"Moondancer?" I croaked up to the disfigured synth pacing above me, trying to get her attention away from peering around the dark basement for Glitter, hiding somewhere in the maze of clutter under Friendly Foals Orphanage.

The crazed look the artifical mare in the ornate green cloak shot back worried me, she might be a highly advanced artificial pony, but the madness in those purple eyes was as real as any born in a natural pony's heart. "No!! Just me! The Confessor of a church you helped destroy! That's just the problem you see 111-3-42!!! The great Dr. Dala has been most distraught since you ran away, she no longer speaks to us! Hides in her dollhouse and won't come out!

But she will now... I'll bring you back and she will be pleased with us again! We will resume our great work! Not only that but I will have your daughter, that should ensure your cooperation this time shouldn't it!?! Come out, come out, wherever you are little one... I don't want to hurt you..."

Clenching my eyes and pouring everything I had into my horn resulted in some weak sparks, the dart gun floating beside her was loaded with some kind of paralytic instead of the tranquilizer I had experienced before, stopping me from incinerating her with lightning from where I was frozen. The best I could do was twitch in rage, gritting my teeth and snorting out angry breaths against the cold stone floor, hopefully since this stuff worked so fast, maybe it wore off quickly too...

"LEAVE ALONE!" I grunted after the burned synth, watching her creep around the room, keeping her back to the only stairs out and flicking her ears after every small noise rustling through the junk.

"Oh calm down Mr. Times! The great Dr. Dala would never hurt a foal! They make wonderful subjects, she will come to no harm! Our involvement here has produced more than just a convenient place to hide you know! When I return you we can return to our experiments, success with you will mean even more child subjects!" What I wouldn't give blast that creepy grin off her burned face... What were they doing here... to these kids...

Impotent twitching rage from where I remained frozen didn't bother her in the slightest, the robed synth calling out encouragingly. "My master knows what's wrong with your daddy dear... she can fix him you know! He needs her help, but if you both come with me he will be fine! Better than fine! He will be an alicorn like your mommy, doesn't that sound wonderful!?"

A high pitched gasp from the darkness gave the synth's roaming ears something to lock onto, her eyes giving a sly look as she faced the corner it came from and called in a comforting, tempting tone while I fumed. I had to move, find a way to protect her, something!! Neither my body nor my magic were working, all I could do was watch the mad mare in front of me, and think of ways to kill her.

Wait... think... I could try to call for help... if one of Jade's green sisters was close enough maybe they could hear me now? It was a long shot, but all I could do, I really hoped Ivy was somewhere she could hear and help, but any of them would be fine at this point. Uncomfortable questions about how I did it could be dealt with later. (HELP! ORPHANAGE! BASEMENT!!)

"Perhaps we can improve you as well, would you like that dear? I bet you would... I couldn't help but eavesdrop, hiding down here and all! Since your parents destroyed my Cathedral and made me a failure... ruined our experiment, corrupted the data, took the doctor's voice from us....

.....But that's ok!!

You can be like your mother and father both! A pretty little alicorn filly, then you'd be the same as any new baby wouldn't you? Be a proper family? Why don't you just come on out..." The Confessor cooed to the hidden filly, her dart gun tracking the sounds of movement around her.

"NO!" I growled out, hoping the she was listening and didn't fall for it. The thought of my daughter being put through Moondancer's version of the I.M.P. like I had... of my filly suffering this... She was going to die just for suggesting that...

I hated that particular Moondancer copy more than any other I had met, I was sure it was the same one that tempted the alicorns of Trinity Tower I had first seen in a memory. Even with that insane twitch to the eye on the burned side of her face, she was smug and smooth, playing on Glitter's insecurities after only hearing a moment's private outburst, just as she had used Evergreen's love for a normal stallion to manipulate her.

The uncomfortable silence I could just imagine Glitter considering it in was broken by the door to the basement slamming open, my moment of hope that Ivy or another of her type heard the mantra running through my head, dashed by the snotty voice calling down from the stairs. "Yer in it now jerk! He's right down there Granny Hat, told him to go away I did! His fault I interrupted your shoppin'! He shoved 'is way past me to... oy... w-what's all this then?"

Wicket's tattling dried up on his tongue as his eyes adjusted to the gloomy basement and widened looking down on the scene. The shriveled old white maned, greyish-purple unicorn mare beside him staring impassively at the strangers in her basement. I had a second to worry about that, then Glitter's silver mane bounced up from a stack of rotting boxes, a boxy magical energy weapon held in her mouth.

She shouted around the grip of Righteous Authority before firing several lances of pink energy at the Confessor. Her accuracy was still lacking, but greatly improved and guided by S.A.T.S. if I didn't miss my guess, scorching holes into the synth's ornate green robe and forcing her to back away in surprise. "HELP! RUNAWAY WICKET! Get Help!!"

To my horror, the slate grey colt was too stunned to do anything but stare, completely oblivious to the elderly mare he had brought. The old unicorn stood straight from her hunched and shaking posture, dropping the bag floating in her grip in favor of a gnarled cane.

The shopping this 'Granny' had been doing tumbled down the stairs as she turned in place, a couple purple healing potions, bandages, adult sized clothing, a floppy hat and sunglassess... things somepony in hiding and injured might need...

Grunting "Look ou...!" uselessly was all I could manage while she reared back, giving a powerful buck that tossed Wicket through the air. I winced at the sickening crack when he slammed into the arcano-tech generator near me, crumpling in on himself where he lay.

"Wicket!! Eeep!!" Glitter screamed following his painful arc, ducking away from several darts puncturing the moldy cardboard she hid behind and scrambling away again.

The Confessor growled in pain from the glancing shots that had burned lines in her flesh, stalking after where Glitter disappeared and grumbling to the elderly mare. "About time! Get down here and watch the stairs, I'm coming to get you little brat...

Wicket groaned weakly beside me, stifling a cry as he dragged himself up from the dented generator housing. A steady clicking sounded from my pip-buck as he stumbled away and I felt the soothing tingle of radiation leaking from the device, I desperately hoped that would help... it healed Jade right? Anything to be able to move again, now two foals were in danger right in front of me and all I could do was think hard. How did you even shout mentally anyway? Think really loud thoughts?

"G-Granny... what wassat for? Who's this bird? W-What's goin' on here?" The colt limped beside me, a distant rustle when he leaned against me all the evidence I had to support what my pip-buck said; 'Item Removed'.

The old mare who kicked him down here croaked in a voice that belied how strong and spry she obviously was, she sounded as old as I technically was and totally unperturbed. "What do you want to do with this one? Shame to lose him, keeps the others in line and is one of Shamrock's best sources..."

A cloud of dust drifted through the small basement as several tottering piles of junk were knocked over, the Confessor cursing and dodging out of the way, answering impatiently as she kept up her hunt for my daughter before my eyes. He'll get 'adopted' like the others! I don't care!! Once the doctor is happy again, maybe she'll feel up to another crack at a project small wonder, we'll take him with us once I find the filly."

Wicket took another lurching step forward, if his left hindleg wasn't broken then it was badly sprained. He sounded disbelieving and somehow resigned speaking to the mare apparently in charge of the Friendly Foals Orphanage, like he expected no better deep down. "W-What's she talkin' bout Granny? 'Adopted'... ain't them what left with their 'new families' like ya said? S-Sounds like you been lyin' G-Granny Hat..."

"She's.... synth..." I grunted after the colt, trying to warn him away from the deceivingly innocent looking mare. The tickle of the rads at my flank was actually loosening the muscles back there... I could twitch my hindlegs again, come on... just a little more...

His brown eyes looked pained as he glanced back over his shoulder, returning his attention to the old mare and limping forward. "Is'at so? S-So everything was a lie? Y-You never cared about any of us? What about all them late night talks? Why pretend to give a flyin' fuck about us at all?! What'd ya do with them what got adopted!? Rumble? Sweet Bee? Slate? Cornflower?!"

"Influencing the next generation provides a great number of research opportunities, this place has been a worthy investment over the years. For example, you were very efficient at collecting intelligence for the mayor, merely spending time to listen allowed us to take advantage of his valuable asset.

Caring is irrelevant, your needs were provided for, those who were 'adopted' went on to do important things..." The flat tone of the elderly synth made my heart break even for the annoying Wicket, this had been his caregiver... talking about what a useful yet expendable tool he was...

Another series of flashes from Glitter's magical energy weapon sent the Confessor skittering out of the way of the pink beams, growing angrier for every second the tough filly kept her at bay, able to track her by her furious shout but unable to paralyze her. "S-Shut up! Caring matters most of all! Don't listen Wicket!!"

I kept screaming the same thoughts in my head, praying to all the goddesses that somepony out there could hear them. My flanks and tail were getting feeling back slowly, my hindlegs weakly scraping against the floor in a numb attempt at moving. The tingle of radiation was sending my rainbow colored rad gauge into the green/yellow border, overcoming the darts I had been shot with all too slowly. At least my mouth could move a little better, letting me weakly try to distract the two synths.

"Never... get away... Friends outside, guards, alicorns... give up..."

A series of 'pfft!' noises from the Confessor's weapon missed Glitter again, sending the crazed synth into a tantrum trying to charge after her. Forced to retreat in the face of pink M.E.W fire and a tall stack of high chairs and cribs crashing to the floor, nearly flattening her. Despite the horrible situation, I couldn't help feeling proud of my filly.

She wasn't a fighter because I tried to protect her from having to be, but she was doing so well now that she was forced to. Not rising to the Confessor's taunts and temptations, staying under cover and forcing the synth to chase after her where she had the advantage, using her surroundings as a weapon, she was one smart, brave little pony.

Confessor Moondancer screamed in frustration and sneered back at me, cantering around trying to find a path to reach where she last saw Glitter. "I know this town better than the ponies that live here, I got in and away from those Brotherhood fools and your precious alicorns when they destroyed my Cathedral didn't I! You really think I can't get away again? The library was the closest, but there are other relay stations not far from here... Service tunnels Mr. Times, I'll never even hit the surface until we're well away from Goodneighbor."

Wicket had continued his agonizing progress towards his 'Granny', shaking his head and agreeing with me, though it looked to pain him doing just that. "He's right, won't get away with this Granny... That griffon of his saw us go in, knows he's here... Yer gonna pay for this, you know it!"

The elderly synth in the patchwork dress looked completely unfazed by his point, watching him struggle to reach her and the stairs she guarded with a bored, empty stare. "I am irrelevant, my model was due to 'die' in a politically useful way soon anyway and you would have a new, younger caregiver model to continue running this place. It has been useful with minimal expenditure of resources, losing both myself and our best spy will reduce our efficiency for some time, but the young ones will step up and fill the gap as they always have when one of you gets adopted."

I could feel my eyes trying to burn a hole through that synth's head, the surge of rage adding to the chant in my head. My forelegs twitched as Wicket approached the evil, artificial mare, trying to obey the insistent signals to get up and start hurting her. The Institute had been using this place, using orphans as tools... Hiding in the shadows and playing with their lives...

Tears dribbled down the colt's angry face as he lunged forward, grabbing at Granny Hat's paisley dress to hold himself up, his hindleg dragging behind him and his voice hoarse and thick with pain. "An' you'll just keep makin' all the little ones work for you eh? D-Disappear some of us if you feel like it an' say we got adopted, make the others b-believe... hope... I won't let you!!"

I tried to shout when I saw that thick cane of hers float up before she shoved him off her, swinging with the obviously unnecessary prop in a flat arc that cracked against his head and sent him sprawling beside me. Twitching and spasming on the floor was all I could do trying to reach the colt, my body waking back up far too slowly, leaving me unable to even check on the poor, bleeding buck as he raised his head weakly.

Wicket's eyes looked glazed and unfocused as blood poured down from his mane and into one eye, the other trying to focus on the Granny synth as she spoke. "You are irrelevant, always too full of yourself... just behave for once, how do you think you will you stop us Wicket? Hoping to get past me and get help?"

A sly grin spread across the colt's bloody face, his one open brown eye filled with hate and satisfaction as he chewed on something, rolling his tongue around in his mouth and finally spitting out a small, metal object that clinked across the floor. "F-F-Filcher's... don't need help... t-take care of... ourselves... b-by... d-d-doin' what'cha t-taught me to... 'G-Granny'... bitch..."

A small metal ring and pin rolled to a stop at Granny Hat's hooves, the Confessor glancing that way in distraction as more pink beams shot out from the junk hiding Glitter. The Granny synth's eyes grew wide and fearful on taking it in, shooting up to look at Wicket in horror while she patted herself with her hooves in a panic.

I had an instant to wonder what the hell was going on, then the small basement blew up...

The force of the explosion sent me rolling back, slamming into the dented generator and landing right on top of the tingling trickle of radiation, Wicket's small body was right behind me and at least spared from smacking into the unforgiving metal again by hitting me instead. My ears were ringing horribly and I struggled to breathe, the wind knocked out of me by the concussion, what the hell was that?!

My eyes were spinning and I wiggled my head as much as I could, desperately trying to clear my vision and find Glitter, taking in the scene. The teetering piles of junk stacked haphazardly in here had all been blown back and collapsed, the muted sounds of struggle and yelling matched the green mark on my compass, pointing to a toppled mound of boxes shifting with movement. I thanked Luna she was alive and prayed the junk she had been hiding in had protected her...

The Confessor staggered around, she hadn't fared so well... her healing talisman was struggling to repair her shredded flanks and her green robes were smoking as she reeled around, screeching in pain and shock. The Granny synth was in the worst shape by far though... her lower half had been blown off entirely, guts trailed behind her as she dragged herself away from the center of the explosion with one remaining functional leg, her teal eyes glaring at Wicket and broken jaw working to make indecipherable sounds of rage.

The radiation I was now sitting right on top of was actually helping, my legs were making their best efforts at moving so far and my magic had returned enough to weakly tug at the weapons in my bags, unable to grab ahold and actually hold even the lightest however. The horrifying half pony crawling towards us was going to get here before I could do anything productive... not to mention the Confessor slowly getting herself under control.

I managed to shove Wicket off me, trying to roll him back where I could shield him and strugging to get my hooves under me. For once the needle of pain between my eyes was welcome and I looked up as familiar thoughts brushed my own. The door to the basement glowed brightly in a field of green magic before blowing in, splinters raining down the top half of the stairs that survived.

Ivy filled the door frame completely, her blue mane rippling around her head and her eyes glowing green, narrowed in fury as she took in the carnage. Her glance fell on Wicket and I and I felt her thoughts searching the room, finding Glitter where she was buried and growing darker immediately.

A powerful memory flitted through my mind while she looked at the hurt colt and his synth caregiver, a classroom? Whatever it was brought out such pain and rage in the normally calm mare that I recoiled from the thoughts radiating from her.

A long, curved sword of glowing green magic formed above her head, streaking across the basement and bisecting Granny Hat, the crackling blade burying itself in her head as the green alicorn glided down next to the scattered corpse, melting away to goop.

"BOSS!?! KID!?! Where ya at! Talk ta me!!!" Val's screeching voice filled the room when she dove in behind Ivy, her least destructive weapons powering up in the small space and her violet eyes darting everywhere, settling on the woozy looking Confessor.

The burned and battered synth quickly took in the situation, her crazed eyes scanning everywhere, giving up on Glitter and turning to run at me. Thanks to the leaking arcano-flux generator digging in my side, I finally managed to push myself up again just in time, trying to stand straight and not shake too much, blocking off the Confessor's next move.

Ivy landed behind me, immediately checking on Wicket and backing me up, the run of her thoughts a repeating refrain directed at the dead synth, (HOW DARE SHE! How dare she! How dare she! How dare...).

My 10mm pistol finally bobbed out of my bags, wobbling over close enough to grip in my mouth and aim weakly at the insane synth skidding to a halt in front of me. Ivy's inspection of Wicket ended and the big green mare stamped her hoof beside me, her wings flaring out and her horn lighting up.

The Confessor glanced back to the ruined stairs nervously, Val perched on the lowest remaining step glaring at her cut off that escape though. The synth's anxious glance fell on the mostly hidden steel door across the room and she sneered, her half burnt face lending her a more menacing look than Moondancer's attractive features could manage normally.

She held one hoof high, hidden in the folds of her gold trimmed robe, grimacing at us all and backing towards the maze of boxes leading to that door. "This isn't over! We will please Dr. Dala, she will have you back and complete the experiment!!! You will undo whatever you have done to the master!"

She smirked and her hoof swung down sharply, something flying from the sleeve that exploded in a choking cloud of smoke. E.F.S. tracked her red mark running off, the sounds of her smacking into several obstacles and her maniacal cackling laughter drifting away.

Val's magical energy weapon rained down red death into the cloud after her and she flapped her wings, trying to clear the smoke away and get a shot unsuccessfully. As soon as I could vaguely make things out again, I lurched towards the pile Glitter was buried in, stumbling and falling into the heap and digging at it with my hooves, shoving a rusty tricycle aside so her silver mane could pop up.

I checked her over anxiously, searching for any injury as she pulled herself free and tackled me. She was filthy and sweaty, her tears ran clean tracks down her dirty white cheeks as she sniffled in my embrace, a few bruises and cuts marked her and she looked a little dizzy, but she was ok...

Glancing over at Val swooping down and sticking her head in the door I thought a closet, I relaxed when she wiggled her way in and squawked after the Confessor angrily, the thump of her grenade machinegun launching several explosive rounds after her down what I presumed was one of the service tunnels she mentioned.

Whether Val got lucky there or not, I didn't care. Glitter mattered, the Confessor didn't. Spotting Ivy trying her horn at what healing magic she knew for Wicket, I grudgingly added him to that. Brat or not, the foals were who was important and they were safe.

Some time later, we had vacated the ruined basement and were sitting up in the main room of the Friendly Foals Orphanage. The faded fairytale paintings on the wall stared down at us with stained, saccharin sweet eyes. They were complimented creepily by all the Ministry of Morale posters showing Pinkie Pie's big blue eyes doing the same, making it very clear she was watching 'FOREVER'. More and more of the residents kept filing in as the news spread and it was getting crowded quickly.

Glitter remained in contact with me, sitting on the uncomfortable cot in my lap, refusing to leave my side even while Jade fussed over her minor injuries. Val was on edge from the close call, staying close at hoof too, quietly congratulating the little filly on her battle when Jade was out of earshot. All the time the griffon spent practicing with Glitter to teach her how to use her small M.E.W. had definitely paid off, I just wished learning how to kill wasn't a required skill nowadays.

Jade was clucking in annoyance at her current patient, finally finishing up the cast wrapped around Wicket's hind leg and checking the bandages around his head before pronouncing him free to leave. "There you are dear, that would have been much easier had you simply come to my clinic as I requested... You must take it easy, try not to put any stress on that leg and do not sleep for at least 12 hours, I am concerned about concussion Wicket. That was very dangerous!"

Mayor Shamrock peered down into the empty door frame leading to the basement, giving a long whistle and tipping his hat to Wicket. "You planted a grenade on her... pretty clever kid..."

The young colt waved off Jade's fussing in front of the other foals and puffed up with pride, "Course it was! Nopony uses the Filcher's... n-not even... Nopony! Had ta do somethin' didn't I, big damn hero here weren't worth a fart in the wind, layin' around doin' nothin'!"

"It was a grenade you stole from me brat... Jade's right too, using explosives like that in such tight quarters... you're lucky you didn't turn all our guts to jelly Wicket, if you had hurt Glitter..."

The grey colt ignored my scowl and huffed, "Yeah, yeah, yeah, she's fine ain't she?! Know what I'm doin' then don't I? Wouldn't let em hurt yer precious filly dummy, I'm posed ta protect all the little ones... w-what Granny said...."

"Didn't know how to fix your boiler, did you..." I tried to goad the colt back into being obnoxious and insulting, pointing to one of the radiators quietly pinging with heat, filling the small room with warmth the numerous foals were obviously enjoying. Unfortunately he didn't rise to the awkward bait, ignoring me as his brown eyes shimmered and he bit his lip in determination not to cry.

Wicket's pained brooding was ended by Ivy of all ponies, reaching forward and enveloping the small buck in her wings, hiding him and speaking soothingly down into the feathery barrier they formed. I wasn't sure what she was reading out of his head or saying to him, but those verdant feathers shook with muffled sobs and she simply hummed softly and held still for it.

Looking up into her sad green eyes, I caught another snatch of memory flowing off her. Definitely a school room... before the war? No... during... A snapshot of a prewar classroom, still neat and tidy, packed with terrified looking foals. Split between looking out the windows at the balefire explosions turning the sky a sickly smear of necromantic green, and looking right at... me? Her... Such awful sadness and pain was attached to the split second of memory I groaned under the wave of it pouring off her.

Shamrock spared another glance at the splattered pony corpse downstairs and sighed, pacing the room with his bodyguard Scarlet right on his heels. Several of his pink barded guards were crawling around downstairs, following the service tunnel the Confessor used to escape. "Granny Hat... I just can't believe it... I've known Silly Hat since before I ran this place! She was there in the beginning, asked to turn the old daycare into an orphanage...

She was a synth? A-All this time... I watched her grow old! Robots age!? T-This is a mess, a grade A, Celestia tier mess... Are you kids ok? I... I thought she was taking better care of you than this... We'll figure something out as soon as we can, fix this, make sure you're taken care of. Goodneighbor's of the ponies, for the ponies..."

Wicket's snotty face popped out from between Ivy's wings, his hooves wiping at his bloodshot eyes angrily as he grumbled back. "Oh capital idea there Shamrock! F-Find us another robot who don't give a shit about us, long as we keep feedin' you info then who cares right?! I tried ta tell ya we needed help! Think I was tryin' ta con ya into more stuff?! Or just believe whatever she told ya!? Couldn't be bothered to come in an' take a look!"

The old ghoul looked a little hurt at that, and ashamed... Shaking off the momentary weakness and standing straight, he took his tricorne hat off and held it to his chest in apology but his eyes hardened. "You deserve that one kid, I'll give it to you... Don't push it though. I rely on you guys and thought I was dealin' square with you, this place was supposed to be in a lot better shape than it is. My fault for trusting her but... I knew her forever! and she was a synth the whole time!? I'll fix this Wicket, all of you kids, find someone we can trust to do this job right..."

"An where you gonna find em in the Commonwealth huh!? Bit of a shortage of ponies worth a damn eh? Find me one and guarantee it ain't no synthetic blighter like.... like her! We're never trustin' anypony again! Filchers take care of themselves! D-Don't need... need anybody..." Wicket's angry outburst trailed off sadly, his wet brown eyes surveying the room filling with devastated looking little foals still taking in the death of their care giver, an old mare who had always been kind to them as far as they knew...

Shamrock choked on that, trapped by the reality the colt threw in his face. In stark terms this was the most insidious thing the Institute and their synths did, how could anypony be trusted if they could be one of 'them'. Just the spectre of synths was enough to drive the Commonwealth apart, made everyone distrustful and willing to keep the world away. Now it had scarred these foals, proven the one mare they thought cared about them was nothing but a robot, a synth that viewed them as useful tools and subjects...

Again, it was Ivy that saved the day, a kind of reluctant acceptance coming from her aching heart as she coughed meekly and tapped Wicket's shaking shoulder. "I am not a synth... Do you trust me?"

The hurt and anger clear in Wicket's every shaking line stilled and he looked up in confusion, a dozen wide eyed foals all staring at her added to her nervous tremor, but she furrowed her brow, waiting for Wicket patiently. Both Shamrock and Jade recovered and opened their mouths to say something, but Ivy merely held a hoof up and waited for the foals staring at her cautiously.

Glitter looked up from my embrace, speaking softly and sincerely to the other foals and Wicket directly. "Aunt Ivy is a good pony Wicket, everypony... you can trust her, bein' alone's no fun, it's ok to... to h-have faith sometimes, right daddy?"

Her eyes lingered on the bulges at my sides, repeating my words back to me with a hopeful smile. Her endorsement was enough to tip the scales it seemed, Wicket eyed the green mare suspiciously but nodded up to her slowly. "G-Guess so... do they make synths of you mares?"

"I won't lie, I suppose it is possible, isn't it Fast?" Ivy asked contemplatively, looking at me but clearly performing for all the wide eyed foals watching attentively. (Answer honestly Fast)

"Umm... yeah... They can, I saw one, er... two... I guess they could make them look like you guys if they wanted."

I was as unsure as Wicket looked, raising a wary eyebrow and opening his mouth to speak, but stopped short as Ivy's horn lit up. His eyes widened with wonder at the voice in his head I could faintly overhear, ("A synth cannot do this however, and since I can see what's inside pony's heads, I know who to trust most of the time.")

Looking around the room calmly at all the fillies and colts staring in amazement, Ivy continued verbally for everyone to hear. "You can trust all of my sisters if I say so as well, only other true alicorns can join in unity..." She gave me a pointed look and smile before continuing brightly. "Will that be alright children? I will need to speak with my sisters, but we can look after you until you find an acceptable replacement. One who I will gladly vet for you, no synth will be able to lie to me right?"

"And I will ask the Followers to help as well. We run orphanages elsewhere in Equestria Wicket, I know the Commonwealth is... different, but I hoped to do the same here." Jade added sweetly, gesturing encouragingly to the foal.

Wicket cautiously pulled free of Ivy and joined the other foals in a tense huddle, excited whispers floated up from the herd of Filchers, several heads popping up to stare at the green alicorn and return to the discussion. Ivy fluffed her wings anxiously and craned her neck, peering into the huddle and tapping her hooves together.

Finally they seemed to reach a conclusion, spreading back out and nudging Wicket out front to speak. "Alright... if'n it's you I guess you can't be one of them synth buggers... You... You'd really do that? Watch out for us? She really nice Glitter? No foolin'?"

Glitter's head bobbed rapidly with a grin, sending a wave of relief through the gathered foals, they trusted her opinion if nopony else's at least. Many of them started coming forward slowly, clustering around the green mare to get a good look at their new caretaker.

Shamrock looked less guilty immediately as well, flipping his hat back up to his wispy mane and spreading his hooves wide, wrapping one around Ivy's shoulders in a friendly gesture that made her stiffen in surprise. "There we go then! Since this filly's so nice as to fill in for the time being, we can find somepony you can trust and make this right.

While she's making her arrangements, why don't you bring a few of your friends to the casino Wicket, let's... get this place up to snuff... C'mon kids, blankets, pillows, mattresses, whatever else you need, we'll raid the storerooms and get you set up alright?"

The Filcher's gave a happy whoop, the horrible day momentarily forgotten at the ghoul's generosity. I chose to believe he was telling the truth and truly hadn't known what was going on here, I hadn't seen the Granny synth's false personality, but I gathered she was well liked. It would take time to undo the damage she had done, but Ivy and Shamrock had taken big steps in that direction.

Wicket limped his way to the door with the rest, his cast thunking along the wooden floor. He turned and gave an unsure, anxious glance back at Ivy, for a bare instant a little of a worried colt who just wanted somepony to love him came out in his voice, "Y-You'll be here? You'll come back, h-honest?"

Ivy held one hoof to her heart and nodded solemnly with a smile, "Honest as an Apple... Go on, even with my sisters help, I will rely on you to continue as you have Wicket, care for all the little ones younger than you. I will return soon..."

A gaggle of the eager foals ran out, Shamrock following behind evenly and tipping his hat to the alicorn and the rest of us, his griffon Scarlet following in a huff. With the room mostly now emptied, except for the town guards searching Granny Hat's possessions and the basement, Magnolia and Peri stuck their heads in from outside curiously, remaining outside while the cramped room was so crowded.

Ivy nodded to Jade and her sisters, standing with a sigh and trotting that way. "We should be on our way as well, speak privately for a bit about all this... Come along sisters, Fast... I believe we have much to explain..."

I wondered what she meant by that, until Peri spoke up questioningly. "How did you know Fast was in trouble sister? You just ran off suddenly..."

"Wondered 'bout that myself girl, saw ya go swoopin' in from outta nowhere an' followed along, I didn't hear nothing to make me worry since the kid and the fake mare went in... er... till the big kaboom o'course..." Val added a little sheepishly, a hint of shame in her voice for failing as a bodyguard, as if she could be there for everything all the time.

Oh... well.... at least it had been Ivy that heard me and came.... I groaned and gave Glitter a gentle shove off my lap, limping over to follow them out and catching Jade's worried look. "Er... w-we'll explain... i-it's a secret..."

"I don't believe it! F-Fast is fine! He... he cannot be... He is still himself! You mean his illness is... no!" Magnolia shook her head angrily from the couch, staring in horrified fascination at me across the large living room of the Princess Celestia Suite, this was going great...

Peri didn't seem as shocked, of course she always sounded vaguely detached from things, never getting that excited and speaking with her normal ethereal tone. "You heard him... That is why you ran off Ivy? That is good then... he is becoming like us yes? Oh.... that is why you didn't agree to take the potion you brought us Fast? You will not need it, the others will be so happy..."

"NO!" Jade's goddess voice boomed out despite herself, a blue hoof stuffed in her mouth with a squeak to cut it off surrounded by a bright blush, before she pulled it free and tried again. "N-No... please Periwinkle, I... I would prefer the others did not know about this.... er... y-yet..."

"Whyyyyy? If it works then that will be good..." Peri asked with a whine of confusion, clearly not seeing any problems.

At least Magnolia seemed to get the implications quick enough, her eyes growing wide as she took it all in. "H-Hush Peri... do as she asks. Will Fast be a-alright?"

Jade spared Glitter a pained glance, watching the filly poking at my lumpy bandages with interest. At least Glitter was taking this ok so far, more excited by the prospect than afraid now that she knew. Her pink eyes still shot up at the question and stared at the alicorn doctor unflinchingly as she answered. "I... I do not know... I hope so, I have not been able to find any way to treat him, so all we can do is wait... There have been encouraging signs however!" She finished lamely, shrugging to the foal with a hopeful smile.

"Why do we have to stay way over here? I want to see too..." Peri pouted and pointed to Glitter nudging my sides painfully, annoyed at being unable to sate her curiosity about the bulges on my ribs, clearly visible with my armor abandoned.

Jade's concern ratcheted up immediately and she moved to fill the already considerable distance between us, stammering a worried reply. "F-Fast is suffering certain... s-side effects... i-it is not good to get too close... He..."

Zed interrupted, trotting over calmly and taking a long sniff at the air, nodding when he was satisfied and spilling the beans in his deep voice. "Pheromones... His scent has changed, I imagine it has an effect on you mares...."

A sharp 'eep!' escaped Jade's lips and she glared at the zebra sternly, I was more interested in how he did that though... "You can smell that?! Can everypony else tell!?"

From her reclined position on the couch, Val took a swig of her bottle of Wild Pegasus and snorted. "Don't smell nothin' boss, other than the normal stuff, you know; that lightning-y ozone smell, robot grease, blood, gunpowder an' Blue of course!"

Hearing her teasing was a good sign, though it managed to turn Jade a few shades redder. Glitter gave another tickling poke to my ribs that made me giggle and flinch away, stretching her muzzle up to my chest and taking an appraising sniff. "Hmm... Nope! Nothin' daddy! Er... kinda stinky..."

"Well excuse me! Scary fights with crazy synths tends to make you sweat huh? You look pretty rank yourself sweetie..." I joked back and tickled the filthy foal in return.

Chuckling to himself, Zed shook his head and joined Glitter's inspection of my bandages. "I have been trained as a hunter... of sorts... My body has been augmented with zebra alchemy as well, it is difficult to notice even still. Though I am not an alicorn or a mare... I take it the effect is more pronounced on your kind Miss Jade?"

Jade nodded weakly in answer, clearly annoyed with him. I trusted everyone here though, with Zed making such a real attempt at opening up to us, it was wrong to hide this from him. As for Jade's trio of sisters... well, they had been with us since before we left Sanctuary, I still saw Jade's point about not letting this become common knowledge, but I trusted the three of them implicitly.

Magnolia snorted and shook her head, her flowing reddish-violet mane whipping around her head as she started trotting over. "That is silly! I do not care how he 'smells', Fast is our friend! Why should we stay away from... f-from..."

I gulped nervously and started backing away, she got close enough to get a good whiff... her nostrils flared and her pace slowed, her flanks swaying while her green eyes grew lidded and soft, whispering huskily as she sauntered forward. "Oh my... that... that is nice isn't it... N-Nothing to stay away from... quite intoxicating in fact... I don't see any problem sister... I could even get a better smell and be f-fine..."

The big purple filly's behavior elicited an anxious whinny from Jade and hearty laughter from Val, much to my embarrassment... Thankfully she shrugged it off quickly once Ivy dragged her away her by the tail, shaking her head and turning bright red at the griffon's snickering beside her, stammering out in a mortified voice. "I... I am sorry! I didn't mean to... I like Miles! W-Why did that feel so..."

"As Zed explained, it is pheromones... nothing to be ashamed about Magnolia, just... keep your distance hmm? None of us have ever smelled a male alicorn before, I believe it is a shock to our system that should fade with time. I hope it is a side effect of the transformation process itself that is merely temporary... F-From what I have been able to tell, Moondancer's I.M.P. was formulated around being sure the result remained male and was made for breeding, she may have altered it to produce this very result for all I know...

It would be a good advertisement of her potion wouldn't it? Even now, if the others knew... the divisions Evergreen exposed would come back up. If the Institute can successfully make a male, how many would argue for doing as they wish regardless of the past? You can see why keeping this quiet is best, f-for the time being..." Jade explained dispassionately, sharing her findings from all the work she kept pouring in to finding a way to treat me and her worries.

It sounded logical to me, though I wasn't surprised to see Peri pouting with an unconvinced look in her pale yellow eyes. The annoyed stare Ivy was giving her confused me though, she was radiating disappointment and doubt for some reason. I wasn't above taking advantage of being able to listen in to her thoughts, but all I got from her was (Not Why), which wasn't very informative.

Zed paced and gave her a kindly look, scratching his chin and thinking aloud. "There are zebra potions to mask one's scent... Similar to the potion I used to escape notice of the zombies around Hexington. Unfortunately I am not much of an alchemist... but perhaps I can get ahold of some Miss Jade, if that will make you feel better?"

The wide, relieved smile and rapidly nodding head that answered brought a knowing smirk to the zebra's face. That just erased any of her annoyance with the zebra in one fell swoop, earning him brownie points. Personally I was grateful too, if he could get something to cover this up, I could risk getting close to Jade's sisters again. As it was... that was quickly becoming a bad idea, my 'scent' was apparently getting stronger as the potion kept working.

With more and more of them coming to Goodneighbor now, they were presenting a bigger problem. Would I have to leave? Keep my distance from all of them forever? I liked Jade's sisters for the most part and Trinity Tower was just opening up to the Commonwealth. Last night already showed going to their tower was dangerous though, how long before I had to run away entirely?

"D-Does it hurt daddy? Are you sure you'll be ok? That mean pony in the robe said she could change me too... I t-tried not to listen! But... c-could they? Make me like mommy and... you?" Glitter surprised me with her reticent question, staring up with sparkly pink eyes.

"No! I'm glad you didn't listen to her Glitter, this... this hurts yes... I wouldn't want you to go through it. I like you just the way you are! You're my daughter, you don't need to be anything but that ok? What kind of pony you are doesn't matter."

She looked a little disappointed, with the fears she had shared about Jade and I having a foal together, I could understand her desire. She loved alicorns to begin with, the idea of turning into one must be tempting for the little earth pony.

Trying to change the subject off of myself, I looked to Ivy nearby and addressed her generous offer. "You're sure about helping out at the Orphanage Ivy? I didn't mean to pry but... you were a teacher weren't you? B-Before? Will taking care of them... bring up stuff you don't want to remember?"

The green mare sighed softly and stroked my cheek, sniffing absently but maintaining control over that dreamy look that flashed across her green eyes. "It will be fine Fast, those memories form a big part of... who I was... But they are not all painful, I do not plan to take on this job alone either. I had given it some thought even before this and I will speak with Umbra about it, I believe she will agree with me. If we are running the orphanage, we have somewhere to stay within Goodneighbor even after you leave.

In time I may even convince them to let some of the children come to Trinity Tower as well, that orphanage is in poor shape and overcrowded... With all this talk about foals and breeding... I think trying our hoof at actually caring for children first is a good step to take, too many of us are enamored with the idea without any real experience. Everypony has greatly enjoyed their time with young Glitter here, I hope that will make them open to the idea."

The praise and the idea itself made my little filly swell with pride, beaming up to the green alicorn from my side. "That's great Aunt ivy! The Filchers like you guys already, an' you can all see what havin' kids is like! I bet you'll all be great moms, like mine!"

Peri's bored drawl cut off the happy blush spreading on Jade and Ivy's faces, the blond maned alicorn speaking slowly in confusion as she tried to work out a difficult problem for her. "I do not understand... Why keep it secret? I don't see anything bad... it's good right? If Fast does become like us, he will have a reason for mating finally... stop refusing and whining... Won't even let me smell... Are you being greedy?"

The slowly dawning suspicion in Peri's narrowed golden eyes sent Jade into a nervous ramble, stammering and tapping her hooves together, trying to hide in her wings from both Peri's curious stare and Ivy's flat look, a series of complicated thoughts flitting between them I couldn't keep up with.

"N-No! Not greedy... c-cautious is all! W-We do not even know if the potion will be successful! I-If it is... w-we can decide how to... h-handle it then... Y-You do not want to get everypony's hopes up prematurely, do you Peri?" Jade anxiously babbled, giving Ivy a pleading look while trying to reason with Peri.

Something was going on between Jade and Ivy... I couldn't make out enough of the weird mental shorthoof flying between them, but the general tone was of some kind of tense debate. I hated to see disagreement or worry on Jade's lovely face, standing and whickering for attention managed to put the argument on hold and hopefully derail Peri.

"Er... She's just worried about me Peri! I... I'm kinda scared... and embarrassed... I just want to keep it quiet for now ok? I didn't even tell Glitter...." The angry huff the filly gave at that made me hold my hooves up in surrender and amend that. "...and I should have! I totally, really, really should have... But I don't want a lot of ponies knowing ok? Please? I told you all because I trust you, we're friends right? You deserved to know and... I need your help for a few things..."

Peri stood silently, trying to work out my pleas to herself. Ivy and Magnolia both looked up with interest though, the lyrical purple alicorn latching on to the distraction and asking kindly. "Help? O-Of course Fast! Help with what?"

I gave her a grateful smile, agreeing immediately without even knowing... "Thank you Magnolia. We're planning a kind of... party for Nightmare Night..."

Glitter interrupted with a happy gasp, galloping off to her room and racing back, a heaping pile of her costumes purchased from Knick and Knack's bucked from her back to land in a heap. "I got costumes for all of you too! They're not as good as Sassy's, but you can all dress up like everypony else!"

Ruffling her mane with a smile, I continued to the three alicorns tugging at the assortment of Nightmare Night outfits curiously. "The big thing I need from you is to do what you do best though, I need a singer... I know Miles is supposed to come for the party, er... sorry to cut into your time together, it's really important though!"

Ivy nodded along with Peri and Magnolia's instant acceptance, raising an eyebrow curiously. "Of course we will help Fast. I assume this is one of your... plan-like things... What else do you require?"

"Daddy look!" Glitter's excited yelp drew my eye as she pranced over to the windows, plastering her face against the glass to watch as a gilded chariot descended from the clear, crisp fall skies, the mark of the King's Gambit casino identifying it as just the pony I was concerned with.

Looking back to my gathered friends, I gave a grin and pointed to the pegasus drawn vehicle drifting down to the gang run casino across the street. "Among other things for the Grand Opening... I want to make that pony right there suffer. The Kings are a problem and up to something, I want to weaken their hold on Goodneighbor, make it a better place."

Jade's ears perked up and she tilted her head in suspicion, "And how do you plan to do so Fast, in your condition... I will tranquilize you if I have to..."

Waving my hooves and smiling nervously at the threat, I rushed to explain before she followed through with her anesthetic spell. "N-Nothing to worry about! First me and Zed have to do some stuff to help open the M.O.M. hub, he's going to do all the fighting honest! After that... we're umm.. doing Val's idea... I want to break the bank at the King's Gambit, I need all your help to do it."

The silence was broken by Val's loud whoop of joy, flapping up to the ceiling and diving down to pounce directly in front of me, her dark claws rubbing together and avarice twinkling in her violet eyes. "ALRIGHT!! 'Bout time boss! Let's go get rich!!"

"L-Later Val... Zed and I have something else to do first. At the Combat Zone..."

What was once an 'Iron's Gym' had been added to and repaired so much over the centuries it was hard to recognize if not for the Minotaur silhouette on the original sign, partially hidden by the cobbled together blinking lights of the newer sign reading 'Combat Zone'.

Zed led the way into the rowdy establishment, pushing his way through the crowds of ponies waiting for the show, several running around taking bets on the next round. I was glad for the zebra and my griffon bodyguard at my side, even the audience was full of rough and tumble looking ponies, lots of dirty leather and metal armor was mixed in with the fancy clothes of richer customers.

Wearing my full Shrouded Stallion armor drew a lot of unfriendly looks, glares I didn't feel up to the challenge of answering if things went bad. I had been sure to gorge myself before going out and Jade's expert care was keeping the worst of the side effects at bay, but I still felt battered and broken just from the short confrontation in the orphanage, everything ached dully even with the Med-X numbing most of it, my hide and horn itched maddeningly and the lumps at my sides were getting pretty bulky...

I had convinced Glitter to go with Ivy and the others to help them at Friendly Foals, the Filchers trusted her and she was sure to be helpful to the new alicorn caretakers. It also kept her away from this scum hole of a business... As we walked into the smoky, crowded building a portly yellow earth pony was dragged off in front of us on a stretcher, his foreleg bent at an alarming angle and his face a bloody pulp, screaming as he was taken through a door to the side.

I wished Jade hadn't come too... Her gaze followed the injured buck anxiously, her long neck craning up over the crowd to follow his progress as she shuffled in place. "H-He is hurt! I should help him! I do not like this place Fast... it is awful!"

Staring around at the chaotic, packed arena, I had to agree... Dad liked boxing, calling it a 'noble sport' and the 'sweet science' when he watched it on tv and I played nearby, mostly uninterested. Compared to what this place had turned into... yes, plain old hoof boxing was the picture of nobility when put beside... this...

What had been a simple boxing ring for sparring dominated the room, a makeshift metal cage of chain link and wrought iron scraps of fencing welded together haphazardly surrounded it, keeping the participants in and the audience out. Locked boxes and toxic yellow barrels were strung from the domed ceiling of the cage for some reason, the dirty white mat of the ring was splattered with bloodstains, both old and new. There were even a variety of cages near the rear exit, filled with wasteland creatures to toss in apparently.

An an attractive red unicorn mare stood in the spotlight at the center of the ring, wearing a weathered brown leather vest that didn't cover her strange cutie mark, a Dash inhaler and whiskey bottle breaking chains?... Wasteland ponies had marks like that?! The thought of living with a picture of drugs on my flank made me appreciate my own odd mark more.

Her wild spikes of auburn mane swayed as she called out to the crowd, her horn glowing pink to amplify her voice above the din. "Oooo! Butterbean looks like he'll be eatin' through a straw for a few months huh folks?! What a match! Up next is Rowdy Rouser vs. The Iron Sheep! Place yer bets folks!!"

The crowded gym was organized chaos... ponies running around everywhere to the caged counter to one side, yelling out how many caps they were wiling to put on who and snatching slips of paper in exchange for caps. I sat and caught my breath shakily, overwhelmed by so many ponies in such a small space, all running around each other and yelling.

Zed strolled back and nodded to a cluster of Kings standing by themselves, intimidating anypony not of their crew that came close to the territory they staked out. Bullet Bishop himself was at the center of the group... laughing uproariously at the best dressed pompadour maned king at his side. Just behind him stood a hulking mass of tan muscle in the shape of a pony, wearing an ill fitting silky robe that hung open and a tarnished, gaudy golden belt around his middle...

"The big one is the champion Fast. Hulking Rock, a top contender for quite some time who recently took the top spot in a surprising comeback. From what I gathered, he was not always so... intimidating... he suffered a defeat and went away for some time, when he returned he was as you see him now. Whatever training he engaged in was quite effective..."

I gulped and goggled at the massive stallion, that earth pony was as muscle bound as one of Moondancer's mutants... "Y-You're sure you can take him Zed? Not to doubt your skills but... jeez..."

The stern zebra smirked and nodded confidently. "Strength is unimportant if you can't hit what you're aiming at... I have yet to meet a pony who can match the Doombunny style, it will be fine."

Doombunny?... There was a school of martial arts called Doombunny!? Subconsciously drawn to the biggest pool of calm in all this chaos, I found myself at the bar in the corner, trying to take that in. They did a brisk business in drinks going out, a heavy set ghoul in a tattered, checkered jacket tending bar, smoothly setting up shots and sending them out. There were lots of stools, small tables and a few booths ripped out of nearby restaurants I guessed, but everything was occupied.

Well... was occupied, Val gave me a penetrating stare, focusing on my trembling legs for a moment before barging over to the bar. A drunken old earth pony nearly passed out in his seat was suddenly sent flying, shoved off the stool by one strong claw, the other reaching out to grab my collar and plop me down on the vacant seat. "Sit boss... staaaay.... good boss..."

I grumbled under her mild teasing, noting the tension it was hiding with a sigh and holding a hoof up to order a beer. Taking it from the stallion limping and muttering away might have been rude... but I wasn't going to turn my nose up at the seat. It let me look around and try to make some sense of the place anyway, nursing my drink over Jade's displeased nickering.

The next fight had started, a lithe, scarred amber pegasus mare in fairly... impractical armor was bouncing off the cage, zipping by the blue earth pony stallion wearing a weird, fluffy hat with flaps and small horns. Armor was worn by both participants, but neither used weapons... all hoof to hoof so far.

One of the yellow barrels suddenly opened for a short burst of glowing green muck to splatter down, the pegasus had to do an impressive aerial dodge to avoid being splashed with the deadly gunk, now a hazard on the ring the earth pony had to avoid. A rusty, sparking scoreboard hanging crookedly on the wall reached the 2:00 minute mark and blared an alarm, two boxes above the ring opening in response, spilling out a long wooden staff and a pair of spiked shoes the combatants dove for.

What had been rough combat immediately escalated to a bloody show, the crowd cheering at each painful blow and turn of the tables. Jade had stretched up to get the best view she could, her blue eyes wide with concern and wincing at each cheer. I didn't like bringing her here after just hearing about it, it was worse than expected but she needed to be part of this. I wanted to weaken the Kings in every way, that included attacking their image and Jade was my best weapon there.

My woolgathering on how to go about that was interrupted by the scarlet announcer trotting over and planting her hooves on the bar beside me, a light sheen of sweat sparkled on her coat and she spoke breathlessly in her odd accent, a manic smile on her lips. "Phew! Line em up Lone! That match ain't gonna last long. Well, well, gots ourselves celebrities don't we!? Oh please tell me the Princess there is here ta fight! Been dyin' ta get one of them lasses in the ring!"

The ghoul bartender muttered darkly and gave her a flat stare, floating up several shot glasses and expertly filling them in a line. Jade's whinny of horror was cute, the thought of the pacifist alicorn fighting in this arena so ridiculous it was funny. Val bailed her out before she got over the shock, punching the strange mare in the shoulder harder than I'd expect for her lighthearted tone. "Good luck there, that one won't fight, been waitin' ta see it myself Cat. Gots another contender though, an' a proposition..."

She raised an interested eyebrow, glancing between the four of us as her pink magic started floating up shots and she knocked them back. Eventually her pale green eyes settled on me and she held a hoof out, "Cat Paws, assumin' yer Val's boss? Not many bucks wearin' their Nightmare Night costume all the time is there eh? So what'dya have for me hmm Mr. Shrouded Stallion?"

Cat leaned against the bar, resting her cheek against her hoof and continuing to toss back shot after shot... how was she standing?! Watching each shot floating through the air with mounting awe, I stammered and pointed to Zed standing nearby. "Er... we have a contestant... wanted to challenge the champion... wow... Umm! I was curious too, do the Kings own this place?"

An angry snort and a hoof slammed to the bar answered, even the bartender grumbled darkly as Cat growled a response, her words barely slurring when she had easily drained half the bottle of Wild Pegasus... "Nopony 'owns' us! Kings miiiight'a won a teensy, tiny stake when I had a run o' bad luck... but that's temporary!"

"You went on a bender, lost a ton of caps you didn't have at their damn casino and put us in this mess Cat... don't gild the lily..." The bartender groaned in annoyance, filling the last of the shot glasses and turning to those waiting to order with a huff.

What was apparently an old argument was waved off by the only slightly tipsy mare, glancing over to the fight still going on before continuing, a rosy, alcohol induced blush on her freckled cheeks. "Ok, ok! I screwed up, yet again, keep rubbin' it in why don'cha Lone? Never you mind me partner there, Lone Gain's always a sourpuss! Soooo... zebra huh? He put on a good show? Got screwed a couple times, turns out not all o' them stripes can do that fancy hoofwork!"

"He's impressive... If that's what you're asking, so how do we fight the champion, on Nightmare Night... Making them look bad is a bonus too if that helps..."

Her unsteady green eyes lit up mischievously and she chuckled a reply. "Oh ho... is'at so? Well then, you'd hafta call em out good and proper. Tell you what, I'll put your buck there up against the Mortician! Everybody loves seein' him fight stripes what know what they're doin'! He puts up a good fight, I'll help you out with the rest. How's 'at for a slice of fried gold?!"

I didn't have a chance to think, let alone refuse. The crimson mare tossed her reddish brown mane and cantered off, arriving at the entrance to the cage just as the pegasus came spinning through the air, slamming into her opponent with all four hooves and ending the match.

A unicorn and earth pony carrying a stretcher between them ran into the ring as soon as it was over, followed by a pair of ghouls with wide mops held in their mouths. The loser was carried out swiftly and the gunk cleared off the ring by the ghouls immune to its affects. Cat trotted in last, holding one of the pegasus mare's bloody hooves up and lighting her horn to announce the victory.

"Oh what a fight! Looks like the cloud dweller beats the ground pony this time! Way to go Rowdy!" The pegasus shouted in triumph to the crowd at Cat's announcement, getting a lot of cheers from the King's section for her win and a lot of grumbles from ponies tearing up slips of paper.

"Comin' up next we got an unscheduled treat folks! Hold onto yer hats, the Princess of Sanctuary is in the audience tonight an' her little kingdom's got their own gladiator for the Combat Zone! Will he win fame and glory for Sanctuary? Or go down in flames under the hooves of... The Mortician!!"

A burly, menacing looking earth pony came out from a unobtrusive door near the ring labeled 'Locker Rooms', he was tall and strong looking, well defined muscles without a lot of bulk, a deep, black coat darker than mine and a blue mane so dark in nearly matched his coat. An odd mark of a hoof smashing... something, on his flank was clearly visible since he wore no armor.

Zed huffed and started walking to the ring, forcing me to scramble off my stool to follow him. His grey eyes never left his opponent, watching him carefully as the buck reached the cage and started flipping around, bucking, dodging, kicking and cartwheeling in a display of martial prowess.

"You're sure about this Zed? I was hoping you'd just have to deal with the champion pony, not work your way up... He looks pretty tough, you don't have to..."

Chortling to himself but still focusing on the Mortician prancing around the ring, Zed waved off my concern. "Do not worry, this won't take long. I owe you Fast, this is a meager start to repay my debt."

I tried to tell him he didn't have to worry about any 'debt', but the agile zebra left me behind, springing over several ponies and landing at the gate into the cage, ducking his way past the ropes to stand opposite the Mortician at center ring, Cat presiding between them and giving a bawdy yell to the crowd.

"An' there he be folks! Place yer bets on Sanctuary's gladiator! This here stripe sounds awwwwful sure of them fancy zebra tricks! Will it be the former champ? or the newcomer? The Mortician or..." She stopped and blinked to herself a moment, leaning over to Zed and whispering back and forth, a bored look on her face when she continued. "Or will it be Zed... Zed who makes em dead! Get ready for this special exhibition match an' don't miss out!"

I caught Val's panicked, anxious look towards the betting cages and waved her on. She obviously didn't like leaving me for just a moment, but Jade had pushed her way through the crowd to my side, the bag of caps in her claws was clearly burning a hole in her pocket.

Zed stretched absently, waiting for the brief intermission to finish and scratching his spiky mane. Finally Cat trotted out of the ring and shut the cage behind her, ringing the dented brass bell by the entrance on her way to signal the start of the fight.

Jade seemed as nervous as I was, curling a wing around me anxiously and watching the ring with wide eyes, ignoring all the stares having a princess down here was drawing. Thankfully that meant she didn't notice the dark looks from the King's section, the slimy, dark blue Bullet Bishop sneering directly at us and making menacing gestures I didn't care to translate.

The intimidating Mortician started flipping around as soon as the bell rang, flailing his limbs and bucking the air, cartwheeling from one side of the ring to the other and making weird noises, lots of "Wooo! and Waaaaah! and Hi-yah!"'s that Zed watched with a bored expression, never moving a muscle.

The aggressive display worked on Jade anyway, she moved up to wrapping her legs around my neck to cuddle me to her chest in reassurance, squeezing tightly and giving little gasps as the opponent in the ring bounced around. I did finally find something positive about 'smelling' strange, holding me close seemed to calm her down more than normal at least.

The Mortician eventually worked himself up into performing a flying leap at Zed from across the ring, an outstretched hindleg coming in like a missile. Zed still just stood there, actually yawning... my view was suddenly cut off by Jade's wings flying up protectively for her to hide behind with a squeak, forcing me to lunge forward to poke my head out of all the feathers, barely catching what happened.

Zed just casually stepped out of the way... at the last possible instant, no rush, no wasted movement, just a simple, smooth sidestep that shocked the dark stallion crashing to where he had been. He didn't have long to think about it at least, one leg barely made contact with the mat before one of Zed's hooves shot out.

The first hit straight to the chest almost seemed to paralyze his enemy, making him go strangely limp as he continued his airborne course. A second blurring hit cracked at least a couple ribs by the sound, drawing a wince from Jade around me. The third impact snapped the Mortician's jaw back in a sharp uppercut. Finishing up almost faster than I could track, Zed's hindleg's shot out in an incredible buck that sent the boneless body flying, slamming against the metal cage and falling to the ring in a heap.

As loud as the Combat Zone was since we got here, I was surprised at the total silence. Somewhat surprised anyway... Zed had hardly moved a step from where he started, while the Mortician was a quivering pile of hurt pony on the other side of the ring I could tell Jade wanted to heal already.

A pink glow lit up the gate to the ring and Cat's voice rang out in a boisterous cheer. "Weren't that somethin' folks!! Hell, probably a new record for the Combat Zone! An' here I thought a foooormer champ was good enough for our challenger from Sanctuary! Course if'n it were up to me, I'd insist on a match with the current champion after that! Wouldn't you everybody!? Aye now there's a fight worth seein'!

Turns out that's just what our guests from up north wanted to begin with, course that's not my call is it?! After that though, I feel mighty comfortable puttin' that challenge out on the table, a championship fight on Nightmare Night! We'll call it the Nightmare Boom! The Kings versus the Princess, battle of the kingdoms! No, Fightmare Night!! If our... investors... over there accept the challenge of course...

What'dya say Bishop!? Yer champ ready to put on a show? A noble's gladiator versus a Princess'? Who wants ta see that!?!"

The raucous cheer that rose up was deafening, Bullet Bishop scowled from his spot at all the jeering attention, backed into a corner by the saucy mare running this place. He looked furious but didn't have any way out, though the sly sneer that spread across his face worried me when he finally waved his hooves for quiet, addressing the crowd without the benefit of magic.

"Princess Jade and the murderer Fast Times! What a small world... I admit it, your gladiator is impressive alright, a fight between these two is something I'm dyin' to see too! Big event like that though, for the belt? We can do better... why just send out your zebra when you have the Shrouded Stallion himself dear!? If we're going to do something as ambitious as Cat's 'Fightmare Night' then we owe the ponies of Goodneighbor the best show we can put on don't we!?"

Another round of cheers answered as he turned the situation around, he was slick alright... Smart enough to see this for what it was and direct his attention to Jade as the Princess challenging him. I wanted him to look bad from this, not gain his own popularity boost for upping the ante.

"W-What do you suggest then Mr. Bishop? While I agree with providing enjoyment to the ponies of Goodneighbor, I am afraid I do not approve of such senseless violence, you would be the expert here..." I grinned up at Jade, a calm, bored look on her face as she turned her nose up in a huff. She scored a point there and the murmurs in the crowd proved it.

Bishop was quick to recover though, smirking over and pointing at me. "Suppose I am at that, but that's the real world, not some made up kingdom of happy ponies hugging and playing nice! I suggest we make it a doubles fight, we have your famous knight right there, be a shame not to see him mix it up wouldn't it?!"

The crowd swung his way immediately, cheering again as Jade held me tightly and whinnied in negation, the thought of sending me up there a complete non-starter for her, especially in my condition. Her stammering pause let him continue, playing up the crowd and going for the kill.

"If you're worried about him, we can always send Rowdy up as our second! Pegasus mare's almost as puny as your little knight there, that's a fair fight isn't it?!" Bishop clapped the bruised amber filly beside him, laughing loudly and encouraging the crowd to follow.

Val flapped over and landed with a huge, jingling bag of caps, giving me ammo to work with and recover. Jade didn't like it, but I struggled and pulled away from her, walking to Zed as he calmly exited the ring and tipping my hat to Bishop. "If you're determined to face Luna's wrath, who am I to argue?! That filly's a good fighter, I watched her match, I'm sure she'll do great against the Shrouded Stallion! Give me another chance to take more of your caps Bishop! This was pretty profitable, too bad you don't want me in your casino, I like taking your money..."

I gesturing to Val's jingling bag and bowed, putting my hat to my chest sarcastically and grinning over the crowd who now looked like they were watching a tennis match, a sea of heads swinging from me to Bishop. The greasy gangster fumed and turned red, fighting to get himself under control and smooth his slicked back mane.

"E-Everypony's welcome at the King's Gambit... Come on in and practice losing before the fight, we'll take your caps... See you at 'Fightmare Night'..." Bishop managed to growl out a reply through gritted teeth, getting up from his cushy seat and moving to leave, his entourage forming a protective barrier around him.

I congratulated Zed enthusiastically, besides being amazing, that let me try to avoid Jade's unhappy frown. She joined us reluctantly as Val flew over, happily counting her caps and beaming at the zebra who won them. The big blue alicorn finally cornered me, looming overhead with a very cross expression and leaning down until we were nose to nose. "You will be fighting? Is that so? Did you not say only Zed would be fighting? You think I will allow this in your condition?"

"Er.... s-sorry Jade... I-It'll be fine! No problem! It... it worked really well! Now we can do the other stuff I talked about, it'll be worth it, you want to make things better for everypony right? Do you want your sisters coming here with the Kings so powerful? They'll take advantage of them in no time..."

She groused and grumbled in annoyance, unable to deny my point but still unconvinced. I wasn't exactly looking forward to trying to fight the speedy pegasus either, I saw enough of her fight to be worried and I wasn't really a hoof to hoof kind of pony... Even if I was in perfect health I'd be concerned going into this, with how I felt now... this was going to suck...

I only hoped it was all worth it, that opening the M.O.M. hub somehow solved everything, left behind something useful if this potion ended up going wrong if nothing else. Nightmare Night was the end of the week, this was everything I could do before my time was up, and I needed to do it.

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

Hit the Deck-------
--- You react very quickly to the word "Incoming!" You gain +25% damage reduction against explosives and can better weather having bombs going off all around you, reducing chances for concussion!