"Good morning everypony out there in the Commonwealth! This is Traveling Miles on Diamond City Radio, hoping my dulcet tones are reaching you all safe and sound now that the dust is settling. In what a certain home town reporter-mare is already calling the 'Balefire Crusade', downtown Trotson is a different place than it was just a couple days ago.

After a ferocious battle with the creepy Church of Balefire, the Trotson Public Library is now completely under the control of the Brotherhood of Friendship. Escapees from the battle have been spotted throughout the area, so anypony out that way should keep an eye out for the green robed zealots.

Whatever you think of the armored outsiders, they've struck a blow against the Institute by taking out the front they were hiding behind, and that's worth a cheer in my opinion. Of course they didn't do it alone, the Minutemares and the Followers are still in the area to help those caught up in the fighting, and of course there's what everybody's talking about, the mares from Trinity Tower...

Unfortunately the nobility of the great green jewel in all their wisdom... have decided to lump the alicorns of the Commonwealth in with the other 'undesirables' not good enough to grace our city... Personally I think they're a little gun shy after Princess Jade told them off, can't have more alicorns come in and rock the boat too right?...

Our continuing stupidity is Goodneighbor's gain, the pretty mares are regularly visiting their closest neighbor now, and there's talk that not only is a wider area around their home safer for anypony passing through, but that they're willing to accept visitors for the first time!

With the big annual Nightmare Night party in Goodneighbor only a few days away too, you loyal listeners will have to forgive your faithful DJ a day off so I can visit the more enlightened town, and see a certain special somepony out there! For now, here's a little Sweetie Belle to start your day off right...."

Goodneighbor was not a morning kind of town... These were ponies that partied long into the night, most of the residents and visitors were sleeping it off when we stepped out of the Wing Ding Circus casino into the bright, chilly morning. Even with things relatively quiet this early, I couldn't help goggling all around at some of the changes and dragging my hooves, insistently urged towards Jade's new clinic by the doctor alicorn and my entourage.

Glitter bounded around us as we walked, vibrant and full of energy as soon as her pink eyes popped open with the sun, bundled in a jacket over her pink dress against the fall air. I shared Goodneighbor's opinion of mornings and yawned, scratching at the itch constantly crawling under my skin and adjusting the ratty old bathrobe I wore to cover my bandages. The delay earned an impatient nudge from the big blue alicorn behind me. Val led the way, fully armored and armed, eyeing any of the relatively few residents on the streets who came too close.

I really didn't expect trouble, most of the activity this early was being performed by bored support workers, busily getting to the work behind all the fun in the evenings as efficiently as possible. Bags of trash that clinked of empty bottles were floated or bucked out of various establishments to waiting carts, hoses dribbling radioactive water washed the blood from the floors and streets, an (hopefully only) unconscious reveler occasionally swept out to the gutter as well.

A fair number of workers in the pink jumpsuits of the mayor's own casino were busy around town too, carrying ladders and hanging decorations. One of the dark new flags unfurled from a lightpost as we walked by, the image of the mare in the moon faded but easy to recognize. They were getting ready for Nightmare Night... I had hoped the fun holiday was still celebrated in the world, seeing the night of tricks and treats that had been canceled by balefire the last time I could really enjoy it brought a smile to my face.

I saw a makeshift market had opened down one of the side streets dominated by a large pawn shop, the numerous stands and carts trading in more mundane things the businesses here would need regularly, a few merchants selling produce they had grown or salvaged food, alcohol, drugs and assorted junk from the ruins of Trotson. They must clear off the streets once business picked up in town, I guessed being up early could be tolerated to go take a look... once I was done at the Followers clinic anyway.

The old Helpinghoof Clinic had been thoroughly cleaned in my absence, several repairs still waited my attention which drew my focus while Jade poked and prodded at me, but it was in much better shape. The pink cross and butterfly mark adopted by the Followers of the Apocalypse had been proudly painted and restored where it was displayed, even the buzzing yellow sign outside with the pink neon version had been cleaned and fixed.

I briefly wondered how so much was done, until I heard the soft snores from some of the closed off rooms. The young lilac unicorn mare who had been on duty at the front desk we passed on our way in must not be the only Follower here, Jade had volunteers in town to run the place already.

The one outside the exam room I waited in even sounded like she could weakly cast the Taint purge spell from the snatches of conversation I picked up. Well enough to try on more of the samples Jade had sucked, clipped or pinched out of me anyway, I felt vaguely like a pincushion and was anxious to get out of here.

After another hour of tests and spells cast on me, she finally gave a reluctant sigh and wrapped my chest in fresh bandages, helping me shrug back into my bathrobe and pronouncing me free to go. "It is progressing, that is all I can say... Your immune system response is being supressed, but you will still feel and look ill. You may not overly exert yourself, and no more than one Med-X every three hours, that is already too much and you risk addiction, but you have extenuating circumstances..."

Hopping off the exam table in relief, I put my hat back on and leaned up to give her a reassuring kiss. "I'll try to keep it down to as little as possible. You're not going to overwork yourself at this right? We're having lunch together and seeing your sisters this evening?"

Her voice was still stressed with worry as she walked me back to the doors, putting on a smile when Glitter jumped up from her clearly boring vigil, waking Val up from her sprawling nap across several of the uncomfortable waiting chairs. She scooped the foal up from the flying tackle that would have bowled me over, easily tossing her up in a hug and nodding. "Yes... I will be fine and see you all soon. I am making arrangements for travel to the Tower for you, we should be able to go as planned. Take care of him for me you two, do not allow him to find trouble..."

Val ruffled my mane under my hat and nodded, "You got it Blue, he'll behave. C'mon kiddo, let's get outta her way sos she can work."

Thankfully Glitter didn't seem to pick up on the griffon's more serious demeanor, bounding out with us without a care. Hiding the truth from the little filly was hard, but watching how Jade and Val had been dealing with it confirmed my belief it was for the best. They both knew about the Institute's version of the I.M.P. currently mutating me into... something... and while they seemed to be handling it better today, I couldn't inflict that on my foal.

Walking back out of the clinic, I paused on the sidewalk in thought, going over what I needed to look into and watching as Glitter ran over to the funny stand added to the the front of the Friendly Foal's Orphanage across the street. The herd of tiny 'Filchers', as they liked to be called, had cobbled together a simple counter and sign beside the gates to their home, looking strangely like a neighborhood lemonade stand kids might build when I was their age back before the war, and staffed with a few sleepy looking foals.

The childish cutout held above the wooden counter made me smile, the wings and head of a cartoon blue alicorn, wearing an impossibly big smile and a sloppy crown of hearts in her fluffy pale blue mane. The crude stand's sign even had a few strategically placed backwards letters, adding to the cute factor in what I had no trouble believing to be a coldly calculated bit of advertising;

"Friendly Foals Tour Guides! Confused? Curious? You need a guide!"

More happy paintings and crayon drawings plastered over every surface of the stand illustrated the basic premise of the clever business. Cartoon alicorns of every color drawn in the process of doing a number of activities, eating, paying a bag of caps, playing games, each illustration featured a tiny pony next to the big alicorn shown doing something new.

Glitter engaged the trio of foals working at the stand in an animated bit of conversation I left her to, flipping through my pip-buck notes while I waited. I had to give it to whoever came up with that idea, even if it was probably that annoying little brat Wicket that taught my daughter how to steal...

Jade's sisters were new to going to pony towns, my time with Ivy, Peri and Magnolia showed me how difficult it was for them to fit in and how confusing they could find it. The orphans of Goodneighbor were a great fit to help them, nearly every alicorn I had met held a fondness for foals to some degree. The Filchers were incredibly street savvy too, a skill the new tourists lacked entirely. Pairing them up was a stroke of genius.

Glitter returned while I was thinking of all the benefits to the business idea, waving to her little friends and apologizing breathlessly. "Sorry daddy! Just wanted ta see how it was goin'!"

I nodded to the stand and smiled back, "Spend as much time with your friends as you want sweetie. That's a really smart idea, I bet it'll work really well."

A blush lit her pale cheeks and she shuffled her hooves with a pleased whinny. "Y-You really think so? I w-wanted to help an' I like hangin' out with all mom's sisters, I thought the other kids would too..."

"You came up with that?!" I exclaimed in surprise, startling the filly with concern she had done wrong until I lifted her into a tight hug. "Wow! I knew you were smart about business stuff, but that is brilliant honey! And I thought that brat came up with it to try to cash in. Come to think of it though, Jade's sisters don't really have caps, how are they paying the tour guides?"

Glitter positively beamed and turned beet red at the praise, giggling when I let her go and answering with pride. "It depends, they don't charge up front! I thought my aunts might need help to make caps ta pay with an' stuff, so the Filchers just ask for something in return for their work. Like food, stuff ta sell from outside, or just time like castin' magic an stuff to help the orphanage. That way everypony gets somethin' aaaand the Filchers have something else ta do that isn't stealing..."

"That's great Glitter, that's a smart idea that will help a lot of ponies, good job! Your aunts though?"

I worried her slender chest was going to pop the way it puffed out like that, her face turned a little redder before she shook it off and continued in a whisper. "Well they're all mommy's sisters right? Aunts. I just tried ta think of what you'd do dad. Plus maybe they'll like the guides so much they'll wanna adopt them! They might find a parent, an' mom's sisters might find a foal... T-Then those kids will be as lucky as me..."

I booped her nose and nodded sagely, "And those mares would be as lucky as me. I'm really proud of you sweetie!"

Val grabbed the filly in a headlock and made her squeal under all the noogies, kicking her legs and laughing at the griffon's fake gruffness. "Yeah, yeah, don't get a big head like yer pop kiddo! One of ya all fulla themselves helpin' others is enough! So, what's first anyway boss, said ya had to go tinkerin' all over the place?"

Thinking back to my trip here, my current highest priority was easy enough to pinpoint. "Ammo... Getting ammo is first, let's go shopping."

The biggest weapon shop in Goodneighbor was unfortunately owned by the King's gang, a group I wasn't on very friendly terms with, which made restocking my limited supplies harder than it had to be. Glancing over towards the King's Gambit and adjacent Sugar Rush, I noticed a tense undercurrent to things in town again, despite the recent positive changes.

The barely legitimized gang in the black and white barding were more on guard than before, glaring daggers at their opposites wearing the pink armor of the Goodneighbor guards. Their casino did a subdued business, the street between the King's Gambit and the M.O.M. hub felt like a nopony's land, a demilitarized zone just waiting for the first spark... Their unfriendly attitude was made clear by their own new sign outside their doors, not cute and clever like the Filcher's tour guide service, but about the same subject.

I stopped in the street and stared at the stark missive, a few of the pompadour maned kings noticing my angry look and keeping their weapons trained on me. Considering the instant fire in my eyes I could feel burning their way, I couldn't blame them for being cautious, the dark shroud in my head was volunteering a number of ways to make them pay for that slight.

Val noticed me steaming and got between me and the sign, nudging me along with a huff. "Didn't think everything would be sunshine and rainbows, did'ja boss?"

"But why!? What do they have against alicorns? T-They're new customers, shouldn't they be happy about that?" I fumed over my shoulder, agreeing with Glitter's response of sticking her tongue out at the... the racists!

Giving a long suffering, patient sigh, Val chuckled and explained it for me. "No boss, they're new players... Shamrock told ya this place is a balancing act, throwin' a new group into the mix is gonna cause problems. Specially when that group is a bunch'a oversized mares that just proved they can do some serious damage if they want, mare's that are talkin' and workin' with the Mayor, that like the current Mayor no less. Even worse when you an' Blue are the ones helpin' bring em here and messin' with the whole status quo thing ta begin with."

Glitter huffed and stuck her nose up, trotting regally at my side and ignoring the Kings she complained about. "But that's stupid! Mr. Shamrock's a good mayor! An' all my aunts are nice! Why does it matter that we helped get them to come?!"

"I know you don't think so kiddo, but yer folks have pissed off a looooootta bad ponies. Bad ponies who don't like ol' Shamrock in charge and are always tryin' to take over. They see the Mayor suddenly gettin' strong new friends an' it's makin' their assholes pucker." Val's colorful metaphor shocked a giggle out of the foal, overriding her efforts to stay mad as we neared the morning market.

She might be distracted, but I still stewed over that stark sign and its hateful message. I wanted things to work for the alicorns of Trinity Tower, I thought some ponies might have to get over some initial fear or mistrust, but to exclude them out of hoof like that? The Kings were rapidly rising on my list of ponies I didn't like...

Spotting a wing of the beautiful mares wandering around the market behind a boisterous little earth pony colt helped me calm down, they were sticking together and relying on their little tour guide, but I only saw cautious interest and genuine enjoyment, if they had seen the sign it didn't seem to bother them.

I considered chasing after them as they left the busy side street to say hello, but refrained for now for a few reasons. I didn't know this trio personally for one, I liked Jade's sisters, but just walking up to strange ponies and introducing myself still came hard. They were here on their own too, making their own way and enjoying themselves, I really shouldn't meddle in every little thing concerning alicorns. They didn't need me holding their hoof just to go shopping, for clothing judging by the stuffed saddlebags bulging with cloth they wore.

Mostly however, I kept my distance because it was a full wing of the exotic fillies, one of each color... including a green I'd never met. The warning twinge of pain between my eyes made me leery of getting close to greens... I was privately getting pretty worried about going to Trinity Tower and the field of unity surrounding it from the network of of green residents. I had to go and tell them about the compatibility potion though, better it was sooner rather than later, in case having my brain forcibly tuned to their wavelength got any worse.

As I guessed from first glance, most of the temporary shops on the street were dealing in consumables, restocking the casino's and restaurants' supplies before the evening rush. A group of rangy, muscular ponies in rough leathers and furs sold a variety of meat from a wagon, the butchered carcasses hanging from the tall sides. Hunters from out of town I guessed, they definitely didn't seem local, or like anypony to mess with, especially considering the vicious looking Minotaur with them...

Val didn't seem bothered or even interested in the carts and stalls we passed though, bulldozing a path through the crowd for me to follow leading towards a squat, two story building. The darkened neon sign added to the pre-war name read; 'Knick and Knack's- Pawn Shop'.

The walls of junk filling the gloomy building made me despair for my chances of properly restocking my depleted supplies, this place looked like it sold a little bit of everything, but wasn't much of a weapons shop. I shrugged and kept following Val into the maze of odds and ends, trusting her familiarity with Goodneighbor as we approached the sounds of an ongoing argument.

Rounding a corner comprised mostly of old toasters and coffee mugs, we found the source of the discussion in a pair of cobalt ponies a few years older than me. A lavender eyed unicorn mare with a teal and light blue striped mane, leaning over a cluttered counter in the back, and an earth pony stallion with similar colors tossing junk up to teetering piles on the shelves, though his mane was the reverse of hers, siblings maybe? They argued like it anyway...

"...mark my words Knack, they're gonna try something, just you watch dum dum! Why I bet... oh! Customers! Welcome to Knick an' Knack's, what can I... oh... hello Val..." The mare at the counter launched into a smooth sales patter that dried up when she noticed the griffon in front, turning to a bored drawl as she leaned a cheek against her hoof and waved dismissively to all the junk. "Before you ask, it's long gone. You knew the deal, didn't come back to repay the loan, we sell your stuff."

Val snorted and shook her head, "Yeah, yeah... figured as much, here ta spend caps anyway, no prob Knick."

Glitter found a heaping pile of old Nightmare Night costumes, decorations, plastic pumpkins and bags of stale candy, jumping into the junk with a happy squeal. The pair of shopkeepers watched her carefree 'shopping' a moment patiently, the stallion called after where she disappeared before addressing me gruffly. "Holiday pile's discounted fer foals... Now then, what do you want?"

I took another look at the mountains of junk filling the pawn shop without much hope. "I was looking for some ammunition, shotgun shells, .45s, 2mm EC if you have any..."

Neither moved to dig the ammo out of the chaos, the stallion Knack giving me a hard stare and ignoring Val's impatient huff. "Fancy ammo... Maaaaybe we can help, but why not just go to the Sugar Rush?"

"You're sending customers to the competition? Doesn't seem like a smart business tactic..."

The pair ignored my confusion, the unicorn mare tapping her hoof on the counter and giving a flat reply. "Answer the question..."

"Oooook... I'm not exactly welcome around the Kings alright? I wouldn't want to give them any of my caps even if I was." I gave them their answer in an annoyed grumble, I just wanted some ammo, why did I have to jump through hoops before they scrounged up whatever they had rolling around?

I was surprised at their reaction, visibly relaxing and becoming friendlier as soon as they heard my disdain for the Kings. Knick smiled and spread her hooves on the counter, her horn lighting up with dark purple magic that spread to the packed shelves behind her. A series of clicks and grinding gears sounded out in the cramped shop, the shelving sliding away to reveal a hidden room locked behind a cage.

The sheer amount of firepower hiding back there made my jaw drop, a gleaming closet of death, as tightly packed as the rest of the pawn shop, but much more orderly. Val rubbed her claws together greedily and flapped up to the counter in her way, perching on the already scratched surface to peer in the hidden chamber and chuckle down to me. "Knick and Knack are kinda picky 'bout who they sell the private stock to boss... Figured you wouldn't have no problems, told'ya this is the place to shop!"

I shook off my shock and nodded numbly, "R-Right... good call Val.. So you two don't like the Kings either? Why keep what you're selling secret?"

Knick laughed while she floated boxes of the ammunition types I had asked to the counter, arranging them by type and setting out a small selection of variant ammo of each type. "One is the answer to the other, so this is your famous boss Val? Little slow on the uptake isn't he?"

"Hey! Cut him some slack, boss is... sick. Though to be fair, yeah he's not great at the shady side of life, sorry boss. The Kings think they pretty much got a monopoly on the weapons trade round here, willing to pull some nasty stuff to keep it that way boss. Kings know these two are doin' it, but can't ever prove anything, Nick an' Knack only sell to trustworthy clients. Congratulations, yer in the club now!"

The stallion pulled Glitter from a collapse of plastic masks and ratty costumes in his teeth, patting her head and nodding. "Ayep, suggest you stock up too, me and sis here were just discussin' local politics so ta speak, trouble brewin' round here... Those mares comin' down from their tower is just the straw to break the camel's back."

Going over the offerings on the counter gave me a minute to think on that, Val might be right that I wasn't good at thinking along more criminal lines, but I could figure things out once explained to me like that. I had noticed the tension in the air surrounding the Kings, but Knick and Knack were locals and read the climate better, and they expected trouble...

With that in mind, along with the uncomfortable experience of running out of ammo still fresh in memory, I splurged on the offerings before me. Several drums worth of shotgun shells, including a box each of explosive, spark and buckshot varieties, plenty of .45s, armor piercing and hollow points among them and every 2mm EC round for my gauss rifle they had. I added a few grenades and parts to service all our weapons, making room for a bundle of musty costumes Glitter dumped to the counter hopefully.

At my nod to her purchases and questioning look, the shrewd little filly beamed and pushed me aside, stretching up to the counter to get down to business. She started even before Val was done adding her own items to the pile, haggling with such skill that her meager additions were already discounted down to nothing, Knick quickly flustered and trying to hold on to a profit for just the ammo.

"Where do you get all this stuff anyway? If the Kings control so much of the weapons trade and make their own, how do you have stuff to sell of this quality? Er... not to pry..." My curiosity faltered at the suspicious look it earned me from the siblings, Knick's wiped away on being forced to return to her negotiations with the foal.

Knack kept staring until Val waved him off, "Go on, boss is the most trustworthy pony yer gonna find, he usually looks the part a lil' better..."

The burly stallion snorted a laugh and took in my ratty bathrobe, shrugging to the griffon in acceptance. "Alright, expected a little more out of the Shrouded Stallion than a little pony in PJs, but if you say so Val. Got contacts with Dreadnot down the coast, funny folks, but they got the guns an' the skills. So, want anything else 'fore yer filly robs my sis blind? My bottlecap collection maybe? Barding off my back?"

My pip-buck chimed with 'Map Updated' in the corner of my eye as I provided the punchline for his gruff joke, scratching my mane and giving an unsteady laugh. "Er... actually... I had one more thing. Do you mind if I go to your roof? There's something I need to fix up there..."

Groaning in annoyance, I twisted and wriggled in the tight space again, trying to find a way back to the relays I needed to reattach without brushing the lumps growing down my sides, or squeezing under on my back. The tumorous growths were throwing off all my subconscious calculations in the cramped quarters, my middle was a couple inches wider than it should be.

At least Glitter couldn't see anything of my struggles except my rear hooves drumming against the roof uselessly... The access panel up here let me apply the first repair on a long list that was part of my... vaguely plan-ish thing. Knick and Knack had let us up here with some convincing, relaxing quite a bit when I pointed out the series of weathered boxes I wanted to tinker with and leaving us to it with no further complaints.

Finally the last newly cleaned connection was slotted back in place and I could inch my way back out, cursing each time my... 'wings'... jabbed into some sharp new corner or screw. Val watched me carefully from her perch at the edge of the roof, snickering at Glitter galloping around the brightly decorated boxes.

She tugged and pulled at the tattered bow on one of the metal presents, shouldering at the lid and shoving her legs behind her, grunting in frustration. "How come it won't open!? What are these big presents doin' here dad?"

I got back to my hooves and tried to catch my breath for a second before answering, winded from even so little effort. "They're actually called a 'Spell in a Box' sweetie, er.. spells in boxes, they won't open until they get told to by the computer back at the casino. It's part of a big grand opening party..."

"An' how many of these things ya gotta go fiddlin' around with boss? Not ta mention why?...." Val grumbled and peered down at the streets of Goodneighbor, waking up a little at a time around us.

"A few, this is the easy part too. I think I found a way into the Ministry of Morale hub, but it's complicated... I'll explain it all when we talk to Shamrock together, for now I just have to make a few repairs, look around and figure some things out to know if it will even work. There are more of these spell in a boxes all over Goodneighbor rooftops, they're in the worst shape since they're all outside."

Giving a tired grunt, Val grabbed my pip-buck leg in her claws and squinted at the screen, looking over the local map I had up and all the blinking objective markers. "All on the roofs? C'mon then, not goin' back down just sos we can climb back up somewhere else, you ain't s'posed to spend too much time doin' this junk, I'm speedin' things up!"

Before I had a chance to object, the griffon snatched Glitter and I up and launched herself off the roof. A few flaps of her wide wings brought us several buildings over, skidding to a halt in front of another set of rusty presents at the edge of an empty structure. Well... this was faster than going down to ask at each location, so long as we weren't caught... I opened the access panel on the stand leading under the set of faded boxes and stared down the tight quarters with a sigh.

"Glitter... I know you don't like fixing stuff as much as I do, but do you want to help me do this? Let me teach you a little bit and be my assistant?"

"Sure daddy! I should learn even if stuff is borin' or I won't use it right? Like pickin' pockets or medicine stuff from mom! You're sick so lemme help!" She might find the work boring, but the opportunity to help seemed to make up for it.

The little filly trotted into the crawlspace easily and took the tools I floated in after her in her mouth. I lit the space up with the glow of my magic and used it to pull free the first bad connection, explaining what to do. I really wished she liked this kind of thing as much as I did, I always felt a little bad I couldn't often share the wealth of knowledge I had on the subject with her, pass it on to my daughter like parents were supposed to.

It didn't take nearly as long with her eager help at least, without my magic I wouldn't be able to work nearly so well as the young earth pony could in the tight space, scraping the corrosion from the electronics with the wire brush in her mouth and clicking things back in place with her hooves.

Several short, hopping flights to other rooftops let us repeat the process efficiently. That crossed nearly all of these fixes off my list, though the larger array blinking on my map still would just have to wait, I didn't think the guards patrolling the roof on the King's Gambit casino would be very understanding...

By the time we were done, lunch was rapidly approaching and the activity in Goodneighbor had picked up appreciably. We stopped at the Red Rocket courier service on the way back to Jade's clinic, I had several letters to go out to the Commonwealth ready and waiting in my bags. As I gave instructions for where they should go and paid the light red pegasus mare at the counter, I was surprised and happy to see a medium purple alicorn watching from behind her waving at us, a battered old postal hat topping her short orange and violet streaked mane and a rainbow striped scarf wrapped around her long neck.

I called over to the tall mare as I finished my transaction with the young pegasus at the counter, "Umm... Hi! I don't think we've met, you're working here? I'm..."

"We know who you are! You are sister's! From the memories! We are Starling, Miss Jets is letting us work here yes! Can this be our first job boss? We would like to deliver something for this little pony..." The bright and happy voice the alicorn answered with made me feel good again about the changes they were going through, this one had a job and sounded excited about it.

The pegasus filly in charge eyed her employee warily, flipping through the envelopes I had turned over. "I don't know Starling... depends where it's going remember? Your first job, don't want you going somewhere you might have problems... So you're Fast I take it? Glad to have such an enthusiastic new hire, hear we have you to thank for that? No wonder grandpa likes you!

Actually that's not all I hear, she's a real chatterbox once she gets going, heard all kinds of things about you... Ok Star, you win the bet, he's cute. Still don't believe he lives up to the hype though, you really sayin' this stallion measures up?"

My face heated up instantly at the lewd look the pegasus Jets was giving, made worse by Val's hoots of laughter. I could do without the reminder Starling and pretty much every other Trinity Tower alicorn already knew me from the experiences Jade shared. Starling sniffed at the air absently and her big, sparkly amber eyes roamed over me uncomfortably, her head bobbing rapidly in affirmation. "We are sure, they were very good sensations in sister's memories! We would like to..."

"HA! hahaha... y-you like wearing clothes Starling?!" I cringed and cast out for a distraction desperately. Wearing clothes had been taboo, I guessed that rule had fallen away with the other changes.

Starling nodded vigorously again, making me faintly hear a cowbell in my mind, ringing along with each beaming bob of her head. "Yes! Miss Jets gave me a hat for work! She even let me have this scarf from her own closet!! Isn't it pretty?! Many of us are trying clothing, it is fun! Though the prettiest things don't fit..."

I thought of Sassy Saddles back in Sanctuary with a smile, the ghoulish mare was probably the only merchant in the Commonwealth that already had a selection of things in alicorn sizes, too bad she wasn't here to provide her skills. Though a moments thought gave me an idea to help both her business and mares like Starling here. Dragging a piece of yellowed stationary from under the Wonderbolts paperweight holding them down on the counter, I started scribbling out a new letter to go out with the others, putting more caps down for the service.

"Here, I already had one letter going back home, add this one to the trip to Sanctuary and let her take it Miss Jets, please? I promise, Sanctuary's probably the best first run for her to try, and she'll like this, I know a tailor back home she'll want to meet."

Glitter gasped happily and stretched up to the counter, grinning and reaching for the stubby pencil as I finished writing. "Sassy! Yay! Lemme say hi to her too daddy!"

The pegasus in charge smiled back, flipping her pink mane out of her eyes and giving her alicorn employee the letters for Sanctuary. "Alright, said she wanted to go there anyway, works out good. C'mon Star, let's go over the map and rules again before you go, want your first job to go well don't we? When you get back I'm takin' you to the Memory Den too, I gotta see the truth about this buck. We'll go to the Black Cat too and celebrate, give you something to compare..."

Slinking away from the chuckling pegasus, I felt like I was turning red down to my hooves, my embarrassment just made worse by Val snickering to herself and poking at my flanks playfully. "Now there's an idea! Didn't think it was fair them mares all got a taste when I ain't been paid yet! Have to go see Caramel myself, bet I can get Peri to lemme have that memory, little trial run huh boss?!"

"N-N-Not funny Val!" I yelped in return, my cheeks burning at her uproarious laughter. I really had to have a talk with Umbra and the others when we went to the tower later, sharing those memories among themselves was bad enough, letting them spread further was unacceptable...

For the time being we made our way back to the Follower's Helpinghoof Clinic down the street. Another series of tests and pokes was waiting for me, the thought of getting lunch with Jade afterward enough to tolerate them.

Lunch made all the medical exams worth it alright, we left the clinic and returned to the Wing Ding Circus, trying out the small 'Sideshow Lounge' off the casino floor. The food from Shamrock's kitchens was already known to be good, and down here I got to look at the menu, listing off a long litany of an order to keep my constantly complaining stomach happy.

The lounge was on my list of things to check anyway, a couple minor repairs waited here, but they weren't critical to my rough plan, just the location. An unused stage dominated one side of the room, easily visible from any of the seating in here or the bar. A few faded posters featuring an older, beautiful pale blue earth pony mare that caught my eye, her dark mane streaked with sky blue turning to grey, a sunburst of rainbow colored musical notes on her flank showing through her opague dress.

"Rara's Review - Equestria-wide Comeback Tour, straight from Las Pegasus! Come see the opening show at the Grand Opening Gala!" Could still be made out at the tattered edges, along with snippets of glowing reviews, one even bearing the signature of Ministry Mare Applejack. The singer pictured was really famous when my parents were foals, mom listened to her holotapes at full blast in the kitchen quite often so she was somewhat familiar to me.

Finding a replacement for the long dead opening act was thankfully an easy question, Magnolia would fit the bill perfectly if I could convince her. That settled another aspect of my exceedingly rough and complicated plan, leaving a few more to investigate before I went to Shamrock.

Work could wait though, Glitter convinced Jade not to rush directly off after lunch and I was as determined as the filly to enjoy some time together. My 'cold' let me beg off playing another round of 'Dance Prance Revolution' with her thankfully, allowing me to watch with a smile as she dragged the big alicorn to the platform instead.

Jade was often worried about being clumsy, watching her try to rapidly tap at the buttons at her hooves designed for much smaller ponies quickly got comical as a result. The happy laughter and help from Glitter eased her embarrassment and she enjoyed it despite the negative noises coming from her side of the old game, a bright blush accentuating her smile when they finished.

The next game Glitter led the way to was obviously picked with Jade's enjoyment in mind, an odd arcade cabinet stuck away in a corner displaying a see through pony profile, bones and organs drawn on the screen in bright colors. The yellow sides marked with the pink cross and butterflies of the Ministry of Peace, along with a picture of Fluttershy herself in an adorable pink nurses outfit, caught the alicorn doctor's interest before she even saw the medical looking pictures on the screen.

"Ministry of Peace Hero... I have heard of this! Ministry Mare Fluttershy worked with the Ministry of Image to make this holotape game Fast! Our founder Velvet Remedy mentioned it in the notes for the Commonwealth mission, she knows everything about Fluttershy and her ministry! They were made in Trotson, I have always hoped to find one for her! It is a surgery simulator, something to scout and cultivate talented healers!" Jade squealed and looked over the cabinet in excitement, prancing in place as Glitter fed it the pink chips used in the casino.

I watched her dominate the strange game easily, grousing to herself over inaccuracies and oversimplifications made in the interest of making a good game. You used a variety of motion based tools on the screen to do things against the clock, like remove foreign objects, set bones, stitch things together, apply digital purple healing potions and so on.

After plowing through several levels, a stream of prize tickets spewed out of the slot on the cabinet and a flashing screen appeared with a fanfare of noise. I sidled close to Jade and nuzzled at her proud whinny while Glitter pranced and scooped up the stream of tickets, reading the message that I doubted came up often.

Jade proudly tapped at the controls with her magic, entering her name dutifully and beaming. The Ministry of Peace was long gone, this was as close as she'd get to that kind of validation of her skills, though I was sure she would have been a shoo in for Fluttershy's ministry when I was a foal.

That made a good high point to part on, doubly so because of the uncontrollable tremors twitching down one hindleg I tried to keep hidden from Glitter. Jade caught the symptom easily however and led the way back to our room, insisting I go back to bed and rest until we were ready to make our trip to Trinity Tower, if she allowed it then.

Not wanting to risk what concessions I had already wrangled out of her, I agreed without complaint and turned in gratefully. Just a morning of piddling around had already drained me, even with the expert medical care reducing my symptoms drastically. I still had the daunting prospect of walking right into where the alicorn's unity was strongest ahead of me, I had a good idea I better get my rest before even trying that...

An insistent tapping woke me up some time later, late afternoon by the light filtering into the Princess Celestia suite, I had been zonked for several hours. I blinked sleepily and tried to rub the blurriness from my eyes, peering around for the sound in the dim room. Why was it so dark in here? The orange light of sunset usually poured into the westward facing windows, had somepony come in and shut most of the curtains or something?

TAP TAP TAP...

Another set of sharp taps drew my eyes to the windows in question, goggling at the dark shadow and trying to puzzle out what I was looking at. A lot of purple... bright pink at the edges and two big pools of blue-violet focused directly on me... "S-Swan?!"

I yelped quietly and fell out of bed in surprise, dragging myself back up and stumbling to the full length windows, currently filled with nothing but a view of a lot of alicorn smiling in at me, bobbing her head and enveloping the glass in a field of her purple magic. The glass slid away from two large sections and the huge filly flapping sedately outside stuck her head in, her forehooves gripping the edge of the floor while the sound of her hindlegs scrambling against the building drifted up.

"Yay! I found Fast! I told them I'd be fine on my own, dunno why they were worried! Helloooo Fast!" Swan grinned and wiggled, her forelegs reaching in to either side of me and dragging her bulk through the opening, her wings folding tightly and squeezing in after her shoulders, touching the ceiling when they made it in.

"Swan!? W-What are you doing here? M-Maybe you shouldn't try to come in!" I backpedaled out of her way as she kept right on grunting her way inside, her round rump getting stuck for a moment before she pulled herself through with a pop.

I squeaked and jumped back up on the bed, pretty much the most space I was left to escape the hoof swinging by to scratch at her flanks in relief. I gaped from my relatively safe haven at her pulling her hindlegs in and tucking them under her so she could crawl around, looking around the room she now almost completely filled with interest. I really hoped Glitter and Val were amusing themselves somewhere close while I slept, though if they heard any commotion in here they weren't going to be able to get in very far.

Swan sniffed and licked at a leftover tray of food by the bed experimentally, shuffling around the tight quarters until she could stick her head under the canopy of the bed, grunting in annoyance at the fabric getting caught on her horn and floating the whole thing away in a huff. That let her loom over the bed with an unobstructed view, her long pink mane forming a replacement canopy and curtains, her hooves coming in from either side of the bed to poke and tickle at me as her rear half wriggled around, knocking things over by the sound.

Her hoof was easily bigger than the chest she prodded, squinting at the bandages that were the only thing covering me curiously. "I fit fine, see! Didn't go back to my pond all night so I could come to Goodneighbor like all the others, see how small I am? Sister Jade asked me to come anyway! I'm here to teleport you to the tower!"

'Small' is the last term I'd use to describe the giant filly filling my room... "O-Ok.... I don't think she's back yet though... m-maybe you'd like to go look around town? Outside? Er... the living room is more spacious if you insist on coming in... N-Not that I want you to leave! J-Just... it would probably be best if you bled off a little more juice before coming in town? It still seems kinda... cramped for you..."

The lidded look she returned showed that was unlikely... Instead she leaned her long neck down further, backing me towards the headboard with her nuzzling until I was pinned, snuffling at my bandages and tickling me into uncontrolled giggles. "Don't wanna be smaller, I fit! Like where I am just fine, I will wait here and play! What is wrong with you? You seem different... smell good...."

Her sultry purr and long sniffs from the big muzzle puffing at my chest and... lower... made me struggle to control the giggles, sputtering and struggling under her attention. "N-N-No! S-Same as always! I don't... er... smell different... C-Come on Swan, I'm just s-sick... umm... w-why don't I go see if your other sisters are here? One of them usually is! J-Just in the other room... behind you there..."

She glanced back to the door I pointed towards, somewhere past that huge rump stuck up in the air to brush the ceiling, her long tail flicked impatiently and one hindleg slid back, thumping against the only exit to keep it shut as she turned back with a smoldering look. "Smell veeeery good... Sisters will wait, want to play..."

Luna's magical moonheat! I didn't really smell different did I?! The big mare sounded drunk on it and started kissing at me insistently, her soft, pliant lips smooching away happily while I laughed uncontrollably and cast about for a distraction frantically. "Umm... I r-really am sick Swan! I c-couldn't even p-p-play with Jade like that the other night, t-too tired and weak! I had to just give her attention instead, over a long time, going reeeeally slow! Y-You don't wanna hurt me right?!"

Those fluttering eyelashes and roving lips stopped abruptly and she whined uncertainly, her chin flopping to the bed as she looked up in thought. "Hnnn... no.... don't want to hurt, want to play! You're really too sick? Do what you did last night then! Is it fun? Want to try too!"

Panting shakily, I slid back down the wall in front of her, sitting on the pillows in the last bit of mattress she left to me and gulping to myself. I tried to subtly tap at my pip-buck and look for the locator tags of the others, somepony had to be around to call her off right? Seeing Jade, Glitter and Val's marks all scattered around town, I cursed to myself and tried to come up with something...

"Umm... y-yeah, we can do something else instead of that Swan, it's fun... Jade thinks so anyway, it's a game called 'massage' how would that be?"

I tried to keep a straight face while she stuck her lip out in a pout and hummed to herself, clearly unsure and disappointed at not getting what she wanted, but thankfully still inexperienced enough to consider the alternative curiously. "You're sure it's fun? Sister didn't share memories of anything called massage, what is it?"

"O-Oh yeah! Tons of fun! S-She didn't share those memories because they're sooooo fun in fact! But the rules are you don't do anything ok? Just lie back and let me do everything, it's a game for just making one pony feel good, not both ok? Not that I don't want to! I'm just way too sick is all, too weak to play with you like that got it?"

Swan nodded obediently and shuffled around, her tail flicking around the room in excitement and knocking pictures from the walls as she wiggled her flanks and stretched out as much as she could manage. She watched way too closely as I got up and edged my way around the room, wiping away the sweat springing from my brow and stretching a pair of shaking hooves up to her back.

Jade did in fact enjoy a good hoof massage from time to time so I was somewhat confident in my skills there, though I couldn't generally walk around on her back or use all four hooves to accomplish it... She muttered some unconvinced noises under me making me redouble my efforts in a panic, I was just trying to buy time until somepony came back for Celestia's sake...

Something this simple with Jade would have honestly been nothing to worry about exerting myself over as I told her, doing so with Swan instead took a lot more effort to keep up the fib. Thankfully I could brace my back against the ceiling and firmly press all my hooves down into her flesh, ignoring the uncomfortable pressure against the lumps hidden under my bandages.

Eventually I got the hang of it, stretching her long muscles under me and sighing in relief at the pleased little whinny that got. Hoping to keep her happy, I worked my way up her neck and back to her shoulders, hopping down to follow her forelegs down to her hooves and wheezing from all the crawling around.

I was absorbed enough in my work that I didn't notice the mewling rumbles she was making for too long. I stood on my hindlegs to shove my trembling forehooves against her flank in small circles, when I realized what kind of sounds those were and gulped, checking my pip-buck map again anxiously. Somebody, anybody, come back already! Even Zed was out in Goodneighbor...

Crawling over the outstretched hindleg still firmly pressed against the door, I rushed past the flowing curtain of her tail to get to the opposite flank before her whining picked up. I grew concerned on the way at how warm it was getting back here, a small furnace hidden under all that pink adding to the sweat pouring off me.

I ran past the long tail flicking after me, wafting that cloying scent around even more, trying to get to work on the other flank as quick as possible, my thoughts racing. Had to put a stop to this, even an innocent massage was quickly going south in the presence of the insistent mare drawing deep, quickening breaths across the room.

I gave an undignified yelp, both at the big hoof that reached to shove me back towards that swishing tail, and the silvery needle of pain between my eyes. Swan's demanding moans were suddenly supplemented by a driving mantra ringing in my head; (Play! Play! Play! Play! Play! PLAY!! PLAY!!!)

Ivy? Oh thank you goddesses! I only heard things out of other alicorns when a green was near so far, she must have come into the suite to be close enough! "Hey Ivy! Umm.. I-Is that you!? Please... C-Could you come in here a second?!"

(Fast? Swan?!)
"Fast? Is that you? What is wrong, do you have company?" Ivy's voice called back sharply, I wondered how often she pretended not to know things she already did for appearances... Judging by what I could hear now, she knew perfectly well Swan was in here.

"Yes! Swan came to teleport us to the tower! G-Guess it's getting close to time to go huh!? Game over Swan, sorry!"

(NO! Want Play!! Want...)
Swan whined and drummed her hooves behind her, shaking the walls in the short tantrum and seeming to briefly consider continuing to shove me past her flanks, before stopping with a pout. "Nnnn! Fiiiiiine.... Not as good as other memories anyway, was starting to be... Will play again later, when not sick..."

Ivy's blue mane poked through a crack in the door and she peered in, eyeing Swan sternly and gesturing for me to come out. "Er... yes! Nearly time to leave Swan, why don't you... make yourself comfortable... I would like to speak with Fast privately before we leave, we will come back shortly alright? I will be sure to knock..."

Getting to the door involved skittering past her tail and I dove past the sweet smelling curtain of pink gratefully. Swan's big hoof was removed from my back but followed behind me lazily, continuing where she had wanted to shove me as I dashed past Ivy and she shut the door behind me.

I tottered over to collapse to the couch, weaving my way past Peri snoring softly in an armchair. I didn't think Val would leave me alone, though I was glad I hadn't yelled for help randomly, she would have most likely just made things worse... The strange blue mare sniffed deeply in her sleep as I passed and murmured softly with an unconscious smile, yeah... she might not have been very helpful...

My coat was slick with sweat and I felt flushed, with fever... and woozy, trying to focus on Ivy's head popping up in my spinning vision before closing my eyes for a moment.

("Alright, that is quite enough. Tell me what is going on Fast...")

"W-What? Nothing! Nothing's going on Ivy! Er... well, you saw what was going on, but that was it! Heh, heh... T-Thanks for getting me out of there." My eyes shot open from a short rest and I waved my hooves under that penetrating stare weakly, trying very hard to think of nothing despite that twinge between my eyes.

The green alicorn arched an eyebrow and huffed in reply, "I didn't say anything Fast... I did not even try to send a thought to you, I was just thinking to myself over your recent odd behavior since returning. Perhaps you should tell me what is going on as I thought? You obviously heard that, your thoughts are very loud and chaotic and you look very sick. Swan is correct as well, you smell different, we allow her to stay so charged up precisely because she has better self control than that..."

Oooooh... She was smart... Thinking in full sentences like she was speaking fooled me in my distraction, I really thought she had spoken out loud until she sprang the trap. "Umm! C-Crap... I don't know if I should say Ivy, Jade said... W-Well, you don't count though right? I wish she said why to keep it quiet... I really smell different? I don't smell anything..."

She took a long breath in her flaring nostrils, an unfamiliar, sleepy look glazing her eyes for a second before shaking it off and nodding firmly. "We have somewhat heightened senses Fast, it is a very distinctive smell too... As a matter of fact it is similar to... o-ourselves... FAST!"

I winced under her bright green stare, her eyes widening and darting to the disheveled bandages wrapped around me. I really hoped Ivy and the others that had stayed with us didn't count as sisters Jade didn't want finding out what happened to me, judging by her incredulous goggling that ship had sailed already...

"Ssssh! I... I don't want Glitter to find out yet and she might come back any minute. The Institute used their version of the I.M.P. on me... maybe it's actually working, I can hear you guys in my head... sorta..."

("I.M.P.!... Potion!... Mutants?!... No, working?... Male?... Explain Smell... But... Oh!... Right... Not Wise... Fair?... Ugh, complicated... More?... Breeding?")

"They used... o-oh Fast I am sorry... Are you alright? You really can hear the others? This is... you... oh my, I believe I understand. This is a mess isn't it, no wonder she... It must be a lot for you Fast, very overwhelming I am sure. If you need somepony to speak with I am here to listen." Ivy sighed sadly and took a seat beside me, fidgeting in uncomfortable silence while I thought.

Jade could help with everything else, but she wasn't a green even if she could read my mind sometimes. Having one of the telepathic alicorns that I knew and trusted here to ask things and confide in couldn't count as breaking my promise to keep it quiet, right? My mounting fear over traveling to their home decided me, Ivy could help I was sure.

"O-Ok... I'm ok I mean... I'm scared of course, hearing you in my head has been the strangest part so far and if I go to the tower, where you have that pocket of unity Jade told me about... what if I hear all of it? It hurts when it happens with just a few of you, there's a lot back in Trinity Tower and I don't think I can keep it out. And now you tell me I smell different! Everypony's gonna find out I'm turning into... something else, I don't want to be looked at or treated weird... I dunno why Jade doesn't want the others to know though, said she's being optimistic whatever that means..."

Ivy gave me a smirking smile and tittered to herself, slowly building to an escalating chuckle threatening to spew past the hoof stuffed in her mouth to contain it. She shook with silent laughter as tears streamed from her eyes and I turned red, shrinking into my seat and crossing my forelegs, pouting at her as she tried to get herself back under control. It wasn't funny!

(Doesn't know!...Cute!...Have to tell....Getting mad...Stop!...Funnier!...)

After way too long, she wiped the wet tracks from her cheeks and sighed, taking in a long breath that looked to calm her a great deal and patting my head. "I am sorry Fast, I am not teasing you! Even hearing your thoughts more clearly than normal, you are refreshingly naive and surprising sometimes. Have you not considered the potential positive outcome of your problem? Or have you only focused on the negative?"

"P-Positive? What, like it works the right way and I turn into a proper alicorn? Super happy ending? I hadn't thought about it too much... all the bad outcomes seemed a lot more likely and... you know... didn't want to jinx anything... Why?"

Ivy chuckled again and fluffed her wings primly, "Fast... If this potion does miraculously work correctly, you would be a male alicorn correct? I believe I can offer some support for that possibility already due to your scent, you smell of both an alicorn like us, and like a male already, not a combination we have ever smelled before... hence the reaction...

Jade told us of the Followers in Equestria and their trials with Killing Joke, other than one of our sisters who was turned into a male that way, you would be the only male alicorn, certainly the only one in the Commonwealth and for hundreds of miles beyond. That other male was one of us as well, as dedicated to perpetuating our species as any of us and making a willing sacrifice going in that has borne little fruit so far. Have you truly not considered the implications?"

"Er... Oh! L-Like for m-mating and stuff... I guess not, I love Jade so... I mean Peri and Swan both have always been kinda... flirty... but I wouldn't cheat on Jade and it's only cause they're curious right? Hopefully it still wouldn't really come up, I er.. was gonna tell all of you at once, but I found the compatibility potion Ivy, if it works then you can all breed with normal ponies, so having a male alicorn around wouldn't matter..."

(Really think so?... See....)
Ivy smiled kindly and hugged me with her wing, "That is wonderful Fast. I... assume there is only a limited amount of it? Perhaps that will explain better than I could... Go to the tower and tell the others your discovery, watch what happens and keep in mind my assurance, many of the mother's lessons are too deeply ingrained to ignore. Breeding with another alicorn will be preferable to a normal pony for most of my sisters if it were an option...

I will want to have a long discussion with her about her unilateral decision... but I believe you should do as Jade says. She does not want to share you Fast. If that was all I would be rather upset, but you truly don't want to be shared either, keeping this secret for now is probably the best for both of you."

"Well... I wouldn't say I'm totally opposed to being shared... a little..." Ivy laughed at my tired joke, easing my worried question that followed. "B-But what about being around so many of you fillies? I-In my head..."

She squeezed her hug tightly and took in another long sniff at my mane, sighing peacefully before shaking her head clear when the door opened and Glitter ran in, whispering reassurance before the foal got in earshot. "I'm afraid being shared is most likely an all or nothing proposition Fast... Something to consider though! Do not worry, I'll try to help you, being connected to unity just takes some mental discipline, unlike the rest of us you have never known it. Try to be brave Fast, remain positive and leave room in your plans for the best, I have faith in your survival."

Almost like the telepathic mare's encouragement woke them, I felt the distant voices in my head that had been absent since Moondancer had injected me. "Be Strong!", "Be Unwavering" and "Be Kind" whispered in my mind, not causing any pain and actually easing the annoying spike between my eyes.

I never thought I'd be grateful to be hearing voices, but a tear quivered at the corner of my eye on hearing these. I had tried not to think about their extended silence, knowing what I did about the little statues of the Ministry Mares they came from, I had been terrified at what it meant. If the tiny shards of souls stopped talking to me, maybe it was because my soul was being changed by the potion too...

If they were coming back though... maybe I'd be ok like Ivy said? Maybe believing in the best somehow working out, instead of preparing for the worst was ok...

Glitter tackled the green mare beside me happily and yelped back to the door she left hanging open, the sounds of Jade and Val struggling to catch up to the speedy little filly drifted down the hall, as the bright edge of the sun slipped behind the towers of Trotson outside. I wiped my eyes and got up to greet them, time to get ready and hope for the best, the leader of Trinity Tower was waiting.

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

Filly Killer- (Rank 2)----

---This would be a better side effect if you were a different kind of stallion... Apparently your 'scent' has changed, pheromones that alicorns can identify consciously, but affect all fillies to some degree. You deal an additional 10% damage in combat against females, and they are even easier to persuade in dialogue or intimidate, granting you additional new speech options with the fairer sex.

As an added bonus, alicorns will almost never start out hostile towards you now, regardless of faction affiliation! Though they might be a little too friendly!

Quest Perk Added!-----------------------------------------

Institute I.M.P. Rank 3--

---The week is more than half over, one way or the other... In addition to the negative effects of the previous rank, you now also suffer -1 Charisma and -10% to spell recharge rate and skill checks during this final phase.

The changes to your physiology continue to pile up, as a positive you gain the effects of the 'Touched by Taint (3)' perk, making you 20% faster and stronger whenever you’re basking in the warm glow of radiation. Your Action Points regenerate faster and faster the higher your level of radiation sickness becomes and your natural lifespan has increased dramatically. (This replaces the 'Atomic!' perk if previously selected).

You also gain the benefits of the 'Bone Strengthening Brew / Adamantium Bone Lacing' perk if not already taken, making your I.M.P. mutated limbs only receive 50% of the damage they normally would.