"A scouting mission...?" Jade paced around the small office in Redheart Academy she had claimed for herself, absently straightening her scattered supplies of healing potions and medicines after finishing her treatment of Till Soil, now resting in the recovery room.

Val, Swan and Witchy nodded eagerly with me in front of her cluttered desk, while even Zed gave a bored shrug of assent, making me feel like we were making a hard sell to a dubious boss. She was definitely suspicious and didn't like the idea of us snooping around Whinny Quarries and the Gunners controlling it, narrowing her beautiful blue eyes and leaning across the desk to my face.

"Y-Yeah hon! Just a scouting mission, that's all. W-We need to take a look before we can make any plans to do something about it. They're keeping slaves..."

'Slavery... Let me...'

I tried to hide my wince at the dull headache mentioning the enslaved residents of the quarries brought along with the impatient growl of 'Be Dark...', now fully awake and champing at the bit to address that unacceptable state of affairs. I almost hoped whoever or whatever had wiped out the slavers in Sapphire Sparkles Charter School before we got there pulled a repeat performance, just to keep that furious growl from the chance to handle it instead.

Slavery was one of those issues that brought it roaring to the forefront of my mind and made it difficult to control. The fact Jade found it equally abhorrent just encouraged it, her unhappy huff tacit approval it eagerly latched onto as she replied. "I do not care for that fact either Fast, as you well know. We should all go together though. If you are truly just spying, the ability to do so invisibly is surely a safer option, not to mention having a healer on hoof is preferable to the healing potions you are asking for. The fact you wish to take my sister rather than me makes me doubt you plan to merely sneak around, considering how much better I am at being stealthy than Swan..."

Flinching under her penetrating gaze, I shuffled uncomfortably, patting Swan's neck when she gave an indignant whinny. "I am too good at being sneaky if I wanna sister! I just don't wanna! We should just go smash them all. I went with you and did all your boring Princess stuff today, lemme go have fun with Fast!"

Val and I gave matching smacks to our foreheads at Swan's brutal honesty, the big filly knew what she wanted and wasn't shy about it, or very subtle when we needed her to be. Jade's annoyed snort was cut off by Witchy however, her royal guard squeaking cutely to the regal Princess. "P-Please your highness, do not be upset with them. Fast and the others wish to go for my benefit... m-my mother's family..."

Seeing Witchy bow her head low and peeking her pleading amber eyes up from behind her mane cracked Jade's resolve, her kind face softening as she lightly touched Witchy's cheek with her wing. "I know Witching, I am sure you are very worried and I had planned on going there as soon as possible regardless, of course. I do not like you all trying to slip off on your own however... We obviously must do something about the Gunners and the slaves suffering under their hoof, you did not need to attempt subterfuge to do so without me."

"We do when we're sure you'll wanna go too hon. It's too dangerous, you don't need to go anywhere near a Gunners' stronghold, Witchy doesn't want that and neither do I. Not when you're... y-you're..."

"Pregnant." Jade finished for me with a huff, struggling to bite back a giggle when my face paled and I swayed on my hooves. "We have been over this before Fast..."

I had mostly mastered the panicky response every time I was reminded she was carrying my foal, easy to forget as she wasn't showing and wouldn't for some time. Whether it was possible to tell at a glance or not, it was still true, meaning my first instinct was to keep her as far away as possible from bands of murderous mercenaries itching to take her pretty head.

"Y-Yeah, but..."

Jade refused to act like she was made of glass as that panicky part of me kept insisting though, standing behind her desk and giving a curt nod, overriding my objections. "But nothing dear... If everyone else is going, I will not be left behind. I somehow doubt you will be able to merely take a look and not do anything on seeing whatever the Gunners are up to. I also doubt their slaves have received much in the way of medical care. Should you all decide to do more... then they will certainly need it."

"Welp, that's that then. Pay up Batty." Val interrupted my sputtering, holding her claws out to Witchy in a gimme gesture.

When the frustrated batpony huffed and grudgingly counted out caps to put in the claw flexing under her muzzle, Jade and I both turned from our staring contest curiously, making her squeak a reply. "I... had hoped the Princess would be convinced..."

"Which is why I did not take the bet at all and advised you not to Witchy. Expecting either of these ponies to be reasonable is foolish enough, but betting on Miss Jade losing a contest of wills based on wishful thinking is doubly so. Never have I met two more stubborn ponies so suited for each other, but who is more so was never in any doubt." Zed chuckled, turning to leave with Jade and I both sputtering after him.

"H-Hey! I win some... sometimes! Quit betting against me! You're supposed to help convince her dammit!"

"I am not stubborn! Merely correct!" Jade snorted and stamped her hoof, calling after the others already leaving us behind.

They already accepted Jade's victory before we even came here, checking their gear and weapons as they spread out and chatted as if there was never any doubt over who'd get their way. Realizing there probably wasn't if I was being honest, I glared at them trotting down the gloomy halls of Redheart Academy anyway. Then settled for crossing my forelegs over my chest and pouting at Jade floating supplies up to her desk with a victorious little hum under her breath.

"Well... their teasing aside, you did not actually expect me to leave you to go charging off on your own. Did you Fast? I am already concerned enough about your judgement and psychological state. I told you already, I am watching you... You shot Mr. Soil, but it was not you that pulled the trigger, was it dear?" Jade's whisper broke me from my thoughts, making me wince at being figured out and the reminder I brought it on myself.

"I... N-No... Not that I wouldn't have anyway when he hurt you. But no... I shot him before I knew what happened, without even looking. I didn't mean to, I just... he hurt you..."

Jade paused at the Shroud's voice oozing out of my mouth, giving a disappointed nicker that shut it up and made 'Be Dark...' slink back to its cage. "I appreciate your protective instinct, but I am unhappy at you losing control like that Fast. Until I can discover whatever is behind your... condition... and find a way to treat it, I do not want you acting on your own without me, especially at night. I believe you are correct and it exacerbates the issue. I have heard of ponies suffering certain maladies more or less depending on the time of day before, so at least we have another symptom to diagnose. There was a well documented case of an elderly resident of Friendship City that was senile, but became lucid during the night actually. It was fascinating reading, Velvet Remedy herself studied him."

While I was glad to see her worried frown shift to a contemplative look as she recalled the medical case that made my eyes glaze over, I doubted some old buck was suffering from quite the same problem. At least it cheered and steadied her, though she wound her way back to the present and put her hoof down, insisting on keeping a close watch on me despite my protests.

"A-Alright, I won't whine about you coming along, you made a lot of good points hon. I just... you know I worry and don't want anything to happen to you, either of you... I don't think I could take it if anything did."

Leaning up to kiss her frown away, my hoof snaked down between her lab coat to rub her soft tummy to illustrate my point, getting a soft, luxuriant purr from the beautiful princess. "Do try to keep in mind I feel the same way Fast, without any frightening voice in my mind at that. Now then, as much as I would like spending this time doing nothing but indulging in... mmm... w-wonderful belly rubs... We do have other things to do, together... yes?"

Sighing in defeat, I let her and the calm whisper of 'Be Kind...' echoing her win. "Yes dear..."

We took the time to tuck Glitter in before leaving, forcing me to disappoint the little filly whining for a bedtime story. At least she had company in the form of the blue griffon Heidi already putting down her bedroll in the office we had taken for her to sleep in, having a makeshift slumber party with a girl her own age and under the watchful eye of Heidi's older sister Lila.

After promising her to tell her all about our adventures without her and thanking the responsible yellow griffon, we were on our way to the southwest, staying low and scanning the skies for Gunners and their green vertibucks. We were heading into their territory, within spitting distance of the fortified ruins of Whinny itself. A fact that made me increasingly nervous with the blue beauty soaring along at my side.

We landed well before reaching our destination, cautiously approaching on hoof at the edges of the marshes to the west leading back towards Jamocha Plains. The ruins of a flooded market town my pip-buck identified with; Location Discovered: Hide n' Seek Park, gave us cover as we drew closer, a single row of sturdy brick buildings that had weathered the centuries and the marsh flooding the first floors of the brick buildings. Though it required spending time and ammo dealing with the raiders there. All of us out together were more than a match for the conclave of vicious ponies however, between me, Zed and Witchy's silent anti-materiel rifle, half their number were down before they even knew what was happening.

I did worry a bit about the eventual gunfire once they noticed their patrolling fellows being quietly executed and tossed off the tall rooftops to the murky water below, but we had heard them shooting randomly well before we got here. I hoped the Gunners nearby wouldn't think anything of a gaggle of raiders shooting frantically before the last were wiped out.

Setting up on the rooftops the raiders had cluttered with junk shelters and walkways connecting the buildings gave us a good vantage point to look over the quarries to the south. Plus it netted me a tattered old copy of a Swordmares comic I didn't have, so bonus. If possible I'd rather Jade just stay right here and wait in the crumbling buildings, though I doubted that was going to happen as she peered at our goal with a worried frown.

The Whinny Quarries were built around a small outcropping of rock rising from the marshes that flooded it, a warren of catwalks and wasteland additions built on the exposed rock face. While Jade, Swan and I could look over the place from here with alicorn vision, a look through the scope of the Last Minute let me take in details and glare at the task ahead of us.

There were quite a few modular trailers and buildings built around the place the Gunners occupied, the largest and best preserved sat perched on top of the highest point of the low ridge and had to be the main office back before the war. Beneath it were a pair of train tracks leading into the hill, the weathered outline of a huge tunnel blocked by rubble and scree from long past cave ins that made the even ridgeline dip down in the middle.

The remaining tracks had been moved and repurposed, now winding their way towards the much smaller mine entrances closer to the flooded portion to the west. Hoof dug passages into the earth that turned up quite a few gems, by the heavily laden carts weary earth ponies dragged back to the apparent staging area in the shadow of the old mine. Added to all this were a lot of rough wooden structures festooning the rusty metal catwalks the mercenaries patrolled ceaselessly, even this late in the night.

The real issue was the chainlink pens built against the stone choked old tunnels under the largest concentration of buildings. Scanning through the gauss rifle's scope, I got all too good a look at the miserable looking slaves trying to sleep out in the elements, taking in the way they huddled together for warmth and shivered in the early winter night. They looked thin and beaten, many of them sickly and bearing the telltale signs of radiation sickness. Jade was right about that much, we'd need a healer for them before they could go very far on their own.

Witchy shifted nervously on her steel clad hooves next to me, the visor on her father's power armor up so she could keep making that high pitched noise from her wide open mouth, her pretty fangs glistening in the moonlight and her fluffy ears twitching when she stopped. The anxiety was clear in her squeaky voice as she listened to the echo, her radar like ability reported things even enhanced alicorn vision and a high powered scope couldn't spot, but not what she was really interested in.

"T-There are many... More in the mines below. Do... d-do you see who we're... umm... I-I'm looking for Fast?" Witchy's slitted amber eyes blinked down at me hopefully, forcing me to disappoint the nervous filly as I floated the scoped weapon away.

"Red with a purple mane, right? Sorry Witchy... I don't see anypony who looks like your aunt from what Mrs. Warhorse said. Er... t-that doesn't mean she's not there! Like you said, there's more underground, o-or maybe she's in a building somewhere... We... we just have to take a closer look..."

"Ain't gonna be easy boss... Them fuckers are dug in tight as a tick. Any bright ideas?" Val put her cracked binoculars away with a grunt, checking over her weapons in anticipation of whatever I said.

Jade looked worried when she turned away from the grim view, reluctantly hiding behind a crumbling chimney as I frantically insisted and whickering anxiously. "We must do something Fast, not only due to Witching's family member potentially being held there. I had hoped to advise restraint and keep you to your word of this being merely a scouting mission, but their captives... we cannot allow this slavery to stand. I still do not wish violence upon anycreature, but those Gunners make me tempted to do things my sister's way..."

Swan's head jerked up from a hole in the roof leading to the dusty apartments she had been rooting around in, coming up with a glowing, rainbow colored bottle of Sparkle Cola Rainbow Crash she stashed in her large bag as she clambered up happily. "Really!? So we can go smash them all sister!? Yay! You're finally gonna stop being so soft and lemme kill them all!"

"I-I said I was tempted Swan! A-And I must admit to certain realities, yes... I seriously doubt the Gunners will relinquish their slaves peacefully, so I leave finding a solution to Fast, w-whatever said solution might entail... The safety of their captives comes first however, we must help them." Jade stammered back to her eager sister, her pained acceptance that not everything could be solved peacefully as close as she was willing to come to agreeing with the battle crazed filly.

Looking over the situation and what we had to work with, I didn't like what I came up with. The penned slaves were surely under lock and key, finding the Gunner who held it would be a lot more difficult than Val's talented claws simply picking the locks. Of course there was also all those gems I eyed greedily, but the slaves came first... though I was glad of the ladylike cough of 'Be Unwavering!' reminding me.

Given how weak and wounded the slaves looked from here, getting them out even once free of the cages wouldn't be easy either, the best course would be having Swan teleport them away. The fiery griffon and large purple alicorn weren't exactly sneaky however... Zed and I could probably slip in undetected, but to get Val and Swan there without all hell breaking loose, there was only one real option.

"Swan... stand back with Jade and open your locket. Jade, go ahead and pull out one of those apples too. Both of you need to be as charged up as possible for this. You two and Val will have to go in invisible and start teleporting them out of there."

Nodding to Swan's crude, heart shaped locked strung around her neck, I gulped at the giddy mare opening it and revealing the glowing balefire apple inside. The chatter from my pip-buck slowed as she cantered back and nuzzled Jade trotting over, the two alicorns huddling close and absorbing the radiation pouring out.

Giving a little shiver, Jade did as asked too and pulled out another of the condensed crystals of balefire from her medical box saddlebags and unwrapped it from its lead lined apron, then floated it to my waiting hooves uncertainly. "Here you are dear... are you certain? They show promising uses in potion making... I had been planning on communicating with the Great Tree and inquiring if it could produce more actually. The few we have are precious..."

Best Served sliced through the crystalline apple as easily as pretty much everything else, leaving two glowing green halves I held up as I gave a firm nod. "I'm sure. Sorry honey, you've got others, you'll just have to live without this one if you want to go anywhere near that place. Eat up you two."

I tried to keep the quaver out of my voice, looking up to Jade's sparkling blue eyes flicking between me and the half apple reticently. I hated putting her anywhere near the crew of Gunners, but saw no other option and knew Jade wouldn't budge on helping to save the slaves down there. If I tried to keep her away, she'd just get frustrated and mad at me. I had to treat her like any of our other friends looking to me to lead with complete faith, no matter how much it scared the hell out of me.

Swan had no issue whatsoever, licking her lips and chomping on the offered treat instantly, then greedily eyeing the other half floating in front of Jade's muzzle in my magic. Jade on the other hoof shifted uncomfortably, eyeing the highly radioactive fruit with a bashful blush and prim pucker of her lips.

She gulped and cantered back across the roof, ushering me along behind her with her wing and hiding behind a ramshackle raider structure, tossing a furtive glance back to Witchy and the others behind her. I went along willingly, holding up a hoof to the others to wait and keeping the balefire apple floating beside me, ignoring Val's huff as she shoved the others into giving us space and going over tactics with them.

"M-Must I Fast? Y-You know what that will do to me... I do not enjoy the result nearly as much as my sister. I understand your reasoning, but the side effects..." Jade whimpered from hiding and kept turning her muzzle away from the apple, tapping her hooves together and blushing brightly.

"What, that there will be more of you to love and you'll be a little worked up for awhile? Not really an issue Jade... actually I think it's something to look forward to. Like a reward even. Come on, it'll be like our first time, one more reason to get this done and get back sooner, huh? Down the hatch..."

Despite my insistence, Jade peeked around the crude wooden wall and laid her ears back, my suggestively waggling eyebrows just making her turn a shade redder. "F-Fast! You are terrible! I... well... that is intriguing... b-but... W-Witching has never seen me... a-and the slaves, I do not wish to frighten them, o-or those waiting for us back at Redheart. Surely Swan's locket will be sufficient and not turn me into..."

"Into a bigger version of the most beautiful mare in the world? Too bad, you want to come, you have to put up with it. This way I'm sure you'll have all the power you need to stay invisible and make everyone else that way. Not to mention protect yourself. Witchy won't care, she's used to Swan already, and the slaves will just see you like I do, a goddess coming to save them. I'm sorry, but I gotta put my hoof down here Jade. Here, I'll even help you..."

Copying Swan trying to save me back in Stable 75, I crunched down on the brittle apple and worked it around in my mouth, resisting the urge to swallow it like tingly rock candy after chewing it down to tiny pebbles. I leaned up and planted my lips on hers, wrestling with her tongue and shoving it into her sweet tasting mouth in a breathless kiss that ended on a pleased purr as she gulped it down.

We stayed locked in each others embrace like that well after it hit her belly, her nervous nuzzles and kisses growing a bit more passionate as the needle on her pip-buck spiked in the lethal purple end of the dial. Her voice nibbling on my ear was husky, but still held a note of worry and self consciousness. "I know you are correct dear, I do not mind you seeing me like this, but it is so embarrassing making a spectacle of myself. N-Not to mention how I feel when under the influence... Y-You must come through this adventure unscathed, I demand you are prepared to w-work off all this excess energy when we are done... a-and not by trying to save your life for once!"

"Nothing would make me happier Jade, I promise. As a matter of fact, I'd love to just watch you for awhile and savor every extra gorgeous inch, but I really should go over the rest with the others. We're not going in until I'm sure it's working and you're good to go anyway. Come on back out and let the others see, you've got nothing to be ashamed of, believe me."

With how well she had been coping with the role of a Princess everypony looked up to, it had gotten easy to forget just how shy Jade could be sometimes. As her cutie mark showed, her special talent may be her noble heart that made her a Princess as good as Luna in my mind, but things like the dreaded power armor race she had been forced into, or putting her differences on display for all to see as a super alicorn still came very hard for her.

Not that I minded reassuring her in the slightest, taking a few minutes alone together helped still my own jittery nerves as I lavished her with affection. Though the fact the rads surging in her belly were making her frisky enough to match the lewd, nagging growl of 'Be Dark...' was problematic. When she managed to pull away from my muzzle and give an adorable little hiccup, I couldn't stifle a laugh as she grew a couple inches taller in a sudden spurt that matched the cute noise she held a hoof up to hide with her cheeks blazing red.

"F-Fast! It is not funny, I am still uncomfortable with this and I (hic!)" Jade whinnied and tried to sound stern, interrupted by another squeaky hiccup that sent her horn through the corrugated steel roof of the crude shelter.

Before I could finish snickering and return to letting my hooves rove over even more Jade to savor before charging into danger, the rising chatter from our pip-bucks announced Swan growing bored and trotting over. Her open locket was putting her ahead of her sister, giving a soft moan as she pranced in the cramped shelter and stretched up a little taller herself, making me smile at the differences between them. Swan enjoyed soaking up rads and getting bigger, voicing her pleasure and grinning as she joined us, while Jade fought the process and hiccuped again trying to hold it back.

"Sister! Aren't these apple things great!? None of our other sisters ever come do this with me, it'll be fun! We can go smash those nasty Gunners and have fun together! Then we can play when we're done!" Swan burbled and shoved her way in, sandwiching me between the two growing alicorns and nuzzling happily.

"Y-Yes... Fast and I were just... d-discussing that sister. I only hope we are able to do as you say without issue. While I am happy to er... j-join in your fun I suppose, I do not find it as (hic!) e-entertaining as you do, and I have no plans to 'smash' anycreature..." Jade blushed and stammered back nervously in reply, keeping a tight hold on me over her sister's attempts to tug me away.

Swan tilted her head at Jade's clear reluctance, a puzzled expression clouding her blue-violet eyes. "Awww... but it's lots of fun sister! You'll see! I can't wait, we're gonna wipe all those bad ponies out an' save the slave type ones you want!"

Having Jade and Swan so close together let me hug both their long necks with a shudder, taking turns kissing them both while soaking up as much radiation as I could as well. Despite the fact the higher my rainbow colored radiation got, the harder it was to keep the impatient growl in my head back, I'd need as much power as I could get too and I needed to soak in the love of both of them to reassure me just as much. Taking the opportunity to try to keep Swan focused and gently let her down from the rampage she clearly expected to go on.

"Sorry Swan, you're on the rescue team this time. No going crazy and running off to slaughter Gunners, you need to help Jade get those ponies to safety. After that, I really need those gems down there too, so if you can at all, grab one of those minecarts and teleport it off after the slaves. It's a job only you can do and I know you can. When everypony is safe again and we're all done, then I promise, lots of play all together, just the three of us, right?"

Swan frowned at her orders, but the praise of her skills and reward I dangled in front of her like a carrot got her to grin and bob her head. "Right! I'll do good and protect sister and those slaves. A good guard protects ponies, not just smashes them, I remember!"

"Both of you... be careful, alright? I don't like this Jade, not one bit... but I know you have to help them and I can't keep you away. Protect each other, I'm counting on you to stay safe. "

While Swan giggled at the praise and affection, Jade nibbled my ears lovingly, the pleased purr to her warm voice from the radiation helping to relieve her anxiety, warring with the concern for me. "Mmm... a-and what will you be doing dear? I (hic!) w-worry for you as much as you do for me..."

"I somehow doubt that hon... I'm not just worried for the two of you, I'm scared for the four of you... Er... if Swan is too I mean, we really have to see when we get back. I'm betting on it after... umm... e-everything we've done already though... I'll be keeping them busy and away from you, that's my job and you'll just have to live with me being a little over protective. Ok? Now, since it's getting a little cramped in here... let's go get ready with the others and get this done."

Reluctantly pulling away from the warm embrace of two towering beauties, I took heart in Jade's determined nod and wriggled my way out of their grip, putting some distance between us when I caught the whites of their eyes flashing with pink bands. I had to try to reason with the annoying growl of 'MORE' echoing in my head, giving it something else it liked nearly as much as surrendering to the temptation of the heart shaped sparkles in their lidded eyes following my wings standing up, the promise of a lot of blood to come...

The stunned look on Witchy's face when I finally tempted Jade back out nearly had me burst out laughing despite the tension and Jade's immediate cringe. The poor batpony craned her neck back to take in Jade's red face and tapping forehooves flinching down at her royal guard. I did manage to keep it down to puffed up cheeks and snorting snickers, pushing Witchy's gaping muzzle closed with a click of her fangs and giving the dumbstruck mare a nudge.

"Breathe Witchy... It's alright, since you're with me, it's just a little insurance to make sure Jade's safe without her faithful guard. She looks pretty, right...?" Waving a hoof in front of Witchy's amber eyes shrunk to tiny dots, I whispered under my breath to continue, sure her sensitive ears could hear the low mutter. "She's shy about doing this Witchy... don't freak out."

"Y-Yes! I'm sorry your highness, it was just... a... a surprise! Y-You look magnificent, truly! I... wow... I feel much better about abandoning you to Valkyrie and thine sister now..." Witchy finally blinked and shook her head, jabbering up to the blue alicorn giving another hiccup and looming over her a little higher.

She managed to master her shocked face filled with adoration for her big Princess, giving a low bow to Jade peeking out from behind her wings before continuing to all of us. "I... Thank you, all of you, truly. I know we are here for more than just my hopes of finding my mother's family, but I am still humbled and grateful to you all. E-Especially you Princess, thou art a noble and kind mare, no matter thine size, thine heart is huge."

The compliment from the only member of our party that had never seen Jade in this state got her to relax to my relief. Though when Jade leaned down and nuzzled the blushing thestral, I was afraid Witchy was going to faint at Jade's big muzzle puckering in a kiss to her cheek in thanks. The overly affectionate blue alicorn threatened to blow her fuses, purring her thanks and hiccuping, looking a bit frustrated at the thestral power armor getting in her way. Whichever way Witchy's barn door swung, it was clear she loved Jade and Jade loved her.

The chuckles of the others at Witchy swaying on her power armored hooves relieved a lot of tension and we turned to the Gunners' complex together, coming up with more of a plan than we usually operated under with everyone contributing. It filled me with pride and gratitude for all our friends, but also the heavy weight of responsibility settling right between my wings.

All of them believed in me. I had to live up to that trust, to be the legend whose mantle I took up, to save those slaves and be a hero, not to mention keep my wife and foal safe, no matter what the cost 'Be Dark...'.

Location Discovered: Whinny Quarries blinked in my view as I corralled several fluffy clouds together and shoved the bundle towards the complex below. I sat atop the floating platform and peered over the edge, bucking my perch with my hindlegs to turn it dark and thundery.

It was a long, narrow stretch of somewhat fortified works, following the rocky outcropping rising from the marsh. The slave pens and bulk of the buildings were on the eastern side, while the mines and small lake of murky, contaminated looking water were to the west. That was my target... I wished there were more to get caught up in the initial attack, but the few ghouls and X-Cell mutated Gunners patrolling the area would have to do.

"Fast..." Witchy's quiet voice pulled me away from staring down and building up more electricity in my cloud with my lightning wreathed hooves, looking back to her perched behind me and raising her visor to continue with a grateful look on her pretty face. "Thank you again... for doing this, for helping me... for everything..."

"Don't worry about it Witchy, we'd do something no matter what, helping you is just a big bonus. Besides, I told you already, we love you... Jade loves you. I love you. This is what family does and you're family. Now, are you ready to put your dad's armor to the test? I need you watching my tail for me."

The ornate visor of her armor slid down with a hiss and the blank face nodded firmly, Witchy's squeaky voice rendered a little more intimidating squawking out of the speakers. "R-Ready..."

Flying up as she fluttered away from the rumbling cloud, I clawed for altitude, pausing high above my crackling weapon hovering over the quarries and letting the lightning flickering around me turn black. 'Be Awesome!' gave a loud whoop as I dove down, streaking through the dark cloud and drawing a blinding bolt of lightning with me.

I splashed down to the polluted pond, the storm of electricity in my wake arching out and dancing across the surface, electrocuting several surprised Gunners in the area. Just shaking the brackish water lapping at my hooves from my flared wings, I could tell how radioactive it was and felt the spark of anger flaring brighter. The Gunners were forcing their normal pony slaves to work, in this?!

"GREETINGS EVILDOERS! THOU HATH COMMITTED THE UNFORGIVABLE CRIME OF SLAVERY, AN AFFRONT TO GODDESS LUNA THAT HAS EARNED HER WRATH! NOW YOU FACE JUDGEMENT BY THE SHROUDED STALLION!"

The response to the Shroud's voice booming out and echoing through the quarries was everything I could hope for. Shouts and gunfire answered immediately, the alarm spreading through the complex and drawing every armed Gunner towards the flooded western end, away from the slave pens and more importantly, Jade.

Of course that also meant I had to run, making myself a very loud and visible target did have its down sides. Charging for the ramshackle sheds and walkways with bullets and beams of magical energy boiling the water at my hooves. Flapping for all I was worth, I was grateful to see Zed springing out of the shadows and pummeling a long horned pink unicorn Gunner, before she was able to train the plasma caster in her magic on me swooping overhead.

A grey Gunner griffon screeched from ahead of me, forcing me to veer away from his gleaming claws. Before he could recover and track me with his light machine gun however, a powerful .50 caliber slug drilled through his chest and smashed him down to the ground, courtesy of the armored batpony streaking down. Her gleaming silver combat rifle was attached at her other flank, opening up with a chatter to send half a dozen ponies racing down the catwalks to intercept me diving for cover.

Grateful as I was for the two covering for me, we had to make more noise and draw more attention, though me crashing through one of the junkyard shelters attached to the walkways helped on that score. Shaking off the splintered boards, I lurched back to my hooves and peeked out the crude doorway, forced to duck back at the hail of gunfire chewing at the weathered wood.

The poor construction did offer a lot of gaps to peek out of from cover, letting me look over the rickety catwalk the Gunners were approaching from. The sight of more red dashes on E.F.S. of reinforcements charging up behind them let me hold off on the snarling suggestion in my head, waiting for more of them to cluster up and focusing on the braces bolting the structure to the stone wall.

'Be Strong!' yelled along with me once a few more had come in range, the blue field of my magic surrounding the walkway and tearing it free with rusty groans and squalls as it was wrenched loose. I flew out and followed, pausing for an instant of frozen time courtesy of S.A.T.S. to look east with a nervous gulp.

Cycling through all the falling Gunners and queuing up shots with Vengeance, I peered past the walkways, prewar capsule construction, wooden junk and rusty railcars to spot the bright purple flash and huge blue shell that way. I could just see the top of Jade's cloudy mane standing as high as the slave pens, her glowing shield encompassing the area and protecting the innocent, while her sister was already teleporting the first group away and Val flew over the area protectively. They were doing their part, we just had to do ours...

Time resumed and I continued my dive after the gaggle of Gunners, the booming revolver of one of their founders blasting away by my head. All six rounds found their marks, while the mangled steel of the catwalk crashing below me took care of the rest, though it made slamming to my hooves in a clear spot near the train tracks a little difficult.

Prancing back from the groaning survivors and wreckage, along with the gunfire of more Gunners swarming the area, I followed the tracks towards the mines and the slaves still at work when we crashed the party. Running down them with the lightning at my hooves arcing on the rails, my burning eyes locked on a pudgy cyan earth pony holding a whip drooping in his gaping mouth.

The shackled slaves behind him hid behind the rusty minecarts they had been wearily loading gems in when I flapped my wings and plowed into him, rolling for the cover of the vertical stone cut in squarish chunks. Of course I couldn't really blame them when his own whip snaked up in my magic, winding around his neck and yanking him from his hooves to go swinging from the rough wooden support of one of the Gunner's wasteland additions overhead.

I didn't necessarily do that... It was a good idea and I couldn't help but enjoy hearing him sputter and flail, but the steady beat of fury between my eyes had the credit there. At least it was being fairly cooperative, standing aside as I sent Best Served whickering through the air and slashing at the chains binding the shocked slaves.

"He's probably got keys I'm guessing?! Get them and get outta here, quick! Head for the pens! Princess Jade is there to get you all out of here to somewhere safe, just... don't freak out when you see her!"

I winced at the frightened looks they returned, trying to will the glowing red dots I saw reflected in their eyes back to normal as one brave older orange buck approached and hurriedly reached up to yank off the saddlebags of the Gunners swinging overhead. He darted back with his prize in his teeth when I had to duck under the powerhooves of a screaming Gunner earth pony, taking a bone crunching punch to my shoulder, but not my head at least. Me slashing his neck with my knife in return and coating both of us in gore that just made me look worse however.

The intimidating armored form of Witchy landing nearby and laying down covering fire didn't help either, though it did focus me and I took a moment to hook one of the first freed slaves running for Jade, a thin and sickly looking yellow mare with large clumps of her white and blue mane falling out.

"We're looking for somepony, one of the other slaves! Is there a Ruby Shard here?!"

"T-The Foremare? W-What do you want with that bitch? Er... M-Mr. Shrouded Stallion... s-sir?" I hated the tremor to her voice and the way she cringed, but just one look was enough to show the abuse she had suffered here.

A pony with that many scars from being cruelly lashed on her back had every reason to be afraid, not just of me and the way my fangs slurred my words. Though what she had to say on the subject of Witchy's aunt worried me... "Foremare? Yeah, sure I guess. Where is she?"

Following her shaking hoof pointing up to the fanciest building at the top of the quarries, I nodded and released her gratefully. The backs of Witchy's fluffy ears were armored by her helm, but a suit designed for thestrals made sure to leave the sharp dishes perking up free to take advantage of her natural abilities.

She heard that and trotted over immediately, her long anti-materiel rifle blasting out silently and tossing a pale griffon back from her diving course on our position, the chatter of their submachine gun pinging off her armor and peppering my armor with stinging shots cut short. "Fast! Ruby is here? Alive? I must..."

"Right behind you Witchy! They've got the keys to get outta here, us being here will just make that harder anyway. Zed! We're going up!"

Three pony Gunners went flying out from one of the dirty white and yellow capsules bolted to the walls above us in answer to my shout. The agile zebra flipped his way out and bounded across the walkways behind us as we flew up, forgoing the stairs and paths to take the shortest course.

Cresting the top of the outcropping rising from the marshes, I saw more ramshackle buildings behind the large trailer and capsule conglomeration we were heading for. What must have been the meager homes of the residents here before the Gunners came and enslaved them all, now where the Gunners running roughshod over them slept themselves apparently.

Several more who had been sleeping came charging out, frantically buckling armor and weapons on at a run. The unprepared combatants were still bleary and surprised, but their vantage from up here would let them see the giant blue alicorn I turned a worried glance toward, forcing me to detour with Zed and Witchy to take them out of the equation.

The clanging of a bell focused me on one teal mare yanking on the rope attached to the makeshift alarm, taking aim with the Last Minute and drilling a hole through her head to silence it. A powerful hunting rifle answered, a steely eyed brown griffon pouncing out of his trailer quicker on the uptake than the others and a crack shot, the .308 round penetrating my armor at the ribs.

Witchy dove in the way of the volley of shots following his, her power armor acting as an effective shield. Zed galloped right at her back and used her as a springboard, bouncing lightly on his hindlegs off her rump and landing right in the middle of the cluster of red on E.F.S.. Having him in the middle of things and Witchy raising her bladed tail to keep me back forced me to select my shots with the Last Minute carefully, using the batpony as cover and firing over her raised wings around the zebra engaged in a furious melee.

Leaving him to mop of the last few, I followed the ridge with Witchy on my tail, running for what the corroded metal sign labeled as the Foremare's Office and bucking open the door. The boom of a powerful combat shotgun waited on the other side, throwing me back with an oozing wound to my chest and no air in my lungs.

The muscular green griffon behind the advanced combat shotgun swooped out right behind me, a second blast hammering my flank scrambling on the ground near the edge. The view right below me of an oversized Jade looking up with her round blue eyes full of worry got me moving again, rolling away from a third blast and flaring my wings to launch myself at the griffon aiming to land on me.

I dove at the half armored bastard horn first, piercing his side and feeling his blood splash down my face. The smell and taste just whet the appetite of the roar in my head, snapping out with my fangs and wrapping my forelegs around his powerful feline body. I ignored his claws slashing at me and trying to pull me off, letting Blue Moon click out from under my wing with a thought and firing right into his chest.

I choked and sputtered on the cloud of sparkling blue ash that was left, my forelegs closing on nothing as I fell on my face. Witchy and Zed caught up, the strong zebra brusquely shoving me back to my shaking hooves while the batpony was torn over worrying over me and the open door behind her.

Shaking my head weakly at her chirps of concern, I waved her on to the Foremare's office and staggered after, leaning on Zed and trying to hurry. The radiation I had absorbed both from Swan's locket and the polluted pond below was knitting my wounds together slowly, but we didn't have time to spare.

The pop of a small caliber pistol and loud 'ping!' of the bullets glancing off Witchy's armor sped my pace, racing in behind her at the door and finding just who we were after. A middle aged red unicorn mare cringed on a bed in the corner, her rich orange eyes crazed beneath her sweaty purple mane and a compact 9mm pistol floating in her violet magic.

Spotting me blinking behind Witchy holding her hooves up for peace, the mare screamed and fired the clip empty, forcing me to flinch back behind Witchy's outstetched wings as she jabbered. "You! Stay away! Y-You killed Krassus, didn't you! Oh you stupid fuck, you had to come ruin everything! You and another of these ugly damn bats!!"

Witchy winced at her words, her ears laying back as she squeaked and tried to speak but couldn't. That was enough for me to go stomping past her, the word 'ugly' ringing in my ears as I stalked towards her. Taking in the rather cushy living accommodations, the sweat glistening on her red coat, the disheveled and stained sheets on the bed she cowered on, the smell of musk in the air my sensitive nose caught... my eyes turned dragonish and caught every shiver running through her.

"Ruby Shard... Foremare Ruby Shard... Thou are a collaborator... aren't you? I see we interrupted you enjoying yourself while the ponies below suffered... Thou hath earned Luna's wrath yourself, were it not for the questions I have for you and this beautiful batpony behind me, I would end you right here..."

The Shroud's rumbling voice kept leaking into my words as I prowled up onto the bed and backed her into the corner, swatting the empty pistol aside and snarling in her face, watching her eyes shrink and get lost in my glowing red ones.

"F-Fast! Stop! Please... just stop..." Witchy cried out and the roaring flame of anger between my eyes dimmed, allowing me to snap out of all the gruesome ideas of punishment flashing in my head and back away for the anxious batpony tugging my tail.

Witchy's visor slid up with a hiss as she got me to come down from the sweaty bed, speaking in a pained and reticent tone. "You... you are Ruby Shard, aren't you? Your sister was Amethyst Shard?"

With Zed watching the door, we had only a little time for family reunions, time the bitch shouting back ate into with her snide reply. "Amy? What about her? Stupid bitch ran off with another one of you creepy bats a long time ago, abandoned the family business. That you just finished ruining you stupid assholes! What's some bat cunt like you want with her now?"

Ignoring my furious snort, Witchy waved the rotten mare up from where she cringed, still trying with pain clear in her high pitched voice. "R-Ruby... Amethyst was my m-mother... thou art my aunt... We... we came to save you..."

"Save me!? From what!? I had things here well in hoof, things have never been more profitable! Amy's brat? You're just another of those ugly bat freaks like that hideous fuck she shacked up with! Now you come back to ruin everything!? Krassus knew you Princess following dumbasses would show up, though I never expected Amy's half breed would be with them. Not that it makes any difference, you can die with the rest of them and I'll be rewarded!" Ruby crept her way across the room as she kept throwing insults at her niece to my astonishment, making it to a window looking out towards the ruins of Whinny to the south and diving for the rope dangling just outside.

When she yanked it with her magic, there was a 'fwoosh!' sound from the roof overhead and a sudden burst of light and explosions. Fireworks? Shit... she just sent a brilliant flare up into the night sky, one I had no doubt was a signal for the Gunner fortress in easy flight range...

That was it... I knew enough. The tears trembling on Witchy's cheeks were enough. Deliverer snapped up in my magic and took aim at the bitch's head, the furious, possessive roar of 'Be Dark..' taking charge. I was going to kill her for hurting 'MINE'...

Zed moved so fast it was spooky, charging across the cluttered room and shoving me aside, the 10mm round buzzing past Ruby's purple mane and putting a hole in the wall as he knocked the silent pistol aside with a sweep of his hoof. He spun and drove a foreleg up into her belly from below, knocking all her wind out with one paralyzing strike that made her crumple to the floor.

He then shoved his muzzle under her and flipped her up to his broad back, glaring with his stern grey eyes. "Talking with this one here will do no good. Nor will killing her. We must go, now!"

I had to fight with the urge to shove him and get to the bitch on his back, following his pointing hoof out the window and spotting the piercing spotlights lancing out from Whinny, then picking up the howl of Vertibucks taking off from the Gunner stronghold. He was right... they'd be here in no time...

"R-Right... You're right Zed, get the bitch out of here. Take her to Jade and tell her to go, NOW! We'll be right behind you!"

Zed needed no more than that, galloping off with the unconscious mare on his back like she weighed nothing at all, leaving me to Witchy standing frozen and weeping. I had to trot to her face and hold her sodden cheeks to get her attention, trying to put some warmth and care to my growling voice.

"Witchy! Come on, we have to go!"

"Fast... she... she..." Witchy's miserable voice cracked in reply, her shudders transmitted through her armor.

"I know, we'll... w-we'll deal with her later, but we have to go now! Please Witchy! Jade's right outside and waiting!"

That looked to sink in at least. Witchy's blank visor slid down and hid her sniveling face, giving a shaky nod and following along with me out the door. No sooner had we cleared the portal however, a roaring explosion blasted the front of the Foremare's Office to tinders, knocking me to the ground with the power armored batpony crouching over me to shield me from the blast.

I lifted my head woozily, following the wispy trail of smoke past the collection of confiscated Gunner buildings and out to the marsh surrounding the place. E.F.S. was lighting up with more red dashes already, clanking, tromping suits of green power armor coming out of hiding.

Ruby's words came back and I dragged myself to my hooves, shaking off the dizziness in panic. They knew we'd come... they set a trap! Held their forces in hiding outside the range of our cursory scouting and Eyes Forward Sparkle. The muck covered power armor unleashing more heavy weapons fire probably started in as soon as the first shots rang out, but the fireworks and slowly floating flares lighting the complex up were going to draw even more from Whinny in no time...

Running for the ridge and where I last saw Jade, I gulped at more suits approaching from the ground below. Bright beams of magical energy weapons and glowing green blasts of plasma were hammering against Jade's blazing blue shield already. Zed was already galloping to the pens with her and Val was lobbing explosives from over her head. Only a small cluster of slaves were huddled at her giant hooves behind the barrier at least, but even her overcharged magic would only hold out so long.

I dove off the edge and towards her frantically, smashed out of the air halfway to her by a flying tank of griffon power armor. The power claws attached to the advanced suit tore through my black trenchcoat and dug into my sides, keeping me pinned as he dove to the ground with a screech and crushed me against the stone.

Witchy's anti-materiel rifle blew right through the swept back helmet before the bastard could disembowel me, flapping down in a panic as the heavy suit fell on top of me. I couldn't move... I could barely pull my way far enough to see the bright purple flash of Swan reappearing in the pens for the last trip, she'd burned through enough magic teleporting slaves free that her head was lower than Jade's gasping in horror as they both saw me.

"SWAN! LEAVE, NOW!! GET HER OUT OF HERE!" I screamed as missiles started exploding against Swan's purple shield augmenting her sisters, causing both to flicker and crack.

Neither one of them looked to like it, staring back at Witchy shoving the heavy hunk of dead griffon and steel off me with all her half earth pony strength augmented by her power armor. Jade's blue eyes shrank to terrified dots, but her sister took in the situation and gave a determined nod when the first screaming vertibuck swooped in and rained fire down on the two of them.

"Fast NO!" Jade's scream trailed off when Swan's horn lit up and they disappeared in a brilliant zap of her magic.

I managed to stagger up with Witchy's help, lurching away from all the weaponry moving away from the escaped Princess and towards her wounded knight. Craning my head around as I leaned on her and nudged our course towards the glowing green pond, I gulped at the wall of red dashes on E.F.S. surrounding us. Even the skies were cut off, short of teleporting like Swan had, we were caught in their trap...

"T-The mines Witchy! Make for the mines! C-Cut down their numbers..." I hissed out, glad to hear no arguments from the heavily armored batpony shielding me.

Splashing our way through the murky water to take the most direct course helped me pick up the pace, the radiation working to regenerate my injuries down to merely excruciating. We made it to the narrow maw of the mines with more missiles exploding at our tails and propelling us forward, galloping down the rough tunnels together and trying to put distance between us.

We wove our way down the twisting tunnels with the cackles of the Gunners following us, relying on alicorn night vision and thestral sonar to navigate the maze. The Gunners in charge of the place knew it better however, the walls sparkling with jewels to be mined dampened E.F.S.'s range, letting them pop up and drive us deeper.

When we nearly ran headfirst into a boarded up tunnel, Witchy scrambled desperately at the ancient timbers, turning to run back and freezing at the sound of power armor clanking down the way we came. She instantly turned back to the collapsed tunnel, turning to buck at it with all her considerable strength, shaking dust and pebbles from the ceiling as she screamed with effort.

Seeing no other real option, I leaned against the wall to cover her, charging the Last Minute to full power and blasting the first headlamp adorned helmet to come around the bend in the tunnel. The next flat crack echoing through the tunnels was rushed, blowing through the armored chest plate of another Institute suit of Steel Ranger armor, but not stopping the missile fired from his battlesaddle from streaking down the tunnel.

The explosive shot by overhead, nearly blowing my hat back in the smoking trail it left, then impacting the blocked off corridor just over Witchy's last frantic buck. The world was engulfed in flame and shaking as the ground fell out from under us, dropping us down into the dark with a ton of stone following as the corridor collapsed.

We fell... I knew that much before a chunk of stone flattened my hat and the lights went out, we fell into the dark... deep, deep down...

"Fast... Fast please wake up... please! Don't leave me alone.... you have to... please, wake up Fast!" Witchy's voice reaching near ultrasonic levels finally pierced the blackness, getting me to groan and lay my ears back.

"Nnn... f-five more minutes..."

I mumbled and clenched my eyes shut at the green tinted view of her teary face, nearly throwing up when she lifted me up in a crushing hug and my head throbbed like an overripe melon. "Fast! Thank the goddesses! N-No more sleeping! Wake up! W-We are in trouble and I need you!"

"Ugh... t-trouble? What...? Ow... J-Jade... where's Jade?"

I was glad it was so dark at least, slowly managing to open my eyes and hold my head when she released me to fall back to my haunches with a splash. We didn't seem to be in trouble really... The view was somewhat odd, the chilly water I was sitting in was glowing a faint green, providing the only other light besides the glow of Witchy's pip-buck and my own. The dim light sparkled and reflected all around us though, giving a vague impression of a vast space the echoes of her squeaky voice supported.

"H-Her highness is safely away from this horrible mess... but we are not. We fell to a natural cavern system beneath the quarries Fast, do you remember? Thine poor head... I have done what I could but... I was so scared! W-Were it not from the radiation filtering down from above, I do not know what I would have done!" Witchy cried out with a shudder that echoed away into the dark, her face screwed up in a miserable mask.

"Radiation? Huh..." I blinked blearily, dragging my foreleg up with some effort and trying to focus on the rainbow colored gauge there firmly jittering at the purple end. "H-How long? Where's your armor Witchy!? You shouldn't be..."

My instant fear for the normal mare making herself sick was shushed by her lunging into another hug, shivering in my hooves and shaking her head against my neck. "I-It's fine Fast, it does not extend much beyond the water. My armor got in the way of trying to treat you, t-though I was unable to do much. We have been down here more than an hour and I was growing frightened even the water would not help you. Are you.. a-are you alright?"

Well... that explained the intense charge making my mane itch like mad and me very appreciative of having warm filly in my hooves instead of power armor anyway... Now that I was looking, I spotted the empty frame not far away, the glowing headlamp sending a beam of light to go sparkling off the ceiling far above and providing more of the ambient light.

A little pained fiddling with my pip-buck showed the cartoon alicorn on the health screen with a crippled head and Xs for eyes however. Best to just keep that from her for the time being... Another couple of weary taps brought up Jade's locator tag too, proving her right as it hovered firmly over the icon for Redheart Academy.

"F-Fine... Good enough anyway... Sorry to scare you Witchy. So, do you know anything more about where we landed? Is there a way out? I... I don't think I can teleport out of here anytime soon... Not that I'd have great odds even if I was 100%"

Giving a shaky sigh as I crawled out of the glowing water and sat with her on the shore, Witchy shook her head and tapped her forehooves together. "Somewhere big... I have explored as far as I dared away from you and sounded out further, but it is a labyrinth of caverns. T-There were some feral ghouls, but I took care of them. There is also a lot of equipment, rail lines, train cars, metal junk... I'm not sure, I haven't wanted to leave you."

"O-Ok... Just gimme a little while and we can look around together. There's gotta be a way out if ponies brought stuff in and died down here anyway. We'll be ok, let's just calm down and catch our breath. Umm... you wouldn't happen to have a Med-X, would you?"

"Oh! Y-Yes, of course Fast! I didn't want to give you one until you woke, but you must be in pain. H-Here you are..." Witchy squeaked and scrambled in her packs, jabbing my aching flank with an injector and watching me sigh with relief nervously.

Looking around, I spotted and smelled a few of the undead she had dispatched some distance away, but E.F.S. was clear for now. No zombie ponies or Gunners were going to interrupt us at least, so I dragged myself closer to the anxious filly and rooted around in my saddlebags, finding both a red and orange Sparkle Cola jingling around down there along with a few of Glitter's snack cakes.

"Here, gotta keep our strength up."

I split the meager haul between us, giving Witchy the non-radioactive beverage and munching on a carroty cake slowly. We ate in silence for a bit, the plinking sounds of dripping water and the slow current of more of the glowing stuff filling the gloom and quiet. Between that and the headache thankfully starting to fade, I could be forgiven for not noticing Witchy adding more dripping water to it for a few minutes.

"W-Witchy? Are you crying!? W-What's wrong? Hey... hey now, it's ok... We'll get outta here and..."

The tearful, blubbering look she turned on me in the dark was heartbreaking, her squeaky voice cracking when she sobbed. "T-That's not it! We're here b-because of meeeee! Thou were hurt! T-The Princess in danger! A-All to find that h-horrible, evil mare! M-My AUNT!"

She practically spit the last word out, her high pitched wails making the crystalline walls quiver. Once she did she slumped and held her head in her hooves, hiding behind her leathery wings and weeping quietly, her back hitching and her silky purple tail curling around her legs.

I really wished I could think a little clearer, thunking my aching head with my hoof and reaching out to touch her cautiously. She flinched at the contact at first, but whimpered when I pulled away, leaving me to awkwardly stroke her back.

My memories were kind of fuzzy, but I remembered enough of the awful cunt Ruby to understand how hurt she must feel. Her only living family was apparently a rotten bitch... The things she had said came back to me and made the hiss of 'Be Dark...' shift and strain, finding it much easier to get loose after things up there got scrambled and with all the radiation charging me up.

Witchy was more important than any thoughts of punishing the awful cunt though, I wiggled my way a little closer and spread my wing over her back with my foreleg, drawing her into a hug and nuzzling her teary cheek. "Well, my grandpa is a part of the evil Institute... so I can kinda sympathize I guess. I'm sorry though Witchy, I'm sorry you had to find out that way, that you had to meet that bitch at all and hear... hear what she was like. We weren't just here for her though, none of this is your fault. Jade would have come for those slaves no matter what, the Gunners were counting on it without knowing anything about you or Ruby, right? We did good here tonight, even if we didn't get what we hoped for with you."

She stayed quiet during my fumbling attempts to soothe, still leaking salty tears I kept nuzzling away anxiously, her cute ears laid back and flicking at my soft coos. At least she seemed to be thinking over it, but the shaky, hurt whisper she eventually voiced came right from the source of a lot of the pain in her heart. "S-She... she called me ugly too... j-just like all the others..."

It was probably a bad idea with as itchy as my mane felt and overcharged I was, but I wasn't going to let that stand, I'd made a promise to myself to make her understand and refused to let the bigoted assholes in Dreadnot or her awful Aunt win. Moving a little more forcefully than I might otherwise with the needy growl in my head perking up at the opportunity, I grabbed her sodden cheeks and turned her towards me, lunging into a deep and passionate kiss to her surprised squeak.

Breaking it off was a lot harder than I expected, but I managed to pull just a hair away, nudging her cute little nose with my own and staring eye to eye. "She was wrong Witchy. Just like all the others. I don't like hearing you repeat what's not even worth thinking about. I'll keep saying it until no asshole like them can ever make you doubt it again. You are beautiful, inside and out."

Witchy's wide amber eyes flicked down in shame, though her wings fluttering behind her excitedly betrayed the hope in her voice. "B-But..."

"I will prove it to you if you say one more negative word Witchy... So.. s-so think carefully, because I'm kinda having a hard time staying in control right now... You. Are. NOT. Ugly. If it weren't for Jade, I'd say you were the most gorgeous mare I've ever met, and I remember back before the war and mares like Rarity. That bitch Ruby is ugly, those ponies that made fun of you back home are ugly, but you are beautiful."

That uncertain look flickered in her slitted eyes sparkling back, but she took enough of my warning to not voice any of the doubts I could see going on behind them. It was still enough to keep kissing away her tears though, licking at her full cheeks and nipping at her neck as I pressed closer, my wings aching and the steady chant in my head getting harder to ignore.

Already I could see some of those sparkles in her lidded eyes weren't reflections of twinkling lights, but distinctly heart shaped bursts. Her damp, fuzzy cheeks were warm and pink and her strong hooves were squeezing me back, her shuddery, grateful sigh echoing out in the dark. It might be simply taking comfort in each other, or weird alicorn pheromones, or a distraction from the grim situation and response to the life and death struggle that brought us here, but she wasn't crying anymore...

We might have ended up going a lot further... Were it not for the deadpan voice echoing out from nearby surprising us both. "He's right you know. You're as pretty as an amethyst geode formation."

"Gah!" I yelped as I was tossed back to the glowing water, splashing down while Witchy scrambled up and drew her ornate curved sword from her scabbard protectively.

Her fluffy ears were trained right where a green dash on E.F.S. had lit up, stammering out to the dark with a scowl on her blushing face. "W-Who's there! Show yourself if thou art friendly!"

"I'm right here. I'm friendly, I guess. You're the one shooting everypony." The droll voice that answered didn't respond to Witchy's angry, surprised squeak or show any kind of emotion at all really, calling out from somewhere in the dark ahead.

I splashed my way back out of the trickling water and gently pushed Witchy's curved blade down, cautiously trotting out towards the green bar in my vision and answering curiously. "Shooting... you mean the zombies?"

"Zombies? I guess they weren't that talkative. Most of my friends aren't though." The even voice answering was close, seemingly coming from the large, tipped over train car the glow from my pip-buck lamp illuminated.

Witchy galloped up at my side in her power armor, darting her eyes around and not spotting anything either as we got closer. "Be careful Fast! It may be a trick! W-What are you doing down here, p-peeping on us!"

"I was here already. You two decided to put on the show. Not that I wasn't enjoying it. It's been awhile since I had non-rock company." The weird feminine voice replied again right ahead, continuing in an unconcerned tone when Witchy's armored foreleg knocked aside a stack of rocks and crushed one underhoof. "Oh. You killed Chunk too. Watch out for Boulder."

We both looked down sharply, now standing in the shadow of the tall rail car and raising our pip-buck's high enough to shine some light down on the shape concealed by several large rocks in a semicircle around it. The odd mare looking back with a sleepy looking stare blended in with the stones around her with her faded grey coat and mane, tucking a small stone in a battered pouch to her withered chest protectively.

She was crushed from the ribs back by the tipped over rail car full of stones spilling out to the rocky ground, blinking between the two of us with her bright blue eyes as if we were strange new guests over for tea. She held a rotting foreleg up in greeting, confirming my first thought on the most likely creature to be down here with us, besides pursuing Gunners or chatty hellhounds.

"You are a ghoul..."

"No. I'm Maud."

"Wow...."

Witchy and I both gaped up at the huge cavern we were in, now lit by industrial lights thanks to Maud's instructions. Following the winding passages in the dark to the dead arcano-flux generator and getting it online took a little work, time that Witchy and I spent silently blushing and figuring out what to say, but the result of getting power running was amazing.

The rail cars like the one Maud was still pinned under must lead up to the collapsed tunnel on the surface and the tracks up there the Gunners had salvaged. There were two tracks, one with cars heavily laden with rock, the other with cargo containers bearing steel crates and boxes, labeled with the familiar horseshoe shaped symbol of Stable-Tec.

Further away, several large passages led in all directions, littered with dead yellow hulks of earth moving equipment festooned with drills. The smaller passages Maud had sent us down were even steel clad hallways, lined with exposed wiring and unconnected pipes, while part of the cave beyond the corridors had the deck plating ringing under my hooves with a very familiar sound. All of it leading to only one conclusion.

"This... This was going to be a Stable, wasn't it Maud?" I finally managed to speak, tearing my gaze away from the glimmering walls studded with gems and crystals reflecting the bright work lamps back.

"Yes. Stable 88. I consulted with those fillies from Stable-Tec a lot. They needed a Rocktorate holder to dig out their shelters. The Commonwealth had several suitable sites of igneous and metamorphic substrata that could withstand balefire bombardment. Along with interesting geological features I wanted to study anyway. Though I was also in the area doing the same kind of work with the Commonwealth Institute of Arcane Technology, and assisting in the excavation of several research facilities and archaeological sites." The strange mare betrayed the closest thing to excitement I'd seen out of her, which was even more relaxed than Peri on sedatives...

"Umm... you really like rocks, huh Maud?"

I tilted my head and waved a hoof out to her collection of speckled and ridged boulders from the rail car pinning her, arranged and stacked within her reach with the polished little stone from her decorated purse that seemed made specifically for holding it.

The rotting grey ghoul gave a slow nod in reply, shrugging with her free upper half. "They don't exclude you if you're different than other ponies. Which I have been down here since I don't growl and shuffle around aimlessly. I thought the other workers were just playing some game and not letting me join in. Though I guess I still am different now that I can see better. A ghoul you said? I've never heard anypony call me that. It explains why I've had so much time to practice my other hobby down here I guess."

"Other hobby?"

The lidded look she turned up to me never wavered, replying without missing a beat. "Stand up comedy."

The way she just blinked back slowly and said something so ridiculous with a straight face made me sputter out laughter, echoing out into the caves and making the corner of her cracked lips quirk up ever so slightly. The strangely somber whisper of 'Awareness!' giving a tired chuckle in my head. If she was joking, it was a good joke, lending credence to her being serious, which was somehow just as funny.

If nothing else, she had managed to hold on to her sanity down here, alone, in the dark, for 200 years... At least I hoped so considering the only thing I could think to do with her now. I shook off my tapering snickers and sat down in front of her, nodding up to the huge weight keeping her trapped with my wing and speaking in a soothing voice.

"Well, since we took a good chunk of your audience away Maud, let's see about getting you out of here. Umm... more has changed than just ponies being turned into ghouls like you out there though. It might be a bit of a shock..."

"Like alicorn princes making out with batponies in dark caves? I've never heard of one of you either. Are you related to one of the Princesses? How long have I been down here? I've been going by geological time. Which is long." She still didn't get worked up, and racked up another point on the side of actually being a stand up comedienne with her even delivery of another crack that made me sputter and blush.

"Er... 200 years or so? I'm no prince, and the Princesses are... t-they died. Umm... a-along with most everypony you knew probably. D-Don't freak out or anything, the war happened and... I guess you've been trapped this whole time alone. You're not anymore though, just hang on and stay calm."

I was worried being too honest might hurt her, despite the firm whisper of 'Be Strong!' helping me and Witchy start bucking the boulders from the rail car and lightening the load. She didn't react with any more than a raised eyebrow over her bright eyes though. It actually made me a little envious of her ability to remain calm considering my temper, I'd probably be hyperventilating and passing out by now, or ranting and raving...

With us up in the tipped over cart and out of earshot, Witchy whispered to me anxiously. "Thou are sure about letting her loose Fast? The Princess says ghouls that have been isolated so long can be unstable... What if she attacks?"

"I think we can handle one mare going feral Witchy. I don't think she will anyway, she seems extreeeemely chillaxed about everything, huh? Maybe she knows a way out of here. Either way, we can't just leave her here. Now, ready to help me put all this excess energy to better use than assaulting you?"

I was glad to see the blushing batpony titter laughter, sounding much better than she had as she gave a power armor assisted buck to a huge hunk of granite. "Thou didn't assault me Fast. You always make me feel better with thine sweet words and actions, even when overly excited... I shall have to consider the Princess' offer actually."

"Huh? Offer?" My ears pricked up curiously, turning to her as I floated more rubble out.

"O-Oh! Well... A royal guard's duties include acting as a confidante Fast... The Princess and I talk, a-about many things... When the discussion turned to thine... unique relationship... how she could be so gracious in s-sharing... She said she only allowed it with those you both cared about like her close sisters, Valkyrie and... er... m-me... should I ever wish to do so." Witchy's face glowed in the gloomy cavern, bashfully looking down and biting her lip in embarrassment.

"W-Wha? You... she... r-really?"

She turned away and shoved forcefully at the rocks, her tail flicking rapidly as she stammered back in a shamed rush. "I... i-it is only because I told her I never really have willingly... Thou art the first buck who ever expressed interest, t-that I understood anyway... a-and that I... umm... f-felt that way about too..."

"Really!? I mean... I'm flattered, a-and embarrassed you guys talk about that kinda thing. Maaaaybe a little excited too, huh?" I gaped, finally managing a stunned answer with my ears and wings both standing straight enough for her to giggle at. My chuckles joining hers tapered off as one word out of all that hung in my mind however, the possessive, angry snarl of 'Be Dark...' echoing it with me. "Wait... willingly?"

"T-Thrillingly! I imagine it would be thrilling! J-Just when we met and you... er... w-we... That was very exciting for me Fast and I had not been able to put it out of my mind. Because of that, it was important to be honest with her highness about my p-persistent feelings, in case she felt they were inappropriate or made me unsuitable as her royal guard. S-She was probably joking... Y-Yes, that must be it! F-Forget I said..."Witchy's eyes opened wide and she stammered in fright and ...shame... chirping rapidly and trying to focus on the rest of what she said.

She instantly went to distract and cover for the slip and I wasn't going to push, right now... Even I could catch it and figure enough out though. Witchy had never come right out and said she had never had sex before, just that she never really had. A subtle distinction I hadn't paid enough attention to, foalishly believing a mare a couple years older than me might be as inexperienced as I was when I left the Stable. Thinking of the other abuses she had suffered though, it clicked in my head. For once me and the shadowy pony in my head that was actually good at figuring nasty things like that out were in complete agreement.

Somepony in Dreadnot was going to die...

Not until we got out of here though. Dwelling on it or pushing her wouldn't do any good, so I pretended to accept her half truth of a reply without question, focusing on the actually thrilling idea and trying to calm and reassure her. "Witchy, Jade doesn't really joke about that kind of thing often. Especially knowing how you feel about, about e-everything that's wrapped up with all that for you... She wouldn't play that kind of prank on you, or me for that matter. That's more Val's sense of humor. We kind of have a weird relationship because of... reasons, but she loves you, we both do, which is the only way she ever ...s-shares... Y-You know, it's funny, I sorta wondered if your barn door swung the other way and you'd rather do that kind of thing with her than me... hehehe... ummm Witchy?"

I caught her cringing at my offhoofed joke to cover the awkwardness, watching her tail flicking faster a little too closely as she squeaked in a pained whisper. "W-Well.... I w-would, I t-think I would... l-like both? L-Like her highness and her sisters h-have with thou? I have o-overheard things, w-when you have all been... ummm... t-together... N-Not that I am worthy of being w-w-with a Princess... I... a-am being foalish... just nevermind Fast, p-please, do not tell her highness I have such terrible thoughts..."

Grrr... shut up dammit... If nothing else, don't screw this up with all your bullshit... I bashed my forehead and snorted, shaking my furiously itchy mane and holding my hooves up to Witchy peeking back anxiously. She squeaked again and the visor to her helmet slid down with a clang when I caught her vulnerable amber eye, shrinking to the corner of the rail car and fluttering her armored wings rapidly.

I was somewhat amazed I managed to not simply pounce on her heavily armored rump shivering in the corner then and there. Instead I trotted over cautiously, nudging her shoulder and slowly tilting the blank face of her armor back to up to meet mine. I gulped nervously and released the manual catch on her helmet she hadn't had time to learn about, revealing her pretty face to her surprise, that immediately turned redder and tried to look down again, hiding under her short purple mane.

Shoving her muzzle up a little more firmly, the kiss I planted on her soft lips was slow and deep, stretching out over long minutes with just the two of us, answering breathlessly when it finally ended. "You're not being silly Witchy, and thinking way that isn't wrong. If you really don't want me to say anything I won't, but you should tell her how you feel. She always wants to be involved, so I really doubt she would have errr ...o-offered, if she didn't figure on being there too. Sharing is caring, right? She doesn't mind sharing me with those we love, I don't mind sharing her. T-That's one more fantastic freaking reason to get out of here and back to her then, huh? The sooner the better..."

Fresh tears spilled down Witchy's fuzzy cheeks, her face lit with a beautiful, hopeful smile as she darted forward and pinned me in a powerful hug against the tilted wall and chirped. "Y-You really think... Yes! Of course Fast, w-we must return to the Princess regardless, but... I promise to think on it and d-discuss it with her as well, t-thank you!"

The snarling need of 'Be Dark...' raging at me was as frustrated at the armor covering Witchy's warm body as I was, fighting for control to tear it away from the smell of her sweaty fur crammed into it like a sardine. Having her nuzzle against my neck and plant tentative little kisses just urged it on, putting her fluffy ears in perfect range to nibble on the cute little tufts of fur and pant raggedly.

"O-Ok Witchy! U-Unless you want to get started right here and now, y-you better let go... I can't... it's getting hard to.."

Witchy squeaked and pulled away just in time, blushing furiously and helping me up from where I shuddered and rubbed at the insistent ache between my eyes. "Oh! Oh I'm sorry Fast! I-I'm new to this and... o-of course, the radiation! W-We really must..."

"Not that I'm in any hurry, or mind, but there are other places to do that down here. It is a fairly large system of caverns." The droll voice of the completely forgotten Maud broke us out of the nervous giggle we shared, sending us both flapping up and careening off the rusty steel walls with hollow bongs.

"R-Right! Sorry! C-Coming! I mean... w-we'll be right there Maud!" I yelped back and stumbled back out, shuffling under the ghoul's bored stare and giving a crooked grin to her and Witchy cantering out after me. "Alright, let's give this a try and get you outta there."

A layer of overglow around my horn lit up the cave with its bright blue light sparkling off the walls, enveloping the still heavy rail car pinning Maud with a low groan and creaks coming from the wrecked storage container. I was actually grateful for the strain that took all of my concentration and every ounce of extra power I had coursing through me, grunting along with 'Be Strong!' to slowly lift the huge weight into the air.

With it hovering weightlessly inch by inch away from the ground, Witchy gave an armor assisted buck and flipped the rusty train car back to the tracks with a crash as my telekinesis gave out. The crumpled hindquarters of the ghoul blinking between us made her look like a half used tube of toothpaste, making my stomach give a lazy flop.

"Hmm. This will make leaving harder. It's better than being stuck though. Thanks." Maud looked back to her ruined hindlegs without much concern, dragging herself forward on her forelegs and picking at her tattered green dress trailing behind her.

"Oh, hang on Maud. Umm... maybe we can do something about that too. Crash course on being a ghoul, or an alicorn for that matter, rads are good. Sorry about the sludge." I shook off the nausea from watching her pained progress, floating the ghoul mare up in my magic and trotting over to the glowing trickle of water dripping down from somewhere far above.

I had to hold a hoof up to keep her from returning to dragging herself up from the water, nodding down to her withered hindlegs slowly starting to bend and snap with sickening crunches. It would take a little while, but the radiation would heal her as well as it did me, a new detail of her undead state she was obviously just learning and taking in stride.

"Ah. That will be easier then. It's a long way back home. I have to check on the farm I guess. 200 years is a long time. For ponies anyway." Maud deadpanned and sat patiently, letting the radiation soak into her leathery coat and lend her brilliant blue eyes a greenish sparkle.

"Y-Yeah, four legs will be quicker than two. I'm hoping you know a way out of here then? We really need to get back to the surface."

"As soon as we hit our target depth and found these caverns, we dug a secondary passage up to the surface for ventilation. It shouldn't be hard to go back to the quarries. If they haven't collapsed too. This area is geologically stable, but there was a lot of seismic activity. I suppose that was the bombs. If it was enough to shake things down here and trap me, it's possible it's closed." Maud shrugged and wiggled her twisted hindlegs in the water in reply.

"Huh... Well, we fell down here in another collapse, so I wouldn't count on going that way. Besides, we don't really want to go straight back up, there are.... bad ponies up there. Popping right back out will be worse than staying trapped. Is there any way to get further away and come up somewhere else?"

Following my nod out to the dark caverns, Maud shrugged. "Maybe. If we followed the surveys I took of this system, we could come pretty close to the surface and dig the rest of the way. There's most likely flooding in other chambers though, and pests, but it would only take a few years by hoof."

"Y-Years!? But we must return to her highness! She must be so worried! W-What if she attempts to return to rescue us Fast!?" Witchy squeaked and made me panic at her fair point.

"Shit... You're right Witchy! She won't wait forever... fuck!" I tapped frantically at my pip-buck map, pulling up locator tags and breathing a shaky sigh of relief finding Jade's mark still safely at Redheart.

Looking at the others, I still gulped on finding Val and Swan's circling near the Hide n' Seek Park ruins we had used as a staging area, while Zed's slowly crept closer through the marshes. It had only been a couple hours, the Gunners up on the surface were probably swarming the place and keeping even that violent duo and sneaky zebra away, but that wouldn't last.

Jade still had to ask Glitter to work the locator tag system for her, but Val knew it well enough to understand Witchy and my own marks wouldn't show up unless we were still alive. A fact she had actually absorbed since it pertained to being a good bodyguard and keeping tabs on me. They'd see us here and tell her, if they didn't just throw themselves at the mercenaries in a desperate bid to find us. We didn't have time to waste fooling around or wandering in the dark. We had to get back before they did anything reckless...

Pacing and looking around in desperation, my eyes hung on the dead yellow hulks of the tank like excavators in the cavern, frozen in the act of drilling huge passages from the rock walls. "Hey Maud... would one of those things be able to dig us out?"

The ghoul calmly sitting in the glowing water craned her neck to peer around me, tilting her head at the mining equipment and answering slowly. "If we followed the passages up and stuck to the sedimentary deposits. And if they're working. The Stable-Tec ponies used those, I just consulted. I don't know much about machines."

Floating out my tools, I tilted my hat up and trotted towards the ancient machines hopefully. "Well... lucky we've got an expert repair pony then... You keep soaking for awhile and I'll see about arranging us a ride..."

The Ultra Pounder-Under Grounder 6000 was an impressive piece of industrial machinery manufactured by Hippocampus Industries, similar to the Super Quicker Crop Picker at Sunshine and Rainbows Co-Op I got to fix and I enjoyed the calming tinkering getting it going again. Luckily there were several examples of the strange looking, tank treaded vehicles. I had to cannibalize the multi joined crushing and drilling arms from the others scattered throughout the caverns, affixing them all around the huge, studded drill at the front of the one in the best shape. Between that and raiding the Stabe-Tec crates for parts to jury rig in, I was pretty hopeful the arcano-tech machine would run, for a little while anyway.

I was also glad working on it kept me calm, staving off my worry over the time it took and trying to be positive about it. At least it let me bleed off radiation while Maud soaked it in, eventually enabling the bored sounding ghoul to walk out and collect a dinged yellow hardhat, turning on the headlamp and keeping herself amused by showing Witchy around.

The pretty batpony hovered nearby and tried to help, but she reluctantly had to admit there was nothing she could do when it came to fixing machines. Actually having her so close was distracting, interrupting thoughts of complex circuit diagrams with wonderful smell and presence, so I gently encouraged her to follow the earth pony ghoul around and try to fill Maud in on the world above.

Hearing Maud's even voice pointing out all the different gem deposits also let me give her something Witchy could help out with, asking her to collect the valuable gemstones Maud could apparently uncover and buck loose with uncanny skill. Even if Swan didn't get a chance to grab any of the mine carts full up in the quarries, I had plenty to work with in no time.

"Thou art amazing at this Miss Maud! So many rare and valuable gemstones! Look Fast!" Witchy squeaked and got me to crawl out from the access panel between the rusty treads, sitting up to look at the pale blue Stable-Tec crate she had been filling for me sparkling with gems.

"These aren't rare. Though they are valuable to ponies and zebras. Coal would be rarer in Equestria. I always wanted to see the huge veins in the Zebrica, but the war happened. Boulder and I hated that we were fighting over rocks." Maud bucked a gleaming cascade of emeralds down to Witchy's box and kept trotting along, only the barest hint of sadness in her voice that was almost impossible to discern.

"Rocks? Is that why? Nopony could ever give me a straight answer growing up."

Maud turned her flat stare back on me and nodded. "Rocks. Distribution of mineral deposits. We had gems, zebras had coal. Instead of studying the plate tectonics and volcanic activities that caused it, we fought over them. Though my sister said it was about other things too. I didn't pay much attention to politics though. I just remember it was about rocks."

"That... makes as much sense as anything else I've heard I guess. It must have sucked for you Maud, er... liking rocks so much. For them to be a reason we did everything we did. When you see the surface again, you probably won't feel much better about it. Who knew rocks could cause so much trouble..."

"Rocks don't cause trouble. Ponies do. Rocks are just rocks. Rocks take on different properties when interacting with magic though. Ponies use them to make gadgets, burn them to make trains go, dig them up and never have enough. With the right stone, you could rule all of Equestria, or even the world if you wanted to. That's what we tried to do I guess. Rocks are still there though, no matter how much the world up there has changed. Even if the family farm is gone, Holder's Boulder is probably still there and still the same. " Maud only seemed to really get chatty when talking about rocks, but couched in those terms was what seemed like bitterness and sadness, making me cast out for a diversion for the poor mare.

"Umm... with the right stone huh? Ah! Maybe you could help me actually. See, I need a rock to help save my family... They were taken away from me by the Institute like Witchy was telling you about. I finally found a way to follow and get them back, but to do it, I have to... er... build another gadget I guess. A teleporter. I need a really big chunk of crystal suitable for using in complicated magic, like this!"

Maud trotted over and squinted at the schematics I brought up on my pip-buck, not betraying any positive or negative reaction to my request and hopeful fidgeting. When she finally answered, she looked at me getting to my hooves evenly. "You need a rock to save your family? Family is important. What do you think Boulder?"

Witchy and I blinked together at her retrieving the small stone in the pouch around her neck and speaking to it, staying quiet and casting sidelong glances to each other in concern. When she seemed to listen to the stone for a minute, I started wondering about how well she actually had held on to sanity. Then I started wondering about my own again as it apparently answered and she tossed it straight up, impacting the ceiling of the cavern and bouncing off several stalactites before falling right back down to her upheld hoof.

There was a deep rumble from overhead, Witchy and I both gaped up to the large cracks forming and raining dust down as they spread, while Maud never flinched or looked away. Several huge chunks of stone fell just behind her but she remained still as a statue, never moving an inch when a massive, hexagonal pillar of pink crystal followed them down and fell to the cavern floor at her tail.

"Boulder says yes." Maud spoke when the tremors died down, looking down to Witchy and I taking cover behind the excavator.

"S-Sweet Celestia!! How!? W-What!? REALLY!?"

"This should work. This isn't rare either. Rose quartz forms in massive, anhedral occurrences in hydrothermal veins and pegmatites like those found in this area. Though this one does contain a dense network of fine inclusions that align with the gem’s hexagonal crystal structure. If cut so that its base is perpendicular to the c-axis of the quartz crystal, the cabochon should display asterism in the form of a six-ray star that's highly conducive to enchantment. I can cut and prepare it for you to say thanks before I go back home." Turning and tapping at the giant hunk of octagonal crystal, Maud murmured quietly, turning to my stunned face with a tiny smile.

Mission Updated: Arcane Relay Race

Objectives---
---Build Teleporter Relay
-----Construct Crystal Reflector Platform
---------Find suitable crystal

"H-Holy shit... Thank you Maud!" I shook off the message blinking in my vision and rushed forward, hugging the slightly soggy ghoul.

I felt her stiffen at the contact, but was too stunned and overjoyed to stop, profusely thanking her with a tear in my eye until she patted my head with a tiny smile. "It's ok. Family is important. I hope we both find ours."

A roar echoing down the caverns managed to pull me away before she could, flicking my ears at more answering it and gulping. Something heard that and was coming our way, lighting up E.F.S. with red dashes that spread all around us. Witchy's ears swiveled madly as her battlesaddle controls came online with a hum, her voice rising after she sounded out into the dark and didn't look to like what she got back. "T-There are many... things... coming this way Fast. Big, dangerous sounding things..."

"Oh. Those are probably Quarry Eels. Sometimes they slither through. They always left us alone down here though." Maud adjusted her headlamp and kept peering into the milky depths of the crystal she brought down, totally unconcerned by the approaching monsters.

"Everypony down here has been dead though! Or rocks! Whatever these things are, we're probably fresh meat to them! We gotta..." I yelped and ran for the excavator, pulling up short when I got my first look at what a Quarry Eel was and froze.

A huge, sinuous, violet beast with too many eyes and a mouthful of dripping fangs... That's what a Quarry Eel was... It had a finned ridge on the top of its head and another under its chin that vibrated with a low whine that made Witchy lay her ears back, while a line of glowing spots ran down its long body and illuminated the passage it had slithered down to reach us. It swayed in the air overhead like a snake, the drops of its drool falling to hissing puddles that ate into the stone like acid.

I was still gaping when it darted forward at me as the closest prey, its toothy maw stretching wide enough to swallow me down with one snap of its jaws. Before it managed to do just that, Witchy's anti-materiel rifle fired with a magically suppressed 'pfft!', blowing a hole through its mouth and out the top of its head. Seeing the monster's corpse come coiling down and crashing at my hooves got me moving, diving for the cockpit of the mining machine and slamming my pip-buck into the controls.

"Fuck! Time to go! Witchy! Try to hold them off while I get this going!"

Shouting frantic orders was completely unnecessary as Witchy fluttered up to the roof of the pilot's compartment, following her ears to take aim as a second and third eel darted out, splashing the cavern walls with greenish blood.

Running the machine through a rushed startup sequence, I growled when the excavator chugged and clattered before backfiring with a fading whine, trying again and hitting buttons and levers frantically. I spared a glance out to Maud in worry, somehow unsurprised to find none reflected in her calm gaze pulling chains from a compartment on the back and unhurriedly hitching them up to the giant crystal she brought down.

Much as I wanted that thing, the immediate threat seemed a little more important. Four more eels bolted out, too fast and numerous for Witchy to take them all down, forcing me to float the Terrible Shotgun out the empty windows of the cockpit and start blasting away while trying to get the stupid thing to start. Another eel snaked by and rocked the whole machine on its treads, taking the whining sputter it made as something else to potentially eat and barely held at bay by the chatter of Witchy's combat rifle.

"Come on you 200 year old piece of junk! Start! START! NNNNGH!!!" I screamed and headbutted the control panel in frustration, blinking up in surprise when it decided to take that as incentive and clattered to life. "YES! Maud! Get up here! You're driving!"

Maud still didn't hurry, even with me firing over her head as she trotted up and climbed the treads, turning between me and the driver's seat. "I told you. I don't know much about machines. I dig by hoof."

"It's easy! Forward, backward, left, right! Dig button! Stop digging button! You're the one who knows where to go, I'm the one with the guns! Just go!" I shouted and added Vengeance to the shotgun hovering in my magic, glad at least most of the bright spotlights on the digger were working and seemed to be discouraging the eels, not to mention pointing out where to shoot easier.

The ancient treads flaked rust and squalled as they started rolling with a jerk that knocked me off the side of the vehicle, catching myself with my wings and hovering nearby to follow and keep firing at the slithering horrors swarming us. The gyros in Witchy's suit gave her an easier time of it, spreading her legs atop the small roof of the cockpit and firing behind our slow progress.

The excavator dragged the huge crystal as Maud managed to turn and start down a large passage with a gentle slope up, chewing its way over the uneven ground and towards the surface somewhere far above us. Between Witchy and I blasting away, we managed to keep them back, though Eyes Forward Sparkle barely kept me ahead of the smarter ones snaking through smaller holes in the walls, popping out with their slobbering jaws snapping at us.

When the big drill started up with a squeal and started chewing through the rock up front, both of us were forced to duck behind the excavator, dodging around each other and the numerous eels that could thankfully only approach from the rear with the drill engaged. The multiple, spidery limbs around the circular bit pulverizing the rock were outfitted with chattering jackhammers, smaller, sharper drills that sought out the harder deposits of gemstones in the way to be sucked up by wavering nozzles, anvil shaped hammers and great chomping jaws that smashed boulders to dust. They darted around the new tunnel the drill was opening up in front of us in a flurry of movement, occassionally changing pitch with the meaty sounds of eels trying from that direction getting turned into hamburger.

Sending a bright web of lightning down our backtrail turned two eels moving together into smoking morsels that bizarrely made my stomach grumble, though it also discouraged the others from trying so straightforward an attack again. Instead one clever and much larger bastard popped out of the ceiling, just behind three of its fellows forcing me to dodge frantically in midair, letting them corral me right into its waiting maw.

"FAST LOOK OUT!"

Just realizing there was no way I could get out of the way, I was suddenly slammed aside by a heavily armored batpony shaped freight train. I rolled across the rubble strewn passage, aiming back at the beast and stopping in surprise at the sight. Witchy had forced her way into taking my place, her forelegs stretched over her head and her hindlegs spread wide on the thing's acid drooling tongue.

The servos in her armor whined and shoved the monster's jaws wider as she screeched with effort, the corrosive drool eating into the gleaming paint job of her father's armor. Her sword bladed tail skewered the roof of its mouth repeatedly, while curved wingblades clicked out from the bat shaped coverings and slashed at it further, making it shake her rapidly and bear down harder. It also just added more acid dripping down her gleaming steel flanks, pitting the metal and melting the sparkling blue-violet paint from her wings.

That was the last bit of her parents, the beautiful armor they had souped up together as Arcano-Cats... and she sacrificed it to save me. If I were in her place right now, even my magical Shrouded Stallion costume wouldn't protect me from being turned into so much sizzling mush.

It was that generous nature that made Witchy truly beautiful. She never hesitated, willing to give everything of herself to help those she cared about. The thought of losing such a wonderful mare that had lost so much, known so much pain and abuse, but never lost that unrecognized inner beauty, brought the voices in my head roaring to life.

'Be Unwavering!' and 'Be Dark...' rose up together and harmonized, overriding even the racket of the driller still grinding away and forgotten behind me as time slowed to a crawl. It was a strange sensation, that darker voice didn't find common cause with the Ministry Mares often, but the two forces balanced each other out and blended together with the notes of the others behind them. It created a strangely complimentary song that filled me with a surge of energy, without totally losing control.

'LET. ME. OUT!'

"LET. HER. GO!!"

The Shroud's voice boomed down the tunnel as my magic surged and enveloped the ugly jaws trapping her 'Be Strong!', adding my overcharged telekinesis to her augmented strength and wrenching the hideous mouth back open inch by inch. She screamed and shoved back up from where it had been successfully crunching her down, still slashing wildly and trying to align her long rifle in the cramped space that wouldn't yet allow the barrel to swing free.

The gleam of the yellow eyes of four more popping out of more holes in the walls was all the warning I got, enough to fire the Terrible Shotgun from the flank and dodge thanks to 'Awareness!'. With a running jump, my wings sent me rocketing right at her, dodging two more smaller quarry eels moving to defend the beast and the long fangs, tackling Witchy out of its mouth 'Be Awesome!'.

Everywhere her armored hide touched me burned and sizzled as we tumbled free in each other's embrace. Despite the pain and the nagging hiss to tear the huge eel to pieces, my first thought was still making sure she was safe, 'Be Kind...'. My concern for her was mirrored in her agile movements too, Witchy rolled to make sure she was on top and did an agile spin, finally able to aim her anti-materiel rifle and blasting a hole right through the roof of its toothy mouth diving on us.

The king eel's brains splattered the roof of the tunnel and it crashed down, the others now wary and ducking back in their holes. Witchy panted and crouched over me struggling on the sloped ground protectively, ignoring the hissing acid that had to be eating through the seals and joints by now, while it burned my neck and chest where I had grappled with her.

Hissing in pain and trying to get back to my hooves and stagger after the excavator still trundling along, I was surprised when Maud bounced out of the driver's seat. For a ghoul that had been stuck under a few tons of rock and steel for centuries, she moved with an eerie, earth pony grace and strength that was a match even for Zed. Maud jumped from the back of the excavator, springing up to a high point on the round wall streaked with pale stone.

She drove her hooves into the stone like a jackhammer, pulverizing several large chunks of the brittle stone that fell free into dust that fell on the two of us in a choking, bitter tasting cloud. To my amazement, the bubbling acid fizzled out, leaving both of us burnt and foul smelling, but no longer coated in acid actively eating into us to cause serious damage.

"Chalk deposit. Alkaline minerals neutralize acid. Are you two alright?" Maud explained to us gaping back at her in confusion.

"E-Er... Yeah, thanks Maud. That was awesome! Rocks really can do anything, huh?"

Panting back along with me, Witchy kept her weapons trained on the tunnel stretching out behind us and the retreating eels staying back for the moment, a little awe in the crackling voice coming from her damaged helmet. "Truly impressive Miss Maud. Not only thine knowledge, but the way you dove out to save us!"

"Hold on... dove out? Shit! The digger!" I yelped and turned back to the drilling machine continuing on its path and leaving us behind, stumbling after it only to be held by my tail in Maud's yellowing teeth.

"Wait for it." Maud held her grip placidly over my attempts to pull free, as immovable as a mountain.

Before I could start ranting and asking what the hell she was talking about, there was a burst of dust and a rumble shaking the tunnel. A flood of stale, brackish water rushed around the machine breaking free into some new chamber, parting around the sturdy earth pony like a rock in a stream, where it would have most likely washed me down the drain.

Witchy's power armor and half earth pony strength kept her in place too, turning to the crumbling opening and the excavator leveling out and continuing with the squall of metal getting shredded, the hunk of pink crystal bouncing along in its wake. She galloped down the passage with me when Maud finally let me go, splashing up the trickling stream and popping out into a fairly large and square chamber.

The digger suddenly fell with a crash, chugging to a halt with the numerous limbs drooping away as the headlights dimmed. It took me a minute to get my bearings and figure out where we came out in, getting over the idea I'd have to repair the damn thing again on taking a better look.

It had chewed through a metal cylinder that looked like a tin can tossed in a woodchipper, falling down into the stone declivity it sat in and to the... tracks? A subway car... the stone under my hooves gave way to smoother concrete and tiled walls, the digger resting in the middle of a passenger car that had thrown seats, stainless steel poles, luggage and bones all around it.

'Discovered Location: University Station' blinked in my vision as we came strolling out into the echoing underground station, flapping my wings to wave away the dust and gaping at the skeleton cluttered stairs not far away. A blessing from Celestia, back up to the world under open skies and out of Tartarus. A quick check of my pip-buck map and the new icon confirmed it, we had come some distance north of the Whinny Quarries, not far from University Point and all the other ruined schools in the area. Val and Swan's locator tags were even arrowing right for us somewhere outside.

Shaking off my shock, I bucked a pair of grenades down the tunnel we had come out of just in case any eels felt like following, satisfied the rumble shaking through the ground would discourage them. That done, Witchy's visor slid up and we both turned stunned expressions over to Maud sedately trotting around, examining cracks in the walls curiously.

"T-The subway? How... how'd you know where to go Maud?"

"I explored all the subway tunnels in Trotson on my off time. Along with the sewers. Traffic tunnels. Evacuation routes. Ancient ruins. You know, for fun. I hoped this one was still intact. Oh... are those more ghouls like me? Or the bad kind?" Maud answered in her bored voice, waving a hoof out to several shambling zombies lurching out of the dead subway cars further down the line.

"Bad kind! Those are the bad kind Maud!" I yelped and unholstered Deliverer and my knife, galloping up with Witchy wearily and preparing to deal with a threat at least marginally less horrific than giant underground eels.

Nopony had been down here in awhile apparently, E.F.S. lit up with more and more red dashes of dormant undead waking up and charging us. They might not be as dangerous as mutated Quarry Eels, but there were a lot of them... as tired as we were, I was worried we'd be overrun at this rate, more snarls echoed down the rails leading into the dark too.

Witchy was right at my side, her combat rifle chattering away, the curved sword in her fangs slashing out along with Best Served, adding to a mounting pile of corpses as we tried to work our way to the stairs up. They were still far away and there was a lot of dead ponies between us though, making the bright crimson blur that swooped down a sight for sore eyes.

"Found ya boss! How the fuck you wind up here!? Hey big stuff! C'mon down an' get 'im!" Val screeched and lit the gloomy station up with bright red beams from her M.E.W., scorching zombies and drawing attention to herself.

The shaking stomps coming down the stairs behind her was even more of a relief, Swan had to squeeze her way down, but started launching blazing purple arrows as soon as her head cleared the turn in the stairs, a giddy and relieved look on her sweaty face. "FAST! Finally! Sister and I have been worried! You're in trouble!"

The two of them decimated the horde of zombies despite the hurriedly healed wounds obvious on them both. With their indiscriminate slaughter, Witchy and I had to throw ourselves in front of the unconcerned Maud watching calmly, preventing the two of them from adding her to the tally.

When Swan vaporized the last zombie making a suicidal attempt at charging her and flopped to her belly in front of me with a rumble to nuzzle happily, Maud merely blinked at the oversized filly in the alicorn angel outfit. "I thought you said the Princesses were dead. This is a big one."

Thanks to Swan, we were able to teleport back to Redheart without much delay, appearing in the open courtyard sometime past 2 A.M. with my huge chunk of crystal safely transported out of the subway tunnels. I had to put up with a lot of smacks by Val for sending her away, but at least she spread her annoyance around by swatting Swan's flank for doing as I asked at the time too once she was reminded of it.

Swan bore the treatment long enough to kiss and nuzzle at me on the way to the doors, spreading her wings rather than going inside and confusing the deferred friskiness from still having my radiation meter jittering in the red/orange border. "Ummm... Swan? A-Aren't you coming? I thought er... once I talk to Jade and all, we could maybe... y-you know... play?"

While the big purple filly fluttered her eyelashes and grinned at the prospect, she whinnied reluctantly and shook her head as she flapped up from the ground. "Those Gunners are all mad and keep sending little groups to go smash. I don't wanna be interrupted... Besides, sister is silly when she gets as big as me. I'll let her have her fun for awhile, after she's done yelling at you. That way I don't have to listen to it when I get back, and we can play right away without all her whining. You better not get all worn out though Fast!"

I watched her fly off with no small degree of disappointment Now that we were safely back and healthy, all the overcharged urges I had been rather proud at staying in control off were creeping back in. I did have the good sense to be a little embarrassed at my wings standing up when I looked back to Maud watching with that bored expression anyway. Scratching at my itchy mane and shrugging back to her standing placidly in the courtyard beside the large, translucent chunk of crystal now taking up one of the walks to the open doors.

"Er... Coming Maud? Not that ghouls really need to eat or sleep, but there are beds and food if you wanted. Probably a treat after being stuck down there so long... Oh, there's other ghouls with the Followers and Minutemares here too! If you wanted company, they could probably talk you through stuff more than we could."

"Company? I don't do well with non-rock company. I might try talking to them I guess. Later. It's nice being out under the stars again though. I think I'll stay out here with Boulder and Rose here and think." Maud patted the hexagonal pillar of crystal and held her pet rock up in reply, blinking up to the night sky twinkling overhead with no obvious sign of wonder or joy at being free, but after spending enough time with her, I got the feeling it was there somewhere.

I also worried the less pleasant parts of the view out here might be weighing on her too. I had my own experience when it came to escaping from deep underground and getting a first look at the wasteland outside. Even for the stony faced mare, it had to be a shock. Witchy and I telling her about it was one thing, seeing was another...

"Alright, if you're sure... I'll see you in the morning then, my wife the Princess and our daughter will really want to meet you I'm sure. You really saved us, so be prepared for a lot of thanks."

Leaving her behind, Val shoved me forward and kept smacking me gruffly. Though in between getting knocked around by my relieved bodyguard, she filled us in as she led us through the sleeping settlement. Waving absently to Jade's recovery room now full of weak but grateful slaves, then huffing at a small, locked office down the hall with a Minutemare dozing on a fold out chair propped against the door.

"Kept that rotten bitch Stripey brought back in there fer now. She's a real piece of work batty, be glad ya fell real damn far from that tree. Held off till I could ask, but want me to kick her ass some? Me an' tons of fun already put the fear o' Gawd in her, hell... even Blue got in on it after she heard the shit she was sayin' 'bout you an' yer folks, but don't want her gettin' lippy if'n ya wanna talk to her later." Val nudged the silently trudging Witchy, rolling her violet eyes to the makeshift prison they had confined Ruby Shard in.

That was Val being nice and her weird, griffon version of caring though. She flexed her claws and grinned to the thestral giving her a weak smile back, perfectly willing to hurt the awful bitch after Zed told her what had happened. Witchy still looked hurt, but seeing her fellow guardian trying to cheer her looked to help. "T-Thank you Valkyrie... I may take you up on that. N-Not tonight though, I have no interest in talking with her again so soon. I'd much rather report to the Princess."

"Oh don't worry bout that, takin' you two nitwits to her straight off 'fore she loses her freakin' mind. Blue's been a right terror all night, be glad to finally get some peace and quiet once she gets what she wants boss." Val huffed and kept padding along, joining me in peeking in on Glitter and her griffon friends snoring safely, giving a nod of professional respect to Lila's bright green eye cracking open as soon as the door moved.

"Umm... I-Is she really mad Val? I'm glad you guys kept her here, but I thought she'd already be storming out by now. I just... had to make sure she was safe."

Val snorted at my quiet whimper, shoving me on faster. "She's still got enough sense ta be all embarrassed and don't wanna freak everybody out. Ain't been easy keepin' her in hidin' though boss, you owe me extra fer babysittin' that big worrywart. Made me keep comin' back and tellin' her what was up every half hour, whinin' and blubberin' about goin' back. Knew the way those assholes were still swarmin' the place that they didn't get'cha though, an' yer little mark thingy on the map was still there, so I just figured you was bein' all sneaky somewheres. Not that she'd listen..."

We arrived at the doors to the auditorium as she finished, pausing at the large pile of empty Sparkle Cola bottles, tin cans dribbling the dregs of heavy peach syrup, Cram grease, carrot juice and canned hay, a mountain of Insta-Oats and Sugar Apple Bombs boxes that Val kicked aside with a groan.

I blinked between Witchy's wince and Val's tired sigh, raising a curious eyebrow between them and getting a reply from Witchy. "T-The Princess has been having cravings... a-and she eats when she is worried... most often when you are out in danger somewhere Fast, so I'm not surprised thou hasn't noticed. U-Usually not this much however..."

A loud 'HIC!' sounded out from behind the door, making me gulp at Val snickering down to me. "Yeeeeah... about them cravings... I think she's been takin' little nibbles off them glowy apples of hers after all the healin' she ended up doin'. Figure she was plannin' on goin' out herself and layin' waste if'n we didn't find ya soon. Consider yerself lucky Swany was too busy lookin' for yer dumb ass with me to find out she had 'em an' go on a bender with her, but you deal with her now."

Before I could do more than stammer a question, Val threw the door open wide and grabbed Witchy and I in her claws, physically tossing us in the room like she was feeding a hungry hellhound and shouting out with a smirk. "Hey! Big Blue! I found em for ya! Now quit yer whinin' and have at it!"

Witchy was enough of a natural flier to catch herself, while I went rolling down the stepped seating of the large auditorium, coming to a stop dizzily when I ran into something warm and soft, then goggling up to a lot of blue fur stretching overhead.

Jade absolutely filled the rotting stage, lending credence to Val's opinion that she had been taking nips off her balefire apples. So much for her being too embarrassed by the side effects... Her blue eyes got round and dark somewhere up near the rusty spotlights still hanging on, shimmering with tears as she gulped down whatever she had been snacking on when we were so rudely tossed in.

I didn't even get to my hooves before she snatched me up, crushing me against her bare blue chest and giving an excellent view of the fluff of winter fur she had been cultivating under her lab coat. It was easy to miss the floof filling out normally, but pretty noticeable when sinking into it like a feather bed.

"FAST! Oh thank the goddesses! I have been so worried! W-Where have you been! How dare you send me away! I am very... (HIC!)" Jade's booming cry was cut short when she hiccuped cutely, shivering around me with a subtle stretch, before continuing with her anger fading into a sleepy murmur. "Mmmm... v-very upset! A-And very happy to see you again..."

I couldn't really answer with her forelegs squeezing me like a stress toy against her shuddering breast, sputtering weakly and trying to soothe as her lips came down and smacked at my face in desperate kisses. The thought of her working herself up into returning to the quarries herself was horrifying, but I wouldn't put it past her in her agitated state. At least her apparent preparations to do so left her in a very affectionate and forgiving mood, cooing softly now that she had me and looking down with lidded eyes between kisses.

"A-Ack! S-Sorry hon... sorry! I give! You know nothing would keep me away from you! We just got a little sidetracked!"

Kissing her wide lips back got a pleased whinny and brief reprieve, letting me look down at my hat falling to the ground, freeing my itching mane for her to snuffle at. It did at least make her eventual, sighing retort less sharp than I imagined she had been practicing anyway. "Yes... sidetracked... We shall discuss your distracted wandering in detail... For now I am simply happy to have you back safe and sound. I have been so frightened and loooonely Fast... You insisted on getting me in this state, I demand you do as promised and take responsibility... while you start explaining."

The sultry purr she ended on made my wings ache and twinge in her grip, shivering as she gave a lusty giggle and started tugging at my coat over my yelp. "Eep! U-Ummm... T-That sounds great Jade, but W-Witchy... er... over there?"

Jade snorted and turned a puzzled expression to my wave over to Witchy, gaping at her giant sized Princess from her flapping position nearby. Of course pointing out we had company didn't really dissuade her in the slightest when she saw who it was, though it did relieve a little pressure when one long foreleg let go and darted out. She scooped the stunned batpony filly out of the air and hugged her right next to me, now alternating between smacking at my already soaked face and Witchy's bright red one.

"Witching! Oh you poor thing! Come here! I am so sorry you had to meet that awful, awful mare! Then you were forced to protect my silly Fast for me! It must have been a very trying night for you my wonderful little royal guard. (HIC!) I can control my impulses, for a bit... You just forget all about it and snuggle right here with me! I have missed you as well dear, now I will not let either of you go, ever, ever, ever!" Jade babbled happily and fell to her back, splintering the stage as she hugged the two of us and sighed in contentment.

When the two of us were shoved muzzle to muzzle in her embrace while Jade tittered a little "Boop!" with each nudge of her hooves pushing us together, the flustered filly squeaked in mild panic. "Y-Your highness! T-Thank you for thine concern, but I a-am fine! Thou shouldn't be too upset with Fast either, h-he was very caring and helped me. I wished to inform you all about it, but if thou are feeling... umm... i-indisposed... I s-should give the two of you thine privacy."

Squirming in Jade's grip got her absolutely nowhere, except smooshed closer to me to Jade's giggles at toying with us on her chest. "Ohhhh? Did you comfort Witching for me Fast? Good! I heard Miss Shard's hateful words about her own kin and was very upset with that nasty little mare... I may have threatened to sit on her... You need no such awful pony for family, you have all you need right here, hmmmm?"

Getting cuddled by a giant Jade happily curling up around us and wiggling to herself was heaven, especially with a blushing batpony pressed so close along for the ride. Though I at least tried to fight off the very pleased and frisky growl of 'MORE!' in my head to shrug to Witchy helplessly. "Er... s-sorry about this Witchy. She gets a little u-uninhibited when she's like this is all. Although.... if you had anything you wanted to say to her, now would be a good time."

Opening her eyes from the beaming smile she had been wearing, Jade blinked curiously and perked her laid back ears up, training them down on us and finally allowing Witchy loose. Though I remained pinned just where I was and had no real illusions about escaping any time soon, or desire to. Jade's wide wings blew the tattered stage curtains back as she fluttered them and shifted her way up to a half sitting position, tilting her head to Witchy hovering up to her level and gulping nervously.

"Princess... I... I wanted you to know how much I care about thee, how happy I am to have met you, how proud I am to serve and overjoyed I am to find a true family. I needn't have sought out Ruby at all when I am lucky enough to have all of you. T-Tis hardly appropriate for a royal guard to... t-to have such feelings for their princess... b-but I love you very much, b-both of you..." Witchy kept looking down and shuffling in the air, but I was proud she managed to get through it, her blushing confession bringing a tear to Jade's sparkling blue eyes.

Of course that also got her snatched back up and pressed to Jade's squealing nuzzles, though Witchy looked a little more prepared this time. Jade rubbed her warm cheek against her, burbling over her chirps and beaming to her friend. "We love you too Witching! Have no doubt of that! You will always have a family and ponies who love you right here! I was so worried not only for your safety, but that you may fall to depression after hearing the terrible things your ...'aunt'... said. I am glad you finally realize she and those foolish ponies in Dreadnot are wrong and that you deserve so much more Witching. If Fast has managed that much, I suppose I shall forgive him."

Witchy stayed up there awhile, sniffling against Jade's face and nuzzling her back in a teary hug. When she finally pulled away a bit, she looked conflicted for a moment, then hesitantly stretched her neck up to Jade's ears, whispering rapidly and hiding behind Jade's billowy mane and her own purple bangs, her face practically glowing a neon red.

Jade's surprised blink turning to a demure, lidded look down to me made me shiver nervously. Jade purred down, wearing a sultry smile with heart shaped sparkles in her bedroom eyes. "Ohhh? He did, did he? And you... I see... Hmm... He managed to behave? This is something you would wish to... Yes... I see... hmmm... that does sound delightful..."

"H-Hey! What are you two talking about! I wanna hear! No fair!"

I struggled in Jade's iron hold, turning between her and Witchy engaged in conversation I could only hear half of with the batpony's blushing face buried in Jade's cocked ear. Just what I did hear was enough to send a hopeful thrill down my spine, grunting and panting as I tried to crawl closer, only to get shoved back down with a giggle by a hoof to my head, driven right back to trying again with the overstimulated chant in my head.

"You are sure it is acceptable? I realize it may be intimidating in my current condition, especially for a first... Oh! V-Very flattering dear... Yes... Yes... Of course... Oh no, he will do just as instructed... Of course my sister may insist on... Ah, good, fair warning then. Mm-hmm... Wonderful! Just relax then Witching, we shall go slow." Giving a few more nods and lusty giggles that made my mouth dry up, Jade nodded smartly and let me go sliding down her tummy, nuzzling the squeaking batpony before turning a lidded look down to me crashing to the floor between her hindlegs.

Hugging a chirping Witchy to take my place with her little heart pounding away even louder than the steady beat of the oversized alicorn's under her, Jade wiggled on her haunches and licked her lips. "How lucky for you Fast... Witching has advised I forgo your punishment for your reckless behavior entirely this time. You shall be allowed to skip directly to the making it up to me portion... or both of us as the case may be... You frightened us both you know, so I expect you to be... veeeery contrite... You do remember the rules, do you not dear? You shall do exactly as instructed..."

"RIGHT! Yes honey! W-Whatever you say! H-Here to please!"

I shook my head hard enough to rattle my brains, shivering in place with my wings springing straight up to Jade's giggles. They faltered and my mouth fell open when she continued however, giving a mischievous grin as her soft lips pressed against Witchy's with a rumbling moan and overwhelmed squeak.

Jade's sparkling eyes stayed fixed on mine as she pulled away, nibbling Witchy's ears and making the dizzy looking batpony melt. "Very good... though you really should suffer just a tiny bit, despite her endorsement. So, for now, you must merely watch..."

"W-WHAT!?! NO FAIR!"

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

Stonewall------
---Learning all about rocks from the epitome of earth ponies has made you as unyielding as Boulder! You now gain +5 DT against melee and unarmed attacks and cannot easily be knocked down during combat.

Companion Perk Added!-----------

Sonar Sweetheart------
---Spending time in a regular Batmare's Cave together has maxed your affinity with Witching Hour. With Jade's royal guard in your party, you are now able to detect enemies at a very long range. Also, enemies that are cloaked can now be targeted in S.A.T.S.