"So you're a bug-pony?" I asked, waving a forehoof over a set of dusty shelves in search of anything that could make sense of this abrupt topic.

Seriously, Binary has so much stuff in here, surely she's got something on strange bug ponies? I thought, wondering just how there could be such a thing.

Vertigo sighed, in his... her... 'its' new reverberating voice. "Ugh! No, I'm a Changeling! By the hive, you are so uneducated."

I looked back at him with a disapproving expression and even now the trickster managed a smile. A rather more sinister-looking smile given the fangs, but a smile nonetheless.

"If that's the case, how come I've spent my whole life in the wasteland and never seen..." I shook my head, that one was obvious. "Heard of a changeling?" I asked firmly.

"That's the beauty, isn't it? I had a whole nation's worth of data back in stable fifty and even right here, and not once have I heard a mention of a changeling," Binary interjected from a level of catwalk above me.

I looked up to see the gray mare leaning casually against a rail, her metallic arms casually tapping at buttons on the wall as if they were another entity entirely.

"I'll admit I've never heard of changelings either," Cherry added with a shy grin as she foraged through a pile of medical boxes she'd dragged out from a room Binary said she'd never manage to break into.

One lock pick and cute face of determination later, the earth pony found out just what Cherry was capable of getting into. Vertigo's cloudy eyes passed between us all, then he huffed.

"Well, for one, Binary..." He sneered at the gray mare. "It's not ‘she’... You know I prefer ‘he.’" He placed a gnarled hoof on his chest. All of a sudden there was a green flash and before me stood... Oh, this is gonna get really confusing really fast.

"That's the beauty, isn't it? I had a whole nation's worth of data back in stable fifty and even right here and not once have I heard a mention on a pony like her, blah, blah, blah!" Vertigo muttered, his appearance and voice identical to his multi-limbed tormentor.

Binary frowned, stepping back from the rail and focusing on the terminals as her doppelganger continued to splurge random mockeries of her identity. Then there was another green flash and the real Vertigo returned, his blue eyes narrowing as he looked at me.

"Don't suppose you want me to do you next?" he asked cunningly.

"Don't even think about it," I warned, holding up a forehoof.

He leaned back, eyes widening. "I really have no idea how you are so full of love," he stated, seemingly more to himself before looking to Cherry.

The pink mare shook her head. Then so did Vertigo as he became the perfect mirror of her. No, oh goddesses, he... she, this is getting out of hoof, now there's two of them!

Then Cherry went rigid, stammering weakly. One of the few things, it seemed, able to break her free of her scavenging trance was staring right at a real-life copy of herself.

Vertigo smiled, looking at me and winking. I felt a blush creeping onto my cheeks and begged the goddesses the real Cherry didn't notice. My mind filed away the image with great eagerness. However, it took a good many attempts to reign my salacious imagination back in with the fact that it wasn't the real Cherry looking at me like that. I was on the edge of totally snapping when Vertigo burst out into a fit of giggles and (imitating Cherry's voice perfectly) fell onto his back with forehooves pressed to his gut. There was a flash as he turned back to his chitinous definition of normal. I scowled at the black, insectoid equine, the look on Cherry's stunned face only making my distaste for the changeling's jokes even greater.

"Okay, okay. I'm done, but that was priceless," he gasped through his droning laugh, wiping a tear from his eye with a hole-filled forehoof. "Goddesses, you ponies are just too easy to mess with," he added, licking his lips at the apparently tasty humour.

"Well, it's kinda easy to mess around when you can do that," I pointed out, reinforcing the fact with a jab of an accusing forehoof.

"Yeah, but if I couldn't look like one of you then nothing would ever get done around here," he retorted swiftly, lowering my forehoof with his own.

It felt hard and grainy, covered in a fine, prickly fuzz and… Eww, I thought ghouls felt funny. Yet just last night I'd contemplated sleeping with this thing! Well, if he can be anypony… I could do a lot worse?

I backpedaled slightly, and I knew he was fighting not to nicker as I tripped over a set of cords and fell on my butt. He ultimately caved, a knobbly forehoof pressed to his fanged muzzle.

"You know, you're one of only three ponies who haven't shot at me for actually looking like this," he explained, gesturing to himself before looking up at the catwalk above. "Though, one of the other members of that trio might as well shoot me."

"Bite me!" Binary swiftly deadpanned.

"Wait... wait..." I shook my head, lifting a forehoof. "So if you can change then... You saved me from the train?" I asked, and that seemed to get his attention.

"Humm, so you're smarter than you look?" he almost purred, "Any other things I did?" He pressed knowingly.

I felt a sharp tingle down my spine. He could have been anypony, at least any pony that I'd seen when he wasn't around in the past week. Plus, I highly doubted he'd been one of Sky's siblings. So why did his question make me fear for my reputation so much?

I shrugged, despite my anxiety. "You saved my life, that's about as far as I can think," I replied, eyeing him warily. "Why, am I supposed to be suspicious? Are you an evil bug-monster now?"

His ragged ears dropped, diaphanous wings buzzing slightly. "You know, evil's such a strong word." He waved a forehoof dismissively. "No, I'm all about love and tolerance, the stuff's delicious," he added, practically beaming at me.

Suddenly all of the green fire under the Oracle building and hunger remarks he'd been making almost made sense. Wait, so where in the hay did he go to eat when he was supposed to be watching my back at the warehouse?

"So you feed on love?" Cherry asked, the shock of seeing herself imitated seemingly faded.

"Bingo!" Vertigo cheered, shooting a forehoof toward her and giving a wink.

I scowled at that, Cherry blushed, and the changeling continued to grin.

"Still, doesn't explain why I've never heard of your kind before," I interrupted abruptly, really wanting to change the subject.

He looked slightly pained at that, cloudy blue eyes shifting and sharp ears folding.

"There hasn't been a good hive of changelings in almost a thousand years, just lone drones here and there. Things may have been different if it weren't for the bombs and the queen," he explained rubbing his forehooves together.

I narrowed my eyes, many thoughts and ideas spinning in my head. Yet there was a solemn look on his face. It was hard to believe something that looked so un-pony-like could care so much.

"You saw it didn't you? Like some of those really old ghouls?" I asked simply.

I had no idea how changelings worked, but that was not the face of somepony who simply hated what had been done to the world because of the wasteland, he had the look of somepony who'd lived through it.

Cherry's shocked expression returned as she looked to Vertigo for conformation. The changeling cocked his head, then offered me a crooked smile before he nodded.

"You know, I admire your observation skills, Dragonfire. Good looking and smart." He winked and my ears folded as my expression fell flat. Then he finally sighed.

"Yeah, I saw it. Was around for a long time before that too. Providing we can keep feeding we can live for almost half a millennia. I was a drone from the under-city of Nexus, it's hidden beneath the badlands." He tapped a forehoof on the metal-grate floor, and for a second my frustration broke as I saw his forlorn expression.

"That was the last bastion of changeling civilization you'd find. I was drafted as an infiltrator when our queen, Chrysalis, began talks of a surface invasion of Equestria. But that never happened," he went on, sitting down and rubbing his forelegs together.

They'd wanted to take over Equestria? So they were kinda evil? Still, I knew Vertigo was many things. I didn't know how much I trusted him, but I was pretty sure he wasn't evil. How can a guy with a butt like that be evil? Grr, shut up brain he can pretty much have any shape butt he wants!

Just goddesses please, don't have some super sad story like everypony else. He's way too casual for that. Regardless, the changeling sighed, the exertion strange in that odd echoing-tone as he continued.

"Being as we are, it wasn't hard to learn of the tension between ponies and zebras. So instead of trying to take a nation that was on the brink of war, the queen decided to remain hidden. There were some rogues, but we'd ride out the trouble as we'd done for a thousand years. Yet when the bombs fell..." He trailed off, then winced.

"Well, in all that time we'd never come against something like that. Chrysalis wanted to strike at the weak world that was left. But I don't think she counted on there not being a world left." His forehoof drooped at his side as he sighed.

The information was going right over my head, only the sad parts seemed to catch in the net of my thoughts, but it was the gravity of those that prevented me from interrupting.

"Of course, that was just the start. Turns out that magical radiation and our telepathic connections to our hives don't mix well. Not to mention a great many of the tunnels collapsed... And well... there was the Changed-lings." He shuddered, and I didn't find it hard to assume something that made him do so couldn't be pleasant.

"I had some stuff going on during the war, but after that, I was on my own. No hive, no queen. As far as I know, with no love, we all kinda' died out," he admitted, pressing a forehoof to his chest.

I cocked my head. But if there's no love then how is he still here?

"But being a Changeling isn't without its advantages!" he blurted before I could think too hard.

There was a green flash and the familiar cyan buck appeared in the changeling's place. Another flash and he was a purple pegasus mare and even a midnight-blue Alicorn before coming back to the original. The way both I and Cherry's look at the latter most form made him grin like a giddy foal.

"Now, don't go thinking I can become a goddess, it's just an illusion spell. Still only got my horn and my wings," he explained, tapping his forehead and buzzing his wings.

Wait, why is he looking at me so intently while saying that? I'm so reckless as to think I was a goddess? A cramp in my gut told me that somepony might disagree.

Nevertheless, as Cherry finally recovered from the fact an alicorn had just been grinning at her, I finally spoke.

"So you're the last of a race of shapeshifter bug-ponies?" I confirmed.

He seemed to think on that for a moment before shaking his head. "No, I wouldn't say last, at least if there's still a queen out there, not to mention the Changed-lings. As for the shapeshifter bug-pony bit..."

The sudden appearance of an open forelegged Twilight Sparkle proved his point. I leaned back, laughing slightly as I passed a forehoof over my anxious stomach.

"So you broke into a stable as one of them, then gassed the place?" I asked simply and he nodded proudly.

"Didn't stop that bitch with the real bugs though," he grumbled. "Still, messing with the Brazens trying to kill you was fun." He winked, and a rather disapproving look from Cherry caused me to shrink back.

"Yeah, but now..." Binary called from above, words cut off by a loud clunk as she pulled a heavy lever. "Now, we're in mares and gentle colts," she added, metal limbs clapping as she trotted down a set of metal stairs like a giddy school filly.

The screens before the wired Pipbuck filled with various information. Gibberish flashed by at breakneck speed before finally stabilizing on the comet-tailed style Destiny corp. logo. 'Building a brighter future for every last mare, stallion and foal' appeared beneath it.

"Now to isolate any Oracle files," Binary said as she homed her focus and metal arms in on the small device.

Both I and Cherry trotted swiftly to the center of the chamber, Vertigo came up slowly, the form of the cyan buck I knew re-adopted.

"Sooo, what we got?" He asked, looking to the frantic Binary.

"Give me a minute and... There!" she called out as all the screens in the tower lit up with various information. "We have, everything! locations, research notes, private audio logs even the apotheosis files, everything!" she exclaimed loudly.

Then she winced, forcing her narrowed eyes close to the screen skeptically.

"Project Destiny?" That word didn't sit well with me for some reason, nor did it seemed to sit well with anypony.

That was until, all of a sudden that unease made perfect sense. Every screen when dark. Binary looked up, Vertigo gave a weary whistle and I looked to Cherry and she to me.

"Well, that was anticlimactic," the changeling muttered.

"What! No, no, no, no, no!" Binary exclaimed as her arms and hooves sped frantically across the dead interface. "No, you bastards what is this?"

There was a low beat and hum as every screen flashed to life. Orange sparks appeared in the center before blossoming outward like an intense flame to form what appeared to be a glowing eye.

Is it just me or did that look familiar?

"Greetings I am Overseer, please to make your acquaintance." That was the moment the gears in my mind ground to a halt.

To say that I hated robots was an understatement. Yet of all the things I'd come across in the past month, there was one thing that I hated more than any other. Funnily enough, it was not Vertigo's quips

My companions turned skeptical as the glowing point of orange light on the screen glanced around, scanning over the details of the tower closely. It reminded me a little too much of Babs Seed locked in that computer under the factory. I felt anger, frustration, but sheer confusion caused me to keep silent at that moment.

"It would seem that this foreign system is lacking several functions, I will work to rectify the problems," the voice chirped, blurting from a whole range of speakers around the large chamber.

At least one mare's expression turned from skepticism to panic at that. "Wait... No, no, no. Don't activate anything!" Binary called urgently, waving her metallic arms.

Overseer's eye paused and peered down at her. "I do apologize, your identification is not one I am familiar with, I am unable to comply," he stated, and the mare looked around frantically, two claws pressed to her temples.

I swallowed my mixed feelings, stepping forward. "Overseer," I stated firmly and the glowing eye fixed upon me.

"Ah, subject twelve, it is a pleasure to see you are still well," he said kindly, and for a moment I could swear his eye narrowed to mimic a smile.

I didn't share his expression, my eyes narrowed, my ears pressing flat against my head. "You tricked me!"

My rage and frustration beat confusion from my mind like a piñata, easily winning the race to the forefront of my thoughts. The glowing entity's smile seemed to flip into a frown.

"I did no such thing. I simply followed protocol. You were a perfect genetic candidate for Project Destiny. I will admit, former instructions were obsolete, but this newly determined objective should be quite reliable. Providing you remain in a fit state to carry the subject," he explained.

I felt a sharp twitch in my gut. So I was right, the thing inside me isn't my foal. He's put it there and I'm still as useless at creating life as ever! But this foal is not a monster pony, it's mine, goddesses damn it.

"Wait, you know this thing?" Binary asked, glancing up at me from where she'd urgently dove to unplug the whole system

I nodded. "He was in the Destiny building, opened the place up and just let us trot on in," I explained.

The expression on the screen above was once again disapproving. "I acted according to protocol..."

"I get it!" I cut him off sharply.

"It's some sort of interactive program," Binary observed, trotting up to the Pipbuck still wired up on the desk.

I took a breath and slowly released it, my anger settling like a cold stone within my gut and my tummy roiling as I experienced another bout of pregnancy nausea. Goddesses, if a three-month-old foal is moving like this I don't want to imagine what it's gonna be like soon.

I looked back at Cherry, somewhat shamefully. I really hoped she didn't have to hear that the thing growing inside me was not my own, or at the very least, not that my foal was some wartime pony experiment.

"I am an artificially manufactured intelligence, created for the purpose of monitoring all systems owned by the Destiny Corporation. Post subsidiary interaction, management of all higher systems and projects automated by company systems," Overseer explained, glancing at the earth pony.

I still frowned as he seemed to overlook my situation like it was just another box on his checklist. My stomach gave another flutter, and I suddenly felt sick again, pressing forehoof to my gut as I sat down. I didn't what to ask him what he'd done. I just wanted a foal, to be happy, live the life I'd once lost. I wanted to save somepony I really cared about for once.

"So you... You have access to everything Destiny Corp. was up to?" Binary asked, a giddy smile forming on her muzzle.

The glowing entity frowned. "Indeed, I have access to over two million data files. Unfortunately, most are classified at this current time," he elaborated.

"Hey, you okay?" Cherry's soft voice was like a break in the storm of sudden revelations as she trotted up beside me.

I took a deep breath, nodding. "Yeah, I'm fine..." I lied, rubbing my tender midsection. She looked anything but satisfied by that response.

"Excuse me, but what are you attempting to accomplish?" Overseer asked, glancing down at Binary as she fiddled with the wired Pipbuck.

The gray mare didn't look up at the screen as she mumbled. "Rectifying the problem, hope you don't mind."

The robotic eye narrowed, "I am detecting your attempts to access classified data. This breach of protocol is most unacceptable," he growled and a bolt of electricity surged up each wire.

The mare gave a sharp yelp as the sparks struck her metal limbs and jumped back. Vertigo leaped forward, drawing Sting faster than any normal pony.

"Now listen, you try something like that again and I'll send this right through your mainframe," the changeling warned, eyes flashing green.

Wow, do his eyes do that every time he is mad? I've never seen him mad. My stomach gave a wriggle and I winced. Goddesses, any other time he'd be so hot to look at.

Overseer frowned as Binary propped herself up on the desk.

"Such a primitive response. Your efforts would be futile, I do not require this mainframe to sustain myself. This Stable-tec device has sustained me for over a week, albeit in a less conscious state. Nevertheless, I simply cannot allow this to continue," Overseer babbled as, without warning, several defensive turrets appeared from the tec-strewn walls.

"He's got access to the automated defenses, Vert," Binary warned, looking around warily.

“I can see that," Vertigo muttered, unflinching as he took aim at one of the automated guns and Cherry's horn flared as she drew responsibility.

"Now, wait!" I called out suddenly, shooting to my hooves and trotting right up to the screen.

Grr, don't think about that sickly feeling in your gut. Don't ruin the moment, don't throw up! My mind insisted.

"Now, listen, you stupid... Whatever you are, stop rambling about stupid protocol. In case you didn’t know, that world ended nearly two hundred years ago, nothing you know matters anymore!" I barked, all of my frustration and anger pouring out in a flow of words as I jabbed a forehoof at the screen.

Overseer glanced at the armed ponies, then at me. The guns lowered and withdrew, yet still, the level of curiosity that seemed to radiate off him was far more unnerving.

"I am well aware of the effects of the balefire bombings, yet that is none of my concern. One of the organizations I was designed to monitor has turned against its original duties. Oracle, is still a great threat to the future of this corporation," he explained, frowning again.

I shook my head slowly. "There is no Oracle or corporation anymore, I saw the ruins of that place myself!" I could have almost screamed so loud that the goddesses could've heard me, if not for the squirming in my gut.

Overseer seemed to beam with patronization. "I am aware, I was able to access all data from the building in question." My ears perked.

"Wait, so you... You really were the thing on my Pipbuck?" I felt a shudder run down my spine. I knew something wanted me alive, but really did it still have to be him?

"Indeed, though functions were somewhat limited. Even when I made efforts to modify the device, the stable-tec design is more rugged and hardy. Accessing the foreign systems you wished of me proved difficult. Therefore, I must recommend you start to take the utmost caution, you are too prone to dangerous situations for a test subject." I grit my teeth as his babbling paused.

"I'm not your test subject!" I screamed, almost jumping off all four hooves. Everypony looked at me like I was some kind of mad-mare, and damn me I blushed as I saw Cherry.

"My apologies, but when you entered my facility what else was I supposed to believe? You were a prime genetic specimen for my goals. I will admit, in the time that I have been free of the facility my understanding of you has grown quite significantly, Dragonfire. Nevertheless, I do not regret my actions," he responded and growled.

"Regret, you are a robot, you can't regret. Ponies regret, that mare trapped in the computer, the one you murdered, she could regret. Heatstroke, gunned down by her own father, she could regret... You!" I jabbed a forehoof at him. "You stuffed a mare in a tank for almost two centuries, so don't say you can ever have regrets."

I heaved and I panted, sitting down and pressing a hoof to my bubbling gut. There was no way this could be good for the foal, but right now my anger had to go somewhere.

Overseer let out a hum, that horrific sense he was smiling coming back as he regarded me. "I was assigned the task of preserving all the work my master had achieved. The deaths to which you refer are merely a small few to save the many," he elaborated and I had to fight not to put a hoof through the nearest screen.

"So what is it then? Don't go thinking I have not figured this out, you had this thing in that mare for this long, then you put it into me." I rubbed my gut.

It's not a monster, it's my foal. It’s not a monster. I repeated in my mind, eyes closed as I thought of myself with a happy foal. Maybe even Cherry with us in a safe, happy life.

"My apologies but I cannot reveal that information because I do not know it," he admitted and I looked up at him expecting a kind of smug smile.

For once, however, he looked bland. "Compartmentalisation, a failsafe in case I was ever captured by Oracle or another rival company." My head drooped, ears folding as I rubbed my belly.

"And who might those be?" Briary suddenly pressed. "Oracle was still a part subsidiary of Destiny Corp. before the war, even if they were governed by the ministry."

"So the public image would have you believe. The truth is that Miss Ebon Star, chairmare of Oracle refused all interactions with her husband's company after their divorce," he explained, and I glanced over at the gray mare as she cocked her head.

"Wait, Hayland and Ebon Star divorced? I thought they just ran things differently?" she asked and Overseer frowned.

"Once again, not a public affair, but yes. She disagreed with my master's methods, so too did many of their children. Most of the projects fell apart after that, so Hayland developed project destiny in secret."

"Let me guess. that's compartmentalized too?" Vertigo interjected as he leaned against the far rail.

"You would be correct. To retrieve such information I would need to access Hayland's private mainframe in Trottingham. Utterly disconnected, however, that facility was overtaken by Oracle before the war. Oh, they made so many adorable efforts to access it." He almost seemed to squee at that, smiling again.

Trottingham, that's where there’s answers then? Wasn't that half a country away? I slumped, head in my forehooves. I had a feeling if Overseer had been the relic the Transcendent were after they'd have been thoroughly disappointed too. Maybe it would have broken their dumb little religion?

"Then what about the ponies that were after us?" Cherry perked up as she trotted over and rested a forehoof over my shoulders. I offered her a small smile, glancing up at her, yet she looked as stern as ever. "They attacked you too, we saw them."

"The organization that attacks my stations is the remnants of those I was once constructed to govern. Partway through the Equestrian-Zebra conflict, Oracle removed me from all of their systems despite Hayland's protests. Their discovery of the object under Desert Springs lead to their close workings with the Ministry of Arcane Sciences and all Destiny Corporation assets involved were removed," he began, images flashing on the screen of the large excavation site; from aerial footage to the dark mare I'd seen in memories shaking hooves with Twilight Sparkle, a scowling Moondancer in the background.

"Only when object two-two-three was uncovered did Hayland finally decide to invest resources in a project solely of his own design. I was soon repurposed to oversee this project and nothing else. Confined to installation five, I was only able to regulate Oracle's experiments advancements through camera feeds from other facilities." I took a deep breath. Listening to him speak that fast just made me want to breathe.

"So, Oracle, they're still out there?" Both I and Binary seemed to ask in union, before glancing at each other.

Overseer looked between us. "Indeed, they do not, however, remain true to their former name or function. They have resorted to the most primitive methods of achieving their goals, things I would never have allowed to happen," he explained.

"The Transcendent," Binary muttered, and for some reason, the hushed word sounded louder than ever as the same pieces fell into place in my brain.

The eye above bobbed as if nodding. "Such incorrect terminology is an insult to the morals they once stood for. I doubt Miss Ebon Star would approve of such behavior, even in her later years," he added, and I recalled all I could from the memory orbs.

She'd had that feeling around her, that malefic kind of feeling. She'd conspired with Zebras and attempted to kill Twilight Sparkle. The fact she had sacrificed her own daughter knowing Milky Way would come back was only more disturbing.

You still think he's right about her morals at the end? I shuddered. She felt like a mare that just wanted to laugh from atop a throne as the world burned down around her.

"Do you know anything about the apotheosis? Anything we could use against the Transcendent?" Binary asked suddenly, tentatively approaching the Pipbuck.

"Classified data, I am sorry," he retorted just as swiftly and the gray mare frowned.

I leaned against Cherry's side pointing a forehoof up at the screen again. "You don't like this Transcendence any more than we do, so why not just forget about all the classified shit?" I snapped.

He glanced down at me. "I do not exist for the protection of failed organizations, I am protecting the legacy of my creator," he retorted bluntly.

Mister Hayland, his creator? I recalled the buck melting from within and the mare he'd brainwashed into thinking the world was nothing but a painted room only to end up like some dead fish in a jar.

"You watched him die didn't you?" I asked, recalling the memory as if the robot could actually feel some sympathy.

His eye wavered slightly. "I attempted to warn Mister Hayland of the effects synthetic Etherium fusion would have on organic matter. He said it was worth the risk. His atomic structure deteriorated for several months before final breakdown occurred." he admitted, seemingly as heartfelt as his overly positive voice could.

I nodded, glancing away. "I suppose the reason he died is classified?" I asked.

He stared at me for a long moment, then at Binary and the others. "You truly wish to stop them, don't you? Discover what Oracle managed to achieve without my guidance?"

For some reason the sincerity in his inflectionless voice made my mane crawl. I glanced back at the others, from Cherry's worried face, Vertigo's wary glower, to Binary...

"The Transcendent... Oracle captured my home and killed my family, if there's a way to bring them down then yes, I'll stop them," the earth pony confirmed, slowly approaching the Pipbuck.

"I'm with her," Vertigo added with a nod. Overseer looked down at Cherry and she to me. I gave a small smile, the squirming in my tummy settling for a moment.

"They still have my friend and want my hide, what choice do I have?" Overseer paused seeming to think.

"While allowing you to be in any potentially hazardous situation is strictly against protocol, I see it is not an efficient option. As for the situation involving this Transcendent, I agree it needs to be assessed and dealt with. Therefore, I will reformat former protocol. New primary objective. Assess Oracle situation, rectify problem," he babbled, then mocked a smile. "It seems we have an agreement, and a common enemy."

The screens gave a flicker and he vanished. Then the previous display of text scrawl appeared and his voice emitted from my Pipbuck. "I have granted you access to all files available on this device and have begun necessary decryptions. I am also working to assess the current situation using security files of SPP tower fourteen," he chimed.

Binary approached the large console and began frantically tapping away at the controls, Vertigo holstered his weapon and trotted up behind the smaller mare as Cherry whispered into my ear.

"The enemy of my enemy is my friend, huh?" she asked with a slight smile.

I nodded, mimicking the expression somewhat. Despite not knowing exactly what he'd done to me, he may have his uses. But Overseer was still far from my friend.

Destiny Corporation Restricted File Active.

Login Sequence Begin…

Restricted Access: Tier 1 Security Clearance Required.

Login: Access Granted by order of Overseer.

Loading Data files: Apotheosis Contingent.exm...

File Active.

Designation: Apotheosis Contingency.

Status: Active.

Funding Available: N/A

Project Classifications:

Classification 1: Evolution

Subject: Milky Way

Test Status: Microbe Bio-infusion - Error

Subject Status: Suspended Animation, Interrupted (Cause Unknown)

Classification 2: Eternity

Subject: Silver Comet

Test Status: Etherium Graft - Success

Subject Status: Suspended Animation

Classification 3: Salvation

Subject: Starfly Nebula

Test Status: Micro-Mechanical Infusion - Success

Subject Status: Suspended Animation Interrupted (Intentional Shut Down)

Classification 4: Destruction

Subject: Quasar

Test Status: Serum Integration - Success

Subject Status: Suspended Animation Interrupted (Intentional Shut Down)

Contingency Implication: Failed (Lockdown Enacted At All Facilities. Cause: Foreign Hostility)

I pressed a hoof to the flickering terminal screen as the information appeared. Every other screen around me showed the same thing as Binary and Overseer conversed like old friends at the main terminal. Monster ponies, this was the basics of making a monster pony and yet there was no mention of the project Overseer had made me a key part of. I didn't know whether to be glad or frightened by that, all I did know is that I wasn't going to ask him with everypony around, especially Cherry. I didn't want her to know the truth if this thing growing inside me turned out to be no better than Carnage or the rest.

I noted the details of the mare Vertigo had reported. So she was really called Starfly Nebula? I thought as I saw a fitting also describing Carnage as a pony once called 'Quasar'.

Milky Way too, I that mare had felt odd but she hadn't been a monster in the memory orb? Doesn't mean she didn’t turn into one.

My stomach gave a slight flutter and I pressed a forehoof against it, sitting with my back against the cold metal wall. It's not a monster. I told myself over and over as my forehoofs stroked the tender area. But what if it is? What if it's the world's most perfect weapon, a pony designed only to kill for the purposes of a war that ended almost two centuries ago?

I swallowed and my gut twitched again. I could never have imagined it felt like this, so warm and tingly, the sensation of life inside me was both terrifying and amazing all at once. I glanced up, Cherry was across the room from me, rooting through an old storeroom which Overseer had unsealed.

Those sexual urges were still spinning in my twisted mind but I turned my eyes from her flanks jiggling in the open hatchway. I can't tell her, she has to stay a good pony and if she knows I'm carrying a monster...

"Hay, you holding up alright?" Vertigo's voice suddenly sounded.

I looked up to see the cyan buck form of the changeling stood just above me, his false-green eyes somewhat troubled. I sighed, taking my forehoof from my tummy and rolling onto all fours.

"Yeah... I just can't wrap my head around this," I stated, tapping my horn.

It gave a buzz, yet it was not as painful as it had been. Good, maybe I can have my magic back soon.

The changeling offered a smile. "Well, I'd say there'd be more wrong with you if you could just dismiss something this big as water under the bridge," he stated, hopping down.

He rounded on me, blocking my view of Cherry's butt. At the lack of cute, curved rump my eyes went nowhere else but the grated floor. Vertigo seemed to notice that and his smile only grew wider.

"You like her, don't you?" he asked, licking his lips. I scowled at him, but there was no joke in the question despite his hungry look.

I tried to nod. Do I like her? She's cute, kind, and adorable, but I've thought that about every other pony I've been with. Yet I'd known most of them for one night only and if I was to do such a thing to her I'd never forgive myself.

"I've liked a lot of ponies before," I responded with a slightly shameful expression.

"Don't I know it." He smirked and I huffed, grumbling about stupid love and stupid bug-ponies who treated it like dinner.

He gave a little chuckle, then glanced at Cherry. "You know, as one who feeds on love it's not hard to see it, and trust me, you love some pony you better say so before the world can take them from you," he explained simply, looking back at me.

I looked at the pink mare as she pulled several dusty cardboard boxes from the storeroom, then shook my head.

"That's the problem, I don't know if I love anypony anymore, I just like to have fun. If I did anything like that to her I'd never be able to forgive myself," I groaned, clattering my forehooves against the metal.

Vertigo sighed. "Yeah, but you look at her in that way. Tastes like a little more than just lust," he swiftly countered.

I paused. True, I'd felt like that with very few ponies. But I'd betrayed every last one of them for some new flank spank sooner or later, it's why I'd never 'loved' Star. I couldn't be sure Cherry was an exception.

"Look, thanks for the advice, but..." I trailed off, looking right at the buck before me, right into the cloudy blue lenses I knew were disguised beneath those green eyes. "I can't trust myself. There are other ponies I'd sooner fall in love with," I declared with a light hoof-stamp.

Vertigo shrugged. "Well, that's all I can give. But hay, I know what it's like not knowing whether you love somepony or you're just hungry," he added with another sly grin.

I rolled my eyes, my gaze peeling away to Cherry as she routed through one of the boxes eagerly. "And what about you, did you ever love anypony like that?"

The buck seemed to go stiff for a moment, a forehoof pressed to his chest before he finally sighed. "Once, I still love her... Keeps me going."

It was the first time I'd seen him speechless, and for some reason, the idea to press deeper didn't seem all that wise. The look on his face made it quite clear that love was literally the reason he was alive after so long.

My stomach gave a slight twitch, drawing my forehoof back there. Vertigo awkwardly coughed the topic away and glanced around.

"You know Binary's got this, no pony knows tec better than her, so if you wanna get some rest you can use the staff quarters just down the hall," he suggested, pointing a forehoof towards the large metal door and back down the corridor.

My eyes narrowed. "You don’t want me here or something?"

Now it was the changeling's turn to roll his eyes. "No, I'm just saying a pony in your state has to be more careful than the rest of us," he explained motioning to my midsection before razing a forehoof. "I know you said not to mention that you're preggers, but you’re only going to endanger your foal if you continue to deny that you’re pregnant."

I scowled, shoving down his forehoof as I opened my muzzle to retort. If only it was a lie. Words died in my throat as my stomach gave a firm shudder.

"Fine... You're right" I sighed, head and forehoof drooping.

Vertigo grinned, leaning back against the wall. "Down the hall, first door on the left," he directed, pointing a forehoof in the general direction.

I nodded, thanking the cyan buck as I moved off down the hall. My stomach started to churn again, and I instinctively started to look for a bucket. Great, tonight is going to be rough.

"Hey, Dragonfire, you alright?" Cherry's voice suddenly caught up with me, as did the pink mare herself as I looked back to see the pile of cardboard boxes laying where she'd once sat.

I paused, somewhat surprised that my simple absence had managed to tear her away from her scavenging.

"Yeah... I'm fine, I just need some rest and..." My stomach squirmed lightly and I press the tender spot with a forehoof. Oooo, I'm going to need a bucket soon, I know it!

"Oh, there's no problem, is there?" she asked with a slightly worried frown.

I shook my head, trying to resist her tentative expression as she stopped beside me. "Well, you shouldn't go anywhere alone, not with a foal," she insisted.

I once again opened my muzzle to assure her it was fine, but one glimpse at the smiling buck behind us and I wanted to scream. Vertigo waved a forehoof towards us, motioning to the living chambers as his smile widened.

I tried to make the frown I wore as subtle as possible as I looked back to Cherry. "Don't you want to scavenge some more stuff?" I suggested, but she shook her head.

"That stuff can wait. Like I said, from now on I'm not letting you or that foal out of my sight if I can help it." She placed a forehoof on my shoulder

I gave a crooked smile, blushing slightly. "Thanks, Cherry," I admitted quietly as I trotted down the corridor.

For some reason, I could not shake the feeling she was this clingy because of what had happened with Heatstroke. I knew the feeling of failure and wanting to do better. Not only that, I'd asked her to hold back on the care once before.

But as she beamed at me I could not resist that adorableness. Goddesses damn you, Vertigo! I don't love her!

"No problem, guess I just have more responsibilities now," Cherry assured me, grinning.

I looked back to respond and that was when my body decided to interrupt. "You okay... Is it the foal?" she asked, but even at her ridiculously cute cocked head, I could only choke out one word.

"Bucket!" She darted off in a pink flash, getting back with a hard hat just in time for me to throw up.

So what's that about being okay on your own? My mind asked as I gagged and spluttered into the hat, with Cherry patting my back. Ha-ha, very funny, brain.

'Be unwavering' The text upon the base of a small statuette declared as I levitated it in my newly restored magic.

I had no idea what the figure of the gorgeous white mare with dark purple mane had done to me but it made me feel like a princess, not mention returned the use of my magic. Oh damn, is that feeling sweet. I've no idea how earth ponies and pegasi survive!

"Oh, by the goddesses, I can't believe there's another. I think this one's Rarity? " Cherry gushed as she pulled out her Fluttershy figure.

She knelt down beside one of the small metal bunk beds that sat on each side of the small dorm, levitating her dirty barding onto the mattress above her. Even if she was with me, it didn't seem she could completely resist looking for something useful in the lockers and long boxes that were still here. I inspected the miniature Rarity closely as I rotated it in my magical grip. I assumed it belonged to Binary or maybe even Vertigo? Part of me wondered why it wasn't the head of the M.O.S they had a statuette of. With all Twilight had to do with Binary's former stable.

It was somewhat a shame that I had to place the figure back on the shelf with its company of dusty old computer parts and metal boxes. I almost felt guilty keeping Rarity and Fluttershy apart as I made my way over to the bed and Cherry set the butter-yellow pegasus down on the mattress next to her. Between the two bunks was a terminal, and below it, a safe. The likes of which appeared to have been assaulted by armature locksmiths multiple times.

"Hey, you reckon you can get into that?" I asked, pointing a hoof to the scarred lock.

She looked up, ears perked. Then glanced at the safe before her expression fell flat. "I could take a look, but it looks like somepony really did a number on this one," she observed. "Besides, don't you think they'll have an issue with us going through their things?"

I sighed, instead looking to the terminal on the wall just above it. "I suppose. May as well take a look at this instead," I grumbled as I trotted up to the screen.

Cherry frowned. "Come on, you think that they'd have left any terminal un-cracked around here? If it's locked, it will be for a reason." Regardless of her words, she was caught looking in-between me and the safe, curiosity blooming across her face.

Goddesses, is that a twitch? She looks like she'll bite her own hooves off if she doesn't give it a try.

"Vertigo owes me all the information he has. He has an issue with my going through his stuff he should not have sent me down here. I'm done with manners," I grumbled and no matter how unsure she looked, I could sense a part of her agreed.

If nothing else, it was pretty clear she could not leave any lock unchallenged. She crouched down before attacking the lock with the full accuracy of her precision skills. I merely fought to block out the sensation of her tender rear so close to me as I accessed the terminal. Unlike Cherry had theorized, it was not locked, yet that could have just as well been Overseer's doing in the past few hours. Logging in, I found no option to unlock the safe, but several files and audio messages. I scrolled down, but most were from before the bombs and only one, from a few years ago, was post-apocalypse. Glancing down at Cherry working between my legs, I swiftly sought the distraction offered by one of the recordings. It even had a data file attached to it.

"Goddesses, why does everypony assume that I'm the one to deal with this stuff?"

The sound of a gruff buck filled the small room, the constant humming of static emanating from the background as he began to ramble in frustration.

"Damn Dusk, if she's got a problem with her work and Tail Feather, then why's she dragging me into it. She knows I work for Oracle now, right? Though, I seriously doubt that given she is sending me illegal data that should have been destroyed months ago. I have a good mind to report this just because she's so incompetent! Urg, these mares are gonna be the death of me if any pony else finds out about this! Those Etherium Blasters are dangerous, I say good riddance, it's like the stuff they're made from is pure evil. But if there's bits involved... Well, she owes me this.

Moon Glow, I'm forwarding you these two copies of the Prototype design, and the fire talisman integration matrix. You get this to Star Shine in the Trottingham facility then we get the whole set together on the black market. Oh, and if you see Dusk Light you tell her that she's a dumb mule for sending this here. That thing they dug up, I dunno its weird, like every signal has a mind of its own, I have no idea how far transmissions will even get these days..."

The Recording cut out and I paused, looking at the screen then towards the attached file. As the buck's words had suggested, and my thoughts had hoped, I was presented with the second set of blueprints for a gun known as the Prototype Etherium Blaster I'd discovered under the Destiny labs. In addition, there was a way to add a fire enchantment to said weapon should I find all the parts. I made a note to download the rest of the data onto my Pipbuck if I ever got the thing back. Then there was a soft click and a squeak as the safe under me opened.

"Phew, that was a stubborn one," Cherry declared as she leaned back and wiped her forehead with a forehoof.

I sat back on the bed, looking down to see several broken bobby pins sat beside the open safe. Inside was a stack of old, pre-war paper, some ammo, a pile of old musical records and a photo. I seized one of the records first, slipping it out from the cover.

'Hush now quiet now, by the cutie mark crusaders.' Not a song I recognized.

The faded photo accompanying it depicted a picture of a large workforce, including both ponies and robots, all lined up proudly before their monstrous machines and construction equipment, the white walls of the grand, ivory tower in the background. A rather attractive looking cyan pegasus mare with stunning rainbow mane was flanked by two more pegasi, all dressed in dark Shadow Bolt barding as they stood proud at the forefront of the crowd along with a few Equestrian Sky Guard.

'Ministry of Awesome. Super secret awesome project, tower 14. I was there.' Was scribbled at the base of the photo as well as a signature from Rainbow Dash herself.

I placed the photo into my bags, where it joined the other of a smiling family, then looked back into the safe and noticed one more thing hidden behind the pile of records, a long black case.

A memory orb case? I'd seen them before, and just as much was confirmed as I opened it to find several orbs sitting neatly within the velvet-lined interior, as well as another photo folded between two.

'My Super Special Somepony, Sweetie Belle.' said a small scribbled message on the back of the image depicting two ponies stood seemingly backstage, one a purple pegasus stallion in Equestrian Sky Guard uniform, and the other the white-coated unicorn mare with teal eyes and a pink, lavender mane I recognized from the factory memory orb.

She was dressed in a beautifully regal white and gold dress while both ponies smiled at one another with loving expressions. It was almost like I'd seen her in the memory, though the lack of motion made it feel somewhat distant.

Is that stallion the one who's memory it had been? I stared closely at the thing before I felt Cherry's breath on my shoulder.

"They look so happy..." she observed, stealing my attention as she leaned back against the bed.

Then she stepped back, sitting on the bunk opposite. I thought about that as I slowly removed my barding, my body aching from the punishment I had subjected it to as it was forced to move in ways that set off my pain receptors.

"I still find it hard to believe anypony could have done everything together like that…. Must be nice to have a special pony," she added with a sigh. I slid the photo back into the case closing it, before placing it in my bags.

"Yeah... Wish all the ponies who fucked everything up were as sweet," I countered, sitting on the bed beside my folded barding.

The pink mare looked over the technological abundant walls, a forehoof pressed against one. "You ever imagined what it would be like if... If it hadn't happened?" she asked tentatively.

I paused thoughtfully, I knew my answer was not what she'd want to hear. The way I saw it, the war wouldn't have ended. Those monsters would have just kept on going, making bigger and more destructive things until there was nothing left. Some of those things were still going today, hiding in bunkers and laboratories.

I shook my head. "I can't imagine it would be any better," I admitted, my stomach giving a twitch as the idea crossed my mind and I raised a forehoof to it gently.

Cherry sighed. "We're not so good, are we... Ponies in general I mean?" she asked, glancing back at the terminal.

I looked right at her, the good, smart, beautiful mare she was. "Not all of us are so bad," I admitted with a small smile.

That adorably humble expression surfaced again as she leaned forward. "Do you ever wonder why we're even here? Why we were able to do what we did, kill the world?" she asked.

She was a smart pony, smart, and apparently philosophical. All traits I lacked and appreciated in her. As for her question?

"I honestly don't know. I just assume everypony's bad news until they prove otherwise," I answered leaning back and waving a forehoof upward dismissively.

She sat up and looked around cautiously. My tummy gave a light twitch and I rubbed the tender spot with a forehoof. Cherry glanced down at me, smiling before her eyes strayed to my midsection.

"How is he?" She asked kindly.

I smiled, rubbing the area slightly more. "Well, he feels fine, but I don't think he's any bigger than a nut yet, so I have no idea," I responded, and she raised forehoof tentatively.

"Can I..." She motioned down at my belly.

I glanced down at my own forehoof, then at hers, removing it as I nodded. My heart fluttered at her touch and even though my mind continually told me she wasn't doing this for me, it just felt good to feel her hoof against my body.

"You should start thinking of names, I remember Tumbler coming up with them ever since the moment she felt morning sick. She didn't even know she was pregnant back then, and still said she dreamed about foal names," she said with a slight laugh as her forehoof stroked me gently.

Her happiness was only fuel on the fire of my contentment as I raised my head. "I'm open to suggestions," I told her with a slight smile.

She seemed strangely honored by that fact as she looked back at me in mild surprise. "Well... I, I don't know, I mean ..." I placed a forehoof on hers. "Relax, we still got ten months or whatever yet," I assured her, and her sudden excitement seemed to fade.

She gave a crooked smile, "Keeping my eye on you for that long is gonna be hard," she joked. Then she was looking right at me. No, she really looked at me.

"That night... in Crossroads, when Sky told me about you and the foal... And the radiation..." She trailed off and I felt my inner self begin to weep.

I paused, the idea of what might have been if I'd have not been saved by some ridiculously lucky fluke arising in my mind.

Having a monster pony growing inside me is not lucky! I reminded myself, but I ignored the fact.

I imagined her there waiting for those long days, knowing I was pregnant and that radiation was going to take me away from her, just like her family and her friends back in Bucktown. A mild rage flared in me as I heard the prim tone of the wasteland's incarnation laugh and skip around my head. Yet my temper was soothed by a cool realization. How I'd felt last night, the guilt, how I'd felt about Cherry ever since I'd seen the real her back in Crimson Springs and most importantly, how I was feeling right now.

I did love her like I'd loved only a small number of ponies in the past. I realized that all thanks to a damn changeling. What did Vertigo really know about love? To him, it was no different than a snack? I recalled the photo of the smiling family and my forehoof passed from hers to my stomach, then came the recent image of the two loving ponies backstage and I felt my heart flutter at the possibilities.

"I thought I was gonna lose somepony else I cared about, then I found out about the foal and it was like I was back there, the day they died," Cherry muttered anxiously, she looked at me with a worryingly desperate expression, her thoughts seeming to rage in her head like a storm behind her quivering eyes.

I had a brief moment to take things in, opened my muzzle to respond. Then the world stopped. She's kissing me! Goddesses this has to be a joke, this mare isn't real. It's just Vertigo pleading for more love!

As our lips met and all the love and passion flowed through, however, I knew that this was the mare who'd been scarred by the loneliness of the wasteland her whole life. What was this now, some kind of desperation before I could be taken away again? What did it make me if I abused it like I'd done so many others who'd been into me? A long moment of embrace later and she pulled away, shivering.

Her expression was soft for just a moment before her eyes went wide and her pupils contracted to pinpricks. "Dragonfire... I'm sorry... I..."

Oh, goddesses, what did my dumb face look like after that? I was stunned with a level of shock that completely overwhelmed my senses.

Cherry shivered, backing away sharply, I tried to wrap my forehooves around her but the limbs felt like jelly in my stupor. Cherry's expression turned from shame to fear as she shrank back like I was a hot flame.

"I... I..." she stammered before bolting.

I tried to scream, but like some nightmare, I could do nothing as my worst fearers played out before me and she disappeared through the doorway. All my hidden compassion and long-lost love withered with those thoughts. I fell limp onto the bed, the touch of her hooves on my midsection still tingling as I met it with my own quivering forehoof. She was gone, and I felt far more empty than I ever had. I glanced down and my stomach gave a twitch. I loved her, and it still felt so wrong.

---

Footnote: 50% to next level

Vertigo: Companion perk acquired - Changefire: There’s a reason you don’t ‘see’ changelings that often. Your companion’s sneak skill is permanently increased.

Next Chapter: Chapter Twenty-Four: Changing Perspective Estimated time remaining: 1 Hour, 39 Minutes