Help me! Only my mind could scream since the rest of my body was frozen. The ghoul’s pink pupils cut through the darkened, blood-covered visior of the drained Steel Ranger suit. Please free me, I tried to communicate to the ghoul through thoughts alone. They didn’t appear to reach him since his stare stayed determined on me. Not that it matters, the suit would be as much of a prison as the ghoul’s stare. Maybe I’ll just stay here.

I would have shaken myself I could have. Why did I think that? I wanted to get out, didn’t I? My head felt fuzzy. Clouds of apathy started to form in my mind, dulling my emotions. What would it matter if I got out? Not like it would change what I did. I could sense more clouds piling in at a rapid pace, forming together like the cloud cover, blocking out anything that tried to pass through. I should stay put. In fact that may be best. There’s a chance they’ll have to power the suit back up in order to get me out and when that happens-

I mentally winced as something massive crashed into the cloud cover in my mind. A single thought pierced through and demanded action. Stop thinking! I slipped into my trance and the world faded into the background as I focused on my hearing.

I locked onto an incoming caravan, the wheels digging into the earth as it came to an abrupt halt. I could hear the swish of air as a pegasus flapped their wings, flying past me and landing next to the ghoul.

“What do you think you are doing?” Clover’s voice demanded in a whisper.

“I had to,” the ghoul replied in the same hushed voice. “He was about to kill them.”

“Who was?”

“Ardent.”

Clover paused for only a moment before growling out, “Gale, report!”

“Short version, we found ourselves in the middle of a prison break. Ardent got in the Steel Ranger armor and murdered our way out, but at the end there it looked… well, like we were next on his list.”

As my focus switched back to Clover all I could hear was teeth, grinding and scraping together. He stomped toward the escapees. “Who put him in that suit?”

“Ionic Bond,” one of the mares in the crowd answered. I recognized her voice, she was the blue-coated mare guarding the door.

“And where is this, ‘Ionic Bond?’”

“There.”

Images of Ionic Bond’s carcass flashed in my mind. Her body crumpled on the ground, her neck bent like a dry branch that had been stepped on. Don't think! I re-focused into my trance.

“Saves me some time,” Clover hissed.

“Why did he turn on us?” Gale asked.

“There’s a drug inside the suit to enhance the user’s combat abilities by making them extremely hostile and aggressive,” Clover explained, his tone cutting out any emotion.

“How could you know-” Gale paused. “Once it wears off, will he be okay?”

“... No.”

Two more sets of hooves approached. Based on the heavy thumps, one belonged to Mangle, and the other to Nibble whose saddle bag let off small metallic tinks with each step.

Before either could ask any questions, Clover took charge, “Nibble, get that suit open! Gale, Mangle, take the prisoners and loot the place. Make sure they get enough supplies to make it to Tenpony.”

“Understood,” they replied in unison.

Nibble trotted over, plugged something into the armor, and tapped at her Pip-Buck.

“So,” Nibble said, “you're the magic ghoul Ardent talked about, the one following us with the magic stare?”

“That would be- ah- ah- ah! No looking,” the ghoul directed. I could hear some of his necrotic skin squish as he shifted his hoof, most likely to block any glances from Nibble and catching her in the same petrifying stare I was held in. “Would be difficult to free you without freeing him.”

“Who’s in there?”

“Funny story- and not to worry you- but Ardent.”

“What? Is he okay?” Nibble’s breath quickened, her heart thumping loudly in her chest.

“None of that blood is his if that's any consolation. At least, I don’t think it is?”

Nibble’s typing went wild as she rushed to finish her work. “It's out of power,” she stated. “You can stop with the magic eye trick.”

“You're absolutely sure?” the ghoul asked.

“Why do you care?”

“Because the last pony wrong about that got her neck snapped.”

Nibble’s throat caught before she confirmed, “I'm certain.”

The ghoul’s skin squished as he turned his head away, not that it mattered; the drained suit kept me from moving as much as the ghoul’s gaze.

“Ardent, are you okay?” Nibble fretted as she tried to peer through the visor. “Can you hear me?”

“Maybe it needs power for the voice to work?” the ghoul offered.

Nibble tapped away on her Pip-Buck and let out whispered curses and apologies as she worked.

My focus wandered until I locked on to Gale’s dutiful voice as he finished explaining the long version of our mission.

“What are we doing with the prisoners?” Gale asked.

“As I said, “Clover replied, “They'll make the journey to Tenpony. Alone. I can send Gearwing to let them know they have refugees incoming. Maybe word it like they owe us. DJ Pon3 always paints crap like this as if we planned to help all along.”

“And the ghoul?”

“Send the prisoners off first.”

“I did it!” Nibble yelled out, my focus following the loud cheer. She slammed a button on the suit's chest and steam hissed out of the seals as it spread open. I tore myself free from the form fitting armor and stumbled into Nibble’s embrace as she wrapped her hooves around me and squeezed. “Are you okay?”

My hearing faded as I focused on touch as I buried myself into her mane. Her soft hair brushed against my muzzle as I pressed against her neck. The warmth of her body heated my face and I could feel the rhythm of her heart. My eyes began to burn. Thank you for getting me out. I’m so sorry I- DON’T THINK! I had no choice but to leave the comfort and pushed Nibble away. My senses of touch faded as all sounds amplified.

“What's wrong with his eyes?” the ghoul asked.

“Don't look at him!” Nibble snapped.

“Worry not, when you have eyes like mine you learn to see without staring.”

“Ardent, you can snap out of it now,” Nibble whispered.

I shook my head.

“What's going on?” Clover demanded as he flew in.

“Ardent won't leave his trance thing.”

“Is that right?” Clover stepped forward, and in a moment my hearing faded, the rough outlines of everypony rapidly focused as my eyes narrowed on Clover’s incoming hoof. I jumped away from him, narrowly avoiding the jab that would force me from my trance.

Clover’s brow furrowed, his jaw tensed up, and his eyes stared me down. He marched towards me but I took a step back for each step he took forward. He came to a stop and closed his eyes, his chest expanding as he took in a deep breath. When he opened his eyes again, an arrogant smile spread across his face. He turned his gaze to another and yelled out something. I followed his gaze directly to Mangle.

She shrugged off nearly a dozen pieces of barding she had brought over for the escapees and tilted her head. Clover barked another command and Mangle trotted over without question. Nibble pleaded to Clover, shaking her head as her eyes darted between me and Mangle.

Before I could really understand what was happening, Mangle casually closed the distance between us and took a swipe at me. I lifted my head just in time to avoid the attack and backed away.

Mangle stared at her hoof after it struck nothing but air, as if this was the first time she had ever failed to hit her target. Her piercing blue eyes slowly raised up to meet mine and a dangerously playful grin spread across her muzzle. She stamped her hoof on the ground in excitement and sprung forward, a small cloud of dirt pluming out. For such a small mare she got enough height for me to duck under her attack, which she might have been expecting because the moment her front hooves landed, her back hooves folded into a bucking position. She kicked out and my only option was to drop. Gravity took over as her hoof grazed across the tip of my ear. If she hits me I wont be able to- STOP!

Mangle gave no time for me to recover as she spun around with a hoof out, putting all her speed and momentum behind it, her blonde hair straightening out as it dragged behind. Knowing I couldn't dodge this time, I brought my hoof up and jabbed it forward. Mangle had a shorter reach, and before her hoof reached my face, mine slammed into her nose and sent her stumbling back.

Blood rushed from Mangle’s nose and her smile vanished, replaced with narrowed eyes and clenched teeth. She spit out a gob of blood and readied her power hooves. From the corner of my vision I could see Nibble step forward to intervene, but Clover put a wing in front of her. His stare held her in place better than the ghoul’s magic.

Mangle pivoted and her power hoof propelled her forward at alarming speed, a massive plume exploded from behind her. I recognized the attack. Ignoring instinct, I rushed forward and slid under her once more. The use of Mangle’s power hooves put her even higher and she overshot me by a few feet.

I expected her to rush in again, repeating the same move over and over, but she paused to examine her power hoof. She activated the hoof sized metal plate, watching it jut out. She smirked, pivoted, and repeated her same attack but slightly lower. Still enough room for me to slide under, so I ran forward and repeated the process.

Mangle let her back leg drop and it came mere inches from my side. Time nearly froze as I saw her activate her power hoof. The metal crept out and crashed into my side. The pain rippled from the point of contact all the way to my core. I bounced off the ground, and waited for my trance to end, for all my repressed thoughts to come back in a massive wave, but something was off. The trance should have ended the moment Mangle landed her attack.

My trance started to slip. Not from the pain in my side, but because my mind was going wild trying to figure out what was happening. I could sense it, a limit to how much information I could backlog before I needed to process it. I had never been in my trance for this long, I never knew I had such a limit. I tried to ease up on my trance, just let a few thoughts through before returning.

You hurt them- had to- wanted to- liked to. I’m a monster. They were children!

This was a mistake, shut it out!

The others- Clover. The drugs- not my fault! Yes, it is. I killed Ionic Bond, an innocent defenseless pony! I’m a monster!

Please stop! Stop! STOP!

The escapes will be okay, they’ll be safe. Get me out of this thing! Nibble… Thank you. I just want to stay like this. My trance- Can’t leave- I’m sorry. Don’t touch me! What does he want with Mangle? Whoa- no- no- GET AWAY! I’m sorry. I had to hit you. I’m a monster. Oh shit. She’s pissed. What is she planning? SHIT! It hit but I'm still in my trance, but how? I can feel the pain but- the injection!

I gasped after the wave finally ended. I pulled myself off the ground and grasped at my side. It burned like fire, and my body threatened to give out from under me.

Clover lowered his wing, and Nibble rushed to my side. “Are you back with us?”

“I-” My eyes caught sight of Ionic Bond’s corpse. I tilted my head. Weird, I don’t care. My time in the trance had let the clouds of apathy build. An entire cloud cover seemed to shield me from any emotion. Like this I won’t need to be in my trance.

“Ardent. Ardent!” Nibble called out. She shook me, as if trying to remove me from my trance.

“Enough of this,” Clover chided. He flew over and raised a hoof, but before bringing it down on my face he paused. He forcefully lifted my chin and stared into my eyes. “Will you do what I order?”

I nodded.

“He’s fine,” Clover assured Nibble. Yeah, I’m fine. I tried to say it but it seemed like too much effort.

“No,” she protested. “He’s still in that trance, you-”

Clover loomed over her. “I said he’s fine. Now, both of you, get those ponies geared up and moving. Understood?”

“Understood,” Nibble replied as she shrunk away from him. She started to trot to the escapee’s.

“I said both of you,” Clover noted. He stared at me, but the anger he had for Nibble seemed absent for me.

He did say both of us. I glanced down at my hooves as they remained still. I should move, I should obey. A beige hoof entered my vision and wrapped around my hoof.

“Come on Ardent,” Nibble said. She pulled and it seemed to be the jump start I needed to get moving. She dragged me over to Gale who had my studded armor and battle saddle next to him.

“Help them,” Gale said, gesturing his head toward the children. “I’ll get his stuff back on.”

“Right,” answer Nibble. She faced me, tears were forming at the corner of her eyes and only seemed to grow the longer she held the gaze. Is she crying because of me? I should feel bad, right? She reached out and wrapped her hooves around me. The sensation against my skin seemed dulled as if I were in my tance. The warmth from the hug was gone, replaced with a cold emptiness.

I caught sight of the Steel Ranger armor and though I may not have felt anything I knew I hated it, I knew it was to blame, and I knew what I wanted to do. I wrapped one hoof around Nibble and let the other one slide into her saddle bag. I searched around until feeling cold metal, and a metal stem.

Nibble broke the hug, and I tucked the grenades I had stolen under my leg. She wiped away her tears and put on a smile before trotting over to the children. I glanced at Gale who had my battle saddle in his magic. “What’s this strap for?” he mumbled.

With everypony distracted I trotted over to the Steel Ranger armor. The open suit reached out as if it wanted me back. It wanted to consume me and forever change me into that monster. It promised me the return of feeling with its drugs. I bit my lip, knowing what I could have what I wanted. I’m a monster. I bit down harder till I tasted iron on my tongue. I can’t have this temptation existing.

I pulled out the grenades and yanked out the stems. They disappeared into the darkness of the suit as I tossed them in. I backed away a few steps and realized if the suit had any ammunition left the explosion would take me out as well. Oh well.

The grenades detonated. I winced as the force rippled through me. The Steel Ranger suit may have withstood outside damage well but the grenades from inside ripped it apart. I watched with empty satisfaction as chunks of metal went flying in every direction. A part of the armored leg ricocheted off my scalp, the pain barely registered but I could felt the warmth of blood as it started to cover my left eye.

The mares and children screamed from the violent noise and instantly took to cowering. Even partially armored and equipped with weapons they were helpless. If they ran into anything from here to Tenpony they were done for and the odds of that weren’t exactly low.

Clover tackled me to the ground and shoved his hoof against my throat.

“You idiot,” he growled. “That could have been the weapon we needed to stop him.” Fire burned in his eyes as his hoof dug deeper.

I laid limp, blood filling half my vision, taking in shallow breaths.

He bent his head down and whispered, “Show me anger, fear, anything.” I could feel Clover’s hoof press down until it closed my windpipe, my chest burned as it begged for oxygen. I should probably do something. My head became fuzzy, and my vision started to fade. Clover let up just before everything went black.

“Clover,” Nibble barely spoke up as she picked up a piece of the Steel Ranger armor. “I doubt we could get it working again.”

Clover glared at her. “Don't lie to me.” He jabbed his hoof into my neck again causing me to cough and wheeze.

Nibble eyes widened. “I'm not- I mean... It required a massive amount of energy that we don't have access to.”

“If we did?”

Nibble looked away but eventually nodded.

Clover released me and with unquestionable authority yelled out, “Those of you who escaped and need a place to go need to head to Tenpony. Head that way and with luck you will run into some buffalo that may help, if not you should arrive by nightfall if you keep moving. Elpis, we're leaving, now!”

All eyes were on our new companion as he fell into an odd routine, well aside from Clover who kept glancing back to check on me. The Doctor would remove his sunglasses and stare out into the distance for a few minutes then put them on and do a bit of pacing before repeating the process.

“Well I lose this game,” Gale said after the fifth repeat. “What are you doing?”

“Hmm?” The Doctor replied. “Oh, the pacing, right. Well you see I’m not very good with the waiting thing. I liked following you all from a distance, kept me on the move, distracted.” Sand and dirt coated the bottom of his legs like a second skin.

“Why don’t you have any armor or weapons?” Nibble asked.

“Guns? What dreadful things, I’ve no need for them, and armor would just get in the way of my personal duds.” The Doctor tugged at what looked like his neck but looking closer a bow tie had been engulfed by his flesh, leaving an outline.

“How do you defend yourself?”

“Oh, I have at least one trick that seems to work.” The Doctor played with his sunglasses.

“How does that work exactly?” Nibble hopped up and grabbed a hold of the sunglasses, lifting them ever so slightly and froze. The Doctor froze for a moment as well. I doubt many ponies purposely stared into his eyes. He backed away until the sunglasses fell back down and freed her.

Nibble shook as if her coat was drenched. “Well that's weird. I felt heavy… like…”

“Stone,” I finished.

Nibble gave me a wavering smile. It was the first time I said anything since we left.

“Correct,” The Doctor said. “What you felt was the magic of a cockatrice. It's something I was working on before the war.”

“Before the war?” Nibble and Gale said simultaneously as they backed him into a corner and started to bombard him with questions.

My hairs stood on end and my ears perked up. The Doctor knew about the world before the war? The stories he must know are ones I have wanted to hear my whole life. Yet just as quickly my head lowered as the veil of clouds refused to let anything through.

A side effect of drugs? Ionic Bond might have been able to explain if she wasn't dead. Hopefully it's temporary. I glanced at Clover just as he turned his head to face the road. He explained the drug to Gale, but how did he know? A pang of curiosity poked a hole through the clouds but was quickly snuffed out.

“Um, yes, no, yes, yes, only once, and no,” the Doctor answered in rapid succession. He went to adjust his bow tie to no avail.

“Wait, was that third yes for me, or the just once, because either way that means...” Nibble’s jaw hung open. “You met the Goddesses.”

I should be excited about that right? It means he met Luna. I waited for something to happen, an emotion to surge through me, maybe my hooves to tremble. Instead I just sat, staring at myself, waiting for something to happen.

“Enough,” Clover called out. He pulled back on the reins and everything in the caravan lurched forward as we came to a stop. “Everypony out and line up.”

Clover brought The Doctor to face each of us. A sense of deja vu washed over me from the time I had my official introduction to Elpis, though this time I was on the other side.

“It’s time you meet one of Elpis’ founding members. The Doctor.”

The ghoul gave a wave to everypony. “Nice to officially meet all of you,” he greeted. “I’ve never been part of one of the group intros, quite exciting.

“Is there room for two doctors?” Gale asked as a slight grin formed on his face.

“You're more of a surgeon than a doctor, but to be fair I'm more of an inventor than a doctor.”

“Oh, like me?” Nibble asked.

“No- no- no, my inventions were a little less violent, although there were the fireworks…”

Clover moved on, “The Doctor has been our secret back up for a while, but since you have all seen him, he might as well join us.”

My jaw clenched as a massive emotional bomb detonated, ripping a huge hole in the emotionless veil. “The whole time?” I growled through my teeth.

Everypony turned to stare at me.

“Interesting,” Clover mumbled.

I marched forward and got right into Clover’s face. “You knew about him the whole time! You let the others think I was crazy. I thought I was crazy! Why?” I tried to hang onto the fiery anger, but the cloud cover refused to let me keep my emotions as it repaired itself. I took a step away from Clover and could feel the muscles for my scowl relax.

Clover watched me closely. His brow furrowed as I backed off, as if he was upset I stopped being angry with him.

“Ardent.” I turned to see Nibble inching closer. Tears swelled in the corner of her eyes. “Please stay with us.”

I knew what I should be feeling, Nibble was on the verge of tears because I shut out everything and everypony. It’s my fault. Just as the numbing veil was about to fully repair, a burst of guilt held it open. C’mon barmaid, you can give her this much can’t you? “I will.” I meant to sound genuine, but the words were hollow and void. Even so Nibble smiled as her amethyst eyes met mine.. A bit of curiosity slipped through.

“What do my eyes look like when I'm in my trance?” I asked. Shot Chaser always knew when I was in my trance yet never mentioned how, but both Nibble and Mangle had mentioned my eyes.

“It's the same look Clover has sometimes, they're just blank, like you've given up.” Nibble slipped back into her normal peppy self as she wiped away any lingering sadness. “Although they change when you are focusing on your vision. Then it's the opposite, your pupils narrow and you look kind of scary.”

“That's good to know.” I forced the corners of my mouth to rise into a smile.

Nibble put a shaky hoof on my cheek and stared into my eyes. “Are… Are you sure you're with me?”

“I wouldn’t be able to talk to you otherwise, right?”

“Yeah, that’s right,” Nibble assured herself.

“Hey,” Mangle called out. “The fuck is that?”

Mangle had pointed out an abandoned shack. The ground around it had been fenced off for gardens, but all the plants were dead and shriveled. Rusted farming tools rested against the sheet metal siding.

The front door screeched as Mangle pushed it open. She flinched back and waved her hoof in front of her nose. “Smells like shit.”

“Manure I would assume.” The Doctor took a smell and scrunched his nose. “Ah, the smell of being right.”

Clover turned on his Pip-Buck light and stepped inside. He shuffled around inside for a while before returning to the door.

“Plenty of room,” he informed. “We’ll set up camp here. Nibble there’s a terminal, it's locked.”

Nibble lit up and wedged her way past Clover. Gale and I brought out a few blankets and passed out dinner, though the Doctor waved away any food or water we offered. The rancid scent of the shack had been muted for me, as if the numbness somehow altered my sense of smell. Which was probably true given it robbed me of taste. The canned carrot I tried to eat tasted like the color grey and I stopped trying to eat after a single bite. Nibble read the text file she found in between bites of her food.

“That damn merchant must have seen how desperate I was. I have been trying to grow something out here for almost a year, but everything dies. Yet here comes some pony claiming that these are magic seeds and they can grow in extreme conditions. ‘They will feed me for the rest of my days’ she claimed.

“Cost me every last bit and what do I have to show for it? Nothing. These stupid black seeds aren't growing. I wanted to test just how strong they were, so I started them in the basement, when they failed to grow I tried outside with the same result… I'm so hungry and if the damn things aren't going to grow, they might as well be food”

Gale tapped against one of the walls. “Did you say basement?”

Nibble’s eyes followed one of the cords that trailed out of the terminal. A grin flashed across her face as she entered a few more commands on the computer. “Gale could you tell me where this cord goes?”

Gale got up and followed the cord into a corner of the hut. “It ends here.”

“It sure does.” Nibble waited till Gale saw her grin, then hit a button on the terminal.

Gale’s eyes widened as a hatch below his feet clicked. His devilish grin took over. “Well played.”

The floor beneath him fell away as Gale dropped into the basement. A single curse escaped him as he landed with a thump. Air from the basement poured out, heavy with humidity and manure.

Nibble smiled at me expectantly. Not sure how to react I gave her another fake smile, which seemed satisfactory to her.

“Can't see.” Gale called up.

Nibble flicked on Pip-Buck light and revealed the room below. Empty, cracked pots lined one of the walls. A glowing terminal sat next to a hallway blocked by a plastic cover. Water condensed onto the plastic, making the hall beyond impossible to make out.

“Why don’t you all check it out,” Clover ordered. “The Doctor and I have a few things to discuss, outside.”

“We do?” The doctor replied, and when he caught Clover’s stare he nodded. “Ah yes, of course we do.”

Nibble jumped down and went straight to the terminal, stepping over Gale as she passed him. I went down with Mangle.

Gale reached out and grabbed me in order to help himself up. He dusted himself off. “You know Nibble hated my games,” Gale explained. “So for her to risk getting involved again just to cheer you shows how much she cares. You see that right?

I shrugged. “Sure.”

“If that is how you are now, you better learn to lie better,” Gale said with a frown.

Nibble started to read a text file she found, “It's been three days since I've eaten those seeds and I'm still full. Maybe she wasn’t scamming me after all. Without the distraction of starving to death I’ve been able to finish the basement green room. It has lights enchanted with natural sunlight and a misting system. I must have pulled something when putting in the piping though because my stomach is killing me.”

“Well let's see if it still works.” Nibble hit a few commands and lights in the hallway flickered to life. Mist poured out and fogged up the hallway past the plastic cover. Nibble pushed her hoof through the dangling plastic strips and waited. Her eyes widened when silence followed.

“It's clean,” she said.

“Does that mean there is a water talisman here?” I asked.

Gale turned to head back up the stairs, but Nibble cut him off. “Wait, we should find it and let Ardent give it to him.”

“You know Clover would want to be told right away,” Gale said flatly.

“Please,” Nibble begged.

For some reason Nibble wanted to get me on good terms with Clover. I couldn't comprehend why she cared, I certainly don't.

Gale rolled his eyes, turned back around, and offered for Nibble to lead the way. She hopped forward and wiggled through the plastic cover.

The flaps of plastic fell back into place, each one held a reflection of me. One of the reflections started to change. My barding disappeared, my coat taking on a lighter color, and my form slimming down into a more feminine outline. My eye color shifted to- Whatever. I pushed past the plastic and didn't bother to look back.

I had to shield my eyes as we passed through. Long, radiant bulbs spanned each side of the wall. A powerful heat mixed with the mist to create a sauna like atmosphere.

Black roots with thick white spikes branched along the walls and ground, growing in density the further down the tunnel we traveled. Gale stopped for a moment and gave one of the spikes a poke. The sharp edge sank into his hoof without any resistance and a trickle of blood started to leak from the wound.

He whistled. “Watch your step.”

Mangle did the opposite as she let her weapons wrap around her hooves. She led the way, pushing any larger roots in order to create a clear path. Nothing could be done about the roots along the wall that covered the lights, and Nibble’s Pip-Buck quickly became the best form of illumination. Mangle pushed away roots covering an entryway and we broke through into a back room.

Another terminal hummed, shedding a pale green light. The roots clung to the ceiling and crawled along the walls, but seemed to leave the ground alone.

Nibble assumed her role and logged onto the terminal. I peeked over her shoulder as she opened the only file on the computer. Without thinking she started to read, “They're alive. The seeds. I can feel them grow and move inside me. It burns. I couldn't take it anymore, so I tried to end it, I put the barrel of my shotgun into my mouth…” Nibble stopped to read on without speaking. “Celestia have mercy.”

I decided to continue the reading, “But the roots burst from my skin and pulled the gun away. They need me. They feed off me. Even now they have rooted me to the ground. As time goes on more of my body and plant fuse. It hurts. I want to die. Please somepony, anypony, kill me. Kill me. Kill me.”

“K- kilLll~ll m.Me~ee”

Roots covering the active lights shifted out of the way, releasing a blinding flash . As my vision returned Nibble let out a blood-curdling scream.

In the center of the ceiling a pony's head stared down at us. One eye wide and pleading, the other dangled uselessly as a small root swekered it from its socket. Its spine and flesh had melded with the roots and stretched to a nightmarish length.

“Kill me, h.Heeaaart, hurrr-” The voice cut off as many small roots burst from his throat. The room appeared to come to life as all the roots wriggled around simultaneously. I backed up only to bump into the others as we became boxed in. Gale and Nibble levitated their weapons out.

Muffled noises brought my attention back to the ceiling. The pony, if you could call it that, waited until it was sure I was staring into its one eye. It slowly looked down causing me to follow. In the corner of the room a cluster of roots shielded distorted and mutated organs, including a still beating heart.

I attempted to enter S.A.T.S but it failed to recognize the target. Maybe the other will do it?

“Gale.” I pointed.

Without hesitation he aimed, and the shimmer of his magic created a line from his weapon to the heart. As if the roots could sense the magic tiny while flowers bloomed, belching out clouds of tiny white spores. Gale’s spell bent and twisted until ultimately imploding, but more than that Gale and Nibble lost control of their weapons as they clattered to the ground. Nibble poked at her horn as her magic fizzled out completely.

“Grenade?” I asked.

She checked her bag. “You used them all…”

I glanced back seeing the roots block off the exit. Oh shit. The veil of numbness that had been blocking off my emotions was not ready for the blast of guilt that had just detonated. It’s one thing if my mistake were to just end my life but I won’t cost the others their lives. There has to be something. I had to be able to stay motivated through this, had to keep the others alive through any means.

I went back, grabbing a memory from earlier today. The memory of my flanks burning as the Steel Ranger suit injected me with a chemical mix. Even without the real thing I lived it all again, the sense of power running through my veins, the bloodlust so powerful I could taste iron. I don’t even need the suit; I have this sensation whenever I want!

“Mangle crush the heart!” I demanded of her in a growl.

Without hesitation Mangle launched herself at the heart. Though just as they could sense magic they could sense the incoming danger as every root curled towards her like a giant net. A small agile root caught her back hoof first and pulled her down while others rushed in to rip her to pieces. A smile crested my face as I could only imagine the carnage soon to follow. She smashed the root holding her, the bark cracking from the pressure. She activated her front power hoofs, the force pushing her out of the way of the attack and back to us. I thought she made it out unscathed until she brought a hoof to her chest. Blood covered her hoof as she pulled it away. One of the spikes had sliced through her leather barding and skin like paper. Disappointing.

My gaze went from her, the heart, the roots circling us, and to Nibble and Gale as they gathered their weapons without magic. We can’t win, save them! My own thoughts yelled, cutting through the bloodlust.

“Run!” I ordered. I bit down on the handle of my sword and sliced at a patch of the roots that blocked our escape. The bark on the outside was extremely dense, holding my attack in place for a moment. I tensed my neck and the moment the bark gave way the blade slide through with a wet squelch. The roots fell to the ground and writhed for a moment before becoming motionless and shriveling up. The cut ends retreated back to the ceiling.

I waved a hoof down the hall. As they moved past me a small black plant, with leaves surrounding a blue center, appeared in front of my face. It spit out a cloud of purple fog.

The fumes burned at my eyes and lungs. I wretched and coughed, my sword clattering to the ground. The plant only spit out more for me to breath in as it hovered in front of my face. On top of all that, I felt the veil of numbness repair itself as my memory of the drug faded. My vision went foggy and I could feel the world slip away.

I could accept this. I could die here while the others escape. It’s easy, I just needed to keep breathing.

“Ardent!” I heard Nibble cry out.

I focused my vision and could see Nibble. Smaller roots had tangled themselves into her mane and were dragging her back into the room.

Come on barmaid, you just going to sit there? I grit my teeth. It won’t be a good story unless you save them.

I craned my neck and grit my teeth around the handle of my blade. I cut the plant attacking me in half with a quick swipe. I rose to my hooves, and after a big breath of clean air I could focus again. I rushed over to Nibble and cut away at the roots tangling in her mane, but they came from too many directions and new ones slipped in to replace the ones I had cut. Better a new look than dead. I placed my blade close to the base of her mane and slid it up. Nibble lurched forward as she was freed from the vines and ran to the exit.

I followed close behind but paused when I heard a muffled scream from the pony on the ceiling. I turned back; tears were flowing from its one good eye as he watched us flee. My outburst of emotion was going to end soon and then I wouldn’t care about him or his fate. I… I’ll try.

I turned, aimed my battle saddle at the cluster of organs, and emptied my clip. By the time my shots got anywhere near the target the roots had balled up to defend the organs.

From the corner of my eye Mangle appeared and smashed a root in my blind spot, the spike was mere inches from my neck. Would have been painless. With that thought I knew the numbness had returned, knew if I had been myself, I may have thought differently.

“Move it dumbass!” she grunted as the root writhed under her hoof. I spared a final glance to the pony on the ceiling. He muffled out screams as the plant completely engulfed him. Looks like I’m not the only one who must live today.

Mangle and I ran through the almost living hallway, roots bursting from the dirt walls, smashing through the metal pipes. I made no attempt to dodge each time a root dove for me, but Mangle dove to and fro, smashing each tendril that sought to end my life. The roots shrunk in size as we neared the exit. Nibble and Gale waited at the base of the stairs and once we regrouped, we moved out of the shack.

Roots had broken out of the earth and were surrounding Melody. Clover swooped in, firing his battle saddle at any roots who made it too close. Once struck their slow crawl to the brahmin ended as they darted after Clover. The Doctor also tried his best to be a useful distraction as he bucked at some of the protruding roots, but they didn't seem to pay him any mind.

“About time!” Clover yelled. “Clear a path!”

Mangle went in, smashing root indiscriminately. The ones she attacked weren’t even the ones trapping Melody.

“You too barmaid,” Clover shouted.

I bit down on my blade handle and followed in Mangle’s war path. Mangle had cleared a makeshift way to Melody where a large root had her pinned as it slowly encircled her. I leapt up, landing my blade on the base coming out of the earth. The blade slid through, the thick root shriveling down to a fraction of it's old size.

The moment Melody saw the opening she galloped forward. Mangle grabbed hold of me and leapt into the caravan. The Doctor clung to the back, berly managing to hang on as we sped off. Clover flew down and yanked on the reins, forcing her to turn hard and dodge past roots as they burst from the earth. He made a pass by Nibble and Gale.

I reached over the side of the caravan, reaching out to Nibble. Our hooves collided and I pulled her in. She bumped into Gale as Mangle pulled him up in the same manner on the other side.

The moment everypony was in Clover whipped the reins and we sped off. The roots showed no interest in following. Instead they wrapped around the shack until they had it completely surrounded.

“What in Tartarus was that about?” Clover said as he peered at each of us.

Nibble spoke up first, “We found somepony down there. It… it-”

“A monstrosity,” Gale finished, “Think necromancer if he fused a pony and a plant.”

Clover touched at a cut across his cheek and nickered, “Patch everypony up. I'll find a place to camp.”

Gale nodded and moved to help Mangle first. The cut on her chest still bled and the skin above her power hoof was shredded to hell. Gale ignored the wide gash on his side while he worked on her. A touch of guilt broke through, she’s only got those injuries because she saved me.

Nibble made it out comparatively well, she had a few scraps on the back of her neck and along her legs. She brought out a mirror and stared in shock at the loss of her mane. After a few moments she tossed the mirror over the side of the caravan and slumped down.

I grabbed a few of the medical bandages and brought them over to Nibble. I placed a hoof on her side to let her know I was there. She turned, probably expecting Gale, but perked up when she saw it was me.

“I'm no doctor, but I can place a bandage,” I offered.

Nibble nodded and exposed the back of her neck. I tore away small pieces of bandages and placed them over the cuts. Once the job was done, I ran a hoof over the back of her mane. I had cut it so short it almost appeared shaved in some areas.

“It'll grow back.”

“I know.” Nibble sniffled. “It's just… my mother loved it.”

“Is she still-”

“No, she’s dead. Both my parents were taken from me when I was young.”

Like me.

It was weird to think that I never decided to learn much about the ponies that had saved my life so many times. I knew why though. It’s because I was just trying to pull my weight and get on their level. How could I speak to them personally when we’re so far apart? I didn’t have the right, but now with the injections, paired with my trance, I am starting to catch up.

What happened to her parents? My curiosity poked a hole into the veil of numbness. How did Nibble learn about technology? Another hole. How did Gale become a sadist? What happened in the vault Mangle came from? What was Clover always typing into his Pip-Buck? Everything about The Doctor! It was like the veil became perforated with openings. It was different this time too, the holes remained, and I felt more myself.

The question would have to wait. It had been a long, long day. I laid down and rested my side against Nibbles.

“Ardent,” Clover called out.

“Yes!” I bolted upright and turned to face Clover. His piercing yellow eyes locked onto mine as he studied me.

“Nevermind.” He returned to steering.

I let out a breath of relief and returned to Nibble’s side. The comforting warmth weighed down my eyelids. Nibble nuzzled herself underneath my neck and drifted to sleep with me not far behind.

Footnote: No level up.

Author's Notes:

Related blog with art here.