Lieutenant Colonel Dusty “Roadie” Roads grimaced as he hovered over the scene of violence, keeping an eye on things as the other ponies poked around and investigated. The sharp flapping of his wings made small eddies in the dirt beneath him, enough to match the cloud of dust on his flank

It had barely been an hour or two after the presentation of the Aurora unit. The discussion and questioning had slowly wound down, and the caravan had begun winding its way back towards Appleloosa. Princess Celestia, rather than return directly to Canterlot, had elected to accompany the members of the general staff back on the ground. It hadn’t taken too long for the stagecoaches to reach the scene of the battle.

No, not battle, Roadie thought to himself. More like a slaughter. With the road this low between the outcroppings, nopony would have stood a chance.

“Lieutenant Colonel!” one of the earth ponies called up to him. The pegasus floated down and landed. “There’s no sign of Miss Stark, sir.”

“MISS STARK!” Roadie winced as a pony-sized blue dragon charged up past the stagecoaches, his clawed feet turning up the hard-packed dirt. Sparks was teary-eyed as he reached Roadie, grabbing a hold of the chocolate-brown pegasus’s coat. “Miss Stark! Where is she? Is she alright?!”

“Sparks! Sparks, calm down! She’s not here,” Roadie winced as the dragon whimpered. “We haven’t found a body, so she was probably taken prisoner.”

“Oh no. Oh noooo.” Sparks sobbed. “I should have come. I should have been here! Oh Miss Stark.”

“Sparks, you need to calm down,” Roadie winced as the dragon buried his face against his side.

“Your Majesty!”

Roadie looked up in reaction to the shout. There was a soft hush as Celestia approached, her hoof steps almost noiseless on the ground, her eyes narrowed at the carnage. A pair of white-coated guards trotted up behind her, looking a bit nervous.

“What happened here?” Her voice was very even, not betraying a hint of emotion, her eyes focused on Roadie.

“Ma’am. There was some sort of ambush. We have two confirmed casualties and one missing.”

“Princess!” Sparks let go and ran towards Celestia. The sun princess’s wings unfurled to stop her guards as the blue dragon clung to her leg. “Miss Stark! She’s gone! She’s gone!”

Celestia’s calm broke for a brief moment as she leaned her head downwards, nuzzling the crown of the dragon’s head. “Shh. It’s alright. We’re going to find her, alright Sparks?”

“You will?” The young dragon looked up at the white mare, who smiled and nodded gently.

“Yes, we will. But for now, why don’t you go back to my chariot and wait there for me, alright?”

The dragon sniffled and nodded, letting the armor-clad guards escort him away. In that brief second, Celestia had switched from maternal caring back to calm and control, her eyes hard and steely. She then turned her gaze to Roadie, who drew himself up to attention.

“Lieutenant Colonel, I’m going to return to Canterlot with Sparks. Afterwards, I will order eight wings of the Second Airborne and Sixth Magician Corps to Appleloosa to begin searching for whoever or whatever did this. You will personally head up the search. Is that clear?”

“Yes, your majesty!” His hoof snapped to his brow in a salute.

“Good,” Celestia’s voice was cold and hard with anger. “Two of my soldiers are dead on their native soil, and one of my little ponies is missing. I will not let this stand. We will find whoever did this, and we will find Epona Stark. No matter how long it takes.”

---

Epona Stark was in pain.

It wasn’t the pleasant sort of pain she was used to feeling. There hadn’t been any bedroom ‘exercises’ or heavy-duty scientific research involved that she knew of. It was a deep, uncomfortable, pulsing pain that seemed to ache through her entire body, sucking out her energy. And cold. She did her best to repress a shiver at the chill she felt.

She cracked her eyes open slightly, her eyelids feeling dry. She was laying on her side on something cool and hard. It was hard to see, and even the dim light hurt her eyes. She froze up slightly as she felt something wet and cold touch her forehead.

“Nnngh,” she tried to speak, but her tongue felt like someone had dipped it in sand. Something smelled awful, and her stomach turned slightly.

“Ahhh, the… awake now. Good.” A raspy voice said quietly, the cold and wet thing touching her forehead again. It was hard to concentrate on what the voice was saying; it was like the voice was wobbling in and out of her range of hearing. A bit of fluid dripped along just under her eye as she heard the sound of cloth being wrung out. “…lucky… alive. Lucky indeed.”

Epona licked her dry lips, the nausea subsiding into a dullness in the pit of her stomach. “Water,” she managed to croak out.

“Yes,” The raspy voice replied. A brownish-yellow furred hand slid a shallow dish of water in front of her muzzle. “Drink slow… Try not to move much, pony.”

I doubt I could move much even if I tried, Epona thought to herself as she lapped at the water. It wasn’t exactly cold or clear, but at least it was wet. As she did so, she felt a hand stroke between her ears. She tried to pull away, but the nausea returned again. She laid her head down as the world swam in her vision, closing her eyes.

“Rest, pony,” the raspy voice said. “Rest…. feel better soon.”

Whoever or whatever was talking to her and stroking her head, it didn’t seem to be unfriendly. Which was good, as her brain fell back into oblivion.

---

Epona’s opened her eyes again slowly, only to be greeted by a dimly lit wall of brown stone. She was still laying on her side, but at least she wasn’t cold; something that felt cloth-like and heavy rested on top of her. She felt a slight pinch as she moved her front legs.

Her movement stopped when she felt her fetlock catch on what felt like a cable. She paused, slowly following the cable with one hoof up to her chest, where it met and fed into a concave metal plate. She winced as she felt around it, the flesh connected to the steel tender and sore.

“What…what’s…” Her voice was a little hoarse as she tried to sit up.

“Ah, you’re awake again. Good, good.”

Epona froze at the sound of that raspy voice, her head slowly turning as she heard footsteps approaching. A skinny, bipedal dog with a short snout entered her vision, his brownish-yellow coat dusty, his pointed ears too large for his head. He walked carefully and with an obvious limp in one leg, his thin, stubby fingers splayed out to provide balance.

“You…you’re the one who…”

“Yes,” The Diamond Dog flicked a hand dismissively. “Gave you water. Saved your life. How do you feel?”

“Sore…wait,” She squinted, looking at the dog. “You look familiar.”

“I should, Miss Epona Stark,” the Diamond Dog smirked, sitting down on his haunches in front of the pony. “I visited your company once in Canterlot. Spoke with you. Attended your lecture at the university.”

“You were interested in my magical energy conduction material. For use in medical purposes, right? Treating…heart problems.”

“Yes,” The dog hissed as he smiled. “You remember me. I’m surprised.”

“I’d think I’d remember a Diamond Dog at a technology lecture. You don’t usually see a lot of them.”

“Not all Diamond Dogs are ignorant brutes, Miss Epona Stark. I was trained in the Academy, like you. Though unlike you, I didn‘t attend many of the parties.”

Epona felt the metal plate on her chest again. “What is this?”

“Ah,” The dog sighed, “that is my handwork. Crude, but effective. During the assault, one of our captors succeeded in hitting you with a weapon. You call it…”

“The Heartbreaker. Military designation AARPE-MW-05L. It was designed as an anti-dragon weapon, with armor-penetrating crystal barbs loaded with a focused spell derived from medical magic. Targets the heart and fries the systems controlling its rhythm, causing violent arrhythmia, followed by death.” Epona felt her voice dull the longer she talked. “Why am I not dead?”

“My invention.” He reached out and tapped the metal plate with a fingertip. “There’s a thin shaft running down between your chest muscles, connected to gold-titanium conductors placed around your heart. Your heart is currently being kept stabilized by this.” He held up a corroded-looking metal cube about the size of a schoolfilly’s lunchbox, supported by a bolted-on leather strap. “One of your magical batteries. Not as elegant as your work, but under the circumstances it was the best I could do. Considering the conditions, you were lucky to survive. You spent three days in a fever.”

“Which explains why I feel so miserable. Help me up, would you?” Epona struggled and slowly rolled onto her stomach. There was a rough rustle as a dirty cotton blanket fell off her side and landed on the floor. “So, what do I call you?”

“Yeller, Miss Epona Stark.” The Diamond Dog reached over, hefting the pony up carefully and setting her onto her hooves.

“Epona. You saved my life, so we might as well be on a first-name basis.” She shifted her weight, stretching her legs slowly. “So, who exactly is keeping us captive?”

“They call themselves the Ten Horseshoes. I don’t really know much about them, except they don’t like your Princess very much. Or anything that isn‘t a pony, if my treatment is anything to show.” He gestured downwards to his leg.

Epona grimaced, then began to look around. The cavern they were stuck in was dimly lit by bare, overhanging lights. Aside from the slab she had been laying on and a pile of rags that looked like they had been slept on, the only other features of the large cavern was a small metallic container of water and a heavy metal door, the latter of which looked to be the only way out.

Ka-chunk. The door creaked as it began to open.

“It seems that they’ve heard us. Do as I do.” Yeller knelt down on the floor, pressing his nose against the stone. “Hurry.”

Epona snorted and held her ground. “If I’m going to meet my captors, I’m not going to do it kneeling with my nose in the dirt.” Her eyes narrowed as several ponies entered, two armed with gun stocks. Stark Enterprises-made gun stocks if she didn’t miss her guess. Most of them were earth ponies, undressed and unkempt and hard-eyed as they spread out through the room.

Their apparent leader, a larger stallion with a faded blue coat, stepped forward. “Nose to the ground, mare,” he snapped at Epona.

“No offense, but I just woke up. My legs are rather stiff and it hurts to move too much,” Epona did her best to sound defiant, to keep her jangling nerves under control. “So if you don‘t mind, I’m just going to stay standing.”

The stallion’s lips pulled back. “When I say get down on the ground, you get down on the ground!” Epona held her ground as he stomped towards her, butting his head against hers and getting eye-to-eye with her. “Or else, I’m gonna MAKE you get down, understand me?”

“Denim, calm down, we’re just here to take her to the boss. He’ll be mad if you start smacking her around.” One of the other ponies warned, resting a hoof on the larger stallion’s shoulder. It was, however, enough to get the big blue stallion to back down.

“Your boss, huh?” Epona swallowed, her voice faltering just a little. “Fine, whatever. Take me to him then.”

“Get her battery… thing.” Denim snapped at one of the other ponies, who trotted over and lifted the corroded box up by its strap. “And don’t try anything clever, little miss moneybags. We’ve got our eyes on you.”

“Yeah, because you need two ponies with guns to keep a single wounded mare in check.” She snorted dismissively. “What’s the matter, don’t have the stones to go after a girl on your…”

WHACK!

Her head jerked sharply as Denim slapped a hoof across her face. She caught herself before she stumbled, though, wincing as she ran her tongue around her mouth, trying to see if he knocked any teeth free.

“I don’t like smart-mouthed little city ponies. I don’t know what the boss wants with you, but if you keep smarting off like that I’ll make sure you don’t have a tongue to do it with, got it?”

“Got it.” Epona grumbled. Denim jerked his head, the other ponies walking through the door, Epona close behind them. As they walked, Epona quietly considered how exactly she was going to get her revenge on the big blue stallion.

---

‘The Boss’ was waiting for her in what appeared to be his private quarters, luxurious compared to the barren, twisting tunnels that Epona had wobbled her way through. He was a large stallion, his green coat marred by several scars, his turquoise mane clipped short. He gave Epona a smile as she entered, a smile that didn’t reach his eyes.

“Ah! It’s good to finally meet the infamous Epona Stark, face-to-face. Come, sit.” He gestured a hoof to the table he was seated at. “We have much to discuss, you and I.”

Epona grimaced as the door closed, leaving her alone with the stallion and his two guards. She sat down slowly, her rump pressing into the small cushion provided for her. “So, what do I call you?”

“’Boss’ is simple enough. Or, if you prefer, sir. You know, the pictures in the newspapers don’t do you justice.” The stallion smirked, pushing a plate of greenish gunk towards her. Smelled like alfalfa. “I didn’t expect the legendary ‘Mare of Murder’ to be quite so pretty. You know I’m a really big fan of your work.”

“Good to know.” She nibbled at the alfalfa, then swallowed, doing her best to ignore the taste. “Is this how you treat the other celebrities you like? Nearly killing them?”

He snorted. “You weren’t supposed to be harmed. The ones responsible have been disciplined, so you won’t have to worry about it. Consider yourself a guest here. You’re among like-minded ponies, after all.”

Epona coughed on her alfalfa. “Excuse me? No offense, but we’re nothing alike.”

“On the contrary, we are. We strain under the peaceful bonds of the diarchy, Miss Stark.” He leaned forwards. “We both respect the power of force, of weapons. We both know that Ponykind has the strength to rule not only our lands, but all others, if were just allowed to do it. It’s really unfair that your talents are so wasted on ignorant foals like the Princesses.”

“So, what, you’re warmongers or something? Revolutionaries?”

“The Ten Horseshoes is a brotherhood. We seek to establish Ponykind as the rightful rulers of this world, subjugating all others on our path to glory through conquest. Surely such an idea appeals to one such as you, a weapons-maker without peer?”

Epona stared at him. “So…what exactly do you want?”

“The Aurora.”

“You’re kidding.”

“I’m not. We will provide you with all the tools and materials necessary to build it. Once we have your super-weapon, we can overthrow the diarchy and establish ourselves as the dominant force in this country. From there, we can sweep across the lands, punishing all who dare defy the iron hoof of pony kind. What do you say, Miss Stark?”

Epona frowned, putting her hoof to her lips. The stallion leaned forwards expectantly, eyes eager.

“Mmm… No.”

“No?” He sat back, shocked.

“No. No offense, but I don’t deal with idiots, megalomaniacs or criminals. And you, frankly, count as all three. Plus, your subordinates tried to kill me.” Epona growled. “So no, I don’t plan on building the Aurora for you. Period.”

“I see.“ The stallion frowned, then slowly stood, nodding to his guards. “Hold her.”

“Hey, what’re you- ow!” Epona found herself pinned by the pair of guards, her elbows stepped on and held in place as Boss approached her from around the table. "Let me go!"

“You know, Miss Stark, your reputation is legendary. They say you have a new stallion every night in your bed.” He smirked as she yanked on her arms, struggling as best she could. “You’re something of a playmare. I bet you’ve had a lot of colts eating out of your hooves. So, how does it feel to know your heart is in somepony else’s grip?”

There was a loud crackle as he pulled the cord free from the slot on her chest.

WhudWHUDwhud-whud-whudwhud-WHUDWHUD-whudwhudWhud

Epona screamed as the pain returned, her heart beating rapidly and discordantly in her chest, her ears filling with the sound of her blood. Pain shot like lightning down her front legs as she began to sweat.

And then he plugged her back in. Epona collapsed, painting and sweating, her nose in the dirt.

“You’ll build the Aurora for me, Miss Stark. It’s entirely up to you whether you do it willingly, or if I have to make you do it. Either way, I will get my weapon. I’ll ask you again tomorrow, once you’ve recovered.”

The boss stood, looking to his guards. “Take her back to her cell. I’m done here.”

---

Epona groaned as she landed on her side, hearing the door close with a loud CHUNK. She didn’t want to move. She didn’t want to breathe, but her lungs still worked.

“Epona!” She heard Yeller shout, a rag wiping over her sweaty body. “Epona, please say something.”

“Ow…my everything.” She tried to laugh, but it came out a painful rasp.

“Don’t try to move, alright? Try to let your heart settle. I’ll get you some water.”

“Thank…thank you.” She coughed again. Her chest felt like it was on fire, like someone had driven a molten bar of lead through her ribs.

“Try to breathe, alright?” Yeller knelt down beside her, pushing a familiar, shallow dish in front of her mouth. “Deep breaths.”

“Right.” She tried to breathe deeply, trying to will her heart to stop pounding as she drank. “I must look awful…”

“A bit, yes.” Yeller concurred, sitting down as he tried to clean her up. “You are a lucky mare.”

“Lucky… hah…” She tried to laugh again, but ended up coughing from the pain. “Lucky. You call this luck? I’ve been kidnapped, nearly killed, had two heart attacks and a bunch of metal shoved in my chest, and now a lunatic wants me to build him a super weapon to kill the Princesses, which even I know is stupid. And you call me lucky?”

“You’re still alive, yes? That must count for something.”

“Hah…” She laid her head down, closing her eyes. “What’s the point…”

“The point?” Yeller tilted his head.

“The point of trying. If I don’t build him an Aurora unit, he’ll just torture me until I either go mad from the pain or do as he asks. If I do build it for him, he’ll kill Celestia-knows-how-many ponies in this ridiculous scheme of his. And besides, I doubt I’ll survive that long.” She pointed a hoof over at the battery that served as her life-line. “That battery’s casing is corroding. It must be an older model, one that’s been poorly maintained. I’ll be lucky if the thing’s energy cells last me a week.”

Yeller sat down in front of her. “So what are you going to do?”

“Nothing. I’m going to do the easy thing and do nothing, and accept the fact that I’ll likely die here in this cave.” She rested her head on the ground with a sigh. “Wish I had some liquor. That’d make things a lot more tolerable right now.”

Epona closed her eyes and sighed again. When she opened them, she found herself face to face with Yeller, his jaundiced-yellow eyes hard.

“And what happened to your bravado? About facing your captors instead of nosing the dirt and groveling?” His horn-file-rasp of a voice was thick with scorn.

“It was just me running my mouth, as usual.”

“So that’s it? The mighty Epona Stark is going to just lay down and die? I thought you were better than that.”

“And I suppose you have a better idea? I’m all ears.” Epona narrowed her eyes.

“You’re Epona Stark. You make things. That’s what you’re good at. Make a solution. There is a lot you can do in a week, Epona Stark.”

Epona frowned. The dog was right. She hated to admit it, but he was right.

Come on Epona. There’s plenty of time to wallow in self-pity later. You’ve got your brain, your good looks, your boundless charisma and your flawless memory. Surely you can come up with something.

First things first; surviving longer than seven days.

“…I think I might have an idea.” She groaned as she sat up. “But I’m going to need things. Lots of things.”

---

“…As I said before, as soon as there is any information on the whereabouts of Miss Epona Stark, we will release it as soon as possible. Thank you.”

Celestia kept up her royal mask for the reporters until she disappeared behind the doors, away from the interview room. Once safely behind the smooth wood, she sighed and ducked her head and tried to ignore her pounding headache. The press corps had been hounding her ever since the official announcement of Epona Stark’s disappearance a week ago. It had been the first “attack” on Equestrian soil for decades, a rare spike of real violence in her otherwise peaceful country. Everypony wanted to know why, and what the ever-benevolent, ever-peaceful Princess was going to do.

She had expected the response. She was used to being pestered by the press when something big happened. It didn’t make it any less of a pain, though.

And if I hadn’t confronted Epona like I did, this might have been avoided, her emotional side whispered softly. I wouldn’t have had to send members of my staff to two families to tell them their children were dead. I wouldn’t have had to console a crying dragon that his employer and only friend was going to be fine. And I wouldn’t have to worry that somewhere, one of my subjects is being held prisoner by forces unknown.

The rational part of Celestia’s mind objected quietly, noting that if there had been an attack on the caravan, there would likely have been even more casualties. The attackers had been well-prepared, leaving few traces behind when they had fled, and had been well armed. More ponies might have been killed, especially if she hadn’t decided to accompany the coaches back to Appleloosa.

That didn’t make her feel any better.

At least the press conference was out of the way, and it was a while before her next meeting. Nopony would begrudge her stealing a few minutes to recompose herself in her chambers. She flicked her horn slightly, opening the door with a push of her magic.

“Are the foals mistreating you, sister?”

Celestia blinked, the familiar, if still slightly archaic voice breaking her out of her thoughts. Luna was seated at the mirror with her back to the door, still in her night-gown and quietly brushing her mane.

“Luna, what’re you doing up?” Celestia slowly sank onto her bed and removed her crown, the gold and white sheets rustling as she did so. “You should be resting right now.”

“Rest is difficult when one is constantly disturbed by the nervous pacing of hooves.” The princess of the night set the hairbrush down and turned to face her sister. “You look dreadful.”

“I do not.” Celestia stuck her tongue out slightly as Luna approached, levitating the brush again. “I’m just a little stressed, that’s all.”

“Are you still troubled by what occurred at the presentation?” Luna sat beside Celestia, floating the brush up and running it through the larger mare’s aurora borealis-like mane.

Celestia sighed heavily, laying down on her stomach and crossing her front legs at the fetlock, resting her head on the soft sheets. “I guess that’s one way of putting it. It’s just… I keep running it over and over in my head. I did what I thought was right, talking to Epona and chastising her, but…” She sighed again and shook herself as Luna played with her mane.

“Sister, omniscience is not one of your talents,” Luna leaned in, nosing her muzzle, “nor is infallibility.. Everypony knows you try your best to do what is right. Just because something happened that is beyond your control does not mean you are to blame. You may be skilled at planning, but even you cannot foresee every eventuality.”

“I know. I try, really, I do. But I can’t help but think of how I could have done better.”

“Tia, hindsight makes it easy to think about all the ‘could have done’s’ and ‘should have done’s’” Luna poked her in the ribs with the hairbrush. “Besides, what would you have done different?”

“I don’t know.”

“Then perhaps it is better that you turn your attention to other matters. One way or another, the issue will resolve itself.” Luna smirked. “Who knows, perhaps something good will come out of all of this.”

“And when did you get so good at consolation, hmm?” Celestia smiled wanly.

“I have been making use of the self-help section of the library.” Luna deadpanned.

Celestia held back a giggle. “Seriously?”

“No. Now, I have heard that playing with one’s mane helps with issues of stress. What should I do with yours, then? Perhaps pigtails, since you insist on sulking like a child?” Luna grinned, holding up the hairbrush menacingly.

“Only if you want my ministers to think I’ve lost my mind.” Celesta grinned right back, her horn glowing as she tried to wrest the hairbrush from Luna’s telekinetic grasp.

“Haha! Come now Tia, I think you would look adorable in them!”

“Absolutely not!”

The playful tussle was interrupted by a gentle knock at the door. Celestia shook her head, lifting up her crown. “Duty calls. Again.”

“Indeed. Go forth and handle your subjects.” Luna pecked her sister on the cheek and trotted off. “I’ll see you soon enough.”

I really don’t know how I got along without her, Celestia thought to herself as she drew herself up and put on her serious face.

---

The cavern had taken on a dramatic change in the past few days. Once mostly barren, the cavern was now stuffed with equipment: precision tools, metal-working equipment, gem-cutting gear, even a small forge. The real treasures, however, were the raw materials: gems, steel, gold wire and most importantly, batteries that contained the necessary CrystalLine.

The boss of the Ten Horseshoes had been quite ecstatic that Epona had decided to help with his cause. That wasn’t what troubled her. What troubled her more was the fact that he had all the necessary components and a lot of her company’s products on-hoof. It was almost like he’d been expecting her.

However, that was a worry for another time.

“Careful, careful.” Epona hissed softly as she stood by at the work bench, watching her new assistant. “We’ve only got one shot at this, so don‘t spill any!”

“Relax. These are the hands that saved your life, remember?” Yeller growled as he carefully walked towards the table from the forge, a ceramic cup held tight in a pair of tongs. “It would help greatly if you told me what you had planned.”

“In a second.” Epona nudged a dish into place. The shallow container was filled with clean sand, a shallow groove worn into its surface. “I need you to very carefully pour this into the groove drawn in the sand, alright? Do it very, very slowly.”

Yeller nodded, slowly tipping the cup over. The metallic white fluid glistened as it landed in the groove, glinting in dozens of colors as it caught the light.

“Careful. Careful. Caaaaaaareful. Good!” Epona grinned as the last drops of the molten metal dripped from the cup. “Now we just have to let it cool.”

“What exactly is this? It’s not like any material I’ve ever seen before.” Yeller set the tongs aside, peering at the cooling ring.

“That’s because it’s CrystalLine. It’s something I stumbled on while trying to find a usable conduction medium for experimental technology. It’s an artificial magic absorbing material derived from magically resonant gemstones. When you give it a little kick, it starts drawing in ambient energy from the environment, the same way stones on rock farms draw energy in to build ores. Except in this case, it converts inert ambient energy into usable energy. Pretty useful for something I discovered accidentally.”

“Amazing.” Yeller stroked his chin. “But what use is six grams of this material going to be to us?”

“All I need is six grams.” Epona grinned and trotted off. “Because those six grams are going to be the focal point for this.”

“And this, I assume, is what you’ve been working on while I was dismantling those batteries?” Yeller quirked an eyebrow as Epona walked back over with something clasped in her teeth. It looked like a small Frisbee, a few inches in diameter and quite shallow. Carefully cut gemstones lined the glass-covered inside wall, arranged around a shallow groove and connected together by a delicate filigree of soldered circuits. A small, cylindrical plug poked out of the bottom of the device.

Epona set the device down on the table. “Yes. Before I came out for the Aurora presentation, I was working on something. Something I based on some old plans of my mothers. Something she could never get to work properly.”

“What is it?”

“It’s called an Artificial Resonance Cascade Reactor. Essentially, you introduce a spark of magic into it, which is then focused through the conduction material and re-bounded through the focusing crystals, creating a self-sustaining magic reaction.” Epona smirked quite proudly, flicking her dirty mane out of her eyes. “Of course, it’s purely theoretical. But that hasn’t stopped me before.”

“This…"ARC" Reactor…”

“Ooh, I like that name.”

“Thank you. So this device, what will it do?”

“Well,” Epona tapped her hoof against her lips. “If my math is correct, and it should be since I’ve been working on this for two years, this little baby will produce about 1.6 gigajoules of energy per second to whatever it‘s plugged into.”

“That…would be enough to power your heart for thirty lifetimes.”

“Or something big for thirty minutes.”

“Something big?”

“Yes.” She smirked. “Something big.”

Yeller shivered as Epona’s smile went a little wider. “So, Epona. What do we do now?”

“Once the ring’s done cooling, we’ll slide it into the reactor’s main chamber to complete the assembly. After that, it’s only a matter of providing it with the necessary charge to trigger the reaction.”

“That will be difficult. We’ve disassembled the batteries, and the lights are to high to reach, which means that the only source of energy we have is…” Yeller’s eyes went wide with the realization. “No. You’re joking.”

“Yeah. We’re going to have to use the battery I’m connected to in order to trigger the reaction.”

“But that will kill you!”

“Not exactly. Not if we split the power output of the battery between my implant and the reactor. Once the charge is built up it’ll be a simple matter of pulling out the plug and putting the reactor in.” Epona grinned wildly. “Of course, if it doesn’t work, I’ll die anyway. At this point, I have very little to lose. Right?”

Yeller stared at Epona for a few long moments, then shook himself violently. “You are a very terrifying pony when you put your mind to it, Epona Stark.”

“I’ll take that as a complement.”

---

Epona inhaled slowly, trying to control her breathing, which was, admittedly, a bit difficult. She was on her side again, her chest implant now connected to one of two strands that diverged from the main battery. The other cable led to her ARC Reactor, which crackled softly as energy flowed into it.

Here she was, about to put her life on the line on a vague hope that her machine would work.

Calm thoughts, calm thoughts.

“How’s it looking, Yeller?”

“It’s starting to light up. I’m not sure how much more the battery can take, though.” Yeller was pacing nervously between her prone form and the reactor, watching it intently. “For all we know, it could die any second.”

“Heh…” Epona laughed. “You could say the same for me.”

“Were you always a big fan of gallows humor, Epona?” Yeller glanced back at her.

“No. Obsidian was, though.”

“Obsidian?”

“Yeah. My business partner. He used to work with my mom, took over the company for a while after she and dad died.”

“My condolences.”

Epona snorted. “We weren’t exactly close. I’m over it, mostly. Anyway, it was Obsidian’s idea I go into weapon research. After I left the academy, he became my business partner. He’s better at handling all of the messy bureaucratic stuff than I am.”

“Were you two…lovers?”

“No!” Epona stuck her tongue out and gagged. “No, we weren’t. He’s twice as old as I am. Besides, I’ve never really thought of him like that, you know? It‘s all business, nothing more.”

“Ah.” Yeller turned to look away as Epona felt her heart flutter.

“Epona! The reactor! I think the reaction is happening!”

“Good, because I think the battery’s just about to run out of juice!” Epona groaned in pain as her chest began to burn. “Hurry, plug it in!”

“Okay. I’ll do my best to make it quick.” Yeller unplugged the cable from the now-humming ARC Reactor and carried it over to her. “On three, alright? One. Two…”

“Stop yapping and do it already! Three!” Epona shouted.

There was a crackle as Yeller pulled the cable loose. As Epona inhaled and started to cry out, Yeller plugged the reactor into the chest-plate, giving it a slight twist to lock it in place.

Epona collapsed, panting heavily as her heart began to settle into a sedate, steady rhythm. She turned her head slightly to inspect the reactor. The reactor’s insides glowed with a bright white light, tinged with a rainbow of colors from the focusing crystals.

“Ha ha… suck on those horseapples mom, I beat you.” She panted, pushing herself up slowly, her limbs wobbling like rubber. “I beat you! Ha!”

“That’s good.” Yeller reached out, doing his best to stabilize her. His eyes squinted as he looked at the reactor. “My word… it works.”

“Congratulations Yeller,” Epona wheezed, “You’ve just helped me construct my functional prototype super-reactor. And for my next trick, I think I’ll try flying without wings…”

Ka-Chunk.

Epona swallowed as the door slowly opened, admitting Boss, Denim, and several other ponies into the workshop.

“Well, Miss Stark, how has your progress been?” Boss smiled thinly as Yeller let go, getting down onto his knees with his nose in the dirt. “Have you made any prog…ress?”

Epona winced as he approached, leaning forwards to peer at the ARC Reactor. “And what, pray tell, is this little jewel?”

“It’s a type of magical reactor. I’ve constructed it because the battery I was leashed to was corroding and losing its charge.” A few beads of sweat dripped over her nose as he tapped the glass casing.

“I see. Fascinating. And to build it in four short days as well. You really don’t disappoint, Miss Stark.” He rose up, looking her in the eye. “Now, about my Aurora.”

“The Aurora? Oh! Oh yes, the Aurora!” She laughed nervously.

“Yes. The Aurora. What progress have you made on it?” His voice took on a faint edge.

Come on Epona. Use that charm of yours. You’re used to stroking egos, so stroke like your life depended on it.

“None.”

“None?” The reply came through gritted teeth.

“None. Because what I’m working on right now? Makes it obsolete as a weapon of war. Sun and moon, it makes most of the weapons I’ve designed look like pop-guns and water-squirters.” She looked down her nose at him, giving the Boss a devil-may-care grin. “Give me a month, and I’ll give you a weapon that could make your entire army obsolete.”

“And you can do this. In a month?”

“Sir.” Denim stepped forwards. “She’s obviously lying. I wouldn’t trust her any further than I could buck her.”

“You can believe the big blue brute, or you can believe the mare who built a magical reactor in three or four days with nothing but a box of scraps and a Diamond Dog to help her. After suffering two heart attacks.” Epona shrugged her shoulders.

“Sir!”

“Shut up, Denim.” Boss snapped, his attention purely on Epona. “A month, you say?”

“A month. And if I don’t deliver, you’re more than welcome to yank this reactor out and kill me. It‘s not like you‘ve got a lot to lose.”

Boss began to snicker, then laugh. “Such bravado! Very well, Miss Stark, you’ll have your month.”

“Just make sure none of your boys comes and interrupts me while I’m working, alright? And I‘m going to need more supplies; welding equipment, explosives, liquid fuel if possible.”

“Done. I’ll expect something very impressive, Miss Stark. Otherwise, it won‘t simply be your hide.” Boss turned to smile menacingly at Yeller, who quivered a bit more on the ground.

“Trust me sir,” Epona’s smile was humorless, “You’ll be utterly astounded.”

Denim glared over his shoulder at her as the members of the Ten Horseshoes sauntered off. The door locked itself with a loud clunk behind them. Which was about the time that Yeller turned to stare in horror at Epona.

“Are you a madmare!? A month!? A month!?”

“Less if we work hard. Now help me off this slab.”

“You truly are mad.” Yeller grunted as he helped Epona down. “Quite literally insane.”

“No, I’m brilliant. Come over here.” Epona winced as she walked, leading the Diamond Dog over to one of the workbenches and pushing several boxes out of the way to reveal a large drawing in chalk on the wall. “See?”

“…Is that?”

“Yes, it is.”

“When did you design this?” Yeller stared at her, this time in something close to awe. “Don’t you sleep?”

“Very little. Nothing focuses the mind like adrenaline.”

“Are you sure it’ll work?”

“I have no idea. But there’s no harm in trying.”

---

Most of the time, Appleloosa was a sleepy frontier town on the outskirts of the Moponi Desert. The ponies there raised and grew hardy apples that flourished in the dry desert heat, kept to themselves, and traded with the local Buffalo tribe. The biggest bit of excitement until recently was the now-settled feud over land with the aforementioned buffalo, and even that had resolved itself neatly.

At least until now. Everypony in town was on their best behavior, because the military was there. One of the local inns had been all but converted into a makeshift base for the military unicorns and pegasi that had swarmed the town. Every day, flights of armored troops flew out into the desert, only to return at sunset or later, while unicorns focused magical energies on carefully-made maps of the area, searching and scrying for any clues that might lead them to their quarry

Roadie’s hooves skidded slightly as he landed, his wing-mates landing in formation on either side of him. The chocolate-coated pegasus sighed as he walked into the inn-slash-command center, nodding as he passed by working mares and stallions.

“Any results from the other flights, Lieutenant Dawncatcher?” He called out to the pale pink mare with a rising-sun Cutie Mark in army silver trotting up to him.

“Negative sir. Nothing conclusive to report as of yet, but Wings Five and Seven have yet to return.”

“Notify me when they report in. Lieutenant Mirror, anything from your side?”

A silver-coated unicorn in a gray and white tunic and an ornate mirror Cutie Mark glanced up, adjusting his half-moon spectacles. “Nothing sir. We’ve been doing our best, but we still can’t find anything either. Traditional remote viewing spells don’t seem to be working. It’s likely that whatever we’re looking for is either being shielded by natural phenomena, or underground.”

“Terrific.” Roadie growled. “Come on everypony, we’ve been at this for at least three weeks by now! Somepony has to have found something of use.”

“Sir, the Moponi Desert is huge. We can only cover so much territory in a day with the pegasi we’ve got.” Dawncatcher objected. “We either need more wings, or increase flight lengths.”

“I’ve spoken with the local buffalo tribe. Chief Thunderhooves has sworn to tell us if his tribesfolk finds anything we can use.” Mirror noted, adjusting his glasses. “He’s also spreading word to any other tribes he has contact with to do the same. It’s not much, but it’s more than we’ve got so far.”

“Right. Mirror, have your mages try to find any caves or ravines that they could be using. Dawncatcher, extend the flights by another day. One day out, one day in. Come and find me once Wings Five or Seven arrive for debriefing. I’m going to the saloon.”

The two ponies saluted as Roadie walked out of the bustling command center and headed towards the tavern. Another day of fruitless searching from the air, watching the ground for clues and dreading the possibility of something shooting up at him, or worse.

Though at this point, being shot at would be better. At least then we’d know where our target is, rather than combing through this sun-blasted desert, Roadie thought to himself bitterly as he pushed his way into the saloon. [ii]What’s the use. As it stands, Epona’s likely dead and buried by now.

“What can I do ya for, son?” The bartender glanced up from the counter he had been polishing.

“Bottle of the apple juice please.” He slumped at the bar, letting his wings sag. No. Epona’s not dead. She’s too clever for that. Just keep thinking she’s survived, alright Roadie? Just keep thinking she’s survived.

“Here ya go, big guy. Drink up.” The cold bottle slid down in front of his muzzle, the white straw swaying in the neck.

“Thanks.” He sipped, shivering at the sweet juice.

“’Nother bad day of flyin‘, eh? Still ain’t found yer ladyfriend, I take it?”

Roadie coughed in mid-drink. “She’s…not my girlfriend.”

“Then why’re ya always comin’ in here like ya got the whole world on yer back if she ain‘t?”

“She’s not my girlfriend, alright?”

The bartender shrugged and wiped down the bar.

“Alright?” Roadie repeated, a bit more insistently. “I mean, she’s pretty and clever and rich, but she’s also spoiled, arrogant, mean-spirited and irresponsible. And I wouldn’t touch her plot of land with my plow even if you paid me to do it, if you catch my drift.”

The bartender snickered. “If she ain’t yer ladyfriend, then why’re ya gettin’ all saddle-sore, if I may pry into yer business? She seems mighty important to ya.”

“…Because,” he leaned his muzzle onto the countertop, “she makes life interesting. You know what I did before I became the liaison to her company? Paperwork. Paperwork and training new recruits. And then Epona Stark comes in and makes a foal out of me and has me running around putting out her fires and laughing all the while.” He drank a long swallow of his apple juice. “I hate her, deeply and passionately. But for the life of me I can’t imagine her not being around.”

“Well, don’t you worry to much now. Lady like that, she’s bound to pop up eventually, just as sure as an apple rollin‘ downhill.”

“I hope you’re right.” Roadie drained the bottle as the saloon’s doors swung open, Dawncatcher leaning through.

“Sir! Flight Five’s returned from their recon.”

“Good. Maybe they’ll have some results.” He reached for his pocket, but the bartender shook his head.

“Ain’t gotta worry ‘bout payin’. I’ll put it on the tab for ya’ll military ponyfolk.”

“Thanks.” Roadie nodded and followed Lieutenant Dawncatcher out, laving the bartender to collect the empty bottle.

---

Clang. Clang. Clang.

Epona’s coat was slick with sweat as she pounded away, the leg mounted hammer sending sparks up as she beat the thick metal into shape on the anvil. Epona wasn’t a stranger to the forge. Her mother had made sure she appreciated the work and craftsmanship of the Earth Ponies, which was why she had worked at a smithy during the summer between semesters. At least now, she could put her experience to good use.

She exhaled slowly, eying the piece she had been hammering on before nodding, stepping away and detaching the hammer from her fetlock. Her teeth ached as she picked up a pair of tongs and lifted the chunk of heavy metal, sliding it into the bath. The glowing metal sent up a plume of steam as it was quenched, hissing and keening before Epona removed it, walking over to the work bench.

“This should be the last big piece.” She panted as she set it down. It was a mask, bullet-shaped and wide, with flared slits for the eyes and nostrils and D-shaped holes for the ears. “How’s the rest coming along?”

“Slowly, Epona.” Yeller grumbled as he squinted, tamping the soldering iron against the circuitry on one plate, radiating outwards from a shallow depression in the plate he was working on. “I’m actually still confused on how this will work. Where‘s the mechanisms for movement?”

“You’re working on the mechanism, actually. I got the idea from unicorn-made fashion, actually.”

“Fashion?”

“Hey, I do try to look my best.” She snorted, pushing some of her heavily matted mane out of her face. “Anyway, skilled designers like Rarity and Haute Couture sometimes weave magical energy into their textiles, or design fabrics that react under different types of tension thanks to the weaving pattern or brocade. That way they can make things like dresses that defy gravity. This is the same basic principle. I just use it to send energy along surfaces from a central source to create a force similar to a unicorn‘s innate telekinesis. I used something similar for the Aurora‘s warhead launcher.”

“Ah. That explains why your design had little to no moving parts, just hunks of interlocking metal and gem sockets.”

“Precisely. The entire circuit creates a magic array that suspends the armor in a low-grade but very focused telekinetic field. Once the interior circuitry is put together and I finish the conductor bands for the reactor, the entire thing will work off the reactor’s power supply. The entire armored shell will feel like a silk suit to me while still maintaining its actual weight and density. And with steel this thick, even armor-piercing rounds will have problems getting through. It should also send anything I hit flying.”

Epona slowly sat down, eying the helmet she had made. “Though the cosmetic design isn’t much. Why don’t you take a break for a second and come over here?”

“Sure.” Yeller set the iron down and limped over. “What do you need now?”

“I need you to cut off my mane and tail.”

“What?” the Diamond Dog blinked. “Why?”

“The suit is designed to be as form-fitting as possible while leaving no areas unshielded. I can’t have my mane or tail poking out where it could catch on something. So I need you to cut them off.”

“…Right.” Yeller nodded and turned, heading to the boxes of equipment. “I’ll find something sharp.”

“You know Yeller… we’ve been down here for, what, three weeks? More?” She flexed her legs slowly, trying to stretch them out. “You really haven’t talked much about yourself.”

“Haven’t seen the need to.” The boxes rattled as Yeller searched.

“Do you have any family? I mean, Diamond Dogs usually live in packs, right?”

Epona’s ears twitched as she heard Yeller stop rummaging around.

“Had a pack. Not a large one. Even had a mate and a few pups.” He said slowly. “I left them for a while to attend the Academy. I figured that I could build a better future for the pack if I learned some of the stuff your kind knows.”

“What happened to them?” Epona felt a coldness fill the pit of her stomach as she looked over her shoulder. Yeller was slightly hunched over one box, his back to her.

“They’re deep underground now, where those ponies won’t find them. I came back to find the Ten Horseshoes in our tunnels. That’s when I was captured.” He resumed digging through the equipment.

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. I will see them again, one day. Ah, here we are. These cutters should work.”

“Just be careful, the hair’s really matted.”

“It’s a simple task.” He limbed back over, crouching down beside her haunches and began cutting. “What of you, Epona? Do you have any family?”

“None that are alive, really.” She tried to remain still.

“What about friends? Ponies that care about you?”

“Friends? Oh, I’ve…I’ve got lots of friends.”

“Like who?”

“Like…um…” Epona frowned and thought. “Well, I do have a bunch of ponies that I go drinking with at clubs…and some ponies who go home with me for some late night fun in the bedroom…”

“And you call them friends?”

“No! No, they’re just…acquaintances. I guess.” Her voice drifted slightly as she searched her memories. None of them were kind. “Yeah…um…I do have a few friends though.”

“Like who?” The sound of the wire cutters slowly snipping through her hair filled in the silence.

“Well, I have my personal assistant…” Pepper Pot’s face came to the fore of her memories.

It’s like you’re trying to make me go gray before my time!

“A good working relationship?” Yeller’s snipping filled the seconds as she thought.

Believe it or not, Miss Stark, I don’t spend every waking moment trying to anticipate your whims. I’m allowed to have plans, especially on my birthday!

“Not really.” Epona’s voice faltered.

You forgot again, didn’t you?

“In fact, I treat him like dirt. I don’t even have the decency to remember his birthday when it comes around… I do have my dragon though. He’s always loyal…”

Ma’am, I thought you liked the speech I wrote… Sparks whispered accusingly in the vaults of her mind.

“and he works hard for me and… and…”

If you insist, ma’am. I’d still prefer to come with you.

“…and I left him alone to go sulk like a schoolfilly. Come to think of it, half the time I treat him like a glorified blow-torch. I mean, at least Roadie, my military liaison…”

After all, you’ve proved that you can be so reliable in the past. The Roadie in her memories snarked at her.

“…tries to keep me on the right path…”

It’s like you’re deliberately trying to aggravate me sometimes… You are a horrible, horrible mare Epona Stark!

“And I fail spectacularly and pull all sorts of pranks on him for it.” She slowly lowered her head and closed her eyes, trying to hold back her tears and failing.. “You’re right Roadie,” she whispered softly, ”I am a horrible, horrible mare. A horrible, stupid, selfish mare.”

“Perhaps you need to try to be better.”

“Yeah.” She inhaled through her nose, wiping her eyes. “At this point, you’re pretty much the only friend I’ve got. Tell you what. First order of business, I’m getting us both out of here. I’m sure you’ll get an award for helping to save me like you did, Yeller. I’ll even get you a job at Stark Enterprises.”

“I didn’t help you for personal gain, Epona…”

“Don’t care!” A hint of desperation entered her voice. “You helped me. You saved my life. When we get out of here, I’m going to reward you. I’ll even fund projects for your pack. Your pack will be the best among the Diamond Dogs!”

“That’s…kind of you, Epona, but…”

“That’s final!” Epona shouted, stomping a hoof.

“Alright.” The Diamond Dog whined softly as he cut and snipped at the pony’s mane, leaving Epona to stew in silence.

“Are you doing the right thing?” That’s what you asked me Celestia, she thought in silence. I thought I was sure about my answer. I don’t think I know the answer any more.

---

Time was up.

Everything was ready. Epona stood still, her black mane and tail a faint hint of fuzz along the edges of her dock and crest. She only shifted her weight slightly as Yeller helped “dress” her.

The first thing was a leather covering that wrapped along her midsection and around her neck. A thin strip of golden metal was fused to the leather, with two leads connecting to the ARC Reactor on her chest.

Then came the armor. The pieces were heavy, so they were built from the bottom up. Hoofed “boots” that slid up her legs, segmented at the major joints to provide some limited mobility. Heavy plates covered her barrel, withers, shoulders and flank. A chest-plate that folded clam-shell like around her neck, with a hole for the ARC Reactor. Solid plates that covered her neck rested against the chest plate and back plate. Last, but not least, was the mask, the once-empty eyeholes now covered over with clear plastic for eye protection. Crystals were inset at key points around the body’s superstructure, designed to be key nodes for the magical energy to congregate at.

Finally, the weapons systems. A pair of flame-launchers were settled onto her sides like saddlebags, triggered by a thin tube that ran into her mask. A heavy rocket launcher was strapped to her under-carriage, ready to be fired with the kick of a front leg.

She was a walking tank, a mare made out of iron.

“Are you sure this will work?” Yeller whispered as he tightened a final few bolts. A few tiny sparks flew as the ARC Reactor made contact with the conduction lines inside the suit.

“Yeah. The support gems should already be pulling energy from the ARC Reactor. It may take a minute or three before the structure is fully charged. I’m just lucky this pile of scrap is designed to stand like this without power. It’s all I can do to not topple over.”

“Good. Do you remember the path I told you?”

“Thirty paces, right turn, forty-two paces, left turn, seventy paces, left turn, then just keep going straight until I see daylight. I’ll clear out anypony that’s in my way. Remember, you need to stay behind me…”

Ka-chunk.

“Oh no.” Epona tried to stay calm as the door creaked open. It was too early. She had hoped for a little more time.

Denim and several guards stepped through the door, the blue stallion eying her. “What in the hay do you think you’re doing, mare?”

Terrific, it’s the big blue doofus and his pack of merry murderers. Epona swallowed nervously, her mouth dry. “Testing something. Really important. Go away.”

“Likely story. Get out of that suit! Now!”

“I can’t.” Come on, charge faster.

“You!“ Denim snarled, pointing at one of the armed guards “Get the dog!”

The guard peeled off, passing out of Epona’s line of sight. Denim approached head-on, his teeth grinding as he glared at her. “You know, you’re a lot more trouble than you’re worth. Do you really think this is going to impress the Boss? A pile of scrap with some guns mounted on it? You must really think we’re idiots! I bet you spent most of your time getting humped by that that stupid, bow-legged mutt!”

Epona’s eyes went wide as she heard the sound of a hoof meeting flesh, closely followed by a canine yelp of pain

“Leave him alone! Leave Yeller alone!” Epona snarled, her muscles straining against the heavy metal. “So help me, if you hurt him...”

“Fine! We’ll deal with you first! You! Put a bullet in her precious magic reactor and shut her up!” Denim shouted. One of the guards stepped forwards, taking aim with his gun stocks.

And then there was a whinny of pain as Yeller leapt onto the guard, beating at his head and shoulders with his large fists. Epona could only stare in wide eyed panic, immobile as Yeller struggled, beating on the guard and knocking him over. The gun stocks fired into the ceiling, shattering a few of the lights. The world became a cacophony of shouting and snarling as the lamed Diamond Dog did his best to fight.

“Stupid mutt!” Denim shouted. “Die already!”

BANG!

There was a yelp, then silence.

“Yeller?” Epona whispered. “Yeller? Come on…This isn’t funny…Yeller? YELLER?”

“Well,” Denim panted, turning to grin at Epona as the guards limped over, shallow scratches dripping red onto their coats. “Now what’re you going to do?”

There was a soft hum as the gems lit up. The iron became as light as paper to Epona.

And with a scream of anger, Epona reared up and smashed her hooves into Denim’s chin, sending him flying backwards. The guards opened fire, only to be knocked down by armored limbs that weighed as much as their torsos. Ribs cracked as they landed in limp piles, unconscious and unmoving.

Epona didn’t care. Her hooves clanked as she knelt down by Yeller. The Diamond Dog coughed, the large bullet hole in his chest spreading blood over his yellowish fur.

“Sorry. Wasn’t ready…” He grinned weakly. “Should have…blocked door. Stupid.”

“Why? Why did you do that?!”

“Going to kill you. Had to…stop them.”

“No. No, you’re not doing this to me Yeller. We had a plan. I was going to get you out. I was going to get you back to your pack…”

“Pack…is gone…I go…to meet them now.”

“No. No. No, no, no, NO!” Epona shook her head as best she could inside her helmet, her vision blurring.

“My friend…”

Those two words froze her voice in her throat.

“Epona…friend…go. Be…better.” Yeller reached up, touching her face mask before his arm went limp, just like the rest of his body.

Epona knelt there, unmoving and numb as she stared at the limp frame of the being that had actually called her his friend. And as she stood up, a deep and terrible cold filled her very soul.

---

The ponies of the Ten Horseshoes were fleeing, backing up as they fired their gun stocks. Boss shouted at them, ordering them to keep firing as he turned to face the attacker.

Bullets ricocheted off the heavy metal monster as it walked down the corridors. Streamers of liquid flame leapt from two emitters mounted on either side of its body, torching anything that got in its way. Anypony who tried to leap on it from hiding got bucked off with an enraged whinny, slamming into the hard stone walls. Even the grenades that were bucked in its direction did nothing but make the metal pony stagger slightly from the blast.

The Boss knew what it was. It was Epona Stark.

“Everypony pull back! Pull back now!” He shouted as he pulled on his own gun stocks, this one equipped with a large rocket launcher. He always told his subordinates to never use high explosives in the tunnels. This, however, was an exception.

As the monster made her way down the tunnel, she passed him, her hoof steps clanging heavily as she moved. She was close to the entrance now. The Boss followed her slowly, creeping along until he was sure she wasn’t paying attention to her rear.

He squeezed the firing trigger in his mouth.

FWOOSH!

The missile flew down the hallway…only for Epona to side step it. She turned as it exploded harmlessly outside in the sun.

He froze.

With almost flippant ease, she kicked the launcher slung between her legs.

FWOOSH!

The rocket fired towards him, shooting just above the ground. It impacted into the wall beside him, showering him with debris that pinned him to the hard stone floor. The Boss could only watch as Epona turned around and walked out into the sun, the light gleaming off the armor she was wearing, pock-marked at it was with gunfire scars. The armor on its legs spread, revealing large, shaped explosive charges.

There was a sound like thunder, and a great fireball as the iron mare launched into the sky above, leaving Boss stunned and deafened.

---

The Mark One’s armored shell was in shambles, the gems that served as the suit’s support system shattered and its metal plates slightly warped from the impact.

Epona groaned as she slowly pulled herself free from the wreckage, pushing the bullet-shaped mask off her head as she panted. She was fine. Sore all over, but nothing was broken thanks to the suit’s support system. She might have been an earth pony, but a fall at that speed would have probably killed even her. She leaned her head down and yanked on the leather under-padding’s ties with her teeth..

“Note to…self,” she mumbled to herself as she undid the knots with her teeth, “Shaped charges…while useful for an explosive escape… do not have enough power for sustained flight.”

The leather armor landed with a heavy thud as the ties came free. Epona winced, shielding her eyes as best she could from the sunlight. Everything was so bright after being stuck in the cave for so long. Bright and hot.

Okay Epona, now what? You’re free, but you’re stuck in the desert with no idea of where you are or where you’re going, with no supplies or way to call for help.

And she was alone again. No one was with her. She felt tears start to well up before she shook her head.

Don’t start that. Don’t cry. Cry later. Survive now. Walk.

The earth pony inhaled a shuddering breath and began walking, first climbing out of the shallow crater her landing had made, and then began walking, one hoof in front of the other.

---

It had been another long day. Roadie was on his third bottle of apple juice, sliding the half-empty glass bottle back and forth on the counter between his hooves when Dawnchaser rushed into the saloon.

“Sir!” She cried out. “Sir! I think we’ve found her!”

Roadie sat up with a start, the bottle continuing its path until it tumbled off the counter. “What?”

“Epona! A messenger from Chief Thunderhooves just arrived. Apparently two of his warriors found an earth pony wandering the desert that matched the description we gave of Epona. She’s alive!”

“Epona’s…alive?” He visibly shook, his wings flaring as he got to his feet “I want all available wings to mobilize immediately. Notify any medical staff here in town to be on standby.”

“Sir!” Dawnchaser saluted and dashed out, followed soon after by Roadie. It didn’t take long for the pegasi to form up and take flight, Roadie at the head of the formation.

The buffalo encampment wasn’t hard to find, even in the slowly falling twilight. The pale tents stood out among the hard ground, and the numerous fires helped the camp stay lit. Roadie and his pegasi descended, landing in formation just outside the encampment. Roadie was the first to break formation, trotting into the camp at a quick-but-professional clip. Several buffalo, including Chief Thunderhooves himself, trundled out to meet him.

“Chief Thunderhooves.” Roadie bowed his head respectfully to the elder buffalo.

“Mister Roads. Good, your arrival was prompt.” The old chieftain nodded.

“I do my best. Where is she?” Roadie felt like a coiled spring, his body tight with tension.

“Little Strongheart is with her in the shaman’s tent. Come.” The buffalo jerked his head to the side and began to walk, approaching a large teepee with a closed flap. “Two of my tribesfolk discovered her this afternoon several miles south of here. She was delirious, had no supplies and no clothes, and a strange device attached to her chest. However, she does appear to look like your missing Epona.”

Roadie ducked underneath the canvas flap. Inside, a smaller buffalo was seated beside a low cot. A familiar-looking pony lay sprawled on her side, her breathing shallow. Her coat was layered with grime to the point where even her Cutie Mark was barely visible, and her mane and tail had been crudely cut, so short that they were virtually non-existent. She was skinny enough that her ribs were starting to show through her coat.

Roadie’s eyes lingered on the mare’s chest. A large glowing disc was attached to her skin, illuminating the tent with a pale white light.

That looks like something Epona would make. But I need to make sure. The soldier pegasus inhaled. “How is she?”

“Better.” Little Strongheart glanced from the pegasus to the prone earth pony. “We’ve given her water and food, but she’s rather weak.”

“Can I speak with her?”

The small buffalo nodded and sidled out of the way, letting Roadie crouch down by her.

“Epona? Hey, Epona, wake up.” Please be her, please be her.

The mare’s eyelids slowly opened, revealing a familiar pair of blue-green eyes. She smiled slowly. “Roadie?” Her voice was a hoarse whisper.

Only one pony called him that. “I’m here Epona.”

The mare sniffled, then gave a hoarse sob as she wrapped her legs around his forelimbs. “Oh Celestia, it’s you. It’s you…” She quivered, her voice devolving into choked sobs.

Roadie knelt there, eyes wide with shock. He had been expecting a flippant comment, or maybe just a friendly ‘hey.’ Not tears. He raised a hoof slightly, trying to find something to say. Anything.

Nothing came to mind. He simply sighed and reached down, stroking her head with one hoof before looking out through the tent flap.

“Chief Thunderhooves? Tell my ponies to get ready to transport Epona Stark to Appleloosa for medical treatment.”

---

It took several days for Epona to recover from her trip through the desert. Reports flew from Appleloosa to Canterlot, providing Celestia with reports of the mare’s health and the circumstances of her confinement.

Aside from her interviews with the military ponies and some interaction with the doctors, Epona had remained uncharacteristically silent. She hadn’t flirted with anypony, she hadn’t made snide remarks or even teased him. In some ways, Roadie found her behavior just a little unnerving. She seemed completely lost in thought, her gaze often distant.

It had been that way on the train ride back to Canterlot as well.

The train hissed as it pulled into Canterlot Station. Her arrival hadn’t been announced to the press at large yet, so only two figures were waiting at the platform as Epona and Roadie disembarked.

Pepper Pot stood there, trying to keep a straight face as Epona stepped onto the platform. She looked different: thinner, shorn and stressed. Her unadorned black dress was less ‘look-at-me’ trendy and more austere. The unicorn stood still, trying to process the differences.

Sparks, meanwhile, ran up to her and hugged Epona around the neck.

“Miss Stark! You’re okay! You’re okay!”

“Hey Sparks…” Epona managed to squeak out through the hug, leaning her arms up to hug the dragon in return. They held onto each other for a few long moments before she let go, Sparks following suit.

“Um.. What I meant to say was, ‘Welcome home ma’am.’ The dragon drew himself up, putting on his more professional face.

“Heh, it’s good to be back.” Epona turned to look at Pepper, then walked over to him. “Hey Pepper. How’re things?”

“Good.” Pepper bobbed his head in an approximation of a nod, his composure cracking a little.

“Are those tears?” Epona smiled, gently nudging him with a hoof.

“Tears of joy. At least I won’t have to worry about finding another job now.” He tried to laugh a little.

Epona‘s wan smile disappeared. “You think I’d leave you hanging like that?”

“Well, I…”

“Doesn’t matter,” Epona interrupted, turning to look over her shoulder. “Sparks? Is my carriage here?”

“Yes ma’am.”

“Good. Come on everypony, we have things to do.” Epona began to amble off, a determined look on her face.

“Epona? Epona wait!” Sparks, Roadie and Pepper followed behind the mare, Pepper taking the lead. “We need to get you to the hospital. We need to get you checked out to make sure you’re alright.”

“The hospital can wait. This is more important. I need to get a few things Pepper Pot. Alright?”

“Right.” Pepper nodded.

“First, I’m going to get a dozen of Pony Joe’s powdered sugar donuts. Second, a large hay shake with extra ice cream...”

“You’re joking Epona.”

“No. It’s been over a month since I’ve had good food, and I want it something fierce. Third, I want you…”

Pepper stumbled slightly mid-step. “Now?”

“Let me finish!” Epona interrupted as she stepped into her carriage “I want you to call a press conference at Stark Enterprises headquarters. Get as many newsponies as you can. Got it?”

“But Epona!”

“Pepper…” Epona looked at him quietly. “Please.”

Pepper started to object, but caught the look on Epona’s face and hung his head. “Fine. It’ll be ready as soon as possible.”

“Thank you.”

---

Epona wiped the powdered sugar from her hooves onto the seat cushion of her automated carriage. Her stomach ached under its contents, but at lest she had had her fill of comfort food.

It hadn’t been an easy decision. There was no way anypony in her company would like what was about to happen, especially not Obsidian. A lot of ponies were going to give her a lot of grief.

It’d be easier to leave things as they are, she mused.. I don’t have to do this. I don’t want to do this. But… she was right. I have to do what’s right. And sometimes the right thing isn’t the easy thing.

She took a deep breath as the carriage came to a halt, the door clicking open to allow her out. The headquarters of Stark Enterprises was a sizable building made of smooth white stone and golden enamel, with large and square windows. The press ponies were already there, gathered in two lines on the steps leading up to the front doors.

They weren’t the only ones there. Obsidian Stone carefully stepped down the stairs towards her.

“Hey Obsidian.” She managed a smile as the older stallion pulled her into a hug, a deep laugh coming from his chest. Epona could hear the shutters and flash-bulbs going off.

“And here I thought I’d never see you again, my golden girl.” He chuckled, running a hoof over her head. “Can’t say I like what you’ve done with your mane, though. Didn’t think you’d go for the buzz-cut look.

“Heh, I heard that short manes were in this year.” She grinned sheepishly.

“I didn’t expect you back this soon. One minute you’re gone, the next I hear you’re calling a surprise press conference.”

“I know it’s short notice Obsidian, but please, just go with me. I really need to do this, right now.”

“Okay, okay.” He murmured consolingly. “Just relax. Whatever it is you want to do, I’ll be behind you, a hundred percent.”

I hope so, she thought to herself as she waved to the press. “Alright everypony! Please head inside!” She shouted.

The press poured into the building followed by Epona and Obsidian. Pepper and Roadie were already waiting inside, talking to a nondescript gray stallion in a black suit in hushed tones. Epona didn’t pay much attention to them, though. She was too busy trying to steel her nerves for what she was about to do.

Epona paused, having a seat on in front of the podium that had been set up in the main lobby of the building. Obsidian leaned over the podium, frowning down at her before floating the mike down to her level. The mare held the mike in both hooves, adjusting it in its stand before she spoke.

“Can everypony hear me?”

There was a murmur of agreement from the crowd as Epona shifted on her seat.

“I know this is a bit odd, but could everypony have a seat real quick? This isn’t going to take long, and I’ll take questions once I’ve said my piece. Alright? Everypony, just sit down.” She waved a hoof as the press ponies slowly lowered themselves onto the floor, except for the camera ponies who were busy snapping photos.

Alright Epona, show time. Make this one count.

She took a deep breath, rubbing her head with one hoof before she began.

“More than a month ago at my presentation to the military, a certain pony asked me a question. It was a simple question, but not one I usually got asked; ‘Do you think what you’re doing is right?’ At the time, I thought I knew the answer to that question. I was certain of it. So certain that I got angry about the question even being asked.

“And then…then I got captured. I saw ponies killed with weapons that my company made. I saw the weapons that I had designed and built to defend Equestria in the hooves of those who meant to do my country and my fellow ponies harm. And not just ponies, but other species as well. And I almost died to one of my cruelest and most lethal of weapons, a weapon I was once proud of designing for its complexity and lethality. And one of my few friends died trying to protect me.”

A few ponies rose up, starting to speak, but Epona raised a hoof to stop them.

“Please, just let me finish.” She inhaled, trying to recompose herself. “Having been through all of that, knowing what I know now, and having had time to think, I’ve come to a very different conclusion. If my mother were here, rest her soul, I’d probably be asking her the same sort of questions that certain pony asked me. Are we doing the right thing? Is our company doing the right thing?

“I can’t claim to know how she would answer. But I know how I’m going to answer now. I was a fool and a child, and my disregard for common decency and sanity has led to innocent blood being shed. It’s time I took responsibility.”

She inhaled deeply. This was the big part. The press was hanging on her every word.

“Which is why I am announcing that I will be shutting down the weapons research and development wing of Stark Enterprises, effective immediately, until I have decided the direction that this company will take. Please direct your questions to Mr. Obsidian Stone.”

Epona tipped the microphone over, pushing her way to her feet as the press exploded. Obsidian tried to shout over the din as she stumbled away.

Pepper and Roadie flanked her, helping her along.

“I…think I’d like to go to the hospital now, please.” She smiled weakly.

Author's Note: Thanks to Jack of Games for getting me onto this project, to the chatters in #EquestrianStudy for helping me proof-read. Major thanks go to author 25 or 6 to 4 for inspiring this whole Marevel Ultimates thing and for giving us his blessing.
And yes, I'm well aware that this is basically a retread of Iron Man the movie. This was mostly intentional. However, I like to think tat this version is its own creation. Later chapters will diverge further from the film as it continues.