Happy.

As Pumpkin and I returned to the others I couldn’t help but feel happy. How long had it been since I felt like this? A hidden part of me was calling it a self-fulfilling prophecy, that by telling her how I felt I was merely going along with what Pinkie had told me regardless of what I actually wanted. But I did want this. At first I did think that it was just because of what Pinkie had said but as time went on my feelings became clearer, became my own. The happiness I felt when she accepted my feelings and even reciprocated them was proof of that. Preordained or not, this was what I wanted.

“Soooo…” Sunny said expectantly, a playful wiggle in her eyebrows.

“We…we um…yeah.” I stammered, trying and failing to hide my blush.

“Yeah we…um…” Pumpkin tried to assist, her blush outshining mine. To settle matters I held out my organic hoof to her and she gingerly took it in hers. We looked into each other’s eyes a moment and squeezed.

“Alright alright, that’s enough.” Sunny said, whipping me over the head with her hat. “I’ve been spectator before and I don’t fancy a repeat performance.”

Pumpkin dropped my hoof and frowned. “What does that mean?”

“Congratulations you two.” Indra said as she passed us, snickering as she went.

“What did she mean?” Pumpkin insisted.

“Yeah, not crossing that bridge yet.” I said, turning around just in time to catch a heavy raindrop on my nose. “Shit.”

A storm of heavy raindrops fell upon us forcing us to take shelter under the remains of a massive fallen billboard. Thankfully, as it fell years ago, it hit a rock jutting up from the ground near its base, the break making it look like the book forts I used to build as a colt. It had enough space for us to comfortably walk under and build a fire to stave off the chill, though a last-minute tactical decision put a stop to that part.

“Sunny, I have a question about…you know.”

“Alright…” Sunny looked at me suspiciously, no doubt wondering how much I intended to say. “Shoot.”

“Before, when I didn’t know, you said it was…separate. Your sister I mean.” I hoped that wasn’t taking it too far but if memory served Sunny had confirmed Grim’s theory of a split personality, something I now knew to be false.

“I…was testing you. I said that about my sister to protect you from the truth.” In other words, she wanted to keep her past a secret and made up her split personality.

“I understand.” I said. I hoped that we could find some time for her to explain more but the more I thought about it the less I cared. Not because I didn’t care no, but because I didn’t want to make her remember. I didn’t need to know who she used to be anyway, that pony didn’t exist anymore.

“Do you think the bleeders are coming from Stable 54?” Pumpkin asked, flourishing her horn and instantly drying all of us.

“There’s a stable here?” Sunny asked. I think I saw something about Stable 54 the day I left Stable 63. It must have been well hidden if neither we nor the raiders who had occupied the cathedral found it.

“Yeah though that’s all I really know about it.”

“Strange that they’d allow a stable to be built under a place of worship.” I said, curious what the reason actually was.

“Oh the Sun and Moon cathedral wasn’t for worship, the princesses didn’t much care for that sort of thing. This cathedral was an insane asylum.”

“An insane asylum?” Sunny and I said in unison again.

“Right.” Pumpkin nodded.

“Well, who knows what to expect from this stable. I wouldn’t write it off as the source but there’s only one way to find out.” I said, standing up and poking my head out from under our cover. The rain wasn’t letting up and didn’t look like it would anytime soon. “We should go, we’ve wasted enough time already.” The closer we got to the cathedral, relatively dry thanks to Pumpkin, the more unnerved I became. As we came within fifty meters, the silhouettes of three shambling ponies could be seen wandering the grounds.

“How should we do this?” Indra asked, titling her head as she looked at me expectantly.

“As quietly as we can.” Sunny answered for me, drawing her knife with her teeth.

“Agreed. Everyone ready?” I locked eyes with each of them in turn and received resolute nods from them all. I sucked in a deep breath and drew Dragons Kiss. “Alright. Let’s go!”

Sunny and I led the charge, covering the distance from our hiding place to the cathedral grounds with enough speed to impress Rainbow Dash. A fact I was comforted by, the presence of her statuette in my bags making itself known. The bleeders of course noticed our approach and recklessly charged to meet us, their instincts throwing caution to the wind. A red lance of energy discharged from the weapon I floated beside me, its scarlet energy streaked through the air until it collided with the first of the bleeders. The energy instantly slagged most of the flesh around its right shoulder, the bones barely holding on by what bits of muscle and sinew remained. To my right a light blue glow signaled that Pumpkin had cast a spell and to my right one of the bleeders shot up into the air like a rocket, a blue field surrounding it. She lifted it about thirty meters then released her hold, sending it plummeting back to the ground where it landed with a sickening crunch.

Sunny, knife in her mouth, streaked past me and embedded it in the forehead of the bleeder I had shot. It didn’t react in the slightest, simply directing its attention towards her and away from me. Which gave me the shot I needed. I sent another burning line through the air and it punched a hole straight in one temple and out the other. The edges of the wound glowed for a split second and overtook its whole body, reducing it to a pile of slightly smoldering ash with Sunny’s knife in the middle. To our left Indra had shown an impressive display of agility. Deftly lopping off the third bleeder’s leg, vaulting over its body and bringing Starfall down hard in the center of its back, cleaving it in two. While only one of them was confirmed dead, the other two were reduced to little more than bloody, snarling piles of scenery.

“Nice one Pumpkin.” I said, taking an amount of pleasure in the smile that followed.

“T-thanks.” While I could see the smile on her face, I could still feel the uneasiness I knew was rooted in her heart. In time the truth will make her understand. Just like it did me.

Before we could decide our next course of action the thunderclap of a gun alerted us to the presence of others. Pumpkin yelped as the bullet drove into her side, throwing her to the ground. My eyes went wide and unseen power roiled to the surface from within.

My fear and grief were quickly swallowed up by a raging inferno of hatred. I caught the glint of a scope peering around the edge of the cathedral wall as several ponies made the turn around it and aimed their weapons towards us. I growled as the power radiated throughout my body. Without a seconds hesitation I took off towards them.

“Sparks wait!” Sunny called after me but I had gotten too far ahead. As I neared them I called Starfall back to me, its pale light shining as it awoke in the air. I caught it perfectly in my teeth and swung it in a wide horizontal sweep, ignoring the bullets that were biting into my flesh. A crescent of silvery blue energy surged from the weapon, those who didn’t dive to the ground were killed as the wave of moonlight cut through them. I used my new strength to leap into the air and bring Starfall down on a mare who was still on the ground. A neighboring stallion managed to bring his battle saddle to bear and blasted me in the side. I staggered slightly but otherwise felt no pain, ignoring the attack as I pressed my own. Swinging Starfall through unarmored pony flesh…only fueled my fury. Warm blood splashed on my face as I plunged my blade into the chest of the stallion who shot Pumpkin. The long rifle clattered to the ground as he coughed a lungful of blood into my face. As I let him drop dead to the ground I spotted two survivors galloping for their lives. The futility made me smile and with a mighty heave I sent Starfall spinning through the air towards them, guided by my magic. The first was hit below the neck, lopping her head off with minimal effort. The second wasn’t as lucky as the sword pierced his belly and stopped cold. He didn’t die immediately which only made my smile grow even larger. With a mental call, Starfall lifted the stallion off the ground and flew through the air back to me, landing blade first in the dirt with the stallion in tow. As he lay there, the hilt of Starfall reflecting what light we had, I looked him in the eye and snarled.

“Descend into darkness and vanish.” With my new strength I plucked the blade from the ground with my teeth, pony and all, and flung it high into the sky. Against the bright ceiling of clouds, I watched in delight as the stallion’s dark silhouette spun faster and faster until the two halves of his body separated and were thrown in opposite directions. I watched one of the halves until it hit the ground, suddenly hyper-aware of what’d just happened. I had let him in. Or rather he used my momentary weakness to force his way in.

I looked back at my friends to see them haul a, surprisingly unharmed but jolted Pumpkin back to her hooves. Thank Luna she was alright. I galloped back to them as fast as I could. When I reached them I wanted to pull Pumpkin into a hug but before I could take another step, Sunny floored me with a hoof to the mouth. I hit the ground shoulder first, rolling several times before I was able to adapt and roll back to my hooves several paces away.

“Stay. Back.” Sunny warned, ushering the others behind her and squaring up against me.

“Sunny? What’s gotten into you?”

“I should be asking you that.” Sunny said. Standing just behind her was Pumpkin, fright defining her expression. I tried to take a step forward and she flinched. I stopped, feeling incredibly hurt, taking a step back and accidentally stepping in a puddle. As I turned to look, I saw Erebus’ reflection smiling back at me. I stuck my other hoof in the puddle, sending out ripples to distort Erebus and return my reflection where it belonged. Once I saw myself I understood. Pouring out of the sides of my eyes were wispy lines of pink smoke. Streaks of blood leaked from the numerous bullet wounds I’d unknowingly received. And as if noticing them cast a silent spell, the bullet holes started to steam, hissing as the bullets were forced from the wounds. They plopped harmlessly into the puddle as they were ejected, the wounds continuing to steam until they’d filled and healed completely. Suddenly I could feel the aching pains of the healed bullet wounds, the cold of the rain and the fearful looks from the others. The smoke coming from my eyes ceased and I felt like myself again.

“I’m-” I tried to say, the words drowning in my throat as a torrent of blood was ejected from my insides. Thick, red blood mixed into the puddle at my hooves as I toppled forward and landed face first in the muck. I felt something grab my tail and pull, freeing me from the foul mess I’d created.

“Sparks?” A distorted voice asked. Who was that? Sunny? Pumpkin?

“I’m…I’m alright.” My own voice sounded distant and I tried to get to my hooves.

“What happened? What the fuck was that?” Sunny asked. I forgot that Sunny never saw what happened in Whinnyapolis and at the time I’d refused to share it with anyone.

“Are you alright?” I ignored Sunny’s question and turned my attention to Pumpkin.

“I’m…okay. My coat and uniform are made of a weave of ballistic fiber.” Despite the kindness in her voice there was none to be found in her expression. She clutched her side and winced, no doubt she would be pretty bruised but no worse for wear.

“T-thank goodness.” I said, slowly moving to face Sunny. “That Sunny, is what I’m afraid of. This time I had control…” I let the sentence silently finish itself. Had I really been in control? I couldn’t be certain but there had been enough of me to bring me back.

“Control of what?” Indra asked. I had almost forgotten she was there.

“The other part of me.” I answered in the zebra language. “The Starborn.”

Indra’s eyes widened and she took a step back. “Where did you hear that word?” She asked, the fear evident in her voice. “To be Starborn means you have been marked by the stars to bring about great destruction. Like Nightmare Moon.”

“Then I suppose it’s appropriate that I carry her sword with me.” I glanced down to where I’d dropped the priceless blade.

“T-that sword was Nightmare Moon’s? Stars above I held it! That sword will bring you nothing but pain and suffering. Get rid of it if you value your life.”

“Your concern is noted but I need it. To save somepony special.” I hadn’t forgotten about Stormy but we needed the Steel Rangers help to get to him so I would help them in turn.

“You will not part with it? It is evil. Anything from the stars will only do us harm.”

“Maybe, maybe not. But this sword saved my life and in my hooves it might save more.”

“Perhaps. It will also end more.” Indra looked towards the group of ponies I’d just slaughtered. Who were they anyway?

“We’ve got a lot to do still.” I said, ending our conversation. “Let’s get inside.” My mane wetly clung to my head and a shiver ran down my spine.

Sunny and I took the lead again as we carefully stalked around the wall of the cathedral.

“Are we just going to pretend that didn’t happen?” Sunny asked. The way she looked at me now…she was afraid but not for herself.

“What do you want me to say Sunny? I fucked up okay? When she got shot…it was like Winter and Azura all over again.”

“So you let him in?”

“No! No, not on purpose.”

“You let what in?” Pumpkin said from my other side. Luna’s sake how long had she been there!

“I…I can’t tell you.” I refused to meet her gaze.

“But you could tell Indra? Is that it?” I could hear the irritation in her voice.

“Pumpkin…listen. I’ll tell you, I promise, but it has to be on my terms. I-I don’t want you to think…that I’m a monster.” Even though that’s exactly what I was becoming. Pumpkin’s eyes were narrowed but gradually her expression softened and she accepted my compromise, I think.

“Why would I think that?” Her tone was softer but I could tell it was forced.

“I appreciate the sentiment Pumpkin but I can see right through you. When I came back…you hid and recoiled from me…I’m not blind.” I said, fighting back the tears that wanted to come. I didn’t want her to see how much that had hurt me. At least she had the decency to look a little ashamed of herself.

“I…I’m sorry.”

We cleared the rest of the wall with no incidents. That is until we crossed the threshold to the courtyard. The entrance to the cathedral was a grandiose as one could expect. Two sets of stairs came down from the front entrance, each one curving around a headless statue of who I guessed to be Princess Celestia based on the raiment. It stood proudly on all four legs with its wings spread wide, whether to symbolize keeping ponies out or keeping them in, only the sculptor could say. At the base of the statue was a small reservoir, presumably for the fountain feature that long since stopped working. Strangely the head of the statue was nowhere to be found. Unfortunately for us there were at least six bleeders meandering about, making our approach to the stairs nigh impossible without alerting them to our presence. We were going to have to fight. Indra had eschewed the use of my sword, refusing to touch it in any way so she was down to just her hooves, which suited her just fine. The others were as resolute as they had been…more or less.

“What are the chances there are more ponies with guns inside?” Sunny asked, knowing full well what my answer was going to be.

“Would you only leave bleeders to defend a place like this? They don’t strike me as the type to follow orders.”

“Alright then, weapons free everyone. They’ll know we’re here one way or another.”

“Let’s go!” I called, jumping out from the safety of the wall and throwing Starfall through the forehead of the closest bleeder. It recoiled but didn’t fall, that is until I willed Starfall into its awakened state, exploding its head from the inside out. From my right steaked a beam of blue energy from Pumpkin’s horn that enveloped her target bleeder. The bleeder wobbled slightly then without warning collapsed in on itself, its body reduced to dust. The remaining four paid their fallen brethren no heed and galloped towards us faster than should have been possible. I called Starfall back to me but the lead bleeder had got to me first, crashing in to me a second before it reached me. I fell back hard, cracking the back of my skull on the concrete that comprised the courtyard. Stars exploded across my vision and I blindly lashed out with my hooves, feeling a few swings connect with the bleeder. The others were faring better than I but only marginally. Pumpkin squeaked and vanished in a burst of magic, teleporting away before another bleeder could barrel into her. Sunny spread her legs and anchored herself like I’d seen the rangers do. When her bleeder reached her, she raised her front hooves and caught it mid charge. Instead of being pushed or knocked down, Sunny let out a strained yell and twisted her body, swinging the bleeder up over her head by its hooves and bringing it down hard onto the concrete behind us. A sharp crack sounded and the bleeder’s legs ceased to move, only the gnashing of its teeth posing any threat now.

The bleeder atop me reared its head and lunged down towards my throat. I was just able to get my left leg in the way, its teeth scraping uselessly against the metal. Indra proved to be the unluckiest by being forced to deal with two of them at the same time. Her technique was something to behold, graceful like a dance but packing enough power to break bone, against anything else she likely would have won. She had just broken the spine of one of them when the other pounced on her from behind. I watched in horror as it sank its jagged teeth into her neck. Pinned as I was, I knew I wasn’t going to be able to help her in time. There was no way I could focus enough for a spell, but I wasn’t the only unicorn anymore. Pumpkin appeared behind them and blasted the bleeder with magic, making it release Indra and focus on the new attacker. Indra stumbled forward with a cry of pain, one hoof going up to try and slow the bleeding. Using what strength I had, I shoved my leg deeper into the bleeder’s mouth, forcing its head backwards which allowed me to kick it off without fear of being bit. I barely had time to get to my hooves before the bleeder that went for Pumpkin came back and crashed into my side. I hit the ground for the second time and screamed when I felt teeth sink into my right hind leg. I growled through clenched teeth as I brought my metal leg around and hit the bleeder in the side of the head as hard as I could. There was a muffled crack as the thin bones of its temple gave way and it let me go, but that wasn’t enough. I struck out again and again with my hoof. Every hit breaking more and more bone until I delivered one last strike directly into grey matter, feeling the orb shatter under my hoof. Using the brief second of respite, I levitated out Retribution and put two rounds into the back of the bleeder engaged with Pumpkin. When the bleeder I threw off came back for me I was ready. As it lunged, I called Starfall back to me, plunging the blade through the back of its neck. With a thought the blade ignited and took its head off its shoulders. Sunny, never missing a beat, galloped past me and kicked the bleeder’s fallen head, sending it flying through the air into the back of the last standing bleeder’s head. It fell to the ground where its facsimile of life was ended by a magically guided chunk of rubble crushing its skull. Pumpkin was breathing hard through her teeth with an expression of disgust on her face. She couldn’t even manage a step before she was forced to turn away and loudly empty her stomach onto the concrete. I felt for her because once upon a time I was her. The two bleeders uselessly twitching on the ground were finished off and we were left with a straight shot to the cathedral. However there were more pressing things on my mind. I trotted to where Indra had fallen to her haunches. She was moaning pitifully as blood leaked around her hoof. Ignoring my own stinging bite, I reached into my bags and slowly fed her a potion. She took it without question, draining about half the bottle before her wound started to heal.

“Thanks.” She said weakly, shakily getting to her hooves. “You weren’t kidding, up close is dangerous.”

I couldn’t help but smirk. Even now in a situation like this she was using humor to ease things.

“Thank me by not getting hurt. We’re down to three potions now.” I said, wincing as I put weight on my wounded leg.

“Well what about you?” Pumpkin asked over my shoulder. She had just finished wiping the bile from her chin as she crouched down to get a better look. “That doesn’t look good.”

“I’ll manage.” I said, turning so the wound was facing away from her. “It’s not as bad as it looks.” I silently cursed my body for failing to keep the leg in question from trembling. No one looked convinced but as Pumpkin was opening her mouth to retort Sunny placed a hoof on her shoulder and guided her away.

“C’mon, no need to worry so much. This ain’t nothing new for us.”

“B-but-”

“But nothing, I’ve seen him take a spear of balefire to the face and keep going. It’ll take more than a bite to put him down.”

Pumpkin looked at me incredulously over her shoulder. I nodded and her face screwed into an even funnier expression. We all stood in front of the large doors that led into the cathedral, mentally preparing ourselves for the hard battle ahead.

“So, think this is the place?” I asked. I still had my own doubts but the presence of so many bleeders lent credibility to the likelihood of this being the source. Perhaps they were coming from the stable after all.

“Even if this isn’t their HQ we should take it out. The less bleeders in the world the better.” Of that I think we were all in agreement.

“Take it slow, EFS is dark.” I said, looking at my PipBuck, noticing that my friends’ tags were absent from the compass. We pushed the doors open as quietly as we could, sneaking a peek through the crack as soon as it formed. The entrance vestibule was high-ceilinged and branched into four paths. Pushing the doors open, we quickly dashed inside, thankful to be out of the rain. Another flourish of magic from Pumpkin and we were all dry again. To either side of the foyer were small staircases that led up to the next level. In between the stairs was the main hallway leading out of the foyer, possibly running the length of the building. Then, finally, to either side of the main doors were small hallways leading out. The one to the left went for about ten meters then curved around a corner. The hall to the right led directly to another door with a discolored rectangle in the center, presumably where the fallen plaque on the floor had once set. I grabbed the plaque with magic and floated it over to me, blowing off a layer of dust as I tried to read it.

“Triage room?” I said, uncertain of the meaning. I wondered how much knowledge had been lost in the centuries since civilization fell. Out here it was a celebration if you could just read and write.

“Triage is the process doctors would use to assess patients and determine urgency for their needs and treatment.” Pumpkin said like it was common knowledge…which it probably was to her.

“Should we check it out?” Indra asked, a crease furrowing her brow.

“I like to be thorough.” I said, making a move for the door.

“Curiosity is going to get you killed one day.” Sunny said, reluctantly cutting in front of me and opening the door first.

The triage room was much more…office like than I’d expected. There was a sink in the far corner and cabinets whose doors were stuck open, their hinges rusted tight. Whatever medical supplies had been here were long since pillaged, evidenced by what remained of a trampled skeleton on the floor near the terminal against the right wall. The terminal was spattered with old black stains, like somepony had blown their brains out in front of it. I moved towards it to investigate, grimacing as I felt the keys stick with what assuredly more aged blood. Once I was through the token security programs I was disappointed to find little of interest inside. Instructions for processing patients, a table showing the correct dosages for what medicines and a log written about a week before the Last Day. I selected the log and began reading.

Experimental treatments eh? And there was that name again; Silver-Mane. I’d seen it several places now. Sterling Silver-Mane who owned the Silver Tower and Sparkling Silver-Mane who had been the administrator of the Eclipse complex. Not to mention the multiple references I’d found to Silver-Mane Industries. Just who were theses ponies? The Silver-Mane family. Did they have a role in the end of the world? The first mention I found of S.M.I alleged that that they were in competition with the M.W.T. Sunny was right, my curiosity had the potential to be dangerous, our second to last trip to Project Outlast proved that. I abandoned the terminal, shelving those thought before they could permeate my brain any further. We had a job to do here.

“What do you know about Silver-Mane Industries?” I asked Pumpkin, remembering that we had a wealth of pre-war information at our disposal.

“Not a lot. They never partnered with any of the ministries…officially. There was a collaboration between them and Stable-Tec. That’s all I really know besides the fact that they had their hooves in a lot of ponies’ pies.”

Not quite what I had hoped for but she still revealed something of value. If S.M.I collaborated with Stable-Tec…could they have acquired their own stables? Like the one beneath our hooves? There was only one way to find out. Leaving the triage room behind, we took the left hallway past the entrance and began searching. Along the way we found another bleeder who stood no chance against all of us at once. Sparing a cursory glance at its still form revealed that it was wearing the tattered remains of a stable jumpsuit, a faded yellow 54 on its shoulder. They were definitely coming from the stable. Grief and anger overtook my mind, grief for the innocent stable dwellers who were forcibly experimented on and anger that I would use to fuel the demise of those responsible.

“Do you have any family?” Pumpkin asked, her voice piercing through the shroud I’d been building around myself. My emotions were temporarily forgotten as I focused my attention where it should have been.

“My mother.” I said, meeting her eyes. “White Lily, she was the stable’s artist before Cobalt forced them to evacuate. She’s one of a kind, just like you.” I hadn’t meant to say that last part but it was the truth nonetheless.

“I can’t wait to meet her.” Pumpkin said, leaning into me as she walked. “What about your father?”

“I didn’t know him very well, he died in an accident when I was a colt…I don’t even remember what he looked like.” I hadn’t thought about my father in a long time but it wasn’t until this moment that I realized how little I remembered.

“No pictures?”

“No. Mom painted a family portrait once but she got rid of it after he died. Can’t say I blame her.”

“You want to forget?”

“No, of course not.” I paused a second, deciding how much I wanted to say. “I know what it’s like to lose somepony you love, the pain you feel when you think of them. Would you want a reminder of that? To feel the loss all over again every time you looked at it?”

“Who did you lose?” I knew the question wasn’t supposed to make me hurt but then again that was kind of the idea.

“My marefriend.” I said softly, levitating the flower pendant out from underneath my armor. “She was killed in front of me by a pony named Salted Chestnut. She was carrying our foal.” I just barely managed to keep myself together, furiously blinking away the tears before they could form. “I gave her this for our first anniversary. Now I keep it to remember my failure, to remind me to be better.”

Pumpkin didn’t say anything for a moment, leaning against me with a little more force. “It wasn’t your fault.” She said softly.

“Yes it was.” There was no denying that I could have prevented her death if I’d have just let Sunny execute Chestnut. A fact that I had made peace with. “We had a chance to kill Chestnut but I spared him, because I thought I was being the bigger pony by letting him go. I tracked him down and killed him myself.”

“And? Did it make everything better?” If I didn’t know any better I’d say she was mocking me but through her touch I could tell she was sincere.

“No.” I didn’t feel like talking anymore. Anything further would be digging up too much at once. Once it was clear I wouldn’t be speaking for the time being Pumpkin attempted to pull away from me. I might have been done talking but her very presence was soothing, her touch calming. Before she could separate, I started to lean into her, halting her retreat. I looked down on her with sad, yet grateful eyes. I hadn’t known how much I needed her until that moment. Somepony to anchor me in the present. Pinkie couldn’t have been more right.

We kept walking until Indra and Sunny led us into what looked like an operating theatre. In three of the corners were thoroughly picked clean medical stations, complete with small refrigerators and sinks. Each one was also equipped with a terminal that likely monitored patients conditions, based on the cords that stretched from each station to nearby beds. Only one of them was glowing and soon it would surrender its secrets to me. As I approached it, mournfully leaving Pumpkin’s side, I thought I saw the sheet of the closest bed flutter. I had just removed the peripheral from my PipBuck when something hard smashed me over the head. I turned around to see…nothing. My companions looked just as concerned as they too scanned the room for my assailant. At my hooves was a chair leg that wasn’t there before. Is that what hit me? As I was bending down to look, the sheet from the bed leapt into the air and with a mind of its own, wrapped around my hind legs. I fell to my side and started to feel the anger I mentioned before bubble back to the surface.

“Everyone get close to the terminal!” I shouted, watching from the floor as they all did as I said. “Pumpkin, put a shield up around the terminal and yourselves, I have an idea.”

I called Starfall to my mouth and hoped what I was about to do would work.

Can you do it?

My Light is yours.

That was good enough for me. Starfall began to glow like I was going to channel another wave of moonlight but instead of releasing the energy with a slash I plunged the charged blade into the floor where the energy was released in a wave, traveling in all directions like an explosion. Beds and any standing furniture were singed and knocked over or pushed against the walls. Paper and sheets ignited and burned, the wave of energy sparing nothing save myself. Through the glow and destruction an equine shaped silhouette could be spotted trying to resist my attack. They must have been using some kind of stealth tech to stay hidden but it couldn’t them protect from this. The energy ceased and the figure fell to the floor, whatever keeping them invisible failing, revealing them to be a young zebra mare. My attack had reduced whatever weapons she had to slag and left her covered in burns, blood trickling from many of the larger ones.

“The rumors are true then; you possess a cursed blade.” The zebra swayed for a moment, her eyes fluttering as she struggled to stay conscious.

“Here take this.” I said, cutting my bindings and frantically digging for one of our potions.

“Stay away from me!” She cried, shuffling away from me, smearing a trail of her blood in her wake. “You may speak my tongue but you are a deceiver! Destroyer! Murderer!”

“Please.” I tried again, as gentle as I could. “I want to help you.”

“No zebra worth her stripes would take anything from you, your talents lay elsewhere Starborn.” She hissed, leveling an angry glare at Indra. When I looked away towards Indra, her expression twisted up in confusion, the zebra quickly pulled a small glass bottle of purple liquid from under her cloak. Before I could register what had happened, she swallowed the contents of the bottle in one gulp. Her eyes rolled up in her skull as red-tinged white froth began to burble from her mouth.

“No no no!” I screamed, rushing to the zebra’s side and cradling her in my hooves. She attempted to pull away but lacked the strength. Now that I was so close I realized I’d met this mare before. She had been the young mare that had, for lack of a better word, introduced us to Quiha the night…the night Erebus used me to…

“Others are coming. We will be avenged.” She said, her breathing weakening to the point of nonexistence.

“I’m sorry, it wasn’t me!” I cried to her, not knowing if she could hear me, Luna above there was so much blood! “Please.” I felt her body go limp but her hateful eyes never left mine even as the life left hers. “It wasn’t me.” I said again, my vision beginning to blur from tears that were building. From behind me came the sounds of hooves as Pumpkin dropped the shield and the others came to investigate. I carefully closed her eyes and pulled what remained of a sheet from another of the beds, draping it over her body. I should have known something like this was coming. Teller had indirectly proven that there had been survivors of the village massacre and now it seemed they desired revenge. It was no different to how I felt about Chestnut and that’s when the weight really hit me. I was the villain of their story. It might not have been me but it was my body that destroyed their lives and the survivors would hunt me until they had their vengeance. ‘Others are coming’ she had said. There would be more and I could only hope that when the time came I could explain myself, though I doubted they’d listen.

“What have you done?” Indra asked, a bit of the fear from before on her face.

“None of your concern.” The truth wasn’t meant for them. Damn you Erebus, if I never met you my life would be-

~Over. How long are you going to deny yourself? Yes my presence has made your life difficult but isn’t it a small price to pay for the power you can achieve through me?~

I never wanted power.

~That, my stubborn friend, is a lie. All beings desire greater power, the power to influence, the power to control~

“None of my concern? You just killed that mare!”

“What I did was defend myself from as assassin.” I was barely able to keep the crack out of my voice.

“Zebra don’t just dispatch assassins on a whim.” Indra wasn’t going to let this go and I’d probably be doing the same in her place.

“Do you trust me Indra?” I asked, hoping my status with the rangers and the friendly rapport we’d created the other day would sway her.

She flicked her tail, expression reluctant. “Yes sir.”

“Then trust me now. There is a reason but this is not the place or the time.” My gaze shifted to Pumpkin, my words applying to her as well.

Pushing what just happened out of my mind, I decided to check out the terminal that had been denied from me before by the zebra mare. I could feel Sunny and Pumpkin’s eyes burning into the back of my head but I ignored them as I combed through the data looking for anything useful.

> Experiment Logs

As the only option available, I selected it and began to peruse.

Subject 042 – Malt Grain
Male
Mid-thirties
Average health

Subject 042 is responding well to the first wave of treatments. Once the subject has been administered a dose of compound 112 susceptibility to suggestion increase by a margin of forty-two percent. However a decline in almost every other function has been observed in approximately seventy percent of all subjects. Requesting we consider working out the kinks in compound 110. Sure it resulted in fatal brain hemorrhaging in thirty percent of subjects but with time and effort I’m positive we can lower those margins. It’s better than having a fully compliant subject who won’t eat or sleep.

Subject 049 – Screwball
Female
Mid-fifties
Average health

Subject discarded due to brain hemorrhage caused by complications with compound 110.

Subject 065 – Bay Breeze
Female
Early twenties
Excellent health

Subject 065 was administered an experimental dose of compound 121. Susception to suggestion has reached an all-time high at ninety percent efficacy. Only serious requests such as performing sexual acts or harming another have been met with refusal. However, as noted with Subject 042, subject’s bodily functions are no longer considered important by subject. If left alone, subject is content to stand alone in their room, never eating, never sleeping unless explicitly told. Despite the dangers of compound 110 I must insist we divert some of our efforts to refining it and making it safer. Even results such as these mean nothing if the subjects lose all autonomy in exchange.

Subject 087 – REDACTED
Male
Late-Thirties
Good health

Subject 087 was approved as the final subject for the now refined compound 130. (Our best attempt at fusing compounds 110 and 121) Thus far results have been in line with our projections but it could still use work. Susceptibility to suggestion has plateaued at one hundred percent efficacy, no matter the request. Subject has yet to neglect their basic survival needs but beyond that it’s like their on stand-by mode, waiting for orders. An interesting side effect to note is the subject’s improved mental acuity. I don’t know if that was an intentional alteration by the boys in the lab but it may prove invaluable for mental treatments in the future.

Subject 90 – Olivine
Female
Mid-Eighties
Poor health (Symptoms indicative of degenerative brain disorder)

Subject 90 was committed to the Cathedral by her family once her condition robbed her of her ability to take care of herself. Which gave us the perfect candidate for another test of compound 130’s…additional effects. Once the compound was administered subject’s neural activity began to increase. So much so that no trace of her prior condition could be found. I hope the leadership understands just how valuable this is.

Personal log – Dr. Gold Leaf

It would seem that the results from subject 90 were inaccurate. Subject 90 quickly regressed to her former condition only seven hours after the compound was administered. Subject 87 still shows signs of increased mental fortitude, including the observed effects in subject 90. Further tests confirmed that 87 is unique in that the side effects of compound 130 have yet to fade and show no signs of fading as they did in 90. However 87 has also been observed refusing commands, even after additional doses of compound 130. It is this researcher’s opinion that 87 should be contained in the stable below and subjected to further testing.

So there was a stable here, one that participated in the experiments performed here in the cathedral. Experiments that sought to create completely obedient slaves…at least that’s what I took from the logs. Were there still ponies inside the stable? Had to be if it was the source of the bleeders. The others had crowded around, probably reading the same logs I had.

“This…is awful.” Pumpkin said, a bit of disgust in her voice. “They were supposed to be helping these ponies.”

“Who knows what kind of-”
“There they are!” A voice interrupted me. Before I could turn to face them the boom of a gunshot sounded and I raised my hooves, a bullet loudly ricocheting off my cyber-leg. Magically calling the fallen beds to us, Pumpkin and I managed to get a passable barricade up in time to absorb the next two bullets that came our way.

“Who the fuck are these guys?!” I yelled, blind firing Dragon’s Kiss over our cover.

“Mercs, bodyguards, does it matter!? They’re trying to kill us!” Sunny yelled back, turning around and bucking one of the beds sending it sliding across the floor, forcing two of our attackers to dive out of the way. One never hit the floor as Pumpkin caught her mid-air and flung her upwards towards the ceiling. Dust and detritus rained down on us as her body crashed into the high roof and fell back to the floor unmoving. The other must have been more experienced, quickly rolling to dodge a shot from me and flipping a bed over to protect herself. The third didn’t stand a chance as Sunny had cleared the distance between them and violently bashed her head into their nose. Blood burbled from his nose and he fell to the floor. I jumped from cover, holding Starfall in front of me where it caught a few bullets meant for me. I rushed forward towards where I thought the shots were coming from and brought my sword down hard, cleaving through the bed to get to the mare behind it. Something purple wrapped around the blade and jerked it from my grasp. A unicorn? Before my mind could catch up the mare in question popped up and magically lobbed one of the inactive terminals into my chest. The weight drove the air from my lungs and momentarily pinned me under its weight. I couldn’t see but heard a quick exchange of gunfire. By the time I managed to free myself the mare was gone and the danger had passed. I was helped back to my hooves by Sunny and spared a quick glance around the room. The two who had fallen were still breathing.

“That one.” I said, pointing to the mare Pumpkin had thrown into the ceiling. “Take her.”

“We’re taking her?” Pumpkin said, confused as to why.

“What about the other?” Sunny asked, ignoring Pumpkin’s question.

“Tie ‘em up and leave ‘em.” I said, doing the same.

“Don’t ignore me!” Pumpkin shouted, shoving me in the side. “You can’t just take her!”

“Remember what I told you before about simplicity?” I turned back to face her, a serious expression on my face. “Taking her is the simplest way to get answers.”

“So we’re taking her hostage?”

“Hostage, prisoner, it doesn’t matter what you call them. So long as they serve their purpose.”

“And if they don’t?” I could hear the accusation in her voice. I opened my mouth to say something but couldn’t. What could I say? The last hostage we’d taken was executed on my order…by Aurora. But that had been different…right? No, no it hadn’t been and it shouldn’t matter, sympathy is the last thing this pony deserved. None of them did.

“They don’t deserve your sympathy Pumpkin. They will never change and if you give them a second chance you will only be disappointed.”

“That’s not your call to make. She’s not a raider.” The fire in her eyes surprised me but I pressed on undaunted, it was time for a lesson.

“Are you willing to bet your life on it? How about mine? Or Sunny’s?” Pumpkin’s eyes dropped to the floor, searching for an answer. “I didn’t think so.” I continued. “Don’t put your life or the lives of others in somepony’s hooves unless you’re prepared to pay the price. It isn’t pretty, nor is it the way it should be but I’m willing to do whatever it takes. Are you?” I finished by levitating the unconscious mare onto Sunny’s back.

I felt the gap between us widen, the feeble bridge we’d been building together collapsing in an unwavering display of conviction from both of us. She didn’t say anything more but I could feel her stare burning through me. She didn’t like it and truthfully I didn’t either. I just wasn’t afraid to do what I had to. We meandered for maybe fifteen minutes when we found the large open room we had discovered the raiders camping in last time. The scars of our fight were still there as were a few of the tents, possibly being used by the mercenaries we’d been encountering.

“Should we rest here?” Indra asked.

“Yes but not for long, only until she wakes up.” I said, slapping the unconscious mare. She was wearing plain black leather armor; her fur was dark purple and her mane was somewhere between red and purple with a green stripe running down the right side.

As luck would have it, the slap was all it took to rouse the mare. Her eyes opened slowly then quickly as Sunny dumped her on the floor.

“Sunny!” Pumpkin admonished, trotting to the mare’s side. “Are you alright?”

“F-f-fine! I-I-I’m fine.” She said, her voice shaky and subdued.

“What’s your name?” Pumpkin continued.

“It’s Orchid Bloom.” She said, her eyes quickly darting between all of us. “Y-you’re not going to kill me are you?”

“Depends.” I said, taking a step forward. “On how honest you are.”

“What can you tell us about what’s happening here.” Pumpkin’s voice was soft, almost motherly. “About the monsters.”

Orchid was silent for a minute, the confliction evident in her eyes. “I need you to promise me something first.” She said, her tone pleading. “If I betray my employer they’ll send ponies after me. I’ll help you but only if you promise to protect me until I get home.”

“And where’s home?” Sunny asked. If it proved too much to ask then…well, we had a spare in the other room.

“Boulder City.”

“Where’s that?” I asked at the same time I heard a chime come from my PipBuck. Pausing a moment to investigate, I saw that the aforementioned city was nestled right on top of the marker I already had for a place called ‘the Dome’.

“About twenty-five miles northwest from here.”

“That’s a long walk on hoof.” Sunny half-whispered to me. I stopped again to think her proposal over when the choice was made for me.

“Agreed.” Pumpkin said, lending Orchid her hoof and hauling her up.

“What do you think you’re doing?” I asked, nose wrinkled and eyes narrowed.

“Taking your advice and keeping it simple.” Her smug smile was difficult to ignore as she walked past me and whipped me on the nose with her tail.

Orchid timidly followed after her, sticking close to her side, wary of the rest of us. Rightfully so but I would do as we promised, even though I didn’t have any say-so on said promise.

“Pussy-whipped already?” Sunny couldn’t help but snicker.

“I am not whipped.” I said defensively, all too aware that I had literally been whipped not a minute ago.

“Uh-huh whatever you say.” Sunny moved to follow them with Indra in tow. Indra paused and made a whip sound at me with her mouth, laughing and leaving me to follow them from the rear.

Orchid had been true to her word (at face value) and led us down into the undercroft where she said the service tunnels would lead us to the stable.

“What should we expect inside?” I asked, trying a friendlier tone.

“Don’t know, I’ve never been inside. My squad was assigned to protect the cathedral and nothing more.” A squad I had killed in a rage almost two hours ago.

“Are there more mercs inside?” Sunny asked, a noticeable hush in her tone.

“Yes. Maybe fifteen or so plus the boss and the ghoul doctor.”

“Ghoul doctor?”

“Yeah, he’s the one who hired us to protect the place. He usually stays in the stable’s lower levels, occupied with his experiments.”

“What kind of experiments?” Pumpkin asked, her brow furrowed in thought.

“No idea. Jock poked his head where it didn’t belong once and next thing we know we’re dumping his body in an abandoned playground.”

“And the monsters?” Pumpkin continued.

“I don’t know what they are…” Orchid practically whispered. “Ponies go in and they come out whether they be stranger, mercenary…friend.” Her last word lingered and the look in her eyes dipped noticeably.

“You lost somepony important?” I was surprised by the level of sympathy in my voice, especially since I would have killed this mare without a second thought moments ago. Why’d Pumpkin have to make it so personal? Therein was the problem. I knew her name, knew part of her story. I no longer saw a merc who’d tried to kill us. Instead I just saw…Orchid, a pony who’d lost something. A pony that was scared. Pumpkin was right, Orchid wasn’t a raider, probably wasn’t a good mercenary either. Hell I doubt she was even shooting to kill before. I’d made a bad call, I’d been too eager to label her to excuse any of our actions…my actions. Would I have really killed her just like that? What was it my mother had said?

That’s exactly what almost happened. The Wasteland was eating at my very being every day…and I was losing. Between Erebus and this poisoned world of mine I was surprised I was still keeping it together. Of course, I couldn’t take all the credit…or even half of it for that matter. If it wasn’t for Sunny, Aurora, Grim and especially Pumpkin…I don’t know where I’d be. It was because of Pumpkin that Orchid was helping us. Sunny would have stood by and allowed anything to happen and Aurora would have done whatever I told her. Pumpkin had been exactly what Pinkie promised, somepony I needed. Somepony to stand beside me, somepony to stand up to me and remind me who I was supposed to be fighting for. Ponies like her, ponies like Orchid.

“Y-yes.” She was hesitant to share and why shouldn’t she? What were we to her? What was I?

“I’m…I’m so sorry.” And I meant it, in every sense of the word. It was clear she wouldn’t share anything further and I had to accept that. I fell back to the rear and stayed there, where I could do the least harm, where I could be alone to reflect on what I had allowed myself to become.

“What happened to no sympathy?” I could hear the sarcasm in her voice and elected to ignore it. All of it. “…Sparks? Hellooo?”

This was what Sunny had been warning me about. I didn’t get much pleasure out of killing…mostly but I couldn’t deny it was becoming easier and that was in no way a better alternative. Did that make me exactly what I said I wasn’t? A, cold, apathetic monster? No…what I was feeling now told me that wasn’t true. But it could be, it was the risk I accepted by choosing to travel along the knife’s edge.

“I stand by what I said before.” I didn’t look at her, my eyes never leaving the floor. “But I was wrong about her.”

“You weren’t really going to kill her were you?” Pumpkin’s tone still held accusation but it didn’t look like her heart was in it.

“Does it matter?”

“Why can’t you just give me a straight answer?”

“Because…I’m scared.”

“Scared? Scared of what? Tell me…please?”

“I want to tell you, I really do but…I can’t. I’m afraid of losing…” Her. I didn’t want to lose her. That’s what it really came down to. How would she react if she knew the truth? I was a deceiver, killer…murderer. I couldn’t hide it forever and I didn’t intend to but I couldn’t tell her…not like this.

“I promised I would tell you and I will…just not yet.”

Pumpkin huffed in frustration, turning away from me as she did.

“And to prove it to you.” I continued, watching in silent amusement as she turned back to face me with a curious expression. “I want you to have this. Possibly the most valuable thing I possess.” Not counting Starfall and the statuettes of course. I opened my bags and found what I had meant to give her before. The dress we’d found in Whinnyapolis, crafted by Rarity herself. As soon as she saw it she gasped and took it in her magic.

“Sparks…it’s beautiful.”

“A Rarity original.” I said, feeling that comforting warmth in my core. “Nopony else is fit to wear it.” I leaned in close to her and touched my forehead to hers, our horns crossing. “I meant every word I said. I will tell you. Everything. Just hang in there a bit longer.”

Eventually we were brought to the giant steel door of Stable 54. I didn’t see but heard Orchid pound at the control panel, followed by the familiar klaxons and unbearable shriek of metal on metal as the door began to recede inwards.

“If they didn’t know we were here before, they do now.” Sunny said, kicking the reload lever of her battle saddle. I didn’t know what to expect once we were inside but it was going to be a fight. I inspected all of my own weapons, making sure they were loaded and ready to go, Starfall floating beside me.

“W-what should I do?” Orchid asked.

“Take this, put the hood up and hide.” I undid the gemstone clasp and gave her my cloak. “Don’t make me regret it.”

“I-is this a- wow I don’t-” She held it out as if inspecting it with stars in her eyes.

“Thank me by giving it back.”

“You are full of surprises aren’t you?” Indra said, spotting my signature zebra stealth cloak.

“That and more. Everyone ready?”

“Good luck.” Orchid said, pulling the hood over her head and vanishing.

“I’m with you.”
“I’ll follow your lead.”

Sunny and Indra said respectively. When my eyes met Pumpkin’s there were no words at first. She turned away from me, sighed and turned back, her expression fierce.

“Right behind you.”

Footnote: No Level Up

Next Chapter: Chapter Thirty-Four: Reproach and Regret Estimated time remaining: 7 Hours, 17 Minutes