Riptalon stared Henri down, eyes locked with both griffons reaching for their weapons. Riptalon went for his combat knife while Henrietta went for her twin pistols, nicknamed Black and White Rose respectively.

“Henri,” Riptalon greeted, his voice sounding very much like he had a history with her. And a not too good one at that. Given what little Iron knew about his companion/constant pain in his arse, he wouldn’t have been surprised if he did. As Riptalon and the newcomer continued staring each other down like a pair of gunslingers at high noon, Iron was suddenly hit with yet another memory flash.

“So…” an older stallion’s voice asked as ragtime piano-based music played in the background. “That’s your position?”

“Yeah, so fuck you and the high horse you rode in on mate,” another voice responded, Trottingham accented. “Been wanting to say that for a very long time, and now I finally get to tell you that face to fucking face.”

“Well then…” the older stallion answered before the sounds of crackling electricity filled the room and then, horrific ear-piercing screams of pain. “Let me teach you a lesson. Something I learned in my youth. As a young little colt, I had a dog named Bill. Like all dogs, Bill was a loyal friend. If we had not fed him, Bill would have been loyal. If we had struck him, Bill would have been loyal. Only when the inferiors below us, the ones in the Wastes the Zebras created, can we make that claim will he take his place in society.”

“You’re... “ the other stallion coughed out. “You’re sick. You and your sense of morality… Completely fucked up beyond belief. You’re completely insane, you know that? My brother was right about you. Right to the very end, when you killed him,”

Another scream of pain, and laughter followed it.

“You know… Despite all your preaching about how it’s the Zebras fault about Equestria went to Hell… You seem to forget history,” the other stallion continued to comment, despite all the pain and suffering he’d been put through. Iron had to admire him, whoever he was. The buck had serious balls, cast iron ones probably. “You wiped the slate clean to fulfill your own mental reasonings. Celestia, as much as you worship her, is as much as at fault here as well. She abdicated, you know. Right after Littlehorn Valley. If she hadn’t… Well, then this whole mess might not have happened eh?”

A roar of rage, and another scream followed.

“We’ll keep going at this, right up until you submit. President Winter Breeze will have you one way or the other, that’s my promise to her.”

“Funny, would Winter Breeze actually let you go through with this?” the other stallion asked with a dark chuckle. Iron could almost see him smirking. “Let me ask you this… Hell, ask yourself… Who are you more afraid of? Celestia’s judgement… Or hers?”

The older stallion faltered for a moment, for just a brief moment. But soon he regained his composure. “Lady Celestia forgives everything, but I'm just a prophet... so I don't have to. Amen. Now… ask yourself, Are you afraid of Celestia, Nimbus Breaker… Or are you more afraid of me?”

And then the screams started once again.

“..You two going to shoot each other, or have public sex right in front of me?” Iron laughed, before coughing and wincing in pain and trying to ignore the rather horrific memory as best as he could.

This earned him a glare from both Henri and Riptalon.

“...The flying fuck you nitwit?” Riptalon growled before muttering “...Have half a mind to turn my knife on you just for even suggesting that…”

Iron snorted even as he felt his chest ache in pain, he’d been expecting that sort of reaction. He’d just said it to get a rise out of Riptalon. Though he had to admit, even to himself, Henri and Riptalon probably would make a good couple. Shooting and looting the scum of the Wasteland, the fre-

Iron stopped himself. Where the Hell had that come from? Far as he could see, or what little of it anyways, the Wastelanders were just normal ponies trying to get by in whatever way they could. Hell, probably even those Raiders were probably just trying to make a living and survive in their own way. Wasn’t like this place seemed to have any sort of organized government, really.

“Hell no! Me even having… relations with this backstabber just… It’s just… Gah!” Henri screeched. “Who the Hell do you think you are anyways?”

With that, she whirled around to face Riptalon again.

“Where’d you even pick up this bastard anyways?” She barked out in anger.

“Found this dipshit wandering the ruins of old Appleloosa, been nothing but trouble ever since for me and a sheer pain in my backside,”

“Seem to recall this “Sheer pain in your backside” saved your life, at least more than once,” Iron retorted sarcastically. “Or is your memory as fuzzy as mine?”

“Oh, go fuck yourself,” Riptalon snarled. At about this time, Henri began laughing her head off, rolling on the sand cackling like a deranged hyena and clutching her sides.

“What’s so funny?” Riptalon snarled.

“Oh… Oh, this is just too rich!” Henri sniggered, getting up off the ground and wiping tears from her eyes. “Just… just you two. Sure you two haven’t had angry, hot, passionate, sex yet? You’re too perfect for each other. A chronic backstabber of a mercenary and an amnesiac. Sounds like a match made in Heaven if you asked me,” Henri teased.

Both Iron and Riptalon gave her disgusted looks and then looked at each other and recoiled.

“No way in hell am I shagging him!” Iron snapped, still clutching the barrel of his chest in pain. “Guy’s an arsehole!”

“What he said!” Riptalon shouted, putting his two cents in before he turned to Henri. “What the Hell are you doing here anyway?”

“Well, it’s a bit of a long story…” Henri began. “First things first, let’s get that idiot pegasus friend/fuck buddy of yours healed up.”

Iron groaned at the nickname before he asked “Can we at least do it somewhere else? The smell of that bear and those coyotes is starting to kill me faster ever than blood-loss ever could,”

“Agreed, although Henri… Do me one thing…” Riptalon asked. “Just don’t say you’re on a mission from Gawd. That line got old years ago.”

At that, Henri actually laughed.

One Week Earlier: Junction Town

Shots rang clean across the small, but functional shooting range of Junction Town as Henri fired shot after shot into the targets that had been set up. Each shot, a bullseye. This was her personal way of venting at the hand life had dealt her, and what a crappy hand it had been.

First, there had been her father. Killed on some mission by somepony unknown, and she didn’t even remember why her father had been on that mission, to begin with really.

Then there was her… That little filly, Puppysmiles. Celestia and Luna knew how, but that strange, hyper little filly who always had a constant smile on her face had gotten to her. She was always finding a new way to get in trouble, but somehow… in some damned, fucked up way, she’d gotten to her.

Henri had liked to consider herself a lone wolf, tied down to nobody, no faction. But Puppysmiles… She’d brought a light into her life that she never knew she could possess.

Firing off several more shots into the targets, scoring headshots each time, she growled.

Then, IT had to have happened. Puppysmiles just had to up and die on her! Her little sister, although she would never have admitted it when they first met, that filly had to have passed on to the next world and leave her behind!

Henri screamed in rage as she punched a wall, cracking it and drawing blood from her balled up paw.

“Damn… Damn it… Why…?” Henri whispered, small tears dripping onto the floor from her eyes. “Honestly… I’d have been better off the way I was if I’d have never met you. Might have spared me the pain, and the hurt. I gained a sister… only to lose you! I… I know you had to die, be with your mother again… But… But couldn’t you have stayed with me a little longer?”

As Henri wiped away the tears from her face, a song played over the radio.

“From this day on, I wear my father’s gun

I'd like to know where the riverboat sails tonight
To Neigh Orleans well that's just fine alright
Cause there's fighting there and the company needs men
So slip us a rope and sail on round the bend
As soon as this is over we'll go home

To plant the seeds of justice in our bones
To watch the children growing and see the women sewing
There'll be laughter when the bells of freedom ring…”

As the song continued, Henri chuckled as she reloaded her pistols and studied one of them intently. She knew it, the tune being played. Colton John, “My Father’s Gun”. She laughed at the dark irony of the song being played. How apt it was for her, really.

“Hey nifty Equestria! It's me, your leader and the one nobody questions, old Red…” The female voice said in an intentionally terrible version of Red-Eye’s voice before breaking out into sharp laughter. “I… I’m sorry, I couldn’t take it anymore. Celestia above, my sides hurt! No worries folks, it’s just me, your friendly neighborhood Element of Honesty, Homage!”

As the words “Element of Honesty” were brought up, Henri cast a glance to her own Pipbuck, clad in a bright shining gold color scheme, like a beacon of hope across the Wasteland. Honestly, she wasn’t quite sure how, but she’d become a bearer of an Element herself. In her case, it was Magic.

When asked about it, the former Kindness Bearer Fluttershy had theorized that it was perhaps the magic of Henri’s friendship (As corny as it sounded to the Griffon) that had bonded the Element to her.

“That's me, fillies and gentlecolts. Comin' to you taped from my fortified bunker in the middle of an Equestrian Wasteland Hellhole. Ain't life grand? Ah, anyways… That was Colton John… God, if he wasn’t dead and interested in bucks I probably would have fallen for him myself I admit,” Homage laughed. “Great singing voice, always manages to bring a tear to this pony’s eye. ...Well, unless it’s he’s singing “The Bitch is Back.” Not so above it all to play air guitar to that, this pony admits.”

“If you excuse me for a minute, I’d like to tell you about my dear Toaster-Repair Pony Littlepip… Celestia knows I wish she was back, cause my toaster’s broken… again,” Homage muttered and grumbled something about machines never working when you wanted them to before clearing her throat. “Anyways… About to be ten years to the dot in a few days when Littlepip activated the Single Pony Project and gave the Enclave bastards one Hell of an ass-kicking and loosened their hold on the Wastes and actually gave us a chance to make ourselves a government and take back Equestria for our own. Day of Sunshine and Rainbows, ya know?” Homage remarked with a laugh. “Anyways… Just because she’s in that tower doesn’t mean you can’t go and visit her… Though if you’re asking for a night with her, sorry to say she’s quite taken. I’d tell you the nights we spent together and how lovely they were, but for all I know there may be little kids listening on this. Can’t scar their little minds now can I? Velvet Remedy would have my head on a platter. ...Actually, I should probably be careful anyways, Celestia and Luna know I’ve been spouting off curses right and left, eh?”

At this, Homage laughed nervously. “Lemme tell you, Velvet Remedy, not a mare to anger. No wonder her husband’s so scared of her at times. ...Can tell who the dominant one in that relationship is can’t you? ...Crap, did it again didn’t I?”

Henri laughed a little, and sniggered when she swore she heard a female voice comment “Yeah, you really did Homage!” in the background of wherever Homage was recording from. Nopony knew really, and that was probably for the best given the Enclave still had remnants out and about who would love nothing better than to shoot Homage dead just to get back at Littlepip for breaking the cloud cover.

“Oh, one last thing. Don’t feed the Yao Gaui. That is all. Now, back to the music, and a tribute to my dear Littlepip. This is for you, a song from the late Tom Pony,”

“You belong among the wildflowers
You belong in a boat out at sea
Sail away, kill off the hours
You belong somewhere you feel free
Run away, find you a lover
Go away somewhere all bright and new
I have seen no other
Who compares with you
You belong among the wildflowers
You belong in a boat out at sea
You belong with your love on your arm
You belong somewhere you feel free
Run away, go find a lover
Run away, let your heart be your guide
You deserve the deepest of cover
You belong in that home by and by…”

Henri chuckled and muttered “Never change Homage, never change...” to herself. She sniffled as she wiped away another tear. The song fit Puppysmiles so well, so kind, so innocent to the Hellhole that was the Equestrian Wasteland. She deserved better than what she got.

Henri grimaced, she couldn’t let anyone see her cry. Death was a part of life, and she knew it. Time to stop grieving and re-join the fight. The Enclave wasn’t going to stop until all of Equestria was theirs, and Henri would be damned if she’d let them or President Winter Breeze have it.

Henri wandered through the place that the NCR called home. Well, Junction Town wasn’t really a town as such in the traditional sense. It was really a mish-mash of repurposed train cars and old buildings that Gawd’s Talons had fixed up for living quarters and other purposes.

As she walked through the town, she smiled as she saw the giant statue of Littlepip herself in the distance. Sometimes, she’d seen a blue-maned unicorn stare up at it and smile. Other times, there was a black and red haired pony, pure white in fur color there whispering to herself when she thought nopony was listening “I can do better. I’m not an executioner.”

Henri, in her time at Junction Town had grown to know everypony. Small towns were like that, no matter when or where you were.

She smiled when she saw two little fillies playing in the street and splashing water on each other laughing and giggling in joy. One was a little zebra filly with her mane tied in a braid and the other was a small little pegasus with blue fur. Her mane mostly matched, but with white streaks in it.

Henri chuckled when she saw the Zebra filly tackle her friend playfully. Even in the Wasteland, there would always something to make somebody smile.

She waved at one of her neighbors, an older stallion from a Stable that she’d gotten to know over the past few years. The stallion was a nice enough fellow and went out of his way to make everypony happy, keep their spirits up.

When you were in a war with terrorists who could very easily bomb you and your town in a powerful Blitzkrieg attack if they so chose, it was best that the civilians weren’t constantly in fear. In the early days of the Enclave/NCR war, Regina Grimfeathers had often worried that there would have been riots now that everybody knew the Enclave was still alive and kicking under a new leader.

Henri shuddered, she still remembered Winter Breeze’s first broadcast like it was just yesterday.

“My dear Equestria, the Enclave has returned better than ever before. You may have heard of our past actions, but I am here to tell all of you that things are different now. The Enclave is here to help Equestria, we offer aid to any settlement, tribe, or Stable in the Wasteland. Our world has become a ruined place, while there are ponies who have been trying to rebuild, they do nothing but stave off the greater problem. Corruption, disease, starvation, the New Canterlot Republic and its allies does little to stop this inside and outside of their borders. The Enclave offers you all an alternative, food, water, and stability to all those who want it. There is of course the matter of the traitors that call themselves Dashites. Traitors and terrorists who want to disrupt the established order of the Enclave,” she’d said. It was the kind of voice that made you want to believe her, but every bone in your body said otherwise. Winter Breeze was scum from the moment Henri had heard her, and she wasn’t done yet. That was before she’d revealed her kicker. “Just as bad are those who harbor them. The NCR harbors such individuals and allows them free reign over their territory. But that is the least of their treachery, they have given one of the worst of these traitors, a war criminal who's actions caused many deaths. I am speaking of course about the former Vice President of Stable-Tec, and the pony behind the Stable experiments, Scootaloo. She has been living among you for the past year under the alias of the Wanderer, the NCR and DJ Pon3 have been aware of this fact since then, perpetrating the lie to the inhabitants of Equestria. The Enclave doesn't believe in such deceptions, so we are bringing the truth to you. This is President Winter Breeze, signing off.”

Henri hated to admit it, but she’d been terrified. Just the sheer idea of the Enclave returning was enough to send chills down anybody's spines. The only time Henri had been that scared was when that spirit of Nightmare Moon… Or whatever it was had taken over Puppysmiles’s body and went on a rampage at Emerald Shores.

Days passed, and eventually Henri found herself in Regina’s office. Two former Talon Company members guarded the door, shotguns in their paws.

“Ma’am,” Henri saluted as she entered the room, wondering what the Hell the current president of the NCR would want with her.

“Henrietta Firebright,” Regina said in a no-nonsense tone of voice. Henri stiffened, she knew that things were serious right from the get-go if she was using that tone. “Your help is… required.”

“For what?” Henri asked quizzically, cocking an eyebrow.

“We’ve lost contact with our settlement on Mount Pleasant Island, and communications haven’t come in from the island for the last several days,” Regina informed. “Something’s wrong, and I don’t like it,”

“Enclave interference?” Henri asked.

“I suspect so, although there could be other forces at work we don’t know about really,” Regina remarked. Henri scoffed.

“Since when it isn’t the Enclave these days?” Henri laughed darkly. “They want Equestria for themselves, and whatever their end goal may be, taking out NCR settlements would be a good way to start. Establish their own government, with that bitch Winter Breeze front and center,”

“Yes, that’s the most likely cause. I want you to lead a team, small enough that the Enclave won’t take notice,” Regina explained. “There’s a bridge leading to Mount Pleasant Island, you can take a train there and nobody would suspect a thing,”

“Quick and silent, I like it,” Henri said, smirking to herself. “Who do you want on the team?” She asked.

“I’ve already sent for Riva, she and some NCR troops will meet up with you once you find the final member of the team. This mission requires a very specific skill-set, and to be honest… As much as I hate to admit it, there’s only one griffon that fits the bill right now.”

Henri’s eyes widened in shock when she saw Regina place the “Wanted” poster on the desk in front of her. Her beak jaw dropped in shock, Regina had to be kidding.

“No… Please tell me you’ve finally bucked up and gained a sense of humor after all these years,” Henri growled out. “Seriously, him? Riptalon, one of the most infamous and backstabbing members of Talon Company?”

Henri knew there wasn’t a single faction in the Wasteland Riptalon wouldn’t work for as long as you had the caps to pay for his services, a true mercenary. Trouble was, he had the bad habit of backstabbing you as soon as you ran out of caps and killing those who couldn’t pay up. The last time he’d worked with the NCR, he’d killed an entire squadron for crying out loud!

“...No, I haven’t lost my sense nor am I playing a joke on you, Henri,” Regina answered. “As much as I hate to admit it, we need Riptalon’s help on this. He can get in and out of places quickly enough, and create enough of a distraction for you and your team to figure out what’s going on over there.”

“You really don’t give a damn about what happens to him, do you?” Henri asked. Regina chuckled.

“Not in the slightest. You betray the Talon Company, you pay for it harshly. If anything else, loyalty is something I value above all else. Those who betray others… They’re worse than scum. They’re just trash,” Regina replied coldly before her voice became softer, kinder. “But… You do business as long as I have, and you learn to pick a brand name from the writing on the wall. I’d like to believe Riptalon’s that brand, so to speak. He’s a special sort, could have turned out differently if he wasn’t so obsessed with getting his next big score,”

Henri sighed as she walked out of the office, but not before Regina had one last thing to say.

“Oh, and Henri?” Regina stated. “Your father would be proud.”

“Would he?” Henri asked quietly, her father’s pistol feeling heavier than ever.

The Present Day:

“Wow, and just when I thought I couldn’t be any more loved,” Riptalon said dryly. Nearby, Henri was wrapping a series of bandages around Iron’s chest. “Get drafted into what’s essentially a suicide mission. Regina’s really living up to her mother’s legacy isn’t she?” the griffon asked sarcastically.

As she tended to Iron’s wounds, she gave him a look.

“Trust me, I don’t like this any more than you do,” Henri remarked.

“I sense there’s a but coming somewhere along the line…” Riptalon put in. “Always is,”

“...Yes, there is a but. If it was anybody but you, I’d be furious at what Regina’s doing. But you… Well, you’re about as big a traitor as I’ve ever had the displeasure of meeting,”

“Feeling the love here…” Riptalon drawled. Henri ignored him and turned back to Iron. The pegasus’s thoughts ran wild. He knew Riptalon wasn’t somebody he could trust, just by his general demeanor, and that look in his eyes. It was the kind of look you got in somebody who was about to turn around and slice your throat. But this… Knowing an entire government wanted him dead was something else entirely. He’d have to keep an even more careful eye on Riptalon from this day on, that was for sure.

“That should hold for the time being, least until we can get to the nearest town where we can get you proper treatment,” Henri stated, Iron wincing in pain. She noted his pistol. “That’s a good gun, given it a name yet?”

“Haven’t really had the time to think about it yet, honestly. Between the running and gunning and all,” He deadpanned. He then laid his head down on the sand. “Now, if you excuse me, this pony needs some sleep. Good night.”

Author's Notes:

Okay, so, huge credit to RuinQueenofOblivion for letting me use her characters from The Lost Children in cameos and letting me use the entirety of Winter Breeze's first broadcast from Survivor's Guilt. Now, aside from all of the pop-culture shout-outs in this chapter, there's one that really needs to be noted. I purposely put in Tom Petty's Wildflowers in this chapter in honor of him. The guy's a great musician, and it's rather sad that he has to leave us so soon. Rest in peace man, you will be missed.