"Good morning everypony! This is Traveling Miles at Diamond City Radio and that was Sapphire Shores. Little travel advisory for all you in the D.C. area, there's been a lot of reports about Gunner patrols in the city nearby. If you're on these mercenaries shit list, you may want to lay low and keep away from the area for awhile. Not that I'm talking about anypony in particular here... I mean a certain stallion with a 5,000 cap bounty on his head wouldn't need me to tell him the mercs mean business.

I'd certainly never interfere with their operations by reporting them spreading to the north either, that would be clear media bias to the free press of Diamond City which we all know is ridiculous! I'm sure our local newspaper is just on a little hiatus, our glorious leaders would never meddle with the press just because they didn't like what we had to say, would they? Not to worry, I have it on good authority the next issue is on the way. Our intrepid reporter mare just wanted a change of scenery for awhile but is still serving the residents of D.C. and the Commonwealth at large.

While we wait for the latest news fit to print I'm pulling double duty on the journalism front so bear with me folks. Of interest to those of you living out on the edge, it looks like another barrier storm is brewing out there... We all know these are just part of living in the Commonwealth and not terribly dangerous, on our side anyway... Remember to hunker down and stay dry if you live out that way, hopefully this one will pass before too long.

Lastly before I get back to the music I have a treat for us commoners here in the great green jewel. I managed to get an interview with a lovely young mare working the infamous Haycom Homicide Hoedown, shame she's taken as that cute little maid outfit could drive a pony crazy! Seriously though, our guest interview was willing to give us a first hoof account of the show before the murder, the outburst that seems to have made the common pony's princess such an unpopular figure in the upper stands. I've heard plenty of the rumors around the Dugout Inn but even they fail to live up to this account of what really happened, let's take a listen!"

Most of the morning was spent helping the gaggle of Minutemares who had come eagerly at Jade's request, loading the pair of carts they brought down with the first shipments of books the alicorn sorted and found most desirable. Half a dozen Minutemare troops worked without complaint, making trip after trip into the tiny cottage and filling both carts until they could hold no more.

They were all young, only a couple even my age, and all three bucks along with one of the fillies fawned over Jade, willing to do anything she asked just as Val had teased. My worst burning scowl finally got them to behave themselves and not be so obvious in their attempts to impress the princess.

We had lunch with all of them and they shared their own stories over the meal, eventually getting past Preston's cultivated fame and treating Jade and I normally. Well, as normal as they could manage, clearing up the myths they believed about the Princess of Sanctuary and the Shrouded Stallion still left them with a truth they found impressive. They seemed almost ashamed sharing their own lives with us, which was silly as I found it all quite interesting.

They came from all over the northern Commonwealth and Trotson itself, little villages and settlements I never heard of or small homes in the ruins consisting of only their families or just themselves. These were ponies who grew up in the wasteland, had lived in the world I was only recently made a member of, some had terribly sad stories they spoke of like it was no big deal. Most impressively, all of them had come to join the Minutemares to try to make a difference, hearing stories about us and the group had given them a little hope but they took things from there.

Jade explaining why she wanted the books to them only made their eyes widen with greater admiration and they had taken to the royal request happily. The idea of using all this knowledge to just give it away with a library and school, rather than sell it, was simply a foreign concept to most of the Minutemare recruits.

She kindly told them what such institutions were and what she hoped to do. Their nervous questions of whether they could be taught by the princess, even if they couldn't read, answered with a sweet yes. They became completely dedicated to doing what she asked after that. Not just because she asked them now, but because they believed in her and the goal.

Two of them were to remain at the cottage, turning it into a new Minutemare outpost the other two would return to the bridge to report on and have supplied, the last pair with the carts had left to make their way to Hexington. I told them to look for Oblige and Rusty when they got there, sure they could arrange better and faster transport that didn't take them away from their duties, offering them caps to pay which they refused.

According to the Minutemares they had such a good relationship with both the now booming town of Hex and the traders that regularly passed through, they didn't see any problems arranging a deal for their help, especially since the famous Princess of Sanctuary was the one asking. Seeing how our actions were actually having an effect on this part of the Commonwealth was pretty uplifting, especially with the things I had seen and read still rolling around in my head.

Learning all I had about the former inhabitant of the cottage had left me continually distracted by my thoughts, having to shake my head and return to the more lighthearted conversation around us at Jade's occasional nudge. Being so focused on the past is probably why I didn't think too much about seeing the image of the mare I was thinking about walking down the trail from the C.I.A.T. buildings, until she spoke and I saw the others heard it too...

"Ah, there you are. I was dispatched as I'm the closest, but there was some concern you would have moved on by now." The others reacted to the cream mare trotting forward warily, but as just another pony, the Minutemares not noticing I was frozen on the spot. Val instantly had her weapons out, only Jade seemed to realize something was seriously wrong with me.

That was her... That was Moondancer... Younger than I had ever seen her, but definitely her. Thick black framed glasses, wild rose mane clipped above her ears, wooly charcoal sweater, no moon shaped cutie mark though... Her glasses looked off too, as she turned her head to look on the scene with interest I saw why, no light reflected off the lenses, they were just empty frames.

An orange Minutemare buck trotted forward and held a hoof out to the mare, nonplussed as she looked down at it curiously before returning to staring directly at me. Jade's insistent nudging was only getting me to stammer uselessly, more than enough for her to be cautious and take a protective stance, glancing over to the griffon watching the exchange. "Get away from her please Sparkplug, Valkyrie, do not let that mare approach..."

Covering the intruder with her pistol, Val answered curtly. "You got it Blue. What's the deal boss?"

I had to slap my muzzle to get over the torrent of thoughts and emotions on seeing her right in front of me, finally pointing a shaking hoof at her and managing to speak. "Y-You!"

Dr. Dala... Moondancer.... cocked one of her bushy eyebrows up and shook her head, "Well, not really. I'm just a messenger, I'm sure you can figure out what I am, you are a clever one from what I understand Mr. Times." Nodding her head back to her blank flank, she peered back to me over the frames of her empty glasses with an amused expression.

"Synth... You're a synth... Made to look like her? So was the one who spoke to the alicorns, wasn't she?"

The synthetic pony's head bobbed happily and she clapped her hooves together, "Just so, that didn't take you long at all, no wonder you are of interest. Yes, I'm a synth, rather an older model if I'm being honest. Sadly there's not much call for my model, the good doctor rarely feels nostalgic for this version so I don't see much activity. I was just around the corner though when you triggered the alarms on this place, I do believe she had nearly forgotten about it entirely you know. I check on it every few years, but it has remained well hidden. I take it that pip-buck of yours gave you an advantage most wasteland ponies do not enjoy, couldn't scrub the Stable-Tec database of everything... Well it worked out for the best!"

"Fast? What is wrong? Who is this... synth? She does bear a resemblance to the mare we saw in those memories but..." Jade had drawn Glitter close to her in her magic, prepared to throw up her shield and protect the foal watching me get up nervously.

I took a few steps closer, stroking her neck as I passed her protective guard to speak with this synth. "I was going to tell you once we got moving again... this cottage belonged to the head of the Institute Biosciences Division, Dr. Dala... Dr. Dancer, Moondancer. I should have figured there might be some kind of security here, the place is just so ramshackle I didn't think... What do you want synth?"

Adjusting her glasses the Moondancer copy gave me a wounded look, "No need to sound so scary 'Shrouded Stallion'... I told you, I'm just the messenger, I don't want much of anything really, that's more of an existential question many of us debate among ourselves. Dr. Dala however wants you, which is what I imagine you meant. I somehow doubt you're very interested in the philosophical quagmire concerning artificial pony life...

Of course she's not the only one, you have made quite the nuisance of yourself in a very short time. Vega wants you dead, Dr. Dala's interest is quite friendly in comparison. You and your mare there are a favored subject of hers nowadays, you are no different than our other alicorn and pony couple we are trying to help! You could work with us, advance the research, help your lovely mare? We know that is what you both wish, we only want to help give you what you want."

Hearing her settle into the spiel I heard in the memory Jade shared set my eyes burning and I drew my weapons, "I've heard this before... I didn't trust it then either. Tell me what you did with everypony from my Stable, give me Zed's brother and... whatever it is he wants, stop experimenting on sick ponies, let me talk to the real Moondancer herself, then maybe I'll think about it."

The zebra stallion had been edging around slowly, stopping to stare when I mentioned the connection he was unaware of. Val had flapped up and to her other side, ready to rain death down on the synth while even the Minutemare recruits were taking this seriously now, spreading out and readying their own weaponry.

The copy didn't look perturbed, watching everyone move around her passively. "I'm afraid that won't work, you are far too dangerous to be allowed to just meet the great doctor on your terms... we have been watching you, even the less fun parts. You do want to know about your Stable don't you? This is your best opportunity, I don't have that knowledge but if you come along peacefully I am sure you will be told. Though as a show of good faith, I can say with a high degree of probability the ones you are most interested in are still safe and alive..."

This one was as smooth as the other I had witnessed tempting the alicorns in the Commonwealth, she knew exactly what bait to use... The temptation was so strong I faltered, real answers? They were alive? She could tell me more, or her master could anyway... It's not like I entirely disagreed with what I had found out about Biosciences or Moondancer either... just her methods. The possibility of helping Jade and her kind out, giving my special somepony what she wanted more than anything, the chance to be a mother herself... The other copy had said making normal ponies compatible with alicorns was possible... To be able to have a foal with the mare I loved someday... and to find my family?

The brief, perfect dream of being reunited with all the ponies I had taken from me flashed in front of my eyes. Of introducing Jade and Glitter to my mom and dad and little baby brother, of being one big family. The thought of my parents getting to be grandparents, of Better growing up to be an uncle. Double dates with Sunset and Grizz along with Jade and myself, of Glitter and our own theoretical foal growing up in Sanctuary with my pair of friends own children if they ended up together. It really all might be possible, all I had to do was agree... compromise...

"F-Fast... I do not think you should trust this mare... N-No matter how tempting she is, I see what you are thinking of. They are all things I w-want as well but... but they are dangerous. You well know this." Jade pulled me from the war raging in my head with her soft voice whispering in my ear, bringing me back to the present. There was real longing in her warning too, but she was keeping her head despite having her dream dangled in front of us.

I got the feeling the synth's hearing was up to Cogsworth's standards, she waved a hoof graciously to the alicorn puffing in my ear. "You may even bring your mate with you, Dr. Dala is most interested in speaking with her as well. This concerns her too. We wish to have the lovely Princess' help and want to grant her desires. You two are very entertaining... the doctor has greatly enjoyed some of your more energetic performances... she is eager to meet both of you."

The sharp gasp and whinny that got out of Jade nearly sent a gauss rifle round right through the synth's head, they pulled that trick with the alicorn in the memories I had seen as well, Evergreen. The files in the terminal I had found back in Moondancer's cottage said she was a voyeur, the idea she had been watching us too though... The high pitched whine of the rifle charging focused her attention anyway.

"That is none of her business. I... I don't like the way the real Moondancer does things, but I've learned enough I think there might be a good pony to salvage in there somewhere. She wanted to change, she knew she was doing wrong before the end... She has to know what she's doing now is worse. I want what she's offering, but not the way she's doing it. She wants to talk and help, she can figure out another way to do it.

I'm not just going to trust you and follow along, go slow, give me something I want first. Unless I hear where my Stable went I'm going to hunt her down myself so I can drag it out of her if I have to. Now, killing you seems pointless, and I don't think I could make you talk, even if you're lying and do know about my Stable, you'd just melt away instead of answer right? So I guess that means we're done talking for now. Leave."

The synth shook her head slowly, giving a sigh and shrugging. "Tsk, tsk, tsk... I had hoped you would be more cooperative like Miss Evergreen and her stallion. I should have known, I never get the easy jobs. Oh well... I was primarily to buy time, you are far too valuable a subject to not take advantage of this opportunity, Vega's machinations may succeed and then where would we be with you dead? Even Mobius is moving again since you appeared, making the others quite nervous. I am afraid I must insist... If you won't come willingly you'll just have to be taken."

The Minutemare stallion that had raised a hoof in welcome kicked the crank on his magical energy musket battle saddle, charging it with a glowing pink shot. "I don't know what's goin' on here but that didn't sound too friendly, you're not takin' the general or anypony anywh..."

The young buck's attempt at bravery was cut short, literally... a pale blur blasted by in front of him faster than I could follow and his head was suddenly sailing through the air. Everything froze, broken only when a spurt of blood fountained from his neck and the body fell with a thump at the synthetic Moondancer's hooves.

She looked down at it with a bored expression, wiping a few flecks of blood from her face. "That was unfortunate... I would not recommend that from you others, my associates are a bit difficult to restrain..."

The dark Shroud in my head taking over was only stopped by the anguished screech of one of the young Minutemare fillies, floating her own pistol up shakily and taking aim at the synth with tears pouring down her face, "Spark! You bitch!"

"NO! DON"T!" I wasn't sure what had done that, but I knew why and couldn't let it happen again. Dashing forward I tackled the sobbing mare, barely ahead of a repeat of that streak swooping past, a line of searing pain bloomed down my side and I got the idea whatever it was had veered off to leave me with only that much.

A thump nearby showed me where to look, spotting the synth cooing up to a... an alicorn? "Good job, that's the one you are not to kill, we only want him, that's right."

Another mutated creation, not a real one... this was different than the only other such creature I had seen. Where the other was a hulking mass of muscle, this one was lean and lanky, a pair of giant wings lightly touched the ground, even furled at its sides, the glint of metal at the tips. It did have a tiny horn however, and was covered in ropy muscle under its pale hide. Since it wasn't wearing the green robe of the Church of Balefire like the first I saw, I got the opportunity to look at its flank. It wasn't blank like normal alicorns, but the warped smear of color there wasn't anything I could make out, the mark of whoever this pony had been twisted like the body under it.

This one had a darker mane and tail still, unlike the first I saw, and the hide didn't look as rubbery or lumpy, don't tell me they were getting better at making these... Dim red eyes locked on me struggling up from the shaking mare, wincing from the wound dribbling blood down my side even while the black trenchcoat I wore knitted itself back together.

"Shit boss! UP! There's more of..." Heavy thumps and the sound of a lot of magical energy weapons fire above gave me a new threat to focus on, Val was jerking in the air above us rapidly, her best evasion maneuvers not enough to keep her away from the pair of blurs zipping around her. One kept slamming her as it streaked by, its hooves bashing her all over and keeping her off balance, the second sent blue lines of M.E.W. fire at her.

I had to trigger S.A.T.S. just to get a better look at what was attacking her, two more of the weird, lanky alicorn mutants were swarming her. Each of them carried a different weapon, one with a pair of power hooves on its forelegs and the other wearing a type of magical energy weapon I had never seen under its wings. The one down here with me was outfitted with those sharp blades at the end of its oversized wings that were terribly sharp.

Most disturbing was the odds S.A.T.S. was giving to hit any of them, the best chances were on the one here on the ground and barely 20 feet away, and no target was listed above 25%. The ones harrassing Val were listed in the single digits only, if anything... how fast were these things?

I could barely see Jade behind me, her shield was up and Glitter was held protectively in her hooves as she hovered up in the air, the foal's view of the sudden death being blocked by the alicorn wearing a shocked expression having witnessed it herself. There was nothing her healing could do for the poor buck now...

I used the entire spell charge on the torso of the mutant in front of me with the Terrible Shotgun, the best chance I had at hitting anything. Taking in where everyone else was and our current situation, I only saw one course of action. As soon as time resumed and the shotgun started booming I shouted over the roar, "Back to the cottage! INSIDE NOW!"

Somehow that damn mutant alicorn dodged the first four S.A.T.S. assisted rounds, the first of these things I fought was slow and like fighting a brick wall, this was more like trying to hit quicksilver, it didn't even bother putting up a shield if it could. The fifth slug managed to clip the huge wing facing me, making it pause just long enough for the last shot to hammer into its shoulder. The effect of finally landing a shot pushed it back further than I'd expect, it must be pretty light even as large as it was. It didn't show much else to encourage me though, the bleeding wound was already slowing as I watched and it didn't look to be in much pain.

A shadowy blur streaking across the ground saved my assault from being totally useless as I turned to run and cover the others escape to the shack nearby. AssaultJack had faded away and hidden when the weapons came out, with one of these things on the surface and being attacked by me it was fair game to the killer robot. The long blades in her forelegs nearly returned the gruesome death this one had unleashed on the Minutemare, digging a long line through its neck and down its back, making one wing fall limply to its side. Zed followed up the attack, leaping to the air and bringing the pip-buck on his hind leg down right on the monster's tiny horn, cracking it with the impact.

Val was having a hard time even trying to get back to the ground and the door of the cottage, the pair speeding around her were keeping her from making any headway and only her aerial combat skills and their choice in weapons were saving her from a quick death. There was no way any of my weapons could hit the pair of them up there, the Last Minute had the range but I'd never make the shot. I really only had one skill that could help, but it was too dangerous and inaccurate.

Jade gave me the chance I needed, the beautiful blue alicorn could almost be a green one instead sometimes, she could read my mind anyway. A glowing blue shield bloomed to life around Val now that Jade and Glitter had retreated to the waiting doorway, waving the Minutemares forward anxiously. Her frightened gaze locked on mine and she pointed a hoof up to the battered griffon, "Do it Fast! It can withstand it as long as it is not a direct hit!"

I was very glad I had spent so much time following my lessons from Corona back in Diamond City, the lightning spell was still pretty indiscriminate, but I had learned to regulate the amount of power it drained and the spread just a little. Focusing on making it fan out as much as possible around the blue shell above me I gulped and let loose.

KRAKA-THOOOM!

It actually worked the way I wanted it to, I was slowly improving... The sky was instantly filled with a jagged web of electricity in a wide cone around the shield protecting Val, no matter how fast those things were they couldn't outrun lightning. Spreading the spell out so far dropped the power they were hit with down too far to kill them, but they broke away in a hurry, sparking and jittering in the air and clearing a path for Val.

I dove through the door behind her and the others, slamming it behind me and panting. The red marks of E.F.S. at the bottom of my vision sped around so fast I couldn't make out much more than quick flashes of red, circling the cottage rapidly. There was one green mark out there beyond the door, corresponding to the synth raising its voice mildly.

"This will be much easier if you just come along Mr. Times. It need not be so difficult you know, Miss Evergreen has been quite satisfied with our arrangement, you are being irrational and stubborn. Just come out of there and the others will be left alone, you are the only one I am required to retreive, though the invitation is still open to Miss Jade as well."

Looking around the crowded little room at the others I was tempted, the young Minutemares were grieving their comrade and frightened, looking to me to save them, pull a little legendary Shrouded Stallion magic out of my hat somehow. Jade was focusing on healing Val's numerous wounds, the air was closed off to the griffon and she was in no shape to fight right now. Zed and AssaultJack looked ok, proving they had the speed to put them on favorable terms against those things, under the right circumstances anyway. I doubted they'd let either ground bound opponent get close enough again though.

I stopped at Glitter staring up at me with wide pink eyes, scared and trusting at the same time. She knew to stay near Jade and the protection of her shield in situations like this, no matter how much she shook and fidgeted in place, obviously wanting to come to me. Trying to ignore my own worries I gave her a wink and tipped my hat, trying to at least look like I was confident and knew what the hell I was doing... If I had to give myself up to protect her I would, though I'd still rather find a way out of this somehow.

Peeking out the crescent shaped window in the purple door I couldn't think of much, we were in the middle of the wide grounds of the campus, the skeletal trees and mostly dead vegetation didn't provide much cover from opponents in the air. There was nowhere to run to nearby and the rotting cottage wasn't a stronghold to take a stand in, I had no doubt they could crash through the sagging roof any time they wanted. The only advantage I had was the knowledge they were focused on me exclusively, the others were disposable but they wanted me and wanted me alive for whatever reason, making things more difficult for them.

I furrowed my brow and tapped through my pip-buck desperately, checking over my inventory and the map. We weren't that far from the Manebridge Police H.Q. marker on my map when we had stopped here, there were city streets and buildings between us once free of the campus grounds too. This was a bad plan... but it was a step above just turning myself over.

Trotting over to the shivering little filly watching me closely, I ruffled her silver mane and kissed her forehead. Focusing a moment when I was no longer touching her to bring up my strange lightning walking spell and pour as much power into it as I dared. I still wasn't entirely sure how this spell worked or whether I should tinker with it, but it was useful. Glitter gave a nervous smile seeing the arcing electricity surrounding my hooves, reaching out to get a tingling zap and disappointed I wouldn't allow it this time.

I glanced over to Jade and saw her staring at my hooves with a worried frown. Her horn glowed brightly as she worked on healing Val, who followed the alicorn's stare and struggled beneath her. I really wished I could go to them both, hug the injured griffon and get a parting kiss from Jade, but getting in range of either wasn't a good idea right now, they saw through me too easily.

"B-Boss.. what'cha think y-yer doin'..."

"Fast... you may not!"

Backing away from the ladies trying to stop me I shook my head, "Sorry... You know where the police station's at, I'll er... I'll see you there soon. Minutemares! Protect them for me ok?!"

A field of pale blue magic reached out and nearly caught me, if I hadn't blasted across the room and through the window I was thinking about in a crackling trail of lightning, Jade would have had me. Sailing through the air past the window I had time to marvel at how fast I had apparently just moved. Actually pouring more lightning tinged magic into this spell, instead of trying to get rid of it to cast normal cloudwalking, made it a great deal stronger. It took a lot more magic to cast it and I felt a slow drain as it burned through my reserves at a trickle though, I didn't know how long I could keep this up, long enough I hoped.

A swirl of torn papers and scrolls followed me out the window, caught in the suction when I streaked past and flying everywhere as I landed. I could hear Jade scream through the shattered window but couldn't stop now, glancing over to the synth watching with interest to make sure she saw me.

"Oh good, you've decided to be adult about this!"

I gave the copy of Moondancer a wide grin and stuck my tongue out at her, "Nope! Catch me if you can! You're it!"

A shadow fell over me, but I looked back to see the mutant alicorn slam into the ground still sparking with the arcing trail I left. Well I wouldn't be hard to track, so now it was a straight out race...

Keeping ahead of the pair of mutants chasing me was a challenge even with the lightning walking spell propelling me along at intense speeds. Beyond just the concern over my diminishing magic, I also had to worry about how long I could keep putting out this level of physical exertion. Surviving the wasteland had made me a tougher pony than I had been back in the Stable, but I would never be an athlete in the Equestrian Games or anything.

Moving this fast also presented a number of challenges once I managed to escape the open campus grounds and reached the cluttered, cracked streets of Manebridge. I had a lot less time to react to any new obstacle and any trip over some random piece of junk in the street would send me tumbling to the asphalt like I jumped from a moving train.

Eventually I started finding a rhythm I could work with, my unique spell seemed to best be used in two ways. If I had a clear, straight path ahead of me I could pour on the speed, outpacing even the warped alicorns rocketing above me. If things were too crowded I had to slow down, but using short bursts I could dodge and change directions on a cap, making me too difficult to catch even when I wasn't going as fast.

All this still hadn't helped me out with my biggest problem, the creatures chasing me weren't giving up and were wearing me down over time. Ducking into ruined buildings or under cover hadn't helped either, they weren't dumb enough to give up the advantage the skies gave them, simply circling outside and waiting rather than following me. I was getting concerned I was right and Dr. Dala was getting better at making these twisted alicorns, these definitely seemed smarter than the first I ran into.

The other differences gave me something to distract myself from the imminent threat they represented too, why were these two... shit... three... the third had regenerated its wing and rejoined the hunt dammit. Ok three, why were they so different than the first? That big mountain of muscle would be easy to leave in my dust, thinking back on its it made me think of the toughest earth pony I could imagine, just with a tiny horn and wings tacked on. These new ones however were all wings, barely any horn and not nearly as physically powerful.

Just as I was starting to work it out I had to make a frantic dodge at the intersection I had been approaching, the first two lulled me into treating this like the chase so far while the third had skimmed the streets and flanked me, the approaching power hooves came uncomfortably close to bashing my muzzle in. I had to burn a burst of additional magic I could barely afford to pull ahead, still getting clipped in my flank and sent skidding under the rusting traffic lights.

The other two followed up while I was off balance, blasting forward and looming behind me while I pinwheeled madly trying to get my hooves back under me. Triggering S.A.T.S. gave me a second to breathe, though I was annoyed to see how low my chance to hit still was. I needed a way to do a lot of damage over a large area, like the lightning spell, a flamethrower, explosives... Well I couldn't waste any more magic, didn't have a flamethrower, but I did have some explosives. Grenades seemed useless, a three second timer against things that could circle the block in that time? My mines weren't better either, landmines were a poor choice against flying enemies.

Spotting a small overpass gave me an idea, I just had to make what I had explode when I wanted, where I wanted, and get them to cooperate of course. They were smarter but still no geniuses, I floated several mines out and tossed them around me as I blurred under the roadway and ran on. The trio spotted the movement but didn't regard them as a threat, pausing only briefly before following after me.

A few turns and jukes through the streets was confusing for me on the ground, I hoped the better view they had above me wouldn't let them catch on too easily at being led in a slow circle. The amount of attention this mad chase was attracting was getting to be a concern too, I knew I had blown through at least a couple clumps of zombies in the ruins and past one largish raider camp. None of them had any chance of joining in as fast as we were moving, but the sea of red marks on my compass was distracting and I was getting worried about what I'd do when I ran out of magic or stamina, whichever came first...

I also needed to check my pip-buck map when I got a chance, I had been working my way towards the marker in my vision I had set up, but had no idea how close I had gotten by now. Streaking under the overpass again I counted the milliseconds in my head, they were right behind me and this was going to be tight.

Jumping up in the air let me trigger S.A.T.S. again and target the group nearing the covered street, the odds to hit any of them were no higher than 15% at best. Changing targets to one of the mines I knew were there gave much better chances at 65% and I used up several shots worth of spell charge. My pistol blasted in rapid fire when time resumed, hitting the small disc on the third shot just as the clump flew under the roadway.

The crashing series of explosions the first detonation triggered shook the ground as my hooves made contact with the street again, nearly making me stumble and fall messily. Hanging a hard 90 degree turn towards the marker on my compass, I got the opportunity to see the overpass come tumbling down in a billowing cloud of dust and only two forms dart out of it. One down... two to go... Sure, no problem...

On the plus side, the two I saw flying out of the explosion in weakly flickering shields were the ones with the wing blades and power hooves. Without the third with the M.E.W. battle saddle they were left with only their weak magic for ranged attacks, clearly prefering to close to melee distance. Well that was fine with me, it let me fall back to my next horrible idea...

A few sharp turns put me on course and I drew out Best Served alongside the Terrible Shotgun, with some luck this may work but wielding the blade in my mouth wasn't going to be good enough. I spotted the structures I was looking for ahead and slowed down slightly to navigate the maze ahead, grateful for the reduced load on my shaking legs.

Raiders had taken over an intersection of city streets and shattered buildings I had passed a couple times so far. All the red on E.F.S. made it easy enough to find again. They had built ramshackle bridges between some of the rooftops of the two and thee story buildings, shoving rusting carriages in the streets to form walls and set up in the windows of some of the partial buildings nearby, only a couple walls and bits of floor, mostly caved in on themselves.

"There it is again!! SHOOT!" One of the raiders above screamed on spotting the sparking trail I was leaving behind, his companions opening up with a hail of gunfire filling the air with lead.

This part was pretty risky... but at least I didn't feel too bad about putting the raiders at risk as expendable fodder. Their choice of decorations to their stronghold made me sure it wouldn't be any loss if they got themselves killed, flayed pony corpses and heads on spikes didn't put them in the category of ponies I cared about too much.

Looking over my shoulder to spot the remaining pair of mutated alicorns entering the open air arena with me made me gulp, they were dodging most of the incoming fire without much trouble and closing in quickly. I still had sense enough to know I should try to avoid doing this, but this situation definitely qualified as an emergency. A frantic series of taps on my pip-buck used up a bitter pill of Buck giving me the stamina to keep going, along with one of my doses of Dash slowing the world down to a crawl.

Using the drug while also under the effects of my spell elevated the experience to a whole new level, I was able to move quickly while everything around me inched forward slowly. With time barely moving I could actually make full use of the kind of speed I could put out, worrying about reacting to obstacles or making turns in time was no longer a concern with the drug fueled euphoria.

Charging up the nearest ramp the raiders had built put me on the second story level, pulling away from my pursuers who were moving at what I'd consider a normal rate as well. I zipped around several raiders up here shouting in slow motion and firing their weapons in panic, making my way to one of the bridges crossing the street and leaping out at the alicorns trying to catch up.

After hunting me this far they definitely didn't expect me to come flying right at them, I figured they also underestimated the gleaming knife at my side until it ripped through the side of the one with his own bladed weapons. Those blades at his wing tips were sharp, but not nearly a match for the star metal knife, it sliced the huge wing off in a flurry of feathers and blood as I passed. Skidding to a halt in the street I heard it crash to the pavement and reversed course instantly, now that it was grounded I wasn't giving it another chance. Sending the long blade into a series of slashes as I passed the struggling creature with S.A.T.S. was devastatingly effective, ending with a long stroke that decapitated the enemy in a spray of gore.

Two down, one to go... Unfortunately the Dash was already starting to wear off, I swore it should last longer than this. With the blissful high fading away I could feel how exhausted I truly was even with the Buck still doing what it could, my magic was reaching its limit, my muscles burned and twitched, I was shaking on unsteady cracked and bleeding hooves that screamed at me from the punishment I had been putting them through. I noticed a few lucky shots that filled the air had impacted against my armor, bruising me and sending blood trickling down my neck. The last mutant had recognized the danger and backed off, biding its time and looking for an opportunity to strike.

As soon as it figured out what condition I was in and that I couldn't do that again... I was in serious trouble. I was out of tricks and nearly out of steam, my only option now was to try to reach my destination before I dropped. I made a break for it while my opponent was still wary, resuming my course for the marker at the bottom of my vision.

When I spotted the squat stone building ahead I shuddered a sigh of relief, almost there... I could hide inside, ask for help, recover for a few minutes even if this thing wouldn't follow me. All I had to do was make it up this hill and past the barricades the military minded ponies had put up in the courtyard. Dodging past the first metal wall I was starting to feel relieved until a beam of weak magic singed my flank and sent me stumbling. I tried to recover and was slammed by a pair of power hooves with a pneumatic hiss, sent sailing through the air and crashing into the blue wooden doors across the courtyard.

I groaned weakly and the lightning magic surrounding my hooves flickered away, leaving me panting on the stone steps as the large mutant alicorn landed and loomed over me. My ribs burned on every stinging breath and I could feel blood pooling under me slowly, my new armor could take an amazing amount of punishment but concussive hits like that made their way through too well. I struggled to raise my head and look at the last monster standing above me, glaring down with dull red eyes and barely breathing hard.

"Yuz fast... annoying... Doctor pony want you, you come now..." Even its speech wasn't as slurred and slow as the other I had fought, it sounded pretty put out at the chase that finally ended so close to my goal.

"D-Don't... don't want t-to go..."

A familiar motorized whine behind me cut off whatever it was considering, the blue double doors I had smashed against had slowly swung open and a long, ripping noise filled the open doorway, sending a tongue of fire into the air above me and raining hot shell casings on my side. The speedy alicorn didn't have time to react, torn to shreds by a stream of minigun rounds issuing from the Manebridge Police H.Q. that went on and on, leaving only a quivering rear half when it finally tapered off.

Trying to roll my head back was agony but I had to look up at the heavy hoofsteps approaching where I lay useless, the blank expression of a heavy, red trimmed power armor helmet looked down and boomed in a distorted voice. "Well, well, Fast Times... We meet under the strangest circumstances don't we? I hope I returned the favor from last time."

"S-Steel Dance... Thank... you..."

With a hiss the Steel Ranger's helmet slid back and his stern face looked down with concern, turning back he shouted into the police station. "Scribe Wind! We have company, bring the med kit!"

I caught sight of a small yellow blur flying forward, a pair of light green eyes close and wide as the worried sounds of the pegasus mare rang in my ears. I couldn't make out any words with everything getting so dark and wobbly though.

The muffled sounds of arguing and a strident voice dragged me out of unconsciousness, blinking at the dusty old office I found myself in. My coat, hat and bags sat nearby, taken away to allow the clumsy bandages crossing my hide and the IV jabbed into my foreleg. I had been put on a sleeping bag and covered partially with a thin blanket, left alone in what was a bullpen for the police station I assumed.

The rising, panic filled voice booming in the next room helped me focus. "YOU WILL ALLOW ME TO TREAT HIM IMMEDIATELY! WHERE IS HE!" Jade's goddess voice rattled the dirty frosted glass panels separating us and partitioning a few offices in here, I groaned weakly, trying to stand unsuccessfully to reach the terrified alicorn princess. All four legs shook and refused to cooperate very well, I maaaaay have overdone it a bit...

Steel Dance's stern voice drifted through the barrier in reply, "This is most unusual Miss Valkyrie, I know you are Fast's associate but her? I am aware of the Followers but this one seems rather excitable, you're sure she's a doctor?"

"Trust me, you really don't want to get in Blue's way right now buddy. I'm grateful you helped the boss, but if you don't let her get to him right quick we're gonna have a problem. From me an' her, where's he at?" Val's voice was taking on a hard edge out there.

Scribe Summer Wind's yelp sounded just on the other side of the door, "H-He's resting! You shouldn't bother him, he was very hurt! Why should I let this... thing... in there?! I still don't trust them, no matter what Paladin Dance says!"

Suddenly the ancient wooden door was ripped off its hinges and a lot of angry alicorn was filling the frame behind it, scowling down at the small pegasus in her way. "I DO NOT REQUIRE YOUR PERMISSION! FAST IS MINE! I WILL... Fast!!" She had spotted me making a poor attempt at crawling to the door to her and instantly stopped being concerned with anything else, including the Scribe she charged past, shoving her aside with her bulk easily.

"H-Hi... W-What took you so long, you know I... hate w-waking up without you... " Wheezing up at her with each breath still burning mildly was made worse when both she and the foal galloping after her tackled me.

A pair of tiny hooves were drumming against my bandaged ribs while Glitter yelped with a frown, "Daddy! You were bad! You ran away an' left me! I w-was scared an so was Miss Jade!"

All the weight of the shuddering blue alicorn on me kept me in place for the punishment, pinning me there and crushing me in her legs before finally floating me up in front of her face and away from the abuse. Judging by her big teary glare and the frown warring with a relieved smile in front of me Jade wasn't a happy camper and let that go on knowing full well how it felt.

Sniffling she shook her head as the glow from her horn intensified and I could feel her magic probing at me, "Y-You may not make your silly jokes... Glitter is correct, you were reckless and w-worried all of us greatly! H-How could you do such a thing! I am most disappointed!"

"Ugh... s-sorry... They only wanted me... if I left... t-they had to follow right? Couldn't see any other... way, if w-we stayed, woulda lost... M-Making sure you were all safe... more important."

Val only added to my scolding, padding up behind the others and shooting a dark claw out, smacking me across the muzzle and glaring at me while I made a lazy flip in Jade's magic from the impact. "Bullshit! You don't get to run off boss! E-Even if it was kinda impressive... Can't bodyguard ya if you zip away like that jerk! What the hell he do to himself Blue? He in enough pain or can I keep goin'?"

Frowning as her magic kept washing over me, Jade eventually gave a little nod and pushed the angry griffon back. "He does not feel good at all... You used that strange spell of yours to push yourself well beyond your limits Fast, you have done damage to your legs and hooves that needs treatment, exhausted your magic... have POORLY TREATED broken ribs..."

The scowl she sent over her shoulder at that last prognosis made poor Scribe Wind wince, to her credit she stood her ground in front of the towering alicorn. "I'm hardly a medic! If you didn't notice we're a little short staffed here right now! I... I did my best alright? Not all of us have big pointy horns along with our wings, Fast who is this rude mare?"

Having healing magic pouring into me let me sigh with relief as I answered the angry pegasus, "Er... Summer Wind, this is Jade. Umm.... you two are getting off on the wrong hoof here, she's my special somepony and just mad at me is all. Jade she did her best, she's right... she didn't have magic to use and she's a repair pony like me. Trust me, asking us to try to fix ponies is too much... Thanks for that Summer, I know it's not easy and I've at least got magic, even if I can't use it to heal worth a damn. This is my daughter Glitter and... yup, the zebra lurking around back there is Zed. We're all friends now right?"

Wrapping her wings around me possessively and glaring down at the shocked pegasus from behind my head, Jade floated a vial of Med-X she maddeningly didn't use in favor of grumbling at her. "I know who she is, this is the pegasus I wished to speak with before. Our interaction has not improved my opinion of this small pony. She called me a thing... Tell her what you think on that subject Fast, how do you feel about me?"

That did annoy me, I did like the pegasus mare and knew there was a lot of bias out in the world about alicorns I had been mostly sheltered from though, maybe it was worse for Enclave ponies? They were removed from the rest of the wasteland until recently from what I understood. Having her nuzzle and kiss at my neck made the answer easy anyway, "I love Jade. She's not a thing, she's a pony like any other Summer. I don't know why you don't trust her kind, but trust me alright? Jade is the most wonderful mare in the world, give her a chance and don't call her that again. I don't like it."

Sniffing with her nose in the air I just knew she was smirking behind me, the glare Summer was sending at her behind me was enough to figure her out. The blissful relief of the Med-X jabbing my flank took my mind off it at least while Steel Dance clomped in the room, putting a steel clad hoof on his Scribe's shoulder and taking over smoothly.

"My apologies Fast, we Rangers have a history with alicorns and the Followers of the Apocalypse that's mixed, but their group is a force for good in Equestria. I was only concerned as this mare seemed rather frantic, now I know why. Excuse Scribe Wind ma'am, the Enclave had a different experience with your kind as I'm sure you know. So... is he healthy enough to move? Maybe fill us in on the reason for the visit, just what the hell that thing was that did that to him? I hope you've come to take us up on our offer to join the Brotherhood, but I somehow think it's nothing so mundane."

Released from the warm embrace it seemed being hovered along after the big blue mare was the best I was going to get, "I suppose he may speak. He needs to remain off his hooves and rest however. You have somewhere to sit and discuss what you wish?"

With a curt nod Dance led the way out of the bullpen, through the dilapidated front lobby of the police station and down a hall to a conference room with a large wooden desk. Tattered papers and notes were clipped to cork boards on the walls, broken bits of string tied to some of the pushpins or still strung between them. A whiteboard at one end of the room looked like it had seen more recent use, a map of the Commonwealth pinned nearby with a number of locations circled and notes were written in fading marker on the board.

Val still didn't look very happy with me, but did fill me in a little on the trip. Once I had run off and taken the mutant alicorns with me the synth Moondancer had simply walked away. Zed looked furious as she recounted that, but by the time he had charged after her she had vanished without a trace.

Gently deposited in a creaking wooden chair at the table I drummed my hooves in front of me, thinking of where to begin. "Dance, you told me you know about the Institute, that you don't like them either. Just how much do you know and how much do you dislike them? Are you willing to do something about it?"

The Steel Ranger made his scribe sit down nearby, watching the alicorn dragging a chair to sit beside me and stare back. "We know more than most, that they're dangerous, that they hold on to lost technology we would prefer out of their hooves, that they keep the Commonwealth isolated, we were mostly drawn here as they aren't willing to extend the same courtesy however. One of their synths was discovered working in the New Canterlot Republic... It was quickly covered up and and a rare incident, they don't seem to be able to spread their influence very far, but we now know they are watching. We are here to do something about them, hopefully our capacity to do so will soon be greatly improved. So what do you know Fast? I take it that creature chasing you is connected?"

After Summer's reaction this was a sticky subject, best to try to get it out of the way right off the bat... "That was something the Institute made yes, or one division of them anyway. Biosciences, they have a version of the I.M.P. and are playing with it, trying to make male alicorns... or make normal stallions able to breed with alicorns, at least that's what their excuse is. I don't trust their motivations very far, but it's a good bet they really are trying to make the potion work the right way. That thing was what they've come up with so far, it's the second type I've seen and I think they're getting better at it, though they're not male. They're experimenting on ponies here, turning them into those things, if nothing else they could make themselves an army."

The pegasus mare crossed her hooves and glowered down the table at the real alicorn next to me, "An army of alicorns is nothing to sneeze at, they can be a significant threat... You said they're turning ponies here into those? Paladin Dance... er... from my examination that worries me, my fears may be correct..."

Dance coughed and took over, "So you know there are divisions to the Institute, you're more well informed than most then. We have access to certain records of the Ministries and Equestrian Military but were unsure how much they'd apply now."

"I know about some of them now, Biosciences a lot more than the others. Maybe we can put together our information..."

Grabbing a marker in my magic from the whiteboard across the room, I started scribbling out an updated version of my personal notes about the Institute. Having to scratch my head and focus to remember everything I had recently added to the limited knowledge, eventually I came up with a short list that was starting to fill out a little more.

Biosciences (Ministry of Peace)- Dr. Dala (Moondancer) - Alicorns
Advanced Systems (Ministry of Wartime Technologies)-- Dr. Klein - Robots
Public Relations (Ministry of Morale)-- Dr. Vega -- Drugs
Theoretical Imagineering (Ministry of Awesome)-- Dr. Mobius -- ???
Reverse Engineering (Ministry of ???) -- Dr. Swirl -- Cutie Marks
??? -- Dr. Gleam -- ???

I had to explain that I had been informed the Institute was like a dark version of the Ministries, that they roughly coincided and I had been trying to figure out what was what. Dance stood and paced in front of the board, rubbing his chin and considering what I had. Eventually he took the marker from the blue field of my magic and made a couple of short additions.

Reverse Engineering (Ministry of Image) -- Dr. Swirl -- Cutie Marks
Arcane Research (Ministry of Arcane Science) -- Dr. Gleam -- ???

"Image? Really? I wasn't sure about that one, from what little I heard it seemed like Swirl's department was in the running for M.O.M., taking cutie marks and moving them around with magic and all. They didn't sound like they were connected to propaganda."

Jade nodded and whispered in my ear softly, "The Ministry of Image did more than that remember? The statues you carry with you? I believe that is the connection, not their more well known activities."

Oh... Even though I held three of the end results I still had a hard time connecting the beautiful Ministry Mare Rarity with the dark magic Zed knew so well. The idea that she had used the black book, delved into forbidden magic and cut her own soul up... it just wouldn't stick. That made more sense though, cutie marks were linked to the soul of their bearer, the magic to play around with them was as dark as some of the things Rarity's ministry had done. By process of elimination that meant the final division was indeed the Institute version of Twilight's ministry.

"Following your theory Fast I believe it is correct, we have the division names along with the pseudonyms of their heads. Though are you sure they are unchanged? After all this time? The same ponies are in charge of each division after 200 years?" Dance looked dubious at that.

Shaking my head I sighed back at him, "Not entirely. Like I said, I know more about Biosciences than the others. I've been... told... that Vega and Mobius are still around too and I'd give it good odds. If some of them are there's no reason to think the others aren't too. They have ways of extending their lives from what I know, the reason I came to begin with is because I'm after a 100 year old cyber-buck that doesn't age who works for them. I... I need help."

Taking a long drink of the bottle she had pulled from her duster, Val groaned and joined in the conversation she had found fairly boring up to this point. "Wouldn't mind if you'd consider this Dance, boss is crazy about this pony, gonna get himself killed without an assist..."

Sitting in the floor with a clank, Dance raised an eyebrow at me questioningly. "100 years old... and works for the Institute? What do you have against this cyborg other than that? Why do you think you need assistance for that matter, you are quite capable just from what I've seen. What do you want from us?"

"I need help because this buck is a legend, he does the Institute's dirty work for them, he knows things. I umm... I never told you two much about it, but I come from a Stable. He attacked it, killed a lot of the residents and... kidnapped my family. Finding him is the best lead I've gotten on trying to get them back. He's hiding in an old Equestrian Army installation, Fort Haygone. I'm going there and I'm going to kill him, but I'm trying not to underestimate him so I came to ask for a favor..."

The paladin's eyes widened when I mentioned where I was going, his Scribe piped up after squinting at the map on the wall a moment and joined excitedly. "That may work sir, it's at the edge! It had the equipment we need, preliminary reports made it unfavorable but with Fast's help..."

"Alright... You want our help Fast, turns out we want yours too. Even if you haven't joined the Brotherhood we can work together again to our mutual benefit. Thanks to our previous collaboration we've been in contact with the rest of our order beyond the Commonwealth. Fort Haygone was a large military facility with equipment that can help us finally get some reinforcements hopefully. Help us with that and we'll join your assault, though I would prefer to question this cyber-buck before you murder him... Scribe Wind, warm up the transmitter and we'll make our report shortly." The Steel Ranger's agreement filled me with relief, it's not like I didn't have questions for Kellogg myself anyway, I was just definitely going to kill him one way or the other.

Jade fidgeted and grumbled in her seat, finally glancing over to the pegasus and speaking quietly. "You have the ability to communicate outside of the Commonwealth? C-Can you contact the Followers? Tenpony Tower? I... I would be most grateful if I were able to finally make a report of my progress and the things I have found here..."

The Brotherhood scribe looked reluctant and annoyed, sighing out a reply when Dance nodded down at her. "I... suppose so. We are set up to communicate with our own though, different band... After we make our report I can adjust the transmitter and try bouncing a signal through the nearest M.A.S.E.B.S. tower, if you want me to take on all the extra work I could use Fast's help though. Alone... somepony who doesn't know technical stuff will just get in the way, if you want to make a call that badly you can tend to his care enough for him to work and stay out of the way."

Her big blue eyes narrowed at the small pegasus and she furled a wing around me, gritting her teeth and looking extremely conflicted. I should stop this before it got worse... "She's right Jade, just from the part they're using it's going to be complicated. Probably a lot of crawling around and making adjustments, pretty boring... You want to collect your thoughts and practice for your report right? You've never been able to speak with them in all this time, lots to cover."

She clearly didn't like it, but her duty to the Followers of the Apocalypse was important to her. "V-Very well... You will come with me and let me treat the damage you have done to yourself, I am still unhappy with you about that. You will be required to m-make it up to me. You can start by helping me practice, I wish to make a good report and I... I am less nervous speaking with you near. You will be with me when I can speak with them yes?"

"Of course, I'd want to be right there no matter what. Plus I'm pretty interested in hearing from these Followers back in Equestria and what they have to say too. I bet they'll be really impressed with everything you've done, you got your mark too! That will probably blow their minds right?"

The praise made her redden as she floated me out of the chair and trotted off happily, drawing me close enough to shower her with affection as additional penance for scaring her. Keeping her and Glitter safe would have been worth a much higher price, I greatly enjoyed working off my self destructive behavior this way. It had worked and I could spend as long as it took making her happy again.

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

Concentrated Fire--
--Stay focused! In S.A.T.S. every queued attack on the same body part increases accuracy by 10% and damage by 5%! If one shot won't work, just keep trying!

Reputation Change!----------------

The Institute (Biosciences): Smiling Troublemaker-----
You've now gotten confirmation the different divisions of the Institute don't necessarily agree on everything. The Biosciences division has made it clear they keep an eye on you and they want you, alive at least. Hunting ponies down doesn't seem to be a skill they regularly practice, but they have an improving supply of mutant creatures to send after you when they do find you.

The Institute (Public Relations): Hated
This division wants you dead for whatever reason. You don't have much information about them but ruining their dealings with Stable 114 seems to have annoyed them. This shadowy department works through outside agents and under the table dealings, better watch your back!