Sgt. Big Macintosh, leader of Macintosh's Marauders, the greatest hero of the war, savior of Equestria who died to protect his Princess, Goddess Celestia, everything every good little buck was supposed to aspire to be... and I could be looking at his twin in front of me. The big red stallion just sat there waiting with a tired grin, mostly over the action figure of... himself? floating between us, my Sgt. Big Mac toy may as well be a scale model of the pony I was jabbering senselessly at.

"Well, well, haven't seen one of these in ages, a good friend of mine once..." Elder Macson chuckled in that deep voice, even that was a perfect match, hearing him say 'Ayup' had clenched it and brought forth a squeal of delight from my foalhood self, even while the rest of me tried to cope.

Val however had no such problems, she was already wary at my reaction without getting it, but looking between the toy and the nearly matching pony was enough for her to make a decision, ahead of my limited ability to function trying to take this in. Her dark claw shot to her huge pistol and had it aimed right between those familiar green eyes, the Elder of the Brotherhood of Friendship just staring back implacably while Jade gasped.

Val hissed before she could get started with her admonishments, "Fucker's wearin' a dead pony's face ain't he!? Usually means synth don't it! Get back boss, just gimme the word an'...."

As soon as my griffon bodyguard's violet eyes flicked over to me for an instant, the big stallion moved. How was it possible to seem unhurried yet move so damn fast!? His foreleg shot out and knocked the pistol aside as he followed through with the movement, spinning gracefully and giving a buck that knocked Val sailing back through the air.

His pegasus counterpart Captain Winter Gale was already moving, drawing a boxy magical energy weapon and holding it on Val before she could get up. The Elder's impressive attack had broken my paralysis though, that dark voice in my head saw a challenging male hitting my griffon friend it viewed as 'MINE!' with a roar and I was moving to fill the space between them.

The surge of aggression was too much for my thin disguise, the flaps of cloth on my back tugged free from my belt by a pair of flaring wings forming a wall between my Val and this... whatever he was, my fangs all the way out and my eyes burning behind the completely silent pistol Deliverer and Best Served that had magically sprung up.

The Elder's bushy orange eyebrows rose imperceptibly at the sight, while the Captain's reaction was more drastic, a screeching gasp that loosened her grip on her weapon, giving Val opportunity to punch it from her muzzle as her own M.E.W. powered up beside her.

"FAST! ALL OF YOU STOP THIS INSTANT!!!" Jade's goddess voice boomed out in the small room, thankfully making all of us freeze.

This had devolved quickly... and to think, we were supposed to be here making friends. At least my Princess was always a voice of reason, a good thing too considering the tense scene we had been stopped in. The Elder still didn't look very concerned, Captain Gale was halfway into the air to dive for her weapon, Paladin Dance's weapons were pointed at the two of us fighting his superiors, while his scribe at least looked conflicted and worried.

Elder Macson finally gave a gruff chuckle and held his hooves up in surrender, "Whoa there... Let's all calm down, don't get that reaction from many ponies outside the Steel Rangers, not many wastelanders are really students of history. My reports say you're not most though, are you Mr. Times. Of course they made no mention of wings as well as a horn..."

Even the stern Paladin Steel Dance winced and slumped, sighing in self recrimination at hiding anything from his Elder. "Sorry sir, I was held to my honor and honesty under the condition he share it willingly, though I didn't expect it like this Fast..."

"I didn't expect your Elder to be freaking Big Mac either dammit!!! You don't think that was something worth mentioning!?!"

"I'm not Big Mac Mr. Times, nor am I a synth, or his 'son', that's just a bit of a joke I was given as a name. If we could all just relax I could explain, I talk better without guns in my face though." Elder Macson spoke slowly and with patience, after seeing how he could move if he wanted, I wasn't under any impression that he didn't keep going out of fear. He sounded a bit resigned having to explain but not that put out.

His counterpart reminded me he wasn't alone on having things to explain, yelping angrily and pointing a shaking hoof at my wings, rubbing her jaw as she seethed. "A male! A MALE!?! Senior Scribe you held knowledge of a MALE FUCKING ALICORN from your superiors!?! I want answers!! Is he viable!?!"

By her tone and the way Summer Wind winced, I had the idea the answer to that last one might weigh in on whether I left here alive if it was up to her. Not exactly what I wanted to hear, the Grand Pegasus Enclave had issues with alicorns in general, Scribe Wind had gotten over it, but I should have guessed my status might turn some heads.

Elder Macson gently reached out and pushed Deliverer bobbing in his face aside, moving deliberately and calling over to his co-leader of the Brotherhood. "Now Winter, let's all just cool our hooves here and talk. Considering why we're in the Commonwealth that was a good reaction wasn't it? It seems I'm not the only result of arcane science gone mad is all, trust our troops and their judgement, they trust him."

My new pistol and trusty old knife sagged down and returned to my bags at Jade trotting over, pushing between me and the Elder and speaking her agreement soothingly. "The Elder is correct Fast, you trust Paladin Dance and ...Scribe Wind, do you not? We did not come here to fight, we came for diplomacy, not a strong suit for either of you I know, but perhaps we could refrain from drawing weapons on our hosts? Allow Mr. Macson to explain and... w-we will do the same..."

Obeying Jade was never a question, but I had to fight that annoying grumble of hostility as she stood beside Elder Macson. They looked infuriatingly good together, red and blue, warm and cool, both tall and regal, radiating different flavors of authority a pony would readily bow before.

Seeing the slender alicorn not that much taller than the muscular stallion beside her just stoked the fires of jealousy, the insistent desire to fling myself at him and rip his throat out with my fangs difficult to master. They looked like a Princess and Prince together, instead of a Princess and her dark colt... I reeeeally wanted to hurt him for daring to look less ridiculously dwarfed beside my princess, prove who was the dominant male right here and...

"Nnnngh! Fiiiiine.... Val had a point though Jade, he looks and sounds exactly like Big Mac, see!?" I picked my abandoned toy back up and floated it over to her petulantly, her blue eyes focusing on the tiny action figure curiously.

With the threat of a firestorm in the small ready room temporarily abated, everyone visibly relaxed just a bit, focusing on the deep bass of Elder Macson chortling as he crossed to his ancient applewood desk, digging in the drawers as he spoke. "That I do, though I'm told I'm a little more verbose. I've seen well read ponies react like that before Fast, but you looked like you saw a ghost, guessing the records are accurate and you really are an old world pony then."

"How'd you know..." I eyed the Elder digging in his desk suspiciously, I had still never really told either Dance or Summer where I came from beyond a Stable, though it was less of a secret than the wings reluctantly folding back in at my sides.

"Stable-Tec records, spent quite a bit of time going over them at the Headquarters preparing for this mission. Another thing we have in common it seems, we're both Stable-dwellers Fast. I imagine we have equally long and interesting stories if you want to compare notes sometime. Ah, here we are, take a look." Macson spoke like we hadn't nearly been at each others throats as he pulled a battered photo from his desk and hoofed it over, waggling his foreleg as he did to slide his own battered old pip-buck from the grey fur of his sleeve.

Steel Rangers were posed in a huddle in front of a familiar gear shaped door, though this one read 108 in yellow numbers at the center. The heavily armored soldiers had their helmets off for the picture, all surrounding a young red foal Glitter's age, with a spiky orange mane and in blue Stable barding. Elder Macson in his youth apparently, the resemblence to Big Mac still striking, but easy to overlook so young.

"108? So how was your Stable fucked up that led to... er... you I guess?"

His green eyes looked sad a moment, followed by a hint of anger that was quickly mastered as he replied. "We can go through the long version some other time, the short version is it was a genetics Stable, looking for hereditary traits of the best in ponykind. Research that eventually turned to trying to make their own. It didn't go well... I like to joke that I talk a lot more than my namesake because if you grew up where I did, surrounded by identical red ponies that all only said 'Ayup', you'd be starved for conversation too.

The Coltorado chapter of the Steel Rangers cleared the Stable, found me and took me in. Our Elder raised me up from the age you see there, named me Macson as his little joke. I've done a lot of digging into my origins, trying to find out what I am and how I came to be. Some of the research had roots in the work of a Dr. Trueblood and a Project Chimera, nearly everything about which was under pretty serious security lockdown until recently. I'll give you three guesses where the other bits of inspiration came from, and the first two don't count."

"The Institute..."

"Ayup... aw damn, you've got me doing it again... Yes, exactly, the Commonwealth Institute of Arcane Technology, certain research papers and early studies of a Dr. Dala and the creation of synthetic flesh, design schematics for proposed cloning vats by a Dr. Klein, rambling musings of a Dr. Mobius about making duplicates of famous ponies to see if what made them special was biology or something more.

The Institute was an idea nursery and talent farm, their students tended the seeds of their madness and grew a bitter harvest, all across Equestria. I've wanted to come here a long time Fast, because unlike most of the outside world, I know just how dangerous the Institute is. Uncovering a Synth in the heart of the New Canterlot Republic finally got ponies to pay attention and our mission was supported.

I'm not a Synth or some Project Chimera blank, I'm a pony Fast. A victim of the insanity of the old world and arcane science gone too far, so I know all too well the threat the Institute poses and why they must be stopped. I see we seem to have that much in common, unless you managed to attain your current form the very old fashioned way? Care to enlighten me?"

Everypony else relaxed under his soothing tones, but his counterpart was still as agitated as Val looked, shaking and glaring at my wings only partially hidden by the dark cloth hanging over them. "Like right NOW! This isn't what those fools in the Followers have been reporting on in their misguided attempts! This is a real male alicorn! Do you have any idea the threat that he..."

Jade had been sweet and kind so far, but that little outburst drew out what little anger lurked in her royal heart, stamping a hoof and snorting at the pegasus Captain, her blue eyes becoming distinctly dragonish. "FOOLS?! Misguided!?! My Fast poses no threat to any who do not deserve it! I do not like your tone! If your Elder is a victim then so is he! The Institute did this to him, against his will!"

Having her curl a protective wing over me and huffing down at Captain Gale helped me calm down myself, arching an eye at the insulted looking pegasus and Elder Macson. "It's ok Jade, we didn't react that well to a surprise, guess I can't blame her. That's one of the things I came to tell you, at the urging of DJ Pon3's assistant I'll add. The Institute came up with a version of the Impelled Metamorphosis Potion that worked, I'm their first successful test, but if they did it once they could again. So, we're both a couple of experiments huh? Though I can tell you about a lot more of them."

Elder Macson trotted over to the Captain and clapped her back, sending her staggering under the friendly gesture and trying to smooth things over. "And I'm interested in hearing about every one of them Mr. Times. Having them in control of a functional I.M.P. is definitely too dangerous to allow, my friend Winter here is understandably concerned about that, please forgive her. I'm very focused on the synth menace myself. Duplicating ponies is a sore spot for me as you can imagine, that has to be ended, yesterday. The Institute and all its technologies must be destroyed in order to preserve our future, we are here to clean up the mistakes of the past and forge a new destiny for ponykind, not allow them to be repeated or outdone."

Again he was inspiring, while I mostly agreed I caught hints of some of the things about the Brotherhood I hadn't cared for in my dealings with them. A kind of moral absolutism that left no room for compromise, by his tone about synths he was convinced they all needed to be destroyed, period. His counterpart betrayed a willingness to view me and Jade's kind the same way, even Paladin Dance had once sounded a little unforgiving towards feral ghouls as monsters made by balefire, ones that should be wiped away from Equestria.

The world was never black and white though, not even the world he was trying to restore by his rousing words. As a matter of fact one could argue that simplistic view of things led to the end as much as out of control technology, zebras were bad and ponies were good, they were all our enemy and we were all theirs, that hadn't ended well...

"Not all synths are bad you know... Some of them are alive, victims of their creators as much as you or I are Elder Macson."

In answer the big stallion waved out the window he had been standing at simmering with fury, the ruins of Trotson under the grey drizzle outside. "Look around you! Look at the scorched earth and the bones that litter the wasteland. Millions died because arcane science outpaced ponykind's restraint! They called it a "new frontier" and "pushing the envelope," completely disregarding the repercussions. Can't you see the same thing is happening again?

The Institute Scientists have created a weapon that transcends the destructive nature of the balefire bomb. A robotic abomination of technology that is free-thinking and masquerades as a pony. This notion that a machine can be granted free will is not only offensive, but horribly dangerous. And like the megaspell, if it isn’t harnessed properly, it has the potential of rendering us extinct as a species.

We can debate the nature of life and sentience all you like at our leisure Fast, but we both agree the Institute must be stopped am I right? The synth is just one more of their weapons they bring to this fight, a fight I intend to win. Will you help me do so? Join our noble crusade to put an end to this madness before it spreads beyond the Commonwealth?"

If it weren't for that growling voice of 'Be Dark...' arguing in favor of challenging a mountain of stallion for dominance, I'd be tempted to follow such a leader, he might talk a lot more than the real Big Mac, but he was very good at it too. I had my Princess though, and my own views and goals, we came here to get help, not just give it.

"Maybe... I don't do well with authority lately and we have our own problems. How about more of a we help you, you help us thing? One step at a time, as equals, I'm not big on serving anypony but my Princess, but we need allies so let's try to work something out ok?"

The Elder of the Brotherhood of Friendship gave that wry smile and nodded, 'Ayup..."

"Val was exaggerating, you've really improved a lot Fast!" Summer Wind called behind her happily at me only mildly struggling to keep up, flying around the raptor class cloudship and up to the earth pony additions that helped keep it aloft, bringing it through the barrier storms keeping the Commonwealth separate from the rest of Equestria.

She landed lightly on the huge steel skinned tanks, away from the upright propellers that were thankfully silent. I had my hat down to at least try to blend in with all the pegasi flying around the ship in their red trimmed Enclave power armor, though my flying skills still drew a lot of derisive attention.

"Thanks Summer, still pretty pathetic compared to all you natural fliers up here. So what were you saying about the Elder and the Captain meeting? How'd they form the Brotherhood together?" Taking the flight around with Scribe Wind as I promised gave me a chance to think about our long talk with the leadership of the Brotherhood, plus her common soldier gossip about the group was interesting.

The pretty yellow pegasus beamed and took her red cap off, letting her light brown mane wave in the chill breeze being warmed only slightly by the sun trying to pierce the cloud cover. "Oh it's a good story Fast, when they were both younger they met in the wasteland, the Elder was just an Initiate and Captain Gale was a crashed private, forced to work together to defeat a Hellhound stalking them, the Elder's coat is lined in its fur actually. That's how they both got their scars, they line up if you put the two of them together close enough."

"Do they?" I asked absently, peering across the waters to a tiny spot of cloud in the sky off the coast that didn't move like the rest, noticeable thanks to the arrow on my heads up display compass currently pointing towards it.

I was distracted woolgathering and surprised when the petite pegasus filly sidled right up against me, tilting my head over hers as she pressed her bouncy warm body against me, a gentle trace of her feathers drawing a line down my right cheek and to her neck to demonstrate. "Yes just like this! Y-You can see... how they... match..."

Dammit... my mane started itching crazily as soon as she made contact and her muzzle was right up in it, drawing slow breaths as her explanation grew husky. All the aggression I had been fighting from being in Elder Macson's presence for so long found a new outlet, only spurred on when she started nuzzling my neck and hooked a foreleg over my wing sticking up to her soft giggles.

"Er... y-yeah, I see Summer... umm... m-might not wanna... d-do that... too close..."

At least she wasn't an alicorn, making it much easier to get ahold of herself and flitter away breathlessly, red faced and landing a few steps away with a reluctant whinny. "Oh! S-Sorry Fast! I... Jeez I was there when Jade explained the whole pheromone thingy, but it still sneaks up on a filly... A-Anyway! After the day of Sunshine and Rainbows, they wound up finding each other again, interrupted a pretty vicious battle between their two groups and joined together to face a bigger threat. You should read the reports sometime, it makes a good story, very romantic!"

Trying to fight my wings back down unsuccessfully was only making her giggle around her hoof more, this was even more embarassing in front of a pegasus mare, giving all too obvious cues I was culturally unaware of as a unicorn... former unicorn, but seemed to delight my fellow repair-pony. "R-Romantic? So are the two of them..."

Summer fluttered her light green eyes and tossed her head cutely, "That's what most of the scuttlebutt is around the Prydwen. They're pretty discrete if they are, but they're equals, who else are they gonna... and it is a romantic story. Steel Ranger and Enclave, star crossed lovers, finding each other in war and making peace, ahhh it's like something out of a fairytale, you know I... Whoa... E-Easy there... down boy! Not that I don't appreciate the umm... obvious interest, but we do have a mission soon after all!"

I caught myself strutting towards her across the riveted metal under my hooves and flinched, skittering back and thunking my head against a propeller housing nearby repeatedly. That soft voice speaking so dreamily of romance was just exacerbating things, if the little pegasus hadn't turned from her wistful story she might have been in trouble, as part of me was very keen on adding a pegasus to its harem...

"Dammit! Sorry... really, can't help it... Fighting will probably help, so maybe you can give me the rest of the tour after we're done? I am really interested in seeing all the cool stuff on the Prydwen, just... y-you are really pretty and a good friend, kinda hard to resist you know? I don't mean anything by it, I just can't... ugh... sorry."

Looking over at me keeping my safe distance, she had a look of guarded curiosity, tilting her head and turning pink as she stammered back. "I-It's ok, really Fast, ummm thanks. L-Like that smell thing your Princess reported? H-Has it really been a problem? I notice Miss Ivy is with you guys, but she was almost the only one in Goodneighbor not going c-completely crazy. G-Guessing it's safe to have her around? I can't imagine your Jade ever s-sharing you with anypony else and figured... F-Fast?"

Summer had to crane her neck up to find me cringing behind the propeller housing, her worried tone just making me feel worse as I turned into a miniature version of Elder Macson, red from ears to tail. "I-It's complicated Summer..."

"You mean she!? with... y-you mean? j-just her? no?!? you and? FAST!? H-How many..." Questions spilled from her jabbering muzzle as she looked to overheat, faint wisps of steam coming from her ears, her wings and tail bushed out and straight up while I whimpered.

"I-It's for her species... I have permission.... h-honest... I promised... I'm still hiding from the rest of them! I just can't... sigh... The potion that did this had side effects Summer, it was designed to make... umm... a b-breeding stud sooooo, I have self control issues lately..."

Honestly that appraising look just made me want to hide more, I liked Summer, we were both short repair-ponies, growing up in the Grand Pegasus Enclave apparently wasn't that far removed from the old world from what she said, so we even had somewhat similar values, it was more shameful admitting what I had been up to with her. Most wastlelanders didn't see nearly the issues I did, life was fast and hard and usually short, so 'get all you can' seemed to be the common theme.

To my relief she didn't look at me in disgust or disappointment, still a rosy pink all over but humming in thought as her wings fluttered rapidly behind her. "That's... w-well, that's sort of the opposite of how things were back home, c-careful population controls. The goal was to m-maybe have one foal, i-if we were lucky, not try for as many as p-possible... I got discretely encouraged to favor mares, bucks were under the same indoctrination. Sort of one of the things I l-liked about you when we met Fast, it's pretty easy to tell you like fillies, a lot... So w-what other kind of er... side effects are there? W-What kind of self control issues? D-Does it only work with other alicorns?"

"HAahhaheheh... umm... y-yeah... no, it er... s-seems to work with pretty much any female I find a-attractive, and self control issues as in trying really hard not to just sort of p-pounce on you right here... so may wanna just... k-keep your distance... Safer subjects! W-Will this Fort Loyalty really have the stuff I need for the guns at the castle?" The pretty pegasus taking cautious steps closer was making me nervous, though also insanely curious.

It had occured to me more than once when having similar thoughts about Val or Witchy, but I had only ever been with alicorns, Jade had been my first and only, then later her two sisters, but that was the sum total of my experience. Not that I anticipated any problems being with a normal pony, or zebra, or batpony... or griffon... or pretty much any mare, but it was a question to be answered, for Arcane Science! No! Dammit.. that insatiable urge was clever when it came to offering excuses and rationalizations. Leaving me to cast out for something more down to business and clinging to what we were supposed to be doing.

She nodded rapidly with a wide grin, still far too many sparkles in those light green eyes, a pleased little smile curling across her muzzle as she gave a flattered whinny. "Oh sure! It's actually exciting, the Enclave had cleaned out all unused pegasi facilities a long time ago, but the ones in the Commonwealth were out of their reach! Fort Loyalty should be mostly untouched! Want to see if they're ready yet?"

Making sure to tug my hat down in place before doing so, I followed her back into the air and along an easy, sedate sightseeing course back to the ground, letting her pointing out of all the fun repair work they were engaged in wash over me. I did actually find it fascinating, and she had been very excited by stories of the work I had been doing at Castle Equinox in turn, but I still felt kind of wrung dry by hours of questioning about the Institute.

I had copied every scrap of information over to the Prydwen's database in exchange for the same when it came to that subject only, from an isolated and secure terminal they wanted me to trust they put it all on for me... Apparently they didn't want to let me anywhere near essential or networked terminals on their cloudship. Though I had a special holotape in my pocket to do something about that...

Beyond just exhaustive questioning, a trip to the Prydwen's medical bay was non-negotiable, the ship's head medic Knight-Captain Spade was at least nice though. The pale older unicorn surgeon was professional and Jade liked him immediately, a major mark in his favor as the Steel Ranger healer viewed her as a colleague, plus not completely losing his shit once I reluctantly let him see what kind of patient he had behind closed doors.

I could have done with a slightly less thorough exam though... Jade had plenty of records and her own work to show him, but the spectacle of a male alicorn on his table made him all business, poking, prodding and sticking very cold things in warm places over my yelps. He asked a lot of smart and pointed mental health questions too, being well trained in subjects like 'wartime stress disorder' as part as his duties for a ship of soldiers. He obviously didn't like some of his answers there, but kept his opinions to himself.

The others had caught up with us on their tour of the ship, a carefully managed tour with a green alicorn wandering the halls to a lot of surprise from the Brotherhood ponies. They didn't want Ivy near anywhere or anypony sensitive on the Prdywen, though as soon as we found her she mentally waved off any questions and continued her innocent school teacher act for her guides. She was very busy behind those green eyes, managing (later...) at my questioning look, asking aloud how her orphans who were interested might go about joining the organization, which earned her a lot of positive response.

Zed and Witchy both looked distracted and unwilling to talk very much, both attracting as many stares as Ivy, though for obviously different reasons. The glares following the zebra were suspicious and angry, while the leering looks tracing over every inch of batpony were fascinated, eliciting an internal grumble of possessive jealousy as soon as I caught them.

Glitter was the only one really having a grand old time, dashing from one point of interest to another, asking bright questions and getting indulgent answers for the most part. She really was an Ambassador of Cuteness, talking her way past any obstacle in her way or falling on her puppy eyes if that failed. She had not only acquired a only slightly too large Squire's hat like the older kids on the ship she told me about, she had even found the Quartermaster and engaged in shrewd negotiations from his supply shop for things we always needed, specialty ammo being the best treasure she had wheedled out of him.

It would be useful soon enough, I was still a little annoyed the Brotherhood had come up with their own little mission for me before considering becoming allies of Sanctuary, glaring at the text in my vision as we drifted down;

Mission: Old Guns

Objectives-------
---Join the Brotherhood strike team
---Discover the fate of Recon Squad Sigma
---Clear Fort Loyalty of hostiles
---Find parts and ammo for Castle Equinox's weapons

The last objective is what decided me in favor of this, despite everything I didn't like about it. A joint operation Captain Gale called it... More a test and getting me under her command, joining in on a mission to an old pegasus fortress floating along above the Commonwealth. As a resupply point for cloudships and the Equestrian air guard, it should have the sensitive parts I needed to fix the mortars and anti air guns back at the castle.

I didn't like all their demands and orders concerning this 'joint' operation, three of us, three Steel Rangers and three former Enclave, including Summer and Steel Dance at least. Exploring a wasteland ruin, but one in the clouds instead of solid ground, I still hadn't really considered how much may be just floating up here with us, but the Brotherhood had, eagerly.

Captain Gale made it clear, she still wasn't happy about A- Me... and B- the fact I had snatched the M.O.M. hub out from under them, helping take this fort and its stores was to be my penance. She was even pretty cagey about the mention of the local Ministry Hubs, barely deigning to mention the Ministry of Morale and only to complain, but not a peep about any of the others, making me curious about that and adding a few more lines of code to my little holotape program.

I patted my pocket for it as we landed on the bleached tarmac and the waiting strike team, professionally gearing up and steering clear of my little family arguing among themselves, Only an older, pale pink earth pony mare socialized with them, engaged in animated conversation with both Glitter and Witching hour.

The batpony seemed to be answering questions about her assembled anti-materiel rifle between them, as well as her equally exquisite blue steel armor. Glitter on the other hoof seemed to be excitedly pestering her about the odd power armor frame she wore. It was strange, no armor plating or weapons systems, just a bare bones frame with some robotic modifications around the hindlegs.

Technical diagnosis became unnecessary on a closer look as we approached, what I could see of her rear revealed withered hindlegs being assisted by the power armor, she had been crippled but was out here working, apparently in a position of authority at the salutes of ground grew she absently acknowledged.

"Proctor Candygram Fast, she's our head engineer, you'd like her! Really smart, she helped come up with the modifications to the Prydwen!" Summer chirped brightly and trotted over to her superior, joining the conversation before heading off to join her Paladin and the rest of the Brotherhood team.

Interesting as both the Head Engineer and her armor were, the conversation between Jade, Val and Ivy ahead drew my attention more, my Princess reluctantly floating out medical supplies and her gamma gun I had made for her out of her medical box packs, with a very displeased expression.

"...like this, I am fine, I wish to go as well! Y-You will need a healer to..." Jade was whining with the cloud of supplies over her cloudy mane, trying to avoid her sister's waiting hoof held out to accept it.

Val tactfully helped explain at my approach, checking over her weapons and snorting impatiently. "Figure it out Blue, cause I ain't stayin'. Boss goes, I go. That leaves one ticket fer one of you mares, let's gooooo!"

There was some high speed telepathy going on between the two alicorns that I interrupted, nuzzling at Jade and raising a questioning eyebrow. Ivy huffed and rolled her eyes, settling on me and nodding to her sister. "Fast, there you are. Tell sister Jade I get to go, there is already a medic assigned to the mission, she has a doctor to talk to and medical work being done here she is curious about, I've seen all they'll let me into already. I demand another date, Peri had much more time."

I had absolutely no desire to get between the two big mares tapping their hooves and waiting on me, stopped from just retreating and letting them work it out by Ivy's telepathic voice in my mind continuing without her playful joking. (Take me, do not let her go. I don't trust some of these Brotherhood ponies Fast, rumors about you are already spreading and I still need to keep an eye on you in stressful situations.)

Dammit... I was forced to weigh in. The inevitablilty of my status getting out was kind of assumed anyway, after Lancer-Captain Gale's reaction and loud shout I figured it was a done deal. Mostly I was hiding my horn and switching to pretending to be a pegasus because this was a mission to a cloud structure, and the longer I could keep it to just rumors the better. The thought of that black version of pod #101 deep in my head decided me with a shiver, Ivy was still evaluating me closely, she had to go into situations where that dark part was most likely to get loose.

"Umm... Maybe she's right Jade, I don't like it either, but only three of us get to go and you know Val won't budge. You can work on the doctor here, talk about the Followers maybe, stay with Glitter? The Brotherhood team has a medic already so between that, enough healing potions and your gun, we ought to be alright. We should be back soon and hopefully get on our way ok? I promise, next dangerous, deadly date is all yours, we can go Hellhound hunting or something..."

'Or something' was helped along by Glitter dashing over and tackling me, which I obligingly rolled across the ground with to her joyous whoops. My little filly played her role perfectly, understanding just what I wanted with minimal explanation while I had still been making adjustments to one of the programs stored on my pip-buck, despite her disinterest in technical matters.

"Hiya daddy! You guys leavin' everybody else behind is no fair, this place is neat but kinda boring. All the other kids are all blah, blah, blah, 'Ad Victorium' an' 'For the Brotherhood', no fun at all! Hey, can you lemme have your Swordmares holothingy game? They got big terminals ta play it on instead of my little bitty pip-buck screen!" The pale foal bounced and held a hoof out, making sure she spoke loud and clear to anypony listening.

The battered old holotape I fumbled out with my mouth really was a 'Swordsmares and the Ruby Ruins' game, a Bitway Games production from before the war and still in the proper packaging. I had just added a little surreptitious program to it, certainly not a virus.... per se.... more of a bit of snooping. A search program with keywords I wanted to know about to slink around their maneframe and see if they had kept anything from me, just a bit of due diligence is all, if they had been upfront then it wouldn't turn up anything at all they hadn't already given me.

Jade joined us in a tight hug and nickered her annoyance, ruffling Glitter's silver mane and nuzzling her cheek. "Very well... I will remain behind. Again... I do not like this at all Fast, I demand to join the next three foolish things you do, at least! Though I prefer my 'dates' to be of the more traditional variety, perhaps when we reach Witching Hour's home. Watch him carefully both of you, body and brain hmm?"

Val actually saluted the order, before punching her shoulder lightly in a friendly gesture. She was all over being a bodyguard anyway, and seemed to enjoy her title of 'Captain of the Guard'. She wasn't bound by contract to actually obey if she didn't want, but puffed up with pride at the trust and responsibility, plus the authority didn't hurt either.

Ivy bowed a bit and nodded her agreement to watch my shaky mind, soothing her sister as she carefully took her supplies and radiation weapon. She might not have been allowed to wander where she wanted, but acting as Glitter's babysitter and encouraging the foal to dash off in certain directions to be collected again, let her do her own snooping on the Prydwen, and she didn't seem to like everything she had found.

Once Star Paladin Dance and Senior Scribe Wind came to nudge us towards the waiting vertibuck and heavily armed strike team, we made our hasty goodbyes and boarded, crammed like sardines in the prewar vehicle howling off over the sea. I waved out the open door on the side past the mounted minigun until even I couldn't see them on the busy skyport tarmac, just a pale dot bouncing up and down next to a bigger blue one.

Get this done, deal with the Brotherhood and help our fight with the Gunners, I really hoped for once this would be that simple, but had serious doubts. At least being squished between Val and Ivy in the crowded cabin of the vertibuck distracted me from that bit of pessimism, Scribe wind snickering into her hoof at my wings springing up in odd angles, watching from the jumpseat across from me the whole way with a rosy complexion.

Cloud structures... I hadn't seen any other than in Diamond City since I was younger than Glitter, a trip to visit mom's parents back in the good old days. I wished I could remember more of that trip looking at the wispy ruins growing closer in front of us, vague impressions of the clouds being cleaner and more impressive were all I could pull up, definitely less green... and probably more level unless pegasi liked everything oddly tilted. The lack of details coming along with the nagging thread of memory was annoying, but it had been a very long time ago.

Fort Loyalty, according to Summer's detailed reports, was an ancient outpost that had been modernized during the war. Originally sculpted of sturdy clouds to act as a watch tower for the dragon migrations from the east, the occasional attack by one had escalated to steady raids during the war, but often ones traveling to other targets further on the mainland or up the coast. The dragons had a habit of tagging the little floating island as they passed for fun, leaving their claw marks and scattering the watching pegasi.

They had kept up the tradition apparently, the once graceful, swooping buildings atop the island had tattered claw marks and gouges that trailed wisps of cloud stuff into the breeze, scorched and dingy patches from bursts of flame and just outright destruction of the remaining structures. All the way up to the watchtower atop the highest curl of cloud, that had been converted to a mooring point for resupplying raptors and other smallish cloudships.

Scribe Wind filled me in on basics of pegasus facts I was completely ignorant of, like asking why they didn't just push through the pale walls of the buildings we were off to investigate. To my surprise, their were varying grades of cloud; fairly firm and steady 'ground cloud' that could be convinced to stay put and even grow billowy, long tendriled crops, wispy 'sculpting cloud' that formed the ragged curls and swoops still or be turned into what she called 'Cloudcrete', pretty much solid structures just as on the ground.

Her brief primer summed up by her laughing answer, "There'd be no privacy or security if any pegasus could just push right through into a pony's house Fast!"

Even the sturdiest cloudcrete had weathered poorly, once proud pillars were crumbling and fallen, cracks and collapsed piles of fluff marked old buildings scattered about, only the strongest military additions had survived and were still secure. Our objective, as my pip-buck reminded me, was to break in, secure the military stockpiles of ammo and parts that served both the big guns on the Prdywen as well as the ones festooning Castle Equinox, and to see if we could find what happened to the recon squad they sent here first.

The Brotherhood also hoped to take the island itself if it could be cleared, an unassailable stronghold in the sky had to be tempting. That being the case I was surprised they sent such a small force, after seeing the display of arms surrounding the Prydwen I wondered aloud why they didn't just swarm it.

Summer whispered the answer that they were stretched thin in the Commonwealth, spreading to all corners and trying to lay claim to the treasure trove of unsalvaged prewar tech still littering the Commonwealth, Fort Loyalty was just one more objective on their long list. Another aspect of the Brotherhood I didn't particularly care for, their habit of trying to swoop in and sweep up any fancy tech that shouldn't be in the hooves of 'ignorant wastelanders', as I heard more than a few refer to the ponies of the Commonwealth. Enhanced hearing had its benefits and its' drawbacks, like hearing a lot of insulting conversation spoken out of earshot of normal ponies.

As we did a slow pass of the island, Paladin Dance leaned over the minigun hanging out the open door, pointing out the main structure, a still graceful construct of pale blue arches and dingy white columns, a steel plated landing pad rusting away to ruin at the lowest cloud bank, surrounded by rusty hulks of pedal powered, earth pony flying contraptions.

Some accommodations had been made for normal ponies staffing the fortress, but going up to the clouds still required the fancy mod I cataloged at the end of Dance's steel clad hoof. A cloudwalking module for power armor I really wanted to take apart, maybe when it wasn't keeping the Steel Ranger armor from plummeting like a stone through our destination.

The big stallion sounded pensive as he rattled off formations and directed the flight crew up front to land, muttering only "Too quiet..." as an apparent dare to the goddesses.

Amazingly they didn't rise to the bait immediately, the vertibuck touched down and the Brotherhood rapidly deployed around it, moving with military precision to establish their landing zone and giving a few unfriendly warnings for us 'civilians' to stay out of their way. Val promptly ignored them of course, needling the irritated soldiers while Ivy and I wandered a bit out of their way and looked around.

"Creepy...." was about best summation I could come up with, a pale, fluffy, ghost town in the sky, crumbled and shattered buildings for the base strewn about, that seemed very strange after getting so used to wasteland ruins on the ground.

They were similar, but a brick and mortar pile of rubble still seemed a lot different than the cloudy version, which just looked like a pile of fluff, most buildings were marked not by the jumbled piles of slightly different colored cloud, but by the remaining walls and walks around them. Concessions made to ground ponies up here, which made things somewhat stranger instead of more familiar.

It was easy to see this place had been designed around vertical movement, throwing down enchanted brickwork to connect one spot to another had obviously been done after the fact, the normal aesthetic seemed to be build whatever, wherever, as isolated little rafts on a cloudy sea, who cared about walks or walking period, when you just flew from spot to spot, up and down and all over.

As a result, a winding path snaked up the cloud banks from the landing pad we started at, up to the main fort building midway up the rolling hills, in the shadow of the mooring tower peeking out of the curly mountaintop of fluff. A long trail of switchbacks from one point of interest to another that would be much shorter as a sensible straight line on the ground. Judging by some of the ragged gaps in the surface, they built a lot underground too... undercloud rather, it had to be a lot easier than digging in the earth anyway.

Three whole walls of the Base Exchange were mostly intact, a pair of fallen pillars marking what had been the entrance and a very rusty Sparkle Cola machine flickering from its position halfway sunk in the cloudy ground. Most everything seemed ruined by much closer weather inside, but poking around kept us out of the way as the Brotherhood moved around us, all on edge and taking a twisting, climbing path up the island to the imposing fortress building at the base of the swooping curls of the top of the island.

Scribe Wind and the unicorn Medic Poultice stuck with us at the center of the moving clump led by Steel Dance, pointing things out and trying to cover for my complete lack of actual pegasus knowledge. Her breathy explanation of the small training yard of tilted rainbow hoops and cloudy obstacles we were passing at this bend in the path only kept half my attention, something seemed off about this place, like... a lot...

"I feel it too Fast, I don't think we're alone here. There's a buzz that's simple and subtle, but it feels a bit like..." Ivy spoke up beside me, looking in all directions with a worried frown and furrowed eyebrows, cut off by a fireball going off behind us.

We all spun together, taking in the remains of our vertibuck ride spinning and arcing through the air, chunks raining down up here with us on this higher part of the winding trail. To his credit, the Brotherhood medic was already moving before I stopped gawking, galloping back down the cracked switchback and to the armored pegasus pilot that had been guarding our extraction point. He had been sitting at the heavy minigun in the passenger compartment when I saw him last...

"CONTACT!! Knight Dervish! Backup Poultice! Pull Goose out of there if there's anything left, Poultice if there's not! Everypony else move!!" Paladin Dance screamed as Eyes Forward Sparkle started lighting up, red dashes appearing in the cloudy ruins around us.

His command was obeyed instantly, but we were quickly drawn up short from running up to the fortress by the ripping sound of a minigun opening up above, a tattered bit of swirling observation tower over the training yard and a pair of burly mutant alicorns hidden up there. A hail of 5mm rounds pinged off Paladin Dance's heavy armor in the lead and the Knight beside him, joined by a rain of spells blasting all around us, several impacting Ivy's green shield, along with a pair of blue banded grenades bouncing off the barrier, exploding in sparking blue fields of matrix disruption grenades, thankfully just out of range from shorting the pair of Steel Rangers still with us.

"These fuckers?! Plannin' an ambush no less!? Double time it Dance, they're tryin' ta corral us!" Val squawked and rocketed up into the air, launching 25mm grenades at the pair of heavy weapons using mutants perched in the tower.

The fiery griffon managed to take out the hardened position, sending both muscled earth pony mutants diving away on tiny wings, Val was quickly driven back to Ivy's shield by a streaking pair of the big winged pegasus variety however. Trying to fight those things in the air had made even Val leery of trying it again, they had already split and confused our little expedition in a surprisingly well coordinated surprise attack, she didn't rise to the bait and let them do so further.

A flock of long horned mutants above were staying back on underdeveloped wings, sending spell after spell down with impunity from the drifting clouds they had apparently hidden behind. They were indeed trying to help corral us towards a dead end formed of fallen pillars and rubble too. The greatest resistance was slowing the path to the fort, while several had broken off to pursue the medic running for the burning wreck of the vertibuck and the dark armored pegasus on his tail. If it weren't for Ivy's shield, they might have already disabled half our number with those matrix disruption grenades and more were still coming out of the woodwork.

Ivy had her assault rifle floating out and sending inexpert bursts ahead of us, sweating under maintaining the green barrier overhead and giving me a worried look, speaking in my head instead of trying to shout over all the noise. (Something is not right! They are being coordinated Fast! I can't tell for sure but...)

I staggered and held my hooves to my head under the force of that triumphant bellow in my brain, a familiar mental voice that filled me with dread and panic. One I hoped never to hear again up there, but a gleeful gloating was oozing in, Virescent...

"It's a trap!!! MOVE!"

I shot a frightened glance at Ivy coming to the same conclusion, her green sister was in charge here, surrounding the entire sky island Fort Loyalty was on in a field of unity and running the swarm of mutants like pawns, splitting us up and trying to whittle us down, but using less than lethal force despite appearances.

S.A.T.S. gave me a moment of timeless targeting nirvana to cycle through all the available hostiles in range, lots and lots of mutant alicorns, of all varieties, working in concert effectively. Most of them seemed to have adjusted their focus over to... well to me actually, I was apparently an added bonus to today's catch and Virescent's mental command was far less subtle than it had been, now that we were aware of each other.

There were still several chasing the medic and converging on the flaming wreck of our vertibuck, the greenish grey medic Poultice was tugging at a sizable chunk of steel with his magic to no avail, while the Enclave armored Knight with him was too busy trying to fend off attackers with his novasurge rifles to help get to the pilot, who I hoped was still alive somehow.

Alright... We couldn't stay out here, couldn't escape fast enough without the vertibuck currently cooking off, the fort was the only option. Let them chase us in closer quarters against a squad of power armor and more, see how they like those odds. I drew the Last Minute and selected a trio of shots to the mutants most threatening the pair down by the Vertibuck, trying to clear a path before letting time resume.

As soon as the gauss rifle started firing I was leaping from this higher part of the switchback trail, flying low and arrowing at the vertibuck, shouting as I took off. "Val, Ivy! Help them get to the entrance, Summer get it open! I'll go help them, just be ready to get out of this shit when we come back!"

I could hear and feel the rejection from both of my companions in turn, but was already moving, really wishing I could just reliably teleport there and back in a flash. Subtlety be damned at this point, I wasn't holding back on using my magic just to try pretending I was something I wasn't. Best Served was in my mouth while Vengeance and the Terrible Shotgun floated by my head, barking out in turn at anything in the way as I streaked down to the flaming wreckage and joined Medic Poultice.

His pale blue eyes hung on the weapons floating at my side for an instant, but disregarded it and kept shoving and pulling with his light green magic at a large hunk of metal. "Help dammit! He's still under there!"

The Terrible Shotgun hammered three slugs into the broad chest of a orange earth mutant charging at us over his shoulder and I ran up beside him, throwing my minimal weight against the hunk of steel and joining my blue telekinesis with his, wrapping it all and lessening the weight enough for earth pony strength to make up the difference. It gave a squalling, screeching noise as my hooves sank into the spongy ground, but finally tore away to reveal a severely wounded pegasus underneath.

With the shredded hunk of vertibuck free, I groaned and reared back, sending it up and forward just enough for momentum to take over once I let go. The ragged piece of steel tumbled through the air and smashed against a clump of long horned mutants trying to pin us down. As I hoped, most of the attention had been diverted from Dance and the others heading to the doors, they were all very focused on me, wherever I went.

Meaning we had no time, our medic had knelt right to work, healing the deeply bleeding wounds seeping out of the insectile armor, pulling the blue grey buck's helmet off and trying to check him over quickly, treating a badly broken wing and leg among other injuries. He was my age or younger, and very pale, pinprink purple eyes matching his sweaty mane, firmly focused on my hat.

"Poultice! Move! I'll carry him, you heal! We can't stay here, get to the fort!" I yelled in the medic's ear, emptying the cylinder of Vengeance on another hulking earth mutant, sputtering under a cloud of pink ash drifting down from the pegasus Knight Dervish above, taking out a speeding blur of a pegasus mutant with a whoop and gliding close in the momentary lull.

Her helmet distorted voice yelled down as he pulled tight loops around us, absently firing her underwing weapons at several more red dashes on E.F.S. before landing and shoving the medic. "He's right! Move it, you're with me, don't worry Goose, let the civilian grab you and..."

"M-Monster! ONE OF THEM!" The wounded pilot Goose flinched away when I moved to grab him, pointing a shaking hoof and screeching up at me, drawing his comrades attention to the bright glow coming from my hat.

Monster? Me? H-He didn't mean... I knew the pegasi had issues with alicorns but... He had been nice so far, a few friendly jokes over the vertibuck's comm on our way anyway, right up until he found out... At least the medic and knight were more practical, not that I could read the expressions of the other pegasus under her helmet though.

I winced at Virescent's cajoling mental voice, whispering temptations in between directing all her forces from wherever she was hiding. It had to be close to hear her so well and be commanding this many, but there were plenty of places to hide and too much red on E.F.S. to tell. With no way to attack the source, I snorted and shook my head, flipping my hat back to its normal position to let my horn out and advancing on the wounded pegasus again.

"So what if I am!? I'm also trying to help you asshole! Do you want to die here!?!"

The voice spell leaking into my tone might have been a bit over the top, the Shroud's angry growl wasn't exactly soothing or friendly, but we had no time for this shit. I didn't like the way Poultice and Knight Dervish flinched either, at least emptying the drum of the Terrible Shotgun gave me something to distract from it while I reloaded impatiently.

"He's right Goose, later... We gotta move now, let the... him help, quick!" Knight Dervish hovered up and sent more pink beams out to the earth mutants, charging from a ragged hole into the ground cloud surrounded by rubble. Looping back to grab Medic Poultice around the chest and flap up.

As soon as my magic flowed over Knight Goose, he started scrambling back on his broken leg, flopping and falling away with panic in his eyes and a wearing a furious scowl. I stamped a hoof and started closing in on him, meaning to just yank his stubborn ass up and go whether he liked it or not, brought up short by a dark flicker of movement and a spreading warmth at my side.

I looked down incredulously, staring in shock at that wickedly barbed tail of Enclave armor jabbed into my ribs, yanked back out in a splash of blood that the soft cloud beneath my hooves soaked up greedily. The Brotherhood knight flailed and staggered away, blood dripping from his armored tail, my blood... quite a lot of it actually...

A chill ran through me as I stumbled back, flabbergasted at an ally just stabbing me, I was trying to help him, we were in the middle of a warzone, and still he found it more important to lash out at me rather than the mutants trying to kill him?! I heard Knight Dervish give an annoyed hiss and let the medic loose to catch me before I simply fell over, his horn glowing with healing magic while his ride dove after Knight Goose. Everything they were yelling about was fuzzy and hard to make out, even harder by the roar that seemed to shaky the billowing ground under me, in my ears and in my head both.

My head lolled over to follow what everypony else was looking at above, woozily hoping the fort doors were open, spotting Summer tapping away at the cloud terminal beside them rapidly instead. Why was that so loud? How'd they all hear it too anyway, was she just blasting that into every mind in range? Virescent sounded more pissed than even I had made her in the past.

Midway up the swirling spire of cloud leading to the mooring tower above the fort, the ragged holes in the surface were glowing brightly green, the eldritch light moving up the cracked tower along with the noise, like some hellish elevator going up. The light at the top of the wispy tower above dimmed as a big green body filled it, yards of nearly black dark green mane spilling out behind the long horn leading the way, a brilliantly glowing pair of green eyes looking down above a predatory scowl.

All eyes were drawn to the crackling green mare spreading her impressive wingspan and perching atop the mooring tower, brimming with power her glowing horn was directing out to her swarm. One gale force flap sent her up and diving straight back down, falling like a bomb towards the two dark armored Knights gaping among the vertibuck wreckage.

The wounded Knight Goose couldn't move, though at least his comrade Knight Dervish did, barely diving aside out of instinct as a few tons of alicorn slammed down, crushing the limping pegasus with my blood still on his tail under her hooves. Even bleeding and trying to fight off passing out, my stomach tried to revolt at the sight, like putting a paint can in a drill press... red paint... spattered out to splash her long legs.

Virescent loomed above my dizzy view, medic Poultice's presence healing and keeping me up suddenly gone as I fell back and wove away from her gloating look of worried satisfaction. Knight Dervish had him, I spotted that much wincing my way back and fumbling for a healing potion, they both ran from the massive filly and left me to my fate. At least she hadn't killed me yet...

"NEVER! DRINK YOUR POTION QUICKLY, HEAL THAT FILTHY WEAPON'S WOUND! YOU SEE NOW? THEY FEAR WHAT THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND! DARED TO HARM HIS BETTER! THAT ONE HAD TO BE PUNISHED FOR HIS CRIME!"

Ow! Owwwww, my ears flattened uselessly against that booming voice and I shakily did as she said, backing slowly away and drinking my green tinted healing potion at her urging hoof waving me on. Despite the very selective concern for others, Virescent was scaring the hell out of me, her minions moving to deal with the others as she stalked after my pained progress.

One big hoof reached out and tilted my chin up very delicately, lowering her volume to a rumbling purr as fighting kept raging around us. She sauntered from the flaming wreckage and blood at her hooves, easily matching even Swan at her best in scale and obviously reveling in the power. "Yes... I took a page from my sister's book after my defeat, is that better little male? I have basked in the holy glow myself and created my own kingdom of unity in the clouds to trap the outsiders, I never thought I'd reel in such a prize however... worth wasting even a prime pegasus subject. You see where true loyalty lies now? With species, not friendship. That insect could have killed you, our precious stallion... let me finish these pests and come with me, so I may care for you..."

Oooooh no.... Virescent didn't seem to have nearly the control that Swan had to remain this overcharged, even Swan wasn't exactly fully in control of her impulsiveness under all that power. Add to that the fact Virescent had never seen or ....smelled me like this, the bursts of heart shaped sparkles and pink bands in those huge eyes fluttering after me were a serious problem.

Before she really got going taking another stalking step forward and crouching, a stream of red M.E.W. fire and an accompanying minigun opened up from above, making her hiss in annoyance, clamping a huge hoof to the insignificant wounds and bringing up a crackling green shield. Her glowing eyes immediately shifted from lusty gaze to dragonish scowl, right at Val and Dance blasting away at her from the doors. The open doors...

I took the opportunity they were giving me and lurched up, flying a weaving course away that was pushed on by adrenaline at those hungry green eyes swinging back on me. Her army of mutants started shifting strategically, some rising to block my slow path, while the bulk focused on the huddle of 'allies' and my friends beneath the curling roof of the main fort.

Before Virescent could reach out with her massive hoof and claim her prize, the world lurched and I was flying away faster, the huge mare growing a teensy bit smaller as I magically retreated, thanks to the frantic wingbeats of Scribe Wind at my side, tugging me away with her forelegs wrapped around my bleeding torso.

Virescent's furious roar over her prize being snatched away made it hard to hear Summer's frantic whispering, the little pegasus was a very fast flier and I weighed no more than she did, but carrying nearly dead weight was hard even for natural pegasi it seemed. "Come on! Your freaking name is Fast isn't it!?! GO!"

Blasts of paralyzing and freezing magic were right on her light brown tail, but nothing lethal was allowed with me in her grip apparently. With Summer handling the difficult flying, I used my remaining focus on my weapons, clearing a trail ahead of us with Dance's own 40mm grenade launcher Thump-Thump and the Terrible Shotgun.

Virescent was moving, all her minions were harder to track in my blurry vision, but that big green blob charging after us and smashing ruins out of her way was easy enough. I kept my grim grip on consciousness and focused on flapping, avoiding the surging wave of anger and lust crashing behind us, eyes firmly on Val and Ivy frantically waving us on faster and covering our approach.

"STOP!! YOU MAY NOT DENY ME! THAT MALE IS MINE!!!" The giant alicorn's scream made my head hurt, the only sensation getting through other than a distant tug at my tail in Summer's mouth when we crashed in front of the doors.

Val's dark claws joined her at the scruff of my itchy mane and we were yanked inside, Paladin Dance and the Knight Dervish retreating last as Summer dove for the terminal on this side, slamming the heavy barrier shut ahead of the raging green alicorn outside. Ivy had hurriedly fumbled in her packs and drawn Jade's gamma gun, the blast of radiation helping to get me moving under my own power again.

I glanced back at the all too thin obstacle between us and the storm in my mind outside, giving a hoarse cry to the others. "GO! Keep going! That won't stop her! She'll come right through and..."

Suddenly the raging noise outside died off, the wall gave a warning shake but didn't get blown to fluff ahead of a huge green shield, no big hooves bucked the doors off completely, just total silence...

That... was ominous... At least only Ivy heard it too, everyone else giving a panicked look at the doors behind me and backing away, every scrap of firepower available aimed over my head. Spotting a few red marks moving on E.F.S. further in the building, I flew to her side and waved us on anxiously. "Go! Go! Go! She can anytime she wants! She's got her henchponies to use too, move it!"

"Boss ain't kiddin! Seen one of them fillies like that fuck some shit up with a vengeance and bettin' you've heard of her work, let's get goin' like now! This way!" Val called over from a wispy cloud lock her claws had nonetheless picked, a way past the pile of rubble that was choking what was once a small but graceful lobby.

Putting walls between us really wouldn't do a damn thing if Virescent wanted in badly enough, making me worry more over what she said and what she could do in this state. Delving deeper into the ruined fort at least offered false comfort, the further away from her giddy mental titter of anticipation, the better.

Navigating a few offices of damp and musty smelling clouds and a few corridors led us to a port in the storm, the fort's officer's mess that only had a dozen zombified pegasi, instead of more of the horde of mutant alicorns that had harangued us the whole way here. It looked like a fluffy, dream version of Stable 111's cafeteria, pink and green tiles that would look right at home on the floor providing solid if rotting footing, ratty red leather booths, a filthy steel counter and foggy sneeze guard, like most of this place in the sky, it was familiar but not.

The first thing on my mind once the last zombie went down, was the softest looking booth remaining, sinking to the rotting faux leather that leaked a bit of cloudstuff under my rump with a tired sigh and wincing at my regenerating room. Ivy was right behind me, blasting me with Jade's gamma gun and fretting in her place over the nasty hole in my side, worriedly checking the remaining ammo for the makeshift weapon.

I spotted Val glaring daggers at the pink skin sealing over the gap under the healing influence of the radiation. Her scowl only intensified when Knight Dervish released her helmet with a hiss and tromped over to the booth, novasurge rifles under her wings pointing directly at me while the lilac pegasus hissed to Paladin Dance. "Alright, we got a second to breathe, now do you wanna tell me what the fuck this is sir?! A MALE ALICORN!?! Nopony thought we should..."

Before Steel Dance got the opportunity to answer, Val had her pistol out and aimed at her unprotected head, already prepared to move at the first opportunity and more than willing to pull the trigger by her shaking voice. "Curious bout a couple things myself bitch, yer buddy put that hole in my boss fer tryin' ta help him, those guns don't move away from him right quick, I'll put a hole in you..."

Shut up Virescent... I was amazed she hadn't gotten up to any serious mischief yet, but she was watching and offering her own commentary, tracking where we were and coordinating her drones, even this would be a short break before...

"Fast do not listen to her.." Ivy brought me back to the standoff still playing out in front of me, Paladin Dance was standing as an implacable wall between his remaining troops and the one with the gun to her head, while his brave Scribe fluttered up between me and Dervish, her forelegs thrown wide to act as a shield. This was rapidly falling to shit...

"...was Need to Know, and you didn't Knight." Dance was gruffly giving an order to stand down, one that didn't look like it was being obeyed quite as readily as every other one so far.

"Fuck me with a Thunderhead we didn't!! Sending us into combat with a green was bad enough, but at least those are still the normal mares we know how to deal with! A MALE! A FUCKING MALE SIR!?!? Captain Gale would never..."
(More of those monsters, mutant freaks weren't enough, blending in like fucking synths now...)

"Boss lemme blow this bitch's head off right now, any one of you other fuckers that feels froggy go ahead and leap too! Just give the word!"
(........................)

"...not like the Followers, if it's viable they could be a fucking swarm of locusts and it's need to know!?!"
(Kill him, kill him now, can't let them spread, accident maybe...)

"She killed Goose! Bitch fucking flattened him right in front of me for... can't hardly blame him either! Those monsters killed his whole squad back in Fillydelphia!" (Ponynapping us to turn into those things aren't they... now they succeeded, just like megaspells, can't put the genie back in the bottle if it gets out, maybe we should...)

"She has a point sir, he's one of them... like those mutants isn't he? He'll turn on us, what's to stop him from..."
(All goddess damned mutant abominations, ought'a wipe em all off'a the face of Equestria, finish what the Lightbringer started... will soon enough anyway...)

"Fast would never! Don't you dare say!..."
(Can't believe he'd, how could Goose do that? Fast isn't like that! So sweet and...)

Hiding under my hooves and Ivy's soothing hoof on my back wasn't doing anything, I could feel her telepathic help but she was severely outclassed by Virescent who was giving me an unrequested glimpse to the world of telepaths. I could hear the rattle of chains in my head at each murderous thought, every hateful insult and petty fear, overwhelming even 'Be Kind...' and the other Ministry Mares, a black pod deep in my head giving a warning hiss of 'Be Dark...'

I panted and looked down at my shaking hooves, realizing I had smashed the flimsy table in that outburst of the Shroud's voice. If it weren't for Summer's kind and warm thoughts at the end, I had a good idea I may have just launched myself at Knight Dervish and torn that pretty neck open with the fangs aching in my mouth.

Ivy hugged me with a wing and gave a polite cough to the absolute silence in the mess hall, even Val was caught off guard by me losing it for a second, though a wicked grin was spreading on her beak.

"Ahem! It may interest all of you to know my sister is currently reading all of your minds and broadcasting it, to Fast along with myself. It is hard to find fault in the private thoughts of another, but I'd advise you all to try to be a bit more kind and trust your commander and his Scribe? Only his and Miss Wind's thoughts do not sully your organization, though Summer's are much nicer for more than just adherence to duty and honor." Ivy spoke clearly and like the disappointed teacher she once was, the carefully crafted tone shaming even the hardened Brotherhood ponies and helping to drown out the ranting whines of Virescent.

"Put it down Val. No more attempted murders amongst ourselves alright?" I sighed and tried to get control, immensely grateful to Summer Wind turning red and squeaking in front of me, still blocking me from her fellow Brotherhood troops protectively. At least she didn't want to kill me.

My griffon bodyguard growled but reluctantly obeyed, holstering her sidearm with a huff. "Wasn't gonna be 'attempted' boss..."

Giving a groan at her point, I nodded and took my hat off, fluttering my wings to stand beside Summer and awkwardly curl one around her in a clumsy hug. "I know Val, still trying to avoid it. Thank you Summer, thank you very, very much. Everypony else, take a good look, maybe you were right and you should have been told, but that wasn't my call, though I did agree and see more reason than just my comfort at hiding now. These two trust me, I helped the Brotherhood come here to begin with!

I tried to help Knight Goose and he attacked me, he was hurt and scared, but he did it and we're supposed to be allies. I'm sorry if he was your friend, I'm sorry he's dead, but forgive me if I don't feel super broken up about it with a big fucking hole in my chest healing up at the moment! How about you cut me a little slack and we try to get out of here alive huh?"

Paladin Dance nodded curtly and stomped a heavy, steel clad hoof, glaring at his troops and pushing the wavering Knight Dervish back forcefully. "Exactly! Stick to the mission soldier, I'll have no more insubordination, you can complain to Elder Macson and Captain Gale when we get back, if you do. Any attack, any unchecked weapon pointing in his direction, literally any mean fucking thought right now is like doing it to me, so watch yourselves or I will handle it myself, in the field. Do you take my meaning?"

All of them but Summer gulped and backed off, Knight Dervish still eyeing me warily as she tried to keep going. "You heard them though sir, that giant bitch is in their heads already! What if..."

"The greater danger is you actually, controlling another equal sister... er... brother I suppose, in true unity is no easy feat. Normal ponies like you however? Fast and Valkyrie both can attest to the trouble I could cause all of you right this instant, without the prodigious levels of power at my sister's command right now. She's refraining for the most part and I am protecting all of you, but it is not easy and the more you bicker the harder it gets!" Ivy shut her down before Dance got the chance, her horn glowing dimly but constantly to keep Virescent at bay.

"You all might want to have a little more sympathy for both me and those mutants outside too, they could have been you pretty easily, still could actually..."

That got their attention, several yelling angrily at an implied threat that I wasn't making, Dance drove it home for them though, he had been briefed well above their clearances. "He's right, if you two Knights need me to explain the honeypot that green set out, or the fact they were trying to capture us alive, you're not worth the armor you're wearing. Considering today seems to be the day my formerly sharp squad decided to let all the stupid hang out, let me run it down for you just in case.

These mutants are products of the Institute, experiments that resulted in my friend and ally Fast Times' condition, I knew him before he became like this and he is still essentially the same pony, unlike them. Those experiments work best on subjects as free from long term radiation as possible, that means Steel Rangers in their bunkers and former Enclave in the skies are high priority targets. Targets they want alive, want to experiment on, and with only one exception all end up like those poor souls outside.

It's a good bet Recon Squad Rapier was fed to their grinder, if you want to join them just keep acting like you are. Otherwise start acting like Brotherhood soldiers I can be proud of and get your shit together! We can't waste this time bickering, we need a plan and I'm open to any suggestions."

A sullen silence fell for a minute, all of them thinking and trying to live up to their inspiring commander, but coming up as empty as I felt. Knight Barrel, the tan buck in the armor that matched Dance's, finally reticently spoke up with a hoof raised. "Umm... n-not to offend ma'am, but if ya'lls sister could get all great big like that, can you maybe? Ya'll got that rad gun, maybe fight on even terms?"

Ivy gave a demure blush and smoothed out her repaired dress, shaking her head slowly. "I'm sorry Knight, Fast's makeshift contraption is very useful, but it would take hundreds of shots to match Virescent, more ammo by far than we have, as well as far too much time, she would know and move to prevent that. She must be sitting on a significant source of radiation somewhere on this base to achieve that effect. A lair to direct her mutants from, spread her influence as far as possible and coordinate them. Goddesses forbid I have an ass approaching her size anyway."

Summer looked confused, pulling out a sleek, advanced portable terminal of Enclave design and tapping rapidly away at it on the floor, scanning over the green display of prewar blueprints for Fort Loyalty. "That doesn't make sense though, where would she find something like that here? The reactor is waaaaay down here, shielded and hardened, she's too big to get near it. If it takes that much radiation to get like that, and she was crawling up the mooring tower from below... Resupply storage, where we were going anyway, that's the only room at the bottom that could possibly fit a filly that size, but there shouldn't be anything down there that..."

"Who knows Scribe, she could have had those creatures haul things up here for her to utilize, it just has to be radiation right? We'll find out when we get there, that is still our objective..." Paladin Dance cut her off and gently closed her fancy terminal, Virescent giggled in my head and gave me more though. (Need to Know. More reason to keep it out of anypony else's hooves, especially hers...)

Ivy shrugged sheepishly to me as a burst of high speed unity went over my head, the wailing moan that shook the island under my hooves gave me a good idea what she had sent though. The others all looked around fearfully at what they took as the bellow of some great and terrible beast hiding somewhere in the depths of Fort Loyalty, thankfully spared from getting that surge of lust and need that came with it mentally that made me blush and whimper.

(IVY! Did you have to...)

I got the impression Ivy was needling her sister intentionally, fluctuating between insulted ranting and that overwhelming need to mate was messing with her concentration. Swan was practiced at being that powerful, Virescent wasn't and was barely above being a creature driven by nothing but her basest urges, confronted by the constant itch of a male alicorn just out of her reach driving her crazy. Though technically I really wasn't out of her grasp, I still couldn't quite figure her behavior there, she was being almost nice... for her anyway.

I wasn't the only one to notice either, Medic Poultice hadn't had such a terrible reaction to me as his pegasi comrades, speaking up fearfully at the rumbles still shaking underhoof. "S-So we take her out, the rest stop following her orders? If she's so strong though, how come she didn't just come after us? Why doesn't she use her mental hoodoo and make us just walk right out if she wants, why's she toying with us?"

Virescent's husky mental voice kept tempting and cajoling, a mellow undercurrent made me think she might have just gotten a bit of vicarious relief because of Ivy's little trick that was making her sleepy and calmer, but only served to do the opposite for me. "Nnngh! Sorry... Because she's messing with me, wants me to go willingly to her. She's trying to prove normal ponies and her kind... o-our kind I guess... don't mix. That you'll hate me, betray me, try to hurt me, much as I hate it she hasn't been that far off..."

It was Summer Wind who helped me not fall into despair over the realization Virescent kept trying to highlight, I had never really experienced hatred just because of what I was. Pegasi did though, she had liked me from the start because I didn't think that way when we met, but explained many wasteland ponies hated all pegasi on general principles after they closed off the sky for 200 years. The little yellow pegasus mare had her own hangups about alicorns before, but had grown a lot and adjusted her opinion, been a true friend even after I wound up like this.

Now she stamped her hooves and flared her wings, shaking her head in negation and grabbing me in a tight hug. She glared at her fellow Brotherhood ponies cheek to cheek with me, unknowingly putting herself at risk with all of Virescent's desire bubbling into my brain making my wings spring up. Though it did get a reluctant, blushing snicker from her fellow pegasus Knight Dervish. "That's not true! Paladin Dance is right all of you, I know Fast, I knew him before they did this to him! He's a good pony, just like you all are!

I didn't like alicorns either, but are all us former Enclave bad just because of what we did in the past? Are the Steel Rangers? The ponies of the wasteland? Just because of a few raiders we believed all of them were bad, we can't be like that again! N-Now quit being so stupid all of you! You're not going anywhere Fast, we mix just fine, so show off a little of that magic like when we met at Watt's and let's figure a way out of this! Together!"

Despite the wry chuckles from her comrades, I hugged the petite filly back, perhaps a bit too hard by her wheeze, but it was difficult to keep unfamiliar earth pony strength in check under the rush of gratitude. Virescent wasn't offering up the Brotherhood's thoughts in response to that, meaning they were not supporting her argument, Summer got through to them, for now at least.

I kept right on nuzzling against her, trying to wipe away the tears that wanted to form into her silky mane. Whispering in her perked up ears as she sputtered under the affection, "Thank you, thank you, thank you..." I wished I could share the telepathy Virescent's field of unity was spreading throughout the island, just to let her know more than mere words could how glad I was she didn't think I was a monster too, that she'd stand up for me against her own.

That thought seemed to give Virescent a new line of attack though, a frightening thought she felt was a perfectly acceptable compromise.

"Shit.... we need to get moving again, now. She's..."

She could have broadcast that telepathically to all of them, she shouted in a booming goddess voice from somewhere below totally for effect, dark giggling drifting up in my mind as the Brotherhood squad gulped and peered around in fear.

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

Arcane Physicist--------------
---You've learned the arcane secrets of radiation and balefire.... and to command them. As well as gaining access to new arcano-tech recipes at a sufficient workbench or lab, radiation weapons now do 50% more damage / healing and any radiation producing arcano-fusion power supply can be convinced to be 25% more efficient under your expert care.