"You know you'll need to go right?" Octavia said to me, she knew about the issue's relation to Yakyakistan.

It was a little disturbing of a thought, the things that happen there always turned sour very quickly. I looked down for a second, staring at the floor, if they're coming here then they're looking for a fight. If it's a fight they want, I'll give it to em. I'll just never get used to the dynamics of that place.

"Yea, it's become pretty clear to me what needs to be done. If we don't intervene sooner rather than later things will get nasty."

"You aren't going to go... are you?" She looked me in the eyes, I was lying down on a bed and she laid on top of me. I didn't know what to say.

"I don't want to, but I don't back down from what I need to do."

"Then just come back in one piece okay?" She laid her head down on my neck, gently kissing my throat. I wrapped my arms around her and closed my eyes, the last thing I want to do is go back.

Morning came quickly, I had slept all night without problems. Octavia had rolled over to her side of the bed and was sound asleep. I got up and got dressed, putting on my white T-Shirt, blue jeans, and gloves. I stared at the jacket for a moment. I just stood there, thinking, for maybe a solid ten minutes.

It's been through so much...

It was the first thought that came to mind, and I looked back. There was visible wear and tear from the years of abuse, blemishes from blood, water, or maybe both. There were marks that had been caused by car crashes, brawls, fire fights, and all other types of activities. Yet it still stayed strong. It still was mine.

I snapped out of my haze and put it on, then walked up to the offices where Iron Brigade was. He had news for me.

"Orders came through, we're proceeding the investigation into the other Starlight, you have orders to capture and protect the real one. She's in a shack 3 miles west of here, it won't be hard to find. I'm letting you borrow my Ford Explorer for the drive, it's my personal car so don't do anything stupid."

"Mhm, so is it just outside the cave or what?"

"It's the first building on the left, you won't miss it."

"What about weapons? Any possibility of hostiles?"

"We haven't had targets in the area for quite some time, but we've supplied you with an older weapon we've captured for security reasons, it's in the passenger seat."

"Sounds good, I'll be on my way."

I turned around, then got shouted at.

"You forgot something."

I looked at him, then he tossed the keys my way. I caught them and walked out the door. Once outside, I unlocked his car and grabbed the Submachine gun in the seat. It was a hefty Mac-10, a .45 machine pistol that's meant to be concealed. I hit it in my jacket, then got thinking.

I need this to be quick and clean, the chance of an ambush in those caves is way too real. I can't abandon the car and fly over since Starlight is a unicorn.

I opened the door to the drivers seat and climbed inside, the SUV was bigger than I thought it'd be. This is probably because I never drove a Ford Explorer before. I turned the key and the engine roared to life. It sounded way more powerful than it actually was, not that I minded but it just felt a little weird. The door to the building burst open, which made me do a doubletake. Octavia had caught wind I was leaving and they didn't tell her what. She jumped in the passenger seat.

"You're not leaving without me, you know that right?"

"I figured as much."

I drove out of the city westwards, making way to the caves. It was easy to get out of the town, and since the surrender the ponies at the front of the town were since gone. This left the streets in a state of advanced urban decay. It was still easy to drive on but I was weary on turns. Once I got out and onto the mountain road we began an uphill climb.

It didn't last long, there was only about 200 feet open before we hit the caves. That was when I turned on the headlights. Everything save for the inside of the car was dark, and only the way in ahead was illuminated. This was a problem for me, somepony hiding in the cave would easily know where we were. I saw the light at the end of the tunnel and floored it. The RPM meter sped up to 5000 RPM and I went 80 MPH, it wasn't safe but given the circumstance I needed to get out as soon as possible.

Once I got out, I was going 90, and I was too late. I had gotten false information on where the house was.

I plowed right through Starlights house at 90 miles an hour in a ford explorer. The car got lodged in her living room, but was surprisingly undamaged save for a few scratches. This probably had a lot to do with the wood construction. Starlight was stareing right at me through the drivers side window. I had miraculously missed her, and she just sat at a table with a cup of coffee. I rolled down the window for what felt like an eternity.

"No time to explain. Get in the car."

"Oh no you have some serious explaining to do!" She shouted in response.

I pulled the mac from my jacket and pointed it out the window.

"No really get in the car."

I pushed the button on the dash which remotely opened the automatic door.

'huh that's actually really neat.' I thought to myself.

She dove inside it and we closed the door. I backed my way out and made haste back through the caves. This time something was different. In the headlights I saw a group of ponies standing on the other side.

"Well this can't be good."

I slowed the car down to a stop, that was when they raised their weapons. I slammed on the gas and went right through their lines, running a few over. I got off the road, where gunfire was coming from the woods, then got to the urban streets. The ponies didn't follow me there, it was too close to the town for them to do anything.

Once I got back into the town, I got to the base and put the car in park. Iron Brigade stared in disbelief and anger.

"What did you do to my car!"

I looked out the window and saw blood all over the bumper.

"That was there when I got in..."

"No it wasn't!"

"I swear it was!"

"No it really wasn't! Oh and what about the broken headlight!"

He was indeed right, I had smashed a front headlight.

"Oh that, yea what about her house not being right in front of the cave's end?"

"How fast were you going?"

"Somewhere between 90 and 100 why?"

"Why the hell were you going so fast!"

"We had contact in the cave."

He frowned and facehoofed.

"I knew I should've sent you in a humvee."

Author's Notes:

I actually feel bad for Iron Brigade. Driving without a headlight is a felony you know.