G-Good evening Commonwealth from Diamond City, I'm Traveling Miles with D.C. Radio. So... the gossip mill here in Diamond City has been pretty a-active today huh? For those of you not with us in the great green jewel it's been a busy day, first off umm... well of interest to everypony up north it seems like the bridge to Hexington is open again, that's good right? We heard some rumors it was going to happen today, that the raiders who have been charging to cross were warned by the um... the S-Shrouded Stallion, guess the story may be true huh?

On a related note, w-what's really got ponies here in D.C. buzzing is stories about some of the new arrivals that came in with the first caravan to cross the reopened bridge. A friend of the station even hinted on an exclusive, but there's lots of folks talking about seeing a real princess in town today. W-we've been trying to track this visiting dignitary from that new settlement up north down, but er... s-sorry folks, I can't find her anywhere tonight. Though I did see a pretty weird robot roaming around, er... if you see it j-just umm... don't mess with the little filly it's following. If you do spot a big blue alicorn out in the market, run to the station and let us know ok? H-here's a little Sapphire Shores to search by, keep an eye out for us.

Discovered Location- Stable 114

My pip-buck gave an entirely unnecessary update as I stared at the gaping entryway, beyond the gear shaped hole in the wall a banner identical to the one back home announced the same, "Welcome to Stable 114" in blue text on a faded yellow field. Another Stable... everyone told me others were out in the Commonwealth and some had opened, my friends seemed unaware of this one though so I wasn't the only one surprised.

Zed actually broke the silence surprisingly, following my gaze up to the ancient banner and reading with distaste on his stern features. "One of these tombs... of course."

Val shook herself and turned on the zebra, glancing over to me still frozen on the spot. "Hey! They're not... Just watch it Stripes, the boss is from one of these alright!"

A large blue wing curled over me and Jade whispered to me softly, "Are you alright Fast? You do not look well... this must be difficult for you."

"F-Fine...I'm o-ok Jade... really..." I really wished I could lie to her better, her concerned hug helped though.

"Boss I didn't know... you sure about this? I can go myself..." Val was watching me, torn between her worry for her detective friend somewhere inside and me shivering in front of her.

The fact she was displaying such care decided me though, I shook my head and pushed past the open threshold of the Stable. "I'm fine Val, we came here to help your friend, that's what I'm going to do. Come on, this isn't my Stable, I'll be alright."

I had to keep reminding myself this wasn't 111, the entrance was identical. I wasn't hopeful for what was inside either, somehow a gang of criminals was in charge of this place now, not the Stable ponies that should be. I really hoped Zed's appraisal wasn't right but just entering the echoing chamber made me afraid this was a tomb.

A stack of boxes near the door control console gave me something to focus on anyway, I walked over and opened one on top with my magic, peering inside. The steel storage container was full of what looked like Dash inhalers, except these were painted blue with a silver crescent moon design printed on each instead of red like Dash. Pulling the lid off another next to it revealed a similar bounty inside but painted white with a bright yellow sun instead. I floated one of each out and looked them over closely, letting my pip-buck identify them for me to confirm my suspicions. My inventory displayed each as Celestia's Dawn x1, Luna's Dusk x1 and assigned a value of 50 caps each before flashing an update;

Mission Updated- Benign Intervention

Objectives-
---Discover the source of Dawn and Dusk
---Investigate Stable 114
---Uncover the drug dealers

Mission Updated- Buried Secrets

Objectives
---Investigate Other Stables
------Explore Stable 114

Jade came up beside me and floated one of the inhalers out as well, frowning at the drugs waiting to be shipped out of here apparently. "These are the new narcotics Dr. Swab was so concerned about in Diamond City Fast. They are very dangerous, what are they doing here?"

"I'm interested to find that out myself, this and the Stable look like the reason why this gang has become so powerful so quickly. I'm not sure how they're related though."

I left the blue alicorn glowering at the large shipment and trotted over to the nearby security office. The small room looked to have been occupied by the gang members who had come charging up the tunnel out into the subway when they heard us. Three mattresses had been moved into the office and the weapon lockers were fairly well stocked with ammo for the Trigger Jewels favored weapons, an active terminal was glowing on the desk original to the Stable now littered with cards and empty liquor bottles.

I approached with interest and started tapping through the password, the gang members didn't look to have had either the skill or interest to unlock the terminal. Val had entered the room behind me and was busy looting the ammo stockpile, darting glances over to me while I worked.

"Anything interesting boss?" The griffon wasn't big on boring technical things like this, her interest seemed more like small talk to keep me occupied but it was appreciated.

"A map for one which is what I was hoping for. This place is bigger than my Stable, it had a full compliment of ponies up at one time. Lots of entries here too but not a lot of information, more basic logs and stuff. It says the door was opened from the inside about six months ago. What was this gang like then?"

She scratched her beak thinking a moment, "Not much more than raiders really boss. Can't think of much going on around here at the time, sure never heard of no Stable opening up. Wasn't really in the area at the time but news like that travels."

Flipping through my pip-buck I brought up the newly downloaded map of the Stable and started examining it. 111 was a special case since it was only supposed to accommodate 100 of us awake at one time, the layout of this more standard Stable was quite a bit different. I did notice certain common points though, mostly the same elements were here just larger than I was used to. There was an Atrium like back home that looked to be the center of the Stable like it was in 111, living quarters, medical, maintenance, kitchens and dining area, Overmare's office and administration, security, orchard and hydroponics, everything was here just a lot bigger.

This was a lot of territory to cover with no idea where they'd keep Val's friend if he was alive, security seemed the best bet as they'd have cells to hold prisoners in. The Overmare's office was high on my list too, it would have the most information at the very least and I was curious about this Stable and where the Stable dwellers of 114 were.

Walking back out to the entryway I floated a couple of mines from my bags, arming both and stashing them in the boxes of drugs. These looked to be waiting to leave, if anyone came up behind us or messed with them they'd get a surprise. Jade gave a little 'tsk' noise but returned the samples of the drugs she had been examining and replaced the lids. The harm these did seemed to override her distaste at the trap, explosives would effectively dispose of them.

"Alright, we'll go to the Atrium first, the Security room is right off it and Val's friend comes first. Depending on what we find I want to explore this place as much as possible too once he's safe." The others all nodded their agreement and followed along quietly as I led the way towards the stairs exiting the door chamber.

The familiar Stable-Tec hallways bore signs of violence not long ago as we went. I wasn't the slaughterhouse 111 ended up like, but I did see odd splashes of blood and marks of weapon fire occasionally, at least there weren't bodies so far. Zed joined me in front as we crept forward, our tactics getting here had worked well, we'd try to keep this silent as much as possible. I wasn't sure how many of these Trigger Jewel ponies had taken up residence in the Stable, best to whittle away at their numbers.

"You lived in one of these places?" Zed whispered over, it was strange for him to initiate conversation sneaking around like this, he didn't have a pip-buck letting him know things were clear nearby, though he seemed as good as E.F.S. at telling regardless.

"I grew up in one yeah, why?"

The zebra stallion gave me an appraising look and shrugged, "They are bad places. No wonder darkness hangs around you."

I had heard other's opinions about Stables before but this was a little more personal. "What's that supposed to mean Zed? Mine wasn't bad, well... until recently... relatively. But there were good ponies there, my family was there with me, I had friends there. I'm not so bad am I?"

He gave a soft sigh and muttered back, "I did not say you were bad. I said darkness surrounds you. It is possible to be exposed to such and not be corrupted by it. Its' presence is a fact however. You wield star metal, you carry fragments of souls with you, I have seen what hides in your eyes when your mare was taken."

What? I stopped in the hall and stared at him, I had no idea what he was talking about for the most part but none of it sounded good, "Star metal? Souls? What are you talking about?"

"Your knife, it is made of star metal."

"It says Saturnite, I got it from a cook who was a good pony."

Zed gave a flat expression and simply repeated, "Star metal. The stars are cold and can be cruel, they give gifts to allow us to destroy ourselves better with them. What have you done with this cooking instrument?"

"Er..." mainly I had marveled and just how good it was at slicing through ponies with ease... "O-ok... I don't carry souls around with me though."

"Soul jars, you have three with you, I can sense them. They are small objects that contain a fragment of a soul in your left saddelbag. Such things are unique, they would shine with the impression of the soul they contain and are essentially indestructible."

I goggled at him and looked into the bag he pointed out, slowly pulling out the statues of Ministry Mares Applejack and Fluttershy and floating them in front of his stern face, watching as he recoiled away from the little sculptures. "These?"

"Yes, those. You have another but it is... different. Put them away, they are the product of dark magic."

I did as asked, confused by the explanation, I only had the two of these statues. They were odd and seemed to have strange effects on me since I found them, but souls? Pieces of souls in statuettes of the Ministry Mares?

Val snorted behind us, "Your toys boss? Didn't know you had another sides the orange one we found, that's what Stripes is going on about?"

"I did not know you had those Fast. You have not finished the book I gave you, have you?" Jade spoke up behind us, she had been watching the exchange and spoke softly but glared at the zebra.

"No, the Lightbringer found one like the Applejack last I read. I thought it was neat, am I missing something?"

"I... I will explain for you later. They are not bad, I actually feel it is appropriate for you to have them, they are in good hooves with you. You are most certainly not dark or evil..." The alicorn scowled at Zed as she spoke daring him to contradict her.

Zed shrugged at her, unbothered at the intimidating alicorn mare, "Again, I did not say he was. Do not blame me for his fate, I would even agree with you as far as his keeping them. The strength to create one on his own speaks to his character, your Ministry Mare Rarity was able to do so and remain uncorrupted."

"Create one?! I haven't..."

"The third with you is a piece of your own soul, such things can very rarely come into existence naturally." His deep voice was still even and matter of fact, like he was discussing the weather.

"How do you know so much about this stuff Stripey? Don't 'preciate you runnin' yer mouth about the boss like that..." Val had joined Jade's defense, glaring at the zebra beside me.

Pausing a moment Zed seemed to consider what to say, "I have... rare knowledge on the subject. The magic behind those soul jars you hold is of zebra origin, I have been trained to recognize it. I meant no offense." Despite both Jade and now Val seething at him Zed explained quietly and simply moved ahead when he finished, drawing my attention to the signs for the approaching Atrium.

A piece of my own soul? I didn't have anything like that, I definitely hadn't made one of these... soul jar things. It sounded like weird zebra hoodoo to me but Jade recognized the Ministry Mare statues as something special. Zed seemed to know quite a bit about pretty dark stuff himself actually, he knew of a spell that removed cutie marks, these soul jars, potions that worked against undead ponies... Still he couldn't be right, could he? Jade's blue eyes narrowed as she watched him move up silently before coming up to nuzzle at me soothingly.

"Do not listen Fast. That zebra is most disagreeable and wrong about you, you are sweet and kind, I see no darkness in you." Having her warm affection was comforting, pushing the bizarre exchange to the back of my mind for now, though it was still there and worrying.

Val walked up to my other side opposite Jade and bumped against me, "Yeah boss, zebra mumbo jumbo, all a crock. They're spooked by the craziest things, afraid of stars! Pfft! Maaaaybe you can be a little scary sometimes, when folks deserve it, but I like that about ya boss! I seen real evil before, yer basically the exact opposite, practically a cuddly little stuffed pony." Having her dark claws pinch my cheeks stung but helped.

The support of these two I now considered family beside me let me put it out of mind, we had more important things to deal with. The zebra had some strange ideas is all, making friends with him was going to be a real struggle but I had promised Elder Zin I'd try. I stood on my hindlegs to hug both of their necks gratefully, enjoying seeing them both flush and wriggle being brought together so close to one another. They might disagree on a lot but slowly they were getting to like each other, whether they wanted to admit it or not.

Sneaking forward to the doorway with Zed I took in the Atrium and all the red marks ahead of us on E.F.S., a dozen armed gang members waited out there. They were spread out through the huge chamber, a small group by the entrance to the Stable diner eating familiar looking fare, a few more at the door to Security.

The disturbing part of the scene was the small number of green marks on my compass matching dirty and numb looking ponies, wearing blue and yellow Stable barding marked with 114. A couple were serving food out of the diner to the well dressed gang, others swept or served the other gang members, following whatever orders they were given by their jeering overseers. They all had vacant expressions and bore the signs of abuse, they just did what they were told with no signs of rebellion, anger, fear, anything...

As I watched an orange mare in a sparkly red dress and matching hat by the Security office floated a baton out and tripped a large, tough looking Stable stallion walking by loaded with boxes. He spilled to the ground in front of her, dumping the boxes of empty inhalers to uproarious laughter all around. The Stable pony looked like he could knock her head off with one well placed buck but simply shuffled up to his hooves with an absent grin and started gathering his lost load again while the mare nickered.

"That's right big guy, you pick all of that up like a good little colt, then you go to my room right? Getting bored putting this shipment together, need a break don't we?" The gang mare smacked his flank as he stood again and nodded to her slowly, moving off carefully to do as she told him.

The Shroud in my head blazed awake, seeing a gang member from the wasteland abusing a Stable pony here in such familiar surroundings... it was like seeing them abusing my friends and family back home. The thought of these cruel bastards running roughshod in my Stable drove any considerations for stealth out of my head and I dashed forward into the room, floating my weapons out and triggering S.A.T.S.

I used most of the spell charge, divided between half a dozen targets here on the ground floor with me. The mare in the red dress was first, three pistol rounds to the head, the rest were split between the pistol for range and the Terrible Shotgun for clumps of gang members nearby. Once I accepted shots started ringing out, the still laughing mare had that hateful smile wiped off her face by two 10mm rounds that found their mark.

As the rest of the sequence played out causing panic among the gang I caught sight of Val soaring above me to the second floor, looping past the circular window to the Overmare's office and raining magical energy bolts down with precision. The Stable ponies numb behavior helped out a great deal, they didn't run or duck, just stood stock still watching the fireworks going off around them. The filly serving a tray of food to the crowd scrambling at the diner was actually splashed with gore as half of their number had shotgun slugs tear through them, she just put the tray down in front of the stallion with a large hole suddenly in his chest.

Their oblivious behavior was starting to be a liability too though, a couple of the gang ponies got the bright idea of diving behind them for cover, using them as living shields. I hissed pulling away from the shot I had nearly taken which would have blown a hole right through a stallion's empty eyes as he was shoved in the way. I sprinted forward with my knife out but Zed had already beat me, rolling across the ground through a hail of gunfire and sweeping all four hooves out from one of the hostage takers. The follow up strike to the gang pony on the ground was messy but the hostage was never touched.

Taking stock of the room I was surprised by the sudden clatter behind me, spinning to see a stallion in a grey suit falling limply from the walkway above, Jade appeared flapping in the air above the numb pony. That was the last mark in my vision, luckily Stable rooms were fairly soundproof, any others nearby didn't hear the gunfire so we had the Atrium to ourselves. I nodded up to the alicorn princess gratefully and ran over to the nearest Stable pony, the filly at the diner covered in blood staring around blankly.

"Are you ok! Hey! What happened here!?" I was shouting right in her face but she barely reacted, her orange eyes meeting mine slowly.

"Wow... they all fell down..." The young earth pony's voice wasn't slurred or flat from shock, just disinterested in all the sudden death.

Val had grabbed the large blue stallion that had been tripped, slapping his muzzle with her claws repeatedly and screeching right in his ear. "HEY! Anybody home!? Snap out of it buddy!" His ears flicked at the noise but he stood there passively taking the abuse, the griffon snorted and let him go, looking over to me and shrugging. "Dunno what the deal is with these ponies boss, but they ain't quite right..."

Landing lightly by one of the other Stable dwellers Jade's horn glowed as she inspected the mare carefully, holding their foreleg up and giving their knee a tap, waiting several long moments for a reflex response. She gave a little frown and moved on to another nearby, glancing over as she walked. "They appear to be under the effects of the drugs near the entrance, euphoria and suggestibility... I cannot do anything for it Fast, normal treatments are not effective."

Great, so they were basically useless... Suggestible meant they'd listen and not freak out anyway, I trotted out to the center of the room and shouted trying to command their attention. "All of you Stable ponies! Go... umm... go sit in the diner and wait! No more working alright!?" They seemed to find the idea agreeable and started trudging towards the diner entrance without complaint. It wasn't help or answers but they'd be somewhere safe and out of the way, we'd have to figure out some way to deal with them eventually.

Val swooped over and watched them go beside me, "That is damn creepy boss..."

"Yeah... They're alive though, that's good. If these Trigger Jewels kept them then the chances are good for your friend, though he may be drugged too."

She waved my point off unconcerned, "Oh I doubt that. Wouldn't work. Though yer right, if they kept these ponies around I feel better for Nick's odds."

Wouldn't work? Was he a ghoul or something? Well with any luck maybe we'd find out directly, the door to the Security room was just across the Atrium. I gave the fiery griffon a nudge and crept over, if he was in there I'd rather sneak up and not give any guards a chance to execute their prisoner. Pressing the control gently the door silently slid open and I carefully walked forward into the short hallway beyond. I could hear a voice speaking ahead and one red mark had appeared on E.F.S. along with two green ones. I held a hoof up to my muzzle at the others and slid against the wall, moving toward the turn and the room ahead.

"You will answer prototype unit. You have been allowed free all this time but the Public Relations Division will not overlook this opportunity. How did you escape the Institute?" A stallion's voice drifted to me catching my complete attention on that last word.

"Told ya I don't know mac. Gettin' tired of this whole song and dance, your boss don't know what you are does he?" The male voice that answered was slightly distorted somehow and had an odd accent.

"Irrelevant. He will not learn, he has been a most useful agent during this experiment. Neither of you will inform him and ruin what has just now come to fruition, you will both suffer an accident before he returns."

"No! Please! I don't know anything! I won't say a word!" A mares voice sobbed and I risked peeking around the corner.

Two of three iron barred cells were occupied in the Security room across from me. One by a young purple unicorn mare cowering in her cell wearing a Stable barding, the other by a heap in a corner partially obscured from my vantage point. One of the gang members stood facing away from me, into the cells. He turned away from his conversation with the cell he was blocking my view into to look in at the mare curiously.

"You have overheard too much. I apologize but you will have to be terminated as well, it will be relatively painless." The red earth pony stallion was in a clean black suit and even sounded conciliatory informing the mare his intention to murder her.

The burning fury that brought out was enough to decide me, if I had my way I'd want to ask him some questions since he was talking about the Institute like he worked for them, but it was too risky. The dual machine gun battle saddle he wore could chew through both cells too easily before I could stop him. I floated out my apparently evil star metal knife and started it spinning, glancing back around the corner once it was going fast enough and shooting it straight at the stallion's neck.

The pony never knew what hit him, Best Served flashed right through his neck and separated his head instantly, dropping his corpse to the floor spraying blood from the stump. His head hit a bare second after, rolling across the floor to the bars of the mare's cell, sending her into hysterics before it melted into a puddle of green goop.

I ran out from behind the wall hearing the others following, glancing at the puddle and the corpse left behind, a synth... I could see the gleam of metal through the blood oozing from the neck, a synth had infiltrated this gang for some reason. The mare's sobbing helped me shake off the thought as I reached the door to her cell and called out soothingly.

"It's ok, calm down, it's gone now. We're here to help, just wait one second and we'll get you out of there ok? Nick!?" I turned to the other cell hoping this was the pony we were after and froze getting a good look in the corner.

"That's me pal, thanks for the assist. I'd shake your hoof but eh... little hard right now...." The heap in the corner chuckled as I gaped at it. A robot... an early synth like the one in Watt's was looking back at me with yellow on black eyes. Ragged and torn plastic hide covered the metal parts beneath, it whirred and clicked on the floor but had been torn to pieces and was bundled in brown rags or clothes of some kind. A battered fedora sat on its' hat and it smiled an artificial grin up to me. While my mind reeled my pip-buck updated in confirmation;

Mission Updated- Diamond City Blues

Objectives-
---Track down the Trigger Jewels
---Find Nick Hearts n' Hooves
---Return Nick to Diamond City

"Boss is he... Nick! There you are! Phew, had me worried there buddy, you look like shit though." Val had charged in the room and calmed when she joined me in looking down at the robot in the corner, raking her claws in the lock to open the cell.

"Valkyrie Bloodtail, well fancy meeting you here doll. Don't tell me Ellie sent you after me, had everything under control, nothin' to worry about." The robot... Nick... smiled up and his mostly severed hooves slid around on the floor attempting to gesture somehow, it was kind of lost though.

I reached out and grabbed the griffon's shoulder before she could just walk in to the now open cell, stammering at her questioning look. "Val... w-what is that? T-that's Nick?"

Jade had entered the room with Zed and gasped taking in the sight, at least I wasn't the only one surprised here. Seeing how he wasn't really much of a threat she shook and turned to the gibbering mare, her horn glowing with healing magic as she glanced up to Val. "Valkyrie could you please open this one as well before greeting your... friend..."

A blank expression only crossed her face for a moment before Val figured out the problem, holding up a claw to Nick to wait while she did as asked and grinned sheepishly at me. "Oh yeah... sorry boss, surprise... I uh... kinda figured you'd meet him back in Diamond City an' just forgot since I was worried bout him. This is Nick Hearts n' Hooves, I told ya he was kinda connected to the Institute. Don't freak out ok? He's a good pony, er... maybe you could help him out a little? Please boss?"

She turned back to the lock, leaving me with the robot pony before me. For his part Nick seemed friendly enough, giving a wink and sighing. "She sorta buried the lead on you didn't she pal? Told her before all her jokes would bite her in the tail. So you're Val's boss? You finally found somebody worth workin' for sweetheart?"

"Sure did! Boss is great, never been happier, worth all the crap before. He's pretty smart too, once his brain starts workin' again he can probably fix ya, right boss?" Her long tail swished out as she opened the other lock, the fluff on the end smacking me in the face forcing me to sputter and try to come to grips with this.

"Uh... r-right... sure... I'm Fast, n-nice to meet you Nick. Any friend of Val's I guess... y-you're not what I was expecting. You're not with the Institute?" Considering the advanced synth in the floor behind me had been talking about killing... destroying him I guess he wasn't on their team. I still wanted some assurances before I thought about repairing this thing though.

"Nope, they don't like me much, case you can't tell Fast. I'm a bit of a unique case, not like that palooka on the floor." He spoke like a real pony anyway, none of the toneless drone of the other robot I had seen like him, more like the mimic behind me.

Well, I trusted Val. No matter what. I walked in the cell cautiously and started floating my tools out, trying to take stock of where to begin. Serious damage had been done to the robot, all four limbs were either completely or mostly severed and large chunks of the plastic hide was torn away. His head and power supply were intact obviously or we wouldn't be talking, one scorched hole through his... overcoat? yes that was a tan overcoat he was bundled in, the hole must have taken out his repair talisman.

Glancing over at the dead synth in the floor I knew what I needed, it would be nasty though. I floated my knife out again and sent it over towards Jade, coughing for her attention. "Er.. Jade... I need parts, that thing should be compatible... if you could handle the um... icky parts..."

The alicorn turned her attention from the mare crying below her and took in the corpse, really noticing it this time and seeing what it was. She soothed the hysterical mare and looked conflicted a moment before taking the knife from my magic. "Please look after her for a moment and I will Fast. She is healthy, just frightened. Talk to her while I work, just talk..." She pried the unicorn clinging to her away whispering to her before leaving the cell, picking the headless corpse up and taking it further into the office.

Hang on a minute Nick, we'll get you sorted out alright?" I trotted over to the other cell, grateful for a moment to process things before actually working on the robot detective.

"Not going anywhere here mac, no hurry. Give me and Val a chance to catch up eh featherhead?"

Val padded over and flopped on the empty cot in the cell, grabbing a detached hoof and using it as a backscratcher. "Watch it tin can, gots me an open contract with boss there, I can ask him to make you into my own personal massager instead of fix ya!"

They sounded like old friends alright, that put me at ease a little. I walked up to the purple mare still crying and tried to talk to her while I waited, this was the first 114 pony I had seen that looked capable of stringing a coherent thought together. "Hey there, I'm Fast, I'm actually from Stable 111 so another Stable pony here. Are you alright, can you tell me what happened here? Why is this gang here and in charge?"

The mention of 111 seemed to sink in and get her attention, her dirty blond mane fell in her eyes as she looked up and sniffled. "A-another Stable? You have to help, please! The... the Overmare... she went crazy... l-let them in, the others are slaves... p-please!"

"Your Overmare did this?! What!? Where is she..." The very idea of the pony charged with protecting all the others in the Stable inviting this in... my Overmare would never do anything like this, it was wrong.

"I don't know... she leaves a lot now, c-comes back. I've been in here for months now, they haven't needed me for awhile b-but keep me around just in case, I know things..." She was still shaky but was being evasive now too, something was fishy with this whole Stable and I didn't like any of it.

"I can't help you if you don't talk to me Miss...?"

"C-Crystal Petal..."

"Crystal, tell me everything. Why would your Overmare do this? Why are all the others drugged and what with? Why are you locked up and still sober, what do you know?" Frightened or not I let a little of the Shroud leak out into my voice, I had no time for games with this mare.

She shuddered and sniffled a moment before staring at the floor and whispering, "I make the drugs... or I did. Dawn and Dusk, t-the Overmare and I are two of the only ones not affected, it's supposed to be a secret... it... it's what we were supposed to do, to make things better..."

I knew that phrase from back home... "Crystal, in my Stable we had these stasis pods, when I first went there we all heard a recording from Vice President Scootaloo, telling us to use them to sleep most of the time so only 100 of us were up at one time. So it would be a small Stable, like a small town, a way to save a lot of us but... make things better. What did you do in this Stable Crystal?"

She looked up with sad yellow eyes and slumped, "Our recording was different... We grew a special flower in our orchard, something from the crystal mountains. When refined into a drug it... makes ponies happy... Reduces violent tendencies, makes everything better and nicer. We were told to grow the flower, make the drugs, two formulas; one for day and one for night, we put it in the air handlers... "

Jade had returned with the grisly torso taken out of the synth and floated over to Nick's cell, joining me and staring at Crystal with wide blue eyes. "You drugged your own Stable!? This is a very dangerous compound in those inhalers! How could you!?"

The Stable pony flinched at the alicorn's ire but continued in a rush, trying to defend her home. "It worked though! Everything was nice, everypony got along, it was only a very small amount and the Stable worked for 200 years of happiness even being buried down here. I... I know the side effects but at the levels we used they weren't an issue! We were supposed to..."

I touched Jade's shoulder and gently pushed her back as she shook, staring down at the pitiful mare. This was something that was hard to understand if you weren't from a Stable. "I know Crystal, it was to fix things, to not do what led to the war to begin with right? So what happened?"

"The Overmare... s-she was new, had taken over the job a year ago. Certain jobs in the Stable had to be immune, the chief medical pony like me, heads of security, maintenance, the Overmare... when we took our jobs we had to have a shot... It- it made the drug not work on us anymore, a sacrifice for the good of the Stable. Usually we get weaned off it over time before taking our job and getting the shot, but the old Overmare died suddenly. Fancy didn't like it, when the drug stopped working for her she got mean... mad she had to be unhappy while everypony else wasn't. She got meaner and meaner, made me mess with the drug, try to make it stronger or give her more so it would work again. I tried! B-but it wouldn't work."

The Shroud in my head had followed the inevitable logic that came from what she told me and was looking forward to finding this Overmare. "She opened the Stable didn't she?"

Crystal sniffled and nodded sadly, "Y-yes... she opened the Stable, said if she couldn't be happy here anymore she'd find somewhere she could be. Started going outside, then one day she brought those bad ponies back with her and they took over. They k-k-killed a lot, tested the stronger drugs on the others and made them work. Fancy started coming back with clothes and food and drinks from outside, expensive things, trying to make herself happy... It's never enough though."

"You have an antidote for it then? It will work on ponies that have taken the stronger stuff in the inhalers they're selling now?" She nodded silently and I patted her shoulder, "It'll be ok then. This is all over alright? We'll save the others and make the bad ponies pay, including the Overmare. Why don't you talk to my friend Jade now ok? She's a doctor too and I bet she's very interested in lots you have to say. She's also a princess, see?"

Jade flushed and grumbled at me for that but it got Crystal to stare up at her with wide eyes, noticing the wings this time. She wiped her tears away and settled down, nervously trying to fix her dirty mane and smiled at Jade with wonder. "A p-princess... there are princesses up in the world?"

"S-So Fast likes to say... the world above has changed quite a bit, you should see for yourself when all this is over doctor. Please just call me Jade alright?"

"I'm sorry, d-don't be mad please Princess Jade, we were supposed to do it.. b-but I'll help fix it your highness!" Crystal pulled herself together well in the presence of royalty and tentatively grabbed a blue hoof in hers, shaking it vigorously.

I got smacked in the back of the head by her wing as I passed out of the cell again but Jade looked to the mare kindly and sat with her, "It is alright... I understand, please just call me Jade, not Princess... Now let us discuss this drug of yours." I knew she didn't like the attention but it was effective, she should really have anticipated the reaction too. This was another Stable pony like me, as far as we were concerned fresh from the Stable, alicorn = princess, period.

Picking up the dripping pile of metal from the floor I walked back over to the other cell and got to work, "Ok, let's see what we can do about you now Nick."

Working on a robot that kept engaging me in friendly conversation was pretty distracting, he sounded enough like a pony it was as if Jade was performing surgery on someone while they chattered away. The components from the advanced synth were close enough to work on Nick, you could definitely tell their common ancestry. I had his limbs back on and functioning well enough to move and gesture as he spoke making the repairs a little more difficult, normally I didn't care for conversation while working but the robot had interesting things to say at minimal prodding.

"So you're... a real pony? From before the war? I'm not sure I understand, you are definitely a robot Nick..." I was still trying to puzzle this out.

"Oh I know I am, kinda hard to argue that with your hooves halfway in my chest. I got memories though, there was a real Nick Hearts n' Hooves before the war and that's what's in my head. Trust me pal, it ain't any easier to understand from my side."

Val was watching closely from the cot in the cell as I worked, laughing as I tried to work it out one more time. "Yeah boss, Nick's real, sorta. Don't think I'd be friends with some boring robot do you? Get ta know him, he talks, thinks, feels, the whole bit just like a livin' pony. Was a cop of all things!"

"A policeman? You were really a detective Nick?" That helped explain the tattered getup I had to peel away to work on him, he looked like detectives from old movies dad liked.

"Once upon a time yeah, Trotson was a nasty place to work even back then though. When I... woke up in the wasteland and 200 years had passed I sorta fell back into the work eventually. Not a lot of real detectives around anymore and the skillset has come in useful." He shrugged and I heard a click at his elbow, minor stuff like that should be taken care of when I replaced the repair talisman though.

"So... you're not a synth like that thing... but you're not like the other robot I ran across that looked like you do..." I started cracking open the sealed case at the heart of the synth torso to get to the talismans shielded inside, raising an eyebrow questioningly to the robot.

"You ran into one of those boring clods? Jeez sorry, no wonder you had a bad first impression pal. Yeah, figure I'm something in between, your headless buddy called me prototype unit, not the first time I've heard that. I got the ugly plastic body of those Gen 1s, but a real brain and memories of those Gen 3s, plus my mark."

"Mark? You... you have a cutie mark?" I looked to his flanks but the plastic hide was shredded, though I thought I saw color besides white plastic at the ragged edge.

Nick followed my stare and groaned, "Well I did... hopefully it ain't gone anywhere, guess we'll find out when you put that thing in huh?"

I had pulled the super advanced repair talisman from the case and floated it towards the waiting slot in Nick's chest. If this worked as well as the healing talisman from another synth I had used in an auto-doc it should do the trick. I still had the repair talisman from the synth mare in Hexington that nearly killed me and now a new healing talisman from this one. As high class as these were I was taking them any time I could get them. I wanted Nick back as close to the shape he should be in before I used it, since I wasn't sure how it would react and it would need the material to work with, but he was ready now and we were on the clock.

The diamond talisman clicked in place with a hum and the bright, distinctive glow of repair magic enveloped the robot sitting in the floor as I stood back. Val hopped off the cot and was bouncing on the spot, grabbing my shoulder and shaking me excitedly. The eldritch field around Nick reached out and started stripping the plastic covered bunk and the pile of leftover parts on the floor as he was mended in front of us.

As I watched the plastic on his flank stitched itself back together, he really did have a cutie mark that reappeared with a glow, a magnifying glass sparkled back at me. The repair talisman was apparently so good once it had finished with the robot it kept going, knitting his ragged and torn clothing around him, the long trenchcoat covered the mark again and his fedora puffed out back into its proper shape as the glow disappeared.

Nick stared down at himself in wide eyed surprise, reaching a hoof up to pat himself all over and gingerly touching his face. Shocked, he trotted over to the steel mirror above the metal sink at the wall and goggled at himself a moment before turning back to Val. "Wow... you weren't kidding doll, your boss there really knows his stuff. I ain't been this pretty in ages..."

The griffon squeezed my breath out against her side and ruffled my grey mane grinning, "See, I toldya, boss is awesome! He's like some kinda repair wizard or somethin', knew he could help ya out! Good work boss, thanks!"

The loud smack of a sloppy griffon kiss to the cheek made Jade huff and mutter from the other cell, but she seemed to accept it as just Val being herself. "G-Glad I could help... Val... need... air..." She dropped me to the ground pouting and I gasped in a blessedly cool breath, looking up to Nick smiling at me.

"Well Nick, I think we have more to do here yet. If you're ok now the way out should be clear if you want, I was hoping to talk to you about a case when we get back to Diamond City if that's ok?"

The robot stallion helped me up and shook his head, "What, think I'm just gonna leave you all in the lurch after you saving my flanks? My case here ended up a dead end anyway, found the little bastard but he's here willingly. Don't care for what I found out about this place either, you folks sound like you aim to do something about it, I'm in. Whatever your case is consider me on it once we get back to D.C. too, least I can do."

While I tried to thank him Nick crossed the room to a locker in the armory cage, opening it and removing leather saddlebags bearing his own mark and a large, gleaming revolver, flipping open the cylinder and nodding at what he saw. We had some more help for now then and I had hired a detective apparently. Jade joined us outside the cells, nudging the Stable doctor Crystal along with her wing who kept eyeing Zed near the door warily. Zebras were the bad guys in the war, a Stable pony would be a little shocked to see one with us, she kept her mouth shut anyway.

"Fast the doctor here has informed me what we need to help the other Stable ponies, there are drugs in the medical lab that will treat the effects they're under, as well as the addiction issues for those in Diamond City. We will need time to work and start treating those you instructed to wait in the diner." The alicorn medic looked ready to start immediately.

Crystal looked terrified speaking up but stammered out a worried point, "W-we can treat them but... it's like the shot, if we use it on them then the drug won't work anymore... Things won't go back to normal..."

"Crystal I know this is hard but normal was wrong, you can't just seal this place back up and go back to how things were when we go. This Stable did its job, it kept you safe all this time but now it's time to rejoin the world outside. It's scary but there are good ponies up there too. You're going to need help, but the Princess' kingdom of Sanctuary will be there for you ok?"

The Stable mare was obviously anxious with the hope of her old life returning taken away, a glance to the beautiful blue alicorn nodding next to her calmed her down though. "A-alright... if you say so. Most of the others should be in the orchard. T-they've been working everypony to death growing the flowers, they take a lot of attention."

I pulled up the map on my pip-buck and shared it with Jade and Val, "Alright, the medical lab is just off the Atrium too, I sorta doubt these gang members are keeping it staffed so it should be clear. Zed if you could stay with Jade and Crystal while they work the rest of us can go to the orchard for the other Stable ponies."

"I am not your griffon bodyguard little pony... do not presume to give me orders as well." The zebra glowered at me making Crystal flinch under his grey eyes.

I had to cut Val off to reach the burly zebra at the door before she did. "I didn't order you Zed, I asked. You wanted to come with me, you're following me around on your own. I'm just doing what I think is best, if you got a better idea by all means speak up for once. I am going to help find your brother and this... whatever it is you want back, but I do get involved in things like this sometimes, stuff happens alright?! I need your help here, I want to be friends with you Zed but you don't make it easy! If I'm such a dark, evil pony you have such problems with then just get going, these ponies need help and that's what we're doing, got it?!"

I wound up right in his face, scowling up at his stony expression and thumping his chest with my hoof. Probably not the best idea since I knew just what he could do to me at this range, but that darker part of me demanded no less. I had told his grandfather I'd try but we were getting some things straight right now.

Thankfully he didn't reach out and break the offending foreleg tapping him, "Very well. If you are asking I will agree to guard your mare. I... apologize..."

"Thank you Zed."

I pushed my way past him and opened the door back out into the atrium, looking back as the others followed me out. Jade had her nose in the air as she passed him, staring at him cooly and standing between Crystal and the zebra. "I am sure I do not need your protection," she huffed and trotted out to join me.

Val outright hissed at him as she passed, smacking him with her long tail and Nick followed in her wake with a shrug. I ducked over to the medical lab and opened the door, it was empty and dark as I expected though and Crystal slipped in gratefully. It looked like she felt better out of the cell and back in her element, turning on the lights and opening a safe in the wall with her magic, floating several sealed containers out.

Zed walked over and stood at the door silently while Jade crossed the large chamber to the diner, calling out for the attention of the numb ponies sitting in the booths blankly. I waved to her before heading off to the living quarters hallway, rewarded with a sweet smile and determined look as she ushered the first drug addled Stable dweller out into the atrium and towards the medical lab.

Living quarters for the number of ponies this place was designed for ended up being a sprawling maze, scattered with gang members in their own plundered rooms or engaged in other pursuits... There were a couple clumps of green on Eyes Forward Sparkle I was following as we made our way through and the first we reached bothered me enough to no longer care about being sneaky.

Two family quarters had a number of attractive Stable mares and stallions kept within, judging by the pip-bucks anyway, no blue and yellow barding in here... They were being used for the gang to take advantage of as they liked. At least they were so drugged and suggestible they didn't care at the horrible treatment, but I did. We opened the door the mares were kept in first and my shock at the scene inside was quickly replaced by the Shroud in my head taking over, floating Best Served out and being very... selective... about my targets on the gang stallions enjoying themselves inside. S.A.T.S. didn't really offer that as a target on their anatomy but they were caught pretty off guard, I left them screaming and bleeding out and moved on.

Val moved ahead of me in the room with the stallions and her and Nick's pistols rang out putting a stop to that as well. The Stable ponies of 114 in both rooms were unconcerned at least, we'd have to come back and direct them out but their prison was comfortable anyway. The same wasn't true at the next green clump on my compass, this was fairly close to the orchard and looked to be where those not deemed up to snuff for other... duties were kept.

They weren't even guarded, I supposed it was pretty unnecessary and they had been up to this for several months now. The small lodgings were crammed full of ponies in Stable barding, they were filthy and bruised, malnourished and obviously exhausted. These were the ones Crystal had said were being worked to death and they looked the part, given only enough care to keep going and supplied with enough drugs to keep them passive. I forced myself to check them over, stumbling through the room trying to find room to set a hoof down without stepping on them. They'd need help but there was little I could do right now, other than make the ones who did this pay.

As we closed in on the orchard ahead and the scattered red and green marks in my vision I noticed the temperature had been steadily dropping. By the time I peeked out into the huge chamber I could see my breath in front of my muzzle, the fire inside kept the chill away though. More than half of the warehouse sized room was taken up by a field of glittering white flowers and worn down foals and elderly carefully tending them. The other half was what I thought of as a proper orchard but was in the process of being taken apart, guards directed mindless Stable stallions into pulling up the wilted, brown apple trees to make more room for flowers in the process of being planted further back.

The delicate blooms being harvested were taken in baskets to another room full of vats and equipment to refine them down into Dusk and Dawn. More boxes filled with the blue and white inhalers were being stacked near the exit of this area by tired looking mares wearing paper smocks and boots on their hooves, nets on their manes and tails and masks on their muzzles. The process must be sensitive, even coming up with these narcotics looked to require some level of skill, those at the work were carefully watched.

Val ruffled her feathers and rubbed her shoulders, "Cold... that mare said these flowers were from the Crystal Mountains right? Must have to keep it like this to grow em boss. So what's the plan?"

Plan was asking for a lot... seeing how the Overmare of 114 had treated her ponies had me barely holding back. There wasn't many clever ideas in my head at the moment, just a dark rage telling me to hurt the stallion who I watched kick a foal for nicking one of the flowers the wrong way. What was I supposed to come up with anyway? It was a giant chamber used to grow food, a field built under ground, no way to be sneaky once we left the doors. I never worked on the orchard back in 111 very often, it had irrigation systems and the lights but that was about it. Could I use either of those here?

Forcing my brain into something more productive than violence was hard but helped along by those quiet voices in there, "Be kind.." and "Be Strong!" those weren't really pieces of the Ministry Mare's souls were they? If they were I was grateful to them anyway, they tried to help where they could and weren't overridden by that darker voice sharing the same space.

They got me to calm down this time, I stared up to the lights thinking. Magical artificial sun lights... if things were similar enough here to 111 then there should be... there! I floated my tools out and crept over to an access panel down the hall, Val watched with a grin and nudged Nick beside her.

"Watch... he's got that look again, I love it when boss does this stuff."

Nick looked back at the orchard dubiously and followed my progress as I crawled into the open panel, looking for the junction that should be down here. "Er... You never cared much for technical stuff before sweetheart, am I missing something here? Those folks need help."

"Sssh! Quiet Nick! I don't like borin' stuff like this, the boss doin' it is different though. Saw him turn a sky chariot plant into a murder factory once..."

Patching my pip-buck in I stuck my head back out of the duct to see the mercenary waiting with gleeful anticipation. "Nothing so dramatic Val. Just cover your eyes a second, it's about to get really bright in there. When I yell go in and start taking them out."

Nick whistled low in appreciation as comprehension crossed his face, "The lights... you're setting off a flash bang... Pretty smart pal."

"I have my moments... here we go, eyes shut!" I ducked back in the vent and hit the command on my pip-buck, squinting at the brightening glare filling the hall behind me and showing every detail in the formerly dark access duct. I had to cover my eyes even down here but the sound of sparks and a capacitor blowing nearby above all the shouts out in the orchard told me it was over. "NOW! GO!"

I scrambled out of the duct and the other two were already in the room. Val had some real room to fly in here and was taking advantage of it, raining red magical energy down on blinking, confused gang members. Nick followed along behind her, selecting his shots with the booming revolver carefully, each blast obliterated a head under some fancy hat of a Trigger Jewel. They were starting to figure out something had gone very wrong, firing wildly at indistinct shapes around them, shaking their heads and rubbing their eyes.

I floated all of my weapons out and ran straight for where the crystalline flowers were tended by the foals and old ponies unsuited to other work. I noticed with satisfaction the sudden flare of light and heat from the dimly glowing magical lamps above had wilted the entire crop, I had hoped they were as sensitive as they looked. The panicked guards waving deadly weapons around near the tortured slaves was worrying me though, S.A.T.S. guided rounds put down any near the foals before they could get unlucky enough to take a hit.

A heavy blast of a shotgun slammed right into my chestpiece, knocking me across the ground groaning. The trick with the lights had worked on the stunned guards out here, but those in the refinement area had recovered a lot sooner. Several of them were spilling out and taking aim at me. A machinegun roared and started chewing up the dirt in front of me, tracing its way towards me too quickly to dodge. I was sure I was about to be in some serious pain but Nick charged across the field of dying flowers and landed in front of me, several rounds perforating him before his pistol crashed and silenced them.

The strange robot reached a pale hoof down to help me up and tipped his hat, the repair talisman already undoing the damage he had suffered. I took it gratefully, stumbling back up in time to send half a dozen pistol rounds at the last pair I saw on E.F.S. near the refining area. Trusting an Institute robot wasn't easy but that went a long way, if he wanted me dead he had plenty of opportunities so far.

"Thanks Nick, appreciate it."

The pale stallion glanced down to one of the last wounds on his leg sealing back up and his coat knitting back together, "No problem mac, haven't had a proper repair talisman for years, nice being able to take advantage of it again."

Val landed nearby and started rifling through the dead gang members, an obvious sign there wasn't anyone else to kill here for her. I took a moment to trot over and get a better look at the refinement area. Dr. Swab back in Diamond City was right, if this place could make Dusk and Dawn they definitely looked to have the equipment and supplies to make real medicine too.

I filed that away for future use, Stable 114 would need something to make their way as part of the Commonwealth, I had more experience with what would likely come up for them now. With any luck all this stuff could do a lot of good, help Jade's hopes for the Followers of the Apocalypse and provide medicine to Hexington that was really needed.

That just left the confused looking Stable ponies down here, many were continuing their work but those left with a wilted and useless crop were at a loss for what to do. I shouted out to the echoing chamber for their attention, "Hey! All you Stable dwellers! I want you to stop working! Just... get some rest alright! We'll come back for you soon!" Like the others they accepted the suggestion with no complaint, some flopping to the ground on the spot and falling directly to sleep.

We'd have to do a more through sweep of the Stable, but once some of the residents were in their right minds again they could help out with that. There was plenty of weapons laying around now just waiting for new owners... For now I was ready to get back to the others, Zed guarding them aside I didn't like leaving them alone in this place.

By the time we got back to the atrium a crowd of very confused looking ponies were milling about, rubbing their heads and talking to each other quietly. They actually acknowledged our presence now, watching as we crossed to the medical lab fearfully. As I approached the zebra guarding the door to the lab Jade led a new Stable dweller out in front of me, guiding them gently with her wing towards the others who all watched her with awe glimmering in their eyes.

"There we are, right this way to your friends. The headache should get better with time, you should eat to help with that. Try to stay calm and... oh Fast! E-excuse me a moment dear." The alicorn gave a final nudge in the right direction to the baffled looking older mare and trotted over, checking Val and I over carefully before giving a relieved hug. "Is everything alright? Did you find the others?"

"Yeah, they're... ok. The ones working the orchard are going to need a lot of help, the others we found... They're probably going to need different kinds of help. H-how much will they remember?"

She gave a concerned look to the ponies watching us, "I do not know Fast. They seem to be coming out of their fugue state well enough but their memories are fuzzy so far, they may return later or they may not. Why?"

Thinking back to the treatment some had suffered I shuddered and nuzzled at her, whispering to her ear, "I hope they don't... There are things they don't want to remember down there."

"We will have to see what happens then. If you think so perhaps it would be best if they do not, but there is little we can do either way. If it is safe we can send those in the best shape to collect their fellows and treat them as well." Jade gave me a worried look and returned the affection, I didn't want to tell her what was waiting down there but she seemed to take my meaning.

Val plopped a heavily laden bag down interrupting us and grinning, "Even lettin' these fools have some of the guns this is a great haul boss. These gang assholes were loaded, hell bet I could even strip the less bloody clothes off and sell it, fancy stuff."

"I think we're doing good enough on caps to not go quite that far Val, can't imagine there are many that aren't ruined anyway."

"We are never doin' good enough on caps boss... Just lemme an' yer kid handle all that stuff, you got no head fer business." She tousled my mane with her dark claws and smiled, obviously pleased with herself. A strange high pitched noise floating through the atrium made the expression die on her face, replaced with sudden fear and anger. "Boss down!"

The heavy griffon shoved Jade and I both down as the weird noise peaked and culminated with a flat crack sound. I barely saw a blurry streak puncture right through the griffon's thick combat armor and exit her shoulder with a wince. I rolled back up noticing the stream of blood seeping from under her green breastplate and looked around for the source of whatever that just was. Such a weird sound was hard to track down in the echoing room but the marks appearing on my E.F.S. along with Val's scowl helped.

At the far end of the atrium, back at the hall leading up to the exit were a number of red marks in my vision, just showing up within range now. From the shadows of the doorway a large snowy white griffon walked out smirking, she held a strange weapon in her claws, long as a rifle but lined with round capacitors and electronics, with a lightning talisman glowing near the stock. Grinning she waggled the barrel of the weapon in our direction as I pulled my own and Val downed a healing potion. The Stable dwellers had enough sense back to run and hide now at least.

"Val... what a surprise running into you here. Must be my lucky day traitor." She had icy blue accents on her wings and the fan of plumage at her rump but was mostly pure white, wearing combat armor similar to Val's but painted to match her blue accents and icy eyes. A pair of heavy weapons rested under her wings like Val, though hers were different and the weirdly whining rifle was what was pointed our way. I did notice the series of numbers and letters on her flank wasn't scratched out with scars like Val's.

"Freya... fantastic. What are you doing here, try to find the nastiest shit hole contract you could and wound up with this?" Val seethed back at the pale griffon as several gang members poured into the room behind her, all loaded for bear.

This was not looking good, I darted glances around the large chamber preparing for this to go south quickly. Jade had ushered the last frightened Stable ponies into the medical lab and blocked the door with her bulk, prepared to throw a shield up in a second. Zed should be right by her but had disappeared again, a black and white blur out of the corner of my vision made me hopeful that really was him up on the second level, but I didn't dare draw attention to him if it was. Nick had taken cover in the diner doorway where a number of the Stable dwellers had hidden as well.

I focused on the enemy griffon as she replied to Valkyrie. "Something like that yeah Val. Rich client bought my contract, appreciates the finer things and wanted the best protection out there. Glad I signed on now, killing you is going to be a nice bonus. Heard you say boss at my little warning shot there. Don't tell me you actually found someone to take a contract with you?"

The fiery griffon edged her way in front of me protectively and smirked back at the other, "Gots me an open contract with the boss here, better than any two bit punk yer workin' for too."

This Freya as Val had called her goggled at me and narrowed her pale eyes at Val, "An open contract!? With this runt?! Well, well, that is something isn't it? Doesn't look like much though does he, ratty rag over armor that's seen some action, not rolling in caps is he? Willing to put my boss up against yours there Val, ain't that right hon?" Her gaze never left us but she nodded back over her shoulder at the pony entering the room behind her.

A white unicorn mare around my age, wearing a shimmering violet dress and matching hat on her carefully styled golden mane. walked in the atrium imperiously. She hissed taking in the room, scowling over to me in particular once she spotted me next to Val still covering me. Her necklaces and earrings glittered in the lights but the accessory I was most interested in was on her foreleg, it had been adorned with jewels but that was a pip-buck alright.

On spotting it I felt my eyes blazing at her, locking on her green eyed glare back. "Overmare of 114 I presume... I was hoping to have a talk with you..."

New Perk Added!---------------------------------

Shotgun Surgeon-----
---With this perk, your precision with a scattergun is something to behold. When using shotguns, regardless of ammunition used, you ignore 10% of a target's damage resistance.