“So…how long has it been?” Pumpkin said, her smirk slowly fading to a sad smile. She gave the room a cursory glance before returning her expectant look to me.

I didn’t know what to say. How could I? For her, yesterday was two hundred years ago. There was be no way around it, she’d learn one way or another.

“Pumpkin…it’s been two hundred years.” I said as delicately as I could, to no effect I might add.

“Oh…I-I see.” Her voice was absent of emotion and her gaze dipped towards her chest. “C-can I have a minute?” This time I could hear the slight quiver in her voice and that was enough for me to relent.

“O-of course.” I said standing up a little too quickly. “I’ll be just outside if you need anything.”

She managed a weak nod and I turned and made my way for the door. I had just barely passed the threshold when I heard her quiet weeping. I couldn’t even imagine what she was going through. To slumber for the sake of Equestria only to wake and have your entire world reduced to this. Everypony she ever knew long dead. Friends, family, she was truly alone in this world. I closed the door behind me and leaned on the wall beside it, content to wait until I was needed. While I waited alone with my thoughts of Pumpkin’s tragedy, I couldn’t help but weep with her.

Hours passed and Pumpkin was still quiet. I was starting to get worried but at the same time I wanted to leave her be. She had significantly more to accept than I when I first entered the Wasteland. Distant hoofsteps alerted me that somepony was coming this way. I refused to leave my vigil and opted to wait for whoever to come to me.

“Dr. Parish.” I acknowledged as she passed. She beheld me a moment then stopped, leveling me a suspicious look.

“You appear uninjured. What are you doing down here? I thought I told you we would protect her until she woke.” She said, breaking off from her path and approaching me.

“Uh…” I started, wondering what I should tell her.

“She’s awake then?” Dr. Parish questioned, pushing past me and into Pumpkin’s room.

“H-hey! Wait a sec-”

“Shut up and come with me.” She said, snagging my hoof in hers and dragging me along. “When did she wake?” She continued.

“About three hours ago.”

“And? How was she?”

“Well, I’m no doctor but she looked exactly like you said. Just fine.”

“Good.”

As we entered the room we saw that, since I’d left, Pumpkin had managed to open some metal shutters that had been concealing a window facing out towards the devastated and shrouded Blatimare skyline. Dark lines of matted fur drew lines down her cheeks. Had she been crying this whole time?

“What happened?” She was barely able to choke out before falling to her flanks and sobbing.

“I can take it from here.” Dr. Parish said, placing a hoof on my shoulder and pushing me towards the exit.

“Hey!” I protested for a second but stopped when I saw the distress on Pumpkin’s face.

“Where are you sending him?” Pumpkin asked, taking a quick step forward before hesitating to take another.

“I promise you she will be fine.” Dr. Parish said, directing her words at me. “I just want to make sure she’s okay. For that I will need some privacy, understand?”

“Uh…Oh! Oh of course.” I said as I finally understood. “I-I guess I’ll take my leave. I’ll be back soon alright?” I said over Dr. Parish’s shoulder. Pumpkin wiped her eyes with her foreleg and nodded. It was the best I could hope for.

Once I had acquiesced, I found myself with nothing to do. Nopony bothered me as I wandered the grounds, deciding now was as good a time as any to have that discussion with Freesia. As I approached the dry-dock I was stopped by two Rangers in power armor who had left their post by the doors to intercept me.

“Sorry Sparks, can’t let you inside. Elder’s orders.” An unfamiliar mare’s voice said.

“Do we know each other?” I asked, full well knowing the answer.

“Oh right.” She said, relaxing on her haunches and removing her helmet. The mare underneath had fur colored somewhere between red and purple. Her mane was blonde with a pink streak tucked behind her right ear “I’m Knight-Commander Scarlet Primrose. We haven’t met but you’ve been a topic of discussion amongst the leadership this last week.”

“Alright…why can’t I go inside?”

“Because the Elder is making soup for dinner.”

“…What the hell does that have to do with me going inside?”

“Any excuse is just as good as any other eh? Or maybe you missed the part where I said Elder Lions ordered us to keep you out.”

“I just want to talk to Freesia.”

“I’ll let her know you came by.”

“Thanks...I guess.” I knew any further effort would just be wasted so I relented. “So long Knight-Commander.” Well that turned out to be a bust. I continued to wander the grounds, no particular destination in mind. Minutes became hours and I eventually found myself sitting on the beach outside the walls of the Bastion. I stared out at the relatively calm waters and listened to the waves lap at the shore.

“I get the feeling there’s something on your mind.” My unexpected guest said from behind me.

“Watcher.” I acknowledged, never taking my eyes off the water. I did have something on my mind, a lot of somethings actually. How I had been waiting for another encounter with Watcher but now that he was here? I found that I didn’t have a lot to say. “Who are you? Really.”

“I…can’t tell you that.”

“Can’t? Or won’t?”

“If you were me, you’d see that they are mutually exclusive.”

“If I were you I’d probably be pretty lonely.”

“You have no idea.” Was that sadness I detected in his tone? A minute or so passed, something that seemed odd too me as I’d been led to believe his time in each spritebot was finite.

“I’ve been looking for a very long time Sparks.” He finally said. “Looking for ponies who bear very specific traits. I’ve guided dozens maybe hundreds of ponies to that end. I hold no doubts that I led many of them to their deaths. But I also led many of them to do a lot of good for this world so it’s not a total loss. None of them had what I seek.”

“And that is?”

“Harmony.” He said plainly like it should have been obvious.

“Am…am I one of the ponies you seek?” So that was it. The whole reason he’d been guiding me, guiding anypony. He was hoping that I might be one of the ponies he sought. A long silence lingered between us and the spritebot gave what I’d describe as a shake of the head.

“…I don’t think so.” There was that sadness again.

“I see.” I couldn’t say I was surprised but I was a little disappointed.

“I heard about Grim.” He continued, any trace of emotion gone from his controlled, robotically filtered voice.

“Is that why I’m not good enough?” I bit back without thinking. I had no right to be angry. Maybe angry wasn’t the right word, frustrated more like. I already knew I wasn’t good enough based on Pinkie’s statuette rejecting me, but hearing it from somepony else was like a fresh punch in the gut.

“Yes…and no…maybe. Listen, don’t beat yourself up over it. I was…experimenting. I suppose some things just aren’t in their nature. I don’t know if a griffin would have been able to use-” he suddenly stopped himself.

“Use? Use what?” I asked, getting up from my sitting position. What was he just about to say?

“Oh look at that, suns going down! We’ll have to catch up again soon!” Watcher spat out quickly. I craned my head up to the eternally grey skies and frowned.

“It is?” I wouldn’t know the sun was setting until it touched the horizon. “Watcher…are you up-” an abrupt burst of static cut me off as the spritebot turned and floated away. So it was true. Watcher was somewhere above the cloud cover. I was still a little suspicious of Watcher but now that I understood his search for ‘harmony’ I believed he was on my side. I wasn’t one of the ponies he was looking for…but maybe I could help find them. It would be an uphill battle without knowing what traits he sought but I could watch for exemplary ponies wherever I went…On the condition that Watcher spilled all the beans the next time we spoke, by his choice or otherwise. I couldn’t help but smile at the image of Watcher, as enigmatic and mysterious as he was, almost accidentally letting his plans out with a slip of the tongue. I brushed the sand off my flanks and thought I’d best return to the Bastion.

As I walked through the breach the Lunologist’s left behind, a lone pony in power armor began to approach me. I found myself wishing that each Ranger would personalize their armor in some way. As it stood I had no idea who was coming at me, especially now that ponies I’d never met like Knight-Commander Primrose were familiar with my name.

“Glad to be out of dry-dock?” I asked the approaching ranger, hoping that it was the mare I’d been looking for.

“You got that right.” Freesia’s voice said, slowing her pace to fall in line beside me. “What were you doing out there?” She asked, looking back through the breach.

“Waiting, I guess.”

“What for?”

“Pumpkin’s awake.” I said, my pace picking up slightly.

“Who? Oh! The mare you recovered from Project Outlast. How is she?”

“That’s what I’m about to find out.” We neared the med bay and I increased my pace to a trot, pushing through the double doors and ignoring the curious looks of the scribes from the lab. A sudden hoof shot out from around the corner and stopped me. Dr. Parish glared at me as stepped the rest of the way from the shadows.

“If you’re going to see her be very, very careful. She’s incredibly distraught. Don’t push her, about anything, understand?” Dr. Parish’s eyes narrowed as she let the severity of the situation sink in.

“I’ll be careful, I promise.” Dr. Parish looked me up and down, snorted, and lowered her hoof.

“I hope we define careful the same way.” She said, tapping a hoof against my metal leg with a metallic ding.

“Well either I do or I don’t.” I said, moving past her into the hallway. I opened my mouth to deliver another snide comment but resisted. I had to remind myself why I’d allied with them in the first place, hoping that the results would be worth it now that I knew what such an alliance had cost me.

When we entered Pumpkin’s room I was surprised to see her fast asleep in the hospital bed, snoring quietly under a thin blanket.

“She looks exhausted.” Freesia said from beside me, a soft click and hiss signaling the removal of her helmet.

“Wouldn’t you be if you were seeing all this for the first time?” I know that had been the case for me and it had nearly gotten me killed. Thankfully Sunny was there to save my pathetic ass. Just like I was here now, only somehow I was still the pathetic one. Well, I’m glad you think it’s funny!

“Yeah I guess…Hey Sparks? I wanted to talk to you about something.”

“Oh?” Consider my curiosity piqued. I’d been wanting to speak to her as well.

“Why did you save me? You nearly jeopardized the mission and if you were anything but a unicorn you’d have gotten us both killed. Still nearly did.”

“Because if there was even a chance I could save you my life was worth it.”

~A foolish notion. You can accomplish nothing when you’re dead, no matter how heroic or noble your sacrifice~

“Because it was the right thing to do. Because I wanted to. Because I’m your friend.” I continued, drowning out the Author’s protest. “…right?” I turned to face her, my legs spread out for a hug. “A friend wouldn’t crush me with her power armored strength, would she?”

Freesia managed a brief chuckle and wrapped her large metalclad legs around me, applying just enough pressure to squeeze me without crushing me. I might have been embracing a cold metal shell but it was one of the warmest hugs I’d ever had.

“Just try not to make it a habit.” She said, releasing me from her hold.

“Let’s call it even…for now.” I said, raising my eyebrow expectantly.

“Like I’m going to be your damsel in distress again. I’d never hear the end of it.” Freesia rolled her eyes and gave me a lopsided smile.

“Damn right.”

“Listen, there’s something else I wanted to ask you. A favor I guess.”

“Sure, what is it?”

“Here.” In her hoof was a memory orb. “I found this in the wreckage of a ministry chariot near Canterlot Mountain. I want to know what’s inside.”

“Aren’t there other unicorns in the Bastion?”

“Not as many as you might think, my father, a few others. I want somebody I trust to look for me.”

“You don’t trust your father?” I asked, disbelief in my voice. Freesia hesitated, unsure how to respond.

“I…love my father.” She said plainly. “But I know his heart. I know he’d choose steel over family. It took everything in mother’s power to get him to leave Fillydelphia. I do trust him…but not with this.”

“And the Rangers don’t have a recollector?”

“No. Elder Lions won’t allow us to repair the one we have or look for others. Nopony knows why.”

I did but Elder Lions had shared that memory with me as a way to help establish trust. I wasn’t about to risk that for what I’d learned, even to another Ranger.

“Alright. Give it to me, just promise you’ll-”

“Don’t worry, I’ll be watching you. Both of you.” She inclined her head towards where Pumpkin was sleeping.

“Thank you. I’ll see you soon.” I concentrated on the orb in her hoof, focused my magic and just like that I was gone again.

Thin rays of sunlight beamed in through the windows of the ornate white tiled lobby I found myself seated in. A sign mounted in a brass floor stand proudly welcomed guests to the ‘Sierra Maredre Hotel, Casino and Resort’. Judging by the semicircular Cherrywood desk I was seated behind, as well as the bell on top, I guessed I was riding the memories of the hotel’s receptionist. A receptionist mare I might add. An uncomfortable transition but one I was getting used to, which is something I never thought I’d say. What could the significance of this memory be? A few short moments later the reasons became apparent.

A slight commotion drew her gaze behind her to a white and gold spiral staircase where a drop dead gorgeous mare in a short purple and white dress confidently strode into the lobby, an unreasonable amount of luggage floating behind her. A mare that I was quite familiar with. Rarity had her head held high and a disarming, confident smile graced her lips. There was the slightest whisper of grey in her mane but it took nothing away from the experience, if anything it added to her regality. My host was significantly more star struck than I but I’d be a liar if I said I wasn’t appreciative of the uninterrupted view of a mare like her. She radiated charm and her very presence was enough to stall operations, simply to watch her pass. As she did so, however, a slight thud alerted the receptionist to something that had fallen to the floor. She stood from her chair to peer over the edge of the desk to spot what had made the sound. It was a book. A dark colored book bound in black hide. Something about it sent a cold shiver down my spine and I don’t even know how that’s possible. I wanted to look away but I couldn’t and neither could my host. Even as a disembodied observer I found myself frightened and drawn to the book. We stared another brief moment before stepping around the desk and retrieving it.

“Excuse me! Mistress Rarity!” She called out after her, raising the book aloft above her head. “You dropped this.”

Rarity turned around. “Oh! Well thank you very much miss…” Rarity trailed off as her expression melted away into one of indignation. With a crash, Rarity released her hold on her luggage, dropping it all on the floor in a heap. Her eyes narrowed as she came stomping towards us. A panicked tremble ran down my host’s back as she froze in place, only able to watch as what looked like a mare possessed got closer and closer.

“MIIINE!” Rarity screamed as she snatched the book out of our hoof. Rarity clutched it tightly against her chest, bared her teeth and whispered. “Mine!”

We swallowed a lump in our throat and took several steps back, cowering before her wrath. “I’m sorry I’m sorry!” she said, hiding most of her body behind her desk, peering around the edge carefully at the irate Ministry Mare. The savage look in Rarity’s eyes began to fade. First into confusion, then into regret. Rarity quickly cast the book into her pile of luggage, a horrified expression on her face.

“Dandelion?” Rarity said quietly, taking a few tentative steps forward. “Dandelion dear, I am so so sorry! I-I-I don’t know what came over me. P-please, please take this, it’s the least I can do.” Rarity’s beseeching expression belied everything I knew about the mare.

~So that’s where it went~ The Author’s eyes appeared beside Rarity’s luggage. How was he here?

Rarity, as her apology, dropped a hefty bag of bits onto the reception desk. Her horrified expression slowly withered to shame as she quietly moved back to her luggage. With a small effort she had them back in the air, carefully separated from the black book that she held protectively in her hooves. The Author’s eyes followed the book and burned with a ferocity that I’d never seen before.

~That book…is MINE!~ The Author bellowed as reality undid itself.

“MINE!” I heard my own voice scream as I lurched forward. I barely had time to even register where I was when Freesia caught me before I hit the floor.

“What!? What happened!?” The sudden panic in her voice did little to help calm me down but I got there after several deep breaths.

“I…I saw a book.” I said, feeling an icy chill flow over my body. As soon as the word left my mouth I saw it again. Just as it had been in Rarity’s hooves. It followed my eyes wherever I looked, like it was burned into my retinas. Cradled and safe in the hooves of one of Equestria’s greatest protectors. I shook my head and the image of the book vanished, to be replaced by the concerned expression of my companion.

“What kind of book?” Freesia’s tone deepened and took a serious edge. Did she know something I didn’t?

~My book~ The Author hissed. Sudden understanding dawned on me. The dark tome that Rarity had mentioned in Whinnyapolis, the ‘unique resource’ she had mentioned to Fancy Pants. The source of the magics she’d ‘discovered’. They all came together to reveal something dark, something sinister, something…evil.

“The Black Book.”
~The Black Book~

So that’s it then? That’s what you authored…who are you?

~I had a name once, given to me by the clan who took me in...They no longer exist, The Black Book saw to that. Their greed was their undoing, just as befell countless others before…and after~

I could feel the smile on his face as he spoke of his clan’s fate. What’s inside?

~The Black Book is the result of my life’s work. The greatest repository of magic this world has ever seen. Magics of all kinds exist within its pages, many of which some would consider to be…unnatural. A heretic they called me. Blasphemer, defiler, star cursed. I am all of these things and yet I am none of them. I stand alone as I always have and my reasons as to why are my own~

Well, you’re not alone anymore. If there was one fact I couldn’t deny that was it.

~No…I suppose I am not~

This time I felt…something else from him. Was that…? Gratitude?

~It matters not. It is out of our reach for now…I have a question for you~

This was new. Go ahead.

~Who are you?~

What? You know who I am. You’ve been squatting in my head long enough to know that.

~Tell me who you are~

Fine, have it your way. My name is Sparks.

~Your true name~

…Silvershine Sparkshower?

~Yes. Erebus…that was what they called me. Very good to meet you at last~

Near Pumpkin’s bed a cloud of gold swirled through the air and Erebus’s eyes appeared. Then more, multicolored, clouds began to swirl behind his eyes. Then in a brief flash of light the rest of him appeared. His legs, his stripes and his braided mane were all there. Whole and able to see the world through me. The Author…Erebus stood motionless as he hovered over Pumpkin’s still sleeping form.

“What are you up to?” I hissed at him. Pulling myself free from Freesia’s grasp.

~Testing the levels of my new perception~ His mouth didn’t move as he spoke. He turned to face me and smiled, a wicked glint in his golden eyes.

“How? How are you doing this?” He shouldn’t have been able to manifest like that. Not without me allowing him a little more ground.

~I must confess that I do not know. I did not and still do not understand the finer trappings of my prison. Though it seems to have worked out in my favor regardless~

“So you had a plan for something like this all along?”

~In a way. All roads will lead to my final goal eventually but the unseen paths often yield the greatest gain~

“Sparks?” Freesia asked from behind me. “Who are you talking to?”

Fuck! Had I been talking out loud? The line between what was real and what wasn’t was getting thinner. I could see him! He was right there! …but only to me. I was going to have to be careful. Very careful.

“I’d also like to know.” Came the carefully calm voice of High Scribe Quillwright.

Double fuck!

Quillwright was leaning in the doorway, a stern and almost uninterested look on his face. How long had he been there?

“S-Sir!” Freesia said, her body stiffening as she stood at attention.

“I’m not your commanding officer Freesia. At ease.” Freesia’s posture relaxed, although barely. “I will be taking this however.” He said, picking up the discarded memory orb from where it had been at my hooves less than a moment ago.

“I-I can explain!” Freesia started, straightening up to her full height.

“Later.” Quillwright regarded her out of the corner of his eyes with a tight frown of disapproval.

“B-b-but-”

“Later.” He said again, this time with more volume and emphasis. “Wait for me in Head Paladin Cross’ office.”

“Yes Father.” Freesia inclined her head towards him in a show of deference before silently leaving the room. Quillwright was Freesia’ father? Then that made the Star Paladin her mother. A lot of little things were clicking into place now.

“Sparks?” I heard a soft voice call. I turned to find the source, spotting a scared looking Pumpkin carefully peeking out from under her blanket.

Triple fuck! How long had she been awake? How much did she see?

“I bet she’d like an explanation as well.” Quillwright took a few predatory steps forward, his gaze locked on me. “I knew you weren’t telling the whole truth before.”

Got any ideas?

~Are you asking me for help?~

No. I’m asking for your advice.

~Is that not help?~

This is not the time for semantics!

~You and I experience time very differently. I’m over two hundred years old remember?~

So you won’t help me if you have nothing to gain, is that it!?

~Is it? I didn’t know that~

Fine, I don’t need you. I never needed you.

~We’ve been down this path before Starborn. Failure to recognize need does not eliminate it. You’ve always needed me and you’ll need me again in the future~ Erebus left Pumpkin’s side and walked through me, phasing back into me as his form vanished.

~Just as I’ll need you~

And with that he was gone and I was on my own…for the moment.

“What difference does it make Quillwright? What are you hoping to accomplish?” I backpedaled a bit closer to Pumpkin’s bed, feeling my heart sink a bit as she scooted away from me.

“You…are dangerous.” He said plainly. “Unpredictable and your loyalties are in question.”

“My loyalty is to my friends.”

“And not to us?” He said, his eyes narrowing and lips tightening.

“Not to you, no.”

“I see.” Quillwright’s fury seemed to vanish and his stance deflated. “In that case…will you walk with me?”

I was wary of such an offer but as far as I could tell, he was unarmed and if there were any lingering suspicions or doubts in his mind I couldn’t see them. I turned back to face Pumpkin, an apologetic look on my face as I returned my attention to Quillwright.

“Lead the way I guess.”

“Thank you.” Quillwright waved for me to follow and for the second time that day I left Pumpkin behind. We walked in silence for a long while, all the way to Quillwright’s office in the lab. I barely got a look at the room before he hit me with a big one.

“What do you know of the Black Book?” So I had been on to something before. Freesia had shown recognition before and Quillwright all but confirmed they had some idea what it was…but did they know where it was?

“Not much.” I said, which was true, having only learned of it myself minutes ago. “I know it contains powerful magic and I know Rarity had it last…I think.”

“That is correct. Or at least that is what Elder Cottage Cheese of the Manehattan contingent believes. A few months before we crossed the mountains I’d heard he sent a squad of rangers to Ministry Walk to search for it.”

“Ministry Walk?” I’d never heard of such a place.

“Yes. A park on the other side of the Celestian Monument. The Headquarters for the ministries are there.”

“In Canterlot?” He hadn’t said explicitly but where else would they have put sites of such importance?

“Yes.” He affirmed with a small nod. “The treasures of Canterlot have called many to their deaths, this book included. A favor if I may.”

“Uh sure.”

“Don’t speak of the Black Book anymore. To anypony. The last thing we need is Lions sending retrieval teams to their certain deaths on that cursed mountain.”

“Why? What’s so dangerous about Canterlot?”

“You don’t know? Right, you’re a Stable-Dweller.” He paused a moment, formulating his thoughts for what was assuredly nothing short of a presentation. “Canterlot, like most of the bigger cities, was hit by a megaspell. But not a conventional Balefire bomb like the others no, this one was special. Meant to kill the Princesses. The Pink Cloud, a great radioactive haze of entropic, necromantic gas. Over the centuries the Pink Cloud has seeped into the streets and buildings, everything it touched, slowly releasing it back into the air as they decay. Canterlot is less toxic now then it was but unless you think you’ve got the fortitude of Luna and Celestia I’d stay the hell away.”

“K-kill the Princesses?” I muttered. I felt a distinct wetness grow in my eyes as Quillwright nodded.

“Yes…unfortunately by the time they realized they were being poisoned it was too late. The potency of the fledgling megaspell was too much for them to handle. I’m told they took turns maintaining the shield over Canterlot, protecting the rest of Equestria by trapping the Pink Cloud inside. In the end the Princesses succumbed to fatal exposure, holding each other as they died.”

“How do you know all this? Why are you telling me?” I struggled to reign in my feelings. In the Stable we had been taught that Celestia and Luna had ascended to the heavens, forever standing in silent watch over all ponykind. That turned out to be a lie. One that I had always secretly doubted but chose to believe. It’s what they deserved. They had willingly sacrificed their lives so that the rest of Equestria could survive and we repaid them by devolving into scavengers, raiders, and monsters. Forever locked away from the brilliant sun and majestic moon as if they knew we were unworthy of their light.

“Elder Steelhooves provided the information as an eyewitness and I’m telling you because I want to prove I can be trusted. I know how I may appear and no doubt my daughter has thrown in her two bits as well but I am not your enemy. I just want what’s best for the Steel Rangers.”

“And what might that be?” I still had my doubts. That statement could mean any number of things. Elder Lions had mentioned traditionalists who wished to return to safeguarding technology from the ‘unworthy’. Could that be what Quillwright meant?

“Lions is right. We’ve been no better than the pegasi, isolating ourselves from the rest of Equestria. If we stay locked up in our bunkers and other fortifications…we’ll die out. We need to reintroduce ourselves to the Wasteland. Not as xenophobic technology hoarders but what we were always meant to be. Protectors of all ponykind. I believe Elder Lions can achieve this or at least pave the way for another ranger who feels the same. We’ve taken Elder Steelhooves’ words to heart and we will make Applejack proud. One way or another.” He thumped a hoof against his chest and smiled. I don’t believe I’d ever seen him smile before. It looked…good on him. I had him all wrong. He was simply protecting what he valued most, the future of the Steel Rangers.

“So why the act?” If this was how he really felt then why did he behave so abrasively?

“Can I trust you with a secret?” He asked, the look in his eyes abruptly switching to…caution?

“Tell me.” I said as calmly as possible. A shudder of anticipation rolled over my body as I suddenly found myself feeling excited.

“Elder Lions has given me a special task. The act is part of that task. I am to play the role of irate traditionalist. I’m supposed to identify and organize the Rangers who wish a return to form. Try and convince them to stay if I can…exile them if we cannot.” There was distinct sadness in his tone.

“Is there some way I can help?”

“No, I don’t think so. A lot of ponies here know who you are now. It would be suspicious if you suddenly started supporting the traditionalists since you only allied with us recently. They would never accept you anyway being an outsider and all.”

“I see…and what do you think? Of me being an outsider that is.” Quillwright let out an annoyed nicker and shook his head.

“It doesn’t matter what you are or where you’re from. I know you support Lions and he has given you his trust in turn. That is good enough for me and please accept an apology for my deception.” He inclined his head towards me, not quite bowing but something in between.

“Apology accepted.” So it had all been an act and he had me fooled from the get-go. I wondered what it was like to go undercover in your own organization. “If there is any way I can help-”

“I know and thank you.” He said, silencing me before I could finish. “Oh and don’t forget what we spoke about, please keep what you know of the Black Book to yourself.”

“Understood.” I nodded. With a growing, uncomfortable silence I turned to make my leave.

“Oh, one last thing Sparks.”

I froze. What else did he have up his robe? Anxiety began to flourish in my chest as the question I’d initially refused to answer was no doubt about to come up.

“Your secret is safe with me.” Secret? What secret!? There’s no way he knew any of my secrets.

“What secret?”

“Who you were talking to.” He said knowingly. “When I treated the injuries you sustained at Project Outlast I went through your bags looking for extra medical supplies.”

My eyes widened and I felt a surge of magic go for Starfall. It took all of my willpower but I was able to stop the impulse.

What the fuck do you think you’re doing!?

~Me? Is that what I am to you? Some kind of monster you can shift blame to? Well I have news for you Starborn, this time the blame is yours~

I felt my eye twitch as I tried my hardest to appear calm. He was wrong, he had to be.

~Must I? Have I ever lied to you? Tricked you or deceived you in any way?~

Not that I can prove.

~And who would you prove it to? Me? Yourself? Your friends? And then what would you do? I am the only one you can count on. I will never leave you. You should try and make the most of it~

I would if I knew anything about you.

~Is my name not enough? You’re the first to hear it in centuries~

I meant whatever your plan is.

~I’m afraid you’re going to have to make do with what you have. You’ll know in time but at the moment you are severely lacking in context~

Great. I guess I’ll make do with nothing like always.

~Nothing? Starborn if only you knew the true depths our joining. If only you’d follow the lessons I’ve been trying to teach you. You look but you do not see, you listen but you do not hear, you act but you do not believe~

“I don’t know where you found them.” Quillwright continued. Them? “But they’re priceless. Keep them close to you and they will serve you well. Just try not to talk to them in front of other ponies eh?” He smiled again and strode past me back into the lab. I paused and took a moment to process everything I’d just heard. Absently I floated out the three statuettes I carried and set them in a row on Quillwright’s desk.

Be Strong!
Be Awesome!
Awareness! It was under ‘E’!

It occurred to me that this was the first time I’d read the inscription on the base of Pinkie’s statuette. Ironic. Another reason I didn’t deserve it. Quillwright had been correct though. They had served me well and I just so happened to know where another of them rested. In the stronghold of our new enemy, Director Cobalt. That one was, at least for now, out of my reach. I smiled fondly as I returned them to my bags, pausing a moment and letting out a sigh as my eyes came to rest on the Pinkie statuette

“I suppose I should have told him you talked to me first.” I chuckled at my own lame joke, failing to reel it in as I caught myself doing what I was just asked not to. That was when I felt it. It was like an echo, a distant thrumming that gathered in my chest. A reaction. One that made my smile grow. Pinkie reacted to my bad joke!

She hadn’t given up on me…me, a murdering wretch, soul bound to an entity I still barely understood. She hadn’t given up on me, she just knew she couldn’t help me until I helped myself. I wasn’t there yet but now at least I knew what to do.

“Thank you.” I patted the top of the statuettes head and placed it with the others. In my other bag rested the photo I’d taken from Whinnyapolis. The photo of all six of them, together, happy. Shouldn’t they know that joy as well? I barely made it a step when a shroud of malaise fell over me. Horror, tragedy and a distant longing were only some of the constants of living outside. Horror of the world we had inherited from the ponies of the past. Tragedy of those who had long ago died, their dreams lost and unfulfilled. The distant longing of a world healed and restored to its former glory. All of those thoughts came together to remind me of the one who was suffering from all three. One who was potentially suffering more than anypony alive.

When I poked my head back into Pumpkin’s room she was still where I’d left her in her bed. Alone.

“Hey um…c-can I come in?”

“Oh!” She said quietly, jumping a little as I made my presence known. “Sparks…please do.”

I entered the room and planted myself in a chair at the side of her bed.

“I’m sorry if I frightened you earlier.” My eyes drifted to the floor, ashamed of my own stupidity for speaking to Erebus out loud.

“It’s alright. Aurora explained everything to me.” A familiar hollow feeling in my guts gripped me with dread and anticipation.

“E-everything?”

“Well, no. There were a few things she insisted you explain yourself, though I haven’t any idea what she was referring to.”

I felt the tension in my body begin to drain away as I silently thanked Aurora for her prudence. “Well, one step at a time right?”

“I suppose.” She said, a faraway look in her eyes. “I want to go back.” She added, her words hard and sure.

“Back to project Outlast?” What did she want to go back there for?

“Yes I want-” She paused, failing to hide a sniffle as moisture twinkled in the corners of her eyes. “I want to see it myself.”

I hesitated. Was that really the right thing to do? Even if it wasn’t I had no right to stop her from going. “If that’s what you want.” I stood from my chair and headed for the door. “I’m gonna go tell the others and we’ll get ready to leave tomorrow. I think your belongings are in that locker.” I pointed to a standing locker that I didn’t remember seeing before.

“We’ll?” She questioned.

“Yeah. You and me, Sunny and Aurora.”

“Y-you don’t have to do that for me…” She half whispered.

“Yes I do. We saved you from that place. That makes you our responsibility. MY responsibility. I won’t allow you to go alone.” I said matter-of-factly, leaving no room for discussion.

“T-thank you…Sparks.”

I felt the sudden warmth of appreciation in my core. Did that mean I was on the right path? Was I doing the right thing?

~You’ll find that ‘the right thing’ is dictated by one’s own point of view~

Nopony asked you.

~Then who were you asking?~

Myself.

~Well I have news for you, that’s me~

“I’ll see you tomorrow Pumpkin. I’m glad you’re alright.” I didn’t wait to see her reaction and headed for the keep.

Aurora had apparently told her a great deal of our adventures with some pretty glaring moments left out. Many of which were for the best. They could come later…if she decided to travel with us that is. Dread abruptly crept into my mind at the thought of her not coming with us afterwards. Why was I feeling so strongly about her? Perhaps I was overthinking things, or maybe I was just on edge after being abandoned by one of my other friends. Sunny and Aurora gathered their belongings and went to wait at the gates while I went to get Pumpkin. As I neared her room I was stopped in the hall by a young sounding Ranger stallion whose voice I didn’t recognize.

“Hail outsider.” He said in greeting, inclining his head toward me slightly. “I understand you and your retinue intend to escort Pumpkin Cake back to Project Outlast?”

“That’s the plan.” How the hell did he know what we were up to?

“Understood. When you return, Elder Lions would like you to meet with him and Head Paladin Cross in his office.”

“Alright. Tell him I’ll see him soon. This shouldn’t take long.” I started to move past him as I got the last words out. He didn’t follow.

I pushed open Pumpkin’s door just in time to see her throw a white lab coat over a formfitting, dark blue uniform of some kind. A very formfitting uniform. Pumpkin had the kind of flanks that would- distract a stallion from his story, sorry. Anyway as she threw her coat on and I shook my head to keep from staring, I approached her with a greeting.

“Good morning. Is…is that all you’re going to bring?” All I saw was what she was wearing. No saddlebags and most glaringly, no weapon.

“This is all I have.” She said, turning to face me with faux disheartened look.

Awareness! It was under ‘E’!

My eyes suddenly developed a will of their own as I began scanning the room for…something. Then I noticed them. On each of Pumpkins lapels were little golden pins. On her right lapel was the six pointed star and accompanying starbursts of the Ministry of Arcane Sciences. On her left was the cluster of three balloons that I’d seen many places. The Ministry of Morale. She must have noticed my inspection, clearing her throat and giggling as she lifted her head in pride to explain.

“I was awarded this pin by Twilight Sparkle herself you know. Only project leads are allowed to wear them.” My jaw almost dropped.

“You met her?”

“Mhmm. I grew up in Ponyville so I knew Twilight before she was a Ministry Mare. I knew all of them. In fact it was Aunt Pinkie who helped me get the job at the M.A.S. when the war started.”

“Aunt Pinkie?”

She never could refuse her auntie Pinkie. The hologram of Pinkie Pie had told me. You’ll actually get to meet her soon. How? How could she have possibly known this was going to happen? It wasn’t like she could’ve seen the future, could she?

What you have is a family who loves and cares for you. And the best part is you haven’t even met them all yet! Pinkie had also said. Oh you already know who I’m talking about. You just haven’t met her yet. Somepony to replace that void in your heart. Somepony to help you keep moving forward. All of a sudden all the pieces fit together. Pumpkin was the pony who built the hologram projector. Pumpkin was the pony I was supposed to meet. Pumpkin was the one to fill the void in my…

~The void in your heart has already been filled. Listen not to the words of a ghost long dead. You-~

Shut up.

“Yeah. She worked in my parent’s bakery for a long time. She helped raise me and my…my brother.”

“Sounds like she was very important to you.”

“She was.” Pumpkin looked down towards the floor and poked at her pin. A forlorn look on her face.

“In that case I have a gift for you.” I couldn’t believe what I was going to do next but sometimes you know just where you needed to be. Only I didn’t mean me. I was just the delivery colt. I called up my PipBuck’s inventory spell and took Pinkie’s statuette from my bags. “Now you have more than just the clothes on your back.”

Her eyes lit up like the night sky(as the expression goes) as she gingerly took it from my hooves.

“W-where did you get this?” Her voice was shaky and I could tell she was doing her best not to cry.

“That’s not important.” There wasn’t a chance in tartarus I was going to tell her about my conversation with Pinkie Pie. At least not for a long, long time. I was suddenly looking at Pumpkin in a whole new light. I quickly looked her up and down and felt my cheeks grow hot as Pinkie’s words echoed in my head again. “W-what is important is that she’s where she belongs.” Pinkie or Pumpkin? Shut up! Even my own mind saw fit to betray me.

“I-I don’t know what to say.”

“Say you’ll stay with me.” Fuck! That wasn’t what I meant to say.

~But it’s what you wanted to say~

Shut. UP!

“W-what?” Pumpkin’s bewildered expression couldn’t hide her own blush as she shied away a step.

“With us.” I hastily corrected. “I want you to travel with us. I would never forgive myself if I let you go out there alone.” No matter what Aurora had told her, no amount of explanation could prepare her for putting her life on the line just to go outside. If she went off alone…she wouldn’t come back.

Pumpkin was idly twiddling with a lock of her mane, the look in her eyes more far away and thoughtful. “Can I decide later? I…I don’t know what I want to do…”

“Yeah…no problem.” All things considered that could have ended worse. “Come on, it’ll take us a couple hours to get there.”

Sunny and Aurora were waiting by the gates as they said they would. Together, and with some saddlebags for Pumpkin, we filed out of the Bastion’s gates and turned south towards the Baltimare Ruins.

“I don’t believe we’ve met before.” Pumpkin said cordially, locking her eyes on Sunny with a smile.

“Sunny Smiles. It’s a pleasure.” To my surprise, Sunny smiled back. She never warmed up to ponies that quickly before.

“Likewise.” Pumpkin smiled a little bigger. “I’m Pumpkin Cake.”

“I know.”

“Y-you do?”

“Yep. You’ve been on that one’s mind for some time.” Sunny nodded towards me and I couldn’t tell if her choice of words was accidental or not. Didn’t seem to matter to my cheeks though.

“What does she mean by that?” Pumpkin’s expression was somewhere between amused and curious.

I took in a big breath and prepared myself for this explanation I knew was coming. “We’ve been to Project Outlast twice. Once on behalf of the Rangers, when I found your name on one of the terminals. It mentioned your intent to be the first test subject… The second was after we found the spot reserved for you in Stable 50. Since it was empty I wanted to check your facility again. Once I was able to get past the security to the labs that is. That was when we rescued you.”

“Impressive. I set up those measures to ensure only unicorns of adequate talent could enter. And thank you again, really, I’m…flattered that you came back for me.”

Several moments of silence passed before Pumpkin tried to get another conversation going.

“So Stable 50 opened?” She asked, a hopeful touch to her voice. I couldn’t fault her for assuming that it had opened on its own accord but the truth is rarely what we want to hear.

“Sort of.” I said, accidently letting some of the residual pain I carried for those whose lives ended tragically show on my face. “It was open when we found it. Open for a long time. We…put them to rest under the sky.”

“Oh.” She said sadly, her pace slowing until she was alone in the rear.

“I’m going to go check on her.” I sighed.

“Alright, just be careful. Give her more time to adjust before you tell her too much.” Sunny warned.

“Got it.” I said, stalling my own pace until Pumpkin and I were alongside each other.

“I’ll be alright Sparks.” She said before I could open my mouth. “It’s just…a lot to take in.”

“I understand.” I said sympathetically. “I grew up in Stable 63. I may not have seen Equestria in its glory like you but nothing could have prepared me for this.” I waved a hoof to our surroundings. “So believe me, I know what it’s like to feel small, alone, or powerless. If you ever feel like that, I want you to know that I’m here for you.” I felt my cheeks get warm again. “We all are.” I amended hastily, taking my eyes off her to look anywhere else.

“Hmm.” She was silent a moment, processing what I’d said alongside everything else she knew. “Can I ask you something?”

“Anyth-” I hesitated a second, wondering if answering any question of hers was wise. “Anything.” I affirmed, deciding to let her curiosity trample my worries. If worse came to worse I could always not answer.

“Have you ever killed anypony?” The question almost caught me off-guard. A year ago I’d have balked at the idea but now? Now I accepted it as an unstoppable byproduct of the current world.

“Yes.” I answered plainly. My eyes staying locked on the path ahead.

“A-and did they deserve it?” Pumpkin seemed unprepared for my answer and thus her follow-up question was equally unrehearsed.

“It’s not that simple. Some of them did, some of them didn’t.” My mind drifted back to Ribbon Dancer and Cutter. “Ponies out here will try to kill you and you don’t always get the reason why. Some are bloodthirsty raiders who kill and steal because they want to or know nothing else. Others might attack out of a need for something, food, water, or caps. Ponies just trying to survive…like us. There is no law out here Pumpkin, just those with the biggest guns and the skills to use them. If you are going to live outside…you will have to learn to kill. Like I did. Like she did.” I pointed ahead to my thirteen year-old daughter. Pumpkin’s eyes followed my hoof until they came to rest on Aurora. She looked back at me with a horrified expression. I gave her a grim nod in return, a bit of the sadness and regret I still felt about it in my eyes.

“T-then that means-”

“My daughter is a killer.” I said, doing my best to keep the emotion out of my voice. “Just like me.”

~So you’ve finally accepted the truth. Doesn’t it feel good? Doesn’t it make you feel whole to finally know who you are?~

I am what I choose to be.

~A foalish sentiment, one that you know to be false. You are what the world has molded you to be. An amalgam of everything you’ve seen, everything you survived, and everyone you’ve met. All of those roads led you to me and I can help you become something more~

“Does that make me a bad pony? Well, maybe by definition, you’d have to ask my mother.” I continued. “I like to think I’m doing the right thing. Doing it the wrong way? Perhaps but right and wrong aren’t so clear cut anymore.”

“H-how could you let that happen to her?” Pumpkin looked on the verge of tears. Crying for somepony else…that wasn’t a quality often seen in Wasteland ponies. Empathy. As pure as it was the day the bombs fell. Old world Equestrian empathy…just might be what the Wasteland needed.

“I didn’t have a choice.” I flinched at the memory of Aurora executing the captive griffin…at my insistence. “It's kind of like what I’m telling you now. It’s something you’ll have to accept sooner or later. Just remember why you’re doing it. To protect yourself, your friends, your…family.”

~What do you expect to happen? Surely you don’t anticipate her to find value in the words of a hypocrite~ A blur of motion caught my eye as the outline of my body leaned to one side and separated from me, molding itself into the shape of Erebus. He took a spot on the other side of Pumpkin, sandwiching her between us.

~So this is the one~ He said curiously, his golden eyes looking her up and down. ~Your ghost divined betrothed~

Get away from her. How am I a hypocrite? I had to remember that even though I could see him in the physical world, he wasn’t really there.

~You told her you were a killer and that is true, yes. However would she so carefully listen to the advice…of a murderer?~

The distinction isn’t important.

~Oh I disagree. The distinction is what separates a ‘good pony’ as you’ve put it, from a monster. You chose to kill Cutter, you chose to kill Chestnut. I imagine you’ll make that same choice again and again~

I can think of someone.

~Thank you for the vindication Starborn~

Go fuck yourself.

Pumpkin sucked in a shaky breath through clenched teeth. “Okay.” She said quietly, giving me a frightened yet determined look. “I-I’ll try.”

“You’d better take this then.” I pulled Heart’s Promise from my leg, sheathe and all, and floated it out for her.

“Sparks I-I don’t-” She attempted to protest.

“I want you to have it.” I said, floating the horn blade closer to her. “This knife is very special…it would mean a lot if you take it.”

“W-well…alright.” She relented, seizing the blade in a field of her own light blue aura. “Thank you…for everything.”

“Don’t thank me yet.”
~Why? Because it’s all selfishly motivated? Or is it because you are inherently unworthy?~

“We still have a long day ahead of us.” I said aloud, ignoring the undermining jab from the zebra walking beside me.

We had entered the ruins without any incident. Sunny had fallen back and took my place beside Pumpkin. I was still very surprised. It wasn’t like her to take such an interest in somepony. Well…somepony other than me. I guess I was a little selfish. Still, if Sunny wanted to make a friend I was all for it.

“Are you sure this is what you want dad?” Aurora’s sudden voice snapped me from my thoughts.

“What do you mean?”

“I’ve noticed the way you look at her.” We both craned out heads to look behind us. Sunny and Pumpkin were engrossed in a conversation that left the both of them with smiles on their faces. I couldn’t help but smile a relaxed smile myself.

“Yeah that one right there.” Aurora continued. “It’s the same way you used to look at…” Aurora trailed off. I instinctively touched the necklace around my neck with my organic hoof. My magic also went for the lone blue feather safe in my bags.

“It’s…different this time.” I said softly.

~Don’t tell me you actually believe the promises of a ghost~ Erebus said, saddling up beside me opposite Aurora.

“How so?” Aurora’s eyes narrowed.

“Because it isn’t what I want.”
~Liar~

“…Huh?” Aurora squinted into my eyes as if she may discern some higher meaning from them.

“It’s what I need.” I finished. I was taking a serious gamble here. Forces beyond my understanding surrounded me. Erebus, the statuettes, Fancy Pants and…the voice with the yellow eyes. People and objects that seemed to know more about my destiny than I did. Or at least claimed to know more.

Somepony to help you keep moving forward the voice of Pinkie Pie echoed through my mind again. Based on context clues I had no doubt that the pony she was referring to was Pumpkin Cake.

No matter what you find, you must keep. Moving. Forward. The voice behind the yellow eyes had told me. Alone the two meant nothing but together? They painted a clear picture. Pumpkin would be the one to help me. I was hesitant to accept such facts but then my thoughts went back to Pinkie Pie. I rejected her when we ‘met’ as well as what she had to say. Because of that whatever power each statuette granted was denied me when I claimed it. She knew I wasn’t worthy because I didn’t believe. So now I was choosing to believe. It may work against me in the end but for now it was the path I chose to follow.

“And what does that mean?” Aurora asked, her nose wrinkling in confusion.

“It’s…complicated.” I wasn’t ready to discuss the experience I had with Pinkie…or any of them really. Eventually they would all know, at a time of my choosing of course.

~Assuming you possess that degree of control~

And why wouldn’t I?

~Ah there it is. That beautiful dissonance. It is your unique ability, to be two things, opposite in every way, simultaneously~

What are you talking about? What two things? Me and you?

~If only it were that simple. I shan’t bore you with delicacies beyond your ken but know that I, as always, expect great things from you~ Erebus strode through Aurora and back into me, our outlines warping until they became one like two droplets of water meeting.

“If you say so.” Aurora said, sounding a little unconvinced. “Just…be careful dad.” I couldn’t fault her for wanting to guard me from…these kind of things. The fact that I wasn’t as guarded about it as I should have been is probably what had her worried in the first place. Were our places reversed I believe very much the same scene would’ve played out…maybe.

“I will.” Which, this time, was the truth.

It was about two in the afternoon when we arrived at Project Outlast. Two rangers in power armor were standing guard at the front doors. They both regarded us with unreadable expressions before nodding us through. The lobby was in quite a different state from how I remembered it. Gone were the piles of debris, gone were the remains of the turrets, even the bulky shell of the Sentinel had been salvaged and removed. The Rangers, for lack of a better word, really cleaned this place up. I could only imagine what the labs looked like.

“This is kind of surreal.” Pumpkin said, idly sauntering across the lobby with a frown on her face. I couldn’t begin to imagine what was going through her head. So much time taken from her only to wake up in this hellish world we’d created.

“Howdy Boss.” A familiar voice with an unmistakable twang said.

“Hey AJ.” I tried to greet.
“Applejack!?” Pumpkin shouted, bolting from where she’d been musing to rush to my side. “Did something happen to you too!? Did your family make it to…Stable…2?” Pumpkin’s frantic tone slowly faded as she got a closer look at the robotic duplicate of Applejack.”

“Ah’m ‘fraid Ah don’t rightly know, Ah ain’t actually Applejack.” AJ smiled warmly, thumping a hoof against her chest hard enough to hit her chassis through her synthetic fur and flesh. “Ah reckon they did but Ah can’t say for sure.”

“Pumpkin this is AJ.” I interjected. “She’s a near perfect replica of Applejack.”

“Near perfect? Could the real Applejack fire beams of destructive magic from her eyes? Didn’t think so.”

“Like I said, near perfect. Humble too.”

Pumpkin’s bewildered expression gave way to a nostalgic smile. “You got that right. Well it’s lovely to meet you AJ.”

“Likewise.” AJ bowed her head. “Is there somewhere Ah can take ya?”

“This is your show Pumpkin.” I said, taking a step back. “It’s your call.”

“Take me to the control room.” Pumpkin said without hesitation.

“Alrighty. Follow me.”

I had to agree with Pumpkin, this was kind of surreal. I had expected significantly more damage to have been inflicted on the room. From the looks of it the only thing in the room that was broken was the massive glass tube that had once contained the maelstrom of Pumpkin’s magic.

“You must be one hell of a unicorn.” I said under my breath. To have powered this installation by herself for centuries…it was undeniably impressive.

“I could use advanced magic before I could talk.” Pumpkin said softly as she ran a hoof over the pod that had been her prison for two hundred years. “Aunt Pinkie used to say that babysitting us twins was scarier than the war.”

“Twins?” She’d mentioned a brother before.

“Yeah me and my brother, Pound Cake.”

“Pound Cake?” A nearby scribe said, lifting her head from whatever she and the other two scribes next to her had been doing. “Some of the tapes we’ve uncovered here were recorded by a ‘Pound Cake’”

“How many?” Pumpkin asked, abandoning her pod and dashing over to her.

“Several. Most of them were too degraded by time to function but there was one we could salvage. Would you like me to get it for you?”

“Yes and please hurry.”

“Yes Ma’am.” The scribe bowed her head and trotted out of the room.

“What was he like?” I said, hoping it would distract her until the scribe returned.

“He was a complicated pegasus.” She started, beginning to circle the room at a slow pace. “Some days he wanted to join the Equestrian Air Force, some days he wanted to be a scientist like me.”

“A pegasus?”

“Yeah. That was always a kind of an in-joke since Mom and Dad were both earth ponies.”

“That makes sense…I think.” According to the terminals in Stable 63, it wasn’t impossible for unicorn parents to birth earth ponies or pegasi. It stood to reason that the same was true for any pairing.

“Pound spent most of the war at home in Ponyville, helping Mom with the bakery after Dad… was declared MIA.”

“Your father was a soldier?” Sunny asked, her ears perking up.

“No, not really. He volunteered to join the Ministry of Peace after Princess Celestia abdicated the throne to Princess Luna. He wanted to help any way he could but he wasn’t especially strong. Becoming a medical pony was the best way he could do that, according to him anyway. He was declared MIA after the Battle of Stalliongrad.”

“Battle of Stalliongrad?” The history books we’d been supplied in Stable 63 made no mention of specific battles fought during the war and after the thousands of ‘edited’ books we found in the M.o.I in Whinnyapolis, I doubted such a book existed if it ever had at all.

“The only battle to be fought twice.” Pumpkin said, completing her first circuit of the room. “Where the first megaspell was tested.”

“I would think a megaspell would be a pretty decisive win. Did the zebra attack a second time?” Sunny asked, unslinging her guitar from her back and playing it.

“What? No, what makes you think that?”

Sunny’s guitar stopped and the silence that followed was very loud. “Because it was fought twice?” Sunny said, her forehead wrinkled in confusion.

Pumpkin’s own incredulous stare slowly vanished as realization caught up with her. “Right, sorry.” Her ears fell back against her head and she stopped pacing. “I’m sorry.” She repeated, trying to hide a tiny sniffle. “Anyway after the battle had been won by the Equestrian Army, Fluttershy deployed her team and-”

“Wait, hold up a second.” I interrupted. “Fluttershy deployed her team?”

“Yes. It was Fluttershy and the Ministry of Peace that created the underlying spell framework necessary to create megaspells.”

I was dumbstruck. Fluttershy? Meek and afraid Fluttershy? …Bringer of death Fluttershy. Architect of the apocalypse Fluttershy…Oh no.

“Fluttershy…destroyed the world?” Sunny asked, her jaw more agape than mine.

“Well…no. There are a lot of things you have to understand first.” Pumpkin said gravely. “When-” The sound of a distant explosion stifled all further explanation.

“What was that?” Aurora asked, shying closer to me as another, much closer, explosion shook the building.

“Perimeter report!” I heard another of the scribes demand.

“They came from the south!” I heard a radio filtered voice come from a set of speakers on the wall. “Main force is on the ground, not many of them but we’ve confirmed at least four griffins in the air armed with anti-machine rifles!”

“Withdraw to Outlast’s lobby now! All personnel fall back!”

“Understood. Falling ba-” Their voice was drowned out as a pointblank explosion sent static screaming through the speakers.

“Knight Lilac!” The scribe called in vain.

“Are…are we under attack? From whom?” Pumpkin trotted towards us, putting herself between Sunny and I.

“Red Eye.” Scribe one from before said as she galloped into the room, the holodisk clutched tightly against her chest.

“Impossible.” Scribe two said. “Even the griffins and alicorns couldn’t have gotten him set up so fast.”

“Maybe he found another way through the mountains?” Scribe one offered.

“It’s possible, even though we couldn’t find one and Red Eye wouldn’t waste his resources by risking The Long Dark.” Scribe two continued with a thoughtful nod of her head.

A nearly silent ping from my PipBuck signaled that ‘The Long Dark’ had been marked on my map somewhere.

“Who is Red Eye?” Pumpkin had a fearful look in her eyes.

“Slaver.” Sunny said, narrowing her eyes and giving the reload lever on her battle saddle a kick. “I’m going to join the defensive line.”

“Right behind you.” I said, drawing Retribution from its holster and Starfall from my back. “Pumpkin I want you and Aurora to stay here. AJ you’re with us.”

“Got it Boss.” AJ fell in line with Sunny and I as we made our way back to the lobby.

“Wait!” I heard Pumpkin call from behind us. “Everypony come closer.” With narrowed eyes and raised eyebrows, Sunny and I turned around and returned to her side.

“What?” I asked, eyeing her expectantly. She closed her eyes and took my hoof.

“Everypony touch Sparks.” She said. A micro storm of magic swirling around her horn. I felt Sunny’s hoof drape across the back of my neck and a small tug on my tail as AJ took it between her teeth. “Everypony ready?” She asked. We gave an affirmative nod as the magic around her horn glowed brighter. Just as it became too bright to look at I felt a pair of hooves wrap around my leg. With a sputtering burst of magic, we were all engulfed in a light blue flash and vanished. My body felt weightless and my skin tingled like I was walking through the bypass shield again minus the pain. Then all at once, reality came back into being and my insides turned upside down. Nausea rippled through my guts and I did everything I could to keep from vomiting. The filly attached to my leg wasn’t so lucky. Unfortunately for me the sound of her retching was enough to push me over the edge. Sunny was making a face like she had an itch she couldn’t scratch, likely fighting back the same urge Aurora and I had succumbed to. Once I’d wiped the excess slobber from my mouth, and leg courtesy of Aurora, I noticed we were in the lobby. Four rangers in power armor and three in light armor were scrambling back and forth setting up defensive positions. EFS showed a cluster of four or five more friendlies heading into the labs, likely the rest of the support scribes.

“Knight Juniper how many are left out there?” AJ asked, her metallic physiology missing out on the party the rest of us had been forced to attend.

“This is it.” Knight Juniper, a mare, said. “Knight Lilac and Knight Ferris’ squads are gone, presumed KIA. Long rang communication is out, one of the griffins may have set up a jammer on the roof or somewhere nearby.”

“What are our options?” I asked, trotting over to the defensive line with the others following behind me.

“Hold them as long as we can.” Juniper said gravely.

“T-that’s it?” Pumpkin said, her eyes frantically darting side to side. “Shouldn’t we call for reinforcements or something?”

“Weren’t you listening? Long range comms are out.” Juniper said shortly. Considering an alternative, I called up my PipBuck’s sorting spell and brought the radio Blackhawk had given me. I hit the button and was greeted by nothing but static. No comms at all, not good.

“What if we sent somepony on hoof?” Pumpkin tried again. “I could go back to the Bastion and-”

“Get back hours after we’re all dead.” Juniper bit out. “The Steel Rangers are prepared to protect our interests to the last pony.” She said somberly, her stance deflating a little. “But between you guys and AJ, we have a fighting chance.” Juniper stood back up to her impressive, power armor assisted height. “C’mon, if you’re able, help with the defenses. We don’t have much time.”

As soon as the words left her mouth, a thunderous boom from outside punched an apple sized hole through Junipers chest. Somepony screamed and the bullets began flying. To the left of the lobby came another boom as a portion of the south wall came down in an explosion assisted cloud of dust and debris. I could see shadows within the cloud begin to advance but they didn’t get far. AJ’s eye laser came from behind me and swept back and forth across the opening in the wall until she could hold it no more, the shadows inside collapsing into piles of slightly glowing ash. I poked my head out of cover to see a group of four ponies charge through the lobby. Pumpkin had dropped to the floor but was still very much in the open. Cursing my luck, I launched myself up to a standing position and dashed towards her. Gunfire was all I could hear as the rangers exchanged fire with the slavers. When I reached Pumpkin I quickly threw a shield up around us as I lifted her from the floor.

“You have to get into cover! Come on!” I tried to yell over the noise. We made it two or so steps when another gigantic boom sounded and my shield shattered. Thankfully the bubble shape of the shield altered the bullet’s trajectory so it didn’t just pass through me as well. I pulled Pumpkin down to the floor with me as I tried to roll us towards a defensible position. From the top of the lobby stairs I heard the panels on AJ’s back open as she vented the built up heat from her laser. A third shot from an anti-machine rifle sounded and one of the rangers in light armor was messily bisected. We needed to fall back, get somewhere we could get away from those rifles. Even power armor couldn’t stop them, making almost any shot that connected a fatal one.

“AJ!” I shouted, hoping her artificial hearing could find my voice. “Take the others and fall back! Bring them inside!” I pointed in the general direction of our attackers. I thought I saw her nod in response and that was good enough for me to move on to the next part of my plan. “Sunny!” I called to my closest friend. “Let’s show them who we are!” I caught a certain twinkle in her eye as she smiled. I nodded and flipped the hood of my cloak up and galloped out through the hole in the left wall. The first thing I noticed was a brown griffin crouched behind a crashed skywagon, a rifle as long as he was propped up on top of it. He was situated across the street from our position, giving him clear line of sight into the lobby through the front doors. I moved as quickly as I dared, closing the distance towards him as an explosion came from the lobby. Two of the attacking slavers had been killed and a third was left without a leg. In no time at all another five were galloping in to reinforce the lobby.

I was behind the griffin now, watching the fight over his shoulder through his scope. I spotted the bodies of the other two rangers in light armor, bloodied and left where they fell. I also caught an orange blur moving through the dust and one of the red blips in the lobby disappeared. The griffin adjusted his aim and through his scope I watched Sunny jab her hoof into a slavers neck, crushing his windpipe, as his eyes went wide and he scrambled uselessly for breath. As soon as the crosshairs moved towards her, I took Starfall and thrust it into the griffin’s neck. He barely had time to scream before his spinal cord was severed, slumping quietly to the ground dead as I appropriated his rifle. It was a heavy, unwieldy thing. Clearly designed for battle saddles or the naturally larger griffins. Bracing it against the skywagon like the corpse at my hooves had, I peered down the scope and began to search the nearby rooftops. Knight Lilac had reported at least four griffins equipped with the powerful rifles, surely they hadn’t retreated right? Then I spotted one. On a rooftop less than 20 meters from my position was another of the long rifles jutting over the edge of the roof. That was all I could see. On the roof, in between me and the other griffin was an air circulation vent. Though if it could punch through power armor…I lined up what I hoped would be a body shot and fired.

The power in these rifles was nothing to fuck with. The force behind the bullet being fired rattled my teeth so hard I thought I might have lost some. The ringing in my ears was so loud that I wouldn’t be hearing anything for a bit I imagined. I couldn’t confirm if I’d killed the griffin or not but the spray of blood from behind the vent signaled that I’d hit them at least. The long rifle fell from their grasp and landed in the street. Two down two to go. There wasn’t much more I could do from this position without risking hitting my allies. Instead I peered down the scope just in time to watch Sunny, or more likely Downpour, twist a stallion’s leg all the way around and with a mighty pull sever it completely. I sure was glad she was on my side.

A rumbling in the earth brought my attention to the north wall of the lobby. Two of the power armored rangers had smashed through the wall and unleashed a salvo of missiles towards the roof of a building further up the street. I watched in silence as a bullet punched out the back of one of the ranger’s helmets at the same time their missile reached their target and exploded. One sniper left. To my right, something landed on my leg. I looked down to see a scar in the dirt where a bullet had just made its home. I had been unable to hear the sniper take a shot at me. With a foreign tug of magic Starfall was in its awakened form in front of me. I ducked behind the blade and felt the bullet hit and ricochet of the metal, shoving me to the ground in the process. As soon as I was down I began to roll back towards the skywagon, putting it between me and the sniper. Of course as a flier they could change position at any time but that came with risks as well. Without the sun above to blind spotters, a large griffin against the eternally grey cloud cover should be easy to spot at this range. I couldn’t stay where I was either, a lucky shot would likely go right through the skywagon and hit me. Steeling myself for what I knew I had to do, I lifted Starfall and held it between me and the general direction the shots had come from. It was time. I jumped to my hooves and galloped as fast as I could across the street, heading back into the lobby. I had just crested the top of the small set of steps leading up to the lobby doors when another bullet struck Starfall and threw me off my hooves. I hit the concrete hard, landing on my left shoulder and rolling several times until I came to a stop courtesy of the side of the building. I had thankfully come to rest behind the outcropping that framed the main entrance doors. Though I wouldn’t have time to catch my breath. There were still slaver ponies on the ground, rushing us from wherever they were coming from.

A particularly bold looking mare with red fur and redder eyes came galloping around the south side of the building, a thin sword wreathed in electrical fire clutched in her teeth. I was still on the ground by the time she caught up to me. Her attacks came in fast, two horizontal cross slashes aimed at my chest. I was able to bring Starfall up to block the first slash, redirecting it upwards where it burned a thin line in my cheek. The second slash came too quickly for me to get Starfall up in time, burning a line through my armor and chest. I screamed as the fire around her blade seemed to retreat into the cut on my chest, burning me with excruciating pain. I clutched a hoof to the wound as if I might beat the fire out and to my surprise that’s exactly what happened. The sword mare wasn’t done with me however, she recovered quickly enough that she hopped back a step and attempted to drive her blade through me. Starfall was too large to combat the mare’s smaller sword effectively, at least while I was on the ground, but it was far from the only tool at my disposal. From my bags I quickly produced the statuette of Rainbow Dash, deflecting the mare’s stab with the large base.
Be Awesome!
Then, lifting it up over my head, I brought the base down on her head as hard as I could. I couldn’t hear it but I felt something give way as she collapsed, assuredly dead, in front of me. Once I was back on my hooves, I put up my hood again and hugged the building until I reached the hole the rangers had made earlier in the north wall. Now that all but one of the primary threats to the rangers were dealt with, the slavers were thoroughly on the losing side. The few that were alive were galloping for their lives out of the breach in the south wall. Downpour had one pinned on the floor beneath her, one of his front legs broken at an obscene angle.

“Take this one alive.” One of the rangers, a stallion, said. All their voices sounded far away but at least I could hear them.

“Do you think they’re gone?” The other ranger, a mare, asked.

“Don’t know but we should get that jammer offline. Tell the Bastion what happened.”

I followed his gaze to the body of Knight Juniper lying in a pool of blood.

“It’s been a long time your Highness.” The slaver Downpour had pinned hissed.

“What?” I said, dropping the hood of my cloak to the surprise of the rangers.

“Wasn’t talkin’ to you. Was talkin’ to her royal Highness.” His eyes never left Downpour’s as he smiled cruelly. “Oh you don’t know?” He said, shifting his gaze to me. “You got yourself the real deal here. The baddest bitch I ever met. First champion-”

Downpour had heard enough, wrapped her legs around his neck and squeezed as hard as she could. The slaver’s eyes bugged out of his head as he uselessly flailed against her. Despite the insistence that we take one alive, nopony seemed particularly interested in saving his life. Not even after it was choked out of him completely.

“Why did he call you-”

“Later.” She said. Dipping her head to hide her eyes under the brim of her hat. This was the second time she’d blown off an explanation about her connection to Red Eye and his slavers. Now one seemed to have recognized her, perhaps even admired her based on his complimentary words. That didn’t cast my theory of former slave into positive light. I needed answers and I needed them now.

~No.~ I said, shaking my head. ~I’ve done my waiting. I will listen. Now.~ W-was that my voice?

Downpour lifted her head and the eyes she’d been hiding now burned with a smoldering fire.

“You want to know so badly? Fine! I admit it! I was one of Master Red Eye’s slaves!” That explained her conditioned-like way of calling him master. “And that saved me from what I was…gave me a second chance.” She said, suddenly turning her head away in shame.

“What does that mean?” Aurora said from the top of the landing.

“How long have you been there?”

“I never left.” She said with a smirk. I gave some of the bodies a second glance and confirmed that they had been killed, or at least hit, by small arms fire. I’d never met a ranger armed with anything that I’d define as ‘small’.

“That’s enough.” Downpour bit out. “Not in front of the kid.”

“I was a slave too.” Aurora said pleadingly, hoping having that in common would keep her talking.

“I was a lot of things kid.” Downpour said, her tone carrying a hint of warning. “Slave least among them. Beyond what’s under my tail that’s all we’ll ever have in common. I got what I deserved and I don’t want to talk about it anymore.” Downpour turned her back on her and headed for the hole in the north wall, leveling me with a glare as she passed, ignoring the rest.

“Where’s she going?” Aurora asked, a hint of concern in her voice.

“Back to the Bastion probably.” I said calmly. Why did you make me say that?

~I didn’t make you do anything. I just removed the inhibitions that were in the way of what you already wanted~

But why?

~You are much too patient, forgiving. These are not ideal qualities, especially when they get in the way of what you really want~

And that’s control, right?

~Part of it. Or perhaps not~

Just what are you playing at? He was still an asshole but something about him seemed different. It was almost like he was a stern teacher and I a reluctant student.

~I couldn’t have said it better myself. Though recognizing that will change nothing. It is not in your nature~

You sure seem to know a lot about me.

~Of course. It is my-~

Trust is a two way street.

~What?~

If you want me to trust you, you’re going to have to start telling me things about you.

~You misunderstand. It is not my intention to hide things from you. You simply aren’t ready for them. That is why I’ve been trying to teach you, to give you the context needed for what I have to say. What I have to do~

Then how about a show of good faith?

~…What did you have in mind?~

Don’t speak again until I ask for you.

~Is that all? You still underestimate-~

This isn’t about that. If I’m supposed to learn then it has to be on my terms. No goading, no preying on my thoughts. If I want your opinion, I’ll ask for it, deal?

~It is…acceptable. For now~

Without warning, a burst of magic appeared next to me. I nearly jumped out of my fur but the distressed face that came out of it made me pause.

“Sparks?” Her voice was anxious and shaky with fear.

“I’m here Pumpkin.” I said, resting my hoof on her shoulder.

“Thank goodness, is it…over?” Her words got quieter and her eyes got wider as she beheld the aftermath the fight had left on the floor.

“Pumpkin?” I asked, watching as her breathing began to pick up pace. Her eyes darted from one body to the next, her eyes wide as dinner plates as she started backpedaling. “Pumpkin stop!” I yelled.

Too late. She tripped over the back half of the ranger who’d been bisected, falling onto her back with a wet splat. Then she began to scream, shuffling back even further. As she passed the front half of the ranger and met his lifeless eyes, she looked down at the blood soaking through her lab coat and promptly threw up into her bloody hooves.

“Geez.” I heard one of the rangers whisper understandingly as the both of them walked over to her. “Get her on my back.” The other ranger nodded and carefully helped a screaming Pumpkin off the floor and onto the first ranger’s back. Only after she was secure did her screams cease.

“C’mon, let’s get you away from this.” The other ranger added, following after the first until they were clear of the bodies and blood.

“I can take it from here.” I said, offering Pumpkin a hoof and helping her down.

“T-t-thank you.” She said, weariness having seemingly won the day. “All of you.” The rangers merely nodded and went to work gathering and piling the bodies. “Sparks…” She whimpered, looking up at me with shame in her eyes.

“It alright.” I whispered. “It happened to me too. Sometimes still does.”

“D-does it ever get easier?”

“No. No, you just get used to it.” We sat with each other in silence for a minute or two. A quiet snickering from behind drew my attention but not for very long.

“You can stop now.” She said, the small tug of a smile pulling at the corners of her mouth.

“Sorry, I won’t say anymore.” Was she smiling?

“Not that.” She said closing her eyes and leaning in closer. “You’ve been stroking my mane.”

I froze. My eyes found my errant hooves and I had indeed been stroking her mane. “Sorry. I uh…really like your mane.” I put all my hooves on the ground and turned away. Right into Aurora’s knowing smirk.

“I put some thought into what you said.” Pumpkin continued, mercifully sparing me from further embarrassment. “I will travel with you…”

Anything I’d been feeling before was overwhelmed by the feeling of relief that was granted by her words.

“…on one condition.”

I stopped, my smile vanishing. “Name it.”

Pumpkin’s horn glowed for a second then, in a flash of light, the holodisk from before appeared before her. She grabbed it and held it tightly against her chest.

“I listened to this during the fighting.” She started. “It’s only a few years old.”

“H-how is that possible? I thought we were the first ones inside for centuries.” I said. It made sense. All of the security measures were in place when we arrived.

“That’s what I thought too. But there’s a secret way inside. A way that I only told one pony about. My brother, Pound Cake. He recorded this.” Pumpkin, for the first time since I met her, sounded hopeful. “I want your help finding him.”

Footnote: No level up.

Next Chapter: Chapter Thirty-Two: Hearts Laid Bare Estimated time remaining: 8 Hours, 39 Minutes