Author's Notes:

It's been a long journey so far and honestly I'm surprised this got this far. Expect a new Chapter next week and in the mean time, enjoy.

“It's a shame that your armor is necessary, but we're not safe out here.” He said with a soft smile, brushing my mane as we stayed in that embrace for a long time. I had become irritated we could not be closer with my armor plating in the way and it was chafing in spots from how long I'd been wearing it. He broke the hug reluctantly so we could both take a moment to collect ourselves.

“Actually I wanted to talk to you about something, important.” I smiled back at him as I blushed and rubbed my forehoof against my other side. I could feel the butterflies in my stomach and the absolute feeling of potential despair if he rejected the idea.

“While we dance perhaps? Or would you rather talk first and dance later?” Nyota moved to give me a soft hug. I noticed that in the distance all the rest of our company were staring at us. As soon as I looked at them, they all scrambled their attention to something else, Quick Stitch even falling over his own hooves to look busy. Scopola blushing and snickering at him as she started to whistle, adding to the suspicion of their eavesdropping.

“First, you said you couldn't dance. Second, it's about our quest goals and our relationship.” I kept feeling the butterflies rising making it harder to talk by the second. I moved my hoof up to my PipBuck and hesitated. A part of me wanted to jump headlong in and just see what happened. The other half was very concerned if I didn’t ease into this, he’d flee from me instead. Both sides fought for control and I did my best to not show this conflict to him.

“Well... dancing is like practicing martial arts but together right?” He asked, oblivious to my internal struggle, instead setting up a practice circle for us to resume our work out. “I mean you want to find information about your family, figure out how to stop the agents, rescue your parents, find my family, and figure out what the box inside us is; that's it right?” He finished spelling out my thoughts and stopped our work out.

I slowly raised my head and solemnly nodded to him, “Well, if we find nothing on my parents in that Secret Stable with the Phi symbol, I want to reverse the order of our goals. It’s selfish of me to take my parents first. We don’t know if they are alive, but we know your family is. We also know they are in danger and being tormented.” I started our practice but he stopped me.

Instead Nyota insisted upon leading me in a music-less waltz. I knew the steps from the Canterlot Gala. I took the lead when he didn't quite know all the motions. I guided him as best I could while pressing my head into his shoulder. It both hurt and felt like a relief to admit any of this.

I wanted to hunt down my parents and hug their neck. Putting that on hold seemed felt like I was abandoning them. However, helping the one who gave me these butterflies felt so very right. It also meant if my parents were gone, I would still save the ones who gave me this wonderful zebra. There was another major thing I wanted to talk to him about but this needed to be done first.

“We've got more leads on your parents than mine. I know my parents are alive, but not where.” As he spoke, he was learning the moves quickly to dance with me. It was the nicest feeling in the world. I now knew what my parents felt when they danced together in the living room. It is one of the most wonderful feelings in the world but nerve wracking at the same.

The simplest waltz, one step after the other felt like the most surreal moment of my life. If not for the feeling of Nyota's rising and falling breath; I wouldn't have believed this was real. Tears of absolute joy fell from my eyes as I finally just got to relax and be close with him.

“Nyota, my parents are likely in stasis, like I was. Yours are in the wasteland, vulnerable, and time is not on their side.” I paused for quite a long bit as the tears turned to pain at a very disturbing possibility. “I have to accept the possibility that we will fail and my parents are lost. Please let me give you this, because you've given me more than I ever had the right to ask.” As soon as I finished the sentence, I missteped.

He didn't seem to notice and just smiled as he nuzzled my mane from above. “I will agree if we find nothing. Now let's enjoy the dance. There's so much hurt in the wasteland, let's add some moments to make us smile okay?”

I wasn't going to have any of his reassurance or blissful moment, not yet. “I need to say one more bit, is that fair?"

He nodded and nuzzled into my cheek. "Sure, Sunny. Go on." I could tell he was humoring me to get to the part where I would finally just relax into bliss.

"The memory I had, of Coffee Stain and the doctor explaining that not only am I much older than I appear and apparently have a child somewhere... I wanted to say this.” I gulped heavily and stopped the dance for the briefest moment, brushing my hoof against his neck very gingerly down to his muscular shoulder. I knew he could feel my trembling and his hoof moved to steady my own.

I took strength in him and decided to take my leap of faith. “Nyota, I don't want to make you wait anymore on me being ready nor my father's approval. The memory I had proved I shouldn't hesitate or restrain myself.” I bit my lip hoping he fully understood exactly what I was getting at.

He held me tight to his chest, right over his scar. I could feel my blushing running through my cheeks so hot it might burn him. I clung to him like my life depended on it as soft tears of happiness rolled from my eyes and I slammed my vision closed to just listen to his heartbeat.

“We’ll cross that bridge when we get the chance, for now relax. Let us enjoy the time we have here and now.” He turned us so we could look into each other's eyes. I could see my nearly stark white face against my green coat in his cosmic eye reflected back to me. He held the goofiest smile, one of the most magical things I'd ever seen upon his face ever. I reached down and turned on my PipBuck, finding some dancing music.

My tears dried as I focused and I could see clearly again. He knew what I meant when I took in the rest of his face. The spiritual eye of the Starkatteri, always fascinated me and I considered it one of the most beautiful things I'd ever seen. It had truly distracted me from the rest of his expression. He was in such a deep blush that not even Chifundo's stripes could hope to match that shade of pink. I just matched his goofy smile and we resumed the waltz to music now playing from DJ Pon3’s station.

He just kept his smile as the music slowly wound down; I hadn't stopped blushing and our company hadn't stopped staring at us both. “I mean it, I love you, and I'm ready.” He brushed against my flank softly and my tail with a mind of its own reached over and grabbed his like a hoof-hold.

“Well looks like that's a long time off for later tonight.” He said with a soft laugh as our dance ended. He let my tail have its way with his. “Whatever Scopola Mina is cooking smells good.” We walked back to the group, while Scopola Mina snickered at us. I realized my tail hadn't let go.

Scopola Mina fluttered her eyelashes. “Oh a little bit of everything for the lovebirds. At least what I can make out of an MRE, plus your other supplies.” She held up a bit of skewered meat and smirked more. “Something for those who want meat and...” She stood up high on her legs and puffed her chest out proud as she pulled up the second pot of food. “Veggies including baked beans for protein for the rest of us.”

I felt my flush return at her words and turned my head away from Scopola Mina, still looking at her knowingly from the corner of my eye. “He made me feel wonderful, some decisions were made, and well... he'll get an answer when we get to town.”

Nyota quickly changed the subject, “I think it went very well. We're going to Stable-Phi once we get Jackal settled in. We will need a plan to deal with Geckzilla as well but I think it would be best not to cross paths with that gargantuan eating machine.”

Jackal looked like he heard his name but was standing away from us, in deep thought. He glanced at me and met my gaze, then turned his head away quickly. “Well, there's always my way of handlin' it, after all it's a big threat t' folks in the area, and well, got a notable bounty on its head too!” Alguacil spun his revolve cylinder and popped it in place to emphasize his point.

Nyota shook his head and looked at me, “I think we'd be better off leaving it alone to a larger better equipped group. As much as that bounty might help us, I'd rather not try it with anything short of a megaspell bomb.”

I shook my head. My knowledge of explosives was at work and my cutie mark itched as I spoke, “A dozen 127mm Equestria anti-tank rounds would probably work, but I don't think we have those either. Even if we did, we lack a gun to fire them with.”

Alguacil spit out something from his meal and shook his head, “It's probably just got extra thick scales for soakin' bullets. There's a reason gecko skins make good armor.”

There were banging and crashing noises behind the car. Chifundo emerged with Snuggles chewing up a poor radroach and eating the poor creature whether it was still twitching or not. My stomach churned and I struggled to keep my own food down.

The grilled veggies were delicious but I had to force myself to take the next bite. Chifundo just sat down with a smile and nodded to me, “Three radmites is plenty of feed, more than that, Snuggles does not need.” He petted the manticore which made me cringe even more; to say I was green would have been an oxymoron. At this point, I wanted to stop eating and just get away from that manticore.

Scopola Mina joined in scratching the kitty behind the ears as she took out an inhaler and fired it into her mouth. “Did our little kitty find some prey? Who's a good kitty.” Chifundo let Scopola Mina have the petting while he ate.

Quick Stitch chuckled, “At least Snuggles can be our new resident pest control.”

So long as they take care of it, keep it away from me and it makes them happy, sure; we can keep it. The moment that thing gets close to me, I'm going to shoot it!

Alguacil grumbled and shook his head, “Right, like runnin' around with a manticore cub is a great idea.” He spat and dragged out the word great till he was out of air. He pointed at the manticore to emphasize his point. Snuggles growled back at him and there was a stare-down for just a few moment.

I moved behind Nyota to hide from the sight of Snuggles and having to look at the cub. The very sight of any manticore was disturbing me. An image of Snuggles all grown up caused me to shiver and my stomach to lurch. Everyone took a moment to observe both my change in demeanor and me moving to hide.

Quick Stitch reached out to take over petting duty for the manticore, “While I don't like the idea of leaving Snuggles for somepony else to care for, we do seem to find ourselves in danger more often than not.” He looked at Chifundo, then at me. I ducked out of his view. “I wouldn't want the cat to accidentally find a land mine or otherwise because of us.”

Nyota glared at Alguacil, as if daring him to say something, while his rear hoof softly pressed against my shoulder to comfort me. I realized just how much this creature meant to them even if it made me want to panic and run. I held my ground and, shaking in my armor, I started to speak words I prayed I'd never regret, “Chifundo, you can keep Snuggles. So long as you keep it away from me and take care of it. Oh and train it to NOT eat ponies; even the bad ones.”

Chifundo laughed rather loudly and shook his head, “It does you no good to always be so tense, Sunrise it will dull your sense!” I knew what he meant but Snuggles seemed to mean quite a great deal to them.

Scopola Mina approached me, cleaning up what was left of our meal for later. “Miss Sunrise, I understand why you dislike Snuggles so much. I can't say I wouldn't feel the same if what you went through happened to me. But, I'm glad you're letting us keep it.”

Nyota placed a hoof on my shoulder and shook his head, “It's getting late and until Sparrow gets back we aren't allowed in town.” He explained as I heard his bedroll unfurl and he opened the zipper. “It's okay if you wanna cry, I'll give you a shoulder.” His whisper was low enough that I hoped no one else heard the part he added.

I looked back at my friends who were a good 10 hoof paces away, “Thank you for the food, it was really good.” It was, but Snuggles had ensured I couldn't revel or really indulge in the taste. I took out a canteen sucking down half the water inside quickly and then slipped myself some Med-X to stop the painful shivers I had. The cooling feeling that coursed into me from the Med-X deadened my fear somewhat. My body felt so distant and that distance was welcome. This stuff feels so good.

Jackal jumped off the car roof and finally joined us. He had been there since we started our way back. He looked at each of us suspiciously then walked up to Scopola Mina and extended his claw with a gruff look on his face. She passed him a bowl of meat soup and several skewers of meat chunks using her telekinesis.

He looked at her, then at me, then back at her. “Pony, I swear if this is poisoned with any of that Filly Scout drug garbage, I’m gonna see how quick your skull snaps in my cyberclaw.” The adolescent dragon clamped his claw to emphasize his point.

Scopola Mina jumped back, genuinely hurt, and she started to slide away. I jumped at Jackal and came within just a few steps of him growling mad, “Jackal, knock it off. We just went through high hell and I nearly died because Sparrow was gonna shoot you if we didn’t make you useful! Why would we bother to poison you at this point?”

Jackal looked down at me, I was the only one significantly smaller than him. He grimaced and leaned in. “You’re just gonna give up all this scrap and stubbornite for a town you barely know and for some dragon your stallionfriend happens to know? What is this horse shit?”

I wanted to hit him, I felt my blood boiling up but I held back. That would just prove his point and make him feel justified in his paranoia of us. I looked at Pink who had leaned in from the edge of my view, eyes wide. She wanted to see what I was about to do and didn’t dare interrupt the moment other than to make it known she was watching closely.

“Jackal,” I felt my mouth dry out. I didn’t like this ungrateful ass of a dragon. However, he deserved a chance to be better. He hadn’t done anything wrong and went with us to fix his mistakes. “I’m from the Old World, before the bombs. I remember what it is like to be determined to help others. Even though I lived my whole life through the war itself.” I paused and carefully considered my words, “I barely remember what it was like before the ministries, I remember the teaching of the Elements of Harmony as the highest form of morality.”

I reached up and used my hoof to open his cyberclaw so I could place it in it. He resisted at first but relented when he realized I didn't have to strength to make him. The metal was ice cold and made my skin crawl but I held it there. I looked him dead in the eyes and just gave him the softest look I could must. I prayed to Celestia this was the right move.

Jackal stared me down as I spoke to him, it was as if he were expecting a threat with him holding a gun to my head. “Honesty, Kindness, Laughter, Generosity, and Loyalty together will create Magic. That means right now I’m trusting you to have the kindness and honesty about yourself to not have a reason to crush my hoof in your claw. I’m providing the generosity of a second chance and hoping that will bring some loyalty out of you.”

Pink’s eyes went wide as saucers with a face that said she was seeing magic for the first time in her life. She immediately went to biting the edge of her hoof and staring at what I was doing. Dozens of hoof filings dropping to the ground. The tension in my body and instinct to pull away from scaly skin only adding to my worry Jackal would actually choose now to break my leg.

Nyota walked up behind me and looked up at Jackal, “And I’m hoping you are still loyal to me, your friend who went to The Metropolis to get that claw for you.” Scopola Mina watched intently and Alguacil winced at the statement, almost like it hurt him to hear that.

"Yeah well," he tensed up and his claw got a bit painful but the Med-X made it where I didn't show it. "They took a lot more from me and added bits I don't wanna talk about."

Nyota shook his head, "But we didn't know that, now let Sunrise talk." Jackal looked suspiciously to Nyota and slowly turned his head to me. We stared at each other, my gaze soft and trying to be welcoming, his still hard and angry.

I looked at Nyota and smiled nervously. Slowly I turned back to Jackal, “Most of all, my father taught me that everyone makes mistakes. We all deserve a second chance, we all deserve to have some mercy given if we’re willing to atone. Jackal, you are getting a second chance, at my expense. Why not take it?”

Jackal sat there, frozen and dumbfounded. His anger dropped like a wrecking ball hitting a clay wall. His claw slowly started to clutch at my hoof, he looked away trying to hide his face. I expected him to crush me and leave me with a shattered hoof. He didn’t squeeze that hard, just hard enough so I could know he was in pain, “Stupid ponies and your mushy stuff!” He didn’t let go, I looked up and saw a tear roll down his cheek, it sparked with a lightning bolt between his cheek and the droplet as it departed from his face.

Pink’s jaw hit the compass at the bottom of my vision and she plopped down onto her flanks. “Dragons don’t cry! How, did you…” Even the pony who embodied laughter, could not take this moment in passing or with a joke. She was purely stunned by the single tear shed by a great scaly beast.

“Jackal, was that a yes? You’ll be better?” Nyota placed his hoof against my other forehoof and nuzzled my cheek.

Jackal nodded and grumbled under his breath, “Yeah but I won’t keep this mushy stuff up.” He sniffed and forcefully dried his tears.

Chifundo chimed in, “With that we have created a paradox, a first of his kind to find an equinox.”

I stared at Chifundo and considered it, He is right, a dragon might finally find a balance between emotions. Might!

Jackal finally released my hoof and smirked, “But I’m not stopping having one night stands and don’t expect me to stop enjoying the dash!” He huffed and looked at me like he’d just won a fight with me.

I just smiled and walked away, “Wouldn’t expect it for the world, enjoy the food. Hopefully Sparrow gets back soon and lets us all in.” I felt Jackal staring at my backside, but I also enjoyed feeling Nyota alongside me.

“I’m sorry for all the heart attacks I give you.” I whispered barely loud enough for him to hear.

“Between Jackal and the manticore you’re gonna make me an old buck before we ever have time to really enjoy each other’s company.” He teased me further by nipping on my ear and making me jump. I stared back at him, mocking actual hurt and then finally giving a school-filly giggle.

I dropped my helmet into the dirt and took the ballistic goggles off my face. I could feel the wind upon it where they had been. I imagined you could see the difference in the dirt on my coat too. “Don’t drop your helmet Sunrise, ya need that.” Quick Stitch called out in a mocking manner. I felt my tail pick up the helmet and attach it to my hip.

It is still the weirdest feeling in the world when you do that. Like it’s a miniature out of body experience, Pink.

“Oh! How so miss pokey?” Pink pried back with a gesture that could only be described as, Lewd.

Well it’s like having your leg move or your mouth operate a screwdriver but instead of you telling your body to do, it just does it. You know it’s happening, you can feel it but you have no direction or control as it happens. So yeah, slightly out of body or like my tail is attached but only by glue and nerves that tell what it’s doing something. Pink just laughed and shook her head, walking out of my vision.

I looked at Nyota and nuzzled him softly, a felt a weary smile spread across my lips. His warmth was wonderful, especially after the rollercoaster of a couple of days I’ve had. I looked up at him with a smirk. He looked down at me and blushed, “I like seeing you smile.”

I looked up at him and kissed his chin underneath. “I suppose you want me to tell everypony about our talk?”

He let out a chuckle and shook his head, as we separated just enough to start to get me out of my armor. Only the outer plating though. “Only if that is what you want, I just like seeing you smile.”

“And I think it’s wonderful when you blush,” Nyota nodded at me and kissed my forehead. I heard Scopola Mina giggling and turned to see her hiding a grin.

“Sunrise, it’s good to see you not having to wear that heavy plating, you have a wonderful form underneath.” Nyota teased and bumped me with his hip.

I felt a twinge in the back of my head, something felt off and I knew what it was, “When did you stop calling me Sunny?”

“I meant it as a term of endearment but it seemed to bother you, would you rather I continue?” He was speaking softly, trying not to be heard. I could sense the ears of Scopola, Quick Stitch, and Chifundo leaning in to try to get a listen.

I looked over as Scopola said something about chemistry but that was the only word I caught as they all suddenly burst into looking busy. I knew they were pretending to not eavesdrop. “It grew on me. I’m starting to like this new Equestria, at least in some places.”

“Just kiss!” Quick Stitch called out to us teasingly which only caused Chifundo, Scopola Mina, and himself to burst out into laughter. Both Nyota and I glared at them while blushing furiously. I wanted to say something, I felt it trying to fight its way up my throat. I held it back through. He was right, I should just kiss Nyota.

I quickly pecked him on the lips and pulled back, he gave me a completely star struck look. He looked so cute, with glossy-eyes and unsure if he wanted to smile or run away and hide. The blush made his stripes look as pink as Chifundo’s again and his coat as red as Alguacil’s sombrero stripes.

“You better—” I was silenced and driven onto my back hooves when he embraced me in a full unrestrained kiss.

I resisted the urge to pull back from the surprise. He placed a hoof on my head and ran it through my mane. Every touch of his sending electricity through me from lips to the base of my spine. I felt the goosebumps ripple across my skin. I would give anything for this moment to last forever. I felt my rear hoof raise itself off the ground nearly touching my flank.

We only stopped when Scopola falling over and laughing interrupted us. I turned my head and glared at her as she tried to hide her face from embarrassment. Jackal huffed loudly, “Nyota come on, just bang her already.”

That stopped the laughing and both Nyota and I scoffed at him. I turned back to Nyota and looked up at him, “He used to be your friend?”

Nyota nodded, “It was a different time and I was a very different zebra. Hopefully he will become a better dragon now.” He made sure that Jackal could hear the second sentence. He choked on his food and coughed repeatedly till a spark of electricity came out of his mouth. The meat inside flew out and looked extra burnt to a crisp. This gave all of us a giggle and a bit of a marvel to find out Jackal was an electric dragon.

Nyota moved to whisper into my ear, “Don’t ever feel like you have to hold back, Sunny.”

I looked at all our friends and back to him with a wonderful feeling of butterflies and burning cheeks. I felt very warm all over. My armor had gotten extremely stuffy very quickly. “Nyota, I said I was ready, I didn’t mean make it hot in my armor!”

The chuckling continued and Chifundo calmed them down with just a few words, “Seeing the joy and love you share, the two of you are a beautiful pair.”

“Just make sure it’s an appropriate time an’ place,” Alguacil piped up from on top of the car as he kept look out towards Silver Fang and rotated to look back into the wasteland.

My mind raced back to the memories with Coffee Stain and what that would mean if I didn’t come clean to her and Nyota. “I have to talk with somepony first and explain to them what is going on.” I rubbed a hoof as I was down to my stable-suit and all its extra armor plating.

“Do you want me to come with you for this talk?” He asked with a smile and nipped my ear, making me jump and squeak. The squeak just made him smirk and ruffle my mane. I thought over what he just asked.

“Well, everypony here hopefully. I just want you to know before hoof, that I love you, very much.” I pushed back from him just enough to separate the two of us. I looked at him to, as my mind went to committing every aspect of his face to memory. I felt a twinge of guilt and hoped what I had to say to Coffee Stain wasn’t about to ruin any of this. I wanted to have this feeling every night.

“Life with you, Sunrise, has been a whirlwind, I am not sure what you are destined.” Chifundo paused and look a breath, “But for Nyota to leave your company, is not within the realm of possibility.” Our whole group turned to look at him dumbfounded by his expression. The silence over the camp stayed for a long time. Even Jackal had stopped eating to look at the shaman like he was about to reveal the mysteries of life and the universe.

Chifundo, get out of my head! I wanted to scream at him, not sure how he knew what I was thinking at that exact moment. There was an odd chime I heard and I looked around trying to find it. Nothing I could see or hear afterward.

Without missing a beat, as though the chime hadn't been heard by anyone else, Chifundo turned to Quick Stitch and smiled, “Quick Stitch, I have had some time in thought, the box should have a closer look sought. The one black as night, from our friendly cube of white.”

Quick Stitch nodded to him and pulled it out with his magic. He started to poke and prod only to have it shock him back and refuse to release any secrets. “Chifundo, if Quick Stitch is doing that, I need you to ask the spirits about Nyota’s parents. See if you can give us a clue where to start with them.”

I can’t believe I’m putting faith in zebra spiritualism. If you had told me zebra shamans had this kind of power before the incident with the potato, I wouldn’t have believed you.

“And now you know why it was so hard to beat them; and why they seemed to know everything. They made my job harder than a super stale pound cake.” Pink explained with an overly exasperated sigh.

“To do this will take much preparation, but this request has filled my determination.” Chifundo nodded at me, and motioned for me to move to the blankets with Nyota.

“One other thing, unless something extremely pressing comes up. We need to head back to that Secret Stable.” Everyone looked at me as I continued to present out my plan. I had their undivided attention, even Jackal raised an eyebrow. “We have a lot to do, get Jackal set up here in Silver Fang with his second chance. Go by and see Black Hawk and Picline too. Then once we get done with whatever is in Stable Phi, we head for Ten Pony Tower and get the information DJ Pon3 has. From there, we decide if we are going to help Nyota’s parents or figure out how to help mine. Does anyone have an objection?”

No one said a word. They started to nod as Chifundo and Quick Stitch returned to examining Sugarcube Corners’ box, and Scopola Mina started to clean up the food as well as her mobile
canteen kitchen.

“Sunrise, as long as I’m still here to keep you all in one piece, I am along for the ride either way.” Quick Stitch toyed with the black box then held it up as if to ask for help.

“Yes but this isn’t a dictatorship, I want to know what my friends think and if they have better ideas on what we should do.” I had stopped now, as romantic as Nyota and I had been. As much as I wanted to just jump into a sleeping bag with Nyota right now; I had to make sure everyone was on the same page.

“Sunny, I’m more concerned for your parents and what Stable-Tec might be doing to them, but I agree with your plan.” Nyota explained as my stomach kept swimming and I felt the heat calming down. “Come on love, you can discuss all this in the morning.”

He was making sense and I had to agree that sleep was something we all deeply needed at this point. I found myself curled up against his chest, sleeping upon the scar he bore there. I enjoyed listening to his heartbeat as he fell asleep.

I was somewhere else, it smelled of cinnamon buns. I slowly opened my eyes and saw my mother’s face. She reached down and stroked my cheek softly, “Hey, Little Wanderer, how are you doing?” She looked upon me warmly and I looked back but something felt off.

“Mom… Dad calls me that.” I complained and she winced, pulling the hoof back. Something didn’t feel right. Her touch was that of a stranger!

I recoiled.

Her face changed to one of disappointment and there was a flash of unicorn magic in a white glow. Mom’s magic is orange like my tail, not white. I was staring at a pony I did not recognize, the rest of the room came into view. The same interrogation room I’d been in before, without any table or chairs this time. This new pony, blue with a white mane and sunburst yellow eyes growled.

“Dammit! She saw through it far too quickly. What are your orders 9?” The mare said in a cruel voice as her hoof slapped my cheek and she stormed off behind a shield of blinding lights.

“I don’t know. I know Pinkie is onto us, but she needs evidence to move against us. Wandering Sunrise, would you be so kind as to tell us who Pinkie Pie sent with you to investigate us?” The voice, it was Agent 9.

It was my tormentor's.

Why? Why this memory? Why now? What triggered it? I was scrambling onto my hooves as my mind scrambled to piece together why this memory. What was it? I shook my head and raced haphazardly to put distance between us.

I didn’t get far before struggling to stop myself from the edge of the interrogation room. The concrete was going to be unforgiving and I knew this. I barreled to a stop and slammed my shoulder into it, hard enough to bruise and me to let out a whinny of pain.

Whoever the unicorn was spoke next, “She saw through the illusion in seconds, even if I misspoke. I could sense she knew it was wrong somehow. We can’t harm her anymore, Applebloom is getting suspicious.”

Agent 9 stomped her hoof, I still couldn’t see her, “I would just torture her or tell you to do a deep mind probe and leave a husk if we could. But if we do that, they will figure out what is going on.” She growled at me and even her breath could be felt even this far away.

I felt unadulterated pure fear. Even instinct told me to flee but I had no where to run. The fear kept pressing against me, I could feel the walls closing in around me, ready to crush me into a pulp.

That is what did it, the fear from Snuggles. Pink! Please if you can hear me, pull me out! There was no response as I felt my panicked mind looking for my parents or a way out.

The Agents turned their shadow figures towards each other and then back to me, “Well then, why don’t we let her answer? Come on, little pony. Your white coat doesn’t need more scars. You don’t need more of us trying to play with your mind, do you? Why not just tell us who is helping Pinkie Pie investigate us?”

Both of the unicorn’s horns lit up and pressed close to my forehead. I felt an extreme pain in my head, the same pain from the first memory in this room. I could almost see their faces through the light this close but the pain was blinding me. I fought it, I fought so hard to keep them out. Darkness started to take over, the pain was forcing me to choose between fighting back and remaining awake.

No! I won’t tell them. I can’t! I must protect them! Thoughts kept racing through my head, avoiding the name and doing all I could to keep the pressure of the mind probes out.

It was like two knives trying to drive through my skull, right between my eyes; and using just my thoughts to keep it out.

Their horns both flickered, and the knives stopped. I felt my hooves getting unstable and I could finally start to breath again. There was no strength on Equus that could keep me standing.

I collapsed to the ground with a thud and gasped for air as they stopped. Both of them stomped their hooves in frustration, almost in unison. That made it all the more unnerving to watch them moving in such a identical rhythm. I panted for air, struggling to keep myself awake.

“She is still resistant and refuses to give in. What do you wanna do with her?” Agent 71 asked. I knew who she was by voice now. They may have kept their faces from me but I could tell them by voice alone.

9 grunted and let out a dissatisfied harrumph, “We will have to break her if Stalliongrad has hope of achieving independence and getting out of this war between Equestria and Zebrica. Return her home for now, we must ensure her parents do not realize she was gone.” I felt my strength fading as she gave orders their orders.

They could pretend to be my mother and father, what did I do to make sure they were still my parents? Come on, tell me, don’t let this memory go just yet!

A magical telekinetic blanket wrapped around me and lifted me off the ground. The weightless feeling was enough to remove me from consciousness and end the nightmare. A distant honking noise seeming to draw closer and closer.

I woke up to Alguacil squawking. Nyota was already out of bed and making breakfast when I looked over to Alguacil and then out into the distance he was pointing a talon at. Sparrow was flying towards us while a small band of earth ponies and unicorns were walking on the ground. There was also a griffin among them.

About time. We’ve been outside for a full day. I slowly dragged myself from the warmth of the sleeping bag. I could still smell Nyota upon the bag and it was the last thing I wanted to do was get back into the cool air of the wasteland.

Every movement out was agonizing as the warmth left and the cold of the world returned. Sleeping on the ground had been bad, doing so in my Stable-Suit with it's armored plating made it even worse to get up. The aches and groans of my body made getting up extra painful. Nyota trotted up to me and held me close, warming me up and petting my mane softly to try to fix it.

I did't move much, just kept watching Sparrow approach quickly from the air and land in front of us. She looked at the car, then Jackal, and then at all the scrap metal scattered inside and on the roof of the vehicle. Sparrow flapped her wings and turned me, “So, the stupid teenage dragon wasn’t lying? You have what was promised to the Filly Scouts so we can get those weapons?”

I nodded slowly, Jackal stomped up next to me. “I’m not a teenager, I’m just poor!” He declared. I tilted my head and wanted to test this. My tail flicked a bag of 50 caps at him. He caught it and then I swore he grew a full centimeter right in front of us.

“Well if that is the case, he can leave. No questions asked.” Sparrow declared and started to walk past us. I stepped in her way and removed myself from Nyota’s grip. She stopped and looked surprised at first. Then her gaze hardened when she tried to walk past again and I blocked her a second time. The larger pegasus was stared down at me like I had lost my mind. “What?”

“Sparrow, Jackal risked his life for us and you. He went out his way when he didn’t have to and he atoned for what he’s done.” I stared back at her and leaned up till I was almost nose to nose with Sparrow’s yellow coated face. All of this in spite of me being significantly shorter than her.

She recoiled slightly as I felt a bit of determination and anger even build up inside me. “You are a mercenary leader, and your company having a dragon on its roster would go a long way. You agreed to take him on, he’s agreed to be better.”

I turned to Jackal who looked down at the ground and had a very long frown written across his face. His eyes looked up, rather hopeful this conversation would bear fruit, “Now we’ve done what you asked with change. So you are taking him on, as you promised, and giving him a new lease on life.”

Sparrow growled as her ground forces caught up to us to listen in. She looked at me, then the dragon, then her wing pulled out her HH-7 revolver and twirled it around. It was massive with a chamber almost as big as my shotgun barrel along with only holding 4 bullets. It was called a buffalo killer since it could put one down in one shot. If she points it at him, I’m gonna have to dive in the way and take the bullet. Come on Sparrow, I’ve done a ton for you; don’t do this.

The tension in the air built as she twirled the revolver again and her other wing came up to her chin, stroking it slowly. I could see her ruminating it over in her head, I grit my teeth. My body tensed ready to leap in the way of any hostile action Sparrow might take. She took note of this and then looked at the company with her as the earth ponies and unicorns caught up and stopped behind her.

On the third twirl she holstered it and let out a sigh while hanging her head. I could see the sense of both defeat and victory in her eyes. My body loosened up and the springboard I was on eased out instead of firing off. Sparrow stood up to her full height and looked down at me with a glare.

“Fine, you win. You’re all allowed in now. Come along and let’s get those weapons from the Filly Scouts.” She started to walk past as Jackal. He just stared at her stunned till she purposely bumped into Jackal with her armor plating, “Come on, Private Jackal, fall in and get inside for armoring! Worst case, we can use you as a bullet shield. That way, you'll work at least once.”

The second half of Sparrow’s speech was more growled in his direction than actually spoken to him. Sparrow didn’t stop walking but kept going towards Silver Fang Shanty.

Her shout made Jackal scramble to get in with the unicorns and earth ponies as they all headed for the gates. We broke camp and drove our car inside, ready to meet the scouts and I was honestly ready for a warm bed, compared to the rough ground we’d slept on.

Done by Lost in the Trees as a Full Sized Poster

Progress to Level 10 - HA! You thought you got XP for this? Kidding, Quest Complete 39% of the way to Level 10