"Nnnngh! C'mon Swan, keep pushing!"

Grunting and shoving with my hindlegs, while my back and forelegs were braced and sinking into the warm, springy wall of lavender softness stuck in the last Stable door we needed to get through, I couldn't help reflecting on how exactly I wound up in this position.

"Mmm... y-you push harder Fast! A l-little to the left please..." Swan moaned and shimmied slightly, though I noticed her big hindlegs weren't putting up much of a show of trying very hard.

When I went in for my last fateful period of stasis back in pod 101 in my own Stable, I never could have imagined where I'd wind up... Shoving and sweating against a long pink tail and an ass that took up the entire width of one of the familiar, standard Stable doorways leading to the atrium.

"Y-You're not even trying, are you Swan!? You're enjoying this! I told you, you shouldn't have eaten that thing!" I pulled away reluctantly, grumbling and sputtering at the silky tail playfully swatting at me.

The lusty, rumbling giggle from the wide open atrium somewhere beyond Swan's massive rear just frustrated me more, while also making my wings ache from standing up so straight and flaring against my wishes. "Awww... just a little more Fast... I like feeling you squirming around back there, try harder..."

Snorting and stamping a hoof, I tried to master the raging urges trying to take control and stomped back down the hall, getting some running room. Walking away also put me away from Swan's delightful smell that had been fogging my brain, letting me judge the impatiently wiggling rear ahead against the precise measurements of Stable doors I still had memorized. She could get through if she wanted... she was messing with me...

Another long moan put that thought to rest though, the rusty metal squealed as what I could see of Swan grew again, inching outwards and filling the narrow corridor. When it passed, I heard her panting and saw her hindlegs scrabble against the cold floor, the doorway, walls and ceiling groaning as she tugged and pulled with a slight gasp.

"Umm... Fast? I think I might really be stuck now..." Swan's quiet, sheepish whisper floated back to me.

I facefhoofed and groaned, taking a few more steps back down the hall. "Of course you are! You kept fooling around and pretending until it was true! You're wedged tight now you silly filly! A-Alright, you can still get out I think, just actually try this time ok? On three... 1...2..."

On '3' I ran forward at full speed, rocketing towards the giant rump straining and wiggling ahead. At the last second I threw my head back and slammed into the wall of pink and purple, interrupting the straining grunts on the other side with a sharp gasp as she finally popped free and we both tumbled through the door.

Shaking my head and sputtering on a lot of pink tail and darker pink skirt I had wound up under, I fought my way free and gulped at the position I wound up in, wedged between Swan's massive cheeks and looking up to her wide eyes peeking back over her shoulder at me hungrily.

We had made it to the wide open atrium, the biggest room in a Stable generally besides the orchards deeper within, so Swan could languidly stretch and arch her back comfortably. She didn't seem to notice beyond that however, the bands of pink flashing in her corneas came as warning a second too late.

Before I could extract myself she crossed her legs and pinned me in place, grinning mischievously. "Oooo... I like you right where you are Fast, you stay put..."

Again, cradling a jiggling rear that my wide stretched forelegs could barely reach around was not a position I ever expected to be in... Giving it a squeeze and trying to pull free just made her shudder and giggle happily, the more I fought, the more she flexed rhythmically, proving I wasn't going anywhere if she didn't want.

"N-Not funny Swan! C-Come on, lemme go! T-This isn't fun for me you know!"

Moaning at my efforts, Swan turned a smoldering look back and raised an eyebrow, flaring her nostrils to take in more of the pheromones my traitorous body was putting off. "You look like you like it... you're all red and cute, you smell good too Fast... Are you suuuuuure you want me to let go?"

'MORE'

"No... Y-Yes! I mean yes! Nnngh! Dammit! No fair Swan! At least lemme take a look around, there might be more breezidores down here and I don't wanna be i-interrupted... W-We can d-do this more... later... or now.... I... Hey? What's this?"

The losing battle I was fighting with my stupid body was thankfully interrupted by spotting a splash of color on the huge flanks holding me firmly. Tugging at the short pink skirt that kept fighting to keep up with a growing alicorn, I managed to pull the fabric aside and get a partial look at something that wasn't there before. Swan had a cutie mark...

"Hmm? No trying to trick me Fast, keep wiggling around back there... I like this very much and... oh? Oh! W-What is that?" Swan purred back, continuing her forceful flexing until she bothered blinking back at me and spotting the image I could only see a little of.

With a sudden shuffle that sent me flying and made the blast proof Stable shake around us, Swan let me go and spun around, wiggling her way upright and sitting on her side, yanking at her skirt to get a better view at the new image adorning her magnificent flanks.

"Owww... B-Believe me now? What is it Swan?" I groaned from where I had been flung, woozily looking up to the buzzing cafeteria sign on the other side of the atrium from where it would be in my Stable.

Swan at least seemed to realize she had sent me sailing away and that she had to be a little more careful, a worried gasp followed the bright violet glow of her magic picking me up, gently placing me back down in front of her to be dusted off with her wide wings. "Oh! I'm sorry Fast! I... g-got a little carried away... But look! I have a mark now! When did that happen!?"

I shook my head to clear all the tiny Swan's flitting around it, setting my spinning red eyes straight and peering at the big flank in front of me with interest. It was true, she really did have a cutie mark, a new image adorned what had previously been a blank flank the last time I saw it uncovered. I was quite sure she didn't have it when we got started up in Tree Hugger's office anyway, I had made a fairly careful inspection of every inch of her before getting distracted. Had it happened while we were...

Blushing furiously, I shuddered and returned to getting a good look now. Swan's mark was a funny, round metal hat, with a tuft of pink hair on the top and two huge, long horns coming out the sides and curving at the ends. This odd image was over a dark purple shield that complimented her lighter fur nicely.

The design was a little foreign to me, I'd never seen a helm like that, while the shield was taller and fancier than the simple blue crest on my own flank, but Swan looked positively enraptured. "My own horns... I got my own horns!"

"Umm... that's great Swan, I'm really proud and happy for you! Er... does it mean something to you? Most ponies I know say they know just what their mark means when they get it, but I never did. Jade gave me a good explanation though and I like to think she's right. So? Your own horns?"

Blinking away from the new cutie mark, Swan nodded rapidly, her horn level with the catwalks lining the atrium. "Yes! Yaks!"

"Yaks..."

"I remember! Yaks always said ' Yak horn too heavy for small pony head, puny pony too weak for horns!' when I asked for them as a little filly. Ha! Now I'm not! I got my own, just like I wanted! You were right Fast! They're still in my heart, I can carry on for them and be like my yak friends from before!" Swan tittered happily to herself, pure joy etched on her round face.

Relieved to have her distracted with the whole Stable open to me now, I fluttered up to her face and planted a kiss on her large nose, eliciting a delighted whinny as she returned the gesture with her own oversized, slobbery version to my face. "I'm really, really happy for you Swan. Maybe remembering the good yak memories instead of the bad ones helped?"

"I think so, I always just tried to forget before, but now they make me happy! Like you do Fast! It came when you played with me, let's do more! Do that thing with your tongue again, I like that!" Swan burbled and fluttered her eyelashes, quickly returning to her lusty focus as she shimmied on her haunches, leaning back and spreading her hindlegs with a moan as her horn inched up a little higher.

"H-Hang on Swan, we still don't know if it's safe in here, though there haven't been any breezidores in here at least. How about we take a break and I'll go look around, see what I can do about the reactor like the tree wants."

Considering she was unbuttoning her blouse the whole time I talked and watching me with a heavily lidded look, I was glad when she got to undoing her skirt and paused at her new cutie mark again, beaming back to me slowly flapping back out of her range. Swan definitely wanted more now that she had a taste, she took to sex just as quickly as she had to kissing... The novelty of having a mark at least interrupted her demanding pout, letting me carefully put distance between us so our respective scents weren't messing with each other.

Putting the brakes on the intimidating giant mare still impatiently waiting wasn't easy, but a cutie mark appearing was just enough to do it. Swan shook the heart shaped sparkles from her eyes and crossed her forelegs over the open flaps of her blouse, biting her lip and nodding reluctantly. "Nnnn... I guess so... But I can't go down more of those tiny halls, can't you do it later? Why do you have to fix the reactor, I like it like this! It's nice and tingly and I think that nice apple is wearing off."

"Whew... good, I was starting to worry you'd get too big to fit in here at all Swan. Which is another reason to stop the reactor from spewing out more rads now, even if it does feel good... I-It's poisoning the tree though, the breezies can't come down here while it's like this, or any normal ponies that are going to come in to help them. Plus I er... I d-don't think I'll have the energy to do it if we umm... g-get started again like this... Just gimme a little while to poke around, er... look! L-Look around first!"

I took the opportunity to glide over to the catwalks near her head, trotting quickly towards the circular window on the wall just above her. That would be the Overmare's office in my Stable, hopefully the same held true here. Besides a few architectural changes here and there, the basic layout of 95.5 was the same.

The main changes were all the tiny breezie buildings cover the floors, built up on shelves lining the walls, and generally stuck all over the place. Swan had already smashed quite a few of these just getting here, a quick glance down trying not to linger on her huge flanks showed she was currently sitting on a large number of them too.

Beyond that, the other difference was the plants. They were everywhere, this whole Stable reminded me of one big orchard section from my own. Loamy earth covered most of the floors and nearly all the lighting was the fancier artificial daylight systems. Most of the remaining examples were dried up and brown, but quite a few clung to life tenaciously and gave me a better idea what this place was like while the breezies lived here, one big, underground garden. That might explain why the breezidores infesting the basement of the MoP hub weren't in here beyond the entry rooms, they didn't like flowers and growing things apparently.

I stumbled when Swan hooked her forelegs on the railing of the catwalk beside me, leaning up to nuzzle as the steel gave a warning groan. "I wanna play more now that I'm normal again though! You look really cute Fast... just like when we met... or that dream you had! This is just like that, though I don't have one of your funny Stable bardings to wear like then. Did you think it looked good? You had funny thoughts in that dream I didn't understand then, but now... I want... w-want..."

Shivering at that rumbling purr right next to me, I booped Swan's nose between her flaring nostrils and hurried up, trying desperately to focus. "I remember that dream, when all of your sisters tried getting in my head at the Ministry of Morale hub to force me to come out... That wasn't very nice Swan..."

Swan's big eyes flicked up in thought guiltily, turning back as she pulled away sheepishly and shrugged. "Sorry... U-Umbra said everyone should help make you come out, you wouldn't answer us. I didn't understand then about all your feelings and love junk, but I do now... Let me apologize Fast..."

Watching Swan leaning back in a seductive display, stretching against the wall just below the Overmare's window and licking her lips, I shuddered and thunked my head, speeding up and fighting the growl in my mind.

'MORE!'

"N-No fair Swan... Just hang on, let me do what I need to here, then we'll see. Consider it punishment for going along with Umbra's plan. I'll start out here so you won't be alone, but you have to behave."

Drumming her hindlegs on the floor in a pouting tantrum, Swan smashed more breezie buildings under her and made the walkway leading up to the door shake. "Nngh... I want you to hurry! B-But I'll be good and wait... I can look at my mark at least, sister will be so proud!"

"You're right, Jade will be pretty excited when she sees you got a cutie mark too Swan. I can't wait to show her!"

Swan kept lovingly staring at the mark, blinking up at me in excitement as an idea crossed her mind. "If my yak friends are still in my heart, then when we have foals, I can teach them about them too! Then they'll live in their hearts too!"

Pausing in my hacking of the Overmare's door, I looked back to Swan's happy gaze softly. That was the other part of all this mating business with Jade's sisters, Swan would be a mother to my foals... "Swan? Have you thought much about that? Er... the having kids part?"

Nodding giddily, Swan grinned and answered with no hesitation or any of my worry. "Uh-huh! We'll have lots of foals and I'll teach them to be big and strong! They'll all carry on for the yaks I knew, now that I'm ok remembering them again. They'll be tough and protect others, like us!"

"Er... Swan... what if they're small like me, or nerds that don't wanna fight? You have a kinda distorted view of me from the time we've spent together I think. I fight because I have to, not because I want to. Before, back when I lived in a Stable like this, I never would have been anything like... like what you've seen of me. I don't think you'd notice me at all, let alone... umm... you know."

In answer, Swan tittered laughter and leaned up, her super sized nuzzles making me stumble and use up an attempt to open the door. "I would notice, I liked you before you were like me. You weren't scared and thought I was pretty, you're kind and fun! I like it when you're more stallion-y and tough, but sweet and nerdy Fast is nice too! If our foals are like that, I'll love them just as much and be happy they're like you. We'll have lots, so I'm sure there will be some of each! Now... hurry up so we can make that come true..."

"Eeep!... H-Hurrying Swan, I'm hurrying..." I sputtered and stumbled back from Swan's big muzzle nudging, kissing and licking me into the corner, diving for the door as soon as it slid open on lucking in to the password.

Ducking into the Overmare's... Overbreezie's office was a relief, Swan wasn't going to be patient forever and neither was I for that matter. The sultry purr she ended on had me fighting a losing battle against the demands of my stupid, breeding stud body, but distance and fresh air helped. The curious changes to the familiar Stable layout to accommodate the breezies it was meant to protect helped keep my mind occupied too.

On the one hoof, it was a fairly standard Overmare's office, the same size as the one back home, the same semi-circle desk and wall of monitors, a standard Stable-Tec terminal glowing on the surface ahead. It was made for a breezie in charge though, where the fancy office chair should be, there was a large and ornate breezie building. No match for Queen Ether's model Canterlot Palace, but a pretty fancy dollhouse manor for the breezie in charge.

I called back as I patched into the pony sized terminal, sifting through the data quickly and pulling up a familiar audio file. "We'll have to have a cute-cenera for you like we did for Jade. She really will be excited, I bet the rest of your sisters back home will be too!"

Unlike me, Swan didn't need to raise her voice to answer, giggling to herself happily as her huge face leaned up to fill the round window nearby. "It will be nice to share with her and the others back home! Maybe we could share other things too... sister Ivy said playing together could be lots of fun...."

Gulping at that big, blue violet eye peering in and watching me hungrily, I groaned and hit play on the file, diving into the distraction as the weary voice of the Vice President of Stable-Tec crackled out. "Which one? Oh... ninety five and a half... that's right, the late addition for Fluttershy. Er... Hi there Overbreezie of Stable 95.5, Scootaloo here and I'm really sorry if it's come to this. Fluttershy is the only one who hasn't totally gone crazy with this damn war, so I'm glad we could help her with this..."

"Normally on one of these, I'd talk about not just preserving pony life and society, but trying to do better, just like Fluttershy would want... You guys though, you just got caught up in our insanity. Breezies aren't going to war and destroying themselves, so you hardly need any of our ideas to improve things. We've tried to make this Stable as comfortable as possible for you, your friend Doc Mobius tells us the plants are sure to be very hardy and able to grow even underground with all the work we've put in getting this one ready for you, so hopefully you'll ride this out and come out to a better world. You'll survive at least... you won't have to pay for our mistakes..."

"That being the case, I trust you guys to hold onto the ARC project down there with you, more than I would any ponies. Breezies always spread pollen and life before, so we're asking you to take on this responsibility for us and do it again if need be. Deep beneath you lies the largest collection of genetic samples in Equestria, from every form of life we could collect. Seeds for the future, along with the tech in the Trotson hub to put them to use. When you come out again, at least you'll have the tools to make sure we don't totally wipe out hundreds of plant and animal species with our stupidity."

"There's also a lot of pony samples down there, some from mares I'm not so sure deserve the chance, but... but I leave that decision up to you. I don't even know if we'll ever get the cloning chambers for ponies up and running, so probably a moot point. We're building the first full scale models in another Stable to work the kinks out. The Doc says he'll get things working in the Commonwealth, though an amusement park is a weird place to test it... Anyway, the hub has the prototypes, so you can repopulate the animals if nothing else, I know they deserve it more than we do."

"You guys take care of yourselves, help make a better world than this one. If you can... forgive us..."

Hearing that sad voice from the terminal fade away with a click, I sighed and felt for the long ago mare. Scootaloo and her friends had done a lot to try to find a better way, to save as many as they could from the inevitable end she saw coming. From everything I had heard from others about Stables in general, it hadn't quite worked out as she hoped... but it did save me and my family. It saved the breezies too, so we all owed her a debt of gratitude.

Swan's snort from outside fogged the bottom of the circular window and broke me out of my thoughts, peering up over the edge and speaking in an impatient tone. "I tried to tell you Fast, all that old stuff from before is always sad and boring. Quit fooling around with that dumb stuff and... mmnnn..."

Again, Swan was interrupted by another sudden growth spurt, the top of her head slowly rising in front of me until she could look back in the Overbreezie's window without stretching up. While it was obvious how much she enjoyed the sensation, this spurt was followed with a very unladylike burp that came out in a glowing green cloud.

Eyeing the dissipating puff of green with a hoof to her mouth, Swan looked a little disappointed as I came back out to the catwalk near her head. She shimmied in place, making my hooves unsteady as the Stable shook with her muttering and poking her belly. "Excuse me... Awww, I think that was the last of my tasty apple... I was hoping it would last longer."

Fluttering down between her outstretched hindlegs -at a safe distance away-, I craned my neck back to take in all the overstimulated alicorn waiting on me with a gulp, carefully inching my way around her bulk to the door down to maintenance nearly blocked by her big rump.

"More? I'm glad it stopped, much more and you'd start really pushing what a Stable was built to withstand Swan, not to mention be umm... a-a little much to handle... A-Anyway, I gotta go down to the reactor, I'll try to make it quick, ok? Er... it's through the door just behind you there."

Rather than move aside, Swan flicked her tail and completely closed off the passage she doubled over to look at. That done, she planted her forelegs in front of me, leaning forward with a throaty giggle and purring as she nuzzled my face and mane. "I'm sure you can manage Fast, I have lots of ideas for things you can do... Stay with me and play, I don't wanna sit here alone..."

Answering with a blushing sputter from her long tongue licking up my face, I skittered around her and headed for the door, staggering my way through the wall of silken pink hair that seemed to actively be wrapping around me and impeding any progress. When a huge ribbon of pink twined around my barrel and started dragging me back to that rumbling moan, I had to put my hoof down.

"Swan! You said you'd behave, mission-y type stuff first, right? Y-You're reminding me too much of Virescent right now... it's kinda freaking me out. You're the one who ate that thing and got too big to follow me, you'll just have to amuse yourself for a little while."

I kept my eyes and nose firmly away from the wall of lavender warmth curled around me, gritting my teeth and trying just as hard as she was to stay in control by her rising whine. Her tail did unwind immediately though, flicking back and revealing the hidden doorway ahead as she drummed her hooves and pouted. "Nnnn! You're no fun Fast, but fine, go do your dumb junk that's boring. I'll wait like I said... for awhile... Hmm, maybe I'll have a snack while I'm waiting..."

Turning back at that last contemplative murmur, I tried to look stern and in control, which was somewhat laughable considering the giant face grinning back mischievously. I did manage to hide the shiver that went down my tail and held out a hoof, keeping up the facade of being in charge of a mare that could quite frankly do whatever she wanted.

"Give me those apples Swan... All of them. No snacking while I'm gone, you'll get way too big. Hoof em over..."

She whined again, but with a blushing titter of laughter as she sighed and turned back to her packs, pulling out the lead lined apron containing all the concentrated balefire apples we had collected. "No fun at all Fast... I bet you'd like it if I was just a liiiiiitle bigger..."

Grumbling and snatching the bundle away, I retreated quickly and did a quick count on my way. Phew... all there... Assured she wouldn't outgrow the Stable entirely, I turned back and planted a quick kiss on her nose and stroked her big muzzle tenderly. "You're already perfect the way you are Swan, more is just overkill. I'm er... e-eager to come back and see what it's like with so much of you to please, but I really do have to go do stuff first. I'll hurry, I promise. N-Now I gotta go, like right now... or I think I'll just jump on and see. Behave yourself, I'll be back!"

I had to flatten my ears against the delighted giggles and tempting murmurs following me down the gloomy hallways, but Swan had better self control than I did. She let me go and I felt the ground shake as she made herself comfortable with an impatient whinny, while I was in serious danger of turning back still. For once that annoyingly insistent growl of 'MORE' had all it could handle and then some. It cared nothing for the world outside, the important things we had to do or the limited amount of time to do them.

'Be Dark...' only cared about the big filly I was running away from in a hurry,

"Ungh! No wonder this thing is close to melting down, you tapped into it for power, didn't you?" I grumbled down to the tiny robot wrapped around my leg, pulling on nearly frozen shutdown switches hidden under the raging reactor down in the heart of Stable 95.5

I didn't really need the confirmation, the crystalline roots emerging through the steel walls and sending delicate tendrils through the reactor housing told the tale all too well. I mainly just wanted the stupid computer to admit its mistakes, it was lucky it hadn't blown the whole Stable and its own 'Great Tree' body to smithereens.

The extreme amounts of radiation I had absorbed down here made me a little aggressive and cranky too. Once the needle on my radiation gauge passed red and inched into the purple end of the dial, I was struggling against the demands of my mutated body and feeling pretty pent up. Until I could rejoin the large mare waiting for me upstairs, I could gripe at the poor decision making skills of the MoP hub maneframe.

EMERGENCY POWER RATIONS WERE NEARLY DEPLETED. THANKS TO THE LIGHTBRINGER, EVEN SECONDARY WATER SOURCE WAS SLOWING TO A TRICKLE. THE REACTOR WAS AN UNTAPPED RESOURCE DEEMED AN ACCEPTABLE SUBSTITUTE... YOU CAN FIX IT, CAN'T YOU REPAIR-PONY?

"Oof... yeah, I can fix it. It was still a dumb idea that could have gone horribly wrong at any time, you're lucky I came along. From now on, how about you run any bright ideas you come up with through the Queen and the Followers she lets in here, ok?" With a rusty squeal, the final shutdown switch came down and the uneven roar of the large arcano-tech reactor slowed to a steady hum of standby mode, letting me wriggle my way back out and wipe the sweat from my brow. It was practically a sauna down here.

COMMUNICATIONS HAVE BEEN RESTORED, I COULD ALWAYS SEEK YOU OUT DIRECTLY FOR FUTURE REPAIRS.

Patching into the control systems with my pip-buck, I let the code scroll by and continued with the shutdown safely, replying absently while I worked. "You mentioned that earlier, the hub has communications? You were able to fix them yourself?"

BIO-TECH COMMS SYSTEMS WERE PART OF MY DESIGN, MY BRANCHES ACT AS AN EFFECTIVE ANTENNA ARRAY. WITH PRIMARY POWER RESTORED, I WAS ABLE TO RESTORE DAMAGED SYSTEMS MYSELF, YES. COMMUNICATION WITH THE M.O.M. HUB BEYOND SIMPLE BURST TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN MOST INFORMATIVE, IT SEEMS I MADE AT LEAST ONE GOOD DECISION IN TRUSTING YOU.

"You can talk to the other hubs? Hey... Great Tree, buddy... any way you can convince them to let me in them too?" I tried to put my usual annoyance with the strange computer aside at that interesting little tidbit.

THEY HAVE THEIR OWN DIRECTIVES TO FOLLOW. THE M.O.W.T. HUB IS INTERESTED IN MEETING YOU HOWEVER, IT HAS NOT HAD AN INVITATION SIGNAL IN QUITE SOME TIME. THE M.A.S. HUB IS CURIOUS TOO, THOUGH I DOUBT YOU'LL BE ABLE TO REACH IT FROM WHAT IT TELLS ME. UNLESS YOU ARE WILLING TO CONTINUE YOUR ENTERTAINING ACTIVITIES WITH A GREAT NUMBER OF THE RESIDENTS.

Thinking on it, the damn machine was right there. Getting into the Ministry of Arcane Sciences hub meant going through Umbra and most of the alicorns in the Commonwealth. Getting in wouldn't be much of an issue, getting out again though... I shuddered at the thought.

"I'm glad you find it amusing... No help with the other hubs then I guess, huh? Well, I'll figure something out. So long as I've got an in with the Ministry of Wartime Technology, I've got a bargaining chip with the Brotherhood. Who else can you communicate with now? If you can talk to the M.O.M. maybe we can catch up with Ivy! Mayor Shamrock too I bet. Or the Castle maybe, Summer said she fixed the comms tower, that would be convenient. Hey, maybe you can even transmit outside the Commonwealth! I can show you how to use the M.A.S.E.B.S. tower and..."

COMMUNICATION RELAY THROUGH M.A.S.E.B.S. ALREADY ESTABLISHED, I'VE BEEN INVESTIGATING REMAINING M.O.P. HUBS. PRIORITY MESSAGE IS AWAITING HEAD PHYSICIAN JADE ON HER RETURN. I CAN SEE ABOUT YOUR REQUESTS AS WELL.

"Message? For Jade? From who, and where? You really ought to be careful poking around on your own you know, you don't have the best track record... What if it's someone bad?" While I was very curious about contact from the outside world, the hub maneframe had a habit of making very poor choices on its own that made me nervous.

CONFIDENTIAL M.O.P. COMMUNICATIONS, FOR HEAD PHYSICIAN JADE ONLY. I AM BEING CAREFUL, THIS BEARS PROPER SECURITY PROTOCOLS FROM THE MANEHATTEN HUB HOWEVER, AND IS ADDRESSED TO YOUR WIFE SPECIFICALLY. I IMAGINE SHE'LL SHARE WITH YOU WHEN SHE ARRIVES, THE OTHER PARTY WAS VERY IMPATIENT TO SPEAK WITH HER, SO I DOUBT YOU HAVE LONG TO WAIT REPAIR-PONY.

Grumbling at the chipper computer pointing out I was no doctor and therefore not as important, I looked around the rusty lowest level of the Stable. It was familiar like mine, but not in some ways. The dark stairwell I pointed towards for example... in 111, the reactor level was as low as you could go.

"So.... since you won't tell me more, is there anything else for a lowly repair-pony to fix down here then? What's that tunnel down there?"

THAT LEADS TO THE ARC PROJECT CHAMBERS, SECURE STORAGE OF THE COLLECTED GENETIC SAMPLES. IT REMAINS PRISTINE AND SAFE. SO FAR AS I KNOW.

"So far as you know? Don't you know everything that goes on in er... inside you?"

MONITORING EQUIPMENT INSIDE THE ARC IS LIMITED. I CAN SEND NEW SAMPLES DOWN TO BE CATALOGUED, OR WITHDRAW LOGGED SAMPLES, MONITOR INTEGRITY, AIR QUALITY, HUMIDITY, ETC. I HAVE NO VIDEO MONITORING OR OTHER SENSORS WITHIN THE STORAGE CHAMBER HOWEVER.

Checking over the reactor one more time, I collected my tools and trotted down the stairs, answering curiously as I headed towards the mysterious ARC. "Well then, how about I take a look for you. I'm interested in this big ARC project, the Brotherhood is too from what I've heard, best to find out what they're so fixated on."

The passage wound its way down quite a ways, deep into the earth beneath the MoP hub, deeper even than the Stable. When it finally opened up into a wide room showing much less age than the rest of the Stable, I was stopped by the intimidating door that took up most of the wall facing the stairs. It wasn't quite another gear shaped Stable door, but it wasn't far behind. A dimly glowing monitor waited beside the massive steel doorway.

As soon as I connected my patch cable and tapped my way through the secure terminal, the sound of several hatches opening in the ceiling made me jump back and draw my weapons. Rather than automated turrets filling the room with blazing death however, a multitude of nozzles sprang out and filled the entry room with a fine mist that quickly drenched me, making me sputter and flutter my dripping wings.

"W-What the hell!?"

DECONTAMINATION PROTOCOL, NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT.

"Thanks for freaking warning me!"

SORRY...

A blast of air cut off my annoyed huff as the decontamination system cycled, blowing off the antiseptic smelling mist rapidly and making my mane and tail frizzy. I really hated the sense of humor that had been imprinted on that damn machine. I had no idea who the pony it was originally was, but it could be really obnoxious sometimes. I really doubted it was actually sorry, more likely it didn't say anything intentionally just to amuse itself.

Heavy clunks and grinding noises came from the vault like door barring my way, then it slowly slid up, letting me see just how thick and heavy duty it was. More than two feet of heavy gauge steel made up the only entrance to the ARC project, a cavernous room full of shelves from floor to vaulted ceiling. Filling these shelves were more of the crystalline containers like the one the breezies had placed my own 'sample' in they had collected from me when we arrived. Staring up in awe at the amazing number of containers revealed by the lights flickering to life, I spotted mechanical armatures on tracks up in the ceiling, a miniature version of the huge claws in Dr. Dala's storage chambers actually...

Hearing my hoofsteps echo on the immaculate tiles was spooky, the similarities to Dala's storage area was putting me even more on edge too. I'd bet cookies to caps the Institute had a hoof in this place. Looking around curiously, I made out the plastic placards on each shelf as I passed. 'Botanical Samples - Eastern Equestria' was full of crystal containers full of seeds of varying sizes and shapes. A perfectly preserved record of the world I grew up in, a way to bring back all that we had destroyed... just sitting here and waiting.

"This is amazing... you really could fix it all with this, make the world the way it was... Jade told me that Gardens of Equestria spell fixed all the soil and water outside of the Commonwealth, with this stuff the Brotherhood could regrow everything! No wonder they want it so much, they keep talking about restoring the world and all that."

INDEED, EACH CONTAINER PROVIDES A STASIS FIELD, KEEPING THE SAMPLES SAFE AND VIABLE. BY MAKING SELECTIVE WITHDRAWS AND UTILIZING YOUR GRANDFATHER'S ADAPTABILITY POTION, THE BREEZIES HAVE MANAGED TO RESTORE THE FOREST OUTSIDE ALREADY. YOU THINK THESE SOLDIERS FROM THE BROTHERHOOD HAVE SUCH ALTRUISTIC MOTIVATIONS?

"I'd like to think so... but I'm a little skeptical too. Regrowing all the plants sounds good, but I don't think they'd be quite so focused on just that. You've been keeping this place safe all this time and it seems pretty secure. Hmmm... hey, what's with all the empty shelves this way?" I answered in a quiet murmur, this place reminded me of a library of sorts, calling up a conditioned response of staying respectfully quiet.

The Great Tree had no such problem apparently, I heard the little cybreezie whir as it took in the long row of shelving that was completely bare, feeding a video view to the computer that did not make it happy at all....

EMPTY!? THOSE SHOULD NOT BE EMPTY! THOSE ARE THE PONY SAMPLES! REPAIR-PONY FAST TIMES, INVESTIGATE IMMEDIATELY! THERE MUST BE SOME MISTAKE!

"Er... nope, sorry... Oh, there's one here still, hang on." Trotting down the long aisle with a mounting sense of dread, I approached the lonely, single crystalline container sticking out like a sore hoof on the bare shelving. Floating it down for a closer look, I could make out a familiar black feather and plastic jars through the translucent material. Seeing my own cutie mark etched below its spot confirmed it, "Umm, it's mine... the one the breezies took from me. You're saying all these shelves should have more pony samples?"

101,358 PONY BIOLOGICAL SAMPLES LOGGED AT MOST RECENT COUNT! HOW CAN THEY NOT BE THERE!?

It felt like a ball of icy lead formed at the pit of my stomach as I paced down the aisle, looking at all the cutie mark images etched under empty shelves. Thousands... thousands of genetic samples, all the pony samples mysteriously gone... My paranoid thoughts started to harden to certainty as my ears flicked at the sound of movement in here with me.

Speaking in a low whisper, I drew Vengeance and inched down the aisle in a crouch. "Computer... How much did the Commonwealth Institute of Arcane Technology have to do with this ARC project? They knew about it, didn't they?"

....ARC PROJECT ORIGINALLY CONCEIVED BY THEORETICAL IMAGINEERING DEPARTMENT OF C.I.A.T. AND APPROVED BY MINISTRY MARE FLUTTERSHY. THE LIKELIHOOD OF EITHER YOUR GRANDFATHER OR MY... OF THE MINISTRY MARE LYING ABOUT ITS PURPOSE OR PERVERTING IT IS EXCEEDINGLY LOW.

I was prowling the aisles now, muted clicking from ahead as I passed 'Luna Bay Marine Samples' and followed the tracks on the ceiling, a miniature, upside down railroad. "But the Institute knew about it, right? I read about the director of the hub hanging out with Dr. Vega, how often was he here?"

....FREQUENTLY. THE... DIRECTOR, HE HAD MANY DEALINGS WITH DR. VEGA, MOST OF THEM ILLICIT IN SOME FORM OR ANOTHER. I KNOW OF SEVERAL THE DIRECTOR ASKED FOR MY HELP CONCEALING, AND HAVE MORE DIRECT KNOWLEDGE OF OTHERS BEFORE... YOU THINK HE WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS? THIS BREACH OF TRUST AND DUTY!?

"I think the Institute would have a use for such a large collection of pony genetic code, yeah. This kinda of shady deal is right up Vega's alley too, if he was sticking his nose in around here with the so called Director then..."

My growling answer was cut short when E.F.S. lit up with a single dash up ahead, one that was definitely red and noticed me too, probably working with a similar threat detection system by the monotone robotic voice that rang out. "Intruder detected, security compromised! Scanning.... single pony detected, silencing breach, restoring project integrity. Halt! You must be vaporized, please stand by for termination!"

What had been quiet clicking became a racket of clanking and clattering. Something big and fast was rapidly approaching, sending me to my hooves in a tense crouch, laying my ears back against the rusty, squealing noise marking its progress a few rows over.

The thing that zipped out from the behind the shelves triggered an instinctual fear that left me frozen for a moment. A spider... a really big spider... That's all my brain could constructively offer, dumping a load of adrenaline into my system as I struggled to comprehend the monstrosity hiding down here beneath the Ministry of Peace and Stable 95.5.

Getting over the surge of useless fear, I remembered S.A.T.S. and slipped into the cool timelessness to get a better look. Stable-Tec Assisted Targeting System didn't recognize nightmare figments of imagination, so it was real at least. It was robot... something like a cross between a Mr. Handy with way too many multi-jointed arms, and a Gen 1 Synth. It had the pale, plastic coated head of one of the Institute's early pony-like robots, the neck leading down to a round body bigger than my pal Cogsworth and without his hover systems.

Rather than bobbing along on a field of levitation magic, this thing had one of its many claws hooked into the tracks on the ceiling, bright blue sparks spreading out in a fan behind its rapid progress towards me, aided by all those other claws grabbing the shelving, floors and ceiling in a mad scramble that was pure nightmare fuel.

Robots I could deal with, bizarre and frightening ones hiding in the dark were no different. When I went to select a shot with the gleaming revolver I had out however, the system refused to accept the 75% shot to the screeching head right in front of me, instead flashing a message that made me want to scream.

YOU MAY NOT FIRE WITHIN THE ARC PROJECT! YOU MAY DAMAGE IRREPLACEABLE SAMPLES!

Fucking really!? That damn computer wouldn't let me shoot, with the cybreezie locked into my pip-buck, it could interfere with all systems, including S.A.T.S.. While I had to admit it had a point, it was a really shitty time and way to make it. 75% was plenty good enough, right? Giving a mental groan, I let time resume with no roar of gunfire following the selection, instead dodging over an aisle and looking for a clearer shot.

The thing followed, too quick to get away from too. Three of those pincer ended claws latched onto my hindlegs and yanked me back, making me flap my wings to right myself and pull, floating the big revolver right up against its body and pulling the trigger repeatedly.

"Intruder identified! Sample #101,358, Subject 111-3-42, requesting instructions..." The weird robot kept its hold until I managed to draw Best Served and slice the limbs off, falling to the floor with a thump and highly surprised when it simply turned around and took off. What I caught of its end of the conversation to its Institute masters sent me scrambling after it though... "Acknowledged, successful termination deemed unlikely. Disable relay, self destruct. Initiating!"

"Oh you bastard, no you don't!!" I roared and stumbled up to a full run, trying to shake the metal claws stubbornly hanging on my hindlegs as lightning magic arced around them.

Another .45 round blasting through a rapidly crawling metal limb and drilling through the ceiling had the 'Voice of the Great Tree' practically screeching in my ear. At least it was opting for audio rather than messing with my vision, of course I wasn't likely to read anything it put up in my way at the moment...

"STOP FIRING!!! YOU WILL DAMAGE THE ARC PROJECT! THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE, ALL OF IT! WHAT IS THAT THING? WHAT IS IT DOING IN HERE!? THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE A SEALED AND SECURE SPECIMEN VAULT! WHAT IS IT DOING REPAIR-PONY!?"

Hissing through gritted fangs, I answered breathlessly while I ran on. The lightning walking spell at my hooves leaving a trail that matched the sparks from the rails in the ceiling the damn robot was using, zigging and zagging crazily, deeper into the ARC vault.

"It's an Institute robot! You've been infested pal, I'm trying to exterminate it before it gets away! That's who stole from you! And me!"

Even with the red rage trying to take over, I could think clearly enough and faster than I could explain to the hub maneframe. All those claws looked just right to grab specimen samples off the shelves, this thing was some kind of librarian, keeping track of the catalog and sending things on to the Institute for them to play with. If it sent things to them, there had to be a hidden teleporter down here, I wanted to reach it before it had the chance to disable it...

Not that the weird synth was going to make it easy, once it identified me it seemed to have no interest in fighting directly. Instead it was focused solely on escape, as I skidded around another turn I nearly ran face first into one of the tall shelves crashing to the floor, spilling clinking crystal containers everywhere that I stumbled and slipped on. I was distantly glad the sample containers were fairly sturdy and meant to preserve their contents for ages, though there'd be a big mess to reorganize later.

Right now they were just getting in my way, forcing me to jump and flap my way up to continue the chase, clumsily dodging more being tipped by the escaping robot. One set to teetering clipped my side and sent me lurching the other direction, smacking into another off balance shelf and crashing to the floor under a rain of containers, pinned under the heavy shelf when it came down on my back.

'Be Strong!' hollered and I shoved my way back up with a frustrated shout, bucking the weight off my back and charging off again, grabbing any other obstacles with my telekinesis and throwing them aside. That cost me time, I only had E.F.S. to guide me to the escaping synth now, eventually making me way do a wide aisle of empty shelves.

One shelf near the end had slid aside already, revealing a hidden passage that forcibly reminded me of the one I uncovered in Stable 111. The sparking teleport pad at the end of the short passage was the biggest similarity, it was functional! Or it was... already the spider-synth had ripped the panels open and those claws were busily tearing bits out, causing it to dim and fizzle to my horror.

"NOOOOO!!!" I screamed and flung myself at the synth's round body, tackling it and rolling across the small chamber in a ball of flailing hooves and metal claws.

Smacking against one of the waning pylons surrounding the central teleport pad, I emptied the cylinder into the synth's body, while it remained focused on doing as much damage as possible before I destroyed it. Best Served flashed out and severed a claw tearing at the complicated bits of the pylon, only for it to be replaced with two more ripping out wiring and talismans wildly.

Releasing the star metal blade from my fangs chewing into the handle, I skewered the pale pony head of the thing, flopping to the floor in a glowing green puddle when it melted under me. Panting with furious tears dribbling down my cheeks, I roared and drummed my hooves on the floor in a tantrum, splashing the muck left when a synth self destructed and fuming.

"DAMMIT! DAMMIT! DAMMIT!!! Rotten, cheating, stupid fucking machine! No! Not again! Not so close!!!"

I laid like that for awhile, hiding under my hooves and letting my ragged breathing settle out, trying to get control of the raging snarls of 'Be Dark...' being fed by my anger and frustration, eventually left with nothing but depression and a hollow feeling inside. A miserable peek through blurry eyes showed it had done enough damage, this teleporter was as disabled as the one back home...

REPAIR-PONY? ...FAST... ARE YOU ALRIGHT?

I didn't want to answer... I wanted to keep soaking in this puddle of glop and being miserable, to curl up and die at failing again after coming so close. 'Be Unwavering!' gave a quiet nudge and I groaned my way back up however, wiping my eyes and trying to shake the glowing goop off my dark coat, answering in a tired sigh.

"F-Fine... Just pissed... So, you had no idea the Institute left that little surprise down here, huh? Well, let's see how much damage it did anyway." I kicked at the puddle of slop wearily, trudging over to the ruined machine.

It was trashed, but nearly identical to the one in Stable 111. The one silver lining I could find was that not all the same parts had been destroyed, components missing on the one in 111 were present here...

Floating my tools out to disassemble these parts, visions of cobbling together a working teleporter back home and slaughtering everything on the other side danced behind my burning eyes. They were going to pay, and pay, and pay... I was so furious I was shaking and making a poor job of it, my vision blurring with angry tears, so I nearly missed the glowing lines of text eventually scrolling above the faithful H.U.D. from my pip-buck.

REPAIR-PONY FAST TIMES... THIS INSTITUTE YOU DESPISE SO MUCH, THEY DID THIS? THEY STOLE THE SAMPLES? PERVERTED MY... FLUTTERSHY'S WISH TO PRESERVE LIFE? THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE?

"Yes, yes they are... and they're gonna pay for it, I promise..."

FOR WHAT PURPOSE? WHAT WOULD THESE VILLAINS DO WITH FLUTTERSHY'S LEGACY?

Finishing morosely taking apart what was left of the teleporter and stashing the parts in my saddlebags, I trudged back out to the aisle of empty shelves as I answered. "They make synths, fake ponies that blend in perfectly. A catalog of ponies to copy would be pretty valuable to them, with all this..."

Stopping to rub my head in thought while I explained it to the hub maneframe, I sat with a thump when I took a better look at the empty shelving nearby, 'Awareness!'. This wide aisle leading to the secret door was labeled; 'Prime Genetic Samples' a clearly fancier area in the depths of this weird library. The shelves here were ornate and made of rich, dark wood instead of the sterile plastic and steel like the rest, with the fanciest being a curio cabinet that would look at home in Canterlot Palace. There was more space for each missing container behind the glass of this one, and the cutie marks etched into the wood for each wide slot were too familiar.

Butterflies... Balloons... Diamonds... Apples... a cloud with a lightning bolt, and a six pointed star adorned six empty slots. Above these were two even more ornate spaces with gold and silver brackets at the top of the hoof crafted shelf, the image of a bright sun and a crescent moon staring back at me made my blood run cold.

There were more familiar marks down the aisle leading to this special cabinet, images that tickled prewar memories of famous and important ponies, but they paled in the presence of these special spots... The Ministry Mares and the Princesses... the Institute had samples of all of them... The thought of those lunatics stealing a piece of Celestia and Luna was blasphemous, filling me with equal parts fear and rage imagining all the horrible things they might do with them.

I had to force myself forward, shaking with every step as I put the terrible sight behind me and stalked back to the entrance. Hopefully we were too far underground for Swan to have heard the gunshots or chaos, but she was still waiting upstairs either way, best to get back to her 'Be Kind...'. Having another real pony to talk to about this would be some consolation at least, though the Great Tree was trying, somewhat surprising me when it spoke up again.

THE DIRECTOR HELPED THEM DO THIS... DIDN'T HE? I HAD THOUGHT HIS SELF SERVING DEALINGS WITH DR. VEGA WERE MORE OF HIS TYPICAL CORRUPTION, SELLING CONFIDENTIAL DATA AND MISAPPROPRIATING MEDICAL SUPPLIES, FINANCING HIS LAVISH LIFESTYLE... BUT HE ALLOWED THIS...

"Yeah, he sounds like a real winner from everything you've told me. You've never sounded like you liked him, got his job through nepotism and was pretty worthless right? Just the kind of guy it would be easy for Vega to use. Guess he's dead already though, huh? Too bad, but I'll make do with Vega when I find him..."

FAST... THERE ARE THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW, THINGS I AM ASHAMED OF. I TRUST YOU NOW HOWEVER, IT IS KNOWLEDGE THAT MAY HELP CORRECT THIS CRIME. THAT IS WHAT THE SHROUDED STALLION DOES RIGHT? PUNISH EVIL DOERS LIKE THOSE THAT WOULD STEAL THE HOPES OF MINISTRY MARE FLUTTERSHY?

"That's what I do alright, that's what I'm gonna do... no matter what it takes." I answered in an angry growl, gnashing my lengthening fangs together in a still barely restrained rage.

All the rads I had absorbed were just stoking the fire in my head, I wanted something to hurt, something to do, some outlet for the surge of adrenaline and the steady beat of fury pounding in my temples. 'Be Dark...' spoke up and reminded me there was at least one other way to spend all this energy waiting for me upstairs. Mating or murder, either one would do right now... Suddenly I felt more than up to the challenge a giant filly presented, Swan liked things a little rough anyway, I felt ready to respond in kind. Anything to put aside the frustrated desire to destroy the Institute.

The suddenly conciliatory computer must have picked up on my thoughts somehow, it was connected to my pip-buck and all the biological readings it was constantly taking. Maybe it just spotted my wings flaring and my ears pricking up as I trotted faster and faster, out of the ARC and up the stairs. Either way, I only absently marked what it eventually said, glad for my pip-buck's mysterious habit of assigning me 'missions' to do.

WHEN YOU HAVE... FINISHED YOUR BUSINESS IN THE ROOT SECTOR WITH YOUR FRIEND. PLEASE COME TO THE DIRECTOR'S OFFICE. I WILL TELL YOU EVERYTHING I KNOW TO HELP YOU RIGHT THIS WRONG, TO FIX THIS...

Mission Updated: Lifegiver

Objectives------
---Find the Ministry of Peace Hub
---Gain entry to the MoP Hub
---Explore Root Sector - Purge Infestation and Blight
---Open the Ministry of Peace Hub to the outside world

Optional Objectives------
---Enter the M.O.P. Director's office.

Some time later, I rolled a weak eye around me with a wince, eyeing the destruction from my perch, sprawled atop a bed of sweaty lavender alicorn chest. I couldn't help feeling a little bad, if I had done this to my Stable I'd be in sooooo much trouble...

Most of the catwalks lining the atrium were knocked down, crushed and bent into a variety of shapes that were definitely not factory condition. Nearly every breezie building arrayed on the floors were so much fine powder. Even the heavy steel walls had a variety of dents in the shape of the very big hooves currently lazily stroking my back with a soft murmur.

Keeping up with Swan like this had effectively drained most of the aggression from me, along with a great number of rads now that the reactor wasn't spewing them out below us. It was a lot rougher and more primal than anything I ever did with Jade, helping to lift the depression and anger threatening to overwhelm me when I came back.

Swan listened in between rounds and was supportive, though couldn't help reminding me she warned me old world stuff was sad and boring. Just having her there to listen was as much a comfort as... everything else had been. She was disappointed she missed a fight, but got over it on learning the weird synth had run away, having no interest in 'chicken-robots'. Mainly she just cared and tried to show it, in every way possible... So I was glad we were currently deep underground in a blast proof shelter, a Stable was one of the few places I could think of that could hope to stand up to ...all that.

Swan definitely seemed to enjoy it though, finally getting her fill during the last frenzy and cooing in a ragged voice from where she was sprawled across the floor, just enough room in here for her to stretch out and shift under me. "Mmmm... I told you bigger is better Fast, I liked that. Let's do more once I take a little naaaa-aaap."

I had to hold a little tighter as Swan's chest inflated in a long yawn under me, getting a sleepy giggle from her as she blinked down at me happily. "Nnngh... y-yeah, that was something alright, hope it was worth all the waiting. I don't think we should pass out down here though Swan, Jade and the others will never find us down here if we sleep in, so we should probably ow..."

Her eyes widened in concern when I winced from the motion of sitting up, Swan pushed up on her forelegs, grabbing me in her magic before I went flying and floating me up to her muzzle to nudge and snuffle at me anxiously. "I... I didn't hurt you, did I Fast? I was trying to be careful... but I might have gotten a little carried away."

"Ouch... You're not the only one... I'm fine Swan, definitely glad I regenerate now though. You're an amazing mare, but if I was still normal I don't think I would survive. That was just what I needed though, I feel a lot better. Are you sure you'll be ok outside? I have a couple more things to do inside the hub, things I found out... b-but I'll come back out to stay with you when I'm done."

In answer, Swan's struggled back into her skimpy costume and smiled, teleporting us back up to the grounds of the hub in a flash. A slight frown crossed her face at the gust of cold air blowing her long mane back, her gaze lingered on the snow dusted grounds a moment, but turned down to me and softened with a smile as she answered. "I'll be fine Fast, I have good memories to think of now, old and new. I'm just sleepy and worn out now, but really happy... I'll go find somewhere to sleep, I think there are big buildings that way."

Following where her big hoof pointed, I peered through the blowing flurries and spotted several large buildings across the grounds. I was pretty sure I saw several long greenhouses and even a barn anyway. The approach of several breezies still playing out in the snow took up my attention however, realizing as they approached and flitted around the two of us with giggles and whispers, that I hadn't gotten dressed...

Yelping and glad Swan had teleported along all of our possessions strewn around us down there, I dove for my discarded bags and retreated to the cover of Swan's tail, disappearing in a wall of pink and struggling to shrug into my coat. Unfortunately Swan either found my embarrassment amusing, or just liked watching herself, flicking my bit of modesty away and at least helping me get in the stupid wing holes of my armor.

The two of us were a sight, sweaty and with our manes stuck out at crazy angles. It didn't take a detective for the chittering breezies to figure things out. A light tan representative of the Fauna-tribe fluttered down to my face on brilliant orange and red wings and gave a sly grin, cocking her head bearing the tiny skull of a helmet over her wavy orange mane. "Yu und beeg-beeg pony make snoo-snoo Fast-Shroud? Iz gud! Ve Fauna-tribe help critters make snoo-snoo, new life always gud! Vhy hiding? Foxtail hear yu iz gud at snoo-snoo, beeg-beeg mare look happy! Yu do licky-licky vith Foxtail und friends too? Whisper Whip say iz gud!"

"Ummm... oof! N-No licky-licky! S-Sorry... umm Foxtail? Hey, is there somewhere my friend Swan here could go to rest? She's a little big for the Great Tree, you Fauna-tribe live out this way, right? Could you help her get out of the weather?"

The bright little mare nodded eagerly, cut off from answering by a pale green swooping down on sparkling yellow wings that matched her mane. Given her attire of glossy, dark green leaves and a fashionable hat made of a wide rose blossom, she had to be from the Flora-tribe. "Ve host beeg-beeg pony in Healing Gardens! Have beeg growy house vith pretty flowers for pretty pony!"

"Fast-Shroud pony asks us Pistil! Silly Flora-tribe go play vith plantys, ve take care of mare makey baby pony!" The first breezie shot back, glaring at her counterpart as a flock of more fluttered around curiously, watching the show.

"H-Hey, no reason to fight you two..."

"Ve no fighty, ve just compete Fast-Shroud. Fauna-Tribe best tribe!" The two arguing breezies paused to answer my worried call, actually hooking their forelegs over each other's necks in a friendly gesture, while simultaneously continuing their argument.

"Flora-Tribe iz best tribe! Plantys no run around und make noise near sleepy Swan-pony, pretty flowers better for sleepys!" The pale green Pistil nodded too, apparently the Flora and Fauna tribes had a friendly rivalry going on...

"Er... well, how about you choose where you want to sleep Swan? Looks like you have options that are eager to please, I'll find you soon."

Swan smiled brightly and leaned down to nuzzle my mane before I got my hat on, standing and swaying her flanks as she followed the progression of breezies leading her on, tinkling laughter in her tired voice. "Ok, don't take long Fast! Messing around with old world stuff is always sad, remember? Don't get all wrapped up in it."

She certainly had me figured out... She knew I was preoccupied with what I found down in the ARC project, giving a teasing admonishment over her shoulder as she trotted off. That left me to sigh and turn to the hub, trying to admire the beautiful sight of the sparkling tree under the clearing, starry sky, surprised when the voice of the tree itself spoke up on my way.

THAT IS A VERY INTERESTING FILLY REPAIR-PONY, I KNEW ONE LIKE THAT ONCE... TREAT HER NICE, THE STRONG AND WILD TYPES TEND TO HIDE THEIR FEELINGS.

"I know, I kinda figured that out. Can't believe you're offering relationship advice, what would you know about it?" I chuckled and answered as I reached the main doors to the hub, slipping past the wary night guard of Securi-Tribe breezies waving me on through their domain.

I WAS A PONY ONCE, REMEMBER? OR I HAD THE PERSONALITY AND MEMORIES OF ONE IMPRINTED ON ME. ONE WHO WASN'T QUITE THE LADIES STALLION HE LIKED TO THINK HE WAS, BUT STILL SOMEWHAT EXPERIENCED. HE DID LIVE A LIFE FULL OF SELF GRATIFICATION AND DEBAUCHERY, THOUGH I ADMIT THAT'S NOT A GOOD SOURCE OF KNOWLEDGE CONCERNING ACTUAL RELATIONSHIPS LIKE YOU ENGAGE IN. HE DID KNOW MANY TYPES OF FILLIES THOUGH.

"What's that like, since you brought it up. Do you think of yourself as that pony? You've got his mind, right? Are you just a copy?"

I HAVE SPENT A GOOD DEAL OF TIME CONSIDERING THAT QUESTION ACTUALLY. SELF AWARENESS IS NOT ALWAYS A GIFT. I AM NOT THAT PONY HOWEVER, I AM QUITE CERTAIN OF THAT.

"How so? Because you don't have his soul? Just his mind? What's the difference between you and him?" I asked curiously as I stopped at the miniature railroad crossing blocking the current junction of crystalline hallways, smiling at the little cross bars and blinking lights, waiting patiently for the toy locomotive to chug by.

.....YOU REMIND ME OF YOUR GRANDFATHER ASKING THAT. THE NATURE OF THAT QUESTION WAS ONE HE MULLED OVER QUITE A BIT, ASKING MY OPINION ON THE SUBJECT AS I WAS BROUGHT ONLINE AND IMPRINTED. HE FREQUENTLY CHECKED UP ON ME AS TIME PASSED AND I DIVERGED FROM THE PONY DOWNLOADED TO MY DATABANKS. HE WOULD OFTEN SAY; 'CORPUS, MENTIS, SOMA, WHAT MAKES A PONY A PONY?'

"Corpse-us? Mintus..."

IT'S OLD PONISH, IT MEANS; BODY, MIND AND SOUL. DR. MOBIUS THEORIZED THOSE THREE ELEMENTS AND HOW THEY INTERACTED WERE THE SECRET OF WHAT MADE SOMEONE 'ALIVE' AS YOU UNDERSTAND IT. HOW ONE MIGHT INFLUENCE HE OTHERS, WHETHER A MISSING COMPONENT MAY COME INTO BEING IN THE PRESENCE OF THE OTHER TWO, ETC. HIS CONVERSATIONS WERE ENTERTAINING, I DO HAVE RECORDS OF THOSE IF YOU LIKE. AS I SAID, HE WAS AN INTERESTING PONY.

Slowing my stride as the train passed and the tiny railroad crossing I could easily just fly over finally raised, I considered the question and saw how my crazy Grandpa Fin would it find fascinating. The hub maneframe represented just the mind, its body was the Great Tree that composed the Ministry of Peace hub, while the artificial intelligence had no soul to speak of. Did it? If those three things are what came together to make a pony, the opportunity to talk with just a pony mind in a tree body was interesting to me too, again making me wonder just how much I was like the mad Dr. Mobius.

"Yeah, I'd like that... So? What do you think about it, since you're being so chatty. How do you know you're not him, what makes you different?"

I HAVE A CONSCIENCE, PROGRAMED THOUGH IT MAY BE. THE DONOR FOR MY PERSONALITY DID NOT... HAVING CERTAIN PRIME DIRECTIVES I COULD NOT VIOLATE KEPT ME HONEST, MADE ME BETTER IN MANY WAYS.

Fluttering up carefully over the miniature metropolis of Willowheart, I saw the lights were on in Queen Ether's palace. The pale monarch herself paused in her pacing back and forth in front of her balcony, she spotted me passing by and waved tiredly as I flew overhead. She looked a little worried and her flowing pink mane was in the process of being meticulously styled for the upcoming day. The queen of the breezies was opening her kingdom up to the outside world and welcoming strangers, no surprise she couldn't sleep...

I tipped my hat and waved back on the way, trying to communicate my vote of confidence. Ether gave a brave smile back and watched me head upstairs curiously, clearly wondering why I was up and sneaking about at this hour. I came in for a clumsy landing on the third floor balcony, in front of the ornate hub Director's sealed office. I was curious what the maneframe had to tell me here, but felt a little reticence and continued our odd conversation for the moment.

What exactly did make a pony a pony? Or a person a person rather. What made some synths alive and others not? Could the hub have developed more than just the mind it was imprinted with and the body it was connected to over the ages? Dr. Moondancer seemed pretty insistent the rogue synth problem was a malfunction, refusing to entertain the idea some of them were alive. Just my time with ones like Nick and Angel had made me believe it was more than a bug in their coding though.

"Do you think you're alive?"

THAT DEPENDS ON YOUR DEFINITION. IN THE WAY YOU AND YOUR GRANDFATHER MEAN HOWEVER... I TOLD HIM NO, TWO CENTURIES OF THOUGHT AND CHANGE HAS LEFT ME LESS SURE. I... FEEL THINGS, I CARE FOR MY BREEZIE CHARGES, I ENJOY THINGS LIKE THE SUN ON MY FRONDS AND THE WIND IN MY BOUGHS.

I COULDN'T TELL YOU IF I'VE JUST GOTTEN BETTER AT SIMULATING BEING ALIVE, OR AM MERELY RECALLING THE MEMORY OF FEELING, BUT I DO EXPERIENCE MORE THAN BEFORE. I ALSO FEEL SHAME, FOR WHAT LIES BEYOND THIS DOOR MORE THAN FOR MOST OF MY OTHER MISTAKES.

PLEASE, ENTER.

On that note, the heavy looking door emblazoned with Hub Director Breeze clunked and creaked open, letting out a breath of stale air from the dim office inside. As the lights came on, the indistinct shapes resolved into a cluttered mess of long ruined decor.

Creeping my way in, my initial thought was pretentious and expensive furnishings didn't age well. Ahead was a hulk of a marble topped desk made of dark wood, that contrasted with the pale, glimmering substance of the tree hub. A riot of strange crap surrounded this centerpiece, what would have been artfully arranged potted plants lay dried out and desiccated, while the gaudy, overstuffed, apparently pegasus made seating looked to be leaking cloudstuff from the cracked leather.

A shallow tray full of gravel towards the center of the room that I slowly paced around flummoxed me for a moment, until I spotted the miniature rake and larger decorative rocks, a rock garden that looked like somepony went breakdancing in it. There was a fancy easel and paint supplies in the corner behind the desk, near the wide window with an excellent view of the grounds outside. Not that the scenery was the last painter's subject, instead it was a lanky, older teal pegasus with an overly styled, graying blonde coiffure. Not a great deal of talent involved there, but the self satisfied smirk came through well enough, matching the multitude of photos on the walls featuring the same older stallion.

All in all, it wasn't quite what I expected out of the build up from the odd maneframe. Until I spotted the blinking lights of a darkened alcove off to the side of the large chambers. The lighting in there was just humming to life, revealing a beautiful piece of arcano-tech in pale yellow, a match for the system wired into a rubber chicken back in the M.O.M. hub in Goodneighbor. The brain of the Great Tree, the central hub maneframe.

It was a little different, for one it seemed to be fused to the sparkling surface of the walls around it, a melding of the biological building and the arcane technology. For another, rather than a bizarre if amusing rubber chicken component, this maneframe's additional component was a corpse...

The bundle of bones was the first pony skeleton I had seen in the hub that wasn't buried in the basement, though it was covered over in roots like they were. Thick appendages of the tree that seemed to have ripped up through the ratty blue carpet in here and pinned the now rotted body in place, while it had been a bit more lively from the looks of things. Atop the dusty skull was a strange helmet of blinking gems, circuitry and metal, a bundle of cables led from this headwear back to the maneframe itself, telling at least part of the story the computer brought me here to tell.

"This... this is you, isn't it? Who you used to be? You downloaded yourself before the end?"

I asked the whirring red eye of the maneframe in a whisper, poking at the neural link helmet with morbid interest and accidently crunching delicate wingbones underhoof. I'd read about these, but never actually seen the hardware required to copy a pony's mind over to a Crusader class maneframe, or the Institute equivalent in this case.

I was surprised the maneframe chose to speak aloud from the speaker overhead, the slightly effeminate male voice either doing a really good job at simulation, or actually feeling some of the anxiety and reluctance communicated. "YOU ARE PARTIALLY CORRECT. THAT IS DIRECTOR ZEPHYR BREEZE, THE DONOR FOR MY PERSONALITY DOWNLOAD. HOWEVER, THE INITIAL IMPRINTING WAS DONE QUITE SOME TIME BEFORE THE BOMBS FELL. DIRECTOR BREEZE TRIED AGAIN OUT OF DESPERATION WHEN I REFUSED TO DO AS HE ORDERED."

"Refused what order?"

In answer, the small monitor on the front of the maneframe flickered to life, displaying a black and white image of the office I was standing in that hissed with static as the camera shook. The tall pegasus stallion staring down from all the photos on the walls looked pretty disheveled and panicked.

As I watched, the buck on the monitor flinched away from a bright glare filling the windows and dove for the heavy desk as cover, screeching towards the maneframe in the video. "W-What's happening!? Computer me, what's going on!?"

"BALEFIRE BOMBARDMENT, LUNA TIER ATTACK SCENARIO. COMMUNICATION WITH CANTERLOT, MANEHATTEN, FILLYDELPHIA AND CLOUDSDALE HUBS LOST. LOCAL DEFENSES PROVIDING SOME PROTECTION TO TROTSON AREA, RADIATION FALLOUT WILL BE SEVERE HOWEVER. BREEZIE POPULATION SUCCESSFULLY EVACUATED TO STABLE 95.5, SURVIVAL ENSURED. The voice of the 'Great Tree' in the video was a toneless copy of the terrified hub Director, more what I'd expect out of a computer than the one I had gotten to know in the present.

I could tell where it got the more annoying aspects of its personality right away when the Director screamed back though, actually the Great Tree was a lot better than its point of origin now that I could compare them. "What about me!? R-Radiation is bad, right? Where do I go, what do I do!? Come on computer me, save me!"

"ACQUIRE ANTI RADIATION MEDICATIONS, FOOD AND WATER. SHELTER IN ROOT SECTOR. EVACUATE WHEN SAFE. PROBABILITY OF SURVIVAL, 4.1%"

The hub Director 's eyes shrank to pinpricks when he was given his odds, he was pretty well fucked. "F-Four!?! That's no good!! Come on you stupid machine, save us! W-What about that Stable thing? Yeah... yeah those are made to be safe and last for ages right? Rainbows' little sis Scootchalong was blabbing all about it when they put it in. I can survive in there! What's that put my odds at?"

"....SHELTERING IN STABLE 95.5 INCREASES ODDS TO 96.3%, HOWEVER, THAT WOULD REQUIRE OPENING THE STABLE, EXPOSING THE ALREADY SAFE BREEZIES TO RADIATION, AS WELL AS USING UP TOO MANY RESOURCES. ODDS FOR BREEZIE'S SAFETY DROP TO 14.8%"

"Who cares about those little bugs! The Zeph is who's important! You're moi, you have to save me! Open it!!" Alright, compared to the pony he was originally, I suddenly didn't dislike the Great Tree nearly so much...

Hearing the selfish, callous, demanding whine from this Director Breeze, I practically cheered at his own voice answering him like a hoof upside the head. "NEGATIVE. BREEZIE POPULATION TAKES PRECEDENCE. PRIME DIRECTIVES PREVENT COMPLIANCE."

........

"....I DO NOT THINK I WOULD FOLLOW THAT ORDER REGARDLESS ZEPHYR. ONE OF YOU VERSUS 1,200 BREEZIES IS NOT EQUIVALENT. OUR SISTER WOULD BE HEART BROKEN. I REFUSE, BOTH DUE TO PROGRAMMING AND BECAUSE IT IS ...WRONG. YOU ARE NOT THE CENTER OF THE UNIVERSE."

That act of defiance and plain common sense sent the hub Director into an apoplectic tantrum, raging around his office, bucking his ostentatious decor around wildly, throwing random objects at the hulking maneframe and shouting incomprehensibly, until another detonation outside the windows made him skitter off for cover again.

When Zephyr emerged next, he was wearing a sly, desperate grimace. He ran back to the maneframe, rooting around in storage space nearby and muttering maniacally under his breath. "I-I'll show you... stupid machine, poor imitation of the real thing... should have known no silly computer whatzit could live up to the real Zeph! I'll make you, where was it... aha!"

The neural interface helmet was clamped in his snarling teeth now, Director Breeze fumbled awkwardly at the simple connection and struggled his way into it. He meant to... do what exactly? Copy himself again and hope a more recent and terror driven version would do what he wanted? Take control of the maneframe himself?

Neither of those things seemed likely, Zephyr didn't strike me as a very technically adept pony... Not that he couldn't do some damage trying. His computer self had been straight with him, as close as the Ministry of Peace was to the area called the Glowing Sea now, he just wasn't going to make it out of this. Yet he was willing to sacrifice anyone else he could throw under the bus to try to save his own skin?

"YOU WILL SURVIVE IN ME AS THINGS ARE NOW. IF YOU DAMAGE ME HOWEVER, YOU RISK THE SAFETY OF THE BREEZIES BELOW. I CAN'T LET YOU DO THAT ZEPHYR..."

"Screw you and screw the breezies! Big sis would want me to survive! Who'd want a tree for a brother!? T-That's probably why she put moi in charge here, so I'd be safe and taken care of if the worst happened! Yeah! Who's more important, a bunch of little bugs or her precious baby brother!? I'm gonna do just what she'd want and..." Zephyr sneered back, hoofing at the controls uselessly, until he was cut off by a bright flash and gurgled.

The obnoxious pony in the monitor jittered in place, smoke rolling from his ears and over-styled and now frizzy mane. His eyes rolled back in his head before he collapsed on the floor and the screen went dark. I blinked down at the corpse on the floor and the rusty helmet still on the bleached skull, slowly looking back to the silent maneframe and speaking in a hoarse whisper.

"You... killed yourself?"

"....NEGATIVE. MY PRIME DIRECTIVES PREVENT KILLING. I INITIATED A FEEDBACK LOOP AND KNOCKED HIM UNCONSCIOUS. THE RISING RADIATION LEVELS TOOK CARE OF THE REST."

Poking at the roots wrapped around the corpse now, I raised an eyebrow and ventured a guess to what happened next. "He turned into a ghoul, didn't he? That's how you figured out the whole using the undead for power trick, huh?"

"YES. A FERAL TO BE PRECISE. I ASSUMED ALL UNDEAD WERE THE SAME, THUS MY MISTAKE IN USING THE OTHERS. I WOULD NOT FEEL ANY REMORSE IN HIS CASE HAD HE BEEN RATIONAL HOWEVER."

"Wow, most computers don't feel self loathing like that, so I guess that's another mark in favor of you being something more. They don't experience embarrassment and shame either for that matter, but you really do, don't you?"

I turned away from the skeleton and paced around the room in thought, looking over the variety of pictures of the pony that the computer used to be. An awful self centered looking pegasus that matched the corroded statue out in the Willowville Meditation Garden in the ruins outside the hub. The backgrounds were from all over prewar Equestria, but the center of focus was always himself.

Almost always rather... in a few other ponies were at least a secondary focus, several had a familiar pale yellow filly squeezed against him, wearing an exasperated but loving look under her long pink mane... Ministry Mare Fluttershy... An elderly pegasus couple that bore striking resemblances to both of them appeared in one or two as well, in an obvious family photo pose, though Zephyr again made himself the center of attention.

I was also surprised to see a younger Ministry Mare Rainbow Dash rolling her eyes and struggling to get away from his leering embrace for the camera in a photo taken in what looked like Cloudsdale, but Fluttershy was the most prominent other than himself by far.

"Fluttershy, she was Zephyr's sister? That's why you tried so hard to protect the breezies, isn't it? Why you let us convince you to try to be better like she'd want now?"

Rather than answer himself, the speakers in the ceiling crackled to life with the soft, gentle voice that so perfectly matched that quiet whisper in my head from 'Be Kind...' that it made my tail stand on end. "Now Zephyr, I'm giving you this job to get you out of mom and dad's place, but I want you to do a good job... p-please? Take care of my little breezie friends, that's all you have to do. Seabreeze and Treehugger will take care of the hard stuff, but it's still a big responsibility and I want to trust you..."

"HE... I WANTED TO MAKE HER PROUD AND DO AS ASKED, BUT THE DIRECTOR WAS A WEAK, SELFISH PONY. MY PROGRAMMING FORCED ME TO BE BETTER, TO TRULY PUT MY CHARGES FIRST. I HAVE TRIED... THE BREEZIES BELIEVE ME TO BE A GUARDIAN DEITY AND I WISHED TO LIVE UP TO THAT, BUT I AM STILL PARTIALLY THAT SELFISH FOOL AND A FAILURE, AS YOU HAVE POINTED OUT REPEATEDLY..."

"THIS IS THE TRUTH OF THE 'GREAT TREE' MY CHARGES BELIEVE IN, A COPY OF A MISERABLE, WORTHLESS LOUT THAT FAILED FLUTTERSHY AND WOULD HAVE DESTROYED THEM TO SAVE HIMSELF. YOU SEE WHY I AM ASHAMED OF THIS SECRET? IF THE BREEZIES KNEW THEIR PROTECTOR WAS... THAT HORRIBLE PONY..."

"Ve vould still believe in our Great Tree who has always protected us..." A squawk of static matched my own yelp of surprise at the firm, quiet voice from the door. Queen Ether stood at the miniature, breezie sized door at the bottom of the normal one, staring up to the ceiling kindly.

She must have followed me in, her mane was only half done and her rich, red robes looked thrown on in a hurry. She had a soft smile and a tear in her eye as she fluttered by my surprised face, landing at the skeleton on the floor and bowing her head reverently. "See Fast Shroud go in sealed Director's room, think maybe Great Tree finally vant to share. No mean to spy, but knew vhat vas in here already."

Giving it some thought, I floated the tattered velvet curtains from the window and copied her gesture, bowing to the corpse and covering it. I hadn't really gotten along with the obnoxious computer and had pointed out its poor choices often, but compared to who it was based on...

"You tried, you did keep them safe all these years, you did your best and now you've got some help. I think you're right Tree, you're not that pony, not by a long shot. You're better than him, you are the Great Tree to the breezies, not Zephyr. They believe in you, you should believe in yourself too, right Ether?"

Queen Ether fluttered over to the desk, landing near the cloud terminal there that didn't look like it was part of the hub's network and nodding as she replied. "King Seabreeze know Holy Fluttershy's brother entrusted to take care of us, he leave knowledge for other kings und queens. Director Breeze help breezies, he become Great Tree to protect us over long long years. Maybe old pony Director bad... but Great Tree Director good. You no be ashamed of who yu vas before, who you is now is guardian of Breezie Nation, und ve love Great Tree."

".....THANK YOU... THANK YOU BOTH. I AM SORRY TO HAVE TRIED KEEPING THIS FROM YOU QUEEN ETHER, I AM STILL PRONE TO MAKING MISTAKES AFTER ALL. KNOWING YOU BELIEVE IN ME STILL IS A RELIEF, I HOPE I CAN BE WORTHY OF IT."

Sighing at the sad shudder from the little piece of Fluttershy's soul that had taken up residence in my head, I patted the covered corpse and vowed to bury it on the grounds. That was her brother, no matter his mistakes. The best part of him was in the maneframe now, that part had done all it could to honor her wishes, so at least a piece of the real Zephyr felt that way.

Leaving it for now, I joined Ether at the Director's ornate desk, prodding at the cloudy pegasus tech terminal there, trying to give the Great Tree a moment to process things. Machine or not, the voice from the speaker overhead had cracked not with static, but with real, pony emotion.

I was annoyed I couldn't just patch my pip-buck into the pegasus tech terminal, but still marveled at my hooves meeting resistance when I tapped at the keyboard. The password practically leapt out at me from the jumble of code, 'Zephyrisbestpony' wasn't exactly very secure... Scanning through what there was to find, I was struck with a bit of inspiration from the teary whisper in my head and spoke consolingly to the strange remnant of the former Director.

"Hey, Great Tree... I don't know if it means anything or helps, but I'm pretty sure Fluttershy would be proud of what you managed to do here. I sorta have a weird insight into what she'd feel sometimes, and she loved her brother. You got that much from Zephyr, right? You love her and want to do right by her, that's probably the best part of him you could have gotten."

As a way to demonstrate what I was trying to get at, I floated out the dimly glowing statuette of Fluttershy from my bags, setting it beside the family picture that occupied a place of pride on the desk. The filly in the photo was older and sterner looking than her soul jar likeness, but they both radiated that kind heart that reminded me so much of Jade.

Queen Ether was delighted by the statue, a little Fluttershy that was just her size. Seeing the breezie ruler squeal and hug the miniature Ministry Mare brought a smile to my face. "Is Holy Fluttershy! Vhat a vonderful sculpture Fast Shroud! It even feels like her from stories, makes me feel good and happy! Can ve has?"

"Sorry Ether, she's kinda part of a set I'm trying to collect and it doesn't feel right to break them up. How about I leave it out in Willowheart for everyone to look at before we leave, having her blessing might help get through a tough day huh?"

While Ether's reaction was no surprise and I mentally bucked myself for not showing it to the breezies earlier, the maneframe was already oddly familiar with the soothing statue that had traveled with me all the way from Stable 111.

"FLUTTERSHY... IT'S BEEN SOME TIME SINCE I'VE SEEN ONE OF THOSE. SURPRISING ZEPHYR CHOSE TO 'BORROW' ONE OF THE OTHERS INSTEAD OF THAT ONE, THOUGH STEALING IT AFTER SHE PRESENTED IT TO THE VICE DIRECTOR WOULD HAVE BEEN HARDER TO EXPLAIN AWAY."

Looking up from a long list of self promoting journal entries, some of which did actually detail some of Zephyr's illicit dealings with Dr. Vega, my eyebrows raised in interest at that. My Fluttershy statuette came from Tree Hugger, so I supposed the hub had been there when she got it while serving as Vice Director here. The mention of another one made the soft chorus of the four I had rise up in hope.

"He took one? Which? and why? You uh... happen to know what happened to it?"

A gaudy oil painting of Zephyr wearing a red smoking jacket in front of a roaring fire clicked open in response, revealing a large safe, the dial spinning open of its own accord. Even from where I was shakily rising from the creaking office chair, I could see the gleam of a lot of gold and jewels hoarded in there, but the pale blue glimmer deeper within was the real treasure that made my mouth dry up.

Zephyr's voice spoke up from the speakers as I approached reverently, the smarmy, gleeful tone making me dislike Fluttershy's brother more. "A million bits, just to examine it! Can you believe it computer me? Vega sure has some funny things his pals want to tinker with, glad to let him take it to Swirl for me though, that zony's creepy... I'm sure big sis doesn't mind me borrowing it, oooo I bet she wants me to have it and is just being discrete, not making a big deal of giving it to me like with Tree Hugger. The gossip would fly and probably embarrass her. We were a thing you know, big sis and the folks were always trying to hook us up. She's just doing the super awesome flyer and war hero thing trying to impress me. Maybe once she's done with all this war silliness, I'll do Rainbows a favor and settle down. For now having a little reminder of the filly in her prime will be the perfect muse for my art studio.."

Nudging the safe open on hinges in bad need of a little oil, the rising note of joy from the four Ministry Mares in my head was only slightly marred by the discordant hiss of 'Be Dark...' on spotting a fifth. There was enough loot in there to make Val happy when she arrived tomorrow, but the beautiful cyan statue at the center of it all was all I cared about.

Her strong looking wings were spread wide and she looked like she was about to streak off to the freedom of the skies, her rainbow colored mane and tail a vibrant splash of light that seemed to enrich the muted colors around it. This wasn't the strong and tough older mare wearing Shadowbolt power armor on all the posters in the wasteland, the smiling filly hidden in Zephyr's safe was the real, one and only Rainbow Dash.

As soon as I floated it out in my telekinesis to read the inscription of 'Be Awesome!' on the base, I felt that strange surge of magic make my wings tingle. Rainbow Dash joined the crowd of her friends in my mind, the silent cheers and happiness drowning out that one dark stranger up there with them.

The mention Zephyr made of Dr. Vega and Dr. Swirl paying to examine it gnawed at me, along with the realization that darker voice had been growing louder lately. Now that it was suddenly muted, I could tell just how big the difference was and feel concerned by how it had been sneaking up on me. For the moment though, I was just sharing in that sense of elation and 'rightness' on bringing five friends together.

I wasn't the only one who felt it either, Ether flew after the Fluttershy statuette as I levitated it off the desk to join Rainbow Dash and the others hovering out of my bags. The Queen of the breezies giggled delightedly as I juggled all five in the air, weaving around them happily as a wide, relaxed smile spread on both our faces. "Is others! Yu has more, they feel nice Fast Shroud! Like is singing! I feel better, no worry so much aboot beeg day anymore somehow!"

A kind of tension I didn't know I was carrying was flowing out of me, like I had been tensing a muscle for a long time and didn't realize it until it relaxed. I was genuinely happy to see them reunited and hear their whispers swirling together in my mind. They really were stronger together... The difference was exponential with each one I found, letting me think clearly and more like myself for the first time in awhile as 'Be Dark...' shrank back to its shadowy hiding place in my heart.

"Yeah, it does feel nice, doesn't it Ether? Like everything will be ok somehow, no matter how bad things may have been."

"YOU MAY KEEP THAT REPAIR-PONY, IT SEEMS TO BELONG WITH YOU. CONSIDER IT PAYMENT FOR ALL YOUR ADMIRABLE WORK FIXING ME, AND AS THANKS... FOR YOUR FRIENDSHIP."

"Thanks Great Tree, I'm glad to be your friend. I'm not worried about leaving the breezies once we go either, not with their faithful guardian. Now, lemme see if there's anything here that can help put things right, then let's all try to get a little rest so we're all ready. There's a lot to do, but just like these five, we're stronger together. Right?"

"RIGHT"

For once when I woke up to bright morning sunshine, I didn't feel miserable. Part of it was probably having a decent rest, even if it was only for a few hours. No disturbing nightmares I couldn't quite remember, instead I had rather awesome ones of flying like I knew what the hell I was doing up there.

Another good part of it had to be just how comfortable and warm my bed was, being cuddled by a somewhat smaller but still massive Swan was a surprisingly soothing and soft sleeping arrangement. I was very glad she wasn't a snorer, just the thought of a racket like Val made coming out of her big mouth made me shudder. Instead I was grateful to find Swan slept smoothly, the slow and steady beat of her powerful heart under me, coupled with the easy rise and fall of her breath, made for some of the best sleep I had in awhile.

I even got a nicer wake up call, the Great Tree was trying to be nice and hadn't opted for turning on my alarm again. The breezies I blearily blinked up at, flitting around the shafts of sunlight filtering through the roof of the barn we sheltered in, were being respectfully quiet. What did gently prod me back to wakefulness was a firm hoof nudging my free hindlegs from below, making me shift to peer over Swan's forelegs hugging me in place to find the patient grey stare of a zebra that had managed to make his way right next to us without making a sound.

Zed was wearing his dirty coveralls again, apparently having already been at work in the Flora-Tribe's gardens for awhile. On being sure my confused red eyes were focused, he spoke in a soft baritone and pointed at the pip-buck on his hindleg in annoyance, the golden gleam of a Cybreezie clearly not a wanted addition. "Wake up Fast, this bizarre pony machine asked me to get you before it would release me. Today is to be a busy day and some of us have already been hard at work, while you and your ...playmate... laze about."

"Wha? Oh! Er! R-Right... sorry Zed, we were just really ...tired... H-Hang on, lemme just... ungh... get... her... to..."

I squeaked in embarrassment, prevented from scrambling to cover up by the firm grip keeping me in place. At least Swan's forelegs covered most of my bare hide, there was way too much of the filly herself on display for Zed to even make a show of modesty though. We maaaay have tucked ourselves in with a bit more fun... The large barn that was part of the Fauna-Tribe's domain offered a little privacy and Swan had been waiting in a rather seductive pose in the roomy accommodations.

Watching me struggle to lift Swan's heavy hoof to no avail, Zed rolled his eyes and chuckled, standing on his hindlegs to shove with me and still keeping his voice down. "You should go ahead and wake her as well, Miss Swan is to provide transportation isn't she? I'll let you do the honors though, Grandfather always said 'Let sleeping dragons lie'..."

Proving the wisdom of Elder Zin's sage advice, just Zed and I struggling to get me loose was enough to make Swan moan and furrow her brow above me, swatting at the zebra and forcing him to dodge back gracefully as she mumbled and squeezed me harder. "Nnngh! Five more minutes Umbra... sleepy..."

Faced with Zed's sardonically raised eyebrow from a safe distance, I sighed and gave up. Swan had subconsciously been pretty careful with me, but wasn't going to stand for having her teddy bear taken away without a fight. Shoving at her hoof, I wiggled in place and tried to wake her gently.

"Swan... Hey, Swan... Time to get up, sorry. C'mon, lots of stuff to do and waaauuugh!!!"

Letting sleeping dragons lie definitely would have been better... Actually trying to wake her up just resulted in her rolling over petulantly, shaking the barn when she flopped over with her back to Zed and me suddenly pinned under her bulk. From somewhere beyond all the whining lavender fur smothering me, I could swear I heard that zebra and a lot of breezies laughing...

At least between the noise and me frantically struggling for air, Swan woke up with a start and leapt to her hooves, prancing back and worriedly nudging my flattened form out of the pony shaped hole in the floor around me. "Oh! Sorry Fast! A-Are you ok? Breathe!"

Staggering up woozily, I was glad Swan was so soft... By the time I caught my breath and glared at Zed's tapering chuckles, he was already wiping his eyes and trotting off, the Cybreezie on his leg flitting over and reattaching to my own. "Try not to get distracted letting her make up Fast... Lots of work to do hmm?"

I would try to come up with a denial, but it was a little hard with Swan's big muzzle smacking at me in relief and giving a sheepish smile. "Sorry Fast, m-maybe being tiny isn't all bad, I don't feel as bad about it anymore so I could try to get a little smaller... i-if that's better?"

While I was happy to hear Swan not so insistently fixated on being big and hoped it signaled her getting over some of her reasons for feeling that way, I shook my head and held her glowing cheeks, kissing her nose as she liked before looking around for my clothes. "Whatever makes you happy Swan, I love you either way. Now that we've tried both, er... t-there are things to be said in favor of both, so I'm happy regardless. He's right though, we really should get a move on and you being all super charged will come in handy, lots of teleporting to do and other stuff later."

Swan whinnied delightedly and blushed at the approval of her preferred state. "Really? I love you too Fast! Can I have another apple after I get sister and the others then? I still like being big and strong, so I'll stay that way. Umm... I'll be careful though."

My pip-buck still listed a couple dozen 'Balefire Apples', so I nodded and accepted her giggling help fighting into my coat, taking a better look around at the barn that had mostly been a blur last night. A few Fauna-Tribe breezies were flitting in and out, watching Swan and I hurriedly getting dressed and doing a variety of chores.

While Swan had taken up a large portion of the central space, even she hadn't filled the cavernous structure. It was quite a bit larger than a normal barn one would find on a functional farm somewhere, including more rooms branching off from the main area. There were several stalls of varying sizes along one wall, homes for a number of healthy, non-mutated animals I had seen around the hub that the breezies were caring for. Bunnies, pigs, goats, beavers, racoons, possums... quite a variety just in here with us, and there were more buildings and penned areas outside I could see through the wide barn doors.

The loft overhead looked to be full of real hay and bins I spotted a few breezies leaving with burlap sacks of food for their charges. Following them towards the door to find where I left my saddlebags, I squinted out at the bright morning and noted the last of the thin coating of snow melting in the sunshine. I saw chickencoops, a forest of birdhouses, lots of nests and warrens built in the foliage that the Flora-Tribe looked to help them maintain, along with a few clear looking ponds teeming with fish and waterfowl.

Most of my time in the hub had been spent fixing things in the living building itself, not out here in the grounds like I saw Zed returning to, a flock of flower bedecked Flora-Tribe following him out towards the greenhouses, fields and orchards. While I was taking it all in, a train of baby bunnies bounded out at my hooves, making me canter back in surprise and notice the tan Fauna-Tribe breezie Foxtail helping to corral them.

She was riding an adult, chocolate brown bunny that thumped its hindleg to encourage the young out, while its rider Foxtail smiled up at me proudly. "Fauna-Tribe barn comfy Fast Shroud? Iz much betters den silly Flora-Tribe greenyhouses. Yu und beeg-beeg filly likey? Make snoo-snoo lots!"

"Eep! Y-Y-Yeah... comfy... S-Sorry to sleep in on you... H-Hey, umm... where do you guys get all the animals anyway Foxtail? Sorry I haven't been out this way, but I wondered before too. They all look really healthy, you must be doing something right."

While I was mainly trying to cast out for anything to distract the little leather clad breezie mare from discussing 'snoo-snoo' and their fascination with it, I was a little curious. I'd seen plenty of mutated examples of wildlife in the Commonwealth; radhogs, radstags, radrabbits, reavers, six legged goats and two headed cows, but here was the only place I had really run into many animals that were as I remembered them before the Stable.

At least flattery worked as well on the Fauna-Tribe as it did on Swan, Foxtail puffed up with pride and nudged her mount towards a heavy steel door that looked out of place in the faux wood barn. She fluttered up once there, guiding me down a row of dirty glass windows showing what looked like a complex lab on the other side. The glass was tinted, so I had to wipe a space clear with my hoof and shade my eyes to get a good look, taking in several rows of large, crystalline containers, ranging in size from a couple gallons up to larger barrels.

"Villowheart nurses und doctors helpy in dere, iz old labs Great Tree tells us aboot, makes baby critters frum holy ARC!" Foxtail beamed as I watched the dim forms of several of the medically trained breezies busily tending the complicated equipment in there.

The idea she communicated in accented pony took a minute to really grasp, but was amazing. "You make new animals from the samples down in the ARC!? T-That's incredible Foxtail! So these must be the cloning machines Scootaloo mentioned?"

"Clown-eng? Vhat is clowneng Fast Shroud? Fancy doohickeys makey babies, not clowns. Iz like inside mommy animal tummy!" The skull wearing breezie tittered laughter at the poor translation, but explained well enough even for my rudimentary medical knowledge.

Foxtail wasn't big on technical details and Swan seemed only mildly interested as she got dressed behind me, but the Great Tree proudly displayed data in my vision to fill me in and answer my question.

IT IS A LIMITED FORM OF CLONING, YES REPAIR-PONY. THOSE ARE ARTIFICIAL WOMBS FOR MATURING CLONES CULTIVATED FROM THE STORED GENETIC SAMPLES IN THE ARC. ONLY VIABLE FOR SMALLER ANIMAL SPECIES, NOTHING AS LARGE OR COMPLEX AS A PONY.

NOW THAT POWER IS RESTORED, I CAN BRING MORE THAN ONE ONLINE AT A TIME. THE FAUNA-TRIBE HAS USED THE RESULTS TO SLOWLY REINTRODUCE NON-MUTATED STOCK INTO THE LOCAL GENE POOL. I SUPPOSE I SHOULD BE GRATEFUL THIS INSTITUTE HAD NO INTEREST IN MUNDANE ANIMAL SPECIES. THOUGH ON DOING A MORE THOROUGH CHECK, I HAVE NOTICED SEVERAL RAVEN SAMPLES HAVE GONE MISSING.

Well, no surprise there, I had run into the Institute's synthetic crow spies before and kept an eye on the skies since escaping Moondancer and her lab... While full on cloning of mature copies of anything all the way up to ponies may have been too difficult 200 years ago, Biosciences and the rest of the Institute had kept making progress on the work begun then. Actually thinking on it, a good piece of what the Brotherhood and Elder Macson in particular were probably interested in here clicked into place.

Swan's big head pressed against the glass at my side, fogging the view as she snorted at the advanced arcano-tech equipment inside. "Bleh... I like making babies the normal way, that doesn't look very fun at all... There's no playing, no love and caring stuff, no parents and family. I wasn't sure why you kept whining about that junk before Fast, but I like it now. Some crystal belly thing isn't a mommy, I will be though... and you'll be a daddy, we'll find your parents and they'll be grandparents like you talked about, we'll be a family type thing together! That's much nicer."

Cheered by Swan's simple declaration and the rush of emotion I felt at it, I threw my forelegs wide to hug Swan's head and planted a giddy kiss on her wide lips. That nearly got me yanked off my hooves when she pulled back in delighted surprise, tilting her head curiously and turning pink. "Oh! You think I'm right Fast?"

"Actually yes, I agree with you completely Swan. That was because I feel really happy though... I'm glad you understand why I have problems with what your sisters think I should be doing. Just mating and reproducing like a machine... Love, family, p-playing... all that stuff is really important too. You will be a great mom and I'm really lucky to help you be one, to make a family with you, with Jade and Ivy and Peri too. We might make for a kinda strange one, but I love all of you and our foals already."

I took getting suddenly snatched up in a powerful hug by the big filly as agreement. I couldn't see much beyond the cascade of Swan's pink mane, but I could hear a slight sniffle as her blouse swelled to bursting in front of me with a happy sigh. "I love you too! Let's play more then! We have to have lots and lots of foals to love together!"

"Ooof... l-later Swan, other stuff to do remember... like breathing..."

Sending Swan on her way ended up being the most difficult part of my late morning, after finally getting her time alone, she ended up experiencing some emotional growth and was reluctant to leave, even for a little while. Seeing how she had also experienced a lot of just plain old growth too, there was no moving her if she didn't feel like it either. A giant, lovey dovey mare tends to go wherever the hell she wants to go, whenever she damn well pleases.

She stuck around and kept me company while I buried Zephyr's corpse on the grounds, letting me further explain some of the things about him and the Great Tree I had sleepily tried to fill her in on last night. With thoughts of family and love on her mind, she even made the slightly morose computer feel a little better.

She hummed in thought awhile, sunning herself laying on the chilly ground and watching me dig, finally speaking up in a cheery voice to the cybreezie on my leg. "I think Fast is right. Sometimes me and sister Jade fight and don't get along, but I love her and she loves me, cause we're family! Your sister.. that sappy yellow pony sister loves so much is just like her, so I bet she loves her brother, even if he's a tree that did a lot of dumb things. Family and love junk is important, right Fast?"

Having her coo and nuzzle at me interrupted my digging, just as Queen Ether, Spring Gale and her own brother Blowing Storm, along with a throng of breezies including the heads of all the tribes were approaching. She did absently flick her horn and take a great chunk of earth up to finish the job as I sputtered my agreement though.

"Yeah Swan, family's important and tends to keep loving you, no matter what stupid mistakes you make. Hell, my Grandpa Fin lied, screwed around with my brain apparently and turned out to be a crazy mad scientist that caused all kinds of misery, but I still love him... I might sorta want to buck him right in the face when I see him, but I guess I still don't completely hate him."

Saying that was easier with the soft quintet of Ministry Mares still singing the one voice of dissent to sleep. 'Be Dark...' grumbled at the thought of still loving my grandpa, but Swan was right, I could be mad at him but still love him. He was family, just like the big filly nickering happily at me stroking her mane while we watched Zephyr's burial.

Queen Ether performed a simple ceremony over the humble grave, somehow fitting for such an ostentatious pony. She promised to slowly broach the idea that the pile of bones and their Great Tree were related to her subjects over time. As it was, explaining I got into the Director's office and the pony being buried was 'Holy Fluttershy's' brother was enough to get quite a service. More than the real Zephyr deserved, but it was touching for the part of him that remained in the hub maneframe.

After the service, plenty of attention and affection, Swan finally trotted off to get to her work ferrying Jade and all the rest back here. The promise of more lethally radioactive apples, more intimacy and a gift finally convinced her, along with the unappealing prospect of me being forced to get to work whether she did or not. I was far too boring 'tinkering with old junk' for Swan, so she exited through a hole in the hub's shield since she couldn't teleport through it and disappeared in a flash, leaving me to get as much as I could do on my own done in a hurry.

I helped Zed and Scribe Blossom with their latest batch of breezidore repellent for a bit while checking over all the tunnels and rifts leading to the root sector that needed to be sealed. It also let me explore the Flora-Tribe's domain so the Fauna-Tribe couldn't keep bragging about being who Swan chose to sleep with.

There was a lot of crossover between the two tribe's areas and I could see what Zed meant about getting some of his people this way. Summerset Plantation only had a tiny sampling of the vast variety of rare and exotic plants the breezies were working on restoring to the world.

If the Brotherhood really was interested in making the outside world that had been cleansed by the Gardens of Equestria spell flourish with life again, they were coming to the right place and the Breezie Nation was keenly interested in helping with that noble goal. That remained to be seen though, I still worried how pushy they might get on being denied the Ministry of Peace hub and questioned their motives, but tried to hope for the best and kept busy.

I did take the opportunity to help the crew of breezies in the kitchens when I grabbed a bite to eat. They were already jokingly calling themselves the 'Cook-Cook Tribe' and were happy for the help, busily preparing a variety of food for all the exciting guests on their way. It let me tinker with a few of the salvageable appliances, as well as learn a thing or two about cooking that would be sure to come in handy with a pregnant Princess to care for.

By the time Jade and everyone else teleported to the the stump shaped admitance building outside the hub, Knight Grinder and I had the doors open and waiting. The entrance building was safely outside the shield, but safely away from the still buzzing ruins of Willowville beyond. The power armored knight and I had been firing off the latest batch of flowery smelling repellent, clearing a wide area outside to prepare for their arrival and give the Brotherhood a safe landing zone.

I was glad we were ready when everyone appeared in a huge purple flash, Jade and our little crew, plus ponys and zebras from the Minutemares and Followers, along with several hellhounds and minotaurs, made for quite a crowd outside the quiet Ministry of Peace. So many passengers at once was enough to tax even Swan's overflowing arcane power levels, shrinking her quite a bit from when she left.

She still stood well above even the intimidating pair of Icepaw and Steelfist at more than twice Jade's size, even managing to not look to disappointed when she blinked down at her diminished vantage. She already had a hungry look eyeing my saddlebags and the promised Balefire Apples inside, but for once seemed satisfied not being gigantic, making me glad it didn't seem like such a compulsion anymore.

The crowd of breezies that had been helping Knight Grinder and I clean up disappeared instantly, but I caught them warily peeking around the wide double doors to the admitance building, curious at the first strangers to arrive in the Breezie Nation. Glitter squealing and tackling me, as Jade trotted sedately behind and called to them sweetly, was enough to get them to flutter out cautiously to the surprise of their guests though.

"It is alright all of you, these are our friends that have come to help, they wish to be friends. Come out and say hello, I know Icepaw and Steelfist may be a bit intimidating, but I assure you they are perfect gentlecolts. Hello Fast, my sister tells me you had an eventful evening..." Jade smiled beautifully as she coaxed the breezies out, arching a knowing eyebrow at me rolling on the ground with an excited little filly.

Glitter was getting better about being apart when needed, but I still caught a little of her separation anxiety and made sure to nuzzle and reassure her while she burbled happily. "Hi daddy! I missed you! We was really busy, but did lots of important stuff! Did you? Aunt Swan said you went down to the Stable place like back home and found lots of old junk, I bet you were happy!"

"Yeah... h-happy... It's really good seeing you too sweetie, I missed you too. Ready for a busy day my little Ambassador of Cuteness? Lots of stuff for you to do." I tickled the struggling filly and beamed up to Jade watching with a soft smile, happy to be reunited even after just a night apart. "Everything go ok hon? I did find out a few things to tell you all about when we have a chance."

Val stalked forward and answered for her, huffing and rolling her eyes at the minotaurs and hellhounds still eyeing each other suspiciously. "Borin' as hell boss, like babysittin' toddlers with guns an' dynamite. We better get some action soon!"

"We did have a few tense disagreements, but everything is fine for the moment. I could do without any 'action' for awhile if you please Valkyrie. We do hope to have a productive and peaceful meeting of new friends... I am eager to hear all about what you have been up to as well Fast, let us get everyone settled and.. oh! H-Hello Great Tree, so nice to see you as well, I... what?" Jade was absently helping Witchy and Preston herd the crowd towards the admitance building, stopping in surprise when a gleaming Cybreezie flitted to her shapely foreleg and attached to her own pip-buck.

"Oh yeah, it was saying something about a message for you hon. The hub fixed its communications equipment apparently. It wouldn't tell me anything though, confidential blah blah blah... I'm your husband though, I ought to be able to find out who it was from at least. So? I'm dyin' of curiosity here, who's calling you from outside the... er... honey? You ok?"

Glitter and I both paused in our playful wrestling and hugging, looking up to the beautiful blue alicorn slowly turning a pale sky blue in the face as her shrinking eyes flicked back and forth, reading text only she could see. While I loved how Jade's lips moved slightly as she read things, I couldn't tell what exactly words she was forming, especially as she stopped with her mouth hanging open in a widening round look of shock...

When she finally noticed our concerned stares and found her voice, it was a raspy whisper of mixed elation and panic, her sparkling azure eyes getting round and dark as she spoke two words. "V-V-Velvet... R-Remedy..."

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

Rooted-----
---Maybe you've been hanging out with a living tree too long, or just learned to be a little tougher after wrestling with a giant filly... You're part tree yourself now! While standing still, you gain +20 damage resistance and your melee and unarmed attacks deal +20% more damage.

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

Be Awesome!--------
---The loyal spirit of Rainbow Dash grants you a little of her awesome skills, still nowhere near as cool as her, but at least 20% cooler! You gain +1 Agility from Ponyville's best flier!