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!