Well now, she teased her two, newest party members. They were enjoying their stay, weren't they. A nameless winterfang and Butterfly Knife were glancing away from their new owner. It felt odd to not be a slave to a collar, but mostly a slave to twisted affection. To be slaves in a kinky sense rather than a horrible one. Miss Lilith did not beat them. And she certainly did not treat them like lower lifeforms. The only thing she did do was get hot and bothered and take it out on them. And it was never an unpleasant experience. Winterfang hated that about it. She never made anything hurt too much. It was all... affectionate. Just thinking about it sickened her, encapsulating her already chipping mind in confusion and strife. They wandered the expanse of the wastes with their new owner, who very much resembled an actual romane.

Silent Hill trotted about in front, watching for any sign of the old bunker. And when she did, through that strangely dull hatch on the ground, which was just barely visible due to snow, they entered. It was agreed that Silent Hill would be doing work there. Frankly, it alarmed Brown and Lilith. The studious one replied first.

"Senior Airmare Hill... Why are you staying here instead of coming out and helping us with the wasteland? We'll be arriving at the Twin Cities soon enough." He tried to reason, only to see her shake her head.

"That's true. But I'll be recognized there. Too recognized. I'll be here because I still need to study and research feral animal behaviour. Remember the whole reason I started this was to break hostility between the wildlife and the wasteland. This laboratory has invaluable data in it. Behavioral patterns of mutated animals. How not to handle interaction. The list goes on and on. Stay with me if you'd like, Brown. But I need to do this, too."

It was hard for Doctor Brown to swallow. But it was true. She was better off researching. A global solution to hostility meant more than a thousand dead raiders. Bugbears were a wasteland hazard. Helldogs were the worst of it, though. If Silent Hill could somehow convert them... friendly again, Equestria would be a better place. His head hung low.

"You're doing a good thing, Miss Hill. I don't know what I'll do in the wasteland... but I know I'm here for you. And as a fellow scientist- I'll run this experiment with you."

Silent's heart skipped a beat. It was the first time, in any day of her wasteland life, she felt the urge to cry. There was something hallowing about his loyalty. About all the things he would do to care for somepony so insignificant as herself. The promise loosed her lips and kept her mouth wide open. She could only glance away and whisper 'thanks...' Something about Silent Hill and Doctor Brown opened Lilith's eyes. And she finally decided to do... what she was meant to do.

"You two make a good couple," Lilith chuckled, gently guiding her 'slaves' toward the laboratory.

Winterfang growled at first. But then, when she saw that look in her eyes, of compassion she'd never seen in any master, it turned to silence. They weren't actually being bought. They were being set free. Even though there was no way to activate her collar's explosives anymore, she didn't trust her till then. Neither of the two did. And that was why seeing her wave goodbye and say 'I'll be back in a few days'... felt wrong. Was it wrong that something in her looked empty.

"You don't have to go alone, you know." The winterfang choked out, letting her snout fall to the ground.

"I know. But you have to feel free. And this is my gift to you. You gave me something I needed and now, I giving you what you need. What you deserve. I wasn't lying when I said I'd make you two crave me. But I'm not doing it by force... not now, not ever."

Soon enough, Lilith, in armor that would only protect so much of her, walked out that door and left the bunker. A piece of the world left with her first goodbye. Doctor Brown and Silent Hill, Winterfang and Butterfly... they all tried to swallow the silence that followed.

Next Chapter: Burn Estimated time remaining: 20 Minutes