Fallout Equestria: Liberation

by ValiantKnight

First published 4th of February, 2018

Valiant Knight is a newly minted knight of Applejack's Rangers, after his order recieves a transmission from the far North. He embarks on his first mission to a frozen land lost to time and Megaspell fire.

Valiant Knight is a second generation Ranger in Applejack’s Rangers. After he is finally made a knight of the order a mysterious transmission is received from their long dead Ministry Mare Applejack.

Ah shucks, this ain’t right not one bit. I’m sorry it had to come to this. To make you choose a side. But I reckon we ain’t got much time before them fellers break through our defenses. We need reinforcement at the Crystal Empire. I’m attaching the ah’ what’s the blasted word? Co-or-di-nates? Oh, crab apples, just don come and help us out. I need Steel Rangers here and I need em yesterday

The Order now scrambles to get an expedition into the frozen North, whatever or whoever sent that transmission has a level of technology to attract their warring brothers The Steel Rangers. Valiant now wonders what lies in this land lost to time and Megaspell fire for 200 years?

Cover art: by L1nkon

Chapter 1: Old World Blues

Valiant Knight, I think my name was a mockery, maybe even a freaking sign that nopony was bound by their name or cutiemark. At least in my case, also if I wanted that bond with it. The finish line was just where I could see it. Today was the day the marks on my flank aligned with what I knew I was meant to do. Be a knight, remember your oath, to ministry and country. To that orange mare that breathed life to our order, two-hundred years ago. To the Stallion that returned us to our purpose. Inspiring words, but inspiration didn’t exactly make my lungs stop burning. Almost there, the line was clear now crudely painted over the cracked pavement of a Manehattan road. All around me the reminder of the old world, reminder that even with Equestria brought down to this pitiable low. We were here, and that didn't stop my lungs from burning-but gave me the strength to keep going and follow along with Star Paladin Heavy Arms.

“I don’t know what I’ve been told!”

“I don’t know what I’ve been told!” sing, keep cadence don’t miss a step, conserve energy. Don’t overstretch yourself like you did your first…second. Okay, every time I made it to this point. Thankfully I was put in the back of the group, or well thankfully might be overdoing it. They did it because they expected me to lag and it is less embarrassing for me if no one had to go around me.

“But the ministry mares flank is mighty fine!”

“The ministry mare’s flank is mighty fine!” the line drew ever closer, and my heart was beating with excitement or threatening to kill me by bursting from my chest. It was hard to tell, either way. My muzzle broke into a grin following along.

“Bucking apples in the shade all day!”

“Bucking apples in the shade all day!” Star Paladin Heavy Arms slowed down and moved right next to me! Shit keep calm, keep cool.

“Big Mac came in this is what he said!”

“Bic Mac came in this is what he said!” deep blue eyes that froze me to the core gave me a side glance. He could see me struggle; he could see I was, if only slightly falling behind.

“Zebras don’ gone and shit the bed!”

“Zebras don’ gone and shit the bed!” he snorted not even looking like he was breaking a sweat and moved up ahead. While I felt my black mane stick to my coat along with my neck.

“Now the Rangers need to wipe their asses for them”

“Now the Rangers need to go wipe their asses for them” I sang out, and the group slowly crossed the line. I was almost there!

“Sound off!”

“One, two, Applejack’s Rangers roar!” We all roared, well mostly them I just tried to keep going until I crossed the final line. With a loud clop, my forehooves passed the front, and soon the rest of my body followed. I just crossed the Knight line and didn’t drag my team down to the lowest possible score. All the extra training had finally paid off! The pushups the running, oh Celestia the running! All of it came to a head with this. I felt the group slow and finally stop. Star Paladin Heavy Arms turned from his position and began a slow walk to the center.

“Left face!” he barked at us. With practiced ease, we turned left to face the Paladin. He had a light blue coat, blue eyes like an impossibly cold storm. His frame was muscular, and he towered above a few of the other trainees and me. His black greying mane kept cropped short and combed.

“Congratulations, you have officially finished your basic, training. As of now, you are all Knights of Applejack’s Rangers.” He held up a hoof before celebrating hoots began. “In particular I would like to commend, trainee leader Strider for getting you all.” His gaze paused on me. “Up to shape and I believe he will make a great squad leader. As such he is now Crusader Strider leader of squad 02.” He paused for a moment, “Now you may holler.”

The squad all began whooping and slamming hoofs together while I sat on my haunches and panted just trying not to pass out. Before I could make another move a shadow loomed over me, Star Paladin Heavy Arms looked down at me before giving me a nod. I knew that nod, and I knew what I needed to do once dismissed. I righted myself when I noticed Strider-sorry-Crusader Strider make his way to me. As I was expected I saluted him with as crisp a salute as I could manage.

“Heh, you don’t have to do that.” My friend smiled. He had been my friend since we were colts. Both of us were born in the order, however recent the order as we were among the second generation of Applejacks Rangers. He was a dull grey stallion two years older than me. He had a bullseye as a cutiemark, his mane a light brown swept back always trimmed and in order with kind stormy blue eyes. Compared to me he was more muscular and just a few inches taller. I was about eye level to his nose; my coat was a light blue with baby-blue eyes. My mane was black with a streak of grey almost unnoticeable was running down it.

“You’re” I gasped, filling my lungs with sweet oxygen. “a Crusader now, and my CO,” I said with a smile that didn’t quite reach my eyes. I was happy. I was! But like always Strider was ahead of me. Even though he knew he could have joined the Rangers at any point in his life. Strider never expressed the desire; he was smart, athletic unlike me, and he had the aptitude for leadership. Everypony always said he should have taken Star Paladin Heavy Arm’s offer to become his squire to groom him for a command position. That had stung me, but Strider refused, he didn’t mind living as a scribe for the order. So, when I joined for the final try-I swore to my mother it was-he helped me train my less than stellar physique. If nothing else, he deserved the position, but for some reason, he stuck by my side. He was my friend, and I loved him for it. But I felt like a weight to him. I was keeping him from his real potential.

“Still, it’s just us right now, and we aren’t on duty.” Strider chuckled and batted my hoof down with his own. “Come on; we should get back to the Stable and get some grub…and probably some water for you.”

I nodded, and we tracked back to the stable the squad slowly doing the same everypony trotting at a leisured pace. Some odd twenty years ago nopony could have done that. But thanks to the NCR expansion, and constant rebuilding of parts of Manehattan. The Manticores and Bloodwings had forced to the outskirts of the city. Any raiders had gone with them as the NCR drove them further and further from the places they could squat in. This relative peace near stable 29 allowed us to set up a camp to help train knights and in relative safety enabled us to expand. Not that we didn’t bump heads with the NCR even with their war against the Crimson Empire. They probably could still muster up a force to drive us from here. Our relationship with them was…tenuous at best and hostile at worst when it concerned our fight with the Steel Rangers. Who still view us as traitors. Our previous Elder Steelhoves, the founder of this outcast chapter of Ranger's, had tried to mend fences. So, I heard, but in the end, even after his demise, we could never reform. We had at least grown stronger, and our tech patrols had found a Ministry of Wartime Technology storage site north of Manehattan. It was within Fetlock hidden incredibly by the Ministry of Image.

Thanks to that we had more power armor that needed filling, as well as weapons and ammunition to mount a counter-offensive against the lights of the Enclave-if they’re still out there-and the NCR itself. Though wisely Elder Sharp Sides kept us in good terms with the NCR. Reasonable as we are, we were no match for its sheer size and numbers it could throw at us. Even while our knights patrolled, we encounter NCR outpost ourselves. The fact that they have anti-machine rifles on some of those patrols somewhat unnerving.

“Valiant?” Strider broke me from my thoughts when we reached the vault.

I scratched the back of my head with a shrug and smiled “Sorry just contemplating.”

“As always.” He laughed shaking his head, we headed inside and found our way to the atrium and found the cook scribes had served food already. With treys in our mouths, we picked up apples, courtesy of NCR trading. We grabbed water cups and found a place to sit near the center of the Atrium.

“Well now that you’ve had some time to feel it, how does it feel? Being a Ranger.” Strider took a bite of his apple and gave me a side glance.

“Well,” I tried to think how to put it into words. “I don’t feel different, but I feel… I just broke a wall. Something that had been obstructing me for a long time. It's freeing yet; I feel the same as I always was. I’m me, and I don’t know how to feel about that.” I don’t think I explained myself well enough.

“Well I don’t think you would I don’t know, suddenly turn into the reincarnation of Elder Steelhooves. You should be you; don’t be something you’re not.” Strider lifted a hoof for emphasis before he tipped his water glass into his mouth. I thought about it and gulped my water down in one swig. The feeling of it cooling down my throat was like Celestial herself was nuzzling my neck.

“I know, but I don’t know I don’t think…he’s You know. Proud.” I moved my apple around the plate. Strider looked to me and gave me a soft smile putting his hoof on my shoulder.

“I don’t think he’s not proud. He has always been like that. You know that.” Strider smiled at me with encouragement. “if nothing else I’m proud of you Valiant. Always have, never met anyone with your drive to achieve their goals.” Strider looked away for a moment at his apple. Maybe it was just me, but he sounded, sad when he said that. But just as it happened, he was back to his old self, calm but smiling. We ate our apples without much talk after that. He said he had to take care of a few things and excused himself. I headed home, deep down in the housing section. I made my way down on the elevator located on the first floor of the Atrium, the sound of the elevator and grey walls to accompany my thoughts. Scattered as they felt, I wasn’t sure how to feel about my promotion.

The doors to the elevator opened to a knight in armor; he looked down. Or his visor stared me down at least before he spoke. “Valiant, your father, is waiting for you, congratulations by the way. Glad you finally made it.” The voice even if gargled by the helmet I could tell was Crusader Flag, my father’s friend. Well, I think anyways my father never really talks about any pony. My father was the silent type and spoke short sentences when not on duty.

“Thanks, Flag” I saluted Flag as an afterthought. “Sorry, Crusader Flag.”

Flag chuckled waving his hoof at me “It’s alright kid were off duty, don’t let the armor fool you. I was just out in patrol. Elder Sharp Sides wants to see your father. I was delivering the message before I can get this thing off.” With that said he stepped into the elevator and I left giving him a wave before resuming my way to my room. I walked down the catwalk on the second floor, just below I saw other scribes and knights off duty going about their day. Some benches were dotted where ponies could sit and talk. The Stable, after all, is a civilian Stable just converted for our purpose. My room was at the far end of the housing floor. I reached up with my hoof and pressed the door button. The door slid to my home. It was bigger than the others, thanks to my family’s status. Or more like my father’s status. A living room with a kitchen to the far left. Three other doors separated three rooms one mine, the other my parents. The third room I got to use as my workshop, the living room was sparsely furnished, a couch in front of a bookshelf. It held several books I had read myself as a young colt. Near the kitchen table where we ate our meals, or well mom and I did. Father usually ate his meals in his office or with the Elder.

“I’m home,” I called out, from their room my mom and dad came out together. Light Dew, my mother was a descended of Vault 2. A unicorn she had a white coat, pristine as always, her mane was golden and framed her muzzle. My father looked down at me with his stormy eyes.

“Oh, congratulations darling.” My mother wrapped me up in a hug, and I took comfort in her soft coat and the faint smell of flowers. She helped around the botanical garden in the stable. But despite her congratulations, she hadn’t wanted me to be a ranger. She wished I had chosen the path of a scribe. Or hell she hoped I would have done anything that didn’t mean a soldier. I think she didn’t want me to be like Father. Although if only with nopony else, I had only ever seen my father smile around my mother. I don’t think he ever smiled with me, maybe when I was a colt, and I couldn’t remember. My father quietly walked over and placed a hoof on my shoulder. Wait that isn’t right he hadn’t done that in ages.

“My son is a knight.” He smiled, holy shit! My father gave me an honest to god smile. My ears perked up and did not cry. Well, maybe a little but stood up straight and saluted him with as much pride as I could muster.

“Adese soldier.” He chuckled, before shaking his head wow I don’t think I remember him chuckling either. “Light, Valiant, I need to see Elder Sharp Sides. I’ll be back later tonight at 1800 hours. I’ll be stopping by Strider’s he did a hell of a thing fresh out of training, and he made it to Crusader. I’ll invite him to dinner if that is fine with you Light.”

There it was, the pride quickly deflated I was a knight. But Strider was a Crusader, fresh off training too. On his first try, while after my fourth I made it to Knighthood, I didn’t bother paying attention to my mother’s answer. Instead, I decided to make my way into my workshop. Working with technology was the one talent I didn't need validation for doing. Because I know I was among the best in the Vault.

“Valiant.” I heard my mom call out. I turned with a smile making sure she didn’t see my broken spirit. I didn’t want her talking to father about it; it would probably just make him think I’m weak.

“I am very proud of you, so is your father. He told me himself I hope you understand he’s just…well a stubborn ass.” She gave a soft smile that filled me up with warmth. However, fleeting it was, I nodded keeping quiet and went into my workshop. On the bench far to the left laid several parts of machinery. A Mister Handy laid partly built by the door. I had been working on it for about a year now, hoping to bring it online so it can help my mom around the house. Or even in the garden, it was the one thing I could feel proud off even if no one else-except my mom said so. Well, Strider liked my ability to tinker with robots, but honestly, it wasn’t that special the other scribes could do it too. Maybe they couldn’t say rebuild a Mister Handy like me. But still, building a robot didn’t get your father to gush about you. No, it only got a nod when you bring him a rebuilt watch that you never saw again.

“Well, least I get to work on my power armor tomorrow.” I was looking forward to it, no doubt like everypony else. I had already been thinking of all the ways to modify it! Primarily I wanted to add the computer hacking module I had been working on in the last two years before I found the partly deconstructed mister handy when out with my mother. As a scribe hacking into pre-war terminals is just a chore. But with this module, I could practically do it hassle-free. Speaking off, I turned to the computer just adjacent to the workbench. I began to type away at the Mister Handy code to get him back online.

I was so focused on my programming; I didn’t hear the knock on my door until my mom’s voice broke the spell. “Valiant? Your father and Strider are here.” Holy crap how long was I doing this? “I made apple pie, come eat dear.”

I sighed and was ready to save my work when I heard my father.

“It’s fine dear; he wants to toy with his machines let him be.” His deep voice cut through me, and I felt my ears flatten against my head.

“O-oh its okay mom, I’m not hungry. I’m fine.” No, I wasn’t.

“Valiant…” She tried.

“I can go if you’d like we can do this some other time.” Strider’s softer voice chipped in. Celestia and Luna both bless him. He knew my proudest moment wasn't going so well.

“Nonsense, you did a good job son, come on sit down have some pie, Light cooks the best pies.” That was the longest sentence I heard my father say off duty.

“Go on mom. I’ll listen to music.” I turned to DJpon3 and did my best not to let any tears escape my eyes. Focusing on programming the Mr. Handy robot helped in that regard.

I had remained in the workshop once I was sure everypony was gone, Strider had stayed a bit after dinner where my dad once more asked him to take him under his wing to be his squire. Strider politely declined and said his goodbyes. He passed by my door and slipped me a note, or well a napkin which he had found a way to write on. ‘hope to see Mister Handy soon’ that made me feel better. Working on robots was soothing and relaxing really. Though maybe other ponies felt different about technical work. When the time for bed arrived, as my father liked to keep me in a schedule double so more now that I was a knight. He barged into the room; he never knocked. I doubted my knighthood would have changed that.

“Time to sleep soldier, early day tomorrow to get your power armor.” He looked over my workshop his eyes landing on the Mister Handy robot. “Think you’ll get the bot working before your first patrol?” I blinked, he never asked me about my tinkering before.

“Y-yeah I finished the programming today. I need to assemble the pieces now. Found the replacements thanks to Flag.”

“Crusader Flag.” My father cut me off, his tone neutral merely correcting me.

“Y-yeah Crusader Flag, he told me he would be on the lookout for the pieces some time ago, and he found them for me.” I pointed to a box labeled Mister Handy parts.

My father looked to me for a moment before he walked out without a word and returned a few seconds later. He gingerly put a watch on my workbench. “It stopped ticking, can you fix it?”

I looked at it surprised. It was the watch I gave him. “Y-yeah I can father!” I think I sounded too excited because I clopped my front hooves on the workbench hard enough to rattle the strewn around parts. He gave me a short nod and turned to leave; he stopped looking down and opened his mouth. Whatever he was going to say, he seemed to think better of it and just nodded. I looked at the watch over and smiled, leave it to dad to not believe it was a simple change of batteries. Lucky enough for me, I had scavenged some from an old alarm clock that still had juice in it.

The next morning, I was up with my dad while he brewed coffee in a coffee maker I had gotten working. The coffee grains were a rarity the NCR somehow got planting again. I dressed in the knight uniform, a full body suit with interaction points to better interface with power armor. It was orange with black at the hooves up to about where my legs bent. My father wore a similar suit in black signifying his officer status. A knock on the door made us both turn, and I moved to open it. Crusader Flag was outside in a similar uniform, his coat a shined orange with a dark blue mane and yellow eyes. I smiled and was about to say hi. But the look on his muzzle told me this wasn’t an unexpected visit. So, I saluted him with as straight a look as I could manage at 0600 hours.

“Good morning knight,” Flag saluted me and stepped to the side to my father. “Star Paladin, the Elder requires your immediate attention for a special briefing.” I looked at my father. He was going to oversee the new knights to their power armor. So, who was going to do it now?

“I’ll assume the responsibility of the new knight’s sir, don’t worry.” Crusader Flag to the rescue eh? My father abandoned his coffee and passed by me wordlessly stopping at the door.

“Good luck.” He threw over his shoulder and walked off. I didn’t have a chance to respond, as my father disappeared around the door. With a neigh, I looked to Crusader Flag who blinked and then smiled easily.

“Take it easy kid; this is every newbie's favorite part.” He’s just Flag again; all formalities dropped in an instance. We made our way out of the housing area to the Security level. We had expanded the armory over the years, several ‘racks’ had been added over and made storage space for the several retrieved power armor sets. The armory is separated into several levels as each of the walls had racks with several unicorn scribes, and earth pony scribes helped around the power armor frames. I made my way to the third floor. Near the far-right corner my squad 02 had assembled, I found Strider standing near the front organizing everypony. When he saw me, he smiled and waved a hoof at me. With a small smile of my own, I made my way to the squad. Crusader Flag, as I could tell by the way, his expression changed moved to stand before us. His suit of power armor stood as well before us.

“Alright knights listen up! This a T-60 Magical Power Armor. It weighs six hundred pounds and can withstand a battle saddle mounted balefire launcher at point blank range. Which means! Ministry Mare Applejack made sure a Steel Ranger is the deadliest son of a bitch in Equestria. This armor is durable. It can let your breath in Luna’s damned moon if it has too. It is sealed against radiation and fitted with a rebreather and rad scrubbers. The spell Matrix helps you control your E.F.S and S.A.T.S targeting systems. Each suit is powered by a spark battery that was meant to last until time itself ends. A self-repair system keeps the armor held together in battle, and the medical injector keeps you alive with healing potions and Radaway when needed.” Flag turned and bucked the underside of his armors belly. The armor reared up to its hind legs, the armor plates on the back opening. Standing on two hooves Flag entered the suit as it wrapped around his frame and head. When the suit sealed tight with a hiss, he was down on all fours again. “Alright, you have been trained and briefed. Find your suits, then prepare for weapon assignment and roles. Crusader Strider organize your unit as you see fit.”

We all moved out as Strider pointed us to our assigned armors which he had been given prior knowledge to apparently. He walked to me and walked me to the rack at the far left of the squad. Next to my assigned armor was his. With giddy excitement, I entered the suit from behind as it was already on its hind legs. The armor slowly enclosed around me each plate locking into the inner frame. The armor’s visor lit up with information.

E.F.S SYSTEMS: ONLINE

S.A.T.S SYSTEMS: ONLINE

SELF-REPAIR: ONLINE

MEDICAL UNIT: ONLINE

M.W.T COMMAND CONNECTION INITIALIZED…

I realized it was connecting my suits vitals and information to Crusader Flag. He was keeping an eye on us. My hooves touched the ground as the armored set-up was complete. Comfortably inside, I felt powerful, like a walking tank, I was practically invincible. The weight of the armor barely registered as the motor servos, and piston joints held all of it. Even my armament felt far less than it normally would weigh. Additionally, I also got a saddlebag and a scrap collector on each side. A direct magical link with a low-level teleportation spell enchanted my saddlebag. Any ammunition I collected that fit the battle saddle weapons would be loaded automatically. Now I just had to have an actual gun mounted.

“Alright, Wolf Pack get ready for weapon assignments.” Strider scuffed the ground with his armored hoof as he got our attention. Eight of us meant a variety of weapons would be needed. Machinegun grenade launchers, Miniguns, and missile launchers all divided between eight bucks and mares in our squad. I got outfitted with two M8 Miniguns on both my flanks. Each powered by my suits spark pack, and four thousand rounds of 5mm Equestrian made rounds. I stood corrected; this was power! I could feel the weapons weight, and the targeting markers on my visor followed my sight and adjusted the battle saddle accordingly to my aim. Of course, the movement of my body is also part of the equation. This armor was the M.W. T’s crown jewel when it came to frontline combat. I briefly wondered if we were going to be sent to the front lines to keep aiding the NCR against the Crimson Empire. It certainly would be my first ever actual battle.

The thought admittedly scared me; I never killed anypony. Or hell a Radroach for that matter, I was a bit of a wimpy colt, and Strider had saved me from the damn bugs. But my mom always said she liked the gentle soul in me. I don’t think my father agreed, even if I did stand up to bullies which eventually granted me my cutiemark.

“Wait Wolf pack?” I said aloud.

“That’s right. I had to assign us a squad name, I went with Wolf pack, like the Timberwolves from before the war. Fearsome creatures.”

I vaguely remembered reading about them from my books back home, but I don’t think they were that ferocious considering the other monstrosities that lived in the Ever-free forest, and that was pre-war! Without the radiation turning already deadly monsters worst. With a neigh, I moved to line up as Crusader Flag looked us over with what I assume was a smirk under his helmet. Even in the armor most of us were giddy with excitement to get to use it.

“Alright looking good Rangers, but don’t get too cocky. Because today we are only taking them out for a stroll. A patrol in two hours has been assigned to this squad, be here an hour early. Have your power armor set and ready to go.”

Well, it wasn’t frontline combat but getting to move about in the armor and just well seeing how being in it for hours would do as a start. The rest of the briefing involved safety instructions and other essential tips for armor maintenance. Which I honestly already knew, I had been looking at power armors for most of my life. I was assigned as a scribe before I graduated yesterday after all. With that out of the way, we were dismissed and allowed to do as we pleased until the patrol.

“Hey Valiant, I wanted to talk to you. Mind walking with me to the Atrium?” Strider came up to me his face serious. I looked to him and wanted to make an excuse, anything to get to work on my power armor. But the look on his face told me he wouldn’t have come to me if this wasn’t important.

“Yeah, come on.” I began leading the way sparing one parting glance to my suit. We found a table at the far right of the Atrium sitting down not bothering to get any beverages. Strider was quiet for a moment, and I felt somewhat awkward. He seemed to be gathering his thoughts but couldn’t put the feelings into words.

“Valiant, you’re…my best friend,” he paused his hoof scuffing at the table. “Well, you’re my only friend.”

I blinked, he had always seemed to get along with the other scribes and even trainees when we were colts. I don’t recall me being his only friend. “What about those other ponies you hang around with?” I brought my hooves on the table with a soft tap.

“I think you deserve the truth. It’s important for you to know that. This isn’t your fault or mine. Please don’t think it’s mine.” Strider’s eyes practically begged to ignore my previous statement.

I could feel my heartbeat accelerate, as I prepared for his next words. A million things came to me; all of them involved him not wanting to be my friend anymore. I would be back to zero, and at twenty years of age. I could only cringe and feel desperate at trying to make new friends.

“You two, come with me emergency briefing for all knights Squads 01 to 05.” Crusader Flag had seemed to come out of nowhere, seriously how did that pony get around so quietly?

Strider sighed his ears drooping but quickly regained his composure “Never mind, let’s go.” he stood and took the lead. I followed behind Crusader Flag as we were lead to the briefing room which was a classroom repurposed for Ranger uses. We went up to the second floor of the Atrium through stairs on the far left of the room connecting to the second-floor railings of the Atrium. A turn into a hall and halfway through it we turned into the designated briefing room. It looked about a platoon worth of Rangers had gathered there in the rows of seats one above the other. Crusader Flag pointed to the rest of our squad already seated some waved us over, and we sat with them at the center row. The door closed and Elder Sharp sides and my father, Star Paladin Heavy Arms entered through another door below where a teacher would typically stand. The Elder was an older Mare, her mane greying and her coat a strawberry red. She still held a sharp mind behind those deep brown eyes; she held a hoof up to call for silence those speaking silenced themselves quickly.

“Yesterday at around 1000 hours we received a transmission. It was heavily encrypted, and our scribes couldn’t decipher the encryption no matter the method. At least until a junior Scribe fresh off training tried entering a password. Zap Apple Jam, curious but none the less the following message is broadcasting in a loop.” The Elder moved to a podium and pushed an unseen button on it making the speakers in the room come alive.

"Ah shucks, this ain’t right not one bit. I’m sorry it had to come to this. To make you choose a side. But I reckon we ain’t got much time before them fellers break through our defenses. We need reinforcement at the Crystal Empire. I’m attaching the ah’ what the blasted word is? Co-or-di-nates? Oh, apple crabs, just don come and help us out. I need Steel Rangers here, and I need em yesterday!"

I felt my mouth go dry and along with everypony else, our ears perked up. That was Applejack. Her voice hadn’t been lost to us what with audio logs left behind from her reciting the Rangers oath. She was two hundred years dead, lived out her life in Stable 2. There was no possible way she was alive. Could she? No there wasn’t any technology I could think of that would extend someone's life to 200 years. Her records and statements from Stable 2 indicated she had lived and died there!

“This isn’t a pre-recorded message. It's a transmission, on a Steel Ranger frequency no less.” The Elder commented.

I raised my hoof, and the Elder raised a brow but nodded to me. “Sir, Applejack died in Stable 2,” I stated the obvious, but the Elder closed her eyes in thought.

“She did, Elder Steelhooves recorded her data in our Crusader mainframe. However, this brings to question. There is a level of technology up north that can send a long-range transmission and use a Steel Ranger frequency."

Strider stood to put his hooves against the desk. “Elder, this means other Rangers got this, not all friendly.”

I cringed, that’s right we were still at war with our brothers over our oath. Even after twenty years, there was no to hostilities in sight

“That’s right. We can expect Steel Rangers to make their way north when they come to the same conclusion we did. As such the reason you are all here is that you will be part of Star Paladin Heavy Arm's expedition to the Crystal Empire.” The Elder looked around expecting questions.

A Knight on the row below me raised his hoof “Elder, I don’t recall any records about the Crystal Empire. What is that place?” The random pony looked to his comrades as if they had the answers.

“The Crystal Empire wasn’t part of Equestria, it was ruled by a third Alicorn princess, I believe her name was Cadence. Halfway into the war, Shining Armor her husband under threat of a military coup no less. Convinced the princess to join Equestria's side. At least that is what records I am privy too from my time in the Fillydelphia chapter. Beyond that transmissions indicated Princess Cadence tried suing for peace during the closing months of the war. Before the Zebra Empire launched their all-out Megaspell attack on us.” Elder Sharp Sides gave a half shrug. It seemed she didn’t much care about what had happened and only what to do now.

“When will the expedition happen?” Strider asked next.

“In a week, I’m recalling all patrols and canceling any leave and current assignments to the Rangers in here. Star Paladin Heavy Arms will brief you on what he has planned for now.”

Elder sharp sides moved aside, and my father stepped up, his voice much lower and louder than the Elder. “Listen up everypony, we will be traveling through the Celestia line that cuts straight north. We don’t have a train, and the NCR have done little to no work on the rails as far as we're planning on going. So we're going to hoof it and carry supply wagons with us. Each squad will be assigned a wagon with ammunition, food, and most importantly a long-range transmission station. We got lucky to have these when the NCR decided to let us help them win their war with the Empire. So do not be reckless and guard these wagons with your life. They are the lifeline to Stable 29. Furthermore, we will travel in squads, and the platoon will reunite in a yet to be decided location. Until then. You are to prepare for the expedition.” My father moved to the podium and hit a button. From behind us, a projector illuminated the wall. Four squad names appeared with squad 04 next to my father’s name. It seemed to show the assigned wagons. Applebloom, Braeburn, Applejack and, Bic Mac for our squad. These will be your assigned wagons; squad leaders will assign a wagon puller. Dismissed everypony.”

That…had been a lot to take in, my first mission and I was leaving Stable 29 for…well a long time. I had looked to Strider to ask him if he still wanted to talk, but he said it was best left for another time. When I wonder, we had a week to prepare and then it is marching through the Wasteland for…however long it took to get to the Crystal Empire. I had gone immediately to the armory to work on my power armor while I had the time. It was a soothing and exciting task. I first began with the hacking module. Linking it up to the helmet and a retractable universal key in the armors right hoof. That ate up a good two hours of my time. I then looked to organize the saddle bag and scrap metal collector on the armor flanks. When I was satisfied, I had spent the better part of the afternoon there. I had to trot home fast to not miss dinner. It was a weird event, to say the least, my father was as usual quiet. But my mother was looking at me worried.

“He’ll be fine.” My father spoke up.

“I know.” She said.

“Crusader Strider will keep him in line.” He said.

“I wished he was by your side instead.” My mother said somewhat strained.

My father said nothing, I almost thought he had decided to remain quiet when he spoke again. “I’m sorry.” He sounded…sad? I don’t know I don’t think my father ever seemed sad. He always looked neutral to me.

This time my mother didn’t speak. She instead got up from the table and moved to my father’s side. She wrapped her hooves around him and kissed his muzzle. “It’s okay. I forgave you a long time ago.” She looked to me and then moved to kiss my head, and I tried not to groan.

“Oh, let me mother you for a bit longer, I won’t see you for a long time.” She nuzzled my head, and I sighed letting her though I couldn’t deny the warmth I felt at her touch.

“I know mom but come on not in front of the Star Paladin.” I cracked a grin at my dad, hoping.

My father said nothing before he stood from the table. “That’s fine son.” He moved and gave my mother a kiss.

She sighed looking at me with a side glance. “You know your father has a horrible sense of humor.”

I knew that, but I had still hoped.

The days seemed to pass us by in that time I was able to bring the Mister Handy online. My mom chose to name him Helping Hoof. Though the robot didn’t really have hoofs. Strider had avoided me the whole week, especially after I saw him come up to my dad one time in the armory. They talked at length, from what I could recall I had been above them on the armory second floor Strider was…mad? I couldn’t quite tell his stare was so neutral he almost looked like my father. I certainly didn’t like to think my friend was like him. I think my life could only do with one pony disappointed in me all the time. Strider had stomped away from my father not glaring but… well maybe glaring but the scowl on his face seemed resigned rather than wrathful.

Whatever had happened had stopped bothering Strider it seemed, or maybe he just hid it well. Because on the day to leave he smiled at me in his usual manner. Wolf Pack gathered in the armory and began arming. Two unicorn scribes loaded the two miniguns on each side of my battle saddle and hooked up the ammunition belt. A warning appeared in my display.

WARNING: LIVE MUNITIONS LOADED

EXERCISE CAUTION AROUND THE SQUAD.

“Alright, Wolf pack listen up,” Strider in his power armor strode up to stand before us. At his sides were a machine rifle and 50cal machinegun rifle. Most of our other squad were assigned standard machinegun grenade launchers and missile launchers.

“I want a wedge formation round the wagon at all times when moving, Valiant is our hitch mule on this one.”

What?

“Starburst your up front, the rest take each flank I’ll bring up the rear. Now let’s move out!” Strider moved, and the squad followed. While I stayed behind, I had to pull the cart…my first mission and I was the bag handler. I want to protest, ask Strider why? But what could I do, I was a knight, and he was my CO showing insubordination would just make his job harder. I didn’t want that for my friend. So, with a resigned sigh, I caught with a light trot each footfall clanking against the metal floor. Outside Elder Sharp, Sides and other Rangers were gathered by the wagons. The Elder moved up on a makeshift stage out of munition boxes.

“Rangers, you are heading out now to answer the distress call sent to us a week ago. Assume the Steel Rangers have already answered the call as well. But we cannot risk the entire platoon being caught or worst killed in battle with our misguided brethren. As such each of your Crusaders has been given their own routes to follow. The routes will lead you north, and you will rendezvous around New Buck City.” Elder Sharp Sides sighed, shaking her head.

“Quite a few of you are going on your first mission, I know it isn’t ideal sending you to the unknown without experience. But we are at war, and war demands sacrifice. So, do not forget your oaths, and keep your fellow Rangers alive. Good luck Rangers, Sempre Invicta!”

“Sempre Invicta!” we all shouted.

“Alright, Wolf Pack get into formation, out the door and let’s get on our route. Were taking the Luna line North West directly to New Buck. I had one of my squadmates check the harness around me and began pulling the wagon. Our expedition started with the hollering and best wishes of our entire chapter coming out to see us go. Fellow rangers and scribes saluted us as we made our way out. With one glance back, slightly obscured by the wagon I saw my mother wave a hoof at me and I smiled at her, forgetting she wouldn’t see it through the helmet. So begins the journey. With a command, I turned my radio to DJPON3 as an old but classic began playing.

I don't want to set the world on fire

I just want to start a flame in your heart…

Author's Notes:

Edited: 5/16/2018 by Typoglyphic

Chapter 2: Nuclear Winter

Our travels had open my eyes to the world around us. We set camp on the outskirts of Fetlock for our first night. Having pulled the wagon, I was spared sentry duty and ate my dinner with Strider. We left early in the morning, as the sun broke over the west we marched along with the Luna line Starburst taking point. Our travels took us to New Appleloosa the once small town now a booming trading hub. Strider had us hitch a ride with a trading caravan. The traders claimed to have been as north as we requested to go.

The traders filled us with stories of land forever blanketed in winter. Outside the S.P.P, there were no weather control blizzards lasted weeks if not months. The roads are said to disappear under the snow, and those who did not know the journey get lost in the blizzards. I scoffed at the stories; I had to otherwise I might turn tail and desert in fear. Since ponykind regained control of the weather, or whatever pony ran the S.P.P gave us long summers and short winters. To have the elements control themselves seemed madness. The tales only worsen when they spoke of creatures changed by the Megaspells. Creatures that stalked the snows and killed anypony who was unfortunate enough to be lost.

Knight Starburst had boasted we had the firepower to make anything think twice about attacking us. Lucky for me, Strider was in charge, and he preferred not fighting the wildlife and piss away our munitions. After days of travel, we had our first snowing as we slept. When we woke up, we had to help the traders dig up their carts from the piled snow. The traded assured us this was just the outskirts of the Northern Waste. If four feet of snow was tamed, I dreaded the heartland where the Crystal Empire once stood. The traders had us take the lead or at least Starburst and two other knights. Their headlamps were cutting beams of light in the night when I asked why we didn't make camp the lead trader laughed at me. The snows started to batter us as the sun began to rise. We were all tired, as were the pack animals but the trader was adamant we could NOT stop until we reached the first lighthouse. I never in my life of reading heard of a lighthouse in the middle of the land.

While the sun was near the top signifying the afternoon, the snow had picked up speed and now fell like rain. I squinted behind my helmet, turning my headlamp to see three feet ahead of me. I was warned to keep the lead wagon in sight or be lost in this blizzard forever. Which only meant until we starved, froze or, whatever the hell a Yak-Ghoul mauls us or whatever the beast does. Again, Starburst opens his muzzle about Steel Ranger firepower. I wouldn't be too upset if a Yak-Ghoul got him at this point. Besides, if it attacks him, I can finally see what the thing is with the added benefit of me not being mauled myself.

After another two hours of plowing through the snow, we saw a light bright as the sun itself cut through the blizzard. Just behind that light, I could see the specs of what looked to be another light. Or what I could peak around the wagon in front of me, it looked like a secondary light that got brighter as we neared, and it moved away from us. We pushed towards the beacon to find a lightly garrisoned shack gathering with a thin but still sturdy enough wall around them. Gates squeaked open for us and pushed snow apart, letting us in. Strider had me move the wagon into a makeshift garage at the right of the shack hobbles. The middle of the shacks was dominated by the colossal lighthouse which was held together by a patchwork of metal plates and wood. The ponies in the huts looked weirdly well fed for living in this frozen shit hole. Four shacks surrounded the lighthouse a two-storied house just left of the garage and two smaller sheds behind us flanking the gates. When I detached myself from the wagon, I saw one of the local earth ponies moved to the back of the cart to try and open it.

"Hey!" I yelled and turned my guns on him, the pony backed lowering his stance in fear.

"Whoa, there, son!" the Caravan leader came up to me, and I almost turned my guns on him. Does he know about this little thief? If we just got tricked by a raider party, I would be so mad.

"They're taking their toll that's all, some food for the roof and place to sleep." The old brown stallion said raising a calming hoof at me.

"Well, that explains why no one here is starving… I need to ask Crusader Strider." I turned to leave before snapping back, pointing a hoof at the pony I almost shot. "And you! Keep your hooves off Big Mac until I come back with clearance, okay?" I revved my miniguns once for emphasis.

"Ayep, no complain from me partner'" the local gave me a wry smile.

I found Strider in the two-storied shack; he was pouring over a map with the locals. I waited for him to finish his conversation.

"These here is one of five o them pre-war roads that lead to New Buck City. Problem is the road is covered up in snow just about twenty-four-seven. So, we reckon we built these here outposts and charge folk for the way to New Buck. Usually, we do food charges, ain't got use for no bottle caps up here partner. Where'd would we spend em?" the local smacked the table with his hoof laughing at his joke.

Strider offered a polite smile and a nod, "What about the road past New Buck? Is there an outpost to get to the Crystal Empire?"

"The Crystal what now?" the local gave him a queered eyed stare.

"Ah, so it's like that," Strider shifted his eyes at the map then back to the local "do the ponies in New Buck go further North?" Strider put his hoof on the map on the table. I moved closer and nodded in his direction. A nod he returned, and I put my attention on the map. My E.F.S quickly scanned the map and added the data to my helmet.

"Hell, that place could be full of beautiful mares, with loose definitions of handsome stallions. And you will still find nopony crazy or dumb enough to go beyond New Buck. Or even further than the New Buck Park." The local narrowed his eyes clopping the table repeatedly for emphasis. "See once you get past a certain point, the city becomes mighty, unfriendly-like. See you got ghouls by the hundreds scattered in the city. As I hear it, the Stables in there didn't properly filter out the Radiation, turned the ponyfolk into ghouls. The problem being the radiation don rotted their brains cuz of the high amount inside the stables." The local sighed, shaking his head. "Damn shame, scavengers ended up opening the Stable doors, and the critters flooded the streets. We had to put up roadblocks to keep the critters at bay. Too many of them and not enough of us." The pony finished his tale and picked up a cigar from a hidden pocket. He lit it on a nearby lamp and puffed away from Strider.

"You've certainly given me plenty to think about, but anyways something I can do for you, Valiant?" Strider finally turned to me, why was I here again? Oh right.

"Oh, uhm, one of the locals was poking at our wagon; they want their payment right now, I guess." I shrugged in my armor an odd task to perform, considering where the joints collided with the frame. This armor isn't' meant for small casual movements in mind.

"Ah, well go ahead and let them have what they need food wise. Make sure it's only food, we need the ammunition. I have a feeling we'll need every bullet." Strider nodded to the local. "My friend here has assured me we're but a few days march from New Buck, and the traders said we could remain with them, our guns are good at keeping raider tribes away."

"Raiders? This far north?" I couldn't possibly imagine how raiders could survive here!

"Eh well we call em raiders, but it's the Yak-Ghouls, they lived here since the war when the bombs drop the Yaks kind of turned nomad. Now they attack anything that looks at em funny. Or attack because they're bored really." The local explained stroking his chin. "Hmm come to think of it, I heard a feller say one of them attacked a caravan because it was insulting the yak way. Cuz he kept horns on his wagon." The local finished with a shrug.

"Oh, so they're not savages just stupid." I rolled my eyes, a useless gesture when nopony could see it.

"Don't let their random attacks fool ya; them critters is smart! They can set up traps and even separate entire caravans. But your big guns ought to make em think twice about attacking you." The local finished his point by pointing to his battle saddle hanging on a nearby table. It had a single lever action rifle which by the looks of it the pony pumped with his back leg.

"Alright, I'll head back and make sure the Stallion gets his payment." I left them behind bucking the door closed after me being extra careful not to destroy the gate. I found the stallion waiting for me sitting on his haunches. Wordlessly I moved to the back of the wagon the doors to it closed by a keypad. I raised my hoof to punch in the code but gave him stare with my helmet. He seemed to get the message and turned, closing his eyes as well. I keyed in the numbers, and a loud sound indicated the maglocks disengaging. Opening the doors, I hopped in the weight of my armor, sinking the wagon into the ground. I sat on my haunches and opened my helmet. It divided at the mouth, and it parted as if opening its mouth to let me see. Even inside the wagon, I felt the chill of the blizzard, making my teeth chatter. I grabbed a bag of apples and put it down before the stallion. He moved to me and stuck his head in the sack, then smiled at me as he withdrew it back.

"Ayep, this is good, haven't had apples in ages! Them NCR boys are mighty stingy when it comes to apples up there." The stallion smiled, grabbing the sack in his mouth.

"Wait, NCR?" did Strider know about this?

"Ayep, they got a base up in New Buck, part o that there frontier of theirs. They have been trying to get New Buck to join up, but we don't fancy joining a democratic union at gunpoint. Don't rightly send the right message, ya' hear?" he rolled his eyes and turned to leave.

"Wait…uh, I just wanted to say. Uhm sorry about earlier, I didn't know you were doing your job." I reached into another sack and gave him a green apple.

"Here, for my behavior, I figured I owed you at least something." I offered him the apple with my best smile.

"Ah shucks, it ain't yer fault I reckon I shoulda said something. I'm so used to the traders letting me in I just figured yall knew. But nothing to it," he spat on the ground and offered his hoof. "Names Wrangler, a pleasure to make yer acquaintance."

I shook his hoof with mine feeling my tail wanting to wag inside my armor. "Names Valiant Knight, of Applejack's Rangers" I hopped down bucking the doors closed behind me. "So, are you from New Buck?" I commanded my helmet closed, as I felt more exposure to the elements would freeze my ears off.

"Ayep, born and raised! Been working the outpost game with my pa' for most o' my life, I reckon. Shucks I been looking to break into the trading game, but it's hard to up here. The Big Three control most of the trading."

"Big Three?" I turned my helmet to him, hoping my tone conveyed the question well. Expressions were hard behind a face-obscuring helm to read.

"Ayep, you got the Laser Unicorns, they trade in magical energy weapons. The Appleloosa Express handles delivery, transporting and what have you. And the NCR friendly Big Lot, they sell the general supplies around here. Food, clothes, spare parts, and what have you. Them fellers control all and keep the peace between each other. Hire mercs to keep town raider free and law-abiding."

"Mercs? Talon company?" I know those were the original mercs that joined up with the NCR founder.

"Nope, they are ponyfolk, not Griffins most coming from the Front lines from the NCR war. The NCR is too high and mighty for the merc types these days. Forgetting who started the damn thing." Wrangler spat on the ground again for emphasis. "Well, I reckon I talked, ya ears long enough, you should head back inside." Wrangler stood and went on his merry way. Though I wanted more information, a yawn stifled me from asking any more questions. Right, I forgot I was tired from a whole day of no sleep. Better find the others get some rest.

I returned to the shack, where Strider got us accommodations. I slept in my armor, figuring I should if we ever made camp someplace that demanded I be combat ready at a moment notice. I dreamt of winter as a colt in Manehattan. I was snuggled against my mother looking out a window at the falling snow. The dream was sweet, though it ended when somepony opened the door to the house, and a shivered went up to my spine. I awoke as Wrangler walked about the shack a lamp in his mouth, waking everypony up.

"Time to rise fellers, pack up and move out, times a wasting." He clopped his hooves together loudly, getting everypony up. The caravan leader said we had to move out at night while the light was good. I nearly asked him if he was mad only to see the next lighthouse light cut through the blizzard night sky. It was better to travel at night when the suns light didn't break through the clouds and confuse ponies it seemed. We packed up and marched out. I lost track of time when we reached the next checkpoint — no shacks here just the lighthouse. A small cabin built into the tower held two ponies who came out collected food and went back inside.

We pushed onward through the rest of the night until early morning. Through the beams of our headlamps, we could see the considerable shadow of a long dead behemoth. Or rather, New Buck city. The skyscrapers stretched into the sky defiant of mother nature from a time when ponies held complete control of the area. Nopony did so now, and it was wild and unpredictable. If I were a more adventurous pony, I might say it was exciting. But pragmatism just made me think how the hell does a pony live here. We reached the city proper a few hours after sunrise. The blizzard still going strong when entering the city was almost like passing through a monster's innards. The skyscrapers disappeared into the fog above us and lined the streets like rib cages. The cracked road looked like the monster's spine proper connecting the rib bones caging us inside. I didn't envy anypony who called this place home. We reached an intersection where the traders parted way with us.

Rather dumbly we stood at the intersection watching the traders disappear into an Appleloosa Express warehouse. I saw my fellow knights surround the wagon creating a perimeter, Strider walked up beside me and sat on his haunches looking down for a moment. Then he stared up to the skyscrapers. "bad signal can't reach anyone on the short-burst, or they aren't here."

"Crusader Strader, what about the wagon?" Starburst asked while he too sat on his haunches. The rest of us followed suit the march through the damnable blizzard left us all tired.

"Already on your asses? Come on, knights on your hooves."

We all stood like colts caught with their muzzle in the cookie jar. Crusader Flag trotted to us from our left. I'm starting to think. Flag has some magical power he isn't letting us know he has. He moved to Strider and looked at us.

"Everyone is accounted for, good work so far Crusader Strider." Flag bumped his armored hoof against Strider's armored shoulder. "Now come on we just gathered in force near the Northern barricade. Star Paladin Heavy Arms is talking to the locals, trying to get the laid of the land farther up north." We resumed formation without orders to do so. We were used to it by now after weeks of travel. We followed Flag down the road he came from before we moved north again along what an old partly rusted sign called 12th street. We followed the path passing many mares and stallions looking at us queerly. The town was a mix of earth and unicorn ponies, and not a single Pegasus in sight. To be expected really, I heard the clouds were a far sight from the blasted wastes of Equestria.

Flag led us down another street this one less barren all the while the blizzard raged around us. The ponies went about their business even though mother nature was being quite evident in her message to piss off. Hard places breed sturdy ponies, I suppose. A final turn made me gasp and nearly stop dead on my hooves. The four lane-street meant for wagons was completely blocked off. A massive wall easily forty meters high, made up of welded together metal plates from carriages and actual wagons stacked on top of each other dominated the street. Two buildings with added fortifications flanked the wall. On each rooftop, massive spotlights cut through the howling blizzard illuminating the other side. Ponies walked along the ramparts with weapons floating around them aimed down the other end of the wall. Come to think of it, as I inspected the guards; they were all unicorns. As the wall loomed over us, I noticed they were all wielding magical energy weapons. These must be the mercenaries Wrangler told me off.

When we approached the bottom of the wall, I saw my father talking to one of the mercenaries. His helmet opened to the elements. He spotted us and gave us-Strider-actually, a nod. "Valiant unhook yourself and come with me, Starburst guard the wagon." Strider threw over his shoulder, and we did so quietly and efficiently.

"Crusader Flag take those ponies out of the cold and let them rest." My father paused when he looked at me. I don't think I was wanted; I should probably offer to go back and check on Big Mac.

"Knight Valiant is my second in command, he's tactful and can deal with the locals. I prefer him at my side." Strider stated not once sparing me a glance.

"Understood, follow me then." My father led us into the right building; more ponies were inside going on about their business, paying us little mind. I could only imagine my father had worked out a deal already with them. We climbed at least four sets of stairs before we were at the ramparts of the metal wall. I had my reservations about walking on the damned thing. But my father and Strider quickly crossed the ramparts, and I followed suit. After putting one tentative hoof on it. With a resigned neigh, I walked across it to stand by Strider as they turned out into the blizzard. We were high enough for the fog to obscure our vision, I could not begin to fathom what was down there, it was only thanks to the massive spotlights swiveling along the farther end of the wall that I could see more skyscrapers and some feral ghouls limping around. My father turned to one of the spotlight operators and nodded to them. On my father's signal, they united the spotlights down the middle of the street just a few feet off the wall.

"Oh shit," I couldn't help the curse slipping from my mouth, hundreds of thousands of ferals pushed themselves against the wall. Looking downward, I could make out spikes dotting out on the exterior of the wall. Metal rods sharpened to an excellent point welded against the wall. I could not help but think of the behemoth I compared the city. These spikes were its mighty scales; I suppose, or maybe even its teeth.

"The walls close around the city, no way in our out…above ground." My father pointed a hoof to a mercenary, another unicorn who joined us on the ramparts from the left building housing his unit. I wonder why this is a unicorn company only? The mercenary wore a ballistic vest with the logo of a unicorn shooting a laser beam from her horn. I could imagine this was the logo for the Laser Unicorns.

"This is Howling Wind, mind telling my soldiers what you told me?" My father gestured with his hoof at Strider and me.

"Yeah, the city is walled off in segments, no way in our out from the top. To get to the other side, we take the subway network. The companies use it to send runners into the city."

"I heard from a local at one of your outposts, no pony ever went beyond the wall," I recalled as much from Striders conversation.

"He ain't wrong, not many ponies willing to risk the ferals. So, we got a few runners who usually do the job from what I hear you want out of the city. Your best bet is taking the 45th street, but first, you got to take the subway to get out on 15th. With those wagons, it's going to be dicy out there. It will slow you down, and the ferals could swarm you." The mercenary pointed to the top of the buildings by the spotlights. I could make out some speakers but not much else. "If runners get into trouble, they send up a flair, and we sound the air raid horns, gets most of the ferals off them. But it's still a dangerous run to get back underground. We only have so much mapped out. Beyond that are more pockets of ferals."

Well, that made things complicated; my father took us down to a building near the wall. We had set up inside a considerably drafty warehouse courtesy of the Laser Unicorn company. The company was interested in what lied beyond the city limts in exchange for shelter food and a free passage down the subway tunnels. We would send them information about what we found. If it was worth a profit, they offered us caps. Or so my father retold. More than a fair share of us laughed, we would more than likely find whatever pre-war ruins of the Empire remained and contact Elder Sharp Sides. She would give us orders afterward.

With blankets and cots provided by the company, we settled for the night. It wasn't a particularly lovely sleep. Even after I exited my armor, I just spent the night shivering next to it. When morning arrived, we woke up later than usual. My father allowed us the sleep to make up for the extra marching to make it to the city. But after breakfast or lunch at that point, he ordered us to hold and prepare to leave in a few hours.

"So, what do you think is on the other side?" a knight in armor came up to us. The voice sounded higher, so I assume she was a mare.

"Don't know, ruins and more snow I bet," Starburst said, passing us.

"I think he's right, and no one is expecting to find Applejack herself waiting for us, do they?" I shrugged and bucked my armor to open it to get inside. As the shield rose, I noticed the mare knight's headpiece was off. The mane crest was past her ear covers. Stranger still, it looked like the extra plating was welded crudely around it. "Hey, did you weald an extra plate section to your helmet?" I pointed a hoof at her head.

"W-what? No, why? Did you?" she back peddled, almost knocking over another knight who grumbled at her as he moved out of the way.

"Are you doing okay knight?" Strider outside his armor raised a brow as well.

"Yeah, of course! I mean just a weird question, ya know." She sat on her haunches and waved her hooves at us.

"Is it?" I looked to strider confused; he just shrugged at me.

"Anyways, I should get back to my squad! They could be wondering where I am!" she turned hastily to the knights standing just a few feet from us.

"Lemon…were right here four feet from you." The Crusader of her squad face-hoofed in his armor clanking as he did so.

"Y-yeah! There we go found em, alright team, let's get going." She clopped her hooves together.

"Where? We haven't been told to go anywhere." Her Crusader shook his head. "Lemon, you should get out of that armor, I think you need some air.

"No! I, uh need to go to the little filly's room, so uhm yeah I'll go do that in the back!" She backed into another knight as she spoke. "Whoa, sorry, uhm, right, be back soon." Like that the strange knight disappeared behind old rusting containers.

"Well, that was an interesting pony." Strider chuckled and got into his armor.

"Lemon, huh." I wondered aloud; I don't recall ever meeting her. My father returned two hours later and ordered us to move out. I hooked myself up to Big Mac again, and we exited the warehouse in marching formation. My father and crusader Flag led us further east until we found a massive Four-Star station with several pony mercenaries guarding the place. A mixture of unicorns and earth ponies this time, with the earth ponies wearing battle saddles using rifles of varying calibers. We rolled up the wagons on a makeshift ramp that led us down another temporary ramp into the tracks. It seemed the rails had been cleared of debris to allow wagons to move. I briefly wondered where the train carts had gone, but quickly remembered the walls around the city. No doubt they went into that using unicorn magic to float them out.

The tunnel stretched in utter darkness with spread apart light sources; we seemed to pass checkpoints of more pony mercenaries. The further into the tube, the less the checkpoints became common. Only our headlamps cut through the dark veil before us. Leading the platoon, my father turned his head his lamp illuminating a sign that read 45th street among other barely legible names. We looked around the platform to find no makeshift ramps this time around. I let out a frustrated neigh, as we spent the following hour getting the wagons out into the street. Our armor was able to lift the carts along with our natural earth pony strength. Though Knight Lemon, I had seen struggle significantly despite this.

When the wagons were topside, my father yet again had us separate. "Squads take the roads north, each on a different road. A big group will attract the ferals."

Strider nodded and waved us over to the first street to our right after exiting the tunnels. We were greeted by the seemingly endless blizzard that covered the entire city in the depressing fog. It had pretty much been on since we arrived at New Buck. The street remained nameless no signpost planted in the ground where we could see. In the same wedge formation, we marched east before we found our first turn north. The street looked to be among the main highway of the city given the four-lane road. We walked along the center lane the obscuring blizzard blinding us to even any buildings beside us. The trail slowly gave out under us, and only snow crunched under our steel hooves. Checking the terrain through the mapping feature of my armor the shapes of the city were behind us and nothing, but emptiness remained.

I lost track of time, and I could display what the current time was. But I honestly had forgotten when we left the city proper in the first place. Endless mounds of snow and howling winds made it impossible to talk to each other without the short burst transmission radio. I felt a total sense of dread and emptiness. All around us, I could see nothing, but the lights of my fellow rangers cut through the haze of winter. I looked down, and my E.F.S came to life with blips.

The radio crackled alive with Strider's voice, "hold, unknown contacts." I blinked the blips disappeared as fast as they appeared.

"I got nothing." Another fellow knight muttered.

"Surround Bic Mac, weapons live," Strider ordered, everypony circled me with strider moving up just ahead of me. Starburst moved to Striders immediate left his headlamp swept the area before him.

"Strider, if it's the Yak-Ghouls, maybe we should try talking before we start firing." I tried.

"Something is here, something or somepony, and if it didn't mean to harm us, it wouldn't be hiding." Strider made sense. I powered up my weapon systems just in case. Looking ahead, I peered as far as my light would allow to see something rise from the snow finally — a rectangle with a gem in the middle, several more rose to form a phalanx. Just as quickly a secondary line locked above it making a wall two ponies tall.

"Over here!" a knight shouted to my right as another wall of rectangles raised from the snow.

"Our rear is closed off!" The Knight's voice showed signs of panic.

"What?" I tried to look behind me only to have my view obstructed by Big Mac.

"We're surrounded!" The knight on my right was already panicked. Oh, shit, did we stumble into a trap? The phalanx of rectangles closed around us into a square.

"Like this will hold us!" Starburst's grenade launcher fired without permission! The center gem spread a blue hue through the rectangle and bounced the grenade back Starburst!

"Gah!" he was blasted back in a shower of fire and shrapnel. The explosion momentarily drowned the howling blizzard. "I-I can't move the armor's it's locked up."

"Hold fire!" Strider's voice snapped me back to attention. The rectangles to our front seemed to part at the corners they met near the center. Something long and smooth stuck out from the small gap. That's- A loud crack followed with a brief muzzle flash from the anti-machine rifle.

"I-!" Starburst barely managed to utter. His armor tore apart around his breast before the back of his neck exploded open gore and blood spilling outward. Bits of meat and blood splattered the white snow as Starburst head fell.

[DECEASED] Starburst

A warning flashed on my display, with a flatline underneath read my fellow knight's name.

Oh, sweet Celestia.

I couldn't tear my eyes away from the blood. The snow hissed warm blood meeting uncaring cold. I swallowed back the bile in my throat and looked up towards Strider. All sense of order broke down my fellow knights panicked and fired ignoring Striders earlier order against the rectangles.

"Hold fire; hold fire!" Striders command landed of deaf ears; I ducked a grenade flew over my head impacting near a knight to my left. The mare inside screamed knocked aside her grenade launcher fired a stream of grenades bouncing off the rectangles. The shells exploded on impact around us, one of them blasting right next to Big Mac, forcing it to its side. I followed suit falling to my side.

Get up!

I heard my father’s voice ring in my head, I in a panicky move I bucked the rods strapping me to the wagon off. I scrambled to my feet before another explosion rocked me off them rolling towards the right rectangle wall. I sputtered getting to my feet, at the front I saw Strider charge the rectangle wall before he leaped over it! The wall of rectangles spread apart quickly. Ponies? I saw the wielders of the squares; these ponies were wrapped up in furs of an unknown animal to me, their helmets were opened but had a cloth mask pulled over their muzzle a crest rested atop of the helmets with a striped mane. They wore ballistic vests with what looked like skirts around their flanks. Their flanks wrapped in thick bandages no doubt meant to keep the cold at bay. It occurred to me the rectangles were shields, some remained facing towards us closing ranks to cover the ones that turned over. But before they could close the ponies that turned to Strider were flung backward. I saw Strider had bucked them with his hind legs and turned quickly his 50-caliber machinegun firing loud cracks filling the world.

The ponies facing us yelled in pain and surprise, blood splattered the ground around them as more of them fell to the heavy machinegun. Their vest couldn't hold against the high caliber rounds. Their phalanx of shields fell apart as each pony turned to defend themselves against Strider's onslaught. The shields were easily the height of a pony; they had to turn on their hind legs to put the shield down against the ground. There was matriculation at the top where I noticed the second row of shields would stack above the first.

"Rangers with me!" Strider ordered backing up and firing at the same time, but he didn't fire his anti-machine rifle, he didn't look ready to risk having that reflected him. I galloped towards Strider, all around me the shield ponies broke rank facing my fellow knights and surrounding them. While the shield ponies once on top faced outward to block mine and Strider's firing line against their comrades. More shield ponies came out of the blizzard in groups of two. One pony put up a shield the other peeked above and fired. The rifle bullets fired against my side sent quakes of pain where they impacted.

"Agh!" I looked to my side, expecting blood and holes in my armor, but the bullets did not pierce the plates! The rounds felt like they had impacted my flesh! Strider hopped over me and fired to let me get back on my hooves. I stood and aimed my miniguns. A low whir followed the spinning barrels before the hellfire of bullets tore into the closing ranks of some of the ponies too slow to fully encircle and cover their backs to us. I felt my gut clench the rounds utterly tearing the pony's apart limbs were torn off, and their innards spilled onto the snow as shots tore them asunder. The bullet casings hiss as they piled on the snow, burning red.

[OVERHEAT]

The barrels burned red at my flanks before the armor forcefully stopped me from shooting, the snowdrops melted to water as they pelted the minigun instantly. Three loud cracks followed by three equally horrifying sound of armor erupting made me wince, my display pulled up another casualty report.

[DECEASED] White Orchard

[DECEASED] Morning Breeze

[DECEASED] Ethel

The shield walls parted and turned into themselves like a curled-up snake to defend against Strider and me, my headlamp searched for the remaining knights, but I only found the torn open bodies of the knights that just died.

"move, now!" Strader pushed me into action; his head forcibly against my side. I turned and galloped as fast as I could the sound of heavy machinegun fire following after me. My eyes widen, and I skidded to a stop the barrels on my minigun span to life as I strafed the ground briefly kicking up snow as the bullets trailed up and leveled against the shield ponies. They hunkered down in place. The shots glowed as soon as they reached the shields and like shooting stars flew in every which way.

Strider turned to me stopping his shooting, "What are you doing I said go!" He barked at me through the radio his hoof pointing to the great beyond unviewable through the snow.

"N-no! I won't lose you too!" I ran back to him and skidded to a stop as Strider had barely a chance to turn two of the shield ponies dropped their shields and ran at him.

"Strider!" I pointed my hoof desperately at him.

He turned no doubt warned by his E.F.S and at the incoming enemies the ponies separated. One slid below strider's stance and punched at Strider's armored belly.

"Gah!" Strider reared up, putting one hoof over his belly and backing up the punch hurting my friend inside. The pony quickly and swept a leg underneath Strider. The other bucked at his backside, and the two successfully brought Strider to his side. I revved up my minigun to fire when a loud crack filled the world again, silencing the blizzard and forced me to the ground in agony.

[WARNING WEAPON SYSTEM 01 OFFLINE]

I felt the bullet graze my flesh as it whizzed by my left flank, tearing through my battle saddle and armor. "Gaaahh!!!" I held my side in pain; the medical injector immediately went to work injecting a powerful healing potion into my system while the self-repair consumed the scrap metal in its compartment to close the armor breach. The cold seeped into my suit and my burning flesh along with the snow, was a very unpleasant feeling. Still, with adrenaline running through my veins, I was able to push myself up and move towards Strider.

"Strider!" I managed to yell before rapid-fire put me down each bullet impacting against my right side felt like small quakes against my flesh. I got up again and fired my remaining minigun from where I perceived the shots were coming. "Strider!" I called out to my friend to see him back on his hooves. One of the ponies was down his helmet off blood seeping into the snow. Strider finally bucked the other in the chest hard enough that they flew back into the fog of the blizzard swallowed up by the howling winds. My body started to feel weak, and pain across my side from the wound and the damn bullets that somehow felt like substantial impacts had slowed me down. I looked down to see a small trail of blood follow behind me. I froze in place, my knees shook, and I felt like pissing myself in utter shock.

That's my blood.

"Get down!" Strider forced me down with his body. Another loud thunderous crack filled the world robbing the blizzards howling winds. I saw the air ripple past us the anti-machine rifle round passed where I was pretty sure my head was. We scrambled to our feet, and I got a good look at the bleeding pony on the ground.

Oh.

Their head had a short-cropped mane with stripes across her face and a black muzzle. It was a zebra, a freaking zebra! "Valiant move now, damn it!" I physically shook my head and galloped back another loud crack filled the world, "Agh!" I skated to a halt. Strider fell on a puddle of his blood his right hind leg was burst open, the armor compromised.

"Strider!" I stopped as his rifle fired just short of my distance.

"Go! Valiant go right now!" He yelled through obvious pain. I couldn't move; I couldn't leave him. No, I could not possibly leave my only friend in the world behind.

"Damn it now!" He almost sounded like he was crying, I took a step back, then another and I turned full circle and galloped as fast as I could the crack of gunfire following behind me.

The others!

We can regroup, go back for Strider. I thought to myself at this point justifying why I listened and ran, frantically I yelled into the receiver trying to reach anypony!

"help! Strider is down I" my voice was cut off by a scream.

[DECEASED] Sunny-Side-Up

"Oh, sweet Celestia, no, no, no, anypony!" A crackle followed by a voice.

"Valiant! I'm Norwest of your position!"

Oh, thank Celestia, I followed the compass, my headlamp illuminated a shadow that turned away from me, flashes from his weapons briefly casting the darkness away.

"We-" the now terrifyingly familiar crack of an anti-machine rifle drowned out my words. The knight's throat exploded into a mess of gore his blood and bits splattering against my armor. Something hit and I fell on my side grunting. I landed face to face with the severed head of my fellow knight his featureless helmet staring at me. I coughed and gasped feebly for air. I forced returned myself to my hooves.

[DECEASED] Farside

I revved up my minigun, where my light could not reach I saw shadowy figures approach. I couldn't fire, I turned and ran, I ran and just kept running. I looked around me nothing but oppressing empty swirls of snow and fog around me. But I kept going I couldn't stop, my mind was a blank, and I was acutely aware of every beat of my heart. My mouth had started to go dry, and a familiar burning filled my sides.

"V-Valiant." I heard the weak voice of Strider over my radio. I stopped like a spell had been broken. What could I say? Did he know about everypony else? What can I do? I'm alone Celesita knows how many Zebras with anti-machine rifles and fucking bullets that hurt you even through power armor were around! I was bloody terrified and lonely, and I left my best friend behind.

[DECEASED] Strider

"N-no…no, no, no, I'm. I'm just asleep in my room. I'm just having a bad nightmare." I turned and looked all around me by now my heart felt like it was on overdrive beating against my chest erratically "Somepnoy, anypony… Strider?" my voice came out a squeak even to my ears.

"…" interference?

"S-Strider?" I sniffled tears running down my face. I feebly tried to wipe them from my face only for my hoof to clank against my helmet. Shit calm down the breath, strider will know he's okay he has to be. He's better than me always has been. I gasped for air and sniffed, shaking my head.

"Strider?" I tried, but the line was oddly silent — just the soft crackle of static.

"Run little pony, form us you hide, in desperate means, you leave your friends behind." The voice was exotic cold and lyrical, straight from a child's worst nightmare. "In the snows, nothing will you find, only your death and demise." The transmission cut off replaced by static, that was from strider's short burst radio, he…they. Celestia no. I stood on alert backing up my head whipping left and right my battle saddle following my sights. I saw a shadow dart to my left, the minigun revved up, and I fired into the shadows the shots disappearing into the snow. I saw movement to my right and fired again, trailing the bullets across the ground before me kicking up snow before shooting at the shadow: nothing, just the emptiness of the north.

"Oh, fuck you, fuck you, Zebra bastards!" I ran for it. I ran and kept running despite the protest of my body. I kept going until I was forced to slow down and collapsed from exhaustion. Tears stung at my eyes, and with a moment of insanity, I brought up my squad status display, some mad hope that this was all some bloody nightmare or hallucination.

[DECEASED] Starburst

[DECEASED] Sunny-Side-up

[DECEASED] Strider

I stopped and forced my helmet open despite the warning of the hazardous environment and below freezing temperature. I threw up the contents of my stomach onto the snow; it hissed against the warm liquids of my innards. I spat a few times and stumbled forward; my helmet closed on command as an afterthought. I just…walked for Celestia and Luna knows how long. I just walked, ignoring the weariness that settled on my body. Time ceased to matter, in my random walk. Pushing through the snow, I tried to keep my head up when a light cut through the raging storm. It was brilliant, a beacon shining through the fog. I felt attracted to it a sweet calling of warmth and comfort. I followed the sun, not even bothering to look down the snow had been up to my knees. But the servos and piston let power through it.

Just like that, the cold the wind and howling of an eternal winter stopped. I stared at green grass beneath my hooves. I couldn't believe it. I was standing on grass; this couldn't be right. I had to be dead; there was no other explanation I turned to see endless green behind me. I walked back where I came from, and just like that, I was staring again at the snow-laden wastes. I looked back to much of the same. I turned and walked towards the light to find myself in the green pasture. I glanced to the sky, and over the hill, I could see a spire of ethereal looking glass jutting out into the air. The light that brought me here shining from the top of the spire. With a squint of my eyes, I could make out a soft blue hue spreading from the light.

"A shield," I muttered aloud, it was a freaking shield that hid this place! I blinked and looked back, and if I strained my sight, I could make out the same soft hue on the air like a wall. It was powerful enough to keep the winter at bay. I backed up and turned again to the light. Vigor filled me for unknown reasons, and I galloped to the top of the hill. A sight, unlike any other, greeted me. Stretched was a massive-well-megacity I couldn't even compare it to New Buck or even Manehattan as I could swear I could cram several Manehattans into it. A metropolis, with odd walls enclosed around sections and the familiar, blasted out rubble of other buildings. At the center where the spire jotted out, I could make out a pink shield almost translucent like the one over the megacity. I was roughly some forty miles from it, and I could still hardly see the entire thing. To my right, a massive structure jotted out from the many walled off sections. Red flags I could not make out flapping over atop its walls that looked like a stadium of sorts. But it was a stark contrast to the other buildings like it didn't belong there a different design of origins I could only guess. There were wisps of smoke coming from other wall-less sections of the city where it looked like a battle was happening — but judging by the size of the megacity and where I could see from the many skyscrapers still standing it looked to me like several battles in several fronts spread across it. If New Buck had seemed like a Behemoth, this was a god of unproportionate power, and size. I could see a suburb in similar disarray with walled sections and battles happening across the many frankly crystal-like buildings.

I focused on the spire belonging to a crystal castle. Tacked on to that castle was a strong dull grey concrete structure, there was a sign on it, but I couldn't make out the words from this distance. The grey monstrosity was a stark contrast embedded into the castle like an ugly tumor compared to the graceful crystal structure. I looked down the hill to find a road leading to the megacity as well as several burnt-out husks of military vehicles. I ran towards the path, seeing a giant billboard in need of maintenance. The sign looked relatively new, not worn by the passage of time, instead scorched by bullet fire and energy weapons. I fell to my haunches, my helmet opened as if not trusting the optics on my visor to see.

A beautiful alicorn princess stared at me with a pink coat and colorful mane with violet eyes. A gentle, almost motherly smile that seemed natural to her and welcoming to all. A blurb of words was next to her.

Welcome to the Crystal Empire!

Level Up: 1

Perks: Bloody Mess: You're rocking some heavy power, and everypony knows it because you only leave chunks of your enemies behind!

Edited 5/18/2019 by me.

Author's Notes:

Hey...uhm I figured is should probably have done this in chapter 1.But, I guess I might as well ask now. I wanted to ask if anyone is willing to be a beta-reader for me. Help catch my mistakes, I edit the chapters myself so I know i’m bound to miss stuff. So I would love some help from anypony willing to give me a hand. Also the level up perk thing, I didn’t add it in the first chapter because there was no combat or anything really worth “experience” points beyond discovering locations. So I added that here, anyways hope you guys enjoy my own take of the Crystal Empire in post apocalyptic Equestria. Feel free to ask me questions :D.

Chapter 3: The War to end all Wars

I think I underestimated the forty miles distance, in power armor I could have easily jogged that without tiring in a few hours. The sun was high above me by the time I could clearly see the outskirts of the megacity. Though I could be fooled into thinking there were two suns. As I neared The Crystal Empire the castle became more imposing in how it dominated the megacity that was the empire. I checked my E.F.S while galloping and slid to a stop. I panted and sat on my haunches there was a radio transmission from one of the Wagons. Applebloom was transmitting, though the experience with the Zebra that took Striders radio had left me. Well better not dwell on that, I already felt incredibly isolated and alone. So, with a weary sigh I tuned into the transmission.

“-anypony, this message will repeat. All Applejack’s Rangers this is Star Paladin Heavy Arms, all Rangers are to fallback to the Residential area of the Empire. We have taken the local Police Station in our current location. Coordinates are attached to his transmission, you are forbidden from interacting with the locals, fire only if fired on. Do not trust anypony, this message will-” They’re alive my father and hopefully the others were alive! Thank Celestia and Luna I’m not alone in this foreign land. With renewed hope I resumed my march to the Suburb outside the megacity. The closer I got however the less I wanted to get, even with the prospect of reuniting with my comrades. The sounds of battle became clearer and louder the closer I got. Echoes of gun fire and explosions dissipated into the midday sky when I reached the first houses the green fields abruptly ended to paved road and sidewalks. I pressed myself to a nearby house and took the time to check my E.S.F. I was at least two miles more to the right city section. So careful to avoid the open road, I began my march through long abandoned streets and homes. Some lay in various states of disrepair, curiously enough all the homes I could see were made of crystal. The one’s that hadn’t been blown to bits showed signs of elegance and beauty. Each house shaped like gems of sorts, through the windows I could see the remains of what people left behind.

Curiosity getting the better of me, I peered into a window hopping on my hind legs resting my hooves on a window sill. There were scattered plates on the kitchen floor, the living room had furniture neatly in place but with a sheen of dust on it. Half empty book shelves with books that weren’t rotten after two hundred years of exposure to the elements. That made me frown and hop away from the window. There were no corpses, no skeletons of long dead ponies, hell the battle being fought in the megacity told me there were still enough ponies to wage war in the first place. Just what was this strange land?

Well sitting on my ass wasn’t getting me anywhere, so I returned to carefully moving through the houses, fences and any type of barriers were knocked down or had breaches I could pass through without problems. The closer I got to my objective, the closer the sounds of gunfire got. I didn’t like that, I was already expecting more Zebras were attacking my comrades. I moved faster at the thought forgetting my sore and tired body. At least a mile from my target and I ran into the firefight I had been hearing. More than ever I could hear the exchange of fire arms, high caliber rifles from both sides but no distinct cracks from anti-machine rifles or the heavy weaponry used by a Ranger. This wasn’t a fight between my comrades and the Zebras. Carefully, I moved closer to the fight making sure to stay behind cover and peeking round the houses. A particularly loud explosion made me jump and gallop to a nearby wall. The rest of the building was blown to bits along with everything inside. The firefight was right on top of me, I gave a peek around the wall. Easily thirty meters ahead from my position I could see a partly destroyed building, I couldn’t tell its purpose, but dozens of zebras had garrisoned the building. Assault rifles in their hooves -how did they fire them? -fired at an enemy I couldn’t see from my position. Hiding behind the wall I groaned, whatever they were trying to kill was barely firing back as I couldn’t see many shots impacting the buildings the zebras occupied. A road stretched towards the battle ahead just outside my cover, an alleyway between a coffee shop and a restaurant my only visible means of leaving the battle behind without backtracking. With another quick glance I figured the zebras wouldn’t see me and I dashed to the alleyway. Peering from my new vantage point from the coffee shop I saw what they were firing at. Ponies, from what I could gather earth ponies, they wore green combat armor clinging to their garrisoned building walls for cover. Their helmets held a symbol I couldn’t quite see. I did see a pony with a radio pack he was pressed against the ground. One hoof holding his helmet down the other grabbing the radio receiver. I tuned into the radio and flipped through some channels trying to listen in to no avail. Right guess if they were uniformed and had a radio these weren’t some random armature ponies. They certainly weren’t NCR the colors were off.

I tried a few more channels before giving up, it didn’t matter what anyways the way things looked the Zebras were going to overwhelm them soon. With pursed lips I turned away from them and began walking towards the police station. Only a half mile away from here and I could find safety… away from this battle and leave this ponies to their fates. I mean I had my orders, but they were also conflicting with my oath to help ponies. Though I hated to admit it, I was also very afraid. I was alone and well, I saw what the zebras did to my comrades. What I could do? Strider was the best among us and he…he. I felt my chest tighten and a tear escaped my eye, I left him, orders be damned I left my best friend to die. So, was this the knight I was now? I ducked my head from danger and let what happened to me be repeated? I stopped just on the other end of the alley.

It should have been me.

I knew what would happen, they would all die the Zebras might even taunt them in their lyrical language. I still remembered the voice and it made my knees quake just thinking about it. I really am a coward. I willed my helmet open gasping for air, I was feeling suffocated in my own armor.

“Re-” a voice in my ear came and passed.

I closed my helm and looked to my short burst transmitter. I just passed their channel, shit I quickly willed the channel to a stop and backtracked the channels one by one.

“Sergeant Hoover is down, and we got wounded, we need reinforcements to our location at seven-seven five. Code Bravo, Oscar, Lima. Please were going to die here!’

I felt the pony’s desperate words vibrate through my body. They were going to die, and no one was coming to help them. I felt my panting increase and I moved forward leaving the area only to stop a few steps later. They were going to die, but I had my orders I couldn’t trust them my father said so!

Valiant

Striders voice filled my head and I sat on my haunches tears falling now freely. Oh, Celestia not now! I needed to move out and find my comrades right now was not the time to do this. To show just how much of a coward I am. I slowly brought myself to my hooves, but I couldn’t move I felt my own mind fighting against itself. I failed him, I failed Strider I failed my fellow knights I failed the order and let my comrades die because of my inability to do something. Some small part of me berated me for thinking that. Our attackers were well organized and had weapons to circumvent our armor. Outnumbered and against a prepared enemy the outcome was obvious.

But I lived because I ran like a coward.

I was coward, even something like a Radroach had brought me to a quivering fear as a kid until Strider saved me. I shouldn’t have joined, all I did was watch better ponies than me die in front to let a useless coward like me live. What kind of trade was that? Why would I be allowed to live when I’m so damn useless!

“Please we don’t want to die command, please respond!”

The voice on the radio cracked, I gasped and felt my heart hammer against my chest. No somepony must help them, somepne worthy of this armor. I don’t want to die, I was so afraid of being shot into a bloody gory mess. I wouldn’t see my mother again, no one in Stable 29 I didn’t want that. I wanted to run to my mother and have her hold me. shit, shit, shit why am I so useless!

“Oh, sweet Cadence, they just killed Hopper, they’re moving out of their building. Command answer me!” I could hear the other ponies yell in panic firing their guns.

Just like my comrades

No please don’t do it, but that wasn’t going to stop them was it? Me pissing myself in some alley while the Zebras slaughtered the ponies? That thought brought me a surge of energy. I closed my helmet and activated my weapons system, I still had a good two thousand rounds in my minigun. I galloped back and turned the street as the zebras slowly firing control burst moved on the ponies across the street. They were on their hind legs and wore similar armor to the snow ponies. Opened helmets with a crest on them. However, their skirts were a red tint unlike the white snow zebras. They had no cloth covers and no wrappings around their flanks. Again, their rifles were in their hooves firing controlled burst to keep the defenders down. That wouldn’t save them from me!

“Leave them alone!” I revved up my minigun galloping as fast as my armor carried me and fired. The stream of bullets tore apart the first zebras at the front of the formation. The second one was cut in half as its midsection practically exploded from the rounds ripping through its flesh. I slid to a stop and turned strafing the ground before the zebras. They quickly got over their sock and scrambled back to cover some even dropping their rifles to run on all four hooves. But I was faster, and I cut down most of the advance team into a mess of limbs and guts coloring the pavement a bright red. I galloped in front of the ponies cowering behind their cover. Glancing at my E.F.S there was at least twelve more zebras garrisoned inside their building and counting the seven or more I just turned into puree there had to be at least a platoon in there. the zebras behind cover looked frozen in monetary shock. I gave the building a quick glance and smirked inside my helmet. Those walls were as good as paper to my minigun.

“Raaahhh!!” I yelled my minigun span to life and the familiar buzzing sound was all I could hear as I tore apart the building and zebras in a hail fire of led. Screams followed the sound of stone being pulverized as I strafed the first floor a dust cloud formed impeding vision. I glanced at my E.F.S eight remaining red dots shuffling about. I looked up and the last thing I saw was the muzzle flashes of zebras firing on me. I closed my eyes and ducked my head expecting pain. Instead I just heard their bullets flatten against my armor. Its not the same bullets! I gave a crazed relived smile in my helmet and even dared to laugh, I trained my sights on the second floor and fired. Dust immediately kicked up and the zebras feebly tried hiding behind their walls, their cover was torn asunder and the red dots on my E.S.F began disappearing in a rapid fashion. The walls under the torrent of lead caved and the second floor collapsed into the first with the zebras inside with a massive dust cloud covering the immediate area.

My minigun burning red slowed to a stop walking further into the dust cloud, my helmets rebreather filtered out the dust easily. Two remaining red dots turned green, it could only mean the zebras were disabled. I walked over to the rubble and found a zebra its hind legs missing trying to crawl away. My stomach churned at the sight and I forced the bile back down my throat. The other identical looking zebra helmet off was against some rubble trying to keep its guts from spilling out. With a fire in my chest I took aim and fired. The crawling zebra tore apart as I riddle it’s back before its head burst into chunks. Without stopping I strafed the rubble and cut other in half its top falling forward to fall just a few steps before me. The two green dots disappeared. I killed them all, every zebra killed by an uncaring enemy.

It should have been me.

I closed my eyes feeling tears roll down my face. They’re still dead, this one act of bravery if I could call it that didn’t bring my comrades back. It didn’t bring my best friend back. I sat on my haunches and opened my helmet not caring if I inhaled the dust. The sounds of war once again a distant echo barely audible through my sobs. I’m so sorry everypony, I’m so sorry I couldn’t be a better soldier Strider. I never deserved to have a friend like you.

“Are-are you okay?”

I jumped a little turning startled my gun span once and the ponies before me ducked to the ground scared.

“Sorry please don’t shoot!” The radio pony sat on his haunches holding his hooves up in surrender. I gasped making the minigun lower pointing to the ground.

“I’m sorry I’m friendly you just startled me.” I sniffled and tried to wipe the tears from my face with my metal forearm. It was awkward and cold, and I feel it didn’t do anything but bruise my face from the sudden act.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to startle you, but are you okay?” the radio pony cautiously raised a hoof at me.

“Yes, just…mourning in an inappropriate time is all.” It wasn’t a lie, but it was better I kept the rest to myself. I looked to the Radio Pony he wore the green combat armor with segments of armor on his four legs and the same helmet as the others. The insignia on the helmet I now saw clearly was a sun on a red field. That was familiar, somehow, I couldn’t place my hoof on it though, like I was supposed to know the flag.

“Well, you saved us stranger, now I don’t want look at a gift pony in the muzzle but.” He paused taking a step back from me. “Who are you? Command was utter silence in the radio and didn’t say anything about reinforcements.”

Well that was an uncomfortable question to ask, I wish I hadn’t turned into a blubbering mess I should have just ran for it before they approached me. “I’m…” Screw it honesty was the best policy at this point. “A Ranger,” I tapped my power armor for emphasis. The radio operator’s eyes widen, and a grin spread across his muzzle.

“Finally! I told you guys, we were getting reinforcements from Equestria!” He turned to his comrades who instantly cheered.

Huh? These ponies sent the transmissions? Well not specifically these bunch but whatever faction they belonged to.

“It’s about time, name’s Corporal Trapper, Jaeger Platoon fifth company twelfth Regiment Second Division Roughneck corps fourth Equestrian Army group.” He put his hoof out for me to shake. But I was too dumbfounded to notice, instead I stared at him like he just caught fire and he wasn’t aware of it. This pony and his friends by extension must be mad, Equestrian army as in THE army when there was still an Equestria?

“Hate to sound like a broken record, but are you okay?” He pulled his hoof back to stare at me. “Come back into the grocery store, we got a medic in there give you a once over.” His offer shook me off my momentary stupor and I closed my helmet.

“No, its fine it’s just still in a bit of shell-shock from.” My heart tightened painfully, “an earlier battle with the Zebras we had to move here on foot. But I must go regroup with my unit. Well be reporting to uhm…command as soon we can.” I back peddled and the pony eyed me warily for a moment.

“I uh…think we got some flowing water in the building were in…you want to clean up before you go?” Trapper’s eye sized me up and down. I looked down to finally notice I was covered in blood and, well bits of innards I just wasn’t sure which ones, for the third time today I had to push down the bile in my throat and swallow it hard.

“No time, besides.” I tried to sound humorous. “This will make the Zebras turn the other way when they see me.”

Trapper cringed a little, “Guess this is the first time you fought Caesar’s Immortal Legion.”

“They don’t look like immortals to me.” I glanced at the pile of zebra parts round us rather with a dark glare.

“Not in the literal sense, but they fight like they are. They don’t fear death and they have no mercy on the battlefield. If you got wounded…well, you’ll wish you had just died they take you as slaves to the other end of the Empire.” Trapper scuffed the bloody ground with his hoof. That certainly sounded bad. I hesitated for a moment, I needed to go but the question was killing me.

“How long have you been fighting here? In the Empire I mean.” I felt sense of dread at my own words.

“Shit, for years now I think I got moved to this front just four months ago.” Trapper stroked his chin in thought.

Years? Wait MONTHS!?

“M-months?” This was ridiculous, insane even!

“Yeah, what about you what front were you fighting on before you got sent here?” Trapper adjusted his helmet while he raised a brow at me. how did I answer that exactly? I honestly felt an utter and complete loss of words, as to what to say to Trapper.

“That’s classified.” That’s dumb he won’t buy that.

“Ah, come directly from the Ministry huh? Fair enough I know when not to ask a Ministry Ranger questions.” Trapper made a motion over his muzzle like he was closing a zipper

I stand corrected.

“Right well I’ll be seeing you, maybe, take care of yourselves everypony I need to report to my C.O.” With that I galloped away to the alley and just galloped to the fallback point. At this point I didn’t particularly care if I got spotted by Zebras or ponies. I just needed to find my comrades and unload everything I learned. It was nightfall by the time I found the Police Station, it was so damn dark around here I could only rely on the soft light given off by the castle. I couldn’t see the moon from my location, the light of the castle was oddly enough encompassing the moons light. From what I could make out, the police station was in its own compound in the center of town. It was surrounded by long abandoned buildings, with signs I couldn’t make out in the dark. I feared turning on my headlamp and alerting any possible hostiles in the area. I learned my lesson from the snow, just because my E.F.S didn’t register anypony it didn’t mean they weren’t here. The police station was elevated at least four stories high. There were no lights and if my comrades were inside they didn’t want anypony to know it. I stumbled to a building just outside the outer gate of the compound. I peered through the metal gates to the actual building flanked on one side by a parking garage and the other by concrete building probably used for the holding cells.

I sat on my haunches and tried my short-burst radio. “This is Knight Valiant of Wolf Pack squad do you copy Applebloom?” please have somepony answer.

“Valiant? This is Crusader Flag, what’s your location?” Flags voice never sounded so pleasing to my ears.

“I..” my voice cracked, and I swallowed a lump in my throat.

It should have been me.

“I’m at the police station gate, I’m coming in at the front.” There was some static, as I poked my head out to look at the building.

“I got eyes on you, proceed to the front building and keep your headlamp off.” I did as instruct and trotted to the parking lot leading to the station. I stopped at the front door, it was a heavy security door with a keypad outside. The keypad had some wear and tare, but it otherwise looked functional. There was a sound not unlike the one the wagons made when unlocked and the door opened to let me in. I walked inside for the door to close safely behind me, I was surrounded by utter darkness. I almost turned my headlamp on until a voice stopped me.

“Sweet Celestia, what happened to your armor?” the voice probably meant the blood.

“How can you see?” I asked at…nothing I wasn’t sure where to face the voice sounded like it was to my right but when I turned the same voice was to my left.

“Here open up your helmet.” The voice instructed, I did so and felt something slide onto my face. I closed my eyes until it was snugly against my face. Then I felt a hoof tap a switch on whatever they put on my face and the world was lit up with a green light. I blinked the weird feeling of my eyes adjusting to the light before I saw my fellow knights surround me. they all had their helmets open with the devices on their faces.

“Night vision goggles, found a practical stockpile in here.” Flag strode down some stairs smirking, his helmet was open as well and he had replaced one of his weapons on his saddle with a silenced sniper rifle.

“Where’s Strider and the rest of 02?” I didn’t know who asked, but I physically winced at the question.

“Gone, we were ambushed by some Zebras, we were outnumbered.” I looked down shame filling my very being.

“I should report this to the Star Paladin, you should get some rest Valiant.” Flag’s low voice was comforting and understanding.

“I heard 02 returned, I need a full status-” My father stopped, I didn’t see where he came from but when he only saw me, his lips made a grimace and a dark look passed over his eyes.

“What happened to your squad Knight?” I could hear the tightness in his voice.

“Sir, he’s clearly exhausted maybe-” Flag was cut off abruptly and promptly ignored.

“I asked you a question knight, where are your comrades.” My father towered over me, even in power armor I felt like a small child before him.

“D-dead, we were ambushed and…and Strider-” I tried but my father’s voice roared making me jump and shrink down before him.

“You are being questioned for an official statement! Now report to me what happened as is deemed of your rank soldier!” He stomped his hoof hard enough that I heard the tile floor crack.

“Crusader S-Strider he uhm…, our squad was ambushed by zebras. We were outnumbered, and they killed my squad and S-Crusader Strider, Sir.” I stammered through most of that, but my father closed his eyes the anger replaced by something I never seen before. Sadness, he did not wear his helmet and his ears went flat against his head. A labored sigh escaped his lips before he fixed me with as tare. “How did you survive the battle?”

It should have been me.

I opened my mouth, then closed it I could see everypony stare at me and even though they said nothing I could feel they had already judged me for a coward. “I was ordered by Crusader Strider to leave the combat area.” I raised my head feebly looking at my father, “I tried to go back for him, I did, but a Zebra shot him through his hind leg, with an anti-machine rifle he ordered me to go even opened fire on me. I didn’t want to leave but, but what I could by myself?” I closed my eyes tightly willing myself not to cry. Not in front of him or my comrades I couldn’t possibly fall lower than what I already had.

“Everypony return to your stations, at 2400 hours shift sentries. Knight Lemon.” My father turned to the gathered ponies.

The Mare with the welded plates on her helmet stepped up, unlike them she still had her helmet closed.

“Wash Knight Valiant’s armor, he will rest for the night.” My father looked back to me his eyes narrowed before he shook his head. He turned on a dime and went to a door at the far right of the main lobby. Knight Lemon placed a hoof on my shoulder, I couldn’t feel it, but it still brought me some small comfort.

‘I’m sorry about your friend.” I looked to her, the helmet hiding her face from my sight.

“Thank you, but I think Strider made a mistake.” I stood up and almost walked away, “Uhm where are we keeping the armor?” I winced my voice cracked slightly but she didn’t address it or my earlier statement.

“Come on, let me help you I’ll show you where you can sleep afterwards.” She led me to left side of the lobby, we entered a hallway to the far north of the lobby that led us to the garage I had see from outside. Several armors stood on their hind legs open awaiting their operators. We entered through the right side of the garage, the sliding doors firmly closed while the armors lined up against the far end of the north wall. She led me to the end of the line where I exited my armor. Admittedly I now felt naked without it exposed and so very weak. I had the thought to remain inside the armor even if it looked like it just went through a meat grinder.

“Come on, I’ll take you to the makeshift barracks.” Lemon ushered me away and I caught a glimpse of two of our wagons. I didn’t bother asking about the other one, I was too drained from the days events to care at this point. We returned the way we came, and she took me to the second floor. We went up some stairs located at the center of the lobby. The second floor was divided into hallways and she led me to the one on the right of the room to an exercise room. The equipment had been removed and now several mats and mattresses laid in there. Some already occupied by ponies. She led me to a mattress near the center and left me there to attend to my armor. I curled up on the exercise mat I had for a bed and just laid there for a while. With that my body felt the pain of todays fights and emotional damage come back, before I knew it my eyelids closed for a mercifully dreamless sleep.

I awoke when the sun raised, the sounds of battle still echoing far off from our current base of operations. I felt groggy and my body sluggish in catching up with the rest of my brain. I had been drained by yesterdays experience far more than I anticipated. In that state of mind, I sat back on my haunches and tried to find the will to face everpony outside this room. Would they say anything? Give me looks of pity or hate? I couldn’t blame them if they did hate me, I was the coward who allowed his friends to be butchered while I legged it.

I shook my head and smacked my face with my hooves lightly, I couldn’t dwell on it. Not right now I needed my wits about me for whatever mission we were to conduct in this foreign place. With as much resolve as I could come up with. I strode out of the makeshift barracks, the hallway was empty save for the noise of the lobby below me. I made my way out rather awkwardly keeping quiet and looking down. I figured if I just kept quiet and low, nopony would bother with me. I just needed to make it to my armor, inside I felt safer, more at ease and like I was a competent pony. When I made it down stairs a knight spotted me, he frowned though not in a threatening manner. “Star Paladin Heavy Arms requires your presence, he’s in the tactical center down below. Go down the hall right of the stairs and take the stairs to the lowest level.”

I raised my hoof to thank him, but he turned and left wordlessly, he only tossed me a withering glance as he left to his previous direction. My ears flatten against my head, I resumed my previous method of staying low. I figured this would be how I was to be met from now on, an altogether sickening feeling pooled in my stomach.

It should have been me.

I found my father where I was told, though I was not expecting this. There was a veritable amount of technology down here. When I entered, the room was dimly lit, but various monitors and computers lit up the room in a low green hue. These weren’t like the normal civilian terminals that’s for sure. Heavy duty almost the size of the wall terminals lined the wall to my right. Knights tapped away at the terminals on the left, several smaller terminals on desk had data running along them while knights and a Crusader poured over the data. My father was at forefront of a huge screen, a whole map of the Suburbs spread before him.

Equestrian Citizen Zone

Well, that was interesting, this entire section of Suburbs was meant for Equestrian nationals. Could it be it was meant to house the soldiers from the Fourth Army Group? But if I remembered correctly a whole army Group was at least fifty thousand ponies. Not including whatever machinery, they brought with them. Granted I knew this part of the suburbs was big on its own. Compared to Fetlock it might as well be a city instead of a suburb. Either way, this entire place was abandoned. Inspecting the map closer, I noticed several red dot clusters and yellow clusters in key areas. One of said key areas had a label, Ironshod Weapon Disposal and Storage Site. From the map alone, the facility was massive taking up a good chunk of the screen at the right corner where it wasn’t even the focus of attention. But the several dots were concentrated densely around the site.

“Valiant, come here.” My father’s soft words snapped me from my stupor. I quickly trotted to stand next to him.

“I want you to explain this to me, and I hope you have a good reason for disobeying a Star Paladins direct orders.” My father pointed to a pony manning what looked to be a radio station with several empty terminals next to him. He had a headset on with one hoof holding it while he tapped away at a terminal. An external speaker was hooked up to the radio equipment, the operator pony turned a dial and the speakers came alive.

“That’s right folks, you heard it here first! We have contacted Equestria since the encirclement by the Zebra Legions! This is truly historic folks, though we have yet to receive an official statement from princess Cadence. We do have the words of the stallion who met one of Equestria’s elite a Steel Ranger himself.” I cringed each word like a weight being dropped on my back.

“We were dead, plain and simple I couldn’t reach command after our sergeant and Lieutenant both bit the dust. As a corporal, I was next in the chain of command, I’ll admit I considered surrendering to the striped [censored] but, before I could even commit. This Ranger in armor raises hell! He tore those [censored] a new [censored] with that minigun of his! Should have seen it! There weren’t enough, left of the [censored] to send back home in a box.” That was Trapper, great I should have told him to keep his muzzle shut. But then again, I wasn’t exactly thinking clearly at the time.

“I…” I couldn’t really come up with anything, but my father only held up a hoof to silence me.

“Well there you have it fillies and gentelcolts Equestrias finest won’t and can’t be kept down by the striped menace! With the encirclement broken we can only hope word from Princess Luna reaches us soon! This has been your host, Jack Buck! From Radiant Radio.”

“…” I didn’t know what to say, what could it say? It was true I failed to obey orders, in an emotional moment where I tried to make up for not being able to save my comrades. For failing to save Strider.

It should have been me.

“They were going to die, all of them the Zebras were relentless I fought them father.” My hoof stomped the ground half in indignation for being called out for saving pony lives. Half to try and sound confident when I was sure I sounded like a scared rabbit. “I knew the death that was coming personally.”

“As did we… you weren’t the only ones forced to fight. There’s a reason I said to regroup here, if we were pursued it is a great strategic location and defendable against a Zebra incursion. I mean to save our numbers and things are considerably worst with a whole squad down.” He sighed, and I could hear the frustration in it.

“I do not feel the need to tell you, but we are months away from any reinforcements reaching us here. We must consolidate our forces here. I spent most of my youthful days helping anypony I could. But it was in Manehattan or within the reach of my fellow knights.” My father stomped his hoof and it sounded more like thunder striking in my ears than just a stomp. “But this isn’t a patrol against drugged out raiders or manticores! We are in an active warzone; every loss cripples us. You must remember our oath is to help ponykind. But we can’t save anyone if were dead.” My father moved forward to a terminal toward the center of the room. It looked to be where the commanding officer of this station sat. My father raised to his rear legs and towered over the desk. He motioned for me to come over and look at the terminal there.

“Can you hack this? We are only using about ten percent of this facility. I didn’t dare let anypony else touch this until Strider-” we both flinched at the same time. “Squad 02 arrived, I know you are much better than all of us combined when it comes to hacking into computers.”

I looked over the terminal true enough, it laid untouched with even the sheen of dust the keypad. “I can, let me get my armor I have a hacking module to get this done in a jiffy.” I stepped down and trotted back to the garage. I found my armor where I left it clean and spotless the red trim almost looked shining in the light. I bucked the suits belly and it reared up to allow me entrance. When the suit closed around me, I felt whole again as if removing the armor had taken a piece of me. Not to mention I didn’t feel vulnerable anymore the strength in the armor more than physical at this point. I ran a brief diagnostic on my armor as I returned to the command center and everything read at one-hundred percent, barring the minigun I lost. I propped myself on the table again and slid out the interface tool on my right hoof. In a few moments the module did its work and the terminal unlocked allowing us to see its context.

//CAPTAIN HARDLINE USER#2256

//WELCOME BACK

INTIATE COMMAND

SECURITY LOCKDOWN ACTIVATED: END LOCKDOWN?

“There we go, I can return full operational command here.” I willed the command and after a few moments I could hear the whir of turbines move. The lights of the command center flickered on, and jovial shouts came from outside the command center signified I just restored power to the entire station. I also saw there were three personal entries left behind by this Captain Hardline. I looked to my father, but he had already moved to stand before me giving orders to everypony inside. With a bit of trepidation, I decided to see if the entries could share light into. Well, whatever the hell was happening in the Crystal Empire.

Entry x/xx/xxx: We got our hooves full just here in the E.C.Z. God damn protestors started up again near the Ironshod storage site. Like the ponies working there oversaw the whole damn government. Things looked about ready to get violent, so I sent the Special Respond Unit to keep the peace. Last thing we need is another riot, inviting over Ministry of Morale agents. I hope Jelly understands if I’m home late again.

Entry x/xx/xxx: God damn soldier boys got drunk in a local bar near the E.C.Z border to City 9. These drunken idiots got into an argument with some empire civilians about the princess refusal to bar zebras from entering the empire. Called the locals traitors, then the locals called them murderers and things just spiraled out of control from there. One of them shot and wounded a civilian with his side arm. I’m sending Army High Command a request that nopony off duty should not be allowed to carry a firearm. I don’t need this shit right now, Jelly is just about ready to give birth and I don’t need drunken idiots causing a fuzz in my damn sector. I’ll check with Chime on command’s response later this week.

Entry x/xx/xxx: It’s over, fucking hell this can’t be right I was outside on a smoke break, just trying to get my thoughts in odder. Then I see the tower of the castle light up! Fuck it was like something out of a nightmare, the shield covered everything I could see! I got called down to my post. Command has ordered a full civilian evacuation of the E.C.Z and I need to make sure everypony makes it to City 9 by fucking sundown!? Doesn’t matter if this is it, if this shield was put up to stop what I think is happening. Well then fuck Equestira, fuck the empire and fuck whatever Ministry fuckhead is reading this. I’m taking Jelly and my son and getting us to that Stable in City 5. It’s a long drive but I think we can make it, I’m leaving Lieutenant Stomper in charge. I’ll be setting the security lockdown, I shouldn’t care but I want whoever comes here to never use this station against anypony. Especially if its some zebra asshole.

I neighed disappointed, that was a waste of time I know it was stupid of me to expect some detailed record about what the hell was happening in this megacity. But I suppose a pony could dream, I unplugged myself from the terminal and went to stand by my father. With all the activity going around I finally noticed the -rather dumbly of me-the huge red warning signs that appeared on the map.

[IMMINENT MEGASPELL ATTACK ALL PERSONNEL EVACUATE TO CITY 9 SHELTERS]

“If this was true, there wouldn’t be nearly enough of what’s been left behind here. Either the shield held against a Megaspell attack, or somepony fucked up their intel.” My father swore aloud. Another pony came from outside a knight his helmet off with a worrisome look.

“Sir, with the power back online, the antenna outside is restored to full operation. But it seems we still can’t get a signal out to Stable 29. It must be the shield sir. We can’t do anything with that shield around the city.” The knight bowed his head apologetically.

“I was hoping it wouldn’t come down to that, alright gather everypony on the lobby even the ones in sentry duty. I need to address them.” My father turned to me. “Go find Crusader Flag, tell him I want him back here. He should be on the rooftop on sentry duty.”

I nodded and made my way out of the command center. All around me ponies were gathering around the lobby, knights in armor pushed the desks in the lobby out of the way to make more space. I climbed the stairs two at a time to reach the rooftop, I passed several ponies who I told to go down as my father instructed. I promptly ignored any looks they gave and just kept my head on the task at hand. I found the less idle time I had the easier it became not to deal with my grief. I didn’t need grief impeding my judgement again. Though admittedly I still felt good about saving those ponies even if it was a clear violation of the orders given to me, and I could not ignore standing orders just because the Star Paladin was my father. I needed to be better than that, be the example not the exception. I reached the rooftop and sure enough I found Flag in his armor overlooking the horizon sniper rifle on his battle saddle. I promptly told the other ponies there working on the transmission tower to return to the lobby and they silently did so I also noticed the third cart was up here hooked up to the tower.

“Flag” shit “I mean Crusader Flag.” He turned to me and opened his helmet cracking a laugh.

“I never cared much for protocol, did your dad ever tell you that?” He smirked giving me a sideways glance. But, no my dad really didn’t talk about anypony other than Strider but…I guess that might change in the future. I myself felt like shit just thinking of his name the shame filling me almost crippling.

It should have been me.

“No, but he did just send me to tell you he needs you in the command center.” I wiped all thoughts of my friend from my mind less I cry in front of Flag.

“Ah, guess I should go then, look kid.” He paused before me and he looked at a loss of words for a moment. “Strider wasn’t your fault, by the sound of things. He made a call and he decided your life over his.”

It should have been me.

“Flag.” He held up a hoof stopping me.

“When you’re in command of a team of ponies, the view you have of your own worth changes. From experience. Mine and your dad’s kid, you will always find that the lives of your fellow ponies somehow seems immensely more important than your own. Weather this pony is he best survives or weather you probably weren’t didn’t come into question. Strider thought he could save you, even if he couldn’t save anypony else. So, don’t go feeling sorry yourself.” Flag put a heavily armored hoof on my shoulder with a clank. “Don’t make him be wrong, because it was right of him to save you kid. He thought it was right and if you don’t value your own life. You might as well be pissing on his corpse.” Flag gave my shoulder a light tap and walked around me leaving me in place. I kept my helmet closed keeping my face hidden from view, but when I couldn’t hear his hoof-falls anymore. I opened my helmet and let the tears leak out onto the ground.

It should have been me.

“Brothers…and sisters.” My father gave a half chuckle, he was atop the stair addressing the entire platoon. Or what was left of it, it had come to my attention the gathered squads were missing members of their own. I wasn’t the only who suffered the loss of friends it seemed. The gathered platoon shared the monetary laugh as well.

“It has become clear, we cannot reach Stable 29, even with the use of the transmitter antenna here. So, our objective is clear the shield is interfering with our transmission, and we cannot allow this.” My father stomped his hoof once, several members muttered their approval.

“I was given a mission, we all were, to find out who sent the distress message and to inform our Elder of what we found here and what we discovered. I intend to finish that mission, because I will not go empty handed back to the families of the ponies I lost today. I will not go back with my tail between my legs without so much as a damn key chain.” My father stepped down the ladders each step strong and powerful like he was a general rousing an entire army before an important battle. “Are you with me soldiers?” he didn’t need to raise his voice everypony cheered loudly for him.

“Outstanding! I want everypony rested up and geared up by 0600 on the dot tomorrow! Were heading out loaded up and taking that shield down. Were going to show these Zebra bastards how real soldiers wage war. Sempre Invcita!”

“Sempre Invicta!” my brethren and sisters yelled with determination. I felt a surge of my own go up my spine. This was my chance, this is where I was going to make up for my cowardice this is where I make sure that Strider was right.

It should have been me.

Level Up: 2

Perks: Computer Whizz: Ponies say you make love to terminals, each keystroke is masterful and each hack successful. You are the computers master, the computer that’s locked is just another naughty terminal that needs your hooves attentions…you technophile.

1B�3;�sf�Pl�!

Author's Notes:

Whoo-hoo, i’m particularly fond of this chapter, still looking for a proofreader by the way. So I do apologize if I missed some mistakes here. Again, I edit the chapters myself, but i’m not the grammar nazi god I wish i was at times. Still, please enjoy drop a comment and let me know your thoughts on the story!

Chapter 4: The Patriots

I stepped out to the parking lot, the entire platoon gathered into squads. Each crusader was ordering around their knights and getting them into formation. I stood, awkwardly I might add looking at everypony unsure where to go. I decided to check out my new weapon to occupy myself, there were no miniguns left to spare, from the choices given to me I decided for something with a lot more explosive potency. I refused to let those shield bastards ever corner me or my comrades again. A six-cylinder missile launcher adorned my flank, with six other missiles stuffed into my saddle bag. I was warned to use them sparingly, as munitions ran low on both Applebloom and Braeburn. As I ran a weapons diagnostic, a hoof tapped me on the helmet breaking me from my stupor.

“Come on, you’re with me kid Cyclone Squad could use the firepower.” Flag pointed his hoof at my missile launcher. He moved past me, and I trotted after him, my new squad was placed on the right flank. Lemon’s squad took the left flank and our rear was brought up by a combination of 06 and 07 squad remnants. Their leader, field promoted Crusader Clippers staunchly led the slapped together squad into formation.

“Platoon advance.” My fathers voice crackled over the radio. We moved at a methodical pace, the wagons left securely in our base of operations everypony was combat ready with weapons hot. My father had everpony get their mapping software updated with the E.C.Z zone. As we moved an active feed from our E.F.S and the stations threat assessment technology gave us the location of every firefight happening in the E.C.Z. as expected few skirmishes dotted around key areas, most forces were located at the Ironshod Storage Site. No doubt a treasure cove of weapons and munitions fueled the conflict. The spoils of that battle would upset the balance of power in this sector. We avoided the hot spots and were making good time to City 9. Though there was no detailed map of the city, once we left the E.C.Z all we had to do was follow the big castle.

After maybe two hours of travel we entered the city proper. The main street opened to a massive seven lane highway. Everywhere wrecks of abandoned wagons and signs of battle scarred the city. Yet like before no corpses, each side was flanked by massive sky scrapers. The once crystal constructs of the suburbs gave way to Earth Pony engineering. Cement and bricks built this megacity, the crystal housing looked archaic in comparison. Though obviously the city wasn’t as aesthetically pleasing as the crystal constructs. Our first intersection split into two streets, each named after gemstones. The sign above us as we marched read Cadence 15, I suppose it was done in honor of the ruler of the empire. I glanced to the buildings to my right and saw the remains of spent bullet casings scorch marks from magical energy weapons. Broken glass and breaches on the sky scrapes indicating explosives were used.

Several posters with various propaganda lined the walls, with the wear and tear from being in the line of fire. Again, I was reminded that this war was recent and the people who evacuated this city had only recently been living here. Yet the dates on that terminal didn’t fit with our own.

“Sir look,” a knight ahead of me pointed to a sky scrape fifty meters from our course. Even with some letters missing I was able to read ‘Ministry of Wartime Technology.’ My father hummed and moved towards the M.W.T hub with us following close behind. The front doors were blown out and when we entered inside there were bullet casings and blood stains all over the lobby, two flights of stairs parallel to each other faced the entrances. Between the stair cases was a reception desk, wide enough to nearly touch the stairs. Several terminals lined the desk, monitors facing away from the entrance. One of the terminals was still active while the others were shot to hell. Everypony trained their weapons and spread out securing the lobby. I moved to the receptionist desk. Looking behind it, I cringed, several pony corpses caked in dry blood were strewn about. All corpses were clad in Equestrain combat armor, I walked around the desk and stepped carefully over the corpses to a nearby terminal. It was locked, I connected with the terminal my hacking module making a joke of the security protocols installed in the computer.

[SECURITY THREAT LEVEL: OMEGA]

[ALL PERSONNEL EVACUATE TO LOCAL STABLE UNDERNEATH M.W.T HEADQUATERS]

I frowned, there was no data left on the computer, security protocols wiped it clean no doubt when the attack happened here. “Star Paladin, there’s a Stable down here.” Everypony quickly turned to me. I was thankful nopony could see me blush beneath my helmet at the sudden attention. “Says it’s below the hub.”

“I don’t suppose that means down there.” Flag’s voice drew my attention to the lobby second floor. I went up stairs beating a few ponies there, an emergency bulkhead door was open. Bloody hoof prints on the outside followed by a smear trailing down on the wall to a zebra legionare. My father came up and peered into the corridor.

“Flag get your squad in there and see if the Stable is still operational.”My father turned to another flight of stairs leading upwards. “The rest of us will search upstairs, move out.” My father moved up the stairs and everypony else followed.

“Come on Cyclone, with any luck we can find ourselves some thankful mares fore the rescue.” Flag chuckled and stepped into the hall first. I followed suit and felt my heart grow heavy at the corpses lining the hall. Further down zebra corpses started popping up wearing the Legion’s armor. The corridor turned into a spiraling staircase, and we followed down the rabbit hole at least six stories underground. We turned our headlamps on when we reached the basement shrouded in darkness. Our beams of light cut through the darkness to the strewn bodies of zebras and ponies in a rectangular room with metal plated walls and floors. Looking up, I saw the massive reinforced door of the Stable open before us.

“They didn’t make it.” I muttered mostly to myself.

“No, the striped bastards were right on their heels.” Flag turned to one of his knights, “Berries, get back up and tell the Star Paladin Stable is compromised, the rest of us are going inside.” The knight nodded and trotted away. “With me everypony else, keep your eyes sharp for zebras.” I followed Flag inside, the first room had flickering lights, bullet riddled walls and more corpses. On the stable door control laid a blue Stable suit pony, her hoof resting on the door control. I blinked confused, I moved around her to see bullet entry wounds on her back rather than front.

“That’s not right…” I looked behind her my light illuminated the wall, there three bullet holes directly behind her some dry blood but no corpse.

“What is it?” Flag came up beside me never looking away from the opened door leading further into the Stable.

“This pony was going to shut the stable door, but she was shot from behind. Somepony didn’t want the door shut.” I looked to the corpses, zebras and Equestrian soldiers but no other blue jump suit ponies.

“Let’s head further inside.” Flag led the way and we followed looking at every nook and cranny of the halls and rooms. Though never been here before the design was basically the same as Stable 29, we reached the Atrium taking a similar path as we would at home. Our headlamps searched around finding the site of further battle, dining tables had been flipped as makeshift cover. Pistols used by Stable security laid everywhere along with the security ponies. Zebras and Equestrian soldiers as well made up the bulk of the corpses. There were very little civilian ponies, I moved to Flag and he pointed to the Overmare’s office. I followed his light with my own and true enough, the window that overlooked the Atrium was blown open with blood stains near it. Flag made his way to the office with us following behind.

The dark office only had the low light of the overmares pipbuck to light it. I looked towards the Office window to find the Overmare, well her bottom half at least splattered against the carpet floor. There was a bloody trail from the window, I followed it with my light to the other half of the overmare. Her innards were plopped in a pile of her own blood. I swallowed resisting the urge to vomit, I don’t think I could ever get used to seeing corpses. I could see her Pipbuck flashing with medical warning a sign of the obvious to the overmare I assumed., when she dragged her top half to her desk. I also spotted that a message was recorded capped at thrity minutes. I sat on my haunches and carefully downloaded the message with my hacking module tool. With Stable-Tec’s virtual monopoly of terminals it wasn’t hard for universal tools to be made using their basic design. My tool was just so using a Pipbuck technician’s master tool, with the message downloaded I gently moved my hoof to close the corpses eyes. I opened the recording and listened to it while my comrades looked over the office.

Gun fire and ponies yelling, cursing and blaring alarms filled the audio at first. Then low squelching sounds with audible grunts. I could only grimace at how she must have felt dragging what was left of her through her office.

They knew, they always knew…I should have known. We have a few bleeding hearts and now we all get screwed. The Overmare coughed violently before continuing.

Now they’ve killed me I swore the damn zebras brought a fucking bomb down here when they got me. I heard it even through the bullet proof glass, an anti-machine rifle. I’m leaving this behind in hope of somepony finding it. The zebra employees went down to the sub-level lab. They were insiders, spies. I drank coffee with the bastards this morning. But…but, I…

I stopped the recording it was just background afterwards, she died before she could finish her message. “Flag, there’s a sub-level lab here. I guess this was the point of this Stable.” I stood back up struggling to keep tears from escaping my eyes.

“How do you know?” He came up beside me.

“She told me.” I nodded to the Overmare.

“Hmm, alright come on let’s find a way down there.” We went down the stairs from the Overmare’s office. From the Atrium we trotted towards what we assumed the armory would be. Instead we found a bulkhead door with corpses around it and wide open. With caution Flag entered first his weapons hot. I followed close behind not liking using these massive weapons in such close quarters. It was the lab was and it had seen better days, papers weren’t burnt and sterwn around, broken terminals and pony scientist in lab coats and blue jump suits littered the lab.

“No Zebra bodies here, looks like it was asset retrieval and then asset denial. The zebras here destroyed everything they could before leaving.” Did this happen when the megaspell attack started? It would seem logical and the best time to attack the Stable.

“Yo Valiant, this terminal is still working.” I moved to Flag and saw the corpse of a scientist pony covering the terminal with his body. I wondered if it had been intentional to save something. But if the zebras missed this, they must have been on a tight schedule. Maybe reinforcements from the Fourth Army Group were headed here. Then again maybe that’s what all the soldier bodies and zebras meant. But why leave all the bodies like this? Maybe they feared the megaspell attacks would break through the shield before they could do a proper clean up. I pushed the body off and hacked into the terminal.

[MINISTRY OF WARTIME TECHNOLOGY & MINISTRY OF ARCANE SCIENCES: DO-OVER PROJECT]

Several entries littered the screen, reports on the research being done here. I hummed, looking around I hadn’t noticed but the scientist were all unicorns. From what I recall the Ministry of Wartime Technology was an earth pony venture by earth pony companies. The only collaboration I knew that involved unicorns was the creation of magical power armor.

“Look, Arcane scientist.” Flag kicked a corpse over and I almost felt the need to glare at him. But I knew enough about Flag to know it would fall on deaf ears. He’s seen things like this I presumed in his time as a Ranger. But sure enough, the partly blood stain lab coat held the Ministry of Arcane Science logo. This whole city just kept getting stranger, and stranger I really hated being so in the dark about everything.

“Let me see these entries on the project.” I neighed and began reading them, no dates just entry numbers.

Entry 215: I would question the point of the project, if the nature of our research was nothing short of… miraculous. We are testing magic the greatest magician in all Equestria could not fully interpret. But I have gushed enough, as per company policy I am filing a daily report on project Do-Over as commissioned by Princess Cadence. We are at a very early stage of basic spell re-construction. The sample provided by Equestria has allowed us to get a basic understanding. But progress has already slowed to zero, as such a spell requires a great amount of magical energy. Something I have a hard time believe a single pony can conjure up such a taxing amount of magical energy. So, our first priority is to somehow make the spell less dependent on a huge amount of magical energy.

Entry 246: Eurika! We did it, our work paid off we managed to reduce spell energy requirement by sixty percent. With the use of am assistant harness wired to a magical spark pack. We can conjure up the necessary energy to cast the spell. However, that is only step one, we must actually give it shape, the most obvious shape is a sphere. To encompass the object at hoof. We don’t dare try it on ponies at least not in such an early state. To make a sphere of energy isn’t the problem, to make the spell work within is another matter. But triggering the spell and not to break the mold is. Not to mention if the containment of the spell will affect its effectiveness. All these variables are to be tested, if they proved a problem we must overcome it.

Entry 298: Progress is slow, the efficiency in power luckily enough solved the problem of overlapping the sphere. But it created other problems in its wake, the lack of power combined with the sphere means the effects are minimized and we have at most managed a few seconds of spell time. Beyond that we cannot prolong its effects. I have thought of feeding more energy but it risk leaving the spherical field. The results aren’t the best but Princess Cadence has praised us on a surprise inspection. With her was Shining Armor, he was less than…thrilled of the resources being put into this project. But then again, I knew where he wanted those resources. Not that I knew much of those projects, different departments. My team and I will continue to test other methods to expand the sphere and the effects of the spell.

Entry 316: Today we had new staff introduced, along with added security considering the…background of these new team members. Zebras, I’m not a xenophobe of any kind, I assure everypony. But even I am skeptical of the added staff, these Zebras had clean backgrounds and even impressive resumes in their magical research fields. Still, we have a zebra encirclement and an army besieging our empire. I don’t want to take risks with this project, but I am contractually obligated to share our research and progress. As of late we got the field to expand over and apple and had to increase the power output. We managed a record time of two minutes now, which didn’t impress to the more…frontal magical users. That being Shining Armor himself, he came for another inspection on behalf of the princess. He said if results weren’t more promising he didn’t want to keep draining resources from other projects.

Entry 416: We got a warning today, Equestria has gone dark on communications the fourth army group security here has practically gone ballistic and almost threaten to leave! But I told them not to worry we were on the verge of stopping this. Whatever Equestria was suffering this would fix her. It would fix everything, the Zebras and us.

Entry 490: The sphere spread, and spell overlap has been fine-tuned, we even managed a full twenty-four-hour spell lapse! This is it, we did it I already sent the data to Headquaters at the Castle. Applejack herself sent us a thank you! But we still need to fit the spell into a Megaspell framework. With the loss of communications and the shield going over the empire, we moved all research to the local Stable beneath our building. Princess Cadence expects us to send her the final product. The spell has to be fitted into a Crusader Mainframe the one in the castle to be exact.

Entry 512: Were done, its finally ready we can deploy the spell within a megaspell framework. I have sent a report to headquarters for a priority one transport. I need to over see the transfer myself, after I take care of the commotion outside I think my fellow co-workers are celebrating early. Some of our Zebra coworkers said they had something to show us. To celebrate our success, it seems. Update to follow as schedule after the transport team arrives.

No entries followed, the attack, and whatever the hell was project Do-Over was finished and stolen by the Zebras.

“Whatever they wanted is long gone Flag.” I sighed shaking my head.

“Then were wasting time, lets go this place is just a grave now.” Flag uttered and walked out. I followed suit but I felt my heart heavy thinking of the Overmare and everypony that died here. They gave months if not years to that project. This was just another reason to help the ponies here. To help fight back and kill every single zebra bastard.

“Kid?” Flag looked back at me his light shining in my eyes. I blinked and noticed I had stopped trotting. My thoguhts of genocide had rooted me on the spot, I- I don’t think I meant that. Just my grief, it had to be to think that.

“Nothing, lets go.” I caught up and returned to the Atrium to regroup with the squad. We doubled timed it back to the lobby to meet my father.

“This whole building is devoid of technology and answers. Every floor had a fire fight fought and lost by the ponies here.” He announced to us. Flag looked at me and nodded to my father, I shrunk a little still not feeling the courage to talk to my father after disobeying orders. But it looked like Flag wasn’t going to report anytime soon and he was just a few words from making it an order.

“Star Paladin, we know why they came here…sort off.” I shrugged awkwardly in the armor. “The ponies here were working on something called Project Do-Over, under Princess Cadence request. Some spell, I wasn’t quite sure what it was but it was but, there were reports of mounting it on a megaspell framework. But the Zebras took the research and the aforementioned spell.”

“I see, then let’s not waste more time here, I had hope we could find a means to contact the source of our ‘ministry mare’ but no. The zebras clearly got everything of importance and left. Platoon move out.” My father led us outside and we resumed our march to the castle. Again, the streets were empty with the sounds of battle echoing into the sky. We marched for another two hours without distractions nearly till midday. The mega seven lane street gave way to a circular road five lines deep. The road circled the massive castle of crystal at the center, a soft hue of pink as the secondary shield protected it in the stead of the crumbled fence around the castle. Through the pink veil, I peered at the tacked-on building, it was a Ministry of Arcane Science and Wartime Technology mega building. A few other corporation logos littered the building, but I could only recognize a few.

“Ironshod, Robronco, R.E.P.C.O.N.N, shit even E.S.A backing? Why did so many companies converge here?” Flag asked aloud to everypony. Not that we knew the answer ourselves.

“What’s the last two you said Flag?” I don’t recall ever hearing the acronyms in Manehattan.

“The first is Rocket Engineering Production company of Neighvarro. They were the ponies to talk to about building rockets, especially if you were looking to get balefire megaspell tipped missile to the Zebra Empire. The other is Equestrian Space Administration military branch. I don’t know much about them, I guess with all the fighting going on, they probably got overlooked by the companies making weapons.” Flag shrugged a hoof and it looked much more natural then the awkward push of shoulders I kept trying to do.

“Focus, we need to get inside.” My father walked forward to the shield.

“How are we going to get passed the shield?” I pointed a hoof at it making everypony stop.

“Shield?” Flag looked to me than back at the castle.

“What are you talking about soldier?” My father stared right into the shield but didn’t seem to register its presence, was my visor malfunctioning? I saw the shield from way back, I assumed everypony did. My father opened his helmet and jumped slightly. “Holy! Everpony open your helmets.” They all did so and finally noticed the shield.

“Why can you see it with your helmet visor?” Some pony behind me asked, though to be honest I was as dumbstruck as them. I took a moment to think what it could mean.

I made it that way, afta’ you saved them boys back in the E.C.Z

I jumped to my hooves and spread my stance looking around my stance wide.

“Applejack?” Flag said aloud and closed his helmet, everypony heard it!

I can hide t’a shield from them data recorders. Not against yer eyes but I can hide it with them helmets down. Trick the data readings and what not.

“M-Mam? Applejack?” I flinched at how utterly meek I sounded.

Ayep, what can I do fer ya partner?

“Uhm, why did I see it when I entered the city?” I looked the shield over walking towards it. “Everypony here made it before me why didn’t they see it?”

Ah ya see, when you ponies neared the princess shield I cloaked this shield. I could see ya in my monitors. But I reckon, I didn’t know if yall was Rangers or just some imposters. So I hid the field until yer’ friends proved to be Rangers. It wasn’t until you saved them boys in the E.C.Z that I reckoned I might as well turn the cloak-thingy off.

My father looked towards the shield and raised a hoof to it.

I wouldn’t touch it partner, I reckon you don’t want to be a pile o ash before you get to swing at them zebras. If we hide the shield from high tech data recorders, we reckon zebras would just smack right into it. Guess them fellers are smarter than that, they haven’t tried to touch it beside bombarding it, fer all the good that did for em.

This was insane, I was, rather, our order was talking to our ministry mare in such a casual manner. Like we were just out here for Sunday tea! I sat on my haunches forgetting myself for a moment trying to process how we were talking to mare that was supposed to be dead for two hundred years!

Now look here, I know you fellars got questions and I’ll answer em’ if not ol Grumpy here will. But we reckon first yall need to prove yourself trustworthy. We are at a critical junction in the war, if we plan on using Do-Over that is.

The project was here, done and ready for deployment?

But the zebras know, they’re planning something big, and I ain’t one to sit on ma’ haunches to wait for em. So ya’ll first need to push them fellers back and keep em from the shield. Whatever they plan requires them to be near it. I need you to go back to the E.C.Z and help our boys push em off Braeburns storage site. Help our fellers clear the site, then get yourselves over to City 12, that’s where Equestrian Fourth Army group is. They know what to do, know where the war needs fightin’

“Mam, this isn’t our fight, we need to see you.” My father was cut off.

No can do partner, I let the shield down, it won’t be coming back up only way is through city 12 if and when w decide you fellers can come in. For now you gotta do what yer mare wants ya to do. I called for you, cause I know only ma’ boys in shining armor can kick em where it hurts. Well at least yall used to be shiny, mighty fine new dark and red color, I like the apples on the flanks too. Well I gotta go, the front needs me, can’t keep quiet for too long. Good luck.

“Mam hold on!” My father received no response this time.

“Was that really her?” I looked to everypony but nopony would meet my gaze they seemed to be having their own crisis of understanding. “How did she even see us? Know what we were doing?”

“Can’t be, she’s dead but we can’t get in without her say so.” My father sighed, we marched here and got nothing. He looked towards us and looked deep in thought.

“We.” I corrected thoughtlessly.

“What?” My father’s helmet snapped to look at me.

“Uhm- sorry Star Paladin, Applejack, our Ministry Mare said we, her and old Grumpy. She’s with somepony else in there.” I scuffed the ground with my hoof looking down. Mn it

“Damn it.” My father sighed, “I think we have little choice in the matter, if we aim to take down the princess shield like she calls it. We need to get inside, thorough city 12.” My father looked to the west, huge walls lined the skyline through the skyscrapers. The walls just as tall if not taller than some of them. The walls disappeared around the castle and mega ministry building.

“What’s the plan sir?” Flag looked towards my father as did everypony else.

My father neighed annoyed, “We go to war, everypony ready were heading back to the E.C.Z, were going to plan our attack on Ironshod at the Station. Let’s move out!”.

We turned and started the long march to our temporary home. With a quick pace our armor let us reach the station by late afternoon. My father let us all rest not even posting sentries to let us prepare for the battle ahead. While most exited their armor I remined inside mine, I felt more useful and whole inside it. I wasn’t sure how welcomed I was with Flag’s squad, they all didn’t pay me mind choosing to prepare for the battle among themselves. Flag himself was in the command center planning with my father. I sat on my haunches watching ponies go about their business in the garage. My squad was at the right end, their garage door open while they rummaged around their wagon for supplies.

Feeling the urge to do something I left the garage to see if I could help father, and Flag. When I entered the command center their backs were to me while on their haunches. They focused on the storage site on the map, the site itself was at least five by five miles in perimeter. The line outside the warehouse told it was walled off, but I can only guess it didn’t hold off the zebras. The red dots were on the far east clustered around buildings on that side and the warehouses there. While the yellow dots looked to man only one line of buildings about they seemed spread in a semicircular formation. Little dots of platoons scattered the center as skirmishes happened.

“This display is great and all, but dots don’t tell me shit about how entrenched the zebras are.” Flag sighed scratching his head. He was outside his armor while my father only removed his helmet.

“Yeah, heh.” My father chuckled, and I froze in place the rarer sound foreign to my ears.

“Remember those junkies that took hold of Stable 15? Didn’t need eyes then to go in guns blazing clearing out the bastards.” My father was reminiscing he was talking about his past! I dared not even breath to listen.

“Don’t remind me, Elder Strawberry Lemonade had us doing laps with depleted spark packs on our armor for hours!” Flag laughed but my father had a cool subdued chuckle. “Hey kid you’re going to sit there all day or what?” Flag turned smirking at me and I jumped a little trotting to them both.

“Sorry, I wanted to help with something, and I think I can, guessing by your conversation.” I smiled as I opened my helmet.

“With what?” My father asked flatly.

“Eyes on the sky, the map it doesn’t work in conjunction with the antenna, that’s just a transmitter. Something else is sending it data. I’m willing to bet it’s a satellite. Maybe there’s another with a camera I can.” I coughed rolling my eyes. “Borrow, if the terminal that controls the map lets us control where the satellite sends data, maybe I can use it to contact another nearby satellite.” I clopped my hooves together excited, I could do this! I could help!

“Alright soldier, get to it, terminal is right there under the map tell Pickle Jar you’re taking over for now.” My father nodded, and I saw the small smile on his lips. I practically galloped to the knight working the terminal, he moved as asked and I began working with my interface tool. There seemed to be two satellites in orbit, all with surprisingly still working propulsion. As I sent the required commands, the firewall protections kicked in. It was a matter of wrestling control from the placed security and disable the firewalls. To be honest it was hard as it seems like the algorithm that coded the security protocols changed constantly to keep me on the tip of my hooves. But lucky for me I could run a bypass command for emergency maintenance.

“Okay I’m in let’s see.”

[PEGASUS ONE WEATHER TRACKER]

[UNAUTHARIZE ACCESS DETECTED, LOCKING DOWN CONTROLS FOR CELESTIA TWO]

I blinked, the other satellite locked me out, I was sure there was no way it would do that. There had to be some sort of failsafe to keep hackers away. The name was peculiar as well, but I had no time to dwell on it.

“Okay I got a weather satellite and I can use its camera…oh somepony wants it back.” I chuckled the probing attempts were recall signals and weak hacking attempts. I locked them out by cutting access to the second source. “Okay now that’s taken cared off, I can use the camera to see over the storage site.” The map changed picture to our planet’s surface. I zoomed in and found myself staring at the blue hue of the princess shield. Great, this wasn’t help at all I neighed in frustration and put my hoof under my chin in thought. I turned on my radio and relayed the signal through Applebloom hooked up to the transmitter antena. It was a long shot, and it was an open unsecured channel.

“Uhm, Mam? Mistry Mare Applejack are you there?” I received no response just static.

Oh, this ain’t a secure line fella, let me patch you to somethin’ more personal…there we are, what can I do fer ya. Has to be quick I’m busy helpin the other fronts.

I resisted the urge to cheer and got down to business. “I’m trying to get a visual of the Ironshod Storage Site, but I can’t see it from here with the princess shield. I don’t suppose you could do the same trick you did with the castle shield, and let us see through could you?”

Ah, yeah I was wondering what happened to them satellites just be careful and don’t bother Celestia okay? I need er where she is.

I nodded then remembered she wouldn’t see it. “Right yeah, sorry about that mam. It won’t happen again.” I couldn’t access Celestia two again anyways.

Alright, there ya go you should see it now, before I go your name is Valiant right?

I blushed the Ministry Mare knew my name! Then I remembered wat my father said and shook the feeling away. “Yes mam, how did you know my name? How are you watching us?”

A gal, gots to keep some secrets to herself now don she? Don’t you worry I ain’t watching you bathe or nothin’ just need it to watch out for you boys and the rest of our soldiers. Now you hurry along and help those ponies ya’ hear. The better you do the easier it will be to get into the shield, so I can properly meet ya, good luck, oh and just call me Applejack, I never was much for titles and such. Alright until next time partner.

I smiled a little and decided maybe this was her, she was certainly as records painted her. Down to earth and friendly. But I decided to keep this little thought to myself the Wasteland had shown the old world had an abundance of impressive technology. Maybe this would be just another show how impressive Equestrian Arcano science had gotten. Within a few minutes I was able to zoom further and see the live feed of the Pegasus Weather tracker. The picture wasn’t pretty, not just in resolution passed a certain magnification, but the Ponies were on the defensive. Zebras were pushing their left and right flanks. Encircling the skirmishing ponies at the center of the storage site. “That’s the best picture I can get.” I looked back to Flag and my father.

“Flag what’s your take on the situation, I think we can salvage it, but that depends on whether the zebras have anti-machine rifles.” My father stroked his chin looking intently at the engagement on screen.

“Uhm, when I defended those ponies on my way here, the Zebras looked surprised to see me.they didn’t have any of the weaponry used to stop us outside the princess shield.” I offered my experience hoping it would help somehow.

“I don’t think the zebras can resupply easily, if Valiant encountered a team outside the major engagement zone. I’m willing to bet they were attacking supply lines.” Flag smirked looking to my father.

“So, you think neither side has had the real chance to update themselves to our arrival.” My father looked to the screen and I could tell he had already formulated a plan of attack.

“Yeah, if they have any proper counter measures they won’t be able to afford them everywhere.” Flag pointed at the screen. “I can already read your mind, we break their flanking maneuver with one of our own. If we crush them from their right flank. We can spearhead a counter attack allowing the Fourth Army Group a chance to charge.

“Okay that sounds good, gather everypony and let’s head out, Valiant.” My father’s look made me jump slightly.

“Fa-Star Paladin?” I quickly bit my tongue almost letting slip protocol.

“Can you get me the unit’s station there calm channel? I need to talk to whoever is in-charge.” He turned walking away, I quickly followed.

“Y-yeah I should be able to, I did it before.” I kept the fact it had been by accident to myself.

“Good, you have two hours, get to it.” My father exited the command center and I paled. That wasn’t a long time, if they were THE Equestrian army, finding their primary transmission loop would be next to impossible. Unless, well there was the chance I could take Trapper was still among them. I went out to the rooftop on that haunch and tapped into the transmitter tower. I sat on my haunches and flipped to the channel I used to find Jaeger Platoon. “Trapper, it’s me the Steel Ranger are you there?”

“Holy- this is Trapper! What are you doing on this channel?”the sounds of gunfire were almost deafening. Trapper was out in the front line it would seem, the sheer volume of sound indicated more than a simple skirmish.

“Trapper I need you to-” I heard the transmission be interrupted by another voice.

“This is Colonel Starfire, you are tapped into a restricted transmission, identify yourself!” Whoa, that was a loud mare! She practically drowned out the battlefield with her voice.

“I’m a Steel Ranger mam, let me get you in contact with my C.O he wants to speak to you.” I hurried hoping my father had his helmet on.

“Star Paladin Heavy Arms please respond.” There was the sound of shuffling before I received an answer.

“This is Star Paladin Heavy Arms, what do you need Valiant?” He grunted while he barked orders momentarily.

“I did it, I got into contact with their commanding officer.” My father called for silence and all background noise stopped.

“Already?” He sounded impressed and I felt a hint of smugness creep up.

“Yes sir, I don’t think she’s going to hold on the line for long.” My father sighed.

“Patch me through and follow my lead, understood Corporal?” I blinked confused.

“Y-yes sir,” I shook off the confusion and patched communication through. “Colonel Starfire is receiving sir.”

“Colonel Starfire, I am Captain Heavy Arms, Dragon Platoon, Ministry of Wartime Technology specials operations unit. I’m here to assist.” There was silence or well only the sound of gunfire before the Colonel responded.

“If that’s so I need you here for special tasking.” Maybe it was me, but she sounded relieved.

“Negative, I have direct orders from the Ministry Colonel. I’m conducting my own operation, you have zebras threatening to encircle your forward position. My Rangers and I will engage their flank and help you counter-charge their positions.” My father’s voice was a stark contrast to the Colonels booming voice.

“That isn’t how this works, if you are who you say you are, I need you to follow my orders!” The colonel practically screamed in my ear.

“Negative, Ministry Mare Applejack outranks you on this one mam, look for us on your right flank. You’ll know it’s us.” My father clearly left no room for argument.

“Wait!” The Colonel left a ring in my ear.

“Corporal end transmission.” I followed my father’s command and ended our transmission with the Colonel. I quickly returned downs stairs to see everypony gathered in the lobby. “Let’s move out, Rangers it looks like we have to show these ponies how to wage a war!” All Rangers cheered loudly, before my father raised a hoof for silence. “We need to blend in with these ponies, as such, you are now to refer to me with the rank of Captain. Crusaders are sergeants and Crusaders second in command are corporals. The rest are privates get used to it on the march. Now let’s go!” Everypony saluted and moved out, though I paused, was I Flags second in command? I decided it was best to leave that for later, I already did what I was told anyways. Having a little rank didn’t mean much else to me.

We took a brisk pace and went east keeping ourselves on the main road. Daylight had begun to leave us tinting the sky a bright orange. When we approached the storage site we could hear the thundering sounds of guns of all sizes fill the world. The only thing separating us was a huge fifteen-meter wall. This explained why neither zebras or Ponies met us when marching to the wall. They didn’t expect anyone could breach the wall without alerting one side. Too bad they didn’t count on power armor. My father raised a hoof and pointed it at the wall. Six ponies trotted to the wall turned their flanks to it. In unison, they raised to their front hooves and bucked with all their might. Their bucks dusted the walls, they repeated the action three more times and a huge crack spread up the wall. The knights returned to their position while two more knights aimed their missile launchers at the wall.

“Sempre Invicta!” my father yelled, two missiles flew past me with twin trails of smoke. They impacted the wall in a fireball of debris and smoke crumbling to debris. My father reared to his hind legs in an imitation of that old Ranger recruitment poster. He let out a thunderous battle cry and charged ahead. In formation we all galloped behind him each pony making sure to be clear of each other’s firing line. As I cleared the breach I almost felt my legs size up. The storage site was utter chaos! Magic dust on tracer rounds whizzed back and forth as the zebras and ponies tried to exterminate each other. The equestrian soldiers had taken up position to the west side. Sandbag barriers were spread north disjointed from each other. Each pony was leaning against the sandbags some with battle saddles others with weapons in their hooves firing. The zebras sprinted across the field like a sea of black and white with their decorative helmets. Their front line charged with spears attached to their side. While the next line held swords in their mouths and their reserve fired through the advancing ranks while running on their hind legs rifles on their hooves. It was a mystery how they managed that, but it would be for another day to solve.

“All Rangers fire at will!” The order brought out a dark clenching aura around my heart. Seeing the zebra’s, I pictured Strider laying bleeding on the snow his helmet open looking at me with a helpless look.

It should have been me.

Our heavy weapons drowned out the zebras and pony’s weapons. My father let loose his grenade machinegun in rapid thumps grenades flying at an arc. The rangers in his squad as well fired their weapons against the exposed Zebra flank. The explosions sent a wave of heat into the air. Various zebras were instantly torn asunder body parts and blood spraying everywhere. Flag’s 50 caliber machinegun cracked loudly to my right as he tore into the zebras to our own right flank. I gazed towards Flags firing line, and my minigun turned with me. the gun span to life and the familiar buzzing sound followed, my gun tore the advancing zebras apart into limbs and gore. Their screams deafened by the thunder of our guns. I strafed the minigun through their front line cutting through them and the ones behind them. The bullets exploded zebras apart, the shots bursting through flesh impacted the ground throwing up pavement and dust. Flag quickly tore away from the platoon and we followed. Our attackers burst through the cloud of kicked up dust over their fallen. I gritted my teeth as the first line of shields went up.

“Not this time!” I yelled, and I fired all my six missiles, they arced upward before curving over the shields and exploding behind their ranks. The phalanx was blown apart the zebras thrown forward broken and bloodied. My squad members opened their full arsenal with loud cracks. Grenades and missiles tore the zebra push apart.

“They’re pulling back, don’t let up now Rangers.” My father’s voice brought me out of my own rage induced trance. I never heard my father so calm, worst in the middle of a battle like this. I expected his emotions to at least show.

“Come on Valiant, no mercy blow them apart!” Flag led the charge, his machinegun glowing red as he left a trail of bullet casings behind. My heads-up display indicated my missiles had been reloaded. I fired two into the mass of retreating zebras exploding into a mass of fire. The bodies flew up torn apart and I moved aside as some pieces landed by us. I narrowed my eyes and saw the zebras with rifles turn and fire their rifles at us. I lowered my head keeping my visor a hard target to hit. The bullets impacted my body sending ripples of pain through me. I fell forward rolling on the ground the pony behind nearly tripping over me, I lost visual of him as I writhed on the ground.

“Son of a bitch!” Flag roared in pain as the weird bullets impacted his armor. I scrambled to my hooves and fired my minigun at Flags attackers. They fell before my might, innards and body parts blown back against the pavement. More shooters fired at us and tore at my body. My medical injector quickly warmed me of internal bleeding and ruptured arteries! I fired another two missiles, the zebras stopped firing to run but the missiles were faster decimating at least six into chunks with sound of Lunas hooves smacking the ground. Taking a moment to let the potion injected into my system mend my wounds I studied our enemy. They fell back to their own deployed cover, shields tilted at an angle rested against sandbags. Each bullet fired against it flew upwards into the sky. They had set up their fortifications between warehouses. Each warehouse was spaced out between them enough to set up a solid firing line of twelve. Zebras with rifles rested against the sandbags and returned fire. Their peculiar bullets slowing us down significantly. I pushed forward each bullet hitting my armor leaving a tremor of pain against my flesh.

Grenades arched above me and over the sandbags, they exploded in a hell of shrapnel and fire. The zebras splattered against their own fortifications. I saw one desperately try to leave cover only to be gunned down by another Ranger. They were in panic, yet even so we had yet to break them their lines dissolved as we pushed, despite inflicting heavy casualties they retreated in an orderly fashion. Some ran others dropped fire. If the thoughts of my dead comrades weren’t present in my head. I would have feared them. But all I could feel was unbridle rage and hatred, it was all consuming, my mind filled with joy as each enemy fell before me their bodies torn asunder by my overwhelming firepower.

“Die, just die!” I screamed and galloped towards the entrenched position. I jumped over the sandbags. My metal cover hooves splashing wet as blood and innards littered the closed space. My E.F.S read more contacts rushing the other end of the fortification. I stood my ground my minigun spinning to life. The zebras jumped over the sandbags on their end skidding to a halt. Pilums of smoke raised from the small craters left by the heavy explosives. I summarized they just barely caught sight of my frame among the smoke screen. My minigun fired hitting the first dead center. The zebra’s chest burst into red and gore, before its head was blown back. I strafed the space between the walls back and forth, back and forth until the screams stopped.

“Colonel, this Heavy Arms we got the enemy on the run, send in your soldiers now!” my father’s voice was booming over the radio. So strong it cut through the hellfire of guns and explosions. Flag and my squad rushed up with a firm nod from Flag he moved forward, and we followed.

“Let’s go, were a hundred meters to the bulk of their forces.” Flag grunted and galloped ahead, we followed suit in formation, I glanced to our left to see my father burst through a cloud of smoke rangers at his back his grenade machinegun rotated sending grenades at the retreating force. Flag tilted our formation as we galloped across the smoking tarmac and we reunited with the main force. Ahead some sixty meters and closing was a four-story building. Several windows lined the eastern wall facing us. From our distance I was able to make out huge mounted gun emplacements. I wasn’t familiar with zebra weaponry, but guns that big probably weren’t good news for us. Muzzle flashes across the wall lit up, the ground before us exploded bullets ripping up the pavement.

“Flag!” I felt my heart size up, we were going to die! These guns would kill us.

“Don’t stop!” Flag roared over the chaos, I winced as tracer rounds passed me.

“Agh!” the Ranger to my left fell forward rolling before disappearing from my field of view, I skidded to a top and ran back to him.

“Valiant!” Flag yelled but they ran off without me. “You’re a sitting duck! Ge the hell out of there!” I ignored him my heart pounding against my eardrums. I galloped to the fallen Ranger forcing him to his side. The armor was burst open at his chest, I forced open his helmet to see the pony inside. I didn’t know him, but he was younger than even me. tears leaked from his eyes while he struggled to breath. I flinched the pavement exploding around me the guns fixating on me.

“Oh Celestia, hold on I’m getting you out of here!” I stuck my head beneath him and hauled him over my back. The armor pistons and servos protested slightly from the added weight but held firmly.

“Valiant, leave that pony behind, let the armor take care of him.” My father, I almost stopped, almost.

“I can’t sir, I won’t let another Ranger die if I can help it!” I barked through pants even with the armor doing most of the work, all the running around was starting to take its toll.

“Soldier, I just had three more rangers fall behind. Are you going to pick them up too?” the gunfire was deafening but my father’s bark put the battle to shame.

“I…I can save this one!” I clumsily jumped over the sandbags before me, or more I fell over them in a tangled mess with the Ranger rolling off my body. “I made it, the other ponies can help you.” I looked about, there weren’t other ponies.

“They’re not here.” I spoke aloud but my father answered regardless, I heard his voice over the sound of glass shattering and a scream followed by deafening explosions and then clanking.

“Valiant return at once!” My father’s voice was hoarse and undoability angry, but my attention was on something worse. We had no reinforcements from the locals.

“The Equestrain forces they’re not here!” I trotted past my fallen comrade where we came from. I propped myself up on the sandbags and saw no movement from the ponies on the no western line.

“This isn’t over soldier, you disobeyed my direct orders twice. Now hold your position, do not advanced were pinned at their headquarters.” My father grunted followed by several explosions and screams. “Pull that Ranger back into cover!” The transmission cut off after that. This wasn’t good even with the zebras falling back the new weapons we encountered halted our momentum. I flipped the radio channel and contacted the one pony who had to know something.

“Trapper! It’s me Valiant respond.” I received silence. “I know your there Trapper!” I shouted, my frame shaking desperately wanting to ignore my father and go back to help him.

“Yeah.” The response was soft, followed by scolding mumbles.

“Did the Colonel not give the command? Where’s our backup!” I shouted and pointed my hoof at the zebra stronghold feebly.

“Valiant I… I’m sorry but were scared. Those zebras, if you hadn’t shown up just now. We’d be dead.” Trappers voice wavered reminiscent of our first encounter.

“Trapper if you don’t advance my comrades are going to die!” I knew I sounded desperate. I looked back to my fellow ranger laying on the bloodied ground by the sandbags.

“I’m sorry.” Trapper uttered with a strangled sob. “We…I don’t want to die.” I felt something click in my head. Our roles had been reversed, it was me and my comrades in need of rescue. We came as the cavalry expecting them to charge. Trappers words when we met ringing true, we never faced the Immortal Legion, but they have for 200 years they knew their enemy. They feared their enemy more than their own commander.

“Patch me through Trapper.” I commanded and galloped to their lines, I made a B-line to their center or what I could see was their most centralized position.

“W-what?” Trapper sputtered.

“Patch me through every pony here! You have the correct channels you can transmit my words to everypony…please.” I skidded to a halt panting, Trapper didn’t respond, and the silence was killing me as the echo of my comrade’s fight faded into the sky.

“Okay you’re live.” Trapper muttered.

“It’s okay, everypony it’s okay to be scared! My name is Valiant knight I intervened when Trapper and his friends were almost killed out here!” I paused for breath my chest heaved with emotion and combat fatigue. “I was scared, just like you I was scared to die, and scared to act. Because I felt I wasn’t good enough, I thought what could one pony do? What can I do against that? What can I do against such brutality.” I trotted closer making sure I stood out to everypony poking their heads from their cover to stare at me. “I don’t want to die, I really don’t my body screamed at me to leave to let Trapper to his fate. To save myself to live and excuse my inaction to standing orders.” I smacked my forehoof against the ground as hard as I could to release the energy building up inside me. wanting me to return to my comrades, wanting me to correct the mistake of abandoning Strider.

It should have been me.

“But then I heard Trapper say those same words, he doesn’t want to die. I understood I understood clearly the fear of dying the fear of being torn apart and left for the birds to pick clean. I was afraid to never see my mother again my home. But I acted, because being afraid means you have the chance to be brave.” I turned facing the direction my comrades were fighting for their lives. “I failed to be brave once, I failed the only friend I ever had by being a coward. I fled no matter what he said I fled! But I won’t not anymore. I won’t let anyone else die if I can help it! So, make your choice stay and live, forever afraid. Or be brave because I know that the only time a pony can be brave is when he’s afraid. Now Charge!” I trotted slowly before bursting into full gallop. My hooves lonely clanking against the pavement.

“For Equestria!” I stopped to see two ponies jump over the sandbags galloping towards me.

“For my friends!” Another pony, followed suit and then a thunderous roar filled world. Everypony let out battle cries and galloped towards me forming behind me into squads in wage formations.

“For Celestia and Luna!” I felt it in my heart was the best thing to say. I switched calms as we galloped and cleared the first abandoned zebra line. Passing by the warehouses I switched calms again.

“Everypony I’m heading to your psotion!” I shouted through pants.

“I told you to.” I cut my father off, impressing even myself for that one.

“I’m not alone, I have Equestria’s finest at my back!” I grinned and gazed skyward at the zebra makeshift fortress of the office. Muzzle flashes lit up the fourth floor, the tarmac once more exploded into debris and dust as heavy caliber bullets impacted around us. Ponies to my right fell rolling on the ground. To my right as well more ponies were turned to gore the massive rounds penetrating their combat armor easily. I targeted the top floor and fired my remaining missiles. They arced upward the sky momentarily lit by magical tracer rounds trying to shoot the missiles down giving us a reprieve from the machinegun fire. The missiles flew to their intended targets. Two of the gun towing windows burst into a fiery explosion the guns falling out the window along with at least two flaming zebras falling after them. The remaining guns stopped firing smoke pouring out of the window the zebras inside choking on it.

I looked to the office building flanked by two more warehouses. Several zebra squads ran out from them some armed with rifles others with spears and swords. “Kill them all!” I shouted. The third floor which free of gun emplacements soon had some heavy guns being set up. I stopped my minigun whirring to life, I fired strafing the third-floor windows left and right. The bullets destroyed the guns and killed the zebras operating them. But plenty of the bullets flattened against the office walls. They had to be reinforced compared to other civilian buildings. I turned to my comrades they split into two groups vying to take the adjacent warehouses. As the zebras put up a final stand, both sides forced to close quarters hoof-to-hoof fighting. I snorted and ran for the building jumping through a shattered window. I slipped on the lanidng inside falling to my side. I groaned my body protesting from the punishment of strange force bullet-things. Hours of motion and emotional pain, as I dragged myself on to my hooves I noticed I had slipped on blood. The hallway was torn apart with huge black scorch marks on the walls revealing heavy metal plating. Body parts littered the floor and I found at least four rangers bodies. Each one near hallway junctions where abandoned gun emplacements lined the hallway. I moved through the hallway to catch some Rangers on their haunches or sides. While one equipped with a minigun watched the hallway I just turned to.

“Valliant! You scared me I almost shot you!” Knight Lemon sat on her haunches and put a hoof to her chest.

“Where’s my father- I mean- forget it, where is he?” I was jittery I needed to see him see he was okay. At the same time, I thought about Flag and cut off whatever response Lemon was going to say. “Where’s Flag? Is my squad okay?”

“Crusader Flag is on the third floor the Star Paladin is cut off from us on the fourth floor.

“Oh Celestia.” I pushed past her and ran upstairs.

“Wait!” I ignored Lemon, my heart was pounding against my ears, and an image of my father’s broken body was burned into my mind.

It should have been me.

“What the- Valaint!” somepony called aloud, I reached the second floor more rangers wounded waiting for the armor to self-repair and the healing potions to do their job were there. I ran past them all the same hallway with offices leading me to the next set of stairs. I made it to the third floor to find more rangers. The hallway ended splitting into two, to my right three Rangers looked to me jumpy before visibly relaxing and returning to keeping watch at the right hallway. The left had a Ranger leaning out his 50-caliber machinegun cracking loudly in the enclosed space before returning to cover. The Ranger just barely missed a hail of bullets, the Ranger in question was Flag who cursed every curse I knew and plenty I didn’t

“Valaint? What the hell?” I don’t know what Flag was about to say, I barreled through him knocking him aside, the gunfire stopped as I predicted so I galloped down the hall. Two more Ranger bodies were on the hall. At the far end at least ten meters, was a heavy gun emplacement. Propped over some knocked over desks. The zebras zeroed me in quickly, but I fired my minigun forcing them behind cover. A few feet before I reached them my gun stopped firing abruptly.

[AMMUNITION SPENT]

I jumped over the gun, my body running on pure instinct. I landed on a zebra my hooves on its side. The weight and jump were enough to crack ribs. I felt my hooves sink into flesh and broken bone. The zebra wheezed out before closing its eyes for good four more zebras scrambled to action. I knew basic hoof-to-hoof combat it was part of Ranger training. It didn’t mean I was good, I relied on the advantage of my weight and armor. I kicked out with my forelegs hitting a zebra on its head to my immediate left. The helmet dent with the force and made the zebra smack against the reinforced wall. It fell unmoving two zebras tried tackling me to the floor. But I bucked them off and kicked with my right back leg and crushed another’s ribs. The other one delivered a kick to my head forcing me against the left wall. The hallway was cramped, and it did not agree with the zebra’s martial arts. The zebra crumpled to the floor from the kick hitting the right wall. I capitalized and brought my hoof down on its neck, bone crunched, and blood spurted from its mouth. I heard the familiar click of a rifle and ducked as a zebra leveled a rifle at me. on full automatic I felt the impacts sent ripples of force against my side while I fell over.

“Agghhh!” I writhed on the ground several warnings lighting up my heads-up display. Internal bleeding cracked ribs and torn arteries. Emptying the magazine, the zebra reached behind it with its mouth and procured a knife clenched between its teeth. It had one edge and the edge lit up red with magic. I scrambled hard with the pile of dead or dying zebras making it harder to stand, I pushed against the floor launching my body against the zebra. The zebra moved aside before impact and buried the dagger through my armor! I felt hot searing pain, the knife embedded on my right side near my midsection. I landed in a hapless heap. “Aaaghhhh!!!” I felt like an actual fire was lit inside me! I looked back to see smoke coming from the breach where the blade dug into me. the damn blade melted through my armor! I was lucky it lost most of its heat just to penetrate the armor and now just seared my inside and wound. The zebra picked up a rifle from underneath one of its comrades, getting on its hind legs it aimed at my visor, I flinched hearing a loud crack. The zebras head from the right side the helmet blown outward along with brain matter. It fell, left eye etched open in surprise by my face. Vaulting over the gun was Flag’s familiar armor. He quickly saw the wisps of smoke coming from the knife in my side.

“Shit!” He opened his helmet and grabbed the knife with his mouth.

“W-wait!” I tried before he pulled the knife the once seared closed flesh opening again with a burst of my blood staining my already dirty armor. “Aaagh!” I rolled to my side with sheer force of adrenalin pushing myself up to my hooves and leaning against the right wall.

“Don’t think you’re off the hook! With me rangers let’s save our paladin!” Flag ran past me as did the rest of my comrades. I meanwhile stood there letting the medical injector pump a super healing potion into my body. My armor closed the breach slowly, but I knew I would have a scar there after this. I tried to control my breathing steadying myself on my hooves. More Rangers came up with Knight Lemon at their head.

“Oh Celestia, what happened? Come on you need to rest a little.” Lemon put a hoof over my shoulder. I shrugged it off and trotted as fast as my body allowed me.

“I have to, get to him, my father I need to see him!” I trotted upwards to smoke filling the fourth floor. I turned on my light the beam cutting through most of it. The flames had died down on the main hall where my missile impacted had lit the wallpaper on fire and revealed the reinforced steel walls behind. I walked the hallway alert burnt zebra bodies and another Ranger laid strewn about. I turned the corner to see my father smash his hoof into a Zebra’s face splattering the wall with its blood and brain matter. The body slid against the wall, I sighed in relief he was okay my father was okay.

“They’re retreating! Valaint the Legion its retreating! Look at those stripe bastards go!” My father must have tuned into that as well as he ran opposite of me turning the corner out of sight. At a much slower pace I followed suit grimacing with various aches across my body, I wobbled a little and leaned against the wall. I dared not open my helmet, less I choked on smoke, I felt sick and I felt bile up my throat. I forced it down and made my way down the hall turning to find my fellow rangers staring out the window. I watched hundreds of Zebras break into a full route, it wasn’t a retreat like when we struck. They were running for their lives, weapons left behind helmets off or discarded wounded abandoned the Legion forces were in full disarray. The day was ours as if to make the moment more poignant the Equestrian soldiers on all frequencies blasted the march of the parasprites. Patriotic dribble that sprite bots played back home but somehow. Somehow for the first time, I liked the patriotic dribble.

Level Up: 3

Perks: Smooth Rambler: You have a +15 points added to your speech perk, you can get ponies to do just about anything…anything!... except that…but anything.

Author's Notes:

Hey...uhm, sorry about the delay I let myself b distracted by gaming. As it stands I have put SO many hours on Kingdom Come Deliverence and Monster Hunter World. Celestia I am loving these two games! But I digress after this chapter there will be less action but I promise the world building will get cool. If I do say so myself, and I will also be expanding on the mysteries of this mysterious land stuck in a long over war.

I honestly look forward to that chapter. As much as I love writing battles, and I do, but I also love myself some world building. This is why I loved the original story so much. The world building was amazing and I loved it! Speaking of which, to answer a preemptive question. We won’t be spending the entire story here in the Empire. We will return to the Wasteland periodically I promise you. But I digress, please enjoy this chapter I poured a lot of blood and sweat over it! I hope the editing was better than my last. Still trying to find an available beta.

Chapter 5: The Day Ponies Stood Still

Victory, it shouldn’t feel like this I saw my comrades cheer and rejoice but from my perch atop the Ironshod main office I felt hollow. I saw several ponies move bodies and collect weapons from both sides. Limbs were piled together, and sad looking ponies were guided to one mess or another. The soldiers with tears in their eyes identified the bodies that lost their pony-tags. I removed my helmet feeling my mane and coat stick to my skin. With a gasp of crisp night air, I hurled my stomachs contents next to me.“Ach,” I dried heave before spitting onto the bile and stumbling back gasping mouthfuls of air. My chest was tight, and my nerves were fried with a distinct cold clinging to my body. I jumped slightly when I felt a tap on the back of my armor.

“Relax kid,” Flag came up beside me, he sat on his haunches one hoof patting my back. He looked to the mess I made before opening his helmet. “Don’t worry, that’s just the fear leaving you lad, its good to let it out.”

“I don’t think,” I coughed and brought my foreleg to wipe my mouth, but I paused to see blood running down the black armor. “I have never seen you do it.” I chose to spit on the ground and lick my lips.

“Nope, after a while fear leaves you in other ways, even your old man had his own ways.” Flag looked far away for a moment, like he was looking into a memory orb. “But that changed, he found better ways to deal with it. Not that I blamed him, a stallion at war doesn’t always make the best decision.”Flag stood, he walked to the edge to stare at the aftermath of the battle.With great effort I made myself stand next to him. This was my life now after all, the violence and the loss I chose this, so I had to get used to it.

“Does it go away?” I asked, the sight of blood and bodies etched into my mind. Faintly I heard screams that weren’t there accompanied by the loud thundering of guns. I flatten my ears against my head and sighed the sounds slowly faded to nothing.

“No, it just gets easier to ignore.” Flag pointed a hoof down below, away from where the Equestrian Army was gathering their dead. Some of our own Rangers were gathering our lost comrades. An Equestrian field medic was with them for what reason I couldn’t say. “One day it all just turns to white noise, or…” Flag grunted and stepped way from the sight trotting to the stairs.

“Or?” I quickly following behind, before I stopped and returned for my helmet. I caught up with Flag as he descended the stairs after fitting my helmet back on. “Or what Flag?”

“It breaks you, makes you go mad, or it just kills you.” Flag stated that so matter of fact, I felt he knew from experience.

“This wasn’t what I expected.” I confessed, I knew I might had to kill, and to be honest. I liked killing the zebras, or more I felt justified it felt good like each dead zebra was a small apology to Strider. Each kill felt like I was making up for running. But the death of my comrades, even the locals was something else. Yes, they were soldiers but, well I don’t know it felt horrible. It was obvious I suppose but to see ponies die knowing you can’t do a damn thing was devastating.

“What? The killing or the battle,” Flag reached the fourth floor, he paused again to look at me. “Either way the answer is the same, its war. You kill them, or they kill you, we go back and forth. One side gains the upper hand, the other pushes and dies to win or lose again. So, you push, then keep pushing and you keep killing. You keep killing and you tell yourself they’ll give up, and go home. So, you keep going, you keep losing ponies and you keep killing. It’s just war kid, if you didn’t end up killing zebras here. You’d just be killing Crimson Empire soldiers back South.” Flag sighed and licked his lips. “Look, were stuck here, if you’re having a change of hear on your career choice, it’s too late. So, I need you to talk to me. I need you to tell me if you can’t pull a trigger on a zebra.” I cut him off.

“I can kill them, I can kill the striped bastards until this damn planet stops turning.” I glared at Flag, my nostrils flare and my teeth grit. “I won’t forgive them, for Strider and my comrades, I’ll kill every one of the bastards if I have to. I’ll keep killing them for Strider.”

Flag opened his mouth shocked before he closed his eyes. “Look, it’s a damn shame about Strider, he was a good soldier and a good pony. But don’t let this eat at you, if you think it’s hard to ignore the sounds of war now? You’ll cut your own damn ears off if you keep going down this path.” Flag jabbed a hoof hard enough to push me back into my chest. “Don’t make this personal, soldiers die in war its what we do, we kill and die. So, don’t kill with hatred kid, kill because its war and its what we have to do to survive and complete our mission.”

“Flag I” He cut me off just as fast.

“I don’t want to hear it, I’ll damn make sure your father sticks you behind a desk in the command center for this entire operation if I have to. You don’t kill with hatred because when you do, you stop killing as a soldier. You kill as a pony and that will eat at you worse than anything.” Flag gritted his teeth and his eyes looked downcast but I did not feel his anger was directed at me. “You don’t know what it is to live with blood on your hooves, after this you will, but you don’t want to live with the ponies or even zebras you killed out of spite. Those are lives that will tear at your soul kid. The killing you do as a soldier is enough of a burden, don’t put more strain on your soul killing as a pony for gratification.” Flag took a shaking breath, I didn’t expect this much emotion from him this much…pain. He knew this pain he knew killing beyond being a Ranger. “Now I don’t want to hear about this again, just do your job and remember. You’re an Applejack’s Ranger. We have a duty to ponies and our brothers, if that involves killing do it with the dignity of a soldier and with a closed heart.” Flag neighed trotting away.

That, certainly was something to process, I never had a conversation like that with Flag. His presence always made it feel like a relative who visited on occasions and was much more fun than my father. I flinch physically remembering I hadn’t met with my father yet, I was dreading that meeting this was far worse than me being punished for something I did as a colt. With resignation I climbed the final steps to the fourth floor. My father was set up on the third floor in what used to be the Zebra command center. I was glad I hadn’t fired my missiles there, I could have destroyed valuable intel with one stray missile. I made my way down to the third floor and went to an office at the far left of the building. Inside Rangers moved about inspecting the foreign Zebra tech. their computers didn’t look all that different from ours, minus the archaic stone like keys with symbols on them. I presumed it was the letters of their native tongue, it had to be the words on the terminals were compromised of the same symbols. My father, free of his helmet was talking to an Equestrian soldier, by the marks on his shoulder I assumed he was high ranking. I only vaguely remember military ranks from the Equestrain military. I mean, private corporal, wait wasn’t there a private first class? No, I think I made that one up.

“Corporal.”

Or maybe it was Private then special private?

“Corporal.”

Wait okay, Corporal after private but not before…wait didn’t The NCR use the same system?

“Corporal Valiant!” My father barked, and I jumped, shit I can’t believe I just zoned off right in front of my father.“Forgive the Corporal, this is only his third engagement.” My father eyed me with a look that said we were talking after this business was done.

“Not at all Captain, this soldier did a hell of a job I couldn’t get my ponies to move. If it wasn’t for him, we wouldn’t be here.” The Sergeant a sunny yellow stallion tipped his helmet at me in thanks.

“Well, Sergeant please tell the Colonel I will send her three of my Rangers with her. The rest of my platoon must figure out how to get more reinforcements through the encirclement.” My father grunted at me to move by his side with a nod of his head. “I can only spare three men, and I already suffered significant losses as is.”

The Sergeant’s pleasant demeanor shifted to a serious face. “I understand, believe you me, lost a lot of good ponies before you arrived here. I’ll tell the Colonel, have your ponies report to Headquarters back at the other end of the Depo. I’ll make sure to call a wagon to pick up your ponies.” The sergeant saluted and walked off with a brief nod to me, he cleared the door and another pony closed it behind him.

“What?” I barely got a word out before my father yelled at me.

“What is wrong with you soldier!” I jumped and shrank back.

“I-” My father slammed his hoof down silencing me.

“I’m talking, not you! So, shut your muzzle and listen!” I nodded shrinking even further. “Stand up straight when I’m talking to you soldier!” I nodded and shakily got up hasty enough to hit a nearby pony. I didn’t even bother apologizing, opening my muzzle might just get me yelled at more.

“You think you’re special Knight?” His bare eyes bore through my helmet, the faux protection I thought I had behind the helmet fell away. I was a colt again, about to be punished for my misdeeds. “I asked you a question knight!”

“F-Father,” I closed my eyes instantly knowing that was the wrong way to start.

“That’s Star Paladin! You are a soldier a Ranger! Don’t think because you’re my son you can just break protocol and address me without my proper rank!” My father walked off, like when I was a boy I timidly followed.

“I didn’t say you could move! Back to attention soldier!” I froze mid step and returned to my stiff alertness. I just kept messing up, didn’t I? I didn’t know what do, even at attention I shifted slightly under my father’s glare.

“I’m s-sorry S-Star Pala-d-din.” I stuttered every single word feeling tears prickle at the edges of my eyes. Oh, Celestia please don’t let me cry not right now, not in front of my father. After everything I went through please don’t let me cry now.

“Sorry? I guess you think that makes up for disobeying orders!” I swore his voice was only getting louder. “This is an army, every soldier does his job, and does as he is told, you are no exception just because you are my blood!” My father jabbed a hoof to my chest and I fell back on my ass. That only seemed to anger him further, “do you think Strider got away with it?” he closed his mouth, shut his eyes where I saw the briefest flash of pain pass his eyes.

What the hell was that about?

“Everypony leave, now. You too Valiant you are off duty for now.” His voice was low again, and rough like sand paper against gravel. Everypony filed out as quickly as possible, I turned and followed head ducked in shame. When I stepped up to the door Flag was standing there his helmet open.

“Go outside, stay where I can find you our squad will be taking first watch. Now go.” I stepped aside and let Flag through before I exited the room. I quickly trotted down stairs and kept going I exited the office out the west entrance. I sharply turned right avoiding everypony doing their grisly business of collecting bodies. I entered the warehouse adjacent and just walked down random isles. When I was sufficiently lost and sure nopony was near I finally collapsed. I sobbed and despite what little pride I had taken from fighting on my own, I cried out for my mom. I called out for her warm embrace and to forget everything to tell her I was sorry. I wanted to go back home and lock myself up in my workshop with my mother’s carrot cookies and a bottle of sparkle-cola. I wanted to forget ever being a knight, to go back to playing games on my terminal with Strider.

It should have been me.

“I’m sorry, oh Strider why wasn’t I killed?” I felt my heart size and I curled up in a ball tucking my forelegs and back legs into me. “No, I-I don’t want that I just, why couldn’t we, we should.” I was just babbling now; my mind was a mess I couldn’t focus on anything. Laying on my side I looked up to my helmet starring silently at me. the face of a Ranger, a knight a pony worth the lives lost. I just laid there for I don’t know how long. I reached out absently stroking my helmet with faint memories of Strider. I stood, after another while had passed, groaning as my entire body protested. I was sore all over, finally it seemed my mind caught up with my body on how tired I really was.

“Mrr…” I groaned picking up my helmet and putting it on again. The low hum of the warehouse lights my only companion. I could barely hear the ponies outside, with a sigh I looked to the rack of boxes next to me. I read various labels from gun magazines, bullets, spark packs gun parts and outright guns. I frowned, whoever organized this warehouse wasn’t good at their job. I walked outside the isle to the center of the warehouse divided into two long rows of racks. I looked to a sign on the row to my left. Weapon and weapon parts surplus. Oh, never mind then, this was a surplus isle. I looked to the other isles with similar labels, this whole place was a surplus of odds and ends. Exploring further down I saw a row labeled armor. Just armor, no sub category, I walked down the isle turning on my headlamp as this area wasn’t properly lit.

I looked up to the useless dangling lights, I neighed and looked around, several armor bits were boxed named in body part sections. Near the end of the hall, I spotted a huge metal box, it was wrapped in yellow faded tape that read ‘prototype’ I looked at the box with a big stamp of the Ministry of Arcane science. I pulled the huge box down using my augmented strength to lower it down. Damn thing was heavy! It was a jet-black box, a line of dust covered it and it was locked with an electronic lock, miniaturize terminal to unlock it. Well shit, I looked at the terminal and smiled slightly. There was a jack for my bypass tool, so I jacked in and ran a bypass. The maglocks clicked audibly, and I opened the box with an artificial hiss. A rather sleek looking armor was tucked inside. Not just any armor, but power armor, though it was missing the helmet. It was in plain factory silver with the word prototype labeled everywhere.

“Oh?” The mold where the helmet would be fitted had something inside. A small orb, white in color with magic swirling inside like trapped mist. No helmet, just a memory orb.

“Come on let’s check this place out, fuck I’m tired.” A voiced echoed in the warehouse, I jumped startled, nearly dropping the box lid shut. I grabbed the lid to close it, but my eyes were drawn to the orb inside. As an afterthought I opened my helmet and grabbed the orb with my mouth putting it in my saddle bag. I closed the lid and mounted the box back on the rack. With a sigh I walked back where I came to meet the new ponies. When I rounded the hallway, they froze reaching for their guns before relaxing.

“Jeez, you scared us! What are you doing here?” the soldier on the right asked, both ponies standing where I first entered.

“Sorry about that, I didn’t mean to startle you, I was just wondering around.” I hoped I didn’t sound like I was crying earlier.

“Whoa, that voice no way are you him!?” The ponies quickly rushed at me and I closed my helmet. I didn’t want them to see my puffy eyes.

“Who?” I asked.

“The pony who gave us the courage to fight!” The left pony grinned stomping his forehooves excitedly.

“I uh, yeah that was me, but I was just trying to help.” I stuttered feeling heat rise to my cheeks.

“You were awesome! Hey, come on let’s go outside the fellas want to meet you!” The one on the right gestured to the door. The other pony rounded up behind me and ‘encouraged’ me forward. Not that they could move me in armor. Still I followed along while they chatted animatedly about their friends and family. We exited the warehouse to the soldiers outside, the pony that ahd been pushing trotted away to a group of ponies. They looked banged up, bandages on their bodies with downcast eyes. “Hey everypony, look its Valiant Knight the Ranger!” he waved his hoof excitedly at me.

“I-huh?” Before I could make so much as a cohesive word the bandaged ponies turned their downtrodden eyes towards me. A light shined in their eyes quickly exploding into excitement, they moved as fast as their injured bodies would let them to me. More ponies came from behind me as well crowding me all talking over each other.

“Wow hey can I have your autograph?”

“Wow that armor is kick ass!”

“Hey anyone seen my ear?”

What?

“Can we take a picture I got a camera from home!”

I tired to answer as many questions as I could but it all just sounded confusing, so I decided to just keep quiet and nod. While I craned my neck around to try and look at everypony, I caught a glimpse of Flag and my father. From the third story office window facing west. I saw Flag and my father stand side by side looking down at me their helmets down. Flag turned his head to my father. He remained motionless before nodding and both moved away from the window.

Time seemed to have slipped my mind, the swarm of ponies had died down after I got a few pictures taken with them, while others got my hoof print, or more like my armor’s hoof print and my name. Though I was overwhelmed and admittedly flattered, I also felt this was silly. I just spoke from the heart and understood their fear. I wasn’t as heroic as they claimed I was, a dark cloud seemed to settle over me as Strider’s face popped up in my head. I was just a lucky coward, Strider was a hero, he was charismatic and overall, he was a better pony than me.

It should have been me.

I shook my head earning a few odd looks, but I ignored them and made my excuses to leave. Though disappointed they understood I was a soldier like them, I needed to return to duty. I found my fellow Rangers mulling about away from the Equestrian soldiers near our fallen brothers.

When I walked within earshot a voice addressed me “So, you’re a big hero now eh Valiant?” A ranger opened his helmet walking up to me. neither his face or tone looked firendly.

“Leave him alone Spokes,” Another Ranger stood up and came to stand by my side

“Oh, so now you’re standing up for him? After he disobeyed orders…twice?” Spokes snarled baring his teeth.

“Spokes is right, he should have listened to the Star Paladin!” I didn’t see who said that.

“Well he saved me, and I sure as hell wouldn’t be here like the others if he left me to get shot in the field.” The pony I saved opened his helmet and his squad mates came to stand by me as well. While others came up to stand by Spokes.

“What about the others? Think we didn’t want to go back for them?” Spokes spat on the ground. “But we followed our orders, because we understood the mission was at stake!”

“Even so, were already down too many! Valiant was able to save at least one of us.” Somepony to my left uttered.

“What about him? If he got himself injured do you think the Star Paladin would still have told us to keep going?” One of Spokes supporters shouted.

“If Valiant hadn’t gone back he’d never brought the locals and we’d all be dead anyways!” The pony I saved stomped his hoof. “Besides I-”

“That’s enough!” My father’s voice broke apart further argument. His helmet was opened again. He looked at us before he pointedly fixed me with his glare. I buckled under it and lowered my head to the ground in shame. “Valiant with me, the rest of you return to your squads and sort out watches between yourselves. We might be facing a Zebra counter attack. I want everypony able for when it comes.” My father turned without a word and I followed head down, I spared a parting glance to my comrades, left in a standoff before a Crusader broke them up and they all returned to theirs squads. My father led me to the far end of the southern Warehouse next to the office. On the tarmac, was a green wagon low to the ground with foldable windows. The wagon stretched to have four passenger seats. A semi-flatbed stretched behind it at least four feet with a mounted machinegun and seats for two more ponies. In the driver seat was a pony lazing against the steering wheel and the sergeant I met before sat on the passenger seat arms crossed. By the wagon was Flag and Knight Lemon. Her extra welded plates always made her easy to make out between Rangers.

My father stopped before reaching the gathered party and turned to address me. “Valiant, open your helmet, I want to see your face when I talk to you.”

I did as commanded though the order was less demanding and gentler in tone. “Yes Sir,” I felt the nights chill hit my face once again. Even with the shield the nights here weren’t as warm as you’d think.

“Valiant, did you see what you did?” My father’s tone was unreadable.

“I ignored your orders sir, I-” He cut me off his voice rising slightly.

“You created a rift, we are a team, everyone of us, every pony here needs to trust one another to survive. Our order is built on brotherhood and the bonds that come with that word. We are a family, and if a family cannot trust one another it falls apart.” My father put a hoof to my shoulder, his eyes bore into mine with something aching to pain.

“You leave me with little choice, though I promise you I do not want to do this. Despite my protest and I am still disappointed and angry at your actions.” My father sighed his hoof feeling heavier against my shoulder. Like he was channeling the weight of his job as Star Paladin through and the weight of that responsibility was trying to bury me into the ground.

“I promised to watch after you, but there comes the time for a stallion to walk his own path. This isn’t your choice and I wish it would be. But after your actions you can’t be here, not for a while you can’t be around this platoon.”

Oh god, was I being sent back to Stable 29?... Alone?

“Father.” I stuttered, and I cursed my own damn weakness as I felt the need to shed tears again.

“Son,” my father’s voice was rough scraping against my ears, he was sending me home. If I went home alone, I couldn’t make it the encirclement the Zebras! I felt my heart start pounding against my chest.

In the snows nothing will you find, only your death and demise.

The lyrical voice of the zebra played in my head along with the howling of the eternal blizzard. I was going to die, oh no please don’t send me back.

“Valiant, I’m sending you with the Equestrian soldiers to city 12.” My father’s eyes harden, and he took his hoof from my shoulder. I let out a deep sigh my heart rate slowing back to normal, I almost had a panic attack.

Wait what?

“I’m going with them?” I was confused, sending me seemed. Well I don’t know what it was but right it certainly wasn’t. We were still out of earshot from everypony else, but my father turned me away from them anyways.

“I told you, I can’t have you around the platoon right now. I can’t fight a war and have you splitting up our force. I need to remove you from the equation, but I also can’t waste what little ponypower I have left. So, listen to me closely, I need you to do whatever the Equestrian locals ask of you. You need to get into that castle, but you won’t be alone, I’m sending Flag and Knight Lemon who volunteered for this mission. I don’t want to send you where I can’t protect you…” My father sighed. “But I can trust Flag will do everything to protect you, and I trust him to make sure the mission gets done.”

“I…I understand father.” I understood just how much of a burden I was to everypony.

“When you get inside, find out about our ‘ministry mare,’ and report your findings to me. I will decide what to do depending on the information you send me.” my father lifted a hoof and tentatively put it around my shoulder. He was stiff and seemed to be waiting, was this? Is he trying to hug me? I reciprocated the action, though it was awkward in our armor and hugged my father for…hell the first time in years really. I could maybe recall once as a colt when he picked me up and held me. aside from that my father had always held more casual physical contact with me.

“Don’t get yourself killed out there, remember your training and do as Flag says.” My father let me go.

“Okay father, I won’t let you down, I’ll make up for my mistakes.” I paused and glared at the ground. “I’ll avenge Strider, one way or another I’ll make them pay for Strider.” My father stared at me and opened his mouth. But like so many times before he closed it deciding to keep quiet.

“Son,” My father sighed, it was weary, and his entire frame seemed to sag. He looked, less soldier-y. if that made sense, nothing like how I always saw him strong and distant. “When you come back, we need to have a talk about Strider.”My father sat on his haunches and from the gap in the armor of his left hoof. He procured the pocket watch I gave him, he lowered it to my level and I saw the crack on the glass. “I also need you to fix this for me when you come back.” He gave me his best smile, a small twitch of the lips upward. I…I savored it, for all it was worth for all the fucked-up shit that got us here I savored that smile.

“Okay dad, it…it will be nice to talk about Strider with somepony else who knew him like me.” I smiled slightly, and my father tucked the watch back into his armor. He stood up and ushered me to the wagon. Flag looked up and stared at my father, even though his helmet I felt the stare was intense. My father shook his head and Flag did the same looking down. Whatever exchange happen between them, Flag wasn’t pleased with the result.

“Alright, are we ready Captain?” The Sergeant asked clopping his hooves together.

“Yes, these ponies will accompany you, and will report directly to High Command.” My father nodded to us.

“Aright, lets hit the road, bird won’t wait forever!” The Sergeant waved at the back seats, Lemon and Flag took their spots. This left the flatbed for me with the gun, I was about to mount it when I remembered and looked to my dad.

“Wait, I’m out of ammo.” I doubled check just to make sure.

“Don’t worry, logistics will take care of you back at base.” The sergeant assured me, I nodded and hopped on the wagon the vehicle groaning under the combine weight of our armors.

“Shit, it’s like I’m hauling scrap.” The driver muttered.

“Shut it Corporal, or I’ll make you pull manually.” The Sergeant smirked at the driver.

“Aw shucks Sergeant, you’re all heart.” We shared a bit of a laugh and got on our way back to the old Equestrain line. I looked back from my seat on the flatbed to my father, he remained there looking at us go, stalwart never flinching until I couldn’t make out his shape in the distance. It took us about five minutes to clear the field to reach the Equestrian forward base. We passed several more ponies cleaning up after the battle, I averted my gaze looking down to keep from staring. Knight Lemon seemed to be doing the same, her helmet tilted down. Flag stared ahead unfazed.

Hey Valiant, you seem down partner, we won! You should be happy for yer’ roll in it.

I almost fell of the Wagon startled, I looked to my companions. They didn’t seem to act like they heard Applejack. I closed my helmet and responded, “Mam? What are you talking about?”

You heard me partner, you just won us a big ol’ victory. Even old Grumpy was impressed, though he don’t like to show it.

“I…I didn’t do anything besides, it was just one battle.” I rubbed my foreleg with the other awkwardly.

Ah ya’ see that ain’t right, cuz when you started with yer’ speech I made sure everpony from here to city 12, 13 and beyond heard it. When you spoke from yer heart, we managed to push the entire front of this war! We pushed em back!

That…wasn’t possible I just, shit I just said what I felt. “I don’t think I.”

You gave these ponies somethin’ they ain’t had for a while now… hope. Your words showed em’ they ain’t alone that they ain’t the only ones who feel like this. They heard your words and inspired them to fight back! Now we pushed the Zebras off several sectors. Didn’t reclaim no cities, but we sure as hell gave them Zebras a scare!

“I, don’t know what to say Applejack, I just feel like I did my job.” I felt I sounded like my father, but it was right. I did what I had to as a Ranger to save my father and my brothers. I didn’t think I was trying to be anything special.

Ah don’ you worry about it, just get some rest back at city 12 and then we can take it from there, well seeyah partner, hope to see you in person soon enough.

The line went silent and I was alone with my thoughts again, everypony else seemed to be in their own world. We cleared the old pony line to more soldiers mulling about seeming to secure the warehouses and sorting wounded ponies on flatbeds. The wagon slowed down to a cluster of warehouses. There were breaches on the storage buildings craters on the tarmac indicated previous bombardment from high yield explosives. There were piles of Zebra shields and damaged Zebra armor. Though I hadn’t noticed before there was a huge burning pile of…something. I saw some ponies drop bags on the burning pile and moved on to gather more. I remembered tales of Fillydelphia and the pit of slavery there. Constant smoke stacks burned day in and out with only Celestia knows what.

“Alright, home sweet home.” The driver drawled and pulled the wagon behind the warehouses. I gaped behind my helmet, a Vertibuck a genuine Verticbuck! It was painted with dark military green. The craft had twin rotors on two wings procuring form the top of the craft. The fuselage had a sleek profile low to the ground while the cockpit was semi spherical with bug eye-like windshields and the tail rotor extended a few meters from the main body. A singular jet engine protrude from beneath the tail rotor lit up ready for action. We dismounted and walked to the bird, well I galloped skidding to a stop. I opened my helmet to get a good look myself, admiring the Equestrian engineering.

“Pick your tongue up the floor Valiant. We got company.” Flag jabbed a hoof at my side.

I blushed and looked towards the warehouse. A mare in a crisp green uniform with badges on her chest walked up to us. She had a light purple coat with a brown mane swept back into a bun. Crisp blue eyes stared me down and I swore she was my father with a…never mind. I shook my head to get rid of that image. The mare came to stand before me.

The Vertibuck crew stood straight and saluted, “Attention!”

The mare stared at me and I shrunk a little under her cold glare. Flag bucked me with his elbow and I looked to him, he was standing at attention saluting.

Oh shit!

I saluted snapping to attention, the mare backed up as I almost hit her with my helmet. She saluted with an unreadable expression before releasing us from the salute. “Gentlecolts and filly my name is Colonel Starfire in charge of the 12^th Regiment Equestrian Forth Army Group.” She offered her hoof and I shook it firmly.

“It’s good to meet your mam-” Flag cut me off with a wave of his hoof.

“Mam, sorry for interrupting, but Captain Heavy Arms wanted me to tell you he’s giving official command over this detachment to newly promoted Sergeant Valiant Knight.” Flag patted my back and I gaped at him.

“I see, very well…Sergeant Valiant I have been informed you are to report back to headquarters for debriefing. The Council is expecting a full update on the situation outside the encirclement.” Colonel Starfire pointed a hoof at the Vertibuck. “This bird will take you back to the city, and I’m entrusting my report to the council to you.” A soldier trotted up from the warehouse and handed me a magi-tape. I heard about these some time ago, very rarer and just barely used near the end of the war. It was the earth pony response to the unicorn memory orb. It was as far as I can tell audio only. I bet I could play it if I could physically interject my transmitter with the magi-tape contact points.

“I uh, understand mam I’ll make sure the report gets back to the…council. I’ll make sure I have my own…report in order.” Did that sound sketchy? I think I sounded sketchy I felt like a terrible undercover NCR MP.

“Right, you seem fatigued by combat, you’ll be glad to know High Command is giving you leave for an extended period.” The colonel raised her brow at me.

“Thank you mam, I’ll be sure to use it wisely.” Damn wisely at that, to get as much information about the empire as I could and find a way to relay it to my father. With a final nod we were ushered into the Vertibuck. I found the best seat I could considering the cramp quarters and the bulkiness of our armor. The bird roared to life the rotors spinning until they were a blur to the eye.

“Alright, all little fillies and colts strap in were taking off…now.” I felt the entire thing lurch upward. My stomach dropped to my hooves and I felt my world tilt as the bird took to the sky. The side doors slid closed revealing a side long rectangular window to look out off.

“Oh, I want to see!” Lemon got off her seat and parked herself next to the window. I didn’t think flying would feel this…weird. Flag like always seemed unphased staring at nothing. I decided to get up and just lay on the metal floor.

“Hah, first time flier?” the pilot chuckled looking back at me. the copilot kept his eyes on the instruments.

“Y-yeah, Rangers don’t usually fly.” I felt so damn weird! Maybe this was how Pegasi felt when first learning to fly.

“Don’t worry you get used to it.” The pilot looked forward again and I dared not gaze at the top of the buildings.

“How long until we get there?” I muttered looking at the floor ignoring Lemon gushing about the skyscrapers and the view.

“Our ETA is thirty minutes, we got to keep out of sight of Zerba AA. These striped fuckers like to hide with their stealth cloaks on buildings and bring down aircraft.” The pilot grumbled.

“Oh, sorry to hear.” I felt yet another reason to clear the striped menace from the empire.

“Don’t you worry about it; old Flak Magnet will take care of you.” The pilot chuckled good naturedly.

“Flak Magnet?” I raised my head just to make sure I had heard that right.

“Yeah, he got that name from flying four missions, being shot down all four.” The co-pilot laughed while Flak glared at his partner. I just begged Celestia to get me the hell off this thing and be back on sweet ground. To pass the time, I turned where the pilots couldn’t see me and began messing with the magi-tape. I took my helmet off and used the transmitter wires to hooked it up to the tape. Turning on the transmitter I began hearing the report.

“This is Colonel Starfire 12^th Regiment Fourth Army Group. As of 1200 hours we have successfully repelled the Zebra incursion on the Ironshod Storage Site. What follows is the condense report of the casualties and followed up…expense of the fight.”

“Eight thousand K.I.A.”

“Fifteen thousand Wounded.”

“Three hundred M.I.A presumed captured.”

“Five AWOL.”

Figures on munitions and equipment lost used followed. Though I barely listened thinking of eight thousand dead holding this site. So many dead, for a war they didn’t know was over and done with. Thinking about this gave me a rebellious thought. What if I just spilled the beans to High Command? Told them the war was over, told them we all lost. Everypony and Zebra lost, and that Equestria was now a far different place than their ancestors remembered. I shook my head, that was ridiculous and stupid that wouldn’t stop the violence. If anything, the confusion and shock might just cause chaos. Oh right, the tape, I hit the rewind to return to the point I stopped listening.

“…I cannot forget, if anything I’ll be damned sure to let everpony in this council know. Thanks to the Steel Rangers coming in with the shock and awe we were able to force a major push. Still, our morale had to have been the lowest in months. When this Corporal Valiant Knight spoke to our ponies. Well I’ll be damned if even I felt something stir in me. With this push, we are now set to launch a counter attack on City 6. Scout reports the Zebras are moving into the city and setting up in key locations with tactical advantage. I will await word from the eight Regiment and sixth Regiment before getting council permission to launch our counter attack. This concludes my report, Colonel Starfire signing out.” I neighed and stuffed the tape into my saddle bag. I rewired my helmet put it on and talked through the radio only.

“Flag, Lemon I don’t know what to do here. Why the hell did my father put me in charge?” I cursed both annoyed and sad at the situation.

Flag let out a yawn raising his hoof to the mouth of his helmet. “He didn’t” he shrugged a hoof.

“What? Then why did you?” I snorted angry, why the hell did he throw such a responsibility on me?

“Because I can’t make the necessary call, I’m a soldier I don’t do good with talking my way out of things. I can lead you through a firefight and hold a position. But I don’t do smooth talking.” Flag pointed a hoof at me. “You got an entire regiment, scare shitless I might add to charge with you. Trust me kid you got this, just do what you think is right and Lemon and I will support you.”

“That’s right, I volunteered for this mission for you Valiant.” Lemon walked back to sit by me on the Vertibuck’s floor, while I gaped at her.“I saw your eyes when you were looking for Star Paladin Heavy Arms. Worst you lost your entire squad…that’s. Well that’s a lot of stress to bare, so I thought I could help. We are comrades after all, so if you need anything you can count on me.” She put a hoof on my shoulder and a warmth spread down my back.

“Lemon…thank you.” I raised my own hoof to put over hers.

“Alright you two, don’t start making out with everypony here.” I could hear the smirk on Flags voice. Lemon snatched her hoof away and I sputtered glaring at my father’s friend.

“Oh, bite me!” I muttered, and I laid my head against the floor. The rest of the ride was silent, with just the chatter of the pilots talking through their transmitters.

“Alright, were here, if you never seen the view now’s your chance.” Flak looked back at us. My ears perked up. I stood up, only to wobble feeling my body protest begging for actual sleep now. I felt my head throb, but I shook it off and moved to stand by Lemon. Despite feeling ill from lack of sleep, I saw the faint wisps of light filter through the windows, the sun just now began to rise. I hopped up to the window, and my jaw hit the floor…whoa.

City 12 loomed ahead, just like when I gazed at the empire from the hill. I could see the city section divided in a slice of a big pie. The wall cut the city off from the rest, rising in three sections meeting at the castle inside the secondary shield.Every sky scraper was intact, windows pristine and clean, hell I saw a few pegasai fly about cleaning windows. Straining my eyes, I saw the streets crowded ponies dressed in every manner of clothes foreign to the wasteland. Not one of them wore armor. I wondered if any of them were even carrying weapons. The vertibuck began dropping altitude drawing us closer to the spectacle of city 12. As we flew between the huge buildings I noticed ponies in their offices going about their business. Peering towards the city streets I saw no weapons on any pony we flew past. we swerved between row of buildings where I noticed a Ministry Hub. I moved to the other side to get a better look, and the party balloon sign told me all I needed to know.

“Flag you have to see this!” I looked to my…friend? I wondered about that, he was my fathers friend. But Flag always acted like an uncle. An estranged uncle who visited rarely but there none-the less.

“Sure,” he stood up and looked out the window with me. Flag let out an impressed whistle and tapped his hoof on the glass pointing. A billboard was being put up, of a pony reclining on a velvet lounging couch. The Pegasus had yet to finish the face, so I couldn’t see who it was. But it was advertising a concert, from the unfinished letters I managed to make out ‘ra live.’ The billboard passed us, and we ogled other signs, apartment buildings and store fronts. I noticed a Robronco store advertising combat robots as home security. I hopped down and moved towards the pilot seats staring out the cockpit. I managed to gather our destination as we headed to the only building with a landing pad. It was huge, built of dull grey concrete with little to no windows. If they could be called so, small ports way above pony height. The perimeter around the building walled off from the rest of the city with two soldier ponies standing outside a gatehouse. Several military wagons were parked inside the perimeter with soldiers patrolling the area. On the wall above an entrance was a huge red flag with Celestia’s sun. We made it, and I nearly face palmed, I forgot to come up with an answer about outside the encirclement. Shit I really am not good at this spy stuff, well I wasn’t a spy per-say. I just happened to be here for an additional motive besides helping the locals.

“This is Centurion 03, we are here with priority pick-ups. Are we clear for landing?” Flak put a hoof to his transmitter. “Copy that, will move for re-tasking after drop off, Centurion 03 out.” The Vertibuck slowed down touching down with only the slightest lurch.

“Alright passengers were here, check your gear and don’t leave anything behind.” Flak’s co-pilot whose name I forgot to ask waved us out. The doors slid open and I moved to hop off thanking Celestia for solid ground. From the rooftop entrance a mare dressed in a military uniform. Although this one had a skirt for some odd reason, whatever I supposed, greeted us and shook our hooves rather excitedly.

“Welcome! I know you all must be tired, but please bear with us for a moment longer. After you deliver your report to the Council, we have set you up on the Cadence-tops! Best hotel in all of City 12! All the big wigs and celebrities get to stay there.” The pony gushed about some of her favorite stars for a moment. I coughed awkwardly to try and get a move on. “Oh, right sorry, please follow me! oh and I was informed you had a report from Colonel Starfire. Please give it to me.” I nodded and handed her the magi-tape, then she turned around and we followed. “Oh, I like your armor colors by the way! The black and red, and the red splotches really make you look scary!” She gushed and waved one of her hoofs excitedly at us.

“Color splotches? This-” Lemon tapped my shoulder and shook her head. “Right yeah…color splotches.” She didn’t this was dry blood.

“So…did you think about what to say to them?” Lemon spoke up over the radio.

I sighed, “not a damn clue.” I glared at Flag not that he’d see it through the helmet.

“Well I got something if you want to use it,” I hope eternal blessing fall on Lemon!

“Please tell me, I don’t know what to say!” I neighed frustrated and freaking tired!

“Okay, its easy, tell them we were deployed from Shatter Hoof. We were on border patrol and got rerouted for new tasking.” Lemon’s idea wasn’t bad, but I also wondered if they will buy Rangers being on standard patrol. From what I understood, our order was heavily involved in the fighting. If not on the Zebra homeland, then here in Equestria.

“That isn’t half bad, but how about we tell them we were running ops in the Zebra jungles? Might sound more convincing than patrol duty for Rangers.” I felt my suggestion spiced up the boring patrol unit thing.

“Yeah, sounds good, I just hope our stories match with Star Paladin Heavy Arms.” Lemon had a point, father wasn’t planning on this, this sprung up on the spot and we weren’t prepared to get imbedded with the Equestrain Fourth. I would need to contact him as soon as possible.

“Alright, Council is waiting for you in here.” The receptionist mare stoped by some big double doors. I thanked her, and we entered inside to a poorly lit room. There was a round desk almost closing around us. There were five chairs, in key places around the circular table all empty. However, there were terminals screens looking into the circle with blank screens. There were no windows in the room, just hanging lights. The walls were a dull grey, only livened up by framed news articles and pictures of officers and soldiers. On the two corners at the far end of the room were two flag poles. One bore Equestria’s colors, the other I did not recognize, by the Snow flake design I could only imagine was the Empires.

The monitors suddenly turned on, with the word ‘connecting’ on them. After a few minutes several pony faces showed up on the screens, though one of the monitors remained blank. Also another had no video feed it only read Audio Only.

“Princess Cadence once more regrets her absence. She is tending to the shield, she has sent me in her stead as a liaison. Hello newcomers, my name is Agent Grumpy, welcome to the Crystal Empire.” The voice from the Audio Only screen sounded youthful, and not grumpy at all.

“Yes, thank you agent Grumpy, my name is General Sherman, and these are my command staff, Lieutenant General Chi-Nu and Major General Panzer Aus.” The General introduced everypony from his position right of Grumpy onward. The general left of Grumpy was an old Stallion, with light brown fur and cropped grey mane and neatly trimmed beard. Lieutenant General Chi-Nu on the other hoof was mare, her face had lines of stress and age, she had lavender colored fur, her mane was swept back into a bun with grey streaks contrasting bright red. Finally, Major General Panzer Aus, who’s name sounded very aggressive I might add, was a black Unicorn, he was bald at the top of his head, his mane instead neatly cut and cropped at the sides of his head. Unlike the others he had a disfiguring scar across the right side of his muzzle like his cheek had been sliced through.

“Thank you, Generals, and Agent Grumpy, my name is Sergeant Valiant Knight.” I glanced to my companions raising a hoof to Lemon. “This is Private Lemon,” I pointed to Flag “and Corporal Flag. Were from the Ministry Manehattan Hub.”

“Manehattan? Tell me, how goes the other fronts?” General Panzer Aus voice was rough and forced. I summarized the Stallion had a wound that made it hard to talk.

“I couldn’t say, last I heard we were still engaged across the border and pushing back Zebra invasions.” Well that was vague and broad. But I also couldn’t be expected to bring in a full report of the whole damn conflict.

“I see, tell me we suffered a major megaspell attack, how does Equestria fair?” General Chi-Nu looked down bringing up some spectacles to put on.

“I…we,” I felt sweat drop down the back of my neck. I wasn’t expecting that question. Shit I should have expected that question! “We also suffered a Megaspell Attack, they…took out Cloudsdale. I think we also suffered a detonation in Fillydelphia from an inside bomb.” I put a hoof to my heart and did what I hope was a convincing mournful tone. [Smooth Rambler] “Though even when hurt, we have continued fighting. Princess Celestia and Luna have launched a new offensive. That’s why were here, to relieve the Empire.” Okay maybe I was better at thinking on my hooves than I thought.

“Then I hope whatever deity protects the Zebras has mercy on them, because we won’t.” General Panzer Aus spat with a bang of an unseen desk.

“What about the encirclement, are their reinforcements waiting to join you?” General Sherman just kept making me stumble.

“Y-yeah, but we can’t fight our way through the blizzard. It has been going for months. Zebras keep destroying our heavy weapons.” I really was just pulling things out of my ass at this point. “So, until they break through were alone.” The Generals went silent, they seemed to be in deep thought. Flag patted my side and I looked to him. He motioned silently at Agent Grumpy’s screen. The screen had lost its previous Audio Only text and replaced by something new. I narrowed my eyes and felt the urge to run out of here.

[I KNOW THE THRUTH]

“Very well, that’s enough for us to go on. We need to secure our position before we can begin a push from our side of the encirclement. I hope you and your Rangers are the right ponies for the job.” I nodded this was a way into the shield after all. The screen changed text and I pursed my lips into a thin line.

[WE WILL MEET SOON BEFORE YOUR FIRST DEPLOYMENT AWAIT MY CONTACT]

That wasn’t very helpful, what contact? Who would we be meeting? I couldn’t very well ask. This Agent Grumpy was playing this one close to the chest. “Would there be anything else Generals?”

“No, I think we have what we need. We will go over the repots from various fronts, we will inform you of your assignment as soon as we are able to. For now, there is a wagon waiting for you outside. Please enjoy your stay in City 12 soldiers. You earned the rest.” I saluted as did my companions, the screens turned off leaving only Agent Grumpy. He didn’t speak, but his text changed once more before the screen turned off.

[MY AGENT WILL MEET YOU AT YOUR HOTEL, THE PASS CODE IS DEAR FRIENDS REMEMBER THE CRYSTAL CELEBRATION]

“That…doesn’t bode well.” Lemon stated what I’m sure we all felt.

“Grumpy knows something the others don’t, worst he seems to hide it from the others.” Flag put a hoof to his chin. “Now this may sound bloodwing-shit-crazy. But Grumpy might be from outside the Shield.” Flag’s theory didn’t hold any merit, the only thing we had to go on was the message of knowing the truth. But for all I know Grumpy could simply be talking about something else. Then again what else could there be? The one truth behind this war is that it’s been over. A soft knock made us all turn to the double doors. The receptionist pony poked her head in and asked us if we were ready.

“Yeah, let’s go everypony.” I sighed, and we followed her outside to two wagons. One was a civilian wagon. It was all black, but the license plates were military with Equestrian insignia on it. Another was a loading wagon with a flatbed. Two soldiers with three other unicorns stood by the loading wagon, when they noticed us one of them came to us excited.

“Hey there sir! My name is Fixer. These are my colleagues Screws and Bolts. We got assigned to recover your armor and have it ready for your next deployment.” Right, we got told my armor would be taken cared of by the logistics division.

“All of our armors?” Lemon asked with a squeak.

“Yes mam, don’t worry we’ll take care of it like it belonged to us.” Fixer and his friends all nodded eagerly while they climbed on board the flatbed.

“I-I don’t know I mean we can take care of it ourselves, right?” Lemon looked at me for help.

“Sorry, but if you’re on leave you aren’t allow to carry weapons…Power Armor is included in that.” Fixer shrugged apologetically. “There was an incident back before the shield came up in the E.C.Z, some drunk soldiers fired on civilians. That wasn’t the last of it and now only on duty personnel in clear combat armor can carry weapons.”

Well, that sucked, I wasn’t particularly fond of having somepony else handle my boy. Yes, it’s a boy and I haven’t come up with a name for him yet.

“Fine by me, just don’t you dare scratch or change the paint on my Sasha.” Flag warned, before his armor parted and stood to its hind legs. Flag exited his armor and I noticed he had bruises on his face. He shook his body and stretched popping his joins. “Shit! I forgot how stiff you get after a while in armor.”

I followed suit exiting my armor, the cool air of the city hit my face and the once filtered noise now filled my head. Thankfully the walls of the compound mediated the full force. Hooves trotting wagons roaring on the streets, I never heard so much activity in my life! I flatten my ears against my head for moment getting used to all the noise.

“Okay, I’m keeping my saddle bag though.” I moved to my armor and unhooked the bag with my mouth. I threw the built-in strap over me and shimmied the bag down to my flank and my comrades did the same. With that done I moved to the black wagon just wanting to find a bed to plop face-down onto.

“Mam?” Fixer looked pointedly at Lemon, she was quiet and still in her armor.

“Lemon, you okay?” I trotted to her, I tried putting a hoof on her shoulder, but her armor reared up and opened to let her out. It had occurred to me I haven’t seen her out of her armor, I wonder what she…whoa. She was small, well at least smaller than me and Flag. Just beneath our chins really, she had a soft green almost yellow coat. Oh, like a lemon, and soft blue eye that seemed to look happy without meaning too. She had a horn…wait what? I blinked once…twice and yeah, no it’s a horn. Lemon is a Unicorn. There weren’t Unicorn Rangers for a few reasons. One of them being the mentality needed to use power armor. The other well yeah, the horn. It wasn’t made with a unicorn in mind, to put it bluntly unicorns didn’t fit earth pony fighting. As a Ranger we act as heavy ordinance a hammer to an anvil. A Unicorn with the precision of magic might be considered the scalpel. They didn’t need battle-saddles like we earth ponies do, Power Armor was to take advantage of the innate earth pony strength.

“Well, that explains the plates,” Flag muttered and dutifully went into the black wagon. Lemon walked up to me eyes downcast.

“Are you going to tell S-Captain Heavy Arms?” she rubbed one foreleg over the other.

I couldn’t help it, I was not the best at being social with anypony! “You’re cute.” It just slipped out and Lemon quickly looked up eyes wide.

“H-huh?” She stammered.

“I, shit no I meant to say. No, I won’t tell but, well I do want an explanation later.” Smooth, I coughed into my hoof trying to regain my composure.

“S-sure okay, uhm, we should go.” She walked around me and entered the wagon. I stayed there a little longer willing my body temperature to return to normal. With a sigh I looked to Fixer and his friends load up the armors and strap them to the flatbed.

“Don’t you worry, they’re in good hooves!” Fixer and his friends waved a goodbye at me. Well at least it wasn’t awkward, they either didn’t notice or decided not to comment on what just happened. I entered the car and sat down next to Flag. Lemon had made her way to the seat at the far end of the car not looking at my direction.

I just made it awkward…great.

“you know, your old man blurted out something like that to your mother when he met her.” Flag smirked and elbowed my side; my eyes went wide and I looked at Lemon on instinct. She had done the same and we both turned away quickly. Flag laughed aloud and leaned back on his seat, while I desperately distracted myself with City 12 passing us by.

We arrived at the hotel at least half an hour from the Council Building. The wagon parked with my window facing the grand building. I gazed up at the huge white hotel, the front entrance had its own driveway. Ponies in red uniforms waited duly for…well I don’t know. They waited anyways I could only guess they worked here. An archway extended from the entrance with marble pillars depicting art on them. Several potted plants lined the walkway with a crowd of ponies gathered at either side. I guess it was a busy day? When the wagon rolled to a stop, the driver was quick to exit and open the door for me. I stepped out and the gathered ponies looked towards me.

“Are you Valiant Knight?” Sompeny in the crowd called out.

“Yeah?” I wondered who these ponies were? Just as I wondered they brought up several cameras and I felt like a flash bang was detonated right in front of my face. I flinched and rubbed my eyes as the ravenous crowd only held back by a red velvet rope bombarded me with questions.

“How does it feel to be a hero?”

“Where is your unit and will they be deployed soon?”

“Valiant do you have a special somepony?”

“Do you prefer Sparkle-Cola or Sunrise Sasparilla?”

I just pushed forward, I learned from Ironshod to just nod politely to the questions. Flag came up behind me and stood by my side with Lemon scurrying behind covering her face from the flashes. I reached the hotel entrance, the doors opening automatically to let me inside to thankfully no more camera ponies. I blinked away the spots in my vison when a pony in a suit and tie came up to me.

“Ah Welcome to the Cadence-Tops Hotel esteemed guests. We were informed of your arrival and have the Penthouse ready for you. Please do not worry about the room service and minifridge. It has all be paid for by the Equestrian and Imperial Government Council.”

I nodded thanking the pony for the information, but I quickly lost track of whatever else he said because this place was amazing! The first-floor ceiling alone was high up several chandelier lights filled with colorful gems dotted the cieling. The walls were a royal lavender, with snow flake patterns. The corners of the walls were plated with silver with intricate designs on them. A set of automatic stairs following the same color scheme as the walls ascended to the second floor, with its twin next to it for gong down. I felt like I just walked into Tenpony Power in its prime, I never in my life witnessed anything like this. I was so used to the wastelands ugliness, remnants of Pony Civilization. Yet here I stood, as if I just stepped into world before the war.

“Heh, yes the Cadence-Tops Splendor has this effect on newcomers.” The suit pony smiled waggling his eyebrows at me.

“Yeah, this place is amazing, compared to the crap hole that’s Manehattan.” I quickly closed my mouth.

“Yes, well perhaps i’d have put it more eloquently, but City 12 is far lovelier sight. It is built with Crystal Pony ingenuity as well as Equestrian. The best of both worlds wouldn’t you say sir?” The pony waved his hoof at the gallantry of the room before looking at me.

“Yeah, it certainly a sight to behold.” I covered my mouth letting out a yawn.

“Ah forgive me, I shan’t keep you any longer I forget you come from the front. Please enjoy all the Cadence-Tops Hotel have to offer.” The pony gestured to one of those red uniformed ponies to come over.

“At your service sir!” the pony straighten up proudly.

“Please take these esteemed guests bags to the penthouse floor.

“Yes sir!” The pony lifted his hat to reveal his horn with a white glow he lifted our saddle bags and floated them above him. “Please follow me!” he cheerfully led us to an elevator at the far-left end of the room. The elevator was just as decorative as the main hall with gems and intricate patterns on the walls. After a few minutes we reached the top floor, the elevators doors opened to a long hallway lined with pillars depicting various engravings of Equestria and the Empire respectively. The pony stopped before a set of double doors and lifted a keycard to a scanner at the right side of the door frame. The door unlocked, and the door knobs were wrapped in a white telekinetic sheath. He opened it to our very own living quarters.

Is everything here overdesigned and fancy?

I already felt the novelty of the splendor wear off, while I didn’t think it by any means ugly. It quickly loses its splendor when everything is so flamboyantly designed. The room, or more like an apartment really, was spacious with a lavender carpet floor. The living room had a huge floor to ceiling window stretching from wall tow all overlooking city 12. Lemon looking over our previous awkwardness trotted to the window to stare out of it. Flag on the other hand movedstraight to the self-serve minibar with various alcaholic brands all very expensive I was sure just left of the entrance.

“Man, this…this is something.” I looked around the spacious living room, white couches and snowflake lights hanging above. To my right was a spiral stair case. While to the left two closed doors lined the equally decorative lavender wall. A kitchen with black appliances was at the left near the fireplace.

“Where would you like your bags sir?” The pony chirped and walked to stand by the white couch.

“The couch is fine.” I nodded to him, he paused looking worried.

“Uhm, the bags could stain the ouch sir…they aren’t washed and are covered with red paint.” He pointed to the splats of…oh right it still had blood from the battle.

“Y-yeah sorry, just place them on the carpet by the couch then.” I looked around and moved to the couch just about ready to crash. The pony nodded and stacked the bags neatly by the couch. “Oh and thank you.” I added as an afterthought.

“No problem sir, the master bedroom is upstairs, and the other two rooms are to your right.” He bowed his head and moved to leave.

“Oh, hey is there somewhere I can wash my bag?” I asked him.

“We can take care of it sir, just call room service with any of the terminals inside the rooms.” He smiled waving off the idea of me washing my things myself.

“Alright thanks.” I nodded, and he bowed once more leaving and closing the door behind him.

“Oh, can I have the upstairs?” Lemon bounced in place before me.

“No, that’s Valiant’s he’s in charge he gets the officer digs.” Flag pipped up before he took a swig from a shot glass.

“Aww, alright.” Lemon’s ears dropped, and she lowered her head with a pout. Though to me she only looked cuter…okay yeah, that’s my cue to get some sleep now.

“Well, I don’t know about you guys, but I’m going to bed. I feel like I’m about to pass out.” I grabbed my bag and trotted upstairs. My bedroom had double doors, what was it with this place with and double doors? I pushed into my room and kicked the door closed behind me. I dropped my bag by the foot of the huge bed. I stripped out of my suit and crawled under the bed sheets and laid there for a moment. I sighed, I felt my strength leave me and my aching body begin to shut down. I groaned and laid on my back staring at the ceiling with small gems embedded in it. This was big, I knew that much but, now that I’m alone that I can think and there’s no immediate threat to my life. I thought about everything, the trip here, the battles I’ve fought b the Zebras I’ve killed.

I turned to my side curling into myself, and closed my eyes shut but as I did the screams started up again. Then the gun fire and then the explosions. Like a highlight reel being projected on my closed eye lids I could see myself sprint across the Smokey Ironshod tarmac. My heart pounding against my ears and the yells of ponies, the zebras like demonic beings charging from their lairs. Machinegun fire rained down like a reaper tearing ponies apart all round me. fear and anger mixed together, and the taste of metal filled my mouth. Blood, there was blood in my mouth, I stopped and looked around, but the ponies became a blur. Colors swishing about without form and the voices faded to screams. The gun fire faded, and screams grew louder, I tried stepping back but something grabbed my armored leg. I panicked bucking whatever the hell grabbed me. Something else clawed at my forelegs and I looked down, ponies, bits and parts of them. I stood atop a pile of bodies, pony hooves grabbed at my legs and I thrashed against them violently. But all it did was make me fall and have the monstrosities grab at me. I was being restrained my anger faded to an all-encompassing fear, I willed my minigun to fire, but it wasn’t there anymore. A hoof forced my muzzle to the ground. I found myself staring at Strider’s helmet, but that wasn’t right. He wasn’t at Ironshod. I trashed harder and I yelled every profanity I knew at the monsters keeping me down. My heart felt like it was about to burst, and I felt something wet between my legs.

I just pissed myself.

Fuck no I can’t die like this I tried pushing against the force on my muzzle willing me to look away. To keep me from staring at Striders helmet. The more I struggled the harder it pressed, until I felt my head threaten to cave in. With a loud rustic screech Striders helmet opened, I felt my mouth dry up. Strider’s flesh was rotting off his face, his eye sockets had maggots crawling in them, I could see the bone around his mouth, his teeth cracked and missing. The remains stirred shaking and twitching like it was being electrocuted.

“Run Valiant.” The mouth with no tongue spilling out maggots told me. I felt my body go still, I watched Strider crawl up to me his armor rusted and riddled with holes. Blood and maggots pouring from the wounds. I felt my face being forced up as Strider climbed atop me and held my face between his hooves.

“Run Valiant,” he uttered before twitching and then he screamed bloody maggots pouring from his gaping maw. I screamed in desperation, the maggots greedily poured into my mouth. I felt the maggots tear themselves into me burrowing into my insides. I felt thousands of bites as they ate from within, filling my stomach and gullet.

“Run-” Strider barfed up more blood-soaked maggots, and I gagged trying to scream before feeling something crawl up my gullet.

I opened my eyes the room was dark with only the faint glow of the gems embedder on my ceiling. I turned to my side and vomited my empty stomach. Nothing but pure liquid I dry heaved and yelled. The doors burst open and light flooded my room around a silhouette at my door, I scrambled trying to find a weapon, I was going to die! The sheets were wrapped around me restraining my movement and in my struggle I fell of the bed freeing a hoof to crawl away while my head threaten to split apart from the wailing of the dead.

“No!” I tried finding anything to hold as a weapon to fight off my attacker grabbing at me and pulling the sheets off. “No get off I don’t want to die Strider! Father! Help me!” I felt tears leak and my heart felt like it was trying to kill me banging against my chest. “Stop! Father, father! Strider help me please don’t let me die!” hooves grabbed my face and forced me to look at my attacker. As I did the room was lit up with the flip of a switch. Flag, he was panting with a bruise on his cheek his eyes bore into me I couldn’t read his expression, my vision soon began getting blurry. Flag wordlessly cradled me against his chest and I clutched him with every bit of strength I had in me. “Aaaaahhhh!!!” The scream tore itself from strained lungs, I wept loudly my body shaking with tremors. Flag hugged me close and nuzzled his face against mine.

I lost track of time, all I knew was that it was still daylight outside. With a final shutter passing down my spine I finally retreated from Flags embrace. He slowly let me get up keeping his hooves on me. I saw Lemon stand at the doorway with tears in her eyes looking at me sadly. Nopony said anything, I looked to my bed id ragged the sheets down with me, I also saw the wet spot where I threw up. Worst I saw the spot where I pissed myself. I looked down and brought my hooves up to wipe my face. I licked at my lips and tasted blood in my mouth. My tongue passed over where I bit my lip and drew blood. “I, I need to go to the bathroom.” I muttered and side-stepped Flag.

“Kid.” Flag turned to look at me, his eyes were confused unsure what to do.

“I’m fine now…sorry about that.” I pointed to his face, and Flag shrugged offering a small smile.

“Zebras hit harder.” He joked, and I chuckled, though my throat felt like I had swallowed glass. Lemon looked unsure between speaking and taking a step into the room. I looked at her and just offered her my best smile to comfort her. Though I’m sure she felt she should be the one to comfort me. I entered my rooms bathroom, just next to the closet. I turned the water on and just stepped into the stream. The water cleansed me of the grit and dirt of battle. Even inside a sealed suit sweat and blood from injuries got a pony smelling something badly. I only assumed nopony said anything out of being star struck. I chuckled, being a hero reminded me of the Light Bringer. What was her name? Littlepip, that’s right she disappeared after the attack on Neighvarro all those years ago. Wherever she is, I kind of want to talk to her. Maybe she would know how to deal with the sudden hero worship for something I felt anypony would do. Then again, even now the Wasteland was cruel, and war was hardly going away anytime soon. Equestria was always a battleground to one war or another.

It seemed after ponies waged the great war that nearly wiped us out, we got a taste for it. Now we seem to wage it everywhere we can. The Crimson Empire was its own set of troubles. I also knew enough about the NCR to understand why ponies were slow to trust their words. They were born out of a good idea, but so were the ministries and now they’re just decrepit buildings with ghosts of the past. I neighed rubbing my eyes, I still felt somewhat tired. But I wasn’t going back to sleep today, not after that. I finished my shower after a good scrubbing with soap, I used up the towels provided and exited the bathroom to find pony maids cleaning my room. I paused for a second, they didn’t seem to notice me, I looked down embarrassed when they switched the sheets. While looking down I noticed my saddle bag wasn’t in my room. I frowned pretty sure I brought it in, with a sigh I turned to the maids finding my voice and courage to speak.

“Sorry about the mess.” I tried rubbing one foreleg against the other. They turned to me and waved it off telling me they would be done soon. I nodded and went back into the living room, it seemed my companions weren’t going back to bed either. Lemon was sitting over a pile of things on the couch, one of those piles looked very familiar. I went to sit by her looking around for Flag who had disappeared on us. When I sat down next to her Lemon looked to me and seemed to freeze in place. An awkward silence started between us and I wasn’t sure how to break it. I glanced at the pile of stuff to finally notice it was our stuff outside the saddle bags. At the top of my pile was the memory orb from Ironshod.

“Hey, did you see it? The memory orb that is.” I pointed to it.

“Yes, by accident though, I didn’t know you had it so when my magic touched it I kind got sucked in.” Lemon gave a sheepish smile. “Oh, also please don’t think I was going through your stuff, it’s just I called for laundry to be done so I emptied our saddle bags to let them wash them.”

“It’s okay, you don’t seem like the snooping type Lemon.” I offered a smile of my own. I felt the awkwardness melt away and I felt at ease next to Lemon.

“So, what’s inside it?” I asked her while I stood back up and grabbed the orb I returned to my sit placing it between us.

“Want to see for yourself?” she asked with a glint to her eyes. I raised a brow and pointed a hoof to my hornless head.“Don’t worry, I know a spell to let you access a memory orb experience through me. Just hold still okay?” Lemon closed her eye and a light-yellow glow enveloped her horn. “Okay are you ready?”

I took a deep breath and let it out. “yeah, go ahead.”

“Okay, here we go.” A light flashed, and I felt my entire self-disappear in a disturbing way only to feel myself reappear somewhere else.

I wasn’t sure where I was, it was a room a crystal room at that with brilliant crystal walls. I was a Stallion though I couldn’t tell much beyond that as the pony I was inside didn’t look at himself. When the pony finally moved his head, I could feel warmth spread across my chest. Love, and admiration when my eyes fell on an alicorn. She was a light pink with colorful hair. She wore a crystal crown and clothed herself in an elegant dress.

“Shining Armor, what are you doing here? We have guests from Equestria and the Zebra Empire. They want to know where my husband is.” The Alicorn’s voice was regal yet gentle, she carried a gentle sort of authority that brought a bit of shame to my host. By extension me, but still Shining Armor bowed his head to the Alicorn.

“I’m sorry Cadence, I had to attend an important matter, here let me show you.” I felt the foreign effect of magic on my head. Or rather the horn this pony had, little by little I felt pieces of metal clamp around my body. Each piece seeming to seal around me all ending with a helmet forming around my head.

[X-02 MAGICAL UNICORN POWER ARMOR ONLINE]

“Oh? Is that what I think it is?” Cadence, princess Cadence but to Shining Armor it was just Cadence. I recalled that they were married.

“Yes, Twilight sent me some of her best staff and the Arcane Sciences hub here was finally able to adapt a power armor model for unicorns.” I felt pride fill Shining Armor, and I wondered what his relationship to Twilight Sparkle was. She knew him well enough to send him resources and invest into Unicorn power armor. “With this I can feel it, we can turn this war around and start pushing against the Zebra Empires heartland.” Through his feeling of glee, he didn’t see Cadence’s mood shift. Though it was hardly noticeable I was able to detect her position slouch and her eyes look downcast.

“I know, I know why the Zebra delegates are here, or why you want them there. But you know what they are going to ask. To join their side if not to at least to post sanctions on trade between Equestrai and the Empire.” Shining armor was getting angry, increasingly so but he was very good at concealing the rage inside.

“I know, but I will not allow that to happen, just as I won’t allow you to send our troops outside our borders.” Her response was as firm as if she were talking to one of her subjects. Hell, he probably was, and his powers weren’t as great as hers in terms of ruling. But then again, I’m just guessing.

“I know, but all the same if the Zebras decided to attack us for our gems. I’ll make sure were ready.” Shining armor sighed feeling the anger drain away. The two were silent for a moment before Cadence sighed.

“Would you turn that thing off now?” she gestured with her hoof to Shining Armor.

“Ah the recollection spell, yeah I’m done. I just wanted to use it to record the unveiling. Twilight wanted to see it. But I think I’ll wait for a more…formal occasion.” Shining armor said and just like that, the world went black.

I blinked and moved the moment I felt my self back into my own body. I stood up and shook my entire body for good measure. Lemon laughed into her hoof at me, but I didn’t care I just needed to feel in control of my actions again. “That…that was weird. I had no idea how it would feel looking into one of those things.” I shuttered before sitting down next to Lemon again.

“Don’t worry its always weird for the first time.” Lemon assured me before taking the orb. With her mouth and put it back on my pile of stuff.

“So…Lemon mind telling me how you sneaked your way into the Rangers?” I had nothing else to talk about and I figured I might just get this out of the way.

“Well the how was easy enough, the way is something else altogether.” Lemon returned to sit by my side. Doing so she looked out of the window quietly before speaking again. “I wanted to be Ranger since I was a little filly, my mother was a Ranger, as was my grandad, but when my mom married a unicorn. Well here I am, and I was told unicorns couldn’t be Rangers, we can’t interface properly with the armor.” She huffed and rolled her eyes. “So, I spent my time practicing in my mother’s armor, without the helmet of course, it wasn’t until I got older and was taught spells by the head scribe that I formed the idea to join the Rangers.” Lemon closed her eyes and her horn glowed for a moment before disappearing all together.

“Whoa!” I leaned back before bringing a hoof up, she opened her eyes and then moved her head closer for my hoof to tap her horn. She hid her horn! That was freaking cool I had to admit, kind of like how Applejack hid the secondary shield from us.

“Yep, something I worked up myself, a spell to reflect light and essentially become invisible. But I use it a lower scale. Still keeping this for long periods of time gets tiring, so when I got my armor. Well you know the extra plates.” She smirked, and her horn faded into existence again. This was good, I really didn’t want to think about my nightmare and consequential breakdown. Lemon was nice to talk to, I almost fell as much at ease as I did with Strider.

It should have been me.

I flinched, and she noticed, “Valiant…” Lemon reached for me.

I stood up abruptly and just pretended she didn’t see anything. “Hey, I don’t know about you but I’m hungry. You wouldn’t happen to know how to cook would you?” I knew I could order food from the terminal. It was a given really, but I felt bad knowing how expensive everything here had to be.

“Sorry, if you want a mean bowl of boiling water, I’m your mare. Otherwise I got rations from our bags.” I groaned, I wanted real food, the dry rations we used when not on base were bland and honestly disgusting depending on what rations the scribes packed you. As if to answer our prayers, Flag came in with a servant pony rolling in a tray filled with food. Apples, hay and flower salad. I felt my mouth water and Flag chuckled seeing us look at the food like hungry Hellhounds.

“Come on and eat kids, old Flag brought the chow.” He gave a mocking bow waving his hoof elaborately at the food. I completely forgot my earlier thoughts about expensive food, and Lemon seemed to agree. I picked up the plate of hay, Lemon grabbed the flower salad, while Flag grabbed more hay and for good measure some whiskey from the bar to wash it down. While we ate we just talked about life, Flag opened-up more about his past though nothing too deep. I got a feeling there was a before Applejack’s Rangers he wasn’t willing to share. Lemon spoke about her mother, which I shouldn’t have been surprised was Elder Strawberry Lemonade. I had fun, I forgot most of my troubles and the mission at hand, it felt nice to just enjoy a day without having to worry about war. All in all, maybe today wasn’t going to be a bad day.

Level Up: 4

Perks: Bat Pony: Sleep? What’s that you certainly don’t need it, just rest your eyes for a few hours and you will have the energy of a party-mental hopped up colt! Just, you know, if you oversleep beyond a few hours, you will feel groggy and suffer a penalty to agility.

Author's Notes:

Oh boy this one was a long one! Anyways, please enjoy! The search for an editor continues! Also looking for an artist to help me spruce up my cover art! I love it but I hope to get more detail on the cover.

Chapter 6: Not What It all Seems

Chapter 6: Not what it all seems

After spending three days held up inside our suite I decided we all needed some fresh air. As well as spend some time outside without being shot at. Though despite my suggestion it didn’t stop the weary stares I got from Flag and Lemon. Seeing as to them I hadn’t slept a wink since the breakdown. I felt good, rested even, so long as I closed my eyes for a few hours I woke up refreshed. They only accepted my assurance with hesitant nods, still better I got some sleep than none.

“Wow, this place is amazing.” Lemon trotted in place excited, we found a local park near our hotel and thought it be a great place to relax.

“Hello Fillies and Gentlecolts, it’s your favorite host at your favorite station Frozen Thunder!” A Spritebot floated on by and stopped before me. “I have great news! It seems our hero and his friends are actually inside City 12!” The host played sound effects of thunder and a mare squeeing in delight. I cringed a little and looked around, nopony seemed to have noticed me.

“Now, now I know you all want to meet and greet with our hero and his friends. But please dear fans, our hero is here for some R&R. So, I won’t be revealing where he might be! But I will say the park is mighty fine for a trot today!” The tweets of birds followed his words by what I could only describe as a hellhound barking. I rolled my eyes, DJ-Pon3 didn’t need all this random sounds to keep us listening.

“Now then, on to more serious matters, the front has been pushed in our favor and we are now looking at a possible offensive against the striped menace. General Sherman when reached for comment stated, and I quote.” The host cleared his throat. “We intend to take full advantage of this second wind, my staff and Regiment commanders are hard at work as we speak.” There was a brief pause to let the words sink in. “Well, I don’t know about you all, but this is probably the giddiest I have ever been to hear from the old General. Finally, something that isn’t cracking down on us citizens just trying to live our lives.”

The host gave a hardy chortle, “furthermore curfew has been partly lifted, maybe thanks to our hero’s effort or maybe the complaining finally made the council budge and let princess Cadence pass her Grown up and Responsible act. Which of course dictates any stallion or mare above the age of eighteen can now be free to stay up all night if they so wish it. I for one am glad, as a Stallion on the prowl, I can finally go to our fine night clubs and be properly shot down.” The host laughed and banged his hoof against his desk. “But that’s my time for today, I would normally give you the weather, but our weather satellite is still down. We are still working on it and hope you can all be patient with us.”

Okay, I had a good laugh at that last part, now I knew who I took the Pegasus One from. I dismissed the Spritebot with the wave of a hoof and continued my relaxing trot, Lemon followed suit while she adjusted her uniform. “Seriously who thought of giving these uniforms skirts?” She grunted her magic enveloping the hem of the skirt and pulling it down on her body. “They keep riding up my hips and it feels weird.” Her beret slumped on her head she huffed and adjusted it as well with her magic enveloped around it. I found myself agreeing, my uniform was much the same, a white shirt with a black tie with a green blazer and Beret. Just you know, minus the skirt, but still seemed impractical to me.

While Lemon continued to fidget with her skirt, I gazed at the natural splendor of the greenery. Twenty years had done little to improve much of the Equestrian Waste, yet here untouched by the ravages of magical radiation and taint everything was green. Trees, soft grass beneath ponies’ hooves. And bushes with colorful flowers arranged almost like a rainbow by gardeners. A gazebo lied tucked between two trees, two lovers sat beneath its shade.

“Why are you blushing?” Lemon came up to me and I coughed awkwardly. I hadn’t realized only now noticing the warmth on my cheeks.

“Huh?” I fiddled with my tie and decided the sky was much more interesting to look at.

Lemon looked towards the gazebo and smiled “Wow, that must be an easy life huh?” I dared to look back and saw the lovers leaning against each other enjoying the quiet.

“Yeah…no fear of some junky raider shooting you in here.” I kept the words low enough for my ears only, Lemon didn’t need my pessimism.

“It’s sad isn’t it? We, well our ancestors were like this once. Just ponies going on about their lives.” Lemon turned to me eyes downcast.

I wondered about that, the war from what I knew brought many dissenting voices and the Ministry of Morale had to do more than ‘keep morale up.’ I just nodded, there were no words really to describe the disparity between these ponies and those in the Wasteland. Friendliness was common only in some places. Junction Town was a nice place from what I heard, but the farther you got from NCR influence the more it looked like the Wasteland my father grew up in. Unforgiving and filled with the mutated horrors of the waste.

“There you kiddies are!” I jumped a bit startled and turned to Flag, he wore a similar uniform, but he was much laxer than us. His tie was loosened, and he had the first three buttons of his shirt undone.

“Hey Flag, how did it go?” Lemon trotted up next to me, Flag had excused himself from us earlier saying he was going to gather intel on the situation here.

“Well, this place is certainly interesting, in plenty of ways and asking questions only made me look more out of place. But I got what I needed, come on let’s find somewhere to talk.” Flag walked ahead of us and we followed. We picked a secluded place surrounded by large trees with a stone bench and table by some high bushes.

Flag plopped himself down first, “alright so things here go like this.” Flag tapped the table and leaned forward. “Whole of the Empire, is currently run by the joint efforts of the Fourth Army Group command staff and Princess Cadence.” Flag drew a line with his hoof between Lemon and me. “However, depending on who you ask, either the Fourth or Princess Cadence really runs the show. So, last I heard The Command staff took over all day to day running of the Empire with Shining Armor at its helm.” Flag then pointed his hoof to Lemon, “While Princess Cadence is still the ruler on paper.” Flag pointed his other hoof at me, “her decisions need to run by the council acting as an advisory commission.” Flag brought his hooves together with a loud clop. “So, we got our divide between empire ponies and Equestrian Fourth.” The Flag just shrugged and leaned back on his seat “Well it used to be like that, till Shining Armor died when outside the Shield.”

“Okay, so the command staff just gave their position to their next of kin?” I rubbed my chin humming to myself.

“I’m guessing as much stopped asking questions when these ponies in suits started following me. I’m thinking Ministry of Morale types, ponies complain about them enough here.” flag grunted eyes shifting about looking for any eavesdroppers.

“Ministry of Morale agents.” I crossed my front hooves and leaned back on my seat. That radio pony had said the council had been cracking down on ponies. My guess? Looking for spies, dissenters and, maybe even sympathizers to the Zebras. A whole city literally living through what those rotted posters in the waste said. Pinkie Pie is watching you forever, I shivered thinking how creepy that poster was now.

I began to think of the NCR and if they would employ a similar approach with their war against the Crimson Empire. I somewhat knew how the NCR ran itself, with a president or two presidents? I was fuzzy on how that worked out. Old Griffon Gwadyna Grimfeathers and her daughter seem to run the NCR equally. But Gwadyna is the official leader of the NCR, and since they became the big power in the Wasteland it brought back something from the past. Well they brought many things from the past back but the two that most didn’t like were taxes and bureaucracy. I mean how they ever got anything done was beyond me. But here, the general atmosphere was the military was efficient and it acted swiftly.

“This place might as well be a big old Applejack Rangers chapter.” I leaned on my hoof a morbid smile on my face.

“Hey yeah!” Lemon excitedly clopped her hooves on the table. “The council is the paladins and Princess Cadence is the Elder.”

“Well I wonder about that” Flag leaned forward his eyes narrowed giving shifty glances around us. “I find it strange, but since the shield went up, Princess Cadence has never made a public appearance.”

“Well yeah, she needs to maintain the shield, doesn’t she?” Lemon shrugged.

“Remember what Agent Grumpy said, she had to attend the shield and she apologized for missing another meeting. That implies she has been to a meeting before.” Flag narrowed his eyes tapping his hoof to his head in the universal sign of ‘think about it.’

I suddenly didn’t feel as safe as I should have. Something fishy was happening here, and I had an itching urge to know more. “We…we should go back to the hotel.” I hopped off the bench, “I need to figure out a way to contact my father. Err Star Paladin-”

Flag quickly cut in, “relax kid, were under cover here just worry about their protocol not ours.” Flag grinned and patted my back.

“Right, sure, lets go then.” We walked down the main cobbled path that bisected the park into two. When we reached the exit, I glanced up. An archway was erected above the path reading ‘Spike the brave and glorious memorial park.’ I wondered who this pony was? Got a whole park named after him maybe he was a war hero. I looked back down to spot four ponies in black suits with discreet radio transmitters on their ears.

“Sergeant Valiant Knight?” one of them, a brown unicorn stepped up to me.

“Y-yeah.” I cursed for stuttering before a potential threat.

“We were ordered to escort you to the Castle for briefing.” The pony stepped aside to show a military wagon waiting for us. Another pony opened the door revealing luxurious lavender seats inside.

“Right come on guys.” I waved my comrades over, but the brown unicorn held up a hoof before us.

“Just you Sergeant,” he moved standing between me and my comrades. I suddenly really wished I had my power armor on. I felt like colt in comparison to the brown unicorn.

“Go on Sergeant, well be okay.” Flag gave a withering glare to the unicorn between us.

“Yeah, well see you back at the hotel.” Lemon peeked around the big unicorn and gave me her best smile. Seeing that smile really did make me feel more at ease.

“Alright, let’s go then.” I boarded to the wagon and all four ponies followed me inside. The wagon whirred to life and we drove off through the city. I looked behind us to notice three wagons in white and blue with flashing lights follow us. Turning back ahead another two white and blue wagons pulled up head of us.

“Security detail, better safe than sorry Sergeant.” The big unicorn grunted.

“Right” I would have made a remark about what Frozen Thunder said but, I got the impression they weren’t fans of him.

I looked out the passenger window taking in the sights. Various shops dominated the current streets from things like shoe shops to Robronco distributers selling robots and even gun stores promising military grade equipment. One store caught my attention, a placed called Rarity for You with hundreds of ponies lined outside by a picture of none other than Ministry Mare Rarity. We passed the store all too soon and the wagon turned down another road. The following street had a few food places but slowly gave way to apartment buildings. The ponies on this street looked less, well, glamorous in plain clothes or none. Quite a few glared at our wagons as we passed by. A mother even ushered her colt back into their apartment complex. I’m guessing this were the ponies Frozen Thunder spoke about being pushed around.

I was glad when we turned into a highway that gave way to the concrete jungle to some greenery. As soon as we cleared the city I got a good look at the massive walls flanking us. As tall as skyscrapers and only Celestia knows how thick, these walls casted an eternal shadow on the road and green fields. Even if I craned my neck up I couldn’t even begin to see the top through the window. I sat back admittedly impressed and dumbfounded. How did pony achieve such a feat of engineering?

The wagon slowed down I looked back ahead. Where the walls met was a military checkpoint two pillboxes with mounted automated turrets swiveled left and right. Just off the road two combat robots stood sentry. I put my hoof down on my tail to keep it from waging, those were two Ultra-Sentry combat robots! Packing a Gatling magical energy minigun and missile launcher each. A few soldiers stood behind concrete barriers left and right of the pillboxes. All that security to guard a massive gate easily fifteen meters high with red tinted lights lining the top of the door.

“Open up VIP is here!” A soldier hollered and after a few seconds the gate groaned to life. The door’s lights lit up flashing red followed by a blaring alarm. From the middle the door bisected into two, the opening mechanism almost as loud as the damn alarm. The blue and white wagons before us parted to the side to let us through. Slowly our wagon wheeled through the gates and I noticed just how thick the gate was! Easily 8 meters thick this thing looked like it could take a battle saddle mounted balefire launcher and barely leave a scratch.

The tunnel we pulled through had lights above illuminating the road. We spent almost three minutes inside the tunnel. I couldn’t begin to phantom just how thick this damn wall was. But, the light at the end of the tunnel came and we were on the other side, safe and sound if a bit awe struck on my part. I even turned around to look at the other end of the wall. It was a bit hard to tell but I could see where the castle shield met the wall, the shield perfectly melded into the mega structure.

Speaking of the castle when our wagon pulled up to it I was disappointed all I could see was the spire with the light of the shield at its head. Before me was that mega structure that was tacked on to the crystal castle. The outside looked intact with a path leading to a set of stairs with doubled doors with marble columns flanking the doors. I saw a few mister handy robots floating outside trimming the bushes of a nearby garden.

“This is retrieval team, VIP is here.” The big unicorn muttered his hoof to his ear before he opened the door and stepped out. I followed behind him and he pointed at the mega structure’s front doors. “Wait outside, Agent Grumpy will meet you there.”

“Alright,” I trotted up the stairs looking around the courtyard utterly empty beyond the few robots running maintenance. One of the doors cracked open and I jumped whipping my neck to look at the entrance. A Pegasus clad entirely in gold Pegasus power armor greeted my arrival. With his wings folded at his sides and the wing armor over them I couldn’t even tell the color of the pony. The usually orange insectoid eye pieces were a piercing red with his rebreather firmly on his muzzle. At his flanks were two magical energy rifles with blue gem tips.

“Come with me” The pony stepped aside using the armors scorpion tail to gesture inside. The door locked behind us with the loud thud of maglocks, I wasn’t sure what to really expect when I saw the building from afar. But creepy empty squeaky-clean halls were not. We walked the halls for almost five minutes the armor-clad pony quite as the grave. This place was worst than the Wasteland, there you expected places to be creepy, here things were so much more different this was unsettling at best and downright terrifying at worst. I was leaning towards the second as every step I took felt like I was being led to my own execution. We finally stopped in front of some double doors, a plaque at the of the right doors read ‘Security Council Room #425.’

“Wait here, I’ll announce you.” He swished his armored tail pointing at some nearby seats. He promptly opened the door and went inside. I sat on my haunches for a second before quietly moving up to the door and pressed my ear against it. I couldn’t hear a thing, probably designed that way now that I thought about it. I grunted and stepped back sitting on my haunches. Just what the hell was this place? I looked around some pictures were framed with ponies and the like. I moved to inspect the pictures on the left wall. The first one I saw was peculiar it was the picture of a dragon standing before a floating heart shaped crystal. It was a small dragon purple and green and he was giving a sharp toothed grin waving at the camera. I trotted to the next picture and I recognized Princess Cadence with a white unicorn stallion beside her. He had dark blue hair and incredible blue eyes. He stood proud in rather archaic armor his helmet tucked beneath his hoof. I looked down to the frame where it read Prince Shining Armor and Princess Cadence.

Oh, so this was Shining Armor he looked rather happy in the picture. My guess this was taken before the war and him and his wife began butting heads on the empire’s role in it. I stepped away and moved to the other wall to look at the other pictures. To my surprise there, standing before the stadium I had seen before were the Six ministry mares. Considerably younger they looked maybe about as old as me. they weren’t wearing anything except for big smiles, hard not to when you were with your best friends I suppose.

It should have been me.

I shook my head and did my best to quell the clenching pain on my chest. Strider, I wish we had a picture of us taken now. I’m afraid I’ll start forgetting how he looks like, I couldn’t possibly begin to wonder how I could deal with that. Maybe Lemon knows the spell to copy memories and I can have her make a memory orb with some of my fondest memories of Strider. Yeah, that made me feel a little better and dare I say it? I felt optimistic, yeah, I felt optimistic and I wouldn’t mind sharing these memories with Lemon actually. My heart beat faster at the thought I didn’t try to stop my tail from wagging this time around.

“Sergeant come in were ready for you.” I looked back to see Agent Grumpy poke his armored head out. I nodded and went inside. The room was like the conference room I first reported to high command to. Instead of screens however the Generals were personally there themselves.

“I-ouch” something pricked my neck “what the?” I rubbed my neck and looked to Agent Grumpy a syringe on the flat of his hoof. “Oh crap,” I felt the world tilt and my body felt like a ton of bricks. The world went dark around me.

It should have been me It should have been me It should have been me It should have been me It should have been me It should have been me It should have been me It should have been me It should have been me

I felt sluggish and moving made my head pound. “Oh, what the fuck?” I raised my right hoof to rub my head. My hoof felt heavier than usual, I squinted through a lingering fuzz before my eyes focused on a PipBuck strapped to my foreleg. I groaned and rolled to the side to get to my hooves only to have the ground rapidly rush to meet me. “ugh,” I tried to find the strength to get on all fours again. Slowly I raised myself up to get a proper look around me.

I was in some sort of lab, there was a terminal right next to the criminally small bed I fell from. Other type of lab equipment littered the room. My uniform had been neatly folded for me and placed on a table on the other side of the bed. Great this whole damn mission was already a bust knowing the truth meant ‘we know you’re a freaking spy’ I guess. Well putting the uniform on now was pointless, instead I checked the terminal see if I could maybe use it to contact Lemon and Flag. Send a message the to the room service terminals, if we could use it to contact the hotel services it could be contacted by me from here. I hit the space key and the screen lit up with text.

[TERMINAL ACCESS DENIED]

[VALIANT KNIGHT EXIT THE OPERATING ROOM AND FOLLOW HELPER TO AGENT GRUMPY]

The terminal refused any commands I tried, whatever encryption the terminal was coded with would not be broken without the use of my hacking module. My ears flattened against my head, then perked up in realization, wait operating room? Sweet Celestia I looked to my PipBuck rotating my hoof it was secured in place, thankfully not attached surgically. But getting this thing off would require a special tool. I looked around to see a mirror above a sink on the far end of the room. I trotted to it quickly hopped up to the sink and looked myself over. As far as I could see there was no sign of being opened on my neck face or chest. I hopped back down and looked myself over and nothing, I sighed and turned towards the door. Looking around the room there was nothing I could feasibly use as a weapon. I was completely at their mercy. With a grunt I walked towards the door opposite the sink and pushed it open. Outside floated a Mister Handy robot, its optical sensors turned, and its limbs rotated excitedly.

“Ah you’re awake sir! Follow me please!” The robot floated off and I trotted after it.

“Where am I?” The hall I was walking through was made of steel as was the grated floor. I felt like I was inside a stable.

“The Ministry Mega hub sir!” The synthetic voice was far too chipper for my liking.

“Oh, okay then where are you taking me?” I tired looking for any signs on the doors we passed but they were only numbered.

“To Agent Grumpy Sir!” the robot rounded a corner and led us to another identical door.

“In here sir!” the robot moved to the door and it slid open to reveal an elevator. I followed him inside and he pressed a button labeled LV10. We rode the elevator in awkward silence on my part for six minutes. This thing was giving general vague answers it was clearly instructed to keep me on the dark. If only I had my power armor, Id break out of this place in no time! The elevator doors opened, and I squinted a little as light filtered through windows lining up the hall. I saw the shield and the desolated cities all meeting here at the castle. Looks like I got moved to the other side of the hub, the robot lead me through more halls, these ones looking like the one I first entered the hub in. the doors we passed were regular wooden doors with plaques of ponies’ names. Offices for the ponies working here, yet still this place was creepily empty. The robot floated me down more freaking halls for another minute until I was back where I started.

“Are you shitting me?” I glared at the robot.

“I’m sorry sir I’m not properly program to respond to foul language. For instructions on how to enable the profanity recognition module please contact your local Robronco industries.” The robot lifted a claw as if to wave me goodbye and promptly floated on its merry way. Before I could even blink the door opened to Agent grumpy.

“Come in,” he opened the door this time wide open with the council inside along with a cloaked figure. I fixed my best glare and stepped inside the door closing behind me with Agent Grumpy standing guard in front of it. Everything was exceptionally quite not even the shuffling of papers, just five ponies against one. I swallowed a lump in my throat and tried steadying my heart that started beating against my chest erratically.

“Very well, I’ll start by saying sorry for having to sedate you, but this was necessary for security purposes.” General Sherman nodded his condolences to me.

“I think we need to bring up the wastelander up to speed.” The hooded figures voice was raspy, a familiar raspy I had heard before.

“W-what?” My mouth slacked open, this was insane they called me wastelander and that voice seriously only meant one thing. “You, with the cloak you’re a ghoul.” I took a step back and the figured chuckled the sound almost grating to my ears rasping out the chortles.

“Yeah, I am so I guess you won’t mind my appearance.” The hooded figure raised his hooves covered with gloves and removed his hood.

Holy shit.

The ghoul’s coat had missing patches his skin was a sickly pale color mixing with the white of his coat. Unlike most ghouls he still had blue mane and it hung around his muzzle. His eyes seemed to glow with magical radiation a soft unnatural green. The horn on his head was pure bone peeled free of skin sticking from his head. “Y-you’re Shining Armor.” I quickly closed my mouth and shut my eyes cursing my own stupidity.

“How do you know my name?” He glared eyes flaring with a murderous green glow.

Before I could answer I felt something sweep me off my hooves. A metal hoof planted itself on my head. I saw a gold blade flash before my peripheral vison before I felt it pressed against my throat. I felt my hind legs quake and it took all my self-control to not squirm.

“Think he’s a Zebra spy?” the modified voice of Grumpy was dripping with venom.

“No, I saw him in a memory orb.” I croaked out but Grumpy put more weight on my neck and I coughed violently trying to gasp for breath. I couldn’t help it my hind legs kicked out trying to buck him off only to meet against relentless steel.

“Nice try, let me cut his throat open and be done with it.” Grumpy pressed the blade closer to my neck.

“Enough agent! Let him up.” Shining Armor rasped banging his hoof on the desk. Far too slowly to my liking he let me up removing his hoof from my neck. I instantly gulped precious oxygen between coughs and slowly raised myself up again. Today was just not my day it would seem, being drugged potentially operated on and almost got my throat cut. I put a hoof to my chest trying to calm my racing heart.

Damn it, calm down don’t show them you almost pissed yourself!

“Okay, I’ll believe you heard my name in a memory orb, what was the memory about?” Shining Armor leaned forward his eyes seemed to glow brighter as he glared down at me.

“You,” I coughed and spit on the floor and promptly ignored Chi-Nu’s disapproving frown. “You were talking to Cadence.”

“Princess Cadence to you!” Shining Armor’s shout made everyone cringe and fold their ears against their skull. It was an awful sound like sand paper against the ears.

“Yes, princess Cadence you were showing her a prototype for unicorn power armor.” I shrunk beneath the fierce ghoul’s glare but to my credit I mustered a faint defiant glare of my own.

“…” Shining Armor’s silence hung in the air like an axe above my neck. He hummed a guttural sound that sounded more like an angry Hellhound. “Yes, I remember now, I don’t know how you got that memory orb. But I believe you, so then now that this… misunderstanding has been settled its time we briefed you.” Shining Armor turned to General Sherman.

“Right, first thing first we need to inform you about you and your Rangers situation. You were called here to assist in the liberation of The Crystal Empire. If you succeed you will be allowed to leave with your ponies back to the Wasteland.” The general cleared his throat. “That said, nopony and I mean nopony within the empire is aware of what has happened outside this shield. You are to keep it that way, revealing the state of the world to the public would cause massive panic and allow the Zebras a perfect opportunity to strike at City 12 and 13. Worst they could very well take the castle and that must not happen under any circumstances.”

“Wait if you knew all of this, why didn’t you say anything when we first met and gave me that message on the screen?” I lifted my PipBuck up to them, “also why the hell did you put this on me?”

“To answer your first question” Chi-Nu shifted her gaze towards me, “We must make sure nopony that is not directly involved with this council knows the truth about Equestria. We must take every possible precaution even pretending ignorance ourselves with any outsider we bring in.” She pointed to my new ‘accessory’ with narrowed eyes. “That is our insurance and your ensured cooperation.”

“What a bribe? Do you think we don’t have these in the Wasteland?” I rolled my eyes and scoffed at them.

“No, that PipBuck has been modified to deliver a signal to a micro explosive device surgically imbedded into your cerebral cortex.” Chi-Nu smirked.

I swallowed a lump on my throat slowly putting my hoof back on the ground. “I-I see.” Yeah definitely not my day.

“If you disobey Council orders reveal information to anypony we will execute the kill command and you will be dead in five seconds.” Agent Grumpy grunted trotting around me the scorpion tail on the armor swishing about menacingly. “Hell piss me off and I might send the signal myself.” Grumpy let out a rather dark chuckle.

“Don’t worry Agent Grumpy understands the situation were in, he won’t do that without orders.” Shining Armor’s assurance didn’t really make me feel all that better.

“Okay then, you got me on your leash what now?” I sighed my ears flattening against my head.

General Sherman stood from his chair to walk up to me. “We are running out of time and the Immortal Legion is making big moves, moves we thought ourselves prepared for. We cannot confirm what the Zebras are planning but they have been fortifying key positions and making a direct path towards the castle. More importantly they made a big push to take City 6. A push they succeeded in prior to your arrival, unfortunately we were expecting you to get here in greater numbers to break the Zebra encirclement. Instead we got a platoon that already suffered significant casualties. But we can’t be picky your actions have given us a distinct edge.” The General placed his hoof on my shoulder. “Listen son, I know you have no reason to like us at this moment, and we haven’t exactly given you the best first impression. But the truth of the matter is, were losing this war. You may say this war has been over, but here in the empire. Our home and where most of us have built new lives, the war is not over. I know keeping this secret wont last forever, but we need to keep this under wraps until we can eliminate the Zebra threat. We need to re-establish full operational control of the Empire and that means retaking key Cities. We can fix everything son, we can stop the Zebra menace here and now and heal all of Equestria.”

I looked down, we got tricked, I should have known. “What about Ministry Mare Applejack?” Despite everything I heard there was a fool hope she wasn’t fabricated as well.

“Why about her?” Shining Armor leaned forward.

“She sent the message and said I’d meet her.” I took a step from General Sherman to look at Shining Armor.

“…” Shining Armor looked away for a moment, “In time if you prove yourself I will let you meet her face to face. For now, she is where she needs to be to help the war effort.”

“Alright, I don’t really have a choice, but can I ask for some discretion at least?” I sat on my haunches and raised my hooves in a shrug.

“Regarding what?” Panzer Aus who had remained as silent as damn ghost finally spoke up. I almost forgot he was there, his voice almost sounded like Shining Armor’s, but it was due to his old wounds.

“My team, can I at least inform my two team mates about my situation? It would help me make things go smoother.” I gestured to Agent Grumpy, “Also can you keep this guy away from me?”

“How do we know they won’t reveal our secret?” Chi-Nu gave me a haughty glare, I raised my PipBuck at them and shook it.

“They are Steel Rangers they won’t endanger one of their own.” Agent Grumpy of all ponies seemed to support me on this.

“Very well I’ll allow it on my authority and you won’t have to worry about Agent Grumpy he is needed here.” Shining Armor waved away my concerns of the hostile agent.

“Anything else?” Panzer Aus nodded towards me.

“No,” I shook my head, “so what is it you want me to do exactly?”

Shining Armor nodded and crossed his front hooves, “good, down to business then, as you know we were meant to contact you through an agent, but while you were in Spike’s Park things have escalated. We had planned to move out in three weeks’ time. But we just got information that The Immortal Legion has moved to secure the roads leading to City 6. They know were coming and a delay will mean fighting a well-entrenched enemy. So, we already have 12^th and 8^th regiments on orders to move on City 6. Further objectives will be given once on the field. However, one of the primary objectives is to retake Meadowbrook Pharmaceuticals headquarters.”

“Can’t say I heard of that company,” I scratched my chin with my hoof trying to remember my pre-war companies.

“They work primarily under the Ministry of Peace, the potions you use can be attributed to them.” Shining Armor stood from his seat and placed his hood back on.

“All right, I got it retake Meadowbrook.” I lifted my PipBuck and moved to the data tab to see the objective be added to my to do list.

“The PipBuck will update accordingly when you are in the field. Now then you will be briefed about specifics when you are deployed. Your team will be moved to the base you first arrived on. You will be moved by Vertibuck to join up with the 12^th regiment.” General Sherman finished the briefing by nodding to Agent Grumpy. The armor-clad Pegasus opened the doors and signaled for me to follow.

“Remember Sergeant Valiant Knight, the fate of the empire is now in your hooves, do not disappoint.” Shining Armor’s eyes emitted a soft green glow beneath his cloak. The doors were wrapped in an equally dull green magical sheath before closing behind us. Silently I was taken back outside where a wagon awaited me. I was ushered inside just as quickly, and I was driven back to the hotel in silence. Which was fine by me, I had a lot to think about. The ride seemed shorter than before and I was dropped off at the Cadence-Tops. I made my way to the suite practically ignoring anypony in my way. When I entered the suite, I found Flag and Lemon jump up from the couch to see me.

“Kid! Shit you had me scared for a second I…” Flag snapped his mouth shut before shaking his head, “well doesn’t matter you’re here.”

“What happened? What were they talking about when agent Grumpy said he knew the truth?” Lemon gasped but before I could answer she grabbed my hoof and brought it up to her. “Wait where did you get this PipBuck?”

“Calm down Lemon, let him talk.” Flag chastised her with a roll of his eyes.

“Right, sorry go on.” Lemon let my Hoof go and I kind of missed her touch already.

Damn it not the time for that.

I shook my head and moved to the couch, “well to make a long story short, we got tricked into coming to the empire and you’re not gonna believe this, but Shining Armor is still alive!” I sat down and threw my hooves up in exasperation.

“What?” Lemon and Flag exclaimed sitting on their haunches before me.

“Yeah this…this is complicated, Shining Armor is a freaking Ghoul, and the council knows Equestria is gone and at least they know in general about the Wasteland.” I scratched the neck of my head and averted my gaze from them. “Also, this kind of means were stuck fighting their war or they send a signal to this PipBuck and blow my head off with an explosive embedded in my neck.” I waved my PipBuck at them.

“We need to contact the Star Paladin” Lemon held her head between her hooves her expression a mixture of horror and confusion. I didn’t blame her, I just unloaded a lot on them.

“No!” I jumped up and held her by the shoulders. “You do that they kill me! This stays between us and I’m pretty sure they’re spying on us right now. So, we need to play along.” I shifted my eyes to the table and made my way there. I took a seat and moved my hoof across the table spelling out letters.

I need to block the signal

“Look I know this isn’t ideal, but we can help these ponies, the ponies who just want this war over and done with.” I tapped the table a bit before making more letters.

We will contact my father later

“Alright kid,” Flag nodded “What now then?” Flag leaned his muzzle on his hoof.

“Were being deployed tomorrow, Zebras are on the move on City 6 and the Council wants it back in their hooves. We are also tasked with securing Meadowbrook Pharmaceuticals.” I looked both of my comrades over.

“Wait, I heard of that company used to make the potions for the Ministry of Peace.” Flag narrowed his eyes thumping the table with his hoof. “Why do they need one of their facilities back?”

“I didn’t ask I figured the same reason they wanted Ironshod supplies and asset denial.” I shrugged medical supplies were at stake and that was good enough for me.

“Still why would the council specifically call for it?” Flag leaned forward against the table.

“I guess you’re right, but I don’t think I’ll be seeing them again anytime soon. Anyway, were deploying tomorrow.” I slacked against the chair and rubbed my eyes. “We should enjoy the free time we have and get ready for tomorrow.”

“Alright kid, just...” Flag sighed and stood back up, “Just make sure you keep in mind why the council is specifically interested in retaking it.” Flag went to his room, Lemon left the suite wanting to go out for a last look at the city. I just decided to order food and spend the day listening to the radio and the music that DJ-Pon3 would die to have right now.

The day passed us quickly, I maybe slept two hours but felt as fresh as rain next morning. I found some ponies in suits waiting for us in or suite when I first left my room. They doled out new jump suits and they removed my PipBuck just for me to change and promptly placed it on again. Dressed we left the hotel to a roaring crowd outside. It appeared that our deployment wasn’t a big secret, everypony cheered and threw colorful strips of paper into the air. I didn’t know what the hell those were, but they sure looked festive. Lemon shyly waved at everypony and Flag just smirked at every mare that caught his attention. I gave polite waves and double timed it to our wagon. The trip was brief and uneventful, with the prospect of combat again we were all preparing for the possibility of death. I wasn’t sure what my comrades were thinking but I focused on my growing hatred for the Zebras and avenging Strider.

The base was just as swarmed by ponies as the hotel, soldiers kept everypony at bay while our wagon wheeled inside the compound and we were ushered to the landing pad above. A vertibuck was already roaring and waiting, we boarded the metal contraption and were on our way to Ironshod.

“Looks like we get to give you a second trip heroes,” Flak Magnet the unlucky smirk at us.

“Well let’s hope we make it one piece then,” Flag cracked a grin with an exaggerated shrug.

“Har har joker, just for that I won’t warn yah if we hit chop.” Flak grunted as he pulled us over the city walls and through the skyscrapers.

“Don’t worry at this altitude only thing to worry about is the Zebras.” His co pilot chuckled, the bird lurched forward, and I once again laid flat against the ground trying to keep my stomach in order. We arrived at Ironshod where it seemed less populated than before, Colonel Starfire was gone as was most of the 12^th regiment.

“Where is everypony?” Lemon asked while we walked from the Vertibuck to the main hangar. The wounded, medical staff and little security remained at the site.

“Oh? You’re the Rangers!” From the hangar a pony in an officer’s uniform trotted to us and motioned for us to follow him. He ushered us inside the hangar to the main command center abuzz with activity as ponies trotted to and from stations. “Sorry about the mess, the 12^th and 8^th regiments launched the operation some six hours before you came.” He gave us a sheepish grin before he led us through the chaos of ponies.

“Six hours ago, that soon?” I was expecting we would be part of the main assault.

“Yeah, Captain Heavy Arms and Colonel Starfire wanted to catch the Zebras off guard and attacked during the twilight hours.” The officer parted to show us our power armors while he took off in another direction wordlessly. Beside our armors a familiar pony sat on his haunches. He had a light brown coat and white over his muzzle he wore equestrian green armor and a dirty blonde mane stuck out from beneath his helmet I’d know that stallion anywhere.

“Trapper?” I couldn’t help the smile, I moved and shook hooves with him while he gave me a sheepish grin.

“That’s me, Colonel Starfire reassigned me as your radio pony said I would fit better with you being as you saved my ass twice now.” Trapper then threw a hoof behind him. “Also, we got her,” I looked around his shoulder to notice another pony, or flanks of a pony wiggling about as they dug through a crate halfway inside it.

“Aha!” the pony hopped out with bandages and potions floating above her wrapped in a pink magical sheath. The pony had a light grey almost white coat with a rich light brown mane and tail. When she turned I noticed her rose colored eyes with some lines on her muzzle showing her age. I put her around Flags age really.

“Oh, didn’t hear you come in Sergeant, names Rose of Sharon, a Corporal and your medic.” She gave a half-hearted salute, and I gazed at Flag who gave her an approving smile. Birds of a feather I supposed, at least when it comes to protocol.

“Was just scrounging out some supplies, The Supply core said they were ‘tight on medical supplies’ but I got a nose for finding things where nopony would expect it.” She smirked and scuffed her chest with her hoof.

I smiled and shook her hoof, that was a trait ponies would kill for in the wasteland. “Welcome aboard, but I didn’t expect I’d have non-ranger company. No offense but were pretty much walking tanks in our armor. So, when we engage an enemy cover isn’t a priority.” The two ponies looked to one another, Trapper looked nervous already, but Rose just shrugged.

“I just go where they tell me, but don’t worry I’m armed as is trapper. We’ll stay on your flanks and keep out of trouble.” Rose raised a hoof and waved my concerns away. With introductions out of the way I went to my power armor shined and ready for combat. I turned and bucked the belly letting it rear up. Before I got into it however I watched Lemon look on horrified at her armor. I hadn’t paid attention to it before, but her helmet had been modified with a place for her horn. Instead of metal plates a sharpened horn gleamed dangerously in the hangar light.

“Oh, what the heck did they do that for?” Lemon dropped on her haunches and let out a soft moan.

I trotted up to her and placed a hoof on her shoulder. “Hey, no matter what happens, you’re a Ranger in my eyes Lemon.” I put on my best smile for her.

“Me too kid, I’ve seen you under fire and I’ll make sure Heavy Arms remembers he’s seen you too.” Flag clad in armor opened his helm and gave Lemon a wink.

“Oh…guys thank you thank you so much.” Lemon hopped up and gave me crushing hug. Flag just grinned and wagged his eyebrows at me. I rolled my eyes and patted Lemons back returning the embrace.

“Err, not to interrupt but we need to get going soon.” Trapper coughed into his hoof.

“Right, sorry!” Lemon disentangled herself from me and went to her armor. I returned to mine and did the same. The armor embraced me each plate locking into place turning me into the Zebras worst nightmare.

[M.W.T COMMAND CONNECTION INITIALIZED]

[E.F.S SYSTEMS: ONLINE]

[ATTENTION STABLE-TECH PIPBUCK S.A.T.S SYSTEM DETECTED]

[WOULD YOU LIKE TO SYNC UP SYSTEMS FOR HIGHER PERFORMANCE TARGETING?]

[Y/N]

[Y]

[ACKWNOLEDGED S.A.T.S SYSTEM OPERATING AT MAXIMUM CAPACITY]

[WEAPON SYSTEMS: OPERATIONAL]

[WARNNG LIVE MUNITIONS LOADED EXERCISE CAUTION AROUND SQUAD]

[SELF-REPAIR: ONLINE]

[MEDICAL UNIT: ONLINE]

[SYSTEM CHECK COMPLETE UNIT INTEGRITY AT 100%]

I took a deep lung expanding breath within my armor, feeling the plates shift as I craned my neck up. A shiver ran down my spine and my lips parted into something akin to a prideful grin. I most definitely felt at home inside my armor. I hoped to never be without it in this damn place again. With a few experimental steps to feel how the PipBuck in my arm faired with the armor, I was glad to feel no discomfort. I was ready for war and to take the fight to the Zebra bastards. With added accuracy I might add, maybe the bomb trigger on my hoof wasn’t all that bad.

“Alright then, lets move out.” I looked to my comrades, no friends, Lemon and Flag were my friends. Maybe just maybe I could come to feel the same about Rose and Trapper, but without a doubt I had a friend in Flag and Lemon.

“Hoorah!” Rose and Trapper gave the Equestrian battle cry.

“Sempre Invicta!” Lemon and Flag shouted our words of triumph amplified by the helmets systems. The officer form earlier returned looking more frazzled than I thought possible.

“I was able to secure you transport with a supply drop, they’re waiting outside. Seeing as you got the added fire power they want two of at the front one at the back.” The officer threw his hoof to the other end of the hangar. I led our team out looking at four vehicles parked and waiting by the hangar outisde. The lead wagon was an armored personnel carrier. It was shaped almost like a desert armadillo an animal I read about when I was a colt. The smooth sides making it great for deflecting armor piercing rounds. Atop the armored transport was a rotating cannon, my display lit up without my command registering the cannon.

[M3 75MM ANTI-TANK CANNON]

Okay, that was new, maybe it had to do with the PipBuck and its organizer spell. That was rather useful I wonder if it would interface with my mapping system whenever I find myself in an unknown location. My ears twitch when I heard the loud clanking of armor. I looked to my side to see Flag was the one making that noise hitting my side.

“Hey kid, I asked how you want us to split?” Flag shook his head muttering something under his breath I didn’t catch.

“Oh right, me uhm okay.” I turned around looking at my team this was my first real ever decision in the field. Flag was the more experienced soldier among us, so I felt much more comfortable with him bringing up the rear. “Okay Flag you take the rear, Lemon and I will take the front. Rose go with Flag and Trapper stay with Lemon and me.” I felt a surge of pride when my team nodded and moved to mount up.

“Okay ready then Sergeant?” Lemon elbowed my sides as she passed me.

“Oh, you bet private,” I chuckled and followed her to the lead vehicle we mounted up and after a few minutes the convoy roared to life. The inside of the armored wagon was cramp for two of us, so Lemon moved to stand by the gunner manning the cannon. Trapper squeezed himself in between two ponies near the middle and I sat on my haunches by the back door. Inside were several soldiers all looked grim and most looked like they had seen combat recently. The entire atmosphere was suffocating to say the least.

“Were you guys part of the assault?” I looked the first pony to the right of me.

“Yeah, it got hairy your ranger guys just kind of blasted through their lines, but the Zebras weren’t budging. The rangers had to double back to dislodge the defenders, we…we lost a lot of ponies doing that.” The pony swallowed a lump in his throat and his lips quivered. “Shit I thought with you guys with us it be different, ya’know? Scare the Zebras but the bastards didn’t let up! They just dug in deeper and even the fucking wounded just…just.” The pony gasped for breath and wiped his watering eyes. “The wounded used grenades to blow themselves up when we entered their lines. We lost a fourth of the 8^th regiment and we weren’t even in the fucking city yet.” The pony lowered his head his helmet obscuring his eyes from me. His frame gave away everything though, he wept silently, and the rest just stared blankly ahead their minds somewhere far, far away.

I shut off the speakers in my suit and closed my eyes, my head making up images of what I would find when I got there. Death and despair and a blood bath of bodies left unrecognizable by explosives. I bit my lip and resisted the urge to shake my head in front of everypony. I had to project strength give these ponies hope again I had to pull a miracle here.

“Valiant,” Lemon’s voice broke me from my stupor. I glanced up to her sitting at the other end of the transport.

“You’re not alone okay? Were here, I’m here we can do this together.” Lemons voice was like soft velvet. The tenderness behind each word washed over me and my mind became blank, serene like breaking the surface of a turbulent ocean to find the surface unmolested by the maelstrom beneath.

“Thanks.” I muttered engaging just the line between us.

“Hey, want to hear a song?” her voice hitched, and I could almost picture her bouncing on her hooves with eagerness.

“yeah why not, we got time to kill.” I cracked a grin she would not see.

“hmm…hmm hmmhmm…hmmmm hmmm hmmmhmmhmm…”

“Birds in the sky”

“Carry these words for me”

“Life tasted sweet”

“It let me live”

“It let me breathe”

Lemon’s voice filled my every sense, my mouth parted but no noise dared escape it.

“Love hurts so bad”

“But Still”

“Saved my soul”

“Flowers of a brighter past”

“They bloom so free”

“Beneath the sun”

I placed my hoof over my heart and resisted running a medical check to see if my heart was still there. I felt so light I could not feel my heart thumping in my chest. A feathery tickle is the only reminder I am alive and listening to Lemon and not suffering from delusions.

“Memories”

“I want to give them to you”

“So you can see what we left there”

“When all hope bleeds out what remains is doubt”

“Should have left it all for you for tomorrow”

“As your time draws near”

“Will you live in fear”

“Could have left it all for you but we let go”

Lemon hummed a sweet dulcet tone that faded gently into unspoiled silence. I opened my helmet I had to let her see, no matter whatever other pony here thought. My eyes were teared up and I could not remember a time when I felt such a true smile from the depths of my heart. Lemon opened her helmet and her eyes so gentle and kind returned the affection. The feeling was indescribable to me try as I might I could not put into words the feelings that washed over me while I looked into this mares’ eyes. I nodded and closed my helmet, I shut off all outside communication and let the blissful silence engulf me while the transport trudged along the road. The world became distant and I could only hear Lemons sweet voice humming the opening to her song.

“hmm…hmm hmmhmm…hmmmm hmmm hmmmhmmhmm…”

Level Up: 5

Perks: Steady hooves: Whenever you need to line up a shot weather it be through cross airs or pissing through a donut from thirty paces away. You have a steady aim as your mind fades to blank and you hum a familiar song.

Author's Notes:

Hello first things first to those who follow this story, I apologize for the hiatus. But life happened and many changes came into my life I had to deal with. But I found the motivation and the joy to start writing again and come back to the world that first made me a fan of MLP. The world that I could not deny intrigued me to no end, so heres is Chapter 6 for everypony to enjoy. I am actually very excited as I found some editors for my earlier chapters and those are seeing a revise as we speak. For now please enjoy this chapter I poured two whole weeks into. I edited myself over and over again. I hope I have improved as I came at it repeatedly with a fresh prespective each time and re-wrote everything that sounded awkward to me. Lots of plot details here as well.

For those who might wonder, the song used is Quiet’s Theme Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain Original Soundtrack. I’ts a beautiful song it’s meaning something I will leave up to you. However the meaning I chose to take from it will relay to the story later on ;). We are drawing a close to the first arc of the stroy which is the introduction! Or the arc I have come to affectionately call, you in the crystal empire bitches! But this authors note has gone long enough. Again please enjoy this chapter from the bottom of my heart and thank you for reading please leave a comment telling me your thoughts!

Chapter 7: Sacrifices

The armored truck trudged along an abandoned highway. I retreated into my mind and kept thinking of what we were going to fight once we arrived at City 6. I already thought of the blood and gore, but I needed to think tactically, I had four ponies whose lives depended on my actions. I couldn’t live with myself if I ended up getting them killed because of a stupid mistake. No, I had to be better, live up to the expectations placed on me. No matter how unwanted they were.

“Whoa roads blocked!” The driver craned his neck back to look at us. “You Rangers think you can clear up the road?”

“Yeah, let me see what I can do.” I stood up and stretched while the back door to the transport opened. I stepped out to the sun shining through the husks of skyscrapers. I walked around to get a look at the obstruction, a flipped over fuel tank. Walking to the turned over tank I gave it a few knocks and was glad it sounded empty. I was going to need Lemon and possibly Flag to push this thing. I walked back to notice a flash of red on my E.F.S as I turned. Going down to a low stance my weapon systems powered up and followed my head as I looked towards our north east. The red bar was there, unmoving and clearly waiting for something. I trotted back to the transport, “Trapper get out here.”

“Sir!” He hopped up and trotted out to the opened door, Lemon quickly filed in behind him.

“Contact Colonel Starfire, ask her if she knows the enemy position I-” My statement was cut short by the gunner.

“Zebra!” the gun atop the transport swiveled right. The tanker was placed to block the whole road flanked by two buildings. On the right building’s rooftop, a zebra stood on his hind legs, a shield in one hoof a gun on the other. He lifted the gun and fired into the air a bright red flare.

Oh, shit not again!

“Ambush, everypony out!” I pushed trapper to the left side of the transport while the ponies inside scrambled to get out. Lemon stacked up behind me, her weapons a 50-caliber machinegun and grenade launcher, they tilted up wards with her vision. A loud roar filled the world freezing everypony in place. The left building exploded outwards, something I’ve never seen in my life burst unto the street just eight meters from our position. It had four long rectangular tracks, two on each side. The body was easily five meters wide, and a mounted turret pointed two deadly cannons right at our transport.

“Get out of there!” I grabbed Trapper with both my hooves and jumped away from the transport. Lemon sprinted out next to me. The zebra metal Behemoth fired its main cannons, the sound like thunder striking right over our heads. The shells pierced the front of the transport killing the driver instantly. The shells exploded right after into a firestorm. The reaction ignited the fuel tank and the transport exploded. The cannon on top burst up into the sky with fire rushing after it. The ponies inside where thrown violently out in a mess of limbs lit on fire. The armor-less wagon behind the transport had a flaming pony torso crash through the front window. The passenger was smashed against his seat and the driver was decapitated by jagged metal debris. The fiery debris lit the engine on fire and the truck went up in a thunderous explosion.

I put my body over Trappers and gritted my teeth as debris pelted my back. The flames engulfed me heating up my armor. “Aaahhhh!” Trapper screamed bloody murder his body thrashing beneath me. I rolled myself off him and scrambled back to my hooves. My eyes nearly bulged from their sockets, Trappers hind legs were burned up. His coat singed off his skin in a mess of angry red and blisters. His armor attached to his legs thankfully had its straps burned off and merely fell off. I gritted my teeth as on closer inspection I saw bits of skin peel off with the plates.

“Valiant, Valiant we have to move!” Lemon shook me standing between me and Trapper. I nodded and moved down grabbing Trapper and tossed him over my back.

“Oh, Celestia it hurts! Mama, mama!” Trapper’s wails made it freaking hard to concentrate, his moving on my back didn’t help either.

“I got you buddy, stay with me!” I looked back at the zebra Behemoth, its cannons turning on me. I commanded my missile launcher to fire.

[WARNING OBSCTRUCTION DETECTED CANNOT COMPLY]

I groaned and looked around us, the wagon created a wall of fire I couldn’t take Trapper through. Our right was much of the same, an inferno that would kill Trapper. I snorted and charged the Zebra Behemoth, Lemon quickly fell behind me. I turned the corner just as the Behemoth fired at the building next to us. The building exploded outwardly into dust and debris, the explosion knocked me off my hooves. Trapper rolled next to me wailing, his legs leaving a bloody trail on the ground.

“Mama, mama!” Trapper reached out his hooves looking for anypony to hold them. I groaned, my medical unit warning me of internal bleeding. Back on my hooves I felt the air tickle my face. The targeting reticle was flickering on and off on my left eye. My helmet had been breached and my eyesight was a little fuzzy with my right lens broken.

“Take this you son of a bitch.” I staggered to my hooves and fired two missiles that flew off nowhere near my intended target. One impacted the building where the zebra had stood. The second floor of the building exploded out into a fiery ball followed by screams, a plus but not what I meant to happen. The other missile impacted the husk of the transport uselessly. “Damn it all!” I staggered forward grabbed one of Trappers hooves and dragged him over my back again. I looked around and felt my heart drop I couldn’t see Lemon, “Lemon! Lemon!”

“Valiant over here!” Lemon’s shout made me whip my head fast enough to know it would hurt later. She was by an alley further down the street. I turned back to the Behemoth, its cannons on us again. I groaned and ran following Lemon into the alley. Lemon slid to a stop, Zebras were at the other end, they set up a phalanx four shields across. Four other zebras poked above them and fired their rifles. Lemon stood before me and Trapper soaking up the bullets.

“Aaahhhh!” She screamed taking a step back. A bullet found its way to my right leg and a tremor of pain shut up my hoof. The bastards had those fucking enchanted bullets! Lemon’s grenade launcher pointed upward and shot three grenades into the air.

“Run!” A Zebra shouted and they scrambled out of the alley. The grenades landed just where they ran exploding on impact. The Zebras were torn apart into a bloody mess.

Lemon’s stance sacked slightly, her frame moving with each labored breath. “Let’s go!” She ran forward, and I followed close behind, we cleared the alleyway and she turned left. I ran into her flank smacking against her armored tail. I stepped back and spread my stance balancing Trappers body before he fell. I thanked Celestia he had stopped thrashing about my back.

“There they are!” a Zebra shouted at us. Ten Zebras were looking over another ten Zebras who had their shields firmly planted down. Four of them turned and fired on us. Lemon rammed her flank against me, acting as a shield for trapper on my back. she pushed me behind the alley for cover while she fired her weapons. Explosions drowned out the gunfire and the Zebra screams as they were torn apart. Once behind the alley Lemon opened her helmet and threw up a bloody mess on the ground.

“Lemon!” I raised a hoof to her, but she held up hers in response.

She spat on the ground and closed her helmet, “I’m fine, the potions are still working on my bleeding.” She raised her head and took a step back clearly startled. “Look out!” Lemon dove and threw herself over me and Trapper knocking us both down.

A familiar loud crack followed, and two shells passed above us. The air disruption tore a long trail of concrete and dust. “Ahhh!” Lemon screamed as the shell ripped part of her armor off searing her flesh. She rolled off us laying on her side, her body twitching as a thin trail of smoke trailed off her back. I didn’t know how long it took to reload those cannons. But I couldn’t afford to find out.

“Lemon get up come on!” I grabbed her by her forehooves and forced her up. She staggered slightly before she gave me a crisp nod.

“Run down the street I’ll be right behind you,” Lemon instructed with her hoof. She leaned against the wall the armor slowly closing as the self-repair worked its magic. My own helmet was finally re-sealed, the lens displaying my targeting reticle. I gave Lemon a nod and ran down the street, she fell right behind me and the rifle fire was once again on us. The rounds kicked up tarmac and dust as we ran across the street. We ran about two blocks before turning down another street. We kept going and going, the gun fire fading in the back. Only when I was sure it was safe did I slid to a stop in another alley. Lemon parked herself on the wall opposite of me. Her knees shook before she fell down gasping for breath. Her armor had closed most of the tear by now.

“Flag! Respond are you there?” I sucked down as much oxygen as I could, my heart was pounding against my ribcage. I received no answer, “Flag respond Trapper is down and out, and Lemon and I are wounded please respond!” I looked back to check on trapper, he was out cold, his chest falling and raising but each breath seemed labored.

“Valiant! Rose and I just got away from the convoy, its all gone to shit and everypony split up. Where the hell are you?” Flag panted, and I could hear the clanking of his metal hooves against tarmac.

“I… I don’t know we ran west than north west, were taking a breather in an alley, what’s your position?” I thanked whatever deity would listen, both Flag and Rose were okay.

“Were moving due south east, we got Zebras on our tail, but we can shake them. Check your map and give us a location to regroup,” Flag grunted, “eat shit and die assholes!” Flag fired his machinegun the 50-caliber rounds cracking one after the other. “Set the location we’ll meet you there out!” The transmission cut, and I was left alone with Lemon and Trapper.

“He’s not looking good Valiant, he needs medical attention.” Lemon came up to me and looked over Trapper.

Shit, shit, shit why was this all going to shit now?

“Alright just, hold on let me see.” I opened the map of my immediate area. I looked around the featureless buildings until my E.F.S highlighted something of interest.

[GLIMMERING SUN GENETICS AND MEDICAL RESEARCH]

“I got it,” I quickly had the building tracked in my map and set the location out via my command connection. “Let’s go, we can take care of Trapper there.” I looked out the alley and fuck my life! The zebra Behemoth was trudging along the street with five Zebras on each side as escort. I looked to Lemon and put my hoof to my face signaling to be quiet. Despite not being our forte, we moved as quietly as possible out the other end of the alley. Then we broke into a light jog heading north west to our target destination. We stopped by an intersection got on the sidewalk and hugged the nearest wall. There was a ramp leading up to a mega freeway littered with abandoned wagons. While the ramp led up, the street continued straight ahead beneath the freeway. I didn’t particularly like either option. Down below where we can be boxed in, or stuck where a sniper can get at us from the rooftops. Thinking it over I motioned for the road beneath the freeway, thinking it safest for Trapper. We jogged between the abandoned vehicles until we cleared the other side. I checked my E.F.S and we moved true north.

After another ten minutes jogging we reached our destination. Glimmering Sun Genetics and Medical Research, the sign proudly displaying the name had missing letters, there was also a sign of a sun with a star flying above it. The building had seen better days falling into disrepair, once white walls were cracked and grey with soot. The building to the right of it had burned down adding to the damage of the facility. We trotted to the front entrance, several white medical wagons laid abandoned along the civilian wagons. The front glass doors where shattered, the door frames broken off and tossed to the side. We entered the lobby and it was just as bleak inside. Upturned chairs and burn marks where the fire had spread and destroyed at least four rooms. The lights flickered around the main lobby, so far, the only hopeful thing is there was still power. I moved first through the left side of the building not touched by the fire. I peeked into several rooms with opened and ransacked cupboards and tables.

Lemon trotted ahead, her guns trained searching for anything hiding from our E.F.S. I gave up on the first floor and moved up a set of stairs near the back to the second level. Several doors where left wide-open, gurneys were flipped on the floor and old dried blood stains where splattered on the ground. I moved through the hall giving each room a cursory glance. Lemon once again trotted up ahead of me and disappeared around a corner. “Over here!” Lemon’s shout urged me forward and I trotted after her. We found a relatively intact room. The bed was still in one piece and the cupboards were still closed and locked. Lemon wrapped Trapper in her magical sheath and levitated him on the bed. I got to work on the cupboards grabbing the handles and ripping the doors off their hinges. I sighed thanking Celestia we found two extra strength potions and medical bandages. Lemon with great skill floated over the supplies and began bandaging Trappers lower body. I moved to the other side hoping there was something I could do.

“Don’t worry I got this, can you see if you can find me more medical supplies?” Lemon gestured with her hoof at the door. I nodded and left without a word, my search led me through two more floors. I lucked out finding us more medical bandages and three more extra strength potions. I tucked all the supplies I found into my saddlebag and exited the room I was in. I didn’t think we need anything else, but for completeness sake I searched the next couple of rooms down the hall. At the end was a door splintered in half. I walked to it noticing several scorch marks and piles of ash. I narrowed my eyes and powered up my weapons. “Lemon I found signs of a fire fight here, stay alert just in case.”

“Roger that,” Lemon kept the transmission short.

I walked into the room, there were no blood stains only more ash piles and scorch marks over the room. Somepony was firing energy weapons here. I strafed the room carefully looking for anything out of place. At the far end was a terminal on a wooden desk, I peeked around the desk and just found ash where the chair should be. I trotted around the desk and looked at the terminal. It had been used and nopony bothered to log out. I hooked up my module and began searching for anything of value. I found two terminal entries.

Entry 01: Doctor Glimmer sent me a message today, told me I needed to be sure nopony had any knowledge about our work. I assured her all data was compiled and sent to Glimmering Sun Headquarters in City 6 under heavy encryption. Not to mention all our employees agreed to memory removal of all work. The memory orbs as per instructions have been divided between here and the branch in City 6. Two orbs for me and two orbs for Doctor Sanguine at Headquarters. Honestly, I understand corporate espionage is a bigger threat now more than ever, but we aren’t amateurs.

Entry 02: I received the most peculiar message from Doctor Sunburst. He said to destroy all research data and evacuate to City 1. I don’t know what this means but I also have a very bad feeling. The outlying zones have been practicing evacuation drills recently. I will do as tasked and ensure the data is erased. This will be my last entry in this terminal, to whomever comes to this terminal please know. Everything done here is for the future of all pony kind, and to jeopardize this for profit is a terrible mistake.

True to his word the owner of the Terminal wiped everything beyond these two entries. I unplugged myself and stepped back from the terminal. Everything in the room was ransacked from drawers on the floor to furniture tossed aside. The only thing that wasn’t moved was the desk built into the ground. I sat on my haunches and looked at the desk. I knocked on the wood and it didn’t sound off. Until I knocked on the right side. the sound was off, instead of hollow it was a dull thud, something was behind there.

I drew my hoof back and struck out splintering the wood to pieces. My hoof clanked audibly on a safe door. I smirked, and I couldn’t deny the feeling of superiority over the pony that practically turned this office upside down. I grabbed the safe handle and pulled with both hooves. The metal groaned in protest, I stood back up and put my left hindleg on one of the corners and pulled with all my might. With a loud snap I fell back crushing the hollow desk the safe door coming with me.

“Valiant? I heard a crash are you okay?” Lemon came alive in my ear.

“I’m fine, just cracking a safe.” I chuckled and tossed the safe door aside, I investigated the open safe and true enough two blue memory orbs rested inside. Along with an audio log of all things, I grabbed the orbs and took the tape. “I’m coming back now Lemon.” I exited the office making for the stairs, I returned to see Lemon finish bandaging a sleeping Trappers legs.

“How’s he looking?” I opened my helmet to let the cool air in.

Lemon opened her own helmet and stood opposite side of Trapper. “He’s going to make a full recovery if we can get him some more potions.” She lifted a hoof and gently held one of Trappers hooves. I sat on my haunches and retrieved the potions from my saddle bag. Lemon smiled gratefully and floated the potions over to the desk behind her. “I’ll give him another when he wakes up.”

“That’s good…I hope Rose and Flag are okay.” With being so far away I couldn’t contact them on the short burst.

“Don’t worry Flag is a great Ranger, and I don’t think he’s one to let mares he fancies get hurt” Lemon smirked.

“How can you tell?” I honestly didn’t see it, hell they just met and all I saw was Flag smile at her.

“When you split us up, he practically bounced in step with her to the rear transport.” Lemon giggled behind her hoof. But as quickly as it came it faded, the convoy was destroyed, and we lost all those ponies. “This is hard,” Lemon’s eyes were downcast.

“I know… but it’s what we signed up for right?” I gave her and encouraging smile.

“Yeah, I guess so, I think we have to be crazy to want this job huh?” Lemon perked up somewhat, the smile she gave didn’t quite reach her eyes, but it was an improvement none the less.

“Well I guess we’ll be here a while, so think you can do me a favor?” I scrounged up the two memory orbs and put them next to Trappers sleeping form.

“Where did you find those?” Lemon raised a brow and pointed at the two blue balls.

“The safe upstairs, it also had an audio log, but I’ll listen to that one after I see these orbs.” I grabbed them and moved to the table she had the potions on.

“Well were pretty safe here, so okay I’ll give you a charged spell.” Lemon’s horn glowed beneath her open helmet casting a soft orange glow over her muzzle. I felt something tingly in my head that stayed there.

“Okay, this should do it, just touch the orb, when your done I’ll cast another spell.” Lemon gestured to the little spheres. I raised a hoof and debated which one to go for, but instead I just closed my eyes and let my hoof do the choosing.

Everything went dark around me, I felt myself or rather the pony I was inside off walking with a hoof on my back guiding me. Oh, great, did I just get stuck in a blind guy for this memory? “are we there yet?”

“Yep! Okay you can remove the blindfold.” A mare’s voice just beside me made my ears twitch. The cover over my eyes was lifted and there was a blinding light making me squint. When the room returned to focus I looked to a tube filled with an unknown liquid. Inside was a floating heart, ugh, if whatever pony I’m inside doesn’t feel as sick as me something was wrong with them.

“Is that?” my pony rather than showing disgust was in pure bewilderment.

“Your heart.” The mare chuckled. My pony looked left and three more tubes held more organs.

“That’s your lungs, stomach, and liver.” The mare bemusedly listed off.

“Fascinating, simply fascinating!” The pony lifted a hoof to press against the glass. “You did it, Doctor Starlight Glimmer you cloned pony tissue!” My pony turned to stare at the mare. She was a light purple unicorn she was mature but holy cow was she gorgeous! She had a blue, and purple mane pulled up in a bun. Some rebellious curls framed her muzzle and her dazzling smile.

“I can’t take all the credit; my husband did write the genetic code to make this a success.” Starlight raised her hoof and humbled herself before the pony.

“Well rest assure, this is enough for me to give my full support! I will send a report to Ministry Mare Twilight tonight! You will have your funding and the Crystal Empires support of that I guarantee you!” The pony was practically bouncing off the walls. “Our soldiers will be able to return to the field twice as fast! Organ transplants will be practically instantaneous! We can even relieve the pressure from Meadowbrook and their hydra potion research!”

“Well I’m glad you approved, and hey if you ever feel like having a twin brother call us up anytime.” Starlight winked at the pony and he let out a raging laugh.

“I will keep that in mind Doctor Glimmer, now please if you excuse me I need to get my report ready!” Just like that the memory faded to nothing.

I blinked and gave my body a full shake, that still felt so weird! But wow, this place was cloning organs. That is something I never thought possible. I mean sure, I was more into robots not genetics, but when it came down to it ponies were just more complex machines. To clone pony tissue like that? That was something out of a comic book! I had to admit pre-war Equestria always sounded like they had crazy technology. Just when you think you found the craziest thing yet bam. Ponies cloning freaking organs!

“So, what did you see?” Lemon asked, I noticed Trapper was on his side and there was another empty potion bottle. How long was I in that thing?

“The future,” I raised my hooves and wove around trying to look mysterious.

“Hah what?” Lemon giggled behind her hoof.

“This place was cloning pony tissue into organs for transplants.” I turned around and put the orb I used into my bag.

“What? No way, that would take some serious genius.” Lemon sat down eyes wide in amazement. “I don’t think even Twilight Sparkle did anything like that.”

“Well you’re right about the genius part, but, it took two. Doctor Starlight Glimmer and her husband, she didn’t say his name though.” I moved to Lemon’s side and looked over Trapper. His breathing had evened out and he looked to be resting properly.

“Want to look at the second one now?” Lemon gestured towards the table.

“Yeah, might as well.” I moved to the table and waited for the tingly feeling to return.

“Alright you’re good to go.” Lemon sat on her haunches and kept an eye on Trapper. I lifted my hoof and touched the orb.

“So, how did it go?” My voice was deep and reverberated in my throat. I felt bigger and stronger than I ever felt. I was also inside power armor, so the feeling was comforting to say the least. I was staring out to the busy streets of the empire.

“Bad,” I knew that voice! “I reckon I should a’ probably turned down this favor fer’ Twilight.” Applejack came to my vision, she was wearing a long coat and a turtleneck sweater. There was a holster strap tucked beneath her left foreleg. The fine red handle of a revolver sticking out. She wore the signature hat she was known for, and her blonde mane was tied back into a bun. “Be honest with me Applesnack, did ya’ think Twilight made the right call here?” Holy shit I was Elder Steelhooves! I think I just had a little fangasm moment.

“Cloning soldiers to bolster numbers…it’s a tough call, we need the bodies. But, that also brings to bare what about the clones?” Applesnack hummed.

“I feel Starlight’s heart is in the right place, but I reckon that ain’t no way to win da’ war. What’s the point o winnin’ if we just sell everything that makes us ponies?” Applejack sighed and removed her hat.

“Just ain’t right I tell yah’,” Applejack sat before me, err Applesnack and lifted her hoof to his muzzle. Applesnack opened his helmet and let Applejack’s hoof stroke his muzzle. Whoa hold on, is she going to? Applesnack leaned down and Applejack leaned forward.

Their lips met, and it felt… nice, the feeling of love swelled inside Applesnack’s chest was a better feeling than being excited about pony guts.

“Thanks for your honesty.” Applejack pulled back with a loving smile.

“I don’t think lying to the element of honesty is possible,” a smirk spread across Applesnack’s muzzle.

“Well come on then, time to get the memories removed, ugh I hate that feeling.” Applejack grumbled, and the world faded away.

I opened my eyes, my chest still feeling warm and fuzzy. Well the subject matter aside, I liked this memory. “Hey, Lemon, I was just in the hooves of Elder Steelhooves.” I turned to Lemon finding her fast asleep. Trapper was just as down as her. I smiled at her sleeping form, maybe I should be mad she fell asleep while I was out but we’ve all had a tough day…wait. I walked out of the room to find the nearest window. The whole place was dark. Okay seriously how long was that memory? It didn’t feel like I was there long! I sighed and went back to the room. I sat on my haunches for a moment, I guess first watch is on me.

I frowned, these orbs gave me a lot to think about, this technology was invaluable. Hell, it was downright scary to think about another me running around. The possibilities alone were frightening and limitless, a clone army, a clone workforce. For all I know they could probably engineer ponies for specific things. Like ponies that never tire or ponies that are innately good at one task or other. This was frightening in way too many levels. I remembered the tape suddenly; would that have more information? I stood up and exited my armor letting it stand. I popped the tape into my PipBuck and extended the earbuds in it and put them on.

0 4 6 3 0 8 12 21 0 6 0 0 6 7, carry out your objective as planned.

Okay, so a list of numbers and something about an objective. Okay this wasn’t much, I tossed the tape in my bags and entered my armor. As soon as I was securely inside my radio buzzed to life. “Valiant, this is flag, we are just due south of your position respond.”

“Flag!” I hissed careful to not wake up Lemon and Trapper.

“Kid! Good your alive, we just arrived about ten meters south of the Glimmering Sun building.” Flag’s voice brought me immense relief. He was safe as was Rose according to him.

“Roger were on the second to last floor look for room,” I looked up at the open doorway “128.” After a few minutes I heard the heavy hoof-falls of Flag and he entered the room. He opened his helmet and gave me a big ol’ grin. He put his hoof out and I bumped it, Rose came in behind him and she instantly went to Trapper. Rose’s horn glowed, and her irises lit up with a green hue. She ran a diagnostic spell on Trapper and all information was fed straight to her eyes. With a sigh rose turned the spell off and smiled at Lemon’s sleeping form.

“She’s just asleep, she earned the rest, she took more bullets than me.” I nodded towards Lemon, she stirred as if hearing her name, but she only curled further into herself.

“You should get some rest too sergeant,” Rose came to me and used her diagnostic spell.

“Don’t worry I’m fine, just some internal bleeding.” I waved her concerns away, “Besides our medical unit keeps us alive and well.

“Well until Trapper is up again, we can’t move. So, looks like were hunkering here for the night. You go on and rest kid. I’ll take first watch.” Flag closed his helmet and promptly left without waiting for my say so. I was starting to think Flag only acknowledge me being in charged when it suited him. Still he wasn’t wrong I didn’t mind closing my eyes for a bit.

“You should rest as well Rose, don’t worry Flag will wake us up when the shift change is coming.” I laid down and let a yawn escape me.

“I guess that be fine, I’ll wake up around your shift then to check on Trapper.” Rose yawned herself and found herself a place next to Lemon. She curled up on the carpet floor and closed her eyes. I watched Lemon and Rose for a moment, just letting my mind drift, before I knew it my eyes closed.

“Kid wake up,” I felt Somepony shake me, “Valiant!” the voice hissed near my ear.

I groaned and opened my eyes; my vision was fuzzy, and my body felt like dead weight. I pushed myself up and shook my whole body to try and get rid of the grogginess. “Shhh, you trying to get us caught?” Flag put his hoof before his helmet.

“What?” I must have slept longer than I thought, far too long I felt groggy and restless. [Bat Pony] My head was jumbled up and I wanted nothing more than to go back to my comfortable dirty carpet floor.

“Valiant, Zebras, they’re downstairs!” Flag hissed while looking out the door. I straighten myself as much as I could and carefully peeked out our door. Flag walked out and motioned with his hoof for me to follow. I crept low to the ground after him, we stopped by a window where Flag pointed at the spot next to him. I moved there and peeked over the window, just my damn luck. The zebra Behemoth was parked right outside. Its turret swiveled around looking for targets and blocking our only exit. The turret stopped for a moment and a hatch opened at the top. A Zebra dismounted and trotted into the facility.

“The others are inside, they’ll make their way here soon” Flag whispered. I smirked beneath my helmet, the Behemoth’s hatch was wide open, and I had an idea.

“Flag go grab Lemon, and take the stairs, I need to get to the roof.” I crawled away from Flag, he moved to get Lemon and I began making my way upstairs. I was lucky to find the rooftop door unlocked, I exited to the deserted top. It was wide open with some old AC equipment dotted around. I made my way to the edge hopped on the ledge and peered down. In the time I left three zebras gathered around the Behemoth and it was no longer moving. They were probably the crew, I licked my lips and remembered the bits of pony I had to watch spew from our transport. With a vicious snarl I targeted the open hatch. My S.A.T.S accelerated my cognitive process and my relative sense of time slipped to a near standstill.

[100% HIT]

My missile launcher swiveled up and launched a missile into the air. I watched the vapor trail arc down and zoom past me. The missile went right through the hatch exploding! A fireball rose out the top and the cannons. The startled Zebras scrambled away from the Behemoth. But just as quickly the ammunition inside must have caught fire, because the entire thing exploded into a massive ball of shrapnel and fire. A sense of satisfaction filled me watching the bastards splatter against the pavement.

“That was for the ponies you killed!” I barked at the top of my lungs.

“Holy shit Valiant! What the hell was that?” Flag yelled before his machinegun roared to life.

“Me blowing up their armor, push them back I got a clear shot of any runners.” I leaned out further and my minigun tilted down with me. Flag and Lemon really did a number on them as six of them sprinted out of the facility. My minigun whirred to life and I fired on the first lead Zebra. My shots turned him to bits, his head flying ahead of him whiles his body burst into chunks. I strafed back and caught the Zebra behind him before he could react. His head popped like an apple filled with pressurized air, my minigun burned red so I switched to my missile launcher and fire two more missiles. One caught two of them blowing their hind legs off. The other missile only killed one when his comrade pushed him out of the way. The explosion tore him in two his torso sliding across the tarmac leaving his entrails and blood behind.

He saved his friend.

The other Zebra ran past the white wagons and disappeared behind a building. Oh, Celestia that wasn’t right, these Zebras weren’t supposed to do that! They were monsters they killed Strider, and my comrades. they slaughtered us! I shut my eyes, but the image of the Zebra giving his life for his friend was burned into my head. No, no, no, why now? Why the hell did they have to show any kind of mercy now? I looked down, the bodies mutilated and ripped asunder. Killed by an uncaring enemy, worst killed by a hateful enemy.

Murderer

“No, I was just-”

Murderer

“No damn it! I did it to save my friends to avenge Strider!”

The Zebra saved his friend, he died for him and you killed him.

“No, I did what I had to, I had to kill them!”

Kill them all, for Strider every one of them should die.

“I… I didn’t mean to, no, Strider died he was killed mercilessly.”

So, you’re a Zebra now?

“No! I wasn’t a sick bastard who even killed wounded ponies!”

Then you only let them live so you can kill them when they’re fun to kill.

“Stop it!”

You’re a killer.

“I’m not!”

Murderer murderer murderer murderer murderer murderer murderer murderer

“No, stop I’m not a murderer it was justice! They deserve to die!” I fell back the world spinning around me. I felt my heart thump against my damn ears! I had to kill them they deserve to die!

“Valiant!” The voice who is that? I turned, Zebras, hundreds of them mutilated shuffling towards me. Headless torsos, legless bodies dragging themselves across the rooftop. No, I did it to save everypony I kill to save them!

Save?

Something touched me, and I looked down to stare into the broken body of Strider. His armor was breached with blood and maggots pouring out of the wounds. His helmet opened, his face was gone only his skull remained crawling with maggots and puss dripping from his open mouth.

Save me

“I wanted to, Strider I wanted to save you.”

Save me Save me Save me Save me Save me

Broken ponies came out of nowhere, shot up, and on fire, they clung to me, their faces scarred and etched in permanent expressions of pure terror.

Save us Save us.

“Get away from me! Stop it I wanted to save everypony!” I fired my minigun strafing the roof kicking up dust as my bullets phased through the Zebras. Oh, Celestia no I can’t kill them!

Kill them Kill them!

The ponies chanted along with Strider, he stood up on all fours his maggot filled eye sockets stared me down.

“Valiant stop!” The voice who was that? Why was it yelling at me? Did I fail it too?

“No leave me alone! stop it stop it! It should have been me it should have been me it should have been me it should have been me!” I screamed and kicked at the broken ponies to get them away from me.

IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN ME IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN ME IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN ME

I ejected myself from my armor, the air felt crisp and cool, my muzzle was drenched in sweat and I couldn’t see straight, just the shambling corpses shuffling towards me.

IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN YOU

The ledge yes, I had to jump, I needed to jump to get away.

Jump make up for your mistakes

“Valiant no!” The voice wouldn’t leave me alone, all the voices wouldn’t stop!

Jump and make it stop, MAKE IT STOP MAKE IT STOP MAKE IT STOP MAKE IT STOP

I flung myself off and something hard and heavy wrapped around me and everything went black.

It should have been me it should have been me it should have been me it should have been me it should have been me it should have been me it should have been me it should have been me IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN ME IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN ME IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN ME IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN ME IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN ME Valiant! IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN ME IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN ME Wake up kid! Valiant IT SHOULD HAVE BEEM ME IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN ME Rose morphine! IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN ME IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN ME IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN ME IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN ME He’s fading; his heart can’t take it!

“Please wake up Valiant.” An angel?

My eyes snapped open, I raised up gasping for air, something metal grabbed me and pushed me down. I looked down to see metal hooves, I followed them up to their owner Flag, his face bruised and blood dripping down the side of his muzzle. “Where- I -what happened?” I felt a body throw itself on me and wrap me into a hug, my heart hammering against my chest started to slow down. My head hurt, in fact my whole damn body hurt. The hug helped, and the mane obstructing my view could only belong to one mare. “Lemon?” I shook my head and looked around me, I was laying on a bed inside the Glimmering Sun facility.

She pulled back from the hug, she was outside her armor with tears rolling down her muzzle. “Its not fair, we need to get you home.” Home? Where was that? Oh, right Stable 29, but, where was I? Right the empire, in the war I was being coerced to fight with a bomb embedded in my head for insurance.

“Sorry, under house arrest.” I let out a small smile and shook my PipBuck in front of her for emphasis. Lemon only shut her eyes and moved away from my field of vision.

“Valiant, do you feel anything…well broken?” Flag looked me up and down.

“He’s fine, you’re the one who took the burnt of the impact.” Rose came to my field of vision; her horn was glowing as were her eyes.

“So, he’s fine then?” Flag closed his eyes letting out a hiss through his nostrils.

“Physically,” Rose sighed, her horn stopped glowing and her eyes returned to normal.

“He’s going to be okay” Flag insisted.

“Okay? He tried to kill himself!” Rose glared and threw a hoof at Flag.

I did what?

Flag looked down his eyes uncertain, “He just needs time, to adjust, to cope and find something to hold on to.”

“I’ve seen this, the symptoms are all there, visions, voices in his head, that’s War Stress Disorder.” Rose stomped her hoof for emphasis. Oh, great so I am a basket case, how the hell could I save everypony from this war if I was a trotting liability?

“I’ll be okay,” I gritted my teeth and got to my hooves again, Flag moved next to me his hoof hovering over me.

“Valiant you are not okay, as the squad’s medical expert I will tell Colonel Starfire you are not within a psychological state to preform your duties. You need to be removed from active duty and get help!” Rose poked her hoof on my chest and I almost fell over. Lemon looked to Flag, and he shared the same look.

“Kid you need to tell her,” Flag stood by me and I leaned on him to try and regain my balance.

“Flag that’s classified, nopony can know.” I hissed at him.

“Tell me what?” Rose’s glare intensified and shifted between me and Flag.

“Look, I’m under direct orders from the council and” I sighed, [Smooth Rambler] “I cannot divulge mission details, but I am under direct orders from the Council and Princess Cadence, my mission cannot be compromised due to my current status.” I looked her in the eye and stood tall and proud and did my best to emulate my father.

“Fuck!” Rose trotted out fuming, Trapper entered right after she left, his lower body still bandaged.

“Trapper! You’re up!” I smiled, glad that despite my weakness Trapper was spared further injury. Trapper shook his hoof dismissively. He looked more relieved to see me than being alive.

“Valiant, thank Celestia and Luna your okay.” He gave me a half-hearted smile, “you saved my ass again, I’m gonna have to start counting.” His joke made me smile and it went a long way to make me feel better.

“Don’t worry I’m keeping a tab on it, one more and you buy me a drink.” I bumped my hoof against his shoulder and he laughed.

“Noted, I’ll try to keep it from happening again.” Trapper sighed, and his smile shifted to a serious expression. “I got Colonel Starfire wanting a report why neither her reinforcements or supplies arrived. I told her you were…uh indisposed for important reasons.” He shifted his gaze and I groaned. Great he thought I was a basket case as well.

“Patch her through,” I willed my radio on, but nothing happened. I looked down and remembered I was outside my armor.

“Rooftop,” Lemon provided but she wouldn’t look at me. I nodded my thanks and went to retrieve it with Flag one step behind me.

“I’m fine now Flag, you don’t need to babysit me.” I looked down to the floor shame filling me up, I got him hurt twice now for my own weakness.

“Indulge me” Flag shot back, and we fell into silence. When we got to the rooftop I looked at the bullet hole ridden ground. I sighed remembering I did this, worst I was pretty sure I shot at Flag. I entered my armor already waiting for me and we headed back down.

“Alright, patch me through.” I cleared my throat and shook my whole body getting the feeling back into it. “Colonel Starfire this is Sergeant Valiant Knight please respond.”

There was some static followed by the colonels booming voice, “soldier what the hell happened and why are you a god damn day late!”

I cringed and let the ring in my ears disappear before answering, “mam the convoy was attacked, as far as I can tell everypony, but my unit is dead or MIA. We just regrouped after taking out the Zebras hunting us and are heading your way on hoof.” There was silence followed by a clearly tired sigh.

“Shit sakes alright, make your way here for special tasking, I’m stretching you Rangers thin and I need every suit of power armor here and ready.” I received an update to my map and a new location was highlighted.

[FORWARD OPERATIONS BASE BRONCO]

“Understood mam, will meet you there.” I cut off the transmission and looked to everypony in the room. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, “I fucked up, I let seeing that Zebra that save his friend get to me. That triggered this little…episode but I need everypony here to keep quiet okay?” I would need to convince Rose, she held my unexploded brain in her hooves.

“Yeah” Flag was the first to agree.

“Okay…” Lemon still didn’t meet my gaze and nodded.

“Roger that,” Trapper nodded as well.

“Good, Trapper get Rose and let’s go.” I went outside with everypony left in the room to stand with the remains of the Zebras and their metal Behemoth. The wreckage was now just smoldering rubble, and if the air scrubbers weren’t doing their job I bet I would be smelling the Zebra corpses by now. I dared a glance at the zebra missing his lower half, but thankfully nothing happened. I figured the act alone was enough to trigger the breakdown. I needed to watch out, to keep the thought of Zebras as anything other than evil from my mind. After all, even the Enclave cared for its members and they still killed a lot of ponies.

I looked to the front door to see Rose exit with Trapper beside her. She looked at me, her expression unreadable. “Lemon is right, this isn’t fair you shouldn’t be forced to fight.”

I pressed my lips to a thin line, it wasn’t about right or wrong at this point. Ponies needed my help; the Zebras were winning and if their cruelty on the battlefield reflected on a Zebra occupation? No, I couldn’t afford to let that happen, if I could help win this war I would take the burden. Strider would have done it, he helped me and helped anypony who asked for it. Besides the alternative here would just be involving the NCR. They had a war to deal with already. I rather keep them and their resource hungry hooves from the empire.

“Maybe, but if there’s one thing made clear to me is that were losing this war.” I opened my helmet and stared directly into Rose’s eyes. “Everypony else had to make sacrifices, they had to leave their homes and loved ones behind. Everypony here chose to be a soldier to fight for their fellow ponies. I can’t be expected to get special treatment.” I banged my hoof against my chest. “I will not be the exception but the example, fair or not I’m expected to inspire so I will do my best.”

Rose groaned and buried her muzzle into her hooves. “Stubborn idiot, this is serious, even if we win the war you’ll have to live with this for the rest of your life.” Rose wouldn’t meet my gaze her eyes downcast. She wiped her eyes with her hoof and took a steadying breath, “my husband died for this.” She glared at nothing, or maybe to the state of the world in general. “He couldn’t hold it together, he said the same damn thing you’re saying now.” She sniffled and stood back up, “he just said he shouldn’t be different because everypony made sacrifices.”

“Rose…” I lifted my hoof to, well I didn’t know what to do honestly. This was personal, far more personal than I could possibly anticipate.

“On duty while everypony slept he killed himself with his service pistol.” Rose took one last deep breath and her eyes fixed me with something akin to dejection and regret. “I won’t say a thing, but I hope you don’t end up like him.”

It was quiet after that, we formed up, Flag at the front and I was put in the rear with Lemon to look after me. I wanted to protest, but it seemed Flag wasn’t having any of it. He insisted and practically took command from right under me. We marched across empty streets and abandoned shops and skyscrapers. Just more reminders of the many ponies who fled in despair of a Megaspell attack. I looked to Trapper and pulled up next to him. Lemon shifted her gaze to me but didn’t protest and stayed at the back.

“Hey Trapper, I just realized but are ponies still held up inside their stables?” I figured they’d be up here. The stables looked like they were more valuable as military bases. Hard to attack a place with only one-way in.

“Yeah, Council thought it safest to keep them there till the war is over.” Trapper shrugged it off, but I couldn’t believe it. Two hundred years stuck in a stable when the world above was still very much living and Megaspell free.

“Seems crazy, if there isn’t radiation why keep them there?” Maybe next time I saw the council I could ask them personally.

“I don’t know, your asking the wrong pony, I just know the official stuff.” Trapper’s words only made me want to see the council even more. If they expected full cooperation from me, I’ll demand a lot more transparency. I fell back in step with Lemon, I looked towards her, but she looked away from me.

“Lemon, please talk to me.” I closed my outside speakers and spoke directly to Lemon.

“I don’t know what to say, I feel like no matter what I do I can’t help you.” Lemon’s voice was tight, and her sadness washed over me. I wanted to curse my weakness, I was making everypony worry about me. I needed to control this, to keep it from getting out of hand. Maybe there was something I could use when I was next time on leave.

“I’ll get help, okay? When we go on leave I’ll find a way to get this under control.” I opened my helmet and gave her an encouraging smile. Lemon looked down for a sec and stopped mid trot. I looked back at her and the squad stopped and turned to us.

“Do you promise you will get help?” Lemon looked to me with her expressionless helmet.

“Yes, I promise, whatever it takes” I put my hoof to my heart. Lemon looked on quietly before opening her helmet and I was glad to see a smile reaching her eyes.

“Good, I just want to help you Valiant.” Lemon stepped forward and locked me in a hug. “After all what are friends for?”

“Friends,” I said the word aloud, it felt good.

“Friends,” Flag walked up to me and put his hooves on our shoulders.

“Well, I’d like to think we can be friends” Trapper smiled.

“If you keep your word, then I wouldn’t mind calling you my friend.” Rose sighed, a hopeful smile spread across her muzzle.

“Then for my friends I’ll get help, that’s a promise to all of you!” I parted from Lemons embrace and gave them a hardy salute. With a new sense of vigor seeming to fill all of us, we marched on to regroup with the 12^th Regiment. We marched through the city for another two hours coming up on a mega freeway. For the sake of moving faster, we took the risk of exposure to move across the spacious highway avoiding the abandoned wagon pile ups. We reached the end of the highway, it curved west and we all moved to the edge to see FOB Bronco below us. Several tents littered a parking lot and several barriers had been erected around the base. At each corner a magical energy turret was set up with four sentry ponies, and even more ponies trotting along the raised battlements. Flag tapped my shoulder and pointed to the camps far right corner. A grey tent had been set up, our order’s logo was emblazoned on it with a few Rangers hanging around it.

Looking ahead, I saw City 6, it wasn’t much different from the other cities I’d seen. Skyscrapers dominated the skies with several signs advertising companies, products, and services. This time however there were smoke stacks rising into the sky, and the faint sounds of gun fire echoed through the city. Just like when I first entered the empire. The same shit different day, another battle to be fought, more friends to see die to a careless enemy. I let out a bitter chuckle, my father told me once, that war… war never changes. As thing stood, he had yet to be proven wrong.

Level Up: 6

Perks: Strong Back: Ponies should start calling you packing mule, you get +50 carrying weight to your saddle bags. You can also start carrying disassembled heavy weapons and even broken-down robots! (Stacks with Robronco Certified)

Author's Notes:

Good news I found an artist and getting some new cover art! I like my current one but I definitely want something with a title card. Not to mention help with recognition and something catches the eye. You know, for the five seconds its up in the front page lol. It should help and whenever it’s ready. I’ll have it up for you guys <3
Anywho, I hope you like this chapter I think I’m getting better at editing and sentence structure. So drop a comment and tell me what you guys think!

Chapter 8: The War of Attrition Part-1

I stood at attention with my friends lined up left of me. Colonel Starfire paced back and forth, her expression looking like she sucked on a lemon. Things were not looking bright for this offensive, we seemed to have reached a stalemate. The Zebras had fortified five key locations we had plans to take. The key locations were in a general square formation around the central most important location. Unfortunately, divide and conquer wasn’t an option.

“We attack one place, they reinforce the other, we try to attack the place with less numbers its reinforced by another. Every time we try and take one objective at a time we get pushed back.” The Colonel snarled and kicked a nearby chair to the ground. I understood her frustration, she kept losing ponies in her assaults.

“What about a five-pronged assault?” Flag turned his head to look at the Colonel.

“I want to but spreading ourselves thin doesn’t help us out.” The Colonel sat on her haunches, she looked down and I noticed a few strands of hair sticking out of her bun. There were bags under her eyes, how long had she been up?

“Mam, if I may?” I raised a hoof.

“Speak” The colonel grunted.

“Has Captain Heavy Arms made any suggestions regarding the five-pronged assault?” My father knew how to hit enemies where it hurt. If anypony had an idea it was him, but at the same time I know my father hadn’t made the best first impression by blowing off the Colonel at Ironshod. True enough the Colonel fixed me with a withering look. After a few seconds she looked away, and rather begrudgingly she pointed to the center of her command tent. The tent itself housed several terminals and other equipment manned by several ponies. However, a huge table at the center dominated the tent. The table was something I’ve heard off, but never seen. A holographic tactical map, it used data transmitted through a satellite to recreate an almost perfect replica of the battlefield. It took everything from terrain and weather into account and simulated it on the table. Despite myself, I was excited to see it in action.

The Colonel walked towards the far-right side and hit an unseen button. The table lit up in a blue grid, a holographic bar showed up floating a foot off the table. The bar slowly filled up loading the necessary data to recreate City 6. After two minutes the bar filled and the table materialized City 6, each skyscraper rising about three feet upward. The skyscrapers were mostly concentrated at the center of the slice of pie that was City 6. The Colonel walked around the table and waved her hoof over the map removing the skyscrapers. She then hopped on the table and trotted to the center. She pointed her hoof at four different buildings that floated up around her. She took a few steps back and pointed to a last building that floated up at the center of the original four forming a square.

“Captain Heavy Arms suggested we launch four simultaneous attacks.” She struck the four outer buildings with her hoof and they turned red. She then walked up to the center building, “while we attack each site, he wants a small team to launch an assault on the central target. With the small team acting as the smallest force, he predicts the Zebras will spare reinforcements from one if not all the sites to eliminate the threat.” The Colonel raised her hoof and drew a line from the upper right building to the central building. Following her hoof, a dotted line appeared ending in an arrow pointing at the central target building. “He wants a separate force, one big enough to make a difference, to reinforce the building that send reinforcements.” The Colonel trotted off to the side of the five targets and tapped one of the buildings. A command window appeared, and she hit several commands to bring up a pony head with a helmet over it. She pushed it to the far upper left building and the building turned green. “His plan, put simply, is to create the false sense of stalemate. Which ever of the targets send reinforcements. We will send a separate force to bolster our own numbers and push through the weakened defenses.” The Colonel waved her hooves and all buildings returned to their original place. She hopped off the map standing next to us.

“That seems like it could work,” I didn’t see a problem, seemed simple enough.

“Yes, except the small force has no chance of surviving long enough to demand reinforcements.” The colonel rolled her eyes and trotted to a desk at the right corner of the map. She parked herself in the seat behind it and rested her head on her hooves.

Well, I hope nopony here hates me for this but, “I volunteer my unit.”

“What?” The Colonel crossed her hooves on her desk and raised a brow at me.

“My unit is mostly comprised of Rangers, we have the best chance of survival.” I pointed to Lemon and Flag respectively for emphasis.

“You also have two other ponies, MY ponies I might add. I won’t risk their lives, so you can play hero.” The Colonel glared at me.

[Smooth Rambler] “Mam, I led these ponies here, I guided them through an ambush against superior Zebra numbers and armor. I believe in these ponies, all I ask is you do the same.” I puffed out my chest and stood at rigid attention.

“…” The Colonel gave me a stare that could melt my armor, her eyes bore into my soul. I felt as if she was scanning my soul for any deceit or uncertainty. To be fair, I was uncertain about a lot of things, but I believed in my father. If he said this plan could work, I believed him without question.

“I don’t see many other options open to me, every day we get bogged down and our other fronts are pushed. I fear a full encirclement might happen if we delay longer. I have not received news from the other fronts, every report is the same, bogged down in vicious street to street fighting.” The Colonel tapped her hoof on the table. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, she reached for a mug on her table and lifted it up to her lips. She glared down at the cup immediately, “Ugh, Somepony get me more coffee!” She banged the cup on her desk.

“Fine, if you want to act as the proverbial bait, be my guest. I don’t much like sending ponies into such dangerous operations.” The Colonel stood and walked around her desk and offered me a salute. “I will task you with causing as much havoc as possible within the Zebra ranks.”

“Understood mam, we won’t fail you.” I saluted in return, my team followed my lead with quiet stoicism.

“I hope so, now go get some rest, I predict the operation will start in two days. I’ll be pouring over the details with Captain Heavy Arms.” The Colonel sighed, “you’re dismissed.” Everypony filed out after me to stand outside the tent.

“Okay, I know I volunteered you for a very dangerous mission. But I think this is the right call.” I immediately trotted up to face everypony. I felt bad, I really did, I know everypony here put their lives in my hooves. I even told myself I couldn’t make mistakes to get these ponies killed. But I just complicated everything by requesting the most dangerous task possible.

“Valiant I told you I trusted you to make the right call, and that Lemon and I are here to support you.” Flag looked to Lemon.

“I know after everything that’s happened you’re doubting yourself, heck I probably would too after going through this much. But despite that, you’ve persevered, you keep pushing forward. So, don’t start doubting yourself now. If you believe we can do this, I’m willing to believe it too.” Lemon placed her hoof over her heart, opened her helmet and gave me her warmest smile.

“I’m not one to run into impossible fights, but if you think we can do this, well shit you got us through the ambush. I think you can handle being at odds.” Rose gave me a lop-sided smirk, “besides, I’m starting to think you just act all innocent for the mares.”

I choked on my own tongue at that, “I, I don’t, even, it’s not an act okay!” I coughed loudly and opened my helmet to let the fresh air in. “Look I’m still getting used to this whole in charged thing okay?” I glanced towards The Rangers tent. “My father is just used to ponies taking orders from him. Me? I was used to being ordered around by everypony.” Ugh, my mind was drifting to less than pleasant days of my childhood. I hated the days the young squires were schooled with scribes. They always poked fun of the smallest of us, the only reason I was spared most of the bullying was because they knew who my father was.

“Who’s your dad?” Rose asked innocently enough. I paled and fuck me for letting that slip.

“Uh he’s…well he’s Captain Heavy Arms.” I muttered and scuffed the ground with my hoof.

“Oh? I didn’t think family members could be in the same unit. You know, familial ties under fire and all that. But you guys are Rangers, I don’t really know how you work.” Rose thankfully talked herself out of further questions I had no idea how to answer.

“Y-yeah were a breed of our own alright,” I shook my head, “but that’s not the point, he’s used to ponies just doing things his way. So, I’m asking you if you’re okay with this. I don’t think I can be the pony that can go do something dangerous and drag ponies into it because of my rank.” I wasn’t my father, honestly, I wasn’t sure who I was these days. A hero, a Ranger or just some naive pony way in over his head.

“Were with you kid,” Flag looked to everypony and they nodded their agreement. Well except Trapper, he remained silent this whole engagement, he just looked to his hooves and let the conversation pass him.

“Trapper?” I walked up to him.

“You’re in charge here Valiant, I don’t want to cause any trouble.” Trapper rubbed his left foreleg.

“You’re not being insubordinate if I’m asking you Trapper. How do you feel about this decision? You’re going to be just as involved in the fighting as the rest of us.” I gestured towards our friends.

“Well,” Trapper looked up to me and he frowned, “I don’t like it, I mean this in the best possible way Valiant, but.” Trapper avoided eye contact, but his scowl seemed to deepen. “I’m not a Ranger, I’m not walking in a suit of power armor that can withstand almost everything the Zebras can throw at you. Neither is Rose, I don’t mean to say I speak for her. But she’s just as vulnerable as me when it comes down to it.” Trapper wouldn’t meet my gaze. I sat on his words for a moment, what could I say to that? He was right, and to be honest I don’t know how courageous or willing I’d be to take this mission if I didn’t have my armor. If it wasn’t for my armor I would have died a few times over now.

“Trapper your right,” Rose snapped me from my thoughts, I looked towards her stepping up to us.

“I’m not sure how this is going to end, but then again in war nopony knows. Maybe we go and die on this mission. Or maybe we stay here, maybe Zebras come and attack us at night in a surprise attack and we die then.” Rose’s speech was bumming me out, I couldn’t imagine what it was doing to Trapper. “Point is, you need to ask yourself Trapper, how do you want to die? Do you want to die another day in another battle? Or do you want to try not to die doing something worthwhile to the war effort?”

Trapper looked between me and Rose, his face confused and downright frightened. He almost died three times now. I don’t blame him for being the way he is right now, dealing with one’s own mortality was different for everypony. These days I seem to stubbornly refuse death, at least when my ‘condition’ isn’t acting up. I don’t want to die, I don’t think anypony does. Trapper looked no different than me when I first decided to help at the E.C.Z. He bit his lip, and he couldn’t look at Rose in the eye. He didn’t seem to look at anypony in the eye. He kept battling with his own emotions, his own experiences probably screaming at him to choose self-preservation over valor.

“I-I don’t know okay!” Trapper practically screamed, several ponies around the camp looked at us. “You’re asking a lot of me right now.” Trapper gasped for breath and stepped away from us, “I’m not sure I can do this okay!” Trapper did a one eighty and ran from us disappearing into the chaos of the camp.

“Thanks for your support Rose,” I put a hoof over her shoulder.

“You’re welcome, but I did this for all of us.” Rose turned to us, Flag opened his helmet and nodded towards her.

“Trapper is a nice stallion, no question about it.” Flag rolled his eyes and rubbed the back of his neck. A useless gesture while in armor, but as far as body language goes? I got the awkward feeling he was giving off. “He doesn’t seem like the best pony to have under fire you get me?”

“I don’t get it, I mean he was scared sure.” Trapper was just scared, everypony had a right to be in a battlefield.

“Valiant, Trapper is deafly afraid of combat,” I looked to Lemon, her statement was obvious, but what pony wasn’t? Well I guess Flag and my father were different.

“Well yeah, what pony isn’t?” I don’t get it what were they trying to say?

“Look what were trying to say is, maybe it’s best if Trapper stays here,” Flag stood up and left the conversation.

“Flag is right, Trapper should stay here, he honestly would be better suited for the Colonel’s command staff.” Rose turned and went her own way as well.

“Lemon? What do you think?” I looked to her.

She sighed and seemed to maul her words over. “Trapper has been through a lot, like Rose he’s been in this war most of his life. He’s seen things we haven’t, and I bet Rose has too. Look at them both, some ponies adjust to war. Trapper doesn’t seem like he’s adjusting.” Lemon left it at that and walked towards the Ranger tent. I was left alone with my thoughts, Trapper wasn’t adjusting. I thought of what I knew of him, when I first met him and when I talked to him through the radio during the battle at Ironshod. What was I missing? I was scared, when the Zebra Behemoth destroyed our transport and Trapper was injured I froze seeing Trapper injured. If it wasn’t for Lemon I would probably be dead for freezing like I did. If anything, Lemon seemed more courageous than most of us. But then if Trapper wasn’t adjusting that brought up a frightening question. A question I was afraid to ask aloud to anypony at this point, at least anypony that witnessed my breakdowns.

How was I adjusting? I never killed anything until a few days ago. My heart clenched, and my throat went dry as I thought of the ambush outside the Princess Shield. Up until then my hooves were clean of any type of blood, I never so much as even hurt a radroach. Now with more kills than I could count under my belt, and a few brushes with death, where was I mentally? I looked down to my hooves, the motor sensors of my armor were very sensitive. They had to be to able to judge the amount of strength we applied while wearing them. So, when I saw my hooves visibly shake, I got my answer.

I wasn’t fairing much better than Trapper. Just thinking about the ambush had me shaking in my hooves, and it took every ounce of willpower not to think of Strider, bloodied and lying on the snow telling me to run. I didn’t sleep anymore, not like I used to, a few hours of rest are all I dared and needed these days. Sleeping meant the dreams had a higher chance to turn to nightmares. Nightmares that turned to schizophrenic episodes and voices haunting me for my every failure. I couldn’t even tell myself if I was getting better or worse. Well just another reason to dump the command of four ponies to me, right Flag? Well nothing to be done about it, scribes had a saying, no use crying over a broken terminal. I had to adapt and now that I thought about it, maybe I needed to ask ponies in charge how they dealt with these things. With that idea firmly planted in my head, I closed my helmet and made my way to the Ranger tent. My father would want an update on my situation.

Walking into the Ranger tent was both comforting and terrifying at the same time. The tent held several tables with armor pieces and Equestrian engineers running repairs on power armor frames. Rangers worked with the engineers helping them better understand their power armor preferences. They modified their armors accordingly, as was Ranger tradition. At the far end of the tent was my father, his armor was next to the table he was hunched over. Several ponies worked on it while his eyes scanned whatever was on the table.

When I took my first steps into the tent, several Rangers looked at me with mixed opinions. Some nodded their hellos, others glared and returned to their work, and some simply chose to ignore me all together. I didn’t think a few days would be enough to forgive my blatant disregard of orders. Still, I found comfort in seeing Flag and Lemon in their own place left of my father. The two diligently working on their armors. Seeing as Lemon looked fine I took it as a good sign that she wasn’t in trouble. I walked up to my father and saluted him, hoof to the side of my head.

“Wrong salute Knight.” Well, already off to a great start and I got to add failing to properly salute my superior to my growing list of failures.

“Sorry,” I put my hoof to my heart and straighten my stance.

“Don’t worry, its good you know the Equestrian salute.” My father waved away the mistake, I shifted nervously to the engineers.

“Don’t worry about them, they’re so into power armor they’re in their own little world.” My father’s lips twitch upward slightly.

“Yeah, father about Knight Lemon,” I glanced at the unicorn in question.

“Yes, I know she’s a unicorn and no I don’t particularly mind. If she can operate the armor efficiently, then I have no problem allowing her to continue doing her duty to the order.” That was a relief, if a bit anti-climactic. I always pictured my father as a traditionalist, but then again out here in the field traditions weren’t as important as necessity. Every power armor counts when there were so little of us left.

“Right, well I guess I should give you my report.” I cleared my throat and collected my thoughts.

“Don’t bother, Crusader Flag filled me in, he said he couldn’t be specific, but he told me were trapped here.” My father’s stormy blue eye stared me down, though his expression remained neutral I still felt like I was disappointing him by just standing before him.

“Y-yeah, this shield isn’t going down until this war is won.” I closed my eyes, unsure how to proceed from here.

“Well, this is my fault.” Okay I was not expecting that out of my father.

“Sir?” I made sure he saw my incredulous look.

“I got too entangled with the ponies here, now everypony here is determined to help save the empire.” My father sighed and rubbed his temples. On closer inspection, he had bags under his eyes and his trimmed mane was disheveled.

“Sir, have you slept at all in the last twenty-four hours?” I stood up and rested my forehooves on the table.

“You and every other pony keeps asking.” My father rolled his eyes and gave an uninterested hum.

“So…no?” I raised a brow at him.

“No, I rested an hour before you were spotted on the highway above us.” My father waved my concerns away, “more importantly I was contacted by Colonel Starfire saying she accepted my proposal…” My father looked up to me. “I take it you had something to do with that?”

“Yeah, I volunteered my unit for the job.” That caused my father to freeze. He looked at me, but I couldn’t gauge his reaction, like always his muzzle was neutral. His stare bore into me and seemed to strip away every layer of my defenses, seeing what kind of pony I was.

“Do you understand the risk?” That was easy, the risk was I would die.

“Yes sir, I’m prepare to not come back until the mission is a success.” I puffed out my chest and gave him a confidant smirk.

“Then you don’t understand the risk.” My father sighed shaking his head. I quickly deflated with an incredulous look on my face.

“Your death isn’t the only concern, not even that of your team. If you fail, the Zebras will simply hold as they have and force a stalemate. More lives lost, the entire mission is hinged on the success of the small team. If you mess up, if you die. A lot of ponies will die because of you.” Every word felt like a turn on a wench squeezing my throat shut. Breathing almost became an issue right then and there.

“I- I understand sir,” Did I? I just got told I held not just my squad’s life, but the entire 12^th and 8^th regiment’s life in my hooves. So, you know, no pressure.

“The 8^th regiment has some ponies I think might be able to do the job, you should remain here instead.” My father looked back down to his papers. Wait what? Remain here? I don’t think I have that option. I raised my hoof, glancing down to the PipBuck hidden beneath my armor.

“I can’t,” the words escaped me before I even registered them.

“What?” My father’s eyes snapped to me, his eyes narrowed, and his jaw visibly set.

“I can’t, I have a special objective from High Command.” I didn’t stutter, that was a bonus.

“Don’t forget your allegiances Ranger, were here to help these ponies, but you are my subordinate under my command.” My father pointed his hoof at me and I almost flinched, almost.

“Sir, I understand, but I really don’t have a choice, due to mission sensitive details I can’t explain myself openly. But please know I’m doing this for every Ranger here.” I stood up straight and met his intense gaze. I needed to do better, I needed to see how ponies in command acted and my father was practically giving me a hands-on lesson. Show strength and conviction, self-doubt is the undoing of your units’ confidence. Trapper’s fears gave me the strength to stand up against my father. I needed confidence, and the will to get a frightened pony like Trapper to trust me. To give him the courage he needs.

“Hmph, I guess Flag wasn’t making a mistake giving you command of this mission.” My father sighed, then he looked at me with something akin to pride. “If you insist, then I will trust you with the fate of this operation. If you can hold on to that will. I believe we might capture this city in a weeks’ time.” My father tapped the table and I finally looked down to the actual papers he was going over. Several satellite pictures demonstrated the target buildings. While a map of the city was below said pictures. My father had several notes of squads and strike positions around each target.

“So, what’s so important about the targets?” I looked at one of the pictures, it was overhead, so it was difficult to make out details. But on the rooftop several Zebras had set up heavy guns, and what I could only guess as artillery. One of the batteries had a long barrel angled into the sky with a crew of three Zebras hanging around it. The target itself was surrounded by a wall, how high was anypony’s guess. Near the front of the building the wall had two towers one at each corner and two where the gate stood. Though more like once stood. Repeated assaults had at the very least left their mark, the corner towers had their rooftops blown clean off. Though it looked like Zebras had erected sandbag covers on the ruins and turned the towers into machinegun nests. The towers meeting at the front gate were completely collapsed leaving rubble in their wake. That the walls were still relatively intact was a wonder of its own. The road before the target building had been battered, lots of craters indicated heavy bombardment. The other three sides looked about the same, craters along roads and collapsed buildings. If I had to guess the 12^th and 8^th regiments had used these buildings as garrisons to launch their assault. Too bad the artillery pieces rendered them to rubble.

“The five buildings control the city defense protocol, all five together are needed to raise the walls.” My father tapped the map and made a triangle around the city.

I’m sure I’m missing the bigger picture here, but I might as well ask anyways. “Why do we want to raise the walls with the Zebras inside?”

“To cut them off from reinforcements, unlike us they don’t seem to have any type of air support. We can still air lift reinforcements from the 6^th regiment.” My father waved a hoof gesturing outside the map. “They are currently awaiting the wall being raised to be air lifted into the city. With them strengthening our numbers, we mop up the remaining Zebras.” That sounded like a sound enough plan, but if the attack on Ironshod taught me something, it was that every plan seemed to go awry when executed.

“Okay so I figured I’d ask. But how are the Zebras sending reinforcements to one another?” I looked at the same picture as before. The beauty of one choke point to defend was you only needed to point guns at one place. But, that also meant your one exit was blocked.

“That’s the kicker, there’s a private tram system connecting all five targets underground.” My father glared at the map.

“No wonder they can reinforce one another so fast” I muttered.

“Well the plan is simple enough, all you need to do now is come up with your own plan of assault.” My father hopped off the table and walked around it to me. I meanwhile let out an internal scream of sheer terror. I didn’t even have a plan, and two days to plan? That wasn’t as generous as it sounded. I had to run this plan by the Colonel and my father. Both had to approve it. Otherwise back to the drawing board. Shit, I wish my father had at least given me an officer’s rank, at Lieutenant I only needed to run the plan by the Colonel. Barring an outright refusal, I was good to go. But now I had to find a plan that worked for two very fundamentally different ponies. Well so much for getting a wink of sleep today.

“Valiant, I’m counting on you, make us proud son.” My father patted my back and left the Ranger tent. I turned to watch him leave. I felt a smile tug at the corner of my lips, a chance to make him proud. That’s all I could ever hope for. Well the added other pressures kind of ruined the moment a little. Okay a lot, but still the thought was enough to get me thinking. I bid farewells to Lemon and Flag, exited my armor by the designated area, and followed my father outside.

“Sir, I wanted to ask if I could get a table, and awning and,” my father held up a hoof cutting me off.

“I’m going to stop you there, you have to go through the Supply Core to get what you need. They’re at the east end of the camp.” My father pointed me the way and walked away, then stopped. He glanced at me and gave a knowing look, like he was in a joke I clearly wasn’t. “Good luck by the way.” He walked away disappearing into the various ponies moving around. Well that was just icing on the cake, a chance to prove myself to him and a good luck? I think my luck was starting to turn for the best.

I went east as instructed and found the Supply Core, what followed next? That was truly something not even the cruelest of Zebra could come up with. I arrived at the Supply Core tent and was told I needed to wait in line. There were five officer ponies ahead of me, and when the line moved up, a pony in officers digs cut in front of me. when I raised a hoof to give him a piece of my mind, he pointed to a sign hanging on the tents far wall.

‘Officers get priority over Non-com officers.’

So, I bit my tongue and fumed silently at the injustice. For whatever reason the line despite being five ponies long, moved so damn slowly! Finally, when my turn arrived I told them what I wanted. Before I could even get the word table out of my mouth they gave me a stack of forms to fill out. So, I did, in which three more officers came in while I did paperwork. So, I was forced to wait in line, again, finally after what seemed like an hour, I turned the forms in. I was promptly given another set of forms, turns out the previous ones were simply to put me in the system and keep track of my allotted supplies! Fine, I took their forms and filled out two pages for each individual item I needed, including the ridiculous three-page form for a pen! With that done I returned to- son of a bitch five more officers lined up before me! I gritted my teeth and parked my ass down in line…again! Another hour must have gone by and I was at the desk again. I turned my forms in and was promptly told I would need to wait a minimum of seven fucking hours! For a table, a freaking pen, awning, and a god damn set of tools!

I left the supply tent quite steamed to see the sun setting. Celestia’s nonexistent balls I spent the entire afternoon in there! Wanting something to eat, I asked a pony where the food was being served. They pointed me west…to the other side of the damn camp! I suppressed a groan and made my way there. By this point I was sick of lines. So, despite feeling kind of scummy about it, I dropped my name and my new celebrity status got me to the front of a significant line. I got served some beans, not from a two-hundred-year-old can, apple juice, and some sliced green apples. I found a nice spot without many ponies. When I sat down, a speaker hanging from one of the tents poles came to life.

“Sergeant Valiant Knight, please report to the Supply Tent.” Without further explanation the message cut off and returned to playing music. I looked at my delicious food with sadness and abandoned it there. I walked clear across the camp, again, but not that I was bitter about it, and made it to Supplies. I entered to another fucking, cunting, shit eating line! I shamelessly tried my name and all it got me was a sideways glance from the officer ahead of me. So totally not ready to go back, get my power armor and demand my supplies at gunpoint, I waited. I got to the desk and the pony told me I didn’t specify where my supplies were to be dropped. My eye twitched and I opened my mouth to politely tell them where I needed them.

The desk pony just as quickly tossed me more forms. I pressed my lips together in a forced smile and went to fill them. This time only two ponies got in line ahead of me. I handed the pony my forms and he sent me on my way. I returned to the Mess Hall to find it closed as food stopped being served at 2400 hours. A helpful sign was hung outside the tent.

‘Mess Hall closed till 0600, late night patrols coming in request rations from the Supply Core.’

“FUCK!” I shouted at the top of my lungs! As it turns out, yelling in a mostly quiet sleeping military camp got everypony in the immediate area riled up. Several ponies dropped to the ground and pulled out side arms. Spotlights lit up and swiveled around the camp. As if to make matters worse, an alarm blared, and the entire camp was raised on high alert. A spotlight swiveled my way and fixed on me, after a few minutes everything died down and I was left with quite a few angry ponies glaring at me.

“Uhm, sorry just dealing with Supply Core troubles.” I had apparently said the magic words, because every murder intent stare turned to pity, and I was let off easy.

Feeling rather humbled I walked back to the Supply Tent to request some rations. I ran to a line exiting the Supply Tent, as to my, of course turning luck. Seven of the night patrols of four ponies each had returned to get rations. My lips quivered, my left eye twitched and I felt a foul curse build up in my chest. The pony ahead turned to me, he reached into his saddle bag and produced a pillow. He handed me the pillow, “first time dealing with the Supply Core?” he gave me a smile. I nodded yes, I didn’t trust my mouth to not just let out another high-volume profanity. I took the pillow and screamed into it, that done I returned the pillow and thanked the soldier kindly. After another hour, this time I counted if only to stave off boredom, I made it to the desk. I asked for rations, any rations, and if they handed me another form? I was ready to just eat the forms and tell the desk pony to go bite the end of a Zebra rifle. Instead he mercifully handed me some rations and I thanked Celestia for this small miracle.

I returned to the Ranger tent, the night guards told me where I could find myself a cot. South of the camp I found the barracks, a huge awning with several cots laid out beneath, I found an empty cot and laid down eating my rations in silence. I took deep calming breaths and let the day’s frustrations go. [Bat Pony]

I awoke at exactly 0500, I was up and feeling rested and fed. First thing I did was get to the Ranger tent, I was happy to find my supplies set and ready for me to use. A table under a spacious awning and a frame where I could place my power armor to work on. I retrieved my armor from inside the Ranger tent, placed it in my new frame and started making plans. Lemon arrived and asked if I needed any help, I gladly took her offer and asked her to run a few errands to the command tent for information. She returned with a map, a satellite picture of our target building, and a time table of when the attack was to commence. I had to think of everyponies talents, Lemon from my short time seeing her in combat had great reflexes. She also seemed well suited for bombardment, her launching grenades to hit the retreating Zebras was impressive. She could lead her shots and conserved ammunition above shooting at everything and anything.

Flag was a steady shot, he seemed the most skilled among us when it came down to it. Though I had yet to really see Trapper or Rose shoot. That brought its own set of problems, Rose and Trapper couldn’t be on the front line of fire. Rose was our medic, she would stick close but behind cover. Trapper was our radio pony, assuming he did decide to come, I certainly wouldn’t force him, but if he came he would need to stay with Rose.

Ugh, this was hard, I grabbed the photo and gave it a good look. It didn’t have the perimeter wall like the other four targets. The rooftop was reinforced with sandbags and three artillery pieces. A frontal assault seemed like suicide. With a thoughtful hum, I looked to those artillery pieces. Then I glanced at the map and patted at a skyscraper just south of the front entrance. Just eyeballing it, maybe a hundred meters or more between the target and the skyscraper. I looked back to the picture and noticed several boxes stacked by the artillery pieces. Those boxes had to be the munitions used for the batteries. I smirked, don’t you just love it when a plan comes together?

After several hours of planning, getting through supplies, and getting my plan approved. I was able to relax and work on my power armor. Supplies restocked my missiles, and I was up to 24 on a six-cylinder launcher. My minigun was freshly restocked, and I got my armor cleaned for the operation tomorrow. All and all, I had my day freed up for the rest of today. Which looking at the sky was maybe four more hours before I turned in early.

“Hey Valiant?” Trapper approached me, standing just outside the awning.

“Trapper, hey are you okay?” I went to stand before him.

“Yeah, I’m fine, well no, I guess I’m not.” Trapper sighed and shook his head.

“I need to confess something to you, something I kept pretty well guarded.” Trapper scuffed the ground with his hoof. His eyes downcast and his voice sounded noticeably strained after each word. “I’m a coward,” Trapper squeezed his eyes shut, tears trailed down his muzzle.

“Trapper, being afraid doesn’t make you a coward.” I lifted a hoof to comfort him, but he just stepped away from me shaking his head adamant of his confession.

“No! Damn it, when you found me. When you helped me, back in the E.C.Z, I ordered my squad to that place to hide.” Trapper’s frame started to shake, sobs escaped him, and he looked to me eyes wild and pleading. “When the Sergeant was shot, he was reaching out for me, for me to help him, to pick him up.” Trappers legs began shaking as well, he slowly slid to the ground resting on his haunches. “I ran, I was so afraid, I turned and told everypony he was dead. I ran and everypony just followed. When I found the building, I told everypony to hide.” Trapper sniffled and wiped his eyes desperately. “Then they found the building and I told them to not shoot! To let them go unmolested. It didn’t work, one of my squad mates shot anyway and got us into that fire fight. I didn’t even fire back, I was on the ground desperately trying to get help.” Some ponies glanced at us, but none moved to help or even say anything. Most just got this look of apathy, a look that said this was an everyday occurrence.

“Trapper, you’re not a coward, you did what you thought was right.” I tried but he just shook his head furiously cutting me off.

“No, I am a coward! I never fired my weapon, not even once! Worst when you got everypony to charge, I didn’t. I stayed behind ducking for cover while better ponies than me acted! Damn it I don’t deserve this confidence you place in me! I’m a coward and a failure. Everypony was right!” Trapper laid on the floor and put his hooves over his head. “Everypony said I was a coward, that I would never amount to anything. That I didn’t serve because I would just run and hide at the first sign of trouble.”

“Trapper you can’t have been fighting all this time without firing your rifle once?” It made no sense, how would nopony notice that?

Trapper let out a bitter laugh, “I’m a radio pony, when I ducked and covered nopony even asked. They just assumed I was protecting my radio.” His laugh slowly dissolved to mournful sobs. “I am a coward, I never should have joined, better ponies than me have died when a coward like me is left alive.” Slowly and Shakely Trapper returned to his hooves. “I should just, I should just request maintenance duty.” Trapper regained control of his breath, he wiped furiously at his muzzle, each wipe followed by a subdued sob. “I can’t endanger you, or Rose, I endangered enough ponies.”

“Trapper, I had no idea this is how you felt, and I’m sorry.” I put both my hooves on Trappers shoulders.

“I know this fear, and I still have it, and all this time I can’t explain why I kept trying. Why I still fought.” I bore into Trappers eyes, like my father I tried my best to look past his defenses and look at the pony inside. “Cowards are those who refuse to do anything in the presence of evil.” I offered him a small smile. “Cowards are those who let their fear stop them from doing what needs to be done. Trapper you made it this far.” I took a deep breath, “so please make it a bit farther, trust in me, give me a chance to let you find your courage. Give me a chance to be the pillar in which you can become the pony you want to be.” I did not flinch, I did not blink, I bore into his soul seeing a good pony struggling with oppressive fear. A pony I could relate to, a pony who unlike me didn’t have a friend to help him become a better pony.

“Valiant, what if I let you die too? What if I just run away again?” Trapper broke our stare and looked down rubbing his foreleg with the other.

“Then run, and make sure Flag, Lemon, and Rose survive. Like you made sure your squad ran when it was near extermination, make sure they run too.” I didn’t want to die, I didn’t want to be left to die. But I wanted to believe in Trapper. Nopony believed in me but Strider, if I could do that for Trapper now? Well maybe I was an optimist, but I’ve been there. I’ve been scared with nopony believing in me. My father was always neutral. He never encouraged my actions or condemned them unless I got in trouble. Strider believed until the very end. I owed it to him to believe in others, no matter my own short comings.

“Valiant I’ll just get you killed, I’m not worth the trouble.” Trapper’s sobs finally calmed, now his voice was just cracked and tired.

“I… I feel I got Strider killed. He was my best friend, and I feel I got him killed.” I don’t think I ever said that aloud, I thought it, I felt it in my heart. But I never confessed it to anypony. Why let it out now? I guess two hurting souls might find comfort that they aren’t alone in their failures. Trapper looked to me, his eyes red from crying. He smiled! Thank Celestia he smiled and put one of his hoofs over mine.

“I, I don’t want to be afraid anymore Valiant.” Trapper’s voice carried an air of positivity instead of feudality. My words reached him, they had to, to convey such change in tone.

“Me too, I choose to believe in you Trapper, so please believe in me and let me show you I can be a leader worth following.” The light shone clear as day in Trappers eyes, a sense of purpose filled him as he threw his hooves around me and gave me a hug. I chuckled and returned the gesture, I admitted pride filled me seeing Trapper believe in me. I wonder if Strider would have been proud of me? Trapper disentangled himself from me and stood straight with a crisp salute. He left to prepare for the battle ahead, they were wrong, everypony was wrong about him. He could overcome his fear. If I could overcome my fear Trapper could as well.

With Trapper and the question of whether I was going to be a pony short answered. I went to Colonel Starfire to petition my last bit of supplies. She gave me a lopsided smirk and gave me some papers with her signature on them. I got the supplies I needed in less than an hour, hah, take that bureaucracy! I spent the remaining of my time tuning my armor and then hanging out with my team in the Mess Hall.

“Hey Rose, are you a trained psychiatrist?” My question got everypony there looking at me funny. Even Trapper, who returned with un-needed apologies to the team. Was it really that weird a question? I know, I know I’m the crazy pony, but I just wanted to know.

“Well, not through former schooling, after my husband’s death I got training from the M.O.M.” Rose shrugged and bit down on an apple she floated to her mouth.

“Wait the M.O.M offers psychiatric help?” That was news to me, I admit my knowledge of the Morale Ministry was sketchy. Seeing as how they became the secret police of sorts; the public available information was mostly a front.

“Yeah, they deal with W.S.D cases whenever ponies suffer from it. But seeing as we couldn’t start pulling ponies from the front willy-nilly. They began training medics to deal with it. It isn’t some in depth course, but its enough for us to help and if we deemed it necessary, to remove a pony from active combat.” Rose sipped her juice and gave us a half-hearted shrug. She really was like Flag, relaxed and carefree.

“So… you think you could help me? you know, not be as afraid?” Trapper tapped his hooves together looking down.

“Well, I can help in the sense of helping you stay calm, but you have to make the effort to overcome your fears Trapper.” Rose crossed her hooves and leaned on the table finishing off her apple.

“That sounds good to me, if anypony needs Somepony to talk to, I’m all ears.” Lemon wiggled her ear for emphasis and gave us all a beaming smile. You know, I wondered how she kept such a bright smile sometimes. There was a certain strength of will that a pony had to have to smile when so many ponies couldn’t.

“Well, so long as you don’t go rooting through my noggin, I think I might need to take you out to dinner doc,” Flag smirked and winked at Rose.

“Hah, nothing there to root for,” Rose winked back at Flag. We all laughed as Flag made a dramatic pained noise and put his hoof to his heart.

“She got you figured Flag,” I smirked, payback for the Vertibuck tease when Lemon was being nice to me.

“Jeez, when did you start ganging up on a pony kid? I think I’m starting to be a bad influence on you. Your dad ain’t gonna like that.” Flag laughed and banged his hoof on the table. I thought it about and couldn’t help the laugh.

“Captain Heavy Arms does seem like a strict pony.” Rose muttered her hoof to her chin.

“Well,” Flag rolled his eyes, “he was kind of like Valiant when he was young.”

My ears perked and leaned towards Flag, more about my father? Yes please! I knew so little about his past. When I asked as a kid he just brushed it off saying it wasn’t important. Even my mother didn’t tell me much, said my father was just as sweet then as he was now. Something I had a hard time believing, my father looked as sweet as gravel.

“Heavy Arms was always trying to help ponies, still is really. But I guess he kind off had more piss and vinegar back then. He used to rush head into fights. If he could blow it up, he was the first to try it.” Flag’s tone was becoming increasingly nostalgic. The smile on his muzzle that of Somepony remembering the best years of their lives. It had come to my attention then, I didn’t know much about Flag. I just knew him as my dad’s only friend and closest partner. I wanted to ask more about his past but given our company it was something that would have to wait.

“That doesn’t sound like me,” I raised a brow, I didn’t consider myself one to rush into fights.

“Kid, you got your cutiemark by standing up to bullies. You and your dad are the same, whenever a pony needs help. You charge in, sometimes halfcocked sometimes with a plan. I can honestly say your old stallion has gotten wiser, and a lot calmer over the years. But he’ll still help a pony if he can.” Trapper gave me an encouraging smile. “Kid if you keep taking this path, you might be the next Captain of our unit back home.” Flag winked at me and shrugged. Wow, me Star Paladin of the order? That was certainly something to think about. But at the same time, was that what I wanted? I mean I became a Knight, so this had to be the natural progression of things, right? I would want to become Star Paladin, like my father. Right, like my father, duty and honor, serve and protect, and my son to grow up under my shadow. I suddenly didn’t like the comparison between me and my father. I don’t know what I wanted at this point. I wanted to be a Knight for so long that now that I’m here I’m kind of lost. If I’m being honest with myself, this war has so quickly consumed my time and effort, that I never gave thought to my future. What happens after the war and we go back home? What comes then, do I follow my father’s footsteps and maybe by some crazy miracle I become Elder?

“Kid?” Flag waved his hoof before me, I blinked and looked around at everypony looking at me.

“You zoned out there for a second, you alright?” Rose looked me over with critical eyes.

“Yeah, I’m fine just… just got lost in thought is all. Don’t worry not hearing voices or anything.” I gave them a lopsided grin.

“Well so long as you’re alright, I’m going to turn in.” Flag stood and stretch, his bones audibly popping.

“Yeah,” Lemon stifled a yawn, “big day tomorrow, we should all get some rest.” Lemon stood up and moved to pick up her trey with her magic.

“Yeah, I need to be at my best, see you in the morning everypony!” Trapper looked way too excited to sleep, our pep-talk earlier must still be powering him. He jogged out of the tent ahead of everypony.

“Yeah see you guys tomorrow, can’t get shot at without a good night’s rest,” Rose hopped off the table and levitated everyone’s trays to a nearby trash can.

“Rose I got room in my cot for one more.” Flag walked out with Rose next to him and elbowed her side while wiggling his eyebrows.

“Ah Flag, my snoring would just scare you away.” Rose laughed and pushed him away with her hoof. I saw good friends, I totally didn’t see what Lemon was talking about him liking Rose. Lemon and I gave each other a hug and left to find our cots. I think I had one of my best sleeps so far that night.

The morning arrived, or rather we rose before the sun did. At around 0500 the twilight of the night was still shrouding the camp in darkness. But the artificial lights cut through the dark and made it day for everypony there. I entered my armor, neatly parked outside the Ranger tent. My systems powered up and my PipBuck’s sorting spell picked up the extra equipment.

[ELECTRONIC BINOCULARS]

[SIGNAL JAMMER GRENADES 6X]

The grenades were something I had read about in an old Equestrian Military magazine. They emitted chaff, aluminum strips scattered in the air. They jammed everything from radar to communications for a few minutes. If things went according to plan, and they rarely did, but a pony can hope, can’t he? I would be able to get those Zebra reinforcements on our position faster than my father or Colonel Starfire imagined. I waited for several minutes, watching the camp bursting with activity, units were gathering together and talking among themselves. Transports rolled out of makeshift hangars near the northern end of the camp. Radio ponies barked into their receivers and relayed the response to their officers.

“You ready Knight?” I jumped slightly, my father came up to me. He was in his armor shined and glistening against the camp lights.

“Yeah, just another day on the job huh?” I gave him an awkward smile, that was a terrible joke.

“Heh,” my father chuckled, then again, my mother did say he had a bad sense of humor. “Yeah, time to earn that pay check.” My father patted my back and I tried not to buckle from the strength. I think if I had it would have ruined the moment.

“Think I can get hazard pay for this?” I grinned up to him, I don’t think I would ever not feel like a colt around his massive size.

“Make it through and I’ll pay you myself, good luck soldier.” My father nodded and left to a gathering force of Rangers in front of the Ranger tent. I just traded banter with my no-nonsense father, the Zebras could eat shit. I was feeling just about ready to take them all on by myself. Flag arrived, and I proudly told him of my banter with my father.

“Hah, he does have a shit sense of humor.” Flag laughed, I stuck my tongue at him. Hey, I took my bonding where I could get it! Lemon was next, and she had an extra saddle bag with the Ministry of Peace logo on it.

“Extra medical supplies, Rose said if this plan of yours is gonna work she’ll need the extra hooves.” Lemon looked to Flag and raised a brow. “Doesn’t that Machine Rifle get in the way?” As part of my brilliant plan, I had Flag replace one of his machineguns with a machine rifle.

“Nah, ain’t the first time I carried one, don’t worry about me.” Flag waved a hoof at her. Rose promptly arrived with Trapper next to her. Trapper looked somber, but there was a certain strength of will in his eyes.

“Sorry about being the last ones to arrive, Trapper and I had a little chat, help him get through this.” Rose nodded towards Trapper.

“Don’t worry everypony, I won’t let you down, I promise!” Trapper stood at attention.

“Good to hear soldier,” I nodded and walked to stand before everypony gathered. “Alright we know our roll and we know the risks, everypony stick to the plan. We can do this, I know we can with all of you by my side. Nothing is going to bring us down.” I stood straight and put my hoof to my heart, “Semper Invicta!”

“Semper Invicta!” Everypony chanted our words of victory. I moved to the transports and asked around for any still available. We got directed to another of the armored armadillo type transport. The driver and gunner welcomed us inside and we hopped on. We tumbled out unto the street and everypony quietly waited for the ride to be over. It seemed like a ritual these days, before every operation we would all retreat into our selves and prepare. I looked around seeing what everypony was doing. Flag was like a stone, he was unmoving in his armor simply staring ahead. Rose was with Trapper, a little book floating in front of her. She was reading quietly from it and Trapper had his eyes closed his lips moving every so often. I looked at the cover and the book read the word of Faust, a pony I never heard off.

“Were here! Everypony out, and don’t let the door hit you on the ass on the way out.” The driver laughed, and the back of the transport opened. We stepped out into the city, and the driver wasn’t kidding, we barely got off, and the transport had already started to drive off. Here we were, standing before the husks of pony civilization once again. I looked to the Skyscraper we got dropped off by, it was as generic as it came, clear windows and grey concrete walls. The lobby was visible from here with the glass windows all shattered. I walked into the lobby and from my position I could make out the target building. I looked around, found some stairs and moved to the second level. My squad followed quietly, their eyes searching for immediate threats. The second floor had its left wall be a long road of windows, some were broken others were not. The carpeted floor had bullet casings and the adjacent wall had bullet holes riddling it.

I grunted and led my team to the third floor, it looked about the same, minus less bullet holes and spent casings. This proved as good a place as any. I sat on my haunches, opened my helmet and dug out the binoculars from my saddle bag. I held them up to my face and looked at the target building. It was maybe five stories tall, with a windowed front, however metal shudders had descended covering said windows. This was clearly a civilian purposed building. No walls, and all those windows made it shit to hold. But with the shudders, plus the fortified position on the roof, it made for a decent fortress. I looked at the yard before the entrance. Zebras patrolled the outside, several risen concrete platforms lined up next to each other in rows of three across, and two ranks deep. The remnant of plants stuck out where the Zebras had fortified those places with sandbags.

“Something isn’t right,” I put down my binoculars.

“We haven’t even started,” Trapper swallowed a lump in his throat, I looked at him and gave him a comforting smile.

“I mean there appears to be less numbers than anticipated, at least on the outside.” I looked down my binoculars again zooming in to the front entrance. Metal shudders blocked the entrance, meaning the place was in total lockdown. Hmm, getting in might pose its own problems. If my plan was going to work, we needed to get inside.

“Think the rest are inside?” Lemon sat beside me.

“No, if they are it wouldn’t make sense, they need to defend the outside, if their enemy gets inside it’s practically over for them. We hold the advantage in close quarters combat.” I put my binoculars away and rubbed my chin in thought.

“what if they got those heavy guns set up inside, like at Ironshod?” Lemon looked to me. That was also a possibility, it’s been a few days, they had to have started adjusting to Ranger presence. “True, we’ve been here for about a week now. They had to have started to adjust, so what gives with the small numbers outside?”

“So, we sticking to the plan” Flag asked?

“Yes,” I closed my helmet and looked at my internal clock, “attack starts in less than an hour. Let’s get into position, Flag start at the fourth floor. The rest lets get street side,” I closed my helmet and jogged out to the streets below. Everypony did as told and we made our way down to the adjacent building. I hugged the wall and peeked around the corner. I waited for Flag to confirm he was in position, I looked back, opened my helmet and gave everypony a confident grin. “We can do this, everypony work together and well get through this alive.” Lemon nodded, Rose tipped her helmet and gave me a wink. Trapper took a deep breath and gave a sharp salute.

“Alright, I’m in position, whenever your ready kid.” Flag grunted over the radio.

“Copy,” I closed my helmet and looked at the clock. In 3, 2, 1.

[0700]

“Commencing operation.” I rounded the building and began a crazy sprint across the street. Here’s hoping for once things don’t go to shit.

Level Up: 7

Perks Added: Sharp Eyed: You got an eye for the details, so much so you could shoot a Griffins talon off a trigger! S.A.T.S now cost 5% less to use and can target more specific areas.

Author's Notes:

Part 1 is up and ready! This was a character heavy chapter, so sorry for the lack of action. But I needed to flesh out the characters a bit more. I wanted to show Valiants gradual change and how hes handling being in charge. I also have a soft spot for Trapper, he’s the type of person that wants to do good. But he is struggling with coming up with the courage to do so. He’s almost a mirror of valiant. What Valiant could have been if he didn’t have Strider in his life.

I also want to point out, Heavy Arms isn’t a neglectful dad, or more specifcially he isn’t the best when it comes to being a father. He’s a soldier through and through, a natural born Ranger. So his interactions with Valiant are like he was talking to another soldier. Not becaues he’s a bad person, just he doesn’t really know how to properly socialize with his owns on. Morning Dew, if anything is a pony who soften him up over the years. He can crack a smile, and he enjoys reminiscing with Flag about their past. Something I eluded to in chapter 3 I believe.

So I hope people aren’t too hard on an ultimately socially awkward pony lol. He’s almost like the pony in that recruitment poster. You too can be a Steel Ranger. To the ponies under his command, and the order in General they see him as the exemplar image of a Ranger. But that is what sort of isolated him from other ponies. They treat him with reverence and as a soldier. Aside from Flalg, someone who clearly looks past rank and status to the pony inside, nobody else just normally acted as if he was just a person.

When you get put up on a pedestal most of your life, that tends to make for a lonely life. So Flag and Morning Dew, and Valiant to a certain extent are the anchors in his life that make him into a person. He just isn’t emotionally equipped to properly act like a father to his son. However he is very much concerned for his son, much like any father. But i digress, don’t want to give away too much about old Heavy Arms. He has his role to play and further character development to go through.

Also as a fun bonus, if anyone here can guess where Heavy Arm’s name is from? you get the great prize of being right! That’s really the best reward anybody in the internet could ever have.

Chapter 9: The War of Attrition Part 2

I opened my eyes; my head was throbbing, and I had the taste of copper on my mouth. My vision was fuzzy, I clenched my eyes shut and tried moving my body only to feel pain flare everywhere. There was this loud ringing in my ear, and I couldn’t hear anything else. I opened my eyes and a black blob was over me. I tried rubbing my eyes, but my hooves clanked against something covering my face. Right, I was wearing my armor, where was I and why am I in armor? I shook my head and my vision began clearing up. The black blob took shape to an expressionless helmet staring me down. I let my head drop to the side, and before me were burning bodies. I could not make out their features, but they lay maybe ten feet from me. My heart picked up and I looked back to the helmet staring at me. The helmet in question opened to reveal the concerned face of Lemon.

“Valiant!” Her voice broke through, and all at once my senses were flooded with stimulation. I opened my helmet and gasped out. I looked down to my body, my armor had just finished closing a breach on it. My stomach was killing me! I could also hear the crack of an anti-machine rifle going off in the distance. I looked right to find Rose crouched down behind cover, and then peeking out firing the rifle attached to her side. Trapper was fumbling with a munition’s cartridge. He was desperately trying to load the rifle attached to his side, but he was shaking and sweating profusely. I groaned, rolled to my belly and pushed myself up to my haunches.

The first thing I registered was we were right outside the target building. To be more precise we had taken position into one of the raised concrete platforms. I looked back where we came from, everything coming back to me now. My plan to have Flag provide sniper support had worked, sort-off, the pain in my stomach? Jagged metal having been picked out by my medical unit before administering a potion. The flaming bodies? I looked up to the rooftop, smoke blew out to the air. The artillery munitions had been detonated by Flag, the Zebra’s on top were cooked in the explosion, while the ones against the sandbags got flung down to the ground. As for me? Zebra mine, several in fact having been cloaked by some magic, I stepped on one and it blew me the fuck up! Without my armor I’d have been blown to bits. I almost chuckled, for a second there, they’d have brought me back to 29 in a jar full of my bits. That was morbid, but I think it was the only thing keeping me from curling up and sucking on my hoof. That had been too close, and far too stupid of me to not consider mines.

“Lemon!” I closed my helmet, she was still there, just looking at me! “I’m fine, return fire!” I stood up far too quickly and I fell forward on my face. Smooth Valiant, very smooth.

“But,” Lemon raised a hoof and I batted it away, though not maliciously.

“No time, I’m fine come on!” This time, with some difficulty I got to my hooves and stepped up on the sandbag cover. The metal shudders once keeping us out were open. Several Zebras were shooting at us from more sandbags set up in the lobby. Two barricades were set up near the doors, and one massive one against a round receptionist desk in the middle of the lobby.

I whirred my minigun to life and fired at the sandbags! Before my minigun fired, the Zebras quickly pulled out shields from behind the cover and closed ranks on each other. My bullets were reflected in all directions forcing my own team to duck behind the sandbags. I instantly stopped firing. So, I targeted them with my missile launcher and fired two missiles. The Zebras dropped their shields and ran back to the receptionist desk. The missiles exploded and destroyed their sandbag barricade.

“With me Lemon!” I hopped down and fired a stream of bullets at the second barricade. I made sure to shoot just above their cover, keeping their heads down.

“Testudo! Testudo!” The receptionist Zebras jumped over their cover. I strafed my minigun at them. Each shot destroying the lobby utterly. Chairs were ripped apart, the tiled floor burst into dust and ceramic splinters. The Zebras raised their shields in a phalanx, four across and five ranks deep. The bullets deflected, and one hit me square in the chest. I stopped firing, the impact knocked the wind out of me. Lemon quickly stood in front of me. she fired her grenade launcher arching her shots over the shields. The four ranks of zebras raised their shields above their heads. The grenades bounced off, they exploded against the ceiling and the tiled floor. Okay, that was new! I stepped from behind Lemon and looked at this new formation. They were practically a walking tank, in a perfect rectangle formation with shields at the front and shields above them.

I guess testudo was Zebra for make a freaking tank! I ran left to attack their exposed flank. The Zebras simply spread the ranks and let their side ranks drop their shield. Then they scooted beneath their adjacent comrades thus covering their exposed flanks. Then the side shields parted, and rifle barrels stuck out like bristling spines on a porcupine. “Shit!” I ran to their sandbag cover by the door, as I did their shots impacted the side of my armor sending painful tremors across my body. I jumped and brought down some of the sandbags with me. I barely made it over the barrier the pain zapping my strength. I looked to Lemon running at me, bullets whizzing past her before she dove on top of me. Okay this wasn’t good, we untangled ourselves and peeked over our cover.

The ‘testudo’ lifted in unison, and the Zebras pushed forward in cadence. “hooh! Hooh!” each shout had them stomp closer. I couldn’t help but be amazed, even when faced against superior firepower, these bastards were amazing at adapting to our tactics. The front ranks parted, and I ducked as bullets whizzed by.

Damn it think, think! How can I break them up, I need a plan fast!

“Valiant we need to fall back!” Lemon shouted at me and shook my frame. No, my father trusted me to get this done! He trusted me to get those reinforcements here! Then I remembered, back outside the Princess Shield. Strider jumped over them, I could do the same, get into their formation. But then, this wasn’t two lines of Zebras. This was a formation, they could easily outnumber me and shoot those damn enchanted bullets. Unless…well this won’t be pretty. In fact, I hope my armor doesn’t fail me now.

“Lemon the moment they break apart kill them, don’t hesitate!” I reached into my saddle bag and grabbed a missile.

Lemon’s eyes widen, “Wait Valiant!” I jumped over the sandbags before Lemon could stop me. the testudo stopped moving, dropped down and spread at the front again. Their fire tore into me, each bullet sending a tremor that overlapped with the next. The run wasn’t even ten feet, yet it felt like a mile as each shot drained me of my strength. I wanted to just lie down and die then and there. But I remembered Strider, even bleeding to death in the snow, he never gave up!

It should have been me

“aaahhh!!” I roared and jumped over the testudo. I grabbed the missile with both my hooves, tip facing down. The zebras spread themselves apart, but too little too late. I landed in the middle of their formation and slammed the missile tip into the ground. The missile exploded, and I was flung backwards. The explosion tore my armor up, I felt the fires of the explosion lick my skin! The zebras were flung apart, some only saved by putting down their shields seconds before I landed.

[WARNING CRITICAL CONDITION]

I didn’t need my armor to tell me that. My ears were ringing again, this time the sound so piercing I wondered if my ears were bleeding. Rose slid into my field of vision, her eyes glowed green as her horn lit up. Her mouth formed words, but I couldn’t make them out. She looked to her side, her mouth formed more words I couldn’t make out. Darkness was starting to creep on the edge of my vision. Rose looked back to me, tapped the side of my helmet and it opened. How did she know where the emergency open was? I clenched my eyes shut. Something invisible forced my throat open, then a potion floated over me and poured down my gullet. The same invisible force seemed to force my trachea from contracting and make me choke. She floated a syringe briefly before she injected me with it. After a few seconds, the pain faded into a dull throb, guess it was Med-X, it felt rather nice. The ringing cleared up and I could hear again.

“Stupid idiot! Stop moving, Lemon hold him down!” Rose’s shout made me wince, ugh, I miss when I couldn’t hear. Lemon plopped out next to me and grabbed my forehooves. Two more potions were forced down my throat, and bandages were wrapped around my torso through the armor breach. The potions, along with my medical unit seemed to be doing a hell of a job.

“Is everypony okay? Did we win?” I wish I could get up, but Lemon and Rose were adamant about holding me down.

“For now, Flag is on his way, but we need to secure the area. I need you to stay put, I’m going to keep watch on the stairs.” Lemon stood and left my field of vision. I closed my helmet and brought up a status report.

[TISSUE DAMAGE REPAIR 94%]

[ARMOR INTEGRITY 79%]

[WEAPON SYSTEMS UNDAMAGED]

[PREDICTED COMBAT EFFICIENCY 98%]

I could work with that, I rolled to my side and got back on my hooves. Rose glared at me, but thankfully didn’t protest. Instead she got on her hooves and walked up to Lemon. With a moment to breathe, I gave the area a once over. The lobby was destroyed, the tiled floor a mess of black scorch marks and broken tiles. The Zebra corpses were strewn about in a bloody mess. The Zebras I had attacked earlier were torn apart. The one’s that put their shield up at the last moment were mopped up easily. All and all? A lucky as all hell gamble. Not that my friends would agree with me anytime soon. I looked back to the entrance, Flag was running to our location. Trapper was peeking over the remaining sandbag barrier his gun trained ahead.

“Trapper get my father on the line, I need to check up on his status.” I pointed my hoof at him while I made my way to Lemon. She was keeping watch on two sets of stairs on opposite sides of the wall. There were two signs hanging above the stairs, the left read; ‘City 6 Security Commission conference Area.” The right one read, ‘Building Security.’ Great, where was the communications room here? We might need to split up on this one. I heard Flags hooves before I saw him, they clanked against the battered tile floor until he stopped next to me.

“What I miss?” He opened his helmet and gave me a smirk.

“Valiant being an ass,” Rose turned and gave me a reproachful glare. I get it, I made everypony worry! But we got the Zebras that’s what matters! Jeez Rose was starting to sound like my mother.

“Had to improvise, nopony is happy about that.” I opened my helmet and gave Flag a sheepish grin.

“Clearly, what the hell happened to you, you got Zebra bits all over you, and your armor is singed.” Flag raised a brow while he looked me over.

“I uh, I detonated a missile with my hooves.” I avoided Flags gaze, I know it was stupid, but I was kind of pressed for time.

“Jeez kid, next time just tell me, and I’ll shoot you myself, less painful.” Flag rolled his eyes and walked up to Rose. Everypony was a critic.

“Valiant I can’t get through to Captain Heavy Arms.” Trapper walked to me. He sat on his haunches and messed with a receiver on his hoof.

“Yes and, so it shall remain!” the speaker system transmitted a heavily accented voice. The metal shudders closed behind us and plunged the room into darkness.

“What’s going on?” I turned my headlamp on, I looked to Trapper and watched him fumble to place the receiver back in its place.

“It’s okay Trapper, were going to be okay.” I put my hoof on his shoulder and he visibly relaxed.

The voice returned, this time with a rich laugh, and I hated to admit it, but it was a good laugh. “Fools, from here you cannot escape! Your lives have been forfeited, and I will be the ones who collects your souls. For pony kind such as you. I shall offer your souls to the Stars above! Ahahaha.” After another of his great laughs, a synthetic voice spoke up.

[SECURITY BREACH DETECTED]

[THREAT ASSESSMENT IN PROGRESS…]

[ASSESSMENT COMPLETE: THREAT LEVEL OMEGA]

[FULL SECURITY MEASURES ACTIVATED]

[SECURITY ROBOTS DEPLOYED ON KILL MODE]

Oh crap, now were stuck in here with killer robots on the loose. Well, at the very least I think the laughing Zebra might call for reinforcements if we destroy his robots. I blinked once, then twice, or… I could hack into security and take back the Robots. just like that, I would have a force to fight off the reinforcements until my father could relieve me. “Okay everypony, change of plans, before we deploy the chaff grenades were going to get these robots on our side.”

“What? How?” Trapper’s voice was right next to me. I admit I almost jumped out of my skin spooked. This stallion was surprisingly quiet for a pony hauling around communication equipment.

“I hack into the security mainframe, that’s how.” I patted Trappers back, or rather the radio on his back.

“You can do that?” Trapper looked at me, his eyes wide like dinner plates and an open mouth smile. It reminded me of how I looked at Strider when we were colts.

“Trust me, Valiant hasn’t met a terminal he couldn’t hack” Flag called out. Well the only problem now was getting around in the dark, we had our lamps, but I don’t think Rose and Trapper packed night vision or anything like that.

[EMERGENCY LIGHTING ACTIVATED]

The synthetic voice answered our call, from where the wall and floor met, panels opened and turned on bright lights. With that taken cared of, we formed up Rangers at the front soldiers at our rear and went up the right stairs. The stairs led to a large hallway, each wall had doors with metal shudders covering the entrances. We walked down the hall slowly, I kept my eyes on my E.F.S looking for threats. We arrived at a hallway intersection. The hallway we were on went ahead to the armory, the right went to the temporary holding cells, and the left went to Security Operations. I peeked around the corner and immediately pulled back. A spray of energy beams lit up the hallway. A Sentinel Robot armed with a magical energy Gatling gun. Great, these things were tough, they had three legs with tires on them, and armed with three types of weapons. It had a magical energy Gatling gun on its chest, and two shock batons on its arms. Its head had six glowing sensors with a menacing red glare to them. Well great, with that energy weapon, it would only take a few seconds of concentrated fire before it melted through our armor. Or cooked me inside my armor, either way I suppose.

“Still feeling stupid kid?” Flag looked to me and opened his helmet. He had a smirk that quickly made everypony uneasy. At this point, after almost killing myself, I was up for about anything.

“Make it quick, that thing is going to be on us soon.” I peeked around the corner again, only to have it fire more deadly beams at me. I ducked back into cover, but one beam hit the side of my helmet. It suddenly got hot, like super-hot inside my helmet. Though I didn’t feel any pain, man that stuff rose put in me was good!

“Make yourself a target, I’m gonna rip it apart with the machine rifle.” Flags plan was insane. But like I said, up for anything at this point.

“Yeah, how about no.” Lemon ran out before any of us could stop her. She ran at the Sentry Bot her machinegun firing nonstop. Her shots pierced the robot’s armor, but it wasn’t enough to kill it. It fired its colorful rays of death. Flag popped from cover, he crouched low and aimed his rifle. The beams of death hit Lemon square in the chest, each bolt of energy super heating the armor until it burned bright red. Lemon let out a painful yell but kept firing. Flag’s rifle let out an ear popping crack. The sentry bot’s chest exploded, its bits of machinery exploding out behind it.

“Lemon are you okay?” I ran to her, she dropped to her haunches. She opened her helmet and gave me a pained grin. “Yeah, just got cooked a little, I’m just glad the armor held up.”

Rose came up and looked Lemon over with her diagnostic spell. “Yeah, you’re good, minus whatever head injury made you go out like that!” Rose glared at Lemon.

“Sorry, these two idiots will get themselves killed if I don’t step up too.” Lemon stood back up, and we resumed our search. The hall eventually led us to some stairs, a Sentry bot and two sprite bots blocked our path. The Sentry bot fired its energy beams at us, we broke apart and fired back. Trapper, shaken but determined destroyed one of the sprite bots with two shots. The bullets ripped through the lightly armored robot. Sparks fizzled out and it dropped on the ground. Flag fired his machine rifle, he ripped apart the Sentry bot, its machinery exploded out its back with a shower of sparks. Rose finished of the Last Sprite Bot, her shot had probably ignited the spark pack, because it popped like a balloon.

The second floor didn’t fare better, every hall we turned down to had Sentry bots and Sprite bots. They fired their energy weapons at us. Lemon, Flag, and I just grit our teeth through it all. Each time their energy beams super-heated our armor, we prayed it would hold. We were forced to stop, letting our armor cool off before advancing. A bad idea, we stopped in what looked like a sitting area set up mid hallway. The sitting area was by the front windows, though the shudders blocked our view outside. when we thought to catch our breath, a swarm of Sprite bots flew at us from the far end of the hall. They rounded a corner, a swarm of twenty or so. I revved my minigun and sprayed the clustered-up robots. They fired their energy beams in rapid succession, the beams heated my armor in various spots.

“My turn!” Lemon pushed me back, she got before me and fired her machinegun and grenade launcher. The hall was filled with explosions. She didn’t stop firing until the beams of light stop coming.

“That was too close.” I sat on my haunches, the plate over my shoulder had melted. I looked down, my skin blistered, and my coat burned off. I felt tears leak down my cheeks, the Med-X was wearing off. The healing potion slowly did its job fixing the damage, leaving my fair skin back to normal. We briefly collected the scrap metal from the Sprite bots. We needed the metal at this point, we kept chewing through our scrap from constant fighting. Well to be honest I needed it more, I had been exploded twice, and had my armor melted. With the added scrap metal, my armor was back to being mostly impenetrable. We moved down the hall, made a right, and went up another flight of stairs. More robots awaited us, and it just became part for the chorus, go up a new floor, fight increasing numbers of robots. With the occasional assurance of death from laughing Zebra over the speakers.

After about an hour of fighting robots we made it to our destination. Well, sort off, Security Operations was blocked off by a shudder. We were on the wrong side of said shutter, the room we arrived in was a hangout area for security. There were marble columns on each side of the room, in rows of three they split the room into three sections. Left, middle, and right, each section had sofas placed between the columns. Some Sparkle-Cola machines lined the left and right walls, and the center was dominated by a huge circular desk. “Fools!” the voice over the speakers came again, he forwent the laugh, maybe he was getting nervous? “Now you face your end, trapped right where I want you, ahahaha!” he gave us his trademark laugh and shut off communications.

The walls on either side had secret hatches open, from them, swarms of Sprite bots floated out. “Shit take cover!” we were forced to scramble. I dove inside the central desk, Trapper up right behind me. Flag and Rose ducked behind a column, and immediately fired their weapons at the sprite bots. Lemon backed herself to a column, her machinegun destroying the floating bots left and right.

“Shit, to our rear!” Flag’s warning had me peek out from my cover, from the way we came several Sentry bots rolled to our location. Great now we were trapped! Flag nodded to Rose, and he turned on the Sentry bots. Before one could even fire its magical energy shots, he tore through it with his machine rifle. The Sentry bots fell one after the other, sometimes the shots went through two at a time. But they kept coming in droves, pushing through the debris of their fallen comrades they opened fire on us. I was forced to duck for cover, but then I felt my back heat up! The Sprite bots floated over our cover and fired down on us. I Revved my minigun and shot them out of the air!

“Ahhh, get it off, get it off!” Trapper shouted, I looked to see his radio burst into flames from an energy shot. Trapper was bucking and trying to undue the straps keeping him attached to the flaming radio. I stepped up to him, held him with one hoof and tore the flaming radio from his back with the other! I tossed the remains out of our cover and resumed firing on the swarming Sprite bots.

“There’s too many!” Lemon started firing her grenade launcher into the air, the grenades exploded on impact destroying swarms of bots.

“Machine rifle is out!” Flag roared over the chaos, his machinegun kicked to life firing on the Sentry bots. I hopped out and aimed my missile launcher. I fired four missiles and they destroyed five Sentry bots before they could exit the hallway and swarm us. I focused my minigun and fired on the hallway. My gun tore through the Sentry bots, but it only slowed them down. They fired their energy guns and pelted me with colorful beams. I was forced back into cover right away.

“Good, now suffer at the hands of your deadliest creation!” the voice briefly returned to taunt us. Then, a high pitch metal sound made my ears try to burry themselves into my head. I peeked back at the Operations Center door. The shudders opened, and out rolled a monster of a robot. In equestrian green, with a golden sun on its side was an Ultra-Sentry bot. It had four thick armor-plated legs with tank threads. Its body was an oval shape with a low profile, sleek to better have armor piercing rounds ricochet off it. A single optical sensor stuck from its head. At each side two Prismatic Magical energy cannons pointed straight at me.

“Trapper run!” I pushed Trapper out of the round desk through a side opening. I dove out just in time to see two rainbow colored beams turn the desk into dust. “Ultra-Sentinel, everypony look out!” I turned back on the robot and fired my minigun immediately. The bullets barely dented its armor, even after concentrating my fire.

“Shit this is bad!” Lemon cursed, holy crap this is bad Lemon just cursed! I never heard her curse! She had been firing her grenade launcher keeping the Sentry bots bogged down in our rear. Now she turned her explosive weapon on the Ultra-Sentry bot. The bot in question wheeled forward, its cannon charging and pointing at Flag and Rose. Lemons grenades exploded on the robot’s body, it did little more than scratch the paint and create a smoke screen around it.

“Flag lookout!” Flag turned, saw the Robot and immediately threw himself over Rose. The prismatic cannons fired dispersing the smoke around the robot. The beams melted right through the column Flag and Rose took cover behind.

“Aaggghhh!!” Flag screamed, the entire top of his armor was melted off his body. His back smoked as his exposed flesh blistered and bled. My heart clenched, they were sitting ducks, I fired my minigun at the robot and ran in front of it.

“Over here asshole!” I concentrated and tried to hit its sensor. The robot simply brought its legs closer to its body and made itself taller. I couldn’t even see its sensor anymore; my bullets impacted its frontal armor harmlessly. Its cannons turned on me, they glowed charging for another attack. I looked back behind me, the Sentry bots from the hallway were stuck behind the wreckage of other robots. An idea formed right then and there. Well here’s hoping third times isn’t the charm! “That’s right asshole, come and get me!” I ran back to the sentry bots. They stopped moving debris the moment they noticed me and opened fire. I zigged and zag, counting in my head the seconds before the next energy shot. Some beams passed me, but most were threatening to melt my armor, I could feel a painful burn around my forelegs and chest. I looked back and my eyes widen, I dove away at the last second. The deadly energy beams passed me and struck the conga line of Sentry bots trying to pass. In mere seconds, the robots lit up in bright colors before being turned to ash.

I scrambled to my hooves, I had the count, ten seconds, here’s hoping it worked! Once I was back on all fours, I ran at the robot. Lemon, Trapper and Rose all lit it up, their weapons were a mere nuisance against armor that thick. I fired two missiles, they impacted the robot and forced it to take a step back. Its cannons charged up, I dove right under it with two seconds to spare. The cannon fired into the ground melting through to the next floor. I slid beneath the robot and came out the other end. This is it! I loaded my missile launcher and fired a full six missile barrage. The robot was too slow to respond, each missile struck true into a massive explosion. The robot staggered forward, its armor dented, and it even let out a few sparks, if this kept going, maybe we could take it down. But at this rate it would kill at least one of us.

“Come on, shoot me, do it!” I raged at the robot, the massive bot turned around and charged its weapons. I yelled, stomped, did anything that would keep its attention on me. I counted the ten seconds off, each second made my legs jittery, one mistake and I was a goner. The beam cannons fired, I dove away, and the shudder behind me was blasted. The colorful light melted two perfect pony size holes. “Everypony fire! Keep it occupied!” I didn’t wait for a response. I had to trust them to keep that thing occupied and not die. I jumped through the breach and searched the room for the Zebra in charge. Nothing, I stepped forward, my minigun scanning the room.

“Fool!” I turned to a rifle barrel inches from my face. The shot hit me square in the forehead. A pain I could not describe spread across my head. I put up a hoof as the Zebra fired another burst. If I hadn’t put my hoof up, I was sure he would have killed me. I revved my minigun, but the Zebra in its hind legs strafed around me! as he did he fired his shots sending terrible tremors of pain across my body. Shit, I can’t take much more of this, my insides are on fire! He stopped shooting to reload, I revved my minigun and got ready to turn him to Zebra mulch.

“Fire if you dare,” The Zebra put himself right between me and the mainframe. My shots would just tear him up and destroy the mainframe. That clever son of a bitch! He loaded the rifle and fired, I put my hoof before my face and charged him. He strafed around me, I gritted my teeth, revved my minigun and span counter his strafing maneuver. I fired my minigun passing right through the Zebra attacker.

“Aagh!” the moment his pained scream reached my ears I stopped. I looked up and found him torn in half, his rifle just a few inches from his hooves. I hated to admit it, but he was one determined bastard. He reached for the rifle, I walked up to him and kicked it away.

“F-fool,” he really liked that word, I aimed my minigun at him, one burst and this would be done. “Strength,” he coughed up blood on the ground, the rise and fall of his chest became slower. “duty,” he choked on more blood before coughing it out. “honor…” the Zebra stopped moving. I couldn’t look away, his lifeless eyes stared at nothing. I closed my eyes and turned around, my friends were in trouble I couldn’t break now. I went up to the mainframe, my eyes searched the control panel and I found where I could jack my module in. I jacked in and hacked the terminal.

[PASSWORD: CEASAR]

[ACCESS GRANTED]

[REPROGRAM SECURITY?]

[Y/N]

[Y]

[REPROGRAMING IN PROGRESS…]

[PROGRAMMING COMPLETE]

[SECURITY LOCKDOWN TERMINATED]

I let out a sigh, the shudder opened behind me and I turned to look for my friends. I heard clearly the battle while I stopped the laughing Zebra. The room was a mess, well a bigger mess then when I jumped through the breach. Four more columns were gone, several pony size holes were added to the walls. Sitting on the corner, my friends crowded around Flag. His helmet was off, and his head cradled by Rose. I felt like my heart stopped in place. Flags back was still expose, his armor slowly coming together. The bandages on his back were soaking red. His face twitched every so often, and now that I noticed he was sweating.

“Leave him, it’s not right, leave him.” Flag’s incoherently muttered.

“He’s hurt bad, I gave him every potion I got. He…he’s not going to make it.” Rose’s words fell on me like a ton of bricks. No, no, no, I can’t lose Flag.

“There has to be a way… something I can use.” I had to save him, I can’t fail Flag. Damn it what can I use?

“I don’t know… I can’t possibly think of anything.” A tear escaped Rose, it landed on Flag’s cheek.

His eyes opened, Unfocused, Flag raised a hoof towards me. “Heavy Arms.”

“Flag!” I knelt before him.

“Heavy Arms, your son… he’s coming.” Flag waved his hoof around.

I took his hoof, “I’m here, it’s me Flag, Valiant!”

“Heavy Arms, leave him, he shouldn’t be here. She’ll be devastated.” He pulled on my hoof, without thought his armor pulled me nearly on top of him. “She doesn’t deserve this,” Flag’s words faded, and he closed his eyes again. He kept muttering something to himself, but it was far too low for me to pick out.

I need to think, come on Valiant, there has to be something I can do!

I closed my eyes and tried to think of something. Find a radio and call for emergency evac? No, we knew the risks coming here. We weren’t getting reinforced or relieved until at least one building was taken. Set the security systems to fight off the Zebras, and then run Flag back to camp for better care? I looked at him, Rose’s horn glowed as she removed his bandages to change the bloodied strips. I paled when I saw bone peeking from the flesh, his spine was exposed in several places. Oh Celestia, what do I do? Wait, our secondary objective, Meadowbrook pharmaceuticals. The Orb we found and Shimmering Sun, something about project Hydra.

“Rose what do you know about Hydra?” I looked to her, my eyes desperate.

“I, I heard it’s a miracle potion, it could regrow limbs, reconstruct missing organs. But We don’t have any of it. Nopony does.” Rose tighten her hold on Flag and stroked his head gently.

“I know where I might find some. If nothing else, it makes more sense now.” I looked to Lemon, she opened her helmet and gave me a nod.

“My mission, the one from the council I talked to you about. I was tasked with retaking Meadowbrook from the Zebras. The council wants the Hydra formula, or even a sample. Having a working formula that can bring soldiers back to a hundred percent? That could turn things to our favor in a big way.” Yeah, not only could I find medical supplies for the Army, but also a game changer.

“Alright, I’ll head to the armory, I need to restock my missile supply.” I looked to Lemon. “Lemon hold down the fort for me,” Lemon stomped her hoof before I could continue.

“No! you can’t go out alone Valiant!” She glared at me, but I didn’t have time for this.

“Lemon, with Flag out you’re the only other one here with Power Armor, I need you here.” I hoped she saw reason, otherwise I’d have to pull rank on her. Which at this point she might ignore.

“At least take Rose or Trapper.” She pointed at the two, Trapper looked slightly terrified at the idea, but after he took a deep breath, he steeled himself and gave me a firm nod.

“No, I need Trapper here, he needs to find a working Radio and get an update on the attack. Rose needs to watch after Flag. Now please Lemon, we don’t have time to argue.” I stared her down and channeled my father into my very stare. She relented and gave me a grim looking nod, I gave her a confident smile and made for the Armory before I left.

The armory was spacious, several small arms and rifles lined racks on the wall and center. There were even magical energy rifles! I would tell Trapper and Rose to come down here for them when I exited. I found the Heavy Ordinance behind a locked cage. The door had a numerical keypad, lucky for me it also had a place to jack in. I made swift work of the door and stocked up on missiles bringing my count back up to 24. I restocked my minigun as well bringing me up to 5000 rounds. With everything in place, I turned ready to leave. Well until something caught my eye, there, on the farthest corner of the room was something covered with a tarp. I opened my helmet, drawn by immense curiosity I pulled the tarp off with my teeth.

A combat robot, a familiar model at that, a Mister Handy model, or rather a Mister Gutsy model. Painted in Equestrian green with Celestia’s sun emblazoned on it. Written in white, the robot’s designation was painted on the opposite side of Celestia’s sun, RL-3. Well, I had to admit I wasn’t expecting a robot, but at the same time it gave me an idea. I used my module to jack into the robot, after opening its maintenance hatch atop the spherical frame.

[ROBRONCO ROBOTICS INC]

[BOOT UP COMBAT SUBROUTINE?]

[Y/N]

[Y]

[BOOTING UP COMBAT SUBROUTINE]

I stepped back, the robot hummed to life, its three optical sensors glowed a menacing red. They searched the room before locking unto me. The robot floated up, it had the standard Mister Handy manipulator claw, a flame thrower and compact magical plasma caster. Now that was going to come in handy.

“Unit, RL-3 activated, commander?” The robots synthesize the voice of a gruff drill sergeant.

“Commander Valiant Knight.” I gave him the verbal entry.

“Mission?” RL-3 moved its manipulator up into a salute.

“Were going to war,” I couldn’t help the smirk that came over me.

“Acknowledge, ready to wipe the striped menace for that Lady with the shining Flank!” RL-3 rotated its arms bringing up its Plasma caster.

“Good, but I think I need to call you something better than that model number,” I raised a hoof to my chin thinking of a better name.

“Factory default unit name is RL-3. It is recommended sir, that it remain so, a short name makes for quicker orders!” RL-3’s optical sensors moved closer to me.

“Right, so something easy to say then, okay I got it.” I raised a hoof to the air, “I’ll call you Steelhooves, the greatest Ranger of all.” I gave RL-3, excuse me, Steelhooves a salute.

“Hmm, new designation acceptable, I’m ready to head out sir!” Steelhooves gave me a salute and waited for me. I exited the armory and returned to my friends, they had moved Flag to a couch, though Rose remained with him, cradling his head gently in her hooves. I hated to think this, but she looked guilty. Flag had saved her from being vaporized, but the fact it might cost him his life was weighing on her.

“Everypony, so you don’t have to worry, I got a little company. Meet Steelhooves, he’s going to accompany me on my mission to Meadowbrook.” I gestured to my new robot companion, he floated up next to me and saluted.

“I’m here to do two things, kill Zebra scum and chew bubblegum, and I don’t have a mouth, so I’m eager to do the other!” Steelhooves span his arms and brought his plasma caster to bare.

“Well at least you won’t be alone. Please, protect Valiant.” Lemon smiled to Steelhooves.

“Affirmative, I will lay my circuits on the line for my commander, that is the duty of every patriotic robot!” Steelhooves pounded his chassis for emphasis.

“Alright, thank you Steelhooves, and I’m glad Valiant gave you that name, it belonged to a hero.” Lemon gave me an encouraging smile. Before I left, Lemon gave me some of her extra medical potions to restock my medical unit. On my way out, I pointed to the Ultra-Sentry bot.

“Hey, get that thing working, and have it guard the entrance alright?” I gave Lemon a final hug and left them. When I exited the Security building, the metal shudders closed behind me. Good, better safe than sorry. With resolve in my heart, I jogged my way down the empty streets of City 6. The streets were as quiet as a graveyard, the sound of Steelhoove’s propulsion unit was the only sound for miles. Though I contemplated talking to the robot, I doubted we could hold and actual conversation.

My quest took me north of the designated battlefield, I took a Highway, though exposed it also made for the fastest pass through the city. I arrived at my destination within two hours. Meadowbrook laid at the corner of an intersection. The building towered above the others surrounding it. I estimated it at twenty stories if not higher. The building was as most others, concrete gray and with clear windows. Though as I squinted my eyes, I could make out noticeable damage to the exterior. On the southern side of the building facing towards me, I could see several broken windows. I sat on my haunches, pulled out my binoculars and got a better look. The lower floors were empty, at least where I could see the halls lined by windows. The upper floors where another matter entirely. I saw several destroyed combat robots in the halls, from Sentry bots, Sprite bots, and even pony robots, skeletal in frame they are freaking creepy to look at. I tucked my binoculars away and closed my helmet, well that was as good a reconnaissance as I would get.

I made my way down the highway, heading east. All along I had eyes on Meadowbrook, when I reached the exit I could see the western face. Flashes on the upper floors caught my attention. I stopped, took out my binoculars and had a look. Zebras, from my perch I could see maybe five of them? Though they weren’t Zebra regulars. The five I could see were combatting three Sentry bots. They had a black body glove, even their tails were covered in it. What I could only describe as light armor pieces were attached around their chest, and legs. I could make out sword hilts sticking out of their cloaks, and their heads were closed in a full helmet. The helmets, to be honest reminded me of the Pegasus power armor helmets. Insectoid like eye pieces with rebreathers on the mouth. Honestly, if it wasn’t for their red cloaks I wouldn’t have picked them out as Zebras.

I put my binoculars away and double timed it to Meadowbrook. Great, now I had to deal with Zebras. I stopped a block away from Meadowbrook. There was a wagon outside, parked over the curb with Zebra regulars guarding the entrance to Meadowbrook. I picked out seven contacts on my E.F.S, they were scattered about, three by the front doors, four by the wagon. From my cover, a nearby coffee shop east of Meadowbrook, I prepared for combat. “Stay at my side Steelhooves, when you’re in range turn the bastards to goop, sound good?”

“Better wiped than striped!” Steelhooves sounded eager, the red optical sensors seemed to brighten at the prospect. I gave him a stiff nod, and I ran out in a full sprint, first things first, I targeted the wagon and fired two missiles. The missiles swirled around each other, their vapor trails creating a spiral.

“Hostilis!” One of the Zebras shouted far too late near the wagon. The missiles impacted the wagon and exploded in a glorious ball of fire. Out of the four nearby Zebras only one ran fast enough to escape death. The other three were torn to shreds by fire and shrapnel, three down, four to go! Steelhooves, with surprising speed flew past me and fired his plasma caster. The one Zebra that escaped the wagon’s blast, received a direct hit to his flank. He screamed, his entire body burst into green before melting into green smoking goop. Celestia, that was horrifying, I saw his flesh disintegrate into paste before his skeleton followed him.

Murderer

I shook my head, slid to a stop and revved my minigun. This wasn’t the time to lose my mind! I fired at the Zebras near the entrance. They ran into Meadowbrook, my shots just barely missing kicking up dust and concrete instead. Steelhooves quickly floated into the building. The zebras took up position behind a desk, they fired bullets impacting Steelhooves chassis. It only seemed to piss off the robot, “try this on for size you Zebra scum!” hHe fired his plasma caster. The magical plasma burned clean through the wooden cover. The Zebra behind didn’t even get the luck of being turned to goop. The plasma burned through him, lighting him in green flames. With their cover being so flimsy, I fired my minigun through it. The Zebras were splattered against the wall and floor into a gory mess.

“Area clear, good work!” Steelhooves floated back to my side.

“Thanks, you did good too, but let’s keep our guard up.” I looked at the lobby, with the Zebras taken cared off we could take stock. The desk had once stood at the center of a simple room. There were two halls at either side of the desk. The backwall had ‘Meadowbrook Medical Research Headquarters,’ and had the company logo, a weird beaked mask with markings on it. There had also been a terminal on the desk, but the plasma caster destroyed it when Steelhooves melted that Zebra. Ugh, I think I would be seeing that in my dreams, as if I didn’t have enough horrible visions in there. Disintegrating somepony with magical energy was almost clean, you just glowed and poof, pile of ash. The plasma burned you and just deconstructed you into goop. I couldn’t possibly imagine the pain it caused. I shook my head, no time to dwell on it. I saw there was an emergency door near the left hall.

I walked up to it, adjacent to the stair was a map of the building. Each few floors seemed dedicated to a single department. How about that, I was close, twenty-one floors, all first twenty divided into three levels. Level-one, made up of the first five floors, was Magical Surgery Research, Level-two was Cellular reconstruction Research, and Level-three was Hydra Potion Research Division. Damn, a whole division dedicated to Hydra. Well, lets hope the Zebras didn’t get to it before me. I carefully opened the door, behind emergency stairs. With nothing on my E.F.S or sight, I made my way upstairs. It took a few minutes, but I made it to Floor-16.

First thing I did, was open the door slowly and peek out. The hall ahead was blasted to shit, spent casings, scorch marks and robot scrap everywhere. Steelhooves hummed closer and poked one of his sensors through the gap, it swiveled left, then right. “It’s clear to move sir,” he waved his pincer at the gap. I exited, carefully, my weapons trained ahead. I walked slowly through the floor, peeking into offices searching for an intact terminal. When I reached the end of the hall, I could see out north. The city stretched before me, and I could faintly hear the echoes of the battle’s being fought. I made a left and stopped dead on my tracks. There was a colossal bit of the building collapsed to the ground below! It was as if somepony had clumsily stuck a knife into the side of the building. Then cut out a piece and pulled it out, somehow without collapsing the rest of the structure. I could see into several floors below and two up ahead. Holy shit, what did this? I turned quickly and headed back to the emergency stairs.

I went up two more floors, so dumbfounded by the damage to the building I neglected to stop at the door. I entered carelessly, a stupid mistake. A few feet ahead at the end of the hall I spotted one of the Zebras. He had a rifle slung across his back, his red cloak wrapped around his lithe frame. We seem to stare one another down for what felt like an eternity. “Ready to die for your country you Zebra bastard?” Steelhooves brought us out of our staring contest. He fired his plasma caster, the Zebra rolled to the side, he got back on his hooves, pulled the hood over his head and disappeared before my very eyes. Fuck me, stealth cloak, just what I needed. I had read about Zebra infiltrators, masters at stealth and assassination. Not to mention very familiar with pony tech and language. Elder Steelhooves himself had documented his encounters with them into our mainframe. Now, 200 years later, I had to face them.

“Okay Steelhooves, we got stealth capable Zebras, keep your sensors peeled for anything, like shimmering light or distortions around the air.” The cloaks weren’t perfect, they didn’t hide body heat, or sound. They also worked better the less one moved. Armed with this knowledge, I ran down the corridor, turned where the Zebra disappeared and started my search. I followed the battered hallways to a resting area. I was close to the northern face of the place, I knew that because the room was gutted clean by the collapse. I could see up to the last two floors and the ones below. The room was generic, white walls and turned over tables. Steelhooves floated ahead of me to the other end, he opened and ransacked some cupboards. I wasn’t sure why, was he expecting to find the Zebra there? I turned around to leave, but from thin air a gun muzzle materialized out of the ether. It was aimed right at my eye. I ducked left, the bullet ricocheted off my helmet’s cheek. I revved up my minigun and fired. The Zebra flipped over me! My shots broke apart the wall behind him.

“Sir, I can’t get a clear shot!” Steelhooves aimed his plasma caster in our direction. I fired as I turned, to cut down the Zebra like I did the laughing one, He crouched low and delivered an upper cut to my minigun. My shots went wild shooting up the wall and ceiling. He drew the sword on his back, it was short with a slim blade meant for stabbing. He drove it straight for my heart. I moved, and the sword pierced the armor on my shoulder. The blade turned a burning hot red, and it melted through the armor plates and into my flesh.

Aaaahhh!” I kicked out, but he ducked right avoiding my strike and the line of sight of my missile launcher. I was getting real sick of this close quarters bullshit. With gritted teeth and held back tears I kicked with both my hind legs. I felt them connect and he was flung back through the wall. I turned to finish him off, my minigun revved up, he stood up and threw something into the room. I fired, and he rolled away at the last second, I saw him pass by the open door pulling his cloak over his head.

“Grenade!” Steelhoove’s voice made me look down, shit. It exploded into a bright flash, with a thunderous bang. My ears rang, and my vision was shot to hell. I could only see the picture of the floor and the grenade burned into my retinas. It took me about a minute to regain my senses. A potion injection made quick work on the shoulder wound. The incision on my armor was also closed fairly fast.

“Come on!” I ran down the hall, every other hall I passed seemed empty. Though of course I shouldn’t trust my eyes completely. I returned to the emergency staircase and went up another floor. I kicked down the door, fuck stealth, I was pissed and in a hurry. I trained my missile launcher and minigun. I walked into the hall ahead, with Steelhooves right behind me. “Steelhooves, if one of them gets near me, use that flame thrower to cook them, my armor will protect me.”

“Yes sir, I love the smell of cooked Zebra in the morning!” He rotated his arms to bring up the flame thrower. I turned down a few more hallways and entered a lab. It had machines separated into stations, as well as several beakers and other instruments I didn’t recognize. I trailed the room, my weapon trained and ready, my eyes focusing on the slightest disturbance. [Sharp Eyed] There, I pointed my hoof at the right side of the room. I could just see the light above a table shimmer. Steelhooves rotated his arms, he brought his plasma caster and fired. The Zebra reappeared back into existence as he flipped over the shot! God damn the flexible bastard. Then four more appeared at the far left of the room and fired their rifles. Their bullets impacted my armor and sent familiar tremors over my body. I dove behind cover and Steelhooves floated the opposite way, his caster firing as he moved. He got one of the Zebras, they screamed in agony and turned to green goop. I popped out from my cover, a metal table with beakers on it, thick enough to stop rifle rounds. With my minigun pre-revved I fired on them. They scattered, flipping gracefully in the air.

The first one we spotted jumped on the table above me, sword in hoof, he swung for my head. I ducked only just hearing his sword scrape the top of my armored crest. I turned my missile launcher up but thought better of it. I couldn’t risk destroying anything that might get me closer to the Hydra Potion. Instead I put my hooves against the table and flipped it with my great strength. Even as I flipped the table, he flipped over me and slashed down. “Aaaggh!” I felt his sword cut down my back, my armor melting along the way. I fell on my side, he raised his sword for a finishing strike.

“Not today Zebra scum!” Steelhooves fired his plasma caster. The Zebra was thrown off to the side. He screamed briefly before his goop plopped on the ground. Another potion took care of the scarred flesh on my back. When I got back to my hooves, a Zebra shot me right in the head. I went back down clutching my head. My nose started to bleed, and I could taste copper in my mouth, I felt darkness creep at the edge of my vision. Steelhooves flew to my direction, and I struggled to stay conscious, and tried to get up. I revved my minigun and…nothing. They were gone, I narrowed my eyes. Attacking from behind seemed their favorite strategy. I took a few steps forward. Suddenly I kicked back, I connected with a Zebra. He reappeared as he slammed onto the wall behind me. He was stunned, scrambling to get on his hooves. I fired right into his head bursting it into mush. Two down, three more to go. Something clattered by my hooves, not this time! I crushed the grenade beneath my hoof.

The Zebras reappeared to my immediate right, “Steelhooves!” I shouted and promptly collapsed on the ground with hooves over my head. Steelhooves rotated his arms and let out a curtain of fire. The Zebras rushed through it, their cloaks and armor on fire. No screams, instead, one jumped and kicked Steelhooves hard enough to send him flying against the wall. The other two threw their burning cloaks over me. I stood up and batted one out of the way. The other fell on me. Before I could shake it off, I felt something searing hot enter through my lower left side. I kicked out and the blade was pulled out before it reached my lungs and heart. I also heard the body hit the wall. I fired blindly ahead. I heard a scream followed by metal being torn into by bullets.

“Friendly fire!” Steelhooves synthetic voice screamed. Shit! I pulled the cloak off, a sword was swinging right at my face, I ducked and pushed forward slamming my body against the Zebra. We landed a few feet from Steelhooves, pinned beneath my body the Zebra squirmed. I raised my hoof, my hacking module poked out where my armored hoof met my foreleg. I drove the relatively pointy module right through the zebra’s neck. I stood up, his comrade jumped on top of me and drove his sword into my back. I gritted my teeth, and with adrenaline dulling the pain I jumped up! The strength of my armor had us crash into the ceiling. The Zebra was left embedded in it. I landed back down next to the Zebra, clutching at his neck as he choked on his own blood. One last to go, I smirked and turned to find the final Zebra, he ducked beneath me, and drove his sword almost halfway through my stomach. “AAghhh!” While I fell, I watched, almost in slow motion, as a plasma blast hit the Zebra square in the head. He didn’t even get to scream as he was turned to goo head first. He splattered on his choking comrade, who after a few more seconds stopped writhing all together. The sword stopped searing my insides, but it needed to come out, I put my hoof against the guard, and pushed it out. “Aahhh!” I screamed as the sword finally was out of me. I rolled to my back, and I hissed with tightly closed eyes.

“Sir -zzzt- Zebras eli-zzz-ted, voice -zzzt- module d-zzzt-ed, fighting efficiency at -zzzt- at -zzzt- percent. Several internal sytems. Systems, systems -zzzt- repair.” Steelhoove’s status report made me cringe. I felt bad for shooting him in my panicked state. I opened my eyes, the first thing I saw was the Zebra who stabbed me in the back. He was embedded on the wall, two broken pipes sticking through his chest. I looked to my left, hearing Steelhooves float on close to me. I stayed on the ground for a few minutes, letting two extra strength potions bring me back to a hundred percent. I got up and gave Steelhooves a one over. He wasn’t that badly damaged, when I got back to the Security Center I could patch him up with the parts of the robots we scrapped.

“Alright, turn off voice module, I’ll connect you to my helmets systems, just need to jack in and, oh hold on.” I wiped the module on one of the Zebra corpses, then I opened Steelhoove’s maintenance hatch and connected him directly to my helmet display system. “There, now most robots have back up systems in case primary ones are damaged. Reroute all combat subroutines through the back up systems.”

[AFFIRMATIVE, READY TO MOVE ON YOUR MARK SIR!]

I nodded to Steelhooves and got to searching the lab. Aside from papers with formulas I couldn’t being to comprehend, all I found were some stashed regular potions. I left the lab, gave the floor one more cursory search and went up to Floor-20. Nothing, I swept the entire floor, god damn it, there must be something here! I can’t fail Flag, if the Zebras were here, then they still wanted something! I found an office, it belonged to one Doctor Manners, and it had the only working terminal on this floor. I quickly jacked and hacked my way into it.

[ENTER PASSWORD: MIRACLE]

[ACCESS GRANTED]

[WELCOME DOCTOR MANNERS]

I found multiple data entries, they appeared corrupted. As I scrolled down every corrupted file fueled my growing sense of desperation. At last I found three files still available, I sighed opened the first one and read through it.

Entry 98: It’s done, years of research and resources put into this project, and it is finally over. The Ministry of Peace is shutting down our division. I suppose it was to be expected, a decade of research and millions of bits poured into Project Hydra, and all we had was a faulty product to show for it. It’s sad, most of the ponies here are almost like family to me. We celebrated and cried for every achievement and setback. Now, most of us are being sent to different departments. Not just in the Empire, but also back to Equestria. We will keep in touch, but I will dearly miss everypony who worked diligently on this project. As of now, at 0800 hours, Project Hydra will be disbanded, and its staff reassigned to other projects. These final entries will dictate a final progress report and closing statements for the project. -Doctor Manners.

Entry 99: Hydra was an ambitious project, to put it simply, we were fundamentally working on gene therapy. To manipulate our bodies natural healing process and enhance it a hundred-fold. We were born with the unique ability to have our injuries heal over time. Our bodies run their own type of self-repair, and your everyday potions tap into that innate healing for extraordinary results. Open wounds close in a matter of seconds, cuts, bruises, even the sealing of internal arteries to stop internal bleeding. Potions are a powerful tool, but, they are limited. Though they can accelerate the natural process of bone repair. It is still a long and time-consuming effort towards healing a broken bone. There is also the issue of foreign bodies, the likes of shrapnel or bullets, that are not removed through the healing process. This is where Hydra comes in, to not just accelerate, but facilitate the natural healing process with magic. To brew a potion, so strong, it set bones back into place, and forced foreign bodies from the patient. After ten years of research, I have come to realize, ambitious doesn’t begin to explain how hard this project has been. Results will be posted in the final entry. -Doctor Manners

Entry 100: We began testing our formula on things like, pigs, cows, and to my mounting shame…Zebra POW’s. These Zebras were on their death beds, but all the same, I felt shame using them for my research. I understood the urgency, I understood the implications as well. If we succeeded these subjects would be saved. But failure could just make their deaths needlessly painful. Our first batch killed the pigs, we removed a kidney, the potion restored its kidney…then just kept making kidneys. The pig was bloated when we opened it, dug out at least ten kidneys. So, after introducing a limiter of sorts, being a genetic code to terminate the specific healing process. We administered it on a Zebra, this well young Zebra, for the Zebra couldn’t be older than eighteen. He was cut in half, I didn’t ask or was even told what cut him in half. We had him rigged to a life support unit, with tubes replacing eighty percent of bodily functions. The brain was still active sending commands, but it was anything but life. The young man was practically a vegetable, only subtle communication through hoof signals did he make it clear to us. Kill me, kill me, kill me, we doubled our efforts to get a new prototype to working order. We administered the second potion to miraculous results. The entire lower body was reconstructed, even returned consciousness to the Zebra. Rather than dispatching the Zebra back to the camps, we kept him around for observation. We thought, this was it, we did it. But after two months under surveillance. We found several cancerous growths on the subjects’ vital organs.

The potion, ultimately worked too well, the accelerated gene creation made for faulty cancerous cells. The young Zebra died in a month after diagnosis. By this time, Doctor Glimmer and her Husband Doctor Sunburst, had revealed their successful tissue cloning process. At half the cost to making a single potion? The Ministry of Peace shut us down immediately and made a joint contribution with the Ministry of Arcane Sciences to Glimmering Sun Genetics and Research. We had two more samples left, one used by one of our scientists. Their son returned from the front, mutilated and kept alive only life support. He administered the potion, despite knowing this could get him a life sentence in prison. The boy recovered but seeing as this pony was part of my department, I felt I needed to follow through. So, I asked the boy to stay with me for a prolonged period. I cannot explain it, but the boy never developed the cancerous growths. I watched him for months, ran several tests, but no negative effects were found. He was cured completely without malicious side effects. If I had the time, or the funds, I wish I could study this further. But after that stunt, Ministry of Morale stepped in, and blackmailed everypony involved into some new project. But that is for another entry, this is the last entry of Project Hydra, the final sample is now stored in the last floor in Mister Bling’s personal office. Doctor Manners singing off for one last time.

Holy shit, the potion healed you, or killed you. Great, sure, make me gamble with Flags life. This is the type of shit that just promises nightmares. Well, no use wasting time here, I left the office and went up the final floor. The final floor was just a long hallway, a red carpet lined the floor to a set of double doors at the other end. As I walked through with Steelhooves hovering behind me, I noticed several framed pictures on the walls. Staff photos, news paper cut outs depicting war propaganda and even a picture of Flutter Shy. At the end of the hall, next to the double doors was an interesting news article.

“Glimmering Sun Genetics opens it’s main Headquarters,” I looked at the picture provided, true enough, the building was erected three buildings north of Meadowbrook. I read the article further, “Doctors Sunburst and Starlight Glimmer have proudly presented their first patient to benefit from a brand-new heart transplant. This cloning of pony tissue has brought two Ministries together to fund further research and find a military application.” Huh, guess this was after that memory orb I saw. I was going to head through the double doors, but I noticed a plaque under the framed article.

“We must do better,” below the words was the signature of somepony I didn’t know. I guess Meadowbrook was threatened to go under by Glimmering Sun. I shook my head, no time to contemplate corporate rivalries. I entered the office and readied my weapons just in case. The office consisted of a huge desk at the far end of the room, as well as a desk smacked in the center with several chairs on each side. There was ceiling to floor windows making up the walls. While each corner had stone, kneeling stallions holding the ceiling up. I walked around the central conference table, Steelhooves hovered on the opposite side, he pulled out chairs and aimed his plasma caster below the tables. I arrived at the desk, the Meadowbrook logo at the front of it. On the desk were several papers, nice looking pens and a terminal. I pushed the expensive rolling chair away and jacked into the terminal.

[ENTER PASSWORD: PATRIOT]

Interesting choice of password.

[ACCESS GRANTED]

[WELCOME MISTER RIVERS]

[ACCESS PROJECT STRIPE WIPE?]

[Y/N]

I frowned, I skipped that command and found the option to bring up the safe. The right side of the desk opened, from the ground rose up a safe. There was a red light on the door indicating it was closed. I send the open command and the light turned green. I opened it up, and lo-and behold, the Hydra Potion was contained inside in a clear hard plastic container. The word Hydra was printed in black letters around the cylinder. I took the potion, stuffed it in my saddle bags and got ready to leave. But, there it was, still open, Mister Rivers terminal. Project Stripe Wipe, that had to be an anti-Zebra weapon… shit, hold on a little longer Flag. I need to see if I can find us and advantage in this war.

[Y]

[ACKNOWLEDGE]

[PLEASE STANDBY]

A low whirr of machinery made my ears twitch. A loud thud followed, coming from the conference table at the center of the room. The table slid at the middle, hell the floor itself opened to reveal metal stairs to a door below. I went down the stairs, and the door slid open the moment I got close, it was an elevator. “Wait here Steelhooves,” I looked back at him, he saluted and floated off towards the front door. The elevator door closed behind me and it instantly started descending. I was in there for almost ten minutes, but finally a black screen over the door read, Sub-Level lab. The doors parted open, I entered to a dark room. The clanking of my hooves told me I was on metal, I turned on my head lamp, it quickly illuminated a railing in front of me. I looked to my left and saw huge switch next to the elevator. I flipped the switch and the room slowly lit up.

My eyes widen, there was a lab here alright. It was divided into sections; the lab was on the left while the right side was walled off. The right side was divided into six rooms, three on each side bisected by a hall. The rooms were liked cages. Inside the cages were the grizzly remains of Zebras. Worst there also appeared to be Pony corpses. The bodies looked melted, the faces either fused into the cells, or worst frozen in pure agony. Despite this, that was not what had my eyes widen, and my heart gripped by sheer terror. Inside the lab, encased in a protective magical barrier, was barrels, six of them in total. The label alone would have sent lesser ponies, at least I like to think so, running from the room, racing to leave this place behind, and bury it under a freaking mountain. ‘Pink Gas.’

I saw a set of stairs leading to the lab, I swallowed my fear and made my way down the stairs. I found an office just next to the bottom of the stairs. I decided to check it out first, the inside was benign enough, desk at the back, a book shelf next to it, and a record player on the right. The record player was running, it just let out a dull humming sound. The needle long since destroyed the record spinning on the table. I walked to the record player and turned it off. Behind the desk was a slumped over unicorn. There was a gun resting on the desk, the slumped over pony was a unicorn. The side of his head was blown open, blood and brain matter decorating the floor. The pony wore a lab coat, and he had an ID card partly splattered in blood. Still, I could make out the name. Doctor Manner. Gently, I moved his corpse aside and accessed his terminal.

[ENTER PASSWORD: FINAL SOLUTION]

[ACCESS GRANTED]

[WELCOME DOCTOR MANNER]

[PLAYBACK LAST AUDIO RECORDING?]

[Y/N]

[Y]

There was a fizzle, then music of a saxophone wailing in sorrow. Then some shuffling and the sound of a chair rolling on the carpet. A pony cleared their throat, “this is it, I have ordered my staff to evacuate the building. The Zebra strike is eminent, Megaspell fire will rain down on the Empire, hell probably Equestria as well. Then it will be over, decades of Research into creating a decisive war winning weapon. Gone, it seems my career always led down to this, failure. Failure that cost us…cost me, my very soul.” The doctor cleared his throat, his voice hitched, and he forcefully repressed a guilt-ridden sob.

“How many did I kill? How many times did I order test subjects exposed to this…this, abomination of arcane science?” The doctor let out a bitter laugh. “I’m going to rot in the deepest pits of hell, and I don’t even have a working genocidal weapon to show for it. Hah, I guess I’ll be sharing a pit of fire with Ministry Mare Flutter Shy. Maybe she’ll be given the nicer pit, her intentions were at least pure. Me? I just wanted to finally show up Starlight and Sunburst. Since College, all I dedicated my life to was my research, and finally beating those two. Look where that got me, hah.” The doctor shuffled around his desk for something. There was the sound of a clip loaded into a gun, then the sound of the slide being pulled back.

“Well, I think this is the only way to make up for my sins. Though maybe I deserve worst, to get myself into a cell and suffer as they did.” The doctor laughed, “I’m such a coward, I can’t bring myself to that, to expose myself to such pain, even when I heard those Zebras and Ponies cry and beg for mercy, seeing them break their hooves against the glass as we gassed them. No, I’m a coward and a coward I’ll go. If anypony lives through this…. nightmare. If anypony has somehow gotten it in their head, no matter how much time has passed. Look at my corpse, sitting here in front of this desk. See the hole in my skull and the horrible recordings left behind. Every senseless death for a failed weapon. Faust bless whoever sees this, and rightfully shuts this place up and let it be forgotten to history. Let those twenty thousand barrels of pink gas waste away in the other chamber. Goodbye everypony, Faust bless Equestria, the Empire, and the Princesses. Faust, please forgive us all, for the terrible atrocities we have wrought to kill one another.”

The recording stopped, the suicide left out of the final message. Still, I didn’t care to see the horrors he said he left recorded here. No, I was worried about twenty thousand barrels of pink gas, just sitting beneath Meadowbrook. Wait, those bastards, those god damn bastards! That’s why they wanted Meadowbrook! For the Pink Gas. They just assumed I’d take the building, let them take the research here and the pink gas! They used me, I knew they were already using me, sure. But this? This was beyond sickening. Ponies experimented on for what? Among the records, there were subject files, the ponies had been labeled, Zebra sympathizers, and traitors. Tch, how convenient for them, they find Pony test subjects who don’t fit their political agenda. I could only imagine this was the Ministry of Morale that rounded up the poor Ponies. I snorted and clicked on a file had the projects mission statement. It was as bland and so-matter of fact, it almost sickened me how professional they were about experimenting on their fellow ponies.

Turns out they wanted to create a Pink Cloud variant, one that would target Zebras specifically. Use it to deploy on the Zebra Empire to kill the inhabitants and to spare infrastructure. A Megaspell meant to discriminate between stripes and none. What a sick joke, I wanted revenge, but seeing this, seeing how far this hatred went? I could feel doubts creep into my mind. How far would I go for that vengeance? I shook my head, no time, Flag is waiting. But first, I left the office and went pass the cells. I reached the door at the other end of the cells. The room was dark, so I turned a switch on the wall next to me and... Gone, the Pink gas all of it gone! This massive underground storage site didn’t have a single fucking barrel of the stuff. Oh no, fuck I needed to get out of here! I left the lab and returned to the office floor. Steelhooves waited patiently for me.

“Let’s go!” I yelled to him as I ran past. I took the emergency stairs by leaps. I exited Meadowbrook and ran back to Security Operations. I didn’t even count the time it took me to arrive. The shudders were still close, and it certainly didn’t look like another battle had taken place.

“Lemon, anypony open up!” I shouted through the radio, damn it I needed to report this to my father! The shudders opened, and I made my way inside. Steelhooves silently followed behind. I practically burst through to Operations. Flag was outside his armor, he laid sideways on a couch, Rose had recently just changed the bandages. He looked even worse than when I left.

“Valiant, did you find it?” Rose looked to me, hope filled her eyes, but I could see the underlying dread just beneath that hope.

“Here, give it to him. I dug out the potion from my bag, “Where’s Trapper?” I looked around, he and Lemon were gone.

“He’s with Lemon, inside the Operations Room.” Rose pointed her hoof in their direction. I ran past her, entering the room, Trapper was sitting by Lemon, she was looking at security monitors her helmet off.

“I’m here, I got Flag the potion, but I need to know, did you establish contact with my father?” I panted opening my helmet.

“Y-yes, we can reach him whenever you’re ready.” Trapper jumped slightly at my tone.

“Good, patch me through now!” I closed my helmet and ignored Lemon’s concerned stare.

“Star Pa-I mean Captain, please respond!” I gritted my teeth, my heart pounded against my chest uncontrollably.

“Sergeant, what’s this about abandoning your post?” My father’ anger shone through despite his neutral voice.

“Sir, I can explain later, but right now we have worst concerns!” I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath to calm myself down. “I went to Meadowbrook, to find a potion to heal Flag,” I forced my way through his automatic correction. I knew it was coming, “listen! Beneath Meadowbrook, there was research being conducted on Pink Cloud. They had twenty thousand barrels of the stuff in there! Sir when I went to check on the barrels, the were gone, all of them!” There was silence, then my father responded, composed but suspicious.

“Did you find Zebras at Meadowbrook?”

“Yes, some regulars outside the building, and five commandos inside. If they knew about the gas below, they were there for something else. But that’s not what matters.” I looked to Lemon, she had her hooves to her mouth. What was she looking at? I looked to the monitors, all the security feed was cut off. Over the feed, was a red banner, on that banner was a Pony, or maybe a Zebra skull. The skull was gold and had two swords bisecting it. The skull itself was in the talons of a golden eagle, while two equally golden olive branches flanked each side of the emblem. Below the message, written in Equestrian no less, read a message.

[THE IMMORTAL LEGION SENDS ITS REGARDS]

“Sir?” I barely got the word out and a loud blaring siren assaulted my ears. “Stay here, I’m going outside!” I ran out of the room and went to the stairs heading to the rooftop.

“What’s the status of the operation, did you take the objectives?” Shit, please tell me this isn’t what I think it is!

“Affirmative, we cleared out all targets, but the defense protocol activated itself!” I could hear the siren blare on my father’s side of things too. I tore through the roof door, and slid to a stop, the smoldering remains of the Zebras and their fortifications remained. The smoke had long since dissipated and I could see clearly. The ground started to shake, I spread my stance to keep from falling over. All around me, around the city, titanic walls rose from the ground, it took maybe eight minutes, but the walls enclosed all of City 6. The alarms died down, and the air was still. I could feel it, something was about to happen. The air was heavy with anticipation and I could feel myself jittering in place. Every part of me warned me to keep on guard. Across the way due south, I heard an explosion. However, to my mounting horror this huge explosion wasn’t fire, but a huge mushroom cloud of pink gas. Oh Celestia, that was in the direction of Bronco. I could hear the screams faintly echo, that camp held the 12^th and 8^th regiment. Wounded, crews, medics…officers. Oh shit, Colonel Starfire.

“Valiant!”

I turned around, Trapper was winded from running upstairs. He was utterly horrified, he looked about ready to have a heart attack. He closed his eyes, took a calming breath and spoke again, his resolve shaken but thankfully, still not broken. “The radio is blowing up, everypony is panicking! What do we do?”

Shit, shit, shit, shit!

“Sir, we just lost Bronco, do you copy?” My father’s line was silent for a moment. I instantly switched channels to see if he had moved on to the open frequency. That was a mistake, as my ears were flooded by every soldier within range, or with a radio talking over one another.

“Bronco is down!”

“I can’t reach Colonel Moore!”

“Colonel Starfire, this is squad five, respond, anypony respond!”

“Zebras! They’re moving north, what do we do, do we pursue!?”

“EVERYPONY STAND DOWN!” The booming voice of Colonel Starfire put the explosion I just heard to shame. “Switch to assigned frequencies now!” I switched, and I could hear the quiet murmur of hundreds of scared souls right about now.

“This is Colonel Starfire, Bronco base has been attacked and lost, this is a message to all personnel. I am issuing a full evacuation of City 6. All personnel move to higher ground and await Vertibuck Pickup.” The transmission cut. Another explosion echoed across the city. I turned north west, pink cloud, then another explosion due south east. One more and, ho shit the targets! The four corners…

“Father!” I shouted over the radio protocol be damned.

“Control yourself Valiant, I ordered everypony out the moment the wall started raising. Hold your position, I’m heading there now with everypony under my command.” He cut off the transmission and I sat on my haunches. A trap, they took City 6, had us funnel everypony into the center…. then this. I looked towards Bronco base, a pink cloud was rising, then it looked like a curtain, it spread east along the wall. I watched it stretch all the way across the city before me. My radio came to life as soon as it did.

“South of the city, a fucking wall of Pink Gas, it’s moving north and swallowing everything! Everypony move north now!” Colonel Starfire shouted over the radio. I stood up and ran back down, Trapper long gone from the rooftop. I returned to Operations to see Flag sitting on the ground holding his head.

“What the hell did I miss?” he rubbed is temple and looked to me. I would tell him about the possible cancer later, One issue at a time here.

“There’s a huge wall of Pink Gas headed this way, everypony get ready to move out!” I yelled at them, I don’t know why, I think I was just as scared as Trapper at this point.

“Fucking hell, seriously?” Flag looked to me flabbergasted, he shook his head and got into his armor. “Fuck it, I’ve woken up to worse, thanks for the potion kid, I never felt better,” Flag nodded and stood with Rose.

“Yeah, I’ll fill you in on the way, but right now everypony get ready. I’m gonna look at Steelhooves and then link up with my father.” I turned to Steelhooves, he followed me diligently everywhere it seemed. I shut him down and opened his maintenance panel.

“Who? Oh, screw it, I’ll save the questions for the road.” Flag closed his helmet and everypony gathered around. This was going to be a race against time.

Level Up: 8

Perks added: Robronco Certified: You can repair, retool and even scrap Robots for parts! Also lowers the carrying weight of disassembled robots in your saddle bag by 15.

Author's Notes:

Sorry for the delay, but I was waiting for my new, and flashy cover art! I will be linking the creator as soon as he posts it in his gallery. This is the finish product! Please enjoy it fully my fellow Wasteland ponies! He worked very hard, artist name is L1nkoln. I hope this chapter is to your liking. As for anyone who follows me on Reddit or Google + I shall be posting the update soon! <3.

P.S This was a paid comission! Though if I ever reach the popularity to get fan art, well, that would make me a very happy writer :D!

Chapter 10: The War of Attrition Part 3

“Aw crap,” That was the most underwhelming response I could have gotten from Flag. While we waited for my father, I caught everypony up on what I found, and updated Flag on what he missed. Flag sat on his haunches while I fixed up Steelhooves. I found the tools to fix him in the armory, and the parts we scavenged from the various robots laying around.

“Flag, I’m sorry about this, I really am.” I didn’t dare look away from my work, how could I face him? I saved his life now, but what if a month from now the cancerous cells appear.?

“Kid, it was risk it, or I die. I don’t know about you, but I think I’ll take my chances with the cancer.” Flag shrugged, “how did Rose take it?” I flinched, and that gave Flag his answer. “Haven’t told her huh? Well maybe I’ll tell her after we get out of here. Right now, we got more important things to take care of.”

“Yeah, speaking of,” I put down my tools and turned on the short burst. “Trapper, how’s it looking out there?”

“Good!” He practically yelled into the receiver, “well, as good as can be, the curtain is moving, but it’s not in a hurry.”

“Copy, any signs of my father?” I grabbed the final part I needed for Steelhooves, while I heard Trapper jog around the roof.

“Uh, nothing south, or west, or, oh hey wait! Here they come, due east!” Trapper’s excitement was good news. They weren’t coming in badly beaten.

“Alright, thanks trapper, now keep your eyes on that pink cloud.” I instructed while I closed up Steelhooves maintenance hatch, I patched myself over to Lemon next. “Lemon, my father is coming, he’s south of our position, think you can go meet him outside?”

“Sure, I finished raiding the armory anyways, all that’s left is small arms and non-battle saddle weaponry.” Lemon sighed and cut the transmission. She returned shortly after, doled out munitions and outfitted Rose and Trappers battle saddles with magical energy rifles.

“Alright, now that were done here, let’s meet my father and get the hell out of here.” I activated Steelhooves and filled him in on the situation. He agreed evacuation was our best option. We left Security Operations, I had thought about bringing the Ultra Sentry bot with us. But it turns out his programming wouldn’t allow him to leave Security Operations. Having much higher security and complex systems, hacking it would be a time-consuming endeavor. Not worth it with the cloud coming for us. So, we shut it off and got ready to leave.

When my father arrived, he asked for a full debrief, I told him of our attack and our subsequent capture of our target. With Flags life hanging on by a thread, I told him I myself went to retrieve the Hydra potion. He wasn’t happy, as expected, but he did respect my decision and commended me for the way I handled things. He did not agree with me leaving my team, but seeing as I didn’t leave them defenseless, I was forgiven. With my report given, we started our march north, we didn’t have a clear destination. Colonel Starfire had yet to issue further orders. While we moved through the streets, we met up with a few other platoons who converged on the North Highway. Much of everypony was hauling wounded in repurposed wagons. With Bronco Base destroyed, we had no other place to get them to.

Thinking of Bronco Base, I felt my ears fold down and my lips pull down in a frown. “Sir, how many Rangers did we have at Bronco Base?” I turned to my father, he walked silently besides me.

“Two, were down to twelve of us. Our tactical advantage is evaporating with every casualty.” Damn, we really needed reinforcements. But could I convince the council to let me send a message to Stable 29? It seemed very unlikely, especially with their adamant need to keep everything a secret. Things weren’t looking good, especially if we all died here. Two regiments and every Ranger taken down in one fell swoop. Fuck, the enemy commander was a cunning son of a bitch!

“Come on, this ain’t no parade, were out in the field! Hop to it soldiers!” Steelhooves floated around the other platoons. He seemed to arm-strong ponies into tighter formations, when he noticed a wagon lagging, he had the puller switch with another. That everypony was listening to the shouting robot was interesting on its own.

“Where’d you find him?” My father looked to Steelhooves, I detected something akin to amusement. Even with his helmet down, I think I was getting better at reding his physical responses.

I opened my helmet and looked to him, “Steelhooves was in the armory back at our target.”

“Steelhooves?” My father looked back to me.

“Yeah, I thought I’d give him a proper Ranger name.” Great, why am I feeling all self-conscious now?

“It’s a good name, a soldiers name for a clear soldier. Heh,” my fathered chuckled. Mom will never believe me when I tell her. He chuckled twice thanks to me, I must be funnier than I thought.

“Everypony listen up, this is Colonel Starfire, I set up a temporary command at Meadowbrook pharmaceuticals. Evacuation is starting soon, I want everypony to find the tallest buildings, get your wounded up and prep them for immediate evac.” The colonel paused, I could hear another voice softly talking to her. “We got a Vertibuck inbound for officers, but I will be staying until everypony has been air lifted out of here. The first batch of wounded with me will be leaving. Colonel Starfire out,” she cut the transmission and we soldiered onward. The once long column of soldiers started breaking apart, skyscrapers were climbed, and even smaller buildings were occupied for their flatter, longer rooftops to lay out the wounded. I had chosen my place deliberately, Glimmering Sun Headquarters. Our platoon, a mixture of Rangers and Equestrian regulars, hunkered down and moved the wounded upstairs.

With everypony busy, I took Steelhooves to Doctor Sanguine’s office. Considering the signs pointed to the corner office with the view, she was the mare in charge here. I entered her office to find it had been the site of a battle. Bullet casings littered the floor, but there were only four bodies. One was a teal Unicorn in a lab coat, she was slack against her office chair, a hole burned on the head of the chair. I didn’t need to look at her face to know how she died. The second corpse, partly sticking out beside the desk, was a Magenta unicorn. A male, he wore a black suit and red tie, and by the way he died, I could tell he was laying on something.

I moved his body aside and snatched up two memory orbs. Just like back at the other office, they were blue and swirling with magic. The final two bodies were just security, which means, the shoot out here had something to do with these memory orbs. I looked back to Doctor Sanguine, she was sitting in front of her terminal. I did my thing, moved her body aside and hacked her terminal.

[INSERT PASSWORD: MIRROR POOL]

[ACCESS GRANTED]

[WELCOME DOCTOR SANGUINE]

Down to business, find useful data and maybe, just maybe, a way to help Flag if Hydra ends up giving him cancer. Two messages, one outgoing and one received, and security footage. Well I can’t deny I’m curious as to what the hell happened here. I clicked on the footage first, a tab opened, and it played the security footage.

“Oh? I wasn’t expecting you here so soon, I had thought we would meet at the-” Doctor Sanguine was instantly silenced. A beam of energy vaporized a hole through her head. Then the Magenta Unicorn showed up, magical energy pistol floating before him. He walked around the desk, crouched behind it and disappeared for a while. He floated out several folders labeled classified in bold letters. He floated out two memory orbs and some audio logs. From out of nowhere a Zebra Commando materialized into existence. The pony didn’t shoot, or tried anything for that matter, just stared blankly at the Zebra.

“God damn traitor!” Steelhooves waved his pincer indignantly in the air.

“Good work, your services will no longer be needed.” The Zebra looked behind to the entrance, then he quickly shoveled everything on the desk into his saddle bag, well except for the memory orbs.

“Doctor Sanguine! Are you okay? Security reports an energy spike in your office!” The Zebra threw his cloak over his head and disappeared again.

“Return to yourself and defend yourself against these attackers. 0 4 6 3 0 8 12 21 0 6 0 0 6 7.” The Zebra uttered the numbers and the Magenta Unicorn blinked confused.

“What? Where? Oh Celestia, Sanguine!” The Unicorn put the gun down by the desk and moved to the slumped over doctor. The door was bashed open, “Doctor Sanguine!” the security ponies cocked their guns and pointed at the offending Unicorn, “Hooves in the air!”

“What? I didn’t, it wasn’t me!” The Magenta Unicorn brought his energy pistol to bare. “I-I will defend myself, please don’t do anything rash!”

“Take him down!” The left security pony fired his side arm. The shot hit the Magenta Unicorn and he went down. As he fell, he fired and turned one of the guards to ash. The other Security pony raised his gun to finish off the attacker, but a burst from a rifle killed him. The Zebra appeared again, while the bleeding Unicorn hauled himself up on the side of the desk.

“W-what?” He feebly let out, the Zebra fired another burst from his rifle and the Unicorn went down for good. As he fell his hooves dragged down the memory orbs with him. As soon as his body hit the floor, loud sirens started blaring in the background. The Zebra looked up, he drew up his cloak and ran out of the room as he disappeared into the ether.

“Fucking hell,” I muttered aloud.

“Agreed Sir,” Steelhooves was as surprised as me, Magenta there had been a sleeper agent. I could only imagine what valuable data that Zebra ran off with. I frowned, the numbers I heard were the trigger to his brainwashing. Why did he leave these memory orbs behind? Maybe it had been the one act of rebellion from his subdued conscience. Or maybe mistakes had been made, it didn’t really matter now, I closed out of the tab and started on the first message.

To E.S.A Colonel Cosmos: I have received the report from your Lieutenant from Launch Site Osiris. With the prototypes loaded, we are prepared to evacuate our staff to Stable 45. I will head to Osiris in a few hours.

From Doctor Sunburst: Sanguine, we hit a snag in the prototypes, well, to be more precise we hit a major problem. We might need to resort to the backup plan, but I have a theory, one that I will investigate after we evacuate the Empire. Also, please contact Mister Quarter, he had been instructed to return here but he hasn’t reported in. Last I heard he might be headed your way, but I don’t know why. If he does go to see you, please hurry, we don’t have a lot of time.

Why was a Glimmering Sun employee talking to an Equestrian Space Administration Colonel? Then there’s this place, Launch Site Osiris. Were they going to space? Why was a genetics company going to space? That made no freaking sense, and that’s not mentioning Doctor Sunburst knowing the Megaspells were coming. God damn this place was infuriating, how many more secrets are the council keeping? Like the Pink Gas wasn’t enough, what the hell was Project Do-Over, what was Glimmering Sun doing that involved space travel? Screw them, after this mission I’m going to confront them, either they tell me what’s going on, or they can just blow my damn head off. I refuse to work for them further if they don’t at least give me some transparency.

I sighed, took the memory orbs, and went to find my friends, Steelhooves hovered silently behind. Flag had gone to the rooftop, Lemon was helping to move the wounded, Rose was treating wounded with the other medics, and Trapper was sitting by himself in a corner. I went to speak to him, he looked bummed out, well we all were, but he seemed troubled by something else as well.

“Trapper, you okay?” I sat next to him and opened my helmet.

“No, I lost our radio, now I’m just dead weight.” Trapper kicked the ground, glaring at it, as if it was to blame for his misery.

“You didn’t lose it, we got caught in a tricky situation, it’s not your fault.” I gave him a pat on his back.

“Maybe, but it doesn’t change the fact I can’t even do my job as a radio pony.” Trapper snorted and looked away from me.

“Hey, I need every abled soldier at my disposal, if you can shoot, you aren’t useless. As I recall, you shot plenty of those robots.” I nudged him for good measure.

Trapper let a small smile spread on his muzzle, “thanks, felt good to know I helped out.”

“Good, so don’t let losing the radio get you down, were going to be okay.” I gave him one more pat and left to find Lemon. When I saw her, she had just finished help get some wounded ponies on stretchers.

“Hey Lemon,” I walked up to her, she looked towards me and opened her helmet.

“What’s up?” her horn glowed as she hovered two bottles of sparkle-cola out of her saddle bag.

“Hey where’d you get this?” I took one and popped the cap, just as a habit, I tossed the cap into my saddle bag.

Lemon did the same, floating over the cap into her bag and taking a sip of her cola. “Security Operations, I ripped open the machines there.” She gave me a sheepish grin.

“Nice, but what I wanted to talk about were these.” I took out the two memory orbs.

“Are those new ones? They look like the ones from Shimmering Sun.” She raised a brow at them.

“Different ones, this are the second set to the first two.” I put them down between us.

“Well, if you want to look at them, this isn’t really a good time. We have no idea how long these things are.” Lemon nudged them with her hoof towards me. Damn, she was right, but I was itching to know what was inside. If I was lucky, dirt I could use to get the Council to be on the level with me.

“Yeah, I guess your right, still, I kind of want to learn more, something fishy is going on with Glimmering Sun. Or happened at this point.” I leaned closer to Lemon, making sure only she could hear me. “I want dirt on the Council, something I can use to level the playing field, because for now, bomb implanted on my head wins any argument I could come up with.” I snorted, “I want answers, and some god damn transparency if they expect me to endanger my team for them.”

“I understand, I’m as frustrated as you about this, but we can check it out after were out of this nightmare.” Lemon tapped my shoulder, gulped down her Sparkle-Cola and returned to helping wounded.

“Wait,” I rolled the memory orbs to her, “keep them on you, I can’t access them, seems better if you keep them.” Lemon nodded, scooped them into her saddle bag and went about her business.

I went to talk to Flag next, I had questions I needed answering about his incoherent ramblings. I found him at the northern end of the rooftop, he was providing overwatch for the forces down below. We were running out of room up here, so the other platoons were moving farther north to find another good rooftop.

“Flag, I gotta ask you something.” I sat down next to him, I took a deep breath, contemplating how to ask this. I didn’t want to sound like a whiny child to Flag, he had already done so much for me. But now I was starting to think, was he doing it because he was my friend? Or was he doing it because he thought I couldn’t handle things on my own. If it was the latter, why give me command in the first place.

“What’s up kid?” Flag didn’t look away from the road.

“When you were wounded, you said you didn’t want me to come in this expedition.” I gritted my teeth as the words left my lips. Damn it, why did saying it out loud hurt me?

“What do you mean?” Flag’s helmet turned slightly, as if giving me a sideways glance, for all I knew maybe he was.

“You said, your son is coming, then you said she’ll be devastated, then said to leave him.” I looked to Flag, my expression betrayed the growing fear inside me. Was I really a burden to Flag? He said we were friends, I didn’t think I would be a burden. Damn, with him being wounded, I had completely let this feeling pass me and fester while I focused on saving him.

“Did I say that?” Flag still didn’t look at me, but he was standing still, like a statue really.

“Listen kid,” Flag turned to me.

“I’m not a kid!” I shouted at him, everypony nearby looked towards us. I hoped my father didn’t hear it, damn it why was I becoming so emotional. I felt tears sting my eyes, shit why am I so damn weak!

“Valiant,” Flag turned to me fully, his voice was serious, the voice I only ever heard in battles. “I wasn’t talking about…I didn’t mean you weren’t ready, I was just.” He was at a loss of words. So it had been a lie, he wasn’t my friend, I was just a charge my father dumped on him.

Flag sighed, “Valiant, I promise you,” he paused and opened his helmet. I looked to him, he reached out and hit the emergency open on my helmet. I was about to look away, but he put his hoof to the side of my face, forcing me to reveal my watery eyes. His lips parted in a trademark Flag smile, a smile that said everything was fine and to keep cool. “I promise you, I never thought, or told your father that you weren’t ready for this expedition.” He took his hoof away and placed it over his heart. “What I said was from a long time ago, and I think its about time you were told.” Flag looked over my head, I turned to see him staring at my father. He was talking with some other officers about one thing or another.

“I’ll do this, I’ll have Lemon rummage around my head, have her find a specific memory that you honestly deserve to see. I’ll have her put it in a memory orb, and you can decide to look at it or not. Sound good?” Flag stretched his hoof out to me. I looked at him for a moment, and damned if I didn’t want to agree.

“So, you don’t think I’m not ready?” I looked to him with hope rising in my chest.

“Valiant, nopony is ever ready when it comes to battle, truth be told, your old stallion and I expected we’d be fighting once we got here. Nopony is ever ready for that first engagement, no matter how much training you receive, ponies are always affected by their first battle, one way or another.” Flag gestured towards the other ponies around us. “Trust me, when everypony first had to fire their guns, they pissed themselves a little.”

“Even you?” I gave him a half smile.

“Nah, I was just born cool.” Flag smirked in return, and we both laughed.

“Alright, I’ll trust you, and I know I’m sounding needy, but, are you really my friend Flag, or are you just here because my dad told you to?” I got to my hooves and shook hooves with him.

“You and me? we are friends, I was the one who told your dad to let me bring you along. When you were being mister popular and we were looking down at you, I told him you were ready to stand on your own four hooves.” Flag’s words reminded me of that day at Ironshod, when everypony crowded around me and I saw their expressionless helmets stare me down.

“So when you gave me command?” I felt my smile widen across my muzzle.

“I believe in you kid, your actions speak louder than words, and I know you can make a hell of a leader. I trust you, like I trust Heavy Arms. So, don’t think for a second, I ever or will ever doubt you. I got a gut feeling you can do this, and my gut hasn’t steered me wrong yet.” Flag patted my back and turned to provide overwatch again.

“Thanks Flag,” I turned around, Flag just waved a hoof dismissively in classic Flag fashion.

Feeling better, I went to speak with my father, maybe see what our next move was going to be after we got out of this place. As I walked towards him, I heard rotor blades from far off. I stopped to stare at Meadowbrook, as from the horizon a Vertibuck flew to the rooftop. Good, more would be here soon, and we could get the hell out of here. I went to stand by my father, he gave me a nod and we both silently watched it make its landing. After a few minutes, the Vertibuck flew up and flew back the way it came.

As it flew away, I noticed something. North east of our position on a rooftop, I saw figures move and look south towards the Vertibuck. What platoon was that? One of them hoisted something over their shoulder. Oh shit, those weren’t ponies! The Zebra fired a missile streaking towards the Vertibuck.

My radio instantly lit up, “incoming!” The Vertibuck Pilot shouted and jerked the bird up, the missile just barely missing its mark. The Vertibuck banked right as the missile turned to follow it. From the sides near the tail, the Vertibuck spewed flares, they cascaded down away from them. The Vertibuck jerked forward, the missile ignored the flares and almost impacted the side of the bird. “Shit, I can’t shake it!”

Everypony that could, piled against the side of the roof, watching with bated breath. Some leaned forward, as if hoping that would spare their comrades from the missile. None dared to speak as the missile went for another strike. The Vertibuck gained altitude, but the missile matched the altitude. The Vertibuck jerked left, the missile adjusted itself before impact. The right rotor exploded into fire and shrapnel. “Were hit! I can’t control it, were going down, Sky Carriage Zero One is going down!”

The Vertibuck started spinning in place, burning smoke swirled above it as it lost altitude alarmingly fast. Several ponies gasped, Lemon came up to me, helmet open and hooves to her mouth. She was utterly horrified, there were wounded in that Vertibuck.

The bird kept spinning, it was impossible to tell where it was going. Spiraling down it finally slammed against the side of a building. The remaining rotor tore into the glass before breaking apart. The tail snapped off on impact, tumbling down below. From the cockpit an explosion blasted out fire and carnage.

Lemon was right, this was a nightmare, and it looked like we weren’t going to wake up anytime soon. My radio once more burst to life, Colonel Starfire barked out orders, but most of everypony here was simply staring at the destroyed Vertibuck. The simple fact of seeing wounded ponies killed before their very eyes drained them. I looked around, everypony was dejected, some teared up, others just sat on their haunches, faces blank, they had given up. I looked to Lemon, she had a vicious snarl on her face, a look I had worn, but never truly seen on another. Hatred, pure and unfiltered, and only blood would satisfy that hatred. I took a deep breath and got on the radio. “Mam, please repeat previous orders.”

“Tch, I have, everypony snap out of it damn it!” The Colonel took a deep calming breath, “I’m cancelling the evacuation momentarily. I want 8^th regiment to march east and secure several positions to assure a clear path for Vertibuck Pickup. 12^th regiment will begin sweeping any building above twenty meters, set up observation points if necessary. Once everypony is in position we will restart evacuations, and finally I need a squad to secure what I believe to be the Zebra staging area.”

I looked to Lemon, gave her a firm nod, she returned the gesture. I turned around and saw my team gathered before me. Steelhooves, silently floating nearby rotated his arms to bring his plasma caster up. Everypony, even Trapper had an aura of resolve and purpose around them. I nodded to them and hailed Colonel Starfire. “Colonel, this is Sergeant Valiant, I volunteer my unit to secure the Zebra staging area.”

“Valiant? Very well, I have another unit in mind to join you as well.” The Colonel gave a soft chuckle.

“Mam, it’s not necessary, we can handle it ourselves.” I rather not have another set of ponies to worry about.

“I wasn’t asking soldier, I need enough ponies keeping pressure on them. If they intend on dying here with us, they got another thing coming. Meet up with the team, lets see.” I could hear hushed voices arguing about something. “North of here, by a Rarity for You store.”

“Understood, we’ll head out immediately.” I ended the transmission and sighed, “we got company on this one, another team of ponies.”

“We’ll try to slow down for em,” Flag, always calm even at this desperate time winked at me. I couldn’t help the small smile, it was comforting that one of us could keep their spirits up.

“So long as we teach those Zebras a lesson, I don’t care who comes” Lemon grumbled. She closed her helmet and stood up. “I’ll be downstairs waiting.”

“I’ll see what supplies I can scrounge up, meet you all down stairs.” Rose nodded and went to talk to the other medics gathered around.

“I’ll head down, see if Lemon is going to be okay,” Trapper nodded to me.

“Thanks Trapper.” I opened my helmet and gave him a grateful smile.

“Well, that leaves one thing to take care of.” I sat on my haunches and closed my helmet.

“What’s that?” Flag sat down next to me, Steelhooves simply floated to my right side.

“Figuring out how long we have until the Pink Gas screen catches up to us.” I hailed Colonel Starfire, I hoped she had an answer for me.

“Valiant, what is it, I have my hooves full, so make it quick.” I could hear several ponies talking over one another on her end.

“The gas cloud, do you know how long we have before it gets here.” I heard ponies quiet up at that.

“Three, maybe four hours? If we cut it close, five hours at most, and that’s with the gas nipping at our hooves.” That didn’t give me hope we could evacuate everypony in time.

“Thank you, I’m heading out to the rendezvous now.” I cut the transmission, gathered my self and got ready to go.

“Valiant,” my father called out to me, I nodded to Flag and Steelhooves to go down without me.

“Sir?” I waited for him to stand before me.

“Be careful out there, don’t get bogged down in the fighting, remember this is just to bide time. Once we have everypony out, I’ll have you picked up.” My father put his hoof to my shoulder. “Sempre Invicta son.”

I smiled beneath my helmet, I put my hoof over his and nodded, “Semper Invicta father.” We parted ways and I reunited with everypony down below.

“Let’s go!” I started with a light jog, everypony followed suit. Five hours at most, that was pushing it, I needed to get these Zebras under control in three hours at most. We arrived to Rarity for You in thirty minutes. The store had seen better days, the display windows were broken, and the clothes were tattered and dirtied. The other team wasn’t anywhere in sight, without a radio we were kind of screwed on long range communication. I entered the store out of pure curiosity, it was big with stairs leading to another floor. I poked around the first floor, looking for anything that might catch my eye. I only found some moldy fabrics and a price scanner. I moved on to the second floor, all I found was the manager’s office. Inside was generic as offices went, desk, filing cabinet, and cheesy motivational posters on the walls. The terminal was working, so I sat down and hacked into it.

[ENTER PASSWORD: FABULOUS]

[WELCOME MISS SASSY SADDLES]

There were several records regarding the running of the store, some typed up schedules for employees and messages. Well, I had time to kill and who knows, maybe I find some super-secret data about a doomsday weapon! Or just stuff about running a store, you know, the likelier option.

From Rarity: Sassy, darling, I got so many new designs I shipped out to the Empire. I know you’ll just love them! Which reminds me, have our employees wear the merchandise. They’re also welcome to one free ensemble! Anyway, now that shop talk is out of the way, I hope everything is fine up there darling. I certainly miss seeing you around Canterlot. But I couldn’t have picked a better pony to handle our stores in the Empire. Do write whenever possible, I shall do the same, well permitted my Ministry allows the time.

To Rarity: Oh Rarity the new design are fabulous! Everything will be displayed prominently at the front! I will have my staff choose outfits before opening tomorrow. That said, I do miss our time at Canterlot. But those were…simpler times, yes, that’s an appropriate term as any. The lack of fighting here is almost unnatural. But I digress, that’s enough talk of less than pleasant things, I’ll try to be in town next month. I have some shipping I need to take care off, lets catch up over tea if we can.

From Rarity: Oh darling, I feel too much time has passed, I will clear my schedule in advance. We simply must catch up in person! Though it might be sooner than you’d expect, there are some Ministry affairs to take care off in the Empire. With the Empire now in the war, several projects require my personal touch up there. I’ll make a trip this week. I’ll try and drop by if the time allows it, but with all those meetings. Well, let’s just say sleep will be more of a suggestion than a need. Well I’ve bored you enough, goodbye darling.

Well, that’s not particularly useful, but interesting that Rarity knew the manager here. I logged out and returned to join my friends outside. Everypony was where I left them, in a general circle forming a perimeter around the entrance. I looked at the time in my helmet and groaned. I was in there for thirty minutes, where the hell was this team? We already wasted an hour, you’d think they’d hustle it up here with their lives on the line. After another five minutes, they finally arrived, and to make matters worst there was a Ranger leading them. While that wasn’t bad, the Ranger in question wasn’t a fan of mine, he was the same one that called me out at Ironshod.

“Valiant,” The Ranger, armed with a machinegun and grenade launcher opened his helmet. He was a dark blue stallion with dark green eyes.

“Spokes,” I gave him a curt nod, this was going to be a long mission. Okay a short mission, but it was going to be long in my head for sure.

“Colonel Starfire has pin pointed the Zebra position north of here.” Spokes pointed his hoof north, and I gave him a nod. Not mincing words, we marched to our destination. We took the highway to make good time. We traveled in a general wedge formation, Spokes team consisting of six other ponies brought up our right, my own brought up the left. Spokes and I awkwardly took the center and jogged silently side by side. We arrived at our destination shortly taking cover about a block from our target, just out of sight of the Zebras we could spot outside. when I gazed at the building, my E.F.S did its thing slapping a name on it.

[CRYSTAL EMPIRE HISTORICAL MUSEUM]

The museum was four stories high and had fortified positions on the southern end facing us. The front entrance was wide open, several groups of Zebras were gathered on the court yard. They even had a camp, four red tents in total, they were set up in parallel at either side of the path leading to the entrance. There were no fortifications that I could see outside the museum. Though looking through the broken windows on the fourth floor, I saw two heavy guns set up on either side of the main entrance. A frontal assault would be suicide for everypony here. Those heavy guns would tear right through Ranger power armor, just like at Ironshod. Though from our position just south east of the museum, I could see an abandoned cargo wagon. It was placed perfectly to allow a pony to climb unto the fire escape. The wagon looked like it had crashed against the wall, probably during the chaos of the Megaspell attack.

Then there was the building facing the Museum. From our end I could see a loading dock where wagons would unload cargo and its shudder was wide open. There was a sign above the loading dock, ‘Feather Weight’s Sofas!’ it was faded but still legible. I could hear the gears turning in my head, and I could feel a plan formulating already. “Alright, I think I got a plan.”

“Or we could just garrison a building and shoot it out.” Spokes grunted.

“Or,” I couldn’t help the condescending tone, “you could listen to the plan of the pony that took Security Operations with four ponies.” I glared at him behind my helmet, he just grunted and shut his muzzle up.

“There’s a wagon crashed on the side of the museum,” I pointed a hoof for them to see. “Two of us can sneak around the side and climb to the roof. Everypony else can garrison the sofa place there and cause a distraction.” I pointed to the loading dock, “When the infiltration team gives the signal, we attack from the roof down in a pincer maneuver.”

“Fine, who’s going on the infiltration team?” Spokes shrugged uncaringly. This guy wasn’t about to let a grudge go it seemed.

“I’ll go,” Lemon stepped up to me.

“I can accompany Lemon, i-if she’ll let me,” Trapper moved next to Lemon.

“Sorry Trapper, it has to be two Rangers, I’ll go with Lemon.” I nodded to her, Trapper pursed his lips and nodded back at me. “Alright, lets go Lemon, everypony else get into position and good luck.”

“Valiant,” Spokes called out before I could leave.

“Yeah?” I kept my tone neutral this time.

“Everypony is counting on us,” He opened his helmet, his dark green eyes were lit with a burning fire of determination. He wanted to save everypony here as much as me, as much as all of us really. “Good luck, Semper Invicta.”

I gave him a firm nod, “Sempre Invicta brother,” I turned without another word and left with Lemon in tow. The museum laid between four intersections at each corner. Lemon and I took the bottom left, hiding behind the abandoned wagons as we crossed the street. We reached the upper left intersection, taking cover by a sandwich shop. I peeked around the intersection, the northern end of the museum looked about the same. Except it lacked all the security, I could spot six awnings and underneath them laid several Zebras. From the northern entrance, teams of two Zebras at a time would exit, or enter with Zebras on stretchers.

“Shit, there’s a whole camp of them here too. Except its all wounded.” I looked to Lemon, her helmet turned to me expectantly. Right, my plan, my lead. Well, we could start the attack now, but that might mean abandoning the wagon climb. I sat on my haunches and put my hoof to my chin. Something had to give, being spotted early wasn’t an option. I peeked again, the road as always had wagons littered on it. I guess sneak and hope for the best it is. “Stay low, hug the wagons and stick close.” I got in a low stance and tip-hoofed my way between wagons. Each step was carefully considered, and each frantic sprint across exposed ground a gamble. We were lucky the wounded took precedence, otherwise we’d have more idle heads to spot us. With more luck than I thought possible, we made it to the eastern wall. The Wagon had marred the once pristine white walls. The front of the wagon was charred, and the blackened corpse of a pony was slumped in the driver’s seat. I hopped on the wagon first, my hooves clanking against the warped metal. I flinched at the sound, but remembered it was probably louder to me than it really was. Lemon followed close behind until we made it up the fire escape. We stopped just short of the final set of stairs to reach the roof, I checked my weapons, and looked to Lemon.

“Ready,” she hissed under her breath, she sounded impatient, her revenge was just ahead I suppose. I don’t blame her, but after Meadowbrook, the flames of anger that once fanned my revenge had dimmed. Still, I can’t deny the want to kill Zebras wasn’t still there. I doubt it would ever leave me.

Murderer

The voices hissed as one, I shook my head, now wasn’t the time to lose it. I took a deep breath, letting it out through my mouth. Just had to keep calm, remember the task at hand. Save the lives of my fellow ponies, that was the point of this mission.

Whatever you say killer

The voices cackled with fading laughter, I shook my head and contacted Spokes, “were in position, light em up.”

“Understood,” he cut the transmission, after a few seconds explosions broke the silence. I saw to pilums of smoke rise into the air from the southern courtyard. I ran up the stairs, and holy shit! There were way more Zebras than I thought! The red lines on my E.F.S had been tightly packed, I couldn’t count them, but there had to be at least fifteen of them! I fired two missiles and revved my minigun. The rooftop exploded into a flurry of fire and movement. My missile killed four Zebras at the center, and I started cutting down more of them with my minigun.

Lemon came up next to me, her grenade launcher spitting out grenades in a frenzy. They detonated around the sandbags on the south. The Zebras there were blasted into bits off the roof. The surprise attack devastated them, the cluttered red lines on my E.F.S were down to five. I ran for the rooftop access, my minigun spat hot led on three Zebras who made a break for the access. They were torn asunder, gore is all that remained. Lemon’s machinegun cracked rhythmically killing the last two Zebras that feebly tried to fight back. With the element of surprise still on our side Lemon and I charged down the access and burst through the fourth floor. The room was filled with smoke, the southern end was blackened, and the heavy guns were destroyed. I took stock of our position, we were on the far side of a walkway around the four walls. The center of the museum was hollow with a model of the crystal castle dominating the center. The model’s spire was the only thing visible from the fourth floor, and a wooden barrier about chest high framed the walkway.

I ran up to the edge, my E.F.S started filling with red bars as down below the Zebras scrambled. A group of Zebras looked up, pointed their rifles and fired. I pulled back, a bullet just barely grazing the side of my helmet. The tremor that followed was nothing compared to a solid hit. Still, my skull rattled in place and the edges of my vision darkened.

“There!” Lemon pointed to the far-left side of the room, there were some stairs leading down the next level. We ran to them, as we reached them several Zebras skidded to a halt just down the first flight. Lemon’s machinegun tore into them, she painted the wall behind them red as they were felled. I jumped over the right railing, my minigun revving up. The tiled stairs below my hooves cracked on landing. A score of Zebras backpedaled right in front of me. I hosed them down, the wooden barrier behind them splintered to pieces, their bodies cut to ribbons. I stepped out to the third floor, a hail of bullets impacted me from both sides. Each bullet sent quaking pain all over my body, two groups of Zebras had set up at both ends of the stairs. I fell, covering my head with my hooves. My medical unit warmed me of the threat of cardiac arrest from the sheer force of trauma.

From the stairs, Lemon in all her steel-clad fury slid out next to me. She willed her machinegun to aim back while her grenade launcher aimed forward. The Zebras scrambled to move, but it was too late. Her weapons eviscerated them all. Several red lines blipped out of existence on my E.F.S, but they were easily replaced with more.

“Valiant!” Lemon helped me back to my hooves, the potion injected into my system stitching back my torn insides. On the other side, just left of the castle, several Zebras propped up against the wooden barrier. Too many, far too fucking many, I pushed Lemon back up the stairs. I gritted my teeth and Lemon let out a pained grunt as they lit up our flanks with automatic fire. I fell just around the flight of stairs. My body made a sickening splattering sound as I landed on the gore we left behind. I was just inches away from a mangled Zebra head. There was a huge hole on the right side of the face. Its one remaining eye stared unblinkingly at me. my breath started coming in short gasps, I couldn’t get to my hooves, they were shaking too badly, the armor around my legs rattled as the plates clattered against one another.

Murderer

The head spewed the word at me. No, it didn’t, it was in my head. I closed my eyes and tried to take big gulps of air. “Shit,” my voice shook with each shudder.

“Valiant please not now!” Lemon hopped over me and leaned out firing down the flight of stairs. I took a final steadying breath and got back up, that was too damn close.

“Sorry, come on, there’s too many, we’ll retreat to the rooftop and use the access as a choke point.” I ran up, Lemon fired off a few more shots before she came up after me.

“Est!” several of the Zebras shouted. The flimsy wooden barrier was ripped apart by automatic fire and forced me to the ground. I looked to Lemon, she had run out just a little too late, a round impacted her on the side of the head. My heart seized in my chest as she crumpled to the floor, as if somepony pulled her legs right from under her.

[UNCONSCIOUS] LEOMON

The status update sent a wave of relief through my body, she wasn’t dead, thank Celestia she wasn’t dead. They had us pinned, they could swarm up any second, if I didn’t act now, we’d all be dead. I got back to my hooves, then I stood up on my hind legs. I crossed my forelegs in front of my face to avoid a headshot. The Zebra’s fired on me hitting my exposed midsection. The pain that followed was palpable to say the least, but my missile launched swiveled down towards them. I fired, blindly I might add a six-missile barrage.

“Curro!” One of them shouted, but only three of the missiles struck the Zebras. The rest exploded against the crystal castle model. I had thought the castle was made up of something else, but when the missiles exploded it shattered into jagged crystal pieces raining down on the Zebras below. I could only hear screams as I fell back on my haunches. I opened my helmet, and promptly threw up blood on the ground. Everything hurt, there wasn’t a single part of me not throbbing in pain. I wanted nothing more than to lay down and never get up. But I couldn’t, too much depended on me fulfilling my mission.

I got back up, wobbled my way to Lemon, and threw her over my back. I took a few seconds to gather my strength and ran to the rooftop access. The moment I returned outside, I saw the chaos stretch before me. Flag was on the Feather Weight’s Sofas rooftop. His machinegun’s barrel glowed red as he fired down below. Spokes stood next to him, his weapons as well rained death on those below. I ran to the sandbags, placing Lemon down on her side against them. I peeked at the lower floors of the Sofa store. From the windows I could see Spoke’s ponies and Steelhooves fighting to keep the Zebras from overrunning their position.

I looked back, behind Spokes and Flag, I could see a fleet of Vertibucks. In the chaos of air lifting two Regiments, some of the Vertibucks were shot down by Zebra Anti-Aircraft Missiles. To make matters worse, the pink cloud curtain was significantly closer to Meadowbrook than when we left. The fuck happened to having hours? As if fate finding my question worthy, it answered, explosions of Pink gas erupted around more parts of the city. With that I came to a horrible realization, the Zebras here were prepared to die and take us with them. The huge force of them here, the AA teams, they were prepared for death from the very beginning.

“Damn,” I turned back to the rooftop access, I could hear them coming up the stairs. I was exposed, the sandbags only covered from one side. The inside was wide open. I wasn’t sure how long I could keep these bastards at bay. I revved my minigun and waited for the first unlucky bastard to come up. From the access, two Zebras with shields up came out. The two spread apart to let two more fill in the ranks. I ran at them, not about to let them create another of their tanks. I fired a missile, the Zebras lowered their shields, expecting this and shot a curtain of automatic fire. They shot the missile right out of the sky! The explosion gave us both a brief smoke screen of cover. I fired into the smoke, only to have my bullets returned to me.

I gritted my teeth, and ran through the smoke, and in that short span of time, they had formed a six-shield phalanx. I burst through the middle. I fired my minigun and caught at least five unprepared Zebras coming up the access. I turned right and bucked the Zebras right behind me. I heard my metal hooves throw the Zebras off balance. The Zebras now facing me fired their rifles, I put a hoof up and charged through them. They dispersed, as I expected they would. I revved my minigun and fired spinning as I did. Their automatic fire tore me up, but I returned the action tenfold as I cut them down. But from the access more Zebras poured out, they brought their rifles to bare, but before they could fire they were killed apart by machinegun fire.

Lemon was up, she must have awakened when I attacked the phalanx. “Valiant get over here!” her horn glowed and the sandbags behind her were wrapped in her magical sheath. I ran back to her side, and turned to see a repeat of before, two shield Zebras coming up, then parted to allow another two to expand the phalanx. Lemon lifted the sandbags to create a square securing us on all sides.

The Zebras, six across stepped forward as a secondary rank filled out. I fired my remaining five missiles, all spread in a wide area, the zebras fired but only destroyed two. The rest erupted right behind them tearing them apart. “Concentrate your fire on the entrance, keep their heads down and use controlled burst!” I pointed to the access and fired my minigun. After a few seconds, I stopped, Lemon followed up, and we repeated the process. Despite our constant barrage, the red lines on my E.F.S didn’t seem to diminish. Just a sea of red threatening to swallow us whole.

“Valiant! On your left!” Flag yelled over the radio. A group of Zebras was outflanking us, they took the building’s rooftop to our left. My missile launcher thankfully reloaded quickly, I fired a six-missile barrage at the right building. The missiles arced up before slamming down on the Zebras. The rooftop exploded into a fiery mess. To my great relief the rooftop caved-in, they wouldn’t be flanking us from there again. I looked right, passed Lemon who fired a string of grenades at the entrance. To make sure they didn’t flank us on the right, I fired the last of my six missiles caving the right building’s roof. With our sides secured I was able to turn my sights back on the access.

“Valiant I’m running low!” Lemon cried out while she ducked for cover. I quickly took over for her, firing into the access. I didn’t dare tell her my missile launcher was empty.

“Just hold on a little longer!” I was honestly talking out of my ass, I was a breath away from freaking out. I hope Spokes radio pony had called for evac.

“Valiant, I got two Vertibucks inbound!” Spokes called over the radio. Thank freaking Celestia!

I ducked and let Lemon take over, her grenade launcher thudded in a steady beat launching grenades. I peeked from cover, revving my minigun for my turn. Before we could switch, from the fire escape Zebras climbed to the roof. One was wielding a familiar rifle.

“Get down!” I threw myself over Lemon, the anti-machine rifle thundered above the gunfire. The sandbags burst open right above us. Celestia, they were persistent! I revved my minigun and fired at the bastard. Only for my bullets to meet a four-shield phalanx. Fuck me, why were they so damn fast?

Lemon popped up and fired her grenades behind them. They hunkered down in their shields, but they weren’t the target, the grenades exploded destroying the fire escape. I heard several of them yell as they fell with the structure. Lemon shot a few more grenades before switching to her machinegun. The grenades exploded near the front and back of the little shield tank they created around themselves.

“I’m out of grenades!” Lemon fired short burst keeping them ducked behind their shields. I fired into the access. Rather than creating their phalanx, the Zebras held at the door. “I’m out of ammo!” Lemon yelled and looked to me. that small lull in fire was all the Zebras needed, the Anti-machine rifle Zebra poked out from cover. The world was filled with the deafening roar of the rifle. I couldn’t react, I just froze in place. But nothing happened, I looked down to check myself, nothing, I looked to Lemon, but she was fine too. The Zebra on the other hoof had its top half blown clean off. His guts and blood covering the shields and his comrades.

Flag that magnificent bastard! I looked back, resisting the urge to open my helmet so he could see my relieved muzzle. As I expected, I could see his anti-machine rifle baring down our general direction. He saw me, gave a quick nod and returned to fighting the Zebras below.

“Valiant!” Lemon snapped me back to attention, I turned, and several zebras pour from the access. All pretense of order had vanished, some with blades in their mouths, others rifles in hooves, they all rushed out against us. A mad dash through no mans land? This was it then this is how I died? No, my heart thumped against my chest and there was fire in my veins. I don’t want to die here, and I won’t let my friends die here with me! I fired my minigun, mowing them down in scores! It was a killing field, they were torn in half, their limbs cut off, they refused to back down even as they climb over their dead. Celestia above they charged with murderous haste! Lemon panicked, looking around for something to use as a weapon. Her horn glowed, and she started flinging sand bags in desperation. I poured on the pressure, my minigun glowing red as rivers of blood I was creating.

[OVERHEAT]

Shit, the barrels stopped spinning, the metal a bright crimson hissing out smoke in protest. Lemon stepped back, her flank touching the sandbags. This was it, due or die! My heart was pounding in my ears, the still fresh scars from the commando blades tingling all over my body. Those damn blades were going to burn right through our armor. I expected twenty seconds before my minigun could be fired again. No, it was too late already, I lowered my stance and pushed out! I struck out with my forehooves smashing two Zebras in the jaws. Blood and teeth burst forth as the crumbled before me. Lemon rammed her sharp horn blade right through a Zebras torso. The zebra with a sword in its mouth dropped it as he gasped out. She caught the blade in her magical grip and stabbed another Zebra through the throat.

Three Zebras piled on me, one grabbed one of my forelegs. A mistake I didn’t let it regret, the powerful servo motors let me fling the bastard off the roof. The other drove his knife below my chest. I gritted my teeth, the metal gave, and I felt the blade dig into my flesh. I smashed him with my head, he crumpled his helmeted dented inward. The other I flung off the roof like the first. Just then more jumped on me and I struggled to keep throwing them off. Lemon as well was floating up the Zebra swords and killing as many as she could. But they crowded her, and I heard her scream as two blades were jammed into her back.

“Lemon!” I tried to move to her, but more Zebras grabbed at me and blocked my path. I willed my minigun to fire. Thank Celestia when it fired and tore through the mass of bodies in front of me. The zebras fell back diving to the ground as I strafed the area before me. “Lemon!” I moved to her side shooting off her attackers. More Zebras dove for me right then and there. I tried turning to them, but they managed to knock me off balance. I was down, they went for my legs. I bucked sending them tumbling over one another. Lemon, took the blades embedded in her and flung them at her attackers

Just then, a hail of bullets rained down over the Zebras, the roar of gunfire was overshadowed by the sound of rotor blades. “Keep your heads down, the cavalry is here!” The pilot, good old Flak Magnet roared over the radio. Yes! Sweet Celestia we were gonna make it!

The Vertibuck finished off the Zebras on top, they retreated into the museum. Not that meant they were done. I saw rifle fire bounce off the Vertibucks armored plating as it hovered over the edge. I could make out a second Vertibuck hovering down to pick up everypony on the Sofa shop. “Get your asses in here and let’s go!” Flak opened the side doors and Lemon and I hopped in.

“Were in!” I opened my helmet, grinning at Flak.

“Let’s get out of-shit! Anti-machine rifle!” Flak’s copilot looked off to the right. I looked out the door, a bloodied Zebra laying on the pile of dead pointed the rifle at us. The rifle fired, the Vertibuck jerked right. I slipped, everything felt painfully slow. Like I had somehow activated S.A.T.S, I slid out of the Vertibuck, Lemon slid as well, but she was caught on the door opening. She reached out, her helmet opened to show her wide frightened eyes. The tip of our hooves barely clanked together. Her horn glowed, and I felt a bit of resistance, but it broke in less than a second. Everything snapped back to reality as I fell on my back into the courtyard. The armor broke the fall, nothing broken, and I barely felt a thing. Still I laid there, with Zebras rushing around me. The Vertibuck picked up altitude and moved away from me.

I got back to my hooves, no Zebra stopped me, everyone of them was too busy running off somewhere. “Valiant Hold on! Turn this god damn thing around!” my radio crackled to Flags hoarse yells. I closed my helmet only as an afterthought, my mind was just a fuzz right now.

“Areas too hot, Pink Gas is about to fill the damn place!” Flag’s pilot shouted back.

“Lookout!” an explosion knocked the Zebras and me down, two blocks down, the ground had exploded upward. A huge pink gas cloud erupted from below, swallowing everything in its path.

“Valiant run!” Lemon cried over the radio. Something snapped inside me, and I turned and ran with every fiber of my being. I burst through the museum, the Zebras inside were rushing to get out. In their panic they started crowding the door.

“Get out of my way!” I fired my minigun, I cut a bloody swath through them tearing them to chunks. I ran out the northern exit through the wounded camp. In my mind, the images of the Ponies and Zebras underneath Meadowbrook flashed by. The melted bodies and their terrible expressions of pain. I slid to a stop and turned, there too many, far too many wounded. Their comrades ran by them carelessly, I watched the still conscious ones cry out, their hooves reaching for their comrades. They were ignored as the Pink Gas encroached all around us.

Save us!

The voices whispered in my head, I shut my eyes and let out a shaky breath. I could only think of one thing. I revved my minigun and fired. It was not quick, it was not painless, and it was bloody. I tore through the wounded, every cot I could strafe with my gun. They screamed as I tore their broken bodies apart. Maybe if I had my missiles, maybe that would have been better. The cloud came up to the museum. I turned my gun on the wounded on the left, I took aim and fired.

[MUNITIONS EMPTY]

This was it, I took a step back, the cloud started coming out of the windows. I turned and ran, I shut off the outside speakers to silence the desperate screams. I followed the Zebras, they weren’t just running like chickens with their heads cut off. They were heading somewhere, and in far greater numbers than anticipated. Within the chaos I thankfully remained unnoticed. The Zebras found any entrance to the subways and went down below, I followed suit. I entered a huge station, taking the stairs leading me down in leaps. The entrance was wide, but by the sheer volume of Zebras coming, we’d be stuck in there like rats in a narrow tube. I used my armor to my advantage, despite my limbs aching for a break, I pushed forward ahead of everypony here. I ejected the minigun and my missile launcher. I won’t lie, that felt like I dropped part of myself. But they were dead weight at this point, light and fast was the current objective.

Everypony hopped down onto the rails, the subway carts nowhere in sight. Some Zebras noticed me, but with death nipping at our heels, nopony seemed to care. I pushed ahead, passing several empty platforms. By this point, my lungs were threatening to kill me. But my will to live outweighed their complaints. After passing several more platforms, I found a light at the end of the tunnel. Well to be exact it wasn’t so much the end of the subway. More like a cave in had happened, the light of the surface broke through and some Zebras were waving over their comrades. When I neared the tunnel, the rails gave way and my hooves clanked against solid metal. The walls as well were solid metal, but they looked like some had shaved them down with a file. This metal tunnel was several meters long, just what the hell was I running on?

The thought fizzled out of my mind when the light of day grew almost blinding, I ran and came out the other side. I ran a few meters before stopping. I was smack dab in the enemy camp. Thousands of Zebras, too many for my E.F.S to make individual lines. A red blob crowded the E.F.S, and they all stared at me. Slowly they started encircling me, I lowered my stance, a feeble act of defiance. So, this was it, escape Pink Gas, die by Zebras, life was too fucking funny for its own good.

I’m so sorry Strider, I failed you.

Well, if nothing else, I’ll go down fighting. For everypony that died, for every Ranger these bastards killed. I would not cry, no more crying for me. I was going to die a soldier, a Knight of Applejack’s Rangers. Flag believed in me, my team all believed in me. They are safe, that’s all that matteres now. I took a deep breath, and a serene feeling came over me. This was good, this was a good death, no regrets. I did something right, Trapper was on his way of being a better pony. Without me, Flag and Lemon could report everything to my father. Maybe my father would still help, or maybe they could return home.

I felt tears sting my eyes, mother, I wish I could see her one more time. I wish I listened to her. No! damn it no regrets, you did good, you saved lives! Die with that in your heart! I steeled my nerves as best as I could. “Come on then, come and get me!” I pushed off, but something clattered near my hooves. A dark cylinder, it opened and emitted a blue electrical discharge.

EMP!

“Aaaghh!” I crumbled to the ground, the shock seizing up the armor, my display flickered in gibberish and I fell to my side. the shock had finally done me in, my body shut down on me. Darkness creeped at the edges of my vision. As unconsciousness creeped in, I noticed I was facing the way I came. The tunnel I ended up exiting? Well it wasn’t so much a tunnel, but more like a massive hole made into the city walls. Holy shit, they found a way through the walls!

Hooves stepped before me, they were wrapped up in bandages, not a hint of the coat or hooves visible. The bandages had strange writing all over them. The symbols were like the ones in the Zebra terminals. From the wrappings, wisps of black smoke flickered into the air. The wisps were like black arid smoke from a burnt husk. I shifted my eyes, to see the entire body was wrapped in these bandages and clad in elaborate golden armor. The Zebra, for it could be no other, looked down. There was a chain around his, or her neck tucked inside the armor chest plate.

“Legatus quid enim faciam cum eo?” A Zebra in more elaborate armor from the regulars walked up to the bandaged one. Whatever he said, the bandaged Zebra looked down to me, one eye was cerulean blue, the other a piercing red.

“Accipies eum servum forum.” He paused, I could see his black lips barely peek from the bandages, they pulled back in a cruel smirk. “Premium et famulorum arcessas.”

“What…the…fuck…” Everything faded into black.

Level Up: 9

Perks Added: Racing Horse: All that running has got you into a fine-tuned machine! You can now run farther and don’t get winded as easily.

Author's Notes:

Sorry for the delay, but here’s the next chapter. If anyone is wondering, they’re speaking Latin. I figured when modeling Zebras with the Romans, lets go all out. I’m super excited for the next chapter. I will also have a few treats for you in this arc. Which I have lovingling come to call Pax Romana. Anyways, enjoy and please drop a review leaving your thoughts and questions. I love talking with you all <3.

Chapter 11: Pax Romana

The ground was moving, or I was moving, whichever it may be, my limbs twitch awake. The ground beneath me was shaking, and there was the roar of an engine nearby. I groaned and breathed in moist hot air. I slid my back legs and promptly hit a metal wall. The place was cramp as well, the solid metal wall also explained the heat. I took one more gulp of musty air and opened my eyes. The area was poorly lit by slits near the top of the wall. Shadowy figures laid clustered together. I sat up only to find myself squeezed between two other creatures.

"You're up, almost thought you'd sleep through the whole trip." The voice to my immediate right made my ear twitch. I turned my head in the voice's direction, he was a pony.

"Where am I?" I looked around the cramped room, then the ground seemed to buck me upwards. "Are we moving?"

"Well, yes we are moving, as for where we are?" the pony shrugged, "that's anyone's guess, but experience tells me we're going to market."

"Market?" I squinted queerly at him.

"Yeah, you know back to be re-sold." The pony snorted, "don't know why I'm being re-sold, I did as ask and more! Cheap bastard probably couldn't afford me." The pony lifted a hoof with a chain attached to it. "Well whatever, I'll probably go to a cushy family for my record."

"Huh?" I couldn't manage another response, he sounded like we were… oh, oh shit. I lifted my forelegs finally noticing the clamp around the left one. It all rushed back with dreadful clarity, the fall from the Vertibuck, the mad dash through the streets, being captured by the enemy.

"Were being sold…as slaves," I stated out the visible, everypony looked towards me.

"Wait, you're a fresh one, aren't you? You're a soldier." the Pony next to me leaned closer to me. He didn't need to bend much; his face was caught in one of the beams of light the slits emitted. He was a bright green pony with round brown eyes.

"Yeah, Steel Ranger Valiant knight." I looked to my hooves, the Pipbuck was gone. Well, at least they couldn't blow my head off. At least I hope so anyway, for all I know they could have lied about that too.

"Ranger? Holy crap you're the one they tore out of that armor!" He leaned back accidentally hitting the pony behind him. "Sorry!"

My armor, they destroyed it, I closed my eyes and let out a sigh. I felt my heart clench, though not out of fear or even trepidation of being without it. It was the loss, the loss of something important, a piece of me violated and taken. "Well, sorry to break this to you, but don't even think about trying to escape." His voice brought me out of my stupor.

"Why?" I shook my head, I was alive and not worse for wear. I was hungry, but not weakened severely.

"Look, whatever you heard about prisoners back at the city is bullshit. You behave, be respectful, and do as your told, you won't have a problem and will be treated well, or as well as a soldier pony can be." Well, that didn't sound too bad, but I wasn't just a civilian, I was a soldier.

"You're not a soldier?" I looked to everypony there, weren't they all captured like me?

"Nah, I was a civilian, got caught when the invasion started, I've been here since the beginning, don't know about these ponies though." He threw a hoof in their direction.

"What happens if I get caught escaping?" I imagine torture, but better this pony tells me rather than guesswork.

"They cut a leg off, the second attempt another leg, trust me there is no third, but if there is, they just kill you." The pony sighed. "You don't want to be legless either, you'll end up in the streets starving. Worst try to escape still, and you'll be stopped. So again, please do yourself a favor and just behave."

"Alright, I'll keep that in mind." I swallowed a lump in my throat, weaponless and being sold to slavery. I think death would have been preferable. Time, I just needed time. Yeah, it won't be soon, but I'll find a way out of here. I must, if I was alive, that means Strider's sacrifice was still meaningful. I'll bide my time, play along and hopefully someday I can return to everypony.

The wagon, I couldn't imagine what else we were on slowed to a stop. "Hey, look this next part is going to sting. But it's meant to make life easier on everyone." The Slave whispered close to me. To the far right, I heard the distinct sound of maglocks opening. Light and sound burst into our cramped box.

"Tolle eam et transibit!" A Zebra in elaborate armor hopped into our box. He dropped a sack on the ground and dug his hoof in it. He pulled out several medallions and passed them around. I got mine last, but the green pony didn't get one strangely enough. The necklace was made of wood with a strange black sun of sorts on it.

"Urgeas in collo tuo!" The Zebra motioned his hoof to his neck. The green pony looked to me, he gestured to his neck where he had the same blacks sun tattooed on his neck. I pressed the medallion against my neck.

Instantly I felt it sear my flesh, the medallion seeped into me, and I gritted my teeth to keep from yelling. "Grrr!" I clutched my neck and fell back slamming against the wall. Just like that, the experience ended.

"Now, get up and move out!" The Zebra shouted in his language and hopped out. Wait, I understood that. I lifted my hoof to my neck only to have it pulled back down. The chain on my clamp went taught and forced me forward. No longer shrouded in darkness, I could see my chain was connected to the pony in front of me and the one behind me. Great, we were all chained together, I followed out and hopped onto a cobbled path. I squinted as my eyes adjusted to the light, after a few blinks I caught the world around us. My entire group was being led down the cobbled street, strange stoned buildings rose at either side with Zebras filling the sidewalk. Hundreds of them wearing elaborate and colorful robes stopped what they were doing to shout at us. They stretch their hooves at us and shouted enough bad words to make Flag flush.

I looked up to the buildings, somewhere pristine white marble, others had murals of Zebra art on them. There was a vast building we were being led to. It had an orange tiled roof with massive marble columns with Zebra art paint around them. Signs hung between the columns, and to my surprise, I could read them. I guess this is what he meant by making it easy. The medallion had literally burned their tongue into me. Zebra magic was strange, to say the least.

"Halt!" The command snapped me from my musings. I looked to the enormous red tiled building just ahead. Zebras with pony slaves scurrying behind them came in and out of the building. Rather than enclosing fully, the building had an open area in the middle. Stands of vendors littered the area. Better built stands were inside the shade of the red building. The lesser shabby looking shops were open to the elements.

"Hey," the pony ahead of me called back.

"Yeah?" I blinked, I had spoken back in Zebra.

"It's going to be weird for a while, but you'll get a handle of it soon. Keep talking Imperial, be respectful, and don't talk unless spoken too." He glanced back up front and straightened. Soldiers, lots of them surrounded our little group. They wore armor made of steel strips held together by studs at the center. Their legs had bracers as well, shining steel with the Legions symbol carved into the bracers. While their skirt was beautiful red with a gold line at the end. Peeking from their cloaks at their sides I could see sword hilts.

"Ave, true to Caesar." My ears twitched at the voice, I leaned left trying to look casual. The Zebra that was leading us saluted an old Zebra. The old Zebra wore beautiful red robes, he had gold rings around his front hooves. I could see peeking from his cape a golden collar of sorts. It was almost like neck armor, but it had the engravings of a dragon slain by a Zebra on it.

"Centurion, what are these wretches?" The old Zebra chuckled, his eyes a piercing green glaring at us. I glanced off to the side avoiding eye contact.

"Slaves, they are to be put to auction." The Centurion or his name was Centurion or whatever, waved a dismissive hoof at us.

"Hmm, these are wretches, but there is a warrior among them…. or at least a pony soldier." The old Zebra spat the name in mockery. "Look how they know their place, looking down, but that one. Yes, the blue one pretending I didn't see him looking at me. He remains tall as if at attention waiting for his commander to order him."

I swallowed a lump in my throat, just keep quiet, don't ruffle any feathers.

"Heh, put him in the mines, they need the strong ones. I don't recommend you let this one be sold as a house slave like the rest. He will only try and escape." The old Zebra cackled and turned around. Behind him a chair awaited him, he sat on it, and four mechanical legs protrude from it. He was hoisted up in the air and went on his way. The soldiers, they did a crisp salute and followed the old Zebra.

"A soldier huh," the Centurion lifted a hoof and waved over some guards from the street. They rushed over and saluted the Centurion. "Take this one to the mines, have the Prefect there take care of him."

"Sir!" The Zebras moved to stand by me. The Centurion came back and unlocked me from the rest. He then placed new restraints around my front and back hooves. The soldiers shoved me out of line, and they began leading me away from the market. They took me through the streets, keeping a tight formation on me.

"Where are the mines exactly?" I looked to the Zebra to my left, he glared and threw a back hoof at me. He struck my cheek, and I almost stumbled forward.

"Silence slave!" He spat on the ground, the Zebra behind me pushed me forward. Right, speak when spoken to. I calmed my breathing and followed silently. Though I looked around, finding landmarks places to mark down and try and remember. This was my survival training put to good use, navigation without armor assistance. Find landmarks and locate true north, though the second would have to be done later. For now, I watched every street turn, every sign, every building with specific art on it.

By midday, the Zebras took me to another wagon inside a warehouse. Or I assumed it was, it was a blue stone building with a spiked metal door on it. Inside, several ponies were being loaded into wagons. The security here was insane. I could only imagine this was where the soldier slaves were gathered. I glanced up, metal walkways lined the ceiling. Zebras with rifles in hooves patrolled and looked down on everypony inside. Despite the security, the ponies here outnumbered the Zebras. That said, at the far end of the warehouse placed on a raised platform, a Zebra operated a heavy gun ready to tear everypony here to ribbons.

"Move!" I was shoved up to a wagon with ponies loaded up. There was a guard at the door, he nodded to my guards and unlocked me. He pointed to the wagon with his hoof. I sighed and hopped inside. The door was slammed shut behind me, and the truck roared to life. I sat quietly by the door, looking over the ponies inside. They seemed no worse for wear, some bore scars others just looked tired and defeated.

"You soldiers?" I knew it was obvious, but they nodded in return.

"My name is Valiant Knight, I'm a Steel Ranger, and I'll find us a way out of here." The soldiers looked among themselves.

"There is a way out," one quipped.

"What?" I blinked,

The one to the far corner opposite mine, he sat up and tapped his heart with his hoof. "Faith my friend, we will all be released through our faith." I slacked against the wall. Great, religion that was going to save us. I'm sure the ponies of the old world thought the same when the missiles were falling.

"Right, faith." I guess I was on my own for now.

"The seven steps my friend, you will know soon enough, he will teach you." The ponies before me changed, they put their hooves to their hearts.

"Step one, secure the keys, step two, ascend from darkness, Step three, release the just." The other ponies nodded in agreement and were muttering along with the steps. "Step four, skewer the behemoth, step five, wield the hammer of vengeance, step six rise from the pit of hell. Step seven, Freedom." The ponies all said the final step in unison.

I just nodded, these guys were looking for hope, if this is hope, then I'd have to work with that. Find a plan and hope this religion of theirs keeps their spirits up. I closed my eyes and tried to rest, but the whispers in my head started hissing at me. Awake it is then, I leaned against the wall and just concentrated on the sights I had seen. I began to form a map in my head, one I'd have to write down eventually.

In the time I was sure of the map I imagined, the wagon came to a stop. Everypony sat up, so I followed suit. The doors opened, and though I was sure it was night time, it might as well feel like it was still daylight outside. Stadium size lights lit up the night driving back the darkness. I hopped down on a gravel floor to a Zebra barking orders at us. If I thought the warehouse was heavily guarded, this place might as well be a military base. Guard towers with spotlights littered the area, they were spread apart evenly around us. I moved with the other ponies to notice where we were going. A huge crater was just next to us, and a vast complex was hanging off the side of it. Mining equipment large and small was being moved on a conveyer belt into the crater.

Nearing the facility, I could make out a spiraling path to the bottom of the crater. It was maybe some twenty meters from the facility. There was a checkpoint where the road began, two pillboxes with heavy guns trained on us. I hummed remembering the guard positions, the guard towers held three Zebras, two gunners and one manning the spotlight. They were spaced far enough to shout between. If anything happened to one of them, it was in sight of all the others. I'll be honest, escape was starting to really seem like a lost cause.

"Watch out!" I heard a pony scream, instantly I was shoved away from the hole. A loud mechanical roar drowned everypony out, I put my hooves to my ears and grit my teeth. Suddenly, from the crater, a large metal limb rose and planted itself on the ground. A second limb followed and from the depths rose a colossal robot spider. I was shoved to the center as everypony compressed together. Were they insane, why weren't we getting the hell out of the way? The spider lumbered out, its eight legs sending tremors on the ground. Each step sent a quake up my spine as it trudged onward. I saw its head as it climbed over us, it had an open cockpit, and its mandibles were two heavy guns with spotlights on them. Its thorax had a strange looking gun, I couldn't place it as anything else. It's barrel or shooting…thingy, I really couldn't tell was two long flat bars. The space between them must be where the projectile was fired. My gawking was cut short, the flat bars retracted into the rest of the gun, before withdrawing yet again into the thorax. The spider passed us entirely, it headed to the facility where it seemed to dock into the back of it. The spider laid down on top of the facility, huge maglocks rose out to clamp onto the sides between the legs. Its eight legs remained around the building like pillars.

"Fuck me this is hopeless." I was stuck here, there were no two ways about it, the Zebras had this place locked down tight. There was no way in hell I was getting out of here, I felt my lip quiver, but I dared not cry. Now was the time for strength, now was the time to endure, like that old Zebra coot said, I didn't know my place as their slave. So, escape is not an option alone, but maybe just maybe, I could get everypony here up for a getaway.

"Move it!" A Zebra shouted us back into marching to the facility. On entry, Zebras started separating us into mares and stallions. Mares went left through a set of double doors, we got sent into paths squeezed together through metal bars lining our flanks guiding us Celestia knows where. After an hour or so, I passed through the damn enclosed path. A Zebra waved me over to a station of many, I walked to it, and the Zebra pointed to a stool beside his station. I sat down while he looked down at the console before him. He tapped away silently before the console whirred to life. The Zebra reached below the console and pulled out a tag. He grabbed a device and tucked the tag in it, suddenly two Zebras grabbed me and kept me still. The Zebra put the device in his mouth and hopped up holding my head. Wait, was he about to do what I think he was doing?

I felt a sharp pain on my right ear, I gritted my teeth letting out a growl. I refused to allow them the pleasure of screaming. Then I felt something sear into my ear, I went taught against my holders, but I endured it. "There, slave 555 you will be assigned mining duty tomorrow morning, find a cot in the barracks and sleep. Or don't you will work regardless if you sleep or not." The Zebra that tagged me shrugged. I was shoved from my seat and pushed to where everypony was gathering. I resisted the urge to touch my throbbing ear. Instead, I just followed everypony through. I passed through a set of double doors to a vast warehouse-like room. I could see hundreds of tents like little houses stretching beyond me. There was an entire village practically living here. Everypony moved about without a care, most looked downcast and outright dejected.

"Fresh meat for the grinder huh?" A pony came up to me, he was offensively white, like the snow outside the shield. He had an equally white mane cut short and swept back away from his soft blue. His cutiemark was three snowflakes ironically enough if this guy ever got lost in the snow, I don't even think the Zebras could find him.

"y-yeah, I'm Valiant Knight." I offered up my hoof to shake.

"Nope, looks like you're 555, or I'll just call you Fives for short. Don't use your name, if the guards hear about it, they'll beat you senseless until you stop." The white pony shook my hoof nonchalantly.

"I'm 246, or Equal as my friends call me, been here long enough to spot new slaves." Equal shrugged.

"Right, thanks for the info I guess, know where I can get a place to sleep?" I asked and offered up a smile.

"Course, you're in the fives sector, come on I'll show you." Equal waved me over, and I followed behind. This place was like living in the wasteland. Ponies huddled together around whatever they could get working from the old world. Here I found tents surrounding an above ground pool. A water talisman powered pool to be precise. They were grabbing buckets of water from it, and it never seems to go down. Others gathered around food processors that used only Celestia knows what to generate synthetic food. I found my place, the fives area huddled together around the only place where ponies could wash and use the bathroom. Well, at least I wasn't going to be dirty, I guess.

"There you are, find the pony in charge here, nice stallion goes by O-seven he should be at the center of the camp. Hey, keep your nose clean alright? I know you're new, but if you keep faith in the seven steps, you'll know freedom one day." Equal gave me a mocking salute and left me by myself.

"Right, seven steps." I moved through the encampment, not sure what else to call it. I found I hoped anyway, O-seven, he was an older Unicorn with a dark purple coat and a dark green mane. His mane was cut short much like most ponies’ I'd seen, and his eyes were black as coal. I approached the pony and waved a hoof at him. "Hey, I'm new here, a pony named Equal sent to find O-seven?"

"Ah, fresh meat then, yeah come on I'll find you a cot and try to get sleep. You start work tomorrow early." The pony waved back his greeting and just as quickly walked off. I followed behind, I figured he wanted me to follow anyways. We passed a mass of tents to one near the very end of the warehouse. He pointed a hoof to the shelter against the wall labeled B10. I thanked him and went inside and picked the cot against the far wall. The others had things on them, Helmets, saddlebags, and goggles. Well, at least it seems the Zebras gave us tools to work with. Not that it comforted me much, I laid down and tried to get some sleep. But the dull throb of my pierced and later seared ear wasn't helping.

I spent a few hours staring at the ceiling before three ponies came in, they saw me and didn't even greet me. They were dirty, clearly exhausted and there were bags under their eyes. Quietly, they stowed the gear they had on, a harness and leather barding and plopped down on their cots. I turned to my side, trying to calm my mind, to let me rest for the day ahead. It was an exercise in time wasting, I couldn't relax. I felt so damn vulnerable and alone here. Worst I could feel the whispers clawing at my mental walls, waiting for my guard to fall for the voices to become shouts and for my eyes to see what wasn't there. I was utterly hopeless now, alone, no chance of escape, my own mind wanting to kill me. I closed my eyes and gritted my teeth.

It should have been me

[Bat Pony] I don't know what happened, one moment I was forcing myself to sleep, now I was being shaken awake by one of my tent mates. "Come on, don't want to be late, you don't get food if you're late." The rust-colored bunkmate grunted. I nodded, stood up and stretched, I felt rested, so I guess I at least had a few hours of sleep under me. Quickly I followed my tent mates, we went to the cleaning facilities in our area first. I took a shower, a quick and bloody cold one at that. I then followed them to get breakfast. I had to close my eyes to eat my synthesize food, better not think about what made. I was however assured it was filled with the protein needed for the work ahead.

My tent mates led me back outside, though not before directing me to a post where Zebra guards asked for my tent number. I was then measured and issued equipment for the work ahead. They assigned me a pickaxe, a helmet with a headlamp, and some goggles. I was going to turn around to leave until a scarf was tossed on my back. The Zebra who threw it motioned toward his muzzle, right for the dust in the mines.

Equipped for work, I went down the spiraling path from last night. I looked down below as we walked, the spider was back, perched on the spiral walls. Metal spikes at the end of its legs were jammed into the walls. While above it, I could make out the MWT logo on the spider's thorax. "Don't stare too long." The voice next to me made me jump.

"What?" I looked at the voice next to me. It was Equal, geared up like me.

"Stare too long, Zebras get suspicious of you. Trust me you don't want that." Equal shrugged.

"Alright, I'll keep that in mind." I kept my head straight but shifted my eyes taking down Zebra positions. Every sixty or forty meters give or take had a pillbox. A heavy gun poked from a slit pointed down into the crater. This place was starting to make Stable 29 look like an open yard in terms of security. How the Zebras kept this much personnel from the front and still manage to beat us was insane. I groaned finally arriving at the bottom, I parted ways with Equal and was waved over by my tent mates to a group. Hell, we were all divided into groups, no doubt by our numbers. In four squares hundreds of ponies chattered among themselves. Ahead of us was a prepped stage, speakers, microphone, the works. What was this, slave talent show time? A pony stepped up on the scene, he was an old stallion with a bright red coat and black mane with greying sides. He had his hair tied into a tail behind his neck. He had a thick beard and bright orange eyes. He was also clad in a black priest robe of all things, which almost made me think I was about to be part of a bloody sermon.

"It is another day, and as I can see, we have many new faces among us. For those who are new, welcome to the pit. I have a few words of advice for these new faces, words to remember and keep in mind wherever you end up. Here in the pit, we are all brothers. Every one of us plucked from the fires of war. No matter if our homeland is the north or beautiful Equestria. We all ceased to be strangers when we put on our uniforms. Now here in the pit, we are united as we should be. For we are brothers, and in the glory of the seven steps, we shall be free in this life or the next." The red pony finished his speech, standing on his hind hooves and forehooves spread out bathing in the sound of hundreds of hooves banging against the floor.

The red pony sat back on his haunches and called for silence with raised hooves. The thunderous applause slowly died out. Another pony, a gruff looking unicorn in mining gear walked up next to the red pony. The pony stood and left the platform, the surly unicorn floated over a clipboard from a saddle bag at his flank. "Alright, sevens are hauling today, fours are staying topside to man equipment, ones will work the belt." The unicorn licked his lips while he flipped the next page on the clipboard.

"Finally, fives will be mining, remember if you need air or water make sure your team leaders know it. Now get to work, the seven steps guide you." The gruff unicorn stowed his clipboard and left the platform. The assembled ponies started breaking off into groups, I stood awkwardly looking around, I wasn't exactly sure what team I was supposed to go to. With everypony moving around, I lost track of my tentmates.

"Hey, 555 you're with me come on!" I jumped at the voice and looked around.

"Here you dolt!" A sheath of magic wrapped around my head and tugged it to the side. I followed its lead to a unicorn with a grey glowing horn. I ran up to him, and he led us down to one of the tunnels. I wasn't sure how long these tunnels were, but it took us thirty minutes to reach our mining area. The mine was huge with three levels, several ponies were already there, I stuck close to my leader so as not to get lost.

"Alright 555," The team leader began.

"Fives, uhm, sir." I interrupted him, and almost snapped to attention.

"Don't sir me, I'm 514 or just call me Lead got it?" He grunted but didn't let me respond, "now you're taking the rocks there on the far right, any gems you find you deposit them in the hauling cart. It will be lowered from the top every ten minutes. Load as much as you can and keep mining."

"Roger that," I moved to my location, grabbed my pick and wrapped my scarf around my muzzle. Well, here goes day one of being a slave. I hoisted my pickaxe wrapping my hooves around the pole and started picking away. Pick, pick, pick, little by little breaking rocks apart. By the time the first cart came down on a chain, I had a bucket near my station. The work wasn't easy, I stopped counting time after four hours. Nopony talked, Zebra guards came in and out at regular intervals. My body was already starting to ache, my arms were growing sluggish, and my coat was sticking to my skin from the sweat.

"Don't pass out Fives, here." A pony next to me passed me a canteen.

"Thanks," I sat on my haunches pulled down my scarf and took a greedy gulp of water. With my mouth moist again I return my companion his canteen, I picked my scarf up and returned to mining.

Hours passed, I was getting fatigued, my swings were slower than everypony. I looked around, and even the older ones were keeping a steady pace compared to me. Damn it, at this rate I'd collapse, I needed to keep going. I took deep breaths and tried matching my speed with the pony who gave me water. I was a few seconds behind, but I was getting there. My action didn't know unnoticed, the pony glanced at me and chuckled. "Here, let me help you Fives," the pony stopped swinging and took a deep breath. He started whistling a tune, at a particular note he would swing his pick at the rocks.

Soon another pony started whistling the same tune, his swings matching the whistle. I quickly picked up on the rhythm and swung on the right notes.

"Hmm hmm hmmm hmm hmm" the ponies started humming the tune, our picks swinging in unison. I was already starting to feel better, my breathing was evening out, and I felt as if my heart was matching the beat of our picks. It was like doing an exercise with my squad during Knight training, keeping cadence to stay on track.

"Cold: the air and water flowing!" Swing.

"Hard: the land we call our home!" swing.

"Push to keep the dark from coming!" Swing.

"Feel the weight of what we owe!" swing.

I smirked under my scarf, everypony in the mine was singing, our picks cracking the stone in unison.

"This: the song of sons and daughters!" Swing.

"Hide the heart of who we are!" Swing.

"Making peace to build the future!" Swing.

"Strong, united, working till we fall!" Swing.

The Zebra sentries went on about their business ignoring our singing. My smirk threaten to crack my face, our voices called out again, in unison we defied them, in Equestrian, not Zebra we sang, and our picks swung, our hearts beat, our souls resonated as one.

"Cold: the air and water flowing!" Swing.

"Hard: the land we call our home!" Swing.

"Push to keep the dark from coming!" swing.

"Feel the weight of what we owe!" Swing.

I forgot I was tired; honestly, I felt as if I was floating on air. Our picks resonated like a well-oiled machine, each one cracked the stones, and we sang to our heart's content. I grinned, beneath my scarf the tingly feeling almost made it hard to keep cadence.

"This: the song of sons and daughters!" Swing.

"Hide the heart of who we are!" Swing.

"Making peace to build the future!" Swing.

"Strong, united, working till we fall!" Swing.

"Bring it home lads!" a pony, I didn't really care who shouted.

"And we all lift! And we're all adrift together, together!"

"Through the cold mist, till were lifeless, together, together!"

Everypony hummed the tune as always, the beat of our hearts and picks. The song started again, and for the time being, the world outside meant nothing. All that mattered was the song and the swing of our picks.

"And we all lift! And we're all adrift together, together!" I practically shouted in a magnanimous chorus to everypony. A loud whistle pierced through the song, and everypony stopped singing. I fell on my haunches removed my helmet and wiped the sweat from my brow.

"Not a bad day Fives," the pony next to me slung his pick, grabbed his bucket and took it to the center. I followed suit, and we poured the last of our haul into the cart.

"Alright, everypony out! The work day is over!" Lead shouted over us, and we returned to the surface. When I exited outside, the day had turned to night. Holy hell, were we there for twelve hours? I sighed and followed my team to one of the tents in the pit. Food and water were being served, with Zebra guards keeping an eye on us. I grabbed some food; more wholesome processed mystery paste that I tried very hard not to look at directly. I took a seat on a sparsely filled table and ate in silence.

"So, how was your first workday?" Equal plopped down next to me, he took his helmet off and plopped down by his food.

"Well, I'm sore, tired, and I'm pretty sure we're going to be doing this forever," I grunted swallowing an unusually thick part of the mystery paste.

"Well, that's slavery for you! Don't let it get to you, we got a break coming. Every end of the month we get to rest to go to the fighting pit." Equal patted my back before starting on his paste.

"Fighting pits?" I gave him a side glance.

"Yeah, pit fighters fight for the entertainment of the Zebras, we get to watch whenever they feel generous." Equal shrugged.

"Whose fighting in the pits?" I felt my stomach twist into a knot, and it wasn't because of the paste.

"Ponies, who else? We fight in hopes of getting picked up by Zebra sponsors as Gladiators." Equal took the last slurp of his paste and pushed his tray away. "Ugh, this stuff never goes down easy for me."

"Hold on, what do you mean by Gladiators?" I leaned closer to him.

"They're like prizefighters, except they're still slaves, just better-treated slaves." Equal explained while he stood up from the table. "Anyway, I'm heading back, I need some sleep. You got the rest of the night off to do what you want, but keep in mind you're going to need to be up at the same hour tomorrow."

I watched Equal leave, left alone with my thoughts. I wondered if anypony could join the pits. But I'd be fighting ponies, I sighed and got up. I took both mine and Equal's trey to a pile by the food station. I secured my gear and began the climb back to the barracks. Fighting ponies huh, the sick bastards, it wasn't enough to work us for twelve-hour shifts. They also wanted us to kill each other for their amusement. Worst, making us watch and calling it a reward was sickening. This was clearly a message, to see us kill one another for some semblance of freedom. I resisted the urge to throw myself at the nearest Zebra. Tempting as it was, I didn't need the heat right now, so I quietly returned to the barracks.

I went straight for our tents, I took a cold but refreshing shower and returned my gear to my tent. I found my bunkmates already laying in their beds. Lucky them, I miss when sleep just came to me without worry. Well since I'm not sleeping anytime soon, I decided to explore the various encampments. The food encampment I already knew, and the water encampment wasn't anything new. But, just next to the processor camp, previously blocked from my view the first time coming. I found the fourth camp, one huddled together on a shoddy looking church. It was welded together from scraps of metal and wood, it also had glassless windows.

I walked closer to the church, where I could hear a pony preaching the steps. I'll be honest, religion was never my thing. I believed in Celestia and Luna as gods, as much as Alicorns dead goddess. This world didn't have or need gods. Not that I was going to reproach anyone who had religion. Everypony needed something to keep them going. Despite the NCR claiming it was bringing back civilization, the waste was still a waste. Even if more farm was farmable, the NCR kept things close together. So a pony that didn't have NCR troopers patrolling nearby liked to believe a higher power was looking out for him.

I stopped outside the door, why go in really? I turned and found a pony I saw earlier. The old red pony, with the priest grab and a bemused look on his muzzle. "Uh, sorry I didn't mean to stand in your way." I stepped aside to let him through.

"Oh, you are not in the way, more you seem lost." He gave a soft chuckle.

"I was just exploring, I know the way back to my tent." I looked him over, I wasn't sure how to address him.

"Orchestra, Red Orchestra, another fellow soldier." He offered his hoof to me.

I shook it nodding, "Valiant Knight, if we're using our names." That earned him a hearty laugh.

"Oh, no you are still slave 555, I have retaken my name in the arena," Red smirked with something aching to pride twinkling in his eyes.

"You're a pit fighter?" I took a cautionary step back.

"No, I was a Gladiator, but I retired; it was my benefactor's last gift." His voice was raspy with an air of fondness. I did not believe anypony would have any good memories of the creature that owned them.

"You were friends?" An interesting question of how was somepony friends with their slavers.

"No, he was my master and my teacher, but I respected him and he, in turn, respected me." Red stroked his beard before grinning broadly.

"Say, how about you join me inside, I came to speak with our brothers." Red walked up to the door and put his hoof over the door.

"Thanks, but I'm not really the religious type." I hope he wasn't offended, he seemed like a nice enough pony.

"Religion? This is not about spirituality, this is about something we pony can put our faith in." Red Puts his hoof to his chest. "I do not preach religion, I preach the one truth here in this pit. We, Valiant Knight, are all brothers here." Red bowed his head once and entered the church the door left open behind him. I peered inside, rows of ponies seated in pews at either side watched Red go in. Quite a few stood and shook hooves with the old stallion. A pony approached to close the door and spotted me.

"Oh? Would you like to come in?" He stepped aside with an outstretched hoof.

Did I? I thought about Red's words, his truth about the pit. I shrugged and entered giving the pony a grateful nod. Red had made it to the front of everypony, when he spotted me, he sent an appreciative nod my way. I pulled my lips into a smile and nodded. Nothing to lose by just listening to him talk I suppose, better than the alternative.

"Hello, I see new faces among you," Red chuckled, and I looked around to ponies looking at one another. "I am not so great to claim to know everyone's face. But I know the look of those who are new to the pit. Some of you hide your hopelessness well, while others," his gaze shifted towards me. "Try to hide the iron will beneath, the will to leave this place behind." Red stood on his back haunches and spread his forehooves out. "You are not alone, as you sit here and listen to me, know you are not the only one to feel this. To feel so powerless and subjugated, to find comfort in the routine and to feel content."

The ponies murmured among themselves, eyes shifting at one another. "But to do so is to break, and though they may revel in it, our masters do not need broken ponies. Neither do we, broken ponies do not work, but worst of all, broken ponies do not hope." Red sat back on his haunches and removed his priest garb. I blinked wand my mouth parted, his body was a canvas of scars, his coat crudely grown around various cuts. Yet despite the horrors inflicted on his body, his Cutiemark was the only part of him not scarred. A violin with two musical notes on it, the priest garbs hid it well for me to not notice it earlier.

"This," he pointed to a nasty side scar on his left side between his back and front leg. "Was a Zebra sword, while in the arena I removed my armor to stop myself from drowning. So, a blade stuck clean through and gutted me on the spot." Red pointed to a scar where his chest and neck met. "A spear dug into me and nearly severed my spine." Red finally pointed to a scar between his front legs. "And this one, this was the last scar I received before my retirement, a sword that would have ended my life, had it not been stuck in the rib cage. With a punctured lung and the blade still in me. I killed my opponent and secured myself as the greatest fighter in the arena." Red looked down to his hooves, then he turned for us to see.

His hooves had a substantial cut left to right that lined up when both hooves were put together. "This is the scar that is most dear to me. I got it from a Zebra who was beating an exhausted worker. I stood between them, and though everyone else meekly lowered their gaze, I remained strong. The Zebra lashed out with his sword, I put my hooves up defending the pony behind me." Red gave a lopsided grin and pointed at his back. "That's where the lashes scars come from by the way." A few ponies chuckled in the quiet room.

"These scars on my hooves were signs of my purpose, a sign of the truth about this place." Red closed his eyes stood back up on all fours. "The truth that everypony here is my brother. From the cooks to the fighters in the pit and my fellow Gladiators. We. Are. Brothers." Red banged his hoof, "From that day, I began to seek a path to freedom, a path that would assure every one of us was free!" Red banged his hoof again, "A path that everypony here would remember that they would chant, shout, and revel at in the sight of our Zebra masters. A sign that we are not broken! That we can work their mines, we can kill each other in their pit for the amusement of their people! But we will not be broken by ANYONE!" Red banged his hoof, everypony followed suit. "In my search, I made these steps, I made a cadence that we may all shout to our dying breath, for in this life or the next we will be free!" Red lifted a hoof high above his head.

"Step one!" he shouted and ignited the room into a chorus, and I could not help but watch in bewilderment.

"Secure the keys!" everypony threw their hooves in the air.

"Step two!" Red spread his front hooves again watching us.

"Ascend from darkness!" Could I believe it? I shouted as loud as anyone else.

“Step three!” Red cheered, his muzzle breaking into a mad grin.

“Release the just!” I clapped my hooves together.

“Step four!” Red shook nearby Pony, his mad grin spreading to everypony in the room.

“Skewer the behemoth!” I wanted to believe, not in some power, but in Red.

“Step Five!” Red smacked hooves with everypony who raised them.

“Wield the Hammer of Vengeance!” I banged my hoof against the ground.

“Step Six!” Red jumped in place laughing gleefully.

“Rise from the pit of hell!” I wanted to rise, to leave this place and to never return! To return home to Stable 29. To my mother and the order, I wanted to forge this damn war and all it cost us.

Red raised his hooves once again, this time calling for silence. Nopony dared speak as he lowered his hooves slowly before pointing at me. “Step Seven,” his voice was barely above a whisper.

“Freedom!” I shouted with a grin on my face, hope-filled me, and I doubted I could sleep at all after this.

“Freedom” Red repeated, “remember that Valiant Knight, here in the pit we are all brothers and we all have one unified dream. Freedom, in this life or the next.” Red sighed, his crazed grin faded to the smile of an old stallion remembering the past. “Well, I think that is enough excitement for us all, get some sleep everypony. We have work to do tomorrow.” Red said, and everypony started to say their goodbyes to each other.

“We?” I blinked, “are you working the mines with us Red?” I walked up in front of him.

“Ah, no but I am there to make sure everypony works and does not lose hope.” Red patted my shoulder, he then turned and disappeared into a crowd of ponies.

Well, the hour was late, and I wasn’t feeling like sleeping. All the same, I returned to my tent, and I laid down on my cot. Red’s words swam in my head giving me a pleasant buzz. I sighed and rolled onto my side. I closed my eyes and just ran the nights event in my mind.

I spent the next three weeks working the mines, I mined, hauled, and I worked the conveyer belt outside. Each night, I would go to the church and hear a tale from Red. He would speak of the arena, and the ponies he met and fought to the death there. He spoke of the honor of being a Gladiator compared to the bloodthirsty pit fighters. It seemed the Zebras that sponsored fighters valued more than killing, they appreciated honor and skill as much as brutality. Killing an enemy quick is a more valuable trait.

By the fourth week, the end of the month arrived. We got packed into wagons and were driven to the Arena. The arena was not what I was expecting. For one, the drive wasn’t nearly long enough to return to the city. So that massive stadium I saw the first time I gazed at the empire wasn’t it. Instead, we were taken to another mining pit. There were two facilities at opposite ends of the hole. A crude metal cage covered the top of the pit. On closer inspection, as we were taken to the nearest facility. I noticed massive banners hanging on the buildings, one blue and the other red. Written in Zebra, one said Valor and the other Bastion, or at least those were the closest translations.

We entered the blue Valor facility and took the spiraling path inside to the stands. The top of the track was cut off past a specific area. There were several Zebra guards with a heavy gun pointed at our direction guarding the path further down. I found a seat right at the front of the stands, complete with mesh wire large enough for me to see through, but for a pony to be unable to climb through. At the center hanging from a crane was the announcer box. Massive spotlights on the box circle the arena below and I could make out a Zebra in an elaborate robe sitting inside the box.

“Fellow patrons and slaves of the glorious Zebra Empire!” The speakers on the box cracked to life with the jubilant voice of the Zebra inside. “I, your gracious host Vita welcome you to another glorious competition, of strength and valor here in the glorious arena of General Pompei!”

The entire bottom rows erupted into cheers, peering at the rows opposite of me, I could see why. The whole bottom rows were filled with Zebras. No wonder the security kept us from going down further, I could only imagine what would happen if they didn’t. “Today we have many great fights, so without further delay. I give you, from House Valor, Crackshot!” I could see Vita leaned out of the box and point down below. I could not see where, but a pony trotted up to the center of the arena. He was a bright yellow pony, with blue paint marks all over him. The Zebras burst into a mixture of boos and cheers.

“Yes, a favorite of House Valor! But his opponent shall be none other than Rock Breaker!” Vita’s announcement was followed by a spotlight tracking from the center of the arena to a tunnel opposite of Crackshot. The tunnel was covered by a portcullis that slowly raised upward. From the shaft, a monstrous pony trotted out, and the crowd erupted in thunderous applause. He was all muscles, with veins straining against his coat.

“Jeez, what does that guy do, eat his opponents?” Seriously, how was so damn big? Even my father wasn’t that absurdly big. Rock Crusher clad in similar armor with red paint on his body had a nasty looking ax across his back. I looked back to Crackshot and found no weapons on him, at least that I could see. Facing an opponent almost twice his size, I expected to see Crackshot cower in fear. Instead, he met Rock Crusher with stoic conviction. Meanwhile, the lump of meat Rock Crusher was hollering and flexing his muscles at everypony.

“Are our fighters ready?” Vita leaned out of his box one hoof cupping his ear.

“FIGHT!” The crowd was so loud my ears folded flat against my head.

Down below, the two ponies raised their hooves, and their mouths move.

“Well then, BEGIN!” Vita started the match, and Rock Crusher moved first. He rushed Crackshot, stood on his hind legs and lept at him. The smaller pony rolled out of the way and reached down for something in his chest. He flung his hoof out from his chest, and Rock Crusher staggered to the side.

“Oh, a clean hit!” Vita’s voice betrayed his delight. Rock Crusher took a knife to his shoulder, the name Crackshot made a whole lot of sense now. Rock Crusher bared his teeth in a toothy grin and pulled the knife out with his mouth. He spat the blade out and drew his ax firmly in his teeth. He rushed Crackshot with murderous intent. Crackshot jumped back and flung another knife. Rock Crusher jumped his great legs thrusting him forward swinging down his great ax.

Crackshot rolled to the side, the ax just missing him. Rock Crusher, for a pony his size reacted fast. He swung his ax straight at Crackshot’s neck. The pony ducked, then rushed at Rock Crusher. Like a snake, he slinked his way over Rock crushers back. He drew tow knives and stabbed him in the back. Rock Crusher roared in pain but bucked the pony off him.

“Oooohhh another great move by Crackshot but wait, Rock Crusher isn’t done yet!” Vita leaned so far out of the box, I faintly hoped he’d fall. But true enough, Rock Crusher turned on a dime ax swinging. Crackshot ducked beneath the swing. But Rock Crusher was ready, as right behind the ax his hoof came up for a mean right hook. Crackshot was flung off his hooves into a heap on the floor. He rolled away for a few seconds before staggering back up.

“An amazing comeback by Rock Crusher with a devastating right hook!” Vita gasped into the mic, “look out, he’s going for the finisher!” Vita jumped in his box with excitement.

Rock Crusher leaped into the air, hooves wrapped around his ax for a straight cut. Crackshot threw out a knife and rolled off to the side. Rock Crusher crumbled to the ground on his landing. Crackshot stood up at the ready one hoof near his chest. Rock Crusher remained motionless on the ground, the battle belonged to Crackshot.

“Patrons of the pit, I give you today's winner, Crackshot!” The mixture of boos and cheers returned.

This sport was sickening and barbaric, how could the Zebras enjoy this? How could they enjoy watching two people kill one another for sport? I gritted my teeth, these bastards how depraved were they? Enslaving us wasn’t enough? They had to make us kill one another, and make us watch too?

I stood up, I want to be the first to get the hell out of here when the trucks get here. I looked down and saw Rock Crusher move. The big lug staggered up to his hooves and turned to face Crackshot’s back. The distracted pony was too busy enjoying his victory to notice. The crowd started shouting look out, and Rock Crusher’s name.

“Behind you!” I don’t know what came over me, I stuck my neck out of the mesh barrier and shouted at the top of my lungs. It was in vain, Crackshot merely looked confused at the crowd. Rock Crusher, with a knife sticking from his right eye grabbed his ax rushed Crackshot. The pony never got the chance to react as Rock Crusher buried his hatchet into his back. Crackshot screams were drowned out by the ecstatic crowd.

“Stop it!” I yelled into the maelstrom of cheers, my heart clenching painfully in my chest. I turned to look at the other ponies. They looked on grimly, not one even tried to warn Crackshot, their eyes seemed to gloss over as they waited for the inevitable.

Rock hoof stood on his hind legs, he pulled the knife from his eye socket with a roar. Crackshot, bleeding on the dirt tried to crawl away. His moans of pain lost in the frenzy of the crowd. I looked to Vita, hoping against hope he’d put a stop to this. Instead, the sick bastard was grinning ear to ear watching everything unfold.

Rock Crusher planted a hoof firmly against Crackshot’s back. He then pulled the ax free from Crackshot’s back. The pony screamed into the storm of cheering Zebras, his shouts as deaf as mine.

“What turn of events! Crackshot is down, and Rock Crusher now stands as the real winner! Now let’s give Rock Crusher some options!” The spotlights on Vita’s box swiveled to panels previously hidden by poor lighting around the edges of the arena. The boards opened and from the bottom came out mining equipment. A giant drill, a piston smashing against an anvil, and other equipment we used in the mining pit.

Rock Crusher grinned, he grabbed Crackshot by his tail and dragged him to one of the machines. An ugly looking device with gears spinning in place in the same direction. “Oh, he’s going for the Rock breaker, classic Rock Crusher!” Vita swept his hoof at the crowd.

“No, that sick bastard, is he really going to do this?” I turned to my compatriots, they simply looked down and closed their eyes. That’s right, they had already seen this brutality before. Why should today be any different? “Damn it stop it!” I leaned out as far as my neck could fit through the mesh fence. I yelled until my throat hurt to no avail.

Rock Crusher stood on his hind legs again and lifted Crackshot over his head. Crackshot wiggled helplessly trying to free himself. His blood spilling onto Rock Crusher who grinned madly, with his entire muzzle red from his and Crackshot’s blood, he proved a grisly sight to behold. The beaten pony ceased to struggle, his body slacked against Rock Crushers hooves. Rock Crusher threw Crackshot head first into the machine.

I watched with eyes wide open, the machine greedily devoured Crackshot. From the left side of the device, Crackshot’s processed body was splattered on the dirt floor in a bloody viscera of bone and meat. It took a whole two minutes for the last of Crackshot to splatter into the meat pile. Rock Crusher roared throwing his hooves into the air before banging his chest.

I fell back and threw up on the ground. A pony came up and held me up before depositing me back on my seat. I had seen death on the battlefield, I had torn Zebra apart in the battlefield. But this, this was something else. This wasn’t the byproduct of war, this was entertainment. The cheering crowds and the god damn announcer making commentary as two living beings kill one another. Damn the Zebras, damn them all to the deepest pit of hell I can conjure up.

“I wish they’d finished Project Wipe stripe.” I spat the words with a fire in my belly. I wanted them dead, all of them. They were beyond sympathy, they cheered as two ponies, former comrades and countrymen kill one another. To allow a monster like Rock Crusher to indulge in his cruel passion just to get a good kick out of it. They all deserved to die if I could deploy Stripe Wipe here and now I would, only to watch all these miserable bastards die in agony.

“Hey, Fives!” I shook my head and looked for the voice that called out my nickname. Equal, he was on his haunches next to my seat. Everypony around me was already on their hooves exiting the pit.

Equal gently pulled on my hooves to stand me up. “It’s time to go, buddy, come on.”

I nodded meekly and followed him out. I felt hollow inside, the hope Red had filled me with gone in the blink of an eye. How could I have faith when we were killing one another for the Zebras? Where was the hope in all of this? Was I just a fool for believing in Red? Did anypony really understand, or was it just easy to cling desperately to Red’s words and ignore the bitter truth? That in the end, there was no hope, we would all die here as slaves or as pit fighters.

I barely registered Equal, he was saying something as the wagons pulled up and we began to climb aboard. The trip back was nothing, a blur at best and just black spots of me just zoning out staring at the wall. Equal guided me to the Five Camps when we arrived in the mining pit. I wasn’t sure if he was talking to me or not, I couldn’t really focus. I just wanted to lay down and never get up again. Before I zoned back to reality again, I was being helped onto my cot by my bunkmates. I looked at them, but they didn’t spare another look. They just sighed and with a dejected look went to bed.

I tossed and turned on my cot for a few hours. I was trying to get rid of the mental image of seeing Crackshot turned to paste. I felt my stomach churn and groaned pitifully into my pillow. I wasn’t going to sleep, that was obvious. I got up and left my tent to wander around just looking at the metal ground.

“I see the fighting pits got to you.” Red, there was no mistaken that rough old voice.

I looked up from the ground, my mouth was dry, and my vision blurred, but I was sure I was by the church. I collapsed onto the ground crying into my hooves. I said I wasn’t going to cry anymore, why was I so damn weak? How could I have hoped to escape this place? How naïve and full of myself was I that I thought I could rally everypony here to escape? There was no escape, this place, this hellhole was going to be my tomb and everyone else’s.

“Tell me, how did he die?” Red walked over to me and placed his hoof gently over my head.

I shuttered and looked up with bloodshot eyes, “he was ground into a paste.” I hiccupped and clenched my eyes shut, as more tears fell. “He” I hiccupped again, and I groaned trying to regain control. “Damn it, he tossed him into a rock crusher, and the sick bastards just cheered!” I should have never let my rage dim. This was a lesson, a lesson that my ancestors taught everypony. “Better dead the striped!” I seethed. “The bastards cheered, and the only mercy afforded to him was that he passed out from blood loss before he was tossed in!” I let out a mournful howl and cried harder. Red all the meanwhile sat by me and let me finish.

I think I cried for a good twenty minutes before finally settling down. Red didn’t say a word still, just remained by my side quietly letting me pull myself together again. What was the point, Strider gave his life for me, and now I’m a slave?

IT should have been me.

I gritted my teeth and rubbed my eyes with the back of my hoof. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to break down like this.”

“No, I expected as much, the pit always draining on newcomers.” Red sighed.

“Did you kill ponies like that?” I looked to him, hopeful he was not like Crusher. Then again, I didn’t know this pony, for all I know behind the charisma was a monster.

“No, I would never have been sponsored if I had been. Zebra’s looking for Gladiators do not find pleasure in the brutal killing of ponies. They look for efficiency, honor, and the promise to one day become the top champion and bring honor to their name.” Red glared at the ground and spat in disgust. “ponies like the one you saw? They are a disgrace, they no longer remember who they are. They are bloodthirsty monsters who revel in their cruelty and purposefully indulge in the bloodshed to remain in the pit.” Red sighed, his body sagged, and he sat back on his haunches. He rubbed his temples with his hooves and his orange eyes seemed to lose their glow. I think I was looking at the stallion behind the stories and speeches.

“Are you alright?” I couldn’t help it, I just rather forget my troubles and help Red.

“Aye, just old age catching up to me,” Red said with a wry grin. He stood back up and popped his bones stretching. “Well, you should get some rest son, there’s work to be done tomorrow.” Red excused himself with a nod and a pat on my back.

I looked at him go, just who was this pony? His stories of the arena were as far back as he ever let on. Being a Gladiator, he almost made it sound romantic, a champion who fought with honor and gained the respect of Zebra and Pony alike. Then again, why would I want the respect of bloodthirsty bastards like them? I wonder if I escaped this place, could I survive City 6 and retrieve the data from Meadowbrook?

“Damn it,” I’m losing my mind here! Going through Pink Cloud to get an unfinished weapon? I walked up to the church and sat on the steps before the door. I can’t escape this place, I don’t have anything I could use. I’m stuck working a bloody mine until I die or hope the Equestrian Army can save us. Ugh, this is pointless, sitting here won’t get me anywhere.

I left the church and returned to my tent, I closed my eyes and just started counting to tire my fried brain. [Bat Pony] I awoke with my bunkmates, it was pretty much habit to wake up at the same time now. I grabbed my gear and did my morning routine, well most of it. I threw up when I looked at the food processor making food. I remembered the pit last night and threw up my empty stomach, much to everyone’s displeasure. I still managed to cram some food in, albeit with the help of lots of water. After an unusually long piss, I followed my fellow slaves to the pit.

Red spoke again today, this time he encouraged all of us who went to the fighting pit for the first time. “Remember, here in the pit we are all brothers. Only those who have strayed from this truth will truly never lave this place free. They have sold their honor and their very souls to bloodlust and despair. So, do not despair and work brothers. Work for we can still be free, in this life or the next.”

We stomped our hooves, though I can’t say my heart was in it. I looked around, the new ponies like me were easy to find. They had downcast eyes devoid of hope, Red’s words rang hollow in their hearts. I feel they do on mine as well. How could I remain hopeful now, after everything that’s happened? Just one fuck up after the other that led me to be a slave for the very bastards that killed my best friend.

“Alright listen up!” the foreman snapped me from my gloomy thoughts.

“Sevens you’re mining, Fives you’re hauling, Ones are working the belt, and Fours are operating equipment.” The foreman adjusted his helmet and gave everyone a nod, “alright, you all know what to do. Get to working lads, the seven guide you.”

I moved to the mine and this time stayed at the top level of the shaft. Much like the pit, the mine spiraled downwards with the middle having tracks leading to a platform where the hauling carts were loaded. The path themselves didn’t have ponies mining them, but the deeper we dug, the more paths were made. I went to stand by a cart and waited my turn to push it into the platform. The way it worked was, five tracks were connected to the main track. A pony worked the levers that changed the paths. Each cart would load up, then be hauled out. Then the next one and so on, when coming back we all went back to our starting positions. Essentially, we were a pony powered conveyer belt.

“Hey, Fives!” O-Seven, our camp leader came up to me. He grabbed something from his saddlebag and tossed it at me.

“A radio?” I looked at the device in my hooves, wait this was usually done by a black pony O-seven always picked.

“Where’s the black pony?” I raised a brow while I strapped the radio to my harness.

O-seven paused, he looked down before responding, “dead, hung himself last night.”

“Shit, I’m sorry.” I rubbed the back of my neck awkwardly.

“Doesn’t matter, we have a job to do Fives.” O-seven turned to leave, but he paused. “In this life or the next Fives.” O-seven shook his head a final time and left.

“In this life or the next,” I guess he chose the next one.

The radio crackled to life, “listen up, we got another team member down below with the radio, designation Whisky. When he calls for a cart, you make sure shit runs smoothly. Let another pony take your cart, you just worry about doing what I tell you over.” The radio instantly crackled back to life before I could respond, “Oh almost, your designation is Foreman, got that over?”

I hit the receiver, “copy that O-seven, over.”

“None of that shit, I’m designation Shovel One, keep the channel clear, Zebras don’t like to hear our chatter, Shovel One out.” The transmission crackled off. Great, Zebra bastard even monitored our working radios. Well, whatever I got a job to do, not like I can change shit anyhow.

I went to stand by the edge of the tracks, I peered down to see my fellow slaves picking away the rocks. While I waited for Whisky, I went to check on everypony making sure everyone was alright. That suicide just made me realize how many ponies might be worst off than me. The way the top level was laid out was simple. The pit was at the center, the path started at the left and on the right was everything else. To the far right was a metal shed of sorts. We had a few ponies there coordinating with the ones outside. There was also some equipment I honestly haven’t checked out myself. Seeing as I always ended up on a cart when it came to hauling duty. Finally, adjacent to the shack were metal support beams used to expand the mine.

I walked around to the stations, giving everyone some words of encouragement. I almost felt like I was with my friends again, almost. These ponies were strangers, there were so many of us, with teams never staying the same. I hadn’t seen that pony that started singing the mining song since my first day. Just a sea of faces changing each day. The only real ponies I seemed to know, were Equal and Red. O-seven was just the pony in charge, I hardly saw the pony really.

“Whisky to Foreman how copy?” Whiskey’s voice crackled over the radio.

“Hard copy Whisky, over.” I hit the receiver and walked back to my post.

“Bring down the first cart, over.” Whiskey ordered.

“Copy, Foreman out,” I walked to my post and signaled the first pony with my hoof. “One going down!”

The pony grunted pushed the wagon to the platform. The lever pony switched the tracks. Thus, we started our routine hauling gems, I guess I got lucky I got put in charge of coordinating. Not as demanding a task hauling the wagons. Even if I was an earth pony the work got tiring, not that the Zebra bastards cared.

After eight hours, I did another round checking up on everypony. With things winding down, I finally decided to see inside the shed. I entered two ponies sitting in front of a desk with some equipment. “Hey, just checking up on everypony, you guys okay?” I stepped up just behind the two ponies.

“Oh, hey there, yeah we're doing good. What about you?” The pony on the right asked.

“Ah you know, looking forward to that Zebra pension.” I gave him a lopsided grin.

“Hah, don’t I know it” The left pony cackled.

“Hey, mind if I ask what this stuff is?” I pointed to the equipment.

“Well Five-Fourths is operating the master radio, that’s what lets us send signals outside this mine.” The right pony pointed to the left one, “I’m looking for any strange seismic activity, making sure we don’t all end up dead here.”

“Whoa, never seen a seismometer!” I didn’t even stop my tail from wagging. These things were cool, with some modification. I could use it as a deep scanning tool to map out things like vaults and underground tunnels.

“Yep, she’s a thing to marvel at, Equestrian made too.” The pony shrugged and then narrowed his eyes at the screen. “Hmm, there it is again Five Fourths, its been doing this a lot lately.”

“you keep saying that, but nothing ever happens,” Five-Fourths grumbled.

“What is it?” I leaned over to look at the terminal screen he was staring at.

“Right there, every now and then there’s a tremor, a very light one at that passing through.” The pony leaned in squinting at the screen.

“That’s bad?” I” suddenly felt really cramped in here.

“Not technically, tremors happen all the time. Seeing as the crust of our planet is shifting on molten rock from below the mantle. But the strange thing is this tremor readings happen regularly, and at intervals that can be predicted. Like clockwork, these tremors just come and go, and they happen early within a certain time frame.” The pony scratched his head looking at the screen frustrated.

“Well, just keep an eye on it I guess, better safe than sorry. The day is almost done, and I rather get out of here in one piece.” I patted both ponies back and turned to exit the hut.

“What the, it's moving.” I paused at that statement.

“What is?” I looked to him, the readings, zigzagging lines on the screen were growing more erratic per second.

“Earthquake?” I swallowed a lump in my throat.

“No, earthquakes don’t behave like this, this is like its moving, the waves are getting progressively stronger.” The pony stood from his chair, that was all I needed to know something terrible was going to happen.

“I’ll get everypony out!” I ran out of the shack to the edge of the mine pit. I hit the receiver on the radio hailing O-seven, “Shovel One, I got word from the seismic team. We have an incoming seismic event. Request immediate evacuation.” Please say yes, please let us be safer than sorry!

The radio crackled to life, “We got a few hours before shift end, I need a solid confirmation, or its all our asses on the line here over.”

“Seismic team confirms of something huge coming our way, we need to evacuate Shovel One, over.” Come on damn it!

“I’ll relay the message to the Centurion, standby, Shovel One out.” The transmission ended, and I peered down the mineshaft. A cart was slowly being brought up, and the pony waiting for it was stretching. I turned and started to make my way to the shaft. Suddenly, the ground beneath me shook something fierce! Everypony yelled as they were tossed on the ground violently. Then, I heard metal crunching and muffled screams.

The shaking subsided to the ground vibrating beneath our hooves. I groaned rubbing my head and blinked away the fuzziness from my vision. When things came to focus, I saw the ceiling had caved in on the metal shack. It was utterly warped and bent into the ground. I felt my heart size up, my legs tensed, and I struggled to move.

We need to get out of here, it just clicked in my mind, and my body rushed into action. “Cave in! Everypony out!” There was nothing I could do for the shed ponies. They were dead, I had to save who I could. With that in mind, I hit the receiver on the radio. “Whisky we're getting out of here get everypony up right now!” I paused to wait for a response.

“We felt that too, coming up now!” He finished his transmission.

I hailed O-seven next, “Shovel One, I issued out an evacuation order, we had a cave in. Seismic is gone, how copy?” All I received back was static, right the master radio was inside the shack. Well, looks like we were on our own. I ran to the spiraling path and stood at the entrance. “Come on everypony hustle, hustle!” damn the narrow paths, the team had to come up three abreast. As everypony kept coming up, I felt the ground rumblings start to pick up. “Oh shit, it’s coming back! Brace everypony brace!” Ponies barley had the chance to hug the ground when the floor shook violently. I immediately regretted being so close to the edge. Part of the floor gave out, and my hind legs fell from under me. I fell flat on my stomach, and I slid to the edge. I wrapped my hooves to the nearby support beam before I fell. “Fuck!” I screamed clenching my eyes shut.

“aaahhh!!” I heard screaming and the sound of rocks falling. Then as quickly as it came, the shaking slowed to rumble.

“I got you!” O-seven, thank Celestia, came up to me and helped me back up.

“Whole god damn place is shaking outside!” O-Seven sighed.

“I know, shack's gone, we lost the seismic team.” I sighed and rolled onto my back panting.

“Sir! Were stuck the path collapsed!” The yell made grit my teeth. Fuck, we got ponies stuck below now. To make matters worse, I notice the ceiling start cracking. I stood back up, watching as several places on the ceiling had quickly growing cracks.

“There’s nothing we can do lad, we need to save everypony else.” O-seven sighed and started for the entrance. “To the entrance lads come on!”

“No, I’m not abandoning everypony else!” I moved to O-seven, without warning he threw a jab to my face, and I crumpled to the floor. “Don’t be an idiot! Were done that’s an order from your team leader!” O-seven barked, “don’t throw your life away!”

I spat on the ground and glared at him, maybe he was right. But I left Strider to die, and that will haunt me until my last days in this world. “In this life or the next,” I wiped my mouth and stood up. “Listen up! Its time to act what we preach! If you want to leave go, but I’m going to save everyone! Remember we are all brothers! Don’t let your brothers die!” I moved to tracks. I grabbed the lever and sent down the platform meant for the carts, I hit the receiver on my radio. “Whisky, start loading up ponies as many as you can. If you got wounded, make them go first!” The ground shook violently without warning, more pieces of the ceiling fell into the mine. I fell to the ground on my back, the ceiling above me cracked and it collapsed. I rolled away at the last moment.

“Damn it’s kid were done let’s go!” O-seven barked at me. Quite a bit of ponies already sprinted to the exit. But a fair number were indecisive, looking between O-seven and me. “If you want to run, go! But I’m not going to live the rest of my life knowing I let ponies I could save die. Freedom everypony, in this life or the next!” I moved to the lever, by some miracle it had only been obstructed by the rocks not destroyed. I pushed against the boulders blocking it, come on big bastard move! Just like that, the boulder budged, and I fell forward with it. I looked up to see O-seven with several ponies standing by the rock.

“Fucking hell, I’m going to kick your ass for all eternity if we die here, kid!” O-seven spat on the ground.

“I’ll try to keep that from happening then,” I smirked looked to the ceiling. The cracks were spreading, and we needed more time. I had an idea, the support beams piled up by the crushed shack. “The support beams, I need everypony to grab one and place it against the greater cracks come on!”

“Were on it!” six ponies or so rushed towards the beams.

I moved to the edge to look down the mine. Several ponies were crowded on the platform. “It’s full, bring it up!” I barked to O-seven. He nodded and pulled the lever. While the cart came up, I looked to the spiraling path. The collapsed area was precariously balancing against the edge at around three floors up. The platform rose painfully slow, too slow to for us to us to rely on it.

“Shit!” I looked to the spiraling path. Three floors down I saw the collapse that blocked the path. I looked back to the support beams and the volunteers setting them up. An idea came to me, and I hit the receiver. “Whisky, I’m going down with some ponies. We're gonna die here if we rely on that lift alone.” I cut the transmission as the first batch of ponies dismounted the platform. “Hey, I need your help to save everypony else come on!” I moved to the support beam stack, as I did there was another violent tremor that flung us on the ground.

“Fuuuuuuuuuuccckkkkk!!” I heard the scream, I turned to see a pony cling to the ground while he reached over the edge of the mine. Somepony fell, sweet fuck we need to move! The tremor subsided, but the rumbling was much more prevalent than before. The shockwaves were getting worse, it's now or never.

“Come on! Are you gonna let them die so you can live?” I shouted at them, and that made them move. Most came to me the rest fled out of the mine. Eight ponies, eight brave souls did not let fear conquer them. “Grab three support beams come on!” I tried to push the first beam up, but another pony and I dropped it. “Fuck that’s heavy!” I looked to the ponies setting up the beams, instantly my eyes widen in recognition. They were using their harnesses to lift the beams in teams of four. Fuck, that means we could only bring two, I hope that was enough. “break up into two teams four each come on!” I helped two of my comrades remove their harnesses. We tied them to our beam and hooked them around our necks. “Alright, ready, heavy!” We lifted and fucking hell I really wish I had my armor! “Support beam team! We need pickaxes, come four come with us!” My team with as much speed as we dared trecked down into the mine. The shaking made our footing tricky, and the cracked ceiling had left plenty of loose stones for anyone of us to trip on.

In the most extended two minutes of my life, we made it to the obstruction, several boulders blocking the path. “Set em down!” I gritted my teeth and dropped the beam. “pickaxes!” The ponies behind us gave us their picks. “Good now go, only leave one pony on the lever, the rest of you get out of here now!” The ponies hesitated, one of them opened their mouth to protest, but I wasn’t having any of it. “Damn it, soldiers now is not the time do as your told, now go!” They did, and I looked to my eight pony team. “Four of you set up the beams here, and here” I pointed to two spots that would hold the ceiling together. Well, I hoped anyway, and that would have to do. I grabbed my pick, and two others joined me, and we hacked at the boulders center. The goal wasn’t to break the rocks but to dislodge the ones on top.

We hacked one after the other we concentrated in one point, the rock giving away to our combined efforts. As I picked, I saw the lift come up again with ponies. One of em pointed a hoof at me and yelled down below. “To the obstruction lads get the pickaxes ready hurry up!”

“They’re coming up!” the pony behind me shouted with hope filling his chest. Soon I could hear the ponies on the other side start picking.

“Come on lads work, with all of your might!” I shouted and hacked the rocks, they crumbled and as I reared my pick for another strike. The ground shook violently, and I fell back. In my fall I fell against the pony behind me and was pushed off the side.

“Fifty-Eight no!” somepony shouted. There was no time, I couldn’t spare the time to grieve. I struggled up, and I put my hooves to the rock facing the mine. I pushed, the other ponies dropped their picks and did.

“All as one, on my command, everypony.” I planted my rear hooves firmly on the shaking earth. I licked my dry lips and shouted with all my might. “HEAVE!” The rock dislodged and tumbled down below. I nearly followed it, but somepony grabbed me by my mane and pulled me back.

The pony behind me spat out my hair and blew a raspberry. “Fuck, cut your hair Fives!”

I laughed madly and stood to my hooves, I looked to the ponies on the other side and waved them through. Only one at a time could fit, but they pushed through in quick succession. “Let’s go hustle it up everypony!” I looked back to my team guiding the ponies up. “The hell are you doing go! Job’s done get the hell out!”

“Like hell it is, we all get out of here, together!” One of them barked back.

“In this life, or the next!” The one who saved my life smirked at me.

“You crazy sons of bitches!” I smirked and kept ushering the ponies through. I think it was almost ten minutes until the last one hopped over. I grabbed him and looked to his harness. No radio, where was Whisky god damn it? I looked into his desperate eyes, pleading to let him go. “Where’s the pony with the radio that was down below, where’s Whisky?”

“D-dead, crushed by a rock!” He stammered, I closed my eyes and let him go. “Fuck, let’s go!” The ground heaved unlike before, and I was slammed against a support beam headfirst. Thank Celestia I had my helmet, I think that would have killed me. I struggled up, and my team began to move up, through the shaking I could hear the distinct sound of metal warping. I looked to the beam I was thrown against and saw it bend away from me. I looked up as the ceiling cracked open above us. Something pushed me forward, and I landed in a heap with the rest of my team.

“AAAAHHHHHH!” there was a blood-curdling scream. I got up as fast as I could to see the mine collapsing the floor beneath cracked apart. The broken bodies of ponies who couldn’t make it were swallowed by the earth. I looked down below me, the pony who rescued me twice now was stretched out. I wrapped my hooves around his and pulled. I quickly fell back on my ass and felt a wet splat against my lower legs. He was light, too light. I moved him to the side and noticed he had been cut his half. His lower body left beneath the rubble that almost killed me. I bit my lip looking at the dead pony.

“Come on Fives we have to leave NOW!” I was pulled to my hooves, and I nodded running after the rest of my team. I spare a single glance to see the ceiling collapse behind us crushing what was left of that brave pony. Without the weight of the beams, we made it to the top in record time. Where the lever had been several boulders, a snapped support beam and a trail of blood going to the mine exit. “Go come on!”

We ran for the exit, the mine falling apart behind us. The sound of warped steal made my heart flutter. One of us could be crushed in an instant after that dreadful sound. So I pushed it to the back of my mind and ran with everything I got. “O-seven!” I heard one of the ponies ahead of me. Sure enough, we slid to a stop to a pony leaning against the wall bleeding.

“Fuck, go damn it go!” He gasped out, I looked to see him put a hoof over his left hind leg. There was a horrible gash across his thigh marring even his flank.

“You heard the stallion go!” I grabbed O-seven, he tried to protest but was too weak to stop me. I heaved him over my back, and we ran. I could hear the tunnel cave behind us, metal snapping and rock crashing against rock. My team was getting ahead of me, the weight of O-seven slowing me down. But I would not leave him, and I sure as shit refused to die now! I starched my neck out as far as I could my hooves clacking against the stone.

“Almost there come on!” The pony ahead of us yelled. I gritted my teeth, pumping my hooves, my heart hammering against my ribcage. I could see the entrance a white light making the outside impossible to see. With a surge of adrenaline, I poured everything I had left and caught up with the back of my team.

I heard a great crash, the light made me close my eyes. I felt the cold air of the outside, and I slid to a stop. There was only silence, fuck, please tell me I’m not dead. I opened my eyes squinting to see a crowd of dusty ponies look on with wide eyes.

“Shit, the next life looks like shit too.” I panted out and gave everypony my best smile.

“HOORAH!” Everypony cheered and rushed us. Somepony took O-seven off my back. I spared him a glance, but he was passed out from blood loss.

“Fives saved everypony!”

“Brothers to the end!”

“Were alive, by the seven steps were alive!”

“FIVES! FIVES! FIVES!” The shouting was getting out of hand. Everyone’s voice was reverberating through the pit. I was hoisted into the air, and I looked down to see my blood-soaked hind legs. The ponies carrying me didn’t seem to mind one bit.

I gave everypony a lopsided smile, I was just glad we were all alive to be this damn loud. So when enslaved by Zebra bastards, do as one would do and rejoice when possible. I raised my hooves triumphantly fand everypony got even bloody louder! The dead would be mourned, they will of that I will make sure. But for now, for the sake of everypony shouting my nickname. I was happy, my heaving chest slowed back to its average pace, and I was feeling like I was walking on air.

“Alright, alright put me down already!” I laughed and wiggled in place. My carriers did so, and I was mobbed by everypony. I felt my hooves were going to fall off from all the shaking and hugs I was giving.

“Make way, make way for Red come on!” That voice made my ears twitch, I looked to my left, and the crowded parted to let Equal through. Behind him, none other than Red himself walked towards me with a smile on his face. I lifted a hoof to say hello, but instead, he slammed against me wrapping his hooves around me. I laughed and hugged the old stallion back, that fuzzy feeling in my chest spreading to my entire body.

“Well done my friend, well done!” His gruff voice rasped near my ear.

“Is this how you felt when you stood up to those Zebras?” I said back.

Red sat back on his haunches and held me at arm’s length. “No, not even close, this?” Red motioned to everypony around us. “I have only ever dreamed of this, to see everypony smile like this. You have sparked the kind of hope I never thought possible.” Red was grinning ear to ear, his muzzle threatening to stay like that forever.

“Whoa, incoming Fives!” the merriment died down. There was a loud blaring from above us, and I looked up to see the massive spider robot move to face us. The robot trained its guns on us, followed by the sound of hundreds of weapons being cocked. I squinted through the bright lights to look at the spiraling path around the pit. Hundreds of Zebras line the route, guns trained us, holy shit, did they think we were about to revolt?

“Red, what do we do?” I looked to him, he hummed in thought. Then a sly smile crossed his muzzle.

“Calm everypony down Valiant.” Red gestured to the Zebras.

“Me? Why would they listen to me?” I looked back to the Zebra hordes.

“They will believe it, right now you hold a great deal of power. Use it wisely my friend.” Red stepped aside and gestured next to him. The crowds parted and looked to me with looks of conviction in their eyes. Fucking hell, these guys would fight if I told them to, wouldn’t they? I swallowed a lump in my throat and moved to stand before everypony. Looks like I was going to save their lives twice today.

“Everypony!” I shouted as loud as I could. The Zebra’s seemed to tense when I stepped up. “I’m fucking tired, how about we home for some gross paste and a good nap?”

There was a lull after I spoke, and I admit it, I think I’m about to piss my pants if they don’t listen and charge. But, just like that, everypony laughs and starts to file into groups towards the path. The Zebras visibly relax, but they keep an eye on us the entire time going up.

When we got back to the barracks nopony went to bed. Even my bunkmates didn’t go to bed. Instead, we threw a party. Or the closest thing we could throw, which was cranking up the food processor and all the water we could drink. We also had special guests, Zebras, and if I had to guess, a regiment size of them all around the barracks. With the celebrations taking place, I found myself sitting on a table alone with Red. It was strange, the feeling in my chest, that fuzzy feeling coursing through my whole body earlier? Well, now it had transcended into a warm sensation on my chest. I put a hoof to my chest and smiled to myself.

“Hope,” Red nudged my side, “what you are feeling is true hope, my friend.” Red nodded to everypony around.

“I don’t know, after yesterday, this hope of mine is fleeting at best.” I sighed resting my head on my hooves. “I’m sure the Zebras will do something to erase this hope.”

“Please, they cannot kill your hope, its clear to me now.” Red took a sip of his water and leaned on the table.

“Come on, you saw me breakdown yesterday.” I looked down to my cup of water, my reflection stared back at me with a sorry look on its muzzle. Once the high of survival dies down, you remember your circumstances. Looking at everypony here celebrating another day alive was good, it was, but it didn’t change a damn thing.

“Come now Valiant, if your hope was dead, why did you save your fellow ponies today?” He lightly tapped my shoulder with the back of his hoof. “Look around you lad, you did this, you brought smiles to these jaded souls,” Red smirked and sat up spreading his hooves. “You could have run, you could have chosen to lie down and die, but when the time came, you survived. Better yet, you put your comrade's lives before your own!” Red smacked the table and made me jump in place. “Valiant, if your hope were dead, none of us would be here today celebrating. Instead, these ponies would be in their beds. They would lie down and try to convince themselves they had no choice but to run.” Red smacked the table again, “but not today, no today everypony here feels alive! Do not ever underestimate what you have done here today. Because the Zebras will never forget, that when they thought us broken, they saw we were not so beaten as to cower from their guns.” Red sighed and tapped his chest, he stood up on the table and caught everyone's attention.

“Comrades, this is hardly a celebration, join me, I know you all know this one!” Red slapped his knee and began singing.

“Oh, we'd be alright if the wind were in our sails We'd be alright if the wind was in our sails We'd be alright if the wind was in our sails And we'll all hang on behind!” Red’s voice carried a jolly tune, and everypony joined behind him.

“And we'll ro-o-oll the old chariot along! We'll ro-o-oll the golden chariot along! We'll ro-o-oll the old chariot along! And we'll all hang on behind!” The singing was horribly offkey, but damn if it wasn’t a hell of a song to hear. I guess I was just a pessimistic ass because I’ll be damned if my hoof didn’t start tapping with the tune.

“Oh, we'd be alright if we make it round The Horn We'd be alright if we make it round The Horn We'd be alright if we make it round The Horn And we'll all hang on behind!” Red started another verse, I smirked and joined him on the table.

I took a deep breath and followed the chorus. “And we'll ro-o-oll the old chariot along! We'll ro-o-oll the golden chariot along! We'll ro-o-oll the old chariot along! And we'll all hang on behind!” Hell, I think I liked this one better than the mining song. Much livelier, and I think it was meant to be sung by a bunch of jolly idiots.

“Well a night on the town wouldn't do us any harm A night on the town wouldn't do us any harm Oh, a night on the town wouldn't do us any harm And we'll all hang on behind!” Red wrapped a hoof around my neck and swayed to his singing.

“And we'll ro-o-oll the old chariot along! We'll ro-o-oll the golden chariot along! We'll ro-o-oll the old chariot along! And we'll all hang on behind!” I followed suit the chorus kicking even louder than before. From the perch on the table, I could make out our Zebra guest. They stood in groups, rifles within hoof reach. Yet as they watched us with withering glares, Nopony paid them any heed. I think that’s what was pissing them off. We weren’t meekly bowing our heads to their presence.

“Now, another festival wouldn't do us any harm Oh, another festival wouldn't do us any harm Woah, another festival wouldn't do us any harm And we'll all hang on behind!” Red swung onto his hind legs bringing me up with him. He pointed his hoof in a sweeping motion to see the sea of happy faces. Contrasting those smiling faces. I guess he was right, again, it had been so long since anypony here had anything to celebrate. The Zebras had grown lax, content that we were broken, that we were just husks of ponies following orders just to avoid their wrath.

I smirked, “louder lads! I don’t think our guest can hear us!” My statement was met with loud, rambunctious laughter. “And we'll ro-o-oll the old chariot along! We'll ro-o-oll the golden chariot along! We'll ro-o-oll the old chariot along! And we'll all hang on behind!” I almost flattened my ears against my chest from the volume.

“And we'll ro-o-oll the old chariot along! We'll ro-o-oll the golden chariot along! We'll ro-o-oll the old chariot along! And we'll all hang on behind!” We threw the chorus up one more time and banged our hooves together in celebration. Red and I remained on our perch, watching everypony relax into conversations with one another. For a moment, we were free, I could feel it. For now, we were free and were nothing more than friends together for a party.

“Hey Red,” I looked to the old stallion, my smile replaced with a look of determination. “I want to set everypony here free.”

Red raised a brow, but the smile on his face was slowly turning into a mad grin. “Set free you say?”

“Yes, I want to get the hell out of here. While we still can,” I sat on my haunches and raised my hoof up. I looked at it, chipped from the constant hard labor. With these hooves, I would set everypony free. In this life, or the next.

“What do you mean while we can?” Red’s mad grin was becoming impossibly big.

“This will fade, while everypony is feeling like this. While everypony has hope burning in their heart. If we're going to get out of here, it has to be now.”

“How?” Red’s tail was wagging now, freaking wagging!

I looked at him, I didn’t have a plan per se, but I knew what had to be done until I had that plan. I needed to safeguard this hope. This was going to be the sparks of rebellion, and there was only one way to do that. The path was clear, I had to make everypony here hope. “I need to kindle this hope, I have to make sure this flame becomes an inferno, one that will light our rebellion.”

“AHAHAHAH!” Red cackled madly he banged his hoof against the table madly. “Yes! I have waited and waited so long!” Red grabbed my head between his hooves, he leaned in so closer me, I could feel his breath on my nose. “How Valiant, tell me how will you incite rebellion!”

“I’m going to become the champion of our people,” I grabbed his hooves and looked back at him. I wanted to channel my determination to him. “I’m going to join the fighting pits, I’m going to become a Gladiator, and become the symbol for our people to rally behind.”

Red sighed in utter bliss, he then let go of my face and wrapped his hooves around me. “Then there is a task I must ask of you,” Red whispered near my ear.

“What’s that?” My ear twitched feeling his breath tickling me.

“There is a pony, a Gladiator who shows immense promise. He is remarkable really, and I need you to recruit him to our cause.” Red pulled away and held me at arm’s length.

“Isn’t he part of your seven steps thing?” I raised a brow to him.

Red sighed shaking his head, his eyes downcast. “I failed to imprint on him the importance of comrades, and the truth of our struggle. He is content to be alone and fight alone. I’m sure he plots his own escape as we speak. But he will not do it alone, so we must turn him to our cause before it is too late. He is a very skilled warrior I am told. But he is also so much more.” Red pursed his lips together, “if he could open his closed heart, and let go of his silent suffering, he can truly help us rebel against our masters.”

“…” I looked to Red, the way he spoke about this pony made me think he hoped he had done what I did. Well, I wasn’t going to let this go to waste. I will free our people and get him to help. “Alright, what’s his name?”

“He never let go of his slave number, even in the fighting pits, I am told. Instead, he simply goes by what the crowds have dubbed him.” Red stroked his beard. “In our mother tongue, he is known as the Butcher.” Red pointed a hoof to our Zebra guest, “but to them, he is simply known as Lanius.” Ah, the word butcher in Zebra.

I frowned, but Red picked up on that, perceptive as ever. “Do not confuse him for the bloodthirsty fools of the pit. He is not a monster, but he has killed his way to his current position. He is poised to be the next champion as we speak.”

Wow, he’s never lost a battle? This guy must be some super soldier or former special forces from the Equestrian Fourth. “Okay, I won’t let you down Red.” I put my fist across my chest in a salute.

“I know you won’t disappoint my friend,” Red patted my shoulder before getting deadly serious. “However, if you ware to not become a monster. Remember this and remember it well Valiant. In the arena, you will be fighting your brothers. Some have forfeited it that right, like the one you saw. But most are simply trying to better their lives. You will have to kill these ponies, and if you are to survive this. You must remember to steal your heart. Only by this sacrifice, will you be able to become the champion our people need.”

I nodded my response; my words would fail me. Red was right though if I was to get us out of here. I would need to close my heart to the suffering of my brothers in the arena. I stood up and gave Red a silent farewell. I was tired, it was a long day, and for once, I felt like sleeping. The voices in my head were hushed. I could only hope they remained like that for a while because the arena was going to take all my mental fortitude to survive and conquer.

I returned to my tent, my tent mates were still out partying. I laid down on my mat and stared at the ceiling. “Freedom, in this life or the next,” I muttered to myself and closed my eyes. So it begins I suppose.

Level Up: 10

Perks Added: Strong back: Hard labor has sculpted your body and made you stronger than you once were. Carrying weight is increased by 25+, you can double up on this perk for an additional 25+

Quest Perk: I am Spartacus: when dealing with slaves, or former slaves you have a 10+ to your speech. Likewise, when dealing with slavers, you will have a 10- penalty to your speech. I mean seems like a fair trade off, since when have slavers been the talkative type? Red Eye notwithstanding.

Author's Notes:

Well here’s my favorite chapter so far, I wrote and rewrote this bastard a lot. But I believe I finally got it right. I hope everyone likes it as much as I enjoyed writing it. I’ll be sort of busy with school these coming weeks. But know the next chapter is being written as I upload this. Well, that’s about it for now.

I also wanted to let you guys know, I’m starting a Patreon. I’m doing this to ask for help from you guys. This chapter was brought to you in part, by a new program I found out about in a writers community here in FIM. It’s called Grammarly, and it’s so bloody helpful! I recommend it to anyone who wants to improve as a writer to get it. There is a free version and a pay version. I’m aiming to get the paid version because I believe it can help me make these chapters truly amazing! I also want to write my very own book, which means I need to keep writing to get the skill I want. I haven’t set it up fully yet. I need to come up with rewards and stuff. But I hope you guys can help me, so I can afford the subscription and bring you guys into my creative process! Well, I rambled long enough, please enjoy the chapter. Leave a review telling me what you think, what needs improving, etc. I respond to all my reviews!