Chapter 21: The Good Book

A day later...

Artemis sat in the laundry room in the back of the kitchen. She didn't know what exactly Lady had in the washing machine exactly but that was beside the point really. Artemis purred as the gentle vibrations of the washing machine she sat on sent electric chills about her body. She was discreet of course, no one would have any reason to be back here for a bit. Personally she wished she had brought something to read during her little personal time. Then again Artemis decided that reading the back of the detergent box seemed... uncouth.

Artemis's wings ruffled with delight with the rumblings of the washing machine. She disbanded the thought of reading something in favor of simple revelry because even though she had a'hundred and one problems sometimes you just had to shut up and bask in a victory, however small.

“Ahhh....” Artemis half sighed half moaned.

Her indulgences came to an end with a sudden muffling on the other side of the door. Artemis quickly rose and she hopped off the washer and hastily looked for excuse to be there.

“Hey Artemis, can we talk?” Aroma asked as she opened the door sheepishly. Artemis stopped arranging the garbage when she saw her orange friend.

“Yeah, sure, whatchu need?” Artemis answered quitting her work to help Aroma. Because she was totally working on the garbage.

Aroma hopped on the washing machine but she didn't seem to get the sensation Artemis got from sitting on it, Aroma seemed more sullen and had a melancholy expression.  She also lacked her trademark Stable G jumpsuit allowing Artemis to see the mare's tiny frame. Aroma sipped a drink as she leaned over.

“What's that?” Artemis inquired about Aroma's drink.

Aroma glanced at her drink. “Oh it's a mojito, Hans made it for me.” She concluded and resumed sipping.

“What is it you wanted to talk about?” Artemis asked again.

Aroma looked down and sighed. “Remember back on the wagon when you had reminded me about Clopton?” Artemis nodded and listened politely seeing that Aroma had become serious.

“Well I was thinking; I killed a pony, a real flesh and blood pony. I took his life. Sometimes I still see his pained face when I shot him.” Aroma continued sorrowfully.

Artemis thought on Aroma's words. The poor girl was scared. The guilt of one's first kill was something that a lot people wrestled with. Personally Artemis never felt that kind of regret about the people she had killed. Not that she sought out people to kill but when the time came Artemis had never felt that feel about killing someone. Should she be ashamed? What does that make her? A sociopath, or simply a desensitized teenager? Maybe it could be genetic, her father Maric was said to have been a monstrous griffon with a love of cruelty but then again her mother Priscilla was a saint. Sometimes Artemis felt like she was no better than Valiance or her father. Constantly torn between the brutality of her father's side and the benevolence of her mother's.

But returning to Aroma's dilemma Artemis remembered the pony she had killed. Clopton; She and Aroma were fighting to get out of the city. Legionnaires had them pinned down on the street and Aroma took cover in a cart. A legionnaire had discovered her and thought she would've been an easy kill but soon the tables were reversed and Aroma shot the stallion point blank range peppering his torso with buckshot. He fell back and landed in a pool of crimson.

Artemis flapped her wings and cleared her throat. “I guess that's normal. Your first blood.” She tried to sound emotionally supportive but she seems to have failed.

Aroma only sipped her mojito and gave a sad nod. “Mhmm.”

Artemis couldn't seem to find the right words to comfort her friend but that wouldn't stop her from trying. She hovered up and sat on the dryer. “I guess when it comes to this kinda thing, you need to remember that when you're fighting for your life it's you or him. If he kills you then he walks on, he won't feel any regret for killing you later on.”

Aroma looked up at Artemis but her face seemed to grimace with the bluntness of her counsel. “... But, he's dead, what if he had a family or something, goddess forbid foals.” Aroma despaired.

Artemis shrugged. “I guess that's why war is hell I suppose....” She couldn't think of a meaningful addition to her statement.

Aroma drank her mojito in one gulp and drop the plastic glass on the floor. “Artemis.” She asked. “Who was the first person you killed?”

Artemis rubbed her beak and pondered about her first blood. She almost couldn't remember it, killing was so mundane to her. “It was a while back, a little after me and Hans first met and became friends. One of his ex boyfriends had grown a little too attached to Hans and when he told him it was just about the sex he became frantic. Mind you this had happened before so we thought nothing of it when Hans told him the truth but this guy went a little further over the edge.”

“What was his name?” Aroma interrupted sheepishly.

Artemis thought back again. “His name was... Viceroy, if I'm not mistaken.” Artemis continued.

“Anywho yeah, this Viceroy hired some thugs and they kidnapped Hans. Luckily I was able to trail them to an abandoned warehouse. I snuck past the small handful of thugs and Viceroy ready to gut Hans for breaking his heart.”

“Oh my...” Aroma grimaced with anticipation.

Artemis nodded. “I didn't have the guts to shoot him so I snuck up on him and hit em' in the back of the head with a fire extinguisher. I didn't mean to kill him but I would later learn that I hit him harder than I thought.”

“Hmmm. I see, so does killing get easier? The more you do it?” She asked realizing how morbid that question sounded.

Artemis gave a soft smile to try and get her friend's spirits up. “I suppose it does but don't lose yourself to the violence or else that's all you'll become.”

“... Wow.” Aroma said and glanced at her empty glass.

Artemis felt she had botched that conversation all to hell although who knows maybe it worked. She was not the person to consult about the psychological effects of killing.

Artemis hopped down off the dryer and patted her friend's back. “Look, just don't be too hard on yourself or you'll turn into a worrywart. Now what say we go hit the town, Verity and the others are at Absolutely Everything.” She said cheerily.

Aroma smiled and hopped off the washer. “Totally. Everypony likes to shop.”

…..

Artemis locked the door as Aroma trotted off into the daylight, she had also remembered to bring her famas in the hopes they found a gunsmith. The day was bright and cloudless and stood as a stark contrast to the cloud cover that use to cover the sky and blanket the land fifty years ago. Artemis rose a wing to shield herself from the bright sunlight because her eyes hadn't adjusted yet. Aroma walked up her.

“Maybe I should go back inside and grab my jumpsuit.” She pondered aloud.

Again Artemis noticed Aroma wasn't wearing her jumpsuit. The only thing Aroma wore was a bag to carry the goods she would buy from Absolutely Everything. She reckoned Aroma must've felt a little naked. “I think you'll be okay, if you remember, most ponies out here don't wear much else besides a hat or vest.”

Aroma blushed slightly and sat on her haunches. “Yeah I guess they do, it's just odd. I guess you don't wear clothes either.” She pointed out.

Artemis blinked. “... Right, I don't. But that reminds me I need to buy some new armor.”

Aroma stood back up. “Oh yeah that's right. When you blew that tank up you were all like KABOOM fuck yeah!” Aroma threw up her arms and fell on the tall lawn grass.

Artemis blew at her hair deflecting the praise. “What else could we have done? That tank was going to kill us all.”

Aroma smirked. “Spoken like a true wasteland badass.”

“Pfft, c'mon that's enough language. You gotta stop letting Hans teach you those words.” Artemis nudged Aroma towards town with her wing.

The duo walked out of the decrepit part of town into a busier district. Much of the city's structures were made of wood from the trees that dotted NCR countryside. Artemis felt an odd pang of melancholy at the sight of the frontier town. things were starting to be rebuilt... There was no Equestrian Wasteland anymore. Not that that was a bad thing it's just, Artemis felt ashamed that she ever called herself a wastelander when she lived in the San Palomino but in reality she was just playing wastelander. She was no Lightbringer, she was just a fool gallivanting around with a gun playing post-apocalypse. If anything Artemis felt embarrassed by her naivety but that was the way of things wasn't it? Yes there had been an apocalypse but the Lightbringer saved everyone and the days of the wasteland were coming to a close. Artemis was just pretending.

The ponies that walked about seemed like they never struggled to survive. Sure they wore the signs of hard work and gruffness but none of them were never in a life-or-death situation. Artemis imagined this trait would increase the more they entered into the NCR and met the upper class ponies. The only people that could call themselves wastelanders were ponies like Grandpa, and his was a slowly dying breed.

Artemis noticed the odd foal and adult would catch a glance at her. It wasn't a look of hostility or malevolence but it dawned on Artemis there were no griffons in New Appaloosa. It seemed strange seeing that this town had no griffon population here.

They passed a town hall, a saloon, the rail yard, a handful of small shops, a sheriff's office. Artemis made a note to scope out the rail yard and see about finding transport to Fillydelphia although she'd never rode a train before, it was for Hayseed and his family's well being. What caught their attention most was the stone cathedral that stood out like a sore thumb in the town.

The cathedral was Gothic and bore a stark contrast to the frontier-sy feel of the town. Wrought iron gates and stained glass windows depicting a white alicorn the size of a pony repelling evil demons like nothing short of an angel.

The bells began ringing in the air like a siren and many ponies hastily trotted to the cathedral and went inside its massive mahogany doors. “Let's go see the service!” Aroma said excitedly and grabbed Artemis's arm tugging.

“I dunno...” Artemis said grimacing at the spikes of the steeples. “This place gives me a bad feel.”

Aroma activated her puppy eyes. “Pwease. I never got the church experience in Stable G. I promise if they sacrifice anyone we'll leave.”

“Good job putting that in my head...” Artemis commented sarcastically and walked with Aroma into the church with Aroma's tugging.

Vaulted ceilings with ornate designs and architecture decorated the inside along with the several statues of warrior ponies that seemed to hold the ceiling up. Now the with the shadowy interior the stained glass windows really glowed with a celestial light. They depicted a pearl-white alicorn with a golden pipbuck damning three demons to hell for eternity. The first monster was a huge mass of flesh that resembled a pony. This demon seemed to have it's eyeball on a tentacle protruding from it's head and it had a what seemed like a computer in it's stomach. Around this monster were other smaller pitch black alicorns that were being cast into hell with their master. Artemis squinted to read the inscription under the glass.

“The Lightbringer smites the false goddess.” Artemis turned to the second window.

The second depicted the white alicorn triumphantly holding the decapitated head of a red stallion whose body lay headless behind her. The second hoof held measuring scales. Artemis bit her lip at this second portrayal of the Lightbringer. Was this Red Eye the devil from the stories? Artemis felt a sickly feeling in her gut. Against her better judgment Artemis read the inscription.

“The Lightbringer slays the devil.” Her foreboding sense grew... Artemis understood what this cathedral was now. It was a cult, a cult of Littlepip and if this huge cathedral was just a small church out on the border then this cult must be very powerful in the heart of the NCR.

Artemis and Aroma sat down in a pew as the rest of the crowd did so. However Artemis was still able to see the last window, it's multicolored light shone down on the both of them. The picture in the final window showed the white alicorn literally grabbing the clouds and pulling them downward to the earth revealing a yellow sun and Artemis noticed scores of what had to be pegusai falling to the earth with their cloud cover. She couldn't put her talon on it but this church gave her a bad feeling. Artemis couldn't shake the ominous feeling of dread that accompanied every nook and cranny not to mention how devoted everyone there looked, they looked almost zealous about this cult...

Everyone was silent the second a pony walked out to the altar. He wore detailed robes of maroon, scarlet and gray but what was most eye catching was his mask. It wasn't just his mask, all of the clergy here seemed to wear these mask except there's wasn't golden. The priest's mask was indeed solid gold and resembled a pony's face with a sullen expression. It particularly perturbed Artemis seeing the priest's eyes slowly moving to scan the crowd. Out of nowhere a deep Gregorian song materialized in the air. Artemis glanced up and saw more masked ponies singing the chants high on the second floor of balconies. The song itself seemed dark and powerful it seemed to command respect out of everyone. But it strangely sounded painful, like the singers themselves were in pain and their song was the only way to cry out. Next more masked acolytes walked down the isles levitating incense and slowly spread the smoke over the crowd. The ponies looked so fervent with this worship Artemis had never seen anything like it, the Legion never had any formal religion.

“Artemis I'm kind of scared...” Aroma whispered.

Artemis had to find the moment to talk back to her, she felt some innate fear of speaking during the service. “... I am too. Just sit quiet until this service lets out.”

Just as Artemis finished her sentence the chanting seemed to die to be replaced with a low organ and everyone's undivided attention was given to the priest with the golden mask who approached a black marble podium.

“Littlepip's blessing.” He said cooly in a gravely male voice.

“Littlepip's blessing to you our priest.” The crowd answered and Artemis hastened to whisper it to avoid detection.

“Now for the prayer. Littlepip, Lightbringer, savior....” The priest held his hooves together and lowered his head into them. He gave a long winded but well versed and very ornate prayer describing there thankfulness for her gift of the sun and her sacrifice. Artemis almost felt moved by the prayer if she wasn't so disturbed by them.

“Now.” The priest began at his podium while the other acolytes stood like statues.  “The recitation of the Dogma of Light.” He said with finality and opened a large tome on his podium.

“Ahem. So it was, the hubris of mortals that caused the goddess Celestia to abandon us to our demise. We placed our faith in fallible technology and our own strengths and meager wits. We were alone and our tools of conquest had ultimately destroyed us and we were left to extinction. For a time we despaired in our perpetual agony but this was only the rise of evil. Three devils arose from our self-imposed torment; The false goddess an abomination of science and mother of the alicorns. Red Eye the devil, lord of slaves and usurpation. Finally the Pegasus Enclave demons of the sky and terror of the time. With these foes ponykind was pushed to the brink of extinction or worse but finally the goddess turned back to our plight and took pity on us. Using the brightest flare of the sun she crafted Littlepip the Lightbringer and told her to save the mortals for they have seen the error of their ways. The Lightbringer came to the corpse Equestria had been and spelled doom for the three evils. The Lightbringer had the false goddess and her children burned in the fires of the old world, she removed Red Eye's insidious head from his vile body and finally tore the very sky down to the earth and the Enclave with it. But even after she had finished her mission The Lightbringer saw all was not well with ponykind; Yes the evils had been annihilated but the earth was still salted beyond repair and she understood we would not survive this world. So with one final act of selflessness The Lightbringer gave her life to revive Equestria and give us a chance at redemption. Amen.” The priest finished his opening sermon but showed no sign of fatigue.

Several ponies in the crowd were tearing up with his speech but Artemis felt more intrigued by this dogma than actually moved for her spiritual salvation. Personally she felt amazed that there was actually a religion about Littlepip, the only thing Artemis knew about Littlepip was the tall tales she'd heard while traveling with caravans and those were far from trustworthy. Most of those stories usually had Pip having heat vision or boxing with a hellhound that had a gentlepony mustache. The stories could get out there but nothing really seemed quite like this, such fervor and devotion. This preaching had to be the real deal considering the following.

As the service went on and on the priest's preaching became more fiery almost zealous like he was preaching for death to non-believers.  But while Artemis saw malevolence Aroma seemed legitimately enraptured and many of the other church goers were beginning to stir with his ominous revival.

“And that my children is the tale of The Lightbringer and I proclaim that her second coming is nigh!” The masked priest threw his hooves into the air. The crowd cheered jubilantly in this revelation.

“And when she arrives the reincarnated Lightbringer will strike down the Dark Angel and will reign over our great land now and forevermore. Amen!”

“Amen!” The crowd rejoiced more zealously than gratefully.

The back thoughts of Artemis's mind started to race. “Dark Angel? Great this cult had their own prophecies. But then again my fur is black and I have wings, but I'm not an angel I'm just a normal griffon. Maybe they spoke of Valiance, he had a pipbuck... no that's unlikely.” Artemis thought to herself. Artemis couldn't be some prophesied devil from a crackpot cult besides she had real things to worry about: Like getting the hell out of this cathedral.

“Lightbinger's light.” The priest said and dismissed the service.

Not long later at the cathedral...

“Ugh here Aroma hold the pipbuck for me while I wash my hands. That church gave me a bad feeling in my stomach.” Artemis asked and Aroma used her key and unlocked the pipbuck and put it in her bag.

They were in the cathedral's ornate restroom with marble floors and dark wooden stalls. This decadence somehow still perturbed Artemis even more. Even with all these decoration the whole church still managed to come across as sinister. Artemis finished washing her hands and proceeded to dry them with a haste to leave the cathedral but when they exited the restroom there were a duo of the masked acolytes outside the door glaring at the two of glaring at the them.

Aroma jumped and Artemis eyed the masked ponies in less ornate robes. “Can I help you two?”

They were silent. Artemis would have thought it was the twins in disguise if Aroma hadn't seen them first. “... The Dark Angel will come bearing the same keepsake as The Lightbringer. Hark! Fourth devil if you be the Angel of Doom then we shall strike you down.”

Artemis froze but she didn't flinch. “I'm not from your prophecy I'm just here to buy supplies assh-!” Artemis was interrupted.

“Acolytes!” A familiar deep voice bellowed and there stood the priest from earlier. “Look again upon this griffon for she bears not the keepsake of The Lightbringer. This woman is merely a test by Celestia to see if we are staying vigilant against the signs of prophecy.” Someone his voice sounded haughty or very self-assured.

The masked acolytes looked downward. “Forgiveness madam.”

“It's fine...” Artemis was still a little annoyed.

The priest opened the door for the duo as they left. It felt good to get the hell out of there sheesh what a bunch of freaks! Now as they walked amongst the town Aroma reached into her saddlebag and returned Artemis's pipbuck.

“What do you think they would've done if they you had that on you?” Aroma asked in worry.

Artemis sighed. “I'm afraid to think of that but one thing is for sure, I do not like that Cult of Littlepip. Not one bit.”

“I'm just glad we got it off you when we did.” Aroma added cooly.

“I was worried you were going to show them when they mentioned the Lightbringer's keepsake.” Artemis confessed.

Aroma snorted. “I might be naïve but I'm not stupid. I know when someone means my friends harm.”

“You're right and I shouldn't have worried.” Artemis gave her a soft smile.

“Don't fret, it's okay. Besides, you know what that meant back there?” Aroma inquired raising an eyebrow.

“What?” Artemis indulged.

“That meant that Littlepip was a stable dweller just, like, me.” Aroma said and trotted proudly with that fact.

Artemis had to concur with Aroma. The Lightbringer had indeed been a stable dweller but Artemis couldn't help but think about their prophecy, was the Lightbringer destined to kill her or Valiance? And what would lead up to such an event? Screw it Artemis refused to play their game. The Lightbringer was a pony, nothing more, nothing less and she had to be elderly even if she was still alive. What she should really worry about is the twins and the number station. Not some fascist cult.

…..

After the disturbing church session Artemis and Aroma made their way out of freakytown and back to New Appaloosa. They were heading to Absolutely Everything to meet up with the others. Artemis also wanted to look into getting her baby repaired and back into working condition but as of now it was just a scorched paperweight, and maybe some new armor.

While most of New Appaloosa had been built from the lumber of the surrounding forest Absolutely Everything homed itself in a pre-war supercenter that had been reinforced by newly made metal sheets, it was much like Palomino except small and just housed one store. Artemis could hear loud noises oonts'ing faintly from the outside. However odd she and Aroma walked across the parking lot of carts and wagons. Just as they walked to the worn glass doors Aroma stopped and her ears fluttered, eyes darting.

“Um... Artemis, I gotta go.” She said awkwardly and seemed to eye around their environment.

Artemis looked at her curiously but casually. “...Is something the matter?”

Aroma seemed to backpedal. “No, I just, trust me.” She squeed.

Artemis looked around the parking lot. There was nothing out of the ordinary just the odd pony walking into the store or some ponies smoking outside but other than that there was nothing out of the ordinary. Then again Aroma wanted her trust and Artemis had asked the same of Hans almost a day ago so she would have to trust her stablepony.

“Well... okay. I'll be inside if you need me.” Artemis said nonchalantly and proceeded to Absolutely Everything.

Leaving Aroma to... whatever it was she was doing Artemis opened the door to the old store and then BOOM! A blast of heavenly cool air bellowed from the interior. Hot damn this place had air conditioning and apparently lots of it. The music also began to boom louder with the open door.

Oonts oonts buh da duh buh buh buh buh'duh'da oonts oonts buh da duh buh buh buh buh'duh'da oonts oonts buh da duh buh buh buh buh'duh'da oonts oonts buh da duh buh buh buh buh'duh'da! The techno music boom just loud enough to be in forefront of your mind and it made Artemis feel like she needed to buy stuff she didn't need.

Artemis walked inside and looked around at the surprisingly restored interior. The store was well lit and had been overhauled to nearly it's pre-war condition. Ponies milled about with their goods in buggees and Artemis found Verity and the others carting a buggee around as well. Seeing Verity push the cart while Hans lounged amongst the items and Alpha hovering over them seemed quite hilarious to tell the truth. Something about the three of them shopping, it just seemed so, so civilian. Now the buggees just conjured thoughts of how they weren't really wastelanders they were just softies playing wanderer...

“Hey guys, what'd you get?” Artemis said bottling those dour thoughts.

Verity eyed the buggee. “Hmm eggs, cheese, milk, bread, butter, cola, cereal, water-”

“I think she meant stuff for us honey.” Hans commented as he stretched. Alpha landed and folded his holographic wings.

“Recitation: We have assembled twenty feet of rope, five flashlights, two flare guns, three crowbars, and a jack for purchase.”

“The jack's so we can reliably hold the hatch open.” Verity added.

Artemis looked at the full cart she was amazed by the amount of items they racked up. “Wow, this is a lot of stuff.” She commented as she rustled though the buggee until Hans grabbed her head and pressed his close to hers.

“I know! The music here, the damn music makes you buy buy buy.” He said in exasperation and fell back in the buggee.

“Explanation: Sensors indicate white noise embedded in the tracks to stimulate desire in organics.”

“I knew it.” Verity grumbled and glared around the store. “Look at this trash. The people here are corporate whores, suckling on the merchants teet. They depend on this decadence like an addict lives for his next fix and the minute they lose that luxury their society collapses that is why I take pride in the Legion. We may seem cruel and harsh but we teach self-sufficiency and self-reliance. You won't find this capitalistic treachery in Gryphondale.” Verity left a silent vacuum after his heated monolgue.

“... Right, yes.” Hans started the conversation over again. “This music is kind of like brainwashing. This is the kind of music you can swallow some mint-als and party the night away. One time I...”

“Oh here we go.” Artemis commented sarcastically.

Hans glanced with more determination now. “Don't give me that, I know it really happened.”

“Continue Hans.” Verity rumbled coldly.

“Right. One time I took a handful of mint-als and I shit you not I discovered a cure for the common cold... Then I had sex in the restroom that I had been working in and safe to say my research was destroyed BUT nonetheless I discovered a cure.” Hans recounted his drug-induced fantasy vehemently but the others didn't seem to believe him.

Artemis shook her head. “Tsk tsk tsk Hans that's not how I remember it. From what I recall I found you the next morning with your head in a urinal and your two partners sleeping in the floor.”

Hans brushed his mane nervously. “Ooo yeah, I still don't know if I should count that as rape but whatev's I guess.” He gave a nonchalant shrug.

“Warning: Mintaliphetamine is a highly addictive narcotic and it is not recommended for consumption.” It was just like Alpha to use the scientific name for mint-als.

Hans waved a hoof at their robot companion. “Nah baby err robot. Not the way I take em. Well at least they're not as addictive.” Oh boy Hans was about to reveal his mint-al trick. Artemis felt herself shudder.

“If you take them through your rectum they get into your system faster and they last longer.” Hans proclaimed proudly and held his hooves at his waist as if he had made a clever point.

“Gross.” Verity muttered.

WHA-POW! A levitating purse whacked Hans on the back of the head. Artemis and the others looked and saw a mother and her foal who had accidentally heard that rectum part.

“Pervert, there are children here.” The grape colored mother scolded Hans with disdain. She indignantly herded her child away while Hans rubbed his temples.

“Oh Luna's bloody menstruations that hurt. What does she got in there anyway?” He wondered aloud in annoyance.

“Hans you were talking about shoving pills up your ass. Maybe you were in the wrong.” Verity suggested steely.

Hans flopped his ears and massaged his eyes. “Shit I dunno. Besides she just looked like some asshat mother goose, whatever. Let's just wrap this store trip up.” Hans griped from his seat in the buggee.

“Wait. I wanna find a gunsmith and check out some armor before we split.” Artemis reminded and pulled out her scorched famas from it's cloth carrying sack.

Artemis and the others went to the armaments and ordinance section of the store. The aisle had several signs showing about how one would need their license and registration along with a valid firearms permit and even more crap for heavier firepower like rpg's and a certain FIM-92 which had caught Artemis's eye more than once.

The rifles were dismantled and in boxes, ammo was sold separately and apparently in accordance with some law passed to where citizens were only allowed to own three magazines of three types of common ammos. Why what purpose did this serve? What if a pony needed to defend his home, Artemis had been in enough firefights to know three magazines is barely enough to sustain a defense AND all purchases were being recorded. Damn when did this crap end. Back home you could just walk into a store and if you had the caps you could buy whatever you wanted.

“Goddess damn gun control blowhards...” Hans scowled at the postings all about the firearm aisle.

“Sheesh I concur Hans this is a bit... much.” Artemis agreed with the pink unicorn. Somewhere in her mind Artemis imagined this had started out as a simple gun control law to protect ponies now it appears to have spiraled out of control into a cumbersome system of regulation.

Verity was right in a sense but in another he was at the same fault that the NCR was. The Legion kept even tighter reigns on their guns, only warriors like him could own or learn to use firearms. The fact Artemis was born in Gryphondale and can do what she can stood as a defiant testimony to Legion laws. However on the NCR and the Legion; Both sides seemed more like reflections of one another. Both kept their civilians under a government thumb but the way that thumb crushed the common man was what made the NCR and the Legion differ. The Legion simply crushed all opposition with overwhelming force and simply lorded over them with their brutal rule. The NCR was a zebra of different stripes but a zebra nonetheless. The New Canterlot Republic ruled over their citizens with the illusion of self-freedom but in her mind Artemis saw the foundations of a socialist dictatorship that would control every aspect of their peoples lives making the NCR as bad if not a worse fate than Legion rule. The NCR moved slowly using big words and pompous politicians to whittle away the people's rights until there would be nothing left and then they would be slaves to the system. That was the worst part, in the end everyone was a slave.

This revelation inspired a newfound fear in Artemis to say the least...

Artemis pilfered around the discount armors because the new ballistic armors were ungodly high so as to deter buyers from purchasing them. Artemis found mostly used pony vest but she did find a decent pre-war riot vest made for a griffon. The name tag on the vest was worn but Artemis could faintly make out the name Drescott on the tag above the breast. This might have been a male's vest but it was small enough to fit her. Artemis imagined who this Drescott character might have been before the war. Was he nice? Was he a dick? Did he have a family? Did he die in a riot? So many questions but it all seemed frivolous seeing that he, his kids and his grandkids were long dead. It also stirred feeling of her own surname. Arrow wasn't actually her last name, it was just given to her back when she was a child soldier and her mother wasn't allowed to use it anymore... mom, Artemis wanted to save her so badly...

Keeping the Drescott vest Artemis also found used guns for lower prices as well. The quality of these used weapons ranged dramatically from practically new to barely better than her famas. But as many guns as there was here Artemis only had room in her heart for one rifle. She walked around the weapons department fighting the music that had changed to a calmer tune in this section of the store but she fought it regardless.

Finally Artemis found a help desk. She pressed the little bell with her claw and waited by the empty counter. Just as the waiting became awkward a door beyond the counter opened up and out trotted a ghoul pegasus. Artemis felt her heart beat a little faster at the sight of the ghoul but for the sake of cordiality she tried to keep it under wraps. The pegasus ghoul had leathery gray skin that had missing patches of flesh and scraggly strands of lemon colored hair. Her wings were little more than the bones that used to be her wings they actually reminded Artemis of Alpha's wings when the holograms were off. But what was strangest about the zombie mare was her eyes, they seemed to stare in all directions like she was crossed eyed. She also carried a small chalkboard in her mouth.

The ghoul mare walked to the counter and put her squishy hooves up ready for business. Artemis could smell the ghoul's undeath.

“Um... hi?” Artemis asked trying to break the ghoul's silence. She immediately dropped her chalkboard and started writing with the chalk in her mouth. After scribing something on it she turned it up for Artemis to see.

“Welcome to Absolutely Everything. I'm Ditzy Doo pleased to meet you. Retired. Daughter runs the business. I just watch around. Would you like to make a purchase? Do you have any muffins?”

Artemis finished skimming the chalky message. “Right, well I'm Artemis nice to meet you as well and yes I would.” She put the vest and brought up her famas as well. “I'd also like to see about getting this repaired.”

Ditzy Doo immediately went back to writing.

“Artemis? Believe it or not Calamity could've repaired it for you. I can but I need time.”

Artemis was instantly stunned by the mention of Calamity. “How do you know about Calamity?” She narrowed her eyes. If Ditzy Doo knew Calamity then this ghoul may be older than Artemis imagined.

Ditzy hastily wrote. “About the repairing or your meeting at the Dam?”

Artemis's heart skipped a beat. She began to worry. “...Both.”

Ditzy wrote and wrote then erased and wrote some more. “Me and Calamity go way back. We even knew Littlepip. But wouldn't you have known-”

Artemis didn't need to read the rest, the mention of knowing Littlepip stopped everything else. “You and Calamity knew Littlepip?” Artemis whispered but stunned nonetheless.

Ditzy's face seemed to force a worried expression before she wrote. “You haven't been inside Oubliette yet haven't you?”

Artemis connected two and two. Oubliette? Ditzy was obviously talking about Calamity's hatch in the apartment. She had to be. “No. I haven't. What's down there? Who's down there?” Artemis asked in a hushed voice.

Ditzy only wrote. “I've said too much. They'll come for me if they find out. I'll repair your gun but you have to leave. They're everywhere...”

“P.S. Take the armor and go.”

Artemis quickly finished reading the chalkboard. “Wait!” She whispered sharply in the hopes of stopping Ditzy Doo who was beginning to slink back to the room she had come out of. Luckily the ghoul mare stopped although she still managed to look anxious even with her zombie features.

Seeing the ghoul did not want to walk back up to the counter Artemis decided to hop over and go to her. Artemis walked to Ditzy Doo and handed her the chalkboard.

“I need to know, what is inside Oubliette and does The Cult know about the apartment?” Artemis whispered in a much softer voice than before. Perhaps it was pity seeing that Ditzy was far from being the enemy in this situation.

Ditzy released a silent exasperated sigh before writing on her board. Artemis read her message after once Ditzy gave the board to her again.

“The apartment is safe for now though, try not to attract their attention and about Oubliette, you wouldn't believe me if I told you. Now just take your stuff and go, please.”

Artemis, Artemis didn't know what to think. Just when it seemed like this hatch quest was almost figured a new twist was thrown into the plot. Artemis still had no idea what was in Oubliette, perhaps Littlepip's skeleton? Artemis could see it now: A dusty skeleton in an ancient and torn stable jumpsuit laying down in the darkness under their apartment. An ironic final resting place for a savior. The tomb might be decorated with gifts from her friends and possibly things she owned in life. Or maybe it was completely empty, just the pony skeleton on a small empty altar... But that was a moot point. They had lingered around Ditzy Doo long enough and if they stayed around they might all get hurt maybe even killed. The Cult obviously had eyes on Ditzy, but why?

Artemis made her way back Verity and the others. Hans immediately noticed her anxious disposition. “Are you alright baby girl?” He asked in a somber voice. “You look like you've seen a ghost.” He added It seemed ironic seeing that he was completely unaware of the twins she had been seeing.

Artemis leaned against the buggee and released a sigh before scanning around inconspicuously. “I'll, be fine. Let's just get out here, don't looked worried but someone may or may not be watching us.”

Hans seemed most perturbed by the news but it was Verity who grumbled in his low voice. “So we have scouts watching us?”

Artemis kept her voice low. “I don't know for sure but let's check out and get back to the apartment, pronto.”

“Statement: Users Artemis, Verity, and Hans my EFS detects no entities besides the entity you were just speaking with. However I do detect personnel cameras within the aisle.” Artemis hadn't noticed them before but sure enough in the corners of the ceiling and the walls were little cameras that turned back and forth rhythmically.

“Damn. You know we're not going to blend in with Alpha following us around. Wait! Ghoul pegasus? Hold up.” Hans paused and climbed out of the buggee.

“Wait, Hans!” Artemis hissed with a whisper but Hans jumped over the counter and knocked on the back door with determination.

“Hello? Yeah you sold me a killer robot a while back and I was hoping you had one of his memory cards.” After the door was silent long enough Hans shrugged and walked away. That was, until a chalkboard bushed under the door. He levitated out from under the door with his magic.

“I did sell you the synthetic pony back in Clopton. Tell Artemis that's why I knew her from the Dam, I didn't mean to freak her out :( I was at the Dam when she was there but I was tending to my husband. I did not have any memory cards but I know they might be located in MWT hub in Fillydelphia. Or maybe the MoA building because he's Enclave.” The addition of the frownie face was odd but it might have been her way of being apologetic.

Hans slid the board back under the door. “Um, thank you then. I'll be on my way.” Hans gestured frivolously to the door as if he tipped his hat.

“Hey Artemis. That ghoul wrote and said that she was at the Dam at the same time you were and she's sorry for scaring you.” Hans relayed and nodded back at the door.

“We have the tools we need, we should stop loitering about here and get down there.” Verity declared  snapping the others out of their small talk. They were just standing idly about while Littlepip's secret lay buried beneath their apartment!

“Query: So you guys shall purchase our tools while I take the long way home?” Alpha seemed almost disheartened? Maybe it was just how Artemis heard his words.

“No, you're coming with us. You're not expendable Alpha you're our friend and if someone is tracking us then we're not going to sacrifice one of our own.” Artemis spoke valiantly for some reason she imagined that she might actually miss Alpha if he was gone. Somehow the more she looked at Alpha and watched him talk he almost seemed more of a pony brain in some high-tech exoskeleton. He just seemed to be more than a machine.

“Heh well said baby girl.” Hans smirked and hopped back in the buggee to Verity's dismay. Then he perked up. “Hey. Where's Aroma?” He added with a worried expression.

Ah shit that's right Aroma had run off or something like that. What if some cultist nabbed her after the church service! “I think Aroma might be in trouble, she ran off before I found you guys.” Artemis despaired and rubbed her hair.

“Verity, me and you let's go find her.” Artemis suggested matter-of-factly. She and Verity broke off into a hurried run. It seemed ironic seeing that she had just literally gotten done preaching about staying together but this was to save one of their own so it worked out right?

“Wait! What're we supposed to do with the groceries?” Hans yelled from his perch.

“You buy them and get them home. You sat your ass back on them the entire time it won't kill you.” Verity answered in a mocking tone. He turned back to Artemis in their fast walking. “What? He sat on them the whole time and now he has to do the rest.” Verity seemed to make a small smile.

They exited the store and Artemis looked at the parking lot. Dammit she could be tied up in anyone of these carts like Obsidian Shine... karma. No, Artemis was not going to let her friend meet that same fate. Her kidnappers better be saying their prayers that Artemis would just kill them instead of tearing out their still-beating hearts! Was that her Maric genes showing? Regardless her friend was in danger! That damnable cult no doubt-!

Artemis was brought out her violent fantasy when hooves poked her sides just under her wings. She turned and saw Aroma. She looked happy as ever actually, no bombs, cuts or bruises, no fanatical Littlepip cultist?

“Are you okay? Are you hurt?” Artemis asked and checked the small orange mare.

Aroma scoffed. “Artemis I'm a big pony I can look after myself.” She almost sounded a bit ticked by Artemis's over protectiveness. “Besides...” She added. “I want to introduce you to a friend from Stable G.” Artemis cocked her head up.

Aroma waved a hoof and from behind the corner of the building walked a maroon unicorn stallion in a Stable G jumpsuit. He looked more afraid than anything but if he was from Stable G then he had to be a hunter out for Aroma's head.

“Aroma's he's a hunter.” Artemis informed bluntly but to her alarm Aroma merely nodded.

“I know but he's a friend from back, home.” She seemed to falter at the mention of her old home but she muscled through the pain all while the stallion kept his distance. “His name's Mathlete, he's cool. He was our math teacher back in school but you can trust him.” Aroma reassured but Artemis would not be swayed so easily.

“I assure you I mean no harm...” Mathlete said in a soft tone but Artemis still met his words with a glare.

“Likely story but the minute we turn our backs you'll shoot us.” Artemis predicted cynically.

Aroma furrowed her brow. “No Artemis trust me, he's safe besides he just wants our help.”

“With what?” Verity asked steely.

Aroma turned her head desperately. “Tell em' Mathlete.”

The maroon red pony sighed. “Okay. We'll I don't want any part in this hunt. Aroma was a student of mine and I could never bring myself to kill her so I thought I'd try to go a different route and when I saw the progress she'd made I thought you guys could help as well.”

Artemis and Verity exchanged glances. “Progress?” She opened her wings.

Mathlete seemed to backpedal nervously. “Yes, Aroma has acquired five of the six companions as the rules of the game dictate, but Aroma I don't know if griffons count.” He pondered despairingly.

Aroma didn't seem to flinch with that possible roadbump. She simply nodded. “No, the rules are that I need to make five friends and bring them back for Stage 2, it said friends it did not specify the race.” Aroma countered defensively. Stage 2? More mysterious stable stuff, it had been a lifetime since the hunters weren't even in the recents of Artemis's thoughts but here they were.

“Tell them your plan Mathlete.” Plan? Artemis didn't plan on doing anything this pony was wanting. If Artemis would do anything to help this pony it would be for Aroma and Aroma alone. Artemis had her own problems to deal with.

Mathlete began his little spell. “As I said I thought I'd try a different solution. The only way Stable G Game Command knows I'm alive is through my pipbuck, see it had our markers on it for the game.” He said and lifted his pipbuck. After walking closer to the stallion Artemis saw four markers. They had cartoon-like pony heads in a diamond formation, two mare heads and two stallion heads. One mare head was red, Artemis surmised that was the huntress Artemis had pushed to her death the very first night she and Aroma had met. The other head was Aroma's and it too had an X. No, not an X but an Error message.

“Go on...” Artemis indulged but she refrained from seeming too engrossed in his scheme.

Mathlete continued. “I noticed your icon said Error just a few days ago and I thought you had taken off your pipbuck. I guess the sensible thing to do in your situation would be to take your pipbuck off and ditch it, but you somehow smuggled your pipbuck's key out with you and you pawned it off to your friend so if anything we would hunt her instead of you.” Was that disappointment in his words?

“Is that true?” Artemis asked hoping Mathlete was lying. But when Aroma nervously kicked at the dirt with her hooves Artemis knew the answer.

“I, I I was scared. I had just lost everything I ever knew. You don't understand stable life. We don't picture outside life like you do. My world was Stable G, I was born there and I would die there, hell when I first saw the sky I thought I was gonna fall up into it. And I was being attacked. I had to outrun Ellis for miles before I found Palomino and I was scared. I'm sorry for what I did but I had get him off my trail.” Aroma hung her head low and her cyber ears drooped low as well. Mathlete seemed to grimace at the mention of this Ellis character.

“Who's Ellis?” Artemis asked Mathlete as she knelt down to Aroma.

“Ellis is, the Overmare's son. I see why Aroma was afraid now. No doubt Ellis got special privileges, training, armor, and weapons what being the Overmare's son and all.” Mathlete answered dryly.

Artemis touched her friend's shoulder. Aroma looked up but didn't seem any better. “Look, Aroma. You were in a bad spot so I guess I-”

Aroma interrupted. “I almost sacrificed you for my own safety, you who took me under their wing when the entire wasteland would close their doors to me. I deserved getting shot by that sniper that first night. Ellis hadn't found us but the other mare had.” Aroma's lips quivered.

“Aroma, it's okay. You've saved me more than once, remember when you saved us at that gas station?” Artemis tried to cheer her friend up in a soft voice.

“Don't do this Artemis. You're supposed to hate me for selling you out not forgive me!” Aroma buried her face in her hooves.

Artemis glanced to Verity for some kind of support. The cornflower blue griffon walked over and gently lifted Aroma's face from her hooves. “Aroma. What you did was dishonorable, tricking the one person that showed you kindness, I'd have slime like you nailed to a cross if I had known.” Okay Verity maybe something possibly uplifting?

Instead he continued. “I won't lie and say you're forgiven. Trust and honor has to be earned after that kind of treachery even more so since you tried to hide it. You have to prove to us and yourself that you are still worthy of such an honor. Now get up.” His words were so harsh Artemis almost wanted to butt in but it seemed to help Aroma more than comforting. The mare wiped her eyes and stood back up.

“Thanks Verity.” Aroma eked out.

Artemis saw Hans and Alpha exit the store out of the corner of her vision and it was most likely that they noticed their little confrontation in the parking lot.

“Please...” Mathlete whispered delicately and tried to re-gather everyone's attention.

“Please, continue.” Aroma acknowledged and wiped her nose.

The maroon stable dweller inhaled slowly. “Okay. A couple days ago I noticed Aroma's marker said Error so I knew somehow she had gotten her pipbuck off or deactivated it. What did you do to break your pipbuck by the way?” He spoke calmly. If he meant them harm then he was damn good at hiding it.

Aroma rubbed her chin in thought as to how her pipbuck could have changed. But just as Aroma was about to admit to her ignorance it hit Artemis! She thought back to Hoofer Dam...

“Well it may be nothing to you but it saved me and... most of my Followers.” She said in a melancholy tone. “But me and the surviving Followers did reprogram the pipbuck for griffon physiology so now it should be able to tell you accurate statistics when in battle.” The flashback of Serendipity altering her pipbuck not just a few days ago!

“I remember now.” Artemis began and revealed the pipbuck on her leg just above her talons. “A friend altered it for griffon physiology. It seems like that might explain the error on your screen Mr. Mathlete.” Just as Artemis finished her sentence she was haunted by thoughts of cultist possibly watching her every move.

“That sounds most probable but that's just the first part of my story. You see, I don't want to die in this game. I have a wife and kids that need their father and when I discovered you broke your pipbuck I thought we could help each other out.” He seemed to nod to his pipbuck.

“What's your offer?” Aroma asked shortly.

Mathlete took one step closer and turned his pipbuck screen towards them. He had a stable icon on his pipbuck's map screen. “Stable 2” it identified. For some reason Artemis's heart skipped a beat.

“So?” Aroma continued.

Mathlete looked at his map and pressed some of it's buttons. “It's a stable that's not too far from here, Ponyville to be precise. Since Aroma smuggled her key out of Stable G she was able to unlock her pipbuck but I didn't get mine however, every Overmare has a skeleton key to the people's pipbucks. If we can get in there and find that key we can get my pipbuck off.” And there was his plan. Plain and simple, get in, get the key and get out.

“Sounds like you want us to go to Stable 2 for you.” Artemis revealed his implied request. Immediately Mathlete stammered nervously.

“No no no I plan to go with you to Stable 2. It's just...”

“Just what?” Verity asked coldly narrowing his eyes.

Mathlete rubbed the back of his head. “The Ponyville area has become inhabited by those Hellhound creatures. I would've gone myself but I would really need your help.” Hellhounds, now things made sense.

“Hellhounds huh? Well what would we get for helping you out?” Artemis crossed her arms expectantly.

Mathlete didn't answer right away. “I, I don't have much in terms of money but I can assure you I will be out of your way once my pipbuck is gone. I won't be a threat to Aroma anymore.”

“Try again. I can kill you now and you won't be a threat to Aroma. Besides we have stuff to be doing.” Verity was right, they had to get to Oubliette not entertain this hunter. Killing him would be easiest path but Aroma wouldn't stand for that. Artemis thought about taking him back to the apartment but she only entertained that idea for a second.

Of all the possible times. Right when they were so close to the answers they sought after. Artemis was tempted to kill Mathlete right there and weather what discontent Aroma would show. Artemis wasn't that selfish was she?. Dammit this was Obsidian Shine all over again! Yes this Mathlete pony was important to Aroma yes but, the scales were not in his favor.

Aroma turned to Artemis with solemn eyes. “We have to help him. I know we have a lot on our plate but if we could do this I'd be very thankful.”

Artemis looked down at her orange friend. Goddesses why did this decision come down to her? Artemis let out a reluctant sigh. “Aroma I don't know if we can. I mean he has us running into Hellhounds and into a stable with Luna knows what inside it. What if it's just an elaborate trick to kill you?”

Aroma's disappointment was physically noticeable. “But, Mathlete...” Her head lowered.

Artemis took a reflexive step back as Mathlete placed a hoof on Aroma's shoulder. “It's okay Aroma. I'm asking a lot of you and your friends. If they don't want to help then I can't make them but I sincerely hope you guys would consider it out of the kindness of your hearts.” Mathlete seemed to pause at the sight of Alpha.

“Don't try to placate to our sense honor, stable dweller.” Verity grumbled.

“I'm sorry, I didn't mean to.” Mathlete let out an exasperated sigh. “Look, what I mean to say is that if you don't want to help me then that's fine but please I really need your help. I really want to go back home to be with my children.” He pleaded somberly and Artemis felt the truth in his words. This stallion truly wanted to survive and get back into Stable G to be reunited with his family... Who were they to make that call? But important as his ordeal was it had wait until later.

“Guys, how would you feel about considering Mathlete's request?” Artemis asked the others. Verity brought the others up to speed on the situation and soon they looked like they were tossing the idea around.

“We'll consider it but if Mathlete makes one wrong move or even gets too close to Aroma we'll gun him down.” Verity answered in a subtle but threatening tone. There it was democracy at work.

Artemis turned back to Mathlete. “Okay Mathlete we'll consider your proposal. Stay down at the saloon until we come for you. We'll be in touch.”

Mathlete's face seemed to brighten up a little. “Oh my thank you, thank you!” He tried to approach for a hoofshake but he quickly changed his mind about getting too close. “I'll rent a room at the saloon right away. Again thank you.” He added happily and ran down to the saloon.

Whether or not they did anything remained to be seen but at least he was gone for the moment...

Artemis sighed. “Ugh things are just never simple are they?” She asked rhetorically.

“We should have snapped his neck the minute he said he was a hunter. But we can save the moral anecdotal conversations until later, for now let's go do what we came here to do.” Verity rallied one last time.

Without anymore protest and roadblocks they group finally made their way back home. Yes this trip to the grocery store was one for the record books but still it did feel more comfortable knowing that they would be going to down to Oubliette properly prepared. Mathlete posed a different problem as well but if he could be put on the back burner for the time being then he would have to wait. The secret of Littlepip was about to be dragged into the light...

…..

“Oh hey guys welcome back. That must've been a mighty long line at the market.” Lady said from the kitchen putting away the plates.

“Hehe yeah, while y'all were gone I took the liberty of fixin' up the cuboards. Now they're practically new and clean of mold.” Hayseed added with a happy grunt as he picked himself up off the kitchen floor.

Lady grimaced at the Oubliette equipment. “So, when are you going down?” The relaxation in her tone was replaced with a worried trepidation.

“Hey guys come help daddy put up the groceries.” Hayseed said fatherly. The two foals that were playing in the living room came scampering to their father's call eager to help their daddy.

“We'll lock the door so they can't get in.” Artemis told Lady with a calm tone but inside she felt anxious. What if the hatch was meant to keep something down there? Than this could be Pandora's box.

Before they started work with Oubliette everyone was sure to get their personal gear. They were taking every precaution. Now they took only the bags with their equipment and made sure to lock the door so the foals wouldn't stumble in there. The bedroom with the small window seemed eerily musty like it remain untouched while the rest of the house was being repaired and the closet still way open with the torn up flooring.

Artemis reached into the closet and pulled the dangling light switch. Immediately the light revealed the steel hatch reinforced with rivets. A certain tensity seemed to pool in everyone.

“Okay. First we should decide who's staying up here to make sure nothing happens to the hatch.” Artemis announced turning away from Oubliette.

“Statement: User Artemis I believe I would be fit to guard the door while you go below. Besides I would not fit in the hole nor could I hold the ladder rungs.”

Hans nodded in agreement. “I vote with the machine honey. He's too big and if opening the jams your EFS's then what if there's other anti-machine defenses in there?” Aroma and Verity nodded in his vote for Alpha.

“Okay, it's unanimous Alpha you stay out here and make sure the hatch stays open. Now to decide who goes in first...” Artemis's sentence ended with an ominous silence.

“I will! For my friends.” Aroma volunteered bravely even though she may come to regret that.

“Very well but first let's get the door jacked open.” Artemis got her keys while Hans fished out the jack  from one of the bags.

After sliding the key in and opening the hatch Artemis felt that familiar musty aroma of whatever lay down there. As she peered down into the darkness Artemis began to really envision where they were going. Littlepip's tomb, the real Littlepip not the deity from The Cult. To be so close to her final resting place felt so, so invigorating to be honest. Down there lies the mare that saved all of Equestria decades before Artemis was ever born... But it still begged the question why was Littlepip buried here and not at her own memorial grounds or someplace she deserved? Artemis felt that this place wasn't fit for a pony of her magnitude, why Littlepip deserved her very own castle just to be entombed in! Hmm maybe that was the fanaticism The Cult felt all the time, they couldn't find an outlet for their savior so they made one themselves.

Upon fully opening the hatch Artemis's EFS only identified as “Jammed” and Aroma whimpered from the other side of the room. Artemis lifted her head out of the closet to see what was the matter.

“Are you alright Aroma?” Artemis asked the mare as she pressed her hooves to her ears.

“What! I can barely hear you! Something's messing with my ears! I hear a lot of static make it stop!” Aroma yelled and ducked to the floor pressing her ears shut wincing at the white noise. Quickly Artemis closed the hatch and her pipbuck returned to normal and a look of relief crossed Aroma's face.

“I didn't see that coming Aroma, I'm sorry. I guess you'll just have to stand guard with Alpha.” Artemis apologized and sighed at this unseen complication.

“Maybe it's for the best.” Hans commented. “Besides maybe it'd be good have two people watching the door y'know.”

“Wait! I wanna go down there, I gotta go down there.” Aroma quickly tinkered with her ear implants. “I turned down the volume on my ears so maybe I won't hear the static! Don't approach me from the back though!”

Artemis almost said something to her but Aroma wouldn't hear it, literally. With a roll of her eyes Artemis reopened the hatch. Her pipbuck became jammed again but this time Aroma stood normal. “Huh, wow what do ya' know?”

“It works!” Aroma shouted loudly making everyone cringe.

Now that Aroma had been fixed sort of, the construction began. They opened the hatch and position the jack on the side and twisted the lever to stop the door from moving at all. Yes if they really wanted to prevent closing altogether they could just remove the hatch door but if something is down there that is supposed to stay down then they would need that hatch to close. Once they got the hatch stuck open reliably they proceeded to tie a long rope to the handle of a lantern that they would lower down into the dark until it reached bottom, however long that took. Last but not least was their own personal equipment; Hardhats with flashlights, ropes, flares, crowbars and a few other tools they might need.

About an hour had passed and now they were slowly lowering the tied lantern into the darkness. It was taking longer than everyone suspected but suddenly clang! was heard! That was it the lantern had reached bottom!

“Are you ready boys?” Hans said and tightened his tool belt.

“Ladies first...” Aroma said but gulped once she stared into the black darkness with the lantern's orange light from below.

“It's okay Aroma, I got this one.” Artemis said and nudged her friend's shoulders. Aroma didn't protest this time.

Artemis climbed over and grabbed onto the ice cold bars of the ladder. She felt an icy coldness bellowing from below. Her expression must've been one of worry because the others seemed to reflect that same fear as she faced them on the ladder. It felt disorientating lowering herself under the floor but wordlessly Artemis began to climb down into the darkness...

Colder and colder. The ladder almost stung to the touch from the cold and all visibility was gone. If she had known about this cold beforehand she would've bought some gloves and coats but it was comforting to hear the cling clang of the others on the ladder as well. Artemis also felt mildly claustrophobic when she first felt the cold wall on her back and if her body was touching the back of the small tunnel then she knew Verity wasn't doing much better, this tunnel was built for ponies not griffons. But even for ponies this tunnel was small, very tight, Artemis's elbows were at her sides as she descended. It felt as if she didn't have room to think.

“I'm going to turn on my light.” Artemis announced as they neared the lantern's light. She flipped the switch on her helmet and tried to turn to see downward but it was futile as the tunnel was too cramped. The others turned their lights on as well, Aroma did so when Hans patted her flank as a signal.

After staring at icy ladders and Verity's backside for an awkward amount of time soon Artemis felt the tunnel open up into a very wide space even large enough for her wingspan.

“Guys it opened up down here.” Artemis said as she outstretched her wings. Being especially careful Artemis turned on her pipbuck's light, at least that wasn't jammed. What the light revealed shocked her but in truth she didn't know what to expect in the first place.

She was only a yard or two from the ground. But this was no tomb, not by a long shot. Artemis hopped off the ladder and gave the word that she was off. She picked up the lantern and in it's light she saw her breath coming out of her mouth in a fine fog. Artemis unholstered her pistol from her belt.

Soon later the others got down off the ladder and looked around in surprise but were sure not to leave the lantern's light.

“This is no tomb...” Artemis said as she scanned the... wherever they were. Everyone turned on their flashlights that penetrated the thick darkness better than the pipbuck's LED light.

“What the hell Calamity?” Hans said in somber shock as he levitated his flashlight around.

“Why is it so c'c'cold? Aroma whispered shivering even with her jumpsuit back on. No one could answer her question though.

Artemis handed Aroma the lantern and pointed to the ladder. “Aroma we need you to stay here in case we need to escape quickly, with you here we'll know where the ladder's at if we need a quick escape.” Artemis explained and used hand gestures to get her point across.

“Artemis, you're gonna want to see this.” Verity called out in a perturbed voice. Artemis walked to her chilled boyfriend and looked where he pointed his flashlight. The faint circle of light landed on a large object obscured by a sheet covering it.

“It's a crate of something.” Verity explained foreboding the contents within.

“Keep the light on me Verity.” Artemis ordered in a whisper and walked over to the crate. She lifted the frozen tarp and sure enough there was a large wooden crate easily bigger than her and Verity together. For better or worse this box had to be opened.

“Hans, keep your light on us and Verity help me get this tarp off.” Artemis asked and hovered to the top of the crate. Even though she couldn't see the ceiling Artemis had the gut feeling that she could fly freely in here.

Hans kept his light trained on them as the duo pulled the green tarp off and threw it off the crate into the floor below. The crate was wooden and Artemis's flashlight revealed a line of nails keeping the top on nice and secure. But still no name of who made these boxes or what was inside. At this point Artemis would've preferred to find Littlepip's skeleton because this just made no sense.

“Let's get this top off Verity.” Artemis pulled out her crowbar, as did Verity. She worked the wedge side under the wood. It took a few good nudges to push the bar under the top but eventually Artemis got the metal under the wood.

With each visible breath Artemis thrust the crowbar up and down trying to dislodge the nails in the biting cold. There were no light switches in Oubliette or at least they hadn't found any. It seemed what ever Calamity wanted hidden down here he wanted it buried even from the light.

By now Artemis's breathing was becoming strained and difficult. The cold had dried her throat and her eyes were starting to burn and from Verity's coughs Artemis surmised she wasn't alone. Even if this place was clear of hostiles they would be forced to retreat from the sheer cold, not to mention the advanced darkness of Oubliette.

Luckily they were able to dislodge all the nails before long. Artemis looked to their spotlight Hans.

“Levitate it away, Hans it's clear.” Artemis said with a raspy voice and a plum of fog from her mouth.

This was it, the moment of truth. Hans nodded and the box was enveloped in a magical field and he moved off the top with Artemis and Verity's help, he too was beginning to falter from the cold. When Artemis's flashlights fell on the contents of the box she was taken aback by the sight of-

Books? Just lots and lots of books...

Artemis landed on the large crate. It was books nothing but books, but why? No tomb, no Littlepip, this didn't add up. Books was the last thing Artemis expected.

“What?” Verity thought aloud as he picked one up and wiped the frost away

Artemis reached down and grabbed one. The books were all neatly arranged inside the box, packed to the brim. She couldn't make out the title at first due to the frost on the cover so she instead opened it to the first few pages. Her flashlight beamed down on the cold book.

“If I’m going to tell you about the adventure of my life, explain how I got to this place with these people, and why I did what I’m going to do next, I should probably start by explaining a little bit about pipbucks....” Artemis skimmed down the page.

“As a unicorn pony myself, my innate magics allow me a level of fine manipulation that earth ponies don’t enjoy. Any pony can hold a key in their teeth and open a lock, but using multiple tools in a very delicate operation?” What the hell? This was just some stablepony's rantings?

“Oh, my name is Littlepip. Go figure. I was given the name because I was the youngest and the smallest, and even my mother had the good sense not to call me “Pipsqueak.” Wait, what? No this couldn't be.

“Pleased to meet you. Here is my story…” Anxiety bloomed in Artemis's neck. She already knew the answer but still she couldn't believe it. Artemis closed the book and rubbed away the frost on the cover.

“The Tale of Littlepip.” Artemis dropped the cold book, it landed with a thud on top of it's hundreds of brothers and sisters.

“Verity.” Artemis whispered in fear. “This is Littlepip's book.”

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