Fallout Equestria: Broken Bonds

by Kippershy

First published 24th of February, 2012

After a water talisman failure, the future of a large settlement and a city rest in one ponies hooves and the bonds he makes in his quest to fix everything. However, some things aren't so easy to fix.

Two hundred years after the great war, a large, isolated settlement remains as a true beacon of civilisation in a dark world. With protection from both their location and internal agreements, Four Ridges remains one of the strongest groups in the wasteland.
When their water talisman begins to break and their supply chain threatens to crumble, Crimson Wings, the son of the Overmare, steps up to the challenge of returning the prosperity and lifeline of his world.

With time running short, he has a large task ahead of him.
Friends, allies and foes will be made in his quest to save all who reside in Four Ridges, but it won't be an easy task and such items of desire do not come without cost.
Choices will be made, bonds will be broken. Nothing shall be left quite the same again.
Bullets aren't the only way to kill a pony.

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Cover art done by Brisineo! Check him out, he's got exceptionally low prices with exceptional skill and very friendly. I highly recommend him because he really is a good guy and deserves the attention.

Art for Broken Bonds can be found by going to Derpibooru and searching the Crimson wings tag, Cherry Sundae tag and the Broken Bonds tag. Just be aware that not all of the pictures will be under this last tag.

(Old/out of date links:) here and here.

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If you want to contact me for any reason, my Steam username is Kippershy, my Discord name is Kip#6413
A link to a FOE discord server I use: https://discord.gg/kyrvxtC

Prologue [reworked 28/2/13]

Once upon a time I heard that war never changes, maybe that’s true, maybe it’s not.
All I know is that war changes the lands it touches.
Two centuries ago, Equestria was a thriving, peaceful land ruled over gracefully by a leader we once thought to be immortal and saw as a goddess.

Now? Now she’s dead, and the lands too are dead. Radiation from the balefire bombs made sure of that. Most of the Equestrian wasteland wouldn’t grow food for another century at the very least, leaving most communities with no choice but to scavenge or die.
Though even in a world where the ground we walk on and the air we breathe is poisonous, some of us refused to give in, for such is the nature of life.

Trying to contain my anger as I stared at the fucker, this was finally going to be it. It was finally going to be over. The suffering and horror of an entire city would end tonight, and it would be by my gun. The bastard in charge would would die.
Snarling at my foe, I asked him one final question. “Got any famous last words to share before I end you?”

Standing there with his back against the glass, he looked at me in fright. Sweat worked its way down his brow, his eyes straining as he gulped in apprehension of the coming moment.
“You’re a fucking fool. Everything we’ve done... it’s all been ruined! For what? So you can be in charge? Ha! Good luck.”

Everything they’ve done? All they had done was to be oppressing an entire city, made slaves of the people and raid the surrounding settlements. I couldn’t help but laugh through the anger I felt from his statement. “Everything you’ve done huh.”

There was no need to go further, he knew exactly how I felt. Now he looked at me, his lips trembling as he looked away momentarily before looking at me with a strange sense of calmness. “You don’t know what this will do, but go ahead and kill me. You deserve everything you’ve brought upon yourself. May they burn you alive, scum.”

Really? Everything I’ve brought upon myself? There was no sense in waiting any longer. In time with the flash of lightning behind him, I pulled the trigger. The sound of breaking glass was covered by the thunder, his body falling through the gap, a collision course with the ground imminent as he fell through the night sky.

With their leader now dead, It was over. The bastard in charge of everything was finally dead and the city could begin to rebuild itself.
Of course, there was still work to be done in cleaning out the rogue elements, but that wasn’t my job. My job was elsewhere, back home. I still had a task to do, that one initial task that had taken me this far in the first place.

As I turned around and began to walk away from the scene, a voice came from behind me asking one question. “Why?”

I didn’t care to answer that, there was no need. My actions were justified and I could never need to explain them.

As I stepped through the door, she spoke again. “Why did you come here in the first place?”

Now that was a question worth answering. Turning my head, I looked at the shaken mare. Her lavender face was now pale, drained of colour and exaggerated by the red velvet sofa she hid behind. “That would require telling you who I am first of all, so you might understand my reasons.”

Life in Stable 58 was peaceful, or at least, suitably stable. My worries were few and even with my daily duties, there was nothing that made me wish for anything different.
My days filled with small things like learning how to be a good leader, going through rigorous speech tests and learning how to appease everypony else without losing any benefit myself.
Who am I and how was that important to me? My name is Crimson Wings, and I am the son of the Overmare.

What filled my time mostly was the meetings. Every day I would have to meet somepony different, speak to them about their issues and act as their delegate to speak to my mother about the surrounding communities and the Stable itself. There always seemed to be somepony with an issue and it always came down to me to decide who to tell, the Overmare or the head of maintenance.

Atop of that, the clouds wouldn’t milk themselves for rain when we needed it, so my job as the one and only pegasus in the community was to occasionally bring down the rain. Oh, what fun it was to fly free and do as I like in the sky. Controlling the weather felt all too natural to me.

How did I get to be doing these jobs though? Well, that all happened after my twenty first birthday. The day after my party my mother came into my room, waking me up from my hungover stupor and throwing out the flavour of the night before so that she could speak to me personally.
“Crimson, you’re a grown buck now. You’ve been taking lessons on leadership since I considered you ready for them and now your job really begins. I want you to be the communities go-to pony, somepony they can speak to when there’s an issue. You’ll continue your weather duties and your classes as well as this. All it really means is you have to be available to talk to others and decide how pressing their issue is. Oh, and for Celestia’s sake, take a shower and clean up, you look like hell.”

I still remember the look on her face when she said that. I loved my mum, she was amazing.
Even more so when she turned around and spoke once more as she left the room.
“Huh, future leader of Stable 58 and thus Four Ridges by proxy, yet he can’t even get himself groomed.”

My ears perked up as she said those words. Me, the next leader of Four Ridges. Life was sweet being the leaders son.

A year passed without issue, or at least, nothing serious happening. Occasionally there would be minor issues with things involving traders from the outside, though usually after speaking to me the traders would see reason and accept that their differences with us were either minute enough to simply stop caring or a simple misunderstanding.
Every once in a while things would get out of hand, someone would get into a fight and be arrested for violence. With things like that, I was brought in to represent the authority of the Stable.

Life was easy for me, too easy perhaps.
Though that was all changed come that fateful day when the bad news was brought to me.

Every story has it’s beginning, this is where mine began.

Author's Notes:

The prologue has been rewritten and updated since the 28th of February 2013.
Great thanks go out to Joey for being a good friend and giving me suggestions on how to improve it here and there and also thanks to everyone else who had any other comments on it all.
I'll begin rewriting the rest of the story ASAP.

If you need explaining as to what's going on in the prologue, it begins by taking place after the beginning chapters of Broken Bonds and moves back in time to try and explain a small portion of who Crimson is. Thank you for taking the time to have read it!

Much appreciation goes out to anyone who rates, comments or favourites my story! If you have any suggestions on how to improve any of it, let me know!

Chapter 1: Fear [reworked: 8/3/13]

Sitting down in front of my desk, the day was going slowly for me. There wasn’t many issues that needed my attention usually, just the occasional dispute that needed somepony to mediate and there never was a better pony than myself to do the job it seemed.
Still, it was a comfortable job.

My office was filled with one giant mural. A clean, crisp looking blue sky looking down upon me from above and lush green hills to my sides and back.
It always made me long to be outside of the Stable, to be in the skies and pushing around tufts of cloud like I was really meant to. I was a pegasus, my cutie mark was my wings! My destiny was to be playing around with the weather out in the open, not cooped up in a box doing paperwork and counting down the hours until I could do what I wanted to again.

Sighing loudly as those thoughts passed through my head, I began to remind myself that no matter how boring it could be at times that it was still a lot better than living outside of Four Ridges. Hell, my job was still more comfortable than some of the jobs we had to do here even. I never did envy those ponies that had to do the yearly sewage maintenance checks.
Stepping through the waste of nearly two thousand ponies was definitely not the job for me.

While losing myself in a world of thought as I idly played with my Rainbowdash plushie, who for the record was the greatest pegasus to have ever lived in all of pegasus history, a sudden knock on the door disturbed my trance and sent my hooves flying for the drawer to hide my secret joy.

Without confirmation of permission, a particularly beautiful earth pony mare walked in and began to eye me as I blushed over the now hidden away toy.
Before me stood Melony Love, the head of maintenance for the Stable.
As if planned the whole time in some dramatic entrance, she brought her hoof up to brush the mane from her eyes.
The white coat of her hoof really did look beautiful against the two toned mint green and melon yellow locks that curled around to her nose.

Looking at her in suspicion of what she might’ve been after, I began to chuckle. “Oh, come in here all in a hurry to come see me, have you? I thought you normally want me in bed once every two weeks, you’re a day early.”

Gasping before beginning to smile, Melony rolled her eyes at me before beginning to say her piece. “Sorry hotshot, but not this time. Official business.”

“Official business, hey? Are you saying you don’t classify trying to convince me that getting into bed with you hasn’t more or less become official business in your schedule by now?” I chimed back, an even larger smile across my lips as I looked over at the wall where a mirror hung.

As I admired my handsome face and how I really liked how the red of my mane and wings clashed against the dark charcoal of my coat, I caught Melony shaking her head out of the corner of my eye.
“No, that’s just pleasure. Besides, don’t even try to act like you don’t enjoy it just as much. Now, back to what I came here for in the first place.” Slowly, she took a deep breath and closed her eyes. “And no, it wasn’t to flirt with you. It was for something serious.”

Looking back at her, I put away the jokes and teasing for now. If Melony found something to be serious then there was definitely a need for me to pay attention, her being the mare in charge of making sure that Four Ridges remained a stable environment to live in after all.
“Okay then. What is it, Melony?”

Opening her eyes, her expression was deadly serious. Her brow furrowed, I really didn’t like the expression she had, it filled me with anxiety over what she had to say.
“Crimson, there’s an issue with the water talisman.”

Interrupting before she could say anything more, I spoke out. “An issue?”

“Yes.” She continued. “It’s beginning to take damage. The water talisman was never intended to be used so heavily. Stable fifty-eight was purpose built for up to seven hundred ponies, as you know. Currently we’re housing a little over five hundred, but also providing water for little over another thousand. Not to mention the crops that need external water supply from time to time.”

As the numbers went through my head, a fear began to take place in my mind as I looked down at my desk. We really had been taking the talisman for granted, it seemed.

“On the other hoof, the talisman was designed for a little over one thousand, so as much as we’re pushing it above its limits, it’s not excessively like it would be if we doubled the advised limit capabilities. Still, damage is damage and we can’t go on at the rate we are.”

“So, let me get this straight.” I began. “We’re damaging the water talisman by overusing it, but we’re not damaging it at a frightfully alarming rate... right? We could be doing worse to it, yeah?”

With a quick nod, the young mare agreed. “Yes, pretty much. The damage is only beginning to show today. Though we’ve had our suspicions about the output data readings for the last few weeks now.”

Looking at her in confusion, I raised one of my brows. “Judging from your current knowledge of how it’s being damaged, how long do you think we have before it stops working. Also, do you think it will slow down and stop producing so much or you think it’ll just stop completely?”

With a worried expression, she looked at me with sombre eyes. “I really don’t know, Crimson. The talismans were never stress tested like this. They couldn’t have been, there would have never been enough time to find out how years of overuse would affect them. For all we know, it could just stop tomorrow.”

Well, fuck I thought to myself. That really wasn’t good to hear.

“However...” She drew another breath as she paused and looked back behind her. “If the rate of damage continues as it has so far, we have approximately four months. With that said though, it’s likely the initial damage will cause further damage making it a chain effect. If that is the case, it’s closer to somewhere between two to three months. Don’t forget that’s all optimistic evaluations, so we might not even have that long.”

Oh how the news got worse and worse, huh? I couldn’t help but let out a sigh as I took it all in.
At this point, there was no need to really think about my options, this was definitely a matter for my mother to be informed about and to choose what to do about it.
As for myself, it looked like the rains would have to come down earlier than planned and try to reduce the strain on water supply that we would no doubt immediately be feeling.

“You, me, my mother’s office.” I quickly demanded. “She needs to hear about this as quickly as possible so she can make her official choice on the matter.”
Before she even had the chance to get halfway out of her seat I was already by her side, wings outstretched.
“Time to get on the Crimson express, M’lady.”

Melony let out a small giggle as she climbed on and I rose up into the air, because not only would it be faster than trotting there, who said we couldn’t have a little fun?
Feeling her hooves wrap around my neck and hold on tight, I began to beat my wings to fly in what free space there was down in the Stable. It didn’t have the expense of all the free space that topside had, but there was still enough room for us to shoot through the hallways.
Admittedly, one or two ponies may have had to jump to the side upon noticing us coming but we had a damn important message to get to my mother and I wasn’t going to worry about scaring somepony along the way.

As we approached the door to the Overmare’s office, I began to knock before casually opening it and walking on through.
Not seeing her at her usual position behind her desk I made my way over to it, noticing the apples simply sitting there for me.
Now, by ‘for me’, I had only really meant that they were sitting there but seeing as I was already munching on one, they were now claimed in the name of Crimson Wings.

“Mum! Mum! Get your damn plot over here mum! You’re needed and it’s urgent!” I shouted out between bites of the juicy, delicious apple in my hooves.

From her personal quarters she called back out, her voice muffled by the walls between. “Sorry, I’ll be there in a second! I was just having a shower a moment ago and I’m still drying!”

The sound of hoofsteps made their way closer and then her head poked out from around the corner. Her butterscotch coat shining radiantly and making her carmine red hair stand out more than usual as speckles of water fell from the still wet strands.
It really was no wonder I was so damn handsome when I had such a beautiful mother who could look gracious even as she was still drying off.

Biting down into another apple, I began to mumble through the chunks of food in my mouth. “So uh, yea’. Melony has something to say.”

Before Melony could speak her piece however, my mother looked at me with a raised eyebrow. “So, Crimson hunny. They wouldn’t happen to be my apples I had left on my desk for lunch by any chance, would they?”

Half way through biting into the apple I slowly stopped and looked at her, keeping the apple in the way of my mouth as to try hide my smile. “Mmmm... no?”
My grin hit from ear to ear as I tried my hardest to hold back the laughter I felt building up down in my chest and began to fidget, hiding the remaining two apples behind me with as much innocence as I could pretend to have while being caught red hoofedly.

Immediately a light blue glow began to emanate from her horn and encompass the remaining two apples from behind me and brought them over to herself. Looking at them, she then turned her focus back to Melony for a moment.
“Sorry, I’ll let you have my attention in one moment. I just have to teach a certain buck a lesson.”

Melony giggled and nodded back at her as my mother approached closer toward me.
“Now, Crimson. Mind telling me where my other two apples went?” My mother asked.

Looking down at my hooves, I quickly rushed to finish the remainder of the apple in my grasp. Before I could do so however, I found I was no longer holding it at all. Instead, it was within her magical grasp, floating before me.

With a little blush I began to giggle. “Oops, hehe. I uh... may have begun eating them.”

At that moment there, her face turned from her look of suspicion to that of adoration as she shook her head and rolled her eyes at me before trotting over and nuzzling into me.
A small kiss planted itself on my cheek as she rubbed my belly and gave the apple back to me to finish. A good chuckle came from her lips as she began to speak, the smile on her face caused me to smile even more in return. “Such a silly stallion you are. Go on, eat that one since you started it. I’m glad to see you eating anyway you being skinny as you are, Celestia knows you need to eat something.”

As I continued to eat the apple, Melony started telling my mother about the problem with the water talisman. Watching my mother’s face as Melony spoke I could she she was just as worried as I was when I had heard about it, this really wasn’t a joking matter.

Without clean water not only would the Stable die of thirst but also each of the four towns within Four Ridges with it.
Even further than that one of those four towns was a farming settlement that provided the food for all the towns within Four Ridges, and had yet still enough excess to even supply the nearby settlement of Fillydelphia... for a price, of course.
Getting back to a safe state regarding the water talisman had to become our biggest priority, for everypony's sakes.

As the two mares finished speaking, my mother turned to me. “Crimson.”

“Yes?” I asked in return.

“I want you to fly over to the four towns, inform Angel first as they’re the most in need of this new information. After that, the choice is yours on who to go to. Angel may want you to kick up a storm for their crops while you’re at it. Don’t take longer than you need to do your job though, we can’t afford to waste time.”

“Of course, I’ll go there right now. Besides, I’ve been dying for a good flying session these last few hours anyway. Sitting around isn’t really my thing.”

As I turned around and began to make my way out of her office, my mother called out to me. “Crimson? One last thing.”

Turning my head back around to her as she moved on closer to me, I felt her hooves quickly wrap themselves around me as she began to hold me tight in her embrace. My head nuzzled against her neck with my eyes closed.
Although I couldn’t see her face I knew exactly what expression she was wearing at that moment, one of worry. She always hugged me like this when she was truly worried, though I couldn’t blame her one bit.

Flying off to Angel like this was surreal. The town was such a peaceful place, some of my happiest memories took place in the surrounding areas of Angel.
The fact there was so many trees, lakes and fields of crops just made it somewhere you could really feel in touch with nature.
All of the buildings themselves too were made of wood and had a certain old world charm to them that would likely never be found anywhere else apart from in the pictures that inspired their construction.
To be going there with news that would no doubt change their collective mood from a generally easy going and happy one to something of fear or worry didn’t make me happy, though the surroundings themselves did.

The conflicting emotions I felt were almost enough to make me lose focus as I swept through the sky, though looking down on the wall below and the mountain ranges beyond it made me remember that if I didn’t get this done then all would potentially be lost. Four Ridges needed me to be on the ball, to be focused. There was no way I was going to let this settlement crumble like some old, mighty empire that had outstretched its own means.

Sighing at the mere thought of it all, I looked ahead as Angel crept ever closer in my vision. I could finally start to make out the dirt trodden paths they used creeping from out of the town.
A part of me wondered why we still called them towns, they were getting larger and larger as the years went on but even still they were always the same. Still, it was comforting in its own way, some things just didn’t need to change.

Drawing ever closer to the heart of it all, the occasional farmer waved at me. Usually I wouldn’t have had any issue flying down and greeting them, seeing if there was any issues they wanted to address to me or anything of particular note they simply wanted to speak about.
Not today, however. Today I was on a task too important and thus instead all I did was wave back as I continued to make my way.

As I circled around the settlement I picked out the mayor’s house from the rest and began my descent. His house wasn’t anything luxurious or even all that unique, but it was still a slight bit bigger than the other houses.
As I landed, a small crowd congregated around me.

“Crimson!” One of them stated in shock. “What brings you here? We’re not expecting rain for another three days now, I thought?”

“Possible change in plans.” I quickly retorted. “Does anypony know if the Mayor is home?”

“I’m right here.” He called out from behind the crowd, quickly making his way to the front. “What seems to be the issue?”

Looking straight into his eyes and then at the crowd behind him, I really didn’t think that talking about the matter in open air was the most suitable way to address the situation.
“Do you think we could talk in your home, Mayor Goldenhooves?”

With a nod, the mayor agreed. “Why of course we can. Come in, come in.”

Usually it had been the mayor inside my home, not the other way around. Looking around as I sat upon his sofa, I took a moment to look at all his simplistic decorations made of wood and little else as I awaited the brown buck to return from the kitchen.
As he came back into the room I noticed how his blonde mane shone in the light coming through the windows as he held two mugs, one for us each.

In a humble tone that I could only have undying respect for, the Mayor began to speak. “I’m sorry that I couldn’t offer you anything more than nettle tea. Usually I would have some soft or perhaps even hard cider around, but unfortunately this isn’t quite the right time of year to be producing cider and I recently ran out myself.”

“It’s fine.” I insisted with a small chuckle. “If anything, it’s me who should be sorry.”

“Oh whatever do you mean, Crimson? You’ve done nothing wrong!”

“Well, not yet anyway.” I murmured before taking a sip. “You see, I’ve not come here bearing good news, unfortunately. Precisely the opposite, even.”

“Oh? Care to inform me of what this bad news is?” The Mayor asked with uncertainty in his eyes. Looking at him, it was obvious he could read my face and tell that this was about something serious though I didn’t think he could tell just how serious the matter was from that alone.

Putting my mug down momentarily, I looked Mayor Goldenhooves straight in the eyes. “It’s about the water supply from the Stable. To put it simply, the water talisman is beginning to show signs of damage from overuse. Our engineers aren’t sure how this is truly going to affect the output though all signs point to nothing good. We’re unsure of exactly how long it’s going to be capable of producing safe water, or any water at all.”

The Mayor, now shaken, slowly lowered his mug and placed it upon the table before lowering his face into his hooves. “So, you’re saying we’re on a time limit of how long we can survive? Goddesses above, what did we do to deserve this? How are we supposed to continue without the water supply from the Stable? You’re not going to live forever and even then I doubt you alone would be capable of producing enough rain by yourself to provide all that we require. Even back in the days when your father was still around and we had a lot less crop to produce we still wouldn’t have been able to cope with a single pegasus working tirelessly on such a task.”

“We’ll work something out,” I began to assure him. “we have no choice but to. If we don’t, we’ll all starve to death and so will many small settlements. I’m sure Fillydelphia could simply request more supplies from its other trading partners, but we’ve got more at stake than even the entirety of Four Ridges going here. We can’t simply sit on our asses and do nothing over this.”

“But, Crimson.” He interjected, his worried tone of voice shaken from the news. “How do you think that this will be resolved? I mean, I may not be Mayor Blossom but even I know that technology like a water talisman can’t be commonplace or cheap. There’s no way we could simply stroll on into a marketplace and request a water talisman and be handed one without an issue.”

“Well,” I paused... he had a point, but I wasn’t going to let that stop me. “I know that I’ll be doing whatever it takes to make sure that the task is successful. I don’t know what we’re going to be doing yet, though I have my guesses and I know what I would do if I was my mother. If she’ll do what I’m thinking of I don’t know, it does seem to be the most sensible option however.”

Now he looked at me with a raised eyebrow as he slowly pulled his mug up for another sip to calm his nerves, his hooves shaking as he did. “And that is?”

“To send out three caravans, each with its own brahmin. Of course, I’d offer you compensation for any brahmin lost to properly cover the price of raising or buying and keeping a replacement brahmin to reduce your risk. After all, you do have a town to take care of and even in times like these I have to consider your individual needs as towns as well as the bigger picture.”

The mayor simply nodded in agreement without saying a word, prompting me to continue.
“If each caravan went to somewhere different, some place likely to have either information on where we could find a water talisman for sale or even better, salvage... well, we’d be set.”

“Quite the reasonable plan. Tell you what, if your mother also suggests something similar, I’ll be sure to accept. While I couldn’t expect personal reward for any of this, I wouldn’t be able to simply throw resources at a loss without any guarantee of insurance on those losses. It’s true that the ponies here at Angel aren’t the violent type but even we must be shown respect, we are just as important as the ponies with guns after all.”

Smiling at the buck, I nodded. “Of course.”

Finishing off the last of my tea that had been so graciously been given to me, I placed the mug back upon the table. “Now, I apologise for having been the bearer of bad news and even more so for this, but I must go. The other three town mayors will need to hear of this news and I’m the one in charge of telling them. Thank you for the tea, it was marvellous.”

With a warm smile the Mayor nodded at me again. “Yes, of course.”
His voice seemed to fade into the distance as he finished his sentence, causing me to worry a little.

Reaching out to him, I tried to comfort the poor guy. “You’re going to be okay, right? I know the news I just brought to you is a bit shocking and disturbing. If you need me to stick around a little longer and help you settle down somewhat then I will, okay?”

“Yes, I’ll be fine. I just need time to think about how to tell the towns is all. This news is very serious and I’m just thinking how we’ll cope. That’s all... yeah.”
At this point the mayor began to twiddle his hooves together in deep thought as he mumbled to himself.

In a moment of quick thinking, I perked up. “Hey, you’ve still got your reserve tanks, right? They store what, a months worth of water usage when filled to the brim?”

“Yes. Still, that won’t last forever.” He mumbled back in return.

“Want me to make it rain for you right now?” I suggested, hoping it would raise his spirits slightly. Not only would the rain provide water for the crops below but it would also encourage ponies to go back into their homes and allow the mayor enough time to think about the upcoming moment where he would have to speak to all the ponies in his town.

Looking back up to me, he let out a small smile before it faded back to a worried expression. “Would you? It would be much appreciated.”

“Of course. Now, you sit back and try to figure out what you’ll do. I’ll whip up some rain and buy you some time with that, then I’ll be heading off for Tank. They’re probably the best place to go to from here, I reckon.”

The conversation ended there as I made my way out of the door before spreading my wings and making for the clouds above.

When it rains, it pours.

The feeling of the wind breezing through my mane and ruffling the tips of my feathers as I swept through the skies was simply beyond amazing, it was something I never grew tired of.the feeling of true freedom.

The speed of unrestrained flight was stunning, absolutely stunning. I had always challenged myself, pushed myself to see my limits and fly as fast as I could and it was always such a rush to reach those breakneck speeds.

I had happy memories of racing around with my dad, back when he was around. When I was at my youngest he would purposefully hold himself back to make sure that I didn’t have any accidents while trying to fly.
When I grew up somewhat he would race me and intentionally let me win at the end, just to see the smile on my face and feel my hooves around his chest.
As a teenager he really began to have to truly try against me, that was when he stopped simply letting me win and the challenge was really on. We would race to our fullest and sometimes I would win, sometimes he would.

Now he was gone, I honoured his memory by thinking of him when I went as fast as I was right now. It may not have been the usual method to remember people by, but it was my way of doing it for him. Our wings made us special, we were the only two of our kind and that meant the world to me. He was my dad and I loved him.
There really was no better way to remember him by than to commemorate the one thing we alone had, something nopony else could understand.

With my mind lost in memory of my late father I hadn’t been paying attention but suddenly my heart beat with ferocity as I felt the ripples from three bullets blazing past me, somepony shouting from below.

From somewhere below me a pony called out as loud as they could. “Pegasus scum! Die you fucking shit eating cunt!”
Before I could find out where they were however, another series of shots flew past me as I immediately reacted by flying as erratically as I could in an attempt to throw off their aim.

“Fuck!” I shouted to myself aloud, my breathing as if I was trying to produce a hurricane from my lungs and my eyes became as wide as a mountain as I scanned the area below me for the culprit.
Without any idea where the shooter was I had no way of breaking line of sight, rather, I just had to hope I could spot them before they got a hit on me.

With a loud crack another shot rang out and I dived for the ground in fear, for whatever gun that was it was powerful and there was no doubt that if it had hit me I wouldn’t have even a chance to survive. At least with the small crackle of the previous pistol fire if I had been hit I could have chanced flying to Tank for medical aid.

Before I could think about it any further my snout had almost touched the floor when I pulled up for extreme speed. At that moment a fair voice called out to me from atop of the wall behind me. “Crimson! Crimson! It’s okay, you’re safe now!”

Not wanting to truly trust the voice upon the first moment I used the momentum to pull up into the sky again and regain my altitude. Once I was a reasonable height up I looked down at the pony who waved up at me from upon the wall, the body of another laying amongst the rocks down below.
Cautiously I waited up in the sky for a moment longer as I tried to regain my breath from the sudden horror of being hunted without warning before making my way down to the awaiting pony.

Speaking in a soft voice, she welcomed me as I landed next to her. “Well, hello there mister Wings.”

With a mixture of embarrassment and shock I still found myself speechless as I looked upon the unicorn mare with the exceedingly large rifle floating before her, watching as she casually stowed it upon her back and smiled at me.
Closing my eyes I tried to put my words together to properly greet her but upon reopening them I noticed that before me had not only stood the mare whom had just saved my life, but also somepony who was very possibly the most beautiful mare I had ever laid my eyes upon.

My lower jaw hung slightly agape as I took the sight of her in.
Her rose coloured eyes pierced through my own as her equally vibrant yet soft mane began to fall over her facial features little by little.
Her scarlet coat shimmered in the light as she stood before me, slightly bowing her head.

I felt my bottom lip quiver as I gazed upon her, my breathing sped up once more and deepened as my heart raced faster than before.
Reaching out with a hoof I gently placed it under her chin lifting her head slightly to look back into her eyes, a small smile upon her lips as heat radiated from her cheeks.
I really couldn’t believe what I was seeing. There was something different about her, something I had never seen before.

Slowly I began to mutter to her. “Tell me, are you single?”

With that her eyes shot wide and she let out a small nod, that was all the confirmation I needed.
Immediately I leant forward and placed my lips upon hers for a deliberately long, slow kiss.
Moments passed and eventually I pulled away and kept my eyes closed as I took in her scent. Berries, or perhaps cherries even? No matter what it was exactly, it was enticing.

The mystery mare shook as she looked at me, her cheeks burning up as she began to stutter on her own incoherences before she gulped and went quiet.

“I would say sorry,” I began to say. “but I’m really not. By the goddesses, I have never met anypony as beautiful as you are, my fair lady. I know I should be sorry for not asking, but I needed to kiss you that once and I couldn’t risk taking no for an answer.”

With a small almost whimper like voice, she spoke with a smile across her face. “W-would you... do it again?”

Feeling my own cheeks burn now, I was more than happy to oblige. This time I reached out with a hoof and stroked her cheek as I sat on my behind, locking lips and ever so slightly licking hers. As she pulled back slightly I leant in closer and began to slide my tongue into her mouth little by little. When I pulled back, she followed my lips for just a few seconds longer until the kiss ended with us staring into each-others eyes.
We were both panting, there was definite chemistry between us.

“So, what’s your name?” I whispered to her, enjoying every second I had around the fine mare.

“Cherry Sundae.” She whispered back, a large smile on her face.

Cherry Sundae, heh? I thought to myself. “Beautiful name, beyond beautiful face, perfect body. You’re a one of a kind, Cherry. I would love to keep this moment going right now though I’m thinking that sitting upon the security wall probably isn’t the best idea. So, lets say we spoil the mood and find out what that douche had on him and try to figure out what he was even doing up here?”

Nodding her head with glazed over eyes, the smile upon her face only got more adorable by the second as I looked at her. Fighting to keep my cool, I stroked her cheek softly. “Sound good?”

Taking a moment before she could properly react, she shook her head to regain her focus. “Oh, oh. Sorry, lost myself there. Yeah, sounds like a plan. It looked like he was heading off to the gatehouse, probably wanting to get in here for whatever reason. Won’t be any more though.”

“Want a ride down there?” I suggested with a smile.

With an even happier look upon her face she frantically began to nod and squealing at the same time. “Yes!”
I laughed at that and she began to blush before going shy and stepping back slightly. “I mean, yes please.”

Kneeling down with my back to her I turned my head back around and began to wait. “Well, hop on then.”

Again she let out a squeal of delight as she wrapped her hooves over my back was beyond delightful. With a little effort I began to lift up and fly along the edge of the wall before over the side and descending over to where she had shot my attacker.
Looking at the corpse that now lay at my hooves, his entire head was no longer there, it was completely missing in a mess of gore.

“Cherry, what the hell? What the hell?” I asked in utter amazement, causing the poor mare to squeak shyly. “I can tell you’ve got a large rifle, but seriously, what the hell kind of ammunition does that fire to cause this sort of damage?”

“Fifty BMG.” She replied with a faint sound of pride in her voice.

“Fifty... Explains it. Damn, seriously. Remind me never to upset you, okay?”

That got a giggle as she began to loot the corpse. From out of his saddlebags she pulled out two magazines for the pistol that now sat upon the floor across from his body, which I quickly swiped for myself with a small grin as I did.

“Hey!” Cherry spoke up. “That’s technically my gun seeing as I took him down for you.”

Pouting at her, I began to bargain. “Awh, I was just thinking that seeing as you have that big ol’ rifle that you might let me have it.”

“The rifle doesn’t handle short range very well at all, that pistol would make for an excellent sidearm. Besides, are you even trained to use a gun?” At this point she raised an eyebrow at me sceptically, looking at me as if I was just a colt.

With a huff I quickly defended myself. “Of course I am. I may be the son of the Overmare but that doesn’t mean I’m incompetent when it comes to defending myself.”

“Oh really?” She said, snickering as she spoke. “Didn’t seem too much like it just then. Well, anyway, give me a decent offer and perhaps I’ll see about trading the rights to that gun with you.”

Looking at her, I really liked her right now. I didn’t know how much of a smooth talker she was, but judging by the fact she had been practically silent back a few moments ago I guessed that she wasn’t anywhere near as confident in her abilities of persuasion as I was.
This was my turf, my forte, and she would regret offering me that chance.

Smiling, I made my first offer. “Tell you what. You let me have the gun and spare ammo to go with it and I’ll let you hitch another ride to wherever you want to go atop of the Crimson Wings Express.”

“Is that all?” She pouted, damn she looked cute when she was pouting. “I don’t think that really covers it.” At that moment she scrunched up her face and began to grin however. “Although, if you’re willing to fly me down to Tenpony Tower for a relaxing spa break, fully paid for.”

Tenpony Tower? She had to be kidding! Staring at her in disbelief, her face quickly cracked up as she began to giggle. She was kidding.
I shook my head and began to chuckle myself. “Okay, here. How about I give you another kiss, fly you wherever you want to go and we go to Tenpony Tower someday. Right now I’m too busy though.”

“Mmmmm, another kiss you say?” Cherry began to moan softly. “Well, how about... uhm...”

Watching her bite her lower lip and look at me the way she did, I knew that expression all too well. Right now, I was ready to put my task off for a small while for it. I knew I shouldn’t, I knew it would get me into trouble, but my body was begging for it. Immediately I leaned in close and passionately began to kiss her deeply before pulling back teasingly.
The way she was looking at me now was with fire behind her eyes, we both wanted this and neither of us could deny that.

“My house is in Tank.” She suddenly blurted as she raced up onto my back. “Fly me there, handsome. Maybe then I’ll let you have the pistol.”

There was no need to ask a second time, as soon as she had wrapped her hooves tightly around my neck and brushed her cheek against mine I was already preparing to take flight, pushing off the ground with my wings.
The feeling of her body temperature was immense as she pressed herself tightly against me, the sensation causing me to fly as fast as I could safely manage with her upon my back.

With Tank now in sight, Cherry Sundae wasted no time in directing me to her home. Surprisingly she had one of the nicer homes in the town, two floors tall and detached from any other building. That was unlike the majority of the constructions around here though I didn’t question it.

As she trotted up to her front door I watched her hips sway provocatively, the motion sending my head spinning with desire. With the swish of her tail as she unlocked the door and pushed it open, my body felt like it was covered in magma and my breathing picked up once more.
Now I was heavily panting as she winked at me before blushing all over again.

As I rushed inside of the house and shut the door behind me, she made her way up the stairs taking care to go slowly and deliberately so that each step exaggerated the movements of her tail and marehood. Chasing her up, she quickly showed me the way to her bedroom....

Although I had only originally planned to spend a short amount of time in the home of Cherry Sundae, that short amount of time had soon become the rest of the night. Passionate moments shared between us continued over and over and by the time we were done it was beginning to become dark outside. Instead of asking me to leave and expecting me to find somewhere else to stay for the night, Cherry had ever so graciously offered me a place in her bed to sleep.
Initially I felt bad that I had wasted so much time on such an activity, I had a job that I needed to get done and I’d spent the time instead fucking this beautiful mare.

Looking at her as she gazed upon me however, those regrets quickly diminished as it as the sun peaked through the curtains that hung over her windows.

Cherry Sundae... there really was something different about this mare. That was for certain.
I had been with many beautiful mares before, of course. Still, none of them compared to her. There was just that little extra something about her, something I couldn’t put my hoof on.
Was it the way she spoke? The way she walked or smelled? I really couldn’t be sure, all I knew was she made my heart flutter like none other before her.

As I went to finally get up, she placed a hoof upon my chest and began to speak. “Mmmm, don’t go just yet, Crimson. You’ve not even had breakfast.”

“I couldn’t ask that of you, Cherry. Besides, I really ought to go find Mayor Sunburn. I have some news to speak to her about.”

“Well, I insist.” She huffed. “I can’t have you going out anywhere without having a proper breakfast, mister. Besides, that would make me a terrible host. You lay down some more, I’ll go grab you something. Apple slices and a daisy sandwich sound good?”

As soon as she mentioned apple slices my stomach began to groan in response, the thought of food making me realise just how hungry I had become. Rolling my eyes and letting out a sigh of content, I gave in. “Okay, you win. Sounds perfect.”

Immediately the lovely unicorn got out of bed and climbed atop of me over the blankets before planting a kiss on my lips, her confidence obviously having been boosted from the events of the previous night.

Watching her red and pink form walk out of the room and down the stairs, I smiled to myself. I couldn’t help but feel immense joy.

It wasn’t more than a minute or two before she came back up, two bowls and two sandwiches being levitated in her magic alongside her. One of those bowls and a sandwich made its way over to me while the other was put down across the room as she sat down next to me. Watching the food float across the room and into her mouth was extremely cute and highly amusing, I had to admit it caused me to giggle each and every time she did it and it only made her blush and smile with my amusement.

I liked the way this mare did things, that was for definite.

After having finished eating we both had a wash and prepared ourselves for the coming day. Cherry had told me she’d be doing her usual routine security patrol while I had to go speak to Mayor Sunburn, along with the other two mayors, Blossom and Glitter Mist.

Planting a kiss on Cherry’s lips as I prepared to leave, she began to scuff the floor and look down at the ground sourly.

“So, uhm, Crimson?”

“Mmm?” I hummed in returned.

She turned her face away as she blushed. It was honestly surprising that a mare with a red coat could blush so hard and make it so obvious like she did. “Do you think you’ll... come see me again, maybe?”

Looking at her with a gigantic smile I nodded enthusiastically. “Oh, you can bet your sweet flank I will be. As long as you’re up for it, that is.”

The glint in her eyes as I spoke those words and the smile that instantly made its way across her lips told me she was more than up for that idea. Just like that, my day was even better than it had been before.

Walking around the town of Tank, the tall concrete and rock buildings stood strong around me as they radiated their protective aura. There was no more oppressive looking location in all of Four Ridges in my opinion, though it all served a purpose. Every building was designed with sheer strength and endurance in mind, the construction having outlasted the old war and managing to remain relatively undamaged when Stable fifty-eight settlers had come across it.

The roads were all the same as the buildings that surrounded them too. Rather than going for aesthetics they were simply smoothed down stone blocks that served the purpose of being heavy duty and heavily enduring for all the traffic that passed along them.

There really was no room for beauty in Tank, though that was seemingly how the residents seemed to like it.
I remembered as a child, I suggested that we find something to make the town more colourful so the palate wouldn’t simply be grey when I flew above it. However, Mayor Sunburn had never liked the idea and told me it would have been a waste of time and resources to do something so trivial. She never had been anything of a friendly person.
Still, she did her job and she did it damn well. The Tank Mercenary Group followed every word without fail and seemed to respect her greatly, so there was no room to complain.

Without the Tank Mercenary Group we wouldn’t have been anywhere near as secure here. Four Ridges was successful because of their efforts to protect and serve and I admired them for it. It was just a shame that I couldn’t admire the mayor herself.

After half an hour of searching for her, I had finally found the Mayor.

“Mayor Sunburn!” I called out from above the crowd around us, barely catching her attention.
As she turned her head to face me, I called out again. “Mayor! I need to speak to you!”

With a no nonsense demeanour she waved me into the nearby Tank Mercenary Group HQ building.
As I entered the lobby I took a moment to look around at the pristine condition it always seemed to stay in. Two ponies next to the communications array, one on the microphone with the other listening into something with his headphones and typing into a computer that sat before him.

Behind another desk another unicorn sat, flicking through reports on another computer, nodding at the pair of us as we walked on by.
There was a definite sense of organisation and efficiency within the HQ, a comforting sight.

“So, what is it you need to speak to me about this time?” The mayor asked, flicking her blonde hair behind her. “Nothing mundane like as usual from you Stable ponies, I hope?”

Blowing air out of the corner of my mouth in slight annoyance, I answered her question. “No, nothing mundane at all this time. Another security job for you.”

“Another security job, huh? Crimson, do you realise that nearly all of our jobs are security? Security is mundane as it gets. So, what is it? You want some party to show off what, that you’re some big shot?”

Wait, what the hell? I looked at her in surprise as she spoke to me. “Uh, no. No parties, something much more important.”

“Oh, so you want us to escort you to Tenpony Tower or something instead?” She asked with content in her voice.

Shaking my head, I raised a hoof to cover my eyes. “Yes and no, actually. Nothing has been confirmed as of yet, though I’ve been asked to inform you that the water talisman in the Stable is damaged. We’re on an unknown time limit of how long it will remain functional.”

Before I could continue, the mayor began to interrupt me. “I don’t see what we’re supposed to do about that. We’re a mercenary group, Crimson. We’re not engineers like Gummy but we’re not raiders either. What, do you expect us to simply walk up to some other settlement and take their water talisman for you? No, we don’t do that.” She added in a firm tone.

“Of course I don’t expect you to do that!” I shouted in return. “Look, let me finish. We’ve not confirmed what we’re going to do as of yet, though the town of Angel are saying that they understand what’s at stake here and if it comes down to it, they’re willing to lend three brahmin to any effort to try and find a settlement willing to trade what we need. What I would like to request from you and the T.M.G is the security of those convoys.”

“At what price are you willing to pay for our services on this?” The Mayor quickly asked in return.

Looking at her in confusion I shrugged. “Standard fees and compensation for any members killed or heavily injured in action?”

“Look, Crimson. We don’t only serve Four Ridges here. We also provide protection for many smaller settlements and local traders. You’re going to need to give us more incentive if you want priority over the other normal paying customers. Remember, you’re only paying us with taxes you take from us in the first place anyway.”

“Well, look at it this way. Where do you get your food from?” I asked with as much patience as I could muster for the brash mare.

“Mostly from Angel, admittedly.”

“And do you have to pay Angel for that food?”

“Well, no.”

“Where does Angel get their water supply?”

And just like that, with a ‘death glare’, Mayor Sunburn began to stare me down. “Look Crimson, that’s beside the point. The point is you have to pay up.”

Now I was getting extremely agitated, my ability to control myself on the verge as I looked at the cocky bitch. “And so we will. But you get your food from Angel who gets their water to grow that food from the Stable water supply and my efforts to make it rain from time to time. End argument is that you rely on us just as much as we do you, and we need you now to provide a small group of your mercenaries to protect any possible caravans we send out. We’re not expecting an army, something akin to three mercenaries for every caravan would be plenty.”

“Only if you give us fair pay. We have the right to deny any contract we so wish, remember.” She muttered with snide in her tone .

With that, I was really losing my patience. Before I was capable of keeping my voice down.
“Do you want to starve to death? Do you want to find yourself dying of thirst as the whole community of Four Ridges struggles to find enough water to sustain everyone?”

Puffing out her chest, Mayor Sunburn stepped closer to me in an attempt to be as intimidating as she possibly could. However, I wasn’t going to pay any attention to that. Still, she tried as she spoke. “Are you threatening me, the T.M.G or Four Ridges, Crimson?”

I didn’t have time for this, fuck it. Turning around I strolled over to the communications team and tapped the one with the microphone on the shoulder. “You. Local broadcast announcement to everyone in the vicinity. Set it up for me now.”

There was no argument there at least. The Mayor tried to dispute my orders and get my attention but I simply ignored her as I waited for the microphone to be ready for me. Within a matter of seconds, it was prepared.
“Citizens of Tank, primarily members of the Tank Mercenary Group. There is to be an emergency meeting held outside the T.M.G HQ within two minutes by the authority of Stable fifty-eight leadership. Repeat, an immediate emergency meeting is to be held in two minutes outside the T.M.G HQ.”

“You can’t do that Crimson!” Sunburn tried to shout as I walked past her, though I simply ignored her now. If she wasn’t going to listen, I would make sure the people would.

Walking out I flew up atop of the lowest roof of the building and waited for an ample crowd to form. At first it was just five or six ponies, though very quickly that became twenty, thirty. A few seconds later it had seemed to double as the masses came along, now was as good as any time.

Shouting into the crowd to get their attention, it was time for them to learn. “Ponies and zebras of Tank! I come to you bearing bad news!” At this point I paused, allowing the crowd to settle down before continuing further. “The water talisman in the Stable is beginning to become damaged from overuse. As you all know, this water talisman is what supplies Angel’s farms with the bulk of their requirement!”

The crowd grew restless at this point and began to squabble slightly amongst themselves in confusion and fright. It hadn’t been the response I was hoping for from such a highly trained team, though natural survival instincts were a very strong part of a ponies mentality after all.

“Speaking to your Mayor, she is refusing to cooperate with me on the mere idea of trying to sort out this mess we will undoubtedly become if we do nothing! So, with the authority given to me by my mother and the Stable as the designated leader for all of Four Ridges, I request a total of nine volunteers step forth and join me in an expedition to find a new talisman! The task I ask of you is simple! I ask nothing more than to protect three trading caravans, three guards per caravan! When the time comes and all is confirmed, we shall leave and seek Four Ridges' only hope for sustained survival! Who is brave enough to volunteer?!”

Silence filled the area as everyone looked around. I had expected somepony to step forth almost instantly in an act of noble sacrifice of their time for the chance to save Four Ridges, but it didn’t seem like any-
Before I could even finish the sentence in my head, a female voice called out. “I volunteer!”

I smiled, and then I saw her. Cherry Sundae stepped forth from the crowd and I felt my jaw drop in honour and shock, I hadn’t expected her to be the first one to volunteer!
Still, with her aim I wasn’t going to turn down her offer either.

Slowly another two called out. “If she’s in, I’m in. I volunteer!” “Me as well!”

Suddenly we had three ponies volunteering and before I knew it, another six stepped forth. We had our nine ponies it seemed.

Spreading my wings and gliding down towards the group, everyone else dispersed with a mass of worried chatter as they went back to their duties and activities.

Before I could say a word, Cherry stepped closer to me and whispered into my ear.

“This? I’m doing it for you. Where you go, I go, no exceptions.”

Footnote:
Crimson Wings:
Tagged skills: Barter, Small Guns & Speech.
S4 P5 E4 C7 I5 A7 L8

Author's Notes:

First of all, I forgot to mention earlier: I am not trying to be a revisionist. Following in the footsteps of P.H is not my intention with the trading with FillyD.
That's one issue I have recently thought about and decided to ask Kkat herself about it - she said she was happy with me using the included explanation on how they would source at least part of their food supply.

If you want proof I can provide it, otherwise it's just a small element.

So, a massive, massive, massive thank you goes out to the my anon helper. I know who it is really but he'd like to be called the anon, more than likely.
He's helped me with a fair amount of changes and admittedly, he's probably going to suggest some more after the initial release of this seeing as I wrote another 5,000 words after we spent a session together and he hasn't been able to do another session since yet.
But I'm getting impatient because I'm me, you know?

I've put the effort into pre-reading myself and there shouldn't be any issues, but if there is please don't hesitate to let me know.

Aside from that, thank you everyone who made it possible for me to do all this and thank you for having put up with the previous version and reading through the story all the same.
Without all of you I wouldn't have spent this year writing and learning to be a better writer.
If you want to see the old version, here's the link: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1D_zB7QWfAqJhbfQRw5vh2a69K8yr20t-N5Q6ETaIYZk/edit

Hope you all enjoy!

Many thanks go to Kkat for having made the Fallout Equestria universe a thing and also to Somber for having been the person who indirectly spurred me to writing at all.
As well as that, again, all my appreciation for everyone who reads.

If you liked it or if you disliked the story, leave me a comment and let me know why! Any thumbs up ratings are appreciated too!

Chapter 2: Preparing for the journey [reworked: 23/7/13]

Staring at the fine mare before me as she pulled her head back, I couldn’t help but appreciate what she had just offered to do. Not only would this help secure Four Ridges’ fate with her capable aim and fire-power, but it also seemed like I’d get a chance for some more... intimate fun.
Only time could tell for sure, but I had a feeling that there was something different about this mare. There was something beyond looks about her, that was for sure.

Oh, and now there was no doubt there was something different about her. Usually when a mare had said that to me, alarm bells rang and I’d have to quickly talk my way out of the situation, tell them I wasn’t ready for anything in particular and I was thankful enough for the night spent with them. Now with Cherry I didn’t get the same urgency or dread. I... I actually felt a little joyous about it, even.

Leaning in closer to her I pressed my cheek out to hers and began to nuzzle her softly, encouraging her to wrap a hoof around my neck and slowly but tightly hold me close. With every passing moment it felt nicer and nicer before the contact broke and a sure smile sat upon her face.

Giving Cherry a small nod, I began to decide what to do next. While we were here in Tank, the closest place to go would have probably been... Gummy. Plotting out the best course given the current wind conditions in my head as I mumbled to myself. “Perhaps if I take the route going through Rolling Hill-AUGH!”

I didn’t know what had just happened well and truly, but suddenly I found myself laying upon the ground and feeling winded. My side felt as if it had just been kicked by a brahmin as I tried to regain my bearings and orientate myself after whatever had just happened to me.
Down at my side sat Cherry Sundae, smiling at me as if nothing was wrong.

Looking back at her I began to shake my head in disbelief and pain, a pout across my own face in return for her smile.
Looking at Cherry, I began to whine. “Hey! You’re meant to be protecting me, not pushing me onto the floor when I’m trying to figure out how I’m going to get to Gummy. That hurt you know!”

With a carefree demeanour, Cherry let out a small shrug. “I thought you could handle me playing rough. You certainly didn’t whine about it last night. I was only having fun, I didn’t mean to knock you over or hurt you, just climb atop of you.”

With that, I shot her a confused look as I coughed in pain. “Climb... atop of me?”

“Yeah!” She immediately replied with a whisper of a smile on her lips.

Finding myself speechless for a moment, I silently babbled nonsense from my lips as I tried to understand the situation. Gradually I regained my composure and looked at her in those deep, beautiful and penetrating eyes. “So... let me get this straight. You were trying to climb atop of me? As in, get on my back?”

Cherry began to pout and cross her front hooves, looking sad at me. I couldn’t tell if this was practised or if she was genuinely upset and begging now, but either way it was working before she had even tried a thing. Her bottom lip quivered as she began to express herself, swiftly cutting through my defences. “Please don’t be mad. I really didn’t mean to hurt you, honest.”

A tear began to fill the corner of her eye as she looked up at me and I couldn’t take it any more. There was no way I could look at this mare and not want to hold her in my hooves, she was downright adorable and she seemed entirely genuine with her emotions, it was too sweet to be mad at.
Without a moments hesitation I lowered my head down to the ground and then levelled out my rear, allowing for her to easily climb atop.

As she looked at me she began to sniffle, the surprise in her voice obvious. “Wait, you’re not mad with me for knocking you over and hurting you?”

“Of course I’m not mad. If I was mad with you, would I be giving you a chance to get on without knocking me over? Besides, you only knocked the wind out of me, you didn’t break a bone or anything.”

The squeal of joy that came from her lips was like a filly playing with her new favourite toy for the first time. Less than a second passed before she picked herself back up and climbed onto my back, taking liberty to slide up and hold me as close as she could.
With a happy little sigh, I began to explain. “I just figure there’s something special about you, and besides, you did let me have some fun last night didn’t you?”

With that she let out a joyous giggle that made me feel all warm and fuzzy. “Yeah, I did. Don’t think that I didn’t have my fun from that too though.”

“And then you went ahead and volunteered first for the effort to protect myself and the caravans when we leave Four Ridges without knowing the full details.” I refuted, reminding her that she wasn’t acting selfish. “Hey, I don’t even know the full details myself yet you still stepped forward.”

“That’s my job, silly.”

“Yeah, well, it’s good enough for me to let you have another ride. Hold on tight now, okay?”

It seemed as if she hadn’t needed that advice because even as I began to say it, I could feel the press of her neck against mine and her legs wrap around my chest and sides.
Spreading out my wings, I decided that going directly to Gummy perhaps wasn’t the only choice I had... there was some lovely scenic views across the way.
Giving her one last chance before we set off, I turned my face around just enough to see her content smile. “Anything you need to either grab or drop off at your place?”

For a moment she placed a hoof to her mouth and looked at the rifle on her back, thinking about the options. “We’ll be staying within the vicinity of Four Ridges, correct?”

“Yup.”

“Any plans to go close to the walls again?”

“Not after last time, no. You considering dropping off your rifle for the time being then?”

She gave a small nod and another smile at that, looking relieved even. “Yeah... take me back to my place so I can put my stuff down.”

Spreading my wings, I took off into the sky with Cherry holding on tight. Her home wasn’t far away from here, it would be an easy flight.
The way the wind carried me and the extra weight was simply beautiful, my wings skipping through the air as if there was nothing there.
Cherry seemed surprised that I found it so easy, which I only noticed when I saw her gasp from the corner of my eye. Still, when your special talent was flight you made sure to practice it a lot and become adept at as many different ways to fly as you could.
I was no exception.

Within moments we were at her place and already I felt the temptation to try my hoof at getting lucky again, but no. This time I had to be a gentlecolt and withhold my desires and restrict my temptations.
Cherry didn’t take long in sorting herself out, as quickly as she had made her way into her home she had seemingly came back out.

“All set now?” I asked with a smirk at the mare who now had nothing covering her sweet flanks. I managed to get a good look before she stopped blushing and pushed me over playfully.

“Now now, Mister. Yes I am all set, are you ready to take us to our destination?”
With a nod, I confirmed I was ready. She took no time in climbing onto my back at this point, snuggling back into my mane.
“You really have soft hair, don’t you?”

“Stable life, could say it makes softies of us all. Not that I really agree with that, but I know a strong mare like you would have something to argue that we are, no doubt.”

“Are.. you are calling me fat?” Cherry let out with a huff and pout across her face.

Shaking my head, I leaned forwards and gave her a small, soft kiss upon her cherry flavoured lips. It was still astounding that she actually tasted like her namesake, prompting me to go for another in which she returned the gesture and began to hold me in an embrace as she did.
It was a little surprising the way she held onto me as she kissed, but it made it feel more intense for me and so I wasn’t going to stop it.
She just blushed and looked away after it ended, a smile from ear to ear showing her gratitude.

“If I wanted to call you fat, I would’ve said that I couldn’t carry you while flying. No, what I am doing is calling you physically strong enough to show me whose boss. Ain’t no shame in it because plenty of ponies are stronger than me, that doesn’t matter though. Thing is, how many of them have wings? I’ve got my perks.”

“Mhm. Like being a sweet talker who goes around stealing the heart of any mare he wants to?”

I had to chuckle at that, causing her to giggle in kind. She had a point, I did take and break too many hearts, but she was wrong about one thing, I never tried to.
Shaking my head I motioned to my back once more. “Come on then, hop on. We’ll head for Gummy. If you’d like to, we could take a quick stop around the lakes as well, if you’d like.”

Cherry quickly mounted me once more before leaning into my ear. “The lakes? Ooooh, they’re supposed to be beautiful this time of year. Though aren’t you supposed to be going to Gummy, Opal and then Angel? You think you’re going to have enough time in one day for all of those?”

“Probably not,” I chuckled, breaking my speech. “but I don’t see how I’m going to be able to fly the whole journey in a single day anyway. If I wasn’t carrying you around I could possibly do it, but it’d still be a lot of work and I’d rather rest for a while than be flat out flying everywhere non stop. Besides, like you say, the lakes look just like you do on a day like today and I’m thinking I could maybe make the weather suit us just right.”

Cherry gave no response to that, not a verbal one at least. Instead I felt the press of her cheek against my neck and could tell she was blushing from the extreme heat coming from her touch. Letting out another smile, I knew I’d done well.

Flying along the Rolling Hills was an utterly serene experience with Cherry upon my back. I had always enjoyed the scenery in the area, from both on the ground and up in the sky; but the sounds of a truly bewondered mare who would have never seen the view from this perspective really made it something else.
The way she seemed absolutely in awe by the way the lakes shimmered from such a height really felt moving. I was giving the chance to show another pony the world I saw on a regular basis and it felt almost like an important moment, somehow.

“Crimson! Crimson! Take me down to the lakes, please!” Cherry begged, holding on tighter than before.

Nodding my head in agreement, I instinctively began to dive towards the ground, looking to pull off a manoeuvre to impress the stunning mare.
Before I could think about the risk of it all, I felt the weight on my back come loose and suddenly drop away, a flash of red and pink flying past my eyes.

With a scream, Cherry cried out my name before shrieking in terror at her sudden descent. “Crimson! Help!”

Pausing for a moment, my mind failed to process what had just happened as it all happened so fast. Before I could consciously react however, my body had already begun a full dive to save her. My wings pulled back to take up the smallest and fastest shape as I sped after the quickly falling mare, trying to reach her before she hit the ground.

Adrenaline flushed through my system and tense seconds passed as if they were minutes while Cherry fell further and further, speeding up as she did. A part of me in the back of my mind questioned what the hell I had just done and doubted my ability to save her, but I knew I had to push that aside.
My talent was flight! There was no way I could let her die and have it be my fault! I couldn’t let it happen!

Pushing harder and harder against the force of the air below me I could feel the resistance getting thicker as she tumbled down ever closer to the ground, mere seconds before she would hit.
Looking into her widened eyes as I reached her, I could see she had given up hope but not her fear.
Grasping her in my hooves I managed to pull up and save her from crashing into the ground, coming just short of landing as the grass moved as if a tornado had made it’s way through.

Slowing myself down as quickly as I could, I gently lowered Cherry down to the ground before letting out a heavy sigh of relief and breath of exhaustion.
My muscles ached from the sudden exertion, though the fact Cherry hadn’t died because of my stupidity more than made up for it.

Looking at the quietly sobbing mare as she shook in fright I tenderly put my hoof on her shoulder as I began to utter my apologies. “Cherry, I-”
As quickly as I started the sentence I found myself doubled over in pain as hit me in the stomach and threw me down to the ground, pressing a hoof to my throat.

“What the fuck were you thinking? Were you trying to get me killed?!”

I wanted to respond, I wanted to tell her that I was sorry and I hadn’t meant to do it; that I hadn’t thought about my actions and hadn’t considered the fact I wasn’t flying solo.
Instead, I found I couldn’t say a word even as she eased off from my neck. The pain was simply too much to fight through the sudden exhaustion.

She stared down at me, her eyes filled with anger. “Well?!”

Breathing heavily, a tear ran down my cheek as I shook my head slowly. “I...” I began coughing, finding it hard to control myself before finally being able to splutter out a word again. “Sorry.”

Cherry glared down at me before releasing her own tears and simply fell onto me, wrapping her hooves around my neck in a much more forgiving manner than they had previously been.

Taking in a few more deep breaths as the mare laid upon my chest, I finally managed to speak normally again as my body recovered. “I’m sorry Cherry, I really don’t know what I was thinking. I’m not used to flying with somepony on my back, not like this. I’ve had ponies on my back when I’m just going around the Stable but-”

At that moment there, she pressed her hoof against my lips and I took it as a sign to just be quiet. She seemed pleased by my compliance and rested her head next to mine, letting out a deep sigh along with one last sniffle.

“Crimson, you almost killed me. I don’t know what you were trying to do or what you were thinking and I don’t expect some rationalisation or answer to that. By doing what you would normally, you almost killed me.” At this point she took a pause, almost prompting me to apologise yet again. Just before I opened my mouth to speak however, she continued. “And then you saved me. Without hesitation, without consideration for your own safety, you did what you could to save me; and succeeded. Normally I would say that you owe me for the fact you put me in such danger in the first place... but then you saved me and you don’t even seem mad that I just cracked you in the stomach and threw you to the ground. Can... can you forgive me?”

Letting out a long sigh of my own, I wrapped my hooves around her and held her tight before leaning close and whispering in her ear. “You don’t need to ask anything. Will you forgive me instead?”

At that moment, she turned and looked at me before pressing her lips against mine in one long, slow kiss. “I do.”

“Cherry?” I finally muttered after a few minutes of simply laying where we were.

“Yeah?” She asked in return, her voice a little happier and a lot calmer now. The strain and worry of what had happened not long ago finally wearing off. Looking at her eyes, they no longer tensed and had wrinkles or worry in her face. She simply looked beautiful now.

“Wanna head over to the lake itself? There’s a few trees we can go sit over by and rest our hooves in the water, if you’d like.”

The look Cherry gave me as I said those words, the way she pouted and pushed her bottom lip out at me as she spoke was pure evil. “Do... do you think you could carry me there? And no flying above head height this time. I don’t want to be at any height where I’d be hurt if I fell off. Not again.”

Rolling my eyes, I couldn’t do anything but give in. She was just too cute and there was no way to deny a face like hers when she smiled the way she did.

“Sure, climb on. I’ll make sure I don’t go any higher than skimming the ground, okay?”

With that, Cherry looked away shyly. “Well, you could maybe...”

Raising an eyebrow at her, I interrupted her mid sentence. “Go a little higher?”

Without bothering to respond, she began sliding her hips over my back and settling herself in for the ride. She was a strange mare, a strange mare indeed. Had to love that about her though, that was for sure.

Reaching the lake hadn’t taken much effort, and now we were here it felt good to just relax at the edge of the water and rest our hooves in the tip of it all.
Cherry laid her head upon my chest and looked up to the sky, sighing as she had.

“You know, I can only imagine how beautiful it could be here if there wasn’t all those clouds all the time. It’s a shame to imagine that there’s something beyond those that I’ll never get to experience. I’ve seen the pictures in books and posters when I’ve been out of Four Ridges and way back in my school days, but of course the wasteland can’t give such a pleasure to us.”

Smirking as I looked at her, I let out a small cough before talking. “Well, uh... do you mind for a sec?”

“Do I mind what?” She asked in confusion.

“Moving your head off my chest so I can move.” I replied plainly.

At first she just looked at me with disgruntlement but after a few seconds of huffing and puffing, she gave in and allowed me to get up. Stretching my wings, I knew I had my work cut out for me but I also had a special little feeling in my wings and looking up at the clouds... it seemed right. I could do this, I told myself.

Jumping up in the air and beginning to take flight, Cherry let out a small whine but I ignored it. I had to have my head in the game if i was going to pull it off, and I didn’t want to mess up and make myself look like a fool.
Spinning around as I gained height, I looked at my target; the cloud layer. I knew that they wouldn’t be gone for long even if I pulled it off, but perhaps even a few seconds would be something worthwhile for her.

The beating of my wings grew heavy as I reached my target, but the way the clouds felt... yeah, they were ripe. Throwing my back legs out, the first one puffed into thin air and the cover thinned out ever so slightly. Almost immediately the clouds around it began to pour into the break, but spinning around the outsides began to clear what was forming and then some.
It was hard work fighting against the current, but flying faster and faster I could see the effort of my work thinning out and even breaking through the cloud cover entirely.

Looking up, the sun bore down on me, almost blindingly bright as I looked into its beauty. My job was almost complete, but I had to make the hole bigger.
Pressing my wings harder and kicking every cloud I could reach, the sky suddenly tore open in a torrent of power as I used my wings to fan away the remaining clouds for the small area that I had managed to affect.
I’d done it. I’d broken the cloud cover and the sun poured through down to where Cherry sat, making the water below glisten in all its glory.

Floating down back to the ground effortlessly, I could see the look of utter amazement on Cherry’s face. It hadn’t been much of a difference, but I gave her the sun.
Nosediving down towards her, I quickly came close to her before sliding effortlessly into the water and began to swim under the surface instead of landing on the ground.
Swimming back up to look at her, I playfully splashed her with my wing.

With a smile, I spoke to her. “There you a-AHHH!”
Suddenly I felt myself fall back down into the water and her face was less than an inch from my own, her smile across her whole face as she pulled me back onto dry land and slid her tongue alongside mine as I gasped for air.

“Crimson...” She whispered, an overwhelmed look in her eyes as she uttered my name. “I... I can’t believe you.”

Drawing my breath, I shrugged as I spoke. “What? I thought you’d appreciate it, I guess-”

“I do!” She shouted at me before nuzzling into my neck. “I can’t believe you’d just go and do that for me! The sun! The sun, as in, the real sun! I never thought I’d ever have a chance at really seeing the sun! I mean, sure we get what comes through the cloud layer... but.. Oh Celestia it’s so beautiful!”

“Just like you are.” I responded, to which she looked away with a furious blush.

Taking the chance, I pressed my hoof softly to her cheek to swing her gaze back to me before leaning in close and returning the kiss she had given me only moments before. Seconds passed feeling like minutes as we stayed locked in the embrace of intimacy, our tongues swirling around each other locked in a dance of passion.

The heat of the moment was tantalising and my body knew what we both wanted to happen. Breaking the kiss and opening my eyes to look into hers, I began to breathe heavily onto her neck purposefully in an attempt to tease her.

“Cherry” I muttered as I planted small kisses down towards her shoulder, making her moan softly in the most alluring of ways. “I want you...”

For a moment she bit her lip and looked at me with nothing but desire, but as soon as the moment had come it was seemingly gone as she looked over me and out into the distance, her smile slowly dissolving from passion to content. “Well, looks like you’ll have to wait a little longer. We’ve got company, two of them children.”

Turning around to see what she was on about, I saw them too. A group of ponies who had made their way over from the other side of the area had come over towards us, all staring up at the skies as the clouds slowly began to patch together once more, bleeding the last of the fresh sun away from us yet again.
With a little sigh, I leaned down towards Cherry and began to whisper into her ear with a playful tone. “Me, you, tonight. We’ll make up for this, if you’re still up for it.”

“Sounds like a plan to me!” She quickly replied followed by a light giggle. The smile on her face brightening my heart such as I had just done to the skies.
Something about this mare made me smile more than any other had managed before and I loved every second around her for it.

Letting go of that previous idea, the water suddenly began to look all the more tempting to dive into. Looking into the lake, the temptation was growing by the second. Slowly getting up, I stretched my legs and wings before yawning casually. Cherry peeked her head up at me as I stood on two legs and began to wrap my forehooves around her.

“What are you doing Crimson?” She asked with a sweet, curious voice.

With a grin, I knew what I had to do. Lifting her up slowly, I looked down on the now ever so slightly worried Cherry Sundae.

“W-what are you doing Crimson?” She muttered as I lifted her up higher off the ground, my evil smile betraying my intentions as she looked back down. “You better not drop me again. I swear to Celestia, if you drop me... please don’t drop me.”

“Drop you?” I asked inquisitively, trying my best to seem innocent. “Cherry my dear! I would never consider such a thing...”

“Liar.”

Pouting upon the sudden accusation, I let out a huff before giving her a kiss on the nose. “I promise I won’t drop you. As for dunking you however?”
Before she could react, I swooped down into the water, pulling us both under the clear blue body. For a second she seemed shocked as bubbles of air rushed from her mouth, but quickly natural reflexes took over and she loosened her grip of me and swam to the surface while I continued to stay submerged, gently tugging at her legs playfully before surfacing for air myself.

Looking at the soaked wet mare in front of me, I smiled as she scowled. “Crimson.”

Doing my best to give a smile only a small colt could actually pull off as I looked at her without a care, I nodded enthusiastically. “Yeah?”

“You are in so much trouble, Crimson!”

Cheekily I laughed, unable to control myself as I tried to speak. “No I’m not.”

“Yes you are!” Cherry quickly responded.

With a wink and a large smile, I teased her. “You’ll have you catch me first.”
Without a moments notice, I dived again, quickly using my natural advantage of wings to help push me through the water and make tiny little nips at the frustrated mare’s hooves as she tried to catch up with me.
Dashing around under the water, spontaneously coming up for air as I needed it, Cherry’s annoyance quickly became excitement as she realised we were playing a game of predator and prey.

“I’m so going to get you Crimson!” Cherry called out with glee, finally getting into the spirit of things.

“Oh?” I announced, dipping in and out of the water as I looked at her. “Think you can catch me then, do you? Go ahead, try your best.”

Ducking out of the way of her immediate attempt to grab me, I began to realise she wasn’t slow in the water. She wasn’t slow on land either, but I hadn’t expected her to be as agile as she was. Swiftly my wings swept through the water, giving me the extra push needed to evade her attempts at grabbing me.
Feeling the air in my lungs quickly run scarce however, I found myself with no option but to go up, gasping for air as I breached the water line.

Looking around as I tried to regain my breath, I noticed all the ponies had begun waving towards me and one of the children pointed with a smile as I floated on the surface. Letting out a smile of my own in return, I waved back at them and forgot all about the danger that lurked below... until she grabbed me and pulled me under, wrapping her hooves around my stomach and cuddling into me as we rose up to break the waterline once more.

Almost instantly an audible ‘awww’ came from the ponies around us as Cherry nuzzled into my neck, holding tight.
Brushing my hoof through her wet mane, I gave her a small kiss on the forehead as I pulled her to my chest and began floating on my back with the added stability of my outspread wings.
“Wanna go back to the shore and spend a little longer cuddling, relaxing and talking?” I whispered with a warm tone.

Cherry pulled her face away before looking at me with those beautiful rose coloured eyes, gently nodding. before going back to her embrace. “Yeah... sounds perfect.”

What felt like an eternity of bliss was spent laying in the hooves of Cherry Sundae, my hooves gently wrapped around her shoulders and down her chest where she held them tightly. Being with the beautiful mare like this brought back so many memories, bringing a smile to my face as I reminisced.

“What’s got you all perky?” Cherry cheerily asked, surprising me as I hadn’t expected her to notice, at least not so quickly.

“Oh... nothing really. Just memories is all.”

“Memories? Of what?”

Rolling my eyes with a smile, I took a gentle breath and began to explain to the tender, attentive mare. “Years ago back in the days of my father being alive, he’d take me and my mother here when we had the free time to really spend a day doing not a great deal.
He loved these lakes, he always had. Said that despite all the different places he’d been in all his time as both an Enclave soldier and then as a travelling merchant guard, that my mother was the most beautiful thing he had ever set his eyes on and that the lakes were the only thing that could come close.”

With a little pout, Cherry looked up with the sweetest, most adorable eyes that begged me to give her the answer she wanted to hear. “I... I know that you’ve only known me for a day... but...”

With her stammering I immediately pre-empted her question by leaning in close and sliding my lips to hers, her eyelids quickly fluttering closed after a moment of shock as she began to appreciate the gesture. For the longest moment our tongues touched and gently curved around one another before breaking off from the kiss.

As she looked into my eyes, I gazed back and gave a small, slow nod in return. “You aren’t just as beautiful as these lakes Cherry, you’re more beautiful. I have never seen a mare quite as stunning as you in my life and I don’t know how I’ve never seen you before. You put the lakes to shame, even with how much I adore everything about them, there’s just no way to deny beauty like yours.”

In response, Cherry nuzzled herself deeper into my neck. Her gentle breathing tickling the short hairs of my coat as she lay there, serenely enjoying the moment.
A peaceful, happy feeling began to overwhelm all my senses, eradicating all of my thoughts and worries about the present and sending me back into the past.

“Back when I was a child,” I slowly began to murmur, softly stroking Cherry’s mane as I did. “we would come out here when the days were nice. We’d occasionally get shipments of special foods from the Society, over in Hoofington. Things like oranges and if we were really lucky, assorted berries and cherries too.”

With that, Cherry Sundae let out a small giggle, interrupting the flow. “Oh, you so didn’t just mention cherries just because of me.”

“I mean it.” I muttered back, a grin on my face. “We did.”

“I know.” She whispered back. “I was named after the recipe that my mother used to woo my father.”

I giggled at that, in the nicest of ways though. “Yeah, us guys and our stomach’s. My father would always make me the happiest colt around by letting me have an orange or two. Sometimes he’d have mum slice them up with her magic before putting them in his mouth and playing around with them like they were his lips. I could never get enough of how silly he looked.”

“Yeah, bringing you breakfast in bed seemed to work a charm.” Cherry softly announced with a giggle.

“What can I say? I like to be taken care of, it’s the way I am.” Letting out a content sigh and a smile, I continued to mutter quietly to myself as I enjoyed the view. “Just the way I am.”
Looking out to the horizon in the direction of Gummy, I let out yet another sigh, this time in inefficacy as I thought about the task at hoof that still needed doing.
“Come on Cherry, we ought to go now. I’d love to stick around here all day and just relax, but we really should be heading off towards the next town. What’dya say?”

Slowly rolling off of me and stretching out her shoulders as she laid on her back, Cherry gave me a small smile. “Okay, you’re right. Thank you for this Crimson.”

“Thank you? What for?” I asked in curiosity, failing to understand. “I haven’t really done anything.”

“You haven’t done anything, huh? So showing me the sunshine, giving me a nice chance to relax while doing my job and giving me a chance to enjoy myself isn’t something worth thanking you for now?”

Shaking my head slowly, I answered without thinking. “Well, no. Not really. Once I’ve done something other than have some mutually enjoyed affection, then you can go ahead and thank me.”

“Well Crimson, I enjoyed it here. So thank you regardless.”

I just smiled and prepared for the journey ahead. Gummy wasn’t a far way to go now.

“Crimson?” Cherry casually began to ask as she leant down closer to my ears, ensuring I could hear her properly through the sound of the wind blasting past us.

“Yeah?” I responded nonchalantly as I continued to focus on the flight.

“Have you heard anything from Gummy about these markings on the walls? Something about them has always looked strangely familiar to me though I could never figure out why. Nopony seems to be able to really place their hoof on what they might be but I heard that Gummy’s research teams took interest in them recently because they didn’t have a lot else going on. Did you ever hear anything about that?”

“A little.” Casually nodding my head, I thought about what I had been told. “I mean, last time I knew they hadn’t quite figured out what they were meant to be as of yet, though they’re definitely pre-war. They also resonate some ambient energy, thought to be solar powered, though given the fact that there’s such heavy cloud cover these days, it’s a little hard to be certain if that’s the case or if the equipment they’ve got is simply old and malfunctioning. I’ve actually been asked to help them out at some point with it, but hadn’t gotten around to it yet.”

“Any reason why?” I heard her ask in a curious voice.

“Bureaucracy reasons, mostly. I have a job to do in the Stable that takes up a fair amount of my time, usually. When I’m not doing paperwork and dealing relations issues, I’m probably in private lessons with my mother or tutor dealing with leadership. When I’m not busy with those I’ll either be doing my regular rainfall job for Angel or relaxing somewhere, perhaps having a flying session if the weather isn’t too brisk.”

Taking a moment to pause, I then continued. “Then there’s the fact I was always warned by my dad not to break cloud cover too much or too often. We’re not below any cloud cities over here, but there’s still a risk of upsetting a farmer or an Enclave patrol if I mess around with their clouds... or so he said, anyway. Never came across any other pegasai but he was adamant that I should be careful about doing it. While he was mostly laid back about things, he always had a lot of worry in his voice and eyes when it came to that issue, so I always took him seriously and still do.”

“So, breaking the cloud cover for me earlier...”

“Was something I won’t do again today or even tomorrow.” I quickly interjected. “It’s something I’ll do when the clouds seem right, when the circumstance behind it doesn’t put me or anypony else in harms way. As much as we’d all love the sun to be out all the time, my dad was always apologising as he said the world above wasn’t ready for it yet.”

“Okay.” Cherry said in a flat, downtrodden tone. It made me feel bad to deny her the right to see the sun on a daily basis like the Enclave ponies knew but I had no choice in the matter. I was only a single pegasus and no matter who I was, that wouldn’t be enough to stop some big angry group of pegasai if I kept messing with their clouds too much too often.

Regardless of how the conversation made me feel however, the sight of Gummy quickly perked me back up as we reached closer to the township. In the distance we could see the silhouettes of the surprisingly tall post-war constructed buildings.
I was always left in awe of how they had managed to gather the materials required to successfully build such structures, but the fact they were patchwork pieces put together in any way at all, built entirely for purpose and practical use rather than aesthetics told everything that could be said about them. These were homes and labs used by ponies just as eccentric as their designs.

As we came to the border of the town, I began to recognise some of the ponies walking around. With smiles on their faces they waved to me and greeted me a good morning, happy to see me on such a fine day.
Could I really blame them? Of course not! I was always doing what I could to keep them occupied with tasks they’d enjoy while not demanding results in some unrealistic time span. I really enjoyed the friendly relationship I held with the ponies of Gummy. They were nice.

With Cherry by my side, we casually strolled on through into the town. Now the majority of the ponies were walking around while carrying important looking papers and some even with their experiments, but they all smiled when they saw me even if they hadn’t been so quick to show pleasantries such as bowing as the others had. That didn’t bother me, I didn’t need everypony to treat me like I was the second coming of Celestia or some sort.
Overmare’s son or not, I was still just a pony at the end of the day. Just a pony like any of them.

Sneaking up behind one of the ponies I recognised the most, I went ahead and gently blew on the back of Subtle Solutions’ ear to grab her attention, a firm grin on my face as Cherry sulked at my playful greeting.

“Who the hell...” The turquoise coloured mare began to mutter before turning around and seeing me before jumping back in surprise and then wrapping her hooves around my neck instinctively. “Oh! Crimson! It’s you! I’ve not seen you in so long it seems.”

We both laughed at that moment, equally large smiles on our faces. Letting out a small chuckle I nodded as the embrace ended. “Yeah, it has felt like it, hasn’t it? How are you? Keeping busy?”

“Well duh, of course I am. I’m part of the team actively working on researching the turrets.” She replied with a small, professional looking smile.

“Say what now?” I immediately blurted out.

Cherry looked at Subtle, then myself and then back to Subtle. A twinkle in her eye and the curling of her lips into a smile was something I hadn’t expected. “Did... you just say turrets? As in, automated turrets?”

“Yes.” Subtle quickly reaffirmed with a polite nod. “Myself, Head Researcher Lavender Lakes and Mayor Blossom are actually just about to meet up and discuss recent events involving them. Would you like to come along with me to the meeting? I’m sure neither of the other two would have any objections to you being present and I have no qualms myself.”

“If he goes to your meeting, I’m coming too.” Cherry quickly blurted, a small trace of defensiveness in the way she spoke. Looking at her with curiosity and inability to understand why she felt she needed to act like she was, Cherry instead gave me a pair of begging eyes in return.

Letting out a small sigh with a shake of my head, I had to find the humour in it. Mares were so finicky at times. “Of course you can. I haven’t brought you this far to simply abandon you so I can hear about this, even with as important as it could be for all I know. I’m sure the Mayor will have no issues with it and besides, I have the authority to allow you access to almost anything should I see fit.”

With a gracious nod, Subtle Solutions pointed toward which building the meeting was in. “Come on then you two, it’s in the main research building, top floor. Mayors office, of course. Not that I’d really need to tell you where that is, Crimson.”

Walking through the doors of the main office, it was a surprisingly calm setting, a complete polar opposite of the hustle and bustle of the exterior. A single unicorn buck sat at a desk, smiling at us as we walked on by.

“Need any directions, Crimson?” He asked as we passed him, causing me to pause and apologise for not going through formalities. Shaking my head, Subtle Solutions quickly informed him that we were with her and knew where we were headed.
Making our way through a stairwell and up two flights, we reached the top floor.
As we made our way down the hallway, I took a moment to look at all the notes on the walls about the projects they were working on and how each team was doing. It was reassuring to see such organised reports, even if it was left in organised chaos at the end of it.

Knocking on the door to the office of the Mayor, a peachy response came from the other side. “Come on in!” Mayor Blossom happily called out to us.
Opening up the door, the blonde maned white pony stood there with absolute joy upon seeing me on the other side. Within a split second, she had gone from sitting down to having her hooves wrapped tightly around my neck and her muzzle pressed against my own.
Her bouncy blonde hair brushed against my shoulder and tickled me with the curls as she held on tight, making me giggle from the sensation.

Wrapping my hooves around her in return, I warmly began to speak to my old friend. “Missed me much?”

“Of course!” She announced as she pulled away, though the smile on her face remained. “It feels like the last time I saw you was when you were just a colt who needed foalsitting. Gosh, how the time flies by.”

Raising an eyebrow at her, my smile grew wider. “Well it was only what, two, maybe three months ago I last came here? It wasn’t that long, really.”

“Two or three months is a long time to not see your auntie Blossom, Crimson. I always do love it when you come to visit.”

“I’m sorry, I’ll try visit you more. I’m just always stumped down with bureaucratic work and when I’m not, it’s things like making it rain over Angel and when I’m not busy with tha-”

With a press of her hoof to my lips, I took note to just finish the sentence there as she nodded towards me. “I understand, Crimson. Things are much the same here, what with the constant projects we try to keep ourselves busy with. Speaking of which...” With that, Mayor Blossom looked toward Cherry and smiled. “I suppose you’re here to hear about the turrets along the walls? Well, find a seat and make yourself comfortable.”

Without hesitation, Cherry walked over to the closest two seater before giving me eyes that could have put a rope around my neck and pulled me on closer. Not a second passed before I made my way over to where she sat, quickly scuttling up next to her and sliding my wing around us as she leant into me.
Looking at her with a smile, it felt natural to have her pressed against me like this but I still couldn’t figure out why. I wasn’t used to this feeling, a feeling of something different, but I liked it.

“So,” Mayor Blossom began, a much more serious tone of voice taking place of her previously chirpy one despite the fact her smile remained just as large as before. “we’ve made some serious advancements in our research of the mysterious markings along the walls. As you would have guessed by now, we’ve found out they are turrets.”

Mayor Blossom looked at both myself and Cherry for a moment before nodding her head and continuing, seemingly having paused to let it sink in. “We found out that they were turrets on a strangely weak day on the clouds recently. More sunlight than is usual managed to break through the cloud barrier and this must have activated some solar panels we were not aware of because all of a sudden, there was a mechanical sound arising from below one of my researchers. Unfortunately for him, he didn’t think to move away from the location and his stallionhood took a hit.”

His stallionhood took a hit from a rising turret?I cringed at the thought, that really didn’t sound pretty. “Is he okay?” I quickly began to ask in concern,

Subtle Solutions nodded towards me as she began to respond. “He’s fine. There were some profanities at the time, but thankfully no serious damage was done. In effect, the damage was only superficial at best with some short term pain but no lasting effects. Likewise, the turret was left undamaged from the incident and from what we can gather, it’s actually functional still. We’ve not seen it in action per ce, but it does turn around as if searching the perimeter.”

“Any idea where the source for its instructions come from?” Cherry quickly asked, a mixture of joy and worry in her voice. “Every turret operated automatically has a terminal based system somewhere, after all. Finding out which system controls it could be crucial to our survival. If it were to be operated by the wrong hooves...”

“Not yet,” The Mayor retorted with a hint of worry in her voice. “though our best guesses would place such a terminal either within the Stable or at one of the security checkpoints in Tank.”

Cherry put her hoof up to her chin in contemplation and began to let out a little ‘hmm’ as she considered what had just been said. “With my experience with turrets, they can be a very powerful friend or foe. Usually their command terminals have been placed as far back within any given area to reduce the risk of an intruder sneaking in and turning the targeting systems from friendly to hostile towards the occupants. However, there has been times when poor planning has put the controls near the entrance to the facility, meaning what was just mentioned can happen with ease. It’s an obvious security risk though at the same time it also means you could activate the turrets as soon as you see a threat coming. A trade off, speed in activation for risk of it being turned upon you.”

Looking in awe, I began to mouth the words ‘how do you?’

“My personal assessment of the security systems would thus be that although having the command systems within the Stable would be the most secure, that the Stable would also have its own, individual security systems that while quite possibly tied in with the primary defence network, would be able to work independently from those in such an event.” Cherry continued, a small whisper of a smile on her face. “Given the other security measures of the great wall being in place and the checkpoint over at Tank, the natural environmental formations of Four Ridges and how there’s only one way to enter by land without either some heavy fire-power breaking down a part of the wall prior to an invasion or other such means, allowing somepony to activate security measures while in said checkpoint without having to go all the way to the Stable to activate them, would be a smart move. Four Ridges is practically impenetrable to land forces if a properly armed and organised force is defending. Our only weakness is the lack of specialised air defence which would have made dragon attacks devastating but anything short of that and the air corps would have had it handled... back before the war came to an end, that is.”

With a triumphant smile, Cherry took a moment to catch her breath, looking proud of herself as the Mayor and Subtle Solutions nodded their heads in agreement.

“Sounds like that could and might very well would be the case to me, wouldn’t you agree Miss Solutions?” Mayor Blossom said with a smile.

Subtle Solutions simply agreed with elegance. “Quite.”

Meanwhile, I was left shocked, jaw hanging as I continued to stare at Cherry. I hadn’t expected her to come out with all that! How did she have the experience to know these things? I didn’t question her answer since it all made perfect sense and seemed quite reasonable, likely even, but it had really caught me off my hooves!

“Well, that concludes the meeting pretty much.” The Mayor stated. “We don’t know much more about the turrets, but we theorise that every marking like the one we saw rise into a turret... is another turret, obviously. We’re assuming that they’re solar powered given that it rose on a uniquely bright day for us when the clouds were thinner than usual and now thanks to this young mare...” Mayor Blossom paused for a moment, indicating over to my accomplice.

“Cherry, Mayor Blossom. Cherry Sundae.” She stated happily.

“Thanks to you, Cherry Sundae, we now have a theory on the control systems. We’re happy to accept such thoughts from an obviously experienced source on the matter, so unless proven otherwise, we will happily accept them and list you as an honorary researcher on the project. Thank you.”

With that, Cherry let out a small squeal of delight and shyness in some combined, overly cute display. I couldn’t help but giggle at how adorable it was as Subtle Solutions began to leave the room and the Mayor waved her out. Both of them were seemingly impressed with her knowledge, I knew I was.

“Oh, and by the way.” Mayor Blossom began to say as she turned back towards us before giving a wink. “You two make a cute couple.”

Cherry lost it right there. All of her cool, all of her composure, she lost it all.
Immediately she began to stutter and blush, looking at Blossom and then myself.
Before my very eyes however, she suddenly disappeared in a gentle wave of pink.

Falling off the chair in shock and horror, I began to stutter myself. “W-where did she just go? What just happened to Cherry?” My breathing became quick paced and light, my legs trembling in fright. She was there one minute and go-
Suddenly a calming sensation of a hoof pressed against my cheek overwhelmed my outburst of fear and a split second later, a pair of lips reached mine. Closing my eyes, I didn’t know what was happening but the way it reminded me of Cherry soothed me instantly.

“It’s okay, I’m right here.” She whispered into my ear softly. “I’m still here.”

Blossom looked utterly astounded, but seemed to handle it a lot better than I had. Taking a moment to think, she quietly pieced it together in her head and spoke to me. “Damn unicorns. She’s using magic, Crimson. If you look carefully, you can see a little shimmer in the air. If I’m not mistaken... she’s using an invisibility spell, but there was only one pony who ever learnt how to go fully invisible in the records and her breakthrough is what led to the creation of stealthbucks. Can’t say I understand how she’s doing this being a earth pony myself, of course.”

As I opened my eyes, Cherry’s face slowly began to reappear above mine, an invisible wall flickering away as she revealed herself. Her cheeks still bore the blushing she wore moments ago but her smile was a caring one now as she planted another kiss upon my lips.
Without thought, I threw my hooves around her and pulled her close to me, not wanting to let go.

“Don’t scare me like that again, please. You have no idea how scary it is to have a pony simply disappear from next to you with no explanation. I didn’t know what to think, what to say, what to do! I-”

Again, I found myself interrupted with a kiss and I let the moment flow through me, melting away all the worry and fright of what I’d just experienced. I suppose this would be a good way of repaying me for the near heart attack.

“Like I said,” Blossom announced. “cute couple. Now, there’s got to be some other reason you’re here, right? I highly doubt you came here simply on the off chance you could come to a meeting that you hadn’t even known about and with your job, I’m going to guess that something serious is happening.”

Looking at Mayor Blossom with respect that just couldn’t end, I gave her a small nod as I began to inform her of the situation we were now in. “Unfortunately so, and worse, it’s something very serious.”

Returning the glance with a now worried expression, Mayor Blossom let out a small whinny of apprehension of what I was about to say. “So, what is it? It’s either something to do with your mother or the Stable, otherwise there would no doubt have been some other method of communication. Your mother knows we love to use our communication technology whenever we have the chance, but I know she likes to keep serious matters kept personal.”

“You’re right,” I agreed. “it’s about the Stable.”

Piecing what little information she had together in her head, Blossom’s eyes shot from corner to corner as she hummed to herself in thought over the situation. “Something to do with the Stable? You need mechanics then, mechanical engineers? What could have gone wrong? Especially something important. Well, it couldn’t be to do with the door, otherwise you wouldn’t have been able to get out in the first place, but it has to be something serious because you have somepony from Tank with you and I know you’re not the type to simply take bodyguards for no reason.”

Gingerly putting my hoof forward, I touched her shoulder and broke her chain of thought so I could interrupt with the answer. When she turned to look at me with those big, blue eyes, I knew it wasn’t going to be easy. “The water talisman is fractured. We’re unsure of how long it’s going to last before it utterly breaks. Melony Love is doing her best to run tests on it as we speak and trying to figure out how long we have left before it becomes completely dysfunctional. After that, it’s only what remaining reserves we have left before the region begins to die of dehydration.”

Mayor Blossom’s jaw dropped in shock, her eyes widening as she took it all in, leaving me to continue. “I personally would like you to set aside a team to work on a water collector for the town. I haven’t spoken to my mother about that, but I don’t doubt that even for a second she would think that it’s a bad idea for you to build up reserves with what you can. Maybe you can collect the moisture in the air or something, that’s all clouds are, right? Moisture in the air? Thus, I don’t put it past you and your teams to be able to figure out a way to get some use out of the idea. As well as this, we need two other things from you.”

At this point, I gave pause, allowing her to collect herself. “And they would be?” She asked moments later, her composure quickly restoring itself.

“Well, we’re organising caravans to leave Four Ridges, go out into the wastes and try to find any and all technology to help us survive. Our main goal being to try find a new water talisman over all else, of course.”

“I see,” The Mayor replied, gently rubbing a hoof against her chin. “and what do you need Gummy ponies for in that, may I ask?”

Giving a small nod in appreciation to her protective nature over the ponies under her, I begun to explain what I had in mind. “Well most of all, Gummy’s residents know technology better than anypony else, generally. They would be able to look at old technology and have some clue as to if it has any worth at all, and how much worth it might be. Chances are that we’d all recognise a water talisman, but not everypony would recognise a pre-war machine for what it really and truly is, be whatever it may.”
Taking a moment to breathe and let the Mayor think about it, I swiftly continued. “As well as that, we may very well find that there’s a settlement who need something fixed, to which they might offer us reward of some kind. Having the technical minds of a Gummy resident with one per caravan group would grant us that.”

With little more than a moment of thought, Mayor Blossom looked to me and smiled before wrapping her forelegs around my neck and holding me tight. “Okay, you’ve got a good head on your shoulders and your plan is reasonable. I’ll speak to your mother tonight about specifics, but I’m okay with this. I’ll start heading to the Stable right now, make what I can of the day with her after official business and letting her know we’re in agreement to your plan. Stay safe, Crimson.”

Wrapping myself further in her embrace, I couldn’t help but smile whenever I was around Blossom. She was just too lovely and my memories too fond not to do so. “Yeah, stay safe yourself, Auntie Blossy.”

It wasn’t long after that we had made our way out of the office and back to our journey to prepare the region for the upcoming task ahead of it. We still had to go to the very last town, Opal, and inform them of what was happening.
Opal would be essential to the effort, their traders constantly practising their skills on one another and anypony that visited from other villages and even the outside.
I spent a lot of time over in Opal, checking that things were still going smoothly and making sure contracts with outside sources were always being upheld to the best of our ability.

Our ability to trade with the world around us was part of what kept our reputation so strong. What kept us in the graces of powers like Red Eye whom ran Fillydelphia. It may have been Angel who farmed the crops for trade with the previously mentioned group and Tank who supplied some caravan guards for the trips, but it was Opal’s traders who would set up the deals and negotiate the trade on individual levels.
Of course it was my mother who had initially instigated the offer with Red Eye and oversaw the deal at every stage with myself watching and learning how it was all done, but it was still the opal traders who would eventually make that last step and collect the reward for us in the end.

I liked going to Opal for that very reason. They were good with their tongues and it always gave me something to appreciate when I could find others just like myself who could put me to the test in my own skills.

“So...” Cherry began to blurt out, gently stroking my mane mindlessly. “Opal, huh?”

“Yes, Opal.” I began to reply, uncertainty filling my voice. “Why do you ask?”

“You got any plans for what you’re going to do here? Mind if I go off for a little while to catch up with some ponies that I know of around here?”

Turning my head to look at her as I gently glided across the landscape, I gave her a confused look. “Of... course? Cherry, I’m not going to stop you from doing your own thing just because we’ve reached our destination and I’m not going to simply fly away because you aren’t by my side, either.”

“Promise?” She asked with a small squeak, her hooves holding me gently now.

“Of course, I promise. When I say that I wouldn’t do that, I mean it. Besides, I’m going to want to do some shopping while we’re here anyway, so that’ll give you some time to do whatever you’d like while I’m speaking to the Mayor and checking out the stands. Meet back up in the centre once we’re both done?”

“Okay!” She let out with a burst of happiness, a smile back on her face. ...Mares.

As we began to approach Opal, it’s radiant shine made me feel a little more confident in the world we lived in yet again, knowing such beauty could exist.
The magnificent white marble structure that stood in the centre surrounded by the clean stone pavement was something that caught the eye of any visitor as they made their way into the town, even my own.

Smaller, just as clean buildings stood around it, but none quite stood to the majesty of the town hall where Mayor Glitter Mist lived and worked.
Pristine glass reflected what light managed to break through the clouds, generating a warm glow onto the town below while merchants filled the streets with their stands, all eager to sell their wares to the days buyers.
If it wasn’t for the fact that I was son of the Overmare and had such a comfortable place within the Stable, my life would have definitely been here in Opal.

Upon noticing that there was out of town traders on the outskirts of town, I decided that flying on in probably wasn’t the best of options. Ponies who weren’t from Four Ridges, or at least familiar with me seemed to be very wary and sometimes even hostile about seeing a pegasus simply flying around like there was nothing different in the world about it.
To me, it was the truth. There was nothing different about being a pegasus and flying around as I pleased, though now I was the only remaining pegasus in the whole settlement, I could only guess what it must be like outside of it.

Settling down onto the ground, Cherry began to audibly whine. “Awh! Why are we stopping here, I thought you were going to fly us through Opal. It must look so beautiful from above.”

“It is, as beautiful as you are even.” I quickly replied, a sincere smile on my face. “But even from here I can see there’s a Tank escort down in the town, which means-”

Before I could finish my sentence, Cherry interrupted me by letting out a sigh and finishing it for me. “Which means that there’s some traders who aren’t local to town or even Four Ridges. Yeah, I remember. They came yesterday, before you arrived. I know one of the bucks put on duty to escort them. I still don’t get why that means you won’t fly me over.”

Giving a small shrug as I landed, expecting her to climb off, I answered her rhetorical question. “Because as much as I love to show off, doing so has caused some trouble in the past with visitors who either weren’t so educated or were simply prejudiced against me. Some would simply say the wings made it seem like I was trying to be better than them while others would call me a traitor for not opening up the skies... as if I’m supposed to be able to do that, single hoovedly. Because yes, one pegasus can clear all the skies in ten seconds flat, right?”

“Fine... but I’m not getting off!” Cherry insisted.

Kinking my head to look at her, I gave her a huge grin and raised my eyebrow. “Oh, aren’t you now?”

“Nope.” She immediately replied, crossing her hooves.

Nodding my head at her before rolling my eyes, I agreed. “Okay, okay. You won’t be getting off... got you. Suppose tonight will be all about me then.”

“I... hey! I never... I... I didn’t mean it that way!” Cherry profusely announced, trying her hardest not to stutter. “You... you turned my words around!”

“Well you’re the one who said you weren’t getting off.” I quickly quipped before continuing. “And if our last experience was anything to go by, I seem to be good enough for you to do just that. So I don’t know what your plans are, but I’m going to enjoy myself either way.” I cheekily suggested with a grin, knowing I had won this round.

“I... fine, I’m not getting off... of you. Better?” The rosy coloured mare declared.
Now I was laughing. Was there nothing she could say that I wouldn’t be able to twist around to my own benefit? It didn’t seem like it right now.
“What’s so funny?” She demanded as I continued to snigger to myself.

“Oh, well, you see Cherry...” I began, trying to hold back my laughter even still. “If you don’t want to get off of me, I won’t stop you. You can ride me all night long if you so please.”
It took her a few moments to think about what I had just implied, and the second that she realised a loud squeak erupted from her lips, her muzzle quickly burying itself in my mane.

Slowly as she grew confidence, I began to felt a slight tingling sensation on my inner thigh. A brushing feeling began to encroach closer to my personal region, the fuzzy feeling of magic as it encapsulated my inner thigh and began to lightly stroke teasingly, sending my thoughts wild with lust as my walking became awkward.
Cherry just giggled with glee and a sense of control as I gasped, embarrassed that this was happening out in the open while glad that nopony else was around to see.
Another part of me just wanted to throw her off and fuck her senseless right now, but I knew better.

“Why?” I asked, letting out a small groan and a grunt alongside my question. It was hard to think straight, but I needed to know.

“To tease you. To remind you that I’ve got the power to do that to you. To keep you in line and to stop you from teasing me. You can carry on walking to town now, but don’t worry, you can have some revenge later tonight.”

Beginning to move forwards, I suddenly felt an even faster sensation threatening to make me gasp in pleasure before it stopped completely. Turning my head back to her, I scowled at the devil in disguise. “You are evil, fucking evil. You know that?”

With a giggle, she nodded. “And you’ll punish me later, I was just making sure of it.”

Damn right I would.

Walking into town wouldn’t have been an issue, nopony would have paid attention to us. Hell, even flying into town with Cherry upon my back would have been much less of a spectacle, despite it all.
Instead, Cherry continued to sit and ride me into the town as I casually walked in, her back straight upright contorted into some weird posture as if trying to reach her head as high up as she could in a bid to show the world her gigantic grin.
Ponies turned their heads and gawked at the pair of us as we made our way through to the centre, where all of the really interesting stuff always went on.

“What is she doing?” One mare whispered to another in a hushed voice, seemingly trying to hide the fact she was talking about us.

“Do you see that mare simply riding the Overmares son? I would have never imagined..” I heard another pair trail off in conversation as I did my best to ignore them, continuing our path all the same despite the gossip.

Finally, a pair of fillies came dashing up to us both and the pair of them hugged one of my forehooves each, smiles on their faces. “Wow, a pega-uh... pega... pegasus! Are you letting ponies have a ride for caps? Can we have a ride, can we? Please?”

Letting out a sigh and rolling my eyes, I snuggled their heads with a wing each before letting them down. “Sorry fillies, I’ve got places to be and things to buy. Maybe next time I’m around, hey?” With that came their collective whining, but right now I had to stand my ground. I didn’t have time for playing around... until their eyes bulged and tears welled up in the corners. “Oh okay, give my lovely Cherry a moment to climb off and you can get on. Free of charge, but only this once. ”

The small cheers that erupted from them were simply adorable as Cherry climbed off and helped the pair onto my back, smiling at the sight. “You’re good with foals, huh?”

“I try to be.” I simply stated, spreading my wings before gaining just a slight bit of altitude. I wasn’t that much off of the ground, barely even a few inches, but it was enough to excite the pair on my back.

“Yay!” “Go faster, hehe!” They giggled in unison, impressed by the experience.

Quickly somepony I didn’t recognise trotted over to us, a bemused look on their face as he looked at me with a furrowed brow. “Who in Equestria do you think you are? Where are you taking my daughters?!”

Stopping in my tracks, the two ponies quickly jumped off and grabbed onto who I now knew to be the fathers forelegs as he waved them at me with upset. “Daddy no! He’s friendly!”

With an extremely angry tone, the trader buck now began to almost shout at me while talking to the fillies. “Friendly? Not in the wasteland. He’s a pegasus! If it wasn’t for all of these gua-” I wasn’t sure what he was about to do, but judging from the attitude he was taking, I didn’t think I was going to like it.

Midway through his sentence, both Cherry and a rather large buck stepped in his way, both giving intimidating looks to the now worried trader as he stepped back and gulped in fear.

In a deep, imposing voice, the stallion spoke. “You utter a single threat against the Overmares son and we will be escorting you out of Four Ridges by force. If you dare pose a threat to his life or resist our efforts to eject you from our region, well... Cherry?”

With that, Cherry nodded and finished his sentence in a very stern, dominating voice that I hadn’t heard from her before. “We don’t take kindly to threats towards Four Ridges. Anypony or anything we deem a threat will be dealt with using necessary force. The pony you just spoke to, as mentioned, is the Overmares son. Your daughters asked to ride on his back, he gave in and said yes to make them happy. Considering he doesn’t tend to let ponies ride him like that, I’d say it was a gracious act of kindness. Apologise and if he can forgive you, so will we.“

As the pair stepped aside for the trader pony, I noticed he looked a little pale now. His shaking obvious to me, the realisation of what a serious mistake he’d just made dawning on him. Slowly he began to speak with a crackling in his voice, proving how earnest his sudden fear was. “I-I-I.. I’m so-sorry.”

Putting a hoof on his shoulder, I gave a small nod of acceptance as he began to stiffen up. “I forgive you. Just be a little more patient when you’re in Four Ridges, okay? I can tell you’re from the outside now, nopony is going to hurt your children.”
Looking at him with a smile, he began to loosen up as he gave a nod in return, the mood lightening. “Besides, you wouldn’t have known any better. Fact is you know who I am now, but that rule still applies for our citizens too. We take our safety very seriously and while we welcome outsiders, we make sure to give every trading party an escort for a reason. The last thing we want is somepony sneaking in and trying to cause havoc from within... not that our guards wouldn’t crack down on that quicker than you could know, but still.”

“Y-yes, of course.” The merchant quickly spluttered, lowering his eyes in what I assumed to be shame. “I’m just worried about them, my daughters. Everywhere we go we have to be careful, young fillies are worth a lot to the wrong ponies.”

“I understand. Now try to have a good day and spend some caps while you’re here. You’re in a safe place and nopony is going to hurt you unless you antagonise us, so relax. Lastly, try not to blame just any and every pegasai you see for the clouds, those of us who live down here really can’t do anything about it and it’ll only piss us off.”

With that said I began trotting off, Cherry quickly making her way to my side, rubbing flanks as we walked.
Waiting until everypony else was out of earshot, I turned my head to Cherry and licked her ear to grab her attention, startling her in the process.

“Who-what?!” She immediately blurted, her cheeks flushing as she turned to me. “What was that for?”

“I wanted your attention.” I mentioned with a little chuckle. “What was that back there, with you and that buck? You two know each other, don’t you?”

With a dismissive nod, she casually answered my question. “Yeah, we’re in the same group together. I don’t just mean being part of the Tank Mercenary Group, but we’re in the same squad. He was allocated to escort duty for that trader.”

For a moment there was a wrinkle around her eye as she smiled at me, making me question just how honest she was being. It was obvious that she knew him and I didn’t doubt that they were part of the same squad, but something just didn’t quite seem right. Nevertheless, I let it go. It was probably just me thinking about the silly things too much as I prepared myself to barter with the merchants, anyway.

With a small release of held breath, Cherry reignited my suspicion for a moment before she kissed my cheek and make me forget about it yet again. “I’m going to go head off, speak to a couple of ponies I know around here, okay? How long do you think you’ll take, or when do you want to meet back up?”

“You want an hour to have some time with whoever it is?” I suggested, nothing too much on my mind as I did.

“An hour should be fine. Plenty of time, even. See you in an hour then, Wingsy.”

Wingsy... I liked that, It was a cute name.

Trotting around the merchant stands, most of them hadn’t anything too special in stock. Plenty of them had food from Angel, some even having exotic pieces from the likes of the Society over in Hoofington, but food wasn’t something of an issue for me right now.
What I really needed was a small gift for Mayor Glitter Mist, and if I could find anything, perhaps even a small something for Cherry Sundae.

It was beyond me why I acted and felt so differently around her compared to all the other mares I’d been with before. Of course there was the lust of it all, she’s just so beautiful and I wanted her body badly. But then there was something about her that just made me relax yet worried at the same time, I felt nervous on the inside but acted confident on the outside. She was something different, and now I had to find something to give her to hopefully keep her around.

Browsing through the stands, I finally found one that had some kind of relevance to what I was after, for myself anyway. There wasn’t anything that I could really use as a gift, but I did spy a few very nice holsters for the pistol I had acquired not long ago.
Picking one up in my hooves and feeling its weight, it definitely felt natural to the touch.

While I studied how it felt when wrapping it around my hoof to be sure, the market pony greeted me. “Hey there, Crimson! Interested in one of my wares, are we? Didn’t take you to be the shooting type.”

Looking up at the smiling buck, I let out a modest smile. “Yeah, got myself a gun yesterday, looking for a holster so I can draw it out quickly, rather than having to use my saddlebags. Thinking I might need it in the future.”

“Planning to go somewhere outside of the Ridges?” He said as he cocked a smile and raised an eyebrow at me, knowing he was likely to get the sale.

“Yeah, something like that. Don’t mind if I pull out my pistol to check the compatibility, do you?”

The merchant let out a laugh and shook his head at me, a grand smile beaming outwards. “Of course not, Crimson. Maybe I’d be a little more wary if you were an outsider, but I can’t exactly say I’m scared of you robbing me at gunpoint what with who you are. Feel free.”

Slipping out my nine millimetre, I casually slotted it into the holster and pinned it over. Thankfully, it seemed to be a perfect fit first time, making me gleeful that I wouldn’t have to browse the whole set of wares to find the right one.
Pulling tight on the straps to ensure it would be suitable, I swung my hoof around just to be sure.

Not taking my eyes off from the holster, I began to ask the all important question. “Looks good to me, what’s the asking price?”

“Thirty five caps.”

“Thirty five? Seems a little steep for what’s essentially just some leather.” I countered, still not looking up at the buck as I played around with the item in question.

“Thirty five is the going rate, Crimson.”

Looking up at him, I gave him a very self assured smile. “I could get something like this for fifteen if I asked the right pony over in the Stable. What difference is there between yours and a custom made one for me?”

“Well as you can see,” The merchant gulped, trying not to stumble as we began to barter. “this piece is a genuine leather piece, one hundred percent tanned brahmin leather. With a brass buckle for extra strength, it’s the care taken into producing it that makes it cost so much, rather than the actual material costs.”

Giving a small nod, I was inclined to agree. “Okay, so you’re being honest with me. I appreciate that and I can appreciate you’ve spent your time in crafting this properly. The question still remains on price, though.”

“I can’t go any lower than thirty, it just takes so long to make.”

Again, he had a point. I wasn’t a fool and I knew that to get a custom made one would take at least two days even with all the materials readily at hand, perhaps a week without them. I didn’t much fancy having to wait that long either. Still, I knew there was a deal to be had here.

“So, what about...” I began to murmur, carefully eyeing the rest of his stock. “This piece here?”

“The back holster? Do you have a long gun to holster on your back?” He quickly replied, unsure of why I’d wanted it.

“Not yet, but it’ll be handy to have all the same. Might grab a longer gun from the Stable armoury or might buy one. Hell, might even find one on the road, you never know. I’d rather be prepared than simply left wanting. Better safe than sorry, right? Besides, looks like I’d be able to hang my helmet from one of the strands. So, how much?”

“Another thirty five. Sixty five total, if you’re going to be buying both.”

“Ten cap discount, hey? What about you push that down to fifty.” I responded quickly, pressing my assertive side to the offer.

The trader looked at me with a scrunched up face as he considered his option before quickly declining the offer. “Fifty? No. I won’t go that low. Sixty.”

“Fifty five.” I immediately responded, putting my hoof on his stall to provide emphasis.

For a moment the buck looked around, though after a few seconds he let out a sigh and nodded. “Fifty five caps it is. I should’ve known to raise the price a little higher to begin with.”

Letting out a laugh, I couldn’t have helped but agree. “You’re right, nopony is safe if bartering is involved. Damn I love a good deal.” Pulling out my caps, I placed them on the table and handed him a bag of fifty and then picked out five more. “Here you are, fifty five caps. Thanks for the pieces!”
Strapping both of the holsters on tight, I then proceeded to move on off towards the other stands, now looking for the gifts.

Finding a suitable gift for Mayor Glitter Mist wasn’t hard in the least. A single campanula with the extra of a small ribbon made out of another flowers petals provided to be a very fragile but fitting present and I could expect that it would look absolutely gorgeous either in a vase or tucked into her platinum mane, reminiscent of her beautiful lavender coat.
While buying the flower, an item from the stall next to the one I was at caught my eye.

Before me a necklace lay, a truly stunning piece that must have been from before the war, given it’s quality. Quickly paying for the former item and making my way over to the latter, I inspected its quality with much more depth as quickly as I could.
The chain consisted of real silver, delicately pieced together with absolute care when it was made. At the bottom of the loop a pendant sat, holding a perfectly polished jade stone centrepiece. The way it glistened was simply astounding and from that moment right there, I knew I had to have it.

“Interested in purchasing that piece are we? Something new, just in from one of the outsiders. Said he found it while scavenging in the nearby town of Coltshire. Quite the beauty, isn’t it?” A mare said to me, making me avert my eyes from the piece of jewellery.

“Absolutely. How much did you pay for it?”

“Fifty caps. Which means I won’t let it go for anything less than a minimum of sixty... and a favour.”

Arching my brow at the mare, I took a moment to take in the way her mane wrapped around her neck in a very stylish fashion. It hadn’t hit me before because I was so focused on the ornament that I had completely missed out on the fact that the Glitter Mist herself was attending the stand!
Her radiant coat looking pristine and her eyes had their usual make-up, a rare treat for many in the wasteland though something she often spent a fair sum of her own personal caps on, insisting that the mayor of a town centred around beauty and trade had to not only look the part, but also be the part itself.

“Sure, what is it?” I asked with a gigantic grin on my face, happy to see her.

“For one, I ask you to go to my home and put the kettle on for us both. I’d love to spend some time with you and catch up on all the things that have happened with you and your mother since we last had a chance to speak. The other thing?” At this point, she gave me a very sly grin and a little wink. “I want to hear about this mare who has caught your fancy. She must be impressive for you to be lauding over her enough to buy her such a gift as this.”

“Sixty caps and that?” I replied with a very happy tone.

“Sixty caps and that.” She confirmed with her soothing voice. I had no desire to try and bargain her down lower on such a purchase like this.
Quickly making the purchase and trying to avoid making any squeals of delight over it, the transaction was out of the way in seconds and I made my way over to her home quickly as I could to do as she had asked.

Sitting down with Mayor Glitter Mist, one cup of tea in my hooves while she held hers in her magic, the beauty of her home was simply charming to the very core. Taking a sip, I thought about the present I had for her.

“I have something for you.” I proudly mentioned. “Although you probably saw me buy it.”

With a gasp, the Mayor covered her smile elegantly with a hoof. “Oh, you do? I wasn’t aware, no.”

Gently reaching into my bag with a wing-tip, I skilfully slid out the campanula and passed it over to her. She smiled with delight before tucking it into her mane as I had expected she might and kissed me on the cheek in return. “Always such a sweetheart, darling. As much as I love your mother, I must say I won’t regret the day you step up, take charge and become Overstallion. Such a pony as yourself has all the right qualities and you only prove it time and time again, thank you.”

Letting out a little blush, I didn’t really know what to say. “Awh shucks, thanks Mayor.”

Biting her bottom lip and playfully swinging her hoof towards me, Glitter mist giggled. “Please Crimson, I’m always telling you this. Call me Miss Mist.”

“Okay, Miss Mist. Anyway, I’m glad you like your present. I knew I couldn’t simply stop by without giving you something in return for your hospitality.” With that, I took a deep breath as I prepared to admit why I was here. “Especially with what I have to tell you, unfortunately.”

Miss Mist spoke with an alluring tone, punctuating her sentence with a wink. “Oh, you think you have to apologise because you’re no longer a single, fine young stallion for a beautiful older mare like myself to tease?”

At that, I had to let out a small chuckle before taking another sip of my drink. “Oh, it’s not that. Besides, I know you just like to tease and get attention. Can’t say I really blame you with how I act myself, I’m definitely no better.”

“Some would say you’re worse.” The sultry mare added with a cheeky grin.

“Oh, I am. I am and I know it.” I finished, laughing along with it. “But seriously, there’s important matters to talk about.”

“Indeed there is! This mare, the one who you carried here. Who is she? I’m interested. It’s not at all like you to act like that, Crimson. Stories always have you so distanced from mares emotionally, but you seem to be showing signs of this time being the opposite.”

Blushing a little and looking down at my hooves, I thought about how I felt for Cherry before responding. “She’s... something different, that’s for sure. Cherry Sundae is her name. We only met yesterday and of course we did all the usual.”

“Uh huh,” Miss Mist casually interrupted, nodding away. “All of the usual as in, you two relaxed the best way to do so in the wasteland.”

I had to hand it to her, she wasn’t stupid in the least. “Yeah, that. Anyway, she’s beautiful beyond words but it’s not just that. I keep thinking to myself about how she’s different, how I want to be around her for more reasons than I understand. There’s something about her in the way she walks, talks and seems to think. She’s playful but can be serious within a second if needed. She’s friendly and caring, even if she does seem to need a little caring for herself.”

“Crimson!” Mayor Mist blurted out in sudden shock at what I’d just said. “I hope you aren’t instigating that needing somepony to take care of you isn’t a bad thing. Everypony has their little things that we need somepony else to help us with. Even your mother had your father, and has all of us.”

“Of course not.” I quickly added. “I just meant it as in it’s one of her qualities.”

“And one you should cherish. So, it sounds like you fancy her. Tell me Crimson, have you ever truly felt for a mare this way? Not just sexual desire, but desire to be around them, be the stallion they want to have with them?”
Thinking about it, I hadn’t. Shaking my head, she simply acknowledged that before she spoke once more. “Well, watch out in how you act. If you truly do feel something for this mare, the last thing you’ll want to do is upset her and push her away. Just be aware of that, okay?”

Smiling at the Mayor as she smiled back at me, I felt glad she had approached the topic. With each time I talked about Cherry to others or even with myself, I felt a little more sure of myself and began to understand my feelings just that tiny bit better. It was different for me, and I liked it.

“Now, you probably had something else in mind, didn’t you? What is it you’d like to talk about?”

And just like that, the mood swung from high to low for me. Taking a gulp of air and letting out a long sigh, I prepared myself to explain what was happening.
Thankfully the Mayor sat in understanding silence as I began to tell her everything about the water talisman, how Angel was going to do their best to cope for the time being, and how each other village had agreed to do their part for the effort to re-stabilise the region.

“And so you’re saying that you’d like some of the traders from here in Opal to accompany these groups in an effort to achieve the best possible trading positions with any settlement they come into contact with?” The Mayor asked, stern faced but friendly all the same.

“Yes, I am. Any possible help would be appreciated because the quicker we manage to sort things out for ourselves, the better. On top of that, the benefit for Opal itself could be massive, building trading links with settlements you may not have had links with prior to the expedition.”

Rubbing a hoof to her chin, Mayor Glitter Mist considered what options we had swiftly. “I see your point here. What about the usual trading taxes? Do they come into effect on this?”

“No, they will all be nullified by my authority for the good of Four Ridges. I want everypony on board with this and that means there will be no taxes on any trades made by the groups out doing this mission. All other trading will still be under taxation, but any organised trades through the caravans will be entirely going to you and Opal.”

“And what of any ‘accidents’, robberies or murders?” She promptly questioned, her tone becoming warmer with each question.

“All shall be reimbursed depending on specific details. We’ll have to organise with my mother over the exact reimbursement values, but I expect caps and land may come into play given the severity of the importance of this happening. Rest assured, we won’t simply tell you that your loss is meaningless just because the trip is for the greater good. What is the greater good worth if you’ve not achieved it through fairness towards those who had made it so?”

“Okay,” Mayor Mist began. “I accept your proposal and the terms which come with it. I will contact your mother as soon as is possible to freely do so. And may I ask once more how many caravans will be going upon this journey and where to? Just to remind me.”

“So far the plan is looking like three caravans; one to go to Tenpony, one to go to the Society and a third to head towards Coltshire. I personally will be overseeing the caravan to Coltshire.”

“Thank you. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got to find my three best willing ponies to fill the roles you ask. Stay safe, Crimson. And again, thank you for your present, it’s simply beautiful.”

Sliding my hooves around the unaware mare and returning the kiss she had planted upon my cheek earlier, I held the Mayor tight. “See you again when I next do, Miss Mist. Thanks for the advice and for accepting the task ahead. I really appreciate it. Now it’s time to find Cherry and head back to the Stable.”

Walking around Opal while the sky began to glow its orange hue as the night began to close was a sight beyond stunning. The way the walls and even the floor reflected what broke through the cloud cover and glowed a gentle, clean looking warmth simply filled my soul with glee.
This is what I would be fighting for, this is what I would be doing it all to protect. It wasn’t just Opal, mind you. It wasn’t any of the four towns alone, but Opal just showed it in such a light that none of the others could with how aesthetically beautiful it really was.
I was going to be doing this journey for the ponies that lived here, for the civility and safety that we represented.

The wasteland? The wasteland is a big hungry monster, always looking to turn out whatever lights it could - and we were a shining beacon of dignity and sophistication without pretentiousness.
And I had to play my role in its survival, no matter the cost.

Now that most of the stalls were closed, it was a lot easier to see everypony walking around. It wasn’t long before Cherry noticed me and trotted on closer with a happy smile on her face.
“Well well well, you did wait for me after all. I was worried you’d simply grow bored and fly off.” She murmured as she climbed onto my back. “And what’s this? Got yourself a few toys?”

And just like that, she had reminded me. “Climb back off for a moment.” I ordered, much to her displeasure. Despite her whining, I still insisted. “No, really. Climb off for a moment and close your eyes. I promise I won’t fly away.”

With a filly like voice, she questioned me. “Double promise?”

“Triple promise, now, please would you?”

With a sigh she did as I asked, giving me enough time to root through my saddlebag pluck out her new necklace with a wing. Holding it out for her, I grinned from ear to ear in anticipation. “You can open your eyes now.” I suggested.

At first she went silent, her eyes widening on sight of the necklace. Her bottom lip trembled and she lightly shook her head in shock and disbelief, traces of tears in her eyes. “N-n-n-n...” She began to stutter, making me feel horrible inside like I’d done something wrong.

“I... it’s a gift, for you.” I said sadly, my hopes of her enjoying it being crushed with each passing moment.

“Y-y-y...I-I... Why? You..? I? I don’t deserve this.” She stammered as she stared at the gift I had bought for her.

Trying to hold back my disappointed frown, I didn’t know what to do. I lowered my head in shame, I thought she’d have enjoyed it! It was beautiful! What had I done wrong?

Slowly pulling my head away, I quickly found it stopped by her magic before she forced me to look at her, tears dropping down her cheeks. “You bought me this? Why?” She asked.

“I... thought you’d like it.” I sombrely muttered, left with a completely bruised and deflated ego. I’d never had such a painful rejection before in my life as this moment here.

“Like it?” She asked as she tried to hold back her own tears before stroking my cheek with a hoof. “Crimson!” She shouted. “I... I love it! I just don’t understand why you...”

Looking up at her, I couldn’t believe it. Had she just...

Before I could think, her lips pressed against mine and our eyes both closed as she pulled me in closer and closer to her own body, the kiss not failing to remain the entire time.
Finally the kiss parted just enough for her to mumble her words as she stroked behind my ears. “You... you bought this for me. How could I not love something like this? I... I’ve never had somepony other than my parents do something quite like this for me before. I mean, we’ve only known each other for a day! I’m just overwhelmed is all. I don’t know why you’d-”

“Because I wanted you to see how special you are, Cherry.” I interrupted. “I mean it, I don’t know what it is but it has been going through my mind over and over about how you’re different, how you’re special, how you make me feel things that I’ve not experienced before and I’d really love you to stick around, so I figured I’d buy you a present to represent that and maybe win your favour.”

Cherry began kissing me yet again, this time only briefly before speaking again. “It’s beautiful and I adore it. You’re... you’re wonderful. I can’t believe it. I really can’t. Thank you Crimson. Now take us to the Stable, Tank is too long of a way from here and we won’t get there before sundown. You’ve not got any issues with me staying in your place for the night, do you? Return the favour and all?”

“Only as long as you don’t mind the possibility of the Stables’ head of maintenance coming into the room halfway through and joining in. Wouldn’t be the first time if she does do it.” I laughed, imagining the surreality of the idea. She hadn’t actually done that before, but it made for a good joke all the same.

Leaning into my ear as she climbed on my back, Cherry began talking in a sultry tone. “As long as I get to feel you inside of me and as long as I’m the one who feels your hot liquid love, I wouldn't stop her.”

Not knowing what to say to what I had just been told, I blushed. Cherry was an utter minx when she decided she wanted to be!

The flight to the Stable hadn’t been a harsh one. The winds were on my side and managed to take us pretty swiftly back home, though it still grew dark enough that Cherry was right about heading to Tank not being a wise option. Instead, my place within the Stable would be ample and in some respects, better.
There may not have been the light that would trickle through the windows like it had in the morning with her bedroom, but my bedroom had a larger, more comfortable bed and our options when it came to what to eat were a lot broader.

“Ever been inside the Stable?” I asked Cherry as we approached the main door, the great ‘58’ emblazoned on the front.

“A few times. Security detail duties, training programmes, once on one of the times where you had ‘open days’ when I was just a filly.” She replied cheerfully.
Looking around at her I could see the jade necklace hanging down and damn did it look good on her, the contrast of her red coat along such a strong green gem. Truly a magnificent sight.

Stepping down into the hallway, we made our way past the guards stationed at the entrance. While Cherry would have normally been screened and questioned, the mere presence of me being there coupled with the fact that she had been riding upon my back only moments before removed all doubt that she was allowed through. Some questioned the need for any security on the Stable, given the security from Tank Mercenary Group, but we still felt it prudent to keep our own security force trained and armed by our own source.

Making our way down the hallways, most of the ponies who would have been around during the day were now gone, returned to their own quarters as the day ended. They had their lives to live just like anypony else and sometimes even the Stable needed to sleep.
Of course we had shift rotations, but with possible maintenance crews from Gummy or simply waking critical staff from their sleep, it was only skeleton crews needed to keep the Stable running smoothly as night fell upon Equestria.
Before long, we’d made our way to my place to which I shared with mother.

Surprisingly she still sat upon the sofa, listening to the radio with a plate of apple snacks and grass sandwiches laid out on the table. “Well, he finally returns. How long has it been, Crimson? Does it really take a day and a half to-”
Upon turning her face to look at me, she laid eyes upon Cherry. “Oh.”

Cherry gave a small, squeamish hello, more of a squeak than actual words and I introduced the two. “Mum, this is Cherry Sundae. She’s from Tank and she’s been keeping me safe.” I paused, before turning to Cherry. “Cherry, this of course is my mother, Overmare Skies.”

“Charmed to meet you, Cherry. Please, call me either Grace or Graceful. I’m not one to worry about semantics of what the proper thing to do or say is, just as long as there’s respect behind it all.”

With a little smile, Cherry nodded. “Likewise. Say... you don’t mind if...”

Mother and I looked at her curiously as she backed up slightly, leading us to speak in unison. “Yes?”

“If I have something to eat? Do you?”

Without a word of warning, mother got up and nodded. “That plate was meant to be for Crimson. I hadn’t expected him to bring somepony home though, so I’ll have to get another for you.”

“But you can have it now,” I interrupted, despite my own grumbling stomach. “I’ll wait.”

“Are you sure?” Cherry asked in near shock, hungrily eyeing the plate of food before her. “I mean... I don’t want to impose.”

Letting out a small laugh, I stroked her mane softly. “Of course. Eat up, mother dearest will grab me some food because she loves me oh so very much,” And with that I turned to face my mum with the biggest beggars eyes I could muster before squeaking in a voice as if I was a colt again. “won’t you mother?”

Giving me a deadpan look, she held out for a few seconds before giving in. “Fine. Okay, back in a second.”

“Love you!” I quipped, a huge grin on my face as I made myself cosy next to Cherry as she ate. She was beginning to show a little more confidence now, which I really appreciated.
It was strange to see how she could go from being very confident and professional to a blubbering mess when I was around, but I found it cute. It made me feel powerful and as always, I liked that. I liked that a lot.

Moments later my mother came along with food and we all cuddled up on the sofa, talking about what had happened during the day. Mother explained that The Mayors had all contacted her one by one before we arrived, all the planning had already been finalised and ponies from Gummy and Opal were already on their way despite the time of day it would be by the time they arrived and Angel would be preparing the brahmin for travel in the morning.
Our estimated leaving time would be just at the start of mid-day, giving the ponies from Opal a chance to rest.

At that moment though, my mother looked at me with a raised eyebrow. “So Crimson, what’s this about you going too?”

This was it, the moment I had been dreading more than any other. Slowly I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, envisioning dad as I chose my words carefully. “I know you don’t like the idea of it. I know you’re likely afraid that I’ll be hurt or killed. I know you think that we’ve just organised these caravans with guards to do the job, but I’m not sitting out on this one.”

With crossed hooves, she continued to look at me expectantly, but still remained silent and allowed me to continue.

“When dad was around, he always said to me, ‘Crimson, the needs of the many’”

And with that, she interrupted me with a sigh. “Must always outweigh the needs of the few. Also that a greater cause built upon the backs of the ignorant, built upon the lies and deceit of those in power is not a greater cause at all, but a greater shame. I know. I just...”

“Worry about me?” I asked.

“Yes, I worry about you. All the time. You’re not the fighting build, you’re my Crimmy. You’re thin, you’re admittedly not the strongest, but you’re damn smart with words and you know how to play your charms. You’re not made for the darkness of the wasteland, you’re not a rugged explorer that’s experienced it all. You’re my child, my only child.”

“I know, I know. I love you and I understand where you’re coming from. I’m not a brawler, but I don’t need to be. Like you said, I’ve got the charm and the knowledge of what to say and how to say it. I’ll have Cherry and the other caravan guards to keep me safe. I’m not going out alone, I’ll be travelling with one of the groups.”

“I’ll still worry though.” My mother whined. “I don’t want you being hurt... but... you’re right.” And with that, she let out another sigh as wrapped my hooves around her and held her tight. “Look, do whatever you can to stay safe and whatever you feel necessary to get the water talisman, just, like I say, stay safe. Consider this your great journey, your test to prove your ability to be a leader. If you can manage this, you’ll have proven you can lead the community when your time comes despite whatever may come your way. Just... I love you.”

Wrapping her hooves around me just as tightly, Cherry let out an audible ‘aww’ as she watched us not break the embrace for over a minute. “I love you too, mum.” I whispered in her ear.

After some time, we all decided to retire to our quarters. I promised mum that I’d speak to her in the morning before I left, and Cherry came with me to my room. Upon opening up the door however, a sight I hadn’t really expected to see stared back at me.

“Melony! Augh! You’re wearing my armour again?” I cried out in frustration, knowing exactly what was about to happen.

“Yep!” Her booming voice called out, probably loud enough for everyone in the Stable to hear. “I heard you were back in the Stable and since you weren’t around yesterday for our scheduled fun and I really need that fun right now because my itch ain’t going t-!”

Slamming my hoof up against her muzzle as quickly as I could without hurting the damned mare, I shook my head before bringing my other hoof to cover my eyes as I spoke. “Helmet off. Right now.” I commanded.

Cherry stood there half afraid and half amused, not quite sure how to feel. “Ha.. ha... what the hell is going on here?” She muttered weakly.

“Melony is wearing my armour, to be precise, my goddesses damned Royal Canterlot Armour, to which the helmet has a special enchantment spell put on during the great war. Basically it makes the wearer’s voice extremely loud through some kind of megaphone type spell. It was handed out to the batponies of Luna's guard. My father found it while scavenging Canterlot back when he used to travel with merchants who wanted an extra guard. Melony Love here seems to think that wearing it is a sure-fire way of turning me on.”

With a cheeky grin, Cherry turned to Melony. “So, does it?”

“Oh yeah, it does alright!” Melony thoughtlessly blurted before remembering herself and taking it off. “Oops, sorry. Anyway, yeah. He loves ripping it off.”

“Because it was my dads armour! Not a toy!” I protested, but that seemed to go unnoticed by the pair.

“Well,” Cherry began. “Me and him have some unfinished business from earlier... I don’t know about you, but I’m going to be getting some tonight. You being here won’t stop me.”

Melony just stuck her tongue out at Cherry and grinned. “Oh, you think I’ve got an issue with mares? This tongue goes both ways, you know. Besides, he owes me a fuck, I’m collecting on it before he runs off on his journey.”

For a few seconds, I didn’t know what to say or do. The pair of them talking about me like that as if I wasn’t even there. Then suddenly, they both turned their heads to me and grinned. “Two on one?” Cherry suggested.

[Song: Wake Up - Coheed And Cambria Full Instrumental Exam Piece]

Laying in bed, a particularly fitting song began to play on the radio in an attempt to wake me up as gracefully as possible. Opening up my eyes, my mother stood at the side of the bed, a cheeky grin on her face as she rolled her eyes at me. “Oh Crimson... just like your father. Wake up dear, you've got a big day ahead of you.”

Groaning in displeasure, I began to shake my head. “Nuuu, it’s too early to wake.”

“Crimson, Cherry has already woken up and even made us all some breakfast. I tried to tell her it wasn’t necessary, but she said it was her duty to do so despite the fact she’s the visitor out of all of us. Now, you gonna get up and show some respect to the mare who is about to walk in and see me talking to you by waking up or are you going to slump in bed still?”

Thinking about it, staying in bed wasn’t really an option. If Cherry had gone to the effort of making me breakfast despite the fact it should have been the other way around this time, I would have no option but to do as mother superior said and get out of bed.

Climbing out, my mother smiled at me. “Good colt, even if you aren’t making her breakfast you can still make her feel appreciated.”

Nodding my head, I let Melony remain in my bed. Tucking her in for that little bit extra comfort and kissing her cheek as she slept. She may have used me like a tool for her own pleasure the night before, but she was still adorable and it really wasn’t anything I was against anyway.

Trotting out to the living room, I looked at Cherry who had obviously already taken the time to shower and clean herself before doing anything else. The way her still damp amaranth pink hair hung down against her carmine coat, swaying as she moved. With each and every passing second I was reminded with just how beautiful she was, although that was something I could hardly forget.

“I uhh... haven’t showered yet and you have.” I mentioned regretfully.

Cherry rolled her eyes at me, shaking her head before smiling. “Get some food down you and then you can go do that. I’ve been given permission by your mother to give you some of the special snacks your mother had hidden away, her treat for you before you leave.”

Looking at the pair in surprise, Cherry levitated a... my eyes widened in shock when I saw it. An orange! “You’re... you’re letting me have an orange?” I asked, quickly becoming excited.

Mum just giggled, taking in my excitement as I became like a foal again, holding out my hooves as if begging for the delightful fruit. “Yes, you can have an orange. I know they’re usually only for really special occasions, but seeing as you’re doing this, I would say that this is one of those occasions where we can celebrate with oranges.”

Pulling the pair of mares in with my wings, I rubbed my cheeks against them both before quickly digging into the succulent orange, the first one I’d had in quite some time. Oranges were a rare delight even for me because of how they had to come from the Society and cost a fair amount each time, so we made them last.
Cherry and my mother too each had an orange, much to my appreciation as having one to myself but not the others would have felt wrong.
Sweet juices rolled down my throat and a little bit dripped down my cheek, but I didn’t care. It was simply amazing and I licked it up once my mouth was free.

Rubbing my stomach happily, that was a meal to remember.

Fully showered, armoured up and holsters attached I looked over to Cherry. “Think I’m set now. Anything you need from here while we’re at the Stable?”

After having asked her that, Cherry gave me an inquisitive look, unsure of what to say. Instead of saying anything, I just took it as a ‘no’ and trotted on over to the armoury to collect more ammo for my pistol. Mother had spoken to the chief of security and they were willing to give me more rounds, six grenades and even some of their medical supplies, much to my surprise. Looking through the goods, I managed to find six healing potions, four bandages, a syringe of hydra and my favourite, a syringe of med-x... from that point on, I knew this was going to be a fun trip.

Making our way out of the Stable, my mother stood waiting at the exit. She was obviously holding back tears as she looked at me, but we both knew that this was necessary.
“Remember to stay safe, okay? I love you and I don’t know what I’d do if I lost you, Hunny.”

Wrapping my hooves around her one last time for however long it could be, I took the chance to really show her what she meant to me. “I know. I love you too.” I whispered in return. “Make sure things stay fine and dandy here for me, okay? Don’t wanna return to find the whole region is in chaos and my efforts have been for nothing, ha.” I quipped, almost refusing to let go for a few seconds as I didn’t entirely want to leave her.

“Come back soon.” She whined.

“I will.”

Now the stage was set. The day had come, the time was here. Travelling to Tank took us a little while longer while having to put up with the extra weight of my armour and waiting for Cherry to get everything sorted out with her home.
Slowly the groups arrived, one by one, as we stood by the great gate of Tank.
First the brahmin from Angel came, packed up with enough storage space for whatever any of the traders could want to load it with.
Soon after, the technicians from Gummy. Their work overalls covered in stains galore, they looked the part of a true wasteland mechanic team.
An hour later it was Opal’s traders who arrived, followed by carts of goods to be loaded onto the brahmin.
Finally, out of the blue in the final seconds of the merchants preparing their wares, the Tank Mercenary Group members came out of nowhere in perfect form and formation. Highly trained and disciplined soldiers trotting over to us, ready for whatever came.

Now, there was only one thing left to do before we left... my speech. Lifting on up into the air, I prepared for what was ahead of us. “Stallions, Mares, Brahmin. We’ve been called upon to provide a service to Four Ridges. A service unlike what many will ever be asked to do, a service that many would have never even considered that would be asked of you. I do not regret having to ask because I am proud that you all have volunteered to do this. What we stand here to do today is not for the sakes of ourselves nor even a few, but the many. This is far from some personal search for glory, this is an extremely important task that we have risen up and accepted out of honour and duty. Let it never be said that you have made no sacrifices, that you never did your parts. Today, we change the fate of this whole region and we either succeed and bring back prosperity to Four Ridges, or we fail and the whole world which we know burns around us. Let us not falter, let us not fail. We shall prevail!”

And with that, the gate opened... our journey began.

Footnote:
Level up!
Perk unlocked! Airline Pilot!
After much experience with carrying ponies on your back during flight, you’re even confident enough to do it while in full armour. Watch out though, stunts aren’t advised!

Footnote:
Cherry Sundae joined the party!
Tagged skills: Small Guns, Lockpick & Sneak.
S5 P8 E5 C4 I5 A6 L7

Footnote:
Cherry Sundae level up!
Perk unlocked! Active Camouflage!
While moving slowly, a magic spell you know can actively camouflage you to your surroundings! It can now also camouflage anyone touching your horn or face with perfect stillness!

Author's Notes:

So! It's taken me FOREVER but I've done it! Rewritten chapter two! Here it is. Half-way pre-read, but my pre-readers had to go do other stuff and I'm WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY too impatient for that, as you all know.
So enjoy!
I hope I've not killed any of the characters in the rewrite.
pls, no. pls.

Much love goes out to Kkat for writing the original and I also have to thank Somber for inspiring me to write in the first place.
Without those two, this wouldn't be a thing at all.
Dunno what else to say right now. I'm shocked I could reach over 10k views and I love you all? Because I do.
Thank you.

Chapter 3: Mercy comes cheap [reworked: 3/2/14]

With stepping through the large metal gate that protected Four Ridges from the outside world, we further strengthened our resolve in changing what would otherwise be the future for our friends, our families and our neighbours. Not only did Four Ridges depend on us all to do our best and come home with a new lifeline, but also did any other settlement that we traded food with for other commodities. Looking back as I continued down the softly winding path down the mountain, I could see members of the Tank Mercenary Group waving to us, wishing us all the best of luck as they continued to keep the region safe.

Down on the horizon I could already see the railway tracks where we would split up into our three different groups, A, B and C. Though we hadn’t decided where each group would go specifically, we knew the three destinations we were intent on heading towards.

Fillydelphia and Hoofington were the first two places, though Hoofington would likely take longer to reach than even Coltchester, which was the third location we had in mind.
Fillydelphia being a good place to ask due to ties with Red Eye, a pony with strong connections and capabilities himself. With news that such an important trade link having problems like we were, perhaps he would be generous enough to use some small stretch of his considerable resources to help - for a price, of course.

As for Hoofington, there was the Society. We never really had any firm connection nor trade links with them, though occasionally we would trade for all sorts of things. It was always a possibility that they would have some way of helping us. Maybe the news of another point of true civilisation needing help would be enough to move them, I hoped so.

Coltchester on the other hoof, was a complete mystery to me. Somepony from the Tank Mercenary Group mentioned it during the brief planning session we held while getting ready though I had no experience with it myself. Still, an option was always an option and since it was supposedly a city of many valuable items with lots of scavenging and trade chances, I wasn’t going to turn it down.

Just as I thought about who might go where, a gentle nudge threw me off course and made me shake my head as I perked back up to see the smiling face of Cherry Sundae who was now making a quick check of her SMG while she walked alongside me.

“Wakey wakey, sleepy head.” Cherry teased. “We’re out of Four Ridges now and even with the walls still within sight, this is no place to be dozing off or losing focus. If I’m going to be your bodyguard I’m not going to be having you trotting around unaware of your surroundings. Always treat your environment like there’s a potential hostile in the area.”

“I know, I know.” I responded with a smile in return. “I was just thinking of the three places we’re going to be going to, as a group anyway. I’m sure we can trust Red Eye to help us out in some way over at Fillydelphia, though what about the Society? What of Coltchester? Who’s going where?” I asked with a small amount of apprehension. I couldn’t quite say that I wasn’t nervous but I definitely wasn’t going to let it be the defining factor. Four Ridges needed me to be strong, needed me to be confident. I needed it for myself, even.

Sliding her gun into its holster, Cherry just continued to walk ahead of me without a worry. Goddesses did she look beautiful from just about any angle imaginable.
“Well, we can send whatever group is the least experienced in terms of combat to Fillydelphia. They’ll have Red Eye’s guards protecting them once they get close enough to the city anyway, so that will be easy for somepony like Pocket Change, since he’s one of the team leaders.

Upon hearing the comment, Pocket Change began to speak loud enough for us to hear as he approached. “You want me to go to Fillydelphia, huh young’un?” He asked in his Appleoosan accent. “Well, I’m fine with that. This old buck is used to that route and why I volunteered to do the leadership role for one of these caravans anyway. Spose I’ll be group A if I’m the first to be designated a location then?”

Nodding my head, I didn’t mind that idea. “Sure, you can be group A. You’ll head off to Fillydelphia to make contact with Red Eye. If he can help us, great, head back home with anything that you’ve got. If he can’t, Tenpony Tower should be the next stop. Whoever is going to the Society is going to be out of the way much further north so they’ll not be in any place to really go there. Fillydelphia and Tenpony aren’t that far apart however.”

“Makes sense.” Cherry added, to the silent approval of Pocket Change.

Looking around the group, I couldn’t quite remember who the other group leader was. Jumping into the air and scanning the others, I quickly picked him out of the small crowd however.
“Custard Tarts, right?” I called out to the blonde maned pony with a green band tied around his shoulder.

Almost instantly he looked up and nodded, an almost overly eager smile on his face. Still, there was nothing wrong with wanting to help out. “What’s up? You want me?”

Floating down to him for a more reasonably spoken conversation, I landed softly and began to walk beside the young stallion. “You’re the second group leader, right?”

“Damn right I am!” He announced with glee and a grin on his face. “I might be younger than some of the others out here, like old Pocket Change over there, but that doesn’t mean I lack experience. I’ve got more caravan leader notches under my hooves than most and my safety record is also damn high. I don’t risk my crew with stupid mistakes!”

Laughing a little, I shook my head. “Though you’re a little loud, aren’t ya bud?” I responded, not quite sure if he really was as safe as he thought he was or if that was just the excellent guards he always had accompany him.

“Just excited is all.” He countered. “I mean, I know the situation is dire and we’ve all got to do our best, but that’s the thing about it! We’ve all gotta do our best and prove that we’re the best! If my team manage to bring back a water talisman before anyone else, we’ll be recognised as the heroes we are! How can you not be excited over that concept?!”

Thinking about it, he did have a strong point there. Though a lot of it was duty for me, the sense of pride of helping my settlement, my region, my ponies through such a rough time was a very exciting prospect for me. This would be my test, my way to prove that I was a capable leader suited and fit for service to Four Ridges. The part about being a hero wasn’t quite what I was thinking about, but then I could definitely see why it would be an attraction for him.
At the end of the day, I was famous. I already had my recognition wherever I went within Four Ridges. For him, it was the chance for something new.

“Yeah, you’re right.” I simply agreed. “Just… don’t go too hard on your crew or yourself while trying to reach that goal, okay? Last thing we need is you pushing for glory and getting everypony killed in the process. Do what you can, do what you can handle, but don’t make unnecessary risks. Now, back to my original intent… Fillydelphia and Tenpony Tower are being covered by group A, which is run by Pocket Change. You’ll be leader of group B. Would you prefer to go to the Society up north in Hoofington or to Coltchester down south?”

Taking a moment to think about the question, Custard Tarts scrunched up his face before giving a reply. “Well, I’m going to go with the Society. I’ve been up that route a couple more times than Lemon Glaze, so chances are I’ll know the best ways around Hoofington. No disrespect to him, but Hoofington ain’t exactly a friendly location even at the best of times so an experienced leader is necessary. I know that Lemon Glaze hasn’t ever been further than Coltshire, but hey, that’s part of adventuring, right? Learning new stuff and stuff?”

Couldn’t argue with that. So it was. Group A would be led by Pocket Change and go to Fillydelphia before making a potential stop to Tenpony Tower if they were unsuccessful while group B would head straight to the Society in Hoofington and return no matter what the outcome. Group C would be heading off to Coltchester, which almost made sense and was definitely quite the coincidence.

With the end of that conversation, a voice called out to me. “Hey! You’re setting up the groups without me?!” Another stallion asked.

Nodding my head, I looked at Lemon Glaze. “Yeah, sorry, but you’ve lost out the chance on picking on where you’re heading to.” I confirmed without much emotion in my voice. “The old buck, Pocket Change, knows the routes around Fillydelphia and Tenpony Tower all too well. Custard Tarts here knows Hoofington better than you do apparently, so he’s leading the second group to the Society.”

“And me?” The pale yellow pony asked with a slightly disappointed look in his eyes. “Where am I going to go?”

“Coltchester, with us.” Cherry Sundae interrupted. “We’ll be heading off towards Coltchester through Coltshire. It’s not a location we’re very knowledgeable about but hey, there’s still a chance we’ll find what we need to out there. I know of an information and antiques dealer over in Coltshire so you’ll be travelling with us. Don’t know if that old buck will know anything that we can use but it’s still worth a shot.”

Looking at her inquisitively, I couldn’t believe she was ballsy enough to simply make such statements. First volunteer or not, that was quite the statement. Catching my look, she blushed as I opened my mouth to speak. “We, huh?”

“I-” She blurted

Laughing, I stopped her as she began to try to think what to say. “It’s fine, Cherry. Yeah, something about Coltchester does interest me. I mean, sure there’s the chance to go speak to Red Eye personally about the issue, but I doubt that’ll be necessary. And the danger of going around to the Hoof-”

“-Isn’t worth the risk.” Cherry added.

Again, I nodded. “Yeah. I know going into the darkness of the unknown is possibly just as dangerous, but then there’s also the chance that it’s the right place to go check. Besides, if I went to Tenpony Tower, mum would think I’m treating it like a personal holiday or something.”
Pausing for a second, I looked at the others and then back to Cherry. “So, you’ve never been to Coltchester either?” I asked.

“Nope. Heard of it plenty, heard the stories and I’ve protected trades with ponies who come from there though. It’s why I think we’ve got a chance.” Cherry looked out onto the horizon and then back to me, the whisper of a smile on her face. “Did you know that most of the PipBucks that we in the Tank Mercenary Group actually come from Coltchester? There’s an old army base out that way which was supposed to be pretty important back during the war. Lots of higher ranking officers with PipBucks that had internal broadcasters in. It’s even possible that yours is from there. I know we’ve got a lot of our weapons and a fair amount of ammo from traders who come from that direction too.”

Shaking my head, I gave a small smile back in return. “Sorry to burst your bubble, but my PipBuck was an original from the Stable. Perks of being the Overmare’s son and all. Though I wasn’t aware that so much of your stock comes from one place. Definitely interesting. You say you’ve protected traders from out that way?”

“As part of the Tank Mercenary Group, some of the tasks I’ve had to do are escort missions for trade caravans like these right now. Okay, so the importance of the trade wasn’t quite as much, but yeah. Whenever we’ve traded with anypony from Coltchester we’d meet in Coltshire and that’s where it would go down. The town has some light defences, a small wall surrounding it made of scrap and wood, though nothing that would actually stop a dedicated attack. More of a deterrent to prevent small time raiders really.”

Coughing in a fashion as to make himself in the spotlight again, Lemon Glaze spoke up once more while looking at Cherry. “So, if you can stop looking at him like a school-filly with a crush,” And with that, he turned his head to me. “and you can stop trying to act like the cool guy… does this mean that you’ll be accompanying me, you two?”

“Why, does it matter?” I asked, genuinely curious. “I mean, it’s not a problem if we do, is it? More hooves for searching at least.”

“No-no-no!” The now flustered pony blurted quickly. “I… I’m just hoping that…”

With a sigh, one of the other guards shook his head. Turning my attention to the dark navy blue pony I waited for whatever he had to say. Slowly he opened his mouth and spoke in a tone of voice that showed both experience and a touch of apathy. “Leave her alone, Glaze. You don’t need to worry about Cherry. I’ve been out on expeditions with her before and as soon as we’re done getting out of this little mountain path, she’ll show she’s worth two others.”

“If you’re sure?” Lemon Glaze asked, causing Cherry to look at him with a scrunched up face of disbelief.

Slowly the mysterious pony whose name I didn’t know turned to Cherry and nodded to himself. “Trust me, I am.”

Cherry smiled back at him and then moved up ahead, tugging me with her magic to walk alongside her as she took point for the convoy. It seemed a little strange that a mare with both a close range weapon and an extremely long range weapon would be taking point over somepony who had a rifle, but at the same time she did seem to be pretty confident in her abilities with the way she acted so who I was I to doubt her? She had managed to prove she could handle her rifle for even ranges below standard for its size, though if that was a lucky shot down to the fact she had the element of surprise on the raider or if it was just her ability I was yet to find out I supposed.

“You,” Cherry whispered into my ear. “are sticking with me. I’m protecting you so where I go, you go. Where you go, I go.”
With a little grin, she then turned to the rest of the others. “Everypony!” She called out. “We’re about done with the mountain pass now, though I have no doubt that you’re all familiar enough with the surroundings to know that. Still, that means it’s time to be a little more careful. These flatlands give us a pretty damn strong field of view but the woods are up ahead and we’ll be passing through them before we get to Curvetail Junction. Eyes and wits about you. Last thing we want is to have some kind of ambush be awaiting us the second we step through, be it wildlife or otherwise.”

“Wildlife?” I asked. “Never heard of any radigators hanging around the woods. What kind of wildlife could pose us a threat there?”

“Wolves.” Pocket Change nonchalantly answered. “They tend to stick away from groups as large as ours, though that’s because there’s not normally three brahmin travelling like this. Makes for quite the target I’d say. Maybe if they’re hungry… maybe.”

Cherry gave an appreciative look to the old stallion. “Exactly. Can never be too careful. With any luck the numbers will be enough to make them think twice but there’s always the chance that they’ve not been able to find enough prey in recent times and are getting desperate. Thankfully they’re only common wolves and not the timberwolves you might find up north and around New Oatleans. They’re even bigger and nastier, but they don’t like it this far south for some reason.”

Looking around at our surroundings, we were now officially out of Four Ridges’ safe zone. Technically anywhere not within the walls wasn’t classified as totally safe and even inside there was the occasional psycho who would manage to fool the entrance guards into thinking they weren’t going to cause trouble, but now the rocky mountainous environment had ended which meant that we were out of any potential cover. Looking at Cherry, she simply looked ahead with a serious composure and focus.

Looking to throw her off of her stride for fun, I casually floated on closer to Cherry until my muzzle practically touched her ear. “Cherry?” I whispered. “You’re beautiful.”

“Uh huh.” She simply responded with no tone in her voice, leaving me surprised. She was so responsive to my compliments before and now she didn’t seem to pay attention to me one bit!

Noticing I had fallen behind in my moment of confusion, I flew closer to her and spoke to her again. “Cherry, I really mean it. You’re stunningly beautiful. I just wanted you to know is all.”

Taking her eyes away from in front of us and over to me, she nodded. “I heard you and I appreciate it, I really do, but what happened between us was back in Four Ridges. Besides, we’re really not all that far from the woods now. It’ll be about fifteen minutes walking, sure, but that’s still not far away. We’ve got to be alert and ready for any threats.”

What what happened between us was back in Four Ridges? Seriously? Hearing her words hurt me in a way that I had never felt before, in a way I had never expected to ever feel.
Before me stood a mare who was more beautiful than any other I had ever seen, one who I had been with through the night only two days ago, and now she was turning me down?

Looking at me, she let out a small frown. Almost instantly she began to blurt out gibberish. “I- I don’t. I don’t mean…”

“It’s fine.” I muttered, lying to the both of us. It wasn’t fine for me, though who was I to say what was fine for her? “I… I just.”

“Look,” Cherry began. “I meant what I said about the woods. We’re really not far from entering it and things are a lot more dangerous when you can’t see potential threats around you. Simply using E.F.S isn’t effective because you can’t tell things like how high up any bars are, how deadly they are, exactly how far away they are and how likely they are to actually come and attack you rather than if they’re simply hostile or not. There’s plenty of wildlife which will attack if you come too close and that makes them show as a red bar, but there’s also wildlife which will stalk you before simply charging despite distance. I’d rather be focused is all.”

Still, that didn’t make me feel better. If anything, it made me want to press the matter more. Giving into my temptations, I did so. “What did you mean by ‘what happened between us was back in Four Ridges’ though? Does this mean you don’t want me around?”

Turning back to me, Cherry grasped my face in her magic and pulled it closer to hers. While looking straight into her eyes trying to figure out what was going through her mind, she leant in and kissed my cheek. “It means that what will be will be and back in Four Ridges, what was, was. I was horny, you were horny, I gave in and we had fun. But we’re not in Four Ridges now, we’re outside. Maybe things will be the same, maybe they won’t. But right now? Right now I’ve gotta look after you and that means I can’t let myself get distracted, okay?”

Looking at her straight eye to eye again, I really, really wanted to get her affection back. Giving her a small smile, I asked the all important question. “So there’s still a chance?”

“if you prove yourself.” She coolly stated before letting out a small content sigh and turning her head back to the woods ahead of us. “...Maybe.”

Swiftly approaching the woods, the sounds of critters began to become more and more obvious amongst the almost sickly looking trees. Seeing them up close like this made me wonder how they managed to survive and even thrive, if only in a small way. Although my radiation counter wasn’t ticking, I knew that there must have been some background trace for the flora given how they were so deeply connected into the ground, quite literally.

“We’ve got bars.” One pony said as he began to check his gun once more, preparing for a fight. “Can’t tell if they’re onto us or what, but they’re here. Be prepared.”

Without a word I heard the sound of Cherry’s straps being undone and her SMG pointed out ahead of her while her oversized rifle sat firmly on her back. This was no place for such a weapon and she obviously knew that. Not that I was in any place to tell her what was and wasn’t correct for her to do.
Turning to me, she looked me up and down before giving me a look between being disappointed and being worried with her scowl. “Your pistol? Might want to have it out right about now. We’re going to need everypony ready just in case, no exceptions. If you’ve got a weapon, be sure you’re ready to use it or give it to somepony who otherwise would.”

Nodding my head attently and quickly pulling it into my mouth, I made sure to keep the safety on however… for now. Turning my head to see all the others, they had done the same.

Treading carefully as we continued on our journey, we made our first steps into the woods. Around us was a lot of cover in the form of thick shrubbery and large rocks, with the sound of running water to further block out situational awareness. On both sides we could hear the inhabitants moving along with us, scurrying and stalking prey, none of which I hoped was us.

With her right hoof, Cherry gently tapped the ground twice and the other guards immediately stopped in their tracks, prompting the traders and myself to follow suit. In a whisper, she looked around as she spoke. “There’s definitely something following us, I’m sure of it. My E.F.S is telling me about ten signatures are keeping roughly in pace with us. Could just be some parasprites, sure, but they’d usually go in for the attack by now. I want three on the rear and two on each side to protect, the last one can stick with me up front. Crimson, you’re with me too.”

“And who do you think you are to give orders like that, huh?” One of the technicians asked in an abrasive manner. “You think just because you’re one of those trained over at Tank that you’re somehow better organised than somepony like myself who can run a whole machine shop by himself?”

Shooting the grey pony a look, Cherry glared at him with discontent. “Lack of cohesion is the biggest trouble for travelling groups like this. Just… just trust me okay? I don’t doubt that you’re organised bu-”

“But nothing! I’m hardly untrained in firearms. Been outside plenty while fixing up small towns’ essential machinery and managed to handle myself plenty fine against bandits who attacked at the same time. What makes you more qualified? Just because you’re a Merc’?”

Looking around, Cherry was starting to lose her confident edge. “Look, this isn’t the time. After we’re through we-”

“More excuses!” The grey pony barked, getting louder.

Now as Cherry looked flustered, infuriated and shamed, I was getting pissed. She had said before about not being all that with others and now I was starting to see what she meant, but I didn’t care if she couldn’t talk her way through every situation. There was something about her that made me want her more than almost anypony else, and now it was my time to step up.

Walking up to the insubordinate pony, I looked him straight in the eye and pressed a hoof firmly to his chest. “You want a reason to listen to her? Well, you’ve got one. As son of Overmare, I’m listening to her. I’m following her orders. If you don’t like it, I don’t know why you bothered signing up when you know the routine. Mercs’ get authority to control the security how they see fit and she’s doing a good job of it.” For a moment the pony began to babble, stepping back, trying to counter my point. Before he could however, I continued. “Don’t like it? Turn back now. Otherwise, deal with it. You can go on a different route to us two once we’re out of here if you like, but I won’t allow anypony to simply act like they’re bigger than the group effort. Even myself.”

The grey buck behind us simply stared down at the ground as I began walking to Cherry, which admittedly was only a few feet away and went back to looking forward as I continued taking point with the rosy maned mare.

“Y-you… you didn’t have to.” Cherry muttered with a small smile as she looked at me. “Why?”

Looking back at her with my own smile, I could see the appreciation on her face clear as day and it made me feel all too good. “Look, what I said? What you said? About cohesion and nopony being bigger than the effort? I mean it. None of us are bigger than what we’re trying to do here and that includes me. I’m not even anything more important than the rest of you if the mission can be done, despite my status.”

“Lies.” Cherry quickly responded. “You’re the son of the Overmare, of course you’re more important!”

“Not if we fail our mission I’m not.” I responded with a grim tone. “And in the end, that’s what matters most. So, if you give orders and they’re sound, I expect everypony else to follow them. I trust your abilities. Besides, you were the first to volunteer. Can’t have him disrespecting a mare as brave and wonderful as you.” With that last bit, I gave Cherry a wink and her face contorted into a little bit of a mixed smile and blush while trying to hide it all.

As Cherry went to say something, a sound in the undergrowth hidden by the bushes caught our attention and a large figure jumped out at me with no time to react!
“Wolves!” Somepony cried, though I hardly cared who right at this second as the vicious fucker snarled at me from above before smashing me into the ground.
Realising I still hadn’t been wearing my helmet because of the volume it produced when I spoke, I wasn’t sure if I was regretting it or if it would have just brought them closer sooner.

Still, the more pressing issue of a wolf atop of me dominated my thoughts as I kicked at it with my hind legs, causing the wolf to howl in anger as it tried to bite into my shoulder, thankfully protected by the rest of my armour.

Just as the wolf opened its large jaw and began to relocate its attack to my face, it cried out in agony as a series of thudding bullets swam through its body and pelted the floor to the side of us, followed by more gunfire from the group. A series of howls and snarls filled the air as the fighting began.

“Fuck! Fuck fuck fuck!” The grey pony from before screamed. “I can’t hit them, they’re moving too fast! I can’t even see them! They’re gonna get me!”

Getting picked up and my helmet quickly slid onto my head by Cherry’s magic, I smiled and nodded to her. Without a word, she nodded back, knowing what would happen if I spoke in her face with it on.
Turning to the closest enemy, I pulled my newly acquired pistol from its holster and aimed at the closest sign of movement, waiting for a clean line of fire.

“Come out, come out, little puppies!” I called, hoping that they’d oblige. I had no idea why they would actually listen to such a request, but hey, they attacked us first.

Once more I heard the sound of a disturbance in our surroundings, this time to my other side. Just as the sound stopped I jumped into the air, pressing off from the ground and hovering higher than the wolf could jump as he leapt for where I was previously standing, surprising the beast.

Aiming down at him, I fired another three shots but missed each time before Cherry corrected my mistake with her SMG, splattering blood from the wolf’s hind and making him squirrel away as quickly as his new limp would allow. Firing another two shots into the foliage he took cover in, I heard nothing to confirm any hit. Damn my aim was nothing like it was during standard target practice.

“Lead your target!” Somepony from the rear cried out as three wolves began to circle the rear, making the brahmin more nervous than normal. It was tempting to go back there and help them out, but then Cherry would be on her own up front and I couldn’t take that risk.

Just as Cherry looked to the side, another wolf ran straight at me from the front while I was momentarily distracted. “What is it with you fuckers and trying to get me!” I called out, annoyed of being a constant target. Before the wolf could go for the attack and try to rip my head apart, I did the smart thing and bit into his neck first.
With a yelp the wolf cried in surprise and tried to back off, but I had none of it. Biting harder, I tried to send the message that you don’t fuck with me - before rolling to the ground as another, larger wolf crashed into me.

“Get off of Crimson you fucking bastards!” Cherry cried out, pumping the rest of her bullets into the wolf I was biting into and scaring the shit out of me as I felt the shockwaves of each projectiles impact through the now quickly dying wolf that I continued to bite.

Hearing a spine piercing growl, I turned my head as Cherry’s face grew grim with worry, trying to work out how to go unarmed against an opponent whose fighting style was purely unarmed. Even worse, the beast was bigger than the others. Its coat darker, wounds covering it and bullet scars up its side. ‘Alpha male’ my head told me. This wasn’t going to go well for her. I had to do something.

Quickly she jumped out of the way as it lunged for her, leaving me feeling a sense of dread and as he missed, his head crashing into a tree and dazing him. At that moment, something inside of me clicked and the worry turned to a burning fire inside, a wave of instinct and adrenaline. Grabbing myself off of the floor and pistol to my mouth, I aimed at the beast as he turned to me. “Down. I commanded. Down the body fell, no more than a moment after I pulled the trigger and watched the top of its skull explode.

Whether I had gotten a lucky shot or if the pistol was truly that powerful every time, I wasn’t sure yet. Either way, it worked. Cherry looked astounded at me as I helped her off from the floor and threw myself into the air, taking my aim toward the other wolves that now paused, hesitant as they saw their pack leader now dead.

“It’s over,” Cherry called out. “the pack leader is dead, that usually makes them flee. Run! Run you foolish wolves! Run! Go!”

Turning to her, looking at that genuine expression of concern and compassion mixed with the look of a mare who wouldn’t accept defeat, I decided to double her orders.
“Turn back now, wolves. Run back to your home and don’t come back. Do not make another strike. Your leader is dead, don’t make us kill all of you!”

It made no sense to spare their lives, to me at least. These were wolves. Beasts. Creatures. Not even creatures that could be utilised like brahmin could. Still, the look in Cherry’s eyes and sincerity in her voice… while again, she wasn’t the most convincing pony that had ever lived, she had something that I wanted and if she wanted them to live, she’d no doubt have a reason.

For a moment, the wolves hesitated and stuck around a little longer, leaving me worried the fight would continue once more. However, as the seconds rolled by, they slowly began walking backward before turning and fleeing fully from their failed attack.
Looking around, it didn’t look as if any of us had been killed or even badly injured, though the grey pony who had mouthed off at Cherry earlier on was definitely shaken.
Going back down to the floor, I let out a sigh as the feeling of power washed away just as quickly as it had come along.

Pulling out the magazine from my pistol, I began to reload it with bullets as Cherry walked over to me slowly and took my helmet off and touching my shoulder. “You really didn’t have to do that you know?”

“Yeah, well, I wanted to make sure they got the message.” I muttered in response, more focused on making sure I didn’t drop a bullet; because damn would it be hard to find amongst this many dead leaves and twigs, despite the shiny nature.

“No, Crimson.” Cherry muttered meekly. “I… I mean. You could have shot them. Why didn’t you? You could have told the others to keep on shooting. You could have chased them. Yet you didn’t?”

Looking back into her eyes as she struggled to figure me out, I gave her my answer plain and simple. “You asked not to. Okay, you didn’t address it to me, but you implied it to the wolves. I know that leaving them around means a threat to future traders and I don’t quite understand your logic because of that, but I’m going to trust you on it. Still, now I mention it, mind explaining that logic?”

With a small kiss to my cheek and a quick hug, she smiled at me even more. Brownie points!
“Well, as weird as it sounds, the wolves are an essential part of the environment here. They keep the rest of the wildlife in check and actually do a small amount of protection for Four Ridges in their own right. Anypony who is genuinely intending to come to Four Ridges will travel with protection because of the threat of bandits, slavers and of course, wildlife. Anypony who just thinks they’ve heard of this place that they might be able to cause some trouble and get away with it though? Well, they’re more liable to be deterred from going through dangerous regions unless they’re with others. In which case, it’s a lot less likely that they’d be off the radar. Of course the wall protects us anyway, but it means we don’t get raiding parties that might score a lucky hit on an unsuspecting guard, or pony.”

“Such as with myself just two days ago, right?” I asked with a grin on my face.

“Mhm! Precisely the point. Anypony dedicated to reaching us will do. Besides, killing isn’t always the answer and if it can be stopped without causing more trouble, I’d prefer that.”

For a moment, we both went silent. I finished loading the magazine of my pistol and Cherry quickly did the same for her own weapon while the others tended to one another, congratulating everyone on the job well done in surviving the attack.
Looking at the body of the dead wolf, I was still surprised that my pistol had managed to do so much in just one hit. I had only expected the bullet to go into the head and hopefully shred the brain of the beast, not cause such a bloody mess.

Taking and distracting me from my moment of focus and thought, Cherry spoke with a firm tone of voice. “Your first kill, isn’t it? I can tell by the look in your eyes. I don’t know if you were ever prepared for this moment, but you aren’t acting squeamish about it. I didn’t expect that from you. It was almost like something inside of you took over, the way you walked up to it and shot it.”

“Yeah, it was.” I replied without thinking.

Tilting her head slightly to the side, I watched Cherry’s mane fall in front of her face before she used her magic to gently tuck it back behind her ear. “To the first, second or both points?” Her question provoking a moments thought from me as I considered the weight of it all and what I had just done.

“Both, I suppose. I mean, sure, it’s my first kill, but it’s not the first time I’ve ever dealt with death. This is, after all, Equestria. Can’t escape it.” For a moment I paused, but quickly continued. “Though you’re right. First kill by my own hoof. It’s a weird feeling.”

“And the way you felt when doing it?” Cherry asked with increasing curiosity.

“Felt like… I don’t know. It felt almost natural. All I really remember was that it was going for me and then it went for you. When I saw your face as you looked at it, something inside of me just…”

“Clicked?” Cherry interjected.

Giving a nod, I still found it weird. “Yeah. I just saw you and it clicked inside of me. I wasn’t going to let it hurt you. I wasn’t going to let it have a chance. I just knew what I had to do and I did it without thinking, without considering anything else. My sole intention was to save you at any cost and that was the way to do so.”

Cherry looked at me for a moment while giving me a small smile before turning her head to the body of the wolf that had just been killed. “You’re carrying this. You killed him, you’re carrying him out of the woods. Once we’re clear, we’ll make what we can of the corpse.”

Looking at her in disinterest, I wasn’t keen on that idea. “Uh, what? I have to drag that body around… why?”

“Because you killed it, it’s yours, thus you take the responsibility of it.” Cherry politely retorted. “Besides, wolf meat is quite tasty and it’ll put some fur on your chest to carry it.”

Looking down at the bloody mess, brains gradually slipping out of what remained of its skull, I picked it up and twisted it around to get as much blood and gore off the body. Hoisting it across my back I began to carry it while trying my best not to let any get onto my coat. That was the last thing I wanted to start the day with.

Once the guards had all organised themselves once more with reloading their guns and calming down the shaken technician, we continued to trek through the woods as if nothing had happened.
Cherry remained at the front and on point with her SMG, though she now had a much more relaxed posture, somehow. My best guess was that she viewed the wolves to be the only real threat we would face while travelling through this area, and given the now much fewer red bars on the E.F.S, I supposed she was right.

Casually another one of the guards strolled on closer, eyeing up my kill as he walked alongside me. “Hey there Crimson. Damn fine huntin’ you got there. Name’s Kingcakes. Don’t mind if I ask how you managed that one do ya?”

Looking at the Light blue pony as he shook his short yellow mane out of his eyes, I shrugged. “Sure, I guess. Nice to meet you Kingcakes. What got your interest about it?”

“Not trying to be rude, but you missed most of your other shots, yet you manage that? That’s no normal damage to be done. That was more of a trick shot if I do say so myself. You weren’t using S.A.T.S for it were you? Can’t imagine how you’d have missed all the others otherwise.”

Looking at him with a raised eyebrow, I was a little confused and made sure to convey my lack of understanding in my tone. “S.A.T.S? What the hell is that?”

For a moment, Kingcakes paused, jaw lowered before he smirked and caught up with me again. “S.A.T.S stands for Stable Assisted Targeting Spell, which is a combat spell worked into every PipBuck as a basic feature. It influences your ability to aim by working alongside your natural motor skills and perception. As an added bonus it also infuses your Eyes Forward Sparkle to your judgement so you have ability to tell who is friendly and who is hostile without having to stress out about checking your PipBuck manually in the middle of a firefight. Avoids friendly fire incidents.”

“How does that all work?” I asked. I already knew and understood Eyes Forward Sparkle, or E.F.S as it was usually referred to, but S.A.T.S sounded a lot more complex than simply being able to tell me if something or somepony was hostile to me.
Realising how stupid that almost sounded, I quickly added to my previous statement in a nonchalant way. “I mean, I get that it enhances my natural motions and coordination, but how do I trigger it? And end it?”

“It’s biometric,” Kingcakes simply answered. “Quite simply put, using unicorn magic and earth pony ingenuity, the designers found a way for any pony, unicorn or not, to cast the spell. Unicorns have a lot better time with learning the ropes with it, but even the rest of us learnt after the first time. The way I was taught was to think of it like this: you’ve gotta want to use it. Tell yourself in your head to ‘use S.A.T.S and target somepony’ and if you want to do it, something inside of you triggers it. The same goes for ending it, if the spell doesn’t run out first that is. Try it. ”

Taking focus on his words, I looked at Cherry keenly and thought about what it might be like to target her. Inside of my head something changed and suddenly I felt it. The feeling was somewhat similar to a sudden burst of adrenaline with my body making movements the very moment I wanted to make them and I could notice movements as they happened, able to react to them. Looking at Cherry, I could somehow tell she wouldn’t mean to do me any harm, just as Kingcakes mentioned. Looking at her ass, I had a good feeling that I could slap it from here but another part of me said that was a stupid idea.

Just as I had gone into it, I focused on wanting to end the spell and with that, it ended. The world resumed as it had before, no longer did I see how friendly Cherry was towards me even if it was otherwise obvious that she meant no harm to me. Nor did I have the feeling that slapping her ass would be so damn easy.

A few seconds later, Kingcakes nodded at me. “By now I suppose you’ve cancelled the spell. It’s good to know you can, isn’t it? To complete the spell, just go to shoot whatever you were going to and it’ll help you in the act.”

Looking at him before pointing with my eyes towards Cherry, I smirked. “So you’re saying it’s a good thing I didn’t listen to the impulses telling me to throw my hoof out?”

For a moment Kingcakes looked at me with wonder but then quickly sussed what I was hinting at. Bursting out into laughter, he agreed. “Yeah, I don’t think that would get you very far. Not a good idea at all.”

Turning her head to face us, Cherry looked at Kingcakes flatly. “Oh hah hah. Very funny. And you mister,” Cherry announced, pointing her head to me. “don’t think I didn’t hear that.” For a moment she paused, and then began to mutter under her breath. “I wouldn’t react badly. Hmph.”

“We heard that!” I said with a grin. much to her dismay. Instead of giving us further material to work with however, she simply went quiet. She definitely seemed like she could do with some lessons in being more confident about herself socially, that was for sure.

Turning my attention back to the stallion beside me, I gave him a small nudge. “So uh, what group you travelling with?”

“Group C heading for Coltchester. Same place as you.” Kingcakes replied coolly. “Is that a problem?”

“Problem?” I asked. “Of course not! You and me, Kingcakes. You and me look like we’re going to get along just fine. I’m glad there’s somepony else I can trust besides Cherry in the group.”

Kingcakes just smiled at me without a word, happy to hear my compliment. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Cherry grinning and looking a little flushed as always. Ah yes, this was going to be a damn good adventure.

Continuing through the woods, we came within eyesight of the end not too long after the incident with the wolves. Around us we could see the brush growing sparse as the trees opened outwards. Shards of light crackled through the leaves above, illuminating small spots with what little managed to break through the two blockades.

As with before, Cherry remained on point and was the first to break through the cover, with me barely hooves behind her as I continued to carry the large beast upon my back. It wasn’t an easy task, especially when the branches tugged at my ‘prize’, but I didn’t let go of it regardless.
Looking out into the wasteland ahead of us, there wasn’t a great deal to really focus on anyway. In the distance was a huge pony head, though. That was something that always caught my attention but I never had gone near it before.

“What’s caught your eye, Crimson?” Cherry asked keenly, a smile on her face. Looking into my eyes and then back to the landscape she perked up. “Oh! You’re interested in the Zardoz Industrial, huh?”

Looking at Cherry with a blank, confused expression on my face I spoke. “Zardoz Industrial? What the hell is that?”

“You’ll see when we go there,” She mentioned before letting out a small giggle. “if we’re allowed in, that is. Sometimes the ponies there are a little weird. We’ll see.”

As we progressed down the dirt path Cherry’s ears began to flicker, trying to pinpoint a sound. Focusing on her, I spoke quietly as to not completely disturb her. “What’s up? You hear something?”

“Somepony, I think.” She quickly replied in return before looking down and checking her E.F.S. “Looks like four signatures, all green bars. Still, can never be too careful. Friends can become enemies without much warning, if any, sometimes.”

Checking my own PipBuck, she was right. Four green bars that moved around slightly were ahead of us, just past the rock formation. How close they were I couldn’t tell for sure though. Though with Cherry picking up on hearing voices, I assumed close and in which case I guessed would mean that they weren’t moving. Worries about the potential of being bandits crossed my mind - friendly until refusal to pay a toll being a potential explanation for their indicated intentions, but nopony would be stupid enough to set up shop near something as large as Four Ridges… right?

Turning my head to Cherry, I began to voice my worry. “What if they’re bandits?”

Without hesitance, Cherry looked me straight in the eyes and spoke calmly. “Bandits can be reasoned with, raiders? Not so much. If they are bandits, they’ll know that the odds in fighting us are stupidly low unless they have some kind of heavy weaponry that turns the tide. Even then it’d mean having a minigun or something.”

“And how would we go about convincing them aside from a show of force?” I asked, cocking an eyebrow. As much as I thought she was beautiful and quirkily charming, she wasn’t charming enough to convince even that insubordinate engineer earlier on that following her lead was a good idea, let alone a bandit. I really didn’t know how she thought she’d talk her way through that.

Smiling at me, Cherry just poked my chest with a hoof. “You. You’re good with words, I know that well now. Besides, isn’t this what you’ve been training these last few years for? To be a leader, to be able to deal with situations like these? Negotiations and the like?”

For a heartbeat my mind worried about what if I couldn’t pull it off, but then confidence quickly washed over me and those thoughts went out the Stable door. Of course I could pull it off! I was Crimson Wings, son of Graceful Skies, and Cherry was right. I had been through countless hours of lessons to learn how to do exactly this and if I couldn’t do it now, I’d never be able to be the leader of Four RIdges. Sure, I had no experience with negotiations in the wastelands themselves, but I wouldn’t let that hamper me. There was a first time for everything, after all.

Nodding in my restored confidence, I agreed with the beautiful mares sentiment. “Gotya.”

Before either of us could continue, Kingcakes nudged my shoulder, breaking my focus. “So, Crimson. You had a look of worry in your face for a moment there. Worried you won’t be up to the task or something?”

“For a moment? Yeah. I know that since I’m a leader in the making I shouldn’t admit to weakness, but… I was just wondering what if its not like talking back at home. I mean, sure, I act as a mediator and negotiator a lot as it is, but I’ve never had to talk someone out of taking a life. Different stakes, ya know? Don’t worry though, it was only momentary.”

With a little, restrained laugh, Kingcakes shook his head. “Crimson, don’t worry about it. Even leaders need to accept that they’re only ponies at the end of the day. A little bit of humility and accepting when you need help is what makes a leader. It’s not weakness, its nature. Just don’t be worried about relying on others when you can’t do something yourself. Hell, it’s why we’re all out here, together, right?”

Thinking about his words of wisdom, he was right. My attitude wasn’t the right one to have, his was. Smiling back at him, I nodded as I responded. “Right.”

Walking around the rock formation as a group, we were immediately welcomed by the sight of several metal clad figures, though thankfully they weren’t turned to us at first. Cherry and the other guards immediately tensed up a little, though they didn’t raise their weapons just yet. Taking in a deep breath, I looked to Cherry. “Should I announce ourselves?”

“If you’re going to, best to do it now. They’re still showing as friendly but who knows. Still, we have long range support from the support crews if we absolutely need it. I’d recommend keeping the brahmin back behind the rock formation however, just in case we need to retreat quickly. Steel Rangers can be fickle about who they let pass and who they ‘stop’.”

Looking around behind us, one of the merchants just nodded and signalled for the others to turn around and find cover. Thankfully the rocks were large and meant that even the brahmin had full cover, but it wouldn’t protect them for long if the Steel Rangers weren’t feeling neighbourly.

Seeing as how far we were away from them, I decided it would be more prudent to wear my helmet and speak from afar rather than risk getting up close and personal. Cherry’s sniper would be more effective with the increased range and would certainly have a better chance at doing damage than her SMG if it came to the worst.

Unbuckling and sliding on my helmet from its holster, I prepared myself for whatever was about to follow. With that, I called out to the strangers. “Hello! Excuse me?!”

Immediately they turned around and took combat stances, though their bars didn’t change from green to red… all good so far.

Left with silence, I spoke again. “Hey there! Just wanted to make sure that we didn’t seem like we were trying to sneak up on you is all!”

With a moments pause, we heard one of them shout back in return. “State your business, wasters! Why are you wandering around here?! Give us an explanation or we’ll assume you’re just here to cause trouble!”

“Does passing by count as a good reason?” I asked in return. “We’re just travelling along with our caravans and spotted you off ahead, we wanted to be sure that you wouldn’t fire upon us!”

“Say that again?!” Another one of them called out, this one with a deeper voice than the other. “Actually, screw that. Come closer so we can talk properly. Pull any weapons and we’ll assume you’re aggressive!”

Turning my head to the other guards, I raised a hoof to see what they thought. One by one they each agreed that it would be in our best interests by this point and continued to keep their guard up but kept their weapons holstered.
Focusing back to the Steel Rangers, we began to walk towards them. As we came closer, we could begin to hear them better and stopped once we were within a reasonable talking distance.

“Where’s your caravans? You said you were travelling with caravans, which means you’re merchants, right?”

For a moment I hesitated, unsure if it was wise to remove my helmet. Shouting at them probably wasn’t a good idea, but then neither was being unprotected.
Deciding that my protection was more important than being quite so polite for the first few seconds, I spoke anyway. “Our caravans are behind the rocks over there. I told them to stay put in case you turn out to be hostile.”

Immediately one of the rangers began to tap his earpiece, visually put off by the volume of my voice. “Holy hell, fuck me sideways. Do you need to shout at us from that far, kid?”

Before I could respond, Kingcakes rectified the situation for us. “Its his helmet. Makes him speak like that whenever he’s wearing it. Can’t tell if its ego or enchantment, mind you.” And with that, the maya coloured stallion joked.

“Ahhh. I remember hearing about those things actually. Legend has it that some of the suits of armour worn by the old Luna Guard were meant to be enchanted to do just that. Never seen one first-hoof, mind you… but wait. If they were for the Luna Guard, doesn’t that mean…”
Without hesitation, that one Steel Ranger adopted a combat pose and readied himself for a fight. “Drop your weapons, Enclave soldier! You’ve only got this one chance!”

Spreading my wings and preparing to jump out of the way, I suddenly felt very Twitchy as my heart began to race and I readied myself to go into S.A.T.S if he dared to make one wrong move. Though I didn’t know if I could get my pistol out and aim it in time to be effective, it would be better than nothing. Before I resorted to violence however, I still wanted a much less bloody conclusion. “I am no member of the Enclave! I don’t know how you figure I am, but I can assure you I’m not. Regardless, it would be a fools decision to open fire as I can assure you, it would not be one any of us survive from.”

Immediately the third Steel Ranger jumped out ahead of the first, facing toward him. “You fucking idiot! Do you really think that looks like fucking Power Armour to you?! He’s no fucking Enclave soldier, learn some control. He’s probably just got it through scavenging or trade if he really is with a caravan. Besides, perhaps he can help us.”
As the first stepped back and kept his head down upon being scolded, the first let out a sigh before continuing. “If you don’t mind taking the helmet off, we’d greatly appreciate it. I can tell you’re not Enclave, otherwise why would you be travelling with this lot anyway? But besides that, I, we, have a favour to ask. I know it might seem odd and even unreasonable, but please hear us out.”

Now my whole body relaxed as I looked at them straight back in their visors. Taking a chance, I slid my helmet off, keeping it in my grip just in case. “Okay, there. Helmet off. I’m giving you a chance to prove that you can be reasonable. Now, what is it that you want.”

“First of all, I’d love to know how you’re a pegasus. Especially a pegasus with such… exotic... wings, shall I say. Second thing would be about how strong of a flier you are.”

“I’m a pegasus through my father being a pegasus and he’s a pegasus through being ex-Enclave himself. Before you ask, he left by sneaking down after seeing the truth during a war with the griffins. Wanted to do more and help out those who really needed it, not just a bunch of power hungry few in high standing. As for my flight? I’m an extremely capable flier. Why? Oh, and the wings? Medical condition. Doctors never quite understood where it came from since there was no record of it being in my mothers side of the family and my father didn’t have any strange pigment conditions, but they’ve told us that it isn’t something dangerous to my health, just aesthetic. I like ‘em.”

With that question, the pony in front of me chuckled at my last comment before he moved over and pointed to the previously overly aggressive ranger, who now looked as if they would’ve been flushed beyond hell and back if I could see their face. Their pose definitely spoke of embarrassment and their voice cemented that once they spoke. “Well… our friend…”

“Tell him…” The third commanded sternly, to the further visual embarrassment of the first.

“I accidentally knocked her down this hillside. Trouble is it’s a lot steeper than any of us had realised and even despite only being a scribe and thus not having heavy armour like ours on, its still too much for her to climb up from. We’ve been trying to figure out a way to get her out of there but so far the only option we’ve been able to decide upon is that we’d have to travel about three miles back where we came from earlier and we were already walking since before sunrise, so we’re not keen on spending yet more time out here than we have to.”

“And you want me to fly down there, pick her up and bring her back, I suppose?”

With a pitiful little sigh and a slow nod, the ranger responded. “Y-yes please.” I could tell they weren’t enjoying having to be polite, but now they were looking at the reality that they could either be in my debt or add half a day of effort into getting their friend back.

“Pounder isn’t used to saying please and thank you to non-rangers.” The second announced. “What he forgets is that we’re no longer Steel Rangers, but Applejack’s Rangers. We help out others now and we’ve actually just come back from Coltshire Town after letting them know about that, in fact. So yes, please. If you could go down there and get her back up here, we would greatly appreciate it and we’d owe you a huge favour.”

Cracking my joints, I simply nodded at them before looking down the hill with glee. Putting down the body of the wolf which I carried, I readied myself. “Watch out below!” Without any more warning, I slid down, enjoying the ride as I burst out into laughter during my increasingly quick descent. “Weeeeeeeee!”

While sliding down through the dirt, I suddenly realised just how far down the drop really was. For me it would have been no issue at all to jump out of, given my wings. For any other pony, it was no laughing matter. The steep incline of the ridge was another factor that completely threw away any chance of climbing out.

Reaching the bottom a second or two later, I began to look around but couldn’t see anypony. “Excuse me?” I asked aloud, hoping to catch the mares attention. “I’ve been sent down here to help you…”

Silence.

Dusting myself off and having another look around, I realised I would’ve seen her if she had simply walked off in either direction, the valley led straight, parallel to the road above. Looking closer at the environment as the dust from my descent began to settle, I noticed a large patch of rocks, large enough for somepony to hide behind. Guessing that’s where she must have gone, I walked on closer to it. “Hello? Miss Ranger? You here?”

Moving closer to it, I heard her. The poor mare sounded young and scared as she muttered to herself. Turning around the corner, I suddenly felt a pair of hooves hit my chest firmly, though my armour absorbed most of the force and simply had me step back in recoil.
Immediately I shouted at her, frustrated from the sudden and unexpected aggression. “Whoa there! Watch your fucking hooves!”

With a scared squeak, the pony in front of me curled into a ball and began to whinny. “P-please don’t hurt me! I have nothing of value!”

Looking down at her, I hadn’t realised just how young she was by her voice, but now I saw. She was barely even a mare, perhaps not even that. Reaching out with a hoof, I gestured to help her get off the floor. “I’m not here to hurt you.” I softly comforted her. “I’m here to get you out of here. I came across your friends and they asked me to do them a favour, so here I am. Come on, get up.”

“Y-you, what?” The shaken filly asked, wide eyed and almost in disbelief if her face was anything to go by. “Why?”

Unfurling my wings slowly and majestically, I gave her a small nod. “Because I’m a pegasus and getting you out of here will be a cinch. So, you want out of here the easy way or would you prefer to be walking a whole lot more?”

“I… suppose you’re right. You’re just going to fly me up to the top… to my friends?”

Shaking my head and letting out a sigh with a smile on my face, I then nodded at her. “Yes, that’s what they asked of me. Why would I do anything else? If I wanted to hurt you, I could do it anyway. I don’t want to however. I’ve got no reason, even with you having hit me.”

“I’m sorry.” The purple and white scribe apologetically started to say, quickly interrupted by me.

“Pfft, it’s fine. I understand you’re scared and for all I know, you’ve been down here a while. Some random pony comes down and of course you’re not going to know who they are, what they want or what they’re going to do to you. You just got lucky that you’ve got me is all, hey? Come on, climb up onto my back. And what’s your name, by the way? If I’m getting you out of here, it’d be nice just to know your name, right?”

“I’m scribe Sacrifice. May I ask your name?”

“Crimson Wings. So, scribe Sacrifice, huh? How’d you get a name like that?” I was really curious now. A nameless pony was one kind of mystery, but a name like Sacrifice?

“It’s a virtue name. My parents gave it to me hoping that one day, it might guide me
into understanding what life and duty is really about. Or, well, that’s what my mother tells me. I have a feeling its actually a reminder for herself, since she had to give up her chances for a promotion and even active service in the Steel Rangers once she was pregnant with me. A healthy foal is always protected within our own ranks.”

“Ahh, got’ya.” I simply replied, now nearing the top of the ridge. “Well, looks like we’re about there. I suppose you and your friends will be continuing your way home, right?”

With her meek sounding voice, scribe Sacrifice spoke to me, now sounding a little more confident than she had just moments before. “Yeah… say, Crimson?”

“Yeah?”

Taking a deep breath, the scribe prepared herself. “I… I owe you for this. We all do. It would have taken hours to get out of this. We wouldn’t have been able to return home in time and that would have worried my parents and the leadership back home… so… thank you. I don’t know if we’ll ever meet again, but if we do, I’ll remember this. I promise you.”

Looking her friends straight into the visors as we got over the edge, one nodded at us both and waited patiently while scribe Sacrifice clambered off from my back. Once she was off, he reached out a hoof and grabbed mine before shaking it in a friendly manner. “Thank you again, pegasus.”

“Crimson. His name is Crimson.” Scribe Sacrifice corrected.

Momentarily nodding at the filly, the Ranger turned his attention back to me. “Okay, Crimson. Thank you all the same. We all appreciate that you didn’t have to help and we weren’t the friendliest to begin with, but your security team filled us in on details. We don’t have any water talismans spare right now, though if we happen to find any, we’ll send a messenger over to Four Ridges, okay? Don’t think it’ll be free, but we’re Applejacks Rangers now, and that means we do what we can to help - especially those who have helped us. Stay safe, Crimson, and good luck on your travels. Now if you don’t mind excusing us, we’ve got the rest of our own journey to finish.”

Before I could respond, the Rangers turned around and began to escort scribe Sacrifice away. As she walked alongside the heavily armoured ponies who flanked her, she turned her head back to me and smiled. I simply waved as I watched them walk away.

“So, who was that, Crimson?” Cherry asked, her tone almost sounding as if she was judging me for some reason.

“Her name was scribe Sacrifice. I asked her about her name since it didn’t seem the most polite thing to just be thinking of her as ‘that filly who I was rescuing’, ya know? Why do you ask?”

Looking at me for a moment, Cherry was obviously trying to figure out if I was lying to her or not. A second later, she let go of her inquisitive stare and smiled at me before nudging me on the shoulder with a hoof. “No reason.”

No reason? No reason my ass. Looking at her straight in the eyes, I bit my lip and smiled at the beautiful red mare. “You’re not hiding something from me, are you, Cherry?” I asked with a grin. “I mean, that’s what you were essentially just asking me, isn’t it?”

“No!” Cherry immediately blurted, betraying any chance she had of me believing her. “I meant what I said. There’s no reason. I just didn’t think that... you would... so quickly throw yourself down the ridge for some pony who you didn’t know and had no idea if it was genuine or not. I mean, sure, they asked you, but you hardly put even a moments thought into it.”

“Uh huh. Because I’m totally not the type of stallion who would take a chance to flaunt his wings, right?” With that, I proved a point by spreading my wings out and gently caressing Cherry’s mane, making her blush as I did.

“Fine. Point taken. You like to show off.”

“Damn right I do!” I laughed, quickly followed by one of the other guards. Although I knew that bragging wasn’t something I should do, I couldn’t help but feel some silly pride over the fact that I was different to everyone else in that way. My wings were stunning to look at and I really didn’t want to hide that fact.

“Okay, okay. Well we’ve got to get back to the others, yeah? They might only be behind that rock, but we’ve still got to make our way to Curvetail Junction. That’s roughly a good day travel from here when going with brahmin. If it was just us, it wouldn’t be more than half a day’s march. So, unless you want to skip the wonders of Zardoz Industrial, I highly recommend we get moving ASAP.”

Scratching the back of my head, she was right. We had a task at hoof and wasting time like this would get us nowhere. “Yeah, you’re right. Let’s go then.” Waving over to the others as they watched from afar, I beckoned them closer. The caravan had to get a move on once more.

Looking ahead of us as we continued to walk down the road, we finally came close to the illusive Zardoz Industrial building that Cherry had been talking about earlier. I hadn’t realised just how far away it was beforehand, but now I appreciated the sheer size of what stood in front of us.
In the middle of a courtyard stood this tall stone head, surrounded by a small warehouse building that acted as a protective barrier of sorts.

From the windows, we saw figures of ponies moving around, though they were simply shadows in the distance with how far we still were from them. Thankfully, all of the E.F.S bars showed up as friendly, or neutral at the very least. I still felt a little wary about trusting something like E.F.S now I was outside of Four Ridges, but there really wasn’t any better alternative.

“Crimson, how much do you trust me?” Cherry asked out of the blue, causing me to look at her in confusion.

“What do you mean?” I asked politely, trying to make sense of why she would feel the need to ask something like that. What was she planning?

“Do you trust me? How much? Would you do as I asked if I told you to do something that seems dangerous? If I tell you its the only way, and that you’ll be fine? Will you do it?” Cherry Sundae asked.

Looking at her skeptically, I didn’t know what the hell Cherry was suddenly on about. Looking towards the building though, I began to think I could guess what it might’ve been. Quietly nodding at her, I awaited her next response.

“You’ve got to approach the building alone, Crimson.” Cherry stated. “I have already been there, so I am not allowed to go again. These are the rules of Zardoz. The ponies inside are tribals, but they will not harm you as long as you do not seek to harm them. They can practically sense if you are friendly or hostile and know who has been seen. Just mean them no harm and you will find reward.” For a moment Cherry just smiled at me, though as if remembering something she quickly added more to her sentence. “Oh! And don’t forget to bow and thank him!”

With worry, I let out a small sigh and accepted that this was the ultimate test of trust. Should I? I asked myself. Is this really a good idea?
Regardless of if it was a good idea or not, none of the others protested her encouragement for me to go towards the building alone, and so I trotted up to the front door.

Looking out from the window a pony wearing colourful garbs that were weaved together in strange ways stared down at me, rifle at the ready. “You!” He shouted at me before going quiet for a tense moment before stowing his gun away. “Come!”
With that, the door opened and led straight through to another open door. Not wanting to disobey his command for whatever repercussions it might bring upon me, I entered the dimly lit room.

The corridor off to the left inside the building was completely blocked off with old furniture and a pile of rubble, blocking off that route through the building. To my right, more tribal looking ponies stood, spears in hoof, though they didn’t posture as if to threaten me with them. Instead, they simply stood there, silently blocking the other route through the building and funnelling me through a hole in the wall, leading to the courtyard we had seen earlier - where the gigantic stone head stood.

All around the statue was tribals with spears and assault rifles, chanting about ‘Zardoz’ and ‘the gun’.
I had to admit, it was a rather unsettling sight that left me wondering what the hell was going on around me and making me worried as the thoughts of them turning hostile and taking aim at me came to mind. If this was a trap, I didn’t think there would be any chance of getting out. My life was now in the hooves of these tribals, tribals who seemed to revere this gigantic stone head of an extremely angry looking pony.

With a great loudness that disrupted my thoughts, a voice suddenly boomed from the head. “Zardoz speaks to you, his chosen ones! You have been raised up from brutality, to kill the brutals who multiply and are legion! To this end, Zardoz, your god, gives you the gift of the gun! The gun is good!”

As one the tribals cheered and chanted, danced and lunged their spears into the sky as if doing a ritual. ‘The gun! The gun!’ they cried, leaving me utterly bewildered.
Before I could react to just how strange, immense and just how quickly it had all happened, something even weirder happened even still. Just as the stone head who I now accepted to be Zardoz finished speaking, a gun came flying from its mouth and landed into a reasonably sized bag along with it.
Looking at the gun, I quickly recognised it to be a shotgun and opening up the bag, I saw a plethora of shotgun shells to go along with it.

Stepping towards me as I looked at both the gun and the ammo with astonishment, a large, deeply voiced tribal spoke to me. “For you. The gun. The gun is good!”

Picking up the gun and finding a good place to hold it between my saddlebag straps and armour, I quickly moved to taking the ammunition from the bag and slid it into my own.
Looking at the tribal pony, I gave him a smile and bowed my head before turning to Zardoz, remembering Cherry’s words of advice. “Thank you, Zardoz. The gun is good.”

For a moment I waited, wondering what in Equestria had just happened as I tried to take it all in. As I turned around, Zardoz spoke once more. “Go forth and kill!”

Stifling a laugh, I turned my head and looked at the statue one last time. “Thank you again. Don’t worry, I’ll do you proud should the necessity arise.”

Carefully making my way out as respectfully as I could as I passed the tribal ponies, they all continued to cheer and dance. ‘The gun! The gun! The gun is good!’.
As I walked out of the building, I saw the surprised looks on the faces of most the guards. Cherry and Kingcakes were the only two who hadn’t looked at me strangely, obviously either impressed or understanding of what had just occurred.

As I approached, Cherry smiled. “Zardoz shouts quite loudly. Seems you were accepted. I wondered if you might be. Didn’t have to charm them or something did you?”

“Cherry,” I began, looking at her blankly as I still desperately tried to make sense of the situation that had just gone down. “I don’t even know what I just did. All I know is I got a free gun.”

“Zardoz only does it for a select few, ya know.” Kingcakes added, smiling at me. “Though nopony knows for sure who he chooses or why. Only that he does. Some ponies just have something that clicks with Zardoz.”

“He’s right, Crimson. Me and Kingcakes are the only two of us in this caravan who had been accepted by Zardoz before you. Very few of the entirety of the Tank Mercenary Group have been accepted, actually. There’s something special about you.” Cherry stated before winking at me. “...Not that I didn’t know that already, of course.”

Walking down the dirt trail that took us to our ultimate destination, time seemed to be meaningless as the day went on. A few times I had a casual conversation with Cherry Sundae about life out in the wasteland, but between the carcass on my back and her being so busy looking out for dangers that might lie ahead, there was little other than the usual flirting and talk of what we might encounter.

As the hours rolled on by, everything felt like it had begun to mix together, much like the days when nothing interesting happened while doing my normal job. Letting out a sigh, it really was boring. Sure, the encounters with the wolves, the rangers and the tribals of Zardoz had made the start of the day all extremely weird and wonderful in a weird way, but travelling like this just felt as if it went on forever.
I was a stallion of speed and relaxation, not one of mundaneness!

Suddenly as if to answer my prayers in the worst of ways, one of the mares gasped and froze in her tracks. “N-no… no… th- this…” She uttered.

As one we turned to face her, curious as to what had happened. “What’s wrong? Washer? What’s up?”

‘Washer’, for lack of a better name since I didn’t know her myself, simply looked up at us with tears slowly beginning to fall to the ground. “My… my brothers. They’re…”

“They’re… what? They’re over in Friendship City aren’t they? I recall Mayor Blossom sending them over there as part of a specialist repair job a week ago, didn’t she? What’s the issue? They were being escorted by a pair of Mercs so they’re safe, right? They should be coming back any day now.”

With a shake of her head, ‘Washer’ cried even more and hid her head in her hooves as she collapsed to the floor. “No.” She whined, leaving the rest of us unsure of what she was on about. “They’re dead!”

“What!? How would you know?” One of the guards said in a shocked tone, looking worried. “There’s no way that they’d have been ambushed, we’re all trained in avoiding those and besides, Red Eye keeps our travel routes as safe as possible!”

Without a word, the pale green pony simply pulled her earbud connector out from the PipBuck and let the sound carry clear across us all. In a serious, sombre voice, a very sad sounding mare spoke. “-kced with no confirmed survivors. Once again, I repeat. News has gotten to me that Friendship City has been attacked with no confirmed survivors as of yet. Eyewitnesses who passed on this news claimed that great hulking metal structures came from above the clouds and floated upon a bed of clouds themselves - soon to attack both themselves and the city below. Some Steel Rangers claimed this was the work of the Enclave, though we have yet to receive confirmation. Tenpony Tower has offered help for any who can be confirmed to have survived from the city through their local radio host, DJ-Pon3. Further details as we have them.”

All of us stood still, gawking at what we had just heard. Friendship City? Destroyed?
I couldn’t believe it, a part of me didn’t want to believe it, yet there was the report for all of us to hear. For some reason the Enclave had supposedly come down and attacked a settlement that proved to be no threat to anypony. Then it hit me - it could have just as easily been Four Ridges.
One of the other technician ponies picked her up and carried her on his back before solemnly continuing the journey, a grim reminder that no matter what happened, life and death was a matter that the wasteland never treated fairly and even as others around us died, we had to always move on for those who lived.

Looking at Cherry as she seemed horrified, I dropped my head to the floor and walked onwards, quickly followed by everypony else. I had a role to fulfill and that meant staying strong for the others, continuing despite the shock.

For hours longer, there was no conversation. The news that had been given to us so abruptly completely destroyed what good moods and high hopes we had amongst us. Instead, we now felt burdened by the weight of a settlement once more.
One of the others had begun asking about ‘what if’ but they were quickly told to stop worrying about things we couldn’t make a difference about and focus on what we could do instead by Cherry, though she still didn’t seem glad to be saying it herself.

That was all it took though. That was all it took for me to be worried for the rest of the night. What if they came to Four Ridges? Sure, we had a larger fighting force than Friendship City, but they were hardly without defences themselves. I had personally seen the large cannons they owned, guessed at what a fight they might have put up. Still, they paid a price for which they could have never been in debt to.
And what of any survivors? Traders? Refugees from the surrounding area? Would they come to Four Ridges? Normally such a thing would be of no concern to us to open our gates and allow such victims safety for as long as they were willing to work - but now we ourselves were in no position to help.

An unexpected softness stroked my cheek, and looking to the source I saw an exquisite lock of pink mane. Cherry Sundae must have noticed my concerns as she nuzzled into me, looking at me with a pair of caring eyes. “It’ll be okay, Crimson. I know it seems hard to say that, and even more so to believe it, but you’ve got to have faith. If you lose your faith that others can do better and that things will get better, you lose what’s worth living for.”

Surprised, but also humbled by her wisdom, I let out a sigh and nodded gently. “I suppose. I’m just worried.”

“We all are. I know.” She cooed softly. “But hey, we’re almost to Curvetail Junction. When we’re there I’ll make you something to take your mind off of it, okay?”

Smiling at her, she really was something else. Kissing her cheek softly, Cherry just smiled back at me and began to hide behind her beautiful mane.

As we began to approach Curvetail Junction, the skies began to grow darker and the wind blew across the wasteland sending a chill down my spine. Looking at the ruins of an old railway station ahead of us, it wasn’t too large, but it would provide ample protection from the elements for the night and looking at the others, it definitely seemed like that was the general agenda.

Looking towards Cherry, I pointed over to the building. “So, I take it this is where we’ll be staying for the night, right? Is it safe?”

“In the past it has been, but times change.” Cherry murmured, acknowledging my concern. “I mean, it’s always a stop off point for any of our caravans that use brahmin because its ideal to sleep there during the night and the bell tower on top makes for a good spotter lookout position, even if it is a little obvious.” For a moment Cherry paused, then continued as I opened my mouth. “Though that’s not to say it’s always going to be empty. Could be something relatively harmless like a radroach, could be travellers or scavengers even. Once we found bandits who had moved into it, though they saw sense and ran when confronted.”

“Bandits lived here for a while? What’s the difference between a bandit and a raider anyway?” I almost felt like a colt again having to ask that, but I hadn’t ever had first hoof experience with bandits. At least I understood raiders. “I mean, I know you said that you can make a bandit change their mind a lot easier, but still.”

With that, one of the other guards whose name I still hadn’t picked up on pushed himself into the conversation and answered for Cherry. “Bandits often won’t shoot first and ask questions later.”

“Actually, Price Point,” Cherry began. ”bandits don’t shoot first and ask questions later at all, that’s the whole thing about them.”

Price Point simply nickered at the suggestion, turning his head to the side. “Whatever, they’re all the same.”

“No, they’re not.” Cherry tried to insist, though Price Point didn’t seem to care in the slightest. “Bandits charge tolls, bandits hold up travellers and unguarded merchants, bandits will steal from you in the night - but they’ll only take what they need or something of extreme value. They don’t rape, they don’t enslave and given the chance, they’ll avoid killing.”

“Doesn’t make them any better!” Price Point argued, seeming angry about the discussion. “You’ve fucking fought them! You know they’ll kill like any other fucker out there! You think just because they won’t kill you straight away that they’re some fucking messiahs or something?!”

With those accusations, Cherry looked at Price Point with a look that mixed between distaste and upset. “No, of course not!” For a moment I thought she was about to cry, but quickly her look became stern and determined. “I just know that they’re not mindless, sadistic killers who do horrible things for no reason. Perspective is everything, Price Point. Just because they feel that’s their only reliable method to continue living it doesn’t mean they never do good. You remember the slaver gang that used to hang around this area?”

“No, I don’t.” Price Point growled, now looking at Cherry with a stare that could almost be mistaken for hostility. Now I was getting worried and quickly moved between the two as Cherry glared back at him.

“Break it up you two.” I quickly commanded. “Before I break it up myself.”

Cherry immediately walked off over to the station building that was just ahead of us while using her magic to begin to disappear. Letting out a sigh, I wanted to follow her but without being able to see her, I had no idea what she was doing even if the E.F.S could still pick her out.
Turning my focus to Price Point, I stopped him as he began to walk to the back of the caravan. “Hey, Price Point.”

“What is it?” He asked grumpily, though he didn’t seem anywhere quite as aggressive as he had been before.

“Don’t need any more of that crap, got it? I don’t know what’s the matter between you and Cherry Sundae, but it’s the last thing we need going on when we’re all meant to be working together. I’m not asking you to be best friends, but come on, no need for aggro. Besides, you did get yourself involved in our conversation, not the other way around.”

Letting out a sigh, Price Point dropped his head before giving a little nod. “Okay, I got it.”

Putting a hoof to his shoulder, I gave him a reassuring smile as he looked back up at me. “I’m not saying that you aren’t to have your say in things, that’s not it at all. You’ve obviously got a different viewpoint to Cherry and I respect that opinions differ, but when it causes shit like that, it’s not worth it. Okay?”

Solemnly, Price Point relaxed and his tone of voice completely changed to one of submission. “Okay.”

“Glad to hear.” I chirped back. “Now I’ll go say the same to Cherry. Cohesion is what makes us strong, just like on our flag.”

With that, we both walked in our opposite directions, though I knew that this time Price Point’s mood was a lot different to how it was before and hopefully there’d be no more bad feelings brewing below the surface.

Just as I reached the front of the station, Cherry called out from the bell tower atop of it all. “All’s clear in here. We’ll be safe to stay here for the night.”

Looking up at her, I couldn’t be more thankful for that fact. Now there was only the issues of trying to find a good place to put down the now weighty corpse of the wolf I had killed hours earlier. Most of all I was glad to know I wouldn’t have to have it on my back for much longer because how the smell had begun to set in, the horrible smell of dead anything.

Finding a good place, I put down my ‘present’ and made my way up to the tower where Cherry presumably continued to reside. It wasn’t hard to find the way up, because immediately as I entered a set of stairs led me to the second floor where another set spiralled up to her vantage point.

In Cherry’s eyes I could see how she felt worn down and tired, though also proud and strong. Sitting down next to her, I reached out slowly. “Cherry.”

“Crimson?” She replied. “What do you want?”

“I want to hear what you had to say.”

“Why though? You heard where that gets us and you just told both of us that-”

“I told both of you to cool it.” I abruptly stated, making Cherry look off to the side as if she had just been told off. “That doesn’t mean that I don’t want to hear what you have to say. It was just that Price Point was getting aggressive and you weren’t looking the other way like you seem to prefer.”

“I’m… I outrank him, Crimson. I outrank him and because of that I’ve got to show that I won’t be weak. Besides, he’s upset because of his past. He was given to us by bandits who had no means to keep him after they wiped out a slaver gang. He now thinks that because they wouldn’t keep him that they did wrong just because those slavers happened to be his parents. He was only young and death is never something we should cherish, but the bandits did the right thing.”

“I see. And what of bandits? You were saying that they were more reasonable?”

“Look, I know they’re bandits and that still means they’re potential killers, but bandits aren’t like the others. I’ve spoken to bandits in civility more than once and in every case, they weren’t the monsters that the tales play them out to be. They’re ponies like you or me who just never had the chances we’ve had when growing up or even as adults. They often don’t have homes or when they do, their homes aren’t surrounded by massively fertile land like Angel. Scavenging only goes so far before the buildings and containers are picked clean, remember?”

I had to admit, she had a point. Stroking her foreleg with a tender touch, she saw that I understood.

“I’ve met bandits that run tolls and mean no harm, they simply need the caps to survive. Hell, I wouldn’t even call them bandits sometimes, but that’s what they’re called anyway. Like I say, there’s also been instances where bandits have actually made an improvement to areas and wiped out local raider camps and fought away slavers. Why? Because bandits aren’t slavers and slavers will take anyone who isn’t one of their own. Because raiders are brutals who seem to do nothing but what they please with no consideration of others. At least the bandits only take what they need to survive and will let others live. It’s not the best option, believe me, I’d rather they not be bandits at all, but I’d rather that they do what they’re doing than kill mercilessly.”

“Yeah, I get ya. Come on, let’s go downstairs. We’ve got that wolf to do whatever you want to do with it before it gets too stinky, remember?”

Turning around and trotting down the stairs, Cherry letting out a small murmur just loud enough for me to hear. “Cri-crimson?”
Focusing myself back on her, she spoke further. “Thank you. Thank you for letting me say all that. I really… I really feel like you’re trying to make the effort to get to know me and… well… I appreciate it. Thank you.”
With a quick whiff, her gentle smile turned to a silly face before she grinned. “And oh, yeah. You definitely are right about that wolf. It’s beginning to lend its stink to you.” With that, she gave me a wink as I rolled my eyes and continued down.

Going back to the wolf, I noticed how its eyes were now completely glassed over. Its soul was far gone from Equestria, left to wander the afterlife. All that laid in front of us was meat, fur and bones.
WIth a nonchalant attitude, Cherry wandered on up to the body and took a small knife from her back before beginning to skin the beast.

For a while I watched, simply entranced by the speed and finesse that Cherry had in gutting the corpse. Soon enough however, Cherry politely asked me to leave as she had to do something she didn’t want me seeing just yet. Whatever it was she was about to do I had no clue, but I respected her wishes.
Walking out of the room and over to the others, I began speaking to one of the idle guards.

“So,” I began, a mix of curiosity and professionalism with a touch of excitement in my voice, “what’s happening about tonight? I take it there’s some kind of sleeping schedule to avoid getting ambushed during the night?”

“That’s right.” The dark blue guard responded. “We take shifts in guard duty. Since there’s three caravans, that makes it convenient. Three hours each. Typically its split between two groups and each has roughly four hours, but we’ll be fine doing with three.”

“And who goes in what order?” I asked. I was feeling quite drained from the day despite it having been rather quiet in the later half and the prospect of going first really wasn’t something I was keen on.

“Group B first shift, group C second shift and group A for third and final shift?” One young mare suggested. “I mean, seeing as I’m part of group B and I have no issue with staying up for a few hours. Mildew doesn’t seem like she minds either.”

“Excuse me?” Another green mare called out, no doubt upon hearing her name. “Fine. But only because that means we get eight hours solid sleep.”

“I wouldn’t mind getting some solid sleep either.” Pocket Change commented. “An old stallion like me needs his sleep after all.” As if to emphasise his point, Pocket Change yawned and rubbed himself up against a wall before lowering himself down to the floor in an act of tiredness. “See? Can barely even stand up. I reckon I’ll be out for the count after my portion of hay.”

“Okay, guess that’s it then!” Another buck commented. “Group A ponies, we can sleep easy. Groups B and C will be looking after us tonight and we’ll be looking after them ready for the dawn. Everypony up for that? Because I sure as hell am!”

Taking in the sight of everyone being able to work together and agree on something as important as this so quickly, I felt a touch of confidence in the group return. Smiling at everyone, I began to congratulate them. “Well, it’s settled then I guess. Glad that’s out of the way. Thank you everyone for being able to sort yourselves out so efficiently. Feel free to unpack, set yourselves up and eat as you please. After we’re all set, groups A and C can go to sleep and B is set to keep lookout.”

The atmosphere between everypony was a lot better now than it had been ten minutes ago, though now we were able to sit down and relax it was a lot more comfortable.
Though there was no rain, we still couldn’t manage to get a fire going due to the lack of fireplace inside and the wind ravaging the landscape outside, but that wasn’t the end of the world. What was more important was that we were in the relative warmth and safety now and we’d gotten through our first day without any major issues.

“Crimson!” Cherry called out, disrupting my thoughts. “You can come back in here now!”

Trotting on back into the room, much to the curious looks of others as they must have wondered why I would have been barred from any specific room, I went to find out what the end result was myself.
In my head I had images of Cherry wearing the wolf like an all over coat or something, though that was completely absurd. Still, the thought amused me.

Instead I found her sitting down next to the body which was now deskinned and completely torn apart. Piles of meat sat in bags, sealed up for whatever reason while the fur did indeed remain mostly intact, though it hung upon the wall rather than over Cherry’s curves.
As I moved on over to her, Cherry used her magic and levitated something over my head before putting it around my neck. Looking down, I realised it was a necklace… made of the wolf I had earlier killed.
My eyes grew wide as I tried to figure out what the hell was happening but Cherry gently placed her hoof to my muzzle and kissed my cheek.

“Shhh.” She cooed quietly. “Let me explain. I made this for you as a reminder.” Sitting there quietly, I let her continue, to which she smiled. “It’s a reminder of your first kill. It’s a reminder of what life and death really means. It’s also a reminder of how you saved me. Crimson, you took down that wolf and so I made this necklace from its biggest tooth and the sinew of its tendons. I want you to always keep this and have it serve a reminder of the price of killing. Oh, and don’t whine about what it’s made from. I had to chew it all apart to get it to be stringy enough to make a necklace out of it and that means that most of the messy bits went into my mouth, prettybuck. No reason to complain about that now.”

Looking at the necklace, it was simply beautiful and it gave me a sense of appreciation for Cherry even greater than before. Looking at her with absolute adoration, I leaned in and began to kiss her suddenly.
At first she hesitated, but quickly melted into the kiss and gazed back at me as our moment came to an end.

“I…” Cherry murmured for a moment before closing her eyes and shaking her head, her voice going back to normal. “Time for food. Come on, lets go eat. Don’t worry about filling me in on the sleep schedule, I overheard you all. I want to get as much sleep as possible.”

After our humble packed lunches of hay and apples, Cherry yawned and stretched as she spoke to me. “Are you ready to go to sleep yet, Crimson? I’m tired.”

“Yeah, I could do with some sleep too.” I lazily replied, looking around the floor for somewhere comfortable looking.

Before I had found somewhere I could feel the pull of magic tugging at my wings, directing me to go upstairs. “Come on then. Upstairs is nicer, it’s a little more secure since you don’t have to worry about roaches simply walking on in. Besides, the bottom floor and tower are where the watchouts are going to be posted and we won’t want to be in their way.”

Without a choice, I followed her up the stairs and into one of the offices where a old, beaten up sofa remained. That’ll do.
Looking at Cherry, she simply gestured for me to go lay down on it, though I gestured that she could have it instead, she still insisted. Not being one to argue if she was absolutely sure, I went over to it and carefully sat upon it before laying out, realising just how comfortable it truly was.

Miss Sundae must have known about this sofa, because without a word she trotted on over and climbed on top of me, nuzzling into my neck as she made herself comfortable and let out a content little sigh. “No funny business,” She whispered. “just… just some cuddles. It’s much more comfortable anyway.”

Just some cuddles? I closed my eyes and relaxed. I was up for that.

Through dreary dreams I heard a voice, something that didn’t feel like it was coming from my own mind. “Wake up, Crimson. It’s your groups turn to take watch. Come on you pampered git, get up.”
Opening my eyes, I saw the green mare who I had noticed earlier, only now instead of being slightly annoyed at being picked to stay up on duty first, she now had a great big albeit tired smile as her purple friend stood next to her. “Time for you to wake up and do your part. Me and Lavender want to get some rest.”

Feeling like I could do with a few more hours yet, I rubbed my eyes clear in an attempt to wake up. “Where’s Cherry?”

“She’s just over there getting her gear ready. See?”

Rolling off the sofa and onto my hooves, I let the green and purple pair climb onto the sofa together and cuddle up as myself and Cherry had not long before. Sneaking up on her, I gave her a hug from behind, much to her surprise.

“Who the hell?!” Cherry burst out before quickly remembering the time and becoming a lot quieter. Turning her focus onto me, she relaxed. “Oh.. sorry Crimson. I’m just not used to that is all.”

Giving a little chuckle, I didn’t really have much to say.

“So, I’m going to be on the tower of course. If you want to be near me-” For a moment, Cherry paused before quickly thinking up a new way to say what she meant with a blush on her face. “I mean, if you want to help me out, you can be my spotter.”

With a confident nod of my head and a smile on my face, I agreed to it. “Sounds good.”

“No funny business though.” Cherry quickly added. “This is serious. You’re here to help me scan the horizon and to make sure that I’m not asleep or taken out silently somehow. I mean, I highly doubt we will be, but you know, there’s always the potential for something to happen. The wasteland can be a cruel place at times.”

“I know, I know.” I quickly responded. “This is serious and distracting either one of us from our jobs could be deadly.”

“Exactly.” Cherry’s tone of voice seemed confident, but something about her seemed off. There was a look in her eye that said it all, she wished it wasn’t so.

The night had been going quietly for us. Occasionally Cherry had asked me to go downstairs and check on the others, make sure there was nothing we had missed.
The hours rolled on by and nothing exciting came along, though all of us were thankful seeing as excitement would have meant danger during the night duty.

Just as the time came in closer for rotation, Cherry’s ears began to perk and flick around nervously. Looking at her, I spoke quietly. “What’s wrong?”

“I hear something. It sounds… it sounds like a group. I’m not certain, but I’m sure I hear a group in the distance.” Looking down at her E.F.S, her eyes narrowed and looked worried. Looking down at mine, I couldn’t see why, but on hers I noticed it. Several bars began to appear as they came within range of her PipBuck. Why mine wasn’t picking it up yet hers was I didn’t understand, but I guessed it might have had something to do with her having noticed them.

“What do we do?” I asked nervously.

“For the moment?” She murmured, pausing for a moment. “Wait. If they come close, if they turn hostile… well, we’ll have a fight on our hooves and that will mean waking everypony up. Night guard duty doesn’t mean we fight alone, it simply means we keep lookout for threats. I want you to go put on your helmet and see how this turns out.”

“Okay.” I replied quietly before quickly making my way downstairs and over to my gear. Pulling out my helmet from my storage and yet again checking my weapons were loaded and ready for use, I went back up to Cherry and sat low as to avoid being more of a giveaway than necessary.

For what felt like an hour we were locked in a tense moment of stagnation, though really it had just been minutes if even that. If the signatures were friendly traders, we would be fine. If they were bandits, we would likely be able to talk to them and make them leave peacefully, if Cherry was right.
But no, these weren’t my worries. If they were raiders however, well, I didn’t want to find out if they were.

Hearing wailing screams of what sounded like agony in the distance as they came closer, I wasn’t sure what to think. Cherry’s face didn’t let on with what she thought and I didn’t want to take my helmet off to ask. Perhaps it was just my imagination… perhaps it wasn’t my imagination, but rather a group who had been in a fight and one of them was wounded?
That was the more comforting possibility of any. Wounded ponies could be healed given the proper medical treatment, besides, who would be travelling around during the night with a wounded comrade and be looking for more trouble?

Then the bullets whizzed past us, sloppily aimed though it proved plenty of warning for myself and Cherry to hit the floor in reaction.

“We’re under attack!” Cherry cried out. “Battle formations! Crimson! Wake everyone up!”

It was all so fast, I paused, hesitant. Then a bullet slammed into the building still missing us by a mile, but that was all it took for my brain to respond properly.
“We’re under attack! We are under attack! Everypony wake up and prepare yourselves! Battle formations!”

Cherry gave me the closest thing to an appreciative look that she could muster and quickly scanned the horizon for signs of our attackers. To the south-east we saw them, from the direction we ourselves were due to go.
The sound of the others below us waking up and rapidly setting themselves up bolstered my confidence, though the sound of the wailing pony grew louder and served as a demoraliser in itself. Now we knew for sure that no rational group would open fire on a building while their friend, if it was a friend, needed medical attention.

“Shit! Dusk has been hit!” A voice called below.

“I’m fine! I’m fine!” A stallion called out in response, to which I recognised the voice to the navy blue pony of before. “Just a passing blow, I’m not out of this yet!” Damn was I glad to hear that.

With no warning whatsoever, a loud crack filled my ears and made them ring for a second. Looking at Cherry, she grimaced as there was now one less signature than before.

Looking at my pistol and shotgun, I was no good at this range. My weapons were both suited for close range engagement and only the ponies like Cherry or Kingcakes who had any type of rifle stood a chance in actually hitting their targets.
Looking up into the dark skies above, there was nothing but black and I came up with a plan.

Taking off my helmet for a moment, I spoke to Cherry with a determination to help in this fight rather than waiting and hoping for the best. “I’m going to go into the skies above.”

“You what!?” She stammered. “No, stay here, you’re safer here!”

“Yeah, but I’ve got to do my part.” I responded. “It doesn’t matter if I’m safer here or there, the fact I can do nothing isn’t something I can deal with. This isn’t a game of ‘escort the leaders son to sunshine and rainbows’, it’s a fight and everypony is required to do their part. I’m going to do mine in a way they won’t expect.”

Opening up my bags, I picked out and showed Cherry my grenades. “How effective do you think an aerial bombardment might be? Princesses know they won’t be looking into the sky above them for such a thing - and besides, I’m hard to see as it is. Let me make a difference.”

For a moment Cherry stunted, unable to say a word, but then another volley of bullets came too close for comfort as it slammed into the base of the tower. With that, her eyes hardened. “Fine. You make a point. Just be careful and don’t get cocky. Also? Helmet on. Got it?”

Putting my helmet back on, I didn’t need to say anything more. Galloping down the stairs and out of the back end of the building, I took to the skies and quickly soared to a height where I could see it all.
Below was the station building, now lit up with muzzle flash and lanterns. Ahead was the group of what I could only presume to be raiders, ten of them.

If they had PipBucks, they might have taken a second thought to attacking us, but obviously they were unaware of the superior firepower and tactical advantage we possessed. With another loud crack from below, another one fell and tracers forced the others to hide behind what cover they could find in the rocky landscape.

Swooping over them, I watched momentarily as they scuttled around. None of them were any the wiser to the danger that lurk above. Taking note, I saw the pony who was in physical distress, his hind legs seemingly missing. I felt sorry for him, to be missing his limbs like that must have been absolutely awful and simply agonising.
Taking care not to leave the wounded pony in the danger zone, I unleashed the first two grenades from above.

Flying higher and away from the drop sight, I watched from a small distance away. Three seconds passed and then the explosions came, two successive bangs. One raider was blown apart by the blasts but not outright killed, a new wailer as the target began to bleed out.
Another pony hit by the blast seemed to get lucky, shrapnel only seeming to hit their barding and bags, though they were still knocked over from the initial explosion.

“Grenades! Be careful!” One buck called out in his hoarse voice, time having taken its toll on what I imagined once must have been a typical colt’s. He didn’t seem to be all that old from how he looked and stood yet his body had aged regardless.

As the firefight raged on, a screaming came from the station building and my heart dropped. Somepony from my team must have been hit, which of course was bad news even if they weren’t dead. I could only hope that the screaming wasn’t out of panic of seeing a companion die.

Looking at my foes, throwing another grenade would have been too ineffective at this point. The surprise was lost and now they were scattered so such an attack would only affect one and not more. Wasting a grenade on a single pony was pointless, and so I halted in mid air, thinking of a new plan of attack.

From my vantage point in the sky I could see some of my group attempting to break out from behind the station building and sneak around outside, though the raiders below quickly noticed the manoeuvre and opened fire on the flank, thankfully missing their targets but still pinning them to one location with barely any cover.
Seeing two raiders going for their flank with their own sneak attack, I couldn’t let that happen.

Once again grenades would be too ineffective, this time the targets moving too erratically to properly judge where to drop my explosives. Instead, I readied my shotgun and began to hope that it would be enough.
Just as the raiders climbed atop of the rock formation, I began my dive.

Slicing down through the air I moved faster and faster, waiting to get in close. Coming up behind them, I could see them clearly now with as much precision as I needed.
Hitting into S.A.T.S like I had been taught to do, I realised just how much better this was going to be. Instead of making wild shots, I could feel something inside of me being helped by my PipBuck as I flew closer and finally took the shot.
Without thought I climbed back into the sky before I became a sitting duck, a new target close to the enemy. Still, with those two raiders gone, there was now a chance for the others to focus on returning fire upon the main body of the raider force.

“Where did that come from!” One cried out, horrified to have seen his ‘friends’ die in front of him.

Another one answered, completely oblivious to the true reason. “The shadows! It was a fucking shadow! They’re using some sick magic on us!”

For a moment I felt good. I had been able to take out several raiders and change the flow of the battle using the element of surprise and flight. That feeling wasn’t long lived however, when another one cried out misinformation that made my heart skip a beat. “It was that fucking sniper in the tower! Get them! Focus fire!”

No! They couldn’t be allowed to get Cherry Sundae!
Breaking what disguise I had, I spoke to them to draw their attention. I didn’t really know what to say, but looking at my shotgun, I simply felt compelled. “By command of Zardoz, you are all to die! Kill the brutals!”

Now their attention was on me, which I much preferred since I could still hide in the darkness. Shots whizzed by me and flew wildly through the air in all directions as the raiders shouted unintelligible nonsense, though thankfully none of them seemed to have caught glimpse of where I was.
Throwing another grenade out in their general vicinity, I quickly followed up by sweeping down, around and out of their line of sight before the explosion blew the leg off of another.

With a great push, six of the Tank Mercenaries rushed out from the station building and into cover closer to the raider force for a better shot, I paused for a moment.
With that moment of pause, a bullet punched into my stomach and my chest began to burn from the force of the blow. Falling from the sky, I could hardly control my descent as I struggled to even keep my shotgun in my mouth. I couldn’t feel any piercing pain nor the wetness of blood, but my chest felt as if I had just been hit damn hard.

Crashing into the ground, I was thankful to land behind the enemies as I noticed them charging to meet the others at the station. With any luck, I would be left behind, unnoticed until I could either get back up or the others had taken the advantage of the raiders foolhardy advance.

Struggling to regain my strength, I laid for a moment, hearing the wails of the crippled pony nearby. I could hear him clearly now, crying in agony, begging for mercy, begging for something to soothe the pain he was dealing with. Looking over to him, I realised he wasn’t far from me, and nor was two other raiders.

Sliding into S.A.T.S yet again, I could tell that my shotgun was going to be no good to me at this range. Swapping to my pistol would indeed increase my chances of scoring a hit, but the pain was still staggering and definitely had a lasting effect on my aim.
Still, any benefit was better than nothing and I took aim at one of the raiders. Lining him up for the shot, I fired five bullets.

The first caught him off guard, knocking him back and making him a bigger target. The second third and fourth peppered his armour, making him drop his weapon as he gasped, yelped and cried out in pain. The fifth pierced through and sent him to the floor, twitching before going silent.
His E.F.S marker disappeared, quickly followed by three others who had charged ahead into the firing line of the awaiting guards.

Now there was only one left, but he stood in front of me. With a grin, he looked at me before turning to the wounded wailer who was missing his legs. “So, Prye. Looks like your duty as my toy has come to an end. I won’t be needing you any more if I have this pegasus.”
He had seen me? Shit!
Still, I knew that it wouldn’t have taken him long, especially after gunning down his friend.

“No! Please no!” ‘Prye’ cried and begged between his screams. “Please don’t! Please! I don’t want t-”

That was all he managed to say. That was all he could get out before the hatchet dug itself into his skull and ended the life of the pony in front of me. My world froze for a moment as the blood splattered onto the raider who grinned away, grunting as he dislodged the axe with considerable force. My breathing became rapid and shallow, my heart felt like I had just done a marathon as it beat faster and faster, my eyes growing wider in horror.

There was no mercy.

Turning his focus back to me, the raider spoke. “So, you’re the one who’s going to replace him, aren’t you, pegasus?” For a moment he went quiet, but then he made his way closer to me. “I’m going to enjoy chopping your wings off and hacking away your hooves. It’ll make such a lovely change, don’t you agree?”

As he came closer, the world around me felt colder and colder, the thoughts of those things happening filling the front of my mind. I didn’t want to ever find out what being wingless was like! I… I didn’t want to die! ...but nor did I want to live like that.

As he came closer, S.A.T.S refused to activate as it continued to recharge, though how I knew that it was recharging didn’t quite make sense. I didn’t look down at my PipBuck for confirmation, I couldn’t. I was fixated on the bastard in front of me as I picked myself up off the floor warily, falling backwards as he swung at me with the full force that he could muster.

“Come now, little birdie! This is going to be a fun… game!”

And then my mind clicked. My world changed and suddenly I felt just as I had when the wolf was about to get Cherry. I entered S.A.T.S with a strange calmness and focused on his axe. Though I fired three shots, the first two missed as he swung again, though the third knocked it out of his mouth and away from easy reach.
My body still cried out in pain, but now I understood the reason why I felt this way. This was my duty.

Realising their weapon was gone, the raider stared at me in shock before charging me. “W-what the fuck?! You little punk! I’m going to fucking rip you apart with my bare hooves then! You’d be surprised what we earth ponies can do to you fuckers!”

Dropping to the ground and rolling to the side in one swift motion, I dodged his attack by mere inches, though that was plenty. Swapping out to my shotgun as he skidded to a halt and turned around, I didn’t even need S.A.T.S this time. There was no way I’d miss.
It was only once he ran at me that he realised he was fucked, the fear in his eyes now apparent. With one shot, I blew apart his front left leg. With a second, his front right.

The raider skidded to the ground in front of me, screaming in his own agony as I fought the pain in my chest. I simply looked at him, his limbs missing, his eyes wide, his voice screaming. “I don’t want to die!” He called.

“You don’t want to die? Just as the one you killed hadn’t wanted to die?”

“Please have mercy! Please! This is fucking agony as it is! Let me be!”

I… I couldn’t believe it. Only a moment ago this fucker… I stared at him in shock, though that didn’t last long. My gaze dropped to the floor, then to the body of… that cunt’s last victim. Anger filled me and my heavy breathing turned from pain to fury. Turning back to the screaming raider in front of me, I growled. “You dare fucking speak of mercy?! You fucking dare plead for mercy after what you have done?! There was another who begged for your mercy only moments ago and now you feel you have some given right to ask for what you yourself could not give to another?!”

Closing my eyes, I turned my head to the side and felt the rage within boil up. One word came to mind, filled it, controlled it. Justice.

Opening my eyes back up, I stowed my shotgun and pulled out my pistol. “You seek mercy? You deserve nothing less than to be dragged across Equestria from end to end until you die. Still, I shall grant you your last request. Mercy comes cheap when you seek the executioner.”

Pressing my pistol to the head of the raider, I took one last moment to take in his look of fear, his golden mane clashing against his blood stained brown coat. I saw him draw his last breath. I pulled the trigger.

Footnote:

Level up!

Perk unlocked! Stallion of the night!

During the hours of darkness you gain a slight passive boost to your stealth.

Quest perk unlocked! Executioner!

In some combat situations you’re able to take advantage of an enemy’s weakness and downright execute them. Though this will typically play on your luck, it also opens up certain choices others might not consider.

Author's Notes:

So, first of all I apologise for the length of time this has taken me to write! It's been a long journey in trying to rewrite this damn chapter. It began before Christmas and ended here in February, but hey, we got there in the end, right?!
I've got to thank everyone who reads, everyone who comments, everyone who likes and everyone who follows. I've got to especially thank all those special people who consistently give me the feedback and support I need to keep myself going, because sometimes I simply fall apart without you all.
Is it good that I do? Hell no, but that's a part of who I am.

I want to apologise for how long its taken and how many issues people might take with it. I'm changing things, adding things, removing things and probably ruining things knowing me. I'm constantly worried I'm going to have ruined Cherry especially with this, but here's to hoping I hadn't.

Much love goes out to you all, it really does.
Also love goes out to Kkat for inspiring everyone with her magnificent piece of literature of the original. It's not flawless, but I never expected something to be.
Then there's all the artists who have ever done anything for me! And to my friend Doc who I unfortunately never speak to any more because I'm fucking awful socially. (Doc being the guy who performed the musical cue.)

I'll fix up the next chapter when I can. As for now? Apologies for any inconsistencies. Still, I hope this is a better produced piece than before.

Chapter 4: The taste of blood

[Song: Call of Juarez The Cartel - Pawl Blaszczak - Final Explanations]

Standing strong as I looked at the corpse below, I simply had no words to say. The vileness of the pony below me had been ended.
And yet even after the act, I felt that it hadn't been enough, that he hadn't truly earned his rest amongst the dead.
None the less, he would no longer be terrorising anyone.

Darkness still laid across the night sky, the fight had only lasted a minute or two in reality, but had felt like hours between the tension and the drama. I could still feel the magic of the healing potion seep within my leg, pulling the skin back together. I got lucky that it was only a small calibre gun, only a grazing shot that missed any arteries or veins.
Taking what could be valuable from the bodies of the raiders, I stripped anything ranging from ammo to chems.
No point in letting it go to waste now, was there?

Cherry slowly approached me, a sad look upon her face.
"You... You shot him while he was..." I gave her a stern look, she backed down.
It was a dark night, both literally and figuratively. I wouldn't let this besmirch our closeness though, so I quickly flew on over to her and nuzzled into her side.
She stopped dead in her tracks and looked at me.

"You murdered him in cold blood, Crimson."
"I didn't murder him. I executed him."
"What difference is it really?" She asked. "Murder? Execution? At the end of the night, his body will still lay there in the pool of maroon below where he fell."

I knew Cherry wasn't approving, but she had no idea of the circumstances, no clue to what he had admitted to me. I had to change this, as much as it might hurt her to hear, to imagine.

"Cherry? Do you want to know the difference?"
"Of course I do Crimson. What is the so called difference between the two huh?"
"Murder, like you say, is in cold blood. Execution is a measure of justice, reprisal and revenge."
Before I could continue, Cherry spoke up again. "So. Because he dared to continue towards our camp, he deserved execution?!"
I simply touched her lips with a wing, and looked at her, before continuing what I was about to say.
"Look at the pony on the floor over there, the one with the missing hind legs. Look at him. Look at the agony on his face, or what's left of it. Look at the trail where he's been dragged along this whole time. That raider was going to do the same to me if I hadn't stopped him. That raider would've done it to somepony else if he hadn't been stopped now. He would have defiled anypony he could given the chance."

Her eyes repeated how mine had become upon hearing it from his very own mouth. Looking at me in disbelief, I simply nodded, that stern look still in my eyes told her I wasn't joking. I was serious about every last word.
I knew Cherry would take it harder then I had, but I hadn't expected her to react as she did. She broke down into tears of anger and pain, and began staring in horror without any words to say at the corpse.
Cracks and thuds filled the air as she began beating it around, throwing it in the air with her hooves and bucking it across the rocky landscape.

Picking up the corpse and throwing it against the largest rock hill nearby, that was the point when I walked up to her and slowly covered her eyes with my feathers so she'd calm down. She burst into tears and assaulted me with a tackle to the ground, pinning me down with her weight.
Then she just held me there and cried into my neck as she nuzzled, her eyes closed but still pouring like oceans flooding a stretch of beach.
I simply laid there and kissed her head, wrapping my wings around her.

"Shhhhhh, its okay. Shhhhh."
She whimpered and continued to sob uncontrollably.
"Shhhh, I'm here for you. I'm not going anywhere. It's okay."
We spent a good twenty minutes like that before she could pull herself together
By this time, Dusk and Fallen had gathered up the rest of what could be salvaged from the fallen raiders, allowing me and Cherry to simply trot on over to camp.

Though Cherry decided to lay across my back, I didn't mind, whatever calmed her down and made her feel secure made me feel happy.
As we walked into the trailer, Cherry slid off my back but held onto my neck as she sat down on the makeshift bedding.

"Lay down Crimson, on your back."
I looked at her, shocked that she would make such a strange demand, but obliging her request without any hassle.
She simply clambered on top of me, sat upon my chest before sliding down as if she were about to ride me, then pressed her body against mine and laid her neck along my chest, with her muzzle buried into my neck. She kissed me before whispering goodnight, and I simply wrapped my wings around her once more.

We'd only have a few hours sleep, but it would be much needed, appreciated, and with her on me like this? Much loved sleep.
I still avoided touching her with my hooves, because of the blood soaked on them, but she wasn't shy about stroking my ears with hers.
My eyes grew heavy, and before I even knew it, I was sleeping aside Cherry yet again. I could get used to this.

The night time passed, but we awoke by our own accord. That was a true surprise for us. Well, I say we woke on our own accord, the reality was that I woke up when the sounds of jokes and laughter filled the air and assaulted my dreams.
Cherry awoke with my stirring, but with a little encouragement for her to go back to sleep, she did so.
Still, it had been a many good few hours and looking at my pipbuck told me it was now 8:43am. We'd only meant to be asleep until 8am, but the others must have decided we'd earned our rest.

As soon as I walked out of the trailer, everyone went quiet though. Even the brahmin looked at me attentively as if he was about to ask something of me.
Looking around, their faces told the story clearly. They all wanted to know about the final kill. The executioner of scum was on trial for his crimes, and I would give them all a story to chill their bones.

"Crimson." Fallen had just looked at me sternly as he said my name. "We need to know what happened to that raider, not because you've committed some crime against us and not because we feel you have done wrong, but we need to know why."
"Well" I started. "Part of the damage to his corpse isn't mine, when I made the killing shot his legs had indeed been broken, his skull potentially fractured and his genitalia... destroyed. However, if you're referring to the fact it was kicked around and beaten further, with Cherry screaming... she was screaming in frustration after learning of his actions."
The camp went silent, everyone unknowing in what to do or what to say. Even myself I felt the tenseness and found myself dumbstruck by the moment.
Then, out of everyone, the brahmin began to speak.

"So, Crimson. What did he do that was worth the execution."
I looked at him with a smile, before beginning to sit down on my rump. I knew I'd need to now, now that the adrenaline wasn't flowing through me.
I'd find it a lot harder to accept and process, no doubt.

"I hope none of you have eaten yet. This is a hard story to believe, and even harder to process it."
...I wasn't wrong. Dusk was the only one to stay silent the whole time, seemingly untouched by the actions of the raider.
I knew it was just a facade, I'd played my share of poker and had been in enough tight situations to know when someone was bluffing, perhaps even themselves.

After twenty minutes, things began to go back to normal, and Cherry poked her head out of the trailer to check we were all still here before heading back inside and, I assume, going back to sleep. I smiled to myself, as long as she could get some rest, I wouldn't worry.

The sky grew lighter and the clouds thinner. It was a rare occurrence in the wasteland to see that, but my father had told me that was the pegasus farmers toiling the clouds, harvesting the crop and thinning them out so the nutrition may be brought back to them.
Strange, strange cloud magic. Apparently I had the capability that no-one else had, of manipulating the clouds like dad once had, but I'd never gotten the chance while he was around and only pulled a small chunk of it down before. It made me wonder how much I could do with the clouds, however.

We had all eaten breakfast by this point, with Cherry making an absolute mess of herself.
She got blood all over her mush from the wolf steak, not that any of the others had noticed it. I of course did when I went to kiss her and found the strange, copper taste about her lips.
She just giggled and apologised, before wiping her mouth down with a hoof and kissing me back.
Cherry Sundae really was a strange one.

"So, Cherry, what does wolf meat even taste like?"
I'd never eaten meat before, never needed to. In the Stable we had our own food recyclers, out at Angel there was crops grown, Opal traders often brought in exotic foods. Tank was the only village where it was common to eat meat.
"It's lovely, a lot better then bloastsprite, not sure if I prefer this or radhog meat though. Oh, nothing beats brahmin steak however."

The pack brahmin simply looked her way in horror and disgust, and I let out a little giggle as she sorely apologised to him.
It was strange to me how she could so easily compare them all though, but with second thoughts I suppose it was no different to me comparing sugar apple bombs, oranges and fancy buck carrot cakes.

"Anyway, you should try some!" Cherry had bounced on back to me again with a grin across her face as she said it.
"I'm really not sure."
"Come on, Crimson! For me?"
She tried to give her best convincing smile, but it really wasn't working. Then she tried pouting, to which I just shook my head.
"Awh. Please, Crimson?"
I just stood there with an amused look upon my face as I stared at the meat.
"For me?" she begged, and begged. I wasn't having it though.

That was my mistake, however. At this point she decided the best course of action would be to tackle me down to the ground and pin me down like she had once before.
She leant down and whispered in my ear.
"Crimson." She said, before nibbling the tip. "You're going to eat some meat, because if you don't... well, tonight I'll tease you, but I won't let you get what you want."
With that, she climbed off me and wiggled her flank in a delectable way. My mouth watered at the thought, to which she magically held some of the wolf meat to my mouth.

Taking a bite... I wasn't sure what to think at first. It was a lot chewier then anything I'd ever eaten before, perhaps not as sticky as the pre-war toffee apples, but chewier.
Then the taste really hit me, my pupils went wide as the juices slid down my throat. Now I understood why she was so happily eating this stuff! It was downright amazing!
I gingerly grabbed another piece off Cherry's plate, hoping she wouldn't notice as I started to chow down.

"Ah ah ah! Naughty Crimson!" Her grin said it all. "You should've asked."
"Sorry Cherry." I handed the meat back to her plate and she shook her head with a giggle.
"No, you carry on eating it, I'm just going to sit on your lap and make this as awkward as I can in retaliation."
I didn't know what she meant by that at first, until she straddled me and teased.
I tried to continue eating, but just found myself unable. She simply giggled her head off and climbed off a minute later, allowing me to get back to the delicious meat.

"You owe me something big for not being able to do that. Though I'll collect on that later"
With that she winked at me and I simply looked at her as I gulped down the last of the meat.
What had I gotten myself into?

We'd been walking for some time longer now, We'd put the mess of our makeshift camp site behind us, for the best I reckon.
Along our travels we'd seen the odd bloatsprite, sometimes by itself, sometimes they'd fly around in packs of threes.
Pocket Change was quick to raise his .44, but Dusk was quick to simply shake his head, grab his baseball bat off the side of the brahmin and calmly walk up to it, smashing it as if it was nothing.
Cherry just giggled and I felt a little envious.

"Hey, Dusk." Cherry had said in a velvet soft tone. He didn't utter a word but he had turned to look at her.
"How about you teach Crimson here some of that subtle awesomeness?"
She then looked at me, my face went red and she burst into giggles. I really, really wasn't happy now.
"Oh buck you, Cherry. Buck you hard."
Within an instant she grinned. "I'm sure you will, later"
With a kiss onto my cheek she carried on walking, I felt like sulking but I knew it was just a joke.

Further ahead we could see a... you know, I didn't even know what it was.
"Shit guys, shit. Manticore ahead." Kingcakes said in a low tone.
Ah, so it was a manticore.
"Wait. What's a manticore? Well, I can see its some kind of lion with a stinger, but... what?"
I really was utterly confused at this point.
Dusk just gave me his usual blank slate look, I couldn't tell if he was disappointed or didn't care.
Cherry's eyes grew wide though, I could always tell what was up through her. She'd be no good at poker.

"So, what's the dig? Are they intelligent? Aggressive? Hunt in packs? Territorial?" I asked, I had to ask.
"Aggressive, usually in packs but this one seems to be alone, and yeah, quite intelligent. Not ones to talk though."
I was about to fly over when Fallen Arrow stopped me by grabbing onto my tail with his magic.
"Crimson. It has wings. Don't."
Wings? "You're kidding me right?"
He simply shook his head.

If this thing had wings, a stinger, a mouth the size of that and was intelligent and aggressive, it looked like it'd put up a good fight.
He was right, we'd have to avoid it or attack it as a group.
I looked at the rest of the group, but Dusk just shook his head. "Don't wanna do that, Crimson."
Sighing, I continued walking. I wasn't exactly keen on the idea of fighting it, but I'd prefer to have the advantage of a surprise attack rather then fighting it in a even match.

We continued around it, and found a small settlement sitting on the horizon, not far from Coltchester.
"So, Pockets, you've been to Coltchester many a time, right?"
"That ah have youngun, whats it to ya?"
I simply pointed to the village adjacent to another town close to the towers of Coltchester.
"What's that place over there? Not the tall towers, but the small village with that single tower and what looks to be a walled up town nearby it?
"That right there? That's Coltshire Commons, Lad. Not ah nice place to be, if ya ask me."
"Raiders?"
"Ahnope. Just the fact it's the poorest of the poor. Can't afford ah nicer place to live, ya see? Just ah bunch of slums really."

I looked at the settlement ahead. I couldn't tell how it looked much from over here apart from it was a mess of different colours unlike the city, or even the town on the inside.
So, poorest of the poor. Probably no good looking for a water talisman there... but still, something about it drew me in, even from this distance.

"Pockets. You reckon they'll let you in the town?"
"Coltshire Town? Well buck, sure thay will! Thay'll love to have us, always do."
"You reckon it'd be better for yourself to search there, rather then Commons?"
"Sure as ma old bones can be."

I simply looked at Cherry. She looked back at me confused. "Wanna visit Coltshire Commons?"
She just looked at me as if I had asked if she was even female. "Is there a reason we should?"
"Who knows, maybe one of them will know something. It's always good to make more friends, right?"
Pockets inserted himself into the conversation once more.
"Ah think y'all crazy for wanting ta, but if you do, we'll be aheadin' ta Coltshire town."
I gave him a quick nod, and he nodded back.

Cherry just rolled her eyes at me before muttering something to herself, sounded like 'I dunno'.
"Well, it looks like your mind is made up, doesn't it Crimson?"
She stroked my cheek with her hoof before smiling at me, she was up for it as long as I wanted to go there it seemed.

And so, that was it. While Pocket Change, Fallen Arrow and Dusk would go with the brahmin to Coltshire town, me and Cherry would make our way over to the Commons.
We split up, only being a half mile from Commons meant that it would be quicker for us to head there ourselves, and allow the caravan to make their way to town. Pockets agreed that they'd be fine, especially with his three guards.

Rocks, mountains of rocks and dirt paths were all that was around the commons. No wonder no-one had wanted to live here, even as we came close it was obvious that there was no real source of income. No great water sources bar a collection tower. No obvious factories to salvage or repair and reuse. Nothing. They didn't even have a perimeter around the place. There was simply old run down houses that had been boarded up at the windows and doors replaced to make new living spaces.
Pockets was right, it really was a slum.

As me and Cherry trotted into town, we saw the dirty, dusty faces of children as they happily played with pre-war toys. If nothing else, it was a comforting sight to see that at the very least, the children had something to enjoy.
Cherry walked up to the colt, with a sure smile she began to speak.

"Hey little guy.. uh.. you don't know who I could talk to do you?"
He just stared at her blankly and ignored her.
I just stared at her blankly myself. She looked at me displeased at the result.
"Hey. Don't look at me like that! I never was good with colts."
Rolling my eyes, I walked up to the very same colt and sat down next to him.

"Hey big guy. What's your name?"
He looked at me with judging eyes, speaking slowly and cautiously.
"My name?"
"Mhm. My names Crimson, Crimson Wings. What's yours?"
"Well, mister Crimson, my names Dust Bucket. What you after?"

Smiling, I knew I was making progress. I looked over to Cherry to see the shock upon her face turn into a scowl as I smirked at my success.
"Well, Dust Buckets. How are you today?"

The colt looked at me with further suspicion, but continued to talk. "Uuh. I'm not supposed to speak to strangers."
"I know, I'm sorry. Can I ask where your parents or any of the adults are around here?"
I gave him a soft, happy smile and he began to smile back at me, if only a little.
"Well, you don't seem like you want to hurt me or anyone, so... yeah. Mummy is over in the hospital over there. She's the head doctor."

With that he pointed over to a rather large building which seemed rather intact, made sense. I walked over and knocked on the door.
"Hey, anyone around who I can speak to?"
A viewing port opened in the door and a set of eyes gauged me. Slowly the door opened and I was greeted by an armed pony and another security door, though this one looked even stronger.

"Who are you? What do you want? How did you know where to look for us? I've never seen you before, explain yourself." The mare demanded so many things at once I didn't even know where to start, so I simply drew a breath and took the sight of her in.
She'd been bloodied, a scar across her right eye told me she was no stranger to violence, her brown coat and mane looked dirty and dismal, I couldn't even be sure if that was her original colour of if the filth from the area around us had dyed it so.

"The kid over there told me." I pointed over to Dust Buckets, and he happily continued to play with his toy cart.
"DUST BUCKETS. I TOLD YOU TO STAY INDOORS WHILE I'M AT WORK. GET BACK IN." She cried out, which hurt my ears to say the least.
Hurriedly, the colt ran indoors leaving a dust cloud behind him. Now I understood why he might be called that with how big his eyes became and how the dust didn't settle.

"Colts. Never listen to what we say, even when it's for their own good. Now, you. Who are you? Both of you."
"My name is Crimson Wings, This is my..." I looked at Cherry, what was she? my travelling companion? Bodyguard?
"I'm his marefriend." She said "Cherry Sundae's the name."
I simply stuttered my words for a moment after, and brought myself together. I needed to win this protective mare over.
"Anyway. Yes, We're Crimson and Cherry."
"Not a travelling sales pony duo are you? We don't have anything to trade. Or steal, for that matter."

I looked sheepishly at Cherry. That was a lot closer to the truth then I'd like to admit, thinking about it.

"Well, kind've, sort've, no. Is the answer."
"Kind've, sort've, no? Explain yourself."
"Well the truth is we are on a quest to trade and gain an item of irreplaceable value. We come from Four Ridges and-"
"Four Ridges you say? You mean that big, hoity toity walled off zone off to the north-west?"
Cherry began to speak, once more. "We're not hoity toity! True, you have to prove your good intentions and have something to trade, but we're nothing like Tenpony Tower!"
The dirt covered mare just gave Cherry a shooty look. "I have even less patience for them. Now, before I chuck you out on your flanks, why are you here?"
Cherry went to speak again, but I placed a hoof in-front of her to stop her, and took over once more.
"We're here to help. We need a water talisman, and I understand that although you might not have one, making friends is a sure way of improving our chances of finding one."

The mystery mare simply pondered this for a moment, before beginning to speak again.
"My name is Doc Dirthooves. Come on in then, and we'll talk."

With that, she knocked on the door in a special pattern and the door was unlocked from the inside. Cherry closed the front door behind us as we walked through into a wide open area; now I understood why we were talking to anypony called Doc Dirthooves. Under the lights that shone above us, I could see her mane and coat were indeed naturally brown, and that we had been directed to the local hospital building.

"These wounds are all fresh, some of them only from... last night, perhaps yesterday?" Cherry pointed out.
"Why yes, they are. Tell me, do you have medical training then?" Cherry simply shook her head at this response.
"No, but I can tell from how the wounds are healing up, see here? The blood has dried up, caked the slicing wound and the skin is doing its best to heal up. Though these are naturally healing, aren't they?"
Doc Dirty just stood in shock, amazed at Cherry's natural ability to tell despite no prior medical training.
"How... can you tell?" She asked, her mouth agape.
"I notice things." was all she got in response.

"Okay. So, you wanted to trade? We haven't got anything right now, but occasionally we manage to get a little deeper into the old factory below, manage to get some more ammo out of the machines. Problem is, the automated security is too strong and we can't hack it either, none of us have the skill."
"So, the automated security did this to you?"
"No. Maisy did."

In unison, both Cherry and myself looked at Doc Dirty and asked, "Maisy?"
If only we hadn't asked...

It turned out that Maisy was the manticore that we had seen earlier, and she was the reason for all the recent wounded.
Maisy had been a pet of one of the villagers, but when the villager was killed in a recent raid, she went wild, tearing apart both raider and villagers alike.
Apparently the only reason any of them survived is because the zonkey bandit who had led the raid turned tail and fled after seeing the enraged animal, and Maisy had chased after them.

Doctor Dirthooves had given us permission to... dispatch of the problem, preferably through a non violent means, but we all highly doubted the effectiveness of speech.
To our luck however, we were informed that one of Maisy's wings were severely injured, running on the border of being destroyed, and that was how the bandits managed to get away. While this wasn't a good thing for Maisy, it meant if it came to the worst, it would play to our advantage.

We'd brought what extra ammo we could from the doctor in exchange for two healing potions. From what I could make out, she was going to pour it into a pot and water it down so they could have IV drips of weak healing potion.

She had some weird contraption which was effectively a cauldron with a mess of tubes coming out of it, which upon closer inspection, fed the contents through the tubes by method of pressure.
This pulled the liquid into an IV bag which had been pierced to be fed by the tube using an old needle from pre-war medical facilities, or so I hoped anyway.

I could see the advantage of doing it this way - it meant that the body wouldn't be put under the same stress as it is under a pure healing potion and it also allowed for more then just one pony to benefit.
By no means would it be as effective though.
Even still, it meant that the eight wounded ponies would be able to get some advanced healing into them and hopefully up and about a lot sooner then they would've otherwise, but it was still a lot slower process then just drinking a potion.

However, when you haven't got the potions to spare, you make do with what you can, I suppose.

"Cherry. I know you're going to think me a lunatic. I know you're going to call me a madpony. you're going to call me absolutely insane. liken me to the tales of Screw Loose, but... I think we should talk to the manticore."
She took a deep breath in, and looked at me blankly, before slowly exhaling and closing her eyes.
Again, she breathed deep and slowly, before looking at me once more.
Cherry irritably stated her opinion. "You're going to get yourself killed."
"Only if my plan doesn't work." I handed back, a cheeky smile on my face.
Sarcastically she asked me, "Oh really? What plan is this?"

I pointed out the huge mountain range ahead of us, that was where Maisy had run to while chasing the bandits.
None of the villagers knew where she was, but we had seen her on our way in, which was perfect - it saved us a lot of hassle tracking her down.
The area was covered in a mess of dead trees so thick that they didn't even need leaves to provide concealment, the sheer thickness of their timber limbs meant that it was an extremely hidden place to be as it was from atop of the mountain..

"I'm going to fly you atop that mountain, where you'll be waiting, sniper ready, in case Maisy doesn't take too kindly to my approach."
Cherry facehooved as I continued. "If things go wrong, I'm going to fly up through the branches and out into the open, with any luck she'll either climb a tree or try to follow me. If this happens, you'll be waiting with your magic concealing you, shoot. If you surprise her and you get a clean shot, you should be able to blow her head clean off if you use the hollow point ammo."

Cherry simply looked stunned. "Hollow point ammo? Where? When?"
"Back when we were over at Opal, You know that box of ammo I brought for you? You never opened it I see - it's HP rounds,"
She looked through her saddlebag and opened up the box, realising I was right she smiled as she pulled out a secondary magazine for her rifle and started sliding the bullets into it in preparation, before switching out the current magazine for the new.

"Hopefully, you won't need to shoot her, but if worst comes to worst, be ready. With all luck, I'll be walking out of area, not flying nor running. Walking."
She simply nodded.
"That's when I'll come collect you and we'll be back on our way to the Commons. Okay?"

Again, Cherry nodded. I could tell she didn't like this plan, somehow I knew she'd rather be down there with me.
Much like back with the wolves, in case anything happened. but I knew better, and I knew I could very likely require support from afar if things went wrong.
Besides. she wasn't exactly the best speaker, judging from her interactions with the colt earlier.

With the plan all set, I flew Cherry up to her designated point. We could see Maisy below, and she hadn't seen us flying overhead. Everything was going smoothly so far.
Drifting back down to the ground as quietly as I could, I rest myself at the mouth of the dead forest.

"Well... Time to do this." I didn't know who I was speaking to, but I still said it aloud.
A quick glance upwards and I could see Cherry as she began to conceal herself with her magic, until I couldn't see anything at all. I knew she was still up there though.
Carefully I made my way into the woods.
Twigs cracked under my hoof and I had to snap a few more branches then I'd have liked, but I knew that if I had to make a quick escape, it would be best to have a safe way out, rather then taking time to avoid running into the more flimsy of obstacles.

It wasn't a long walk in theory, it was only about 350 feet from the mouth to the mountain, where Maisy had been sitting inside a cave, but with myself being so cautious it made it all feel like it had taken me an hour, still, my chronometer of my pipbuck told me it was only ten minutes all the same.
As I came through the last of the broken and dead trees, I saw her, and through the corner of her eye, she saw me.

Slowly, I saw her powerful frame pull itself up, but then she staggered for a moment. I could tell she was in pain.
"Maisy." Her eyes grew wide and she looked at me, her full attention completely on me.
"Maisy, I'm here to help you. Please. I know right now you're scared because you just lost your friend, and I've heard about how the bandits hurt you. Please though, I'm not here to hurt you."
Slowly she pulled herself off the ground, growling at me. Instinct told me to back off, to start running, to fly away and let Cherry shoot her. No.
I stood my ground and looked straight into Maisy's eyes.

Maisy just glared at me as I met eye to eye... then, all of a sudden, she let her guard down.
Carefully I walked over to her and spoke again.

"It's okay girl. I promise. Here, I've got a healing potion and some hydra I took from some bandits I killed yesterday. I too don't like bandits, so that's something we have in common, huh?"
She just fell back to the ground, her wing now on show so I could see the damage done to it. Looked like they'd ripped it to shreds with either buckshot or something heavier. Perhaps even a minigun. What a truly, horrifyingly frightening thought that was.
I gently reached out a hoof as she lay there, and stroked her mane. She just looked up at me with an empathetic smile.

"I'm going to talk to you for a little first, okay? I promise, if you don't show me any aggression, I'll inject the hydra into you to regrow your wing and let you drink the healing potion, but first I need to trust you, and to trust you I'll need to be a little bit friendlier with you."
Maisy smiled and nodded, before pulling her paws away. She obviously understood me, and obviously she'd been trained well.

"So, you're old friend, I was told his name was Pudding Top, that right?"
Maisy began to cry gently, and I felt absolutely terrible.
"Shhhhhh, Maisy, Maisy. It's okay"
The towering size of the beast was frightening, but even more so was the sheer thought of how much pain had been inflicted upon her.
Her whole world torn from her in a single night. A single band of raiders.
I gently kissed the top of her head and continued to stroke her mane.
"It's okay Maisy."

We spent another five minutes like that. She laid her head on my lap as I sat up against the rocks and she cried her heart out,
Once the tears had stopped rolling down so heavily, I gently brushed her ear and hugged her.
I understood how it felt losing someone you loved, and that she needed affection rather then hate.

"You know, I lost my dad too, a long time ago,"
Maisy looked up at me with the most soppy, kitten cute eyes I'd ever seen and made a sound so soft, I knew what she meant even if we didn't speak the same tongue.
"Yeah, years ago. He was out with my mother as they came back from a trip from Tenpony Tower. A band of raiders came along and ambushed the caravan they were travelling with. My dad told the griffin mercenary to get my mum back home at any costs, and he died while trying to buy them some time."

Maisy just made a pained sound, whimpering softly before making a tiny roar.
"I know. We got them back though. We dragged our howitzers out of the ridge onto the mountain plateau... bombed the fuck out of their base, killed most of them, and had our mercenaries go in and sweep up, killing the last of those fuckers..."
I could feel my eyes water, I was about to cry, against my every last wish. "...before bringing my daddies body back."

The damn broke, bursting into tears I just couldn't hold it. The memories were still too painful now.
I remembered how mum had come back on her own, her eyes red and sore looking, dry heaving because she had no more tears.
When I asked what had happened, the griffin had told me and my mother held me for the whole day after that.
I watched as they bombarded the bandit base, hoping that with each shell, they'd all die a horrible, painful death.
Just like daddy had.

It took me another five minutes of crying before I could pull myself together. Now I found myself wrapped up in Maisy's powerful arms, not out of anger or aggression, but out of understanding and mutual need.
What a sight we must've been.
Then the broadcaster beeped at me, before Cherry began to speak.
"Crimson. Crimson. Are you down there still? Alive? Wounded?"

Maisy took one look at my foreleg in confusion, and I pulled my pipbuck up to speak.
"Yeah, I'm still around Cherry. Unharmed." With that, I heard her sigh over the other end.
"Want me to come collect you, bring you down here?"
"Yes please, it's quite boring sitting up here doing nothing."

I gave Maisy a look as she said it.
"Is it okay Maisy?" She just nodded.
So with that, I flew up to Cherry. It was a lot faster then getting through the woods originally because I could just fly up through the uncovered zone and go collect her, rather then having to be careful of a beast that could tear me in two if I had approached it poorly.

"Crimson. You've been... crying?"
"Emotional story. I'll tell you some other time when I have more tears and emotional strength to give. Okay?"
Cherry obviously wanted to know right now, but with the look on my face, she didn't try drag it out of me.
"Okay. Just... whenever you're ready, okay?"
"Yeah. I promise."

We floated back down to Maisy, who was happy to see me again. I simply snuggled myself back up against her chest and rubbed her ear gently. She smiled and nuzzled against my cheek while Cherry just stood in astonishment at how gentle Maisy was with me.
"Okay Crimson, hand you your due, you're charismatic. But this?"
Maisy huffed at Cherry, obviously annoyed by the remark. I just blinked.
"Of course, Maisy is intelligent and emotional just like you or me. She's hurt both physically and emotionally. She just needs a little love is all."

We spent another fifteen minutes just building trust with discussion of who we were, what we were doing, and general affection with, and from, Maisy.
Once we all felt truly comfortable, I offered her the healing medication, to which Maisy cooed,

"Maisy, this initial injection may hurt, its the hydra, and it's going to rebuild your wing for you. I'm sorry if it does hurt, and I'll give you the healing potion to reduce the pain and provide extra healing right after, okay?"
She winced at the thought, but didn't flinch nor cry as I slid the needle into her side and injected her with the serum, as I pulled out the needle Cherry very carefully popped the cap off a healing potion and let her drink.

Before our eyes, we watched as her wing regrew to its original form and all the smaller wounds vanished before our eyes.
Maisy was back to full strength, and rather then rampaging or hurting us, she simply got up and licked my face.
I kissed her cheek back, much to Cherry's displeasure at not getting a kiss herself, and we spoke about going back to Coltshire Commons.

As I mentioned it, Maisy's face grew sad again, and she drew a pony into the dirt below.
"You want to go retrieve the corpse, don't you girl?"
She simply nodded and with an expression of anger, clenched her paw into a ball and hit the ground.
"You know where it is? Where they took it if so?"
She nodded once more.
"You mind if Cherry rides on your back? She's an excellent sniper but she doesn't have wings like you or me. If we get into any fights, she'd do better on your back then she would mine."
One last time, she nodded.
...It was time to go retrieve a corpse.

As we flew through the air, I could see that same old face of excitement on Cherry's face. The same expression she'd had the very first time she'd rode on my back.
"Beautiful feeling, isn't it, Cherry?"
She just squealed. She was so happy. Maisy was just happy to be back flying, and getting the corpse of her best friend / father back.

We saw it, laid out along with all the rest of them as a small band of ponies, five of them, stripped each and every corpse of anything valuable.
I slipped my helmet on to give them one chance.

"BACK AWAY FROM THE CORPSES NOW. THIS MANTICORE WILL ACCEPT NONE OF YOU DEFILING THE CORPSE OF HER OLD FRIEND. IF YOU'RE SIMPLE SCAVENGERS, RETREAT NOW AND FIND SOMEWHERE ELSE TO SCAVENGE."

They shot at us. They had the audacity to shoot at us.
Why would no-one ever make anything easy for me?

"FINE. BE THAT WAY. WE WON'T EVEN GIVE YOU A CHANCE TO RUN."

Maisy swooped down first, with her claws she slashed a pony in half without even trying it seemed, before landing and charging another. Cherry began burst firing into the third with her SMG while I pulled out my 10mm and sliced the air with my wings almost folded, sliding into S.A.T.S the other two fell as my bullets penetrated the head of the first one, and cleanly placed three bullets into the chest of the next.

Like that, the fight was already over. I slipped my pistol back into its holster and pulled my helmet off, sighing as I fell to the ground.
More mindless killing. I wasn't sure if they were raiders or scavengers, for all I had known they could've been decent ponies just looking for something to trade.
Cherry walked over and gave me a hug.
"Crimson. It's okay. They shot us first, You gave them a warning. This isn't like the execution."

I sighed again. "Exactly." I started. "With the execution I knew what I was doing. He told me his background and make a mockery of forgiveness and mercy. These ponies? I have no clue."
Before I could utter another word, Maisy gently lifted my face with a finger, and pointed to the corpse of Pudding Top, and then the people we'd just killed.
With an angry look, she growled at them.
Cherry stood and thought about it for a moment.

"You mean... These were the raiders who killed your friend?"
Maisy nodded. It made me feel a lot better about myself, that at least they hadn't been innocent bystanders... this time.
Though like Cherry said, they had shot first. They had forfeited their right to safety by showing us aggression.
Even if they were bystanders, even if we were bullies. We weren't going to do anything more then take the one corpse if so.

We stripped all of the corpses. We got another eight healing potions. The rest of the stuff we gathered for the town. I knew that they wouldn't part with a water talisman even if they had found one if we didn't give them a reasonable gesture first, so we grabbed as much as we could carry in as many saddlebags as possible.
There was a lot of junk that was absolutely worthless though. Guns that looked so broken and rusted up that they'd backfire if you tried to use them, packets of food half eaten, even ammo casing that had been bent out of shape.

Finally, we were just about to leave when a sniper shot cracked through the air. Cherry screamed in agony before hitting the floor. My eyes expanded as I saw... a zonkey? He lowered his gun with a smirk across his face, my blood boiled.
Maisy looked at the bandit and roared, she was about to go chase the bandit but I knew we had to act fast if we were going to save Cherry's life.

Cherry had been shot through the chest towards the side but from the front.
The bullet hadn't managed to have enough power to piece through both sides of her barding, but with the amount of blood she was coughing up I knew she wouldn't survive without medical attention.

I stood there in shock for a moment as I watched what felt like gallons of blood pouring out of her chest and mouth, balls of it being coughed up. She'd obviously had a pierced lung from the shattering of the bullet inside her. FUCK.
I poured a healing potion straight onto the wound, but it barely did a lot. It healed up the skin, but I knew Cherry would need an operation, and there was no way in all of Equestria that I had the skill, know how or tools to do it myself, let alone here.
We needed to get back to the doctor, right now!

Maisy stormed off in the direction of the bandit, I couldn't let that happen, she was my only hope now, so I cried out to her. "MAISY. I KNOW YOU WANT TO CHASE THAT BASTARD, BUT PLEASE, I NEED YOU RIGHT NOW."
Maisy turned around and ran back to me. She picked up the corpse of her old friend and all our luggage, while I slipped a very heavy, hardly breathing Cherry onto my back.

We had to be fast.
My wings began to beat against the dry midday air, the dust picking up around me. Cherry moaned, only half concious as we began to scream through the air like a bullet.

Maisy gave a worried cry as Cherry fell limp on my back. We had to be going at 120% if we were to do this.

When we arrived at the village, everypony who was around and out of the hospital (which wasn't many), were shocked to see Maisy back. One of them drew their gun and aimed, but I began to shout at them that if they dared to delay either of us, their whole town would burn in revenge.
Maybe it wasn't the smartest of threats to make, but by the heavens, it worked.

Immediately as we landed, Doc Dirthooves opened up the door to see what the commotion was about and I stormed in as quick as lightning. Sliding Cherry off my back and onto a table, I yelled at the doctor.

"SHE NEEDS MEDICAL ASSISTANCE, NOW!"
"WHAT'S GOING ON CRIMSON? WHY ARE YOU SHOUTING AT ME? WHY IS MAISY BACK? WHAT'S HAPPENED?" Doc shouted back, obviously confused.
"MEDICAL ASSISTANCE FIRST, QUESTIONS NEXT."
She gave me a stern look but ran right over.

"What's the damage?" Doc asked. Her tempo finally pulling into full swing as she magically grabbed all the tools she'd need.
"Bullet through the lung, I'm sure of it." I quickly replied, there was no time to waste but the doctor needed to know what was wrong.
She looked at me hesitantly for a moment, before continuing to grab all her emergency equipment.
"What have you done so far about it?"
She picked up a IV tube and began to insert it into Cherry's foreleg, to which I poured healing potion into the emergency IV drip. It had a port for that reason, and I wasn't prepared to give Cherry sub standard treatment.

Turning back to face me, she was shocked. "You have more potions?"
"Some more. I'll explain in a minute, first, we need to stabilise her."
With a serious tone and a no nonsense face, she simply nodded at me.
"Agreed."

We worked together, her giving me instructions, me giving her further information on the wound and how it happened.
Once we were sure that Cherry would pull through, I talked to Doc D about it all. She insisted I call her that, as the name "Dirtyhooves" didn't match her profession too well... I was inclined to agree.
Cherry began to stabilise and her breathing become deeper, we'd done it. She was going to live.

Explaining how the whole ordeal with Maisy went was quite interesting, Doc D had really appreciated that I'd found another way, as she really hadn't much liked the idea of killing Maisy in the first place, but thought it was the only thing that could be done.

We also sorted out a bargain - I would help fortify the town, give up two more healing potions, give them all the guns and a high percentage of ammo that we scraped up from the bodies of the raiders, travellers and village members alike, and if the town ever did come across a water talisman - they would immediately send it straight to Four Ridges - in return we would send what excess water we could to them to give them clean drinking water.

In the short term it might've seemed like a one sided deal, with Coltshire Commons gaining more then we would. However, the needs of the many... and such, I was more then happy to make this deal.
It would mean another town fortified and trading with us, another source of information, and perhaps, just perhaps, another bastion of hope out in a wild, desolate wasteland in the long term. Nothing could be worth more then the chance to bring safety and happiness to another community.

Now that Cherry Sundae was fast asleep and slowly healing, with the bullet fragments removed, we walked out into town to go see the mayor and explain the bargain.
Just as we walked out, I saw somepony kicking Maisy as hard as they could through the corner of my eye.
I flew straight over to the attacker, who was obviously drunk by the way she stumbled around. This was not going to be pretty.

As I flew towards Maisy, the mare one bucked her right to the face.
She just tried not to do anything but not get hurt, but I wouldn't do the same, if Maisy wasn't going to defend herself, I would.

My heart-rate jumped skywards as I immediately brought myself to bear the full force of my kick to the side of the mares face, she went flying across town and smacked straight into a building.
She started to bleed, I didn't give a fuck, she deserved it.

The other one who had been attacking her, a buck that had been kicking her side, turned his attention to me as Maisy whimpered softly.
I dodged his first few kicks, landing a few of my own against his face and chest, but he was a bigger buck then I.
He eventually hit me good and floored me, and I just laid there dazed.

Storming over to me, he went to crush my head but I managed to roll out of the way.
The Doctor called for it to cease as she rushed to the pony I'd just belted, going to check and make sure she was still alive and fine, if not a little hurt.
Trying to wiggle out of the way, my attacker hit my ribs and I cried out in pain.
Despite wearing my armour the force of his kick still damn hurt, I found myself winded and unable to move any more.
This was it. He was going to end me right here, and there was nothing I could do.

Maisy cried out in anger, a roar which spread across the land and the pony in front of me stood still.
He pissed himself right there in front of me as he suddenly went as tense as a statue.

I quickly moved out of the way as not to be laying in any of the piss which was quickly spreading across the floor.
As I pulled myself up off the floor I noticed the assailant had a single claw laid across his neck, as he stood there perfectly still almost, too frightened to move a muscle.

"Maisy. Good girl, I think he's learned his lesson, come on, I'll give you another healing potion for that black eye."
Maisy just whined but complied, pulling her paw away from the terrified pony.
As I walked past him, I bucked him as hard as I could across down to the floor, and he shit himself, still too frightened to move.

"Nopony! Nopony messes with my Maisy. You fucking got that?"

We'd spent the rest of the day in the hospital mostly, watching over Cherry.
Maisy had returned to her home to rest up and feel safe while Doc D had brought everypony to the middle of town to discuss the proper treatment of myself and Maisy.
Although a lot of the villagers were justifiably worried around Maisy, the children soon got back to petting her and treating her like nothing nothing happened while she sat on her porch like the guard dog she had been trained to be.
Maisy smiled and took them for rides around the village, the children giggled their little heads off and everything was happy and peaceful again.

During that time, me and the doctor had sorted out the spoils of war, and also informed the town of the agreement.
Nopony argued about this though, they were all happy to be getting their guns back, extra guns, and the idea of a wall around the village wasn't exactly ignored either.
Looked like I had a lot of work to do, but a lot of ponies offered their hooves and horns if it meant that the town would have some reasonable level of fortification and security.

After all that was settled, I walked back into the hospital. I poured another healing potion into the communal IV drip mixing pot for the other healing ponies, and slowly but surely, their wounds began to heal even faster then before. The doctor smiled at my generosity, I'd already given them four healing potions, but this act meant that they would still have those. It just felt right. The needs of the many always outweigh the needs of the few.

I walked over to Cherry, who was still asleep on her bed, her IV drip was running low so I pulled out yet another healing potion and topped it up. I wanted to make sure she'd have the best possible care, and if that meant giving her healing potions via IV drip, then I'd damn well do it.
The Doctor smiled at me as I kissed Cherry's forehead.

"You really like her, huh?" She said with a soft, subtle tone.
I sighed as I closed my eyes, nuzzling into Cherry.
"Yeah. I only met her a few days ago, but she makes my stomach queasy and my heart flutter, faster then my wings could ever possibly flap."
With a dainty giggle she had an honest smile across her face.
"I think you're in love. Aren't you?"
I just looked at her. Was this love? It wasn't the same as how I felt for mother superior, it wasn't anything cheaper though, either.
Taking a moment to reflect on what she'd just said, I looked back up to Doc D once more.
"Yeah... I think I am."

The doc had given me an old, slightly torn and very much yellowing book she used to rely on when she was training to be a doctor, "The Canterlot Journal of Medicine".
Reading through it, it was mostly about general procedures, how to handle a pony in shock, how to temporarily mend a broken bone or repair it properly with a healing potion, even the smaller things like how to tell if a pony is in medical distress.
I thanked her for it, and decided to read it while sitting next to Cherry. It had proved to be surprisingly interesting to me.
Hell, one of us had to know this stuff, right?

Looking out of the window, It was still such a pleasant sight outside despite the night skies drawing ever closer.
The sun was shining extra strong because of the thinned out clouds and it brought a gentle orange glow upon the mountains around us.
With a whisper, I heard my name. I looked down to my side to see Cherry's eyes flickering open and closed, as she spoke again.

"Crim- Crimson?" She uttered ever so softly.
I simply leant down and kissed her with a gentle but passionate touch.
"Yeah, It's me Cherry. I'm here"
I saw her smile as her eyes closed again. "You... you saved me."
"I'm sorry, it was my fault you got hurt in the first place."
Brushing her mane, I felt a tenderness so strong I could simply melt into this moment and never leave.
That was when she uttered it.
"I... I love you, Crimson."
I began to choke up and tears rushed to my eyes as I nuzzled against her.
"I love you too, Cherry."

I didn't leave her side. Neither of us said another word. Nopony approached. We just stayed like that as I held her in my embrace.

We spent the night together like that, I even fell asleep, my head nuzzled against hers. It's how I woke up the next morning.
The nurses I hadn't seen the day before were around now, and some of them were still d'awwing at the sight of us, my cheeks flushed at the thought as the smile across my face grew ever larger.
I hadn't just found my somepony, I had found my special somepony.

I wished I could've spent more time just embracing Cherry, but I knew I'd have to find out what Maisy liked to eat and how to prepare it, if need be. I also had to start plans to fortify the commons.

I walked out of the hospital, and asked around about Maisy. In fact, I hadn't even seen her about.

"Hey, Anypony know where I can find Maisy?"
No answer from most of the ponies about, they either shrugged or ignored me completely.
Then, the child who I'd spoken to the day before came up to me.
"Uhm, hello again mister, Maisy is over in her old home."
I smiled at the young colt. "Thanks, can you tell me where abouts the village that is? I've forgotten. ya'know? being new here and all."
"Over that way." He simply pointed out the house, and suddenly it became obvious. Of course it was. That the house with the biggest door.

"Maisy! Mai-sy!" Calling out her name worked, and she sleepily walked out of her home and yawned, before smiling at me.
"Hey girl. How are you today?" I stroked her mane and tickled her ear just the way she'd shown me she liked it, and she smiled big and gave me a lick.
"Have you had breakfast yet?" She simply nodded and showed me the bones of her meal. They looked a little bigger then a radbit but not as big as a wolf.
I'd have to figure that one out later.

"Say, you wanna help out in planning the fortification of this town?"
She nodded and smiled, then looked at me as if to ask where to start.
"Well, first we need to figure out where abouts to build the wall from, and I'd need the mayor or someone to do that. I don't even know who that is though."
Before I could get another word off, she smiled and trotted off. I had nothing I could do but trust her to play nice as I flew up into the air and assessed the surroundings around me.

"Well, if I plan to build it... no no, that'd be too short. I could... no, that wouldn't work. What if? Nah, too much resources, I don't even know where we're going to get any of it yet."
My concentration was broken as I looked on as a ponies face slowly rose up in front of me, and I hovered there stunned by the fact it was an earth pony looking directly at me. How could she?
I looked down, and there was Maisy, happily allowing her to ride on her back.
I petted Maisy and began to talk.

"You're the mayor, I presume?"
"That I am indeed. I take it you're Crimson Wings?"
"Indeed."
"Well I'm Mayor Gut-Rot, yes. What are you planning for these defences then?"

I looked at mayor Gut-Rot and explained to her that I wasn't quite sure what we could use to make the defences from, but that Cherry had a better idea having been part of the Tank Mercenary Group prior to this expedition and thus she would possibly know of building resources we could use.
Aside from that we discussed the general outline of the defences. We agreed we'd around the town using some of the more isolated buildings as watch towers, allowing for a little breathing room and meaning that there would already be some pre-determined fortification about it that could be converted.

Mayor Gut-Rot returned to her duties and I had Maisy carving out a line in the ground with her claws as a visual blueprint, from building to building she dragged her claws through the ground, upturning the dirt below and making it clear where we would build this wall.

In the mean time, I made my way to Cherry to check on her. Amazingly she was feeling a lot better, and her IV drip was empty once more. As I went to refill it she stopped me with her magic.
"Crimson, it's okay now, I promise."
I gave her a worried smile, but gave a reassuring one back. "I promise, I won't be running or doing any heavy exercise for a few days, but I can walk about again now."

That was good to hear.

"Cherry... I hate to ask, but do you know of any building resources in the area?"
She thought about it for a moment and looked out the window.
"Mountains." she said softly.
"...Uh, what?"
"The mountains." She just pointed out the window, and my gaze followed.
"We can use the mountains. Get rock from them, The stone from the mountains is sturdy and would do the job wonderfully."

"How do you even plan to use the stone from the mountains then, Miss Sundae?" Gut-Rot asked. I turned around not realising she was even there beforehoof.
"Got any explosives?" Cherry asked as if it was an everyday question.
"TNT, lots of TNT. Why?"
"For your own interest, can we use it?"
"Know what you'll be doing with it?"
"That I do."
"Then I don't see why not. We'll go get it out of storage for you."

Watching, absolutely confused by their conversation, I sat in awe.
Cherry wasn't charismatic, yet she'd just convinced the mayor to hand over their TNT... just like that.
I was absolutely dumbstruck as she grinned.

Cherry rode on Maisy's back and marked the mountain with some chalk we managed to find at the bottom of it. Luckily she'd remembered seeing the chalk around when we were taking care of Maisy, and had taken note for whatever reason.
Damn perceptive ponies like her made my head hurt sometimes.

Slowly and deliberately she looked across the whole of the rock face, drawing circles on it and Maisy used her claws to dig holes big enough for me to place the TNT in later. I watched as she went across the whole of the mountain, making decisions and then retracting them once she had Maisy fly out farther away.

While she was doing this, two ponies carrying a cart came along with three big, heavy boxes inside. more weight then I could lift alone. They simply shrugged and lifted them one by one between them with relative ease. Damn earth ponies will all their strength.
They opened them up once they were all off, and I saw why they were all so heavy. The first two cases were filled to the brim with TNT, and the third had a detonator and an reassuring amount of cable to make the connection.
They simply trotted off with their cart once this had been done, and I didn't blame them.

After nearly an hour of doing it, she'd made many pock holes in the mountain, and finally made her mind up.
She was finally happy that she'd done it just right.
Now it was about to be my job, but first... I just had to go and ask her.

"Cherry, Are you absolutely sure this is a good idea? I mean explosives? We're trying to build defences, and you're playing around with explosives!?" I truly was worried. What in Princesses names could she be thinking?
"Don't worry Crimson. It's fine, honest! I know what I'm doing!"

I shot her a worried look, and she simply gave me her trademark grin. She was a mad-mare, a true mad-mare.
Flying over to the rock face, I planted the explosives in the positions she'd marked with the chalk. I wasn't sure what she had planned or how she'd see it working out, but this was her idea and I had to trust her.

I knew she had said that the mountain would make a good resource for making the wall, but I really hadn't expected to be handling TNT when I agreed to make a fortification for the town.
But, once more, she was the perceptive pony who apparently knew her stuff about explosives and I was the pony with the wings, so I did as I was told and planted the TNT in the holes.

While I was toiling away up at the mountain, occasionally having to make the hopes a little deeper with a metal rod, Cherry was down on the ground preparing the detonator charge and all its connection cables, keeping it all unplugged for now but having it laid out ready for my return.
The more I thought about this the more it scared me, but there was no turning back now. I'd made a promise and Cherry had her plan, I wasn't going to go back on that now.

Having planted the last of the TNT in the rocks I flew back to cherry.
"Are... you... absolutely... certain?" I was out of breath, the work with the rod had been hard and handling it with my mouth made it hard to breathe with all the dust that came out.
She just giggled and patted my head.
"Of course I am. Now, take these wires here and attach them to each of the pieces of TNT. I'll let you attach the other end to the detonator so you feel safe, I promise."

With that I smiled. At least I knew there wasn't going to be a misfire and I wouldn't end up in a thousand pieces.

So I flew, once more, off to the mountain side. This time the job was a lot easier, simply attaching the cables to the wires coming off the TNT was hardly an exhausting job and allowed me to catch my breath once more.
Within a matter of minutes, it was done. All the connections were made and I landed back down onto the ground, attached the last cable to the detonator and smiled at Cherry.

She happily trotted over to me. One last time, I asked.
"Are you sure this will work?"
She just looked at me with eyes wider then I had ever seen, grinning from ear to ear... shit, why was she looking at me like that?
"I HAVE NO IDEA"
My heart sunk as she pressed the detonation trigger.

The mountain exploded. I watched in slow motion as one by one, each and every piece of TNT were set off in a chain reaction, I thought this was going to be the end and that pieces were going to fly out at us and crush us, or even worse, the town.
They didn't. Of course they didn't!
Cherry was rolling around on the floor laughing at my expression as I watched the mountain fall apart in an orderly form.

Chunks of mountain, squares and rectangles, neat triangular shapes. The mountain had been generous to us, and it hit me, Cherry had planned for it all. All that time she took with marking it up was in an effort to make it work to her benefit, and she got it right.
The mountain collapsed in front of us, the last of the charges set off and showed something spectacular.
she'd even designed it to have a path to the top.
A path to the top of the mountain, which with some work would be fully traversable.

"Still think I'm a mad-mare?" Cherry whispered with soft allure as she nibbled on my ear. I felt aroused and paralysed by her teasing nature.
"You're a naughty naughty buck, Mister Wings. You should always trust your marefriend. What good is a relationship without trust?" She asked teasingly.
I looked at her, stammering my words. "You... we're... we..." I shook my head and pulled myself together.
"We haven't made anything official though?"
She looked at me with a grin. "Well, I'm telling you. It's official now."
I grinned back just as much, this felt too good to be true.

Tell you what wasn't too good to be true though, the effort in trying to get these villagers to give the aid they'd promised. When they saw the size of the chunks that Cherry had made, a lot of them tried to back out, until Mayor Gut-Rot shouted at them to get the pieces onto the wagons.
The mayor and three other ponies all pulled and the wagon moved without any signs of trouble, I stood in awe at the sheer determination of earth ponies. Never giving up, never giving in, never saying no to a challenge.

Maisy managed to pull a cart by herself, I was so proud of her and she could see it on my face. She hadn't found it as easy going as the four ponies, but she still managed it. I offered my help and she happily let me lead, it didn't make a lot of difference, but I'm sure she appreciated the thought of it none the less.

It had taken us the best part of the day to do it in the end, but we got it done, We'd transferred all the pieces over to the town and set them in place, between building to building while a group of unicorns chipped away at the stone with chisels and hammers to adjust the fit to be just right.

By the end of the night, the wall was built, the desolate, isolated buildings which were to act as guard towers had been converted while we moved the stone, hollowed out on the inside and re-purposed so that guards could make one clean walk across the entire wall.
The downstairs of the houses were hollowed out large enough so a pack brahmin might walk through, and the earth ponies devised an ingenious pulley system that meant heavy stone doors akin to a Stable door would block the approach from the inside.

Another group of unicorns worked throughout the night to give the wall a purposeful walkway, complete will a low wall for some protection.
It truly was a masterpiece, and none of us could have been any the more proud of our achievement.
It had taken a day of non stop hard labour, we were all exhausted, but it had happened.
We had turned Coltshire Commons from a group of houses and the odd tower apartment which had no defence against raiders, into a fully fledged down capable of denying access to all but the most determined of attackers.

I escorted Maisy back to her home, and she pulled out another corpse from the storage room. I then realised it was radhogs she'd been eating, which had explained why I hadn't recognised the skeletal structure of the one from her breakfast.
She happily snacked on her dinner and I kissed her on the head and said goodnight. She stopped chewing and smiled at that moment.

"You know. I... I really like having you around Maisy. I wish... I wish you'd stick with us now that we have the town defended. I mean, you're obviously welcome to stay and I won't hate you or be hurt, but... I could really use your company. Would you?"
She looked at me for a moment and pushed her meal to a side.
Then she jumped on top of me with all her power, she could've ripped out my throat in a moments notice if she had so decided to.

Instead, she licked my neck and cheek over and over before nuzzling into me.
"I take it as a yes?" with a gentle laughter I smiled, and she nodded before once again licking me all over.
Brushing my hoof through her mane I kissed her on the nose.
"Goodnight Maisy"
She smiled and went back to her meal as I left.

Mayor Gut-Rot just smiled at me as we looked down at it from one of the apartments that sat inside the new perimeter.

"Thank you, Crimson.This means a lot to us all. You have no idea how much safer we will be able to sleep at night."
I smiled back. "You're welcome. Just please remember your end of the bargain."
She let out a tired laugh and hugged me. "Of course. You have our undying gratitude. Well, as a town. Some of those ponies may not show it, may say otherwise, but they're just tired after a long day. You should get some rest, I know that's what I'm about to do."

I nodded in agreement and trotted over to the room we had been allowed to stay in, now that Cherry was out of the hospital and there was a perimeter, I felt a lot safer sleeping in the apartment then I would've the night before.
Cherry was already seemingly asleep as I slipped down next to her, closing my eyes without a care.

I heard a murmur coming from her beautiful lips. "Crimson?"
"Yeah Cherry?" I smiled as I felt myself drift off into a sleep. Cherry placed her hoof on my mouth.
"I love you."
I went to say it back and felt her hoof press further on my lips.
I just kissed it in return and slipped into a deep sleep, replaying those last words over and over.

Footnote:
Level up!
Perk unlocked! Civilised Education!
Due to your civilised upbringing and education, you gain +3 skill points every time you level up.

Footnote:
Cherry Sundae level up!
Perk unlocked! Civilised Education!
Due to your civilised upbringing and education, you gain +3 skill points every time you level up.

Footnote:
Maisy has joined the party!
Tagged skills: Unarmed
S8 P7 E8 C2 I3 A7 L5

75 Unarmed attained.

Special mention to Katarn for suggesting the music! I love having another sense of depth to this, and hacking a track list helps in my mind. So thank you for suggesting such an amazing piece. Much appreciated!

Extra special mention goes out to Tea - he went through the whole chapter with me, discussing it as he read. We had a lot of bouncing back and forth on things, and he pointed out a few grammar errors, typo's, inconsistencies and general parts where the story didn't explain itself enough - They've all been fixed now though, thanks to him letting me know where I needed to improve.
So thank you, Tea.

As promised, I'm going to keep advertising the fact that the head picture came from WavemasterRyx, who can be found:http://ask-the-waves.tumblr.com/ !

My best friend Mel gets love for being amazing, supportive and keeping me going. <3 Seriously, I love you Melly, so damn much. She's the best friend anyone could ever ask for and she means so damn much to me I could never really express it.
If it wasn't for her support, I doubt I'd have had the confidence to do this.

Special thanks goes to my friend Tom for massively defining this chapter not just once, but twice, with a simple comment which he had no clue would end up doing what it did - and then for answering a yes/no question with no information attached.

Thanks for reassuring me that Maisy is a workable idea without being Mary Sue [trust me - she's not] go to Random Blank, NoakWolf, No-one,Nyerguds, Wayofthepen and AlwaysTheCurious

Thank you both Kkat and Somber for both writing amazing stories that have inspired me to write. Without you two, there would be a massive hole in my world, and I don't know how I would've filled it otherwise. Thank you.

Lastly: Thank you to all of my readers. You keep me going with your compliments, your views, and the sheer interest this is getting.
If It hadn't gotten any interest at all, I wouldn't be realising this chapter now. Thank you so much, I love you all.

Chapter 5: Lessons to learn

The skies were clear from clouds, just like those above the ocean, it truly was the most wonderful of sights.
The turquoise skies blended with not even a hint of harshness with the lilac and mango clouds ahead, the subtle mauve gently contrasting against the burgundy that hung upon the sky.
I watched as the sun slowly drifted across the sky, everything was warm and peaceful, happy beyond words.
I was flying, normally that didn't seem special at all, but right now with the wind rustling my feathers and the sun gazing overhead, it felt wonderful. I was carefree and there was nothing to do.

The hills were covered in lush, green grass, the trees all had leaves and the mountains felt homely.
There wasn't anything more wonderful in the entire world.
I could live like this forever.

Then a rumbling noise came from below, as I looked down I saw the earth shatter and crack open.
A purple mist came pouring out of the earth, a rainbow coloured gunk protruding behind, slowly but surely making its way up.
Large circular bays opened from the corner of my eye, and as I turned to them, I saw missiles begin to launch, their streaking trails going off into the distance as they flew away.

A large explosion followed, and I looked behind me to see the cause.
Manehattan fell into a blast of destructive force, the sky turning green and yellow as the missile fell on the outskirts.
I recoiled in horror as the flames expanded in all directions.

I began screaming in terror, my voice not my own. Looking down I could see the rampant wasteland as it turned to grey, dark, dismal destruction. Nothing lived, but somehow, we survived.
The sky grew dark as clouds come pouring over the skies as if the sun itself wished to see no more.
The world would now learn the true horrors of war.

Forgive us, for we have sinned. The world now prepares to be rid of us,

I slowly opened my eyes to find that my vision was completely blurred, but then I began to notice.. her?
Alone stood a midnight blue... I couldn't believe what I was seeing, a midnight blue alicorn?
She looked at me with a nod, and softly spoke.
"Yes."

That was all she said, before slowly disappearing, beginning with her hoof and slowly moving upwards to her horn.
She didn't create a sparkle like Cherry with her magic... was.... was she even real? Was I still dreaming?
Gently I felt her muzzle brush against my ear and my heartbeat stopped for a moment, as she began to whisper.
"I am real. Indeed. Now back to sleep with you, You shall come to no harm."

I felt her hoof softly yet assertively push me back down onto the bed, and I had no choice but to comply. I laid there in disbelief and shock, for as her hoof pulled away, a gentle kiss was pressed against my head.
I had to be dreaming still. I just had to be.
But as I looked around me, everything was normal again. It was still night time, but I could tell the skies hadn't changed, the world around me was still rubble and stone as I had always known it to be on the outside, and Cherry still lay in bed next to me.
Which begged the question, what had just happened?

Slowly I felt a drowsiness overcome me, and I fell back asleep.

The night passed without another incident, without any further vivid dreams, without anything else strange.
When I had asked Cherry if she had any strange dreams or experiences during the night, she simply shrugged and told me I was having a weird dream, and asked if us Stable ponies could even have dreams, being kooked up in a metal box all our lives.
I huffed at that remark, I got out plenty and had lots of fun! She just giggled at how easily she could tease me at times.

Cherry laid in bed and wiggled her rump as she called out to me.
"Crimsoooooon. I'm hungry, oh, I'm more then hungry, I'm starrrrrrrrrving."
There was a teasing in her voice and when I looked at her, the smirk across her face was huge.
"Get me something to swallow?"
She winked at me as she said those words and I felt a shiver of joy down my spine... no, I couldn't, she wasn't well enough yet, I had to put that behind me.
I sighed and grabbed a few apples out my saddlebags, chucking them over to her and she looked at me.
"Apples huh?"
I just looked back in response. "Yes, apples."

We ate together and enjoyed making a mess of ourselves all over the bed. If we couldn't have messy fun in other ways, damn it, we were going to have messy fun somehow!
I kissed her cheek and got up, stretching my wings out. "So. Time to train the newbies in proper gun handling I suppose."
"Oh, you so aren't doing that without me." Cherry retorted. "What do you know about guns anyway, hmm?"

I looked at her and began to mock her, to perfect success. "My gun loads a 12.9x99mm round, firing at a speed of roughly 880 meters a second, the impact from this can tear a limb clean off, or made the torso explode if the conditions are just right."
She simply looked back at me in utter astonishment, barely able to speak.
"Where.... where the hell did you learn that?"
I gave a proud laugh. "What, you honestly think I didn't go through rigorous firearms training? Tank isn't the only place with guns in Four Ridges. Hell, where do you even reckon they came from in the first place?"
She sat there, mindlessly staring at me.
"The Stable has its own supply of guns, ammo, firearm training range... and besides all that, I've also been on the specialist training course that is run by the Tank Merc Group."

I smiled, and slowly it seeped into her. I was far from tame, naive or stupid. I was a trained force of destruction, and I'd already shown the willingness to prove it.
"Oh, and my gun?" I continued on, to further confound her.
"Fires a .40 Spike&Whooves 10x22mm cartridge. Capable of killing a pony through hydrostatic shock faster then blood loss..."
I just gave her a 'do I need continue' smile and she shook her head. I had won.

She refused to speak another word to me all morning after that, which I probably deserved to be honest. Guns were what made Cherry feel special to herself, I understood that, but I also couldn't just sit there and let her believe that I had no formal training, when I had standard, adept and specialist training under my hooves.

I casually trotted out up to the roof and took a look around. Realising what a perfect guard post this could be, I realised just how much hard work we'd done over the last day.
We'd turned this slum into a village with the physical capacity to defend itself and now I was going to give them the gift of training. Maybe if they'd just had proper gun handling training and practice, they could become a self sustainable town worth recognition, rather then "that place over there" as Pockets had made it seem.

Truly, the longer I sat upon the roof, the more I came to realise just how sturdy that wall would be.
Flying opponents would find it no challenge, admittedly, but then no wall would prevent me, or Maisy, from simply flying over unless it had defences designed for such an occurrence or a roof to stop us.

Off in the distance there was a swarm of creatures scattering about.
They looked absolutely disgusting even from this far away... they had ten legs and what looked like a whole bunch of eyes all bunched together. Eugh. Worse? They were headed this way.
Still... this would possibly provide adequate firearms training, and make good use of the wall around us.

I jumped off the building and began to fall, plunging down to the ground, I closed my eyes.
I heard the screams of a bystander who had just made their way out of their house... and opened my eyes and pulled up in the nick of time.
Swooping, soaring, rising through the sky, I had such speed that I felt like lightning, and not wearing my armour for once only made it feel all the faster.

"WAKEY WAKEY COLTSHIRE COMMONS, TIME FOR GUNS TRAINING 101!"

That got their attention. At first it was just dribbles of them walking out of their houses, but quickly it became bunches, and within a matter of minutes the entire town was rallied outside to find out why I'd given them all an early morning wake-up call.
The residents were mostly grumpy about having been woken up, but by my pipbuck the time was now 7:50 so they could just go buck a duck and get over it for all I cared. This was going to be done my way, if they liked it or not.

I felt a weird sense of nostalgia as I landed in front of the crowd on the top of a building and spoke to them all, it was just like being back at Tank.
"Citizens of Coltshire Commons. It is time for you, my little ponies, to get proper, informational and practical firearms training. Each and every citizen who is not required to tend to the severely injured - or not involved in some other ultra essential task must come with me for training.

Three ponies began to sneak away, but I cut them off and stood in front of them before they knew it.
"So, What's your excuse for not wishing to be attending my firearms courses?" I asked, knowing it'd most likely be some lazy response.
The brown buck simply looked both ways before hanging his head down to the ground. "I... uh... I don't have an excuse."
Sighing, I began to explain myself.

"Every adult buck and mare must get this training, because with it you can defend yourselves, without it you are helpless and weak." The brown buck went to interrupt me, but I continued with confidence. "No matter who you are, your being capable of hitting a target at 20 feet matters. Do YOU want to be the only pony left capable of shooting back, being responsible for fighting the last raider left when you remember 'oh wait, I don't know how to use a gun' and get yourself, and everypony else killed? Thought not. Now, listen to what to what I have to say."
He whined, but stepped back to the crowd. The other two followed suit.
"Good." I muttered to myself as I flew back top the building to address the crowd once more.

After giving everypony proper firearms handling training, making sure they knew about safeties and proper ammunition handling, I made sure they knew proper maintenance of their weapons.
It was shocking how little these ponies knew, it explained why eight of them had been so badly injured during the last raid, with however many others dead.

It was tough, but over the course of the morning everypony managed to get to grips with it, and Maisy had come out of her house and made sure none slacked.
Once they all seemed confident in themselves, and I felt confident in them myself, I walked up to Maisy.

"Maisy, there's a whole herd of... creepy crawly things headed this way from the east. Do you mind going out there to see what they are? If they're not too dangerous, tease them over this way, if they're here, let me know somehow. If they're very dangerous, don't get yourself hurt. Please, don't get hurt."
She smiled and picked me up before rubbing her cheek to mine. I giggled and hugged her.

She jumped into the air and took off. I turned to the crowd.
"Now it's time for some real training. I'm going to make two groups. Group A is short range firearm users, you'll be with me. This goes to anyone who uses a pistol, shotgun or assault rifle. Group B is intermediate to long range guns, which means hunting rifles and sniper rifles, you'll be with Cherry Sundae. Group A on my left, group B to my right."

Thankfully it wasn't hard for them to sort themselves out into neat, orderly groups with a 70/30 split between A and B. I liked that, because it meant they'd not only learned proper discipline while under my 'authority' but also that the town had a perfectly reasonable ratio of short and long range users.

I led group A over to the wall and had them all line up along the defences, to which they came to realise just what a wonderful piece of work they had done.
I smiled. Group B then followed me to the roof of the apartment, and waited atop of the building while I went back inside to grab Cherry.

"Cherry baby?" She looked at me with a distasteful look, I'd really upset her.
"I'm sorry, I know guns are your thing and I apologise. I really am sorry, and if you feel ready, I'll make it up to you tonight."
I saw her eyes light up for a moment before she shook her head and pulled a sour face.
"No, Crimson. You're not winning my forgiveness over that easily."
I smugly looked at her as I walked over and licked along the edge of her ear. Her face became even more scrunched up before giving in with a tiny moan as I began to nibble on the tip.
"Crimsoooooon! Nooooo! Hmph! Fine. You win... tonight."

The idea had me excited, but I had to focus. Back to what I came in here for...
"Cherry, I have something else that will cheer you up!" I smiled huge at her and headbuttered her side until she got out of the bed and hit me playfully.
"What could that be then? Hmmm?"
"You have a group of long range gun users to instruct waiting up on the roof for you."

Her jaw dropped and her eyes grew wide, she was happy once more.
"REALLY? REALLY REALLY REALLY?" Her voice bouncing around the room as she jumped.
I grimaced at the thought of her doing so much so soon, but she then calmed down.
With a kiss onto my cheek, she whispered into my ear. "Thank you. Now, lets get to work."

Cherry made her way onto the roof and began to giggle as she looked into the distance. Confused, I took a look myself.
Then I saw what had made Cherry fall onto the floor laughing.
Maisy had found a partner to... mate with.
I just looked at Cherry and shrugged.
"Well, it's not like she's exactly got no need for that I suppose" I quipped, and Cherry just looked at me with a grin.

Slowly making my way off the side of the building, and allowing myself to simply fall sideways, I laughed as I heard somepony gasp at my actions. Obviously they'd forgotten pegasus ponies can only fall to their death if they can't work their wings. Far from the case with me.
Slicing through the sky like a bullet through fabric, I brought myself over to the wall.

The disgusting creatures were a lot closer now, and just as I reached them the creatures had come into view from the wall, coming over the rolling hills. I could see clearly now, they definitely had ten legs and a whole bunch of eyes, black fur. Euck.
"RAAAAAAD SPIDDERS!" One of the mares screamed.
I asked. Why did I ask? "Rad...spiders?"
"Dangerous, poisonous, tough buggers. We need to kill them all, or they'll infest the area."
I smiled. what was the problem with that? they had a wall now!
"Oh. And they can climb... vertically, even hang off ceilings. To make it worse? They have no problems eating ponies if they catch you.
...Great.

The volley began with Cherry taking the first shot, and the rad-spiders skull exploded. Hollow point bullets? She had loaded them up in preparation for Maisy if things went bad with her, now I thought about it.
A few seconds later, the ground began to explode as poorly aimed bullets hit it, and not the intended targets.
It took them a good half minute, but after a few tries they started to hit their targets, with varying degrees of efficiency.

Pop... Pop... Pop. CRACK.
You could always tell when Cherry had decided to take aim because the biggest of them all would explode with stunning accuracy each and every time, the sheer sound of her gun alone completely outclassed anything that the others were using.
Though I was worried. There was still another twenty spiders and they were getting awfully close.
I raised one hoof into the air.

"Volley round one. Ready. Aim. Fire at will with the tempo to my feet." I began marching on the spot, and the clattering of assault rifles filled their air.
Split second bursts cracked the spiders limbs apart, but they continued coming. The sound of my hooves clanking on the stone wall gave the militia something to focus on, and everyone kept calm to the best of their abilities.

"Volley round two. Ready. Aim. Fire when in range."
The sound of pistols took over from the sound of the rifles from atop the apartment building. They were far too close for the long range group and if they had missed, it could've easily been a pony that died, rather then a rad-spider.
Though the bullets from their 32. calibre and 9mm pistols seemed ineffective, the two ponies with a .44 revolver and .45APC automatic pistol tore the spiders a few more holes.

Six spiders left, but they were now at the wall.
"VOLLEY ROUND THREE. READY. AIM." I shouted at the top of my lungs and pulled out my own shotgun. I looked around at the four other shotgun wielders as the people will assault rifles pulled out whatever melee weapons they had or simply made their way to safety.
The first one to climb up saw my barrel pointed right at its eyes as it stared over the wall... I saw it blink in the last second of its life as buckshot scattered through its brains and the purple goo covered the floor below.

One by one, the loud clangs of shotguns going off devastated the remaining spiders.
Coltshire Commons was safe once more. The last two spiders began to flee, and I ordered my group to cease fire.
I flew up to Cherry, and simply winked at her.
"You take left, I'll take right. Deal?"
She was smiling like it was her birthday. I took off once more and flew up to the rad-spiders, casually landing in front of them.

"So uh, I heard you're about to die?"
I heard the two hiss at me as I slipped into S.A.T.S and pulled out my shotgun. The rad-spider flew back a few feet from the impact and the other exploded as it brought its front legs up to grab me.
I simply yawned at the sight, before checking they were definitely all dead.

Two remained alive, crippled, but alive. I gave them swift mercy from their pain with a knife I had borrowed from one of the mares,
They were no longer a threat, and Coltshire Commons had proven itself capable of handling an assault from 30 odd rad-spiders that would've massacred the village had it not been for our help and training.

While the corpses of the rad-spiders were collected, mayor Gut-Rot approached me.
"Crimson. What you did earlier? That was completely out of your authority. However, I cannot thank you enough. Not only are we properly armed, defended, and trained now, but we've experienced some combat and seen our own skills and capabilities. Thank you."
Nodding my head in a gesture of gratitude, I took a look at the honest smile on her face.
"You're welcome mayor. Just... remember Four Ridges if you even hear of any water talismans, okay?"
"Of course Crimson, We'll hold our end of the bargain up. Now... there's something I want to..." She paused for a moment, obviously trying to find the proper words. "I'm not entirely sure about this, but there's something I want to offer you the chance for."

Her eyes had a worried look, they weren't focused on me but nor were they focused on anything in particular.

"Crimson. There's a reason why I came out here with the doctor, to found this village. It wasn't just to have my own place though, it was actually something completely different."
I looked around and smiled before suggesting that if it's a long story, that she's more then welcome to come round to our temporary room in the apartment.
She nodded and smiled at the offer for some rest.

"So, As I was saying earlier. This village was never founded with the express intention to become a town. It was originally only a camp, which became an extended stay. You see, originally this was only an expedition into the hospital, because there's something... special, about that building."
The look on my face must've said it all, before I could even utter a word she continued telling me the story.
"There was, and still is, security inside the complex."

Cherry asked for me. "Security in the complex? In what form? Territorial? Hostile and actively scanning the whole building? Passive toward you?"
I had to admit, Cherry asked all the right questions and didn't try to rely on chances to try get an answer.

Mayor Gut-Rot just looked down and sighed before continuing. "Territorial, hostile but not actively seeking us out. It seems that the part of the complex we reside in is open to the public, or has it's security systems set to be passive unless under threat. We're not sure, We've never come across any security in the first section."

There was something that the mayor wasn't telling us, I knew it, but I didn't know what it was.
"What's in there that led you to make camp there, mayor." I looked at her with piercing eyes, trying to pry it out of her.
"Well... uh...."
"Mayor. For you to have set up an expedition, to make camp, to extend that into a village? There's got to be a reason. What did you find?"
She gave her secrets up to me without a fight.

"Medical equipment and supplies. Not just a little of it, and not civilian grade either. Pre-war military grade medical hardware and chems were here aplenty in this first section even. There's supposed to be more of it down below, but the only buck to ever make it down there died while fighting machines. His partner fled, came to Coltshire town, and I just happened to be sitting at the bar as he told us all."

"So, you're chasing down ghost stories." I quipped. Cherry let her trademark giggle out while the mayor simply rolled her eyes, I apologised. "I mean, you heard of it from a guy who had his partner ripped to shreds by robots? So there's a skeleton down there, lots of robots, and god knows what else?"
She nodded.
"It's off limits to most... but if you're able to get down there in one piece, you're welcome to see if there's any water talismans. If you manage to shut down or neutralise the security while you're down there, that would also be a big plus."

I looked cautiously at the mayor. "Why hasn't Maisy been sent down there?"
"Maisy?" She looked at me with shock.
"Yeah. Maisy looks like she could handle herself against a few robots. Why did you never just ask her old owner to go down there with her?"
The mayor just laughed. "She's afraid. Absolutely terrified of machines that shoot lasers. Not so much a sparkle cola machine, but sentries, turrets, anything like that. They're not natural and they turn her into a bigger wuss then my pet radbit."
That was good to know. Never expect Maisy to go up against any mechanical enemies. I sighed.

We'd spoke to the mayor for a while longer before she took her leave. We discussed everything from the general running of the village to the bandit problem they'd had as of late with the zonkey and his crew. Apparently they'd refused to pay settlers taxes to him and he'd tried to burn down their houses during the night.
They caught the arsonist as he began to burn down one of the houses and simply shot him right there and then. Ever since, the bandit had been out to kill them all for their "insolence".

Cherry wasn't keen on the idea of me going down the "hallway of doom" as she had so eloquently named it, but she knew it was better it being me then her with her current state. If the machines caught me, I could simply fight back, or even fly away, herself though? She was still unable to run, and even too much walking at this point in time would probably exhaust her while she was still recovering.

We had just finished discussing it and were simply enjoying some very gentle and calming cuddles when somepony ran up to our room and knocked on the door frantically.
"Come in." I hadn't been too keen on it, but I still kept my eyes closed and just enjoyed the relaxation.
I opened my left eye just in time to see the poor mare blush.
"I..." She was panting like crazy and I simply smiled at her.
"Breathe dear, breathe."
"I... I've been sent by... the mayor... the town is under attack..."
My other eye opened and I looked to Cherry.

"You, get on on that roof. I'm not allowing you to get up and close. Besides, your talent lays on your long range capabilities."
Cherry nodded at my commands and telekenetically grabbed her rifle from across the room.
"You, message mare. What gun do you use... wait... you were group B right?"
She simply nodded.
"Follow Cherry Sundae. Make sure nopony gets on the roof. Assist her in any way she asks."
"Yes sir."

I got myself out of bed and put on my armour double time. If someone wanted to attack the town, I would make good use of it as real combat training. Packing a new magazine into my 10mm and loading in three shots for the half spent shotgun, I prepared myself for the fight I was about to be engaged in.
I looked down at my grenades and thought about it for a moment... packed them onto my sides and had a brilliant idea.

The broadcaster switched on, the pipbuck screen giving me a range of options to choose from.
Scrolling down to "Tank Merc Group HQ" I clicked and began to speak.
"This is Crimson Wings of Stable 58, repeat, this is Crimson Wings. Do you copy?"
Nothing but silence and the crackling of static filled the room, Cherry looked at me in confusion.
"This is Crimson Wings, calling Tank Merc Group HQ. Do you copy?"
"We hear you, what's up Crimson?""Track my pipbuck location. I want support fire on a waypoint when I give the signal. Serial code H54-V"
"Got it."

I smirked at Cherry as the serial code processed into her mind, her eyes went wide with dread before looking out into the distance and smiling just as she had when she'd gotten the chance to take a chunk off the mountainside.
With a red flash before my eyes, I fell to the floor as she had me pinned and began to kiss me over and over.
"I LOVE EXPLOSIONS!"

I had floated down to the front-line from the apartment to speak to the mayor, who was in the middle of giving everypony a prep-talk.
Maisy sat behind the wall out of view of the enemies, hopefully they hadn't seen her.
I saw them on my E.F.S, the thirty or forty red ticks that filled up the entire northern facing part of my compass.
This was going to be a wild ride.

Just as the mayor was finishing up her speech, a lone pony with a ragged mane and bruised up and cut face with a burst lip and bruises all over her body slowly walked over to us.
The shame and pain in her walk was obvious even from this distance. One of the long range ponies raised their hoof, they all followed by raising their guns.
"HALT" The mayor shouted. They lowered their guns.

She took one look at the pony through binoculars and her face turned white.
"No... it can't be. That's... that's... oh my god. They.... It's Sugar Strand."
"Sugar Stand? You mean. MY Sugar Strand?" one of the bucks shouted from across the wall.
It was amazing to see his emerald green body just fly through the air so fast and before I knew it, he was already standing next to the wounded mare.

I looked to the mayor.
"Want me to go collect them. bring them here?"
The mayor simply looked back at me with a questioning look. "Can you collect them both at once?"
I knew the answer. "No."
"There's your answer then" She replied. "Unless you can get them both at once, I know him, and he won't leave without her, and he's too valuable to leave out there."
I sighed and looked down... to which I saw Maisy.

Should I? If I brought Maisy into view, it could agitate the attackers to attack early. The element of surprise would be lost. No. it wasn't worth it.
I looked at the mayor.
"Prepare the gates, this is going to be a speed essential mission. Get Doc D over to the hospital and ready for an extreme patient."
Mayor Gut-Rot nodded over to the grey buck by her side and he sped to the hospital. She nodded to the gate-keeper and he prepared himself.
I unfolded my wings.

If there was one thing I could never do without, it was speed. I loved the way it brought my mane through the air as it rippled like fire, and my hooves only felt too good at high speeds across the dusty, dry mud.
Within moments I was at the pair and simply grabbed Sugar Strand and threw her on my back.
"NOW, GATE. GO." I shouted at him. He was a fast pony on his hooves, but I had the advantage of wings.
Still, we reached the gate at the same time.

A shot smashed against the wooden gate as I went to go through, I hesitated for a split moment but then ran inside and the gate shut immediately after me.
We were safe, but hostilities had begun.

I turned the broadcaster back on and contacted TMG HQ once more.

"Crimson Wings here. Begin tracking now. Set my current location as endgame."
I had the sound of hooves tapping a keyboard. I didn't need a reply, that told me that they had began tracking.
"Location fixed. Target designation: endgame, confirmed. Moving howitzers within range as we speak."
I smiled. If we were to fail the defence of this town, we were going to make sure as hell they couldn't get a secure base of operations.

I looked back to the north as the emerald green pony took Sugar Strand off towards the hospital.
The red ticks were closer, filling up a broader area of my E.F.S. I had to act now.
"Mayor. Hold the fort, I'm going hunting."
She looked at me and began to speak as I hurled myself into the air, wings stretched and rocketed up into to sky.
I broke into the clouds and felt a static discharge. Damn that didn't feel good!
I lowered myself back down but none the less, I wasn't getting shot at so I supposed I that they'd lost track of me.
I hovered above the would-be second line.

Again, I spoke into my broadcaster.
"This is Crimson. Locate my current position and mark as secondary line of fire."
"Got it... and got it. Secondary line of fire confirmed."

I had two out of my three positions marked now. I just had to-
A bullet clipped my armour. They'd spotted me!
I broke into a dive and released all my remaining grenades at once into the mass.
Pulling up and barking into the broadcaster to mark my general location as primary firing line, I began to guesstimate the amount. It looked closer to fifty then anything.
More then I had expected....
Another shot pinged against my armour, and I felt my ribs ache from the force.

"Location confirmed. Howitzers are ready and waiting on serial code repeat."
"Twenty shells, primary target. Serial code H54-V."
"Target confirmed. Shells away."
I looked over in the distance, towards Four Ridges.
There was suddenly a flash that even in broad daylight could be seen from here.
I flew back to the village as fast as I could.

"DUCK AND COVER!"

Seemingly out of nowhere a high pitched whistling sound came as the shells came ever closer to the range.
Everypony looked at me as I frantically sped towards them, none of them taking my advice. I hadn't blamed them.
It had taken another ten seconds before the shells hit home, but the ground vibrated with a deadly force which shook the wall - thankfully it withheld the shock waves of the explosions with no sign of damage.

"Crimson. This is HQ. Launching second volley now."

Another five shells flew from the sky and crashed into the ground in front. Amongst the dust that had filled the air like a curtain, we saw raiders charging us and firing wildly in our direction.

"HQ, target third volley for secondary line. Send the fourth back to the primary line of fire. Prepare a fifth volley for endgame but do not, repeat, do not fire unless emergency authorisation codes are given."
"Affirmative. Next two volleys to be fired as planned, prepare a fifth for endgame but do not fire without emergency authorisation."
I knew I'd have to pay out my ass for this when I returned, but the professional nature of those guys was amazing and the ability to call fire support at a time like this was beyond any price.

The snipers began their rounds. Only one pony dropped but another two were definitely hit though, and slowed down. Still, it would've been nicer if they'd died, as morbid as that was.
Another five hits to the ground from the hooves of Luna's wrath, the dust was higher and closer. The marksponies were beginning to complain, but I ignored that.

My E.F.S told me that five raiders were getting close, and there was still the majority of their force untouched by the bombardment.
I readied my shotgun and stamped once onto the ground. Assault rifles and SMG's were raised to bare fire upon anyone who came out from the clouds of dust that had completely engulfed the entire battlefield, only leaving us twenty feet between the wall of dust and the wall of stone.

They all came at once, and in unison my shotgun, eight assault rifles and three SMG's ripped through them.
Blood stuck to the floating dust and for just a moment hung in mid air before slowly falling under its own weight.
I hadn't been in S.A.T.S but with how the blood sprayed, it sure felt all the same.

"Last volley, out. Endgame is being prepared now. Good hunting Crimson. We'll collect the fee from Stable authorities."
'Stable authorities'... my mother was going to be worried sick. My poor mother. I'd give her a call later in the day or something, just to explain it to her.
For now, the last of the bombardment was about to hit and the real fight was going to begin.

I jumped down and stroked Maisy's mane.
"Hey girl. You gonna be ready for when I call you?"
She nodded at me and unsheathed her claws.
The sheer size of them scared me, let alone how sharp they were.
I was so damn glad that Maisy had taken a liking to me already, I really didn't want to be on the wrong side of them.

The last of the shells hit just as I jumped back onto the wall and I watched as my E.F.S told me a good portion more enemies had dropped off the radar.
The shelling technique hadn't removed as many as I'd hoped however, and it seemed like it would still be a fierce battle.

The dust settled for good, and once more the marksponies began their volleys.
The gentle pops of 32 calibre hunting rifles and .302 snipers were suddenly outmatched by a roaring crack from behind.
The body of a heavily armoured raider exploded, sending metal shards into the crowd around him. I turned back and looked up to the roof of the apartment with a smile.
Thirty odd ponies left it seemed. Ten charged at once, eight of them making it through the long range group and four of them through the hail of assault rifle bullets.
I nodded to the other four shotgun users and we jumped down from the wall. This was our time to shine.

I slipped into S.A.T.S and raised my shotgun, bringing two shots crashing into the face of the raider opposite me.
He fell limply to the ground and I slipped out of S.A.T.S, charging forward gun in mouth and jumped onto the back of the next raider, who of all possible weapons, had a pool cue.
The poor fool had no chance to survive as I pressed the gun to his head and pulled the trigger.

One of us got sliced by a raider wearing armour with knives welded onto it all over, but the pony next to him fired both barrels at once and the raider was staggered. I rushed to the injured pony and picked him up in my hooves and slid the shotgun onto the hook on my armour.

"You, you're going to the hospital. You've done a good job but I'd rather keep you alive."
He just nodded with a disappointed look, but I just carried on once he was on the other side of the wall.
Flying back over the armoured raider had managed to push the other shotgun pony back as the two remaining defenders were handling others elsewhere who had made their charge.

I slipped on my helmet and called through to the skies.

"SHOTGUN USERS, RETREAT."

They all looked at me and made a break for the gate as I held off the armoured pony the best I could. His swipes were vicious, but clumsy and easy to dodge.
Upon hearing my call, another fifteen raiders had charged us. I flew up into the sky and saw the remaining forces begin to retreat. These were obviously the disposable troops, but possibly also drugged up to all hell.
It was time.

I took my helmet back off and whistled. Maisy jumped out from behind the wall, but none of the raiders took notice. They either knew death was unstoppable or they were too drugged up to care.
Maisy roared but they still ran towards her.
What followed was a bloodbath.

None of the attackers had managed to lay a hoof on Maisy, even though they all wore armour just as heavy as the knife user, her claws simply tore through it as if it was made of plywood.
Their screams of agony as she threw them into the air only to land on the ground, all their bones broken, was horrific.
I got flashbacks from when I had dropped Cherry.
Was that the sound she would've made? Would she have lived at all?
At that moment one of them sliced my face with a three bladed gauntlet and I cried out in agony myself.

My cheek was torn apart by the slice, but the attackers shrieking as Maisy ate him alive from behind put mine to shame.

The battle was won. We hadn't lost any ponies but four more were injured, not including Sugar Strand.
Though to have fought and won against such an amount was astonishing. We had done it. We had held the town against an aggressive force that would've previously had no trouble raping, killing and enslaving every pony in the vicinity.
We had won.

Now that the battle was over and it was safe, I looted as many corpses as I could.
I was still allowing a reasonable amount for the town but taking first pickings for myself, as was reasonable.
I hadn't managed to restock in any appropriate ammo, but we did find out that during the shelling that we had scored a critical hit to them, killing their medic.
Looting his corpse I found twenty-five healing potions, and I was quick to bag nine of those for Me, Cherry and Maisy.

In terms of food we didn't find a lot, but we did get enough to allow everyone a nice celebratory feast of sugar apple bombs, snack cakes and sparkle-colas all round.
That was a truly wonderful evening, the mood was calm and happy, joyous even. The village had overcome its biggest test of faith, and not only that, nopony died during its defence.

There was a real atmosphere in the air, that maybe after all the village had been through, that this was the beginning of a new era of safety and prosperity.
The celebration went through late into the night, and we all enjoyed the spoils.

Cherry and I had spent the evening partying, despite a severe lack of energy which we both shared. She still wasn't up to full strength from her chest and lung wound and me from the new 'scratch'.
Cherry was quick to reassure me that even if it scarred she'd still find me handsome and that it'd just add character, but I personally was a bit worried. Still, there wasn't a lot more that I could do then use a healing bandage on it.
Anyway, if Cherry didn't mind it I suppose it didn't matter for now.

As we walked into our room in the apartment I noticed the mayor had taken the liberty of leaving us a note on the bed.

I picked it up with my wings and flicked it tort, Cherry just nudged my side and told me to go on and read it.
"Dear Crimson and Cherry." I began to read aloud.
"Due to the efforts you have put into this town, I have decided you deserve a repayment of sorts."
Cherry interrupted me. "Repayments? Really? What of?"
I just rolled my eyes as I continued to read.
"As such, I bestow upon you a gift. In the draw on the right hand side dresser, you will find a key. This key is to the stairwell that leads to the upper roof penthouse. The one with the glass roof."

I just looked at Cherry. She looked at me back.
Slowly her face changed from confused to shocked to overjoyed.
"YOU'VE SEEN INTO THAT, WHAT'S IT LIKE? IS IT NICE? OOOOH! I WONDERED WHAT WAS ON THAT UPPER ROOF!"

I turned my attention back to the letter.
"This is yours to keep. You are welcome to stop by whenever you wish. Your items will be safe as there is only one key - So don't lose it.
Yours sincerely, Mayor Gut-rot.

P.s. I've made sure to have clean bedding we found in the storage of the suite applied to the bedding in preparation for you. Enjoy yourselves..."

Cherry's eyes lit up and her mouth hung agape for a moment before smiling smugly, opening up the dresser with her magic and then... using her magic to place the key under her tongue?
What the hell?

"A little... taster of what's to come. You want the suite? Come get it Crimson!" ...Or I think that's what she said. She spoke a lot clearer then then me with a shotgun in my mouth either way.
She wiggled her flank at me and all of a sudden it was all to clear.
Tonight was going to be fun.

The wind blew against the windows and made a slight whistling sound, waking me up during the middle of the night.
I looked at my pipbuck to see it was only 3:33am. Why did I wake up at such a weird time? I just shrugged and decided I felt refreshed enough for a little walk, especially after the night of fun.

I put my armour on and grabbed all my gear. I hadn't spent a lot of time out in the wastes, but it was already starting to feel natural to wear it and the matter of fact was the more I was used to flying around in it, the better.
Opening the latch on the roof door, I walked through into the brisk cold of the early morning breeze.
As I stepped out the door shut behind me, and the latch fell back into place.

Seemed I wasn't getting back inside until later in the day, so with this behind me I decided that maybe now would be the ideal time to go check out the 'corridor of automated death' I had been so told about.
It was only a short flight over to the medical facility, especially with the ability to simply glide there from up this high.
Opening up the door and slipping through was easy enough now the town was safe, they didn't feel a need to lock it like they had previously.

I was just walking along by all the beds when I accidentally tripped over a kid. Looking behind me as I got up, I went to apologise before noticing it was Dust Buckets.

"Hey, Sorry there Dust Buckets. Didn't see you there. What're you doing in here at this time in the morning?" My voice filled with a softness that comforted the poor colt, after having been knocked over.
He just looked at me and rolled his eyes. "I'm spending the night with mum, she's the head doctor here and I didn't want to be home alone. It's scary being alone sometimes."

I just nodded. I remembered being a small colt myself, sleeping in my own room was frightening at first. At least I had the safety of the Stable and mum was never further then the next door over.

"Uhm, anyway, I'm just back on my way back to bed, just needed to use the potty."
D'awwww, he still referred to it as the potty. Cute kid. He scampered off and I resumed course for the door.

When I found it, I was a little annoyed by the size of it. The door wasn't just like a blast door, it was a blast door.
Designed to keep ponies outside perhaps? Or was it to keep the dangers inside? Either way, it was stiff and heavy, but I soon got it open with a little more noise then I'd hoped to make.
Thankfully none of the patients had woken up however, so I wasn't going to have to apologise to any tired and cranky ponies.

I placed my helmet on as I walked through the door, the last thing I needed when trying to be stealthy was the helmet clanking on its latch hook and giving my position away with every movement I made.
I knew that stealth was going to be my biggest ally down here, as even with my shotgun and pistol, I didn't much fancy a shoot-out in the middle of the night with a bunch of automated security turrets and Goddesses knew what else that I might find.

Step by step the sound of my hooves was minimised by my ability to hover, gently flapping only the edges of my wings to give me a lighter, quieter touch.

Green triangular symbols with an eye were imprinted on the walls, I had no clue what they were but they seemed to do absolutely nothing so I didn't give them a second thought.
What I did find interesting however, was a particular symbol on a doorway ahead. It was the symbol used on the old world military flags, the two princesses circling what looked like the sun and the moon rolled into one. Definitely a military base, though that was almost assured even before that finding.

I pressed my hoof against the door to open it when I heard a clicking sound from behind me.
I slipped into S.A.T.S to try help me think as I went to turn around, activating in time as my head came to view the spectacle.
Dust... Oh god. The turrets were lowering themselves ever so slowly but I could still see them go down ever so gently, the clock was ticking even now.
Dust Buckets was halfway down the corridor and looked as if he was about to say something, but the turrets were sure to spot him.

I slipped out of S.A.T.S.

"DUST! NO!"

He began to shout back to me "Crimson! Not in here! it's not-"
That was all he managed to say.

Before I could even spread my wings to speed towards him the turrets took aim and began peppering the air with their bullets.
I saw Dust's foreleg explode in a red mist as he was hit by a barrage of bullets from the turrets.
I smashed into him at full speed and took a few bullets to my back as I did, no doubt I had just saved him from being shot even further, though I yelped in sudden pain as they smashed into my back plating and one bullet pierced through into my side.

Suddenly as I lay there, a robotic sounding voice came out of the ceiling from somewhere I couldn't quite pinpoint.
"Error. Friendly fire detected. Processing information... officer wounded in friendly fire event. Commencing shut-down of turrets in sector A."

I shook my head and looked down. Dust Buckets was laying there unconscious but alive, barely. His breathing was shallow and slow, he needed medical attention right now.

"DOCTOR DIRTHOOVES. DOCTOR."

I cried out for her, it woke everyone up and someone began to moan about the sudden noise until they saw the blood all over myself and the colt, whom was now missing a leg.
I picked him up and flew off to the emergency table, pulled the latch on my helmet to be able to speak normally again and tried not to panic... as if it was something easy to do.

Wrapping the colts wound up in the nearest clean rag I could find, I proceeded to tie a tourniquet around the shoulder to try stem the bleeding.
I grabbed four of the towns healing potions from their stock cupboards and poured one straight onto the wound.

Doctor D ran up to my side once she'd realised where I was and her voice turned to that one of sheer horror "DUSTY. OH GOD. DUSTY! MY DUSTY! WHAT HAPPENED?!"
I simply threw two healing potions to her and nodded over to the IV drip, she was shaking but quickly realised what I had meant and did her best to pour them in without spilling a drop.
I slid the needle into Dust Bucket's remaining forelimb, just looking at the wound in horror.

I then sipped the fourth potion myself, and felt the pain ease and the blood stopped running down my side.

Shaking at every moment, the doctor turned to me. The shock was evident in her eyes. "Wha- wha- What happened to my Dusty? How did this happen?"
I looked down at the ground.
"I went to explore the turret defended corridor. I didn't close the blast door behind me in case I needed to get out fast. Dusty had just been awake to use the toilet and was supposedly going back to your side when I bumped into him as I walked in."
"That... that doesn't explain this though!"

She began to cry and I lowered my head further.

"He... He must have followed me. I made it all the way to the door without being noticed by the security, and I was just opening it when I heard the click of the turrets coming out. When I turned around I saw him half way through. He was trying to tell me the area isn't safe when the turrets opened fire on him. I tried to save him. I.... I tried. Goddesses. I tried."
I broke into tears myself as I continued.
"I tried. But by the time I'd manage to reach him, his leg was already blown off. I took a few bullets myself which would've hit him as I grabbed and flew with him out of the corridor. I'm so sorry. I tried."

Her bursts of choking as she tried to breathe subsided for a moment as she began to speak.

"Crimson. Look- Look at me."

I looked up. Her hoof connected squarely with my left eye with such power that I was thrown to the floor. I thought I'd felt my eye socket crack under the sheer force, but the healing potion I'd drunk would take care of it if it had.
I just laid there and accepted the blow. I wouldn't try defend myself or stop her unless she tried to take my life.
Instead, she just fell on top of me in bursts of agonising tears.

"I... I... I'm s- s- so so- sorr- sorry Crimson."
Her tears warm and salty dropped against my still tender slice wounds from earlier. Now I'd have a black eye on the left and three slice marks on my right. What a sight.
She began to speak again once she'd choked the tears away for a moment.
"I'm... I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I know you did what you could."
I just laid there and didn't speak a word or make any sound. I had no right to.
"I know you couldn't close that door." She continued "And you couldn't have known he was there. It's not your fault."

I breathed deeply as she got off me and walked back to the table. Her son laying there, a leg missing.
I rose to my feet, shook my head and huffed with a very angry tone.
"Those... fucking... turrets."

The doctor just looked at me as I stormed up to the corridor. The turrets sat there still, just watching me.
"YOU FUCKING TURRETS" I cried out as I slipped into S.A.T.S and lined up three shots for each of the two turrets.
They only took two shots each, but it felt good shooting the connection joints that they hung from all the same.

I ran to the door and bucked it as hard as I could, it flew open to show a large circular room with a big screen on the far wall.
In a fit of rage I sped in, uncaring about any threats that were hidden to my sides. They could all come at me at once, I would take them all apart piece by piece.

I stepped through the door, the metal clangs of robotic hooves surrounded me as I saw they spotted me.
Four protectaponies flanked each side of me, one by one they approached.
Their metal hides so familiar yet so different, so twisted and wrong. How anyone could design a robot to imitate the look of a pony was beyond me.

"You mother fuckers. You want at me? Fucking come at me. After what you and your security system did to him?"

They just looked at me though. Instead of shooting me as I had just shot their turrets, they simply looked at me.
It was almost as if they were waiting for me to make a wrong move... one more step, that would be it.
I would take one more step and they would decide I was too far into their territory, too far away from the door to be able to get out before it closed.

Sealing me in and entombing me to a fast, or slow death. That was how they were going to end me, that was going to be the way they won this fight no matter what, I just knew it.
It didn't matter to them, they could wait forever, they'd already waited over 200 years for this moment.

I reloaded and aimed my shotgun at one of their heads, but it didn't react. Slowly, I holstered my gun.
A green light came on in the corner of the monitor in front of me, It's emerald glow shone from behind. I turned around as fast as I could to see what it was coming from, dodge the incoming attack,
The camera stopped with the green glow.

"Please turn around for full confirmation of status... Please turn around for full confirmation of status... Please turn around for full confirmation of status..."

Obliging the mechanical call I turned around just to see what it would do, and the green beams went up and down the zone around me once more.

"Welcome, Lieutenant Colonel. Would you care to sign in via DNA confirmation?"
The protectaponies that were previously standing around me waiting for action had just bowed their heads before getting back to their aimless wander. I was utterly and truly perplexed.

I didn't know what to do, but the monitor began showing me diagrams of a hoof going onto a circle on the computer. Looking down I saw it and placed my hoof onto the DNA scanner.
A pinprick jabbed me and took a bit of blood suddenly.

"Fucker. As if you haven't taken enough of my blood with that turret system." I muttered to myself.
The computer hummed furiously as it tried to process the blood, before coming back to me in its robotic voice.
"DNA unlisted. However, your uniform shows your rank as Lt.Colonel. Our databases show that Lt.Colonel Waters is now deceased. Accepting your application for entry to database. Please state your last, then first name."

I blinked in shock. Really? It was going to accept me as it's leader just like that? I grinned.
"Wings, Crimson."
My authoritative tone spoke power into the machine as it beeped in return.

"Welcome, Lt.Colonel Wings. Would you like your complimentary duster?"
I looked at the machine. Complimentary duster? Well... why not I suppose?
"Sure."
As soon as the word left my mouth, one of the metal pony things walked over to me with a package on its back.
I looked at it.
..They had honestly gift wrapped a box and put a bow on it for me.

I undone the bow and ribbon carefully with my wings, undone the wrapping paper and opened the lid with my mouth.
Inside sat a brand new real brahminhide reinforced leather duster coat, which when I slipped on, fit me perfectly in every way. How the hell they'd done that was beyond me, and I could've sworn a strange way that it had reminded me of Zardoz somehow. Strange, wild lands these wastes were.

"Look, command console. Who, or whatever you are, I need to come back later today. I've got stuff to check on, such as the child shot by your security."
"You mean the turrets you've rendered inactive, Sir?" The robotic voice asked in return.
"Yes."
"Understood, Lt.Colonel Wings. Would you like us to shut down all security systems to this zone?"
Without even a heartbeat between the end of that sentence and the start of mine, I answered back. "Yes."

I'd walked out to check on Dust Buckets. Doctor D was still crying, but she gave me a hug and apologised further for hitting me. I simply motioned that I understood and carried on out of the building.
Flying over to the apartment I tapped on the glass door at the penthouse suite and woke Cherry up so she could let me back in.

We sat down and talked about what had just happened. Her face was filled with horror and dismay at the accident but also with confusion and wonder about the tales of being turned into a lieutenant colonel in the old equestrian armed forces. She had found a little humour in that.

I simply laid across the bed and looked at her as I began to cry again over Dust Buckets.

"Cherry. God. Cherry. It was awful. I didn't mean... I didn't know... I tried..."
She put her hoof on my mouth and turned the rest of my words into jumbled rubbish.
In the softest tone I'd heard from her in a while, she spoke to me. "Crimson. I understand."
I continued to cry, the pain from what had just happened still overwhelming me.

I looked up at her as she stroke my mane softly.
I began to beg through the tears. “Please... Please don’t leave me.” I needed her right now.
"Crimson. I'm not going anywhere. I love you."

Her words struck me speechless as she whispered them again before kissing my ear.
"I love you."

Footnote:
Level up!
Perk unlocked! Charming devil!
You gain +5 to both speech and barter with this perk! You charming devil you.

50 Small guns attained.

Footnote:
Cherry Sundae level up!
Perk unlocked! Trained instructor!
You have the ability to train other ponies thoroughly in your primary tag skills.

50 Lockpick attained.
55 Small guns attained.

As promised, I'm going to keep advertising the fact that the head picture came from WavemasterRyx, who can be found:http://ask-the-waves.tumblr.com/ !

My best friend Mel gets love for being amazing, supportive and keeping me going. <3
I know you don't want me to write anything soppy, but fuck, I love you and you are the air that I breathe, you are my guiding light in the darkness and you are my reason for staying strong amongst the weak. I love you.

Thank you both Kkat and Somber for both writing amazing stories that have inspired me to write. Without you two, there would be a massive hole in my world, and I don't know how I would've filled it otherwise. Thank you.

Lastly: Thank you to all of my readers. You keep me going with your compliments, your views, and the sheer interest this is getting.
If It hadn't gotten any interest at all, I wouldn't be realising this chapter now. Thank you so much, I love you all.
I'll keep doing my best to give you top quality chapters as often as I can!

Chapter 6: Roads we walk alone

Waking up in the morning to the sight of Cherry smiling at me was still strange, we hadn't been around one another for long yet we already felt so good. I raised my hoof and tenderly touched her cheek with a gentle brush in an effort to wake her up peacefully.
A loving kiss was placed on my forehead as she whispered for me to rest.
Rest? We had no time for rest, I thought as I fought back the urge to yawn and concede.

Slowly and almost painfully pulling myself out of the bed to the whines of Cherry, I slipped my armour back on.
There was only one more thing to do here now, we would have to speak to the mayor and offer Tank Mercenary Group services.
I highly doubted the capabilities of the villagers for another attack just yet and I wasn't going to let this hard work go to waste.

I looked to Cherry to ask if that'd be something they'd be able to do, but instead she'd already fallen back asleep.
Lazy mare.

The wind blew, as it always seemingly did up here, gently against the glass as I walked out of the room.
My stomach began to ache and I remembered I hadn't eaten anything last night... damn was I hungry.
I looked into the horizon and saw the village was as quiet as the rest of the wasteland, no shops to buy any fresh food from so it looked like we'd be delving into our Rad-spider portions, though that would have to wait for a moment while I checked on Maisy.

Fast asleep as I'd assumed, Maisy lay there snuggled up in what seemed to be her corner of the place. Whenever I'd seen Maisy in her old owners house she'd always laid in this corner in that same old way. Whistling a gentle tune slowly woke her up, and brought her paw crashing down into my side, knocking me clean over before she scraped me up into her arms and laid on me.

"Maisy." I coughed as I spoke, trying to not let her crush me was hard. "Maisy."
She whined but slowly opened one of her eyes back up to look at me before giving me a little more room to breathe.
"Maisy, it's time to get ready to go. We'll be leaving today. You're coming with us right?"
She just nodded and licked my face gently.
"Well then missy, I'll be cooking up some rad-spider bits in a minute, want some?"
With her tail she used the scorpion-like stinger to open one of her cupboards before peering inside to see practically nothing left before looking bad at me and nodding, puppy dog eyes on full.
Trying to speak through my giggles I began. "Well of course you can have some, come on. I'll go cook some up now."

Her smile made all the crushed ribs feeling fade away as she lifted herself off me and picked me up in her powerful jaw before opening up the door and flying out of the house.

Getting Cherry to wake up wasn't all that hard in the end, as soon as the scent of cooked rad-spider had hit her, she was falling over her own hooves all messed up in the bedding before she even had time to think.
I tried to stifle the laughter but eventually I broke out into full blown fits.
Her pout was just enough to bring me off guard before smacking me round the face with a hoof, bringing me to the floor.
Apparently I was supposed to 'know my place', which was strange because usually it was the other way around.

After having had breakfast I told her the plan. She didn't seem all that interested in leaving our suite but after a headbutt to the side she was a lot more inclined to leave the room... even if it was only to chase me so she could return the favour.

She yelled at me at the top of her lungs. "CRIMSON!"
I simply paused mid air as I slipped my duster on as she ran toward me.
"GET HERE AND RECEIVE YOUR PUNISHMENT MISTER"
Looking at her I lifted my head up in the air, turned to her and casually began my response. "Nope."
I flew as fast as my wings could take me from the reach of her magic.

That really set the mood for the rest of the morning, and I found it just as much fun as she found it annoying, constantly letting her feel my tail or hooves with her magic, but still unable to outright catch me.
I began to tease her, holding still for a little longer each and every time before shooting off again, each time making her more and more frustrated. It was the best exercise a lad could have.

Then it happened, she caught me. My life was over.

I'd expected her to pin me down, which she had. What I hadn't expected however, was the lack of blows to the head.
Instead, she sat there and pushed my head to the side so she could get a closer look at my new battle wounds.
Gently she brushed her magic against my sliced cheek, carefully caressing the scars., I let my guard down as she softly whispered my name with a sadness to her voice.

Sighing, I looked to her.
She just smiled at me... then hit me as hard as she could.
My head rang and spun as she climbed off and threw me through the air between her magic and a kick and got me on my feet.

"DON'T EVER, EVER DO THAT AGAIN CRIMSON. RECKLESSLY RISKING YOUR LIFE LIKE THAT. SO HELP ME LUNA, I WILL END YOUR LIFE MYSELF."

I simply stood there dazed as my head pounded and my vision slowly came back from the brown and grey blur of the floor and walls around us. Goddesses I felt sick.
Then I hit the floor and closed my eyes to rest for a moment.

"Crimson. Crimson, are you okay?"
Ughhhh. Who? What?
"Crimson?"
I simply shook my head through the pain and felt a sudden rush of agony run down my spine.
It was completely unbearable, my head felt as if a radbit had dropped a tree on it or something.

"Crimson, don't move your head any more then you have to right now. Can you hear me?"
I groaned in agreement and outstretched my hoof.
"I'll take that as a yes. Now, here's what happened.... Well... Cherry fractured your skull."
Whoever was talking stopped for a moment and I heard a small whining noise which almost sounded like 'sorry'.
"My name is nurse Lucky, which fits for you tight now because you're lucky Cherry noticed she'd hurt you worse then intended. Now, stay still for a moment because I've got to do this very carefully."

I felt a strange pressure press against my back and all my hooves before I figured it must have been magic holding me still, I obliged not having any clue of what was happening anyway.
I groaned more out of the sheer tormenting pain as I felt a prick of pain before a warm, soothing, almost pleasurable sensation worked its way up my neck and into my head.

"I've just fitted you with an IV drip into the top of your spine, it should feed straight to your wound hopefully so you'll be stuck here for a day, but with any luck it'll turn from possible fracture to minor concussion over the course of the day, and you should be fine to leave tomorrow after another day of rest."

I began to whine upon hearing that. Rest? I had no time for rest! I had to go find a new water talisman!
"But- but- but-" I began. The nurse just put her hoof to my muzzle.
"No, Crimson. Rest."
I brushed her hoof with a wing and began to speak again.
"The water... the water talisman. Need... need to find a new one."
"You're in no condition to-"

That was as far as she got before mine and Cherry's pipbucks began to blare out.

"This is Pocket Change of Four Ridges, repeat. This is Pocket Change of Four Ridges! Crimson, Do you copy? Cherry?!"

I slowly opened my eyes to look at the pipbuck, still a mess of blur of colours and shapes.
"Cherry... answer. My eyes are..."
I couldn't even speak properly. Either the drugs, the damage or the pain was stopping me from doing anything useful.

"Pockets, this is Cherry Sundae. I can hear you. What's happened?"
There was a pause for a moment, then the old buck began to speak once more.
"Kingcakes is dead. I've been hit but its only a flesh wound. Fallen and Dusk are under fire right now. We're in Coltshire Town and we're all putting up a defence, but these raiders are armed with some heavy ordinance."

I could see Cherry spin around and turn her head to me as she continued to speak.
"Sniper rifle? About thirty odd of them? Led by a Zonkey?"
There was a hesitation over the airwaves for a moment before he began to speak again.
"Y...Yeah. I take it you've run into them then?"
"Yeah. Could say that. Hold on, I'll be right there. Crimson won't be coming though."
"What?" The fear was obvious in his voice, though I couldn't tell if it was for me or for his own life.
"How will you get here in time then? What happened to Crimson?"
"I'll tell you later. I've gotta go."

With that she hung up, kissed me on my nose and pinned my wings with her hooves.

"You. Are. Not. Going. Anywhere. Got it?"
I whined. She scowled at me.
"No. No whining. You're nowhere near fit to move, let alone fight. Besides. I need to repay that fucker. I'm taking Maisy and we're going over there to sort them out."

I had no choice. She was right. I couldn't stop her if I tried.
I just lay there on my belly, unable to move. She took the helmet off my armour and magically held it at her side.
"Also? I'm taking your helmet. My turn."

I watched as her figure walked out of the door. I was worried, absolutely worried.

As soon as Cherry left the building, I spoke to the nurse and got her to go through my pipbuck.

I'd contacted Tank Mercenary Group and asked Cherry's background and combat experience. I'd expected something average, maybe having gone out once or twice and patrolled the wall plenty. What I hadn't expected was what I was told.

"Sorry, but I just don't have allowance to those files Crimson!"
"What do you mean? You're the administrative pony in charge, you must do!"
"These are 'Romeo' level files Crimson. Whatever is on them, it's something serious."
"As the son of the Overmare, I am telling you, I need to know her history."
"As the guy behind the keyboard, I'm telling you. I can't access the files, I'm not permitted."
"Fine. Type what I say now. Stable over-ride code Prise."

I heard the presses of each key and then the satisfying beep sound as the computer unlocked its files.

"Right... okay. Says here she was... is... no. This can't be right."
My gut wrenched at the thought of his hesitation, this was a pony who was all business and never hesitated to be clear and precise.
"Says here she's active special forces. I wasn't even aware we had special forces."
At that moment I heard the sound of stuttering.

"M....M...Mayor"
I stayed quiet, listening into the conversation.

"Specialist. What is it you're doing on that computer."
"I..."
"Let me see... why have you opened the files on Cherry Sundae? How did you get into these?"
I had to speak up now or risk this bucks job.
"Mayor. Here. Broadcaster."
I heard the sound of heavy hooves against the floor, making their way closer to the broadcaster. Even over the ringing in my ear, I could tell when she approached despite being the other side of a broadcaster.

"Crimson? I take it that's you on the other end of the line?"
"Yeah, its me."
"Got a reason you wanted those files?"
"Cherry has gone off on her own. I need to know how capable she is."
She gave it a moments thought before speaking with a smooth as silk tone. "She can handle herself."
"Special forces I hear."
She huffed. "Yeah. Special forces. That's all you're going to find out. Only I and your mother are to know more, besides her of course."

I went to argue, but I knew in my current state it'd probably only end up with me dying from exhaustion, so I let it drop.

"Before I go Mayor, I have a proposition..."

It only took Mayor Gut-Rot five minutes odd to arrive, but it took the best part of an hour to come to an agreement over my pipbuck on how to protect Coltshire Commons with T.M.G forces. Gut-Rot hadn't wanted a lot of protection at first, nor did she want to give up a lot of the resources in the Commons.
However, after some fierce discussion involving possible artillery bombardments in the future for worst case scenarios in times of dire need and top rate protection and town controlled asset management, they finally came to an agreement that T.M.G would gain access to the new zone of the hospital and gain complete ownership of the old hotel.

Barring the suite which remained my own personal property... after I piped up about that particular piece of it all.
The mercs would be allowed in the hotel, but by the Goddesses themselves I would not allow my personal suite to be used by anyone else. I had some plans for that room.

It was also agreed that while the mercs would have to use their own supplies, they were at free liberty to use equipment and staff from the local hospital if they received any wounds that required medical treatment, or if need be, could use town supplies for a price if they hadn't any of their own.

All in all it seemed like a fair deal... for once. The mercs would leave for the Commons tomorrow and the town would finally, truthfully be defended, capable and a new bastion of hope for the wasteland.
The needs of the many.

I smiled as I felt myself lull back into a sleep.

We flew through the air, slicing the wind with precision and speed. My rifle rattling as we pushed through faster and faster, the comforting weight letting me know it wasn't going to come off.
I loved flying on Maisy's back, she always made me feel so safe. I had wished Crimson did the same, but at least he was more exciting to ride.
It hadn't taken long to get Maisy in the air and flying to Coltshire Town, though admittedly she was unsure about it without Crimson around.

I could begin to notice the smoke coming from the outskirts of the town when I heard Crimsons voice, I turned my head and prepared to shout at him before realising it was through my pipbuck.

"As the son of the Overmare, I am telling you, I need to know her history."
"As the guy behind the keyboard, I'm telling you. I can't access the files, I'm not permitted."
"Fine. Type what I say now. Stable over-ride code Prise."

My blood ran cold and my heart skipped a beat. What would he say? What would he do? Would he forgive me for keeping secrets?
No... he hadn't asked... there wasn't a need to tell him.

My hearing and vision went dull as I was sunk into deep thought, then I heard Crimsons voice speak up again.
"Cherry has gone off on her own. I need to know how capable she is."

...More capable then you'd have ever thought.

"Special forces I hear."
"Yeah. Special forces. That's all you're going to find out. Only I and your mother are to know more, besides her of course."

I'd felt guilty listening into the conversation, but I'd felt worse about not having told Crimson about any of this. It wasn't my fault though! I was bound to secrecy until he became Overstallion!
I simply sighed and turned off the radio, switching my focus back to the town ahead.

We came into view of the ponies below and immediately I could see the raider army still besieging the town, their leader at the middle of the crowd, commanding like the coward rather then fighting like a true leader, like my Crimson.

"Maisy. this is the plan, you've gotta fly high and slow the on the first pass, I'm going to use my rifle. After I've fired two shots, I want you to give me a minute to prepare myself, then you're going to dive, fly low and fast, I'll make a strafe on them with my SMG. Feel free to take a swipe if you get the chance."

Maisy didn't make a sound, but simply flew high. I laid carefully across her broad back and lined up the first shot, a big buck in full armour, just like the ones from before. Slipping into S.A.T.S I casually held my breath, just another shot.

They say that your life flashes before your eyes when you die, that your soul rises to the skies above to be with Celestia and Luna.
I don't think that beast had even the slightest part of a moment as the round sliced through his armour and caused a catastrophic mess.

Another moment for me was another body and it always felt as if I was standing in an ocean of blood.
Each and every time I killed I knew that it was another chance for the wasteland, to improve, removed from existence.
Yet I still continued because it was the lives of these ponies who were willing to rape and kill, make victims of anybody else... or the lives of many innocents.

I came out of S.A.T.S and began to breathe again, recollecting my thoughts as the raiders below began to turn on their hooves to their fallen friend, if they were friends in the first place.
Preparing myself for another round in S.A.T.S I lined up my aim ready to go into the deeper perception.
Once more I hit back into S.A.T.S and lined up another shot, this time aiming for the leader of the gang.

Maisy hit some air turbulence and bounced. I missed. Instead I'd hit the pony beside him. I fucking missed! I never miss!
I hung around in S.A.T.S to recollect myself, presuming the momentary guilt to be the reason.
If Crimson were here, he'd simply laugh at me right now, make a joke, no doubt.

As I stared through the scope however, I noticed I had yet again hit one of their medic ponies.
Was that a bonus or a loss for pony-kind? Yes they were a raider, yes they were making life harder for the good ponies out there...
No. It wasn't a loss. They might have not been shooting their gun, but they were helping raiders, and they probably didn't have any medical training anyway bar a quick jab of a needle.

S.A.T.S closed and Maisy began to descend. Strapping the rifle onto my back and prepared my SMG.
Just like how vultures come down for the carcasses after a fight, we dived for the decaying body of the fighting force.
Gravity played its tricks on my brain and I felt almost weak as Maisy levelled from the attack.
I hadn't even time to notice what had happened, but as I looked forward I saw blood all over Maisy's claws.

Before I could even aim my SMG into the crowd a cry came from the Zonkey bastard.
"FUCK! IRON-CLAD HAS FALLEN, RETREAT TO BASE."

I looked to the crowd and felt Crimsons helmet jingle with a burst of wind. I slowly placed it onto my head using my magic and began to speak to the crowd.

"YES, FLEE. FOR THOSE WHO DO NOT SHALL FIND THEIR LIVES STRICKEN FROM TIME ITSELF. SPREAD NO FURTHER EVIL."

Maisy flew back to a decent altitude and I considered another shot, but decided better of it. There was no need to go looking for a fight and risk death, or bring yet more decay upon the land.
After slipping the helmet off and reattached it to my barding I gently stroked Maisy's mane and told her to land where the smoke was coming from, so we could survey the damage done.

Gliding through the air we came to a stop in front of the bodies of the fallen defenders, my heart ached amongst the further destruction and corruption of an already disturbed world.
I looked over the bodies, Kingcakes and Pocket Change lay amongst the others.
I didn't dare take anything from them, instead, I simply sat there and cried.

Maisy laid at my hooves and looked at me, gently nudging my face with her nose as I clenched my eyes shut.
Speaking through the tears was tough,
"I'm sorry Maisy, I'm sorry."
She just made her soft whine and scooped me up against her fuzzy chest and cradled me like Crimson might've.
Crimson... how I'd needed him so badly right now.

Dusk and Fallen came around the corner from the sounds of my sobbing, immediately sounding distressed upon sight of Maisy, crying out.

Dusk was the first to speak, unusually. "Shit! Like we haven't had enough to deal with already!"
Fallen began to shout right after. "Yeah! Fucks sake! Right... You, beast. Put Cherry down right.."
That was when they saw me, unharmed, in Maisy's arms.
Dusk's jaw dropped in confusion and Fallen began to stutter something nonsensical.

"It's all okay guys, she's with me. Before you ask, yes, she was the manticore which uh... we saw on the way."
With that, Dusk went back to his same old stoic self as Fallen kept up his look of disbelief.
"But... but... how? When? Why even!?"
I gave a half hearted laugh as I began to explain.
"Crimson's new pet."

Maisy didn't like that one bit, and showed her displeasure at the notion by giving a huff and looking away, despite still holding me as though I were her own baby.
"Okay, okay. Friend. Mine too."
Maisy smiled and gently put me down so I could go talk to the two remaining guards.

Dusk looked at me solemnly, probably expecting some horrific response as he posed a question. "So. Where is Crimson? What did happen to him?"
Looking straight at him in the eye, I sniffled as I began to speak.
"Oh, Crimson? He's... resting up. He got shot up by some automated security system he now apparently has ownership over and the concussion I accidentally gave him."

The way I said it sounded so nonchalant that even Dusk dropped looked at me with a puzzled face.
Fallen broke the silence with his oh so witty commentary, along with a wink.
"Oh, you like it rough in bed do you? Is he a wild lover?"
I'd felt tempted to smack him across the head with that comment, but after doing so much damage to Crimson, decided not to.

"Nope. Haven't had any fun in too long actually, I've been wounded. Which if you must know, I sure do miss and yes, yes he is."
My grin made me feel confidence that normally took Crimson standing by my side or being on a mission to have. Fallen just looked disappointed I'd outgunned him in wit and Dusk laughed, for once.

We all stood there for a moment until the sombre nature of our meeting caught up with us once more.

"So." I asked. "I suppose we ought to get the bodies out off the side of the road, prepare a grave for them and sort out what's going to be of your mission then?"
Fallen Arrow went to give a hard stare in my direction, but Dusk put his hoof in the way and nodded.
"Yeah. As much as we'd all like to sit around moping about the loss of Kingcakes and Pocket Change, You're right. Fallen, I'll let you strip Pockets if you feel up to it.."
Fallen just nodded and began to take the valuables off Pockets corpse. Dusk did the same with Kingcakes.

I sat down beside Dusk as he slowly took the pieces of armour off the corpse, and gave a soft sigh.
Doing my best to be there for him, I placed my hoof on his shoulder and spoke softly. "I'm sorry, Dusk. Was he your friend?"
He didn't even turn his head to look at me, instead he just carried on.
"Yeah... he was something like that."
"Something huh? You two were close?"

He just looked at me, almost angrily, before sighing and beginning to tear up.
I gently pulled him off the ground with my magic and took him round the corner so we could be in private. I'd given a nod to Maisy to stay put and make sure no-one else touched the body.
I hadn't meant to push Dusk over the edge, but it seems he would've tipped at some point with or without me.
Dusk didn't need anypony else seeing him like this.

"He... he." Dusk began to stutter.
I simply held his head to my chest and stroked his mane, giving a soft soothing sound to try calm him down.
"He was my... he was my brother. The only pony around who knew my name, besides myself. He only came so he could protect me, and that's why he died."

Damn, I needed Crimson right now. He'd understand what to do, what to say. Me? I had no hope. I was never any good at speaking to bucks unless it was to do with the mission.
Crimson...

"Shhh. I'm here for you Dusk. If you need anyone to talk to... I know I'm not a lot of good at this, I never have been, but I'll listen. Though if you want someone who knows what they're talking about... Speak to Crimson. He's the one who calmed down Maisy, got her to be friendly. No doubt he'd be better to talk to then me."

That was the best I could do. Stroke his name and offer to listen, but I truly had no idea what else I could do.

[Song: "At the grave" (Two Steps From Hell - Starfall)]

Ten minutes later Dusk had pulled himself together and walked back out, to finish the job. Me and Maisy began digging two graves just down the path as Fallen slowly clambered along with the corpse of Pockets.

"The grave is ready for him, Fallen. Have you got everything of value off the corpse?"
It wasn't easy to say, it never was. However, we were all taught the importance of stripping down valuables from a fallen comrade. I'd done it more then enough times myself to know it was never something we wanted to do though.

"Yeah." Fallen quietly confirmed. "He's clean of everything, bar one cap in each of his pockets."
I nodded. One cap for Charon and one cap for his respect.
Death wasn't something we took lightly like others out in the wastes did.

Before long Dusk had prepared Kingcakes body in the same manner and was ready.
Respectfully I levitated the bodies down into their graves and we began a quiet prayer for their souls.

"Celestia above, guide these two souls into the heavens. Your love and tenderness we seek, through death we join with you as we had been before. Let us live by your law, as we once did before. May you have mercy on these two loved ones, may you have mercy on us all."

It began to rain as the prayer ended, as cliché as it would have seemed in the old world. To us, it was a signal that the Goddess had forgiven them of their crimes, the blood swept clean.
Maisy, along with Fallen, sought shelter inside the nearest building. Me and Dusk, however, stayed out in the rain just a little longer to mourn the loss of Kingcakes and Pocket Change.

Dusk scratched something up against the wall with his knife before he left and as he walked off I found myself unable to resist the temptation to look.

'B C'

Not much later in the day I spoke to one of the merchants around this part of town. Coltshire Town was a lot larger and it would definitely take more then a day to get to know everyone.
I looked around the stalls and watched as sales-ponies brought more of that gear out after the attack, having received a level of safety required to trade once more.

"Hey! My name is Cherry Sundae. May I ask yours?" I smiled at the old buck hoping to make a good impression. It seemingly worked as he smiled back.
"Well, since you're being nice and polite, sure. My name is Custard Cream."
The white buck bowed his head to me and I blushed, curtseying in return.
"Custard Cream huh? Funny, One of our traders is called Custard Tarts."
That got a chuckle out of him, unbeknownst to me as of why.
"Tarts, oh Tarts. I know who you mean. We like to joke that we're related and that I'm his uncle. Good buck that one. Good buck."
Now I understood, I couldn't help but giggle myself. I smiled at Custard Cream again and thanked him for managing to cheer me up so easily.

"So, anywhoo, I reckon you didn't come for just a chat. Did you?"
I bit my lip as I pondered on his question for a moment, before beginning to speak.
"Well... yes and no. mostly no though. First of all I have to ask a question, regarding a very... I'll admit, rare, piece of technology."
Without even a blink or asking what I might be going for, he spoke. "Rare technology huh? Sounds expensive."
I sucked in the air around me, knowing I'd most likely made some trading mistake.

"Yeah. Rare, unfortunately. I'm after a water talisman."
Custard Cream just looked at me and chewed on his own teeth, before finding the words to speak.
"Water talisman... you're right, that is rare. Given how rare, I'd have to charge you for any information I have that would lead to one.
A sour taste filled my mouth and I began to pout upon hearing those words. Damn Crimson, why aren't you here to do this for me? Oh yeah, I beat you to concussion!

Thankfully the old buck looked at me pouting away and thinking to myself and interrupted my moment of soggy thoughts with another comment.
"Though, I do believe that Crisp Bake just across the road may have some kind of idea. He runs that shop over there in that particularly run down building. He deals in unique, antique and advanced technology."
My face lit up and I grabbed Custard with my hooves, planting a great big kiss on his cheek.

Almost like a filly my voice came all shy as I looked up at him.
"Thank you Custard Cream."
He smiled and laughed to himself, as I trotted out across the road up towards the surprisingly solid looking door, amongst the decrepit, decaying decorations and walls of the shop.

The wall was pockmarked from previous firefights, burned from both the great war and seemingly numerous fires, and had vines growing up and digging into what was left. Yet still in defiance, it stood, weakened and damaged, but still it stood.
As I walked through the door the inside hadn't looked a great deal better either, the roof showed signs of damage where cracks of light poured through and the floor had seen better days, stained tiles from still water and dirt spreading almost the entire distance as almost empty shelves fell apart upon themselves.
If this was supposed to be an antiques shop, all it sold were the memories of a once better time.

Something caught my eye in the distance, and upon further inspection I noticed that where the wallpaper on the back wall was peeling, there was what seemed to be a metal backing, which seemed extraordinarily strange to be amongst the broken and destroyed isles of the once proud shop.
I walked up to it and tapped it lightly with my hoof, rewarded with a strong bang that sounded reinforced yet still as if there might've been an area behind it.

"Hello?" I asked, hoping to catch this mysterious Crisp Bake fellow.
"Hello? Crisp Bake? Are you there?"
I was greeted with silence as I continued to wander within the confines of the shop, aimlessly picking up random objects and observing the way they'd been broken over the years.
That was when I heard the hoofsteps from somewhere behind me, behind the metal wall, as I turned around.
"Hello?"

Still nothing.
I could've sworn I'd heard movement, but if they weren't willing to come out or even communicate with me, it seemed like a pointless waste of my time. I'd have to go speak to Custard Cream again, maybe he'd know how to get Crisp Bakes attention.

As my front left hoof made its way out of the door I heard a faint cry for help, strained as it was I could just about make out something....
"T- T- The counter. The button at the-"
I turned back around and rushed to the counter, looking at it I couldn't see any button... I bobbed my head down below wondering if it might've been under the dusk - of course! There it sat.
I pressed the button and part of the wall shifted, revealing a walkway as the front door clanged against the inner wall.

Rushing in all I could see was clean glass, metal and counters. They'd all obviously been looked after properly, and I noticed that everything of value was hidden in here. Still, that didn't explain the faint cry for help. I made my way through the shop to the clerks desk and saw a blood trail leading into the employee zone.
My own blood ran cold as I turned the safety off on my SMG. If there was something, or someone, of danger in here, I'd need that.

Instinctively my training kicked in as I bust through the door, slamming myself into S.A.T.S to try and make sense of the situation.
Two armoured... pegasai? I stared at them for a moment as time seemingly held still and took note of their armour.
Heavy enough to deflect most projectiles, lightweight enough that it wouldn't impede their movement or flight. I assumed it was from the same branch of technology that made Steel Ranger power armour.
The odds in this fight? I would lose without some clever ploy if things got violent, so I waited one more moment in S.A.T.S to examine further...

That's when it hit me. Their weakest spot must've been the eyes, underbelly or perhaps even the groin.
It would take some freak miracle to be able to just that last one to my advantage, however.
I came back out of .S.A.T.S and stopped in my tracks, simply staring at the two armoured pegasai.

"What the fuck... Who are you?" One of them asked. He had a strong commanding voice, would've been attractive in any other situation. The other spoke straight after in a much younger, more inexperienced and thuggish voice.
"Another dirtsider. This time a unicorn. Huh. You think you're the security for this place or some shit?"
"Nah, Drift. Security in this town don't wear armour. Besides, this ones red and pink all over. Too cute to be of any real harm."
"Yeah, so cute I might just fuck her now. What you think?"
I interrupted their little discussion with a look of disgust on my face at that last comment.

"I'm not security, no, but I am a part of the TMG and-"
"TMG huh?" The younger of the two spoke one more. "That stand for The Menacing Girly? Haha!"
I gave him a dirty look and spoke in a no nonsense tone.
"Tank Mercenary Group. Specialist Cherry. You have three seconds to explain your actions before I call my pet down upon you."
Again the older and more experienced buck spoke.
"Tank? Never heard of it. Talon perhaps, but not Tank. Go away dirtsider, before we include you in our business."

I looked behind me to check I had a clear running, I still did.
Turning my head back towards them, I spoke slowly.
"Three... Two.... One... Times up colts."

Magic enveloped myself as I turned invisible, much to the dismay of my opponents... Or so I had thought.
Suddenly they brought their guns to aim upon myself. Even as I moved around them, they followed me.
That was when it hit me; they must have had E.F.S as well!
My odds of survival without injury, let alone death, had just dropped another score.

Racing around the two bucks was easier then I had thought it would be however, for as light as their armour must have been for them to be able to fly, it was still enough to kill their ability to manouver in tight spaces where everything was of value to them and they didn't want to trash it all - that had to be the only reason they hadn't simply brought their wings into matters.

I ran up to the younger of the two and smacked him to his side with a quick applebuck as the confused pair continued to try keep up with my frantic movement.
My horn began to really be sore with the intensity of the spell I was using to keep myself somewhat cloaked as I ran, I wasn't used to moving this fast while actively camouflaging.
I used the moment of his weakness to my own advantage as I brought my hoof down against his chest plating.

An amber shot flew past me, narrowly missing my face and instead scorching the wall behind me. I had to begin moving again!
I brought myself round a few more times, racing down different isles each time to try and get another kick to disorientate the opponents ahead of me, but I knew I couldn't keep this up.
My horn was beginning to burn in agony already as my magic overextended itself to try and keep up.
Before long they'd land a shot against me or I'd simply tire out and they'd both still be relatively fine.

Suddenly I felt an entirely new sense of pain run up my side as my right flank was punctured by something sharp.
That was when I noticed not only did they have their guns, but they also had stingers for tails! How didn't I notice that beforehand!?
It tore deeper into me as it got caught inside me and I wailed in pain as I ran away from the stinger, blood flowing down my side.

Doing the only thing that I could, I snapped back into S.A.T.S to try think about the options I had left to me.
Crisp Bake, if still alive, would be ultimately useless in a fight right now against these two ponies.
That wasn't even thinking about his wounds - he'd lost a lot of blood and while I was no medic, I knew from my field experience that it had to be so much that while he wasn't dead from that alone, he wouldn't be able to move fast enough to get away from a radbit, let alone anything else.

I looked into the hallway again. The old shopfront still stood with the main door open, though the isles were far more spacious and would no doubt give the armoured ponies their wing advantage.
Still, I had no choice. I had no idea how well my 9mm bullets would penetrate even the weaker points of their suits, let alone the chest and carapace.

Snapping back into reality, I did my absolute best to run while my side punished me for my mistake.
Running while crying out an allies name would normally be considered cowardly and dishonourable.
This time? This time I had no shame as I cried out Maisy's name and jolted out of the door towards the exterior of the building.
Behind me I could hear the angry yells of the young buck, threats of tearing my eyes out and murder on myself and my friend 'Maisy'.
I came round the corner too fast however and slipped on the mouldy floor where a damp spot had been.
My horn gave out for a moment as the buck followed me out, flying, and hovered over me in mid air.

An excited tone overtook the younger of the two. "Permission to... 'waste' this dirtsider, captain?"
Smugly, the captain let out a little grunt of approval before speaking.
"Permission granted, soldier. I won't be filing any reports on anything that didn't happen and no-one will be getting any punishment."

Looking at him, I noticed that the the young buck's codpiece was his most lightly armoured part, looking as if it was barely armoured at all and I saw my moment to take full advantage of that fact.
Using my magic to turn invisible again brought me extreme pain and almost made me breathless, but I knew if I didn't take this chance now I'd be maimed, violated and murdered right here right now.
Jumping back to my feet and beginning to run again I made my way around the corner, up over the shelf and jumped down on the confused buck who had stood there puzzled at how I'd just gotten away.
Two hoofstrikes to the face dazed him beneath his armour and I pulled my SMG out of its holster and firmly placed it against his genitalia, the flimsy covering proving to be little more than a sheath.

Spitting and snarling, I began to threaten him. "It would be so easy to pull the trigger right now, give me a reason not to."

With my blood dripping down onto his back, my camouflage wore off again. I couldn't keep up the spell any longer and to try would've just caused a burnout.
A cold sweat overcame him as his voice trembled and his words became nothing but an incoherent mumbling.
He'd messed up proper this time, and if he made one wrong move, I'd not hesitate to blow his testicles right off his body.
His commander turned to me, gun raised and readied, before realising the predicament he was in.

"One wrong move... he says goodbye to all of his stallionhood."
I pressed the gun further against his partners testicles and gave a cold, hard stare at the captain.

"What are you, Security reincarnate?"
"You already asked that." I told him. "My answer remains the same. No. Specialist Cherry of Tank Mercenary Group. Oh, by the way... take the piss out of TMG again and I'll go through with this threat."

The commander looked at me for another moment before stepping forward with one hoof and lowering his head to a battle stance.

"What makes you think I can't shoot you dead right here, right now, and accept Drifter as a loss?"
The pony below me simply laid there speechless at his words, unable to say a word. That or unwilling, he'd be a smarter pony then he made himself out to be if so.

I calmly answered his question with confidence. "Maisy."
"Maisy?" He repeated back to me
I slipped Crimsons helmet back over my head and spoke with adrenaline pumping through my veins, this fight was over.

"Maisy. Here girl!"

I nodded off to our right, over at the cracked wall. Moments later glass and bricks went flying everywhere as the doorway was extended into a protruding hole, possibly threatening the security of the entire structure but doing the job no less.

There stood Maisy, my manticore friend, holding guard over the captain with a claw to his throat, pinning him against the wall.
I took the helmet off and smirked.

"Still think you're so tough?"

Moments later we heard more metallic sounding hoofsteps coming toward us from down the road. I looked towards the commander and hissed at him.
"More of your kind? Do I need to blow his balls off right now and prepare for another fight?"
"N...N...No. Not that... not that I know of."
"Who are they then?"
"I don't know."
I looked at Maisy and spoke calmly. "Tighter."
She pressed herself against the scared buck even further and he began to struggle with his breathing.
"Who then?"
"I DON'T KNOW!" he cried out.

Moments later, our question was answered with the sight of Rangers. These rangers however, looked a lot different to the usual ones, having painted their armour red with apples on their flanks.
"Who are you?" I snorted, still firmly holding my SMG in a magical grip against the terrified soldier who had been quiet this whole time.
"Applejacks Rangers. Headhunter squad Bravo Alpha Sierra Tango Alpha Romeo Delta Sierra... or BASTARDS for short. We hunt the worst of the Enclave soldiers who have quickly made a name of themselves for their crimes against ponykind."

"So, you've been following these two, have you? What for?"
One of the bigger bucks took a step back to allow the most decorated of them all to step forward, his armour dented more then any of the others, but also had more intricate details then the others as well.

"These two particular enclave soldiers were part of a bigger squad. When one of the others refused to set alight to a building with innocents inside, they shot him and left him to burn too. Since then we'd seen their trail of destruction as they've gone around raping and murdering merchants who carry any old world technology, before scavenging the most prized possessions and anything of value to them."

"Well, there's only two here. What about the rest of them?"

"We caught and killed them. These two managed to slip away from us each and every time we'd get into a fight with the group. We've taken no losses, astoundingly. They on the over hand have lost three of their comrades."

I looked down in disgust at the buck below me, still shaking, still speechless. Lifting my head back up to look at the ranger yet again, I asked what he would do to the two now they had been caught.
He looked at me and without an ounce of mercy, but instead full of conviction, he spoke.

"Execution. Pure and simple as that. If it had been a case of they hadn't done these things, that they were simply enclave soldiers who had only followed basic orders, we have our own orders to bring them back to HQ for imprisonment until the war is over and either resettlement can be agreed upon or sentencing can be decided if they have committed any non-major crimes."

I considered firing a single shot into the groin of the exposed buck, but decided that the rangers would no doubt make it a much more merciful, less painful death then a moderately slow death bleeding out from a destroyed nether region.
So instead, I pistol whipped him with the butt into his nethers so his ability to walk, let alone fly, would be utterly crippled.
It was the least he deserved after intending to rape me, much less all his victims.

I looked at Maisy, whom still had the captain pinned against the wall as she had before.
"So, How are you going to make sure that the captain over there can't fly away."
A stone cold voice answered me.
"We execute them here and now. They deserve no less."
Just like Crimson...
I couldn't stand to watch, so I walked out of the building and heard him speak once more as I passed through what was previously the doorway.

"May Celestia know what to do with your souls. One. Two."
I couldn't hear him say the word three. In perfect unison both of the heavy .500 calibre revolvers sprung into action and further removed the filth from the wasteland.
At least their blood wasn't on my hooves... this time.This time I was clean of the slaughter.

It had been another fifteen minutes before I'd managed to remember to go check up on Crisp Bake. I'd brought one of the local medicine practitioners with me but thankfully it turned out that the blood trail was from a mostly superficial wound across his cheek and a lost tooth.
I nodded the quick fix doctor off and sat down next to Crisp Bake.

The brown buck with mauve hair was quite sight to see, I'd never seen such an odd combination of colours, but that only made him all the more interesting to look at while he spoke.

"Thank ya darlin'. I thought I was dead for sure when those punks showed up. Seemed mighty fine at first, showing me all this technology they had to offer."
I simply smiled and nodded.
"You're welcome, Crisp Bake."
"Now, about that. How do you know my name, hey?"
"Custard Cream told me."
"You must be after some of my gear, I take it. You're looking to pay however, I hope?"
"Of course. Of course."

At this point he shook himself and loosened up.

"I'm sorry, that was awfully rude of me. What's your name, miss? I heard you saying something about a Cherry earlier, right?"
"Cherry Sundae, yeah."
"Well miss Sundae, glad to make your 'quaintence. Much appreciated you saving my life and all that."
"Hey" I said as I gently nudged his shoulder. "Gotta look out for one another, right? The wastes are bad enough without everypony dying to one another."
He nodded his head again and smiled at me.

"Now... what is it you're after exactly?"
I looked at him, a strained look passed over my eyes as I began to grow weary from everything that happened in the day already.
"I don't suppose you have any clue where to find a water talisman of all things, do you?"
Instead of acting surprised he simply paced around his shelves for a moment, looking at everything he had, then at the wall where a giant map of Equestria hung.

"I don't have a talisman, no. I know that Friendship City recently got two though."
I gingerly interrupted him, a sorrow in my voice...
"Friendship City is... gone. Wiped off the map by Enclave."
He didn't have any words for the matter, instead, he gave a sombre nod and placed his hooves up on the map gently.

"Over here in Coltchester we have Stable 78 which is rumoured to be the headquarters of a gang known was the Coltchester Crushers, lead by a Zonkey. I'm pretty sure they may have been the ones who attacked us earlier today - though usually they leave us in peace, so I can't say for sure, nor can I confirm that to be their hideout.
Though if it were true, it would undoubtedly have a working water talisman and food recycler, given their numbers."

I looked at him with a deadpan expression... because yes, attacking a gang of thirty raiders who were somewhat organised and armed was the perfect way to get the talisman. Nevertheless, I still mentally noted that down as a possible source of a talisman if worst came to worst, though it would almost undoubtedly require the full force of Tank Mercenary Group to pull off such an endeavour.
With that, he continued...

"Failing that, there is this abandoned Stable 77 right here, on the far side of Coltchester. That's a dangerous trip however, as the road to Coltchester alone is no less then four days journey for most and as many days to reach the other side safely - again, that was before hostilities with the Coltchester Crushers. You may find that they make travel... troublesome, as they tend to keep a good hoofhold over the control of Coltchester."

He took a moment to breathe and think on his words, before beginning to speak again. I simply stayed quiet the whole time.
"The local populous there often require C.C provisions ranging from food to ammo, and thus if you get on the bad side of the gang, you're often found dead within a day or two by random mobs trying to prove themselves strong enough to join the gang."

I thought about it for a moment, then asked.
"Anything not near Coltchester? You know... just in case?"
He looked at me, then at his map, searching for anywhere else.
"Well... There is the Ranger base over in Maneford, 176, No good going there. Rumour has it there's also a 153 nearby that location, not sure where though. My guess would be as good as any, but look out for isolated buildings if you go out that way. Apart from that, I got nothing. Sorry miss."

I nodded, and began to open my mouth to mention payment, but because I could even reach the first syllable the old buck spoke.
"As for payment, my debt is paid for this. I know my life is worth more then a little information, but I'll continue to provide information if I get any. If you do happen to find yourself a water talisman, that right there would be us absolutely even. Fair?"
I nodded. "Fair. Thank you."
He nodded back and I politely made my way out of his store.

Maybe I didn't need Crimson to do all the smooth talking after all... Though that thought lasted until I walked out and saw Dusk sitting down, gloomy and upset. Nope, I definitely needed him for this one.

I lowered my head as I walked over to him, keeping my tone quiet and comforting. "Dusk..."
"Cherry."
"I'm sorry about what happened to Kingcakes. I always knew him to be a brilliant colt back in the day, and he was a fine mission support when I'd had him once or twice. I know this doesn't say even a scratch of who he was personally, but to me, he was always a great buck."
Dusk looked at me with tears in his eyes still.
"He joined up because of you Cherry. He joined up because you asked him. He joined up because you were asking for help from the rest of us."

I nodded. Kingcakes death was on my hooves, whether I'd like to admit it or not, whether I was directly at fault or not. He'd willingly volunteered, yes, but only because it was me. Someone whom he had an immense amount of respect for.

"I'm sorry Dusk. It's my fault, I know."
"No... You're wrong. It's not your fault. I just wanted you to know... he did it because he respected you, and... I respect you too. You've not handled this as another loss, you're trying your best to be there for me, thank you."
I held him against my chest like we had before as he sobbed.

"And you're right. He was a great buck. Know how he died? He died protecting me. He died protecting the merchants. He died protecting us all. Not just by being here, but he literally held four of them off at once so we could pull back.
I tried Cherry, I tried to stay there! I wanted to protect him like he was protecting me! But... but... he yelled at me, and the bullets were flying too close."

I just nodded and let him continue.

"Then he kicked me to get me moving, and four of them came at once. He told me to pull back, that he had it sorted.
Cherry... he gave me the chance I needed to get out of the line of fire, just as he died.
He died a hero, not just to me, but to all these merchants too. You have to know that. His story can't die out with me."

I pulled my head back and looked at him in the eyes, brushing the flicks of mane out of his.
"His memory won't die with you, Crimson will give him the greatest honorary decoration he has the power to, and give you and Fallen Arrow decorations of the homeland. I promise you. As Spec Ops, I have the power to bring up this issue officially. As Crimsons marefriend? I'll encourage him personally. I promise, something will happen."

We sat there for a little longer, me holding this hulking earth pony who was crying like a baby, normally so stoic and calm, but now reduced to the base elements of a pony.
That was when he looked at me and said it.

"Cherry... I can't go on any longer. I've already spoken to Fallen about this, and specialist Strawberry Strudel.
Fallen agrees we can't wait around here, but is willing to stick out here. Strawberry Strudel is happy to stay as long as he has a guard and is promised more to continue the journey, but won't go any further until he has others protecting him. I need to return to Tank, recover from this and perhaps just be on wall security duty or something for a while."

I nodded once. "Sure. We have the tower apartment over in Coltshire Commons under our control thanks to a deal that Crimson is setting up today, as far as I'm aware. The Commons has been fortified by our effort with a perimeter wall that runs around it, you'll all be safe there, and you can go back to Tank from there either by yourself or wait for the first group recon team to return from settling in. How's that sound?"

Dusk gave a murmur of appreciation as we both rose to our hooves.

"Come on. Let's head off now, yeah? No point in wasting daylight."

With that we all gathered up and made our way back to Coltshire Commons. The Brahmin wasn't too pleased with Maisy being around at first, but soon enough got used to her after realising she wasn't going to eat him whole or rip either of his heads off for fun.

My head ached and pounded. It didn't feel a whole lot better then it had earlier in the day, but it was showing signs of improvement as at least I could see straight now and focus on what was ahead of me, rather then just fuzzy images.
Laying there as I woke I wondered what had been happening to the other two. I closed my eyes again and felt myself lull back into a restful peace.

My dreams had been quite hazy, yet pleasant, which I expected was a side effect of concussion and a healing potion IV drip directly into my spine. As I laid there my eyes beginning to open I took note of my surroundings, everything was peaceful at the very least it seemed.
I looked around to see that it was still somewhat light outside, but only just.

Suddenly two figures caught my eye as they walked through the door, paused, then came straight towards my bed.
"Hello?" I called out to them, no response bar their continued path towards me.

One of the bucks, the bigger of the two, looked towards his friend and spoke.
"This is the one who did my sister in, right?"
"Yeah" replied the other. "He's the one who kicked her across the street for nothing."

I looked at the duo and started to recognise the smaller of them both, who was still stronger then myself.
"Hey, the flight show is postponed for now, come back tomorrow when I'm over this concussion eh?"
I was too tried and weary to offer anything else, despite resting all day.

Suddenly I noticed a wicked grin work its way across the bigger bucks face.
"Oh, It's not just postponed, flyboy. Your show? It's cancelled, over."

A dread filled my heart and shock of pain ran down my spine and filled my entire body as they ripped the IV drip feed out of my it and threw it to a side.
The needles hanging there limp, slowly dripping out medicine until one of them switched the nozzle to stop wasting the precious resource..
The smaller of the two then proceeded to unlock the bed wheels and wheel me across the room, out of the door.
I could tell this wasn't going to be ending well already.

"So, where do you two think you'll be taking me? You do realise I'm a very important buck and if I'm hurt, you will both be found, neutered and then killed slowly... right? Hell, when my dad died, they shelled the entire area for a full hour non stop, then went on a stomp to cleanse the area of remaining thugs."

"Keep talking tough, big guy. End of the day you'll be another corpse on the side of the road that no-one will ever find, much less care about. See how there's no-one around right now? We planned this. They're all listening to the mayor speak about how your little group plans to come round and protect us all. It's going to be sweet getting protection from your mercs while we know we killed you."

I gulped,

No-one saw them walk off with me as I laid on the bed, still unable to move
Every time I tried to tilt my head or look in another direction, my head gave me agony, making sure I couldn't even see which direction where we were heading in.
They had taken me out and fifteen minutes of walking to somewhere secluded, they stopped.
I was going to die. I knew it and they wanted me to.

"So, now you haven't got your pet to save you, how tough are you going to be, wings."
I looked at the buck and spat in his direction.
"The name... is Mister Wings, to you. As for how tough I am? Give me a healing potion direct and I'll show you."

Instead of a healing potion, I was given a firm kick to the side, sending both myself and the bed flying to the ground.

The big buck kicked me again as he began to shout. "Your time to die, bastard. You should've never come here."
"Hey, Save some for me!" Followed up the smaller of the two.
He smacked his hooves into my chest repeatedly, stomping on me five times before the bigger one pushed him out of the way for another kick.

I tried to crawl out of the way, but I couldn't move fast enough. Another blow to my side sent me skidding across the ground and hitting into what felt like the hooves of another... but I didn't see anypony there...

"Stop." Commanded a voice which came from nowhere.

The big buck laughed as he spoke. "Ha. You think talking like a girl is going to make us stop attacking you? You fucking wimp, flyboy."

The voice spoke again, yet there was nothing there... then it clicked, I thought I'd heard that voice once before.
"I am not the pegasus. You would do well to heed my warning, for it is your last."
"Yeah, who are you then?" Taunted the smaller buck.

Her magic wore off and a stern look held her face like stone.

"My name? You don't deserve to hear my name. Just know I am his Prise, and if you do not heed my warning, it would have been a waste of my breath to tell you that, even."

"An alicorn huh? What you gonna do, nag us to death? You may be taller, but we're stronger."

With that the big buck smashed his hooves into her side and sent her flying, before putting his attention back into me, throwing me into the air to try and kick me before I landed.
However, instead of being kicked or landing on the floor, I found myself engulfed in a magic hold and gently lowered onto the floor, as the alicorn rose into the sky.

"You have dared to kick a goddess? Your life, submit it to me now."

A loud crack was heard and the brute fell to the floor lifeless, blood pouring out of his eyes, ears and mouth.
The other buck charged toward the midnight blue goddess pony but was simply met by being levitated himself... higher and higher he rose, screaming at first, but suddenly finding his voice muffled.
Then he dropped.

From thirty foot he dropped. If he had wings he would've survived, but he hadn't. His skull exploded upon impact with the ground and stained the muddy floor with a maroon tinge.
I looked up at my saviour as she ever so graciously glided down to my foot, and began to speak as softly with me as she once had before.

"Crimson. My apologies for not having intervened sooner. We... we are unsure of when the proper time is as of yet, though your safety cannot be put into such peril in front of us. Please forgive me."
I stared at her in amazement as she lifted the bed back up and gently lifted me back up with her magic onto it, before looking into my eyes and smiling.
She began to push me back to the hospital while I laid there speechless, unbeknownst to me what to say or do in such a situation, without any idea of the proper gesture of appreciation.
Instead, I just thanked her and let her take me back.

Placing the IV drips back into my spine was surprisingly easy for the alicorn, as her last act before vanishing into thin air and leaving via the door.
I was absolutely stunned, clueless as to why anything had just happened the way it did, but grateful for the salvation all the same.
...I liked my little guardian angel. That was for certain.

Half hour had passed when Cherry arrived back at the hospital with Maisy, a sombre looking Dusk, a drained looking Fallen Arrow. The specialist and the brahmin followed them closely, but Pockets and Kingcakes were nowhere to be found.
Cherry began to explain to me everything that had happened, how Kingcakes had valiantly sacrificed his life for the safety of the rest of the group, how Pockets died of his injuries, and how Dusk was going to need to talk to me when she was interrupted by an urgent beeping from my pipbuck.

"Hello? Crimson here."
"Crimson, This is Lemon Gaze. We're finally at the outskirts of Fillydelphia, along with Custard Tarts and his group. We've had minor skirmishes with lone raiders and wildlife, but no losses... but there is one massive problem."
I could tell the shaking in his voice even over a pipbuck, I didn't like this. "What problem is that, Lemon?"
"...It's Red Eye,"
"Lemons, please. What's happened?"
"...Red eye is dead."

Footnote:
Cherry Sundae level up!
Perk unlocked! Active Camouflage level 3!
.At this level of Active Camouflage, you're able to run while covering yourself! This is extremely draining on your energy however, and is a sure way to exhaust yourself quickly.

25 Speech attained.

As promised, I'm going to keep advertising the fact that the head picture came from WavemasterRyx, who can be found:http://ask-the-waves.tumblr.com/ !

A massive massive massive thank you goes out to my readers - I cannot begin to apologise enough for how much I have let you down as of late. It's not something I've been meaning to do, I just haven't head the strength within me to keep it up.
At one point I was considering scrapping this whole project - but to do that would be to scrap my life itself.

Thank you for believing in me. Thank you for being there for me.

Katarn & Tea get honourable mentions for Katarn being an amazing emotional support and Tea because in chapter 5 he did a lot to help me and I repeatedly forgot to give him special mention - so here it is. Thank you Tea, your reviews are always so much appreciated, and Katarn, you're amazing and you know it - I say go ahead with your story - hey, you gotta now, everyone knows!

Thank you so much though, both - and all of you. Thank you. I'm sorry I made you wait so long.

Thank you both Kkat and Somber for both writing amazing stories that have inspired me to write. Without you two, there would be a massive hole in my world, and I don't know how I would've filled it otherwise. Thank you.

Chapter 7: The road to the damned pt. 1

“Red… Red Eye is dead? How did this happen? How do you know he’s dead?”
I couldn’t believe it. Red Eye, the strong and charismatic leader of Fillydelphia... dead?
He had an entire city behind him, industry and power. He had an army!

“According to reports here from the Talon mercenaries, someone called the Stable Dweller killed him during a huge battle with the Enclave over at some place called Cathedral.”
My blood ran cold at the mention of the Enclave. My father had been ex-Enclave. It was the very same group that had wiped both Canterlot and Friendship City off the map.
At the very same time, Cherry interrupted the stillness in the room with a grunt of displeasure.

Taking a moment to think about what had just been said, I simply held a worried look upon my face.
“What’s the effect of Red Eye’s death over at Filly-D? Are things safe?”
“For the moment, yes, but there’s a battle looming on the horizon and no-one knows when it’ll kick off, but we're already being warned of advancing Enclave battle barges by the griffins.“

Without thinking I nodded, as if Lemon Gaze were here to see it.

“Any chance of going around Fillydelphia in that case?”
“It’s all we could realistically do, Crimson. The reason I've actually tried to contact you to confirm that as the proper action. We’re going to have to split up early. May we have permission to break from mission parameters?”
I didn't even need to think about the answer to that, my response was reflex.

“Do it. Stay safe but if this means you have to split up, do it. Carry on your course for Tenpony, and Custard towards the Society. Just as long as you stay safe. We've already lost our Coltchester caravan while Cherry and myself spent time elsewhere.”
“Rodger, will do. You stay safe, Crimson.”
“You too, Lemon. You too.”

There was a crackle of static to the background of the conversation and I could tell that there was still something on Lemons mind.
With a long pause before an uneasiness broke in in his voice, he had confirmed my suspicions.
"One last thing, Crimson."
"What is it, Lemon Gaze?"
"How did the Coltchester caravan go down already? They haven't even had time to reach Coltchester yet, have they?"
"Raiders attacked Coltshire. We lost Kingcakes and Pockets, and were set to lose the others until Cherry and Maisy drove them off."
"Whose Maisy?"
"My new pet manticore. I'll tell you another time. I've gotta think about all this."
"Okay, yeah. Good luck Crimson"

With that, the call ended

“Enclave huh?" Cherry snorted as she spoke. "Those bastards that tried to rape me earlier today were Enclave soldiers.”
…Wait, what? Turning to look at her the shock on my face was evident as she realised she hadn’t gotten around to telling me this particular detail of her trip earlier.
“They tried to what?”
“They tried to rape me, Crimson. Two Enclave soldiers who were robbing an old buck, going to kill him. I intervened and got into a little scuff with them. Ended up winning that fight when I held my gun to one of their ballsacks.”
I gave her a surprised look and instinctively recoiled in horror of the thought, but quickly realised just how necessary it would’ve been.
A kiss on her cheek and a hug that didn’t seem to end told her how proud of her I was - I gently brushed her mane and smiled at her to reassure her of that. She smiled back and kissed me back before I pulled away further.

“Right. We’ll talk about that in more detail later, for right now I’m glad you’re still around and untouched, even if you are a little hurt.”
Nudging her flank where there was dried blood for effect, she recoiled slightly in pain, obviously still sore.
`

After the embrace, Dusk turned to me and began to speak.
“So, Crimson, what are you going to do? We can't continue like this.”
“What can I do? The two groups up north are out of our range now. As for the battle, we haven't got the ponypower to go to war with the Enclave, and quite frankly, we've got bigger issues on our hooves with the water talisman right now."
Dusk simply stared blankly at me, though I couldn't tell if it was him being stoic or if there was something else.

"I don't mean up there, though I'm glad you have your priorities straight with not going to war. I mean with the caravan problem that's going on here."
"Well..." I began, thinking it over for a moment. "We're going to have to organise for replacement guards and merchant. Why, is there something more to it?"
Goddesses... the thought of there being more to it then that ran a chill down my spine.
"I'm going to be leaving come the morning, heading to Four Ridges once more" Dusk answered back.
"Alone?"
"Fallen Arrow is coming with me. Specialist Butterscotch said he's willing to stay here in the Commons with the brahmin, as long as he has a place in the hotel."

Butterscotch nodded in agreement as he walked up beside Dusk, not opening his mouth to speak.
I didn't know if it was shyness or the moment as for why he hadn't said a word, but I gave a firm nod back.
"Of course he has a place. The agreement was that Tank Mercenary Group owns the building, that extends to anyone working under Stable orders by default."
"Good. Another thing, Crimson."

Dusk gave me a very serious look and I knew straight away it was something important to him, but not what it was yet.
"Kingcakes... he was my brother. Cherry has promised me she'd talk to you about giving him an honorary decoration for his act of valour in saving the whole caravan and that part of town. What will you do about that?"
I gave it a moments consideration before choosing my words carefully.
"I take it he died in battle, performing an extreme act of valour and died for his services?"
"Yeah."
With a small but reassuring smile across on my face, I spoke. "Celestia's Cross then, in that case."

He looked at me in surprise in how fast I was able to consider which award would be appropriate, but between my training to be the next Overstallion and past experience at ceremonies, I knew instantly.

"As for the rest of you, I'll have to hear what happened for myself, but if you were lying Cherry would've said something as you said what you did... so. speak to me in the morning once I've had some time to consider what award I can give you. You may not have been out here long, but the fact you came at all deserves something. I'm sorry for your loss and I'll do what I can for you, even if it means an ear."
I gave Dusk a very serious but caring look as I gently rested my hoof on his shoulder and stared into his eyes.
"I know it won't bring him back, but its something, I hope."
"Thanks Crimson. Right now I need something else though, I need time to myself first."
"Yeah. Speak to me in the morning before you leave. I'd rather have at least said goodbye."
"Thanks Crimson."
"No worries. Now go get some rest."

I turned my head back towards specialist Butterscotch and nodded at him again.
"Come on everyone, lets go to the hotel. Dusk, you get first pick of rooms bar the suite at the top. Fallen and Butterscotch, you get whatever rooms you like after that. You can find me and Cherry in the suite."
Fallen looked at me and poked me with a hoof to the shoulder. "Why doesn't Dusk get a chance to stay in the suite, Crimson?"
"Because I... We, even, own it. Our personal space."
Butterscotch just facehoofed at Fallen. "Fallen Arrow... you need to learn your place. Really. Come on, lets go with Dusk and find a room each."

With that, we all trotted off to the hotel, me with a little help from Cherry seeing as my head and sides still hurt, but was still a lot more healed up then earlier in the day nonetheless.

"Hey! What are you doing!" Cried out Cherry.
"I'm the big bad enclave soldier, here to take what I want" I said in my most seductive voice.
"Oh, is that so? Well perhaps you ought to put on a show of power to put me in my place then?" ...Damn, she was turning me on like crazy and she knew it. I couldn't resist but to flap my wings to lower myself onto her as I held her hooves down as she giggled.
"Trust me, I'll show you power."

With a series of kisses along the back of her neck, her smile grew from side to side.
"So, You think you'll get inside me just with a few kisses like that huh?"
With a smug smile across my face, I answered back. "A little flattery worked before, didn't it?"
She pouted at me before winking. "Don't make me remind you how powerful my hoof can be, Wings."
I looked at her, astonished that she'd say such a thing, and decided a new approach was required... one more sinister and conniving way I could think of!

Slowly I lowered myself down onto her and rolled her over onto her back, before looking at her in the eyes and kissing her with a soft yet firm passion which burnt from the very core of my heart.
A certain squeal of enjoyment from her had told me that her guard was down... and then I did it.
I gently moved my forehooves over to hers to gently hold her down as I brought the tips of my wings to her belly.
In one motion, she found herself overpowered and incapable of defending herself as the feathers glided across her stomach in swirling patterns.
The giggles and pleas for help served only to further my attack as I proceeded to kiss down her neck and moving even lower.

"You ready?" I asked her, the cockiness obvious in my tone of voice. She just squeaked in admission as my lips touched her body where she felt as soft as velvet, a small squeak entered my ear.
"Yes... please"

They were the last words before the chorus of moans, chirps, squeals and heavy sighs filled the room.
God she knew just how to turn me on indeed...
I had needed this so badly, so very badly. From the way Cherry was acting, looked like she'd missed it too.

A destroyed city lay beneath me. Manehattan, I presumed from the layout.
From the darkest depths of the world now shun an ambience in the world, where life still clung to the scraps of harmony and friendship.
At first the embers of life were weak and sparse, but as time passed and the buildings continued to crumble, flights flickered one by one in and out just like embers of a fire that refused to die.
Until there came a time where one door opened, and a bright light filled the entire area.

Slowly the light grew from this area, dots and sparkles turning into a flowing river of melodic beats as the lights jaggedly flowed through the fields and dispersed into all directions, until the city was found..
Once more, Manehattan lived.

As the lights grew however, a dark red tint grew upon them and a coldness broke from the city itself, filling the air with the stench of death that filled even to the skies from which I sit high above..
One by one, the first of the lights either exhausted or turned to match the hue of darkness that surrounded it.
Quickly however, the plague of red broke the bright white and turned everything red or dead.

I couldn't bear to look any longer, I turned my head in the opposite direction,
I had no idea as to what was happening in the once glorious and thriving city below, but it felt wrong and disgusting.
Slowly growing, the red lights crept out of the city and spread further yet, changing the dark brown floor to a disgusting Sienna.
The ground itself bore the mark of decay, my heart growing ever weaker as it did. Where ever this dark power went, the land bore its scar and tainted the hearts of any whom may tread upon it.

Yet something happened... as I looked to the south a new beacon of light emerged!
A slow erection of grey spires absorbed my attention. I flew towards it with all my heart and hopes.
Perhaps this would bring back the comfortable warmth of light upon my skin in which I had desired since the fall of the sun and the crowning of the clouds?
I had to know, I had to be sure.

No luck amongst the newly christened wasteland of decay destruction and deceit.
The land did indeed harbour the gentle ambience of pure and honest hearts, but once more a slow emergence began of a new set of lights.
A putrid brown ate away at the gentle white glow, threatening the warmth below as the red had once before.

Immediately I knew what I had to do... I could not let another city drown in blood.
Given the options available to me, here was no decision to make.
As I landed down to the ground, I noticed two others behind me to my left, and right... there we stood as we had once before.
Helios, Selene, and myself, Eos

Not again would we fail to see the error of our way.

As I woke, I saw the alicorn standing before me once more, her horn had just risen above my head, and I could feel where she had been touching me at the time.

"Now you know half of the story. We trust you will not pretend that you do not see the struggles around you."

I couldn't make heads or tail of what she had just said to me, but before I knew it she had turned invisible once more and I felt a drowsiness fall upon my body.
Fighting the urge to fall asleep, I tried to question the mysterious mare.
"Who?"
"You heard my name, Crimson. I am Eos. Sleep well, for the dawn ends soon."

My eyes closed and I slipped into blackness once more.

The morning broke through to my tired eyes, my head still ached from the beatings and disturbed rest of the night before.
Turning my head to look at my sweetest, I found myself confused as to where she had gone. Where she had laid the night before, she was gone this morning.

"Ughh." I groaned and mumbled to myself as I still struggled to open my eyes and accept a new day had come, when rest felt so much nicer.
"Cherry, are you around?"
A sweetness in Cherry's voice called out from around the corner, the soothing tone gently making our bed all the more comfortable. "Eeenope"
"You really do suck at pretending to not be around, don't you|?" I laughed as soon as I had said that, I really did enjoy that.
"Eeeeyup"
Oh Cherry... how she made me smile.

"What's the time, what's been done, and most importantly..." I paused for dramatic effect, knowing she'd fall for it.
"Most importantly what?"
"Where's my breakfast?"
I burst out into hysterical laughter, expecting a hoof to the head once more and another day on an IV drip... why they couldn't have just let me have some deliciously sweet med-x I didn't know.
However, much to my surprise, she simply kissed me and smiled as she levitated over a bowl filled with radspider broth.

I pouted as much in embarrassment as I had out of irony and pleasantness, served with a side of 'oh god radspider again'.
Cherry caught my look and nibbled on the corner of my ear, before softly whispering into it.
"Hey! You're the one who decided we'd use all those radspiders as target practice rather than to try drive them all off. So realistically speaking here, its your own doing that there's so much radspider meat to eat. It's fresh but won't last long, so better eat that rather then our canned goods. No buts."
I whinnied in response. "But... but... I like your butt!"

A smugness covered my face as she turned read before waving it in my face.
"Oh, I know you do. Perhaps you'll get another chance for it soon.... if you're good."
If I'm good?
Did she even know me? I was amazing in bed!
She caught my look and just giggled at me, before walking off into the bathroom to take a shower as I began to eat my meal.

Who said you couldn't have the luxury of the Stable while out in the wastes?

Slipping out of the talisman room after Gasket, I let out a worried sigh.
"So. I suppose I aught to let the Overmare know about the problem getting worse? Thanks for coming anyway Gasket, I know you've had a lot on your hooves what with the whole turrets popping up randomly along the walls recently."
Gasket didn't even turn to look at me as he carried on walking, trying to avoid the lower level maintenance ponies vying for my attention.
"It'd not change how fast the talisman cracks unless its used a little less, I reckon. However, it would be nice having an update on how the search is going."

I nodded and looked at the unicorn as he walked down the halls towards the main door. I whistled to him and he looked at me one last time.
"Again, Thanks for coming Gasket. It's been nice to have another pony who knows their stuff give another opinion."
"You're welcome Melony, any time."
I smiled as he continued on his way out of the Stable, and presumably back to Gummy to get back to his own work.

I trotted off down the corridors and dismissively waved my hoof at the younger technicians.
"Give me fifteen minutes, then I'll be back to help with your problems. Sorry everyone, but this is top priority business."

Knocking my hoof against the Overmares door, I wondered what she'd have to say about the news.
More-so, I wondered if she'd heard anything back from Crimson or any of the caravans yet. Princesses I hoped they'd find a replacement soon.

A moment passed and the door began to open before jamming halfway.
Two seconds later a worried voice came from the other side.
"Oh crap. Excuse me, who is that on the other side of the door? Would you mind going and getting Melony Love to come fix my door for me?"
"It's me, Overmare."
"Melony! Oh good... you don't mind uh..."
"Fixing the door? Of course."
A tenderness overcame her voice once more as she thanked me, and I got on my belly to inspect the door itself.

There was nothing physically obstructing the door from opening or closing from what I could see, so I pulled my wrench and screwdriver out of my toolbags that hung effortlessly off my back.
Opening up the door control mechanism proved that there was no electrical nor mechanical fault in the control box either... there was only one possible thing to do to fix the door now.

"Gra- My apologies. Mrs Overmare, please stand back from the door."
"Why? What's happening?" She asked, but I simply brought myself away from the door and reared up.
One firm kick to the door and it rose without fault.

I quickly turned back round to find the Overmare with one brow raised and a smirk across her face.
"A kick to get things in order I see? I thought that only worked with visual screens and my son."
Not knowing whether I should be stifle the giggle that had overcome me or the blushing, I tried to do both... without any success.
The Overmare just joined in the giggling before giving me a warm welcoming smile.

"Come on in Melony, and remember, you are allowed to call me Grace."
I smiled as I continued into Grace's office and living quarters.
We sat upon the sofa and I began to give her a new update on the water talisman.

"It's showing further signs of damage. It's not broken entirely of course, otherwise I'd be a hell of a lot more alarmed. However, it is showing wear and tear at an excelled rate. We estimate we have another two to four months, though it could fluctuate based on usage and damage sustained."
"Would it not simply degrade at a single passive rate if used at one continuous rate, or perhaps even turned off for a time to allow it a rest from fatigue damage?" Grace asked, gracefully.

Now I truly understood why her parents had decided to call her Graceful, as all her actions despite any situation carried an air of level-headedness that fed confidence into whomever she spoke to.
Of all the ponies I knew, I knew no-one more suited to lead the Stable at a time like this as I spoke to her.

"Unfortunately, we doubt it. As the crystals inside the talisman circuit degrade they weaken, exposing them to even further damage, hence the two to four month timespan that we have left before it completely breaks.
However, the amount of usable water able to be produced by the talisman may very well not meet our demands within those two months, we fear."

Mrs Graceful just nodded and continued to listen as I spoke further.

"After two months, if our estimated graphs hold true, the water output production levels will drastically lag behind consumption and usage rates. We'll produce enough to keep ponies hydrated and crops watered for up to two and a half to three months, but not washed in clean water. After the third month, we'll only have enough water production to keep everypony from being thirsty, but we won't be able to offset the required amount for the crops over in Angel. They would have to rely on the rain alone. In which case without Crimson's cloud manipulation magic here to keep that routine and as needed, well... we can't exactly say that's a reliable source."

"I see. Thank you for the update report on that Melony. Though it doesn't put me at ease to have a definite time-limit, it makes my decisions easier to make and my worried mind hold strong that at least with predicted rates of damage, we still have some time rather then an unexpected period which could be tomorrow."

I shyly smiled at her as my eyes hit the floor. Being the bearer of bad news was one of the 'perks' which came with being the head of Stable maintenance, and I had always hated it.
Looking back up at her I took a deep breath before asking my question.

"So... have you had any news from the caravans as of yet, Overmare?"
Surprised as she thought about my question, she spoke with an earnest tone. "Actually, no"
With that, she got up and sat at the computer terminal and remotely turned on the bigger conference screen that lined part of the wall opposite, which provided superior audio quality.
Tapping in a few commands she brought up the list of contacts and sought out the caravans tags before calling them.

"Yeah, We're fine Mrs. Overmare." The firm voice of Lemon Gaze spoke. "However, we've been in contact with Crimson last night... there's some bad news on both ends of the map, but up here to the north, Red Eye has died. My team and Custard Tart's team has had to split up earlier then planned due to situational circumstances. I made contact with Custard Tarts this morning however, and he's fine."

"Thank you for your report, Lemon Gaze. How long do you reckon you have until you arrive at Tenpony Tower?"
"By the end of today if we're lucky, some time tomorrow at the latest unless there's a major setback which slows us down. Any significant update on the talisman?"
"None. Keep up the mission. Good luck, Princesses be with you all."

I looked to the Overmare but she just kept a cool head and began tapping another series of code into the computer. This one she hadn't needed to look up the registry to know what she was typing, and even I could recognise Crimsons pipbuck tag as she wrote the key-bind.
What I, no, what we heard next...

"Augh yeah. Just... yeah... Augh."
The Overmares face just dropped. I blushed as he groaned longer and louder.
Cherry's voice made the whole situation even worse as she began to beg.
"OH FUCK. OH FUCK CRIMSON YES. AH. AH. SO... SO CLOSE."
"Yeah... you take that. Princesses I'm so fucking close."

That was too much. I coughed loudly and suddenly there was a very confused sound from Crimson before Cherry began to moan in absolute ecstasy.
"YES CRIMSON. OOOOH YES I'M THERE!"
Grace decided she'd had enough before firmly exclaiming my point.
"Crimson!"
The other side of the line went quiet as Cherry panted before asking what was up before Grace spoke again, and had realised what had just happened.

"Crimson. I suppose you hit the 'answer' by accident, did you?"
The nervousness in his voice could have had been my own as he spoke.
"M...Mum?"
"Yeah."
"...Aw. FUCK!"
"Me too!" I added.
"...Melony?"
"Uh huh."
"...AWH DOUBLE FUCK!"

We all felt as awkward as one another at this point, as Grace calmly spoke through her embarrassment at hearing her own son in the heat of the moment.

"Crimson... Want me to call back in five minutes?"
"...Please."

With that, the call ended. I just looked at the Overmare and felt uneasy. Had she had to deal with this before? Did she know what he was like? ...Shit, did she know I'd slept with him?
She just shook her head and laughed. "Just like his father."
My cheeks simply burnt all over at that comment and how obvious it was that she must've known.

A little longer then five minutes later, we tried ringing Crimson again.
This time he had been decently prepared to answer the call without groaning in pleasure.
We'd learnt about the death of Kingcakes and Pocket Change, the upcoming return of Kingcakes brother and Fallen Arrow, the later whom would rally up more mercenary guards and head back out.
We were also informed of the official take-over of Coltshire Commons Tower as it had been dubbed by Tank Merc Group, who we had heard were leaving for somewhere earlier in the morning.

Crimson then told us about the four possible leads to water talismans, though warned that two of those would be inaccessible in their current situation and the other two leads were uncertain.
Still, to have a definite possibility at finding a water talisman so soon were astounding!

With the end of the call, myself and the Overmare had traded pleasantries before parting ways once more, myself to organise my team, train the recruits and get back to my other tasks.
What an eventful morning it had already been.

Looking towards Cherry I sat with a deadpan look upon my face once the call had ended, she simply looked at me mirroring my expression before we both said the exact same thing at the same time.

"Well... that was awkward!"

Some time later we'd gathered up all our gear and I'd slipped back into my leather duster. The more I wore it the more I really grew attached to my new coat. Cherry just smirked at my childlike fascination at how it looked so amazing on me.

"You know, all I need is a sheriffs hat and authority glasses!"
I looked at her as she gave me a sidewards smirk.
"I mean it! I think it'd fit the coat quite nicely, make me look like some kind've law enforcer or something! I will be one later on in life, right?"
"The Enforcer huh? I like it. It's a cute nickname for you. Just don't let it go to your head, hmm?"
"Like you let me go to yours?" I gave a wink and smiled from side to side.
"No, like my hoof goes to yours!"

With that, she threw her hoof around my neck and held me tight, pinning me up against the wall before giving me a gentle yet passionate kiss.
"You make me feel like such a mare, Crimson. Thank you. It's nice to not have to be Specialist Cherry every moment of every day."
"That's a point." I raised my eyebrow at her. "Were you gonna tell me? When are you going to tell me the details now I know?"
Cherry just looked down to the ground and scuffed her hoof on the floor. "i... I... I'll tell you on the way to Coltchester, okay?"
"We'll be heading out to Coltshire Town first... need to resupply."

First of all though, I needed to talk to Dusk.

As I trotted through the halls of the tower I noticed a dark blue pony walking into a room, to which I opened my wings and glided on over. "Dusk, there you are. I've been looking around for you."
"Crimson? Ah. Come on in, there's a pair of chairs in here I suppose."
I gratefully accepted the offer and walked into the room. The very first thing I noticed as I walked in wasn't how bare the room was, but rather, how stained his muzzle was from all the tears he'd shed the night before.

"Dusk, I know this is a hard time for you. I'm sorry about how everything turned out and I really do wish we still had Kingcakes around. More-so, I want to know how you're handling all this."
He just looked at me and sighed, his words breaking the silence slowly.

"Crimson, he was my brother. I don't know what to feel, think or do. He sacrificed himself by giving me and the others to fall back to a more defended area. How do I deal with that?"
How do you deal with that indeed?
"Dusk. Tell me again, why did he die - not how, but why did he die?"
"He died trying to prevent the raiders from overrunning the barricade we'd put in the way."
"For what reason did he do this?"
"To allow the others and myself to fall back and cover him as he retreated with us once we were ready."

I looked at Dusk and put one of my hooves onto his shoulder and began to stare right into his eyes.

"Dusk. He died for you. he didn't die because of you, he died so he could protect you and the others. He knew the risks of being the one to hold their ground, but he decided that you were all worth that risk. He could've asked you to stay with him and retreat together, but he wanted for you to be safe above all else."

He sat there for a moment thinking over it before shaking his head.

"Dusk, I know you don't think that's so, but I know it is. My dad did the same for me and my mother. We were on their way back from Tenpony Tower along with our two personal guards when raiders came and attacked us from a distance. The first shot they fired killed one of our guards straight off the bat and we began fleeing. The other of the guards ran out of ammo for his SMG and had nothing he could do besides use his knife if it came to it."
Dusk looked at me absolutely bewildered as to why my story had any relevance, but I continued anyway.

"My father told the remaining guard to go on, to my mothers protests, and keep us both safe. He said he'd try to hold them off for long enough that we could be out of sight and he'd catch up by flying to us.
We were almost out of sight when he turned tail and began to fly towards us... and got shot dead."
Dusks eyes shot up and open wide at the same time, looking straight back into mine.

"Your brother died protecting you, Dusk. Remember that. He didn't do it unwillingly nor did he plan to die, but he put his life at risk knowing if nothing else, you would be safe at the very least."
I took my hoof off his shoulder and he let out a small yet sad smile.

"Thank you for listening to me Crimson. I know I didn't say a lot, but having you around at all means a lot to me. I really couldn't imagine Mayor Sunburn doing this for me."
I looked at him and gave a small nudge on the shoulder.

"Hey, you're a good buck, Dusk. You fight valiantly, you live with honour and you've just been through hell. I want you to know I'm always there for everyone I can be, while I might not have the time to listen to every single ponies everyday problems when I become Overstallion, I promise I'll be there at times like this. I want to help you, all of you, as much as I can. What good is a leader if they aren't there for those they lead?"

Dusk let out a small smile and nodded before leaning in and raising his mouth up next to my ear, whispering as softly as the wind.
"Baby-Cakes."
It didn't hit me at first, but then it ran through my mind... his brother was Kingcakes... Dusk had just told me his name.
With that he whistled to Fallen Arrow who came out from around the corner and they made their way off out of the tower and towards Four Ridges once more.

With the departure of 'Dusk' and Fallen Arrow, I felt we had best take our leave as well.
Cherry had already rounded up Maisy and made sure she'd had her breakfast and was ready to leave once more.
The road to Coltchester would be a long and perilous one by ourselves, but the adventure alone made it seem worthwhile to me.
Instead of simply making use of our wings and wasting energy needlessly, I decided a relaxing walk with a chance to talk while on our way to Coltshire Town was in order.

As we passed through the gates of the Commons and heard them shut behind us, I instinctively smiled.
Knowing that we had made the Commons a place of security and hopefully given it a chance to become a thriving town itself had been an amazing feeling. We had no duty to make it so, but helping other ponies survive in the wastes was something we should all strive towards.

As we tread the dust covered ground and left the Commons behind us, I turned my head to face Cherry.

"So, Specialist Cherry Sundae."
She didn't respond until I'd flew ahead and brought myself face to face with her, wings spread wide to prevent her going forward until I let her.
"You've got some explaining to do. I'm not mad at you, but I am shocked that you're part of the special forces and I had no knowledge."

She lowered her head and spoke solemnly in return.
"Special forces aren't meant to be publicly known about."
I tried not to hiss as I spoke, but the undercurrent carried in my tone all the same. "I'm the son of the Overmare, Cherry!"
"You knew we existed though, didn't you?"
"Well... yeah, I did. Only in theory though. I'd never knowingly met a special forces operative."
"You've met all of us, Crimson. You just don't know the difference between us and anyone else. Whenever you leave the Stable, our duty is to watch over you. When we're not out on missions, anyway."

I took a moment to think about it and looked back to the time when Cherry had shot the raider who stood from the other side of the wall from me. Was it pure luck that she was there, or had she been travelling that part of the wall to keep me safe? Then something else hit me...

"Cherry?" I asked.
In a subtle tone which expressed her sadness"Yeah?"
"You say your duty is protect me when I'm out of the Stable. That's why you were on that part of the wall, right?"
"Yeah. Another three of us were on each of the other walls."
"Did they join in the caravans?"
"No."

I looked at her quizzically for a moment, before she continued.
"Myself and the others talked about it while you went off alone. Sending our entire task force out would not only leave Four Ridges without specialist capabilities, but would secretly make us an even higher value target. We agreed that myself alone should be enough to do the job as long as I stick around with you."

"Is that why you slept with me the first time?" A crossness filled my voice as I stared at her. "Why you've slept with me all those times since? Why you want to be in a relationship with me?"
Rather than lowering her head further, she brought it back up and stared at me with ferocious rivalry to my own stare.
"No. I don't have any requirement by job to sleep, or have feelings for you. You wanna know why I did in the first place? Look at yourself, even with scars down your cheek you're handsome. Also, do you know how much time I have for myself with being a specialist? Do you know how many bucks want a mare stronger then themselves, who is deadlier and more capable?"

I retreated and sunk down into myself, holding my wings tight to my side.
As cocky and arrogant as I normally was, I knew I'd made a big mistake, and I had to take responsibility and take the punishment.
Though with that, her voice became softer.

"Crimson. I wasn't joking when I said I'd never had much luck with the bucks. In fact, I've only ever had one before you, and when he found out how skilled I was in a fight and realised that if he made the wrong move I could end his life effortlessly, he ran. He ran Crimson. My confidence with bucks has never been moderate let alone high and now the Overmare's son hits on me? Of course my nethers would burn in lust and of course I'd accept. Crimson, you make me feel like a mare. An actual mare rather than Specialist Cherry Sundae, cleanest shot over 250 meters and who can turn invisible. You make me feel like somepony."

I began to look up at her as she nuzzled my wing and kissed my cheek, turning into a new passionate kiss.

"You make me feel special, Crimson."
My voice was as shaken as my heart beat from both fear and something else, and I whispered into her ear.
"Cherry, you are special. You're very special to me."
A childlike tenderness came from her once more. "Promise?"
Now my heart beat faster, but not out of fear.
"More special then anypony else, because... I think, no, I'm sure that... I love you too. So yes, I Promise."

Cherry just stood there, her face had turned from bewildered to furious and now it had gone a shade deeper red then ever before.
We spent more then a small moment in an embrace that felt more affectionate and loving then any other, holding each other close after the moment of distrust and worries.
When my hooves came back to the ground, I'd felt our bond had been stronger then before, and even Maisy sat there on her rump with tears flowing from her eyes at the sight of us and a smile across her face.
Cherry and myself giggled and both jumped on her at once to get a three-way hug going.

Some things in life are priceless, this had been one of those very moments.

As we walked into Coltshire Town, an old buck approached Cherry and thanked her for saving the town. She simply smiled and accepted the praise but reminded him not to forget the sacrifice of Kingcakes. Humility, thy name be Cherry Sundae.

"How many caps do we have, Crimson?"
I looked at my pipbuck, my wonderful pipbuck with its inventory sorter made it so much easier.
"Six hundred."
"Well, we're going to need ammo, is that enough?"
"Is with me."
I smirked at her and she rolled her eyes. This was my time to shine!

The elderly buck looked around bored for a moment before noticing us. "Hey there!"
"Hi, I'm looking for some ammo, healing potions and chems. Got any?"
"What calibre ammo you searching for?"
"9mm, 10mm, 12-gauge and 50.cal"

He looked at me as if I was about to cause a small war.
I nodded and stepped to a side as Cherry levitated her gun into view.
"Oh! You're with her! Of course, of course. here's what I can offer you!"
I looked at Cherry in surprise as she shrugged with a smile on her face as he pulled out boxes upon boxes of ammo.
Picking a 10mm bullet up with a wingtip I studied the casing.
"This looks hoof packed."
"That it is."
"Mind if I test one to assure its up to standard?"

He just looked at me as I smiled. He sighed and nodded. I pulled out my pistol and chambered the round, before firing into a wall on one of the buildings down the road.
The wall left a small crack mark and told me that the rounds had been properly reloaded and were as high quality as military cache rounds.

"How much have you got of each?"
"110 9mm rounds. 75 10mm rounds. 40 12-gauge rounds and 25 50 cals. As for healing stuff, nothing at all."
"Okay, we'll have the lot."
"Give me one sec... right, that's 110.. 2-6.. 3-0.. Four-hundred caps please..."
Cherry's jaw dropped at the price of it and pulled my face to the side.
"Crimson. Are you certain? We need some money!"
"Watch and learn haggling."

I turned back to the merchant and began to barter.

"Four hundred huh? Seems quite steep, especially when you're selling to someone who saved your town."
"You didn't, she did."
"Guess who sent her? Same with the other group."
"Who do you think you are?"
"Crimson Wings, Heir to the leadership of Four Ridges. The guard who died yesterday was one of my own."
"Okay, Wings, what do you reckon?"
"Three hundred and forty."
"How?"
"Eighty five for the 9mm, one fifty for the 10's, twenty for the 12's and eighty for the 50's."
"Three-Seventy."
"Three fifty last offer."
"No deal. I won't go lower then three-sixty."

I looked at the trader with a sure fire smirk and spoke calmly.

"You absolutely sure about that?"
He looked at me nervously. "What? Why?"
"You won't find another buyer getting so much at once. You don't want to let us down, do you? Find another merchant and haggle with them instead?"
That was all it took. He sighed and agreed.
"Three fifty then."
I smiled as we made our deal and I handed over the caps.

As we walked off a truly gigantic earth buck wearing a suit of scathed power armour which had parts of it ripped away and replaced with leather or scrap metal attachments instead, walked up to the kiosk.I couldn't help but notice the minigun on his right and the fact that rather then having a saddlebag on the left, he simply had an ammo box connected to the gun.
"One thousand rounds of 5mm, please."

I just blinked in shock and carried on walking.

We made our way around a few more market traders with no luck on the healing goods until we made our way into an actual shop.
As we walked through the rotting door-frame I saw that it was actually a clinic inside, or what was left of one anyway.

A white pony reminiscent of Melony Love, albeit with a single tone of lemon yellow hair stood behind the counter.
"Welcome do the good fix! We'll fix you, or give your fix in times of need! How may we help you today?"
"Hey, I'm after about... six healing potions, two rad-away for good measure and perhaps some med-x if you have any in stock?"
Cherry followed my sentence with her own, questioning why I'd need med-x.
Quickly I pulled the Canterlot Journal of Medicine out of my saddlebags and flashed it at her. She smiled uneasily but didn't say a word after that... thank the princesses.

"Five healing potions... that's one hundred, two rad-aways are another thirty to make it one hundred and thirty and I can give you four med-x for another one hundred."

I thought about it for a moment and pouted.
"Damn. I only have another one hundred and sixty caps left. I suppose I'll just take the healing potions, rad-away and one med-x for what must be 1-55, right?"
She looked at me and scrunched her face up for a moment.
"Tell you what, because you seem like a nice buck, I'll do it for 1-30."
I looked at her surprised and gave her a kiss on the cheek out of joy. Cherry huffed as the mare behind the counter giggled.

Like a child I collected the medical goods and cooed a thank you as I happily trotted out of the clinic after paying up.
I may not have had my supply of med-x, but I had something at least!

Now we only had twenty caps though, our shopping trip would come to an end. Instead of spending the last of our caps, I handed them over to Cherry and told her to buy herself something nice.
What she did next only half surprised me.

"Something nice huh? Okay!"
With that, she kissed me and slipped the caps back into my saddlebag before climbing atop of my back once more.
"ONWARDS, MY TRUSTY STEED!"
I kinked my head back around through my laughter and looked at her.
"This again?"
"Yes! ONWARDS!"
The smile across her face only caused me to laugh more. It seemed that this little joke would never end.

We went through the town gathering strange looks from everypony around, which had seemed weird to me. We were just two ponies and their pet manticore, even if one of those ponies was riding on the others back!
As we approached the gate towards Coltchester we saw a large gathering of people next to a noticeboard with big writing across it announcing 'BOUNTIES AND JOBS.'

Most ponies were after someone to offer security for their shop or market stand, to which we had to turn down. Sure, we needed the caps, but we weren't in any position to be sitting around in one place for more then a few days unless it was necessary.
However, one of the ponies caught my eye as he held a picture of a radbit in one hoof. I walked up to him to see what his job was about.

"Excuse me sir" He started before I'd even reached him. "You look like you can handle yourselves, to say the very least. Would you be interested in a proposition?"
I nodded.
"There's a mega-swarm of radbits between here and Coltchester that are heading this way. I'm with the security council of Coltshire Town and we're interested in anyone who is capable of clearing out the monstrosities."
Cherry pipped up on that and began to almost shout at him, while still sitting on my back.

"Monstrosities?! How dare you say such a thing? They're absolutely adorable!"
"I'm sorry Madam, but they're not adorable when they eat their way through your security walls, eat the doors and inside of shops, render wooden-stock weapons useless to earth ponies and then steal and eat all your canned and fresh food in the town."
Cherry just pouted and huffed, knowing that he was right.
"Anyway, as I was saying. They've reached megaswarm status. This means they'll either die out slowly from hunger or they'll take half of Coltshire with them before dying out anyway."

I looked at the grey buck and smiled.
"How much are you going to offer us for the job?"
"Seven hundred caps."
"Method of payment? I don't plan on returning here for some time."
"Titan here will be accompanying anyone who takes up the task, to make sure that the job is indeed done. If that's the case, we will entrust him to carry the caps until the job is done."

With that, the buck nodded over to the tall earth pony I'd seen buying all the ammo for his minigun.
I stepped back in shock for a moment, then smiled because of how fitting his name was for him,

"I'll accept the job, in that case. Any other jobs for me as I head off towards Coltchester?"
"Yes, actually. One task, a letter. Nothing dangerous about it, simply needs delivery to the Wasteland Courier Service depot. 50 caps when the letter reaches depot, as the note on the unopened envelope says."
Titan kicked into the discussion himself at this point, in a raspy voice.

"On top of all that, I'm not offering a cap reward, but I will offer you my experience as a guide towards Coltchester and my gun, as needed, if you'll allow me to tag along."
I looked at the buck even more confused.
"It's a long journey, having a guide helps a lot. As for what I'm getting out of it, as much as my firepower is a deterrent, I'm not safe going alone. I was waiting for a few other travelling mercenaries such as yourselves to come and go that way anyway,"

I looked at Cherry and then back to the other two. "We'll do it."

Ten minutes later, Titan was ready to leave for Coltchester with us and we had safely put the letter in my bags.
As the gates opened for us we walked through out into the wasteland once again.
In the distance we could see that the ground had turned from the dirty and dusty brown to a gentle green that indicated that even the grass of Equestria had refused to give up its struggle for life and would continue no matter the cost, like ourselves.

"So, what's your names?" Rasped Titan, as he walked along in his clunky armour. Now we weren't around the sounds of voices and hoof-steps everywhere I could understand why he hadn't wanted to travel alone. He wasn't capable of fluid movement or staying quiet and would've surely made a large, albeit tough, target for raiders out here if he was alone.

"My name is Cherry, Cherry Sundae." A soft spoken voice came from above me as she still lazily sat across my back..
Maisy let out a small roar as if to tell her name.
"That there is Maisy, our pet and friend. My name is Crimson Wings."
"Wings huh? Got a reason for a name like that?"
I looked up at Cherry and she wrapped her hooves tight around my neck, as I prepared to show him.

A moment later I was up in the air, hovering in front of Titan with some difficulty, but I still did my best to make it seem effortless despite the weight of our combined armour, guns and ammo weight.
Carefully I landed back down on the floor next to Titan.

"I see. Ex-Enclave?"
"My father was. I'm pure earth born."
"Good. I was there when those bastards ran and I'll be there when they run again. Just you wait and see."
"Wait... you were what?"
Titan just looked at me and let out a hollow laugh. "You didn't notice the rasping?"
Cherry let out a cautious 'I did' and I just shrugged, not knowing why it was important.
"I'm a pre-war ghoul."
"A what?"

Cherry interrupted me at this point however, and just stroked behind my ears as I carried on walking. "I'll explain to you later Crimson."

We'd been walking for just over an hour when the landscape had drastically changed from the dingy green back to a barren looking brown where the grass had been crushed to nothing and anything made of wood had been completely destroyed by... something.
Titan paused mid joke when he saw the look upon my face.

"They ain't joking when they told you that radbits will eat anything, including wood straight from trees. Megaswarm trail here and we're hot on it, too."
"So, this megaswarm. What is it?"
"Radbits fuck like you two, judging from how you allow her to ride on your back."
Cherry blushed at the comment but I laughed though.
"Yeah, sounds about right."

"Anyway, they breed like crazy. A group of ten can hit thirty in three months, a group of thirty can turn to over one hundred in another three and a group of one hundred can hit three hundred."
"That's when they're dangerous, I take it?"
"They've been known to make little implements of mass destruction. How's that for dangerous?"

Cherry gasped and spoke, a shocked tone to her voice.
"Wait, you mean that the radbits know how to make megaspells?!"
Titan just laughed to himself, shaking his head with a gentle clanging between his armour.
"Nah, just little swords. Not really all that dangerous at all, unless they decide to stab you in the eye. More annoying then
anything usually."

With that, he pulled off his helmet and opened his eyelids...
My jaw dropped as a deep red stared back at me.
"Cybernetic eyes... Don't worry though." He paused for a moment. "This is before the war. I was part of the first test group with cybernetics, hence why they're solid red rather then the later updated realistic looking eyes."

I cursed him out as I laughed for tricking me good, and Cherry huffed at the fact she'd been tricked despite all her knowledge of the wastes.

"Yeah. Usually their numbers are kept in check by natural predators and travellers looking for a bite to eat. Sometimes they get away though, and end up with dangerously high amounts. Largest group ever was five hundred and thirteen."

"Five hundred and thirteen bunnies? That's so adorable Crimson! I want one!"
I looked up at Cherry. "You what?"
"I want a radbunny! Please?"
I looked towards Titan and he chuckled.

"Anyway, on with the story. As I was saying, I was there when we killed them all. It was a long fight and getting crushed by a literal tidal wave of radbits as they all threw themselves at us at once was quite the experience, tell you that."
Cherry laid her chin on my head at this point and in a soft spoken voice, made a declaration.
"No matter what kind of experience that is, having one of them for my own is an experience I really want. I'm having one, okay? Just one. One."
I laughed. "Fine, As long as you can convince one to stick around with you then you can have one. I'm not carrying one around in a cage though."
"Deal!"

Along our way we heard a strange, metallic sounding singing coming from the distance to the side of us. Turning my head to the right, I soon found out what it was.

"If you go out in the woods today you're sure of a big surprise. If you go out in the woods today you'd better go in disguise.
For every U.S.H that ever there was will gather there for certain, because - today's the day the sentinels have their picnic."

As they sung, they rolled right by us. One by one they turned their torso to the left to face me and saluted.
They broke song for one moment, only as they saluted me.
"Lt. Colonel Wings"
As they rolled on further, they continued their song.

"If you go out in the woods today, you'd better not go alone.
It's lovely out in the woods today, but safer to stay at home."

I had no choice. I had to go up and ask them what the hell they were on about.

"Excuse me, Soldiers, but what is all this?"
"We're on leave, Lieutenant. One week for every six months of work. This allows our central processing systems to self maintain and our self-repair matrix to complete its work efficiently without strain."
"Okay, I understand that part now... but a picnic?"
"We have feelings too, commander. Our AI was designed to allow us to enjoy the simple things..."
I didn't know whether to laugh or simply honestly smile, so I did the next best thing.
"At ease."
"Commander."
As they rolled off into the woods, I turned and let out the laughter over how strange that all was.

Titan just turned to look at me.
"Okay. So I'm travelling with a pegasus stallion who isn't from the Enclave, who has a unicorn riding on top of his back... who have a pet manticore... and is able to keep a straight face without a helmet as six sentinel robots roll on past and sing about having a picnic? To which they then call him Lieutenant Colonel?"
"Yeah, pretty much. Same kind've situation in how I got my duster here."
"...In all my years of being a ghoul... I've never had such a weird experience. Good thing we're off to kill some radbits, at least that feels normal after all these years."
I just shrugged with a smile and carried on.

It was then that we saw the first glimpses of the horde ahead of us. Indeed, there must have been at least three hundred of the damned things from what we could see, perhaps even more. My EFS was nothing but blue ahead of me, but I had worried about what would happen when it would undoubtedly turn red.

"Maisy.." I took a deep breath through my nose and stood there for a moment, paused.."Maisy Maisy Maisy. Looks like you've got some work ahead of you. You ready?"
Titan sighed. "Maisy is the name of your manticore?"
"What else?" I replied, smugly.
Cherry just rolled her eyes at us with a funny smile. "Bucks."
"Wanna know a real name for a death machine?"
"Go on, what's the name of your minigun then?"
"Styx, the titan god mother of Victory, Rivalry, Force and Power"
"Styx... Okay. Good name."

Titan revved the motor on Styx, I had Cherry climb off so I could more effectively equip my shotgun and she pulled out her SMG.
Maisy began by flying straight into the body of mass, claws protruding to each side as the first radbits fell.

The fight had begun.

Footnote:
Level up!

55 Barter attained.
60 Speech attained.

As promised, I'm going to keep advertising the fact that the head picture came from WavemasterRyx, who can be found:http://ask-the-waves.tumblr.com/ !

Much appreciation to the people who read and comment! I'm going to apologise again for my reaction last chapter to some criticism - let me just remind everyone that as an author, constructive criticism is very much appreciated and wanted, but I need to be told why something doesn't work for you or even better, how I can change it.

For those of you wanting a more grimdark storyline; I appreciate this and it will come, but patience is a virtue. I plan to begin the grim, gritty storyline arc with the next chapter (part 2 of TRTTD)

Thank you both Kkat and Somber for both writing amazing stories that have inspired me to write. Without you two, there would be a massive hole in my world, and I don't know how I would've filled it otherwise. Thank you.

Chapter 8: The road to the damned pt. 2

Tiny screams of horror came a hundred at a time as Maisy effortlessly flew through the radbits, ripping them apart with claws.
I proudly turned to Titan and smiled as he watched in waiting for an opportune moment to fire Styx. It was abundantly clear in his eyes that he was impressed by Maisy, though something told me from the smile he held himself that I was about to see something just as spectacular.

Giving Titan a chance, I whistled over to Maisy and she soared into the sky to fall back to our position. Within a matter of moments this had gone from a simple task to clear out the mega-swarm of radbits to a show of force and strength.
As she rose from the ground just five seconds after having gotten into the crowd, ten or so radbits rose with her, caught on her claws.
Blood spilt all over the ground and the crowd around her as the entrails of the once cute radbits spilt out.

In his raspy voice, the smugness overcame the sound of the spinning motor that revved up next to him. "You ready for this, Crimson?"
"As ready as I'll ever be, go on you slow git. Show me how you've lived these two hundred odd years."
"Two hundred years of slaughter and mayhem, working in mercenary groups and as a lone travelling merc. Don't put me down for my age otherwise I'll bore you with my task force days stories."
I chuckled. "You'll have to fill me in on the way to Coltchester then."

With that there roared an unholy sound from the direction of Styx and within a moments passing just as many radbits as Maisy had managed had to kill not so much fell to Titan, but rather they had exploded
A few moments longer and the total death toll reached what seemed close to forty.
Titan powered down his minigun and slowly the barrels now began to stop their rotation.
He had proved his point that Styx was powerful, but in the end, these were only radbits after all. Only time would tell for sure if it would be as effective against harder targets, no doubt.

Now it was time for me to prove myself. Maisy had shown the sheer capability of her claws when combined with her wings.
Titan had shown that his minigun had truly deserved the name given to it, with its explosive power.
I had no weapons capable of providing the kind of force required to even come close to Titan, however, I did hold one advantage.
Holstering my shotgun I slipped my helmet on and unfolded my wings.

Titan looked at me, bewilderment in his voice. "Wait.That helmet... is tha-"
That was all I gave him a chance to say as I had already flown into the air and hung there breathing deeply before beginning my war-cry. I began to scream as loudly as I could into my helmet, knowing just what kind of amplification it would receive.

"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!"

I had to take my helmet off instantly as I felt laughter storming up my throat and out onto lips.
Titan looked like he had absolutely shat himself and seven of the closest radbits twitched on the ground as they had a heart attack.

"Crimson?"
"Yeah?" I looked back at him cockily, wondering what he had to say.
"You... are a fucking mad-buck. You realise there's more then just Radbits here, right?"
"So?"
Titan just looked at me as my arrogant face smirked back at him.
As I stood there self proclaiming my own victory by raising my hoof in the air in a champions pose, Cherry lazily pushed me to a side.

"Colts. The pair of you. This is how it's supposed to be done."

Before my eyes Cherry began to disappear with her magic, though a small sparkle glinting through midair told me where she was.
As tempted as I was to go and kiss her along the neck for the sheer fun of putting her out of focus, I decided it'd be better to see how she handled it.

Step by step she made her way to the radbits just who were a good twenty-odd meters ahead of us.now.

"What you reckon she's going to do? Snap its neck or something?" Titan asked in a hushed tone.
"That... that would be too logical. She's a mare, remember." I countered, keeping my own voice low as not to be overheard.
"So, she'll stamp it to death then? Has she got the strength to do that?"
"She gave me a concussion two days ago, so yeah, she's got the strength for that. But I don't reckon she's the type to be that mean."
"Well... what about the rifle on her back? Think she'll use that as a golf club?"
I just looked at him in amusement at the thought then shook my head. No, Cherry would never do something like that.

She didn't surprise me either. Ten seconds odd after our discussion had ended one of the radbits had turned invisible along with her and I heard her hoof-steps coming back towards us.
Titan just looked to his side and spoke into the empty space. "So... let me guess. You're gonna feed it to your pet manticore?"
A gasp broke out of her mouth and her magic field came down, revealing herself once more with the radbit sitting on her shoulder.
"Of course not! This little guy is my pet now! See Crimson! I told you I would get one as a pet!"
Her face gleamed with pride and joy as I made my best attempt to stifle the chuckle it brought out of me, all the while as Titan stared on in amazement.

"Oh Cherry. You know, this is why I love you."
She blushed and I smiled even more. Her new pet radbit, just a baby no less, sat confidently in her mane.
"So you love me because I turn invisible and get my own pet?"
"No, because you're adorable and different."
Her blushing turned into a kiss which I hadn't expected, but was all the better for it.

As our lips broke apart I affectionately looked into her eyes for a moment longer...
I felt my words come out as softly as my feathers would touch her lips. "Cherry?"
A sweetness in her voice carried the same passion as I held. "Yeah?"
Looking at her with a smile that only grew and grew... I said it.
"It's clobbering time!"

Cherry gave me a deadpan expression as she looked at me before closing her eyes and shaking her head.
Slowly a new smile came across her face as she began to giggle.
"Crimson! I'll clobber you in a minute!"

Titan stood there laughing to himself at what had just happened and I jumped into the air and pulled out my shotgun.
A smirk across my face, I couldn't help myself. "Time to spread some bucks shot"
Cherry just grinned at me and gave a small bout of a giggle as I flew alongside Maisy for another go at killing all the cute little bunnies.

I gained height to increase the spread of my shots and make them all the less accurate.
In conventional combat this technique would have been absolutely stupid and unforgivable, wasting ammo and risking my life.
Right now though, the increased spread area of effect would only mean that more targets could be hit.
With the radbits, even a single shot-ball seemed to be enough to incapacitate them.

Maisy didn't have to change her tactics for anything though, it seemed. Her ferocious swipes only seemed all the more effective when coupled with a playful ripping of intestines as she also chose to literally chew them apart.
I felt bad for Cherry having to watch such an occurrence with her stance on killing, though thankfully she seemed to understand just as she said she had.
This was something we needed to do, strange as it was. For the radbits' own good, the good of Coltshire, and worst of all, our own good - what with the caps reward.

Swipe by swipe, shot by shot we weakened the radbits.

"CRIMSON!" Titan called out.
I looked down to him.
"YOU'RE WASTING YOUR AMMO. PULL BACK AND LET ME WASTE MINE INSTEAD."

As much as I hated to admit it, Titan was right. I'd gone through what must've been twenty shots and the radbits still looked strong and angry. Cherry had used the time to start climbing up atop a nearby rock formation while the radbits slowly advanced towards Titan who had been keeping his gun motors revved and ready.

Falling back and calling Maisy to follow me would've been embarrassing in any other situation, but right now the point was to make money, not lose it all in wasting all my ammo.

As soon as Maisy had moved out of the way, Titan opened fire once more.
Bullets ripped past just below me and the explosions sent a shock wave from beneath me, threatening to knock me off course with my flight.
Thankfully however, that hadn't come to be and instead I managed to regain composure.

I watched as he released the destructive force from the gates of Hades itself upon the almost defenceless radbits in his path.
No survivors bore the scars from that gun, I was assured.

Ten seconds passed and then he stopped his fire.
What had seemed like just over half of the entire radbit group had been killed, but now they were almost atop of Titan with their makeshift weapons to bare.
Without warning, the radbits piled onto one another and produced a wall of fur that suddenly swallowed him whole.
The noise from their angry screeches was almost deafening and put me off focus for a moment.

Cherry gasped in shock and began to shout to me before I had fully noticed what was going on.
"CRIMSON! RESCUE HIM!"

I looked down at the pile of radbits and noticed that they were simply trying to crush him to death.
There was no option of simply leaving him under the pile of radbits, but using my shotgun would be too deadly in case I'd hit him. I had to go down there and do it by hand.

I quickly put my helmet on and flew into the air, before committing myself to a dive bomb.
Landing in the middle of the pile myself, I back kicking and bucking the radbits all over the place.
Maisy joined in on the dog-pile and began ripping radbits off as if desperately digging for buried treasure, whole groups went screaming in pain as they flew through the air by the paw-full.

Swipe after swipe, buck after buck, they kept filling up the gap! There was just too many radbits and there was no chance we'd be able to get them off Titan at this rate.
Then I saw a trace of his hoof try yo break the surface, we were close!
Maisy roared as loud as she could and most of the radbits looked at her in terror as she began to smash her head against the crowd, using her powerful maw as well as her claws to savagely rip the radbits apart.
Doing my part also, I grabbed one of their weapons and began decapitating them in vicious swipes while I also crushed their heads beneath my hind-hooves.

With a sudden burst of power Titan reached out with his hoof, and this time I grabbed it.
Once more though, Titan was lost amongst the sea of radbits trying to slice my legs as I worked to kick them aside.

"FUCK"

I hadn't thought about the fact I was still wearing my helmet, but without hesitation the radbits all turned to look at me in anger and fear.
Now was our chance.
Maisy used all her strength and managed to rip even more apart as the radbits turned their attention to me before I took flight to avoid being their next victim.
A third time Titan broke through, with both of his hooves this time.
Maisy took no time in grabbing them in her paws and dragging him out of the pile of radbits, cuts all over every inch of exposed skin.

I blinked in amazement at the fact that he was still moving, even if he did seem as if he'd just taken an utter beating.
Maisy carried Titan over to the rock formation where Cherry stood and gently lowered him down next to her.
Landing next to him to check him over, he hadn't bothered to try stand up as I did.
His breathing was slowed and his movement even more challenging looking then before, but blood-loss seemed minimal and all vital signs seemed strong enough to continue.

"Titan, want a healing potion?"
"Nah thanks kid. As much as this hurts..." With that, he spat up a small amount of blood, but nothing like what Cherry had when she'd been shot. "As much as this hurts, I'll be fine. Just gotta find me some radiation and I'll feel fifty years younger."
I was tempted to say something like that'd still make him one-hundred and fifty, but decided against it.

A gentle breeze carried through northern winds and the smell of fresh kills hit us all again. During the act of slaughtering all the radbits the smell hadn't quite hit me, but now as we rest a moment while they regroup after their attack on Titan, it became clearly obvious to me.
The smell of blood was overpowering in the area now, and as I looked down to my hooves I could notice nothing but how it dripped from my coat.

I had been out of the Stable and in the wastes for a week and already, I realised, I was becoming a killer.
I had taken up a job to kill hundreds of radbits for caps. I Instantly felt sick with myself.
Gently I touched the wolf-tooth necklace Cherry had made for me, wondering who I was becoming.
Cherry caught my look as I slumped onto my butt and began walking over.

Whispering into my ear, she gently stroked my cheek. "Crimson."
I just murmured an inaudible response and she lifted my head with her hoof in turn.
"Crimson. You're not doing this because you want to. You're not doing this because you love killing and its all you are. You chose not to be aggressive towards Maisy because it wasn't necessary. You've chosen to be aggressive to these radbits because it is."
Looking at her with confusion and admiration, she gently smiled.
"I've been here too, Crimson. I've sat down and cried about everything I've done, some days I still do feel the crippling pain and guilt. But the reason you're feeling like this is because you aren't a monster, Crimson. The wasteland is a tough place and we have to be tough to survive in it, both physically and emotionally."

Cherry's new found confidence and capability to speak to me about such an issue and really captivate me was astounding, but at the same time with the experience she also held it shouldn't have been so surprising after all. It wasn't that she was a good talker, but that she'd been through it all herself.
Another soft kiss and I felt a lot stronger, knowing that I had someone to keep me tough when I felt weak.

With the soft slurping of our lips meeting and the touching of our hooves making a slight brushing sound, Titan got up behind me. I didn't bother to turn to him but instead stayed in that moment with my eyes closed and thanked Cherry for being there for me, and for being mine, with the passion of our kiss.

"Crimson? Cherry? Where did you go?"
I ignored his questions but opened my eyes to see that Cherry had coated us in her illusion magic once more like she had back in Gummy.
She pulled back and let down the magic field, much to Titan's displeasure.
"Bah. Unicorns and your fancy magic You want some real magic? Watch this."

With that Titan pulled out three red banded grenades from the storage on his back and laid them on the ground. One by one he pulled the pin with his teeth and kicked them into the swarm of radbits that attempted to climb up towards us.
One second passed, two seconds, three... on the third second though, something happened.
A loud crackle came from the grenade and rather then sending shrapnel everywhere, radbits began to scream in agony as they burnt.
Then the two other grenades lit up one after the other and the swarm of radbits quickly turned into a fireball of smoking death.

If we had been raiders, no doubt we would've laughed. Instead, we all watched solemnly as the sobering experience filled our eyes and memories.
Very few of the radbits had managed to escape the fire, and once six had done so I pulled out my pistol.

One more ran. I slipped into S.A.T.S and ended its life.
Another ran, I repeated the process. Two more ran at once and I decided I'd let them survive, and then another ran.
S.A.T.S held out forever as I hesitated to take the shot, the radbits leg held in seemingly suspended motion. I decided I'd let it run, and only shoot if they were burnt.

After seven more radbits had ran, three of them badly burnt and one of them still burning, the pile of bodies stopped moving.
The radbits were done, our contract was complete.
Titan casually opened up his back storage and allowed Cherry to take the bag of caps from it. I took the bag and put it into my saddlebag, watching the pipbuck caps counter rise from 30 to 730.
I nodded and Titan nodded back. Now all we had to do was get to Coltchester.

"How long do you reckon it'll take to get to Coltchester from here, Titan?"
"How long does it take to get clean water?"
I looked at Titan blankly and humoured him.
"Depends on the method."
With that he nodded at me once more... damn that buck! I let out a little chuckle after realising exactly what he was getting at.

"So, what's the fastest route?"
"The most dangerous one, of course. Cliché as it may seem, that's exactly why its the most dangerous - it's a shorter distance for the raiders to patrol and the raiders attract all sorts of wildlife and... other things, that go for the corpses of the looted or those wounded from the fights."
"How long would it take to get there using that method?"
"We could reach there by nightfall if we move promptly. I know of a inn which we could stay at for 50 caps a night per room."
"50 caps seems a lot."
"Maybe... but when it's that or sleeping on the edge of Coltchester? I'd rather pay to have the guard at the door all night and have a nice bed, over sleeping lightly if at all on the floor."

Cherry snuck up beside me and wrapped one hoof around my neck.

"But you'll get that price down, won't you Crimson?"
I smiled as she boosted my confidence and I nodded in return. "Of course."

"Titan?" Cherry asked.
"Yeah?"
"What's the other route like?"
"Well, I really wouldn't say it's perfectly safe. There's still a moderate chance that there will be a roving band of raiders or wildlife, but it's not as much a certainty as the fast route."
"How long does that one take?"
"Three days. It goes around the worst of everything and around the city to the side of it by coming back on itself."

Cherry looked at me with concern, but I shook my head.

"Three days is too long. I know you say its supposed to be safer but its still three days over the rest of what we have today to get ambushed. If we run out of ammo half way through that trip, we're screwed. If we run out at the end of this trip, we can run as fast as possible and restock. Hell, if it's a short distance I'm sure that Maisy can carry you and I can carry Cherry, but it really isn't something we can do properly for a long haul."

"Agreed. We'll move on down the fast route. Keep your senses sharp and your reflexes sharper, this is why I wanted to travel with you."

I smiled at Titan. He may have been biologically old, but he was still on the ball and willing to put himself at risk if it paid off. That big gun of his didn't exactly give him much fault either, if you overlooked the fact it was his only weapon and took a second or two to prepare to fire with.
Sliding his way down the rock face, we all set off onto the route to Coltchester.

We walked down the cracked road, broken towers of once proud buildings stood either side of us.
Cherry pranced around the road carelessly as she played with her new pet, much to the disgruntlement of Maisy.
I looked up and gently stroked her mane as I walked alongside her.

"What's wrong girl?"
She huffed and pointed to the little radbit and pointed inside her mouth.
"You... You want to eat it?"
Maisy nodded. Cherry looked at Maisy with shock and displeasure.
"No Maisy, Prince Snugglebums is NOT for eating."
I watched the pair argue until Maisy raised her claw. My eyes widened in fear as Cherry immediately pulled out her SMG and pointed it towards Maisy.

"Maisy." Cherry began. "Prince Snugglebums is NOT for eating. If you dare even attempt it, I hold no responsibility for my actions. Got it?"
Maisy put her claw away and backed away slowly with a little huff and came to snuggle up against me.
I watched as Cherry magically lifted 'Prince Snugglebums' and kissed him before sitting him up in her mane once more.

"Sorry Maisy, but Cherry won this fight. I still love you but she's right, Prince Snugglebums is her pet and you've got to respect that."

Titan had gone back to wearing his helmet, but I could tell that under it he was either smiling smugly or rolling his eyes.

Cherry broke the silence as we walked some time later.
"So, Titan."
"Yeah?"
"You mentioned you're a pre-war ghoul?"
"That's right, what'dya wanna know?"
"What was life like for you before the end of the world?"
"Do you mean during my military years, or my childhood?"

Her eyes indicated that she had to think about that for a moment, as they skirted back and forth.
"What was your childhood like?"
"Short."
"Why?"
"The war."

A disappointed look came upon Cherry's face and Titan sighed.

"I'm sorry, Miss Sundae, but my childhood really was short. I was only a young teenager when I lied about my age to enlist. Before the war, there wasn't much to my life. School had taught me what I'd needed to know and street brawls had given me my cutie mark."
"You were always a violent guy then, huh?"
"I would protect a lot of people from thieves and gangs. If you call that violent, then yes."
"Wait... what is your cutie mark then?"
"A silver shield... or it was before it got too cut up, damaged and burnt to be recognisable."
"Wanna tell us the story of it to pass the time?"

Titan just looked at us both then made an over-exaggerated head roll gesture.

"Fine. Long story short, a gang of degenerates were trying to mug somepony. That somepony turned out to be a Staff Sargent in the Equestrian Army and the degenerates turned out to be Zebra sympathisers. I didn't know that at the time, nor would have it changed anything. But yeah, I took all four of them out at once while making sure none of them harmed the Sargent. From there he offered me a role in his squad since I had a cutie mark on my flank and looked old enough."

"So, that's how you got into the army then? What role did you play?" I added, honestly curious and wanting to know more.

"I served several roles. My first role was in standard grunt work for a rifle platoon. I found the rifles to be too underpowered, as accurate as they were."
I looked to my pistol and shyly looked away, wondering what he'd have to say about it.
"When the Staff Sargent got promoted and transferred to strike team leader for the Royal Forces Mission Support group Echo November Four, he personally put in for me to carry on with him. From there I proved to be perfect for the support role."

Cherry put her hoof out to get his attention. "May I?"
"Of course."
"What do you mean by support role? In the Tank Mercenary Group, it means snipers, miniguns and rocket launchers. Anything like that at all?"
"Close. Sniper rifles were Designated Marksponies, or DM's as we called them. Support was rocket lauchers or miniguns."

With that, he tapped Styx.
"Which is exactly how I happened to get this beauty. Though originally she didn't have the Zebra explosive talisman. I received that after managing to take down a Zebra 'Superhoof' Mark two while protecting my squad. The talisman was on the inside of the robot. Good reward if you ask me, even if I did half die taking that damn thing down."

I went to ask what a 'Superhoof' was but then abruptly something caught the corner of my eye as I looked at Titan. Swinging my head back ahead and squinting my eyes I looked ahead. There was a group of ponies running, but I couldn't tell who or why.
Without a second thought I gently lifted the sniper rifle off Cherry's back much to her confusion and dismay.
Peering my eye up to the telescopic sight, I saw what and why.
A group of children led by a lone adult were fleeing from a group of... it looked like ghouls, but they were foaming at the mouth.

"...Titan?" I asked cautiously, not wanting to upset him.
"Yeah?"
"What does it mean if... ghouls are foaming at the mouth? And a mare and children are running from them?"
Titan stopped dead and stared at me before bolting off as fast as he could in the direction.
Before I could even hand Cherry her rifle back Titan had begun revving the motor for his minigun.
"CRIMSON! GET TO THEM NOW! THEY'LL KILL THEM ALL IF THEY CATCH THEM."
I looked at Cherry in shock and almost dropped the rifle, but she caught it with her magic as it slipped from my hooves.

Not even a second later I was in the air and flying at full speed, shooting past Titan like a bullet and Cherry was catching up to Titan.

They'll kill them all if they catch them.
That was all that went through my mind. All that could go through my mind. I wouldn't, no, couldn't let that happen.
My wings beat hard like a tornado and I did my best to avoid all the obstacles that stood in my way in the road as the cracked buildings that lined each side of the road had fallen and leant on one another after all the years of misuse and disrepair.
They'll kill them all if they catch them... they'll kill them all if they catch them... they'll kill them all.

The ghouls chased the group relentlessly, and now I could see a lot clearer exactly what was happening. An earth pony who was carrying two children on her back and a bundle of rags in her teeth with five more children in tow was running for their lives!
Her soft blue coat wore itself dirtily as she ran through the street with the ten ferals in pursuit.

Upon hitting an uneven part of the floor one of the children caught their hoof on a tile, the one second to last of the children following slipped over and tumbled into another filly. They both went down without a challenge and before anypony could react two male pegasus ghouls dived out of the air and... Princesses no... my blood ran cold as one began raping the filly it had landed atop of.

Her screaming was unimaginably horrifying as I helplessly watched the ghoul thrusting away as it ripped her ear off. I felt sick and completely lost focus of my flight.
The fillies screams for help out of pain went seemingly unnoticed by the others though, as they continued racing for their lives amongst the rest of the ghouls who carried on chasing them.

I beat my wings even harder, I needed to close the distance right now! NOW!
Flying straight towards the group I had a clear view of them now, the ghouls catching up on some of the children.

Without warning I felt myself smash into something soft yet jagged and fell to the floor. As I picked myself back up I noticed another pegasus ghoul below me, hissing.
I didn't waste any time in activating S.A.T.S and plotting a pistol shot to the head. Time felt slowed and allowed me to cleanly pull my pistol out of the leg holster and put a bullet into the brain of the ghoul.
Coming out of S.A.T.S I found two more ghouls, one a unicorn and one a earth pony, standing in front of me.

A clean shot to the face of the earth pony brought it to the floor, but the unicorn moved too randomly for me to get a clean aim. Before I could manage to reactivate S.A.T.S a shot flew past me and into the skull of the unicorn.
Looking to my left I saw Cherry with her rifle in full aim and she chambered another round. I nodded before shooting back up into the air and began to look for the group, but they were nowhere to be found.

However, I did manage to find that more ghouls had began to feast on the two fillies, with another beginning to try and eat the entire right side of her face as she agonisingly cried out helplessly for it to stop,
Sheer rage overwhelmed me and I pulled my shotgun out, flying over to the ghouls like lightning.
Two shots for each ghoul in the area wiped them all out.
Though the second filly had died from bleeding already, her neck snapped in two, the first filly laid there gargling on her own blood.
She looked up at me and whimpered.

The sight was too much. I couldn't handle looking at it yet I knew I had to be strong for the young mare. I knelt down to her side.

"It's going to be okay. I... I... I can give you med-x, I can do something? Something..."
She just looked at me, obviously in excruciating pain and whispered something, I couldn't tell what though.
I leant down to be able to hear her better.
"k...k..."
"What is it? What can I do for you?"
Her eyes met mine, a steely determination in them told me what she was about to say was serious.
"Ki.. kill me."

My eye's just widened. No... no. nononono! No!
Yet as I looked at her, I could tell that it was what she honestly wanted. All of her limbs seemed to be broken and she'd just been raped and eaten by two rotting, living corpses.
"Kill me. Please." She begged and coughed up more blood. The pain in her eyes was too much to deny.
"What's your name?" I asked, my voice more shaken then it had ever been before.
"Platinum."
"Platinum... Princesses forgive me, please."

I pulled out my pistol and slowly drew it to her head....
Was I really going to do this?
What other alternative did I have?
I could save her!
She was dying. She'd bleed out before I could get her to anyone.
No child deserves to die!
Yet this would be mercy. It would be what she pleaded for.
She's just a child!
Though that may be true, she would die either way. The amount of pain she was in was horrific and if she lived, she'd not even be a child any longer, but rather a broken pony. I had no choice.

The shot could've rang through my ears over and over. I had almost given mercy to a child.
As I went to pull the trigger however, I'd noticed that she'd stopped breathing and her eyes had sunken into themselves.
I could've stayed in this spot forever now, breaking and falling apart. I had almost just killed a child, no matter the reason.
This wasn't like Dust Buckets, my mind told me.
You're fully responsible for this. You didn't leave a door open, you would've pulled the trigger, mercy or not. Pleading or not.
But as I lost myself in thoughts, I heard further screaming and knew I couldn't.
I had to save them. I had to save all of them. I couldn't let any of the others go through this. I couldn't let the others to die like I had her. I reloaded my shotguns barrel magazine in preparation as fast as I could.

I held back my tears and flew into the air. Immediately I noticed the group down another stretch of road. Without waiting a heartbeat I sped towards them, agility was a godsend right now.

I passed another corpse with three more of the fuckers feasting on it. I had no time right now, I had to ignore them and carry on through to the survivors.
A building collapsed in front of me as I sped through the streets trying to get to the group and came too close to crushing me for comfort.
As quickly as I could I worked my way around the insides of the concrete and steel monstrosity that lay before me.

Half way through the building I heard another scream and another guttural howling. More and more howling sounded and the child's screams stopped.
Another had died, and by my guesses that meant there was only three children and the mare left.
SHIT!

I flew straight through a glass pane into the air and spotted the mare. Again, I was too late. As I had bolted towards her another three ghouls ambushed her and instantly tore her throat out. Blood spurted everywhere and covered the road, but within seconds she was dead as she hit the ground.
One of the three remaining children ran in the opposite direction of the other two, running straight into another ambush by the feral ghouls.

Behind me I began hearing Titan's minigun roaring death upon the ghouls I'd left behind, and I could've sworn I'd heard Cherry's SMG crackling away under the sound.

There was only two children left, and I could see them running down the street from me. They'd already made a lot of headway on me but not on the ghouls. They chased the pair ferociously and attempted to jump onto them multiple times, though the colt was able to kick them off and the filly was too small to grapple with, she fell through their hooves every time they caught her.

The advancing horde made their way closer and closer to the children as they ran.
I swore blindly I wouldn't let another fall as I flapped my wings as hard as I could.
Not another. Not another child. Not after what I'd done to the other one!
My wings burned with the tormenting reality that they were making ground too fast, I was too far away.

"NO!" I screamed, half hoping they would instead turn their attention to me. If they had have done so, I'd at least be able to put up a fight and give the kids a chance.
They didn't pay any attention to me though, but instead kept their focus on the marks.

Time was running out, I pulled out my pistol and entered S.A.T.S once more, but found the possibility of hitting the kids or scoring a non lethal shot on the ghouls was too high. I needed to be closer and to make sure that every shot counted, otherwise it was wasted time that I could've used to save them.

My wings were feeling like they were on fire now, the speed at which I moved quickly helped me catch up, but I was still too slow.

One by one they jumped upon the filly, their hooves slamming against her body to further immobilise her.
Their jagged teeth we're their next weapons as the child screamed in utter agony.
Her scream was horrifying to hear, as the rest had been. I had no clue how I was going to handle this.

Once more the ghouls smashed into her face and silenced her once in for all before their teeth sliced against her throat and ripped it apart.
Like the mare she was previously following, her blue coat turned to red as the blood covered her while she lay to the floor, dead.

The colt who had been running with her turned his head and cried as he continued to run away, his friend torn into pieces by the monsters around her.
I tried my best to focus my attention to the colt, shouting out for him to run to me so I could protect him, but he ignored me.
He ran around another corner and began to scream.
As I flew round the corner I saw the biggest pony I'd ever come across, let alone ghoul, ripping off the now dead colt's limbs off from the body, his face crushed under-hoof of the ghoul.

My heart stopped altogether and my blood froze up. I didn't even need S.A.T.S to stop time, my natural perception did it for me as I watched the blood slowly drip from the corpse before splashing onto the ground.
A pool of blood surrounded the child's body and the beast tore it apart more, going for another leg.
As another drop of blood became one with the lake of it on the floor, I pulled out my shotgun and planted a whole magazine of shots into the beast, despite it having fell on the third shot.

I looked at the bodies around me.

They'll kill them all if they catch them.

The sound of Titan's minigun stopped, reduced to just a revving, and a new sound took its space... A crying sound filled the air, though it wasn't that of a feral ghoul and I was sure that all the children had just died with this last one.
The air around me went cold as I realised the mare had been carrying what looked like a bundle of rags... no.
It was a baby.

I gave no concern to my own health as I raced back through the broken building and through the streets to where the dead mare lay, another three ghouls converging on the location to track the source of the crying.

As I flew toward them I reloaded my shotgun and prepared to take them down. Pulling close enough to get a good shot I slammed into S.A.T.S yet again and opened fire on the two closest to me. Their heads exploded in a satisfying mess of blood and gore against the pavement below.
As I struck out of S.A.T.S, the third ghouls head exploded. I looked over to my side to see Cherry once more, with her rifle aimed in my direction.

Maisy flew straight through a group of four, ripping them all apart effortlessly.
I looked at her straight in the eye as she landed next to me.

"Maisy." My voice was shaken, my limbs more-so. I felt as if I was going to throw up.
"Maisy, take this baby and go to Four Ridges."
Maisy just looked at me quizzically and I remembered she had no clue where I'd meant.

"Go back home, then go to the north-west. There's a trail you follow past the mountain where we found you. If you keep heading in that direction you'll see a series of ridges with a security wall along the top of them. Go there and go to the middle where the big tower stands, drop the baby off there. I'll radio home that you're coming."

Again Maisy whined, and I could tell it was to do with how she'd meet back up with us.
"Please. I'll come collect you from Coltshire Commons once you've delivered the baby to the Stable... tomorrow, We need to get to the inn first and Cherry can wait for us both there as I collect you. Now go, please."

This time she looked sad and worried about me, as if I was going to die if she left, but I shook my head and picked up the crying baby and put it securely in her jaw. She carried the baby filly like she would one of her own young and looked at me.

"Go. Please. Go. We have to save one."
A gentle nod and she took flight, working her way over the buildings and back home.
If nothing else, we'd saved one.

Another ghoul came into sight as Maisy left. I felt myself crack, but rather then fall apart, an overwhelming anger overcome me and I threw my helmet on.
My eyes watered up with tears of anger as I took a deep breath and screamed, before beckoning the beasts.

"YOU WANT SOME FUCKING MEAT?! COME GET SOME FUCKING MEAT!"

Five ghouls burst out of the cracks between buildings all around me and I hit S.A.T.S and targeted their heads one by one with my pistol.
One shot for each of them, between the eyes. Their skulls caved in and imploded upon the impact of my bullets, causing the corpses to flop to the ground and stain the floor further.
Another eight rushed at the sounds of gunshot and began to surround me as Cherry and Titan made their way.

Spinning around on my hooves and placing a shot on each of the ghouls out of S.A.T.S wasn't as accurate or deadly, but I had no choice as it had to recharge.
After seven shots four of the fuckers still lived and though one was wounded, it didn't seem to even notice.
My shotgun came back out as one of the larger mares jumped on me and sent me flying to the floor.
Thankfully I'd managed to keep my shotgun in my grip as I landed on my back, the ghoul rushing over for the kill.

I didn't give the cunt a chance, instead, I left her missing half her head amongst a spray of buckshot.

Another loud crack of Cherry's rifle and a previously charging ghoul skid across the ground, face to the gravel as its hindlegs flipped over into the air and caused the whole body to roll with momentum.
As I pulled myself off the floor once more I blasted away at the remaining ghouls with my shotgun until they fell.
I couldn't change what had just happened, I couldn't undo the deaths of all the children, but I could remove the ghouls responsible from existence.

Through it all another twelve ghouls appeared in a large group, slowly advancing towards myself and Cherry who had now reached my side. I reloaded my shotgun while Cherry pulled out her SMG and prepared to fire.
Just as the ghouls began to run through an intersection towards us, Titan's minigun opened fire upon them, turning the air into a red mist and shredding the feral ghouls apart.

I took my helmet off and sighed, the adrenaline coursing through my veins still made me want to fight, but it seemed like that had been the last of them. My hooves shook with lust for revenge and fear out of how I would feel once the effect ended.
I didn't say another word after that fight, and Cherry didn't try get me to either.
Titan just looked at me and understood I needed time...

Was it time that I needed? Was it actually a bullet to the brain? Mercy from the pain and guilt?
No. I didn't deserve mercy. Mercy was for those who had earned it through good deeds while in desperate situations. Mercy was also something you received if you were evil enough and couldn't be trusted to live any longer.
I didn't deserve mercy. I deserved a lifetime of agony.

Nothing had approached us while we walked all that distance from the area where it all happened to the outskirts of the city.
A group of raiders had seen us walking by the road and followed us from the shadows, but as one of the younger ones came out of the building my stare of death told him everything.
I would end you, painfully, if you come any closer.
After that, we saw nothing at all. Even the radhogs kept their distance from us.

I was right about how I'd feel once the adrenaline ran off. I'd managed to hold it together for most of the journey but it was now that I began to crack.

"Titan. I need to know. What was that back there and how did you know that was what they would do?"
A fire burned in my eyes as I looked at him, glaring in hopes that it would assure him I'd make his end swift if he did the same.
"Feral ghouls. They're impulsively driven by nothing more then hunger."
I burst into anger and pushed him off balance as he acted nonchalantly about it all.
"ONE WAS RAPING A CHILD TITAN! EXPLAIN THAT!"
Cherry's eyes widened in horror and Titan lowered his head, my panting speeding up.

"Sometimes they're fresh enough that they will also rape anything they can find while they eat it, Another primal instinct that they run on... in some cases. Most feral ghouls are far too destroyed to have the capability for rape, let alone the desire. Some manage to retain the capability but have no such physical need. At the end of the day, it matters about who you were beforehand. If you have the mental constitution to stay sane, you'll stay sane. If you were a sexual fiend in the past life, when you turn feral, chances of that sexual desire carrying over are moderate."

"And you?"
"And me what?"
"What about you? What keeps you from turning into one of them? What keeps you from trying to rape fillies?"
"I have purpose. I have reason. I have dedication. I've also avoided radiation hotspots to the best of my ability, to reduce possible feral behaviour. No-one has confirmed further exposure to radiation as a trigger, but I'm not risking it any more then you would."
"What purpose do you have then, Titan?"
"Protection of the weak, bearer of old world standards against tyranny.."

I let out another sigh and continued walking. Titan was right, he had to be if he had lived for over two hundred years and not turned feral. He still had his memories of childhood and of those during the war. He held true to his claims thus far. I had to believe him until he proved otherwise.

As we approached the inn, Titan took the lead and knocked on the door.
An old mare came hobbling over to the window from her chair and waved at Titan as he waited for her to come to the front.
With a creaking, the top half of the door opened up and swung to the inside and the old mare balanced her front hooves over it as she spoke to Titan.

"Silver! It's been quite some time, young man!"
"Hah, it has hasn't it. I'm sorry for making you wait so long, m'lady. May we come in?"
"How many years has it been now?"
"Two hundred and three since the war."
She looked back at him and rolled her one good eye, as I noticed the other stayed put.
"I mean since we last met, you silly boy."
"In that case? Just over two years, I think. I haven't been travelling much as of late."
"Come in, come in. We'll talk more when you're in the warm. These friends of yours behind you?"
"Yeah."
"Looking for a room I suppose?"
"Yep."

She looked us up and down before nodding slowly and smiling at us. Titan entered first and moved to the right, to sit down on a cushion that seemed almost as if it was specially for him with the plumage that ran along the half which remained undamaged.

As we walked through the door she sat behind her desk and politely smiled at us.
"The two of you in the same room?"
Before I could even open my mouth, Cherry gently stroked my mane and nuzzled me to indicate she'd do the talking.
"Yes ma'am. We'd like to share a room with a double bed if possible, please."
"A double bed ya say? Well, how many nights do you plan on spending here?"
"Two nights please."
The old mare just looked at Cherry and nodded. "My usual rate would be one hundred caps, upfront. However, because you're travelling with Titan and because of the state that poor buck of yours is in, I'll lower it to seventy-five."

I let out a small smile and handed over the caps,

"Oh, and that includes meals for you all. You've just missed dinner but you're more then welcome to some wild mushroom tea if you'd like."
I apologised and shook my head. I was in no fit state to have a cup of tea and presumably talk to the kindly old mare about what had just happened.

I slumped my shoulders and took my leave up the stairs as Cherry sorted out the key to the room which door it was.
The inside of the inn was... strangely quaint, pine furniture filled the rooms and a fireplace crackled away a soft hymn of cleansing warmth. As I made my way up the stairs the wood creaked below me to remind me that this wasn't the cold hard steel of a Stable, but instead this was a pre-war era structure kept well maintained.

Cherry carefully came up behind me and opened the door to the left with the key she held in front of her with magic. Being a unicorn made mundane things so much easier for them, I thought to myself.

The room wasn't as impressive as our suite back in the Commons, but given that this was a normal inn rather then a luxury hotel apartment, it only made sense.
Though along with the rest of the building, for as small as it was, it had a charming and welcoming feel to it.
This was somewhere I could go and cry about what had happened earlier in the day, the walls around me seemed to say.

...and that's exactly what I did.

Without even trying my wings simply spread out and helped me land on the bed as I fell over. My eyes watered up and began sobbing.
Even before Cherry had managed to rush to me the sobbing had turned into full on wailing as the events took a hold of my mind once more and I was forced to relive the moment that I'd almost shot a filly until her life ended otherwise.

Cherry gently kissed the top of my head and brought my eyes to look at her by lifting my chin with a hoof.

"Crimson." Her voice was soft and gentle, her eyes worn down but comforting.
"You tried, crimson. You tried."
She had no idea. My crying reached a new level and she held me tight.

"Y... y... you don't understand Cherry. I... there was this filly, the one who'd been raped."
"I know, you said. I can't imagine how horrible that must've been to see."
"It's not that Cherry."
She looked at me confused and alarmed because she knew if it wasn't the fact a filly had been raped, it had to be something truly monstrous. With a careful tone of voice, she prodded me.
"So... If it isn't that, what is it?"
"She asked me to kill her, begged me even."
Cherry stopped breathing for a moment and looked at me in surprise and suspense.

"Did... did you?"
"No. I... I went to. I didn't want to. I rejected her wish at first, but the pain in her eyes was too much to bare knowing that I couldn't ease it for her. She died before I managed to pull myself together enough to do it."
"So... you didn't kill her but you did think about it and couldn't bring yourself to do it in time?"
"Yeah."
"Then it isn't your responsibility to accept her death, Crimson. You didn't kill her, even if you did think about it as she asked you to. As much as you believe it was your fault, that you could have saved her, she was dying anyway."

I shook my head, I didn't want to believe it. I should have saved her! I should've saved them all somehow! Instead, I'd lost them all. All apart from the baby, who we barely rescued as it was.
Cherry wrapped her legs around my neck and held me close.
I just sobbed and sobbed while she stroked my mane and laid with me.

Some time after I stopped sobbing, Cherry played about with my pipbuck to get a transmission going between us and the Stable.

"Stable 58, come in. Stable 58, come in."
"This is Stable 58, hearing you loud and clear. Your pipbuck tag is coming up as Crimson Wings, can you explain why this is?"
"I'm fine, It's Cherry Sundae using my pipbuck" I grumbled in response.
"Okay, confirmation accepted. Patching you over to your mother, Crimson."
There was a moments pause and then the waiting tone kicked in again, this time to be answered by my mum.
"Crimson?"
"Cherry Sundae, Mrs Overmare."
"Specialist? Oh. Is everything okay?"
"I'm fine." I repeated, knowing that it was far from the truth.
"What's happened?"
I looked at Cherry and gave her a look as if to say 'you tell her'.

"Mrs Overmare, Crimson has sent his pet manticore to you. She'll be arriving any time tonight or tomorrow morning."
The line went quiet for a moment before my mum spoke again.
"....His... pet... manticore? What the hell is wrong with my son?"
"Quite frankly, a lot of things right now, but that's not the point. The manticore is carrying a baby."
"A baby? A baby of all things?"
"Mum." I interrupted. "Mum. Just look after the baby for us, okay? When me and Cherry get back, we'll look after it, make it our own." I looked at Cherry as I said that, her face was shocked and embarrassed, but a small smile broke through at the same time.
"But for right now, you have to be a good grandma and look after our adopted baby. We had no other choice and I couldn't let another one die... not another... not a baby."

My mother must've heard the pain in my voice as I spoke, because her tone changed from shocked and confused to warm and understanding.

"Okay Crimson. I'll let Tank know that your pet is on its way. What was its name again?"
"Maisy, and its a she. Take good care of her while she's around, she's well trained but don't try annoy her. Okay?"
"Okay. Crimson, I love you. Stay safe."
"You too mum, I love you too."

With that the call ended and I looked at Cherry once more.

"Our baby, huh? I like that."
I didn't even have a response for that, I just buried my head into her and continued to cry the night away as her hoof gently brushed my mane some more.

Footnote:
Quest perk attained: Bigot Ghoul Slayer
You've had a traumatising experience around ghouls and now you want revenge! When around all ghouls, feral or sane, you gain +10 to all combat stats but -15 to your speech when talking to a ghoul.
Additionally, upon sight of feral ghouls, your strength and endurance go up by 1 while your perception goes down by 1.

As promised, I'm going to keep advertising the fact that the head picture came from WavemasterRyx, who can be found:http://ask-the-waves.tumblr.com/ !

On the topic of the darkness of the chapter:
You asked for it, you receive it. This is what happens when I turn off my mental filter and simply write whatever comes to mind and don't worry about how bad it really is. No, scratch that, the original was WORSE.
That's right. The original of that scene was beyond Project Horizons but felt too much and too... placed, rather then natural, to read.

If you want things to keep coming back to a grimdark feel, I can do it, but in no way can I do it every chapter and nor can I do it to this extent again - but I can do my best to bring grimdark into it and then try cut away at it to limit the exposure.

If you absolutely hated this chapter for it... I'm sorry. I'm absolutely sorry.

Please feel inclined to leave comments at the end of this chapter to let me know what you thought of it. I went over it a good ten times in total I reckon trying to write out the kinks, cut down some of the worst, upgrade some of the lesser, and make it... better, in a writers sense of things.
If you feel disgusted but don't hate me / my story, I've hit my mark.
If you feel disgusted with me and my story, again, I apologise for what I've done.

Thank you both Kkat and Somber for both writing amazing stories that have inspired me to write. Without you two, there would be a massive hole in my world, and I don't know how I would've filled it otherwise. Thank you.