"Sooooo... that was weird huh?"

Val broke the awkward silence as the Ministry of Morale elevator trundled its way up the tower slowly, scratching her plumage and sighing at Jade's healing spells knitting her wounds together. The long trip had given us a moment to catch our breath, but a kind of stunned silence had stretched out, filled with soft accordion muzak from the speakers overhead.

"Weird... right..." I was still panting lightly, trying to shut out the escalating frustration of Jade's sisters outside and struggling with my new wing, how did pegasi keep these things tucked tightly against themselves like they did? This thing kept springing out in some new direction every time I wrestled with it and fought it down into folding in a little.

Jade's magic swung my way again and I relaxed, letting my traitorous new appendage free to smack me with a face full of feathers as she spoke breathlessly. "Y-You are all in horrible shape... As soon as we are able, I demand all of you hold still and allow me to treat you! Even poor Glitter..."

The little filly clinging to her still looked awful, the bruises and damage were already restored under her mother's expert care, at all of our insistence she be treated first, but drying blood still caked her muzzle and she looked shaken from the trauma. She was staring from beneath Jade's protective wing with wide, sparkling pink eyes but had been quiet and kept her distance from me, she wasn't... scared of me... was she?

I was still me... I didn't even really look different, I just had this new wing that seemed determined to fight me at every turn, that was all... I hadn't changed that much, I was still short even! The warbling ding above let me shake off the silly, frightened thoughts, she was scared from nearly falling six stories to her death stupid...

Taking advantage of how good I felt, I stuck my head out as the doors slid open and nearly pranced out when it seemed clear enough for the moment. A gloomy, pink tinged office floor, stuffed with file cabinets, desks, battered old cubicles sinking to ruin, brightly colored doors leading off down the hallways stretching from the tiled elevator landing... so far so good... The only really odd thing I noticed was the splashes of pink ...glop... all over the place, smears on the walls, splashes and spatters on doors and cabinets, a criss-crossing pattern of sticky pink hoofprints...

I turned to wave the others out, patching my pip-buck to the elevator controls to make sure it stayed right where it was, doors open and waiting. Zed was in the best shape of the three of us that had stormed the King's Gambit and stuck one hoof out, the second it came into contact with the pale pink and yellow tiles, a blaring klaxon went off above us and turrets dropped from the ceiling, spinning in their tracks and locking on the zebra.

A sprite bot came zipping around the corner, what chirped out of its round speaker wasn't oompa music however, or the static filled voice of Watcher wherever he ...watched from, instead it was a familiar if artificial chipper filly, Pinkie Pie's voice filled the small landing in a warning filled with suspicion.

"Wooooo! No good zebra infiltrator detected! You've been a baaaaaad zebra! Prepare to be totally annihilated, unless you have a reeeeally good reason for being here! 5 Missifilly!... 4 Missifilly!... 3 Missifilly..." The dash representing the round little robot stayed green, but the threat was plainly going to be carried out by more than just the sprite-bot.

Enjoying the fact my head was actually clear and mostly drug free after being doped up all week, I took a page from Fancy's book in a hurry, pushing between Zed and the robot and holding up my Head Technician ID. "Whoa! Umm... H-He's a...a double agent! A zebra informant! No ...annihilating... please?"

The round silver bot fluttered on its glowing pink wings a moment, a barely audible series of clicks and chatters deep in its casing as it communicated with the maneframe running this place. How did I hear that? My ears flicked around absently, realizing I could hear all kinds of things clearly, everyone's breath and heartbeats, the buzz of flickering lights further in this floor, the whir of the turrets following Zed's every slight movement, shuffling sound echoing down the halls...

"All zebra informants hafta wear their button silly! Good thing you said something! Here, keep your pass visible at all times Mr. zebra!" The bot bobbed in the air and spit a round metal button out of a storage case on its side after being successfully bluffed.

The bit of metal rolled and spun on the tiles at Zed's hooves, landing face up to show a trio of blue and yellow balloons in a rough triangle shape on a field of white and red stripes. I thought I spotted a bit of simple arcane rune work on the back, but it seemed fairly harmless otherwise.

Zed looked down at the simple trinket with a look of disgust, kicking at it gently and looking up with his grey eyes filled with annoyance. "Must I?"

"Er... r-rather go the easy route right now Zed... no reason to piss off the security system if we don't have to... it's just a button..." I grimaced through gritted teeth out the side of my mouth, scratching my mane and trying to look innocent for the sprite bot and the numerous cameras watching us.

"It's not... (sigh) I know you don't know better Fast, but it's not just a button... This symbol was promoted by your Ministry of Morale for Proditors... it is a touchy subject among zebras. Those they set out as examples of zebras and ponies getting along, those who sold their souls for better treatment, magically altering their stripes to be permanently red... a signal of their loyalty to Equestria. Among my kind it is still regarded as a symbol of dishonor. It was not always so, but no zebra would willingly want to wear ...that..." Zed groaned and stomped on the button lightly, but was already leaning down to pick it up in his teeth and fasten it to his leather jacket.

"Thanks Zed, s-sorry... I didn't know, er.. our secret ok? You can get rid of it as soon as it's safe."

The turrets retracted into the ceiling again thankfully once he had it pinned in place and the sprite-bot fluttered off. If the computer running this place was normal, I'd be worrying about what the reaction from security would be anyway, with the highly advanced AI in charge, I was even more concerned. It was definitely watching...

I had kept meeting resistance in mind when we got here, but the longer we could put off any violence the better, everyone was exhausted mentally and physically from the war we had escaped outside. Well... almost everyone, I actually felt great physically, a little worn and shaky emotionally maybe and the squirming from the bulging tumor on my left was uncomfortable, but otherwise I felt better than I had since before Moondancer injected me with her version of the I.M.P, hell better than that!

Looking back to the others still tiredly milling by the elevator and cantering on my hooves happily, I had to remind myself no one else was feeling so chipper... My smile faded a bit taking in Jade's concerned, appraising stare. Glitter peeking out from her wings and leaning up to whisper to a sweaty Val, the griffon listening carefully and narrowing her violet eyes, giving a curt nod and tromping forward to me.

I opened my mouth to try addressing my griffon friend scowling at me, barely making one confused syllable before her dark claw shot out. Not a friendly shove or thump to the shoulder, or even a slap like when I really scared her, instead a whistling black fist socked me in the jaw and sent me tumbling back, blinking up at her in confusion and rubbing my aching jaw.

"W-What was that for!?" I winced, noticing Jade's gasp at the assault, but also that she didn't leap forward to break it up.

Glitter finally crept out from Jade's embrace, stamping her hooves and snorting angrily as Val cracked her knuckles and looked down to the little filly. "That enough? Or another?"

I could scarcely believe my ears when she nodded and wiped a tear from her pink eyes, shakily huffing and nodding her head. "O-One more..."

"Huh? What are you..." I didn't get to finish my thought, that fist swung through the air again and sent me reeling.

"Valkyrie! T-That is enough!" Jade wailed and trotted forward, pushing between us and shoving the smaller griffon back.

Val snorted and stuck her beak up, hooking a thumbclaw over to the filly beside her. "Much as I wanted to anyway, that was her idea Blue, an he deserved it..."

"W-What? Glitter?! What'd I do!? Why..."

Finally breaking her silence, her eyes shimmered and spilled tears down her pale, bloody cheeks, screwing her face up and shouting angrily in a pained voice that shook. "Y-You tried ta t-throw me away! S-Send me to Auntie Val an... a-an' die! You didn't h-have a way to s-save us both an'... if you hadn't... if mom hadn't... You c-can't do that!! L-Leave me alone like that... y-you promised..."

My ears drooped as I slumped, looking around at the others staring at the filly blubbering weakly. She was right, I didn't have a way to save both of us and tried to make sure she lived at least during our harrowing plummet from the tallest spire of the King's Gambit. I wished I had been able to hear whatever she had screamed against my chest at the time, lost in my ringing ears when I tried to tug her clinging little legs from my neck and send her up to Val, diving down to catch us in desperation.

"B-But..." I tried to answer, brought up short by Jade's unhappy whinny as she stroked the foal's side with her wing soothingly.

Val stomped forward and brought her balled fist up again right under my muzzle, shaking it in my face and growling. "You jumped out of a fuckin' window boss... I saw you try to pull that shit too, you earned that, take yer lumps an' quit yer whinin'. If that little new addition hadn't decided to bust out and start flappin' like a newborn griffon, ya would'a gone splat! Right in front of me!!! Blue couldn't catch ya either till ya slowed down asshole!"

All three ladies I cared about were annoyed with me... and here I felt good and happy, riding the rush of surviving a near death experience and my suddenly healthy body. "I... umm... s-sorry... I didn't think, I just had to save her! I'm r-really sorry sweetie... it was the only thing I could think of, I didn't want to leave you but I had to make sure you lived somehow, no matter what... T-That's what parents are supposed to do... protect their kids, even if..."

Apparently satisfied I had been properly punished, the pale filly dashed forward and tackled me. Hugging me tight enough to squeeze my throat shut and cut off my excuses, she nuzzled against me and kept sniveling, warm tears and snot soaking into my fur. "No! Y-You're not allowed ta do that daddy! You hafta always save all of us! Y-You can't die ta save me! G-Got it!? P-Promise!!!"

Reaching up to hug her tightly and stroke her back, I was only distracted a moment when my wing joined in the gesture automatically, curling inward around her. I gave a soft sigh to her flattened ears, resigning myself. Saving everypony and myself no matter what wasn't unreasonable or anything... "I promise... I'll try anyway, there's nothing I won't do to save you though.... so... w-we'll just try extra hard to make sure it doesn't come up again ok?"

She only pouted a moment at my conditions. Snuggling close and wiping her dripping muzzle, she poked at the dark feathers surrounding her with interest, tickling me and making the wing twitch and flap around. I suddenly felt everything on that side lift and ended up thumping to the ground on my left, chuckling along with the giggling filly.

"Alright... that's going to take some getting used to huh? Let's take a look around and rest ok? I don't think we're alone up here and we should..."

A raspy moan echoed down the halls of the M.O.M. hub's 7th floor, demonstrating my point as Eyes Forward Sparkle started lighting up with red dashes. Stumbling my way up against the wing flapping awkwardly in a lame attempt at following my scrambling legs, I shoved Glitter back to the elevator and Jade, drawing my weapons in a perfectly working surge of magic. Oh that was nice... not wobbly and weak or surging out of control, I could actually use telekinesis smoothly again!

Following the sound with flicking ears that seemed to pick up everything, I spotted a slimy, pink.... pony shape... some strange creature that gave a snarling hiss when it spotted us, charging down the hall and flinging more of that pink glop as it ran. With the noises of what I presumed were more of these things all around us, I slipped into S.A.T.S. and used my silenced 10mm pistol, queuing up several headshots and letting the targeting spell take over.

The pink thing's head exploded wetly on the third round, spattering the halls in pink and black sludge with rotting grey chunks of brains. It skidded to a halt on the tiles leaving a trail of pink slime in its wake and I looked it over in disgust, worriedly watching all those red marks on my compass.

Thankfully turrets weren't popping down from the ceiling again... The maneframe running the hub didn't seem to care I killed this... thing... anyway. Small consolation with the noises of so many converging on us from all around, Val gulped and grimaced at her sparking M.E.W., drawing her Shishkebab and reloading her grenade machinegun, covering the hall to our left as Zed ran to the right, hopping over the pink corpse.

Jade's light blue magic reached out and probed at the body, wiping sludge away to reveal rotting pink flesh and finding a slimy ID on a lanyard around its neck. Giving a worried whinny, she held Glitter tightly and moved back towards the elevator, her blue eyes darting around as more red filled my vision and speaking in a whisper. "Zombies... strange zombies, but zombies... the workers here Fast..."

An icy lump formed in the pit of my stomach as I heard the thunder of a lot of hooves coming, moans and groans from the cubicles in the open area before us as more of the slimy zombies lurched up. Rara's last message... the shields protecting this place kept it perfectly preserved, standing against the blast of balefire bombs when they dropped but not keeping out the radiation...

Swapping to Vengeance, the Terrible Shotgun and my knife, I swallowed my fear and started picking my shots, the uncooperative wing at my side tensing and blocking part of my peripheral vision annoyingly. Shamrock must have had to clear the two lower floors he had managed to dig his way into from below, every floor must still hold the occupants when the bombs fell, a good portion of which were these weird zombies...

So much for taking a moment to rest...

The 7th floor ended up in much poorer shape by the time we were done... explosives helped taking out the herd of pink zombies that kept charging at us in waves, but had done significant collateral damage in the process. At least this seemed to be some kind of records floor, filled mostly with cubicles and filing cabinets, wiping the pink glop from the sign at one end of a row of rusty filing cabinets was a little informative, reading; 'Birthdays- July -August, A-D'.

Scraps of paper and photos were still drifting through the air from the destruction, sticking to every surface covered in slime from the occupants. A scorched page with the picture of a pretty yellow filly was stamped 'GOOD' in green ink over the details of the long dead foal, she would have gotten a Ministry of Morale birthday present... September 29th, 200 years ago.

At the creak of a stained door with the silhouette of a filly, Zed ambled his way out of the restroom we had found, looking decidedly better despite the whickering of Jade behind him. "I do not know how you took such terrible internal damage Zed, but you should rest! Alright Fast, your turn!"

Trotting forward at her beckoning happily, I only briefly paused at the threshold, going into the fillies restroom was weird... even if this one hadn't been used in centuries. The bathrooms were by far the cleanest, most sterile places on the floor though, and the fillies side was bigger and nicer. Aha I knew it! They had a couch in here! and a radio! Nice, clean stalls not sprayed with long dried stains of stallions with poor aim, a dirty mirror dominating one side above a number of sinks, odd vending machines, this was interesting and I kept looking around as Jade pulled my armor off and her magic washed over me.

Glitter was allowed in here as her little nurse, watching her curiously as she pulled and prodded my new wing and the rubbery flaps of skin hanging from that side. Finally satisfied with the uncooperative appendage, she moved over to my other side and poked the bulging lump still there, pulling a gleaming scalpel from her medical box saddlebags. "Hold still Fast, this may pinch a bit..."

"Pinch whaaAAAAHHH!! OW!!" I yelped as the medical implement punctured the tumor on my back and slid smoothly in an arc at the bottom of the bulge, a splash of foul smelling gunk washing down my side as the scalpel smoothly sliced the flaps away from the other side as well.

Another few quick strokes of the scalpel sliced the rough, rubbery skin off and a matching, slimy wing sprang up from that side, drooping and dripping gunk to the tiled floor. Glitter wrinkled her nose watching from across the room, staring in fascination as Jade tenderly wiped the slime from my left wing. "Ewwwww.... I-It'll look like the other, right mommy?"

Inspecting it closely and tugging it experimentally, she nodded to the filly while I poked at the pinkish, fresh skin and stubbly hair filling in under the tumors. "Yes, it will dear, let us clean it up and see a matched set hmm? If you could get me some water?"

Glitter bounded to the sinks and twisted the faucets in her hooves, waiting impatiently as clanking, clattering noises slowly came up the pipes. I couldn't help the repair-pony in my diagnosing the problem, there hadn't been demand for water up here for ages, the computer may have simply drained the pipes for efficiency. Finally a spurt and spatter of rusty sludge poured out, gushing into the basin and making Glitter's pip-buck start chattering in warning.

"Just wait a minute sweetie, it should clear up, but don't touch it ok? Radioactive, you hear that clicking, you avoid it."

She gave a dismissive huff in answer, rolling her eyes and shuffling on her hindlegs as she stretched up to the sink and waited. "Duh... I know daddy!"

As advertised, eventually the water started running clear and the clicking diminished. The water talisman in this place was functional and tied into the entire building, it worked down in the casino, no reason it wouldn't up here except for breaks in the line. It would probably even stop being radioactive entirely once it flushed the lines, for now I got to enjoy the tingle as Jade soaked spare rags and wiped my wing off, her job made more difficult as it decided to stand up under the tingly sponge bath by the mare I loved.

"Glitter dear, perhaps you could go out with Valkyrie for a bit? Your father is healthy, but we all need rest, find somewhere to take a nap if you could? We may all take a meal together and talk a bit as well." Jade wrung the rags out and asked her little assistant kindly, the little filly happy to help and dashing out, leaving the door swinging shut in her wake.

Once she had cleaned and preened the new wing joining the first, the beautiful alicorn stood back to admire her work, tilting her head and arching an eyebrow, sticking her nose up in a pout and speaking in a silkily dangerous voice. "You kissed Swan..."

"Eeep! I-I-I... i-it was the only way I c-could think of to... H-Had to get away and.... ugh... s-sorry...." I slumped under her lidded stare from down her nose, yes I had done what she said... it seemed a good idea at the time, it got me out of her grasp anyway...

Jade gave a cute little huff and closed her eyes, sticking her nose up higher imperiously but leaning close, stretching her neck up and over and tapping a hoof at the base impatiently. Falling directly to the expected response, I stretched up and gave a kiss on the magic spot, relieved at the happy little shiver as she leaned closer and directed me up, eventually working my way up to her lips and getting a pleased giggle.

"Hmm... that is better... and I suppose it was an emergency..." She sighed and folded me into a crushing embrace, shuddering and nuzzling my mane for reassurance. "Thank the Goddess! I was so frightened Fast... you fell and... I agree with Glitter, you may not be so reckless! If you had not successfully ascended... I am so relieved! You are in perfect health again, safe and alive, together with me. I certainly wish things had gone a bit differently though... they are getting rather upset out there..."

I had done my best to turn my thoughts away from the field of unity surrounding the M.O.M. Hub, it was as strong as at Trinity Tower now, every one of Jade's sisters in the area was out there... Now that we had a moment, I gulped and tuned back in to the sea of thoughts and feelings swirling around us.

Well... they were thinking in more than just one driving beat of lust anyway... There were some other words and thoughts in there... all of them springing from the same basic thread though, they wanted in, or wanted me out, right now... I wished I could talk to just one of them like Ivy, or find out what was going on outside from a less crazed perspective, but other than looking out of the glowing pink field at the outer windows, we were cut off. The convenience of unity kind of ruined when it was filled with such strong, fixated... thoughts.

"W-What're we gonna do? They're pretty determined... and they all know..." I gulped and tried turning away from it again, it was getting surprisingly easy and my head didn't hurt in the slightest, even with such a strong field of telepathy surrounding us.

Jade slumped around me a bit, her feathers intertwining with my own as they fluffed up and dried, breathing deeply and relaxing with a sigh. "I do not know... They cannot follow us, they will wait until we come out, however long that takes..."

"Er.. a-any chance of reasoning with them? Umbra? Ivy maybe?"

She leaned closer and shook her head in my mane, tracing a wingtip down each of my own wings and tittering as they flared out at different angles, looking like a clock reading 3:50, the freshly freed left one was especially tender and sent little shivers up my spine as she purred in response. "I do not think so... They will not be dissuaded, they have seen a male alicorn, the dream of our mother... even those like Ivy you know will be irrational. I k-know it is wrong... but you are mine. I do not wish to share. All mine...."

I glanced up at that in worry, that sounded more than just jealous or possessive, a dragon speaking of its favorite treasure... Dammit, even her eyes were doing that weird thing, hearts sparkled in her wide irises and bands of pink were spreading through the whites of her eyes. "Er... J-Jade? You ok? Y-You're uh... d-doing that thing... please don't tell me my smell is worse now..."

She came back to herself with some difficulty, shaking the sparkles from her eyes and blushing furiously. "Oh! N-No Fast... actually it is not nearly as strong, I believe I may have been correct, a side effect of the process exacerbated by the change and hormones. You could even be around the others without much concern... i-if they did not know... It may get stronger under the right circumstances, but normally it should not be an issue anymore."

"Then why..."

"I-It is more than your scent... you are male.. I do not think you truly appreciated just how strong the mother's last command was. You are what she sought for so long, what she could never create, a way to survive and thrive, reproduce... That desire for our species to survive is a central core to all of us, one of the strongest imperatives the mother spread through unity. Seeing you... l-like that... it has an effect on us, a-all of us... P-Please forgive me my response, I am no different than the rest of us, e-except I love you... I do not mean to treat you like a p-possession... I did not expect such feelings of jealousy, I am afraid I must adjust as well...." She shuffled sheepishly, ducking her head and looking up from under her cloudy mane worriedly.

Tilting her head back up, I planted a long kiss to reassure her. "It's ok Jade, I'm sure it'll just take some getting used to... for everypony. I don't mind being yours, you're mine right? Just wanted to make sure it was really you and not... just how I smell or something..."

She smiled and took a long, appraising sniff, grinning sleepily as hearts sprang up in her eyes, but shaking her head slowly and speaking in a clear, sultry voice. "Mmmm... no, it is very pleasant but fading. I want you as much as I did before you changed though, my feelings are my own, just... amplified a bit when I open myself to the sensation. It would be very nice to find a bit of privacy though..."

Leaning back to drink in the alicorn beauty blushing above me, I nodded goofily, groaning when my wings stiffened out in new directions awkwardly. "Yes it would, trust me... The way I feel right now, I could make up for how sickly I've been all week and then some. I really feel great, even better since you cut this other one free! Is this how you feel all the time?"

Holding a hoof up to stifle a giggle at my wings sticking up, she shook her head softly. "I doubt that, after what you have been through, it is a natural reaction. Allow yourself some time to adjust and..." Her eyes flicked up to the door out, then back to the large handicapped stall, opening it on squealing hinges with her magic and giving a blushing, come hither look. "I suppose we could... t-take a moment... q-quickly... burn off a bit of that energy? Put it to good use hmmmmmm? H-Hurry!"

I practically floated off the ground following the hoof under my chin, drawing me forward with no resistance. Wait was I actually floating?! The curiosity of just the tips of my wings stretched straight up from my back fluttering instinctively lifting me from the ground was dim and unimportant, who they were taking me to was muuuuch more interesting...

After a fumbling, rushed and rather explosive tryst with the alicorn of my dreams, we had to reluctantly join the others, blushing and giggling like a pair of teenagers. Well... I supposed we were just that, even though technically I was more than 200 years old and Jade was younger physically, we were acting our mental ages though... That was.... something alright, I almost didn't mind some of Moondancer's weird ideas for her version of the I.M.P. now...

Maybe it was just near-death experience, glad to be alive sex, but it didn't feel that way, I almost died plenty enough by now... Almost as soon as we finished I was raring to go again, normally I needed a little time to recover, this time Jade did for once which was a nice turn. We'd definitely need a looooot more time together, soon... after having a taste a steady beat in my head kept demanding more, even as we shuffled our way out of the bathroom guiltily.

Being with Jade like that with such a strong field of unity around us was distracting on multiple levels too. On the one hoof, it was fantastic, actually being physically and mentally connected with the blue beauty, sharing a whole new realm of intimacy with her as we hurriedly explored each other.

On the other hoof.... the feedback from all the other alicorns that came with that kind of telepathy was... weird... very weird... I wasn't sure if Jade was feeding off their frustrated lust or what, but the frantic voices all settled out into a strange hum of focus and desire, in a highly disturbing way it was like being with all of them at once... Probably not the best idea to stir them up even more, and I had to wonder if some part of Jade wasn't taking perverse pleasure in being the only one who got an outlet for that driving need welling up in all of them, she wasn't like that though... right?

All in all, I almost wished Jade was a green alicorn like Ivy. Having my every thought an open book might be trouble, but being together like that, alone? That would be fun... Not worth the change to the silken blue fur my eyes lingered on as we chatted and ate in the largest office on this floor though, I loved everything about Jade, her beautiful medium blue color was part of the package I would never give up.

I blinked and shook my head at the dark claw suddenly waving right in my face, snapping me back to reality and dragging my eyes away from the heart and crown cutie mark on the magnificent flank beside me. Apparently I was expected to join the conversation instead of just sitting in a stupor and munching a box of Sugar Apple Bombs I didn't really want.

"What? S-Sorry... wasn't paying attention..."

Val gave a lewd smirk in reply, "Yeah, I know what's on yer mind boss... Was askin' how ya did that... thing... that funny, suck up all the juice magic thingy... Was like havin' a super matrix disruption grenade that keeps goin' off! Can ya do that again?!"

Snickering at the rosy blooms on my cheeks at Val's teasing, Jade lightly touched my wing with her own, Glitter sitting between us under a black and blue canopy as they twined together and she answered clinically. "I would not count on that Valkyrie. I only saw the final pulse, but if I had to guess I expect it was merely the culmination of the potion, Fast could not reproduce that effect if he wanted."

"Awwww! Why not! That was awesome! Kinda pissed at stripy here tossin' him, but it worked good! How come that potion was doin' that if he can't?" Val drummed her paws on the carpet in a pout, flicking her tail petulantly.

"He asked me to throw him, I threw him... You could have done as asked instead, as you said, it worked out well." Zed chuckled from the corner, rolling his eyes at Val's annoyed snort.

Now that she was on the subject, the medical alicorn warmed to it and continued her postulations, turning an interesting medical question in her hooves. "Hmm... this is merely a theory, but it was probably due to the power requirements. The potion wrought slow physical change to Fast's biology, but a final spark was needed to complete the ascension. The potion reached out and drained everything it touched until that need was met. My mother was created as a balefire bomb exploded directly overhead you know, there was a good deal of ambient energy to draw off of at all times, Fast did not have that advantage and had to make do with whatever his magic could touch."

Val's violet eyes glazed over at the detailed explanation, huffing and curling up on the blanket borrowed from our room below. "Bah, so he can't do it no more, that sucks boss. How ya feel? Getting them things under control yet?"

At the smirking question, Glitter crawled over my lap and tugged on my free wing, laughing as it twitched and flapped uncontrollably, ticking me madly into stifled giggles. "Doesn't look like it Auntie Val! They look so funny daddy, it's weird seeing you with wings! I wanna see you fly!"

Hooting laughter, Val rolled an eye our way and waved at the wing twinging out in a new direction. "Ha! I wouldn't mind seeing that myself kiddo! Yer old man is gonna be funny as hell tryin' ta fly, those things are like a newborn's no matter how big they are! Gonna put ya through yer paces when we get outta here boss, better get ready fer some pain! Some good ol' griffon trainin' put you right in no time! Matter of fact, no time like the present! Get down an' gimme 20!"

"20? Caps?... Why do I have to get down to give you money, and you have almost all our caps anyway Val, why do you want 20 of mine?" I squinted in confusion, misunderstanding the order to her amusement.

With one lithe motion, she bounded up and across the room, picking me up by the scruff and shoving me to the floor, yanking my wings down to the floor and pinning them in place with her paws, tapping my scrambling forelegs out of the way and off the floor, leaving me stretched and held up only by her holding me and my stubborn new appendages quivering in place.

"Wingups boss! Push! Up and down! Just like that, 20 times!" Guiding me with her grip, she lowered me up and down, flexing the limbs into getting used to the motion until they could... sort of mimic it when she let go.

I quivered in place, wincing and sucking on my hoof when Val slapped it for trying to hold me up like it was supposed to, being held up off the ground like this by ...not legs... was weird, and they couldn't hold up to the demands of trying to do as told, tensing and bending down shakily before giving out, dumping me to the carpet on my chin.

"Ugh... looooong road ahead boss, don't worry, I'll whip ya inta shape in no time!" Val rubbed her claws together in anticipation, suddenly the herd of alicorns outside didn't look so bad, the griffon's plans for me sounded a lot less fun than theirs.

"I wish the Junior Speedsters were still around... I was always jealous of the pegasus kids who got to go over the summer, that would be more fun..." I grunted from the floor, trying to shove with my wings like told and push back up to no avail, these things worked... sorta, but were new and weak.

Scratching her beak, Val looked up to the ceiling in thought and hummed to herself. "Not still around exactly... But not a bad idea boss, there's an old Wonderbolts base down on the coast, pegasus town last I was that way, but still gots the obstacle course an everything! We'll take ya there! Make beatin' ya into flyin' form faster!"

Groaning at having made my situation worse, I decided to just shut up. Floating Val's detached M.E.W. over and pulling out all my tools in a cloud as I sat on the blankets spread under Jade, Glitter and I. The foal and my princess curled up beside me, Jade rolling one sleepy blue eye up to my tools expertly flying about and getting to work undoing the damage I had done to the weapon. "Do not play with your repairs long Fast, you need rest as well... "

Smiling at her cute yawn and Glitter almost instantly passing out against my side, I nodded and let my smoothly working telekinesis tend to my repairs. "I will, don't worry. I'm just really not tired right now, you guys get some sleep, I'll keep watch ok?"

Considering how exhausted they looked, no one argued at the plan, falling to a deep sleep in minutes while I worked quietly. Val's weapon was soon fixed and reattached to her discarded armor, after that I serviced Glitter's Righteous Authority and the Last Minute, the hybrid ballistic/M.E.W. hadn't suffered as much damage from my magic washing over everything in range, but needed a little attention anyway. At least the shielding on our pip-bucks seemed to protect them, fixing those would be a little more difficult...

Once I was done with that, I figured I may as well tend to all our weapons, it had been too long since I felt up to the meticulous work anyway. Firearms hovered around me, taken apart and oiled in a cloud of blue magic like an exploded diagram as I checked over every part, cleaning and replacing what needed it.

Finishing up with my silenced pistol, I looked up and out the glowing pink windows behind the old desk we sheltered by, the moon was sinking on the horizon... how long had I been up? Wow! Checking my pip-buck revealed it had somehow gotten to be 1:38 AM while I worked, almost three hours had passed and I still wasn't tired at all...

I leaned back against the pleasant warmth pressing against me, fidgeting in place trying to calm down and rest with little success. A shadow flitted by one of the windows that my now sharper eyes glanced up at just in time, spotting one of Jade's sisters circling the building... They were still out there...

Finally I couldn't take it anymore, I was just too brimming with energy to sit here. Carefully extricating myself from Jade and Glitter over their sleepy moans, I pushed the two together into the gap I vacated with a smile, no reason to wake them up. I'd just look around a little, maybe trot around this floor and try to tucker myself out.

So many dry records all concerned with birthday parties weren't interesting reading material, so I was frustrated there, even the multiple terminals I ran around and hacked one by one didn't disclose anything of value, though I did find my own records and was glad to see a green 'GOOD' stamp by my own picture.

Fast Times - Unicorn

Good grades
Shares his snacks
Made a friend
Likes Shrouded Stallion

Present Approved

That was nice... I wondered how they knew so much about everypony in the Commonwealth, but I was glad I was good, I had the paperwork to prove it now! I stuffed it in my bags with a grin, I couldn't be bad, no matter what that dark Shroud in my head whispered, I was good... Pinkie Pie thought so!

Despite my squeamishness, I even poked and checked the slimy pink corpses of all the dead zombies. I really wondered why they were like this, I'd never seen a ghoul or zombie either one all covered in pink gunk like these. I met one ...melty looking pinkish ghoul once, but he wasn't like these, Jade said he was from Canterlot though I never knew how she was sure of that. No, these were something different, and anytime there was something strange in the Commonwealth, my thoughts turned to the Institute.

I could still only guess at the motivations of two divisions, I knew enough about Biosciences and Public Relations to do that much, the others were still a mystery. Venturing a guess, I had to assume that Vega... Svengallop, was behind the events in Goodneighbor. He was in contact with the Kings, supplied them with the drug X-Cell that looked like it was turning Bishop's fighters into the Institute's mutant alicorns one dose at a time... All right up his alley.

I was worried about how my very public transformation would affect Moondancer and the Biosciences division too. The Confessor said Dr. Dala was acting strange, locked in the staged memories of her dollhouse and refusing to come out. Now not only did all of Jade's sisters know the mad mare could make a male alicorn, but Moondancer probably did herself, her experiment succeeded... What she did next was anypony's guess.

Running laps around the silent floor of the Ministry of Morale hub and thinking over all this, I noticed I still wasn't tired. I was barely sweating in fact, galloping around like a fool and muttering to myself, my wings flapping along with my legs as I went, sending me lurching up at odd intervals.

Deciding to go along with their unsteady attempts in the hopes of finally getting sleepy, I tried to focus on controlling the new, strange muscles, giving an experimental flap every few strides. After enough of that, I was surprised to find myself floating up higher and higher each time, drifting back to the ground before lurching back up.

This was fun! I really could fly! Not very much in the cramped hallways, but gravity was being defeated after being my constant enemy my whole life. If only mom was here! I could fly with her, she could teach me like she always wanted!

But she wasn't...

They were all still gone... I hadn't made any real progress finding my family, sure I saved a hoof full of Shift 7 ponies and I was glad for that, but they weren't who I was looking for, weren't who I wanted to see. What would I do when I did see them, if I did? What would mom and dad say? Sunset? Grizz? If I found them, woke them from their 80 year sleep and greeted them like ...this?

I wasn't the same pony they knew anymore... the wasteland had changed me enough inside it would probably be a shock, but now? 'Oh hey guys, good to see you again! What these old things? Just my wings... no big deal...'

I was so distracted by the thought, the sudden worry... I wasn't paying enough attention, my wings gave a forceful flap in response to the rising panic and I shot forward, smashing through several cubicles and ending up in a heap and groaning. Pushing myself free with a clatter of dusty junk, I sighed and blew my mane out of my eyes, this was going to take awhile...

I couldn't just sit here either, running wasn't doing enough to deal with the energy I was brimming with, flying was wildly inadvisable... I didn't have anything more to fix and Jade wasn't up to pester, far too tired from her work healing to wake up just to play with me. My eyes hung on one of the slimy corpses draped over a burnt cubicle wall across the aisle...

I really shouldn't... Nevermind the intense spike of curiosity lighting up the boredom, or the fact each floor was presumably sealed like this one... Just because there was only one floor at a time to deal with, and an easy escape to the elevator and back to safety at any time waiting... that didn't mean I should just go off and...

Stuffing my nagging conscience aside, I got up and crept to the elevator. I'd be careful... sneak around, try to get used to all the changes and tire myself out... What could go wrong, I was an alicorn for Celestia's sake, surely that merited a little overconfidence... and I really wanted to explore, find out how these zombies got this way and get up to DO something.

Sitting still with my thoughts had proven a little uncomfortable...

Slip sliding my way around a corner past another row of kitchens, I fully accepted I brought this on myself... The horde of snapping slime zombies behind me crashed and slapped wetly into each other, trying to navigate the turn behind me and giving me a second to try the wings again. One almost steady flap sent me shooting forward and let me kind of... roll over above the ground, facing back at my attackers and giving my magic a try.

KRACKA-THOOM!

Half a dozen slimy pursuers fell to the goop absolutely coating this floor in smoking heaps, bizarrely smelling like burnt frosting to my sharper sense of smell. I barely got a sense of how many more of them simply clambered over the fallen before spinning upside down, still rocketing down the hall, the rotting floor zooming just above my head after being propelled faster by the blast of magic that spun me. Ok... that probably wasn't a good idea to try while technically in the air...

I could be forgiven for not being as stealthy as expected... the 8th floor went ok, not much different than the 7th and a good workout, much easier to sneak around without the alarms going off when I entered. The 9th floor however was a floor of nothing but kitchens for some reason and so covered in this pink glop I had to practice hovering above it to keep my pip-buck clean.

Spotting the slime zombies lurching up from the ooze wasn't exactly easy before it was too late, the sticky camouflage ended up letting them surprise me, then one thing led to another and...

Stretching and straining my forelegs over my head, I gripped the slippery ground and just kept right on going, not expecting any traction really, just trying to right myself and touch the ground again. Being able to simply ignore gravity made everything really disorienting... Floating the Terrible Shotgun in front of me at the surging horde of undead ponies, I started firing away as I kept sliding on my rump towards the wall.

Putting an appreciable dent in the slimy herd, I hoped I had my timing down and tried to dive to the left, my wings flapping crazily and just managing to send me soaring off around the corner. Not pushing my luck, I dropped back to the ground and ran on, looking over my shoulder as the remaining red on E.F.S. followed.

Staying on the ground and using the extra thrust to run faster was surprisingly difficult, everything kept drifting up unless I really focused. Still I managed to put enough distance between us I glanced back again as the first beeps started sounding out, having land mines to work with again was a good thing.

The series of explosions that rocked the floor sent a shockwave of hot air billowing out behind me, lifting me up despite my struggling hooves trying to stay down and sending me crashing into one of the first big kitchens I had cleared, while I was still undetected like I had planned...

Landing in the heaping puddle of glop nearly reaching the ceiling, I found it was a counter under there... a sharp pain jabbing my foreleg as I poked my head up and out, wearing a dripping beard of goop I had to shake off in a spatter, ick. I pulled my leg free with a disgusted huff, glancing around on E.F.S. and relieved to see nothing. That could have gone better, but still ok so far...

Alright, not bad so far, the long kitchen knife jabbing through my fetlock kind of disqualified it from being ok. Hissing at it, I pranced out of the kitchen, holding the limb out queasily and trying to find one of the sinks that worked. I really hoped this stuff wasn't toxic or some kind of weird disease... had to flush it out and use a potion, though I wondered if it was poison, would it even affect me anyway?

Bad thoughts... aha, water! Waiting impatiently for the clanking to end and the first rusty spurt to clear, I gripped the cooking implement in my mouth and tugged quickly, sending a fan of blood up across the mostly clear stainless steel sink and jamming it under the tap, sighing in relief at the pleasant tingle.

I glanced around while I waited, thinking again that whatever happened here, this floor probably had something to do with it. A floor full of kitchens was odd if you didn't accept the Ministry of Morale ridiculously made it their business to manage birthdays all over Equestria, being run by a sorceress of sweets didn't hurt either. What had gone on in these kitchens though... I doubted Ministry Mare Pinkie Pie would approve...

Set against the bright colors of ancient sprinkles and long dried batter, huge mixers and ovens, cabinets full of pots and pans, the pink glop covering it all reminded me even more of frosting, the cloying taste of the sludge in my nose from my landing just confirmed it. Maybe I'd find some answers somewhere under all this slime once I was done treating my wound, didn't want Jade to see that little fuck up if I could avoid it...

Pulling a purple healing potion from my bags, I pulled my leg out of the icy water and moved to hold open the cut, pouring a little of the magic potion in the wound to flush it out like Jade taught.

I couldn't do it... the deep cut just sealed up before my eyes, like I drank the healing potion already... Staring at the leg shakily, I held it up and kept looking, trying to take in the weird new biology. My broken limbs healing under enough radiation was strange enough back in the Combat Zone but I had been a little occupied, actually watching a cut just close up though?

I pulled the plunger on the sink, letting it fill with tingly water and pulled Best Served out, floating it over the sink and nicking myself with the insanely sharp blade, watching the new cut seal right back up...

Another cut... shooop! no more cut, only blood in the sink to prove it was ever there... A deeper cut... shooop!, a longer shallow one.... shooop! Jabbing the long blade a few inches into my fetlock brought out a spray of blood that spattered the counter, but the deep wound closed as soon as the blade was removed.

It didn't even hurt that much, how interesting... t-totally not creepy at all... I was shaking and panting, a cold sweat springing up on my coat as I stared and cut. I hovered my starmetal knife up a bit higher, I bet I could just lop the limb right off and it would seal back together, m-maybe just regrow the hoof entirely... what would that feel like...

"FAST! STOP THAT THIS INSTANT!!" The knife clattered to the tiled floor at Jade's booming goddess voice, looking up guiltily to her trembling in the doorway.

I held up the shaking hoof with a lopsided, weak grin, noticing just how much blood I had ended up splashing all over the place, bright red over pink. Whoops... guess I made too much noise, I had planned on being subtle and less ...explode-y... "I-It's ok... see? J-Just heals right back up... y-you don't have to keep healin' every stupid thing I do to myself huh?"

She approached cautiously, her pale blue magic gripping Best Served from the ground and floating it away, speaking softly and with worry. "I see Fast... But I like healing you. T-This must be a big adjustment for you... Your elation at feeling better and surviving has... h-has delayed letting it really sink in. You should not do such things... come with me and sleep..."

But I'm not tired! N-Not at all! D-Do I even need to sleep now? Or eat!? Why aren't I tired!?! W-What am I now?! Am I even me anymore!?!?!" My voice kept rising hysterically beyond my control, everything I had been trying to ignore by keeping myself busy spilling out in an escalating rush. I was breathing in ragged, rapid gasps and everything was getting spinny...

I felt a jab in my flank as Jade stepped forward and held me still in a tight hug, pinning me in place and whispering in my ear softly as everything got dark. "You are still you Fast... w-wonderful you, just sleep, sshhh..."

Unconsciousness was not quite the escape I hoped for...

The lingering feelings of panic quickly melted away in the familiar surroundings of Stable 111, back home... everything was fine, there were Stable ponies all around me, tending to their jobs, keeping the Stable running, nothing had ever happened... There was Sunset trotting down the catwalk above, chatting happily with Jade...

Why did I think that was strange? Of course Jade should be here, just like all the other alicorns wandering about the Stable, each wearing their extra large Stable barding bearing the yellow 111 across the back. Jade's always looked especially fetching, nearly matching her blue coat.

The lingering gazes of her sisters was distracting, but I only had eyes for her. Tearing my gaze over to Sunset and shuffling under her merry green... no yellow... gaze, yellow? Was that right?

Sunset looked up sleepily, glancing to the ceiling and the tons of rock above our heads, burying us underground. She seemed confused a moment, then launched into one of her typically Sunset bounces, tackling me with a squeee over Jade's light blush and squeak. "Fast! How's my bestest friend! All done stretching out your wings with your mom down in the Icebox?"

"Umm... w-wha? Yeah... did we?" I scratched my mane trying to remember, why was everything so disjointed? Had I been flying with mom? Why would that be odd... I fluffed my wings absently, they had always been there right?

A streaking blue-lavender and purple blur slammed into me, knocking me from Sunset's grip and grabbing my hindlegs in a familiar hold, spinning in a graceful pirouette before releasing me to dizzily thump against the ceiling of the Stable atrium, hovering in place and rubbing my head, joined at the top of the tall room by a snickering Bright Skies-Times looping around me easily.

"Don't tell me you've already forgotten? Such an absent minded buck I have! Sigh... no wonder you never remember my birthdays, it breaks a mother's heart!" She swooned in midair, holding a foreleg over her eyes dramatically and kicking her hindlegs as she fluttered around, peeking out from her leg with a lidded red... no green eye...

That wasn't right... me and mom had the same eyes... they should be red. Weren't they red?

Drifting back down to the floor and Jade in confusion, Sunset piped up cheerily, waving to mom as she fluttered down behind me. "Oh tell me about it Mrs. Times! He never remembers anything! I don't see how his poor wife can stand it!"

Wife!? Jade turned an adorable shade of red for some reason, smiling happily and nodding. "Oh... h-he is quite thoughtful when he wishes to be..."

Sunset tilted her head and leaned up in a sinuous arch, grinning up at Jade's embarrassment and fluttering her eyes, her... yellow eyes... "Reeeeeally! Well you'll just have to dish girl! Sharing is caring! I want details! So Mrs. Times, any luck getting more room to fly? The Overmare has been really excited!"

Mom landed and nodded, a touch more serious and professional in her capacity as head of security for Shift 3 talking to one of Overmare Surefoot's assistants. "Looking good! Friendly settlement of ponies not far from the Stable in our old neighborhood, civilization too, other big towns out there from what our scouts have seen. We're going to send a party out to try to make contact soon. What do you think dear?"

She ended by looking at me expectantly with wide ...green eyes... "Whassat? Think about what?"

"About leaving the Stable silly! Going outside! Don't you think we should Fast?" Sunset laughed, nudging Jade playfully. "Honestly, you have to keep a close eye on him Jade, it's your job now not mine! His wife should keep his head out of the clouds, not his ooooldest foalhood friend! You think we should come out, don't you?"

Giving the bright yellow filly an unsure smile, Jade looked around and shrugged, crossing her eyes and shaking her head down at my old friend with a suspicious stare. They were friends though... weren't they? That was the most natural thing in the world, maybe there were sparks when we first started seeing each other, but Jade eventually got along with Sunset... right?

She answered hesitantly this time, "Come out? Outside... I suppose, if it is safe..."

Mom flew up with a wicked grin, fluttering up at eye level with Jade and pinching her pink cheeks, smooshing her face as she tittered. "Of course it's safe! My shy little daughter in-law! Lot's of ponies out there that could do with a talented healer like you! The medical ward must get sooooo boring dear, and don't you want my lovely granddaughter to see the sun? Bless us with another little bundle born back out under the open sky?"

That elicited just the sharp 'eeep!' mom wanted, rolling in laughter in midair, hanging upside down and nuzzling Jade's glowing red face. She squeaked an answer to her intimidating mother in-law, having long since learned not to resist the pegasus. "Oh! O-Of course that is what I wish M-M-Mother Bright..."

"That's what I thought! Yep, sending your griffon friend out with her own squad this week Fast! With any luck we'll have some room to really get a workout again within the month! Getting out will be good, won't it? Now, you two get to work makin' me some more grandbabies to spoil!"

She looped suddenly and spun around behind me faster than I could follow, easily bucking me from behind and sending me sailing directly at Jade. My poor ...wife... gasping and holding her hooves out to catch me, curling around me and blinking in confusion as Sunset nodded up at her, stretching up to stand on her hindlegs and nuzzle between us.

"Really! You're not the only one anxious for a bun in the oven sis... Jade! It will be so nice to come out... thanks again for letting Fast help Grizz and I too, if we're going back out again we all need to help repopulate Equestria right? So nice of you to share him with the others for the greater good! Grizz was so embarrassed at our fertility problem, promise I won't ruin him for ya!"

One of Jade's sisters passed by (Come out...) as she sputtered trying to catch up and Sunset cooed playfully, wait I was helping... what?! While I tried to figure that out Umbra walked by, tracing a wing down my back as she went (Come out...) as more of her sisters pressed closer, perching on the catwalks above, filling the atrium, all wearing blue Stable barding, all whispering (Come out...)

The atrium shook with a clatter of steel falling to the cold floors, a big purple filly filling the large room, her head just below the round window to the Overmare's office as she stamped a hoof and flopped to the ground nearby, the yards of blue Stable barding stretching at each sleepy breath, (COME OUT!) and that big muzzle started insistently lavishing attention on...

"THAT IS ENOUGH!!!" Jade boomed around me in return and filled my vision, everything fell apart and I was falling... falling again to the street and...!

"WHAAAAUUUUGGGHHH!!!!" I screamed myself awake, staring around frantically at... the elevator? Why was I walking to the elevator? Why did I have a hoof outstretched to open the door and ride it back down, how did I get...

A lot of blue alicorn slammed into me, streaking across the office and glomming on to me quickly, curling her wings around me whispering shakily in my ear.

"Ssshh... it is alright, it was not real, calm down..." Her voice was soothing and soft, but a red hot core of anger was glowing through her thoughts.

"W-What?! I was having a dream and... I was... I d-didn't mean to!"

She sighed and helped me back up, peering up and towards the office the others slept in nervously, back on the 7th floor. "I know Fast... I am s-sorry... My sisters are getting rather insistent now. They took advantage of you being asleep to try to... fool you into coming out... t-try to forgive them, they are not themselves, even though that was low..."

"Fool me... you mean they were! That dream was them!?" I goggled at her, only mildly embarrassed she knew exactly what dream I had. If they could do that... I rubbed my flank where Jade had injected me with whatever knocked me out, grumbling sheepishly, that was one more reason not to sleep...

Following my hoof and thoughts even without the benefit of the unity I was trying to build mental defenses against, Jade sat up with me and shook her head softly. "I am sorry I sedated you... you were having a panic attack... Everypony needs sleep Fast... even us. Trying to avoid it only results in more problems, going without can drive a pony insane. You are still you, you still need sleep, regardless of any other changes... I am afraid it may not be the best idea until we deal with my sisters though... but do not doubt you are still a pony and still yourself."

"R-Right... sorry... I umm... guess I freaked out a little, you were right, I hadn't really let it sink in, I was just happy to be alive and... sorry. I didn't scare you did I?" Remembering shakily cutting myself repeatedly and getting caught, I winced and looked up in worry, imagining things from her perspective guiltily.

"Yes you did! I awoke to find you missing! Were it not for being connected through unity I may not have found you! B-But I understand... many of us went through similar travails after the goddess died and we were lost, remembering who we were slowly and learning to be individuals again...

Having a body that behaves so differently is going to be a shock, give yourself time to adjust and do not do that again. Really... wandering about alone... y-you can talk to your wife... er! M-Me! T-Talk to me about anything..." Watching her face glowing brightly, I cocked an eyebrow up at her curiously, she said...

"You were in that dream too... weren't you? Like... not in my head, but really there? Wife?"

Squeaking and hiding in her wings, her head bobbed slowly as she peeked out. "Y-Yes... They were trying to convince and influence me as well... i-it was such a pleasant dream I... may have taken awhile longer than necessary to realize the deception..."

"Hey you figured it out! Everything was kinda ...off... but it was all making a weird kind of dream sense to me, I thought we really were... S-So how did you get out of it? I er... guess it was you that ended it huh?"

Jade gave a huff and stuck her nose up, her cheeks rosy and a mischievous smile lighting her lips. "It was your dream, you dreamed I was friends with that Sunset pony, clearly ludicrous and not reality... "

That stunned me into a laugh she joined with relief clear in her voice, cuddling close and sitting together as the first tinges of dawn lit the sky outside. After a bit of comfortable silence, she tapped her hooves together nervously and whispered, "Is... is that what your mother is really like? Whoever was playing her role was drawing on your memories..."

Oh... that's why her eyes were the wrong color... it made a twisted kind of dream-web / unity kind of sense, though I wished goddess Luna was still around to keep an eye out for things like that, the leader of Equestria would be none to pleased at Jade's sisters intruding on her domain... I was a little miffed at being influenced like that, but I supposed I could understand... I guessed they could have been a lot more forceful, it could have been a totally different kind of dream...

"Er... yeah, pretty much that was her. Still sure you want to help me find her? N-Not sure how she'll really react, but she won't be subtle about it when she does meet you ya know..."

She gasped not quite getting the teasing in time, nodding her head vigorously. "Of course! I very much wish to meet her now! A mother... hearing her call me daughter... It was a very pleasant dream Fast, the world you wish for, living together as a family... I want to see that come true, though I am happy to not be living inside your Stable... it was very confining for me you know, though the Stable barding was comfy and slimming!"

"Yeah I saw, you looked beautiful in it, I really wish you were with me back then when I was growing up there. I've thought it before so I guess that's where it came from."

Smiling to herself dreamily and lingering on the pleasant fantasy, she whispered at the first stirrings of the others drifting to us. "I would have liked 'meeting' your father and brother as well, but my sisters were trying to tailor things towards one end and are not good at pretending to be male... Despite their deception, I find it difficult to be too angry at them after getting this much though... We will find them Fast, I now have something more concrete to look forward to!"

My own thoughts couldn't help turning to the nagging worry about what that would be like again for an instant, "You... y-you think they'll take all ...this... ok?" I fluffled my wings to illustrate my point, whining as they refused to follow the smooth gesture like in my dream and instead smacked me in the face.

Jade gave a tinkling giggle and hugged me close, "That mare in your mind would love you no matter what, just as I do. That is why I am not afraid to meet her, despite how... er... s-scary she can be according to you. You are not anything other than who you have always been, those who value that will not change how they see you. Do not worry, we will get out of here and bring that dream to life, then you will see yes?"

"Yes, t-thanks Jade... I needed that. C'mon, let's wake them up and get moving, lots to do right?"

My... wife... I liked the sound of that, stood with me and we trotted together to start the day. After all we had gone through I thought we deserved a few hours rest, regardless of what was going on outside... But the wasteland kept moving on around us and she was right. No matter what happened to me, what I had turned into... I was still me, my determination to find my family hadn't changed at all, I wanted Jade and Glitter to meet my family and friends, I was going to make that happen... somehow.

Just Lucky I'm Alive-----
----You have the luck of Discord to have survived so far! The goddesses must practically tear their manes out keeping you alive, you now gain +4 Luck for 3 minutes upon finishing a battle with less than 25% health; immunity to critical hits, and +50% critical damage.