Author's Notes:

Over 1,000 likes. I honestly can't believe it.

Until something happened with my account and this story didn't register under my name.

I then discovered how to turn on/off the Mature filter.

Then I believed once again.

Thank you all.

Have more Pony.

Jason followed the two armored ponies along the different paths that twisted through the small town. They didn't speak a word as they walked in front of him, gold plates clinking together with every step they took. The Wanderer kept his gaze locked on their movements, waiting in case they would try to jump him because of "orders" they received.

After a few minutes of quiet, however, one of them looked back and talked to Jason.

"So, been in Ponyville for a while?" he asked.

"Two days," Jason replied.

"Really? Only two days? Wow."

"Why's that surprising?" Jason asked.

"It's just... you're kinda famous. Everypony in town's been talking about how you went out of your way to go save those foals, and almost died making sure they were safe."

"You should hear some of the mares down by the flower district," the second armored pony started, "it's like you're some kind of fictional hero to them."

Jason blinked a few times before exchanging a look with Dogmeat. His canine companion merely tilted his head at him before Jason went back to speaking with the others.

"Were the caves searched after I came out? Because I'm pretty sure those damn gang members weren't the only ones who died there."

The two pegasi looked to each other before the first one replied.

"Yeah, some teams went to investigate the whole thing. I read in a report that there were over twenty bodies of Royal Guards, just like us, that were all sent to investigate the area, but never came back. Heck, they gave us eight more names to put up on the Ponyville Guard Memorial." He turned his head to look back at Jason before speaking again. "But then you come in and take down all of the gang members in less than a few hours, and save two foals in the process, it's no wonder why the Princess herself recommended you."

Jason furrowed his brow at the mention of the familiar ruler, and waited in silence before the second Guard spoke up.

"If you don't mind me asking, what's that thing on your left foreleg?"

"Pip-Boy," was all Jason said.

The Guard waited a few seconds before speaking again.

"And... what is that?"

"Computer, radio, medical analysis, and a recording device."

"Um... so, what does all that... mean?"

"Actually, now I do mind you having asked that question."

"Oh, sorry."

The four continued in, what was for the first two, an awkward silence, but for the latter half, a moment of peace.

\\\\\\//////

Apple Bloom watched as Fawkes continued to take apart the insides of the Gatling Laser, displaying certain parts before taking a small rag to clean them. As he did, the filly observed the collection of pieces that had accumulated beside the device. Every few times that he had stopped, she leaned close to the metallic parts and gave them a poke with her hoof before speeding back into her seat on the table, trying to look innocent as she could. At one point, however, Fawkes struggled to remove a certain box with wires connecting, and began to grow frustrated.

"Stupid... machine!" He growled while shaking it.

When he did, the table that Apple Bloom stood on wobbled beneath her, and shook the pieces to the side.

"Fine... Stay in there," Fawkes sighed as he reached for the parts on the table.

"Um, Mister Fawkes?" Apple Bloom spoke up.

"Yes, little one?" Fawkes asked as he began to reassemble the Gatling Laser.

"How come ya seem so mad sometimes?"

The Meta-Human paused for a moment before sighing deeply.

"I've lived in a cage... for two hundred years... my mind is, fragile, some would say. Sometimes I just... black-out, lose control of so much. Do not worry for me, though. I would not wish for another life, if it meant not knowing my friends..."

"But what if we helped ya find some way ta stay calm? Maybe there's a spell for somepony like you!" Apple Bloom suggested.

Fawkes turned to her and placed the device on the table before he spoke.

"Why would you go so far... to help me? I don't know you, neither you for me. Would you... go out of your way, just like that?"

Apple Bloom stood up and slowly approached him with a smile.

"Ah'd like ta know ya. If ya met mah brother n' sister, maybe ya'll could be friends too! If Ah just let ya go on like this, all sad n' angry, what'd mah Granny say? Apples don't abandon anypony in need, n' we always look out for each other."

Fawkes stared down at her and made several noises before slowly reaching down to the filly, and patting her head gently.

"Thank... you."

Apple Bloom smiled up at him before nuzzling his hand.

\\\\\\//////

Jason stopped in his tracks as the sight of a new building greeted him. The structure stood only one story tall, but was easily wider than the complex he stayed in. Its walls were made of purple bricks, and the entrance was only a single set of wooden double-doors. The Guards before him stood still before the first one spoke up.

"Well, here we are. Ponyville Guardhouse."

Jason nodded before he started to move towards the door, only to be stopped by a hoof that shot up from the second Guard.

"Ah, ta, ta, ta... there's the matter of your dog, right now," He said.

The Wanderer looked to his side where Dogmeat was, and looked down into the face of his companion. He inhaled deeply before speaking.

"Dogmeat, go play nice around here. I'll whistle if I need you, alright?"

Dogmeat barked twice before looking around and running off towards a group of children, who all smiled at the sight of the canine and began to chase after him. Jason shook his head with a smile before turning to the Guards.

"What needs to happen here?" Jason asked, his face having returned to a stoic look.

"Well, we just need to ask some basic questions before we can give you the paperwork that says you're here and you can receive payment."

The Guards opened the doors to the building before Jason quickly stepped inside, his head low and magic ready.

Inside of the building, most prominently, was a large desk, where two mares were moving papers and folders around with magic of their own. The first one had a grey coat with a black mane, and had a light green magic around her horn, while the second one had a green coat with an orange mane, and a grey glow around her horn. They didn't look up when the sound of closing doors came from behind Jason, and were still working as the two armored ponies walked by the right side of the desk.

"This way," one of the armored ones said.

Jason followed beyond the wide desk and found himself in a long, hallway-like room. Along the sides were lockers of varying sizes, weapon racks with spears and swords, and several doors with markings and texts. Two doors on the right side read, "showers," and were separated by only a single locker between the doors, and two distinct pony shapes. On the left side were doors that had signs that identified the as break rooms, restrooms, and supply closets. In the very back of the hallway, however, was a desk that was occupied by a new sight for the Wanderer. It looked like a pegasus mare mainly, with a pitch-black coat and a light purple mane, but had significant features changed drastically. Something immediate that Jason noticed was that she had leathery wings instead of the feathery fluffs that Jason had seen with every other one. The armor she wore, he noticed, was a deep purple, with an insignia of the moon on it, and on the end of her front hooves, were gauntlets that almost seemed to glow.

"Somepony's up early," one of the Guards said with a shit-eating tone.

The new mare groaned while rubbing her head with her covered hooves.

"Go burn in Tartarus, Spear," she said in a pained tone.

"Sorry Star Buck, but you've got some paperwork to help fill out for our newest member."

She slammed her hooves onto the table before her and glared at the approaching Guards, allowing Jason to see yellow, glowing eyes with vertical slits in the middle.

"Seriously!?" she shouted with rage. "Who the actual buck, would be stupid enough to sign on now, of all times!?"

"That how you greet all of the new guys?" Jason asked while approaching the table.

The mare in purple glared right at Jason, hatred burning in her eyes. Jason thought about staring right back, but saw that she was more tired than upset. He gave a small chuckle before speaking again.

"Relax. Neither of us wants to be here right now, so let's just get these questions answered so we can go back to what we want to be doing right now."

At that, the mare blinked in surprise before smirking.

"Nice choice of words, kid. What's your name?"

"I just go be 'the Wanderer'."

"Really? Just, 'the Wanderer'? No epic lines or anything stupid that hot-shots spew out?"

"No. That a problem?"

"Not at all," she said while swaying lightly to the side.

She rose from her seat and moved towards a cabinet behind the table. When she reached it, an armored hoof came up and tapped the door before a soft glow overcame it, resulting with the single wooden barrier swinging open. After it opened, the mare reached into it with her maw and pulled out a piece of paper. She came back to the desk and placed the paper on the surface before opening a drawer.

"So, what position are you here for?" she asked while extending one of her leathery wings.

"Regulator," Jason stated while reaching for the badge.

"Really? Well damn, that's a rare one to find," she said while pulling a pencil out with her wing.

As Jason eyed the appendage, Star noticed his gaze and snickered lightly.

"Never seen a thestral before?" she asked.

"I'm sorry, a what?"

"Thestral. Bat ponies, some idiots call us. Some are stupid enough to call us Vamponies."

"Interesting," Jason said while nodding.

"Think it's scary?" she teased.

Jason smirked before responding.

"I've had friends that didn't have skin. Barely anything scares me anymore."

Star Buck blinked a few times before writing something rapidly on the paper. Jason looked back to find that the two others that had led him to the station were unarmored, and heading into the shower room. They were engaged in conversation as they walked in, but paid no mind to what Jason had said, apparently. Beyond them, another door opened up to reveal a mare stepping out of the opposite shower room. She too, was a thestral, except she had a light ash-colored coat, and had a deep green mane. She shook her head and allowed the green strands to fly out as she examined the room. When her eyes landed on Jason, they widened as a mischievous smile spread across her face, prompting Jason to turn around.

'Fucking don't,' Jason thought to himself.

"Alright, so you're a Regulator. How old are you, anyways?"

"21 in a few days."

"Well, happy birthday to you," a sultry voice spoke from behind.

'God fucking damn it.'

"Dusk Wind, now's not the time to-"

"Just give me a few minutes, Bucky baby," the mare behind Jason said in a mocking tone, "this stallion looks like he could use a good ride."

Jason felt something prod at his side as the new thestral came into his view. Her face was lit up with an evil look, her eyes glowing a light yellow. Her tongue came out of her mouth and licked her lips, allowing Jason to see a set of fangs that were hidden from him.

"You know what they say," she said while bringing her tail into his view, "we've gotta break the new toys in at some time."

With that, the mare flicked her tail across Jason's face, sending a scent into his breath that pounded his senses. His mind started to haze in its awareness as his eyes started to become heavy. In his chest, he could feel his heart begin to beat faster as blood began to adjust its flow. Jason struggled to focus on his surroundings, and as he did, he got a view of what the mare was presenting him: her rear. Her tail swished slightly to the side and allowed him to see a set of wet folds of skin that showed a sliver of pink flesh.

Jason quickly stepped back and tripped over nothing, sending him to the floor. He rolled over his back in a swift motion and stood up, averting his gaze from the mares. As he did, someone made a pained sound before Star Buck began to scream.

"Are you seriously trying to molest another new recruit!? And right in front of me, too!? For Luna's sake, show some damn restraint!"

The second thestral was cowering close to the ground, and held her wings over her body.

"I-I'm sorry, it's just been so long! And did you even look at the kid's flank!?"

"DUSK WIND!!!"

"I'm just saying the kid's got strong looking-"

"DUSK! SHUT!!!"

Dusk then shrunk closer to the floor before practically crawling towards the lockers on the left side of the room, and retreated towards the restroom. Star sighed and shook her head as Jason started to speak.

"The actual shit was that about?"

"Dusk Wind had a bad habit in training, took too many potions, now she's got this condition where she's practically in heat all the time. She has medicine that helps her out, but... she didn't take any yet. Normally, now's when we're supposed to be sleeping, getting ready for the Night Shift, but when those foals were napped, we had to work overtime to make sure that there weren't any others in the area."

"How much attention did that whole thing get, anyways?"

"And how did you hear about it?"

"I was there. Saved those foals and killed all the Dogs, too."

Her jaw dropped as she pointed at him.

"Holy... you're the... oh stars above, I didn't think you, would..." she looked back to the desk and smiled sheepishly at him. "Paperwork, right?"

Jason nodded.

"Yeah, let's get this over with."

"Sorry about that, again."

"No one had to die, so let's leave it there."

Star gave a snort as she turned back towards the desk.

"I don't know about that. She might have tried face-sitting."

Jason blinked several times as thoughts of what he had seen came back to him. He shook his head as he tried to cool his face before following Star back to the desk.