“Many people will walk in and out of your life. But only true friends leave footprints in your heart.”
-Eleanor Roosevelt

I awoke late. Later than everyone else and immediately found my stomach churning. If there was anything in my belly when I went to sleep; it certainly wasn’t there anymore. Pink, thanks for the face-in-toilet fun.

“Oh, that’s something completely unrelated, silly.” Pink replied with an innocent whistle. I got back to our room and Nyota was waiting with a cup of coffee. I smiled at him and he passed it to me, “Here ya go, hun, help you get your day started.” I took the mug and immediately inhaled the hot liquid’s scent. The rich beans reminded me of what coffee was like before the Stable. My stomach settled and I felt better, slowly sipping on the black nectar.

“Ya gonna be alright, Sunny?” Nyota ruffled my mane as he spoke and I smiled at him. I laid my head against his side with a soft contented sigh.

“Just fine, what’s on the docket today?” Nyota smirked and we enjoyed our respite, at least through most of the morning.

We had barely gotten ourselves moving when a look out reported they saw “The Goddess with a Gun” coming close. All of us went on edge as I gathered my friends and we armed ourselves, heading out to meet her. Why did you have to get back up? I felt a chill roll down my spine. I enjoyed killing her?

Pink made a face at me, “Of course you did, she’s evil, I’m telling you.” Pink jumped back as we walked towards Breakfast Blend, weapons drawn. The unicorn was carrying a very large sack of things in her TK and she gave us all a weary smile. “See! Are those vampire fangs?”

I grinned at the wink from Pink, then winced when I saw the smile from Breakfast Blend. Even I could tell her smile was forced. I rolled my eyes and stormed up to her, yanking the pack out of her grip. I nearly fell over, but Nyota caught me and caught the package, using his hooves to arrange the package onto the ground with a soft thud.

“Huh, heavier than I thought it was,” I replied, with a look at it and a soft nudge on Nyota’s side.

Nyota was still glaring at Breakfast Blend. “Yes it is. Everyone please, I have a large load to carry; just let me though.”

“I don’t think so, y’all done caused enough trouble,” Scopola Mina replied, charging her laser rifle. Scopola Mina’s own TK wrapped around the load of packages, lifting it slightly. She wormed and forced her way past us, dragging the packages and ignoring us. We dragged the package I had grabbed while Nyota snorted at her.

“Did they warn you about the dangers of that spell?” He called out and she shook her head.

“We’re probably not using the same spell there, stripes.” I winced at the insult. I wanted to punch her for that, but Nyota kept his temper in check.

“No, that is a courier transport spell. It’s great till it wears off, then you need to collapse.” He gave me a reassuring wink and we kept moving the package until we were at The Roof’s gate. The new heavy cannons rotated and pointed at Breakfast Blend. The gate guards pointed guns out of their positions at her and the gate remained closed.

“I, umm, huh. I guess they don’t want this relief package from Silver Fang Shanty?” She turned around to face us; getting the same greeting at the town. “Sparrow sends her regards, by the way.”

I walked up to her and pressed my hoof against her nose softly, “You had better have a very good apology or you should leave.” I replied, hearing Alguacil click his revolver. The hairs on my neck stood on end.

“Well what do you think the packages are for, silly?” She looked around, from myself to Scopola and Alguacil pointing guns at her. She started to speak again, then hesitated.

Chifundo cleared his throat, “There is very little we will accept with this production, when one has caused so much destruction.”

She looked at him, shuddered and turned to Nyota, “You, mostly normal looking zebra, can you take this to the courier station? It needs to be broken down with the mail for other towns.” Nyota snorted at her. I did too, while Alguacil flared up his wings, casting their shadow over us.

“Breakfast Blend, is it?” I inquired and she waved a hoof at me dismissively.

“Yes, that’s me. You’re the Angel with a Shotgun, right?”

“Wandering Sunrise, you can call me Sunrise for short. Let’s not hide behind titles.” I snapped back. She just kept going, steamrolling over me and paying me little heed or little attention to all the weapons trained on her. Much less the fact that no one had moved at her request.

“Which one of you shot the alicorn? I’d like to punch them—not as an act of retribution but as an act of penance for killing my sister.”

I wanted to scream, I wanted to smack her face down. I took a deep inhale and slowly breathed it out with one word, “No.”

“Well then I’ll give him a scathing lecture. I think at some point in time, you and I need to talk about a lot of things.” Breakfast Blend was blowing off everything, as though it wasn’t a big deal she’d attempted to murder an entire settlement.

I was getting fed up with her. “Breakfast Blend, if this is your version of an apology, it isn’t very good.”

“Apology? Why would I apologize for anything? You shot me in the head, killed me, I got better, and now I’m back here.” She motioned her hoof through the hair in a very nonchalant manner, then her eyes went wide. “Oh right! Ten Pony rules!” She pulled her gauss cannon out, removed the clip and then unloaded the chamber.

I wasn’t going to hear any more of this. If I did, I might hit her, and that would give the guards an excuse to start this war all over again. I stormed off, slamming my hoof into a wooden door on my way by. “What’s her problem?” Breakfast Blend asked as I got out of earshot.

I really hope Nyota corrects you in his way. But that was not to be, as Nyota caught up to me, pressing a hoof against my shoulder to stop me. Or you could do the thing that makes me love you.

We reconvened at The Red Roof Inn with Quick Stitch, Scopola Mina, Chifundo, Nyota, Snuggles the manticore, and Breakfast Blend. We unloaded our guns to put ourselves on the same ground; no bullets loaded. Breakfast gave us a confused look. “Wait, why are the heroes opening their guns? Are you not threatened by me?”

"We are threatened by your presence, it's true, but it would be rude to parley while armed before you." Chifundo replied, softly petting Snuggles; who had gotten about half of my size at this point and was more a large dog than small feline.

I turned my head, rolling my eyes and speaking to no one in particular. “Well, you are welcome to leave anytime you want to.” Scopola nudged my side with a ‘be nice’ expression on her face. I was still seething with rage, wanting to kick her right out of The Roof.

Breakfast Blend paid for us all to have drinks. I declined the alcohol and, when invited to take a seat at their table, I shook my head. “Chifundo, I will not sit with her.”

Chifundo sighed, “Sunrise, I understand how you feel, but do not let violence win its appeal.”

“Well, there is a reason I make sure Cinnamon Crunch is with them.” She let out a sigh and tried to smile it off. “I’m terrible at negotiating. I did try to parley while holding two live grenades.” Breakfast Blend took a sip of her tea and found no one was laughing.

I put my hoof onto the table with a heavy thud, “You are also really bad at the whole apology and humility part of this.”

Breakfast Blend snorted indignantly at me, “I have apologized to every pony I’ve seen so far! You stormed off before I could even start offering my apologies! I’ve done what you ask of me. What more could you possibly expect?” She leered at me while sipping on her tea and whiskey blend.

Chifundo cleared his throat to get our attention, “Ponies, please, let us not prattle, how do we prevent another battle?”

Breakfast Blend looked at Chifundo as though he had just struck her across the face. “Do you mean that… We couldn’t! We Wouldn’t! I, I...I came here to make sure that doesn’t happen! Can you find me Picline? I know she is with the mayoral staff; I need to talk to her.”

Chifundo frowned at this and shrugged, “I can certainly go get her, hopefully her work won’t interfere.”

Breakfast Blend looked over to Scopola Mina, who had still been keeping her laser rifle held aloft in her TK; just not pointed at anypony in particular. “Hey, Filly Scout, that gun is making everyone very nervous.”

“Well, from where I come from, y’all’s presence, as ya know the one who were just shooting at us, is making everyone nervous; the gun is just making it less so.” Scopola Mina replied with a long draw as she held Breakfast Blend in an iron stare.

“Well, it’s unnecessary.” Breakfast Blend snorted in return.

I’ll show you what’s unnecessary. I tapped my hoof on the table, harder this time. “I mean, considering I want to beat your head till you’re completely black and blue, on top of the fact you have been completely snooty and cold hearted since you arrived; I think Scopola Mina’s gun is entirely necessary.”

Breakfast Blend let out a chuckle, “Well you already did that, TWICE might I add. Once yesterday and once about ten years ago.” She took another snip of her tea, purposefully turning her nose up at me. “So if you want to hit me, go ahead; third time’s the charm, right?”

I shook my head and removed my hoof from the table, “Hitting you fixes nothing; even if it may make me feel better.” I took in a deep inhale; trying to compose myself and failing. I felt tears welling up. I knew what this act reminded me of; the way the nobles at the Gala acted. The way they held up glasses of wine and acted like nothing was wrong. This despite the fact that hundreds were dying every day, fighting for their luxuries. That I lived in a city where food was sometimes not always forthcoming or you ate survival rations issued by the hospital.

I felt my insides boiling hot as I fumed and gritted my teeth, “Stop acting like some noble in Canterlot before everything went to Tartarus and take responsibility for the suffering you caused.”

Breakfast Blend shook her head, “Before the war ended, I was a barista in a coffee shop. You can blame Stable-Tec for why I’m this way now.” I can’t take this anymore! I stormed off, away from the table.

Breakfast Blend called after me, “We came to negotiate for those talismans,” She raised her voice every step I took. “If they had not been stingy we would not want to wipe out a town over a water purification talisman!”

I turned my head at the door to leave, “You sound like a Blueblood talking about coal and zebras.” My voice was so cold, even I felt the chill. I had never spoken so emotionlessly towards any creature. Now I felt like something within me had awakened, and it was not something I wanted to embrace.

“You could kill her, she deserves it. Rip that box o—” Pink slammed a door in my head shut and yelled to silence whatever that voice was.

“Shut it, you monstrous little shit on a pie! Sunrise is better than that!” Pink leaned a head into my view, grabbed my health monitor and ripped it apart. A leg first, then a spine piece. I could feel the parts of my body reacting as she pulled on them. She turned the pixels into nails, as though she were bending balloons into shape. I had no idea how she was interacting with the tech or how she was managing to do that.

I stared at her, not sure if I should be worried, completely shocked, or laughing at her. Pink came onto screen, sweating and wiping her brow, “Sorry, Sunrise. I have to make sure that doesn’t get loose again and cause all sorts of party pooping.”

Pink, what is it?

She held her tongue and shook her head, “Nopie lopie dopie! Even explaining it might help it get loose. You agreed to trust me; trust me on this.” I nodded slowly and walked off.

This was all too much to unpack, Pink acting suspicious. That new voice that I wanted to go away. Have I lost my mind? I’m talking to a Pink pony in my head and swear I’m hearing another voice that isn’t me...or is it? Breakfast Blend is by far the worse creature I’ve ever met. She makes Alguacil look calm and clear headed. Yeah, I need a break. I kept thinking to myself and lost my surroundings before I bumped face first into Nyota’s chest.

Nyota reached over and pulled me into a warm hug. He pulled me inside the courier office, softly guiding me to stand next to him. "She’s that bad, huh? Paperwork is the biggest pain in the ass about my profession. Sorry I couldn’t be there." He gestures to a huge stack of papers next to all the boxes that had been delivered.

I groaned, reminded of how upset I was. I looked over to see some empty wooden crates and just started punching them with my armored hooves. "FUCK HER! Smash her face in! I swear; that stupid cunt! I wanted to hit her so much! I wanted to see how many teeth I could knock out of her head. I wanted to beat her like Corners, because she deserves it!" I screamed out, hammering away until the empty crate was splinters. My armored plating was far superior to the wood it was made of.

Nyota shrugged, smirking to himself. He continued to sign papers, "I doubt you'll ever get a satisfactory resolution from her. Though your form with that box has improved." He sighed through his smile. I heard a jingling sound from him, looking over to see a bag of caps on the counter. “For the box.” He told the mare behind the counter that was checking his paperwork. "Sunrise, we've got a party and dance and stuff later..." he stopped filling out forms and turned towards me. His smile brought a warmth to my heart that somehow cooled my rage. "We’ll eat, have some fun, then do some meditation before heading to bed."

"How do you deal with it? I mean, you have a spirit of rage and don't just lose yourself to it?" I replied through my huffing and puffing. My tail flicked and smashed the splinters to dust, with an unexpected force. I turned my head to see that a long chain ending in a heavy steel ball had been woven into my tail, attached to my dock. A tail flail! How did I not notice that? Pink just snickered and I gave her a grimace.

Nyota broke my thoughts with a gentle hug. He nuzzled my cheek and gave me a gentle peck on my forehead. "I focus my rage. When I feel the need to cut loose? Well... we usually have people to fight." His smile never went away as I looked up at him, staring into his uncovered eye. I could see a deep fire within, that just barely radiated past the loving gaze he was giving me. "And I mean... meditation helps."

I deflated into the hug, even giving a cautious smile when he kissed my forehead. "I just... I’m sorry." I reached up and replaced the caps he put down with ones from my own bag. Then I offered it to him, "You shouldn’t pay for my mistakes."

Nyota shook his head in a very scolding manner. "It's okay, love. It took me a while to get used to repressing the simmering urge to murder anyone that steps out of line in front of me." He took the caps and placed it next to my own. He turned giving me a gentle ruffle along my mane, mixing the white stripe with the red body. "And I don't mind, boxes are pretty cheap. We're together and we carry each other's burdens."

I grabbed a broom started to sweep up the mess when Chifundo and Quick Stitch both arrived inside the courier office. “Breakfast Blend has left our parley session, but before she left I got one last concession.”

Nyota and I turned to Chifundo, who smiled at us both. “So we never have to see or deal with her again?” I asked.

“That much is implied, yes,” Quick Stitch nodded at me then he and Chifundo looked at each other. Quick Stitch sighed and relented from Chifundo’s gaze. “We did find out something from her about the boxes inside us.”

Well, that has my attention! But it’s from Breakfast Blend, can I trust it? I hesitated and looked to Nyota from some guidance.

Pink leered up, all hopeful. Something inside, I wasn’t sure if it was a memory or just a gut instinct, twisted and told me what to do. “Chifundo, Quick Stitch. As much as I want to chase her down and pummel her, if necessary, for all that information,” I took a breath and prepared my words carefully. “I think it’s best that we do not humor Breakfast Blend any further.”

“The boxes within are an atomic recompiler, it seems, and the recompilation of the dead are its schemes.” Chifundo spoke without missing a beat. I bit my lip to prevent myself from interrupting him, as much as I wanted to smack him.

Nyota facehoofed and snickered. Quick Stitch stepped in with a nervous smile, “Chifundo, I don’t think she is in the mood for a technical explanation, and, honestly? I wouldn’t be surprised if she slapped you. Perhaps after the party tonight, or tomorrow while we are on the way to Stable Phi?”

Scopola Mina poked her head in, “Oh please don’t hit him in the face, his face is so pretty.” Chifundo swished his tail at Scopola, smirking in her direction.

“You only want me to hit him in the gut to wind him so you can take advantage.” I replied, facehoofing with Nyota who was still holding his forehead in his hoof.

“Oh no, I ain’t that stupid.” Scopola looked around in paranoia for a brief moment.

Pink perked up and squealed, “But Picline would watch!” Everyone in the room seemed to hear that and looked in the same direction I was, all of us looking at Pink. Quick Stitch and Scopola Mina stared like they were seeing a ghost while Nyota and Chifundo had a bemused curious look on their face.

“Umm… do y’all see a—” Scopola Mina started.

“Yeah, let’s not acknowledge the pink one in the room.” Nyota waved a hoof over where Pink was and she bounced up and down, then out of view; literally phasing through a wall. Chifundo nodded in agreement. I heard a snicker from beyond the wall and sighed.

Wicker poked Scopola Mina, the two of them looked at each other and then blushed deeply. “Ya know, I think the lot of you are having a moment and it’s a moment better spent heading towards the party downstairs.”

We started filing out, one by one, until it was just Nyota and me. The two of us made it out the door and I saw Mad Mac’s shop in the distance as we approached the stairs to the ground level. “Nyota, go on ahead, I’ll be down shortly.” I smiled and decided to make sure the only other Stalliongrader in the wasteland was coming to the party.

I pushed on the door and found it was locked, I could hear movement inside though. I gently knocked three times. The upper half of the door opened and Mad Mac poked his head out. “Oh, hey there, little missy. Wait, Sunrise, is that you?”

I decided to be a little mischievous with him, “No, Mad Mac. I’m some other green pony with a red and white mane who wears tons of body armor in The Roof.”

“Oh shut the fuck up, short stack, what do you need?” He replied, putting a cigarette into his mouth and puffing on it to make it light up.

“I just wanted to make sure you were going to the party with the rest of us.” I smiled at him, still feeling somewhat of a connection to that commissar jacket he wore.

“Yes, but it is outside. Are you sure you do not want coat?” I shook my head and motioned for him to open the lower half of the door, the half that was preventing me from seeing the rest of him. “Though I am not eating any of that cake.”

I raised an eyebrow, to which he shook his head with affirmation of his statement, “Apple Algers was here, and she said she needed gunpowder for the cake. I do not know why; but if it requires gunpowder I am not eating it. She kept running around screaming about the gunpowder for her cake and I refuse to eat that cake.”

“Besides, I have to go to the party; they closed up the bar for it.” I held up a hoof to stop him from talking further. I was having trouble suppressing my laughter.

“Mad Mac,” I said.

“Yes, Sunny?”

I didn’t respond and simply gave him a soft hug. “Hey, what did I tell you about hugging me?” Mad Mac groused.

“Don’t care,” I replied, holding him tight and just glad he was alright. I let out a snicker and I felt a very heavy, well-worn hoof press against my head.

Mad Mac let out a deep, almost fatherly sigh and smiled at me. “Thank you, Mad Mac.” I didn’t think I needed to say the words; but it just felt right to reassure him.

“Do not mention it, and really don’t,” He hesitated and I decided I had to really rub in how much I appreciated his help.

“Right, so make sure DJ Pon3 knows about it, got it.” I turned and started to walk away then let out a yowl of pain as he grabbed me by the ear.

“Now hold your horse right there, little missy!” He called out with a loud scoff. “Threatening to tell things to DJ Pon3 is treasonous right there! I do not want any of that government advertisement shit coming to my tiny little shop and giving me taxes and reforms.” He took his hoof off my ear and stomped on the hard concrete. “Celestia and Luna dammit; if a stallion wants to shoot depleted crystal rounds out of her shotgun, then it is her Equestria given right!”

He took a breath to stop his eye from twitching, “Sorry, Sunrise, I get a little worked up.”

“Mad Mac, sweetie, you just called a stallion a her.” I pointed out with a grin.

“I did what?”

I quoted him verbatim and he started fidgeting. “Now I suppose I should send a nice, strapping young stallion to your shop for you tonight?” With those words, I found out that a red earth pony could get even redder.

“For that, Sunny, everything you buy out of my shop today; is triple the price. Now get out of here!” I laughed and hugged him again, he flinched and then looked down at me. His eyes had softened and he sighed, “But if you see one of them mare friends of yours who likes guns a whole lot; let me know.”

I nodded to him and trotted off to join the party.

We joined the party and the festivities were in full swing. The bar in town had brought down all their alcohol; while the cake was the size of a small car. Nyota approached me and smiled as we both laughed watching Alguacil awkwardly try to dance with Stormy Skies.

He offered me an incredibly small glass with a clear liquid in it. I looked at it curiously.

“It’s best if you don’t ask and just shoot it all down in one gulp.” I hesitated until Nyota pushed the glass up to my lips and almost forced it back.

The taste was awful! It was like burnt gasoline, and my mouth, throat, and chest all burned alive. I coughed and glared at him, then got an evil idea. I leaped up at him and kissed him deeply, almost causing him to drop his shot of the moonshine. I kept kissing him as he stared at me with his eye wide in shock.

I released the kiss and he took his shot with a grimace. “That was terrible. Seriously, how do you stomach this stuff?”

Nyota shrugged, “You get used to it; eventually. That or you simply avoid it.” He placed the empty glasses onto a nearby folding table.

“I feel like I just drank gasoline, are you sure this won’t kill me?” I looked for a glass of water or something to remove the taste from my mouth.

Nyota ruffled my mane, and then brushed it down, “Generally you don’t drink moonshine straight, but it is a party. Once it stops burning do you want another?”

I was still stunned by the burning sensation in my throat. I shook my head, wanting to slap him across the face. “I do not honestly know; this is my first experience with alcohol. At least my first I remember.”

“Well, what else would you want to drink?” Nyota started looking around the party for something else to drink. “Ya know, maybe tequila is more your speed, or perhaps vodka?”

I looked at him pleadingly and Nyota smiled and gave me a kiss on my lips, “Or we could just go down the list for sampling for you?”

I had to think about it and I looked over at Pink, who gave me a hopeful look. I smiled at Pink and nodded, Alright, I’ve been adventurous so far tonight; may as well keep the tread going. We’ll try it your way. Pink leapt up with a loud “yippie!” of delight. Nyota tilted his head, looking around as though he could hear Pink’s squeal. “Then how about we just go down the list and see how I fair?”

“Hey Zigger boy! Get her a Long Island Ice Tea!” Stormy yelled through the noise of the party. Both of us just rolled our eyes but internally, I was wincing and understanding Nyota's issues with being social.

The party continued well into the afternoon and evening. The dim sunlight through the constant layer of clouds had gone away. I was starting to feel fuzzy as the alcohol had gone to my head. Ponies were in positions between slower dances as the music got progressively slower and quieter. Others had gone off to whatever remotely semi-private place for a round of “play”. Children were long since put to bed as well.

Nyota and I were at the bar, laughing and talking about our future., I wasn’t sure how much alcohol I’d had, but my brain registered the sound of gunfire. Gunfire that was very close to us. I would have ignored it if not for the screaming that followed.

Everything in my body felt distant and slightly hard to move, the sluggishness making me not react nearly as quickly. My shoulder exploded in pain as a bullet hit the plate on my stable-suit. Nyota grabbed me and threw me behind the counter, my adrenaline alleviating some of the alcohol’s intoxication.

I heard the report of Alguacil’s gun going off. “Dammit, what is that thing?” The sounds of rounds ricocheting off something very heavy echoed before another burst of machine gun fire rippled in our direction. There were screams and then my gut twisted when several of them were cut short by the sound of gunfire extinguishing their lives.

Nyota pulled his pack up and handed me what he could. “Are you hurt?” I looked myself over and then remembered I could just check my health monitor on my H.U.D.

“Bruised I think?” There was a slight yellow outline around my left shoulder where the shot had hit me. “But no?” Nyota reacted by splashing cold water into my face. I stared at him and spit out a piece of ice that had gotten into my mouth.

“There, that should temporarily help wake you up. Now where is your gear?” He asked and I looked around, realizing I’d left most of my equipment and all of my other armor layers upstairs.

“It is upstairs, I didn’t think I would need weapons at a party.” Nyota nodded and hugged me.

“Stay safe, Sunny. I’ll get your gear.” He vanished into the crowd and the bartender passed me a 10mm pistol. I poked my head out, feeling a sudden itch in my hoof and immediately took that as a signal to duck down; tackling into the rising bartender as I did so.

“Hey what—” She was cut off by the sound of shattering glasses on the bar as rounds rippled across it. Once the suppressive fire stopped I poked my head back up and what I saw ran a chill down my spine.

A unicorn burst with a light spell that echoed from the object with the firing machine guns. A large metal box, with a metallic cybernetic scorpion tail, heavy assault tank treads, and two heavy machine guns pointing out of the end of it. In addition to this, was the distinctive graffied cardboard poking out of one of the eye slits. “Corners?”

“It doesn’t matter! She is killing those you just saved! Pink was right and I let my combat experience and officer manual knowledge kicked in. I pointed my hoof at the cuboidal tank and called it out.

“That! Shoot at that box with everything you have!” I called to those around me. “Take cover, it can only fire in one direction at a time!” I started trying to coordinate our fire and the masses of ponies started to dive for any cover they could take. The massive cake rippled with bullets and pink teared up.

“Not the party cake!” She called out as the sponge cake collapsed into a pile of crumbs. Quick Stitch landed next to me with a huff and his flank bleeding from a round that had penetrated his armor.

“Sunrise, my new pistol keeps failing.” I looked at him and he passed me the gauss pistol. I hit the charger and as soon as it hit 100% the weapon shut off.

“The capacitor is busted. I’ll have to fix it later, you got another gun?” Quick Stitch pulled out his flame pistol and I shook my head. That probably won’t do much to the armored box other than make it hard to see. I passed him the 10mm pistol I had. “Use this, hopefully the rounds at least dent something.”

I shook my head and splashed another glass of cold water into my face. Quick Stitch frowned and his horn lit up, “This is gonna suck for a minute.” He said and touched it to me. My insides twisted physically and I felt an overwhelming need to puke. Everything I’d drunk in the last hour or so came rushing up and covered the ground between us.

I couldn’t hear or see anything beyond the flood of vomit. I had my senses quite suddenly renewed as the drunken haze left my body completely. “What did you do?” I said through a spat of coughing.

“Purge spell, you can guess what it does by how you feel now.” I nodded at him and caught my breath. I kept smacking my lips to try to get the taste of bile off my tongue. “So what do we do now? We can’t suppress it, that thing isn’t taking any damage.”

Scopola Mina had gotten up onto the second floor and was raining down a hail of laser fire. I nodded at Quick Stitch, “It looks like Corners, but that box is far too upgraded.” Nyota leapt from the second floor down towards us and yelled out, “CATCH ME!” I moved to catch him while Quick Stitch lashed out with his TK to try to stall some of his fall.

With a loud thud and a heavy slam I was pinned under Nyota and everything hurt. He got off me as quickly as possible, “Sorry, Sunrise, thought that would be the quickest way down.” He hefted my saddlebags and helmet to me, “Sorry that took me so long, your gear is incredibly heavy.”

I reached in and started to check for grenades. Nyota plopped my helmet onto my head. What can I use to punch that box? Better yet, how can I break that vehicle in a way that will let everyone else attack it?” My hoof hit one of the thermite grenades Scopola Mina had made me. That might do the trick. I pulled the bomb out and hit S.A.T.S. Nyota was weaving into the crowd while Quick Stitch moved up to get closer to the box in hopes of spraying it with flames.

I was at the bare edge of range to throw my grenade. Well here’s hoping I’ve got Luna’s Luck! I thought to myself as I pulled the pin, I released S.A.T.S. and the spell did its best to make sure the grenade went on top of the small tank. With a bright flame of white phosphorus and superheated mercury the weapon started to burn into the box.

I thought it would roll around but the super heated thermite fused the grenade to the side of the box it was melting through. There was a loud cry and one of the machine guns stopped firing. Inside, in the bright light of a unicorn spell and the smokey illumination of thermite burning metal was Sugarcube Corners.

Her face had several tubes pressed into it, her eye was replaced with something that looked like a robotic probe out of science fiction, and her face was emotionless. There was no life in her one remaining eye, something about the way she looked was chilling and haunting. It was like she was being kept alive against her will and was screaming for somepony to kill her.

Alguacil dove to me and pulled my head back down as the still working machine gun swung towards me. The temporary bar was quickly disintegrating. There wasn’t time to think about what to do, I just started sprinting for the next piece of cover; this one a concrete support pillar.

Machine gun bullets hit the concrete as the box focused its fire directly at me. I held onto the shotgun in my grip and curled my body tightly as the pillar flaked and broke apart. Something higher caliber and with a much sharper gunshot sound echoed from above me, repeatedly. There was a high pitched whining ping, a distinctive noise from an M1 Grand Apple Battle rifle. Chifundo’s new rifle drew the machine gun fire off me and I looked around the corner.

Chifundo’s high powered rifle had punched through the armor plating in a couple of places, but hadn’t stopped it. The side I had blown open with thermite was rotated away, while the guns had revealed they were internally turreted, as were the tracks under it. I darted forward, the gunfire stopping briefly to change belts or retarget; either way it was enough for me to get up to a destroyed old auto-carriage.

Quick Stitch joined with me and sprayed his flamer down, not at the box. He sprayed immediately in front of us, the dust and dirt on the concrete floor burning up with the tar, creating a layer of black, concealing smoke for us. We had bought ourselves time and that was important. Alguacil started putting down cover fire and I pointed at Nyota. “Nyota! Get all the creatures inside! They need cover.”

I turned to Quick Stitch while Alguacil’s revolver fired with titanic loud booms that echoed over the other weapons diverted at the mini-tank. Chifundo and Scopola used the smoke to run out in front of us; getting up against a car at the end of the overhang to The Roof. A spray of fire covered Chifundo and Scopola Mina in a hail of tracers and sparks. Chifundo yelped in pain and the world slowed down, but not from S.A.T.S.

We all watched in slow motion as Picline leapt from the 2nd floor, landing on Scopola and Chifundo’s cover vehicle; in the open and exposed. “I’ll kill you for shooting at my FUNDO!” She threw up a unicorn shield and her horn illuminated in three colors of magic as eldritch scalpels appeared around her and shot forward into the armored box, fruitlessly.

The guns of the box tank turned, the barrels smoking before they opened fire. “Picline! GET DOWN!” I called out.

Quick Stitch grabbed me and stopped me from trying to cover the distance to Picline. The unicorn shield held for the first part of the burst, but those rounds were made to annihilate light cover, anything short of solid concrete wouldn’t hold up. The shield shattered with the deafening sound of a skyscraper losing all its glass at once.

Picline’s body was riddled with bullet after bullet, and the battle paused. No one continued firing except the box of death. Picline’s torse was ripped apart into nothing, her body collapsing into pieces near Chifundo and Scopola Mina. My heart felt like it was ripped in half. I wasn’t sure how many dead bodies were around but the tears in my eyes were very real.

Picline, even you didn’t deserve that. Chifundo started to raise up to fire and Scopola Mina pulled him down to avoid the next burst of weapon’s fire. I hit S.A.T.S., Pink passed me two more thermite grenades. I didn’t hesitate, even if I might need these to get into that Stable door.

“Sunrise, you can’t die here; especially not now.” Something strange happened in that moment of combat, that feeling of the world moving slowly. My pulse monitor hit once with my normal heartbeat and then two much smaller heartbeats. I wouldn’t have noticed it if not for S.A.T.S. The queued up two thermite grenades didn’t matter in that moment.

Pink, have I been throwing up in the morning because… Pink simply nodded and then slapped me to get my attention.

“Combat now! This later!” The spell released and my body acted on its own, pulling both of the pins and hurling the two grenades. The first one landed on the barrel of one of the machine guns as it sparked and flared to life with a shower of superheated molten chemicals. The grenade fused to the gun and started to melt through it, sealing the barrel and making it worthless. The second bounced off the ground, showering the road in sparks and melting the broken asphalt. The spark spewing cylinder rolled to a stop against the tank tread that was rolling forward and I saw it snap apart as it melted through within just a second.

I pointed at the box-tank and shouted to every friend I had with a gun, “Its weapons are useless and it’s immobile. Everything you’ve got! FIRE AT WILL!” With a renewed determination, my voice broke the stupor of those who had witnessed Picline’s death. Now there was only vengeance. The box of half-melted metal bounced rounds away and dented all around it. Smoke grenades flew out from behind it and covered it in a thick cloud of white ash.

What burst from the ash was a living corpse of part robot, part pony. Sugarcube Corners; there was no denying it was her. Her face was half-replaced with metal, wires, and tubes. One of her machine guns still attached halfway down her barrel and the bit trigger for the battle-saddle in her mouth. Two of her legs were made of cybernetics, tearing circuits from the box behind her still attached to where two of her hooves used to be.

Corners bounded towards Quick Stitch. Corners pointed the machine gun right at him, point blank. My shotgun would take too long to raise. Just as she bit into the trigger, a hail of laser fire from Scopola Mina ripped the machine gun apart and blew the saddle off her waste. Scopola Mina’s accurate fire spurred Corners to bolt away with charred scorches on her side.

Corners ran past Chifundo and Scopola Mina and into The Roof, with a shot from Alguacil hitting her in the shoulder, spewing a thick black liquid in place of blood. We ran with several guards towards the side-door she had gone through, following the oil, yes I’m sure it is oil!, she left behind.

I saw the tag from my PipBuck of Corners moving towards Nyota’s, and then it winked out of existence. “Pink! YOU PROMISED! PINKAMENA DIANE PIE! YOU PROMISED!” I screamed, hoping against hope I wouldn’t find what I expected. I wanted my friend to be alive, tears were forced back by rage. We hit the door that Corners had gone through and everyone came to a complete halt.

Nyota was there, standing over a body with its head completely snapped around backward. The legs of the half-machine half-pony trying to hit as sparks popped from her mouth. Chifundo recoiled in horror, “She acts not of her own volition, spirits possess her corpse-like apparition!” Quick Stitch pushed past me as my body stood there, frozen.

My heart wrenched as I watched what was once my friend. She had just slaughtered a close ally and Chifundo’s lover. Corners had just gunned down at least a dozen creatures and tried to kill us all; yet my heart felt ripped away. The Wasteland had ensured that my choice to not go after her was paid for in blood and worse: corruption.

The body Nyota held was decayed, much of its fur in patches and falling out, long since grayed to death. Her skin had holes in it, revealing patches of machine and metal. It was like a robot was wearing the flesh of my friend. Chifundo grabbed Quick Stitch and stopped him, tears in his eyes, “Go to Picline, she needs your medical aid! Corners can be exorcised with my shaman trade!” Chifundo’s voice was utterly cracked, he hesitated to say more and his mouth simply hung open; unable to say anything else. His tears streamed, unending, as Quick Stitch placed a hoof against his shoulder.

Quick Stitch shook his head very slowly to Chifundo. We all looked at him already knowing the answer he was about to give. “Chifundo, I can’t help the dead.” His words were very clear, somber, direct.

Scopola Mina put a hoof on Chifundo’s shoulder.“Go on, you should do your spiritual thing.”

Just as Scopola Mina finished speaking, Alguacil and Stormy let out squawks and shrieks, high pitched enough to make us grab our ears. I looked up to see Nyota dodging aside from something truly horrifying. A creature had emerged from within the basement, leaping at us. It was covered in black chitin, vaguely pony in shape, but with powerful fangs jutting up from it’s mouth. The body had lines of teal and emerald green glowing from it.

The creature hissed at us, until Alguacil’s revolver opened fire on it. Chifundo began to chant, but I couldn’t make out what he was saying over the sound of all the gunfire. We joined in, showering this creature in wave after wave of hot lead and laser bolts. There was so little left of it after we were done that only a pile of teal goo and pieces of black chitin scattered the ground.

Chifundo’s words got loud enough for us to hear, “I revoke your residence, this place no longer welcomes your presence!” There was another shriek, this one something that no living creature could make. I wasn’t sure how I knew that, but in my heart I felt a fear and dread that I had never experienced before. It was a combination of meeting something truly alien and completely hostile all at once.

The inside of the Roof became completely black, no light escaped any source around us. Even my PipBuck and its H.U.D. went dark. The shriek continued, forcing me to cover my ears as the light came back. It was like a mighty creature’s shadow was suddenly forced out. I staggered as my body felt weak. Quick stitch grabbed my side and held me up. Chifundo swayed and then fell over with a thud.

We started to move towards him, but the zony was sobbing, crying, and wailing as he curled into a ball. We all felt that sorrow in that moment. The day of triumph had been robbed from us. Nyota gave one last kick to Corners’ head, to make sure she was dead. I stared at my friends, and they stared back. The Wasteland had claimed its pound of flesh from us, regardless of how vigilant or careful we had been.

I approached Nyota and growled, he shook his head and placed a hoof against my shoulder. “No, Sunrise. It wasn’t her anymore. That thing had to be stopped.”

“She promised! Alguacil, she promised! I hate it when you’re right!” I turned my head to yell at Alguacil who took a step back, stunned. For the first time I’d ever seen, Alguacil looked frightened.

I stomped my hoof, my own tears rolling down my cheeks. Quick Stitch and Scopola Mina were trying to comfort Chifundo, softly stroking his face. “It’s NOT FAIR!” I didn’t realize I was screaming out loud, I was trying to scream at just Pink. “We saved Corners! She wasn’t supposed to die. She wasn’t supposed to come back as a monster!”

I fell against Nyota’s chest, bawling my eyes out and pounding on his chest like a spoiled child. My eyes stared at Corners, whose body caught fire in bright pink flames; the same kind of flames a plasma rifle would generate. Within just a few moments, she was turned to nothing but ash. I rushed to the ashes and desperately started scooping them up, tears falling into the pile of what was left of my friend. “No! No! I’ll make this right! I can fix this!” I cried out.

Nyota placed a hoof on my shoulder and just held me there. He’s always here, even when he doesn’t know what to do or say. His other hoof wrapped around my neck and held me softly in a hug. I poured the water from my canteen and kept shoving ashes into it as fast as I could.

“SUNRISE! YOU CAN’T SAVE THOSE WHO DON’T WANT IT!” Pink screamed into my ears. She battled me internally, trying to snap me out of this stupor induced by the need to save the dead and damned.

“FUCK YOU! No! This wasn’t supposed to happen!” I screamed out and between Nyota’s hug and Pink’s attacks to my mind, I could feel a memory being forced back. I was lost in my grief, all I could do was save Corners. At least, save what was left of her.

We were gathered around the biggest everything tree that the Breakfast Club had delivered to us. The old tree that had been at their campsite, this one freshly buried into un-irradiated soil. Here there were nothing but somber faces. There was a memory orb inside the box-tank Corners had been driving, I couldn’t read it now but I put it aside. I’ll get a recollector eventually. I have to know what this is.

Before us was a box: the remains of the cardboard from inside the box-tank. The rest had been turned over to Mad Mac to make heads or tails of. The entirety of The Roof was gathered around in silence. A gravemarker had been made of a solid piece of stone, it read:

“Picline.
Mother, Nurse, Warrior, Lover.
May The Twin Sisters hold you in their embrace.
C. E. 1148-1181”

I wasn’t sure how long we had been standing there. Pink was even silent and only the barest of her presence was with me. I pulled out the shotgun barrels, the ones that had claimed Buddy’s life. I inserted them into the edges of the cardboard to hold it in place. Nyota helped me, using a hammer to nail it in place at the base of the newly planted tree.

I pulled out a glass jar, on it was inscribed the words: “Sugarcube Corners, The One and Only Box Pone. Our lost but never forgotten friend.”

Mad Mac had done the inscription, gently making sure he had cut into the glass and inlayed it with melted down silverware to preserve it. Quick Stitch had confirmed now, the box we had been handed was from Corners herself. He had used bits of her flesh to compare with a DNA sample on the black box we had been given in Silver Fang Shanty. Whatever had left us at The Roof over two months ago was not Corners. She was already dead.

My body shook and trembled as my a song raised itself from my throat; one I could not protest against or stop:
“Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,” tears rolled down my cheeks freely, as others heard the tune and joined in, “that saved a wretch like me.”

“I once was lost, but now am found, t'was blind but now I see.” I paused and took a breath. I looked around to see all the eyes upon me.

Nyota blushed and smiled, “Love, keep going, that is beautiful.”

I never knew I was a singer but I knew it was something missing from The Wasteland compared to Equestria. I felt my heart sink to my hooves and then I felt a warmth within me. It burned to be let out and I raised my voice, loud and high. The tune echoed from here to The Roof, as my sorrow poured out; along with everyone else’s streaming to be heard. All screaming for the world to remember our friends.
“T'was Grace that taught my heart to fear. And Grace, my fears relieved.
“How precious did that grace appear. The hour I was first found!
“Through many dangers, toils and snares, We have already come.
T'was grace that brought us safe thus far.”
“And grace will lead us home, And grace will lead us home
“Amazing grace, How Sweet the sound
“That saved a wretch like me. I once was lost but now am found.
“T'was blind but now I see,” I took a final breath to finish the song and felt my tears slowly drying. “Was blind, but now I see.”

Everyone silently, slowly, one by one, walked back towards The Roof. The silence was soul-crushing; only the sound of hooves, talons, and paws. Nyota, Scopola Mina, Quick Stitch, and Alguacil all stayed, watching Chifundo and I sitting next to two graves; staring at them. I secretly hoped this was a bad memory or dream. I’m not sure what Chifundo hoped for.

“I saved her, she was never supposed to become a monster.” I whispered softly. I reached up and touched the box. A picture book suddenly fell out, startling all of us. Nyota picked it up and held it for a moment, “You should all see these.”

We turned towards Nyota and he turned the book around. Inside were pictures, dozens of them. They were of us. Pictures we hadn’t known were taken. Corners was smiling as she hugged me. Scopola Mina was covered in what appeared to be foam turned into a beard. Alguacil’s hat was on backwards while he was sleeping. That one actually made me snicker.

All of them were taken from the perspective of a small cardboard hole around the edges. Corners, you sneaky pony. I thought to myself and chuckled a little bit. I reached up around until I found the permanent markers the children had used on Corners’ box. I flipped the scrap book to a blank page and signed my name, passing the pen to the next creature. One by one, we all signed the scrapbook.

I searched my bags for something to contain it and Scopola Mina produced a specimen jar with a very large opening. She held it up and without a word, I nodded to her. Chifundo nodded solemnly and nuzzled up against me. I softly hugged him. The scrapbook was secured inside the jar, and it was sealed. Quick Stitch added duct tape to make sure it wouldn’t lose the seal; preserving the memory of Sugarcube Corners, Buddy, and Picline within; forever.

Nyota used his hoof to get enough dirt from the grave dug up to place the jar in. We all took turns, even Alguacil, pushing dirt back over it and making sure it was flat. Only we would know the book was ever there.

I spoke very softly, “We saved you. Somepony turned you into a monster. That is not fair.”

Quick Stitch nodded and hugged Chifundo from the opposite side, “We’ll figure this out, and I’ll make sure we make it right. Okay Chifundo?”

Nyota snorted at us, “We’ll get revenge for this.”

Scopola Mina tilted her head, “You knew that pony? The one from inside that box-tank thing?”

It was going to be a very long afternoon, Alguacil and Chifundo taking turns explaining who Sugarcube “Box Pone” Corners was. We didn’t go back to The Roof, we walked towards Stable Phi. I couldn’t stay in The Roof right now, I wasn’t sure I could ever stay there again.

We had endured a siege. I had committed a terrible act to save that place. In return The Wasteland had made me pay for that act, it had made us all pay for that. Once The Roof was beyond our view, Scopola Mina piped up.

“Sunrise, dear. Yall are gonna have to learn to sleep in a bed somepony you know just got killed in,” she started, but Alguacil shook his head and spit.

“Nah, we need less creature’ like me, and mor’ like her. There are a m’illion like me, and they need to go away. Even I know that ideal’y, I’d go away. I want a million like her.” Alguacil snorted in return. I paused our slow walk towards Stable Phi.

“See, Sunrise! You taught Alguacil something! Not sure what, but you did it.” My ears perked up and our mood seemed to get slightly less sour. Scopola Mina tried to force laughter but no one else picked up on it.

I turned around and tilted my head. I felt my heart was wounded by what it had cost. I was out of tears to cry this day. “I never wanted to admit Alguacil was right about anything. It might have been better if we did not try to save Corners.”

Alguacil slapped me, hard enough he put me into the dirt. Nyota jumped between us and Alguacil stopped. “NO! You did the right damn thing! You truly did! I was dead to rights wrong!” The group all turned towards Algaucil who offered me a talon to help me back to my feet. “You should never think like that. We should have dropped everything and gone after Corners.”

Nyota let him get me to my feet and decided to change the subject. He looked me over, “Those cybernetic parts, are those Old World Tech?”

I nodded slowly, “Yeah, I never saw them in person. I had no idea they could keep a dead creature moving and alive artificially.”

Chifundo shook his head, “They had to use a spirit to kill, to force the body’s will.” I blinked at this a few times.

“You and Quick Stitch said the boxes were powered by technology and spirits, a blending of Zebra magic and Equestrian technology, right?” QUick Stitch nodded at my response and we all had a moment to truly realize what was going on. It was a lot to take in.

Chifundo smiled, “Perhaps we should tell Scopola Mina of when Corners was at her best, it will give her some idea of just how far she has progressed.”

I nodded and walked up to Scopola Mina, remembering every detail of that battle. “So, Nyota here will get to tell some of it, and I’m sure Alguacil and Quick Stitch should pitch in, too.” I turned on my PipBuck’s radio to help us tell the story with DJ Pon3 occasionally giving us a news report.

It was nightfall and we were making camp by the time I finished telling the story. The wonderful memories of working on Nyota’s armor with Corners was the last part I had the heart to recall. Even how we got Nyota’s pride size. All this while the radio picked up with a new song:

“And this one Wastelanders goes out to my Angel with a Shotgun. Old DJ Pon3 got a brand new song just for you. I hope you find whoever did those terrible things to your friend and you. You damn devil; I hope you remember the words of this song when she comes knocking on your door.”

A guitar began to play and a series of hooves started to stomp to the rhythm:

You can run on for a long time

Run on for a long time

Run on for a long time

You know the Angel's gonna cut you down

Sooner or later, she'll cut you down.

Go tell that lyin' gear trader

Go and tell that evil raider

Tell the shambler,

The gambler,

The bit biter

Tell 'em the Angel's gonna cut 'em down

Tell 'em the Angel's gonna cut 'em down

Well my goodness gracious let me tell you the news

My mane's been wet with the morning dew

I've been down on bended knee

Talkin' to the mare from Stable 43

She spoke to me, voice so full of good

I thought I heard the shuffle of the angel's hooves

She called my name and my heart stood still

When she said, "Pony, go do My will!"

Go tell that lyin' gear trader

Go and tell that evil raider

Tell the shambler,

The gambler,

The bit biter

Tell 'em the Angel's gonna cut 'em down

Tell 'em the Angel's gonna cut 'em down

You can run on for a long time

Run on for a long time

Run on for a long time

You know the Angel's gonna cut you down

Sooner or later, she'll cut you down.
Well you may throw your rock and hide your hand
Workin' in the dark against your fellow mare
But sure as Celestia made day and night
What's down in the dark will be brought to the light
You can run on for a long time
Run on for a long time
Run on for a long time
You know the Angel's gonna cut you down
Sooner or later, she'll cut you down.
Go tell that lyin' gear trader
Go and tell that evil raider
Tell the shambler,
The gambler,
The bit biter
Tell 'em the Angel's gonna cut 'em down
Tell 'em the Angel's gonna cut 'em down
Tell 'em the Angel's gonna cut 'em down

FULL MUSICAL VERSION OF THE SONG! Yeah that is a thing:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwdTYH2O7Ek&feature=youtu.be