Author's Notes:

Authors note: This chapter was so hard for me to write. I relate to the character of Orion a lot as IRL, my personality is quite similar. Still, it was a good learning experience for me in writing and once again, thanks to everyone who keeps supporting a newbie writer like me.

Silver Skies

Chapter 7: Legacy

The tavern was loud and filled with the stink of tobacco smoke.

Forest stared out from behind his bar at the sea of dirt smeared ponies. He had converted the old abandoned farmhouse into this bar when he was younger as a way to make some caps, and to have some semblance of a home for himself. It wasn't much, just plain wooden walls, a few tables and a bar made from a line of cider barrels with planks nailed across them. Behind the yellow coated stallion, bottles of various alcohols rested on their shelves, glinting in the shifting lights cast by the oil lamps hanging from the ceiling beams.

Forest brushed his grey mane from his eyes and sighed. Another argument had broken out about one of the card games that sprang up every night, with the clientele he got along this trade route it won't be long before someone draws a weapon or breaks something.

The batwing doors swung inwards. Unnoticed in the commotion, a huge black coated stallion ducked his head under the frame as he entered. Red eyes seemed to glow like fire as the stallion scanned the room. Forest noted the wings folded at his sides. It wasn't often he got a pegasus in here. With luck the Slavers in the room wouldn't get any ideas.

The floorboards groaned as the heavy tread of the black pegasus took him towards the bar and Forest. There was something almost purposeful about the measured steps, each hoof fall raising small clouds of dust from the dirt smeared floorboards. The big pegasus stood before the bar, his red eyes staring at Forest from under that long silver mane.

“I need some information.” The big ponies voice seemed strained, almost angry.

“What kind of information?” Forest had to deal with murderers and Slavers on a daily basis but something about the massive pegasus unnerved him. Maybe it was that voice, deep and somehow had a feel of great age.

“I’m looking for Steel Rangers. The took something they really shouldn't have. I’m going to give them a chance to return it.”

“Speaking of chances, what is the chance of you walking out of here without a slave collar?”

Two unicorns trotted to the big pegasus wearing sadistic smiles. The first was sky blue with a red mane, styled into spikes. The second wore leather barding over his white coat, his purple mane was tied back with a leather cord. Large calibre revolvers floated at head height next to each unicorn. Forest sighed, with Slavers around, repeat business was becoming scarce.

The black pegasus turned to the advancing ponies, Forest could not help but notice the thick muscles ripple under the ponies dark coat. There was a quiet sound, an almost silent ‘snick’, Forest starred with his jaw hanging open. The revolvers fell into two halves, the metal cut as if by some kind of amazingly sharp blade.

“Better than your chances of leaving this room alive if you try that again.” The room seemed to chill from the words of the big pegasus.

As one, the unicorn Slavers horns began to glow. A sawed off shotgun and a pump action shotgun began to levitate from holsters on their flanks. The pegasus moved, Forest almost missed it. Both wings spread out and swung forward. There was a loud crack as the muscular wings connected with the Slaver ponies heads and drove them together hard. The guns dropped to the floor with a clatter.

Forest stared out across his tavern, it was very rare for it to be this silent. Ponies stared at the big pegasus with looks of shock, even fear on a few faces. Both Slavers lay unconscious on the floorboards. Just who in Equestria was this pony?

Forest cleared his throat, “I don't know about any Steel Rangers, but I do know about some of those Enclave folks.”

Those crimson eyes stared into Forests soul.

“Tell me where.”

*** ***

Bloodscar smirked at the colt strapped to the vertical table. This chance for payback was a gift from Celestia herself. Ever since that mutant fucker Ironclad had tried to transfer him to the hoof, the Elder had secretly had him sent to this facility. Bloodscar still had a limp from the beating that little colt had given him but now that same pegasus runt was strapped to a table.

And Bloodscar had orders to extract any information by any means necessary.

The sadistic Steel Ranger smiled as he surveyed the selection of blades and guns on the table next to the imprisoned colt.

“To think, the Elder thought that using some teleportation prototype Twilight Sparkle designed would give us the information we need. and give me a chance to get some payback on the feathered little fucker who ruined my career.”

“P-pro... type?”

“Oh yes, That stuck up prude thought she could make anypony teleport. As you found out, it's not a painless transfer. Breaking a pony down to their base cells and transporting those to a receiver before reassembling them? I bet it hurt a lot.”

“W-why?”

The Steel Ranger stared at the youngster with surprise. “Why waste the only working prototype teleporter we ever discovered to snatch a useless little fuck like you? Well, as you will never leave this base... I suppose I can tell you.” The red stallion smiled, “We found something. Our scouts discovered something your father helped lock away. It requires the blood of an Archon to unlock the final seal, you’re close enough. Your pathetic daddy didn't have the balls to destroy it, And now it's power will be ours. With that monster under our control, Equestria will soon be ours to govern. We have watched you for a while, We saw that army of freaks you tamed. We know everything about you, We know how to break you.”

Bloodscar smiled as a dark green earth pony wheeled a trolley into the chamber.

“And now for our party favours. Pain has not made you talkative so I think we will try something a little different. Here we have a selection of highly addictive narcotics. After we get you hooked, you will give us whatever we want for another hit. My idea.”

“No! P-please not d-drugs!”

“Oh yes, drugs” Bloodscar lifted an inhaler from the trolley and pressed it over the colts muzzle. The smirk on his face widened as he pressed the button and forced the small pegasus to inhale the drugs.

The small colt struggled against the mask over his face. His one remaining eye wide with panic. Slowly his eye unfocused and his panic and pain strained face softened.

“Well, I think I will leave you enjoy this first hit. See you in ten minutes.”

Bloodscar laughed to himself as he left the room, leaving the tortured colt to his drug induced trance.

*** ***

Elder Creamed Corn looked up from his writing with a sigh.

The elderly unicorn looked to the oak door of his office, still secretly pleased the former owner of this museum had such rich tastes. Bookshelves lined each wall, each holding leather bound tomes and exquisitely carved wooden ornaments. The huge oak desk had survived the two hundred years well, it's many layers of varnish preserving the dark wood. Thick red carpeting filled the office and was miraculously untouched.

Paladin Ironclad had arrived at the Elder's door a week ago demanding to see him. The green unicorn had sent him away, stating he will speak with the mutant Ranger at a later time. Every day since then, Ironclad had arrived at the office at least once a day. Always the same demand, to speak with the Elder. It had gotten to the point that Creamed Corn had posted a guard at his door to turn him away.

Raised voices came through the wooden door.

“Its been a week! I am tired of this horseshit, let me in to see him now!”

“As I have told you, the Elder is not taking appointments today. Come back tomorrow.”

“Look, as a fellow Ranger I will give you a fair warning. Step away from that door now, Or I will put you through it.”

“Paladin or no, You will do nothing of the sort. I am a chosen elite, hoof picked by the Elder himself. You are just a grunt with ties to some tribals. You don't have any chance of beating me, so go away before you get hurt.”

The door exploded as a figure crashed through, the Power Armoured form of the guard bounced across the floor before crashing into the desk. Ironclad stepped through the shattered remains of the door, yellow eyes blazing with anger.

“Fucking moron, He thought standing by a door makes him superior to a soldier who has fought and killed Hellhounds?”

Creamed Corn gave another sigh and brushed a stray lock of his grey mane from his eyes.

“Very well, Paladin Ironclad. What is so important you must harass me, destroy my door and beat the hay out of my guard?”

Ironclad paced to the heavy desk and glared at the elderly unicorn. “You know what this is about. Orion. Let the colt go, now.”

“Oh yes, the tribal. He is helping us understand genetic locks. Voluntary of course.”

“Horseshit! You took him by force somehow, you’re torturing a fucking child for something he doesn't know anything about!”

The elderly unicorn let out a long sigh. “And what of it? If we kill the colt then it is no great loss. We gained some interesting technology from him and his blood will let us into the Archon stockpiles. All in all, There are no downsides to his interrogation. I see no reason why it should stop.”

“No downside? He is a clueless fucking child! You expect me to accept that torturing a clueless colt is a good thing? He doesn't know anything! He was in stasis when the tech you want was being researched!”

“Your point is what? He does not know anything? I dont care! If nothing else, he will serve as an example to to those who dare challenge our mission!”

“Mission?” The blue stallion with the weird eyes took a deep breath to compose himself. “The mission of the Steel Rangers is to take what we want and torture children? Then he was right, we are nothing but a bunch of high tech Raiders.”

“You dare speak to me like this because of a mere tribal?”

The yellow eyed stallion stared hard into the elderly unicorns own eyes.

“He is a living relic from the same time we are sworn to guard all artifacts from, by the oath we all give, he should be protected as such.”

“I have had enough of your insubordination. You refused to confiscate both an advanced Pipbuck and a selection of prototype weaponry. Don't look so surprised, I had your armour fitted with a camera and microphone from the day I gave you the mission to observe that colt. With your conduct and ignoring orders, you’re lucky I don't have you executed! But the information we gleaned from your talks with the colt, I am feeling generous.”

The old unicorn smiled at the yellow eyed stallion. “Ironclad, you are hereby stripped of your rank of Paladin. You are being reassigned to technician, you will never again wear Power Armour. Now get out of my sight, You’re expected in the maintenance wing in five minutes.”

*** ***

Light glinted on gold painted metal. Contact bleeps and mechanical sounds drowned out the faint whines of the moving servos in the Steel Rangers armour.

“And what is your progress?”

Technician White Noise sighed.

She had been working on that Pipbuck and trying to replicate it for forty six hours straight. Her yellow coat was smeared with oil, her frazzled red mane pulled back into a ponytail. White Noise rubbed at her bloodshot eyes, obviously exhausted.

“Star Paladin Gilded Blade. As I informed the last three ponies who came here to harass me, I can't do this!”

“Calm down. Just explain calmly to me why. I will deal with the Elder and his chosen.”

Noise yawned loudly. “Sir, I can copy the technology pretty closely. But the design is so far out of my experience it's funny. The weapon is unlike anything I have ever seen, it seems to be based along the same lines of the classical magical energy weapons but with some huge differences. the beam is generated from the Pipbucks internal battery, which in turn is charged via the wearer's heartbeat. It is then channeled into an unbelievable precisely cut diamond, The facets split the beam into seven smaller beams, each is directed into a different gemstone.”

The yellow mare lifted a notebook in her hoof. “Let me see... there are seven gemstones used for the blade, but oddly, only six are used to create the blade. I'm not even sure what that seventh gem is. All I know is it hurts to even touch it. Now as for the energy blade itself, the gemstones set into the ring are constantly shifted and realigned second by millisecond, That is why over half of the memory in that thing is filled by the AI programming.”

“Wait, did you say over half?” The golden Ranger’s helmet tilted, his voice sounding confused. “Three Rangers bore the Pipbuck I wear before me. There isn't even a third of the memory filled. So you think the program in that colts Pipbuck controls everything on such a fine level?”

“Precisely sir. I have tried to download the program to a terminal, I thought if I could examine the core program I could try to copy it...”

“And?”

“It hacked the terminal and created a virus. Every terminal in here played ‘I know a pony who will get on your nerves’ for seven hours before I could isolate it.”

“How are the prototypes?”

“Well...” White Noise rubbed at her eyes with her hooves. “That teleport beam is scrap. Everything is burnt out, I wish the Elder had let me open it up and examine it before it was used.”

“And the blade?”

“Well sir, I have been able to make a rudimentary blade from the design. I don't understand a lot of the tech used but I've been able to infuse the prototype blade with Balefire. Without the AI, the weapon is stable for a few seconds at most so is unsuited to mass deployment.”

“So you believe without that AI program, the Energy Blade technology is useless?”

“Sir. Without that program, I cannot guarantee it won't explode and take some ponies leg off.”

“You said you infused the device with balefire. What did you mean?”

White Noise reached over to a matt black Pipbuck. With a few twirls of a screwdriver, the tired mare opened the inner workings. Sickly green light shone from a large crystal, Inside the gem, the flickering green flames seeming to scratch at their prison.

“I'm sure you have seen a balefire stone before sir, but I will explain in detail. After the megaspell’s fell. In high radiation or taint areas, sometimes a magical gemstone will be found. It is still unknown how or why it happens but they absorb Balefire. By focussing a stream of energy through it, I managed to create a blade that burns with Balefire itself.”

The yellow mare looked proud, before her face fell.

“But without something to guide the second by second adjustments, it is far too unstable to be used in the field. There is no way that I can guarantee it won't explode and kill the user.”

Gilded Blade gave a loud sigh. “Alright, get some sleep. You look exhausted. I will tell the Elder about the issues and make him understand. It still seems the colt is still the key to all this. We break him, then he makes that AI help us.”

*** ***

Ironclad slowly left the office, his head spinning from what had just happened.

He had tried to stop a child from being tortured and had lost all he had worked for, all of his life. All that he had fought and sacrificed to achieve. Slowly, his tread led him downstairs, each heavy hoof fall seeming to take an eternity. The faint whine and whirring sounds of his armour seeming almost deafening to him. The faint noises had been with him for so long now, that they were a part of him.

His slow tread led him to a small display hall at the rear of the museum. The tile floor was now cracked from the constant dread of Power armoured hooves. The floorspace had been cleared by pushing the broken displays against the northern wall. Ironclads eyes picked out a small hole through the same wall, next to a large display case. Some kind of heavy weapon had shredded the display cases reinforced glass and left bullet holes in the wall behind.

It seemed like a dream as unicorn techs removed his armour. Ironclad could only stare as his armour, battered from years of fighting, was stripped down and dismantled. In a daze, he followed an excitable unicorn to a sheet covered bulk in one corner of the bustling hall.

“it's such an honour to have you here with us sir! You scored some of the highest grades in over a century, it's so amazing to have you here! I thought you would be at the stable, what with all the commotion and the thing with Steelhooves!”

The mention of his mentor broke Ironclad from his stunned stupor.

“What thing with Steelhooves? what's this about a stable?”

“You haven't heard? Two divisions of Rangers were assembled from several Chapters of our order to take a fully functional stable!”

“They found a functioning stable? Who inhabits it? Raiders?”

“Oh a few tribals, Stable two was all but taken before Steelhooves attacked the Rangers with the Stable Dweller.”

“Steelhooves attacked fellow Rangers? I don't believe that for a moment!”

“Hang on a moment.” The tech fumbled with his Pipbuck for a few seconds. “Aha! I knew I had his speech down on here. A Ranger forwarded it to each of our orders Chapters so we know how Steelhooves betrayed us.”

The speaker on the Pipbuck began to crackle before a familiar voice began to play.

“I am Star Paladin SteelHooves. I am declaring an end to this travesty of an operation. We do not assault the Stable of the Mare of our own Ministry. And we do not slaughter innocents when she was dedicated to protecting ponies.” That deep voice rumbled with command. “You have two options. Side with me and stand by your Oath to the principles of our Ministry’s Mare, or side with Elder Blueberry Sabre and Star Paladin Nova Rage and be gunned down.”

Ironclad slowly closed his eyes, His mentor had actually chosen to protect innocent lives over the ideals of the Steel Rangers. He had killed his comrades to protect the ideals of the mare who had created the order. The technicians prodding hoof brought him back to reality.

“Alright! The Elder has told us you are to work on his new armour. You have the most experience with how it functions and the chosen weaponry.”

Iron stared as the sheet was pulled from across the huge bulk hidden beneath. The Agis Armour hung from chains, suspended from a low frame of welded steel. The triple barreled rifle that had killed Orion before his transformation still stood proud on the left flank, the ball shaped mount giving it extra clearance from the body of the armour. From the right flank...

On the right flank hung a large rifle, one immediately familiar. Severance hung from the Elders armour, The heavy gauss cannon given to Ironclad by Orion. Ironclad felt anger rise, his body shaking with raw rage at the way the Elder rubbed his face into the thought of never being a Ranger again, and the suffering he was happy to inflict on a colt.

“You’re so lucky to work on the Elders personal armour! He wants a full systems overhaul and a respray on the colours. The flames on black are too garish.”

Iron stared at the suit of Power Armour, his mind filled with thoughts of apologizing to the Elder, begging to be reinstated. Irons eyes drifted back to Severance, Fitting it to a mount it was not designed for would take some work. This had been planned from before he was sent after Orion. They wanted him to be nothing. As a paladin, he had influence, but as a tech he was just a name.

Iron turned to the excitable technician. “I’ll need an area shielded from the rest of the hall, there are very sensitive systems and talismans in that armour. I need it as dust free as possible.”

“Of course sir!”

*** ***

Silver stared at the slightly faded picture of her lost love.

The memorial for Orion had become her second home, she spent her days alone before the stone, before returning to Orions room to feed Nighteyes.

The winged wolf had refused to leave Orions bed, it was like he was waiting for Orion to come back home. But Orion was dead...

“No, he's out there... I know he is out there, I can feel it.”

“Hey Silver! Why so down?”

That voice...

Silver turned, her heart leaping in her chest. “Orion? I knew you were alive! I knew you were...”

The dark figure of a blue alicorn mare stared down at her. A smile spread across her muzzle as Silvers heart broke again. Tears began to roll down the silver fillies face once more.

“NOT ONE OF OUR BETTER IMPRESSIONS, WE WILL ADMIT.”

“Leave me alone... Isn't my suffering enough without a bitch like you sending one of your meat puppets here to torment me?”

The alicorn stared down at Silver, Still wearing that smirk. Behind those blue eyes, the Goddess watched the grieving alicorn filly.

“THAT IS NOT THE FORM WE GIFTED YOU WITH, HOW DID YOU ATTAIN IT?”

Silver stared into the eyes of the monster who had stolen her life, Who had made her entire existence a living nightmare.

“Fuck you, that's how.”

“OUR LITTLE FAILURE HAS GAINED SOME SPARK OF DEFIANCE SINCE LEAVING UNITY. WE ARE INTERESTED IN WHAT YOU DID TO LEAVE US. YOU WILL REJOIN UNITY AND WE WILL DISCOVER ALL OF YOUR SECRETS.”

“No, I’m not your puppet anymore! You don't get to tell me what I will do! Orion gave up his life, his very body and soul to free me...” Silver took a deep breath. “You can go fuck yourself if you think I will give that up for you! It is my life now! It is my choice!”

The blue alicorn smirked, “YOU THINK THAT YOU HAVE A CHOICE?”

Magic lashed out, The blue alicorns horn glowing with azure light. Silver felt something slam into her. The young alicorn bounced across the rock strewn dirt. Silver rolled to her hooves and sent a rock spinning towards her attacker with her own magic. The blue alicorn slapped the rock from the air with a swipe of her wing. Silver seized all the surrounding stones she could with her magic and sent them flying at the smirking blue figure. Magic crackled as the hail of stones bounced from the Unity alicorns shield.

“DO YOU SEE NOW? YOU WILL REJOIN UNITY. YOU HAVE NO CHOICE. WE DECIDE YOUR FATE FAILURE.”

Silver heard a voice from the past. Orions words rang out. “Now you get to live, first you’re coming home to Radar, then you get to be whoever and whatever you want to be.”

Silver closed her eyes. Orion had given up so much for her and yet the Goddess wanted to take it away. Anger burned in her chest, her heart beating like a hammer. Deep within her soul, something stirred.

Silvers tears filled eyes opened, her whole body was trembling. She felt her mane move, yet there was no wind. Dust around her hooves began to swirl, The dark shape of the blue alicorn watched with that same smirk as Silver struggled with herself. Something within her forced itself forward, her body felt as if it was a bonfire. Her voice had an odd dual tone as the alicorn filly stood her ground.

“Failure? That is not for you to judge anymore. I’m not yours, I’m his. He named me, He freed me. He made me who I am, I am not your failure anymore...”

Silver gripped all the pain and sorrow from all those years of misery and torment. Her voice shook as she screamed her defiance at the monster who had made her suffer.

“My name is Silver Skies!”

Deep in her soul, something broke.

In that moment, Silver felt something she had never experienced before.

Power.

Fire erupted from around her hooves, silver and hungry. The same silver flames consumed her mane and tail. The magical flames seemed to wait, as if awaiting for her command to move. The muzzle of the blue alicorn dropped open.

“WHAT IS THIS? WE NEVER GIFTED YOU WITH THIS MAGIC. WHEN YOU ARE RETURNED TO UNITY, WE WILL STUDY THIS WITH GREAT INTEREST.”

Magic lashed out as the Goddess attacked once more, The flames around the filly alicorns hooves flared, streaking up and blocking the telekinetic attack. Flames began to spiral around Silvers horn, streaming together as if alive. With a roar, the growing fireball streaked forward, smashing into the Unity alicorns shield. The shocked alicorn puppet was forced back a step. Silver attacked again and again, balls of shimmering silver fire streaking out like rain. The Goddess blocked each strike, the magic shield shimmering just before each strike hit.

That will not work, you must overpower her defence with a single attack. Gather your flames and hit her from all sides at once.

Silvers mind reeled. Not only did she suddenly possess this magic, but now a voice in her head was giving her pointers.

Silver threw fireball after fireball, The odd power that had risen from within her splashing across the blue alicorns shield like water. Sweat ran down her face as exhaustion began to creep into her limbs. The strain of using the unfamiliar magic was sapping her strength all too quickly.

“THIS MAGIC IS UNKNOWN TO US, IT WILL SERVE UNITY WELL. WE WILL DISCOVER HOW IT MAY BE USED, WE WILL SEE IT USED TO FURTHER THE CAUSE OF UNITY. WE WILL SEE IT USED TO MORE EFFECT THAN YOU CAN ACHIEVE. YOU ARE LIKE A KITTEN SCRATCHING AT A MANTICORE!”

She is right little pony. As you are now, You cannot win this fight. Treat the flames like a limb, don't just throw it like water. Let it know what it needs to do and what shape you wish. Focus and let your imagination shape your magic.

Silver focused, searching her memories for some idea, some clue of how the strange magic could help her win and stay free. Fractured images, memories of things not her own, shards of memories from her time in Unity streamed through her minds eye. Celestia raising the sun, flights of birds. So random and disjointed, it was becoming tough for her to keep enough focus to keep up the barrage of fireballs. An image of a school of fish flashed through her mind. Slowly Silver smiled.

The balls of shimmering silver fire became smaller and faster, striking the blue alicorns shield with an almost constant glaring flashes of light. The Unity alicorn screamed as the strobing flashes almost blinded her. Suddenly Silvers attacks stopped. The goddess stared out through her puppets eyes at the silently smiling filly.

“SO YOU HAVE GIVEN UP? YOU NEVER HAD ANY HOPE OF...”

The words slowly trailed away as the sight unfolded before her. The blue alicorn glanced left and right with growing panic. A glow above her made the Unity alicorn glance up above her. Balls of silver flame hung in the air all around her, seeming to await a signal to attack. There had to be dozens and hovering above them all, above her head, floated a gigantic sphere of flickering silver fire.

“Hey now... It wasn’t me in control! Can't we talk about this?”

Silver stared into the eyes of the blue alicorn, seeing both fear and contempt reflected back at her. Given a moment's hesitation, She would try to drag Silver back to Unity.

Now little pony, call out your defiance. Take the pain, the sorrow, the fears inflicted upon you. Make it your strength. Name your magic and let it become a part of you. Scream it at the world!

One word came from the fillies lips, her magic flaring to life.

“Starfall!”

The balls of flames moved as one, slamming into the blue alicorns shield from all directions. The shield seemed to flicker for a moment before the stream of fireballs overwhelmed it and began striking the blue alicorns body. There was a scream of pure agony as the fires ate into Silvers attacker. The huge sphere of fire dropped with a roar, cutting off the wailing screams of pain. Silver flames moved, twisting into a swirling pillar of flames. With a final flash of light, the flames flared out. The blackened form of the blue alicorn stood silently for a moment, before slowly collapsing. Wings breaking into chunks of charcoal, limbs burnt through.

Silver panted hard, sweat still streaming down her body. She felt dizzy and drained. Her legs gave out and she collapsed in exhaustion. A single thought went through her mind before unconsciousness took her in it's embrace.

“Orion, What am I now?”

*** ***

The bustle of the museum was almost deafening. The heavy tread of Power Armoured hooves, the constant whine of servos and gears. Voices called out orders, echoed in conversation or raised in argument. In the great display gallery, now converted into a maintenance bay, the sounds of machinery and magically powered tools drowned out all but the loudest of calls. In one corner, a tent made from white sheets had been set up. Inside, the faint sounds of metal on metal echoed.

Ironclad had been toiling away under the cover of the tent for most of the day, making every system operational and repainting the Agis Armour as instructed. The Elder had sent a Ranger to harass the blue stallion every hour that passed to report his progress.

The heavy tread of Power Armour came from the hallway, slowly the noises of the busy technicians began to stop. The exchanges between Ironclad and the Elders chosen had become a source of great entertainment. Two Rangers stalked into the room, almost strutting with self assured smugness. A smile twisted the lips of the red stallion as he and his yellow coated partner paced towards the sheeted workstation. Both ponies sported matching short cut manes, dyed white to mark them as one of the Elders chosen elite.

“Ironclad!” The red stallion smirked as he called out. “Time is up! If that armour is not fully operational and battle ready, then you get to spend a week in solitary confinement!”

Silence came from behind the sheets, The red coated Rangers eye gave a twitch.

“Answer me freak! Is it ready? Ignore me again and I’ll see to it you spend a month in a cell!”

Still more silence came from the sheeted workstation. With a snarl, the two Rangers tore the sheets aside. Tools lay strewn across the floor, paint and bushes were piled to one side. The Agis armour stood alone in the centre or the mess, matt black and edged with gold. The weapons hung loose, unpowered. The helmet hung low, giving the armour a look as if in mourning.

Ironclad was nowhere to be found.

“What the fuck? How did he escape? All the exits are guarded, So where did that coward run to?”

There was a faint hum. Slowly, the head of the black armour raised. The weapons on the flanks swung up, Severance humming with energy and the three barreled Anti-machine rifle making a loud clack as it chambered a round. Sensors on the faceplate lit up, glowing like crimson eyes.

“Run?” The deep voice of Ironclad echoed from the armours speakers. “Why would I run?”

Both Rangers began to back away slowly, The yellow coated stallion glaring at Ironclad.

“You will remove that armour now! Second technician Ironclad, you are charged with disobeying orders, dereliction of duty and treason. Submit to judgement and things will go easier on you.”

“Dereliction? Disobeying orders?” The black painted helmet tilted to one side, Ironclads voice filled with confusion. “Was I not ordered to get the armour operational and repainted? As you can see, I have done that. As for treason...”

Severance fired with a hollow thump, The blue blur slamming into the ground under the red coated Ranger. The concussive blast lifted the stallion into the air and sent him bouncing across the room in a shower of shattered tiles. The rifle fired a second later, the heavy round severing the leg of the second chosen and leaving a small crater in the concrete and tile floor.

“I cannot be loyal to an Order that believes torturing a child is a good thing.”

Screams rang out as Ironclad paced away from the whimpering guards. Small arms fire began to patter against his stolen armour. With measured strides, the armoured stallion trotted through the halls, ignoring the shots hitting his armour. Rangers backed away from his relentless stride. The speakers of the museum rang out with Ironclads voice.

“This is former Paladin Ironclad. You all know me, You all know I have never told a single lie to anypony under my command. I dedicated my life to the Steel Rangers, I fought for our Order, I bled for our ideals and my oath. Now, I am ashamed to be a part of this Chapter. I am ashamed of what we have become. Applejack wanted us to be Equestria’s champions, the backbone of our military might. Now what are we?”

Ironclads sigh could be clearly heard. The gunfire had stopped as everypony listened to the gruff Rangers words. “As an annoying colt put it, we are just a bunch of high tech Raiders. We take what we want, we murder innocents to take a fucking spark battery! Now I find we are supposed to sit back and smile, while we torture a child to death? I cannot be a part of this. I ask each and every pony here to decide for themselves, Is this what you wish to be? A Raider?”

“Lies!” Elder Creamed Cheese trotted into the hall, his own Pipbuck broadcasting his words through the museum. “We do nothing of the sort! You are simply a traitor who cannot stand losing his position!”

Ironclad turned slowly to the elderly unicorn. “Before you call me a liar, you should have made sure I never pulled an Orion. I recorded you on my Pipbuck.”

The Elders face fell as the slightly distorted voice of Ironclad began to play.

“Horseshit! You took him by force somehow, you’re torturing a fucking child for something he doesn't know anything about!”

The condescending tone of the Elder spoke out, clear as a bell.

“And what of it? If we kill the colt then it is no great loss. We gained some interesting technology from him and his blood will let us into the Archon stockpiles. All in all, There are no downsides to his interrogation. I see no reason why it should stop.”

The dark armoured Ranger scanned the faces of the ponies he had served with all his life. His deep voice seemed sad.

“I won't kill anypony here, but please don't try to stop me leaving. You know what it took to put down the last pony to wear this armour.”

Ironclad turned and began his relentless pace once more. Before he left the museum, The gruff Ranger asked a final question.

“Is this what you want as your legacy?”

*** ***

Captain Thunder Chaser sighed happily.

Beneath the hooves of the orange pegasus stallion, mud squished loudly. The Captain shifted his weight from one hoof to the next, feeling the cool mud squelch and move. Up in the clouds, there was nothing that felt like this. Clouds felt soft and springy, like walking across a pillow. But mud, mud was soft yet firm. It sucked at your hooves and yet supported your weight. Thunder Chaser loved mud.

The Captain glanced up to his Raptor, silhouetted by the setting sun. The Dragonslayer class warship hung low over the ruins. the cloudbanks on it's sides deep grey and starkly contrasting with the matt black of the ships metal hull. The long body of the ship curved towards it's prow, gun ports and antenna bristling it's hull. On the stern, a bank of four gigantic props turned slowly. The Genus Cirrus was a sight to behold.

As a ‘Black Ops’ ship, the Raptor was unlisted. It didn't exist, only the Enclaves Operatives even knew the ship and it's crew existed. It was Operative Fallen Snow who had ordered the ship to station here. They were hidden in the ruins of some nameless town, almost a hundred miles from the Steel Ranger base Dragonsreach. Thunder Chaser had orders to observe and capture anypony escaping the base. Some colt the Operative wanted was imprisoned there and Fallen Snow believed he would escape or that somepony would rescue him.

Secretly the Captain believed the colt was already dead. As for rescue? there was no hope of that. Anti Aircraft turrets covered the base from anything bigger than a Bloatsprite, Energy and Ballistic turrets covered every inch of the base with overlapping fields of fire. It would take a Mega Spell to breach those defences.

“Sir, It is time to make your report.”

Thunder Chaser sighed and looked to the Power armoured pegasi around him. The five ponies looked like monstrous insects. Black metal plates covered their limbs, Helmets with bulbous eyes hid their faces. Wings remained free but serrated plates covered their tails. Curved blades tipped each Power Armoured tail, almost like a scorpion. energy weapons hung from their flanks.

These five were combat veterans and his personal bodyguards. These elite fighters had killed everything from bloatsprites to dragons in their time of service.

There was a bright flash from the side of the Raptor, A loud boom echoed across the silent wastelands. Thunder Chaser peered at his ship, the glare of the setting sun making it hard to see. A streak of silver shot from the explosion, it seemed to circle in the air before flying at the armoured bodyguards with frightening speed. The streak of light slammed into the mud with an echoing boom, Silver flames spiraled for a moment before winking out. In the centre of a steaming crater stood a huge black pegasus. Red eyes, glowing like the fires of Tartarus itself, stared out from under a long white mane.

The pegasus’s voice spoke out, deep and unnerving.

“Those ponies in the ship said one of you were in charge. I'm here to ask your commander two questions.”

The weapons on the Power Armoured flanks hummed, The Novasurge rifles charging. The five spread out, each keeping their weapons trained as they encircled the strange ebony pegasus.

Thunder Chaser smiled. This interloper was either captured, or dead. The Enclave captain did not care which.

“So...” Thunder Chaser tried not to laugh. “You attacked an Enclave Raptor to ask me two questions? Did you think for a moment that my guards would not kill you? Did you not realise how outgunned you are? You don't even have a gun for ponies sake! Alright I’m curious, What are your questions?”

Those blood red eyes seemed to glow. “Where is Orion?”

The grin on Thunder Chaser’s face fell. His bodyguards flipped the safeties on their weapons. This pony had information on the main target?

“Guards! Capture him!”

The dark pegasus smiled.

An earth shattering boom echoed. Flames lit the fading sky. The great ship shuddered as flames gutted it from within. Fire exploded from the front windows, the flash of light almost blinding. Thunder Chaser covered his eyes with a hoof, shielding them from the glaring flash of light. There was sounds, noises that for all the world, sounded like a blade cutting the air, and and the sound of cracking ice. The Captain uncovered his eyes. His ship fell slowly, burning from within. The sky was lit with the flames billowing from every window and hatch. Black smoke filled the air.

Fear racked his body as Thunder Chaser took in his surroundings. His guards were all dead, Two sliced cleanly in two as if by some great blade, laying in steaming pools of blood and entrails. One was frozen in a huge spire of ice, The remaining two impaled by great spikes of frozen mud. Their corpses slowly sliding down the spines of ice.

The black pegasus was gone, In his place stood a creature from a nightmare. Silver plates covered each limb, Metal clad wings shimmered in the flickering firelight. Blood ran along the creatures wings, dripping from a wicked blade along the armoured length of each wing. Barding covered the dark coat of the monster, shining silver and making the black fur seem even darker. Those red eyes were gone, Orbs of shimmering silver flames billowed from the creature's skull. The white mane moved as if in it's own wind.

The Captain was frozen to the spot in terror. This... This thing had destroyed his ship and crew with ease. What in Equestria was that thing?!

Thunder Chaser’s voice shook. “What... W-what was your other question?”

The monster leaned in close, Those burning eyes boring into Thunder Chaser’s soul. A warm feeling spread down his back legs as the stallion wet himself in fear.

“Do you need me to repeat the first question?”

*** ***

Bloodscar gave a happy sigh. His idea to drug the colt with a mixture of narcotics was bearing fruit. Well kind of...

No real useful information had been gleaned from the interrogations but a surprising amount of lost history had been recorded. The half dead colt had spoke about his family, about music, politics, even the organisation of the Sky Archons. It was becoming very clear the child had next to no knowledge on anything technical. In fact it seemed that he couldn't even figure out how to work his own Pipbuck.

It was clear this colt had no idea what a genetic lock was, let alone how to remove one.

Bloodscar shrugged and in one swift motion, grabbed a knife from the nearby table in his mouth and drove it into the colts leg. The colts scream of pain was music to his ears.

The grey pegasus turned his tear filled eye to Bloodscar, the pupil shaking slightly.

“P-please... Let me go.”

The sadistic Ranger smiled, Bloodscar reached out with a hoof and gave the hilt of the knife a shake. The colts cries of pain were sweet to hear.

“Has the prisoner given up any information yet Knight Bloodscar?”

Through the open door paced a Steel Ranger in golden Power Armour. Every surface on the powered suit gleamed, the light reflecting from the gilded metal surface.

“Star Paladin Gilded Blade! Sorry sir, But the prisoner refuses to tell us anything technical.”

“B-but I don't know an-anything...” The grey colts words were barely a whisper.

Bloodscar grinned and struck the colt across the face with an armoured hoof. Orion sobbed quietly, The young pegasus’s misery was a true pleasure for the sadistic stallion.

“Was that necessary Knight Bloodscar?”

“Of course sir! If the prisoner will not speak of the information we want, then he is not allowed to speak at all.”

“I see, Continue at your own discretion.”

The gold covered Ranger reached up to the neck of his armour. There was a quiet hiss as the stallion removed his helmet. Sharp emerald eyes stared at the broken body of the grey colt. Gilded Blades short cut blonde mane was slick with sweat, A darker shade of his yellow coat.

The golden stallion stared at the bloody and broken body of the grey colt, his eyes picking out each wound. Needle marks ran down one leg, bullet wounds left bleeding holes in each limb. The small colts wings were nailed to the table by long knives, obviously a source of constant agony. The odd way the colts eye kept shaking betrayed withdrawals from some unknown drug. Gilded Blade cast his eyes across the tables, picking out the piles of spent inhalers and used needles.

“How many narcotics have you forced on the child?”

“Well sir.” Bloodscar smiled. “I can confirm addiction to at least six different drugs so far. I am planning to introduce another ten narcotics before the week is out. By that point, The prisoner will tell us anything for another hit.”

“Cruel but effective, And what of the knives?”

“Better safe than sorry, sir.”

Bloodscar reached out and slapped at the knife impaling the young ponies leg. The grey colt just whimpered, tears flowing from his one eye. The armoured ranger smirked, with no warning he spun and drove his back hooves into the colts leg, just below the knife. There was a loud snap as the Steel Rangers Power Armoured hooves connected. Orion screamed, thrashing and wailing in pain. The little pegasus slumped, hanging limp from his restraints.

“Knight Bloodscar! You will desist with physical assaults at once!”

“”Sorry sir, I guess I got a little carried away. A few broken bones may loosen his resolve a little sooner.”

“And how will he answer any questions, when he is unconscious?”

“Well sir...” The Smile of the red coated Ranger was disturbing. “I guess this will be a lesson to him to answer all of our questions sooner.”

“Knight Bloodscar...” Gilded Blade took a deep breath to calm himself. “If I find you brutalising a prisoner for your own amusment again, I will strip you of your rank. I will then drum you out of the Order and beat your flank bloody. Do we have an understanding?”

Bloodscar swallowed nervously, “Crystal clear sir...”

A loud buzzing interrupted the stare of the golden stallion. With a warning glance at Bloodscar, The Star Paladin trotted over to the intercom mounted on the wall.

“This is Gilded Blade, Report.”

The intercom crackled for a moment, Then a mares voice cut through the distortion.

“Star Paladin, This is Corporal Butterscotch. Sir, We have an situation.”

The golden stallion frowned. “Explain.”

“Sir, An unknown pegasus set down just outside the range of the turrets around three minutes ago.”

“And? Why do you think I would care?”

“Well sir, He knows the prisoner is here and has demanded his release, Or he will kill everypony in the entire base.”

“What? Do you have the message recorded?”

“Yes sir, I’ll upload it now.”

The stallions voice was filled with anger, sounding almost driven.

“I know you can hear me in there. I will give you ten minutes to release Orion unharmed or I will come in there and take him. If I go in there, not one of you child torturing fucks will live to see the dawn. Choose now.”

Gilded Blade smiled, A single pegasus thought he could threaten a base filled with over a hundred fully armed Rangers?

“Fire a warning shot, Scare that foal away. I do not have time for idiots like this.”

“Sir, We are monitoring some very unusual temperature readings around the intruder.”

“Explain.”

“According to the sensors in that area, The external temperature has dropped over thirty degrees in under eight seconds.”

“What would cause that?”

“Nothing that I know of sir.”

“Hmm, keep me posted if anything changes.”

Gilded Blade turned away from the intercom. The prisoner was still unconscious, a shot of Hydra had fixed most of the broken bones and closed a few of the larger wounds. When the colt wakes up, He will have to be given a healing potion or two.

The intercom began to buzz again. With a weary sigh, the golden armoured Star Paladin turned back and hit the button.

“Report. And this had better be important.”

“Sir, we are under attack!”

“Enclave?”

“No sir, We fired the warning shot as ordered...”

“And?”

“I’ll play the response...”

The deep voice of the unknown pegasus echoed, cold and emotionless. “I gave you a chance. I gave you a way live through this. Now you have neither.”

Gilded Blade smiled, “All very intimidating, Now who is committing suicide on our defences?”

“Thats just it sir! That thing is no pegasus! That monster is tearing through our defences like they are nothing!”

A panicked voice interrupted them, a stallions voice came from the intercom, the terror clear as he all but screamed.

“This is Lookout Point six, we need support! Oh sweet Celestia! We can't stop it! Help us you assholes! Oh Goddesses no! Please no! Nooo...”

Gilded blade’s smirk faded, “Point six, report! Point six, respond!”

Silence was the only response from the intercom.

The speaker crackled for a second as the Corporal reconnected. “Sir, we are reading blizzard level cold. Whatever is out there is freezing the guns solid. Our fastest turrets cannot keep up with it. Whatever that thing is, it's making our defences look like a foals toys.”

“Seal the base! Full alert status!”

*** ***

Fallen Snow stared at the still burning wreck of the Raptor.

When the ship had failed to check in, the operative had dispatched a team to investigate. As for what they found, he had to come and confirm it for himself.

The Dragon Slayer class ship was destroyed, the crew all dead. Only the Captain was alive. Thunder Chaser had been found shivering in a pool of his own urine, surrounded by the corpses of his personal guard.

Fallen Snow turned to Thunder Chaser. The Captain was shivering where he sat in the mud. Armoured pegasi stood on either side, the weapons on their insect like armour pointed towards him.

“Captain...” Fallen Snow sighed, “You expect me to believe that a single unarmed pegasus destroyed your vessel and killed every soldier under your command?”

Thunder Chasers eyes shook, “Sir, that thing was a monster! We had no chance against it, It struck us unaware and took everypony down like it had been doing it for centuries!”

“Doubtful... But you are aware of where it was heading? You know where this attacker is going?” Thunder Chaser nodded. “Excellent, You will lead a team there and capture or kill this ‘monster’ of yours.”

“With all due respect sir, go fuck yourself.”

The albino ponies eye twitched. Slowly he leaned close to the trembling Captain.

“I could have you shot for that. Now you have one thing to decide...”

Fallen Snow loomed over Thunder chaser, A hum filled the air as the weapons on each armoured pegasus powered up.

“Right now, are you more afraid of him or me?”

“Him sir. without a doubt, him.”

*** ***

Metro ran for his life.

Armoured hooves crunched through the snow. The day had been hot and stuffy, Metro had been glad of his armours cooling systems. Now snow swirled in the air, so thick he couldn't see more than a few meters away.

That thing was still out there. Whatever it was, it had stood up to a crossfire from six gun turrets without blinking. Metro had never seen anything like it.

He had been proud to be selected to capture the colt prisoner. Honoured by the trust given to him, of being the one granted the use of that prototype teleportation beam. It was his accuracy that had picked the young pegasus out and taken him with a single shot.

To think, all of the expended time and resources to track the colt down, and it only took a weeks walk and a few thousand caps to bribe some clueless Raiders. Attacking the caravan had given him the time and distraction he needed to escape and march back to Dragonsreach.

Another mission executed perfectly.

It had been his mission to fire the warning shot that was supposed to scare away that black pegasus. He remembered his pride at the shots perfect placement, Between the intruders hooves. The anger in those red eyes, then that chilling declaration.

After that... that monster had begun to take the base apart like it was nothing.

Snow swirled, filling the panicked ponies sight with nothing but dancing flakes. Constant prickles in his flank came as his armour began to inject him with combat drugs. His limbs burned as he ran, only the drugs keeping him at his relentless pace.

The sounds of explosions ripped through the air. The base defences opened up again in a thundering barrage of weapon fire, the air filled with a curtain of lead thick enough to walk on. The shape of the bases main doors loomed from the snowstorm, Metro grinned, He was going to make it!

A shape emerged from the snow, pacing forward as if it had all the time in the world. Bullets bounced from silver armour as the figure slowly paced towards Metro. Black fur contrasted with the white of the snow. Clear as day, two crimson eyes glared at Metro, Anger burning within. Wings glowed for a moment before sweeping forward almost elegantly. A wave of silver light flashed past, Metro tried to scream at the sudden pain in his neck.

The last thing the Steel Ranger saw was his own body slumping to the snow covered ground. several feet away.

*** ***

Gunfire echoed, the base shook from the explosion of grenade rifles. Screams came from everywhere as the Steel Rangers tried to fight off the monster attacking the base.

Gilded Blade tried to organise a defence through the intercom, directing his troops.

“Sir! It's inside the base!”

“Squads six through nine, set up a barricade at the number twelve intersection. One through five, head to the armoury and break out the big guns. Make sure you're packing enough to drop an Ursa Major and support the barricade! Squad ten, get any injuries to the medical wing!”

”This is squad nine, hostile sighted. Engaging!”

“Squad seven, Flanking. Safeties off on the Miniguns boys! Take this foal down!”

“Squad eight, Engaging. Break out the explosives, bring the rain!”

“Star Paladin, we got him. the whole passage is a firestorm. Nopony can survive that!”

Gilded Blade frowned at the intercom. “I want confirmation before you celebrate. I want a corpse before you call that thing eliminated.”

“Relax sir! There is no way in Equestria... Wait...”

“Give me an update.”

“I see something... Oh Celestia no! Get away from me! Please no!...”

“Report! Report ! Talk to me! what is happening down there?!”

Silence was all that answered the golden Ranger. Suddenly a voice came through, Deep and filled with anger.

“Your soldiers are dead. You all had your chance to avoid this, you had your chance to live. Now I am going to kill every single one of you child torturing fucks. If Orion is dead, Don't expect to die quickly.”

Bloodscar paled, shaking slightly. Gilded blade frowned at the intercom before pressing the talk button with a hoof.

“Who or what are you?”

“Me?” The unknown stallions voice seemed surprised, “All I am is somepony who has come to help one he cares about. All I am is a relic from a distant past.”

“Why is the colt so important? Answer me that at least. His technical knowledge is limited at best from what I can gather.”

The intercom crackled for a moment before the voice replied.

“He is important not for what he knows, not for what he carries. He is important because of who he is. This conversation is over, this pony has agreed to lead me to Orion if I leave him his legs. Pray that Orion is unharmed or both Luna and Celestia together won't be enough to save you.”

Bloodscar stared at the Star Paladin, his eyes wide with obvious fear.

“Sir...” Bloodscar was shivering, his armour rattling. “How the fuck can we stop that thing? it's coming here! It's all but wiped out the base!”

“Don't worry.” Gilded Blade smiled. “The remaining forces are packing the biggest guns we have. Some of those weapons could drop a dragon.”

There was the sound of heavy hoofsteps in the corridor outside the room, Gilded Blade galloped forward and hit the emergency doors control with a hoof. Heavy steel doors slammed shut, built to deflect anything short of a Mega Spell, there was little hope for the intruder to get in.

Voices echoed from behind the heavy doors.

“He... He’s in there, please don't kill me!”

“I gave my word Knight, I will not kill you. Unfortunately the remains of your fellow knights do not seem to wish to allow you time to get clear.”

“All squads, Open fire!”

All sound was drowned out by the deafening roar of gunfire, explosions shook the room, dust falling from the roof in clumps. A sound suddenly cut through the booming gunfire. A roar, deep and endlessly vengeful. The gunfire began to lessen, intersected by screams and occasional wet crunches. Bloodscar backed against the far wall, shivering in terror.

“Hail Celestia, Warm embrace, hail Luna, full of grace. Protect me now in my darkest time, help me now in my ...”

“Shut the fuck up, that is an order!” Gilded Blade glared at the shivering Knight. “Do you really think the Goddesses would protect you after what you have been doing to that child?”

The noises stopped. Slow and heavy hoof falls echoed again, pacing slowly towards the doorway. There was a gentle tap, then second as somepony knocked.

“Open the door. You open it or I will, you have three seconds.”

“You will?” Gilded Blade smiled, “You won't get through that. That is magically reinforced steel. It can stop an anti-tank round.”

“Really?” The deep voice seemed amused. “Let us find out if you are right.”

Frost crept across the steel, cracking in the warm air. Slowly the painted steel lost it's colour as the ice began to thicken. Metal creaked, twisting in the frame. The strained breathing of the colt misted in the air. Both rangers snapped their helmets into place, Grenade rifles snapping to aim at the ice covered door.

Cracks spread slowly across the metal, stretching from the frame and meeting in the middle of the doors. The spiderweb of cracks creaked, as if something was pressing against it from the other side of the door.

There was a deafening roar, the steel door exploded. Shards of metal pattering down across the tiled floor. Silver flames flickered around the twisted framework, Heavy hoof falls echoed in the sudden silence. Through the flames strode the silver armoured figure of an ebony pegasus. The shining metal of his barding looking for all the world like the scales of a dragon. The dark creatures eyes stared at Bloodscar and Gilded Blade, glowing crimson in the flickering lights. Slowly it's gaze went past them to the broken form of the grey colt prisoner. Those red eyes narrowed, seeming to tremble.

The voice of the prisoner, not much more than a pained whisper, reached out. Slurred slightly by the drugs in his system.

“D-daddy... Please h-help me...”

The dark monster shook, It's eyes suddenly lit with silver flames. The burning orbs glaring at the two Rangers. The room seemed to darken, the presence of the strange pegasus seeming to fill all available space. Those horrific eyes bored into Gilded Blade’s soul, The monster stared at him, fury incarnate. Billowing silver flames roared, streaming from around the monsters armoured hooves. the roaring flames swallowing the doorway behind them. For the first time in his entire life, the golden earth pony was frozen in sheer terror. The dark pegasus growled, his voice seeming to come from three throats at once.

“What in the fuck did you do to MY SON?!”

Gilded Blade’s eyes widened behind his faceplate, Daddy? Son? But that would make him...

“Oh fuck...”

All in all, They were not the greatest last words ever spoken.

*** ***

Wind...

Why was wind such a weird thing? Just the feeling of my mane moving from a gentle breeze. The hairs of my mane, tickling my face as the air moves...

My eye opened, my vision a twisted mess. Slowly I felt my sight began to clear. It was dawn, I could see the sky begin to light up behind the ever present clouds. Slowly the light spread over the broken horizon. It was so strange, after that time of pain and terror, I had gotten used to seeing from one eye, but at the same time, the loss broke something inside of me. I felt bandages wrapping my body, my wings bound tightly. Half of my head was wrapped in the same white bandages, the ruins of my right eye hidden from the world. Both my left legs were tightly bandaged, my back leg splinted and painful.

I felt so cold, even the warm breeze making me shiver. All I could do was stare out at the rising sun.

“Its a glorious sight huh, Son?”

I knew that voice... But it couldn't be. He was dead, so long dead it had to be a dream...

Slowly I turned my head, A black pegasus smiled at me. His huge body and bulging muscles seemed to fill my world. I couldn't take my eyes away from him.

“Daddy?”

That silver mane seemed to float in the gentle breeze. Those familiar red eyes, warm and kind. That same smile that always made me feel so safe...

“Daddy? You’re really here?”

“Daddy?” That ever so familiar smile widened. “You haven't called me that in a long time, kiddo.”

It... It really was him. My Dad, he was here! He was alive! I wasn't alone! He came to save me, My dad came for me when I needed him!

I threw my legs around his neck and cried, I couldn't let him go. After all the horror I had been through, All the pain. He was here, My dad my actually here!

Dad wrapped his legs around me and held me tight, I felt so safe in that moment. Dad was here! My dad was alive and well! I wasn't alone.

“Those bandages not too tight?” Dads hoof stroked across the bandages around my head, gentle as a feather.

“I... I’m alright.”

No I’m not...

Dad stared into my remaining eye, frowning slightly. I couldn't stop shivering, even the warm breeze felt like ice on my fur. I felt my stomach twitch and before I could stop myself, I threw up on his hooves.

Dad sighed loudly, “Son, You don't need to be brave in front of me. I saw what they had been doing to you in there. You are not alright.”

Dad pushed himself to his hooves, I felt my jaw drop as the scenery behind him caught my attention. Fires burned, smoke curled from some kind of guns littering as far as I could see. Drifts of snow buried distant objects, glittering in the faint sunlight. In the middle of the devastation lay a dark red mountain. Massive doors lay shattered in one face. Bent inwards and covered in splashes of red. Guns of frightening size hid in alcoves, some broken and burning, others frozen in glittering ice. The pale light reflected from metal objects and ice crystals across the blasted landscape.

Something had attacked that place and had took it apart with a power that terrified me. But at the moment everything terrified me. I couldn't find the confidence and self assurance that had carried me this far. Every sound, every movement around me made me panic. Everything scared the fuck out of me. The only thing I could see that wasn't horrifically scary, was my dad. If he was here, then I was safe, If dad was here to protect me then I could make it home to Radar without a worry.

Dad looked out over the horizon and sighed. “Son...” His red eyes looked so sad. “Orion... I can't stay. The time I was given is almost up. When the sunlight hits me, I will be gone.”

The terror froze me on the spot. The sun was rising, there wasn't a lot of time left!

“Orion... I need you to listen. Don't talk, don't ask questions, Just listen.”

Dad stared out over the horizon to the rising sun. “Orion, I am dead. I cannot stay, as much as I want to. I died a long time ago...” Dads crimson eyes locked with mine. “In the next world we are allowed to watch our loved ones, Your mother and I watched you sleep. We were happy you were safe from this screwed up world. We prayed that you would sleep through this time and wake up when the world was safe, when Equestria was a good place once again.”

Dads eyes scared me, so much regret, so much sorrow.

“Son...” Dads voice scared me with it's sadness. “I don't have a lot of time left, I have to explain a few things.”

Dad pressed a hoof to my lips before I could object.

“Just listen to me, Orion. In the next world there is something called the Mirror of Souls, through it the dead can watch their loved ones...”

“Orion, Your Mother and I watched you sleep, We watched you as you left the stasis chamber. We watched as you threw yourself into danger, to help anypony who needed it. We watched you save all those ponies in Trottingham. Guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. We saw Manehattan...”

You stood strong to save your friend. Your mother and I have never been prouder of you.”

Dad frowned at me. “I do not approve of that potty mouth of yours though, but I suppose this is a different time. But I have to ask something. Do you love this filly, Silver?”

I felt my cheeks burn, I loved Silver with all my heart and soul. She was my reason to keep living. She... I don't know why I loved her, But I doubt I could keep living without her.

Dad grinned at me. “So I have a future daughter in law. Seriously son, you have to get back to her. She needs you now more than ever. You mother wanted me to sit you both down and explain a few things.”

I felt my blush deepen, He wasn't going to give me the birds and the bees talk was he?

“How did your mother phrase this? You are both alicorns now son, but not like the fake ones you have been fighting. A true alicorn is something altogether different, an avatar.”

My mind began to feel even fuzzier. Avatar? what does that even mean?

“Alicorns are literally a living element, they are the ponysonification of that force. Celestia was the sun, Luna was the moon. they didn't just control them, they were them. Think about it, son. Celestia, was radiant. She shone and warmed the hearts of everypony around her. Luna was dark and mysterious. Both of them... Celestia damit! Why didn't I write this down? This is the sort of thing your mother was best at explaining.”

I stared blankly at my Dad. I knew Discord had changed me, I know I was different but this?

“So... I’m a god?”

Dad laughed. “Far from it son, you're not immortal. You are just bound to something, and it's not just you...”

A shiver ran up my spine, “Then Silver has...?”

“Thats right, Orion. Silver has her own element, She has found her own strength. Just as you will.”

Strength? Right now I doubted that I could stand on my own four hooves, If I had any strength, any power, then that would have never happened. they wouldn't have...

I couldn't stop shivering, only the thought of Dad here to protect me was keeping me from breaking apart inside. how can I have any real power? all I had was a smart mouth, no skills or magic. Luck was all that kept me alive with my stupid ego.

Dads sad eyes bored into me. “I’m sorry I couldn't be there to save you from all this world has thrown at you. It is forbidden for the dead to return to Equestria. Luna and Celestia’s father rules the next world fairly and justly, but when I saw the Rangers beating you... I rebelled and tried to come back. The Sky Archons stood with me. After two hundred years of training with both the Archons and heroes from across history, It took the king himself to stop us. rather than punish us, he offered me a deal. One day in Equestria for one millennia of service in the Celestial guard.”

“Celestial guard?” This was all new to me, then again I never payed much attention to anything that wasn't fun while growing up.

“In the afterlife, there are two destinations for your soul. Tartarus or the Eternal Herd . Things live between those worlds, Things that hunger for our very souls. Sometimes the things break through to the Herd. The Celestial guard are the most powerful ponies who ever lived. They guard the borders between the two worlds. most of the Sky Archons are within their ranks, I had been dodging it because I wanted to be with your mother. I took the deal, the chance to see you and your sister again was something I could never pass up.”

I blinked my one eye. “Sister? I have a sister?”

Dad looked confused, “You don't remember? You was protecting her when you got hurt.”

Protecting my sister? I don't remember even having...

It felt like somepony had drove a blade into my skull, it all came rushing back. My baby sister, Aurora. That tiny unicorn with the black coat and green mane. her big red eyes, always filled with wonder. Her adorably cute lisp, The way she seemed to use her sweetness to wrap everypony round her little hooves, Even me.

I remembered everything.

*** ***

“My tuwn big bwother?”

That lisp always made me smile, We sat at the kitchen table back in Paddock Town. I was teaching my little sis how to play Snakes and Ladders. Well I say teach, but she was destroying me at this game!

Aurora lifted the dice in her magic and sent it spinning across the board.

...Her fourth six in a row. She had to be cheating somehow.

“Yay!” Aurora’s magic lifted her game piece and moved it along the board as she counted carefully. “And up the wadder! Yay!”

I had to laugh. With the war taking more and more ponies away from home, fun moments like this were getting harder to find. It just seemed so weird that the Zebras wanted to kill us for a rock, Or that we would want to kill them for that same coal.

There had been some grumbling from some of the Zebra tribes about my dad. From what mom explained to me, the stars were evil to them. As Dad could use starlight as a weapon... Lets just say they were not happy.

From what I had heard Mom and Dad talking about, they saw him as some kind of monster. He was a hero, yet they hated him for simply being what he was. It didn't make any sense to me at all.

The kitchen door handle rattled slightly, I frowned. Mom was in Manehattan, Dad wouldn't be home for another hour. Who was trying to get in?

The door began to slowly move, as if somepony was pushing on it, hoping not to be noticed.

“Who's there?” The door froze in it's slow movement. I peered closer, there was a faint shimmer in the air, kind of like when Mom boiled water for our coco. It was making me nervous, What was happening?

“Big bwother?” Aurora gave me a fearful look, picking up on my own nervousness.

“Kill the star spawn!”

The door was thrown open, I could hear hooves hitting the wooden floor as something charged towards us.

Dad had drilled one lesson into me when he taught me to fight. Don't think. Follow your instincts and react.

A flap of my wings lifted me from my chair, one front hoof still on the table. I spun and kicked out, my back hooves connecting with something solid. There was a muffled curse then two figures shimmered into sight.

Two Zebras slowly rose back to their hooves, staring at me with a look of hatred. Black cloaks draped their bodies, fastened with a glowing gemstone. I put myself in front of Aurora, keeping my little sis behind me. I could hear the faint ring of her horn.

“Daddy, help us. Daddy, come home quick.”

I don't really understand magic, so I don't know what she was doing.

“What do you want?” Both zebra stared, the sheer hatred in their eyes scaring me. Neither spoke, they just watched us silently.

I started to back away, keeping my baby sister behind me with a wing. Both Zebra reared onto their back hooves and charged, The two legged run shocked me. Before I could react, one spun and launched a lightning fast kick at me. I threw up a wing to block, then screamed. The point of the hoof connected, the bones in my wing breaking with a loud crack.

Aurora screamed in fear as the second Zebra galloped right for her. I ducked under a second kick and launched myself onto the Zebra going after my sister. My legs wrapped around his neck, My teeth bit down on his ear. I pulled back sharply, my mouth filling with the metalic taste of blood as my struggles tore a chunk from his ear. The attacker roared in pain and threw me from his back. I slammed into the wall with a loud crash, almost crying with the pain in my wing.

I looked up, A Zebra stood over me. One hoof slowly came down from where it cradled his ear. Blood dripped from the hoof, I could only watch as his eyes narrowed. He reared up once more, his hooves descended in slowmotion. I felt no pain, but heard the sickening crunch. There was a lot more blood on his hooves now.

“Owion! Big bwother!”

I couldn't move, I could barely hear anything. I had failed, I couldn't protect her. I could only watch as the two Zebra slowly trotted towards her, smiles on their muzzles. I could see blood creeping from where I lay, spreading out across the wooden floor.

Aurora backed away from the two Zebra, her big red eyes shaking in fear.

“Daddy!”

The wall exploded, chunks of log clattering across the room. In the hole stood my Dad. Silver armour gleaming, his mane and tail roaring silver flames.

“Get away from my children!”

As my world faded to black, Dad descended on the two zebra like the wrath of Celestia herself.

*** ***

“You alright there son? You were out of it for a moment.”

I blinked my one eye, How could I forget my sister? Aurora meant the world to me, what happened that could make me forget her?

“Dad? What happened to me? I couldn't remember Aurora...”

Dads crimson eyes gave me a concerned look. “Its not surprising. Son, they split your skull wide open, it was a miracle you survived long enough for us to get you into that tank. You saved your sister that day.” He looked uncomfortable for a moment, “Son... I’m sorry I never got there sooner. If I had stayed at home that day...”

It wasn't his fault.

“Orion, Do you know what my legacy in this world is?”

Legacy? He was a hero from the golden years of Equestria, A legend of history.

“Well... Do you mean your history Dad?”

With a smile, Dad bopped me lightly on the head. “Its you son, You and your sister. All I did, everything they call me hero for. It means nothing, All that matters is my family.”

Dad thought that me and Aurora were his legacy? Two stupid kids were the legacy of a legend? A pony who beat a dragon to death bare hooved?

The idea was so shocking, all of the control I had built up failed. The withdrawals of the drugs they had forced on me came back with a vengeance.

I couldn't speak, I felt so cold. My stomach was in knots, I couldn't stop shivering. My body ached all over. I couldn't help but remember those weeks of pain. I couldn't stop myself thinking about all they did to me. The suffering they inflicted on me for information that I didn't even know.

Dad looked down at me and drew me into a hug. My one eye began to water, Sobs wracked my broken body. I clung to Dad like my life depended on it, I didn't want him to go. How could I move on without him protecting me? how can I get back home all alone?

Dad cradled me in his hooves, crying openly himself now. “Son, I’m out of time. I have to go now. I’m so sorry ...” Dads crimson eyes swept back over the broken landscape. “You have to go back into that base. You need your Pipbuck, And there is one there who can help you.”

Dad gave me a strange look, slowly he pressed a hoof against my missing eye. His other front hoof pressed over his own right eye. Slowly his mane began to move, seeming to float and shift as if underwater. I felt my eye socket heat up, it wasn't painful. It was warm and soothing.

“That should do it.” Dad lowered his hooves. “Your mother has pretty much forced me to learn to heal with my magics. I don't know if you will ever see from it, but I copied my own eye into you. It should turn blue to match your own eye, Just keep it covered for a few days.”

My hoof slowly raised and pressed against my bandaged eye. I could feel something there, I had an eye again!

Dad wrapped me in another hug, his eyes filled with regret. “I have to go son. Just remember, your mother and I love you. We are so proud of the pony you are. You're so strong kiddo, stronger than you admit to yourself. But strength is not a weapon, It cannot be pointed like a gun, It will always be a shield. Never be anything but who you are, Never let anypony tell you what to be. Nopony but you can make that decision but you.”

Tears blurred my eye, the creeping sunlight washed across us both. Dad began to fade, his warm smile and kind eyes seeming more solid than the rest of him.

“No! Please don't go Dad, Please don't leave me...”

My dad continued to fade away before me, his eyes filled with such regret. I realised what I was doing to him, begging him to stay when he had swore to some really important pony that he would be back in one day. I couldn't do this to him, I couldn't force my dad to suffer because I was so scared to be alone.

“Dad, Thank you... Go be with Mom now, tell her I love her. Tell Aurora I miss her...”

Dad was barely an outline, I made out his brow move in a frown. Before he vanished, My Dad spoke four words. Almost like a whisper in the wind.

“Aurora is not dead...”

With that, he was gone. I was alone, I was hurt. I was scared.

Orion, focus! Dad told you that your sister is out there. Focus on that, get home, get better and go find her! For once I listened to myself. If my little sis was out there, I would find her. There was no fucking way I could let her be alone in this world.

I looked out over the blasted landscape, Ice glittering in the morning... Sunlight? Hard to call it that through the constant cloud cover. Slowly I pushed myself to my hooves. Dad had said there was somepony in there, Somepony who could help me.

With a grunt, I pushed myself back up to my hooves. I tried to move my wings out of habit to fly and screamed in pain. Sobbing, I began to hobble towards the wrecked base.

It felt like hours before I reached what had once been a wall. The stonework was broken and covered in moss, rubble climbed the sides, giving me a makeshift ramp to climb. With care, I climbed to the top. The devastation I had seen from that hilltop was nothing compared to what I saw up close.

Broken scrubland stretched away towards the red mountain, covered in red rocks. Huge guns sprouted from dark metal pillars. Icicles hung from some, others burned with columns of dark smoke. Twisted shards of metal showed were some of the crazy number of guns had been destroyed.

Bodies of Steel Rangers littered the ground, the filtered sunlight glinting on the gunmetal armour. I felt myself shivering from more than the drugs in me. I knew dad was strong, but this? It looked like an army had attacked this place. I limped my way towards what looked like a road, dodging around the corpses and melting drifts of snow. The road was cracked tarmac, dead grass sprouted from dirt filled gaps. The dark strip lead straight to twin metal doors. As I got closer, the doors got bigger and bigger. red paint peeled from rusting patches of metal. The colossal metal doors dwarfed me, bigger even than the ones where we found Mom. Near the doors bottom, something had cut a slash through the steel. The metal was bent inwards, giving a wide entrance into the dimly lit interior.

With a nervous gulp, I limped onwards.

The metal hallways were a wreck. The walls were dented badly, blood was splashed everywhere. The corpses of Steel Rangers lined the halls. When Dad was angry, He was a monster...

Every limping step I took made me feel less safe, each and every hobbled step filling me with more fear. I was so lost, other that the room where they... that room, I hadn't seen any of the base. Dad was sure somepony in here could help me out, maybe even get me back home. But where do I look? It couldn't be one of these dead Rangers, any survivors would try to capture and hurt me again, So where do I look?

I found myself looking for my EFS, It had been there so long that it felt so weird not to see the HUD. I tried not to cry again, why did they do this to me? they hurt me over and over for something I had no clue about. No matter how much I begged, how many times I pleaded...

I limped on, taking turns at random. I tried not to look at the corpses I passed, it was too much for me right now. One of the many blackened and cracked signs caught my attention, I thought I could make out the words ‘Detention Block’ through the dirt and grime.

I limped on. If there wasn't a Ranger who could help me, then it had to be a prisoner. My stomach gave a painful cramp, forcing me to throw up again. With the tiny amount of food I had been fed, and the way I had thrown up on Dads hooves earlier, all that was coming up was sour spit. I felt hungry, but not for food. I was craving something badly, the thought of what that thing likely was terrified me. I had always been afraid of drugs, not because I didn't understand them. I knew exactly what they could do to a pony, they could be a boost, but what then? You win, but only with a drug? Then there was addictions, being so fixated with that stuff that you would do anything for another hit. Wasting away slowly, giving up food for more of the drugs.

I couldn't be like that, I refused to. But I felt the craving for something all the same. It terrified me, The thought that I could be addicted to some drug, some substance against my own will.

My painful limping took me into a heavily rusted corridor. Pitted and dirt smeared metal stretched away into the gloom. It seemed this area had not been fixed up like the rest, The walls looked more like brown mud than shiny metal. With the broken lights at the other end of the corridor leaving it dark and scary, I started checking the closest doors.

This had to be the detention area, Each door was reinforced with thick bands of rusted metal. Keypads sat slightly above my head hight, dirty and in some cases, blackened. Around three doors in, I found one that had been cleaned of rust. The keypad was still as blackened as the rest, but somepony had fitted a sliding bar. The bright metal seemed out of place against the dirty steel.

“H-hello?”

I couldn't keep the fear out of my voice. I was still shivering, terrified of being here. Something replied, the voice muffled by the metal door. I reached out with a trembling hoof and slid the bar back. With a teeth aching squeal of metal on metal, the door swung inwards. The cell was pitch black, not even a window to let any light in. In that darkness something moved, something big. I hobbled backwards, my teeth chattering in fear. Heavy steps echoed, the huge shape paused at the door, Magenta eyes staring down at me.

“P-please don't hurt me!”

The dark shape stepped forward, coming into the light. An unbelievably huge earth pony stallion squeezed through the door. Tan fur contrasting with his two toned blonde mane and tail. A cutiemark of a pony skull, over crossed bullets adorned his flank. His hooves were almost as big as my head!

I covered my head with my front legs, shaking in terror.

“Easy there kid. Ah ‘ain't gonna hurt ya.”

I uncovered my head and looked up, the very big pony stared down at me with a look of concern. Now growing up around Dad, I’ve seen some big ponies but this stallion had them all beat, he was twice the size of my Dad at least!

The big pony held out a hoof, after a moments hesitation, I held out my own. With a surprisingly swift motion, he hooked me leg with his and pulled me upright.

“Ah reckon y’all not one of those Ranger types, What ya’ll doing here?”

“I... I was...” The stomach cramps and my own fears were making it hard for me to talk. A sudden stabbing pain in my stomach made me turn and dry heave more sour spit against the wall.

“Sweet Celestia, What in tarnation happened to ya kid?”

“I...They... I was tortured here...”

The massive ponies eyes grew wide, “Ya’ll that colt ah heard screaming these past few weeks? Sorry son, Ah didn't know...”

The massive stallion rolled out his shoulders and arched his back, loud cracks and pops echoed down the dim hallways.

“Ah, It's so good to be outta that there cell.” He held out a hoof again, “Bramley Apple at’cha service. Ah hate that name though, Just call me Chase. What do ah call you?”

I shook with the cramps and twitches. Chase didn't seem to offering me any ill will but I was still terrified. “ I... Im...”

I could finish, the cramps forced me to cough up more sour spit. I was so tired of throwing up...

“Can't remember or don't trust me enough to tell yet? Fair enough young’un. But ah have to call you somethin’...”

The big ponies stare was unnerving.

“Well young’un. Till you wanna tell me your real name, Ah reckon ah will be calling ya Little Bird.”

“Little... Bird?”

“Aye, A little guy with wings. It suits ya.”

I could live with that name. If he was spending the time to think up a nickname, then he wasn't planning on hurting me. Maybe this was the pony Dad told me was going to help me. Maybe this ‘Chase’ could keep me safe until I could get home again.

“So... What happened to the base Little Bird? Sounded like some army attacked this place. What happened to the Rangers?”

I stared down at my hooves, There was no way that he would believe my Dad came back from the dead and took the place apart to save me...

“I... I think they are all dead. I woke up on a hill about a mile away, Somepony had bandaged me up and left me there.”

“What in tarnation did those tin clad jackasses want with you anyway?” Chase gave me a considering look. “Ah don't reckon a young’un like you knew anything they would want to know.”

“The pony asking questions, seemed happy to just hurt me...”

Chase wrapped a leg across my shoulders, Pulling me into an awkward hug. I tried to stop myself, but I found myself sobbing into his chest.

“It's alright now, let it out young'un.”

Chase stroked my back with a hoof, careful to avoid my bandaged wings. I couldn't help myself, tears flowed down my face. Chase’s coat was soon wet with my tears. The big stallion just held me in his hug, not trying to stop my tears, just helping them to come.

After a few minutes of sobbing, Chase lifted my chin gently with a hoof.

“Feel better?” I nodded. “Everypony deals with it differently, Torture is not something you can brush off. Ah reckon you were trying to keep together, But sometimes you just need to cry the pain out. Sometimes you need somepony who understands.”

Torture...

I had tried my best to pretend that it hadn’t happened, to pretend that all they had done was hurt me. In that moment I failed, the horrors of those weeks of agony, that time of constant pain and misery was a dream. I had to just accept it and try to move on.

If I could move on...

Chase shook out his body, “Ah reckon we can get some good salvage from this here base before we leave, Little Bird.”

“Salvage?”

“Aye, Those metal bastards loved to hoard the good stuff. Spark batteries, weapons, Guns. Shame to let that there loot go to waste.”

I forced a smile and followed the gigantic stallion. Each hoof fall echoed loudly down the metal hallways, Chase seemed to know where he was going.

“You have been here before?”

“Right you are young’un. Ah’m a mercenary by trade, These here Rangers were a good place to trade for ammunition and the like. Ah reckon they found it hard to get scrap metal, Ah made a mighty fine pile of caps from that.”

“So...” I was a little confused. “Why did they have you locked up?”

Chase gave me a grin, “Curious little colt, ain't ya? They found me guilty of ‘Concealing Ministry Tech’, whatever that means. To be honest Little Bird, They decided mah gun was theirs and locked me up so they could take it.”

Gun? That perked my ears up a little. The seemingly endless hallways passed by as Chase led me, limping along behind him. A thought had been bugging me since he introduced himself.

“You said your name was Bramberly Apple?” I got a frown thrown over the massive ponies shoulder. “Sorry! It's just... Are you related to Applejack?”

Chase stopped in his tracks. The enormous stallion turned and stared down at me. I couldn't help but feel more than a little afraid. Chase laid a hoof on my head.

“Ya’ll pretty clever Little Bird. Ah guess Ah’m distantly related, Ah am descended from her cousins side. Reckon that's why Ah could fire Requiem.”

“Requiem?” I gave Chase a curious look.

“It's mah gun. A little summin Braeburn cooked up for his cousin. Only an Apple can fire it.”

“It has a genetic lock?” The amount of things limited to a bloodline I find still freaks me the fuck out.

Chase grinned. “Ah don't reckon Ah rightly know what that is. All ah know is that mah gun is only for the Apple family.”

Chases heavy hoofsteps led us to an intersection. Four of these identical corridors led off into the gloom, But the crossing was a war zone. Flame blackened walls made the dimly lit halls seem darker. The floor felt sticky, Bodies were piled high. Steel Rangers lay in pools of blood, some crushed, some sliced open as if by a huge blade. One armoured corpse was half melted into the wall.

Chase stared at the devastation. I hung back, feeling both sick and terrified at the sight. Chase turned back to me, and with a flick of his head, beckoned me onwards.

More corpses lined the hallway, massive guns fixed to their flanks. I knew some of the weapons but most were beyond me. Some kind of cannons that dwarfed an anti machine rifle, Something that looked a little like rocket launchers. Some I could only guess at. The massive firepower had been in vain, Their attacker had took them all down.

Chase seemed nervous as our hoofsteps led us to a pool of light, spilling through a shattered doorway. Chase stepped through without hesitation, broken and twisted chunks of steel crunching under his massive hooves. I peered around the doorframe slowly, My heart jumped into my throat. A Power Armoured corpse was almost nailed to the ceiling, It’s head had been driven into the metal so hard, it's skull had all but smashed through the steel by a twisted spine of ice. Its hooves hung loose and swung slowly. A slow dripping sound echoed in the silence, blood leaking through the gaps in the armour.

Twisted pieces of gold painted armour lay everywhere. The Ranger who had worn it seemed to have been stamped flat, Chunks of flesh and bone shards decorating a pool of crimson gore.

As horrific as the sight was, that's not what terrified me. A metal upright table stood near the back of the room, Stained with blood. Tufts of grey fur and grey feathers were stuck to the rusted restraints and dried blood. Two tables stood nearby, one covered in used syringes and inhalers. The other lined with blood stained knives and small calibre pistols.

I couldn't stop shaking, my eyes were locked on that table. I felt myself scramble backwards, trying to get away from that thing. I couldn't stop myself from screaming, The pain I went through on that table, the agony...

Chase stared at me for a moment before galloping over and flipping me up onto his back. My body ached as his heavy gallop took me away from that place. I wrapped my front legs around the big ponies neck and sobbed.

“T’was where it happened huh, Little Bird? Sorry young’un, Ah didn't know.”

All I could do was sob in his mane as Chase took me away from that place. Even with both my Dad and Chase helping me through this, I couldn't get past the pain, the torture they inflicted on me for something I didn't even understand. Why didn't they just listen? I didn't know about anything technical, so why did they do that to me?

Chase trotted along the gloomy metal corridors, his mane long wet with my tears. Why couldn't I get the confidence that had carried me this far? Why couldn't I be myself? I don't know why, but the idea of what they had done to me. It had robbed me of my very self. My love of jokes, the way I lived by mocking the world around me, The way I refused to be anything but the smartass I always was. What they did to me in that room...

I was broken and hurting more than I wanted to admit.

Chase rounded a corner and trotted through an open doorway. I slipped from his back and looked around. The room was stacked high with boxes and crates. Shelves lined each wall, filled with containers of unknown items.

Chase was muttering under his breath. I opened a box at random and began searching, Spark batteries and chunks of electronic junk seemed to be all that was in my box.

Something dropped over my head, making me scream with panic. After I took a breath and calmed down, my questing hoof found soft leather. A leather jacket had been thrown over me. A dark brown with a thick tan fur collar. On the sleeve was a strange symbol, A pony skull with wings.

“Sorry to scare ya there, Little Bird. Ah can't find no armour that would fit ya. That there jacket is better than nothing.”

The jacket had slits in the back, seeming to be made for pegasus wings. The symbol on the sleeve was so familiar but I couldn't place it.

“Chase? What is this symbol from? I’ve seen it before but I can't remember where.”

The big ponies smile was making me feel safer and calmer with each passing moment.

“That there symbol is for the Shadowbolts. They were Rainbow Dash’s own unit, The best of the best of the pegasi.” His smile became a grin. “How does it feel to be the last Shadowbolt?”

“I...” Me? Best of the best? I know he was trying to make me feel better but it reminded me of the responsibilities thrust on me that got me into this situation to begin with. The thought of being landed with another’s expectations again was terrifying.

I slipped the jacket on, wincing as I fed my bandaged wings through the slits. It was so weird, the feeling of the leather on my coat made me feel safer. The fur on the collar reminded me of when Mom used to hug me before bed, The feeling of of her warm mane tickling at my neck. It was comforting.

“Thank you, Chase. Thanks for looking out for me like this.”

“Aw shucks, son. Ain't nothin’, Ah’m just repaying ya for getting me out of that cell.”

*** ***

Chase led us through the twisting maze of corridors. I was hopelessly lost, every hallway looked the same. Bar the blood and corpses, the uniform design confused me no end. Blank sheets of slightly rusted metal made up the floor, walls and ceiling. Occasional dirt encrusted windows looked into rooms. Some filled with storage crates stacked on steel shelves, some with beds.

Our random searches had got us a collection of what seemed like junk to me. Ammunition and chunks of scrap metal. Batteries and gun parts, All were stored in the saddlebags our searching had discovered. Chase’s were a cool black with silver wings as buckles. Mine were much smaller, brown leather with simple buckles.

Chase led me into a brightly lit room, Computers lined the walls, screens filled with confusing text.

>Syntax Error.

>File Corruption Detected.

>System Compromised.

>Unable To Purge Infected Files.

I’m sure that kind of thing made sense to somepony, but that pony was not me.

A huge square table sat in the middle of the room, strewn with tools. Chunks of electronics lay scattered in no noticeable order. Pipbucks lay in a stack to one side, next to the pile lay two matt black Pipbucks. Almost identical in design, one seemed a little more crude in it's look. Filling one corner of the table was a long bulky object under a dirty sheet. I was curious why Chase brought me here.

The big stallion stepped to the table and began to load the pile of assorted Pipbucks into his saddlebags. I limped up next to him and sat down on the cold metal floor.

“What you grabbing those for Chase? I don't think you could get one around your leg.”

“Ya’ll right there, young’un. But working Pipbucks sell well.” Chase gave me an odd look, then leaned down slowly. For some reason the big pony was staring at my leg. “Y’all had a Pipbuck when those Rangers nabbed you, Didn't ya?”

I gave a slow nod, watching curiously as the big pony stared at the band of darker fur from where my Moms Pipbuck used to rest. After a moment, Chase gripped one of the black Pipbuck’s from the table in his mouth and held it next to my leg. My heart was beating like a drum, Was I going to get back the last memento from my folks?

Chase compared the second of the black Pipbuck’s against my leg and frowned. I could see my folks cutie marks engraved in the side of that one. My eye was wide with excitement, It was here!

“Ah give up. Both look like they would fit that mark, Little Bird. Ah reckon that makes em both yours.”

“But... Only one is mine. You could make some caps from the other.”

Chase grinned, “Little Bird, We ain't leaving this here room until ah see both those doohickies on ya’ll legs.”

“I...”, the way he was looking out for me. The idea that he cared enough to try to make me a little safer and give me back my Pipbuck. I was crying again. “Thank you.”

Both Pipbucks were unlocked, the catches at the back ready to fasten. I lifted the second one with a hoof. It was so similar to my own, it even had gemstones set in the edge, just like the ones my Rainblade sprouted from. I pressed it against my left leg, the catches snapping in place with a loud click. A familiar green wave swept across my vision. I was expecting the HUD but all that came up was static and random text. It was like a foal was slapping on a keyboard. My mouth felt dry as I snapped my own Pipbuck back into it's rightful place, Once again that green wave swept across my vision. This time sweeping the gibberish away and settling in the bars and counters I was so used to.

>Subject Orion Confirmed.

>Rebooting EFS.

>S.A.T.S. Active.

>Error.

>Memory Corrupted.

>Unable To Restore Mapping Data.

>Error.

>Rainblade Offline.

>Beginning Restoration Of Rainblade Functions.

>Secondary System Detected.

>Overwriting Interface.

>Mk 1 Balefire Blade Slaved To System.

>Beginning Rewrite Of OS.

>Unknown Time To Completion.

VISTA was as bugged out and weird as ever, The screwy AI was comforting to see. A feeling of normality, something familiar. My Pipbuck was what grounded me again. My hoof slowly stroked the engraved cutie marks of my parents, Even after knowing they were both hundreds of years dead... they still defined me.

I blinked, why was I thinking such sappy things? Chase was grinning at me, occasionally shoving random bits of junk into his bags.

“Ah wanna show ya somethin, Little Bird.”

Chase led me around the side of the table, to the sheet covered bulk. Chase hooked the sheet with a hoof and swept it aside.

Now THAT is a big gun...

I could only stare with my jaw on the floor. the weapon was longer than I was! built from some shining metal with a blue tinge to it, edged with gold and lined with glowing red gemstones. Some kind of scope sat high on the weapon, seeming both sleek and simple in it's style. The entire thing was so simplified it was amazing, the workings seeming to be hidden inside the huge body. The barrel was box shaped and bigger than my leg. Ports on the bottom almost completely hid the bank of eight spark batteries, while exhaust ports, edged with gold ran along the full length of the weapon. nine gemstones were lined along the side of the barrel, glowing diamond then shining ruby. the pattern repeated along the length of the barrel. A quick search found identical lines of gemstones along the opposite side of the barrel. More were on both the top and bottom of it too. I knew enough about guns to understand that that many stones means some kind of powerful magic.

“This here is mah gun, Requiem.”

“What... Why is it so big?”

Chase grinned and rolled what I had taken to be a pipe towards me.

“It fires these.”

I tried to lift the thing, Sweet Celestia it was heavy! it was shaped like a bullet with a flattened tip. but there was no firing pin. In fact it seemed to be just a chunk of metal.

I looked around the table. Counting the one by my hooves, there were only six of the things? Why so few? I knew they were heavy but this was the wastelands. The more ammo the better.

“Chase? why are there so few rounds for that thing? I’m not exactly an expert with weapons but it seems odd to me.”

“Sweet Celestia, Ya’ll smarter than ah reckoned Little Bird.” Chase grinned at me like I had won a prize. “Mah gun was never mass produced. These here are the only rounds Braeburn made for it.”

“Only six?” It confused me no end. “Why wouldnt he make more?”

“Well Little Bird. From what Ah know, these here rounds have some space metal in the core. I reckon Braeburn couldn't lay his hooves on anymore.”

I suppose that made sense, if you needed some super rare metal to make them... Wait space metal? That's kind of scary. They made bullets... or whatever those things were, from some weird metal from space? who thinks up this stuff? Did somepony see a rock fall from the sky and decide ‘Hey! I can shoot things with that!’?

Chase rummaged around in the piles of junk on the table, after a little searching he pulled a massive leather saddle from under a pile of electronics and paper. Just like the gun, it was weird even to my untrained eyes... eye.

The heavy brown leather was reinforced with thick metal cables and strips of steel. One side seemed to be covered with leather pockets, all lined up close together. I watched curiously as Chase began to fill those same pockets with metal bars.

“Chase? What’s with all the metal? Isn't that heavy?”

“That theres kinda the point, Little Bird.” Chase smiled. “Mah gun is a little on the heavy side. Ah need to balance it all out.”

“How heavy is that thing? What is that anyway?”

Chase gave me such a shitkicker grin I felt jealous. I’m supposed to be the smartass here, but I couldn't seem to get into that frame of mind, I couldn't be myself.

“Well Little Bird, Mah gun is very heavy. Ah would say it's at least three times your own weight. Requiem is a Railgun. It uses magic to fire these here rounds at almost sonic rainboom speeds.”

“That's pretty darn fast...”

A weapon like that? Why did it even exist? Why did anypony think a weapon that could kill like that was a good idea? I could sort of understand war, after all I started one to take Silver back from Phoenix and his mercs. But still, the idea of a weapon like that was downright terrifying.

Chase hoofed me a large clip and showed me how to load the big rounds into it. In between bouts of dry heaving more sour spit, I got them loaded. After two I couldn't even lift the thing anymore! After the sixth clicked into place, I could hear the metal of the table groan from the weight. How was that thing even used? Did Chase have a cart it was mounted on?

A grunt came from the other side of the table. Curiously I looked over, and felt my jaw hit the floor.

Chase had mounted Requiem to that battle saddle and was standing... with all that weight... Sweet Celestia, how strong is he? I mean I knew when he was angry, Dad was strong enough to flatten buildings. But that was with a flank load of magic effects to boost his strength. How the fuck could Chase lift something that heavy with ease?

The colossal pony shot me a grin. “Mah mom told me, Back on the farm they raise em big and dumb. Ah may be strong but Ah am no thinker. To be honest with you Little Bird, Mah size and strength is all that Ah have going for me.”

“So you're just strong? I don't believe that. Your kind too, not many ponies out there would help out a hurt colt.”

Chase gave a sigh, “Young’un, Mah mom raised me to judge a pony on what they do. Ya’ll got me outta that there cell. Ah’m just doing what's right.”

*** ***

The pain in my wings was all that was keeping me conscious. The blood from my shattered horn and removed eye flowed down the side of my face, almost choking me taste and smell of copper.

A gunshots rang out, my legs exploding with agony. I looked up from where I hung, strapped to that blood slick table. The blades through my wings cutting through more of my flesh as I moved. Tears blurred my one eye as I stared into the face of the Power Armoured stallion before me. Bloodscar smiled around the revolver in his mouth. With exaggerated slowness he turned from me. Then spun and fired another shot into my left front leg.

I couldn't even cry out anymore, my voice was hoarse from screaming and crying. This was the third session since I woke, the passage of time had long ago stopped making sense. All I knew was pain and misery until I passed out again.

Bloodscar hadn't even asked me any questions today. It was like he was enjoying seeing me broken and in agony. Then again from the smiles while he cut my body, or when he shot holes in my limbs, he probably was...

There was a loud clang as Bloodscar dropped the gun to the table beside him, The smile on his face grew.

“Ah, so satisfying. Now on to business, Tell me how to remove a genetic lock.”

“B-but I d... don't know h-how.”

“Again with the deniles? Well I am starting to believe you. But to be sure, I guess I will have to question my other source of information...”

The door slid open, a second upright table was slowly wheeled into the room. Bloodscar turned it with a hoof. Hanging from the restraints was a tiny ebony unicorn, Her green mane hung in blood slick clumps. A knife had been driven through each of her limbs. Slowly her pain filled face lifted to face me, her red eyes filled with agony and fear.

“Big bwother... it hurts...”

I screamed.

My eye opened, I wailed and thrashed in terror. Chase wrapped me in a hug.

“It's alright Little Bird, it was just a nightmare. your safe.”

In the darkness of the ruined building we had sheltered in, I sobbed. my tears seeming to shine in the flickering light of our camp fire.

*** ***

Chase had led me from the ruins of the base, his sure and heavy tread slowed to account for my limp. The kindness of the huge pony never ceased to amaze me, he would have fit right in back home in Paddock. It was like I was travelling with a pre war pony. Chase was such an enig... emina... mystery, strong yet gentle, kind yet carried a weapon that just the description of frightened me.

The landscape passed by in a blur. The rocks, dead trees and patches of dying grass never left much impression on me. All seemed the same, the only thing on my mind was the two girls who meant more to me than life itself. My sister, Aurora. and my marefried, Silver Skies. It was for that same thing I began to dread the night. Sleep brought nightmares, of myself back on that table. I saw my baby sister screaming in pain, I saw Silver choking on her own blood. The night became something that brought me nothing but my worst fears, played out before my eyes.

I was afraid to sleep...

I was exhausted. I needed rest but with the horrors of my dreams, I was terrified. I used to dream about Luna or Silver doing such great things to... with me. Now my dreams left me shivering all day.

I don't know where Chase was leading me. Heck, I wasn't exactly chatty then. The big pony tried to keep my spirits up but every night, my nightmares made me hide inside myself more and more. As we walked through the wastes, I began to notice how Chase would glance over his shoulder at me. The look of concern I always saw in his eyes made me realise how messed up I really was. I knew I was hurting, physically as well mentally but to see somepony feel I was so messed up I needed watching? The thought terrified me.

Food was becoming a hardship for me. Not for lack of it, we had salvaged a good supply of canned goods back at the base. No, my issue was I couldn't keep it down. my stomach cramps were getting worse by the day. Food sat in my belly like a lead weight before a stronger cramp would make me throw it back up. The only thing I had been able to keep down for long was a thin porridge Chase had made from crushed seeds and water. It tasted nasty but at least it was stopping me from starving to death.

I knew Chase was worried about me, my adventures had built up a respectable amount of muscle. But the lack of food and the terror of those weeks had made me lose weight, My ribs were beginning to show through my coat.

Every evening, The big pony changed my bandages for me. Every evening I was too afraid to see what damage had been done to me, I just sat there with my good eye squeezed shut. The eye Dad gave me was still dark, I wasn't sure if it was blind or I just had my eyelid closed. The healing potions, and occasional shot of Hydra, Chase had been giving me were making me feel in less pain day by day. My horn had grown back, but my left back leg was still really messed up. Every night it was redressed and splinted. My wings seemed to be damaged beyond anything else, the slightest movement sent waves of searing pain through me. Giving up my wings for Silver was something I could accept, but having them destroyed by cruelty...

It was too horrible to even think about.

The days passed by as Chase led me through the broken landscape. The dead and dying trees and shrubbery had began to become rarer, the dried grass giving way to more dried dirt and rocks. the horizon began to turn from broken treeline to mountains. Chase’s heavy tread led us towards a dark line in the grey rock. Night began to fall as we reached the mountain range. I’m sure Chase could have got there days ago without me holding him back.

The dark line turned out to be a crack in the rocks, getting wider as we approached. Time and weather had gouged out a split in the rock face. As the big pony led us closer, I could pick out a wall across the gorge made from welded and rusted scrap metal. Somepony had sealed the entrance with that wall, A gate sat low near the middle of it's base, Low enough that anypony taller than me would have to duck to enter.

Ponies watched us approach through the sights of rifles, The sight of any gun filled me with terror, after all that had been done to me, the days of having bullets shot into my legs, the sight of a gun scared me to death. It took all my remaining self control to get myself close enough to those guns to see the wall clearly.

The barrels of those weapons tracked Chase slowly, ignoring me completely. I know I should be insulted, but I was too scared to care if they didn't see me as a threat. Chase glanced up at the sentries and laughed.

“Have ya’ll gotta do this every time? I swear, how many ponies my size do ya’ll get ‘round these parts?”

One of the guard ponies lowered his weapon and leaned over the rusted scrap metal wall.

“That you Chase? What you doing with some punk Dashite?”

The big ponies voice grew so cold that I took a step back in fright. “Ya’ll insult that colt again boy, and we will be having more than words. Ya’ll understand me?”

“S-sorry kid!”

I swear to Celestia, I could hear him gulp in fear.

“This here colt ain't no Dashite, he's been through something bad so don't go hating on him just ‘cause of his wings. Now open up the gate already. Ah need to talk to Ebony.”

Chase banged on the gate with a hoof, The sound echoed away behind the wall of rusted metal. The wind began to pick up. Rain began to fall, quickly turning into a rainstorm. Normally I would run for shelter, but there was something so... cleansing about feeling the water run through my matted and dirty mane. I closed my one working eye and turned my muzzle towards the sky. the rain left my mane in slick clumps, soaking into my bandages. The cold made me feel more, I don't know, alive. It was like I had been sleepwalking through the last few days and this rain was my wakeup call.

I just sat there, in the cold rain and mud. I stared with my eyes shut, feeling the rain run down my, feeling the cold and the wet. For the first time in weeks, I felt alive...

Not simply surviving the horror of each day. Not praying to anypony listening for help. Not wishing that I could simply die, But simply feeling glad that I was alive...

That I was finally free. That I was safe at last.

The door screeched as the rusted hinges swung inwards. Darkness greeted me. I wasn't usually a timid colt, but after all I had been through? I was more than a little afraid of that darkness. Chase ducked under the low frame and stepped through, after a moment I followed. Two armed ponies stood hidden on either side of the doorway, it made sense now. The low frame forced anypony coming through to duck low, and if they were an enemy. then the guards were ideally placed to blow their head off, plugging the door in the process. Chase glanced back at me, concern in his eyes. the big pony beckoned me with a nod of his head, I followed him into the gloom. It was dark, the tunnel stretched away, lit only by the light of my Pipbucks and flaming torches, set into alcoves carved into the greyish rockwall.

Dads lectures came back to me, all his talks about not seeing what is in front of me, but seeing what is truly there. So, wide patches of darkness, separated by bright patches. A single passageway of stone, looking like a natural cave system. I began to notice rocks piled against the walls in places, reaching up to the ceiling. maybe somepony blocked off the branching passages? A single passage, no cover. the alternating light and dark would kill any night vision, while ponies in the darkness behind the torches could see the lit areas and cover them.

The defences of this place were well thought out.

The passage stretched away, the alternating patches of light and total darkness left me feeling blind. I felt more than a little frightened by that thought, I already lost one working eye, I couldn't lose the other. I followed the sound of Chase’s heavy hoofsteps, trying not to scream every time an armed pony appeared from the darkness.

A dimly lit exit appeared from the gloom, silhouetting the massive shape of Chase. The big pony stepped through and beckoned to me with a hoof. I followed him through into a sea of stars.

My eye began to adjust to the gloom, before me was a huge deep cavern. what I took to be stars began to reveal themselves to be lights, both electric and firelight. Houses of scrap and stone lined the bowl of the cavern, water flowed down the far wall in a stream. As my night vision returned, I saw how the water was directed into a few larger buildings with channels of stone slabs. A third stream connected to a wide pool, I saw young ponies splashing with glee, while older mares scrubbed at clothing. A larger oval building sat in the centre of the town, ringed by the light of torches. a constant murmur echoed, the voices of ponies whose number I could only guess at. occasionally I could pick out a word from the sea of sound. I could only stare in amazement at the sheer scale of the town, I would never have believed anypony could build a city like this down here.

Chase nudged me with a hoof, I didn't realise until then that I had been staring like a star struck tourist. My big friend led me down a sloping pathway running around the edge of the bowl. Every hundred yards or so, a wooden platform branched out over the city. sandbags were piled at chest height. Well for a stallion anyway, they were head height for me. an armoured pony stood behind each barricade, their battle saddles guns tracking us as we passed. Guns still made me nervous, so I was more than a little afraid as we descended. Still, the reassuring bulk of Chase kept me going. If it wasn't for Chase looking out for me like a mother hen with her chick, I don't think I could have made it this far.

The darkness began to lift as we descended into the city. Ponies of all descriptions watched us as we passed, some nodding or calling to Chase in greeting. Some stared at me with contempt or sometimes sympathy in their eyes. Every building we passed seemed well cared for. even the most roughly built had at least a coat of paint. I limped along, feeling awestruck at some of the buildings, from simple wood or tin shacks, to log cabins. from huts, all the way to elaborate brick houses. each building seemed so carefully put together, it made my old home in Paddock seem rustic by comparison. Then something caught my eye, leaving me frozen on the spot.

An ornate stone building stood before me. Cut from the same grey stone of the cavern, It reached above me. Stained glass windows on either side of the arched door showed Luna and Celestia raising the sun and moon. carved above the door was the royal emblem. the two alicorns circling the combined sun and moon. The Princesses... the ponies who ruled the world I grew up in...

“Ya’ll ok there, young’un?” Chase followed my gaze to the emblem. “That there is the Church of the Goddesses. it's where we pay our respects to Luna and Celestia, and pray to them.”

“You pray to the Princesses?” The idea was weird to me, I grew up knowing they were ponies who cared for us all.

“It's true Little Bird. after they up and vanished when the Megaspells fell, Ponies like those over yonder, needed a little somethin’ to believe in. to the ponies down here, they just became Goddesses. now they watch over us all. they keep us safe.”

“Keep us safe...” That couldn't be true, not after what had happened to me.

Chase led me through the winding streets, the stares of the ponies we passed was starting to get to me. I saw hatred on more than a few faces, how could anypony hate me without even meeting me? My big friend stopped in front of a large, grey brick building. muffled music echoed from behind the metal door. Chase banged on the metal, a small hatched near the top slid open. Eyes stared at the big pony for a moment before the hatch slid back with a snap. the door swung inwards, Chase beckoned me with a nod of his head once more. Like Nighteyes, when I had chocolate, I followed silently. A large blue stallion watched me silently as Chase led me along a narrow corridor. a small window was set around halfway down the right wall, my curious glance on the way past revealed it to be an office of some sort. a few filing cabinets and a desk set against the window filling most of the small room. The music got louder and louder, a catchy beat I would usually be bouncing too.

The room was pretty big, rectangular in shape and filled with tables. A bar filled one of the short walls, the other taken up by a weird looking stage. The heavy looking bar was filled with ponies drinking and laughing in the dim lighting. as my eye adjusted more, I began to pick out ponies at the tables or dancing in the flashing lights in front of the stage. I peered at the source of the music, Gemstones were spaced evenly in the wooden stage. Each gem seemed to flash in time with the music. it was so strange to not see a band, but I guess it was something like the radio? A mule sang and danced on stage, He wore a white suit and hat. As I watched he spun and walked forward... or looked like he was. It was so weird to see anypony walk forwards while sliding backwards. I strained my ears to hear his song.

“As she flew in through the window

It was the sound of a crescendo

She came into her royal apartments

She left the hoofprints on the carpets

She stood in that room

In the guise of Nightmare Moon

So she ran into the throne room

She was struck her down, It Was Her Doom

So, Luna are you OK,

Are you OK, Luna

Luna are you OK

So, Luna are you OK

Are you OK Luna

You've been hit by

You've been struck by

A smooth stallion.”

Catchy as the music was, that freaky backwards slide kind of messed with me. that mule’s dancing was scary.

My eye found Chase in the gloom, standing next to the bar, chatting with a zebra. I felt a bolt of terror flash through me, Zebras were the ones that almost killed me and put me in that tube. The mares smile was oddly calming, seeming free of anything but happiness. Chase was smiling as he spoke with her. My eye scanned her, taking in the swirling stripes, the black and white mohawk, the red gemstone hanging from her neck. her flank held a weird looking mark, it looked like a heart made from thorns.

Chase beckoned to me with a hoof. With a gulp of fear, I limped over. Chase seemed at ease so maybe this zebra was not a threat?

“Little Bird? this here is Ebony. shes an old friend.”

Ebony looked down at me with her shockingly green eyes, “It's tough to see one so young, so hurt. What has happened to you, Little Bird?”

I looked down, unable to meet her eyes. I couldn't tell her the truth of why I was like this, I couldn't accept it myself yet.”

Chase laid a hoof on my shoulder, “Raiders had him. Please leave it at that.”

I looked up with surprise, Chase was lying to a friend to protect me?

Ebony’s eyes softened, her eyes filled with pity. “You poor thing, Let me see what aid this mare can sing... bring? Celestia dammit! I was sure I had that rhyming crap down! Fuck it, I can't be fucked with this tourist crap!”

I just stared as her tirade continued. Chase burst out with a deep chuckle.

“Ebony, Ah know it's expected of zebra, but forget it. It's not who you are.”

I stared wordlessly at the two before me. From the way they acted, it has to be an old joke between them. Chase glanced up at the mule dancing on the stage.

“I didn't think you would let Merry Jig back in here, what with the rumours about him and that colt.”

“Well, his singing is very popular with the customers. I just make sure MJ is watched at all times. better safe than sorry.” Ebony smiled before turning back to me. “Well, youngster. Brambly here has asked me to put you up for a time, while your wounds heal up. I have no issues with doing this but I do have one rule. Those that don't work, don't eat.”

“Hold on now!” Chase seemed suprised, “You can't expect a scrawny, injured colt to wait tables for you!”

“Oh don't you worry your pretty little head. He's too small to wait tables, too young to work the bar. You can work as a bouncer tonight while Little Bird here is going to sing.”

I blinked. “You want me to s-sing?”

“It's that or you throw unruly ponies out the door. We both know you don't have the size or body needed for that kind of work, so I’m cutting you some slack and letting you sing for your supper. You're on after MJ, don't worry about the music. The stage is something we scavenged from a M.O.M. hub. It picks up your mood and makes the music for your words, just sing and let it do it's stuff.”

*** ***

I sat in the middle of the stage, spotlights shining down on me.

It should be simple right? just sing one of the many songs I knew and I can go hide away somewhere? A little pony rock? some dubtrot? maybe a love song...

I sat there scared out of my mind, eyes stared at me from the dimly lit club. I couldn't bring a single song to mind! what was I supposed to do? I had to sing something or I couldn't sleep in a bed tonight. I closed my one working eye, feeling tears running down my face. I searched for the words, for something I could put into song. There had to be something, something I wanted. Some reason for me to fight this little battle with myself.

Silver...

I heard music begin around me, slow and heavy with guitar. With a final gulp of fear, I held her face in my mind and raised my shaking and broken voice in song.

*** ***

Chase glanced over from where he stood by the entrance. The shaking voice of Little Bird rose over the constant noise of the club. The big pony grinned, they both had an easy job tonight.

Being a bouncer was no big thing to a pony who dwarfed everypony he met. even without weapons, few would want to start trouble with a pony of his size ready to buck them in the head and throw them out the door.

Something weird was happening, the noise of ponies talking was beginning to lessen. More and more conversations trailed away as each pony stared at the shivering pegasus colt.

“The poor thing...”

“Like a bird with a broken wing.”

“He may be a flying rat, but I can't help feel sorry for him.”

Comments began to drift from the crowd, Mostly mares, but a few stallions too, seemed to feel the hurt and pain in the scrawny pegasis voice. Chase strained his ears to catch some of the song with interest. Little Bird sang out his pain, seeming not even to see the ponies watching and listening.

“I follow my heart, that feeling inside.

Until I get home, I’m not willing to die.

I tried being alone, but it's no use.

Because that mare, Still holds my heart in her hooves.

To get back to her, I'm willing to try.

To spread these broken wings and take to the sky.

Because I know that I can't spend this life alone.

I’ll get back to her. I’ll find my way home.”

In a darkened corner of the club, a brown stallion watched with interest at the crowds reaction to the childs song. one hoof beckoned to a nearby stallion.

“Tell the boss, we have found our final ‘volunteer’.”

*** ***

I limped along the streets. I had got some applause with my song, even a few hugs from random mares. I was terrified of the attention so had pretty much fled. I needed to be alone for a while, a little time to collect myself.

Ebony had told me to try the church, it made sense I suppose. a place like that would be silent, out of respect to the Princesses.

My limping steps led me back down the same streets I had walked with Chase, only hours earlier. I stared up at that symbol once more, twin alicorns circling the combined sun and moon. Maybe they would hear if I asked for advice? They cared about everypony back before the war, so if they were looking down on us, then maybe they could help me?

Something smashed into the side of my head, dropping me to the stone road. my vision swam, twisting everything into weird shapes.

“Fucking pegasus! your kind isn't welcome here!”

“Wheres your mighty Enclave to help you now, huh?”

Hooves rained down on me, bringing up stabs of pain. I felt old injuries reopen, I shrieked as I felt a rib break. Finally the attack stopped. Through my tears I saw three colts trott away, laughing about how they ‘Fucked up the chicken’.

I never understood hatred, why did they hate me so much? I didn't even know them, we had never met! I couldn't help being born a pegasus, even if I was now an alicorn. What did I do to deserve this?

Sobbing, I pushed myself back to my hooves. I felt so unsteady, swaying slightly as I tried to regain my balance. The open doors of the church were before me, I limped forward, up the low stone steps.

The church was huge. Wooden benches sat in rows on either side of a threadbare carpet, running from the door to a large raised platform. High walls led to a vaulted ceiling. Images of the Princesses were painted on every surface. My eyes were fixed on one thing though, standing on the raised platform were the two who had kept my world safe. The sun and moon, the Princesses.

Luna and Celestia.

Carved from grey stone, smiling with a calming aura. I limped towards them, shivering from my withdrawals. I sat on my haunches before them, feeling so helplessly lost. Please let them hear me...

The stone faces of the princesses stared down at me. I tried to smile but it just felt so false, so forced...

I couldn't believe they were looking down on me, not after what had happened since I woke up... But I needed guidance, I needed a lifeline. I needed some way to bring myself back to myself. I wanted my confidence back. I wanted to be me again.

“Luna... Celestia...” I felt myself shiver, the withdrawals making my guts clench. “Can you help me? I... I don't know what I’m supposed to do...” I felt tears falling down my face from my one good eye. “Please, I don't know what to do! I can't be myself, I can't find the courage to even look under my bandages. I can't go home like this, I can't force Silver to take care of me. I need to be there for her!”

Those stone faces stared down, smiling kindly.

My body shook with more than the drug withdrawals now as I sobbed. Tears dripping to the concrete floor.

“I can't be what everypony wants me to be, What they need me to be. I... I... I need help. please help me. please just tell me what to do. I can't go on like this, I can't live being afraid of the world around me. please... Please help me. Please tell me what to do...”

“Please... I’m begging you. Give me a sign. I’m nothing. I’m just a broken colt. I can't even carry my own weight now, how can I protect her? How can I be with her like this? I... I... I’m scared.”

“Please... I’m just so afraid. Don't leave me like this, don't let me be so scared, please don't let me suffer anymore! Please... Please I’m begging you. Luna, Celestia... Tell me what I’m supposed to do!

There was a quiet sound, something stabbed into my neck. My questing hoof found a small dart. it looked like a thorn wrapped in tufts of pony hair.

My sight began to blur, all my strength leaving me. I collapsed, falling to the ground, my limbs like jelly. My eyesight began to darken, Before I passed out, I saw the brown hooves of a stallion standing over me. His words followed me into the darkness.

“You’re supposed to fight and die for our amusement.”

Level Up!

Quest perk added - Eye of the Starlight Archon. What effects this will bring are unknown.

Quest perk added- Broken. All S.P.E.C.I.A.L. stats are reset to zero while this perk is in effect, in addition all weapons deal an additional 20% damage to you.

>Error Received Loading S.P.E.C.I.A.L. Statistics.