared throughout my gut as I felt something painful strike the far right side of my lower abdomen.

I slammed into the ground, Daisy clattering just beside me. My ears were ringing as I stared blankly at the ceiling lights that beamed into my eyes. I mouthed out a prayer for my friend. 'Derreck...' my words never left my mouth but my conscious spoke up.

“I can't help you this time... this is something you'll have to do yourself,” it said to me. Tears flittered in my eyes, even my damaged one beneath that of my eye patch. The ceiling lights nearly blinded me like some kind of final holy light. Was this it? I didn't know. They say when you die your whole life flashes before your eyes. Nothing was flashing before my eyes. All I thought about were my friends that I was going to let down.

I heard screaming and yelling echoing faintly into my ringing ears. I tried to get up but the pain in my gut was so severe it nearly immobilized me completely. I didn't even want to lift a finger. I heard something that made the hair on my neck prickle. 'KA-CHUKE'. I tried to grab the rifle but my fingers slipped on the lever handle, making me cringe in pain.

I barely managed to lift my head as I looked forwards. The male dog drew his sights on Lassie. My heart sank as he began to squeeze the trigger. Lassie's eyes went wide, but just as the shotgun went off, a scream of despair echoed out and the female dog leapt in front of Lassie.

I watched in horror as the shotgun went off, striking the other female dog whom took the fatal blast of the shotgun in full and was tossed in front of my friend's paws. “Ugh... ahhh... Lassie!” I groaned to myself.

Anger, fury and rage coursed through my veins, having a greater effect than even adrenaline. My right hand grabbed on the forergrip of Daisy as I hoisted her up vertically, using the rifle as a helper to stand myself up. “You should have killed me first!” I whispered, staggering to a hunched position, which was all I needed.

Grabbing the underside of the lever, I ferociously yanked up on the lever. The gun actioned as I spun it upwards, the butt plate coming to rest perfectly against my shoulder while the fore-grip rested on my left elbow crevice. The bolt mechanism locked into place, a loaded round in the chamber. The exterior hammer was cocked back, almost as though the rifle had a devilish grin.

The blade sight lined up perfectly with the aggressive male dog. For the first time ever, I squeezed the trigger of the rifle, letting the hammer slam down freely on its own. Time seemed to slow as the rifle jerked in my arms.

The .30 caliber slug spat out of the rifle, a brilliant muzzle flash erupting behind it as it left the barrel. The bullet slammed into the side of the vicious dog, enough force transmitting itself through him that he was pulled over the railing and fell several stories down, taking my shotgun with him.

'Goodbye Heather...' I thought solemnly to myself. It was a small sacrifice and although I loved all my firearms, the value of loving sentient life would always come first. I stood idle for just a moment before the pain in my gut became nearly to much to bear and I staggered about.

Lassie sat in complete shock, tears coming to her eyes as she, like me, had trouble piecing together what just happened. “L-Lassie...” I gasped. Before I said much else, I noticed Derpy laying motionless nearby. “NGGH! DERPY!” I roared, nearly falling to my knees as I rushed over to her.

Reaching her side, I fell to my knees and cradled her body. “No... no please... no, don't... Derpy,” I began to weep as I held her limp body. After just a moment, I heard a slight moan.

“Your tears... tickle,” she whispered weakly. I leaned back, to be greeted by the wonderful sight of her smiling, although faintly. She wasn't gone. She wasn't even hurt... well, not badly anyways. There was no blood, not even a deep cut.

“Oh Derpy, I thought you were-” I was cut off by a slow clapping. I turned around, the stallion from before standing in the doorway to the room.

“Oh, how very touching. I'm so glad everything turned out alright for you all... well, it almost did,” he laughed. I waved Lassie over to me and sheltered both her and Derpy behind myself as the ominous presence of that goddess forsaken cyborg returned. The tune to the orginal terminator movie thumped in my head again.

'Shit...' I thought to myself. If Trillium couldn't penetrate that beast, than there was no way in hell Daisy could, especially with soft point ammunition. Felix groaned as she came too, gasping as she looked to our aggressors.

The stallion stepped into the room. “1000, kill them all,” he ordered. The machine stepped forwards and directly behind his master. Picking him up by the head with both hands, the machine hoisted the stallion up. The stallion's screams were subdued quickly as the cyborg twisted his neck violently, killing him instantly. I wasn't sure whether it was a glitch, or a misunderstanding of his order. 'Killed by your own invention, ironic.'

I gulped but Derreck stepped forwards. “I'll handle him,” Derreck said boldly as he clenched his fists. The cyborg began walking towards us and Derreck charged with a deafening roar.

The two collided and Derreck exchanged a quick set of blows with the machine before being backhanded and sent tumbling back. Bringing himself to a stop and widening his stance, his fists tightened as he snarled his lips, revealing razor sharp canines.

Charging forwards once more, the machine cocked back it's arm and swung at Derreck. My friend caught the punch with his left palm, his entire arm coated in a blue aura. The machine's face displayed an expression of shock as it's devastating punch was stopped dead with an almost effortless grip.

Derreck's right fist swung low and I felt a shiver of pain course through my body as I watched his wrist and knuckles shift. Three shiny blades emerged from between his knuckles. Unlike ever before they were no longer bony, but rather coated in a dark blue metal that fumed a blue misty smoke, almost like Luna's mane.

With a roar he swung upwards, the metal blades that protruded from his knuckles sliced clean through the cyborg's skull. It stepped back, staggering slightly. With a second roar, three more shiny blue metallic blades emerged from Derreck's left fist and he impaled the machine with both sets of claws, hoisting it up above his head.

With one final war cry, Derreck tossed the machine over the metal railing, letting it fall down to the pits below. I looked to him, veins bulging from his every muscle. The dark blue fuming metallic blades glistening. His fists unclenched gently, the sharp blades slowly retracting back into his arms and the wounds between his knuckles sealing shut.

His entire body seemed to slightly deflate as he relaxed. Felix groaned as she stood to her hindlegs, Lassie whimpering over the second dog whom lay lifeless. My friend began to whine louder as she licked the deceased dog's massive wound.

The whole factory shook as an eruption took place below. I looked downwards through the mesh floor to see a massive fireball erupting in the subterranean levels of the building. “Aww crap...” I muttered. Derpy groaned, Derreck rushing over and heaving her up onto his shoulder.

Felix staggered as a second eruption shook the factory. We rushed over to Lassie whom just sat on her haunches. “Leave me...” she whined, sounded defeated.

“Not-a-chance,” I replied heaving her up into my arms as she seemed otherwise reluctant to move. Derreck picked up the deceased dog, heaving her onto his other shoulder. Rushing out of the room, I scooped Daisy up on my way out as Felix, Derreck and myself made our way out into the hallways.

“We gotta get outta here,” Felix yelled and I nodded.

“Yeah, no shit!” Derreck replied as we began to rush down hallways, rats and other enlarged abominations scurrying around also, paying us no mind as we rushed along.

As we descended Derreck suddenly stopped and went the wrong direction. “Derreck, where are you going?” I yelled, the stairs in the opposite direction.

“We gotta get Trillium!” he yelled back and I nearly wanted to burst with anger. Had it been just him and me, I would've taken the risk, but now we were about to risk the lives of Derpy and Lassie as well.

“SHIT!” I yelled as I chased after him, Felix not following. Probably following the Eagle Eye map of this place, Derreck and I arrived at the atrium room, or whatever it was.

Setting Derpy and the deceased dog down, Derreck rushed into the room that had been set ablaze. Lassie squirmed in my arms. “You should have left me behind,” she said in a low self-esteemed way. 'Jeeze. What's gotten into her?' I wondered, about to ask but my thoughts were interrupted as a loud crash echoed, parts of the blazing ceiling crashing down in the atrium room. I thought again about asking Lassie what her deal was.

I didn't bother as I instead watched Derreck rush through the falling ceiling pieces and to the other end of the room where Trillium lay. Running back, he leapt over several fiery pieces of fallen walls and other such debris.

Slinging Trillium across his back as he hefted the nearly unconscious Derpy and the deceased dog on his shoulders, he looked to me. “Come on, what are we waiting for?!” he asked and I nearly boomed with anger over this stupid detour, regardless if it was for a priceless sentimental rifle or not.

“WE'RE WAITING FOR YOU!” I yelled as we quickly rushed to the emergency staircase. Even with the added weight of the others and our rifles, we leapt down entire flights of stairs in single leaps, quickly reaching the ground floor as the structural integrity of the building began to wean, ready to give way.

Rushing out the emergency exit, I howled in freight as the building began to shake, fiery eruptions bursting through window panes. “WHERE THE FUCK'S THE TRUCK?!” I screamed but no sooner had I said that, Juggernaut came screaming around the corner and skidded to a halt just in front of us.

Seconds later, the back hatch door opened and Felix waved to us. “You wanna live or what? Come on!” she screamed. It was all the motivation We needed as we hopped into the back of the vehicle and sped off, slamming the hatch door shut just as we slammed through a perimeter wall.

I looked through the back window, the horrendous eruptions continuing as we put distance between ourselves and the erupting nightmare factory. Derreck lay Derpy and the dog down as I did Lassie, whom rushed over to the other and began to whine to herself.

I leaned back with a groan. “Is everyone okay?” I asked, already knowing the fate of one. Derreck and Felix nodded, the feline driving the battle truck. Derpy groaned groggily. Derreck took a quick once over of her and nodded to me.

“She'll live,” he informed me and I looked to Lassie.

“Lassie, how are you doing?” I asked but she didn't answer. “Lass?” I asked but still got no response as my canine friend continued to weep over the dead one. I remembered he valiant actions today, for reasons I would never know. I hadn't even gotten her name. “We'll bury her... somewhere nice... it's what she deserves...”

Neighagra Falls...

We all stood around the final resting place of the unnamed dog whom had valiantly gave her life for Lassie. Even my canine friend hadn't gotten her name. She was always just told that this dog was her mother.

“She... said she was my mother... but she wasn't. They told me everything...” she cried. “Told me how I was a creation like the rest of them. Built for an army... built to kill... he tried to kill me but she... why?” she wept profusely and I rested my hand on her shoulder.

“Sometimes one's emotions are hard to understand,” I replied.

“She wasn't my mother but... but she loved me, protected me even,” Lassie cried. “You should've left me behind, I'm just a monster. A... a thing, created to kill,” she cried but Derreck shook his head.

“No, you're not,” he replied as he removed Eagle Eye from his head. Lassie nodded, her eyes clenched shut and still leaking tears.

“Yes I am. He told me!” she cried but Derreck knelt down beside her.

“Then he lied to you...” he said, placing the Eagle Eye on her head and setting the eye piece to a playback of when we met that rat in that... science room, where he told us everything...

“There's probably something you should know about her... and her parents,” the rat said as he kept his small crossbow leveled.

“You see, she was born naturally. Her parents were the ones who were biologically engineered. The pup, unlike any other, didn't show any signs of aggression whatsoever. In fact she had a very playful and loving demeanor. Seeing it more as a liability, our bosses ordered the pup to be exterminated. However her parents... they had grown an emotional bond to their child. The father died to ensure the mother and... whom you call Lassie, escaped. However we quickly picked up her trail and followed her all the way out to the Everfree. When we found her the pup was missing but we figured without its parents it would quickly perish, especially in an inhospitable place like that... but I suppose we were wrong. Finding out she was alive, we had to quickly act on it. If the public were to find out about our factory and operation NYMPHO, our entire plan would be jeopardized. And how nice of you to bring along another of our escaped creations,” he stated, looking to Felix.

“So what? What's any of that got to do with me?! Why are you telling me that?!” Derreck asked with a growing anger in his voice.

“You? Our bosses wanted you for more genetic coding. Useless really. You're not all they think you are, I can tell just from looking at your. Why am I telling you about Canidae oh-six-seven... I just thought you might want to know your friend was a spawn of death and destruction,” he laughed but no sooner had he said that, a gunshot went off, Trillium's muzzle flashing brightly as she spat a round right through the filthy rat's skull.

The rat lay flat on the ground, a fine hole in his head. Trillium wisped smoke out the end of her barrel as Evan's voice spoke up. “CELESTIA! Derreck!” his voice piped up. Derreck's voice spoke up shortly after.

“I couldn't stand his voice.” Derreck quipped before the video feed cut out...

Lassie blinked as the recording stopped, having played out in front of her as though it was her own memory. Finally coming to as Derreck removed the eye piece she just sighed depressingly. “So what if I was born or not. The rat was right. I'm just a killer like the rest of them,” she said in a low voice, ashamed with herself.

Derpy sat next to Lassie and held her tight. “No you're not!” she said sternly, taking Lassie by surprise. “Don't even think that about yourself. You're one of my bestest ever friends and I know you better than that. You're not a killer, not even close. You're a loving, caring friend who would look out for others,” she told her. Lassie went to interject but I stopped her.

“She's right you know. I know you better than anypony around. Heck, I pretty much adopted you. I've raised you since you were a pup Lassie. I've fed you... loved you... taught you important things in life, and never once would I even consider you a killer. Yeah, you're a little quirky, but who isn't?” I asked, referring of course to her sexual endeavors, and she looked to us.

First to me, then to Derreck, then to Felix and finally to our grey pegasus friend. “I... I...” she began and I looked to the grave.

“Just think of her. Your... who claimed to be your mother. Undoubtedly bio-engineered yet she grew a close bond to you even though she wasn't truly you mother. A bond so close that she gave her very life for you. She knew you were worth the sacrifice,” I told her and Lassie just blinked, things finally coming around for her.

“And just look at me,” Derpy said. “I may look funny and strange, and a lot of ponies think I'm dumb because of it but I'm really not,” she said and I nodded, taking her attention back to Derreck and I as I spoke again.

“Just look at me and Derreck. We're humans. Back on my world we destroy precious wetlands, drive other species to near extinction, genocide each other, destroy the environment. We are the literal carnation of evil... but that doesn't mean every single one of us is bad just because we're human. What you are doesn't determine who you chose to be. Lassie, I don't care what anypony, anyone, anything says. To me... you're the best dog in the whole world and I don't want that to change just because you think you're any different now than you were before,” I told her, taking her into a hug and starting to cry. Derpy joined into the hug and for the first time since this whole ordeal started, I got to see Lassie smile back.

“Thanks you guys... this means the world to me,” she cried. A musical beat began to play from Juggernaut's radio and Derreck began to sing, snapping with both hands as he gave a bit of waver to his pace, dancing slightly to the classic beat.

“Listen baby... ain't no mountain high, ain't no valley low, ain't no river wide enough baby...” he began to dance to the old classic and Lassie hiccuped on a sob.

“You know... you're a horrible singer,” she giggled with joyful tears as Derreck danced like a dork. Not even moments later, Derreck, Derpy, Lassie and myself were all dancing together to the beat. Felix leaned up against Juggernaut and sighed to herself, shaking her head and closing her eyes with a grunt.

“Dorks...” she muttered but quickly realized she was snapping to the beat, one of her legs thumping along to. With a deep sigh, she too quickly joined us in the group dance as we all sang along.

“Just call my name, I'll be there in a hurry, you don't have to worry, cause baby there ain't no mountain high enough...”

Desert garage,

Sometime later...

We pulled Juggernaut into the garage, Flim and Flam splendid to see us. “YOU'RE BACK! YOU ACTUALLY DID IT!” Flam cheered and I nodded as we all stepped out of the vehicle.

Flim rushed up. “Are they gone? Is it really done?!” he asked excitedly and I nodded.

“You know... your cousins looked almost like you guys except their colors were swapped...” Derreck mentioned. Lassie came to my side and Flim looked to us.

“Lassie, are you okay?” he asked and Lassie nodded, leaning into my leg.

“Better now that I'm with friends,” she commented with a smile. Without even a single syllable or even a smile, Felix waved to us, giving us the peace sign as she walked away.

“Hey Felix, wait!” Derreck called out. She turned as he quickly rushed to Cadance, rooting through the backseat before quickly running over to her.

“You know... it's over now,” he said and she nodded. “Not many of us get the chance to start again... I'm giving you that chance,” he said as he held her paw out and placed a gold bullion in her palm. The last gold bullion we had from Peg Leg's treasure.

Her eyes went wide, along with Flim and Flam's. “Let it go... and find a new lease on life,” he told her. They embraced in a brief hug and I could read her lips giving him her thanks. After that she was off, hopping into her little beetle car that I had no idea was nearby.

I watched her putter away into the distant setting sun that cast an orange haze over the desert. Flim, Flam, Derpy, Lassie and myself all sighed. “Ohh, I have just the thing for this occasion!” Flim commented, clapping foalishly as he rushed inside, quickly coming out with a few bottles of soda pop.

They were ice cold, and even had condensation on the exterior of the bottle that dripped a little. Our group all took a seat near the side wall of Flim and Flam's garage, watching the desert sunset together.

This moment... was perfect. Things could have gone better sure but I wasn't about to complain about the outcome. We all popped the tops on our sodas with a soft POP. “Cheers,” Lassie said and we all leaned in to clink our bottles together.

“Yup,” I said.

“Yupp,” Derreck added in.

“Yep,” Flim and Flam both added in.

“Yup,” Derpy said as well. There was a short pause before Lassie spoke.

“Mhmm,” she finished.

After a short while we all finished our sodas and Derreck stood up. “Well, ladies and gents... I hate to split and run, but I have somepony I need to formally introduce myself to,” he said, giving us all a nod before beginning to walk away. I watched him as he slowly began to fade away into the setting sun.

Lassie leaned over to me. “You ever get the feeling he's not who you think he is?” she asked me but I just shook my head...

Elsewhere...

It was late in the night and Milf sat with two drop dead gorgeous, slender, blonde mares in the nightclub. His one foreleg was in a cast and he had a bruise on his cheek. “Well, you know gals, it's been a rough couple of days and it's really drained me, both physically and mentally. But you know what they say, no rest for the wicked,” he commented with a laugh, the mares rubbing into him affectionately.

“But that's not gonna stop me from having the night of my life with you gals. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to use the colt's room,” he said, standing up and making his way through the crowd and to the restroom.

Making his way to the wall urinals with a hum, he unzipped his pants and raised his leg, relieving himself with a sigh. Just as he finished up and was zipping up his pants, the lights flickered out.

One of the stall doors opened silently as Milf blinked. “Ugh... what the hell?” he muttered to himself. 'This is supposed to be the best nightclub around, yet the power goes out...' he thought to himself as he turned around, only to have the triangular barrel of a hand cannon pointed to his face. The gun glowed faintly as it hovered just inches from his face in the grips of a burly man.

His mouth went slack as he gasped, looking to the man who stood in the darkness of the shadows that now enclosed the entire washroom. A faint smile came across the man's face. One of his eyes Milf couldn't see but the other was fuming darkly, blue mist emitting from it and a terrifying slanted pupil looking at him.

He stepped back with another gasp, the hand cannon still leveled on his head. He spotted a white skull on the chest of the man's shirt and that was the last thing he ever saw...

Author's Notes:

I did have this done Sunday but it took me the last two nights after work to edit it. Added to that, this chapter was kinda tricky for me because originally I was never going to have Lassie in the story, she just came along when I wanted the character to feel nostalgia for his old world with a dog. The when I put her in and made her talk along with the sexual prowess I was going to make her related to that one female diamond dog Evan helped in the earlier chapters (I think it was 17-18), and it was also going to involve Discord but then it just became far too complicated the more I thought about it, but then I remembered early on I kinda wanted to have Flim and Flam have a bitter rivalry with their own family (And that's why they were put out of business, have the abandoned loading yard that no longer gets used, live in a run down garage out in the desert, etc.) but I eventually scrapped that idea too, yet I had already started into it when Flim and Flam spoke about the 'NYMPHO' experiments so I just kinda pieced this chapter all together with scraps... I dunno, it seems pretty good to me, whatta you guys think? (I have a feeling I'm gonna regret asking that...)
Anywho, cheers everyone. (Pretend that's Lassie looking at you guys)