“How far away are we from the President’s office?” Sarah asked Spencer, turning around to face the man, her eyes serious.

“Five minutes of walking to the second floor and then another five to get to the office itself,” the ex-officer replied, his gaze distracted. “I still can’t believe it...”

“Well then start, we do not have time to waste,” Luna snapped as she glanced towards the cowering scientists.

Luna’s horn glowed for a moment and a pair of laser pistols flew off of their belts and came to a stop hovering in front of her. They appeared to be held rather awkwardly, as if she wasn’t 100% sure if she could use them. Sarah eyed her for a moment and then de-cuffed herself and drew her combat shotgun, it was the best thing she had for close quarters like this. She glanced at Fawkes who seemed satisfied with his table leg for the moment and then at Spencer who let out a long breath before drawing a plasma pistol.

“God I wish I’d had time to grab my power armour,” Sarah muttered.

“I wish I had power armour to begin with,” Spencer replied dryly.

“At least you can both wear it,” Luna commented sharply as she stepped forwards towards the door. “We may as well get on with this.”

“Agreed. Enough talk!” Fawkes stated, stepping through the door. He was greeted by a green ball of plasma to the chest. Fawkes being Fawkes, this had little effect. Well... it had one one effect alright. “I’LL KILL YOU!” the mutant roared as he charged the nearest Enclave soldier, clad in power armour that seemed to be wreathed in electricity.

“Shit!” the soldier shouted a second before Fawkes’s table leg slammed into the side of his head and sent him flying twenty feet into the far wall, his head spinning in the other direction.

“HAHAHAAH!” Fawkes laughed loudly as he brought the table leg slamming into another skull.

Seeing that there was no way in hell that they’d get a better opening than that, Nim and Sarah charged forwards. The woman’s shotgun roared as the alicorn’s magic reached out and snagged the fallen plasma rifle and brought it up to fire a burst of green death. Spencer meanwhile ventured out a moment or two afterwards, aiming for non lethal shots. They may have declared him a traitor, but the last thing he wanted to do was kill his own people.

Everything was green and red tinted chaos for several long minutes, Sarah’s shotgun belched death at a steady rate while balls of green plasma whizzed by her. The woman knew that she had to keep moving, one shot from the things would probably be enough to kill her, unarmoured as she was.

Luna of course had it worse, being a larger target she was required to jump away from incoming laser fire or duck beneath a ball of plasma almost every second. Her plasma rifle spat orbs of superheated gas at the enemy until it went dry and the mare swapped back to her laser pistols, the twin rays of red death streaking across the ranks of power armoured foes.

Fawkes on the other hand had far fewer problems. The table leg slammed into another of the trooper’s chests and broke in half. The mutant stared at it for a moment while his foe recovered and then simply reached down and grabbed him by the arm. There was a sickening crunch and screams from both the man and the metal armour covering him as Fawkes leaned his entire back into the move and the tore the man’s arm off.

“RAAAGH!” Fawkes roared as he brought the man’s own arm slamming into him and sent the power armoured man flying.

This display of strength and ferocity sent the remaining soldiers running away, screaming in primal fear.

“YOU BETTER RUN!” Fawkes called at them, tossing the limb at one of them.

Sarah let out a long breath and reloaded her shotgun as she glanced around herself checking to make sure that Luna was okay. Her perceptive eyes caught sight of several burn marks on the mare’s chest, places where the fur had been utterly destroyed and walked over to her. The woman bent down and began to examine them.

“They are nothing Sarah,” Luna assured her as the woman placed a finger gingerly against one of the burns.

Indeed, she suffered far worse at her sister’s hooves, Nim agreed while Sarah removed her finger and glanced up at Luna.

“Good... just be careful Luna,” the woman said before she gently patted the side of Luna’s neck. Luna bent down and gave Sarah a kiss on the forehead and then glanced at Spencer who was standing in the middle of the gore covered battlefield, a hand clenched into a tight fist. His jaw was clenched so tight that for a moment the mare thought his teeth would shatter.

“God damn it,” he whispered, his voice hoarse. “They... they were innocent people. Just... just doing what they thought was right!”

“Well, their belief was wrong,” Luna replied. “And though I may doubt that they were as innocent as you seem to imply, I will say that I’m sorry that you had to go through such a thing. It is not easy to have to kill those you view as friends.”

Spencer just ground his teeth together and turned away from the bloodshed, his shoulders shaking slightly though Sarah couldn’t tell if it was from grief or perhaps just anger. He then began to walk away. “Follow me,” he instructed coldly.

Sarah and Nim exchanged a glance and then looked to Fawkes who shrugged as he walked over and picked up a plasma rifle. It looked very small in his meaty palms but it was better than nothing. The three then began to follow Spencer, not too far behind though they did give him some space.

“Luna,” Sarah whispered as they started down a narrow passage.

“Yes Sarah?” Luna inquired, looking down at the woman curiously.

“Are... my ears ugly?” she asked the mare quietly.

“Your... ears?” Luna asked in return, taken aback by the unexpected question. She glanced at the woman’s more pointed ears and frowned for a moment before shrugging her wings slightly. “No, they are fine. Different certainly, but in no way are they ugly.”

“Okay... good,” Sarah replied slowly. “Apparently Nim added them by accident.”

I said I was sorry, I truly didn’t expect it to happen! Nim exclaimed within her mind.

“Hmmm,” Luna mused before she brought her head forwards and nibbled on the edge of one of the ears. Sarah barely withheld a shriek of surprise as an overwhelming ticklish sensation raced down from the ear and her cheeks blushed a furious crimson. “I think I like them,” Luna whispered in the ear she’d just nibbled. “I think I like them a lot.”

Now is not the time for that, Nim said flatly before mentally adding. It is for once we have escaped this dreadful place and found a place to make camp.

Sarah meanwhile managed to regain control of her cheeks and the blood drained away from them. “Right... good to know Luna,” she said as she brought up a hand to gently rub the place where Luna had nibbled.

“Quiet back there,” Spencer called over his shoulder, his countenance hard as stone.

Fawkes, who was standing directly behind the man looked down at him in annoyance. “Let them be.”

“They’re being loud and attracting attention to us while we’re walking down a tight corridor, so no I won’t ‘let them be’,” Spencer replied before shaking his head. “This entire situation is a mess... damn my chivalrousness.”

Fawkes had nothing to say in reply to that, the man was clearly filled with guilt and internal loathing over his current predicament. They continued in silence until they came to another open area and were confronted by a squad of Enclave troops with an officer of their own at the head.

“Spencer... what the hell are you doing?” the officer asked as the group into the room, the squad of troops had their plasma and laser rifles ready but didn’t fire.

“I’m escorting this group of prisoners to President Eden as ordered by the president himself, Max,” Spencer replied flatly. “I don’t know why Colonel Autumn has declared me a traitor, but I swear to God it’s not true. I’m a proud member of the Enclave.”

Max’s gaze swept to Sarah who was glaring at him, her combat shotgun was on her shoulder and her lips were a single hard line, ready to pull the trigger the second she deemed it necessary.

“Why would the President need to see these three prisoners?” Max asked with a frown. “They’re a bunch of freaks that would probably be better off on the dissection table.”

“Hey!” Sarah protested.

“Quiet freak,” Max replied before turning back to Spencer. “Please don’t tell me that this is because she’s a woman.”

Spencer blushed. “No, it’s not about that at all. I gave the President my word that she’d get to him and that’s what’s going to happen,” the man stated, trying to kill his blush.

“And why should I believe you about that?” Max asked Spencer with a raised eyebrow. “For all I know, you’re just trying to keep her from being killed. After all; this wouldn’t be the first time you put a woman’s life before your own.”

“This isn’t about me,” Spencer replied, his eyes narrowing. “If you don’t believe me, then ask the President himself.”

Max frowned for a moment and glanced at one of his troopers and nodded towards one of the intercoms. The trooper lowered his weapon and walked over, pressing the button.

“Yes?” Eden’s voice asked immediately, this was one of the few rooms that he didn’t have automatic camera access too. “What is it?”

“Did you give Spencer Matthews the order to escort the three prisoners to your office, Sir?” the soldier asked.

“Why yes, yes I did soldier,” Eden replied. “I honestly have no idea what Colonel Autumn is talking about; Spencer is proving to be an exemplary officer, not in the least bit a traitor.”

A small smile spread across Spencer’s face at that declaration. “Thank you Sir,” he called before turning back to Max. “See?”

Max frowned deeply for a long moment before nodding. “Good enough for me. I didn’t think that you’d actually turned traitor for a bunch of wasteland freaks in the first place.”

“Thanks,” Spencer said before gesturing at the others. “Now then, we’ll just be on our way.”

“Yeah... stand down,” Max said, waving a hand at his troops. “Let them pass.”

The air was tense as Sarah’s group moved through the room and started down to the next hall. Thankfully there weren’t any more enclave troops blocking their way and they made good time to the second level. The hallways were eerily silent as the group neared their goal, as if every one of the base’s inhabitants had cleared a path for them.

Just before they reached their goal, her eyes caught sight of something. A doorway on the left had the name Colonel Autumn inscribed on the side. The woman frowned.

“I think I want to check in there,” she said, coming to a stop in front of it.

“Why?” Spencer asked, glancing back at her with a deep frown on his face.

“To see if there’s anything useful,” Sarah replied, pushing the door open. Spencer scowled and leaned against the wall, he wasn’t about to get court martialed for going into a superior officer’s room... even if he had already pronounced him a traitor.

Luna followed Sarah into the room and the pair began to look around for anything of use. Sarah began with the desk and found that it opened easily. A holotape lay there, she frowned and grabbed it, inserting it into her Pip-Boy.

Well... that might come in handy, Nim said as Sarah’s eyes widened.

Yeah... yeah it will, Sarah agreed, the cogs starting to roll in her mind.

“Sarah! I have found something to supplement your attire!” Luna exclaimed with a grin causing Sarah to turn around and see Luna holding up a military coat, nearly identical to the one that Autumn had been wearing. Sarah frowned for a moment before she stepped forwards and pulled it on. To her slight surprise, the coat fit perfectly and she could feel several obvious pieces of body armour hidden beneath the fabric. It was the perfect thing to wear over her vault jumpsuit!

Oooh, now we feel very official, Nim commented in her mind, enjoying the coat as well.

The woman grinned and glanced around the room, looking for a suitable thing to give the mare in exchange.

Oh! Would that do? Nim inquired, directing Sarah’s eyes to a bobblehead sitting on a shelf nearby. The woman’s eyes widened, it was one of the collectible Vault Tech Bobbleheads! She held a finger up to delay the mare and quickly walked over and snatched it up. It was the Energy Weapons one!

Arrive at a peaceful resolution by using superior firepower, Nim read as she looked at what was inscribed at the base of the bobblehead. Oh yes, this makes an excellent gift for Luna!

Sarah grinned as she offered the bobblehead to the mare. Luna eyed it for a moment before smiling and accepting the gift. She then stepped forward and gave Sarah a loving nuzzle while slipping the bobblehead into one of the woman’s new coat pockets.

“I shall treasure it always, though at present I don’t have anything to put it in,” she said quietly. “Thank you Sarah.”

“You’re welcome, though it’s not like it took me very long to find,” Sarah said with a small blush.

“No, but it is still a very nice thought,” Luna replied before sighing. “We should get moving, I do not think that Spencer is enjoying our holding up the group.”

“Yeah, kind of wish it was just us again,” Sarah agreed, rolling her eyes as she and Luna separated.

“True, but when we took the time to do this before we were attacked, with Spencer and Fawkes out there, at least we will have a warning ahead of time,” Luna replied with a chuckle.

Sarah snorted and they exited the room.

“Are... are you wearing one of Colonel Autumn’s coats?” Spencer asked slowly as he got up from where he’d been leaning against the wall.

“Yes, yes I am, and it feels very nice,” Sarah replied, smirking as she started forwards again. “So, weren’t we in a hurry?”

“Heeheheeh,” Fawkes chuckled slowly as he began to walk as well. “I do not know this ‘Colonel Autumn’ but I rather doubt he will enjoy the fact that you’ve stolen his coat.”

“He can go fuck himself,” Sarah replied as they entered a new room and found themselves confronted by an entire squad of soldiers barring their way. Their armour was bloody and showed signs of being in heavy combat. The woman suddenly realized that these were the same soldiers who had attacked them upon leaving the science labs. Behind the soldiers were a pair of large security bots.

“DIE TRAITOROUS SCUM!” one of them shouted as he opened up with the plasma rifle.

“Shit!” Sarah exclaimed, ducking behind Fawkes for cover.

The mutant took the ball of plasma and let out a roar of anger but before he could do anything the robots behind the soldiers opened up on them and to the group’s astonished eyes. The soldiers fell like confused flies as the security bots peppered them with laser fire. It was over before it even started and the smell of roasting flesh wafted over the group.

“The President will see you now,” the robots intoned simultaneously.

“I... thank you,” Sarah said slowly as she walked forwards across the freshly killed power armoured soldiers. Luna and Fawkes followed with Spencer trailing behind.

He took a moment to stare down at the dead troopers, his gaze hardening even further. They were good Americans following their orders damnit, they didn’t deserve to die like this, cut down by robots. The man’s fists clenched together and his jaw tightened. Then he robotically walked past the dead, there was nothing he could do for them now.

“-just wish we had been able to find Daybreaker,” Luna was muttering to Sarah as they started climbing the steps.

“I’m sure we’ll find it on the way out,” Sarah told the mare comfortingly.

“I should hope so... I have had that sword since before Discord was imprisoned... it has great sentimental value to me,” Luna said, letting out a sigh.

Well, it is still a sword and is not at all worth risking our lives over, Nim said strictly.

I know, I will just miss it if we can’t find it, Luna replied with an annoyed snort.

Before Sarah could reply, they reached the top of the stairs and were greeted by something... unexpected.

“Ah, face to face at last,” Eden’s voice said, being projected outwards from a large computer monitor. “It’s high time we met, Sarah Summers, Princess Luna,” he said before adding, “and well done to you Spencer, you have done a tremendous job bringing these three here!”

Spencer frowned in confusion, he hadn’t been expecting to be greeted by a computer monitor... he’d been hoping for the President himself. Fawkes on the other hand looked vaguely irked for not having been listed with the others, but consoled himself with the fact that the President probably didn’t know his name.

Sarah stared at the screen for a moment before slowly saying. “If we’re meeting face to face, then show yourself,” Sarah stated flatly. “Don’t hide behind a computer monitor.”

“Indeed, it is most rude,” Luna added as she stepped closer to Sarah. “Were we in Equestria, a ruler would be expected to do so.”

“Ah, but I have no other option,” Eden replied “Everything that I am is before you.”

“What?!?” Spencer exclaimed in surprise from behind the two. “That, that can’t be right!”

“You’re a computer... I should have guessed as much with all the security cameras....” Sarah said quietly to herself.

“I’m afraid it is true, Spencer, but it in no way makes me less honoured that you would hold me in such high regard,” Eden told the man before speaking more directly to Sarah. “And that’s most open minded of you.”

“I’m in love with a living comic book creature from another world,” Sarah said dryly, though she patted Luna’s neck gently to let her know that no offense was meant by the comment. “I think the idea of a talking computer isn’t too high up there compared to that.”

Luna snorted but nodded her head. “Agreed, I have seen much more peculiar.”

“Well then kudos for embracing the situation instead of rallying against it,” Eden said happily. “Well... kudos to most of you at any rate.”

“This... this can’t be happening,” Spencer muttered to himself in the background. “I... I helped them because a machine told me to?!”

Sarah cast a glance back at him and then at Fawkes who took the hint and walked over to the man, placing himself between them and any blasts of plasma that happened to occur... accidentally.

“Yes... well, let’s get to brass tacks shall we?” Eden asked, his voice a little awkward. “There are some things I’d like to talk to you about.”

Sarah frowned and exchanged a glance with Luna.

Is it serious? Nim asked them both.

He seems to be, Sarah replied.

Indeed he does, Luna agreed.

I suppose we should at least give him the time of day, Nim grumbled. And once that is done we should slot that code into him and get out of here.

Agreed, Sarah replied.

“I’m listening,” the woman said as she folded her arms over one another.

Eden was silent for a moment before he finally spoke, and when he did his voice was over pouring with pomp and circumstance. “Our nation’s Capital is at a crossroads. The path that you and I choose here today will affect us all. I need you to act on my behalf, to ensure that our country’s future is secured!”

Sarah stared blankly at the monitor. “Mhmm.”

“Go on,” Luna said, gesturing with a hoof. She hated when minor nobles had done this sort of thing to her, lengthy lead ups were unnecessary if they didn’t accomplish anything. She’d always prefered the ones who bluntly asked her for money instead of wasting an hour prattling on about how much ‘good’ it would do others.

“My abilities to influence the world are limited at this time. I alone can only do so much,” he stated. “You, however, may come and go as you please. You have a greater degree of freedom.”

Get on with it, Nim muttered within the back of Sarah’s mind.

“Perhaps it is best if I explain why things need to change, and why I’d like you to act on my behalf,” he said before pausing, expecting Sarah to say something.

“Go on,” Sarah stated.

“Very well; the good people of this country cannot regain control while mutation runs rampant through the land. My soldiers cannot stem the tide, nor can the cult-” he said the words with venom, “- you’ve come into contact with, this ‘Brotherhood of Steel’. Mutations like the ‘Super Mutants’ and the ghouls must be purged from our society, our world, before we can proceed anew. Where others have failed, I believe your father’s work can succeed.”

I... do not like the sound of this, Luna stated quietly within Sarah’s mind.

Neither do I, the woman agreed, her right hand clenching into a hard fist. “What the hell does my father’s water purifier have to do with this?”

“Your father’s purifier has the ability to provide clean water to the whole of this ‘Capital Wasteland’. With a simple modification, it can be used to distribute agents that destroy mutated creatures upon ingestion,” Eden explained. “In time, we could eliminate all mutations in the Wasteland. At the same time the good people of the world, especially the American ones, would regain their health. I need you to make the modification necessary for this to succeed.”

Sarah stared at the monitor. He’s fucking insane...

Yes, I noticed that as well, Nim agreed.

“Err... Mr. President,” Spencer suddenly said, having ducked beneath Fawkes’s arm and walked over. “Just how targeted would this anti-mutagen be?”

“What?” Eden asked in reply.

“He means, who would be targeted,” Fawkes said, his voice dropping a bit. “Who all do you mean to kill?”

“Well, all those who aren’t pure human, of course,” Eden replied, as if it were obvious.

“And by pure human you mean who exactly?” Sarah asked pointedly.

“Those in the Enclave and those who are still in the Vaults of course,” Eden said, his voice becoming a bit softer. “In other words, you yourself will be unaffected thanks to your upbringing. I do understand that you have become sympathetic to certain individuals in your travels. Individuals who will most likely be eliminated,” the A.I.’s voice continued, dropping into a menacing tone before lifting up into a cheerful one again. “Please recognize that that the fate of our entire country rests on this plan. Sacrifices must be made for the greater good.”

Spencer stared at the computer monitor... this was not the president he had voted for. Not. At. All. He’d voted for the man who would lead the country into a new age of beautiful democracy... not a psychotic robot. The entire point of the Enclave was to restore America, not kill everyone in it and then build on their bones!

Luna on the other hand shivered... those last three words struck an old chord within her. She and Celestia’s deaths would have been for the ‘greater good’ so many years ago when against the Council of Unicornia... she’d come to hate them. They were used by every petty tyrant who had taken power during the long life she’d led... all of which she’d brought tumbling down.

Sarah, he is evil, Luna muttered within Sarah’s mind.

I know, Sarah replied, her eyes hardening. Not to mention that neither of my parents were born in the Vault so I’m a ‘mutant’.

“So... how do I kill you?” Sarah asked after a moment of thought.

“Now that’s a bold line of questioning,” Eden said, his voice picking up a new coat of contempt. “I’m afraid such a thing is beyond your capabilities. I am quite impervious to any damage you might do. Do you find this disappointing? I have survived have survived the last two hundred years; I’m afraid you will not put an end to that now.”

“Is that right?” Sarah drawled though her eyes hardened dangerously.

“Yes, yes it is,” Eden replied without amusement.

“Well, it just so happens that I know your self destruct code,” Sarah told him with a hard, predatory smile.

“Oh come now, bluffing’s really not your style is it?” the A.I. said, his voice dripping with even more contempt.

“Well, I’m not very good with numbers, or with complicated bluffs...” Sarah admitted before her eyes narrowed. “But the code is ‘Priority Override, Authorization code 420-03-20-9.”

“I... Oh. Oh my...” Eden sounded shocked beyond words before he continued, his voice losing all pretext of humanity. “Root level access granted. Override 0-923. Authorization J-512. Self destruct sequence initialized. Have a nice day.”

Sarah had about two seconds of satisfaction before something occurred to her.

“My friends, I believe we should run, quickly!” Fawkes stated before turning to the door behind them and slammed a fist into it. The door blew outwards and the mutant took off down the hallway as the first explosion rocked the room.

Sarah, in the future, please alert me when you are about to do something so foolish! Nim shouted in her head as Sarah turned on her heel and began to follow him. Spencer stared at the mainframe for a moment before he shook his head, it had been one confusing, and incredibly horrible day.

The world around Sarah was dim and black with smoke, her legs’ constant pumping the only thing alerting her to the fact that she was still moving until she suddenly felt herself being sent skywards. The woman let out a scream of surprise until she landed easily on a familiar soft back.

“Fear not Sarah, we will escape this yet,” Luna told her as she also grabbed Spencer. The man flailed for a moment as Luna brought him onto her back.

“AHH!” the poor man shouted, not having expected the magic at all.

“Hold onto Sarah! I cannot worry about both of you!” Luna shouted at him as an explosion rocked the building. Spencer, seeing nothing else to do reached forwards and wrapped his arms around Sarah’s waist, not at all taking the opportunity to feel a bit higher, of course not. Sarah for her part was too busy trying to see through the smoke to really notice.

This... was not what I planned on doing this morning when I woke up, Sarah muttered to Nim as she duked beneath a protruding piece of metal.

Was this morning when you awoke between Luna and I, or when you were awoken by Autumn? Nim inquired curiously, regretting the fact that even with her modified vission Sarah couldn’t see through the smoke and haze.

I’m going to say both, Sarah replied before she lowered her head down against the back of Luna’s neck and gave it a kiss of encouragement. “You’ve got this Luna,” she whispered, too low for the alicorn to hear.

Or so she thought. Luna’s legs pumped harder despite the two passengers and she quickly caught up to Fawkes. She was an alicorn after all and she wasn’t about to let the Super Mutant draw too far ahead. All around them Luna heard vertibirds taking off and people screaming as ghosts of fire rocked the passageway, she did her best to avoid them but she was far from successful, her coat taking a blunt of the damage.

The sound of crumbling stone made her look back and she saw that a good portion of the tunnel behind them had begun to collapse.

“WE MUST GO FASTER!” she shouted to Fawkes as she drew ahead of the mutant.

“I KNOW!” Fawkes called back before coughing. “WHEN I IMAGINED MY ESCAPE FROM MY CELL I DID NOT REALIZE IT WOULD REQUIRE SO MUCH FURTHER ESCAPING!”

A wry smile crossed Luna’s lips as she jumped over a fallen soldier, causing Sarah and Spencer to crush against the back of her neck.

Sarah, who had been through much worse while flying, took it easily. Spencer... not so much. The man let out a cry of surprise and his arms flailed as he fell backwards.

Sarah, give me your torso! Nim exclaimed within her mind. Sarah did so without thinking and she twisted on Luna’s back, an arm darting out to grab Spencer’s shirt and pulling him back against her.

“THANKS!” he shouted, his voice panicky as he wrapped his hands around her waist again.

“WELCOME!” Sarah called back as a powerful explosion occurred no more then ten feet behind them. “RUN LUNA!”

No, no, we were going to stop, Nim commented.

Not the time! Sarah shouted back.

Sarah, there is a life lesson you should learn, Nim replied as she used her minimal control to help Sarah react to a flying piece of metal .When in situations where there is nothing else you are capable of doing, snark!

Sarah didn’t have time to reply because Luna’s hooves left the ground completely and the ceiling above them was replaced by black night sky. The alicorn leapt off of the ground and into the air, her wings flaring to compensate the small drop. She landed several feet away and turned to look at Sarah and Spencer.

“Are you both okay?” she asked between heavy pants, white foam streaking the corners of her mouth.

“We’re fine Luna,” Sarah said as she dismounted with practiced ease, Spencer on the other hand fell off and hit the ground with a thud.

“I think I’m done with pony rides...” the man groaned, clutching his bruised body.

Before any further conversation could occur, an ear splitting explosion split the night and Sarah turned to see the entirety of the facility explode in a thunderous flash of light.

When all had finally gone quiet Fawkes approached them. “This... is.... beautiful,” he said quietly, his voice cracking between the words as he gestured all around them, taken in by the night sky.

“Yes... yes it is,” Sarah agreed as she reached into her vault suit for a spare (clean) rag and began to whip foam away from Luna’s mouth as the alicorn heaved in and out. “So very beautiful.”

“I... just... wish... we’d found Day...Breaker,” Luna said in between pants.

“Well... at least-”

*SHING*

Sarah’s mouth snapped shut as the silver blade flew by her ear and stabbed into the ground behind her with barely an inch to spare. She then turned very slowly and stared at the silver sword which was buried up to its hilt in the solid stone.

“...”

What an excellent sword!

Author's Notes:

Thanks go to BlackWindinSocks for editing help.