We were back in Polynices Station, the military line now free from the clutter of death. It had become a big empty place, hollow of any feeling. Not that I liked being surrounded by death, but it was just too desolate, and cold. The only signs that anypony had ever been here was the random trash left behind, along with makeshift homes long collapsed and trampled on. I had little doubt that the ponies that once live here were long dead, thrown into a water grave.

“So...” Harp whispered to me. “What’s our next step?”

“Well,” I had to think for a moment, which was a bit difficult due to the shadows still playing tricks. Though I’ll admit, that it wasn’t nearly as bad as it was before. “Grease did say that this line is used to resupply the airships, which means it must goes up the skyport.”

“But what about the others?” Her voice quivered a bit. “We need to find them.”

“You’re right.” We also needed our gear, even with the dart guns, we were wholly under equipped. “Then the first thing we need to do is to locate the others.”

A loud crunch caught out attention. It was the sound of shattered glass being pressed under hoof, meaning we weren’t alone. I motioned for Harp to ready her gun, and turned off my light. We were swallowed by the darkness as my eyes struggled to adapt to the jarring change. Even still, as hard as they tried their best, there was no light source for my eyes to even adjust to. We were effectively blind now, but so must be the other pony. Now it was a waiting game to see who would mess up first and reveal themselves.

My ears swiveled around, catching the sound of Harp trying to breath as lightly as possible. Of note, was the sound of light scraping, like something hard on concrete. A light dragging, but not metallic. I checked my E.F.S. but it only showed Harp and nopony else. Was it another ghost? The thought of me just being paranoid crossed my mind, but Harp clearly heard it too, her head swiveling to the same direction as mine.

“Miss Vibraphone?” Harp whimpered as she pushed up next to me. “I see something.”

Looking around, I found what she was talking about. Two red orbs hovered in place like eyes, looking, glaring directly at the two of us. The orbs seemed to have a red aura around them, giving them an unnerving glow. The sound of scraping on the floor returned as the orbs moved towards us at a slow, but steady pace.

*phiffft*

Harps gun fired. The rifle making a soft, yet sharp puff sound when it fired, before smashing against the wall. The orbs stopped for a moment, only to renew it’s advance again, moving much faster at us this time. I stepped in front of Harp and fired my dart gun at them. It made another clunk sound, but only that. The orbs got closer, so close that I could practically touch them. I took a swipe with my right hoof, contacting something hard.

The orbs and glow seem to stumble, but then turned at me. From the darkness, something like a hoof smacked me across the cheek.

“Deplorable pony, I wilt not taketh this fight lightly!” An all too familiar voice came from the glowing eyes.

… “Mayall!?” I asked slowly.

Harp turned on her pipbuck lamp, and in front of me was the glowing red eyed, friendly Mirelurk pony. We both looked at each other with our mouths agape. Before I could say any more, I received a hug from Mayall, her chin legs suffocating me a little.

“I wast so worried, along with the others.” Mayall spoke, her voice sounding a bit like water was in it. “There wast tush to receiveth to thee, so we hadst to changeth our plans.”

I pushed the Sparkle-Lurker off of me. “It’s good to see you too, but where are the others?”

Mayalls eyes drifted to the side. “I got separated from those folk.” I frowned at her. “But, I knoweth whither their going.”

Harp trotted over with short steps, and hugged Mayall. “That’s all we need to know.”

I was suddenly blinded by red, having to take a step back. My eyes quickly recovered, and I could see what just happened. Harp was shimmering, likely charging up out of fear, and Mayall, her eyes were now beaming a strong red light, like torches with a red filter. “Really… I don’t know if that is freaky, or funny.”

“What is?” Mayall asked, as she looks at me, and blinding me with her red flashlight eyes. “Wow, I can see very much valorous right now.”

After our very odd reunion, Mayall took us back to a little hiding spot she had made for herself nearby. There, she had our gear stashed away in it, which I was glad hadn’t been lost. I’d kiss her for this if I was, one, were more into mares, and two, more importantly had a fetish for crustaceans. This made me feel quite relieved, as we could now ditch these terrible dart guns and properly defend ourselves.

“ORDER!” Harp squealed as she hugged the Orthrus drone.

She immediately began to charge the robot with her horn. I’d tell her to keep it powered down for now just to help with sneaking about, but something tells me we’re going to need all the firepower we can get. I shuffled through my stuff, but I noticed something off. My revolver was missing.

“Hay, Mayall?” I cringed as her beaming red eyes swept across me again. “where’s my gun, the smaller one?”

She scratched her chin… well ‘fake’ chin. “I think Sweet took the small guns. For safe keeping she told me.”

I sighed. “Of course, she would be safe with her.”

I picked up my air gun and inspected it. No damage, and no ammo inside, just as I’d left it. Rummaging through the pack that had my stuff, I picked out a few bolts and loaded the rifle. Looking over at Mayall, she was busy fiddling with her pipbuck, inserting a talisman implanted holotape. A dull shimmering light wrapped around her, and after a moment, she now looked like a normal pony.

“Hay, Mayall?” I called out. “How can you do that? Doesn’t the talisman need to be charged first?”

She cocked her head for a moment and smiled. “Oh that, one of my crew tinkered with the hoof screen bracelet.”

“Hoof screen what now?” I asked.

She waved leg around with the pip buck on it. “This! Those gents routed the system to power the spell talisman. Can’t useth the other features at which hour the talisman is in useth, but not like I care. Making me behold like a pony, so merit.”

“ehh, gents?” I really wished she would talk normally for once, just for my sake even.

“The crew on the ship, naturally.” Mayall explained. “I hath left those folk a few books on arcano engendering to study. Though, those gents still seem to struggle to understandeth what those gents readeth, those gents has't hath learned lots.”

It sounded dumb, but it also made some sense. “So, the Lurkers on the sub, they’re... what? Arcano engineers now?” It did at least explain how they got the sub up and working.

Mayall nodded. “Their such valorous workers, if 't be true sis wast in charge, the lady would has't those folk brake down the sub for raw materials, the brute.”

“Ya, I can see the bitch turning the sub into a bunch of swords.” I rummaged through the pack until something rattled that brought a smirk to my muzzle. The jar of chill, sitting down at the bottom right where I’d left it. I was already feeling a little relaxed knowing it was there. “So, do you have an idea what your sisters next move is? I rather not see another station get flooded.”

While Mayall thought about it, I opened the jar, and popped six pills into my mouth. I followed it with a bottle of Metro-Cola that I’d also had inside the pack. Alright, that’s one worry out of the way.

“I don’t know.” She responded. “It depends on what happens after. If the ponies cower and hide, she will go on the attack. But if there is retaliation, and there is a chance that she might fail… she may retreat from the islands.”

I thought about it for a moment, and something clicked. “Could both happen? You know, she thinks she has the advantage, and underestimates her enemy?”

“Maybe?” It was hard to read the lurkers face, but she seemed to tense up a little. “Can we not talk about that lady, it’s lacking valor luck.”

“Right, family issues. I can understand that.” I began attaching my gear. Even though I was missing my revolver, I was feeling a lot less helpless and naked wearing everything else. “So, how can we get to the others when there’s lots of ponies in the way.”

“Oh, I learned what to do.” Mayall whipped out an old and slightly moldy map. “This sayeth that this military line is connected to the skyport. We just needeth to steal a train up, or taketh the stairs.” The map ripped in the middle, age having done its damage. Then again, they probably weren’t meant to be handled by lurkers in the first place.

Still, I had to agree. If any tunnel had a direct connection to the skyport, it had to be this one. So we just needed to… “wait, steal a train, how!?” I blurted out.

“Well, th're’s three traineth carts yond can wend up the toweth'r. At least, i hath heard about those folk” Mayall pointed at the map, tearing it a bit more. “Supposedly those gents w're being hath used to moveth supplies from stable 50 to a few oth'r stations, but those gents can eke beest hath used to wend up the skyp'rt”

I quickly became annoyed at the way she talked, before it was just odd, but now it was just getting in the way of the mission. “Can you speak like a normal pony, because I have no fucking clue what you said, and I’m quickly coming to think that beating the scene into a pony is a literally good idea.”

“Sorry,” Mayall said, lowering her head. “I meant that the tracks har not only goes directly to Stable 50, but also all the way up the skyport. The ponys here say that they use the carts to transport materials they need up there, we could use them to get up top the skyport.”

That… that sounded like a good plan. Yet something felt off about it. “Then why is Golden not using it, I don’t hear a contingent of guards paste here?”

She shrugged. “That gent gives off the same vibe as mine own sist'r” She pointed her hoof at her disguised ‘pony’ mouth, and opened her jaw to stick her tongue out. Except what I saw was two pincers coming out of her illusionary face, and her ‘tongue’ consisted of two weird crab mandibles. Now I was surprised that Jade only screamed, and not had a heart attack when she saw that. “If 't be true i wast to guesseth, that gent is trying to keepeth what that gent doest quiet. Nay big moves”

“Good point.” I mumbled. “With the queen in critical condition, any sudden moves would be seen as an attempt to take over. Golden Rule was playing a dangerous game.” I felt my lips curl into a smile. “And his plans are going to come crashing down on him.” I pulled the last of my things from the container and put them on. “Harp, are you ready?”

Her drone, Order, suddenly jumped up at the question. “Milady, you’re hurt. What scoundrel did this to you!?”

Harp hugged the robot. “It’s fine, we just need to get back to the others.”

The robot’s eyes flickered. “Right, lead the way mam, I am at your service.”

She gave it a nod, and turn to the container holding her stuff. “Give me a moment Vibraphone, I just need to ready this rifle. Then, we’ll be off.”

-

-

It didn’t take long for Harp to get ready, as she didn’t have too much stuff to put back on herself. We all shared a Metro-Cola, as Mayall had had an extra few of the caffeinated drinks to go around. After a quick double check, we headed out.

For me, the chill finally kicked in. I was feeling a little more... well, more myself. For a short few minutes, I felt numb all over, and the odd shadow ponies following us turned pink and blue, and some new color I never seen before. It was weird. But, I also never felt so relaxed before, so much so that I had to fight the urge to take a nap on the floor.

“There they are.” Mayall whispered.

“I detect several lifeforms in this direction” Order blurted out a bit louder than I would have liked.

“Turn your robot’s voice box down, before I rip it out!” I whispered sharply to Harp.

“Sorry, I’m still reading the manual for him,” She whispered back, pulling out a thick looking book. “Vocal controls is two more chapters in.”

I’d have face-hoofed, but it would have made a loud sound, and have hurt. “Just skip the other chapters you idiot.”

“I detect hostility towards my master!” The fucking robot spoke loudly.

“Shhhhh!” Harp waved at her robot. “Quiet, you need to be quiet!”

“Silent mode activating.” Order spoke loudly. “Silent mode now active.” The robot’s voice was now much quieter.

Sadly it was too late, and a pair of flashlights were now beaming in our direction.

“Anyone out there?” one stallion called out, casting his flashlight around a bit.

“Come out where we can see you.” A mare yelled as she focused on the direction we were in..

“I don’t like this.” The stallion commented. “That way is to the cursed tunnel.”

“Hmmm.” The mare spoke up, pausing for a moment. “Maybe… maybe it was just our imagination. Let’s just pretend we didn’t hear anything.” One of the beams of light turned from us and moved rapidly up and then down. “Ow, the fuck was that for?”

“We are not robots.” Spoke the stallion “Let's report this, and ask for a team to scout the tunnel.”

“Damn.” The mare cursed. “At least the paperwork is lite with this gig.”

Shit, thanks to the fucking robot, were going to get more soldiers down here. I had to think. Kill them and guarantee that nopony would know we were here. That was definitely an option, and one I’ve already done plenty of times so far. Before I could speak to the others, Mayall stepped away from us, and into the light beams of the solders.

“Sorry to spook you.” Mayall spoke up. “I got a bit lost.”

The lights focused in on her, and the mare whistled. “Well aren’t you a cutie! How did you end up all the day down here?”

The stallion once again bonked his companion on her head with his torch. “Can you stop being a filly fooler for one minute to see that this is odd?” Turning the flashlight to Mayall again, he waved it at her. “Miss, come closer. We are not going to hurt you, but you’re in a restricted area.”

“Right.” Mayall complied. It was still hard to see the two soldiers from where we were, but I could make out that each of them had two Javelin launchers, and all four were currently aimed at Mayall. She may have a hard shell, but those guns would rip through her like paper. “so v'ry s'rry about yond. I did get did stick on the surface, and hadst to wend through an fusty drain'd tunnel yond somehow end'd up h're. ”

The stallion looked at eachother confused, then sighed. “Good thing you’re an earth pony. The fucking stripes deserved their execution with how poorly this station was maintained.”

The torches illuminated Mayall, creating long shadows, which seemed to move unnaturally between the artificial light. “right, those ponies art a real rampallian, a few of those folk hadst actually hath broken in our home once, assault'd mine own moth'r coequal. Moth'r did get so did stress by t yond we hadst to moveth to new home. ”

“My condolence miss, the striped only continue to cause problems for us pure ponies, but now walk slowly.” The stallion spoke softly. “Even if we’re of the same mind, if you don’t follow instructions, we may be forced to shoot.”

“Ya.” The mare spoke up. “And we don’t want to hurt that cute little face of yours. Heck, maybe if you’re good, you can share a cot with me. I’ve been told I’m a good kisser.” Another bonk echoed through the tunnel. “Stop that, you jackass!”

Mayall was now right in front of the two solders. The light from their flashlights was bouncing off her illusionary body and illuminating the two ponies, but neither had seemed to notice it yet. The stallion looked like a big rock, and was basically a unicorn with a coat and mane that was Gray on Grayer. The mare on the other hoof, was a peach pink pegasus with a deep earthy red mane.

“Wow,” the mare spoke, looking disappointed “now that I take a closer look, that outfit is just not rocking at all. Mind taking it off and showing us the goods?”

*Bonk*

“Damnit all, Peach Dream!” The stallion shouted as he raised his flashlight to hit her again. “This is why you were kicked out of the guard!”

“Ya, and fuck those assholes!” Peach Sneered “And when this whole fiasco is sorted, and I’m in command while they’re out on their flanks, they will be begging to lick my cunt to get back in.”

The stallion groaned. “Sorry about that ma’am, names Granit Pounder, and your name?”

“Mayall, and if you need me to take this off, I don’t mind.” The two soldiers looked at each other, and back at Mayall, who was already undressing. Over her illusionary pony form, she dropped her oversized and shabby green fatigues to the floor. Underneath was a pristine white and blue uniform, it almost shined in the light. “I recently found this outfit, and it’s just too cute to get dirty.” She looked like a captain from an old equestrian navy photo, all she was missing was a hat… of which she pulled out and put on.

“Wow, cloths like that would sell a lot to a collector.” The mare spokes. “Where did you get it?”

She motioned with her hoof for the mare to come closer, and the mare leaned in.

“Peach, don’t!” Granit shouted

*Bam!* One of Mayall’s chin claws came out from her illusionary pony face, and cold clocked the mare. I watched as the mare went ridged and stayed down for the count. The stallion didn’t seem as shocked at watching his partner get knocked out, and rushed Mayall. But she moved to counter him, locking hooves. The stallion winced as blood came out from his hooves, while Mayall didn’t budge an inch.

“The fuck, are you?” Granit spoke

“Not a pony.” Mayall responded, but before she could make a move, the stallion shifted his weight, and threw her to the side. He charged her again, but as soon as he got closer, Mayall whipped her tail around, hitting his face, and sending blood upwards. The stallion tripped over, and fell to the side. He tried to get up again, but Mayall kicked him in the head, and finally the stallion stopped moving.

“That was amazing Mayall!” Harp called out as she trotted over to the lurker. “Where did you learn to fight so well?”

I trotted after them, keeping my eye on the robot in case it wanted to bring more trouble our way. “I’ve got to agree, that was some fine moves.” Not that I want chin-claw-thingies, but an extra hoof to suckerpunch somepony could’ve proved useful more than once so far.

Mayall blushed as her illusionary pony body flickered and faded, leaving her mirelurk form bare. Her navy uniform unnaturally hanged off her armored plates, but it felt like she still wore them proudly. “Shot, Bento did warn me that the magic would fade if I came into contact with another pony.” She muttered to herself. “No matter, it should recharge soon.”

“Mayall, are you okay?” Harp asked, getting closer, and reaching out a hug.

The mirelurk pony flinched, pulling up a leg to defend herself. “I’m fine.” She lowered her leg, and took a deep breath. “Sis liked to practice on me, so I eventually learned how to fight by watching her as she beat me up.” Her eyes widened up for a moment. “Wait, I won a fight! A real fight!”

“Ya, you kicked their ass,” I fought the urge to face hoof. “And while we’re proud of you, we should get moving.”

“I’ve never felt so strong before!” Mayall spoke loudly. “We should celebrate.”

“No, we should get moving.” I said sternly at the now excitable Lurker. “Now.”

“Uhh, what hit me...” Peach spoke as she slowly got back onto her hooves. I readied my gun at the mare. “Granit, where you…” She looked straight at Mayall, and froze. The two didn’t move for a moment before Mayall stepped forward. Before Peach could do anything, Mayall bumped her nose with hers. Which seemed cute, until Mayall opened her claw snout, and tilted her head forward a bit more. Peach attempted to scream, but her voice was muffled. I could see her eyes widen with fear and then roll back into her head before passing out.

“Did I make a mistake?” Mayall asked, with her fake snout open, revealing her mandibles inside. I had to fight the urge to puke up the Metro-Cola I had earlier, as I stared into her gaping maw. Closing up her… face, Mayall now looked a lot more tolerable to look at. “I thought ponies like the style of kissing from the old country of Prance?”

“Oh Celestia, I think I’m going to really puke.” I blurted out. “Can you never do that again?” Poor Peach, she was going to have nightmares for the rest of her life.

“Sorry, I got too excited.” I watched as Mayall trotted past me. I had to make a mental note about her, and her kind. She could hit a pony with the claws on her face, and I bet those claws could do other things too. Also, her hooves, they looked like a pony’s, but they tapered to a sharp point at the end, meaning when she and the Stallion had locked hooves, she’d also been stabbing him at the same time.

Then came her tail. While I’d seen a lurker tale before, she could use hers like a weapon by wiping it, which had actually left a nasty cut on the stallion that I’d missed during the fight. It now made sense how her kind were able to nearly wipe out an entire station, even without weapons. They themselves had evolved highly effective natural weapons to use, which was something I’d have to remember for the future. If I were to come to blows with her sister again, going hoof to hoof would be a death sentence.

Stripping the two ponies of their javelin launchers, we followed Mayall as she trotted further into the station. In what looked to be a loading dock, there were three trains. The three were not of the old-world design. Rather, all three of them were made of rusty metal carts that had been welded together around what looked like a large talisman powered steam boilers. Crude, but it looked like it must have worked well enough to still be in service now.

The train itself was not much to look at, gutted, with the top and much of the walls removed, a pony would have to get low to the ground for cover. The only spot for any pony really to fight from was the engine, it being the only thing with an actual cabin and some semblance of cover. A small ramp lead up onto the closest train, so I decided to check that one first.

As we got closer, I saw something move from within the closest cabin car. Pulling up my rifle, I took a deep breath. “Show yourself or I fire!”

Everything became still, like the tunnel had suddenly became dead. I could hear the blood moving through my ears, which only agitated me.

“Don’t shoot!” a mare yelled out. “Please, don’t shoot.”

“Then show yourself.” I commanded.

“I can’t, we can’t.” the mare responded.

We didn’t have time for games, so I charged my magic armor talisman. A soft blue light formed a grid around my body, and faded. It was not going to stop anything big, but it would give me the time to fire back if they have smaller guns.

“Hooves up, or I will kill you!” I slowly crept forward and onto the train with my rifle held at the ready. I didn’t know what to expect, but I knew what I was to do if I didn’t see guns on the floor. The first pony to try anything was going to have a very bad day, and a hell of a hole in their neck.

Sharply, I turned and aimed into the enclosed cabin.

…

…

…

Three ponies with collars on looked to be trapped in a cage barely big enough to hold them all. But not just three normal ponies, no. They were three mirage ponies.

My rifle fell loose from my grasp. “The fuck is this?”

A mare in the cage who looked thinner than she should be, smiled at me. “Like I said, we can’t really come out. We don’t exactly have the key.”

The two other ponies got up on their hooves, one slipping as she tried. All three of them looked malnourished, and more than a bit dehydrated. They looked at me with sickly eyes, yet with a spark of hope in them.

“Miss Vibraphone, what’s the matter?” Harp asked as she got onto the train. I looked back just to see her gasp, and pushed passed me. “By Celestia, are you alright!?”

The mare that spoke before motioning for the to others to sit back down. “Could be better. Fucking deep dwellers keep forgetting to give us our food and water. At least our cage has a hole to shit in, but they keep threatening to plug it up.”

Harp put her hoof onto the cage. “Don’t worry, we will get you out of there. There’s other survivors, we can take you to them.”

The mare weekly looked at Harp, still struggling to smile. “Really, and who are you?”

I placed my hoof onto Harp’s shoulder, and when she looked back at me, I shook my head. It would take too much time, and was far too risky to double back from here get them back to the refugees.

“Can we do anything for them?” Harp asked.

“I…” I shook my head again. “No, we need to get this train moving, we need to get to the top of the skyport as soon as possible.”

She looked away from me, and I could hear her grinding her teeth. “Still, there should be something. Leaving them in here would be too cruel.”

The mare in the cage tapped at the floor under her. “There’s one thing. We could use some food and water. It’s been, well, I don’t know how long, but were so very hungry and terribly thirsty.”

Harp nodded, and rummaged through her pack, pulling out four bottles of Metro-Cola and a bag of dried pineapple chips. She shoved the rations through a small slit, and the three ponies mediately shared it among each other. Harp then traced her hoof along the cage, and quickly began to look worried. After looking over the cage, she then looked back over to me. “There’s no door!”

“Of course not.” The mare spoke up. “This has always been our home, so why would we need a door?”

Indeed, there was no door. It was easy to see from where I sat. It was right about then that it struck me. The three ponies in there, they were never meant to come out, not alive that is. I’d been mistaken in my assessment, thinking talismans powered the boiler. No, they had been welded inside permanently, to live out their lives in this cage just power this train. How barbaric could somepony be to do something like this? Orthrus had supposedly wiped out this practice decades ago, and all the other islands signed an agreement banning it!

I swallowed the slow burning hatred I was feeling like acid in my veins, all the while bile was bubbling up from the sheer disgust I felt from all this. “I really hate to ask this, but can you three help get us to the top of the skyport?” This felt… wrong to ask of them, but we were just too short on time as it was.

Harp whipped her head to me, almost snapping. “They’re in no condition to do any such thing.” Her gaze lowered at me, and I could tell she was getting angry. “Why would you ask that?”

“Because.” I had to take another breath, keep myself calm. “Because that’s their job.” I pointed my hoof at them. “Princess Harp, this is what you call a Slave Generator. Those three are the trains power source.”

“It’s fine.” The mare in the cage spoke, sipping at the cola in her hooves. “I actually forgot what cola tasted like. It tastes wonderful, thank you.”

“Don’t thank me yet, I’ll get you out of here.” Harp spoke as she put her hoof back on the cage.

“A-and the others?” the mare asked with a stammer.

Harp nodded. “All three of you, I’ll get you out of here” The mare in the cage shook her head, and pointed her hoof to the side. Harp looked over in the direction she was pointing at.

“There are three trains Princess.” I reminded her. “And all three of them looked the same.”

Harp shook her head. “Then we’ll save them all!”

“We can’t, we don’t have time.” I spoke up, forcibly accepting the glare she shot at me. “Trust me. This is deplorable, but we have a job to do that is bigger than this.”

The sound of hooves getting on the train behind me broke the straining match. “I don’t want to be that pony,” Mayall spoke up. “but I think we should hurry up.”

“I know.” I snapped.

Mayall pulled out a walkie talky, and turned it on. A burst of static filled the air for a moment, but then the voice of a stallion called out.

“I repeat, Granit, come in. Peach, come in. You too better not be fooling around. Damnit, I’m sending ponies to your location now, this is not the time to be playing pranks.” Mayall clicked off the radio, and put it on a bench.

“Sooo, how much time do you think we have?” She asked.

I groaned. “Not enough.” I quickly trotted over to the cage. “This train, it can go up the skyport, right?”

The mare in the cage paused for a short moment, and then nodded. “One of the train carts have gone up there before, so it’s possible, but we’ve never been there.”

“Right.” I said with a sigh, “We will try to get you out of there, but you have to power that engine, and get us up the skyport.”

She nodded again. “You need to get the blast door open, and then have the rail line switch the junction to the us the right tracks.” She said weekly.

As I trotted to get off the train, Harp stopped me. “I don’t feel comfortable using them like this, is there a better way?”

“Like what, hoofing it up to the skyport?” I said irritatedly. “Look, I don’t like the idea of using a slave engine, but it’s our only option right now.” I hopped off, and onto the ground. “If you can help them, then do it.”

Quickly, I trotted over the short distance to the control booth. Inside was a mess of buttons and terminal screens. Messing with what looked like the main control terminal, I found the rail line options and door control. It looked like from here, we could actually go to most of the other stations, though it didn’t tell me if the tunnels were blocked off or not. Shaking my head, I didn’t have time to ponder. I selected the option to switch over to the lines needed to connect to the skyport, and then for the blast doors to open.

“Right, time to go.” I muttered to myself.

Trotting out of the control room, I was greeted by the sound of rusted metal rubbing up on rusted metal. As the heavy steel blast doors slowly opened, I rushed over to the train, and saw the three caged ponies charging the train’s talismans. The engine itself looked like it was a simple steam boiler, with heating talismans likely attached to a metal rods that boil the water. The heating talismans started to glow with power, and even the boiler casing started to feel warm from where I was standing in the cab. But even with as fast as they had started to boil the water, we still weren't moving fast enough, or at all yet for that matter.

“How long is it going to take to get this train moving?” I asked the ponies in the cage.

The mare inside the cage shrugged. “A minute or two, but it will take a little longer to pick up speed.”

“Right.” I looked over at one of the javelin launchers we had taken. “Mayall, arm yourself with these. If we don’t get moving before Golden’s hench ponies get here, we’re going to need to fight them off.”

“Miss Vibraphone?” Harp spoke up. I turned to see her holding an angle grinder. “I might be able to help them with this.”

“Don’t wait for me to give you approval,” I rolled my eyes. “If you can help, just do it.”

I readied my rifle, pointing it at a stairway which I had pegged as the likely entrance to the rest of the station above. Unfortunately for us, it was facing away from our position, giving them a formidable defensive position to fire at us from. The screeching of the blast door, and the revving of the angle grinder Harp had didn’t help with my focus, not to mention it was blocking out any other sound that could warn us of the enemies’ approach.

Mayall set herself up near me in the train cart, with a javelin launcher at the ready, and the other three leaning up next to her. Her cloth, were a bit scuffed, but still far cleaner than most clothes found in the wild. But like everything with the sparkle-lurkers, looking odd was only a starting point with them. I was about to ask her about her outfit, but a glint of light from the far end of the room got my attention. I could see a door open, and the form of ponies rushing through.

“Get ready!” I called out.

“What!?” Mayall yelled back.

“Oh don’t fucking start that joke, just shoot when you see them!” I yelled back.

“Firing ho!” she saluted.

The first pony rounded the corner, in a tan uniform, and two javelin launchers on his sides. An explosion of air came from Mayall’s weapon as her javelin flew through the air. The shot was too low, and the javelin hit the ground just in front of the now wide eyed pony. The javelin slid under him and slammed into the back wall, sending flakes of concrete flying out as the pony dove back around the corner again.

“To arms!” a pony called out. “We’re under attack!”

“Fine shooting Mayall!” I snidely chastised her. “But do aim a bit higher next time.”

“Ya, it went right under him.” She said, giggling a little. “I think he may have pissed himself a little.”

I ignored her, and looked down the sights of my Lelantos. All I could think of was that a scope would have been nice as I lined my shot. With a puff of air, I fired at a pony who was leaning out too far. It connected, hitting their shoulder. The pony reared back as blood spouted from their side. They were quickly dragged screaming back behind their cover again.

A few of the ponies popped out and counter fired at us. I pushed myself back behind the limited cover that the cab provided as javelins slammed into the train. Their sharp points weren’t the best at piercing armor, but they were good enough to jam just a bit of their tips through. Not the most effective weapon they could have brought, but still something not the be underestimated. Case and point, I winced as a tip came through right where my head had been only a moment ago.

“Miss Vibraphone!” Mayall called out to me again.

“This better not be another Jo…” Well fuck, the lurker had been speared through her leg, pinning her to the train. “Just keep her head low, and I’ll get you free.”

A few more javelins pincered the side of the train, one nearly hitting Mayall’s face. She gave me a worried look. With my rifle, I peeked over the side of the train, seeing some of the soldiers advancing on or position. We did not have time for this.

“Fuck this shit!” Entering tactical S.A.T.S., I lined up two shots, one at each of the two of the advancing ponies. The bolts flew from the barrel of my rifle, gliding through the air in the spell’s grasp. The first one only grazed the pony I’d aimed at, forcing her to take cover. The second pony hadn’t been so lucky as the bolt punched into the pony’s head. The impact made a small clean hole in the front, but blew out the back of their head in a spray of gore.

I ducked as the other soldiers retaliated. A few more Javelins slammed into the train, but so did small arms fire. I rolled over to get closer to Mayall, hoping I could just pull her free. Peering over the side again, I activated S.A.T.S. again, and lined up two more shot. The ponies were closer now, but also more on guard, one took cover behind some old crates, and another was jumping from one set of cover to the next.

The first pony was considerably unlucky, as the bolt penetrated the old crate like paper. The metal arrow stuck into the stallion’s neck, ripping out his throat as the pony instinctively pushed himself away from the box. The second pony got clipped in the foreleg as he rolled into more solid cover than his friend had been behind.

Another barrage of gunfire slammed into the side of the train cart, and with a few more javelins sticking into the cart. We were starting to look more like a pincushion than a train here, I was quickly losing spots to comfortably shoot from. With another roll across the cab, I was now with Mayall, and I saw that my original plan was not going to work.

The Javelin’s head was barbed, meaning that I was going to have to push it through, and pulling her out might destroy her leg beyond recovery.

“How bad is it?” Mayall asked, keeping herself from looking at the wound.

“You got harpooned, we’re going to have to cut it off of you.” I looked back at Harp, who was still griding the cage open. “We need to get out of here now, or we’re dead.”

“Just a minute!” Harp yelled back, “Give me just one more minute!”

I groaned and stood up on my two hind legs with my rifle in my forehooves. Entering S.A.T.S. I queued up two more shots. I placed one at a pony charging out position, because with him out in the open, I had a ninety five percent chance to hit dead on. Another pony further in the back was currently lining up a shot at me. I could que up another shot on them, but they might have just started to aim, or were already pulling the trigger. Feeling it was two dangerous to take another shot, I picked to dodge, selecting S.A.T.S. to have me jump to the side.

The bolt fired from my rifle, sailing cleanly through the air and hitting the runny pony between the eyes. A javelin flew past me right as my body shuffled to the left with the dodge I’d cued up. Good thing I made that call!

As the spell came to an end, the first pony fell face first and tumbled over dead. The pony who’d shot at me looked a bit shocked as I lined up my last shot at her, but she ducked back behind her cover before I could get her in my sights. Entering S.A.T.S. again, it located another pony trying to flank me. The mare didn’t have time to react as I twisted around and shot a bolt down at her. The bolt bolt flew into her head, and made a thunk sound, I could tell it gotten stuck in the metal floor, as blood spurted out of the pony's head, yet their head did not move, as though glued to the floor.

Another wave of gunfire hit the train, and I was forced back onto my haunches to avoid it. There was at least five more of them, and likely even more coming to re-enforce them. I had little time before they would overrun us, so I had to act quickly before they got to hoof to hoof range. Opening the cylinder of my rifle, I attempted to reload, but the sound of hooves on metal revalidated through the train.

Looking passed Mayall, a stallion had boarded and was training his gun at us. Grabbing a Javelin Launcher with my claw, quickly rested it on the trains side, then entered S.A.T.S. and queued up a snapshot at the stallion. Even in the slowed state, I could feel the launchers kick as the javelin flew out. The stallion could only look on in horror, this happening in a split second for him, longer for me. The Javelin penetrated his head, but instead of blowing out the back like with my bolts, the javelin took the head with it, flying off and leaving a headless corpse behind, blood splattering onto the floor in one big spurt when the body hit the floor. A cold shiver ran down my spine as I touched my own neck, it still feeling cold.

Dropping the spent launcher, I got up and peeked up over my cover. Immediately I had to throw myself fall back to the ground as more small arms fire battered the train. This time I‘d counted over six ponies aiming at us. We weren’t going to last much longer against these odds.

“We need to go, now!” I yelled out.

“On it!” Harp yelled back as she slipped inside the cage through small hole she’d managed to grind.

“What are you doing!?” I shouted, but Harp ignored me and placed her hooves on the slave generator.

The train then burst to life, whistle howling, and the slow-moving pistons now clanging fast. Metal on metal grinded as the wheels of the train turned, and we began to move. A few javelins hit the cage, ripping through the wire mesh and bars.

I stood up and entered S.A.T.S. as I picked up both remain javelin launchers. Quickly, I picked my targets, two soldiers who were currently lining up their shots at where Harp was. My accuracy was listed at %34 and %42, which was less than idea. But then again, I didn’t need to hit them, just force them to duck down.

Letting loose, the javelins flew at their targets. The first one barely missed, smashing into the ground in front of the pony, and sending shrapnel of concrete into their face. The second one actually hit the pony, hitting them directly in the side. The force and speed of the javelin practically tore the pony into two, but they probably weren’t alive long enough to even feel it rip them apart. I had to duck back down as more gunfire flew my way. I winced as a shot ricochet in the cab and barely grazed my cheek.

“U’mm, miss Vibraphone?” Mayall called out. I looked up at her, and saw that another pony had boarded the train, and was running at us.

Pulling out my knife, I charged at her and entered S.A.T.S. once more. Two swipes was all I needed to que up. My body lunged forward as the spell went to work, but the mare sidestepped me. With a swift jab of her hoof, she easily knocked the knife out of my mouth.

“Bitch got no skill!” The mare mocked me, following it with a kick. It hit me hard, knocking me back a step and putting me on the defencive. In a moment, she was on top of me. The earth pony mare slammed her hooves at my face and all I could do was focus on blocking her blows with my legs.

“Use this!” a voice called out, and something slid to the side of me. Both the mare and I stopped to look at the angle grinder that Harp had been using. The mare tried to kick it away, but I entered S.A.T.S. and selected to telepathically grab it. It all happened fast as the spell again went to work, and the next thing I knew, the blade of the angle grinder was resting on the mare’s belly.

The mare’s face turned to shock as her eyes pleaded with me. “Mercy?”

“Like the kind you gave to the ponies living here?” I glared at her as she shook her head. “Have your mercy!” Activating my magic, it flowed from me to the angle grinder, and blood sprayed downwards as it cut into her. Pulling the blade up, I cut into her face, and kicked her off of me. The mare gurgled and spasmed as she painfully bled out.

“I’ll kill you!” I turned to see a stallion charging at me.

*ZAP!*

The stallion fell over, smoke rising from his mane. Behind him was Harp’s dronem, Order.

“Threat eliminated Ma’am.” It spoke as sparks of electricity came off the havering robot.

I sighed, as the train left the station for the open rail line. As it moved, it hit a turn with a jerk, and began slowly ascending. I looked over at the mare I had hit with the grinder. She was no longer breathing, and her bloody guts slid out on the floor from her opened belly. I felt a lurch in my stomach, feeling sicker than I had before. Reaching into my bag, I pulled out the pills of diluted chill, and hoofed for more, and then opened a bottle of water to guzzle it.

“Can’t blame you.” The voice of one of the caged ponies hit my ears. “That was a gnarly scene, I’d feel sick too if I had the strength too.” behind me was a mirage pony mare, who was holding herself up on one of the benches, looking very thin and week.

Catching my breath, I raised up a hoof at the mare. “Sorry, one thing at a time.” Turning to Mayall, I picked up the Angle Grinder. “This is going to hurt.”

“Wait you fool, I need my Leg!” Mayall pleaded with me.

I looked at her with an irritated stare. “Shut it. I’m just going to cut the javelin, then we’re going to pull the rest of it out.” She shivered as I cut her free from the side of the train cart.

“You know, I think I’ll be just fine with this staying right there.” The lurker was being difficult, but too slow to resist. I clamped onto the javelin with my right leg, and put my left hoof on her leg. “You seriously don’t have to do...” With a yank, the javelin slipped out, and blue blood seeped out of the hole in her leg. “- FUCKING BITCH!” She snapped at me.

“There, take a healing potion and you’ll be fine.” I opened up my bag, and let her dive in. She quickly grabbed a bottle, and downed the content of it… then fell over. The bottle rolled over to me, giving me a good look at it. It read “Super-Healing potion” right, that stuff tends to knock ponies out for a few minutes. At least she’ll be fine once she wakes up again.

I turned to address the mare, and saw her with a breathing mask on. Oh, right! I quickly grabbed my gasmask, and put it on my face. “Thanks for the aid.” I told her.

“Think of it as paying back a favor.” She nodded, “Though, how do you plan on getting out of here? The skyport is not connected to any other stations, so what was your plan?”

I shrugged, feeling a lot calmer now. “We’ll wing it. It’s not the first time I’ve had to.”

“Hog Shit.” She shouted, “The Orphic Kingdome keeps everything on lockdown. Yeah we got away, but they're just going to be waiting for us up there.”

“Ehh, can’t be worse than the Republic, and I got away from those assholes.” Ya, probably should have taken just two more pills, not four. But I was feeling a lot better.

“What?” The mare responded flatly.

I rolled my eyes and trotted over to her. “I got this, but I want to know, how did this train kick into high gear?” I picked up my rifle, reloading and powering it. I looked over at Harp, who was still powering the train. “Did she do this?”

The mare nodded. “She must be very magical. She’s doing the work of six ponies all on her own.” The mare paused for a moment, and lowered her gaze at me. “Who is she?”

I sighed, at least it explained the sudden power boost of the rail gun back on the big island. It was odd how such a weapon powered itself so much even with three mirage ponies. “She is princess Harp Melody. I’m currently taking her home.”

“You’re shitting me, right!?” The mare did a double take. “Huh, never thought my train would carry royalty on it.”

“Nope, she’s the real deal, mirage pony princess.” I answered. “Now keep your head down. Once were at the top, you are going to need to hide until I get to my friends.”

“Yes ma’am” The mare saluted, almost falling down. “By the way, name’s Shakuhachi. And once again, thanks for the save.”

I sighed, and waved for her to just sit down. Checking my rifles pressure gauge, it was reaching the red line, so I eased off of it. I’ll have at least have six bolts to shoot at any welcoming committee there to receive us, if I’m lucky, I’ll be able to reload fast enough to fire off a few more. The problem is that if their waiting for us, they will have a barikad or something ready, possibly some explosive tipped javelin launchers, that definitely stop us in our tracks

Turning my attention to the three dead ponies on board, their sight was less than calming for me, so I proceeded to push them off the sides. The two stallions were easy enough, but the mare, her guts dragged. And when I did get force her off the train, the guts caught on any hook or burr like object on the train, dragging along the ground as we drove along.

Picking up my knife, I had to cut them loose one by one, the sick smell of death not once giving me a rest, so thick it was nauseating. I even saw a glint of the Celestia damned shadow ponies, though only in the corner of my vision. I could feel them watching me as I cut the mare free from the train. With the last of the guts stripped, the dragging sound was replaced with the noise of the running boiler and steel wheels on the track below.

With the mare cut free, I felt a moment of peace, though nothing was still as the train moved. Even though the gasmask, things were feeling cleaner the further we went. Soon enough, we’d...

*Thunk!*

A javelin lodged itself into the back of the train, sticking almost all the way through. Peeking out through the side of the train, I saw one of the other three trains just around the bend behind us. I pulled back as another javelin flew just passed my head.

“Alright, how the fuck are they catching up to us!” I shouted.

“Probably,” Shakuhachi spoke up. “It just possible that they have more slaves, and charged spark batteries to run their trains.”

I sighed. Of course, they would! It’s their trains, they would know how to work them right. “Alright, keep your head down. I’ll take care of this.” Peeking out to the side of the train, my rifle at the ready, I got a pony in my sights. But the mare noticed me and quickly ducked behind the safety of the train’s boiler. Wait, I remember seeing her before.

“Fuck” I growled to myself. It was the sniper from before, the mare was ready for me. Keeping my eye on the train, I waited for her to show herself again. Her train was on the outside track from ours, so the massive boiler gave her generous cover inside her cab so long as she was still trailing us.

“Other side!” Shakuhachi yelled, and I pulled myself from my position, and rolled to the other side. Poking my head out, the other train was gaining speed on us. At least this one I had a better view of, though no heads were poking out.

I groaned in frustration as the next train cart got closer, “This is starting to feel like a specters tall tale, what next, are thing going to bring out some tanke on rails?” I had to bite my tongue, to keep me from laughing. “And I’m not a specter.” No I was not, but I did have their program in my pipbuck. “Hay Shakuhachi, you want to see a prospective Specter candidate kick some ass?”

“Didn’t you already do that?” She responded.

“Point taken.” I readied my rifle. It was now or never, and if I let those trains get too close, it was definitely going to be never.

Pushing myself to stand on two hooves, I pointed my rifle between the two trains, hoping they wouldn’t expect what I was going to do. Entering S.A.T.S. again, I noticed that the sniper was looking at me, and I immediately picked her as my first target. Next was a dumbass stallion on the other train who was standing completely in the open. So I queued up a shot at each and let the spell resolve.

The fucking mare rolled out of sight as I fired. I watched in frustration as the bolt bounced off the trains thick boiler hull. The stallion was not so lucky. The round drifted high and punched through the side of his head, blowing out the other side of his skull as he fell off his train. I entered S.A.T.S. immediately as bullets began to fly at my direction, but on a moving train, they were not as accurate as when they’d shot at us before. This also went for me as the hit percentage kept going up and down as the other train got closer. Again, I picked my targets, choosing another pair of ponies who were either setting up to attack, or seeking cover from firing. One mare got a bolt in the eye, another stallion headed for cover got a bolt in the leg. I re-entered S.A.T.S. The now closer train betraying his cover, giving a slightly better shot at him. The stallion I legged got another bolt in the chest, and I fired at the sniper on the other train again, not giving her a chance to hit me.

Ducking back down, I reloaded my rifle, six shots at a time was annoying, but they had at least been effective shots. Giving my rifle a good charge, got back up as I entered S.A.T.S., the train was now getting side by side with us, as its engns screemed. Seeing a head poke up from above the engin, I firing at the sniper again. She fired back at me, but missed. For her failed effort, I saw the bolt graze her face as she retreated.

Turning my attention to the other trains first cart, I fired at a stallion reaching to try and board our train. In slow motion he lurched over and fell, going under the wheel of his train, and being tuned into bits that flew out into the darkness. Four shots left. I turned to the sniper again, but the dodgey bitch ducked back again. So I once again turned back to the inside train.

The other train was now caught up to us, it’s engine was so close now I could tap it with the barrel of my gun. A mare jumped aboard, and I took what little cover the train still had left after all the javelins and shots it had taken. Still, it was enough to stop the small caliber bullet the mare fired from her gun before it jammed. Entering S.A.T.S. again, I fired a bolt that passed through her neck. Snapping back into the spell, I managed to catch another stallion jumping aboard, though the bolt only grazed him. Two shots left.

“Well fuck! Watch out for incoming stray fire, Shakuhachi!” I yelled back.

I saw the stallion aim down the train line, but there was no fucking way I was going to let him harm Harp. Entering S.A.T.S. again, I shot my last to bolts at him. He was close enough that the percentage to miss was non-existent, and both shots hit him square in the chest. They impacted with enough force that they actually knocked him straight off the back of the train.

“I’m going to need to slow them down.” I spoke out loud as I loaded my rifle with more bolts. “You go up and help Harp, got it?” I looked back to see Shakuhachi with a javelin through her back, pinning her to the floor.

“I’ll get right on that.” The emaciated mare wheezed. “Just need to get to my hooves, which seems harder than it should.”

“Fuck, fuck no.” A bullet ricochet near my head forcing me to duck. “We didn’t free you just so you can die.”

Shakuhachi chuckled weekly. “The princess freed me, you just killed the ponies who would stop her.” The smirk on her face quickly faded. “I was probably going to die soon anyway, so this was a good last fuck you to those ass hats.”

“Just sit tight, I’ll cut you free once this is over.” I told her.

“No problem.” Shakuhachi responded. “Not going anywhere.”

I got back onto my two hooves and aimed at the sniper, only to find she was waiting for me. Then everything went white.

*Thunk*

A javelin grazed me, sinking into the side of the train cart behind me. My vision recovered from the jarring change just in time to see the sniper roll behind her little nest of metal. Behind her, the blue sky towered above the tunnel entrance, and the island winds now howled passed us.

I didn’t take the time to see the sight, and entered S.A.T.S. the bitch appearing behind a sheet of metal. I remembered something important about my rifle, about being able to perform a full power shot. It made me wonder what could happen, so I selected the option, and fired. My rifle kicked hard, harder than it ever had before. My vision was forced onto the bolt as it flew through the air, and shattered the metal plate that the sniper hid behind.

“Fuck you, and fuck your hiding spot.” I growled as I waited to see if she’d pop up again or not.

I never got to see, being forced to duck down just in time to avoided getting hit by another shot from the other train. That shot cued me in on a pony who’d boarded our train and was currently rushing at me. A swift kick from Mayall sent the pony tumbling off, the lurker quickly getting back under cover.

Peaking over, the engine of the inside train was now passing me, and now I could see the mirage ponies powering it. That one, it had four ponies inside, and a bunch of spark batteries connected to it. Looking back at Shakuhachi, she was no longer moving, probably dead now. Shaking my head, I knew what I had to do, we didn’t have time to slow down… or show mercy, or at least in the nice way. My rifle, half power now, but that’s all I needed.

Standing up, I pointed my rifle at the engine, and bit my tongue. S.A.T.S. made it easy, too easy. Two shots, two mirage ponies hit the ground. Ducking down to avoid getting shot back, I could see that the train was now slowing down, but only a little. Peeking over as I charged my rifle, my eyes met the other two mirage ponies in the trains cage. The two ponies looked at me, no hate for what I had just done, no fear for what I might do, only a slow nod in acceptance. At least they could hate me for this, but no, they accepted it. And once more, I re-entered S.A.T.S. and S.A.T.S. made it far too easy for what I had to do. Two more shots, and to more innocent ponies died.

I dropped my rifle as I ducked back down, the other train was now quickly decreasing in speed, enough that I doubt that we had to worry about meeting them at the top of the skyport. I saw as one pony attempting to board, but the new change of speed tripped them up. With wobbly hooves that failed to keep their balance, they fell off and slid under the train. I hoped they fell under the wheels, more mercy than what was coming to them.

“Oh Goddess!” Harp cried from up the train as I got myself to my hooves. She was still powering the train, but one of the other ponies who’d been helping her was pinned to the engine by a javelin through his head.

I poured all my magic into my rifle, so much so that it felt like my own life was leaching out of me. I had one bolt in the rifle, and I was going to make it hurt. The pressure gage slowly reached the red line, and I sprung up on two hooves, entering S.A.T.S. The sniper had me dead to rights, but I had my pipbuck. As the sniper’s javelin left her gun, I side stepped the projectile and watching as it sailed only an inch away from hitting me.

That fucking mare, her face bloodied as frustration consumed her, rolled behind the train’s boiler again. To bad this time I was not aiming for her. In S.A.T.S., I targeted one of the wheels of her train. Thankfully this was of old world construction, old and corroded after two hundred years. The bolt bounced off with little done, it not powerful to do much to stop it. But my rifle did have a full blast mode, So it concentrated all I could into the rifle, its gage hitting the red line. S.A.T.S. having yet to recover, I aimed down the iron sights, and pulled the trigger.

The force of the blast pushed me back, almost off my hooves, a the bolt made a loud ping as it slammed into the trains weal. A few sparks flew, making the sniper’s train shake as the weal disintegrated into metal fragments. But it was not enough, the train not stopping, and for my effort, another javelin flew passed my head. At least the off balance shaking made it harder on the sniper, a small blessing.

Frustrated, I pointed my right leg at the wheel and opened S.A.T.S. one more time. The ripper bullet I’d been given was still in my leg, and it felt like there was no better time to us it. The box like gun extended out of my leg, and a short, stubby barrel moved forward and locked into place. I could feel my magic siphoning into it, and then with a sharp bang, I was knocked back onto my hunches. Quickly pulling myself up, I saw the other train, peppered with tiny holes. And though I’d missed the smug sniper mare with every single fragment, I hit plenty of others important bits around her.

The sniper’s train violently shook as even more sparks erupted under it. I saw the sniper peek out, unable to hold her javelin launcher anymore as she was clinging to her spot. The train made a loud squeal right before it lost another wheel on the same side as the last one. It dipped forward, digging into the tracks and sending wood and metal flying violently around. THis forced the train to derail, the engine going into the skyport, as the rest of the train flung over the edge, dragging the front end down with it. It disappeared from sight as we rounded the skyport, even the crash sounded far away, only its echo reaching my ears.

This also meant that at least seven innocent ponies were killed by me. Mirage pony slaves at that. A hollow pit at my stomach formed, even if I knew they were dead ponies trotting, I had still been their executioner.

Now, all I could hear was the sound of the train rolling along its tracks, and the wind blowing past us. Peering over the side of the train, and down at the island, we had already gotten high up, enough to make my stomach lurch a little. From here I could see so much, a virtual field of green jungles, with a few crumbling black structures poking out of them. The ruins of the old world, reclaimed by nature. Beyond that, a vast blue ocean, stretching beyond the horizon.

Pulling myself away, I turned my attention to Harp. The poor mare was still trying to charge the train on her own. Outside of the cage was the only surviving mirage pony slave, looking out into the vast horizon from the edge of the armored cab.

The pony tilted forward like they were trying to get a better look, and then they were just… gone. Just like that, like they were never standing there in the first place. Worst yet, I didn’t feel sad, mildly shocked, mostly anger, a controlled annoyed anger.

“After going through all that effort, ya go on ahead, throw yourself off the train.” I grumbled to myself.

“What was that?” Harp called out.

“Nothing.” I huffed and shook my head. “Why don’t you take a break. I’ll handle the engine for a bit.”

Harp crawled out of the hole she made, and gasped. “By Celestial, what happened” Her eyes darted around. “So much blood” she whispered.

“Ya…” I patted her on the shoulder. “They wanted a war, I gave them a war.”

I had to let go of my saddle bag to even fit into the cage. Even though I felt warn out enough to warrent a full night’s rest, I focused myself to power the slave engine. Next to me was the other dead mirage pony, still stuck to the engine. Their skin had turned black, and sizzled as it was slowly burnt the boiler’s heat. The train lost quite a bit of speed as I powered it, but we were still making good time. We would be at the skyport soon enough.

*Tap tap tap*

I looked to my side to see a pegasus holding a badge to the side of the cage. “Orphic Royal Guard, in the name of the queen, you need you to drop all weapons and hostilities.”

I looked back at the blood stained train carts, and saw a few more pegasus with energy rifles pointed at Harp and Mayall. I looked back at the pony with the badge, taking a closer look at it. ‘Stable 50 Security’.

“Wait, aren’t you with Golden Rule?” I asked.

The pegasus mare huffed. “Prince Golden is currently being contained, now will you comply?”

“Fine, just don’t shoot, I’ve got to keep this engine running.” The mare nodded, and I returned my attention to the train engine. It was annoying to be caught before we even got to the top, but what can be worse than running into the local five-O?

____________________________________________________________________________

Footnote:

Skill up – Small guns, computer, Melee.

Addiction status. + 1 to charisma and luck, %25 to damage resistance.

Author's Notes:

I want to first thank Kkat for writing the original story, without Fallout: Equestria, there would be no Dance of the Orthrus.

Second, I want to thank Gamma Deekay as he has been a big help with editing my story, and providing support to help keep me going. go check out his stuff if you haven't all ready.