BOOK: 2 PART 2: FILLYDELPHIA
CHAPTER 39
TWO SHADES OF RED

The morning brought a steel heart. A point. A mission. A plan. The things outside his control would not be worried about.

The Inquisitors stayed in the woods as they headed east like they had before. Close to the end, they hopped south to the woods above Manehatten. They had to cross the railway running to Fillydelphia.

“This railway has been patched,” Slice commented. “These ties are new, not more than a few years old. Somepony is moving things by rail, or at least trying to. The rail system used to connect all the way down to Appleloosa. They may be moving those slaves by rail.”

“That is a scary thought,” Storm stated. “I mean, that could be where the Disciples members are coming from.”

“We will find out,” Shadow replied. “Slave labor is a viable option to do anything down here. Cheap and easy.”

“I actually hope her Disciples are converted from the slaves,” Thunder said putting in his two bits. “I would rather shoot ponies trained a bit to fight than scared foals unable to do anything but shake and shit themselves. Putting slaves out of their misery is annoying.”

Thunder smiled an evil grin. “I want a struggle. To be on the edge of life or death.”

“You think we should just kill slaves?” Nor asked concerned.

Thunder nodded. “They will just fall prey to others. They are weak ponies and the only way to fix their situation is to stop them from being in it. Arming them won’t work. Logically, killing them is the only way to change their situation. To help them.”

“Killing fixes everything to you,” Slice chuckled.

“I find this place unredeemable,” Thunder shrugged. “Best to clean it out fast to preserve our families and foals, their foals and for the generations after that. It will take a lot to cleanse it all. Hopefully we cleanse enough and they will bend to the Enclave and accept the salvation we can offer them.”

They made camp and prepared to enter the city. This side was devoid of active farms. A shack here or there, but nothing living.

“So, I have this pip buck thing with me for mapping things out,” Nor said. “And it’s getting a radio station in loud and clear. From Manehatten.”

“Can you patch it into our coms?” Shadow asked.

Nor responded by sending it to all of their coms.

“Well,” Shadow said listening to the crystal clear voicing singing. “This is new information.”

Shadow listened closely as a DJ Pon3 set up the next few tracks and let them whirl.

“Can you pin down where it is broadcasting?” Shadow asked.

“Storm could,” Nor shrugged. Storm was fast asleep already. “But we would have to get closer to actually trace it to the original broadcast signal. Next mission?”

“Probably,” Shadow nodded. “Important information to know, and this is not a new broadcast.”

“No it is not,” Nor chuckled. “Its old tech which is why it was easy to match up our suits to key in on it, if we wish to listen. Storm isn’t the only one with a technical hoof.”

“Get some sleep Nor,” Shadow ordered. “I’ll take first watch.”

“No,” Nor shot back. “You have to run solo tomorrow. You need to sleep to stay sharp. I will wake the others to win this argument.”

“They would side with you because you made them get up to force me to do something,” Shadow argued back. “But fine.”

It was always easy on missions for Shadow to sleep. He was focused with a clear duty. The disgust of field rations for breakfast was universal. At least they got respite while at Rosemary.

“What are we looking for?” Nor asked as they walked.

“Intercoms, TVs, speakers, telephones and radios,” Storm replied.

“We have those at Rosemary,” Nor asked even more confused.

“I don’t want to wreck our home,” Storm chuckled. “We haven’t even tried hunting yet, so lets. I would also rather not deplete nonrenewable resources back at Rosemary unless absolutely required. We can still leave, so we hunt.”

“Good choice,” Shadow added as he scanned the area.

“Lets pick it up,” Thunder said for once. “I am not happy with our current location.

They made it into the city’s fringes mid afternoon where they made camp on the third floor of a crumbled building. The real work would begin in the morning.

For now, they quietly went about picking through the ruins. They had a few close calls with Steel Rangers and armed patrols. Nothing of consequence, just reminders to stay vigilant and keep their heads down.

Shadow set the components he had found with Nor. Thunder had kept watch over the camp.

“Not shabby,” Storm said approvingly. “Not much, as we found basically the same, but some gems. No keystones of what we need to build transmitters, but good finds.”

When the light faded, they slipped up to the almost nonexistent top floor to survey what they could. They had to use their wings to get to their perch. Nor was taking notes. It wasn’t much of a view.

“It is a short wall,” Thunder stated. “Maybe eight feet.”

“It won’t stay that short long,” Shadow replied. “Not if he wants to keep the Steel Rangers out.”

Shadow sighed. It was going to be a trick to get in and stay hidden. There were some buildings tall enough to give the right view.

Shadow pointed to a building. “That is where I will set my watch first. At the darkest hour I will arrive.”

“Marked,” Nor said a moment later.

“We will be making a sweep through there,” Slice added a moment later. “Does this building make for a good meeting point?”

Shadow looked at Thunder who nodded, giving it his tactical approval.

“So it shall be,” Shadow softly said. “We have a plan.”

“Can we really keep up being here and dodging them for a week?” Nor asked.

“Depends,” Shadow sighed. “If we can keep contact to a minimum or none, yes. We can map this entire place. But if they get a solid pin on us and what we are doing, we will be forced to flee.”

“Then if the time comes, we need to strike hard and fast,” Thunder replied. “No mercy. No quarter. Fast so we can back out safely. Besides, they will give us none.”

They agreed and set watches. Shadow was given a break again. He would be departing at third watch.

Shadow slipped up to the top of the building as third watch started. He put his helmet on and the suit sealed it up with a sucking squeeze. He took a few breaths. It was not the same with the filter, but he was finally getting used to it.

Shadow tipped off the building into a dive before he zipped up high and hopefully out of sight. It was still dark and he was easily concealed. Shadow drive bombed on top. He braked just in time to softly touched down. He went prone to stay hidden as he slipped up to the crumbling edge.

Shadow began to take notes on locations and distance from where he was. As the light signaled a new morning, more of Fillydelphia was revealed. The fortress was being built around the creator made when the spell hit and a giant steel roller coaster.

“That is where Nova and Falls got slaughtered,” Shadow said to himself.

Shadow watched as a group of ponies were forced out of a building and corralled and prodded off to what looked to be a factory. It was too far away to tell what they were producing. That would be his next objective.

Shadow couldn't see many details. No matter what perch he was on, he would have trouble. He needed to be on the ground, but he couldn't blend in. Not with his armor and certainly not with his personality.

The slave quarters were run down and fenced off. Easy to tell. The rest of the army wasn’t. They could be anywhere throughout the ruins. Probably underneath his very stomach.

“Shadow?” Nor called over the coms.

“Sorry, distracted,” Shadow whispered back. He didn’t need to whisper.

“How goes it?” Nor asked.

“Smooth so far, but I haven’t tried to move,” Shadow replied. “I have a good map drawn out. For what I can see. How about you?”

“Eh, they are picking through buildings slowly,” Nor sighed. “Not much has happened. Its been really quiet. No patrols, no real noise, its been a walk in a… park.”

“How goes the pick n pull?”

“Honestly, I have no idea. A little boring. They have a lot they are picking through right now, but I do not know if it is worth anything. Thunder and I are on look out while they are lost in their work.”

“Its getting late,” Shadow sighed. “I am afraid to make a move in this light. They are moving around down there. I see the slave housing, can’t see their training ground or real details.”

A loud clang distracted Shadow. He looked across the fortress to the sound. A section of the wall was opened up and in came a train of slaves loosely tied together. Shadow watched as they were all brought in and taken to where they had the slaves.

The handlers of the slaved were jumped and beaten savagely. They were ill equipped and easy prey. They had probably done the exact same thing to the ponies they had tied up. Shadow informed the others of what he saw.

“Alright Nor, I’m going to slip over to the next building,” Shadow radioed the others.

Shadow crawled back to the center and stood up. He took a few deep breaths before he launched up and cruised over to the next one. Shadow touched down gingerly.

He looked back at the building he was just on. MoM hub.

“Too bad that I missed checking a Ministry Hub out,” Shadow thought to himself. “But task at hand.”

Shadow had no idea what building he was on. He slid forward like before and began to survey the new field of view. It got him closer to the factories, but was worthless. Shadow tried to ascertain his next move.

He was pulled to reality as a Shotgun was racked behind him.

“Don’t move,” A pony growled from behind him.

Griffin’s crawled up the sides of the building while others took off from the sides into the air. Shadow ignored the order and stood up.

“Caught,” Shadow informed Nor. “I guess I will be talking face to face with this Red Eye guy.”

“Good luck,” Nor replied. “We believe in you.”

The others agreed with Nor.

Shadow turned around to the pony with a Shotgun. There were others with him on the roof. He switched his helmet to project his voice.

“Since you have not shot me yet, I assume I get to talk to your leader, Red Eye?”

They exchanged glances and Shadow almost fell over laughing.

“Do you really think you could stop me and force me to be a slave?”

Shadow turned aggressive. “You have no idea what you are getting yourself into if you want to play that card.”

“Fine lady. Follow me,” He waved.

Shadow rolled his eyes as he walked after him, but they couldn't see that.

“What building are in we in?” Shadow ask as the edge of the stairwell crumbled, opening up the wall to the outside.

“Ministry of Awesome Hub,” Was the grumbled response. “Damn place was booby trapped, like that room.”

Shadow stopped and stared at the blown out room that was the center of the building for a few floors. There was nothing left and it explained the condition of the rest of the building. Shadow was shoved forward to keep him moving.

He followed them out into the streets. They were being cleaned up and building repairs were underway for different ones. Others had braces in place for the time being.

He hadn’t been able to see this from above. This place was well on it’s way to becoming a vibrant city. As much as a city that lay in ruins for almost 200 years was able to become.

Shadow was pushed into a vestibule to a building. He had to wait a moment before they were allowed to enter the lobby. Shadow couldn’t tell if the lobby had survived the years or been expertly restored. Even it’s vaulted ceiling was in near perfect condition. Double glass doors on the other side were flanked by four turrets set into the wall like they belonged.

A pony was next to the doors with his back to them like he had been heading in. Black mane, black cloak and a crimson coat that left much to be desired compared to Cardinal. He looked over his shoulder at Shadow, revealing one natural eye and another that was encased in metal and glowing red.

“We found this one on the roof of the MoA hub. Not sure how she got there.”

“I get why I have heard you name is Red Eye,” Shadow stated.

“I guess you were our guests the other day,” He replied. “The Steel Rangers decided to put you in danger rather quickly.”

“Ha!” Shadow scoffed. “Those fuckers think their own shit is gold.”

“You are not a lost cause then,” Red Eye yawned.

“I don’t appreciate you trying to enslave me,” Shadow growled.

“Me?” Red Eye asked innocently. “That wasn’t me. I will deal with that issue immediately though. A guest as yourself should not be treated as such.”

Shadow heard somepony get tackled behind him but didn’t look.

“What exactly are you up to?” Shadow asked. “What purpose could slavery be morally right?”

“Up to?” Red Eye asked turning to face him. “I am saving Equestria. Ponies will thank me when it is all over. My work here is just the beginning of restoring the wasteland to it’s former glory.”

“What do you mean?” Shadow asked taking a few steps forward.

“How dumb are you?”

“I guess dumb by your standards,” Shadow shrugged.

“You haven’t heard by broadcasts, have you?” Red Eye asked connecting the dots.

“That would be a no,” Shadow chuckled. “I am not from around here and I guess I haven’t been here long enough to hear it.”

Red Eye walked towards Shadow. “Where exactly are you from? Pegasi are rare.”

“Pegasi?” Shadow replied.

“Your wings may be armored and folded in, but they are obviously there,” Red Eyed said tapping his metal eye thing.

“Where are you from?” Red Eye followed up.

“North,” Shadow replied. “Mountains north.”

“What city?”

“I am going to withhold that information now,” Shadow calmly replied. “Forgive my mistrust. Those Steel Rangers robbed more than that from me.”

“They opened fire, didn’t they?” He chuckled.

“Yes, they did,” Shadow nodded. “In the middle of peaceful negotiations.”

“SHADOW! Nor panicked over the coms. “I hope you are safe, because we have Steel Rangers bearing down on us and are trapped in a building. Meet you back by nightfall or you are officially MIA.”

Red Eye was talking. “They are so ignorant and focused on technology, not help. Long ago, they lost the focus of protecting others. Have you?”

“I am here to find out how the wasteland has fared and find out if it has any allies,” Shadow replied. “They made their choice with blood. I still believe we can help each other and protect all pony kind.”

Red Eye started walking back to the doors. “Wherever you are from, you are proof they have a lot of power. There was only one group in the war history records that poses that kind of power. Those pegasi who sealed up the sky.”

“What of it?” Shadow asked.

“Those who locked away the sky and let their fellow ponies to suffer and die, even after all these years, what makes them better than the Steel Rangers?” Red Eye asked. “They have kept technology, food, aid and more away and only care about themselves.”

“That is why I am here,” Shadow shot back. “Peace can be achieved. We can do this together.”

“Do you think they will actually care about the rest of us? After all this time?” Red Eye laughed.

Shadow had no response. But the noise of distance building crumbling took their attention for a bit.

“We might have gone overboard with some things,” Nor panted. “Please make it back alive.”

“Well,” Shadow said breaking the silence. “They might have gone overboard taking care of Steel Rangers. But they are finished.”

He was hoping it would leverage things in his favor.

“You are not going to get a hoof up on me with that information,” Red Eye said annoyed.

“But,” He grinned. “The ones who sent you do not match your ideals. That is obvious. I… could always use well a highly trained pegasus in my ranks.”

Red Eye scratched his chin. “You would be helping and saving more than you ever could under their, wing.”

Shadow took a deep breath. Major Winters Breath had said that the team would dictate the Enclave’s response. So far, they only found a festering wound. The Steel Rangers were insects that sucked ponies dry of them blood. Maybe he was right.

“See, here in Fillydelphia, no pony dies unless they chose. That is the world I am make sure happens. And in the New Equestria, death… no pony will ever need die again. When that time comes, it is just a simple submission. Your toils over.”

“A new Unity is being built. It is you, it is your family, You father, your mother, your brothers and sisters. It isn’t here yet, but it will be. Unity will be me as well. I am still its humble servant. And yours because of the gift, the vision of Unity the Goddess has given me. It is she who will bring peace to this troubled land, not your friends in the sky.

“I would match your rank,” Red Eye smiled. “A new life. A real purpose. They obviously have you here to gather what they can and then abandon you here. Clean up their mess by letting you die down here, alone. I can give you family that really cares about you and everypony.”

Shadow looked down at his legs and took a few deep breaths to calm the rising panic. Red Eye was probably right. They would just burn this place to the ground. Even he was beginning to feel the same. But would they really leave them here? Major Winters Breath would not. Shadow gulped in terror. Major Winters Breath was no longer in control. That Lieutenant Honey Bee was.

“Who really sent you here?” Red Eye asked. “Some pegasi with their heads literally in the clouds, or fate? Equestria called to me, did it call to you too?”

Shadow looked at the vaulted ceiling. It blocked the clouds. He desperately needed to see them, a piece of home. He was shaking inside his armor. Shadow felt the storage spaces that Slice had added. Home that was also right beside him. Real pieces better than clouds. Seeds. Totem bands. Pictures of his loved ones. The necklace.

“You can’t match my rank,” Shadow replied with confidence. “You have no room for the Command Sergeant Major of Reconnaissance. You have no substitute for my family, for my home where we farm the clouds for a living.”

“Thank you,” Shadow added. “But even though they may very will disregard my suggestions, I will give them my report fairly and try all I can to bring peace. Equestria called me here to do that. Once it’s call is over, I will return to my family and live my life in peace. Farming the clouds to feed whoever needs it. Above or below the clouds.”

“The Grand Pegasus Enclave is far from perfect, but so is here. There we do not use slaves to achieve our goals. At least our citizens have a voice that can be heard. I have seen it myself.”

Shadow turned to walk out. Nopony was in front of him. Turrets spitting out bullets explained why. Shadow was pinned. They followed him as he tried to dash to non existent cover.

Heart, pounding and out of options, Shadow slid to a stop, facing the turrets. He was getting pounded in the chest and face, unable to see. He was blind, so he trusted his E.F.S. to pick the targets and launch a barrage of rockets.

The turrets stopped and Shadow turned to the ceiling where he launched several more rockets to make a hole. It was just in time as the lobby was flooded with Red Eye’s troops. Shadow took a shotgun blast of useless bird shot and responded with his laser rifle, laying down a field of automatic firepower.

The open lobby worked both ways. Some dashed back towards the vestibule but never made it as Shadow lobbed grenades that ended their pathetic lives. It also ended the wall separating the two rooms.

A round slammed into the back of Shadow’s helmet. He glanced back to see the room was being flooded by more troops. It took a moment to adjust for the launch. They landed too many more hits on him.

It was a spectacular display as he launched through the hole like the bullets were nothing more than annoying gnats. Shadow dipped for speed and came back up and well on his way heading east, towards the main gate and past the roller coaster. To cover his trail of retreat.

A group of griffins were quickly on his tail. Shadow dove into the roller coaster, using it’s frame to cover him for his 270 turn. He picked them off with his Novasurge rifle. He was in free fall from the stop, and opened his wings to carry him away again.

Shadow caught sight of a griffin screaming towards him from his ‘blind’ spot. He rolled to take the intercept tackle and catch the griffin. The griffin’s sharped claw sword was batted away while Shadow drove his hoof blade into it’s neck. He finished by dissecting it’s neck; carving through muscles, removing blood vessels and scaring a vertebrae.

There was little time before the impact of the ground. Shadow hadn’t anticipated dropping so low. The griffin offered some cushion, but not enough as he rolled along the ground in pain. He heard the rumble of ponies and forced himself up.

Shadow groaned and dashed off down a side street. He double vaulted up to a rooftop and found himself facing a contraption with two ponies sitting on either side. Shadow launched a rocket ending their lives but not deal much damaging to the contraption.

He defaulted to instinct and launched three more, but it was still standing and his helmet was flashing red, telling him he had two more. Five more shots from his Novasurge was finally enough.”

He had taken too long and several more ponies banged open the door that was on the other side of the gun. Shadow charged, drop kicking them back into the others behind him. The first would never recover, Shadow had used his back roof knife to ensure that.

He had no option but to take to the sky. Shadow got air and continued his travel east. His second roll to dodge fire proved worthwhile as the area he had just been was torn to shreds by an explosion. Shadow got more aggressive in his dodging and it paid off as other guns opened up.

He was soon over their gate where there were two other instillations. He took the ponies arming them out with a rocket to each. He made it and flew straight for a while before dropping into the fringe ruins to make his escape south.

“Alive and out,” Shadow panted over the coms. Meeting up. East and now swinging around on hoof to meet up with you.”

“Book it,” Nor replied. “Book it on your wings. You are faster on them. We can worry about being followed if we need to later.”

“Fine,” Shadow said barely above a a whisper.

He took off towards the meeting point. He shook his head to focus. He was getting tunnel vision and each stroke was getting tougher. He saw them all outside, exposed, waiting for him. He locked his wings and glided down to meet them.

Shadow’s hooves never caught him and he slammed his head into the ground. He couldn’t open his eyes from the pain of the impact.