The Coup

We were an hour out from Tenpony Tower; luckily we hadn't been followed by anything sinister thus far. I had to admit that this form of travelling was far superior than walking; the only downside was that it was boring as fuck. Alyshia sat on the left side on the carriage, the shooting door Brax installed was open and she was watching whatever she could see below. Brax was trying to teach me to play a game called jacks. It was a simple game, bounce an old rubber ball and pick up as many of the various items Brax had scattered between himself and me. Scerine was watching as I listened. "So, whoever has the most amount of things is the winner. You can do best of three, five or however many," Brax said. "I played this as a colt so I hope you can get it."

I nodded. "Can I go first then?" I asked.

Brax nodded so I levitated the ball and dropped it about fifteen centimetres from the steel floor. I levitated all the objects on the floor and then caught the ball in my right hoof. "I win," I said with a smile. Brax snatched the objects from the air.

"That's cheating," he growled. "No magic."

"No fair," I moaned. "I'm not as nimble with my hooves as an earth pony or a pegasus," I complained.

Brax raised his eyebrow. "Really... Just give it another go." He then re-scattered the objects

I picked up the ball with my left forehoof and tipped it so the ball could fall. I then grabbed a plastic lid and rusty drill bit, my horn ignited instinctively and my magic caught the ball just before it touched the floor. Brax sighed. "Close enough."

He took the ball and dropped it from the same height. His hooves then swiped three objects and he caught the ball just before it touched the ground. "I win," he said happily. I frowned.

"Mind if I give it a go?" Scerine asked.

I nodded and moved over to where Alyshia was. I allowed the two to play as I looked at her before allowing my rump to meet the steel floor. "What's up?" I asked, noticing she didn't look too happy.

"Oh nothing," she replied without looking away from the window. "I'm just a little homesick I s'pose."

I placed my hoof on her shoulder. She looked at me and I gave her a weak smile. "I think we're all a bit homesick," I said. "Well, maybe not Scerine," I said with a glance over my shoulder at her.

Alyshia returned my smile. "I know it must be silly seeing me like this, after all you've been through out here. I can tell you're stoked to be returning, if but temporarily."

"It's not silly," I replied. I looked into her deep blue eyes. "It's that familiarity that I miss, Which I'm sure you miss too?"Alyshia nodded. I had a hunch that was it. "Eighty Six will always be my home," I told her. "I mean, I may not live there, and I might not live there again but it'll always be my home."

Alyshia hugged me. "You’re growing into a mature mare Amethyst," Alyshia said before breaking the hug.

I blushed. "Not really," I muttered. "Just, coming to accept things is all."

Alyshia glanced down at my flank for a fraction of a second but I didn't miss it. I looked at my left flank and saw nothing but my cutie mark staring back at me. "What's up?" I asked confused.

Alyshia shook her head. "I dunno… It’s just. You never told me what your cutie mark means."

"I think it has something to do with my shield spell, I dunno," I said with a shrug. "I thought that back when I was fighting Twilight, her element was magic but she was having a hard time breaking through my shield. Maybe that quarter circle line is a barrier, or shield of some sort. "

Alyshia glanced at it again, her brow furrowed. "Well, that Twilight wasn't Twilight but you do have a point, that security spell was a very complicated one." Alyshia bit her lip. "What if that Amethyst stone is you?" She asked.

I blinked. "Don't be silly," I said in a hearty laugh and wave of my hoof, "who has a cutie mark of themselves?"

It didn't deter Alyshia, "No I'm serious. What if your special talent is protection?"

"It can't be, I've been lousy at protecting everyone and myself," I replied, seriously doubting that Alyshia's hunch was correct.

"It makes sense to me," Alyshia pushed. "You can hack things really well because that involves breaching a protection, your spell is used to protect yourself and you've also used it to protect us. It would explain why you're so good with technology in that most technological items have a degree of protection on them that can be enhanced or broken down."

I was feeling a little overwhelmed by the information Alyshia was throwing at me. "It just seems so..." I said weakly. I was still unconvinced. "I dunno. I can't breach or break other spells."

"But you can," Alyshia said. "I've seen you use your shield to crush the shield of an alicorn, it appears to break spells like telekinesis as well."

I grimaced. "Maybe," I said. Alyshia's information had actually started to make my brain whirl. It was true all the things she said but "Protection?" really? The gem specifically didn't seem to indicate "Protection." I shook my head. I don't know, it did build on my hunch that my shield spell was related to it but it still seemed unlikely, it was such a broad talent that I didn't think that could be it, perhaps shields, or rock hard barrier.

I was so lost in thought that I had become completely unaware of my surroundings; my eyes were unfocused as my brain turned to mush. Suddenly I felt somepony's forehooves wrap around my neck. I jumped a thousand miles into the air at the soft touch of Scerine's hooves. I felt a small bump on my horn and Scerine jumped back.

"Oww," she said loudly, I turned quickly to see what had happened. Her muzzle cupped in the forehooves that had wrapped around me mere seconds ago.

"Sorry," I said quickly moving over to her to check what I had done.

"What happened? Alyshia asked, "Scerine are you alright?"

I guided Scerine's hooves away from her muzzle and saw what had happened, she had a small gash just left of her right nostril where my horn had clipped her. "It's alright babe," Scerine said wiping the blood with a hoof. I rubbed a hoof on Scerine's neck in what I hoped to be in an apologetic way. "Only just got me, I have a lot to learn about dating unicorns," she joked.

"Yeah you might want to look out," Alyshia said as she sidled over with some ointment. "Amethyst might accidentally gore you when you hug her."

"That doesn't happen," I growled. "I was lost in thought and jumped."

"Yeah, you just need to remember that your girlfriend has a huge bone jutting from her head," Brax growled from nearby.

Alyshia moved away from Scerine whose nose had stopped bleeding.  "Yeah thanks for that Brax," Scerine muttered. "It's a bit hard to forget about that."

I craned my neck and kissed Scerine on the nose. "Better?" I asked cutely.

Scerine wrapped a hoof around my neck and kissed me on the cheek. "Better," she replied after pulling away.

*                             *                                                                  *                                               *                         *

Midnight landed the carriage in a clearing for Lunch at quarter past twelve. We disembarked into what appeared to be an old playground; the swings were bent at odd angles, their rusting form taking on more of a sculpture than swings. I noticed the remnants of a see saw and a slide where the bottom had rusted through. We settled under an old dead tree. Alyshia began prepping lunch for the two of us while Midnight, Scerine and Brax had pulled out old cans of food and began to eat.

After about ten minutes Alyshia passed me a small bowl of mixed corn, peas and carrots with herbs and I began to eat with everypony else. "I can take the next run if you like Midnight?" Scerine said through a mouthful of beans.

Midnight shrugged and cocked her head. "Mk, only if you want."

"Yeah I do, I feel lazy sitting in the back," Scerine admitted.

"I thought you wanted to get all cuddly with Amethyst," Midnight said before swallowing her food.

"Already have," Scerine replied. "Hugging unicorns is brutal," she laughed, her hoof pointed at her nose.

"Aww, she got you good," Midnight cringed. "You have to be more careful Amethyst."

"Hey!" I muffled through my food. "I said sorry."

"Nah, it's all good," Scerine said with a wave of her hoof. "It was more my fault anyways. Say what's that sound?" she added, her ears twitching.

My ears perked up and I heard it too, tuba music with drums and an accordion. I jumped to my hooves, my empty bowl landed softly in the snow as I looked around for the spritebot. Sure enough, there it was, just behind the slide.

"Hey Watcher!" I called out to the spritebot. It didn't respond. "Don't ignore me," I shouted.

"My girlfriend has lost her marbles hasn't she?" Scerine muttered with a facehoof.

"Oh no," Midnight said casually. "Watcher is a Spritebot that Amethyst talks to occasionally." The ugly looking robot popped and floated over to us.

"Watcher?" I asked as I grabbed the Spritebot in my magic and guiding it over to where I was.

"Amethyst!" the tinny voice popped. "It's been while hasn't it? He paused. “What happened to you?"

"Yeah it has," I responded. My face fell and I ruffled my wings. "Twilight Sparkle thought it was an awesome idea to place Impelled Metamorphosis Potion in a cave for anypony to touch," I growled.

"Hang on, you went to Splendid Valley?" he asked shocked. "It’s a wonder none of you were killed."

"The only thing killed was my height," I sighed. "Oh and several zombie ponies and a ghoul."

Watcher decided it best to change the subject. "So where are you off to now?" he asked curiously.

"I'm heading home to drop off the talisman we got," I said with a shrug.

"So you got it then? I'm quite shocked. May I ask why you're dropping it off rather than staying home?"

I gave a little giggle. "No, it's damaged but it's better than the one there," I replied. "The search is still on."

"Right," Watcher said. "So... Who's this?" He asked, "New friend?"

"Oh sorry, Watcher, that's my partner, Scerine," I said apologetically pointing a hoof at the grey pegasus.

"Howdy," Scerine said with a wave of her hoof.

"Partner?" Watcher said, his tinny voice failing to hide his confusion.

"Yeah," Scerine said with a smile. "Amethyst here has taught me a bit more than just friendship. if you know what I mean?"

I facehoofed but Watcher didn't seem to get the joke. "Isn't she part of the enclave? At least judging from her armour?" he asked.

"Yeah I am, but I'm part of ground crew," Scerine said. "I met Amethyst on some mountain with a giant, monstrous, fearsome dragon in it."

"Don't you feel that your job will interfere with your relationship?" Watcher asked. "I don't mean to pry but won't they brand you if they discovered you were in a relationship with an... ahh."

The spritebot turned to look at me. "Well I spose you aren't really a unicorn anymore are you?" Watcher asked.

"False," I corrected. "I'm still a unicorn. Apparently, according to the Twilight society or whatever they're called."

"Works for me,' Watcher said. "But yeah, my point stands."

"If they brand me as a dashite then so be it," Scerine sighed. "I've wanted out for a while anyway; the only thing stopping me is my father."

"And me," I said. "Don't make any rash decisions okay?"

Scerine gave me a smile. "Worst case scenario," she said with a wink.

"Well," he said. "I should best be going. See you."

"Seeya Watcher," I farewelled. The spritebot popped and was replaced with that terrible tuba music. "We should probably get going as well," I said. "Are we going to make it tonight?"

“Probably not,” Mdnight sighed. “There’s a bit of a headwind, I don’t think we’ll make it to New Apploosa either.

*                             *                                                                  *                                               *                         *

If we weren’t going to make it before, we most certainly weren’t going to make it now. The horizon had begun to darken as a huge storm developed ahead. There was the occasional flash of lightning but no sound yet; it must have been some distance away still. I checked my Pipbuck, Midnight was peeking over my shoulder. We were still hours away from the New Applaoosa, we might be able to make it to Dodge Junction but that was still an hour and a half away roughly.

“Yeah we might have to set her down soon,” Midnight said shaking her head. “We could try for Dodge Junction but I think the storm will be here in less than an hour.” I sighed. It was a huge setback but if the weather was good tomorrow we should make it to Eighty Six by sundown which would give us a few hours to get to the entrance and plan the way back to my place without being caught by security. It was hard enough with just me but sneaking six ponies including Berry through the stable undetected was going to be a tough pull.

After about forty five minutes the carriage began to sway and the lightning began to make noise. It was getting precarious however Scerine's pace had actually increased more recently and we weren't far out from Dodge Junction. No sooner had I made this observation we began to descend, I wasn't sure what Scerine was doing, we were only about five or so kilometers away. Once we landed I opened the back door and jumped out into the windy and dark outside. "What's going on Scerine?" I asked as I made my way to the front of the carriage. Only it wasn't only Scerine, three powerful Griffins in black barding surrounded her. "Hey what's going on?" I asked rather aggressively. My eyes fell on the large female, her long powerful body much larger than my own, her muscles rippled across her flank and her massive powerful wings had a wingspan much larger than that of a pony.

"No fly zone," the larger female growled, she turned to face me, the scar that ran over her eye on her rugged face didn't make her any less intimidating.

"What're you doing here?" The other Griffin snapped in a caw like way at Scerine.

"We were hoping to get to Dodge Junction to ride out this storm, we're on our way to Ponyville," Scerine said casually. She didn't seem afraid of the Griffins at any rate. By this time we were all standing in the cold bitter wind. Lightning flashed nearby and a resounding boom went off.

"You were never going to get there by sundown," the larger female said with a snap of her beak. "Never mind, jump back in and we'll escort you to town."

"Sure enough, we were back in the air but with our large griffin escorts with us this time, the carriage swayed in the wind but after about ten minutes it began to snow, luckily for us, Scerine landed before it got too heavy.

I clambered out of the carriage, Meep closely following. The wind caught my wings at my sides and it almost blew me over. Meep got drifted through the air so I levitated him onto my back where he dug his claws into my barding. A sign stood nearby that read “Junction R-7.” The buildings were nothing but stacked box carts, some two stories high, other’s three. The tavern stood easily visible by flashing neon lights that read “Junction R-7 Tavern.” We didn’t know if we had the bits to even stay.

The larger female griffin approached me and held out a claw. I held out a hoof and shook it. She had a firm grip. “Name’s Gawd,” she said gruffly before withdrawing her claw. “The Tavern can provide you with refreshments, and a bed.”

I smiled. “Thanks,” I said gratefully.

Gawd shrugged and with a flick of her brush tail she was gone. My teeth began to chatter as I blurted out; “D-do we have b-b-bits?”

“Let’s get inside,” Alyshia cried, “before we freeze.”

We trudged through the snow and wind, my mane quickly turned from black to white in the short walk to the tavern. Alyshia entered first and I quickly followed behind her. Warmth washed over me as I crossed the threshold into the stacked box carts.  As expected, the tavern was very rough. A small bar sat in the middle, enough to fit five griffins, two female griffins sat on the bar stools and an older male was cleaning glasses behind the bar. The inside had been dressed with wood panelling; some panels were hanging precariously from the back wall. The floor was steel and the cold seeped through and into my hooves.

“How much is a room?” Alyshia asked the gruff looking griffin. He looked up at Alyshia and then his eyes moved over to each of us. “We don’t get much ponies ‘round here,” he said in a gravelly voice. “Ten caps, includes dinner.” Alyshia pulled out her very light coin bag and tipped it upside down. Four bits fell out.

She turned to us. “Okay everypony; empty your pockets,” Alyshia said politely. I pulled up my bag searching spell and levitated my two caps out and put them on the table. Six caps. Brax shrugged, he didn’t have any money. Scerine tipped her bag out and four caps clattered onto the bar top. The griffin took the money and gave us a very rusty key.

“Second floor, door on the right,” he said. “Oh, and dinner is in an hour.”

“Yay, I don’t have to cook tonight,” Alyshia said with a squee as we ascended the very steep stairs to the second box cart. The corridor on the second level was very narrow, a light bulb hung by the wire from the ceiling illuminating the peeling red pain on the walls and ceiling. The floor was just corroded steel. We entered the creaking door on the right; I followed Alyshia in and glanced around the room. It had a bed fit for two griffins, so three ponies could fit in it quite comfortably however the remaining floor space was quite limited.  Thankfully an old mattress lay under the bed and could be pulled out, so we could all sleep but the rest of the room consisted of an old radio in the corner and the chimney from below ran through the floor and into the ceiling at the foot of the bed providing ample heat. That left about four square meters of room. "Well, we could listen to the radio," I said when Brax frowned at the size of the room.

"Geez it's small," Midnight sighed.

"Yeah but we get what we pay for," I replied. "Ten bits is a steal. Did you want to spend the night outside?"

"When you put it like that," Midnight said with a smile.

Lightning flooded in from the small cart window.

BANG

I jumped slightly. "I'm never going to get used to that," I muttered as I sat on the bed.  Scerine cracked her armour open, revealing her beautiful self from that hideous armour and deposited it in the corner. She turned and her mane that normally curled neatly from her left to right was matted from helmet hair. She shook her head and her mane popped back into its usual position. Midnight collapsed onto the bed next to me. "Thanks for taking the final leg," Midnight said to the ceiling. "I don't think I could have made that last bit.

"No probs," Scerine said with a wave of her hoof. She let her rump meet the ugly grey carpet together with Brax and Alyshia.

I flicked on the radio magically. A new song was on that I hadn't heard before and it sounded like Sweetie Belle. "New song," Midnight yawned. "Glad their using those records. We busted our backs to get them."

"I concur," I murmured, not really paying attention as I let the mellow song wash over me. Initially after getting the records back to Homage, I didn't really think about what that could mean to other ponies in the wasteland, I just thought of it as another obstacle to getting back home and getting our flawless talisman. Now I understand the significance of any new music would be to anypony out here. It can change hearts.

The song ended rather suddenly and DJ Pon-3 popped up on air.

"Heeeeey everypony. That was a new Sweetie Belle song; Heaven, brought to you by our Bright White Mare. That's right everypony, she sourced these for none other than DJ Pon-3 himself, risking life and limb to get these songs to you! Seven alicorns, that's right everypony, she took down seven alicorns to bring this to us so make sure you remember her.

If I facehoofed any harder my nose would be through my face.

Okay, moving onto the weather. There's a significant thunder blizzard tearing through New Appleoosa, Ponyville, Junction R7 and is heading in a northerly direction, it is due to clip Manehattan tonight and reach Friendship City by morning. Another storm has left Cantal in six feet of snow so you all best shovel those streets in the morning. Elsewhere will be cloudy as always.

So there we have it, time to listen to another new one; Wub the dub dubz by the original DJ-Pon-3 – Vinyl Scratch."

The song that followed was a heavy party song with heavy bass and squeals. "it's nice to know that we get none of the credit," Scerine said with a shrug.

"He does it all the time," Midnight said.

"And it shits me," I sighed. "I took down, what two? Well three including the one Scerine got but that doesn't really count. Not to mention that seventh one got away. I'll need to let Homage know to tell him to tone it down a bit."

"He's just pumping you up to be some white knight," Midnight reminded me. "He wants ponies to look up to you as an example."

"Some example I'm setting," I muttered. "Notice that DJ Pon-3 didn't say anything when I killed that filly?"

"Hang on, you killed a filly?" Alyshia asked shocked.

"It was an accident," Midnight assured, "we were fighting slavers and Amethyst being a rookie at the time missed and hit one of the slaves."

"Yeah, the same one's that got me," Brax sighed. "She was pretty cut up about it."

"I really don't want to think about that," I said as guilt began to crawl back into my veins. Midnight put a hoof on my shoulder to reassure me. I gave her a fake smile then looked back at Alyshia who nodded.

*                             *                                                                  *                                               *                         *

We went back downstars at six thirty for dinner as promised by our host. On the final step of the stairs, the smell of cooking meat met my nose. It wasn't unexpected; I already knew that Griffins ate primarily meat so I wasn't really in a position to scoff at my food.

We made our way to the old wooden table in the corner, old china plates were placed around the table neatly between tarnished silver utensils. Not long after sitting down, a middle aged griffin deposited a tray of meat strips in the centre of the table. Midnight was the first to grab some meat, Alyshia followed suit, then Brax, I levitated some meat and took a close look at it before giving it a sniff, I then took a bite, tearing the strip in half. This meat was softer than the Radhog I had eaten before and it was still a little pink in the middle, I'd say it was better cooked as well; it was still salty but not as bad as I was expecting. I popped the second half in and shrugged before grabbing another.

Scerine still hadn't grabbed any. "Be'er eat up Sc-ine," Midnight swallowed; "before I eat it all."

"I dunno, I've never had meat before," she said looking queasy. "Ponies aren't supposed to be eating meat."

"If the fussy eater is eating it then it can't be that bad," Midnight said. I rolled my eyes, knowing that supposedly fussy eater was me.

"I don't usually eat meat either," Alyshia said with a shrug, "but it was expected, being a griffin town at all and we're running low on canned food."

Scerine grimaced and took a piece before putting it in her mouth. She chewed it more times than necessary before swallowing it. "Savoury," she said simply. "Tastes okay."

"You'll need your energy if you’re flying again tomorrow," Alyshia said seriously, "So make sure you eat."

Scerine merely shrugged. I took another piece and ate it. I could already feel the heavy weight in my stomach but I hadn't had breakfast and lunch was quite small so I was pretty hungry. I glanced out the window which flashed white for a moment but no thunder came. In the light I could see the heavy snowfall being blown in the high wind. I was really glad we weren't sleeping out in that.

Once dinner was finished we went back upstairs to sleep. I needed it after waking at the crack of dawn, Midnight looked like she was about to pass out and she did exactly that when we got back. "We can take the mattress if you like?" Alyshia said, "You two can sleep on the bed."

"Oh no," Scerine said shaking her head. "We can't do that."

"Its fine," Alyshia said as she got under the covers.

I got into the bed, my eyes as heavy and stomach sore, it didn't seem to agree with my meat feast. Since Midnight had collapsed on the right side of the bed I crawled into the middle and Scerine got in after me. Alyshia flicked the lights out and I was out as quick as the light.

*                             *                                                                  *                                               *                         *

I stretched my aching muscles and tightened the bandage on my leg after getting off just outside the gates to New Applaoosa for a break, the downfall of travelling by air, stiff muscles. In addition to our break we were going to barter away our goods, of course Brax would handle that, I didn't know how to barter for my life.

"Let’s get rid of these goods first," Brax piped up, "Then we can treat ourselves to brunch."

We all nodded in agreement before entering town, it looked the same as last time, except with an extra half foot of snow. Ditzy Doo's shop "Absolutely Everything," took on the appearance of a massive rusty coloured cake and the tavern looked like a chocolate éclair with cream. My stomach grumbled and I gave a nervous laugh. My thoughts were betraying me.

I was grateful once we reached the little door of the shop, no more dessert or sugar thoughts. I pulled the door open magically and walked head long into a rust coloured buck and was almost bowled over. "Fuck," I stammered, Alyshia caught me from behind and his brown setson landed on my head, the brim falling around my ears and my horn catching it just before my eyes were covered.

"Oh geez, Sorry 'bout tha'," the rusty pegaus apologised. I levitated the hat off and put it back on his head.

"Oh no, it was my fault," I reassured. "My thoughts were on cake," I admitted.

"Ah naw," he shook his head. "It's my fault," he gave a warm smile which faltered. "Say, ya  look familiar," he said with a frown.

"Yeah, we were here not long ago," Alyshia said. "Not a big town."

He gave a shrug, "Anywho, ah best get going,. Sorry again miss," he said with a tilt of his setson and he was off.

"Interesting fellow," I said as he left.

"He was pretty hot," Midnight said with a light blush.

Scerine frowned, her visor pulled back to reveal her pretty face. "He was a dashite," she said casually as we approached the counter. "He was branded.”

"I didn't notice," I said.

"Yeah, you wouldn't have," Brax chipped in. "If he was mare you would have."

I punched him with a hoof. "You're an asshole sometimes," I growled. Brax shook his head before turning to the pegasus ghoul behind the counter that was clearly amused at our little chatter.

Brax chucked. "Sorry about that," he said to Dizty Doo. She gave him a wide smile as if to say "don't worry about it."

"We have some things to sell, and buy," Brax told her. "Everypony, drop everything you have to sell on the counter," Brax requested. I opened up my Pipbuck inventory spell and took our all the junk I had scavenged, not including my healing poultices, med x or bandages and placed them on the bench. Brax then began to barter; Ditzy Doo used her sketch board to write numbers for each item. Brax shook his head. "five more bits for the ammo," he growled. Ditzy frowned before nodding and modifying the number. Brax looked again and frowned, "if we got five tins of beans and two healing potions would you throw in two tins of food for free?"

Ditzy shook her head, she wrote something else on the board and Brax put his hoof to his chin. "Four bit discount?" he muttered. "Make it five and you have a deal." Ditzy shrugged and nodded. She counted caps out and passed them over to Brax before placing five tins of food and two healing potions on the bench. Brax scooped them into his empty cap bag and put the food and potions in his saddlebags. "Great doing business," Brax said with a bow of his head.

Ditzy wrote something on her board and held it up. "No Problem, please come again."

I smiled at her. "Thanks Ditzy," I said thankfully, she smiled back in a way that told me "You're welcome." With that we left the small shop. "So, how much did we get?" I asked.

"Hundred and one caps after the stuff we bought," Brax growled.  "We managed to get an extra ten caps. I'll divide them when we get to Eighty Six." We nodded in agreement before moving over to the tables outside the tavern. Brax pulled out the cans and handed one to each of us. "I'm going to get a drink," Brax growled, "Don't want the publican getting angry at us.”

"Just an excuse to drink," I growled as I pulled the O-Ring off the canned peas magically. I took my fork out of my saddlebags and began to shovel the mush into my mouth.

"Howdy again," came that familiar voice from before. I looked up and that rust coloured stallion was back.

The pegasus looked from me to Scerine and gave her a dirty look. "Why does every pegasus down here look at me like some kind of monster," she burst out, her forehooves flailing in the air. "What I need to get branded to fit in around here?" Scerine got up and stormed away. I watched her go.

"Ahh, sorry 'bout tha'," the pegasus said with a nervous laugh.

"You know, she isn't that bad. She actually wants out of the enclave you know," I told him. The branding that Scerine noticed earlier had obviously given him a reason to hate the enclave. I paused. "Who are you anyway?" I finally asked, realising that this particular pony hadn't introduced himself.

"Name's Calamity," he replied. "Anywho, I didn' know 'bout yer friend there."

"It's fine, my names Amethyst, that's Alyshia and Midnight," I said, pointing at the two mare's on the far left of the bench I was at. Midnight gave him a weak smile and a wave of a hoof, her face red with blush. Alyshia just gave him a smile. Brax hadn't yet returned from getting his drink either.

"Nice meeting you lot, if ya need anythin' like help 'round town, just let me know," he said with a tip of his setson. Midnight waved goodbye.

"You're almost as obvious as me," I shot at her as he walked away. "I could fry an egg on that face," I snickered.

"Fuck you," she replied, failing to hide that snort of laughter. "He's really cute though."

"I don't really see the appeal," Alyshia said with a shrug before spooning more food into her mouth.

"You have no taste,' Midnight said exasperated.”You see how cut he is?"

Alyshia swallowed. "He's too..."

"Boyish and rough?" I said through my mushy peas.

"Thank you Amethyst," Alyshia said with a cough.

"Isn't boyish something you want?" Midnight cut over me, "not those prim, silver spooners in New Saddle Tower."

Alyshia scoffed. "No, I just prefer a more moderate mate," she said calmly. "Honestly, as long as I click with them I'd be happy, whoever it is, I'd want someone rather similar to myself, and I can appreciate a good looking mare as well.

"I didn't know you were bi," Brax said as he sat down with a beer.

"Uh, not really, umm, maybe only a bit," Alyshia said turning to him. "I do prefer stallions sexually."

My mind was quickly imploding with the information my brain was absorbing. I always thought Alyshia was straight as a board.

"I wouldn't mind getting a piece of him though," Midnight sighed.

"Eww," I said cringing as really bad thoughts entered my head.

"That pegasus in there?" Brax asked. "Serious?"

"What the hell is wrong with you all?" Midnight said loudly, her hooves thrown into the air. "None of you have any taste.”

"Well... I'm not gay," Brax said before taking a sip of his drink.

I shook my head. “I don’t care anyway, I’m taken, by the sexiest mare alive."

"Well, It's nice that somepony appreciates me," Scerine said as she returned. She gave me a kiss on the cheek and sat beside me.

"Tell me Scerine, is that rust coloured stallion good looking?" Midnight asked her curiously.

"He's alright I spose," Scerine said with a frown, "Aside from that look he gave me. Why?"

"Finally," Midnight said. "Thank you."

*                             *                                                                  *                                               *                         *

We began to drop down at Mid-Afternoon. My heart hammered slightly as I looked out the window and could see the barn I spent my first night in the distance, the only difference was that the ground was layered in snow. The barn itself was a bit a walk from the stable entrance so I hoped Midnight wasn't aiming for that. I checked my Pipbuck and the stable opening was about three kilometres away. "Meep, can you guide Midnight down?" I asked of my dragonfly companion. He gave a beep and flew out the window armed with my Pipbuck information. "Almost there," I told Alyshia, Brax and Scerine.

We landed about eight minutes later in front of the small cave entrance. I jumped out the back and landed in the fresh powdered snow. Luna fuck me with the moon, I was standing right out the front of my home. The cave entrance was rocky and some snow lay on the orange jagged rocks. I felt the wind blow softly and my ears perked at the very first sound I heard when I entered the wasteland, the sound of tree branches rubbing. It brought me back to when I was an innocent filly with nothing but stable maintenance for experience. I looked around and couldn't help but take it all in, I had to admit to myself. I was standing here again but I was a lot different than when I last stood here, the wasteland had changed me and still continues to change me, chipping away at my sanity and patience bit by bit and if it kept doing that, I feared I would become what I hate. I was honestly shocked at the difference made between then and now.

I shook my head, trying to shake those self-doubts. I've told myself this many times already but I'd say it again. "I am a good pony," I said inside my head.

"So this is where Amethyst lives?" Brax said audibly. "In a hole."

"It's not a hole you dick," I snapped at him. "It's the entrance to my home and Berry is in there, so is mum and my boss and all the ponies I grew up with." I shuddered. "Even Glenda. Anyways we should probably get going."

I lit my horn, as did Alyshia and Scerine turned on her fog lamp, we moved on to descend into the deep underground, Meep leading the way. "I look forward to meeting Berry," Alyshia said as darkness enveloped us. "You hold her in high esteem."

"She kept my head straight," I said, my voice echoing in the cave slightly. "She helped me through many rough times. We had many great times together."

"What does she do?" Midnight asked. "Is she in maintenance too?'

"No," I replied. "She works at the ice creamery; her magic is very unique so she was assigned there when she got her cutie mark."

"Did you get assigned to maintenance when you got your cutie mark?" Alyshia asked with a hint of curiosity.

"Yup," I said matter of factly. "At the time I wanted to be a medical mare but I got assigned to maintenance. Once I was there though, I enjoyed it so I don't really regret anything." I looked at my pipbuck which had my previous path on it, I just had to follow it, save for falling into the river which wouldn't do me any good.

With no one talking now I could hear the running water, the drip drip of the water seeping through the rocks. My purple horn light reflected brilliantly from the wet surface, the shiny rough rock compounding the light. It was also warm and humid in here, unlike the dry and cold outside. The cave looked more of a maze coming in than out. We had already taken two turns and to those outsiders who didn't know the path; it would be rather easy to get lost.  

"I s'pose the deep windy cave would protect the cave from undesirables," Scerine said quietly.

"Yeah, probably a good thing, it took me a while to get out," I said with a rather quite laugh. "Not to mention nearly drowning." This reminded me, that bridge was unusable.

*                             *                                                                  *                                               *                         *

The sound of bubbling and gurgling water filled my ears as an old bridge came into view of our light. "So here it was that I fell in," I said pointing to the large hole in the mouldy old bridge, "so no point in trying to cross it."

"Levitation and flying?" Alyshia asked.

I nodded. "You first." I lifted Alyshia in my magic with a little strain; she sailed through the air, inches from the wooden boards. I deposited her on the ground. "Brax," I lifted the earth pony up with a bit more strain.

"If I fall..."

"I die, I get it," I said in a bored matter as he sailed over the creek like Alyshia. I levitated myself close to weightlessness and walked across the bridge. Even with my levitation the boards moaned under the little weight applied to them. I walked around the hole and dropped my levitation once across. Midnight and Scerine merely flew over it. "Perks of being a pegasus?"

"At least I don't have to worry about falling," Midnight said with a smile. "You on the other hoof? I'm shocked you didn't fall into the creek."

"Oh haha," I muttered with extra emphasis. "Now we just need too..." I looked at my pipbick, the line of my previous trajectory was all over the place. So I just followed it in a straighter line.

We walked for another ten minutes before the cavern shrunk back down to the final leg of our journey. The only sound was our hoofsteps on the soft sandy cave floor, the faint sound of running water and Meeps metallic wings.

Crack-ck-ck-ck

I stopped and looked down and I nearly screamed. I stood on the foreleg of a pony skeleton, my hoof retracted, the purple aura showing the skull half buried in sand.

"So it looks like somepony found their way in," Alyshia sighed. She levitated something out of the sand and it appeared to be a really old torchlight. "Pre-war" she muttered as she picked up some coins from the snow. "They died on their way to the door; you think the radiation got in?"

I shook my head. "It's too deep, they probably already had radiation poisoning. It's a fair way out and not at all like the entrance to Stable Two which was right on the doorstep to Ponyville."

"Sounds like the best possibility," Brax growled. "Anyway let’s keep going."

I nodded, a sick feeling in my stomach. I couldn't imagine running from the inevitable. I closed my eyes for a second and imagined the green balefire explosion, the mushroom cloud of death rising into the air as you ran, the shockwave consuming everything and the fallout killing all in its path. I shuddered. My ancestors managed to escape it; little did they know that their great times nine or something grandchild made it out.

I shook my thoughts away as the cave descended quickly, the sign that the door was nearby. Sure enough, five minutes later the massive cog door appeared in front of us, fitting neatly into the rock, the steel threshold barely showing. I looked at the door, the number "86" blazoned across it in massive yellow letters. My heart was pounding in my chest, nerves or excitement, I didn’t know, perhaps both? I sighed heavily and I could feel my eyes water. Berry was behind that door somewhere. I checked my Pipbuck which read "Five forty five." It was nearly dinner, a good time to message her. I pulled up my pipbuck SMS list and selected "Berry."

"Berry, I'm at the door. Password is CMC=ScABS."

I hit send. The signal was weak, so I hoped it would get to her. After about thirty seconds the pipbuck beeped to notify the message was sent successfully. I smiled and let my rump hit the sandy floor. Everypony else sat down too. "Now we wait," I said with a shrug.

Ding!

I checked my messages and Berry replied.

"Door should open at 1am. I'll get things organised."

Organised? Was she going to plan it? Well I guess she would, considering security. That made me think of how I was going to get five ponies back without detection. My heart was starting to pound faster as I struggled to find ideas to get everypony through undetected, should I tell Berry I have companions? Perhaps not, I don't want to make her plan any more difficult than it needs to be, If I was on the other side I could jam the turrets if I could get down to the maintenance wing. No that would take too long if I went in first, not to mention two stable door openings. What about stunning the guards? That wouldn't work either as the ones missed would alert everypony else.

Opening the door and getting out was one thing but getting everypony back in was going to prove a challenge. Perhaps I best luck it and hope Berry has some genius plan. I decided to do it. I hit reply.

"PS: I have four other ponies with me. Hope it won't make things difficult <3 Amethyst."

Send

"Let's hope this goes well," I muttered to my companions. "I have no idea how we're going to get in undetected but Berry says she'll have it open at one."

"What would happen if we got caught? Kick us all out?" Alyshia asked. "You're a resident."

"Oh no, they won't kick me out," I said with a hearty laugh. "No I'm sure the Overmare wants a piece of me." My stomach rumbled with nervousness. If she found out I was back, I'd be surprised if she didn't lock me up. Perhaps it's best to sleep off the night, install the talisman and get back out. That wouldn't work either. She'd be notified of the open stable door.

I pounded a forehoof into the sand angrily. “Is the Overmare really that bad?" Brax asked in a low voice. His face was barely illuminated so I couldn't tell his expression.

'If you crossed Nightmare Moon and Discord together, you get the Overmare," I said with wave of a hoof. "My mum is the biggest suck up to her too. It’s nauseating." Thinking of the Overmare made me think about mum. Whether she kept her job, if she cut back on the drink, which was laughable. No mum wouldn't have cut back on the drink, her life was work, cider, work, cider. At least she kept sober while she worked.

"That bad huh?" Scerine whispered.

I nodded.

"So Alyshia," I started, wanting my thoughts of the feasibility of breaking back in to vanish. "Why didn't you bring up the fact that you like mares earlier too?"

"Huh?" her head snapped over to me. "Oh, I- Not really," she stammered quietly. "It's only slight, like. I prefer stallions, she paused. "I wouldn't date a mare unless I really liked her. It's more of a romantic thing really," she said with a hearty laugh, "I can appreciate a good looking mare but stallions do it for me more. Does that make sense?"

“Yeah but you never really mentioned it,” I replied quietly.

“No real point,” she muttered with a shrug. “I don’t find mare’s that appealing in a sexual sense, but in a romantic setting I could.”

I nodded. “That makes sense,” I said. To be truthful, it made little sense at all.

The wait wasn’t eventful, having to wait seven hours for the door to open, I was getting anxious, self-doubt and worry filled my veins. The Overmare held power, she was a frightening individual and I couldn’t imagine how she’d react to my return. I closed my eyes and saw her face screwed up in anger. “No Pony or Zebra leaves my stable ever!” I wasn’t sure if those were the perfect words she used but they would have been pretty close, her expression at least I would remember. She would have gone mad after I broke out, security would probably be stronger, gag orders would be placed on those that knew of the talisman. She mentioned the emergency water supply. We didn’t have an emergency water supply and even if we did the sewerage would contaminate it and we had no other water purification facilities apart from the talisman. I didn’t work in utilities but even I knew the water talisman purified sewage so she had no idea how the maintenance wing even worked.

*                             *                                                                  *                                               *                         *

It was twelve forty five and I was getting really tired. Midnight had fallen asleep, Alyshia had her head against the rocky cave wall but her eyes were open and Scerine had her head resting on my shoulder, asleep as well, her drool seeping into my coat. Meep had shut down clutched to my saddlebag and Brax was awake but tired. “Nearly there,” I muttered.

I checked my Pipbuck where the clock slowly ticked up. Twelve Fifty, Twelve Fifty Three, Twelve Fifty Five, Twelve Fifty Eight. My pipbuck beeped at One O’clock. But One O’clock turned to five past One, Ten past One.

When it was quarter past one I was getting worried. “She’s running late,” I said nervously. I was getting worried that she got caught, wasn’t able to get to the door or forgot. No, she didn’t forget, and if she couldn’t get to the door she would have messaged me by now.

My ears perked at a metallic sound and my heart jumped. I heard something hit the door and then. Sheeeiiiiikkk. Midnight and Scerine jumped awake and Alyshia and Brax were alert as the Stable Door pulled in. I jumped to my hooves as the door rolled to the side causing light to flood into the dark cave. It revealed Berry, two security guards stood on either side of her, and the stable was as shiny as ever, not at all like the dead stables we had pilferaged. I extinguished my horn and preceded into the Stable, the clean fresh air washed over me as I crossed the massive threshold, cautious due to the guards.

“Amethyst!” she squealed. She threw her hooves around me so tight I couldn’t breathe.

“B-Berry,” I wheezed, “too tight.”

“Sorry,” she apologised as she broke the hug. “Sorry for being late too.” I waved a hoof. My other friends walked in cautiously, Midnight in particular looked really nervous. “So are these your friends?” Berry asked.

“Yeah,” I said my ribs sore. “Midnight,” I pointed at the albino pegasus. “Alyshia,” at the purple unicorn, “Brax,” at the grey earth pony. “And Scerine,” I said pointing to the charcoal pegasus.

"Amethyst has said a lot about you," Alyshia chipped in with a wave of hello.

“Oh really?" Berry said with a sideways glance at me. "So the more important question is, did you get it?” Berry asked desperately.

I bit my lip. “Kind of,” I said, knowing what was to come. “The one I have is broken but it’s better than we got. So I have to go again.”

Durr Durr Durr. Shrieeek The door shut behind us.

“So why didn’t you tell me? Why didn’t you let me go with you?” Berry asked, her voice full of hurt as I knew it would be.

“I didn’t think, I just thought this was my mission and I needed somepony to let me in,” I replied apologetically.

Berry raised an eyebrow. “I’m shocked you’re still alive, I don’t know what happened to you,” she said scanning my new body, “but at least you’re here now.” She gave me another hug that I returned. “But when you leave again I’m going too.”

I was about to protest and tell her no way but I felt that now wasn’t the best time.  I couldn’t expose Berry to what I’d seen, would she understand? No, Berry wasn’t like that, she had her mind made up and there was no way I could change that. The best I could do was to make her understand what life was like beyond the door and if that didn’t change anything, I couldn’t force her to stay. She broke the hug. “We had better get going, you’re room is still untouched so you should be able to get in still, at least the resistance has bought us some time.”

“The resistance?” I asked curiously as the sliding door into the main corridors opened.

“The resistance was set up after I told the Overmare’s daughter that I knew the talisman was dead,” Berry replied.

“The Overmare’s daughter?” I asked, “Isn’t that risky?”

“No,” Berry said quietly. “She became estranged from her mother about a year ago, she says that she’s become too extreme, too authoritarian and has gone against the stable constitutional agreement multiple times, she’s been talking of a coup but she hasn’t had the opportunity yet to enact it. She set up the resistance and I joined it upon revealing the talisman information. When you left, the Overmare put in place a strict curfew. Out of corridors by seven pm, showers only once a week, Maintenance were put on gag orders and anyone aware of the talisman outside of maintenance had their memory of it wiped magically.”

“What!?” I said exasperated.

“Even your mother,” Berry sighed. “She got sacked the following morning; it was quite public so she’s been on admin duties.”

I wasn’t surprised yet I couldn't help but feel like a lead weight appeared in my stomach. “How’s her drinking?” I asked.

“Bad,” Berry replied grimly. Another non-surprise. Now I only needed to find out if she would ever talk to me again.

“The resistance knows your back so hopefully you can help us with the coup, Sunset thinks they can get the coup together very soon now you’re here,” Berry said excitedly. “Of course your friends are welcome to join too.”

I smiled. “Thanks, so they expect this to happen soon?”

“Yeah, Sunset has always been talking of a turning point," Berry explained. "To be honest, I can't think of a better time than now, not that you're back."

I was about to explain how I fit into this when Berry shook her head. "We really better get going," she said with a hint of desperation. "I’ll explain more but I don't want to be caught in the corridors, we're almost out of time."

I nodded and that's when we began to quickly navigate down to the rooms. No one talked, we were quiet and we met no guards on the way down. It wasn't until we were outside Berry's room that she spoke. "I can take two of your friends if you like; I don't think you’re going to fit five ponies in your room."

"Okay," I whispered, "good point. Who wants to stay with Berry tonight?" I asked. They all looked at each other but no one offered; even Midnight looked a bit shy.

"I won't bite," Berry said with a little giggle.

"I will," Alyshia piped up.

"Okay, I guess I will too," Midnight said quietly.

"Brilliant," Berry beamed. "Midnight and, uhh. Alyshia was it?"

They both nodded and the trio vanished as they stepped into her room and the door closed. "I guess it's just us tonight then," I whispered. "My room is just down there," I added. Two doors down I pulled the keys out from the bottom of my saddlebags and inserted it. My heart was pounding for some reason, I couldn’t be nervous about coming back to my old room could I? I opened the door and flicked the lights on magically.

My room was exactly the way I left it. The lounge cushions lay messy, the grey bed unmade, my Rarity plush lay across the pillow on the half of the bed I didn't use, DVDs lay messily on the floor near the TV, the door to the toilet was left ajar and my quill and paper lay on the bedside table, where I had left it when I gave the letter to Berry. Emotion crept through my chest and my eyes began to water and I didn't even know why.

"So this is Amethyysts room," Scerine said walking around me.

"It's as messy as her air," Brax growled as he walked over to the sofa.

If I could describe my emotions, it would be sad with a hint of disappointment. I felt I was mourning my previous life and my old self for the first time. I left this place shy, ditzy, ignorant and perhaps a little foolish. I've returned a killer, a mutant, and my shyness, ditzyness and ignorance have all but vanished, replaced by a damaged mare. The wasteland had changed me into something I'm not, I realised this outside the cave but it didn't really hit home until now.  What will I be when I come back next time?

Scerine noticed that I was a little off. "Amethyst are you alright?" she asked putting a hoof around my neck.

"I don't know," I sighed sadly. "I guess... I've realised how different things were here, how different I was, how the wasteland has twisted me into, well into this," I said as tears formed thickly in my vision. "I'm not me anymore, I'm a monster compared to what I was."

Scerine hugged me. "You're not a monster," she said quietly and soothingly. "It might be true you've changed a little but the fundamentals that make you, well... you are still there." Scerione then placed her metallic forehoof against my cheek. "Do you think I would have fallen in love with you if I thought you were deranged, or a monster?" she asked of me.

I shook my head, tears leaking down my face.

"See, you're being a silly pony," she said with a weak smile. I returned her smile. Silly pony Perhaps I have changed but those fundamentals that make me who I was might just still be there. "So let’s get some sleep so we can tackle the next day."

I nodded; feeling a little reassured I made my way over to my bed where I sat down. Brax was sorting out the sofa to sleep on; he stacked the cushions for the pillow while Scerine was getting out of her armour. I levitated Rarity and pulled her into a hug, my forehooves wrapping around her. She was still soft and warm and she provided comfort as she had done since I was a little foal. Her embroided eye needed to be re-secured but considering her age, she was in very good condition. . When I leave, I'll be taking her this time, but I'll make sure she is well looked after. I put Rarity back down and took my saddlebags and barding off, I pried Meep from the Saddlebags as he was asleep and placed him on the bed head, his claws wrapped naturally around the metal where he now sat securely.

"Okay, I'm going to bed now," Brax growled from the sofa.

"Okay," I said as my own eyes began to fall due to exhaustion. Scerine got into the left side of the bed, opposite of where I was sitting.

"You coming to bed hon?" Scerine said quitely.

I nodded as I pulled myself into bed and threw the sheets over me. They had a "haven't been slept in for a while," smell to them but they were warm and far cleaner than anything I had used since leaving. I let my head fall onto my soft pillow before turning out the lights magically. I wrapped a hoof around Rarity and Scerine placed a wing around me. I was home, in my bed, it felt the same as it did before but this time I had my girlfriend here with me, her wing around me and in love with me. I smiled and closed my eyes, darkness enveloping me faster than ever before.

*                             *                                                                  *                                               *                         *

Nock Nock Nock

I woke up feeling groggy. "Coming," I croaked as I rolled out of bed. My hooves touched the steel floor and I made my way over to the door expecting Berry. I wrapped my magic around the handle and opened the door. A very angry, very frightening pink mare with slick black hair, stood before me. Two guards stood behind her. I felt all the blood in my head drain from it, my skin went very cold and I gulped. "O-Overmare," I stammered. I kept the door close to me so she couldn't see through.

"You have some nerve coming back here don't you?" she growled. "What did I say? I said NO ONE leaves the stable . So you go ahead, break into my office, steal the password AND open the door." She looked me up and down, the bandage was still on my leg and I had blood staining my face. "I'm not even going to ask what you've been exposed to." She shook her head. "Apprehend her and take her to the holding cells. I'll deal with her later."

"What?" I barked. "Why?"

"You broke the law, you're being punished," the Overmare spat. I bit my lip and sighed. I stepped out of my room and held my forehooves out to the guards to cuff them. I really had no choice, I wasn't armed and any resistance would just mean getting tasered.

"You know," I piped up. "With me in jail, you aren't going to get the water talisman I got, let me go and I'll install it."

She looked at me sheethingly through those crazy pink eyes. "You aren't poisoning this stable with something you think is a water talisman Miss Days. As I'm sure you've discovered by now, everything out there is poisoned, including that thing you got so don't try to fucking bribe your way out of here." She whinnied. "Now get her out of here, I don't want to look at this piece of filth for a second longer."

So I was led away. I was angry at the Overmare, she was delusional, as if any logic presented to her was meaningless. She appeared more deranged than before, calmer yes, but if anything, this made her seem even crazier. Once out of earshot of the Overmare I glanced at one of the guards. "So, do you think the Overmare is being ridiculous? I mean, I'm here with a new talisman, to save everypony?"

The guard on my left shrugged but didn't say anything.

"Fine, ignore me," I spat. They didn't say anything and they clearly didn't care because I was later thrown in the Holding Cell at the Master at Arms office. As the cell door slammed behind me a layer of magic ran down the door, clearly to prevent me from casting any spells. I looked around. The holding cell was just steel, the floor, the walls, and the cage. I could see into the empty adjacent cells and that was about it. I slammed my forehoof angrily against the metal cage. "You can't keep me locked in here forever!" I yelled. I shifted over to the mattress and sat down. I then sent a message to Meep and to Berry.

Overmare took me to the Holding Cells. I'm at the Master at Arms office, not sure if anything can be done. Talisman is in my bag; make sure the Overmare can't get it.

Send.

My Pipbuck beeped to indicate the message was sent. A moment later a message came back from Berry.

Message has been sent to Sunset, I have your friends at my place, just waiting on her reply, we'll get you out of there. I promise.

I then lay down. How could I let this happen to myself? Of course this was going to happen, it was inevitable. I just hoped they could get me out of here. What if the Overmare banished me, or if she had me executed. I knew that execution wasn't done here but the Overmare seemed capable of it, she had destabilised since I left, that much was adamant and I couldn't trust that pony as much as I could throw her. I looked up at the ceiling, wishing there was an air vent but all I could see was flat steel.

I couldn't do much; I was quite literally a prisoner in my own home. So all I could do was wait, wait for salvation, or wait for the Overmare to come.

After about two hours I was beginning to get restless. I hadn't been formally charged and I couldn't do anything, if anything I was going mad in here.

Click

My ears perked up at the barely audible sound. I sat up. Who was that? What was that? "Hand me the keys," A strong female voice said quietly.

"I am under the explicit order of the Overmare to keep this place secure," a stallion barked, "now leave or I'll be placing you in the cell too."

"Give me the god damn keys," the mare snapped.

"No!" the stallion growled. "Go see the Overmare, this is your final warning."

"I don't have time for this," the mare growled.

Btzzzz

It kind of sounded like a laser gun but it didn't. I wasn't sure what had happened but the Stallion didn't say another word. I heard hoof steps coming my way, getting louder and louder until a mare around Alyshia's age stood in front of my cell. Her coat was of an amber colour and her mane was sunset orange, her cutie mark bore a stable door, the sun rising or falling behind it, I couldn't tell which. "Amethyst?" the mare asked. I nodded and she inserted the key and opened the door. She looked at me through her pink eyes, similar to that of the Overmare but instead of showing madness, derangement and loathing they were much friendlier.

"Sunset?" I asked as she unshackled me, I was simply a guess from what Berry had said and the visual I was getting from this pony.

"Sure am," she said. "Right, we just need to get downstairs to the Maintenance Wing, we have an office down there. I'll explain more when we're there. I just need you to put this on, make sure it covers your whole body."

"Okay," I replied as she pulled out an old silky cloak. I ensured it covered every part of me which wasn't difficult; it was built to hide an entire stallion.

"Good, I can't see you," she said delightfully. "This is yours?" she asked holding a gun holster with a magnum in it.

I nodded and took that too and strapped it to myself. I won't use it, unless I absolutely had to, this isn't the wasteland.

"I just need to put this fellow in the holding cell so he doesn't wake up and ruin everything," she muttered. She then dragged the stallion magically and placed him in a cell before wiping his Pipbuck contact list. She then locked the cell behind her.

"What did you do to him?" I whispered as we left the facility.

"Just a shock, not a lot else," she whispered. "Anyway, be quite."

"Sorry," I mouthed but this was futile because I was invisible. I had to dodge out of everypony's way in the narrow corridors but then I learnt to just walk directly behind her. We entered the maintenance wing which was deserted, I checked my pipbuck and it was a Sunday, of course it was deserted. We walked past the terminal and robotics sub-wing and turned into the utilities sub-wing. Sunset checked her EFS, looked manually and then opened the door. I stepped in behind her and she closed the door.

I hadn't been in the utility sub-wing before; these ponies maintain electricity, water, sewage and the associated pipe work. The corridor was longer than the one in our section and the doors were labelled. Suddenly, I felt the cloak lift from me. "All good from here," she muttered. "We're just up in the head office, third door on the left."

We entered the door to head office and behind it were about twenty ponies in deep conversation. When Sunset entered they all stopped talking and stood. "No need my little ponies," she said professionally. "We have a job to do.” She paused. "May I introduce to you, Amethyst Days," she waved a hoof at me and I held up a hoof nervously. I still didn't know how I fit into all of this.

I spotted Berry, Alyshia, Brax, Scerine and Midnight at the far end of the table, they were clapping their hooves. I noticed that Alyshia, Scerine, Midnight and Brax were wearing stable barding and it looked rather odd on them. Everypony else was quite exasperated that I was standing before them. "Are you the Amethyst Days, the one who left the stable?" A light grey earth stallion piped up.

"Uhh, yeah," I said nervously. "That's me."

"So it's true, you got a talisman?" the mare next to him chipped in.

"Yeah, but it’s not perfect," I replied feeling very much in the spotlight. "I need to get another."

"I thought you were a unicorn," a blue unicorn mare said. "Why do you have wings?"

That was quite an invasive question and I wasn't sure I wanted to answer that. "I am a unicorn," I replied deciding to keep the answer simple.

Sunset must have sensed my discomfort because she said, "Okay everypony, I think we've bombarded her enough." She turned to me. "You can take a seat if you like," she whispered. Without further ado and to get away from the staring eyes, I made my way over to my friends.

"Welcome back," Berry whispered.

"Thanks," I muttered back.

"Okay everypony," Sunset said seriously. "We have a job to do; today we take the Stable back for ourselves, today we become united, today stability shall be restored."

Everypony cheered and clapped their hooves. I joined in because as much as everypony else, I wanted somepony else to be Overmare.

"So the plan," Sunset said turning to a whiteboard with maps of various stable levels. "Spark, we need you to kill the power to the Overmare's office after lunch, she's back in her office by one thirty so cut the power at one forty five."

"No problem ma'am," the unicorn stallion near the front said with a salute.

"Berry," Sunset said as she looked at my leaf green friend. "I need you to keep track of the Overmare, if she appears to delay or deviate from her usual routine you need to message me at once so I can modify other plans in time to storm the place."

"Yes ma'am," Berry said with a salute.

"Amethyst," Sunset said. I jumped up, not expecting my name to be called. "I need you to hack the main computer in the terminal wing and disable the turrets in the Overmare's office, which includes cutting her ability to reactivate them."

"That shouldn't be a problem," I piped up. "Consider it done."

"Oh, I almost forgot to mention, you'll need to take the cloak once completed and meet me in the atrium at one thirty," she added. "I'll need your assistance with talking sense into my mother."

I gulped. Negotiating was probably one of my weakest attributes. I nodded all the same but I doubted my presence would be of any help.

"Bullet and Poker, I'll need you two to accompany me, in case things get a little," she paused. "Out of control."

Bullet, a pale yellow stallion nodded and Poker, a white mare with red hair saluted.

"Everypony else, keep an eye on your messages in case I need you,"

"Yes ma'am," everypony else chanted. "Okay, everypony get ready, Spark, power needs to be out in an hour, let me know if there are any issues."

The stallion nodded and with that everypony except me, Berry and my other companions left. "Amethyst, I can't have you leave until you’re ready to cut the turrets, when you do leave. Use this." She passed me the cloak. "Be careful, it's pretty low on energy."

I nodded and took the cloak. "Well I should probably get going, I need to find the Overmare," Berry said nervously.

"Okay," I replied. "Goodluck!"

Berry nodded and handed me an apple “You probably haven't eaten yet, oh and this," she added. She passed me a set stable barding and without further ado she left. I let off a huge sigh. "I am so sorry about this," I said turning to the other four. "I didn't realise this was all happening and I didn't foresee getting jailed and-"

Scerine put a hoof to my mouth. "It's completely fine," she said with a smile. "It's your home and you have to do what you have to do." Everypony else nodded in agreement.

"Thanks," I muttered as I took a bite of the apple. "Have you guys eaten yet? Lunch will be at the atrium soon."

"Yeah, Berry got us some breakfast earlier," Alyshia piped up. "I've got to say," she said looking at the others before turning back to me. "After eating that food, it's no wonder you hate the canned food."

I shrugged. "I'm a bit of a pansy when it comes to that but seriously, I'm getting used to that old food anyway," I replied. "So are you guys going for lunch or?"

"We probably should," Alyshia mentioned, "just to keep out of the way."

The other three nodded. "At least we blend in a little more," Brax said looking down at his barding. "It's rather comfortable too."

"Says the pony with no wings," Midnight scoffed, her wings were jammed behind the barding. "When this whole coup thing is over I'm going barecoat for the rest of the stay here," she added with a growl.

"I concur," Scerine agreed.

"Anyway, we should probably get going," Alyshia said. She turned to hug me. "Good Luck hon, hopefully everything works out."

I wrapped my forehooves around Alyshia's neck. "Thanks Alyshia," I said sincerely. She broke the hug and Scerine pecked me on the cheek.

"Yeah good luck," she said when she pulled away. "Stay safe."

Midnight put an encouraging hoof on my shoulder and Brax nodded to me which I returned. "I'll meet you back in my room after two," I said farewelling them.

*                             *                                                                  *                                               *                         *

My Pipbuck beeped at one fifteen, indicating it was now time to disable the turrets.  I got into my stable barding, it was a size too big but that was okay as it made room for the wings and then threw the cloak over myself. I wrapped my magic around the door knob and left, hidden from view. I was careful to not make any noise as I left the utility wing and proceeded down the main corridor of the maintenance wing. Luckily, I didn't encounter anypony. I checked my EFS before entering the terminal and robotics wing. Of course I had access to this wing as it was where I worked. The door clicked open and I walked in.

It looked the same as always. It was messy, things weren't organised. In the main area a dismantled robot with many legs lay strewn across the table and a terminal lay ready for repair next to it. The work benches had clutter all over them, metal shavings, chips, spare hard drives and the like. The main room and corridor had four doors. The office, to the right of the work tables was where my boss spent half the day doing who knows what (Probably Sleeping), the door on the left was where the spare parts were stored, (at least the parts that made it in there,) the server room and the final door was where our Pipbuck technician worked.

That reminded me. I had to drop my Pipbuck off to have the pads replaced and to have it tightened. I shook my head. I need those turrets disabled. I entered the server room door in the corridor and walked into the cold air-conditioned room. The room was humming with loud noises of the running servers. About five computers lay against the wall on the door side and server racks adorned the back walls. Sunset hadn't realised I was one of the administrators to the main server. I could just log right in but I didn't have access to the Security or the Overmare's applications or files from here so that's where I needed to do my hacking work.

I found a hacking tool nearby and plugged it into the server near the monitor that allowed direct access. I logged in using my userID and password and brought up to main console. I had access to file backups, degrees of account maintenance and records of what maintenance use and recycle. I brought up the security application which asked for a password. Of course only the high up security ponies had this access but I brought up my hacking tool and attempted to get in.

This was actually rather difficult as it was a twelve character password and it was full of letters and numbers. With each password I tried I wrote down the letters and numbers it contained on a piece of paper for me to keep track. After about ten minutes I was starting to stress, I had to be in the atrium in five minutes and still no password. Why did I leave this to the last minute? I bit my lip. "No, you got this Amethyst," i whispered to myself. "Just a walk in the park." I found a password that matched all my numbers and letters and it failed. Two attempts left and I had to back out again. That was when I spotted it. S3cu5ys4dm1n

Beep

I was in. I quickly navigated the security console and clicked on "Turrets." It brought up the entire stable turret system. There was even a turret outside the stable door but it was showing as damaged, probably by humidity or water. I quickly navigated to the Overmare's turrets. There were two in total and both were showing as "Standby." I clicked the drop down on them and shifted them into Offline. I then turned off their emergency battery system in case they were to come online after the power was out. I logged off, unplugged the hacking tool and threw it on the table and made a dash out of maintenance while not losing my cloak.

I made it to the atrium at one thirty on the dot. Setset was looking around for me, not that it would make any difference. "Turrets are offline," I whispered sidling up to her.

She jumped slightly and then addressed me. “Excellent, I knew you could do it," she praised. "I can take the cloak back now." I pulled it off me and passed it over and she stuffed it into her saddlebags. “Let’s go.” I followed her at her heels.

“Where are Bullet and Poker?” I asked thinking of where our security entourage were.

“You’ll see,” Sunset replied happily. “I just hope the Overmare doesn’t suspect them to be part of The Resistance.

We ascended the final set of stairs and flanking either side of the door was the Overmare’s security. It was Bullet and Poker. “She has security outside her door now?” I asked exasperated, “paranoid much?”

Poker winked at us, it was actually kind of cute. Sunset raised her Pipbuck to her mouth. “Spark,” she whispered. “Kill the power now!”

I heard a click on the door as the power was cut to the Overmare’s office. Spark and Bullet pulled out their guns and stormed in first; Sunset ignited her horn and went in immediately after, followed by myself.

The Overmare stood up from her desk, the emergency lighting could only just illuminate her cold eyes. “S-Sunset?” she blabbed. “What is the meaning of this?”

“Step down,” Sunset growled, “and nopony gets hurt.”

The Overmare looked taken aback.“And why should I heed your demands,” the Overmare shot at her. “I’m in charge here, not you.” The Overmare made eye contact with me and those cold eyes narrowed. “Or did she,” the Overmare snapped, “fill your head with damaged talisman rubbish?”

Sunset raised an eyebrow. “I’ve seen the old talisman for myself,” Sunset said calmly. “It’s fucked, so don’t try and make Amethyst the enemy here, she did an incredibly brave and noble thing to-“

“She left against MY orders,’ the Overmare roared, her hoof banging on the table. “Leaving this place puts us ALL at risk, don’t you see that Sunset? Or would you blindly offer Eighty Six to the poison of the outside?”

“I never said I was going to open the door,” Sunset sighed. “This discussion is pointless; you’re treating us all like rubbish while you sit on your high horse while the stable slowly runs out of water.”

“And YOU!” the Overmare roared, completely disregarding what Sunset had said and pointing an accusational hoof at me. “Filled my daughter’s head with the desire to overthrow me didn’t you?”

“What?” I yelped. “Me? I’ve been gone for the last two months, I only got back like twelve hours ago and I spent most of that sleeping and in jail.”

“ENOUGH!” Sunset roared. “You know that isn’t true,” she shouted at her mother. “You’re delusional, this is it. Step down now.”

“Over. My. Dead. Body,” the Overmare growled. Her horn ignited and she pulled something out that was all too familiar to my eyes and aimed it at Sunset. I pulled out my magnum fast but before I could pull the trigger.

BANG

Poker’s eyes widened and the Overmare hit the floor, her gun clattering to the ground a second later. Poker lowered her weapon looking shocked.

"Mum!" I heard Sunset shout and she ran over to her.

I ran over to the Overmare and quickly examined her; she had a single bullet wound through her lower neck. She was still breathing.

“She’s still alive,” I called out. I levitated the Overmare carefully from the floor; blood had pooled slightly where she fell, her blood loss while serious wasn’t going to kill her too quickly, so I placed her on my back.

“Be careful,” Sunset called. “Bullet, can you escort Miss Days to the hospital wing? I need to make an announcement; I’ll visit her when I’m done.” I didn’t know why I needed to be escorted but we both left without haste.

*                             *                                                                  *                                               *                         *

I hobbled through the doors of the hospital wing and Bullet stood outside. The much larger mare on top of me was heavy and she was bleeding into my barding but I had to get her medical treatment.

“Amethyst!” a mare in the stable doctor’s uniform called. She had a pale green mane and a mint green coat. I went to medical school with this filly when I was little.  “What happened to the Overmare?” she said quickly pulling a bed over for this emergency patient.

“It’s a long story,” I replied, “please take care of her,” I mentioned as she was wheeled away. Once she was gone I began to feel guilty. What could I have said that prevented the escalation? I couldn’t think, I should have said more as that was the reason I was brought along. I began to hobble back to my room, a weight in the pit of my stomach; I was almost there where the PA system popped online.

“Greetings Stable Eighty Six, its Sunset calling from the Overmare’s office. I would like to start by announcing that the Overmare has stepped down and I have come in to replace her. I would like to thank the effort s of the resistance whose assistance in this matter has been invaluable, not to mention non-other than Amethyst Days for returning to us with a better talisman.” Sunset paused.

“My mother sought to keep a dark secret from you all. For the last few months the Stable’s Talisman was on its way out and we were all doomed to die in our own homes of starvation and thirst. Amethyst left the stable against my mother’s orders to get another some weeks ago. It may seem like a blessing however she isn’t complete in her journey. I had to take action against my mother and this is how I have become your Overmare. I would like to invite everypony to celebrate this occasion in the atrium on Tuesday evening, and no work on Wednesday for those that want to let their hair loose.”

The PA cut out as I walked down the corridor to my room. I hoped Sunset would visit her mother, as much as I hated the old Overmare I didn't wish she would die, I'm just glad she was removed from power and hoped she would get the help she needed.

I stepped into my room and everypony was waiting there for me. I threw them a smile as I walked in. "Good job," Berry said, happily clapping a forehoof against my shoulder. "What happened anyway? What's with the blood?"

"It escalated and Poker shot the Overmare," I muttered. "She's okay though, she's in hospital, I took her there."

Berry looked shocked. "Mother of Celestia," she said taken aback. "I'm glad you're okay at any rate," she said relieved.

Scerine came in next and she kissed me on the cheek before pulling me into a hug. "I'm glad you're okay too," she said caringly.

I looked at Berry as we broke apart, her eyebrow was raised. "So, are you two like, together or something?" She asked confused.

"Oh yeah," I said as I rubbed the back of my head with a forehoof.

"Nice of you to tell me," Berry said seriously.

"What? I only just-" I began but Berry began to laugh.

"I'm pulling your leg," she laughed. "You only just got back, I know. But sweet mother of Celestia you picked up a good one," she added looking up and down at Scerine's body.

"Yeah well," I said matter-of-factly. "How goes your love life?"

"We might go for a walk," Alyshia piped up as she glanced at Brax, Scerine and Midnight. "Leave you two some time to catch up."

I nodded and they left.

"Trash," she sighed as if nothing had happened. "If I keep going like this I'll end up lonely forever."

"Yeah I thought so too," I said in what I hoped to be a comforting way. "But then I met Scerine, it was such luck really."

"So," Berry began seriously as she sat on the sofa. "Have you two, you know? Done it yet?" She said without any hint of embarrassment.

"Yeah," I said with a smile. "Just the once so far."

"Really?" She said her head craning in excitement. "Well, give me some details?"

I smiled sheepishly at her.

"You don't have to," Berry said with a wave of a hoof. "But was it good?"

"You bet it was," I said with a wide smile.

'So about leaving, " Berry said changing the subject.”When are we going? Only I need to tell my boss tomorrow."

The smile was wiped from my face in an instant. "About that," I murmured nervously. Berry raised her left eyebrow but I wasn't about to tell her what I wanted to tell her. I had to make sure she knew exactly what she was getting herself into. "I'm not going to say you can't come but you need to understand what it's like beyond the door," I said. "I nearly died Berry, multiple times. I was even locked in a room full of decayed corpses; I was to become one of those corpses, when I was by myself."

Berry recoiled slightly. "I'm not going to sugar coat this," I said seriously. "The land out there if full of evil ponies, irradiated monsters, radiation, of... I ruffled by bloody wings. I pulled my saddlebags to me magically and levitated my last .308 round for my Sniper Rifle. It was the most imposing bullet I had used. I held up the brass coloured bullet to Berry's face, the tip shining angrily against the stable lighting. "Berry, by going outside you have to put these into the heads of ponies and monsters that turn red on the EFS," I mentioned. "It changes you, a lot. I'm not the same as when I left and neither will you."

"It's kay," Berry said nervously. "You're my best friend and I will never stay here while you go out, we stick together, we always have."

I pulled out my shotgun and unloaded it before passing the unused bullets and the gun to her. "This is yours then," I said passing her the gun. "We'll get you something a bit better in town."

She levitated the gun. "It's heavy," she commented.

"Not as heavy as this," I said holding up the much larger sniper rifle. "I can't stress enough though," I added as I put the rifle down. "If it shoots at you, or comes at you with a weapon, you kill it. I learnt the hard way but seriously, killing is hard the first few times. It's something to get used to." I couldn't believe I had just said that.

Berry still looked nervous. "How many ponies have you killed?" She asked sheepishly.

"A lot," was my only answer.

"I can do it," Berry said looking at the gun. "We can get the talisman together; I can't stay here with you out there, not like last time."

"You could die," I replied.

"I know," Berry sighed. "As long as I know you’re there, if you can do it, so can I, we can do it together."

I couldn't believe the loyalty Berry was showing me. Our friendship was strong but for her to throw the stable life away at a whim just to support me meant a lot. "We have the girls. And guy as well," I added. "We work well together, I'm sure you'll fit well into the team. Make sure you bring some extra warm clothes though."

"It's cold?" Berry asked her head cocked.

"Freezing," I said. "It's mid-winter so there's snow, and cold, and blizzards." I pulled out two books for Berry. "You might want to read these as well." I passed over "Gun's Today," and "Wasteland Survival Guide," magically. "Just make sure you read the parts on Raiders, Slavers, Monsters and Radiation. But yeah, we leave on Wednesday."

Berry nodded.

“Oh and I almost forgot,” I said with a little laugh. “The food is two hundred years old and the water is boiled before drinking. It doesn’t stop the radiation though.”

“Are you trying to stop me from going?” Berry said. “No matter what you say I’m going, even if that means becoming a winged midget.”

“Oh gee thanks,” I said heavily. “Anyway,” I said perking up. “I'm going to go for a shower, although, it’s usually my own blood that I clean off," I said with a hearty laugh.

*                             *                                                                  *                                               *                         *

Once I was squeaky clean and my leg bandage finally removed I wandered out into the corridors. The shower pressure was much lower than usual, an ominous sign. The walls of the corridors however oozed certain warmth that no other walls beyond the stable could accomplish. My eyes caught an air vent and a memory flashed before me. A dead frozen pegasus family. I shook my head and looked away from the vent. It would probably be a good idea to visit mum, I was putting it off but really I couldn’t do that anymore. She was my mum and Sunset said I was back so I couldn’t really dodge it anymore.

I came to a stop outside mum’s place. My heart was hammering in my chest, I was nervous and I wasn’t even sure she wanted to see my face again. I knocked twice and waited. After a few seconds the door opened and my mother appeared before me. She was a mess, she looked grey in the face and her pink mane was matted, her eyes were lacking colour and she smelt strongly of cider. The fact she was drunk wasn’t what was surprising but rather the time, she wasn’t usually this drunk until eight or nine PM. It was three thirty and she was already drunk.

I gave her a nervous smile. “I’m back, even if it’s for a short time,” I muttered. I could see around her body and into her room which was unusually messy. Cider bottles littered the counter, some were on the floor.

She looked shocked. “Amethyst?” she said slowly.

“Yeah?”

She blinked. “You look. Different, what are you doing here?” She didn’t seem at all pleased to see me.

“I’m here to see you, because you’re my mother and that’s what daughters are supposed to do?” I said slowly. “I’m back in the stable till Wednesday.”

“Well, you’re not welcome,” Mum said as she went to close the door but my magic overthrew hers and I held it open.

“What do you mean I’m not welcome,” I said coldly. “Do you know where I’ve been?”

“You’ve been doing whatever,” she said stupidly. “I don’t care, you stole my keys and.-

“It’s been months,” I cut over her, “and you don’t care about seeing me?” I asked feeling hurt. “I’ve been out there for you too; I missed you.”

“I don’t care,” Mother snapped venomously. “You’ve been the devil child since you were born, you’ve ruined my life and I don’t care anymore.”

“I’ve ruined your life?” I said my voice rising. “I took the bottle of Cider floating next to her out of her magical grasp. “This has ruined your life,” I half shouted as I held the bottle to her face. “You have a problem with alcohol, you need to stop drinking. This isn’t about me, I don’t give a rats ass if you don’t like me, that’s been pretty obvious since I was a little filly. It’s the fact that I still care, even if you don’t.

“Give that back,” she growled.

“Yeah, no,” I said shaking my head. “I think you’ve had enough, “

“Well then fuck off,” she shouted. “Go back outside and play out there like a big girl then, I don’t care.”

“Fine,” I yelled back pushing the bottle of cider back into her face. I let it go and she caught it. “I don’t care either. Drink yourself to death then, see what I care.”

“Fine, I will!” She yelled. “I wish I had never conceived you!” She then slammed the door in my face. That last sentence hit a nerve and my eyes began to water. I let my head hang and after a moment I walked slowly back to my room, my tail dragging on the floor, my wings drooping in sadness. I was harsh, yes. But I had to, because I cared. Nothing could stop her drinking problem. She didn’t care about me either; if I died out there she wouldn’t even bat an eye. That hurt, it hurt a lot.

I opened my door and ignoring Alyshia, Brax and Midnight I threw myself into bed. “Somepony has the blues,” Midnight sighed. “What’s up Amethyst?”

“It doesn’t matter,” I growled.

“Clearly it does,” Alyshia said. “Or you wouldn’t be upset.”

I sat up and closed my eyes as tears began to well up again. “I went to see mum,” I croaked.

Alyshia was taken aback. “What did she do?” She sighed.

“It doesn’t matter,” I said wiping my eyes again. “She doesn’t care about me; she wishes I was never born.”

Midnight and Alyshia looked at each other. “I doubt she meant that,” Alyshia said trying to comfort me.

“No, she did,” I replied. “I’m apparently the devil child, I’ve ruined her life and she wishes I was never conceived.” I rubbed my eyes. “Of course, she was drunk but that’s when she spills her thoughts without thinking.”

“I’m going to go talk to her,” Alyshia said. “Where does she live?”

“What?!?” I yelped. “No way, Alyshia you do not want to speak to her. Believe me.”

“Okay,” Alyshia said. “I’ll confront her at dinner.”

“You don’t even know what she looks like,” I said. “Good Luck.”

“Actually I do,” Alyshia said smartly. “She looks a lot like you but older and with a pink mane. You showed me your pictures in New Saddle, remember?”

Oh shit she did too.

*                       *                                                                  *                                               *                         *

Dinner began well enough in the large atrium. Berry gave me another set of Stable Barding that was modified to allow it to fit properly. We ate fresh rice and pepper curry. The flavours burst on my tongue.” Brax finished well before any of us.

“Damn that curry was good,” he said with a burp. “I can’t remember eating anything like it.”

“Yeah, I missed it,” I said before spooning more food into my mouth. I looked at Alyshia who was too busy looking for my mum than to eat her food. “You better look out Alyshia, Brax might steal your food.”

Alyshia waved her hoof at me as if to say “In a moment,” I saw a mess of pink mane enter the atrium and I lowered my head. I only hoped Alyshia wouldn’t notice.

“Mrs Days,” Alyshia called from her bench, her hoof held aloft trying to get her attention. I held my head down to the table to shield it.

“Who’re you?” I heard Mum say quite clearly for how much cider she had consumed.

“I’m Alyshia, I’m Amethyst’s friend and I’ve cared for her while she’s been out.” I felt Scerine’s hoof poke me, it was no use hiding so I sat up but didn’t look at her.

“So?”

“She was pretty upset this afternoon and I was hoping if it would be okay if we were to talk,” Alyshia said clearly. I chanced a glance and Mum didn’t look quite in the mood for a talk.

“I think we talked enough,” Mum said coldly. “Of course, it’s not unlike Amethyst to turn a mound into a mountain.”

“I don’t think she’s over exaggerating at all,” Scerine pipped up.  “When I got back from Berry’s she was pretty cut, my dad is pretty hard line but would never tell me to get fucked. There’s no need to treat your daughter like that.”

“And who the hell are you to tell me how I address my daughter?” Mum barked.

Scerine looked affronted and she stood up. “I’m her girlfriend and I’ll stick up for her till the end, as should you,” she said angrily as she jabbed hoof at her chest.

Mum recoiled. I looked away but I could still feel her cold stare. “Hon, sit down,” I said trying to pull her down to her chair but Scerine shook me off.

“No Amethyst,” Scerine said seriously. “She’s supposed to love you unconditionally.”

I looked at Mum and then back at Scerine. “I don’t mind, it’s okay, please stop.”

“Amethyst?” my Mums voice finally said. “I didn’t mean what I said earlier, it wasn’t on. But. I think it’s best if we keep our distance.”

I looked at her and grimaced before giving her a curt nod. It wasn’t an apology but it was the best I could hope for. Perhaps one day our relationship could be restored, I wanted it to be, but I wasn’t the one I had to wait for. Though her eyes remained cold, I knew that once upon a time they shone. I had the pictures to prove it, perhaps they will shine again, and if they were she would have to cut back on the cider at least.

Mum walked around Scerine and went to another table. “Fuck, you weren’t wrong about your mother,” Scerine sighed as she sat back down. “What a piece of work.”

“She was drunk,” I mumbled. “Seriously, I was shocked she took back what she said.”

“I couldn’t tell,” Scerine said. “Must hold her drink well, but that’s beside the point. She’s your parent, and parents are supposed to love their kids.”

“She’s grieving still,” I said with a shake of my head. “Even though it’s been like eighteen years since Dad passed away.”

“Well, I can see a glimmer of hope,” Alyshia cut in. “She was able to take back what she said. Maybe when you come back she’ll be different?”

“Not likely but I remain hopeful, I just hope she doesn’t kill herseif with the drink first,” I sighed.

Alyshia thought for a moment. “Perhaps that’s why you got addicted to the painkillers so fast,” she mumbled.

“Why’s that?’ I asked.

“Her dependence carries over to you because genetics,” Brax piped up. “I could see it all the time with first users of Mintals and Psycho, when I worked in the Slave Trade. Those with alcoholic or drug dependant parents were usually hooked on the stuff first time while I could casually use them on occasion without issue.”

“So you can’t use Painkillers anymore?” Berry asked.

“Oh no, I can, just in moderation,” I said. “But, Mum wasn’t into the grog when I was a little foal, so I don’t know if that theory can hold.”

“Are you sure about that?” Alyshia asked. “She looked quite young when she had you.”

“Yeah, she was my age,” I sighed, “the dependence could have been growing, I might not have noticed.” When I thought about it, I couldn’t believe she had a foal at twenty, that’s like me having a foal now. I could barely look after myself let alone a foal. I probably inherited her parenting skills too.

"Amethyst?" Another voice said nearby. I looked to my left; it was Sunset, dressed in her new Overmare's barding and looking quite professional.

"Well look at you," I said with a smile. "How's your Mum?"

"She's fine," she replied with a smile. "She's awake now. She isn't pleased and she's pretty angry at me but she's agreed to speak to the doctors about her issues."

"That's good," I said happily.

"Anyway, I was hoping you could install the new talisman tomorrow?" Sunset asked of me. "I can schedule the water to be cut at eleven tomorrow."

"Yeah I can do that," I said, "easy, shouldn't take long."

Sunset smiled. "Thanks, now I just need to find some more ponies to perform on Tuesday night."

"Amethyst can sing," Scerine piped up.

"What? No, no I can't," I cut in. "Not here!"

"Yeah she can," Midnight cut in. "She's not bad, she isn't like Sweetie Belle good but she can hold her own."

"We have Melody performing, it would be nice to have a second singer to come on after her," Sunset said hopefully.

"M-Melody is playing?" I yelped, my voice jamming in my throat. "Oh no, oh no, oh no. I'm terrible compared to her." I didn't want to sing after or even with Melody, actually I didn't want to sing in front of the Stable at all. She was the pop goddess of the stable and I listened to her a lot.

"Who's Melody?" Alyshia asked curiously.

"She's the best performer the stable has seen in fifty years," Berry piped up. "She's very good."

"We can arrange for you two to perform together if it makes things a little easier?" Sunset said. "Or you can perform before her, it's up to you."

I grimaced and looked nervously at my food. I didn't like what I was getting myself into, but if I sang with Melody, maybe it would detract attention and my voice away from me. "Okay, I'll play a couple with Melody,"

"Excellent," Sunset said happily. "Of course, Melody will perform first and then you can come out on another few songs, but after that, it'll just be a band."

"Can I perform on that instead?" I asked hopefully.

"They already have a singer," She said. "I still need to ask Melody if she's happy to have you sing with her, if there are any issues I'll let you know."

I nodded.

"Thanks Amethyst," Sunset said with a grin. With that she was off.

I put my face in my hooves when she was gone. "I can't do this," I said. "Why did you have to suggest for me to sing?"

"I thought you liked it?" Scerine said apologetically. "You had fun at Tenpony Tower."

"I was drunk," I mumbled. "Of course I was having fun."

"Sorry," Scerine mumbled apologetically.

"No, don't be," I said. “You didn’t know.”

*                       *                                                                  *                                               *                         *

I was up early to have breakfast with Berry. So I left my room with Scerine and Brax still fast asleep. I walked down the long corridors before stepping into the massive atrium. Fried eggs, hay and toast filled my nose and made my mouth water. I was going to miss the food when we left, that’s for sure. Berry still didn’t know what she was in for. I spotted the leaf green unicorn at our usual table, a white mare with a tuft of red mane chatting with her. I made my way over and sat next to Berry, she already had my tray of food for me.

“Hey Poker, Berry” I said as I pulled the tray closer.

“Sup,” she said casually as she cut her toast and egg magically.

“Today will be my last day at work,” Berry sighed. “I’m going to miss my boss, family and this place in general.”

“Have you told your parents yet?” I asked as I forked some egg into my mouth.

“Yeah, I told them last night,” she said with a yawn. “They’re worried of course, but they understood.”

“I should say hi before I go,” I mumbled, I had totally forgotten about Berry’s family, whom enjoyed having me around. “Oh,” I said getting a sudden thought. “Do you mind if I pop over with the girls- and Brax, for ice cream? They’ve never had it before.”

“Yeah sure,” Berry snickered, “although, I don’t like the idea of no ice cream in the wasteland.”

“So, uhh,” Poker piped up. “What’s it like out there?”

“Hmm,” I said with a hoof to my chin. “You get shot at a lot, you have to kill to survive, the food tastes like shit, it’s barren and cold and everything is filled with Radiation, even the water.

Poker cringed. “I’m cool in here,’ she said with a nervous laugh. “You two have guts.”

“Not sure about me,” Berry sighed. “But Amethyst does.”

“I wouldn’t say that, I-“ I was cut off by a familiar and very unwelcoming voice.

“Look what the cat dragged in,” the voice sneered. “Oh, I see. A winged rat.”

I exhaled slowly through my nose as my anger began to bubble. “Get lost Glenda,” Berry said without looking at her.

“So you’re not the loner anymore now that Amy is back then huh?” She shot at my friend.

“Didn’t you hear the mare?” Poker sighed. “Leave her alone."

“I'm not going to be told what to do by a pony whose special talent is playing cards Poker, so shut it," Glenda snapped. "So, Amethyst,” said addressing me and ignoring Poker who was about to retort back. I bit my lip to prevent myself from doing anything. Ignoring Glenda was like trying to ignore a pony poking you in the eye. “Why’re you back? Get cold feet?”

“I got a spare talisman,” I said with gritted teeth. "You have no idea where I’ve been."

“Oh that must be some kind of achievement,” She said mockingly. “Have you learnt magic yet? Wait… Amethyst is a glorified earth pony. I forgot.”

I gritted my teeth as I tried to block her out.

“I saw you last night,” she said evilly. “I saw that you were rather close to that charcoal pegasus. I can’t believe you found another freak to date you. Actually.” She paused. “Figured that Berry wasn’t exotic enough? They should just throw your pretty pregasus girlfriend in with the Zebra’s.

“Oh fuck off,” Berry growled. “You're acting like a fourteen year old school bully, beat it Glenda."

“Oh, I’m only getting started,” Glenda snickered. She turned back to me “I see that your mum hates you now, has she finally realised the defect that she gave birth to? I don’t blame her, took her a while though, but then again, being slow is in your genes.”

Something cracked in my brain as the anger boiled over. I levitated my food tray and turning around I slammed it as hard as I could into the side of her face.  I jumped up from the seat as Glenda staggered, I swung the tray back and hit her a second time. Berry yelled out but I didn’t know what she said. I brought the tray over her head and it skewered onto her horn and became stuck.

Glenda’s eyes were red with fury, to my satisfaction her face was already starting to swell, her horn charged up and I activated my shield. Her green beam of magic hit the shield causing it to ripple. Glenda was taken aback. “That’s right you stupid skank,” I roared. “Now look at who can't do magic!” She charged another beam and I absorbed it again. Her magic was rather weak compared to what I had absorbed before so the shield only rippled slightly.

"Oi," Poker said suddenly. "Enough Glenda, Amethyst, walk away."

Berry jumped up and put herself between Glenda and myself. I had no desire to fight Glenda, it would just end in a stale-mate as I had no offensive spells and she can’t break my shield. “I’ve had enough,” I spat; "I'm done with her." I turned around and sat back at the table.

WHAM

My head had telekinetically slammed into the desk hard, stars appeared in my vision and I felt disorientated. “Glenda!” Berry roared. “You fucking dog! “

Poker pulled out a pair of hoofcuffs. “Glenda, get out of here or I’ll arrest you.”

“Arrest me?” Glenda growled. “What for? She started it.”

“Actually, you did and you deserved it,” Poker said seriously. “Do it again and the Overmare will hear of it and you’ll spend the day in lock up.”

Glenda looked like she was going to explode, but finally she walked away. I rubbed my forehead, an egg was started to well up. “Argh, I swear,” I growled. “One of these days I’m going to shoot her.”

"She is a piece of work," Poker growled. "Seriously, at her age... I'd expect that behaviour in a schoolyard."

Berry snickered. "I have to say though, you got her good Amethyst."

"Well, I'm not a doormat anymore," I said heavily, "she's picked on me for years and I've had it,"

"I can certainly say you carry yourself a lot differently than you used to," Berry agreed.

I sighed. "I had to, if I didn't stand up for myself, I'd be dead."

*                       *                                                                  *                                               *                         *

I was down in the Maintenance wing with Meep and the first thing I needed to do was see the Pipbuck Technitian. "Yours has seen some action, that's for sure," Seria said as she took my Pipbuck of my foreleg.

Seria was a filly a few years younger than me. She had a grey coat and a green mane and her work with Pipbuck's was excellent.

"Yeah it has," I agreed as I looked at my bare but chuffed foreleg, scabs had formed from the constant rubbing. "You think you can run a scan on it too? I think it might have a virus on it."

"Yeah, sure thing," she replied. "I'll have to tighten it as well; it's a bit big for you."

"Yeah, after the accident it became quite uncomfortable,” I replied.

“Well, let me look after it for you. I'll do the pads, run a scan on it and make sure she's all good and new for ya."

"Cheers Seria,"

She waved a hoof. "I do have to say though, I love your dragonfly. Where did you find it?"

"Oh, I found Meep in a dead stable up north, I informed her. ”I had to repair him though; you can see the patch work on his belly."

Seria smiled. "Anyway, I should probably get to work." I nodded and backed out of the room. After this, I went to see the rest of my colleagues, mostly just to say hi as Meep balanced carefully on my head.

My boss, a large middle-aged stallion pulled me into a bone-breaking hug when he saw me.  "My best terminal tech is back," he cried. "I've missed you Amethyst."

"I'm leaving in a few days again," I said through steaming eyes. "But it's good to see you too."

To my relief he let go. "How have things been?" I asked as I looked around the workshop. My colleagues saw me and waved.

"Oh things have been going alright," he said with a shrug. "Of course we've been down you so it's been pretty busy in that space. Oh and your apprentice started six weeks ago."

"Oh, that's right," I said remembering. A week before I left, my boss had told me that a filly got their cutie mark and would be working in the terminal space, I was supposed to train her."

I walked around the workshop and bumped hooves with everypony. I knew them all obviously. I worked with them; the best part about being in maintenance was that we all knew each other well. Finally he showed me a filly whom I did not know, she was working on a broken terminal. She was pale yellow with a baby yellow mane. "Amethyst, this is Sunny, she'll be taking your place once she's trained up enough."

"Hi," she said in a high pitched voice. "I'm nearly done as well boss," she added. The filly was only about eleven; her cutie mark was of a terminal with a smiley face on it. It was strange seeing this filly, just seeing her reminded me of myself in a way, the enthusiasm I had when exposed to technology, the puzzle behind breaking codes and passwords, the feeling of fixing something that was deemed broken and that feeling of praise when you get somepony into a document they thought was locked as they forgot their password for it.

"What's your favourite part about working here?" I asked Sunny.

She smiled at me. "I like everything," she said happily, "but my favourite would be rebuilding a computer. I'm not very good at it but I'm getting better. The boss says you were really good, so I hope to be that good one day," Sunny said.

"I'm sure you'll get even better than me," I said to her. Even as I said it, I would love to show her a few things, just to get her going. I did after all; unintentionally leave her to be trained by my boss who wasn't the best teacher. Only issue was that I didn't want to spend too long at home and get used to the old life. Not to mention my friends, Midnight didn't like to be cooped up, and Scerine had to go home soon to ensure her transfer to ground duties goes smoothly.

As much as I enjoyed being home, the food, my colleagues, the new Overmare and everything that made this place home. I felt that it wasn't going to do me any good staying here for too long. I loved being home and the longer I stay here, the harder it will be to leave.

I had Scerine, Midnight, Alyshia, Brax and now Berry by my side. These were the most important ponies in my life. Yes, the ponies of Eighty Six were still extremely important to me. I will install this talisman and find a new one for my home to prosper for as long as is needed before the ponies feel happy to leave.

But until it is time to leave, I'll enjoy the food, clean water and warmth with my friends until it is time to tackle the wasteland once again in two days.