Back on the train, Willow Wisp asked me a rather sensitive question. Not the best way to probably approach the stallion you love, but it was her that actually asked to talk to me in private to began with. We spent the time we spent chatting amongst ourselves, and it went rather well until she asked me about my darkest secret. She followed it up by emitting she loved me, and I said the same the same to her. Than Willow said that if we were going to be together, we might as well get our biggest secret out of the way. I didn’t like it, but I had to admit that if I didn’t tell her things weren’t going to be the same.

“I’m sure you heard me talk about Stable 15 and how it was attacked by an Ursa Major right?” I asked her, and she nodded in response. “Well, that was a lie. An Ursa Major didn’t kill everypony in Stable 15.”

“Then what did?” She asked in response, tilting her head in wonder. “Surely it had to be raiders or something like that. I have to admit that an Ursa Major definitely seemed rather suspicious considering I’ve never seen one myself - trust me I’ve seen many things - but I wasn’t going to ask her. The only other thing that could have opened the stable door was somepony from the inside, and I doubt-”

I didn’t see her look at me, but I was looking away at the time she stopped talking. She didn’t need to say another word to tell me where that previous statement was going. I hid the tear going down my face, not wishing to reveal the softer side of me to her. I opened my mouth to explain, but for the first couple seconds couldn’t find a way to. Finally I glanced at Willow Wisp, and the look on her face told me she had figured out what I meant. I grinned my teeth against each other for a couple seconds before finally finding the words.

“The only ponies in Stable 15 who knew about me being part ghoul was my parents,” I explained to her. “My father didn’t look at me like I was his son, but my mother was one of the only kind souls I had ever seen. To say the least, I was an outcast compared to the rest of the stable. Different, peculiar, socially awkward. The only thing that kept anypony from find out out who I was really is that now long gone stable suit. It made ponies at least partially except me, but even then I was the odd one out.

“Then one day, on my birthday as you know, the scientists in the stable came to us, my dad behind behind them. They wanted me, tried to take me away. I didn’t know it, but they wanted to dissect me - want to kill me - and use my body for Celestia knows what. My mom stood in their way, and my dad got fucking mad. Next thing I know he takes out a pistol and aims it at me. I remember closing my eyes as the shot rung out, and when I opened them…”

I didn’t continue, now suddenly aware of the stream of tears going down my face. Great, I was the stallion crying in front of the mare like a little foal, something I vowed to never do. I couldn’t hide out now, and I faced her completely to see the concern on her face. Her eyes were wide with worry, and mouth slightly open as if trying to muster a gasp. I once again looked for the right words to continue, my pupils darting to the wooden floor of the train as I found them.

“I opened my eyes to my mother on the floor, my father putting a bullet through her stomach,” I managed to say, “He was pissed and blamed me for it because I didn’t cooperate, and the went on to say everything is my fault. As for myself, I was dumbstruck over my mother's death, and hearing my dad blame my mom's death on me was infuriating. My shock turned to anger, and I darted at the bastard. Managing to get through the scientist’s that blocked me and rushed my dad. I so clearly remember grabbing his pistol aiming it at him...” I looked to Willow Wisp before I finished, “... and firing that gun at him in uncontrolled anger.”

“You killed your own dad?!” Willow Wisp shouted at me, her face stuck between confusion and astonishment.

“Do you think I had a choice?!” My reply came across a lot harsh than I meant, and I immediately calmed down as I wiped the tears off my radiated face. “He was going to kill me! That motherfucker wanted me dead from the start, and he admitted it after killing my mother. He killed his own goddess damn wife!” I stared at her with wide eyes, the horrors of that day coming back. “Of course, the biggest crime is what started after that, as I bet you can imagine. We went through a similar situation during our time in Stable 33.”

“I don’t know what you mean?” I was slightly surprised that Willow Wisp was so calm about this, but part of me believes she’s seen so much death it doesn’t really affect her.

“First, I want to say that after my dad, I killed the scientists,” I explained. “They were going to kill me just like my dad, and I didn’t give any sympathy for what I did. It was at that moment - when I killed my father and the scientists - that I came to a realization I’m sure is true. My mother was the only one in the stable who actually cared about me, something I had been thinking for a long time. Nobody cared about the little half-ghoul in Stable 15. He could die for all they cared for, but I wasn’t going to let them.

“If there was any solace, it was that my mother had taught how to shoot. She was a security mare, and when those alarms inside the stable went off everypony was after me. I wanted to believe somepony would come to my rescue, but everypony I saw immediately opened fire on me. I did the only I could to survive: I ran to the exit and kill any pony who dared come after me. I didn’t make it to the stable door before things in the stable went quiet, or as quiet as it could. I stood there for a few minutes, and nobody showed up. I can only think that means I killed everypony in stable 15. That day… was the day I earned my cutie mark. More of a curse than anything, and a reminder of the greatest mistake I had ever made.”

I was expecting Willow Wisp to get angry at me, slap me like every mare seems to when I say something bad. What I got instead was a surprise hug from the alicorn, the edges of her burnt wings scratching my back slightly. To say I was shocked was an understatement. In fact, I don’t think there is a word to describe the feeling I had, but fuck what I embarrassed. My face turned as red as roses while Willow Wisp hugged me like I was a teddy bear. It was comforting, but that wasn’t where my mind was at the moment.

“You're not... angry at me?” I asked as calm as I could.

“As much as I can’t believe you killed your father, you didn’t really have a choice.” She responded. “Isn’t it common behavior for a pony to want to live? They were going to kill you, and no matter how bad that is you really had no choice. Most ponies would have done the same in this day and age, so don’t act like you are worse than Dread,” She stopped hugging me and sat in a way where she was brushing the side of my body. “I’m responsible for more deaths than you’ve ever cause, that’s for sure. At least you told me the truth in the end, and I could see why you would make up a lie such as that. It does make a little sense that you did it anyways, considering you're the last pony from the stable alive.”

“You’re right about that,” I said with a nod to no one in particular, before turning to Willow Wisp with a generous smile. “I don’t think any secret you can have is worse than mine. In fact I already know the darkest secret you have considering we’ve met Dread. I understand if my secret keeps you from wanting to be with me.”

“Don’t worry Sharpy,” She said both her hooves messing with me dissipating mane. I felt my eye twitch at the nickname she had just given me “I’m honestly kinda glad were similar, and as I said your father gave you no choice. I guess that’s the way our life has been: they’ve spiraled out of control, made us kill more ponies they should have ever died, and we both have long lives ahead of us. I mean, neither of us know how long ghoul's live, but considering there are still many from before the war alive it’s fair to say you aren’t going away anytime soon.

“Besides, your not all that bad when you look over that stubbornness and brutal honest you tend to have. I heard what you said back at Misty Moon Apartments, and I have to say I’m rather touched despite you having been such an ass up to that point,” I could feel my dead, flaking skin suddenly exploded with color as I blushed. “Not only that, but you actually saved me instead of leaving me to turn into one of those things back in Stable 33. It wasn’t until then that something in me just… clicked I believed is the right word. I… I g-guess what I’m trying to say is that when this is over-”

“SURE!” My mouth seemed to move before my mind could even register what I was saying. Once it did it took me only a few seconds to realize what I was possible doing wrong. “No, I mean… well I assume, er, you were going to ask me out on a date. I-I mean if I’m wrong then… ummmmmm.”

I could hear her giggling at my inability to produce proper words, and looked away unsure off how to continue. She jumped at me, squishing me against the side of the with her strength. Her muzzle brushed against my ear as I sat their stoic, taking everything in as I looked at her. Before I could ask what she was doing I found herself literally sitting in my lap, and one look at her face showed just how much taller she was. Another of my heads could have been on top of me and I still wouldn’t have been as tall as her. I blinked twice not because of how tall she was, but because I still in the midst of registering everything that was going on.

“So… I’m guess that’s a yes?”

“Sharpy?” I was awoken from my flashback to the face of my now proclaimed ‘fillyfriend’ staring at me with worry. “You okay?

“Oh, sorry Willow,” I said rubbing the back of my neck as I looked around the ruined structure we we're using as cover. It was then I realized we were the only two in the building, compared to when I last checked.

When we had left Golden Oaks, we had decided to use a small and battered bakery as our base. The inside was a complete mess, pots and pans along the floor along with many empty boxes of cake batter. Of course, considering the crazy maniacal pony who once lived here and her baking skills nopony could deny this was Sugarcube Corner. Sadly, it’s condition would make you believe that a megaspell had actually touched down here. The only thing protesting to that was the numerous buildings still stand, and considering how No Mare’s Land looked it’s fair to say this place was slightly saved of tragedy.

“Where is everyone else?” I asked, feeling rather stupid that I had to in the first place.

“There following are plan remember?” She asked, and I shook my head. Willow let out a sigh before explaining. “We found some of those Steel Ranger soldiers and we had everyone set up to take them down head on. You were already sucked into your little fantasy before this but Dead Hooves… volunteered to be the bait.”

Oh for fuck sake Dead Hooves. I just pulled your ass out of the fire and you're hopping right back in! I was literally growling in anger at that news coming to my attention. I was very much aware of the shit that Dead Hooves had pulled in the past and the careless decisions she had made. I could understand wanting to prove you're tough, but when you're wanted for being a criminal heading towards the ponies who want you dead is idiotic. She was lucky I didn’t decided to give her a lecture back at Golden Oaks, but after this I would want I really good explanation.

“Please tell me you at least tried to stop her?” I asked, the frustration I felt showing clear in my voice.

“I did, but she didn’t listen,” Willow answered, ears falling to the sides of her head. “She said that the only pony who would get the attention of the Rangers was herself, and it’s hard to argue with the truth.”

“Might I suggest next time that you just block the fucking door?!” I shouted at her, anxiety building up inside myself.

“Well I would have but… I don’t want to make her angry,” Willow Wisp’s head fell as she explain her reason, to which I realized exactly what part of her I was dealing with. “I’ve gotten hurt before by making ponies angry, and I don’t want that to happen again.”

It was at that moment all the anger in me retreated, and I noticed that part of her that I knew even Dead Hooves hated to see. Willow Wisp tried so hard to be happy, but not even the most confident smile hid the suffering I knew she had endured. Those haunting images of the first time I saw her came back, my ego had gotten the better of me. Seeing the pegasus before me sleeping on Dead Hooves back covered in bloody bandages, it gave me an idea of what her life had been like. She was a slave before all of this, the only true thing she must have known was fear. That very fear was still present, even though she had become an alicorn that same scared pegasus was just as present.

“You’re talking like you're still a slave,” I told her, hoping to make Willow realize she had no reason to be scared.

“Am I not still a slave?” She asked me, looking to the burnt feathers on her wings. “I’ve spent most of my life - nine years to be exact - working for a pony who want to kill for a reason I can’t even think is justified,” She looked back to me, and I could feel my heart twisting as I looked into them. “I was beaten and even sometimes starved by the master I had, and I did his bidding in fear of dying or abuse. I cleaned up every mess, took every blame, and earned a name that more describes myself then Dread. When this is over, he’ll take me back, and I will be his slave once again.”

“And you think Dead Hooves of all ponies is going to let him do that?” I countered, “You think any of us are going to let Dread take you back? I didn’t have a reason to hate him before, but now that I have you there's a reason for me to want him dead on the floor,” I took her hoof in mine and held it to my chest. “I don’t care what you once were, or what he did. You want to know how much hell my life has been since leaving stable 15? It’s hell to the point where I have subconsciously eyed every skull knowing one day I will likely be one of them. Meeting Stitch, Dead Hooves, and you are the only good things that have come out of this place,” I could see tears falling from her face, and I took it at a sign I was helping. With that in mind I tightened my grasp on her hoof, eyes locked on hers. “You are not a slave, and if I don’t get the message across then Dead Hooves will.”

We fell quiet rather quickly, and I swear I could hear crickets suddenly chirping outside. It only made the situation even more awkward, and considering the only other sound was the shuffling of hooves, that was saying something. My mind went back to Dead Hooves, feeling stupid just standing here while she had the possibility of getting shot in the ass. I finally looked to the Gryphon Switchshot, my ‘present’ from Dread. I grab it, and check the two magazines two make sure they were full. I was a good shot, but haven’t the reassurance at close range was going to be nice.

“Be ready” I suddenly heard a voice come at me from nowhere. Before I could even began to figure out what it was, I heard a shot.

Bang!

The sound told me multiple things, but the biggest one was who I knew the target was. Without thinking twice I grabbed the Switchshot and ran out of the old kitchen that we had been in. Then I heard another gunshot, and then another as I ran down the hall of the old bakery before a barrage of sounds came to my ears. The shots gave me more hope that Dead Hooves had gotten out unscathed, but I couldn’t be sure unless I was there. I looked behind myself to see Willow Wisp holding the sharp sickle that Dread had given her. I motioned for her to follow behind me as I opened the door, the sound of shots getting much clearer as I did.

“Stay behind me!” I called to Willow, turning to face her. “I don’t want you rushing in like a certain idiot unicorn. If anyone comes up behind us, I’m leaving them to you. Now lets-”

I turned around and was left shocked as I saw a pony in Enclave power armor break the handle on the door. She looked at me for a quick second before slamming the door closed, hitting the end of my muzzle. The sudden pain forced me backwards, Willow Wisp catching me as I was about to fall on my back. What pain there had been quickly subsided as I got back on my hooves and eyed the door in front of us. I had no idea who that pony was, but she was going to have to do more that to keep me down.

I know I had just told Willow Wisp to be not be reckless, but the chances of that pony blocking the door felt rather good. Without thinking I charged forward angling myself just enough to hit the door with me shoulder instead of my muzzle. In mere second I collided with the door, only to feel it vibrate against my body. It wasn't that the pony was blocking it with her weight, the door was jammed! How? I checked when we enter the building earlier and there was no lock on that door. Not that it mattered sense-

“I know the counter for the bakery is unlocked, but before you do anything I want you to listen,” A voice came from the other side of the door, most likely belonging to the pony. “I’m on your side, but if you want to get out of this situation alive than use the upper floor as a vantage point to shoot. Your friends will be pulling back over here in a few minutes. From the ground it’s useless trying to break power armor unless you got a rocket or something similar.”

“How the hell are you?” Was my response as I whacked the door with my hoof. “What business do you have helping us?”

“The name’s Amethyst, and my reason for being here doesn’t matter to you right now,” She quipped. “Now, I will say it again. Get to the roof of the bakery right now! Willow Wisp will be fine inside the shop as long as they don’t spot you,” There was a pause in the conversation before this Amethyst pony. “Hope you’ve learned a thing or two Sharpshot, an old friend wishes to see you again.”

Amethyst… wait, wasn’t that one of the ponies on the recording back in Misty Moon Appartment? I remember hearing the recording play from the other room, and one look at the tape could tell you it was rather old. If I had to guess, that recording was Twenty years old, before Las Pegasus was hit by Nebula One. No way that could be the same pony unless… unless they were a ghoul. Did the other pony mentioned in the recording survive was unknown, but just knowing that gave me a gut feeling I could trust this pony. I had no time to think about who this friend was she mentioned, I had a fight to join.

“I sure hope your right Amethyst,” I replied as I turned to Willow Wisp. “Stay safe.”

“Don’t have to tell me twice,” She said before taking cover in the living room next to us.

Without another word I ran up the stairs at the end of the hallway and opened the door to the solitary bedroom on the floor. I could see a hole in the roof above a rotted bed, the colors of the walls drastically faded. I walked over to the side of the hole in the roof and put pressure on the top of it with my forehooves to make sure it was durable. When I heard not even a crack, I smiled and hopped completely onto the roof. Reach back down to only grab the Switchshot, and stepped with caution as I made my way to the front of the roof. After what felt like an eternity, I finally made it to the front and sighed as I looked in the direction of the gunfire.

I could see the others taking cover in a far off building, and most importantly I could see Dead Hooves with them. Looking just beyond them, I could see a single Steel Ranger in the open. Looking through the scope of the Switchshot rifle, I could see the sparks of bullets flying off the armor. However, I could also see the leather between the different sections of the power armor. It was time to test just how powerful and accurate this new rifle was. My front right hoof was on one of the gun’s triggers, holding my breath for what felt like minutes. Than, without hesitation I fired.

The sound of the gun firing ringed through my ears as the gun’s muzzle flew upward about two inches. As the gun rested once again I followed the bullet trail through the scope, watching as the bullet effortlessly pierced the helmet. I couldn’t see blood, but the sudden jerk of the head away from me told me everything I needed to. This gun had just managed to shoot a clean hole in steel ranger armor. Looking back to the others, I could see White Light saluting me from behind a counter top. I didn’t return it, the sound of gunfire still coming from multiple buildings in front of them.

We never counted how many Steel Rangers were sent, but everything considered I’d say they sent at least two squads. That was usually more than enough to take down raiders, but we were anything but raiders. We were Stable Dwellers, Enclave soldiers, victims of the wasteland and war. That was what I thought we were, remnants of what ponykind use to have been. The Steel Rangers fight for what they believe: Equestria. What we want is something better than Equestria, and if they wanted us gone they were going to have to do more than think of us as psychopathic retards killing for sport. A raider wouldn’t regret killing ponies, but I still bare the scars of my rampage in stable 15.

Seeing metal raise through a broken window in a far of building, I fired with those very thoughts in mind. There was a strange satisfaction in the sound of the Switchshot firing, one that I assumed was fueled by those thoughts in my head. I couldn’t see what I had hit, but the metal in the window had disappeared. I check around to see if I could see any more Steel Ranger, not getting anything as I see the others starting to pull back. Considering I could still hear bullets, something told me that the Steel Rangers weren’t done yet.

“What’s going on?” I shouted to Amythest below me.

“The Steel Rangers must but be pushing forward,” She told me. “There’s only a single squad left, but that’s enough to take us all down without good aim. That’s your talent isn’t it? Isn’t that why they call you Sharpshot?”

Oh she just had to say it.

“Don’t talk about my fucking talent!” I yelled out for the world to here. “Stable 15 is gone because of it, and I would rather pretend it doesn’t exist. Okay?”

“Just make the shots and you won’t have to worry at all about it!”

I swore under my breath, but it was no good getting into an argument now of all times. She didn't have to worry about me missing, because I rarely ever did. Watching as Dead Hooves and the others made their way back to us, I checked every corner they went past. Than I saw one of the Ranger she was talking about running like an idiot not far behind the others. Biting my lip I prepared to shoot a hole clean in their helmet, only for Stitch to shout before I did.

“Don’t shot!” I heard her yell, looking up at me.

I could hear Amethyst break the door open below me, and not seeing anything immediately I headed back to the hole in the roof. Getting down and heading to the ground floor I found White Light motioning me into the living room. Joining them, I saw everyone hugging the walls save for Willow who was crouched below a window. I joined sides next to Dead Hooves, who looked at me with a face which told me she knew exactly what I was going to say.

“What the fuck were you thinking?!” I exclaimed, keeping my voice as low as possible. “We could have taken them out more stealthy if you didn’t rush in. That would have put you in much less danger than if you did… this!” I looked to the others in the room. “Why didn’t any of you stop her?”

“We tried…” Star stated, looking at her sister with what seemed like discomfort. “But… well-”

“I wasn’t taking no as an answer,” Dead Hooves explained. “If they wanted me, they were going to get me. Took one of the rangers to get their attention.”

“And not for one second did you think that this could get you and everypony else here killed?” I asked, Dead Hooves shaking her head at me. “Your a fucking idiot. I’ve been trying to keep myself from telling you that, but this is the biggest fucking mistake I’ve seen so far.”

“You can’t say that considered you l-left everypony in the Angel Hunters to die for some reason-”

“This is not the time for you two to argue,” Amethyst interrupted, and looking at the armor I realized something strangely wrong with this pony. Something didn’t match the voice of the pony on the recording. “There is most likely only three of them left, and it is just as likely somepony is going to die. Be careful, in we might make it out of here alive.”

There was the creaking of a door and the sounds of metal hitting the floor. The room fell silent, everypony listening as the sound came closer and closer. It wasn’t until I could see the metal armored hoof of the standard Steel Ranger power armor that I saw Willow waiting next to the doorway. She was holding her sickle in her mouth, ears twitch in every direction as if they belonged to an impatient foal. She looked to me real quickly, and knowing her plan I gave her a barely noticeable nod. Thankfully she seemed to see it, and in a matter of moments she sprang into action.

Willow seemed to float as she twirled into the hallway, standing right in front of the poor idiot who had entered the building. Without her opponent even firing a bullet, she managed to find the soft leather on the neck and swiped. The earth pony strength she had gain from becoming an alicorn became clear as her body made a full swing across the hallway. Getting up to look at what she had done, I saw the Steel Rangers head had been severed from its body. I looked to Willow, who was happily smiling at me with blood sprayed on her face. She tilted her head and closed her eyes, the smile still on her face as her wings went to their full height.

“You okay Willow?” I asked, this being the first time I’d seen her in such a way.

“Don’t worry, I plan to bury him when this is all over,” She responded gleefully as she exited the hallway and back into the room with everyone else. “If there's one thing Dread knows, it’s that I like the feeling of blood. It’s nice and warm on my body, plus it helps during these chilly winter months,” A silence fell as I saw her open her eyes, everyone looking at her in disbelief. “What?”

“Oh Willow Wisp,” Yeilta said as she got up, walking over to the Alicorn and given as strong hug. “I think you and me are going to get along juuust fine, and I truly do admire your taste in weaponry as well. I’m glad that my daughter was able to make such a good friend.”

Dead Hooves and I looked at each other, both sharing the same worried expression on our face. “How the fuck are you related to the Zebra?”

“It’s just… better not to ask,” Dead Hooves replied. “Trust me, I’m still trying to see what my father saw in her, and I have yet to figure it out.”

“Everyone,” We all looked to Stitch as she spoke up, peaking out of the window with her right eye. I was a little surprised at how well she took losing half her sight. “The last two are right outside, and I don’t think they have any idea of what Willow Wisp just did.”

“Let's end this then, they can’t take us all,” I said, flicking a little switch on the side of the Switchshot earlier, watching as the barrels rotated to that of one more fitting of a shotgun. “Dead Hooves, stay here. Will take care of the rest.”

“If you think I’m just going to sit on my ass and-”

“Dead Hooves,” Star interrupted her sister, putting her hoof on the unicorn's shoulder. “You’ve done enough as it is. I know you want to fight, but recklessness isn’t going to get you anywhere good.”

Dead Hooves looked to everypony around the room each on answering with a nod. With each nod I could see a mixture of disbelief and sadness take shape on her face. Finally she looked to me, and I responded the same way everyone else had. Not a single word was exchanged the entire time, and after multiple seconds of complete stillness, I finally spoke up. Putting a hoof on Dead Hooves shoulder, I cleared my throat in anticipation to speak.

“Stay here, okay?” I told her, getting a slow nod in response. I turned to everyone else avoiding the strange tear that I barely saw going down Dead Hooves’ face. “If anyone else has a gun, stand up. Were going to take down this fuckers.”

“Well I'm all for that option,” Yeilta was basically using me as a wall to lean against, sounding more like crazed raider than a mom. “Just as long as I get to feast on the afterwords. It’s been a few days since I last had some fresh meat and it’s sounding like a very good time to try out some new trends I’ve heard.”

Everyone just stared at her in silence, as if that wasn’t anything new by this point. Looking at Yeilta I could see a rapid twitching in her eyes, and almost nervous shiver in her body. She was breathing on my fur in a heavy yet stuttered way, almost as if she was holding off a low giggle. I glanced at Dead Hooves before turning back to Yeilta, feeling the most terrified I had sense I gain my cutie mark in Stable 15. I tried my best not to ask, but the words seemed to drip out of me one after another.

“You don’t have a weapon Yeilta, and ,” I gulped as I prepared to ask. “What do you mean by trends?”

“Oh silly ghoul, didn’t you know?” She asked rhetorically, a shiver going up my neck as she licked it. “I heard some days ago that rib cage is a current delicacy among cannibalists in this part of the wasteland,” She audibly giggled, before touching something metallic between her legs. A white and black strap that I hadn’t seen camoflauged into her fur moved and in seconds I saw an all too familiar carbine hanging in front of her “And who said I wasn’t armed?”

“Point taken,” I turned to the rest. “Now, you and me should be enough. Everyone else stay here, and if someone wants to try Flash Fire from the window go ahead.”

I set the zebra rifle down on the ground, watching as Willow Wisp picked it up without hesitation. She seemed at me, a small drop of the Steel Rangers blood (the one she killed obviously) falling down her face. With a sigh, I motioned Yeilta as I walked up to Willow Wisp. I emptied all the rounds in the magazine save for one; she would only need that one. Unlike the normal coloring of the other rounds, this had a red painting around the tip. I levitated it in front of Willow so she could get a look at it.

“What your looking at is a special round made specifically for Flash Fire, and other special zebra rifles like it,” I explain to her as I put the round in the magazine which I then put back in the gun. “You aim not for the body, but for the ground between them. You’ll do more damage that way, trust me,” She nodded, and I turned to Yeilta to explain our part. “Once the shot goes off, we will have a small window to fire before they regain balance. That is the time we have to take care of the two assholes before we’re set ablaze with their bullets.”

“Sounds easy,” The zebra shrugged. “Behind you, tough guy.”

I ignored that last part, already having made my way out of the room and into the hall of Sugar Cube corner. As I leaned next to the door, Yeilta joining me on the otherside, I waited for the sound of an explosion. That bullet wouldn’t kill, not with the armor, but it would sure as hell take these fuckers by surprise. I could hear my own breath in the silence that followed. I was mentally counting down, try to figure out when Willow would attack. When I had reached five seconds, I heard it.

A loud boom could be heard, though slightly muffled by the door, which was most definitely from Flash Fire. Without waiting for Yeilta’s approval I opened the door, my first sight being that of scorched ground between two Steel Rangers, one on the ground trying to get their footing and the other staggering to stay on his feet. Without warning I let loose a shotgun round into one still standing, watching as the head armor jerked back from the impact. I fired another as Yeilta put countless bullets into the poor idiot still trying to stand. My third shot was the finishing blow, the round severing the head at the lower neck and falling to the ground lifelessly. I turned back to Yeilta who was standing over her target, removing the armor piece by piece ready to… nope, not going to picture it.

Looking away, I saw everyone starting to come out of the building, each with expressions ranging from exhaustion to happy. Dead Hooves was still watching the ground, as if trying to count every rock and pebble she saw. That wasn’t my main concern however, it was the new pony who had appeared out of seemingly nowhere. I looked to the pony in the enclave armor calling herself Amethyst, which I was sure was a complete lie. Walking straight up to her, she gave me the most straightforward response she could to the stern expression I had.

“You want answers.”

“I. Want. The truth,” I spoke. “Who really are you? No way in hell Amythest isn’t a complete ghoul by now and your voice sounds to smooth. I don’t know how you know about the holotape we found, but I need to know what you want with us or else-”

“You have no need to finish,” The pony said, putting her front hooves to her helmet and taking it off. What I saw underneath made my heart skip a beat, almost causing me to sneeze. A mare with a violet coat and dark green mane appeared me, showing a face that I immediately recognized. “Right in front of me, was a pony long thought to be dead. “Nice to see you again Ice.”

“O-overmare?!” I shouted, everyone's attention turning to us. This was both fear and joy in my heart at seeing her face, the latter winning over. “You're alive! You have no idea how happy I am to see you! For the longest time I thought-”

“You had killed me,” She said almost as if it was normal, shutting me up in the process. “You think that everyone had died back then?”

Silence filled the air once again, almost cliche at this point. Everyone I looked to seemed to be taken back by this, save for Willow Wisp. They knew, every single one of them knew what had happened now. Turning to Dead Hooves, I could see that she had broken slightly out of her sadness, looking to me in half astonishment. Most ponies knew what really happened, but Dead Hooves… what was I thinking lying to her.

“You… killed them?” She said to me, her voice just above a whisper.

Not wishing to keep any further secrets, I swallowed up my denial and spoke. “Not all of it was a lye. It was my birthday, stable 15 was my home, everything was right but my father,” I abruptly ended my sentence, unable to finish.

“He had no choice,” My Overmare finished, and I looked back to her with surprise. “His father tried to turn him into a science experiment, saw the entire thing on my camera’s in my office. He thought he had killed everyone, that his mother was dead,” She walked to my side, taking a deep breath that she exhaled onto my face before continuing. “I said someone was alive that wanted to see you, and I wasn’t lying. There’s only three ponies, including myself, that survived it. One’s the old timer New Blue, who’s nearing his last legs, and Hazel.”

I didn’t recognize the second name so I had to ask. “Who’s Hazel?”

“Hazel Spark, security mare,” She explained. “Your mother, she’s waiting for you in Manehattan.”

I… I don’t know how to explain what I felt. It’s like every emotion possible was boiling up inside of me, almost taking up my very train of thought. My… mother? She was alive? I saw my father shoot her, and I assumed she was dead from that. How… I don’t know how but the Overmare wouldn’t lie about something so sensitive. She seemed to have an idea why I did it, and if she was alive no doubt she knew the survivors. I was going to ask, before I turned to everyone and spoke to them.

“I know you have questions, but you need to go,” I said to everyone. “Me and Willow Wisp will head out once I get all my answers,” I looked specifically to Dead Hooves as I spoke this next part. “You don’t need to repay me. You’ve done enough caring to me, though it may be little. Just stay alive.”

She didn’t even hesitate to nod like expected, turning around with Star Chart behind her. The pegasus nodded, as if saying she will look after her sister, before follow Dead Hooves in front of her. The crowd slowly dispersed until it was only me, Willow and… oh for fuck sake Yeilta was part of my team. That said, I wasn't going to get rid of her… or try to for that matter. Instead, I turned to the Overmare, taking two deep breaths before asking.

“My mother’s alive?” I asked getting a nod in response. “How? I saw her get shot right in front of me.”

“You didn’t see what was going because of the alarms, but the shot didn’t kill her,” She explained to me “It’s… to complicated to example, but the more important thing is that she’s alive, and that she wants to see you. She wants to see you before she passes away.”

Author's Notes:

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