Luna groaned as she unsteadily rose to her hooves. She’d been led inside by one of the Brotherhood soldiers who had let her down on a mattress and then injected her with a stimpack, along with another syringe of something called Med-X. That had made the pain retreat enough for her to get to her hooves.

“Ma’am, you really shouldn’t be up and about yet,” the Brotherhood soldier cautioned.

Luna shook her head. “I must rise, my ribs feel whole and the pain is gone,” she replied.

“The stimpack did heal your broken ribs, but the Med-X only dulled the pain. It’ll come back in an hour or so,” the soldier told her.

“Then I will deal with it in an hour,” Luna replied. “Where is Sarah?”

As she spoke, Lyons walked into the room, Sarah draped across her shoulder. Luna’s eyes widened and she rushed over to her friend.

“Is she alright? Was she hurt?” Luna asked worriedly.

“She’s fine,” Lyons answered, waving away the mare’s anxiety. “She’s just exhausted, that was one hell of a stunt that she pulled off out there.” The woman then lay Sarah down on one of the other mattresses in the room.

“Yeah, that’s the first time I’ve ever seen someone charge a behemoth and live,” the other Brotherhood soldier commented. Luna meanwhile had laid back down beside Sarah.

“Would you be so kind as to obtain some food for us?” she asked Lyons.

“Sure, it’s the least we could do,” Lyons replied, nodding to the other Brotherhood soldier who walked out of the room. Then the woman turned back to face Luna. “So, who and what are you?”

Luna frowned at her tone. “As I said my name is Luna, I am what is known in my home as an alicorn,” the mare answered.

“So... you’re not some sort of mutant, or a lab experiment are you?” Lyons asked her with a slightly raised eyebrow.

“No, I am none of those things of which you speak,” Luna replied with a disdainful shake of her head.

“Good... sorry about how I acted earlier,” Lyons told her sincerely. “Up to this point I’ve only heard of things like you in old comic books or fantasy novels,” she continued with a small shrug.

“It is... quite alright,” Luna said. “Yours was hardly the worst insult that I have suffered... you were also correct, running off ahead did me no good.” She placed a hoof on her chest where the sledgehammer had struck her. “It was an amateur's mistake... and brought upon because of my own overconfidence in my armor.”

Lyons looked down at the mare’s retrofitted Talon armor and raised an eyebrow. “You thought that would keep you safe?”

Luna chuckled ruefully. “No... I had forgotten that I was not wearing my prefered suit. If I was then the head of that hammer would’ve shattered.”

Lyons regarded her with a raised eyebrow. “Really? That must be some... sturdy armor.”

The mare grinned at her. “Very,” she said before letting out a tired yawn. “It seems that we’re just as exhausted as Sarah is.”

“I believe it,” Lyons said with a nod though she raised an eyebrow slightly at the ‘we’re’ part. “Getting knocked around by a giant flail can have that effect on people.”

Luckily it was then that the Brotherhood soldier from before returned bearing a box of snack cakes and a nuka cola. “Here you go,” he said as he set them down beside Luna before he left the room with a nod to Lyons.

Luna eyed the drink warily for a moment before removing the cap and taking a sip. “This is quite good,” she told Lyons.

“Yes, not as good as Quantum, but still pretty good,” Lyons agreed. “Well, I’ll leave you to your food and your nap. My squad and I will probably be gone by the time you two wake up, but I look forward to seeing you both again out in the Wastes.”

“Hopefully under less... undesirable circumstances,” Luna agreed with a swift nod. “Goodbye Miss Lyons.”

“I’ll see you later Luna,” Lyons said with a small nod before she walked out of the room.

She seemed... surprisingly kind, Nightmare intoned. And perfectly competent besides.

Yes she did, Luna agreed as she tore open the snack cakes box with her telekinesis and bit into one, enjoying the gooey center before washing it down with a sip of the Nuka Cola.

We should be careful what we eat, strange foods can have unpleasant side effects, Nightmare said cautiously.

I doubt they would feed us anything overtly dangerous, after all Sarah told us earlier that the ‘radiation’ could be easily eliminated, Luna replied. Besides, these are delicious! What could be bad about them?

Nightmare didn’t answer, instead choosing only to ‘roll her eyes’ at her other half.

Once here meal was finished, Luna shut her eyes and lay down beside Sarah, she was very tired.

Luna shivered as she felt a pair of hands run through her fur, caressing the back of her neck. As she moaned in pleasure, a set of lips met hers, creating even more pleasure. Her ecstasy reached new heights when her partner forced their tongue into her mouth, an act she mimicked eagerly.

Luna broke the kiss and stared breathlessly into her lover’s eyes. Her lover looked back, reaching over and gently pushing a lock of Luna’s shimmering mane out of her eyes. Luna smiled as the black haired woman leaned back in to continue the kiss.

The mare gasped as she felt fingers trace down her neck, lightly caressing her barrel. She felt like she was going to melt as the fingers explored her body, rubbing and massaging her as they did. Her moans only intensified when the kiss was broken and the hands began to reach her hind legs.

Luna suddenly heard a peal of laughter to her right, shocking her out of her state. She turned to find herself looking into Nightmare’s eyes.

“Wha-what is the meaning of this?!” Luna demanded.

“We’re dreaming. Well, you are to be specific,” Nightmare replied with another gale of laughter.

Luna whirled around to see that her lover, who she now recognized as Sarah, had vanished and that she was standing in her own dreamscape.

“But... what was that? Where did it come from? I do not desire a relationship with Sarah of that sort!” Luna retorted angrily. “I barely even know her!”

"Well maybe it’s your unconscious thoughts,” Nightmare suggested with a smirk.

“No!” Luna protested, still quite defiant, her face angry.

Nightmare let out a tiny giggle. “Fine, I do know why it happened,” her other half told her.

“And why is that?” the mare asked with a glare.

“Because of the food,” Nightmare told her with a roll of her eyes. “We both know what happens when you eat strange food just before sleeping, especially ones as sweet the ones that we consumed.”

The realization struck Luna like a slap to the face.

"Oh... I had not thought of that,” she said, a little bashfully.

Then another thought struck her.

“But you could have stopped it from happening!” Luna said angrily.

“Well perhaps we just enjoyed watching it,” Nightmare said with a succulent smile. “We found it adorable.”

Luna gave her a flat look before shaking her head.

“No matter... back to dreaming,” she said slowly before the world around her dissolved.

Sarah sat in a familiar place. Across from her father who sat in his clinic desk.

“Now Sarah, Mister Brotch says that you gave Butch a black eye today,” James said while giving the woman a raised eyebrow.

Sarah sighed.

“Yes... Yes I did,” she said sourly. “But there was a good reason! He being really nasty to Amata!”

James shook his head. “Sarah, what have I told you about this type of thing? You’re not supposed to get into fights!” his firm voice told her, easily expressing just how much he disapproved of her actions.

“I know that I’m not, but Butch is such a... such a... such a dick!” Sarah exclaimed after a few seconds of searching for the right word.

To her surprise, that brought a small smile to her father’s face. “Yes, yes he is,” James agreed with her but then his smile vanished. “But that’s no excuse Sarah. You’re a perceptive girl, you know that there are better ways to solve your problems then by punching Butch in the face.”

Sarah looked away and shook her head. “Sorry dad... it won’t happen again...”

“Until the next time?” James asked her plainly.

The woman grumbled something explanative under her breath.

“Now, none of that,” her father told her strictly.

“Sorry,” the girl said again, this time obviously not really caring. James sighed.

“Anyways, there’s some good news to go along with the bad,” he told her causing Sarah to look up in surprise.

“What? Really?” she asked with a curious look.

“Yes, your G.O.A.T. results came back, you’re going to be in the Vault Security Unit,” James replied with a smile.

Sarah’s face transformed from that of a despondent youth into a wide grin. “Awesome! That’s exactly what I wanted!”

James chuckled at her enthusiasm. “Yes, I know,” he told her. “I’m so very proud of you Sarah,” he added tenderly as he reached across the desk to put a hand on her shoulder.

“Thanks dad,” Sarah said with a smile.

“Of course, you know, I’m not as proud of you for killing all of them,” James said, his voice suddenly becoming cold as ice.

Sarah gapped at him. “Wha-what are you talking about?”

“You know exactly what I’m talking about,” James said coldly. “You murdered each and every one of your friends with the exception of Gomez.”

The woman stared at him as she suddenly realized that she was in a yet another nightmare.

“It-it wasn’t my fault!” Sarah shouted at him. “If I hadn’t then I’d be dead!”

“Sarah, Sarah, Sarah,” James tutted at her with a shake of his head. “You know as well as I do that those officers wouldn’t have hurt you. It’s against their training.”

“They were shooting at other people! They killed Mitch and Sheala!” Sarah protested.

“And does that fact make you any better than them? You killed them right back!” her father replied with a dark frown.

“What-what else could I do? They were going to kill me!” Sarah shouted.

“You could’ve snuck by them,” James said adamantly. “Or better yet, you could’ve just stayed in your room and surrendered.”

Sarah shook her head. “No, no I couldn’t have! They’d have seen me, and killed me!” she protested.

James glared coldly at her. “You’re trash Sarah, I can’t believe that I used to be so proud of you.”

“Shut up!” Sarah shot back angrily. “You-you don’t know anything about me!”

“I’m your father, I know everything about you,” James replied coldly before he got up from the desk and walked out of the room leaving Sarah behind in the chair.

“What an awful subconscious you have,” a female voice spoke to her left. Sarah whirled to find herself face to face with a pair of catlike eyes looking out from a regal alicorn’s face.

“Wha-who-Luna?” Sarah stuttered in shocked surprise.

The alicorn remained silent for a moment before answering. “Yes, we are Luna, Sarah.”

“I... wish my subconscious would just make sense for once... now I’m dreaming about Luna,” Sarah muttered.

“Oh, you are not dreaming about us,” the mare said with a small shake of her head. “No, we have simply decided to enter into your dreams.”

“Wait... what?” Sarah asked, utterly confused.

The mare sighed and shook her head.

“It is complicated for us to explain, simply accept that we have the ability to enter into the dreams of those we are close to,” she explained.

“Okay...” Sarah trailed off. “Umm... you’re using we a lot right now.”

“Are we? We hadn’t noticed,” the mare said with a small shrug.

“So... um can I just go back to dreaming now?” Sarah asked.

“Of course,” the mare said before she disappeared with a flap of black wings leaving a very confused Sarah to slip away once more into her dreams. They were much happier than those that she’d been having.

Luna awoke to find that at some point in their rest that Sarah had begun to use her back as a pillow of sorts. Luna frowned at that, remembering her strange dream, but then shook her head. She had no time for that sort of thing, and surly the woman would not be interested in her.

Indeed, she is too busy tearing herself apart, Nightmare intoned.

Oh? What do you mean? Luna inquired curiously. Nightmare transferred all that she’d learned of Sarah’s past into Luna’s consciousness. The mare remained silent for a moment before letting out slow sigh.

The poor mare, she finally said. To be put through so much hardship in exchange for so little.

Indeed, Nightmare agreed. Of course, you know that this means that we cannot trust her; correct?

What? Why not? Luna asked in confusion.

If she was willing to kill so many of her friends in pursuit of her goal, what is to stop her from doing the same with us? Nightmare answered.

Well... she only did what she did because the alternative was death! Luna protested. I’m sure that she would not even think of killing us!

Just like Clover would never join Tia against us? Nightmare countered. Or how about how Tia would never turn her back on us?

Those were different! Luna mentally cried defiantly. Sarah has been nothing but a good friend to us, and saved our lives several times! There is no reason why she would endeavor to hurt us!

Celestia who raised us did, Nightmare said coldly.Clover who was ever faithful to us did, she continued. What is to stop this woman from doing the same?

Luna remained silent for a moment as she looked down at the woman lying against her and then closed her eyes.

She just won’t.

Naive as always, Nightmare said coldly. Do not lead us to our death following this woman.

I won’t, Luna assured her. Because Sarah will not lead us to our death.

We can only hope you are correct, Nightmare stated icely.

Luna nodded, and Sarah began to stir. The woman’s eyes opened and saw Luna’s looking down at her.

“Oh, good morning...” Sarah said a little awkwardly. Not sure whether or not what she saw in her dreams had really happened.

“And the same to you,” Luna replied, giving her a smile, hiding her own awkwardness behind a royal mask.

“Umm... Luna... can you look at my dreams?” Sarah asked slowly as she sat up and turned to face the mare. “Or was I just dreaming of odd things?”

Luna frowned. “Yes... I can.”

“Oh... that’s... cool?” Sarah said, clearly struggling with the idea.

"Yes, I suppose it is rather cool isn’t it?” Luna asked as she got to her hooves began to stretch.

Sarah just nodded, not wanting to even think about the oddness that seemed to flow off of her friend. “So... we’re inside of the GNR building, right?”

“I believe that to be correct,” Luna agreed.

Sarah sprang to her feet. “Good, now it’s time to get some answers!”

Luna was surprised by the sudden burst of energy from her friend, but followed the woman nonetheless as she walked out of the door to the room that they’d been sharing. They emerged into a lobby where a defensive position had been set up. Several of the heavily armored heads of Brotherhood soldiers turned in their direction, one armed with a large contraption that had a small flickering flame at the end walked up to them.

“Three Dog’s right through that door up there,” he told Sarah before she had a chance to open her mouth. “If you need something before you go, let us know and we’ll see if we can find it for you.”

“Um... thanks,” Sarah said, giving the man a surprised smile.

“Don’t mention it Ma’am, you saved our asses yesterday,” the Brotherhood soldier replied before he walked back to his post.

“They seem very indebted to you,” Luna murmured as they began to walk up the stairs.

“Yeah... it feels weird,” Sarah confessed. “I mean, when I was a security officer in the Vault, people were mostly just polite about things... up here they actually thank you for it.”

Luna simply nodded as the woman led the way through the door and to another set of stairs. Standing at the top of these stairs was a dark skinned human wearing a bandana and a pair of glasses along with a leather jacket.

“The look on your face says it all,” the man began while looking at Sarah. “You’re wondering who the heck this guy is and why you should care. Well, prepare to be enlightened.” he paused for a moment before continuing. “I am Three Dog; jocky of discs and teller of truths. Lord and Master over the finest radio station to grace the Wastes; Galaxy News Radio. And you, well... I know who you are. Heard about you leavin’ that Vault, travlin the unknown. Just like dear old Dad hmm? Met him already.”

Sarah raised an eyebrow at him. “That’s quite the introduction,” she said.

The man shrugged and turned to Luna.

“Damn, I thought the Brotherhood was pulling my leg, an honest to god alicorn right out of freaking Grognak,” Three Dog said with a shake of his head.

“I do not know of this Grognak of which you speak,” Luna said with a shake of her head. “However, I am not the one who wished to speak with you. Sarah is.”

“Well alright then, let me guess, you’re looking for your dad,” Three Dog said, turning back to Sarah.

“Yes. That’s right,” Sarah stated.

“You’re in luck then; I know where he went,” Three Dog told her and Sarah’s eyes widened in both surprise, and excitement. She hadn’t expected it to be that easy.

“You do? Where is he!?” Sarah questioned frantically.

“Sorry, I can’t tell you,” Three Dog said with a small frown.

“Why the hell not?” Sarah asked with narrowed eyes, she’d known there’d be a catch, but the man was baiting her.

“Well I’m a soldier in what I like to call the ‘Good Fight’ and I need you two to do a job for me,” Three Dog explained.

“What type of job?” Luna asked, narrowing her eyes as her horn began to glow subtly.

“Not too long ago, I could beam my voice all across the Wastes, spreading the word about the Good Fight,” Three Dog explained. “Unfortunately some mutie took a potshot at my broadcasting dish on the Washington Monument and now I’m coming out as static. So, I need you two to retrieve a new disk for me and attach it to the top of the monument.”

Sarah nodded slowly but Luna beat her to the words as Daybreaker slid free of her sheath and began to approach Three Dog in mid air.

“We have a counter offer,” Luna stated. “You will tell us the direction of Sarah’s father’s travel. Or we will beat it out of you with the flat of our sword!”

Three Dog’s eyes widened at the sight of the sword making its way slowly towards him but other than that he stayed calm.

“I’m afraid that I can’t do that,” he said with a shake of his head. “You see, if I don’t get my disk back up then the people of the Wasteland will never get to hear my news and a lot of them will die. I’m the only thing keeping them safe out there.” Daybreaker had reached him and the man could feel the cold emanating off of the blade as it hovered menacingly in the air in front of him.

“Luna, enough,” Sarah said, putting a hand on the mare’s shoulder. Luna looked at Sarah for a moment and then frowned, withdrawing the sword. “Sorry about her, she’s... new here.”

Three Dog shrugged. “Na, don’t worry about it, something about her tells me that she’s a warrior of the Good Fight,” the man said with a small chuckle.

“What is this ‘Good Fight’ that you keep bringing up?” Luna asked him through narrowed eyes.

A smile split the man’s face. “Imagine a picture, okay? A picture of the Capital Wasteland. All that brick and rock. A whole lot of nothing, right?” he began with a small frown. “There’s people out there trying to just barely make it by from day to day. Fighting to stay alive and make something of what they’ve got,” he continued, his frown deepening. Then his face hardened. “But you’ve got all kinds of shit... Slavers, Supermutants, Raiders... they all want a slice of the pie too and aim to take it by force.”

“So the people of this wasteland should fight back,” Luna replied plainly.

“They can’t, not against those kinds of enemies,” Three Dog corrected her. “They just run away and hide or they stay and they die. It just ain’t right. So that’s where I enter the picture. I fight the Good Fight with GNR as my gun!” he exclaimed. “The sound of truth goes out across the Capital Wasteland. Hell, someone’s got to counter that bullshit on the Enclave station!”

Luna frowned at him. “That is a surprisingly noble goal for someone as seemingly arrogant as yourself,” she said, thought she had no idea what this ‘enclave’ he was talking about was.

Most likely a band of idiots who have managed to run one of these ‘radio’ stations, Nightmare said with a mental shrug.

Three Dog shrugged slightly. “What can I say; I’m a D.J. I like to talk.”

“I’m sorry,” Sarah began, interrupting the byplay. “I understand your fight but none of this is helping me find my father.”

“Sorry, I’m so used to talking to an audience that can’t answer I just assume that you just want to hear my voice all the time,” he said, a slightly abashed look on his face.

“That’s fine,” Sarah replied, with a small shrug. “Now I think you were explaining what I needed to do for you to tell me where my father went.”

Three Dog nodded. “Right, now, as I was explaining...”

Author's Notes:

Surprise Friday update because I have a lacrosse tournament this weekend and won't feel like publishing Sunday night like normal.

Now before anyone complains (like I'm sure you will anyways) stimpacks are going to slowly heal broken bones in this. It's not going to be immediate and once the Med-x wears off Luna is going to be in a fair bit of pain.

Secondly I know that not much happened in this chapter, that's because I'm using it as a moment for Sarah and Luna to catch their breathes (they did almost die last chapter) and to show you just a bit more into their sub-consciousness which in Sarah's case is still rather... angry with her.

Edit: Oh, and thanks to Speven Dillberg for writing the short Luna/Sarah segment