Loss.

Everypony has experienced loss at some point in their life. Sometimes you don’t know you’ve lost something until much later. Others refuse to acknowledge their loss, instead turning their grief to purpose, or more accurately, distraction. Feelings of loss also aren’t exclusive to loved ones or even death. I was born one hundred and seventy-one years after the Last Day. Even though I had never seen Equestria-that-was with my own eyes (memory orbs notwithstanding) when I gazed upon the desolate grey land I call my home, how could I feel anything else? Loss is an unfortunate part of life. I believe you will find it within the motivations of those history labeled as heroes…and villains. We are no exception; you are no exception…and neither am I.

Once the dust finally settled and was subsequently carried away by the wind did I stir. Forcing myself into a sitting position I was able to see how fortunate I was. The Stable had been destroyed completely, leaving an enormous hole in the space it had once occupied. The cathedral and its surrounding grounds were destroyed by the blast and the rest of the land around it had sunk into the empty space where the Stable used to be. I had been fortunate to get as far as I did to avoid being swallowed by the resulting sinkhole. Had the others been so lucky? Before my worries could evolve into full panic, an electric crackle sounded near me and Pumpkin appeared at my side in a light blue burst of magic.

“Sparks!” She called, crouching beside me and nuzzling my face. “Thank Celestia you’re okay.” I could detect a quiver in her voice that made my heart ache. I wish there were a way to keep the ones I loved from worrying about me, but that was impossible. This world of ours wouldn’t allow it until it could be mended…if it could be mended.

“Is Ollie okay?” My voice was rough in my ears and the piercing pain in my side wouldn’t abate.

“She’s safe.” Pumpkin said stiffly. “I don’t think she’ll be okay for a while.” Of course. A child that young would surely bear her trauma for a long time. Trauma that I was partially responsible for, since I was the one who had taken her from her mother. I wouldn’t blame her if she hated me.

“Where are the others?” I hissed through my teeth as I struggled to stand.

“They’re back at the billboard with a survivor we picked up.”

“A survivor?” I felt my stomach tighten. “One?”

“One.” She confirmed. “Did Orchid make it?”

“Right here.” A voice from behind me said. Perfect, if she was here then she could answer some questions.

“How many passed you?” I asked, taking several steps toward her. “Before us, how many?”

She took a step back, an uneasy expression on her face. “I don’t-”

“Give me a number. Now.” I growled, adding more venom than was probably necessary.

“Sparks…” She started, her eyes falling to the ground as her ears fell back. “Nopony left the Stable except you.”

“O-oh.” Two. In the end, the number who survived the destruction was two. Ollie and the one Pumpkin and Sunny picked up. 87 didn’t count. I never knew them, hell I hadn’t even learned the Overmare’s name. Despite that I mourned their loss as if it were my own Stable. The grief and guilt sat heavy in my heart. I had done what I could to save them but the truth was they were dead long before I ever arrived. Crush had ensured their extinction. My legs turned to jelly as I fell to my rump and vented my heartache into the fading light with a cry of despair.

Pumpkin had her hooves around my shoulders in a blink, her cheek against mine as she attempted to soothe me with gentle rocking. I would have thought our positions reversed but I suppose irony has its place, even in the Wasteland.

“He…is going to pay for this.” I choked out, narrowing my eyes in anger. It took longer than I’ll admit for Pumpkin to calm me down but when the rocking ceased, I was able to stand with my own power. I took one step when something was pushed into my side. Bundled in a tight wad of fabric was my cloak, thankfully being returned by Orchid.

“Don’t forget, we had a deal.” She said, her voice carefully controlled.

“Is that really what you’re thinking about right now?” I hissed, turning on her and leveling her with a hard glare. “Don’t think I’ve forgotten your part in all this.”

“I was just a hoof soldier!” She said defensively.

“And what? Is that supposed to absolve you from everything else? When you stood by and watched them commit atrocities?”

“What could I have done? I’m only one pony.”

“You could have tried.” I turned away from her and spat in the dirt. All of this had been for nothing. Crush escaped and he’d just continue his work elsewhere. Though without a lab as advanced as Stable 54’s it would likely be much, much harder. A fact that brought me virtually no comfort. As my anger faded, I realized how foolish I had sounded. Watcher once told me that a sacrifice only worked if the problem at hoof was solved as a result. Orchid getting herself killed would have likely changed nothing, regardless of her wants or intentions. I sat back down, holding a hoof to my side and let out a wistful sigh.

“I’m sorry Orchid.” I said, my gaze dipping towards the ground. I was so tired. Tired of the senseless death doled out by monsters shaped like me. I brought up my PipBuck and used its built-in sorting spell to bring one of my radios to the top of my bags. I held it in my hooves for several long minutes as I stared at the devastation.

“Pumpkin.” I said, standing up and getting her attention. “Can you take us back to the others? We’re done here.”

“Yeah…no problem.” She said, beckoning for Orchid to come. She placed a hoof on Orchid and I did the same to her and in a quick flash and wave of vertigo later we were teleported just outside the fallen billboard we’d taken shelter under several long hours ago. I wasn’t sure when the rain had stopped but the ground was still wet and tiny spears of light broke through the cloud cover in almost imperceptible second long intervals.

“I’ve got ‘em!” Pumpkin called out. In the time it took me to draw one breath Sunny emerged from under the billboard and smiled.

“You made it.” She said, relief bleeding into her voice.

“Yeah, I made it.” I said, looking back towards where the cathedral once loomed. “How’s Ollie?”

“Well…” Sunny turned herself perpendicular to me. Ollie was curled up in a little ball on Sunny’s back, a despondent faraway glaze to her eyes. I didn’t know if there was anything I could do to help her now. Every kid I’ve helped (or tried to) had carried their pain for some time before meeting me. This was the first time it was fresh and with somepony as sheltered as a stable dweller to boot. I approached slowly and gently stroked her mane. She didn’t react.

“I’m so, so sorry little one.” I said, just barely managing to avoid choking on the last word. “For everything.” I turned away and lifted the radio I’d been holding to face level.

“Reporting back?” Pumpkin asked, coming up on my left.

“Not to the Rangers.” I said, hitting the switch and holding it near my mouth. “Blackhawk, this is Sparks. We’re in pretty rough shape and could use an escort home. Take whomever you can, but keep the number small and head towards the Sun and Moon Cathedral. We’ll try to meet you along the way but I don’t see us getting far.”

“Understood. Everything alright boss?”

“More or less. We have two noncombatants and a child with us. Survivors.”

“Survivors? From what?”

“I’ll fill you in once we’re all together and everypony’s safe. Until then, Sparks out.” I hit the switch again and returned the radio to my bags. Absently sticking their heads out to see the commotion was Subject 87(whom I noticed for the first time was a unicorn) and the mare from the atrium, apron still hanging loosely around her midsection. So she was the only one who made it…I felt another crashing wave of sadness roll over me and it was only by sheer willpower that I kept the tears out of my eyes. “Is everyone good to travel?” I asked, forcing my voice to stay measured and calm.

“I am able to proceed.” 87 said, his glacial calm still having the opposite effect on me.

“We’re good to go here.” Indra added, helping the apron mare out from under the billboard.

“Wist…” The apron mare said hazily.

“What?” I asked reflexively.

“M-my name.” She said as if she was herself only now remembering. “It’s Wisteria.”

“Wisteria and I are good to go.” Indra amended with a nod.

Pumpkin and Sunny needed no affirmation and within the minute we were on the move. The last light had just dipped below the horizon when we met up with Blackhawk and five others, Crescent Wrench and Gumdrop being the only two I recognized. Two more still were hitched to a familiar looking cart which we loaded Ollie and Wisteria into. A moment or two of arguing later and I had let myself get talked into joining them, something I was silently thankful for.

“This is the wrong way you know.” Orchid said, making no move to turn around.

“I know.” I said, peering over the edge of the cart at her.

“Then why are we still moving?”

“You can go if you want.” I waved a casual hoof in the opposite direction.

“I thought we had a deal.” She said impatiently.

“I haven’t forgotten.” I said, emulating 87’s calm tone of voice. “We’ll escort you home when we’re good and ready. Until then I have a child and a mare who need help.” In truth my injuries were more severe than Wisteria’s, one of the many reasons we weren’t heading for Boulder City right away.

“Fine.” She huffed, relenting to the situation.

“What do you intend to do with her?” 87 asked a few minutes later.

“Take her to my base and let our doctor take a look at her I guess.” I said, eyeing Wisteria’s wound. It was more or less a flesh wound but what did I know about medicine?

“No, not Wisteria.” He said with a small shake of his head. “Oleander.”

“I hadn’t thought about it.” I lied. There were several children already in our care and I didn’t see any reason not to take her in. 87 had spent Luna knows how long trapped in the labs of Stable 54 and his intentions, much like the stallion himself, were a mystery.

“This base you speak of, tell me about it.” 87 asked.

“It’s big, secure and subterranean with one way in and home to…” I wavered off, looking to Blackhawk for-

“About thirty.” He answered.

“Thank you, about thirty ponies and possibly some griffins.”

“Are there other children there?” 87 continued.

“Yes.”

“I see.” He said, looking off in the distance. I waited a moment for more questions but none came.

“I see? That’s it?” I asked, what had he been hoping to accomplish?

“That’s it.” He confirmed with a microscopic nod. “I can tell by the way you protected her before that you value her safety above your own. The presence of other children at your base implies that she is not the first you’ve rescued and despite the lie you told me earlier you’ve been wondering if she’ll fit in with the others in your care. This suggests that you have gone out of your way to ensure their safety and feel it is your responsibility. All of those led me to the conclusion that she will be alright with you and your people.”

“Oh, is that all?” I said sarcastically. “Your conclusion relies on assumptions.”

“Explain.”

“Who’s to say the children were rescued by me? How do you know that they aren’t somepony’s children?”

A small smile pulled at the edge of his mouth. “Because these ‘Regulators’ you lead are like to soldiers. Fraternization of that nature is forbidden, or it would be if this were a proper military but the risks are the same even in the absence of protocol. I also know that the Regulators are peacekeepers or at the very least claim to be. A statement that can be backed up by the rescue of myself, Wisteria and Oleander when leaving us behind would have offered the better chances of escape and survival. All of that and your personal behavior leads me to believe that my analysis is correct.”

“You see a lot don’t you 87? How did you learn all that?”

“I spoke briefly with your associate Gumdrop. She wasn’t exactly forthcoming but I was able to deduce enough from her words, context clues and my own observations.”

“Maybe it’s a good thing that they weren’t able to replicate your condition.” I couldn’t imagine a world with more than one pony like him. Just what kind of experiments did they perform to create somepony with this level of perception? I now understood why they tried to bury the EEP like they did. I wondered how the SSP would have progressed if they didn’t abandon it to focus on replicating the specific conditions that birthed 87.

“Perhaps but I would not be here as I am if they did not try. Altered existence is better than no existence at all.”

“I guess. You really don’t miss your old life?” How could he be so frustratingly calm?

“I have no memory of my old life. I cannot miss something I never had.”

“But you did have it, they took it from you. Doesn’t that bother you?” I just couldn’t wrap my head around it all. Perhaps because I didn’t want to. To know that he had once been somepony else only to be completely overwritten by the personality known as 87 was a frightening parallel to what I feared most about Erebus and myself. A thought that sent a cold shudder through me.

“In some cases, one must accept what is thrust upon them for the greater good.” 87 continued. “Regardless of the ultimate outcome and intentions or what may come of those involved.” He said, breaking eye contact and looking forward.

“Do you really think that’s what happened to you? That they did this to you for the greater good?”

“No.” He said, his voice low and grim.

We traveled for another few hours until it was time to sleep for the night. We settled on a small roadside diner that just barely accommodated all of us (not counting the rotating two pony night guard) and did our best to make ourselves comfortable. Ollie wouldn’t eat anything and still hadn’t spoken since the explosion. I left her in Sunny’s care, noting how happy or content she was to watch the poor filly. Blackhawk had been wise enough to bring a few potions with him. One for me which finally eased the piercing pain in my guts and one for Wisteria which healed her completely, physically anyway. I lazily threw my cloak to the ground and flopped unceremoniously on top of it in what might have been the prep area, dreadfully missing my bed in the Crater or Eclipse. We had found one bed in the back of the diner that we gave to Wisteria. She was still injured, albeit not physically, but she appeared to be slowly shaking the effects of whatever compounds they’d used to keep her docile and compliant. Unfortunately, that progress manifested as confusion and fear as she met most of us again for the second or third time now. Making her feel as safe as possible should help alleviate those feelings…hopefully at least.

I was attempting to bunch my cloak up into an acceptable pillow when I felt somepony else flop down beside me. I rolled over, coming nearly nose to nose with Pumpkin, her lab coat wadded up beneath her in a better facsimile of a pillow than my own.

“Comfy?” She asked with a small smile.

“Better now.” I smiled back, inching closer so that our horns were crossing. “Pumpkin…I want-” I started, unsure what to say next. I knew what was coming of course and I couldn’t break my promise again. With a supreme effort I levitated the soul orb out of my bags and dropped it on the ground between us. The eternal, roiling pink storm clouds it contained making themselves known.

Pumpkin’s eyes widened and her expression showed…alarm? Maybe recognition? “I-is this the-”

“Yes. First, I want you to understand that there was nothing I could have done to prevent this.” I have accepted that fact. Erebus had found me the minute I entered the Balefire Swamp, or at the very least became aware of me, and once that tiny seed had been planted my fate was sealed. He had been waiting for me, the perfect vessel to spirit him away. He knew I would come, somehow, he knew. No matter how long he had to wait, he was confident I would come one day. In the darkness outside the window behind Pumpkin were Erebus’ eyes, leering at us with token interest.

“This orb doesn’t contain memories. It’s a prison and the prisoner within exists…through me. It started when we went to Whinnyapolis. At first it was a distant voice, offering vague advice and cryptic knowledge. Later it offered me power, power I needed to save Aurora’s life. I don’t regret my decision but the cost was high, higher than I ever imagined.” Another cold shudder rippled down my back, the prospect of Erebus eventually burying my existence scared me more than anything.

“The same power I used today when I thought…when I thought you…” I wavered off. “I didn’t mean for it to happen. I’ve asked Sunny to do whatever she has to stop me if it comes to that. Sometimes I have control.” I half lied. Twice I was able to mostly control my actions, all but the sadistic side of me that reveled in the violence and bloodshed. “Sometimes it’s like watching through my own eyes as someone else moves me like a puppet.” So far that had only happened once, when we first joined and he used me to…slaughter a village of zebra. “I can’t stop it. He’s bonded to me. Neither of us can exist without the other. I don’t know what he wants or what he’s planning but he needs me or something from me. Sooner or later…I don’t know if I’ll be me anymore. The change has already started.” I thought back to the yellow specks appearing in my eyes. I wanted to say more but was having a hard time finding the words. I’d said enough as it was, perhaps more than I’d meant to.

“You keep saying ‘he’, who is he?”

“Erebus.”
~Erebus~

We said together, his voice layered just under mine. The more ponies I cared about, the more I stood to lose. More fears to prey on, more reasons to accept his power to save someone I cared for. It was brilliant. A self-perpetuating strategy. Maybe that was what made me the perfect vessel. Because even then, knowing what was at risk, I would still give everything I had to save someone I loved.

“How long?”

“Couple weeks.” I said, trying to avoid an unnecessary trip down memory lane. “His awareness has grown beyond me. He’s watching us, even now.” I’d always been passively aware that Erebus saw what I saw, heard what I heard, though this was the first time it made me uneasy. Perhaps it was because he could now see independently from me. How far that extended from me or if I was even right to begin with, I couldn’t say.

“How is that possible?” She asked, sparing a quick albeit pointless look over her shoulder.

“I don’t know. The soul orb was a prototype, how it functions is a mystery to both of us.” I paused a moment; something was still bothering me. “How much did you see today?” I asked gravely.

“…Most of it.” She hesitated to answer but she answered honestly.

“I thought I lost you.” I said quietly, unsure if she could hear. “No matter what I might say or what I might do…I’m not a monster.”

~And I am? No matter how hard you fight, no matter how hard you wish, you and I are one~

That doesn’t make me a monster.

~I agree. You were a cruel stallion long before you and I met. I saw what you did to Blood Orange and I know how you felt. The feeling your Sunny warned you about. You liked it, it made you feel powerful and for a fleeting moment, it made you a God. Then when confronted by her father, you lied. How do you define a monster Starborn? You, who are a liar, deceiver…murderer~ The rest of Erebus’ head appeared around his eyes in the window, a wicked smile on his face. I snarled and magically flung a chunk of rubble through him and the window with a loud crash, startling more than a few of our entourage.

“What happened?” Blackhawk asked, poking his head in from the connecting hallway.

“It’s nothing.” I called back, feeling my cheeks warm in embarrassment.

“Is there trouble?” A voice from behind me asked. My heart leapt into my throat as the sudden unexpected voice jolted me and Pumpkin to our hooves. Barely sitting up from his spot in the corner was 87, his expression as calm as ever.

“How long have you been there!?” I yelled, trying to ease the hammering of my poor heart. How had I not noticed him before!?

“I was here first. It was you who lied down next to me. I had no objections, so I said nothing.” Now that I was looking, he really wasn’t hidden very well. Had I really just overlooked him?

“In the future a hello or something would be appreciated.”

“My apologies. I assumed you noticed me and dismissed my presence as unimportant.” That last word rankled me slightly.

“Why? How much did you hear?”

“Enough. I take it was a matter of some importance?”

“Yes.” I said through clenched teeth.

“I see. Shall I keep it to myself then?”

“Take it to your grave.” I said, my voice low.

“Understood.” He inclined his head to me slightly. If he understood the threat it didn’t show. “I’ll see myself out for the time being. Again, I apologize.” He bowed his head in…deference? Either way, he picked himself up and left. Leaving Pumpkin and I alone.

“You’re not a monster Sparks.” Pumpkin said, placing a hoof on my shoulder. “You’re a good pony with a monster on your back.” She bent down and scooped up the orb with her free hoof. Like Sunny before her, the storm inside was quelled by her touch. What did that mean? Besides myself the storm had only appeared to Aurora.

“I don’t know if I believe that anymore.” I wanted to, almost more than anything but despite what I might have said earlier to Pumpkin, I’d have killed Orchid if it would have helped us. That and what Erebus said about Blood Orange. He was right. I couldn’t blame him or the orb for what happened then. He’d once told me ‘People are who they are on their worst day’ and on my worst day? When I was suffering the most after Winter’s murder? I became a killer.

“You have to.” Pumpkin continued. “To give up now is like admitting everything up until this point was meaningless.” She reached out and took my organic hoof in hers. “And I know that’s not true. You came back for me.” She squeezed a little tighter. “You saved Ollie and Wisteria.”

“It wasn’t enough.” I didn’t know how many ponies there were left in Stable 54 but I tried my best and saved only one in the end.

“You can’t do everything for everypony and if you only focus on your failures, you’ll never see your own self-worth. Do you think anypony else would have stopped and tried to evacuate the Stable? Do you think just anypony would stay behind and risk their life for a pony they’d just met?”

“No…” I admitted.

“See? Don’t wallow in what you failed to do, instead think about what you accomplished no matter how minor. You might not believe in yourself but they do.” Pumpkin waved her other hoof in a broad arc in the direction of the others. Was she right? She had to be; the regulators accepted me as their leader after all. Me, a lost stable dweller with limited survival experience. My faith in their belief was amplified by their actions. Twice they’d come to my rescue regardless of the dangers. I still didn’t know how they got the cart through the Balefire Swamp. Sunny and Aurora, of course, would follow me into Tartarus itself if asked. I had let my failures cloud how the others saw me. Where I saw a failure, a murderer, they saw a leader, a father…and a friend. “And so do I.” Pumpkin finished, squeezing my hoof tighter and leaning in to plant a kiss on my lips. That certainly wasn’t what I expected to happen after all was said and done.

“Pumpkin I…”

“You don’t have to say anything. Just think about what I said okay?”

“Okay…I can do that.” I still had my doubts of course. Even the simplest problems didn’t vanish immediately but, with Pumpkin’s help, I felt like I was making strides towards the pony I wanted to be. Another point to Pinkie Pie.

It was three hours after dawn when we made it back to Eclipse. We left the cart in the barn above and rode the elevator down in silence. Wisteria hadn’t woken since we left the diner so she was currently being carried on a travois by Blackhawk.

“When we reach the bottom you want me to take her straight to Gunny?” Blackhawk asked, craning his head to look at Wisteria breathing softly while she slept.

“Take Ollie too.” I said, not really sure what I expected Gunny to do. “Can you do that for me Ollie? Gunny is our doctor.” Ollie was standing under Sunny, her head hanging low between Sunny’s forelegs. She lifted her head and looked at me a moment, her eyes still far away but I could see a glint of awareness in them.

“Okay.” She said quietly, stepping out from under Sunny, her head just barely missing her barrel. She walked to Blackhawk and looked up at him with a wary expression. Blackhawk looked back and smiled in a way I’d have never expected from a stallion like him. Ollie’s expression eased and she held out a hoof towards him.

“Um…what’s this?” He asked, his smile faltering.

“She wants you to hold her hoof.” I said, a smile of my own forming at the memory of leading her through the hallways of Stable 54 the same way.

“I don’t…um it’s not like I-” Blackhawk started. It was the most uncomfortable I’d ever seen him.

“I was under the impression you helped people.” 87 said, stepping off the elevator as we reached the bottom and settling his red eyes on Blackhawk. “Was I mistaken?”

“Well, no, but-”

“It is a gesture meant to bring comfort and express trust. Comfort in turn allows one to feel safe. She is safe here, yes?” 87’s eyes narrowed slightly but he otherwise did not move.

“Y-yes. Of course she is. This way kid.” Blackhawk said hastily, taking Ollie’s hoof in his as he began to lead her away.

“Nice work.” I said, patting him on the back as I passed.

“It was my pleasure.” He said with another of his small, barely noticeable smiles. From the west hallway I thought I saw something move but before I could get a good look I was stopped by someone pulling my tail. I turned around and saw a face I wasn’t expecting.

“Surprised?” Grim said, likely spotting the shock on my face. A mix of emotions, both pleasant and unpleasant swirled within me. “I wanted to-” He tried to say before the mix settled on the strongest feeling and I lashed out and struck him in the beak with my organic hoof. He recoiled from the hit and wiped his beak with a claw, a drop of blood rolling down it.

“Alright, guess I deserved that.” He said, rubbing at the side of his face. “At least you didn’t use the metal-”

*Thwack*

Except I did. This time he went to the floor clutching his head and I was quick to pounce, pressing on his throat with my metal hoof. I didn’t push hard enough to choke, allowing just enough give to let him speak. Or at least that was the plan. I’d had my hoof on him for less than three seconds when the combined efforts of Gumdrop, Crescent, and 87 pulled me off of him.

“Easy Boss.” Gumdrop said, releasing her hold on me. “He’s here because he needs help.”

“Help?” I scoffed, jerking free from their hold. “You abandoned us and now you’re asking for help?” My anger rose but my heart wasn’t really in it. The heat quickly faded and I took a deep breath to compose myself. “Let’s hear it then.”

“Good to see no one’s killed you yet.” Sunny said in greeting, her voice more controlled than mine had been.

“Sunny.” Grim acknowledged with a cautious nod, a claw rubbing at his head. “Who’s this?” He said, looking Pumpkin up and down as she came up alongside me.

“My name is Pumpkin Cake.” She said, giving him the same visual onceover.

“We rescued her from Project Outlast, no thanks to you.”

“Look, I get it, you’re upset and I’m-”

“Getting to the point.” I said, talking over him.

“Alright. Red Eye’s people are moving a wagon of slaves into the city from the northwest. Among them are a two griffins, brother and sister, who worked for him. I want to rescue them before it’s too late.”

“You want to rescue two of Red Eye’s Talons?” Sunny asked incredulously.

“Former Talons.” Grim said with a carefully controlled tone. “Who might have useful information.”

“You’re asking us to risk a lot.” I said, weighing the dangers in my head.

“I know but this is our only chance. If we wait too long they’ll make it to the Shipyard and any chance of rescue will be lost.”

“What could they possibly know that makes them worth saving? If they worked for Red Eye then being enslaved themselves is exactly what they deserve.” Sunny said with barely contained bile.

“I…don’t know.” Grim confessed. Though his confidant stance never faltered. “Wouldn’t any knowledge be preferable to none?” I was about to reject the idea when something occurred to me.

“The Shipyard is on the southeast peninsula.” 87 said from behind me, a perfect echo of my own thoughts. “If so then why are they bringing in the slaves from almost the opposite direction? Surely it would be easier to approach via a straight line than diagonally crossing the city itself.”

I waved a hoof to the others to group up, including everypony present save Grim. Not like he couldn’t hear us anyway.

“You’re not actually considering this are you? Red Eye is not somepony you want as your enemy.” Sunny warned, and while I agreed I saw no way around it.

“I’d say we’re past that.” We’d already tangled with some of Red Eye’s forces and I didn’t foresee our organizations getting along. “Think about it Sunny, why is that the direction they’re coming from? If we take those griffins alive then maybe we can discover exactly how Red Eye’s forces crossed the mountains.”

“Is there a chance this is a ruse? A trick to those who might be observing?” 87 asked, punching a hole right through my confidence.

“Sunny?” I invited. She would know best how they operated.

“No, I don’t think so. It’s a lot of time and resources to commit if that’s the case. Wasting resources has never been his style but we’re far from Fillydelphia.”

“So it’s a possibility?” I asked, feeling new reservations about it all.

“What difference does it make?” Crescent said, joining the conversation at last. “If the goal is rescue then who cares why they’re taking them this way?”

“He’s right.” 87 added. “If you’re worried about losing Intel on their movements, don’t. So long as we capture the targets alive they should be able to provide us with the information we seek.”

“We?” I asked, my eyebrows rising noticeably.

“Indeed. Are you familiar with the concept of a life debt?”

“Yes.” I knew where this was going and I didn’t like it one bit.

“Then you understand that I am at your service until my debt is paid, you release me, or death takes me.”

“I didn’t save you so you would serve me.” I frowned, the whole thing leaving a bad taste in my mouth.

“I know.” He said, inclining his head towards me. I still didn’t like the idea but he seemed to have decided something about me and I’d be a fool to turn down the assistance of somepony with his ability. I just hoped he could fight half as well as he could see.

“I say we go for it.” Gumdrop said, a hard edge to her eyes. “Even if we don’t get any information busting a few slavers heads would still be worth it.”

“And get on Red Eye’s shit list? Count me out.” Orchid said, taking a step back from the circle.

“That’s your choice.” I said, the makings of a mischievous smirk pulling at the edge of my mouth. “Though the sooner we get back the sooner we can prepare for our journey to Boulder City.” Her ears perked up at that and her frown deepened, the look in her eyes on the other hoof spoke to the contrary. Got her.

“I guess if you need another body, I’m able.” She said with faux annoyance.

“So we’re doing this?” Pumpkin asked.

“Gumdrop makes a good point. Taking out the caravan and freeing the slaves is a worthwhile venture on its own and if that is all we accomplish then it’s still a victory.”

“Are you sure you want to do this?” Sunny asked, her tone grave. “It won’t be an easy fight; these ponies aren’t like your average slavers. They’re killers, smart, and organized, plus they’ve got air support.” The unpleasant image of the hole one of Red Eye’s griffins left in Knight Juniper’s chest with his rifle came to mind.

“No they don’t.” Grim said into the circle. “The only griffins in the convoy are the ones in the wagon.”

“How do you know?” Pumpkin asked with narrowed eyes.

“I did some recon before I came here. They got ten, maybe twelve or so on the ground and none in the air that I could see. Based on their speed I’d say we got an hour before they reach the city, four before they reach the Shipyard.”

“See? No air support.” Crescent smiled, looking around the circle with hopeful eyes.

“That we know about.” Sunny finished pointedly, dashing what little hope he had.

“Protecting the people of Equestria is what the Rangers are supposed to do.” Indra piped up, a determined spark to her eyes. “I think we can pull it off.” That was at least two votes in favor.

“So do I.” I said, weighing the risks and tossing them aside. I shouldn’t have needed a tactical reason to stop a group of slavers no matter who they were associated with. Indra’s words reminded me that this was what the Regulators were supposed to do also. “But I won’t force anypony. We’ll put it to a vote. All in favor?” I said, being the first to raise a hoof. Indra and Gumdrop’s hooves came up next, followed by Crescent’s and 87’s.

“I guess we’re doing this.” Pumpkin said with a weary sigh. I could understand how she was feeling, with it being the fifth or sixth day she’d been awake and all.

“You don’t have to go.” I said quietly as she sidled up to me. “In fact, I almost wish you’d stay.”

“Why? So I could stay locked up and worry myself to death? No, I don’t think so.”

“You’ll still worry even if you come.” I reminded her.

“Maybe but at least then I can do something about it rather than sit here and speculate.” Her tone held confidence and determination, her stance and subtle trembling however betrayed her true thoughts. She had taken a life yesterday, an act that likely left her shaken. That and everything I dropped on her about Erebus yesterday left her almost no time to process any of it.

“Everypony gather what you might need to pull this off and meet back here in one hour. Gumdrop, Crescent, spread the word and make sure everypony knows. I don’t care how many of us go but volunteers only. Grim? We’ll talk later.”

“Understood…and thank you.”

“Don’t thank me yet. Pumpkin, would you come with me?”

“Alright.” She said, giving me a wary look. I started off and led her through the complex in silence, all the way to my office. The door slid open at my approach and I beckoned Pumpkin to enter.

“Is this your room?” She asked, spinning in a slow 360 to take it all in, a noticeable sparkle in her eyes.

“It became mine when I took over this place, yes.” I said softly, magically removing my armor and bags, dropping them to the floor. “You’re more than welcome to explore if you want but I thought you’d like to take this time to rest, take a bit to process it all.” I moved towards the far wall where the bookcase was. I hadn’t noticed it the first time I was here but nestled in the west wall perpendicular to the bookcase was a door that led to the bedroom. The inside was dominated by a large white canopy bed with wavy silver curtains surrounding it. It sat in the middle of the room on a relatively thick, ornate red and black rug of unknown design and origin. On either side were nightstands made of dark wood with one drawer near the top and small cabinets taking up the lower portions. In the right corner of the room was a glass, possibly crystal table that could comfortably host four ponies. The chairs surrounding it weren’t as ornate as the table, at least to the uncultured eye, but the fabric of the cushions were hoof embroidered with white thread and silver starbursts. To the right of the table in the center of the right wall was another door that led to the bathroom. The left corner on the other hoof held a simple but large reclining chair sat in front of an L shaped bookcase that took up the whole corner. In between them in the center of the back wall was another of the fancy chairs pushed in under a heavy looking wooden desk. Other than the terminal atop it, which I’d never used, the desk held a number of scattered papers and folders I had refused to move and three picture frames I had set face down without looking at them. Underneath the desk was a simple safe that looked out of place when compared to the rest of the décor. It too I had left alone. Only one of these things held any interest to me now and, with a running start, I leapt face first into the bed with a soft *pomf*. This was the bed I’d been craving at the diner. Sure, I’d thought of my bed in the Crater as well but all I could envision when I thought of it was Circuit and what she may or may not have done with, or in it in my absence. I felt the bed shift as another weight dropped into it.

“Thank you.” Pumpkin whispered, scooting closer with a relaxed smile.

“I’m sorry I dragged you into all this.” I said, averting my gaze.

“Don’t be, if not for you then I’d still be a battery in the depths of Outlast.”

“B-but your brother-”

“Hush. Your help has put me in the best position to find him. Without your help…I’d have nothing. I’d still be stuck in my pod amidst the destruction of the world, frozen in time without any idea anypony was looking for me. My brother found me, you freed me and we’ll find him…together.” She took both my hooves in hers and squeezed. “If that’s what you want.” She amended quickly, her voice nervous and her grip on my hooves slacking but still holding tight.

“It doesn’t matter what I want.” I said, my turn to give her hooves a squeeze, silently confirming her words. “Is it what you want? I…I don’t want you to get hurt because of him…because of me.” There were very few places we could call safe in this land. By my side was not one of them. The weight of Winter’s necklace suddenly grew heavy around my neck.

“Do you really think I’d have just hopped in bed with you if I didn’t want to?” She said, a knowing smile on her face as my own heated up at the mental image. Her smile faded and her expression grew sincere. “It took courage to tell me the truth, about…him. I won’t pretend to understand everything you’ve gone through but I used to know a group of ponies a lot like you. Saddled with responsibility they didn’t ask for but they made it work even when some ponies thought they had no chance. You might be thinking something similar, that the odds are stacked too high against you but the fact that you’ve managed as well as you have for this long with…him is proof that you’re more capable than you might’ve believed. You might be afraid of what’s lurking underneath but I’m not. Nothing is set in stone, even what you fear to be inevitable. So don’t give up, not until the bitter end.” She let go of my hooves, rolled over and pushed her back up against my chest. “I’m going to take a little nap, think you could set an alarm for us?” She purred, reaching behind her with a hoof to momentarily massage the back of my neck.

“Unfortunately, I can.” I said, taking a moment to set one for an hour on my PipBuck. Once it was done, I wrapped my forelegs around Pumpkin’s barrel and held her as she quickly fell into sleep.

Was it possible to resent one’s own self? How, after everything I’d done up until that point, had I managed to end up like this? I wanted it and according to a ghost I needed it, but deep down I knew I didn’t deserve it.

~Seldom in this life do people get what they deserve. Look at you, look at me. We are no exceptions. Take any opportunity that avails itself to you Starborn, there is no guarantee that they will ever come again~

…You’ve seen my memories, right?

~Not all of them~

Why can’t I see yours? He had said before that we were one. If that were true then it should work both ways.

~You and I are not the same, Starborn~ His tone was even but I could sense the underlying contempt.

Meaning what?

~It means you will see only what I allow you to~

Remember what I said about trust working both ways?

~Ah but you don’t trust me~ He said placidly.

And why should I!? Look what you’re doing to me! I did my best to mentally project the golden specks that had appeared in my irises.

~My…apologies~ He said with genuine repentance ~I told you once that I did not and still do not understand the nature of the orb. I can only surmise that this is an unintentional bleeding effect. I also told you that I’m not your enemy~

Then just what are you?

~I am like many of what you carry. A piece of a much larger, more powerful whole. Like you and your toys, I seek to bring the pieces together~

Then what?

~Absolution~

From?

…

From what? Erebus! His presence had already retreated to wherever it went when dormant. I almost felt like I was finally understanding him and common ground might exist but for now I was content with baby steps, regardless of where they led.

I wasn’t sure if I’d even been asleep or not when the alarm I’d set blared in my ear, startling me up with a jolt. Pumpkin, still wrapped in my hooves, gave a startled yelp as I nearly threw her to the floor as I awoke. I, on the other hoof, wasn’t as lucky as one of my hind legs bumped Pumpkin’s (generous) flanks and tripped me to the floor. I landed face first on the rug below which, thankfully, was plush enough to keep me from any injury. Physical injury that is.

“Are you umm…alright?” Pumpkin asked, hopping off the bed and helping me up with a barely contained giggle.

“You did this to me.” I said trying to hide my embarrassment.

“Well what did you expect? My family ran a bakery after all.” Pumpkin turned away and gave her rump a little wiggle, winking at me over her shoulder. My mouth went dry and a lone spark of excitement shot off the tip of my horn.

“I-I meant the alarm.” I said with a wince, a sudden growing tightness in my barding.

“Really?” Pumpkin asked, batting her eyelashes innocently. Her eyes drifted downward for a fraction of a second. “That’s too bad.” She said with an exaggerated pout. Then, as if all were normal, she stood up straight and left the room.

“You did that on purpose!” I yelled after her, blood surging in my ears and…other parts of my body.

“Maybe!” She yelled back, detectable amusement in her voice. I felt strangely…at ease. It was little things like this that could make me forget myself and the devastation that lay just outside, if for only a moment.

When we returned to the elevator we found the room full of activity. Packing supplies and checking their weapons were about twelve ponies. Among them I spotted Crescent and Gumdrop as well as the two who had been pulling the cart before.

“Sure you boys are up for it?” I asked, noticing their expressions shift as I spoke.

“Sure I’m sure.” The younger looking of the two answered enthusiastically. “I’m Pick.” He said, holding out a hoof. I took it in mine and shook. His fur was rust colored and his short, curly mane was blonde.

“Good to put a name to the face,” I said, noting to myself that I’d only seen him twice. Both of which were in the last twenty-four hours. “I’m-”

“We know who you are Boss.” The other of the two cut in. His voice, I noted, sounded like that of a stallion twice his age. Or apparent age as it might be. “My name is Rook.” Rook did not offer me his hoof. His fur was green with a small tuft of red mane atop his head.

“Alright. Just keep-” I started to say but was distracted by a tap on my hind leg. I looked behind me and saw the charcoal coated, blonde maned colt we’d saved from Whinnyapolis, a pensive look on his face. Once he had my attention, he waved for me to follow him as he darted away from the crowd behind a double stack of unlabeled crates. “Excuse me.” I said to the others, turning to follow the colt. He was leaning patiently against the crates when I arrived. His scarred and partially mutilated flanks were no easier to behold a second time.

“Don’t.” He said, his voice small and quiet. “Don’t pity me. What’s done is done and there is no going back.”

“Why did you bring me here?” I said guardedly

“I want to help you. Like you helped me. I can’t fight for you; I can’t help fix you but I can see what you cannot.” He looked up at me for the first time, revealing his cool, grey eyes. He also wore a strange circlet looking device on his head. Had that been there before?

“What? What do you see?” The words came automatically.

“I don’t really see anything. Sometimes I think and then I don’t.”

“I…I don’t understand.”

“Neither do I.” He said, a faint, but bemused smile on his face. He reached up, removed the device and closed his eyes. “Uncertainty lingers.” He started as if in a trance. “Single shines the tripled one, searching always. Soon met with the face of a friend, guided by a crescendo of growing will. A wall of darkness stands in your way, depths unknown. One path with many ends, shaded ones filled with purpose. A broken ghost sits alone where once was another, faces of joy watch, unable to change. A collection awaits its final pieces. Fire burns inside with direction but without knowledge. Secrets are yet still buried, the flames of destruction fanned by another.” He slumped forward a bit as his eyelids fluttered open. Then, wincing as if in pain, he placed the device back on his head.

“That was…cryptic.” I said with furrowed brow.

“I hope it helps.” He rubbed at the side of his head, his voice strained.

“Are you alright?”

“Thinking without my medicine gives me headaches sometimes.”

“Medicine?”

“Mhmm.” He nodded, motioning to the thing on his head. “It helps me find quiet from too much thinking, too much…noise.” He held his hooves up to the sides of his head and squeezed his eyes shut tight. “Loud.”

I looked over the stack of crates at the group assembled there. They were talking amongst themselves, rather quietly in fact. I looked back down at the colt with his hooves now over his ears. Was…was he hearing their thoughts? To test my theory I helped him to his hooves and lead him out of the room and into the halls. The tension on his face eased and after another moment he seemed fine. Though in the back of my mind I understood that without more experimenting it proved nothing.

“What is your name?”

“It’s Ebon Glow.”

“Thank you, Ebon Glow.” I patted him gently on the top of his head, which earned me a small satisfied smile, and turned to leave.

“You’re welcome. Remember to duck.” I jerked to a stop but by the time I turned around he was gone.

“Soft spot for kids eh?” An older voice called. In a doorway to my left leaned a stallion I’d seen before. Grey beret on his head, tattered black cloak, light grey fur and greying auburn mane.

“You could say that. White Noise, wasn’t it?”

“Good memory kiddo.” He pushed off the doorway and stood up straight. “Didn’t think you’d remember an old buck like me.”

“You’ve made that part a little difficult. What is it you want?”

“The same as you, to help the ponies of the wast-”

“No, not from the Regulators. What is it you want from me? I remember the stadium and Black Town. It’s no coincidence you’re here now.” I finally remembered why his name had sounded familiar.

“Observant too. I don’t want anything from you son, as a fellow escapee I wanted to see you for myself after everything I heard about you on the radio.”

“So you are the one who escaped twenty-five years ago.”

“Bingo. After the fight in Black Town I helped relocate the survivors elsewhere. I’d forgotten how helpless a stable dweller could be, only just got it taken care of about a week ago.”

Well…That was good news. I’m ashamed to say I hadn’t given my fellow stable dwellers much thought since the battle of Black Town. I was surprisingly happy to hear they were alright.

“So now you’re back to do what exactly?” I asked, my eyes narrowed.

“Pick up where I left off. Figured joining up with the Regulators gave me the best odds of finding you again.”

“But why me?”

“You always this suspicious?” he asked, arcing an eyebrow.

“Only when somepony casually admits they’ve been hunting me.”

“Observing you.” He corrected with a wry smirk. “I’ll prove my worth, don’t you worry about that. Nice leg by the way.” His expression didn’t match his words but before I could pursue the thought, he’d excused himself and turned to leave. I had no doubts he would be here when we got back so I followed his example and left in silence.

When I made it back to the others Pumpkin spotted me and waved me to the forefront. Twenty of us all together. Myself, Sunny, Pumpkin, Indra, Orchid, 87, Grim, Gumdrop, Crescent, Rook, Pick, and a mare I didn’t recognize in team one and eight others in team two led by Blackhawk and Grizela. Two additional griffins were amongst their number.

“Alright.” I started, getting everyone’s attention. “A caravan of slaves belonging to Red Eye is coming in to the city from the northwest. That gives us a few hours to intercept and liberate it before they reach the shipyard. Everyone check your fire, we want the slaves alive. As for the slavers, take prisoners if possible but it isn’t a priority.” I knew that by saying that I had essentially dammed them before combat even started. “Any questions?”

“What kind of resistance should we expect?” The unfamiliar mare asked.

“Well…” I paused and wrinkled my nose.

“Goldie.” She offered.

“Well Goldie our recon was minimal but we believe there to be approximately twelve hooves on the ground with no air support.”

“That’s it?”

“As far as we know.” It wasn’t the right thing to say but to the credit of everyone, none of them had second thoughts. “Team one will handle the bulk, team two will support. This is a simple rescue people, keep it tight, keep contact, cover each other and no one be a hero. Understood?”

“Yes sir!” Answered a chorus of voices. I felt myself swell with pride at the display.

“Alright then. Move out! Team two will ascend first, team one might have to make two trips. We’ll regroup at the top.”

After an hour of travel and a few minutes of quick scouting we determined the best plan of attack. The slave caravan had so far been following the old roads which gave their path a degree of predictability. Enough so that we were able to get ahead of them and set an ambush at the mouth of the East Baltimare tunnel. From there all we had to do was wait. Staring back into the darkness of the tunnels depths suddenly made me uneasy. Where did this tunnel lead exactly? How long was it? Did anything or anyone dwell inside? I didn’t like having my back to it.

“Do you fear the darkness?” 87 asked, setting the borrowed Dragons Kiss down and stirring me from my worrying thoughts.

“Only what it might hide.” I confessed. Ponykind had been cut off from the light of the heavens and since then the worst of what we are capable of has become commonplace. I wondered what it was like above the clouds, under the sun, moon and stars. Did the pegasi have cities up there? Did they know what life was like for their brethren below? Did they care? Did they even know we existed? Damn them all anyway.

“Here they come.” Grizela alerted us. From her perch atop the tunnel, binoculars in claw. “About two minutes out.” She, the other griffins and two ponies were to stay up top and attack from above. Between them and the firing line we made at the mouth of the tunnel, this should be over fairly quickly. Why then was I so nervous? Starfall and Retribution hovered beside me, twirling in random patterns as I tried to stamp the butterflies from my stomach.

“Calm yourself.” 87 said, magically calling Dragon’s Kiss to him with a quick yellow flash. “They can sense your anxiety.” He nodded towards the others. A few sets of eyes looked back at us worryingly.

“I’m trying! There’s just this feeling I can’t shake.” Ebon Glow’s strange warnings didn’t help matters, the puzzling way he’d said them only exacerbated my feeling. The caravan was now in sight. Those of us in the tunnel took cover behind abandoned wagons, in small alcoves and behind the concrete support pillars that ran down the center of the two lanes.

“Stay close to me and keep your head down.” I whispered to Pumpkin. “I have a bad feeling about this.” A feeling I wish I’d felt earlier. It was too late to pull out, if we revealed our position now they would assuredly kill some of us and there was no chance they wouldn’t notice us if we decided to just hide and let them pass. They were close enough now that specific details could be seen. There were thirteen well armored and well-armed ponies walking in a protective oval around a caged wagon pulled by two unarmored ponies, slaves most likely. They were almost on top of us when-

“Open fire!” The command was immediately drowned out by a cacophony of gunfire. Four of the slavers dropped in the first volley, the rest were smart enough to break formation and take cover where they could with the majority moving behind the wagon, putting the slaves in the crossfire. The slavers began to return fire and both a pony and a griffin of team two were killed outright, with Pick taking a bullet to the shoulder, he staggered but did not fall. An explosion from outside shook the roof of the tunnel and two more friendly blips disappeared from my EFS. Who had survived? Grim? Grizela? Both? Neither? I couldn’t think about that now, I had to stay here in this moment or all of us could die. The slavers were already putting up a better fight than I’d expected. I admit, after the haphazard attack on Project Outlast, I had severely underestimated Red Eye’s forces. One of the slavers taking cover at the side of the tunnel’s entrance carefully, and with purpose, pointed his weapon towards the slaves and casually gunned down the two hitched to the cart.

“NO!” I shouted, sending Starfall spinning through the air. The slaver didn’t get a chance to react as the blur of my blade took his head off. Calling back my sword and ignoring the feelings of doubt and dread, I jumped from cover with Starfall held in front of me for protection and charged. I couldn’t let them kill the others! Pumpkin tried to follow me but was barely able to get one blast from her shotgun out before being suppressed by a spread of automatic fire, which she was able to catch just in time with a shield spell. Sunny on the other hoof shrugged off a bullet that bit into her chest and was quick on my tail. When we reached the opening I swung Starfall hard to the left, bisecting a mare who had been taking cover there. Sunny jumped over me, caught the mare’s top half before it could hit the ground and used it to absorb the next round of bullets sent at her. Three of them had shifted their attention towards us and in a blink, I watched blood fountain from one of their heads as somepony inside found their target. Sunny ducked, did a quick 360 and flung the top half of the mare at the other two slavers. It flew through the air in a blur and hit one of the slavers with bone breaking force, snapping their head all the way back.

Another explosion rang in my ears as the wall of hot air washed over me from behind. One of the slavers from the opposite side of the tunnel entrance had lobbed a grenade inside, the mare who’d identified herself as Goldie went down sans her legs on her right side. She panicked, blood spurting out of her stumps in large jets. She tried to move, her other legs flailing uselessly and then with a abrupt shudder she lay still and moved no more. From above I heard two sharp eagle cries and watched as Grim and Grizela leapt from the top of the tunnel. Sunny used the distraction to charge the last of the three we’d been focusing on and yank his weapon from his mouth, using the motion to spin herself around and drag her knife across his throat. Grizela landed hard on the roof of the wagon with a clatter, quickly getting her submachine guns up and unloading on two slavers taking cover behind the wagon. Grim had landed less gracefully, driving his weight directly atop the mare who’d thrown the grenade. Rook, Pick, Pumpkin and 87 came galloping out of the tunnel. Rook and Pick piled on a second slaver before he could turn his weapons on Grim while 87 fired Dragons Kiss through the rickety wood of the wagon, igniting the slaver behind it. Pumpkin closed her eyes and, with the great creak and groan of metal and wood, the wagon began to rise. The final slaver, his mouth open in surprise, looked between us all with evident fear. With a thought and gentle flourish, Starfall ripped through the air between us and skewered him, the force enough to throw him to the ground. The whole exchange took less than two minutes but we had won with five casualties and twice as many wounded. Pumpkin groaned in concentration and gently set the wagon back on the ground. The eyes of the slaves inside were all wide with terror. That is all save two. Inside, wings bound and beaks covered, were the two griffins Grim had mentioned. I attempted a smile but it never came. “Get ‘em out of there.” I said, not caring who opened the wagon.

Rook and Pick rushed up, destroyed the lock and flung the cage door open. A couple of them bolted out of the wagon without hesitation, galloping away with everything they had. We called after them but ultimately let them go. Others were apprehensive, cautious even as we carefully ushered them out. By the time we got to the griffins, naturally at the back of the wagon, most of them had calmed down to a sense of normalcy. Grim hopped in the wagon and ripped the covering off the first griffin’s mouth, the male of the two.

“It’s a trap.” He said quietly and with defeat as though our fates had been decided. Everypony who had heard tensed but there wasn’t anything we could do about what came next. In the air above came the sound of something moving at high speeds. I craned my head up just in time to see a green mass drop from the sky, landing on the roof of the wagon in front of Grizela with enough force to warp the cage below. Understanding dawned on me as the green figure spread its wings wide, its horn wreathed in magic. Grizela’s expression had barely registered her surprise when the alicorn drove her horn through her chest. She made a choking sound as thick, sticky blood escaped her beak. The look of primal fear in her eyes froze my blood as the alicorn finished her spell and everything above her horn exploded into bloody scraps. What was left of Grizela went limp and toppled off the wagon, blood running in rivers from her open chest cavity. The alicorn laughed as gunfire began to erupt around us, every bullet ricocheting off the shimmering green shield she’d put around herself. From inside she shifted her gaze to Pumpkin, a hungry look in her eyes, green fur spattered with viscera. Somehow, even though the gunfire, I could hear her clearly as if her words were my own thoughts.

“You are powerful little one. Come with us. Let us take you away from your suffering. The Goddess will be pleased to meet one such as you.” Her voice purred; eyes locked on Pumpkin. Rook and Pick came up from behind the alicorn and together were able to shove her from the top of the wagon, shield and all. She hit the ground and her shield flickered, albeit briefly, the look on her face barely passing for annoyance. With a flare of light from her horn, her aura gripped Rook’s neck and twisted his head all the way around with a wet crunch. Pick was lifted into the air, eyes bulging and hooves flailing as invisible force began to strangle him. The alicorn allowed herself a smile as he dangled in the air helplessly. Pumpkin’s horn began to glow and she vanished in a flash of light, reappearing inside the alicorn’s shield with Heart’s Promise gripped between her teeth. She ducked her head and drove the blade into the alicorn’s belly. The shield flickered again but did not drop. A shriek of pain ripped through my head causing me to drop my weapons and pointlessly try to cover my ears.

“You are talented indeed.” The voice continued in my head. “We look forward to calling you a sister of Unity.” Her horn glowed again and Pumpkin clutched at her chest, knife falling from her mouth as she choked on her breath. What was she doing to her!? I didn’t know how I was going to help her now that she was inside the alicorn’s shield. I settled for what I knew best and hurled Starfall towards her with all my strength. She noticed and smiled smugly as she waited for the attack to be deflected like all the others. Which made her new expression of stunned disbelief all the sweeter as she beheld the tip of my blade a mere inch from her face. It had punched through her shield to the hilt before stopping. All at once her confidence and control were gone, replaced by something she hadn’t expected from us. Fear. She beat her wings and leapt in the air with Pumpkin in tow, the shield still surrounding them. Pumpkin, at least, seemed to be breathing again as her hooves fell from her chest with a look of relief that quickly shifted to panic as the ground beneath her got farther and farther away. Before she could do anything else, the alicorn lashed out and struck Pumpkin in the side of the head, knocking her unconscious. She went limp and settled into the bottom of the bubble shield. Bullets continued to spark off her shield, the look in her eyes growing more frustrated. In an attempt to cover her escape, she began to fire spells randomly in our direction. A lightning bolt stuck 87 and brought him to his knees and Pick was lifted into the air again and thrown into Blackhawk and Orchid, sending them all to the pavement in a heap. Grim leapt into the air to give chase, raking his claws across the alicorn’s shield with quick fly-bys.

Focusing on my sword, still stuck in the alicorn’s shield, I seized the handle with magic and tried to pull her back to the ground. At the very least I would slow her down enough to, hopefully, give everypony time to take her out. I wasn’t going to lose her, no matter what! Willing Starfall to its true brilliance, I pumped all I had left into bringing her down. A second layer of overglow enveloped my horn as the alicorn began to gradually descend. It was only a matter of time before she reached the ground and she knew it but still she kept fighting. 87 managed to get back to his hooves and fire a quick three shot burst from Dragons Kiss, shots, I happened to notice, that were not simply stopped or deflected by the shield. In fact, the glow of her shield seemed to be dimming. Sunny, who had been backing up this whole time, kicked into a gallop and charged toward the alicorn who was now only a meter above the ground. She jumped and used all her momentum and strength to force Starfall the rest of the way through the shield and into the alicorn’s neck. Pumpkin fell to the ground as the shield vanished like a soap bubble. Blood spurted in time with her heartbeat from her neck in fatal quantities as I called Starfall back.

“S-sword.” She managed to choke out loud, blood catching in her throat and lungs. She toppled forward dead, face down in a growing dark patch of wetting earth. Jabbing Starfall into the dirt at my hooves, I trotted over to Pumpkin, ignoring the growing chatter of the survivors and slaves. I knelt beside her and cautiously held a hoof to her neck. The alicorn sounded like she wanted her alive, a fact that brought me immediate relief as I found her pulse. She drew in a shaky breath and opened her eyes with a start, trying to sit up but wincing and giving up at the halfway point.

“Thank Luna.” I said, taking one of her hooves in mine and squeezing. From the mouth of the tunnel came the sound of wind and another, blue alicorn with white mane wearing a blue-silver helmet dropped her invisibility spell. Every gun that had noticed moved to her immediately but nopony fired. The alicorn had surprised us all by holding up her hooves in a gesture of surrender, the imploring look on her face genuine enough for all of us to hesitate.

“Don’t.” She said in a soft voice, flinching as Crescent took a cautious step forward. “We…I-I don’t want to fight.”

“And why should we believe you?” Blackhawk asked, his stance still tense.

“If I wanted to kill you, I’d have stayed invisible.” She said, the softness of her voice taking on an icy tone. “I’m wondering…where did you get that sword?” Her eyes fell on me and the sword in the ground behind me. Her horn began to glow and Starfall slowly started to float towards her. At the halfway point between us I decided enough was enough and called it back to me, watching with interest as the sword ignored the magic around it and flew back to my grasp.

“It stays with me.” I said, narrowing my eyes at the strange alicorn. I’d never had the opportunity to speak with one before, well, one that wasn’t trying to kill me that is.

“Fascinating.” She said, eyeing both the blade and me with renewed interest. “My name is Society. I need your help.”

Footnote: Level Up!

New Perk: Deep Cuts – Attacks with bladed weapons have an additional 30% chance to score a critical hit.

Next Chapter: Chapter Thirty-Six: For Want of Self Estimated time remaining: 5 Hours, 31 Minutes