I walked around Stable's 154 halls... Everypony was happy and healthy, they all greeted me when I passed by and I greeted them back, I walked around to see Custard and Shrapnel walking with two foals next to them, the foals reminded alot of Shrapnel and Custard... Like a mix of the two of them.

Behined them I saw Caliber in his new Commander outfit, being saluted by a group of Security ponies as he passed by, my head turned around and my eyes locked on Rose, beautifull as always. Her red eyes looked straight at me and her smile was warm and happy. Everything was just perfect.

My eyes slowly closed, and I heard distant voice of screaming and crying, when I opened them up again I saw that the corridors were a mess, blood and bullet holes everywhere, graffitti on the walls and cielings and piles upon of piles of mutilated bodies covered the floor.. I saw Caliber getting beaten to death, Custard and Shrapnel were trying to protect the two foals, but a raider quickly shot them all to death, Rose looked at me, not noticing the blood-bath around us, she was still smiling. Suddenly everything was burning, the bodies, the floor... I was confused and scared and my whole body shaked, I blinked once again and I suddenly found myself at Twilight Camp.

I saw the mares and foals getting raped and tortured to death as the raiders were laughing out. I saw the guards, Seth Shadow, Cleaver and Storm fighting to keep their loved ones alive, but they were all butchered by those phsycotic raiders. I turned around to see a wide mirror facing me.

I walked closer to the mirror and saw my reflection walking toward me. I looked like myself, my gray eyes and black and blue striped mane were still there. My light brown-ish hide was in place and my Cutie-mark on my flanks, nothing was different. But something felt really odd, like something is wrong.

"I know what's missing" Rose's voice came from behined me, I saw her reflection walking toward the mirror from behined me.

I said nothing as I kept looking at my reflection in search for the wierd thing.

"Can't you tell what's wrong?... At all?" Rose sounded surprised and a touch mocking.

"No, what is it?" I asked weakly.

"Let me fix it then.." Rose said as she put her forehooves on my eyes. "Ready?" She asked.

I nodded and her hooves swiftly got off of my face and revealed me my reflection, my battle saddle was on me, I was covered in blood and bruises, my eyes were bloodied and tired and my hide was sweaty and filthy.

"Wh-what?" I tried to ask, but Rose hoofed my muzzle as she turned my head toward her, she looked at me, her horn glowing red and a gun was levitated next to her, pointing the barrel straight at me.

"Goodnight Gunn-gunn" Rose smiled as she pulled the trigger.

I opened my eyes and panted heavily, I jumped off the mattress to see Rose, Custard and Shrapnel looking at me in surprise, there was the working fireplace in between us all.

"Are you alright?" Rose asked with her mother-ish tone.

"Where am I?" I ignored Rose's question and tried to stablize my breathing, I tried to rub my head and felt a stabbing pain all over my body.

"We're in Twilight Camp, still in our little cabin" Custard replied.

"What happened? And why I'm covered with bandages?" I groaned in pain.

"Storm told us you lost it back there, he said that he shot you with sleeping darts, but this is more then thirty darts! unless you are a super-pony he was a bit over-reacting..." Shrapnel said.

"He was right when he did that, I did lost it, never felt such anger in my entire life..." I admitted, knowing that lying won't do any good.

"Well, you were passed out for six or seven hours, Storm gave us instructions how to wake you up, but we stopped trying after Shrapnel here almost..." Rose started.

"Almost did nothing..." Shrapnel stopped Rose in a tone that told me I'm glad not knowing what happened.

"Is it night already?.." I asked, the sleeping drug still making me a bit dizzy and not so sober.

"You can call it that..." Shrapnel said with a little smile.

"You need to rest properly though, this drug isn't coming instead of sleeping" Rose insisted, knowing that I don't like getting orders.

"If you say so" I agreed with her as I got up from the mattress and walked toward the bedroom.

I could feel the surprised looks of them all, I never listened to others with rules, I sleep whenever I want, I eat whatever I want, I hate when others are telling me how to live, so this answer wasn't something they'd expected from me, a bit of countering and nudging were usually a part of this kind of conversations, but I just went straight to bed.

I got on the bed, sat down on my haunches and looked around...everything I just witnessed was a dream...it was all just a nightmare, it felt so real... Like it really happened, it just made me more angry that now even sleep will be a problem for me.

After a while Rose enterd the room, she looked tired as hell.

"Hello love" Rose whispered and closed the door behined her, her face grumped like she regreted that she called me that, like she don't want to consider me as her buck-friend.

"Why the long face?" I asked, her ears perked up as she realized I got her on act.

She sighed a deep sigh and said "Because... Because I don't want to hurt you"

"Hurt me? Hurt me how?" I was confused, Rose... Hurt me? she won't hurt me even if her life depended on that, my mind slapped me mentally and reminded me the drug.

She didn't meant that!

What about the gun in the shack, and Rose trying to hurt you after you passed out? and the tickle attack?.

I snickered about the last one, but maybe my mind had a point... It could be that Rose already lost herself to the wasteland?...

"The drug, the gun... Just me being me made you go crazy in Storm's office!" Rose blamed herself and got slowly on the bed.

"But I chose to do that!" I countered.

"Yeah, for me... What about the drug and the gun? you pointed a gun at yourself with the horn you grew? you injected yourself with the Goddesses damned rape drug?!" Rose hissed and sat on her haunches next to me.

"No, but I could've been mad at you after that, I chose not to." I said weakly.

"I still don't get it, why won't you just scream at me? Be angry at me! Even a little swear word?" Rose tried to understand.

"I can't be mad at you, I can't scream or hurt you in any way... The medical tray was hard enough to throw and I imagine that it hurted even more for you, not to say it didn't hurt for me to do it... If I can, I would shoot myself to keep you safe"

"Stop thinking like that about yourself! I need you to live your own life! Life isn't about others all the time, think about yourself too!" Rose insisted, tears started to form in her red eyes.

"You're my life, nothing else" I whispered, looking at her eyes with a serious look. The kitsch killed me from the inside though.

"Gunner... Thank you" Rose stammered, looking broken.

"I just can't stop thinking about how beautiful you are... Keeps stunning me..." I whispered in Rose's ear, making her blush and shiver.

"Shut up you stud..." Rose rolled her eyes and pushed me away from her.

My wings started to flare out but I forced them to stay folded and I fought to keep my body calm, it's hard enough when the sexiest mare's right next to you

"About yesterday, want to explain me how you wanted it to be?" I asked sheepishly.

"Yeah... You need to mount me and then..." Rose began, looking at me and realizing I meant something a bit different.

"You know I'm not good with words as much as I'm with demonstrations" I winked.

"Are-are you sure about that? Do you really want to?" Rose asked, looking unsure about alot of stuff right now.

"Yeah, you really wanted your first time. So it'll be the least I can do to help you" I said in a cheesy tone.

"Just... Take it how you like it, I had some practice with myself at the Stable" Rose blushed after saying that.

"So... When you're ready"

Rose turned around and moved her tail out of the way, her... Rear... Was infront of my eyes, but I wasn't feeling like starting straight out plain, so I thought maybe I'll let her enjoy first...

"Umm... Gunner? Everything's alright? Something's ahh~" Rose gasped as I pressed my tongue against her and started to lick slowly... Her hindlegs bucked a bit after the sudden action of my tongue against her privates... And her slit was burning my tonuge out, but I decided to keep going.

"Gunner~... You-arrghh~... D-don't you have a-nnghh~...A s-s-special organ for-ugghh~... For that?" Rose moaned, her hindlegs started shaking a bit as her hide started to crawl, I picked up the pace and Rose started to breath heavily and to moan even louder... I didn't said anything as I switched my hoof instead of my tonuge.

"Nngghh~... Gunn-Gunner~... Maybe you should-ugghh~... Slow down a bit-arrghh~... I think I'm about to-ngghhh~" Rose moaned loudly when her whole body spased out as she let out a relieved sigh.

My nethers instantly woke up and my wings shot up so quick I thought it was instinctive.

"What just happened?" I asked stupidly, not knowing much about sex...

"They really don't teach you the males alot in Sex-Ed... Am I right?" Rose giggled, still panting and looking at me over her shoulder, her whole face was blushing red as she crushed against the bed.

"No?.." I asked "Thought that we were told 'the basics', guess you'll need to fill in the blanks... If you don't mind..."

Rose turned on her back with her face upwards and said "It's called an 'Orgasm' Gunner... But I guess that instead of porn magazines you read history and weapon modding books..."

"Wh-what's 'porn'?" I asked, from the look I got back from Rose... I missed something big in my life..

"Just... Don't mind that... Back to orgasms, it happens when a pony gets to a climax from sexual pleasure, mares can have multiplied orgasms while stallions can have only one at a time... And some lucky ponies, usually mares such as myself... Are multi-orgasmic; They can have four or five without getting worned out..." Rose explained.

"Well that's not fair!" I whined, Rose just snickered at that.

"At least for you it won't hurt" Rose assured me, sounding very smug about being a mare.

"Hurt? Was it painfull?" I asked with a worried tone, If I knew it would hurt her I wouldn't do that!

"Not much, but a penetration would hurt alot more" Rose chuckled, and I just blushed.

"What do you mean by penetration?" I felt bad for asking so much and not actually doing much.

"You stupid stud" Rose giggled, wrapping my privates with her telekinetic and pulling towards her.

"Hey-hey! that hurts!" I said painfully.

"So stop talking and start doing something!" Rose said, sounding very impatient.

"Alright! Alright! One horny mare you are..." I whispered.

"I heard you!... Don't make me do something you'll regret.." Rose sang out with an amused voice.

"About that 'orgasm' you talked about... My body will enter a spasm like you did?" I asked, not very sure I want it to happen to me.

"Just relax Gunner. It's not complicated, try to have fun... And when you're feeling weird just pull out and let me handle things up" Rose said with a cheesy voice.

"Okay then..." I answered, begging to mount Rose and getting in position. Rose looked eagrly behined her and straight at me, leaning in and kissing me.

"RPG!! MY TWELVE!!"

Fsssssshh

BOOM

I quickly disconnected from the kiss and jumped off the bed, realizing what just happened.

"What's happening?" Rose panicked, not knowing what to do.

"Stay here, do not move from here even for a second!." I said as I fetched my battle saddle with my teeth and ran through the main room of the cabin.

Shrapnel peeked his head from his room and asked "Where are you going?"

"To save this fucking camp" I whispered as I got out of the cabin and took off into the night sky.

I circled around the camp and from the air I could see at least fourty raiders crowning the camp, they were all wearing poor armoring and some of them had weapons that I could only dream of having. I barely saw a trail of gray smoke leading from a raider unicorn outside the walls, reloading RPG-7V4 anti-tank rocket launcher, it's funny he used it because there weren't any vehicles around!.. But they were all out of their minds, so he probably was an equivelant of Shrapnel's explosive obssesion and years upon years of madness.

I noticed that some guards went out of the camp's area to greet the raiders a very hell-ish welcome, I quickly rememberd that I saw some guards talking through a radio, mid-air I entered the radio channel of my PipBuck and searched for the frequency of this camp, after I managed to find the frequency and after I got a strong enough signal I listened to the message that filled the frequency.

"....Under attack... All guards in Twilight Camp's vacinity are requested to defend the west side of the camp immediatly... I repeat, this is Twilight Camp's HQ. We're under attack... All guards in Twilight Camp's vacinity are requested to defend the west side of the camp immediatly..." Sounded from the radio, followed by 'Affirmative' and 'Copy that' of some random guards, what made me think how did Storm got his Magical armor and why are the guards acting like trained soldiers rather then poorly-trained ponies with no past of guarding, were they the army?..they were some kind of a millitary group and that was obvious, the three gears symbol is on everything, walls, weapons, equipment... Hell! I think I even saw it on the Magical-armor at Storm's lab!

"This is Alpha 1-3 to HQ, we have spotted something that may be a 'Code 655'. I repeat; This is Alpha 1-3 to HQ, we have spotted a possible 'Code 655', request orders over" a young stallion said through the radio, beyond his seemingly calm voice I could hear he was terrified of something, and that 'Code 655' can't be good.

"This HQ, Alpha 1-3 your orders are to engage 'Code 655' and report back ASAP, Over." the voice from earlier said, he sounded less worried, but he said it like he was sending them to die... I quickly searched around from my vantage point and saw what 'Code 655' probably was, it was a glowing giant pony-shaped mutant...or a mutant-shaped pony? either way it looked like he wasn't here for tea party.

He... She?... This will flat the guards like they were a pile of sticks!... I quickly heard Storm's voice in the radio and looked at the voice patterns at my PipBuck.

"This is 'Big-Daddy', Alpha 1-3 report!" Storm shouted.

"This... This thing! It is not a pony! Not anymore! he ate my entire squad! please help me!" The young stallion's voice, 'Alpha 1-3', cried to the radio.

"Pull yourself together soldier! What does it looks like?" Storm asked.

"It's big!... And glowing!... And it eats everything it sees!" Alpha 1-3 whimpered, in the background were sounds of things crushing, as I looked around again I saw from above the mutant going crazy on other Guards, he tore them apart and ate them alive...there my meal goes...

"What's your position soldier?" Storm tried to calm Alpha 1-3 before asking.

"I am-I'm under a caravan... An old one... Directly west from the camp" Alpha 1-3's voice was quite, my eyes quickly spotted the caravan he was talking about, the mutant slowly advanced toward the caravan as it sniffed the air, and it sure did looked hungry.

"Oh gosh... I think he found me... I don't wanna die..please!" Alpha 1-3 whimpered.

"You won't die!" I shouted into the radio and started flying downwards toward the mutant pony, hearing Storm's surprised voice for a split second, my teeth bit down on the muzzle trigger and the saddle started firing, couple of shot punctured the mutants hide, but it just made him flinch and radioactive green and glowing blood spilled out, but it didn't looked like it injured him much.

My hooves touched ground and I quickly ran toward the mutant, ready to kill it and save Alpha 1-3. the mutant took the caravan in his teeth and threw it on me, I ducked and slided underneath it as the caravan flew above me, I tried to get back up on my hooves as I saw Alpha 1-3, a deep-yellow stallion with brown mane was prone on where the caravan was seconds ago, I ran full speed toward the mutant and slid to S.A.T.S a few meters away, more to see his weak spot then to actually shoot him, I wanted to maybe distract him away from the camp, because I do not want this thing munching on me.

Time slowed down as the mutant stood on his backlegs and roared, his ugly mutated face and sharp teeth were the first and formost the only thing I saw, I checked his hindlegs: they were too strong even for my battle saddle.

Chest maybe? Nope... Can block everything I got on me.

Head? This fucker wants to die or not!?

Groin?...

Celestia thank you!... Apperantly he is a male [Or used to be a male...] And no male's persistant from a shot there... I aimed three times and excuted the spell. Time sped up as it's [his?] lower torso exploded everywhere and he screeched in pain, it's maybe a mutant... But still a pony...

After it knelt down and used it's forehooves like hands. It looked so wrong like that... It [he?] held where once was a healthy male part.

I wasted no time and quickly flapped my wings and flew upwards, the mutant-pony was still holding his groin as I dive-bomed downwards and bucked down hard on his neck, a bone cracked and I was pretty sure it was my legs rather then his neck. The mutant fell on his face and didn't moved as E.F.S told me that a red dot infront of me disappeared.

"Get back to the camp. I'll get those raiders" I ordered Alpha 1-3, who looked at me shocked and barely nodded as a response.

"Thank you.." Alpha 1-3 stammered, shaking violently and moving toward the camp.

"Happy to help, now you better go to a safer place then here" I said with a soft voice, knowing that screaming won't help this pony one bit.

I saw three raiders running to greet me, probably wanting to know who killed their little mutant.

"Ya killed my pet?" One raider mare said, she had scars all over her face, few hairs for a mane and what would look like a bright red hide is now mostly filth and blood-covered.

"Well. 'Bout time one of those lame ponies will grow some balls and kill something!" Another brown raider laughed pshycoticly.

"He got alooooot of meat on him..." A blue mare unicorn raider said as she licked her lips.

I spat in disgust as I flew upwards and hovered two meters from the ground.

"Ohhhh he is a pegasus! Who wants chicken-pony wings?!" The blue mare laughed out.

"Bwak bwak bwak!" The brown raider laughed with the mare.

"Funny... Are you guys supposed to be raiders?" I asked sarcasticly.

"Ohh you'll see what we are supposed to be" The blue mare laughed even harder, a red laser was pointed at me from a bush on a hill few hundred meters away from me to the east.

"Shit" I said as a sniper rifle's shot was sounded. Everything suddenly felt like in S.A.T.S as my mind quickly calculated the time traveling speed by the sound, distance and wind speed.

So about 250-300 meters, slow wind coming from the south and the sniper sounds like M-24 sniper rifle, no suppressor or any barrel extension... From his position he needs to be with a deathwish to even try to shoot me in this darkness

I flapped my left wing and moved sideways in the air, the bullet missed me by a few meters and hit a rock a few dozen meters behined me.

Pfftt... Did he even zeroed in?..

"Now that I know your 'marksman' is probably a filly still in her diapers, I can start having fun myself" I chuckled, biting my muzzle-trigger and blowing the brown raider's head, the two raider mares looked in shock at their friend's brain splatterd all over them as I tried to fight my gag-reflex.

"Who's fucking next?..." I asked as I recovered from the gruesome sight, wanting to hurt those raiders. They're here to hurt innocent, I'm here to prevent them, they used a mutant pony as their pet! They need to be killed!

"You are!" The blue unicorn's horn glew gray as she levitated a pump-action shotgun from her side holster, she pumped the gun once and aimed it right at me, the other mare took a pistol in her teeth, the pistol looked so poor and old that I bet firing it will hurt her more then me...

"Am I? Judging by your friend here, she isn't a threat" I said as E.F.S showed me that the mare with the pistol turned yellow, "And I bet that you won't waste your... Let me guess... What? About two or three rounds? You swing that shotgun too freely for it to be fully loaded, but it isn't empty, is that a remington shotgun? Damn it looks good, but did you know that your barrel is curved sideways?"

I lied, it looked perfectly fine.

"It'll blow up the second you pull that that trigger, and it won't end well for you. I bet that my battle saddle here can shred you both to pieces in matter of seconds, and your little sniper? He's trying to figure out why he missed, but he dosen't know that he isn't zoomed in well. That might end with him hitting you before even landing a single hit on me, or he might even not be able to help you at all while I'll gun you both down for good... So... What will you choose?" I said in interest, wanting to know more about why or what was this 'Nightmare Moon order' Storm talked about, and If I can get information and to avoid killing ponies...

"Please don't kill me!" The pistol-raider said after she spat out the pistol from her mouth and bowed infront of me, the blue raider looked at her friend and mouthed 'Weak bitch..' As she shot the mare's head off and suddenly turned her gaze to me and pumped her shotgun again.

"I won't do that if I were you" I said, feeling so good to be ontop.

"What'cha fucking about? I'll shoot ya right fucking now and you'll do nuthin' to stop it!" the blue raider screamed out, her shotgun's barrel levitating lower.

"See that shotgun barrel?" I asked, she looked at me wierd for a second and quickly spinned the shotgun and looked at the barrel, I bucked my battle saddle to cock-up and bit down on my muzzle trigger, sending a burst of four bullets through the blue unicorn body. Her eyes widned as she realized I just tricked her and her body twitched from every bullet impact, after my negotiation she probably thought I had a point... I clearly didn't, and the shotgun was in a pretty good shape too! I didn't killed her, but she was bleeding.

"Now... What do you know about Nightmare Moon's mercs?" I asked, touching ground and walking slowly toward the raider.

"You mean Nightmare Moon's Clan?! I'm telling you nuthin'!" The blue mare screamed and groaned in pain.

"I see... Guess that the folks inside Twilight Camp will enjoy intterogating you don't they?" I asked, ignoring the battle around me.

"Oh I'll kill them one by on--" I stopped her as I took the shotgun with my teeth and swung it around, landing a hit on her head and making her loss consciousness.

"Alright... Two shots in the shotgun, I clearly can't use it while flying... But battle saddle still intact" I said to myself as I realized that I had no armor and no potions or any medical item on my PipBuck sorting spell.

Another bullet shot whizzed by me as I looked at the sniper, he figured out he was out-zoomed.

"Fuck me..." I said as I realized how deep in trouble I was.

I started to run to the sniper's direction and avoiding bullets that tried to tear through me if I'll stop moving for a second, zig-zaging my way up the hill was one hell of a bitch, the sniper was a good one but he didn't striked me even once despite his vantage point, I thought I felt a bullet graze me as I quickly ducked behined a big rock that gave me some cover to plan my next step.

"Let's swat a little fly!.." A stallion's voice came from below, I looked around and saw the same unicorn from eariler, yeilding his rocket launcher and pointing it straight at me, his eye was looking through his rocket launcher's scope, I was so doomed...

He fired the rocket and it made a gas-release sound and a rustling explosive projectile was now making his way to me.. I pressed on S.A.T.S as time slowed down and I had an extra second to think, the happy face of the raider was looking at me, his tongue was sticked out as his muzzle was smiling a mouth-full of broken and brown teeth, the rocket propelled toward me and I remembered I'm about to be blown to pieces. I aimed four times at the rocket that was a few meters away from me and excuted the spell, the battle saddle spat out a burst of eight bullet each barrel as the rocket exploded in mid-air and sent me flying against the rock behined me, I groaned in pain while my back thumped against the rock like I was a bag of meat as I fell on my ass, my ears rang and my back was painful, I was trying to stand up but the pain got the better of me.

I looked down the hill and saw the bloody and shrapnel-filled body of the raider unicorn, I tried to raise my PipBuck just to feel a stabbing and horrible pain in my shoulder that made me scream out, I looked at my left shoulder and saw that a piece of metal-shrapnel pinned my shoulder to the rock and my wing was impaled behined my shoulder, I was bleeding from it pretty heavily.

Shots were flying in the night sky and it looked like Twilight Camp held well, the raiders that weren't fighting were either too injured to fight or fleeing for their lives. I tried to look if anything else in my body was injured or broken, but the metal shrapnel pinned me so close to the shoulder I worried pulling my foreleg or even moving will tear my leg off me, my head was thumping like explosives were going off inside it and my ears stopped ringing slowly as I just sat there helplessly.

"Alright Gunner... Pull the metal shrap out in three... One... Two... Three... Arrrrrgghh!!" I tried to pull the shrapnel out of my shoulder with my teeth but with no success, the pain was unbearable and I wasn't planning on staying here to die, the worst thing was that when I tried to pull the shrapnel out of my shoulder it made the wound to bleed even more.

"Oh fuck. Oh fuck. Oh fuck. Oh fuck that's not good..." I grunted, the pain was too much for me to handle now. I moved my head slowly, trying to not move my neck much to avoid injuring my shoulder even more, I was lucky when the metal shrap missed my throat by a few milimeters and instead impaled me to the rock, I felt warm and sticky liquid on my back, I looked upwards and saw it was blood... Probably my blood, I looked down at my body to see that my lower right leg was missing and my tail was badly burnt, when I looked around and saw it I thought I'm about to vomit... My amputated leg was lying in a pool of blood not far from me...

"I just lost my fucking leg! I lost my... Fucking leg... How am I not passed out?... Am I dead?..." I wandered out loud between panicked pants.

When I finally dared to look down again on my body I felt sick, my right leg was blown off... My whole body was covered in bruises and cuts, I was pinned to a rock and I slowly bled out to death... What a way to die? I wasn't sure if I was lucky when I couldn't feel anything below my chest. Some of my hide was burnt off and blacken from the explosion, I leaned my head on the rock behined me and looked upwards toward the night sky in defeat.

"I'm right here Luna... Just take me already..." I whispered, ready to die.

"Sorry to dissapoint you, but you ain't meeting her today" A mechanical voice sounded from my right, I looked to both sides but saw nopony... Just the night horizon ahead.

"I'm probably hearing stuff from blood loss" I told myself and chuckled, I looked back up at the sky, waiting for the invetible death.

"Can I stop letting you down for once? I'm not hallucination or imagination, but I need you to listen very carefully.." The same mechanical voice said.

"Who are you? And where are you?" I said, dizzyness filling my head as I felt alot weaker, the blood loss is greater now and I won't stay awake for long in this condition.

"It dosen't matter now, what really matters is that you are dying; And I can't help a dead pony. So right now I need you to get to your PipBuck, activate your radio and call 'Twilight Camp' for help" The mechanical voice answered, a floating robot appeared from my right and it seemed like it was looking at me.

"What the?... Are you a robot?" I asked.

"Yes... And no, but we don't have time for questions, I need you to reach to your PipBuck and call for help, quickly" the floating robot ordered, sounding like he had emotions and feelings, but his voice was so mechanical it was so creepy.

"But... My leg! It's fucking pinned!" I muttered in pain, trying to move my left forehoof to show him my situation.

"I can see that, but you can't just sit here and wait to die!" his voice sounded angry, did he knew me? did I knew him?..

"Fine... I just need to reposition myself.." I groaned as I moved my right forehoof over and turned slightly to my left, I tried to reach my PipBuck with my right hoof and clenched my eyes shut in pain whenever I moved.

I let out a relieved sigh I haven't noticed I held when I felt my right hoof touching the PipBuck pad, I tilted my head a bit and tried to see over the metal bar that was one centimeter too close from impaling my throat, I moved to the radio channel and pressed on the pre-selected 'Twilight Camp Guard Frequency'.

"Here... Now can you please tell me who are you?" I asked, my head felt heavy and my eyes were barely opened, every part I could feel slowly went numb.

"Not yet, I need you to call for help before anything" The robot said, why I was so important to it? I connected and heared some talking, beyond my dying ears I could make out Storm's voice.

"H-hello?.." I said weakly, looking at the sky in desperation.

"Luna tear my dick off! Gunner?! Is that you mate?" Storm's voice sounded very relieved to hear me.

"Yeah... I need help Storm" I said with a cough.

"Where are you? We'll go and find you!" Storm insisted.

"That's the problem, I'm injured and I have no idea where exactly I am, but I can see the camp from here.." I whispered, life was slowly fleeting out of me.

"Don't worry, we'll find you! Can you tell me something that we can recognize?" Storm asked.

"..The stars..." everything went slowly black as I felt light weighted, nothing was hurting anymore... I could hear music from afar from where the robot was and it was calming... Was this how you feel before you die?

"Gunner! Be serious!" Storm shouted.

"I am..." woozyness taking over me.

"Celestia help me... Come on! Don't fuck around! Find him!" Storm shouted again.

"I'm right here... Don't worry for me..." I mumbled.

"Gunner, hang in there, I can't lose you!.." Shrapnel's voice was heard instead of Storm's

"Don't worry... I'm going to a better place..." I replied and closed my eyes.

"Stay with us Gunner!" A muffled voice said.

"There he is! HQ this is Bravo 4-1, we found the package, ready to patch him up and bring him back" A stallion said.

I heard hooves walking around me as something in my shoulder was pulled out with a slight stab on my flank and another stab at my hoof, some kind of liquid was entering my leg, everything was so peacefull and quiet... I felt my battle saddle getting stripped off of me.

"Come on, we're losing him!" Another stallion said, a few gunshots from his direction were sounded after that.

"I know that!" A mare hissed "Bring me the adrenaline syringe, now!.." The mare added, sounding a bit farther suddenly.

A slight pinch on my flank made everything to return back, colors, feelings, taste..

"Don't you die on me" The mare said, I saw her in the camp before... She was a red unicorn, a medical helmet sorrunded her head with a hole for her horn, she was wrapping bandages around me and a levitated blood bag was connected to my foreleg.

"Thank you" I whispered, looking at her eyes as she was too busy helping me out,

"Nope, thank you; Those mutants killed more good ponies then you can imagine, and you took one down with a few bullets and a buck" she replied, still healing me and not even looking at my eyes, her purple mane was barely visible behined her helmet.

"Com'on! Let's move the fuck out!" The stallion said as more shots were heared from his direction.

"Working on it..." The mare sang out.

"Those fucking things... He better be worth the danger we are in!..." The same stallion said, I couldn't see him because of my head cast, when did they put it on me?

"The Commander said he rather shoot his balls off then lose him... Sounds like his are harder then yours Chamber..." The medcial mare said with a mocking voice, getting a chuckle from the other mare.

"Fuck you Chip! We said we ain't talking 'bout this!" The stallion, Chamber, replied with an annoyed voice.

"Bring his leg and let's move out!.." Chip the medical pony, said.

"Fucking time ya found yerself" The other mare said, how much are they?..

"Relax 'Claws', it won't be a problem..." Chip said calmly, ignoring the pressure of the others. "That might hurt a bit" The mare told me as I felt my right rear leg entering a new level of pain.

"Arrrrrrrgghh FUCK!" I screamd in pain.

"We got ourselves a pussy here don'chya think?" 'Claws' said, I'm starting to dislike her from now on...

"There you go, your leg's good as new" Chip said with a friendly wink, I tried to look downwards and saw my right leg in place, when I moved it everything moved like always.

"What just happened?.." I panicked. Trying to think of what kind of dark magic she used on me.

"A limb mending spell, not as proffesional as other medics can do, but you won't feel the diffrence" Chip answered.

"Let's take him back to base, the Commander wants him ASAP!" the other stallion said, 'Bravo 4-1' I guess.

"You guys are really scared of this fucks don't you?" Chip said with a chuckle.

"Don't flame the situation now Madie" 'Bravo 4-1' said, wait? 'Madie'?, her name wasn't Chip?..

"Relax Nathe, no need to start pulling guns out.." Chip/Madie said, what's her real name?

"It's 'sir' for you Madie, now let's just move out already" Nathe said, I looked at Chip/Madie's horn glow white and I was suddenly levitated, they all started to walk as I got my first look on all of them, 'Claws' was a robot!.. Well, a cybrog anyways... Her torso's left side was mostly robotic and her left foreleg was mechanical too, her face was still mostly a pony though except for her left eye, her robotic eye glowed red. Her body was covered by nasty scars, and her hide was desert-brown unicorn and her mane was totally brown, she wasn't wearing any speical outfit except for her helmet. The two stallions were wearing the guard's outfit from Twilight Camp, one was an orange unicorn and his mane was covered by his helmet, the other stallion was a blue unicorn and he had a brown mane slightly visible behined his helmet.

Chip/Madie was wearing a medical counter-part outfit of the regular guard outfit, all of their equipment was marked with the same three-gear crossed by a winged-horn symbol from Storm's office, we all started walking toward the camp.

"Ah hope we get extra sleeping hours fer that sir.." 'Claws' asked the blue unicorn, Nathe.

"I'll talk with the Commander about that Isabell, I can't promise anything yet" Nathe said, he was the one in charge apperantly, and what was it with the names? Ugghh... Is this my head fucking with me now?..

"RadRoach my nine!.." Chamber announced, all heads turned left as 'Claws' levitated her combat shotgun and shot three rounds into the mutant roach, it screeched in pain and fell down on the ground, dead.

"Isabell, we talked about your trigger-happiness don't we?" Nathe frowned.

"Sorry sir! Won't happen again sir!" 'Claws' said, I figured that this name suited her better.

"Let's go! Madie? You need help with him?" Nathe asked, he had something for her or was it just the blood loss?

"I'm fine sir, let's get back and secure the package" Madie said, it was a weird name for a medical pony, but better then 'Chip'.

We were almost at the gate when we were ambushed by seven raiders that waited for us behined some old caravans and junk in both sides of the road, three were charging us from our right while the other five behined the caravans to our left started firing.

"Ambush!" Claws screamed as she unloaded six shots into two of the three raiders that charged her from the right, Nathe took his assault rifle out of his holster and shot a raider that started firing suppresive fire from behined an old pile of barrels. A raider next to him was shooting with his hooves! That's new to me; Since when can you shoot guns with your hooves? The raider quickly ducked for cover as Chamber blew the head of the last charging raider and quickly moved to another target.

"Take the package back to the camp!" Nathe ordered.

Madie nodded and placed me on her back and instead levitated a revolver by her side, I could see the battle saddle on Nathe, it was dissassembled and inside his carrier side-pack, I was weak and everything that happened was too intense for me even to carry the battle saddle ontop of me, so I didn't complained. we were taking heavy fire when Madie started trotting toward the camp and the revolver was floating loaded and ready beside her.

"Why are you guys helping me?..." I asked weakly, Madie was panting out of the extra weight and didn't stopped or slowed down to answer, she was too focused on getting me to safety. we were almost in the camp when she started to walk instead of trot, she started moving something on the side her helmet with a forehoof and said something after, was it the radio?..inside a freaking helmet?..I was used to a PipBuck radio, but a helmet one?

"Hang in there, you took some hits. And fortunately for you, you made it in one piece... Sorta..." Madie said as the gate slowly opened, my mind warned me about the alarm from earlier, but nothing happened... Guess they disabled it after all..

"Staff sergeant Madie?" A guard inside asked, looking at us with a suspicious gaze.

"Reporting for duty, I'm here to retrieve a 'package'" Madie answered with a salute, turning aside to show the guard what package she was talking, he had a very mercyfull face as soon as he saw me, I was all injured and bruised, I probably looked half-dead... Rose would kill herself if she saw me right now, she'll blame herself for stupid reasons that aren't her fault.

As Madie walked inside the camp I got sad and worried looks from everypony around the second they looked at me, was it that bad?... We finally reached Storm's building, this time I saw the name of the building on a sign lying on the ground, not visible for a pony who stands up and looking forward, it read 'Steel-Ranger Special Facillity' and some other words that were too small for me to read.

We walked in the hall and pain slowly filled my body. The painkillers they gave me weren't top-notch... We stopped and I didn't even looked around, I just hanged my head and looked at the ground, not caring about anything right now... The doors slowly opened and Madie walked inside, I was on her back and ready to face Storm.

"Commander, I'm sorry to interrupt you sir.." Madie said with confident.

"You ain't interrupting Staff Sergeant, Thank you very much... Just, whom am I talking with?" Storm said, clearly aprreciating her help.

"Staff Sergeant 'Chip' Madie, If you don't need anything else sir.." Madie answered.

"You have no idea how important he's to us Staff Sergeant, I will pay you in anyway you desire!" Rose thanked Madie, my ears shot up in surprise as I realized that it wasn't just Storm, Madie and me in the room.

"No need for a 'thank you' ma'am, I'm very happy to help others in need, especially your husband here.." Madie said, I blushed hotly when she said that.

"Oh... No no, he isn't my husband... He is very important to me though, I can't describe how much I thank you right now" Rose said, probably thinking I'm passed out, I decided to roll along, I didn't move and closed my eyes so it'll look like I'm unconscious.

"Please put him down, I'll reward you and your squad for you bravery" Storm said "Anything in practicular?.." He added, Madie placed me on a mattress on the floor.

"No sir... Not for me personally; My squad is on the field alot lately, can we got an extra hour sleep today sir?" Madie asked, her voice was frightened, was Storm that high on command?

"Abseloutly, you know what? Take two hours extra every day for a week" Storm replied "Don't tell anyone I got softer though" Storm added with a joking voice.

"Thank you sir!" Madie's voice was excited as she quickly walked away to tell her squad members.

"She's cute, I know her and her squad, the 'Death Claw' incident..." Storm sounded a bit smug for knowing her but in the same time feeling sad for her "After that incident she lost her entire squad except one other... They call her friend 'Claws' because of that... They also call Staff Sergeant Madie 'Chip' for some reason, still haven't figured out why.." Storm said with a happy tone, well that answered the name-salad.

"That's amazing! You got all of those of squads on the field that you can order in a simple tap of a hoof!" Shrapnel squeaked out, probably wanting to know if there is a special explosive-oriented squad or something...

"Well, we lost seven good ponies today... But they all died to save us all. We got Alpha, Bravo and Charlie class. Alpha and Charlie classes have three squads, Bravo has four... They are all four or five ponies each squad, and it goes from here on... We're mostly soldiers in this camp, but about fifty ponies aren't. They're here to live their normal lives, and the soldiers don't mind extra helping hooves as long as everypony works. Outside of our soldiers we have barterers that are working to get food and equipment from roaming traders, operators are maintaining equipment and cloths, and builders is pretty self-explainatory... Building cabins and maintaining walls" Storm lectured them.

"Any explosive-tasking squad around?" Shrapnel asked, I knew he'll ask that...

"Afraid not mate, sorry to blow your expectations" Storm replied.

"Oh... Well, that's fine.." Shrapnel sounded a bit dissapointed.

"Anywho... Your friend here needs a bit of loving don't he?" Storm moved the conversation topic.

"I can't believe I did it to him..." Rose whimpered.

"It's not your fault Rose" Custard comforted her.

"Sure looks like it is..." Rose's voice was sad and worried... I could hear PipBuck clicks in the background.

"Bravo 4-1 this is 'Big-Daddy'. The package was awake when your squad found him? Over." Storm asked, my eyes were closed so I couldn't see what he was doing.

"Do you have to call him 'package'? It sounds so cold-hearted.."  Rose whined.

"I'm sorry Rose, old habbits die hard... But my people know what's the meaning so please don't mind this one" Storm answered, not getting an answer from Bravo 4-1 though.

"Thank you very much for helping us! It means alot to us!" Rose began to say.

"No need, the lad helped my wings out, I might be able to fly again!.." Storm was excited "And he helped out with defending this camp, he killed a fuc--" Storm paused to Rose clearing her throat "...Sorry, he killed a mutant alone. They are one though suckers to kill that easily"

I couldn't help but snicker at how Rose can manipulate anypony whenever she wants, even the Commander of a few hundreds of ponies fell into her charm...

"..This is Bravo 4-1 to 'Big-Daddy'. Affirmative, package was conscious and cooperative on pick-up, Over." Nathe's voice answered.

"Roger that Bravo 4-1. Any drugs were administred during extraction or escort? Over" Storm questioned.

"Solid negative 'Big-Daddy'. No drugs or heavy medical treatment were used on package, Over"

"Roger, can you please describe said treatment?" Storm continued questioning, this was the time I realized I might cause troubles by playing unconscious.

"Yes sir, Limb-mending spell treatment was applied to the package's right rear-leg, bandaging and blood-bagging, some adrenaline syringes. Over."

"I see, thank you Bravo 4-1. 'Big-Daddy', over and out" Storm replied, a PipBuck's radio sound was sounded.

"Why is he still passed out?" Rose sounded worried.

"I have no clue... I really don't..." Storm said, sounding very worried too.

"Can he be in a coma?.." Shrapnel asked.

"Shrapnel!" Custard hushed him, not wanting to give Rose any ideas.

"It's alright Custard, It's just that I can't imagine my life without him... Back at the stable I called him 'Hero' to tease him. I was in love with him since we were foals, he was always there for me when I needed him the most but I never was there for him back, he helped you guys too... It's just... I can't understand why he's doing all of that, he is just.." Rose said, her voice was closer to the verge of crying with every word.

"...He's just Gunner..." Shrapnel continued Rose "He was there when I lost my parents, Gunner didn't cared for himself at all, he had his own crazy problems to take care about... Never placed himself before me..."

Wow, Shrapnel's getting emotional... That's new..

"I remember that when you and Gunner scared that bully off... When we were young?.." Custard started. "He could just walk away... But he helped me out, he even helped me to get my Cutie-mark, Gunner got me out of the bubble I lived inside my entire life"

"Talkin' about Gunner, he got my wings to fully work again... I can't remember when was the last time I flapped those beauties!" Storm said excited, trying to raise the morale a bit.

"What happened to him?.." Rose asked, sounding very very mother-ish out of nowhere.

"According to Bravo 4-1 or according to what it looks like?.." Storm asked, totally serious.

"According to Bravo 4-1" Was her answer.

"Let me see..." He said as I heared a few PipBuck clicking sounds... "Alright there it is... He was shot by a sniper rifle.."

Wait... What?!... When?... How?...

"He was blown by an RPG 7V4.." Storm added... I could hear Shrapnel whispering something, probably telling Rose about the damned rocket-launcher.

"Several shrap wounds, cuts, bruises, blood-loss, he lost his right rear-leg but it was mended back to him, a few broken ribs, a fractured skull, an impale wound on his left wing, burn injuries, a similliar impale wound on his left shoulder, dislocated left rear-leg, burnt tail... This is pretty much what they reported but I can spot out a few more injuries.." Storm said, sounding very regretfull he said all of this to Rose.

"Like what?" Rose's voice was almost crying.

"See his breathing? Looks like one lung is panctured, his right ear is brunt up but can still recover fully, a broken nose.." Storm said, sounding like there's alot more to it.

"According to you?" Rose asked.

"He was hit by a burning train, followed by another bruning train, followed by another one, followed by a shooting class..." Storm said.

"Alright... That's enough.." Rose started crying.

I quickly realized that I wasn't pretending to pass out when the adrenaline fully worned off, the pain washed over me as I could feel everything that Storm mentioned, and quickly passed out.

"...Yup... He's waking up" Madie's voice was heard, my head was thumping, I felt sick and everything was hurting.

"Ah thought he'll keep sleeping... Oh well" Claws said, my eyes slowly opened I saw I was sorrounded by ponies.

"Do you want to fight a mutant instead of him Claws?" Chamber asked.

"Ya can suck on my cunt Chambeh" Claws frowned, I looked around and saw Rose, Shrapnel and Custard looking at me, smiling. We weren't in our cabin... It looked like a medical facillity.

"Welcome back Gunner" Rose said weakly as she walked forward and hugged me, I groaned as I tried to stand up.

"Whoa... Easy there" Shrapnel worried.

"I'm fine... How long have I been out?" I asked, rubbing my head with a hoof.

"Long enough so this cheese-pony here kiss ya'll like ya're the sleeping beauty or somethin'" Claws answered, I just hate her more and more...

"That's enough Isabell.." Nathe stopped her.

"Yes sir... And it's 'Claws'.." Claws answered with a sigh.

"Yeah, I don't think so Sergeant." Nathe answered.

"You've been out for two days. You went in and out of consciousness in the meantime. Your body is exhausted... The trauma you took is too much for a pony to take at once. I gotta say you're one tough pony" Madie said.

"Thank you.." I replied.

"No problem mister, it's my duty to help others in need." Madie told me with a caring voice.

"Still, thank you" I insisted.

"Can ya stop rubbing each other off and we can start move the fuck out already?" Claws asked impatiently. I raised my head and looked at Claws, her robo-hoof was now a hand with three fingers and it held a cigar as Claws smoked it slowly.

"Oh that? That's why we call her Claws, she can change it from a hoof to a hand, or a set of sharp claws" Madie explained, realizingI was confused, and the reason of my confusion.

"That's..." I started.

"Yup, that's wierd" Madie stopped me "But you learn to love her, she saw some things I wouldn't wish upon my worst enemies, but she's a good pony behined her metal casing"

"Can I ask something? not to be rude or something, but I really want to know" I said.

"Sure! What is it?" Madie answered with her calm and sweet voice.

"It's... Your names, I mean... They are fine, don't get me wrong... But what's the meaning of them?" I asked, and all of Bravo 4 squad members looked at me weird.

"What do you mean by 'meaning'?..." Nathe asked, seeming not to follow.

"Gunner, Shrapnel, Rose... Those are Equestrian names... But Nathe? Isabell? Madie? They aren't from here" I said, picking my words carefully, I didn't wanted to get on the nerve of an armed squad.

"We were born soldiers. Your Cutie-marks don't mean nothing as a soldier thus our names aren't Equestrian, we all have Cutie-marks, but the army don't select you by one, they need a medic? You're a medic. They need a heavy soldier? You're a heavy soldier... We all were born to grow up to be soldiers, except Chamber here, he was recruited seven or eight years ago" Nathe explained, all Bravo 4 squad lowered their head and probably recalled things that better be forgotten.

"Oh. I'm sorry, I didn't know that" I apologized. Who am I to ask them such question?

"Dosen't matter, we're all like that from the day we were born, it's hard to take, but the wasteland is harder" Nathe replied.

"And before you ask anything else, we're from the army, but not the one of the ministries... We're trying to fight for peace and harmony, something that the ministries tried to do in dark and odd ways..." Madie said, sounding a touched hurt, she had all the rights to be.

"We were once the Steel Rangers, but their ways were rotten and wrong just as the ministries' ways... We're the Outcasts. Ten years ago, SteelHooves, our hero. Lost his life while trying to return the glory of Equestria back and by helping the Light Bringer, we fight for the same cause he died" Nathe declared, all Bravo 4 squad looked up at Nathe with pride. "That's why we're fighting, to live another day, and to fight for another day." Nathe added, getting an approving nod from every single Bravo 4 member around.

"A nobel cause" Shrapnel said.

"Indeed, but that mean we can't stop fighting, we need to return to the fight right now, but Madie was eager to check up on you" Nathe replied as he looked at me.

"Thank you, how can I pay it back?" I asked, looking directly into Nathe's green eyes.

"You killed that mutant, and the damned demolition-pony, we were deployed to kill them, so you saved us some bloodshed." Chamber replied instead of Nathe with a grin.

"That's a bummer, ah wanted to claw that demo-pony's face off, but ah guess ya can have one fer yer record" Claws said, using her claw-hoof as a toothpick.

"Isabell, show some respect" Nathe ordered.

"Sorry sir.." Claws said with a sigh.

"Who's the 'Light-Bringer'?.." I asked, Claws chuckled as Chamber looked like he was looking at a brain-less pony.

"Her name's unknown, but we heard her story from all over Equestria, she gave us back the sun!... She fought off the enclave, but there were... Problems..." Madie told us.

"Well, you guys should go now... The shipment won't wait for you to find it" Storm entered my line-of-sight, I didn't knew he was there and it felt very creepy that he could have been in alot of situations without me noticing.

"Yes sir! Let's move out squad!" Nathe ordered as he turned toward the door and started walking, Madie, Chamber and Claws after him.

I looked at Bravo squad disappearing behined the wall, I continued looking at the opened doorway as Storm walked slowly to my direction.

"Gunner, you fucked up.." Storm told me.

"I know.." I answered.

"No! You don't know, you just went out without telling anypony, without Storm here you would've died! He saved you one time too much now!" Rose raised her voice in anger.

"Rose... No need for anger.."

"Don't tell me not to be angry!.." Rose cutted Shrapnel off "You promised me you won't do stupid crap like that again!", I looked up at her eyes, I had nothing to say... She was right, I did promised not to risk myself, but this time was different!... Was it?..

"You need to stop acting like that, putting your life in danger just to maybe save others.." Rose continued.

"Here's where I have to disagree.." Shrapnel began again, but Rose looked at him with such face that made him shut up.

"I know that you saved alot of lives, but was it worth the consequences? You could've wait for the others to help you!" Rose cried.

"Rose, that demolition pony he killed have already killed a dozen soldiers, he did good in my eyes" Storm stopped her "So if you think that it wasn't worth it, I don't know what can make you think otherwise"

I looked at my body, I was wrapped in bandages, my left wing was in a cast and my hindleg was splinted.

"Why'd you guys used this amount of meds?" I asked.

Storm looked at me with a confused face "Why won't we? do you want us to leave you to suffer?"

"You could've just use my healing potion, it's inside my barding." I told Storm and pointed at my barding that was hanged on a chair behined him.

"Celestia and Luna shove their horns up my arse... You had another one?!" His eyes widened in realization.

"Yeah... I have a few spare actually..." I replied.

"You what now? Gunner, next time you pass out be sure to inform me about that before" Storm joked.

"We should go back to our cabin, you better rest" Rose offered.

"Sounds good, I'll see you tommorow" Storm said, I tried to get up but my hooves just fell underneath me.

"Let me help you" Rose insisted, her horn glew bright red and my body was slowly levitated. Rose walked outside with me in tow, I felt so helpless in the air that it was almost embarresing.

We walked around the camp and I got some funny looks from everypony around, why everytime I walk outside it has to be because somepony is injured?... At least it was me injured and not Rose or Custard, or Shrapnel.

Shrapnel held the cabin's door opened for Custard and Rose as they walked inside, I was floating around in Rose's glow and my mind was screaming at me to flap my wings to feel less of a burden, but my wing was in a cast and I bet that if I can't even stand up properly, flying will be my death.

"This time you're going straight to bed, it's not arguable that you have to rest" Custard whined, they all looked exhausted... Were they up the whole two days I was out?

"I would like to go out and fly around.." I replied sarcasticly, just to get back an annoyed look from Custard. "..I'm joking, relax.." I added.

"This time try not to have sex with Rose, alright?" Shrapnel chuckled, making me blush while Rose levitated me behined her inside the bedroom. Rose placed me gently on the bed and swiftly levitated a blanket and covered me with it, I didn't move as she walked to a corner and took off her barding.

"Guess I won't get to sleep with you tonight" I told Rose, she looked over her shoulder and straight at me.

"What do you mean? Why won't you?" Rose asked back with a a raised eyebrow.

"You... Aren't mad at me?.." I was confused, it wasn't like Rose to forgive me so quickly.

"I am mad at you, but that dosen't mean I won't get to sleep with my little pegasus tonight" Rose snickered, she levitated her barding and put it on the bed's edge as she walked toward me, not breaking eye contact with me.

"I have a question" I said simply.

"What is it? Something about sex?" Rose giggled, blushing a bit.

"No, not about sex... Why won't you give me a healing potion?.." I replied.

"Oh, I totally forgot!" Rose said with a face-hoof as she trotted out of the room.

"Welp, now you got yourself a night alone Gunner, congrats.." I sighed, lying on my legs like everytime I do when I'm about to sleep and looked at nothing particular, my eyes slowly closed shut as my body fell asleep.

I walked around in a dark corridor, but I felt confident and relaxed.

"Behined you.." I heard a whisper, I looked around and saw myself, but... A darker-colored version of me, me... He... Had blood smeared all over him and he was all injured and covered in filth.

"Long time not seeing, loving what'cha seeing? I sure do" he smiled, slowly licking the blood around his muzzle.

"Don't you fucking dare! You ain't dragging him down!" A second voice came from the other side of the corridor, I turned slowly around and saw another version of me, but a clean and more sane version of me, he was slightly glowing...

"Oh I won't drag him down, he's already doing it for me just fine!" The dark version of me laughed.

"No he isn't, you sick fuck!" The sane version of me said back.

"What in Celestia's name is going on?.." I asked.

"I'm here to thank you" The dark version said as he licked the blood off his hoof.

"Thank me? what do you mean?" I was confused.

"Yes, I am you... You're me... I just wanted to tell you to keep your good job" The dark version replied.

"I know what you're planning, he is too smart to fall for that!" The sane version screamed at the dark one.

"He's smart, I agree... That's why he knows and understands what I'm talking about" The dark version of me chuckled.

"I-I really don't... What's happening?" I panicked.

"Listen to me Gunner, this fuck is here to take you to a bad place you can't recover from... I'm here to help you" The sane version explained.

"Don't interrupt 'lighty'... He knows what he wants.." My dark version said mockingly.

"Why I'm here? What do you want?!.." I cried out.

"You did great... Helped your friends... The feeling, it felt good right?" The dark version asked me. I nodded.

"Don't listen to him!" The sane version insisted.

"Killing... It's a great feeling too... Am I right?" He continued.

"What? N-no!" I stammered.

"Oh don't lie to yourself, I am you... I know you better then you think... You enjoyed killing and you know it" The dark version raised his voice.

"He isn't a murderer!... He won't fall for that!" The sane version kept shouting, he really didn't want me to listen to him.

"He's a murderer and he's enjoying killing, tell him I'm wrong Gunner..." The dark version licked his other bloodied hoof.

"I-I am not a killer, I won't fall for that.." I whispered

"You see? He ain't a murderer! You can't take him down!" The sane version teased the dark one, he was acting just like me

"Maybe I didn't showed you the full picture..." The dark version said weakly.

"Wh-what full picture?" I asked, not sure if I want to know or not.

"Rose... Shrapnel... Custard... They're your friends, right?" The dark version looked at me, his eyes glowed red for a split second.

"Yes" I answered.

"So you want to keep them safe, don't you?" The dark version asked again.

"Why?" I asked back.

"He won't listen to you anyways! He is too good for being a corrupted pony like you!" The sane pony insisted, his voice sounded suddenly less confident.

"When you killed that mutant, it was to save your friends and the ponies of Twilight Camp... Right?" The dark version asked again, he used the word 'right' too much for my taste..

"Yes.." I whispered unsurely.

"And when you killed those raiders back at the old shack, it was to save Seth, right?" He added.

"Yes.." I whispered again.

"When you killed those bastards, it felt good... I know that.." The dark version laughed in joy.

"No! It didn't!" I screamed, not buying his buckshit.

"Be honest here. You enjoyed when you were ontop of the raiders outside of Twilight Camp, when you fooled them..." He stopped laughing for a second.

"Yes, I did." I admitted.

"So imagine the same feeling, but double it with killing... And when you tricked the cannibal pony?... Ohh-ho-ho... Seeing the pain in her eyes after you shot her?... it wasn't only me that got an orgasm from that right?.." the dark version laughed maniaclly.

"Only you.." the sane version said in disgust.

"You're sick, and you're very stupid if you think I'll fall for that.." I spat and turned toward the sane version.

"Just wait... enough time will show you the joy from killing..." the dark version chuckled.

"He's too good for that" the sane version said as everything quickly faded off.

"Gunner? Are you alright? You started screaming in your sleep.." The sane version slowly transformed into Rose, she looked at me worried.

"I'm alright... Just a bad dream.." I answered, realizing it was all a nightmare... How many more will I have?

"Want to talk about it?.." Rose asked.

"No, I don't want to share my inner-demons.." I whispered back.

"Well, here's your healing potion... Just let me take off the bandages and casts before everything." Rose said as her horn glew bright red and took off the cast that sorrounded my left wing.

"What do you think about them?... The Outcasts.." I started a conversation, wanting to forget the messed up arguement with myself.

"They're trying to live their lives, in the shape of a pony that gave his own life for the greater good. This 'SteelHooves' is really like you.." Rose sighed as she took some bandages off me.

"And it's good?" I asked weakly, not wanting to make another argument quickly after I finished one.

"Your target? Or how you try to achieve it?.." Rose said "Because if you ask me, you're trying to get yourself killed.."

"I'm just trying to protect you Rosey, and you know that" I replied.

"But my only worries since we left the stable were you getting in trouble..." Rose said.

"Because I get in trouble you had those worries instead of serious ones" I quickly retorted.

"This is serious Gunner! I can't see you getting hurt all the time!"

There was an awkward silence until Rose fully stripped me from the medical casts and bandages. I took the bottle in my teeth and opened it carefully, I tilted my head backwards and sipped the potion as my body slowly healed itself.

"How are you feeling?" Rose asked in a sweet voice.

"Much better, but I ain't going back to sleep.." I replied.

"It's alright, I let you sleep for a while already... Before you started screaming.."

"I need to talk with Storm, don't wait for me" I said as I got up on my hooves and walked out of the bedroom and straight outside the cabin, I walked around the camp slowly and took the long way to Storm's office... If it's even his office and not an old abandoned Steel-Ranger facillity he took over or something, ponies around walked in different directions and everything felt alive, much like Stable 154, I thought about the dream I had, what did it meant?

'Enjoying killing?'... If it was me like that dark version said, it sure haven't done a reality check, I mean: What kind of sick pony will enjoy killing?

Raiders.. My mind sang in sarcasm.

Right... Raiders... But I'm not a raider! I just killed a few of them to save this camp! I got blasted by a fucking rocket launcher! I was almost made a pony-kebab by that metal shrap... How can I enjoy killing if I know how awfull and wrong it is? I had so many questions that needed answers now but I had to keep them for later, life is calling and it want me to reply now.

"Name?" A brown earth-pony guard asked me when I tried to enter.

"What? Why'd you need a name?" I asked, snapping out of my thoughts and looking at the tall and threatning pony that stood infront of me, guarding the entrance.

"To shove it up my ass, your name smarty" The guard stomped in anger, somepony here needs to sleep more.

"Gunner.." I said, flinching in panic, the guard had a wierd little panel attached to his helmet and very close to his left eye, it was viewing something and I saw it backwards... Like an eye terminal!, I need to ask Storm if I can get one as well, it looks so cool.

"Gunner... Gunner... Gunner..." The guard whispered to himself as his left eye moved oddly and the panel looked like it was scrolling down, whatever it was it didn't looked so easy to control. "Colonel Gunner?" the guard asked in surprise, his jaw dropped and he looked at me frightened.

"Wait... What now?" I asked back, surprised just as the guard was.

"This is Alpha 2-1, HQ I need backup now, an optional impersonator" The guard asked, his features hardened as a rifle popped out of his armor and was pointed straight at me...

This eye-terminal could do something cooler?

"Alpha 2-1 this is 'Big-Daddy', what's your situation? Storm's voice sounded from the guard's helmet.

"A pony outside your quarters is trying to impersonate Colonel Gunner, sir." The guard said back into his helmet, those helmets were both radios and terminals? Who needs a PipBuck when you got this techonology!.

"Alpha 2-1, is the pony wearing a PipBuck? And more important, is he a pegasus? Storm asked from the radio, sounding a bit angry.

"No sir, he is not a pega--" The guard started saying as I streched my wings and looked at the guard with a grin. "Forget my last, false alarm.." the guard quickly added, embarrassed.

"Alpha 2-1, don't make me demote you to 'shitter' cleaning shift, 'Big-Daddy' over and out. Storm frowned, he was pissed and the guard clearly wasn't a fan of toilets...

"I'm so sorry Colonel, I didn't knew sir..." The guard lowered his head in shame, the cables that connected his helmet to his armor were now visible.

"Umm? It's alright?.." I mumbled, not knowing how to react to this.

"From here sir" The guard moved aside and motioned me to enter inside with a wave of a hoof.

"Thank you soldier.." I replied.

should I act like a high ranked soldier or just be myself? I went inside and walked down the corridor. suddenly my PipBuck got a transsmision and I jumped and looked at my PipBuck, those transmissions always catch me when I least expect!

"The code to my door is linked with this transmission, or if you want to you can make one of your own with the same password" Storm's voice poured out, his accent filled my ears and reminded me Rose's one, why did his accent was so similliar but yet so different then Rose's?

I walked closer to the terminal and pressed on the 'Password' option, it had 'Enter password' and 'Change/add password' sub options, I clicked on 'Change/add password' option and thought of a password..

Just fucking put Storm's one and lets get over with this shit.. My mind insisted, sometimes I wonder how my mind is a part of me and not my worst enemy..

I stood there for a long minute searching for a good and unique password, the best I could think of was 'Exterminator', an imaginery weapon that I tried to develop back at the stable a few years back, it was supposed to be an energetic weapon that fires plasma rays, in theory they are so strong that they can blast through almost everything..but the elders and Rose's mother, the previous Overmare of stable 154 were against it, they told me that there is no such thing as energetic weapons, and if there were energetic weapons this would lead to more distraction then good. I never believed that it wouldn't be possible, we had the technology to use plasma and gamma rays in such way that could be converted into a rifle, not small enough for a pony to hold or levitate but it can be done, but I couldn't develop something that the elders were against.

I decided that 'Exterminator' would be a great password, the only ponies that know about it are Shrapnel and Rose, well... The only ponies alive that know about it are Shrapnel and Rose... I was then greeted by a vocal password that I need to insert, my mind started thinking about how to bypass it or decrypte older recordings of Storm changing the terminal's other passwords, but I just activated the transmission he sent me instead... Gunner one, mind zero.

The door opened just like a stable door and I saw Storm cleaning a pistol, he was sitting with his hindhooves up and on the desk and he was holding the gun in his hooves, the second time I see a pony using his hooves for anything other then walking.

"Hello there Gunner, long time not seeing eh?.." Storm laughed out as he flapped his wings and stood on all four hooves, throwing the gun on a pile of other guns in the corner of the room "What'cha saying about my wings? Nice right?" Storm smiled in happiness, clearly excited about his wings, I said nothing as he continued "They won't fully recover, but I can still use them again instead of looking like an earth-pony with wings glued to him!"

"That's awesome! " I replied, happy for him almost as he was.

"Talking 'bout awesome, what d'you say about your little promotion I gave you?" Storm asked, looking at me with a smirk.

"Yeah... Why am I suddenly a Colonel?.." I asked back.

"Not happy with Colonel? I don't think there is a higher rank then that.." He started.

"No, I mean... Why'd you ranked me at all? There are alot of brave ponies out here that sacrifice their own lives on daily basis, and I come here and get blown up just to get the highest rank?" I raised my voice, not sure why he did it.

"Because you didn't had to, you could've let our soldiers handle it, but you sacrificed your life instead, and I heard you were about to have a little private time with Rose when it happened.." Storm walked around his desk and giggled weakly, probably remembering his first time... That was pretty gross to think about when he was in the room.

"I don't mind you thanking me, although I did nothing... But rank me for getting hurt and taking your supplies? That's my borderline right here Storm." I raised my voice a bit more.

"Do you want me to shoot you in the face as a 'thank you' gift? You did enough when you got here and helped out Seth, he maybe ain't a very trusty fellah, but he is loyal to our beliefs. Plus you healed my fucking wings! And then you went out and blowed up this fucking demo-pony we were after for half a year now? You did more then enough by now mate, and something tells me you ain't here for coffee and cookies" Storm said.

"I don't see it like this, I'm here just like every other pony is here, to try and live my life. I'm not after honor or prizes, I went here to give my friends a place away from this Nightmare Moon Clan buckshit!" I stomped in anger.

"Speaking of which, Rose loves you more then you can imagine. She was on your bedside the whole two days you were passed out, everytime you woke up for a few seconds she prayed for the goddesses you would stay awake, if I didn't asked I would be sure you are her son or somethin', although she looks the same age as you. Rose is the kind of pony that this damned wasteland needs, but heck she can manipulate the shit out of a pony." Storm chuckled, I chuckled too because I knew what he talked about. "Plus she's quite the tease" he added and we both bursted out laughing.

After we both recovered from our laughs, I sat down on one of the chairs and tried to speak seriously with Storm.

"I'm here for a few things, but before anything I want to say that I'm sorry" I said weakly.

"Sorry? For what?" Storm asked as he sat down on his chair.

"My behavior a few days ago, I had no right to act like that" I replied.

"Oh shut it right now Gunner! I need to be sorry for how I acted after that, you had all the rights in Equestria to be angry, you lost your fucking stable and your life as you knew it for this hell-ish wasteland!" Storm frowned, he was mad at me for being sorry?... He reminded me how I acted when Rose apologized after she injected me with the drug.

"No, I'm serious about that..." I tried to say before Storm stopped me.

"Forget 'bout this shit, what you were about to say other then that?"

"Who are you? What are you trying to do?" I asked.

"I'm Storm, I'm the Commander of Twilight Camp." Storm replied sarcasticly.

"I meant, the Commander of what... And why?" I said.

"Fine, you'll figure that out sooner or later... I am the son of Thunderdome, the previous outcast aerofighter Commander, he died after the Outcasts tried to convert the wasteland into the peacefull land it once was, but problems popped up, like this 'Nightmare Moon New Wasteland Order' or whatever they call themselves. They became a clan of mercs, raiders and slavers with a will to make Equestria a place where everything will stay what it is but worst and pretty much forever... A place where if you aren't a cold hearted pshyco you're good as dead, the top priority of this order is to destroy two things before anything, the Outcasts and the Light Bringer society. the Outcasts were once the Steel Rangers, but we ain't calling ourselves like that because of the bad name it grew; They were technology bandits, their only target was to scavenge lost technology and that's it, not helping the poor and the ones in need like they were intended when they first assembled. The Light Bringer society are more of a legend then anything else, but some say they witnessed them, and if the legends are true they are a peaceful community for the most part, but have enough weapons to flat-out Twilight Camp in under ten minutes, not like I believe that horse-apples" Storm explained, looking upwards and remembering something.

"My father was... He wasn't a bad pony nor a bad dad, but he was the Commander of Twilight Camp even before I was born and thus I never really had a real connection with him, he met my mother after countering an attack on her Stable: Stable 155, she was a very happy and caring mare... We lost her to these fucking Nightmare Moon's order when I was just a little foal, from the time I had with her... She was just like Rose here... I later grew up idolizing my father and learning every single thing I could about leadership and the history of Equestria, he knew personally SteelHooves and he even fought beside him years ago... I then became the Commander a few years after his death, with no experience with the Outcasts I tried to be just like my father... But then I realized that I can't try and be somepony I'm not, so I became Storm, the leader of the Northern Outcasts."

"Wow... I-I am sorry.." I stammered in embarresment, he was through everything... He's barely older then me, how can he take this amount of pressure?

"Don't be, it's my fucking life and I need to be sorry for it, not you... Celestia damn it if ponies like you and your gang were more common in the wasteland..." Storm countered. "How your life was like?" He added.

"After that? I can tell you everything I have done and exaggerate and it'll still be boring!" I smirked.

"Try me mate" Storm raised and eyebrow.

"Well, I was born in Stable 154 to my mom Blueprint and my father Flash Lightning, they died when I was just a baby so I never knew much about them... I knew that they died for the stable... My uncle Forklift looked after me for my entire life, he was always drunk after the death of my father... But I accepted that he was heart-broken, they were close friends according to the ponies who knew him. My Cutie-mark decided to show up after pressure between the earth-ponies and unicorns and between the pegasi started to show up, some rumors and false hatred made the pegasi paranoid about their existence in the stable, so alot of fucked up things followed, 'The great incident' was the most fatal one... Shrapnel's parents were killed during this incident, a unicorn shot them dead before they could call anypony to help, Shrapnel saw his parents getting killed infront of his eyes and he got his Cutie-mark after it, that's why me and him are so similliar; We both hate our Cutie-marks. Anyways, my Cutie-mark showed up after I built a security robot from scrap, it looked alot like a cleaning robot that were common in our Stable at the time, that's why it wasn't suspicious. It succeded recording by accident a conversation of two known trouble-makers, the recording uncovered that all of the rumors were a plan of the two to make the Stable hate their pegasi dwellers, I told the Overmare about it and they were arrested and I got my nickname 'Hero', I didn't stopped there as I upgraded the security-bot with a self defending mechanism, I did everything I could and there it was... My fucking Cutie-mark that even C.A.T can't explain!.." I lectured, feeling a bit of self-pity building up inside me... I fucking hate self-pity!

"Sounds like a harsh life... And I lived my life in the harshest of all environments!" Storm's words surprised me, to me it sounded like my life is a piece of cake while Storm's were a walking nightmare.

"After we opened our hearts and stuff, can we talk about my next move?" I asked.

"What next move?" Storm looked confused.

"You know? Against the raiders?" I replied.

"Mate, you ain't going nowhere after what you just did! You heared the medic, your body took enough trauma already, no matter how many potions you drank they fix physical damage, not trauma!" Storm raised his voice.

"We've already addressed that didn't we?" I sighed.

"Yes, we did. You're staying at the camp, and if I need to tell every individual soldier in this camp to keep you inside the camp's walls, don't think I won't" Storm warned me "And don't try and fly away, I have your PipBuck tag tracked, I can see where you are at any given time... So next time I check your tag, I want to see it near Rose's one, understood?" Storm added and showed me his PipBuck, he wasn't bluffing when he said he have my PipBuck's tag tracked.

"Understood.." I whispered.

"Didn't heard you soldier, understood?!" Storm stood up with two hooves on the desk, leaning close to me with his eyes staring at my soul.

"Yes.." I said under my breath, not wanting to scream out of the rage that grew inside me.

"Now go back to the cabin. It's not a punishment, I can't lose somepony like you mate" Storm relaxed a bit.

"But.." I started.

"No but. The only 'butt' I want to hear from you it's when Rose spanks yours, now go back to your cabin" Storm suddenly said out of nowhere, making me blush visibly. "Don't let her wait for you" Storm sang out in a cheesy voice.

"Yes sir" I stammered, blushing. I was about to exit Storm's office when I recalled in something that I had to know. "What's your Cutie-mark?.." I asked, Storm's eyes widened and his wings shot up in surprise.

"I-I don't.." Storm mumbled for solid ten seconds.

"You don't what? You don't have a Cutie-mark?.." I tried to make Storm talk in full audible words.

"I don't feel so good.." Storm barely said, he was shaking.

"What happened? Did I said something wrong?.." I started to panic.

"It's... My Cutie-mark is..." His muzzle shook as well and he was barely standing.

"What?.." I pushed Storm too much, curisoity killed the cat... And probably'll kill me now..

"I killed for my Cutie-mark! Okay?! I killed my father for my fucking Cutie-mark!" Storm cried out.

"You what?" I was confused, he wouldn't kill his father... Would he?

"He was eaten alive! What should I have done? His eyes were filled with pain... I just looked at him dying as I... Pulled the damned trigger!" Storm shouted, his eyes were streaming with tears as his whole body shook violently.

"It wasn't your fault" I tried to comfort him.

"It damn was!! I could have helped him, I could've prevent this!... But nooo... I had to be his shadow and do nothing!!"

"Storm... Take it easy... Relax.."

"The damn picture is a fucking sniper rifle!! With fucking bullets lying next to it!.." Storm cried out as he showed me the Cutie-mark, it was a heavy caliber sniper rifle lying on a bipod, with several bullets scattered next to it. "I looked at him through the scope, the damned ghouls teared him alive and ate him as he cried in pain, I waited to take the shot..I could've shot the dead things! I could've shot 'em..it could be me instead of him..I almost WAS instead..."

"Storm, it wasn't your fault..." I tried to calm him down.

"You weren't there! Uou didn't saw the pain... The blood... It was everywhere! they ate every part of him... It was.." Storm was breaking apart.

"Storm!" I slapped him in the face, making him pull himself together "I can't let you fall into pieces! the past is in the past... We can't change it... But now I need you to take yourself together..." I insisted.

"You-you're right..." Storm recovered pretty fast for this amount of pain he expressed a second ago.

"Now look at me.." I said as I turned his head to eye level with me. "You have done nothing wrong, you saved this Camp from a disaster dozens of times, and none of what happened to your father was your fault"

"Th-thank you Gunner... I needed that, but the image, it haunts me to this day... I wonder alot if it makes me crazy, am I a crazy pony Gunner? Tell me the truth" Storm looked at me with his tear-filled eyes.

"Exactly the opposite" I smirked slightly."You know what's crazy?... The kind of ponies you are trying to stop from taking over, the kind that tries to make you think you are crazy..."

"Cheers mate... If you don't mind,I need some time alone now.." Storm whispered.

"Understood sir" My smirk turned to a little smile.

"HQ this is Bravo 4-1, we've found the lost shipment, but it looks like we have company... Orders?" Nathe's voice came out of Storm's terminal.

"Copy Bravo 4-1, do not proceed until further instructions." Storm quickly said after pushing a button on the terminal.

"Roger that" Nathe answered.

"Luna's moon-cunt..." Storm whispered as he pressed some button on the terminal.

"What happened?.." I asked, my mind was now so eager to kill me for asking 'what happened' even after it made Storm break down.

"A lost shipment, a few weeks ago another Outcast base was operating in our land, I wasn't told why or what was the shipment, I do know that they were ambushed and the cargo that was transported stayed there beneath the wreckage." Storm said as he searched for something on his terminal.

"I don't know nothing about why the Outcast base was even in our land in the first place, or even why it was so important for them, but they tried to tell me that I need to get it as my top priority, although their most ranked officer was only a General.." Storm chuckled as he looked at me, waiting for me to get the joke... I looked at him as I realized it was supposed to be funny and looked down in shame.. "Anywho... I don't want to get any ideas to your head, you have done enough by now"

"You know I won't stay grounded for long Storm, infact I can fly right out and until you'll get anypony to retrieve me, I'll be far far away from here..." I retorted.

"Gunner, it's one of my best squads on the field, they did more then you can imagine.." Storm began.

"And still you made me a Colonel and not them..." I stopped him, shuting him up for good.

"This is 'Big-Daddy', any available squad in Twilight Camp, I want guards up and active at cabin 8 ASAP" Storm said into his terminal's microphone, cabin 8 wasn't?..

"Go get them tiger..." Storm told me with a malcontent voice.

My eyes widened as I realized he just let me go outside..he just told me he won't let me get out of the perimeter? Was he testing me? I blinked to show him I wasn't sure if I really believed that.

"It's my best squad, so I think you'll be at home with them" Storm answered to my confusion.

"What about Rose?.." I asked.

"I'll tell her it's my fault, it really is my fault that I let you out into the danger, so you better go before I change my mind" Storm smirked and I turned around and tortted off, I opened the outside doors and quickly took off, the guard from earlier jumped in surprise and when I looked behined me his face was priceless.

My PipBuck flashed to show me an incoming call notification, it was from Storm... I hovered in the place and listened to what Storm had to say.

"Before you go out to your business, you need to know that the shipment is an hour trot south-west from here, but with wings I bet that it'll be alot less, alot of hills and a medium sized mountain are between you and the estimated area of the shipment, go there and back my squad up. Good luck out there Gunner"

"Roger that" I replied with a snicker as I flapped my wings and flew to where my PipBuck navigation system showed me was south-west, it was a wonder how Storm knew so much about PipBucks and technology in general... His Cutie-Mark was a sniper rifle. So how the hell his profession is tech-tampering?... Well, he did said that they are trying to out-smart the raiders with pre-war weapons just like the Steel Rangers did, but for good causes unlike the Steel Rangers.

After twenty minutes of flying I saw in the distance a convoy on a dirt road in the middle of the wasteland desert.

Guess that this was the shipment, it wasn't on it's way to Twilight Camp, looked like they tried to circle around the camp..did they really thought it was a hostile territory?

Judging by the look of the convoy remains, they weren't totally wrong... I was about two minutes from reaching the convoy when I remembered that I'm here to back up a squad, not to do their job, and the reason I'm here is because there'll be a party, filled with scums who wants to use me as a pinata, should I find Bravo 4 or call them via radio? how do I excatly contact them? what if they're on radio silent and I won't be able to reach them? what if they're already back at the camp?

"This is Gunner, Bravo 4 do you copy?" I asked in the radio frequency the Outcasts always use.

"This is Bravo 4-1, what's your interest here civilian?" Nathe's voice answered me.

"Umm... I'm here to back your squad up, sir.." I replied weakly.

"You're our backup? You were grounded to the bed three hours ago!" Chamber connected to the radio and demanded an answer, I decided that the nice civilian buckshit is ending here...

"This is Colonel Gunner, I'm here to back your squad up soldier, no questions" I ordered.

"Pfftt... Colonel muh ass! Ya ain't even a Private!" Claws joined the radio and quickly disregarded me.

"Happy or not, I'm your backup. So now you have two choices, keep asking yourself why I'm here or move out and regroup on me" I insisted, angry on them for not wanting my help.

"This is 'Big-Daddy', Colonel Gunner is your backup, you'll follow his orders 'till I say otherwise, understood?" Storm broke our little conversation short and cleared some gaps for Bravo 4.

"Roger that 'Bid-Daddy', Colonel sir, may I know your current location?" Nathe asked me, sounding perfectly fine with me ordering him.

"If you don't mind sir, I'll be happy to serve under your command" I said, not wanting to be above him and not wanting to do tactical mistakes Nathe would clearly avoid.

"Roger that sir, regroup at coordinates seventy-twelve on six-fifty" Nathe replied and got off the radio, I was confused at first, but to my surprise my PipBuck navigation system had coords implemented into it.

"Seventy twelve on six fifty... Did he meant seven hundred and twelve on six hundred and fifty?" I whispered to myself when I looked at the map, coordinates were new to me just like shooting a gun with your hooves.

The coords were a little cave inside a hill a few hundred meters away from the convoy, it had a good vantage point on the whole convoy area, I flew over there and tried to watch out for any not-so-welcomed guests. I landed on my hooves and walked inside slowly, this was the part I realized my battle saddle was back at Twilight Camp.

"Stupid.." I whispered to myself, quickly after my throat was held by a set of metal fingers, swunged around and pushed aggresivly against the cave walls.

"Ah clearly starts to like yer thinking 'bout yerself" Claws said, looking at me with her robotic eye and holding my throat pinned to the wall.

"That's enough Claws, keep your energy to the raiders.." Chamber stopped her before she chocked me to death.

"Colonel muh ass..." Claws mumbled as she turned away from me, her shotgun holstered on her back.

"Where's your weapon soldier?" Madie asked me, she was the first to notice the lack of my battle saddle.

"I-I don't..." I stammered, understanding that there's no room to mistakes like this..and now their backup will be usefull as a dead pony..

"Great! Not even a weapon... lemme just kill 'em and we will tell the Commander that the raiders got 'em.." Claws turned around and her robohoof turned into a set of razor sharp claws, she pointed them close to my face, I swallowed nervously.

"Maybe it's not as bad as we thought.." Nathe thought out loud, digging with his telekinetic inside his sidepack and taking out a helmet, just like the one they all had.

"What do you mean?.." I was worried about where he was going with it.

"This helmet here is a HUD sorrounded helmet, it's a twist version of that PipBuck you got there, if we'll find the right things in the convoy, we can make it work" Nathe explained as he pointed at my PipBuck, probably wanting to connect the helmet to my PipBuck.

"I think I can do something else, the convoy had some good stuff from what I saw, probably weapons included, if the raiders didn't took all of them there's a good chance there will be some loot worth taking, maybe even stuff to take back to the camp" I told them, Chamber and Nathe looked a bit impressed, Madie looked unsure and Claws still wanted to slash my throat.

"So what're you planning to do? Go in and take yourself a battle saddle?" Chamber asked me.

"Exactly" I said confidently.

"At least the Commander won't blame us fer killing 'em, he's doing it fer 'emself just fine" Claws chuckled as she took out a cigarette, I looked at her unamused.

"What about our mission? We sill need to take the intel or whatever it is.." Madie asked Nathe.

"We will, but if what Gunner told us is true, we could use some extra firearms" Nathe answered.

"So what're we waiting for?" Chamber jumped in eagerness, he was sure like Shrapnel in that matter.

"Let's move out" Nathe declared.

"Finally some action.." Claws said beyond her robohoof that held the cigarette, we went outside. Chamber and Nathe infront of me, Madie from my left and Claws from behined me, it was really stressfull that the pony who guarded my back was the one who tried to kill me seconds ago.

Nathe sniffed a few curios whiffs in the air, and grunted in dissapointment as he looked behined his shoulder at Claws and shook his head.

"Is that Jet again?.." Chamber asked Nathe quitely, but loud enough for me to hear.

"She really needs to stop.." Nathe replied in disgust.

I said nothing as we moved slowly toward the convoy, it was too quite for raider territory, we were almost at the convoy when Madie's ears shot up.

"Get down!" Madie hissed as we all fell down and made ourselves as little visible as possible.

"What is it 'Chip'?" Chamber asked after we looked around and saw nothing.

"Another stolen Vulture I think.." Madie hushed Chamber, her ears perked to every little sound..what the hell was happening?..

"To hell with those fucks..." Claws whispered as she spat her cigarette.

"It's coming this way... stay down.." Madie whispered.

"What the hell is a Vulture, and how the hell can you hear it?.." I asked with many questions to add still in my mind.

"Vulture's a flying vehicle of the Outcasts, they are similliar to a Raptor, the Enclave parallel version. But are much quiter and a bit larger, it's basiclly an armored airship..."  Chamber explained quitely, letting Madie to listen to the Raptor... Vulture airship thingy... how the hell she knows about that Vulture when there's nothing in the sky!.. and everything is quite..

"Judging by yer face ya look like a cyberg is a new thing fer ya.." Claws whispered in a mocking voice, her red robotic eye flashed to make me remember that Madie was in the Death claw incident too...

"Those damned broadcasters... Like the ones on the walls back at the camp, they destroyed her ears so now she have implants that are much more effective..she can switch sensetivity whenever she likes... The broadcasters were the reason that Death claw attacked in the first place... The noise made him go crazy and he tore entire squads in seconds" Chamber explained, still whispering and letting Madie's ears spas out in sudden movements that looked painfully disgusting.

"Guys, I can hear you, it's pretty ironic when you try to gossip about super ears near the best ears in the wasteland..." Madie sighed, getting up and cleaning her uniform from the dust of the wasteland desert, Nathe and Chamber got up quickly after in perfect timing and Claws took her time and got up slow.

"So, where's that Vulture?.." I asked.

"Sounded like it came from the south, but in this area it could pop out from the north" Madie explained.

"That means we need to be quick, if there are Vultures around it can be one of three things, an Outcast base is operating in our land... Like they need more trouble here... Some of the 'New Order Clan' are bored sitting on their tails and are now looking for fun, or they want the intel as much as we want..." Chamber lectured.

"So let's go get it.." Claws yawned.

"Alright, Madie and Chamber, go around the convoy and try to spot for us enemys. Claws... You're on alert duty, something goes wrong and you pull the trigger. Gunner, on me" Nathe said.

"I get to be on trigger duty and ya just called me 'Claws'? L let me kill this Gunneh and I'll be golden!" Claws snickered and moved to her position behined a rock not so far behined us. Madie and Chamber circled around the convoy as Nathe looked around for any threats, we were in a little trench on the side of the road, it was a bit dark and I could see the light of a campfire from behined the convoy.

"Anything?" Nathe asked.

"Yep, I'm sure" I said as I looked at my E.F.S, and saw a few yellow and red bars from the other side of the convoy, and a yellow bar from Claws' position, probably her.

"Very well, how many are they?.." Nathe asked again.

"I can make out at least ten red bars, and six or seven yellow ones, not sure if there are more" I answered.

"Chamber, Madie... Are you in place? We got company" Nathe said to the helmet-radio.

"We're in position, we have eyes on eighteen enemys, two more are asleep next to a cage that contains three ponies inside, potential hostages" Chamber replied through the radio.

"Roger that, Claws... You got our backs?"

"Sniper rifle set and loaded, ready on yer mark sir" Claws answered.

"Chamber? Madie?" I asked, not knowing if I should take command too.

"Yes sir?" Chamber answered.

"The hostages, what are they doing to them?"

"Wait a second.." Madie's voice was heared, followed by what sounded like two suppressed shots and metalic casing hits the floor. "Sorry, had some... Umm... Technical difficulties... One raider is taking out a hostage as we speak, he just bucked her rear leg... Oh goddesses... They're raping the hostage... I-I can't look..." Madie said, sounded disgusted.

"Please stop! Please!" A mare screamed and cried from the other side of the convoy, a big caravan blocked our vision on the raiders and I was somewhat happy we couldn't see what was happening.

"Scream more bitch!" A stallion said as I heard a whiping sound followed by the mare screaming in pain.

"Mommy!.." A foal screamed.

"Stay there little cunt!" A pshycotic sounding mare laughed out.

"Isn't she cute?" Another stallion said with an equally pshycotic laugh.

"I've got an idea, how 'bout a threesome?" The same pshycotic mare said, I heard wet thumping sound and the hostage mare cried out.

"Finished already huh? Bad girl.." the first stallion laughed out as another whiping sounded.

"Please stop... I'll do anything... Please.." the mare cried out.

"Sir, I can blow his dick off. Can I take the shot?" Claws said, a bolt-action sounded as she said that.

"Take the shot Sergeant." Nathe said, he was disgusted from what we just heard, a loud lightning bolt was shot above me as I heard a stallion scream in pain.

"Now! Find the weapon cache, we'll take care of them" Nathe ordered as he levitated and cocked his assault rifle, checking the load and looking at me.

"Roger that" I said as I ran in a straight line near the convoy, trying to find a weapon cache, the convoy looked alot like a train from the old books, it was connected with metal cables and there were cargo wagons, but it wasn't on a railing..I had to see the locomotive to know how it works, it really bugged me...I heared gunshots and screams from behined me, what made me focus on finding a weapon cache, I worked my way to the first cargo wagon..locked..of course it was locked...even if I knew how to pick the lock, I didn't have the right tools on me, then I remembered I still had my two hoof-grenades on me.

M26 frag grenade, pull the pin and put it a few good meters away, take cover from the shrap and wait approximitly three point five seconds for the explosive component to go off

It was nice that my mind could proccess things like that when I'm in danger, much like with the sniper at Twilight Camp.

I placed the grenade on the ground, and looked around for a place to take cover.

Wings... my mind reminded me... Oh, right... I pulled the pin and took off upwards as fast as I could.

"Fire in the hole!" I screamed as the grenade went off and the explosion teared through my ear drums, I wasn't high enough when I realized shrap peppered my left hindhoof, I cried out in agony, but there was no time for pain, four good ponies will die if I won't move my ass.

I entered the wagon..nothing I look for, I got my left hoof filled with shrap and I'm down to two nades... This is going well... I landed and my left hoof burned with pain, when I looked down it was bleeding from several shrap wounds, no time for a break, focus Gunner... Focus... I moved to the second wagon, limping slightly. I placed down a second nade and pulled the pin, this time I took cover behined the roof of the wagon. the explosion heated the metal wagon and I started to feel my hooves burning.

"Ow!... The metal is really hot!.." I started to dance on the heated metal wagon as I tried to move off of it, my left hindleg feeling like it was on fire by now, I flapped my wings and hovered infront of the blowned open cargo wagon, some crates... A little box with 'Caps' writen on it..but no weapons..

"I'll come back for you later.." I looked at the crates as I moved to the third wagon... My last hoof-grenade... I placed the grenade and pulled the pin, not wanting to repeat my last two mistakes I flew away from the wagon and covered my face with a hoof, the explosion recoiled me back a bit but did no harm, I flew closer to the wagon and saw some crates with the three butterfly marking on them, at least it was medical supplies...

"Great.. Wounded and with no weapon, better off just giving myself up to the raiders" I whispered to myself, I looked at my health status in my PipBuck and saw that my hindleg was badly wounded and I started to lose alot of blood already, after desperatly looking around I saw a glimpse of shining metal buried in the dirt, I tried to dig it out and saw for my surprise a wierd box with a mouth handle and a wierd trigger... It was half covered with blood, was it a weapon? was it even loaded? I looked at my PipBuck once again and saw that it was marked as 'Laser Pistol' in my sorting spell... A laser pistol?! I was told they're nothing more then a fiction!

No matter, I have something else to do instead of thinking about fictional weapons, I placed the pistol inside my sidepack and took off toward the gunshot sounds.

I flew over the wagon and saw a dozen raider ponies hiding behined some barrels and improvised cover, they were in the middle of a shootout with Bravo 4 and I was directly behined them all.

"Time for a laser show fuckers!" I screamed as I took the pistol out of my sidepack with my teeth and fired the laser pistol, it had quite the kick for a gun this size and I ended up firing wildly at the raider's general dircetion, I did managed to hit one of them in the back, he cried out as a burning and smoking hole tore through his upper back and to his chest from the other side, it was gruesome.. .The other raiders splitted up and fired at me, I landed behined a pile of barrels, my left hindleg made me scream again and to fall on my ass.

"Damn it!" I spat the gun from my teeth, my leg thumped in pain as I felt more blood come out of the wounds, it looked horrible... Like a dead and bleeding shrap bush... I took the gun in my teeth again and peaked over my cover, to be greeted by three assaulting raiders, one was holding a machete in his mouth, the second had a battle saddle of his own! And the third levitated an assault rifle with his telekinetic.

"I'm so fucked right now..." I whispered, they looked happy to see me so helpless and surrounded.

"Hello there! Mind if we join and kill you?!" One of them laughed out, did they all had bad humor? The same lightning bolt from earlier teared through the chest of the battle saddle pony as his whole ribcage punctured out of his body like a mess of spike traps.

I threw up in the mixture of disgust and pain, the two raiders were still in shock when another lightning bolt went through the machete raider's head, and from there entered to the side of the last standing raider's chest, making him fall on the ground and bleed heavily.

"Mer-mercy" The dying raider said as I limped toward him, he was coughing blood and his whole hide was covered with his and his friend's blood, I aimed the gun at his head, ready to take the shot but Storm's words struck me.

'It could be me instead of him... I almost WAS instead'

Could I even take the shot?... I would want somepony to end my suffering if I was instead of him...

'You didn't saw the pain... The blood... It was everywhere!'...

"I'm sorry..." I whispered to him as he looked at the sky, his lungs were struggling for air as his eyes rolled upwards, his whole body twitched in pain as he took his last breath and let out a long and relieved sigh, his body went limp and his head rolled to his side... Hope he's in a better place... My gaze wandered to the raider's battle saddle... It was all bloody and poorly maintained... But this would have to do for now, I stripped the body from the battle saddle and then remembered that I still need to pay for Cleaver for the food, I found a hundred Caps total on the bodies and some stuff that Grip might be interested in, mostly garbage, but my PipBuck told me they have a value so I kept them.

It was gross to put on the battle saddle and I struggled not to throw up at every slight move the battle saddle did on my back, making the blood and filth smear all over me, the mouth trigger was all filthy and smelled terrible, I tried to clean it with a piece of cloth I found on one of the raiders, but it still reeked like hell... I limped toward the raiders to help Bravo squad, but when I reached there I saw that Bravo 4 were already looting ammo from the bodies of the raiders.

"Th-thank you! Thank you very much!" a mare's voice stammered from behined me, I turned around and saw her bowing infront of me, a white unicorn with what looked like pink mane, she was so filthy and neglacted I felt my heart flinch.

I haven't done anything... Or did I?... I took a second look on the machete raider and saw that he had a whip tied to the side of his armor, was he one of the raiders who raped her?...

"That's... I'm just happy to help" I replied with a comforting smile, she was shaking and brutally beaten, her body was filled with wounds all over her and it was obvious that she was a slave for a few days now.

"How can I thank you? I have nothing to give you..." she barely said.

"You don't need to do anything, but I think I know a better place for you to stay.." I smiled comfortly, she was a bit concerned about it, after what she have been through I couldn't blame her.

"What do you mean?" The mare asked me with a worried tone.

"How many slaves were they?" I questioned as I entered the radio section on my PipBuck.

"It was me and six others, they raped the others to death, it's now me and my son, his father died years ago... The other pony in the cage died this morning.." she looked at me with widened eyes, she was through enough.

"'Big-Daddy', this is Gunner... I got here two freed slaves, is it alright if I'll bring them with us?" I asked and waited for Storm to answer.

"Roger that, I was notified by Bravo 4 that your mission is accomplished by now, you did great... I ordered another squad to get their hooves on a Vulture, don't know if you heard 'bout them" Strom answered.

"I heard the legends" I chuckled.

"Great, you'll be getting back in one.." Storm said happily "Be ready to bring everything you can from the shipment"

"Thanks, Gunner over and out" I said simply, and then looked at the mare and the little foal who suddenly appeared next to her, probably sneaked over here while I was busy with Storm. "Sounds like you and the little fellow are getting a new home" I smiled at the foal, he was just like his mother, but smaller, with black mane and well... A foal... He tried to hide behined his mother, the sight looked so cute and in the same time so sad, he saw things I can't imagine, he probably saw me killing ponies... At least they'll live peacefully in Twilight Camp.

"You heard that sweetie? This nice stallion here will be helping us!" the mare said to the little foal, he looked at her and nodded slightly.

"If you don't mind.. Can I know your name ma'am?.." I asked politely.

"Oh-oh yes... I'm Buttercup, I was a chef for a little settlement not far from here, until those raiders invaded and destroyed it to the ground" the mare replied.

"I'm so sorry to hear that... And I promise it won't happen again, my name's Gunner by the way, nice to meet you" I told her.

Her gaze trailed to my hindleg, she looked at me with a gasp "Are you alright sir?... That dosen't look good.."

"Oh that?... Don't worry about that, I think I'll live.." I chuckled, I took off the bloodied battle saddle... The foal freaked out from me wearing it.

"Winter Wind... Say thank you for the nice stallion.." Buttercup told the little foal.

"Thank you sir.." The foal squeaked, he was cute.

"No problem buddy, did you ever saw a pegasus?" I asked him as I kneeled down to his eye level.

"No sir.." He stuttered slightly.

"Check this out" I told him as I got back on my hooves and streched my wings upwards, his eyes lit up in excitment as a smile broke on his muzzle.

"Cool!" He said as he walked closer to me.

"That's not all" I said and took off, making a few loops in the air and making the foal laugh in excitment, I touched ground and limped closer to the little foal, he was now smiling and more relaxed.

"That is so cool!" he squeaked again, I couldn't help but chuckle at his cute squeaky voice.

"Uggh... My leg is killing me, the Vulture will be here in ten minutes, I need to help my friends there to load it with supplies, so try to stick around until exctraction arrives" I ordered Buttercup and Winter Wind.

"Not before I patch your leg up, you can't torture yourself like that!" Buttercup insisted, reminding me of Rose.

"I'm fine... I really am" I countered.

"Mommy? Why mister pegasus dosen't want to heal his leg?" Winter Wind asked his mother, at this point I knew I can't do anything against it, I can't stay with an injured leg near a foal...

"Alright, just let me bring the medical supplies.." I sighed.

"No... You did enough, just sit here and wait for me, I'll bring the medical supplies... Winter Wind, stay here with Gunner alright?" Buttercup said.

"Alright mommy" Winter Wind replied.

"Winter Wind?" I asked.

"Yes?" Winter Wind looked at me with his gray eyes, they were just like my eyes.

"Did you ever rode a Vulture?" I asked him, trying to keep him busy until his mother comes back.

"No sir, what's a 'Vluture'?.." he asked, trying to say 'Vulture' but with no success.

"A Vulture is like a caravan, the ones that are behined me?... Just with wings!" I told him, trying to sound as childish as I could.

"Am I going to fly?" He was excited even more then before.

"Yes, isn't that awesome?" I said, making him a ball of eagerness, does foals have capacity of excitement?..what if he'll explode?..

"We're going to meet Luna?.." Winter Wind looked at me, I was a bit confused..is that one of them foal stories?

"I-I think she is busy.." I was unsure about how to react, for him it probably sounded like I wasn't sure about the meeting Luna thing, but I was unsure about how did he knew about her... We were told that the goddesses died two hundred and whatever years ago inside the pink bubbleshield of Canterlot! Buttercup returned with a wooden box levitated behined her.

"Here we go, now sit down and move your injured leg aside so I can examine it" Buttercup said as the crate opened and a few metal yellow boxes were levitated from inside the crate.

"Don't you have a healing potion or something?... A few swig and I'll be good as new!" I muttered, not sure about Buttercup's medical skills.

"I'm afraid there aren't any potions... Only manual healing equipment" Buttercup said in a worried voice.

"Look, I really appreciate your help, but you should rest until the Vulture arrives, we got a medic in our squad anyways, and I bet that they won't send a Vulture without a medical team onboard" I countered, not wanting to be a liability.

"I think that your medical pony is a bit busy with something else.." Buttercup looked behined me with a worried look and pointed with a hoof at Madie, sitting next to what looked like a dead pony.

"I need a Med-X!.." Madie screamed as I limped my way to her, I ignored the pain in my leg and began to run toward her.

"What's happening?.." I cried out as I saw the injured pony, it was Chamber..

"Stay with me goddesses damnit, Com'on Claws! I need a fucking Med-X!" Madie cried, trying to patch Chamber up, he had a gaping hole on his side and his body was smoking.

"Workin' on it!" Claws said as she digged inside a medical crate a few meters away.

"Don't worry 'Chip'... I'll be fine.." Chamber said weakly, he was dying.

"Buckshit! Hang in there, we'll get you fixed up as soon as we're out of here... Help is on the way..." Madie mumbled, trying to heal the giant wound, I don't know nothing about doctoring, but I know that this can't be good, as I walked closer I saw the injury was familliar to what happened to the raider I shot earlier..

"What happened to him?" I asked

"A fucking raider got 'em with a laser weapon, genius.." Claws said while she levitated a syringe next to her and stucked it in Chamber's healthy side, Chamber let out a relieved sigh and his pupils widened from the drug effect, I started worrying that I might have shot him, but after a quick reality check I realized it can't be me, unless this bullets can lock onto from ponies from behined corners.

"Where's that fucking raider?" I asked angrily, wanting to hurt this raider.

"We haven't found him yet, we know he tried to run away after Claws shot his leg with her combat shotgun, he won't go far." Nathe said, walking behined me from nowhere, "Talking 'bout legs, we need to patch up your leg aswell.."

"Don't worry about me, I'll find the fucker..." I muttered and took off, circling around and searching for a still moving raider, I looked at the night filled world and saw the red flare Bravo 4 lit up to signal the Vulture, the campfire where Buttercup and Winter Wind were sitting, and the convoy-train on the middle of the road, some of the cargo wagons were overturned and some were totally destroyed, I finally spotted out a trail of blood leading from where the little battle took place, to a seemingly random direction.

"Better find him before he bleeds out.." I told myself, wanting to know more about this fucked up clan, and to bring him back to Storm, he needs to be punished via justice, not via anger or revenge. I followed the blood trail and touched ground where it ended, there was nothing..like he just disappeared.

I looked around and heared a rustling sound, I turned toward the sound and got hit in the chest, I looked up and saw a raider unicorn swinging a baseball bat for another attack, I raised my forehoof and blocked the baseball bat from hitting me, I used my other forehoof and uppercutted him right in his face, he spat out blood and the baseball bat fell to the floor, I quickly flapped my wings once and bucked him twice with my good hindleg, he grunted in pain and tried to pounce at me..I moved to the left and let him jump and fall on his face, he turned around..panting and defeated as he tried to get up and fell to the ground, looking at me with an angry face.

"Are you done? Looks like you are better with guns then with brawling or swinging bats..." I said sarcasticly, mocking him.

"Fuck off.." he spat more blood.

"Somepony here have a dirty mouth eh? I know the ponies that can help you fix that.." I replied, when I looked at his leg... More of where his leg have been, it wasn't bleeding... On closer inspection it looked like he scroched his stumped leg... I fought my gag-reflex to look more intimidating infront of a pony that I just won with ease...

"What do you want?.." He hissed at me, trying to steady his breath.

"To ask you why." I told him simply.

"Why what?" He hissed again.

"Why you chose to be a raider?" I hissed back.

"'Cuz it's fun!" He laughed out, his laugh turned into a choke.

"Right..." I said as I walked around him.

"What are you doo-urrgghhh!!!" he screamed as I stepped on his stumped leg.

"Still fun being a raider?" I asked with disgust, not enjoying this method one bit.

"Go fuck yourself!." The raider grunted. "If I had my pistol here you'll be dead!"

"Oh... You mean this?..." I asked him as I took out the laser pistol from my sidepack.

"Hey! Gimme it!... It's mine!" the raider barked.

"Yeah, I don't think so..." I replied as I took his filthy leather armor in my teeth and dragged him toward the Outcasts.

"Fuck off from me!" The raider scramed and tried to break free, he tried to buck me with his one good rear leg and his forehooves were scratching against the dirt.

"A'right tha's enouft" I said as I bit even harder against his armor and stretched my wings, I flapped them and took off, the raider started screaming in fear from the thought I might drop him... If he won't stop wiggling it'll happen and not by accident.

"Put me down!" The raider screamed.

"Righft here?... A'right.." I told him as I let my jaw loose a bit.

"What are you doing?" He screamed again in fear.

"You tolfed me to letf you go" I said, freeing my jaw even more.

"Please don't! I don't wanna die!!" He cried out, I released him from my bite and quickly bombed down to hold him again, this time with my hooves.

"Don't do anything stupid or we both are going down." I hissed at him.

"I-I won't... Just don't drop me here please..." He whispered.

I landed next to the campfire and the raider fell on his face, exhausted and scared.

"I see you found him.." Nathe said as he walked toward the campfire, Claws walking behined him.

"Yes, you'll choose what to do with him" I told Nathe and Claws.

"Ohh I'll take real good care of 'em.." Claws hissed as three holes on her robo-hoof opened and a set of three knives quickly appeared, the raider's eyes widened as he tried to crawl backwards, Claws closed the gap with ease and was almost at slicing range.

"Claws... Don't..." I said weakly.

"Ya stay outa this Gunneh, this li'l fucker shot Chambeh!" Claws looked at me with her red robotic eye.

"Don't kill him, not yet... Let's keep the decision for Storm alright?" I tried to calm Claws down, by the look I got from Nathe it's an impossible task.

"Wanna be instead? Wanna taste the knives instead, bitch?" Claws angrily, walking angrily toward me.

"Claws, that's enough" Nathe finally inturrepted.

"Ya can't be serious Nathe! He fucking shot Chamb, remember?! Am ah missing somethin' or ya'll are trying to protect a goddess damned raider?" Claws said, surprised.

"Dead serious soldier, now leave him, that's an order" Nathe frowned.

"Are ya outa yer mind? He is a fucking raider!, he killed Chambeh!" Claws was on the verge of crying.

"What do you mean killed Chamber?" I asked.

"Uh, ah dunno... Maybe Chambeh is dead?!" Claws screamed in anger.

"Wha-what?" I was confused, I looked at where Madie was... She was crying, Chamber stayed motionless... "Oh goddesses..."

"Now ya got it? H e's a fucking murderer!" Claws said, trying to claw the raider's face as he crawled backwards, the tip of her robo-claws did scratched his nose, he quickly held his hoof against his bleeding scratch on his face.

"No-no... Chamber isn't dead" I mumbled.

"Reality calls, he's dead!" Claws said as she levitated her shotgun and blasted the pleading proned raider into pieces, I didn't even tried to stop her... I was mentally shaken "Now this fucker's dead too..." Claws spat on the raider's body remains.

I walked slowly toward Madie, my leg starting to feel pain again, she just whimpered next to Chamber's body.

"I'm sorry.." I said with tears in my eyes.

"Don't be, it's not your fault..." Madie whimpered.

"I-I feel like it's my fault, like I could have prevent it" I whispered.

"You couldn't, if you could prevent it he was still alive..he died a soldier..he maybe borned in the wasteland, but he was a soldier from his first breath, and to his last one... He called me 'Chip' quickly after we became friends.." Madie smirked wryly, rememebering.. "I made those squeakes everytime I got excited, so he used it to laugh at me... We knew each other for years... We were together for a little while, until it became complicated with our squads merging, I'm sorry for all the things I did that got him in trouble... He was more then a friend... He was familiy.." Madie gulped, almost crying.

"It's my fault, I needed to tell Storm to send somepony else, if you had somepony with weapons..." I blinked a tear.

"If he sent somepony else, that sompony wouldn't flank them like you did, the only reason the rest of us survived is due to your little flank-off on them" Madie countered. I didn't said anything after that, we just both looked at Chamber's body, he looked peacefull... He died a soldier...

I heared a loud engine sound coming from the sky, I looked up and saw the Vulture, it was about two cargo wagons stacked up, and it could hover... The Vulture landed and three ponies rushed down from a ramp on the rear of the vehicle.

"Soldier, where's your most ranked officer?" A very army-sounding Earth pony asked me, he was brown and with black mane, it bothered me that alot of ponies in the wastes were with the same kind of color, two other soldiers were behined him.

"I-I guess it's me.." I mumbled.

"Rank?" He asked in his overly confident voice.

"Uhh.." I kept mumbling.

"Just like I thought... I'm Master Sergeant Blade, where's your squad leader? He'll pay for your little joke..." the Earth pony said.

"I am, Colonel Gunner." I busted out my chest a bit and looked at his eyes widening and his whole body started to cringe in fear.

"Col-Colonel Gunner? Sir? I'm so sorry sir.." Blade, the Earth pony, stammered in shame and fear.

"I'll forget this little action of yours, if you'll get this two civillians to saftey as fast as your Vulture can go, plus three more soldiers, one K.I.A soldier and some medical and ammo crates, move it" I said in a commander-ish voice, it felt so wrong..but they knew only this kind of talking.

"Yes sir!" Blade nodded and started moving his squad that counted two more soldiers still inside the Vulture.

"Do you have any healing potions onboard?" I asked, wanting to fix up my leg.

"We have the advanced one sir, is that alright?" One of the unicorn soldiers answered me, levitating a bottle from his sidepack, he had the same outfit that Madie had.

"That'll do, thank you" I said as I took it in my teeth and walked back to Madie.

"How's your leg?" Madie asked, still looking at Chamber lying motionless, rain started falling and my hide quickly became wet and soggy.

"I got my potion, but I wonder something" I said out of curiosity.

"What do you mean? If you're going to try and revive him, it won't happen." Madie said sadly.

"Hold there a minute" I said as I used my hooves to place the bottle in Chamber's muzzle, I opened the bottle and let some of the potion to slug down his throat, the gaping hole in his side glowed slightly and the wound's walls healed for a second.

"What? What just happened?" Madie was surprised just as I am.

"Can you cast a shock spell?" I asked Madie, I thought I was onto something.

"Yes? But how this will help?" Madie answered.

"You'll see, to my countdown, cast a shocking spell on Chamber.." I ordered.

"Three..." You better know what you are doing..

"Two..." Madie's horn glew bright and she clenched her eyes in focus.

"One..." I tilted the bottle to be ready and let Chamber drink more of the potion.

"Now!" I said as Madie let out a shock spell that made Chamber's body to twitch slightly while I poured more potion down his throat. His wound almost closed and it looked like he breathed for a second.

"It didn't worked" Madie whined weakly.

"It did, shock him again" I said, and Madie's horn glew bright again, she casted the spell and Chamber's body twitched again.

"This time do it a bit stronger" I ordered Madie, she repeated the proccess again, Chamber body twitched again but more.

"Don't stop", Madie didn't stopped.

"Once more!" I said, Madie let out a yell and casted a very strong shock that looked like it might burn Chamber's body.

"He's breathing!" Madie declared, everypony around looked at us, I let out a breath I didn't noticed I was holding.

"What happened?" Nathe said as he trotted our way.

"Chamber's breathing!" Madie jumped up and hugged Nathe.

It wasn't clear what confused Nathe more: the fact that Chamber was alive or that Madie hugged him.

"What? How?" Nathe looked at me.

"We were told in anatmoy class that the body reacts to electrical energy, so a mix of a regeneration potion and electrical shocks probably did the job.." I said, rubbing the back of my head with a hoof.

"So you basiclly improvised a defibrillator?" Nathe asked in disbelief, I nodded as a response.

"Whatever you tried, it won't be enough to keep him alive... We need to work fast" one of the Vulture's soldiers said to me.

"So what're we waiting for? take care of him and the two civillians" I ordered calmly.

"Roger that" the same soldier said.

"Where's Buttercup and Winter Wind by the way?" I asked generally, wanting somepony to answer me..not really caring who.

"Who?" Claws asked me back.

"The two freed hostages, where are they?" I started panicking.

"Already in the Vulture sir." The medical pony from the Vulture crew said, I let out a relieved sigh and held a hoof against my chest, feeling my heart racing in panic.

"When are we going to take off?" I asked the medical pony.

"I dunno sir, ten minutes I guess?" he replied nervously.

"Alright, thank you" I grinned warmly, not wanting to make him nervous.

The medical pony wrote something on a clipboard he levitated beside him this whole time, I haven't even noticed the clipboard or his glowing horn... Wait... He had no horn!.. Apperantly he wasn't a unicorn!

"Umm, sir? Are you alright?" He asked me, seeing my confusion beyoned my eyes.

I shook my head and returned back to Equestria from my thinking cloud. "My leg, the pain's killing me.." I mumbled, still wondering how he wasn't a unicorn...

"Lemme fix that" he took out a potion's bottle from his medical sidepack and gave it to me.

I drank the potion and looked at the medical pony. "I have a question.." I said with an unsure tone.

"Yes?" He replied, looking at me with his green eyes.

"It's... You're not a unicorn, are you?" I asked.

He laughed heartly, wiping sweat from his forehead and taking off his helmet, revealing his horn-less head. "Yup, half of us aren't, Magical HUD helmet, everypony has it, but the non-unicorn are using a different one"

"How's that working?" I wondered out loud.

"I don't really know, but when you connect to the HUD, you can just levitate stuff..." he told me.

"That sound so alien-ish" I said, still confused.

He laughed again and placed the helmet back on his head, a long beep sounded and his eye-terminal thingy lit up, he walked back to the Vulture and sorted some crates into a built-in ones inside the Vulture.

"All pony personal please enter the Vulture now, take off in one minute" a soldier declared from inside the cockpit.

"..Let's go.." I whispered to myself and walked inside the Vulture, it was a corridor-like room with seats in both sides, some lockers for gear and weapons, and built-in storage crates with markings on them, some had the three butterflies and some had that Steel Ranger symbol, the three gears with a winged horn.

I sat in one of the seats and saw that it could hold twelve or so ponies in the transport room, we were fifteen including the pilot and co-pilot, so two of us had to stand up or to wait here... Not gonna happen.

"I'll fly after you, there are'nt enough seats for everypony" I told to Bravo 4.

"You ain't serious Gunner, you flew all the way here and took some hits. You need to rest until we reach Twilight Camp" Nathe countered.

"I don't see any other pegasi here Nathe, and I doubt that somepony here is eager to wait here until the Vulture comes back to rescue him" I hissed lightly.

"We didn't risked our lives three days ago just to get you killed now Gunner, you said you'll be under my command for this mission, until we're back at Twilight Camp you're still under my command soldier!" Nathe raised his voice.

I huffed my mane over my face and looked with a discontented espression at Nathe.

"Good, now where's your squad leader soldier?" Nathe asked one of the Vulture soldiers, the soldier was cleaning a mag of a DMR that was holstered on his back.

"Master Sergeant Blade? He's right there sir" the soldier said, pointing with a hoof at the brown Earth pony who was talking with another soldier at the other side of the Vulture's transport room.

"Master Sergeant Blade.." Nathe asked a touched disgusted.

"Who's asking?.." Blade turned around, "Oh, Sergeant Nathe... Been a while" Blade addressed Nathe.

"It's Sergeant Major Nathe, and I take command over your crew until we reach Twilight Camp" Nathe looked smug, they knew each other? and why the ranks were so important for them? Maybe a friendly competition?

"Sorry Nathey, you don't have permission for that.." Blade chuckled, well... That confirmes it's not a 'friendly' competition..

"Cut the shit, you know I do" Nathe frowned, Blade looked surprisngly calm.

"You know you don't, Commander Sky Fighter sent me, your Commander have no right to interrupt his actions" Blade smiled a devilish smile.

"Sky Fighter? This is the NORTH Blade, Storm has the control of this part of Equestria, not Sky Fighter" Nathe sounded surprised.

"Not anymore, those Nightmare Moon Clan pushed your fight to our borders, we're now taking over the control of the north" Blade looked smug.

"You don't have a single fucking right Blade.." Nathe hissed.

"Oh... I don't, Sky Figher does.." Blade smirked.

"Gunner? This is Storm, what's your ETA?.." Storm's voice came out of my PipBuck, cutting my attention from Nathe and Blade.

"We're about to take off, we'll be at the camp in fifteen minutes top" I said into my PipBuck.

"Roger that, see me as soon as you're here"

I sat down on a seat and buckled up, I looked around and started to look for Buttercup and Winter Wind, my gaze finally fell on Buttercup hugging Winter Wind, he was asleep, and Buttercup looked like she talked to him..no..she sang to him..a tear formed in my eye, it reminded me that not everypony out here is bad, some are still trying to survive without harming others...suddenly the same engine sound started but this time alot stronger, everything shook and we were airborne.

"Everypony please take a seat and wait until we reach our destination, ETA ten to fifteen minutes" a voice came out from a speaker above me, there were several scattered in the transport room of the Vulture. I looked up at the metal ceiling and my thoughts wandered...a song that my uncle once sang to me popped in my mind.

Take a deep breath... And then let go...

..life may not be what you knew..

There is the will inside your heart..

..so your decisions will always feel right..

A flame can be extinguished..

..but you can fight to keep it..

I mouthed the lyrics and rememberd my uncle, he was a good pony... The depression took him... Enough self-pity, he died and I can't do anything to bring him back... My mind slowly wandered to darker places, but this time I couldn't shake it off, I decided to rest instead of letting my mind to slowly destroy me from the inside out, I closed my eyes and fell asleep.

"Gunner?.." Buttercup asked me, I opened my eyes and saw her standing infront of me, we already landed at Twilight Camp and everypony around were unpacking supplies.

"Yeah, I'm awake.." I said with a yawn.

"You PipBuck clicked a few minutes ago... Just thought I'd tell you" Buttercup told me, Winter Wind stood behined her and looked at me.

"Thank you, but you'll need to talk with the Commander about a place to stay, I'm already heading to his office, and he knows me..so I'll be happy to help you" I smiled and unbuckled myself from the seat, Winter Wind jumped and hugged me, I was surprised for a second and then hugged him back.

"Thank you sir.." he squeaked.

"Happy to help, and you can call me Gunner" I smiled and kneeled to his eye level, he was pretty small though.

"Thank you Gunner.." He fixed himself.

I laughed and played with his mane with a hoof, he chuckled and hugged me again.

"That's enough Winter Wind" Buttercup chuckled, seeing he is overewhelming me.

"It's alright, I promised him a flight, so I'll need to let him feel comfortable on my back" I smiled and set a wing down to let him climb on me, he jumped quickly ontop of me, I looked at him lying on my back, and a pair of wings were on his sides..but..wasn't he a unicorn?..I was confused...

"Do you have wings?" I asked in surprise..

"Wings?" Buttercup looked surprised just as me.

"I woke up with them a few days ago... But I wanted to keep it as a surprise.." Winter Wind jumped off me and glided with his wings to the ground. He really did surprised us..

"Don't tell me it's a radiation mutation..." Buttercup whispered

"They look a bit diffrenet then a pegasi's wings, but those are healthy wings.." I pondered out loud, then raised my PipBuck hoof closer to Winter Wind, no radiation signs.."They aren't a mutation... He's an Alicorn..." I whispered. Next Chapter: Chapter 5 - Hour Of The Wolf Estimated time remaining: 2 Hours, 29 Minutes