“Prisoners, to the front of your cells,” the warden announced. I rolled out of bed after another sleepless night and lumbered over.

“What's going on here?” my neighbor yelled. “We already had inspections.”

“We have a special visitor today.” The warden smirked. “Attention!” All the guards faced the main entrance and held a salute.

The doors burst open as pink mare with incredible thick and bouncy hair hopped through the door. “At ease silly fillies, I'm no army pony.”

I recognized her. Pinkie Pie, one of the bearers of the elements of harmony. I took a slight bow.

The warden lowered her salute. “Apologies ma'am, you're still a Ministry Mare and deserve all the respect we can give.”

“Okie-dokie-lokie.” Pinkie giggled as she hopped to the first cell in line and stared down the zebra inside. “Not a traitor.” She hopped to the next cell and repeated her actions. When she reached my neighbor she paused. Her tail twisted, her back leg flicked, and her stomach growled. After the odd combination of reactions, her eyes narrowed on the zebra inside.

“Traitor!” Pinkie yelled pointing a hoof at the prisoner. The guards crowded the cell and swarmed the zebra inside.

“You-” The prisoner backed into the corner. “You have no proof.”

“Your memories will provide all the proof we need.” Pinkie moved on as the guards wrestled the zebra down, clamped her in cuffs, and escorted her out.

My mouth dried up as Pinkie Pie came to stop right in front of me. Her bright blue eyes stabbed into my very soul.

“What's this?” Her body shook violently. “A doozy huh, looks like I'm going to need a little... assistance.” Pinkie reached into her mane and produced a small white candy which she popped into her mouth. After crunching down on the minty-scented sweet she refocused on me. Her front hooves twisted until she fell, her tail wobbled from side to side, and her mane pulled in random directions.

I raised an eyebrow and glanced at a nearby guard for any context to whatever was happening to Pinkie, but given the same puzzled look on their face I would have to just roll with it. Does this mare really help run part of a Equestria? Maybe my loyalty to this land was a mistake.

When her episode ended she got up, her mane somewhat deflated.

“No-no-no. I gotta tell Twilight and Applejack and-.” Pinkie’s eyes started to water as her ears flipped around. “Ahh! You're drowning!”

I couldn't even guess anymore. I looked down just to make sure the concrete remained water free. “No I'm not.”

Pinkie tilted her head and gave me a look as if I were the crazy one. “Yes you are, my Pinkie sense says so.” She zoomed up to my cell, grabbed me, and pulled me close. “Now do something fast or you're gonna die!”

I lunged upright breaking through the surface and coughed up mouthfuls of vile tasting sludge. My Pip-Buck’s clicks rang out, warning me of the massive amount of radiation soaking into my body. I reached around blindly until touching a surface out of the sludge, pulled myself out, and collapsed. I took in deep breaths and searched recent memories to figure out where in the hell I was.

We were on a mission to restore power to Tenpony. Mangle killed all ghouls. We restored power. I fell. We fell!

“Mangle!” I attempted to yell but my voice died as it scratched along my throat. I reached around grasping at darkness. My hoof collided with a pile of rubble. My eyes adjusted to reveal a massive pile of Debris reaching all the way to the ceiling. I stepped back from the destruction, and bumped into something. I spun around and the pressure in my chest vanished. A snore escaped Mangle as she lay sprawled out on the ground. She treated the disgusting floor as if it were a bed in Tenpony.

Past her the wide tunnel stretched on with a walkway on each side. The center dipped down, filled with what I could only guess was irradiated sewage. The ooze imperceptibly moved along with globs of it suctioning to anything it touched. I could feel the heaviness of stench in the air but in the slightest of upsides my nose had already become used to the noxious smells. I gagged realizing I had been recently drowning in it. My stomach flipped and the gag turned into a hurl, adding to the sludge. I felt sick, and not just nauseous. I scrubbed the gunk off of my Pip-Buck. The light it emitted seemed blinding after my eyes had adjusted to the blackness. I checked my radiation levels. I suffered from moderate radiation poisoning, bordering on severe, along with mild limb damage. I switched to my inventory screen to bring out a healing potion, but gravely realized I gave my last one to the pony from Jib.

My ears dropped. Well shit. Not like it would have helped with the radiation anyway. My eyes drifted to Mangle’s saddle bag. Did she ever use hers? I crawled over and searched through her bag. Sure enough Mangle had both of her healing potions. I brought the dim screen light over all the bite marks on Mangle’s body. All of them appeared shallow and had scabbed over. One for her, one for me. Hopefully she won't mind.

A loud thud brought my thoughts to a halt. I glanced down the sewer. My eyes continued to adjust till a black form took shape amongst the darkness. A pair of eyes stood out as much as my Pip-Buck screen, a bloodwing.

As if the creature could hear my heart race, it screeched and lunged forward. Shit-shit-shit. I activated SATS. Time slowed, the beast mere inches away. Its mouth wide with fangs the size of my hoof ready to sink into me. SATS had a zero percent chance to target the head, probably knowing I could not aim up before being murdered. I went with the next best thing entering all my shots into its body. With the shots queued, the next part of the spell took over having me fire in rapid succession.

The shots tore into flesh, causing the Bloodwing to stagger and miss its bite. The creature tumbled into me, pinning me to the floor as it immediately started to attack again. The talon at the crux of its wing repeatedly cut into my hooves and stomach. In complete panic all I could do was flail wildly. One of the strikes hit my Pip-Buck and the flashlight flicked on. The Bloodwing hissed and shielded its eyes. I wiggled out from underneath it and spotted one of the bullet wounds. I reared up and bucked at the injury with all the strength I could muster.

The Bloodwing squealed and toppled over into the sewage. It managed to hook onto my tail, pulling me down as well, but this time I ended up on top. I stomped my back hoof into its stomach and bubbles surfaced. I held my fore hooves firmly on what I thought might be the creature's neck. Even with the Pip-Buck light on I couldn't see past the sludge. The Bloodwing struggled under my weight and when it realized it couldn't break free it lashed out. Its talons swiped across my back. I screamed and stomped a back hoof again. The creature recoiled and its attack stopped as its wings slowly sank into the sewage. I took deep breaths as I felt all struggle leave the monster. I released my grip a minute after the last bubbles surfaced.

Another loud hiss echoed from behind me. I closed my eyes. I'm sorry everypony, I tried.

The Bloodwing’s claws scraped on the ground as it lunged. I winced preparing for the impact. Instead I was gifted by the familiar noise of power hooves activating. I turned in time to see the monster smash through the sewer wall, Mangle landing close by. She fell to her haunches.

“Sorry,” she barely managed to say, “I… had to…” Mangle fell over. I leapt out of the sludge and placed a hoof on her side. She strained to breath but appeared to be fine, in fact more than fine. Her bite marks had disappeared.

I pulled my hoof away. Something on the other side of the sewer reflected from my Pip-Buck light. Leaning towards it I could barely make out an empty vial. She had to use a healing potion! Turning back to Mangle a bloody patch covered her coat where my hoof rested. That wasn't there before. I turned my hoof over to reveal multiple gashes. I became light headed as I saw the blood pooling under me. I could feel it drip from my stomach and creep down my back. Pain rushed in with the realization, each cut burning like fire. She just used one right?!

My hooves shook as I stumbled through Mangle’s bag, staining most of her possessions red. I gave a desperate laugh as I found a potion. In a moment I emptied the vial. The healing magic spread like a cooling breeze inside me as it sealed the wounds and dulled the pain, but it came to stop all too soon. My gashes healed to the point of being shallow cuts. I fell to my haunches and wiped off the sludge that caked on my coat. As long as no more bloodwings showed up the worst of it was over.

The hole Mangle created in the wall revealed an almost pristine hallway. My choices, a dank sewer filled with bloodwings or sanitary secret passage... Doesn't take a genius.

I managed to roll Mangle on top of me. I stood with ease until bearing the weight of her weapons, damn things, but still I managed.

This hallway seemed eerily familiar. The longer I traveled across the marble floor the more I searched my memories. It also served the purpose of distracting me from my injuries. The cuts were trivial but the radiation sickness ate away my strength and caused my stomach to feel as if it were always about to forcefully empty, and in some cases it did.

The muck clinging to my coat started to dry, small flakes continually fell off leaving a trail behind me. Losing some of the weight dragging me down was great but the more it dried the more it irritated my skin. Soon my entire body burned with an insatiable itch. No matter how often I scratched the gunk remained along with the burning. I gave up realizing the only way to make the itch disappear would be a shower.

The passage seemed endless. I wandered down the halls unsure how much time had passed but it seemed like ages since I left the sewer. My vision faded in and out, a few times I may have nodded off but somehow managed to keep moving.

A question scratched at my thoughts. How am I able to push myself so hard? The radiation should have me crawling, yet I stood. The safety of the hall allowed me to stop, yet I kept moving. How? Where is the strength coming from, and why do I feel it most when I pictured them? Gale, Mangle, Nibble, even Clover. Their faces provided me with strength not my own. I wanted to see everypony again, I wanted my story to include them, and for theirs to include me.

Double doors came into view at the end of the hall and I picked up my pace. I pushed the doors opened just as my memories found a match to the hallway. The Flim Flam labs.

An almost exact replica of the lab containing the rainbow injection in Furlong filled my sight with one distinct difference. The place had been cleared out, no posters, clipboards, or random vials. With an odd sense of deja vu I placed Mangle on the same desk she rested on last time.

I trotted up to the computer. Instead of a login screen it simple read, “Press Enter”. I followed the prompt and the machine began an automatic tutorial on how to use the computer. Is this the first time it's been used? I took another look around. It appeared brand new except for the dust covering everything.

An orange gleam peered from the ceiling above cabinets on one side of the room. Something above the rotting ceiling tiles glowed through the holes that had formed. I managed to get atop the cabinets and reached a hoof up to the tile. When I attempted to lift a tile it fell apart as squishy rotted ceiling pieces rained down around me along with something heavy clattering to the ground. After everything settled I glanced down at an audio recorder and a glowing orange injection. I hopped down and played the audio file.

“We were the last to recreate the injection but we've done it. Some nosy accountant that refused to forget what she found here. I knew she'd be perfect. Applejack was honesty after all. ”

The mare's voice sounded strained and the hum of an alarm rang out in the background.

“She must’ve had friends though. A group of military ponies are storming the place-What… I know… Okay, okay.”

It sounded like papers were handed to the mare.

“No matter what is found here we just want to make it clear, we were doing what we thought was best for Equestria. Sometimes what is best requires sacrifice-”

“Here it is!” a voiced in the distance yelled.

“What? How do they know about the spell?” the original mare said. The audio file sounded ruffled like it had been picked up and moved around. “They shouldn't find either of you up here.” The rest of the audio became muffled.

“Everypony, get down!” a stallion's voice boomed.

“You have no right to be here. We are under orders from Princess Luna herself.”

“No... We are.”

“The c-captain of-”

“Get them to the ministry of morale and make sure no evidence remains.”

“No! This can't be! We had to! We had to!” the mare's voice grew distant as she was dragged away. The rest of the audio tape just had muffled noises of things being trashed and ponies talking about deleting everything on the computer.

Seems Luna caught on to them, good.

While the tape played on I picked up the injection and rotated it in my hoof. “Be strong,” was etched into the side. Strength is exactly what I needed now. They said this one represented Applejack, Element of Honesty, and owner of the Ministry of Wartime Technology. The mare responsible for the Steel Rangers. Did I represent honesty like I did loyalty? A metaphorical scale appeared in my mind. I started to tally each lie against each truth. The scale remained balanced until a massive weight crashed on one side. Clover’s growly whisper echoed in my mind “Thank you for being honest.”

Without any doubt I inserted the needle into my foreleg and the orange liquid emptied from the syringe. I tossed the injector and braced myself. Every muscle in my body tensed as raw power surged inside me. I felt like I could carry on again but I knew the experience wasn't over yet. The jumble of images hit. I tried to let them flow this time, tried to stay conscious. It didn’t work.

“Hello! Hello! Is someone there? I thought I heard… crying.”

“...”

“Please, I just don't want to be alone anymore.”

“Your not.”

“Oh thank the Goddesses, where are you? I can't… see anything.”

“I'm sorry, but this is how it is. Just dark, forev-”

“That can't be right, I used to have such a lovely tan coat and my mane- WHOA! Yeah like that.”

“How… How did you do that?”

“I don't know, I just remembered what I looked like and jackpot.”

“That was so long ago…”

“Please, wasn't that long, just give it a try.”

“Wasn't that long? Are you mad?”

“Heeeyyy, don't laugh at me. Hurry up and- Oh, there you go… didn't realize you were a, um…”

“An Equestrian?”

“...”

“No, don't cry. I'm sorry, I should have stayed the way I was.”

“Oh Goddesses no, it's not that at all! I'm just so happy to have found somepo... someone else. So where are we?

“His name is Ardent, you'll see.”

“A him huh, where are my manners, proper introductions are in order. It's good to meet you, my name is...”

I levitated my badge in front of security as I trotted in. My magic aura helped hide the small differences between my badge and the ones assigned to the workers in Canterlot. The gatekeeper waved me by checking the next pony in line as I stepped into Flim Flam Headquarters. The entire complex belonged to them and Celestia only knew what they were up to, though I planned to find out exactly what it was. I stopped by the directory in an attempt to find something in the science wing, if not I would have to sneak into Flim and Flam’s personal office.

I took the stairs and ran down the list the infiltration magazine taught me. Move quick and look like you have a purpose, don't look around, don't be in anypony's sight for too long. I slipped through the door and blended in with a herd of employees. As I progressed further into the science wing the more the crowd thinned. I took a glance into each room the employees disappeared into but nothing stood out.

The end of the hall had restricted written above a set of secure doors. At this point only a few ponies remained. The garnet stallion in front of me swiped his badge and the dead lock released. Before the door could fully close I caught it with my magic and held it in place. I pretended to swipe my badge and pushed past the door. Nopony seemed to notice.

I traveled down the hall until I saw an opening. A grey unicorn stepped out of his office. He gave me a smile and a nod as he passed, which was weird since he had his eyes closed. I caught the door to his office, his being the only door with its own lock, jackpot. My heart skipped seeing an active terminal on the desk.

“Didn't they teach you to lock your computer when you leave?” I murmured to myself. I sat down, an email marked urgent requested Dr. Clear’s presence with Flim and Flam to discuss Pandora’s Box. I read through the email,

“Candid, I know our company has some under the table projects but never should a project be under our table.

“That's right.

“We request your immediate presence to discuss whatever this Pandora’s Box is.

“Hoping to see you extremely,

“promptly,

“hastily,

“soon.

“Love, Flim and Flam.”

What the hell is with that format? I minimized the email and searched through the other files. I found all the documents I needed marked special projects. You would think he would try a little harder to hide this. I clicked one at random.

“Project Prometheus?” I clicked into the material request form. That's a lot of firepower, but not what I was looking for. I backed out and tried another. “Statuette Re-Creation.” Once again I checked the materials needed.

“Jackpot!” I clasped my hoof over my muzzle. I paused and listened for anypony in the hall to react to my outburst… nothing. I printed out the form and tucked it into my bag. Flim and Flam were going down.

I opened my eyes almost expecting to be at Flim Flam Headquarters. I rubbed my temple, there was something before the dream, something I failed to remember. What was it? Each time I tried to recollect the memory I just got blackness. I shrugged, Gale said there might be side effects from just one of these injections, can't imagine two were good for me. At least I was a pony in this dream, albeit a unicorn, but I wondered when I would be a stallion again. Maybe I should talk to somepony. I thought over who I could talk to… Maybe I’ll keep it to myself.

I stood with little effort. I doubted I had been out for long but felt physically refreshed, aside from the radiation sickness churning in my gut.

I grabbed Mangle and carried on. I passed through the lab and down a hallway. A sparkle cola machine flickered, illuminating the rather bland extension of the Flim Flam lab. The walls were covered by workplace rules posters and an incident counter set to zero. A breakroom? I turned back to see a pristine undamaged wall instead of the hallway I was just in. I reached out and my hoof passed through it, an illusion. Ah, that's why the mare on the audio recording was so surprised.

Past the break room was a manufacturing floor. Instead of computer parts, metal cans lined the conveyor belt. The air tasted stale with hints of mold, sadly a more pleasant smell than what radiated off of me. A poster covered one of the walls reading, “Keeping your food fresh for a thousand moons.” I walked along the manufacturing area until I reached an open can overflowing with mold. Next to it a recently sealed can with a strange metal arm above. Another slogan clung to the metallic limb, “Mixing magic with engineering.” I pulled the tab on the can. The scent of fresh fruit poured out, cherries. There were a decent amount of sealed cans and I nabbed them all before moving on.

I attempted to eat from the can I opened but each swallow my stomach flipped. I managed to keep a few down before giving up.

Following the exit signs that managed to survive, I made my way through the factory. Hints of light pierced through grime covered windows in the main lobby. I formed a plan on the long walk to the exit. Get out of the factory, use my Pip-Buck map to get to Tenpony. Difficult without the ability to get on the elevated roads but possible. I placed a hoof on the exit and took a deep breath. I shoved the door open and froze. It couldn't be.

Nibble, Gale, and Clover all turned their guns in my direction.

“How are you all here?” I asked, unable to comprehend the chances of being found.

“Ardent?” Nibble slightly lowered her gun. She flicked through her Pip-Buck. “Thank Celestia, it is you.” Everypony lowered their weapons.

The Pip-Buck tag! They had been tracking me all this time! I tilted my head. “Wait, what do you mean it is you?”

“Sorry it's just…” Nibble searched for the words. “You look a little... ghoulish.”

Finally illuminated by more than flickering exit signs I examined my legs. The sludge had dried and caked into my hair, turning it black and sickly.

“Smell like one too,” Gale added. A weight lifted from my back as Mangle came into view wrapped in a nearly invisible glow. Gale rotated her, examining for injury.

“What happened after the fall,” Clover said as an order. He stepped inside scouting the building.

I told them everything but carefully avoided mentioning the FFI lab, and the injection I had so carelessly used. During the tale, Gale examined my injuries.

“Drink this.” Gale levitated a plastic pouch over. I tore the seal open and drank. The liquid inside tasted like rotten oranges. My gagging caused Gale to smile.

“It should cure your radiation sickness,” Gale said. “I figured since you did a good job protecting Mangle I'd give it to you now.”

“You were going to wait?” I said, tossing aside the empty pouch. The effects were already taking place. My stomach finally relaxed and my strength returned.

“Maybe.” He winked.

I could never tell if Gale was serious. He definitely had peculiar interests but he never seemed malicious. Not to mention how friendly he had been the past while. Ever since we left Furlong now that I thought about it.

I finally realized how silent Nibble had been. She sat off to the side, happy to see me but kept looking away whenever I glanced her way, and I knew why.

“So, about the ghouls that attacked you?” I said. I turned to Nibble. “I saw the spell… What happened?”

She shrank back.

“Nibble turned them all into an uncoordinated mass of flesh and snapping mouths. They never figured out how to move so we just left,” Gale explained.

I grimaced. I feel bad for the future explores who run into that monstrosity.

“You said you'd explain after we found them,” Clover said. “So start explaining.”

“I didn't mean too!” Nibble blurted. “I don't even know zebra, but it made itself… understandable.”

“It?” I asked.

“The spell, the page I found at the necromancer place, the spell is stuck in my mind. It wants me to use it, and find its book.”

“That's not how spells work,” Gale said as he pulled out some tool.

“That's not how normal spells work.” Nibble snapped back.

“You've used it before right? Back in Furlong, the raiders on the roof?” I remembered the warping of her magic then.

Nibble clenched her eyes and shivered.

Clover snorted. “It's not like Nibble’s the only one keeping special abilities hidden from me.” He peered over at me. I tensed up, no way he could know about the injection, so what else could he be talking about.

Nibble spoke up as Gale shined a light into her eye. “Clover it's not just some new spell… It whispers to me.”

“Urgh,” Clover groaned. “Great, now we just need Gale and Mangle to loose it and we can be a group of crazies.”

“Hey,” I protested.

Clover shoved Gale out of the way and towered over Nibble. “You keep the voices under control or you won't be useful to me anymore. Understood.”

Nibble swallowed. “Understood.”

Clover turned his gaze to me, making sure I knew I was in the same boat, and I knew all too well what Clover did to those he didn't find useful.

“Right,” Gale said. “That’s how it works, just tell them not to be crazy.”

“We're headed back to Tenpony,” Clover ordered as he kicked open the door and stepped out.

The Luna Line was directly above us. Nibble levitated Gale up first as Clover took hold of me. He did so without any complaint despite my coat being covered in filth. Nibble and Gale traded off bringing Mangle up. Clover’s ascent seemed slower than normal. Drops of sweat beaded off him and I finally took notice of the bags under his eyes. While we slept at Tenpony, Clover had a meeting with DJ Pon3, has he not slept since Furlong? I failed to imagine how he could still carry on if he didn't. Even though Clover was a ruthless leader, he still burdened himself with more than any of us.

“Thank you,” I whispered.

It might have been that my words took Clover by surprise, his exhaustion, the mix of sweat and grime, but for whatever reason Clover lost his grip and I went plummeting to the ground.

Clover’s surprise only lasted a moment before he took a nosedive after me. I reached out and he reached back, we were mere inches from touching. His wings pulled close to his body and shifted as far forward as possible before opening up and flapping so hard many of his mahogany feathers ripped free. He had gotten in reach and attempted to grab me.

He missed.

Even with the wind rushing past my ears I heard Clover curse and yell, “Nibble! Catch him!” He jerked to the side and fanned out his wings, stopping his downward movement. The fear of falling was suddenly dwarfed by what I knew was coming. I tried so hard to keep the memory out, but the moment Nibble’s magic wrapped around me it forced its way in.

The memory had warped into a nightmare. The necromantic unicorn’s head twisted and contorted to impossible angles, his smile sewn all around his face. His laugh an ear splitting cacophony that came from every direction. Bullet wounds on his face hemorrhaged blood, pooling everywhere and staining my hooves. The manticore creatures had maggots crawling along their body as they decomposed and fell apart. Their body parts disappeared as they splashed into the rising pool of blood. Before I drowned in the rising tide I suddenly found myself in the air, below me the necromancer, his horn shining so bright it burned my eyes. I looked away, my eyes landing on the statue of Luna. It had grown to impossible proportions, bloatesprite needles sprouting out of her horn, her eyes blacker than any void. She stepped off her pedestal, her stone body cracking and breaking with every movement. She stomped and galloped towards me, horn aimed directly at my side. She collided with me, the massive horn slowly pushing through my body, the pain as real as the day it happened. What must have only been a moment felt like an eternity.

My back touched down on solid ground, ending what was no longer a memory but a hellish hallucination. My throat burned and my cheeks were wet. Nibble held me in a tight hug and apologized over and over. I hugged back keeping her close as the feelings of terror and pain subsided.

“How could you.” Nibble lifted her head and stared down Clover. He faced away from us, staring towards the direction of Tenpony. Nibble started to yell, “After all he's done, you drop him! You make me hurt him, you always make ME hurt them!” Nibble’s voice broke, she had been through too much today, the necromancer spell and its effects, Clover brushing aside her concerns, having to catch me in magic. It still surprised me though when her horn lit up and the pistol in her saddle bag started to emerge.

“It was my fault!” I said, pushing the pistol down.

Her spell imploded as she turned to meet my gaze with tear filled eyes.

“I distracted him and… accidentally…”

Nibble threw herself onto me and sobbed uncontrollably. This time, it was my turn to hold her.

Footnote: Level up New Perk; Child of the night +2 Intelligence and +2 Perception between 6PM and 6AM.

New Perk; Honesty Injection, Your strength has been permanently increased by 2.

Author's Notes:

Related blog post about this fic with art included here. https://www.fimfiction.net/blog/793700/what-what-three-chapter-in-a-month-art-included