Running. That's all the five of us-me, Mag, Loki, Luna, and Azure-had been doing for the past week, avoiding patrols from the solar guard, as well as a few lunar guards, but a few lunar guard patrols were made up of those Luna had told the truth about me, and gave us supplied. Still, we were deep in the Everfree, with night coming at Celestia's call.

"Looks like she's doing your job again, Luna," I said as we stopped in a clearing to catch our breath.

"At least the cycles can continue," Luna said. "Shame, though, that she is as stubborn as ever once she believes something is a threat to Equestria."

"Apparently," Mag said, her helmet retracted to reveal her face. "You know, knowing what I know now, I can't believe I idolized her."

"Perfection is something everyone wants," I said, my helmet still up. "She advertised it, people came clambering for it, and she tried to maintain that illusion, when I can say from personal experience that she was nowhere near her definition of perfect. Closer to mine, actually."

"Really?" Azure asked. "What constitutes perfect for you, Excalibur?"

"Someone or something that can live with their faults," I said. "They know they aren't perfect, but live with it anyway."

"Noted on that," Loki said. "So, anyone got an idea for a base locale or something? Nearly out of supplies."

"No place would work," Luna said. "My sister can see everything the sun sees, and our sister, the alicorn of the land-she prefers to hide, which is why almost none know of her- keeps her informed of what's underground."

"So the only safe place is in space?" I asked, unintentionally rhyming as I did so. The lunar alicorn nodded. "Great. No way to get up there, even if we had a way to build."

I think this is where I come in, Harmony said, making each of us, even Azure, I noted, jump a little.

"Harmony, what the hell?" I asked. "Nearly scared us shitless."

My apologies, she said. But I have a way to help. Simply continue moving north. You'll know it when you see it, Excalibur.

"Yeah, yeah," I said before looking at the others. "You guys ready for another walk?"

"I think we can manage for a little while longer," Loki said. "Well, I know I can, anyway."

"Same here," Azure said.

"Alicorns are able to run for a long time without stopping, so a little walk shouldn't hurt," Luna said.

"Good thing I was working on my endurance before Celestia forced us to flee," Mag said.

"Then let's go," I said, and we continued walking, this time in the direction Harmony had directed us. After ten minutes, we came to a large clearing, and what I saw surprised me. "What the fuck?" I mouthed to myself as I saw giant, horseshoe crab shaped vehicles, each with a differing color scheme. Still, I knew it well. "Harmony, how the fuck did you get Lisets?"

I have my sources, Harmony said. And don't worry, Azure, Luna, there's more then enough room for you two to ride with another.

"Yeah, she isn't kidding," I said as I walked toward the nearest Liset, the color scheme matching mine exactly, in terms of the primary, secondary, so on-blue, red, purple, yellow, and green, in order of selection, from primary to energy color. One was near entirely black with green engine color and green secondary and accents, so probably Loki's. The last of the three, each of which hovering off the ground, flaps out, was colored lavender with dark purple as the secondary, fuchsia as the tertiary and purple as the engine color. "I'm sure you guys know which one is yours," I said as I went under my Liset, with the under side turning to reveal the slot where the frames deploy from and go in at the end of a mission, which allowed for a gravity field to envelop me, and deposit me in the cylinder, which turned to where the slot was inside the ship.

Inside, there was a large enough space for me to stand up, as well as a small, and I do mean small, passageway, which I followed, which led to me exiting just in front of the door to the somatic link room. Odd that it's still here. Anyway, I made my way to the main area, where the armory, foundry, mod station, and the incubator were. Too bad I don't have a Kubrow egg. Anyway, I checked the foundy to see if Harmony had given anything else with the Lisets. Boy, did she. I saw numerous weapons, melee and ranged, Specter blueprints of each level, and even alternate helmet blueprints for my frame. Jeez, should I look at my supplies? Yeah, fuck it. I used my HUD to look at my components and I had ninety thousand-at least- of each material. "Well, I guess I could use a new blade," I said as I selected a weapon blueprint, and it began to build. "Wouldn't hurt for a new look, either," I muttered, going over to the armory, which activated automatically upon me reaching it, with the usual screen showing up on my HUD.

"Okay, add Edo shoulder and legs plates, as well as chest piece," I muttered, with the armory putting them on from digital storage.(1) What can I say, I like the look of those. Yeah, fuck it, a cape, too. "Imperator."

The cape appeared on my back, the colors matching my frame. "Nice feel," I said, then I made my way to the front, the ramp lowering as I approached it, and made my way to what was the cockpit of the ship, which was a small room with a large window in the front, and an area in the middle for the pilot to sit and choose the destination. I did so, and five orbs showed up, one being this planet, which, by the way, was designated Equis. "Uh, Harmony?"

Points of interest in the system, Harmony replied as one orb began to pulse. Including your new base.

"Okay, then," I said. "The others in their Lisets?"

Luna and Azure are having trouble being in them, but yes, they are all in.

"Then link them to my Liset, and set the thing as a destination," I said.

Why should I, Excalibur? I mean, I'm the one who recruited you.

"Because I need to set some stuff to build, and I have no idea how to pilot this thing," I said. "It's A.I. controlled for the most part, anyway."

There is one, it is simply taking time to activate, Harmony said. Still, I suppose that last one is a fair point. And when you arrive, there will be others there, just so you know.

"Noted," I said. And it was, with that, the Lisets rose above the forest, pointed upwards towards the sky, and took off.

Thirty minutes later

I had just finished setting a cosmic level specter set to build, which would award just one, but I had also set a force and phase level one to build, giving three and five, respectively, when Harmony said, You're nearing your new base, everyone. Also, the A.I that will be the actual pilots should be coming online in three. . .two. . .one, and-

"Systems operational," a voice said, emanating from all around me. The voice itself was male-it wasn't Ordis, before you ask- with out a discernible accent, but it did have a, and forgive me if this is offensively stereotypical, British butler air to it, like some incarnations of Alfred from Batman, as an example. "Please assign designation."

Huh, Okay, what will I call it. Not Alfred, that'd be a little cliche, I think. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Got it. "Designation will be Forge." Named after one of my favorite game characters.

"Designation accepted. Hello, Operator. It is a pleasure to meet you."

"You too, Forge," I said. "You connected with the other Lisets?"

"Affimrative," Forge replied. "Cephalon for Tenno Mist has been designated Carapacia, while Cephalon for Tenno Sparkle has been designated Barb."

"I'm guessing they had female voices then," I said. "Fair enough, I guess. So, how much longer until we reach our destination?"

"A minute, Operator," he replied. "I suggest you prepare to board."

"Copy that," I said as i made my way to the deployment cylinder. I call it that because it is a cylinder, plain and simple. I then activated my radio, and said, "Mag, Loki, you guys good?"

"A little confused, considering the talking ship," Mag said, "but good. Luna actually jumped and hit the ceiling when Barb spoke."

"Noted," I said. "Oh, and once we get where we're going, we'll stop using our Tenno names for the time."

"So what are we going to call you, Ex?" Loki asked.

"My previous name," I said. "Josh. Plain and simple."

"Okay, then," Mag said as I set down into the cylinder, and grabbed the handles as a gravity field kept my legs restrained, waiting for it to turn, which it did a few seconds later, showing that I was vertical, and could just step off, and, I swear I'm not kidding, the entrance to a relay. I stepped out, and saw Mist's coming in to my left, Twilight's to my right, as I retracted my helmet.

"I'm not going to ask, and assume magic bullshit," I muttered as Azure and Luna came out of the Lisets, noticeably a little shocked, I imagine because they were in space. "You two okay?" I asked.

"Just at a loss for words," Azure said as the two mares looked at me. "Huh. You know, I wondered what you looked like under that helmet."

"Agreed," Luna said as Twilight and Mist, not with their frames on, I want to point out, came out of the Lisets.

"By the queens," Mist said as Twilight simply stared slackjawed.

"And this is a small one," I noted to myself, as there were only enough Liset docks for twenty eight.(2) Oddly, four were occupied when there are only three Tenno. Okay, then.

"I'm not seeing a directory," Mist said.

"Then perhaps I can help," a voice said that made Luna jump and Twilight go Mag. We all looked toward the ramp that led to the entrance bridge. Yeah. The one we saw was Nightmare Moon, wearing the outfit those people at the relays wear, though the colors being black with purple accents. Yeah, can't say I didn't raise my Lato at her as Twi gathered energy in her palms for crush.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" I asked.

I am the reason she's here, Harmony said. Honestly, Excalibur, I figured you of all would have tried to give her a chance.

Yeah, but this isn't the fucking Nightmare universe!

Yes, well, she is here because this version of her simply wanted recognition, and by helping me in the relay, she's able to do that and not make ponies run in fear of her.

And can she be trusted?

She has no magic but one to allow her to breath in space should a rupture happen, and she shouldn't need that because of her helmet, which allows me to track her, as well as the technical operators.

"You do realize we can hear her too, you know?" Mist asked, one of the few who was calm here.

"Yep," I replied. "And before you guys ask, the Nightmare universe is something I saw during a meditation where Nightmare beat Celestia and the ponies were actually happy with it." With that, I put the Lato on my thigh. "Still, I know I'm not the only one wondering how you're here, Nightmare."

I managed to save a piece of her essence as the Elements, as some like Excalibur would say, made her taste the rainbow. It took a while to calm her down and explain everything to her, but, when I proposed she help me here at the relay, and help ponies, even if indirectly, she took it. That's the short version, I have other things that stop me from telling the long version of it. Now, if you all will excuse me, I need to handle one of said things.

"You know, she's more cryptic than Celestia can be," Twilight said.

"You're telling me," Luna and Nightmare said at the same time, making the two look at each other with a slight glare, getting a chuckle from me.

"Can you two try to argue and have a comical fight later?" I asked before adding in a mutter, "which, if the cliche holds true, will you you two in bed with one another."

Either they didn't hear that, or just didn't care, as Nightmare said, "In that case, I'll show you where the personal quarters are."

"Thanks," I said as she turned, and began to walk, and we followed, with Twilight having her frame go to her back, which is where the reactor had been placed. I definitely saw some anger there, so I decided to slow down and stay back with her as we walked.

"Don't trust Harmony?" I asked.

"No, it's Nightmare I don't trust," she replied. "Don't tell me you do."

"Hey, I've killed an entire group of ponies just for being rapists. I'm not the best judge of character when it comes to this," I said. "But I trust Harmony. She did give me a new life- a second chance-after all."

"What do you mean?" Twilight asked.

"Let's juts say I didn't leave my world the way I thought I would, and leave it at that," I said. "What do you say we at least give her a chance because Harmony trusts her?"

"I guess," Twilight said, crossing her arms. "Still gonna keep an eye on her though." A few seconds of silence passed before she spoke again. "So um, did you see that fourth ship?"

"You too? Yeah, I was wondering about that. Wonder who it belongs to."

"If you two are wondering as to who that fourth Liset is owned by," Nightmare said from in front of us, "she's waiting in the sleeping area for you. And we heard your remark, Excalibur."

"Yeah, yeah, sorry," I said. Not. It's my thoughts on what'll happen.

Anyway, it was five more minutes until we reached our destination, and, to our surprise, meaning mine, Twi's, and Mist's, we saw a familiar brown mare with a yellow bandanna, Talons on her thighs and wearing the same outfit we had met her in. "Hey, guys," Mesa. "Been a while, hasn't it?"

"Mesa?" Mist asked. "Wht are you doing here?"

"And just who is she?" Azure asked her lover. Is that a jealous undertone I heard?

"I'm the one the three met when they went to the western border," Mesa said. "And don't worry, I haven't made any moves on him, nor him on me. Hell, haven't seen them since I first met them. As for why I'm here?" She shrugged. "Ever one of Harmony's non-alicorn agents come here from time to time to exchange intel and to relax. Though, I do have another reason," she said before she did an action that caused me to faceplam.

"Of course," I said as Mesa began to climb over Mesa, the color being the default colors. Doesn't look like I'll need the WF after all. "Somehow, that doesn't surprise me."

"Yeah, well, can't really say the same for the others," she said, shrugging before taking the Talons, and tossing them to Mist. "Here, Mist. Don't need 'em anymore." Indeed, on her thighs were the Aklex, while, on her back, was a Tigris Shotgun and Redeemer blade/shotgun combo for her melee. Never used that one, myself. "I like using my own weapons."

"If you say so," Mist replied as he held the Talons, and an alarm began to beep, making me facepalm again.

"I fucking hate the universe right now," I said. "Let me guess, Ponyville?"

"Yep," Nightmare said as a datapad appeare dout of thin air, and she actually paled. "Oh no."

"What?" Twilight asked, worried for the others.

"It's the dragons," Nightmare said. "They're attacking."

Author's Notes:

1:Yeah, it's never really clear how that works, but another fic I read that's a Warframe/MLP crossover used something along these lines to explain that.
2:Inaros is not going to be in here, simply because he is not available to console players, and thus, I can't very well do much in terms of how to introduce him. Plus, I find a warframe that controls sand to be stupid in concept. For Atlas, before you cite him, there is rock in just about every environment the Tenno are in, even if it's miniscule, and Frost uses the water in the air for his abilities.
Also, can you guys help me out? I need tips on how to solo Vay Hek with a Braton, rank thirty, an Excalibur fully ranked and overcharged, and Broken-War. I play on Xbox one, so if you guys are willing to help me out, that can be done too if you play on it as well. Just note that family settings don't allow for me to talk with any not on my friend list, and the only way for me to fix that at this point is to make a new account.
And up next: Archwing badassery!