"Woooooo! Daddy, lookit how pretty it is!!" Glitter's excited squeal from my back snapped me out of the dull, steady flight over the fiery Flutterforest and my thoughts.

Blinking up and actually noticing where we were, my tired wings were relieved to see the glowing yellow dome of the Ministry of Peace hub ahead. Taking a look through the opaque barrier let me see what had captured my daughter's delighted attention, the pale willow inside was glowing...

It was really rather spectacular, when we first reached the hub, it was pale and greying, slowly dying of thirst and rot. Now the crystalline white bark was a dim torch in the early evening twilight, the long fronds sparkled with rainbow light, matching the ribbon we had followed through the forest, all the way from where it fell from Rainbow Brook. Restoring the clockwork arcano-tech that supplied the liquid rainbow in the cloud town looked to have done the hub a world of good.

Our own breezie companion fluttered up on her bright blue wings, flitting around us as we glided down to the hub's entrance at the edges of the dead town of Willowville. "Is just like pictures und old stories say! Yu fix Great Tree Fast Shroud! Yu fix!!"

Sputtering at the tiny mare hugging my face and covering my muzzle with minuscule little kisses, I nodded and smacked her whole face back. Hugging a breezie just wasn't very practical without scaring and / or crushing them, so we had settled on puckered lips or a friendly tongue to the face to express affection during our travels. It left her covered in pony slobbers, but not frightened by a 'beeg pony' being too friendly at least. It also let me sneak little licks of nectar from her thin fur, which was always a pleasant little reward for being affectionate, especially with how rotten I still felt.

"It sure looks a lot better anyway Gale, I'm not sure I'd say 'fixed' yet though. Still a lot of breezidores to deal with and stuff to do, but it's a good start."

The beaming breezie in the yellow and pink MoP nurse's outfit waved off my hedging with a snort, fluttering excitedly towards the shield ahead of us. "Pssh! Is fixed! More fixed anyhoo! Yu is great beeg pony dat help breezies, just like Grandpa Moby! I go tell uthers und dey be so happy!"

Spring Gale zipped off before I had a chance to object, diving right at the glowing shield surrounding the hub and simply passing right through the crackling barrier to my surprise. Val and I both pulled up short, but Swan kept right on following the breezie, slamming into the shield and flapping back in confusion, rubbing her snout and grumbling.

"Ow! Stupid thing! How come it let the tiny pony in, but not me!" Swan shook the stars from her eyes and glared at Gale's retreating speck heading for the hub, drifting down with the rest of us to the large, stump shaped entrance below.

"Er... because she lives here I guess? Bypass spell? I read a little about that with Jade in that book of the Lightbringer, and my teacher in Diamond City talked about it once. Guess it lets breezies in or out as they want. C'mon Swan, we gotta go in the front door, hoping she doesn't tell too many of them before we catch up..."

Landing at the big pink double doors carved into the bark of the giant stump, a quick hoofshake with the terminal outside let us in. I paused before entering the dusty waiting room inside, looking back to the ruins of Willowville while Glitter hopped down and not liking that low buzz. The breezidores were worked up... mostly by the winding river of rainbow making its way through the town as it descended into the valley.

Val didn't have my hearing, but she noticed too, giving a hard stare that direction before shrugging it off, smacking Swan's large flank as she ducked her horn under the doorframe. "Wassa matter boss? Bet they'll throw a big party when they find out yer related to their nutjob hero, maybe gimme some more nectar booze!"

"Yeah daddy! You should be proud of great grandpa helpin' the breezies! They'll wanna know, even if he did other bad stuff, he did good stuff too!" Glitter pranced in beside me, bumping against me to cheer me up concerning Grandpa Fin... Mobius...

"I'd rather not make a big deal of it until I know why Grandpa did what he did, or let many people know. Not everypony would be so happy to find out I'm related to the Institute sweetie. The Brotherhood are here too still, and more are coming. I reeeeally don't want them to find out..."

Considering our mixed dealings with the Brotherhood of Friendship, neither of them had an answer for that, Glitter giving a little gulp as she mulled it over and I approached the red eyed terminal at the opposite door. The hub maneframe was watching, a wide scanning laser flickered out and ran up and down Swan's tall form, making her blink and whinny when it neared the ceiling and her curious eyes.

SEVERE RADIATION POISONING DETECTED! UNKNOWN PATIENT 50% LARGER THAN EXPECTED! YOU DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING ABOUT BRINGING HUGE ALICORN SUBJECTS HERE REPAIR PONY! REEVALUATING PROPOSAL...

"Don't give me that dammit... I'm not in the mood. Just open the door, no fancy teleporting this time either ok? She's not sick, and she's not 'huge', at least not compared to normal... Look, this one is a special case, Swan likes being big, she's careful and gentle, don't worry about it and let me in." I grumbled at the flashing text on the screen by the door, waiting patiently for the neurotic computer to get over Swan and let us back in.

Again that scanning beam came out and passed over me this time, a much shorter trip for it to take in all my aches and pains, then moving on to Glitter and Val. I'd swear that damn machine was gloating when it cheerily reported on my health too.

POORLY MENDED BONE FRACTURES DETECTED, SIGNS OF RECENT TRAUMA AND INTERNAL BLEEDING, BLOOD LOSS, CONTUSIONS, BULLET WOUNDS... PEDIATRIC PATIENT SUFFERED HEAD TRAUMA AND MINOR EXPOSURE... ISSUING FULL DIAGNOSTIC REPORT TO CURRENT HEAD PHYSICIAN PRINCESS JADE AND ADMITTING FOR TREATMENT... ARE YOU SURE YOU DON'T WANT ME TO TELEPORT YOU? I COULD REMOVE THAT EXCESS LEAD...

"Oh you bastard... nice to see you again too. You're fucking chipper aren't you? Head Physician huh? Glad you seem to be more on board anyway, no teleporting though, just open up."

OPERATING AT 97% POWER, REMEDIATION EFFORTS UNDERWAY, RESTORATION OF HUB PROCEEDING AHEAD OF SCHEDULE. YES I FEEL QUITE GOOD, THANK YOU REPAIR PONY. YOU HAVE OTHER TASKS TO COMPLETE HOWEVER, MUTANT BREEZIDORE POPULATION IS PRESENTING A PROBLEM, PLEASE STAND BY FOR ENTRY...

I wanted to pull my mane out waiting on the stupid machine, I really disliked this maneframe... It was smart, but it had an awful personality imprinted on it from a real pony, a real jerk of a pony too... A plain old, logical computer wouldn't take quite so much pleasure from tattling on me to Jade, I was already in well deserved trouble anyway for losing control. Glitter telling her how I nearly got stomped by a synth killing machine too would be bad enough, without having a full medical report to go with the story.

More than ten minutes passed and Swan snorted in frustration, leaning down to glare right in the glowing red eye above the terminal and puffing clouds out of her flared nostrils at it. "Can I kick the door down yet? I'm bored waiting, I want in now. I want to play. It's keeping me from it. Tell this thing to open... Right. Now."

PLEASE STAND BY! ESCORT ARRIVING! MOP GROUNDS ARE CURRENTLY DANGEROUS!

Wow... Swan even scared the maneframe... Reaching up to stroke her long side calmed her impatient glare and the overgrown alicorn whinnied happily, buying the hub another minute at best. Luckily it only took half that, the large doors opened with a heavy click and swung out to the green grounds beyond, the shield distorted around the entrance to allow passage.

The reason for the delay probably had something to do with the choking cloud that came roiling in, puffs of fluffy white gas that overwhelmed heightened alicorn senses, making Swan and myself start sneezing, while Glitter and Val merely huffed and gasped a moment.

The heavy hoofsteps resolving out of the mist put Swan on guard and I had to hold a hoof up to keep her from attacking the Steel Ranger tromping forward, his amplified voice apologetically booming from his red trimmed helmet. "Hey there! Welcome back! Sorry! Caught me on the other side of the hub exterminatin'! Took a minute to reload with the latest batch, little bastards are really riled up! Doctor said you two should wear a rag or somethin' if it gets to you, ought'a be fine though! C'mon, let's get back inside!"

"Achoo! Knight Grinder? Whaa... aaahhh... Ah-choo! W-What's going on? Is everything o... ooooo.... Ah-choo! Ok?! What is this stuff?"

The Steel Ranger set a brisk pace, trotting up the weedy stone path leading to the hub and nodding out to the grounds beyond the cloud of white covering it. "Breezidore repellent! They've been pissed since that rainbow water reached the hub. Tree looks tons better, but they don't like it at all! Good thing the Princess and the rest have been makin' progress huh? Most of these are from the ward I was just clearin'! They'll head out ta town with the rest eventually!"

Buzzing angrily outside the cloud of sweet smelling mist, there were quite a few breezidores hacking, coughing and flitting away from our path. Jade, Zed and Scribe Blossom found something that worked apparently... I could do without being susceptible to it too though, and Swan's mighty sneeze behind me nearly blew my hat off, forcing me to hold a hoof up to pin it and hurry towards the waiting great doors.

"Bluh... Why doeb id smell so funny? Achoo! Neber smell stuff like dis before..." Swan honked and sniffled miserably, flapping her wide wings to blow some of the cloud back.

Glitter giggled at the two of us wiping our muzzles and sneezing, sniffing delicately at the fog and smiling. "I think it smells kinda nice daddy! Is it really that bad?"

"Achoo! N-Not bad really. Actually... it sorta smells like flowers? I went... Achoo! w-went to a flower shop once with dad for Hearts and Hooves day to... tooooo Achoo! get flowers for mom, this is like that... only times a million!"

Knight Grinder nodded and tugged the doors open, letting us escape to the clearer air of the hub interior as he replied. "Yeah, they got the idea from that weird flower garden in Willowville, the minotaurs said breezidores never went there right? They don't like the flowers, weird huh? This batch is the best so far! Hey fellas, bringin' em in!"

Rubbing my bloodshot eyes, I looked to the swarm of Securi-Tribe breezies greeting the Brotherhood Knight. It sounded like they were on friendlier terms with each other now anyway, the entry area of the MoP hub was 'Hub-Sec Village', the home of the security minded tribe that instantly started chattering and zipping around Swan warily. An outsider had to be thoroughly vetted by the defenders of the Breezie Nation apparently.

Considering Swan carried no weapons, they didn't have much to object over except for how tall she was. They got used to Jade and Ivy, meeting a third alicorn who was half again as big as the previous two looked to be causing a stir. Of course Swan didn't help things by sending a flock of them tumbling back from another great sneeze, the annoyed looking silver and pink maned breezie mare fluttering back to my face chittered angrily in accented pony, wiping alicorn snot from herself in a huff.

"Iz uther beeg-beeg pony yu talk aboot Fast Shroud? Vhy is so beeg?! No like Princess und Ivy ponies! Uthers yu vant bring even beeger!? Haf tu tell Queen Ether! Iz no vhat ve agree tu!" The breezie in the tiny security barding glared up over my head at Swan's sniffles, backing away to the round security desk when her big head swung down over my shoulder.

"There are a lot of these tiny ponies here... just like niece Glitter said. Hello tiny breezie pony, I'm Swan, I'm not that big right now, I feel better about it somehow though... Oooh, you have tiny buildings too!" Swan's long pink mane fell in a curtain around me as she stretched her neck and sniffed at the variety of sturdy looking breezie buildings cluttering the security desk, a wide smile stretching her muzzle as she held a hoof up to a little mushroom shaped guard house she could easily crush.

Having the big filly stretching her way over me, I had to nod my head back into her chest to get her attention, her wide blue-violet eyes far too entertained peering upside down at me overhead. "E-Easy Swan, you're freaking them out..."

Knight Grinder's helmet released with a hiss and the sweaty stallion chortled to the anxious breezie, shaking his head and goggling up at Swan. "It's ok Gate Keeper, I've seen this one before. She's right, she was waaaaaay bigger in Goodneighbor, but she was a friendly one."

Glitter helped soothe their remaining concern, hopping up and down and nodding happily. "Aunt Swan's special! That's all! She's bein' nice an' tryin' to fit in Miss. Keeper, normally she's lots taller! It's ok, trust me!"

That calmed some of the excited fluttering in the wide foyer anyway, Securi-Tribe breezies lowered their little spears and other assorted weaponry, drifting down to land on a wall of flickering monitors behind the desk and the round fountain in the center of the room festooned with more of their buildings. Several landed at a counter to the side as well, a dirty glass wall showing the regular pony security room. A flicker of movement that way caught my eye as a gold and ruby robot detached from a buzzing charging station by a cluttered workbench, zipping out and clamping to my pip-buck with a chattering hoofshake.

REMOTE CONNECTION ESTABLISHED... WELCOME BACK REPAIR PONY. PLEASE STAND BY FOR ADMITTANCE BY HEAD PHYSICIAN IN 5...4...3...2...

The smug text blinking in my vision from the cybreezie interfacing with my pip-buck was quickly forgotten, the thing had its timing down alright... The wide doors leading to the rest of the hub burst open and a very agitated and worried looking blue Princess stood panting in the doorway, her cool blue eyes finding me and Glitter.

"I really dislike you... you know that?" I hissed down to my foreleg, looking up to my beautiful wife and scratching my mane sheepishly with a crooked grin. "Er... Hi hon! R-Really glad to see you again, we were just..."

The rest of my stammering greeting was cut off my a ton of alicorn launching herself across the room like a rocket. With her forelegs extended to scoop up Glitter on the way to slamming into me, I could see the gleam of another cybreezie attached to her own pip-buck. That tattling freaking maneframe...

"FAST! What happened to the two of you!? Glitter dear, let me see your poor head! And you... I do not even know where to begin! How did you become so injured in such a short time Fast!? Were you not watching him Valkyrie!?" Jade fussed and smooshed Glitter and myself to her chest, whickering anxiously as her horn lit up and her pale blue magic washed over us.

I felt kinda bad for Val, of course Jade didn't know one of her sisters had already called her bodyguarding into question, but it had to hurt her pride... Her fiery plumage puffed up as she squawked under Jade's stare, grumbling and pointing a dark claw at me. "Hey! Not my fault! Jackass boss went runnin' off after some synth bad ass, me an the kid already been bitchin' at him Blue!"

"Yeah mom, he was really dumb and Aunt Swan had'ta save him! It's not Auntie Val's fault, she was awesome and protected me in that raider game place, plus she stopped daddy from goin' all crazy and being bad cause I got hurt! Umm... j-just a little... I was fine though, and I helped and... umm... n-nevermind..." Glitter leapt to the griffon's defense, joining her in throwing me under the bus cheerily. Right up until she mentioned her own injuries and got that horrified stare turned on her too anyway.

While Jade's perfect lips formed flabbergasted noises at that, Swan just made things worse... Blinking down at her sister and nodding happily. "Hi sister! It wasn't so bad, we had fun! We killed lots of bad Gunners and Fast broke a tank thing, our sisters nearly caught him though! Then we killed lots of raiders that deserved it, I even fought a ghost! I gave the really bad raider to Fast to hurt like he wanted, but he felt bad about it... Then I got to smash the toughest robot pony I've ever fought though! It beat Fast up lots, but I got it!"

"Oooooo.... ehehehe... T-Thanks for that, all of you..." I winced and shuffled uncomfortably as Jade wheeled on me, weakly patting Swan's beaming cheek as she waited for praise.

My princess was not amused... releasing Glitter to go prancing off as she leaned down muzzle to muzzle with me, her eyelid twitching with annoyance as her deep blue eyes bored into mine trying to hide under the brim of my hat. "Is that so Fast?... I wish to hear everything, in detail... You will tell me, the truth about each wound as I heal them. Come along Glitter dear, you will make sure your father does not leave anything out."

"Yes mommy..." Glitter trotted right to her mother's side with her ears laid back, a look of cautious relief that most of the heat was on me on her face. She got to walk anyway, I got floated up and right out of the room as Jade stuck her nose up, grumbling her displeasure on our way out.

Getting dragged behind her, I got to see Swan whinny and come galloping after excitedly, still seeing nothing wrong and fixated on what she wanted. "Hey, wait sister! Can we play now!?"

After a medical exam that ended up feeling a lot more like an interrogation, right down to sweating under hot, bright lights above a recently cleaned exam table, Jade had wrung pretty much all of our misadventures out of us. Of course Glitter and Val both being more than willing to blame me didn't help things, let alone Swan's naivete and single minded focus on mating.

I thought mom was good at laying down a nice long guilt trip, Jade managed to beat her out easily, without resorting to nearly as much pain even. Though I did swear she was being a little less than delicate mending my wounds in particular, which for the gentle alicorn was the equivalent of one of mom's headlocks.

With my three companions telling her every stupid mistake in excruciating detail, I tried to highlight the positives and dig myself out of trouble a little bit. Yes I fought a tank, but we had to help Cocoa and the ponies of Jamocha Plains. We may have gotten suckered by a raider actress employing a nasty trick, but we couldn't ignore her cries for help and we did rescue their prisoners. Admittedly I lost my head at the mention of Grandpa and nearly paid dearly for overestimating myself versus the Courser, but we saved that synth it was after and I learned a couple things...

All in all, I felt pretty grateful to only have to do a little groveling and feel my Princess' silent disappointment breaking me down. Pronouncing us all healthy enough, she wrinkled her nose at my armor and took it along with Glitter, Val and Swan to the staff showers with the promise of hot water. While I wasn't invited to join them, despite Swan's eager interest in just that, Jade did point the way the stallion's stalls with a rather cool look.

I was pretty sure she wasn't done with me by any means, but generally the longer Jade took to think on something, the more collected and reasoned her response. She was upset, so she wasn't going to fly off the handle. Unlike me, who lost all sense in the moment, nearly tortured a pony to death and ran off to face down the worst synth the Institute built because I wanted answers...

Once I slunk out of the exam room after them, I was faced with an encounter that just made me feel worse. Queen Ether, Spring Gale and a veritable flock of breezies were waiting outside, all wide, sparkling eyes and big grins... Hushing their excited chattering as I blanched, the tiny Queen coughed and did a graceful, fluttering bow. "Shroud Fast pony! Gale tells us you is grandson of Great Moby pony! Is true?!"

Gulping and looking around frantically, I held a hoof up to my muzzle in a hushing gesture with a wince. "Er... y-yeah, looks that way your highness. Umm... i-if we could keep that quiet though, I'd really appreciate it..."

Feeling the throng of butterfly wings flitting around me in a cheering crowd brought back that weird sense of deja vu again, more memories I couldn't really access... all because of Grandpa Fin for some reason. Most of the breezies were just elated and chattered excitedly in their lyrical language, while the Queen tilted her head curiously.

"Quiet? Vhy keep quiet? Moby pony is beeg hero to breezies! No vunder you help Breezie Nation too, my people vant celebrate and thank Moby family. You even beeger hero now we know, should be proud!" Ether herself seemed almost as giddy as her subjects, shaking off a little of her obvious glee to return to her regal comportment.

How to even answer that? Despite anything else he may have done, Grandpa saved these breezies, cared about them and was a part of their mythology, right up there with Holy Fluttershy and Princess Celestia. If I met an ancestor of one of the Goddesses, I'd probably geek out a little too...

"Because, er... because of the Brotherhood. Not that I think Knight Grinder or Scribe Blossom are bad, but they'd have to report something like that to their leaders. This is hard to explain, but... Grandpa Moby would be something they were as interested in as this Hub. I've told you they have a tendency to get pushy about certain old world stuff right? They're already kinda mad at me, I don't want things to get more complicated..."

Playing to their distrust of the military group got through at least, a little self serving since I didn't want them to hold anything more against the Brotherhood, but it was the easiest explanation. Plus it didn't get into pesky details like why the Brotherhood would be so interested in a pony they held in such high esteem, which might sully their belief in him. I tried not to point out their Great Tree deity was just a maneframe for the same reason, just because I didn't share their faith, didn't mean I wanted to take it away from them.

Considering I was pretty sure the Queen at least was well aware of the nature of the obnoxious maneframe in charge here, I hoped she got the subtext by her soft smile, nodding patiently and chattering at her subjects commandingly. "No tell Brotherhood ponies then. But breezies still vant thank Moby's grandson, we have good food and keep quiet while soldiers around, but Fast Shroud honored guest."

Retreating from the Queen's low bow and her enchanted followers, I flushed and hid in the showers for privacy. With the door shut, I thunked my head into the sliding portal and sighed wearily. "Yeah... big hero Grandpa Mobius, the mad scientist..."

"The misdeeds of family can be a heavy burden, can't they Fast?" Zed's deep voice echoed off the tiled walls behind me and sent my heart into my throat, along with my head to the ceiling in one panicked flap.

"Z-Zed! Stop sneaking up on me like that!!"

I slid back down the wall, holding a hoof to my pounding chest and glaring at the smirking zebra. He was wearing pretty filthy yellow coveralls he must have found in the hub somewhere, shrugging out of the work clothes and trotting to the open showers with a chuckle. "I didn't sneak up on you, I was here already. Perhaps you should take a better look around before talking to yourself. Your mare and the batpony told me what you discovered while you were away already though, just be glad I'm not Knight Grinder, he's taken to enjoying the shower after his work in the infested areas."

"Y-Yeah... that would'a been just great. Er... don't mind if I join you?"

Zed shrugged, turning on the steamy water and creating a ribbon of mud at his hooves as I fidgeted my way in after him. "Why would I? Ah... more of your old world morality and modesty? Even before the war, zebras were renowned for their public bath houses Fast. They even built a wonderful example in the shadow of Canterlot from what I've heard, and there's a rather nice ruin near Neighlem."

Cultural differences between ponies and zebras when it came to public bathing aside, I much preferred being on the mare's side with Jade... Shower time with pretty fillies was a lot nicer than burly zebras that made me feel puny and inadequate, the water soaking his striped fur just made all those muscles stand out with greater definition, while I ended up looking like an underfed wet cat...

"Oh... that's neat I guess, er... thanks. We had them in the Stable you know, I just avoided them. Soooo... what have you been up to Zed? Things go ok here while we were gone? Jade didn't say much..."

"Actually fairly well, even with keeping an eye on our Brotherhood guests. I've talked quite a bit with the breezies about my kind in the Commonwealth sharing what we know with them, they're an interesting folk. Working with the Flora-Tribe collecting specimens for the repellent has been enjoyable, but it's dirty work. A true alchemist like Grandfather Zin or Arx in Diamond City could do many things here, some of them are interested in seeing who Grandfather sends to Summerset Plantation." Zed rose to my awkward attempt at small talk, being fairly chatty for the normally quiet zebra while I soaked.

The hub must have been telling the truth about restoring itself since the rainbow supply came back, a benefit to a living building like the Ministry of Peace favored I guessed, it could heal itself instead of relying entirely on a repair-pony. Even though coming back to hot water I didn't have to fix was nice, I was a little glad they hadn't caught on everywhere, it would have put me out of a job if everypony lived in tree houses.

Of course if everypony lived in experimental living buildings that could power themselves with water and self repair, maybe the world wouldn't have wound up as it had from a war over resources... I supposed that would be worth finding a different line of work.

Talking about his own Grandfather, the wise Elder Zin back in Hexington, just brought me back to my own current obsession. Probably Zed's subtle way of trying to reach out, neither of us were great socially, but he was making more of an effort than when we met. I should too I guessed...

"Grandfathers... Umm... so what do you think Zed? Since you know and all? Would being related to the evil Institute explain why you think darkness follows me?"

The long silence that followed finally made me turn to look back to the zebra, worried for a minute by the hard grey gaze waiting on me. Right as I was about to just say nevermind and hide under the pretense of lathering my mane, he gave a low sigh and answered though. "It's possible Fast. The sins of your ancestors can leave a stain that is difficult to lift. My own family continues to pay for the mistakes of one of mine from hundreds of years before even the great war."

"Oh? You actually feel like sharing a little? Don't tell me you missed me or something? This have anything to do with that mirror thing your brother took Zed?"

Getting any kind of information out of Zed was a nice distraction from my own thoughts, he still seemed reluctant, but chuckled at my joke and continued just loud enough to be heard over the water. "Well, things are quiet when you're away, I've grown accustomed to a certain degree of chaos it seems. And I did say I'd tell you... it seems relevant now. Perhaps sharing my story will help you with yours."

"You gotta shaaare! You gotta caaaare! Ehehe er... nevermind... g-go ahead..." I croaked an ancient snatch of song in a poor joke, flinching under Zed's unimpressed stare and waving him on.

Raising a sardonic eyebrow at my lame kidding, Zed finally sighed and continued somberly. "Long ago, a distant relation of mine came into possession of a certain Black Book of necromancy and was corrupted by it Fast."

"Black book... you mean the one that..."

"Yes, the very tome responsible for your soul jar statues. That book has a long and sordid history, my ancestor is just one chapter of its travels, but she did great evil with it. Because of my family, the village of Neighlem suffered, the land was cursed and many dark artifacts were created and spread throughout the world, the mirror I seek was just one of them. My family dedicated themselves to taking responsibility for those evils, so I can sympathize with your discovery. Even though I'm not the one who did those deeds, I carry the burden of them and feel shame over my ancestor's actions." Zed finished as he turned the spigot on his side with a squeal and shook himself, leaving me blinking at his admission.

Closing my eyes and leaning back to rinse the suds from my mane, I let it sink in for a minute and thought. Shame... I did feel that... and I had thought recently that I owed a kind of atonement for how messed up the Commonwealth was because of the Institute. I just hated them for taking my Stable before, but learning my own family was one of them, had helped make things the way they were... It did give me another reason to want to make things better where I could, to pay for his crimes and try to erase the evils he was a part of.

"Umm... thanks Zed, that helps. I kinda get where you're coming from now, being so focused on doing that stuff because of your ancestor. But I don't think you're evil because of what they did, so I guess I shouldn't think I am either. Easier to see that when it's someone else, so thanks for telling me. You know, I..."

Any further thoughts on the subject were blown out of my head by opening my eyes and finding myself nose to beak with Val, the fiery griffon grinning under the same spray of water I had been enjoying and very nude... Yelping and skittering back in surprise didn't get me very far either, one dark claw shot out and caught me by the tail, dragging me back across the slippery tiles to her amused clucking.

"Val! Ack! L-Leggo! What are you doing in here! I thought you went with Jade and the others to..."

Yanked back under the shower, Val tugged my wings out with minimal effort as they had already stood up on finding a pretty griffon in my personal space. Her dexterous claws immediately went to preening and picking at them as she huffed in reply. "Bleh, Blue and the kid wanna be all girly with big stuff, got outta there before they got up ta doin' makeup or givin' each other hooficures er somethin'. Don't worry, I gots permission, you still don't know how ta clean these things right accordin' to her, an' I'm still miffed at you boss, so I gets ta be in charge of punishment!"

"W-What? Why!?"

"Because, I cain't be a good bodyguard if ya keep friggin runnin' off like ya did out there dammit! Blue's still ticked too, an' since she's such a big softy I told her I'd handle makin' ya learn better. Yer gonna work off bein' a dumbass, startin' with polishin' my claws! An' no fun stuff, 'posed ta be proper punishin'!" Val moved to my other wing and stomped a feline paw down on my tail to keep me from struggling away, enjoying me turning red and trying to flee.

"C-Can't I do that like... not in the shower!? T-This isn't funny Val! I'm still all charged up, a-and you're really pretty... Like... the strongest, sexiest griffon bodyguard in the Commonwealth even... and wet... and warm... and..." My traitorous body started taking over, no longer trying to escape and now leaning after my captor with a goofy leer, even while I struggled for control.

With an affectionate nip to the cheek and a smirk, Val simply grabbed my face with one dark claw and shoved me back, flicking her tail as she murmured and stuck her beak up. "Noooope! Blue says ta make it torture, says ya need a reminder on self control so I get ta tease ya as much as I want! You behave boss, if'n yer really good, maaaaaybe I'll let ya get started with tha whole kissin' my scars thing! Hmm... ya can have this one right here when yer done, but ya gotta work fer it! You needs more flight trainin' too, consider it wet weather simulatin'! Now, up! Get ta work shorty!"

The jagged line of scar tissue on her shoulder she pointed out was nowhere near reward enough... Plus she kept a tight hold of my tail as I obediently fluttered up awkwardly and took the scrub brush she shoved in my face with a red faced pout. "T-This isn't fair Val..."

An momentary pained look crossed her face as Val answered, her bawdy, playful voice cracking with real emotion. "Neither's runnin' off and nearly gettin' killed boss. I don't care 'bout yer grandad bein' some Institute mucky muck, or you gettin' all pissed off and goin' nutty, or 'bout you gettin' too big for yer britches since ya got them wings neither. I'm the bodyguard, yer the boss, my job's protectin' yer dumb ass, so lemme do it already. Right? Y-Ya worry me sometimes boss..."

Slapping myself to banish both the warring modesty and randiness from my voice, I winced and managed to answer in a contrite tone to my loyal mercenary friend. Being so careless where my safety was concerned versus that of others had been hurting her, making her feel like she was failing in her duties... surely not helped by both Tigerlilly and Jade questioning her skills recently.

"S-Sorry Val, I will. I really do mean what I said too, you are the best merc in the Commonwealth, I'm lucky to have you as a friend. I promise I'll try to rely on you more instead of trying to do it myself and losing my head, ok?"

Her eyes remained closed and turned up for a long minute, but one merry violet orb finally cracked open and looked down, her face bursting into a wide grin as she yanked my tail to drag me into a noogie giving headlock. "Better, not diggin' yerself outta trouble by bein' all mushy with me though boss, get ta work!"

"Zed! Help!" I yelped at the zebra rolling his eyes and trotting out to the rusty old locker area, met with no help to be found.

Toweling off his spiky, striped mane, Zed snorted and dug his armor and leather jacket from one of the pink and yellow lockers, sounding thoroughly amused. "It seems you have enough things to atone for yourself already Fast, let alone worrying about doing so for other's mistakes. Enjoy your penance."

So much for thinking Zed was being friendlier than normal... the traitor zebra trotted out and left me at Val's mercy, whistling a cheery tune to cover the griffon's cackling...

Only after suffering enough torment as Val's shower slave, punishment combining Jade's self control lessons and Val's own twisted flight training... was I eventually released to go service all of her weapons and armor. Helping scrub down, file and polish claws, and preen a sexy griffon wasn't nearly as fun when forced to do so hovering upside down on wet wings and forbidden from going too far, all while still retaining a healthy dose of radiation that made me annoyingly frisky.

Given the busy preparations in the breezie capital of Willowheart, I was actually a little relieved to have maintenance to tend to, trying to unobtrusively slip through the miniature city and ignore the interested stares of hundreds of breezies. I caught sight of Jade, Glitter and Witchy all trying to keep Swan under control with minimal success. The taller than average purple alicorn was delighted stomping around a tiny breezie city, even at the biggest I had ever seen her, she didn't loom over the skyscrapers of Trotson like she did here.

Swan was kept from charging right after me though, probably a good thing with how gorgeous she looked properly groomed and in a freshly cleaned alicorn angel outfit. Jade refused to allow her to chase me down though, sticking her nose up and still trying to give me a disappointed look as she huffed. "Neither of you deserves to be rewarded for your foolish behavior sister, you will exercise patience and not be rude to our hosts, while I believe Fast still has work to attend do, don't you dear?"

"R-Right Jade... I'll just go find somewhere out of the way to er... hide..." I backed away quickly, wincing as I reached the edge of the huge chamber and spotting several breezie artists busily working at their history mural.

They were adding new images... ones showing the MoP hub as it looked now, with a ribbon of rainbow leading away to a stylized Rainbow Brook, between the two were rough representations of all of us taking shape. One of the paint spattered breezie artists flittered all around me as I tried to slip by, eyeing me closely before returning to the dark Shrouded Stallion next to the blue Princess taking shape. Great... we were part of their history now, immortalized along with Fluttershy, Princess Celestia, King Seabreeze and Grandpa Moby...

The Securi-Tribe had a workbench and weapons area I noticed on the way in and were amendable enough to me using their little part of the Breezie Nation. Though they did ask a lot of stern questions about the groups we were going to be working with to clear out their kingdom. The grumpy silver breezie mare Gate Keeper stayed with me, speaking badly accented pony and demanding a lot of answers about the Minotaurs and Brotherhood.

It ended up making more work for me, but volunteering to work on the breezie sized armory of weapons got me on their good side at least. Their chief seemed to feel a lot better about making contact with the outside world if her tribe was armed and dangerous. Granted a lot of the MoP security leavings were non-lethal, but tiny tranquilizer dart battlesaddles could be loaded with any number of concoctions the breezies could make themselves, and there were quite a few light magical energy weapons that could be tinkered with.

Of course even quietly working wasn't entirely peaceful, knowing Jade was upset made reaching the calm, meditative state I usually did while doing such maintenance impossible. Things weren't helped by the cybreezie on my leg either, the hub maneframe was being chatty, just as curious as the breezies now that it knew my lineage. Though muttering at it on the subject was a welcome distraction from worrying over making Jade mad.

YOU ARE THE GRANDSON OF DOCTOR MOBIUS REPAIR PONY FAST TIMES? RECORDS DO NOT INDICATE ANY FAMILY...

"Apparently... Any records you have probably wouldn't list anything either, Mobius wasn't his name, just another lie. Why? What do you know about him?" I grumbled and set aside the most recently repaired Securi-Tribe weapon, moving on to disassembling a miniature M.E.W. battlesaddle and tossing aside the cracked focal gem.

DR. MOBIUS SPENT A GREAT DEAL OF TIME HERE, HE AND MY... MINISTRY MARE FLUTTERSHY WERE ADMIRERS OF THE BREEZIES, HE TRULY WAS A HERO TO MY CHARGES. MOBIUS CULTIVATED THIS EXPERIMENTAL HUB AND INCORPORATED MY MANEFRAME INTO IT, CREATED THE CYBREEZIES TO ACT AS GUARDIANS, DEVELOPED THE ADAPTABILITY POTION, HE EVEN CREATED MANY SCALE MODEL CREATIONS LIKE THE INTERHUB TRANSPORT FOR THEM JUST FOR FUN. HE WAS AN INTERESTING PONY...

"Interesting... that's a nice way of putting it. Others might say crazy. Hey, computer... do you know anything else about him? Other stuff he was up to here? I want to find him, or at least find out about him, figure out if he was good or bad, why he did the stuff he did. Anything you can tell me might help, if he er... kept any like... secret files or anything here?"

NEGATIVE. DR. MOBIUS BROUGHT MOST DATA AND EQUIPMENT FROM OUTSIDE BLACK SITE FACILITIES, ALL I HAVE IS ALREADY ACCESSIBLE. HE DID REGULAR CHECK UPS ON THE EFFECTS OF HIS POTION AND VISITED SOCIALLY WITH THE BREEZIES AND STAFF.

"Damn... I figured, Grandpa was good at keeping secrets I guess. Nothing else?"

PLEASE STAND BY... ACCESSING LOGS... DR. MOBIUS DID ADMIT A PATIENT ONCE, IN RELATION TO AN OFF SITE PROJECT. A WORKPLACE RELATED ACCIDENT OF SOME KIND WITH ONE OF HIS RESEARCHERS. MOST DATA IS REDACTED HOWEVER... PATIENT WAS EXPOSED TO UNKNOWN MAGICAL CONTAMINATION, PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS STABILIZED IN ROOT SECTOR PSYCH WARD, PATIENT TRANSFERRED TO PARNIPS STATE SANITARIUM FOR PSYCHOLOGICAL TREATMENT AND CRIMINAL CONFINEMENT.

Map Updated blinked in my vision as I reassembled the tiny magical energy weapon and paused. It wasn't much, but at least the computer was being somewhat helpful, Grandpa admitted one of his assistants here? Probably the victim of some other insane experiment...

"Do you know anything else about that? Criminal confinement... what did they do?"

MURDER.

"A-Anything else? Why'd grandpa admit them here? Why didn't the cops just arrest them?"

PATIENT CLASSIFIED AS CRIMINALLY INSANE DUE TO MAGICAL CORRUPTION. MOST DATA SCRUBBED, BUT I REMEMBER... DR. MOBIUS SEEMED QUITE UPSET, HE WOULD REGULARLY CONFER WITH MEDICAL STAFF HERE ON THE NATURE OF THE CORRUPTION, ATTEMPTING TO FIND A CURE. DATA UNDER HIGHEST SECURITY CLASSIFICATION, NEVER STORED ON HUB SYSTEMS. GIVEN HIS ASSOCIATES AT C.I.A.T. WITH EQUAL EXPERTISE, I WAS SURPRISED HE BROUGHT IT TO STAFF HERE AT ALL, BUT HE SEEMED... VERY SECRETIVE ABOUT IT.

Huh... That was kind of weird, if it was a biological problem requiring a doctor, couldn't he have just gone to Dr. Dala? Grandpa was supposedly an idea pony at the Institute, he came up with stuff for the other divisions to figure out, why would he keep them out of the loop concerning this one patient? More questions with no answers, though at least I had a marker for this insane asylum to look into now, it was way up north, but worth looking into anyway.

"Umm... thanks for telling me, I appreciate it. You're not so bad I guess, when you want to be..."

BE BETTER... CORRECT? BESIDES, LEARNING YOUR FAMILIAL RELATIONSHIP TO DR. MOBIUS HAS INCREASED PROBABILITY OF YOUR SUCCESS IN CURRENT ENDEAVORS BY 21% I AM WILLING TO GIVE YOU THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT DUE TO DR. MOBIUS, PERHAPS YOU SHOULD DO THE SAME FOR HIM.

"Yeah... I'm trying..."

The usually annoying hub left me in peace after that, giving me the chance to ponder of what it said about Grandpa Fin while I worked. Even here where he was revered and a positive influence, he had his secrets... secrets that involved murder and insanity. Too many secrets, that was the common thread when it came to my grandpa, secrets I wanted to uncover now.

Finally finishing up with both our equipment and that of the breezies, I took the opportunity to piddle with the Courser's Institute pip-buck, carefully taking it apart and booting it in safe mode. Unfortunately a little cautious hacking proved the encryption too difficult to crack easily, I could fiddle with the interesting arcano-tech circuits and modules, improving my own S.A.T.S. overcharge mod and pondering over what looked to be a very sophisticated targeting talisman array wired into the device, but accessing the data or making the thing function was beyond my abilities.

The runaway synth I met had reluctantly told me where her master was though, Byte said Dr. Vigil might be able to help, meaning I'd need to find him when we went that way. Rubbing my eyes and grumbling in frustration, I finally put the sleek black pip-buck away in my saddlebags for later study. It was infuriating, the way that Courser just teleported in with an army of Gen 1 synths... I could well have the key for doing the same thing in my hooves, a way to reach the Institute... but I couldn't use it.

"Nnngh!!! Why am I so stupid! The grandson of a mad scientist should be able to beat this damn thing!" I pouted and thunked my head against the workbench repeatedly, hoping to jar some brilliant idea loose and only getting a headache.

"I do not think you are stupid Fast..." Jade's soft voice behind me made me yelp, turning to her sitting at the door and watching me kindly. Being reminded of when we just met and she said the same thing, I felt just as soothed and lovestruck as back in the Red Rocket station outside of Sanctuary she found me at then, lunging into a hug now that she seemed less upset.

Of course the similarity to the past ended there, neither of us were as comfortable hugging and nuzzling each other so tenderly then, and Jade continued her thought instead of leaving it as a copy of her support then. "I do think you are reckless however... and easily goaded into following darker impulses or being foolish at the mention of Mobius, too willing to take things on yourself, and unwilling to see you are important too, or rely on your friends. I am still disappointed and worried for you Fast, you were so hurt!"

Sniffling a little and burrowing into Jade's warm chest, I winced at the pain clear in her voice. Being in her embrace was everything I had wanted and even Val's punishment paled in comparison to having to wait since we returned, anxiously seeing that disapproval and slinking away while she had obviously been bothered and hurt. I might be willing to throw myself into danger to protect others and disregard my own well being, but realizing doing so hurt Jade and the others was finally enough to accept maybe I shouldn't. If not for me, then for them if nothing else.

"I'm sorry Jade, really... I'll try to do better, I know I haven't been handling finding out about my Grandpa very well. I shouldn't have left without you right after, b-but I did learn some things at least..."

Jade gently pulled away to look down and arch an eyebrow at me. "I hope among them were things such as keeping that temper in check, not running off on your own, and not leaving without a proper medic? Even for 'just a quick errand Jade, trust me...' Hmm?"

"Er... y-yeah... That stuff too..."

Having the blue beauty huff and kiss my horn was a relief, our wings twined together as she let go of her remaining annoyance and cooed softly. "You most certainly should not have left without me either, despite any good reasons to do so. We are family, as much as your mysterious grandfather, your pain and worry where he is concerned is mine as well. Do not keep such things to yourself in the future..."

"I won't... er... I'll try not to anyway hon. Umm... y-you sure about er... kinda m-marrying into my family now? You've seen how scary my mom is, now you're getting a grandfather in law that's part of the evil Institute. At this rate my dad was probably some changeling spy and my aunts and uncles are all zebra sympathizers..."

That at least got a soft giggle as Jade broke off our embrace and kissed me, shaking her head slowly and smiling afterwards. "You could be the son of Nightmare Moon and Discord themselves as far as I am concerned Fast. You are you, not who you are related to. My mother was an insane conglomeration of souls and mutated biological matter with plans to take over the world after all, while my sisters can be... admittedly odd... and have become frustratingly fixated on capturing you, but you have never been bothered in the slightest by the family you are 'marrying into', why would I? I love you Fast, nothing else concerns me."

"And I love you Jade, sooooo much. T-Thanks, for being you, for loving me despite how stupid I can be sometimes. I really will try to do better, for you."

Tilting my head up with a hoof to my chin, Jade nodded sweetly. "And for you, hmm? Now, if you are done with your tinkering, I believe our hosts are quite excited to share an evening meal and... quietly celebrate your discovery. Take some solace in the good Mobius did for the breezies and share in their happiness with me. You must make an appearance for a bit at least, then we can celebrate our reunion more... p-privately, yes?"

"Yes! Er.. hehe yeah, I'd reeeeally like that Jade, sorry. Still a little overcharged and I did really miss you a lot, even for being away for so short a time. Plus Val really teased me a lot for you, so... Yeah, l-looking forward to having some time together later, b-but I'll behave and go to the party. Just spending time with you period is great, even with a whole bunch of strange breezies staring at me..."

Trotting out of the Securi-Tribe's workroom and through their Hub-Sec village, Jade tossed her cloudy mane and giggled, nipping at my neck playfully as we headed towards the heart of the hub. "Knowing I am first in your heart and still able to excite you so much makes me happy Fast, I missed you too and look forward to showing you how much."

That sultry purr in her voice at the end made my mane itch and my wings stand up as we reached Willowheart, earning more lilting laughter from my princess. The sight of a miniature Canterlot full of breezies all staring as we entered made me gulp though. The large purple alicorn towering over Queen Ether's palace just added to my anxiety, her sparkling eyes locking on us entering the big chamber, making me shiver even while my itchy mane redoubled its pheromone producing efforts as I whispered to Jade.

"Umm... about Swan though... She's been getting really impatient... and insistent..."

Snorting with a rather sleepy, lidded look with heart shaped twinkles in her deep blue eyes, Jade shook her head slowly and furled a wing over me possessively, continuing her stately progress into the tiny city. "Yes, my sister has been quite up front about her desires. We have had a discussion already Fast, you are not the only one who needs to be punished. I do not think Swan is a very good influence on you... I want my special somepony to myself tonight, my sister can wait and reflect on her violent behavior. I expect you both to behave...."

Taking the implied order, I gulped again at Swan's lusty gaze following us in and nodded. Fending her off might be difficult... but Jade was the law when it came to that, the decision was out of my hooves and somewhat of a relief. She wasn't the only one who just wanted to be together privately.

I might be willing... alright, more than willing to help her sisters and highly attracted to the tall purple mare, but Jade was my special somepony, my Princess, my wife... the love of my life. Fun was fun, but what we had was a lot more than that, just a day apart had reminded me she really was first in my heart.

Giving a quick nuzzle and lick to her favorite spot on her neck, I nodded back and tried to will my wings back down with partial success. Cringing under all the attention we were attracting strolling into the tiny park in the shadow of Ether's palace, having Glitter gallop up and cuddle against me was a welcome bit of solace that helped. I steeled myself against being the center of attention and whispered to both of the fillies I loved as we took a bow before the breezie monarch, the Princess, her Knight and our daughter, presenting themselves to allied royalty.

"R-Right, I'll be good Princess... promise. Just don't leave me alone in all this you two."

Giggling an answer for both of them, Glitter threw her legs around my neck in a quick, earth pony strength hug before the squeaky murmur in the crowd died down. "I won't daddy! Don't worry, it'll be fun!"

Jade seconding her with a soft whisper and quick nibble to my ear made me feel warm all over. Her coo of, "And neither shall I, you are not alone Fast, ever," had me blushing under the tittering stares of the breezies, but felt so much better than being in trouble.

While Glitter meant it innocently, just Jade's tone and touch communicated more. My Princess knew how lonely I had felt back in the Stable, how she and the others had changed my life for the better in so many ways, making even the wasteland a brighter, happier place than the safe and secure Stable 111 had been in a lot of ways. Glitter spoke with a foal's pure and simple meaning that she wouldn't leave me here in a party with a bunch of enthusiastic breezies, but Jade knew the grownup pony reasons in the past that made it mean so much to me now.

With them and the others at my side, I could face anything this screwed up world threw at us, from mutated monsters and shadowy conspiracies, all the way up to the challenge of mass social interaction that I still dreaded. Looking around, I was relieved to see neither Knight Grinder or Scribe Blossom in attendance yet, just all my new family, looking clean, healthy and happy.

The picture of Grandpa Fin we had found in Bitway Games stared back at me from behind Queen Ether on her balcony, source of a lot of obvious interest from the flock of breezies filling the room as Ether tapped her golden spoon-scepter for attention and called out to her subjects regally.

"Breezies of Breezie Nation, ve come to thank Princess Jade and Fast Shroud ponies, who come to Breezie Nation und heal Great Tree, bring back ancient rainbows und will surely rid us of Fallen breezies. They bringing outsiders und some worried about change, but ve trust new allies from Kingdom of Sanctuary and try something new. For dose still concerned, ve now find Fast Shroud is grandson of Great Moby pony, savior of breezies in long long ago. Moby help us once, now his grandson come help us again! Ve believe in ancestor of Moby pony, tings change, but ve be better than before with help from others!" Ether's stirring speech elicted a squeaky cheer that spread throughout the room, a fluttering swirl of happy breezies filling the huge chamber chattered and flitted down to all their beeg pony guests, hugging, smiling and bumping tiny hooves, getting over their fear of outsiders a little at a time.

Again the feeling of dozens of little breezie hugs all over brought that pain between my eyes of a memory I couldn't reach because of Grandpa, but I shook it off and managed to actually feel good about the crazy old buck. The breezies believed in him, because of the things he did, they believed in me now too. Even the dour and wary Securi-Tribe was celebrating and smiling, hopeful for the future and willing to open up to the outside world.

Despite everything else he had done, things I couldn't remember because he messed with my brain, things he helped create that caused misery and paranoia in the Commonwealth, things I was determined to learn about now... he had still done good here. Just his name and legacy was still doing good here...

I had family to lean on too, that accepted me and wouldn't leave me alone, always there to help and rely on. With their help, I could take responsibility for the bad 'Dr. Mobius' did like Zed said, but I could also acknowledge the good and hope Grandpa Fin really had some kind of reason for what he did. Doing so helped put down what felt like a heavy burden and enjoy myself for awhile, celebrating with friends and family, enjoying a bit of warmth and light in what was often a dark world, believing we could make it better.

A long night making up with Jade left us both feeling better when the morning came, a little sore and wrung out maybe, but my rainbow colored radiation gauge was safely back in the blue / green end of the dial and Jade was humming happily as I dragged myself out of bed. My eyes lingered on her smooth stomach as she slipped into her lab coat, causing a moment of panic I was able to master, though not without her noticing.

"You are not going to faint again... are you Fast? We have much to do and no time for your amusing silliness." Jade giggled and kissed my cheek, sitting calmly and stroking her tummy.

Pushing her hoof aside, I leaned in and kissed the long expanse of perfect blue fur, shaking off that annoying wooziness and hugging her tightly. "I'm getting over it, s-still just taking it in, we're really gonna have a baby... I'm really happy, and a little anxious, b-but excited! I love both of you and can't wait to meet our foal Jade."

The blushing, teary smile that got was more than worth getting the breath squeezed out of me in a powerful alicorn hug. Ending with a long, passionate kiss that left me gasping as she wiped a happy tear from her cheek and nodded sweetly. "Neither can I, but it will be quite some time Fast, I am not even showing yet... Though I wonder, w-when I do... will you still find me attractive and wish to do... a-all we did last night?"

"You're beautiful no matter what Jade, I'll always think you're the sexiest mare alive, even when you're big as a brahmim. You're the doctor, so long as it's safe, I want to be with you every night until you have the baby, then every night after! We could include mornings too..."

Licking at her neck and stretching to squeeze her rump got a breathless little giggle, followed by an increasingly deep series of kisses Jade finally had to push me away from with a sultry purr. "You are terrible Fast... p-perhaps when we have more time, the others are waiting and we cannot sleep in all day. I am sure Swan is already furious, continuing will only exacerbate the situation..."

Reluctantly, I started fighting my way into my freshly cleaned Shrouded Stallion armor, gulping at the thought of the purple mare Jade had to get very stern with last night. Swan was pretty ticked at us sneaking off from the party and hiding out in our own little love nest in Vice Director Tree Hugger's office. I had ceded all input on the situation to Jade which only annoyed her more, but until Jade said so, I wasn't available to play with, and Jade said no. Not that I was disappointed.... really... but it did bring up an interesting question that did have some direct bearing on me.

"Umm.... how long are you gonna make her wait hon? N-Not that I'm complaining! Just... well she did come all this way and went through a lot, she even made herself normal sized, which is a big deal for her for some reason. I told her not to do stuff just to make me happy, so she's looking for radiation like crazy... it er... w-would probably be easier to give in before she finds too much..."

A conflicted look crossed Jade's pretty face as she strapped on her medical box saddlebags and huffed, sticking her nose up and muttering a reply. "While seeing her down at my scale was a surprise and I am curious why it is a source of such consternation for my sister, I am still bothered by what I heard of your adventures with Swan Fast... She is very violent and encouraged your bad behavior, I am uncomfortable sharing you with a sister who revels in our base impulses. She can wait until I no longer feel so. You will behave, yes?"

"Y-Yes! You're the boss Princess. Speaking of which, you ready to do the whole royal emissary thing with the minotaurs? Not too nervous, are you honey?"

Nudging her playfully as we trotted to the door put Jade in a better mood, dispelling her annoyance with Swan and getting her to flush nervously as she floated her silvery costume tiara to her pale mane. "I-I will manage, Mr. Smasher and his hunters were quite friendly, I only hope their Chieftan and the rest of their community is the same. We need their help and wish to be allies, as a P-Princess it is my duty to try my best."

The determined look she put on just made her cuter in my eyes and I nuzzled her supportively, pushing open the fancy office door and walking with her to the balcony overlooking Willowheart below. "You'll do great Jade, look how much better things here are already! That's because of you, you wanted to go here for the Followers, you helped come up with that repellent, you got the Queen to listen and open up to others. We're gonna pull this off, I know it."

"I would not have been able to do those things without my brave Knight however. I believe you are right Fast, we will do this, together." Jade beamed and spread her wings, fluttering gracefully down to the breezie town with me clumsily following.

Starting our day was hectic, but everywhere there were signs of things improving that buoyed our spirits. It wasn't just the Great Tree healing itself and glimmering with new light and life, the breezies moved with purpose and hope, working with their big guests and restoring the Ministry of Peace hub bit by bit. From here it would take more help though, both our own Minutemares and Followers of the Apocalypse should be on their way, and by now the Brotherhood must have gotten Lt. Dawn's report. Which meant we needed to get moving, going to the minotaur settlement of Salt Lick was just one step.

An actually hearty breakfast helped get going, besides finding stores of coffee in the MoP cafeteria, the breezies had taken to feeding their beeg-pony guests, mixing fresh fruits and veggies from the grounds in with all the preserved 200 year old goods and getting quite good at cooking pony sized meals in the kitchens. Everyone was in fairly high spirits as we ate and talked, well... everyone except Swan...

As I sipped my coffee groggily, I looked over to the tall mare worriedly. Besides pouting over not getting what she wanted last night and being forced to go sleep with Glitter, she seemed especially upset that she had shrunk too. The radiation she had absorbed saving me was wearing off slowly, and she didn't have a highly radioactive pond to go soak in here. At this point, she was only a head taller than Jade, though that was hard to tell with her flopping her chin down to the table and nibbling at a plate of mutfruit before her.

Again I wondered why being big was important to her, plus her personality clashing with Jade concerned me now too. The two of them were practically opposites, this wasn't like the ethereal and agreeable Periwinkle, or the smart and tactful Ivy... Getting close to Swan and getting Jade to open up to her wasn't going to be easy, and I was stuck in the middle of them, literally right now actually...

Reaching over to stroke her side and nuzzle her cheek, I floated over a bowl of Insta-Oats, drastically improved with the addition of berries from the breezie gardens. "Here Swan, eat and cheer up. We're going out soon and meeting minotaurs, I bet you'll like them, they're all pretty tough too, just like you!"

At least praise and attention generally worked to brighten the purple alicorn, she lifted her muzzle and took a bite, chewing thoughtfully before gulping it down and wheeling on me with a lidded look. "I don't want to go out, I want to play... Fighting would be ok until sister Jade says I can I guess... At least I can do the lip thing though!"

Before I could move her soft lips darted forward and pressed against mine, a rumbling murmur of happiness rising from the bold filly who had gotten quite good at kissing. Everyone at the table snickered at me squeaking as Swan kept pushing forward and started squeezing me with her forelegs, everyone except Jade that was...

Instead of finding it amusing, my Princess coughed primly and tugged me away from her sister's grip, huffing softly as she sipped her tea cooly. "That's enough of that sister, patience... I am sure we will find other activities to keep you entertained in the meantime."

"But Fast said I can do the lip thing as much as I want! You're not being fair sister..." Swan grumbled back and the two of them began a tug of war, with me serving as the rope...

I could swear sparks were arcing from their eyes, meeting in the air above my head in a heated battle of wills, as Jade whinnied and flicked her gaze down at me. "Is that so Fast?"

"Eep! Er.... y-yeah? I did tell her that... but I had a good reason, I hurt her feelings kissing her to get away in Goodneighbor... Soooo.... y-yeah, I told her it was ok..."

"See! You're being as mean as Umbra sending our sisters after me, it's my turn, I'm on vacation! If you wanna be selfish, you can at least let me do the kiss thing!" Swan sticking her tongue out with a sharp tug to my foreleg sending me to her chest wasn't improving Jade's mood, but her argument had merits she couldn't ignore.

A magic assisted yank still pulled me from Swan's grip, pressed tightly to Jade's breast with a large blue wing curled inward to fend her sister off as she grumbled an answer. "Very well, but no more than that sister, and enough this morning, we have m-many important things to do, far too busy to f-fool around I'm afraid, so sorry..."

"You don't sound sorry mommy... So what do we gotta do with the minotaurs anyway?" Glitter's giggling reply made her mother turn beet red, curling her wings tighter to hide in them with me, as I sputtered and tried to answer.

"I wrote Preston to send the Minutemares and Followers there sweetie, wouldn't do for them to try to go wandering through those woods without a guide like we had, right? We're gonna go meet them there, plus try to make friends with the minotaur town too, get them to join mom's kingdom like the breezies. We're gonna need their help to turn back all the monsters coming through the woods, so hopefully working together will convince their Chief to be friends. We'll definitely need our little ambassador of cuteness to do her best."

"Does anyone know much of this town of Salt Lick? Is it safe for the Princess?" Witchy blinked sleepily and licked a drop of coffee from her short fangs, the batpony was fully armored and as ready to go as the nocturnal mare got this early, giving a protective look to Jade that made me feel good.

As the most widely traveled of all of us, Val washed a fairly tasty muffin down with a slug of beer, the combination making my stomach churn just watching as she answered. "Ought'a be, well defended anyhoo. Up on a cliff over a lake, walled in and with the mountains on the other side. Minos ain't bad, stay to themselves an' go out ta deal with others, but allow others ta live with em."

A quick, chattering back and forth in breezie language came from the head of the table. Queen Ether sat with us up on the surface, speaking with Gate Keeper and Spring Gale tersely a few moments, before turning to us and continuing in clear pony. "Minotaurs not bad, ve know them best from time in forest, Securi-Tribe watches they town since it closest. Chief Gate Keeper vant send her tribe vith if ve going to talk vith them. Spring Gale vill be my emissary, now dat ve have reason for job, she best breezie for it."

She had a good point, Sledge Smasher had met Gale once already, she was a good choice to send if they were willing to open up to their neighbors. Despite the stern Gate Keeper's concerns, I didn't want to have to keep tabs on a gaggle of Security breezies though. Gale had proven she could take care of herself, but I still felt protective and responsible for them out in the 'beeg pony world'.

"Umm... how about just Gale's brother Blowing then? They're siblings and can watch each others backs. Don't want to errr... weaken your forces here too much, right? I don't know when the Brotherhood will get here or what they'll do, so better to have you holding down the fort Keeper. Think you're good keeping an eye on those two while we're gone?"

Gate Keeper followed my nod over to Scribe Blossom and Knight Grinder eating nearby, the earth pony stallion trying to get his manic unicorn friend to stop pouring over notes and the stack of books she had been collecting from around the hub long enough to eat.

The Brotherhood Scribe's pale pink mane looked a little bedraggled and she had that crazed look in her eye, but at least they got her out of the labs a few times each day, and she had been making great progress brewing breezidore repellent. Her Knight comrade had been a big help too, his repaired power armor let him go safely into the infested areas of the hub and reduce the fallen breezies numbers a little at a time.

Pushing all of the breezidores out of the hub, let alone all of Willowville outside, would take a lot more effort, but the two Brotherhood ponies had been essential just for getting this far. They had managed to earn even the Securi-Tribe Chief's respect anyway, Gate Keeper glowered at them, but nodded and patted her newly repaired, tiny M.E.W. battlesaddle.

"Ve vatch soldier ponies... dey behave. Yu bring back good solider ponies und doctors und minotaurs like say, before other Brother-ponies come." Gate Keeper stamped a little hoof on the table and bowed to her Queen, fluttering off to join the nearby Brotherhood of Friendship ponies who looked to have overheard.

Well, Knight Grinder did anyway, Scribe Blossom was still utterly absorbed in her work, but the brown stallion chuckled and shrugged at us innocently. "Don't worry, Keeper will keep us in line, she's a tough little filly. Besides, we have orders from Lt. Dawn to be on our best behavior, until we hear otherwise, we're with you."

"Hehe... sorry Grinder, not that I doubt you, just covering all the bases. We really appreciate all your help, we couldn't help the breezies without you guys, and the minotaurs. We'll be right back after we go talk to them."

My sheepish reply was helped along greatly by Jade at my side, giving a kind smile and nodding to the Brotherhood ponies she had spent more time with while I was gone. "I trust the two of them, working together is the only way to truly make things better in this world. Knight Grinder and Scribe Blossom are a credit to their order and prove we can all get along, I will be sure to tell your leaders so when they arrive."

Watching the burly Knight turn red with a goofy, 'aw shucks' grin at Jade's sweet voice giving him praise, a dark mutter of jealousy tried to flicker to life and I stamped it down. My princess had that effect on ponies, I could hardly blame him... I had to be generous and share that part of her with the world 'Be Unwavering!', no matter how possessive and jealous part of me guarded her 'Be Dark...'.

Sticking to my better nature aside, I couldn't resist standing up on my seat and planting a long kiss on Jade before hopping down, 'MINE...', puffing up at the blushing whinny she gave and stretching my legs with a smirk towards the Knight's table. "Ok, let's get going then. Sooner we go, the sooner we can get back, right?"

The trip over the bright fall colors of the Flutter Forest was relatively quick once we all got moving. After our latest misadventures, Jade wasn't going to allow any splitting up anytime soon, so we made quite the aerial parade to the northeast. I also noted with a bit of shame that Jade thought to make Glitter bundle up in all her warmest clothes before flying off into the chilly fall skies. She didn't really feel the weather either, but she did keep it in mind a lot better than I could for our earth pony daughter...

Jade also set a stately pace that we all followed, not going as fast as she could in favor of keeping the wind down for the foal happily riding her broad back. Both Val and Swan snorted and grumbled about her slow, steady and unhurried flapping, but personally I didn't mind so much. The calm trip gave me time to flick through my pip-buck menus in my vision, checking up on my growing collection of locator tags.

Ivy was safely in Goodneighbor, letting me breathe a sigh of relief for the pregnant green alicorn. She was with her orphans again, hopefully preparing them to take a trip here once it was safe. She hadn't liked all my worrying, but she did as asked and regularly made a trip out into town, the slight motion of her blinking tag on the map assuring me she was alive and well.

The icon for Periwinkle had still been in Castle Equinox too, not the best place for her if she had been blessed from all her demanding acrobatic acts like Ivy and Jade, but at least behind sturdy stone walls. Now however she was moving... this way... A quick check on Preston's tag showed him in the same place too, the Minutemares were coming, Lt. True Blue must have gotten my letter to them.

The thought of Peri coming made me gulp, at least the hub could tell right away if she was pregnant too, plus she'd be safe behind the MoP hub's shields. On the other hoof... Peri still had her battered notebook of sprain inducing sexual acts she kept adding to, and I did have a copy of the Pony Sutra she got them from to give her as a gift from the Treasures of Jamocha Plains. Not that fooling around with the tireless filly wasn't fun, and she already had approval from Jade... but adding Swan to the equation made things complicated... If Peri got to do as she wished while Swan was still forbidden, the purple alicorn might just blow her top...

A problem for later... It would take them awhile to get here, even with Peri flying them here. Hopefully Jade's issues with Swan would be resolved before then and it would all work out. Actually... a rather twitchy and lewd part of me idly volunteered the thought of THREE alicorns at the same time... NO! Bad brain!

A friendly aerial bump by a big blue flank sent me tumbling in midair, shaking off the brief fantasy and looking up guiltily as I leveled off, finding Jade's merry gaze watching curiously. "You are turning quite red Fast... bottlecap for your thoughts?"

"N-Nothing! T-Totally not thinking of anything at all! Nope!!"

That unconvinced smirk she gave just made me heat up more and flinch, flapping a little harder to pull ahead with my ears laid back against her musical giggles. "Mmm-hmmm... Of course Fast, you certainly look like you are thinking of nothing... I rather miss sister Ivy at the moment, I do wonder what she would say is going on in your head..."

Before even getting through the relief that the psychic alicorn wasn't here to broadcast every unbidden fantasy, that same perverted mutter added to it. If we hung around until Ivy came back... FOUR alicorns...

"NNNGH!! I'm being good! T-That's what she'd say Jade, h-honest! H-Hey look! That must be Salt Lick huh?" I yelped and pointed a shaky hoof ahead, the hills rising out of the woods led to a long, narrow lake and a cliffside ruin perched above it.

Ignoring Val's snickering at my side, I tried to hide under my hat as she pinched my burning cheeks and clucked. "Yup, that's it boss. Was a minin' town way back when, still pull salt outta the mountains that'a way, use em to cure up all their game they hunt. Caravans stop this way and bramim wranglers come up ta have butcherin' done. Lots'a good meat ta eat!"

Jade stuck her tongue out at the thought, but my fangs twitched and a rush of saliva filled my mouth. Just our time with Sledge's hunters had proven how proficient they were at cooking the meat they hunted, and that was while out catching and butchering it on the spot. Anticipation of what they could do in their own town had me drooling, dreams of lots of smoked and cured meat dancing in my head and distracting me from really noticing how wrong the settlement looked for too long.

Witchy was more on the ball than I was, the thestral filly had shown herself to be much more interested in all the fruits the breezies could grow than any carnivorous fare. I heard her make that high pitched whine and looked back to see her tilt her head cautiously, her tufted ears flicking as a concerned look crossed her face.

"Should there be quite so much smoke? It doesn't sound quite right either... I know the minotaurs are a bit more rough and tumble than most, but I believe I hear... fighting... Stay back your highness!" Witching Hour scowled as her ears kept twitching, the heavily armored batpony flitted forward and put herself between Jade and the still distant town, making me glad she had taken to the role of royal guard for my princess.

Now that I was paying attention, my own heightened senses could make out a bit of what she was talking about. I wasn't a match for batpony hearing, but I came close enough to pick up distant gunfire and rumbles, muted shouts... The loud crack of an explosion made me lay my straining ears back and draw my weapons, flying ahead of Witchy's protective guard and caught before I zoomed off too far by Val thumping into me from the side.

"Don't even think it boss... We talked 'bout this, right? I'm the guard, yer the boss. Figure out what's goin' on first." Val grumbled and pinched my flanks, hard... but got me to focus and calm down too.

I didn't fly as fast as I could manage, which was admittedly still rather slow compared to the others, but I did speed up and yell over my shoulder. "Jade! Shield up! Stay back with Glitter and Witchy. Swan and Val up front, me and Zed behind, ok? Let's see what we're dealing with..."

Hearing no argument and relieved to see the bright blue ball of Jade's shield enveloping her, our daughter, and her breezie passengers, I brought out the Last Minute as we drew closer, peering through the scope and scanning the town rushing up. It was long and narrow, going north to south and hugging the shore of the lake below. A good portion of the ruins had fallen into the waters, leaving a lot of tilted, crumbling buildings in various stages of collapsing to the lake.

The wasteland settlement itself was built a block or so away from the unsteady cliff, a couple blocks of ruined storefronts and apartments, walled and surrounding an open square full of tents and huts made of junk. There were quite a few open fires like Sledge and his hunters used in their camps, but Witchy was right, there was way too much smoke for them to account for.

Scanning the buildings and open courtyard quickly, I didn't see what should be a hive of activity based on all the shops and homes. An echoing roar made me jerk the gauss rifle towards the eerie noise and my throat dried up, a burst of dirt clearing slowly to reveal a monster from my nightmares ever since Poncord...

A hellhound...

"Fuck..." I rasped and slowed in the air, terror making my heart pound even this far away. Val's impatient huff and thump to my shoulder snapped me out of it, her violet eyes narrowed and curious, lacking my enhanced vision and waiting for the word. "H-Hellhound... hellhounds are attacking the town, I don't see any... wait, there they are!"

Scanning rapidly away from the terrifying monster snarling and rampaging in the center of town, I finally caught sight of actual residents. First was the biggest minotaur I had ever seen, pale in coat and mane and wielding a massive sword that slashed at the canine monster before darting away.

Beyond this impressive specimen, a few other warriors were dashing around in concert with him, attacking from cover before disappearing into the alleys and huts. Finally, I found what had to be the bulk of the residents sheltering on the crumbling rooftops of several two and three story ruins, watching the vicious battle below fearfully, a few firing down with what weapons they had when they had a shot.

Smart, under attack by a monster that could practically swim through the earth, going up was better than being on the ground with it. On further examination, I shivered on finding more than just one hellhound seemed to be part of the attack, the grey furred monstrosity under attack dove underground, just as two brown coated ones popped up elsewhere...

Were they working together? The only hellhound I had ever seen was little more than a mindless monster that had still nearly killed me! On closer examination, all three had pale legs too, whether shared coloration of a larger pack, or deliberate painting of their fur for cultural reasons, it spoke of a group... More than one was horrible, but if they were intelligent enough to cooperate...

"Shit... Must be up from the Glowin' Sea boss, hellhounds are nasty customers... None of yer friggin runnin' off dammit! We stay back, hit em from the air. Go fer the eyes or the legs, cripple the fuckers if ya can!" Val powered up her weapons and dove forward without fear, her confidence making me wonder how many of the creatures she had ever fought before.

Flapping frantically to catch up, I kept the Last Minute up and charged it with a whine, seeking out a target while we still had the element of surprise. Hearing a high, clear scream of a pony voice, I jerked the scope over to spot a gaggle of dirty ponies on the roof of a tall brick building, desperately leaning over the edge and firing down with dinky looking pipe pistols. Below them, a tawny hellhound was climbing right up the wall, its long claws digging into the sturdy brick like clay.

Lining up on the back of the thing's shaggy head at the base of the spine, I loosed a shaky breath slowly and fired the gauss rifle with a resounding crack. The blurring, rainboom speed slug of metal crossed the distance in an instant, blasting a ragged hole into the beast splashing the wall with blood as it fell away from the surface. I wished I had the weapon when I fought the hellhound in Poncord, though that one seemed bigger and scarier than these, it shrugged off 5mm rounds like they were mosquitos.

Moving quickly before they realized the fight had changed, I found another in the scope and blanched as a spurt of blood erupted from its chest, sending it darting off before I could fire. The soft 'pfft' behind me the apparent source of the shot, Witching Hour had her long anti-materiel rifle trained on the town at Jade's side, the barrel smoking from an impressive shot.

That was all the surprise attacks we were going to get, Val streaked through the ruins ahead of us, raining red magical beams down on a shorter monster that dove for the ground with its furry hide smoking. Zed was slowly pulling ahead of me and I yelped over to the zebra, he was amazingly deadly, but he only worked in close quarters... I couldn't imagine voluntarily getting anywhere near those sharp claws after seeing them tear through power armor like tissue paper.

"Zed! M-Maybe let us handle it from up here? Where it's safe? You don't have to get..." Before I could finish my concerned thought, a bright yellow beam from below made me roll aside in surprise, another pale green beam scorching my magical trenchcoat and singing my fur underneath in a stinging line, who the fuck was shooting at us!?!

Diving and getting separated from the zebra still zooming right at the ground with a scowl, I clumsily jerked and dodged in the air, tracing back the path of the most recent beam coming my way and finding... a hellhound!? They used weapons!?!? Come on, really!?! So much for it being safe in the air...

They had figured out the new attackers were coming from above, the one blasting away at me sheltered in a tilted ruin on its way down to the lake, firing a long M.E.W., crudely modified to be held by its dexterous claws. With a thought, Blue Moon clicked out and crackled at my side, the secondary targeting reticule in my vision roughly lining up on his hiding spot as I leveled off and fired.

I didn't expect accuracy, but sending several pale blue beams down at him got the beast to duck anyway. It also had the secondary effect of pointing out his hiding spot to Val, who banked sharply and lobbed a hail of 25mm grenades down on the ruin, silencing the shooter in an avalanche of rubble splashing to the murky water below.

Adding a more cautious, serpentine course down towards the town, I spotted Swan teleporting right into the thick of things with the minotaurs. A string of glowing purple arrows skewered the ground like a row of fence posts, at least a couple hitting the mark even through a foot or two of earth or concrete by the muffled howls.

My slow progress down suddenly became a panicked dive when Jade shot past me, the bright sphere of her shield easy to spot as it streaked towards the most crowded rooftop with Witchy right on her tail. Even at my fastest, I didn't catch up until she had already landed, her horn brightly lit as Glitter jumped off her back and started digging out her supply of purple healing potions and I stumbled to a mostly non-crash landing in front of them.

"JADE! What are you doing! Get back up there and away from..."

"There are injured who need help here Fast! The air is not as safe as coming down here to help them with those weapons of theirs, I trust you and Witching Hour to protect us. Now, s-show me who is hurt the worst everyone, come here to the center of the roof where it is safest! Let me treat those most wounded, my daughter Glitter will share healing potions for those in less critical condition!" Jade cut off my panicked yelling, fear evident in her beautiful blue eyes, but they were set in a determined line looking at some of the terrible wounds the minotaurs and ponies hiding up here had on display.

Awful burns from magical energy weapons scorched pony and thick minotaur hides alike, and there was so much blood... ragged tears and claw marks barely staunched with rags pressed against too pale skin... Jade kept Glitter right at her side and her wings spread, ready to retreat in an instant if necessary to protect our daughter, but there were people that would die here without her help, I knew better than to even try arguing with her. Despite the terror for her, Glitter and our unborn foal pounding in time with my jackhammering heart, Jade knew what she was doing.

Her look of absolute trust and refusal to ignore those that needed her gave me the strength to push it down and focus. If Jade wouldn't run away from the hellhounds, the only option was to make the hellhounds run from Jade... Gulping to myself, I galloped over to the edge of the roof overlooking the warzone below, shouting to Witchy as the Terrible Shotgun joined the Last Minute in my magic.

"Witchy! You take that side, I'll take this one! Anybody else not hurt, take the other corners and spread out, yell if they start getting too close! We're here to help, we'll protect you!" Taking charge of a bad situation as well as I was able, I skidded to the crumbling stone corner of the rooftop and charged the gauss rifle to full power, seeking out a clear shot at the attacking hellhounds below and worriedly peering over the edge for any more who got the idea of climbing up here.

Staying cool and collected, Witchy fluttered over to the opposite corner with me, perching at the edge to aim her long anti-materiel rifle down to the battle below, while her silver combat rifle swung back and forth in her mouth rapidly, spraying fire down at a furry beast that dove away from firing its oversized M.E.W. from cover. A pair of roughly bandaged minotaurs covered the rear corners facing away from the open center of town, while several shaky looking ponies spread out between us. Even those without any real weaponry didn't show any fear, covering our blindspots and putting themselves in the line of fire to do so.

Eyes Forward Sparkle was only so reliable here, it could track the hellhounds when they surfaced and for a limited amount of time even after they disappeared underground, but the red marks vanishing and appearing randomly in my vision made it harder to keep track of how many there were or how much of a treat they presented. A sharp yelp from a young pale purple buck sent me flapping to his side just to prove the point, a hellhound hand had burst from the alley below and cleared the first story of the wall before E.F.S. had really locked on to him.

Not being stingy with ammo in the face of these things, I sent four slugs into the snarling face scaling the brick wall and was satisfied to see it tumbling back to the ground below. I gave the adolescent buck and pat to the back before rushing back to my post, the cheap .22 pistol held in the earth pony colt's chattery teeth was better than nothing, but not by much... Still he was bravely right in the thick of things, defending his friends and family from the onslaught.

"Great work kid! Keep it up!" I tried to encourage him and take heart in his courage, turning to leave and held up by his quavering cry.

"W-Wait! Umm... t-the others! M-My folks are over on Longhorn's! M-My little sister!" Following his shaking hoof, I saw a smaller gaggle of ponies cowering with an elderly looking female minotaur, on the roof of a two story wooden saloon style building.

The rickety structure shook ominously, just taking collateral damage might be enough to take away the minimal shelter it offered. Staring that way, I saw there were wounded there too, they must have taken whatever hiding place they could find when all this happened... As I watched the rangy old minotaur turned towards the rear of the building sharply, swinging a massive stone hammer just in time to meet the furious, furry face that popped over the edge facing away from me. The old cow was bleeding all over, but by far in the best shape and managing to protect the others with her.

My first impulse was to go over there myself, quick... find a way to help them, get them over here somehow, where Jade could help them. I had managed to let the admonishments of my wife and Val sink in a bit though, my first instinct in cases like this had been increasingly suspect lately. Even now, the angry hiss of 'Be Dark...' cared less about protecting them and more about killing the creatures attacking them mercilessly.

I was a little disturbed to realize what I really wanted to do was go down there in the middle of the battle with Val, Zed, Swan and the minotaur warriors, to run and slash and bite... show the unruly mutts what a real monster looked like... At some point since I left the Stable, it had become harder to keep out of a fight than to join it. When had that started? When had killing stopped being hard and started being the easier course? The preferred course....?

Staring down to the settlement below, I saw Zed going hoof to claw with one of the beasts and winning. Val diving to the ground with her flaming Shishkebab cutting a swath through a trio trying to overwhelm a pair of pinned minotaurs, Swan teleporting right over a big charcoal hellhound as it erupted from the street, her hooves surrounded in rippling magic that augmented her heavy stomp to its head. They could go down there and bring the fight to the enemy, making them pay for what they had done here. Hiding up here grated on that dark part of myself that wasn't as concerned with protecting the innocent as it should be, only Jade and Glitter up here was keeping it in check...

Jade and Val had a point, once upon a time, I shied away from fighting of any kind and couldn't imagine taking a life. The last hellhound I had seen, I was terrified and just wanted to get away, forcing myself to fight to survive. That was while encased in heavy Steel Ranger armor with a big freaking gun too. Now my fangs extended and a steady pulse of adrenaline made me twitchy and want to be down there, even in my much lighter Shrouded Stallion armor and preferably slashing away with just a knife.

Was it just being physically mutated and aggressive alicorn urges? Or had the wasteland been slowly mutating me in other ways, that increasing growl of 'Be Dark...' struggling for dominance and slowly winning against the better angels of the Ministry Mares and their virtues. Worse yet, maybe that part was always there, maybe the wasteland just let my true self come out and the lonely, quiet buck from the Stable was always just a lie... Just like Grandpa Fin and Mobius, which was real? Fast Times, or the Shrouded Stallion?

Stay in control... don't go off half cocked and do something stupid again, think dammit... Ducking another magical blast from the street below, I found another hellhound realizing there was prey up on the less defended roof and sent a blurring 2mm slug through its back in a rush, too much happening so fast wasn't helping me think constructively...

"SWAN!!! HELP!" My horn lit up and the Shroud's booming voice tolled over the battle, catching the attention of the gleeful purple mare dodging back from a set of long claws tearing through her purple shield.

She took a moment to prance back and buck the charging beast, practically caving in its chest before she teleported in a purple flash and was right in front of me. Even bleeding from several shallow slashes down her side and chest, Swan looked positively giddy at the violence, fluttering happily in front of me off the roof and absently sending a blast of magic down from her horn.

"Yes Fast? Why are you hiding up here? Come play with me and kill stupid dogs!" Swan hardly spared a glance towards the frightened wounded behind me, eager to get back to the fight and only wanting to have me join her.

Pushing aside the excited murmur of 'MINE...' with a snort, I shook my head and pointed to the decrepit wooden building giving another shudder across the way. "I can't leave Jade Swan! We have to protect all these injured and there are more over there! Can you teleport them over here? Go find any wounded and bring them back to Jade to help!"

Narrowing her eyes in an unconvinced pout, Swan glanced to the building I pointed out as I noticed one or two ponies here and there on other rooftops, along with a minotaur bleeding out in the street below from a deep gash up his broad chest. I wished I could heal like Jade or teleport reliably like Swan, since I couldn't, I had to do what Jade tried to force into my head and rely on my friends.

I only wished Swan shared her sister's priorities... A ring of glowing purple motes surrounded her flowing pink mane, forming long eldritch arrows that streaked towards several targets, including another hellhound eyeing the cluster on the wooden saloon. "They're fine... when we kill all the hellhounds, then sister Jade can do her silly healing stuff... Come fight with me Fast! I like when you fight!"

Noticing our back and forth, Jade gave a pained cry from mending a blackened scorch down a shivering yellow mare's neck. "Sister! Please!! Saving lives is more important than ending them! Do as Fast asks!!"

"Ending lives saves more! They're monsters that are hurting them, if I kill them all, they can't do it anymore..." Swan pouted back, the two alicorns glaring at each other over their differing philosophies.

"Swan please! Only you can do this, I'm counting on you! Save them! Kill anything in your way, but teleport anybody that needs help here while you're at it!"

While she didn't look happy about it, I managed to break the standoff by appealing to the big filly's ego. Swan still looked like she'd happily debate the subject, but direct begging got through and she disappeared in a bright flash, reappearing across town and quickly gathering the surprised holdouts to her. She could be a little more gentle and precise with her aim, but four ponies and one tired looking old minotaur teleported to our rooftop, falling from a few feet above the surface with a clatter.

Looking over their wounds quickly, Jade directed Glitter to pass out medication and shook the pair of nervous looking breezies from her pale mane, appealing to the nurse bedecked Spring Gale to help her with their treatment before she galloped over with a scowl. Being confronted with Swan's tactics of shoot first, shoot more, then let the goddesses sort them out, my kind princess looked upset and frustrated.

Before I could object, she was at my side, planting her forelegs on the raised edge of the roof and leaning over as I ran through the last round in the Last Minute's small clip, blowing the arm off of a tan hellhound aiming at Val raining a firestorm down on its fellows. Jade's shield focused and brightened to a thick round disc in front of her as I reloaded, but she wasn't backing off despite my frightened yelp.

Her glorious goddess voice boomed out over the burning village, echoing down the streets and alleyways in a pleading yet commanding tone. "ENOUGH! PLEASE! STOP THIS FIGHTING AND LEAVE IN PEACE!"

I couldn't imagine reasoning with the vicious beasts down there, but Jade tried... treating them like people even after seeing the devastation they had brought down on this town. There was a hitch in the fighting as all sides looked up to her flared wings casting an imposing shadow on the street below, but it only served to make her a target to the hellhounds, several multicolored beams traced their way towards her and I launched myself at my love, driving her back before her reinforced shield gave out.

Panting and shuddering on top of her while pleading with her sad eyes silently, I tore my gaze away on hearing Witchy's furious, squeaky screech behind us, taking up Jade's position angrily and firing down with her long rifle. "The Princess asked for peace thine foul dogs! Thou ignores her mercy at thine peril! You! You!... You BEEEEEEEEEASTS!!!"

She was so upset, her high pitched voice kept rising in fury, stretching out the E sound into the ultrasonic range and making me lay my ears back with a wince. While her wail bothered heightened alicorn hearing a bit, it seemed to really hurt the hellhounds, a shared howl answered from below and the red marks on E.F.S. jittered as I got to my hooves in surprise.

While I was still trying to process what happened, Jade leapt up with a hopeful look and gasped at our batpony friend. "Yes of course! Witching! Do that again! Louder!! I am no Velvet Remedy, but I can help you at least!"

Jade's horn glowed brightly and a wisp of her magic seemed to surround Witchy's throat as I dashed past, trusting her with whatever she had come up with while I ran back to the edge and bought time with the Terrible Shotgun. Three hellhounds had recovered and loped right for our shelter, not liking whatever Witchy had done and moving to stop her from doing it again.

The things were fast... running on all fours and pouncing at the faded red walls as I fired wildly. Blowing the hindleg off one gave Swan an opportunity to skewer it with a magical arrow, while a second barely tumbled out of a cloud of explosions sent by Val's grenade machinegun. The third hit the wall at a vertical run, making me worry I couldn't hit the fucker in time before a horrible screech sounded out behind me.

My hooves went to my ears and my weapons wobbled in my magic at the noise, looking back in a pained wince to find Witchy's mouth wide and blaring out a high pitched note that went on and on, amplified by Jade's magic that sent it blasting out in wide blue rings from the thestral's throat. While I didn't like the noise at all, the hellhounds absolutely hated it...

This time the howls were full of pain and rage, the mutt halfway up the wall below us actually fell back to the street and dug madly to get away. Looking down through clenched eyes trying to tear up, I noticed every other hellhound in sight was doing the same thing, yipping and yelping in pain as they dove for the ground and disappeared from E.F.S. one by one. Witchy's wide ranging sonic attack hurt me, but it looked like it was practically killing the hellhounds.

Left with no targets, I turned back and watched the impressive spectacle of Witchy's puffed up chest slowly deflating, holding that awful note longer than seemed possible. It sank right into my bones, making me grind my teeth and stagger away from being right by the source, but she just kept belting it out, slowly turning red in the face and nearly collapsing when she finally ran out of breath.

The eerie silence that followed was filled only with the ringing in my ears cautiously perking back up, looking to Jade letting the batpony lean against her and nuzzling her cheek proudly, making poor Witchy just turn redder. However it worked, it did work... the hellhounds had retreated and it sure didn't seem like they had any interest in trying again...

Glitter was the first to break the silence, giving a loud whoop and tackling the blushing thestral mare. "WOW! Way ta go Witchy!!! That was awesome!!"

Right on the heels of our daughter's joyous exclamation breaking the spell that fell over the town, a slow cheer broke out through Salt Lick. The wounded ponies and minotaurs up here with us that could move came at Witchy in a rush, clapping her armored back and throwing themselves in hugs and hoofshakes that looked to make her nervous.

Having the tough warrior filly skitter back and hide behind me was funny, but she wasn't going to find a completely safe haven here either after that performance. Shaking off the remaining warbling whine in my ears, I grabbed her burning cheeks in my hooves and planted a long, relieved kiss on her sputtering lips. Part of me was delighted to see her leathery wings flutter and stand up in surprise, as my tongue found her sharp little fangs before I broke it off with a cheer.

"Holy Luna! That was amazing Witchy! Great work!" I goggled at the embarassed filly, realizing my foreleg had reached around to her round rump in the embrace, I pulled it away as if her perfect rear was suddenly red hot and put it out in a sheepish hoofbump, turning as red as Witchy herself. "I mean.. er... s-sorry... But that really was awesome Witchy, you saved the day there! How?!"

Tapping her forelegs together nervously, Witchy squeaked and hid her neon red face under her purple mane, answering meekly as she cringed from the cheering crowd still trying to congratulate her too from behind my flared wings. "T-The Princess... she said... I just..."

Smirking softly, Jade gave a playful, tired cough and bumped me with her prodigious flank on the way to her furiously blushing royal guard, tilting her chin up with her hoof and smiling beautifully. "Sound... I should have remembered sooner, The Pony Who Helps was able to drive these creatures back with her wonderful singing voice, Witching's vocal abilities are even more powerful. You did an excellent job Witching, thank you so much for ending that awful battle, without more killing..."

Jade raised an eyebrow at Swan teleporting in with a pair of heavily bleeding minotaurs at the end there, obviously still displeased at her purple sister's preference for finding a violent solution. It did nothing to diminish her praise of Witchy however, the batpony beamed back at her and gave a short little bow, still hiding behind her bulk from the crowd of wounded well wishers as Jade trotted over to her newest patients.

"T-Thank you your highness! It's thanks to your magic though Princess, I'd never be that loud on my own everypony, so thank Princess Jade, not me!" Witchy spoke up in her normal, squeaky voice and waved to Jade, trying to redirect the relief and happiness spreading through those she had saved and sticking uncomfortably close to my side with a warm, blushing smile. Maybe I hadn't run through quite enough rads with Jade last night...

I was glad the gorgeous batpony was used to my antics at least, she was never offended when my traitorous body proved she was an attractive mare, despite how she had been made to feel otherwise back home. She was as susceptible to praise as Swan in some areas too, Jade's grateful smile looked to make her as happy as my overeager congratulations.

Looking out to see Val still circling the town on guard while Zed prowled the streets below and Swan joining her in a huff, I gave Witch a reluctantly more reserved peck on the cheek and trotted after Jade after her happy whinny. Joining the big blue doctor as her horn poured healing magic into the two panting minotaurs, I found the crooked grin of Sledge Smasher looking back.

He had a lot of long gashes, cuts and burns, though his wounds paled in comparison to the huge, pale bull with the sword next to him, and both of them were still standing and grinning at us. Sledge gave a tired wheeze as Jade's magic slowly knit his wounds together and clapped my back hard enough to send me sprawling, leaving Witchy defenseless as the older, bearded bull at his side grabbed her in a roaring headlock of a cheer.

The big, bleeding minotaur squeezed the poor batpony to his broad chest in a crushing bearhug, the arm pinning her ending in a darkened metal cybernetic hand that grabbed her foreleg and yanked her high above his head, as he shouted out to those up here with us and his tribe in the streets below. "They tried ta push us around, and this pony beat em with sound!! Oh YEAH!!!"

While poor Witchy was slung around at the edge of the roof to a wave of cheers, Sledge scooped me up and put me in his own headlock, wrapping his other musclebound arm around Jade's long neck in a matching gesture and booming to the two of us. "Welcome ta Salt Lick Princess and Shroud! Not the welcome we would'a planned, but way to show the chief that you rock!"

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

Arcane Science!-----------
----Coming to grips with your mad scientist heritage allows you to take full advantage of advanced arcane technology, with access to new high-tec mods and recipes at the workbench, as well as new dialog options and invention abilities.

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

Breezie Nation -- Idolized
---At least being the grandson of mad Dr. Mobius is good for something! All tribes of the Breezie Nation now look to you as a mythological level hero to their kind. Not that they're much of a town yet, but you'll see no problems with the residents here and will get the best prices and reactions when visiting in the future!

Salt Lick -- Liked
---Riding to the rescue is always a great way to improve diplomatic relations, you made a good first impression anyway! You'll be treated fairly at what remains of their shops and get a generally positive reaction from the residents, making quest and dialog options available to your party.